Skip to main content

Full text of "Biographical review of Hancock County, Illinois : containing biographical and genealogical sketches of many of the prominent citizens of to-day and also of the past"

See other formats 


LIBRARY  OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS 

AT  URBANA-CHAMPAIGN 


920.077343 
B521 


I.H.S. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


OF 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS 

CONTAINING 
BIOGRAPHICAL  and  GENEALOGICAL  SKETCHES  of 

MANY  OF  THE  PROMINENT  CITIZENS  OF 
TO-DAY  AND  ALSO  OF  THE  PAST 


"Biography  is  the  only  true  history." — EMERSON 


CHICAGO 

HOBART  PUBLISHING  COMPANY 
1907 


"The  history  of  a  nation  is  best  told  in  the  lives  of 
its  people." — MACAULAY. 


PREFACE 


The  present  age  is  happily  awake  to  the  duty  of  writing  its  own  records, 
setting  down  what  is  best  worth  remembering  in  the  lives  of  the  busy  toilers  of 
today,  noting,  not  in  vain  glory,  but  with  an  honest  pride  and  a  sense  of  fitness, 
tilings  worthy  of  emulation,  that  thus  the  good  men  do  may  live  after  them. 
The  accounts  here  rendered  are  not  buried  talents,  but  of  used  ability  and  op- 
portunity. The  conquests  recited  are  of  mind  over  matter,  of  cheerful  labor 
directed  by  thought,  of  honest,  earnest  endeavor  which  subdues  the  earth  in  the 
divinely  appointed  way.  "The  great  lesson  of  biography,"  it  is  said,  "is  to  show 
what  man  can  be  and  do  at  his  best."  A  noble  life  put  fairly  on  record,  acts  like  an 
inspiration,  and  no  more  interesting  or  instructive  matter  could  be  presented  to  an 
intelligent  public. 

In  this  volume  will  be  found  the  record  of  many  whose  lives  are  worthy  the 
imitation  of  coming  generations.  It  tells  how  some,  commencing  life  in  poverty, 
\by  industry  and  economy  have  accumulated  wealth.  It  tells  how  others  with 
limited  advantages  for  securing  an  education,  have  become  learned  men  and 
women,  with  an  influence  extended  throughout  the  length  and  breadth  of  the  land. 
It  tells  of  men  who  have  risen  from  the  lower  walks  of  life  to  eminence  as  states- 
n,  and  whose  names  have  become  famous.  It  tells  of  'those  in  every 
walk  of  life  who  have  striven  to  succeed,  and  tells  how  success  has  usually 
crowned  their  efforts.  It  tells  also  of  those  who,  not  seeking  the  applause  of  the 
world,  have  pursued  the  even  tenor  of  their  way.  content  to  have  it  said  of  them, 
as  Christ  said  of  a  woman  performing  a  deed  of  mercy,  "They  have  done  what 
they  could."  It  tells  how  many,  in  the  pride  and  strength  of  young  manhood, 
left  all,  and  at  their  country's  call  went  forth  valiantly  "to  do  or  to  die,"  and  how 
through  their  efforts  the  Union  was  restored  and  peace  once  more  reigned  in  the 
land. 

Coming  generations  will  appreciate  this  volume,  and  preserve  it  as  a  sacred 

^  treasure,  from  the  fact  that  it  contains  so  much  that  would  never  find  its  way  into 

^  public  record,  and  which  would  otherwise  be  inaccessible.     Great  care  has  been 

_  taken  in  the  compilation  of  the  work,  and   every   opportunity   possible   given   to 

j  those  represented  to  insure  correctness  in  what  has  been  written ;  and  the  pub- 

r  lishers  flatter  themselves  that  they  give  to  their  readers  a  work  with  few  errors 

O^of  consequence. 

Yours  Respectfully. 

HOBART  PUBLISHING  COMPANY. 
=>  January,  190?. 


.-• 


"A  people  that  take  no  pride  in  the  noble  achievements  of  remote 

ancestors  will  not  achieve  anytliing  worthy  to  be  remembered 

with  pride  bv  remote  generations." — MACAULAY. 


•IONITII  JO 

3K1  JO 

Auvuan 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 

OF 

HANCOCK  COUNTY 


CHARLES  HAY,  M.  D. 

For  forty-three  years  Dr.  Charles  Hay 
was  a  resident  of  Illinois  and  though 
more  than  two  decades  have  been  added 
to  the  cycle  of  the  centuries  since  he 
passed  away,  his  name  is  revered  and  his 
memory  cherished  by  all  who  knew  him. 
It  was  not  alone  his  skill  in  his  profes- 
sion, although  he  was  an  able  medical 
practitioner  of  his  day,  his  scholarly  at- 
tainments nor  the  success  he  achieved, 
which  gained  for  him  the  place  which  he 
occupied  in  the  regard  of  his  friends,  but 
rather  his  sterling  traits  of  character,  his 
kindly  spirit,  his  deference  for  the  opinion 
of  others,  his  loyalty  to  all  that  was  right 
and  just  in  man's  relations  with  his  fel- 
lowmen  and  his  fidelity  to  high  ideals. 

The  life  record  of  Dr.  Hay  began  on 
the  7th  of  February,  1801,  in  Fayette 
county,  Kentucky.  In  the  paternal  line 
the  family  is  of  Scotch  lineage,  the  ances- 
try being  traced  back  to  John  Hay,  who 
with  his  four  sons  emigrated  from  the 
Rhenish  Palatinate  to  America  about  the 
middle  of  the  eighteenth  century.  This 
John  Hay  was  the  son  of  a  Scotish  soldier 


who  left  his  own  country  about  fifty  years 
before  and  attached  himself  to  the  army 
of  the  elector  Palatine.  Following  the 
arrival  in  the  new  world  the  brothers  sep- 
arated and  John  Hay,  the  eldest,  became 
a  resident  of  York,  Pennsylvania,  where, 
prospering  in  business  affairs,  he  accumu- 
lated considerable  property.  He  was  also 
influential  in  public  life  and  served  as 
one  of  the  magistrates  of  Pennsylvania 
during  colonial  days.  Interested  in  the 
grave  questions  which  elicited  public  at- 
tention prior  to  the  Revolutionary  war 
and  advocating  the  cause  of  liberty,  he 
filled  several  important  offices  in  the  or- 
ganization of  the  patriot  forces  prepara- 
tory to  the  Revolution  and  when  war 
was  inaugurated  he  joined  the  military 
forces  and  won  promotion  to  the  rank 
of  colonel.  Following  the  establishment 
of  the  republic  he  represented  York 
county  in  the  assembly.  Another  brother, 
Adam  Hay,  who,  like  his  brother  John, 
had  received  military  training  in  Europe, 
became  a  resident  of  Berkeley  county,  Vir- 
ginia, and  also  served  with  some  distinc- 
tion in  the  Revolutionary  war.  He  was 
a  friend  and  associate  of  Washington  and 


12 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REl'IElf 


one  of  the  earliest  recollections  of  his  son, 
the  late  John  Hay  of  Springfield,  Illinois, 
was  of  meeting  General  Washington  on 
a  country  road  and  hearing  him  greet 
Adam  Hay  as  an  old  comrade,  at  the 
same  time  bestowing  a  friendly  pat  on 
the  head  of  the  young  lad. 

It  was  this  John  Hay  who  became  the 
father  of  Dr.  Charles  Hay  of  Warsaw. 
His  birth  occurred  February  13,  1779. 
His  youth  was  passed  in  his  parents' 
home,  but  the  discipline  of  the  household 
was  somewhat  stern  and  arbitrary,  owing 
perhaps  to  the  military  training,  as  a 
German  soldier,  of  the  father.  As  he 
approached  manhood  John  Hay  was  un- 
willing to  endure  the  inflexible  rules  laid 
down  by  the  father  and  resolved  to  estab- 
lish a  home  and  seek  a  fortune  for  him- 
self elsewhere.  This  plan  he  announced 
to  his  father  and  although  there  was  a 
lack  of  sympathy  to  some  extent  between 
them,  that  there  was  110  positive  breach 
is  indicated  by  the  fact  that  he  was  pro- 
vided with  money  sufficient  to  enable  him 
to  take  up  a  good  piece  of  land  in  Fayette 
county,  Kentucky,  to  which  place  he  made 
his  way.  In  early  manhood  he  married 
Jemima  Coulter  and  they  became  the 
parents  of  fourteen  children,  all  of  whom 
reached  maturity.  Three  of  the  sons, 
Charles,  Joseph  and  Theodore  Hay,  be- 
came physicians,  while  another  son,  Mil- 
ton Hay,  for  many  years  occupied  a  most 
distinguished  position  at  the  Illinois  bar. 
In  his  business  affairs  in  Fayette  county. 
John  Hay,  the  father,  met  with  gratify- 
ing success  and  for  thirty  years  continued 
a  resident  of  that  locality,  but  feeling  that 
the  influence  of  slavery  was  detrimental 
he  determined  to  take  his  family  to  a 


region  which  was  free  from  that  objec- 
tion and  when  fifty-five  years  of  age  re- 
moved to  Sangamon  county,  Illinois,  ac- 
companied by  all  his  children  save  his 
eldest  son,  Dr.  Charles  Hay,  who  had 
already  begun  the  practice  of  medicine  in 
Indiana. 

It  was  the  intention  of  John  Hay  to 
engage  in  the  manufacture  of  cotton 
goods  in  Illinois  and  he  brought  with  him 
from  Kentucky  the  machinery  and  appli- 
ances necessary  for  the  conduct  of  such 
an  industry,  but  the  business  proved  un- 
profitable and  he  soon  concentrated  his 
efforts  upon  other  interests.  He  dealt  to 
a  greater  or  less  extent  in  land  and  his 
speculations  and  investments  in  this  re- 
gard brought  to  him  a  good  financial  re- 
turn. He  was  the  first  man  to  sign  a 
in  the  public  square  of  Springfield.  In 
promissory  note  to  the  state  bank  which 
secured  the  erection  of  the  old  state  house 
matters  relating  to  the  general  welfare 
he  was  deeply  interested  and  his  co-opera- 
tion could  be  counted  upon  to  further 
plans  and  measures  for  the  public  good. 
His  name  became  a  synonym  for  integrity 
and  honor  in  business  affairs  as  well  as 
in  private  life  and  his  record  was  at  all 
times  in  harmony  with  his  professions  as 
a  member  of  the  Baptist  church,  in  the 
work  of  which  he  took  an  active  and  help- 
ful part.  The  contemporary  biographer 
has  said,  "His  long  white  hair,  his  com- 
pact and  powerful  form,  were  for  many 
years  a  noticeable  sight  in  the  streets  of 
the  town.  He  was  a  devoted  friend  of 
Lincoln  and  the  death  of  the  president 
affected  him  profoundly.  He  was  then 
in  failing  health  and  for  several  days 
after  the  assassination  he  could  not  dis- 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


miss  the  subject  from  his  thoughts.  He 
forgot  his  ninety  years  and  often  said, 
'If  I  had  been  in  the  box  with  him,  that 
should  not  have  happened.'  He  sat  at 
the  window  to  watch  the  funeral  cortege 
which  bore  the  martyred  ruler  'to  his 
grave  and  then  went  to  his  own  rest,  May 
20,  1865,  in  the  ninety-first  year  of  his 
age." 

Dr.  Charles  Hay,  the  eldest  son  of  John 
Hay,  spent  his  childhood  and  youth  in 
Kentucky  upon  the  old  plantation  which 
his  father  there  developed.  He  was  pro- 
vided with  the  best  educational  privileges 
that  the  state  afforded  and  his  aptitude  in 
his  studies  was  ever  a  marvel  to  his  teach- 
ers, who  it  is  said  could  hardly  be  con- 
vinced that  he  was  not  playing  a  practical 
joke  upon  them  when  they  saw  him  learn- 
ing his  alphabet  one  day  and  reading 
with  facility  a  fortnight  later.  He  quick- 
ly mastered  the  branches  of  learning 
taught  in  the  common  schools,  after 
which  he  continued  his  studies  in  a  clas- 
sical school  at  Lexington,  where  he  made 
the  same  easy  progress  in  Latin  and 
Greek.  He  never  allowed  his  knowledge 
of  those  tongues  to  lapse  with  the  passing 
of  the  years  and  the  assistance  which  he 
rendered  to  his  children  in  the  reading  of 
Homer  and  Virgil  later  made  for  them 
an  intellectual  pastime  of  what  otherwise 
would  perhaps  have  been  a  dreaded 
school  task.  He ,  was  always  a  man  of 
scholarly  tastes  and  habits,  his  reading 
covering  a  wide  range  and  his  assimila- 
tion of  knowledge  being  such  as  to  render 
him  a  pleasing  and  entertaining  com- 
panion of  men  of  widest  thought  and 
culture.  His  choice  of  the  practice  of 
medicine  as  a  life  work  was  followed 


by  preliminary  reading  under  the  direc- 
tion of  Dr.  William  H.  Richardson  and 
later  of  Dr.  Dudley  and  others  who  were 
prominent  in  the  medical  fraternity  in 
Kentucky  at  that  day.  His  collegiate 
training  was  received  in  the  medical  de- 
partment of  Transylvania  University,  the 
most  important  institution  of  learning  in 
the  west  and  when  his  graduation  won 
him  the  degree  of  M.  D.  he  located  for 
practice  in  Salem,  Indiana,  where  for  ten 
years  he  followed  his  profession  with  uni- 
form success. 

It  was  during  his  residence  in  Salem 
that  Dr.  Hay  was  married  in  October, 
1831  to  Miss  Helen  Leonard.  She  was  a 
daughter  of  the  Rev.  David  A.  Leonard, 
of  Bristol,  Rhode  Island,  whose  erudition 
and  oratorical  power  won  him  wide  fame 
at  the  beginning  of  the  nineteenth  cen- 
tury. He  was  a  graduate  of  Brown  Uni- 
versity of  the  class  of  1/93  and  was  class 
poet.  Entering  upon  the  active  work  of 
the  ministry,  he  became  pastor  of  the 
First  Baptist  church  in  Gold  street  in 
New  York  city  and  in  1817  removed  to 
the  west,  purchasing  a  large  tract  of  land 
on  the  Ohio  river.  His  death  occurred 
two  years  later.  He  had  wedded  Mary 
Pierce  and  to  them  had  been  born  thirteen 
children.  Among  this  number  was  a 
daughter,  Evelyn,  who  became  the  wife 
of  John  Hay  Farnham,  whose  acquaint- 
ance Dr.  Hay  formed  during  his  resi- 
dence in  Salem  and  this  brought  to  him 
the  acquaintance  of  Helen  Leonard, 
whom  he  afterward  made  his  wife. 
Other  members  of  the  Leonard  family 
were:  Charlotte,  who  married  William 
P.  Thomasson,  who  represented  the 
Louisville  district  of  Kentucky  in  con- 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


gress ;  Sarah,  the  wife  of  Governor  David 
Meriwether,  who  was  a  prominent  rival 
of  Mr.  Thomasson  as  leaders  in  the  whig 
and  democratic  parties  of  Kentucky ;  and 
Cornelia,  the  wife  of  William  N.  Grover, 
afterward  United  States  district  attorney 
for  Missouri. 

Following  their  marriage  Dr.  and  Mrs. 
Ha}'  established  their  home  in  Salem, 
Indiana,  and  the  young  physician  soon 
won  a  large  practice,  his  position  in  pub- 
lic regard  being  fully  established  through 
the  energy  and  devotion  with  which  he 
combatted  an  epidemic  of  cholera  in  1833, 
which  carried  off  both  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Farnham.  For  weeks  together  Dr.  Hay 
took  little  time  for  either  sleep  or  food, 
but  gave  his  attention  untiringly  to  the 
work  of  checking  the  ravages  of  the  dread 
disease.  From  that  time  forward  he  en- 
joyed a  large  and  lucrative  practice  in 
Salem  and  became  recognized  moreover 
as  one  of  the  local  leaders  in  the  whig 
party  and  was  induced  to  become  the 
editor  of  a  weekly  whig  paper  in  Salem, 
which  he  conducted  for  several  years, 
making  it  one  of  the  strongest  organs 
of  that  political  organization  in  Indiana. 
His  kindness  of  heart  brought  him  into 
financial  ruin  through  securities  which 
he  signed  for  friends  and  with  the  hope 
of  retrieving  his  lost  possessions  he  re- 
moved frorrv  Salem  to  Warsaw,  Illinois, 
in  1841.  Until  death  claimed  him  he 
continued  an  honored  resident  of  this 
city,  his  life  being  actuated  by  honorable 
and  benevolent  principles  and  filled  with 
good  deeds.  His  professional  capability 
was  soon  recognized  and  brought  him  a 
large  and  important  practice.  Warsaw 
at  that  time  was  situated  in  what  was 


largely  a  pioneer  district  and  the  practice 
of  a  physician  was  in  consequence  fraught 
with  many  hardships  incident  to  the  long 
rides  which  it  was  necessary  to  take 
through  the  hot  summer  sun  or  the  win- 
ter's cold  in  order  to  administer  to  the 
needs  of  patients  far  removed  from  his 
home.  He  was  engaged  in  practice  here 
during  one  of  the  most  notable  epochs  in 
the  history  of  this  city.  From  the  east  had 
come  a  colony  of  people  known  as  Mor- 
mons. Their  belief  in  and  practice  of  po- 
lygamy was  so  distasteful  to  the  residents 
.  of  Hancock  county  that  they  arose  in  their 
wrath  to  drive  the  new  sect  out  of  the  dis- 
trict and  a  bitter  warfare  arose  between 
the  Mormon  people  and  their  opponents. 
The  roads  were  infested  with  bands  of 
lawless  persons  on  both  sides,  a  large 
number  of  houses  were  burned  and  many 
persons  shot  from  the  ambush  of  the 
woods.  Dr.  Hay's  friends,  fearing  for 
his  life,  urged  him  to  give  up  his  country 
practice,  but  this  he  refused  to  do,  merely 
purchasing  a  faster  horse  and  continuing 
his  work  on  either  side  of  the  hostile 
lines.  He  was  often  stopped  but  never 
otherwise  molested,  although  he  was 
known  to  be  inflexibly  opposed  to  the 
Mormon  people  and  practices.  However, 
he  stood  for  justice  and  right  and  was 
ever  found  on  the  side  of  law  and  order 
and  protested  vigorously  but  ineffectually 
against  the  march  to  Nauvoo  which  re- 
sulted in  the  death  of  Joseph  and  Hiram 
Smith,  brothers,  who  were  prophet  lead- 
ers among  the  Mormons. 

In  his  practice  Dr.  Hay  met  with  suc- 
cess. He  was  a  student  of  any  subject 
or  theory  which  seemed  to  bear  upon  his 
professional  work  and  eagerly  embraced 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


every  advanced  idea  that  he  helieved 
would  promote  his  efficiency  and  enable 
him  to  give  more  capable  service  to  his 
fellowmen  in  checking  the  ravages  of 
disease  and  restoring  health.  A  broad 
humanitarian  spirit  was  ever  the  basis  of 
his  professional  work  and  yet  he  was  not 
without  that  laudable  ambition  for  achiev- 
ing success,  that  he  might  provide  well 
for  his  family,  and  as  his  financial  re- 
sources increased  he  from  time  to  time 
made  judicious  investments  in  real  estate 
which  added  to  his  prosperity.  His  farms, 
however,  did  not  bring  him  the  profit 
which  would  have  accrued  to  many  men 
who  look  upon  the  proposition  only  from 
the  business  standpoint.  It  is  said  that 
Dr.  Hay  regarded  his  tenants  somewhat 
as  if  they  were  his  children  or  his  wards 
and  he  looked  first  to  their  interests  rather 
than  to  the  financial  benefits  that  he 
might  receive  from  their  labors.  How- 
ever, the  normal  man  always  has  appre- 
ciation for  nature  and  Dr.  Hay  greatly 
enjoyed  riding  out  to  his  farms  and 
watching  the  growth  of  the  crops.  His 
was  a  well-rounded  nature.  He  never 
concentrated  his  energies  and  efforts  so 
closely  upon  one  line  of  thought  or  ac- 
tion as  to  become  abnormally  developed. 
The  study  of  nature,  his  professional  ser- 
vice, his  deep  interest  in  his  fellowmen, 
shared  with  his  books  in  his  attention. 
He  passed  many  of  his  most  pleasant 
hours  in  communion  with  the  strong  and 
cultured  minds  of  the  past,  the  essay,  his- 
tory and  natural  science  being  the  prin- 
cipal themes  which  claimed  his  attention. 
The  welfare  and  progress  of  his  adopted 
city  was  ever  a  matter  of  deep  and  intense 
interest  to  him  and  he  was  particularly 


helpful  along  lines  of  intellectual  prog- 
ress and  advancement.  The  public- 
school  system  received  his  most  earnest 
endorsement  and  he  co-operated  to  the 
full  extent  of  his  powers  in  the  work  of 
upholding  the  standard  of  education  and 
introducing  improved  methods  of  instruc- 
tion. The  school  teachers  recognized 
that  they  had  no  stancher  friend  in  all 
Warsaw  than  Dr.  Hay  and  a  word  of  en- 
couragement and  appreciation  was  to 
them  often  an  inspiration  that  enabled 
them  to  put  forth  further  effective  effort 
for  the  public  schools.  He  was  instru- 
mental in  establishing  a  free  public  library 
in  Warsaw  and  was  for  many  years  pres- 
ident of  the  library  board.  He  held  a 
prominent  place  in  all  the  associations  for 
the  improvement  of  agriculture,  horticul- 
ture and  other  important  interests  of  the 
county  and  in  local  religious  and  chari- 
table organizations.  His  endorsement  of 
such  movements  was  not  that  of  words 
alone,  for  he  was  an  active  co-operant  in 
all  plans  for  public  progress  and  im- 
provement and  considered  no  task  too 
unimportant  to  claim  his  best  efforts  if  it 
proved  a  factor  in  the  result  for  which 
they  were  striving. 

As  the  years  passed  there  were  added 
to  the  family  of  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Hay  six 
children,  of  whom  the  eldest,  Edward 
Leonard,  died  in  infancy.  Leonard  Au- 
gustus Hay,  the  second  son,  retired  army 
officer,  died  in  Warsaw,  November  12, 
1904.  Mary  Pierce  is  the  widow  of 
Major  Austin  Coleman  Woolfolk,  A.  Q. 
M.,  United  States  army  and  afterward 
a  circuit  judge  in  Minnesota.  John  Hay 
rose  to  national  prominence,  his  last  pub- 
lic work  being  as  secretary  of  state  under 


i6 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


President  Roosevelt.  Charles  Edward, 
captain  of  the  Third  Cavalry,  United 
States  army,  and  afterward  twice  elected 
mayor  of  Springfield,  Illinois,  it  the  only 
surviving  son.  Helen  became  the  wife 
of  Harwood  Otis  Whitney  and  died  in 
1873.  The  death  of  this  daughter  came 
to  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Hay  as  their  greatest 
bereavement.  "Her  bright,  .sunny  tem- 
per, her  witty  and  original  conversation, 
her  devotion  to  those  she  loved  and  her 
absolute  unselfishness, — qualities  which 
she  seemed  to  derive  with  her  name  from 
her  mother, — made  her  the  idol  of  her 
home."  The  lives  of  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Hay 
were  bound  up  in  their  children  and. as 
Dr.  Hay  expressed  it,  no  personal  dis- 
tinction for  himself  could  bring  him  the 
joy  that  could  come  to  him  through  the 
intelligence,  honor  and  thrift  of  his  chil- 
dren. No  personal  sacrifice  on  the  part 
of  the  parents  was  considered  too  great 
if  it  would  promote  the  welfare  of  their 
sons  and  daughters.  They  felt  that  no 
economy  must  be  practiced  for  their  edu- 
cation and  there  was  always  means  of 
providing  teachers  and  books  of  the  best 
within  reach.  They  lived  to  see  them  at- 
tain positions  of  honor  and  distinction 
and  the  sons  attributed  to  their  early 
parental  training  much  of  their  success 
in  later  life.  In  the  spring  of  1879.  Mrs. 
Hay  met  with  a  serious  accident,  so  that 
for  many  weeks  it  was  thought  that  she 
could  not  recover  and  she  was  unable  to 
walk  afterward.  During  these  days  of 
trial  Dr.  Hay  waited  upon  her  with  un- 
tiring patience  and  heroic  endurance  and 
following  her  convalescence  became  more 
than  ever  her  inseparable  companion. 
They  celebrated  their  golden  wedding  in 


October,  1881,  having  terminated  fifty 
years  of  a  marriage  relation  which  in 
every  respect  reached  the  ideal.  It  was 
not  long  after  this  that  Dr.  Hay  recog- 
nized that  because  of  heart  disease  his 
own  end  was  near.  He  never  spoke  of 
the  matter  except  to  his  physician,  Dr. 
Hunt,  and  he  charged  him  strictly  never 
to  mention  it,  for  he  did  not  wish  to  bring 
one  feeling  of  alarm  or  danger  to  his 
wife,  his  children  or  his  grandchildren, 
in  whom  his  life  was  wrapped  up.  He 
passed  peacefully  away  September  18, 
1884.  "He  walked  serenely  down  to  the 
gates  of  death  with  nothing  of  the  in- 
difference of  the  stoic  but  with  the  cheer- 
ful resignation  of  a  philosopher  and  the 
loving  self-sacrifice  of  a  Christian  hus- 
band and  father  bearing  the  burdens  of 
others-."  He  had  attained  the  age  of 
eighty-three  years.  Resolutions  of  re- 
spect were  passed  by  the  library  board 
and  by  the  cemetery  board,  of  both  of 
which  he  was  a  member  and  perhaps  no 
better  estimate  of  his  life  work  and  of 
his  character  can  be  given  than  by  quoting 
fromthelocal  papers  of  Warsaw,  for  in  that 
city  where  he  had  so  long  made  his  home 
his  life  record  was  as  an  open  book.  "He 
soon  acquired  a  competency  by  judicious 
investments  and  by  his  practice,  from 
which  he  retired  several  years  ago,  to 
enjoy  the  leisure  he  had  so  well  earned. 
Even  in  his  peaceful  and  honored  age, 
however,  he  was  no  idler.  He  preserved 
to  his  latest  days  the  studious  and  schol- 
arly habits  of  his  youth.  He  read  with 
avidity  everything  of  interest  which  ap- 
peared, especially  in  the  line  of  science 
and  history.  He  took  the  greatest  in- 
terest in  state  and  municipal  affairs,  and 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


was  active  in  every  enterprise  which 
promised  to  advance  the  cause  of  educa- 
tion and  enlightenment.  As  in  his  early 
manhood  he  was  never  too  busy  to  help 
his  own  children  in  their  Greek  and  Latin 
lessons,  so  in  his  latest  days  he  was  never 
so  indolent  as  to  refuse  his  assistance  to 
any  scheme  to  extend  to  the  people  those 
benefits  of  sound  learning  which  had  been 
of  so  much  advantage  and  pleasure  to 
himself."  Another  publication  said, 
"The  Doctor  was  of  the  highest  stamp  of 
manhood — upright  in  all  his  dealings ;  un- 
swerving in  the  discharge  of  what  he  be- 
lieved to  be  his  duty ;  kind,  generous,  and 
charitable  with  all  men;  a  lover  of  man- 
kind, and  ever  thoughtful  of  their  wel- 
fare; strong  in  his  convictions  of  the 
right,  and  true  to  their  teachings.  He 
was  a  nobleman  in  the  true  sense  of  the 
word."  "In  his  chosen  profession  of 
medicine  he  was  an  acknowledged  mas- 
ter; and  in  his  devotion  to  his  profession 
he  had  but  few  equals.  He  was  courte- 
ous, kind,  and  considerate  in  his  inter- 
course with  those  of  like  profession.  In 
his  friendship  he  was  ardent  and  faith- 
ful. So  long  as  a  man  was  worthy,  he 
remained  his  friend."  The  funeral  ser- 
vices were  conducted  at  his  home  by  the 
Rev.  John  G.  Rankin,  who  in  his  remarks 
said,  "There  has  been  much,  especially 
in  his, latter  years,  to  make  life  desirable. 
Having,  by  his  diligence  and  frugality 
in  the  noonday  of  life,  acquired  a  com- 
petency, which  enabled  him  to  free  his 
mind  from  all  anxiety;  living  among 
friends  and  neighbors  with  whom  he  had 
been  associated  for  more  than  forty  years ; 
honored  and  loved  by  the  entire  commu- 
nity in  which  he  had  so  long  lived  (for 


Dr.  Hay  had  no  enemies)  ;  permitted  to 
see  all  his  children  occupying  honored 
and  useful  positions  in  life;  and,  perhaps, 
above  all,  receiving  from  his  children,  in 
their  frequent  visits  to  the  home  of  their 
childhood,  such  love  and  honor  and 
thoughtful  and  tender  care  as  but  too  few 
parents  receive ;  surely  there  was  much  in 
such  surroundings  to  make  life  desirable, 
yet,  as  he  expressed  it  to  a  friend,  he  had 
been  living  for  years  as  a  "minute  man." 
He  had  done  life's  work  day  by  day,  as 
it  was  presented  to  his  hand,  and  he 
stood  ready  to  answer  the  Master's  call 
any  minute."  A  minute  analization  of 
the  life  of  Dr.  Hay,  however,  would  cer- 
tainly bring  forth  the  fact  that  with  all 
his  love  of  learning,  with  all  of  his  de- 
votion to  the  public  welfare,  with  all  of 
his  scientific  knowledge  and  medical  skill, 
his  deepest  interest  centered  in  his  family. 
The  ties  of  home  were  to  him  sacred. 
He  found  his  greatest  happiness  in  the 
companionship  of  his  wife,  who  survived 
him  until  the  i8th  of  February,  1893, 
when  she,  too,  passed  away. 


CHARLES  SAVAGE  SHIPMAN. 

Charles  Savage  Shipman,  assistant 
cashier  of  the  First  National  Bank  at 
Dallas  City,  and  well  known  in  financial 
circles  in  this  part  of  the  county,  was  born 
August  II,  1845,  in  Yonkers,  New  York. 
His  parents  were  Ralph  and  Marilla 
(Wells)  Shipman,  both  natives  of  New 
Britain,  Connecticut.  Colonel  Lee,  the 


i8 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


great-grandfather  of  Mr.  Shipman,  was  a 
soldier  of  the  Revolutionary  war,  and 
the  family  was  represented  by  several  sol- 
diers in  the  Civil  war,  so  that  the  military 
record  is  a  most  creditable  one.  While 
living  in  Connecticut  Mr.  Shipman  was 
owner  of  a  brass  foundry,  and  following 
his  removal  to  Yonkers,  New  York,  he 
there  engaged  in  the  conduct  of  a  paper 
box  factory.  Both  he  and  his  wife  were 
members  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  and 
he  served  as  one  of  its  deacons  from  early 
manhood  up  to  the  time  of  his  death.  He 
died  in  December,  1876.  while  his  wife 
passed  away  in  1879,  and  both  were  laid 
to  rest  in  the  cemetery  in  Yonkers,  New 
York.  In  their  family  were  five  children, 
of  whom  two  died  in  early  childhood. 
Julius  married  Miss  Mary  Clark,  made 
his  home  in  Yonkers,  New  York,  and 
died  in  1875.  His  widow  is  still  living 
at  the  very  venerable  age  of  ninety  years. 
He  was  twenty  years  older  than  the  sub- 
ject of  this  review.  He  left  four  children  : 
Mrs.  Fannie  Wilson,  of  Brooklyn,  New 
York;  Mrs.  Isabella  Williams,  of  Yonk- 
ers, New  York;  and  Walter  and  Albert 
Shipman.  Ann  and  Jane  Shipman, 
daughters  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ralph  Ship- 
man, died  in  childhood.  Anna  E.,  the 
only  surviving  daughter  of  the  family, 
makes  her  home  in  New  Britain,  Connec- 
icut. 

Charles  S.  Shipman,  the  only  surviv- 
ing son,  was  educated  in  the  public  and 
high  schools  of  his  native  city  and  in  a 
military  academy  at  Yonkers.  New  York. 
His  school  life  being  over  he  assisted 
his  father  in  the  box  factory  in  that  city 
until  his  removal  to  the  west  in  1871.  in 
which  vear  he  arrived  in  Hancock  countv. 


Illinois.  He  spent  the  succeeding  two 
years  upon  a  farm,  and  in  1873  returned 
to  New  York,  where  he  conducted  his  fa- 
ther's business  until  1882,  when  he  re- 
moved to  Dallas  City,  Illinois.  Here  he 
became  a  clerk  and  a  salesman  in  the  lum- 
beryard of  his  father-in-law,  H.  F.  Black, 
with  whom  he  continued  for  five  years, 
when  he  embarked  in  business  on  his  own 
account,  and  was  numbered  among  the 
successful  dry  goods  merchants  of  Dallas 
City  for  eight  years.  In  1902  he  became 
bookkeeper  and  assistant  cashier  in  the 
First  National  Bank  of  Dallas  City,  and 
is  still  acting  in  that  capacity,  being  well 
known  in  financial  circles  here,  while 
throughout  the  years  of  his  residence  here 
he  has  made  a  most  creditable  record  as 
an  enterprising  business  man. 

On  the  2gth  of  June,  1876,  Mr.  Ship- 
man was  married  to  Miss  Catherine  Farn- 
waldt  Black,  a  daughter  of  Henry  Farn- 
waldt  Black,  who  for  many  years  was  a 
prominent  lumber  merchant  of  Dallas 
City  but  is  now  deceased.  Mrs.  Shipman 
was  born  June  14,  1857,  in  Grand  Rapids, 
Wisconsin,  was  educated  in  Rockford 
Seminary,  at  Rockford,  Illinois,  and  was 
married  in  Dallas  City  on  the  29th  of 
June,  1876.  By  this  union  there  have 
been  born  three  children. .  Ralph  Wells, 
bom  August  18,  1878,  attended  the  pub- 
lic schools  of  Dallas  City,  was  graduated 
from  the  high  school  and  pursued  a  course 
of  study  at  Fort  Madison,  Iowa.  He  mar- 
ried Miss  Letitia  Nelson,  of  Nauvoo,  Illi- 
nois, and  now  lives  at  Media.  Illinois, 
where  he  is  superintendent  of  a.  lumber- 
yard for  the  firm  of  Black  and  Loomis. 
Mary  Black  Shipman,  born  August  2, 
1884,  is  a  senior  in  Hardin  College,  in 


MAX  COCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


Mexico,  Missouri,  and  was  graduated 
from  the  musical  conservatory  in  connec- 
tion with  that  school  in  April.  1906. 
Anna  Celia,  born  October  15,  1887,  at- 
tended the  same  school  with  her  sister  for 
three  years,  when  she  became  ill  with 
typhoid  fever.  Her  sister  then  brought 
her  home  and  she  died  in  Fort  Madison 
Hospital,  in  December,  1905.  She  was 
buried  the  same  day  as  her  uncle,  B.  F. 
Black,  from  his  late  home,  and  was  laid 
to  rest  in  Dallas  City  cemetery.  She  was 
a  beautiful,  amiable  and  accomplished 
young  lady  and  was  greatly  beloved  by 
all.  She  held  membership  in  the  Congre- 
gational church  and  took  an  active  part 
in  church  and  Sunday-school  work. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Shipman  reside  in  the 
old  Black  home  at  the  corner  of  Fourth 
and  Oak  streets,  which  was  built  by  her 
father  forty-eight  years  ago,  and  Mr. 
Shipman  also  has  a  farm  at  Pontoosuc. 
Illinois,  and  pasture  lands  in  Henderson 
county,  together  with  a  house  which  he 
rents  in  Dallas  City.  His  political  sup- 
port is  given  to  the  republican  party  and 
he  is  recognized  as  a  prominent  factor  in 
local  political  circles.  In  1886  he  was 
elected  mayor  of  Dallas  City  and  is  now 
serving  as  alderman  from  the  second 
ward.  He  is  a  prominent  and  valued 
member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity  and  of 
the  Woodman  camp,  and  he  and  his  wife 
are  devoted  members  of  the  Congrega- 
toinal  church,  in  which  he  is  serving  as 
deacon,  while  since  1889  he  has  been  su- 
perintendent of  the  Sunday-school.  His 
wife  has  been  president  of  the  Ladies  So- 
ciety of  the  church  and  was  organist  and 
choir  leader  for  years  but  has  recently 
retired  from  this  work.  She  belongs  to 


a  chapter  of  the  Daughters  of  the  Amer- 
ican Revolution,  and  is  an  intelligent,  cul- 
tured lady.  Mr.  Shipman  is  a  capable 
business  man  and  a  respected  citizen,  of 
genial  disposition  and  a  fund  of  wit  and 
humor,  and  the  home  of  this  couple  is 
the  center  of  many  delightful  social 
gatherings. 


PROF.  WILLIAM  K.  HILL,  A.  M. 

William  K.  Hill,  professor  of  chemis- 
try and  biology  at  Carthage  College,  was 
born  in  Armstrong  county,  Pennsylvania, 
December  u,  1857,  and  is  descended  from 
an  ancestry  that  was  established  in  east- 
ern Pennsylvania  at  an  early  epoch  in  its 
development,  the  progenitor  of  the  fam- 
ily in  America  having  come  from  Eng- 
land. John  Hill,  the  grandfather,  re- 
moved to  Armstrong  county,  Pennsylva- 
nia, and  built  the  first  school-house  in  the 
south  half  of  the  county.  He  employed 
a  man  to  teach  his  children  and  invited 
the  neighbors  to  send  their  children  and 
enjoy  the  benefits  of  instruction.  In  the 
midst  of  the  wilderness  he  carved  out  a 
home  and  his  labors  were  of  a  character 
that  contributed  in  marked  degree  to  the 
material  improvement  of  the  community. 
He  also  built  the  first  grist  mill  in  his 
part  of  the  county  and  he  co-operated 
in  many  movements  for  the  general  wel- 
fare. He  married  a  Miss  Ament  and  their 
son,  Salem  Hill,  father  of  our  subject, 
was  born  in  Armstrong  county,  where 
he  was  reared  and  educated.  He  followed 
both  milling  and  farming  and  spent  his 


20 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEU' 


entire  life  in  that  locality.  In  early  man- 
hood he  wedded  Miss  Esther  Kuhns,  also 
a  native  of  Armstrong  county,  where  they 
continued  to  reside  until  called  to  their 
final  rest.  In  their  family  were  seven 
children.  The  parents  were  devoted  and 
active  members  of  the  Lutheran  church, 
in  which  Mr.  Hill  served  as  an  officer. 
His  wife  was  a  granddaughter  of  Father 
Michael  Steck,  the  first  Lutheran  minis- 
ter in  Westmoreland  county,  Pennsyl- 
vania, at  which  time  the  county  boundaries 
comprised  nearly  the  entire  western  por- 
tion of  the  state.  His  daughter  Esther 
married  David  Kuhns  and  they  became 
the  parents  of  Mrs.  Hill.  Salem  Hill  de- 
parted this  life  about  ten  years  ago,  but 
Mrs.  Hill  is  still  living  upon  the  old 
homestead. 

William  K.  Hill  is  the  second  in  order 
of  birth  in  the  family.  After  attending 
the  district  schools  he  continued  his  stud- 
ies in  Pennsylvania  College,  at  Gettys- 
burg, and  was  there  graduated  in  the  class 
of  1879  with  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of 
Arts,  while  later  the  Master  of  Arts  de- 
gree was  conferred  upon  him  by  his  alma 
mater.  Following  his  graduation  he  en- 
tered upon  a  course  of  study  in  Gettys- 
burg Theological  Seminary  of  the  Lu- 
theran church,  of  which  he  is  an  alumnus 
of  the  class  of  1884. 

In  the  fall  of  that  year  Professor  Hill 
came  to  Carthage  to  accept  the  chair  of 
science  at  Carthage  College,  with  which 
he  was  continuously  identified  until  1893, 
when  he  resigned  his  position  and  for  eight 
years  thereafter  was  superintendent  of  the 
public  schools  of  the  city  of  Carthage. 
During  that  period  the  work  of  the  schools 
were  rapidly  developed  and  improved, 


Professor  Hill  maintaining  a  high  stand- 
ard of  proficiency  in  all  his  work  and  in- 
spiring his  teachers  and  the  pupils  with 
much  of  his  own  zeal  and  interest  in  the 
work.  The  attendance  at  the  high  school 
increased  threefold  during  that  period  and 
there  was  a  marked  improvement  mani- 
fested in  all  departments  of  public  educa- 
tion in  this  city.  In  1901  Professor  Hill 
was  re-elected  to  his  old  position  in  the 
college  and  since  that  time  has  filled  the 
chair  of  chemistry  and  biology.  His  spe- 
cial work  has  been  along  the  line  of  and 
study  of  biology  of  fresh  water  algae  but 
his  life  work  has  been  that  of  teaching. 
As  an  educator  he  has  won  high  rank,  im- 
parting knowledge  in  clear,  concise  man- 
ner, which  fails  not  to  make  a  strong  im- 
pression upon  the  minds  of  his  pupils.  He 
has  also  become  known  in  business  cir- 
cles in  Carthage,  where  for  a  number  of 
years  he  has  been  director  of  the  National 
Bank. 

Professor  Hill  was  married  December 
21,  1887,  to  Miss  Kate  Griffith,  a  daugh- 
ter of  Dr.  A.  J.  Griffith  and  a  graduate  of 
Carthage  College.  To  them  have  been 
born  ten  children,  nine  of  whom  are  yet 
living,  namely :  Esther  Margaret,  Wil- 
liam Griffith,  Katharine,  Robert  Mc- 
Claughry,  Lewis  Rowland,  Ralph  March- 
and,  Constance,  Edward  Llewellyn  and 
Imogen.  Professor  and  Mrs.  Hill  are 
members  of  the  Lutheran  church,  in  the 
work  of  which  they  take  a  very  active 
and  helpful  part.  Professor  Hill  has 
served  as  elder  for  many  years  and  has 
done  all  in  his  power  to  advance  the 
work  of  the  church  and  extend  its  in- 
fluence. His  political  views  are  in  ac- 
cord with  the  republican  principles  but 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


21 


he  has  never  been  an  aspirant  for  office. 
He  has  a  beautiful  home  on  Wabash  ave- 
nue, where  his  well  filled  library  and 
other  attractive  furnishings  indicate  the 
wealth  of  refinement  and  culture  to  be 
found  there.  Throughout  his  entire  pro- 
fessional career  he  has  remained  in  Car- 
thage and  his  strong  intellectuality  and 
broad,  scholarly  .  attainments  have  made 
him  a  leader  in  its  educational  progress. 


GEORGE  WALKER  BARR. 

George  Walker  Barr,  a  retired  farmer 
of  Dallas  City,  is  one  of  the  few  residents 
of  America  who  can  claim  the  distinction 
of  being  the  grandson  of  a  Revolution- 
ary hero.  The  ancestry  of  the  family 
can  be  traced  back  to  the  year  1607,  when 
a  representative  of  the  name  settled  at 
Jamestown,  Virginia,  among  the  first  per- 
manent residents  of  the  new  world. 
Adam  Barr,  grandfather  of  our  subject, 
was  a  native  of  the  Old  Dominion  and 
served  throughout  the  Revolutionary  war 
as  a  teamster.  He  was  with  the  immedi- 
ate command  of  General  Washington  for 
seven  years  and  underwent  the  various 
hardships  and  privations  which  were  he- 
roically borne  by  the  soldiers  who  fought 
for  independence,  marching  at  various 
times  when  his  footprints  were  marked 
by  blood.  George  W.  Barr  of  this  review 
can  well  remember  when  at  the  age  of 
ten  years  he  dropped  corn  after  his  grand- 
father Barr,  who  was  then  ninety-five 
years  of  age.  Adam  Barr  was  married 


in  Baltimore,  Maryland,  and  subsequent- 
ly removed  to  Kentucky,  where  he  lived 
for  many  years.  In  his  family  were  thir- 
teen children,  of  whom  four  sons  fought 
in  the  famous  battle  of  New  Orleans  un- 
der the  command  of  General  Andrew 
Jackson  and  two  of  the  number  never  re- 
turned, giving  their  lives  in  defense  of 
their  country  in  the  second  war  with  Eng- 
land. 

Elias  Barr,  son  of  Adam  Barr,  was 
born  in  Breckinridge  county,  Kentucky, 
December  8,  1807,  and  after  arriving  at 
years  of  maturity  was  married  to  Sallie 
A.  Beauchamp,  whose  birth  occurred  in 
Hardin  county,  Kentucky,  December  4, 
1808.  She  was  a  daughter  of  Jerry  B. 
Beauchamp,  who  was  descended  from  the 
French  nobility.  His  parents  went  to 
England  at  the  time  of  the  emigration  of 
the  Huguenots  because  of  the  religious 
persecution  in  their  own  country  and 
Jerry  Beauchamp  and  his  two  brothers 
were  born  in  England.  He  was  a  lawyer, 
scholar,  statesman  and  aristocrat — one  of 
the  most  distinguished  residents  of  Ken- 
tucky at  an  early  day.  He  served  for 
eighteen  years  in  the  Kentucky  senate, 
leaving  the  impress  of  his  individuality 
upon  the  laws  which  were  enacted  at  that 
early  period  and  aiding  in  shaping  the  pol- 
icy of  the  state.  He  was  a  typical  Ken- 
tucky gentlemen,  a  man  of  fine  presence, 
standing  six  feet,  four  inches,  in  height. 
At  one  time  he  owned  over  ten  thousand 
acres  of  land  in  Kentucky.  He  kept  open 
house  and  delighted  in  the  sports  which 
were  always  enjoyed  by  the  southern  gen- 
tlemen. He  kept  fine  racing  horses  and 
a  pack  of  greyhounds  and  participated  in 
many  of  the  big  hunts  of  the  time.  He 


22 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


also  owned  a  large  number  of  slaves  and 
on  one  day  before  the  war  he  liberated 
sixty-three  of  his  bondspeople.  Some- 
thing of  the  prodigality  of  the  hospitality 
of  his  home  may  be  indicated  by  the  fact 
that  a  whole  ox  was  roasted  at  the  wed- 
ding of  his  daughter  Sallie  to  Elias  Barr. 
He  lived  to  a  very  advanced  age  and  when 
he  passed  away  Kentucky  lost  one  of  its 
distinguished,  representative  and  typical 
citizens — a  man  of  the  old  regime  who 
represented  the  aristocracy  of  the  south. 
The  year  1859  witnessed  the  removal 
of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Elias  Barr  from  Kentucy 
to  Hancock  county,  Illinois.  The  father 
engaged  in  farming  and  stock  raising  on 
section  one.  Rock  Creek  township,  owning 
over  four  hundred  acres  in  Hancock 
county,  and  there  carried  on  general  agri- 
cultural pursuits  up  to  the  time  of  his 
death,  which  occurred  in  1875.  He  was  a 
democrat  in  his  political  views  and  both 
he  and  his  wife  held  membership  in  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church,  in  which  he 
also  served  as  class  leader.  When  he  came 
to  Illinois  he  owned  over  one  thousand 
acres  of  good  Kentucky  land  and  also 
some  of  the  finest  horses  in  the  United 
States.  He  was  a  man  of  enterprise,  suc- 
cessful in  his  undertakings,  and  his  wife 
was  of  great  assistance  to  him,  being- 
trained  to  the  work  of  the  household  as 
was  the  custom  in  those  days.  She  spun 
and  wove  and  capably  managed  the  house- 
hold affairs  and  there  are  several  pieces 
of  table  linen  in  the  family  of  George  W. 
Barr  which  were  woven  by  her.  Elias  Barr 
passed  away  on  the  i8th  of  July,  1875, 
his  wife  surviving  for  a  number  of  years, 
or  until  the  ist  of  May,  1892,  when  she 
also  departed  this  life.  In  their  family 


were  twelve  children :  Daniel  Thomas, 
who  was  born  in  1831  and  died  in  1846; 
Newell  Robinson,  who  was  born  in  1834 
and  died  in  1892;  Elmira  A.,  who  was 
born  in  1836  and  is  the  wife  of  John  Hur- 
dle, living  near  Disco,  Illinois;  Mary  E., 
who  was  born  in  1838  and  is  the  widow 
of  Thomas  L.  Ray,  of  Dallas  township; 
Bluford  B.,  who  was  born  in  1840  and 
died  in  1898;  Kitty  Ann,  who  was  born 
March  5,  1842,  married  Sylvester  T.  Tur- 
ney,  and  died  in  1886;  George  Walker,  of 
this  review;  Sarah  E.,  who  was  born  in 
1846  and  is  the  widow  of  David  Wright, 
her  home  being  near  Disco ;  John  Adam, 
who  was  born  in  1848  and  is  a  successful 
physician  of  Fountain  Green,  Illinois; 
Martha  Jane,  who  was  born  in  1850  and 
is  the  wife  of  M.  Bross,  of  Prescott,  Iowa  ; 
Franklin  P.,  who  was  born  in  1852  and 
is  living  in  Clarinda,  Iowa;  and  Amanda 
M.,  who  was  born  in  1856  and  is  the 
wife  of  Daniel  Showers,  of  Fresno,  Cali- 
fornia. 

George  W.  Barr  was  born  in  Breckin- 
ridge  county,  Kentucky,  February  25, 
1844,  and  in  his  boyhood  days  accom- 
panied his  parents  on  their  removal  to 
•  Hancock  county.  He  pursued  his  edu- 
cation in  the  district  schools  of  this  county 
and  in  Mount  Vernon,  Illinois,  and  re- 
mained with  his  father  until  twenty-five 
years  of  age,  assisting  in  the  cultivation 
and  improvement  of  the  home  farm.  Am- 
bitious to  have  a  farm  of  his  own  and 
enter  upon  an  independent  business  ca- 
reer, in  1868  he  purchased  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acres  of  land  in  Dallas  town- 
ship. To  this  he  afterward  added  as  his 
financial  resources  increased  until  he 
owned  two  hundred  and  twenty-five  acres 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


of  good  land  in  that  township,  on  which 
he  made  many  modern  improvements, 
converting  the  place  into  a  splendidly  im- 
proved property.  There  he  lived  for  a 
third  of  a  century,  or  until  1902,  when  he 
retired  from  fanning  and  purchased  a 
beautiful  home  and  two  lots  on  Third 
street  in  Dallas  City,  where  he  is  now  liv- 
ing, surrounded  by  many  of  life's  com- 
forts. 

On  the  2Oth  of  April,  1869,  was  cele- 
brated the  marriage  of  Mr.  Barr  and  Miss 
Mary  E.  Dean,  who  was  born  in  Clinton 
county,  Ohio,  October  3,  1848,  a  daugh- 
ter of  William  B.  and  Margaret  A.  (Ran- 
kin)  Dean.  The  mother  was  born  in 
Brown  county,  Ohio,  in  1807  and  the 
father's  birth  occurred  in  Ireland  in  1806. 
Crossing  the  Atlantic,  he  arrived  at  New 
York  at  the  age  of  fifteen  years  after  a 
voyage  of  three  months.  He  traveled  for 
some  time  and  afterward  became  a  farmer 
of  Henderson  county,  Illinois,  where  he 
settled  in  1853.  In  his  family  were  seven 
children :  Bartley  R.,  who  died  in  Ar- 
kansas in  1906;  William  L.,  living  near 
Disco,  Illinois;  Albert  and  Alfred,  twins, 
the  former  a  resident  of  Chico,  Califor- 
nia, and  the  latter  of  Eldon,  lewa ;  Mary 
E.,  now  Mrs.  Barr;  Arthur,  of  Dallas 
City ;  and  Charles  Edward  Franklin,  who 
died  in  May,  1869.  The  father  was  reared 
in  the  Roman  Catholic  church  and  the 
mother  died  in  the  same  faith.  Mrs.  Barr 
was  educated  in  the  South  Hill  school  in 
Burlington,  Iowa.  By  her  marriage  she 
became  the  mother  of  three  children :  Ettie 
E.,  born  January  25,  1870,  was  married 
May  12,  1897,  to  Elmer  V.  Royse,  of 
Aledo,  and  they  have  two  children,  George 
Frederick  and  Cleo  Ray;  Robert  A.,  a 

2 


sketch  of  whom  appears  on  another  page 
of  this  book,  is  the  second  of  the  family ; 
and  Mary  Ottilia,  born  August  4,  1885, 
is  a  graduate  of  the  Dallas  City  high 
school  in  the  class  of  1905.  In  1901-2 
she-  attended  St.  Mary's  Academy  at 
Xauvoo,  Illinois,  and  is  a  skilled  musician, 
now  at  home  with  her  parents. 

Mr.  Barr  is  a  democrat  in  his  political 
faith,  voting  for  the  state  and  national 
candidates  of  the  party,  but  at  local  elec- 
tions casts  an  independent  ballot.  He  has 
held  some  township  offices,  including  that 
of  road  commissioner,  and  he  has  been 
school  director,  while  his  wife  has  also 
acted  in  that  capacity  for  three  years. 
They  attend  the  services  of  the  Christian 
church,  of  which  Mrs.  Barr  is  a  member. 
She  is  a  lady  of  very  genial  and  cheerful 
disposition  and  their  friends  in  the  com- 
munity are  almost  co-extensive  with  the 
circle  of  their  acquaintances.  Mr.  Barr 
is  a  man  whose  success  is  attributable  to 
his  industry  and  business  integrity  and 
through  careful  management  in  an  active 
career,  through  diligence  and  persever- 
ance he  has  acquired  a  handsome  compe- 
tence that  now  enables  him  to  enjoy  life 
without  recourse  to  further  labor.  His 
son  is  operating  the  home  farm  and  the 
family  is  one  of  which  the  parents  have 
every  reason  to  be  proud. 


FRANKLIN  C.  LITTLE. 

Franklin  C.  Little,  starting  out  in  life 
with  forty  acres  of  land,  is  now  the  owner 
of  a  valuable  farming  property  of  four 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


hundred  acres  and  the  increase  in  his 
realty  possessions  is  an  indication  of  the 
industry  and  enterprise  which  have  char- 
acterized his  life  and  made  him  one  of 
the  men  of  affluence  in  Pontoosuc  town- 
ship. His  success  enables  him  to  enjoy 
the  comforts  and  some  of  the  luxuries  of 
life  in  the  evening  of  his  days — for  Mr. 
Little  is  now  seventy-seven  years  of  age. 
He  was  born  in  Green  county,  Ohio,  De- 
cember 12,  1829.  He  had  an  uncle,  Da- 
vid Little,  who  served  in  the  war  of  1812, 
serving  as  a  guard  at  Sacketts  Harbor. 
His  parents,  Martin  and  Sarah  (Ritnour) 
Little,  were  both  born  in  the  vicinity  of 
Winchester,  Virginia,  the  former  in  1794 
and  the  latter  in  1 796.  After  some  years' 
residence  in  Ohio  they  came  to  Hancock 
county,  arriving  on  the  25th  of  April, 
1847.  They  settled  in  Appanoose  town- 
ship but  after  a  brief  sojourn  there  the 
father  purchased  land  in  Pontoosuc  town- 
ship from  a  Mormon  elder  of  the  name 
of  Fullmer  and  lived  in  a  little  log  cabin 
for  a  few  years,  when  he  made  better  im- 
provements, owning  four  hundred  acres, 
having  paid  high  for  those  times,  paying 
as  high  as  $5.25  per  acre,  in  order  to  get 
good  title.  He  aided  in  the  pioneer  de- 
velopment and  upbuilding  of  the  county 
and  was  identified  with  its  farming  inter- 
ests until  his  death  in  1854.  His  wife 
long  survived  him  and  in  1882  was  laid 
by  his  side  in  Pontoosuc  cemetery.  They 
had  seven  children :  Lorenzo,  who  lives 
in  Pontoosuc  township;  D.  A.,  of  the 
same  township;  Catherine,  the  widow  of 
Archibald  Jackson,  of  Nauvoo;  Sarah,  the 
wife  of  Charles  Rogers,  of  Nebraska ;  Mil- 
lie, deceased ;  F.  C. ;  and  Jane,  the  wife 
of  Adam  Coffman,  of  Pontoosuc. 


Franklin  C.  Little  largely  acquired  his 
education  in  Ohio  and  for  one  term  at- 
tended school  in  this  state,  whither  he 
came  with  his  parents  when  a  youth  of 
seventeen.  At  the  age  of  nineteen,  in 
1849,  ne  was  married  to  Miss  Nancy  Mc- 
Cauley,  who  was  born  in  New  York  state 
in  1829,  a  daughter  of  Major  and  Polly 
McCauley,  both  New  York  people  but 
formerly  of  Ireland.  Her  father  was 
a  distant  relative  of  MacCauley,  the  Eng- 
lish historian.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  McCauley 
came  to  Illinois  at  a  very  early  day,  set- 
tling in  Hancock  county  in  1832,  and  he 
participated  in  the  Mormon  war  of  1844, 
while  with  many  other  events  of  the 
early  days,  which  have  become  historic, 
he  was  also  associated.  Of  his  family 
of  ten  children  six  are  now  living :  Elea- 
nor, the  wife  of  Isaac  London,  of  Pay- 
son,  Illinois ;  Lydia,  the  widow  of  Je- 
rome Langdon,  and  a  resident  of  Payson ; 
Henry  and  Robert,  both  of  Kansas;  Su- 
san, wife  of  John  Schwartz,  of  Nebraska; 
and  John,  also  of  Nebraska.  Three  sons, 
William,  Henry  and  Robert,  all  served 
for  three  years  in  the  Union  army  in 
the  Civil  war. 

At  the  time  of  his  marriage  Mr.  Lit- 
tle's father  gave  him  forty  acres  of  prai- 
rie land  in  Pontoosuc  township  and,  lo- 
cating thereon  in  1849,  he  built  a  house 
and  has  made  all  the  improvements  of 
every  kind  upon  the  farm,  the  boundary 
of  which  he  has  also  extended  from  time 
to  time.  He  owns  altogether  four  hun- 
dred acres  in  Pontoosuc  township  and 
although  well  advanced  in  years  is  still 
actively  engaged  in  general  farming  and 
stock  raising.  This  has  been  his  life 
work.  Ambitious  to  succeed  he  has  put 


HANCOCK-  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


forth  earnest,  unremitting  effort,  guided 
by  sound  judgment,  and  his  prosperity 
has  resulted. 

In  1877  Mr.  Little  lost  his  wife,  who 
died  on  the  I4th  of  June  of  that  year  and 
was  laid  to  rest  in  Pontoosuc  cemetery. 
She  was  a  devoted  member  of  the  Meth- 
odist church  and  a  consistent  Christian 
woman.  Of  their  ten  children,  six  are 
living:  Martin,  a  resident  of  Pontoosuc 
township,  has  four  sons,  Muriel,  Franklin, 
Lee  and  Harry;  Melissa,  the  wife  of 
James  Lamb,  of  Pontoosuc  township,  by 
whom  she  has  seven  children — Edith. 
Delmer,  George,  John,  Daisy,  Millie  and 
William;  Arthur,  a  resident  farmer  of 
Pontoosuc  township,  who  married  Lizzie 
Avis  and  has  three  children — Jessie,  Leola 
and  Gladys ;  Mary,  wife  of  Hiram  Long- 
shie.  of  Pontoosuc  township,  and  the 
mother  of  two  children,  Edward  and  Min- 
nie; Samuel,  of  the  same  township,  who 
married  Emma  Cress  and  has  three  chil- 
dren— Claude,  Nora  and  Nellie;  Anna, 
the  wife  of  Henry  Byler,  of  Durham 
township,  has  one  child  and  by  a  former 
marriage  has  three  children,  Mabel,  Otis 
and  Irene  Hamilton  (all  Hamiltons) ; 
Flora,  wife  of  Robert  Alston,  of  Hamil- 
ton, Illinois,  by  whom  she  has  three  chil- 
dren— Flossie,  Frankie  and  Grace;  and 
Frank  G.,  who  married  Grace  Mitchell,  of 
Dallas  City,  and  has  one  child,  Donald 
Ray. 

On  the  23d  of  January,  1884,  Mr.  Lit- 
tle was  again  married,  his  second  union 
being  with  Miss  Emma  A.  North,  who 
was  born  in  Springfield,  Illinois,  in  1853. 
a  daughter  of  Alfred  A.  and  America  A. 
(Miner)  Xorth,  both  coming  from  Ohio 
and  settling  in  Sangamon  county.'  this 


state,  when  the  eldest  sister  of  Mrs.  Lit- 
tle was  only  two  years  old.  Mr.  North 
served  for  three  years  in  the  Civil  war 
as  a  member  of  Company  A,  Tenth  Illi- 
nois Cavalry,  and  was  mustered  out  as 
brevet  major.  Of  his  five  children  four 
are  living:  Kate,  the  widow  of  Samuel 
Lamb,  of  Pontoosuc  township;  Mrs.  Lit- 
tle; Milfred,  of  Galveston,  Texas;  and 
Alfred  A.,  living  in  Springfield. 

Mr.  Little  is  a  stalwart  republican  who 
has  given  unswerving  support  to  the  party 
since  its  organization  and  has  served  as 
supervisor,  school  director  and  assessor. 
He  belongs  to  the  United  Brethren  church 
and  is  a  man  worthy  of  the  respect  so 
uniformly  accorded  him  wherever  he  is 
known.  He  has  lived  in  this  county  for 
almost  sixty  years  and  events  which  to 
others  are  matters  of  history  are  to  him 
matters  of  personal  observation  and  ex- 
perience. Pioneer  life  in  Hancock  county 
in  all  its  phases  was  familiar  to  him  and 
he  has  taken  justifiable  pride  in  what  has 
been  accomplished  in  the  county  in  the 
passing  years. 


JAMES  BABCOCK. 

James  Babcock,  a  leading  business  man 
of  Durham  township  engaged  in  general 
farming  and  also  representing  the  finan- 
cial interests  of  the  community,  as  vice 
president  of  the  Farmers  Exchange  Bank 
of  Dallas  City,  was  born  Novmber  2, 
1849,  in  the  township  where  he  still  makes 
his  home.  His  father,  Samuel  Babcock, 


26 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


was  a  native  of  New  York,  born  in  1810, 
and  as  a  child  of  a  few  years  he  was  taken 
with  his  parents  who  settled  on  the  Miami 
Bottoms  near  Cincinnati  and  there  he 
grew  to  maturity  being  reared  to  the  oc- 
cupation of  farming.  In  1835  he  became 
a  resident  of  Henderson  county,  Illinois. 
There  he  lived  in  a  log  house  in  true  pio- 
neer style  for  a  number  of  years,  there 
being  but  few  settlers  there.  He  learned 
and  followed  the  carpenter's  trade  and 
he  also  operated  a  water  mill  there  until 
his  removal  to  Hancock  county,  having 
purchased  a  farm  in  Durham  township. 
He  served  as  a  soldier  in  the  Mormon  war 
and  was  identified  with  many  events 
which  now  find  place  upon  the  historic 
annals  of  this  part  of  the  state.  He  was 
married  in  Henderson  county  in  early 
manhood  to  Miss  Nancy  Logan,  a  daugh- 
ter of  Samuel  Logan.  She  was  born  in 
Indiana  in  1825,  and  as  a  child  was 
brought  here.  For  many  years  they 
traveled  life's  journey  happily  together. 
The  death  of  the  father  occurred  Octo- 
ber 7,  1886,  while  his  wife  survived  until 
January  18,  1902,  and  both  were  laid  to 
rest  in  a  cemetery  in  Henderson  county, 
Illinois.  Of  their  family  of  ten  children 
five  are  now  living:  Susan,  the  wife  of 
Arthur  Gates,  of  Welkin,  Minnesota; 
Euphama,the  wife  of  Lee  Shaw,  of  Dallas 
City ;  James,  of  this  review ;  Anna,  the 
wife  of  Ami  Huffman,  of  Clyde,  Mis- 
souri ;  and  Florence,  the  wife  of  James 
Farren,  of  Durham  township,  living  on 
the  old  homestead  of  her  parents. 

James  Babcock  is  indebted  to  the  dis- 
trict schools  of  Hancock  county  for  the 
early  educational  privileges  he  enjoyed. 
He  afterward  spent  two  winters  as  a 


student  in  Bryant  &  Stratton's  Business 
College  at  Burlington,  Iowa,  and  he  re- 
mained upon  the  old  homestead  until 
twenty-eight  years  of  age,  assisting  in 
the  farm  work  in  its  various  departments 
and  thus  gaining  thorough  familiarity 
with  the  best  methods  of  cultivating  the 
fields. 

On  the  nth  of  September,  1877,  Mr. 
Babcock  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Mary  Rice,  who  was  born  in  Stark  county, 
Ohio,  May  12,  1855,  a  daughter  of 
Henry  and  Elizabeth  Rice,  who  are  men- 
tioned on  another  page  of  this  work.  For 
three  years  following  their  marriage  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Babcock  lived  upon  the  present 
site  of  Stronghurst  and  subsequently 
spent  nine  years  upon  the  old  homestead 
farm  of  his  father.  In  March.  1889,  he 
purchased  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres 
of  good  land  on  section  n,  Durham 
township,  and  in  1896  he  erected  his 
present  modern  residence,  which  is  one 
of  the  finest  and  most  beautiful  homes  in 
the  township.  All  other  improvements 
upon  the  place  are  in  keeping  and  alto- 
gether his  is  a  model  farm  property, 
equipped  with  the  various  conveniences 
and  accessories  that  are  known  to  modern 
farming  in  the  twentieth  century.  His 
fields  are  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation 
and  annually  return  to  him  good  crops 
and  he  likewise  owns  twenty  acres  of 
timber  land  upon  the  old  home  place.  On 
the  5th  of  July,  1904,  he  was  elected  vice 
president  of  the  Farmers  State  Exchange 
Bank  of  Dallas  City  and  has  since  been 
connected  with  the  institution  in  that  ca- 
pacity. He  was  one  of  the  organizers  of 
the  bank  and  was  elected  one  of  the  di- 
rectors at  its  first  meeting,  and  has  been 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


27 


the  only  vice  president  who  has  served. 
His  son  Rolla  has  been  cashier  from  the 
first  and  in  fact  obtained  the  subscriptions 
for  stock. 

The  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Babcock 
has  been  blessed  with  three  children : 
Frank,  who  was  born  in  Stronghurst  in 
1878,  died  at  the  age  of  five  years.  Rolla, 
born  in  this  county  in  1880,  attended  the 
Gem  City  Business  College  at  Quincy, 
Illinois,  and  is  now  cashier  in  the  Farm- 
ers State  Exchange  Bank  in  Dallas  City. 
He  married  Nellie  Quinton.  Ina,  born 
in  Durham  township  February  9,  1887, 
attended  the  Nauvoo  Academy  for  two 
years  and  is  now  at  home  with  her 
parents. 

Mr.  Babcock  votes  with  the  democracy 
but  has  never  been  an  aspirant  for  office, 
preferring  to  concentrate  his  energies 
upon  his  business  affairs,  which,  capably 
controlled,  are  bringing  to  him  a  gratify- 
ing measure  of  success,  and  investigation 
into  his  history  shows  that  the  methods 
he  has  ever  followed  are  in  strict  con- 
formity to  a  high  standard  of  business 
ethics. 


DANIEL  T.  RAY. 

Daniel  T.  Ray,  living  near  Colusa,  is 
an  extensive  land  owner  and  enterpris- 
ing citizen  and  as  one  of  the  representa- 
tive men  of  Hancock  county  well  deserves 
mention  in  this  volume.  He  was  born  in 
Breckinridge  county,  Kentucky,  in  1859, 
a  son  of  Thomas  L.  and  Mary  (Barr) 


Ray.  John  Barr,  an  uncle  of  Mrs.  Mary 
(Barr)  Ray  and  her  grandfather  in  the 
maternal  line  were  soldiers  of  the  Revolu- 
tionary war. 

Thomas  L.  Ray  was  born  in  Breckin- 
ridge county,  Kentucky,  in  1827  and  was 
a  farmer  by  occupation.  He  was  mar- 
ried in  his  native  state  to  Miss  Mary  Barr, 
whose  birth  occurred  in  Breckinridge 
county  in  1838.  They  came  to  Hancock 
county,  Illinois,  in  1865  and  settled  near 
Dallas  City,  while  subsequently  they  re- 
moved to  Pilot  Grove  township.  In  1880 
they  took  up  their  abode  in  Dallas  town- 
ship, where  Mr.  Ray  purchased  eighty 
acres  of  land  on  section  36.  This  farm 
was  improved  and  as  time  passed  he  ex- 
tended its  boundaries  and  added  other  im- 
provements, making  this  a  well  developed 
property  which  returned  to  him  a  good 
income  for  the  care  and  labor  which  he 
bestowed  upon  it.  His  study  of  the  po- 
litical issues  and  questions  of  the  day  led 
him  to  give  his  support  to  the  democracy 
and  his  fellow  townsmen,  recognizing  his 
worth  and  ability,  called  him  to  various 
local  offices.  He  held  membership  in  the 
Baptist  church,  to  which  his  widow  also 
belongs,  and  his  life  was  characterized 
by  his  religious  faith.  In  the  family  were 
six  children,  of  whom  four  are  now  liv- 
ing: Daniel  T. ;  Sarah  E.,  who  is  at 
home  with  her  mother;  Emma  E.,  the 
wife  of  George  Boyer,  of  Fort  Madison, 
Iowa;  and  George  W.,  also  at  home. 
One  daughter,  Mary  J.,  died  at  the  age 
of  two  years;  and  Anna  F.,  the  youngest 
of  the  family,  died  in  July,  1890,  at  the 
age  of  fourteen  years  while  visiting  her 
sister  in  Fort  Madison,  Iowa.  That  was 
the  year  of  the  father's  death.  He  was 


28 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


well  advanced  in  years  and  suffered  from 
paralysis,  but  the  daughter  was  carried 
away  in  the  bloom  of  youth  and  died 
when  absent  from  her  mother's  home. 
Her  death  came  as  an  almost  unbearable 
blow  to  the  family,  who  in  one  year  were 
bereft  of  husband  and  father,  daughter 
and  sister. 

Daniel  Ray,  whose  name  introduces 
this  record,  was  educated  in  the  district 
schools  of  Dallas  township  and  to  some 
extent  in  Pilot  Grove  township.  He  re- 
mained with  his  father  upon  the  home 
farm  until  the  latter's  death  and  then  took 
charge  of  the  property  for  his  mother. 
He  is  still  manager  of  the  farm,  which  is 
carefully  conducted  by  him,  his  business 
ability  and  enterprise  enabling  him  to 
make  it  a  source  of  profit.  In  his  youth 
he  became  thoroughly  familiar  with  the 
best  methods  of  carrying  on  farm  work 
and  in  later  years  he  has  not  only  superin- 
tended his  agricultural  interests  but  has 
also  made  judicious  investments  in  land 
and  is  now  the  owner  of  considerable 
valuable  farm  property,  owning  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  acres  in  Xorth  Dakota. 
He  has  followed  in  his  father's  political 
footsteps  and  votes  with  the  democracy. 
He  has  served  as  road  commissioner  and 
as  a  member  of  the  school  board  and  he 
withplds  his  support  from  no  movement 
or  measure  that  is  calculated  to  prove 
of  general  good.  In  his  social  relations 
he  is  a  Woodman.  Almost  his  entire 
life  has  been  passed  in  this  county,  for  in 
early  boyhood  he  was  brought  to  Illinois 
by  his  parents  and  in  the  intervening  years 
he  has  made  a  record  which  is  most  com- 
mendable both  in  his  business  relations 
and  private  life.  He  is  an  honest,  up- 


right, energetic  man,  who  stands  high 
in  the  community  and  in  his  business  life 
he  is  making  a  creditable  record  and  is 
highly  respected  by  all. 


A.  W.  O'HARRA. 

Apollos  W.  O'Harra  needs  no  intro- 
duction to  the  readers  of  this  volume,  for 
few  men  have  a  wider  acquaintance  in 
Hancock  county,  by  reason  of  his  pro- 
fessional and  business  connections  and  his 
activity  in  support  of  many  plans  and 
movements  for  the  public  good.  While 
undoubtedly  he  is  not  without  that  honor- 
able ambition  which  is  so  powerful  and 
useful  an  incentive  to  activity  in  public 
affairs  he  has  even  regarded  the  pursuits 
of  private  life  as  being  in  themselves 
abundantly  worthy  of  his  best  efforts  and 
by  the  faithful  and  conscientious  per- 
formance of  each  day's  duty  as  it  has 
come  to  him  he  has  found  inspiration  and 
encouragement  for  the  labors  of  the  suc- 
ceeding day.  He  has  thus  won  public 
confidence  and  his  ability  in  the  line  of  his 
chosen  profession  has  given  him  pres- 
tige at  a  bar  which  has  claimed  many 
notable  members. 

Mr.  O'Harra  was  born  on  a  farm  near 
Camp  Point  in  Adams  county,  Illinois, 
February  22,  1857,  his  parents  being  Jef- 
ferson and  Pauline  (Robertson)  O'Harra. 
The  father  was  a  native  of  Indiana,  born 
June  4.  1833,  and  the  mother's  birth  oc- 
curred in  Adams  county,  Illinois,  May  9, 
1838.  Jefferson  O'Harra  devoted  his  at- 


HANCOCK  COUNTY.  ILLINOIS. 


29 


tention  to  general  agricultural  pursuits 
until  1866  and  at  the  age  of  fifteen  years 
he  went  to  Adams  county,  Illinois.  In 
1860  he  removed  to  Hancock  county, 
where  he  engaged  in  the  tilling  of  the  soil 
until  1866,  when  he  moved  to  Bentley 
and  became  proprietor  of  a  general  store 
which  he  conducted  for  thirty-twci.years^ 
In  1899  he  removed  to  Carthage,  thinking  .; 
to  retire  from  active  business  life,  but 
indolence  and  idleness  are  utterly  foreign 
to  his  nature  and  he  could  not  content 
himself  without  some  occupation,  so  that 
for  the  past  five  years  he  has  acted  as 
manager  of  the  mortgage  department  in 
the  office  of  his  son,  A.  W.  O'Harra.  He 
votes  with  the  democracy  and  has  served 
as  township  supervisor  and  as  a  member 
of  the  school  board,  but  is  without  polit- 
ical ambitions.  A  member  of  the  Odd 
Fellows  Society,  he  has  passed  all  of  the 
chairs  in  the  local  lodge  and  has  several 
times  been  representative  to  the  grand 
lodge.  Both  he  and  his  wife  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Methodist  church  and  he  has 
held  most  of  the  church  offices.  They  re- 
side in  Carthage  and  are  greatly  esteemed 
in  the  city  which  is  their  home.  Unto 
them  were  born  five  sons  and  four  daugh- 
ters, of  whom  six  are  now  living,  namely : 
A.  W.,  of  this  review:  Dr.  William  G. 
O'Harra,  a  practicing  physician  of  Chi- 
cago; Mary  E.,  the  wife  of  George  E. 
Burner,  a  farmer  residing  in  Rock  Creek 
township ;  Professor  C.  C.  O'Harra,  pro- 
fessor of  geology  and  mineralogy  in  the 
state  school  of  mines  at  Rapid  City,  South 
Dakota ;  Rev.  M.  L.  O'Harra,  a  Methodist 
minister,  who  is  now  pastor  of  the  Col- 
lege church  at  Abingdon,  Illinois ;  and 
Ira  J.,  a  successful  lawyer  at  Macomb. 


A.  W.  O'Harra  was  a  student  in  Car- 
thage College  and  afterward  engaged  in 
teaching  for  four  years  in  the  public 
schools  of  Bentley,  Illinois.  He  took  up 
the  study  of  law  in  the  office  under  the 
direction  of  the  firm  of  Draper  &  Sco- 
field  in  Carthage  and  was  admitted  to  the 
bar  January  5,  1880.  He  began  the  prac- 
'  tice  of  law  alone  with  an  office  on  the 
\^est  side  of  the  public  square  and  after 
two  years  admitted  Frank  H.  Graves,  now 
a'  Reading  attorney  of  Spokane,  Wash- 
ington, to  a  partnership.  They  were  as- 
sociated for  two  years,  or  until  Mr. 
Graves'  removal  from  the  city,  when  Mr. 
O'Harra  entered  into  partnership  with  C. 
J.  and  T.  J.  Scofield,  brothers,  a  rela- 
tionship which  was  maintained  for  a  few 
months,  when  the  former  was  elected  cir- 
cuit judge.  T.  J.  Scofield  and  Mr 
O'Harra  continued  in  practice  together 
for  seventeen  years,  the  firm  originally  be- 
ing Scofield,  O'Harra  &  Scofield  and  later 
O'Harra  &  Scofield.  In  1891  they  ad- 
mitted William  H.  Hartzell  to  a  partner- 
ship and  he  continued  with  the  firm  until 
1896.  In  1890  O'Harra  &  Scofield 
opened  a  law  office  in  Quincy,  Illinois,  the 
latter  removing  to  that  city  to  look  after 
the  business  there  and  after  a  year  Colonel 
W.  W.  Berry  became  a  member  of  the 
firm,  the  partnership  thus  continuing  un- 
til the  death  of  Colonel  Berry.  All  this 
time  Mr.  O'Harra  continued  his  residence 
in  Carthage,  having  charge  of  the  office 
here.  On  the  ist  of  January,  1897,  W. 
H.  Hartzell  retired  from  the  firm  in  this 
city  and  during  the  fall  of  the  same  year 
Judge  C.  J.  Scofield,  having  retired  from 
the  bench,  again  became  a  partner  and 
the  old  firm  style  of  Scofield,  O'Harra  & 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


Scofield  was  resumed,  the  connection  be- 
ing continued  until  the  ist  of  March, 
1899,  when  it  was  dissolved.  Judge  Sco- 
field still  practices  in  Carthage,  while  T. 
J.  Scofield  is  one  of  the  prominent  law- 
yers of  Chicago.  Mr.  O'Harra  practices 
in  all  of  the  courts  and  is  now  located  in 
an  office  on  Main  street,  where  he  has  one 
of  the  finest  law  libraries  of  the  city.  It 
is  the  theory  of  the  law  that  the  counsel 
who  practice  are  to  aid  the  court  in  the 
administration  of  justice  and  this  Mr. 
O'Harra  has  endeavored  to  do.  He  is 
careful  to  conform  his  practice  to  a  high 
standard  of  professional  ethics  and  never 
seeks  to  lead  the  court  astray  in  a  mat- 
ter of  fact  or  law,  nor  does  he  endeavor 
to  withhold  from  it  a  knowledge  of  any 
fact  appearing  in  the  record.  He  treats 
the  court  with  the  studied  courtesy  which 
is  its  due  and  indulges  in  no  malicious 
criticism  because  it  arrives  at  a  conclu- 
sion, in  the  decision  of  a  case,  different 
from  that  which  he  hoped  to  hear.  Calm 
dignified,  self-controlled,  free  from  pas- 
sion or  prejudice,  he  gives  to  his  client 
the  service  of  great  talent,  unwearied  in- 
dustry and  broad  learning,  but  he  never 
forgets  that  there  are  certain  things  due 
to  the  court,  to  his  own  self-respect  and 
above  all  to  justice  and  a  righteous  ad- 
ministration of  the  law  which  neither  the 
zeal  of  an  advocate  nor  the  pleasure  of 
success  permits  him  to  disregard.  He  has 
achieved  distinction  as  an  able  lawyer 
of  his  district  and  he  deserves  it. 

In  connection  with  his  law  office  Mr. 
O'Harra  maintains  a  money  loaning  de- 
partment, making  loans  on  farms  and 
thus  placing  about  five  hundred  thousand 
dollars  per  year.  He  is  moreover  a  di- 


rector in  the  Hancock  County  National 
Bank,  a  director  in  the  State  Bank  of  Au- 
gusta, and  has  been  a  director  of  the  Car- 
thage Building  &  Loan  Association  since 
its  organization  in  May,  1885.  He  is 
likewise  a  director  in  the  Carthage  Elec- 
tric Light  &  Power  Company  and  a  di- 
rector in  the  Plumb  Brothers  Brick  &  Tile 
Company  and  several  other  industrial  cor- 
porations. He  has  made  judicious  invest- 
ments in  real  estate,  owning  some  unim- 
proved property  in  Carthage  together  witli 
the  Shoreham  Hotel  and  his  own  resi- 
dence. He  likewise  has  farms  in  Hancock 
county  and  has  thus  placed  his  money  in 
the  safest  of  all  investments — real  estate. 
His  strict  integrity,  business  conservatism 
and  judgment  have  always  been  so  uni- 
versally recognized  that  he  has  enjoyed 
public  confidence  to  an  enviable  degree 
and  naturally  this  has  brought  him  a  lu- 
crative clientage. 

Aside  from  what  he  has  done  for  the 
city  through  the  line  of  his  business  and 
professional  activity  Mr.  O'Harra  has 
given  many  hours  to  public  service  and 
Carthage  has  benefited  by  his  efforts  in 
her  behalf.  He  has  always  been  a  stanch 
democrat  and  for  four  years,  from  1886 
until  1890,  served  as  mayor  of  the  city, 
giving  a  public  spirited  and  businesslike 
administration.  He  was  also  president  of 
the  school  board  for  a  number  of  years 
and  for  fifteen  years  has  been  a  member 
of  the  board  of  trustees  of  Carthage  Col- 
lege. His  co-operation  can  be  counted 
upon  for  every  measure  and  movement 
that  promises  to  advance  the  general  wel- 
fare and  while  working  toward  high 
ideals  he  uses  practical  methods. 

On   the   1 4th   of   October,    1880,   Mr. 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


O'Harra  was  married  to  Miss  Eliza  J. 
Burner,  who  was  born  in  Hancock  county, 
October  25,  1856,  and  is  a  daughter  of 
Isaac  S.  and  Jane  A.  (Lionberger)  Bur- 
ner, both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Page 
county,  Virginia,  the  former  born  March 
21,  1817,  and  the  latter  April  21,  1820. 
Mr.  Burner  was  a  farmer  by  occupation 
and  in  1837  came  to  Hancock'  county, 
traveling  all  the  way  on  horseback.  He 
settled  in  Harmony  township  and  rented 
a  log  cabin,  in  which  he  lived  for  a  few 
years,  when  he  purchased  land  and  built 
a  log  cabin,  living  in  true  pioneer  style 
upon  the  frontier  of  the  ever  receding 
west  and  aiding  in  changing  its  pioneer 
conditions  into  those  of  an  advanced  and 
enlightened  civilization.  He  voted  with 
the  democracy  and  held  several  local  of- 
fices and  was  recognized  as  a  local  party 
leader,  his  influence  carrying  weight  in 
the  councils  of  the  party.  Both  he  and 
his  wife  were  consistent  members  of  the 
Baptist  church,  in  which  he  served  as  dea- 
con. He  lived  upon  farms  in  Harmony 
township  for  fifty  years  and  died  sudden- 
ly November  3,  1886,  at  the  home  of  Dr. 
Carlton,  to  whom  he  had  gone  for  med- 
ical attendance.  He  was  invited  by  Dr. 
Carlton,  an  old-time  friend,  to  remain  to 
dinner  and  passed  away  at  the  table.  His 
wife  survived  until  October  31,  1890. 
and  both  He  buried  in  Harmony  ceme- 
tery. In  their  family  were  ten  children, 
of  whom  seven  are  yet  living,  as  fol- 
lows: Amanda  E..  the  widow  of  Samuel 
F.  Ramsey,  of  Harmony  township;  Am- 
brose C..  and  George  S.,  of  the  same 
township;  Fannie  A.,  the  wife  of  Henry 
Harter,  of  Sabetha.  Kansas;  Alice  B.,  the 
wife  of  Philip  L.  Dailey,  living  on  the 


old  home  place  in  Harmony  township; 
Eliza  J.,  now  Mrs.  O'Harra;  and  Olive, 
who  resides  with  her  sister,  Mrs.  O'Harra. 
Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  O'Harra  have  been 
bom  five  children,  all  born  in  Carthage, 
but  the  eldest  died  in  infancy.  Clifton 
Junius,  born  May  23,  1884,  was  gradu- 
ated from  the  high  school  of  Carthage  in 
1902,  completed  the  course  in  Carthage 
College  in  1906  and  intends  to  become  a 
member  of  the  bar.  Edith  May,  born 
May  22,  1886,  is  a  graduate  of  the  acad- 
emy, a  preparatory  department  of  Car- 
thage College,  and  is  now  a  senior  in 
the  more  advanced  institution.  Gladys 
June,  born  June  8,  1890,  is  a  junior  in 
the  high  school.  Roswell  Burner,  born 
March  30,  1892,  is  a  student  in  the  Car- 
thage High  Schools.  In  1892,  Mr. 
O'Harra  built  an  elegant  residence  at  the 
corner  of  Main  and  Washington  streets. 
He  is  a  man  of  domestic  tastes,  devoted  to 
his  family  and  finding  his  greatest  hap- 
piness at  his  own  fireside.  He  has,  more- 
over, great  reverence  for  aged  people  and 
the  most  thorough  respect  for  all  things 
which  tend  to  uplift  mankind  and  develop 
an  upright  character.  His  home  is  noted 
for  its  gracious  and  almost  limitless  hos- 
pitaltiy,  Mrs.  O'Harra  taking  great  pleas- 
ure with  him  in  the  entertainment  of  their 
many  friends.  Mr.  O'Harra  is  an  Odd 
Fellow,  has  passed  all  of  the  chairs  in 
the  local  lodge  and  has  several  times 
been  representative  to  the  grand  lodge. 
His  wife  has  also  filled  all  of  the  offices 
in  the  Rebekah  lodge  and  has  for  several 
years  been  its  representative  to  the  Re- 
bekah assembly.  She  is  treasurer  of  the 
Woman's  Club  of  Carthage,  president  of 
the  Public  Library  Association  and  for 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REV  I  Ell' 


several  years  was  president  of  the  Floral 
Guild.  Mr.  O'Harra  started  in  life  with 
limited  means,  teaching  school  in  order 
to  provide  the  funds  necessary  to  enable 
him  to  study  law  and  at  the  time  of  their 
marriage  he  and  his  wife  had  but  very 
limited  possessions.  He  purchased  his 
first  law  library  with  borrowed  money  and 
he  has  inherited  nothing,  but  has  accu- 
mulated all  by  his  industry,  supplemented 
by  ambition  and  the  development  of  his 
native  powers  and  talents.  It  is  true  that 
his  chief  life  work  has  been  that  of  a 
remarkably  successful  lawyer  but  the 
range  of  his  activities  and  the  scope  of 
his  influence  have  reached  far  beyond  this 
special  field.  He  belongs  to  that  class 
of  men  who  wield  a  power  which  is  all 
the  more  potent  from  the  fact  that  it  is 
moral  rather  than  political  and  is  exer- 
cised for  the  public  weal  rather  than  for 
personal  ends. 


EDWARD  CHERRILL. 

Edward  Cherrill,  president  of  the  Ex- 
change Bank  at  Carthage,  was  born  in 
London,  England,  June  17,  1838,  a  son 
of  Adolphus  and  Elizabeth  (Wood) 
Cherrill,  who  were  likewise  natives  of 
London,  born  in  1808  and  1813  respect- 
ively. The  father  came  to  America  in 
1838,  bringing  with  him  his  wife  and 
two  children,  first  locating  in  Jackson- 
ville, Illinois.  They  had  spent  six  weeks 
on  the  water  as  passengers  on  an  old-time 
sailing  vessel.  He  had  been  brought  up 


in  a  silk  warehouse,  where  were  employed 
fifty-two  young  men  known  as  Bradbury's 
Pack,  and  while  living  in  England  ac- 
quired a  classical  education  as  a  prepara- 
tion for  a  profession.  He  moreover  pos- 
sessed considerable  artistic  skill  and  when 
a  young  man  and  even  later  in  life  did 
creditable  work  painting  in  water  colors. 
He  was  always  a  great  reader  and  a  man 
of  scholarly  attainments,  and  he  likewise 
enjoyed  outdoor  life.  He  was  married  on 
the  1 5th  of  December,  1835,  in  St. 
George's  church,  in  Hanover  Square, 
London,  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Wood,  who 
had  spent  her  girlhood  days  in  that  city, 
had  acquired  her  education  in  the  schools 
there,  and  had  been  received  into  the 
Episcopal  church  at  an  early  age.  Two 
children  were  born  unto  them  ere  they 
emigrated  to  America.  On  coming  to 
Hancock  county  in  1842  they  built  a  house 
on  a  farm  near  Augusta,  where  they  lived 
for  several  years  in  true  pioneer  style. 
In  1847,  they  removed  to  Carthage, 
Mr.  Cherrill  turning  his  attention  to  mer- 
chandising, which  he  followed  in  partner- 
ship with  Mr.  Sholl  for  many  years. 
He  was  thus  closely  associated  with  the 
business  development  of  the  city.  With 
events  that  marked  the  history  of  the 
city  and  county  he  was  closely  associated, 
taking  an  active  part  in  the  Mormon  war 
and  in  other  incidents  of  those  early 
times.  His  political  allegiance  was  given 
to  the  democracy  and  he  served  one  term 
as  county  treasurer  of  Hancock  county. 
His  life  was  made  up  of  good  deeds  and 
he  left  to  his  family  a  record  of  which 
his  children  and  grandchildrn  have  every 
reason  to  be  proud.  His  character  was 
such  as  commanded  the  respect  of  the 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


33 


entire  community.  He  recognized  and 
called  forth  the  good  in  others  and  in  his 
own  life  displayed  those  sterling  traits 
which  work  for  good  citizenship.  He 
passed  away  in  1877,  and  was  laid  to  rest 
in  the  Carthage  cemetery.  Mrs.  Cherrill 
is  still  living  in  Carthage,  at  the  advanced 
age  of  ninety-two  and  possesses  her  men- 
tal and  physical  faculties  to  a  remarkable 
degree  and  has  looked  after  her  own 
household  and  other  affairs  until  the  past 
year.  While  devoted  to  her  family  she 
has  always  found  time  to  perform  many 
acts  of  kindness  and  charity  and  is  great- 
ly beloved  by  her  own  children  and  the 
entire  community.  She  is  a  most  enter- 
taining and  companionable  lady,  relating 
many  interesting  reminiscences  of  pioneer 
life  and  of  the  early  days  in  Hancock 
county. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cherrill  were  the  parents 
of  six  children.  Emily  became  the  wife 
of  Francis  M.  Corby,  and  for  some  time 
they  lived  in  Chicago  but  both  are  now 
deceased.  At  one  time  Mr.  Corby  was 
county  clerk  of  Hancock  county.  Ed- 
ward is  the  second  of  the  family.  Mary 
became  the  wife  of  Dr.  J.  K.  Bonde,  of 
Carthage,  but  both  are  now  deceased,  the 
Doctor  having  passed  away  in  Washing- 
ton, D.  C.  Rose  C.  is  the  deceased  wife 
of  H.  E.  Griswold,  of  Atlantic,  Iowa, 
Ellen  married  Colonel  James  B.  Cahill, 
who  was  lieutenant  colonel  of  the  Six- 
teenth Illinois  Infantry.  They  were  at 
one  time  residents  of  Carthage  but  both 
are  now  deceased.  The  Colonel  was  in- 
ternal revenue  collector  at  Warsaw  and 
Ouincy,  acting  as  collector  for  the  district 
in  the  latter  place.  A.  N.  Cherrill  makes 
his  home  in  Carthage.  Grace  Amelia 


died  when  a  young  lady,  of  malarial  fever 
which  she  contracted'  on  a  camping  trip 
in  Missouri. 

Edward  Cherrill  was  educated  in  the 
subscription  schools  of  Hancock  county. 
He  lived  in  Carthage  but  owing  to  the 
pioneer  condition  of  the  country  and  the 
fact  that  the  public-school  system  had 
not  yet  been  organized,  he  was  sent  to  a 
country  school  called  Hickory  Flat, 
where,  however,  he  was  under  the  in- 
struction of  a  very  competent  teacher. 
Soon  after  leaving  school  he  received  the 
appointment  as  deputy  county  clerk  under 
Claiborne  Winston,  and  subsequently  he 
attended  Illinois  College  and  the  State 
University  of  Indiana.  After  leaving 
college  he  went  to  St.  Louis,  Missouri, 
where  he  was  employed  in  the  counting 
house  of  Doan,  King  &  Company  and 
afterwards  with  J.  W.  Booth  &  Sons 
until  1864,  when  he  returned  to  Carthage. 
Here  he  became  identified  with  banking 
interests  of  the  city  as  cashier  of  the 
Hancock  National  Bank,  which  position 
he  occupied  for  ten  years.  The  bank 
was  originally  established  by  his  brother- 
in-law,  Mr.  Corby  and  Mr.  Ferris.  At 
a  later  date  Mr.  Cherrill  was  cashier  of 
the  Union  Bank  in  Quincy  for  three 
years  but  in  1876  returned  to  Carthage, 
where,  in  connection  with  his  father-in- 
law,  Jacob  Sholl,  he  established  the  bank- 
ing house  of  Cherrill,  Sholl  &  Company, 
known  as  the  Exchange  Bank  of  Carth- 
age. The  house  remains  virtually  the 
same  although  Mr.  Sholl  is  now  de- 
ceased. A.  N.  Cherrill,  a  brother  of  our 
subject,  entered  the  institution  soon  after 
it  was  established  and  is  still  connected 
with  it,  Edward  Cherrill  being  now  presi- 


34 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW' 


dent  of  the  institution.  Throughout 
periods  of  general  financial  stress  or  gen- 
eral prosperity  this  bank  has  continued 
on  the  even  tenor  of  its  way  with  an  un- 
assailable reputation,  following  a  safe, 
conservative  policy  which  has  inspired 
public  confidence  and  secured  a  liberal 
patronage. 

On  the  loth  of  June,  1869,  Mr.  Cherrill 
was  married  to  Miss  Susan  Agnes  Sholl, 
who  was  born  in  Winchester,  Ohio.  Her 
father,  Jacob  Sholl,  was  a  native  of  Penn- 
sylvania, and  her  mother,  Mrs.  Maria 
Sholl,  of  Ohio.  In  the  year  1854  he 
came  to  Carthage  and  was  engaged  in 
merchandising  before  he  became  identi- 
fied with  the  banking  interests.  His  po- 
litical allegiance  was  given  to  the  repub- 
lican party  but  he  was  without  aspiration 
for  office.  In  the  family  were  four  chil- 
dren, three  of  whom  are  now  living: 
Alexander,  who  was  a  captain  in  the  One 
Hundred  and  .Eighteenth  Illinois  Regi- 
ment in  the  Civil  war  and  is  now  residing 
in  Quincy,  Illinois ;  Jacob  Mack,  of  Carth- 
age, who  is  a  National  bank  examiner; 
Mrs.  Cherrill.  One  brother,  David 
Sholl,  who  was  the  third  of  the  family, 
was  killed  in  a  skirmish  at  Thompson's 
Hill  during  the  Civil  war.  Both  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Sholl  have  passed  away  and 
their  graves  were  made  in  Moss  Ridge 
cemetery. 

In  1882  Mr.  Cherrill  built  a  pretty 
home  on  Madison  street  and  he  also  owns 
other  property  in  the  city.  Unto  him 
and  his  wife  have  been  born  six  children. 
Lawrence  C,  the  eldest,  is  a  resident  of 
Chicago.  Ellen  Maria  is  the  wife  of 
Charles  C.  Merrill,  formerly  of  Carthage, 
who  is  now  passenger  agent  of  the  New 


York  Central  Lines,  with  headquarters 
at  Kansas  City,  Missouri.  Edward  K., 
living  in  New  York  city,  is  assistant  cash- 
ier of  the  Merchants  Exchange  National 
Bank.  He  was  graduated  from  the  high 
school  and  Carthage  College,  and  during 
the  periods  of  vacation  spent  much  of  his 
time  in  his  father's  bank,  where  he  gained 
the  ground  work  of  the  business.  Lucy 
Sholl  is  the  wife  of  Dr.  Marsh,  of  War- 
saw, and  has  two  children,  John  and 
Susan.  Katherine  has  attended  the  pub- 
lic schools  of  Carthage  and  also  Carthage 
College,  and  is  now  at  home  with  her 
parents.  Elizabeth  G.  is  yet  in  school. 
The  daughters  of  Mr.  Cherrill  are  con- 
nected with  the  Daughters  of  the  Ameri- 
can Revolution,  through  William  Mack, 
great-grandfather  of  Mrs.  Cherrill.  De- 
void of  ostentation  or  display  in  his  home 
life  or  business  affairs,  Mr.  Cherrill  has 
won  his  way  to  a  position  of  prominence 
in  financial  circles  in  this  part  of  the  state. 
In  politics  a  democrat  he  has  never  sought 
public  office  but  is  content  to  remain  a 
private  citizen. 


FRANCIS  ORREN  PERSHING,  M.  D. 

Although  'Dr.  Pershing  has  resided  in 
Dallas  City  for  only  about  a  year  he  was 
not  a  stranger  in  the  town  when  he  lo- 
cated here,  and  he  has  already  made  a 
creditable  place  for  himself  in  profes- 
sional circles.  He  was  born  in  Durham 
township,  Hancock  county,  November  3, 
1867,  his  parents  being  Wresley  K.  and 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


35 


Ruth  A.  (Gather)  Pershing.  Both  par- 
ents were  natives  of  Pennsylvania,  the 
father  having  been  born  in  Westmore- 
land county,  and  the  mother  in  Greene 
county.  The  paternal  and  maternal 
grandparents  of  our  subject  settled  in 
Hancock  county  in  the  early  '405,  and 
were  identified  with  the  pioneer  develop- 
ment and  progress  of  this  part  of  the 
I  state.  Wesley  K.  Pershing  is  a  farmer 
by  occupation,  and  for  over  a  half  cen- 
tury lived  in  this  county.  He  purchased 
government  land,  cleared  a  portion  of  it 
and  built  thereon  a  log  cabin.  As  the 
years  advanced  he. continued  the  work  of 
progress  and  improvement,  his  labors  be- 
ing interrupted,  however,  by  the  Civil 
war,  for  at  the  time  of  the  inauguration 
of  hostilities  between  the  north  and  the 
south  he  espoused  the  Union  cause  and 
became  a  member  of  Company  I,  Six- 
teenth Illinois  infantry.  He  served  for 
four  years,  participated  in  the  seige  of 
Vicksburg,  went  with  Sherman  on  his 
memorable  march  to  the  sea  and  also 
took  part  in  the  grand  review  in  Wash- 
ington at  the  close  of  the  war.  While  in 
Georgia  he  was  wounded,  being  shot 
through  the  throat  and  for  a  time  was 
in  the  hospital.  His  political  allegiance 
has  ever  been  given  to  the  republican 
party  and  its  principles,  and  both  he  and 
his  wife  are  members  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church.  He  served  for  many 
years  as  superintendent  in  different  Sun- 
day-schools in  various  parts  of  the  county, 
filling  that  position  for  a  period  in  Burn- 
side.  Both  he  and  his  wife  now  reside 
in  Oklahoma.  In  their  family  were  four 
children,  three  of  whom  are  now  living: 
Dr.  Pershing,  of  this  review;  Royal  S., 


a  dentist  practicing  in  Canada ;  and  Stella 
R.,  who  has  been  a  teacher  of  Marshall 
county,  Illinois,  and  is  now  with  her  par- 
ents in  Oklahoma,  being  engaged  as  a 
teacher  in  an  Oklahoma  seminary. 

Dr.  Pershing  attended  the  schools  of 
Durham  township,  of  Dallas  City  and  of. 
Burnside,  and  later  pursued  a  business 
course  in  Hedding  College,  at  Abingdon, 
Illinois,  from  which  institution  he  was 
graduated.  He  prepared  for  his  profes- 
sion as  a  student  in  Keokuk  Medical 
College,  from  which  he  was  graduated  in 
the  class  of  1893,  and  he  later  took  post- 
graduate work  in  the  Chicago  Polyclinic 
College,  in  1902.  From  1893  until  1896 
inclusive  he  practiced  medicine  at  Hamill, 
Iowa,  and  then  located  for  practice  in 
Burnside,  where  he  remained  for  a  year. 
On  the  expiration  of  that  period  he  re- 
moved to  Whitefield,  Illinois,  where  he 
continued  for  six  years  and  later  spent 
three  years  in  active  practice  at  Tiskilwa. 
In  January,  1906,  he  located  in  Dallas 
City,  and  now  has  a  nice  suite  of  rooms 
on  Oak  and  Fifth  streets,  supplied  with 
all  modern  appliances  that  are  of  aid  to 
the  physician  in  his  effort  to  diagnose  a 
case,  check  the  ravages  of  disease  and  re- 
store health.  He  is  a  physician  and  sur- 
geon in  general  practice  and  yet  makes 
somewhat  of  a  specialty  of  diseases  of  the 
nose  and  throat.  He  has  all  the  latest  im- 
proved instruments  needed  in  his  profes- 
sion and  his  well  equipped  office  shows 
that  he  is  thoroughly  familiar  with 
modern  methods  of  practice. 

On  the  29th  of  March,  1893,  Dr.  Per- 
shing was  married  to  Miss  Winifred  L. 
Bray,  of  La  Harpe,  who  was  born  and 
reared  in  that  place,  and  is  a  daughter  of 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


Thomas  and  Emma  (Leavitt)  Bray. 
Her  father  came  from  Wales  and  settled 
first  in  Ohio  but  at  an  early  day  they  re- 
moved to  La  Harpe,  where  he  located  in 
the  '405.  His  wife  is  a  native  of  Maine, 
and  her  people  arrived  in  Hancock  county 
.  before  the  Bray  family  was  established 
here.  Mr.  Bray  was  a  tinner  and  hard- 
ware merchant  for  some  years  but  at  the 
time  of  his  death,  in  1894,  was  engaged 
in  the  undertaking  business.  He  served 
as  a  soldier  of  the  Civil  war  for  two 
years.  His  widow  still  survives  and 
makes  her  home  in  La  Harpe.  She  be- 
longs to  the  Congregational  church, 
while  Mr.  Bray  held  membership  in  the 
Episcopal  church.  They  were  the  par- 
ents of  a  son  and  two  daughters :  Edwin 
M.  Bray,  proprietor  of  a  general  store 
at  Towne,  Texas,  a  suburb  of  El  Paso, 
where  he  makes  his  home;  Anna,  the  wife 
of  J.  V.  Place,  of  La  Harpe;  and 
Mrs.  Pershing.  John  and  Joseph  Bray, 
two  of  the  brothers  of  Thomas  Bray, 
were  killed  in  the  Civil  war  and  some  of 
Mrs.  Pershing's  relatives  on  the  Leavitt 
side  were  in  the  Revolutionary  war,  so 
that  she  is  eligible  to  membership  with 
the  Daughters  of  the  American  Revolu- 
tion. 

Unto  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Pershing  has  been 
born  one  son,  Francis  Orville,  who  was 
born  in  Hamill,  Lee  County,  Iowa,  May 
14,  1895,  and  is  attending  the  public 
school  of,  Dallas  City.  They  are  tem- 
porarily living  on  Oak  street  but  Dr.  Per- 
shing expects  soon  to  build  or  buy  a  resi- 
dence here.  He  belongs  to  Dallas  City 
Lodge  A.  F.  &  A.  M.  No.  145  and  Odd 
Fellows  lodges  and  to  the  Modern  Wood- 
men camp  as  well  as  the  Knights  of  Pyth- 


ias and  he  votes  with  the  republican  party 
but  does  not  care  for  office,  preferring  to 
give  his  time  and  energies  to  his  profes- 
sional duties,  and  in  the  line  of  his  chosen 
calling  he  has  won  a  reputation  which 
many  an  older  practitioner  might  well 
envy. 

Dr.  Pershing  is  a  member  of  the  Han- 
cock County  Medical  Society,  the  Illinois 
State  Medical  Society  and  the  American 
Medical  Association. 


JOHN  I.  HEISLER. 

John  I.  Heisler,  ex-postmaster  of  Dal- 
las and  now  in  general  business,  was 
born  in  Hancock  county,  May  28,  1853, 
a  son  of  George  and  Mary  (Housewert) 
Heisler.  The  father  was  born  in  Ohio 
in  1814,  while  the  mother's  birth  occurred 
in  Pennsylvania  in  1823.  He  was  a  farm- 
er by  occupation  and  in  1835  came  to 
Hancock  county,  settling  in  Dallas.  His 
brother,  William  Heisler,  had  come  to 
the  county  in  1832 — the  year  of  the  Black 
Hawk  war.  George  Heisler  was  suc- 
cessfully engaged  in  farming  until  his 
death,  clearing  away  the  timber  in  or- 
der to  build  a  log  cabin,  in  which  he  lived 
in  true  pioneer  style  until  he  was  able 
to  make  modern  improvements.  He 
served  in  the  war  against  the  Mormons 
at  Nauvoo  in  1844,  carrying  the  flag,  and 
was  associated  with  other  early  historic 
events.  He  now  lies  buried  in  a  ceme- 
tery in  Durham  township.  His  widow 
still  survives  and  is  a  member  of  the  Chris- 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


37 


tian  church.  In  their  family  were  seven 
children,  of  whom  three  are  living:  John 
I.;  George  F.,  of  Dallas  City;  and  Me- 
lissa, the  wife  of  Edward  Avis,  living 
near  Colusa,  Illinois. 

John  I.  Heisler  largely  acquired  his 
education  in  the  district  schools  but  also 
spent  two  years  as  a  student  in  Carthage 
College.  He  remained  with  his  mother 
upon  the  home  farm  until  he  had  attained 
his  majority  and  then  purchased  land 
in  Dallas  township  upon  which  he  en- 
gaged in  general  farming  and  stock-rais- 
ing for  fifteen  years,  meeting  with  suc- 
cess in  his,  undertakings.  He  then  de- 
voted ten  years  to  the  poultry  business, 
being  one  of  the  early  fanciers  of  the 
county,  introducing  the  first  thorough- 
bred fowls  of  different  varieties  and  win- 
ning over  5,000  prizes  at  various  fairs 
during  the  time  he  was  in  the  business. 
He  was  then  appointed  by  President  Mc- 
Kinley  to  the  position  of  postmaster  at 
Dallas  and  after  serving  for  three  years 
was  reappointed,  his  incumbency  in  the 
office  covering  altogether  seven  years  and 
three  months  and  giving  general  satisfac- 
tion to  the  public  by  reason  of  the  prompt 
and  efficient  manner  in  which  he  dis- 
charged his  duties.  During  this  time  the 
first  rural  route  was  inaugurated  and  the 
office  became  a  presidential  office.  He 
was  city  alderman  for  four  years,  tax 
collector  of  Dallas  township  for  two  years 
and  township  supervisor  for  two  years, 
and  as  a  public  official  he  bears  an  unas- 
sailable record. 

On  Christmas  clay  of  1876  Mr.  Heisler 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Rebecca 
Salsbury,  a  native  of  Kirksville,  Missouri, 
and  a  daughter  of  Christopher  and  Eliz- 


abeth Salsbury.  Mrs.  Heisler  was  born 
in  Missouri  and  died  in  this  county  No- 
vember 19,  1901,  her  remains  being  in- 
terred in  Durham  township.  She  was  a 
member  of  the  Christian  church,  was  a 
good  wife,  kind  mother  and  friend  to 
all,  and  her  many  excellent  traits  of  char- 
acter won  her  the  esteem  of  those  with 
whom  she  came  in  contact.  She  left  one 
daughter,  Malinda,  now  the  wife  of  Fred 
J.  Dickson,  of  Dallas  City,  by  whom  she 
has  two  children,  Leo  and  Ethel.  On  the 
24th  of  January,  1906,  Mr.  Heisler  was 
married  to  Mrs.  Ellen  Elizabeth  (Toof) 
Dean,  who  was  born  in  Durham  town- 
ship, Hancock  county,  July  9,  1852,  a 
daughter  of  B.  L.  and  Mary  A.  (Ather- 
ton)  Toof.  Her  maternal  grandfather 
built  the  first  log  cabin  in  Dallas  and  it 
is  now  a  part  of  the  residence  of  the  late 
B.  F.  Black  on  Oak  and  Front  streets. 
This  place  was  his  farm  and  there  were 
then  still  many  Indians  in  the  locality, 
while  wild  deer  and  other  kinds  of  wild 
game  could  be  had  in  abundance.  In  the 
log  house  which  he  erected  Mr.  Atherton 
died. 

B.  L.  Toof,  father  of  Mrs.  Heisler,  was 
born  in  Vermont,  February  29,  1820,  and 
died  March  27,  1885.  His  wife,  who 
was  born  in  Ohio,  July  24.  1823,  died 
September  7,  1877,  and  both  lie  buried 
in  Dallas  cemetery.  He  came  to  Hancock 
county  when  a  small  boy  and  to  Dallas 
in  1850  and  followed  farming  until  his 
death.  He  voted  with  the  republican 
party  and  held  various  township  offices. 
He  was  a  charter  member  of  the  Masonic 
fraternity,  in  which  he  passed  all  the 
chairs,  and  he  and  his  wife  were  mem- 
bers of  the  Congregational  church  at  Dal- 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


las.  They  had  seven  children,  all  liv- 
ing: Henry  A.,  who  was  born  Septem- 
ber 15,  1843,  and  was  a  soldier  of  the 
Civil  war,  is- now  living  in  Aurora,  Ne- 
braska; Daniel  L.,  born  March  22.  1850, 
in  Iowa,  also  resides  in  Aurora,  Ne- 
braska ;  Ella  E.,  born  July  9,  1852,  is  now 
Mrs.  Heisler;  John  Wilson,  born  Decem- 
ber 15,  1854,  is  a  resident  of  Santa  Cruz 
county,  California;  M.  Jane,  born  in  Dal- 
las City,  October  20,  1859,  is  the  wife  of 
William  Ramsay;  Mary  Catherine,  born 
February  15,  1863,  is  the  wife  of  William 
Phipps,  of  Braham,  Oklahoma. 

By  her  former  marriage  Mrs.  Heisler 
had  three  children.  William  B.  Dean, 
born  in  Henderson  county,  November  24, 
1869,  when  seventeen  years  of  age  be- 
came connected  with  the  Sierra  Lumber 
Company,  of  Chico,  California,  of  which 
he  is  now  the  manager.  He  is  one  of  the 
foremost  business  men  of  that  place,  well 
known  from  New  York  to  California,  and 
his  weekly  payroll  amounts  to  two  thou- 
sand dollars.  He  married  Miss  Lulu  Wa- 
dams,  of  Chico,  who  died  when  her  sec- 
ond child,  Vera  A.,  was  fourteen  days 
old,  also  leaving  another  daughter,  Lolita 
R.  Mrs.  Dean  was  buried  in  Chico  cem- 
etery and  after  living  a  widower  for  nine 
years  with  his  mother,  who  cared  for  his 
two  children,  William  B.  Dean  was  mar- 
ried, in  June,  1903,  to  Bertha  Fish,  a 
prominent  teacher  of  California.  Nellie 
Dean,  born  in  Durham  township,  April 
25,  1873,  is  the  wife  of  Harry  Moir,  as- 
sistant cashier  and  head  bookkeeper  in 
the  Butte  County  Bank  at  Chico,  Cali- 
fornia. Dr.  J.  Wilson  Dean,  born  in  Dur- 
ham township,  Hancock  county.  May  10, 
1875,  was  graduated  from  the  St.  Louis 


Medical  College  and  began  practice  when 
twenty-one  years  of  age.  He  is  a  suc- 
cessful physician  and  surgeon  now  of 
Pond,  Missouri,  frequently  called  in  con- 
sultation on  important  cases,  and  he  makes 
a  specialty  of  diseases  of  the  eye  and  ear. 
He  married  Miss  Viola  Huttenman,  who 
was  born  August  7,  1879,  and  they  live 
in  Pond,  Missouri. 

Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Heisler  are  descend- 
ed from  highly  respected  pioneer  families 
of  Hancock  county.  They  played  together 
when  little  children  and  later  attended  the 
same  school  and  social  gatherings  and 
then  each  married.  Miss  Toof  becoming 
Mrs.  Dean  and  later  spending  much  time 
in  California.  On  a  visit  to  her  old  home 
and  friends  in  Hancock  county  in  1905 
she  again  renewed  the  acquaintance  and 
friendship  with  her  former  playmate  and 
in  course  of  time  they  were  married  at  the 
home  of  her  son  in  Pond,  Missouri.  It 
was  with  delight  that  Mrs.  Heisler's  old 
friends,  neighbors  and  relatives  of  this 
county  welcomed  her  back.  She  is  a 
member  of  the  Eastern  Star,  in  which  she 
has  been  warden  and  chaplain  and  she 
also  belongs  to  the  Woman's  Relief  Corps 
and  for  many  years  was  a  member  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church  but  is  now  a 
member  of  the  Christian  church  with  her 
husband. 

Mr.  Heisler  built  a  pretty  home  in  Dal- 
las in  1906  and  he  also  owns  eighty  acres 
of  improved  land  in  Dallas  township, 
where  he  is  again  devoting  considerable 
time  and  energy  to  the  poultry  business, 
in  which  he  is  well  versed.  He  is  mana- 
ger and  secretary  of  the  Dallas  Creamery 
Company  and  is  president  of  the  Hancock 
County  Poultry  Association.  Outside  of 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS: 


39 


the  eighty  acres  of  land  which  he  inherit- 
ed from  his  father,  he  is  entirely  a  self- 
made  man,  and  his  energy  and  honesty 
constitute  the  basis  of  his  success.  He 
stands  high  in  the  community,  respected 
by  all,  and  both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Heisler 
number  their  friends  by  the  score. 


LUKE  M.  VAUGHN. 

Luke  M.  Vaughn,  who  follows  the  oc- 
cupation of  farming  in  Durham  township, 
was  torn  in  Carman,  Illinois,  October  15, 
1870,  a  son  of  Mathew  and  Mary  (Mars- 
den)  Vaughn,  who  were  natives  of  Eng- 
land and  came  to  America  in  early  life. 
Mr.  Vaughn  first  resided  in  Ohio  and 
subsequently  removed  to  Henderson  coun- 
ty, Illinois,  where  he  purchased  a  farm, 
while  his  last  years  were  spent  as  a  re- 
tired agriculturist  in  Burlington,  Iowa, 
where  he  died  on  the  22d  of  February, 
1905.  Mrs.  Vaughn  had  departed  this 
life  twenty-eight  years  before.  They  were 
the  parents  of  eleven  children,  of  whom 
nine  are  living,  namely :  Catherine,  the 
wife  of  Thomas  Dickson,  of  Henderson 
county,  Illinois ;  George,  who  is  living  in 
Carman,  this  state ;  Arthur,  who  is  located 
near  Lomax;  Alice,  the  wife  of  John 
Johnson,  of  Osceola,  Nebraska ;  Miles,  liv- 
ing in  Nebraska  City ;  James,  of  Lomax ; 
Mark,  of  Lomax ;  Luke,  of  this  review, 
who  is  a  twin  brother  of  Mark ;  and 
Manford,  who  is  living  in  Carman. 

In  taking  up  the  personal  history  of 
Luke  Vaughn  we  present  to  our  readers 
3 


the  record  of  one  who  is  widely  and  fa- 
vorably known  in  Durham  township.  He 
was  educated  in  the  public  schools  and 
was  reared  to  agricultural  life,  remaining 
upon  his  father's  farm  to  the  age  of 
twenty-four  years,  when  he  was  married 
and  started  out  in  life  on  his  own  ac- 
count. It  was  on  the  5th  of  December, 
1894.  that  he  wedded  Miss  Leona  Git- 
tings,  who  was  born  near  Disco,  Illinois, 
in  1876,  a  daughter  of-  Austin  and  Ellen 
(Inghram)  Gittings,  the  former  a  native 
of  Texas  and  the  latter  of  Pennsylvania. 
Mr.  Gittings  was  brought  to  Hancock 
county  by  his  parents  when  only  six 
years  of  age  and  is  now  a  farmer  of  Mis- 
souri. In  his  family  were  fifteen  chil- 
dren, namely:  A.  J.  and  Emmet,  both 
residents  of  Disco;  Minnie,  the  wife  of 
Wesley  Scott,  of  Dallas  City ;  Clyde,  who 
is  living  near  Carman;  Mrs.  Vaughn; 
Ena,  the  wife  of  Orville  Pence,  living  near 
Dallas;  Hettie,  the  wife  of  Archibald 
Vaughan,  of  Carman ;  Weaver,  of  Disco ; 
Robert,  of  Lomax ;  Edward,  also  of 
Disco ;  Annie,  deceased ;  Luella,  the  wife 
of  John  Hayden,  of  Disco ;  Bertha,  Ollie 
and  Jessie,  at  home;  and  one  died  in  in- 
fancy. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Vaughn 
has  been  blessed  with  three  children : 
Clarence  L.,  born  in  Henderson  county, 
Illinois,  in  1895 ;  Ferrill  L.,  born  March 
3,  1897;  and  Floyd  V.,  November  16, 
1900.  Following  their  marriage  the  par- 
ents lived  upon  a  farm  near  Lomax  for 
two  years  and  subsequently  spent  three 
years  near  Dallas.  In  1900  Mr.  Vaughn 
purchased  one  hundred  and  ten  acres  of 
land  in  Durham  township,  upon  which  he 
has  erected  a  beautiful  residence,  com- 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


modious  barns  and  other  outbuildings  and 
has  improved  here  a  splendid  farm, 
equipped  with  all  modern  accessories  and 
conveniences.  He  also  owns  eighty  acres 
of  good  land  in  Durham  township  below 
his  home  place.  He  carries  on  general 
agricultural  pursuits  and  in  the  cultiva- 
tion of  his  fields  employs  practical  and 
progressive  methods,  resulting  in  annual 
gatherings  of  good  crops.  He  is  a  re- 
publican but  without  aspiration  for  of- 
fice. Fraternally  he  is  connected  with 
the  Woodmen,  while  his  wife  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Christian  church.  He  never 
received  any  assistance  through  inherit- 
ance or  aid  of  influential  friends  but  has 
lived  a  life  of  industry  and  frugality  and 
through  the  united  efforts  of  himself  and 
wife  there  are  now  many  comforts  to  be 
enjoyed  in  the  Vaughn  home.  There  hos- 
pitality also  reigns  supreme  and  the  fam- 
ily have  many  friends  in  this  community. 


GEORGE  M.  CUMMINGS. 

George  M.  Cummings,  a  well-to-do 
farmer  of  Dallas  township,  was  born  in 
Blooming  Grove,  Lycoming  county, 
Pennsylvania,  September  8,  1853,  a  son 
of  George  and  Elizabeth  (Keyport)  Cum- 
mings. The  father's  birth  occurred  in 
New  York  in  1802.  In  early  manhood  he 
learned  and  followed  the  trade  of  a  black- 
smith and  tool  maker.  At  the  age  of 
eighteen  years  he  went  to  Pennsylvania 
and  in  that  state  was  for  a  long  period 
engaged  in  general  farming.  In  1879  he 


came  to  Hancock  county,  Illinois,  where 
he  lived. retired  until  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred about  a  year  later.  His  wife  had 
passed  away  in  1876,  at  the  age  of  sixty- 
four  years.  She  was  born  near  the  cap- 
ital of  Switzerland  and  came  to  America 
when  only  three  years  of  age  with  her 
parents.  George  Cummings,  Sr.,  was  a 
republican  in  his  political  views  and  his 
fellow  townsmen,  recognizing  his  worth 
and  ability,  called  him  to  fill  various  town- 
ship offices.  In  the  family  were  ten  chil- 
dren, of  whom  five  are  now  living:  Har- 
riet C,  the  widow  of  William  G.  Edwards 
and  a  resident  of  St.  Louis,  Missouri ; 
Mrs.  Sarah  Porter,  a  widow  living  in 
Erie,  Pennsylvania ;  Louisa,  the  wife  of 
Norman  Strieby,  of  Burlington,  Kansas; 
George  M.,  of  this  review;  and  W.  W., 
who  is  living  in  Los  Angeles,  California. 

George  M.  Cummings  was  educated  in 
the  public  schools  of  his  native  county 
and  gave  assistance  to  his  father  in  the 
farm  work  until  twenty-three  years  of 
age.  In  the  spring  of  1878,  when  he  came 
to  Illinois,  he  began  working  as  a  farm 
hand  by  the  month  and  was  employed  by 
John  Dietrick,  of  Pontoosuc  township. 
The  next  summer  he  rented  a  farm  in  Se- 
nora  township  and  started  out  in  life  on 
his  own  account.  He  has  always  carried 
on  general  agricultural  pursuits  and  for 
a  number  of  years  has  been  accounted  one 
of  the  representative  agriculturists  of  Dal- 
las township. 

On  the  loth  of  February,  1880,  Mr. 
Cummings  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Ellen  M.  Dietrich,  who  was  born 
in  Lycoming  county,  Pennsylvania,  Jan- 
uary i,  1857,  a  daughter  of  Joseph  F.  and 
Sarah  (Benner)  Deitrich.  The  mother 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


died  when  Mrs.  Cummings  was  a  child 
two  years  old.  The  father,  who  was  a 
farmer  by  occupation,  long  survived.  He 
came  to  Hancock  county  in  1863  and 
passed  away  in  Dallas  township  in  1901. 
Both  he  and  his  wife  were  natives  of 
Pennsylvania  and  in  this  county  they  won 
many  friends.  The  political  allegiance  of 
Mr.  Deitrich  was  given  to  the  democracy 
and  he  held  a  number  of  important  local 
offices.  Both  he  and  his  wife  belonged  to 
the  Lutheran  church,  in  which  he  served 
as  a  deacon.  He  was  twice  married  and 
by  his  first  wife  had  five  children,  of 
whom  three  are  now  living:  Mary,  the 
wife  qf  L.  H.  Foresman,  of  Dallas  City; 
Mrs.  Cummings ;  and  Hetty,  the  wife  of 
W.  W.  Cummings,  of  California.  By  his 
second  marriage  Mr.  Deitrich  had  thir- 
teen children,  of  whom  six  are  now  liv- 
ing: Etta  P.,  the  wife  of  James  Paulus 
and  residing  in  Colusa,  Illinois;  ^Myra, 
the  wife  of  Warren  Jacobs,  of  Missouri ; 
\Yilliam  M.,  of  Dallas  township;  Su- 
sanna, who  is  living  with  her  mother  on 
the  home  place  in  Dallas  township;  and 
Grover  C.  and  John  Wesley,  also  with 
their  mother. 

Following  his  marriage  Mr.  Cummings 
brought  his  young  wife  to  a  farm  of 
eighty  acres  on  section  14,  Dallas  town- 
ship, which  she  had  inherited  from  her 
mother.  There  was  a  little  old  house 
upon  the  place  and  in  this  they  began  their 
domestic  life.  From  time  to  time  as 
his  financial  resources  have  increased  Mr. 
Cummings  has  added  to  the  property  and 
now  has  a  valuable  tract  of  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acres  on  sections  II  and  14, 
Dallas  township.  Here  he  has  built  a 
beautiful  modern  residence,  also  good 


barns  and  other  substantial  outbuildings 
and  added  many  modern  equipments  and 
improvements.  The  farm  is  altogether  a 
valuable  property  and  although  he  is  now 
leaving  the  more  active  work  to  his  sons 
he  still  gives  supervision  to  his  place. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cummings  have 
been  born  nine  children,  all  born  on  the 
farm  where  they  now  reside,  and  seven  of 
the  number  are  living,  as  follows :  Homer 
D.,  who  is  a  locomotive  fireman  and  re- 
sides in  Chicago;  Joseph  M.,  at  home; 
Mark  T.,  who  is  in  the  Farmers  State 
Exchange  Bank  at  Dallas  City,  of  which 
Mr.  Cummings  is  a  director,  and  was  one 
of  the  original  organizers  of  the  bank, 
which  is  now  doing  a  successful  business ; 
Laura,  Clara,  Kate  and  Charles,  all  under 
the  parental  roof. 

Mr.  Cummings  gives  his  political  al- 
legiance to  the  republican  party  and  has 
served  as  supervisor  for  two  years,  while 
for  twenty  consecutive  years  he  has  been 
a  school  director.  The  cause  of  educa- 
tion indeed  finds  in  him  a  warm  and  help- 
ful friend,  his  labors  being  very  effective 
in  behalf  of  the  schools.  Fraternally  he 
is  a  member  of  Dallas  City  Lodge  No. 
235,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  has  served  as 
worshipful  master  of  his  lodge  and  has 
represented  his  lodge  in  the  grand  lodge. 
He  is  also  a  member  of  Dallas  chapter 
No.  in,  R.  A.  M.,  and  has  filled  the 
office  of  high  priest  and  attended  the 
grand  chapter  at  a  number  of  meetings, 
Which  fact  indicates  his  high  position 
in  the  regard  of  the  brethren  of  the  craft. 
He  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Chris- 
tian church,  in  which  he  is  an  elder.  His 
ability,  energy  and  economy,  together 
with  the  assistance  of  his  estimable  wife. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


who  has  indeed  been  a  helpmate  to  him. 
constitute  the  secret  of  his  success.  He 
now  owns  an  excellent  farm  in  Dallas 
township  and  enjoys  the  respect  and  es- 
teem of  the  entire  community. 


.     D.  H.  MILLER. 

D.  H.  Miller,  manager  for  the  Alexan- 
der Lumber  Company  of  Carthage,  is  a 
native  son  of  Illinois,  his  birth  having  oc- 
curred in  Adams  county  in  1856,  his  par- 
ents being  Jacob  and  Nancy  (Chandler) 
Miller.  The  father  was  born  in  Ger- 
many, October  12,  1828,  and  the  mother 
in  Adams  county,  Illinois.  She  died  dur- 
ing the  infancy  of  their  son,  D.  H.  Miller. 
The  father  was  only  thirteen  months  old 
when  brought  to  the  United  States  by  his 
parents,  who  settled  in  Pennsylvania.  The 
voyage  was  made  in  one  of  the  old-time 
sailing  vessels  and  they  landed  at  New 
York.  Jacob  Miller  was  reared  to  the  oc- 
cupation of  fanning,  which  he  followed 
as  a  life  work  and  in  1845  he  took  up  his 
abode  in  Adams  county,  Illinois,  where  he 
resided  until  1864,  when  he  removed  to 
Hancock  county,  Illinois,  here  carrying  on 
general  agricultural  pursuits  until  his 
death,  which  occurred  January  21,  1905. 
He  had  therefore  long  survived  his  wife. 
In  their  family  were  five  children,  of 
whom  two  died  in  infancy,  the  others  be- 
ing: D.  H.,  of  this  review;  Melissa,  the 
wife  of  J.  Cook,  of  Oberlin,  Decatur  coun- 
ty, Kansas;  and  Alfred,  who  is  living  in 
Seattle,  Washington.  The  mother,  Mrs. 


Jacob  Miller,  had  three  brothers  who  were 
soldiers  of  the  Civil  war,  John,  William 
and  George  Chandler.  The  first  named 
was  killed  in  the  service  and  William  re- 
mained with  the  army  for  about  four 
years.  The  grandmother  of  our  subject 
in  the  maternal  line  was  about  ninety-two 
years  of  age  when  she  passed  away  and 
the  grandmother  in  the  paternal  line  was 
ninety-four  years  of  age,  while  her  hus- 
band reached  the  age  of  ninety-two  years. 

D.  H.  Miller  was  educated  at  \Yest 
Point,  Illinois,  and  is  a  graduate  of  the 
Gem  City  Business  College  at  Ouincy. 
After  leaving  school  he  followed  farming 
for  five  or  six  years  in  Hancock  county 
and  for  two  years  was  engaged  in  teach- 
ing school  in  this  county.  Eventually  he 
entered  the  employ  of  the  firm  of  Dickin- 
son &  Bartlett  at  Hamilton,  Illinois,  whom 
he  represented  as  general  manager  for  six 
years.  For  several  years  he  did  a  general 
contracting  business  on  his  own  account 
and  in  1898  he  assumed  charge  of  the 
business  of  the  Alexander  Lumber  Com- 
pany of  Carthage,  which  responsible  po- 
sition he  yet  occupies  and  under  his  guid- 
ance the  business  has  developed  and  is 
being  conducted  along  profitable  lines. 

On  the  ist  of  January,  1.878,  occurred 
the  marriage  of  Mr.  Miller  and  Miss  Jane 
I.  Hart,  who  was  born  in  Adams  county 
and  is  a  daughter  of  William  T.  and  Fan- 
nie (Wigle)  Hart,  who  came  to  Illinois 
at  an  early  day,  the  mother  making  her 
way  to  this  state  from  Pennsylvania.  She 
is  now  living  at  West  Point,  Illinois, 
where  Mr.  Hart  passed  away  in  1896.  In 
their  family  were  eleven  children,  of 
whom  nine  are  yet  living :  Isaac,  who  re- 
sides at  Bowen,  Illinois;  Hattie  H..  who 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


43 


is  the  widow  of  Jake  Shaffer  and  lives  at 
West  Point,  Iowa ;  Margaret,  the  wife 
of  G.  \Y.  Wolfe,  of  West  Point :  Mark, 
residing  at  Ellensburg,  Washington ; 
Clarence,  of  West  Point ;  Ollie.  who  is 
with  her  mother ;  Eva,  the  wife  of  Wil- 
liam Nutt.  of  West  Point;  May  E.,  the 
widow  of  Mathew  Finley,  of  West  Point; 
and  Arch,  who  is  also  living  at  that  place. 
Mr.  Hart,  the  father  of  this  family,  was 
originally  a  Dunkard  but  afterward  be- 
came a  member  of  the  Christian  church 
and  at  his  death  his  remains  were  in- 
terred in  the  cemetery  at  West  Point,  Illi- 
nois. His  widow  is  a  devoted  member  of 
the  Christian  church. 

Mrs.  Miller  and  her  daughter  Ruby 
are  eligible  to  membership  in  the  society 
of  the  Daughters  of  the  American  Revo- 
lution, as  John  Wigle,  an  uncle  of  her 
mother,  fought  in  the  Revolutionary  war. 
Her  father's  brother,  John  Hart,  was  a 
soldier  of  the  Civil  war.  Unto  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Miller  have  been  born  three  children  : 
Roy  G.,  the  eldest,  born  in  Hancock  coun- 
ty, is  a  graduate  of  the  Gem  City  Busi- 
ness College  of  Quincy,  Illinois,  and  now 
lives  in  Orville,  Ohio,  where  he  is  em- 
ployed by  the  Robert  Hixon  Lumber 
Company.  Ruby  B.  is  attending  the  city 
schools  of  Carthage  and  is  her  father's 
assistant  in  bookkeeping  in  the  office. 
Jake  L.  is  employed  in  the  office  of  the 
Alexander  Lumber  Company.  In  his 
fraternal  relations  Mr.  Miller  is  a  Mason 
and  also  belongs  to  the  Odd  Fellows 
Society,  in  which  he  has  passed  all  of 
the  chairs.  His  political  allegiance  is 
given  to  the  republican  party,  but  he  has 
never  sought  or  desired  office.  Both  he 
and  his  wife  are  faithful  and  consistent 


members  of  the  Christian  church  and  they 
are  now  occupying  a  nice  home  on  Cherry 
street  in  the  western  part  of  the  city, 
which  Mr.  Miller  erected  in  1895.  He 
holds  a  responsible  position  of  trust  and 
stands  high  in  the  community,  in  the 
lodge,  in  his  church,  in  business  circles 
and  among  his  friends.  He  is  a  well  in- 
formed man  and  a  typical  American  citi- 
zen, rejoicing  in  the  general  progress  and 
keeping  in  touch  with  the  trend  of  mod- 
ern advancement  and  successful  accom- 
plishment. 


JOHN  S.  SHIPTON. 

Nature  seems  to  have  intended  that 
man  in  more  advanced  years  should  en- 
joy a  season  of  rest.  In  youth  he  possess- 
es great  zeal  and  energy  which  in  manhood 
becomes  tempered  by  judgment  and  deter- 
mination and  if  his  qualities  are  well  ex- 
ercised they  bring  him  success,  so  that 
when  evening  of  life  comes  he  can  put 
aside  the  more  arduous  duties  and  rest  in 
enjoyment  of  the  fruits  of  his  former  toil. 
Such  has  been  the  life  of  Mr.  Shipton, 
who  for  many  years  was  closely  associ- 
ated with  agricultural  interests  in  this 
part  of  the  state  but  is  now  living  re- 
tired in  Carthage,  occupying  a  pleasant 
and  attractive  home  supplied  with  many 
of  the  comforts  of  life. 

"How  blessed  is  he  who  crowns  in  shades 

like  these 
A  youth  of  labor  with  an  age  of  ease." 


44 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REl'IEIl' 


Mr.  Shipton  was  born  in  Beavertown, 
Pennsylvania,  August  16,  1831,  his  par- 
ents being  John  and  Elizabeth  (Swengel) 
Shipton.  His  paternal  grandparents 
came  from  England  to  America  during 
the  period  of  the  Revolutionary  war  and, 
deserting  the  British  army,  the  grandfa- 
ther became  a  defender  of  the  cause  of 
American  liberty.  The  parents  of  our 
subject  were  born  in  Union  county,  now 
Snyder  county,  Pennsylvania,  as  were  the 
grandmother's  people  in  the  maternal  line, 
some  of  the  Swengel  family  being  vic- 
tims of  the  Wyoming  massacre  of  1778. 
a  monument  to  the  victims  having  recent- 
ly been  erected  at  Wilkes-Barre,  Pennsyl- 
vania. Thomas  Shipton,  the  grandfather 
of  our  subject,  was  the  first  circuit  judge 
of  Northumberland  county,  Pennsylva- 
nia, which  then  embraced  Union.  Lycom- 
ing  and  other  counties  in  that  section  of 
Pennsylvania.  John  Shipton,  the  father, 
learned  the  blacksmith's  trade  in  the  Key- 
stone state  and  during  the  latter  part  of 
the  war  of  1812  he  worked  at  the  gun- 
smith's trade  at  Carlysle  Barracks,  Penn- 
sylvania, making  guns  and  war  accoutre- 
ments, but  after  the  close  of  the  war  re- 
turned to  his  more  peaceful  occupation 
and  afterward  engaged  in  farming  there 
to  some  extent.  His  last  days,  however, 
were  spent  in  honorable  retirement  from 
labor  and  he  died  about  thirty-four  years 
ago  when  seventy-nine  years  of  age,  while 
his  wife  passed  away  about  ten  years  ago. 
He  was  independent  in  politics  and  was 
always  on  the  winning  side  at  presidential 
elections,  never  losing  a  vote  by  support- 
ing a  candidate  who  was  unsuccessful 
His  wife  held  membership  in  the  Lutheran 
church.  In  their  family  were  ten  chil- 


dren, of  whom  four  are  now  living :  Ma- 
ria, the  widow  of  Daniel  Trester,  of  Over- 
ton,  Ohio ;  John  S. ;  Henry,  of  Delavan, 
Illinois;  and  Eliza,  the  wife  of  Charles 
Rigle,  residing  at  Beavertown,  Pennsyl- 
vania. The  parents  were  both  buried  in 
the  cemetery  at  Beavertown,  the  mother 
being  eighty-eight  years  of  age. 

John  S.  Shipton  was  educated  in  the 
common  schools  of  Pennsylvania  but  his 
attendance  was  of  short  duration.  Schools 
at  that  time  were  largely  conducted  on 
the  subscription  plan.  He  afterward 
learned  the  carpenter's  trade  in  the  Key- 
stone state  and  followed  that  pursuit  and 
cabinet  making  until  1857,  when  he  re- 
moved westward  to 'Kansas,  where  he  con- 
tinued in  the  same  line  of  business  until 
1 86 1.  He  afterward  devoted  nineteen 
years  to  farming  in  Tazewell  county,  Illi- 
nois, and  in  the  early  spring  of  1881  set- 
tled on  a  farm  in  Hancock  county,  where 
he  carefully  and  successfully  tilled  the  soil 
and  harvested  good  crops  until  the  ist 
of  December,  1898,  when  he  retired  from 
the  farm  and  took  up  his  abode  in  Car- 
thage. He  still  owns  the  farm  property, 
consisting  of  two  hundred  and  sixty  acres, 
together  with  a  pretty  residence  on  Adams 
and  Buchanan  streets,  Carthage,  where 
he  is  now  living. 

On  the  Qth  of  October,  1864,  Mr.  Ship- 
ton  was  married  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Jane 
Hummel,  who  was  born  in  Miflin  county, 
Pennsylvania,  in  1838,  a  daughter  of  John 
and  Hannah  (Shawver)  Hummel,  also 
natives  of  the  Keystone  state.  Her  pa- 
ternal grandfather  was  a  soldier  of  the 
war  of  1812  and  held  official  rank,  carry- 
ing a  sword  which  Mrs.  Shipton  has  seen. 
Her  brother,  George  Hummel,  was  a  sol- 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


45 


clier  of  the  Civil  war,  enlisting  from  Illi- 
nois and  serving  for  three  years.  John 
Hummel,  father  of  Mrs.  Shipton,  was  a 
farmer  and  in  1854  became  a  resident  of 
Lewistown,  Illinois,  but  was  not  long  per- 
mitted to  enjoy  his  new  home,  his  death 
occurring  about  a  month  later.  His  wife 
long  survived  him,  passing  away  in 
March,  1899,  on'v  lacking  a  few  months 
of  being  one  hundred  years  of  age,  her 
birth  having  occurred  in  1799.  She  passed 
away  in  Webster  county,  Iowa,  but  her 
grave  was  made  in  the  cemetery  at  Lewis- 
town,  Illinois,  where  her  husband  had 
been  laid  to  rest  many  years  before.  They 
had  eight  children,  of  whom  four  are  liv- 
ing :  Lydia,  the  eldest,  is  the  wife  of 
Thomas  Ellsworth,  of  Table  Grove,  Illi- 
nois, who  came  to  Carthage  with  a  com- 
pany of  volunteers  from  Fulton  county, 
Illinois,  during  the  Mormon  troubles  and 
camped  near  the  city,  being  in  camp  there 
when  Joseph  and  Hiram  Smith,  the  Mor- 
mon prophets,  were  shot  in  the  old  jail. 
Catherine,  the  second  member  of  the 
Hummel  family,  is  the  wife  of  David  Dep- 
ler,  of  Webster  county.  Iowa.  George 
is  living  in  Webster  City,  Iowa.  Mrs. 
Shipton  is  the  youngest  member  of  the 
family  and  by  her  marriage  has  become 
the  mother  of  five  children,  all  of  whom 
were  born  in  Tazewell  county,  Illinois, 
while  four  are  yet  living.  Luther  H.,  the 
eldest,  educated  in  the  public  schools  of 
Carthage,  in  early  manhood  purchased  a 
grocery  stock  and  is  engaged  in  business 
at  the  corner  of  Jackson  and  Main  streets 
as  a  dealer  in  staple  and  fancy  groceries 
and  queensware.  His  father  is  interested 
with  him  in  the  ownership  of  the  store, 
which  is  on'  a  most  advantageous  corner 


of  the  business  center  of  the  city  and  their 
trade  is  extensive  and  profitable.  Luther 
Shipton  belongs  to  the  Knights  of  Pythias 
fraternity  and  is  a  republican,  while  his 
religious  faith  is  indicated  by  his  mem- 
bership in  the  Methodist  church.  He  was 
married  February  i,  1893,  to  Miss  Sadie 
Deitrick,  a  native  of  Pennsylvania  and 
a  daughter  of  John  and  Harriet  (Kime) 
Deitrick,  who  were  also  natives  of  the 
Keystone  state,  whence  they  removed  to 
a  farm  in  Illinois.  Both  are  deceased  and 
were  laid  to  rest  in  a  cemetery  of  Dal- 
las City.  Their  daughter,  Sadie,  became 
Mrs.  Luther  Shipton  and  passed  away 
February  10,  1900,  at  the  age  of  thirty- 
two  years,  her  remains  being  interred  in 
Carthage  cemetery.  She  was  an  estima- 
ble lady,  whose  death  was  deeply  deplored 
by  her  many  friends.  She  left  two  chil- 
dren, Loveta  and  Lloyd,  aged  respect- 
ively eleven  and  eight  years.  They  are 
now  attending  school  and  with  their  fa- 
ther they  reside  with  his  parents  at  the 
corner  of  Adams  and  Buchanan  streets. 
Aurelia,  the  second  member  of  the  family 
of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  S.  Shipton,  is  the 
wife  of  Jesse  G.  Waggoner,  of  Centralia, 
Missouri,  and  they  have  four  children : 
George,  Lizzie,  Laone  arid  Ida,  all  of 
whom  are  attending  school,  three  being 
students  in  Carthage  College.  Elizabeth 
Shipton  is  the  wife  of  E.  S.  Martin,  of 
Carthage,  and  has  two  children :  Aurelia 
S.  and  John  Robert  Martin.  Carrie  is 
the  wife  of  Samuel  Wingert,  of  Prairie 
township,  Hancock  county,  and  has  three 
children :  Violet,  John  LeRoy  and  Sam- 
uel Wingert. 

Mr.   Shipton  is  numbered  among  the 
men  whom  fortune  has  favored  not  from 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


caprice  but  in  reward  for  earnest,  per- 
sistent and  honorable  labor.  In  early  life 
he  worked  many  days  for  sixty-two  and 
a  half  cents  per  day,  later  was  paid  a  dol- 
lar and  a  quarter.  He  paid  a  dollar  and 
a  half  for  his  board  per  week  and  pro- 
vided for  his  other  expenses.  As  the  years 
advanced  he  saved  from  his  earnings  until 
he  was  enabled  to  purchase  a  farm  and 
he  made  all  of  the  improvements  upon 
his  Tazewell  county  property  and  added 
many  improvements  to  his  farm  in  Han- 
cock county.  He  is  still  a  strong,  sturdy 
man,  working  in  his  garden  and  raising 
bees  and  though  he  is  practically  retired 
he  yet  manages  to  keep  busy  most  of  the 
time.  During  the  summer  of  1906  he 
made  a  beautifully  carved  and  planned 
Hymn  board  for  the  Lutheran  church, 
which  contains  upward  of  150  different 
kinds  of  wood  gathered  by  himself.  His 
leisure  is  largely  devoted  to  reading  and 
he  is  well  informed  on  all  the  questions 
and  interests  of  the  day.  He  has  kept 
a  diary  of  the  weather  and  also  the  date 
of  small  fruit  blossoming  for  many  years 
and  it  is  now  a  valuable  record.  He  pos- 
sesses a  remarkable  memory  and  in  spirit 
and  interest  seems  yet  in  his  prime.  Both 
he  and  his  wife  still  enjoy  good  health 
and  are  among  the  most  esteemed  citizens 
of  Carthage,  having  many  friends  here. 
His  name  is  honored  by  reason  of  what 
he  has  accomplished  and  the  methods 
which  hav£  wrought  his  success.  He  is 
interested  in  all  that  pertains  to  the  mate- 
rial, intellectual  or  moral  progress  of  his 
community  and  his  support  of  beneficial 
public  measures  is  never  of  a  lukewarm 
character,  but  is  of  the  kind  that  is  strong 
and  steadfast. 


THOMAS  I.  WALKER. 

Thomas  I.  Walker,  a  retired  farmer 
who,  left  an  orphan  in  his  youth  and  thus 
early  thrown  upon  his  own  resources,  has 
gained  the  success  which  crowns  persist- 
ent and  well  directed  effort,  was  born  in 
Todd  county.  Kentucky,  August  20,  1843, 
his  parents  being  T.  I.  and  Eliza  (Wag- 
goner) Walker.  The  parents  died  when 
their  son  was  but  a  young  lad.  They  were 
natives  of  Kentucky  and  the  father  fol- 
lowed the  occupation  of  farming.  In  their 
family  were  eight  children,  of  whom  five 
are  now  living :  James,  Garnett  and  Wil- 
liam, all  of  Kentucky;  T.  I.,  of  this  re- 
view ;  and  Luda,  the  wife  of  W.  O.  Clark, 
of  McDonough  county,  Illinois.  Two  of 
the  brothers  were  soldiers  of  the  Con- 
federate army  in  the  Civil  war,  St.  Clair 
being  killed  in  the  first  battle  of  Shiloh. 
while  James,  the -eldest  brother,  served 
for  four  years  with  the  southern  troops. 

T.  I.  Walker  was  brought  to  Carthage 
when  about  four  years  of  age  and  lived 
with  relatives  until  nine  years  old,  attend- 
ing the  public  schools  during  that  period. 
He  then  went  to  live  with  his  eldest  sis- 
ter, who  had  been  married  in  the  mean- 
time and  with  her  he  remained  until  his 
own  marriage.  It  was  in  1867  that  he 
wedded  Miss  Mary  E.  Atchison,  who  was 
born  in  this  county  October  3,  1845,  a 
daughter  of  John  and  Margaret  (Gallo- 
way) Atchison.  The  father  was  born  in 
Ireland  and  came  to  America  at  an  early 
day  and  was  here  married  to  Miss  Gallo- 
way, whose  birth  occurred  in  Hancock 
county.  He  was  a  blacksmith  by  trade 
but  followed  fanning  in  this  state  and 
both  he  and  his  wife  passed  away  many 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


47 


years  ago.  Mr.  Atchison  was  a  member 
of  the  Christian  church  at  the  time  of 
his  death  and  was  an  exceedingly  quiet 
man,  of  retiring  nature,  but  he  possessed 
a  kindly  and  generous  spirit  and  was  re- 
spected by  all.  Unto  him  and  his  wife 
was  born  but  one  child,  Mrs.  Walker. 

At  the  time  of  their  marriage  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Walker  began  their  domestic  life 
on  a  farm  in  Harmony  township,  where 
they  lived  for  two  years  and  then  removed 
to  another  farm  in  St.  Marys  township, 
on  which  they  resided  for  thirty-six  years. 
Both  places  were  improved  and  were 
brought  under  higher  cultivation  by  the 
enterprise  and  labors  of  Mr.  Walker,  who 
for  many  years  was  accounted  one  of  the 
leading,  practical  and  progressive  agricul- 
turists of  this  part  of  the  state.  He  care- 
fully tilled  his  fields  and  thereby  annu- 
ally harvested  good  crops.  He  also  raised 
good  grades  of  stock  and  he  placed  sub- 
stantial buildings  upon  his  farm,  together 
with  all  of  the  modern  improvements.  He 
added  to  his  farm  from  time  to  time  until 
it  now  contains  about  four  hundred  acres. 
In  July,  1905,  he  removed  to  Carthage, 
where  he  purchased  a  pretty  new  home  on 
North  Adams  street.  He  still  retains  pos- 
session of  his  farm,  however,  and  also 
owns  other  land  in  the  county. 

At  the  time  of  the  Civil  war  Mr.  Wal- 
ker, responding  to  the  call  of  the  Union 
enlisted  in  the  One  Hundred  and  Forty- 
eighth  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry.  He 
was  with  his  regiment  for  about  a  year 
and  participated  in  a  few  light  skirmishes. 
For  many  years  he  gave  his  political  alle- 
giance to  the  republican  party,  but  is  now 
a  strong  prohibitionist.  He  has  served  as 
school  director  and  path  master,  but  has 


accepted  no  other  offices,  preferring  to 
leave  office  holding  to  others. 

As  the  years  passed  by  eight  children 
were  added  to  the  family  circle,  all  yet 
living  and  all  natives  of  Hancock  county. 
Homer,  born  June  22,  1868.  and  now  re- 
siding on  the  farm  on  which  his  father 
settled  at  an  early  day,  married  Nellie 
White  and  has  four  children :  Marian, 
Wendell,  James  and  Lucile.  Stella,  bom 
October  3,  1870,  on  the  anniversary  of 
her  mother's  birth,  is  now  the  wife  of  J. 
B.  Johnson,  a  stock  feeder  residing  in 
Carthage.  Atchison,  bom  June  7,  1873, 
and  living  on  a  farm  in  Hancock  county, 
married  Alberta  Cloud  and  has  two  chil- 
dren :  Aurelia  and  Harold.  Gerald,  born 
May  24,  1876,  is  in  Montana.  Geraldine, 
twin  sister  of  Gerald,  is  the  wife  of  J.  E. 
Garnett,  of  Oklahoma  and  has  two  chil- 
dren. Pauline  and  Walker  L.  Maud,  born 
January  14,  1879,  is  the  wife  of  Don 
Cloud,  a  farmer  of  Nebraska  and  has  one 
child,  Don  Cleophas.  T.  Orville,  born 
May  24,  1882,  married  Josephine  Engle 
and  lives  on  a  farm  in  Hancock  county. 
Hilda,  born  May  8,  1885,  acts  as  her 
father's  housekeeper  and  is  attending 
Carthage  College.  The  children  have  all 
been  provided  with  excellent  educational 
privileges  and  have  attended  various  col- 
leges in  the  state  of  Illinois. 

In  1904,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Walker  attended 
the  Louisiana  Purchase  Exposition  at  St. 
Louis,  Missouri,  and  had  a  most  pleasant 
trip  there  and  in  the  winter  of  1904-5, 
with  their  youngest  daughter,  they  went 
to  California  and  had  just  got  comfort- 
ably settled  there  when  Mrs.  Walker  be- 
came ill  with  a  cancerous  trouble  which 
had  never  been  manifest  before.  After  a 


BIOGRAPHICAL  RE J 'I Ell' 


very  brief  illness  of  three  weeks  she  passed 
away  February  I,  1905.  She  was  a  lov- 
ing wife,  a  fond  mother,  a  dutiful  daugh- 
ter and  a  kind  friend  and  her  many  ex- 
cellent traits  of  character  won  her  the  con- 
fidence and  love  of  all  who  knew  her. 
Her  remains  were  brought  back  to  Han- 
cock county  for  interment  and  she  was 
laid  to  rest  February  7,  1905.  Many 
years  will  have  passed,  however,  before 
she  is  forgotten  or  before  her  influence 
ceases  to  be  felt  by  those  who  knew  her. 
She  was  a  devoted  member  of  the  Meth- 
odist church  and  her  life  exemplified  her 
Christian  faith.  Mr.  Walker  also  belongs 
to  the  same  church,  in  which  he  has  held 
several  offices. 

Early  denied  the  parental  care  which 
most  boys  receive  with  its  attendant  priv- 
ileges and  careful  guidance,  Mr.  Walker 
has,  though  dependent  upon  his  own  re- 
sources, not  only  worked  his  way  upward 
to  success  but  has  also  developed  a  char- 
acter which  makes  him  one  of  the  honored 
and  respected  citizens  of  Carthage  and  his 
example  proves  what  may  be  accom- 
plished when  one  has  determination  and 
energy — qualities  which  may  be  cultivated 
by  all. 


ALEXANDER  WELLINGTON  BAS- 
COW. 

A.  W.  Boscow,  one  of  the  oldest  gro- 
cery merchants  of  Carthage  whose  busi- 
ness integrity  and  activity  stand  as  un- 
questioned facts  in  his  career  and  make 
him  a  citizen  of  worth  who  is  accorded 


respect  and  honor,  was  born  on  the  Isle 
of  Man  off  the  coast  of  England  in  1840. 
His  paternal  grandfather,  Nicholas  Bos- 
cow,  served  in  the  war  against  the  French 
in  the  early  part  of  the  nineteenth  cen- 
tury, being  under  command  of  the  Duke 
of  Wellington  in  the  engagements  against 
Napoleon  Bonaparte.  The  gun  which  he 
carried  is  now  in  possession  of  A.  W. 
Boscow  and  is  very  highly  prized.  Nich- 
olas Boscow,  Jr.,  father  of  our  subject, 
was  born  in  England  and  was  there  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Alice  Newell,  a  native  of  the 
same  country.  He  was  a  merchant  and 
shipper  of  wheat,  owning  his  own  vessel 
which  made  trips  between  Peel  anl  Liver- 
pool. He  came  to  America  by  way  of 
New  Orleans  in  an  old-time  sailing  vessel 
in  1842;  being  about  three  months  and 
two  weeks  on  the  water.  He  bought  land 
near  Warsaw,  Illinois,  having  made  his 
way  northward  to  Hancock  county  and 
after  remaining  there  for  a  year  or  more 
went  to  Buffalo,  New  York,  to  investigate 
property  interests  and  business  prospects 
there.  He  soon  became  ill,  however,  and 
died  in  that  city.  He  held  membership 
in  the  Church  of  England,  to  which  his 
wife  also  belonged.  She  continued  to  live 
for  some  years  on  a  farm  with  her  chil- 
dren but  spent  her  last  days  in  the  home 
of  her  son,  A.  W.  Boscow,  from  whom 
she  received  a  most  devoted  filial  care, 
attention  and  love.  He  also  took  great 
pride  in  his  mother,  for  she  was  a  most 
remarkable  old  lady  and  she  died  at  his 
home  in  the  spring  of  1894,  her  remains 
being  interred  in  Moss  Ridge  cemetery. 
She  was  ninety-six  years  of  age,  her  death 
occurring  very  suddenly.  Only  once  did 
she  complain  of  feeling  a  little  dizzy. 


H.iXCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


49 


Early  in  the  morning,  however,  she  ex- 
pressed a  desire  to  see  the  Rev.  Hyde,  a 
beloved  preacher  of  Carthage,  who  came 
and  offered  up  a  touching  and  befitting 
prayer  in  behalf  of  this  dear  old  lady  and 
in  closing  said :  "May  this  dear  soul  have 
an  abundant  and  happy  entrance  into  the 
joy  of  her  Lord,"  and  as  he  said  Amen, 
the  life  of  this  good  woman  went  out  as 
though  her  soul  were  carried  onward 
upon  the  spirit  of  prayer.  She  had  been  a 
faithful  friend,  a  kind  neighbor  and  a 
most  devoted  and  loving  mother  and  she 
was  a  general  favorite  among  her  many 
acquaintances.  Her  children  who  lived 
were  five  in  number,  seven  having  died 
before  her  death :  George,  a  merchant  liv- 
ing at  Oakland,  California;  John  H.,  a 
land  dealer  of  Garnett,  Kansas ;  Peter,  a 
farmer  of  Hillsboro,  Oregon ;  Mrs.  Alice 
Deatley,  living  at  Base  Line,  Missouri, 
and  A.  W.  of  this  review.  The  son  John 
was  drafted  twice  for  service  in  the  Civil 
war  but  both  times  sent  substitutes,  the 
first  time  paying  seven  hundred  and  fifty 
dollars  and  the  last  time  nine  hundred 
dollars. 

A.  W.  Boscow  acquired  his  early  edu- 
cation in  Breckenridge,  Illinois,  and 
worked  upon  his  mother's  farm  until  he 
had  attained  his  majority.  He  then  went 
to  the  gold  mines  of  California  and  Ore- 
gon, spending  much  of  his  time  for  four- 
teen years  in  the  latter  state  in  search  of 
the  precious  metal.  Following  his  return 
to  Illinois  he  located  in  Warsaw,  where  he 
conducted  a  general  grocery  store  for  sev- 
en years  and  in  1886  removed  to  Carth- 
age, where  he  was  engaged  in  the  grocery 
business  on  Main  street  for  twenty  years. 
He  has  a  large  trade  and  with  one  excep- 


tion is  the  oldest  grocery  merchant  in  the 
city  in  years  of  continuous  connection 
with  the  trade.  His  business  methods  are 
unassailable,  being  characterized  by 
promptness  and  integrity  and  many  of  his 
early  patrons-  have  remained  with  him 
throughout  the  passing  years,  showing 
that  he  has  their  confidence  and  trust. 

In  1874  Mr.  Boscow  was  married  to 
Miss  Clara  Spillman,  a  native  of  Illinois 
and  a  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  S.  D. 
Spillman,  natives  of  Virginia  who  came  to 
Illinois  at  an  early  day.  Her  father  was  a 
carpenter  and  lived  in  Warsaw,  Illinois, 
Hancock  county,  for  a  number  of  years 
but  both  he  and  his  wife  are  now  deceased 
and  their  four  children  have  now  all 
passed  away.  Mrs.  Boscow  died  in  1887 
and  is  buried  in  Moss  Ridge  cemetery. 
She  was  a  devoted  Christion  woman  and 
a  member  of  the  Episcopal  church.  By 
this  marriage  there  were  three  children, 
but  only  one  is  now  living,  Anna  R.  Bos- 
cow, who  is  now  the  wife  of  Frederick 
Reynolds,  of  Seattle,  Washington. 

In  1890  A.  W.  Boscow  was  married  to 
Miss  Louisa  Scott,  of  Carthage,  who  was 
born  in  Warsaw,  Illinois,  and  was  a 
daughter  of  Major  John  and  Louisa 
(Frazier)  Scott.  Her  father  was  born  in 
North  Carolina  in  1801  and  her  mother 
in  Kentucky,  January  8,  1816.  Mr. 
Scott  was  a  Mason  and  for  some  years 
meetings  of  the  lodge  were  held  in  his 
home.  For  a  long  period  he  was  a  lead- 
ing merchant  of  Warsaw,  conducting  a 
successful  business  there  until  his  death 
on  the  3Oth  of  April,  1865.  His  wife  long 
survived  him,  passing  away  in  August, 
1900,  when  she  was  laid  to  rest  by  his 
side  in  Warsaw  cemetery.  Only  two  of 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


their  children  are  now  living:  John  F. 
Scott,  who  is  assistant  county  treasurer 
and  makes  his  home  in  Carthage;  and 
Mary,  the  wife  of  George  Rogers,  of 
Warsaw,  Illinois.  Mrs.  Louisa  Boscow 
died  in  1897  and  was  buried  in  Moss 
Ridge  cemetery.  In  1898  Mr.  Boscow 
was  married  to  Mrs.  Frances  E.  Dickey 
Cherry,  the  widow  of  Edward  Cherry. 
She  was  born  in  Illinois  and  has  one  son 
by  her  first  marriage,  Edward  Cherry, 
who  is  now  living  in  Pecos  valley,  Mex- 
ico. Mr.  Boscow  lives  in  a  beautiful  home 
in  the  east  part  of  the  city  on  Main  street, 
having  erected  the  residence  about  eight 
years  ago.  His  wife  also  owns  some 
property  here.  His  has  been  a  creditable 
business  record  in  which  he  has  allowed 
no  obstacle  to  deter  him  in  his  advance 
toward  the  goal  of  success.  He  has  re- 
garded every  difficulty  as  a  stimulus  for 
renewed  effort  and  closer  application  'and 
in  these  ways  he  has  achieved  what  he 
has  undertaken  and  is  now  one  of  the 
leading  merchants  of  the  city  who, 
through  his  persistency  and  determina- 
tion, has  secured  many  of  the  comforts 
of  life.  Matters  of  municipal  and  local 
pride  are  of  deep  interest  to  him  and  he 
co-operates  in  many  measures  which  have 
direct  bearing  upon  the  upbuilding  and 
welfare  of  the  city.  He  is  a  man  full 
worthy  of  the  respect  of  those  with  whom 
he  has  come  in  contact  and  his  friends 
are  almost  as  numerically  strong  as  his 
acquaintances.  He  and  his  worthy  wife 
full  well  merit  all  the  good  things  of  this 
life  and  of  the  life  to  come,  which  should 
be  the  reward  of  all  those  who  live  an 
upright  life.  They  are  held  in  the  highest 
esteem  bv  their  manv  friends. 


EZEKIEL  RUCKER. 

Ezekiel  Rucker  is  a  retired  farmer  liv- 
ing at  the  corner  of  Scofield  and  Locust 
streets  in  Carthage  and  although  about 
eighty  years  of  age  he  keeps  his  home 
place  in  a  most  neat  and  attractive  condi- 
tion. He  was  born  in  Crittenden,  Grant 
county,  Kentucky,  in  1827,  his  parents  be- 
ing Morning  and  Julia  (Reese)  Rucker, 
both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Virginia. 
The  father  dealt  extensively  in  horses, 
which  he  shipped  to  the  New  Orleans 
market.  At  an  early  day  he  removed  to 
Kentucky,  where  he  continued  in  active 
business  but  both  he  and  his  wife  passed 
away  many  years  ago,  their  remains  being 
interred  in  an  Illinois  cemetery.  Mr. 
Rucker  was  a  democrat  in  his  political 
views,  and  his  wife  was  a  member  of  the 
Methodist  church.  In  their  family  were 
seven  children. 

E.  Rucker  of  this  review  is  now  the 
only  surviving  member  of  the  family,  and 
in  the  year  1837,  when  a  youth  of  ten 
summers,  he  accompanied  his  parents  on 
their  removal  from  Kentucky  to  Schuyler 
county,  Illinois.  There  he  acquired  his 
education  in  one  of  the  old-time  subscrip- 
tion schools,  the  building  being  a  little 
log  structure  with  puncheon  floor,  slab 
seats  and  mud  and  stick  chimney.  There 
were  no  nails  used  in  its  construction, 
even  in  making  the  roof  and  the  little 
room  was  poorly  lighted.  The  methods 
of  instruction  were  very  primitive,  too, 
but  he  succeeded  in  learning  the  common 
branches  of  learning  and  afterward  took 
up  the  cooper's  trade  in  Schuyler  county. 
Later  he  engaged  in  farming  there  on  his 
own  account  until  1864,  when  he  sold  his 


H  AX  COCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


property  and  removed  to  Hancock  county, 
settling  in  Cartilage  township  on  a  farm 
of  two  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  arable 
and  productive  land.  He  then  carried  on 
general  farming  and  stock-raising  until 
1884,  when  he  retired  from  active  busi- 
ness life.  Up  to  this  time  he  had  kept  his 
fields  under  a  very  high  state  of  cultiva- 
tion and  added  many  modern  improve- 
ments to  his  property  and  had  carried  on 
the  work  of  development  until  his  farm 
was  one  of  the  best  in  this  part  of  the 
state.  As  the  years  passed,  through  the 
sale  of  his  crops  he  added  annually  to  his 
income  and  possessing  a  comfortable  com- 
petence, removed  to  the  city  of  Carthage, 
building  a  dwelling  at  the  corner  of  Sco- 
field  and  Locust  streets. 

As  a  companion  and  helpmate  for  life's 
journey  Mr.  Rucker  chose  in  early  man- 
hood Miss  Pauline  De  Lashmutt,  to 
whom  he  was  married  February  29,  1849. 
She  was  born  in  North  Carolina  in  1826, 
a  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  De 
Lashmutt,  who  located  in  .Rushville, 
Schuyler  county,  Illinois,  prior  to  1837, 
being  among  the  early  settlers  of  that 
county,  where  the  father  followed  farm- 
ing as  a  means  of  livelihood.  When 
called  to  their  final  rest  he  and  his  wife 
were  buried  in  Schuyler  county.  In  their 
family  were  seven  children,  the  surviving 
members  being  Ananias,  Thomas,  Wil- 
liam and  Frank,  all  of  whom  are  residents 
of  Kansas;  and  Mrs.  Rucker.  Thomas 
De  Lashmutt  was  a  soldier  of  the  Six- 
teenth Volunteer  Infantry  throughout  the 
Civil  war  and  was  under  command  of 
General  Sherman.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rucker 
have  never  had  any  children  of  their  own 
but  out  of  the  goodness  of  their  hearts 


have  reared  two,  Adaline  and  Brown.  The 
latter  is  the  wife  of  George  Elliott,  a  resi- 
dent of  Missouri,  and  has  seven  children. 
The  former  became  the  wife  of  Thomas 
Metcalf  and  is  now  in  California.  She 
separated  from  her  first  husband  and  she 
has  since  married  Mr.  Burlell.  She  has 
three  children,  Willie,  Arthur  and  Stella. 
Mr.  Rucker  is  a  democrat  and  has 
served  as  school  director  and  as  road  su- 
pervisor but  has  never  been  very  active  in 
politics,  preferring  that  others  shall  hold 
office.  He  was  one  of  the  early  members 
of  the  Masonic  lodge  in  Hancock  county 
and  at  all  times  has  been  true  to  the  teach- 
ings of  the  craft.  Although  nearly  eighty 
years  of  age  he  is  very  active.  He  is  a 
man  of  quiet  disposition  but  has  been  a 
great  reader  and  is  an  intelligent  gentle- 
man, well  informed  on  current  events. 
His  success  has  been  acquired  entirely 
through  his  own  efforts  and  he  is  now 
in  comfortable  circumstances.  He  and  his 
wife  have  been  married  for  more  than 
fifty-seven  years — a  remarkable  fact — 
and  they  enjoy  the  respect  of  friends  and 
neighbors  in  large  measure.  Mr.  Rucker 
receives  the  veneration  and  esteem  which 
should  always  be  accorded  one  advanced 
in  years,  whose  life  has  been  worthily 
spent. 


JAMES  E.  MORRISON. 

James  E.  Morrison,  engaged  in  general 
farming  and  stock-raising  near  Hamilton, 
has  been  assistant  state  veterinary  sur- 
geon since  1890  and  is  widely  known  by 


LIBRARY 
UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS 

4T    IIDRAMA     PU/IUOKinu 


52 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


reason  of  his  official  service  and  his  ac- 
tivity in  his  private  business  affairs.  He 
was  born  in  Madison  county,  Ohio,  March 
31,  1844,  and  represents  one  of  the  old 
families  of  Pennsylvania,  in  which  state 
his  grandfather,  Ross  Morrison,  was 
born.  William  R.  Morrison,  father  of 
our  subject,  was  likewise  a  native  of  the 
Keystone  state  and  having  arrived  at 
years  of  maturity  was  married  at  Plains 
City,  Union  county,  Ohio,  to  Miss  Relief 
C.  Hager,  a  native  of  Vermont  and  a 
daughter  of  Amos  Hager,  also  of  that 
state.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  William  R.  Morri- 
son began  their  domestic  life  upon  a  farm 
near  Plains  City,  Ohio,  where  they  re- 
sided until  October,  1850,  and  then  started 
for  Illinois,  making  the  journey  by 
wagon.  They  were  nearly  four  weeks 
upon  the  road  to  Hamilton  and  they  spent 
the  winter  in  a  log  cabin  about  two  and 
a  half  miles  south  of  this  city.  In  the 
spring  of  1851  they  removed  to  a  rented 
place  Hn  Wythe  township,  where  they 
lived  for  four  years,  at  the  end  of  which 
time  Mr.  Morrison  bought  one  hundred 
acres  of  land  on  section  34,  Montebello 
township.  It  was  unimproved  save  that  a 
small  shanty  had  been  built  thereon.  It 
was  not  fenced,  however,  and  he  fenced  it, 
dug  wells,  built  barns  and  generally  im- 
proved the  place,  making  it  a  good  farm, 
while  the  fields  responded  readily  to  the 
care  and  labor  he  bestowed  upon  them. 
His  attention  was  devoted  to  general  agri- 
cultural pursuits  up  to  the  time  of  his 
death,  which  occurred  in  August.  1889. 
while  his  wife  passed  away  in  1899.  In 
their  family  was  a  daughter,  Mollie,  who 
is  now  the  wife  of  John  A.  Price. 

James  E.  Morrison,  the  elder  of  the  two 


children  of  his  father's  family,  was  a  little 
lad  of  six  summers  when  the  trip  was 
made  across  the  country  from  Ohio  to 
Illinois.  He  attended  the  common 
schools  of  Montebello  township  and  in 
the  summer  months  worked  in  the  fields, 
sharing  in  all  of  the  labors  that  fall  to  the 
lot  of  the  agriculturist.  He  was  eighteen 
years  of  age  when  on  the  i2th  of  Au- 
gust, 1862.  he  responded  to  his  country'? 
call  for  aid,  enlisting  as  a  member  of 
Company  C,  One  Hundred  and  Eight- 
eenth Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry.  The 
regiment  was  assigned  to  the  Army  of 
the  Mississippi  and  he  was  in  all  of  its 
battles  with  the  exception  of  that  of 
Thompson's  Hill  on  the  1st  of  May,  1863. 
He  sustained  several  gun-shot  wounds, 
but  would  remain  in  the  hospital  only 
long  enough  to  have  his  wounds  heal. 
On  the  2  ist  of  August,  1865,  he  received 
an  honorable  discharge  and  with  a  cred- 
itable military  record  returned  to  his 
home.  He  then  resumed  farming  upon 
his  father's  place  and  having  assisted  the 
veterinary  surgeon  of  the  army,  he  has 
"  since  practiced  the  profession  in  connec- 
tion with  the  occupation  of  farming  and 
since  the  year  1900  has  been  assistant 
state  veterinary  surgeon.  In  1874  he 
bought  fifty  acres  of  the  home  farm, 
whereon  he  erected  a  house  and  barn  and 
he  has  since  added  to  the  property  until 
he  now  has  one  hundred  acres,  while  his 
wife  also  owns  one  hundred  acres.  He 
carries  on  general  farming  and  stock- 
raising,  keeping  horses,  cattle  and  hogs, 
and  in  the  development  of  the  fields  he 
uses  the  latest  improved  machinery  and 
annually  harvests  good  crops. 

On  the  1 5th  of  April,  1875,  Mr.  Mor- 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


53 


rison  was  married  to  Miss  Lydia  Dar- 
nell, who  was  born  in  Warsaw,  Illinois, 
February  26,  1856,  and  attended  the  com- 
mon schools.  Her  parents  were  Caleb 
and  Mary  (Tremble)  Darnell,  both  of 
whom  were  natives  of  Kentucky  and  at 
an  early  day  became  residents  of  Warsaw. 
Illinois.  In  the  family  were  the  following 
children:  Bertha,  who  died  in  infancy; 
Mamie ;  Nellie,  the  wife  of  Harry  Den- 
nis, of  Hamilton  and  the  mother  of  one 
daughter;  Arthur,  Fred,  William,  Ray, 
Elta  and  Gwendolyn,  all  at  home.  Mr. 
Morrison  casts  his  ballot  for  the  men  and 
measures  of  the  Republican  party  and  has 
filled  a  number  of  offices,  serving  twice 
as  collector  and  also  in  the  positions  of 
constable  and  school  director.  He  has  at- 
tained high  rank  in  Masonry,  belonging 
to  the  blue  lodge,  chapter,  council  and 
commandery,  his  affiliation  being  with 
the  commander}-  at  Keokuk.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  Christian  church  and  the 
principles  which  have  permeated  his  life 
are  those  which  work  for  good  citizenship 
and  for  intellectual  and  moral  progress. 


HON.  O.  F.  BERRY. 

Hon.  O.  F.  Berry  was  born  at  Table 
Grove,  McDonough  county,  Illinois,  Feb- 
ruary 16,  1852.  He  is  a  son  of  Lee 
Berry,  a  native  of  Virginia,  who,  com- 
ing to  Illinois,  settled  upon  a  farm  in 
McDonough  county,  where  he  resided  un- 
til his  death.  By  his  first  marriage  he 
had  two  children,  but  the  younger  of 
these,  John  Berry,  was  killed  while  serv- 


ing in  the  navy  in  the  Civil  war.  The 
elder.  Charles  L.  Berry,  who  served  in 
the  One  Hundred  and  Eighteenth  Illi- 
nois Mounted  Infantry  until  the  close  of 
the  Civil  war,  is  now  a  contractor  of 
Wichita,  Kansas.  After  losing  his  first 
wife  he  married  Martha  McConnell,  a  na- 
tive of  Pennsylvania.  O.  F.  Berry  is  the 
elder  son  of  the  second  marriage  and  his 
brother,  M.  P.  Berry,  is  equally  well 
known  in  Carthage  as  a  lawyer  and  bank- 
er. The  father  died  in  1858  and  the 
mother  in  1860,  their  remains  being  in- 
terred at  Table  Grove,  Illinois. 

O.  F.  Berry  was  educated  in  the  com- 
mon schools  in  Fountain  Green  town- 
ship, Hancock  county,  and  in  early  life 
and  until  he  was  twenty-one  years  of  age 
he.  worked  by  the  month  as  a  farm  hand. 
After  his  marriage  he  purchased  a  small 
farm  and  lived  upon  it  one  year.  In  1875 
he  came  to  Carthage  and  took  up  the 
study  of  law  in  the  office  of  Mack  & 
Baircl.  attorneys  of  this  city.  Following 
his  admission  to  the  bar  he  immediately 
formed  a  partnership  with  Judge  Thomas 
C.  Sharp,  now  deceased,  and  later  the 
firm  became  Sharp  &  Berry  Brothers. 
He  has  practiced  continuously  in  all  the 
courts  of  Hancock  county  from  that  time 
to  the  present  and  has  conducted  impor- 
tant litigation  in  the  federal  and  state 
courts  with  gratifying  success,  winning 
well  earned  fame  and  distinction.  He 
believes  in  the  maxim,  "There  is  no  ex- 
cellence without  labor,"  and  follows  it 
closely.  About  six  years  ago  his  brother, 
M.  P.  Bern-,  retired  from  the  firm  and  O. 
F.  Berry  is  practicing  as  the  senior  mem- 
ber of  the  firm  of  Berry,  McCrary  & 
Kellv. 


54 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


His  attention,  however,  has  not  been 
confined  exclusively  to  his  legal  interests, 
for  in  1903  he  joined  his  brother,  M.  P. 
Berry,  in  establishing  and  opening  the 
Dime  Savings  Bank,  of  which  he  is  presi- 
dent and  M.  P.  Bery  is  cashier.  He  is  also 
president  and  general  manager  of  the 
Mississippi  Valley  Telephone  Companj* 
and  was  a  trustee  and  attorney  for  Car- 
thage College  for  fifteen  or  sixteen  years. 
His  political  history  has  become  a  mat- 
ter of  state  record.  He  was  chairman  of 
the  republican  state  convention  in  1896 
and  1906.  He  was  the  first  mayor  of 
Carthage,  serving  for  three  terms,  from 
1888  until  1894,  and  is  again  the  chief 
executive  of  the  city  at  this  writing,  in 
1906.  In  1888  he  was  elected  to  the 
state  senate,  wherein  he  served  continu- 
ously until  1900  and  then,  after  an  in- 
terval of  two  years,  was  elected  to  fill  a 
vacancy  and  re-elected  in  1904.  He  is 
president  pro  tem.  of  the  senate,  was  act- 
ing governor  from  August  27th  to  Sep- 
tember 4,  1906,  and  isone  of  the  recog- 
nized political  leaders  of  the  state.  It  will 
be  observed  that  his  turn  of  mind  is  emi- 
nently judicial  and  free  from  the  bias  of 
animosity.  Strong  and  positive  in  his  re- 
publicanism, his  party  fealty  is  not 
grounded  on  partisan  prejudice  and  he 
enjoys  the  respect  and  confidence  of  all 
his  associates,  irrespective  of  party.  Of 
the  great  issues  which  divide  the  two  po- 
litical organizations,  with  their  roots  ex- 
tending down  to  the  very  bed  rock  of  the 
foundations  of  the  republic,  he  has  the 
true  statesman's  grasp.  Well  grounded 
in  the  political  maxims  of  the  schools,  he 
has  also  studied  the  lessons  of  actual  life, 
arriving  at  his  conclusions  as  a  result  of 


what  may  be  called  his  post-graduate 
studies  in  the  school  of  affairs.  He  was 
general  attorney  for  the  insurance  de- 
partment of  the  state  under  Governor 
Tanner's  administration.  He  was  special 
attorney  of  the  Lake  Front  cases  in  Chi- 
cago for  Attorney  General  Hamlin  and 
chairman  of  the  special  committee  of  the 
senate  in  1897  to  investigate  Chicago  po- 
lice management  and  justice  courts.  He 
was  likewise  chairman  of  the  senate  com- 
mittee to  investigate  the  Globe  Savings 
Bank  and  the  treasurer  of  the  university 
school  fund  under  Governor  Altgeld's  ad- 
ministration. At  the  present  writing  he 
is  receiver  of  the  Peoria  National  Bank. 

On  the  5th  of  March,  1873,  Senator 
Berry  was  married  to  Miss  Anna  R.  Barr, 
of  Fountain  Green,  who  was  born  in 
Pennsylvania  in  1850,  a  daughter  of  Da- 
vid and  Jane  (Barr)  Barr.  Her  father 
was  a  mechanic,  who  prior  to  the  Civil 
war  removed  to  Iowa  and  about  18(35 
came  to  Illinois.  He  enlisted  in  Iowa 
as  a  member  of  the  Union  army  and 
served  throughout  the  period  of  hostili- 
ties. He  followed  his  trade  in  Illinois 
until  his  death  in  1870  and  his  wife 
passed  away  in  Carthage  in  1902.  They 
were  faithful  members  of  the  United 
Presbyterian  church.  They  had  five  chil- 
dren, of  whom  four  daughters  are  living : 
Elizabeth,  who  is  the  widow  of  John  S. 
Duffy  and  resides  in  Carthage;  Mary  A., 
who  is  the  widow  of  William  T.  Camp- 
bell and  lives  in  this  city;  Nannie  J.,  of 
Carthage;  and  Laura,  the  wife  of  Wil- 
liam T.  Duffy,  of  Waverly,  Kansas. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Berry  became  the  par- 
ents of  five  children,  one  born  in  Fountain 
Green  and  four  in  Carthage.  Of  this 


f/AXCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


55 


number  three  died  in  infancy,  while  two 
lived  to  be  fourteen  years  of  age  and  all 
are  buried  in  Moss  Ridge  cemetery.  They 
now  have  an  adopted  daughter,  Lenore, 
who  at  the  age  of  twelve  years  is  attend- 
ing the  high  school  of  Carthage.  In  1897 
Mr.  Berry  built  his  beautiful  modem  res- 
idence on  Walnut  street.  He  also  owns 
much  other  property  in  the  city  and 
county.  He  himself  built  eleven  of  the 
new  houses  that  were  erected  in  Carthage 
in  1905  and  he  has  built  and  sold  alto- 
gether thirty  homes.  In  connection  with 
his  other  interests  the  firm  of  which  he 
is  a  member  is  conducting  a  real  estate 
business.  Mr.  Berry  is  a  Royal  Arch 
Mason  and  is  also  connected  with  the 
Knights  of  Pythias,  Woodmen  and  the 
Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen.  He 
and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Presby- 
terian church  and  he  was  chairman  of 
the  building  committee  at  the  time  of  the 
erection  of  the  two  new  churches  that 
have  been  built  in  the  last  five  years,  the 
former  one  having  been  destroyed  by  fire. 
He  has  been  again  and  again  chosen  trus- 
tee of  the  church  and  has  long  served  as 
superintednent  of  the  Sunday-school.  He 
takes  a  most  active  and  helpful  part  in 
church  work,  contributing  generously  of 
his  means  to  its  support  and  giving  free- 
ly of  bis  time  and  attention  to  further  its 
development  and  extend  the  scope  of  its 
activities.  He  is  frequently  called  upon 
to  make  addresses  to  the  Men's  League 
and  his  labors  have  been  of  direct  and  im- 
mediate serviceableness  in  the  church 
work.  His  wife  has  been  treasurer  of  the 
missionary  society  for  many  years.  She 
also  belongs  to  the  Woman's  Club  and 
to  the  society  of  the  Daughters  of  ihe 
4 


American  Revolution.  He  has  been  pros- 
perous in  his  business  affairs,  yet  there 
is  no  man  in  Carthage  who  respects 
wealth  for  wealth's  sake  as  little  as  he 
does.  His  means,  however,  have  enabled 
him  to  be  a  generous  contributor  to  many 
charities  and  good  works  and  he  never 
fails  to  lend  a  helping  hand  when  solic- 
ited to  do  so.  He  belongs  to  that  public- 
spirited,  useful  and  helpful  type  of  men 
whose  ambitions  and  desires  are  centered 
and  directed  in  those  channels  through 
which  flow  the  greatest  and  most  perma- 
nent good  to  the  greatest  number.  He 
is  naturally  of  a  quiet  and  retiring  dis- 
position and  has  not  been  an  active  seeker 
for  the  glamor  of  publicity,  but  his  rare 
aptitude  and  ability  in  achieving  results 
make  him  constantly  sought  and  often 
bring  him  into  a  prominence  from  which 
he  would  naturally  shrink  were  less  de- 
sirable ends  in  view. 


HENRY  C.  BYLER. 

Henry  C.  Byler,  a  representative 
farmer  of  Durham,  his  native  township, 
was  born  August  30,  1855,  his  parents 
being  David  and  Matilda  Catherine  (Cun- 
ningham) Byler.  The  father,  a  native  of 
Tennessee,  was  a  son  of  John  and  Sarah 
(Hayworth)  Byler  and  was  born  Novem- 
ber 6,  1819.  His  life  record  covered  more 
than  the  psalmist's  allotted  span  of  three 
score  years  and  ten,  as  he  passed  away 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


on  the  2d  of  April,  1894,  when  in  the  sev- 
enty-fifth year  of  his  age.  He  lived  a  suc- 
cessful farmer  in  Adams  county,  Illinois, 
from  1836  until  1851.  In  the  spring  of 
1851  he  purchased  the  homestead  at  Dur- 
ham Centre  now  occupied  by  his  widow 
and  removed  to  Hancock  county,  where 
he  resided  until  his  demise.  The  place 
comprises  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of 
land  on  section  9,  Durham  township. 
Prospering  in  his  undertakings,  so  that 
his  financial  resources  increased,  he 
bought  more  land  from  time  to  time  until 
he  became  the  owner  of  twelve  hundred 
acres  of  as  fine  land  as  can  be  fouqd  in 
Illinois.  He  thus  won  a  place  among  the 
substantial  residents  of  the  state  and  his 
life  record  was  indeed  commendable,  as 
his  success  came  as  the  legitimate  result 
of  carefully  directed  effort  and  honorable 
dealing.  For  over  thirty-one  years  he 
was  a  member  in  good  standing  of  Dallas 
City  lodge  No.  235,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  and 
filled  nearly  all  of  its  offices.  His  early 
political  support  was  given  the  republican 
party  but  he  afterward  joined  the  ranks 
of  the  democracy.  For  more  than  a  half 
century  he  was  a  member  of  the  old  school 
Baptist  church,  which  he  joined  in  Adams 
county  in  1840.  He  held  all  of  the  lead- 
ing offices  in  the  church  and  he  donated  a 
part  of  his  home  farm  as  a  church  site  and 
erected  thereon  a 'nice  frame  structure  to 
be  used  as  a  house  of  worship  by  the  Bap- 
tist denomination.  This  was  in  1881  and 
the  building  is  still  put  to  its  original  use. 
He  was  very  liberal,  the  poor  and  needy 
finding  in  him  a  warm  friend,  while  in 
many  other  ways  he  displayed  his  gen- 
erosity. His  fellow  townsmen  gave  evi- 
dence of  their  appreciation  of  his  worth 


and  ability  by  electing  him  to  many  posi1 
tions  of  public  trust.  For  over  fourteen 
years  he  served  as  county  supervisor. 
For  the  long  period  of  thirty  years  he 
held  the  office  of  justice  of  the  peace  and 
for  twenty-eight  years  was  township 
treasurer.  He  was  ever  faithful  to  the 
trust  reposed  in  him  and  his  long  contin- 
uance in  office  indicated  the  implicit  con- 
fidence given  him  by  those  who  knew  him. 
He  was  a  man  honored  and  respected  by 
all  and  was  most  highly  esteemed  where 
he  was  best  known.  His  wife,  Matilda  C. 
Byler,  died  April  12,  1857,  and  was 
buried  in  Durham  cemetery,  the  subject 
of  this  review  being  at  that  time  only  two 
years  of  age.  She  was  his  second  wife  and 
there  were  born  to  this  union  four  chil- 
dren, of  whom  Henry  C.,  is  the  youngest. 
The  others  are :  Gracie  Jane,  who  became 
the  wife  of  Calvin  Stiles  and  died  in  La 
Harpe  in  September,  1899;  and  Joseph 
and  George  W.,  both  deceased. 

Henry  C.  Byler,  the  only  surviving 
member  of  this  family,  was  educated  in 
the  district  schools  of  Durham  township 
and  remained  at  home  until  twenty-one 
years  of  age;  after  which  he  engaged  in 
farming  on  his  own  account  on  his 
father's  land  for  nine  years.  He  was  mar- 
ried at  the  age  of  twenty-one  to  Miss  Em- 
ma J.  Toof,  who  was  born  in  Durham 
township,  October  20,  1859,  a  daughter 
of  Benjamin  and  Mary  (Atherton)  Toof. 
The  father  was  born  in  Franklin  county, 
Vermont,  February  29,  1820,  and  the 
mother  in  Ohio,  July  24,  1823.  Her 
death  occurred  in  1877.  At  an  early  day 
they  became  residents  of  Hancock  county, 
settling  on  a  farm,  and  in  their  family 
were  seven  children :  Henry,  living  in  Ne- 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


57 


braska :  Ella,  the  wife  of  John  Heisler. 
who  is  represented  elsewhere  in  this 
work ;  Daniel,  of  Nebraska ;  Emma  J., 
now  Mrs.  Ramsay,  of  Dallas  City;  John 
\Y..  of  California;  Kate,  the  wife  of  Wil- 
liam Phipps,  of  Oklahoma;  and  Clara,  the 
wife  of  David  Shain,  of  California. 

After  living  in  Durham  Centre  on  his 
father's  farm  for  nine  years  Mr.  Byler  re- 
ceived' as  a  gift  from  his  father  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  acres  of  good  land  on  sec- 
tion 33,  Durham  township.  There  was  a 
house  upon  this  place,  which  he  has  since 
improved,  making  it  a  comfortable  mod- 
ern residence.  He  has  also  added  many 
other  equipments  and  improvements  to 
the  farm  and  he  has  now  a  valuable  prop- 
erty of  one  hundred  and  forty  acres  which 
is  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation.  At 
one  time,  following  his  second  marriage, 
he  engaged  in  the  hardware  business  in 
Dallas  City  for  two  years. 

On  the  1 3th  day  of  July,  1899,  Mr.  By- 
ler was  married  to  Mrs.  Anna  E.  Hamil- 
ton, who  was  born  in  Pontoosuc  town- 
ship, June  16,  1867,  and  is  a  daughter  of 
F.  C.  and  Nancy  (McAuley)  Little,  the 
former  a  native  of  Ohio  and  the  latter  of 
New  York.  Both  came  to  Illinois  in  1829 
and  they  were  nineteen  years  of  age  at  the 
time  of  their  marriage.  Mr.  Little  was  a 
farmer  by  occupation,  thus  providing  for 
the  support  of  his  family.  In  his  political 
views  he  was  an  earnest  republican  and 
held  a  number  of  township  offices.  His 
wife  died  at  the  old  home  in  Pontoosuc 
township  in  1877  and  the  father  is  still 
living  upon  that  place.  In  their  family 
were  eleven  children,  of  whom  eight  yet 
survice.  namely:  Melissa,  the  wife  of  J. 
A.  Lamb,  of  Pontoosuc  township ;  Martin 


L.,  living  in  the  same  township;  Arthur 
and  Samuel  I.,  who  are  resident  farmers 
of  that  township;  Mary,  the  wife  of  H. 
H.  Longshie,  of  Pontoosuc  township; 
Mrs.  Byler;  Flora,  the  wife  of  Robert 
Alston,  living  near  Hamilton,  Illinois; 
and  Frank  G.,  of  Dallas  City.  In  early 
womanhood  Anna  E.  Little  gave  her  hand 
in  marriage  to  Thomas  B.  Hamilton,  who 
was  born  in  McDonough  county,  Illinois, 
in  1864,  a  son  'of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thomas 
Hamilton,  of  Blandinsville,  both  of  whom 
are  now  deceased.  Their  only  child  was 
Thomas  B.  Hamilton,  a  most  respected 
and  .worthy  citizen  of  Hancock  county, 
who  died  in  1897  and  was  buried  in  Pon- 
toosuc township.  He  left  three  children 
•  who  are  now  living  with  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Byler,  namely:  Mabel  G.,  born  July  18. 
1888;  Otis  F.,  born  August  16,  1890; 
and  Anna  Irene,  March  7,  1894.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Byler  are  now  the  parents  of  one 
child,  Velna  G.,  born  July  7,  1903.  By 
his  first  marriage  Mr.  Byler  had  four 
children.  Frank  L.,  the  eldest,  born  Sep- 
tember 24,  1878,  and  now  living  in  Dur- 
ham township,  married  Miss  Georgiana 
B.  Lamb  and  they  have  three  children. 
Vera,  Naysee  and  an  infant  son.  Ressa 
V.  Byler,  who  attended  the  high  school 
of  Dallas  City  and  is  a  graduate  of  the 
high  school  of  Aurora,  Nebraska,  of  the 
class  of  1902,  makes  her  home  in  Ne- 
braska but  is  now  engaged  in  teaching  in 
the  high  school  of  Dallas  City.  Joseph 
L,  born  September  30,  1887,  died  May 
4,  1891.  Versel,  born  July  5,  1894,  is  a 
student  in  Dallas  City  high  school.  Both 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Byler  hold  membership  in 
the  Baptist  church  and  he  is  a  member  of 
Burnside  Lodge  385,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.  of 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REl'IEU' 


Burnside.  He  also  belongs  to  the  Mod- 
em Woodmen  camp,  while  his  political 
allegiance  is  given  to  the  democracy.  He 
has  never  been  a  politician  in  the  sense  of 
office  seeking,  preferring  to  devote  his 
time  and  energies  to  his  business  affairs. 
He  is  recognized  in  the  community  as  a 
good  neighbor  and  as  an  enterprising  in- 
dustrious man,  who  has  made  a  creditable 
record  in  his  business  life  and  who  en- 
joys the  respect  and  esteem  of  many 
friends. 


JACOB  REISELT. 

Jacob  Reiselt,  whose  position  in  public 
regard  and  affection  is  indicated  by  the 
fact  that  to  his  many  friends  he  is  known 
as  Uncle  Jake,  resides  on  a  farm  in  Dur 
ham  township  near  La  Harpe  and  is 
classed  with  the  prominent  and  repre- 
sentative residents  of  the  community.  He 
was  born  in  Germany,  March  i,  1829. 
His  parents,  Jacob  and  Anna  (Sponer) 
Reiselt,  were  also  natives  of  that  coun- 
try and  in  the  year  1842  came  to  America, 
landing  at  New  York,  after  a  voyage  of 
thirty-nine  days  made  on  the  ship  Oneida, 
They  settled  in  Franklin  county,  Ohio, 
near  Columbus,  taking  up  their  abode 
upon  a  farm  there  in  the  month  of  August. 
Six  mofiths  later  the  father  purchased  a 
farm  of  forty-two  acres  in  Hamilton 
township,  Franklin  county,  where  he  car- 
ried on  farming  for  many  years  or 
throughout  his  remaining  days,  his  death 
occurring  in  October,  1885.  His  wife 
survived  until  1890  and  was  then  laid  to 


rest  by  his  side  in  Walnut  Hill  church 
cemetery  in  Ohio.  Mr.  Reiselt  had  served 
for  six  years  in  the  German  army  in  his 
native  country.  Emigrating  to  America 
he  became  a  loyal  son  of  his  adopted  coun- 
try and  as  the  years  passed  by  his  care- 
fully conducted  business  interests  brought 
to  him  a  gratifying  measure  of  success. 
Unto  him  and  his  wife  were  born  seven 
sons  and  five  daughters  and  of  their  fam- 
ily four  sons  and  three  daughters  are  yet 
living,  namely :  Henry,  living  in  Oakland, 
Ohio;  Waltham,  of  Columbus,  Ohio; 
Jacob,  of  this  review;  Lewis,  of  Nebras- 
ka; Bina,  the  wife  of  Charles  Kale,  of 
Columbus,  Ohio;  Elizabeth,  the  wife  of 
John  Gates,  also  of  Columbus ;  and  Mary, 
the  wife  of  John  Claud,  living  near  Ohio's 
capital  city. 

Jacob  Reiselt  at  the  usual  age  entered 
the  public  schools  of  his  native  country 
and  there  pursued  his  studies  until  four-; 
teen  years  of  age,  when  he  accompanied 
his  parents  on  their  voyage  to  the  new 
world.  He  remained  at  home  until  seven- 
teen years  of  age  and  then  started  out  in 
life  on  his  own  account,  working  by  the 
month  as  a  farm  hand  for  Jeremiah  Clark, 
near  Columbus,  Ohio,  with  whom  he  re- 
mained for  ten  years — a  fact  which  is 
indicative  of  his  capable  service  and  the 
trust  reposed  in  him  by  his  employer. 
He  was  married  December  18,  1852,  to 
Miss  Elizabeth  Wetherington,  who  was 
born  near  Columbus.  Ohio,  in  1824,  a 
daughter  of  William  and  Maggie  (Hel- 
scher)  Wetherington,  natives  of  Virginia 
and  Pennsylvania  respectively.  They 
went  to  Ohio  at  an  early  day  and  there 
Mr.  Wetherington  engaged  in  teaching 
school  and  in  farming.  He  served  as  a 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


59 


ioldier  of  the  war  of  1812,  holding  the 
•ank  of  captain,  and  in  the  community 
vhere  he  lived  was  recognized  as  a  prom- 
nent  and  influential  citizen.  In  his  fam- 
ly  were  ten  children  but  only  two  are 
low  living:  Rebecca,  the  wife  of  Lewis 
rlartzell,  of  La  Harpe;  and  Sarah,  who 
•esides  with  her  sister.  The  parents  died 
ind  were  buried  in  Ohio. 

Following  his  marriage  Mr.  Reiselt 
nirchased  one  hundred  acres  of  good 
:ann  land  in  Ohio,  where  he  remained 
until  after  the  close  of  the  war  and  then 
:ame  to  Illinois,  locating  in  Durham 
ownship  on  the  5th  of  March,  1866.  He 
mrchased  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres 
>f  improved  land  on  section  23  and  he 
las  since  carried  on  farm  work.  He  has 
argely  remodeled  and  improved  the 
louse,  has  built  fences,  planted  orchards 
ind  has  from  time  to  time  added  to  his 
ilace  until  he  now  has  one  hundred  and 
-ixty  acres,  one  of  die  best  farms  in  the- 
ownship.  He  has  carried  on  general  ag- 
•icultural  pursuits  and  in  his  business  af- 
airs  has  prospered  owing  to  his  capable 
nanagement  and  well-directed  energy. 

In  1899  Mr.  Reiselt  was  called  upon  to 
nourn  the  loss  of  his  wife,  who  passed 
ivvay  on  the  ist  of  May  of  that  year  at 
he  age  of  seventy-four  and  was  laid  to 
•est  in  La  Harpe  cemetery.  Both  Mr. 
ind  Mrs.  Reiselt  as  well  as  their  parents 
vere  reared  in  the  faith  of  the  Lutheran 
rhurch.  to  which  they  always  adhered. 
Mrs.  Reiselt  was  a  devoted  wife  and 
nother  and  kind  neighbor  and  possessed 
nany  excellent  traits  of  heart  and  mind 
vhich  endeared  her  to  all  with  whom  she 
.vas  associated.  She  left  five  children. 
:wo  sons  and  three  daughters,  all  born 


in  Franklin  county,  Ohio.  Henry,  the 
eldest,  born  in  1853,  married  Rose  Ketch- 
am,  of  Elvaston,  Hancock  county,  Illi- 
nois, and  they  have  seven  children:  Mel- 
vin,  Ivy,  Sherman,  Mabel,  Myrtle,  Hazel, 
and  an  infant  son.  William,  born  in 
1855,  married  Arrissa  Smith  and  lives 
near  La  Crosse.  Effie.  born  in  1857,  is 
at  home  with  her  father.  Mary,  born  in 
1 86 1,  is  the  wife  of  Sherman  Broadfield. 
of  Durham  township,  and  has  two  chil- 
dren, Bonneth  and  Ogle.  Margrettie. 
born  in  1865,  is  at  home. 

Mr.  Reiselt  has  lived  a  life  of  diligence 
and  industry  and  has  now  a  valuable  farm 
property  as  the  result  of  his  well-directed 
labor.  He  has  a  natural  spring  upon  his 
farm  better  than  any  windmill,  over 
which  he  has  built  his  milk  house,  and  he 
keeps  from  thirty  to  thirty-five  good 
milch  cows,  thus  conducting  quite  an  ex- 
tensive dairy  business.  In  Ohio  his  home 
was  a  log  cabin  and  for  forty-two  years 
he  has  resided  continuously  upon  his  pres- 
ent farm  in  Hancock  county.  Every- 
thing about  the  place  is  kept  in  good  con- 
dition and  indicates  his  careful  super- 
vision and  capable  management.  In  pol- 
itics he  is  a  democrat  and  has  held  a 
number  of  township  offices,  the  duties  of 
which  he  ever  discharged  with  prompt- 
ness and  fidelity.  He  was  road  super- 
visor for  six  years,  school  trustee  for 
t\venty-seven  years  and  path  master  for 
twelve  years.  Although  he  has  now 
passed  the  seventy-seventh  milestone  on 
life's  journey  he  is  still  very  active  and 
possesses  a  wonderful  memory,  while  in 
the  community  no  man  stands  higher  in 
the  general  regard  than  does  Uncle  Jake 
Reiselt. 


6o 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


LEWIS  MARTIN  MYERS. 

Lewis  M.  Myers  is  a  general  stockman, 
feeding  and  raising  high  bred  horses  and 
cattle  upon  a  farm  in  Pontoosuc  township 
and  his  business  qualifications  and  un- 
abating  energy  argue  well  for  a  success- 
ful future.  He  was  born  in  the  township 
where  he  still  resides,  May  16,  1872,  and 
is  the  ninth  in  order  of  birth  in  a  family 
of  fifteen  children  whose  parents  are 
Charles  H.  and  Anna  (Dustman)  Myers, 
both  of  whom  are  natives  of  Germany, 
the  father  having  been  born  July  2,  1836, 
and  the  mother  in  October,  1844.  C.  H. 
Myers  was  a  lad  of  seven  years  when 
brought  to  the  United  States  and  for 
forty-two  years  has  lived  in  Hancock 
county,  his  home  being  continuously  in  or 
near  Pontoosuc  township.  He  married 
Anna  Dustman  'near  Burlington,  Iowa, 
who  was  a  maiden  of  eleven  summers  when 
she  crossed  the  Atlantic.  She  is  a  daugh- 
ter of  Henry  Dustman,  who  for  many 
years  lived  near  Burlington  as  a  farmer 
and  later  in  life  was  a  fruit  grower  and 
gardener  south  of  the  city.  She  is  a  sister 
of  Henry  Dustman,  whose  family  history 
is  in  the  Biographical  Review  of  Des 
Moines  County,  Iowa.  Their  children  are : 
Mary,  the  wife  of  J.  S.  Massie,  of  Pon- 
toosuc township ;  Harman,  living  at  West 
Point,  Iowa;  Emma,  at  Port  Arthur, 
Texas ;  William,  deceased ;  Martha,  the 
wife  of  William  Pomeroy,  of  Alveston, 
Illinois;  Elizabeth,  at  home;  Lena,  the 
wife  of  George  W.  Jones,  of  Rock  Creek 
township ;  Anna,  the  wife  of  Fred  Smith, 
a  rice  farmer  of  Port  Arthur,  Texas;  L. 
M.,  of  this  review;  Henry,  of  Washing- 
ton ;  Charles,  of  Rock  Creek  township ; 


Fredric,  who  is  with  our  subject ;  Virgie, 
at  home;  Hugh,  living  in  Dallas  town- 
ship; and  Fay,  who  is  with  her  parents. 

Having  attended  the  district  school 
near  his  father's  farm  Lewis  M.  Myers 
afterward  spent  one  term  as  a  student  in 
Elliott  Business  College,  at  Burlington, 
Iowa,  in  1892,  and  following  his  return 
home  assisted  in  the  work  of  the  fields  un- 
til twenty-one  years  of  age.  Subsequently 
he  operated  one  of  his  father's  farms  for 
several  years,  thus  starting  out  in  life  on 
his  own  account. 

On  the  i6th  of  October,  1895,  was  cel- 
ebrated the  marriage  of  L.  M.  Myers  and 
Miss  Nancy  Rice,  who  was  born  in  Fay- 
ette  county,  Pennsylvania,  December  23, 
1868,  a  daughter  of  Samuel  and  Cather- 
ine (Spears)  Rice,  likewise  natives  of  the 
Keystone  state  and  now  residents  of  Dur- 
ham township,  this  county,  aged  respect- 
ively seventy-four  and  sixty-three  years. 
Of  their  five  children  four  are  now  living : 
Alice,  the  wife  of  Grant  Schultz.  of  Dur- 
ham township;  Mrs.  Myers;  Charles,  a 
farmer  of  Durham  township;  and  Mrs. 
Barbara  Doss,  of  Durham  township.  One 
daughter,  Ada,  died  when  five  years  of 
age. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Myers  now  live  on  one 
of  his  father's  farms,  and  in  December, 
1904,  he  purchased  eighty  acres  of  land 
across  the  road  from  his  home  on  section 
22,  Pontoosuc  township.  He  tills  the  soil 
and  also  raises  and  feeds  horses  and  cattle, 
and  his  stock-raising  interests  are  a  most 
important  branch  of  his  business.  For 
about  nine  years  Mr.  Myers  has  been  one 
of  the  leading  horse  breeders  in  this  part 
of  the  county,  being  particularly  inter- 
ested in  Percheron  horses,  and  now  has 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


61 


at  the  head  of  his  stud,  Caesar  (No. 
54038)  his  French  Register  Number, — 
his  American  Register  Number  being 

.  40523.  He  was  imported  from  France  in 
'  1904,  at  the  age  of  two  years,  and  has  been 
owned  by  Mr.  Myers  since  November 
i,  1904.  Besides  being  highly  bred  he 
is  a  fine  individual,  weighing  over 
2. too  at  four  years.  He  also  has  a 
large  number  of  fine  mares  and  raises 
a  high  bred  stock  himself.  He  also 
has  had  full  blood  Chester  hogs  and 
Angus  cattle  but  devotes  his  time  now 
to  his  horses  and  cattle  feeding.  He  was 

I  one  of  the  organizers  of  Camp  Creek 
Prospecting  Co.  that  is  locating  the  coal 
in  this  section,  Mr.  Myers  having  gone 
through  a  three-foot  vein  of  good  coal  in 
drilling  his  well.  He  is  one  of  the  di- 
rectors of  the  company,  which  intend  to 
develop  the  mine.  His  success  is  entirely 
attributable  to  his  own  efforts  and  the  as- 
sistance of  his  estimable  wife.  Careful  of 
expenditures,  managing  his  property  ably 

.  and  with  keen  foresight,  he  has  made  con- 
siderable progress  on  the  high  way  of  suc- 
cess and  will  continue  on  that  road  until 
he  reaches  the  goal  of  prosperity. 

The  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Myers  has 
been  blessed  with  three  children  and  the 
family  circle  yet  remains  unbroken  by  the 
hand  of  death.  Their  thre  sons  are:  Mil- 
lard  Rice,  born  October  30,  1896 ;  Charles 
Byard,  February  16,  1899;  and  Paul 
Lewis,  August  28,  1900.  Mrs.  Myers 
belongs  to  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church 
but  for  convenience  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Myers 
attend  the  United  Brethren  church.  He 
is  a  democrat  in  his  political  views  and 
has  been  school  director  for  six  years  and 
has  also  filled  the  office  of  township  col- 
T 


lector.  At  all  times  he  manifests  a  public- 
spirited  interest  in  the  general  welfare  and 
upbuilding  and  is  an  intelligent  an  re- 
spected citizen  whose  well-spent  life  is 
indicated  by  the  fact  that  many  of  his  best 
friends  are  those  who  have  known  •  him 
longest. 


COLONEL  BENJAMIN  F.  MARSH. 

By  the  consensus  of  public  .opinion  in 
the  state  and  nation  in  the  death  of  Colo- 
nel Benjamin  Franklin  Marsh,  Illinois 
lost  one  of  her  greatest  sons.  He  was 
nine  times  chosen  to  represent  his  district 
in  congress  and  his  career  at  all  times  was 
characterized  by  a  steady  progress  in  mil- 
itary, political  and  professional  circles. 
The  simplicity  of  his  life,  the  breadth  of 
his  vision,  the  loftiness  of  his  purpose, 
the  extent  of  the  work  that  he  accom- 
plished in  legislative  halls,  all  combined 
to  win  for  him  the  respect,  honor  and 
gratitude  of  his  fellowmen.  The  meas- 
ure of  his  ability  and  personal  worth  is 
perhaps  best  indicated  by  the  fact  that  he 
numbered  his  warmest  friends  among  the 
most  distinguished  statesmen  of  the 
country. 

JBenjamin  Franklin  Marsh  was  more- 
over a  native  son  of  Illinois,  his  birth 
having  occurred  in  Wythe  township, 
Hancock  county,  November  19,  1835, 
and  the  house  in  which  he  first  opened 
his  eyes  to  the  light  of  day  is  still  stand- 
ing. Moreover  the  portion  of  the  farm 
on  which  the  building  is  located  is  still 
owned  by  the  family.  His  boyhood  days 


62 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REl'IEU' 


were   fraught    with   the    vicissitudes,   ex- 
periences   and    environments    of   pioneer 
life  and   he  early  became   familiar   with 
all  of  the  labor  incident  to  the  develop- 
ment and  improvement  of  a  farm.     His 
education      was      acquired      in      private 
schools.     He   was    for  a   brief  period  a 
student    in    Palmyra,    Missouri,   and   the 
indignities    which    he    there    saw    heaped 
upon  the  colored  youth  fired  his  sense  of 
justice   and   left   upon   him   an    indelible 
impression  which  bore  fruit  in  the  service 
which   he  gave   for   the  Union   and   for 
liberty  during  the  dark  days  of  the  Civil 
War.     He    continued    his    education    by 
four  years'  study  in  Jubilee  College  un- 
der Bishop  Chase  and  there  was  awak- 
ened  in  him  that  keen   appreciation   for 
right  and  justice  which  was  ever  a  dom- 
inant  element    in   his   career.     He   com- 
pleted  the   work   of  the   junior  year   in 
college  and   then   took  up  the   study   of 
law  under  the  direction  of  his  brother. 
Judge  J.  W.  Marsh  (now  deceased),  with 
whom  he  was  subsequently  associated  in 
the  practice  of  his  profession  subsequent 
to  his  admission  to  the  bar  in   1860.     It 
was  a  momentous  period  in  the  history  of 
Illinois  and  the  nation,  the  country  hav- 
ing   become    aroused    over    the    slavery 
question  and  the  threats  of  secession  and 
it  may  well  be  imagined  that  the  young 
man  took  a  keen   interest   in   nil   of  the 
great  events  of  that  time.     Political  ques- 
tions were,  the  dominant  theme  of  inter- 
est   where    men    collected    together    and 
Colonel    Marsh    entered    heart   and    soul 
into    the    political    movements,    taking    a 
firm  stand  in  support  of  the  new  Repub- 
lican party  even  at  a  time  when  it  was 
unpopular  to  do  so.     In  the  year  of  his 


admission  to  the  bar  he  accepted  the  Re- 
publican nomination  for  state's  attorney 
in  a  district  comprising  Adams  and  Han- 
cock counties,  which  was  then  strongly 
democratic.  He  canvassed  both  coun- 
ties, his  successful  opponent  being  the 
late  Calvin  A.  Warren,  then  a  distin- 
guished lawyer  of  Western  Illinois.  In 
his  home  city.  Warsaw.  Colonel  Marsh 
was  more  fortunate  in  his  candidacy  and 
served  for  a  period  as  city  clerk  and 
also  represented  Warsaw  on  the  board  of 
supervisors  from  1867  until  1869.  In 
the  latter  year  he  was  nominated  for 
membership  in  the  state  constitutional 
convention  of  1870.  but  his  republican 
proclivities  occasioned  his  defeat  in  a 
strongly  democratic  district. 

In  the  meantime  Colonel  Marsh  had 
devoted  four  years  of  his  life  to  active 
military  service.  He  had  watched  with 
keen  interest  the  progress  of  events  in 
the  south  and  all  the  patriotism  of  his 
nature  was  aroused  by  the  firing  upon  of 
Fort  Sumter  and  the  attempt  to  disrupt 
the  Union.  When  war  was  proclaimed 
he  raised  a  company  of  cavalry  and.  go- 
ing to  Springfield,  tendered  its  sen-ices  to 
Governor  Yates,  but  as  cavalry  was  not 
included  in  President  Lincoln's  call  the 
company  was  not  accepted.  On  his  way 
home  from  the  state  capital  Colonel 
Marsh  found  the  Sixteenth  Illinois  Regi- 
ment rendezvoused  at  Quincy  and  imme- 
diately enlisted  as  a  private,  but  was  soon 
afterward  chosen  quartermaster.  When 
with  the  regiment  at  Monroe  Station. 
Missouri,  he  received  a  telegram  from 
Governor  Yates  on  the  4th  of  July,  1861. 
saying  that  his  cavalry  company  would 
be  accepted.  Returning  at  once  to  War- 


HANCOCK  COUNTY.  ILLINOIS. 


sa\v.  Colonel  Marsh  recruited  the  com- 
pany and  in  August,  with  his  men.  pro- 
ceeded to  Springfield,  where  the  command 
was  mustered  in  as  Company  G  of  the 
Second  Illinois  Cavalry.  Mr.  Marsh  was 
chosen  captain  in  August,  1861,  and  pro- 
motions came  to  him  from  time  to  time 
in  recognition  of  gallant  and  meritorious 
service.  He  was  commissioned  major 
August  30,  1862.  lieutenant  colonel  May 
3.  1864,  colonel  August  29,  1865,  and 
served  continuously  until  January,  1866, 
having  campaigned  in  every  seceding 
state  except  Virginia  and  the  two  Caro- 
linas.  Four  times  he  was  wounded  by 
gun  shot  and  he  carried  some  of  the  lead 
to  his  grave.  Those  who  served  under 
him  tell  that  he  was  a  fearless  and  bril- 
liant officer,  never  faltering  in  the  per- 
formance of  any  duty  and  inspiring  his 
men  by  his  own  valor  and  loyalty.  Per- 
haps one  of  the  most  notable  examples 
of  his  innate  personal  courage  was  his 
refusal  to  obey  his  superior  officer  at 
Holly  Springs  when  the  latter  surren- 
dered. Colonel  Marsh  and  his  command 
cutting  their  way  through  the  rebel  lines. 
He  never  ceased  to  feel  a  deep  interest 
in  the  military  organizations  of  the  coun- 
try and  had  a  warm  feeling  of  friendship 
for  his  comrades  in  arms. 

When  the  preservation  of  the  Union 
had  become  an  assured  fact  and  his  aid 
was  no  longer  needed  at  the  front  Colonel 
Marsh  returned  to  Warsaw  and  resumed 
the  practice  of  law.  continuing  an  active 
and  able  member  of  the  bar  until  his  elec- 
tion to  congress  in  1876.  From  that 
time  forward  his  attention  was  given  al- 
most exclusively  to  important  public  serv- 
ice and  he  left  the  impress  of  his  individ- 


uality upon  national  legislation.  He  had 
in  1866  been  the  nominee  for  the  candi- 
dacy of  the  Republican  party  in  his  dis- 
trict for  congress  and  again  in  1872  and 
the  fatal  illness  of  his  wife  terminated 
in  death  on  the  day  of  the  republican 
convention  in  the  latter  year,  so  that 
Colonel  Marsh  was  unable  to  attend.  In 
1876,  having  secured  the  nomination. 
Colonel  Marsh  entered  into  the  campaign 
with  the  same  determination  and  loyal 
spirit  that  ever  characterized  him  in 
everything  that  he  undertook.  In  the 
convention  each  county  of  the  district 
except  Mercer  had  a  candidate  and 
Colonel  Marsh  secured  the  nomination 
on  the  twenty-fifth  ballot.  He  was  not 
only  elected  in  that  year  but  again  in  1878 
and  1880.  his  services  during  his  first 
term  being  of  such  a  beneficial  nature  that 
the  party  rallied  to  his  support  as  the 
standard  bearer  in  the  two  succeeding 
elections.  Then  came  a  factional  fight 
in  the  party  and  he  retired  from  office 
on  the  close  of  his  third  term,  March  3, 
1883.  He  was  in  1892  strongly  recom- 
mended by  many  of  his  friends  for  the 
candidate  for  governor.  In  the  same  year, 
however,  others  urged  him  to  again  be- 
come a  candidate  for  congress.  He  care- 
fully studied  the  situation  and  was  on  the 
eve  of  refusal,  but  the  influence  of  rec- 
ognized party  leaders  who  knew  his 
strength  prevailed  upon  him  and  he  was 
once  more  nominated  and  elected,  at  that 
time  serving,  through  re-election,  for  four 
consecutive  terms.  In  1900  he  was  de- 
feated, but  in  1902  was  again  elected  to 
congress  and  once  more  in  1904,  so  that 
he  was  serving  as  a  member  of  the  house 
at  the  time  of  his  death.  In  the  latter 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


campaigns   the   state  of   his   health   pre- 
vented him  from  active  participation,  but 
each  election  showed  good  returns  in  sup- 
port of  Colonel  Marsh,  who  was  thus  nine 
times  called  to  represent  his  district  in  the 
council  chambers  of  the  nation.     During 
the  interval  of  ten  years  he  was  out  of 
congress  he  served  for  four  years  on  the 
Illinois  Railroad  and  Warehouse  Commis- 
sion through  appointment  in   1889  from 
Governor  Oglesby.     His  political  service 
is    a    matter    of    history.     Congressional 
records  give  indication  of  his  support  or 
opposition    to    various    measures    which 
came  up,  and  it  was  a  well-known  fact 
that  he  could  never  be  coerced  into  any 
political    position,   that   neither   fear   nor 
favor  could  win  his  allegiance  to  a  meas- 
ure that  he  believed  would  prove  detri- 
mental or  cause  him  to  oppose  a  move- 
ment that  he  thought  would  prove  bene- 
ficial to  his  state  or  country  at  large.     He 
did    important    work    in    the    committee 
rooms,  being  closely  connected  with  many 
measures  of  constructive  legislation,  and 
he  made  a  number  of  notable  addresses 
on  the  floor  of  the  house.     As  has  been 
said,  "But,  after  all,  the  services  of  the 
most  valuable,  most  effective  members  of 
congress  is  unwritten  history.     It  can  be 
known   only   to   him  who   has   the  open 
sesame  to  the  devious  ways  by  which  leg- 
islation is  shaped  and  enacted  at  Wash- 
ington.    That  Colonel  Marsh  was  here 
a  power  is  "now  recognized,  and  that  he 
will  be  missed,  especially  by  this  portion 
of  the  nation,  is  fully  appreciated." 

The  home  life  of  Colonel  Marsh  was 
largely  ideal.  He  was  married  August 
6,  1861,  to  Miss  Josephine  Miller,  who 
died  July  31,  1872.  Of  their  five  chil- 


dren two  are  living :    Miss  Bertha  Marsh, 
of  Warsaw,   and   C.   Carroll   Marsh,   of 
Warsaw.     Two  of  the  children,  Cara  P. 
and    Josephine,    died    in    infancy,    while 
Arthur  W.  died  a  number  of  years  ago 
after  reaching  adult  age.     On  the  ist  of 
January,  1881,  Colonel  Marsh  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Jane  E.  Coolbaugh,  of  Chi- 
cago,  who  died  on  the   i8th  of  March, 
1905.     There  were  also  five  children  by 
this   marriage,   of   whom   Robert    Miller 
and  James  C.  died  in  infancy,  while  those 
still  living  are  William  C.,  Richard  O. 
and    Benjamin    F.    Marsh, ,  Jr.     Colonel 
Marsh  was  able  to  leave  his  family  in 
excellent  financial   circumstances,   for  in 
his   business   undertakings  he  had  pros- 
pered.    After  his   retirement   from  con- 
gress in    1883   he  devoted  his  attention 
largely  to  his  farm  southeast  of  Warsaw, 
and  gradually  added   to   his  possessions 
situated  in  Warsaw,  Wilcox  and  Wythe 
townshnps.     The  normal  man  always  en- 
joys nature  and  Colonel  Marsh  was  of 
this   class.     He   found   great   delight   in 
superintending  his  agricultural  interests, 
in  watching  the  growth  of  his  crops  and 
in  bringing  his  land  up  to  a  high  state 
of    cultivation.     Colonel    Marsh    passed 
away  June  2,  1905,  at  his  home  in  War- 
saw, after  an  illness  which  extended  over 
several  'months,    although   at   times   his 
health   was  greatly   improved.     The   fu- 
neral was  one  of  the  most  notable  that 
has   ever   been   held   in    Illinois,    special 
trains  being  run  over  the  different  rail- 
road and  trolley  lines  in  order  to  bring 
the  large  concourse  of  people  who  gath- 
ered to  pay  their  last  tribute  of  respect 
to  one  whom  they  had  known  and  hon- 
ored.    From     congress     came     Senator 


HAXCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


Shelby  M.  Cullom  and  Representatives 
George  W.  Prince,  of  Galesburg;  Joseph 
V.  Graff,  of  Peoria;  Philip  .Knopf,  of 
Chicago;  Henry  T.  Rainey,  of  Carroll- 
ton;  William  W.  Wilson,  of  Chicago; 
Zeno  J.  Rives,  of  Litchfield;  and  Charles 
McGavin,  also  of  Chicago,  who  acted  as 
honorary  pall-bearers,  while  the  active 
pall-bearers  were  the  same  that  Colonel 
Marsh  had  chosen  to  serve  at  his  wife's 
funeral  just  eleven  weeks  earlier. 

It  is.  difficult  to  analyze  the  character  of 
such  a  man  because  of  the  variety  of  his 
service  and  the  extent  of  his  influence 
and  work.  He  was  a  conservative  man 
and  must  be  regarded  as  a  statesman,  al- 
ways striving  to  build  up  for  the  benefit 
of  the  people  and  to  insure  a  continuous 
national  progress,  believing  that  nations, 
like  men,  cannot  stand  still  but  must  go 
forward  or  backward.  He  became  con- 
spicuous as  a  public  officer  who  was  al- 
ways at  his  post  of  duty  and  always  at 
work.  No  man  ever  represented  a  dis- 
trict in  Illinois  in  congress  who  was  more 
faithful  to  the  trust  reposed  in  him  by  the 
people.  His  mental  characteristics  were 
of  that  solid  and  practical  rather  than  of 
the  ostentatious  and  brilliant  order.  He 
was  essential!}'  strong  in  intellect  and  ca- 
pable of  reaching  safe,  reasonable  and 
prudent  conclusions.  In  the  long  and 
crowded  line  of  illustrious  men  of  whom 
Illinois  is  justly  proud,  the  public  life  of 
few  others  has  extended  over  as  long  a 
period  as  his,  and  certainly  the  life  of 
none  has  been  more  varied  in  service, 
more  constant  in  honor,  more  fearless  in 
conduct  or  more  stainless  in  reputation. 
Perhaps  no  better  testimonial  of  his  char- 
acter and  public  service  can  be  given  than 


in  the  words  of  one  of  his  old-time 
friends  and  associates,  who  said,  "The 
morning  following  the  memorable  Gar- 
field  memorial  exercises  in  the  house  of 
representatives,  Alexander  H.  Stephens, 
that  pigmy  in  stature  and  giant  in  intel- 
lect, moving  in  his  wheeled  chair  over  the 
arena  in  front  of  the  speaker's  desk,  while 
indulging  a  musing,  sparkling,  laudatory 
criticism  of  Elaine's  eloquent  address, 
turned  to  the  writer,  with  that  peculiar 
graciousness  which  won  young  men  to 
him,  and  said :  "And  yet,  after  all,  while 
the  genius  of  the  forum  kindles  enthusi- 
asm and  moves  one  to  effort,  we  should 
remember  that  in  public  affairs  the  well- 
balanced,  forceful,  persistent  worker, 
with  courageous  determination  and  unas- 
sailable integrity,  is  the  master  hand  in 
shaping  the  weal  of  a  nation.  Of  such 
material  is  your  congressman,  Colonel 
Marsh." 

"Had  the  distinguished  ex- Vice-Presi- 
dent of  the  southern  confederacy  known 
his  subject  even  more  intimately  he  could 
not  have  measured  Colonel  Marsh's 
character  more  accurately  nor  have 
weighed  his  abilities  more  correctly. 
Through  all  his  public  service  his  in- 
tegrity was  never  questioned  for  a  mo- 
ment, and  his  entire  career,  from  youth 
up,  was  marked  by  courageous  determi- 
nation. It  was  with  him  when  only  out 
of  his  teens  he  braved  a  pistol's  muzzle 
and  a  mob's  fury  to  sever  the  rope  of 
would-be  lynchers;  it  was  with  him  at 
Holly  Springs  when  he  defied  his  cow- 
ardly superior  officer,  refused  to  sur- 
render, and  with  a  remnant  of  the  Sec- 
ond Illinois  Cavalry  cut  his  way  through 
the  enemy's  lines.  Further,  it  was  with 


66 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REl'IEll' 


him  in  the  capacity  of  a  representative 
of  the  people  whenever  and  wherever 
duty  pointed  the  way.  as  it  was  with 
him  in  private  life.  He  had  his  sorrows, 
he  had  his  afflictions ;  but  he  concealed 
the  bruise  of  the  rod  and  the  scar  of  the 
scourge  with  the  veil  of  his  indomitable 
will. 

"His  was  a  rugged  character.  Molded 
amid  the  privations  of  pioneer  life  and 
developed  in  the  stirring  scenes  of  the 
past  half  century,  it  became  well-rounded 
as  the  shadows  lengthened.  There  was 
no  pretense  about  him.  no  dissimulation 
in  his  make-up.  He  was  frank  of 
speech,  unassuming  in  manner,  hospita- 
ble but  unostentatious.  He  had  a  sym- 
pathetic interest  in  his  fellowman.  but  it 
was  a  wholesome  sympathy,  not  misled 
by  sickly  sentiment  on  the  one  hand  nor 
awed  by  arrogance  on  the  other.  Loyal 
in  his  friendship,  he  was  not  bitter  in 
his  enmities,  and  never  took  advantage 
of  power  to  punish  a  foe.  That  he  was 
charitable  there  are  many,  many,  to  at- 
test, but  he  never  jingled  the  coin  of 
charity,  being  of  those  who  hold  that  the 
left  hand  should  not  know  what  the  right 
hand  doeth.  As  a  politician,  Colonel 
Marsh  was  keen,  astute,  far-sighted.  He 
was  an  adept  in  marshalling  his  forces. 
But  he  eschewed  the  baser  arts  and  never 
resorted  to  trades  or  cabals  or  the  de- 
moralizing agencies  only  too  common  to 
the  field  of  politics. 

"As  a  public  man.  he  aspired  to  be  a 
worker,  a  doer:  and  the  sequel  proves 
that  he  did  not  strive  in  vain.  He  did 
not  affect  the  ornate  as  a  speaker  nor  did 
he  dawdle  in  debate,  but  when  he  spoke 
it  was  briefly  and  to  the  point.  He  was 


exceptionally  familiar  with  all  public 
questions,  and  in  close  touch  with  the 
powers  that  shape  them,  equipping  him 
well  for  his  work,  and  with  his  strong 
personality,  making  results  possible.  He 
had  the  respect  and  admiration  of  his 
colleagues  and  enjoyed  in  a  peculiar  de- 
gree the  confidence  of  the  late  President 
McKinley  and  that  of  President  Roose- 
velt and  stood  close  to  the  heads  of  the 
departments.  It  was  in  council,  in  com- 
mittee, he  was  strongest,  and  those  who 
are  most  familiar  with  his  achievements 
know  that  his  impress  is  on  national  leg- 
islation. But  his  life  work  is  o'er.  He 
has  passed  to  the  unknown  realm  whither 
man's  pilgrimage  tends.  The  good  he 
has  done  will  not  be  interred  with  his 
bones.  It  will  live  after  him ;  and  while 
his  ashes  sleep  in  Oakland,  under  the 
silent  watch  of  the  'untroubled  sentries 
of  the  shadowy  night;  his  memory  will 
endure,  long  to  be  cherished  as  that  of 
one  who  served  his  day  and  generation 
well  and  faithfully." 


EDMOXD  PARKER  DEXTOX. 

Edmond  Parker  Denton,  who,  since 
1898  has  made  his  home  in  Hamilton, 
but  for  many  years  was  extensively  and 
successfully  engaged  in  stock-raising  in 
Hancock  county,  as  proprietor  of  the 
Catalpa  Grove  stock  farm,  was  bom  in 
Bath  county,  Kentucky,  April  2,  1832. 
his  parents  being  Reuben  and  Jane 
(Perkins)  Denton.  the  former  born  near 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


67 


the  Holstein  river  in  Tennessee,  and  the 
latter  in  Bath  county,  Kentucky.  His 
paternal  grandparents,  Abraham  and 
Sarah  (Hunt)  Denton,  were  natives  of 
Tennessee,  while  the  maternal  grand- 
parents, Edmond  and  Elizabeth  (Van 
Landingham)  Perkins,  were  natives  of 
Bath  and  Fleming  counties,  Kentucky, 
respectively.  The  parents  were  married 
in  Fleming  county,  where  the  father  died 
in  1862,  while  the  mother  passed  away  in 
1868.  Their  son,  Edmond  P.  Denton, 
was  the  third  in  order  of  birth  in  a  fam- 
ily of  five  children,  of  whom  one  daugh- 
ter, Matilda,  died  at  the  age  of  four 
years,  while  Abraham  T.,  who  was  born 
in  1830,  died  in  Missouri,  in  February, 
1904.  The  other  brother,  Oliver  B.,  re- 
sides in  Fleming  county,  Kentucky,  while 
Allen  H.,  born  in  1840,  died  at  the  age  of 
thirteen  years. 

Edmond  P.  Denton  spent  the  days  of 
his  boyhood  and  youth  in  his  native  state, 
being  reared  to  the  occupation  of  farm- 
ing, and  on  the  8th  of  March,  1854, 
when  a  young  man  of  twenty-two  years, 
he  left  Kentucky  and  removed  to  Co- 
lumbus, Illinois,  where  he  spent  the  suc- 
ceeding year.  He  then  came  to  Hancock 
county,  settling  in  Wythe  township, 
where  he  secured  a  tract  of  land  which 
had  been  fenced  and  cultivated.  He  be- 
gan the  further  improvement  of  the 
place,  which  he  called  the  Catalpa  Grove 
stock  farm  and  here  he  was  extensively 
engaged  in  raising  Wilkes  horses,  always 
making  a  specialty  of  this  breed.  When 
his  son.  Henry  attained  his  majority  he 
was  admitted  to  a  partnership  and  the 
business  of  raising  and  breeding  fine 
stock  was  conducted  under  the  firm  stvle 


of  Denton  &  Son.  Mr.  Denton  became 
known  as  one  of  the  most  prominent 
stockmen  in  this  part  of  the  state,  raising 
some  very  fine  animals  upon  his  place, 
which  sold  for  high  prices.  He  is  an 
excellent '  judge  of  horse  flesh  and  has 
owned  some  splendid  specimens  of  the 
noble  steed.  As  a  breeder  and  stock- 
raiser  he  met  with  excellent  success  and 
continued  in  active  business  until  1898, 
when  he  retired  from  his  farm  and  re- 
moved to  Hamilton,  where  he  has  since 
made  his  home. 

On  the  1 5th  of  December,  1853,  Mr. 
Denton  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Jemima  Ellen  Whitney,  who  was  born  in 
Bath  county,  Kentucky,  December  29, 
1845,  a  daughter  of  Elijah  K.  and 
Julanie  (Jones)  Whitney,  the  former  a 
native  of  Ohio  and  the  latter  of  Bath 
county,  Kentucky.  Mrs.  Denton  was 
educated  in  Kentucky  and  spent  her  girl- 
hood days  in  her  parents'  home.  By  her 
marriage  she  became  the  mother  of  the 
following  named :  Charles  A.,  who  is 
circuit  judge  of  Bates  county,  Missouri ; 
Julania  Jane,  the  wife  of  Charles  Cole, 
a  liveryman  of  Omaha,  Nebraska;  Mar- 
garet B.,  the  wife  of  J.  T.  Guy,  who  is 
proprietor  of  Hotel  Hamilton,  at  Hamil- 
ton, Illinois;  Henry  K.,  who  is  in  the 
livery  business  in  Hamilton;  Sarah  E., 
the  wife  of  R.  R.  Wallace,  cashier  of  the 
State  Bank  at  Hamilton ;  Edmond  Grant, 
a  farmer,  whose  home  is  two  miles  north 
of  Hamilton;  Albert  C,  a  groceryman  of 
Hamilton,  and  is  also  a  mail  carrier  on 
the  rural  route ;  and  Jemima  Ellen,  the 
wife  of  Harry  Rentchler,  employed  as 
salesman  for  Bolls  Brothers,  of  Chicago, 
Illinois.  Mrs.  Denton  passed  away  July 


68 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


10,  1889,  and  was  buried  in  Oakwood 
cemetery  at  Hamilton,  Illinois.  She  was 
an  estimable  lady,  who  had  been  a  faith- 
ful companion  and  helpmate  to  her  hus- 
band on  life's  journey.  Her  loss  was 
deeply  regretted  by  many  friends  as  well 
as  her  immediate  family.  Mr.  Denton 
now  boards  with  his  daughter  at  Hotel 
Hamilton.  He  is  a  republican  in  his 
political  views  and  served  as  supervisor 
of  Wythe  township  for  three  terms, 
while  for  one  term  he  was  collector.  He 
was  appointed  postmaster  of  Hamilton 
on  the  ist  of  June,  1899,  ancl  'ias  had 
three  appointments  to  that  office,  the  last 
coming  from  President  Roosevelt  on  the 
ist  of  March,  1905,  so  that  the  incum- 
bency will  continue  until  1909.  He  is 
a  capable  official,  giving  a  public-spirited 
administration  in  the  affairs  of  the  office. 
Fraternally  he  is  a  Mason,  and  in  his  life 
exemplifies  the  beneficent  spirit  of  the 
craft.  In  business,  in  political  circles 
and  in  social  life  he  has  always  been 
known  as  a  man  worthy  of  the  public  es- 
teem and  confidence  and  the  circle  of  his 
friends  is  a  very  extensive  one. 


LORENZO  D.  LITTLE. 

Lorenzo  D.  Little  is  one  of  the  most 
venerable  citizens  of  Hancock  county, 
yet  the  years  rest  lightly  upon  him  and 
he  appears  to  be  a  much  younger  man 
than  the  records  state,  for  he  is  still  ac- 
tive in  business  life,  managing  his  farm- 
ing interests  in  Pontoosuc  township  and 


maintaining  a  deep  interest  in  current 
events  and  matters  of  general  progress. 
His  has  been  a  useful  and  honorable  ca- 
reer. He  was  born  in  Hampshire  county, 
Virginia,  in  1821,  and  is  a  representative 
of  an  old  family  that  was  founded  in 
America  in  colonial  days.  His  uncle, 
David  Little,  was  one  of  the  Revolution- 
ary heroes  who  won  independence  for  the 
nation  and  when  the  country  again  be- 
came engaged  in  war  with  Great  Britain, 
in  1812,  he  once  more  fought  for  Amer- 
ican rights.  Martha  and  Sarah  (Rit- 
nour)  Little,  parents  of  our  subject,  were 
likewise  natives  of  the  Old  Dominion, 
born  near  Winchester  in  1794  and  in 
1796,  respectively.  In  the  '205  they 
became  residents  of  Greene  county,  Ohio, 
and  on  the  25th  of  April,  1847,  arrived' 
in  Hancock  county,  settling  in  Ap- 
panoose  township.  Soon,  however,  the 
father  purchased  land  from  a  Mormon 
elder,  Fullmer,  and  the  family  were  in- 
stalled in  a  log  cabin  in  Pontoosuc  town- 
ship, where  they  experienced  the  usual' 
hardships,  privations  and  pleasures  of 
pioneer  life,  the  father  following  farm- 
ing there  until  his  death  in  1854.  He 
was  long  survived  by  his  wife,  who  died 
in  1882. 

L.D.  Little, accompanied  his  parents  on 
their  removal  to  Ohio  in  1827,  was  educ- 
cated  in  that  state  and  there  lived  for 
twenty  years,  and  at  the  time  of  the  re- 
moval of  the  family  to  Illinois,  in  1847, 
he  also  came  to  Hancock  county,  taking 
up  his  abode  in  Pontoosuc  township, 
where  he  purchased  forty  acres  of  land 
and  began  the  development  of  a  new 
farm,  performing  all  the  arduous  labor 
connected  with  such  a  task.  In  later 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


69 


years  he  purchased  another  forty-acre 
tract  on  section  20,  and  throughout  his 
residence  here  has  carried  on  general 
farming  and  stock-raising,  his  prosper- 
ity coming  as  the  legitimate  and  well- 
merited  result  of  his  own  labor. 

Mr.  Little  was  married  July  15,  1849, 
to  Miss  Hester  A.  Tull,  who  was  born 
in  Maryland,  February  25,  i827,a  daugh- 
ter of  John  R.  and  Nancy  (Langford) 
Tull.  The  father,  who  was  born  in 
Maryland,  in  March.  1807,  died  in  1898, 
while  the  mother,  whose -birth  occurred 
in  the  same  state  and  in  the  same  year, 
died  in  August,  1882.  They  were  mem- 
bers of  the  Methodist  church  and  many 
good  qualities  endeared  them  to  their 
family  and  friends.  Of  their  nine  chil- 
dren only  three  are  now  living:  Mrs. 
Little;  Elizabeth,  the  wife  of  Daniel  A. 
Little,  of  Pontoosuc  township;  and 
Sarah,  the  wife  of  Isaac  Grove,  of  Pay- 
son,  Adams  county,  Illinois.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Little  became  parents  of  three  chil- 
dren who  have  passed  away  and  three 
who  still  survive.  Naomi  became  the 
wife  of  Marion  Jacobs,  who  died  in  Ar- 
kansas in  1904,  leaving  six  children: 
Rosa,  the  wife  of  Arthur  Jacobs,  of 
Mena,  Arkansas,  by  whom  she  has  three 
children,  Evelyn,  Lorenzo  and  Clara ; 
Joseph  Jacobs,  who  married  Zelpha 
Choate,  of  Arkansas;  Ella,  wife  of  John 
McKinstry,  of  Texas ;  Orley,  living  in 
Arkansas ;  and  Lorenzo  and  Clarence 
Jacobs,  also  of  that  state.  John  Little 
married  Flora  Wilcox  and  resides  in 
Pontoosuc  township.  Joseph  Little,  of 
Pontoosuc  township,  married  Louisa 
Cress,  and  has  four  children :  Emma  P., 
wife  of  Frank  Perkins,  of  Pontocsuc 


township;  Lester,  Guy  and  Walter.  Ar- 
melda  Little  is  the  wife  of  Benjamin  Ri- 
ter,  of  Pontoosuc  township,  and  has 
three  children:  Arthur  L.,  Goldie  M., 
and  Lizzie  E.,  Harry  C.  Riter  died  at  the 
age  of  ten  months.  One  child  of  the  fam- 
ily died  in  early  infancy.  Elizabeth  Lit- 
tle, who  was  the  first  bom,  died  at  the  age 
of  four  months  and  twenty-three  days. 

Mr.  Little  is  a  republican  and  has 
served  as  road  supervisor  and  as  a  mem- 
ber of  the  school  board.  His  wife  is  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  church.  They 
have  traveled  life's  journey  together  as 
man  and  wife  for  fifty-seven  years,  and 
are  a  much-esteemed  couple  of  Pontoo- 
suc township.  They  yet  enjoy  good 
health  and  are  active,  bearing  the  burden 
of  the  years  lightly.  While  they  have 
had  sorrows  and  hardships,  they  have 
yet  had  many  pleasures  and  successes. 


HENRY  RICE. 

Henry  Rice,  whose  well  developed 
farm  is  one  of  the  attractive  features  in 
the  landscape  in  Durham  township, 
was  born  in  Fayette  county,  Pennsylva- 
nia, June  15,  1827,  and  the  nearly  eighty 
years  of  his  well-spent  life  have  made 
him  a  most  respected  and  honored  man. 
His  parents  were  Samuel  and  Fannie 
(Strickler)  Rice,  likewise  natives  of  Fay- 
ette county,  Pennsylvania,  the  former 
born  in  1804  and  the  latter  in  1802. 
Samuel  Rice  was  also  a  farmer  bv  oc- 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REl'IEll' 


cupation  and  was  a  local  preacher  in  the 
River  Brethren  denomination  in  Penn- 
sylvania. He  remained  in  the  Keystone 
state  until  his  later  years,  when  he  came 
to  Illinois  and  lived  with  his  children, 
passing  away  in  Henderson  county,  De- 
cember 19.  1885.  His  wife  died  No- 
vember 30,  1870,  and  was  laid  to  rest  in 
Ohio,  while  his  grave  was  made  in  Dur- 
ham cemetery.  They  were  the  parents 
of  eleven  children :  Nancy  and  Christian, 
deceased ;  Henry,  of  this  review ;  John 
and  Fannie,  who  have  passed  away ; 
Samuel,  of  Durham  township;  George, 
deceased ;  Lydia,  the  wife  of  John 
Hershey,  of  Ohio ;  Rebecca,  who  died  in 
April,  1906:  and  Mary  and  Cyrus,  also 
deceased. 

Henry  Rice  was  educated  in  the  dis- 
trict schools  of  Fayette  county,  Pennsyl- 
vania, but  his  opportunities  in  that  direc- 
tion were  somewhat  limited.  The  little 
"temple  of  learning"  in  which  he  pursued 
his  studies,  ,was  a  log  structure  with 
puncheon  floor  and  slab  seats.  He  re- 
mained with  his  father  until  about  the 
time  he  attained  his  majority  and  was 
then  married,  in  1848,  to  Miss  Elizabeth 
Stoner,  who  indeed  proved  a  faithful 
companion  and  helpmate  to  him  on  life's< 
journey.  She  was  born  in  Blair  county, 
Pennsylvania,  in  September,  1826,  a 
daughter  of  Jacob  and  Barbara  (Bosler) 
Stoner,  natives  of  eastern  Pennsylvania, 
in  which  state  the  father  followed  farm- 
ing. In  the  Stoner  family  were  nine 
children :  Abraham,  now  living  in  Des 
Moines,  Iowa ;  Mary,  deceased ;  Mrs. 
Rice;  Ann  and  David,  who  are  residents 
of  Pennsylvania:  Joseph  and  Rebecca, 
who  have  passed  away;  Susan,  living  in 


northern  Illinois;  and  Sarah,  deceased. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rice  began  their  domes- 
tic life  in  Fayette  county,  Pennsylvania, 
where  they  lived  for  six  years  and  then 
removed  to  Stark  county,  Ohio,  where 
they  spent  four  years  on  a  farm.  On  the 
expiration  of  that  period  they  located  in 
Adams  county,  Illinois,  and  after  a  year 
and  a  half  came,  in  the  fall  of  1859,  to 
Hancock  county,  settling  in  Durham 
township,  where  Mr.  Rice  purchased 
one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  on 
section  10.  Improvements  had  already 
been  made  upon  the  place,  and  in  1871 
he  erected  an  elegant  residence,  whije  in 
1868  he  built  a  commodious  barn.  He 
also  put  up  a  windwill  and  built  good 
sheds  and  other  outbuildings  for  the 
shelter  of  grain  and  stock,  together  with 
fences  which  divide  the  place  into  fields 
of  convenient  size.  It  is  today  one  of 
the  finest  farms  in  Durham  township, 
and  comprises  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  of  land,  Mr.  Rice  having  sold  two 
hundred  and  forty  acres.  However,  he 
still  owns  three  hundred  and  twenty 
acres  of  farm  land  in  Lee  county,  Iowa. 
He  has  always  raised  stock  and  has  car- 
ried on  general  farming.  Although  now 
well  advanced  in  years  he  still  gives  per- 
sonal supervision  to  the  place,  which, 
under  his  capable  management,  is  kept 
under  a  high  state  of  cultivation,  the 
rich  and  productive  fields  annually  re- 
turning to  him  gratifying  harvests.  Mr. 
Rice  is  also  a  director  of  the  Farmers 
State  Bank  of  Dallas. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rice,  as  the  years 
went  by,  were  born  ten  children,  three 
in  Pennsylvania,  two  in  Ohio  and  the 
others  upon  the  home  farm,  in  this  county. 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


The  family  record  is  as  follows :  Fan- 
nie Ann,  deceased;  Jacob,  of  Nebraska, 
who  married  Miss  Luella  Lydic  and  has 
five  children,  Nellie,  Elizabeth,  Laura, 
Jay  and  Dean ;  Samuel,  also  of  Nebras- 
ka, who  married  Miss  Jennie  Boyle,  and 
died  leaving  three  children,  Lena,  Stew- 
art and  Harry;  Mary,  the  wife  of  James 
Babcock,  of  Durham  township,  by  whom 
she  had  three  children,  Frank,  deceased, 
Rolla  and  Ina;  Le  Roy,  who  has  passed 
away ;  Clara,  the  wife  of  John  Smith,  of 
Iowa,  by  whom  she  has  nine  children, 
Bessie.  Grace,  Laura,  Maggie,  Lawrence, 
Ina,  Helen,  Beulah  and  Ruth ;  Laura, 
who  is  with  her  father ;  Jenora.  deceased ; 
Clark,  of  Pontoosuc  township,  who  mar- 
ried Miss  Minnie  Bradfield  and  had  three 
children/  Bertha,  deceased,  Charles,  and 
Eulah,  who  has  also  passed  away;  and 
Etta,  at  home  with  her  father.  The 
children  have  been  provided  with  liberal 
educational  privileges,  the  sons  all  at- 
tending city  schools,  some  in  Burlington, 
in  Denmark  and  in  Keokuk,  Iowa. 

In  the  early  days  of  their  married 
life  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rice  had  to  undergo 
many  hardships  and  privations,  but  as 
the  years  passed  prosperity  attended 
their  labors  and  Mr.  Rice  is  now  in  very 
comfortable  financial  circumstances.  In 
addition  to  his  farm  property  he  is  a 
stockholder  in  the  Farmers  Exchange 
Bank  of  Dallas  City,  as  are  his  two 
daughters  who  are  at  home.  In  1902 
they  were  called  upon  to  mourn  the  loss 
of  wife  and  mother,  who  passed  away 
on  the  7th  of  November  of  that  year  and 
was  laid  to  rest  in  Durham  cemetery, 
her  death  being  deeply  regretted  by 
many  friends  as  well  as  her  immediate 
5 


family.  She  was  indeed  a  loving  wife 
and  mother,  her  interests  centering  in 
her  own  household.  She  did  everything 
in  her  power  to  promote  the  welfare  and- 
happiness  of  her  family  and  she  extended 
a  most  gracious  and  cordial  hospitality 
to  her  many  friends.  Her  many  excel- 
lent traits  of  character  won  her  the  es- 
teem and  love  of  all  with  whom  she  came 
in  contact.  In  his  political  affiliation 
Mr.  Rice  is  a  democrat  and  at  one  time 
served  as  school  director  but  has  never 
sought  or  desired  office.  His  success  is 
attributable  entirely  to  his  own  labors. 
He  is  of  a  modest  and  retiring  disposi- 
tion but  the  consensus  of  public  opinion 
is  that  he  deserves  prominent  mention 
among  "the  representative  men  of  the 
county.  He  is  a  representative  of  one 
of  the  oldest  families  of  the  township 
and  is  one  whose  life  record  is  indeed 
worthy  of  emulation  and  of  admiration. 


ZIMRI  WHITE. 

Zimri  White  is  a  retired  farmer  and 
veteran  of  the  Civil  war,  living  in  Ham- 
ilton. He  was  born  in  Coatsburg,  Adams 
county,  Illinois,  September  22,  1839,  and 
is  a  son  of  John  and  Drusilla  (Lasley) 
White,  natives  of  Virginia  and  South 
Carolina  respectively.  His  paternal 
grandfather,  William  White,  was  a  na- 
tive of  Scotland  and  the  maternal  grand- 
father was  John  Lasley,  of  South  Caro- 
lina. In  the  year  1822  John  White  went 
to  Springfield,  Illinois,  with  his  mother. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


He  was  then  a  lad  of  ten  years,  his  birth 
having  occurred  in  1812.  The  father 
had  died  in  the  south  and  the  widowed 
mother  afterward  removed  to  this  state, 
where  John  White  learned  the  plasterer's 
trade.  He  worked  in  Springfield  for 
some  time,  after  which  he  removed  to 
Adams  county,  Illinois,  where  he  was 
married  in  1838.  He  then  rented  land 
for  a  few  years,  after  which  he  removed 
to  Hancock  county  and  purchased  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  prairie  land, 
for  which  he  paid  three  hundred  and 
fifty  dollars  and  which  is  now  worth  six- 
teen thousand  dollars.  He  also  bought 
thirty  acres  of  timber  land.  The  prairie 
tract  was  all  wild  and  uncultivated,  but 
he  built  thereon  good  houses,  barns  and 
other  improvements.  He  also  fenced 
the  land  and  broke  the  wild  prairie,  trans- 
forming it  into  richly  developed  fields. 
It  was  the  period  of  pioneer  progress  in 
Hancock  county  and  it  was  no  unusual 
thing  to  see  timber  wolves,  while  deer 
were  quite  numerous  and  turkeys  and 
other  lesser  game  could  he  had  in  abund- 
ance. In  fact  evidences  of  frontier  life 
were  many,  but  they  gave  -  way  before 
the  inroads  of  an  advancing  civilization. 
John  White  continued  to  reside  upon  the 
farm  which  he  purchased  until  1897, 
when  he  went  to  live  with  a  son  upon  a 
farm,  and  in  1899  he  took  up  his  abode 
in  the  home  of  his  son,  Zimri,  with  whom 
he  continued  until  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred on  the  22d  of  August,  1903.  His 
wife  had  passed  away  in  1891,  when 
seventy-one  years  of  age.  In  the  family 
were  ten  sons,  of  whom  six  are  yet 
living. 

Zimri  White,  the  eldest  of  the  father's 


family,  worked  upon  the  home  farm  un- 
til twenty-one  years  of  age,  during  which 
period  he  gained  practical  knowledge  of 
the  best  methods  of  tilling  the  soil,  while 
in  the  public  schools  he  acquired  his  edu- 
cation. Almost  his  entire  life  has  been 
passed  in  Hancock  county.  After  at- 
taining his  majority  he  engaged  in  the 
operation  of  rented  land  for  a  year,  but 
at  the  end  of  that  time  put  aside  all  per- 
sonal considerations  in  order  to  aid  his 
country,  enlisting  on  the  I3th  of  August, 
1862,  as  a  member  of  Company  H,  One 
Hundred  and  Eighteenth  Illinois  Infan- 
try. The  regiment  went  to  Camp  But- 
ler, remaining  there  for  a  few  months 
and  afterward  was  attached  to  the  Army 
of  the  Mississippi.  At  the  battle  of  Fort 
Hudson  Mr.  White  had  a  horse  shot 
from  under  him.  He  was  with  his  regi- 
ment during  the  entire  period  of  the  war 
save  for  three  months  spent  in  the  hos- 
pital at  Jefferson  Barracks  and  at  Baton 
Rouge,  Louisiana.  Returning  to  the 
home  place,  he  bought  eighty  acres  on 
section  9.  Wythe  township,  where  he 
built  a  house  of  five  rooms  but  has  since 
made  an  addition  thereto.  He  carried 
on  general  farming  and  stock-raising  un- 
til 1894,  when,  on  account  of  ill  health, 
he  removed  to  the  Oakwood  addition  to 
Hamilton,  where  he  bought  six  fine  lots 
in  one  tract,  improved  with  a  commodi- 
ous and  pleasant  residence.  He  does 
general  gardening  on  his  lots  and  his 
place  is  one  of  the  most  sightly  in  all  the 
Oakwood  addition.  He  finds  it  impossi- 
ble to  entirely  put  aside  business  cares 
and  thus  his  time  and  energies  are  given 
to  the  cultivation  of  vegetables. 

On  the  25th  of  December,   1865,  Mr. 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


73 


White  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Hannah  E.  Daw,  who  was  born  in  Bear 
Creek  township,  Hancock  county,  a 
daughter  of  Edward  and  Eliza  (Gra- 
ham) Daw,  the  former  a  native  of  Eng- 
land. There  was  one  son  born  of  that 
marriage,  John  Edward  White,  whose 
birth  occurred  October  4,  1866.  The 
wife  and  mother  died  on  the  2gth  of  the 
same  month  and  on  the  2ist  of  Novem- 
ber, 1867,  Mr.  White  was  again  married, 
his  second  union  being  with  Harriet 
Eliza  Smith,  who  was  born  in  Wythe 
township.  Hancock  county,  May  22, 
1848,  her  parents  being  William  A.  and 
Sarah  (Smart)  Smith,  the  former  born 
in  Alabama  in  1821  and  the  latter  in 
Macoupin  county,  Illinois.  Her  paternal 
grandparents  were  James  and  Elizabeth 
(Owens)  Smith  and  the  former  was  a 
son  of  a  Revolutionary  soldier.  In  the 
year  1831  William  A.  Smith  came  to 
Hancock  county,  Illinois,  and  served  as 
a  soldier  at  the  time  of  the  Mormon 
war.  He  married  near  Plymouth,  Illi- 
nois, and  lived  upon  a  farm  in  Wythe 
township  up  to  the  time  of  his  death, 
which  occurred  on  the  29th  of  November, 
1864.  His  wife  long  survived  him,  pass- 
ing away  on  Christmas  day  of  1894.  In 
their  family  were  two  sons  and  five 
:  daughters,  all  of  whom  are  yet  living. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  White  have  been 
born  the  following  named :  William 
Smith,  who  was  born  April  24.  1869, 
and  is  living  on  his  father's  farm  in 
Wythe  township;  Myrtle  Jane,  who  was 
born  May  n.  1872,  and  married  Orville 
French,  of  Quincy,  Illinois;  Ira  Elmer, 
who  was  born  April  20,  1876,  and  re- 
sides at  Glenn's  Ferry,  Idaho ;  Ida  Alice, 


twin  sister  of  Ira  and  the  wife  of  Burt 
Barnaby,  of  Wythe  township;  Bertha 
Drusilla,  who  was  born  February  14, 
1879,  and  is  the  wife  of  Lester  Barr,  of 
Downer's  Grove,  Illinois ;  and  Sarah 
Helen,  who  was  born  November  18, 
1889,  and  died  March  12,  1891. 

Mr.  White  of  this  review  is  a  member 
of  the  Baptist  church,  active  and  influ- 
ential in  its  work,  and  for  many  years  He 
was  superintendent  of  the  Sunday-school. 
Since  1881  he  has  served  as  deacon  in  the 
church.  In  his  political  affiliation  he  is 
a  prohibitionist,  the  cause  of  temperance 
having  long  found  in  him  a  stalwart 
champion.  He  has  served  as  highway 
commissioner  and  as  constable  and  school 
director  in  Wythe  township  and  the  du- 
ties of  these  various  positions  were  dis- 
charged with  promptness  and  capability. 
He  likewise  belongs  to  the  Grand  Army 
of  the  Republic  and  thus  maintains  pleas- 
ant relations  with  his  old  army  com- 
rades. An  analyzation  of  his  life  record 
will  show  that  he  has  been  faithful  in 
citizenship,  straightforward  in  business, 
trustworthy  in  friendship  and  devoted  to 
the  ties  of  home  and  family,  and  thus 
his  many  excellent  characteristics  make 
him  well  worthy  the  regard  in  which  he 
is  uniformly  held. 


JOSIAH  RITCHEY. 

Josiah  Ritchey  is  a  retired  farmer  re- 
siding at  the  corner  of  Clark  and  Wash- 
ington streets,  Carthage.  He  is  accorded 


74 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


the  respect  and  confidence  of  his  fellow- 
men  not  alone  because  of  the  success 
which  he  has  achieved,  making  him  one 
of  the  men  of  affluence  in  this -city  but 
also  by  reason  of  the  honorable,  straight- 
forward business  methods  he  has  ever 
followed  and  also  owing  to  the  princi- 
ples of  conduct  which  have  shaped  his 
daily  life.  An  analyza'tion  of  his  career 
shows  that  his  religious  faith  has  been 
a  strong  motive  influence  in  all  that  he 
has  done  and  he  stands  for  that  higher 
type  of  manhood  which  not  only  repre- 
sents justice  but  tempers  justice  with 
mercy  and  which  recognizes  man's  obli- 
gation to  his  fellowman  and  his  Maker. 
A  native  of  Tennessee  he  was  born  in 
Monroe  county,  in  1830,  his  parents  be- 
ing John  and  Catherine  (Dougherty) 
Ritchey.  Josiah  Dougherty,  the  great- 
grandfather of  our  subject,  was  a  soldier 
of  the  war  of  1812,  and  his  son,  Henry 
Dougherty,  was  a  soldier  of  the  Mexican 
war.  The  parents  were  natives  of  Ten- 
nessee, the  former  born  in  Hawkins 
county  January  19,  1801,  and  the  latter 
in  Jefferson  county  on  the  2ist  of  May, 
1804.  The  father  was  a  farmer  by  oc- 
cupation, and  after  living  for  a  number 
of  years  in  Tennessee  came  to  Illinois  in 
1853,  settling  first  in  Adams  county.  The 
following  year  he  removed  to  a  farm  in 
Hancock  county,  Illinois,  and  at  first 
lived  -in  -a  log  cabin,  the  family  living 
upon  the  old  home  property  in  Dallas 
township.  Later,  however,  he  sold  out 
and  bought  an  improved  farm  in  Dur- 
ham township,  on  which  stood  a  com- 
fortable brick  residence  and  other  equip- 
ments. He  devoted  his  time  and  ener- 
gies to  general  farming  and  stock-raising 


and  yet  found  opportunity  to  promote 
public  progress  through  co-operation  in 
many  movements  for  the  general  good 
and  by  efficient  service  in  public  office. 
He  held  a  number  of  local  political  posi- 
tions and  was  also  a  member  of  the 
school  board.  He  voted  with  the  de- 
mocracy, of  which  he  was  a  stalwart 
supporter  and  both  he  and  his  wife  were 
members  of  the  Baptist  church,  while 
living  in  Tennessee,  but  following  the 
removal  to  Illinois  Mr.  Ritchey  joined 
the  United  Brethren  church.  He  died 
in  Durham  township  in  1876,  at  the  age 
of  seventy-five  years,  while  his  wife 
passed  away  in  1888,  at  the  age  of 
eighty-four  years  and  eight  months,  both 
being  buried  in  Durham  township.  Their 
marriage  had  been  celebrated  on  the  I5th  j 
of  March.  1822,  and  they  became  the  : 
parents  of  twelve  children,  all  of  whom 
were  born  in  Tennessee  and  have  now 
passed  away,  with  the  exception  of  Mar- 
garet and  Josiah.  The  former,  born 
March  15,  1825,  is  the  widow  of  James 
Kelley,  and  resides  with  a  daughter  in 
Colusa,  Illinois.  Those  who  have  passed 
away  are:  Nancy  J.,  who  was  born  No- 
vember 19,  1823 ;  Alexander  H.,  born 
July  i,  1826;  Sarah  M.,  May  7,  1828; 
Samuel  L.,  July  4,  1832 ;  John,  February 
n,  1834;  Martin  B.,  January  7,  1837; 
Isaac  S.,  July  27,  1839;  Elizabeth,  Feb- 
ruary 7,  1841;  James  K.,  November  12, 
1842;  and  Louisa  Catherine,  January  28, 

1845- 

Josiah    Ritchey    largely    acquired    his 

education  in  the  schools  of  Tennessee, 
but  also  continued  his  studies  through 
one  winter  in  Hancock  county,  Illinois. 
He  spent  the  days  of  his  boyhood  and 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


75 


youth  in  his  parents'  home  and  remained 
with  them  until  twenty-three  years  of 
age.  when,  on  the  I2th  of  January,  1854. 
he  was  married  near  Blandinsville,  Illi- 
nois, to  Miss  Amanda  F.  Knowles,  who 
was  born  in  Delaware,  January  27,  1835. 
and  is  a  daughter  of  Rev.  Phillip  and 
Xancy  (Hill)  Knowles,  who  were  also 
natives  of  Delaware.  The  father  was 
a  minister  of  the  United  Brethren  church 
and  after  coming  to  this  state  resided  for 
a  time  in  Jacksonville,  after  which  he 
removed  to  McDonough  county  and  sub- 
sequently to  Henderson  county,  while 
later  he  had  several  charges  in  Hancock 
county,  Illinois.  He  was  thus  closely  as- 
sociated with  the  moral  development  of 
this  portion  of  the  state,  his  influence  be- 
ing of  no  restricted  order,  as  he  labored 
untiringly  for  the  spread  of  the  gospel. 
He  departed  this  life  in  Missouri  in  1888, 
while  his  wife  had  previously  passed 
away.  In  their  family  were  eight  chil- 
dren, of  whom  four  are  now  living: 
Thomas,  a  resident  of  Oregon ;  William, 
in  Florida;  Elizabeth,  the  wife  of  Man- 
love  Dawson,  of  Peoria ;  and  Kinzie.  of 
Nebraska. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ritchey  were 
born  nine  children,  all  natives  of  Han- 
cock county,  and  seven  of  the  number 
are  still  living.  Hiram  C.,  born  Decem- 
ber 15,  1854,  married  Belle  Lamb  and 
had  two  children,  Earl  H.  and  Perle  W.. 
twins,  born  August  10,  1877.  Their 
mother  died  when  they  were  only  eleven 
months  old  and  they  were  reared  by 
their  grandparents,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Josiah 
Ritchey.  Both  are  now  married.  Perle 
wedded  Pearle  Callopy,  lives  in  Canton, 
Illinois,  and  has  three  children,  Ursa. 


Hiram  Edward  and  Verne  Lagrue. 
Earl  married  Luella  Brown,  lives  in  Can- 
ton and  has  two  children,  Lowell  and 
Grace.  After  losing  his  first  wife  Hiram 
Ritchey  wedded  Mrs.  Mary  McClain,  the 
widow  of  Dr.  McClain,  and  after  her 
death  he  married  Mrs.  Ella  Ball,  the 
widow  of  Dr.  Ball.  The  only  child  of 
the  third  marriage  is  deceased.  Hiram 
Ritchey  is  now  a  resident  of  Canton,  Illi- 
nois. Philip  W.  Ritchey,  the  second 
member  of  the  father's  family,  was  born 
July  7,  1857,  married  Angeline  Howard 
and  lives  in  Dallas  City,  Illinois.  They 
had  two  children,  the  living  daughter, 
Eva,  being  now  at  home  with  her  parents. 
John  M.  Ritchey,  born  March  22,  1859, 
died  in  1877.  Sarah  L.,  born  April  30, 
1861,  is  the  wife  of  William  Styles,  of 
Laurens,  Iowa,  and  they  had  nine  chil- 
dren, of  whom  six  are  living:  Bert,  who 
is  married  and  lives  in  Fulton  county, 
Illinois,  and  has  .four  children ;  James, 
who  is  married  and  lives  in  Fulton 
county,  and  has  one  child ;  Josiah  Goldie ; 
and  Fay  and  an  infant.  Margaret 
Ritchey,  the  fifth  member  of  the  family 
of  Josiah  Ritchey,  was  born  September 
14,  1863,  is  the  wife  of  Henry  W.  Wal- 
ter, of  Dallas  City,  Illinois,  by  whom 
she  has  one  daughter.  May,  now  Mrs. 
Muller,  of  Dallas  City,  and  the  mother  of 
two  children.  Catherine  M.  Ritchey, 
born  August  14,  1865,  is  the  wife  of 
Lucius  Atwater,  of  Missouri,  and,  has 
eight  children  living,  Cleveland,  Bertha, 
Orilla,  Amanda  Belle,  Lotus,  Lecil, 
Josiah  Ritchey  and  Joseph.  James  H. 
Ritchey,  the  seventh  member  of  the  fam- 
ily, was  born  October  5,  1868,  and  lives 
in  Canton,  Illinois.  He  married  Mrs. 


76 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


Dora  Gates  and  has  four  children,  Elsie, 
Charles,  James  and  Edith.  Lucinda  M., 
born  March  9,  1873,  became  the  wife  of 
Frank  O'Neil,  and  died  in  Graceville, 
Minnesota',  February  19,  1903,  leaving 
four  children :  Roy,  of  Durham  town- 
ship ;  Josiah  Royse,  living  with  an  aunt 
in  La  Harpe;  Ernest  Ritchey  and  Edith 
Elizabeth,  twins,  who  are  with  their 
grandparents;  Dora  B.,  born  September 
27,  1875,  is  the  wife  of  Fred  McKim,  a 
resident  of  Disco,  Illinois. 

At  the  time  of  their  marriage  Josiah 
and  Amanda  (Knowles)  Ritchey  began 
their  domestic  life  in  Dallas  township, 
where  they  resided  for  two  years  and 
then  removed  to  Durham  township,  set- 
tling on  a  partially  improved  farm,  on 
which  Mr.  Ritchey  made  many  modern 
improvements,  there  carrying  on  general 
farming  and  stock-raising  with  good  suc- 
cess. In  1883  he  was  called  upon  to 
mourn  the  loss  of  his  wife,  who  died 
upon  the  old  homestead  farm  in  Dur- 
ham township.  She  was  a  lady  of  many 
excellent  traits  of  character  and  was 
held  in  warm  regard  by  all  who  knew 
her.  Mr.  Ritchey  continued  to  reside 
upon  the  farm  until  1899,  when  he  re- 
moved to  Carthage,  purchasing  a  beau- 
tiful home  at  No.  706  Washington  street 
at  the  extreme  end  of  the  street.  He 
was  drafted  for  service  in  the  Civil  war 
but  sent  a  substitute,  and  throughout  the 
passing  years  carried  on  farm  labor  with 
excellent  results,  the  annual  sale  of  his  ' 
crops  and  stock  bringing  to  him  a  good 
income  that  eventually  enabled  him  to 
put  aside  further  cares  and  live  retired. 

On  the  20th  of  November,  1889,  Mr. 
Ritchey  was  again   married,  his  second 


union  being  with  Miss  Isabelle  Curry, 
who  was  born  in  Allegheny  county, 
Pennsylvania,  November  20,  1838,  a 
daughter  of  Matthew  and  Jane  (Curry) 
Curry,  who  though  of  the  same  name 
were  not  relatives,  the  former  being  a 
native  of  Ireland,  and  the  latter  of  Penn- 
sylvania. Matthew  Curry  came  to 
America  when  fourteen  years  of  age  and 
made  his  way  to  Hancock  county,  Illi- 
nois, in  1852,  settling  upon  a  farm  here. 
He  was  a  republican  in  his  political 
views  and  both  he  and  his  wife  were 
of  the  old  Covenanter  faith  and  became 
members  of  the  United  Presbyterian 
church,  with  which  they  were  affiliated 
at  the  time  of  their  deaths.  The  father 
passed  away  in  1874,  and  the  mother 
survived  until  1891,  when  she  was  laid 
by  his  side  in  the  cemetery  in  Fountain 
Green  township.  He  had  farmed  in 
Hancock  township  for  a  number  of  years 
and  was  accounted  one  of  the  enterpris- 
ing agriculturists  and  reliable  business 
men  of  the  community.  In  their  fam- 
ily were  six  children,  five  of  whom  are 
living,  namely :  Mrs.  Isabelle  Ritchey ; 
Adam,  who  resides  upon  the  old  home 
farm  near  Webster,  Illinois;  Eliza  Jane, 
the  wife  of  James  Marshall,  who  is  living 
in  Carthage  township,  near  Webster; 
Margaret,  the  wife  of  Andrew  Baxter,  of 
Atchison  county,  Kansas;  and  Samuel, 
who  is  living  in  Hancock  township,  this 
county.  One  brother,  Adam  Curry,  en- 
listed in  the  Tenth  Missouri  Infantry,  and 
afterward  re-enlisted  in  the  One  Hundred 
and  Eighteenth  Illinois  Infantry,  serving 
throughout  the  war.  He  was  with 
Sherman  on  the  celebrated  march  to  the 
sea  and  was  shot  at  the  battle  of  Corinth, 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


77 


still  carrying  the  ball  in  his  shoulder. 
Thomas.  Isaac,  William  and  Jacob 
Knowles,  brothers  of  Mr.  Ritchey's  first 
wife,  were  also  soldiers  of  the  One  Hun- 
dred and  Eighteenth  Illinois  Infantry. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ritchey  have  reared  two 
grandchildren,  living  to  see  them  married 
and  comfortably  situated  in  life,  and  are 
now  rearing  two  more  grandchildren. 
He  and  his  first  wife  were  members  of 
the  United  Brethren  church  but  now  he 
is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church, 
to  which  his  second  wife  belongs  and  in 
which  he  has  served  as  an  elder  for  five 
years.  They  take  a  very  active  and 
earnest  part  in  church  work  and  are  sin- 
cere Christian  people,  doing  everything 
in  their  power  to  advance  the  cause  of 
Christianity.  Mr.  Ritchey  was  for  many 
years  an  advocate  of  the  democracy  but 
now  casts  an  independent  ballot,  sup- 
porting the  candidate  whom  he  regards 
as  the  best  man.  He  has  held  a  num- 
ber of  township  offices  and  at  all  times 
has  been  loyal  in  citizenship,  doing  what 
he  could  for  the  welfare  and  progress  of 
the  community.  He  is  a  self-made 
man,  conscientious  and  reliable.  Start- 
ing out  in  life  empty-handed,  his  deter- 
mination and  energy  have  been  the  sali- 
ent points  in  his  career,  enabling  him  to 
acquire  a  good  living  and  lay  something 
by  for  a  rainy  day.  Both  he  and  his  wife 
are  held  in  the  highest  esteem,  Mrs. 
Ritchey  being  a  lovely  Christian  char- 
acter, and  their  interest  and  activity  in 
church  work  has  done  much  for  the  cause 
in  this  community.  Now  living  retired 
from  business  Mr.  Ritchey  is  enjoying  a 
rest  which  is  richly  merited  and  he 
stands  high  in  public  regard. 


JONATHAN  C.  WILLEY. 

Jonathan  C.  Willey,  who  became  a 
resident  of  Hancock  county  at  an  early 
day,  now  resides  upon  his  farm  on  sec- 
tion 10,  Carthage  township,  where  he 
owns  and  cultivates  eighty  acres.  He 
was  born  in  Dickson  county,  Tennessee, 
on  the  I4th  of  September,  1837,  and  be- 
came a  resident  of  Illinois  when  about 
ten  years  of  age,  accompanying  his 
parents,  John  F,  and  Millie  (Morrison) 
Willey,  on  their  removal  to  Bond  county, 
this  state.  The  father  was  born  in  Hali- 
fax county,  North  Carolina,  while  the 
mother's  birth  occurred  in  Tennessee. 
With  his  parents  he  went  to  the  latter 
state  when  about  two  years  old  and  was 
there  reared  to  manhood  and  married. 
All  of  the  children  of  the  family  were 
born  in  Tennessee  and  the  parents  re- 
sided there  until  about  1847,  when  they 
came  to  this  state,  settling  in  Bond 
county,  where  they  remained  for  five  or 
six  years.  They  afterward  went  to 
Menard  county,  Illinois,  and  thence  to 
Mason  county,  remaining  for  only  a 
brief  period  in  each  county.  In  1854 
they  came  to  Hancock  county  and  Mr. 
Willey  cast  in  his  lot  with  the  early  set- 
tlers who  were  depending  upon  agricul- 
tural interests  for  a  living.  He  subse- 
quently conducted  his  farming  interests 
up  to  the  time  of  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred in  Carthage  township  upon  the 
place  now  owned  by  his  son  Jonathan, 
when  he  was  seventy-six  years  of  age. 
His  political  allegiance  was  given  to  the 
democracy  but  he  never  sought  or  de- 
sired office.  He  was  a  prosperous  and 
progressive  man  who  owned  large  prop- 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


erty  interests  in  Tennessee.  The  place 
of  his  interment  is  in  Fountain  Green 
cemetery,  where  he  was  laid  to  rest  fol- 
lowing his  death,  on  the  i2th  of  March, 
1887.  His  wife  survived  him  for  about 
four  years  and  died  March  14,  1891.  Of 
their  five  children  only  three  are  now 
living,  as  follows :  Mary  Catherine,  the 
wife  of  John  Dennison,  of  Hamilton, 
Illinois;  Elizabeth,  the  wife  of  Elias 
Lister,  of  Tulare,  California ;  and  Jon- 
athan C. 

The  fourth  in  order  of  birth  in  his 
father's  family,  Jonathan  C.  Willey,  was 
reared  under  the  parental  roof,  accom- 
panying his  parents  on  their  removals 
to  various  localities.  He  largely  ob- 
tained his  education  in  Tennessee  and 
after  coming  to  Hancock  county  he  as- 
sisted his  father  upon  the  home  farm 
as  a  young  man.  There  he  remained 
to  the  age  of  twenty-three  years,  when 
he  started  out  in  life  on  his  own  account, 
renting  a  farm  in  Fountain  Green  town- 
ship, where  he  remained  for  a  number  of 
years.  During  that  period  he  lived  care- 
fully and  economically  and  thereby  he 
accumulated  the  capital  sufficient  to  en- 
able him  to  purchase  his  present  farm, 
whereon  he  has  since  resided.  The  place 
was  but  partially  improved  but  he  has 
continued  its  cultivation  and  develop- 
ment until  he  now  has  a  model  farm,  his 
attention  being  given  to  general  farm- 
ing and  -  stock-raising.  His  business 
methods  are  such  as  bear  close  investi- 
gation and  scrutiny  and  his  enterprise 
has  been  a  salient  feature  in  his  success. 

On  the  2d  of  April,  1862,  was  cele- 
brated the  marriage  of  Mr.  Willey  and 
Miss  Cynthia  Wright,  a  daughter  of 
Hickerson  and  Cynthia  (Donoho) 


Wright.  Mrs.  Willey  was  born  in  Foun- 
tain Green  township,  September  30,  1840, 
and  pursued  her  education  in  the  schools 
of  Fountain  Green,  Pontoosuc  and  Web- 
ster townships,  remaining  at  home  until 
her  marriage.  She  has  become  the 
mother  of  five  children,  three  sons  and 
two  daughters.  Sterling  Price,  born  in 
Fountain  Green  township,  November  30, 
1862,  died  at  the  age  of  three  years  and 
one  month,  and  was  there  laid  to  rest. 
Linnie  is  now  the  wife  of  Charles  E. 
Griswold,  a  carpenter  and  contractor  of 
Chicago.  Her  first  husband  was  Steph- 
en D.  Aldridge,  who  was  a  farmer  of 
Fountain  Green  township,  and  by  their 
marriage  there  was  one  son,  Carroll  D., 
who  was  born  August  12,  1895,  and  now 
makes  his  home  with  his  grandparents, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Willey.  Jennie  Florence 
is  the  wife  of  Alfred  B.  Miller,  of  De- 
Witt,  Missouri,  where  he  follows  farm- 
ing. They  have  had  seven  children : 
Ethel,  now  the  wife  of  George  Seabold, 
by  whom  she  has  one  child ;  Roy,  Harry, 
Bessie,  Ross,  and  Dixie;  and  one,  the 
sixth  in  order  of  birth,  who  is  deceased. 
Patrick  H.,  the  fourth  member  of  the 
Willey  family,  is  a  farmer  residing  in 
Peabody,  Kansas,  and  married  Margaret 
Yetter,  a  daughter  of  Samuel  R.  Yetter. 
They  had  four  children,  Alma  May, 
Bertha  A.,  Frank  and  Mabel,  but  the 
first  named  is  deceased.  Jesse  W.,  a 
railroad  bridge  builder  living  in  Chicago, 
married  Miss  Minnie  Oglvie,  a  daughter 
of  James  and  Millie  Oglvie,  of  Carthage 
township,  and  they  have  two  children. 
Mabel  and  Helen.  All  of  the  children  of 
the  Willey  family  were  born  in  Hancock 
county. 

Mr.  Willey  gives  evidence  of  his  po- 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


79 


litical  faith  on  election  day  by  casting  a 
ballot  for  the  men  and  measures  of  de- 
mocracy. He  has  held  the  office  of 
school  director  for  the  past  thirty  years 
and  is  interested  in  intellectual  progress 
and  development  in  his  community.  Af- 
fairs relating  to  general  improvement 
also  claim  his  attention  and  co-operation 
and  he  has  done  his  full  share  in  the  work 
of  public  improvement  during  the  half 
century  or  more  in  which  he  has  lived  in 
Hancock  county  where  he  has  been  fully 
appreciated. 


ROBERT  M.  KIMBROUGH. 

Death  often  removes  a  citizen  whom  a 
community  feels  it  can  ill  afford  to  lose. 
The  news  of  the  death  of  Robert  M. 
Kimbrough  was  received  with  deep  and 
wide-spread  regret  in  his  township  and 
throughout  Hancock  county  wherever  he 
was  known,  for  he  had  lived  a  life  of 
uprightness  and  honor.  He  was  no  mere 
negative  factor  in  the  community  but  a 
citizen  of  exemplary  rectitude  of  char- 
acter, who  was  active  and  energetic  in 
his  business  life  and  loyal  in  his  support 
of  all  the  measures  and  movements  which 
he  deemed  would  prove  of  benefit  in  ad- 
vancing public  progress  and  upbuilding. 
His  life  record  began  in  Carthage  town- 
ship on  the  2Oth  of  April,  1844,  and  he 
continuously  remained  a  resident  of  that 
locality.  His  education  was  acquired  in 
the  common  schools  near  his  father's 


home  and  he  assisted  in  the  work  of  the 
farm  when  not  busy  with  his  text-books. 
He  was  a  son  of  William  and  Martha 
(Cauthorn)  Kimbrough,  both  of  whom 
were  natives  of  Kentucky,  whence  they 
came  to  Illinois  at  an  early  day,  settling 
in  Hancock  county.  The  father  pur- 
chased land  in  Carthage  township  and 
there  made  a  home  for  himself  and  fam- 
ily, devoting  his  time  and  energies  to 
general  agricultural  pursuits  and  stock- 
raising.  As  the  years  passed  he  con- 
verted his  land  into  productive  fields  and 
continued  their  cultivation  until  his 
death.  His  wife  had  passed  away 
several  years  before. 

Under  the  parental  roof  Robert  M. 
Kimgrough  spent  the  days  of  his  boy- 
hood and  continued  to  reside  upon  the 
home  farm  as  a  young  man,  although  to 
some  extent  he  worked  upon  neighboring 
farms.  He  was  about  sixteen  years  of 
age  when  he  began  earning  his  own  liv- 
ing in  that  way  and  was  thus  employed 
up  to  the  time  of  his  marriage,  which  was 
celebrated  on  the  igth  of  January,  1871, 
Miss  Almeda  A.  Bryant  becoming  his 
wife.  The  young  couple  began  their 
domestic  life  upon  a  farm  which  Mrs. 
Kimbrough  had  inherited  from  her 
father  and  it  was  situated  on  section  i, 
Harmony  township.  The  place  com- 
prises one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of 
land  there  together  with  thirty-seven 
acres  in  Carthage  township.  As  the  years 
passed  by  Mr.  Kimbrough  continued  the 
work  of  cultivating  and  improving  the 
fields  and  adding  to  the  farm  many 
modern  equipments  in  harmony  with  pro- 
gressive ideas  of  agricultural  develop- 
ment. Upon  the  destruction  of  the  old 


8o 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


home  by  fire  in  1902  he  erected  a  large 
two-story  frame  dwelling  with  all  mod- 
ern conveniences,  which  is  one  of  the 
attractive  farm  residences  of  this  part  of 
the  county.  He  cultivated  his  fields 
successfully,  annually  harvesting  large 
crops,  and  he  was  also  well  known  as  a 
capable  and  prosperous  stock  raiser, 
keeping  on  hand  high  grades  of  cattle, 
horses  and  hogs,  making  a  specialty, 
however,  of  Durham  cattle.  He  used 
the  latest  improved  machinery  to  facili- 
tate the  work  of  the  fields  and  as  the 
years  passed  by  he  converted  the  place 
into  one  of  the  model  farms  of  the 
county. 

It  was  upon  this  place  that  Mrs.  Kim- 
brough  was  born  and  reared,  her  natal 
day  being  April  19,  1847.  Her  parents 
were  Ambrose  and  Susanna  (Reed) 
Bryant,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of 
Virginia,  whence  they  came  to  Illinois 
at  an  early  day,  settling  in  Harmony 
township,  Hancock  county,  when  it  was 
still  a  frontier  region.  Mr.  Bryant  pur- 
chased one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of 
land  on  section  I  and  although  the  tract 
was  wild  and  unimproved  when  it  came 
into  his  possession,  he  soon  converted  it 
into  productive  fields,  continuing  the  cul- 
tivation of  the  place  until  his  death.  He 
was  born  March  5,  1810,  and  passed 
away  July  25,  1876,  in  the  faith  of  the 
Primitive  Baptist  church,  of  which  he 
had  long  been  a  devoted  member.  In  his 
political  views  he  was  a  democrat.  He 
had  for  several  years  survived  his  wife, 
who  was  born  November  26,  1807,  and 
died  February  23,  1864.  Their  remains 
now  rest  side  by  side  in  Holland  ceme- 
tery in  St.  Mary's  township. 


The  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kim- 
brough  was  blessed  with  three  children, 
two  of  whom  are  living:  Dennis  B., 
born  January  n,  1872,  was  educated  in 
Harmony  township  and  now  operates 
the  old  home  farm.  Flora  S..  born  on 
the  home  place  December  19,  1874,  is  the 
wife  of  Lawrence  D.  Lane,  who  was 
born  in  Carthage  township,  Hancock  ] 
county,  and  is  a  son  of  Thomas  Lane, 
now  a  resident  of  the  city  of  Carthage,  i 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lane  reside  with  her 
mother,  Mrs.  Kimbrough,  on  the  old 
farm,  and  to  them  have  been  born  three  ] 
children,  of  whom  two  are  living :  Hazel 
Fern,  born  March  4.  1894;  and  Oliver,  j 
December  2,  1896.  They  lost  their 
younger  daughter,  Neva  Pearl,  who  was  ] 
born  May  31,  1904,  and  died  June  9, 
1905.  These  children  were  all  born  in 
Carthage  township.  Leo  R.  Kimbrough, 
the  youngest  member  of  the  family,  was 
born  November  13,  1880,  and  died  Feb- 
ruary I,  1905,  after  an  operation  for  ap- 
pendicitis. He  was  a  young  man  of 
genuine  personal  worth,  much  loved  by 
his  family  and  a  large  circle  of  friends. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kimbrough  also  reared  a 
niece,  Emma  Thompson,  who  was  born 
January  27,  1872,  in  Hancock  county. 
Her  parents  were  Robert  and  Isabelle 
Thompson,  residents  of  Adams  county, 
the  latter  being  a  sister  of  Mr.  Kim- 
brough. They  died  when  their  daugh- 
ter was  about  seven  years  of  age,  when 
she  became  a  member  of  the  Kimbrough 
household,  in  which  she  remained  until 
her  marriage  on  the  2gth  of  November, 
1893,  to  William  Reuck,  a  resident 
farmer  of  Hancock  county.  Two  chil- 
dren grace  this  union :  William  Clay, 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


81 


born    September    28,     1894;    and    Edna 
May,  born  November  29,  1899. 

Throughout  his  entire  life  Robert  M. 
Kimbrough  carried  on  general  farming 
and  his  death  occurred  upon  the  old 
homestead  March  8.  1905.  when  he  was 
sixty  years  of  age.  He  had,  however, 
been  in  poor  health  for  a  number  of 
years.  He  was  a  supporter  of  the  Bap- 
tist church  and  was  an  ardent  adherent 
of  the  democratic  party.  He  held  the 
office  of  assessor  of  Harmony  township 
for  two  terms  and  was  also  school  di- 
rector for  some  years.  Although  he 
never  united  with  any  church  he  was  a 
firm  believer  in  the  Primitive  Baptist  doc- 
trine and  lived  a  Christian  life.  In  his 
last  illness  he  suffered  intensely  but  never 
a  murmur  escaped  his  lips.  He  was  a 
good  neighbor  and  a  kind  and  indulgent 
husband  and  father,  and  he 'was  always 
ready  and  willing  to  do  his  part.  He 
possessed  an  adaptable  nature  which  en- 
abled him  to  mingle  freely  and  easily 
with  young  and  old  and  all  enjoyed  his 
company.  Hospitality  reigned  supreme 
in  his  home  and  his  friends  were  ever 
cordially  welcome.  He  possessed  a 
genial,  kindly  disposition  and  many  ster- 
ling traits  of  character,  and  all  who  knew 
him  esteemed  him  highly.  His  entire 
life  had  been  passed  in  Hancock  county 
and  he  was  a  most  worthy  pioneer  settler, 
taking  a  deep  interest  in  what  was  ac- 
complished in  the  line  of  improvement 
and  progress  and  doing  all  in  his  power 
to  further  the  public  good,  and  through- 
out his  entire  life  he  was  actuated  by  hon- 
orable principles  and  manly  purposes,  and 
i?  well  worthy  of  representation  in  this 
volume. 


THADDEUS  J.  ELLEFRITZ. 

Thaddeus  J.  Ellefritz,  who  carries  on 
general  agricultural  pursuits  in  Carth- 
age township,  is  a  native  son  of  Hancock 
county,  having  been  born  in  Pilot  Grove 
township,  on  the  igth  of  April.  1869. 
His  parents  were  Solomon  A.  and  Mary 
A.  (Botts)  Ellefritz.  The  father's 
birth  occurred  in  Virginia  and  there  he 
resided  until  he  attained  his  majority, 
after  which  he  removed  to  Illinois,  set- 
tling in  Pilot  Grove  township,  Hancock 
county.  There  he  purchased  a  tract  of 
land  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres, 
which  he  transformed  into  a  good  farm, 
making  a  home  for  himself  and  family. 
He  lived  there  for  a  number  of  years, 
after  which  he  removed  to  another  farm 
of  one  hundred  acres  in  the  same  town- 
ship, residing  thereon  until  about  two 
years  prior  to  his  death,  when  he  pur- 
chased a  third  farm  property  in  the  same 
township,  comprising  one  hundred  and 
eighty  acres.  He  lived  thereon  until  his 
demise  and  as  his  financial  resources  in- 
creased he  added  more  and  more  largely 
to  his  land  holdings  until  at  his  death  he 
was  the  owner  of  eight  hundred  acres, 
nearly  all  of  which  was  improved  land. 
He  died  in  1893,  at  the  age  of  sixty-four 
years.  Throughout  his  life  he  carried 
on  general  farming  and  stock-raising 
and  was  very  prosperous,  yet  he  did  not 
selfishly  hoard  his  wealth  but  gave  to  the 
support  of  the  Methodist  church  and  to 
many  movements  for  the  general  good. 
In  early  manhood  he  wedded  Mrs.  Mary 
A.  Coak,  nee  Botts,  who  was  the  widow 
of  Henry  Coak.  She  was  born  in  St. 
Mary's  township,  Henry  county,  and  is 


82 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


still  living,  her  home  being  in  Carthage. 
She  was  the  mother  of  seven  children: 
Eugenie,  the  wife  of  L.  C.  Miller,  of 
Carthage;  Thaddeus  J.,  of  this  review; 
Howard,  residing  in  Carthage;  Carlos, 
whose  home  is  in  Burnside,  Illinois ; 
Bristow;  Mary,  deceased;  and  Alma, 
died  in  infancy. 

Thaddeus  J.  Ellefritz  acquired  his  edu- 
cation in  the  common  schools  of  his  na- 
tive township  and  as  a  young  man 
worked  upon  his  father's  farm.  Later 
he  began  farming  on  his  own  account  on 
one  of  the  properties  belonging  to  his 
father,  the  place  comprising  one  hundred 
acres  of  land  in  Pilot  Grove  township. 
The  mother  who  received  all  of  the  prop- 
erty at  the  time  of  her  husband's  death 
deeded  our  subject  the  one  hundred  acres 
near  Burnside  on  which  he  had  resided. 
He  remained  thereon  until  five  years  ago, 
when  he  sold  that  property  and  purchased 
a  farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in 
Missouri.  He  lived  there  for  only  ten 
months,  however,  when  he  sold  out  and 
returned  to  Hancock  county,  where  he 
purchased  his  present  farm  of  one  hun- 
dred and  thirty-six  acres  in  Carthage 
township.  The  entire  tract  is  under  a 
high  state  of  cultivation  and  he  has  made 
additional  improvements,  including  the 
planting  of  a  fine  orchard.  Here  he  car- 
ries on  general  fanning  and  stock-rais- 
ing in  addition  to  .the  cultivation  of  fruit 
and  he  annually  raises  high  grades  of 
cattle,  horses  and  hogs.  Everything 
about  his  place  is  kept  in  excellent  condi- 
tion and  the  neat  and  thrifty  appearance 
of  his  farm  is  proof  of  his  progressive 
spirit  and  practical  methods. 

On  April  6,    1892.   Mr.   Ellefritz  w.-is 


married  to  Miss  Fannie  M.  Pearce,  who 
was  born  in  Maryland,  and  came  to  Illi- 
nois when  five  years  of  age  with  her 
parents,  Thomas  and  Sophia  (Dailey) 
Pearce.  Both  the  father  and  mother 
were  natives  of  Maryland,  and  on  com- 
ing to  Illinois  settled  in  Bowen.  The 
father  was  a  farmer  by  occupation  and 
followed  that  pursuit  throughout  his  ac- 
tive business  life.  He  now  resides  in 
Burnside  but  his  wife  passed  away  thir- 
teen years  ago.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ellefritz 
have  become  the  parents  of  three  chil- 
dren, Pernie  M.,  Ray  T.  and  Cleo  C. 
All  of  the  children  were  born  in  Pilot 
Grove  township. 

Mr.  Ellefritz  is  a  republican  but  with- 
out aspiration  for  office,  preferring  to 
leave  the  strife  of  office-holding  to  oth- 
ers, yet  doing  all  in  his  power  to  promote 
general  improvement  and  progress.  The 
family  attend  and  support  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church,  of  which  Mrs.  Elle- 
fritz is  a  member.  He  is  successful  in 
his  farming  operations  and  his  carefully 
directed  labors  have  been  the  means  of 
securing  a  valuable  property,  which  is 
highly  cultivated  and  constitutes  one  of 
the  fine  farms  of  Carthage  township. 


HOMER   DAVENPORT    BROWN. 

Homer  Davenport  Brown,  who  for 
many  years  was  the  owner  of  Brown's 
nursery  at  Hamilton,  was  born  in 
Quincy,  Illinois,  March  9,  1846,  and  is 
a  son  of  Homer  Brown,  who  was  born 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


Lunenburg,  Massachusetts,  in  1811. 
is  father  was  overseer  of  the  poor  in 
Massachusetts  for  many  years  and 
Homer  Brown,  Sr.,  was  reared  upon  the 
county  farm.  He  married  Miss  Hannah 
Chandler  Safford,  who  was  born  in  New 
Ipswich,  New  Hampshire,  in  1811.  The 
maternal  grandparents  of  our  subject 
started  from  the  east  to  Quincy,  Illi- 
nois, and  the  grandfather  died  upon  the 
road.  His  wife,  however,  continued  on 
the  way  to  Quincy  with  her  family,  where 
she  spent  her  remaining  days.  She  had 
three  children.  In  the  year  1832,  Homer 
Brown,  Sr.,  went  to  Keokuk,  Iowa, 
where  he  engaged  in  business  as  a 
painter  and  painted  the  first  sign  made 
in  Keokuk.  He  did  work  throughout 
this  vicinity  of  the  country  and  was  for 
some  time  in  Quincy,  where  h'e  was  mar- 
ried. He  lived  at  different  times  in 
Hancock  and  Adams  counties  and  located 
permanently  where  Hamilton  now  is. 
In  fact  he  was  one  of  the  founders  of 
the  town.  He  purchased  in  1857  what 
is  now  known  as  Wild  Cat  Springs, 
which  property  he  improved  and  owned 
until  his  death.  He  was  quite  promi- 
nent, leaving  the  impress  of  his  individ- 
uality upon  public  thought  and  action  and 
upon  the  development  and  substantial  im- 
provement of  this  part  of  the  state.  He 
died  September  29,  1876,  while  his  wife 
survived  him  for  a  number  of  years, 
passing  away  in  Quincy,  May  14,  1890. 
In  the  family  were  two  sons,  the  elder 
being  Horace  Safford,  who  was  born  in 
Carthage  in  1837.  He  was  identified 
with  work  on  the  rapids  of  the  Missis- 
sipppi  river.  He  attended  some  of  the 
finest  schools  of  the  country  and  enlisted 


in  the  United  States  navy,  being  engaged 
in  government  work  at  Louisville,  Ken- 
tucky. He  now  resides  in  Quincy  and 
is  a  contractor  for  improvements  made 
by  the  government.  He  married  Eliza 
Brown,  by  whom  there  is  one  child, 
Catherine  H.  Brown.  His  wife  died 
and  he  afterward  married  Jennie  Elder, 
by  whom  he  had  one  child,  who  died  at 
the  age  of  nine  years.  He  makes  his 
home  in  Quincy  and  does  important 
government  work. 

Homer  Davenport  Brown,  whose  name 
introduces  this  review,  remained  with  his 
parents  until  he  attained  his  majority, 
when  he  further  improved  the  land 
where  the  Wild  Cat  Springs  are  located 
and  where  the  Chautauqua  assembly  is 
held,  which  he  still  owns. 

On  the  26th  of  October,  1869,  Mr. 
Brown  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Alice  Harvey,  who  was  born  in  St.  Cath- 
erine's, Ontario,  and  attended  the  com- 
mon schools  and  an  academy  there.  She 
is  a  daughter  of  Samuel  and  Lucy  Sophia 
(Parsons)  Harvey  and  was  their  only 
child  who  lived  to  mature  years.  Unto 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Brown  have  been  born  two 
children:  Nellie  L.,  born  June  16,  1871; 
and  Harvey  Homer,  born  November  25, 
1876.  Mr.  Brown  is  well  known  in 
Hamilton  as  an  enterprising  business 
man,  alert  and  energetic,  making  the 
most  of  his  opportunities  and  conducting 
a  business  along  modern  lines.  He  is 
winning  gratifying  success  and  occupies 
an  enviable  position  in  business  circles 
there.  He  casts  an  independent  ballot, 
having  no  strong  political  preferences  but 
voting  for  the  man  whom  he  thinks  best 
qualified  to  fill  the  offices.  He  has  served 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REJ-'IEU' 


fo,r  two  terms  as  alderman  of  the  third 
ward  and  proved  a  capable  official,  sup- 
porting each  measure  that  was  intro- 
duced that  he  believed  would  prove  bene- 
ficial to  the  town  and  at  the  same  time 
opposing  as  strongly  those  measures 
which  he  believed  might  prove  detri- 
mental to  the  welfare  of  the  city. 


ISAAC  N.  HOBART. 

Isaac  N.  Hobart,  a  native  of  Hancock 
county,  and  a  man  of  whom  the  county 
may  well  be  proud,  resides  on  his  large 
and  well-improved  farm  on  section  6  of 
Hancock  township.  Mr.  Hobart  is  the 
owner  of  three  hundred  acres  of  fine 
farming  land,  part  of  which  lies  in  Han- 
cock township  and  part  in  Carthage 
township. 

Isaac  N.  Hobart  was  born  in  Foun- 
tain Green  township,  Hancock  county, 
Illinois,  on  'January  10,  1834.  and  was 
the  son  of  Norman  and  Ura  Eaton  (Hol- 
liday)  Hobart,  the  father  being  a  native 
of  Essex,  New  York,  his  birth  occurring 
December  29,  1810.  Norman  Hobart 
came  to  Illinois  in  1833.  locating  in 
Rushville,  where  he  lived  until  his  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Holliday,  after  which  he 
came  to  Hancock  county,  where  he  lo- 
cated in  Fountain  Green  township,  re- 
maining but  one  year,  and  then  removed 
to  Carthage  township.  Mr.  Hobart 
purchased  a  farm  in  Carthage  township 
on  which  he  made  his  home  part  of  the 
time,  and  partly  in  Carthage,  where  he 


owned  a  carding  machine.  Later  he 
bought  the  old  grist  mill  on  Crooked 
creek,  which  he  rebuilt,  making  a  steam 
flouring  mill  of  it,  also  adding  a  saw  mill 
which  he  operated  for  a  number  of  years. 
He  then  moved  the  mill  to  Carthage,  op- 
erating it  as  a  grist  mill,  then  purchased 
a  farm  of  eighty  acres,  one  mile  from 
Carthage,  which  he  farmed  until  his 
death,  December  13,  1878.  He  was  a 
devoted  member  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal church,  for  many  years  being  a 
local  preacher  in  that  church. 

He  was  a  public-spirited  man  and 
gave  his  support  to  the  Republican  party, 
though  he  was  never  an  aspirant  for  of- 
fice. Norman  Hobart  was  a  prosperous 
man  of  his  day  and  was  an  important 
factor  in  the  building  up  of  the  com- 
munity in  which  he  lived.  He  assisted 
in  building  the  first  wagon  road  from 
Fountain  Green  to  Carthage.  His  re- 
mains were  laid  to  rest  in  the  Carthage 
cemetery.  His  wife  was  a  native  of 
Kentucky  and  came  to  Illinois  at  an  early 
day.  She  was  the  daughter  of  Moses 
and  Celia  (Skirvin)  Holliday,  both  na- 
tives of  Kentucky.  Mr.  Holliday  was  a 
hatter  by  trade.  Both  parents  were 
buried  in  Hancock  county. 

This  worthy  couple  were  the  parents 
of  fourteen  children,  only  two  of  whom 
are  now  living,  our  subject  being  the 
oldest  in  point  of  birth. 

Isaac  N.  Hobart  was  educated  in  the 
common  schools  of  the  township  in  which 
he  lived,  in  the  old  log  school  houses  of 
that  day,  and  also  in  a  school  that  was 
held  in  the  old  brick  church  in  Carthage 
township,  near  what  is  now  Elm  Tree 
post-office.  The  school  was  taught  by 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


Squire  R.  Davis  and  was  a  subscription 
school.  When  about  sixteen  years  of 
age  he  went  to  work  in  the  grist  and 
saw  mill  of  his  father  and  continued  at 
this  for  eleven  years. 

On  the  3  ist  day  of  January,  1861,  oc- 
curred the  marriage  of  Isaac  N.  Hobart 
and  Mary  E.  Duffy,  of  Hancock  county, 
which  union  was  blessed  with  eleven 
children,  all  of  whom  are  now  living. 
This  large  family  of  children  are  all  mar- 
ried and  have  homes  and  interesting  fam- 
ilies of  their  own,  of  whom  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Hobart  are  justly  proud.  Mary  Emily, 
widow  of  Joseph  Kuntz,  has  four  chil- 
dren :  Mary  L.,  Leo,  Harley,  and 
Garret  H.,  and  resides  in  Missouri : 

Carrie  Luella,  wife  of  Samuel  Sowers, 
a  farmer  in  Nebraska,  has  six  children : 
Jessie  B.,  wife  of  Lee  Julian,  also  a 
farmer  in  Nebraska,  and  parents  of  two 
children :  Gladys  and  Clayton  L. ;  Mary 
W.,  Blanche,  Floyd,  Buby  C.,  and 
Garret; 

Joseph  N.,  resides  in  Hancock  town- 
ship, farming  part  of  the  home  farm, 
married  Eva  Wright,  and  has  one  child, 
Ray; 

Dennis  W.,  resides  in  Missouri  on  a 
farm  owned  by  his  father,  married  Katie 
Murtland,  and  has  three  children : 
Glenn,  Joseph,  and  Dennis  W. ; 

Eva  Elizabeth,  married  John  McCon- 
nell,  a  farmer  in  Fountain  Green  town- 
ship, and  has  six  children:  Beulah  E., 
Evelyn  H.,  Margaruite,  Frances,  Bernice 
and  Anna  M. ;  each  of  whom  is  a  credit 
to  the  parents. 

Lillie  Estella.  wife  of  Morris  Yutter, 
a  farmer  of  Fountain  Green  township, 
and  has  seven  children :  Lewis  N., 


Alma  E.,  Jennings  B.,  Harry,  Ross  M., 
Mabel  and  Fay  Hobart; 

Matilda  E.,  wife  of  John  Herron,  a 
farmer  of  Nebraska,  and  has  four  chil- 
dren :  John  Newton,  Erma  G.,  Charles 
and  Joseph  Bernard; 

Ura  Amanda,  wife  of  Wayman  Mills, 
a  farmer  and  saw-mill  owner  of  Carth- 
age township,  and  has  three  children : 
Mary  E.,  deceased,  Dennis  W.,  and 
Myrtle ; 

Isaac  N.,  resides  on  part  of  the  home 
place,  which  he  farms,  married  Mary 
Hasten  and  has  two  children :  Gladys 
M.,  and  Ivan ; 

Ethel  B.,  wife  of  William  E.  Koontz, 
a  farmer  in  Hancock  township,  has  three 
children :  Forrest  U.,  Franklin  Clay, 
and  Fern ; 

Mabel  Grace,  widow  of  Gerald  Mos- 
ley,  who  died  in  Colorado,  where  he  had 
gone  for  his  health,  his  death  occurring 
September  20,  1905.  Mrs.  Mosley  has 
one  child,  Herman  Harold,  born  June 
7.  1904. 

All  of  the  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Hobart  were  born  in  Hancock  township. 
Hancock  county.  Mr.  Hobart  is  a  large 
landowner,  part  of  his  property  lying  in 
Hancock  county,  and  part  in  Missouri. 
He  has  made  many  improvements  on  his 
farms,  and  keeps  his  buildings  in  the  very 
best  of  repair.  For  many  years  he  has 
engaged  in  general  farming  and  stock- 
raising.  His  wife  was  the  daughter  of 
Anthony  and  Mary  Matilda  (Spangler) 
Duffy,  early  residents  'of  Hancock  coun- 
ty, the  mother  being  called  from  earth 
in  July,  1872,  and  the  father  in  Septem- 
ber. 1884,  after  having  mourned  the  death 
of  his  companion  about  twelve  years. 


86 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REV  IE}}' 


Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hobart  have  lasting 
monuments  in  the  well-kept  properties 
which  they  have  accumulated,  and  are 
surrounded  by  many  happy  families  of 
their  children. 

Mr.  Hobart  has  used  his  progressive- 
ness  and  good  judgment  to  the  better- 
ment of  the  community  in  which  he 
makes  his  home,  as  well  as  for  the  ad- 
vancement of  his  own  welfare,  and  is  a 
man  whose  counsel  is  asked  and  heeded 
by  his  contemporaries. 


LEVERETT  WELLINGTON  BUELL. 

Leverett  W.  Buell,  formerly  identified 
with  farming  interests  and  later  en- 
gaged in  the  hotel  business  in  Dallas,  is 
now  living  retired.  Centuries  ago  the 
Greek  philosopher  uttered  the  words  of 
wisdom,  "Earn  thy  reward :  the  gods 
give  naught  to  sloth,"  and  this  truth  has 
been  manifest  in  all  the  ages.  Mr.  Buell 
is  one  who  has  justly  earned  all  that  he 
possesses  and  a  life  of  activity  is  now 
crowned  with  an  honorable  rest.  A  na- 
tive of  Connecticut,  he  was  born  in 
Killingsworth,  Middlesex  county,  Febru- 
•  ary  22,  1840,  a  son  of  William  and 
Louisa  (Chatfield)  Buell,  who  were  like- 
wise natives  of  that  place.  The  father 
was  a  farmer  by  occupation,  and  enlisted 
in  the  war  of  .1812  but  was  not  called 
out  for  active  service.  He  filled  the  of- 
fices of  justice  of  the  peace  and  road  com- 
missioner and  gave  his  political  support 
to  the  democracy.  He  held  membership 
in  the  Methodist  church,  while  his  wife 
belonged  to  the  Presbyterian  church  and 


both  died  in  the  place  of  their  nativity. 
They  had  five  children,  of  whom  four 
are  now  living:  Leverett  W.,  Cornelia,  \ 
the  wife  of  Joseph  H.  Beal,  a  Methodist 
minister  living  in  Portland,  Maine ;  Jen- 
nie, now  Mrs.  Snow,  of  New  Haven, 
Connecticut;  and  Celestra,  wife  of  Dar- 
well  Stone,  of  Guilford,  Connecticut. 

L.  W.  Buell  was  educated  in  Killings- 
worth,  Connecticut,  and  engaged  in 
farming  with  his  father  until  1864,  when 
he  engaged  in  butchering  and  the  meat 
business  for  'five  years.  His  marriage 
occurred  in  1865,  Miss  Celestine  E. 
Parmelee  becoming  his  wife.  She  was 
bom  in  Killingsworth,  a  daughter  of 
Orin  S.  and  Phoebe  (Lynes)  Parmelee, 
both  of  whom  died  in  Connecticut,  the 
mother  being  killed  in  a  runaway  acci- 
dent. In  their  family  were  nine  chil- 
dren, of  whom  three  are  living.  Mrs. 
Buell  died  April  21,  1879,  and  was  buried 
in  Durham  township,  Hancock  county. 
She  had  two  children,  one  of  whom  died 
in  infancy,  while  Frank  W.  was  killed 
by  a  traction  engine  in  Carthage  town- 
ship, March  24,  1905.  He  was  a  most 
highly  respected  and  worthy  young  man, 
and  his  death  came  as  a  great  blow  to  his 
father.  He  had  married  Emma  Heiler, 
who  still  lives  in  Carthage  township,  and 
they  had  three  children — -Ethel,  Chesley 
and  El  wood.  On  the  2ist  of  September, 
1 88 1,  Mr.  Buell  married  Mrs.  Mary  J. 
Potter,  nee  Robinson,  whose  parents  live 
on  a  farm  in  Kansas.  They  had  seven 
children :  William  and  John,  who  are 
residents  of  Colusa,  ,  Illinois,  and  were 
soldiers  of  the  Civil  war;  Martha  and 
Elizabeth,  both  of  Kansas;  and  Percival, 
of  Oklahoma,  who  served  in  the  Philip- 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


pine  war.  Mrs.  Buell  is  the  other  mem- 
ber of  the  family.  She  lost  her  first  hus- 
band in  1869.  There  were  four  children 
by  that  marriage,  the  eldest  of  which  died 
in  infancy,  the  others  being:  Louisa,  the 
eldest,  is  the  wife  of  Lemuel  Wells,  of 
Pontoosuc,  Illinois,  by  whom  she  has  five 
children :  Sarah,  the  wife  of  Cleo  Price, 
of  Dallas,  and  the  mother  of  one  child, 
and  Jesse,  Imogen,  Mariette  and  Helen, 
all  at  home;  Charlotte  Potter  is  the  wife 
of  Albert  Thai-inert,  a  traveling  man  for 
a  Burlington  hardware  store,  now  living 
in  Red  Oak,  Iowa.  Warren  Potter,  who 
is  living  in  North  Chillicothe,  Illinois, 
married  Emma  Snyder,  of  Burlington. 
They  have  four  children :  Harry  LeRoy, 
Marie,  Clifford  and  Allen. 

Mr.  Buell  came  west  in  1869  in  No- 
vember, engaged  in  farming  in  Durham 
township  until  1886,  when  on  account 
of  his  health  he  retired  to  Dallas,  pur- 
chasing a  home  on  Front  street,  after 
spending  two  years  as  proprietor  of  the 
Riverside  Hotel,  of  Dallas,  which  was 
destroyed  by  fire  in  1890.  He  then 
bought  his  present  home  and  he  also 
owns  a  vacant  lot  in  Kerby's  first  ad- 
dition. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Buell  has  been 
born  a  son,  William  Henry,  who  was 
born  in  Senora  township,  July  30,  1885, 
and  is  at  home.  For  four  years  he  has 
worked  as  a  painter  in  Burg's  factory. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Buell  are  also  rearing  her 
niece,  Verda  Robinson,  whose  mother 
died  when  she  was  a  little  girl.  She  was 
born  in  November,  1894.  In  his  po- 
litical views  Mr.  Buell  is  a  democrat  and 
has  served  as  town  clerk  and  a  commis- 
sioner of  highways  of  Durham  township. 
6 


He  is  a  member  of  Dallas  City  Lodge 
No.  235  A.  F.  &  A.  M.  of  which  he  is 
past  master,  also  a  member  of  Dallas 
Chapter  No.  in,  of  which  he  has  been 
tyler  for  many  years.  A  Methodist  in 
religious  faith  and  -an  active  worker  in 
the  church,  he  was  Sunday-school  super- 
intendent and  secretary  for  thirteen  years 
and  sexton  of  the  church  for  many  years, 
while  for  three  years  he  was  also  sexton 
of  the  Congregational  church.  His  wife 
is  a  member  of  the  Christian  church, 
Mr.  Buell  is  an  intelligent  man,  of  kind 
and  generous  disposition  and  of  quiet 
manner.  His  wife,  too,  possesses  many 
sterling  traits  of  character  and  in  the 
community  where  they  reside  they  are 
accorded  the  approval  of  public  opinion. 


BARZILLAI  ROBINSON. 

Barzillai  Robinson,  a  retired  farmer 
living  in  Hamilton,  was  born  in  Mus- 
kingum  county,  Ohio,  June  23,  1830, 
and  is  a  representative  of  one  of  the 
old  southern  families.  His  paternal 
grandfather,  Israel  Robinson,  was  born 
in  Virginia  and  married  a  Miss  Hedge. 
They  were  early  settlers  of  Ohio,  remov- 
ing to  that  state  when  the  Indians  were 
more  numerous  than  the  white  men. 
They  aided  in  reclaiming  the  region  from 
the  domain  of  the  savages  and  converting 
it  into  uses  of  civilization  and  there  they 
resided  until  called  to  their  final  rest. 
Their  son,  Silas  Robinson,  was  born  in 
Wellsburg,  West  Virginia,  in  1798,  and 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


was  a  descendant  of  Sarah  Pierce,  who 
came  to  America  in  the  Mayflower,  land- 
ing at  Plymouth.  After  arriving  at  years 
of  maturity,  Silas  Robinson  was  married 
to  Miss  Polly  Warne,  who  was  born  in 
Muskingum  county,  Ohio,  in  1802,  and 
was  a  daughter  of  Abram  and  Elizabeth 
(Pierce)  Warne,  both  of  whom  were 
natives  of  Pennsylvania.  Mrs.  Polly 
Robinson  was  a  descendant  of  James 
Pierce  and  the  name  Pierce  was  retained 
in  the  family  through  many  generations. 
The  maternal  grandparents  of  our  sub- 
ject removed  to  Ohio  about  the  same 
time  the  Robinson  family  was  founded 
there  and  they,  too,  lived  in  that  locality 
until  called  to  the  home  beyond.  Silas 
Robinson  and  Polly  Warne  were  married 
in  Ohio,  where  he  owned  and  operated 
a  quarter  section  of  land  and  also  con- 
ducted a  gristmill  in  connection  with  his 
farm.  In  1852  he  started  westward 
with  his  family,  consisting  of  wife,  three 
sons  and  one  daughter,  driving  through 
in  a  wagon.  They  were  two  weeks  upon 
the  way  from  their  Ohio  home  to  Wythe 
township,  Hancock  county.  Here  Mr. 
Robinson  purchased  a  farm  of  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  acres  of  unimproved 
prairie  land.  They  lived  in  a  little  log 
cabin  until  the  following  fall,  when  a 
neighbor  returned  to  his  old  Ohio  home 
and  the  Robinsons  then  occupied  his  two- 
story  frame  house.  A  few  months  after- 
ward, however,  this  house  was  destroyed 
by  fire,  but  as  soon  as  possible  Mr.  Rob- 
inson erected  a  frame  house  on  his  own 
farm.  He  began  the  work  of  fencing  the 
fields  and  breaking  the  land  and  as  the 
years  passed  by  he  improved  his  farm 
until  he  made  it  a  splendidly  developed 


property.  He  was  an  energetic,  enter- 
prising man  and  was  well  known  as  one 
of  the  leading  farmers  of  his  community. 
His  death  occurred  in  1894,  while  his 
wife  passed  away  in  1866. 

Mr.  Robinson  of  this  review  was  the 
third  in  order  of  birth  in  a  family  of 
three  sons  and  a  daughter.  The  days  of 
his  boyhood  and  youth  were  passed  in  the 
usual  manner  of  farm  lads,  no  event  of 
special  importance  occurring  to  vary  the 
routine  of  that  life  in  his  boyhood  days. 
His  father  had  accumulated  considerable 
land  and  afterward  divided  it  among  his 
children,  Mr.  Robinson  securing  one 
hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  the  old 
home  place.  There  was  a  log  cabin  upon 
this  tract,  into  which  he  removed  after 
his  marriage,  which  event  occurred  on 
the  3 ist  of  December,  1863,  the  lady  of 
his  choice  being  Miss  Priscilla  Callison, 
who  was  born  in  Illinois.  She  died  in 
1866  and  in  October,  1873,  Mr.  Robinson 
was  again  married,  his  second  union  be- 
ing with  Mrs.  Mollie  E.  (Chapman) 
Hill,  a  widow,  who  was  born  in  Ohio 
and  was  a  daughter  of  Nathaniel  and 
Mary  (Frazee)  Chapman.  Unto  this 
marriage  three  children  have  been  born : 
Mary  Chapman,  who  is  now  teaching 
school  in  Hamilton;  Wayland  B.,  who 
occupies  the  home  farm;  and  Jessie  M. 
at  home. 

Following  his  first  marriage  Mr.  Rob- 
inson began  general  farming  and  also 
raising  and  feeding  horses,  cattle  and 
hogs.  He  was  thus  actively  engaged  for 
many  years  and  kept  adding  to  his  land 
until  he  was  the  owner  of  two  hundred 
acres,  constituting  a  valuable  property 
on  sections  7  and  8,  Wythe  township. 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


89 


He  worked  energetically  and  persistently 
year  after  year,  gathering  good  crops 
and  realizing  good  returns  from  his 
stock.  At  length  after  many  years  of 
active  and  successful  connection  with 
farming  and  stock-raising  interests  he  re- 
tired to  private  life  and  in  May,  1903, 
removed  to  Hamilton,  where  he  pur- 
chased a  residence  which  he  now  occupies 
with  his  two  daughters,  his  wife  having 
died  in  April,  1883.  He  has  recently 
sold  his  farm  to  his  son  Wayland.  In 
earh-  manhood  he  engaged  in  teaching 
schools  for  a  year  before  leaving  Ohio 
and  for  three  terms  after  coming  to  Han- 
cock county,  but  otherwise  he  has  always 
made  farming  his  life  work  and  is  now 
enjoying  a  well-earned  rest.  He  is 
known  as  a  man  of  thorough  reliability 
and  enterprise  and  enjoys  the  respect  of 
those  with  whom  he  has  corrte  in  contact. 
He  has  lived  in  the  county  for  more  than 
a  half  century  and  has  therefore  wit- 
nessed much  of  its  growth  and  develop- 
ment. Without  special  advantages  in  his 
youth,  he  has  worked  his  way  steadily 
upward  to  success.  He  attended  school 
only  during  the  winter  months  when  a 
boy,  but  has  acquired  through  practical 
experience  and  observation  a  good  busi- 
ness education.  In  his  religious  faith  he 
is  a  Presbyterian  and  in  his  political 
views  a  republican.  He  has  served  as 
school  trustee  and  assessor  of  Wythe 
township  and  at  all  times  has  been  in- 
terested in  movements  for  the  general 
good.  His  services  for  the  public  have 
always  been  rendered  with  a  view  to  the 
public  good  and  from  the  standpoint  of 
a  patriotic  citizen,  none  too  many  of  which 
are  to  be  found  in  this  great  country. 


WILLIAM  T.  DYE. 

The  farming  interests  of  Carthage 
township  find  a  worthy  representative  in 
William  T.  Dye,  who  is  living  on  section 
9,  where  he  owns  one  hundred  and 
twenty  acres  of  good  land.  He  is  a  na- 
tive of  Brown  county,  Ohio,  born  Sep- 
tember 5,  1855,  and  when  only  seven 
months  old  was  brought  to  Illinois  by  his 
parents,  who  settled  in  Rock  River  town- 
ship, Hancock  county,  where  the  father 
purchased  and  improved  a  farm  of  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres.  He  is  a  son  of 
Wilson  and  Anna  (Wall)  Dye.  both  of 
whom  were  natives  of  Brown  county, 
Ohio.  The  father  engaged  in  farming 
there  and  followed  the  same  pursuit  sub- 
sequent to  his  removal  to  this  state.  Pur- 
chasing land  in  Rock  River  township  he 
continued  to  make  his  home  thereon  un- 
til his  death,  which  occurred  when  he 
was  thirty-eight  years  of  age.  He  was 
a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church  and 
a  democrat  in  his  political  views,  and 
throughout  an  active  life  he  manifested 
sterling  traits  of  character  which  won 
him  the  respect  and  confidence  of  his  fel- 
lowmen.  He  was  also  one  of  the  pros- 
perous and  progressive  residents  of  his 
community  and  in  addition  to  his  farm- 
ing interests  he  engaged  in  business  as 
a  bridge  contractor  and  constructed  sev- 
eral bridges  near  Warsaw,  Hancock 
county.  It  was  while  building  one  of 
these  bridges  that  he  caught  cold  and 
pneumonia  resulted,  being  terminated  by 
death  when  his  son  William  was  but  four 
years  of  age.  His  grave  was  made  in  the 
Carthage  cemetery.  His  widow  survived 
him  for  about  six  years  and  was  married 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


to  James  Thompson.  She  died  at  or  near 
Bentley,  this  state.  By  the  first  marriage 
there  were  four  children,  of  whom  Wil- 
liam T.  was  the  third  in  order  of  birth. 
Only  two  are  now  living-,  his  sister  being 
Mrs.  Elizabeth  F.  L.  Harper,  who  re- 
sides in  Carthage,  Hancock  county, 
Illinois. 

William  T.  Dye  was  educated  in  the 
common  schools  of  Carthage,  his  mother 
having  sold  the  farm  and  removed  to  that 
city  in  his  boyhood  days.  He  remained 
with  her  until  her  death,  and  at  the  early 
age  of  eleven  years  started  out  to  fight 
life's  battles  unaided.  He  engaged  in 
farm  work  by  the  month  on  various 
farmstof  the  county,  being  thus  employed 
until  his  marriage,  which  occurred  on  the 
5th  of  October,  1876,  the  wedding  be- 
ing celebrated  in  Carthage.  The  lady  of 
his  choice  was  Miss  Hortense  Yetter,  a 
daughter  of  William  and  Mary  (Long) 
Yetter.  Her  father  was  one  of  the  early 
settlers  of  this  county,  coming  here  from 
Ohio,  his  native  state.  He  engaged  in 
farming  throughout  his  active  business 
life  with  the  exception  of  the  period 
spent  in  the  Civil  war,  in  which  he  served 
for  nearly  four  years.  He  is  now  living 
a  retired  life,  making  his  home  in  the 
city  of  Carthage.  Mrs.  Dye  was  born 
in  Hancock  county,  Illinois,  pursued  her 
education  in  the  public  schools  and  re- 
mained at  home  until  her  marriage.  This 
union  has  been  blessed  with  four  children 
and  the  family  circle  yet  remains  un- 
broken by  the  hand  of  death.  All  were 
born  in  Carthage.  Joseph  E.,  the  eldest, 
resides  on  the  home  place  and  assists  his 
father  in  its  cultivation  and  improve- 
ment. He  married  Miss  Ollie  Van  Dyke, 


and  they  have  one  child,  William  Fran- 
cis. Frank  L.,  the  second  son,  residing 
in  Springfield.  Illinois,  is  an  employe  of 
one  of  the  interurban  railroads.  He 
married  Esta  Reed  and  they  have  two 
children,  Leland  H.  and  Ruth  I.  Ro- 
wena  May  is  the  wife  of  Frank  G. 
Wright,  a  resident  farmer  of  Carthage 
township,  and  has  one  child,  Goldie 
Mae.  Homer  W.,  a  student  in  the  Carth- 
age high  school  is  yet  with  his  parents. 
For  sixteen  years  after  his  marriage 
Mr.  Dye  operated  rented  land  in  Carth- 
age township,  and  in  1888  purchased 
his  present  farm,  on  which  he  has  since 
resided.  He  put  all  of  the  present  im- 
provements upon  the  place,  supplanting 
the  old  house  with  a  good  substantial 
frame  dwelling,  also  erecting  commodi- 
ous barns  and  other  outbuildings.  He 
has  the  entire  farm  under  cultivation  and 
annually  gathers  rich  harvests.  In  addi- 
tion to  the  tilling  of  the  soil  he  also  en- 
gages in  the  raising  of  stock  and  his 
business  interests  are  capably  managed 
and  bring  to  him  a  good  return.  His 
life  has  been  one  of  untiring  activity, 
crowned  with  a  gratifying  measure  of 
success,  yet  he  has  found  time  to  devote 
to  public  interests.  In  politics  he  is  a 
democrat  and  has  held  the  office  of  high- 
way commissioner  for  eight  years  and  is 
still  filling  the  position.  He,  with  his 
wife,  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian 
church ;  he  is  also  a  member  of  the  Ma- 
sonic fraternity  of  Carthage,  the  Modern 
Woodmen  camp  and  the  Illinois  Bank- 
ers, a  local  fraternal  and  insurance  or- 
ganization of  this  state.  Viewed  in  a 
personal  light  Mr.  Dye  is  a  strong  man, 
strong  in  his  honor  and  good  name,  in 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


91 


his  business  capacity  and  in  his  accom- 
plishments. Starting  out  when  only 
eleven  years  of  age  with  no  assistance 
from  influential  friends  or  through  in- 
heritance, he  owes  all  that  he  possesses 
to  his  own  labors  and  as  the  architect 
of  his  fortunes  has  builded  wisely  and 
well. 


CAMILLE  P.  DADANT. 

Camille  P.  Dadant,  president  of  the 
National  Beekeepers  Association  and  the 
vice  president  of  the  State  Bank  of  Ham- 
ilton, is  justly  accorded  a  place  among 
the  prominent  and  representative  busi- 
ness men  of  Hancock  county.  In  fact 
few  residents  of  the  county  have  such  a 
wide  acquaintance  as  Mr.  Dadant,  who 
is  known  by  reason  of  his  manufacturing 
interests  not  only  throughout  America 
but  in  foreign  lands  as  well.  It  has  been 
said  that  the  name  of  Dadant  is  a  fa- 
miliar one  wherever  bee  culture  is  carried 
on.  The  enterprise  of  which  he  is  now 
the  head,  has  reached  extensive  propor- 
tions and  in  its  control  he  displays 
splendid  business  ability,  executive  force, 
keen  foresight  and  capable  management. 

A  native  of  Langres,  France,  he  was 
born  on  the  6th  of  April-  1851,  and  in 
both  the  paternal  and  maternal  lines  rep- 
resents old  French  families.  His  paternal 
great-grandfather  was  a  locksmith  of 
France.  His  grandfather.  Dr.  Francois 
Dadant,  engaged  in  the  practice  of  med- 
icine and  surgery  in  his  native  country 
throughout  his  entire  life  and  was  there 
married  to  Justine  Jayet.  Their  son. 


Charles  Dadant,  was  born  amid  the 
golden  hills  of  Burgundy  at  Vaux-Sous- 
Aubigny,  France,  on  the  22cl  of  May, 
1817,  and  his  education  was  completed 
by  a  collegiate  course  at  Langres. 
While  in  his  native  country  he  wedded 
Gabrielle  Parisot  in  1847,  ner  parents 
being  Pierre  and  Louise  (Guillemot) 
Parisot. 

Charles  Dadant  was  engaged  in  the 
operation  of  a  tannery  in  his  native  coun- 
try, but  devoted  the  greater  part  of  his 
attention  to  merchandising  until  the  ven- 
ture proved  unprofitable,  when,  closing 
out  his  affairs  in  France,  he  sought  a 
home  in  the  new  world,  hoping  to  re- 
trieve his  fortunes  in  this  country,  nor 
was  he  destined  to  meet  disappointment 
in  this  respect.  On  the  contrary  he  en- 
tered upon  a  business  career  that  proved 
eminently  successful  and  gained  him 
world-wide  reputation  in  connection  with 
his  chosen  line  of  endeavor.  He  came  at 
once  to  Illinois  and  settled  on  a  farm 
about  two  miles  from  Hamilton  in  Han- 
cock county.  He  had  planned  to  devote 
his  attention  to  the  cultivation  of  grapes, 
with  which  business  he  had  become  fa- 
miliar in  his  youth  in  France,  but  at  the 
same  time  he  began  the  raising  of  bees 
and  the  latter  proved  so  profitable  that 
he  concentrated  his  energies  more  and 
more  largely  upon  this  business,  which 
he  also  developed  along  ramifying  lines 
until  he  was  recognized  as  one  of  the 
most  prominent  and  extensive  bee  cul- 
turists  not  only  in  America  but  also  in 
the  world.  Perhaps  there  are  others  who 
have  produced  as  great  an  amount  of 
honey  in  a  single  season,  but  there  was 
no  one  who  equalled  him  in  the  extent 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REV  IE}}' 


of  his  comb  foundation  manufacture  or  in 
the  importation  of  bees.  The  occupation 
proved  both  genial  and  profitable  and 
yielded  marvelous  results.  In  1873  he 
made  a  trip  to  Italy  to  import  bees  from 
that  country  to  the  United  States  on  a 
large  scale.  He  made  a  close  study  of 
the  best  methods  of  shipping  bees,  selling 
the  Italian  queen  bees  at  ten  dollars  each 
or  a  colony  for  twenty  dollars.  In  1869, 
his  son.  Camille  P.  Dadant,  whose  name 
introduces  this  review,  was  admitted  to 
a  partnership  and  from  that  time  for- 
ward until  the  father's  death  they  were 
closely  associated  in  their  business  rela- 
tions and  interests  and  the  account  of  the 
father's  work  for  the  development  of 
their  enterprise  is  also  the  account  of  the 
son's  labors.  In  1878  they  began  the 
manufacture  of  comb  foundation,  intend- 
ing the  product  only  for  their  own  use, 
as  they  were  extensive  .bee  keepers.  The 
first  year  they  manufactured  five  hun- 
dred pounds.  Others,  however,  sought 
to  become  purchasers  and  this  led  them 
to  increase  their  output  to  two  thousand 
pounds  the  second  year  and  six  thousand 
pounds  the  third  year  and  the  increase 
has  been  continued  at  a  proportionate  or 
even  greater  rate  until  in  the  year  end- 
ing July  i,  1904,  they  had  manufactured 
one  hundred  and  fifteen  thousand 
pounds,  thus  giving  them  leadership 
among  the  manufacturers  of  comb  foun- 
dation not  only  in  America  but  in  the 
world.  A  visit  to  the  factory  shows  that 
it  is  equipped  with  every  device  neces- 
sary for  the  successful  conduct  of  the 
work,  the  greatest  care  is  taken  in  every 
department  toward  securing  perfection 
and  the  absolutely  perfect  comb  founda- 


tion secures  a  most  extensive  and  profit- 
able sale. 

Mr.  Dadant's  business  consisted  not 
only  in  the  comb  manufacture  and  the 
production  of  honey,  the  latter  reaching 
way  up  into  the  thousands  of  pounds 
annually,  but  he  also  did  much  for  bee 
culture  throughout  the  world  through 
the  articles  contributed  to  the  leading  bee 
journals  of  America  and  foreign  lands 
as  well.  It  is  a  noticeable  fact  in  his 
history  that  when  he  came  to  the  United 
States  at  the  age  of  forty-six  years  he 
was  unable  to  speak  the  English  lan- 
guage, but  the  strength  of  purpose  and 
will  shown  by  him  is  indicated  by  the 
fact  that  he  at  once  subscribed  to  the 
New  York  Tribune  and  denied  himself 
any  French  papers  or  books  so  that  he 
should  be  compelled  to  acquaint  himself 
with  the  English  tongue,  using  freely  a 
dictionary  for  this  purpose,  Within 
three  years  he  had  acquired  a  mastery 
of  English  sufficient  to  enable  him  to' 
write  articles  for  the  American  Bee 
Journal,  then  published  in  Washington, 
D.  C.  He  wielded  a  pen  of  still  greater 
power  when  writing  in  his  native  lan- 
guage and  it  was  due  to  his  efforts 
through  his  published  articles  that  the 
movable  frame  hive  is  today  so  much  in 
use  among  French-speaking  people,  the 
Dadant  and  the  Dadant-Blatt  hives  being 
among  the  most  common  in  France.  In 
1886  he  revised  and  republished  the  book 
of  Langstroth  on  the  Honey  Bee,  which 
has  been  styled  the  "classic  in  bee  cul- 
ture." This  work  was  published  almost 
simultaneously  in  America,  France  and 
Russia.  The  three  latest  editions  were 
printed  at  Keokuk,  Iowa,  near  his  home. 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


93 


His  teachings  spread  over  the  world  and 
there  is  not  a  civilized  country  where  his 
name  is  unknown  to  progressive  bee 
keepers.  In  1874  he  published  a  small 
book,  Petit  Cours  d'Apiculteur  Pratique, 
in  the  French  language.  His  attention 
was  given  to  the  business  of  raising  bees, 
producing  honey  and  manufacturing 
the  comb  foundation  up  to  the  time  of 
his  death,  which  occurred  in  1902,  when 
he  was  in  his  eighty-fifth  year.  His  busi- 
ness integrity  was  unassailable.  He  was 
never  known  to  take  advantage  of  the 
necessities  of  his  fellowmen  in  any  trade 
transaction  but  was  a  soul  of  honor  and 
straightforward  dealing  in  all  business 
affairs.  He  was  moreover  a  man  of 
kindly  purpose,  of  generous  spirit  and 
genial  disposition  and  made  friends  of 
all  with  whom  he  came  in  contact.  He 
possessed  a  most  cheerful  disposition 
and  those  who  have  had  the  pleasure  of 
an  acquaintance  with  him  in  his  own 
home  will  testify  to  his  genial  and  cordial 
spirit.  He  possessed,  too,  much  of  the 
spirit  of  the  philanthropist,  taking  the 
most  kindly  interest  in  those  whom  he 
employed.  He  encouraged  all  of  his 
French  workmen  to  have  homes  of  their 
own  and  allowed  them  certain  times  in 
which  to  cultivate  their  vines  and  work 
their  ground.  Ideal  relations  existed 
in  the  home.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dadant 
were  born  two  daughters  and  a  son : 
Mary ;  Mrs.  E.  J.  Baxter,  of  Nauvoo ; 
and  C.  P.  Dadant,  whose  name  intro- 
duces this  record. 

The  last  named  was  a  youth  of  twelve 
years  when  he  accompanied  his  parents 
on  their  removal  to  America.  From 
this  time  forward  his  youth  was  passed 


at  the  old  homestead  near  Hamilton  and 
at  the  age  of  twenty-four  years  he  was 
admitted  to  a  partnership  by  his  father 
and  the  firm  style  of  Dadant  &  Son  has 
since  been  well  known  among  the  bee 
culturists  of  America  and  foreign  lands. 
He  now  keeps  about  two  hundred  and  fifty 
hives  of  bees  and  sold  one  hundred  thou- 
sand pounds  of  foundation  for  honey  comb 
in  the  year  1905.  One  of  his  buildings, 
constructed  of  iron  and  then  painted,  con- 
tains only  beeswax  and  holds  something 
like  twenty  thousand  pounds.  It  is 
usually  kept  full,  for  it  is  the  purpose  of 
the  firm  to  have  on  hand  always  a  large 
supply  of  the  only  suitable  material  for 
making  their  excellent  comb  foundation. 
The  bulk  of  the  foundation  made  by  the 
firm  is  the  Weed  process,  which  refers 
to  the  method  of  sheeting  the  wax  be- 
fore milling  it.  The  largest  crop  of 
honey  for  one  year  was  forty-five  thou- 
sand pounds,  from  which  they  realized 
twenty-eight  hundred  dollars  net  of  all 
expenses.  They  use  the  Dadant  hive, 
which  is  of  their  own  invention  and 
manufacture  and  they  believe  in  having 
large  hives  and  big  colonies  and  thus 
have  practically  no  swarms  of  bees. 
After  the  death  of  his  father  Mr.  Dadant 
of  this  review  admitted  his  sons,  Louis 
C.  and  Henry  C.,  to  a  partnership  and 
thus  the  firm  style  of  Dadant  &  Sons  was 
maintained.  Mr.  Dadant  has  also  ex- 
tended his  business  interests  to  other 
lines,  being  one  of  the  organizers  of  the 
State  Bank  of  Hamilton,  of  which  he  is 
the  vice  president.  He  was  also  one  of 
the  promoters  of  the  water  power  of  the 
Mississippi  river  for  building  a  dam 
across  the  river  from  Keokuk  to  Hamil- 


94 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


ton.  The  company  formed  for  this  pur- 
pose is  composed  of  twenty-five  mem- 
bers and  Mr.  Dadant  became  one  of  the 
executive  committee  of  three,  his  asso- 
ciates being  William  Logan  and  A.  E. 
Johnstone,  of  Keokuk.  A  man  of  re- 
sourceful business  ability,  keen  enterprise 
and  sound  judgment,  he  carries  forward 
to  successful  completion  whatever  he  un- 
dertakes and  has  developed  a  business  at 
Hamilton  which  has  become  one  of  the 
important  productive  enterprises  of  his 
county. 

On  the  ist  of  November,  1875,  Mr. 
Dadant  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  Mari- 
nelli,  who  was  born  in  St.  Louis,  Mis- 
souri. August  9,  1854,  and  was  a  daugh- 
ter of  Luigi  Marinelli,  a  pioneer  of  the 
French  Icarian  community  that  settled  in 
Nauvoo  in  1848.  His  wife  was  Fran- 
coise  Marinelli  and  their  daughter,  Mrs. 
Dadant,  attended  the  common  schools  of 
Saint  Clair  county,  Illinois.  She  shares 
with  her  husband  in  extending  a  warm- 
hearted, attractive  and  gracious  hospi- 
tality to  their  many  friends.  They  have 
a  beautiful  riew  home,  a  substantial  brick 
residence,  which  was  completed  in  1904. 
From  the  rear  is  had  a  splendid  view  of 
the  Mississippi  river  as  it  flows  south- 
ward for  nearly  fourteen  miles  and  across 
the  river  stands  the  city  of  Keokuk.  In 
addition  to  this  Mr.  Dadant  owns  other 
property  interests  in  and  about  Hamil- 
ton. Unto"  him  and  his  wife  have  been 
born  three  sons  and  four  daughters, 
namely :  Louisa,  the  wife  of  Leon 
Saugier,  of  Hamilton :  Valentine  M., 
who  attended  the  University  of  Illinois 
and  is  president  of  the  Hamilton  library, 
an  organization  which  was  formed  sev- 


eral years  ago  and  of  which  the  town  is 
justly  proud,  Louis  C.,  who  married 
Eza  Miller  and  lives  near  the  main 
factory  of  the  firm,  being  associated  with 
his  father  in  business;  Henry  C.,  who  is 
also  a  partner  and  resides  at  home ; 
Maurice  G.,  who  is  a  student  in  the  Illi- 
nois State  University  at  Champaign ; 
Clemence  and  Harrietta,  who  are  at 
home. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Dadant  is  a 
republican  and  has  served  as  school  trus- 
tee of  Montebelle  township,  but  other- 
wise has  neither  sought  nor  held  public 
office.  Fraternally  he  is  connected  with 
the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows. 
Naturally,  however,  his  attention  is 
chiefly  directed  to  his  business  interests, 
which  are  now  of  a  varied  and  extensive 
nature  and  are  a  source  of  gratifying 
profit.  The  name  of  Dadant  &  Son  has 
ever  been  synonoymous  with  honorable 
dealing  and  success  has  come  as  the  mer- 
ited reward  of  business  integrity,  enter- 
prise and  diligence.  Uniformly  courteous 
and  considerate  of  others,  he  at  the  same 
time  possesses  a  force  of  character  that 
everywhere  commands  respect  and  accom- 
plishes results  and  is  today  accounted 
one  of  the  most  honored  and  respected 
citizens  of  Hancock  county. 


ROBERT  A.  BARR. 

Robert  A.  Barr,  a  fanner  living  near 
Colusa,  whose  success  in  life  is  attribut- 
able entirely  to  his  own  efforts,  was 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


95 


born  February  13,  1871,  upon  the  old 
family  homestead  in  Dallas  township, 
his  parents  being  George  W.  and  Mary 
E.  (Dean)  Barr.  ,  The  father  was  born 
in  Breckinridge  county,  Kentucky,  near 
Louisville,  in  1844,  while  the  mother's 
birth  occurred  in  Ohio  in  1848.  He  be- 
came a  resident  of  Dallas  township  on 
the  2d  of  April,  1859,  and  is  still  the 
owner  of  the  farm  of  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  on  which  his  son,  Robert  A., 
now  resides.  Unto  him  and  his  wife 
were  born  three  children:  Etta  E.,  now 
the  wife  of  Elmer  Royse,  of  Aledo,  Illi- 
nois ;  Robert  A. ;  and  Mary  Otellia,  who 
is  living  with  her  parents  in  Dallas  City, 
the  father  having  retired  from  active 
farm  life  to  enjoy  a  rest  which  he  has 
truly  earned  and  richly  deserves. 

Robert  A.  Barr  began  his  education  in 
the  district  schools  of  Dallas  township 
and  continued  his  studies  in  Carthage 
College,  where  he  remained  for  two 
years.  Through  the  period  of  his  youth 
and  after  attaining  his  majority  he  re- 
mained with  his  parents  on  the  old  home- 
stead, living  with  them  until  thirty-one 
years  of  age  and  during  the  latter  part  of 
that  period  practically  carrying  on  the 
work  of  the  home  farm.  On  the  26th 
of  February,  1902,  he  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Ethel  Elizabeth  Massie. 
who  was  bom  in  Fountain  Green  town- 
ship. Hancock  county,  August  13,  1882, 
a  daughter  of  John  S.  and  Mary  E. 
(Myers)  Massie.  The  father  was  born 
in  Rock  Creek  township,  this  county,  Oc- 
tober 24,  1855,  and  the  mother's  birth 
occurred  in  Iowa,  October  21,  1859.  She 
was  four  or  five  years  of  age  when 
brought  by  her  parents  to  Hancock 


county.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Massie  are  well 
krjown  residents  of  Pontoosuc  township 
and  in  the  control  of  his  business  inter- 
ests the  father  has  become  well-to-do 
and  is  accounted  a  representative  agricul- 
turist of  his  community.  Unto  him  and 
his  wife  have  been  born  eight  children : 
Ethel  E.,  Stuart  M.,  living  in  Montana; 
Goldy  V.,  deceased ;  Grover  C. ;  Fern 
F. :  Cheryl  Beatrice ;  Ralph  Emerson ; 
and  Ruby  Marie. 

At  the  time  of  his  marriage  Mr.  Ban- 
rented  his  father's  farm  of  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acres  on  section  36,  Dallas 
township,  which  is  one  of  the  best  farms 
in  Hancock  county,  and  he  has  since 
given  his  time  and  energies  to  its  further 
cultivation  and  improvement.  He  has 
brought  the  fields  under  a  high  state  of 
cultivation  and  is  regarded  as  one  of  the 
model  fanners  of  the  community.  As  the 
years  have  passed  the  home  has  been 
blessed  with  the  presence  of  three  chil- 
dren :  Homer  Dysinger,  born  Decem- 
ber 17,  1902;  Emmet  Cleophas,  July  6, 
1904;  and  Ada  Cheryl,  December  15, 
1905.  All  were  born  in  the  house  in 
which  their  father's  birth  occurred  and 
they  constitute  a  most  interesting  family. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Barr  is  a 
democrat  and  has  served  as  constable  for 
two  terms  but  has  never  been  a  politician 
in  the  sense  of  office-seeking,  as  he  has 
preferred  to  devote  his  time  and  energies 
to  his  business  interests.  He  had  no 
money  when  he  was  married  and  started 
out  in  life  on  his  own  account,  but 
through  his  economy,  energy  and  un- 
faltering industry  and  the  assistance  of 
his  estimable  wife,  who  has  indeed  been 
a  helpmate  to  him,  he  has  accumulated 


96 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


a  considerable  share  of  this  world's  goods 
and  is  accounted  one  of  the  leading  and 
representative  farmers  of  his  community. 
He  is  well  read,  keeping  informed  on  all 
matters  of  general  interest  as  well  as  the 
political  questions  of  the  day  and  is  a 
man  of  genial,  jovial  disposition,  who 
has  many  warm  friends.  He  belongs  to 
the  Modern  Woodmen  lodge  of  Colusa 
and  for  three  years  has  been  clerk  and 
holds  a  certificate  of  efficiency  from  the 
Court  of  Honor.  Both  he  and  his  wife 
are  members  of  the  Christian  church  and 
Mr.  Barr  is  a  man  of  domestic  taste, 
thoroughly  devoted  to  his  family,  their 
welfare  and  happiness. 


CHARLES   E.   CLARK. 

Charles  E.  Clark,  a  retired  farmer  liv- 
ing in  Dallas  City,  was  born  March  10, 
1868,  in  the  city  which  is  still  his  home, 
and  is  a  son  of  William  J.  and  Abigail 
(Ellis)  Clark.  The  father  was  born  in 
Sangamon  county,  Illinois,  October  16, 
1837,  and  the  mother  in  Vevay,  Switzer- 
land county,  Indiana,  May  25,  1836.  She 
became  a  resident  of  Hancock  county  in 
1841,  and  William  J.  Clark  was  only 
about  six  years  of  age  when  he  accom- 
panied his  parents  to  this  county,  where 
they  were  married  February  27,  1859. 
Both  were  representatives  of  honored  old 
pioneer  families  of  this  portion  of  the 
state.  The  maternal  and  paternal  grand- 
parents settled  here  in  an  early  day  and 
for  some  years  lived  in  log  cabins,  spend- 


ing their  days  in  true  pioneer  style  amid 
the  environments  of  frontier  life.  The 
father  of  our  subject  cleared  and  devel- 
oped several  farms  which  he  sold  at  a 
good  advance,  and  as  the  years  passed  by 
he  successfully  carried  on  general  agri- 
cultural pursuits.  He  died  October  10, 
1870,  his  widow  surviving  until  July  23, 
1905,  and  both  were  laid  to  rest  in  Har- 
ris cemetery,  in  Dallas  township.  Mr. 
Clark  was  a  soldier  of  the  Civil  war,  en- 
listing as  a  member  of  Company  F,  Fif- 
tieth Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  which 
he  joined  near  the  close  of  hostilities. 
He  was  with  the  company"  that  responded 
to  a  call  for  the  protection  of  Chicago 
and  thus  served  until  mustered  out.  He 
stanchly  advocated  republican  principles 
and  was  a  faithful  member  of  the  Chris- 
tian church.  They  had  three  children  but 
the  two  daughters  died  in  early  child- 
hood. 

Charles  E.  Clark,  the  only  surviving 
member  of  the  family,  was  educated  in 
the  common  schools  of  Dallas  City  and 
at  the  age  of  twelve  years  went  to  the 
country  with  his  mother,  settling  upon  a 
farm  in  Durham  township  where  he  lived 
until  1899.  He  was  then  married  to  Mrs. 
Martha  Ackerson,  widow  of  George  Ack- 
erson,  who  in  her  maidenhood  bore  the 
name  of  Martha  E.  Howard.  She  was 
born  in  Adams  county,  Illinois,  in  1851, 
a  daughter  of  Henry  and  Mary  Ann 
Howard,  the  former  born  April  23,  1825, 
and  the  latter  February  18,  1827.  Mr. 
Howard  was  a  native  of  Dayton,  Ohio, 
and  his  wife  of  Indiana.  He  devoted 
his  life  to  general  agricultural  pursuits 
and  when  eighteen  years  of  age  became 
a  resident  of  Crawford  countv,  Illinois. 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


97 


where  he  resided  for  seven  years,  then  re- 
moving to  Adams  county  where  he  re- 
sided until  about  1857  when  he  came  to 
Dallas  township,  where  he  made  his  home 
for  many  years  until  the  time  of  his  death. 
In  politics  he  was  a  democrat  and  having 
removed  to  Hancock  county  in  1857,  he 
served  for  nineteen  years  as  township 
treasurer  here.  His  wife  died  May  7, 
1885,  and  his  death  occurred  on  the  17* 
of  March,  1898,  both  being  laid  to  rest  in 
Harris  cemetery.  They  had  ten  chil- 
dren, of  whom  four  are  now  living:  Mrs. 
Martha  E.  Clark;  Mary  Ann,  the  wife  of 
William  Robinson,  of  Dallas  township; 
Charlotte,  the  wife  of  Edward  Gill,  of 
Dallas  township;  and  Angelina,  the  wife 
of  Philip  Ritchey,  of  Dallas  township. 

After  a  year's  residence  in  the  south 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  C.  E.  Clark  located  in 
Dallas  City,  Hancock  county,  he  owning 
a  farm  of  eighty  acres  in  Durham  town- 
ship. Mrs.  Clark  also  owns  eighty  acres 
in  Dallas  township.  He  was  a  successful 
farmer  and  stock-raiser.  He  and  his  wife 
occupy  a  beautiful  home  at  the  corner  of 
Front  and  Pine  streets  which  Mrs.  Clark 
purchased  from  her  father's  estate  in 
1899.  Since  then  Mr.  Clark  has  retired, 
having  rented  the  farm  but  he  still  over- 
sees it. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Clark  has  al- 
ways been  a  strong  republican  but  with- 
out aspiration  for  office.  Both  he  and  his 
wife  are  devoted  members  of  the  Chris- 
tian church,  in  which  he  has  been  a  deacOn 
for  a  number  of  years,  and  in  the  work 
of  the  church  they  take  an  active  and  help- 
ful interest.  Of  a  studious  nature,  very 
fond  of  books,  he  reads  broadly,  thinks 
deeply  and  is  an  intelligent  man.  Both 


he  and  his  estimable  wife  have  the  warm 
regard  of  many  friends,  she  being  a  lady 
of  pleasing  address,  presiding  with  gra- 
cious hospitality  over  her  home.  They 
are  now  surrounded  by  all  the  comforts 
that  go  to  make  life  worth  living,  occu- 
pying an  attractive  and  pleasant  home  in 
Dallas  City. 


S.  E.  HARNEST. 

S.  E.  Harnest,  a  retired  farmer  living 
in  Carthage,  was  born  in  Champaign 
county,  Ohio,  March  8,  1835,  his  parents 
being  John  and  Anna  (Spitler)  Harnest, 
the  former  born  September  20,  1797, 
and  the  latter  April  3,  1809,  their  birth- 
place being  Upshire  county,  Virginia. 
The  paternal  grandfather  was  a  soldier  of 
the  Revolutionary  war,  valiantly  aiding  in 
the  struggle  for  independence.  The  an- 
cestral history  of  the  family  was  one  of 
which  the  descendants  have  every  reason 
to  be  proud,  for  the  men  have  displayed 
activity  and  honor  in  business  and  fidelity 
in  all  life's  relations,  while  the  women 
have  been  marked  by  the  true  womanly 
traits  of  character  which  command  the 
highest  respect.  The  paternal  grand- 
parents, John  and  Anna  Harnest,  were 
charter  members  of  the  Myrtle  Tree  Bap- 
tist church  in  Champaign  county,  Ohio. 
This  church  was  organized  April  24, 
1830,  by  Elder  William  Fuson,  the  first 
meeting  being  held  on  the  first  Sunday 
in  April,  1830.  It  was  estimated  that  one 
thousand  people  were  in  attendance  on 


98 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


this  occasion,  every  section  of  the  county 
being  represented.  The  name  of  the 
church  was  chosen  because  of  the  follow- 
ing circumstance.  A  short  time  before 
the  organization,  the  wife  of  Elder  Fuson 
had  a  dream  that  she  had  read  the  first 
chapter  on  Zachariah  before  retiring  for 
the  night  and  meditated  on  the  beauty  of 
the  myrtle  tree,  and  in  her  dream  she  saw 
the  tree  in  the  lovely  valley,  beholding  it 
in  all  its  glory.  The  dream  so  impressed 
her  that  at  her  request  the  church  was 
called  the  Myrtle  Tree  church.  Its  orig- 
inal members  were  George  Pine,  Bryant 
Moody,  John  Hamest,  James  Pine,  Wil- 
liam Fuson,  Phebe  Moody,  Ann  Harnest, 
Sarah  Pine,  Sarah  Pine,  Sr.,  Deidamia 
Fuson,  Lucy  Comer  and  Elizabeth  Whit- 
more.  All  of  the  above  have  entered  into 
the  church  triumphant.  Eight  of  the 
number  received  their  letters  of  dismissal 
from  the  Symm's  Creek  Baptist  church  in 
Lawrence  county,  Ohio,  in  order  to  at- 
tend the  newly-organized  Myrtle  Tree 
church,  while  the  remaining  five  had  for- 
merly beep  members  of  the  Nettle  Creek 
church.  John  Harnest.  the  grandfather 
of  S.  E.  Harnest,  was  the  first  baptismal 
candidate.  He  had  served  as  a  soldier 
of  the  Revolutionary  war  in  connection 
with  the  father  of  Elder  Fuson  and  he 
was  the  first  person  buried  in  the  ceme- 
tery of  the  new  church,  his  death  occur- 
ring on  the  roth  of  September,  1830.  John 
Harnest,  Jr..  was  elected  clerk  and  John 
Harnest,  Sr.,  deacon  of  the  church.  A 
house  of  worship  was  erected  shortly  after 
the  organization  of  the  church  on  land 
purchased  of  Samuel  Kite,  the  consider- 
ation for  the  property  being  a  calico 
dress  for  Mrs.  Kite.  Elder  Fuson  con- 


tinued pastor  there  until  September  25, 
1841,  when  old  age  compelled  him  to 
resign. 

John  Harnest,  father  of  our  subject, 
was  a  native  of  Virginia,  later  moved  to 
Ohio  and  removed  from  that  state  to 
Hancock  county,  Illinois,  in  1838.  He 
found  a  pioneer  district  and  at  once  be- 
gan to  clear  the  land  and  built  a  log  cabin. 
Every  evidence  of  frontier  life  was  here 
to  be  seai,  and  he  killed  many  deer,  tur- 
keys and  wolves  in  those  early  days.  The 
homes  of  the  settlers  were  widely  scat- 
tered and  many  of  the  now  thriving  towns 
and  villages  had  not  yet  been  founded. 
Through  a  long  period  he  carried  on  ag- 
ricultural pursuits  and  bore  an  active  and 
helpful  part  in  the  work  of  public  prog- 
ress, aiding  in  laying  broad  and  deep  the 
foundation  for  the  present  upbuilding  and 
progress  of  the  county.  In  politics  he  was 
a  democrat  and  for  many  years  served  as 
school  director.  Both  he  and  his  wife 
were  members  of  the  Missionary  Baptist 
church,  taking  an  active  and  helpful  part 
in  its  work  and  for  a  number  of  years  he 
served  as  one  of  its  deacons.  In  the  fam- 
ily were  twelve  children,  three  of  whom 
survive :  Daniel  S.,  who  is  living  in  Ar- 
kansas; S.  E.,  of  this  review;  and  Mary 
J.,  the  widow  of  Palestine  Wright,  of 
Carthage.  The  father  died  November  i, 
1864,  and  his  remains  were  interred  in  the 
Ray  graveyard.  The  mother  long  sur- 
vived him,  departing  this  life  in  June, 
1896. 

S.  E.  Harnest  attended  the  district 
schools  of  Carthage  township  and  re- 
mained upon  his  father's  farm  until  twen- 
ty-six years  of  age.  assisting  in  the  ardu- 
ous task  of  developing  new  land  and  shar- 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


99 


ing  with  the  family  in  the  hardships  and 
privations  incident  to  life  on  the  frontier. 
In  the  early  days  of  the  family's  residence 
here  the  winters  were  very  severe.  They 
were  visited  by  many  blizzards  and  the 
father  had  settled  in  the  timber  that  it 
might  afford  protection  for  the  stock  and 
also  furnish  an  abundant  supply  of  fire- 
wood. When  the  farmers  commenced  to 
improve  the  prairie  land  for  the  first  time 
after  it  had  been  vacated  by  the  red  race 
he  fitted  up  a  team  of  oxen  with  five  or 
six  yoke  and  started  his  eldest  son,  D.  S. 
Harnest  and  his  son  Samuel  E.  of  this 
review  to  breaking  prairie  land  with  a 
large  plow,  which  would  turn  a  26-inch 
furrow.  They  thus  engaged  in  breaking 
prairie  for  a  number  of  years,  sharpening 
their  plows  at  the  blacksmith  shop  on 
Saturdays,  using  a  small  anvil  and  heavy 
hammer  to  draw  out  the  shear  with  the 
use  of  several  sharp  files  would  run  a 
week  at  a  time.  The  anvil  which  was 
then  used  is  still  in  possession  of  S.  E. 
Harnest  of  this  review,  who  has  broken 
hundreds  of  acres  of  land  and  while  thus 
engaged  has  encountered  numerous  large 
rattlesnakes.  The  whip  lashes  were  made 
of  buckskin,  which  were  dressed  by  his 
father  and  the  stocks  were  of  hickory  or 
ironwood.  As  it  was  necessary  for  them 
to  clear  off  this  land  the  mother  made  the 
sons  buckskin  trousers .  as  she  thought 
they  were  stronger  and  would  better 
stand  the  wear  and  tear  of  such  a  life. 
The  elder  brother,  D.  S.  Harnest,  was  in 
the  Mormon  war,  which  resulted  in  the 
shooting  of  Hiram  and  Joseph  Smith  in 
1844.  John  A.  Harnest,  a  second  brother 
who  went  through  to  California  with  ox 
team,  died  in  1853. 


On  the  2  ist  of  February,  1861,  S.  E. 
Harnest  married  Miss  Matilda  Ann  Wal- 
ton, who  was  born  in  St.  Mary's  town- 
ship, Hancock  county,  April  6,  1841,  a 
daughter  of  Frederick  M.  and  Emily 
(Rice)  Walton.  The  father  was  born  in 
Mason  county,  Kentucky,  January  n, 
1809,  and  the  mother's  birth  occurred  in 
Boone  county,  Kentucky,  January  10. 
1811.  They  were  married  January  31, 
1831,  and  became  very  early  settlers  of 
Hancock  county,  arriving  in  1835,  at 
which  time  they  took  up  their  abode  in 
St.  Mary's  township,  residing  continu- 
ously upon  one  farm  until  1880,  when 
Mr.  Walton  died.  His  first  home  was  a 
little  log  cabin,  in  which  he  lived  until 
1840,  when  he  employed  John  Harper, 
who  made  mortar  brick  and  was  also  a 
bricklayer,  to  build  him  a  house.  Mrs. 
Harnest  was  the  first  child  in  the  county 
born  in  a  brick  house.  Mr.  Walton  was 
a  republican  in  his  political  views  after  the 
organization  of  the  party  and  served  as 
highway  commissioner  and  was  school 
director  for  many  years.  He  supported 
every  feasible  plan  for  the  benefit  of  the 
community  and  co-operated  in  many 
movements  that  were  of  direct  benefit  to 
this  part  of  the  state.  Both  he  and  his 
wife  were  members  of  the  Missionary 
Baptist  church.  In  their  family  were 
eight  children  but  only  three  are  now  liv- 
ing: John,  a  resident  of  Plymouth,  Illi- 
nois; Mrs.  Harnest,  of  Carthage;  and 
Simon  M.,  who  lives  upon  the  old  home- 
stead farm.  The  father  passed  away 
April  10,  1880,  and  the  mother  on  the 
8th  of  November,  1904,  their  remains 
being  interred  in  Plymouth  cemetery. 
In  his  business  affairs  Mr.  Walton  pros- 


100 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


pered  and  he  gave  to  each  of  his  children 
about  two  hundred  acres  of  good  land. 

His  widow  resided  upon  the  old  home- 
stead from  1835  until  1902,  covering  a 
period  of  sixty-seven  years  and  there 
spent  her  remaining  days  (except  about 
two  years  she  spent  in  Carthage),  with 
her  daughter,  Mrs.  Harnest.  She  was 
one  of  the  charter  members  of  the  Bap- 
tist church  of  St.  Mary's  township,  or- 
ganized in  1837,  and  outlived  all  of  the 
other  original  members,  exemplifying 
each  day  her  faith  and  Christian  belief. 
She  was  also  the  last  survivor  of  the  or- 
ganizers of  the  Plymouth  Baptist  church 
and  she  had  many  warm  friends  who  ad- 
mired her  greatly  for  her  Christian  vir- 
tues and  good  qualities  of  heart  and  mind. 

For  the  first  three  years  after  their 
marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Harnest  lived  on 
a  farm  near  Plymouth  but  their  home 
there  was  destroyed  by  fire  and  they  after- 
ward bought  a  farm  in  Carthage  town- 
ship, where  they  resided  for  twenty-seven 
years.  They  had  a  comfortable  home 
which  they  improved  with  porches,  etc. 
He  also  built  two  new  barns  and  out- 
buildings for  the  shelter  of  grain  and 
stock.  The  farm  lay  on  sections  24  and 
25  and  comprised  two  hundred  and  forty 
acres  of  rich  and  productive  land,  which 
is  still  in  his  possession.  For  many  years 
Mr.  Harnest  carefully  cultivated  the 
fields,  developed  the  property  and  won 
success  in,  his  undertakings  as  an  agri- 
culturist and  feeding  stock,  but  in  1891 
moved  to  Carthage,  building  a  pretty 
home  on  No.  611  Main  street,  adjoining 
the  Baptist  church.  He  has  since  lived 
retired  in  the  enjoyment  of  a  well-earned 
rest,  his  labor  in  former  years  having 


brought  to  him  a  competence  sufficient  to 
supply  him  with  the  necessities  and  com- 
forts of  life  together  with  some  of  its 
luxuries. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Harnest  have  been 
born  three  children,  of  whom  two  are  now 
living,  the  oldest  two  having  been  born 
near  Plymouth  and  the  other  in  Carthage 
township.  Mary  Emily,  born  January 
2,  1862,  became  the  wife  of  F.  M.  Cutler, 
who  now  lives  in  Carthage.  She  died 
May  13,  1895,  in  the  triumphs  of  a  living 
faith,  leaving  a  son,  Fred  Francis,  who 
died  April  22,  1900,  at  the  age  of  sev- 
enteen years.  He  was  a  good  Christian 
youth  and  was  a  great  comfort  to  his 
grandparents.  John  Walton  Harnest, 
born  August  4,  1863,  married  Olive  Rob- 
ertson, and  is  a  stock  dealer  living  in 
Carthage.  He  has  one  child,  Forest  I. 
Frederick  Eldridge  Harnest,  born  March 
19,  1869,  lives  in  Quincy,  where  he  con- 
ducts a  livery  stable.  He  had  the  mis- 
fortune to  have  his  barn  destroyed  by  fire 
January  18,  1906,  but  has  since  purchased 
another  livery  barn  and  is  again  in  busi- 
ness. He  married  Miss  Bertie  M.  Wright 
.  and  has  three  children,  Pauline,  Waldo 
W.  and  Mary  Marguerite. 

Mr.  Harnest  is  largely  a  self-made  man 
and  owing  to  his  economy  and  energy  in 
former  years  is  now  very  comfortably 
situated  in  his  old  age.  He  has  always 
been  a  very  methodical  man  and  since  his 
marriage  has  kept  a  daily  diary  of  events 
and  incidents.  Mrs.  Harnest  is  a  lady  of 
very  retentive  memory  and  intelligence 
and  her  good  qualities  have  won  her  many 
friends  with  whom  she  spends  many  pleas- 
ant hours  in  social  conversation  on  sub- 
jects which  give  enjoyment  to  all. 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


101 


OSCAR  HUBBARD  BURR. 

Oscar  Hubbard  Burr,  who  is  the  owner 
of  valuable  farming  property  in  Dur- 
ham township,  consisting  of  two  hundred 
and  forty  acres  in  the  home  farm  and  also 
twenty  acres  on  another  section,  was  born 
in  that  township  February  4,  1858,  his 
parents  being  Edward  and  Julia  (Wil- 
cox)  Burr,  both  of  whom  were  natives 
of  Connecticut.  The  father  was  born  De- 
cember 24,  1814,  and  the  mother  on  the 
1 3th  of  July,  1817.  When  he  came  to 
Hancock  county  in  1839  from  his  native 
state  he  traveled  with  a  party  of  sixteen, 
who  made  the  journey  with  two  small 
wagons  and  were  six  weeks  upon  the  way, 
crossing  the  swamps  and  mountains  and 
suffering  many  privations  and  hardships, 
as  they  journeyed  on  after  the  primitive 
manner  of  travel  of  those .  days.  Here 
Mr.  Burr  began  life  in  true  pioneer  style, 
living  in  a  log  house  for  some  time.  The 
family  had  no  table  and  scarcely  any  table 
cutlery  for  a  number  of  years.  Various 
wild  animals  roamed  over  his  land  and 
many  evidences  of  pioneer  life  were  to  be 
seen.  In  1852  he  built  the  main  part  of 
the  house  in  which  his  son,  O.  H.  Burr, 
now  resides,  and  from  time  to  time  he 
added  to  his  possessions  until  at  his  death 
he  was  very  comfortably  situated  and  was 
known  as  an  enterprising  and  respected 
citizen  of  his  community.  He  died  June 
II,  1895,  while  his  wife  passed  away  July 
18.  1862,  their  remains  being  interred  in 
Durham  cemetery.  Both  were  devoted 
members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  and  his  political  views  accorded 
with  the  principles  of  the  Republican  party. 
An  old-fashioned  teapot  which  he  brought 


to  Illinois  in  1839  is  now  in  possession 
of  his  son,  O.  H.  Burr,  and  is  a  much 
prized  relic.  In  the  family  were  seven 
children :  Jonathan  E.,  who  was  born 
August  n,  1837,  and  lives  in  Cowley 
county,  Kansas ;  Julia  C.,  who  was  born 
November  n,  1838,  and  is  the  wife  of 
William  H.  Avis,  of  Des  Moines,  Iowa ; 
Esther  A.,  who  was  born  June  3,  1841, 
and  is  the  wife  of  Harvey  H.  Pershin,  of 
Portland,  Oregon;  Orpha  D.,  who  was 
born  February  14,  1845,  and  is  the  wife 
of  S.  E.  Harkness,  of  southern  Nebraska ; 
Emily  C.,  who  was  born  April  15,  1850, 
and  is  the  wife  of  D.  L.  Toof,  of  Aurora, 
Nebraska;  Demmis  V.,  who  was  born 
December  14,  1854,  and  became  the  wife 
of  Edwin  Burr,  her  death  occurring  in 
Hancock  county,  Illinois,  March  30,  1881, 
while  Mr.  Burr  resides  in  Nebraska ;  and 
O.  H.,  who  was  born  in  Durham  town- 
ship, February  4,  1858. 

The  last  named  was  educated  in  the 
district  schools  of  his  native  township 
and  remained  with  his  parents  until  in 
his  twenty-first  year,  when  he  was  mar- 
ried and  started  out  in  life  on  his  own 
account.  It  was  on  the  2Oth  of  October, 
1878,  that  he  wedded  Miss  Mahala  I. 
Potter,  who  was  born  in  Durham  town- 
ship, Hancock  county,  June  28,  1859, 
one  of  the  ten  children  of  Warren  and 
Mahala  (Collins)  Potter.  Her  father, 
who  was  born  in  Pennsylvania,  August 
9,  1813,  followed  the  occupation  of 
farming  as  a  life  work  and  after  living 
for  some  time  in  Adams  county,  Illinois, 
removed  in  1858  to  Hancock  county  and 
took  up  his  abode  in  a  log  cabin,  living  in 
true  pioneer  style.  As  the  years  passed 
he  improved  his  farm  and  at  a  later  date 


102 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REl'IEU' 


added  modern  equipments.  He  died  Jan- 
nary  23,  1883,  and  his  wife,  who  was 
born  in  Indiana,  October  3,  1821,  passed 
away  March  2,  1899,  at  the  age  of  sev- 
enty-seven years  and  was  laid  to  rest  by 
his  side  in  Union  cemetery.  Six  of  their 
children  are  yet  living:  Rebecca  E.,  the 
wife  of  James  Potter,  of  Macomb,  Illi- 
nois; Cynthia  J.,  the  wife  of  R.  T.  H. 
Bartlett.  of  Dallas  City ;  Mary  Erne,  the 
wife  of  W.  O.  Stout,  of  Thayer,  Oregon 
county,  Missouri;  Olive  E.,  the  wife  of 
C.  F.  Bross,  of  Colusa;  Mahala  I.,  now 
Mrs.  Burr;  and  Josephine,  the  wife  of 
George  Arnt,  of  Beatrice,  Nebraska,  while 
Allen  Potter  was  killed  by  a  runaway  in 
California,  and  Weaver  Potter  died  in 
Missouri. 

Following  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Burr  began  their  domestic  life  in  a  house 
on  the  place  where  he  now  lives.  After 
a  year  they  removed  to  his  father's  house. 
Throughout  the  intervening  years  Mr. 
Burr  has  carried  on  general  agricultural 
pursuits  and  is  now  engaged  in  cultivat- 
ing two  hundred  and  forty  acres  of  land 
in  Durham  township.  He  has  improved 
the  house,  built  barns  and  sheds,  while 
one  of  the  barns  upon  the  place  was 
erected  by  his  father  in  1861.  He  has 
brought  the  fields  under  a  high  state  of 
cultivation  and  everything  about  the  farm 
indicates  his  careful  supervision  and  pro- 
gressive methods. 

The  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Burr  has 
•  been  blessed  twith  four  children,  all  born 
in  the  house  which  was  their  father's 
birthplace.  Oscar  H.,  Jr.,  the  eldest,  born 
July  14,  1882,  married  Catherine  Kloss- 
ing,  of  Durham  township,  and  they  have 
a  son,  Ralph  Joseph  Oscar  Burr.  Bessie 


C.,  bom  October  18,  1888,  is  at  home; 
Mamie,  born  July  8,  1891,  died  two  days 
later;  Hazel  C.,  born  March  18,  1893,  is 
with  her  parents.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Burr  are 
members  of  the  Free  Methodist  church 
and  take  an  active  interest  in  its  work, 
living  the  lives  of  earnest  Christian  peo- 
ple. He  votes  with  the  prohibition  party, 
which. indicates  his  views  on  the  temper- 
ance question,  and  he  is  a  school  director, 
standing  at  all  times  for  intellectual  and 
moral  progress  and  giving  his  endorse- 
ment to  every  measure  which  he  believes 
will  uplift  humanity. 


JOHN   A.   FLETCHER. 

John  A.  Fletcher,  living  retired  in 
Carthage,  was  born  in  Muskingum 
county,  Ohio,  May  22,  1838,  and  his 
parents,  Elisha  and  Elizabeth  (Lane) 
Fletcher,  were  also  natives  of  that  county, 
where  the  father  lived  and  died,  follow- 
ing the  occupation  of-  farming  as  a  life 
work.  His  political  allegiance  was  given 
to  the  Republican  party  and  he  served  as 
tax  collector.  Both  he  and  his  wife  were 
members  of  the  Methodist  church,  but 
both  have  passed  away,  their  remains  be- 
ing interred  in  Ohio. 

Of  their  family  of  five  children  John 
A.  Fletcher  is  the  only  one  now  living. 
He  was  educated  in  the  district  schools 
of  Ohio,  the  little  "temple  of  learning" 
being  a  log  building  with  puncheon  floor, 
and  small  windows,  slab  seats  and  an  im- 
mense fireplace.  He  remained  upon  the 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


103 


home  farm  with  his  parents  until  his  mar- 
riage. It  was  on  the  I3th  of  January, 
.1858,  that  he  wedded  Miss  Elizabeth 
Palmer,  who  was  born  June  9,  1840,  in 
Muskingum  county,  Ohio,  a  daughter  of 
Frederick  and  Sarah  (Butler)  Palmer, 
the  former  a  native  of  the  state  of  New 
York  and  the  latter  of  Muskingum 
county.  Mr.  Palmer  was  a  farmer  by 
occupation .  and  was  killed  in  Ohio  in 
April,  1844,  by  a  log  falling  upon  him. 
He  was  at  that  time  serving  as  road  su- 
pervisor. The  mother  was  a  member  of 
the  old  primitive  Baptist  church.  In  the 
family  were  three  children  by  the  first 
marriage,  but  only  two  are  now  living, 
Mrs.  Fletcher  and  Augusta,  the  latter  the 
widow  of  Mr.  King,  who  is  living  in 
Kansas  City,  Kansas.  The  mother  later 
married  Abner  Lane.  They  left  two  liv- 
ing children. 

After  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Fletcher  lived  upon  a  farm  in  Muskingum 
county,  Ohio,  until  after  the  outbreak  of 
the  Civil  war,  when  Mr.  Fletcher,  in  re- 
sponse to  his  country's  need,  enlisted  as 
a  member  of  Company  D,  Sixteenth  Ohio 
Volunteer  Infantry.  He  was  afterward 
transferred  to  Company  I  of  the  invalid 
corps  and  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of 
first  sergeant.  He  served  for  three  years 
and  one  month  and  was  honorably  dis- 
charged in  October,  1864.  At  Camp 
Dennison,  Ohio,  in  the  first  year  of  the 
war,  he  had  an  attack  of  typhoid  fever, 
being  ill  in  the  hospital  there  for  a  long 
time  and  as  a  result  his  left  side  was 
paralyzed  and  has  always  remained  so. 
He  participated  in  the  battles  of  Mills 
Springs  and  Cumberland,  where  he  was 
wounded  in  the  leg  by  the  explosion  of 
7 


a  shell,  which  also  cut  off  the  stock  of 
his  gun.  He  was  likewise  in  the  battles 
of  Tazewell,  Tennessee,  Cumberland  Gap 
and  Vicksburg,  where  he  was  stripped  of 
his  clothing  by  the  rebels  and  lay  for  two 
days  and  nights  in  the  rain.  He  likewise 
participated  in  the  engagements  at 
Thompson's  Hill  and  McKenzie  Bend. 
His  regiment  was  the  Sixteenth  Ohio  In- 
fantry and  Company  D  was  commanded 
by  Captain  Milton  Mills,  while  the  first 
lieutenant  was  Thomas  Hedge  and  the 
second  lieutenant  William  Dorsey.  All 
were  from  Dresden,  Ohio.  He  was  a 
brave  soldier  and  made  a  great  sacrifice 
for  his  country,  but  he  did  it  cheerfully 
and  willingly  and  no  one  displays  a  more 
patriotic  spirit  than  does  Mr.  Fletcher, 
who  is  always  interested  in  the  welfare 
of  his  country  and  her  progress.  His 
eldest  and  his  youngest  brothers,  Spencer 
and  Joshua  Fletcher  respectively,  were 
also  soldiers  of  the  Civil  war.  Joshua 
died  from  the  effects  of  injury  sustained 
at  Cumberland  Gap  and  was  buried  there. 
Spencer  was  wounded  at  Vicksburg  and 
died  at  Milliken's  Bend.  They,  too,  were 
soldiers  of  the  Sixteenth  Ohio  Regiment 
and  Henry  Fletcher,  a  cousin,  was  with 
the  three  brothers  in  this  regiment,  while 
George  Fletcher,  an  uncle,  was  in  the 
Seventy-eighth  Ohio  Regiment.  Charles 
and  Henry  Tatham,  cousins  of  Mrs. 
Fletcher,  were  likewise  soldiers  of  the 
Sixteenth  Ohio  and  Charles  H.  Butler, 
another  cousin,  was  a  soldier  of  Company 
D,  Twelfth  Illinois  Infantry  and  was  hon- 
orably discharged  at  Louisville,  Kentucky, 
in  1865. 

After   his   return   from   the   war   Mr. 
Fletcher  located  upon  a  farm  in  Licking 


IO4 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


county.  Ohio,  and  in  1869  came  to  Illi- 
nois. About  1871  or  1872  he  located 
upon  a  farm  of  ninety  acres  in  Carthage 
township,  and  for  many  years  thereafter 
was  devoted  to  general  agricultural  pur- 
suits, conducting  his  business  interests 
with  good  ability.  He  has  now  been  re- 
tired for  twelve  years,  has  made  his  home 
in  the  city  of  Carthage  since  February, 
1903,  and  is  in  poor  health.  He  possesses, 
however,  a  cheerful  nature  and  most 
kindly  disposition  and  bears  his  sufferings 
uncomplainingly.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Fletcher  have  been  born  eight  children, 
four  of  whom  were  born  in  Ohio  and  the 
others  in  Carthage  township.  Francis  L.. 
the  eldest,  married  Miranda  J.  Kim- 
brough,  has  a  son,  Charles,  and  lives  in 
Carthage.  Sarah  L.  died  in  infancy.  Al- 
feretta  May  is  the  wife  of  Willis  Ervin, 
a  resident  of  Carthage  township,  and  has 
six  children:  Edward,  Ethel.  George. 
Genevieve,  Hazel  and  Harry.  Of  these 
children  Edward  Ervin  married  Bernice 
Reed,  resides  in  West  Point,  Iowa,  and 
has  a  son,  Frederick.  Ethel  Ervin  is  the 
wife  of  Frank  Briley,  lives  in  Carthage 
member  of  the  family,  married  Miss  Cora 
township,  and  has  a  little  son,  Thomas 
Briley.  Joshua  E.  Fletcher,  the  fourth 
Linn  and  resides  at  Carthage.  Abner  P. 
Fletcher  owns  a  farm  near  West  Point, 
Iowa,  married  Miss  Martha  Conn  and 
has  five  daughters:  Ada,  Georgie,  Lena. 
Alice  and  Blanche.  Mina  A.,  is  the  wife 
of  Perry  D.  Myers,  of  Pilot  Grove  town- 
ship, and  has  f our ''children  :  Ray,  Hurl, 
Florence  and  Ernest.  Knox  B.  Fletcher 
wedded  Miss  Mary  B.  Connoughton,  re- 
sides in  Carthage,  and  has  a  daughter, 
Lola  D.  Winnifred  is  the  wife  of  Fred 


Craig,  of  Hannibal,  Missouri.  He  en- 
listed in  the  Twentieth  Infantry  of  the 
regular  army  and  was  transferred  to  the 
Fifth  Regiment,  being  stationed  at  San- 
tiago during  the  Spanish-American  war. 
He  was  in  Cuba  for  eight  months,  enlist- 
ing at  Keokuk,  Iowa,  in  1900.  He  was 
absent  for  a  year  in  active  service  but  now 
resides  in  Hannibal. 

In  politics  Mr.  Fletcher  is  a  stalwart 
republican,  having  given  unfaltering  alle- 
giance to  the  party  since  attaining  his 
majority.  He  has  been  actively  interested 
in  the  cause  of  education  and  has  done 
effective  service  in  behalf  of  the  public 
schools  of  Carthage  during  many  years' 
service  on  the  school  board,  of  which  he 
has  acted  as  clerk,  while  for  twelve  years 
he  was  its  president.  He  is  a  charter 
member  of  the  Modern  Woodmen  of 
America  of  Carthage,  also  belongs  to  the 
Grand  Army  of  the  Republic  and  is  a 
member  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  to 
which  his  wife  and  some  of  his  children 
also  belong.  He  owns  the  comfortable 
home  on  Locust  street  where  he  has  lived 
since  coming  to  the  city.  He  has  been  an 
enterprising,  self-made  man,  whose  suc- 
cess is  due  entirely  to  his  own  labors  and 
efforts.  Handicapped  by  ill  health,  he  has 
nevertheless  worked  resolutely  and  ear- 
nestly year  after  year  and  has  accumulated 
a  comfortable  competence.  In  his  family 
he  has  been  a  devoted  husband  and  father 
and  in  his  illness  his  wife  and  daughter. 
Mrs.  Craig,  put  forth  every  effort  to  as- 
suage his  suffering.  His  life  has  prac- 
tically been  a  sacrifice  to  his  country. 
Wherever  known  he  is  held  in  high  es- 
teem, for  he  possesses  those  traits  of 
character  which  win  friendship,  confi- 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


dence  and  regard  and  his  many  friends 
will  be  glad  to  receive  this  record  of  his 
life. 


HENRY  JENKINS. 

Henry  Jenkins  is  one  of  the  early 
settlers  of  Hancock  county,  who  through 
many  years  has  been  an  interested  wit- 
ness of  the  changes  that  have  occurred 
and  the  progress  that  has  been  made  as 
the  county  has  emerged  from  pioneer 
conditions  and  taken  on  all  of  the  evi- 
dences and  improvements  of  an  advanced 
civilization.  He  now  makes  his  home  in 
Carthage,  and  owns  a  farm  of  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  acres  in  Carthage  town- 
ship, that  under  his  care  and  development 
has  been  transformed  into  a  highly  im- 
proved and  productive  property.  He  was 
born  in  Roan  county,  Tennessee,  on  the 
1 7th  of  September,  1838,  and  there  re- 
sided until  twelve  years  of  age.  when  he 
came  to  Illinois  in  1851  with  his  parents, 
John  and  Sarah  (Rayborn)  Jenkins.  The 
father  was  born  in  Virginia,  representing 
one  of  the  old  southern  families,  and 
throughout  his  active  life  he  carried  on 
farming.  Upon  coming  to  Hancock 
county  he  settled  in  Rock  Creek  township, 
where  he  purchased  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  of  land,  making  his  home  thereon 
until  1862.  He  then  removed  to  Har- 
mony township,  trading  his  original  farm 
for  a  tract  of  land  in  Harmony  township, 
of  two  hundred  and  twenty  acres  which 
was  partially  improved.  He  gave  his  time 
and  energies  to  its  further  development 


for  some  years  and  then  bought  another 
place  in  Harmony  township,  after  which 
he  sold  the  other  farm,  residing  upon  the 
last  purchased  property  for  many  years. 
Eventually,  however,  he  went  to  Bentley, 
where  he  lived  with  one  of  his  daughters 
until  he  was  called  to  his  final  rest,  passing 
away  at  the  very  advanced  age  of  ninety- 
one  years.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
Primitive  Baptist  church  and  a  man  of 
earnest  Christian  faith  and  character. 
His  political  support  was  given  to  the  de- 
mocracy. In  his  business  affairs  he  pros- 
pered and  though  he  only  had  seventy- 
five  dollars  in  money  when  he  came  to 
Illinois,  lie  succeeded  in  rearing  a  large 
family,  providing  for  them  a  comfortable 
living  and  acquiring  a  competency  for  his 
last  years.  His  remains  were  interred  in 
Harmony  township  cemetery.  His  wife, 
who  was  born  in  Tennessee,  grew  to 
womanhood  there.  She  was  also  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Primitive  Baptist  church,  and 
died  about  six  years  prior  to  her  husband's 
demise,  her  grave  being  also  made  in 
Harmony  township  cemetery.  Unto  this 
worthy  couple  were  born  thirteen  children, 
seven  of  whom  are  living. 

Henry  Jenkins  remained  upon  the 
home  farm  until  twenty-five  years  of  age, 
no  event  of  special  importance  occurring 
to  vary  the  routine  of  farm  life  for  him 
in  his  youth,  his  attention  being  divided 
between  the  work  of  the  schoolroom,  the 
duties  of  the  fields  and  the  pleasures  of 
the  playground.  He  was  then  married 
but  continued  to  reside  upon  a  part  of  the 
old  homestead  property  for  a  few  years, 
after  which  he  removed  to  Missouri, 
where  he  resided  for  three  years,  engaged 
in  farming  during  that  time.  He  then 


io6 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


returned  to  Hancock  county,  Illinois, 
where  he  remained  for  five  years  in  Har- 
mony township.  On  the  expiration  of 
that  period  he  took  up  his  abode  in  Knox 
county,  Missouri,  where  he  spent  nine 
years,  when  he  again  came  to  Hancock 
county  and  purchased  his  present  farm  of 
one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Carthage 
township.  Here  he  has  lived  continuous- 
ly, until  recently.  He  bought  the  farm 
sixteen  years  ago  and  has  placed  thereon 
many  improvements,  securing  the  best  ma- 
chinery for  the  development  of  the  fields, 
adding  many  modern  equipments  and  ac- 
cessories. He  has  a  good  frame  dwelling 
and  other  buildings  upon  his  place  and 
devoted  his  time  and  energies  to  general 
farming  and  stock-raising,  having  good 
grades  of  stock.  In  September,  1906,  Mr. 
Jenkins  bought  a  residence  on  Scofield 
street,  Carthage,  and  in  October  moved 
with  his  family  to  the  city  in  order  to 
give  his  sons  better  educational  advan- 
tages. 

At  the  age  of  twenty-five  years  Mr. 
Jenkins  was  married  to  Miss  Family  V. 
Mauk,  who  was  born  in  Virginia  and  re- 
moved to  Hancock  county,  Illinois,  with 
her  parents  when  a  small  child.  Her 
father,  Abram  Mauk,  came  to  this  county 
in  1851,  and  followed  the  occupation  of 
farming  in  Harmony  township,  where  he 
lived  until  his  death,  which  occurred  when 
he  was  about  fifty-five  years  of  age.  His 
wife  died  in  Virginia.  Unto  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Jenkins  have  been  born  thirteen  chil- 
dren, nine  of  whom  are  living :  Robert,  a 
farmer  residing  at  home ;  Ada,  the  wife  of 
Robert  E.  Granger,  a  resident  farmer  of 
Hancock  township,  by  whom  she  had 
seven  children :  Charles,  May,  Sarah, 
Clara  and  Roy,  who  are  living,  and  two 


who  died  in  infancy;  John,  a  teamster  of 
La  Harpe,  Kansas,  who  married  Cora 
Willis;  Sarah,  the  wife  of  Homer  Rig- 
gens,  a  farmer  residing  in  Hancock  town- 
ship, by  whom  she  has  one  daughter, 
Anna;  Ollie,  at  home;  Anna,  married 
Jesse  Ruddle,  of  Oak  Grove,  and  has 
two  sons,  Leland  H.  and  Roy  T. ;  Lu- 
cinda  Belle,  who  died  at  the  age  of  twen- 
ty-four years;  Harvey,  Edward  and 
Thomas,  all  at  home;  one  who  died  at 
the  age  of  eight  years,  while  three  died  in 
infancy. 

Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jenkins  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Primitive  Baptist  church,  and 
he  votes  with  the  democracy,  but  has 
never  cared  for  public  office,  his  time  and 
attention  being  fully  occupied  with  his 
business  interests,  which  have  been  care- 
full}'  managed,  and  though  his  life  has 
not  been  exempt  from  the  difficulties  and 
obstacles  which  usually  come  to  all  in  a 
business  career,  he  has  overcome  all  these 
by  determination  and  energy  and  is  now 
the  possessor  of  a  valuable  farm  prop- 
erty which  yields  him  a  good  income.  He 
has  also  seen  many  improvements  made 
in  Hancock  county  during  the  long  years 
of  his  residence  here,  and  has  done  his 
full  share  in  the  work  of  citizenship, 
standing  for  progress  and  improvements 
along  all  those  lines  which  are  of  direct 
and  immediate  serviceableness  in  the  pro- 
motion of  material,  intellectual,  social 
and  moral  progress. 

Mr.  Jenkins  and  his  family  richly  de- 
serve the  high  esteem  in  which  they  are 
held  by  their  many  friends  in  the  com- 
munity where  "they  have  so  long  resided. 
and  they  are  well  worthy  of  representation 
in  the  Biographical  Review  of  Hancock 
County. 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


107 


VERRIEUS  R.  FAUGHT. 

Verrieus  R.  Faught,  for  many  years 
identified  with  general  agricultural  pur- 
suits and  now  doing  business  as  a  gar- 
dener at  Hamilton,  was  born  in  New 
Madrid,  Missouri,  April  i,  1843.  His 
parents  were  Sanford  and  Caroline 
(Seavers)  Faught,  the  former  a  native 
of  Frankfort,  Kentucky,  and  the  latter  of 
Baden,  Germany.  The  mother  was 
brought  from  Germany  to  Pennsylvania 
during  her  infancy.  Her  mother  died 
when  the  daughter  was  quite  young  and 
she  afterward  lived  with  her  father  until 
her  marriage,  which  was  celebrated  in 
Evansville,  Indiana.  Sanford  Faught 
had  been  reared  in  Kentucky  and  in  early 
manhood  was  married  there.  Two  sons 
were  born  of  the  first  marriage,  but  his 
wife  and  children  all  died  in  Kentucky. 
Following  his  marriage  to  Caroline 
Seavers  he  lived  in  New  Madrid,  Mis- 
souri, for  a  few  months  and  afterward  re- 
moved to  Evansville,  Indiana,  -and  then 
to  Keokuk,  Iowa,  where  he  worked  at 
his  trade  of  house  building,  making  his 
home  there  from  1849  until  1853.  In  the 
latter  year,  with  his  family,  he  took  up 
his  abode  in  what  is  now  the  western  part 
of  Hamilton,  and  purchased  forty  acres 
of  land,  which  at  that  time  was  covered 
with  a  dense  growth  of  timber.  He 
cleared  a  portion  of  this  and  built  a 
frame  house,  bringing  the  lumber  across 
the  river  in  a  skiff.  From  the  door  of 
his  house  he  could  frequently  see  deer 
and  wild  turkeys.  As  the  town  of  Ham- 
ilton grew  he  subdivided  his  land  and  sold 
it  off  in  town  lots.  He  was  one  of  the 
promoters  of  the  movements  to  secure  the 


first  ferry  to  Keokuk  and  one  of  the  in- 
fluential men  of  the  town,  a  fact  which  is 
indicated  in  that  the  early  name  of  the 
town  was  Faughtsburg,  but  after  a  few 
years  it  was  changed  to  Hamilton.  He 
measured  off  the  first  town  lot  in  Hamil- 
ton with  a  tape  line  and  from  the  earliest 
inception  of  the  village  until  his  death 
was  closely  identified  with  its  growth  and 
progress.  He  died  March  24,  1856,  and 
his  wife,  long  surviving  him,  remained 
an  esteemed  resident  of  Hamilton  until 
called  to  her  final  home  on  the  2/th  of 
June,  1903.  The  name  of  Sanford 
Faught,  however,  is  inseparably  inter- 
woven with  the  history  of  Hamilton  and 
he  will  always  be  honored  as  one  of  its 
founders. 

Verrieus  R.  Faught,  the  eldest  in  a 
family  of  two  sons  and  four  daughters, 
of  whom  two  of  the  daughters  and  the 
brother  of  our  subject  are  now  deceased, 
spent  his  boyhood  days  in  Hamilton,  his 
parents  removing  to  Hancock  county 
when  he  was  but  a  young  lad.  He  pur- 
sued his  education  in  the  public  schools 
and  also  attended  a  commercial  college 
at  Davenport,  Iowa.  He  has  watched  the 
growth  and  development  of  Hamilton 
from  a  wilderness  to  a  thriving  city  and 
has  been  a  co-operant  factor  in  many  pro- 
gressive public  movements.  He  assisted 
his  parents  on  the  home  farm  until  the 
ist  of  September;  1862,  when  he  enlisted 
for  active  service  in  the  Civil  war  as  a 
member  of  Company  D,  Seventy-eighth 
Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry.  He  was  in 
the  Fourteenth  Army  Corps  in  the  Army 
of  the  Cumberland  and  participated  in 
the  Atlanta  campiagn,  the  battle  of  Chick- 
amauga  and  many  other  important  en- 


io8 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


gagements  and  in  the  celebrated  march  to 
the  sea  under  General  Sherman.  He 
fought  in  the  battles  of  Jonesboro, 
Georgia,  September  i,  1864;  Kingston, 
Tennessee;  Chattanooga,  November  25, 
1863;  Lookout  Mountain;  Atlanta.  Sep- 
tember i,  1864;  Savannah,  Georgia; 
Evansboro,  North  Carolina ;  Rome  and 
Resaca,  Georgia ;  Kennesaw  Mountain, 
June  27,  1864;  and  Bentonville,  North 
Carolina,  March  19,  1865.  He  was  mus- 
tered out  of  service  at  Washington,  D. 
C.,  on  the  2d  of  June,  1865,  after  almost 
three  years  of  active  duty  in  the  south, 
and  he  proved  his  loyalty  and  bravery  on 
various  battlefields  and  under  many  of 
the  arduous  conditions  which  war  brings. 

Returning  to  Hamilton,  Mr.  Faught 
turned  his  attention  to  general  agricul- 
tural pursuits  after  spending  a  few  months 
at  St.  Joseph,  Missouri.  He  has  followed 
farming  throughout  his  entire  life  and  for 
many  years  was  a  prosperous  agricultur- 
ist but  has  now  put  aside  the  more  ardu- 
ous duties  of  the  farm  and  has  given  his 
attention  to  gardening,  in  which  he  is 
doing  a  big  business.  He  bought  six 
lots  in  the  Oakwood  addition  to  Ham- 
ilton, where  he  has  his  residence  and  in 
the  fall  of  1904  he  added  three  more  lots. 
He  has  a  good  trade  in  garden  products, 
placing  upon  the  market  many  of  the 
finest  vegetables  produced  in  this  section 
of  the  country. 

On  the  2d  of  March,  1881,  Mr.  Faught 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Sarah 
Frances  Nelson,  who  was  born  in  Peoria, 
Illinois,  November  8,  1859,  and  was  edu- 
cated in  the  public  schools  of  Ouincy,  Illi- 
nois, and  of  Keokuk,  Iowa.  She  also 
studied  to  be  a  nurse  in  the  training 


school  in  connection  with  the  College  of 
Physicians  and  Surgeons  at  Keokuk. 
Her  father,  John  S.  Nelson,  was  born  in 
Beardstown,  Illinois,  and  married  Phebe 
J.  Turner,  whose  birth  occurred  in  Cler- 
mont  county,  Ohio,  October  21,  1841, 
while  his  natal  day  was  January  22,  1829. 
In  their  family  were  nine  children,  four 
sons  and  five  daughters.  Mrs.  Nelson, 
removing  to  the  middle  west,  made  the 
journey  over  the  Ohio,  Mississippi  and 
Illinois  rivers  to  Peoria  in  1844  and  since 
that  time  has  made  her  home  in  Peoria 
and  Hamilton,  living  in  the  latter  city 
since  1870.  She  now  makes  her  home 
with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Faught.  By  this  mar- 
riage have  been  born  a  son  and  daugh- 
ter: Emmett  Sanford.  born  April  9, 
1882,  is  now  living  in  Peoria,  Illinois. 
Almeda  May,  born  June  16,  1885',  is  the 
wife  of  John  Seavers  residing  in  San 
Francisco,  California,  a  machinist  on  the 
battleships  in  the  navy  yard. 

Since  his  return  from  the  war  Mr. 
Faught  has  resided  continuously  in  Ham- 
ilton and  is  one  of  the  oldest  citizens  here, 
having  been  brought  to  the  county  in  pio- 
neer times  when  a  young  lad.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  Freewill  Baptist  church, 
gives  his  political  allegiance  to  the  Repub- 
lican party  and  is  a  valued  representative 
of  the  Grand  Army  Post. 


JUDGE  THOMAS  COKE  SHARP. 

Judge  Thomas  Coke  Sharp,  deceased, 
left  the  impress  of  his  individuality  upon 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


109 


Hancock  county  as  journalist,  lawyer, 
county  judge,  a  member  of  the  state  con- 
stitutional convention  of  1848,  a  leader 
in  the  movement  against  the  Mormons 
and  as  advocate  of  railroad  projects.  Any 
one  of  these  things  would  entitle  him  to 
mention  among  the  representative  citizens 
of  this  part  of  the  state,  while  his  com- 
bined labor  made  him  a  distinguished 
man,  recognized  as  a  leader  of  public 
thought  and  action. 

Judge  Sharp  was  born  September  25, 
1818.  at  Mount  Holly,  Xew  Jersey.  His 
father,  Rev.  Solomon  Sharp,  was  born 
on  the  eastern  shore  of  Maryland  and  was 
a  noted  pioneer  Methodist  minister  of  the 
Philadelphia  conference.  His  mother  was 
a  member  of  the  well  known  and  promi- 
nent Budd  family,  of  Pemberton,  Burling- 
ton county,  New  Jersey.  In  his  pastoral 
work  Rev.  Sharp  was  stationed  at  differ- 
ent times  at  Trenton,  Xew  Jersey,  Phila- 
delphia, Wilmington,  Delaware,  and  was 
also  connected  with  the  Salem  circuit  of 
'New  Jersey,  the  Christiana  circuit  of  Del- 
aware, the  Smyrna  and  the  Dover  circuits, 
after  which  he  entered  upon  superannu- 
ated relations  .with  the  church,  his  death 
occurring  within  a  short  time. 

Thomas  Coke  Sharp,  after  attending 
the  common  schools,  entered  Dickinson 
College  at  Carlisle,  Pennsylvania,  in  1835. 
and  in  1837  became  a  student  in  the  law 
school  conducted  by  Judge  Reed,  of  Car- 
lisle. He  supported  himself  during  the 
last  eighteen  months  of  his  law  course  by 
teaching  in  the  male  high  school,  of  which 
he  took  charge  when  twenty  years  of  age. 
He  was  also  teacher  of  mathematics  for 
six  months  in  Dickinson  College  in  the  ab- 
sence of  one  of  the  professors.  Following 


his  graduation  from  Judge  Reed's  school 
he  was  in  April,  1840,  matriculated  in  the 
Cumberland  Law  School.  In  September 
of  the  same  year  he  came  west  and  opened 
a  law  office  in  Warsaw,  Illinois,  which  he 
successfully  maintained  until  1865,  when 
he  located  in  Carthage,  where  he  resided 
until  his  death. 

While  in  Warsaw,  Judge  Sharp's  hear- 
ing became  impaired,  so  that  he  gave  up 
the  practice  of  law  for  a  few  years  or  un- 
til 1858.  He  practiced  for  but  a  year  in 
Warsaw,  after  which  he  became  one  of 
the  proprietors  of  the  Western  World,  his 
partner  in  the  enterprise  being  James 
Gamble.  The  paper  was  published  as 
a  whig  organ,  but  Mr.  Sharp  soon  placed 
it  upon  a  neutral  political  basis,  for  he 
was  an  advocate  of  Jacksonian  democ- 
racy. In  1841  the  name  of  the  paper 
was  changed  to  the  Warsaw  Signal.  Al- 
though the  two  partners  worked  hard  and 
faithfully  they  realized  in  1842  that  they 
could  not  raise  the  debt  on  the  establish- 
ment and  the  paper  passed  again  into  the 
hands  of  its  first  proprietor,  D.  N.  White. 

It  was  in  the  same  year,  on  the  6th  of 
September,  1842,  that  Judge  Sharp  was 
married  to  Mrs.  Hannah  G.  \Vilcox,  the 
widow  of  John  R.  Wilcox,  one  of  the 
original  proprietors  of  the  town  site  of 
Warsaw.  She  was  a  most  highly  es- 
teemed lady,  enjoying  the  warm  regard 
of  all  who  knew  her.  She  had  six  chil- 
dren, one  born  of  her  first  marriage  and 
five  of  her  marriage  to  Judge  Sharp,  but 
only  two  of  the  number  are  now  living : 
Charles  G.,  who  resides  in  Shadron,  Mis- 
souri ;  and  W.  O.  Sharp,  who  is  repre- 
sented elsewhere  in  this  work.  The  wife 
and  mother  passed  away  October  3,  1879. 


110 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


About  the  time  the  Warsaw  Signal 
suspended  Judge  Sharp  decided  to  try 
farming,  but  soon  realized  that  nature 
had  never  intended  him  for  a  tiller  of  the 
soil  and  he  made  arrangements  to  again 
resume  the  publication  of  the  Warsaw- 
Signal  in  1844.  He  soon  became  widely 
known  as  a  journalist  whose  articles  of 
attack  against  the  Mormons  awakened 
wide-spread  attention  and  aroused  public 
opinion.  The  sect  turned  out  upon  him 
its  vengeance  and  wrath  and  called  him 
"Old  Tom  Sharp."  His  editorials  in  the 
Signal  were  extensively  copied  into  other 
papers  throughout  the  country.  He  was 
a  forceful  writer,  earnest  and  fluent,  and 
was  unsparing  in  his  attacks  of  the  prin- 
ciples upon  which  the  Mormon  church 
was  founded.  Many  reading  these  ar- 
ticles formed  the  opinion  that  Judge 
Sharp  was  a  most  aggre3sive  man,  full  of 
the  fighting  spirit,  but  on  the  contrary 
he  was  most  mild-mannered,  of  kindly 
nature  and  rather  inclined  to  the  conserva- 
tive in  his  opinions  and  judgments.  It 
was  only  when  he  was  aroused  by  some- 
thing that  he  believed  to  be  wrong  that 
he  assumed  the  attitude  of  the  antagonist 
and  then  he  was  unfaltering  in  support 
of  whatever  cause  or  course  he  believed 
to  be  right.  In  1844,  Joseph  and  Hiram 
Smith,  the  two  prophets  and  leaders  of  the 
Mormon  church,  were  killed  and  Judge 
Sharp,  through  the  Signal,  vindicated  the 
anti-Mormons.  Several  attempts  were 
made  to  indict  him  as  one  of  the  leaders 
in  the  assassination,  but  to  no  avail.  He 
continued  at  the  head  of  the  Warsaw 
Signal  until  the  fall  of  1846  and  in  the 
Mormon  war  which  followed  the  trouble 
between  the  orthodox  Christians  and  the 


followers  of  Smith  he  acted  as  an  aide  to 
General  Singleton,  who  first  had  com- 
mand of  the  anti-Mormon  troops,  and 
after  his  retirement  Judge  Sharp  occupied 
the  same  position  on  the  staff  of  General 
Brockman.  In  the  battle  of  Nauvoo  he 
was  sent  with  others  to  make  a  feint  on 
the  Mormon  battery  on  the  right,  while 
the  general  at  the  head  of  the  main  force 
made  a  flank  movement  on  the  left.  The 
feint  executed,  Judge  Sharp,  with  his 
command,  joined  the  main  force  and  con- 
veyed the  orders  that  brought  the  first 
regiment  into  the  fight,  and  in  person  led 
the  second  regiment  up  to  the  support  of 
the  exposed  artillery,  during  which  move- 
ment several  of  the  men  were  wounded. 
After  the  Mormons  had  been  driven 
from  the  country  Judge  Sharp  turned  the 
Signal  over  to  Thomas  Gregg,  and  as  his 
health  had  become  impaired  through  the 
strain  and  hard  work  in  the  office  he 
sought  recuperation  in  outdoor  interests. 
In  the  spring  of  1847  he  was  elected  a 
member  of  the  constitutional  convention 
with  four  others  from  Hancock  county 
and  assisted  in  framing  the  organic  law 
of  the  state,  which  was  adopted  as  the 
state  constitution  by  a  vote  of  the  people 
in  1848.  In  1851  he  was  elected  justice 
of  the  peace  of  Warsaw  and  in  1853  was 
chosen  the  first  mayor  of  that  city,  which 
office  he  occupied  for  three  consecutive 
terms  and  was  again  elected  in  1858  and 
1859,  giving  to  the  city  a  public-spirited 
administration,  characterized  by  the  ut- 
most devotion  to  the  public  welfare  along 
lines  of  material  improvement  and  intel- 
lectual, legal  and  political  progress.  For 
fifteen  months  during  the  early  '503  he 
also  published  a  paper,  neutral  in  politics, 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


in 


for  the  advancement  of  railroad  projects 
and  in  this  way  contributed  much  to  the 
upbuilding  of  the  state.  It  has  been  said 
that  railroads  are  the  means  of  draining  a 
new  country  of  savagery  and  all  acknowl- 
edge that  rapid  transportation  is  one  of 
the  chief  elements  in  opening  up  a  new 
district  to  commercialism  and  industrial- 
ism. 

During  the  Mormon  war  Judge  Sharp 
ceased  to  be  a  partisan  democrat  and  in 
1854,  upon  its  organization,  joined  the 
Republican  party,  which  he  ardently  and 
zealously  supported  from  that  time  until 
his  death.  In  1856  he  was  nominated  by 
the  republicans  of  the  then  fifth  district 
as  a  candidate  for  congress.  He  knew 
this  to  be  an  empty  honor  because  of  the 
strength  of  the  democracy  in  his  section 
of  the  state,  but  nevertheless  made  a 
strong  canvass  through  the  district,  de- 
livering speeches  in  every  county  in  sup- 
port of  the  principles  which  he  upheld. 
In  1864  he  began  the  publication  of  the 
Warsaw  New  Era  at  the  request  of  the 
Union  League  of  Hancock  county,  and 
conducted  it  for  a  year  at  that  place,  when 
leaders  in  public  opinion  desired  that  the 
paper  be  moved  to  Carthage  because  of 
more  central  location.  In  1865  therefore 
the  Carthage  Gazette  was  established  by 
F.  E.  Fowler.  In  the  fall  of  the  same 
year  Judge  Sharp  was  nominated  by  the 
republicans  for  the  position  of  county 
judge  and  on  being  elected  removed  his 
family  to  the  county  seat.  He  held  the 
office  for  four  years  and  the  court  records 
show  him  to  have  been  one  of  the  ablest 
judges  that  have  sat  upon  the  bench.  He 
was  repeatedly  renominated  but  the  dem- 
ocrats had  regained  their  ascendency  and 


republican  victories  have  since  been  few 
in  Hancock  county.  On  retiring  from  the 
bench  he  formed  a  partnership  with  H. 
W.  Draper,  with  whom  he  continued  in 
the  practice  of  law  for  three  years,  and 
in  December,  1869,  when  Mr.  Fowler  re- 
ceived a  government  appointment,  Judge 
Sharp  was  urged  to  assume  editorial  con- 
trol of  the  Carthage  Gazette,  which  he 
did,  expecting,  however,  to  remain  con- 
nected with  that  paper  for  only  a  brief 
period.  His  old  interest  in  journalistic 
work,  however,  being  revived,  he  pur- 
chased the  office  in  1870  and  continued 
as  proprietor  of  the  Carthage  Gazette 
until  he  turned  it  over  to  his  son,  W.  O. 
Sharp,  the  present  editor.  In  this  period 
he  had  also  continued  in  the  practice  of 
law  and  for  many  years  was  at  the  head 
of  the  law  firm  of  Sharp  &  Berry 
Brothers.  He  remained  in  active  life  for 
many  years  and  was  widely  known 
throughout  the  state  as  a  journalist  and 
as  a  leader  in  political  circles.  He  also 
attained  high  rank  at  the  bar  and  in  citi- 
zenship stood  for  all  that  is  progressive, 
for  all  that  is  opposed  to  misrule  and  for 
all  that  looks  to  the  welfare  of  the  coun- 
try before  the  aggrandizement  of  self. 
His  efforts  were  again  and  again  of  direct 
and  immediate  serviceableness  to  the 
county.  He  continued  active  in  the  news- 
paper field  and  at  the  bar  until  1891,  when 
he  was  stricken  with  paralysis.  He  lived 
for  three  years  thereafter,  passing  away 
April  9,  1894,  at  the  advanced  age  of  sev- 
enty-five years,  his  remains  being  interred 
in  Moss  Ridge  cemetery.  It  is  an  impor- 
tant public  duty  to  honor  and  perpetuate 
as  far  as  is  possible  the  memory  of  an 
eminent  citizen,  one  who  by  his  blame- 


I  12 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REJ'IEU' 


less  and  honorable  life  and  distinguished 
career  reflected  credit  upon  his  city  and 
his  state.  No  man  in  Hancock  county 
was  ever  more  respected,  more  fully  en- 
joyed the  confidence  of  the  people  or  de- 
served in  larger  measure  such  respect  and 
confidence.  In  his  lifetime  the  people  of 
his  city  and  county,  recognizing  his  merit, 
rejoiced  in  his  advancement  and  in  the 
honors  to  which  he  attained  and  since  his 
death  they  have  cherished  his  memory. 


MARTIN  CONRAD  ECHBOHM. 

The  financial  and  commercial  history 
of  Hancock  county  would  be  very  incom- 
plete and  very  unsatisfactory  without  a 
personal  and  somewhat  extended  mention 
of  those  whose  lives  are  interwoven  so 
closely  with  its  industrial  and  manufac- 
turing development  and  with  its  public 
interests.  When  a  man  or  a  select  number 
of  men  have  set  in  motion  the  machinery 
of  business  which  materializes  into  a  thou- 
sand forms  of  practical  utility,  or  where 
they  have  carved  out  a  fortune  or  a  name 
from  the  common  possibilities,  open  for 
competition  to  all,  there  is  a  public  desire 
to  know  the  results  and  the  circumstances 
by  which  such  results  have  been  achieved. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  finds  a 
proper  place  in  the  history  of  those  men 
of  business  and  enterprise  in  Hancock 
county,  whose  force  of  character,  whose 
sterling  integrity,  whose  fortitude  amid 
discouragements,  whose  good  sense  in 
the  management  of  complicated  affairs 


and  marked  success  in  establishing  and 
controlling  industrial  and  commercial  in- 
terests have  contributed  in  an  eminent 
degree  to  the  development  of  the  re- 
sources of  this  part  of  the  state.  His 
career  has  not  been  helped  by  accident, 
or  luck,  or  wealth,  or  family,  or  power- 
ful friends.  He  is  in  the  broadest  sense 
of  the  term  a  self-made  man,  being  both 
the  architect  and  builder  of  his  own  for- 
tunes. 

Mr.  Echbohm  was  born  in  Leebeck, 
Germany,  March  13,  1851,  and  there  at- 
tended a  public  school  until  thirteen  years 
of  age,  when  he  came  to  America  on  an 
old  sailing  vessel,  which,  after  a  voyage 
of  thirteen  weeks,  dropped  anchor  in  the 
harbor  of  New  Orleans.  He  made  the 
trip  in  company  with  his  parents  and 
from  that  city  the  family  proceeded  north- 
ward to  Warsaw,  Illinois,  where  Mr. 
Echbohm  has  since  lived.  His  father  was 
a  ship  carpenter  in  the  old  country  and 
after  coming  to  the  United  States  em- 
barked in  the  grain  business,  in  which  he 
continued  until  his  death,  passing  away 
in  1876,  when  sixty-two  years  of  age. 
He  was  married  in  his  native  country  to 
Miss  Mary  Woldebrand,  who  survived 
him  until  1891,  and  died  at  the  age  of 
seventy-two  years,  when  she  was  laid  to 
rest  by  his  side  in  Warsaw  cemetery. 
They  were  the  parents  of  three  children : 
A'lartin  C. ;  Charles,  who  died  at  the  age 
of  twenty-one  years ;  and  Rickey,  the  wife 
of  Captain  Frank  Meyers,  of  Warsaw. 

Mr.  Echbohm  well  remembers  the  in- 
cidents of  the  voyage  to  the  United 
States  and  the  condition  of  things  that 
confronted  the  family  upon  their  arrival 
in  Hancock  county  in  1864.  His  educa- 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


tion  completed,  he  entered  upon  a  com- 
mercial career  in  the  hay  and  grain  busi- 
ness in  connection  with  his  father.  This 
partnership  was  maintained  until  the 
father's  death,  and  Mr.  Echbohm  was 
then  alone  in  business  for  fifteen  years 
thereafter.  On  the  expiration  of  that 
period  he  retired  from  the  hay  and  grain 
trade  and  became  a  merchant  of  Warsaw, 
since  which  time  he  has  conducted  a  hard- 
ware and  implement  business.  The  en- 
terprise, of  which  he  is  now  proprietor, 
was  established  by  Fred  and  Henry  Dross 
in  Warsaw,  about  1881,  and  was  contin- 
ued by  that  firm  until  1898,  when  the 
partnership  was  dissolved  and  the  busi- 
ness divided.  In  the  meantime  Mr.  Ech- 
bohm had  become  interested  in  the  busi- 
ness and  upon  the  dissolution  of  the  part- 
nership he  purchased  a  new  stock  of  im- 
plements and  groceries  and  has  since  car- 
ried on  business  alone  under  his  own 
name,  dealing  in  hardware,  implements 
and  groceries.  He  carries  a  large  and 
carefully  selected  stock  suited  to  the 
varied  tastes  and  needs  of  the  general 
public  and  has  a  liberal  patronage,  which 
has  been  given  him  in  recognition  of  his 
honorable  business  methods  and  reason- 
able prices.  He  is  a  man  of  resourceful 
ability  and  has  not  confined  his  attention 
alone  to  one  line  but  has  extended  his 
efforts  into  other  fields  of  activity  and 
commercial  progress  and  prosperity  have 
been  stimulated  by  his  energy  and  keen 
discrimination.  In  1886  he  organized 
the  Warsaw  Pickle  Company,  capitalized 
for  twenty-five  thousand  dollars  and  still 
in  successful  operation.  At  the  beginning 
•  he  became  general  manager  and  has  since 
acted  in  that  office.  The  plant  has  a  ca- 


pacity of  sixty  thousand  bushels  a  year. 
In  1901  a.tomato  canning-  plant  was  added 
and  the  annual  output  of  canned  tomatoes 
is  about  twenty  thousand  cases.  The 
works  are  situated  in  the  village  of  War- 
saw and  the  company  is  officered  by  the 
following  gentlemen  :  William  Ballenger, 
president ;  F.  C.  Haslup,  secretary  and 
treasurer;  and  Mr.  Echbohm,  general 
manager.  The  last  named  was  also  or- 
ganizer of  a  cold  storage  business,  which 
is  conducted  in  connection  with  the  pickle 
works  and  which  has  a  capacity  of  two 
hundred  thousand  cases  of  eggs.  This 
enterprise  is  one  of  the  leading  business 
concerns  of  the  village,  furnishing  an  ex- 
cellent market  for  local  products  and  the 
quality  of  its  output  finds  a  ready  sale  on 
-the  market. 

Had  Mr.  Echbohm  done  nothing  for 
his  city  outside  of  business  interests  he 
would  be  entitled  to  representation  among 
its  leading  men.  He  has,  however,  la- 
bored untiringly  and  effectively  toward 
promoting  its  welfare  in  other  ways  and 
his  fellow  townsmen,  recognizing  his 
worth  and  devotion  to  the  public  good 
have  frequently  honored  him  with  office. 
He  has  served  as  alderman  of  Warsaw 
for  several  terms  and  in  1901  was  elected 
mayor,  giving  a  practical  and  business- 
like administration  that  led  to  his  re-elec- 
tion in  1902,  again  in  1904,  and  once 
more  in  1905,  so  that  he  is  now  serving 
for  the  fourth  term  in  that  capacity. 

On  the  1 4th  of  October,  1873,  Martin 
C.  Echbohm  was  married  to  Miss  Mary 
Schafer,  a  daugther  of  John  and  Eliza- 
beth Schafer.  They  have  become  the 
parents  of  a  son  and  daughter.  The  for- 
mer, Henry,  died  at  the  age  of  twenty- 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


one  years.  Clara  is  now  the  wife  of 
Charles  Lockart,  a  resident  of  St.  Paul, 
Minnesota.  The  parents  are  members  of 
the  Lutheran  church,  and  Mr.  Echbohm 
became  a  member  of  the  Odd  Fellows 
society  in  Warsaw,  in  which  he  has  passed 
all  of  the  chairs.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Echbohm 
are  prominent  socially  and  the  hospitality 
of  their  own  home  is  greatly  enjoyed  by 
their  many  friends.  In  the  prosperity  of 
the  city  of  his  residence  he  has  been  an 
invaluable  factor,  no  man  having  done 
more  toward  upbuilding  the  city  of  War- 
saw than  he,  while  his  public  spirit  and 
his  progressive  ideas  have  been  of  ines- 
timable worth  to  the  community,  while 
to  public  enterprises  and  other  efforts  look- 
ing toward  the  advancement  of  his  fellow 
citizens  he  contributes  with  an  open  hand 
and  is  the  prime  mover  in  most  of  them. 


PARKHURST  WARD  CUTLER. 

Parkhurst  Ward  Cutler  resides  on  sec- 
tion 14,  Carthage  township,  where  he  has 
a  farm  of  four  hundred  acres  -  of  well 
improved  land.  He  is  a  native  of  Fulton 
county,  Illinois,  born  February  27,  1848. 
and  came  to  Hancock  county  in  1853 
with  his  parents,  Nathan  and  Hannah 
Ward  Cutler.  His  early  education  was 
acquired  in  the  common  schools  of  Han- 
cock county  beginning  in  the  old  sub- 
scription school.  The  father,  a  native  of 
New  York,  was  born  at  Holland,  Erie 
county,  near  Buffalo,  and  there  resided 
until  nineteen  years  of  age,  when  he  re- 


moved to  Fulton  county,  Illinois,  where 
he  lived  with  his  parents  until  after  his 
marriage.  He  continued  to  reside  in  that 
county  until  1853,  the  year  of  his  arrival 
in  Hancock  county,  where  he  engaged  in 
general  farming.  He  also  purchased  a 
tract  of  land  in  Fulton  county,  which  he 
sold  upon  locating  in  Pilot  Grove  town- 
ship, where  he  also  bought  a  farm  of  one 
hundred  and  fifty  acres.  A  year  later, 
however,  he  disposed  of  that  property  and 
removed  to  Carthage  township,  purchas- 
ing one  hundred  and  seventy-three  acres 
of  good  land  on  section  28.  This  he  at 
once  began  to  cultivate  and  improve,  mak- 
ing it  his  home  until  his  death  and  suc- 
cessfully carrying  on  general  farming 
and  stock-raising.  He  kept  high  grades 
of  cattle,  hogs  and  horses  and  both 
branches  of  his  business  proved  profitable. 
His  life  was  in  harmony  with  his  pro- 
fessions as  a  member  of  the  Baptist 
church.  He  took  a  most  active  and  help- 
ful interest  in  its  work  and  served  as 
deacon  for  many  years,  acting  in  that 
capacity  at  the  time  of  his  death,  which 
occurred  December  26,  1897,  when  he 
was  seventy-eight  years  of  age,  his  birth 
having  occurred  on  the  loth  of  August, 
1819.  He  was  laid  to  rest  in  Moss  Ridge 
cemetery  at  Carthage,  and  thus  passed 
away  a  citizen  whom  to  know  was  to  re- 
spect and  honor.  His  early  political  alle- 
giance was  given  to  the  democracy,  but 
a  few  years  prior  to  his  death  he  joined 
the  ranks  of  the  Prohibition  party  and 
was  an  active  worked  for  its  principles, 
believing  firmly  in  the  cause  of  temper- 
ance. Upon  the  democratic  ticket  he 
was  elected  to  the  office  of  supervisor  for 
two  terms  and  he  was  a  member  of  the 


PARKHURST  W.  CUTLER 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


school  board  for  a  number  of  years.  In- 
tellectual and  moral  progress  and  all 
those  interests  which  tend  to  uplift  man- 
kind elicited  his  attention,  approval  and 
active  support.  His  wife  was  born  in 
Pennsylvania,  and  in  her  childhood  days 
\vas  taken  to  Fulton  county,  Illinois,  by 
hei  parents.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Aaron  Ward. 
There  she  was  reared  and  educated,  living 
at  home  until  her  marriage.  She  passed 
away  May,  1886,  some  years  prior  to  the 
death  of  her  husband  and  her  interment 
was  also  in  Moss  Ridge  cemetery,  at 
Carthage.  Of  the  seven  children  of  that 
union  three  are  yet  living.  Francis  M., 
having  died  August  I,  1906.  The  others 
in  childhood. 

Parkhurst  W.  Cutler,  whose  name  in- 
troduces this  review,  attended  school  in 
Carthage  township  and  assisted  in  the 
work  of  the  home  farm  through  the  period 
of  his  boyhood  and  youth,  remaining  at 
home  until  his  marriage,  save  for  the  time 
which-  he  spent  as  a  student  in  Central 
College,  at  Pella,  Iowa.  His  education 
completed,  he  started  out  in  life  for  him- 
self, working  in  partnership  with  his 
father  for  one  year  and  then  purchasing 
one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  land  on 
section  28,  Carthage  township.  This  was 
improved  when  it  came  into  his  possession 
and  he  made  his  home  thereon  for  about 
a  quarter  of  a  century,  carrying  on  gen- 
eral farming  and  stock-raising.  He  then 
purchased  his  present  farm  in  Carthage 
township,  where  he  has  lived  for  the  past 
ten  years.  He  has  erected  all  of  the  build- 
ings here  and  has  a  model  farm  property, 
his  land  being  divided  into  fields  of  con- 
venient size  by  well  kept  fences  and  cul- 
tivated with  the  aid  of  the  latest  improved 


machinery.  Mr.  Cutler  is  probably  the 
most  extensive  stock  feeder  in  Carthage 
township,  usually  shipping  two  hundred 
fat  cattle  per  year.  He  also  was  the  first 
man  in  Carthage  township  to  introduce 
thoroughbred  Hereford  cattle  which  he 
has  handled  extensively  since  1886.  He 
now  has  about  one  hundred  head  of  reg- 
istered cattle,  and  has  at  the  head  of  his 
herd  a  fine  registered  bull.  He  also  has 
had  imported  animals.  He  was  the  owner 
of  Britton,  a  son  of  Ancient  Britton,  the 
Chicago  World's  fair  champion,  while  he 
was  also  a  brother  of  the  champion  cow 
at  the  St.  Louis  exposition.  He  weighed 
2,600  pounds.  The  majority  of  his  herd 
now  being  descended  from  him.  It  is  the 
largest  herd  in  this  county.  He  has  been 
a  successful  exhibitor  at  different  fairs. 

On  the  27111  of  February,  1871,  Mr. 
Cutler  was  married  to  Miss  Fannie  G. 
Barker,  a  daughter  of  Judge  Francis  A. 
and  Catherine  (Barker)  Barker.  The 
father's  birth  occurred  near  Poughkeepsi'e, 
in  Dutchess  county,  New  York,  April  2, 
1798,  and  in  his  nineteenth  year  he  went 
to  West  Virginia,  where  he  engaged  in 
he  removed  to  Morgan  county,  Ohio, 
teachmg  for  about  two  years.  In  1820 
where  he  was  married  in  1827,  and  in  Oc- 
tober, 1844,  he  went  to  Iowa,  settling  on 
section  14,  Gold  township,  Marion  county, 
where  he  took  up  land  from  the  govern- 
ment. Not  a  furrow  had  been  turned  nor 
an  improvement  made  thereon  but  he  at 
once  began  its  cultivation.  In  1846  he 
was  elected  probate  judge  of  Marion 
county  and  was  re-elected  to  the  same  of- 
fice in  1847,  proving  a  capable  officer.  In 
1863,  owing,  to  his  advanced  age  and  fail- 
ing health,  he  disposed  of  the  estate  he  had 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


,-iccumulated  through  years  of  toil  and 
hardship  and  spent  his  remaining  days  in 
the  city  of  Knoxville,  dying  at  his  resi- 
dence there,  January  17,  1871,  at  the  age 
of  seventy-three  years.  He  was  the  first 
probate  judge  of  Marion  county  and  also 
held  at  one  time  the  position  of  clerk  of 
the  house  of  representatives  of  Iowa, 
while  for  two  terms  he  was  warden  of 
the  Iowa  state  prison.  At  an  early  epoch 
in  the  development  of  that  state  he  was 
one  of  its  most  prominent,  influential  and 
best  known  citizens  and  his  influence  in 
behalf  of  public  progress  was  far-reach- 
ing and  beneficial. 

Mrs.  Cutler  was  educated  in  the  com- 
mon schools  of  Clay  township,  Marion 
county,  Iowa,  and  in  Central  University, 
at  Pella,  Iowa,  from  which  institution 
she  was  graduated,  while  at  the  present 
time  she  is  a  member  of  its  board  of 
directors.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cutler 
have  been  born  two  sons,  Nathan  B.  and 
Ward  A.,  both  born  in  Carthage  town- 
ship. The  elder  now  resides  on  section 
28,  Carthage  township,  which  was  the 
farm  on  which  his  grandfather  first  set- 
tled on  coming  to  this  county.  He  mar- 
ried Daisy  Corbin,  and  they  haVe  one 
daughter.  Veta. 

Mr.  Cutler  exercised  his  right  of 
franchise  in  support  of  the  men  and 
measures  of  democracy  until  1884,  when 
he  became  a  prohibitionist  and  has  ever 
since  voted~  that  ticket,  for  he  is  a  stal- 
wart champion  of  the  cause  of  temperance 
and  believes  it  to  be  one  of  the  dominant 
issues  of  the  country.  He  was  nominated 
by  his  party  for  the  office  of  member  of 
the  State  Board  of  Equalization  and  has 
been  nominated  for  various  county  offices. 


He  is  chairman  of  the  county  committee 
and  a  member  of  the  senatorial  commit- 
tee. He  has  also  been  a  director  of  the 
Harmony  Mutual  Fire  Insurance  Com- 
pany for  fifteen  years.  He  holds  mem- 
bership in  the  Baptist  church  and  has  lived 
an  upright,  honorable  life  characterized 
by  devotion  to  all  that  tends  to  uplift 
humanity  and  promote  moral  progress. 


ROBERT  P.  STEWART. 

Robert  P.  Stewart,  who  during  the  long 
years  of  his  residence  in  Elvaston,  be- 
came known  as  an  honored  man  of  gen- 
uine, personal  worth,  was  born  March  4. 
1830,  in  Butler  county,  Ohio.  His  parents 
were  James  T.  and  Susanna  (Finney) 
Stewart.  The  father,  a  native  of  Harri- 
son county,  Pennsylvania,  was  born  in 
1793,  while  the  mother's  birth  occurred 
near  Pittsburgh,  Pennsylvania,  May  3. 
1792.  When  a  youth  of  eleven  years 
James  T.  Stewart  accompanied  his  par- 
ents on  their  removal  to  Illinois,  settling 
in  Montebello  township,  Hancock  county, 
where  he  engaged  in  fanning  until  his 
death,  which  occurred  September  17, 
1864.  His  wife  survived  him  until  the 
3d  of  May,  1870.  Both  were  members 
of  the  United  Presbyterian  church.  In 
their  family  were  nine  children,  three  of 
whom  are  now  living :  Sarah  and  Mary 
Jane,  who  are  residing  with  their  sister- 
in-law.  Mrs.  Stewart;  and  John  F.,  who 
resides  in  Boulder,  Colorado. 

Robert  P.  Stewart  spent  the  days  of  his 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


117 


boyhood  and  youth  in  his  native  county. 
No  event  of  special  importance  occurred 
to  vary  the  routine  of  farm  life  for  him 
in  his  youth.  When  a  young  man  of 
about  twenty-seven  years  he  came  west 
witli  his  parents  and  as  stated,  the  family 
home  was  established  in  Montebello  town- 
ship, where  the  father  purchased  a  farm, 
the  family  living  in  Oakwood  while  a 
dwelling  was  being  built  on  the  farm. 
Soon  after  the  home  was  completed  Rob- 
ert Stewart  returned  to  Ohio  and  on  the 
evening  of  March  9,  1859,  he  was  married 
to  Miss  Martha  Holmes,  a  daughter  of. 
John  and  Hannah  (Bigger)  Holmes,  of 
whom  her  father  was  a  native  of  Penn- 
sylvania, and  her  mother  of  Kentucky. 
Following  their  marriage  they  removed  to 
Ohio,  settling  near  Dayton,  where  the 
father  followed  the  occupation  of  farm- 
ing. He  died  in  his  eighty-sixth  year, 
while  his  wife  passed  away  in  the  seventy- 
first  year  of  her  age.  In  their  family  were 
eight  children.  Mr.  Stewart  brought  his 
bride  back  to  Hancock  county  and  began 
housekeeping  on  the  farm  a  few  miles 
southwest  of  Elvaston,  where  they  lived 
continuously  until  1901,  when  they  built 
their  home  in  the  village  and  retired  from 
the  farm,  planning  to  enjoy  life  in  ease 
during  their  remaining  days.  His  parents 
lived  for  only  a  brief  period  after  they 
came  to  Illinois  and  from  that  time  on 
Mr.  Stewart  was  owner  of  the  farm  which 
he  carefully  cultivated  and  improved, 
adding  to  it  modern  equipments  and 
placing  his  fields  under  a  high  state  of 
cultivation.  While  living  upon  the  farm 
one  son  came  to  bless  their  union  but  was 
spared  to  them  for  a  little  less  than  two 
years.  The  kindness  of  their  hearts,  how- 


ever, prompted  them  to  care  for  three 
children,  to  whom  they  gave  a  parent's 
love  and  devotion.  These  were  Ernest 
and  Georgia  Allison  (the  latter  now  de- 
ceased), and  Nelson  Wells,  who  lived  to 
young  manhood  and  for  the  benefit  of  his 
health  afterward  went  to  the  western 
country.  The  anticipated  improvement 
did  not  follow,  however,  and  about  1902 
he  returned  to  the  home  of  his  foster 
parents,  living  but  a  few  days  after  his 
arrival,  thus  in  early  manhood  passed 
away  a  life  which  gave  so  much  promise 
for  the  future. 

While  Mr.  Stewart  was  a  farmer  by  oc- 
cupation he  also  possessed  milch  mechan- 
ical ingenuity  and  to  a  greater  or  less  ex- 
tent followed  the  carpenter's  trade.  His 
ability  in  this  direction  enabled  him  to 
keep  everything  about  his  place  in  excel- 
lent condition  and  the  buildings  and  fences 
were  always  in  a  state  of  good  repair.  In 
matters  of  citizenship  he  was  loyal  and 
progressive.  During  the  latter  part  of  the 
Civil  war  he  responded  to  the  country's 
call  for  aid  and  enlisted  in  the  Union 
Army  but  after  a  few  months  the  war 
ended  and  he  was  engaged  in  no  battle. 
Every  movement  for  the  benefit  of  his 
township  and  county  received  his  en- 
dorsement and  to  a  large  measure  his  co- 
operation and  he  always  stood  as  an  ad- 
vocate of  all  that  is  right,  true  and  just. 
In  his  youth  he  became  a  member  of  the 
Presbyterian  church,  and  he  and  his  wife 
and  his  two  sisters  were  charter  mem- 
bers of  the  Elvaston  Presbyterian  church, 
in  which  Mr.  Stewart  served  as  an  elder 
for  many  years,  while  in  the  various 
church  activities  he  took  a  helpful  part. 
His  life  was  permeated  by  his  Christian 


n8 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


faith  and  he  made  it  his  daily  endeavor 
to  follow  closely  the  teachings  of  his 
church,  so  that  he  lived  an  exemplary 
Christian  life.  He  was  considerate  in  his 
judgments  of  men,  kindly  in  action  and 
generous  in  disposition  and  was  de- 
voted to  his  family,  doing  everything  in 
his  power  for  the  welfare  and  happiness 
of  his  wife  and  the  two  sisters  residing 
with  them.  He  was  last  seen  in  public 
in  attendance  at  Sunday  services  of  his 
church  on  the  8th  of  January,  1905.  He 
had  always  been  a  rugged  man,  enjoying 
excellent  health  and  that  morning  seemed 
in  his  usual  good  health,  but  soon  after 
his  return  'home  he  became  ill  and  in  a 
half  hour  had  passed  away.  The  news  of 
his  death  was  a  shock  in  Elvaston,  Ham- 
ilton and  throughout  the  county  wher- 
ever he  was  known.  He  had  lived  a  life 
of  usefulness  and  activity,  in  which  there 
were  no  sensational  chapters  but  the 
record  was  that  of  a  man  who  had  always 
done  his  duty  to  himself,  his  family  and 
his  country. 


LEWIS   L.    NEWTON. 

Lewis  L.  Newton,  engaged  in  general 
farming  in  Pontoosuc  township,  was 
born  in  Vinton  county,  Ohio,  July  24, 
1860,  a  son  of  Hiram  H.  and  Hannah 
(Harper)  Newton,  who  were  likewise 
natives  of  that  county,  the  former  born 
February  10,  1836,  and  the  latter  De- 
cember 15,  1839.  They  are  now  resi- 
dents of  Pontoosuc  township.  Their  fam- 
ily numbers  seven  children,  who  survive, 
the  first  born  son  having  died  in  infancy. 


Lewis  L.,  Mrs.  Laura  A.  Alston,  D.  L., 
Mrs.  Ella  S.  Deewall,  Mrs.  Anna  F. 
Kidson,  Mrs.  C.  Blanche  Booz  and  R. 
H.  Newton. 

After  acquiring  his  preliminary  educa- 
tion in  the  district  schools  of  Pontoosuc  i 
township,  Lewis  L.  Newton  became  a 
student  in  Carthage  College  and,  return- 
ing to  the  home  farm,  he  remained  until 
twenty-one  years  of  age,  when  he  started 
out  upon  an  independent  business  career. 
He  has  always  followed  the  occupation 
of  farming  and  now  has  a  good  place, 
which  he  has  tiled  and  placed  under  a 
high  state  of  cultivation.  He  uses  the 
latest  improved  agricultural  implements 
to  facilitate  the  work  of  the  farm. 

On  the  loth  of  May,  1882,  Mr.  New- 
ton was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Laura 
B.  Lamb,  who  was  born  in  Pontoosuc 
township,  May  10,  1861,  a  daughter  of 
Samuel  and  Sarah  (Baker)  Lamb.  Her 
father  was  born. in  Virginia,  March  10, 
1824,  and  her  mother  was  a  native  of 
Adams  county,  Illinois,  her  birth  occur- 
ring about  1840.  He  was  a  farmer  by 
occupation  and  in  1855  settled  upon  a 
farm  in  Pontoosuc  township,  Hancock 
county,  where  he  lived  until  his  death, 
March  17,  1893.  For  some  years  he  had 
survived  hie  wife  who  died  in  1878  and 
their  remains  rest  side  by  side  in  Pleasant 
Hill  cemetery,  Pontoosuc  township.  They 
were  the  parents  of  nine  children,  of 
whom  seven  are  living:  Delilah  M.,  the 
wife  of  George  Carlisle,  of  Rock  Creek 
township;  Charles  R.,  living  in  Clements, 
Minnesota;  Mrs.  Newton;  Mary  E.,  the 
wife  of  Samuel  Wright,  of  Lamar,  Colo- 
rado; Addie  M.,  the  wife  of  Orville  Pit- 
tarn,  of  Pilot  Grove  township;  Frank  B.. 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


119 


a  resident  farmer  of  Pontoosuc  township, 
and  Hugh  L.,  who  is  also  a  farmer  of  the 
same  township.  Air.  Lamb  married  for 
his  second  wife  Kate  C.  North,  and  to 
them  was  born  one  child,  George,  who 
now  resides  on  the  home  place  with  his 
mother. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Newton  have  continu- 
ously resided  in  the  township  in  which 
they  began  their  domestic  life  and  their 
home  has  been  blessed  with  four  children  : 
Minnie  R.,  Leslie  M.,  who  was  graduated 
from  a  military  school  at  Booneville,  Mis- 
souri, May  30,  1906;  Madge  E.,  and 
Hiram  F.  They  attend  and  support  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church,  of  which  the 
wife  and  daughters  are  members. 


HENRY  CLAY  HANSON. 

Henry  Clay  Hanson,  a  prosperous  and 
enterprising  farmer  of  Montebello  town- 
ship, was  born  in  this  county  on  Novem- 
ber 4,  1849,  and  is  the  son  of  David  and 
Anna  Maria  (Sullivan)  Hanson,  both 
natives  of  Ohio,  the  father  being  the 
son  of  Daniel  and  Barbara  (Broombach) 
Hanson,  also  natives  of  the  Buckeye  state. 

The  parents  of  our  sketch  were  married 
in  Ohio,  and  drove  with  a  team  to  the  new 
west,  and  settled  in  Montebello  township 
in  1847,  renting  a  farm  for  a  few  years 
and  then  buying  the  N.  \Y.  quarter  of 
section  3  of  this  township,  which  at  that 
time  was  unimproved  prairie  land.  He 
first  built  a  frame  house,  and  then  broke 
up  what  land  he  could  and  as  rapidly  as 


he  could  with  the  few  facilities  at  his  dis- 
posal. Progress  was  very  slow  as  the 
country  was  very  new  and  his  means  lim- 
ited. He  moved  on  this  place  in  1854, 
where  he  made  his  home  until  1890,  when 
he  retired  and  moved  to  Hamilton,  Illi- 
nois, remaining  there  until  called  to  his 
final  resting  place  on  May  22,  1901. 

His  wife  preceded  him  to  her  long 
home,  passing  away  from  her  earthly 
home  on  January  18,  1888.  To  this  union 
were  born  four  children :  Daniel,  of 
Cloud  county,  Kansas ;  Sullivan,  of  Ham- 
ilton, Illinois;  Sarah,  wife  of  Owen 
Dickerhoof,  of  Belleville,  Kansas;  and 
Henry,  the  subject  of  this  sketch. 

Henry  received  his  education  in  the 
school  of  district  No.  132,  and  remained 
with  his  parents  until  his  twenty-fifth 
year,  when,  on  the  first  day  of  October, 
1874,  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Georgiana  Benner,  of  Sonora  township. 
Miss  Benner  was  born  on  October  7, 
1853,  the  daughter  of  George  and  Emily 
(Bradley)  Benner,  natives  of  Ohio. 

After  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Hanson  made  their  home  on  a  portion  of 
the  home  place,  renting  the  land  until  the 
father's  death,  when  the  estate  was  di- 
vided among  the  children,  Henry  being 
given  the  home  place  of  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres.  The  farm  was  well  im- 
proved with  hedge  fences  and  buildings, 
there  being  two  residences,  the  main  house 
being  a  story  and  a  half  high,  with  seven 
rooms,  and  supplied  with  water  piped 
from  a  deep  well.  He  has  one  windmill 
and  four  wells,  one  being  one  hundred 
and  ninety-eight  feet  in  depth.  His  horse- 
barn  is  twenty-four  by  thirty  feet  with  a 
shed  ten  by  thirty  feet.  The  land  lays 


120 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


in  such  a  way  that  tiling  is  not  necessary. 
Mr.  Hanson  carries  on  general  farm- 
ing, and  the  well  kept  farm  and  general 
conditions  bear  silent  testimony  to  his 
ability  in  this  his  chosen  occcupation. 

To  his  marriage  with  Miss  Benner, 
were  born  six  children,  five  of  whom  are 
still  living :  Edna  B.,  born  May  24,  1877, 
at  home;  Leslie,  August  23,  1879,  died 
October  22,  1903;  Adella  G.,  born  April 
8,  1 88 1,  at  home;  Winnie  M.,  born  May 
21,  1883,  resides  at  Hamilton,  Illinois; 
Jesse  Ray,  born  February  23,  1886; 
and  Archie  Clay,  born  April  17,  1888. 
Mrs.  Hanson  was  called  from  this  life  on 
April  21,  1888,  and  her  remains  were  laid 
to  rest  in  the  Oak  Grove  cemetery,  in 
Sonora  township. 

On  May  24,  1892,  Mr.  Hanson  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Ella  Clemen- 
tine Black,  who  was  born  in  Sonora 
township  and  was  the  daughter  of  George 
and  Helen  (Bumpus)  Black.  To  this 
union  were  born  three  children,  only  one 
of  whom  is  now  living.  Vina  Gertrude, 
born  October  29,  1893;  Barbara  Helen, 
born  September  22,  1896,  died  August  3, 
1897;  Celia  Rachel,  born  April  18,  1900, 
died  July  23,  1900. 

Mrs.  Hanson  has  been  dead  for  several 
years,  being  taken  away  July  7,  1900,  and 
her  remains  lie  in  the  Oak  Grove  ceme- 
tery. 

Mr.  Hanson  has  gone  through  many 
trials,  the  hand  of  death  bringing  grief 
and  sorrow  to  his  home  many  times,  but 
he  goes  bravely  on,  and  with  the  help  of 
his  children  he  has  made  a  comfortable 
and  happy  home.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Democratic  party,  but  does  not  have  any 
political  aspirations,  being  content  to  use 


his  vote  in  the  way  that  he  judges  bene- 
ficial to  the  people  and  his  party.  He  is 
a  member  of  the  Christian  church  of 
Golden  Point,  and  is  an  honest,  industri- 
ous man,  gaining  and  keeping  the  respect 
of  his  friends  and  neighbors. 


RALPH  ELLISON. 

Ralph  Ellison,  one  of  the  prosperous 
and  enterprising  farmers  of  Prairie  town- 
ship, owns  and  operates  one  hundred  and 
seventy-four  acres  of  rich  land  upon 
which  he  has  placed  many  improvements, 
transforming  it  into  a  model  farm  prop- 
erty. He  was  one  of  the  early  settlers 
of  Hancock  county  and  has  been  contin- 
ously  connected  with  its  agricultural  in- 
terests, giving  his  time  and  energies  at 
the  present  time  to  the  development  of 
his  farm,  which  is  conveniently  and 
pleasantly  located,  adjoining  the  village 
limits  of  Elvaston.  A  native  of  England, 
he  was  born  in  Yorkshire  on  the  23d  of 
December,  1840,  and  when'  only  a  year 
old  was  brought  to  the  United  States  by 
his  parents,  Matthew  and  Jane  (Willson) 
Ellison,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of 
Yorkshire.  The  father  worked  in  a 
factory  during  his  residence  in  England, 
and  upon  coming  to  the  United  States 
settled  in  Hancock  county,  Illinois,  where 
he  purchased  a  quarter  section  of  land  in 
Rock  Creek  township.  There  he  made  a 
home  for  himself  and  family,  and  resided 
until  his  death,  which  occurred  at  the  age 
of  seventv-six  years.  The  mother  also 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


121 


died  there  and  was  seventy-eight  years  of 
age  at  the  time  of  her  demise.  They  were 
faithful  members  of  the  Presbyterian 
church  and  enjoyed  the  unqualified  esteem 
of  those  with  whom  they  came  in  con- 
tact. The  father  engaged  in  general 
farming  throughout  the  period  of  his  res- 
idence in  this  county,  or  until  his  life's 
labors  were  ended  in  death  and  both  he 
and  his  wife  were  laid  to  rest  in  Rock 
Creek  township.  In  their  family  were 
eight  children,  of  whom  Ralph  is  the 
youngest  child.  He  has  two  surviving 
sisters,  Margaret,  the  wife  of  John  Stev- 
enson, a  resident  fanner  of  Rock  Creek 
township,  and  Mary,  the  widow  of 
Dwight  Whitcomb,  who  is  living  in 
Adrian. 

Mr.  Ellison  of  this  review  was  reared 
upon  the  old  homestead  farm  in  Rock 
Creek  township,  and  acquired  his  educa- 
tion in  the  common  schools,  while  during 
the  periods  of  vacation  he  assisted  in  the 
work  of  the  fields,  and  after  putting  aside 
his  text-books  gave  his  entire  attention  to 
work  upon  his  father's  farm  until  twenty- 
three  years  of  age,  save  that  for  a  brief 
period  he  devoted  his  energies  to  the 
blacksmith's  trade,  which  he  learned  and 
followed  for  a  short  time  and  then  aban- 
doned it.  Leaving  home  at  the  age  of 
twenty-three,  he  purchased  a  quarter  sec- 
tion of  raw  land  on  section  17.  Rock 
Creek  township,  and  with  characteristic 
energy  began  to  cultivate  and  improve 
this  tract,  on  which  he  erected  good  build- 
ings. He  here  engaged  in  general  fann- 
ing and  stock-raising  for  twenty-seven 
years  and  then  sold  the  property,  at  which 
time  he  purchased  a  farm  of  eighty  acres 
in  Prairie  township,  where  he  resided  for 


a  year.  He  then  sold  that  place  to  his 
son,  George,  and  invested  in  one  hundred 
and  seventy-four  acres  of  land,  consti- 
tuting his  present  farm  in  Prairie  town- 
ship. Here  he  has  resided  continously 
since  and  the  many  excellent  improve- 
ments he  has  placed  upon  the  property 
have  made  it  a  model  farm.  He  has  mod- 
ern farm  machinery,  good  buildings,  high 
grades  of  stock  and  richly  cultivated 
fields,  and  altogether  the  property  is  a 
valuable  one.  He  likewise  owns  a  farm 
of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  at  Edna, 
Labette  county,  Kansas. 

Mr.  Ellison  was  married  December  31, 
1862,  to  Miss  Edith  Evans,  who  was  born 
in  Adams  county,  Illinois,  a  daughter  of 
Bales  and  Elizabeth  (Pevehouse)  Evans, 
both  of  whom  are  now  deceased.  The 
father  was  a  farmer  and  became  one  of 
the  early  settlers  of  Adams  county,  Illi- 
nois. Mrs.  Ellison  died  at  their  home 
in  Prairie  township,  February  4,  1904. 
She  was  a  consistent  member  of  the  Pres- 
byterian church,  a  devoted  wife,  a  kind 
and  loving  mother  and  a  faithful  friend, 
and  her  death  was  deeply  regretted  by  all 
who  knew  her.  Her  remains  were  in- 
terred in  Carthage  cemetery.  By  her  mar- 
riage she  had  become  the  mother  of  four 
children,  all  of  whom  are  yet  living,  and 
all  were  born  in  Hancock  county.  Jennie 
is  the  wife  of  Albert  Schenk,  a  resident 
farmer  of  Labette  county,  Kansas,  and 
has  four  children.  Clifford  and  Emory, 
born  in  Hancock  county ;  Myrtle  and  Grace 
were  born  in  Labette  county,  Kansas. 
Emma  married  Milton  Karr,  October  1 1 . 
1906,  a  resident  farmer  of  Elvaston. 
George  is  a  farmer  of  Prairie  township, 
where  he  owns  eighty  acres  of  land,  which 


122 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REl'IEU' 


he  purchased  from  his  father.  He  wedded 
Mary  J.  Davis,  a  daughter  of  Amos 
Davis,  of  Appanoose  township.  They 
have  two  sons,  Earl  and  Ray.  Lillian 
is  the  wife  of  Jean  McGinnes,  proprietor 
of  a  grocery  store  and  meat  market  at 
Elvaston,  Illinois. 

Mr.  Ellison  votes  with  the  Republican 
party  and  has  held  several  township  of- 
fices. He  has  seen  many  improvements 
made  in  Hancock  county,  and  in  fact  has 
witnessed  almost  its  entire  development 
from  a  wil'd  prairie  section  to  one  of  high 
cultivation,  the  farms  of  this  locality  be- 
ing among-  the  best  to  be  found  in  this 
great  agricultural  state.  He  has  done  his 
full  share  toward  making  the  county 
what  it  is  today  and  has  ever  stood  for 
good  citizenship,  for  progress  and  for 
advancement,  and  in  his  private  business 
interests  he  has  displayed  sterling  purpose 
and  close  application  which  have  resulted 
in  the  acquirement  of  valuable  property. 


CYRUS  MANLEY  HEWITT. 

Cyrus  M.  Hewitt  is  engaged  in  general 
farming  and  stock-raising  on  section  9, 
Pontoosuc  township,  where  he  has  resided 
since  1885  and  where  he  owns  one  hun- 
dred and  ten  acres  of  land  that,  owing  to 
the  care  and  labor  bestowed  upon  it,  is 
now  rich  and  productive.  It  was  in  this 
township,  September  6,  1851,  that  he  first 
opened  his  eyes  to  the  light  of  day,  his 
parents  being  Charles  W.  and  Ann  (Alex- 
ander) Hewitt.  The  father  was  a  native 


of  Vermont  and  the  mother  of  New  York 
and  the  latter  was 'a  daughter  of  one  of 
the  heroes  of  the  Revolutionary  war. 
Charles  W.  Hewitt  followed  the  occupa- 
tion of  farming  as  a  life  work  and  came 
•to  Hancock  county,  Illinois,  in  1839,  set- 
tling in  Pontoosuc  township,  where  he 
entered  land  from  the  government  and 
amid  pioneer  conditions  began  the  devel- 
opment of  a  farm.  Subsequently  he  re- 
moved to  La  Harpe  township  and  con- 
tinued actively  in  farming  until  his  life's 
labors  were  terminated  by  death  in  1894. 
His  wife  survived  him  until  1898.  They 
were  the  parents  of  eight  children,  of 
whom  five  are  now  living :  Viola,  the  wife 
of  W.  B.  Kirkpatrick,  of  Macomb,  Illi- 
nois ;  Louisa,  the  wife  of  Rufus  Bennett, 
of  La  Harpe;  C.  M. ;  Ellen  and  lola,  also 
of  La  Harpe.  * 

In  the  schools  of  La  Harpe  township 
Cyrus  M.  Hewitt  acquired  his  education 
and  upon  the  home  farm  remained  to  the 
age  of  twenty  years,  when  he  began 
working  by  the  month  and  so  continued 
until  his  marriage,  March  21,  1883,  to 
Miss  Eary  Ettny  Cranshaw,  who  was  born 
in  Henderson  county,  Illinois,  in  1839,  a 
daughter  of  Isaac  and  Mary  (Coffman) 
Cranshaw,  natives  of  Georgia  and  Ken- 
tucky respectively.  Coming  to  Illinois  at 
a  very  early  day,  her  father  settled  in  the 
southwestern  part  of  the  state.  He  took 
part  in  the  Mormon  war  in  1844,  whereby 
the  Mormons  were  driven  from  the  state 
and  he  was  connected  with  other  early 
events  which  left  their  impress  upon  the 
historic  annals  of  the  state.  His  political 
support  was  given  the  democracy.  Both 
he  and  his  wife  died  in  McDonough 
county,  Illinois.  In  their  family  were 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


123 


eleven  children,  five  yet  living:  Mrs. 
Elizabeth  Wise,  a  widow,  living  in  Ore- 
gon ;  Mrs.  Hewitt ;  Isaac,  a  resident  of 
Kansas ;  Mary,  the  widow  of  James  Dun- 
can, and  a  resident  of  Kansas  City,  Mis- 
souri ;  Franklin,  of  Stronghurst.  Illinois. 
One  son,  Boone  Cranshaw,  was  a  soldier 
of  the  Civil  war  and  died  in  the  hospital 
from  the  effects  of  the  hardships  of  mili- 
tary life. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hewitt  began  their  do- 
mestic life  in  Henderson  county,  Illinois, 
where  they  lived  for  two  years,  and  then 
removed  to  the  Alexander  place  in  Pon- 
toosuc  township.  In  1885  he  purchased 
his  present  farm  of  one  hundred  and  ten 
acres  on  section  9,  erected  a  house,  built 
a  barn  and  other  outbuildings  and  has 
generally  improved  the  farm.  Here  he 
tills  the  soil  and  raises  stock,  leading  a 
busy  and  useful  life.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Hewitt  has  been  born  a  daughter,  Lola, 
whose  birth  occurred  in  Pontoosuc  town- 
ship in  1885,  and  who  is  still  with  her 
parents.  At  the  time  of  her  marriage  to 
our  subject  Mrs.  Hewitt  was  the  widow 
of  John  Duncan,  of  McDonough  county, 
Illinois.  He  was  born  in  that  county  in 
1841,  a  son  of  Joseph  and  Catherine 
(Wasson)  Duncan,  both  deceased.  In 
their  family  were  four  children,  all  living 
with  the  exception  of  John,  the  others  be- 
ing: Mrs.  Elizabeth  Hunt,  a  widow,  liv- 
ing in  Kansas ;  Lydia,  the  wife  of  John 
M.  Huston,  of  McDonough  county ;  and 
Caroline,  the  wife  of  Henry  Curry,  of 
Henderson  county.  John  Duncan  died  in 
1882,  his  remains  being  interred  in  Mc- 
Donough county.  He  left  five  children : 
Dora,  the  eldest,  is  the  wife  of  W.  T. 
Kirkpatrick,  of  Oklahoma,  and  has  six 


children :  George,  John,  Robert,  Law- 
rence, Lulu  and  Olive ;  Addie  is  the  wife  of 
Luther  Van  Osdale,  of  Henderson  county, 
Illinois,  and  has  four  children :  Ethel, 
John,  Roy  and  Gladys;  Lawrence,  living 
in  Kansas,  married  Maude  Kidson  and 
has  three  children :  Vallie,  Dewey  and 
Opal ;  Vema  is  the  wife  of  William  Koll, 
of  Dallas  City,  Illinois,  and  has  a  daugh- 
ter, Maxine ;  and  Royce,  of  Blandinsville, 
Illinois,  married  Florence  Sullivan  and 
has  a  daughter,  Edna  May. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hewitt  are  devoted  mem- 
bers of  the  Christian  church,  of  which  he 
is  one  of  the  trustees,  and  upon  the  demo- 
cratic ticket,  of  which  he  is  a  supporter, 
he  has  been  elected  commissioner.  Mrs. 
Hewitt,  a  lady  of  natural  culture  and  re- 
finement and  of  most  gracious  manner, 
possesses  superior  literary  taste  and  has 
written  many  poems  of  much  more  than 
ordinary  merit.  In  1905  she  had  a  volume 
of  her  best  poems  published  and  sold  to 
aid  the  missionary  cause  of  her  church. 
They  had  a  ready  sale  and  the  volume  is 
much  prized  by  all  who  possess  a  copy. 
Both  Mr.. and  Mrs.  Hewitt  stand  high  in 
public  regard.  It  has  been  due  to  his 
business  enterprise  and  sound  judgment 
that  he  has  won  a  place  among  the  sub- 
stantial residents  of  his  county,  for  he 
started  out  in.  life  empty-handed  and  his 
possessions  are  the  visible  proof  of  his 
enterprise  and  keen  discernment  in  all 
matters  relating  to  the  management  and 
improvement  of  the  farm.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Hewitt  both  stand  high  in  the  estimation 
of  all  who  have  had  the  pleasure  of  mak- 
ing their  acquaintance,  and  with  whom 
they  have  been  associated  in  the  walks 
of  life. 


124 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


EDWIN   P.  ROWE. 

Edwin  P.  Rowe,  one  of  the  oldest 
salesmen  in  the  city  of  Carthage,  was 
bom  in  1851,  at  Dallas  City,  Hancock 
county.  His  paternal  grandfather,  Mor- 
ris Rowe,  was  a  soldier  of  the  war  of 
1812  and  of  the  Mexican  war.  His 
parents  were  Miles  and  Eliza  Jane  (Bean) 
Rowe,  the  former  born  in  New  York,  in 
1821,  and  the  latter  in  Virginia,  in  1826. 
Miles  Rowe  came  to  Illinois  at  an  early 
period  in  its  settlement  and  for  a  num- 
ber of  years  when  a  young  man  drove  a 
stage  between  Carthage  and  Warsaw, 
while  for  many  years  afterward  he  was 
proprietor  of  the  Hit  or  Miss  Hotel,  in 
Dallas  City.  Then  for  fifteen  or  twenty 
years  he  was  employed  in  the  lumber  of- 
fice of  H.  F.  Black,  and  is  now  gatekeeper 
on  the  Santa  Fe  road  at  Dallas  City,  oc- 
cupying this  position  although  eighty-five 
years  of  age.  In  politics  he  is  a  demo- 
crat. His  wife,  who  was  a  member  of 
the  Methodist  church,  died  in  1902,  and 
is  buried  in  Dallas  City,  Illinois.  They 
had  six  children,  of  whom  five  are  now 
living:  William  H.,  a  resident  of  St. 
Louis;  Oscar  E.,  deceased;  Edwin  P.; 
Stella,  the  wife  of  John  Roth,  of  Dallas 
City.  Illinois :  Mary,  the  wife  of  Fred 
Grippe,  living  in  Joliet,  Illinois ;  and 
Morris,  of  Dallas  City. 

Edwin  P.  Rowe  was  educated  in  the 
public  schools  of  his  native  place  "and 
afterward  was  employed  for  a  number  of 
years  in  a  grocery  store  there.  Later  he 
had  charge  as  manager  of  a  dry  goods 
store  in  Dallas  City,  and  in  1885  he  re- 
moved to  Carthage,  where  he  has  been 
head  salesman  of  the  Quinby  Clothing 


Store  since  that  time,  covering  a  period  of 
more  than  twenty  years. 

On  the  23d  of  April,  1876,  Mr.  Rowe 
was  married  to  Miss  Minnie  P.  Graff, 
who  was  born  in  Burlington.  Iowa,  in 
September.  1855,  a  daughter  of  Ferdi- 
nand and  Louisa  M.  (Becker)  Graff.  Her 
father  was  born  in  Berlin,  Germany,  and 
at  the  age  of  twenty  years  emigrated  to 
America,  settling  in  Iowa  but  now  lives 
in  Hancock  county,  Illinois,  where  he  fol- 
lows farming.  His  wife,  who  was  born 
in  Berlin,  came  to  the  L'nited  States  when 
only  five  years  of  age.  Both  were  mem- 
bers of  the  Lutheran  church.  In  the  fam- 
ily were  ten  children,  nine  of  whom  still 
survive:  John  H.,  a  resident  of  Musca- 
tine,  Iowa:  Minnie  P.,  now  the  wife  of 
Mr.  Rowe;  Clara  M.,  the  wife  of  C.  R. 
Thull,  of  Dallas  City ;  Eda,  who  died  in 
infancy;  Emma,  the  wife  of  F.  A.  Scrip- 
fer,  of  Sigourney,  Iowa;  George  F.,  who 
lives  on  the  old  home  farm  near  Dallas 
City ;  John,  a  druggist,  of  Des  Moines, 
Iowa :  Bertha,  the  wife  of  H.  Hagebeack, 
of  Davenport,  Iowa :  Etta,  the  wife  of 
Hershall  Trenthart,  of  Niota,  Hancock 
county :  and  Flora,  at  home.  These  chil- 
dren were  born  of  two  marriages,  for  the 
mother  of  Mrs.  Rowe  died  when  the 
(laughter  was  only  six  years  of  age.  and 
for  his  second  wife  the  father  chose  Miss 
Anna  Mayer,  there  being  six  children 
born  of  the  second  marriage.  Both  he 
and  his  second  wife  are  living,  their  home 
being  in  Pontoosuc  township. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rowe  had  four  children, 
two  born  in  Dallas  City  and  two  in  Car- 
thage, namely  :  Walter  E.,  who  was  born 
in  February,  1877,  and  is  at  home;  Wil- 
ford  F..  who  was  born  in  1879,  married 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


125 


Miss  Lenore  Kelley  and  lives  in  Chicago, 
where  he  is  employed  in  the  Live  Stock 
National  Bank.  He  was  in  the  Philippine 
war,  enlisting  in  1899  in  the  Thirtieth 
Regiment  under  Colonel  Gardner.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  Thirtieth  Regimental 
Band,  was  first  corporal,  was  afterward 
promoted  to  the  rank  of  sergeant  and  re- 
ceived an  honorable  discharge  in  1901. 
He  was  in  early  youth  employed  in  sev- 
eral stores  in  Carthage  and  afterward  be- 
came messenger  at  the  Drovers  Bank  in 
Chicago,  while  later  he  was  employed  in 
the  money  department  of  the  Adams  Ex- 
press Company  in  that  city.  Later  he  was 
promoted  to  bookkeeper  at  a  salary  of 
fifty-five  dollars  a  month  in  the  Live  Stock 
Bank,  of  Chicago,  and  he  has  a  fine  record 
for  a  young  man  of  his  years,  when 
viewed  from  both  a  military  and  business 
standpoint.  Since  entering  the  bank  he 
has  won  promotion  and  he  is  in  a  position 
where  he  handles  millions  of  dollars  a 
day.  Mabel  Grace,  the  third  member  of 
the  family,  was  a  graduate  of  the  high 
school  and  became  a  fine  piano  and  violin 
player  as  well  as  vocalist.  She  died  in 
1888.  Irma  Pauline  died  in  1900. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Rowe  is  an 
earnest  democrat  and  fraternally  is  con- 
nected with  the  Modern  Woodmen  and 
with  the  Court  of  Honor,  while  his  wife 
belongs  to  the'  latter  and  also  to  the  Order 
of  the  Eastern  Star,  in  which  she  is  a  past 
matron.  Both  are  faithful  members  of 
the  Presbyterian  church  and  Mr.  Rowe 
was  a  member  of  the  building  committee 
at  the  time  of  the  erection  of  the  present 
house  of  worship.  He  built  his  present 
home  at  the  corner  of  Marion  and  Davis 
streets  and  has  erected  several  houses  in 


Carthage  but  has  sold  them  all.  He 
owns,  however,  one  or  two  vacant  lots  in 
the  city.  He  is  a  man  whose  indefatigable 
enterprise  and  indomitable  purpose  have 
constituted  the  basis  of  his  success  and 
though  he  started  out  in  life  on  his  own 
responsibility  at  an  early  age  he  has 
through  his  energy,  ambition  and  deter- 
mination accumulated  the  means  whereby 
he  has  given  his  children  good  educa- 
tional advantages  and  provided  them  with 
many  of  the  comforts  of  life.  Mrs.  Rowe 
presides  with  pleasing  hospitality  over 
their  home  and  their  friends  in  Carthage 
are  numbered  by  the  score. 


GEORGE   W.   PAYNE. 

George  W.  Payne,  an  architect  of 
Carthage,  whose  business  extends  into 
various  other  counties  and  states,  is  a 
son  of  Alfred  F.  and  Elizabeth  (Wil- 
liams) Payne,  and  was  born  near  St. 
Charles,  Missouri,  November  4,  1845. 
His  father  was  a  native  of  Fauquier 
county,  Virginia,  while  the  mother's  birth 
occurred  near  St.  Louis,  Missouri.  She 
was  a  daughter  of  Thomas  Williams,  a 

-  -  • 

soldier  of  the  war  of  1812.  Alfred  F. 
Payne  was  a  civil  engineer,  who  pursued 
his  education  in  the  college  in  St.  Louis. 
He  afterward  turned  his  attention  to 
harness-making,  later  followed  the  occu- 
pation of  farming  and  subsequently  en- 
gaged in  the  lumber  business,  thus  follow- 
ing various  pursuits.  He  died  in  1869 
and  his  remains  were  interred  in  Bowen 


126 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


cemetery  in  Hancock  county,  while  his 
wife,  who  survived  him  for  a  number  of 
years,  was  laid  to  rest  in  Carthage  cem- 
etery. In  their  family  were  ten  children, 
of  whom  five  are  living. 

George  \V.  Payne  was  largely  educated 
in  the  schools  of  Brown  county,  Illinois. 
When  a  young  lad  he  ran  away  from 
home  to  go  to  the  war  but  his  army  life 
was  very  brief,  lasting  for  only  a  few 
weeks,  at  the  end  of  which  time  his 
parents  learned  of  his  whereabouts  and 
he  was  returned  home,  for  he  was  too 
youthful  for  military  service.  In  early 
life  he  learned  the  carpenter's  trade,  which 
he  followed  from  1868  until  1887  in 
Hancock  county.  He  became  a  resident 
of  Carthage  in  1870  and  was  actively 
identified  with  its  building  operations  for 
seventeen  years  thereafter,  since  which 
time  he  has  given  his  attention  to  his  pres- 
ent profession — that  of  an  architect.  In 
this  he  is  associated  with  his  son,  Edgar 
A.,  and  they  are  the  only  architects  in  the 
county.  They  have  done  some  publishing 
and  they  send  plans  to  almost  every  state 
in  the  union.  Their  office  is  on  Main 
street  and  their  business  is  now  extensive 
and  of  an  important  character,  their  plans 
being  equal  to  any  sent  out  by  the  various 
architects  in  this  part  of  the  state.  They 
have  made  plans  for  churches,  oppra 
houses,  business  blocks,  residences  and 
schools  and  have  planned  all  of  the 
churches  in  Carthage.  In  fact  many  of 
the  fine  structures  of  this  city  stand  as 
monuments  to  their  skill  and  ability  in  the 
line  of  their  chosen  profession. 

Mr.  Payne  was  married  in  1871  to  Miss 
Emma  Carsey,  of  Hancock  county,  Illi- 
nois, who  was  born  in  Missouri.  Her 


father  was  a  shoemaker  and  removed 
from  Missouri  to  this  city  but  is  now  re- 
siding in  Texas.  In  his  family  were 
eight  or  nine  children.  Unto  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Payne  have  been  born  two  children, 
both  of  whom  are  natives  of  Carthage. 
The  elder,  Edgar  A.,  married  Miss  Kittie 
Linn  and  is  connected  with  his  father  in 
business.  He  pursued  a  course  of  study 
in  Carthage  College.  The  daughter, 
Bertha  A.,  is  now  the  wife  of  C.  A. 
Garard,  of  Carthage,  and  has  two  chil- 
dren, Earl  A.  and  Ruth  A.  The  parents 
are  devoted  members  of  the  Lutheran 
Evangelical  church  and  reside  on  Wash- 
ington street,  near  Main,  where  Mr. 
Payne  erected  a  fine  residence.  In  his 
political  views  he  is  a  democrat. 

He  stands  high  among  all  classes  of 
men  and  is  an  energetic,  progressive  and 
upright  citizen,  who  well  merits  the  con- 
fidence and  esteem  which  are  uniformly 
extended  to  him.  His  residence  in 
Carthage  covers  a  period  of  thirty-six 
years  and  through  his  entire  life  he  has 
been  actuated  by  honorable  principles  and 
manly  purposes. 


LYMAN  W.  WATT. 

Lyman  W.  Watt,  an  influential  busi- 
ness man  of  the  village  of  Elvaston, 
where  he  is  engaged  in  the  coal  trade, 
was  here  born  on  the  I2th  of  May,  1868. 
His  father,  Alexander  Watt,  was  a  native 
of  Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania,  born  Feb- 
ruary 4,  1821,  and  in  that  city  he  resided 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


127 


until  twenty-eight  years  of  age,  when  he 
came  to  Illinois,  settling  first  in  Durham 
township,  Hancock  county,  where  he  en- 
gaged in  farming.  He  rented  a  farm 
there  for  some  years,  after  which  he  went 
to  Wythe  township,  where  he  owned  and 
operated  a  farm  of  eighty  acres,  making 
his  home  thereon  until  1863.  That  year 
witnessed  his  removal  to  Dallas  and  he 
filled  a  position  as  clerk  in  one  of  the 
stores  at  that  place.  In  1866  he  came  to 
Elvaston  and  with  the  capital  he  had  ac- 
quired through  his  own  labor,  economy 
and  careful  management  he  established 
himself  in  a  general  mercantile  business 
and  was  for  years  a  prominent  factor  in 
commercial  circles  here,  continuing  in  the 
store  until  1900,  when  he  sold  out  and 
retired  to  private  life.  He  was  also 
largely  engaged  in  the  coal  trade  and  his 
son,  Lyman,  subsequently  became  his  suc- 
cessor in  this  business.  The  father  like- 
wise shipped  and  handled  large  quantities 
of  grain  and  hay  and  his  business  inter- 
ests were  extensive,  making  him  one  of 
the  leading  representatives  of  commercial 
life  in  Elvaston.  He  realized  that  "There 
is  no  excellence  without  labor"  and  his 
unfaltering  diligence  and  determined  pur- 
pose proved  the  basis  of  a  very  gratifying 
success.  He  married  for  his  first  wife 
Miss  Sarah  McDonald,  who  died  in  1863. 
His  second  wife  bore  the  maiden  name 
of  Fannie  C.  Wilcox  and  was  a  native 
of  Connecticut,  born  in  the  town  of  Had- 
dam,  March  II,  1836.  This  marriage 
was  celebrated  November  29,  1866.  Mrs. 
Watt  is  still  living  and  resides  with  her 
son,  Lyman  W.  Six  children  were  born 
of  the  second  marriage,  two  of  whom  are 
now  living,  the  younger  son  being  Her- 


man, who  resides  in  Burlington,  Iowa, 
and  is  connected  with  the  Prudential  In- 
surance Company. 

Alexander  Watt  was  a  member  of  the 
Masonic  fraternity,  who  exemplified  in  his 
life  the  beneficent  spirit  of  the  craft. 
He  voted  with  the  Republican  party  and 
as  even-  true  American  citizen  should 
do,  felt  a  deep  interest  in  political  ques- 
tions and  issues.  He  was  supervisor  of 
Prairie  township  for  several  terms  and 
whether  in  office  or  out  of  it  was  thor- 
oughly trustworthy  and  commanded  the 
esteem  of  all  who  knew  him.  His  death 
occurred  at  his  home  in  Elvaston  on  the 
27th  of  July,  1901,  when  he  had  reached 
the  age  of  eighty  years,  five  months  and 
twenty-three  days.  He  was  a  prosperous 
and  progressive  man  of  his  day  and  had 
the  confidence  of  all  who  knew  him.  His 
circle  of  friends  was  extensive,  a  result 
that  was  attributable  to  his  genial  disposi- 
tion, kindly  manner  and  deference  to  the 
opinions  of  others.  He  erected  a  home 
which  is  now  occupied  by  his  widow  and 
son — a  large  and  substantial  frame  dwell- 
ing— and  was  also  the  owner  of  several 
other  buildings  in  the  village. 

Mrs.  Alexander  Watt  was  a  daughter 
of  Lyman  and  Emily  (Hubbard)  Wilcox, 
both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Middlesex, 
Connecticut,  whence  they  came  to  Illinois 
in  1839,  when  their  daughter  was  but 
three  years  of  age.  They  settled  in  Han- 
cock county,  where  Mr.  Wilcox  followed 
farming  on  North  prairie  but  after  a  short 
time  he  removed  to  Durham  township. 
He  was  one  of  the  committee  appointed 
to  name  that  township  and  gave  to  it  the 
name  of  Durham.  He  purchased  a  farm 
there  and  carried  on  the  work  of  cultiva- 


128 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW' 


tion  and  improvement  up  to  the  time  of 
his  death,  which  occurred  when  he  was 
about  seventy-nine  years  of  age,  for  lie 
was  born  in  1795  and  he  passed  away  in 
1874.  He  held  membership  in  the  Meth- 
odist church  and  his  entire  life  was 
guided  by  honorable  principles  and  lofty 
motives.  He  was  one  of  the  worthy, 
pioneer  residents  of  the  county,  traveling 
westward  in  true  pioneer  style.  The  party 
consisted  of  sixteen  people,  all  of  whom 
located  in  Hancock  county.  They  were 
six  weeks  upon  the  way  from  Connecticut 
to  Illinois,  making  the  journey  in  wagons. 
Mrs.  Wilcox  died  in  1868.  In  the  family 
were  eight  children,  fpur  of  whom  are 
now  living,  namely :  Mrs.  Emily  Pershin 
and  Mrs.  Clara  Spencer,  both  of  Durham 
township ;  Wilbur,  who  is  living  in  Peoria, 
Illinois;  and  Mrs.  Watt,  who  makes  her 
home  with  her  son  in  Elvaston. 

In  the  public  schools  of  the  village  Ly- 
man  W.  Watt  acquired  his  education  and 
after  putting  aside  his  text-books  entered 
his  father's  store  in  1887.  He  was  ad- 
mitted to  a  partnership  under  the  firm 
name  of  A.  Watt  &  Son  and  continued 
in  the  store  until  March,  1900,  when  they 
sold  the  business,  having  up  to  that  time 
carried  a  large  line  of  general  merchan- 
dise and  enjoyed  an  extensive  patronage. 
At  that  date  the  father  retired  from  ac- 
tive business,  while  Lyman  W.  Watt  con- 
centrated his  energies  upon  the  coal  trade, 
with  which  he  has  since  been  connected. 
He  has  a  large  business  in  this  line  and 
is  numbered  among  the  leading  represen- 
tatives of  trade  interests  in  his  native 
town. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Watt  is  an 
earnest  republican  but  without  aspiration 


for  office.  He  belongs  to  the  Modern 
Woodmen  camp,  No.  3155,  of  Elvaston, 
in  which  he  has  held  a  number  of  offices. 
His  entire  life  has  here  been  passed,  so 
that  his  life  history  is  well  known  to  his 
fellow  townsmen  and  that  he  enjoys  the 
good  will  and  confidence  of  all  is  an  in-' 
dication  that  his  has  been  an  honorable 
and  straightforward  career.  In  the  man- 
agement of  his  business  interests  he  dis- 
plays keen  discernment  and  arrives  quickly 
at  correct  conclusions. 


SAMUEL  GORDON. 

Samuel  Gordon,  deceased,  was  actively 
connected    with    agricultural    pursuits    in 
Hancock  county  for  many  years  and  the 
place  which  he  occupied  in  public  regard 
well  entitles  him  to  representation  in  this 
volume.    He  was  born  in  Peterboro,  New 
Hampshire,  May  3,  1825,  a  son  of  John 
and  Elizabeth  (Smith)  Gordon,  who  were 
also  natives  of  Peterboro.     The  paternal 
grandparents  were  Samuel   and  Eleanor 
(Mitchell)    Gordon,  natives  of  Scotland. 
John    and    Elizabeth     (Smith)    Gordon, 
leaving    New    Hampshire,    traveled    by 
stage  to  Pittsburg,  Pennsylvania,  thence 
down   the  Ohio  and   up  the  Mississippi 
river,  landing  just  opposite  Montebello  in 
1831.     They  were  accompanied  by  their 
two  sons,  Samuel  being  the  younger.    The 
father  died  soon  afterward,  but  in   the 
meantime   had   in    1839   purchased    land 
which  he  secured  under  a  tax  title  where 
Hamilton  is  now  located.     His  wife  sur- 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLIXOIS. 


129 


vivecl  him,  passing  away  about  1845.  The 
land  which  they  owned  covered  nearly  the 
entire  site  of  Hamilton  as  it  is  today  and 
Air.  Gordon  assisted  in  laying  out  the 
city. 

Samuel  Gordon  of  this  review  spent  the 
days  of  his  boyhood  and  youth  in  his 
parents'  home  and  acquired  a  fair  com- 
mon school  education.  He  remained  with 
his  parents  until  they  were  called  from 
this  life  and  being  the  only  heir  came 
I  into  possession  of  the  old  home  property. 
On  the  3d  of  April,  1851,  he  married  Miss 
IVrmelia  A.  Alvord,  who  was  born  in 
Warren  county,  Pennsylvania,  August  3, 
1832.  a  daughter  of  Rev.  Samuel  and 
Ursula  (Smith)  Alvord.  She  was  only 
thirteen  years  of  age  when  brought  to 
Hancock  county,  where  she  was  reared 
by  her  parents,  remaining  at  home  until 
her  marriage,  when  she  went  to  a  home  of 
her  own.  She  came  to  this  county  in 
1845.  Mr.  Gordon  had  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  of  land  on  which  a  log  cabin 
had  been  built.  In  later  years  he  erected 
the  finest  brick  residence  in  this  part  of 
the  country,  containing  twelve  rooms  with 
a  large  cellar  under  one  half  of  the  house. 
In  this  home,  surrounded  by  the  comforts 
and  many  of  the  luxuries  of  life,  he  spent 
his  remaining  days,  passing  away  on  the 
6th  of  October,  1901.  He  had  for  more 
than  a  decade  survived  his  wife,  whose 
death  occurred  September  25,  1890.  This 
worthy  couple  were  the  parents  of  the 
following  named :  Eleanor  Elizabeth 
Gordon,  living  in  Des  Moines.  Iowa,  is  a 
minister  of  the  Unitarian  church.  John 
A.  Gordon  is  engaged  in  the  book  busi- 
ness in  Hamilton.  Alice  and  Agnes  are 
living  at  the  old  home  in  Hamilton. 


Robert  Smith  Gordon  is  station  agent  on 
the  Wabash  and  on  the  Toledo,  Peoria 
&  Warsaw  railroads  at  Hamilton.  Mabel 
has  been  a  teacher  in  the  schools  of  Ham- 
ilton since  1894.  In  August,  1862,  Mr. 
Gordon  responded  to  his  country's  call 
for  troops,  enlisting  as  a  member  of 
Company  C,  One  Hundred  and  Eight- 
eenth Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry.  He 
was  on  continuous  duty  for  three  years 
and  eight  months  and  participated  in  the 
battles  of  Chickasaw  Bluffs,  Arkansas 
Post,  Thompson's  Hill,  Champion  Hills, 
Black  River,  the  siege  of  Vicksburg, 
Grand  Coteau  Bayou  and  Port  Hudson. 
He  was  a  brave  and  loyal  soldier,  always 
found  at  his  duty  whether  on  the  firing 
line  or  the  lonely  picket  line.  He  became 
a  member  of  Black  Hawk  lodge,  No.  238, 
A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  on  the  ist  of  September, 
1857,  and  served  as  senior  warden  for 
one  year  and  as  junior  warden  for  two 
years.  He  was  also  secretary  for  six 
years  and  treasurer  for  twenty-two  years. 
His  political  allegiance  was  given  to  the 
Republican  party  and  he  held  the  office 
of  town  and  city  clerk  and  police  magis- 
trate, city  treasurer  and  councilman.  No 
public  trust  reposed  in  him  was  ever  be- 
trayed in  the  slightest  degree,  for  he  was 
a  brave  and  loyal  soldier,  always  faith- 
ful to  his  duty  and  prompt  in  the  dis- 
charge of  any  task  that  devolved  upon 
him,  bringing  to. his  work  in  civic  life 
the  same  loyalty  and  fidelity  that  char- 
acterized his  military  service.  Mr.  Gor- 
don was  a  representative  of  one  of  the 
oldest  pioneer  families  of  the  county  and 
was  a  resident  of  this  part  of  the  state 
for  more  than  .the  allotted  psalmist's  span 
of  three  score  years  and  ten.  He  watched 


130 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


its  growth  and  development  from  the 
time  when  it  was  reclaimed  from  a  fron- 
tier district  until  his  eyes  were  closed  in 
death  and  was  a  co-operant  factor  in  many 
measures  for  the  general  good. 


SAMUEL  R.   YETTER. 

Samuel  R.  Yetter,  one  of  the  early 
settlers  of  Hancock  county,  Illinois,  now 
residing  on  his  farm  in  Carthage  town- 
ship, has  watched  the  development  of  the 
county  as  it  has  emerged  from  pioneer 
conditions,  when  the  land  was  unculti- 
vated, the  timber  uncut  and  the  streams 
unbridged  to  the  present  era  of  progress 
and  development  when  none  of  the  ad- 
vantages and  improvements  known  to  the 
older  east  are  lacking.  Mr.  Yetter  has 
now  reached  the  eighty-second  milestone 
on  life's  journey,  having  been  born  in 
Lancaster  county,  Pennsylvania,  on  the 
4th  of  August,  1824.  He  is  a  son  of  Wil- 
liam and  Lydia  (Rock)  Yetter.  The 
father,  also  a  native  of  Lancaster  county, 
Pennsylvania,  was  of  German  parentage 
and  was  reared  to  manhood  in  his  native 
state.  He  became  a  mechanic,  learning 
and  following  the  locksmith's  trade,  his 
attention  being  devoted  thereto  during  the 
period  of  his  residence  in  Pennsylvania. 
He  was  married  in  that  state  to  Miss  . 
Lydia  Rock,  and  thinking  to  enjoy  better 
business  opportunities  in  the  new  but 
growing  west,  came  to  Illinois  in  1837. 
his  destination  being  Hancock  county.  He 
settled  in  Carthage  township,  then  moved 


to  Fountain  Green  township,  but  after  two 
years  returned  to  Carthage  township. 
Here  William  Yetter  turned  his  attention 
to  the  occupation  of  farming,  in  which  he 
continued  throughout  the  remainder  of 
his  active  business  life.  In  his  political 
views  he  was  a  democrat  and  held  various 
township  offices,  including  that  of  county 
treasurer  and  assessor,  the  duties  of  the 
two  offices  being  combined  in  one  at  that 
time.  On  the  expiration  of  his  term  he 
was  elected  to  the  office  of  justice  of  the 
peace,  in  which  capacity  he  served  con- 
tinuously until  his  death,  his  decisions  be- 
ing strictly  fair  and  impartial.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  church,  to  which 
his  wife  also  belonged,  and  he  took  an 
active,  earnest  and  helpful  part  in  the 
church  work  for  many  years,  serving  as 
superintendent  of  the  Sunday-school,  and 
doing  all  in  his  power  to  promote  the 
cause  of  Christianity  here.  He  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Masonic  fraternity  and  was  the 
first  representative  of  the  order  to  pass 
away  in  Hancock  county,  his  remains  be- 
ing laid  to  rest  with  Masonic  honors.  He 
died  in  1853,  at the  aRe  °f  fifty-three  years 
and  was  buried  in  Franklin  cemetery  in 
Carthage  township.  His  widow  long 
survived  him  and  died  in  1892,  at  the  very 
venerable  age  of  ninety-two  years.  She 
was  also  a  native  of  Lancaster  county, 
Pennsylvania,  and  there  lived  until  after 
her  marriage,  or  until  the  removal  of  the 
family  to  Illinois.  She  was  likewise  a 
devoted  member  of  the  Methodist  church 
and  at  her  death  was  laid  to  rest  by  the 
side  of  her  husband  in  Franklin  cemetery. 
In  the  family  of  this  worthy  couple  were 
eight  children,  four  of  whom  are  now 
living. 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


Samuel  R.  Yetter  spent  the  first  thir- 
teen years  of  his  life  in  the  place  of  his 
nativity,  and  in  1837  came  with  his 
parents  to  Hancock  county,  Illinois,  living 
in  Fountain  Green  township  for  two  years 
and  since  that  time  in  Carthage  township. 
He  remained  upon  the  home  place  until 
about  twenty-four  years  of  age.  His  edu- 
cation was  acquired  at  Columbia,  Lan- 
caster county,  Pennsylvania,  and  when 
he  permanently  left  the  parental  roof  he 
rented  a  farm  which  he  cultivated  for  a 
number  of  years,  or  until  he  purchased 
his  present  place,  then  about  two  hundred 
acres.  This  he  has  improved,  making  it 
his  home  continuously  through  many 
years.  He  set  out  many  of  the  trees  here 
and  a  large  number  of  them  have  now 
been  growing  here  for  more  than  a  half 
century.  Through  a  long  period  he  tilled 
the  soil,  carefully  sowing  the  seed  and" 
harvesting  the  crops  as  the  years  went  by. 
He  usually  had  a  good  return  for  his 
labor  in  the  shape  of  bounteous  harvests 
and  he  continued  actively  in  farm  work 
until  a  number  of  years  ago,  when  he  sold 
a  part  of  his  land  and  is  now  living  re- 
tired in  the  enjoyment  of  a  rest  which  he 
has  truly  earned  and  richly  deserves. 

Mr.  Yetter  has  been  married  twice.  In 
1848  he  wedded  Miss  Marilla  Goodrich, 
a  daughter  of  Messech  and  Rebecca  Good- 
rich, who  were  early  settlers  of  Hancock 
county,  Illinois,  where  they  lived  and  died. 
By  this  marriage  there  were  three  chil- 
dren, of  whom  William  and  Marilla  died 
in  infancy,  while  Laura  is  now  the  widow 
of  Lewis  R.  Tull,  and  a  resident  of 
Berkeley,  California.  She  has  one  daugh- 
ter, Etta.  Mrs.  Yetter  died  at  the  com- 
paratively early  age  of  twenty-five  years, 


and  was  laid  to  rest  in  Franklin  ceme- 
tery in  Carthage  township.  For  his  sec- 
ond wife  Mr.  Yetter  chose  Miss  Hester 
A.  Halbert,  who  was  born  in  Lewis 
county,  Kentucky,  and  came  to  Illinois 
with  her  widowed  mother  in  1850.  She 
is  a  daughter  of  Stephen  and  Priscilla 
(Watkins)  Halbert,  both  of  whom  were 
natives  of  Maryland,  whence  they  re- 
moved to  Kentucky  at  an  early  day.  The 
father  died  in  that  state  in  1848  and  was 
there  buried,  and  the  mother  afterward 
came  to  Hancock  county,  Illinois,  where 
she  passed  away  at  the  age  of  eighty-one 
years,  her  remains  being  interred  in 
Franklin  cemetery  in  Carthage  township. 
Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Yetter  have  been 
born  ten  children,  four  sons  and  six 
daughters,  of  whom  six  are  now  living. 
Mary  is  the  wife  of  Richard  White,  sex- 
ton of  Moss  Ridge  cemetery  in  Carthage, 
and  they  have  three  children,  Florence, 
Ruth  and  Myrtle.  Clara  is  the  deceased 
wife  of  William  Sowers,  a  farmer  resid- 
ing in  Kansas.  She  died  while  on  a  visit 
at  the  home  of  her  parents,  leaving  three 
children,  Mabel,  Hester  and  Charles. 
The  elder  daughter,  Mabel,  is  now  the 
wife  of  Walter  Moot  and  resides  near 
Lucas,  Kansas,  and  they  have  one  son, 
William.  John  Yetter,  the  third  member 
of  the  father's  family,  resides  in  Carthage, 
Illinois,  where  he  is  a  teamster.  He 
wedded  Mary  B.  Swain,  and  they  have 
two  living  sons,  Frank  and  Ferris,  and 
lost  one  son,  David,  who  died  at  the  age 
of  two  months.  Charles  S.  Yetter,  a  rail- 
road conductor  of  the  Chicago,  Burling- 
ton &  Quincy  road,  residing  at  Beards- 
town,  Illinois,  married  Pearl  Johnson,  and 
has  two  living  children,  Howard  and 


132 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


George,  and  two  deceased,  Pearl  and 
Guy.  Alice  Yetter  became  the  wife  of 
Alfred  M.  McKee.  a  grocer  of  Carthage, 
and  they  have  three  children,  Earl,  Ray 
and  Helen.  Alaggie  is  the  wife  of  P.  H. 
Willey,  a  farmer  of  Peabody,  Kansas,  and 
they  have  three  living  children.  Bertha, 
Frank  and  Mabel,  and  lost  one,  who  died 
unnamed  in  infancy.  Frank  Yetter,  who 
was  in  the  United  States  Navy  and  served 
in  the  Philippine  war,  died  at  Wilbur, 
Washington,  when  twenty-four  years  of 
age.  Ralph  is  at  home.  Fidelia  died  at 
the  age  of  six  years.  Nora  died  at  the 
age  of  one  year  and  sixteen  days.  All 
of  the  children  were  born  in  Carthage 
township  and  were  educated  here,  and 
Alice,  Clara  and  Laura  all  taught  school 
prior  to  their  marriage. 

Mr.  Yetter  is  a  member  of  the  Carthage 
Methodist  church  and  belongs  to  Han- 
cock lodge.  No.  20,  Ancient  Free  and 
Accepted  Masons.  He  votes  with  the  Re- 
publican party  and  has  held  some  of  the 
township  offices,  serving  as  justice  of  the 
peace,  highway  commissioner  and  con- 
stable. He  has  seen  many  of  the  changes 
that  have  occurred  and  the  improvements 
that  have  been  made  in  Hancock  county. 
Almost  seventy  years  have  come  and  gone 
since  he  arrived  here,  at  which  time  al- 
most the  entire  district  was  a  wild  prairie, 
which  he  has  seen  converted  into  richly 
cultivated  farms  with  here  and  there  thriv.- 
ing  towns  and  villages  and  progressive 
cities.  Deer  and  other  wild  game  were 
killed  in  this  part  of  the  state  and  only  a 
few  settlements  had  been  made,  the  trav- 
eler finding  it  possible  to  ride  for  miles 
over  the  country  in  almost  any  direction 
without  coming  to  a  fence  or  habitation 


to  impede  his  progress.  The  work  of 
transforming  the  wild  district  into  one 
of  rich  fertility  and  improvement  has  been 
an  arduous  task.  Mr.  Yetter,  however, 
bore  his  full  share  in  this  work  and  has 
performed  an  important  part  in  making 
the  county  what  it  is  today — one  of  the 
richest  farming  districts  of  western  Illi- 
nois. He  certainly  deserves  extended 
and  prominent  mention  in  this  volume  as 
a  leading  and  honored  agriculturist,  and 
one  whose  life  has  at  all  times  been 
worthy  of  emulation,  being  charterized 
by  fidelity  to  principle  and  by  unfaltering 
allegiance  to  the  rules  of  honorable  and 
manly  conduct.  Now  in  the  evening  of 
life  he  receives  the  veneration  and  respect 
which  should  ever  be  accorded  those  who 
have  advanced  far  on  life's  journey  and 
who  are  able  to  look  back  over  the  past 
without  regret  and  forward  to  the  future 
without  fear. 


FRANK  W.  WALKER. 

Frank  W.  Walker  is  the  owner  of  the 
finest  farm  home  and  stock  barns  in  Han- 
cock county  and  is  one  of  the  most  exten- 
sive landholders  of  this  part  of  the  state, 
having  fourteen  thousand  acres  under 
fence.  In  the  control  of  his  business  in- 
terests he  displays  excellent  ability  and 
keen  discrimination,  and  his  prosperity 
has  resulted  from  judicious  management 
as  well  as  carefully  directed  industry. 
One  of  Hancock  county's  native  sons  he 
was  born  in  \Yalker  township,  on  the  28th 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


133 


of  March,  1858,  and  now  resides  on  sec- 
tion 32,  Prairie  township,  where  his  home 
farm  comprises  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  of  very  rich  and  productive  land. 
His  parents  were  Henry  M.  and  Sophronia 
(Rankin)  Walker,  hoth  of  whom  were 
natives  of  Kentucky,  whence  they  came 
to  Illinois  at  an  early  day,  settling  in 
\Ya1ker  township,  Hancock  county,  which 
was  named  in  honor  of  his  grandfather, 
George  Walker,  who  was  one  of  the 
earliest  pioneers  of  the  township.  After 
working  on  the  farm  during  the  week  he 
would  preach  Sundays,  being  the  first 
Baptist  minister  in  the  vicinity.  The 
father  purchased  land  and  made  a  home, 
residing  upon  his  farm  for  twenty-five 
years,  during  which  period  his  attention 
was  given  to  the  tilling  of  the  soil  and  to 
the  raising  of  stock.  He  owned  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  acres  of  land  in  that  town- 
ship and  he  afterward  removed  to  Prairie 
township,  purchasing  a  farm  upon  sec- 
tion 27.  This  farm  contained  three  hun- 
dred and  twenty  acres,  which  was  then 
unimproved,  and  on  which  he  made  all  the 
improvements.  It  continued  to  be  his 
home  place  until  his  death,  which  occurred 
when  he  had  reached  the  advanced  age  of 
seventy-nine  years.  In  addition  to  this 
property  he  owned  enough  to  make  his 
landed  possessions  ten  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  in  Hancock  county,  all  of  which  is 
now  improved.  He  brought  a  large  part 
of  this  property  under  cultivation  during 
his  life  time  and  was  a  man  of  marked 
energy  and  diligence,  whose  life  activity 
resulted  in  the  acquirement  of  a  measure 
of  prosperity,  making  him  one  of  the  lead- 
ing citizens  of  his  county.  He  was  one 
of  the  first  men  in  the  county  to  give 


thought  to  better  stock,  having  had  regis- 
tered shorthorn  cattle,  not  only  bringing 
his  own  stock  up  to  a  fine  grade  but  being 
the  means  of  improving  the  stock  in  the 
whole  community.  His  political  views  ac- 
corded with  the  principles  of  democracy 
and  he  was  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church.  His  wife  passed  away 
about  two  years  prior  to  his  demise,  when 
she  was  seventy  years  of  age.  Of  their 
family  of  seven  children  four  are  still  liv- 
ing. Both  parents  lie  buried  in  the  El- 
vaston  cemetery  and  when  they  were 
called  from  this  life  many  friends 
mourned  their  loss.  Mr.  Walker  was  one 
of  the  argonauts  who  went  to  California 
in  search  of  the  golden  fleece  in  1849. 
He  there  engaged  in  mining  and  was  quite 
successful  in  his  operations,  accumulating 
a  comfortable  fortune  during  his  residence 
of  three  years  on  the  Pacific  coast.  He 
died  while  visiting  in  California,  on  the 
1 4th  of  February,  1906. 

At  the  usual  age  Frank  W.  Walker 
began  his  education  in  the  common 
schools  and  afterward  attended  Carthage 
College.  He  assisted  upon  the  home  place 
as  a  young  man  and  has  always  remained 
upon  the  farm.  When  twenty-two  years 
old  he  purchased  the  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  on  which  he  now  resides,  and 
has  erected  here  all  of  the  modern  build- 
ings, including  an  attractive  and  pleas- 
ant frame  residence,  which  is  one  of  the 
largest  and  finest  country  homes  in  the 
county.  He  also  has  commodious  and 
substantial  barns,  one  barn  sixty  by  sixty- 
four  with  twenty-four  foot  ports'is  one  of 
the  finest,  if  not  the  finest,  barn  in  the 
county,  it  being  elegantly  and  attractively 
planned  and  finished  and  is  a  model  barn 


134 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


both  for  conveiience  and  beauty,  and 
altogether  his  is  a  model  place,  in  which 
none  of  the  accessories  of  a  modern  farm 
are  lacking.  It  is  known  as  the  Shadow 
Brook  stock  farm  and  Mr.  Walker  de- 
votes his  attention  to  the  raising  of  high- 
bred stock,  making  a  specialty  of  short- 
horn cattle  and  Hambletonian  horses,  hav- 
ing a  large  number  of  each  upon  his  place. 
He  raises  for  sale  purposes  and  has  been 
engaged  in  this  business  for  twenty-six 
years.  He  now  owns  a  fine  Hambletonian 
stallion,  Elcho,  and  he  is  also  the  owner 
of  the  bull,  Duke  of  Iron  Hill,  a  regis- 
tered shorthorn,  both  of  which  are  used 
for  breeding  purposes.  In  addition  to  his 
home  farm  Mr.  Walker  has  always  con- 
ducted the  old  homestead  farm  compris- 
ing three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  and 
located  one  mile  east.  He  is  an  extensive 
feeder,  shipping  about  one  hundred  and 
fifty  head  of  fat  stock  per  year  of  his  own 
production  and  in  addition  to  this  Mr. 
Walker  buys  and  ships  many  carloads  of 
stock  annually  to  the  Chicago  market.  He 
is  also  the  owner  of  about  fourteen  thou- 
sand acres  of  land  in  Colorado,  all  under 
fence,  which  he  has  used  for  stock-raising 
and  the  growing  of  wheat.  Everything 
about  his  home  place  is  kept  in  most  per- 
fect order  and  repair,  showing  his  pro- 
gressive spirit  and  his  careful  supervision. 
Mr.  Walker  was  married  on  the  loth  of 
November,  1881,  to  Miss  Helen  M.  Jack- 
son, a  daughter  of  Peter  Jackson,  of 
Prairie  township,  who  was  an  early  set- 
tler of  Hancock  county.  He  followed 
farming  for  a  number  of  years  but  is  now 
living  retired.  Mrs.  Walker,  like  her  hus- 
band, obtained  her  early  education  in  the 
district  schools  and  was  afterward  a 


student  in  Carthage  College.  This  mar- 
riage has  been  blessed  with  six  children, 
of  whom  five  are  living:  Claude  C.,  of 
Prairie  township,  residing  upon  the  old 
homestead  of  his  grandfather,  married 
Yetta  Thomas,  a  daughter  of  Henry 
Thomas.  Clyde  H.  assists  in  the  oper- 
ation of  the  home  farm.  Flossie  M., 
Blossom  J.  and  Ruth,  are  all  at  home ;  and 
Onlin  died  at  the  age  of  eight  years.  All 
were  born  upon  the  home  property  and 
have  been  provided  with  excellent  educa- 
tional privileges. 

Mr.  Walker  is  a  democrat  without  po- 
litical aspiration  and  he  keeps  well  in- 
formed on  the  questions  and  issues  of  the 
day.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Walker  are  members 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  he 
is  interested  in  those  measures  and  move- 
ments which  tend  to  advance  the  material, 
intellectual  and  moral  progress  of  the 
community.  The  number  of  his  friends 
is  almost  co-extensive  with  the  circle  of 
his  acquaintance,  for  he  has  always  lived 
in  Hancock  county  and  his  history  has 
been  such  as  would  bear  close  investiga- 
tion and  scrutiny,  for  at  all  times  he  has 
lived  honorable  with  due  regard  to  his 
obligations  to  his  fellowmen  and  with 
conscientious  regard  for  his  duties  of 
citizenship. 


JAMES  HENRY  CLARK. 

James  Henry  Clark,  who  is  engaged  in 
farming  and  also  carries  on  stock-raising 
extensively  in  Dallas  township,  was  born 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


135 


in  Brown  county,  Illinois,  May  30,  1863, 
a  son  of  Nathaniel  H.  and  Jane  (Wells) 
Clark.  The  father's  birth  occurred  in  the 
state  of  New  York  in  1835  and  the  mother 
was  born  in  Ohio  in  the  same  year.  He 
was  a  farmer  by  occupation  and  at  an 
early  day  came  to  Illinois,  settling  in 
Brown  county,  while  subsequently  he  be- 
came a  resident  of  Schuyler  county.  He 
was  killed  on  the  railroad-  near  Clayton, 
October  7,  1902,  and  his  widow  still  re- 
sides in  that  county.  In  their  family  were 
eight  children  :  George,  living  in  Brown 
county,  Illinois ;  Maggie,  the  wife  of 
George  Laughlin,  who  resides  in  Black- 
bird, Missouri;  James  H.,  of  this  review; 
Lydia,  the  wife  of  Henry  Lawson,  of 
Fountain  Green ;  Fannie,  the  wife  of  Al- 
lan Groscloud;  Dora,  the  wife  of  James 
Younglove,  of  Schuyler  county ;  Charles, 
who  is  living  upon  the  home  farm  in 
Schuyler  county;  and  Jesse,  of  Dallas 
City. 

James  Henry  Clark  attended  the  public 
schools  of  Schuyler  county  but  his  educa- 
tional privileges  were  somewhat  limited, 
as  his  aid  was  needed  in  the  operation  of 
the  home  farm.  He  remained  with  his 
parents  until  nineteen  years  of  age  and 
was  afterward  employed  for  one  season  by 
the  month  as  a  farm  hand.  In  January, 
1884,  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Minnie  Bowker,  who  was  born  in  Schuy- 
ler county,  Illinois,  in  1865,  a  daughter 
of  Catherine  and  Frank  Bowker,  natives 
of  New  York,  and  of  Scotland  county, 
Missouri,  respectively.  The  father  be- 
came a  farmer,  first  of  Schuyler  county 
and  afterward  of  Hancock  county,  Illi- 
nois, and  subsequently  removed  to  Mis- 
souri and  thence  to  Kansas,  but  is  now  liv- 
9 


ing  retired  in  Dallas  City.  He  owned 
land  in  each  place  in  which  he  lived  and 
is  now  in  comfortable  circumstances. 
L'nto  him  and  his  wife  were  born  eight 
children  and  the  family  circle  yet  remains 
unbroken  by  the  hand  of  death.  The 
record  is  as  follows :  Minnie,  now  Mrs. 
Clark ;  Nettie,  who  in  early  life  engaged  in 
teaching  school  and  is  now  the  wife  of 
Sydney  Callison,  of  Boston,  Missouri; 
Roger,  of  Hancock  county ;  Kittie,  the 
wife  of  Ernest  Rose  worn,  of  Barton 
county,  Missouri ;  Maud,  the  wife  of  Wal- 
ter Lionberger,  of  Scotland  county,  Mis- 
souri; Inez  Bowker,  who  is  a  successful 
teacher;  George,  who  is  living  in  Dallas 
City ;  and  Mabel,  who  is  a  graduate  of  the 
high  school  of  Dallas  City  and  lives  with 
her  parents. 

At  the  time  of  their  marriage  Mr.  Clark 
and  his  young  wife  began  their  domestic 
life  upon  a  rented  farm  in  Schuyler 
county,  where  they  lived  for  one  year.  In 
1 885  they  came  to  Hancock  county,  where 
they  have  since  resided,  making  their  home 
in  Dallas  and  Durham  townships.  Mr. 
Clark  has  been  extensively  engaged  in  the 
live  stock  business  and  this  is  still  a  fruit- 
ful source  of  income  to  him.  In  1904  he 
purchased  ninety-seven  acres  of  good  land 
on  section  14,  Dallas  township,  and  has 
since  made  extensive  improvements  in  the 
home.  He  has  also  erected  two  good 
barns,  one  thirty-two  by  forty  feet  and  the 
other  fifty- four  by  sixty-six  feet.  He  now 
has  one  of  the  best  improved  farms  of  the 
township,  equipped  with  modern  conveni- 
ences and  accessories,  and  he  has  been  one 
of  the  heavy  stock  feeders  of  the  county. 
His  business  interests  are  carefully  con- 
ducted and  his  labors  are  bringing  to  him 


136 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REV  IE}]' 


a  gratifying  measure  of  success,  while  his 
straightforward  dealings  in  all  of  his 
transactions  have  gained  for  him  the  trust 
of  his  fellowmen. 

The  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Clark  has 
been  blessed  with  four  children,  all  born 
in  Hancock  county :  Ethel  and  Ray, 
aged  respectively  twenty  and  eighteen 
years :  Katherine  and  Annice,  both  in 
school.  In  his  political  views  Mr.  Clark 
is  an  inflexible  democrat  and  has  held 
various  township  offices,  including  that 
of  assessor  of  Durham  township.  Fra- 
ternally he  is  a  Mason  and  a  Woodman 
and  both  he  and  his  wife  are  connected 
witli  the  Royal  Neighbors.  Without  pe- 
cuniary assistance  at  the  outset  of  his 
career  he  has  made  steady  progress  and 
in  his  home  is  surrounded  by  many  of 
the  comforts  of  life.  He  and  his  wife 
occupy  an  enviable  position  in  the  re- 
gard of  friends  and  neighbors  and  are 
accounted  worthy  and  leading  citizens  of 
Dallas  township. 


SAMUEL  S.   CHAPMAN. 

Samuel  S.  Chapman,  owning  and  op- 
erating a  valuable  farm  in  Prairie  town- 
ship, is  a  native  of  Scott  county,  Illinois, 
born  May  11,  1851.  He  has,  however, 
resided  in  Hancock  county  since  1857. 
when,  at  the  age  of  six  years,  he  came 
to  this  part  of  the  state  with  his  parents, 
Wesley  and  Elizabeth  (Haynie)  Chap- 
man. The  father  was  born  in  Maryland, 
near  Cumberland,  March  24,  1825,  and 


lived  in  his  native  state  until  ten  years 
of  age,  when,  in  1835,  he  came  to  Illi- 
nois and  for  many  years  thereafter  was 
a  resident  of  Scott  county.  After  attain- 
ing his  majority  he  engaged  in  farming 
on  his  own  account  and  followed  that 
occupation  throughout  his  active  business 
career.  Upon  his  removal  from  Scott 
county  to  Hancock  county  in  1857,  he 
purchased  a  farm  of  eighty  acres  in 
Prairie  township,  to  which  he  afterward 
added  from  time  to  time  as  his  financial 
resources  increased  until  within  its  bound- 
aries were  comprised  two  hundred  and 
eighty  acres.  He  had  in  all  four  hun- 
dred and  twenty  acres  of  land,  all  in 
Prairie  township.  It  is  upon  this  tract 
that  Samuel  S.  Chapman  now  resides." 
The  father  placed  many  modern  improve- 
ments upon  the  .property,  including  the 
erection  of  a  large  brick  residence  in  1869. 
He  also  built  a  good  barn  and  other  out- 
buildings for  the  shelter  of  grain  and 
stock.  It  was  in  1862  that  he  took  up 
his  abode  upon  this  place,  where  he  en- 
gaged in  general  farming  and  stock-rais- 
ing with  signal  success  until  1890,  when 
he  sold  the  farm  to  his  son,  Samuel  S., 
and  removed  to  Carthage,  where  he  lived 
for  ten  years,  or  until  the  death  of  his 
wife,  since  which  time  he  has  made  his 
home  with  his  children.  He  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Christian  church  at  Carthage, 
and  his  life  has  been  permeated  by  his 
religious  faith.  In  his  political  affilia- 
tions he  is  a  republican  and  has  held  some 
of  the  minor  offices  of  the  township.  His 
wife,  who  was  born  in  Kentucky,  came 
to  Illinois  in  1829,  when  two  years  of  • 
age.  She  was  a  member  of  the  Christian 
church,  took  a  very  active  part  in  its  work 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


137 


and  did  all  in  her  power  for  the  exten- 
sion of  its  influence  and  the  promotion 
of  the  cause.  On  the  I4th  of  November, 
1900,  she  was  called  to  her  final  rest  and 
her  remains  were  interred  in  Carthage 
cemetery.  By  her  marriage  she  became 
the  mother  of  eleven  children,  eight  of 
whom  are  still  living. 

Samuel  S.  Chapman  of  this  review  re- 
mained upon  the  old  home  farm  until 
1876,  and  during  that  period  acquired  a 
good  common  school  education  which 
was  supplemented  by  a  three  years'  course 
at  the  Agricultural  College  of  the  State 
University  at  Urbana,  while  in  the  sum- 
mer months  he  was  trained  to  the  work 
'of  the  fields,  becoming  familiar  with  all 
departments  of  farm  labor  and  thus  gain- 
ing that  practical  experience  which  en- 
abled him  to  carefully  and  successfully 
conduct  his  own  business  affairs  when  he 
started  out  in  life  for  himself.  On  the 
7th  of  September,  1876,  he  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Miss  Nancy  C.  Jackson, 
a  daughter  of  Peter  Jackson,  one  of  the 
early  settlers  of  Hancock  county,  who 
arrive  here  in  1852,  and  has  now  been 
a  resident  of  the  locality  for  fifty-four 
years.  He  made  his  home  in  Carthage 
until  the  death  of  his  wife  about  two 
years  ago  and  is  now  living  with  his 
children. 

Following  his  marriage  Mr.  Chapman 
purchased  eighty  acres  of  land  in  Prairie 
township  north  of  Elvaston.  This  was 
improved  and  he  continued  the  further 
cultivation  of  the  fields  until  about  eight- 
een years  ago,  when  he  purchased  the  old 
home  place  of  his  father  and  has  resided 
upon  it  continuously  since.  He  has  one 
hundred  and  fifty  acres  of  the  old  home- 


stead and  the  farm  is  well  cultivated,  giv- 
ing every  evidence  in  its  neat  and  thrifty 
appearance  of  the  careful  supervision  and 
practical  methods  of  the  owner,  whose 
labors  have  been  attended  with  a  gratify- 
ing measure  of  success.  As  the  years 
have  gone  by  the  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Chapman  has  been  blessed  with  four  chil- 
dren but  the  oldest  died  in  infancy.  The 
others  are  John  Hurst,  who  was  educated 
in  Carthage  and  is  now  a  Junior  at  Hed- 
ding  College,  in  Abingdon,  Illinois,  and 
now  resides  upon  the  home  farm ;  Irene, 
a  senior  in  Hedding  College;  and  Myrna 
May,  who  is  now  attending  the  high 
school  in  Carthage.  Both  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Chapman  are  faithful  members  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church,  in  which 
they  take  an  active  and  helpful  interest. 
He  has  served  as  one  of  the  trustees  and- 
also  steward  o.f  the  church,  and  for  many 
years  he  has  been  a  stanch  prohibitionist, 
a  fact  which  indicates  his  attitude  on  the 
temperance  question.  Indeed  his  life  has 
been  guided  by  honorable  principles  and 
has  exemplified  manly  conduct  such  as 
commands  respect  and  esteem  everywhere. 
He  has  stood  for  temperance,  for  justice, 
for  truth  and  uprightness,  and  he  favors 
every  movement  that  tends  to  promote 
progressive  citizenship  or  uplift  his 
fellowmen. 


PETER  JACKSON. 

Peter  Jackson  was  born  in  Ross  county, 
Ohio,  on  August  27,  1826,  and  lived  there 


133 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REl'IEU' 


until  1852,  when  he  came  to  Hancock 
county,  Illinois,  in  November,  coming  by 
wagon,  and  located  in  Wythe  township,  in 
the  spring  of  1852,  and  there  he  pur- 
chased land  and  lived  till  1866,  engaged 
in  fanning  and  stock-raising.  In  1866  he 
bought  a  farm  in  Prairie  township  and 
there  he  lived  as  a  farmer  and  stock-raiser 
'until  1895,  when  he  rented  his  farm  and 
moved  to  Carthage,  where  he  led  a  retired 
life  until  1904,  when  his  wife  died  and 
since  then  he  has  lived  with  his  children. 

He  married  Angeline  Hanson  who  was 
born  in  Pickaway  county,  Ohio,  May  12, 
1828,  and  lived  there  until  her  marriage 
in  1847.  1°  J^Si  sne  came  west  with  her 
husband.  She  was  educated  in  Pickaway 
county,  Ohio.  She  died  April  5,  1904.  She 
was  the  mother  of  seven  children,  all 
daughters,  six  of  whom  are  living :  Sarah 
R.,wife  of  Francis  W.  McClellan,  of  Win- 
field,  Kansas;  Barbara  H.,  widow  of 
George  B.  Comstock,  of  Omaha,  Nebras- 
ka; Mary  M.,  widow  of  John  G.  Harris. 
She  resides  in  Oak  Park,  Cook  county,  Il- 
linois. She  has  three  children  who  were 
born  in  Hancock  county.  Nancy  C.,  wife 
of  Samuel  S.  Chapman  (see  sketch  of  Mr. 
Chapman)  ;  Matilda  J.,  wife  of  Lot  B. 
Clark  (see  sketch)  ;  Annie  E.  died  in  in- 
fancy; Helen  M.,  wife  of  Frank  W. 
Walker  (see  sketch  of  Frank  W. 
Walker). 

The  wife  -of  Mr.  Jackson  is  buried  at 
Carthage  cemetery.  They  were  a  very 
worthy  couple,  who  were  always  held  in 
the  highest  esteem  by  all  who  knew  them. 
Mr.  Jackson,  who  is  still  living,  has  at  the 
present  writing  passed  the  eightieth  mile- 
stone of  life's  journey  and  still  possesses 
a  very  retentive  memory. 


BENJAMIN    FRANKLIN    CONNOR. 

Benjamin  Franklin  Connor  was  born  in 
Rome,  Perry  county,  Indiana,  in  1832, 
a  son  of  John  and  Annie  (Maine)  Con- 
nor. The  father  was  born  in  New  Lynch- 
burg.  Virginia,  and  removed  to  Bullitt 
county,  Kentucky,  in  his  boyhood  days. 
In  1813,  when  a  young  man  he  became 
a  resident  of  Rome,  Indiana,  and  there  he 
spent  his  remaining  days  and  reared  his 
family.  He  was  a  man  worthy  all  trust 
and  esteem,  for  he  lived  an  upright, 
honorable  life.  Unto  him  and  his  wife 
were  born  ten  children,  all  born  within 
a  quarter  of  a  mile  of  the  place  where  he 
built  his  first  cabin  upon  taking  up  his 
abode  in  Perry  county  when  it  was  a 
pioneer  district.  His  death  occurred  in 
1862,  and  his  wife  passed  away  about 
1847  or  1848.  She  was  a  faithful  and 
devoted  wife  and  mother,  and  put  forth 
every  effort  in  her  power  to  promote  the 
welfare  and  happiness  of  her  family. 

Benjamin  F.  Connor  is  now  the  only 
surviving  member  of  the  family.  He  was 
fifteen  or  sixteen  years  of  age  at  the  time 
of  his  mother's  demise,  and  for  some  time 
thereafter  he  remained  with  a  sister.  He 
learned  the  trade  of  a  tanner  and  currier 
at  Rome,  Indiana,  where  he  worked  for 
eight  years,  and  in  1857  he  removed  to 
Clark  county,  Missouri,  where  he  resided 
until  August,  1 86 1.  At  that  date  he  came 
to  Warsaw.  He  had  engaged  in  mer- 
chandising in  Missouri,  and  following  his 
removal  to  this  city  he  continued  business 
as  a  cooper  for  some  years.  Subsequently 
he  traveled  for  eighteen  years  as  represen- 
tative of  a  portrait  house  of  Chicago,  tak- 
ing orders  for  the  enlargement  of  por- 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


139 


traits.  In  this  he  was  very  successful  and 
wherever  he  went  he  made  many  warm 
friends  by  reason  of  his  genial  manner, 
his  unfailing  courtesy  and  the  many  ster- 
ling traits  of  his  character  which  are 
easily  recognized,  for  such  qualities  al- 
ways leave  their  impress  upon  the  indi- 
vidual. For  twelve  years,  however,  he 
has  lived  retired  in  the  enjoyment  of  a 
well  earned  rest. 

Mr.  Connor  enlisted  for  service  in  the 
Civil  war  and  was  in  the  battle  of  Athens, 
Missouri.  He  remained  in  the  service  for 
five  months,  engaged  in  drilling  most  of 
that  time.  It  was  subsequent  to  his  return 
from  the  war  that  he  brought  his  family 
to  Warsaw  in  August,  1861.  His  po- 
litical allegiance  has  always  been  given  to 
the  democracy  but  he  has  never  aspired 
to  office.  He  is  one  of  the  oldest  Masons 
in  the  state  and  is  an  exemplary  represen- 
tative of  the  craft. 

On  the  1 6th  of  April,  1855,  Mr.  Con- 
nor was  married  to  Miss  Eliza  Lamb, 
who  was  also  a  native  of  Perry  county, 
Indiana,  born  February  18,  1830,  and  a 
daughter  of  Solomon  and  Elizabeth 
(Shepherd)  Lamb.  Her  parents  were 
married  May  26,  1811.  Her  father  was 
born  in  New  York,  July  21,  1780,  while 
his  wife's  birth  occurred  in  the  south, 
January  13,  1791.  He  was  a  farmer  by 
occupation  and  for  twenty-seven  years 
resided  in  Perry  county,  Indiana,  where 
he  took  an  active  and  influential  part  in 
pubjic  affairs.  He  was  chosen  the  first 
circuit  clerk  of  the  county,  and  for  twen- 
ty-six years  held  that  office.  No  higher 
testimonial  of  his  capability  and  fidelity 
could  be  given  than  the  fact  that  he  was 
so  long  retained  as  the  incumbent  in  that 


office.  He  was  faithful  to  every  trust 
reposed  in  him  and  his  life  was  always 
guided  by  manly  principles  and  character- 
ized by  honorable  conduct.  He  died  Feb- 
ruary 5,  1848,  and  his  wife  on  the  28th 
of  October,  1855,  both  being  laid  to  rest 
on  the  old  homestead  farm  in  Indiana,  on 
which  he  settled  about  1810.  This  was  a 
valuable  farming  property,  situated  on  the 
bank  of  the  Ohio  river.  At  the  time  of 
his  demise  he  was  serving  as  one  of  the 
commissioners  of  the  county  and  he 
passed  away  in  the  faith  of  the  Baptist 
church,  of  which  he  was  a  most  consistent 
and  devoted  member.  In  the  family  were 
eight  children  but  all  have  passed  away. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Connor  traveled  life's 
journey  together  as  man  and  wife  for 
about  twenty-three  years  and  were  then 
separated  by  the  death  of  Mrs.  Connor, 
who  passed  away  January  28,  1878,  and 
Was  laid  to  rest  in  the  Warsaw  cemetery. 
She  was  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
church  and  a  lady  whose  many  good  traits 
of  heart  and  mind  endeared  her  to  all  who 
knew  her.  To  her  family  she  was  a  most 
devoted  and  faithful  wife  and  mother  and 
she  was  equally  loyal  in  her  friendships. 
Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Connor  were  born 
four  children.  Ella  was  born  in  Rome, 
Perry  county,  Indiana,  January  12,  1856. 
She  was  graduated  from  the  Warsaw 
public  schools  and  taught  several  years. 
December  31,  1878,  she  was  married  to 
Dr.  C.  L.  Ferris,  of  Fountain  Green,  Illi- 
nois, the  oldest  son  of  Dr.  L.  T.  and 
Helen  Ferris,  who  are  old  residents  of 
the  county.  Dr.  and  Mrs.  C.  L.  Ferris 
have  two  daughters,  Helen  and  Ruth,  and 
are  living  in  Carthage,  Illinois.  Helen 
is  a  graduate  of  Carthage  College,  a 


140 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REl'lEU' 


teacher,  and  is  principal  of  the  High 
School  at  Mt.  Carroll,  Illinois.  Ruth  is  a 
senior  in  Carthage  College.  Isabella 
Sacket,  the  second  daughter,  was  born 
at  Luray,  Clark  county,  Missouri,  July 
29,  1857,  was  graduated  from  the  public 
schools  of  Warsaw,  and  afterward  en- 
gaged in  teaching  in  this  city  up  to  the 
time  of  her  marriage  to  John  B.  Worthen, 
who  was  born  in  Warsaw,  February  4, 
1855.  He  is  the  youngest  son  of  Prof. 
A.  H.  and  Sarah  B.  Worthen.  Both  of 
his  parents  were  old  settlers  of  Warsaw, 
while  the  father  was  state  geologist  for 
twenty  years.  Mr.  Worthen  is  an  en- 
terprising grocer  and  business  man  of 
Warsaw,  where  he  has  always  lived.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Worthen  were  married  August 
21,  1882,  and  to  them  six  children  were 
born,  as  follows :  Ella  Eugenia,  born 
October  26,  1883.  She  graduated  from 
the  Warsaw  public  school  and  the  State 
University  at  Urbana,  Illinois,  was  prin- 
cipal of  the  high  school  at  Arcola,  Illi- 
nois, and  is  an  instructor  in  mathematics 
at  the  State  University  at  Lincoln,  Ne- 
braska. James  C-  Worthen,  who  was 
born  October  16,  1885,  died  February  i, 
1887;  Jeannette  Lamb,  who  was  born 
July  13,  1887,  and  is  now  a  senior  in 
the  State  University  at  Urbana,  from 
which  she  will  graduate  in  1907;  Evelyn 
Marie,  who  was  born  August  18,  1890, 
and  is  a  sophomore  in  the  Warsaw  high 
school ;  Helen  Eunice,  who  was  born  Oc- 
tober n,  1892,  and  is  in  her  second  year 
in  the  high  school ;  and  John  Connor,  born 
February  13,  1899.  J.  T.  M.  Connor,  the 
third  member  of  the  family  of  Benjamin 
F.  Connor,  is  now  living  in  Chicago, 
where  he  is  auditor  for  the  Clay-Robinson 


Company,  live  stock  commission  mer- 
chants. He  was  married  in  Kansas  City, 
Missouri,  December  13,  1885,  to  Eunice 
Mason,  and  they  have  one  child,  Ella 
Belle,  who  was  born  November  13,  1886, 
and  is  a  graduate  of  the  Denver  (Colo- 
rado) school.  Frank  H.  Connor,  born 
Mary  27,  1865,  is  a  live  stock  commis- 
sion merchant  of  Chicago,  being  a  mem- 
ber of  the  firm  of  Clay,  Robinson  & 
Co.  He  was  married  June  20,  1894,  to 
Evelyn  L.  Hill,  and  has  had  three  children. 
The  twin  boys,  born  June  16,  1897,  both 
died  at  the  age  of  fifteen  months,  Ron- 
noc  Hill  was  born  August  8,  1903.  Both 
of  Mr.  Connor's  sons  were  graduates  of 
the  Warsaw  public  schools. 

Wlien  Mrs.  Connor  died  the  children 
were  all  single  and  remained  with  their 
father  until  they  were  married  and  had 
homes  of  their  own.  Mrs.  Worthen  was 
the  second  one  married  and  Mr.  Connor 
has  since  made  his  home  with  her  and 
her  husband.  Mr.  Worthen  has  built  a 
beautiful  modern  residence  on  the  river 
bluff,  situated  on  Van  Buren  and  First 
streets  in  the  part  of  Warsaw  called  Fort 
Edward.  This  is  a  beautiful  home  known 
as  Nehtrow.  Here  Mr.  Connor  is  most 
pleasantly  situated.  He  is  largely  a  self- 
made  man,  having  had  few  advantages 
in  his  youth  but  his  business  enterprise 
and  diligence  enabled  him  to  make  steady 
advancement  in  his  business  career. 
Wherever  he  went  he  made  friends  by 
reason  of  his  genial  and  kindly  disposi- 
tion. He  is  a  man  of  good  judgment  and 
warm  impulses  and  wherever  he  is  known 
he  is  held  in  highest  esteem,  while  the  cir- 
cle of  his  friends  is  almost  co-extensive 
With  the  circle  of  his  acquaintance. 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS: 


141 


WILLIAM  JACKSON  ASH. 

William  Jackson  Ash  is  one  of  the  ven- 
erable citizens  of  Hamilton,  receiving  the 
respect  and  honor  which  should  be  ac- 
corded to  one  of  his  years  and  whose  life 
has  been  worthily  spent.  He  is  now 
eighty-one  years  of  age,  having  been  born 
in  McMinn  county,  Tennessee,  on  the  6th 
of  June,  1825,  his  parents  being  Hugh 
Brown  Ash  and  Nancy  (Jones)  Ash, 
natives  of  South  Carolina  and  Tennessee 
respectively.  His  paternal  grandparents 
were  Robert  and  Esther  Ash,  the  former 
a  native  of  South  Carolina  and  the  latter 
of  Ireland.  The  maternal  grandfather, 
Thomas  Jones,  was  a  native  of  Tennessee, 
and  in  that  state  married  Miss  Beckham. 
Robert  Ash,  leaving  his  native  country, 
crossed  the  Atlantic  and  became  a  resi- 
dent of  South  Carolina,  whe'fe  he  followed 
the  occupation  of  farming  for  a  number 
of  years  and  then  removed  to  eastern  Ten- 
nessee, where  he  and  his  wife  spent  their 
remaining  days.  It  was  in  that  state  that 
Hugh  Brown  Ash  and  Nancy  Jones  were 
united  in  marriage  and  there  they  lived 
for  a  number  of  years  upon  a  farm.  He 
was  injured  one  day  while  stacking  fodder 
and  soon  afterward  died.  His  wife  mar- 
ried again  nine  years  later,  her  second 
union  being  with  Edwin  Pedegrew,  who 
at  one  time  owned  famous  gold  mines  in 
Georgia.  They  were  married  in  Alabama, 
to  which  state  the  mother  of  our  subject 
removed  and  about  ten  years  later  they 
went  to  Dent  county,  Missouri,  where 
they  spent  their  remaining  days. 

William  Jackson  was  the  eldest  of  three 
sons  and  three  daughters,  all  of  whom 
are  now  deceased  with  the  exception  of 


one  brother  who  is  residing  in  Carrollton, 
Carroll  county,  Arkansas.  By  the  second 
marriage  there  were  two  daughters  and 
two  sons,  of  whom  one  son  is  now  living 
in  Dent  county,  Missouri. 

William  J.  Ash  was  twelve  years  of  age 
when  he  went  with  his  mother  to  Chero- 
kee county,  Alabama.  She  there  took  up 
one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  and 
in  1839  was  married  a  second  time.  It 
was  then  that  the  subject  of  this  review 
started  out  in  life  to  make  his  own  way  in 
the  world.  He  began  learning  the  trade 
of  a  tanner  and  leather  finisher.  He  was 
also  the  owner  of  three  colts,  two  cows 
and  several  hogs,  which  he  gave  to  his 
mother  in  exchange  for  homespun  cloth- 
ing. He  continued  to  work  at  his  trade 
until  1846,  in  which  year  Benjamin 
White,  who  ten  years  before  had  removed 
to  Adams  county,  Illinois,  returned  to 
Tennessee  on  a  visit  and  about  a  month 
later  took  three  Tennessee  lads  with  him 
to  Adams  county.  He  paid  their  fare  and 
they  worked  for  him  two  years  for  ten 
dollars  a  month.  Mr.  Ash  had  an  uncle 
living  in  Adams  county  and  after  leaving 
Mr.  White's  employ  he  began  operating 
his  uncle's  farm  on  shares,  being  thus  en- 
gaged for  a  year.  In  1848  he  returned  to 
Tennessee  and  Alabama  in  company  with 
his  uncle,  driving  across  the  country  with 
teams.  The  uncle  soon  again  came  to 
Illinois,  but  Mr.  Ash  remained  in  his  na- 
tive state  until  after  his  marriage,  which 
important  event  in  his  life  was  celebrated 
on  the  2/th  of  February,  1 849,  the  lady  of 
his  choice  being  Miss  Eliza  Ann  Culpep- 
per,  who  was  born  in  McMinn  county, 
Tennessee,  August  14,  1828,  a  daughter 
of  Joel  and  Ann  Elizabeth  (Tyler)  Cul- 


142 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


pepper,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of 
South  Carolina.  The  former  was  a  son 
of  John  Culpepper  and  the  latter  a  daugh- 
ter of  John  Tyler. 

On  the  28th  of  March,  1849,  Mr-  Ash 
with  his  bride  started  by  wagon  for 
Adams  county,  where  they  arrived  on  the 
22d  of  April,  after  spending  almost  a 
month  upon  the  road.  They  remained  in 
that  county  for  one  season  and  Mr.  Ash 
engaged  in  the  cultivation  of  a  tract  of 
land.  He  tried  to  raise  a  crop  of  corn  but 
the  worms  took  it  and  he  sowed  his  land 
to  buckwheat,  raising  an  enormous  crop, 
furnishing  large  supplies  to  the  city  of 
Quincy  of  buckwheat  flour,  which  he  had 
ground  at  Fletcher's  Mills  in  Hancock 
county.  In  the  fall  of  1849  he  and  his 
wife  removed  to  Wythe  township,  this 
county,  where  they  lived  in  a  log  house 
with  puncheon  floor  and  fireplace  with 
stick  and  clay  chimney.  There  was  but 
one  room  in  the  cabin.  The  following 
season  he  purchased  forty  acres  of 
prairie  about  a  mile  north  of  where  he 
lived,  fenced  his  land  with  rails  and 
raised  corn,  which  was  planted  on  the 
newly  broken  sod.  The  following  year 
he  broke  more  land  and  also  purchased 
forty  acres  additional.  He  also  cultivated 
the  eighty  acres  and  rented  some  land, 
adding  to  his  place  from  time  to  time  un- 
til he  was  the  owner  of  three  hundred 
and  forty  acres  in  Wythe  township,  which 
had  been  improved  as  well  as  any  place 
in  the  township  at  that  time.  As  the 
years  passed  he  added  further  improve- 
ments to  his  property  and  made  it  a 
splendidly  developed  farm.  He  had  two 
large  barns,  one  thirty  by  eighty  feet, 
which  he  afterward  used  for  sheltering 


his  cattle.  He  kept  from  twenty  to  thirty 
cows  and  conducted  a  dairy  for  ten  years. 
Thus  year  by  year  he  continued  active 
in  business,  winning  success  by  his  close 
application  and  strong  determination.  He 
was  never  idle  and  indolence  is  utterly 
foreign  to  his  nature.  He  has  led  a  busy 
and  useful  life  and  as  the  years  have 
gone  by  has  won  the  success  which  al- 
ways crowns  earnest  effort. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ash  have  been  born 
the  following  named :  Sarah  Mulvina, 
the  wife  of  W.  H.  King,  who  is  acting 
as  janitor  of  the  public  schools  at  Hamil- 
ton ;  Mary  Adeline,  the  wife  of  Frederick 
Shrifer,  a  mail-carrier  at  Hamilton ;  Joel 
Brown,  of  Hamilton;  Louisa  Ann; 
Amanda  Jane,  the  wife  of  J.  E.  Ernst, 
who  owns  the  old  homestead  farm ;  Alice 
Alma,  the  wife  of  Charles  F.  Binderwald, 
of  Montrosej  Iowa;  and  Narcissa  Eliza- 
beth, the  wife  of  D.  William  Wolfe,  a 
resident  of  Hamilton. 

On  the  8th  of  March,  1897,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Ash  removed  from  the  home  farm 
to  Hamilton,  where  he  purchased  a  fine 
residence  on  Broadway.  Since  that  time 
he  has  lived  retired.  He  rented  his  land 
for  three  years  and  then  sold  it.  He  is 
one  of  the  organizers  and  stockholders  of 
the  Peoples  State  Bank,  of  Hamilton,  and 
also  of  the  West  Point  State  Bank,  and 
thus  his  money  has  been  placed  in  insti- 
tutions where  it  is  bringing  a  good  finan- 
cial return.  He  has  justly  earned  the  rest 
which  he  is  now  enjoying,  for  his  life  has 
been  characterized  by  unflagging  dili- 
gence and  also  by  unfaltering  honesty  in 
all  business  transactions.  Wherever 
known  he  has  won  high  esteem  and  more- 
over he  is  one  of  the  honored  pioneer  set- 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


143 


tiers  of  the  county,  whose  efforts  have 
been  a  potent  element  in  promoting  prog- 
ress and  improvement  in  this  section  of 
the  state  as  the  county  has  emerged  from 
its  pioneer  conditions. 


AHIMAAZ  PUNTENNEY. 

Ahimaaz  Puntenney,  the  owner  of  a 
well  improved  and  valuable  farm  in  Mon- 
tebello  township,  where  he  is  engaged  in 
general  agricultural  pursuits  and  m  rais- 
ing high  grade  horses,  cattle  and  hogs, 
is  a  native  son  of  Adams  county,  Ohio, 
where  he  was  bom  February  10,  1833. 
He  is  a  son  of  John  and  Arminta 
(Wright)  Puntenney,  both  of  whom  were 
natives  of  Adams  county,  Ohio.  The 
paternal  grandparents  were  George  Hol- 
linsworth  and  Margaret  (Hamilton) 
Puntenney,  the  former  a  native  of  New 
England  and  the  latter  of  Ireland.  The 
grandfather  was  a  soldier  of  the  Revolu- 
tionary war.  In  order  to  join  the  army 
in  the  manner  he  wished  he  had  to  be  an 
immune  from  small  pox.  He  had  never 
suffered  from  the  disease,  but  his  uncle 
and  aunt,  with  whom  he  was  living,  were 
attending  a  case  of  small  pox  and  he 
thought  this  his  opportunity  to  become 
afflicted  with  the  disease.  His  relatives 
wished  to  prevent  it  and  they  put  the 
clothing  which  they  had  worn  while  at- 
tending the  small  pox  case  into  a  hollow 
tree.  There  George  Puntenney  found 
them,  took  them  out,  wore  them  and  be- 
came ill  with  small  pox.  Thereby  he  was 


permitted  to  join  the  army  and  he  fought 
valiently  for  American  liberty.  Later  he 
was  granted  a  pension,  but  he  would  not 
accept  it,  having  given  his  aid  freely  for 
the  cause  which  he  espoused.  Subse- 
quently he  became  a  resident  of  Adams 
county,  Ohio,  where  he  died  in  1852,  at 
the  very  venerable  age  of  ninety-six  years. 
The  maternal  grandfather  of  our  subject 
was  a  native  of  Virginia,  while  his  wife 
was  bom  in  Ireland,  whence  she  came  to 
America  when  about  seven  years  of  age. 
They  were  married  in  Adams  county, 
Ohio,  the  family  having  located  there  at 
a  very  early  day. 

The  marriage  of  John  Puntenney  and 
Arminta  Wright  was  celebrated  in  Adams 
county,  Ohio,  where  he  settled  upon  a 
farm,  there  following  general  agricultural 
pursuits  until  his  death,  which  occurred 
in  April,  1864,  when  he  was  sixty-nine 
years  of  age. 

When  Ahimaaz  Puntenney  was  only 
two  years  old  he  went  to  live  with  his 
maternal  grandfather  in  the  northern  part 
of  Adams  county  and  in  1846  all  the  fam- 
ily removed  to  Lee  county,  Iowa.  In 
company  with  an  uncle  and  J.  W.  Dry- 
den,  Mr.  Puntenney  of  this  review  drove 
across  the  country  from  the  Buckeye  state 
to  their  destination,  being  upon  the  road 
from  the  i8th  of  September  until  the  2Oth 
of  October.  His  grandfather  settled  on  a 
farm  in  Lee  county,  where  he  died  in 
1848.  Following  his  death  Mr.  Pun- 
tenney continued  to  make  his  home  there 
with  his  uncle  until  about  1855,  when  he 
bought  forty  acres  of  land  on  the  east 
line  of  Montebello  township  and  in  1861 
sold  that  property,  subsequently  investing 
in  eighty  acres  on  section  23,  constituting 


144 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REl'lE}}' 


the  east  half  of  the  southeast  quarter.  He 
had  about  fifteen  acres  broken,  but  there 
were  no  fences  or  buildings  on  the  place. 
In  1862  he  built  a  frame  house  of  three 
rooms  and  built  a  half  mile  of  fence  on 
the  west  side  of  the  farm.  He  continued 
the  further  development  and  improvement 
of  the  place  until  February,  1864,  when 
he  enlisted  in  the  One  Hundred  and  Fifty- 
sixth  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry.  He 
left  his  wife  and  two  small  children,  who 
went  to  Lee  county,  Iowa,  to  her  mother's 
home,  while  Mr.  Puntenney  went  to  the 
front  to  aid  in  the  defense  of  the  Union. 
His  regiment  was  consolidated  with  New 
York  and  Indiana  troops  and  did  guard 
duty  near  Chattanooga  on  the  Chicka- 
mauga  river.  They  were  in  different 
places  in  the  south  doing  guard  duty,  and 
Mr.  Puntenney  continued  at  the  front 
until  honorably  discharged  on  the  I5th  of 
September,  1865.  He  had  remained  with 
his  command  for  a  year  and  a  half  and 
had  always  been  loyal  to  his  duty,  faith- 
fully discharging  every  task  that  was  as- 
signed him  in  connection  with  his  military 
service. 

Following  his  return  home.  Mr.  Pun- 
tenney began  making  further  improve- 
ments upon  his  place  and  in  1880  he  pur- 
chased the  east  half  of  the  southeast  quar- 
ter, so  that  he  was  owner  of  the  entire 
quarter  section.  In  1878  he  built  a  large 
hay  barn,  which  he  remodeled  in  1905. 
He  also  erected  an  addition  to  the  house 
in  1890  and  now  has  a  good  farm  prop- 
erty which  is  enclosed  largely  with  wire 
fence.  He  has  as  fine  a  prairie  farm  as 
can  be  found  in  the  township  and  in 
connection  with  the  tilling  of  the  soil  he 
is  engaged  in  raising  Shire  draft  horses, 


good  cattle  and  Poland  China  hogs.  His 
business  interests  are  carefully  directed 
and  his  labors  have  brought  to  him  a 
very  gratifying  measure  of  success. 

On  the  26th  of  February,  1861,  Mr. 
Puntenney  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Isabelle  Kerr,  who  was  born  in 
Pennsylania  and  during  her  infancy  was 
brought  to  Illinois  by  her  parents,  Alex- 
ander Kerr  and  Isabelle  Dunham,  who 
located  at  Peoria.  Both  her  father  and 
mother  were  natives  of  Scotland  and 
after  a  brief  residence  in  Peoria  they  re- 
moved to  Lee  county,  Iowa.  Unto  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Puntenney  have  been  born  two 
sons  and  two  daughters :  John  Alex- 
ander, who  owns  a  ranch  near  Moscow, 
Idaho;  Iowa  B.,  who  is  the  widow  of 
Samuel  Marshall  and  resides  with  her 
father;  Nettie  K.,  the  wife  of  James  Mc- 
Gaw,  of  Prairie  township,  this  county; 
and  William  L.,  who  conducts  the  home 
place. 

In  his  religious  views  Mr.  Puntenney 
is  a  Presbyterian  and  since  1880  has  been 
elder  of  the  church  of  that  denomination 
at  Elvaston.  He  exercises  his  right  of 
franchise  in  support  of  the  men  and  meas- 
ures of  the  Republican  party  and  he  be- 
longs to  Russell  post,  Grand  Army  of  the 
Republic,  of  Hamilton,  of  which  he  is 
senior  vice  commander.  In  all  duties  of 
citizenship  he  is  as  loyal  to  his  country 
as  when  he  followed  the  old  flag  upon 
battlefields  of  the  south.  In  his  business 
affairs  he  is  reliable,  working  earnestly 
and  persistently  for  the  achievement  of 
success  and  is  now  the  owner  of  one  of 
the  excellent  farm  properties  of  Monte- 
bello  township,  where  he  is  pleasantly  sit- 
uated and  has  a  comfortable  home. 


HAXCOCK  COUXTY,  ILLINOIS. 


145 


JACOB  C.  BALSLEY. 

Jacob  C.  Balsley,  filling  the  position  of 
township  assessor,  his  home  being  in 
Dallas  City,  was  born  in  Harrisburg, 
Pennsylvania,  November  28,  1839,  his 
parents  being  William  and  Elizabeth 
(Longenecker)  Balsley.  who  were  like- 
wise natives  of  the  Keystone  state,  the 
former  having  been  born  in  Dauphin 
county,  and  the  latter  in  Cumberland 
county.  The  father  engaged  in  the  coal 
trade  and  milling  on  the  Monongahela 
in  Pennsylvania  for  a  number  of  years, 
and  was  a  member  of  the  state  militia 
in  Pennsylvania.  In  1854  he  came  to 
Illinois,  devoting  his  attention  to  general 
agricultural  pursuits  and  merchandising 
in  Scott  county.  In  1869,  however,  he 
removed  to  Dallas  township,  Hancock 
county,  where  he  engaged  in  horticultural 
business,  being  one  of  the  early  men  to 
raise  berries  and  small  fruits  here  until 
his  death,  which  occurred  May  17,  1898, 
his  remains  being  interred  in  Dallas  City 
cemetery.  At  the  time  of  his  demise  he 
was  a  member  of  the  Christian  church, 
and  at  one  time  was  an  Odd  Fellow.  The 
mother  of  our  subject  still  survives  him 
and  is  a  hale  and  hearty  lady  of  eighty- 
nine  years,  now  living  in  Scott  county. 
In  their  family  were  nine  children,  of 
whom  seven  are  yet  living,  namely : 
Jacob  C. ;  George  W.,  a  department  clerk- 
in  Washington,  D.  C. ;  Theodosia,  the 
widow  of  George  W.  Ebey,  living  at 
Winchester,  Illinois;  Miriam,  the  widow 
of  A.  C.  Dean  and  a  resident  of  Gales  - 
burg,  this  state;  John  W.,  also  living  in 
Winchester;  Frances,  the  wife  of  James 
A.  Warren,  a  prominent  lawyer  of  Win- 


chester ;  and  Sarah,  the  widow  of  John 
Kirkpatrick,  living  in  Winchester.  Of 
this  number  John  W.  Balsley  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Sixty-first  Illinois  Volunteer 
Infantry  and  took  part  in  several  engage- 
ments, including  the  battle  of  Shiloh.  He 
served  three  years  and  then  veteraned  or 
re-enlisted,  after  which  he  was  captured 
and  sent  to  Andersonville  prison,  where 
he  was  held  until  paroled  at  the  close  of 
the  war.  George  W.  Balsley,  another 
brother,  was  also  a  member  of  the  Sixty- 
eighth  Illinois  Infantry,  serving  for  three 
months. 

Jacob  C.  Balsley  was  a  youth  of  fifteen 
years  when  in  company  with  his  parents 
he  removed  from  Pennsylvania  to  Illinois. 
He  continued  his  studies  in  the  schools  of 
Winchester.  In  1861  he  responded  to  the 
country's  call  for  .aid  but  because  he  was 
under  size  his  services  were  rejected,  and 
he  turned  his  attention  to  the  teacher's 
profession,  teaching  in  the  country  district 
schools  for  several  terms  and  also  one 
term  in  the  city  school.  During  this  time 
he  also  read  law  for  a  time  in  the  office 
of  Knapp  &  Case.  In  1863  he  left  home 
to  enter  the  government  service  on  the 
Mississippi  river  and  went  upon  a  govern- 
ment transport  for  three  months,  but  re- 
turning home  in  September  on  account  of 
physical  disability. 

Subsequently  Mr.  Balsley  entered  the 
postoffice  at  Winchester  in  1863  and  acted 
as  deputy  postmaster  there  for  three 
years,  and  in  1866  and  1867  he  was  em- 
ployed as  a  clerk  in  a  drug  store.  .  He 
spent  the  succeeding  seven  years  in  the 
office  of  G.  W.  Martin,  then  county  clerk 
at  Winchester,  as  his  deputy.  He  after- 
ward entered  the  postoffice  again  for  two 


146 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


years  and  he  was  the  first  to  receive  the 
news  of  President  Lincoln's  assassination 
and  was  in  the  postoffice  at  the  time  of 
President  Garfield's  death.  Later  he 
again  engaged  in  teaching  school  in  the 
county  of  Scott  and  in  1891  he  came  to 
Hancock  county,  settling  in  Dallas  City, 
being  engaged  with  his  father  in  the  hor- 
ticultural business  until  the  time  of  the 
latter's  death. 

On  the  24th  of  July,  1898,  Mr.  Balsley 
was  married  to  Mrs.  Elizabeth  P.  Price, 
who  was  born  in  Adams  county,  Illinois. 
Her  father  was  of  Gentian  birth,  while 
her  mother  was  a  native  of  Covington, 
Kentucky.  The  mother  is  still  living  in 
Dallas  City  but  the  father,  A.  Padburg, 
who  was  a  cooper  by  trade,  has  departed 
this  life.  In  the  family  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Padburg  were  nine  children,  seven  of 
whom  are  yet  living,  as  follows :  Mrs. 
Balsley  of  this  review;  May,  the  wife  of 
Alston  Giddings,  near  La  Harpe,  Illinois : 
Ella,  the  widow  of  William  Giddings  and 
who  lives  on  a  farm  near  Burnside,  Illi- 
nois ;  John,  who  is  engaged  in  the  practice 
of  medicine  at  Francis,  Indian  Territory; 
Charles,  living  in  Dallas  City;  Alfred,  a 
student  of  medicine  of  Dallas  City;  and 
Leah,  the  wife  of  Charles  Hinckley,  of 
Dallas  City.  Mrs.  Padburg  is  a  member 
of  the  Methodist  church  and  Mr.  Pad- 
burg was  a  pioneer  Mason.  He  came  to 
Hancock  county  in  early  life,  being  but 
ten  years  6f  age  when  he  crossed  the  At- 
lantic to  America.  His  eldest  daughter, 
Elizabeth,  was  married  in  1878  to  Frank 
Frice,  a  native  of  Galena,  Illinois,  who 
was  a  brick  molder  by  trade  and  spent 
much  of  his  time  in  Nauvoo,  Illinois.  He 
died  August  n,  1894,  and  was  buried  in 


Dallas  City,  Illinois.  In  the  family  were 
two  children,  of  whom  one  is  now  living, 
Frankie  Myrtle,  born  in  Dallas  City,  July 
17,  1880,  died  April  4,  1895,  and  was 
buried  by  the  side  of  her  father.  Cleo  A. 
Frice,  born  in  Dallas  City  March  3,  1886, 
married  Miss  Sarah  Wells,  and  is  a  clerk 
in  a  grocery  store  in  Dallas  City.  They 
have  one  child,  Genevieve,  who  was  born 
in  Dallas  City  June  30,  1905.  Cleo  Frice 
and  his  family  live  with  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Balsley. 

Following  his  father's  death  Mr.  Bals- 
ley remained  upon  the  old  home  place, 
which  he  inherited,  from  1898  until  1902. 
In  the  latter  year  he  entered  the  postoffice 
at  Dallas  City  as  assistant,  there  contin- 
uing until  1905  and  since  that  time  he  has 
been  employed  as  clerk  in  the  Black  & 
Loomis  lumber  office.  He  is  now  serving 
as  assessor  of  his  township.  He  has  al- 
ways been  a  republican  and  has  firm  faith 
in  the  principles  of  the  party  and  their 
ultimate  supremacy.  His  wife  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Christian  church  and  with  her 
he  attends  its  services.  They  reside  in  a 
pretty  home  on  Oak  street  and  Mrs.  Bals- 
ley takes  a  very  active  part  in  church 
work,  serving  as  one  of  the  teachers  of 
the  Sunday-school  and  doing  all  in  her 
power  to  advance  the  various  church  ac- 
tivities. Mr.  Balsley  is  regarded  as  a 
trustworthy  citizen  who  discharges  every 
duty  devolving  upon  him  in  prompt  and 
conscientious  manner.  He  is  a  careful 
and  painstaking  man  and  both  he  and  his 
wife  stand  high  in  the  community  where 
they  have  made  many  friends  and  are 
held  in  the  highest  esteem  by  all  with 
whom  they  come  in  contact,  either  in  s •>- 
cial  or  business  relations. 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


WILLIAM  L.  KIMBROUGH. 

William   L.    Kimbrough   was   born    in 

I  Carthage  township,  where  lie  is  now  en- 
gaged in  farming.  His  natal  day  was 

[  October  27.  1853,  and  his  birthplace  was 
four  miles  east  of  the  city  of  Carthage 

I   and    about   a    quarter   of   a    mile   north. 

:  His  parents  were  William  R.  and  Eliza- 
beth (Dale)  Kimbrough,  extended  men- 

I  tion  of  whom  is  made  elsewhere  in  this 
volume.  In  the  common  schools  of  his 
township  the  subject  of  this  review  ac- 
quired his  education.  In  the  summer 
months  he  aided  in  the  work  of  the  fields, 
early  becoming  familiar  with  the  task 

i  of  plowing,  planting  and  harvesting.  He 
remained  upon  the  home  place  until 
twenty-two  years  of  age  and  then,  leaving 
the  parental  roof,  started  out  in  life  on 
his  own  account  by  working  as  a  farm 
hand  at  a  salary  of  twenty  dollars  per 
month.  He  was  thus  employed  for  some 
time  in  the  vicinity  of  La  Harpe  and  on 
his  -marriage,  December  28,  1874,  he 
rented  a  farm  in  Carthage  township, 
which  he  cultivated  for  a  year.  He  after- 
ward spent  a  year  upon  a  rented  farm  in 
Henderson  county,  Illinois,  after  which 
he  returned  to  Carthage  township.  An- 
other year  passed  and  he  then  went  to 
Nevada,  working  in  the  silver  mines  at 
Austin  and  later  at  Leadville,  Colorado, 
for  two  years.  When  he  again  came  to 
Illinois  he  was  employed  at  farm  labor 
by  the  month  in  Henderson  county  for 
four  years  and  with  the  capital  he  ac- 
quired through  his  economy  and  industry 
he  then  purchased  eighty  acres  of  land 
on  section  33,  Carthage  township,  for 
which  he  paid  twenty-five  hundred  dol- 


lars. Taking  up  his  abode  thereon  he 
made  it  his  home  for  ten  years  and  he 
still  owns  the  place,  which,  however,  is 
now  being  operated  by  his  son.  When 
a  decade  had  passed  he  rented  a  farm 
from  F.'  M.  Cutler,  which  he  operated 
for  five  years  and  then  purchased  the 
present  home  farm  of  eighty  acres  on  sec- 
tion 22,  Carthage  township,  which  was 
well  improved.  He  also  owrns  forty 
acres  which  he  purchased  from  his  father 
on  section  1 1  of  the  same  township  and  all 
of  his  land  is  under  a  high  state  of  culti- 
vation. His  home  is  on  section  22,  where 
he  has  a  fine  modern  residence  and  other 
good  buildings  in  keeping  with  the  model 
farm  of  the  twentieth  century.  His  time 
is  devoted  to  the  cultivation  of  the  cereals 
best  adapted  to  soil  and  climate  and  also 
to  stock  raising  and  both  branches  of  his 
business  are  proving  profitable. 

On  the  28th  of  December,  1874,  Mr. 
Kimbrough  was-  married  to  Miss  Mary 
A.  Butler,  who  was  born  in  Monroe, 
Green  county,  Wisconsin,  April  26,  1857. 
Her  parents  were  Jesse  and  Elizabeth 
(Tatham)  Butler.  Her  father  was  born 
in  Zanesville,  Ohio,  April  13,  1826,  a  son 
of  Henry  and  Charity  Butler,  who  re- 
moved to  the  Buckeye  state  from  Mary- 
land. Jesse  Butler  was  reared  in  Ohio 
and  on  the  nth  of  March,  1847,  he 
married  Elizabeth  Tatham,  also  a  native 
of  Zanesville.  About  1856  they  removed 
to  Wisconsin,  settling  at  Monroe,  Green 
county,  where  they  lived  upon  a  farm 
until  the  autumn  of  1864,  Mr.  Butler  de- 
voting his  time  and  .energies  to  general 
agricultural  pursuits  and  sheep  raising. 
When  eight  years  had  passed  he  removed 
with  his  family  to  a  farm  near  La  Harpe, 


148 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REl'IEIl" 


Illinois,  where  he  lived  for  about  thirty 
years,  becoming  one  of  the  best  known 
and  most  enterprising  agriculturists  of 
that  locality.  On  selling  his  property  he 
took  up  his  abode  near  Blencoe,  Iowa, 
where  he  lived  for  two  years,  when  on 
account  of  failing  health  he  returned  to 
Illinois,  making  his  home  with  his  daugh- 
ter, Mrs.  Kimbrough,  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  on  the  3Oth  of  October, 
1896,  when  he  had  reached  the  age  of  sev- 
enty years,  six  months  and  seventeen  days. 
His  widow  still  survives  him  and  is  now 
living  in  Ellsworth,  Iowa,  with  her 
youngest  daughter  at  the  age  of  seventy- 
seven  years.  Mr.  Butler  was  a  man  of 
genuine  personal  worth.  While  residing 
in  Wisconsin  he  announced  his  faith  in 
the  Christian  religion  and  ever  lived  a 
life  in  harmony  with  his  professions.  He 
was  honest  at  all  times,  reliable  in  his  busi- 
ness transactions  and  faithful  in  his 
friendships.  Unto  him  and  his  wife  were 
born  eight  children,  five  of  whom  are 
living,  namely :  Sylvester,  of  Holton, 
•Kansas;  William  L.,  of  Stronghurst,  Illi- 
nois; Arthur  V.,  of  Monmouth,  Illinois; 
Mrs.  Clara  Van  Zandt,  of  Roseville,  Illi- 
nois; Mrs.  Charity  Mesecher.  of  Blencoe, 
Iowa ;  and  Mrs.  Kimbrough. 

The  last  named  was  the  fourth  in  order 
of  birth  in  the  family  and  was  educated 
in  the  schools  of  La  Harpe,  the  academy 
at  that  place  and  in  the  Normal  course  at 
Carthage  Cbllege.  She  engaged  in  teach- 
ing for  seven  years  in  the  schools  of  Han- 
cock and  Henderson  counties  and  was 
widely  recognized  as  a  capable  educator. 
Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kimbrough  have  been 
born  three  children,  of  whom  one,  Jesse, 
died  in  infancy.  Clarence,  born  July  9, 


1 8/6,  resides  upon  his  father's  home  farm 
one  section  33,  Carthage  township.  He 
was  educated  in  Carthage  and  married 
Miss  Leah  Coultas,  who  was  born  at 
Winchester,  Scott  county,  Illinois.  They 
have  one  child,  Lottie.'  The  youngest 
member  of  the  Kimbrough  family  is 
Arno,  who  was  born  December  17,  1891. 
Mr.  Kimbrough  exercises  his  right  of 
franchise  in  support  of  the  men  and  meas- 
ures of  the  Republican  party  but  has  never 
been  a  politician  in  the  sense  of  office 
seeking.  Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kimbrough 
are  members  of  the  Baptist  church  and 
are  interested  in  all  that  pertains  to  the 
material,  intellectual  and  moral  progress 
of  their  community.  Mr.  Kimbrough  has 
passed  almost  his  entire  life  in  Hancock 
county,  so  that  his  record  is  well  known 
to  his  fellow  citizens  and  in  his  life  his- 
tory there  is  much  that  is  commendable 
and  worthy  of  emulation. 


WILLIAM  R.  KIMBROUGH. 

William  R.  Kimbrough.  one  of  the 
early  settlers  of  Hancock  county,  residing 
on  his  farm  of  eighty  acres  on  section  1 1 , 
Carthage  township,  is  a  native  of  Ken- 
tucky, born  in  Todd  county,  January  24. 
1830.  He  is  a  son  of  William  and  Susan 
(Wyatt)  Kimbrough,  natives  of  Virginia, 
whence  they  removed  to  Kentucky  at  an 
early  day.  The  father  engaged  in  farm- 
ing in  Todd  county  until  1834.  when  he 
brought  his  family  to  Hancock  count}'. 
Illinois,  settling  in  Carthage  township, 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


where  he  purchased  a  farm  of  forty  acres 
east  of  the  city  of  Carthage.  He  built 
there  a  log  cabin  and  began  the  develop- 
ment of  the  property.  He  lived  there 
for  some  years  and  afterward  sold  the 
farm,  removing  to  a  larger  farm  which 
he  rented.  A  number  of  years  later  he 
took  up  his  abode  in  Carthage,  where  he 
lived  retired,  his  death  occurring  there 
when  he  was  eighty-six  years  of  age.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  Baptist  church  and 
a  democrat  in  political  views.  A  public 
spirited  man,  he  was  an  advocate  of  all 
that  tended  to  improve  and  advance  the 
community  interests.  He  was  also  a 
prosperous  and  progressive  resident  of  the 
county  in  his  day  and  he  was  uniformly 
respected.  At  the  time  of  the  war  of 
1812  he  espoused  the  cause  of  his  country 
and  served  throughout  the  period  of  hos- 
tilities. His  widow,  who  was  also  a  con- 
sistent member  of  the  Baptist  church,  sur- 
vived him  for  a  number  of  years  and  in 
their  family  were  fourteen  children,  who 
grew  to  maturity,  but  William  R.  is  the 
only  one  now  living.  Both  parents  lie 
buried  in  Seckman  cemetery  in  Carthage 
township. 

William  R.  Kimbrough  obtained  his 
education  in  a  log  schoolhouse,  walking 
six  miles  over  the  prairie  to  school.  As  a 
young  man  he  assisted  his  father  upon  the 
home  farm,  remaining  there  until  about 
sixteen  years  of  age,  when  he  began  work- 
ing by  the  month  as  a  farm  hand  in  Carth- 
age township.  In  1853  he  crossed  the 
plains  to  California,  attracted  by  the  gold 
excitement  there,  journeying  with  horses 
and  ox  teams,  the  party  numbering  six 
men  who  had  three  teams.  They  were 
about  five  and  a  half  months  in  making 


the  trip  and  Mr.  Kimbrough  remained 
in  California  for  two  years,  his  wife  and 
two  children  spending  that  time  in  Han- 
cock county.  As  he  was  in  limited  finan- 
cial circumstances  upon  his  arrival  he  be- 
gan operating  a  threshing  machine  at  five 
dollars  per  day.  He  was  thus  employed 
during  the  fall,  after  which  he  drove  cattle 
across  the  country  to  the  market  and  was 
thus  engaged  until  he  returned  to  Illinois. 
He  had  made  his  way  to  California  with 
the  idea  of  mining  but  he  did  not  spend 
a  day  in  the  mines,  being  well  satisfied 
with  the  work  which  came  to  him  and  the 
money  which  he  obtained  thereby.  Fol- 
lowing his  return  to  Illinois  in  1855  he 
bought  a  farm  southeast  of  Carthage  in 
Carthage  township,  comprising  sixty 
acres.  Upon  this  he  made  his  home  for 
twelve  years,  tilling  the  soil  and  raising 
stock,  after  which  he  sold  the  place  and 
purchased  his  present  farm  on  section  n, 
Carthage  township.  He  has  made  his 
home  in  this  county  for  seventy-three 
years  and  is  one  of  its  honored  pioneer 
residents.  He  put  all  of  the  improve- 
ments upon  his  present  farm,  erecting  a 
large  and  substantial  two-story  frame 
dwelling  and  also  good  barns  and  other 
outbuildings,  so  that  he  now  has  a  model 
farm  property. 

In  July,  1847,  Mr.  Kimbrough  was 
married  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Dale,  who  was 
born  in  Woodfor.d  county,  Kentucky,  a 
daughter  of  Lunsford  and  Fanny  (Bos- 
ton) Dale,  natives  of  Woodford  county, 
whence  they  came  to  Illinois,  settling  in 
Morgan  county.  After  some  time  they 
came  to  Hancock  county  in  1846  and 
located  in  Carthage  township,  where  Mr. 
Dale  engaged  in  farming  until  his  death. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


He  and  his  wife  and  one  daughter  died 
the  same  week  of  fever.  They  were  sup- 
porters of  the  Baptist  church.  Mrs. 
Kimbrough  was  fourteen  years  of  age  at 
the  time  she  was  left  an  orphan,  after 
which  she  lived  with  an  uncle  until  her 
marriage  in  1847.  She  was  born  June 
27,  1830,  and  is  now  seventy-six  years  of 
age.  She  holds  membership  in  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  church  and  is  a  most 
estimable  lady. 

Nine  children  have  been  born  unto  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Kimbrough.  James,  who  for 
many  years  has  been  a  railroad  conductor 
and  resides  in  Denver,  Colorado,  married 
Nora  White  and  their  children  are  James, 
Frank  and  Corene.  William  L.  is  repr 
resented  elsewhere  in  this  work.  Sarah 
Frances  is  the  wife  of  Jefferson  Koontz.  a 
son  of  John  and  Malinda  (Smart) 
Koontz,  who  were  early  settlers  of  this 
county.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Koontz  own  ninety 
acres  adjoining  her  father's  farm.  She 
was  first  married  to  James  Briley.  who 
after  farming  several  years  in  Henderson 
county  removed  to  this  county  and  fol- 
lowed farming  in  Carthage  township. 
He  died  about  seven  years  after  their  mar- 
riage, leaving  two  sons  and  two  daugh- 
ters :  Frank,  a  farmer  of  Carthage  town- 
ship, who  married  Ethel  Ervin  and  has 
one  child,  Thomas;  Thomas,  a  resident 
farmer  of  Iowa,  who  wedded  Nellie  Clay- 
worth  and  has  a  daughter,  Beulah :  Esta, 
the  deceased"  wife  of  Ralph  Sowers :  and 
Elizabeth,  the  wife  of  Luther  Earls,  of 
Carthage,  by  whom  she  has  two  chil- 
dren. Joy  and  Blossom.  Unto  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Koontz  have  been  born  five  chil- 
dren, three  of  whom  are  living :  Fannie, 
the  wife  of  Wadsworth  Earls,  by  whom 


she  has  two  daughters,  Helen  and  Lois 
Frances;  Ross,  at  school;  and  Abba  M. 
Marinda  Kimbrough.  the  fourth  of  the 
family,  is  the  wife  of  Roy  Fletcher,  of 
Carthage,  and  had  two  children, 
Charles  and  Blanche,  the  latter  deceased. 
Julia  Kimbrough  is  the  widow  of 
Thomas  Ervin,  who  was  a  farmer 
and  stock  buyer  of  Carthage  town- 
ship, and  she  has  four  children,  Bruce, 
Irene,  Tressler  and  Thomas.  George,  a 
railroad  fireman  on  Colorado  &  South- 
ern, of  Denver,  Colorado,  married  Clara 
Swadley.  Nellie  Ann  is  the  wife  of 
Henry  Fleshman,  proprietor  of  a  restau- 
rant at  Hannibal,  Missouri.  By  her 
former  marriage  to  John  Rucker,  who 
was  a  farmer  of  Carthage  township,  she 
had  two  children,  Chloris  and  Rollin. 
Thomas  married  Birdie  Pennock  and  died 
at  the  age  of  thirty-one  years,  leaving 
three  children,  Velna,  Shirley  and  Harlev, 
who  are  living  with  their  mother  in 
Carthage. 

Mr.  Kimbrough  is  a  democrat  in  poli- 
tics but  has  never  cared  for  office.  He 
has  seen  many  changes  and  improvements 
made  in  the  county  which  in  his  boyhood 
days  was  a  vast  wild  prairie,  over  which 
roamed  herds  of  deer  and  other  wild 
animals.  He  has  seen  the  raw  and  un- 
broken prairie  land  transformed  into  rich 
fertile  farms  and  has  done  his  full  share 
to  make  the  county  what  it  is  today — one 
of  the  richest  and  most  productive  farm- 
ing districts  of  this  great  state.  His  life 
has  been  a  busy  one,  yet  he  has  found 
time  to  travel  extensively  throughout  the 
country  and  acquaint  himself  with  his  na- 
tive land.  He  has  just  returned  from  a 
visit  to  his  old  Kentucky  home  which 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


he  left  in  childhood.  Through  persistent 
effort  and  industry  he  has  won"  success 
and  has  carefully  reared  his  family,  so 
that  they  have  become  prominent  and 
influential  members  of  society. 


J.   E.  LOOP. 

J.  E.  Loop,  proprietor  of  a  meat  market 
and  also  identified  with  the  control  of 
municipal  affairs  as  a  member  of  the 
board  of  city  aldermen  in  Carthage,  was 
born  in  Hancock  county,  in  1858.  his 
parents  being  Simon  and  Rebecca 
(Schenck)  Loop.  The  father  was  born 
in  Virginia  and  the  mother  in  Ohio.  In 
the  year  1851,  or  1852  Simon  Loop,  who 
was  a  butcher  by  trade,  removed  to  Han- 
cock county  and  spent  his  remaining  days 
in  Carthage,  where  he  resided  for  thirty 
years  or  more,  passing  away  in  March, 
1882,  while  his  wife  died  in  1896  and  was 
laid  by  his  side  in  Carthage  cemetery. 
He  voted  with  the  Republican  party  but 
had  no  desire  for  office.  His  religious 
faith  was  that  of  the  Methodist  church, 
while  his  wife  belonged  to  the  Presby- 
terian church.  In  their  family  were  seven 
children,  of  "whom  four  are  now  living: 
Mary,  the  wife  of  Samuel  Camp,  who  re- 
sides in  Carthage ;  Jennie,  the  wife  of  Wil- 
liam Ward,  of  Adrian,  Illinois;  J.  E.,  of 
this  review ;  and  James  M.,  of  this  county. 
Joseph,  John  and  William  Loop,  uncles 
of  our  subject,  were  soldiers  of  the  Civil 
war,  enlisting  from  Ohio  as  defenders  of 
the  L'nion. 
10 


Reared  under  the  parental  roof  J.  E. 
Loop  acquired  his  education  in  the  public 
schools  of  Carthage  and  then  entered  his 
father's  meat  market,  where  he  worked 
for  three  years,  acquiring  a  good,  prac- 
tical knowledge  of  the  business.  He  was 
afterward  employed  by  other  butchers 
until  1895,  when,  ambitious  to  engage  in 
business  on  his  own  account  he  opened  a 
meat  market,  which  he  is  still  conducting 
on  Jefferson  street.  For  a  year  or  more 
he  was  a  partner  of  John  Bertschi  but  is 
now  alone  in  business  and  has  a  well 
equipped  market  well  supplied  with  the 
latest  improved  machinery  for  the  care  of 
the  meats.  He  keeps  a  high  grade  of 
goods,  for  his  patronage  is  constantly 
growing.  He  also  owns  a  small  pasture 
and  a  slaughter  house. 

In  1893  Mr.  Loop  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Sarah  J.  Van  Winkle,  who 
was  born  in  Denver.  Hancock  county, 
Illinois,  a  daughter  of  John  and  Catherine 
(Shupman)  Van  Winkle.  The  parents 
reside  at  West  Point,  Hancock  county, 
Illinois,  and  Mr.  Van  Wrinkle  is  a  farmer. 
Of  their  family  of  five  children  four  sur- 
vive, as  follows:  Patience,  the  wife  of 
H.  L.  Price,  of  Carthage:  Mrs.  Loop; 
Alice,  the  wife  of  Marion  Mathews,  living 
in  Augusta,  Hancock  county ;  and  Frank, 
who  lives  in  Hamilton,  this  county.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Loop  have  four  children,  all 
born  in  Carthage  township:  Lloyd  F., 
Lola  B.,  Lionel,  James  and  Mary  P.,  all 
attending  school.  The  parents  hold  mem- 
bership in  the  Presbyterian  church  and 
take  an  active  and  helpful  part  in  its 
work.  Their  home  is  in  the  northwest 
part  of  the  city.  Mr.  Loop  is  a  repub- 
lican and  for  the  past  two  years  has 


152 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


efficiently  served  as  alderman.  Frater- 
nally, he  is  connected  with  the  Knights  of 
Pythias  and  Independent  Order  of  Odd 
Fellows.  He  is  entirely  a  self-made  man, 
who  without  family  or  pecuniary  advan- 
tages to  aid  him  at  the  outset  of  his  ca- 
reer has  battled  earnestly  and  energetical- 
ly. Modest  in  demeanor  and  in  his  de- 
mands for  public  office,  his  friends,  how- 
ever, recognize  his  genuine  worth  and  he 
has  a  wide  and  favorable  acquaintance 
throughout  the  city  and  county  and  a 
good  trade  in  Carthage. 


CHARLES  B.  LOFTON. 

The  students  of  history  cannot  carry 
his  investigations  far  into  the  annals  of 
Hancock  county  without  learning  of  the 
close,  honorable  and  extended  connection 
of  the  Lofton  family  with  the  movements, 
measures  and  business  interests  which 
have  promoted  the  growth  and  develop- 
ment of  this  part  of  the  state.  The 
grandparents  of  Charles  B.  Lofton 
arrived  in  the  '403  and  Franklin  Lofton, 
an  uncle  of  our  subject,  participated  in  the 
Mormon  war  of  1844.  He  afterward 
went  to  California  at  the  time  of  the  gold 
excitement  in  that  state,  taking  with  him 
ten  or  twelve  men  and  a  number  of  ox 
teams.  The  grandfather  was  an  active 
factor  in  the  early  development  of  this 
county,  aiding  in  reclaiming  the  wild  land 
for  the  uses  of  civilization.  He  died 
many  years  ago  and  was  long  survived 
bv  his  wife,  who  bore  the  maiden  name 


of  Elizabeth  Seals.  After  her  husband's 
death  she  went  to  live  with  her  son,  Jef- 
ferson Lofton,  in  whose  home  she  died  at 
the  very  advanced  age  of  one  hundred  and 
two  years  and  fourteen  days,  being  the 
oldest  woman  in  the  county  at  that  time. 

Jefferson  Lofton,  father  of  our  subject, 
was  born  in  Washington  county,  Indiana, 
in  1821  and  was  thus  reared  upon  the 
frontier,  early  becoming  familiar  with  all 
the  hardships  and  experiences  incident  to 
pioneer  life.  He  removed  to  Hancock 
county  in  1848,  settling  upon  a  tract  of 
land  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  on 
section  26,  Dallas  township.  There  was 
only  one  house  between  his  home  and 
Carthage  at  that  time  and  only  three 
dwellings  in  Dallas  City.  The  work  of 
improvement  and  progress  seemed  scarce- 
ly begun  and  the  most  far  sighted  could 
not  have  dreamed  of  the  rapid  changes 
which  were  soon  to  take  place  and  make 
this  district  one  of  the  leading  counties 
of  a  great  commonwealth  in  which  are 
found  all  of  the  evidences  of  an  advanced 
civilization,  together  with  the  varied  busi- 
ness interests  that  denote  material 
progress  and  prosperity.  Settling  upon 
his  farm,  he  cleared  the  land  for  the  erec- 
tion of  a  home  and  then  continued  in  the 
work  of  improvement  until  he  had  de- 
veloped a  splendid  property.  His  political 
allegiance  was  given  to  the  democracy  and 
he  was  prominent  and  influential  in  com- 
munity affairs,  holding  a  number  of  local 
offices.  He  married  Miss  Elizabeth 
Richardson  for  his  first  wife.  They  be- 
came the  parents  of  ten  children,  of  whom 
six  are  now  living:  Lavina,  the  wife  of 
Ferdinand  Victor,  of  Kansas  City,  Mis- 
souri ;  Paulina,  the  wife  of  Jonah  Gather, 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


153 


of  Dallas  City;  Amanda,  the  wife  of 
Joseph  Marshall,  of  Kansas  City,  Mis- 
souri ;  John,  of  Dallas  City ;  Franklin, 
who  came  to  Hancock  county  in  1840; 
and  Henry,  who  is  living  in  Missouri. 
After  losing  his  first  wife  in  1855  Mr. 
Lofton  was  married  in  1861  to  Miss 
Sarah  Merrill,  who  was  born  in  Adams 
county,  Illinois,  in  1841  and  whose  father 
was  a  farmer  of  Hancock  county.  There 
were  twelve  children  in  the  Merrill  family 
but  only  two  are  now  living,  namely: 
Mrs.  Lofton ;  and  Mrs.  Julia  Hibbard, 
who  resides  in  Adams  county,  this  state. 
Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lofton  were  born 
seven  children,  of  whom  three  yet  survive : 
Rose  is  the  wife  of  Fred  Lavine,  of  Dallas 
township,  by  whom  she  has  two  children, 
Laveta  and  Lawrence;  Manford,  who 
lives  in  Dallas  township,  and  has  two 
children,  Eldon  and  Beulah ;  and  Charles 
B.,  of  this  review.  Iva  Lofton,  the  eldest 
child  of  the  second  marriage,  became  the 
wife  of  Mark  Bailey  and  died  May  23, 
1905,  in  Chase  county,  Nebraska,  leaving 
seven  children :  Clara,  Alta,  Edna,  Rose, 
Velma,  Gladys,  Lafayette  and  George 
Harlan.  The  father  died  April  6,  1901, 
and  was  buried  in  the  family  cemetery  on 
his  own  farm  but  the  mother  is  still  living. 
Charles  B.  Lofton  has  always  lived 
upon  the  old  homestead  farm  where  he 
was  born  and  now  manages  the  place  for 
his  mother.  He  was  reared  to  the  occu- 
pation of  farming  and  his  practical  ex- 
perience in  youth  enabled  him  to  carry  on 
the  work  with  success  when  he  assumed 
the  management  of  the  property.  He  has 
his  fields  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation 
and  everything  about  the  place  is  kept  in 
excellent  condition.  By  his  own  efforts, 


energy  and  honesty  he  has  added  many 
comforts  to  the  home  place  and  has  made 
it  a  valuable  farm  property.  He  is  a 
well  read  man,  keeping  in  touch  with  the 
general  interests  of  the  clay  and  in  manner 
he  is  genial  and  jovial,  having  many 
warm  friends.  His  political  allegiance 
is  given  to  the  democracy  and  he  has 
served  as  supervisor  of  his  township. 

July  31,  1906,  Mr.  Lofton  married  Lola 
G.  High,  of  Fergusville,  West  Virginia. 
She  was  born  February  6,  1885,  a  daugh- 
ter of  John  and  Sarah  (Hoffman)  High. 
The  father  was  a  merchant  at  Fergusville, 
West  Virginia,  where  he  still  lives.  The 
grandfather,  Warner  P.  High,  was  one 
of  the  oldest  residents  of  Fergusville  and 
was  a  farmer  by  occupation,  a  republican 
in  politics  as  is  also  the  father.  Miss 
High  was  reared  at  Fergusville  and  edu- 
cated in  the  schools  and  continued  to  re- 
side in  that  place  until  the  time  of  her 
marriage. 


JACOB  G.  LUNG. 

Jacob  G.  Lung  is  numbered  among  the 
self-made  men  of  Hancock  county,  who, 
starting  out  in  life  without  any  special 
family  or  pecuniary  advantages,  has 
worked  his  way  steadily  upward,  battling 
earnestly  and  energetically  and  coming 
off  victor  in  the  strife.  He  was  born  in 
Germany  April  6,  1859,  a  son  of  Got- 
lieb  and  Kate  (Say)  Lung.  The  parents 
were  also  natives  of  the  fatherland  and 
were  married  there  October  10,  1858. 
They  came  to  America  when  the  subject 


154 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


of  this  review  was  only  about  a  year  old, 
landing  at  New  York,  whence  they  made 
their  way  to  Ohio,  where  for  some  time 
the  father  was  employed  as  a  day  laborer. 
He  was  born  June  9,  1831,  and  passed 
away  in  Ohio,  while  his  wife,  who  was 
born  October  25,  1832,  still  survives  him 
and  is  now  living  in  Dallas  City.  In  their 
family  were  three  children :  Christina 
D.,  the  wife  of  Fred  Maurer,  of  Dallas 
City ;  Jacob  G. ;  and  George,  who  died 
at  the  age  of  eight  months. 

Jacob  G.  Lung  was  educated  in  the 
public  schools  of  Dallas  City,  having  been 
brought  by  his  parents  to  this  county 
when  a  young  lad.  He  remained  with 
his  mother  until  after  he  had  attained  his 
majority  and  as  a  companion  and  help- 
mate for  life's  journey  he  chose  Miss 
Louisa  Meunzenmeier.  to  whom  he  was 
married  on  the  5th  of  April,  1885.  She 
was  born  in  Eslingen,  Germany,  in  1862, 
a  daughter  of  Gotlieb  and  Margaret 
Maurer  Muenzenmeier.  who  were  like- 
wise natives  of  Germany,  the  former  born 
September  4,  1820,  and  the  latter  July 
17,  1817.  They  came  to  America  in  1882 
and  settled  in  Dallas,  where  Mr.  Meunzen- 
meier engaged  in  business  as  a  gardener. 
His  wife  died  in  1897  and  he  passed  away 
in  March,  1903,  their  graves  being  made 
in  Dallas  cemetery.  They  were  members 
of  the  German  Methodist  Episcopal 
church,  to  which  the  parents  of  Mr.  Lung 
also  belonged.  In  the  Meunzenmeier 
family  were  four  children :  William, 
now  living  in  Germany ;  Gotlieb,  of  Dallas 
City ;  Christian,  who  resides  in  Burling- 
ton, Iowa ;  and  Mrs.  Lung. 

Following  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Lung  lived  for  several  years  upon  a  rented 


farm  in  Durham  township  and  in  1888  he 
purchased  seventy-eight  acres  of  land  in 
the  same  township,  upon  which  he  erected 
a  house,  making  that  farm  his  home  for 
nineteen  years.  He  carried  on  general 
agricultural  pursuits  and  stock  raising 
and  he  brought  his  fields  under  a  high 
state  of  cultivation.  In  November,  1902, 
be  bought  two  hundred  and  ten  acres  of 
land  on  section  i,  Dallas  township,  where 
he  now  resides,  and  he  has  here  a  pretty 
two-story  frame  residence.  He  has  since 
built  a  granary,  a  hen  house  and  fences 
and  has  added  other  modern  improve- 
ments to  his  farm.  He  still  owns  his 
first  farm,  a  part  of  which  he  now  rents. 
In  his  business  life  he  has  displayed  un- 
faltering energy  and  laudable  ambition 
and  has  thus  worked  his  way  upward  to 
success. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lung  have  been 
born  five  children,  four  in  Durham  town- 
ship and  one  in  Dallas  township.  These 
are:  Laura,  who  was  born  August  17, 
1886;  Walter,  May  17,  1888;  Mark,  May 
25,  1890;  Edith,  February  29,  1896:  and 
Victor,  February  6,  1902.  The  parents 
are  members  of  the  German  Methodist 
Episcopal  church,  in  the  work  of  which 
they  take  a  very  active  and  helpful  part, 
Mr.  Lung  serving  as  one  of  the  church 
trustees  and  also  as  a  teacher  in  the  Sun- 
day-school. He  votes  with  the  Republi- 
can party  and  has  filled  the  office  of 
school  director,  the  cause  of  education 
finding  in  him  a  warm  and  stalwart  friend. 
Starting  out  in  life  empty  handed,  he  has 
through  his  perseverance  and  diligence 
made  steady  progress  toward  the  goal  of 
prosperity  and  today  he  is  surrounded 
by  many  of  the  comforts  of  life,  secured 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


155 


entirely  through  his  own  efforts.  Both 
he  and  his  wife  command  and  enjoy  the 
respect  and  esteem  of  the  entire  com- 
munity. He  bears  an  unassailable  repu- 
tation for  straightforward  dealing  in  his 
business  affairs  and  that  he  has  been  most 
diligent  is  indicated  by  his  present  valu- 
able farming  possessions. 


LEWIS  SACK. 

Lewis  Sack,  deceased,  was  a  veteran  of 
the  Civil  war  and  a  well  known  agri- 
culturist of  Rocky  Run  township.  When 
one  has  passed  from  the  scene  of  earthly 
activities  it  is  common  to  review  the  life 
record,  note  its  salient  characteristics  and 
draw  lessons  therefrom  recording  the  fail- 
ures or  successes.  In  the  record  of  Lewis 
Sack  there  is  found  much  that  is  com- 
mendable and  worthy  of  emulation,  and 
to  his  family  he  left  not  only  a  comfort- 
able competence  but  also  an  untarnished 
name,  which  comes  to  them  as  a  priceless 
heritage.  A  native  of  St.  Charles  county. 
Missouri,  he  was  born  in  1840,  and  ac- 
companied his  parents  on  their  removal 
to  Hancock  county,  the  family  home 
being  established  in  Rocky  Run  township, 
where  for  some  years  the  father  followed 
the  occupation  of  farming.  Both  he  and 
his  wife  are  now  deceased.  In  their 
family  were  eight  children,  six  of  whom 
are  living :  Jacob,  a  resident  of  Warsaw  ; 
John,  of  California ;  Charles,  who  resides 
in  Missouri ;  William,  of  Rocky  Run : 
Louisa,  the  wife  of  Jacob  Bradshaw,  of 


Burlington,  Iowa ;  and  Delia,  the  widow 
of  Henry  Herzog,  late  of  Tioga,  Illinois. 

Lewis  Sack  is  the  second  in  order  of 
birth  in  this  family  and  he  began  his 
education  in  the  public  schools  of  St. 
Louis,  Missouri,  while  later  he  continued 
his  studies  in  Rocky  Run  township.  To 
his  father  he  gave  the  benefit  of  his  ser- 
vices upon  the  home  farm  until  after  the 
inauguration  of  the  Civil  war,  when  his 
patriotic  spirit  was  aroused  and  with  loyal 
impulse  he  responded  to  the  country's 
call,  joining  the  boys  in  blue  of  Company 
H,  One  Hundred  and  Eighteenth  Regi- 
ment of  Illinois  Infantry.  He  was  in 
the  army  for  four  years,  during  which 
time  he  endured  all  the  hardships,  ex- 
periences and  privations  meted  out  to  the 
soldier,  and  participated  in  many  impor- 
tant engagements  which  led  up  to  the 
final  results  of  the  war. 

When  hostilities  had  ceased  and  the 
country  no  longer  needed  his  aid  Mr. 
Sack  returned  to  his  home  and  resumed 
farming.  In  1869  he  was  married  to 
Miss  Anna  Eliza  Weston,  a  native  of  Illi- 
nois. They  traveled  life's  journey  to- 
gether for  about  seventeen  years,  and 
Mrs.  Sack  then  passed  away  in  1886.  Of 
their  five  children  four  are  still  living: 
Lillian,  the  wife  of  John  Brenner,  of 
Iowa:  Bertha,  the  wife  of  John  Snyder, 
of  Quincy :  Bertram,  a  twin  of  Bertha, 
and  Pearl,  the  wife  of  Harry  Keith,  of 
Missouri,  and  Rhoda,  now  deceased. 

In  March,  1888.  Mr.  Sack  was  again 
married,  his  second  union  being  with  Mrs. 
Elizabeth  Shaffner,  who  was  born  in  Ger- 
many in  1851,  a  daughter  of  George  and 
Louisa  (Trautvetter)  Mathes.  Her  par- 
ents were  natives  of  Germany  and  in  her 


156 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REV  I  EH' 


childhood  came  to  America.  They  were 
residents  of  Kentucky  in  early  life  and 
thence  removed  to  Warsaw,  Illinois, 
where  Mrs.  Mathes  died  twenty-nine 
years  ago.  Mr.  Mathes,  however,  is  still 
living  in  Rocky  Run  township  at  the  age 
of  eighty  years.  In  his  family  were  eight 
children,  six  of  whom  survive :  George, 
who  is  living  with  Mrs.  Sack;  Fred,  of 
Warsaw;  Rudolph,  who  resides  in  Rocky 
Run  township ;  Mrs.  Sack ;  Henry,  who  is 
with  his  father  in  Rocky  Run  township; 
and  Minnie,  the  wife  of  Frank  Shair,  also 
on  the  old  homestead  with  the  father. 
Mrs.  Sack  was  fir'st  married  in  1871,  be- 
coming the  wife  of  Jacob  Shafrner,  who 
was  born  in  Switzerland.  His  parents 
both  died  in  Germany.  Coming  to  the 
new  world  he  was  known  for  some  years 
as  a  thrifty  farmer  of  Wilcox  township 
and  he  died  there  in  1886,  leaving  one 
son.  George  J.,  of  Rocky  Run  township 
who  married  Miss  Cora  Gillham  and  has 
two  children.  By  her  second  marriage 
Mrs.  Sack  had  two  children,  twins,  Bessie 
May  and  Jessie  Pay.  The  former  is  at 
home  but  the  latter  died  January  25. 
1904,  at  the  age  of  fourteen  years,  and 
was  buried  in  Wrarsaw  cemetery.  She 
died  suddenly  although  she  had  long  been 
an  invalid  and  during  her  illness  had  dis- 
played a  most  sweet  and  lovable  disposi- 
tion, being  a  most  patient  sufferer,  greatly 
missed  by  all. 

Mr.  Sack  was  the  owner  of  one  hundred 
and  twenty  acres  of  land  in  Rocky  Run 
township,  whereon  he  built  a  comfortable 
residence  and  one  of  the  best  barns  in  that 
part  of  the  county.  He  also  put  up  other 
good  outbuildings  and  developed  an  ex- 
cellent farm  property,  which  is  now  in 


possession  of  his  widow.  He  was  a  re- 
publican in  politics  and  always  stood 
loyally  by  the  party  which  was  the  de- 
fense of  the  union  at  the  time  of  the  Civil 
war  and  which  has  always  been  a  party 
of  reform,  progress  and  improvement. 
An  industrious  man,  frugal  and  careful, 
he  thus  made  a  start  in  life  and  in  later 
years  was  enabled  to  enjoy  more  of  life's 
comforts  and  luxuries.  In  his  business 
affairs  he  was  thoroughly  reliable  and 
was  never  known  to  take  advantage  of 
the  necessities  of  his  fellowmen  in  any 
trade  transaction.  He  was  regarded  as  a 
kind  friend,  a  good  neighbor  and  loyal 
citizen,  and  thus  his  death  was  the  occa- 
sion of  deep  and  wide  spread  regret,  when, 
on  the  27th  of  November,  1900,  he  was 
called  to  his  final  rest,  his  remains  being 
interred  in  Rocky  Run  township.  Mrs. 
Sack  still  survives  her  husband  and  re- 
sides upon  the  farm  but  rents  the  land, 
from  which  she  derives  a  good  income, 
and  she  is  comfortably  situated  in  life. 


R.  E.  GILLHAM. 

R.  E.  Gillham,  one  of  the  substantial 
farmers  of  Wilcox  township,  and  a  native 
son  of  the  county,  was  born  in  Rocky  Run 
township,  January  13,  1855,  and  is  a  son 
of  John  and  Ann  (Woodworth)  Gillham. 
The  father  was  born  in  Kentucky  in  1832, 
and  the  mother  was  a  native  of  Missouri. 
When  a  young  boy  he  came  to  Hancock 
county,  settling  in  Walker  township,  and 
throughout  the  greater  part  of  his  life  he 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


157 


followed  the  occupation  of  farming.  He 
spent  six  years  in  California,  where  he  en- 
gaged in  general  agricultural  pursuits  and 
also  worked  in  the  gold  mines.  He  then 
returned  to  his  old  home  in  Hancock 
county  and  was  identified  with  its  agri- 
cultural interests  up  to  the  time  of  his 
demise  which  occurred  in  June,  1888.  His 
wife  passed  away  in  January,  1890,  and 
both  were  laid  to  rest  in  \Yarsaw  ceme- 
tery. Of  their  five  children  four  yet  sur- 
vive, namely:  R.  E.,  of  this  review; 
James,  of  Texas ;  Lemuel,  also  in  Texas ; 
and  Dr.  Charles  W.  Gillham,  of  Warsaw, 
Illinois. 

The  early  educational  privileges  of  R. 
E.  Gillham  were  obtained  in  the  district 
schools  of  Rocky  Run  township,  and  were 
supplemented  by  a  course  of  study  in  the 
Warsaw  high  school.  Nothing  occurred 
to  vary  for  him  the  routine  of  farm  life  in 
his  boyhood  days,  and  the  practical  train- 
ing which  he  received  in  the  work  of  the 
fields  proved  of  the  utmost  value  when  he 
started  out  in  life  on  his  own  account. 
He  was  married  January  14,  1875,  to 
Miss  Anna  M.  Pell,  who  was  born  in 
Michigan,  August.  13,  1855,  and  is  a 
daughter  of  John  and  Sarah  Ann  ( South- 
well) Pell,  both  of  whom  were  natives 
of  England.  The  mother,  born  Septem- 
ber 21,  1835,  was  educated  in  London, 
and  when  eighteen  years  of  age  crossed 
the  Atlantic  to  the  new  world.  Mr.  Pell, 
who  chose  farming  as  a  life  work,  fol- 
lowed that  pursuit  for  many  years  in 
Lewis  county,  Missouri,  where  he  passed 
away,  after  which  his  widow  became  the 
wife  of  Jacob  Sack,  who  is  still  living  in 
Warsaw.  Mrs.  Sack,  however,  departed 
this  life.  February  23,  1902.  By  her  first 


marriage  she  had  three  children,  two  of 
whom  survive,  namely:  Mrs.  Gillham; 
Halsey  Pell,  of  Warsaw ;  by  second  mar- 
riage there  are  W,illiam  Sack,  also 
of  Warsaw;  and  Emma,  the  wife 
of  Thomas  Daugherty,  of  Warsaw. 
Robert  Southwell,  an  uncle  of  Mrs. 
Gillham  on  the  maternal  side,  was  a 
soldier  of  the  Civil  war,  enlisting  from 
Canton,  Missouri,  when  he  was  eighteen 
years  of  age  to  drive  a  team.  He  was 
advanced  to  the  position  of  clerk  and 
served  throughout  the  war. 

The  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gillham  has 
been  blessed  with  three  children,  all  of 
whom  were  born  on  the  homestead  farm 
and  the  family  circle  yet  remains  un- 
broken by  the  hand  of  death.  Cora  E., 
the  eldest,  born  November  i,  1875,  is  the 
wife  of  George  Schaffner  living  in  Rocky 
Run  township;  and  they  have  two  chil- 
dren, Carl  Merle  and  Mary  Jeannette. 
Mary  A.,  born  May  24,  1882,  is  with  her 
sister.  Herschel  Edwin,  born  July  2, 
1892,  is  now  a  student  in  the  Warsaw 
high  school. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gillham  began  their  do- 
mestic life  upon  his  father's  farm,  where 
they  resided  until  about  fourteen  years 
ago,  when  the  father  died  and  Mr.  Gill- 
ham  then  purchased  his  present  place  on 
section  28,  Wilcox  township,  comprising 
one  hundred  and  eighty  acres  of  rich  and 
productive  land,  on  which  he  is  still  living. 
He  carries  on  the  work  of  tilling  the  soil 
after  most  progressive  modern  methods 
and  each  step  in  his  business  career  has 
been  a  forward  one.  He  likewise  raises 
stock  and  good  grades  of  horses ;  cattle 
and  hogs  will  be  seen  in  his  feed  lots 
and  pastures.  In  the  midst  of  a  busy 


158 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


life  he  has  found  time  and  opportunity 
to  keep  well  informed  on  political  ques- 
tions and  issues  of  the  day,  and  he  gives 
his  allegiance  to  the  democracy.  He  has 
served  as  school  director,  as  highway 
commissioner  and  as  trustee  of  the 
schools.  In  his  business  career  he  has 
made  a  record  such  as  any  man  might 
be  proud  to  flessess.  for  it  is  characterized 
by  sterling  horie'sty  and  unfaltering  fidelity 
to  a  high  s'taivefard  of  btisiness  ethics.  He 
started  at  the  bottom  round  of  the  ladder 
of  life  and  has  steadily  climbed  upward. 
Personally  he  is  a  large  hearted  man, 
genial  in  disposition  and  kindly  in  manner 
and  both  he  and  his  wife  are  esteemed  by 
many  friends  throughout  the  township. 


SAMUEL  R.  JONES. 

Samuel  R.  Jones,  whose  home  is  pleas- 
antly and  conveniently  located  on  sections 
23  and  24,  Carthage  township,  has  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  that  is 
well  improved  and  in  its  conduct  he  dis- 
plays thorough  and  practical  knowledge 
of  the  best  methods  of  tilling  the  soil.  A 
native  of  Indiana,  he  was  born  in  Putnam 
county,  January  i,  1840.  and  there  spent 
the  days  of  his  boyhood  and  youth,  living 
upon  the  home  farm  of  his  parents.  Carter 
T.  and  Eliza  (Roberts)  Jones.  Both 
were  natives  of  Kentucky  and  in  early 
life  became  residents  of  Indiana.  Sub- 
sequent to  their  marriage  they  resided  in 
Putnam  county,  where  Carter  T.  Jones 
engaged  in  farming  for  a  number  of  years. 


Later  he  returned  to  Kentucky,  locating 
in  Shelby  county,  where  he  remained  for 
four  years,  when  he  came  to  Illinois,  tak- 
ing up  his  abode  in  Sonora  township, 
Hancock  county,  where  the  father  pur- 
chased a  farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres.  This  he  improved,  making  it  his 
home  until  his  death,  which  occurred 
when  he  had  reached  the  age  of  seventy- 
two  years.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
Methodist  church  and  was  actuated  by 
high  and  lofty  purposes  and  manly  prin- 
ciples. His  political  support  was  given 
to  the  democracy  but  he  had  no  aspira- 
tion for  office.  His  wife  died  in  Indiana 
at  the  age  of  forty-five  years  and  he  later 
married  Miss  Mary  Gilmore  in  Putnam 
county,  Indiana.  She  died  in  Chicago  at 
the  home  of  her  daughter  in  1904.  Of 
the  six  children  by  the  first  marriage  only 
two  are  living,  Samuel  R.  and  William 
R.,  of  Oklahoma.  By  the  second  mar- 
riage four  are  living,  one  son  having  died 
in  childhood.  Those  living  are  James 
A.,  of  Oakwood,  Robert,  of  Washington, 
Myra,  now  Mrs.  Jeolidon,  of  Chicago, 
and  Frank,  of  Kansas. 

Samuel  R.  Jones  obtained  his  education 
in  the  common  schools  of  Putnam  county 
and  as  a  young  man  assisted  in  the  work 
of  the  home  farm,  remaining  under  the 
parental  roof  until  1863,  which  year  wit- 
nessed his  arrival  in  Illinois.  He  first 
settled  in  Fulton  county,  where  he  pur- 
chased a  small  farm,  residing  there  for 
four  years.  He  then  removed  to  Cham- 
paign county.  Illinois,  where  he  lived  for 
two  years,  and  in  1869  he  came  to  Han- 
cock county,  purchasing  eighty  acres  of 
land  in  Sonora  township,  which  he  farmed 
for  some  time.  He  sold  this  and  bought 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


159 


a  farm  in  Montebello  township,  compris- 
ing one  hundred  acres,  on  which  he  lived 
for  five  years.  When  he  had  again  dis- 
posed of  his  property  he  purchased  his 
present  farm  and  has  since  lived  thereon. 
It  was  only  partially  improved  when  it 
came  into  his  possession  and  he  has  added 
many  modern  equipments  and  accessories. 
The  fields  are  now  well  tilled  and  bring 
him  bounteous  harvests,  while  the  build- 
ings are  kept  in  an  excellent  state  of  re- 
pair. He  has  engaged  in  general  farming 
and  stock-raising  all  of  his  life  and  con- 
centrated his  energies  upon  his  business 
interests  to  the  exclusion  of  active  partici- 
pation in  politics  although  he  gives  the 
support  of  his  ballot  to  the  men  and  meas- 
ures of  democracy. 

Happy  is  his  home  life.  Mr.  Jones  was 
married  September  /,  1861,  to  Miss  Sarah 
Sublett,  who  was  born  in  Putnam  county. 
Indiana,  and  is  a  daughter  of  David  and 
Mary  (Marshall)  Sublett.  The  father 
was  born  in  Kentucky  and  at  an  early 
clay  went  to  Indiana,  taking  up  his  abode 
in  Putnam  county,  where  he  followed 
farming.  That  pursuit  was  his  life  work 
and  through  his  devotion  thereto  he  pro- 
vided a  comfortable  living  for  his  family. 
He  died  in  Indiana  at  the  age  of  seventy 
years,  while  his  wife  passed  away  dur- 
ing the  early  girlhood  of  Mrs.  Tones,  who 
was  one  of  a  family  of  nine  children. 
Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jones  were  born 
seven  children.  Ida  May.  the  eldest,  is 
the  wife  of  William  Crosby,  a  resident 
farmer  of  Sonora  township.  Hancock 
county,  and  they  have .  one  daughter, 
Hattie,  who  is  the  wife  of  Joseph 
Shell,  a  farmer  of  Sonora  township. 
Carter  T..  the  second  in  order  of  birth. 


follows  farming  in  Spink  county. 
South  Dakota,  wedded  May  Smith,  and 
has  three  children,  Robert,  Floyd  and 
Ethel.  Sophia  is  the  wife  of  John 
Sheets,  also  an  agriculturist  of  Spink 
county.  South  Dakota,  and  they  have 
one  daughter,  Madaline.  Edward,  who 
is  engaged  in  farming  in  Spink 
county.  South  Dakota,  wedded  Amanda 
Maginn,  and  has  two  children,  Paul  Alex- 
ander and  Opal.  Albert  is  operating  the 
home  farm.  Jennie  is  the  wife  of  Harvey 
Goodrich,  a  resident  farmer  of  Carthage 
township  and  they  have  a  daughter, 
Helen.  William  died  at  the  age  of 
twenty-one  years.  AH  of  the  children 
were  born  in  Hancock  county  with  the 
exception  of  Ida  and  Carter,  who  are  na- 
tives of  Fulton  county.  Mr.  Jones  has 
seen  many  improvements  made  in  Han- 
cock county,  which  was  just  emerging 
from  pioneer  conditions  when  he  took 
up  his  abode  here.  He  has  done  his  full 
share  in  making  the  county  what  it  is 
today  and  though  he  has  not  sought  to 
figure  in  public  life  he  has  made  a  record 
for  good  citizenship  and  for  honesty  in 
business  that  is  indicative  of  sterling  prin- 
ciples which  are  the  motive  power  of  his 
actions. 


HON.  JOHN  HAY. 

It  is  given  to  few  men  to  so  fully  realize 
their  ambitions  as  it  was  to  Dr.  Charles 
Hay,  father  of  John  Hay,  the  nobility 
of  whose  character  is  indicated  in  his 
words,  when  in  writing  to  one  of  his  sons 


i6o 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REV  I  EH' 


upon  his  seventy-fifth  birthday,  he  said, 
"I  have  never  been  conscious  of  but  one 
ambition  and  that  I  have  had  all  my  days. 
I  have  always  wished  to  found  a  family; 
I  mean  this  of  course  not  in  any  aristo- 
cratic, still  less  in  any  plutocratic  sense, 
but  I  have  hoped  to  leave  behind  me  chil- 
dren and  children's  children — and  the 
greater  the  number  the  better  I  would  be 
pleased — with  whom  intelligence,  honor 
and  thrift  would  be  matters  of  instinct 
and  tradition.  I  would  prefer  a  certainty 
of  this  in  the  future  to  any  amount  of 
personal  distinction  for  myself,  if  the 
choice  were  left  to  me." 

From  such  a  stock  sprang  John  Hay, 
author,  journalist  and  diplomat,  and  cer- 
tainly the  father's  ambition  found  reali- 
zation in  the  life  of  this  honored  son. 
The  other  members  of  the  family,  too, 
were  a  credit  and  honor  to  his  name,  but 
in  this  review  we  have  to  deal  more  en- 
tirely with  the  history  of  John  Hay,  who 
rose  to  distinction  through  the  inherent 
force  of  character  through  the  recog- 
nition of  opportunity  and  to  a  greater 
extent,  through  the  unfaltering  de- 
votion to  duty  and  to  high  ideals 
of  citizenship  which  were  ever  recog- 
nized as  among  his  most  salient  char- 
acteristics. He  was  born  in  Salem, 
Indiana,  October  8,  1838,  and  was  fortu- 
nate in  that  his  youth  and  boyhood  were 
passed  amid  the  environments  of  a  home 
of  culture  and  refinement,  his  parents  typi- 
fying the  very  best  in  manhood  and 
womanhood.  They  realized  the  value  of 
education  and  spared  no  effort  or  expense 
on  their  part  to  provide  their  sons  and 
daughters  with  every  advantage  in  this 
direction.  He  was  but  three  years  of  age 


at  the  time  of  the  removal  of  the  family 
from  Salem  to  Warsaw,  Illinois,  and  he 
began  his  education  in  the  "little  brick" 
schoolhouse  which  still  stands  on  Fourth 
street  in  Warsaw  and  until  within  recent 
years  was  yet  in  use  for  educational  pur- 
poses.    During  his  early  school  clays  he 
was  a  diligent  and  studious  boy,  with  a 
taste  for  languages  and  composition  and 
versifying,    and    his    sister.    Mrs.    Mary 
Woolfolk,  who  still  lives  in  Warsaw  said, 
"In   his   boyhood   he   had   the   habit   of 
stringing  words  together  into   rhymes." 
He  attended  the  little  brick  schoolhouse 
until  he  reached  the  age  of  thirteen,  learn- 
ing literally  all  there  was  to  learn  from 
Mr.  Holmes  and  his  successors.     He  sup- 
plemented his  studies  in  lessons  of  Greek 
and  Latin  from  his  father.     At  the  age 
of  thirteen  he  was  sent  to  Pittsfield,  Illi- 
nois, to  attend  a  private  school  for  a  year 
and  a  half  as  a  preparation  for  entrance 
at  Brown   University,  and   when  fifteen 
years  of  age  he  became  a  student  in  that 
institution,  where  he  passed  his  examina- 
tion in  Greek  and  Latin  so  creditably  that 
his  examiner  made  special  inquiry  as  to 
where  he  had  received  his  preparation. 
He  answered  with  great  pride  that  his 
tutelage  in  ancient  languages  was  from  his 
father.     His  education,  however,  was  not 
one  continuous  round  of  study  but  for 
various    reasons    suffered    interruptions. 
Viewed  from  a  financial  standpoint  per- 
haps John  Hay  might  be  termed  a  self- 
made   man,    for   in   his   early   youth   his 
father  was  in  somewhat  limited  financial 
circumstances,   owning  to  the  pecuniary 
assistance   which    he   had    given   to    his 
friends  and  which  left  him  in  a  somewhat 
crippled  financial  condition.    In  his  youth. 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


161 


therefore,  John  Hay  accepted  a  position  as 
newspaper  carrier  for  the  Warsaw  Sig- 
nal and  his  first  literary  productions, 
written  when  a  boy,  appeared  in  that 
paper,  he  being  encouraged  to  do  the 
work  by  its  editor,  the  late  Thomas  Gray. 
Later,  as  before  stated,  he  had  the  advan- 
tages of  a  course  of  study  in  Brown  Uni- 
versity, .from  which  he  was  graduated 
in  1858,  and  there  he  was  a  general  fa- 
vorite with  class-mates  and  instructors, 
promising,  studious,  quiet  and  reserved, 
yet  exceedingly  loyal  and  steadfast  in 
friendship. 

It  was  during  his  student  days  that  he 
produced  certain  poems  and  writings 
which  in  later  years  made  him  a  world- 
famed  author,  although  it  was  not  until 
several  decades  later  that  his  innate  mod- 
esty permitted  him  to  give  these  writings 
to  the  public  in  published  form.  Mr.  Hay 
was  graduated  from  the  university  in 
1858  with  high  rank  in  scholarship.  Dur- 
ing the  period  between  his  return  from 
college  and  his  .entrance  into  public  life 
his  friends  perceived  in  him  an  undercur- 
rent of  seriousness  and  religious  enthu- 
siasm. He  had  been  reared  in  the  Baptist 
church  but  had  leanings  toward  the  Pres- 
byterian faith  and  he  appeared  to  have 
entertained  the  idea  of  entering  the  minis- 
try. At  the  time  when  his  family  wished 
him  to  become  a  student  of  law  he  said 
to  one  of  his  intimates  "They  would  spoil 
a  second  class  preacher  to  make  a  third 
class  lawyer  out  of  me."  However,  he 
fell  in  with  the  plan  of  studying  law  but 
before  beginning  his  studies  he  passed 
sometime  at  Pittsfield,  Illinois,  where 
John  Nicolay  had  a  newspaper  office.  At 
this  time  he  made  the  acquaintance  of 


General  Clark  E.  Carr,  who  afterward 
served  as  minister  to  Denmark,  and  Gen- 
eral Carr  gives  an  account  of  their  first 
meeting  in  his  recently  published  book, 
The  Illini.  Describing  a  visit  to  Pitts- 
field  and  his  meeting  with  Mr.  Hay,  Gen- 
eral Carr  writes :  ''A  bright,  rose- faced 
young  man  arose  and  greeted  us.  I  had 
never  seen  a  young  man  or  boy  who 
charmed  me  as  he  did  when  he  looked  at 
me  with  his  mischievous  hazel  eyes  from 
under  a  wealth  of  dark  brown  hair."  He 
had  just  completed  writing  something  at 
the  time  the  party  entered  the  newspaper 
office."  Mr.  Carr  continues,  "We  all 
joined  in  urging  him  to  read  what  he 
had  written  and  he  did  so.  I  can  give 
only  the  substance  of  the  editorial  from 
memory  but  I  doubt  whether  its  author 
ever  wrote  a  better  one  when  editing  the 
New  York  Tribune. 

John  Hay  took  up  the  study  of  law  in 
the  office  of  his  uncle.  Milton  Hay,  one  of 
the  most  distinguished  attorneys  that  ever 
practiced  at  the  bar  of  Illinois,  and  a  law 
partner  of  Abraham  Lincoln  in  his  office 
at  Springfield.  Becoming  a  student  in 
that  office,  Mr.  Hay  thus  formed  the  ac- 
quaintance of  the  martyred  president. 
The  story  of  friendship  has  become  a  mat- 
ter of  history.  The  young  man  was  in- 
vited to  continue  his  law  studies  in  Mr. 
Lincoln's  office  and  he  entered  heartily 
into  the  work  of  supporting  the  Illinois 
presidential  candidate  during  the  cam- 
paign of  1860.  That  his  effective  ser- 
vice was  appreciated  by  Mr.  Lincoln  is 
shown  by  the  fact  that  on  going  to 
Washington  the  president  invited  Mr. 
Hay  to  become  assistant  secretary  to  John 
G.  Nicolay,  and  from  that  time  forward 


1 62 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REJ'IEU' 


he  was  the  able  assistant  of  Mr.  Lincoln 
in  important  work  having  direct  bearing 
upon  the  administration  and  the  nation. 
He  was  entrusted  with  the  bearing  of 
messages  too  momentous  to  commit  to 
paper.  Although  a  warm  admirer  of 
President  Lincoln,  it  was  with  a  certain 
reluctance  and  regret  that  he  had  turned 
from  law  to  enter  politics,  but  the  great 
leader  of  the  Republican  -party  had 
recognized  his  discernment,  his  judg- 
ment, his  tact  and  discretion,  and  realized 
that  his  services  might  prove  of  utmost 
value  to  him  in  Washington.  He  was 
constantly  with  Mr.  Lincoln  in  close  con- 
ference throughout  the  four  years  of  his 
administration  save  for  the  brief  period 
when  he  served,  more  as  the  president's 
personal  representative,  on  the  staffs  of 
Generals  Hunter  and  Gilmore  and  was 
brevetted  lieutenant  colonel  therefor. 
Speaking  of  this  period  in  the  life  of 
Mr.  Hay,  Grandon  Nevins  has  written 
"No  man  in  the  president's  official  house- 
hold was  more  overworked  than  the 
young  major.  He  slept  when  he  could 
and  ate  when  he  had  the  chance,  and 
when  he  was  not  at  the  front  he  lived  at 
the  White  House  always  at  the  call  of 
the  president." 

Mr.  Hay  was  but  twenty-six  years  of 
age  at  the  time  of  Mr.  Lincoln's  death 
but  so  thoroughly  had  he  proved  his 
worth  that  it  was  decided  to  retain  him 
in  the  employ  of  the  government  and 
he  was  sent  abroad  first  as  secretary  of  the 
legation  at  Paris  under  Minister  Bige- 
low,  in  which  capacity  he  served  from 
1865  until  1867,  while  during  the  suc- 
ceeding year  he  was  charge  d'  affaires  in 
Vienna  and  later  secretary  of  legation 


at  Madrid  under  Minister  Sickles,  where 
he  served  until   1870. 

About  this  time  Mr.  Hay  gave  proof 
of  public-spirited  citizenship  and  lofty 
patriotism  in  refusing  a  very  advanta- 
geous offer  from  Horace  Greeley  then 
editor  of  the  New  York  Tribune,  saying 
that  he  did  not  think  it  proper  to  turn 
his  work  over  to  other  hands  until  it  was 
completed.  When  he  again  found  him- 
self in  his  native  country  free  to  accept 
the  proffered  position  extended  by  Mr. 
Greely  he  became  editorial  writer  for  the 
New  York  Tribune.  In  the  meantime, 
however,  he  was  for  a  few  months  con- 
nected with  the  Springfield  ( Illinois) 
Journal,  after  which  he  succeeded  Charles 
Dana  as  editor  of  the  Republican  at  Chi- 
cago. For  five  years  he  was  connected 
with  the  New  York  Tribune,  where  he 
demonstrated  his  right  to  rank  with  the 
leading  journalists  of  the  country  and  also 
as  an  author  of  considerable  literary 
merits  and  ability.  It  was  at  this  period 
in  his  career  that  he  published  the  well 
known  poems,  Jim  Bludso  and  Little 
Breeches,  together  with  other  verses 
which  were  given  to  the  public  under  the 
title  Pike  County  Ballads.  His  retire- 
ment from  the  Tribune  was  followed  by 
his  removal  to  Cleveland.  Ohio,  where  he 
remained  for  some  years,  and  he  declined 
a  most  remunerative  position  offered  him 
as  editor  in  chief  of  the  New  York 
Herald,  then  published  by  James  Gordon 
Bennett.  He  was  again  for  a  brief  period, 
however,  actively  connected  with  journal- 
ism, having  charge  of  the  New  York 
Tribune  in  1881,  during  a  brief  absence 
of  Whitelaw  Reid  in  Europe.  Much  of 
his  time  during  fifteen  years  was  devoted 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


163 


to  the  compilation  and  writing,  in  collabo- 
ration with  John  G.  Nicolay,  of  the  vol- 
ume entitled.  Abraham  Lincoln,  A  His- 
tory, which  is  undoubtedly  the  most  ex- 
haustive, most  accurate  and  authentic  bi- 
ography of  the  martyred  president.  As 
a  financial  venture  it  was  a.  brilliant  suc- 
cess and  moreover,  it  will  always  remain 
the  one  authoritative  work  of  the  life  of 
Abraham  Lincoln.  The  writings  of  Mr. 
Hay  have  embraced  a  wide  field,  as  he 
was  the  author  of  various  works,  political 
and  otherwise,  and  many  attribute  to  him 
the  authorship  of  a  novel  which  appeared 
anonymously  in  1893  under  the  title  of 
The  Bread  Winners.  His  influence  as 
a  journalist  is  immeasurable.  In  this 
field  of  labor,  however,  he  became  recog- 
nized as  one  of  the  master  minds  of  the 
nation,  a  man  of  great  erudition  and 
learning,  of  broad  investigation  and  origi- 
nal thought.  He  never  looked  at  great 
questions  effecting  national  and  interna- 
tional relations  from  a  narrow,  contracted 
or  partisan  standpoint.  He  viewed  the 
whole  subject  broadly  and  the  correctness 
of  his  conclusions,  time  has  demonstrated 
and  wisdom  has  acknowledged. 

From  his  retirement  in  Cleveland,  Mr. 
Hay  was  called  in  1879  to  serve  as  as- 
sistant secretary  of  state  under  Evarts 
and  continued  in  this  office  to  the  end  of 
the  administration.  It  was  sixteen  years 
later  that  lie  was  again  in  political  office, 
having,  in  March,  1897.  been  appointed 
by  President  McKinley  ambassador  to 
England.  His  diplomatic  service  is  a 
matter  of  history.  Perhaps  one  secret 
of  his  success  lay  in  the  fact  that  he  recog- 
nized while  handling  the  affairs  of  in- 
ternational importance  he  had  to  treat 


with  the  individual  and  he  displayed 
a  courtesy  and  a  deference  for  the 
opinions  of  others,  while  rigidly  uphold- 
ing his  own  honest  convictions  and  views, 
that  won  for  him  the  warmest  personal 
regard  and  esteem.  He  managed  inter- 
national affairs  during  the  Spanish-Amer- 
ican war  with  a  delicacy  and  tact  com- 
bined with  force  and  discretion  that 
gained  for  the  United  States  the  support 
of  England,  while  England  held  in  check 
the  other  powers  of  the  world.  The  then 
Prince  of  Wales,  now  reigning  sovereign 
in  England,  recognized  his  great  ability 
and  power  and  accorded  him  not  only  ad- 
miration but  strong  personal  friendship. 
Near  the  close  of  the  Spanish-American 
war  he  returned  to  this  country  and  be- 
came secretary  of  state  in  the  cabinet  of 
President  McKinley,  in  which  position  he 
was  continued  by  President  Roosevelt, 
thus  serving  when  stricken  by  death.  Al- 
though he  secured  the  abrogation  of  the 
Clayton-Bulwer  treaty  brought  about  by 
reference  of  the  most  far-reaching  ques- 
tion in  the  recent  Venezuela  dispute 
(priority  in  payment  for  a  belligerent 
claimant)  to  the  international  court  of 
The  Hague  and  arranged  for  the  peace- 
able adjustment  of  the  Alaskan  boundary 
question,  he  is  known  throughout  the 
world  principally  for  the  breadth  and 
foresight  of  his  policy  in  Asia.  His  long 
experience  in  the  diplomatic  service 
coupled  with  his  native  abilities,  his  su- 
perior attainments  and  his  wholesome  hu- 
manity, of  which  he  always  possessed  an 
abundant  store,  made  him  not  only  a  val- 
uable man  to  the  nation  but  to  all  the 
world.  He  achieved  much  for  his  coun- 
trv  but  more  for  all  mankind  and  raised 


164 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


diplomacy  out  of  the  slough  of  deceit  and 
hypocrisy,  placing  it  upon  the  high  plane 
of  sincerity,  integrity  and  plain  dealing 
and  relegating  to  things  obsolete  and  de- 
testable and  precepts  and  maxims  of  Tal- 
leyrand, so  long  accepted  as  the  essentials 
of  the  successful  diplomat. 

There  were  other  phases  in  the  life 
record  of  John  Hay  that  perhaps  were 
not  so  well  known.  While  in  Europe  in 
the  early  days  of  his  legation  service  he 
mastered  the  French  language,  which  he 
spoke  with  fluency,  and  he  became  a  lin- 
guist of  such  superiority  that  one  of  the 
leading  educational  institutions  of  Amer- 
ica offered  to  him  the  chair  of  languages. 
He  was  always  a  man  of  studious  habits 
and  the  breadth  of  his  reading  and  the 
extent  of  his  knowledge  were  marvelous 
but  it  was  not  these  distinguishing  char- 
acteristics alone  which  won  for  Air.  Hay 
the  position  which  he  held  in  public  re- 
gard. There  has  been  perhaps  no  man 
in  Washington  or  in  diplomatic  circles 
more  greatly  loved  because  of  his  per- 
sonal traits  than  John  Hay.  Nevins  has 
said,  "To  know  John  Hay  was  to  love 
him.  His  was  one  of  those  extremely 
sensitive  natures,  which,  combined  with 
firmness,  go  to  make  up  the  ideal  man. 
Of  all  the  ambassadors  and  ministers  sta- 
tioned at  Washington,  not  one,  from  the 
Japanese  minister,  Mr.  Takahira.  to  Mr. 
Takahira's  deadly  political  enemy,  Count 
Cassini,  but  was  on  terms  of  intimate 
friendship  with  the  American  secretary, 
and  it  was  not  merely  these  foreign  dip- 
lomats who  were  drawn  irresistibly  to- 
ward this  magnetic  man,  his  cabinet 
associates,  his  subordinates  in  the  state 
department,  his  social  acquaintances — 


every  one — regarded  him  with  deep  affec- 
tion. No  man  in  all  Washington  was  the 
object  of  more  general  affection  than  was 
Mr.  Hay." 

Reared  in  a  home  where  all  that  is 
ideal  in  the  family  relation  found  ex- 
emplification, it  was  not  surprising  that 
John  Hay,  like  his  father,  found  his 
greatest  source  of  pleasure  at  his  own  fire- 
side. He  was  married  in  1874  to  Miss 
Clara  L.  Stone,  a  daughter  of  Amasa 
Stone,  a  wealthy  and  prominent  citizen 
of  Cleveland,  Ohio,  and  his  reply  "All 
through  life,"  to  the  question  of  a  friend 
on  the  night  of  his  bachelor  dinner : 
"How  long  is  the  honeymoon  going  to 
last,  Hay  ?"  proved  most  true.  The  mar- 
riage was  blessed  with  four  children  and 
those  who  knew  Mr.  Hay  most  intimately 
recognized  the  fact  that  his  great  sorrow 
over  the  death  of  his  son,  Adelbert,  who 
was  killed  by  falling  from  a  window  in 
New  Haven  on  the  eve  of  the  Yale  com- 
mencement, proved  a  blow  from  which 
he  never  recovered.  He  withdrew  him- 
self from  social  life  from  that  time  sa-Te 
when  it  was  demanded  in  his  official 
capacity.  He  spent  his  evenings  with 
Mrs.  Hay,  between  whom  there  existed  a 
most  ideal  companionship.  His  daugh- 
ter, Helen,  is  now  the  wife  of  Payne 
Whitney,  while  Alice  is  the  wife  of  James 
W.  Wadsworth,  Jr.,  and  it  was  to  Mr. 
Hay  a  matter  of  great  rejoicing  that  his 
daughters  as  he  expressed  it,  "had  been 
sought  by  two  American  princes  of  whose 
titles  to  nobility  I  am  prouder  than  I 
would  be  of  those  that  come  from  royal 
ancestry."  For  several  months  prior  to 
his  demise  Secretary  Hay  was  in  ill  health 
and  sought  relief  through  travel  and  med- 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


ical  attendants  in  Europe.  He  returned 
to  Washington  to  take  up  again  the  active 
work  of  the  business  of  his  department 
and  the  discussion  with  the  president  of 
important  pending  questions.  But  the 
tide  of  life  was  ebbing  fast  away  and  at 
his  summer  home  on  Lake  Sunapee,  New 
Hampshire,  his  labors  were  brought  to  a 
close  on  the  first  of  July,  1905.  when  he 
was  in  the  sixty-seventh  year  of  his  age. 
Xo  man  in  public  life  perhaps  has  had 
so  few  enemies.  Even  those  opposed  to 
him  politically  entertained  for  him  the 
warmest  personal  regard  and  admiration. 
It  is  said  that  he  never  forgot  a  friend ; 
the  playmates  of  his  boyhood,  the  asso- 
ciates of  his  early  manhood,  those  with 
whom  he  labored  in  diplomatic  circles, 
in  journalism,  and  in  the  department  of 
state  were  alike  remembered  through  all 
the  years  with  their  added  responsibili- 
ties and  honors.  His  life  record  finds 
embodiment  in  the  words  of  Pope : 

"Statesman,  yet  friend  to  truth ;  of  soul 

sincere, 

In  action  faithful  and  in  honor  clear ; 
Who  broke  no  promise,  served  no  private 

end. 
Who   gained   no   title   and   who  lost   no 

friend." 


HENRY  WTEBER. 

Henry  Weber,  who  for  many  years  was 
an  active,  energetic  and  prosperous  farm- 
er of  Hancock  county,  spent  the  last  year 


of  his  life  in  honorable  retirement  from 
labor  in  Carthage,  passing  away  on  the 
23d  of  October,  1905.  As  the  day  with 
its  morning  of  hope  and  promise,  its 
noontide  of  activity,  its  evening  of  ac- 
complished and  successful  effort,  ending 
in  the  grateful  rest  and  quiet  of  the  night, 
so  was  the  life  of  this  man.  Born  in 
Appanoose  township,  Hancock  county,  on 
the  1 7th  of  September,  1858,  he  spent  his 
entire  life  in  this  part  of  the  state.  His 
parents  were  Samuel  and  Rosa  (Bertchi) 
Weber,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of 
Switzerland,  coming  to  America  about 
fifty  years  ago.  The  father,  who  was 
born  in  March,  1816,  was  a  baker  by 
trade,  learning  and  following  that  pur- 
suit in  his  native  country,  but  in  Han- 
cock county  he  turned  his  attention  to 
farming.  He  died  about  1892,  at  the  age 
'of  seventy-six  years,  his  .remains  being 
interred  in  a  cemetery  in  this  county. 
Both  he  and  his  wife  were  devoted  Chris- 
tian people,  holding  membership  in  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church.  After  the 
father's  death  the  mother  remained  upon 
the  home  farm  with  her  children  until 
they  were  all  married  and  then  went  to 
Fort  Madison,  Iowa,  to  live  with  one  of 
her  daughters.  Eleven  children  survive 
the  father,  namely :  Rosa,  the  wife  of 
Charles  Buerich,  of  Manier.  Illinois ; 
Fred,  who  is  living  in  Denmark,  Iowa ; 
Carrie  and  Will,  twins,  the  later  living 
near  Nauvoo,  while  the  former  is  the  wife 
of  David  Seguin,  of  Fort  Madison,  Iowa ; 
Elizabeth,  the  wife  of  J.  McKaig,  of  Fort 
Madison ;  Mary,  the  wife  of  Alva  Cowles, 
of  Fort  Madison;  Henry  of  this  review: 
Albert,  of  Headlin,  Missouri ;  Sophia,  the 
wife  of  Herman  Hess,  of  Neota,  Illinois; 


1 66 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


and  John  and  Edith,  twins,  the  former 
a  resident  of  Lebanon,  Nebraska,  while 
the  latter  is  the  wife  of  Reuben  Hummel, 
of  Nauvoo. 

Henry  Weber  of  this  review  was  edu- 
cated in  the  district  schools  of  Nauvoo, 
Illinois,  and  remained  upon  his  father's 
farm  until  he  had  attained  his  majority. 
On  the  3d  of  January,  1884,  he  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Sarah  Luella  Thomas,  who 
was  born  in  Sonora  township,  Hancock 
county,  February  23,  1855,  a  daughter  of 
Isaac  T.  and  Louisa  (Nichols)  Thomas, 
both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Kentucky. 
The  father  was  a  farmer  and  took  up 
his  abode  in  Hancock  county,  Illinois, 
about  fifty-three  years  ago,  settling  on  a 
tract  of  land  in  Sonora  township,  where 
for  many  years  he  carried  on  general 
agricultural  pursuits.  His  death  occurred 
in  1899  and  his  remains  were  interred  in  ' 
that  township.  His  widow,  who  is  two 
years  his  junior,  is  living  in  Carthage.. 
Illinois.  Mr.  Thomas  was  a  democrat 
in  politics  and  served  as  school  director 
and  in  other  local  offices.  He  belonged 
to  the  Christian  church,  of  which  he  was 
a  deacon  and  elder  and  he  was  widely 
known  as  a  worthy  citizen,  faithful  in 
friendship  and  loyal  to  his  home  ties. 
He  was  a  large  landowner,  prospering 
in  his  business  undertakings  until  he  had 
six  hundred  acres  of  land  at  the  time  of 
his  death.  Mrs.  Thomas  also  belongs  to 
the  Christian  church.  In  the  family  of 
this  worthy  couple  were  nine  children,  of 
whom  six  are  now  living,  namely :  Lil- 
burn  Thaddeus,  who  married  Elizabeth 
Honce,  of  Elvaston ;  Laura,  a  twin  sister 
of  Lilburn  and  now  living  with  her 
mother ;  William  Henry,  who  died  in  Feb- 


ruary, 1904;  Mrs.  Sarah  Luella  Weber; 
Naomi  Jane,  who  is  with  her  mother: 
Martha  Emily,  the  wife  of  Orville  Honce, 
of  Montebello  township;  James  Harvey, 
also  at  home;  George  Milton,  who  died 
at  the  age  of  two  and  a  half  years ;  and 
Purliett,  now  deceased. 

At  the  time  of  their  marriage  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Weber  began  their  domestic  life 
in  Appanoose  township,  where  they  lived 
for  a  year  and  then  removed  to  a  farm  in 
Montebello  township,  where  they  resided 
for  five  years.  Later  they  spent  a  year 
and  a  half  upon  a  farm  west  of  Ferris, 
taking  up  their  abode  there  in  1890  and 
making  it  their  place  of  residence  until 
1904.  He  remodeled  the  house,  built  a 
fine  barn  and  all  the  necessary  outbuild- 
ings for  the  shelter  of  grain  and  stock 
and  was  always  very  successful  in  his 
business  affairs.  He  raised  stock  quite 
extensively  and  this  branch  of  his  business 
proved  profitable.  Coming  to  Carthage 
in  November,  1904,  he  retired  from  active 
life  on  account  of  ill  health,  having  had 
to  leave  his  farm  for  two  seasons  pre- 
vious to  this.  He  purchased  a  beautiful 
modern  home  on  North  Main  street, 
where  his  widow  now  resides  and  there 
he  spent  his  remaining  days.  He  was 
in  ill  health  for  about  four  years  prior 
to  his  death  and  was  a  great  sufferer  dur- 
ing the  last  year  and  a  half.  He  died 
October  23,  1905,  his  remains  being  in- 
terred in  Moss  Ridge  cemetery. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Weber  were  born 
but  two  children,  both  born  in  Hancock 
county,  namely:  Grace  May,  the  wife  of 
Frank  Thornberg.  who  is  living  on  her 
father's  old  farm  near  Ferris ;  and  Jessie 
Viola,  the  wife  of  Dr.  Claude  Thomas, 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


167 


a  practicing  dentist  of  Keokuk,  Iowa. 
They  have  one  child,  Lowell  Weber 
Thomas. 

Mr.  Weber  started  out  in  life  empty 
handed,  his  possessions  consisting  at  the 
age  of  twenty-one  years  of  but  one  horse. 
He  possessed  instead  good  mental  and 
physical  activity  and  his  energies  and 
labor  brought  to  him  gratifying  success, 
making  him  one  of  the  substantial  citizens 
of  the  community.  He  was  never  known 
to  take  advantage  of  the  necessities  of 
his  fellowmen  in  any  business  transac- 
tion, but  was  straightforward  and  reliable 
in  all  his  dealings  and  thus  won  the  un- 
qualified confidence  of  those  with  whom 
he  was  associated.  He  was  a  devoted 
member  of  the  Christian  church,  in  which 
his  wife  still  holds  membership  and  for 
a  number  of  years  he  served  as  deacon  of 
the  church  at  Ferris.  In  politics  he  was 
a  stalwart  democrat  and  filled  the  posi- 
tions of  township  trustee  and  road  su- 
pervisor, while  for  several  years  he  was  a 
school  director.  A  man  of  quiet  and 
unokrusive  nature  and  at  all  times  un- 
ostentatious in  his  demeanor,  his  genuine 
personal  worth  nevertheless  gained  him 
the  esteem  and  honor  of  all  with  whom  he 
was  associated.  He  was  interested  in 
the  welfare  of  the  community,  was  a  good 
neighbor,  a  kind  husband  and  loving 
father.  His  name  was  above  reproach, 
for  his  religious  belief  permeated  his 
everyday  life  and  actions.  His  word 
was  as  good  as  any  bond  ever  solemnized 
by  signature  or  seal  and  he  stood  high 
in  public  estimation.  He  left  behind  an 
honored  name  and  a  memory  that  will 
long  be  cherished,  not  only  by  his  im- 
mediate family  but  also  by  many  who 
ii 


knew  him.  Mrs.  Weber  still  resides  in 
her  beautiful  home  in  Carthage  and  in 
addition  owns  the  old  home  farm  and 
forty  acres  of  good  land  in  Sonora 
township. 


EUGENE  ADRIAN  WALLACE. 

Eugene  A.  Wallace,  one  of  the  most 
enterprising  and  highly  respected  agricul- 
turists of  Durham  township,  is  a  native 
of  Missouri.  He  was  born  in  Knox 
county  February  20,  1874,  of  the  mar- 
riage of  James  H.  and  Nancy  L.  (Lati- 
mer)  Wallace.  Both  parents  were  natives 
of  Kentucky  and  the  mother  is  still  living 
in  Missouri  but  the  father  passed  away 
in  1873.  He  was  a  minister  of  the  Chris- 
tian church  while  living  in  Kentucky  and 
his  life  was  a  potent  influence  for  good  in 
the  various  communities  where  he  resided. 
In  the  family  were  four  children :  Ida 
E.,  the  wife  of  Henry  Childers,  of  Mem- 
phis, Missouri ;  Mary,  deceased ;  Alvin 
E.,  of  Chicago;  and  Eugene  A.,  of  this 
review. 

In  the  public  schools  of  Missouri 
Eugene  A.  Wallace  acquired  his  educa- 
tion. He  remained  upon  the  home  farm 
until  nearly  twenty-one  years  of  age,  his 
time  being  largely  occupied  with  the 
duties  and  labors  of  the  fields.  After 
arriving  at  man's  estate  he  was  married 
on  the  I2th  of  September,  1900.  to  Miss 
Martha  Byler,  who  was  born  March  24, 
1871,  in  the  house  which  is  now  her  home. 
Her  parents  were  Jacob  and  Martha 
(White)  Byler.  Her  father  was  born 


1 68 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


in  McMinn  county,  Tennessee,  February 
23,  1830,  and  when  but  five  years  of  age 
was  brought  to  Illinois  by  his  parents,  who 
settled  in  Adams  county.  He  was  reared 
to  the  occupation  of  farming  and  at  the 
age  of  twenty-four  years  came  to  Han- 
cock county,  taking  up  his  abode  on  a 
farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of 
prairie  land  in  Durham  township,  which 
he  cleared.  Here  he  built  an  attractive 
residence  which  he  yet  occupies,  together 
with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wallace.  As  the 
years  passed  his  labors  brought  him  a 
good  financial  return  and,  making  further 
investment  in  property,  he  is  now  the 
owner  of  four  hundred  and  forty  acres 
of  valuable  land  and  his  farm  is  one  of 
the  best  in  Durham  township.  He  made 
many  excellent  improvements  thereon  and 
has  long  been  known  as  an  enterprising 
agriculturist  and  good  citizen,  as  honest 
as  the  day  is  long.  In  his  political  views 
he  is  a  stalwart  democrat  and  he  is  a 
member  of  Dallas  City  Lodge,  No.  235, 
also  a  member  of  Dallas  Chapter,  R.  &  S. 
M.,  as  well  as  of  the  Council  of  Dallas 
City.  All  who  know  him  esteem  him 
for  his  genuine  worth  and  he  well  de- 
serves mention  among  the  representative 
men  of  Hancock  county.  In  1896  he 
was  called  upon  to  mourn  the  loss  of  his 
wife,  who  died  on  the  4th  of  September 
of  that  year  and  was  laid  to  rest  in  Union 
cemetery  adjoining  the  home  farm,  which 
tract  of  land  Mr.  Byler  deeded  to  the 
trustees  for  cemetery  purposes.  Unto 
this  worthy  couple  were  born  nine  chil- 
dren, of  whom  five  are  now  living;  Wil- 
liam H.,  who  resides  near  Wheeling,  Mis- 
souri;  Andrew  J.,  of  Dallas  City;  Laura, 
the  wife  of  Adolph  Herweg,  a  resident 


of  Nebraska ;  Sarah,  the  wife  of  Humbert 
Vass,  of  Durham  township ;  and  Mrs. 
Wallace. 

Following  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Wallace  took  up  their  abode  upon  her 
father's  farm,  for  her  mother  had  passed 
away  and  they  took  charge  of  the  home 
and  farm  for  the  father.  Mr.  Wallace 
rents  the  land  and  he  has  made  many 
improvements  upon  the  property,  which 
presents  a  splendid  appearance,  being  one 
of  the  best  farms  of  Durham  township. 
Large  and  substantial  outbuildings  have 
been  erected  for  the  shelter  of  grain  and 
stock  and  everything  is  in  keeping  with 
ideas  of  modern  agricultural  progress. 
He  built  a  barn,  sixty  by  seventy  feet, 
for  hay  and  cattle  and  also  a  hog  house 
at  an  expense  of  three  hundred  dollars. 
This  is  one  of  the  best  in  the  county. 
Everything  about  the  place  is  kept  in  neat 
and  thrifty  condition  and  Mr.  Wallace 
is  regarded  as  a  most  enterprising  and 
successful  farmer. 

Unto  our  subject  and  his  wife  have 
been  born  three  children,  but  Beulah  Vi- 
ola, the  eldest,  who  was  born  December 
15,  1901,  died  September  13,  1902. 
Pearl  Irene,  born  May  I,  1903,  and 
Herman  Le  Roy,  born  November  28. 
1905,  are  both  living.  All  of  the  children 
were  born  in  the  same  house  where  their 
mother's  birth  occurred.  The  parents 
are  consistent  and  valued  members  of  the 
Christian  church  and  Mr.  Wallace  is  con- 
nected with  the  Modern  Woodmen  of 
America,  while  his  political  allegiance  is 
given  to  the  democracy.  He  occupies 
an  enviable  position  in  agricultural  circles 
and  has  made  a  creditable  record.  Mr. 
Bvler,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Wallace,  is  a 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


169 


self-made  man,  who  in  an  early  day  paid 
about  five  hundred  dollars  for  his  farm. 
Neither  Mr.  Byler  nor  Mr.  Wallace  ever 
inherited  anything  of  any  consequence 
and  the  success  of  both  gentlemen  is  due 
to  their  own  energy,  perseyerance  and 
capable  management.  They  are  highly 
esteemed  in  the  community  and  both  have 
a  host  of  warm  friends.  Mr.  Byler 
worked  his  way  steadily  upward  from 
a  humble  financial  position  to  one  of 
affluence,  being  now  recognized  as  a 
wealthy  resident  of  the  county,  and  Mr. 
Wallace  is  displaying  the  same  sterling 
traits  of  character,  which  promise  well 
for  his  future  success. 


JACOB  P.  LA  MONTE. 

The  stock  raising  interests  of  Hancock 
county  find  a  worthy  representative  in 
Jacob  P.  La  Monte,  who  is  engaged  in 
raising  black  Galloway  cattle,  good  horses 
and  Duroc  Jersey  and  Poland  China 
hogs.  His  business  interests  are  carefully 
conducted  and  he  carries  on  general  farm- 
ing in  addition  to  his  stock  interests.  Mr. 
La  Monte  has  now  passed  the  seventy- 
eighth  milestone  on  life's  journey,  but  yet 
gives  active  supervision  to  his  business 
affairs.  His  birth  occurred  in  Schoharie 
county,  New  York,  in  the  town  of  Char- 
lotteville,  October  15,  1827,  and  he  is  a 
representative  of  one  of  the  old  families 
of  the  Empire  state.  His  paternal  grand- 
parents were  William  and  Jane  (Stilwell) 
La  Monte,  who  were  born  on  Long  Is- 


land. The  grandfather  was  a  represen- 
tative man,  active  and  successful  in  busi- 
ness. He  followed  merchandising,  also 
owned  and  operated  a  water  mill  and 
dealt  in  land.  He  also  held  various  prom- 
inent official  positions  in  the  county  in 
which  he  lived  and  was  a  very  influential 
resident  of  his  section  of  Long  Island, 
where  his  death  occurred.  His  wife  be- 
longed to  one  of  the  most  representative 
families  of  that  island.  Their  son, 
Thomas  W.  La  Monte,  was  born  in  New 
York  and  having  arrived  at  years  of  ma- 
turity was  married  to  Miss  Elizabeth  M. 
Payne,  likewise  a  native  of  that  state 
and  a  daughter  of  Jacob  and  Lucy 
(Austin)  Payne,  natives  of  New  York 
and  of  New  England  respectively.  The 
maternal  grandfather  was  a  farmer  by 
occupation.  He  held  membership  in  the 
Baptist  church  and  was  a  strong  temper- 
ance man  and  was  recognized  in  his  com- 
munity especially  in  those  lines  of  activity 
resulting  in  intellectual  and  moral  prog- 
ress. All  of  the  grandparents  of  Mr.  La 
Monte  of  this  review,  as  well  as  his  par- 
ents, lie  buried  at  Charlotteville,  New 
York. 

Jacob  P.  La  Monte  is  the  eldest  in  a 
family  of  six  sons  and  seven  daughters. 
His  brother,  George,  who  was  engaged 
in  paper  manufacturing  in  New  York, 
invented  the  safety  banking  paper  and 
now  has  a  large  establishment  in  New 
York  city.  Four  sons  and  three  daugh- 
ters of  the  family  are  yet  living. 

In  the  state  of  his  nativity  Mr.  La 
Monte  of  this  review  spent  his  boyhood 
days  and  acquired  a  district-school  educa- 
tion. He  began  teaching  when  only  sev- 
enteen years  of  age  and  followed  the  pro- 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REJ'IEU' 


fession  for  four  years  during  the  winter 
seasons  and  for  one  summer  term.  Sub- 
sequently he  turned  his  attention  to  agri- 
cultural pursuits  upon  the  farm  which  he 
had  purchased  in  the  town  of  Davenport 
in  Delaware  county,  New  York,  compris- 
ing two  hundred  and  twenty-seven  acres 
of  land.  There  he  carried  on  farming 
for  some  time,  but  at  length  traded  his 
property  and  made  a  sale,  for  he  had  come 
to  the  west  in  1854  and  decided  to  locate 
in  Montebello  township,  Hancock  county, 
Illinois.  Here  he  took  up  his  abode  in 
1855.  He  traded  his  property  in  the  east 
for  five  buggies  and  one  two  horse  car- 
riage and  in  the  spring  of  1856  all  these 
were  shipped  to  Keokuk,  where  he  sold 
all  of  them  with-  the  exception  of  one 
which  he  kept  for  several  years  for  his 
own  use  and  then  disposed  of  it  for  more 
than  he  gave  for  it.  On  coming  to  Han- 
cock county  he  invested  in  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acres  of  land  in  Wythe  town- 
ship which  he  afterward  sold,  but  he  has 
acquired  more  land  from  time  to  time 
in  Montebello  township  until  he  has  five 
hundred  acres  in  all,  the  entire  amount 
lying  within  the  city  limits  of  Hamilton. 
Upon  his  farm  in  Wythe  township  he  had 
the  best  orchard  in  that  part  of  the  county 
and  in  1875  he  set  out  an  orchard  of 
apples  and  peaches,  covering  thirty  acres. 
He  carries  on  general  farming  and  in  ad- 
dition is  quite  extensively  engaged  in 
stock  raising,  making  a  specialty  of 
horses,  black  Galloway  cattle  and  Duroc 
Jersey  and  Poland  China  hogs.  He  is 
thoroughly  familiar  with  the  best  methods 
of  cultivating  the  soil  and  raising  stock 
and  his  business  interests  have  been  so 
carefully  conducted  that  although  he 


started  out  in  life  empty  handed  he  is  now 
one  of  the  substantial  citizens  of  his 
adopted  county. 

On  the  gth  of  March,  1848,  Mr.  La 
Monte  was  married  to  Miss  Elizabeth 
Ruth  Hinman,  who  was  born  in  Delaware 
county,  New  York,  and  was  educated  in 
Cazenovia  Seminary  of  that  state.  Her 
parents  were  Amos  and  Electa  (Clark) 
Hinman,  natives  of  New  York,  the 
former  a  son  of  Titus  Hinman  and  the 
latter  a  daughter  of  David  Clark,  both 
of  New  York  state.  There  was  one  child 
born  unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  La  Monte,  \\e\- 
lington,  whose  birth  occurred  in  1851  and 
who  died  in  Hamilton  in  1893.  The  wife 
and  mother  died  about  1871  and  in  Jan- 
uary, 1877,  Mr.  La  Monte  married  Ce- 
celia Wiggenton,  who  was  born  in  La- 
Grange,  Lewis  county,  Missouri,  and  was 
educated  in  a  convent  in  St.  Louis.  She 
was  one  of  the  finest  musicians  in  this 
part  of  the  country.  At  the  time  of  her 
marriage  to  M*r.  La  Monte  she  was  a 
widow  and  had  one  son,  Weston  At- 
wood,  who  is  now  engaged  in  the  lumber 
business  in  the  city  of  Oklahoma.  She 
died  about  fourteen  years  ago. 

Mr.  La  Monte  exercises  his  right  of 
franchise  in  support  of  the  men  and 
measures  of  the  Republican  party,  but  has 
never  been  a  politician  in  the  sense  of 
office  seeking.  He  has.  however,  held 
office  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church, 
of  which  he  is  a  devoted  and  loyal  mem- 
ber. He  has  acted  as  steward  of  the 
church  and  for  about  ten  or  fifteen  years 
was  superintendent  of  the  Sunday-school. 
He  has  lived  a  life  of  uprightness  and 
honor  and  therefore  can  look  back  over 
the  past  without  regret.  Few  men  of  his 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


171 


years  continue  actively  in  business,  but 
in  spirit  and  interests  he  seems  yet  in 
his  prime  and  possesses  much  of  the  vigor 
and  enterprise  of  many  a  man  of  much 
younger  years. 


WILLIAM  A.  BIDEAUX. 

William  A.  Bideaux,  who  is  engaged  in 
farming  in  Durham  township,  in  which 
locality  he  was  born  in  1868,  is  a  son  of 
Francis  and  Catherine  (Whistler) 
Bideaux  and  in  the  paternal  line  comes 
of  Scotch  ancestry.  The  father  was  born 
in  Stark  county,  Ohio,  December  26, 
1838,  and  was  married  on  the  5th  of  Oc- 
tober, 1862,  to  Catherine  Whistler.  He 
was  a  carpenter  by  trade  and  took  up 
his  abode  in  Hancock  county  over  a  half 
century  ago.  For  a  long- period  he  was 
identified  with  building  operations  but  in 
his  later  life  he  carried  on  farming,  mak- 
ing his  home  in  Durham  township.  There 
his  death  occurred  on  the  gth  of  January, 
1895.  He  was  an  honest,  upright  man, 
possessing  the  confidence  and  trust  of  all 
who  knew  him.  Conscious  that  death 
was  approaching,  he  made  his  peace  with 
God  and  bade  adieu  to  friends  and  family. 
He  was  a  loving  husband,  a  good  father 
and  a  kind  hearted  neighbor  and  he  left 
behind  an  example  that  is  in  many  re- 
spects well  worthy  of  emulation.  Mrs. 
Bideaux  still  survives  her  husband  and 
is  a  resident  of  Rock  Creek  township.  In 
the  family  were  eight  children :  Delia, 
now  the  wife  of  Thomas  Shaw,  of  Dallas 


township;  Emma,  the  wife  of  William 
Worden,  of  Fort  Madison,  Iowa ;  Wil- 
liam A.,  of  this  review;  Frank,  who  is 
living  in  Utah ;  Kate,  the  wife  of  Lemuel 
Bartlett,  of  Durham  township ;  Jacob  and 
French,  both  of  whom  are  residents  of 
Dallas  City;  and  Lina,  who  was  the  wife 
of  Carl  Mendenhall,  of  Colusa,  and  died 
in  January,  1905,  her  remains  being 
interred  in  Myers  cemetery.  There  were 
two  children  of  that  marriage,  Carl  and 
Catherine,  and  they  and  their  father  now 
live  with  Mrs.  Bideaux,  mother  of  our 
subject. 

William  A.  Bideaux  was  educated  in 
Durham  township  as  a  public-school 
student  and  assisted  in  the  work  of  the 
home  farm  until  after  he  had  attained  his 
majority.  As  a  companion  and  help- 
mate for  life's  journey  he  chose  Miss 
Henrietta  Harris,  whom  he  wedded  Oc- 
tober 9,  1892.  She  was  born  in  Durham 
township  in  1874,  a  daughter  of  Eusebius 
and  Rebecca  (Avery)  Harris,  both  of 
whom  were  natives  of  Illinois  and  now 
residents  of  Monmouth,  this  state.  Man- 
ford  Harris,  the  oldest  brother  of  Euse- 
bius Harris,  was  a  soldier  of  the  Civil 
war  and  her  grandfather  Avery  was  in 
the  war  of  1844  when  the  Mormons  were 
expelled  from  Hancock  county.  Eusebius 
Harris  followed  farming  in  Durham 
township,  this  county,  until  1901,  when 
he'  practically  retired  from  business  life 
but  now  conducts  a  barber  supply  house 
in  Monmouth.  He  has  voted  the  re- 
publican ticket  since  the  organization  of 
the  party  and  in  this  county  was.  recog- 
nized as  a  most  worthy  and  respected  citi- 
zen. Unto  him  and  his  wife  were  born 
four  children:  Cora,  at  home;  Mrs. 


172 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REJ'IEJl' 


Bideaux ;  Guy,  who  is  living  near  Adrian, 
Illinois ;  and  Bertram,  "of  Monmouth. 

Mr.  Bideaux  spent  the  first  two  years 
of  his  married  life  as  a  farmer  near 
Colusa  and  after  a  residence  of  several 
years  upon  various  farms  he  located  in 
Durham  township  in  1899  ancl  ^ias  since 
made  his  home  here.  Unto  Mr.  nad  Mrs. 
Bideaux  have  been  born  three  children : 
Lawrence,  who  was  born  in  Pilot  Grove 
in  1893;  Virgil,  in  Dallas  township  in 
1896;  and  Cecil,  in  Durham  township  in 
1899. 

Mr.  Bideaux  exercises  his  right  of 
franchise  in  support  of  the  men  and  meas- 
ures of  the  Republican  party.  He  and 
his  wife  have  worked  together  persist- 
ently and  energetically  in  order  to  make  a 
start  in  life  and  gain  a  comfortable  com- 
petence and  the  qualities  which  they  have 
displayed  are  such  as  commend  them  to 
the  confidence  and  good  will  of  all  with 
whom  they  have  been  brought  in  contact. 


GEORGE  A.  TRAUTVETTER. 

George  A.  Trautvetter  is  a  retired 
farmer  residing  in  Warsaw  and  he  has 
valuable  and  extensive  landed  possessions, 
which  are  an  indication  of  his  well  spent, 
active  and  honorable  business  life.  He 
derives  therefrom  a  handsome  income 
that  enables  him  now  to  put  aside  further 
business  cares  and  to  enjoy  in  quiet  the 
fruits  of  his  former  toil.  A  native  of 
Germany,  he  was  born  in  Saxony  on 
the  1 6th  of  August,  1842,  a  son  of  John 


George  and  Sophia  Elizabeth  (Derle) 
Trautvetter,  who  were  likewise  natives 
of  Germany,  whence  they  sailed  for 
America  in  1853,  landing  at  Baltimore, 
Maryland,  on  the  3d  of  July,  after  forty- 
nine  days  spent  upon  the  water  as  pas- 
sengers on  one  of  the  old-time  sailing 
vessels.  The  father  was  a  miller  by 
trade,  and  making  his  way  from  the  east 
into  the  interior  of  the  country,  he  settled 
on  section  3,  Rocky  Run  township,  Han- 
cock county,  Illinois,  where  he  resided 
continuously  until  June,  1870.  He  then 
returned  to  his  native  country  for  a  visit 
and  there  died  in  the  fall  of  1871,  his  re- 
mains being  interred  at  Rota,  Germany. 
His  wife,  who  was  born  in  1808,  passed 
away  in  this  county  at  the  age  of  seventy- 
seven  years  and  was  buried  in  Tioga, 
Walker  township,  cemetery.  Mr.  Traut- 
vetter was  seventy-one  years  of  age  at 
the  time  of  his  demise,  his  birth  having 
occurred  in  1 799.  They  were  the  parents 
of  five  children,  of  whom  three  are  living : 
John  M.,  a  resident  of  Walker  township; 
George  A. ;  and  Theodore  Frederick,  who 
lives  on  section  3,  Rocky  Run  township. 
George  A.  Trautvetter  was  a  lad  of 
about  eleven  years  when  he  came  with  his 
parents  to  the  new  world  and  his  educa- 
tion, which  was  begun  in  the  fatherland, 
was  continued  in  the  schools  of  Rocky 
Run  township,  and  of  Warsaw.  He  re- 
mained upon  the  home  farm  until  he  had 
attained  his  majority,  as  did  his  two 
brothers,  and  he  assisted  in  the  farm 
work,  early  becoming  familiar  with  the 
duties  of  field  and  meadow.  In  March, 
1865,  however,  he  put  aside  all  business 
and  personal  considerations  and,  respond- 
ing to  the  call  of  his  adopted  country  for 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


173 


aid,  he  joined  the  Fourteenth  Illinois  Vol- 
unteer Infantry,  and  was  attached  to  the 
army  corps  commanded  by  General  Sher- 
man. He  followed  that  intrepid  leader 
during  his  last  campaigns  and  was  under 
his  command  in  the  grand  .review  in 
Washington.  Mr.  Trautvetter  afterward 
went  to  Fort  Leavenworth  and  was  mus- 
tered out  in  Kansas,  subsequent  to  which 
time  he  returned  to  Hancock  county. 

In  1863  Mr.  Trautvetter  had  learned 
the  saddler's  trade  in  Quincy,  and  for  a 
time  he  followed  that  pursuit  in  Warsaw 
but  subsequently  he  again  took  up  his 
abode  upon  his  father's  farm,  where  he 
remained  until  the  26th  of  January,  1869. 
That  was  his  wedding  day.  Miss  Anna  E. 
Shildman  becoming  his  wife.  She  was 
born  in  Germany,  January  23,  1848,  and 
in  1858  came  with  her  parents  to  Amer- 
ica. Her  father  was  a  carpenter  by  trade 
but  after  crossing  the  Atlantic  turned  his 
attention  to  agricultural  pursuits  in 
Walker  township,  Hancock  county. 
Later  he  lived  in  Rocky  Run  township  for 
a  time  but  his  last  days  'were  spent  in 
Walker  township.  In  the  family  were 
five  children,  of  whom  three  are  living : 
Mrs.  Trautvetter;  Hannah,  the  wife  of 
Theodore  F.  Trautvetter ;  and  Elizabeth, 
the  wife  of  Henry  Wemhaner,  of 
Warsaw. 

Following  his  marriage  Mr.  Trautvet- 
ter of  this  review,  in  1867,  purchased  the 
old  home  place  from  his  father  and  there 
lived  until  March  9,  1906,  when  he  pur- 
chased his  present  beautiful  residence  in 
Warsaw  and  took  up  his  abode  in  the  city. 
For  many  years  he  had  carefully  carried 
on  general  agricultural  pursuits  and  ca- 
pably managed  his  business  interests,  and 


as  the  result  of  his  enterprise,  diligence 
and  persistent  effort,  acquired  a  goodly 
measure  of  success.  As  the  years  passed 
he  embraced  his  opportunities  for  judi- 
cious investments  in  land  and  now  owns 
over  six  hundred  acres,  from  which  he 
derives  a  splendid  income. 

On  the  loth  of  September,  1903,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Trautvetter  celebrated  the  fif- 
tieth anniversary  of  his  residence  upon 
the  home  farm,  to  which  he  had  gone  with 
his  parents  in  1853.  He  still  owns  the 
five  acres,  also  another  farm  of  one  hun- 
home  place  of  three  hundred  and  forty- 
dred  and  ninety-five  acres  and  a  third 
one  of  ninety-five  acres.  His  realty  pos- 
sessions include  tenement  houses  in  War- 
saw beside  his  own  residence.  Unto  him 
and  his  wife  have  been  born  six  children, 
four  of  whom  were  born  in  .the  home 
which  he  erected  in  1874  to  replace  the 
log  cabin  which  had  been  built  by  his 
father  and  which  was  destroyed  by  fire 
in  May  of  that  year.  The  family  record 
is  as  follows:  Theodore  N.,  the  eldest, 
born  March  2,  1870,  married  Matilda 
Woolbrink,  and  lives  in  Warsaw.  Eliza- 
beth, bom  January  22,  1872,  was  married 
in  1890  to  Fred  Harold,  a  farmer  living 
north  of  Hamilton;  Anna  Sophia,  born 
September  9,  1874,  was  married  in  1895 
to  John  Nagel,  an  agriculturist  of  Wythe 
township  and  they  now  have  two  chil- 
dren, Malinda  .  and  George  Truman 
Kolatzky  Nagel.  Henry  Herman,  born 
October  9,  1876,  has  since  1904  been  liv- 
ing in  Omaha,  where  he  is  running  an 
electric  car.  Lillie  Frances,  born  Sep- 
tember n,  1879,  is  the  wife  of  Harry 
Elder,  who  resides  two  and  a  half  miles 
north  of  Elderville,  Illinois.  William 


174 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


Adolph,  born  August  29,  1882,  is  a  grad- 
uate of  the  Gem  City  Business  College 
of  Quincy,  of  the  class  of  1905,  and  is 
now  a  student  in  the  medical  college  at 
Valparaiso,  Indiana.  The  children  have 
all  been  given  good  educational  privileges, 
and  Theodore  N.  was  also  a  graduate  of 
the  Gem  City  Business  College,  while 
later  he  attended  a  college  in  Omaha  to 
learn  shorthand,  banking,  etc.  He  is 
now  in  partnership  with  Mr.  Sharp  as  a 
dealer  in  grain  and  stock  at  Warsaw. 
In  his  .political  views  Mr.  Trautvetter 
is  a  stalwart  republican  and  has  been 
honored  with  several  positions  of  public 
trust.  He  served  for  twelve  years  as 
school  director,  was  for  ten  years  levee 
commissioner  and  for  three  years  high- 
way commissioner.  He  and  his  wife, 
who  has  indeed  been  a  most  faithful  com- 
panion and  helpmate  to  him  on  life's 
journey,  are  members  of  the  Evangelical 
church.  The  many  comforts  which  they 
are  now  able  to  enjoy  in  their  home  have 
been  gained  through  their  own  labors 
and  careful  management.  The  business 
record  of  Mr.  Trautvetter  should  serve 
as  a  source  of  inspiration  and  encourage- 
ment to  others,  showing  what  may  be  ac- 
complished by  determined  effort  when 
guided  by  sound  judgment  and  charac- 
terized by  honorable  dealing. 


ERASTUS  A.  HAZEN. 

Erastus  A.  Hazen  is  the  owner  of  val- 
uable farming  interests  and  in  connection 


with  the  tilling  of  the  soil  engages  in 
raising  Poland  China  hogs,  Shropshire 
sheep  and  cattle,  displaying  excellent  busi- 
ness ability  in  the  management  of  his 
farm  and  his  stock.  A  native  of  Ohio, 
he  was  born  in  Trumbull  county  on  the 
25th  of  January,  1843,  and  is  a  represen- 
tative of  old  New  England  families.  His 
paternal  grandfather,  Nathaniel  Hazen, 
was  a  native  of  Connecticut,  while  the 
father,  James  B.  Hazen,  was  born  in 
Allegheny  county,  Pennsylvania.  The 
latter,  having  arrived  at  years  of  maturity, 
was  married  at  Brookfield,  Trumbull 
county,  Ohio,  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Coon, 
who  was  born  in  Easton,  Pennsylvania, 
and  was  a  daughter  of  William  and  Cath- 
erine (De  Forest)  Coon,  of  New  Jersey. 
Mr.  Hazen  was  a  cabinet  maker  and  un- 
dertaker and  resided  in  Brookfield,  Ohio, 
until  1852,  when  he  removed  to  Pike 
county,  Illinois,  where  he  engaged  in 
business  on  his  own  account.  There  he 
remained  for  five  years  and  in  1857  he 
came  to  Hancock  county,  Illinois,  pur- 
chasing and  trading  his  property  in  Pike 
county  for  sixty  acres  in  Sonora  town- 
ship. This  was  timber  and  prairie  land, 
all  unimproved.  He  turned  the  first  fur- 
rows in  the  fields  and  began  the  task  of 
cultivating  a  farm,  whereon  he  lived  until 
his  death.  His  wife  afterward  sold  the 
property  and  bought  a  farm  in  Montebello 
township,  where  her  last  days  were 
passed.  • 

Erastus  A.  Hazen,  the  fourth  in  order 
of  birth  in  a  family  of  seven  children, 
of  whom  four  were  daughters,  was  edu- 
cated in  the  public  schools  of  Youngs- 
town,  Ohio,  was  for  five  years  a  student 
at  Perry,  Pike  county,  Illinois,  and  con- 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


tinued  his  studies  in  the  district  schools  of 
Sonora  township,  Hancock  county.  He 
remained  at  home  until  eighteen  years 
of  age,  when  his  patriotic  spirit  was 
aroused  and  he  offered  his  services  to  the 
government,  enlisting  as  a  member  of 
Company  C,  One  Hundred  and  Eight- 
eenth Illinois  Infantry.  The  regiment 
was  assigned  to  the  Army  of  the  Missis- 
sippi and  he  participated  in  the  attack 
at  Chickasaw  Bayou,  where  the  Union 
troops  were  repulsed.  He  was  afterward 
in  the  battle  at  Arkansas  Post  and  sub- 
sequently went  to  Young's  Point  and  to 
Vicksburg,  where  he  engaged  in  digging 
the  canal  through  a  long  stretch  of  wet 
land.  The  following  spring  the  troops 
proceeded  to  Richmond,  Louisiana,  mak- 
ing their  way  to  the  Perkins  plantation. 
Soon  the  battle  of  Grand  Gulf  followed, 
after  which  they  proceeded  to  Bruins' 
Landing,  crossing  the  river  on  gun  boats. 
There  they  procured  three  days  rations, 
which  was  all  they  received  for  eighteen 
days.  On  the  succeeding  day  they 
fought  the  battle  of  Thompson's  Hill  or 
Port  Gibson,  and  they  were  in  numerous 
skirmishes.  For  two  days  they  were  at 
Raymond  with  Pemberton  and  they 
camped  at  Edwards  depot.  The  follow- 
ing day  they  attacked  the  rebels  at  Black 
river  bridge  and  captured  the  fortifica- 
tions. On  the  succeeding  day  they  made 
a  charge  upon  Vicksburg  and  invested  the 
city.  When  two  days  had  passed  they 
returned  and  fortified  Black  river,  at 
which  point  the  regiment  to  which  Mr. 
Hazen  belonged  was  mounted  and  did 
cavalry  duty  from  that  time  on.  They 
were  engaged  in  scouting  and  Mr.  Hazen 
was  in  the  second  battle  of  Jackson,  after 


which  he  returned  to  Vicksburg  and  later 
was  transferred  to  the  gulf  department. 
At  Grand  Cateau  Bayou  they  were  at- 
tacked by  the  enemy  and  three  hundred 
of  the  Union  troops  were  taken  prisoners,' 
but  Mr.  Hazen  fortunately  was  not 
among  the  number.  With  the  remainder 
of  the  command  he  returned  to  Vermil- 
lion,  where  a  battle  ensued  and  Captain. 
Arthur  Marsh,  who  was  commanding  the 
regiment,  was  killed.  The  Union  troops 
withdrew  from  the  field  and  the  rebels 
followed.  After  a  time  the  Union  forces 
turned  upon  their  pursuers  and  sixty  of 
the  members  of  the  Confederate  army 
were  captured.  When  the  war  was  over 
Mr.  Hazen  received  an  honorable  dis- 
charge at  Baton  Rogue,  Louisiana,  on 
the  I3th  of  October,  1865,  and  returned 
to  his  old  home.  He  was  a  brave  and 
loyal  soldier,  displaying  valor  equal  to 
that  of  many  a  veteran  of  twice  his  years. 
He  experienced  the  usual  hardships,  pri- 
vations and  dangers  meted  out  to  the  sol- 
dier and  his  military  record  was  alto- 
gether a  very  creditable  one. 

After  living  with  his  parents  for  a  year 
following  the  close  of  the  war  Mr.  Hazen 
was  married  in  the  fall  of  1866  to  Miss 
Mary  A.  Layman,  who  was  born  in  Dela- 
ware county  Ohio,  a  daughter  of  Elias 
and  Eva  (Wolford)  Layman,  the  former 
a  native  of  Virginia  and  the  latter  of  Ohio. 
Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hazen  have  been  born 
seven  children,  but  Elsie,  the  fourth  in 
order  of  birth,  died  in  infancy.  The 
others  are :  Almon  L.,  who  is  a  mail 
clerk  on  the  Chicago,  Burlington  & 
Quincy  Railroad,  running  from  Chicago 
to  Quincy,  married  Lulu  Radcliff  and 
lives  in  Quincy;  Eldred  E.,  residing  in 


176 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


Wythe  township;  Gissella,  who  married 
Clarence  C.  Outhier,  of  Okeene,  Oklaho- 
ma; Ethie  L.,  the  wife  of  Delancey 
Higby,  who  resides  on  section  5,  Monte- 
bello  township;  Eva  O.,  and  Zella,  both 
at  home. 

Following  his  marriage  Mr.  Hazen 
lived  for  one  year  in  Montebello  town- 
ship upon  his  father-in-law's  place  and 
then  leased  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres, 
constituting  the  southeast  quarter  of  sec- 
tion 3,  Montebello  township.  Six  years 
later  he  removed  to  Clark  county,  Mis- 
souri, where  he  remained  for  a  year  and 
on  returning  to  this  township  he  bought 
eighty  acres  on  section  4,  which  was  im- 
proved. He  has  rebuilt  the  house,  which 
now  contains  ten  rooms  and  cellar.  He 
has  also  added  sheds  to  the  barns  and 
has  made  many  other  substantial  improve- 
ments. Two  years  after  making  the  first 
purchase  he  added  forty  acres  to  his  farm 
and  four  years  later  sixty  acres.  Subse- 
quently with  his  son,  Eldred  E..  he 
bought  eighty  acres  in  Wythe  township 
and  he  now  owns  one  hundred  and  eighty 
acres  of  rich  prairie  land  and  ten  acres  of 
timber  land,  while  his  wife  owns  sixty 
acres  of  prairie  and  ten  acres  of  timber. 
Mr.  Hazen  carries  on  general  farming  in 
addition  to  which  he  raises  Poland  China 
hogs.  He  also  has  on  hand  sixty  head 
of  Shropshire  sheep  and  good  cattle. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Hazen  is  an 
earnest  republican  believing  firmly  in  the 
principles  of  the  party,  yet  never  seeking 
office.  He  belongs  to  Russell  post,  No. 
86,  G.  A.  R.  ,at  Hamilton,  Illinois,  which 
he  joined  on  its  organization,  and  he  takes 
much  pleasure  in  meeting  with  his  old 
army  comrades.  When  the  grand  review 


occurred  in  Washington  in  1865  a  banner 
swung  across  Pennslyvania  avenue  bore 
the  words,  "The  only  debt  which  our  na- 
tion cannot  pay  is  the  national  debt  which 
she  owes  her  soldiers"  and  each  year 
emphasizes  the  truth  of  this  remark  as 
the  number  of  the  veterans  is  growing 
less  and  less  and  the  feeling  of  gratitude 
increases.  In  times  of  peace  Mr.  Hazen 
has  been  equally  loyal  in  citizenship  and 
has  ever  been  deeply  and  helpfully  in- 
terested in  community  affairs, 


ZEBDIAH  WARD. 

Zebdiah  Ward,  now  deceased,  was  born 
in  the  state  of  New  York,  March  20, 
1816,  and  resided  there  until  he  reached 
early  manhood.  He  afterward  accompa- 
nied his  parents  on  their  removal  to  In- 
diana, where  he  lived  for  several  years, 
subsequent  to  which  time  he  came  to  Illi- 
nois, settling  in  Danville,  Vermilion 
county.  He  was  a  wagon  maker  by  trade 
and  followed  that  pursuit  after  his  arrival 
in  this  state.  He  removed  from  Vermil- 
ion to  Hancock  county,  locating  at  Web- 
ster, where  he  resided  for  about  fifteen 
years,  continuing  to  work  at  his  trade 
during  that  period.  He  next  purchased 
the  farm  on  which  his  widow  now  resides, 
making  investment  in  this  property  in 
May,  1854.  The  farm  comprises  sixty 
acres  of  rich  and  productive  land,  which 
he  improved,  erecting  thereon  buildings 
and  adding  other  modern  equipments  and 
accessories.  Mr.  Ward  engaged  in  the 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


177 


tilling  of  the  soil  from  that  time  forward 
until  his  death,  and  as  the  years  passed 
he  prospered  in  his  undertakings. 

On  the  1 3th  of  January,  1848,  was 
celebrated  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Ward  and 
Miss  Arzilla  \Yright,  a  daughter  of  Hick- 
erson  and  Cynthia  (Donnoho)  Wright. 
The  parents  were  both  natives  of  Vir- 
ginia, whence  they  removed  to  Tennessee, 
and  from  that  state  came  to  Illinois  in 
May,  1834,  settling  in  Hancock  county 
among  its  early  residents.  They  lived 
one  half  mile  north  of  Webster  in  Foun- 
tain Green  township,  where  Mr.  Wright 
entered  land  from  the  government  and 
developed  a  farm,  residing  thereon  until 
his  death,  which  occurred  when  he  had 
reached  the  venerable  age  of  eighty-seven 
years.  He  was  a  democrat  in  his  political 
views.  His  wife  had  passed  away  many 
years  before.  In  the  family  are  twelve 
children,  seven  of  whom  are  living. 
The  family  record  is  as  follows :  Mrs. 
Ward  is  the  eldest.  Seabern  A.,  born 
October  9,  1824,  is  a  farmer  re- 
siding in  Fountain  Green  township. 
Sen  eta  D.,  born  October  19,  1826,  was  a 
prominent  fanner  of  the  same  township 
but  is  now  deceased.  Martha  E.,  who 
was  born  September  14,  1828,  has  passed 
away.  Patrick  W.,  born  August  28, 
1830,  is  also  deceased.  Bazil,  born  Au- 
gust 16,  1832,  died  at  the  age  of  sixteen 
years.  Henry  D.,  born  July  27,  1834,  is 
living  in  California.  Thomas  G.,  born 
May  9,  1836,  has  departed  this  life. 
Letha  J.,  born  March  14,  1838,  Charles 
G.,  born  June  21,  1840,  and  Cynthia  A., 
born  September  30,  1844,  are  all  living. 
The  youngest  of  the  family  died  in 
infancv. 


Mrs.  Ward  was  born  in  Smith  county, 
Tennessee,  September  24,  1822,  and  was 
nine  years  of  age  when  her  parents  left 
that  state  and  removed  to  Hopkins 
county,  Kentucky,  where  they  lived  for 
three  years.  They  then  came  to  Illinois 
in  May,  1834.  She  obtained  her  educa- 
tion in  the  early  subscription  schools  of 
the  county  and  remained  at  home  until 
her  marriage.  She  became  the  mother 
of  three  children,  two  of  whom  are  liv- 
ing. Wright,  the  eldest,  a  farmer  now 
residing  in  Arkansas,  married  Elizabeth 
Prior  and  they  have  one  daughter,  Cora, 
who  is  now  the  wife  of  Sanford  Francis, 
by  whom  she  has  three  children.  Mark 
Ward,  a  farmer  residing  near  Memphis, 
Missouri,  wedded  Letha  A.  Thurber  and 
they  have  one  daughter,  Fay.  Lorinda 
became  the  wife  of  Benton  Alton  and  died 
at  the  age  of  forty-four  years,  leaving  a 
daughter,  Anna  B. 

The  death  of  Mr.  Ward  occurred  Feb- 
ruary 26,  1895,  when  he  was  almost 
eighty  years  of  age,  and  his  remains  were 
interred  in  Middle  Creek  cemetery.  He 
voted  with  the  democracy,  held  member- 
ship in  the  Christian  church  and  was  one 
of  the  progressive  men  of  his  day.  His 
life  period  covered  the  greater,  part  of 
the  ninteenth  century  during  which  time 
he  witnessed  many  changes,  including  the 
building  of  the  railroads,  the  introduc- 
tion of  the  telegraph  and  telephone 
and  the  reclamation  of  the  wild  lands 
of  the  west  for  the  purposes  of  civiliza- 
tion. He  did  his  full  share  in  the  work 
of  public  progress  and  improvement  in 
this  county  and  was  known  as  one  of  its 
most  prominent  pioneer  citizens.  Mrs. 
Ward  still  survives  her  husband  and  lives 


i78 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


upon  the  old  farm  homestead.  She  too, 
is  a  representative  of  one  of  the  oldest 
families  of  the  county  and  no  history  of 
this  section  of  the  state  would  be  com- 
plete without  mention  of  her. 


LEE  SMITH. 

Lee  Smith,  of  Colusa,  a  son  of  \Yilliam 
and  Mary  Ann  (Drauch)  Smith,  was 
born  in  Pennslyvania  April  7,  1863.  His 
parents  were  also  natives  of  the  Keystone 
state  and  the  father  is  a  farmer  living  in 
Monroe  county,  Pennsylvania,  at  the  age 
of  sixty-three  years.  His  wife  died  in 
1870.  They  were  the  parents  of  four 
children,  of  whom  three  are  now  living: 
Lee,  of  this  review ;  Anes,  a  resident 
of  Tioga  county,  Pennsylvania ;  and 
Ephraim,  also  living  in  Pennsylvania. 

Lee  Smith  was  educated  in  the  district, 
schools  of  his  native  state.  When  his 
mother  died  the  children  of  the  family 
went  to  live  in  various  homes  of  the 
neighborhood  and  his  early  opportunities 
were  accordingly  'somewhat  limited. 
After  his  school  days  were  over  he 
worked  by  the  month  as  a  farm  hand  for 
about  four  years  and  was  afterward  em- 
ployed in  the  lumber  regions  of  the  north- 
ern part  of  the  state  for  four  years.  On 
the  22d  of  July,  1890,  he  arrived  in  Co- 
lusa and  through  the  succeeding  year  was 
employed  by  Henry  Howard. 

On  New  Year's  eve  (December  31, 
1890)  Mr.  Smith  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Mrs.  Flora  Wildrick,  who  was  born 


in  Ppntoosuc  township,  Hancock  count}', 
September  14,  1864,  a  daughter  of  John 
and  Mary  (Littlefiar)  Robinson.  Her 
father  was  a  native  of  New  Jersey  and 
her  mother  was  born  in  Durham  county, 
England,  in  1822  and  came  to  America 
in  1852.  The  year  1856  witnessed  the 
arrival  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Robinson  in 
Hancock  count}',  and  the  father  began 
farming  in  Pontoosuc  township,  where 
he  also  purchased  a  mill,  carrying  on  his 
dual  occupation  until  his  death,  which 
occurred  in  1873,  when  he  was  fifty-nine 
years  of  age.  He  was  a  democrat  in 
politics  and  a  worthy  citizen,  progressive 
in  public  affairs  and  reliable  in  business. 
Unto  John  and  Mary  Robinson  were  born 
two  children,  of  whom  Mrs.  Smith  is  the 
surviving  member  of  the  family.  Her 
mother  \yas  twice  married  and  by  her 
first  husband,  Peter  Kelly,  had  four  chil- 
dren, of  whom  two  are  living :  Mary  C., 
the  wife  of  James  Creswell,  of  Davenport, 
Iowa ;  William,  died  at  Davenport,  Sep- 
tember i,  1906;  and  Michael  R.,  of 
Adrian,  Illinois. 

Flora  Robinson,  reared  to  womanhood 
in  this  county,  gave  her  hand  in  marriage, 
in  1882,  to  Henry  C.  Wildrick,  who  was 
born  in  Dallas  township  on  a  farm  of  two 
hundred  and'  forty  acres  on  section  35, 
which  is  now  the  property  of  Mrs. 
Smith  and  where  she  and  her  husband 
still  reside.  Mr.  Wildrick  was  a  son  of 
George  and  Abigail  (King)  Wildrick, 
well  known  and  representative  farming 
people  of  their  community.  Henry  C. 
Wildrick  was  a  republican  in  his  political 
faith  and  held  a  number  of  township 
offices,  to  which  he  was  called  by  the  vote 
of  his  fellow  citizens,  who  recognized  his 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


179 


worth  and  ability.  He  died  September 
28.  1889,  respected  by  all  who  knew  him, 
and  his  remains  were  interred  in  Pleasant 
•Hill  cemetery.  In  his  business  affairs  he 
was  industrious  and  enterprising.  He 
always  lived  upon  the  old  home  farm  of 
the  family,  and  in  the  care  of  his  property 
displayed  sound  judgment  and  keen  dis- 
crimination. Moreover  he  was  thor- 
oughly reliable  in  all  trade  transactions 
and  commanded  the  confidence  and  trust 
of  all  with  whom  he  came  in  contact.  He 
left  two  children,  Roxie  Merle  and 
George  Clayton,  the  latter,  now  nineteen 
years  of  age,  at  home.  The  daughter 
died  February  19,  1906,  at  the  age  of 
twenty-three  years,  and  her  remains  were 
laid  to  rest  by  the  side  of  her  father.  She 
passed  away  after  three  weeks  of  the  most 
intense  suffering,  occasioned  by  a  clot  of 
blood  under  the  knee.  All  that  money, 
professional  skill  and  loving  hands  could 
do  was  in  vain  in  staying  the  hand  of  the 
grim  reaper  and  this  beautiful  young 
lady,  the  only  daughter  of  Mrs.  Smith, 
passed  from  this  life.  She  was  a  most 
beautiful  character,  living  a  life  in  har- 
mony with  the  Christian  spirit,  and  re- 
maining firm  and  steadfast  in  the  faith 
of  the  church  in  which  she  held  mem- 
bership. Hers  was  a  happy  disposition 
and  sunshiny  nature.  She  could  readily 
adapt  herself  to  any  circumstance  or  con- 
dition and  this  trait  made  her  beloved  by 
all  with  whom  she  came  in  contact.  On 
Saturday  an  operation  was  performed 
and  on  Monday  afternoon  she  passed 
away,  perfectly  resigned  and  happy,  bid- 
ding mother,  father  and  brother  goodby 
with  undimmed  eyes,  and  making  all 
arrangements  for  her  funeral,  selecting 


the  following  friends  to  act  as  pall  bear- 
ers :  Maggie  Bailey,  Daisy  Lamb,  Hope 
Vass,  Orpha  H.  Jamison,  Virgie  Owings, 
and  Maude  Jacobs.  Six  gentlemen  acted 
as  honary  pall  bearers :  Roscoe  Gracey, 
Fred  Swanson,  Bern  Bass,  Clarence  Jen- 
nison,  George  Hubbard  and  Clark 
Jacobs.  The  funeral  service  was  con- 
ducted by  the  Rev.  J.  B.  King  who  paid 
a  beautiful  and  deserved  tribute  to  one 
who  was  so  loved  and  faithful  in  her 
home,  church,  Sunday-school  and  social 
circles,  where  she  is  greatly  missed.  Rev. 
King  said :  "There  is  no  death  for  such 
an  experience  as  hers,  and  as  it  is  the  law 
of  Nature  that  the  fairest  and  worthiest 
forms  of  life  shall  most  surely  survive, 
so  we  feel  that  a  life,  so  manifestly  sprung 
from  God,  and  nurtured  by  him  as  this, 
cannot  die  but  still  survives  in  a  still  high- 
er development  in  the  beautiful  paradise 
of  God,  by  the  power  of  divine  right  to 
be  and  live  forever  and  by  the  pledge  of 
the  loving  Saviour,  who  conquered 
through  faith  that  we  may  have  a  right 
to  the  tree  of  life  and  enter  in  through 
the  gates  into  the  city."  The  death  of 
Roxie  Merle  Wildrick  cast  a  gloom 
throughout  the  entire  community  but  her 
memory  will  long  be  cherished  in  the 
hearts  of  all  who  knew  her  and  the  re- 
membrance of  her  loving  deeds,  kind 
ways  and  many  acts  of  thoughtfulness 
will  be  a  blessing  for  years  to  come  to 
her  mother  and  the  other  members  of  the 
family. 

By  the  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Smith  there  has  been  born  a  son  William 
Reine,  born  in  Dallas  township,  Decem- 
ber 8,  1896,  and  now  in  school.  The  res- 
idence now  occupied  by  Mr.  and  Mrs. 


i8o 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


Smith  and  their  family  was  erected  by 
her  former  husband,  who  made  many  im- 
provements upon  the  place,  which  he  in- 
herited from  his  father.  Mr.  Smith  con- 
tinues the  work  of  development  and  cul- 
tivation along  lines  of  modern  agricul- 
tural progress  and  is  an  enterprising  busi- 
ness man.  His  political  allegiance  is 
given  the  democracy  and  he  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Hancock  County  Mutual  In- 
surance Association  and  of  the  Modern 
Woodmen  of  America.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Dutch  Reformed  church  in 
Pennsylvania.  Mrs.  Smith  is  an  intelli- 
gent, cultured  lady  and  in  the  community 
where  they  reside  this  worthy  couple  have 
many  warm  friends. 


MATTHEW  MASON  JOHNSON. 

Matthew  Mason  Johnson,  deceased, 
was  a  stockman  who,  prospering  in  his 
undertakings,  was  accounted  one  of  the 
enterprising  business  men  of  Carthage 
and  his  activity  in  public  affairs  made  him 
a  citizen  of  value,  so  that  his  death,  which 
occurred  on  the  7th  of  April,  .1906,  was 
the  occasion  of  deep  and  widespread  re- 
gret among  his  many  friends  in  Hancock 
county.  He  was  born  in  Champaign 
county,  Ohio,  in  1843,  his  parents  being 
John  T.  and  Maria  (Wright)  Johnson. 
The  grandfather,  the  great-grandfather 
and  the  great-great-grandfather,  were  all 
soldiers  of  the  Revolutionary  war  and  the 
same  spirit  of  loyalty  and  military  ardor 
was  displayed  by  various  cousins  of  our 


subject  in  the  Civil  war,  while  his  brother, 
J.  N.  Johnson,  was  a  soldier  of  the  One 
Hundred  and  Eighteenth  Illinois  Infantry 
during  the  last  year  of  the  strife  between 
the  north  and  the  south,  being  stationed 
most  of  the  time  at  Baton  Rouge, 
Louisiana. 

John  T.  Johnson  was  born  in  Cham- 
paign county,  Ohio,  in  1813,  and  his  wife 
was  born  about  eight  miles  from  St. 
Louis,  Missouri,  in  1818.  He  was  a 
farmer  by  occupation  and  on  coming  to 
Hancock  county,  Illinois,  in  1839,  settled 
near  St.  Mary.  He  had  to  clear  the  land 
in  order  to  have  space  enough  on  which 
to  build  a  log  cabin.  He  was  the  first 
man  to  move  onto  the  prairie,  for  the  pio- 
neers in  those  days  always  settled  near  the 
timber.  As  the  years  passed  he  improved 
his  property,  building  a  fine  barn,  good 
sheds  and  a  modern  residence.  As  the 
years  passed  he  prospered,  becoming  one 
of  the  most  extensive  land  owners  of  the 
county  and  when  he  died,  in  1883.  his 
possessions  aggregated  eighteen  hundred 
acres  of  land  now  worth  one  hundred 
dollars  per  acre.  His  wife  died  in  1898 
and  they  sleep  side  by  side  in  the  cemetery 
at  St.  Mary.  Mr.  Johnson  was  a  repub- 
lican who  held  various  township  offices, 
for  his  fellow  citizens  recognized  his 
worth  and  ability  and  thus  gave  evidence 
of  their  confidence  in  him.  They  were 
believers  in  the  Baptist  faith  and  Mr. 
Johnson  held  various  offices  in  the  church. 
Their  family  numbered  eight  children,  of 
whom  five  are  yet  living :  Matthew  M. ; 
Hiram  B.  and  Joseph  T.,  both  residents 
of  Plymouth,  Illinois;  J.  N.,  who  is  living 
on  the  old  family  homestead ;  and  Aurilla, 
the  wife  of  J.  W.  Botts,  who  resides  upon 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


181 


the   prairie    farm    which    was    originally 
owned  by  her  parents. 

Matthew  M.  Johnson  attended  the  pub- 
lic schools  of  St.  Mary  and  was  after- 
ward a  student  in  Abingdon  (Illinois) 
Hedding's  College.  Before  attaining  his 
majority  he  was  married,  in  1863,  to  Miss 
Mary  Bacon,  who  was  born  in  1843  in 
McDonough  county,  Illinois,  a  daughter 
of  Larkin  and  Honor  (Durbin)  Bacon. 
Her  parents  were  of  southern  extraction, 
the  father  born  in  Tennessee  and  the 
mother  in  Kentucky.  Mr.  Bacon  came  to 
Illinois  at  a  very  early  day,  settling  on  a 
farm  in  McDonough  county  in  1834.  It 
was  wild  and  uncultivated  land  but  he 
converted  it  into  a  productive  farm  and 
there  he  died  in  1877,  having  for  several 
years  survived  his  wife,  who  passed  away 
in  February,  1864.  Both  were  buried 
near  Hill's  Grove  in  McDonough  county. 
Isaac  Bacon,  the  paternal  great-grand- 
father of  Mrs.  Johnson,  was  a  Revolu- 
tionary soldier  and  Joseph  Barnes  Bacon, 
her  grandfather,  was  a  captain  in  a  Ten- 
nessee regiment  in  the  war  of  1812.  Her 
father  was  an  unfaltering  advocate  of 
democracy,  but  though  always  loyal  to 
the  party,  never  aspired  to  public  office. 
He  and  his  wife  held  membership  in  the 
Methodist  church,  in  which  he  served  as 
steward,  while  for  many  years  he  was 
superintendent  of  the  Sunday-school,  fill- 
ing that  office  at  the  time  of  his  death. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bacon  had  ten  children,  of 
whom  eight  reached  adult  age,  while  five 
still  survive,  namely :  Mrs.  Johnson ; 
Sarah,  who  is  the  widow  of  Judge  Tunni- 
cliff,  of  Macomb.  Illinois,  and  now  re- 
sides at  No.  6018  Jackson  Park  avenue. 
Chicago :  Dr..  Joseph  B.  Bacon,  a  surgeon 


of  St.  Francis  Hospital  of  Macomb,  Illi- 
nois; James  H.  Bacon,  president  of  the 
Pacific  Coast  Trust  Company  of  San 
Francisco,  California;  and  Harvey  M. 
Bacon,  vice  president  of  the  Pacific  Coast 
Trust  Company  with  offices  at  No.  708 
Market  street,  San  Francisco.  The  father 
prospered  in  business  and  at  his  death  left 
fourteen  hundred  and  thirty-six  acres  of 
land. 

Mrs.  Johnson  was  a  student  in  Hed- 
ding  College  at  Abingdon,  Illinois,  at 
the  same  time  Mr.  Johnson  attended 
there.  They  had  been  reared  within  six 
miles  of  each  other,  but  it  was  in  their 
college  days  that  their  friendship  ripened 
into  love  and'  was  followed  by  marriage. 
They  began  their  domestic  life  on  the  old 
Deming  farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres,  which  was  given  Mr.  Johnson  by 
his  father  and  which  is  still  in  possession 
of  the  family.  There  they  resided  for 
seventeen  years,  after  which  they  spent 
two  years  in  Hill's  Grove,  but  later  re- 
turned to  St.  Mary  and  purchased  and  im- 
proved another  farm,  whereon  they  re- 
sided until  1893.  In  that  year  they  took 
up  their  abode  in  Carthage.  Mr.  Johnson 
purchasing  a  pretty  home  at  the  corner 
of  Walnut  and  Washington  streets. 
After  his  removal  to  the  city  he  engaged 
in  business  as  a  stockman,  buying  and 
selling  cattle  on  an  extensive  scale.  He 
also  belonged  to  the  Cattle  Exchange  and 
his  business  interests  were  carefully  con- 
ducted and  netted  him  a  very  gratifying 
profit. 

Mr.  Johnson  was  a  soldier  of  the  Civil 
war,  enlisting  in  the  Seventy-first  Illinois 
Infantry.  For  a  time  he  was  in  the  hos- 
pital at  Cairo.  Although  reared  in  the 


1 82 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


republican  faith  he  was  independent  in  his 
political  views.     He  served  as  supervisor, 
school    director    and    road    trustee    and 
several  years  ago  acted  as  alderman  of 
Carthage  for  two  years.     His  name  was 
on  the  membership  rolls  of  the  Masonic 
fraternity,  the  Modern  Woodmen  camp 
and  the  Grand  Army  Post,  of  all  of  which 
he    was    a    worthy    representative.     His 
widow  is  one  of  the  charter  members  and 
a  director  of  the  Daughters  of  the  Amer- 
ican Revolution,  belongs  to  the  Woman's 
Relief  Corps  and  to  the  Woman's  Chris- 
tian Temperance  Union.     Both  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Johnson  were  devoted  members  of 
the  Methodist  church,   in  which  he  held 
all  of  the  offices.     Mrs.  Johnson  was  a 
steward  in  the  church  for  twelve  years, 
or  until  she  reared  a  son  to  take  her  place. 
Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Johnson  were  born 
four  children,  of  whom  three  are  now  liv- 
ing:    Drenon     M.,     born     in     Hancock 
county,  July  4,  1864,  is  a  farmer  of  this 
county.     He  married  Miss  Ella  A.  Can- 
non, of  this  county,  December  28,  1887, 
and    has    a    daughter,    Ruth    M.     John 
Bacon,    born    March    4,     1866,    in    this 
county,  is  a  stockman  and  cattle  feeder, 
carrying  on  business  near  Carthage.     He 
was   married   to   Stella   Walker,   of  this 
county,   October    18,    1894.     Damon   J., 
born  January   n,   1872,  is  a  real  estate 
dealer  of   Pittsburg,   Pennsylvania.     He 
was   graduated   from   the   Northwestern 
University  at  Evanston,  Illinois,  in  1892, 
and  on  returning  to  Carthage  read  law 
with   Berry   Brothers   and   Judge   Mack. 
In    1898,   he  enlisted   for  service  in  the 
Spanish-American    war    in    the    Fiftieth 
Iowa   Infantry.     He  became  a  corporal 
and  served  for  seven  months.     In  1899 


he  enlisted  in  the  Thirty-second  United 
States  Volunteers  and  went  to  the  Philip- 
pines, where  he  remained  for  two  years, 
being  mustered  out  as  sergeant,  May  9, 
1901.     He  was  wounded  in  the  knee  at 
the  first  battle  of  Angeles  and  was  in- the 
hospital  for  a  long  time.     Mr.  Johnson 
was  a  representative  of  a  prominent  pio- 
neer  family   of   Illinois,   as   is   his   wife. 
Their  respective  parents  were  in  limited 
circumstances  on  coming  to  this  state  but 
by  wise  investment  in  land  and  carefully 
directed  business  affairs  became  wealthy. 
Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Johnson  had  a  wide 
acquaintance  in  Hancock  county  and  were 
gladly  received  in  those  homes  where  in- 
telligence and  culture  are  accepted  as  the 
passports  into  good  society.    When  called 
to  his  final  rest  the  funeral  services  were 
conducted  at  his  home  in  Carthage  by 
his  pastor,  Rev.  Edwards,  of  the  Metho- 
dist Episcopal  church,   assisted  by  Rev. 
Young,  pastor  of  the  Presbyterian  church. 
At  the  conclusion  of  the  services  the  re- 
mains, escorted  by  the  Masonic  lodge  and 
Alexander  Sympson  post,  G.  A.  R.,  were 
conveyed  to   Moss   Ridge  cemetery,   the 
interment  being  made  under  the  auspices 
of  the  Masonic  fraternity.     Mr.  Johnson 
was    highly     respected     throughout    the 
county,  where  he  had  a  wide  acquaintance 
and  all  who  knew  him  gave  him  their 
friendship  and  regard.     While  taking  an 
active  part  in  politics  and  holding  radical 
views  on  many  of  the  questions  of  the  day, 
he  probably  had  as  few  political  enemies 
as  any  man  of  equal  political  prominence. 
As  a  citizen  he  was  public  spirited  and 
his  co-operation  could  be  counted  upon 
for  the  betterment  of  conditions  in  mu- 
nicipal and  county  affairs.     His  life  was 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


183 


upright  and  honorable,  characterized  by 
high  moral  principles  and  many  admirable 
qualities,  by  a  benevolent  spirit  and  hu- 
manitarian disposition.  All  who  knew 
him  recognized  his  many  good  traits  of 
character,  but  his  best  qualities  were  re- 
served for  his  own  home  and  fireside, 
where  he  was  a  most  devoted  husband 
and  father. 


OBITUARY. 

Matthew  Mason  Johnson,  son  of  the 
late  John  T.  and  Maria  Johnson,  was 
born  July  7,  1843,  near  Urbana,  Ohio, 
and  died  April  7,  1906,  aged  sixty-two 
years  and  nine  months. 

He  came  with  his  parents  in  infancy 
to  a  farm  in  St.  Mary's  township,  Han- 
cock county,  Illinois,  where  he  resided 
until  1893,  when  he  became  a  resident  of 
Carthage,  Illinois. 

He  was  married  to  Mary  A.  Bacon, 
of  Hills  Grove,  McDonough  county,  Illi- 
nois, on  October  27,  1863.  To  this  union 
were  born  four  sons :  Drenon  M.  and 
John  B.,  of  this  city;  Damon  J.,  of  Pitts- 
burg,  Pennsylvania,  and  George  L.,  who 
died  in  infancy.  The  widow,  three  sons, 
one  granddaughter,  three  brothers,  Hi- 
ram, Joseph  and  Nelson,  one  sister,  Mrs. 
Orilla  Botts  and  many  other  relatives  and 
friends  mourn  his  departure. 

He  was  converted  and  united  with 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  at  St. 
Marys,  Illinois,  in  the  year  1871,  of  which 
church  he  remained  a  member  until  he 
transferred  his  membership  to  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  church  of  Carthage. 

A  few  weeks  before  his  death  he  ex- 
12 


pressed  his  belief  that  his  time  on  earth 
was  drawing  to  a  close  and  that  he  was 
prepared  to  meet  his  God.  While  on  a 
visit  to  the  old  neighborhood  with  his 
brothers  and  sister,  he  died  very  suddenly 
at  the  home  of  his  brother,  Nelson. 

He  was  a  member  of  the  Masonic  lodge 
of  Carthage,  "Grand  Army  of  the  Re- 
public" and  the  Modern  Woodmen  of 
America. 

The  funeral  was  held  at  the  residence 
Monday  at  2  p.  m.,  conducted  by  Rev. 
Edwards,  pastor  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal church,  assisted  by  Rev.  Young, 
pastor  of  the  Presbyterian  church. 

At  the  conclusion  of  the  services  the 
remains,  escorted  by  the  Masonic  lodge 
and  Alexander  Sympson  Post,  G.  A.  R., 
of  this  city,  were  conveyed  to  Moss  Ridge 
and  placed  in  the  vault,  the  last  sad  rites 
being  conducted  by  the  Masons. 

The  floral  offerings  were  very  profuse 
and  beautiful,  noticeable  among  them  be- 
ing a  wheel  with  one  felloe  missing  from 
the  Stockman's  club  of  this  city  of  which 
deceased  was  an  honored  member.  He 
carried  $4,000  insurance,  $2,000  in  the 
Modern  Woodmen  of  America  and 
$2,000  in  the  Banker's  Life  of  Des 
Moines,  Iowa. 

Deceased  was  a  man  highly  respected 
all  over  the  county,  throughout  which  he 
had  a  wide  acquaintance  and  his  friends 
were  limited  only  by  his  acquaintances. 
While  taking  an  active  part  in  politics 
and  was  rather  radical  in  his  views,  he 
had  probably  as  few  political  enemies  as 
any  man  of  equal  political  prominence. 
As  a  citizen  he  was  public-spirited  and 
in  speech  and  in  deeds  was  always  con- 
sistently in  favor  of  any  movement  look- 


1 84 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


ing   to   the  betterment   of   conditions    in 
municipal  or  county  affairs. 

He  was  a  man  of  clean  morals  and 
possessed  many  admirable  qualities,  al- 
ways willing  to  lend  a  helping  hand  to 
those  in  need  and  as  a  husband  and  father 
was  an  example  worthy  of  emulation,  and 
the  entire  community  mourns  with  the 
sorrowing  fanlily  in  the  loss  sustained 
through  his  death. 


JOHN  S.  COCHRAN. 

John  S.  Cochran,  editor  and  proprietor 
of  the  Hancock  County  Journal,  which 
is  the  largest  paper  published  in  the 
county,  has  since  1894  been  thus  con- 
nected with  the  newspaper  interests  of 
Carthage,  where  he  is  also  conducting  a 
good  job  printing  establishment.  He  is 
one  of  the  native  sons'of  the  county  seat, 
born  March  14,  1873,  his  parents  being 
L.  B.  and  Emily  (Symonds)  Cochran. 
The  father  was  born  in  Kentucky  in  1844 
and  the  mother's  birth  occurred  in  New 
Hampshire  in  1846.  At  a  very  early  day 
Mr.  Cochran  came  to  Hancock  county 
and  for  a  long  period  was  identified  with 
business  interests  in  Carthage  as  a  mer- 
chant. He  enlisted  in  Company  D  of  the 
Sixteenth  Illinois  Regiment  in  the  Civil 
war  and  served  throughout  the  period  of 
hostilities,  taking  part  in  a  number  of  im- 
portant engagements,  the  most  sangui- 
nary of  which  was  the  battle  of  Mission- 
ary Ridge.  For  a  time  he  was  engaged 
in  recruiting  service  in  Hancock  county. 
In  his  political  affiliation  Mr.  Cochran  has 


always  been  a  stalwart  republican  and  for 
twelve  years  served  as  postmaster  of 
Carthage,  beginning  about  1870.  Before 
their  marriage  both  he  and  his  wife  were 
teachers  in  the  first  public  school  in 
Carthage  and  the  building  is  still  stand- 
ing on  Wabash  avenue  and  Fayette  street. 
In  his  fraternal  relations  Mr.  Cochran  is 
a  Mason  and  passed  all  of  the  chairs  in 
the  local  lodge.  His  wife  is  a  member  of 
the  Presbyterian  church.  Her  parents 
were  Rev.  Frederick  and  Abbie  Symonds, 
the  former  a  minister  of  the  gospel,  while 
he  and  his  family  were  among  the  found- 
ers of  the  Presbyterian  church  in  Car- 
thage. In  the  family  of  Rev.  Symonds 
were  seven  children,  five  of  whom  are 
now  living :  Sarah,  the  widow  .of  J.  W. 
Hawley,  of  Holton,  Kansas ;  Edwin,  who 
died  in  Chicago  about  a  year  ago,  his 
family,  however,  still  living  in  this 
county ;  Mary,  the  widow  of  J.  W.  Haw- 
ley,  who  was  congressman  from  the  old 
fourteenth,  or  Rock  Island,  district  of  Illi- 
nois and  was  comptroller  of  currency  at 
Washington  during  the  Hayes  adminis- 
tration. His  widow  is  now  living  in 
Omaha,  Nebraska.  Emily  S.  is  the  wife 
of  L.  B.  Cochran.  Judge  W.  A.  Symonds 
is  living  in  Carthage.  A.  F.  Symonds 
makes  his  home  in  Peabody,  Kansas,  and 
John  died  while  serving  in  the  Civil  war 
as  a  member  of  the  regiment  commanded 
by  Major  McClaughrey.  Unto  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  L.  B.  Cochran  were  born  four  chil- 
dren :  Mary,  the  wife  of  Professor  R.  C. 
Crum,  of  Quincy,  Illinois;  Isabella,  a 
popular  teacher  of  Sioux  City,  Iowa ; 
Robert,  who  died  in  1891,  at  the  age  of 
twenty  years  and  was  buried  in  Carthage 
cemetery;  and  John  S.,  of  this  review. 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


185 


At  the  usual  age  John  S.  Cochran 
entered  the  public  schools  and  passed 
thnnigh  successive  grades  until  he  com- 
pleted the  high  school  course  and  after- 
ward studied  in  Carthage  College.  He 
was  later  associated  in  the  newspaper 
business  with  his  father  for  a  year  or  so, 
they  purchasing  the  Journal  in  1892.  In 
1894,  Mr  Cochran  bought  his  father's 
interest  and  is  still  engaged  in  the  publi- 
cation of  the  Hancock  County  Journal, 
which  is  a  weekly  paper  and  the  largest 
published  in  the  county,  being  the  official 
organ  of  the  Republican  party.  Its  cir- 
culation exceeds  that  of  any  other  news- 
paper and  it  is  well  worthy  the  public 
patronage,  being  conducted  along  modern 
lines  of  journalism.  The  office  is  on 
Wabash  avenue  and  in  connection  with 
the  department  for  the  publication  of  the 
paper  he  also  conducts  a  large  job  print- 
ing department  and  has  a  good  patronage 
in  this  line. 

On  the  28th  of  June,  1898,  Mr.  Coch- 
ran was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Emily 
M.  Johnson,  who  was  born  in  Omaha, 
Nebraska.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cochran 
has  been  born  a  little  daughter,  Sarah 
Evelyn,  who  was  born  in  Carthage,  Feb- 
ruary 8,  1902. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Cochran  is  a 
republican  and  has  been  city  clerk  of 
Carthage.  He  has  been  greatly  and 
actively  interested  in  local  and  county 
politics  and  has  continuously  served  on 
some  committee  in  connection  with  the 
management  of  the  party  affairs.  Fra- 
ternally he  is  connected  with  the  Knights 
of  Pythias  and  the  Court  of  Honor.  He 
has  in  Carthage  erected  several  houses, 
all  of  which  he  has  sold  with  the  excep- 


tion of  the  last  one,  which  he  built  at  the 
corner  of  Locust  street  and  Quincy  road. 
He  is  an  active,  energetic  man  and  is 
very  prosperous  for  one  of  his  years. 
His  success  moreover  is  attributable  to  his 
own  labors  and  keen  business  discernment. 
He  is  a  young  man  of  strong  intelligence, 
who  has  been  a  student  of  the  signs  of 
the  times  relating  to  business  and  polit- 
ical development  and  he  stands  for  prog- 
ress and  improvement  atxall  times.  Both 
he  and  his  wife  are  consistent  and  helpful 
members  of  the  Presbyterian  church. 


DR.  BRIGGS  JUDD  FULLER. 

Briggs  Judd  Fuller,  formerly  identified 
with  the  dental  profession  of  Hancock 
county  but  now  living  retired  in  Warsaw, 
is  a  native  of  Lee,  Berkshire  county, 
Massachusetts,  his  birth  having  there  oc- 
curred on  the  8th  of  December,  1843.  His 
father,  Albert  Fuller,  came  to  this  county 
in  1856,  and  here  spent  his  remaining 
days,  his  death  having  occurred  February 
6,  1880.  His  widow",  who  bore  the 
maiden  name  of  Julia  Judd,  still  survives 
and  now  makes  her  home  with  her  son, 
Briggs  J.,  in  Warsaw. 

Dr.  Fuller  was  a  lad  of  twelve  years 
when  he  accompanied  his  parents  on  their 
removal  to  Hancock  county,  and  in  the 
schools  of  Warsaw  acquired  his  early 
education.  In  1864  he  enlisted  for  ser- 
vice in  the  army,  joining  a  company  which 
was  organized  at  Warsaw  and  which  was 
mustered  in  for  service  at  Quincy.  The 


1 86 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


company  was  assigned  to  duty  with  the 
Army  of  the  Tennessee  and  at  once  went 
to  Memphis,  where,  in  the  first  battle  in 
which  Dr.  Fuller  was  engaged  he  was 
captured  and  taken  as  a  prisoner  of  war 
to  Cahaba,  Alabama,  to  Castle  Morgan 
prison,  and  then  went  to  Vicksburg, 
where  he  was  parolled  and  where  he  was 
granted  a  furlough  and  went  to  Spring- 
field, being  there  mustered  out  of  service. 

Choosing  the  profession  of  dentistry 
as  a  life  work,  he  entered  the  Missouri 
Dental  College,  at  St.  Louis,  from  which 
he  was  graduated  in  1871  with  the  degree 
of  D.  D.  S.  He  afterward  pursued  a 
course  in  the  St.  Louis  Medical  College. 
Following  his  graduation  he  returned  to 
his  home  in  this  city,  where  he  opened 
an  office  and  successfully  engaged  in  the 
practice  of  his  profession  for  a  number 
of  years  in  Warsaw,  since  which  time 
he  has  lived  retired,  now  making  his 
home  with  his  mother  and'  sister  in  this 
city.  He  has  here  formed  a  very  wide 
acquaintance  both  professionally  and  so- 
cially and  is  highly  esteemed,  for  he  has 
ever  been  straightforward  and  honorable 
in  every  relation  of  life. 

A  brother,  Dr.  Albert  Homer  Fuller, 
was  also  in  the  Civil  war,  and  enlisted  in 
1862,  and  served  for  three  years.  He 
resides  in  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  where  he 
is  a  practicing  dentist.  He  was  for  many 
years  Dean  of  Missouri  Dental  College 
of  Washington  University,  at  St.  Louis, 
Missouri,  but  has  now  retired  from  the 
college.  While  connected  with  the  col- 
lege his  work  was  very  satisfactory,  not 
only  to  the  faculty,  but  also  to  the  stu- 
dents, many  of  whom  have  become 
distinguished. 


JAMES  W.  McKEE. 

James  W.  McKee,  now  living  retired  in 
Carthage,  was  born  in  Ohio,  near  Ripler,» 
April  30,  1840.  His  father,  James  McKee ,1 
Sr.,  was  born  in  McKeesport,  Pennsylva-I 
nia,  in  1777,  and  removed  to  Ohio  when? 
about  thirty-five  years  of  age,  after  which 
he  regularly  visited  his  old  home  in  Penn-  j 
sylvania  once  a  year,  walking  one  way 
and  riding  horseback  the  other  way.     He  j 
was  an  enterprising  farmer  and  a  diligent 
man,  whose  life  was  always  characterized 
by  integrity  in  all  business  transactions.  I 
He  served  his  country  as  a  soldier  in  the  I 
war  of  1812  and  his  life  at  all  times  coii-1 
formed  to  a  high  standard  of  conduct.  I 
He  was  married  twice  and  there  were  • 
ten   children   by   the   first   marriage   and 
nine  by  the  second,  while  his  second  wife 
had  five   children   by   a  prior  marriage. 
One  of  the  sons,  Nathaniel  McKee,  was 
a  soldier  of  the  Civil  war,   enlisting  in 
the    Seventh    Missouri    Cavalry    under  , 
Captain  Miller. 

James  W.  McKee  spent  the  days  of 
his  boyhood  and  youth  in  Ohio,  and  at 
the  age  of  seventeen  years  came  to  Illi- 
nois with  his  parents,  settling  on  a  farm 
in  Carthage  township,  where  he  owned 
one  hundred  acres.  He  has  followed 
general  farming  and  stock-raising  for 
many  years,  giving  his  attention  to  that 
calling  until  1895,  when  he  retired.  He 
made  good  and  substantial  improvements 
upon  his  land,  placing  the  fields  under  a 
high  state  of  cultivation,  adding  modern 
improvements  and  using  the  latest  im- 
proved machinery  for  plowing,  planting 
and  harvesting.  As  the  years  passed  he 
prospered  in  his  undertakings  and  in  1895 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


187 


;  he  removed  to  Carthage,  where  he  built 
I  a  modern  home  on  Schofield  street  and 
is  now  spending  the  evening  of  life  in 
comfort,  for  in  former  years  he  acquired 
a  competence  sufficient  to  supply  him  with 
the  necessities  and  many  of  the  luxuries 
of  life.  October  13,  1859,  Mr.  McKee 
was  married  to  Miss  Margaret  Weir,  who 
was  born  in  Washington  county,  Indiana, 
August  2i,  1840,  a  daughter  of  George 
Weir,  who  was  a  successful  farmer. 
George  Weir,  one  of  the  sons,  was  a  sol- 
dier of  the  Civil  war,  enlisting  in  the 
One  Hundred  and  Eighteenth  Illinois  In- 
fantry, and  died  while  in  service,  becoming 
ill  at  Jefferson  Barracks.  Both  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Weir  have  passed  away.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  J.  W.  McKee  have  become  the  par- 
ents of  five  children,  who  are  now  liv- 
ing. Ida  is  the  wife  of  Edward  Arm- 
strong, who  occupies  a  position  in  the 
postoffice  in  Chicago,  and  they  have  three 
children,  Ruth,  Edna  and  Harry.  Albert 
Nathaniel  is  proprietor  of  a  grocery  store 
in  Carthage.  Margaret  is  the  wife  of 
Emanuel  Gildner,  a  wholesale  clothing 
merchant  of  Chicago.  Effie  is  the  wife 
of  Charles  Peirson,  of  Chicago,  and  Maud 
is  also  in  Chicago. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  McKee  are  loyal  and 
consistent  members  of  the  Presbyterian 
church,  in  which  he  has  served  as  an  elder. 
They  take  a  very  active  and  helpful  part 
in  church  work  and  Mrs.  McKee  has  been 
president  of  the  Ladies'  Aid  Society. 
They  have  a  pleasant  home  in  Carthage, 
and  in  addition  to  this  property  Mr.  Mc- 
Kee owns  a  house,  which  he  rents  and 
also  two  large  farms  in  the  county,  one 
in  Carthage  township  and  one  in  Hancock 
township,  from  which  he  derives  a  grati- 


fying income.  In  a  review  of  his  life  it 
will  be  seen  that  he  had  no  assistance 
when  he  started  upon  his  business  career 
but  the  spirit  of  self-help  is  the  source  of 
all  genuine  worth  in  the  individual,  and 
placing  his  reliance  on  the  substantial 
qualities  of  industry  and  close  application, 
Mr.  McKee  worked  his  way  steadily  up- 
ward until  he  reached  the  plane  of  afflu- 
ence. Industry  and  economy  constitute  a 
safe  basis  on  which  to  build  prosperity — a 
fact  which  he  early  recognized  and  which 
he  has  utilized  in  his  business  career.  His 
political  allegiance  is  given  to  the  Repub- 
lican party  and  he  served  as  road  com- 
missioner and  as  school  director  for  a 
number  of  years.  Both  he  and  his  wife 
are  pleasant,  genial  people,  interested  in 
all  that  pertains  to  the  welfare  of  their 
city  and  state  and  to  the  interests  of 
mankind,  and  they  number  their  friends 
in  Carthage  and  Hancock  county  by  the 
score. 


ALBERT  NATHANIEL  McKEE. 

Albert  Nathaniel  McKee,  engaged  in 
the  grocery  business  in  Carthage,  was 
born  in  Hancock  county,  in  1864,  a  son 
of  James  W.  and  Margaret  (Weir)  Mc- 
Kee, who  are  represented  elsewhere  in 
this  work.  His  education  was  acquired 
in  the  district  schools  and  he  entered  upon 
his  business  career  as  proprietor  of  a  res- 
taurant in  Carthage,  which  he  conducted 
for  a  year.  He  then  accepted  a  position 
as  fireman  on  the  Chicago,  Burlington  & 
Ouincy  Railroad,  being  thus  employed  for 


1 88 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


three  years,  after  which  he  was  a  brake- 
man  for  a  year  on  the  Keokuk  &  Western 
Railroad.  He  next  went  to  Quincy,  Illi- 
nois, spending  a  year  in  the  Electric 
Wheel  Works,  after  which  he  returned  to 
Carthage,  where  he  devoted  the  succeed- 
ing year  to  looking  after  various  prop- 
erties. Going  to  Chicago  he  operated  a 
motor  car  of  the  Chicago  City  Railway 
Company  for  eight  years,  and  on  the  expi- 
ration of  that  period  he  removed  to  Ren- 
nick,  Missouri,  where  he  devoted  three 
years  to  farming.  He  next  went  to 
Moberly,  Missouri,  where  he  was  em- 
ployed in  a  machine  shop  for  about  a  year. 
In  1905  he  returned  to  Carthage  and  pur- 
chaged  the  corner  property  on  Schofield 
and  Buchanan  streets,  opening  the  only 
grocery  store  in  the  northern  part  of  the 
city.  He  has  a  well  appointed  store,  car- 
rying a  carefully  selected  line  of  staple 
and  fancy  groceries  and  also  a  well  se- 
lected stock  of  muslins,  prints,  notions 
and  novelties,  it  being  a  great  convenience 
to  the  entire  neighborhood  to  have  such 
an  establishment  in  their  midst. 

On  the  28th  of  August,  1889,  Mr.  Mc- 
Kee  was  married  to  Miss  Alice  Yetter, 
who  was  born  September  21,  1867,  in 
Carthage  township,  Hancock  county,  a 
daughter  of  S.  R.  and  Hester  (Halbert) 
Yetter.  The  father  was  born  in  Lan- 
caster county,  Pennsylvania,  in  1824,  and 
the  mother  in  Kentucky,  in  1836.  Mr. 
Yetter  was  "a  farmer  by  occupation  and 
was  only  twelve  years  of  age  when 
brought  to  Illinois,  where  he  has  devoted 
his  life  to  agricultural  pursuits.  He  still 
lives  on  his  farm  but  is  now  practically 
living  retired.  His  political  allegiance  is 
given  to  the  Republican  party  and  he  has 


served  as  justice  of  the  peace  for  many 
years,  proving  a  fair  and  impartial  of- 
ficer. Fraternally  he  is  a  Mason.  In  his 
family  were  ten  children,  of  whom  seven 
are  now  living,  as  follows :  Laura,  the 
wife  of  Lewis  Tull,  a  resident  of  Berke- 
ley, California;  Mary,  the  wife  of  Rich- 
ard White,  of  Carthage,  who  is  men- 
tioned elesewhere  in  this  volume;  John 
C.,  of  Carthage;  Charles,  who  is  living, 
in  Beardstown,  Illinois;  Alice,  now  Mrs. 
McKee;  Margaret,  the  wife  of  P.  H. 
Willey,  of  Peabody,  Kansas;  and  Ralph, 
at  home.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Yetter  are  de- 
voted members  of  the  Methodist  church 
and  in  his  younger  years  he  filled  at 
different  times  all  of  the  church  offices. 
They  are  people  of  the  highest  respecta- 
bility, their  upright,  honorable  lives  hav- 
ing gained  for  them  the  esteem  and  con- 
fidence of  all  with  whom  they  have  been 
associated. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  McKee 
has  been  blessed  with  four  children. 
Earl,  who  was  born  October  23,  1890, 
in  Keokuk,  Iowa,  and  is  attending  the 
high  school ;  Ray,  who  was  born  in  Keo- 
kuk, in  1892;  Helen,  born  in  Chicago,  in 
1895 ;  and  Harold,  who  was  born  in  Chi- 
cago in  1896,  and  died  in  1897,  being 
laid  to  rest  in  Moss  Ridge  cemetery  at 
Carthage.  The  three  living  children  are 
all  in  school,  the  parents  giving  to  them 
good  educational  privileges.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  McKee  are  faithful  members  of  the 
Presbyterian  church  and  he  belongs  to  the 
Modern  Woodmen  camp  and  to  the  Chi- 
cago Mutual  Aid,  while  his  political  al- 
legiance is  given  to  the  Republican  party. 
He  has  depended  upon  his  own  resources 
from  an  early  age  and  whatever  success 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


189 


he  has  achieved  has  resulted  from  his 
perseverance,  labor  and  ready  adaptabil- 
ity. He  has  attained  a  creditable  meas- 
ure of  success  for  one  of  his  years  and 
is  now  proprietor  of  a  good  store,  in 
which  he  is  enjoying  a  large  patronage. 
He  is  located  on  a  very  pretty  corner 
which  he  has  improved  by  the  erection  of 
a  handsome  and  commodious  modern 
residence  on  Schofield  street  adjoining  the 
store  and  he  contemplates  building  a  new 
store  building  in  the  near  future.  He  is 
courteous  and  accommodating  and  his 
business  is  constantly  growing.  He  pos- 
sesses laudable  ambition  and  energy  and 
his  wife  has  been  of  much  assistance  to 
him. 


FREDERICK  W.  MEYER. 

Frederick  W.  Meyer,  who  is  living  in 
Walker  township,  was  born  in  Adams 
county,  Illinois,  January  18,  1856,  and  is 
of  German  lineage.  His  parents,  Got- 
lieb  and  Henrietta  Yetter  (Homer) 
Meyer,  were  both  natives  of  the  father- 
land. The  former,  born  in  1829,  died  in 
1895,  but  Mrs.  Meyer  is  still  living  at  the 
home  in  Adams  county.  He  was  a 
farmer,  and  in  1854  crossed  the  Atlantic 
to  the  new  world,  making  the  voyage  in 
a  sailing  vessel,  which  was  three  weeks 
in  reaching  the  American  port.  Unto 
him  and  his  wife  -were  born  eight  chil- 
dren :  Caroline,  the  wife  of  Gotlieb 
Roskamp,  of  Walker  township;  F.  W., 
of  this  review ;  Fredericka,  the  wife  of 
Ernest  Distlehorst,  of  Horton;  Augusta. 


the  wife  of  Henry  Slitman,  of  Adams 
county,  Illinois;  Louisa,  the  wife  of  Ed 
Cook,  of  Mendon,  this  state;  Emma,  the 
wife  of  James  Knox,  of  Adams  county; 
Anna,  at  home;  and  Gotlieb,  who  for 
eight  years  was  in  the  Philippine  Islands, 
but  is  now  in  St.  Louis,  Missouri. 

F.  W.  Meyer  pursued  his  education  in 
the  public  schools  of  Quincy,  Illinois,  and 
at  Fowler,  this  state.  In  his  youth  he 
largely  assisted  his  father  in  the  work  of 
the  home  farm  and  eventually  began  earn- 
ing his  living  by  working  as  a  farm  hand 
for  two  months  in  the  employ  of  Mr. 
Buckeder.  He  was  married  in  1883  to 
Miss  Minnie  Althede,  who  was  born  in  an 
old  log  house  standing  on  the  farm  which 
is  now  the  home  of  Mr.  Meyer.  Her 
natal  year  was  1860,  and  her  parents  were 
Gotlieb  and  Rickie  (Hocker)  Althede, 
both  natives  of  Germany.  Her  father 
provided  for  his  family  by  following 
farming  and  feeding  stock  in  Walker 
township  for  many  years  but  in  early  life 
he  learned  and  followed  the  tailor's  trade. 
He  died  in  1902,  and  his  widow  is  now 
living  at  her  daughter's,  Mrs.  Wiebrock, 
in  Walker  township.  Mr.,  Althede  served 
in  the  German  army  in  his  native  country 
and  was  also  a  soldier  of  the  Civil  war 
in  this  country  for  eight  months.  In  his 
family  were  six  children  who  are  yet  liv- 
ing: Fred,  who  resides  in  Wythe  town- 
ship; Mrs.  Meyer;  Henry  and  Gotlieb, 
who  are  farmers  of  Walker  township; 
Mrs.  Carrie  Wiebrock,  of  Walker  town- 
ship; and  John,  living  in  the  same  town- 
ship. 

About  a  year  after  his  marriage  Mr. 
Meyer  purchased  his  present  farm  home 
of  his  father-in-law,  and  now  has  eighty 


190 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


acres  on  section  4,  Walker  township.  He 
built  his  present  residence  in  1892,  taking 
possession  on  the  I4th  of  June.  In  1888 
he  built  a  good  barn  thirty-two  by  forty- 
four  feet  and  has  also  put  up  other  sub- 
stantial buildings  on  the  place.  He  like- 
wise owns  eighty-three  acres  of  land  near 
Hamilton,  Illinois,  which  is  improved, 
and  sixty-two  acres  of  pasture  land  in 
Bear  Creek  township,  beside  a  store  build- 
ing in  Sutter  which  is  occupied  by  Wil- 
liam Shipe,  and  two  houses  in  Sutter 
which  he  rents.  His  attention  is"  mainly 
given  to  general  agricultural  pursuits  and 
stock-raising,  and  upon  his  place  he  has 
a  young  orchard  of  six  acres  of  peaches 
and  apples,  only  about  three  years  old. 
He  is  entirely  a  self-made  man,  who 
started  out  in  life  in  limited  circumstances. 
In  his  earlier  years  he  practiced  frugality 
and  industry  and  as  the  result  of  his 
earnest  labor  he  and  his  wife  are  now 
enabled  to  enjoy  many  of  the  comforts 
which  go  to  make  life  worth  living. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Meyer  have  been 
born  eleven  children,  of  whom  nine  sur- 
vive :  Lydia,  the  wife  of  Charles  Mur- 
ray, who  lives  on  her  father's  farm  near 
Hamilton,  by  whom  she  has  two  daugh- 
ters, Elise  and  Edna ;  Carrie,  the  wife  of 
Gotlieb  Humke,  of  Wythe  township; 
Alice,  who  is  with  her  parents;  George, 
eighteen  years  of  age,  at  home;  Bertha, 
Rosa.  Sophia,  Dora  and  Sadie,  all  yet 
under  the  parental  roof. 

Mr.  Meyer  is  a  republican,  inflexible 
in  support  of  the  principles  of  his  party 
yet  without  aspiration  for  office.  Both 
he  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Ger- 
man church  and  are  intelligent,  well  re- 
spected citizens.  He  is  now  quite  an  ex- 


tensive landowner  and  all  his  property 
has  been  acquired  through  his  own  efforts. 
It  is  a  record  of  which  he  has  every  reason 
to  be  proud  and  it  shows  what  may  be 
accomplished  in  this  country  where  labor 
is  unhampered  by  caste  or  class  and 
where  opportunity  is  open  to  all. 


FRED  N.  MILBY. 

Fred  N.  Milby,  editor  and  proprietor 
of  the  Carthage  Weekly  Democrat,  has 
made  a  notable  success  for  one  of  his 
years,  and  in  his  career  as  a  journalist 
has  kept  abreast  with  the  modern  prog- 
ress which  has  been  manifest  in  late  years 
in  the  newspaper  field.  He  is  a  native 
son  of  Hancock  county,  having  been  born 
near  Carthage,  March  15,  1873,  his  par- 
ents being  David  W.  and  Catherine 
(Curry)  Milby.  The  father  was  born  in 
Delaware,  July  12.  1831,  and  the 
mother's  birth  ocurred  in  Louisville,  Ken- 
tucky, March  13,  1834.  Mr.  Milby  was 
a  farmer  by  occupation  and  was  brought 
to  Illinois  in  his  childhood  days,  settling 
with  his  parents  at  Rushville  in  Schuyler 
county,  whence  he  came  to  Hancock 
county  about  thirty-five  years  ago.  He 
died  in  Carthage,  December  22,  1895, 
respected  by  all  who  knew  him  and  his 
remains  were  interred  in  Moss  Ridge 
cemetery.  His  political  views  were  in 
harmony  with  the  principles  of  democ- 
racy. His  wife,  a  member  of  the  Chris- 
tian church,  is  now  living  with  her  son 
Fred.  They  had  a  family  of  seven  chil- 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


191 


dren,  all  of  whom  yet  survive,  namely : 
Albert  B.,  residing  near  Tulip,  Missouri; 
Jennie,  the  wife  of  Perry  Fancher,  resid- 
ing in  Carthage  Missouri ;  Laura,  living 
with  her  mother;  Thomas  G.,  of  Car- 
thage; Anna  D.,  the  wife  of  E.  L.  Yates, 
of  Perkins,  Oklahoma ;  Fred  M. ;  and 
Carrie  M.,  who  is  assisting  her  brother 
Fred  in  his  office.  Thomas  J.  Curry,  a 
brother  of  Mrs.  David  W.  Milby,  was  a 
soldier  in  the  Civil  war,  serving  through- 
out the  period  of  hostilities  as  captain  of 
Company  C,  One  Hundred  and  Eight- 
eenth Volunteer  Infantry.  Two  other 
brothers,  James  and  Duncan  Curry,  were 
also  members  of  the  same  regiment,  so 
that  the  family  was  well  represented  in 
the  army. 

In  the  public  schools  of  Carthage  Fred 
X.  Milby  acquired  his  education  and  after- 
ward learned  the  printer's  trade,  which 
he  followed  in  this  city  as  an  employe  until 
1899,  when  he  established  a  printing  of- 
fice of  his  own  in  the  Quinby  Block  on 
Jefferson  street.  He  is  also  editor  and 
proprietor  of  the  Carthage  Weekly  Demo- 
crat, a  paper  which  has  a  large  circulation 
in  the  city  and  county.  This  is  one  of 
the  strong  democratic  organs  of  the 
county  and  in  connection  with  its  publi- 
cation he  also  conducts  a  prosperous  job- 
bing printing  business,  having  an  office 
well  equipped  for  turning  out  first  class 
work,  so  that  a  liberal  patronage  is  ac- 
corded him. 

On  the  29th  of  November,  1900,  Mr. 
Milby  was  married  to  Miss  Mabel  G. 
Linn,  who  was  born  in  West  Point,  Illi- 
nois in  1883,  a  daughter  of  George  W. 
and  Irene  (Browning)  Linn.  Her  father 
was  a  native  of  Adams  county,  Illinois, 


and  the  mother  was  also  born  in  this 
state.  Mr.  Linn  is  a  blacksmith  by  trade 
and  followed  that  pursuit  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  January  4,  1905.  His 
wife  had  passed  away  in  July,  1896,  and 
they  were  buried  near  West  Point,  Illi- 
nois. His  political  allegiance  was  given 
to  the  Republican  party.  Mrs.  Milby 
was  the  youngest  of  their  family  of  four 
children,  the  others  being  George  H., 
of  Carthage;  Cora  G.,  the  wife  of  Ed- 
ward Fletcher;  and  Nora.  All  are  still 
residents  of  Carthage.  Mr.  Milby  pur- 
chased a  pretty  home  on  Locust  and 
Washington  streets,  where  he  now  resides 
and  unto  him  and  his  wife  have  been  born 
two  children,  Katharine  Irene  and  Ken- 
neth Richmond,  the  former  born  Decem- 
ber 22,  1901,  and  the  latter  June  10,  1905. 
Kenneth  died  March  u,  1906.  In  con- 
nection with  his  home  property  Mr.  Milby 
also  owns  several  vacant  lots  in  Carthage 
and  a  business  house.  The  spirit  of  self- 
help  is  the  source  of  all  true  worth  in 
the  individual  and  it  has  been  the  domi- 
nant factor  in  the  life  record  of  Mr.  Milby 
who  had  no  assistance  as  he  entered  upon 
the  task  of  providing  for  his  own  support 
and  making  for  himself  a  place  in  busi- 
ness circles.  His  upright  life,  his  energy 
and  the  exercise  of  his  native  talents  con- 
stitute the  material  from  which  he  has 
builded  his  present  prosperity  and  he  has 
won  a  creditable  place  for  one  of  his 
years,  while  his  talents  bespeak  for  him 
still  greater  achievements  in  the  future. 
He  takes  a  most  active  interest  in  public 
affairs  and  as  a  private  citizen  and 
through  the  columns  of  his  paper  as  well, 
he  labors  effectively  for  the  welfare  of  his 
city  and  county.  He  has  always  been  a 


192 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


champion  of  the  democracy  and  is  con- 
nected with  Knights  of  Pythias  fraternity, 
exemplifying  in  his  life  its  beneficent 
spirit. 

Mr.  Milby  has  erected  a  fine  business 
building  on  the  east  side  of  the  square, 
and  the  second  story  is  now  the  home  of 
the  Democrat,  the  first  story  being  used 
as  a  store. 


WILLIAM  A.  SYMONDS. 

William  A.  Symonds,  who  is  now  serv- 
ing for  the  fifth  term  as  justice  of  the 
peace  in  Carthage,  is  one  of  the  represen- 
tative citizens  of  the  county.  Few  men 
are  more  widely  known  in  Carthage,  for 
he  has  been  an  important  factor  in  pro- 
fessional, political  and  church  circles  and 
his  popularity  is  well  deserved,  as  in  him 
are  embraced  the  characteristics  of  an 
unbending  integrity,  unabating  energy 
and  industry  that  never  flags.  He  is  public 
spirited  and  thoroughly  interested  in 
whatever  tends  to  promote  the  moral,  in- 
tellectual and  material  welfare  of  the 
county. 

A  native  of  New  Hampshire,  William 
A.  Symonds  was  born  in  Hillsborough 
county  on  the  3ist  of  October,  1844,  his 
parents  being  Frederick  W.  and  Abbie 
(Lawton)  Symonds.  The  father  was  also 
bom  in  Hillsborough  county  and  the 
mother's  birth  occurred  in  one  of  the 
eastern  states.  Coming  to  Illinois  in 
1847,  Frederick  W.  Symonds  settled  near 
Carthage  and  carried  on  general  agricul- 
tural pursuits  up  to  the  time  of  his  death. 


Both  he  and  his  wife  passed  way  in  1853 
and  were  buried  in  the  Carthage  cemetery. 
In  their  family  were  seven  children,  of 
whom  five  are  yet  living.     Two  of  the 
sons  were  soldiers  of  the  Civil  war.     Ed- 
win K.  enlisted  for  three  years  in  the  One 
Hundred  and  Nineteenth  Illinois  Infantry 
and  continued   with  the  army   until   the 
close  of  hostilities.     He  died  a  few  yeavs 
ago.     John  L.  Symonds,  who  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  One  Hundred  and  Eighteenth 
Illinois  Infantry,  became  ill  while  in  the 
service  and  died  near  Vicksburg.     Wil- 
liam L.  Rand,  a  cousin  of  Judge  Symonds, 
was  also  a  member  of  the  One  Hundred 
and  Eighteenth  Illinois  Infantry  and  now 
lives  in  Carthage.     Another  relative,  L. 
B.  Cochran,  a  husband  of  Emily  S.  Sy- 
monds, served  throughout  the  war  in  the 
Sixteenth  Illinois  Infantry  and  is  now  in 
Missouri.     John  B.  Hawley,  who  married 
Mary   F.   Symonds,   another  sister,   also 
served  in  an  Illinois  regiment  and  was  a 
captain  of  his  company.     He  took  part 
in  the  battle  of  Fort  Donelson  and  lost 
his  health  there  on  account  of  exposure 
and  had  to  resign  and  practiced  law  at 
Rock    Island,    Illinois,    and    was   elected 
congressman     from     that     district.     He 
served  as  assistant  secretary  of  treasury 
under  Sherman.     An  old  shot  gun  which 
was  used  by  an  ancestor  in  the  Revolu- 
tionary war  is  still  in  possession  of  the 
Symonds  family. 

Judge  Symonds  of  this  review,  being 
brought  to  Hancock  county  when  only 
three  years  of  age,  was  educated  in  the 
public  schools  of  Carthage  and  also  at- 
tended college  in  Jacksonville,  Illinois,  for 
a  year.  He  afterward  engaged  in  teach- 
ing school  for  several  years  in  this  county, 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


193 


but  in  the  fall  of  1864  put  aside  his  pro- 
fessional duties  and  personal  interests  in 
order  to  espouse  the  Union  cause,  enlist- 
ing when  twenty  years  of  age  as  a  mem- 
ber of  the  One  Hundred  and  Forty-sixth 
Infantry,  with  which  he  continued  until 
peace  was  restored.  He  then  returned 
to  Carthage  and  again  taught  school, 
while  later  he  devoted  his  summer  months 
to  farming  and  in  the  winter  seasons  con- 
tinued in  the  profession  of  teaching.  In 
1869  he  took  up  the  study  of  law  with 
David  Mack  as  his  preceptor,  reading 
with  him  for  two  years  and  afterward 
practicing  with  him  for  a  similar  period. 
He  then  entered  upon  practice  alone  in 
Carthage,  being  city  attorney  for  two 
years  when  the  city  abolished  saloons,  and 
followed  his  profession  for  several  years, 
when  on  account  of  ill  health  he  retired 
from  active  practice  and  turned  his  at- 
tention to  farming,  believing  that  the  out- 
door life  would  prove  beneficial.  Grad- 
ually, however,  he  resumed  his  law  work 
and  throughout  much  of  an  active  busi- 
ness career  his  attention  has  been  given 
to  the  practice  of  law  in  probate  court, 
but  principally  in  settling  of  estates. 

In  his  political  views  Judge  Symonds 
has  always  been  a  stanch  republican,  sup- 
porting the  party  since  age  conferred  upon 
him  the  right  of  franchise.  In  1874  he 
was  chosen  school  clerk  and  continued 
in  the  office  until  his  removal  to  the  farm. 
Later  he  was  again  appointed  to  the  same 
position  and  was  treasurer  of  the  school 
board  for  twelve  or  fifteen  years,  although 
his  service  was  not  consecutive.  He  is 
now  filling  for  the  fifth  term  the  position 
of  justice  of  the  peace,  so  that  his  in- 
cumbency covers  almost  twenty  years. 


For  many  years  he  has  been  public  ad- 
ministrator of  the  county.  He  has  also 
been  notary  public  throughout  his  con- 
nection with  the  Hancock  county  bar  and 
no  public  trust  reposed  in  him  has  ever 
been  betrayed  in  the  slightest  degree.  In 
connection  with  his  business  affairs  and 
official  duties  he  has  also  been  insurance 
agent  for  many  years. 

-  Mr.  Symonds  was  married  November 
26, 1878,10  Miss  Mary  Spangler,  a  daugh- 
ter of  William  M.  and  Sarah  E.  Span- 
gler, whose  sketch  is  also  in  this  review. 
Five  sisters  of  the  family  are  still  living. 
Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Symonds  have  been 
born  seven  children,  all  natives  of  Car- 
thage :  The  eldest,  Abbie,  died  in  infancy, 
the  rest  are:  Frederick  W.,  who  was 
twenty-two  years  of  age  on  the  loth  of 
January,  1906,  is  a  graduate  of  the  Car- 
thage high  school  and  is  now  studying 
engineering  under  the  direction  of  Scran- 
ton  (Pennsylvania)  Correspondence 
School.  Emily  Clare,  also  a  high  school 
graduate,  is  now  assisting  her  father  in 
his  office.  James  S.  is  a  high  school 
student.  Raymond  H.,  Mary  E.  and  John 
H.,  the  youngest  now  nine  years  of  age, 
are  all  in  school.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Symonds 
reside  in  the  southwest  part  of  the  city 
and  since  purchasing  his  home  he  has 
remodeled  both  the  exterior  and  interior 
and  now  has  a  very  comfortable  and  at- 
tractive property.  Mr.  Symonds  has 
been  a  Mason  for  many  years,  belonging 
to  Hancock  Lodge,  No.  20,  Ancient 
Free  and  Accepted  Masons.  He  likewise 
holds  membership  relations  with  the 
Woodmen  and  with  Alexander  Post,  No. 
455,  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  in 
which  he  has  been  adjutant  for  five  or 


194 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


six  years.  Both  he  and  his  wife  are 
members  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  in 
which  he  acted  as  clerk  for  many  years, 
while  for  ten  or  twelve  years  he  has  been 
a  ruling  elder,  taking  a  most  active  part 
in  church  work  and  doing  all  in  his  power 
to  promote  its  growth  and  extend  its  in- 
fluence. He  is  widely  and  favorably 
known  throughout  the  county.  The  terms 
progress  and  patriotism  might  well  be 
considered  the  key  note  of  his  character, 
for  throughout  his  career  he  has  labored 
for  the  improvement  of  every  line  of  busi- 
ness or  public  interest  with  which  he  has 
been  associated  and  at  all  times  has  been 
actuated  by  a  fidelity  to  his  country  and 
her  welfare. 


JOHN  H.  HORNEY. 

John  H.  Horney,  who  for  many  years 
was  identified  with  agricultural  pursuits 
in  Hancock  county  but  is  now  living  re- 
tired, is  numbered  among  the  early  set- 
tlers of  this  part  of  the  state  and  has  been 
an  active  factor  not  only  in  business  circles 
but  also  in  public  life,  several  official 
duties  having  been  bestowed  upon  him, 
the  duties  of  which  he  has  faithfully  and 
promptly  discharged.  He  is  now  serv- 
ing as  rural  mail  carrier  and  he  likewise 
proved  his  loyalty  and  his  devotion  to  his 
country  by  active  service  in  the  Civil  war. 
The  years  of  his  residence  in  Hancock 
county  cover  the  period  from  1851  to  the 
present  time. 

A  native  of  \Yarren   county,    Illinois, 


Mr.  Horney  was  born  on  the  3d  of  Au- 
gust, 1841,  his  parents  being  Lemuel  and 
Cynthia  (Brunton)  Horney.  The  father 
was  born  in  North  Carolina  in  1809  about 
thirty  miles  from  Raleigh,  the  capital  of 
that  state.  There  he  resided  continuously 
until  1827,  when,  at  the  age  of  eighteen 
years,  he  became  a  resident  of  Schuyler 
county,  Illinois,  having  made  the  journey 
to  the  west  with  his  parents.  He  lived 
in  that  county  for  some  years  after  his 
marriage  and  was  there  engaged  in  farm- 
ing. Later  he  removed  to  Warren 
county,  Illinois,  where,  he  carried  on  gen- 
eral agricultural  pursuits  and  in  1851  he 
came  with  his  family  to  Hancock  county, 
settling  on  section  12,  Wythe  township. 
There  he  purchased  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  of  land,  which  he  transformed  into 
a  good  farm,  making  his  home  thereon 
until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  Au- 
gust, 1863,  resulting  from  the  kick  of  a 
mule.  He  was  at  that  time  fifty-four 
years  of  age.  He  had  served  in  the 
Black  Hawk  war  and  was  one  of  the  pio- 
neers of  the  state,  closely  associated  with 
its  early  development  and  progress.  He 
shared  in  the  hardships  and  privations  in- 
cident to  life  on  the  frontier  and  as  the 
years  passed  contributed  to  the  develop- 
ment and  upbuilding  of  the  localities  in 
which  he  lived.  He  was  a  devoted  mem- 
ber of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  in 
which  he  served  as  a  trustee  and  class- 
leader  for  many  years.  He  was  also  a 
prosperous  and  progressive  citizen  whose 
well  directed  business  affairs  brought  to 
him  a  gratifying  competence.  His  po- 
litical allegiance  was  given  to  the  democ- 
racy and  for  a  number  of  years  he  served 
as  supervisor  from  that  township.  He 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


195 


also  acted  as  justice  of  the  peace  for 
some  time  and  during  his  residence  in 
Warren  co*nty,  Illinois,  he  served  as  ma- 
jor in  the  state  militia.  His  wife,  who 
bore  the  maiden  name  of  Cynthia  A. 
Brunton,  was  born  in  Hamilton  county, 
Ohio,  and  was  also  a  Methodist  in  her  re- 
ligious faith,  taking  an  active  and  help- 
ful part  in  the  work  of  the  church.  She 
survived  her  husband  for  many  years 
her  death  ocurring  in  1900,  and  her  re- 
mains were  then  interred  by  the  side  of 
his  grave  in  the  cemetery  at  Basco,  Illi- 
nois. In  their  family  were  nine  children, 
four  of  whom  are  yet  living  but  John  H. 
Horney  is  the  only  one  now  residing  in 
this  state. 

Mr.  Horney  of  this  review  was  a  lad 
of  about  ten  years  when  he  accompanied 
his  parents  on  their  removal  to  Hancock 
county.  He  began  his  education  at  the 
place  of  his  birth  and  continued  his  studies 
in  the  public  schools  of  Wythe  township. 
After  completing  his  own  education  he 
engaged  in  teaching  in  the  district  schools 
and  in  the  village  of  Elvaston,  success- 
fully following  that  profession  for 
twenty-one  years.  He  also  carried  on 
farming  in  Wythe  township,  having  pur- 
chased a  tract  of  land,  adjoining  the  old 
homestead  property.  He  resided  thereon 
for  a  number  of  years  and  then  went  to 
North  Dakota,  where  he  spent  nearly  four 
years.  On  the  expiration  of  that  period 
he  returned  to  Hancock  county,  making 
his  home  upon  the  farm  belonging  to  his 
father-in-law  in  Wythe  township.  There 
he  continued  to  reside  until  about  five 
years  ago  and  was  accounted  one  o'f  the 
enterprising  agriculturists  of  the  com- 
munity. Since  1901,  however,  he  has 


resided  in  the  village  of  Elvaston,  having 
retired  from  farm  life  but  indolence  and 
idleness  are  utterly  foreign  to  his  nature 
and  in  order  to  have  some  occupation  he 
became  rural  mail  carrier  on  the  only 
route  out  of  Elvaston.  He  has  also  done 
considerable  surveying  for  individuals  and 
railroad  companies  and  also  for  the  drain- 
age committee  and  he  acted  as  county 
surveyor  for  ten  years,  while  living  upon 
the  farm.  In  his  political  views  he  is  an 
earnest  democrat  and  for  some  time  held 
the  office  of  president  of  the  town  board 
of  Elvaston  and  was  assessor  of  Prairie 
township  for  one  term.  No  public  trust 
reposed  in  him  has  ever  been  betrayed  in 
the  slightest  degree  and  his  efficiency  and 
capability  have  long  been  recognized. 

Mr.  Horney  has  always  been  a  loyal 
and  public-spirited  citizen  and  his  de- 
votion to  his  country  was  early  manifest 
by  his  service  in  the  Civil  war,  for  when 
but  twenty-one  years  of  age  he  enlisted 
on  the  1 2th  of  August,  1862,  as  a  member 
of  Company  H,  One  Hundred  and  Eight- 
eenth Illinois  Infantry,  jvith  which  he 
served  for  about  one  year,  when  he  was 
discharged  at  Black  River  Bridge,  Mis- 
sissippi. He  participated  in  the  siege  of 
Vicksburg  and  an  engagement  at  Arkan- 
sas Post  and  was  sergeant  of  his  com- 
pany but  illness  compelled  him  to  leave 
the  army.  He  is  now  a  member  of  the 
Grand  Army  of  the  Republic  and  thus 
maintains  pleasant  relations  with  his  old 
army  comrades  of  the  Civil  war. 

Mr.  Horney  was  married  on  the  3Oth 
of  January,  1868,  to  Miss  Clara  E.  Berry, 
a  daughter  of  Joshua  C.  and  Mary  B. 
(Barker)  Berry,  the  former  a  native  of 
New  Hampshire  and  the  latter  of  Massa- 


196 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


chusetts.  They  went  to  Ohio  at  an  early 
day  and  in  1854  came  to  Hancock  county, 
Illinois,  settling  in  "\Yythe  township, 
where  the  father  followed  fanning  and 
surveying.  His  ability  in  the  latter  di- 
rection led  to  his  election  to  the  office  of 
county  surveyor  for  a  number  of  terms. 
He  died  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty- 
two  years,  while  his  wife  reached  the  ripe 
old  age  of  eighty-six  years.  Unto  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Homey  have  been  born  five 
four  of  whom  are  now  living. 

,  residing  in  Elvaston,  married 
•»«  f  ft 

Miss  Kafe>Daw  and  they  have  two  chil- 
dren, Nellie  F.  and  Frank  D. ;  Ettie  A.  is 
at  home.  Charles  H.  died  at  the  age  of 
three  weeks.  Eola  is  now  the  wife  of 
J.  Frank  Cameron,  of  Elvaston,  and  has 
one  child,  Glenn.  Jessie  M.,  the  young- 
est, is  a  student  in  the  public  schools. 
All  of  the  children  were  born  in  \Yythe 
township.  The  parents  are  members  of 
the  Presbyterian  church,  in  which  Mr. 
Horney  is  serving  as  an  elder.  There  are 
many  chapters  in  his  life  history  that  are 
worthy  of  emulation,  for  he  proved  a 
brave  and  loyal  soldier,  has  been  equally 
faithful  in  citizenship  in  times  of  peace, 
has  been  straightforward  in  his  business 
dealings  and  in  public  office  has  proved 
himself  fully  worthy  of  the  trust  of  his 
fellowmen. 


CHARLES  H.  GARNETT,  A.  M.,  LL.B. 

Charles  H.  Garnett.  one  of  the  promi- 
nent lawyers  of  western   Illinois,   whose 


ability  is  indicated  by  his  extensive  client- 
age not  only  in  Carthage  but  in  other 
cities  as  well,  was  born  in  tolmar,  Mc- 
Donough  county,  Illinois,  January  12, 
1873,  his  parents  being  Robert  K.  and 
Annie  E.  (Hunter)  Garnett.  Robert  K. 
Garnett  was  a  grandson  in  the  maternal 
line  of  Reuben  Graves,  who  served  as 
a  soldier  of  the  war  of  1812.  The  ma- 
ternal grandparents  of  our  subject  came 
to  America  from  the  north  of  Ireland 
near  Colerain  when  about  twenty  years 
of  age.  Robert  K.  Garnett  was  born  at 
St.  Marys,  Hancock  county,  Illinois,  Au- 
gust 4,  1844,  and  for  many  years  has  been 
a  successful  farmer  in  his  native  town- 
ship where  now  he  owns  a  fine  farm  of  two 
hundred  and  forty  acres.  He  has  served 
as  justice  of  the  peace  for  ten  or  twelve 
years  and  was  also  township  collector, 
discharging  his  duties  of  his  different  of- 
fices with  promptness  and  fidelity.  His 
political  allegiance  is  given  to  the  democ- 
racy and  he  is  recognized  as  a  local  leader 
in  the  party  ranks  as  well  as  an  influential 
factor  in  agricultural  circles.  He  married 
Miss  Annie  E.  Hunter,  a  daughter  of 
James  and  Martha  (Logan)  Hunter,  who 
was  born  in  Catasauqua,  Pennsylvania, 
October  19,  1845,  and  is  also  living. 
They  have  eight  children :  Mary  V.,  the 
wife  of  J.  Minor  Botts,  of  St.  Marys, 
Illinois;  Lulu  O.,  the  wife  of  William  G. 
Botts,  of  Carthage;  Charles  H..  of  this 
review;  Grace  A.,  who  is  a  graduate  of 
the  University  of  Illinois  of  the  class  of 
1901  and  was  for  four  years  principal 
of  the  high  school  at  Piano,  Illinois,  but 
is  now  teaching  in  the  high  school  at 
Prescott,  Arizona:  Elmer  L.,  who  is  a 
graduate  of  the  Illinois  University  of  the 


GLAUS  ALBERS 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS 


197 


class  of  1904  and  the  Northwestern  Law- 
School  of  Chicago  in  1906  and  is  now 
with  his  brother,  Charles  H. ;  Percie  E., 
a  student  in  the  State  University  at  Cham- 
paign, Illinois;  Robert  E.,  who  is  also 
studying  in  that  institution;  and  Harriet 
E.,  a  student  in  the  University  of  Illinois 
at  Urbana,  Illinois. 

Like  the  other  members  of  the  family 
Charles  H.  Garnett  was  afforded  excellent 
educational  privileges,  supplementing  his 
preliminary  course  by  study  in  the  Uni- 
versity of  Illinois  at  Champaign,  from 
which  he  was  graduated  with  the  degree 
of  Bachelor  of  Arts  in  the  class  of  1896. 
He  was  elected  to  a  fellowship  in  eco- 
nomics in  the  universtiy,  holdng  the  same 
for  one  year.  This  fellowship  is  a  scholar- 
ship, which  enabled  Mr.  Garnett  to  teach 
at  a  salary  of  four  hundred  dollars  per 
year  and  also  pursue  post-graduate  work, 
at  the  end  of  which  time  he  received  the 
degree  of  Master  of  Arts.  He  afterward 
spent  two  years  in  the  law  department 
at  Yale  College,  from  which  he  was 
graduated  in  1899  with  the  degree  of 
Bachelor  of  Laws  and  in  December  of  the 
same  year  he  was  admitted  to  the  Illinois 
bar.  After  spending  the  winter  in  Chi- 
cago he  came  to  Carthage  in  April,  1900, 
and  in  November  of  the  same  year  was 
elected  state's  attorney  of  Hancock 
county,  which  position  he  filled  for  the 
full  term  of  four  years.  He  is  now  one 
of  the  most  successful  lawyers  of  this  city 
with  a  large  clientele,  connecting  him  with 
much  important  litigation.  His  political 
allegiance  is  given  to  the  democracy  and 
he  was  nominated  for  the  second  term 
but  was  defeated.  In  1906  he  was  nomi- 
nated by  the  democratic  senatorial  con- 


vention to  represent  his  district  in  the 
general  assembly,  subject  to  the  general 
elections  held  in  November. 

Mr.  Garnett  belongs  to  Hancock  Lodge, 
No.  20,  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Ma- 
sons, in  which  he  is  now  junior  warden; 
Bentley  Lodge,  No.  412,  Independent 
Order  of  Odd  Fellows ;  and  Occidental 
Lodge,  No.  388,  Knights  of  Pythias,  in 
which  he  is  a  past  chancellor  commander 
and  also  belongs  to  the  Carthage  Baptist 
church.  His  offices  are  located  in  the 
AIcMahan  Building,  where  he  occupies  a 
nice  suite  of  rooms.  He  is  yet  a  young 
man  but  has  attained  prominence  in  his 
profession  that  many  an  older  practitioner 
might  well  envy,  and  a  growing  business 
is  indicative  of  the  confidence  reposed  in 
him  by  the  public.  June  6,  1906,  Mr. 
Garnett  was  married,  his  wife  being 
Ermine  Williams,  of  Fort  Stockton, 
Texas,  a  daughter  of  Oscar  YV.  and  Sarah 
(Wheat)  Williams.  He  was  an  attorney, 
a  graduate  of  Harvard  Law  School  and 
for  some  years  a  judge  of  Pecos  Bounty, 
Texas,  while  her  grandfather.  Jesse  C. 
Williams,  has  been  in  business  in  Car- 
thage about  a  half  century.  Miss  Wil- 
liams was- educated  at  Carthage  College. 


CLAUS  ALBERS. 

Claus  Albers,  numbered  among  War- 
saw's honored  dead,  was  for  many  years 
a  prominent  citizen.  As  the  day  with 
its  morning  of  hope  and  promise,  its 
noontide  of  activity,  its  evening  of  com- 


198 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


pleted  and  successful  effort,  ending  in  the 
grateful  rest  and  quiet  of  the  night,  so  was 
the  life  of  this  man,  and  when  death 
claimed  him  a  most  useful,  active  and 
honorable  career  was  ended,  in  which  he 
had  labored  not  alone  for  hfs  own  ad- 
vancement but  had  contributed  in  large 
measure  to  the  upbuilding  of  the  city. 

Claus  Albers  was  born  November  25, 
1817,  in  Hollenhof,  Amt,  Zeven.  in  the 
kingdom  of  Hanover,  Germany,  and  was 
the  eldest  son  of  John  Dietrich  and  Sophia 
Albers.  He  emigrated  to  America  in 
1836,  when  a  young  man  of  nineteen  years 
and  became  a  resident  of  Ohio.  He  was 
married  in  Cincinnati,  on  the  5th  of  March, 
1839,  to  Miss  Rebecca  Knoop,  who  came 
to  this  country  with  her  parents  in  1838. 
She  was  born  in  Oldendorf,  in  the  king- 
dom of  Hanover,  December  26,  1818. 

Following  their  marriage  the  young 
couple  removed  to  St.  Louis,  Missouri, 
where  Mr.  Albers  was  engaged  in  the 
grocery  business  and  subsequently  they 
took  up  their  abode  upon  a  farm  in  Ben- 
ton  county,  Missouri,  becoming  pioneer 
residents  of  that  locality.  Mr.  Albers  de- 
voted his  time  and  energies  to  general 
farming  there  for  nearly  eight  years  and 
while  living  there  he  and  his  wife  joined 
the  German  Methodist  church  in  1844, 
having  previously  been  members  of  the 
Lutheran  church.  Their  home  became  a 
preaching  place  for  Methodist  ministers 
until  a  little  society,  consisting  of  about 
eight  families,  built  a  log  church  on  Mr. 
Albers's  farm.  In  1847  he  left  Missouri, 
and  with  his  family  removed  to  Milwau- 
kee, Wisconsin,  and  thence  to  Racine,  re- 
maining only  a  few  weeks  in  each  place. 
He  afterward  came  to  Hancock  countv, 


Illinois,  settling  in  Xauvoo,  after  making 
the  journey  in  a  covered  wagon  drawn  by 
an  ox  team.  In  Nauvoo  he  dealt  in  gen- 
eral merchandising  and  traded  with  the 
surviving  Mormons,  all  of  whom  had  not 
been  expelled  from  the  state.  Their  mag- 
nificent temple  in  Xauvoo  was  burned 
during  Mr.  Albers's  residence  there.  In 
1851  he  removed  to  Warsaw,  where  he 
again  engaged  in  general  merchandising 
for  a  brief  period.  In  1854,  however,  he 
built  a  flouring  mill  on  the  site  of  the 
present  Grace  Mills,  having  a  capacity 
of  two  hundred  barrels  daily.  In  1855 
this  mill  was  destroyed  by  fire  and  he  at 
once  made  preparation  for  rebuilding. 
The  mill,  which  was  called  the  Grace  mill, 
was  established  in  1856  and  had  a  capacity 
of  from  two  hundred  and  fifty  to  three 
hundred  barrels  of  flour  per  day.  It  was 
managed  by  Mr.  Albers  with  the  assist- 
ance of  his  sons  and  at  times  with  differ- 
ent partners  until  1883,  when  he  retired 
from  that  business  and  took  up  the  man- 
agement of  his  farm  on  Main  street,  to 
which  he  had  devoted  many  leisure  hours 
through  a  long  period  of  years.  He  was 
pleased  to  term  it  the  preserver  of  his 
health  and  he  delighted  to  retire  to  this 
farm,  watching  the  growth  of  the  crops 
there  and  living  near  to  nature's  heart. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Albers  were  born 
seven  children,  who  survive  the  parents : 
Henry,  a  resident  and  prominent  busi- 
ness man  of  Los  Angeles,  California; 
Sophia,  the  wife  of  Dr.  J.  G.  Van  Marter, 
of  Rome,  Italy;  Anna,  the  wife  of  Pro- 
fessor J.  L.  Kessler,  of  Warrenton,  Mis- 
souri ;  Anna  Rebecca,  the  wife  of  William 
Zuppan ;  Charles  and  William  E.,  of  War- 
saw :  and  Homer,  of  Boston. 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


199 


The  death  of  the  father,  Claus  Albers, 
occurred  January  23,  1892,  when  he  was 
seventy-four  years  of  age.  A  local  jour- 
nal said  of  him :  "In  the  death  of  Mr. 
Albers  Warsaw  lost  a  citizen  who  gave 
the  best  years  of  his  life  to  an  enterprise 
that  contributed  largely  to  the  upbuilding 
of  the  city  and  made  it  for  four  decades 
the  grain  market  for  a  large  scope  of  ter- 
ritory. It  lost  a  citizen  who  thus  prac- 
tically demonstrated  the  vast  benefit,  a 
man  of  enterprise,  energy  and  capacity 
.  can  be  to  a  community  when  he  so  directs 
those  attributes.  It  lost  a  citizen  whose 
acquaintance  was  as  wide  as  the  commer- 
cial reach  of  the  city — made  so  by  a  long, 
active  and  useful  life."  His  wife  sur- 
vived him  until  July  9,  1896,  and  passed 
away  at  the  age  of  seventy-seven  years, 
six  months  and  thirteen  days.  Mrs.  Al- 
bers was  a  gentle,  kindly  woman,  char- 
itable in  her  estimate  of  every  one  and  of 
uniform  affability  in  the  treatment  of  all. 
She  never  spoke  evil  of  any  one,  and 
always  insisted  that  every  person  had  his 
good  side  and  redeeming  qualities  if  one 
would  only  seek  them.  Even  her  re- 
proofs were  so  tempered  with  sweetness 
they  left  no  sting  of  bitterness,  and  in 
all  her  life  it  is  said  she  never  gave  way 
to  temper.  Patient  in  her  consideration 
of  others,  self-sacrificing  and  thoughtful, 
her  greatest  ambition  seemed  to  be  to 
serve  her  family  and  her  greatest  fear 
that  she  might  be  a  care  or  a  burden.  All 
who  knew  her  are  full  of  her  praises  and 
all  mourn  the  loss  of  a  good  woman. 
They  can  well  sympathize  with  the  house- 
hold from  which  such  a-  light  has  gone 
out  forever. 

Of  their  family  Homer  Albers  has  at- 

13 


tained  national  distinction.  He  was  born 
in  Warsaw,  Illinois,  February  28,  1863. 
He  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of 
Warsaw;  at  Central  Wesleyan  College 
Warrenton,  Missouri,  from  which  college 
he  was  graduated  with  a  degree  of  Bache- 
lor of  Arts  in  1882.  He  then  went  to  the 
Boston  University  Law  School  and  was 
graduated  Magna  Cum  Laude  from  this 
institution  in  1885  with  the  degree  of 
Bachelor  of  Laws.  He  was  admitted  to 
the  bar  in  the  summer  of  1885  in  Boston; 
was  associated  in  business  before  his  ad- 
mission, and  subsequently  with  George 
L.  Huntress  until  1888,  when  he  became 
a  partner  with  Mr.  Huntress  which  part- 
nership has  continued  up  to  the  present 
time.  Soon  after  receiving  his  degree  of 
Bachelor  of  Laws  he  was  appointed  an 
instructor  in  the  Law  School,  continuing, 
however,  his  law  practice.  A  few  years 
later  he  was  made  a  professor  and  ap- 
pointed a  member  of  the  faculty  of  the 
Boston  University  Law  School,  which  po- 
sitions he  continued  to  hold  until  1902, 
when  the  increasing  demands  of  his  law 
practice  made  it  necessary  for  him  to  cur- 
tail his  other  work.  At  the  request  of  the 
university  he  consented  to  deliver  a  few 
lectures  each  year  in  order  that  they 
might  retain  his  name  in  their  list  of 
lecturers.  In  1900  Mr.  Albers  began  a 
short  course  of  lectures  on  Business  Law 
at  the  Massachusetts  Institute  of  Technol- 
ogy, and  has  continued  to  the  present  time 
in  the  charge  of  this  course  in  this  famous 
institution.  He  has  been  offered  profes- 
sorships in  the  Law  Schools  of  University 
of  Michigan,  at  Ann  Arbor,  and  at  the 
Northwestern  University,  at  Chicago,  but 
declined,  preferring  the  active  practice  of 


200 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


law.  In  1899  Mr.  Albers  was  by  Gov- 
ernor Wolcott  appointed  a  member  of  the 
Massachusetts  State  Ballot  Law  Commis- 
sion, and  by  reappointments  from  suc- 
cessive governors  continued  to  hold  this 
position  until  1905.  He  was  married 
June  26,  1889,  to  Minnie  B.  Martin,  of 
Fredonia,  New  York.  They  reside  in 
Brookline,  a  most  attractive  village  near 
Boston.  In  1903  he  was  by  Governor 
Bates  appointed  a  judge  of  the  Massachu- 
setts superior  court.  In  Massachusetts 
the  judges  are  appointed  by  the  governor 
for  life,  and  an  appointment  to  this  bench 
had,  up  to  the  time  of  the  selection  of  Mr. 
Albers  for  this  position,  been  refused  only 
once  in  the  history  of  Massachusetts.  The 
judges  must,  however,  sit  in  different 
places  throughout  the  state,  and  Mr.  Al- 
bers was  unwilling  to  have  his  happy 
home  life  interferrecl  with,  and  therefore 
declined  the  proffered,  unsolicited  honor. 
In  an  interview  published  in  the  Boston 
Journal  on  September  15,  1903,  his  law 
partner,  George  L.  Huntress,  said :  "At 
the  time  of  Mr.  Albers's  appointment  I 
was  both  glad  and  sorry.  You  know  why 
I  was  glad.  But  I  was  sorry  to  lose  such 
a  man  from  the  close  association  of  the 
office  and  out  of  our  business,  which  he 
has  graced  and  honored,  and  to  which 
he  has  given  the  best  that  is  in  him.  Now 
I  am  both  glad  and  sorry.  I  am  sorry 
that  he  has  been  obliged  to  surrender  what 
would  have  been  an  honor  to  him  and 
what  he  would  have  honored  to  the  full: — 
a  place  upon  the  bench  of  this  common- 
wealth. But  I  am  glad  he  is  going  to  stay 
with  me."  The  Lowell  Courier  published 
the  following :  "Aside  from  the  domestic 
considerations  which  compelled  Mr.  Al- 


bers to  refuse  the  ermine,  it  is  also  true 
in  all  probability  that  a  man  of  his  calibre 
is  making  too  great  a  financial  sacrifice 
in  accepting  a  judicial  position.  Our 
judges  are  better  paid  than  the  justices 
of  a  good  many  states,  but  their  salaries 
are  still  far  below  what  a  good  many 
lawyers  can  make  in  practice.  We  can 
only  regret  it  as  a  grave  error  to  refuse 
attractive  salaries  to  the  judiciary.  It 
takes  a  large  mind  to  make  a  good  judge, 
and  some  states  find  that  the  large  minds 
come  high — higher  than  they  are  willing 
to  pay."  The  salary  in  Massachusetts 
is  six  thousand  five  hundred  dollars,  and 
five  hundred  dollars  travel.  Mr.  Albers's 
practice  is  that  of  a  business  lawyer, — 
commercial  law,  corporation  law,  equity 
cases  including  many  trade  mark  cases. 
He  has  never  been  a  candidate  for  any 
office  and  all  appointments  have  come 
unsolicited.  He  is  the  personal  attorney 
for  Thomas  W.  Lawson  in  all  his  varied 
and  intricate  affairs,  and  he  and  Mr. 
Huntress  have  conducted  the  legal  busi- 
ness of  C.  I.  Hood  &  Company,  the 
Wells  &  Richardson  Company  (Paine's 
Celery  Compound)  and  other  prominent 
individuals  and  corporations.  Mr.  Al- 
bers is  a  director  in  a  number  of  corpora- 
tions including  the  Coastwise  Transpor- 
tation Company,  which  owns  and  operates 
the  largest  sailing  vessels  in  the  world. 
Although  he  cannot  be  called  a  "club 
man,"  he  is  a  member  of  the  University 
Club,  the  Boston  Art  Club  and  the  Com- 
monwealth Country  Club,  this  being  not 
the  least  among  the  many  forms  of  recre- 
ation which  he  has  of  recuperation,  which 
is  so  necessary  to  one  leading  so  active 
a  life. 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  FLLINOIS.  201 

CHARLES  ALBERS.  WILLIAM  EDWARD  ALBERS. 


Charles  Albers,  now  manager  of  the 
Warsaw  Milling  Company,  was  born  in 
this  city  in  1857,  and  was  educated  in  the 
public  schools  of  Warsaw  and  Central 
Wesleyan  College,  Warrenton,  Missouri, 
and  the  Iowa  Wesleyan  University,  of 
Mt.  Pleasant.  Iowa.  He  received  his 
business  training  under  the  direction  of 
his  father  and  has  continuously  been  iden- 
tified with  the  milling  interests  of  War- 
saw since  that  time.  The  business  is  now 
conducted  under  the  firm  name  of  The 
Warsaw  Milling  Company.  As  stated,  the 
business  was  established  in  1856  by  the 
father  of  the  present  proprietors,  and  in 
1887  was  incorporate!  as  a  stock  company 
and  capitalized  for  fifty  thousand  dollars, 
with  J.  H.  Finlay  as  president;  C.  E. 
Eymann,  vice  president ;  W.  E.  Albers, 
secretary  and  treasurer;  and  Charles  Al- 
bers, manager.  The  capacity  of  the  plant 
is  four  hundred  barrels  per  day.  The 
mill  has  been  in  continuous  operation  for 
fifty  years,  and  all  of  the  time  has  been 
owned  by  the  same  family.  It  is  now 
equipped  with  all  modern  improvements 
and  the  business  is  carefully  and  suc- 
cessfully conducted  along  modern  lines. 

Charles  Albers  was  married  in  1904  to 
Miss  Cecille  Dory,  a  daughter  of  Victor 
Dory,  and  they  have  one  child,  Clarice 
Cecille.  Mr.  Albers  became  a  Mason  in 
1890  and  has  attained  the  Knight  Templar 
degree  of  the  York  rite.  He  has  never 
aspired  to  political  honors,  yet  is  never 
remiss  in  citizenship  and  gives  stalwart 
support  to  many  movements  which  are  of 
direct  benefit  not  only  to  the  village,  but 
also  to  the  county  and  state. 


William  Edward  Albers  was  born  in 
Illinois,  July  7,  1859,  and  pursued  his 
education  in  the  public  schools  of  War- 
saw and  also  in  Illinois  College,  at  Jack- 
sonville. Subsequently  he  went  to  Bloom- 
ington,  Illinois,  and  later  for  a  time  op- 
erated a  coal  mine  at  Sidell,  Illinois,  where 
he  remained  for  about  three  years.  On 
the  expiration,  of  that  period  he  sold  to 
the  firm  of  Bishop  &  Springer,  coal  deal- 
ers of  Keokuk.  He  has  been  associated 
with  the  milling  business  as  secretary  and 
treasurer  since  its  incorporation  in  1887, 
and  while  operating  the  mill  he  was  large- 
ly interested  in  farming.  He  became  a 
partner  in  the  milling  business  in  1884 
and  he  and  his  brother  Charles  rebuilt  the 
mill  and  have  since  conducted  this  busi- 
ness, which  is  one  of  the  leading  indus- 
trial enterprises  of  Warsaw. 

W.  E.  Albers  was  married  October  12, 
1893,  to  Miss  Mary  Grace  Robinson,  a 
daughter  of  David  A.  and  Laura  (Chan- 
dler) Robinson,  and  they  are  prominent 
socially  in  Warsaw,  where  they  have 
many  warm  friends.  Politically  Mr.  Al- 
bers is  a  republican  but  without  aspiration 
for  office.  He  holds  membership  with 
the  Presbyterian  church,  of  which  he  has 
been  a  trustee  for  several  years  and  he  is 
active  in  support  of  all  that  tends  to  ad- 
vance material,  intellectual  and  moral 
progress. 


LEWIS  GOTLIEB  ROSKAMP. 

Lewis  Gotlieb  Roskamp,  deceased,  who 
at    one    time    was    a    successful    general 


2O2 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


farmer  of  Hancock  county,  was  born  in 
Quincy,  Illinois,  September  2,  1852.  His 
parents,  Philip  and  Hannah  (Shassick) 
Roskamp,  were  natives  of  Germany  and 
the  family  came  to  America  about  1845 
or  1846,  settling  in  St.  Louis,  Missouri. 
Philip  Roskamp  removed  from  Quincy, 
Illinois,  to  Hancock  county  when  his  son 
Lewis  was  only  four  or  five  years  of  age 
and  located  on  a  farm  in  Walker  town- 
ship, where  he  reared  his  family  and 
carried  on  general  agricultural  pursuits. 
His  wife  died  in  1887,  and  he  survived 
until  1891,  when  his  grave  was  made  by 
the  side  of  hers  in  Tioga  cemetery. 

Lewis  G.  Roskamp  was  educated  in  the 
public  schools  of  Tioga  and  continued 
under  the  parental  roof  until  he  had  at- 
tained his  majority,  when  he  was  married 
and  started  out  in  life  for  himself.  On 
the  5th  of  October,  1873,  he  wedded  Miss 
Caroline  Meyer,  who  was  born  in  Adams 
county,  Illinois,  in  1855,  a  daughter  of 
Gotlieb  and  Henrietta  (Haner)  Meyer, 
who  were  natives  of  Germany,  the  former 
born  May  24,  1821,  and  the  latter  De- 
cember 29,  1829.  Both  came  to  Amer- 
ica in  childhood,  and  Mrs.  Meyer  was 
eleven  weeks  on  the  voyage  to  the  new 
world.  In  their  family  were  eight  chil- 
dren, namely:  Mrs.  Roskamp;  Mrs. 
Rickie  Distlehorst,  deceased;  William,  of 
Walker  township;  Augusta,  the  wife  of 
Henry  Schlipman,  of  Adams  county,  Illi- 
nois; Emma,  the  wife  of  Ernest  Distle- 
horst,  of  Adams  county ;  Louisa,  the  wife 
of  Ed  Cook,  who  is  living  near  Mendon, 
Illinois ;  Anna,  who  makes  her  home  with 
her  sister,  Mrs.  Cook;  and  Gotlieb,  who 
is  in  St.  Louis,  Missouri.  He  was  twenty- 
nine  years  of  age  on  the  3Oth  of  May, 


1906.  He  has  been  a  soldier  in  the 
Philippines  for  many  years  and  is  now 
in  a  St.  Louis  hospital.  The  mother  of 
these  children  still  survives  and  yet  en- 
joys good  health  for  one  of  her  years. 

At  the  time  of  their  marriage  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Roskamp  took  up  their  abode  in 
a  log  house  on  a  farm  just  across  the 
road  from  where  she  now  lives,  in  Walker 
township.  There  they  lived  until  1881, 
when  Mr.  Roskamp  erected  an  elegant 
residence,  which  is  one  of  the  best  homes 
of  the  locality.  In  1887  he  built  a  fine 
barn  sixty  by  forty  feet  and  also  erected 
sheds  and  other  good  outbuildings.  His 
farm  comprised  two  hundred  and  seventy 
acres  on  section  20,  Walker  township,  and 
he  placed  his  land  under  a  high  state  of 
cultivation  so  that  he  annually  gathered 
good  crops  and  secured  a  gratifying  year- 
ly income.  His  life  was  one  of  industry, 
and  his  laudable  ambition  and  unfaltering 
perseverance  were  elements  in  his  success. 
As  the  years  passed  by  he  prospered,  so 
that  he  was  able  to  secure  a  beautiful  home 
and  surrounded  his  family  with  many 
of  the  comforts  of  life. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Roskamp  were  born 
eleven  children,  all  of  whom  were  born  on 
the  old  home  place,  namely :  Anna,  the 
wife  of  Gotlieb  Heineke,  of  Walker  town- 
ship, by  whom  she  has  two  children,  Alma 
and  Bertha ;  Fred,  a  farmer  who  married 
Anna  Kiner,  of  Hamilton  and  has  three 
children,  Bertha,  Hilda  and  Clara ;  Lydia, 
the  wife  of  William  Kunz,  of  Walker 
township,  and  they  have  one  child,  Al- 
vina;  John,  who  operates  the  home  farm 
for  his  mother;  Henry,  who  is  seventeen 
years  of  age  and  is  now  in  Oregon ; 
Walter,  also  at  home ;  Carl,  thirteen  years 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


203 


of  age,  Lawrence  aged  eleven,  and  Lena, 
nine  years  of  age,  also  at  home  with  their 
mother. 

Mr.  Roskamp  voted  with  the  Repub- 
lican party  but  was  never  a  politician  in 
the  sense  of  office  seeking.  He  held  mem- 
bership in  the  German  Lutheran  church, 
at  Tioga,  where  he  served  as  trustee  for 
eight  years,  in  the  work  of  which  he  was 
deeply  and  helpfully  interested.  His 
death  occurred  August  17,  1899,  and  his 
remains  were  buried  in  the  Tioga  ceme- 
tery, where  rests  his  two  children.  His 
widow  is  likewise  a  member  of  the  church 
and  still  is  on  the  old  home  farm,  where 
she  is  rearing  her  children,  who  have 
been  left  in  comfortable  circumstances  as 
the  result  of  enterprise  and  business 
ability  manifested  by  the  husband  and 
father  through  the  years  of  his  active  con- 
nection with  farming  interests  in  this 
county. 


ALFRED  QUICK.      • 

Alfred  Quick,  engaged  in  general 
farming  in  Wilcox  township,  was  born  in 
Rocky  Run  township  in  1878.  His  pa- 
ternal grandfather,  Alfred  Quick,  Sr.,  was 
born  in  1814,  in  Kentucky,  and  in  1834, 
when  twenty  years  of  age,  became  a  resi- 
dent of  this  county.  He  settled  in  Rocky 
Run  township  and  was  identified  with  its 
pioneer  development  and  progress,  aiding 
in  laying  broad  and  deep  the  foundation 
for  the  present  upbuilding  and  improve- 
ment of  this  portion  of  the  state.  He 
married  Miss  Susan  Hornbeck,  who  was 


born  in  Kentucky  in  1809,  and  they  be- 
came the  parents  of  six  children,  of  whom 
four  are  now  living:  Preston;  Samuel, 
of  Rocky  Run  township ;  James,  of  Clark 
county,  Missouri ;  and  Susan,  the  wife  of 
James  Shipe,  of  Warsaw.  Preston  Quick, 
father  of  our  subject,  was  born  in  Ken- 
tucky in  1842,  and  came  to  Illinois  in 
1848,  at  which  time  he  took  up  his  abode 
in  Rocky  Run  township.  He  served  for 
three  and  a  half  years  as  a  soldier  in  the 
Civil  war,  belonging  to  the  One  Hundred 
and  Eighteenth  Illinois  Volunteer  Infan- 
try, and  during  a  part  of  that  time  was 
under  command  of  General  Grant.  Re- 
turning home,  he  resumed  agricultural 
pursuits  here  and  was  for  many  years  an 
enterprising  farmer  of  this  county  but 
is  now  living  retired,  making  his  home 
with  his  children.  He  married  Miss 
Elizabeth  Shipe,  who  was  born  in  Rocky 
Run  township  in  1848  and  is  of  German 
descent.  She  died  in  1895.  Mr.  Quick 
is  a  republican  in  his  political  affiliation 
and  for  years  served  as  school  director, 
the  cause  of  education  finding  in  him  a 
warm  and  stalwart  friend.  In  their 
family  were  four  children,  of  whom  three 
are  now  living,  namely:  Clara  M.,  the 
wife  of  Thomas  Williams,  of  Wythe 
township;  Susan,  the  deceased  wife  of 
Lemuel  Whitney;  Sophronia,  the  wife  of 
David  Webster,  who  is  operating  the  old 
Quick  homestead  in  Rocky  Run  township ; 
and  Alfred. 

In  the  public  schools  near  his  father's 
home,  Alfred  Quick  was  educated  and 
during  the  periods  of  vacation  he  assisted 
in  the  farm  work,  giving  his  services  to 
the  benefit  of  his  father  until  twenty-two 
years  of  age,  when  he  left  home  and  was 


204 


BIOGRAPHICAL  RE ]  'IE W 


married.  It  \vas  on  the  gth  of  January, 
1900,  that  he  wedded  Miss  Cleota  Ewing, 
who  was  born  in  Tioga,  Hancock  county, 
Illinois,  November  25,  1880,  a  daughter 
of  Jackson  and  Minerva  (Gray)  Ewing. 
Her  father  was  born  in  Kentucky.  Oc- 
tober 28,  1837,  and  died  September  19, 
1886.  while  the  mother's  birth  occurred 
in  this  county  on  the  i3th  of  Sqitember, 
1838.  He  followed  the  occupation  of 
farming  and  on  coming  to  Hancock 
county  settled  in  Walker  township,  where 
he  devoted  his  time  to  his  chosen  vocation 
and  also  carried  on  a  general  merchan- 
dise store  at  Tioga.  His  political  sup- 
port was  given  to  the  democracy  and  he 
served  in  several  township  offices.  In 
his  family  were  three  children,  of  whom 
two  are  living:  lona,  the  wife  of  Frank 
Harrison,  of  Walker  township ;  and  Mrs.  • 
Quick.  Mr.  Ewing  departed  this  life  in 
1886,  and  the  mother  still  survives  and  is 
living  in  Tioga. 

Following  his  marriage  Mr.  Quick  re- 
sided upon  his  father's  farm  for  two  years 
and  later  spent  one  year  near  Hamilton. 
In  1905  he  purchased  one  hundred  acres 
of  land  on  section  21,  Wilcox  township, 
an  improved  farm,  which  he  has  since 
further  developed  and  cultivated.  The 
home  has  been  blessed  with  one  child, 
Fleta  Minerva,  who  was  born  in  Rocky 
Run  township,  January  20,  1903.  Both 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Quick  have  many  friends 
in  this  locality  and  their  many  excellent 
traits  of  character  are  widely  recognized 
by  those  with  whom  they  come  in  contact. 
Mr.  Quick  is  a  republican,  while  frater- 
nally he  is  connected  with  the  Woodmen 
camp.  Energetic  and  active  he  is  ac- 
counted one  of  the  progressive  young 


farmers  of  the  community,  who  has  al- 
ready done  well  in  his  business  life  and 
undoubtedly  the  future  holds  in  store  for 
him  further  success. 


CHARLES  ALBERT  WARNER,  M.D. 

Dr.  Charles  Albert  Warner  is  the  oldest 
practicing  physician  in  Hancock  county. 
He  arrived  here  in  1853  from  Germany, 
having  been  born  in  the  latter  country 
on  the  1 5th  of  September,  1830,  the  place 
of  his  nativity  being  Hesse  Darmstadt. 
His  early  education  was  acquired  in  the 
public  schools  and  the  Gymnasium  and 
College  University  of  Giesen,  from  which 
he  was  graduated  in  the  spring  of  1852. 
He  was  a  youth  of  twenty-three  years 
when  he  arrived  in  Wisconsin,  having 
made  the  voyage  on  an  old  sailing  vessel, 
which  was  four  weeks  in  crossing  the 
Atlantic.  He  proceeded  to  St.  Louis  and 
having  determined  upon  the  practice  ot 
medicine  as  a  life  work,  he  entered  the 
St.  Louis  Medical  College,  where  he  pur- 
sued a  regular  course  and  was  graduated 
after  three  years'  study,  two  years  of 
which  was  passed  in  that  institution,  then 
called  Pope's  College,  while  for  one  year 
he  was  a  student  in  McDowell's  College. 
Following  his  graduation  from  the  St. 
Louis  Medical  College,  he  entered  upon 
the  active  practice  of  his  profession  and 
remained  in  St.  Louis  until  1862,  when 
he  enlisted  in  the  service  of  his  country  as 
assistant  surgeon,  being  thus  engaged 
until  1865.  In  that  year  he  resigned 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS, 


20= 


after  which  lie  was  in  charge  of  the 
I  city  hospital  at  Memphis,  Tennessee, 
acting  in  that  capacity  until  1866. 
In  that  year  he  came  direct  to 
Warsaw,  where  he  has  continuously 
practiced  to  the  present  time,  being  now 
the  oldest  physician  in  years  of  continuous 
service  in  the  county.  He  has  been  ac- 
corded a  liberal  patronage  and  has  done 
a  good  business,  which,  as  the  years  have 
passed,  has  steadily  increased.  He  has 
always  kept  abreast  with  the  progress 
made  by  the  medical  fraternity  and  is 
today  a  man  of  broad  learning.  He  is 
medical  examiner  for  various  life  insur- 
ance companies,  including  the  Aetna, 
Northwestern,  New  York  Mutual  and  the 
Metropolitan  companies.  Since  coming 
to  Warsaw  he  has  remained  at  his  present 
location  at  the  corner  of  Main  and  Fourth 
streets. 

On  the  27th  of  October,  1855;  was 
celebrated  the  marriage  of  Dr.  Warner 
and  Miss  Barbara  Gerisch,  a  daughter  of 
Christian  Gerisch.  Unto  them  were  born 
two  children.  Frances  and  Fred,  the 
former  now  the  wife  of  Dr.  Franz,  of  St. 
Louis.  The  wife  and  mother  died  De- 
cember 24,  1890,  and  in  1897,  Dr.  Warner 
was  again  married,  his  second  union  being 
with  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Weigand.  They 
now  reside  in  Warsaw  on  East  Main 
street,  where  the  Doctor  owns  a  valuable 
tract  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres 
devoted  to  general  farming.  In  1868  he 
was  elected  supervisor  and  held  the  office 
for  a  number  of  years.  He  has  also  been 
a  member  of  the  school  board  for  about 
twenty  years  and  his  loyal  and  progressive 
citizenship  is  a  well  known  factor  in  his 
life,  having  been  manifest  by  the  tangible 


aid  which  he  has  given  to  many  move- 
ments for  the  public  good. 


WESLEY  CRAYTON  BRIDGES. 

Wesley  Crayton  Bridges,  general  fore- 
man of  the  round  house  and  shop  for  the 
Wabash,  Toledo,  Peoria  &  Western  rail- 
roads at  Hamilton,  whose  connection  with 
railroad  service  has  continued  since  1862, 
was  born  in  Carroll  county.  Tennessee, 
July  24,  1838.  His  father,  William 
Alexander  Bridges,  was  a  native  of  Ten- 
nessee and  a  son  of  Willis  Bridges,  who 
was  born  in  North  Carolina  and  was  a 
minister  of  the  Primitive  Baptist  church, 
devoting  forty-five  years  of  his  life  to 
that  holy  calling.  It  was  in  Humphreys 
county,  Tennessee,  that  \Villiam  A. 
Bridges  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Louisa  Neel  Ridings,  a  native  of  that 
state  and  a  daughter  of  Joel  and  Penelope 
(May)  Ridings,  both  natives  of  North 
Carolina.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  William  A. 
Bridges  began  their  domestic  life  upon  a 
farm  in  Carroll  county,  Tennessee,  where 
he  carried  on  general  agricultural  pur- 
suits until  his  death,  which  occurred  on 
the  1 8th  of  January,  1844,  when  he  wras 
a  comparatively  young  man.  In  the 
family  were  three  children,  of  whom 
Wesley  C.  is  the  eldest.  Joel  Willis  con- 
ducts the  pumping  station  for  the  Toledo, 
Peoria  &  Wrestern  and  Wabash  railroads 
at  Hamilton,  while  James  Monroe,  who 
served  as  a  member  of  Company  G.  Sev- 
enth Missouri  Cavalry,  died  April  2,  1862. 


2O6 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


Wesley  Crayton  Bridges  spent  his  early 
youth  in  his  native  state  and  attended  the 
subscription  schools  of  Tennessee  until 
fourteen  years  of  age,  when  he  started 
with  his  mother,  brothers  and  stepfather, 
Jacob  Hicks,  for  Missouri.  He  drove 
two  yoke  of  oxen  across  the  country,  the 
family  intending  to  locate  in  Missouri. 
Having  reached  the  Mississippi  river  at 
Columbus,  Kentucky,  they  were  ferried 
across  on  a  flat  boat  manned  by  two 
Frenchmen  with  sweep  oars.  After  vis- 
iting Missouri,  however,  they  recrossed 
the  river  into  Illinios,  making  their  way 
to  St.  Genevieve,  where  for  the  first  time 
Mr.  Bridges  saw  a  cook  stove.  The 
second  trip  across  the  river  was  made  on 
a  flat  boat  pulled  by  hand.  The  family 
located  in  Jackson  county,  Illinois,  and 
there  Mr.  Bridges  continued  his  educa- 
tion. They  remained  in  that  county  until 
December,  1854,  but  in  the  previous  May 
the  stepfather  had  died  and  the  mother 
and  her  children  started  again  upon  the 
journey  in  the  following  December, 
traveling  with  ox  teams  until  they  reached 
Augusta,  Hancock  county.  In  this 
county  Mr.  Bridges  also  attended  school 
to  a  limited  extent,  but  worked  mostly 
as  a  farm  hand  by  the  month  until  1862, 
when  he  removed  to  Bowen,  where  a  rail- 
road was  being  built  called  the  Illinois  & 
Southern  Iowa  Railroad.  He  was  then 
employed  at  laying  the  track  between 
Clayton  and  Carthage,  working  as  a  la- 
borer for  eight  months.  On  the  expira- 
tion of  that  period  he  secured  a  position 
as  fireman  and  so  continued  for  three 
years  and  three  months.  On  the  24th 
of  July,  1867,  he  was  promoted  to  the 
position  of  engineer  and  followed  this 


until  November  i,  1883,  when  he  was 
made  general  foreman  of  the  round  house 
and  shop  for  the  Wabash  and  for  the 
Toledo,  Peoria  &  Western  railroads  at 
Hamilton.  Since  he  entered  the  railroad 
service  he  has  never  been  reprimanded, 
laid  off  or  discharged  and  has  never  been 
away  from  duty  for  a  full  month  at  a 
time. 

On  the  1 4th  of  October,  1860,  Mr. 
Bridges  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Mary  Ellen  Harrison,  who  was  born  in 
Washington  county,  Indiana,  January  25, 
1843,  a  daughter  of  William  and  Alice 
B.  (Davis)  Harrison,  natives  of  Indiana. 
She  had  but  one  sister,  Louisa  Jane,  who 
became  the  wife  of  J.  M.  Hughes,  of  Au- 
gusta, and  died  in  1878.  Mrs.  Harrison 
came  to  Hancock  county  in  1850  and 
died  in  Hamilton  in  1901  after  more  than 
a  half  century's  residence  here.  Mrs. 
Bridges  pursued  her  education  in  this 
county  and  by  her  marriage  became  the 
mother  of  five  children.  Louisa  Alice, 
born  September  i,  1861,  is  the  wife  of 
Robert  Watson,  of  Hamilton.  Martha 
Ellen,  born  January  23,  1863,  is  the  wife 
of  Elmer  Dennis,  of  Hamilton.  Laura 
Belle,  born  April  i,'  1866,  is  the  wife  of 
Robert  S.  Gordon,  station  agent  at  Hamil- 
ton. Julia  Viola,  born  April  6,  1870, 
is  the  wife  of  Guy  Blakeslee,  who  is  a 
brakesman  on  the  Chicago,  Burlington  & 
Quincy  Railroad  and  lives  at  Hannibal, 
Missouri.  Abbie  Ethel,  born  September 
6,  1876,  is  the  wife  of  Hurley  Moore,  of 
Hamilton,  who  is  a  brakesman  on  the 
Toledo,  Peoria  &  Western  Railroad. 

Mr.  Bridges  was  one  of  the  organizers 
of  the  Building  and  Loan  Association,  of 
Hamilton,  Illinois,  there  being  nine  men 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


207 


who  formed  this  company  in  November, 
1888.  He  was  chosen  its  first  president. 
He  has  always  been  interested  in  matters 
of  public  progress  and  improvement  and 
has  co-operated  in  many  movements  for 
the  general  good.  His  political  allegiance 
is  given  to  the  Republican  party  and  he 
has  served  as  alderman  of  the  city  for  two 
years  and  two  terms  as  mayor.  He  has 
also  been  school  director  and  for  six  years 
has  been  a  member  of  the  cemetery  board. 
He  belongs  to  Black  Hawk  Lodge,  No. 
238,  of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  the  Royal 
Arch  Chapter,  to  the  council  and  to  the 
Knight  Templar  Commandery.  He  is 
also  connected  with  the  Modern  '\Yood- 
men  of  America  and  the  Brotherhood  of 
Locomotive  Engineers,  while  his  religious 
allegiance  is  given  to  the  Christian  church, 
of  which  he  is  a  charter  member.  His 
life  has  been  an  active  and  useful  one  and 
he  has  displayed  many  sterling 'traits  of 
character  which  are  well  worthy  of  emu- 
lation. 

He  is  now  serving  his  twenty-second 
year  as  treasurer  of  Tecumseh  Royal  Arch 
Chapter,  No.  152,  ancl  has  started  on  his 
forty-fifth  year  in  railroad  service,  and 
twenty-fourth  year  as  foreman  of  the 
round  house  and  car  department  at  Ham- 
ilton, Illinois. 


LUCIEN  S.  REID. 

Lucien  S.  Reid,  whose  co-operation  can 
always  be  counted  upon  as  a  helpful  factor 
in  everything  relating  to  the  welfare  of 


his  city,  is  now  editor  and  proprietor  of 
the  Dallas  City  Review,  and  has  been  a 
well  known  factor  in  journalistic  circles 
in  this  part  of  the  state  for  a  number 
of  years.  He  was  born  near  Plymouth, 
in  McDonough  county,  Illinois,  Novem- 
ber 12,  1860,  his  parents  being  L.  G.  and 
Cyrena  (Doyle)  Reid.  The  father  was 
born  in  Covington,  Kentucky,  in  1813, 
while  the  mother's  birth  occurred  near 
Lexington,  that  state.  L.  G.  Reid  was 
a  successful  lawyer  and  about  1847  set~ 
tied  in  McDonough  county,  Illinois, 
where  he  lived  until  1891,  when  he  re- 
moved to  Morrill,  Kansas.  After  a  year 
he  returned  to  Illinois,  settling  at  Colches- 
ter, McDonough  county,  where  he  died 
in.  the  year  1895.  He  had  for  twenty 
years  survived  his  wife,  who  passed  away 
in  1875  and  was  laid  to  rest  in  the  ceme- 
tery near  Plymouth,  while  the  grave  of 
Mr.  Reid  was  made  in  Colchester  He 
was  a  democrat  in  his  political  views  and 
served  for  two  terms  in  the  Illinois  legis- 
lature as  a  representative  from  his  district. 
He  was  township  supervisor  for  twenty- 
two  consecutive  years  and  had  the  respect 
and  unqualified  confidence  of  his  fellow 
townsmen,  who  recognized  his  worth  and 
his  loyalty  to  principle.  Fraternally  he 
was  connected  with  the  Masonic  lodge. 
In  the  family  were  five  children,  of  whom 
three  are  now  living :  Lucien  S. ;  Ed- 
ward, who  resides  at  Redlands,  Cali- 
fornia; and  Harry  L.,  who  is  in  the  em- 
ploy of  the  Santa  Fe  Railroad  Company 
and  lives  at  Mojave,  California.  After 
losing  his  first  wife  Mr.  Reid  was  married, 
in  1878,  to  Miss  Lucy  E.  Tandy,  who 
resided  near  Fandon,  McDonough  county. 
Lucien  S.  Reid  was  a  student  in  the 


208 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


high  school  at  Plymouth,  and  afterward 
attended  Knox  College,  at  Galesburg,  Illi- 
nois, subsequent  to  which  time  he  learned 
the  printer's  trade,  at  which  he  first 
worked  in  Plymouth.  He  afterward 
went  to  Beatrice.  Nebraska,  subsequently 
to  Omaha,  Nebraska,  completing  his  trade 
with  the  firm  of  Rand  &  McNally  in 
Chicago,  Illinois.  In  1884  he  was  in 
Colchester,  Illinois,  and  in  August  of  that 
year  purchased  the  Colchester  Independ- 
ent from  H.  F.  Stevens  but  after  a  week 
sold  it  to  Van  L.  Hampton,  with  whom 
he  remained  until  the  following  March, 
when  he  purchased  the  Blandinsville  Re- 
publican, changing  the  name  of  the  paper 
to  the  Blandinsville  Review.  He  con- 
tinued its  publication  until  September, 
1887,  when  he  took  the  plant  to  Dallas 
City  and  established  the  Dallas  City  Re- 
view, which  is  the  first  paper  that  ever 
survived  for  six  months  in  this  place. 
He  has  now  continued  its  publication  here 
for  almost  twenty  years  and  has  made  it 
a  profitable  investment.  The  Review  is 
a  weekly  paper,  independent  in  politics 
and  has  a  large  circulation  throughout 
this  and  Henderson  counties  so  that  it  is 
an  excellent  advertising  medium.  In  the 
disastrous  fire  which  swept  over  Dallas 
City  on  the  igth  of  December,  1905,  Mr. 
Reid  lost  heavily  but  in  place  of  the  old 
building  on  Oak  street  there  has  been 
erected  a  concrete  monolithic  building, 
twenty-five  by  fifty-two  feet,  two  stories 
high,  of  pleasing  architectural  design. 
The  lower  floor  will  be  devoted  to  office 
and  editorial  rooms,  composing  and  press 
rooms,  while  the  upper  floor  is  designed 
and  finished  for  his  residence.  He  has 
installed  modern  methods,  'including  a 


good  cylinder  press  with  power.  It  is 
one  of  the  first  buildings  of  this  character 
in  this  part  of  Illinois.  In  connection 
with  the  publication  of  the  paper  Mr.  Reid 
does  all  kinds  of  first  class  job  printing 
and  tablet  work.  The  Review  has  always 
been  very  progressive  and  has  been  an 
influential  factor  in  the  upbuilding  of 
Dallas,  standing  as  the  champion  of 
every  movement  or  measure  calculated  to 
prove  of  direct  benefit  to  the  city.  His 
new  office  will  be  equipped  with  all 
modern  machinery  and  in  the  management 
of  his  business  Mr.  Reid  is  thoroughly 
progressive  and  in  fact  has  been  the  lead- 
er in  the  adoption  of  many  new  ideas  that 
have  been  advanced  in  the  world.  He 
owned  the  first  gasoline  engine  used  for 
motive  power  in  Dallas  City  and  also 
owned  the  first  gasoline  launch  in  the 
town.  He  is  practical  in  his  ideas  and 
successful  in  his  undertakings,  carrying 
forward  to  successful  completion  what- 
ever he  begins.  In  connection  with  his 
other  business  interests  he  is  a  stockholder 
in  the  Farmers  State  Exchange  Bank  of 
which  he  was  one  of  the  organizers. 

On  the  1 6th  of  January,  1887,  Mr. 
Reid  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Fannie  Roberts,  who  was  born  in  Col- 
chester, Illinois,  June  20,  1865.  a  daugh- 
ter of  Edward  and  Susanna  (Bayless) 
Roberts,  the  former  a  native  of  Wales, 
and  the  latter  of  England.  Her  father 
was  engineer  of  the  works  of  the  Quincy 
Coal  Company,  at  Colchester,  Illinois,  for 
a  long  period  but  both  he  and  his  wife 
have  now  passed  away,  and  were  laid  to 
rest  in  the  cemetery  at  Colchester.  In 
their  family  were  five  children,  of  whom 
four  are  living :  Lennie,  the  wife  of  John 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


209 


Jones,  who  resides  in  Cambridge,  Ohio; 
Sarah,  the  wife  of  Thomas  Moss,  also 
of  Cambridge;  Mrs.  Eliza  Tandy,  the 
•  widow  of  W.  W.  Tandy  and  a  resident 
of  Colchester;  and  Mrs.  Reid.  Unto 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Reid  has  been  born  a  daugh- 
ter. Velna,  who  was  born  in  Dallas  City, 
March  14,  1892,  and  is  now  a  student  in 
the  Dallas  City  high  school.  In  addition 
to  his  business  property  Mr.  Reid  owns 
several  vacant  lots  in  Dallas  City.  In 
politics  he  is  a  democrat  and  in  1890  and 
1891  served  as  mayor  of  Dallas  City, 
proving  a  capable  executive  officer,  whose 
efforts  in  behalf  of  public  progress  were 
effective  and  far-reaching.  He  is  a  Ma- 
son and  also  a  member  of  Hancock  Lodge, 
No.  56,  Knights  of  Pythias,  of  which  he 
is  the  present  chancellor,  while  his  wife  is 
a  devoted  member  of  the  Congregational 
church.  A  man  of  strong  convictions,  he 
is  practical  in  his  ideas,  yet  determined  in 
his  course.  He  possesses  a  genial,  social 
disposition,  appreciative  of  the  worth  and 
work  of  others  and  has  ready  recogni- 
tion for  all  movements  or  enterprises  of 
general  benefit  to  the  community.  Both 
he  and  his  wife  have  scores  of  warm 
friends,  and  during  the  years  of  their  resi- 
dence in  Dallas  City  have  long  occupied 
a  prominent  position  in  social  circles 
here. 


HENRY  GILLHAM. 

Henry  Gillham  is  a  worthy  representa- 
tive of  a  prominent  pioneer  family  of 
Hancock  county  and  his  own  record  has 


added  lustre  to  an  untarnished  family 
name.  He  was  born  in  Campbell  county, 
Kentucky,  January  3,  1827,  and  is  a  son 
of  Robert  and  Elizabeth  (Walker)  Gill- 
ham,  the  former  a  native  of  the  Blue 
Grass  state,  and  the  latter  of  Pennsyl- 
vania. Robert  Gillham  devoted  his  life 
to  general  agricultural  pursuits,  and  on 
the  nth  of  April,  1837,  arrived  at  War- 
saw, Illinois.  Soon  afterward  he  pur- 
chased one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of 
land  in  Walker  township,  for  which  he 
paid  the  government  price  of  one  dollar 
and  a  quarter  per  acre.  Not  a  furrow 
had  been  turned  nor  an  improvement 
made  upon  the  place  and  he  built  a  little 
log  cabin,  in  which  he  lived  in  true  pio- 
neer style,  enjoying  much  happiness  there, 
at  the  same  time  sharing  in  the  hardships 
and  privations  incident  to  the  establish- 
ment of  a  home  on  the  frontier.  The 
plows  of  that  day  had  wooden  mold 
boards  and  the  sickle  and  scythe  were 
leading  features  of  the  farm  machinery. 
Mr.  Gillham  of  this  review  has  driven 
ox  teams  before  a  plow  turning  a  twenty- 
four  inch  furrow,  and  he  has  broken  more 
land  than  any  other  man  of  the  county, 
thus  contributing  in  large  measure  toward 
the  agricultural  development  and  improve- 
ment of  this  part  of  the  state.  His  father 
was  a  democrat  in  his  political  allegiance 
and  in  matters  of  citizenship  relating  to 
the  community  was  progressive  and  en- 
terprising. He  died  and  was  buried  in 
Missouri  but  the  mother  was  laid  to  rest 
in  Walker  township.  Of  their  family  of 
eleven  children  five  are  yet  living: 
Henry:  America,  the  wife  of  Hiram 
Cobel,  of  California;  Cynthia  A.,  the  wife 
of  Jason  Marsh,  of  California;  Sarah  E., 


2IO 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


the  wife  of  William  Dooley,  of  Missouri ; 
and  E.  D.  Gillham,  of  Warsaw. 

Henry  Gillham,  brought  to  Illinois 
when  Hancock  county  was  still  a  pioneer 
district,  was  educated  in  a  little  log  build- 
ing in  Walker  township,  where  school  was 
conducted  on  the  subscription  plan.  His 
advantages  were  necessarily  limited  be- 
cause of  the  condition  of  the  school  sys- 
tem at  that  period.  His  training  at  farm 
labor,  however,  was  not  meager  and  he 
early  took  his  place  in  the  fields,  working 
from  early  dawn  until  after  sunset  in 
order  to  open  up  a  new  farm  on  which  the 
family  had  located  and  further  continued 
its  development.  He  remained  with  his 
parents  until  he  had  reached  his  majority. 

In  October,  1849,  was  celebrated  the 
marriage  of  Henry  Gillham  and  Miss 
Mary  Jane  Ewing,  who  was  born  in 
Brown  county,  Ohio,  September  8,  1828, 
a  daughter  of  Jackson  and  Catherine 
(Turner)  Ewing,  who  are  mentioned 
elsewhere  in  this  work  in  connection  with 
the  sketch  of  John  P.  Ewing.  The  young 
couple  began  their  domestic  life  upon  his 
father's  farm  in  Wralker  township,  where 
they  remained  for  three  years  and  then 
removed  to  a  farm  of  forty  acres  else- 
where in  the  township.  Mr.  Gillham 
purchased  this  property  and  resided  there 
for  eleven  and  a  half  years.  In  1873 
he  bought  one  hundred  and  forty-three 
acres  of  land  on  section  10,  Walker  town- 
ship, and  has  since  made  his  home  there- 
on. He  has  added  to  and  improved  the 
house  until  he  now  has  a  fine  residence 
and  he  has  also  built  a  substantial  barn 
and  two  good  wood-houses.  His  atten- 
tion has  been  given  to  general  farming 
and  the  years  have  brought  him  good 


crops,  and  as  time  has  passed  he  has 
prospered.  In  addition  to  the  home  place 
he  also  owns  fifty-five  acres  of  good  land 
on  section  1 1 .  Moreover,  he  and  his  es- 
timable wife  have  reared  a  family  of  ten 
children,  of  whom  seven  are  now  living : 
Mary  Frances  is  at  home  with  her  parents. 
Melvina  Angeline  is  the  wife  of  John  L. 
Brew,  lives  near  Carthage  and  has  three 
children ;  Lewis  Brew,  who  married  Clara 
Van  Valer  and  has  one  child,  Hazel  May ; 
Ida  Brew,  the  wife  of  Edward  Newman, 
who  lives  in  Carthage  and  by  whom  she 
has  two  children,  Lee  and  Lloyd ;  and  Eli 
Brew,  who  lives  in  Nebraska,  is  married 
and  has  one  daughter,  Elizabeth  Pearl. 
Elizabeth  A.  Gillham,  the  third  member 
of  the  family,  is  the  widow  of  William 
Atkinson,  and  has  one  child,  Arlie  Ann. 
Sarah  Gillham  is  the  wife  of  Charles 
Thompson,  of  Chili  township,  and  has 
three  children ;  Henry,  who  married  Liz- 
zie Herbert,  by  whom  he  has  one  child. 
and  lives  in  Colorado;  Ira,  who  married 
Nellie  Hill  and  lives  near  Bowen,  Illinois; 
and  Horace  Elmer.  Jane  Gillham  is  the 
wife  of  William  Henry  Smith,  living  near 
Bowen,  Illinois,  and  they  have  four  chil- 
dren, Dee,  Fannie,  Nona  and  Niti  Ellen. 
John  Gillham  married  Tena  Wenhamer, 
lives  in  Nebraska  and  has  seven  children, 
\Valter,  Charles,  George,  Eddie,  Jessie, 
Clara  and  Addie.  Roscoe,  who  resides 
at  West  Point,  Illinois,  married  Martha 
Rampley  and  has  four  children,  Mabel, 
Lela,  Vera  and  Harold.  Ellen  is  the  wife 
of  Arthur  Randall,  of  Nebraska,  and  has 
three  children,  Ruth  L.,  Earl  and  Loy. 

Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gillham  hold  mem- 
bership in  the  Christian  church  in  the 
work  of  which  they  are  deeply  interested, 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


211 


while  to  its  support  they  contribute  gen- 
erously according  to  their  means.  Mr. 
Gillham  is  a  democrat  and  served  con- 
tinuously as  school  director  from  the  age 
of  twenty-one  years  until  1900,  when  he 
refused  to  fill  the  office  longer.  He  is 
truly  a  self-made  man,  for,  after  paying 
the  minister  and  for  the  license  at  the  time 
of  his  marriage  he  had  remaining  only 
two  dollars  and  a  quarter.  With  this 
the  young  couple  started  out  in  life  to- 
gether. They  possessed  stout  hearts, 
however,  and  willing  hands,  and  their 
ambition  and  united  efforts  have  consti- 
tuted the  secret  of  their  success.  They 
have  done  well  as  the  years  have  passed 
by  and  now  have  many  comforts  in  life. 
At  the  same  time  they  have  found  oppor- 
tunity to  do  many  kindnesses  and  to  ex- 
tend hospitality  to  many  friends.  In  the 
fifty-seven  years  of  their  married  life  no 
one  has  e\»er  been  turned  from  their  door 
hungry  or  empty-handed.  Both  represent 
prominent  old  families  of  the  county  but 
it  is  their  sterling  personal  worth  that  has 
so  closely  endeared  them  to  those  with 
whom  they  have  come  in  contact. 


JOEL  WILLIS  BRIDGES. 

Joel  Willis  Bridges,  who  has  charge  of 
the  steam  pump  for  the  Toledo,  Peoria  & 
Western,  the  Wabash  railroads  at  Hamil- 
ton, was  born  in  Carroll  county,  Tennes- 
see, August  7,  1840,  his  parents  being 
William  A.  and  Louisa  Neel  (Riding) 
Bridges.  He  was  the  'second  of  a  family 


of  three  sons  and  in  his  early  youth  at- 
tended the  subscription  schools  of  Ten- 
nessee for  a  short  time.  He  afterward 
accompanied  his  parents  on  their  removal 
to  Jackson  county,  Illinois,  and  two  years 
later  the  family  settled  at  Augusta,  Han- 
cock county.  This  was  in  1854.  Mr. 
Bridges  of  this  review  started  out  to  earn 
his  own  living  when  sixteen  years  of 
age,  working  by  the  month  as  a  farm 
hand.  He  was  employed  at  one  place 
for  three  years  and  in  1869  he  entered  the 
railroad  service  in  the  round  house  at 
Hamilton,  where  he  continued  for  a  year. 
Later  he  worked  on  the  farm  and  in  1870 
he  secured  the  position  of  engine-wiper. 
Later  he  engaged  in  firing  for  three  years 
and  three  months,  at  the  end  of  which 
time  he  was  appointed  engineer,  running 
an  engine  for  about  eighteen  months. 
About  that  time  his  health  failed  and  he 
went  into  the  roundhouse  as  watchman. 
In  1 88 1  he  was  assigned  the  task  of  run- 
ning the  steam  engine  for  the  Toledo, 
Peoria  &  Western  and  Wabash  railroads 
at  Hamilton  and  he  has  since  acted  in  that 
capacity.  He  owns  several  houses  and 
lots  in  Hamilton,  having  made  judicious 
investment  of  his  earnings  in  real  estate 
and  his  property  interests  bring  him  a 
good  return. 

On  the  5th  of  January,  1868,  Mr. 
Bridges  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Rebecca  Ann  Garwood,  who  was  born 
in  Jasper  county,  Illinois,  a  daughter  of 
Thomas  and  Jane  (Richards)  Garwood. 
The  father  was  a  native  of  Ohio  and  the 
mother  of  Tennessee.  Her  death  oc- 
curred March  2,  1905,  and  two  children 
were  left  to  mourn  her  loss :  William 
Thomas,  now  an  engineer  on  the  Toledo, 


212  , 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REl'IEU' 


Peoria  &  Western  Railroad,  residing  in 
Peoria,  Illinois:  and  Lottie  Charlotte,  who 
is  a  stenographer  and  bookkeeper  in  the 
Parker  Company  department  store  of 
Hamilton  and  makes  her  home  with  her 
father.  There  were  two  other  children : 
Charles  Wesley,  who  died  in  September, 
1877,  at  the  age  of  three  years ;  and  James 
Elbert,  who  died  December  6,  1894,  at 
the  age  of  twenty-three  years.  Mr. 
Bridges  started  out  in  life  with  very  few 
advantages,  educational  or  otherwise,  but 
has  made  the  most  of  his  opportunities 
and  has  worked  earnestly  and  energetical- 
ly and,  as  stated,  he  has  made  judicious 
use  of  his  funds,  thus  becoming  the  owner 
of  considerable  desirable  property  in 
Hamilton.  He  has  been  a  resident  of 
Hancock  county  for  a  half  century.  He 
holds  membership  in  the  Christian  church 
and  gives  his  political  allegiance  to  the 
democracy.  He  has  served  as  school  di- 
rector, as  alderman  from  the  first  ward 
from  1896  until  1904  and  has  been  again 
elected  on  his  own  platform,  a  fact  which 
indicates  that  he  has  given  able  service 
as  one  of  the  "city  fathers."  Fraternally 
he  is  connected  with  Black  Hawk  Lodge, 
No.  238,  of  the  Masons,  having  taken  the 
degrees  of  the  Blue  lodge,  chapter  and  of 
the  Eastern  Star. 


LOUIS  LAMET. 

Louis  Lamet,  one  of  the  able  members 
of  the  Hancock  county  bar  living  in  War- 
saw, who  with  comprehensive  knowledge 


of  the  principles  of  jurisprudence  to- 
gether with  unfaltering  devotion  to  his 
clients'  interests,  has  gained  a  large  prac- 
tice, was  born  December  28,  1874,  in  the 
city  which  is  yet  his  home.  His  parents 
were  Julian  and  Eloise  (Sylvester) 
Lamet.  At  the  usual  age  the  son  entered 
the  public  schools,  passing  through  suc- 
cessive grades  until  he  had  completed  the 
high  school  course.  He  afterward  en- 
gaged in  teaching  in  the  district  schools 
of  the  county  for  three  winter  terms  and 
then  ambitious  for  further  intellectual 
training,  he  entered  the  University  of  Illi- 
nois and  was  graduated  from  the  law  de- 
partment on  the  1 2th  of  June,  1901. 
About  a  year  after  he  entered  upon  the 
practice  of  his  chosen  profession  in 
Carthage  but  soon  returned  to  his  native 
town  and  entered  into  partnership  with 
Mr.  Plantz,  an  association  which  has  since 
been  maintained.  The  firm  .occupy  a 
prominent  place  at  the  Hancock  county 
bar.  In  the  trial  of  cases  Mr.  Lamet  pre- 
pares his  cause  with  great  thoroughness 
and  care  and  in  the  courtroom  is  found 
strong  in  argument,  logical  in  his  deduc- 
tions and  correct  in  his  application  of  the 
legal  principles. 

On  the  loth  of  January,  1905.  was 
celebrated  the  marriage  of  Louis  Lamet 
and  Miss  Amice  Magdalena  Lemaire,  a 
daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Edward  Le- 
maire. They  now  have  one  son,  Leon. 
Politically  Mr.  Lamet  is  a  democrat,  firm 
in  support  of  the  party  and  thoroughly 
conversant  with  the  issues  which  divide 
the  two  great  national  political  organiza- 
tions. He  was  appointed  to  the  office 
of  city  attorney  in  1905  and  is  now  acting 
in  that  capacity.  In  1902  he  became  a 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


213 


member  of  the  Modern  Woodmen  camp, 
in  which  he  has  held  the  office  of  con- 
sul. Prompted  by  laudable  ambition  he 
has  made  for  himself  a  creditable  name  in 
legal  circles  and  as  a  citizen  is  recognized 
as  one  who  has  given  tangible  support  to 
many  movements  for  the  general  good 
and  whose  influence  for  public  progress 
is  far-reaching  and  beneficial. 


MARCELLUS  T.  CHENOWETH. 

Marcellus  T.  Chenowethf  who  is  en- 
gaged in  merchandising  at  Hickory 
Ridge,  is  a  native  of  Virginia,  his  birth 
having  occurred  near  Beverley  in  Ran- 
dolph county,  on  October  3,  1842.  His 
parents  were  A.  W.  and  Hannah  (Tag- 
gart)  Chenoweth,  the  (former  born  in 
Randolph  county  and  the  latter  in  Monroe 
county,  Virginia,  the  years  of  their  na- 
tivity being  1819  and  1822  respectively. 
A.  W.  Chenow-eth  was  a  carpenter  by 
trade,  and  in  the  year  1852  removed  with 
his  family  from  the  Old  Dominion  to 
Hancock  county.  Illinois,  living  for 
several  years  in  Warsaw,  after  which  he 
located  in  Walker  township  in  1857.  At 
the  time  of  the  Civil  war  he  joined  the 
Seventh  Missouri  Cavalry  and  served 
until  disabled  in  1864.  He  participated 
in  the  battle  of  Lone  Jack,  Ozark  Moun- 
tain and  other  engagements  in  that  section 
of  the  country.  The  family  numbered 
seven  children,  of  whom  three  are  now 
living:  M.  T. :  Sarah,  the  wife  of  Alfred 
Lomax,  of  Warsaw,  Illinois ;  and  Vir- 


ginia, the  wife  of  John  Rigg,  of  Spring- 
field, this  state.  The  father  died  October 
31,  1865,  and  the  mother  in  June,  1887, 
their  remains  being  interred  in  Walker 
township. 

M.  T.  Chenoweth  began  his  education 
at  St.  Marys,  Virginia,  afterward  con- 
tinued his  studies  in  Ohio,  in  Warsaw, 
Illinois  and  in  Bloomfield.  Iowa.  He  en- 
listed in  1864  in  the  Twenty-eighth  Illi- 
nois Volunteer  Infantry  as  a  member  of 
Company  E,  and  served  until  the  3ist  of 
October,  1865,  the  day  his  father  died. 
He  was  on  active  duty  near  the  southern 
portion  of  the  Mississippi  river  and  was 
present  at  the  capture  of  Mobile.  He 
had  an  uncle,  William  Chenoweth,  who 
was  a  soldier  in  the  Confederate  army  in 
the  Civil  war,  while  his  great-grand- 
father, John  Chenoweth,  was  a  soldier  of 
the  Revolution.  Following  his  return 
home  M.  T.  Chenoweth  remained  with 
his  mother  until  after  his  sisters  were 
married. 

In  1871  Mr.  Chenoweth  wedded  Miss 
Mary  Isabella  Rankin,  who  was  born  in 
Adams  county.  Illinois,  in  1844,  a  daugh- 
ter of  James  and  Sarah  (Laughlin) 
Rankin,  natives  of  Kentucky,  whence 
they  came  to  Illinois  in  January,  1834. 
They  lived  in  Adams  county  until  1848 
and  then  settled  upon  a  farm  in  Walker 
township,  Hancock  county.  The  father 
died  in  1864,  and  the  mother,  long  sur- 
viving him,  departed  this  life  in  1898. 
Both  were  buried  in  Adams  county.  In 
their  family  were  seven  children  but  only 
two  are  living :  William  Rankin,  a  resi- 
dent of  Breckenridge.  Illinois :  and  Mrs. 
Chenoweth. 

Following  his  marriage  Mr.  Chenoweth 


214 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


.located  in  Warsaw,  where  he  worked  at 
the  carpenter's  trade,  which  he  had 
learned  under  the  direction  of  his  father. 
He  was  thus  identified  with  building  op- 
erations until  1884,  when  he  removed  to 
Breckenridge,  where  he  purchased  a  store, 
becoming  proprietor  of  the  leading  mer- 
cantile establishment  of  the  village.  He 
has  bought  two  stores  since  locating  here 
and  has  combined  them.  He  now  has 
a  large  and  well  equipped  establishment, 
carrying  a  carefully  selected  line  of  gen- 
eral goods  and  he  has  secured  a  liberal 
patronage  which  is  well  merited. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Chenoweth  was 
born  a  daughter,  Claudia,  who  died  at  the 
age  of  nine  years,  and  was  buried  in  the 
family  lot  in  Walker  township.  Her 
death  was  the  greatest  sorrow  that  has 
ever  come  to  her  parents.  Mrs.  Cheno- 
weth is  a  member  of  the  Christian  church 
and  is  an  estimable  lady.  Mr.  Cheno- 
weth, active  in  business  and  progressive  in 
citizenship,  is  regarded  as  one  of  the 
valued  residents  of  this  part  of  the  county. 
In  politics  he  is  a  republican  and  for 
eighteen  years  he  served  as  postmaster, 
or  until  the  rural  free  delivery  route  was 
established.  He  owns  three  acres  of  land 
and  lives  in  Hickory  Ridge,  and  he  has 
remodeled  and  repaired  both  his  store  and 
house  and  is  now  comfortably  situated  in 
life.  An  analyzation  of  his  record  shows 
that  his  prosperity  is  the  legitimate  out- 
come of  earnest  labor  and  persistent  pur- 
pose and  that  he  is  entirely  a  self-made 
man.  He  is  now  conducting  a  good  and 
paying  business  and  all  acknowledge  that 
the  success  which  he  is  enjoying  is  well 
merited,  and  all  his  friends  are  glad  when 
Fortune  favors  him. 


HIRAM  B.  KINKADE. 

Hiram  B.  Kinkade,  who  follows 
farming  near  Hamilton,  was  born  in  St. 
Albans  township,  Hancock  county,  on  the 
3d  of  February,  1858,  and  attended  the 
district  schools,  while  spending  his  boy- 
hood days  under  the  parental  roof.  His 
paternal  grandparents  were  George  W. 
and  Elizabeth  (Trainer)  Kinkade,  both  of 
whom  were  natives  of  Virginia.  They 
became  early  settlers  of  Hancock  county, 
but  in  the  meantime  had  resided  in 
Hardin  county,  Kentucky,  where  occurred 
the  birth  of  Lorenzo  D.  Kinkade,  father 
of  our  subject.  He  married  Miss  Harriet 
Stewart,  whd  was  born  in  Wabash  county, 
Indiana,  a  daughter  of  Cornelius  and 
Sarah  (Bullard)  Stewart,  who  were  like- 
wise pioneer  residents  of  this  county. 
The  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lorenzo 
Kinkade  was  celebrated  at  the  residence 
of  his  wife's  father  about  1840  and  they 
afterward  removed  to  St.  Clair  county, 
Illinois,  and  subsequently  lived  in  Adams 
county,  Illinois,  for  a  time.  At  a  later 
date  they  went  to  Missouri,  taking  up 
their  abode  near  Kirksville  and  in  1856 
they  came  to  Hancock  county,  Mr.  Kink- 
ade purchasing  forty  acres  of  unimproved 
timber  land.  He  cleared  and  cultivated 
the  tract,  making  many  modern  improve- 
ments upon  it.  and  there  resided  until 
1872,  when  he  sold  that  place  to  his  son. 
He  afterward  lived  with  his  children  up 
to  the  time  of  his  death,  which  occurred 
January  16,  1879,  when  he  was  fifty-five 
years  of  age.  His  widow  still  survives 
and  makes  her  home  with  her  children  in 
this  county,  and  she  is  honored  by  all  who 
know  her. 


Hiram  B.  Kinkade  was  the  seventh  in 
order  of  birth  in  a  family  of  six  sons 
and  five  daughters.  He  was  reared  upon 
the  old  home  farm  and  resided  with  his 
parents  until  his  father's  death,  after 
which  his  mother  lived  with  him  until  he 
reached  the  age  of  twenty-seven  years. 
He  began  his  business  career  upon  rented 
farms  in  this  locality  and  in  1896  he  pur- 
chased eight  acres  of  land  in  the  Oak- 
wood  addition  to  Hamilton.  Upon  this 
tract  was  a  small  brick  house,  which  he 
has  since  rebuilt.  He  also  has  put  up 
barns  and  a  tenant  house  and  has  given 
much  attention  to  horticultural  pursuits, 
planting  about  sixty  apple  trees  and  the 
same  number  of  peach  trees.  He  also 
has  pear  and  plum  trees,  grapes  and  other 
.  fruit  upon  his  place  and  is  meeting  with 
.  excellent  success  in  the  raising  of  fruit, 
having  thoroughly  informed  himself  con- 
cerning the  best  methods  of  producing 
the  various  fruits,  to  which  he  gives  his 
time  and  attention. 

On  the  28th  of  December,  1886;  Mr. 
Kinkade  was  married  in  Emporia,  Kan- 
sas, to  Miss  Emma  Samsel,  who  was  born 
in  Ogle  county,  Illinois,  March  28,  1866. 
her  parents  being  Ephraim  and  Tracy 
(Rohrer)  Samsel,  who  were  natives  of 
Washington  county,  Maryland.  Her 
grandparents  were  Jacob  and  Susan 
(Whip)  Samsel,  natives  of  Maryland, 
and  John  and  Susan  (Pofrenbarger) 
Rohrer.  Her  parents  were  members  of 
the  Christian  church. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Kinkade  is 
a  democrat  and  in  1903  and  1904  was  a 
member  of  the  city  council  of  Hamilton. 
He  belongs  to  Montebello  lodge,  No. 
697,  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows. 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


215 


Active  in  business,  he  has  made  good  use 
of  his  opportunities  and  is  prospering  in 
his  undertakings,  so  that  he  is  now  one 
of  the  substantial  citizens  of  the 
community. 


WILLIAM  H.  D.  NOYES,  AI.  D. 

On  the  list  of  Hancock  county's 
honored  dead  appears  the  name  of  Dr. 
William  H.  D.  Noyes,  who  for  many 
years  was  recognized  as  one  of  the  prom- 
inent members  of  the  medical  profession 
in  Carthage.  His  parents  were  Michael 
J.  and  Elitha  (Tate)  Noyes,  the  former 
a  native  of  New  Hampshire  and  the  latter 
of  Rock  Castle  county,  Kentucky.  Dr. 
Noyes  was  born  in  Bowling  Green,  Mis- 
souri, January  24,  1834,  and  was  reared 
in  Pittsfield,  Illinois,  to  which  city  his 
parents  removed  in  his  early  boyhood 
days,  his  father  and  mother  spending  the 
remainder  of  their  lives  there.  In  their 
family  were  twelve  children,  all  of  whom 
are  now  deceased,  with  the  exception  of 
John  Noyes,  who  is  still  living  in 
Pittsfield. 

Dr.  Noyes  acquired  his  preliminary 
education  in  the  schools  of  Pittsfield  and 
after  completing  the  high  school  course 
entered  Shurtleff  College,  at  Upper  Alton, 
Illinois.  His  literary  education  being 
finished  he  then  prepared  for  his  chosen 
profession  by  study  in  the  Missouri  Med- 
ical College,  at  St.  Louis,  from  which  he 
was  a  graduated  in  the  class  of  1861.  In 
the  same  year,  however,  he  put  aside  pro- 
fessional cares  in  order  to  aid  his  country 
then  engaged  in  the  Civil  war,  joining 


2l6 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


Company  K  of  the  Sixteenth  Illinois  In- 
fantry. He  was  with  that  command  for 
only  a  few  months,  however,  when  he 
was  transferred  to  the  navy  as  assistant 
surgeon  on  the  Bark  Braziliera  from  the 
Brooklyn  navyyard.  Later  he  was  trans- 
ferred to  the  steamer  Southfield.  also 
doing  service  on  the  Atlantic  coast.  This 
vessel  proceeded  southward  to  Norfolk, 
Virginia,  and  up  the  James  river.  Mrs. 
Noyes  still  has  in  her  possession  the  letter 
from  John  G.  Nicholay,  private  secretary 
to  President  Lincoln,  transferring  Dr. 
Noyes  from  the  infantry  to  the  navy. 
He  had  the  rank  of  lieutenant  and  messed 
with  the  wardroom  officers.  In  Decem- 
ber, 1862,  on  account  of  ill  health  he  was 
at  home  for  a  short  time  and  afterward 
went  to  St.  Louis,  where  he  did  duty  in 
the  Fifth  Street  Hospital  and  later,  on 
the  hospital  steamer  "City  of  Memphis" 
on  the  Mississippi  river,  where  he  again 
acted  as  surgeon,  remaining  on  duty  until 
the  latter  part  of  1863. 

Following  his  connection  with  the  army 
Dr.  Noyes  practiced  medicine  for  a  year 
in  Pittsfield  and  in  1864  removed  to 
Carthage,  where  he  continued  in  active 
practice  until  his  demise.  He  was  in  ill 
health,  however,  for  several  years  prior 
to  his  death  and  he  passed  away  at  Hot 
Springs,  South  Dakota  on  the  i2th  of 
June,  1894.  He  was  long  accounted  one 
of  the  leading  and  able  physicians  of 
Carthage  and  for  many  years  resided  on 
Wabash  avenue  and  Fayette  street.  He 
always  kept  well  informed  concerning  the 
progress  of  his  profession  as  advancement 
was  made  in  efficiency  and  knowledge, 
and  that  his  labors  were  attended  with 
a  high  measure  of  success  is  indicated  by 


the  fact  that  a  most  liberal  patronage  was 
accorded  him. 

Dr.  Noyes  was  married  in  the  fall  of 
1863  to  Miss  Lizzie  Lynde,  of  Griggsville, 
Illinois,  in  which  city  she  was  born. 
They  had  no  children  but  adopted  a 
daughter,  who  is  now  Mrs.  D.  G.  Berry, 
of  Carthage,  Illinois,  and  has  one  child. 
Catherine.  Mrs.  Noyes  died  in  July, 
1872  and  her  remains  were  interred  in  the 
cemetery  at  Griggsville,  where  she  was 
visiting  at  the  time  of  her  death.  Dr. 
Noyes  afterward  married  Miss  Laura 
Miller  on  the  271)1  of  October,  1874. 
She  was  born  in  Huntsville,  Pennsylvania, 
June  30,  1849,  and  was  a  daughter  of 
Captain  Thomas  C.  and  Martha  Mary 
(McCulloch)  Miller.  The  ancestors  of  the 
Miller  family  came  from  Scotland,  settling 
in  Bucks  county,  Pennsylvania,  in  1720. 
Her  great-great-grandfather  was  John 
Miller.  He  was  a  most  prominent  and 
influential  man  of  his  day  and  married 
Isabella  Henry,  a  sister  of  the  father  of 
Patrick  Henry,  whose  eloquence  did  so 
much  in  arousing  the  colonists  to  make  the 
attempt  to  throw  off  the  yoke  of  British 
oppression.  Isabella  Henry  Miller  died 
a  few  months  before  her  husband  and  both 
.  lie  buried  in  the  cemetery,  which  thirty 
years  before  he  had  dedicated  to  "ye 
congregation  of  the  Presbyterian  church" 
of  Neshaminy.  He  was  also  a  large  land- 
owner in  Bucks  county,  Pennsylvania. 
William  Miller,  Jr.,  great-grandfather  of 
Mrs.  Noyes,  was  a  captain  in  the  Revolu- 
tionary war,  having  the  following  record  : 
Appointed  ensign  June  9,  1776,  first 
lieutenant  March  20,  1777,  captain  on 
February  2,  1778,  and  colonel  April  17, 
1779,  in  the  Seventh  Pennsylvania  Regu- 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


217 


lars  commanded  by  Captain  William 
Irvine.  He  also  commanded  at  the  battle 
of  Hackinsack  and  was  camped  at  White 
Plains  in  1778.  His  regiment  was  paid 
off  at  Carlisle,  Pennsylvania,  in  April, 
1781.  His  father-in-law  was  Colonel 
Thomas  Craig,  also  of  Revolutionary  war 
fame.  He  was  second  lieutenant  in 
Captain  Abraham  Miller's  company,  Col- 
onel Thompson's  battalion  of  riflemen. 
In  November,  1775,  he  was  promoted  to 
first  lieutenant  and  quartermaster  .  of 
the  battalion ;  afterwards  as  quartermas- 
ter of  the  Ninth  Pennsylvania  of  the 
Continental  Line.  In  1 780  he  was  commis- 
sary of  purchases  for  Buck's  company. 
He  was  born  in  1740,  passing  from  this 
life  in  1832.  He  was  married  in  1790  to 
Dorothy  Briner. 

General  T.  C.  Miller,  grandfather  of 
Mrs.  Noyes,  was  a  resident  of  Gettys- 
burg, Pennsylvania,  and  served  in  the  war 
of  1812.  He  also  had  brothers  who  were 
in  active  duty  during  that  war  and  one 
or  two  died  in  prison  ships,  one  passing 
away  on  the  Jersey.  General  T.  C.  Miller 
was  a  warm,  personal  friend  of  Francis 
Scott  Key,  who  was  the  author  of  The 
Star  Spangled  Banner. 

From  the  "Pennsylvania  Statesman," 
published  at  Carlisle,  Pennsylvania,  Sep- 
tember 28,  1843,  on  me  m  Hamilton  Li- 
brary, Carlisle: 

(General  T.  C.  Miller  was  at  that  time 
a  candidate  for  associate  judge-  of  the 
district  of  Cumberland,  Franklin  and 
Perry  counties.) 


eral  Miller  are  confident  of  giving  him 
600  majority.  Let  Cumberland  do  her 
duty  and  the  General  will  be  elected  by 
a  handsome  majority." 


"General      Miller. — We     learn      from 
Franklin  county  that  the  friends  of  Gen- 


GENERAL   THOMAS    C.    MILLER. 

The  military  career  of  this  gentleman 
deserves  some  notice,  and  we  think  gives 
him  additional  claims  on  the  favor  of  his 
fellow  citizens.  A  volunteer,  who  served 
with  the  General  during  the  last  war,  has 
furnished  us  with  a  full  history  of  their 
services  and  hardships,  from  which  we 
shall  make  a  few  extracts,,  in  order  to 
show  that,  whatever  the  "volunteers" 
may  call  General  Miller,  he  has  given 
strong  proof  that  he  is  at  all  events,  an 
American  and  a  patriot. 

To    the    Editors    of    the    Pennsylvania 

Statesman,  Gentlemen : — 

I  am  not  in  the  habit  of  dabbling  in 
politics,  but  when  I  see  the  character  of 
a  man  with  whom  I  have  been  intimate 
through  life  wrongfully  assailed  and  tra- 
duced, I  can  not  withhold  from  him  my 
feeble  support. 

I  have  been  acquainted  with  General 
Miller  from  the  late  war  to  the  present 
day,  and  can  aver  that  his  whole  course  of 
life,  which  has  fallen  under  my  observa- 
tion from  that  day  to  this,  has  been  unex- 
ceptionable. Of  his  civil  services  I  need 
not  speak — neither  need  I  say  a  word  in 
relation  to  his  character  as  a  man.  But 
I  have  a  soldier's  feeling  for  a  fellow- 
soldier — and  I  must  say  that  if  the  man 
who  serves  his  country  faithfully  in  the 
hour  of  danger  deserves  the  gratitude  of 
his  countrymen,  then  will  General  Miller 


2l8 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


in  the  present  contest  in  your  district, 
be  surrounded  and  supported  by  a  host 
of  friends.  I  will  tell  you  of  some  of  the 
services  he  rendered.  In  1814,  when  the 
news  reached  us  that  the  British  had 
burned  Washington,  he  mounted  his  horse 
and  never  ceased  his  exertions  until  he  had 
raised  a  volunteer  rifle  company,  which 
he  marched  to  Baltimore  in  forty-eight 
hours.  Besides  leaving  his  home  and 
business,  he  incurred  considerable  ex- 
pense in  raising  and  marching  the  com- 
pany, for  which  he  never  asked  or  received 
remuneration,  further  than  his  monthly 
pay.  The  night  after  the  battle  of  North 
Point,  the  main  body  of  our  army  having 
been  driven  back  into  their  entrenchments, 
a  fragment  of  the  army  was  cut  off  from 
the  main  body  by  the  rising  of  the  tide 
in  an  arm  of  the  bay,  and  could  not  reach 
the  entrenchments  without  passing 
through  the  British  lines ;  they  were, 
moreover,  destitute  of  provisions,  and 
were  in  a  very  bad  way.  In  this  emer- 
gency Colonel  Cobean  rode  along  the  line 
and  asked  who  would  volunteer  to  go  and 
bring  the  men  up?  Many  marched  out 
and  offered,  but  General  Smith  and  Com- 
modore Rogers  forbade  their  going,  saying 
that  every  man  would  be  wanted  in  the 
morning.  Part  of  Captain  Miller's  com- 
pany being  among  those  cut  off,  he  and 
William  McClellan,  now  of  Gettysburg, 
although  the  night  was  wet  and  dark, 
procured  horses,  and  each  taking  a  bag 
of  bread  and  some  canteens  of  whiskey, 
stole  through  the  lines  of  the  British  sen- 
tinels, reached  the  men,  and  after  giving 
them  something  to  eat  and  drink,  marched 
them  safely  by  a  circuitous  route  into 
the  American  quarters  before  daylight. 


For  this  daring  feat  the  General  was  nick- 
named Jasper  and  McClellan  was  called 
McDonald,  after  two  famous  partisan  sol- 
diers of  the  Revolution — in  truth  among 
his  fellow-soldiers  General  Miller  is,  to 
this  day,  called  Old  Jasper.  His  conduct 
throughout  the  whole  campaign  met  the 
approbation  of  his  companions  in  arms, 
and  he  was  elected  by  a  unanimous  vote 
major  of  the  battalion  composed  of  his 
own  company.  Captain  Cobean's  com- 
pany of  Gettysburg,  Captain  Campbell's 
company  of  Gettysburg,  Captain  Eichel- 
berger's  company  of  Dillsburg,  Captain 
— 's  company  of  Peach  Bot- 
tom and  Captain  McKinney's  company  of 
Shippensburg,  very  many  members  of 
which  companies  are  living  witnesses  of 
the  fact.  He  has  since  been  elected  to 
several  important  military  offices  in  his 
brigade.  Immediately  after  the  close  of 
the  last  war,  he  was  elected  colonel  of 
the  Eigthy-sixth  Regiment  at  Gettysburg. 
When  his  term  expired,  he  was  elected 
brigade  inspector  and  after  that  was 
twice  elected  brigadier  general,  which 
commission  I  believe  he  held  until  his  re- 
moval into  Cumberland  county  in  1840. 

As  a  politician,  I  differ  in  some  respects 
from  General  Miller,  but  I  have  so  much 
confidence  in  the  patriotism  and  integrity 
of  the  man,  and  so  many  good  reasons  to 
believe  him  the  true  friend  of  his  country, 
that  I  am  sorry  I  am  not  a  citizen' of  your 
district,  so  that  I  might  be  able  to  give 
him  a  lift  at  the  next  election. 

Signed, 
A  VOLUNTEER  OF  1814. 

He  was  elected. 


Daniel  Craig,  one  of  the  great-grand- 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


219 


fathers  of  Mrs.  Noyes  in  the  paternal  line, 
died  in  1776.  Of  this  family  Colonel 
Thomas  Craig,  son  of  Daniel  Craig,  re- 
ceived his  commission  October  23,  1776, 
as  captain  in  the  Revolutionary  war  and 
rose  to  the  rank  of  colonel.  He  married 
Jean  Jamison  and  his  daughter,  Marga- . 
ree,  married  William  Miller,  great- 
grandfather of  Mrs.  Noyes,  who  founded 
Millerstown,  now  Fairfield,  Pennsylvania, 
and  was  for  many  years  representative 
and  senator  of  a  district  in  the  state  legis- 
lature and  was  a  very  prominent  and  in- 
fluential man.  In  the  fall  of  1814,  T.  C. 
Miller  raised  a  rifle  company  and  marched 
to  Washington  to  defend  the  city  after 
it  had  been  attacked  by  the  British.  He 
was  elected  a  few  years  later,  brigade 
inspector  of  the  military  section,  perform- 
ing his  duties  with  capability  and  honor 
and  was  afterward  general  of  his  division. 
In  1824  he  was  elected  high  sheriff  of 
the- county  and  in  1835  he  was  appointed 
by  Governor  Wolf  registrar  and  recorder 
to  fill  a  vacancy  in  that  office.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity  and  at 
his  death  was  buried  with  military  hon- 
ors, the  remains  being  escorted  to  the 
grave  by  a  military  organization  known 
as  "the  Blues"  and  also  by  the  fraternal 
societies  to  which  he  belonged  and  a  great 
majority  of  the  citizens  of  Gettysburg. 
He  owned  at  one  time  the  ground  on 
which  Evergreen  cemetery  (a  part  of 
National  cemetery)  at  Gettysburg  was 
laid  out.  Mrs.  Noyes  has  in  her  posses- 
sion a  large  oil  painting  of  this  honored 
ancestor,  which  was  made  in  colonial 
times  and  which  she  prizes  very  highly. 
Captain  Thomas  C.  Miller,  father  of 
Mrs.  Noyes,  was  born  in  Gettysburg, 


Pennsylvania,  July  I,  1827,  and  having 
arrived  at  years  of  maturity  wedded  Mary 
McCulloch,  who  was  born  in  Dickinson, 
Pennsylvania,  July  22,  1826.  He  served 
as  a  soldier  of  Company  F,  Seventh  Mis- 
souri Cavalry,  in  the  Civil  war  and  won 
the  rank  of  captain  but  was  obliged  to 
resign  on  account  of  an  attack  of  typhoid 
fever,  after  which  he  returned  home.  He 
re-enlisted,  becoming  a  lieutenant  of  Com- 
pany K,  One  Hundred  and  Forty-sixth 
Illinois  Infantry.  His  regiment  rendez- 
voused at  Camp  Butler  and  was  on  duty 
at  Springfield,  Illinois,  at  the  time  of  the 
funeral  services  of  President  Lincoln. 
Captain  Miller  died  June  21,  1905,  and 
was  buried  at  Moss  Ridge  cemetery  in 
Carthage.  For  a  number  of  years  prior 
to  his  death  he  lived  retired  and  was 
a  most  respected  and  worthy  man,  who 
enjoyed  the  unqualified  confidence  and  es- 
teem of  all  who  knew  him.  His  widow 
died  March  22,  1906.  In  the  family 
four  children  :  Laura,  now  Mrs.  Noyes ; 
J.  Oliver,  who  is  living  in  Baconsfield, 
Iowa;  Anna,  the  wife  of  R.  Herron  John- 
son, of  Adams,  Kansas ;  and  Margaretta, 
the  wife  of  Rev.  T.  S.  Hawley.  of  Trini- 
dad, Colorado. 

Unto  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Noyes  were  born 
five  children,  four  of  whom  yet  survive. 
Fannie  is  living  with  her  mother.  Mary 
Coyle  is  the  wife  of  Ralph  Harper  Mc- 
Kee,  professor  of  chemistry  at  Lake  For- 
est University  near  Chicago.  Helen  Mil- 
ler is  now  a  teacher  of  languages  at 
Synodecal  College,  at  Fulton,  Missouri. 
Julia  Tate  was  a  graduate  of  Wilson  Col- 
lege at  Chambersburg,  Pennsylvania, 
June  7,  1906. 

Dr.  Noyes  was  a  prominent  and  valued 


22O 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  serving 
as  master  of  his  lodge  in  Carthage  for 
many  years.  In  his  political  views  he 
was  an  earnest  and  unfaltering  republican, 
and  was  supervisor  and  for  two  terms 
was  postmaster  at  Carthage.  Not  only 
in  the  line  of  his  profession  but  in  public 
and  private  life  as  well  he  did  much  ser- 
vice of  a  beneficial  nature  for  his  fellow- 
men.  The  sterling  traits  of  his  character, 
his  many  acts  of  kindness  and  charity  and 
the  honorable  principles  which  formed  the 
basic  element  of  all  that  he  did  and  said, 
made  him  a  man  whom  to  know  was  to 
respect  and  honor,  and  there  are  many 
residents  of  Carthage  and  Hancock 
county  who  still  cherish  his  memory.  His 
wife  and  daughters  are  members  of  the 
Presbyterian  church.  Mrs.  Noyes  or- 
ganized the  society  of  the  Daughters  of 
the  American  Revolution  in  the  fall  of 
1897  and  was  regent  therein  for  three 
years.  She  is  a  lady  of  innate  culture  and 
refinement,  of  superior  intelligence  and 
of  most  kindly  purpose  and  the  family 
have  long  occupied  an  enviable  position 
in  social  circles  in  Carthage. 


PROFESSOR  JAMES  E.  WILLIAMS. 

Professor  James  E.  Williams,  superin- 
tendent of  schools  of  Hancock  county  and 
one  of  the  capable  educators  of  western 
Illinois,  was  born  in  Hancock  township, 
October  n,  1859,  his  parents  being  P. 
D.  and  M.  A.  (Dale)  Williams.  The 
paternal  grandfather,  Rev.  Levi  Williams, 


was  a  Methodist  divine,  who  preached  for 
many  years  in  Hancock  county  and  this 
part  of  the  state.  While  in  New  York 
the  Williams  family  were  close  neighbors 
of  the  Mormon  prophet,  Joseph  Smith. 
Rev.  Levi  Williams  married  a  Miss 
Barnes,  whose  father  was  a  sergeant  in 
the  war  of  1812.  The  ancestry  of  the 
Williams  family  can  be  traced  back  to 
Roger  Williams,  the  apostle  of  freedom, 
who  founded  the  colony  of  Rhode  Is- 
land, The  father  of  our  subject  was  born 
in  Wayne  county.  New  York,  May  2, 
1836,  while  the  mother's  birth  occurred 
in  Hancock  township,  this  county,  on  the 
1 2th  of  February,  1840.  P.  D.  Williams 
arrived  in  -this  county  in  1837.  almost 
seventy  years  ago  and  is  now  engaged  in 
business  as  a  shoe  merchant  of  La  Harpe, 
Illinois.  Because  of  the  fact  that  he  lost 
a  part  of  his  hand  in  a  threshing  machine 
he  could  not  go  to  war  but  was  always  a 
stalwart  advocate  of  the  Union  cause. 
His  political  allegiance  is  given  to  the 
democracy  and  he  has  served  as  justice  of 
the  peace  and  school  director.  Both  he 
and  his  wife  are  earnest  and  helpful  mem- 
bers of  the  Christian  church,  in  which 
he  is  now  serving  as  an  elder  and  also 
as  president  of  the  official  board.  People 
of  the  highest  respectability,  they  enjoy 
the  warm  regard  of  all  with  whom  they 
have  come  in  contact  and  are  numbered 
among  the  most  prominent  residents  of 
their  town.  She  at  one  time  was  a  pupil 
of  her  husband  when  he  was  a  teacher  in 
Hancock  county.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Masonic  fraternity,  in  which  he  has  at- 
tained the  Royal  Arch  degree.  In  their 
family  were  nine  children.  The  eldest 
is  Professor  Williams  of  this  review. 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


221 


Emma,  who  taught  in  the  district  schools 
of  Hancock  county  for  three  or  four  years, 
is  now  the  wife  of  J.  M.  Preston,  of 
Fountain  Green,  Illinois.  Ida  is  the  wife 
of  W.  F.  Moyes,  of  Monmouth,  Illinois, 
and  she,  too,  was  a  successful  teacher  of 
this  county,  having  been  in  one  room  for 
seven  years  in  Elvaston.  Laura  is  the 
wife  of  George  B.  Howes,  of  Peoria,  Illi- 
nois, and  she,  too,  taught  for  several  years 
in  Hancock  county,  spending  two  years 
in  the  public  schools  of  Carthage.  Charles 
C.  is  now  foreman  of  the  Journal  at 
Peoria,  Illinois.  .  Mary,  who  was  also  a 
capable  schoolteacher  following  the  pro- 
fession for  seven  years  in  the  public 
schools  of  La  Harpe,  is  now  the  wife  of 
E.  I.  Soule  of  that  town.  Kate,  who 
taught  for  five  years  in  the  schools  of 
La  Harpe,  is  now  a  teacher  in  Bowen, 
Illinois. 

Professor  Williams,  whose  name  intro- 
duces this  record,  remained  at  home  until 
nineteen  years  of  age  and  during  that 
period  pursued  his  education  in  the  public 
schools.  He  afterward  entered  Carthage 
College,  from  which  he  was  graduated 
in  the  class  of  1885,  winning  the  degree 
of  Bachelor  of  Arts.  Like  his  father  he 
began  life  as  a  schoolteacher,  which  pro- 
fession he  followed  at  Elvaston,  where 
his  sister  also  taught  for  a  number  of 
years.  Professor  Williams  was  connected 
with  the  schools  there  in  1883.  Follow- 
ing the  completion  of  his  collegiate  course 
he  taught  school  at  Camp  Point,  Illinois, 
having  charge  of  the  preparatory  depart- 
ment there.  In  1886  he  took  charge  of 
the  Burnside  school  and  at  the  same  time 
he  devoted  his  time  and  energies  to  the 
study  of  law.  The  same  year  he  was 


elected  superintendent  of  the  public 
schools  at  Ness  City,  Kansas,  and  organ- 
ized and  graded  the  schools  of  that  city, 
where  he  remained  for  four  years,  during 
which  time  he  established  the  system  of 
public  instruction  upon  a  safe  and  substan- 
tial basis.  In  1892  he  removed  to  La- 
crosse, Kansas,  where  he  remained  for 
two  years  as  superintendent  of  the  public 
schools,  leaving  that  place  to  settle  in  La- 
Harpe,  Illinois,  where  he  was  engaged  in 
the  dry  goods  business.  He  conducted  a 
store  there  for  several  years  with  good 
success  and  was  carrying  on  the  trade  at 
the  time  he  was  nominated  and  elected  to 
his  present  office — that  of  superintendent 
of  schools  of  Hancock  county.  Wrhile  in 
La  Harpe  he  was  also  a  member  of  the 
board  of  education  for  several  years  and 
acted  as  its  president  for  two  years.  The 
cause  of  education  has  always  found  in 
him  a  stalwart  champion,  who  has  enter- 
tained high  ideals  and  labored  untiringly 
for  their  adoption. 

On  the  I3th  of  June,  1892,  Mr.  Wil- 
liams was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Daisy  K.  Brown,  of  Ness  City,  Kansas, 
who  was  at  one  time  a  pupil  of  his  in  the 
high  school.  She  is  a  daughter  of  Cap- 
tain J.  W.  and  Catherine  (Kouts)  Brown, 
both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Indiana, 
in  which  state  Mrs.  Williams  was  also 
born.  Her  father  served  as  a  captain 
under  Major  McKinley  in  the  Civil  war 
and  was  personally  and  intimately  ac- 
quainted with  him.  He  was  also  a  rela- 
tive of  John  Brown,  of  Harper's  Ferry 
fame.  His  death  occurred  in  March, 
1892,  while  Mrs.  Brown  passed  away 
twenty-five  years  ago.  In  their  family 
were  five  children,  all  of  whom  are  living, 


222 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


namely :  Effie,  the  wife  of  A.  W.  Nu- 
som.  of  Gervais,  Oregon ;  Mrs.  Williams ; 
George  W.,  also  of  Gervais,  Oregon; 
Cora,  the  wife  of  W.  A.  Brooks,  of  that 
place ;  and  Helen,  who  lives  with  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Williams  and  is  a  teacher  in  the 
schools  of  West  Point.  Unto  Professor 
and  Mrs.  Williams  have  been  born  two 
children :  Ralph  Brown,  who  was  born 
in  La  Harpe,  December  13,  1895,  and  is 
now  a  student  in  the  public  schools  of 
Carthage ;  and  Philip,  who  was  born 
April  9,  1903,  in  Carthage. 

Professor  Williams  is  a  member  of  the 
Knights  of  Pythias,  Masonic  and  Odd 
Fellow  fraternities  and  both  he  and  his 
wife  are  members  of  the  Christian  church, 
in  which  they  take  an  active  and  helpful 
part.  He  is  now  serving  as  one  of  its 
elders  and  has  been  superintendent  of 
various  Sunday-schools.  The  family 
home  is  on  North  Adams  and  Buchanan 
street,  where  about  a  year  after  coming 
to  this  state  he  erected  an  attractive  resi- 
dence. His  political  allegiance  is  given 
to  the  democracy.  In  his  private  and 
public  life  he  is  methodical  and  systematic, 
so  directing  his  business  interests  as  to 
accomplish  the  best  results  possible.  He 
has  given  uniform  satisfaction  by  the  ca- 
pable manner  in  which  he  has  discharged 
the  duties  of  the  office  which  he  is  now 
filling.  His  practical  experience  as  a 
teacher  in  the  schoolroom  well  qualified 
him  for  the  work  and  under  his  guidance 
the  schools  of  Hancock  county  have  made 
substantial  improvements.  Professor 
Williams  is  devoted  to  his  home  and 
family  and  is  one  in  whom  the  graces 
of  culture  and  learning  have  vied  in  mak- 
ing an  interesting,  entertaining  gentleman. 


DAYTOX  WILLIAM  REED. 

Dayton  William  Reed  is  one  of  the  ex- 
tensive landowners  of  Wythe  township, 
having  a  valuable  farm  of  three  hundred 
and  seventy- four  acres  on  sections  16,  17, 
1 8  and  19.  He  is  one  of  the  native  sons 
of  this  township,  his  birth  having  oc- 
curred on  the  3Oth  of  September,  1854. 
His  paternal  grandfather  was  Jacob  Reed, 
and  his  father,  William  Wrallace  Reed. 
The  latter  became  a  pioneer  resident  of 
Hancock  county,  taking  up  his  abode  in 
\Vythe  township  in  1836  when  but  sixteen 
years  of  age.  He  secured  three  hundred 
and  twenty  acres  of  wild  prairie  land  and 
transformed  the  virgin  soil  into  pro- 
ductive fields,  sharing  in  the  hardships 
and  privations  of  pioneer  life,  while  en- 
gaged in  the  arduous  task  of  developing 
and  improving  a  new  farm.  For  more 
than  six  decades  he  resided  upon  the  old 
homestead  but  in  1898  went  to  live  with 
his  daughter  in  this  vicinity.  In  early 
manhood  he  had  wedded  Selena  Chandler, 
a  daughter  of  Adolphus  Chandler,  and 
she  passed  away  in  1866. 

Dayton  W.  Reed  was  the  second  child 
and  only  son  in  a  family  of  five  children. 
At  the  usual  age  he  entered  the  district 
schools  and  after  completing  his  prelimi- 
nary education  he  spent  one  year  as  a 
student  in  Carthage  College.  Through 
the  period  of  his  minority  he  largely  as- 
sisted his  father  in  the  work  of  the  fields, 
and  when  twenty-one  years  of  age  he  be- 
gan teaching  school  in  W'ythe  township, 
following  that  pursuit  during  the  winter 
months,  while  in  the  summer  seasons  he 
carried  on  farming  for  twelv6  years.  In 
the  meantime,  ambitious  to  achieve  good 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


223 


farming  property  of  his  own,  he  made  in- 
vestments in  land,  becoming  owner  of 
three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  on  sec- 
tions 17  and  1 8,  Wythe  township.  He 
also  bought  eighty  acres  more  on  section 
1 6,  and  since  1894  he  has  resided  con- 
tinuously at  his  present  home.  His  landed 
possessions  now  comprise  three  hundred 
and  seventy- four  acres  on  section  16,  17, 
'  18  and  19,  Wythe  township,  where  he 
carries  on  general  agricultural  pursuits, 
also  raises  horses  and  cattle.  He  likewise 
feeds  stock,  both  cattle  and  hogs  for  the 
market,  shipping  about  two  hundred  head 
of  hogs  annually.  He  is  a  man  of  sound 
business  judgment,  reliable  in  his  dealings 
and  careful  and  progressive  in  his  under- 
takings and  the  goodly  measure  of  suc- 
cess which  he  is  now  enjoying  has  come 
to  him  as  the  reward  of  his  own  labors. 
On  the  loth  of  March,  1881,  Mr.  Reed 
was  married  to  Miss  Laura  Fulton,  who 
was  born  in  Westmoreland  county,  Penn- 
sylvania, October  9,  1857,  a  daughter  of 
Robert  and  Harriett  (Trussell)  Fulton, 
natives  of  Westmoreland  county,  Penn- 
sylvania and  of  Xew  Hampshire  respect- 
ively. Her  paternal  grandparents  were 
William  and  Nancy  Fulton,  of  Allegheny 
county,  Pennsylvania.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Reed  have  a  family  of  eight  children: 
Harriett,  born  January  30,  1882;  Harry, 
who  died  in  infancy;  Clara,  born  May  3, 
1885;  Frank,  who  died  at  the  age  of  two 
years;  Jessie,  born  March  16,  1889; 
Gratia,  November  2,  1891 ;  Laura,  Decem- 
ber 15,  1893;  and  Robert,  April  29,  1896. 
All  of  the  living  children  are  still  at  home. 
Mr.  Reed  has  served  as  school  treasurer 
since  1894  and  is  interested  in  the  cause 
of  education  to  the  extent  of  giving  hearty 


support  to  all  progressive  movements  for 
the  benefit  of  the  schools.  He  votes  with 
the  Republican  party  and  is  a  member  of 
the  Modern  Woodmen  camp  at  Warsaw, 
also  holding  membership  in  the  Congre- 
gational church  of  Wythe  township,  of 
which  he  has  been  a  trustee.  Analyza- 
tion  of  his  life  record  shows  that  he  has 
placed  his  dependence  upon  the  safe  sub- 
stantial qualities  of  energy  and  determi- 
nation in  order  to  secure  success,  realizing 
that  "there  is  no  excellence  without  great 
labor"  and  that  "honesty  is  the  best 
policy." 


ROBERT  SMITH  GORDON.     . 

Robert  Smith  Gordon  is  acting  as  sta- 
tion agent  for  the  Wasbash  Railroad  and 
also  for  the  Toledo,  Peoria  &  Western 
Railroad  at  Hamilton.  He  was  borri  here 
December  10,  1866,  and  belongs  to  one 
of  the  oldest  and  most  prominent  pio- 
neer families  of  this  portion  of  the  state. 
His  paternal  grandfather  came  to  where 
the  city  of  Hamilton  now  stands  more 
than  seven  decades  ago,  there  being  fewer 
than  five  hundred  people  in  the  entire 
county  at  that  time.  He  entered  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  acres  of  land  from  the 
government  and  it  is  upon  this  tract  that 
the  city  of  Hamilton  now  stands.  He 
aided  in  reclaiming  the  wild  land  for  the 
uses  of  civilization  and  was  connected 
with  the  early  development  and  progress 
of  the  county  here  until  his  death,  which 
occurred  in  1846,  while  his  wife  passed 
away  in  1848.  In  their  family  were  but 


224 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REJ'IEU' 


two  sons,  the  younger  being  Samuel  Gor- 
don, father  of  our  subject,  who  is  men- 
tioned elsewhere  in  this  work.  "Samuel 
Gordon  was  born  in  Peterboro.  Xew 
Hampshire,  and  after  arriving  at  years 
,  of  maturity  was  married  to  Miss  Per- 
melia  Alvord,  who  was  born  in  Erie 
county,  Pennsylvania.  Her  father  was  a 
Baptist  minister  of  that  state  and  came 
to  Hamilton  at  an  early  day,  preaching 
in  this  place  and  in  the  county,  so  that 
he  left  the  impress  of  his  individuality 
upon  the  moral  development  and  progress 
of  the  community.  Samuel  Gordon  on 
starting  out  in  life  on  his  own  account 
gave  his  attention  to  farming.  He  also 
laid  out  the  Gordon  addition  to  the  city 
of  Hamilton  and  was  closely  associated 
with  many  movements  and  events  which 
have  shaped  the  history  of  this  part  of 
the  state.  He  was  school  director  of 
Hamilton  district,  No.  3,  and  was  city 
clerk  for  about  four  years.  He  was  also 
alderman  of  the  second  ward  for  six  years 
and  his  co-operation  could  always  be 
counted  upon  as  a  helpful  factor  to  pro- 
mote public  progress  and  improvement. 
He  died  October  2,  1901,  while  his  wife 
passed  away  September  19,  1890.  She 
left  a  family  of  four  daughters  and  two 
sons :  Eleanor,  who  is  a  Unitarian  min- 
ister located  in  Des  Moines,  Iowa;  John 
A.,  a  book  merchant  of  Hamilton,  Illi- 
nois; Alice" A.,  and  Agnes  C.,  who  make 
their  home  together  in  the  old  homestead ; 
and  Mabel  B.,  a  teacher  in  the  public 
schools  of  Hamilton. 

The  other  member  of  the  family  is 
Robert  Smith  Gordon  of  this  review,  who 
was  the  fifth  in  order  of  birth.  In  his 
youth  he  attended  the  public  schools  and 


assisted  his  father  in  the  work  of  the] 
home  farm.  At  the  age  of  seventeen 
years  he  put  aside  his  textbooks  and  gave 
his  undivided  attention  to  farm  labor  and ' 
on  the  ist  of  May,  1886,  he  secured  the 
position  of  station  agent  for  the  Wabash 
and  Toledo,  Peoria  &  Western  Railroads  at 
Hamilton,  in  which  capacity  he  has  since 
been  engaged.  He  is  a  courteous,  oblig- 
ing official,  who  has  won  the  good  will  of 
many  patrons  of  the  road  and  at  the  same 
time  he  represents  the  corporation  with 
true  fidelity  and  devotion.  He  is  likewise 
president  of  the  Loan  and  Building  As- 
sociations of  Hamilton,  which  was  or- 
ganized in  1889,  while  since  1901  he  has 
filled  the  present  position.  The  other  of- 
ficers are  A.  B.  Agnew,  vice  president; 
J.  A.  Gordon,  secretary;  and  E.  M.  Le- 
Roy,  treasurer. 

On  the  2d  of  October,  1903,  Mr.  Gor- 
don was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Laura 

B.  Bridges,  who  was  born  in  Hamilton, 
April  i,   1866,  and  is  a  daughter  of  W. 

C.  Bridges.     They  had  one  child,  Laura 
Ellen,  born  December  20,  1904,  who  died 
in  June,  1905.     Mr.  Gordon  has  a  very 
wide   acquaintance    in    this    part    of    the 
county  and  is  a  worthy  representative  of 
an  honored  pioneer  family  that  has  been 
associated   with  the   substantial   develop- 
ment and  progress  of  this  section  of  the 
state  from  an  early  day.     In  his  political 
affiliation    he    is    a    republican    and    has 
served  as  alderman,  mayor  and  township 
school  trustee.     Fraternally  he  is  a  Ma- 
son, belonging  to  the  Blue  Lodge,  Royal 
Arch  chapter  and  Order  of  the  Eastern 
Star  of  Hamilton  and  Knights  Templar 
of  Augusta,  being  very  highly  appreciated 
bv  all  the  members  of  each  fratemitv. 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


225 


CHARLES  \V.  BOSTON. 

Charles  \Y.  Boston,  who  carries  on 
farming-  in  Carthage,  his  native  township, 
was  born  January  13,  1862,  his  parents 
being  Reuben  J.  and  Sarah  J.  (Dale) 
T>i  iston.  The  father  was  born  in  Ken- 
tucky and  was  brought  to  Illinois  by  his 
parents  when  about  eight  years  of  age,  the 
family  settling  in  Hancock  county.  The 
grandfather  purchased  land  in  Carthage 
township,  where  he  made  a  home  for  him- 
self and  family  and  under  the  parental 
roof  Reuben  Boston  was  reared  to  man- 
hood, becoming  familiar  with  the  arduous 
task  of  developing  a  new  farm  in  a  front- 
ier district.  After  attaining  adult  age  he 
purchased  the  farm  now  owned  and  occu- 
pied by  his  son,  Charles  \V.,  on  section  33, 
Carthage  township,  and  comprising  one 
hundred  and  ten  acres  of  rich  and  pro- 
ductive land.  He  also  bought  other  prop- 
erty from  time  to  time  until  he  became  the 
owner  of  five  hundred  and  sixty  acres 
of  valuable  land  all  lying  in  Carthage 
township.  He  placed  many  improve- 
ments on  these  different  tracts  and  made 
model  farms  of  his  property,  contributing 
in  large  measure  to  the  agricultural  prog- 
ress and  prosperity  of  this  part  of  the 
state.  Throughout  his  active  life  he 
carried  on  general  farming  and  stock 
raising  and  in  his  later  years  removed  to 
Carthage,  where  he  lived  retired,  until 
his  death,  which  occurred  when  he  was 
sixty-seven  years  of  age.  His  life  was  in 
consistent  harmony  with  his  professions 
as  a  member  of  the  Methodist  church  and 
he  was  never  known  to  take  advantage  of 
the  necessities  of  his  fellowmen  in  any 
trade  transaction.  His  political  allegiance 


was  given  to  the  democracy.  His  widow 
still  lives  in  Carthage  at  the  age  of  sev- 
enty-six "years  and  is  a  devoted  Christian 
woman,  holding  membership  with  the 
Methodist  church. 

Charles  W.  Boston  acquired  his  educa- 
tion in  the  public  schools  of  Carthage 
township  and  during  the  periods  of  vaca- 
tion assisted  in  the  home  work.  He  con- 
tinued to  aid  in  the  labors  of  the  farm 
and  following  his  father's  death  he  as- 
sumed its  management  and  is  now  the 
owner  of  two  hundred  and  thirty  acres  of 
the  old  estate  upon  which  he  was  born. 
He  has  made  additional  improvements 
here,  remodeling  the  house,  and  today 
has  a  fine  farm  property  equipped  with 
modern  accessories  and  conveniences. 
Well  kept  fences  divide  the  place  into 
fields  that  are  devoted  to  the  raising  of 
various  cereals  best  adapted  to  soil  and 
climate  and  the  latest  improved  machinery 
is  used  in  the  work  of  plowing,  planting 
and  harvesting.  He  also  raises  high 
grades  of  stock,  including  cattle,  hogs 
and  horses,  and  he  feeds  cattle  quite  ex- 
tensively for  market. 

Mr.  Boston  was  married  June  26,  1884, 
to  Miss  Mary  Rowena  Yetter,  a  daughter 
of  William  Yetter,  who  is  now  living  a 
retired  life  in  Carthage.  He  was  born  in 
Ohio  seventy-two  years  ago,  and  in  1846 
came  with  his  parents,  Lewis  and  Sarah 
(Bear)  Yetter  to  Hancock  county.  He 
was  a  soldier  of  the  One  Hundered  Eight- 
eenth Illinois  Volunter  Infantry,  and  after 
his  return  engaged  in  farming  in  Carthage 
township  till  he  returned  to  Carthage. 
His  wife  died  in  1895,  at  the  age  of  fifty- 
seven  years.  Mrs.  Boston  was  born  in 
this  county  near  Webster  and  in  that  lo- 


226 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


cality  obtained  her  education.  She  has 
become  the  mother  of  six  children,  five 
of  whom  are  living,  namely :  Ava  May, 
who  was  the  wife  of  David  R.  Kim- 
brough,  a  resident  farmer  of  Carthage 
township,  who  died  September  2,  1896; 
Golda ;  Lula ;  Gaylord ;  Fern ;  and  Ernest, 
all  at  home. 

Mr.  Boston  exercises  his  right  of  fran- 
chise in  support  of  the  men  and  measures 
of  the  democracy  but  has  never  sought  or 
desired  office  for  himself.  He,  with  his 
wife  and  the  four  eldest  children  belong  to 
the  Baptist  church  and  he  has  lived  an 
upright  life,  being  found  reliable  in  cit- 
izenship, straightforward  in  his  business 
dealings  and  honorable  in  all  of  his  rela- 
tions with  his  fellowmen. 


FRANCIS  M.  CUTLER. 

This  is  a  utilitarian  age  and  the  suc- 
cessful man  is  he  who  recognizes  his  op- 
portunities and  utilizes  the  forces  at  hand 
to  best  advantage.  The  laggard  has  no 
place  in  the  world  today  and  it  is  pre- 
eminently true  that  in  America  "labor  is 
king."  It  is  therefore  the  men  of  dili- 
gence, of  enterprise  and  keen  business  dis- 
cernment, who  are  continually  working 
their  way  to  the  front  and  to  this  class 
belonged  Francis  M.  Cutler,  a  grain  mer- 
chant of  Carthage.  He  was  born  near 
this  city  February  15,  1855,  a  son  of  Na- 
than and  Hannah  (Ward)  Cutler.  His 
father  was  born  on  a  farm  in  Erie  county, 
New  York,  August  3,  1819,  and  in  1835 


took  up  his  abode  upon  a  farm  near  Can- 
ton, Fulton  county,  Illinois,  where  he  re- 
sided until  1852,  when  he  came  to  Han- 
cock county,  settling  four  miles  north  of 
Carthage.  There  he  resided  until  1854, 
when  he  located  upon  the  farm  where  the 
birth  of  Francis  M.  Cutler  occurred.  His 
wife  was  born  in  Wabash  county.  In- 
diana, July  27,  1817.  Both  were  con- 
sistent members  of  the  Baptist  church,  in 
which  Mr.  Cutler  served  for  a  number  of 
years  as  deacon.  His  early  political  sup- . 
port  was  given  to  the  democracy  and  he 
afterward  become  a  stanch  prohibitionist 
because  of  his  views  upon  the  temperance 
question.  He  filled  the  office  of  township 
supervisor  and  was  also  a  member  of  the 
school  board  for  several  years.  The 
family  numbered  seven  children,  of  whom 
three  died  in  infancy,  while  four  are  still 
living,  namely :  Parkhurst  W.,  a  stock- 
man residing  near  Carthage ;  James  C., 
living  four  miles  southeast  of  Carthage, 
Illinois;  Francis  M. ;  and  Martha  E.,  the 
wife  of  Millard  F.  Turner,  of  Oklahoma. 
The  mother  died  in  1890  and  the  father 
in  1898,  their  remains  being  laid  to  rest 
in  Carthage  cemetery. 

Francis  M.  Cutler  was  educated  in  the 
district  schools  of  Carthage  and  in  Cen- 
tral college  at  Pella,  Iowa,  which  he  at- 
tended for  two  years.  He  was  trained 
to  all  the  work  of  the  home  farm  and 
subsequently  settled  upon  a  farm  of  his 
own  southeast  of  Carthage.  There  for 
many  years  he  successfully  and  energet- 
ically carried  on  general  agricultural  pur- 
suits, but  in  1891  retired  from  his  farming 
operations  and  was  afterward  engaged  in 
the  grain  trade  at  Carthage.  He  dealt  in 
grain  in  large  quantities,  having  the  only 


FRANCIS  M.  CUTLER 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


227 


.•levutor  in  Carthage,  and  his  business  fur- 

fcished  an  excellent  market  for  the  farm- 
ers. His  elevator  had  a  capacity  of 

'[twenty  thousand  bushels  and  in  the  con- 
duct of  the  business  Mr.  Cutler  met  with 

jvery  gratifying  success.  After  Septem- 
ber. 1904,  he  also  conducted  a  real  estate 
and  emigration  agency,  making  trips  with 

'people  to  the  southwest  and  locating  for 
them  farms  in  Kansas,  Oklahoma  and  the 
Indian  Territory,  but  mostly  in  Ok- 
lahoma. 

In  1882  Mr.  Cutler  wedded  Mary  E. 
Harnest,  a  native  of  this  county  and  a 
daughter  of  Samuel  E.  Harnest,  of  Car- 
thage. She  died  May  13,  1895,  leaving  a 
son  who  died  at  the  age  of  seventeen 
years.  On  the  i8th  of  November,  1897, 
Mr.  Cutler  wedded  Mrs.  Ida  Byington, 
(nee  Talbot),  -who  was  born  on  a  farm 
near  Roseville,  Illinois,  and  by  her  former 
marriage  had  a  daughter,  Nellie,  who  was 
born  in  Burlington,  Iowa,  and  is  now,  at 
the  age  of  eighteen  years,  attending 
Shurtleff  College  at  Upper  Alton,  Illinois. 
She  was  also  a  student  in  the  Woman's 
College  at  Jacksonville,  Illinois,  for  two 
years  and  is  making  a  specialty  of  the 
study  of  music.  Mrs.  Cutler  was  the 
widow  of  Charles  E.  Byington,  who 
was  a  dealer  in  hats  and  men's  furnish- 
ing goods  in  Burlington,  Iowa,  and 
a  son  of  Judge  Byington,  of  Iowa  City, 
Iowa.  Mrs.  Cutler  bore  the  maiden 
name  of  Ida  Talbot  and  was  a  daughter 
of  John  Talbot,  a  soldier  of  the  Civil  war, 
who  enlisted  from  Illinois.  In  his  busi- 
ness life  he  was  an  attorney  at  Galesburg, 
Illinois.  His  widow  still  survives  and 
now  makes  her  home  with  her  daughter, 
Mrs.  Cutler.  In  December,  1905,  Mr. 


Cutler  moved  his  family  to  an  elegant  new 
modern  residence  on  Main  street.  His 
business  interests  were  most  carefully  con- 
ducted, his  efforts  being  discerningly  di- 
rected along  well  defined  lines  of  labor 
that  resulted  in  the  acquirement  of  grati- 
fying success.  In  his  political  views  he 
was  a  prohibitionist  and  worked  with  the 
party  for  the  past  twelve  or  fourteen 
years.  Both  he  and  mwwife  were  mem- 
bers of  the  Baptist  churgp  and  in  its  dif- 
ferent activities  Mrs.  CutiajSftfeost  help- 
ful. She  is  a  teacher  in'^UjaSunday- 
school,  president  of  the  missionary  so- 
ciety and  is  likewise  vice  pres%ent  of  the 
P.  E.  O.  In  the  city  wher^they  re- 
sided both  were  held  in  high  esteem  and 
their  friends  were  many,  while  the  hospi- 
tality of  their  own  home  was  greatly 
enjoyed. 

Mr.  Cutler  passed  away  August  10, 
1906,  and  is  buried  at  Moss  Ridge  ceme- 
tery. Mr.  Cutler  was  highly  esteemed  by 
his  fellowmen  for  his  Christian  manhood, 
his  generous  nature,  his  quiet  benevo- 
lence, and  his  devotion  to  family  and 
friends.  While  friends  may  think  on  his 
departure  with  sorrowful  regret,  it  is  the 
home  that  grief  has  its  abiding  place. 
Only  last  December  they  moved  into  their 
beautiful  new  home  on  Main  street.  With 
everything  worth  living  for  bound  up  in 
that  little  family  circle,  death  has  come 
and  it  can  be  no  more  the  same.  But 
with  grief  abides  also  Christian  faith  and 
fortitude,  and  no  words  of  consolation 
need  be  expressed  to  those  who  already 
appreciate  the  value  of  the  precious 
promises  given  by  our  Creator  as  recorded 
in  the  Scriptures  both  in  the  Old  and  New 
Testament. 


228 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


CHARLES  GERVIS  CLARK. 

Charles  Gervis  Clark,  who  in  1863,  be- 
came a  resident  of  Carthage,  where  for 
more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century  he  was 
engaged  in  the  real  estate  business,  rank- 
ing among  the  men  worthy  of  the  public 
trust,  his  life  work  reflecting  credit  and 
honor  upon  the  state  in  which  he  made 
his  home,  was  born  in  New  Berlin,  New 
York,  January  8,  1820,  a  son  of  Gervis 
and  Rachel  (Caple)  Clark.  His  maternal 
grandfather,  Colonel  Caple,  was  a  soldier 
of  the  Revolutionary  war  and  an  uncle  of 
our  subject  was  a  soldier  in  the  Mexican 
war,  Gervis  Clark,  Sr.,  died  when  his 
son  was  only  four  months  old,  leaving 
the  mother  with  the  care  of  this,  her  only 
child.  Later  she  married  a  Mr.  Stimp- 
son  and  there  was  one  daughter  by  that 
union,  Mrs.  A.  E.  Alexander,  who  is 
now  living  at  Denver,  Colorado. 

Charles  Gervis  Clark  of  this  review 
acquired  his  education  in  the  schools  of 
Jefferson  and  of  Jamestown,  New  York, 
and  in  both  cities  studied  law.  Follow- 
ing his  preparation  for  the  bar  he  engaged 
in  active  practice  in  Cobleskill.  Schoharie 
county,  New  York,  where  he  remained  for 
eight  years.  He  then  went  to  Jamestown, 
New  York,  where  he  remained  for  a  num- 
ber of  years  and  was  a  partner  of  Judge 
Abner  Hazeltine.  and  in  April.  1863,  he 
came  to  Carthage,  where  he  turned  his 
attention  to  the  real  estate  business.  He 
became  familiar  with  land  values  and  en- 
abled many  clients  to  make  judicious  and 
satisfying  investments  and  at  the  same 
time  contributed  to  his  individual  success. 

Mr.  Clark  was  married  on  the  boundary 
of  Greene  and  Albany  counties.  New 


York,  at  Greenville,  December  3,  1846, 
the  lady  of  his  choice  being  Miss  Mary 
Andrews,  who  was  born  in  Worcester, 
Otsego  county,  New  York,  April  30,  1826, 
a  daughter  of  Simeon  J.  and  Clarissa 
(Lake)  Andrews.  Her  father  was  born  at 
Middlefield,  Otsego  county,  New  York, 
and  died  when  the  daughter  was  only 
eighteen  months  old.  The  mother's  birth 
occurred  in  Greenville,  Greene  county, 
New  York,  and  she  passed  away  at  the 
home  of  her  daughter,  Mrs.  Clark,  in  Car- 
thage on  the  the  i3th  of  September,  1886, 
at  the  very  advanced  age  of  eighty-nine 
years,  her  remains  being  interred  in  Moss 
Ridge  cemetery.  She  was  the  daughter 
of  a  Revolutionary  soldier.  Mr.  An- 
drews was  a  merchant,  drover  and  farmer 
and  was  an  enterprising  business  man. 
Unto  him  and  his  wife  were  born  six 
children:  Evaline,  who  died  in  child- 
hood ;  one  who  died  in  infancy ;  Lucy, 
who  became  the  wife  of  Reuben  Reed, 
who  resides  in  Kent,  Orleans  county.  New 
York,  but  both  are  now  deceased;  Am- 
brose, who  died  at  the  home  of  Mrs.  Clark 
in  1873;  Mary,  now  Mrs.  Clark;  and 
Elizabeth,  who  became  the  wife  of  Fred- 
erick Chapman  and  made  her  home  in 
Wisconsin,  but  died  in  Jersey  City,  New 
Jersey. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Clark  became  the  par- 
ents of  eight  children.  Charles  Andrews 
married  Miss  Jennie  McCulloch  and  died 
in  1905,  leaving  a  widow  and  eight  chil- 
dren, Edward,  Margaret,  Gervis,  Stewart, 
Mary,  George,  Virginia  and  Robert. 
Ella  Lee  Clark  died  in  childhood.  George, 
Fred,  Libbie,  Louis,  and  Ada  also  passed 
away  in  childhood.  Edward,  the  only 
surviving  member  of  the  family,  is  living 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


229 


•with  his  mother  and  is  engaged  in  the 
real  estate  business  in  Carthage.  Mr. 
Clark  was  a  devoted  member  of  the  Pres- 
byterian church,  to  which  his  widow  also 
belongs.  She  has  always  been  a  teacher 
in  the  Sunday-school,  being  a  teacher  in 
the  primary  department  for  forty  years. 
Mr.  Clark  took  a  most  active  and  helpful 
part  in  church  work,  doing  all  in  his  power 
to  promote  its  growth  and  extend  its 
influence.  In  politics  he  was  a  republican, 
but  was  without  aspiration  for  .office,  pre- 
ferring to  devote  his  undivided  time  and 
attention  to  his  business  affairs,  which 
were  of  an  important  character  and 
reached  extensive  proportions.  He  pos- 
sessed strong,  native  intelligence,  laudable 
ambition  and  high  purpose  and  displayed 
many  of  the  sterling  traits  of  character 
which  won  him  recognition  as  one  of  na- 
ture's noblemen.  Although  he  started 
out  in  life  in  moderate  circumstances  he 
amassed  considerable  means  and  was  thus 
enabled  to  leave  a  goodly  property  to  his 
widow.  He  passed  away  April  n,  1900, 
his  remains  being  interred  in  Moss  Ridge 
cemetery  at  Carthage.  During  the  years 
of  his  residence  here  he  had  won  many 
friends  by  reason  of  his  straightforward 
dealing,  his  consideration  for  others  and 
his  kindly,  social  nature.  Mrs.  Clark  is 
now  eighty  years  of  age  but  is  still  quite 
active  and  busies  herself  with  reading  or 
needlework.  She  is  indeed  a  very  bright 
and  intelligent  lady,  spending  the  evening 
of  her  days  in  an  attractive  home  sur- 
rounded by  many  friends.  She  has  a 
large  circle  of  friends  in  Carthage  who 
will  doubtless  receive  with  pleasure  the 
record  of  her  life,  as  published  in  the 
Biographical  Review  of  Hancock  County. 


HOMER  J.  ELSEA,  D.  O. 

It  is  within  comparatively  recent  years 
that  osteopathy  has  become  a  factor  in  the 
healing  of  diseases  but  in  a  comparatively 
short  time  it  has  become  a  universally  ac- 
knowledged power  in  checking  the  rav- 
ages of  illness  and  restoring  health  and 
there  are  today  many  practitioners  of  this 
school,  not  only  in  America  but  through- 
out the  country,  whose  work  is  proving 
an  inestimable  boon  to  their  fellowmen. 
Dr.  Elsea,  following  this  profession  in 
Carthage,  has  an  extensive  patronage 
throughout  the  city  and  this  part  of  the 
state  and  is  one  of  the  worthy  and  capable 
exponents  of  the  science.  His  birth  oc- 
curred, in  Randolph  county,  Missouri, 
February  3,  1879,  his  parents  being  Ben- 
jamin and  Telitha  (Taylor)  Elsea.  The 
father  was  born  in  Shenandoah  county, 
Virginia,  in  November,  1822.  There  is 
now  no  surviving  member  of  his  father's 
family.  The  mother  of  our  subject  was 
born  in  Boyle  county,  Kentucky,  April 
1 6,  1841,  and  at  an  early  day  her  father 
removed  to  Missouri,  where  he  resided 
until  after  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  war, 
when  he  came  to  Illinois,  where  he  fol- 
lowed farming,  his  death  occurring  in  this 
state.  In  his  family  were  ten  children, 
five  of  whom  are  yet  living:  William 
Taylor,  a  resident  of  Randolph  county, 
Missouri;  Mrs.  Telitha  Elsea;  Mary,  the 
wife  of  Thomas  Heath,  of  St.  Louis,  Mis- 
souri ;  Joseph,  who  is  living  in  Illinois ; 
and  Mrs.  Fannie  Skeggs,  of  this  state. 

Benjamin  Elsea  went  to  Missouri  with 
his  father  when  about  sixteen  years  of 
age  and  there  resided  upon  a  farm,  mak- 
ing his  home  in  that  state  until  his  death. 


230 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


Although  he  was  not  a  soldier  during  the 
Civil  war  he  worked  for  the  government 
throughout  the  period  of  the  struggle,  car- 
rying the  mail  for  the  soldiers  who  were 
so  far  away  from  home  and  friends.  His 
political  allegiance  was  given  to  the  de- 
mocracy and  for  many  years  he  served 
as  justice  of  the  peace,  discharging  his 
duties  with  fairness  and  impartiality. 
Both  he  and  his  wife  were  members  of  the 
Christian  church.  He  was  twice  married, 
his  first  union  being  with  Mary  Jane 
Graff ord,  who  died 'in  1859,  leaving  five 
children,  of  whom  four  are  living:  J. 
W.,  Benjamin  and  Felix  Grundy,  all  of 
Randolph  county,  Missouri ;  and  John  C., 
who  resides  in  San  Francisco,  California. 
For  his  second  wife  Benjamin  Elsea_ chose 
Telitha  Taylor  and  they  had  eight  chil- 
dren, of  whom  seven  yet  survive.  Lydia 
is  the  wife  of  L.  P.  Hatler,  of  Havre, 
Montana,  and  has  four  children,  Frank, 
Iva,  Ernest  and  Oval;  David  J.  Elsea,  a 
graduate  of  the  State  Normal  School  at 
Kirksville,  Missouri,  became  a  singing 
evangelist  and  at  Colchester,  Illinois,  was 
ordained  a  minister  of  the  Christian 
church.  He  is  now  one  of  the  able 
preachers  of  that  denomination  and  has 
charge  of  the  church  in  Creston,  Iowa. 
He  married  Miss  Ruby  Jameson,  of 
Abingdon,  Illinois.  Leona  Florence  is 
the  wife  of  W.  L.  Holbrook,  of  Jetmore, 
Kansas.  Thomas  G.  died  at  the  age  of 
two  and  a  half  years.  Lucy  Victoria  is 
the  wife  of  Dr.  F.  M.  Henderson,  of 
Stronghurst,  Illinois.  Both  are  grad- 
uates of  the  American  School  of  Oste- 
opathy at  Kirksville,  Missouri,  and  they 
have  one  child,  Madge  Elsea  Henderson, 
ten  years  of  age.  Lena  Catherine  is  the 


wife  of  Dr.  J.  S.  Barker,  formerly  of 
Memphis,  Missouri.  They,  too,  are 
graduates  of  the  Osteopathic  School  at 
Kirksville  and  are  now  living  in  La 
Harpe,  Illinois.  Homer  J.  is  the  seventh 
in  order  of  birth.  Lottie  G.  is  the  wife  of 
Dr.  C.  I.  Stephenson,  formerly  of  Lin- 
coln, Nebraska,  and  now  located  at  Au- 
burn, Nebraska.  They,  too,  are  grad- 
uates of  the  Kirkville  School  of  Oste- 
opathy. The  have  one  child,  Elsea  Win- 
nebeth.  In  the  family  there  is  one  min- 
ister of  the  gospel,  three  daughters,  one 
son  and  three  sons-in-law,  who  are  prac- 
titioners of  osteopathy.  The  mother  of 
this  family  is  still  living,  making  her 
home  among  her  children.  She  had  two 
brothers,  William  and  Silas  Taylor,  who 
were  soldiers  of  the  Civil  war,  enlisting 
in  Missouri. 

Dr.  Elsea,  of  Carthage,  was  a  student  in 
the  district  schools  of  Randolph  county, 
Missouri,  and  afterward  was  graduated 
from  the  high  school  of  Kirksville,  Mis- 
souri, having  attended  school  there  for 
five  years.  He  later  entered  the  State 
Normal  at  Kirksville,  where  his  more 
specifically  literary  education  was  com- 
pleted. He  was  afterward  in  a  mercantile 
school  in  Kirksville  for  six  months,  at  the 
end  of  which  time  he  entered  the  Amer- 
ican School  of  Osteopathy,  at  Kirksville, 
from  which  institution  he  was  graduated 
on  the  26th  of  June,  1902.  He  has  since 
been  located  in  Carthage  He  also  has 
an  office  in  Dallas  City,  Illinois,  where 
he  spends  each  Monday  and  Friday.  He 
has  a  large  city  and  country  practice  and 
has  been  very  successful,  effecting  many 
cures  among  his  patrons.  He  is  well 
qualified  for  the  profession  by  reason  of 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


28 1 


his  thorough  preparation  and  he  is  con- 
tinually promoting  his  efficiency  through 
the  knowledge  which  comes  by  experience. 

Dr.  Elsea  was  married  October  2,  1904, 
to  Miss  Ava  Murphy,  who  was  born  near 
Abingdon,  Illinois,  and  is  a  daughter  of 
Henry  and  Althea  Murphy.  Her  father 
was  a  farmer  and  removed  from  Illinois 
to  Nebraska,  where  he  lived  for  two  years, 
when  he  went  to  Kansas,  where  he  died 
seventeen  years  ago.  Following  the 
father's  death  Mrs.  Murphy  and  the  chil- 
dren returned  to  Abingdon,  Illinois,  where 
she  still  makes  her  home.  Mr.  Murphy 
was  a  stalwart  supporter  of  democratic 
principles  and  was  a  prominent  member 
of  the  Christian  church,  serving  as  elder 
for  many  years,  frequently  preaching  on 
Sundays,  while  through  the  week  he  fol- 
lowed farming.  He  served  for  a  number 
of  years  as  one  of  the  trustees  of  Abing- 
don College,  an  institution  conducted 
under  the  auspices  of  the  Christian  church. 
Unto  him  and  his  wife  were  bom  nine 
children,  who  are  yet  living,  as  follows : 
M.  C.,  of  Abingdon,  Illinois ;  Adda,  the 
wife  of  C.  W.  Robinson,  of  Abingdon; 
Clinnie,  the  wife  of  J.  J.  Armstrong,  of 
Lincoln,  Nebraska;  I.  E.,  living  in  Love- 
land,  California;  Meadie,  with  her  mother 
in  Abingdon;  J.  W.,  of  Dallas  City,  Illi- 
nois ;  6.  H.,  with  his  mother  in  Abingdon. 

Both  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Elsea  are  faithful 
members  of  the  Christian  church  and  take 
an  active  part  in  its  work.  He  is  a  stanch 
prohibitionist,  thus  giving  expression  of 
his  belief  in  temperance  principles,  which 
he  labors  to  uphold  in  every  possible  way. 
He  has  his  office  at  his  residence  at  No. 
in  Adams  street.  Though  a  young  man 
he  has  been  very  successful.  He  is  a 


gentleman  of  fine  personal  appearance, 
reserved  and  dignified  in  manner,  posses- 
sing an  enterprising  spirit  and  laudable 
ambition.  Both  he  and  his  wife  and  her 
mother  are  welcomed  into  the  best  social 
circles  of  the  city  and  have  gained  many 
friends  during  the  period  of  their  resi- 
dence here. 


SAMUEL -T.  STONE. 

Samuel  T.  Stone,  deceased,  was  a  florist 
of  Carthage  and  conducted  the  only  green- 
houses in  Hancock  county.  He  was  born 
at  Stone's  Prairie,  Adams  county,  Illinois, 
September  25,  1855,  his  parents,  Enoch 
P.  and  Emily  (Burke)  Stone,  being 
farming  people  of  that  locality.  The 
father  continued  to  follow  farming  there 
until  the  spring  of  1856,  when  he  re- 
moved to  Pontoosuc  township,  Hancock 
county,  settling  upon  a  farm,  where  he 
made  his  home  until  1869.  He  then  re- 
moved to  what  became  the  Stone  home- 
stead, where  he  conducted  a  nursery  busi- 
ness southeast  of  Carthage.  His  death 
occurred  there  December  16,  1880,  while 
his  wife  passed  away  February  13,  1891, 
the  remains  of  both  being  interred  in 
Myers  cemetery  in  Pontoosuc  township. 
Their  religious  faith  was  that  of  the  Meth- 
odist church.  In  their  family  were  eight 
children:  E.  R.,  now  living  in  Kansas; 
Eliza  J.,  the  deceased  wife  of  Ervin  Kid- 
son  ;  Mary  A.,  the  wife  of  Richard  Pome- 
roy,  of  Elvaston,  Illinois;  Melvina,  the 
wife  of  Benton  Hull,  of  Pontoosuc  town- 
ship; Ellen,  who  ly/es  with  her  sister  in 


232 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


Elvaston;  Irel  H.,  of  Kirksville,  Mis- 
souri; Ervin  W.,  of  Beardstown,  Illinois; 
and  Samuel  T.,  deceased. 

In  taking  up  the  personal  -  history  of 
Samuel  T.  Stone  we  present  to  our  readers 
the  life  record  of  one  who  was  a  respected 
and  prominent  business  man  in  commer- 
cial circles  in  Carthage  for  a  number  of 
years.  He  acquired  his  early  education 
in  the  district  schools  and  afterward  at- 
tended the  Carthage  high  school  and  the 
Carthage  college.  He  then  engaged  in 
the  nursery  business  with  his  father  until 
twenty-one  years  of  age,  after  which  he 
carried  on  a  farm  of  his  own  until  1895, 
devoting  it  to  nursery  stock.  In  that  year 
he  added  a  greenhouse  and  more  and 
more  largely  concentrated  his  energies 
upon  the  florist's  business.  The  same 
year  he  took  up  his  abode  on  Main  street 
in  Carthage,  where  he  established  a  green- 
house, conducting  at  the  same  time  the 
one  upon  his  farm.  This  is  the  only 
greenhouse  in  Hancock  county.  It  is 
steamheatecl  and  splendidly  equipped  in  all 
particulars.  Mr.  Stone  soon  secured  a 
liberal  patronage  and  his  business  in  this 
line  proved  profitable  from  the  beginning. 

On  the  1 8th  of  March,  1891,  was  cele- 
brated the  marriage  of  Samuel  T.  Stone 
and  Miss  Ava  L.  Leighton,  who  was 
born  in  Des  Moines  county,  Iowa,  Jan- 
uary 31,  1867,  a  daughter  of  William  E. 
and  Ella  A.  (Waller)  Leighton.  The 
mother  was  born  in  Shellsburg,  Iowa, 
September  27,  1847,  and  the  father,  a 
native  of  the  same  state,  was  bom  Au- 
gust 14,  1839.  Mr.  Leighton  was  for 
four  years  connected  with  the  commissary 
department  during  the  Civil  war.  He  has 
always  been  a  farmer  and  still  supervises 
a  farm  in  Hancock  county,  although  he 


makes  his  home  in  Carthage,  having  come 
to  Hancock  county  in  1889.  Both  he  and 
his  wife  are  consistent  members  and 
earnest  workers  in  the  Christian  church 
and  he  is  a  democrat  in  his  political  views. 
In  their  family  are  four  children,  all  of 
whom  are  living,  namely  :  Mrs.  Stone ; 
Hope,  a  teacher  in  the  public  schools  of 
Bowen,  Illinois;  George  E.,  living  in 
Galesburg,  this  state;  and  Edith  M.,  who 
has  successfully  taught  in  the  public 
schools  of  Carthage  and  Hancock  county. 
Mrs.  Stone  is  eligible  to  membership 
in  the  Daugthers  of  the  American  Revolu- 
tion, as  among  her  ancestors  were  those 
who  fought  for  the  independence  of  the 
nation.  James  Leighton,  a  brother  of  her 
father,  was  killed  in  the  battle  of  Vicks- 
burg.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stone  were 
born  seven  children:  William  A.,  Gladys 
Ida,  Edward  Harold,  Clifford  L.,  Clara, 
Gertrude  A.  and  Adelaide  Lenore,  all  of 
whom  are  natives  of  Hancock  county. 
Mr.  Stone  died  December  27,  1905,  after 
an  illness  of  several  weeks  and  his  re- 
mains were  interred  in  Moss  Ridge  ceme- 
tery. In  manner  he  was  quiet  and  re- 
served, but  was  always  interested  in 
modern  enterprises  and  though  he  was 
not  a  politician  in  the  sense  of  office  seek- 
ing he  did  much  in  a  quiet  way  to  promote 
the  welfare  of  his  party,  to  which  he  was 
at  all  times  loyal.  He  voted  with  the  re- 
publican organization  and  was  connected 
with  the  Modern  Woodmen.  He  was 
also  a  city  fireman.  Both  he  and  his  wife 
held  membership  in  the  Methodist  church 
and  did  all  in  their  power  to  promote  its 
welfare  and  growth.  In  his  business 
affairs  Mr.  Stone  wrought  along  modem 
lines,  realizing  that  there  is  no  excellence 
without  labor  and  his  close  application 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


233 


and  diligence  made  his  business  a  profit- 
able one.  Mrs.  Stone  is  still  continuing 
the  business  and  she  employs  men  to 
keep  the  furnace  going  in  the  greenhouses 
night  and  day.  She  is  a  bright,  energetic 
business  woman,  who  has  an  intimate 
knowledge  of  the  trade  and  the  needs  of 
the  plants  and  flowers  and  the  products 
of  the  greenhouses  find  a  ready  sale  on 
the  market  because  of  beauty,  color,  size 
and  fragrance.  In  his  family  Mr.  Stone 
was  a  kind  and  loving  husband  and  father 
and  for  many  years  was  a  very  dutiful 
son  to  his  aged  mother,  to  whom  he  gave 
filial  care  and  attention. 


WILLIAM  H.  HONCE. 

William  H.  Honce,  deceased,  who  in 
public  regard  occupied  an  enviable  posi- 
tion, so  that  his  death  was  the  occasion 
of  uniform-  regret  when  his  life's  labors 
were  ended,  was  a  native  of  Monmouth 
county,  New  Jersey,  born  on  the  26th  of 
July,  1830.  He  remained  in  the  place 
of  his  birth  until  nineteen  years  of  age 
and  acquired  his  education  in  the  public 
schools  there.  Thinking  to  have  better 
business  opportunities  in  the  west  he  then 
went  to  Butler  county,  Ohio,  where  he 
secured  employment  as  a  farm  hand  by 
the  month,  residing  in  that  county  until 
after  his  marriage  to  Miss  Sarah  Jane 
McBroom,  a  daughter  of  Andrew  and 
Jane  (Robinson)  McBroom.  The  wed- 
ding was  celebrated  at  Middletown,  Ohio, 


November  27,  1851,  and  the  young  couple 
resided  upon  a  farm  in  Butler  county 
for  about  three  years  after  their  marriage. 

On  the  expiration  of  that  period  they 
removed  to  Adams  county,  Illinois,  where 
they  spent  two  years  and  then  came  to 
Hancock  county,  settling  in  Montebello 
township,  where  Mr.  Honce  purchased 
a  farm  of  eighty  acres,  beginning  its 
cultivation  with  characteristic  energy. 
He  added  to  this  farm  from  time  to  time 
until  at  his  death  he  owned  two  hundred 
acres  of  rich  land,  all  of  which  was  under 
cultivation.  The  improvements  were 
placed  there  by  him  and  he  developed  a 
model  farm  property,  which  he  carefully 
cultivated  until  his  demise.  His  fields 
were  well  tilled  and  he  annually  harvested 
good  crops,  while  the  improvements  upon 
his  place  were  in  keeping  with  ideas  of 
model  farming. 

Mrs.  Honce  was  educated  in  Butler 
county,  Ohio,  where  her  father  followed 
farming.  Later  he  removed  to  Indiana, 
spending  his  remaining  days  in  that  state, 
his  death  occurring  about  twenty-six 
years  ago.  His  wife  also  passed  away  in 
Indiana  when  Mrs.  Honce -was  but  six 
years  of  age.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Honce 
were  born  seven  children,  of  whom  Mrs. 
W.  M.  Moore  is  the  eldest.  Lizzie,  the 
second  daughter,  is  now  the  wife  of  Thad- 
deus  Thomas  and  has  two  children,  Alta 
and  Lester.  Mrs.  William  H.  Thomas  is 
the  third  of  the  family  and  is  mentioned 
elsewhere  in  this  work.  Anna  is  the  wife 
of  George  Phipps  and  has  three  children, 
Harry,  Vera  and  Carl.  Ollie  is  the  wife 
of  John  Marshall  and  has  four  children, 
Clyde,  Greta,  Yetta  and  Lois.  Wrilliam 
R.  married  Minnie  Brady  and  has  one 


234 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


child,  Beulah.  Mary  L.  died  at  the  family 
home  in  Montebello  township,  at  the  age 
of  nineteen  years. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Honce  was  a 
democrat  but  cared  nothing  for  office, 
preferring  to  devote  his  time  and  atten- 
tion to  his  business  affairs,  in  which  he 
met  with  signal  success.  He  made  a 
creditable  -record  in  agricultural  circles 
and  left  a  valuable  farm  property  to  his 
family.  He  died  August  i,  1899. 


WILLIAM  H.  THOMAS. 

William  H.  Thomas,  deceased,  was  one 
of  the  early  settlers  of  Hancock  county 
and  a  representative  farmer,  whose  busi- 
ness activity  and  devotion  to  the  public 
good  made  him  a  leading  and  valued  resi- 
dent of  this  part  of  the  state.  He  was 
born  near  Columbus,  in  Adams  county, 
Illinois,  November  29,  1851,  and  when 
but  two  years  of  age  was  brought  to  So- 
nora  township  by  his  parents,  Isaac  and 
Louisa  (Nichols)  Thomas,  who  took  up 
their  abode  in  this  county  in  1853.  His 
father  was  born  in  Kentucky  and  his 
mother  in  Adams  county,  Illinois.  She 
is  still  living  and  makes  her  home  in  Car- 
thage with  three  of  her  children.  The 
father,  however,  passed  away  upon  the 
home  farm  in  1901.  He  had  for  many 
years  been  a  prosperous  and  enterprising 
agriculturist  of  the  community,  his  resi- 
dence here  covering  a  half  century.  He 


worked  earnestly  and  persistently  and  his 
diligence  and  perseverance  constituted 
strong  and  salient  elements  in  his  success. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  Christian  church 
and  his  life  was  in  harmony  with  his 
professions. 

William  H.  Thomas  was  reared  upon 
the  old  homestead  farm  and  acquired  his 
education  in  the  public  schools  of  Sonora 
township,  pursuing  his  studies  through 
the  winter  months,  while  in  the  summer 
seasons  he  aided  in  the  labors  of  the  fields. 
He  worked  with  his  father  until  his  mar- 
riage, after  which  he  purchased  a  farm 
in  Montebello  township  of  two  hundred 
acres,  devoting  his  attention  to  its  culti- 
vation and  improvement  until  his  removal 
to  Elvaston.  He  was  married  December 
24,  1878,  to  Miss  Alpharetta  Honce,  a 
daughter  of  William  H.  and  Sarah  Jane 
(McBroom)  Honce,  the  former  a  native 
of  New  Jersey  and  the  latter  of  Indiana. 
They  became  residents  of  Ohio  at  an  early 
day  and  in  that  state  Mrs.  Honce  was 
reared.  About  fifty-five  years  ago  they 
came  to  Illinois,  settling  in  Montebello 
township,  Hancock  county,  among  its  pio- 
neer residents.  There  Mr.  Honce  pur- 
chased a  tract  of  land  and  developed  a 
farm,  making  a  good  home  for  himself 
and  family.  His  remaining  days  were 
devoted  to  the  improvement  of  the  prop- 
erty and  upon  that  place  he  passed  away 
on  the  ist  of  August.  1899,  his  remains 
being  interred  in  Montebello  township. 
His  widow  still  survives  him  and  now 
resides  with  her  children,  further  mention 
being  made  of  the  family  on  another  page 
of  this  work.  She  had  six  children : 
Lydia,  now  the  wife  of  W.  M.  Moore, 
of  Hamilton,  Illinois;  Lizzie,  the  wife  of 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


235 


Thaddeus  Thomas,  of  Montebello  town- 
ship, Hancock  county ;  Mrs.  Thomas  of 
this  review ;  Anna,  the  wife  of  George 
Hliipps.  of  Prairie  township;  Ollie.  the 
wife  of  John  Marshall;  and  William  R., 
who  is  a  grain  and  produce  merchant  en- 
gaged in  business  at  Hamilton. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thomas 
was  blessed  with  three  children,  all  of 
whom  are  yet  living.  George  M.,  resid- 
ing on  the  old  home  farm  in  Montebello 
township,  where  he  is  successfully  en- 
gaged in  carrying  on  general  agricultural 
pursuits,  married  Miss  Stella  Miller,  of 
Elvaston,  a  daughter  of  Dr.  J.  R.  Miller, 
of  Elvaston,  Illinois.  Minnie  Leota  is  the 
wife  of  Frank  Rohrbaugh,  a  farmer  of 
Elvaston.  Yetta  May  is  the  wife  of 
Claude  Walker,  a  resident  farmer  of 
Prairie  township. 

Following  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Thomas  resided  in  Sonora  township  until 
the  spring  of  1881  and  then  removed  to 
a  farm,  which  Mr.  Thomas  purchased, 
about  three  miles  and  a  half  northwest 
of  Elvaston.  There  they  resided  for 
twenty-one  years,  his  attention  being 
given  to  the  work  of  the  fields  and  the 
further  improvement  of  the  property  but 
in  1903  he  determined  to  retire  from 
active  business  life  and  took  up  his  abode 
in  Elvaston,  where  he  erected  the  resi- 
dence which  is  now  occupied  by  his 
widow.  There  he  passed  away  on  Sat- 
urday, February  6,  1904,  at  the  age  of 
fifty-two  years,  two  months  and  eight 
days.  He  had  resided  in  the  county  for 
more  than  a  half  century,  or  practically 
throughout  the  period  of  his  entire  life 
and  those  who  had  known  him  from  his 
boyhood  days  recognized  in  him  the  ster- 


ling traits  of  character  in  harmony  with 
the  strong  and  salient  principles  of  an 
honorable  manhood.  He  was  active  and 
industrious  in  business  and  was  straight- 
forward in  his  dealings.  His  political 
views  were  in  accord  with  democratic 
principles  but  he  did  not  care  for  office. 
He  held  membership  in  the  Presbyterian 
church  and  was  serving  as  one  of  its 
trustees  at  the  time  of  his  death.  He  was 
interested  in  all  that  pertained  to  the 
material,  intellectual  or  moral  progress  of 
his  community  and  his  support  of  bene- 
ficial public  measures  was  never  of  a  luke- 
warm character  but  was  strong  and  stead- 
fast, so  that  he  became  one  of  the  valued 
citizens  of  his  part  of  the  county. 


HARRISON  O.  KNOX. 

Harrison  O.  Knox  was  the  first  white 
man  born  in  Wythe  township,  and  it 
would  be  difficult  to  find  many  residents 
of  this  county  who  are  more  familiar  with 
its  history  or  have  longer  resided  within 
its  borders.  Events  which  are  to  others 
only  matters  of  hearsay  have  been  to  him 
matters  of  personal  experience  or  obser- 
vation, and  he  has  been  an.  interested  wit- 
ness of  the  growth  and  development  of 
the  county  from  pioneer  times  to  the 
present.  His  memory  goes  back  to  the 
days  when  many  of  the  homes  were  log 
cabins,  in  which  were  huge  fireplaces, 
over  which  the  cooking  was  done,  while 
the  little  home  was  lighted  by  tallow 
candles,  and  the  work  of  the  fields  was 


236 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


done  with  primitive  farm  machinery.  All 
this  has  changed  and  Mr.  Knox  has  kept 
pace  with  the  onward  march  of  progress. 
He  was  born  in  Green  Plains  on  sec- 
tion 25,  Wythe  township,  May  5,  1833. 
His  parents  were  Samuel  and  Malinda 
(Doughty)  Knox,  and  the  maternal 
grandfather  was  Thomas  Doughty,  a  sol- 
dier of  the  Revolutionary  war.  Relatives 
of  Mr.  Knox  were  also  members  of  the 
Union  army  in  the  Civil  war.  The  father 
was  born  on  the  ocean  while  his  parents 
were  coming  from  Scotland  to  the  new 
world  in  1775,  and  his  wife  was  a  native 
of  Virginia,  born  in  1794.  They  came 
to  Illinois  in  1830,  and  in  1832,  took 
up  their  abode  in  Hancock  county,  their 
son  Harrison  being  the  first  white  child 
born  in  the  part  of  the  county  where  they 
made  their  home.  Samuel  Knox  was  a 
member  and  minister  of  the  Christian 
church,  and  while  living  in  Wythe  town- 
ship, preached  the  first  sermon  ever  deliv- 
ered within  its  borders.  This  was  in 
1832.  He  also  preached  in  McDonough 
and  Adams  counties,  and  in  Iowa  and 
Missouri,  doing  much  good  work  in  the 
spread  of  the  gospel  and  in  planting  the 
seeds  of  Christian  civilization  in  the  mid- 
dle west.  He  died  in  the  year  -1865,  and 
thus  passed  away  one  whom  to  know  was 
to  esteem  and  honor.  The  world  is  better 
for  his  having  lived  and  he  left  behind 
a  memory  which  is  still  cherished  by  all 
who  knew  him.  His  wife  survived  until 
1871,  and  both  were  laid  to  rest  in  Green 
Plains  cemetery  in  Wilcox  township. 
Their  children  were  seven  in  number,  of 
whom  four  are  now  living:  William, 
who  is  living  in  California,  and  is  eighty- 
two  years  of  age ;  Franklin.,  of  Kansas ; 


Harrison  O.,  of  this  review;  and  Sarah, 
the  wife  of  George  B.  Reid,  of  Monroe 
City,  Missouri. 

Harrison  O.  Knox  acquired  his  early 
education  in  the  schools  of  Green  Plains 
and  afterward  attended  the  Warsaw  high 
school.  He  was  reared  to  agricultural 
pursuits  and  throughout  his  entire  life  has 
followed  farming  as  a  vocation.  Hav- 
ing reached  man's  estate  he  was  married 
in  1862  to  Miss  Sarah  Louisa  Crawford, 
whose  birth  occurred  in  Wythe  township, 
in  1843,  her  parents  being  Thomas  and 
Jane  (Stockton)  Crawford,  both  of  whom 
are  now  deceased.  Mrs.  Knox  died  in 
1875,  leaving  a  daughter,  Eva  J.,  now  the 
wife  of  Charles  Homer  McMahan,  of 
Wilcox  township.  They  became  the  par- 
ents of  five  children,  Carl  D.,  Robert  F., 
William  R.,  George  H.  and  Francis  H. 
On  the  22d  of  March,  1882,  Mr.  Knox 
was  again  married,  his  second  union  being 
with  Miss  Hannah  W.  Davidson,  who 
was  born  in  Sussex  county,  Delaware,  in 
1859,  a  daughter  of  Samuel  and  Margaret 
J.  (Christopher)  Davidson.  They,  too, 
were  natives  of  Delaware,  the  former 
born  September  7,  1818,  and  the  latter 
in  1824.  The  father  devoted  his  life  to 
general  agricultural  pursuits,  and  in  1869 
came  to  Hancock  county,  settling  in  Wil- 
cox township.  Thirty  years  later  he 
passed  away,  in  1899,  while  his  wife  died 
in  1898,  and  they  were  laid  to  rest  side 
by  side  in  the  Congregational  cemetery 
in  Wythe  township.  Mr.  Davidson  was 
drafted  for  service  in  the  Civil  war  but 
was  too  old  to  go  to  the  front.  In  their 
family  were  seven  children :  Francina, 
who  died  in  infancy ;  William  Henry,  of 
Carthage;  Joseph  B.,  who  lives  in  Basco, 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


237 


Illinois;  Sarah  Frances,  and  Elizabeth 
Annetta,  both  deceased ;  Hannah  W.,  now 
Mrs.  Knox ;  and  Edward  P.,  of  Wythe 
township.  Mrs.  Davidson  died  Novem- 
ber 25,  1898,  at  the  home  of  Mrs.  Knox, 
and  Mr.  Davidson  passed  away  at  Basco, 
M^y  30,  1899.  They  were  married  in 
1842  and  were  earnest  Christian  people, 
respected  by  all  who  knew  them.  Unto 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Knox  has  been  born  one 
son,  Harrison  Lucian,  whose  birth  oc- 
curred in  1888  in  Wilcox  township,  and 
he  is  at  home  with  his  parents.  He  has 
been  liberally  educated  and  was  a  student 
in  Warsaw  Seminary. 

After  his  first  marriage  Mr.  Knox  lived 
in  Wythe  township  for  two  years,  and 
then  removed  toWarsaw,  where  he  en- 
gaged in  the  dry  goods  business  for  three 
years.  Subsequently  he  devoted  two 
years  to  the  milling  business  and  in  1873 
he  came  to  Wilcox  township,  where  he 
has  since  carried  on  general  farming.  In 
1879  he  bought  forty  acres  of  land  on 
section  25,  where  he  built  a  home,  in 
which  he  has  since  resided,  his  attention 
being  given  to  the  cultivation  and  devel- 
opment of  the  fields.  He  taught  school 
in  Walker,  Wythe,  Wilcox  and  Rocky 
Run  townships  before  his  return  to  Wil- 
cox township  and  even  before  his  removal 
to  Warsaw,  thus  being  identified  with  the 
early  educational  progress  of  his  part  of 
the  county.  He  has  never  been  interested 
in  the  progress  and  development  of  the 
county  along  material,  social,  intellectual 
and  moral  lines  and  his  co-operation  has 
ever  been  a  valued  factor  in  movements 
for  the  public  good.  His  political  alle- 
giance has  been  given  to  the  Republican 
party  since  its  organization.  His  first 


presidential  vote  was  cast  for  Millard 
Fillmore  in  the  Wythe  schoolhouse  on 
the  4th  of  November,  1856,  when  he  was 
defeated  by  James  Buchanan.  On  the  6th 
of  November,  1860,  Mr.  Knox  voted  for 
Abraham  Lincoln  at  Bank's  schoolhouse 
in  Rocky  Run  township,  where  he  was 
teaching  in  a  log  building,  having  there 
one  hundred  and  eight  scholars,  or  an 
average  of  sixty-two  and  a  half  for  six 
months.  Since  1860  he  has  continuously 
voted  the  republican  ticket  and  he  has 
been  honored  with  various  local  offices, 
serving  as  school  director,  as  school  treas- 
urer for  sixteen  years,  as  tax  collector, 
as  assessor  and  as  town  clerk.  Both  he 
and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Wythe 
Christian  church  known  as  the  old  brick 
church  and  live  in  harmony  with  their 
professions.  Mr.  Knox  is  one  whose 
memory  forms  a  connecting  link  between 
the  primitive  past  and  the  progressive 
present  and  he  relates  in  most  interest- 
ing manner  many  incidents  of  the  early 
days.  Mr.  Knox  began  life  as  a  poor 
boy  but  has  worked  his  way  steadily  up- 
ward and  his  life  record  has  been  charac- 
terized by  continuous  progress  along 
many  lines.  He  has  gained  success  and 
at  the  same  time  has  developed  a  charac- 
ter which  makes  him  worthy  of  the  trust 
and  confidence  of  his  fellowmen. 


SIMON  D.   WEISER. 

S.    D.    Weiser,    superintendent   of   the 
Hancock    County    Infirmary    and    poor 


238 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


farm,  was  born  at  Northumberland, 
Northumberland  county,  Pennsylvania, 
on  the  6th  of  June,  1861,  there  residing 
until  1872,  when  he  came  to  Illinois  and 
took  up  his  abode  at  Fountain  Green, 
Hancock  county.  His  parents  were  Solo- 
mon and  Mary  A.  (Miller)  Weiser,  like- 
wise natives  of  Northumberland  county. 
The  great-grandfather,  Conrad  Weiser, 
was  an  early  resident  of  Pennsylvania, 
residing  near  Philadelphia.  He  was  a 
warm  personal  friend  of  Washington  and 
served  as  colonel  in  the  Revolutionary 
war.  His  son,  Philip  Weiser.  was  a  pio- 
neer to  Northumberland  county  and 
bought  a  large  tract  of  land  there.  He 
was  a  very  successful  man  and  at  the 
time  of  his  death,  about  the  close  of  the 
Civil  war,  he  was  considered  the  wealth- 
iest man  in  Northumberland  county. 
Solomon  Weiser  was  the  eighth  in  a  fam- 
ily of  nine  children  and  was  educated 
at  the  high  school  at  Gettysburg,  Penn- 
sylvania, and  later  he  was  an  extensive 
farmer  and  followed  that  ocupation 
throughout  his  entire  life- in  order  to  pro- 
vide for  his  family.  Selling  there  he 
moved  his  family  to  Hancock  county  and 
purchased  a  tract  of  land  in  Fountain 
Green  township  upon  his  removal  to  the 
middle  west  in  1872,  and  there  he  re- 
mained until  his  death,  which  occurred 
when  he  was  about  eighty-one  years  of 
age.  He  was  a  democrat  in  politics  and 
a  public-spirited  man,  although  not  an 
office  seeker.  However,  he  served  as 
treasurer  of  Northumberland  county, 
Pennsylvania,  at  an  early  day.  His  re- 
mains were  interred  in  Fountain  Green 
cemetery  and  his  widow  still  makes  her 
home  in  the  village  of  Fountain  Green. 


She  is  a  member  of  the  Lutheran  church 
and  a  most  estimable  lady.  She  was 
born  in  Dauphin  county,  Pennsylvania. 
Her  father  was  an  extensive  land  and 
mine  owner  in  the  coal  and  iron  regions 
of  Pennsylvania. 

S.  D.  Weiser  is  one  of  a  family  of  ten 
children,  seven  of  whom  yet  survive  and 
as  stated,  he  came  to  Illinois  with  his  par- 
ents when  a  youth  of  eleven  years.  His 
early  educational  privileges  were  supple- 
mented by  study  in  Carthage  College  and 
he  also  attended  the  Western  Illinois  Nor- 
mal School,  at  Macomb,  this  state.  He 
remained  upon  the  home  farm  for  some 
years  after  completing  his  education,  and 
then  became  a  school  teacher,  acting  as 
principal  of  the  schools  at  Nauvoo,  Illi- 
nois, for  eight  years,  and  also  teaching 
in  different  places  in  the  county.  He  like- 
wise followed  that  profession  in  Kansas, 
where  he  resided  for  several  years,  but 
regarding  this  merely  as  an  initial  step 
to  further  professional  labor,  he  took  up 
the  study  of  law  in  Carthage  in  the  office 
of  Manier  &  Miller.  Going  to  Kanas,  he 
was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  that  state  and 
practiced  for  a  few  years,  also  teaching 
school  in  Neosho  county.  Upon  his  re- 
turn to  Hancock  county  he  went  to 
Nauvoo,  where  he  engaged  in  teaching 
until  the  spring  of  1901.  when  he  removed 
to  Carthage  and  became  the  deputy  cir- 
cuit clerk,  which  position  he  held  for  a 
year.  He  then  resigned  and  again  re- 
sumed school  teaching,  until  he  was  nom- 
inated for  the  office  of  circuit  clerk  on 
the  democratic  ticket,  but  was  defeated. 
In  December,  1904,  he  was  appointed  to 
his  present  position  as  superintendent  of 
the  Hancock  County  Infirmary  and  poor 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


239 


farm  by  the  board  of  county  supervisors, 
and  has  since  acted  in  that  capacity  with 
credit  to  himself  and  the  satisfaction  of 
the  public  as  is  shown  by  his  reappoint- 
ment  in  September,  1906.  He  has  the 
supervision  of  the  farm  of  two  hundred 
and  sixty  acres.  He  is  recognized  as  one 
of  the  progressive  and  influential  repre- 
sentatives of  democracy  in  this  locality, 
his  interest  therein  and  his  fitness  for  lead- 
ership making  him  well  known  as  a  factor 
in  local  democratic  ranks. 

On  the  28th  of  October,  1886,  Mr. 
Weiser  was  married  to  Miss  Hattie  J. 
Tyler,  of  Fountain  Green,  a  daughter  of 
John  H.  and  Amanda  (Williams)  Ty- 
ler, who  came  to  Illinois  from  Connecti- 
cut, where  the  father  was  bom.  Mr.  Ty- 
ler was  a  farmer  by  occupation,  and  also 
an  engineer  and  carpenter  He  acted  as 
engineer  on  the  railroad  for  some  years, 
and  he  now  resides  at  Fountain  Green. 
It  was  there  that  Mrs.  Weiser  obtained 
her  education.  Four  children  grace  this 
marriage:  Hazel  Grace,  who  was  born 
in  Neosho  county,  Kansas,  and  was  edu- 
cated in  this  county  and  in  Carthage  Col- 
lege, is  now  a  teacher  in  the  public  schools 
of  Carthage  township.  Luther  C.  died  at 
the  age  of  fourteen  months.  \Yi11iam  J. 
B.,  born  in  Nauvoo,  and  Mary  A.,  born  in 
Nauvoo,  are  both  at  home. 

The  parents  are  members  of  the  Luth- 
eran church  at  Carthage,  and  the  mem- 
bers of  the  household  occupy  an  enviable 
social  position.  Mr.  Weiser  is  well  qual- 
ified for  the  office  which  he  is  now  filling 
and  in  which  he  is  giving  uniform  satis- 
faction in  the  prompt  and  able  manner 
in  which  he  discharges  his  duties,  and 
all  place  confidence  in  him. 


JOHN  RICHARD  GALBRAITH. 

John  Richard  Galbraith,  deceased,  was 
a  well  known  and  respected  agriculturist 
of  Hancock  county.  His  life  record  be- 
gan in  east  Tennessee  on  the  ist  of  Sep- 
tember, 1852,  and  ended  in  El  Pa«o,  Tex- 
as, July  15,  1905.  His  father,  John  R. 
Galbraith,  was  the  owner  of  extensive 
landed  interests  and  slaves  in  eastern  Ten- 
nessee, but  owing  to  the  Civil  war  he 
lost  nearly  all  of  his  property,  and  in  the 
fall  of  1865  came  with  his  family  to 
Illinois,  hoping  to  retrieve  his  possessions 
in  the  north.  In  March,  1866,  he  pur- 
chased a  farm  one  mile  east  of  Ferris, 
and  thereon  made  his  home  until  his  death. 
His  sympathies  during  the  period  of  hos- 
tilities were  with  the  south  and  his  polit- 
ical allegiance  was  ever  given  to  the  de- 
mocracy. His  wife,  who  bore  the  maiden 
name  of  Esther  X.  Hagler,  was  born  and 
reared  in  eastern  Tennessee,  and  there 
lived  until  after  her  marriage,  when  she 
came  with  her  husband  and  the  family 
to  this  state.  She.  too,  died  on  the  home 
farm  near  Ferris. 

John  Richard  Galbraith  was  educated 
in  the  common  schools  of  Hancock  coun- 
ty, having  accompanied  his  parents  on 
their  removal  to  the  north  when  thirteen 
years  of  age.  As  a  young  man  he  as- 
sisted in  the  work  of  the  home  farm  and 
later  his  father  purchased  the  farm  of 
one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  upon  which 
John  Richard  resided  during  the  whole 
of  his  married  life.  In  the  '703,  John 
Richard  Galbraith  and  his  brother,  Ben- 
jamin, went  to  Texas,  where  they  engaged 
in  the  cattle  business  for  a  few  years, 
when,,  on  account  of  the  ill  health  of  the 


240 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


former,  he  returned  to  Illinois,  selling 
his  interest  in  the  Lone  Star  state  to  his 
brother,  and  thus  acquiring  his  brother's 
interest  in  the  farm  in  Prairie  township, 
which  had  been  given  to  them  by  their 
father.  He  continued  to  reside  upon  this 
place  until  his  death  and  was  one  of  the 
prosperous  agriculturists  of  the  county. 
As  his  financial  resources  increased  he 
made  extensive  and  judicious  investments 
in  property  and  became  the  owner  of  an- 
other valuable  farm  in  Hancock  county. 
At  the  time  of  his  death  he  was  also 
one  of  the  stockholders  of  the  State  Bank 
of  Hamilton,  and  held  considerable  prop- 
erty at  Elvaston.  In  connection  with  his 
brother,  David,  he  owned  and  operated 
an  electric  light  and  heating  plant  at  Min- 
eral Wells,  Texas.  He  possessed  excel- 
lent business  ability,  executive  force  and 
keen  discrimination,  which  enabled  him 
to  readily  recognize  and  utilize  opportuni- 
ties. He  was  always  straightforward  in 
his  dealings,  and  it  was  through  his  wise 
investment  and  careful  management  that 
he  gained  the  large  measure  of  success 
which  he  enjoyed  in  his  later  years. 

In  December  of  1880,  Mr.  Galbraith 
was  married  to  Miss  Adona  Hagler,  a 
daughter  of  John  C.  and  Elizabeth 
(Ethell)  Hagler.  Her  father  was  born 
in  east  Tennessee  and  when  a  young  man 
came  to  Illinois,  settling  in  Scott  county, 
where  he  engaged  in  merchandising  for 
more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century,  becom- 
ing one  of  the  leading  business  men  of 
that  locality.  During  his  residence  there 
he  also  held  many  public  offices  and  po- 
sitions of  trust  and  was  called  to  repre- 
sent his  district  in  the  state  legislature. 
He  became  the  associate  and  friend  of 


many  of  the  distinguished  men  of  the 
state  and  entertained  at  his  home  a  num- 
ber of  the  prominent  political  leaders  of 
Illinois,  including  U.  S.  Grant  and  Ste- 
phen A.  Douglas. 

Following  his  marriage,  Mr.  Galbraith 
continued  to  engage  in  farming  in  this 
county  until  failing  health  caused  him  to 
seek  a  change  of  climate  in  the  hope  that 
he  might  be  benefited  thereby.  He  went 
to  El  Paso,  Texas,  but  it  proved  unavail- 
ing, and  he  passed  away  on  the  I5th  of 
July,  1905,  after  which  his  remains  were 
brought  back  to  Illinois  for  interment  in 
Moss  Ridge  cemetery.  He  was  a  man 
held  in  the  highest  esteem  by  all  who  knew 
him,  possessing  a  sunny,  genial  disposi- 
tion which  gained  him  many  friends.  He 
voted  with  the  democracy,  but  was  with- 
out political  aspiration,  preferring  to  de- 
vote his  time  and  attention  to  his  business 
interests  and  the  society  of  his  friends. 
He  had  few,  if  any,  enemies,  being  on  the 
contrary  one  who  gained  the  kindly  re- 
gard of  all  with  whom  he  came  in  con- 
tact. He  was  a  Christian  man,  but  was 
liberal  in  his  religious  views,  and  in  his 
will  remembered  several  churches,  and 
during  his  lifetime  was  a  willing  con- 
tributor to  their  support.  Throughout  an 
active  business  career  he  displayed  many 
sterling  traits  of  character,  and  wherever 
he  was  known  his  name  was  honored. 
To  his  wife  he  was  a  most  devoted  hus- 
band, counting  no  personal  effort  or  sac- 
rifice on  his  part  too  great  if  it  would 
promote  her  welfare  and  happiness,  and 
it  is  in  his  own  household  that  his  loss 
is  most  deeply  felt,  although  it  is  the  oc- 
casion of  wide-spread  regret  throughout 
the  community. 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


241 


DAVID  AYERS. 

Among  the  native  sons  of  Wythe  town- 
ship who  are  still  connected  with  gen- 
eral farming  and  stock-raising  interests 
within  its  borders  is  numbered  David 
Ayers,  whose  natal  day  was  May  19, 
1865.  His  father  was  William  Ayers, 
and  his  grandfather,  David  Ayers,  both 
of  whom  were  natives  of  Ireland,  the 
former  having  been  born  in  Belfast. 
Having  arrived  at  years  of  maturity,  he 
married  Miss  Mary  Clark,  likewise  a  na- 
tive of  Belfast,  and  a  daughter  of  George 
and  Margaret  (Arbuckle)  Clark,  the 
former  a  son  of  David  Clark,  and  the 
latter  a  daughter  of  Archie  Arbuckle,  both 
of  whom  were  natives  of  Ireland  and  were 
of  Scotch  ancestry.  George  Clark,  in  the 
year  1845,  became  a  resident  of  Brook- 
lyn, New  York,  and  in  1848  arrived  in 
Warsaw,  Illinois.  There  he  carried  on 
business  for  many  years  as  a  stone  mason, 
and  died  in  that  town  in  1896,  at  the  ad- 
vanced age  of  ninety-two  years.  His 
wife  passed  away  in  1887,  when  eighty- 
nine  years  of  age. 

The  marriage  of  William  Ayers  and 
Mary  Clark  was  celebrated  on  the  3ist 
of  December,  1861.  They  had  come  to 
Hancock  county  with  their  respective  par- 
ents when  about  eight  years  of  age,  and 
were  reared  upon  farms  in  Wythe  town- 
ship. Subsequent  to  their  marriage  they 
took  up  their  abode  on  a  tract  of  land  on 
section  31,  Wythe  township,  where  they 
lived  for  many  years,  and  as  his  financial 
resources  permitted,  Mr.  Ayers  kept  add- 
ing to  his  place  from  time  to  time  and 
extending  his  landed  possessions  until  he 
owned  many  acres  on  sections  i  and  2, 


Rocky  Run  township.  He  died  in  1889, 
and  is  still  survived  by  his  wife,  who 
since  1893,  nas  made  her  home  in 
Carthage. 

David  Ayers,  the  third  in  a  family  of 
four  sons  and  six  daughters,  is  indebted 
to  the  Green  Plains  district  school  for  the 
educational  privileges  he  enjoyed.  His 
boyhood  and  youth  was  passed  in  his 
parents'  home,  his  time  being  occupied  by 
the  duties  of  the  schoolroom,  the  pleas- 
ures of  the  playground  and  the  work 
of  the  fields.  On  attaining  his  majority, 
he  started  out  in  business  on  his  own  ac- 
count, and  for  one  year  cultivated  rented 
land,  after  which  he  purchased  forty  acres 
on  section  I ,  Rocky  Run  township.  There 
was  a  log  house  upon  the  place  and  a 
part  of  the  land  was  fenced.  A  portion 
of  the  farm,  however,  was  still  covered 
with  the  native  timber.  Mr.  Ayers  be- 
gan its  further  development  and  improve- 
ment, but  after  three  years  he  sold  that 
property  and  bought  one  hundred  and 
seventy  acres  of  improved  prairie  land  on 
section  30,  Wythe  township.  He  has  since 
resided  upon  this  place,  and  has  converted 
it  into  rich  and  productive  fields.  His 
wife  owns  eighty  acres  adjoining  and 
their  combined  tracts  of  land  constitute 
one  of  the  best  farms  of  the  neighbor- 
hood. Mr.  Ayers  has  built  a  good  house 
and  barn  here  and  set  out  a  good  apple 
orchard  of  eight  acres.  He  carries  on 
general  farming,  also  raising  cattle,  horses 
and  hogs,  and  his  business  in  both 
branches  is  proving  profitable. 

On  the  ist  of  March,  1887,  Mr.  Ayers 
was  married  to  Miss  Minnie  McMahan, 
who  was  born  in  Wythe  township,  a 
daughter  of  Robert  and  Frances  (Walk- 


242 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


er)  McMahan.  Their  children  are: 
Fannie,  born  November  18,  1889;  and 
David  H.,  born  May  22,  1893.  Both 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ayers  are  well  known  and 
the  consensus  of  public  opinion  regarding 
them  is  altogether  favorable.  Mr.  Ayers 
belongs  to  one  of  the  prominent  old  pio- 
neer families  of  the  county.  Both  his 
father  and  his  grandfather  were  soldiers 
of  the  Mormon  war,  the  latter  having 
taken  up  his  abode  in  Hancock  county  in 
1835.  He  retained  his  residence  here  un- 
til his  death,  on  the  ist  of  December,  1887, 
and  thus  passed  away  one  who  had  aided 
in  the  early  development  and  progress  of 
the  county,  reclaiming  it  for  the  uses  of 
civilization.  The  work  instituted  by  the 
grandfather  and  carried  on  by  the  father, 
is  now  continued  by  David  Ayers,  who  is 
accounted  one  of  the  representative  agri- 
culturists of  his  community.  His  political 
support  is  given  the  democracy  and  he 
has  been  road  commissioner,  while  in  the 
spring  of  1905,  he  was  elected  on  the 
democratic  ticket  to  the  office  of  super- 
visor. Fraternally,  he  is  connected  with 
the  blue  lodge  of  Masons,  at  Warsaw,  and 
with  the  Modern  Woodmen  camp  at  El- 
derville,  Illinois. 


MAJORx  LEONARD  A.  HAY. 

Warsaw  will  for  many  years  be  a  cen- 
ter of  public  interest  as  the  home  of  the 
Hay  family.  On  the  pages  of  military 
history  appears  the  name  of  Major 
Leonard  Augustus  Hay,  who  rendered 


signal  service  to  his  country  as  a  volun- 
teer in  the  Civil  war  and  as  a  member  of 
the  regular  army  for  many  years  there- 
after. He  never  sought  political  prefer- 
ment or  honors,  but  rendered  to  his  na- 
tion no  less  signal  service  by  a  lofty  pa- 
triotism and  unfaltering  loyalty  to  the  flag 
and  to  every  duty  incident  to  military 
service,  whether  in  the  midst  of  sangui- 
nary conflict  or  upon  the  frontier. 

As  stated  in  the  history  of  his  parents, 
given  before,  he  was  the  second  son  of 
Dr.  Charles  and  Helen  (Leonard)  Hay, 
and  was  born  in  Salem,  Indiana,  Decem- 
ber 3,  1834,  spending  the  first  six  years 
of  his  life  in  that  town.  He  was  in  his 
seventh  year,  when  in  1841,  the  family 
came  to  Warsaw,  and  in  the  public  schools 
of  the  city,  he  pursued  his  education.  In 
early  manhood  he  was  identified  with 
various  business  interests  and  was  con- 
ducting an  enterprise  on  his  own  account 
during  the  early  period  of  the  Civil  war, 
but  on  the  2d  of  July,  1864,  feeling  that 
he  could  no  longer  content  himself  to  re- 
main at  home  while  the  country's  safety 
was  endangered,  he  joined  the  Union 
army  as  a  private  and  was  assigned  to 
duty  with  Company  D,  Third  Bat- 
talion of  the  Fifteenth  Infantry.  On 
the  2d  of  July,  1864,  he  was  ap- 
pointed as  second  lieutenant  in  the 
regular  army  and  was  assigned  to  the 
Ninth  Infantry,  with  which  he  remained 
throughout  the  period  of  his  service.  On 
the  2gth  of  September.  1864.  he  was  com- 
missioned a  first  lieutenant  and  on  the 
nth  of  March,  1878,  he  was  made  a 
captain  in  the  Ninth  Regiment  of  Infan- 
try. He  was  engaged  in  active  duty  on 
the  frontier,  covering  all  the  territory 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


243 


from  the  Dakotas  to  Arizona  and  from 
the  Missouri  river  to  the  Pacific  coast. 
During  that  period  there  were  many  In- 
dian uprisings  that  called  the  troops  forth 
to  active  battle.  He  was  very  popular 
with  his  fellow  officers  and  with  the  men 
who  served  under  him — a  fact  which  is 
indicated  by  the  records,  which  show  that 
there  were  fewer  deserters  from  his  com- 
pany than  from  any  other  in  the  army. 
He  continued  in  command  of  his  com- 
pany in  active  service  until  the  I5th  of 
June,  1891.  when  he  retired  for  disability 
incurred  in  the  line  of  his  duty.  Cam- 
paigning against  the  Indians  upon  the 
frontier  in  inclement  weather  had  im- 
paired his  health,  and  he  retired  to  War- 
saw to  spend  his  remaining  days  in  the 
city  in  which  his  boyhood  and  youth 
were  passed.  Here,  in  accord  with  an  act 
of  congress  conferring  additional  rank 
on  officers  who  had  served  in  the  Civil 
war,  he  was  made  a  major  retired. 

Major  Hay  was  married  in  New  York, 
December  5,  1869.  to  Miss  Blanche 
d'Ormond.  whose  death  occurred  about 
two  decades  ago.  He  left  no  children 
and  yet  he  had  an  especial  fondness  for 
children  and  young  people  and  was  greatly 
beloved  by  them.  Of  the  many  memen- 
tos gathered  in  his  lifetime  none  were 
cherished  more  dearly  than  numerous 
keepsakes  of  these  young  friends. 

Major  Hay  was  a  man  of  superior  in- 
tellectual force,  whose  leisure  was  largely 
devoted  to  reading  and  study  and  his 
scholarly  attainments  and  broad  culture 
made  him  a  charming  conversationalist 
and  entertaining  companion.  He  held 
friendship  inviolable  and  nothing  could 
swerve  him  in  his  loyalty  to  a  friend, 


whose  claims  upon  his  time  and  attention 
were  at  all  times  recognized.  He  was 
always  interested  in  the  general  welfare 
of  his  city  and  served  as  a  member  of  the 
library  board  in  1892,  but  he  preferred 
that  his  public  service  should  be  done  as 
a  private  citizen  rather  than  as  an  office- 
holder. In  recent  years,  however,  the  se- 
lection of  books  for  the  public  library  was 
left  almost  wholly  to  him.  He  was  of 
the  highest  type  of  manhood,  noble  and 
chivalrous,  recognizing  genuine  worth  in 
others  and  showing  appreciation  for  all 
admirable  qualities  in  his  friends  and  those 
with  whom  he  acme  in  contact  in  any  re- 
lation in  life.  In  manner  he  was  free  from 
ostentation  or  display.  A  kindly  spirit 
and  generous  sympathy  was  manifest  in 
all  that  he  said  or  did  and  he  had  the  un- 
failing courtesy  of  a  gentleman  of  the  old 
school.  Emerson  has  said,  "The  way  to 
win  a  friend  is  to  be  one,"  and  this  state- 
ment found  verification  in  the  life  of 
Major  Hay. 


HENRY  ROBLEY  DICKINSON. 

No  history  of  Hancock  county  would 
be  complete  without  mention  of  Henry 
Robley  Dickinson,  deceased,  who  was  one 
of  the  founders  of  Hamilton,  who  estab- 
lished a  lumber  business  in  the  town  in 
1855,  and  for  many  years  was  one  of  the 
most  active  and  enterprising  citizens  of 
the  county,  carrying  forward  to  success- 
ful completion  whatever  he  undertook, 
while  his  labors  were  also  of  a  character 


244 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REl'lE}}' 


that  contributed  not  only  to  his  own  suc- 
cess but 'also  to  public  progress  and  im- 
provement. He  was  born  December  10, 
1818,  in  Keene,  New  Hampshire,  in  which 
state  his  parents,  who  were  farming  peo- 
ple, spent  their  entire  lives.  His  educa- 
tion was  acquired  in  the  old-time  subscrip- 
tion schools  of  ,the  Granite  state  and  at 
the  age  of  twelve  years  he  ran  away  from 
home  and  spent  six  months  on  a  sailing 
vessel.  Feeling  that  he  had  enough  of  the 
sea,  at  the  end  of  that  time  he  made  his 
way  to  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  where  he  was 
employed  at  carpenter  work  for  some 
time.  He  afterward  removed  to  Greene 
county,  Illinois,  where  he  followed  that 
trade,  and  also  became  the  owner  of  land- 
ed interests.  A  few  years  later,  in  1849, 
he  removed  to  Hancock  county  and  took 
up  his  abode  in  a  log  cabin  near  Iron 
Spout  Spring.  There  he  lived  for  several 
years  in  true  pioneer  style  amid  frontier 
surroundings  and  environments.  He  was 
'  one  of  the  original  promoters  of  the  ferry 
across  the  Mississippi  river,  belonging  to 
a  company  which  secured  its  charter  to 
operate  the  ferry  in  1850.  With  the  work 
of  development  and  improvement  in  his 
community  and  county  he  was  closely 
identified  from  that  time  until  his  death. 
He  had  several  landings  for  his  ferry  boat 
as  it  crossed  to  Keokuk,  Iowa,  and  the 
business  proved  a  profitable  one  to  the  lo- 
cality in  early  days  before  many  bridges 
spanned  the  "father  of  waters"  and  made 
travel  by  rail  or  private  conveyance  an 
easy  matter.  In  connection  with  Bryan 
Bartlett  and  others,  Mr.  Dickinson  laid 
out  the  town  of  Hamilton  and  the  enter- 
prising village  stands  today  as  a  monu- 
ment to  his  energy  and  forethought.  In 


connection  with  Mr.  Bartlett,  who  was  his 
brother-in-law,  he  owned  nearly  all  of  the 
land  upon  which  Hamilton  has  been  built, 
and  he  also  became  the  owner  of  several 
farms  in  the  county,  purchasing  property 
from  time  to  time  and  thus  placing  his 
money  in  the  safest  of  all  investments — 
real  estate.  In  1855  he  embarked  in  the 
lumber  business  at  Hamilton  and  contin- 
ued in  the  trade  until  his  death,  securing 
a  good  patronage  as  the  years  passed  by 
and  making  extensive  annual  sales  which 
brought  to  him  a  very  gratifying  income. 
His  other  business  interests  also  proved 
profitable  and  as  the  years  passed  away 
he  became  one  of  the  substantial  citizens 
of  the  county. 

One  of  the  early  indications  of  his 
prosperity  was  that  in  1856  he  replaced 
his  pioneer  log  house  by  a  frame  residence 
of  two  stories,  which  he  erected  in  the 
western  part  of  Hamilton  on  the  bluff 
overlooking  the  Mississippi  river  and 
commanding  a  fine  view  of  the  attractive 
scenery  afforded  by  the  broad  expanse  of 
the  river  and  the  city  of  Keokuk  beyond. 
About  two  years  later,  in  1858,  Mr.  Dick- 
inson built  another  large  house,  contain- 
ing ten  rooms  beside  basement  and  clos- 
ets. Into  this  home  he  removed  and  made 
it  his  place  of  residence  throughout  his 
remaining  days  with  the  exception  of  a 
brief  period  of  three  years  during  the  Civil 
war,  when  he  conducted  a  hotel  in  another 
building.  On  the  expiration  of  that 
period,  however,  he  sold  out  and  returned 
to  his  former  home  and  there  he  lived 
in  comfort  for  many  years,  his  business 
interests  bringing  to  him  all  of  the  ne- 
cessities and  many  of  the  luxuries  of  life. 

Mr.    Dickinson    was    first    married    in 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


245 


Greene  county,  Illinois,  to  Miss  Wright, 
and  they  had  one  child,  Oscar,  who  was 
killed  while  serving  in  defense  of  the 
Union  in  the  Civil  war.  The  wife  .and 
mother,  however,  died  a  short  time  after 
her  marriage.  On  the  6th  of  April,  1843, 
also  in  Greene  county,  Illinois,  Mr.  Dick- 
inson was  married  to  Minerva  Bartlett, 
who  died  soon  after  the  birth  of  their 
only  child,  George  R.  Dickinson,  who  for 
a  number  of  years  resided  on  a  farm  near 
Belfast,  Iowa,  where  his  death  occurred. 
On  the  1 5th  of  October,  1848,  Mr.  Dickin- 
son was  joined  in  wedlock  to  Miss  Agnes 
Decker,  a  native  of  Greene  county,  Illi- 
nois, who  died  in  Texas,  April  25,  1857. 
There  were  three  children  of  that  mar- 
riage :  Joan,  the  wife  of  Henry  Marck- 
ley,  of  Wythe  township,  Hancock  county ; 
Charles  O.,  who  is  living  in  Hamilton; 
and  Frank,  who  makes  his  home  in  Selina 
county,  Kansas.  The  fourth  marriage  of 
Mr.  Dickinson  was  celebrated  on  Christ- 
mas day  of  1858,  when  Miss  Emeretta 
Jane  Hawley  became  his  wife.  She  was 
born  in  Onondaga  county,  New  York, 
February  6,  1826,  and  came  to  Ohio  in 
1836.  A  year  later  she  removed  to  Lee 
county,  Iowa,  where  she  lived  for  twenty 
years,  her  home  being  on  the  bluff  back 
of  Montrose,  just  opposite  Nauvoo,  com- 
manding a  scene  of  rare  beauty,  this  be- 
ing one  of  the  most  attractive  districts 
of  the  great  Mississippi  valley,  and  seri- 
ous discussion  has  been  held  in  political 
circles  in  Washington  concerning  the  re- 
moval of  the  capital  to  this  site.  While 
living  there  Mrs.  Dickinson  witnessed  the 
burning  of  the  Mormon  temple.  She  was 
there  residing  at  the  time  that  Joseph  and 
Hiram  Smith,  the  prophets  and  leaders 


of  the  Mormon  faith,  were  killed  and 
while  they  lay  in  state  at  Nauvoo.  Mrs. 
Dickinson  is  a  daughter  of  Adna  and 
Clarissa  (Smeed)  Hawley,  natives  of 
Vermont,  in  which  state  they  were  reared 
and  married.  Subsequently  they  removed 
to  a  farm  in  Onondaga  county,  New 
York,  where  they  resided  until  coming  to 
the  west.  By  the  last  marriage  of  Mr. 
Dickinson  there  were  born  two  children. 
The  daughter,  Emma,  born  October  20, 
1850,  was  married  on  the  3d  of  May, 
1892,  to  Charles  Bartlett,  of  Hamilton, 
and  died  January  30,  1896,  leaving  a  son, 
Lawrence  D.  Bartlett,  who  was  born  May 
16,  1893,  ar>d  is  now  with  his  father  in 
Cedar  Rapids,  Iowa.  John  Dickinson, 
born  January  19,  1861,  was  drowned  in 
the  Mississippi  river  at  Hamilton,  March 
22,  1885. 

Mr.  Dickinson  gave  his  political  alle- 
giance to  the  Republican  party  from  the 
time  of  its  organization  and  was  one  of 
its  ardent  and  earnest  supporters.  His 
fellow  townsmen,  recognizing  his  worth 
and  ability,  frequently  called  him  to  pub- 
lic office  and  he  served  as  alderman,  as 
assessor  and  mayor  of  Hamilton.  He  was 
also  prominent  in  Masonry,  taking  the 
degrees  of  the  lodge,  chapter  and  com- 
mandery.  The  death  of  Mr.  Dickinson 
occurred  October  7,  1897.  He  had  for 
forty-eight  years  been  a  resident  of  Han- 
cock county,  and  was  known  to  all  the  pio- 
neer settlers  in  this  part  of  the  state.  He 
came  here  when  the  county  was  but 
sparsely  settled  and  when  the  work  of 
development  and  improvement  lay  largely 
in  the  future.  His  name  is  closely  asso- 
ciated with  many  of  the  business  interests 
and  public  movements  that  have  resulted 


246 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


beneficially  to  the  county  and  at  the  same 
time  in  his  private  business  interests  lie 
won  a  gratifying  measure  of  success.  He 
started  out  in  life  empty  handed  as  a  sailor 
boy,  but  he  possessed  strong  determina- 
tion, unfaltering  courage  and  resolute  pur- 
pose and  upon  those  qualities  as  a  foun- 
dation builded  his  success.  He  was  not 
only  an  active  and  enterprising  business 
man,  but  also  a  thoroughly  reliable  one 
and  his  fellow  townsmen  entertained  for 
him  both  admiration  and  respect.  Mrs. 
Dickinson  still  survives  her  husband,  but 
has  been  gradually  losing  her  eyesight, 
owing  to  a  cataract,  since  1896.  She 
has  long  been  a  resident  of  this  part  of 
the  country,  her  home  being  just  across 
the  river  in  Iowa  during  the  period  of  her 
girlhood  and  early  womanhood,  while 
since  Christmas  day  of  1858 — the  date  of 
her  marriage — she  has  lived  continuously 
in  Hancock  county  and  is  held  in  the  high- 
est esteem  by  many  warm  friends. 


LEONARD     THOMPSON     FERRIS, 
M   D. 

Dr.  Leonard  Thompson  Ferris,  de- 
ceased, was  for  fifty-five  years  actively  en- 
gaged in  the  practice  of  medicine  at  Foun- 
tain Green  and  his  life  was  of  utmost  ben- 
efit to  his  fellowmen  by  reason  of  his  pro- 
fessional skill,  his  kindly  spirit  and  his 
broad,  humanitarian  principles.  Although 
several  years  have  come  and  gone  since  he 
passed  away,  his  memory  is  revered  by  all 
who  knew  him  and  he  left  behind  him  an 


example  of  professional .  integrity,  loyal 
citizenship  and  honor  in  private  life  that 
is  indeed  worthy  of  emulation.  He  came 
to  Hancock  county  with  his  parents, 
Stephen  G.  and  Eunice  (Beebe)  Ferris, 
in  December,  1832,  journeying  westward 
from  New  York  to  Illinois  by  way  of  the 
Ohio  and  Mississippi  rivers.  His  parents 
had  to  clear  the  land  for  a  space  upon 
which  to  erect  a  log  cabin  and  there  they 
lived  in  true  pioneer  style  for  many  years. 
As  the  years  came  and  went  they  pros- 
pered in  their  undertakings.  They  made 
needed  improvements  and  in  course  of 
time  had  one  of  the  best  developed  farm 
properties  in  this  part  of  the  county.  The 
father  was  born  in  Norwich,  Chenango 
county,  New7  York,  and  the  mother  in 
New  London  county',  Connecticut.  He 
was  a  tanner  by  trade,  but  after  coming 
to  the  west  followed  farming,  making  his 
home  in  Fountain  Green  township.  He 
died  in  1876,  while  his  wife  passed  away 
in  1860,  and  they  were  both  laid  to  rest 
in  Fountain  Green  cemetery.  They  were 
strong  and  devoted  members  of  the  Bap- 
tist church  and  instilled  into  the  minds  of 
their  children  lessons  of  integrity  and  up- 
rightness which  bore  good  fruit  in  later 
years.  In  their  family  were  six  children, 
all  of  whom  are  now  deceased. 

Dr.  Ferris  of  this  review  was  born  in 
Steuben  county.  New  York,  in  1817,  and 
was  therefore  a  youth  of  about  fifteen 
years  when  he  came  with  his  parents  to 
Illinois.  He  completed  his  education  in 
the  schools  of  Fountain  Green  and  deter- 
mining to  devote  his  life  to  the  practice 
of  medicine,  he  attended  medical  lectures 
for  one  winter  in  Jacksonville,  Illinois, 
and  afterward  was  graduated  from  the 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


247 


St.  Louis  Medical  College  in  1848.  He, 
however,  entered  upon  the  active  practice 
of  medicine  in  1845,  opening  an  office 
in  Fountain  Green,  where  he  built  an  of- 
fice in  1847.  He  practiced  there  for  over 
fifty-five  years,  or  until  his  death.  He  was 
a  successful  general  practitioner,  making 
progress  in  harmony  with  the  advance- 
ment that  has  ever  characterized  the  med- 
ical fraternity.  He  attended  rich  and 
poor,  high  and  low,  never  refusing  to 
respond  to  a  call  even  though  he  knew 
there  was  little  hope  of  pecuniary  remun- 
eration. He  had  a  most  warm,  charitable 
heart,  and  a  tale  of  sorrow  or  distress 
awakened  his  ready  sympathy.  Through- 
out his  entire  life  he  occupied  the  old  Fer- 
ris homesead  in  Fountain  Green  but 
greatly  improved  the  property. 

On  the  23d  of  May,  1850,  Dr.  Ferris 
was  married  to  Miss  Helen  M.  Gilchrist, 
who  was  born  in  Saxton  River  village, 
in  Rockingham  county,'  Vermont,  October 
23,  1831.  She  is  a  descendant  in  the  sev- 
enth generation  of  Edward  A.  Winslow, 
who  came  over  in  the  Mayflower.  Her 
grandfather,  Samuel  Gilchrist,  was  bom 
in  Lunenbury,  Massachusetts,  was  a 
farmer  by  occupation  and  lived  in  the  old 
Bay  state  until  he  attained  his  majority. 
He  married  Miss  Elizabeth  Allen,  who 
was  born  in  Pomfret,  Connecticut,  and 
they  had  three  sons,  John,  Allen  and 
Charles,  all  now  deceased.  The  grand- 
father resided  at  Walpole,  New  Hamp- 
shire. Her  father,  Charles  G.  Gilchrist, 
was  born  at  Walpole,  New  Hampshire,  in 
1802,  and  there  owned  a  farm.  In  Sep- 
tember, 1837,  he  removed  with  his  family 
from  Vermont  to  McDonough  county, 
Illinois,  being  over  three  months  on  the 
16 


road.  They  started  on  the  nth  of  June, 
reaching  their  destination  on  the  I3th  of 
September.  They  settled  on  a  farm  in 
McDonough  county,  and  there  Mr.  Gil- 
christ carried  on  agricultural  pursuits  as 
long  as  his  health  would  permit.  He,  like 
Dr.  Ferris's  father,  had  to  clear  land  in 
order  to  have  a  space  big  enough  on  which 
to  build  a  house.  He  and  his  family  lived 
in  a  log  cabin  for  many  years  and  went 
through  the  usual  experiences  and  hard- 
ships of  pioneer  life.  They  saw  many 
Indians  and  there  were  large  herds  of 
wild  deer.  The  county  was  sparsely  set- 
tled and  with  the  development  and  prog- 
ress of  that  section  of  the  state  Charles 
G.  Gilchrist  was  closely  identified  Charles 
G.  Gilchrist  cast  his  first  presidential  vote 
for  Andrew  Jackson  and  upon  the  organ- 
ization of  the  Republican  party  joined  its 
ranks,  continuing  to  give  it  his  support 
until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1880, 
when  he  was  eighty  years  of  age.  His 
grave  is  made  at  Hillsgrove,  McDonough 
county,  Illinois.  His  wife,  who  bore  the 
maiden  name  of  Minerva  Holton,  was 
born  in  Westminster,  Windham  county, 
Vermont,  in  October,  1805,  spent  her 
girlhood  days  in  her  native  place  and 
afterward  taught  school.  Benjamin  Par- 
sons, her  grandfather,  was  a  private  in 
the  Revolutionary  war  for  a  number  of 
years.  Mrs.  Gilchrist  died  May  30,  1875, 
and  was  buried  by  the  side  of  her  hus- 
band in  Hillsgrove  cemetery.  She  was 
a  member  of  a  Baptist  church.  In  their 
family  were  five  children,  of  whom  Mrs. 
Ferris  is  the  eldest.  Charles  A.  died  in 
New  York  city,  January  22,  1906.  David 
Van  Brugh  lives  at  the  old  homestead  at 
Hillsgrove,  Illinois.  Erastus  H.  is  de- 


248 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


ceased.  Edward  M.  is  a  resident  of  Cen- 
terville,  Iowa.  Of  this  family  Charles  A. 
Gilchrist  enlisted  for  service  in  the  Tenth 
Missouri  Infantry  in  the  Civil  war,  join- 
ing the  army  as  a  captain.  He  served  for 
five  years  and  was  mustered  out  with  the 
rank  of  brigadier  general,  being  then  in 
command  of  the  Fiftieth  Regiment  of 
Missouri  Colored  Troops.  Edward  M. 
was  also  a  soldier  in  the  Civil  war. 

After  the  parents  removed  to  Illinois, 
Mrs.  Ferris  and  her  brothers,  Charles  A. 
and  VanBrugh  Gilchrist,  were  sent  back 
to  New  York  to  be  educated,  and  attended 
the  private  school  conducted  by  Miss  Hoi- 
ton,  for  four  years.  She  was  an  aunt  of 
Mrs.  Ferris  and  her  school  was  then  lo- 
cated at  No.  1 1  Amity  street  in  New  York 
city.  When  Mrs.  Ferris  returned  home 
she  brought  with  her  a  piano,  which  was 
the  first  one  in  McDonough  county,  and 
it  is  still  in  her  possession.  It  is  a  square 
piano,  having  six  beautiful  carved  legs 
and  is  much  narrower  than  the  square 
pianos  were  ordinarily  made.  It  was 
manufactured  by  J.  Thurston  some  time 
between  the  years  1812  and  1817.  This 
piano  was  shipped  from  New  York  to 
New  Orleans,  thence  up  the  Mississippi 
river  to  Warsaw,  and  from  there  hauled 
to  McDonough  county.  Mrs.  Ferris's 
children,  grandchildren  and  friends  still 
love  to  hear  her  play  the  old-time  melodies 
with  which  she  became  familiar  in  her 

\ 

girlhood  days. 

Unto  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Ferris  were  born 
ten  children,  all  born  in  the  old  home  in 
Fountain  Green  township.  Fidelia,  the 
eldest,  died  in  childhood.  Dr.  Charles  L. 
Ferris,  of  Carthage,  the  second  in  order 
of  birth,  is  a  graduate  of  the  Rush  Med- 


ical College.  He  married  Ella  Connor,  of 
Warsaw,  this  county,  and  they  have  two 
children,  Helen  I.,  a  graduate  of  Carthage 
College  and  now  principal  of  the  high 
school  in  Mt.  Carroll,  Illinois ;  and  Ruth 
A.  Lelia,  the  third  member  of  the  family, 
is  the  wife  of  Edward  Lionberger,  of 
Fountain  Green  township,  and  they  have 
four  children,  Fay,  Gay,  John  and  Edith. 
Delia  died  in  childhood.  Alice  Lovina  is 
the  wife  of  Charles  R.  Martin,  of  Car- 
thage township,  and  has  two  sons,  Leon- 
ard Ferris  and  Edward  Stephen  Martin. 
John  Milton  died  in  childhood.  Ulysses 
Stephen  lived  in  Carthage  township,  wed- 
ded Miss  Mary  White  and  has  one  son, 
Wilber  White  Ferris.  Ralph  William 
married  Carrie  Banks,  lives  on  a  farm  in 
Fountain  Green  township  and  has  one 
child,  Frances.  Mary  H.  Ferris  is  at 
home  with  her  mother.  Hiram  Gano  is 
traveling  for  Irwin  Neisler,  a  druggist,  of 
Decatur,  Illinois.  The  death  of  Dr.  Fer- 
ris occurred  on  the  igth  of  July,  1900, 
when  he  was  eighty-three  years  of  age. 
In  politics  he  was  a  republican,  inflexible 
in  support  of  the  party  from  the  time  of 
its  organization,  but  his  father,  his  brother 
and  his  brothers-in-law  were  all  democrats. 
He  served  as  town  clerk,  as  collector  and 

SEAV  puE  S.IE3X  XUEUI  JQJ  aopajtp  jooqos  SE 
instrumental  in  building  the  brick  school- 
house  at  Fountain  Green,  superintending 
the  construction  of  the  same.  Fraternally 
he  was  a  Mason,  joining  the  lodge  in  Ma- 
comb,  McDonough  county,  in  1849.  He 
became  a-  charter  member  of  Carthage 
lodge,  in  which  he  passed  all  of  the  chairs. 
His  remains  were  interred  in  Fountain 
Green  township  by  the  side  of  his  parents 
and  all  of  the  Ferris  relatives.  There  was 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


249 


allotted  to  him  a  long  life,  which  was  char- 
acterized by  usefulness  and  honor  and  his 
name  was  to  many  a  synonym  of  all  that 
is  straightforward  and  upright  in  life.  He 
and  his  wife  not  only  celebrated  their 
twenty-fifth  wedding  anniversary  but  also 
their  fiftieth  wedding  anniversary,  on 
which  occasion  their  children  and  grand- 
children were  present.  They  traveled 
life's  journey, happily  together  for  many 
long  years  and  theirs  was  largely  an  ideal 
married  relation.  After  Dr.  Ferris  passed 
away  Mrs.  Ferris  lived  in  the  old  home- 
stead, which  was  in  the  same  yard  as  the 
Doctor's  office  in  Fountain  Green.  There 
she  remained  until  1902,  when  she  re- 
moved to  Carthage,  purchasing  a  home  on 
Madison  street,  which  she  has  since  great- 
ly improved.  She  and  her  daughters, 
Mary  H.  and  Mrs.  Martin,  are  all  devoted 
members  of  the  Presbyterian  church  and 
likewise  belong  to  the  Daughters  of  the 
American  Revolution,  in  which  order 
Mary  Helen  has  been  the  efficient  record- 
ing secretary  for  the  past  three  years. 
Mrs.  Ferris  is  a  lady  whom  it  is  a  rare 
pleasure  to  meet,  for  she  possesses  a  true, 
warm  heart  for  all  mankind  and  strong, 
native  intelligence  and  a  retentive  mem- 
ory combined  with  innate  culture  and  re- 
finement. She  also  possesses  a  marked 
wit  and  jovial  disposition  and  her  kindly 
humor  serves  to  draw  to  her  all  with 
whom  she  is  brought  in  contact.  She  is 
yet  actively  interested  in  matters  of  pub- 
lic moment  and  she  deserves  prominent 
mention  in  this  volume  among  the  resi- 
dents who  have  lived  in  this  part  of  Illi- 
nois from  pioneer  times.  She  celebrated 
her  seventy-fifth  birthday  October  23, 
1906.  when  fourteen  ladies  from  sixty- 


five   to   seventy-five   years   of   age   were 
present. 


MARTIN  A.  HENRY. 

Martin  A.  Henry,  numbered  among  the 
veterans  of  the  Civil  War,  who  is  now 
living  a  retired  life  in  Augusta,  for  many 
years  was  actively  identified  with  agri- 
cultural interests.  He  is  a  native  of 
Brown  county,  Illinois,  born  on  the  loth 
day  of  February,  1844,  and  there  he  re- 
sided until  about  twenty  years  ago,  when 
he  came  to  Augusta.  He  acquired  his 
education  in  the  common  schools  of  his 
native  county,  where  he  was  reared  to 
manhood,  and  assisted  in  the  operation 
of  his  father's  farm.  He  is  a  son  of  Rob- 
ert L.  and  Mary  A.  (Langdon)  Henry. 
The  former  was  born  in  the  state  of  New' 
York,  and  the  latter  in  Kentucky.  Mr. 
Henry  arrived  in  Illinois  in  1820,  and  his 
wife  came  a  few  years  later.  They  were 
married  in  Brown  county,  this  state, 
which  was  then  a  part  of  Schuyler  county, 
and  throughout  his  entire  life  Mr.  Henry 
carried  on  general  agricultural  pursuits 
and  also  worked  at  the  cooper's  trade. 
Following  the  death  of  his  wife  he  lived 
with  his  children  and  spent  his  last  days 
in  Fulton  county,  Illinois,  where  he 
passed  away  at  the  age  of  eighty  years. 
He  held  membership  in  the  Presbyterian 
church,  while  his  wife  was  a  devoted 
member  of  the  Baptist  church.  Both 
were  laid  to  rest  in  Brown  county.  Illi- 
nois. In  their  family  were  ten  children, 
but  only  two  are  now  living,  the  younger 


250 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


brother  being  Hiram  Henry,  of  Fulton 
county,  Illinois.- 

As  before  stated,  Martin  A.  Henry  was 
reared  in  the  usual  manner  of  farm  lads, 
early  becoming  familiar  with  all  the  work 
incident  to  the  development  and  cultiva- 
tion of  the  fields.  When  twenty-three 
years  of  age  he  started  out  in  life  on  his 
own  account  and  was  engaged  in  farming 
for'some  years.  He  continued  actively  in 
that  occupation  until  1885,  when  he  sold 
his  farm  and  removed  to  Augusta.  He 
had  been  enterprising  and  progressive  in 
his  methods,  tilling  the  soil  and  cultivat- 
ing his  crops,  and  gained  thereby  a  com- 
fortable competence,  finding  a  ready  sale 
on  the  market  for  all  of  his  farm  prod- 
ucts. His  labors  as  an  agriculturist  were 
uninterrupted  save  when  on  the  gth  of 
August,  1862,  he  responded  to  the  coun- 
try's call  for  troops,  enlisting  as  a  mem- 
ber of  Company  D,  One  Hundred  and 
Nineteenth  Illinois  Infantry.  He  contin- 
ued at  the  front  until  the  close  of  the  war 
and  took  part  in  many  of  the  principal  en- 
gagements of  the  Western  Army,  be- 
ing frequently  under  fire.  He  was  mus- 
tered out  at  Mobile,  Alabama,  on  the  iSth 
of  August,  1865,  and  received  an  hon- 
orable discharge  at  Springfield.  He  held 
the  rank  of  corporal  and  at  the  time  he 
was  mustered  out  was  a  sergeant.  He 
now  maintains  pleasant  relations  with  his 
old  army  comrades  through  his  member- 
ship in  Union  post,  No.  302,  G.  A.  R.. 
at  Augusta,  of  which  he  has  been  com- 
mander for  five  terms  and  is  now  acting 
as  quartermaster  of  the  post. 

Mr.  Henry  was  first  married  on  the  ist 
of  December,  1866,  to  Miss  Mary  C.  Cox, 
who  was  bom  in  Brown  county,  Illinois, 


a  daughter  of  James  Cox,  one  of  the  early 
settlers  of  that  locality.  Mr.  Cox  was  a 
native  of  Kentucky  and  reared  his  fam- 
ily in  Brown  county,  where  Mrs.  Henry 
acquired  her  education.  She  died  there 
on  the  8th  of  August,  1870,  at  the  age 
of  twenty-seven  years,  leaving  two  chil- 
dren, Mertie  M.  and  Joseph  E.  The 
daughter  is  the  wife  of  Albert  H.  Kin- 
ney,  of  Lavonia,  New  York,  where  he  is 
engaged  in  merchandising.  Joseph  E. 
Henry  resides  in  St.  Louis,  Missouri, 
where  he  is  head  shipping  clerk  for  the 
Medart  Patent  Pulley  Company.  He  was 
born  in  Brown  county,  as  was  his  sister, 
and  he  married  Ellen  Walsh,  by  whom  he 
has  two  children,  Herbert  R.  and  Isabelle. 
For  his  second  wife  Mr.  Henry  chose 
Eliza  J.  Burgesser,  a  daughter  of  George 
W.  and  Margaret  (Thomas)  Burgesser, 
both  natives  of  Pennsylvania.  In  1844 
her  parents  came  to  the  west,  locating  in 
Brown  county,  Illinois,  where  her  father 
followed  farming,  and  there  they  resided 
until  called  to  their  final  rest.  Mrs. 
Henry  was  born  in  Adams  county,  Ohio, 
but  was  reared  and  educated  in  Brown 
county,  Illinois,  being  only  four  years  of 
age  at  the  time  of  her  parents'  removal 
to  this  state.  She  was  first  married  to 
Charles  Todd,  of  Springfield.  Illinois, 
who  died  leaving  a  son,  Ala,  who  died 
when  twenty-five  years  of  age.  By  the 
present  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Henry 
there  are  three  children:  Robert  E..  re- 
siding at  home,  is  the  principal  of  the 
schools  at  West  Point,  Illinois.  Leltie 
is  a  teacher  at  Warsaw,  this  state.  How- 
ard M.  died  when  eight  years  of  age. 

Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Henry  are  consist- 
ent  members   of   the    Methodist   church 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


251 


and  he  gives  his  political  support  to  the 
Republican  party.  He  served  as  a  mem- 
ber of  the  town  board  for  two  years  and 
has  been  street  commissioner  of  Augusta 
for  the  past  thirteen"  years.  He  is  hold- 
ing that  position  at  the  present  time,  and 
is  a  capable  official,  manifesting  the  same 
loyalty  whether  in  public  office  or  out 
of  it  that  he  displayed  when  he  followed 
the  old  flag  upon  southern  battlefields 
and  defended  the  Union  cause.  His  busi- 
ness activity  in  former  years  was  crowned 
with  a  measure  of  success  that  now  en- 
ables him  to  live  retired  and  he  is  spend- 
ing his  days  pleasantly  in  Augusta  amid 
many  friends,  who  entertain  '  for  him 
warm  regard. 


W.  H.  AND  J.  A.   PLUMB. 

W.  H.  and  J.  A.  Plumb,  the  president 
and  secretary  respectively  of  Plumb 
Brothers  Brick  &  Tile  Company,  with 
offices  at  Carthage,  are  prominent  repre- 
sentatives of  industrial  activity  in  this 
county.  The  factory  is  located  in  Pilot 
Grove  township,  between  Burnside  and 
Carthage  and  is  devoted  to  the  manufac- 
ture of  brick  and  tile.  The  business  has 
been  conducted  by  the  present  company 
for  about  four  years  and  the  plant  has 
three  kilns  which  turn  out  about  fifty 
thousand  brick  or  twenty  thousand  tile 
of  high  grade  every  week.  The  com- 
pany is  incorporated  and  since  its  estab- 
lishment has  borne  an  unassailable  repu- 
tation in  business  circles' by  reason  of  the 


honorable  methods  instituted  and  also 
by  reason  of  the  excellence  of  its  product. 

William  H.  Plumb,  one  of  the  active 
members  of  the  corporation  and  the  pres- 
ident of  the  company,  was  bom  in  Ful- 
ton county,  Illinois,  July  17,  1862.  His 
parents  are  Thomas  J.  and  Elizabeth 
(Anderson)  Plumb.  The  father,  a  native 
of  London,  England,  came  alone  to  the 
United  States  when  fourteen  years  of  age 
and  with  brave  spirit  and  resolute  pur- 
pose sought  to  earn  a  living  in  the  new 
world,  thinking  that  he  might  enjoy  bet- 
ter business  opportunities  on  this  side  of 
the  Atlantic.  One  of  his  first  positions 
was  assistant  to  the  cook  on  a  Missis- 
sippi river  steamboat,  and  he  gradually 
made  advancement  in  the  business  world 
until  he  became  connected  with  the  coal 
mining  interests  of  Illinois,  continuing  in 
that  field  of  activity  until  his  death,  which 
occurred  at  Bemadotte.  Fulton  county, 
this  state,  when  he  had  reached  the  age 
of  fifty-one  years.  His  widow  still  sur- 
vives and  resides  in  Basco,  Hancock 
county,  at  about  the  age  of  seventy  years, 
being  now  the  wife  of  William  Hen- 
dricks,  a  retired  farmer. 

William  H.  Plumb  pursued  his  edu- 
cation in  the  public  schools  of  Fulton 
county  and  became  a  resident  of  Hancock 
county  in  1881.  For  two  or  three  years 
thereafter  he  was  located  in  Basco  and 
then  removed  to  Carthage,  where,  in  con- 
nection with  his  brother,  he  engaged  in 
the  manufacture  of  brick  and  tile  for 
about  twelve  years,  so  that  he  had  broad 
practical  experience  when  they  organized 
the  present  company  and  removed  to  Pi- 
lot Grove  township,  where  they  reside. 

•William    H.    Plumb    was    married    in 


252 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REJ'IEll' 


1897  to  Mrs.  Laura  E.  Taylor,  who  was 
born  in  Bear  Creek  township  and  was  ed- 
ucated there,  she  bearing  the  maiden 
name  of  Laura  E.  Fisher,  and  was  a 
daughter  of  Greenberry  Fisher,  one  of 
the  early  settlers  of  the  county.  She  was 
the  widow  of  Joseph  Taylor,  by  whom 
she  had  two  children,  Alta  and  Gertie,  the 
latter  now  deceased.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Plumb  has  been  born  one  child,  Norvin. 
Mr.  Plumb  is  a  democrat  in  his  political 
views  and  he  belongs  to  the  Hancock 
County  Mutuals — a  fraternal  insurance 
order. 

John  A.  Plumb,  who  is  associated  with 
his  brother  in  the  manufacture  of  brick 
and  tile  as  secretary  of  the  company,  was 
born  in  Fulton  county,  Illinois,  November 
8,  1864,  and  was  educated  in  the  common 
schools.  Since  attaining  his  majority  he 
has  been  associated  with  his  brother  Wil- 
liam in  the  line  of  business  in  which  they 
are  still  engaged.  They  have  a  well 
equipped  plant,  supplied  with  all  modern 
machinery,  and  the  output  is  of  such  a 
quality  as  to  command  a  ready  sale  on  the 
market  and  bring  the  highest  prices.  The 
office  of  the  company  is  located  in  Car- 
thage but  the  factory  is  situated  in  Pilot 
Grove  township.  George  W.  Jones  is 
treasurer  of  the  company  but  the  Plumb 
Brothers  hold  the  greater  amount  of 
stock,  and  the  enterprise  has  gained  a 
place  among  the  leading  manufacturing 
interests  of  the  county. 

John  A.  Plumb  was  married  to  Miss 
Katie  Morris,  a  daughter  of  O.  P.  Mor- 
ris, of  Dallas  City,  Illinois,  and  the  two 
families  are  prominent  socially,  while  in- 
business  circles  the  brothers  have  gained 
a  most  commendable  place.  They  have 


the  enterprise  and  determination  which 
enable  them  to  overcome  difficulties  and 
to  solve  intricate  business  problems  and 
their  history  illustrates  the  possibilities 
that  are  open  in  this  country  to  earnest, 
persistent  young  men  who  have  the  cour- 
age of  their  convictions  and  are  deter- 
mined to  be  the  architects  of  their  own 
fortunes. 


JOHN  H.  CRABILL. 

John  H.  Crabill,  a  prosperous  and  pro- 
gressive farmer  of  Fountain  Green  town- 
ship, claims  Ohio  as  the  place  of  his  na- 
tivity, his  birth  having  occurred  in  Cham- 
paign county,  September  12,  1837,  and 
in  the  paternal  line  he  comes'  cf  German 
ancestry,  his  paternal  great-grandfather, 
Jacob  Crabill,  having  been  born  in  the 
fatherland,  while  his  paternal  grandpar- 
ents, John  H.  and  Mary  (Rhodes)  Cra- 
bill, were  natives  of  Virginia,  and  his 
maternal  grandparents,  John  and  Eliza- 
beth (Pence)  Steimberger,  were  natives 
of  Maryland  and  Virginia  respectively. 
His  parents,  Benjamin  S.  and  Angeline 
(Steimberger)  Crabill,  were  natives  of 
Culpepper  county,  Virginia,  and  Cham- 
paign county,  Ohio,  the  former  bom  in 
1816,  while  the  latter  was  born  in  1814. 
They  were  married  in  the  Buckeye  state, 
where  the  father  engaged  in  farming  pur- 
suits until  1849,  when  he  made  an  over- 
land journey  to  this  township,  the  trip 
covering  a  period  of  twenty-two  days. 
Here  he  purchased  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  of  land  located  on  section  5,  and 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


253 


owned  by  William  Dunn,  one-half  of  the 
tract  being  covered  with  timber,  while  an 
old  frame  house  was  the  only  building 
that  stood  on  the  place.  He  at  once  set 
to  work  to  further  clear  and  develop  the 
land  and  made  many  improvements  in  the 
way  of  fences  and  buildings.  In  1858  he 
erected  a  large  brick'  residence,  and  he 
burned  the  brick  on  his  place  which  was 
used  in  the  construction  of  the  house. 
From  time  to  time  he  also  increased  the 
boundaries  of  his  farm  by  adding  at  dif- 
ferent times  two  eighty-acre  tracts,  so 
that  in  all  he  owned  three  hundred  and 
twenty  acres  all  in  one  body,  this  being 
placed  under  a  very  high  state  of  culti- 
vation, so  that  he  annually  gathered 
abundant  harvests.  He  was  a  very  prom- 
inent and  influential  man  in  his  part  of 
the  country,  and  his  integrity  and  honesty 
were  never  called  into  question,  for  he 
was  noted  for  his  reliability  and  trust- 
worthiness. His  death  occurred  in  1896. 
while  his  wife  had  passed  away  several 
years  previous  to  that  time,  her  death  oc- 
curring in  January,  1880. 

John  H.  Crabill  is  the  eldest  of  five 
sons  and  two  daughters,  of  whom  one 
son  and  both  daughters  have  passed 
away.  He  was  reared  in  Ohio  to  the 
age  of  twelve  years,  where  he  attended 
the  Runkel  district  school,  and  then  ac- 
companied his  parents  on  their  removal 
to  this  state,  where  he  continued  his 
studies  in  the  Rossville  district  school  in 
this  township,  near  his  father's  home.  He 
remained  under  the  paternal  roof  until 
twenty-four  years  of  age,  assisting  his  fa- 
ther in  clearing  and  developing  new  land, 
so  that  he  early  became  familiar  with  all 
the  duties  and  labors  of  the  farm,  and 


shared  with  the  family  in  the  hardships 
and  privations,  as  well  as  the  pleasures  of 
a  frontier  existence. 

Choosing  as  a  companion  and  helpmate 
for  life's  journey,  he  mas  married,  Octo- 
ber 10,  1 86 1,  to  Miss  Prudence  Tipton, 
likewise  a  native  of  the  Buckeye  state, 
her  birth  having  occurred  in  Muskingum 
county,  December  10,  1842,  a  daughter 
of  John  and  Elizabeth  (Dunlap)  Tipton, 
natives  of  Maryland  and  Ohio  respective- 
ly. Her  mother  died  in  1845.  when  the 
daughter  was  a  little  maiden  of  three 
years,  and  the  father  was  afterward  mar- 
ried again,  his  second  union  being  with 
Margaret  Lloyd,  a  native  of  Ohio,  where 
they  were  married,  and  in  1856  the  fa- 
ther removed  with  his  family  to  Illinois, 
their  home  being  established  in  McDon- 
ough  county,  where  the  father  passed 
away  about  1888,  while  his  widow  sur- 
vived until  1889.  when  she,  too,  passed 
away. 

Following  this  marriage  Mr.  Crabill . 
located  on  a  farm  on  section  34,  La  Harpe 
township,  which  he  operated  for  one  year, 
when  he  removed  to  Sheridan  county, 
Missouri,  remaining  there  one  year,  after 
which  he  returned  to  Illinois  and  operated 
leased  land  in  McDonough  and  Hancock 
counties  for  eleven  years,  when,  in  1872, 
he  returned  to  the  old  homestead  farm 
and  continued  his  farming  operations 
there  until  the  time  of  his  father's  death, 
when  he  purchased  the  interest  of  the 
other  heirs  in  the  estate,  and  has  here 
continued  his  residence  to  the  present 
time.  He  has  continued  the  work  of  de- 
velopment and  improvement  which  was 
begun  by  his  father  and  now  has  an  up- 
tordate  and  well  improved  farm  property. 


254 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW' 


From  time  to  time  he  has  added  to  his 
landed  possessions  and  now  owns  two 
hundred  and  six  acres  all  in  one  body, 
lying  on  section  5,  Fountain  Green  town- 
ship, and  at  one  .time  he  owned  eighty 
acres  on  section  4,  but  has  since  disposed 
of  this  to  his  son  Frank.  In  addition  to 
carrying  on  general  farming  pursuits, 
Mr.  Crabill  is  also  engaged  quite  exten- 
sively in  raising  stock,  including  Norman 
horses.  Short  Horn  cattle  and  Poland- 
China  hogs,  and  this  branch  of  his  busi- 
ness is  proving  a  profitable  source  of  rev- 
enue to  him. 

Unto  our  subject  and  his  wife  have 
been  born  five  sons  and  five  daughters, 
namely :  Ida,  now  the  wife  of  J.  W. 
Ketchum,  of  Durham  township;  Ella,  at 
home :  Benjamin,  of  Fountain  Green 
township;  Emma,  the  widow  of  William 
Burrow,  who  likewise  resides  in  this 
township ;  Frank,  who  owns  and  operates 
a  farm  in  this  township;  Marv.  the  wife 
of  Edward  Rich,  of  this  township;  Janie 
and  Fred,  at  home;  Mahlon,  who  lives  in 
this  township ;  and  Ray,  at  home. 

Politically  a  democrat,  Mr.  Crabill  has 
taken  a  deep  and  helpful  interest  in  the 
work  of  the  party,  having  served  three 
terms  as  assessor,  while  for  twelve  years 
he  acted  as  school  director.  He  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Masonic  order,  belonging  to 
the  lodge  at  La  Harpe,  and  is  popular 
among  the  brethren  of  the  craft.  Having 
resided  in  Illinois  since  the  age  of  twelve 
years,  which  covers  a  period  of  more  than 
a  half  century,  the  greater  portion  of 
which  has  been  spent  in  Hancock  county, 
he  has  here  a  very  wide  and  favorable  ac- 
quaintance, for  the  name  of  Crabill  has 
long  been  associated  with  the  develop- 


ment and  improvement  of  this  portion  of 
the  state.  He  is  ever  reliable  in  all  trade 
transactions  and  has  won  the  confidence 
and  good  will  of  all  with  whom  he  has 
come  in  contact  and  is  accounted  one 
of  the  representative  agriculturists  of  this 
county. 


ROBERT  C.  GIBSON. 

Robert  C.  Gibson  is  the  owner  of  one 
of  one  of  the  model  farm  properties  of 
Hancock  county,  situated  in  Pilot  Grove 
township,  and  is  also  engaged  in  general 
merchandising  and  in  the  hardware  busi- 
ness at  Burnside  under  the  firm  name  of 
R.  C.  Gibson  &  Company.  He  is  like- 
wise one  of  the  extensive  landowners  of 
the  county  and  is  a  factor  in  its  finan- 
cial circles.  The  extent  and  importance 
of  his  interests  make  him  one  of  the  fore- 
most representatives  of  business  interests 
in  this  part  of  the  state,  and  while  promot- 
ing individual  success  he  has  at  the  same 
time  contributed  to  general  progress  and 
prosperity,  which  are  ever  dependent 
upon  the  activity  and  enterprise  of  the 
leading  business  men  of  the  community. 

Mr.  Gibson  was  born  on  section  27, 
Pilot  Grove  township,  Hancock  county. 
August  n,  1850.  and  in  the  common 
schools  of  the  township  acquired  his  edu- 
cation, while  spending  his  boyhood  days 
in  the  home  of  his  parents.  James  and  An- 
geline  (Bennett)  Gibson.  The  father,  a 
native  of  Ireland,  came  to  this  country 
with  his  father,  the  mother  having  died 
on  the  Emerald  isle.  He  was  at  that  time 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


only  three  years  of  age.  The  grandfa- 
ther of  our  subject  settled  in  New  York 
and  there  engaged  in  farming  and  also 
worked  on  the  canal.  When  still  a  young 
lad  James  Gibson  also  began  working  on 
the  canal  and  was  there  employed  until 
about  eighteen  years  of  age.  He  at  first 
was  driver  on  a  packetboat  and  afterward 
worked  on  what  was  called  a  scow  boat, 
utilized  in  dredging  out  and  repairing  the 
canal.  He  continued  in  that  labor  until 
twenty-three  years  of  age,  when  he  was 
married  and  came  to  the  middle  west,  Jo- 
eating  first  near  Rushville  in  Schuyler 
county.  Illinois,  where  he  spent  a  few 
months.  He  afterward  went  to  Ray 
county,  Missouri,  where  he  remained  for 
about  two  years,  and  then  became  a  resi- 
dent of  McDonough  county,  Illinois, 
where  he  purchased  land  and  made  his 
home  for  about  three  years.  On  the  ex- 
piration of  that  period  he  took  up  his 
abode  on  section  27,  Pilot  Grove  town- 
ship, Hancock  county,  and  invested  in 
eighty  acres  of  land  upon  which  he  made 
his  home,  residing  there  for  about  forty 
years.  When  the  four  decades  had  passed 
he  removed  to  section  16  of  the  same 
township,  where  he  lived  for  fifteen  years 
and  afterward  located  at  Burnside,  where 
for  eight  years  he  lived  retired  from  ac- 
tive business  cares.  His  life  had  been 
one  of  untiring  activity  and  enterprise 
through  a  long  period  and  he  well  merited 
the  rest  which  came  to  him  in  the  evening 
of  his  days.  He  died  at  Burnside  at  the 
age  of  eighty-nine  years  and  was  a  re- 
spected resident  of  the  locality,  for 
he  was  a  faithful  member  of  the  Christian 
church  and  had  lived  in  harmony  with 
its  teachings  and  his  professions.  His  po- 


litical support  was  given  to  the  democ- 
racy. His  wife  passed  away  in  1860,  at 
the  age  of  forty-four  years.  She,  too, 
was  a  member  of  the  Christian  church 
and  both  lie  buried  in  McKay  cemetery. 
They  were  the  parents  of  four  children  of 
whom  two  are  now  living. 

Born  and  reared  on  the  old  homestead 
Robert  C.  Gibson  continued  to  reside 
there  until  five  years  ago,  when  he  pur- 
chased his  present  farm  just  north  of  the 
village  of  Burnside,  comprising  one  hun- 
dred and  thirty-six  acres.  He  has  placed 
all  of  the  improvements  upon  it  and  has 
a  model  farm,  on  which  he  raises  the 
cereals  best  adapted  to  soil  and  climate. 
He  also  engages  in  stock  raising  and  has 
fed  from  one  hundred  to  five  hundred 
head  of  cattle  annually  for  the  past  thirty 
years.  He  has  likewise  made  investment 
in  property  that  has  proved  profitable  and 
is  today  the  owner  of  eleven  hundred  and 
forty  acres  of  the  rich  farming  land  of 
Hancock  county,  all  of  which  is  well  im- 
proved, the  greater  part  being  in  Pilot 
Grove  township.  He  therefore  stands  as 
one  of  the  leading  representatives  of  agri- 
cultural interests,  and  his  success  is  rich- 
ly merited,  having  come  to  him  through 
capable  business  management,  unfalter- 
ing industry  and  close  application.  In 
addition  to  his  farming  interests  he  has 
many  other  business  enterprises  under  his 
control.  Being  a  man  of  resourceful  abil- 
ity he  readily  recognizes  and  utilizes  the 
opportunities  which  surround  all.  He 
engages  in  general  merchandising  and 
also  in  the  hardware  business  at  Burnside 
under  the  firm  style  of  R.  C.  Gibson  & 
Company.  For  two  years  he  was  vice 
president  of  the  State  Bank  at  Burnside 


256 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


and  he  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the 
U'hite  Cottage  Telephone  Company,  of 
which  he  has  been  treasurer  and  the  offi- 
cer of  the  line  since  its  establishment.  He 
erected  a  large  brick  store  building  in 
Burnside  and  is  one  of  its  most  enter- 
prising citizens,  having  contributed  in 
large  and  substantial  measure  to  its 
growth  and  improvement  through  the 
conduct  of  his  varied  interests. 

Mr.  Gibson  was  married  on  the  /th 
of  November,  1872,  to  Miss  Hattie  Low- 
rey,  who  was  born  in  Schuyler  county, 
Illinois,  a  daughter  of  Edward  and  Hat- 
tie  Lowrey,  who  came  to  Hancock  county 
about  1865.  The  father  was  for  many 
years  a  farmer  of  Carthage  township  and 
died  at  the  age  of  eighty-eight  years, 
while  his  wife  passed  away  when  eighty- 
seven  years  of  age.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Gibson  have  been  born  six  children,  all 
of  whom  are  living,  as  follows :  Elmer, 
a  farmer  of  Pilot  Grove  township,  where 
he  owns  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of 
land,  married  Amanda  Miller,  by  whom 
he  has  a  daughter,  Frances.  Charles  C, 
residing  on  section  27,  Pilot  Grove  town- 
ship, wedded  Miss  Carrie  Pennock,  by 
whom  he  has  a  son,  Virgil.  James  F.  is 
a  practicing  attorney  in  Carthage,  and  is 
represented  elsewhere  in  this  volume.  He 
married  Miss  Birdie  Tyner,  and  they  have 
one  son,  James.  Iva  is  now  the  wife  of 
John  Houd,  their  home  being  in  Dallas, 
Illinois.  She  is  the  mother  of  one  child, 
Arlo.  Ida  is  the  wife  of  Lesley  Brad- 
field,  and  has  one  child,  Elzie.  Sylvia  is  at 
home,  and  completes  the  family.  All  were 
born  and  educated  in  Pilot  Grove  tow'n- 
ship. 

Mr.   Gibson  is  a  member  of  the  Ma- 


sonic fraternity,  in  which  he  has  attained 
the  Royal  Arch  degree  and  also  holds 
membership  relations  with  the  Independ- 
ent Order  of  Odd  Fellows.  His  wife  is  a 
member  of  the  Christian  church  and  is 
a  lady  of  culture  and  refinement.  They 
have  a  handsome  modem  home  upon 
their  farm,  together  with  large  barns  and 
other  outbuildings,  all  of  which  are  kept 
in  perfect  repair  and  are  typical  of  the 
utmost  spirit  of  progress  and  improve- 
ment along  agricultural  lines.  Mr.  Gib- 
son is  widely  recognized  as  a  most  public- 
spirited  man  and  has  taken  an  active  and 
helpful  interest  in  many  movements 
which  have  been  of  direct  benefit  to  the 
community  and  the  county.  In  manner 
he  is  free  from  ostentation  and  display, 
caring  not  for  notoriety,  yet  he  deserves 
the  •  praise  that  is  usually  given  a  self- 
made  man  and  the  high  regard  which  is 
accorded  him  by  his  friends.  Among  the 
names  of  the  prominent  business  men  of 
Hancock  county  who  have  been  closely 
identified  with  its  interests  and  have  as- 
sisted in  its  rapid  and  substantial  growth 
he  is  numbered.  By  the  force  of  his  na- 
tive ability  and  steady  perseverance  he 
has  raised  himself  to  a  position  of  wealth 
and  honor. 


WILLIAM  OLIVER  BUTLER, 
D.  D.  S. 

Dr.  William  Oliver  Butler,  serving  for 
the  second  term  as  postmaster  of  La 
Harpe  and  has  for  almost  a  third  of  a 
century  been  an  able  and  leading  repre- 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


257 


sentative  of  the  dental  fraternity  here, 
was  born  in  St.  Francisville,  Missouri, 
March  25,  1850.  His  father,  Noah  B. 
Butler,  was  born  near  Louisville,  Ken- 
tucky, and  in  early  manhood  wedded  Lu- 
cinda  C.  Dickenson,  a  native  of  Tennes- 
see, whose  birth  occurred  near  Memphis. 
His  grandparents  were  Hezekiah  and 
Elizabeth  (Payne)  Butler,  natives  of 
Pennsylvania  and  Ohio  respectively. 
The  father,  Xoah  B.  Butler,  became  a 
physician  and  in  the  spring  of  1851  re- 
moved to  La  Harpe,  Illinois,  accompanied 
by  his  wife  and  then  their  only  child, 
\Yilliam  O.  For  a  quarter  of  a  century 
thereafter  Dr.  Butler  devoted  his  time 
and  energies  to  the  practice  of  medicine, 
continuing  an  active  representative  of  the 
medical  fraternity  in  this  town  until  his 
death,  which  occurred  September  17, 
1876.  His  widow  still  survives  him  and 
makes  her  home  in  La  Harpe. 

\Yilliam  Oliver  Butler,  the  eldest  in  a 
family  of  seven  sons,  spent  his  boyhood 
days  in  La  Harpe  and  completed  his  lit- 
erary education  by  a  course  of  study  at 
Knox  College,  at  Galesburg,  Illinois.  He 
afterward  began  preparation  for  the  med- 
ical profession  in  the  Missouri  Medical 
College  at  St.  Louis  and  afterward  at- 
tended the  Pennsylvania  Dental  College. 
Between  the  two  periods  of  his  college 
work,  however,  he  engaged  in  practice 
for  two  years.  He  was  graduated  in  the 
spring  of  1876  but  had  purchased  the 
practice  of  D.  \V.  Mills  in  1873.  While 
he  was  attending  his  second  course  of 
lectures  a  dentist  from  Burlington,  Iowa, 
took  charge  of  his  practice.  He  now 
occupies  one  of  the  finest  offices  in  the 
state  in  towns  of  the  size  of  La  Harpe 


and  has  a  large  practice,  which  is  ac- 
corded him  in  recognition  of  his  skill  and 
ability.  His  equipment  is  unusually  good 
and  he  has  always  kept  in  touch  with  the 
progress  made  by  the  profession  as  the 
years  have  gone  by.  On  the  I5th  of 
June,  1882,  Dr.  Butler  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Miss  Louella  Holliday,  who 
was  born  in  Shelbina,  Missouri,  June  27, 
1854,  and  was  educated  in  the  public 
schools  of  Blandisville,  Illinois,  and  in 
Lewiston  Seminary  in  Fulton  county,  this 
state.  She  is  a  daughter  of  Louis  and 
Mary  (Parker)  Holliday,  both  of  whom 
.were  natives  of  Virginia.  Unto  Dr.  and 
Mrs.  Butler  have  been  born  five  daugh- 
ters and  two  sons,  but  one  of  the  sons  is 
now  deceased. 

Dr.  Butler  has  given  close  attention  to 
his  professional  duties  and  ^yet  has  found 
time  for  activity  in  political  and  fraternal 
circles.  He  is  a  prominent  Mason,  be- 
longing to  the  lodge,  chapter  and  com- 
mandery  and  has  held  the  position  of 
deputy  grand  lecturer  of  the  state  of  Illi- 
nois since  1883.  He  is  also  a  member 
of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fel- 
lows and  he  belongs  to  the  Christian 
church,  in  which  he  has  long  served  as 
deacon  and  has  also  been  secretary  for 
six  years.  In  his  political  views  he  is 
an  earnest  republican  and  in  1901  was 
reappointed  by  President  Roosevelt  to 
the  office  of  postmaster,  in  which  position 
he  is  now  serving.  He  takes  a  deep  in- 
terest in  clean  politics,  being  opposed  to 
misrule  in  municipal  affairs  and  feeling 
that  political  business  should  be  adminis- 
tered with  the  same  honesty  and  fidelity 
that  is  demanded  in  industrial,  commer- 
cial or  professional  life.  In  his  own  ca- 


258 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REl'IEU' 


reer  he  has  been  actuated  by  worthy  mo- 
tives and  high  principles  and  during  al- 
most a  lifelong  residence  in  La  Harpe, 
covering  a  period  of  fifty-five  years,  he 
has  commanded  the  uniform  confidence 
and  respect  of  his  fellowmen  by  his  close 
adherence  to  rules  of  conduct  and  action 
that  neither  seek  nor  require  disguise. 


GEORGE  WALKER. 

Investigation  into  the  history  of  any 
community  will  show  that  a  few  courag- 
eous spirits  have  become  pioneer  settlers 
and  that  the  work  that  they  have  insti- 
tuted, the  plans  they  have  formed  and 
the  labors  they  have  carried  forward  con- 
stitute the  foundation  upon  which  has 
been  builded  all  of  the  later  progress  and 
prosperity.  It  was  to  this  class  of  citi- 
zens that  George  Walker  belonged  and 
his  name  is  inseparably  interwoven  with 
the  history  of  Warsaw  and  of  Hancock 
county.  He  was  born  in  Maryland,  Feb- 
ruary 29,  1804,  his  parents  being  John 
and  Mary  (Wilmot)  Walker.  He  was 
reared  in  the  place  of  his  nativity  and 
attended  the  old-time  subscription  schools 
of  that  day,  pursuing  his  studies  for  only 
about  three  months  each  year.  In  the 
school  of  experience,  however,  he  learned 
many  valuable  lessons  and  became  a  well 
informed  man  of  good  practical  business 
education.  He  was  reared  to  farm  life 
and  in  early  manhood  became  a  firm  be- 
liever in  the  Christian  religion.  When 
but  nineteen  years  of  age  he  began  preach- 


ing as  a  minister  of  the  Baptist  faith  and 
for  fifty  years  continued  the  work  of  the 
gospel.  He  reared  his  family  in  that 
faith  and  labored  untiringly  for  the  up- 
building of  his  church.  He  never  accept- 
ed a  dollar  for  marrying  a  couple,  for 
preaching  at  a  funeral  or  for  any  reli- 
gious service,  but  gave  his  time  and  tal- 
ent freely  to  the  gospel  work. 

While  living  in  Kentucky  Mr.  Walker 
rented  land  from  Zachary  Taylor  and  in 
1831  had  his  goods  all  packed  ready  to 
load  and  start  for  Illinois.  He  was  at 
that  time  taken  sick  with  bronchitis  and 
did  not  come  till  1833.  He  first  lo- 
cated at  Quincy  and  two  weeks  later  en- 
tered one  hundred  and  sixty-two  acres  of 
land  about  twenty-two  miles  north  of  that 
city.  There  he  began  the  development 
and  improvement  of  a  farm  upon  which 
he  resided  through  the  succeeding  two 
years.  On  the  expiration  of  that  period. 
in  1833,  ne  purchased  six  hundred  and 
forty  acres  of  land  from  two  attorneys 
who  spent  the  night  at  his  home.  An  -in- 
teresting fact  about  these  attorneys  is 
that  on  that  trip  they  were  going  from 
Carthage  to  Quincy  on  horseback.  One 
horse  gave  out  and  they  put  both  saddles 
on  the  remaining  horse  and  with  each 
man  in  a  saddle  on  the  one  horse  proceed- 
ed on  their  way  to  Quincy  and  were  thus 
riding  when  they  stopped  over  night  at 
Mr.  Walker's  residence.  This  tract  was 
located  a  half  mile  south  and  a  quarter 
of  a  mile  west  of  the  land  which  he  had 
entered  for  a  dollar  and  a  quarter  per 
acre.  Upon  his  second  purchase  he  built 
a  double  log  house  with  one  room  above 
and  two  below.  This  was  his  home  until 
1849,  'n  which  year  he  built  a  kiln, 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


259 


burned  brick  and  then  erected  a  brick 
residence. 

Mr.  Walker  was  closely  identified  with 
the  early  development  and  progress  of 
his  portion  of  the  state  and  for  years 
was  one  of  the  largest  land  holders  of 
Hancock  county.  He  shared  in  the  usual 
hardships  and  privations  of  pioneer  life, 
but  as  the  years  passed  by  changes  were 
wrought  and  he  was  enabled  to  secure  all 
of  the  advantages  and  comforts  known  to 
the  older  civilization  of  the  east  and 
south.  For  many  years  he  engaged  6X7 
tensively  in  stock  raising,  being  one  of 
the  leading  representatives  of  this  busi- 
ness in  his  section  of  the  state.  He  also 
made  large  purchases  of  land  and  after 
giving  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  to 
each  of  his  seven  children  he  had  over 
two  thousand  acres  remaining.  He  was 
perhaps  the  wealthiest  citizen  of  his  lo- 
cality at  this  time.  He  improved  his 
land  from  its  primitive  condition,  setting 
out  immense  orchards  and  placing  his 
fields  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation. 

In  1870,  Mr.  Walker  went  to  Florida 
and  set  out  an  orange  orchard  covering 
five  hundred  acres  within  three  miles  of 
Jacksonville.  He  remained  there  for 
nine  winters  and  in  the  tenth  winter  was 
stricken  with  paralysis.  He  also  "pur- 
chased one  hundred  and  fifty  acres  of 
land  adjoining  the  home  of  Harriet 
Beecher  Stowe  and  he  and  his  family  be- 
came well  acquainted  with  the  Stowe 
family,  by  whom  they  were  entertained 
for  some  days.  He  was  a  very  industri- 
ous man  of  unfaltering  perseverance  and 
indeed  may  be  numbered  among  the 
world's  workers.  He  was  a  man  of  keen 
insight  into  business  affairs  and  of  un- 


faltering energy  and  was  seldom  at  error 
in  a  matter  of  business  judgment.  He  be- 
came moreover  one  of  the  influential  and 
leading  citizens  of  the  community  and  in 
1848  was  elected  to  represent  his  district 
in  the  state  legislature  of  Illinois.  He 
spent  two  winters  in  Springfield  and  be- 
came associated  with  many  of  the  dis- 
tinguished men  of  the  state.  During  the 
second  winter  in  company  with  Stephen 
A.  Douglas,  Abraham  Lincoln  and  Jacob 
C.  Davis  in  a  hired  vehicle  he  drove  to 
his  home  in  Hancock  county,  a  distance 
of  one  hundred  and  twenty  miles,  to  make 
a  visit  over  Sunday.  They  arrived  Fri- 
day night,  and  that  night  such  a  heavy 
fall  of  snow  took  place  that  the  next 
Monday  morning  they  had  to  drive  a 
herd  of  cattle  ahead  of  them  to  break  the 
road  to  Quincy,  to  which  place  they  rode 
on  horseback.  They  were  three  days  in 
getting  to  Springfield.  Mr.  Walker  was 
re-elected  to  the  Illinois  legislature  in 
1854.  his  family,  however,  remaining 
upon  the  farm,  while  he  discharged  his 
official  duties  in  the  general  assembly. 
He  took  an  active  part  in  the  delibera- 
tions of  that  body  and  was  connected  with 
much  of  the  constructive  legislation  of 
that  period.  In  his  home  community  he 
was  also  elected  justice  of  the  peace  and 
filled  that  office  for  fifteen  years,  his  home 
being  his  courthouse.  Mrs.  Robert  Mc- 
Mahan,  who  was  an  exceedingly  bright 
girl,  would  sit  at  her  father's  knee  when 
between  the  ages  of  eight  and  twelve 
years  and  from  his  dictation  would  read 
the  revised  statutes  to  the  court.  His  po- 
litical allegiance  was  given  to  the  democ- 
racy, but  though  he  differed  in  his  views 
from  many  of  the  distinguished  Illinois 


260 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


statesmen  of  that  period  he  always  en- 
joyed their  warm  personal  regard  and 
friendship. 

In  May,  1826,  Mr.  Walker  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Rachel  Clark,  a  daughter 
of  James  and  Susan  (Naswanner)  Clark. 
Mrs.  Walker  was  born  in  Pennsylvania 
and  by  this  marriage  there  were  nine  chil- 
dren. Henry  M.,  the  eldest,  lived  near 
Carthage,  Illinois,  but  died  in  California 
at  the  age  of  seventy-nine  years.  He  had 
four  sons,  one  of  whom,  Charles  Wil- 
liam, is  living  in  Carthage,  George  San- 
ford  in  Missouri,  Franklin  W.,  on  a 
farm  near  Carthage,  and  one,  John 
Henry  C.,  probate  judge  in  Ft.  Collins. 
John  E.  Walker,  the  second  of  the  family, 
born  in  February,  1829,  was  a  railroad 
man  and  died  in  1891,  at  the  age  of  sixty- 
two  years,  leaving  a  wife  and  two  chil- 
dren, who  are  residents  of  Boston,  Mas- 
sachusetts. Mary  Jane  is  the  wife  of  Dr. 
James  Caples,  living  about  sixteen  miles 
from  Sacramento,  in  Sacramento  county, 
California.  Rebecca  Ann  is  the  widow 
of  Joseph  Her  and  lives  in  Gault,  Califor- 
nia, about  thirty-two  miles  from  Sacra- 
mento. James  Ely  died  at  the  age  of 
five  years.  George  Walker  died  in  1905 
in  Warsaw,  leaving  a  son,  Warren  W., 
of  Joplin,  Missouri,  and  a  daughter,  Mrs. 
Lillian- Pederson.  Susan  Frances  became 
the  wife  of  Robert  McMahan  and  is  men- 
tioned later  in  this  sketch.  Henrietta 
became  the  Avife  of  Taylor  Doty  and  after 
his  death  married  James  Jenkins  and  died 
April  17,  1904,  on  the  old  home  farm  in 
Hancock  county.  Charles  Pierce  is  a 
resident  of  Los  Angeles,  California, 
where'  he  is  engaged  in  merchandising 
and  is  also  vice  president  of  a  bank.  The 


father,  George  Walker,  died  October  9, 
1879,  at  the  age  of  seventy-five  years 
and  his  wife  passed  away  October  9,  1883, 
also  when  seventy-five  years  of  age.  In 
the  years  of  an  active  and  useful  career 
he  had  become  widely  known  and  in  fact 
was  one  of  the  historic  figures  in  Illinois 
history  during  the  middle  portion  of  the 
nineteenth  century.  His  influence  was 
widely  felt  in  behalf  of  public  improve- 
ment, his  business  operations  were  of  an 
extensive  and  profitable  character  and  his 
genuine  personal  worth  was  such  as  to 
win  for  him  the  admiration,  good  will 
and  respect  of  all  with  whom  he  came 
in  contact.  Though  more  than  a  quarter 
of  a  century  has  passed  away  since  he 
was  called  to  his  final  rest  he  is  yet  re- 
membered by  many  of  the  early  citizens 
of  the  county  who  knew  and  honored 
him. 

As  before  stated,  Susan  Frances 
Walker  became  the  wife  of  Robert  Mc- 
Mahan. The  latter  was  a  son  of  Andrew 
McMahan,  a  native  of  Kentucky,  who 
came  to  Hancock  county,  Illinois,  in  1831. 
This  was  the  year  of  the  great  snow — a 
winter  memorable  in  the  history  of  Illi- 
nois. There  were  few  settlers  in  the 
northern  part  of  the  state  and  the  cen- 
tral -and  southern  sections  were  but 
sparsely  settled.  All  over  Illinois  there 
were  great  stretches  of  unimproved 
lands  and  Mr.  McMahan  took  up  a  tract 
of  government  land  of  about  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  acres  which  was  developed 
into  a  good  farm  and  remained  the  fam- 
ily homestead  until  the  death  of  himself 
and  wife.  As  the  years  passed  by  he 
added  to  his  original  holdings  until  he 
became  an  extensive  landed  proprietor 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


261 


and  at  the  time  of  his  demise  still  re- 
tained possession  of  six  hundred  acres, 
while  in  the  meantime  he  had  given  to 
each  of  his  four  children  a  tract  of  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres. 

Three  of  his  children  are  now  living, 
while  Angelina,  who  became  the  wife  of 
Captain  Williams,  of  Warsaw,  died 
March  26,  1901. 

Robert  William  McMahan,  born  June 
15,  1830,  on  the  old  family  homestead  in 
Hancock  county,  Illinois,  acquired  his 
education  in  the  subscription  schools  of 
the  early  day.  He  was  reared  to  farm 
life,  spending  the  greater  part  of  the 
year  in  the  labors  of  the  field  and 
meadow,  while  in  the  winter  seasons  lie 
pursued  his  studies.  With  the  family  he 
shared  in  the  hardships  and  privations 
incident  to  the  settlement  of  the  frontier. 
He  chose  as  a  life  occupation  the  pursuit 
to  which  he  had  been  reared  and  continu- 
ously followed  farming  until  he  reached 
the  age  of  sixty-six  years,  when  he  re- 
tired from  business  and  has  since  lived 
in  Warsaw,  purchasing  a  beautiful  home 
in  the  city.  On  the  I3th  of  July,  1859,  he 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Susan 
Frances  Walker,  daughter  of  George 
Walker,  the  honored  pioneer,  and  unto 
them  have  been  born  six  children.  Clara, 
the  eldest,  born  April  5,  1860,  died  June 
26,  1864.  Charles  Homer,  born  Decem- 
ber 4,  1861,  is  living  in  Wilcox  township, 
this  county.  He  married  Eva  J.  Knox 
and  they  have  five  children  living,  while 
Harry  and  one  other  died  in  infancy. 
Those  who  still  survive  are  Carl  David, 
Robert  Francis,  William  R..  George 
Howard  and  Francis  McMahan.  Cora 
F,.  McMahan  died  in  infancy.  Mary  Ida 


McMahan,  born  September  15,  1866,  is 
now  the  wife  of  David  Ayers  and  their 
place  adjoins  the  old  homestead.  They 
have  two  children,  Francis  and  David. 
Nellie  Rachel  McMahan,  born  November 
25,  1875,  is  the  wife  of  Howard  Baker, 
a  lumberman  of  St.  Louis,  Missouri. 
George  W.  W.  McMahan,  born  July  9, 
1873,  uves  upon  the  old  homestead  and 
rents  the'  farm  which  his  parents  gave 
him.  He  married  Florence  Fry  .and  has 
one  daughter,  Anna  Rozetta. 

John  McMahan,  the  second  son  of  An- 
drew McMahan.  lives  on  the  old  home- 
stead where  he  was  born  sixty-three  years 
ago.  He  married  Clara  Reed,  now  de- 
ceased, and  they  had  five  children,  of 
whom  one  has  passed  away. 

Thomas  Jefferson  McMahan,  the 
youngest  member  of  the  family  of  An- 
drew McMahan,  is  living  in  St.  Louis 
and  has  been  married  twice,  but  his  sec- 
ond wife  is  also  now  deceased. 

Both  the  Walker  and  McMahan  fam- 
ilies have  lived  in  this  county  from  pio- 
neer times  and  have  been  closely  associ- 
ated with  its  history  in  all  of  its  various 
phases.  Mr.  Walker  lived  here  during 
.the  Mormon  siege,  but  did  not  take  part 
on  either  side.  He  saw  many  houses 
burned,  however,  and  knew  of  the  whole 
proceedings.  Mrs.  McMahan  can  re- 
member seeing  Joseph  and  Hiram  Smith, 
the  Mormon  prophets  and  leaders,  who 
were  murdered.  She  saw  the  blood  on 
the  floor  and  also  the  hole  made  through 
the  window  pierced  by  the  bullet  that 
killed  Joseph  Smith.  Her  mind  bears 
many  interesting  pictures  of  pioneer 
days  and  she  relates  in  vivid  style  and 
with  great  accuracy  many  of  the  events 


262 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


which  have  left  their  impress  upon  the 
annals  of  Hancock  county. 


ASA  L.  BENNINGTON. 

Asa  L.  Bennington  is  the  leading  con- 
tractor and  builder  of  La  Harpe.  No 
man  has  done  more  for  the  improvement 
of  the  village,  for  the  greater  part  of  its 
leading  business  houses  and  fine  residences 
have  been  erected  by  him  and  stand  as 
evidence  of  his  skill  and  enterprise  in  the 
line  of  his  chosen  vocation.  His  life  rec- 
ord began  in  Bloomfield,  Iowa,  on  Christ- 
mas day  of  1 86 1,  his  parents  being  Jacob 
S.  and  Emeline  (Lane)  Bennington, 
the  former  bom  in  Adams  county, 
Ohio,  December  5,  1826,  and  the  latter 
near  Mount  Sterling,  Illinois,  December 
24,  1829.  The  paternal  grandfather, 
Jonathan  Bennington,  was  born  in  Penn- 
sylvania, October  20,  1789,  and  was 
reared  near  Hagerstown,  Maryland.  He 
wedded  Jane  C.  Ramsey,  who  was  born 
near  Boone  Station,  Kentucky,  January 
9.  1799,  and  was  a  daughter  of  Robert 
Ramsey,  who  was  one  of  Washington's 
body  guards  in  the  Revolutionary  war. 
The  maternal  grandparents  were  Asa  and 
Matilda  (Conover)  Lane.  On  leaving 
Ohio  Jacob  S.  Bennington  removed  to 
Davis  county,  Iowa,  and  in  1869  became 
a  resident  of  Henderson  county,  Illinois, 
where  he  lived  until  1892,  when  the  fam- 
ily removed  to  La  Harpe.  His  wife 
passed  away  in  September.  1885.  In  their 
family  were  the  following  named :  Ma- 


tilda, who  was  bom  in  Iowa,  June  7, 
1853;  Lee  J.,  born  in  Iowa,  December 
n,  1856;  John  F.,  bom  in  Iowa,  May 
10,  1858;  Phebe  M.,  born  in  Missouri, 
August  u,  1863;  Jacob  S.,  born  in  Mis- 
souri, March  28,  1865;  Carroll  L.,  born 
.in  Missouri,  April  6,  1867;  and  Charles, 
born  in  Illinois,  February  28,  1870. 

Asa  L.  Bennington  was  reared  in  his 
father's  home  to  the  age  of  sixteen  years, 
when  he  started  out  upon  an  independent 
business  career  and  since  that  time  he  has 
provided  entirely  for  his  own  support, 
so  that  whatever  success  he  has  achieved 
has  come  as  the  direct  reward  of  his 
own  labors.  He  was  employed  at  farm 
work  for  about  five  years  and  then 
learned  the  carpenter's  trade  under  the 
direction  of  his  father.  He  has  engaged 
in  building  operations  since  that  time 
and  for  the  past  seventeen  years  has  been 
contracting.  At  the  present  writing,  in 
1906,  he  has  the  contract  for  the  erection 
of  the  new  Carnegie  library  in  La  Harpe 
all  the  business  houses  and  large  build- 
and  with  a  few  exceptions  he  has  built 
ings  erected  in  this  village  for  the  past 
fourteen  years.  He  keeps  abreast  with 
the  most  modern  progress  as  displayed 
in  the  builder's  art  and  his  efforts  have 
been  an  important  factor  in  the  substan- 
tial improvement  of  the  city,  greatly  aug- 
menting its  attractive  appearance.  His 
excellent  workmanship  and  his  fidelity  to 
the  terms  of  a  contract  have  been  impor- 
tant elements  in  his  success. 

In  1891  Mr.  Bennington  was  married 
to  Miss  Hattie  Landis,  who  was  born 
April  3,  1871,  and  is  a  daughter  of  Isaac 
and  Finett  (Levings)  Landis,  natives  of 
La  Harpe  township.  They  have  four 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


263 


children :  Clair,  born  March  23,  1892 ; 
Celia  May,  January  14,  1894;  Beulah 
Vernon,  January  21,  1896;  and  Minnie 
M.,  October  14,  1900. 

Mr.  Bennington  votes  with  the  Repub- 
lican party  and  has  served  for  two  terms 
as  alderman  at  La  Harpe.  Community 
affairs  are  of  deep  interest  to  him  and 
his  co-operation  can  always  be  counted 
upon  as  a  'factor  to  further  the  welfare 
and  promote  the  progress  of  his  adopted 
town.  Fraternally  he  is  connected  with 
Bristol  lodge,  No.  653,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  and 
with  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America, 
and  in  his  life  exemplifies  the  beneficent 
spirit  of  these  organizations.  An  analy- 
zation  of  his  character  shows  that  his  sal- 
ient traits  are  such  as  are  universally  ad- 
mired and  valued  and  in  his  home  town 
they  have  made  him  a  representative 
citizen. 


JAMES  W.  CASSINGHAM. 

James  W.  Cassingham  dates  his  resi- 
dence in  Hancock  county  since  1857.  He 
is  now  living  retired  in  La  Harpe  but 
was  formerly  identified  with  agricultural 
and  manufacturing  interests.  He  was 
born  in  Muskingum  county,  Ohio,  June 
1 6,  1840,  and  in  the  paternal  line  comes 
of  English  ancestry,  his  grandfather  be- 
ing Thomas  Cassingham,  a  native  of 
England.  His  father,  James  Cassing- 
ham, was  also  born  in  that  country  and 
came  with  his  parents  to  America  in  1826. 
the  family  home  being  established  upon  a 
farm  in  Ohio.  In  early  life  he  learned 

17 


the  shoemaker's  trade,  which  he  followed 
throughout  his  entire  business  career. 
He  wedded  Miss  Martha  Oden,  a  native 
of  Virginia  and  a  daughter  of  Elias 
Oden,  and  they  became  the  parents  of 
four  children,  three  sons  and  a  daughter. 
James  W.  Cassingham,  the  third  in 
order  of  birth,  left  home  in  1855  when 
only  fifteen  years  of  age  and  came  to 
Illinois  with  a  family  of  the  name  of 
Decker,  settling  upon  a  farm  in  McDon- 
ough  county.  There  Mr.  Cassingham 
remained  until  March,  1857,  when  he  left 
.the  Decker  family  and  came  to  Hancock 
county,  where  he  was  employed  at  farm 
labor  by  the  month  until  1861.  When 
the  tocsin  of  war  sounded  and  men  from 
all  departments  of  life  flocked  to  the 
standard  of  the  country,  coming  from  the 
workshop,  the  fields,  the  offices  and  the 
counting  rooms,  he  too  gave  evidence  of 
his  spirit  of  valor  and  loyalty  and  on  the 
loth  of  May,  1861,  enlisted  in  the  Six- 
teenth Illinois  Infantry  as  a  member  of 
Company  F.  He  served  for  four  years, 
being  mustered  out  at  Louisville,  Ken- 
tucky, in  July  8,  1865.  He  was  once 
wounded,  though  not  seriously,  and  after 
the  close  of  the  war,  having  for  four 
years  been  a  most  faithful  soldier,  he  re- 
turned to  Hancock  county,  settling  in  La 
Harpe  township  near  the  village  of  La 
Harpe.  There  he  purchased  a  farm  of 
one  hundred  and  sixty  acres,  which  he 
cultivated  for  almost  a  quarter  of  a  cen- 
tury, or  until  1889,  when  he  took  up  his 
abode  in  the  town.  In  that  year,  in 
connection  with  C.  H.  Ingraham  and  J. 
R.  Booth,  he  established  a  brick  manu- 
facturing plant  in  La  Harpe  and  was  en- 
gaged in  the  manufacture  of  brick  for 


264 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


about  ten  years,  when  he  sold  his  interest 
to  Mr.  Ingraham  and  retired  from  active 
business.  On  the  26th  of  February, 
1903.  he  sold  his  farm  of  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acres,  all  of  which  was  under 
cultivation. 

Mr.  Cassingham  was  married  Feb- 
ruary 4,  1866,  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Bryan, 
who  was  born  March  22,  1839,  in  Penn- 
sylvania. They  became  the  parents  of 
six  children :  Arthur,  who  was  born  De- 
cember 18,  1866,  and  resides  in  Memphis, 
Missouri ;  Martha,  who  was  born  Novem- 
ber 10.  1868,  and  is  the  wife  of  Warren 
Talbott,  of  Warren  county,  Illinois ; 
Charlie  C.,  who  was  born  October  25, 
1870,  and  lives  in  Spokane,  Washington; 
Mary  D.,  who  was  born  March  22,  1872. 
and  is  the  wife  of  John  M.  Lyon,  of  La 
Harpe:  Rose,  who  was  born  August  2, 
1876,  and  is  the  wife  of  Herbert  Locke, 
of  Blandinsville,  Illinois ;  and  Lora,  who 
was  born  September  16,  1879,  and  who 
is  the  wife  of  Clifford  Prather.  of  La 
Harpe.  On  the  2ist  of  October,  1886, 
the  family  mourned  the  death  of  the  wife 
and  mother,  who  on  that  day  passed  away 
at  the  age  of  forty-seven  years.  On  the 
ist  of  October,  1887,  Mr.  Cassingham 
wedded  Mary  A.  Bryan,  the  widow  of 
Cowden  M.  Bryan.  She  was  born  in  La 
Harpe.  April  24.  1845.  It  was  soon 
after  his  second  marriage  that  Mr.  Cas- 
singham retired  from  the  farm  and  re- 
moved to  La  Harpe,  where  he  has  since 
resided.  His  political  affiliation  is  given 
to  the  Republican  party  and  in  the  Ma- 
sonic fraternity  he  has  taken  the  degrees 
of  the  lodge  and  chapter.  A  residence 
of  almost  a  half  century  in  this  county 
makes  him  widely  known  and  numbers 


him  with  its  early  settlers,  while  his  ac- 
tivity in  agricultural  and  manufacturing 
lines  gained  him  considerable  prominence 
as  well  as  a  gratifying  measure  of  success 
in  his  business  dealings,  so  that  he  is 
now  enabled  to  live  retired  in  the  enjoy- 
ment of  a  rest  which  he  has  justly  earned 
and  richly  deserves. 


SAMUEL  C.  VINCENT. 

Samuel  C.  Vincent,  deceased,  came  to 
Hancock  county  in  1844  and  although  he 
passed  away  in  1870  he  is  yet  remem- 
bered by  many  of  the  older  settlers  who 
knew  him  and  respected  him  as  a  man 
of  genuine  personal  worth.  He  was  born 
January  6.  1822,  in  West  Avon',  Living- 
ston county,  New  York,  and  attended 
school  in  Erie  county,  that  state,  but  was 
largely  self-educated.  On  the  8th  of  Oc- 
tober. 1843,  ne  wedded  Mary  Jj  An- 
drews, who  was  born,  in  Connecticut  in 
1821.  In  the  spring  of  1844  they  re- 
moved to  La  Harpe,  where  for  about  ten 
years  Mr.  Vincent  was  engaged  in  teach- 
ing school.  Soon  after  his  arrival  in 
this  county,  however,  he  purchased  a 
tract  of  land,  to  which  he  added  at  inter- 
vals until  at  his  death  he  owned  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  acres  of  land  in  the  cor- 
porate limits  of  La  Harpe.  He  died  Au- 
gust 15,  1870,  leaving  a  wife  and  six 
children.  He  was  well  known  among 
the  early  settlers  of  this  part  of  the 
county  and  his  interests  were  closely 
allied  with  its  progress  and  development. 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


265 


for  he  gave  hearty  support  to  any  move- 
ment that  tended  to  promote  the  material 
or  moral  welfare  of  his  community. 

The  six  children  of  the  Vincent  family 
are:  Mary  A.,  born  April  24,  1845,  anc' 
now  the  wife  of  J.  W.  Cassingham; 
Maria  Rosabel,  who  was  born  April  10, 
1847,  aml  is  the  w'fe  °f  Farmer  R.  Nudd ; 
Frances  A.,  who  was  born  February  19, 
1850,  and  is  the  wife  of  Frank  James, 
of  Galesburg,  Illinois ;  Byron  Zelotus, 
who  was  born  July  4,  1852,  and  is  in 
Shenandoah,  Iowa ;  Judith  Keziah,  who 
was  born  July  8,  1855,  and  after  her 
marriage  to  Charles  Sanford  died  in  De- 
cember. 1875;  and  Elma,  who  was  born 
September  19,'  1858.  and  died  October 
25.  1903.  The  mother,  Mrs.  Mary  J. 
Vincent,  passed  away  January  28,  1890. 

The  eldest  daughter,  Mary  A.  Vin- 
cent, was  educated  in  the  public  schools 
of  La  Harpe  and  at  the  age  of  fifteen 
began  teaching,  which  profession  she  fol- 
lowed for  fourteen  years.  She  was  then 
married,  on  the  ist  of  July,  1874,  to 
Cowden  M.  Bryan,  who  was  born  in 
Pennsylvania.  June  16,  1830,  a  son  of 
Jacob  and  Mary  (Bagsley)  Bryan,  who 
were  likewise  natives  of  the  Keystone 
state.  Cowden  M.  Bryan  came  to  La 
Harpe  township  with  his  parents  about 
1840  and  lived  upon  a  farm  until  1857, 
when  they  removed  to  the  village  of  La 
Harpe.  He  was  a  natural  mechanic  and 
possessed  considerable  genius  in  that  di- 
rection. At  different  times  he  was  con- 
nected with  photography,  gunsmithing 
and  the  jewelry  business  and  conducted 
a  jewelry  store  in  La  Harpe  for  about 
fifteen  years. 

LInto  Mr.   and  Mrs.  Bryan  was  born 


a  daughter,  Juie  L.  Bryan,  whose  birth 
occurred  March  27,  1875,  and  who  on 
the  2 ist  of  August,  1894,  became  the 
wife  of  Frank  J.  Scott,  now  a  resident  of 
Galesburg,  Illinois.  The  death  of  Mr. 
Bryan  occurred  December  9,  1884,  and 
on  the  ist  of  October,  1888,  his  widow 
became  the  wife  of  James  W.  Cassing- 
ham, of  La  Harpe  township. 


JAMES  J.  MOFFITT. 

Few  native  sons  of  Hancock  county 
can  claim  so  extended  a  residence  within 
its  borders  as  James  J.  Moffit,  who  was 
born  on  section  7,  Sonora  township,  Feb- 
ruary 15,  1831.  This  was  the  winter  of 
the  great  snow  in  Illinois — memorable  in 
the  history  of  the  county — and  a  year 
prior  to  the  Black  Hawk  war,  a  fact 
which  indicates  that  the  Indians  were 
still  numerous  in  this  part  of  the  Missis- 
sippi valley.  His  parents  were  John  and 
Mary  (Moffit)  Moffit,  natives  of  county 
Sligo,  Ireland.  The  latter  was  a  daugh- 
ter of  Thomas  Moffit.  who  on  a  sailing 
vessel  crossed  the  Atlantic  f.-pm  the 
Emerald  isle  to  the  new  world,  and  made 
his  way  to  St.  Louis  by  the  Ohio  river 
route  and  up  the  Mississippi.  Eventually 
he  settled  in  St.  clair  county,  Illinois,  liv- 
ing on  the  river,.bottom  for  three  years, 
after  which  he  returned  to  the  state  of 
New  York  and  took  up  his  abode  in 
Rochester.  John  Moffitt,  father  of  our 
subject,  emigrated  from  Ireland  to  Amer- 
ica in  1818,  and  settled  in  the  district  of 


266 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


Harrisbu'rg,      Pennsylvania,     where     he 
worked  at  farm  labor  for  two  years.     At 
the  end  of  that  time  he  journeyed  west- 
ward with  George  Middleton  and  his  un- 
cle, James  Mofntt,  going  to  Galena,  Illi- 
nois, where  he  worked  in  the  lead  mines 
for  three  years.    They  then  left  that  state 
in  canoes,  floating  down  the  Mississippi 
river.    Becoming  hungiy  while  thus  mak- 
ing their  way  down  the  stream,  they  one 
evening  saw  a  light,  toward  which  they 
proceeded   to   make   their  way.      It   was 
upon    the    present    site    of    the    city    of 
Quincy,  and  on  landing  they  found  there 
a  camp  of  Indians,  so  that  they  hastily 
made   their  departure.      They   continued 
on  their  way  to  St.  Louis,  and  in  a  short 
time  left  that  place  for  Rochester,  New 
York,  making  the  overland  journey  with 
ox    teams.      John    Moffitt    was    married 
there  about  1826  to  Miss  Mary  Moffitt, 
and  with  his  bride  returned  to  St.  Louis, 
where  he  resided  until  the  fall  of  1828, 
when  he  came  to  Hancock  county,   set- 
tling near  Nauvoo.    He  entered  from  the 
government    about    three    hundred    and 
twenty  acres  of  land  on  sections  7  and 
1 8,  Sonora  township,  most  of  which  was 
at  that  time  covered  with  timber.     In  the 
midst  of  the  forest  he  built  a  log  cabin 
and  began  clearing  away  the  trees.     As 
soon  as  it  was  possible  to  plow  he  would 
place  his  land  under  cultivation  and  in  the 
course  of  time  became  the  owner  of  a  well 
developed  property  there.     The  year  1839 
witnessed  the  advent  of  the  Mormons  into 
that  locality  and  he  gave  them  some  of 
his  land  that  they  might  improve  it.    The 
pictures  of  pioneer  life  indicated  exactly 
the  conditions  which  existed  in  Hancock 
county  at  that  period.    The  streams  were 


unbridged,  the  prairie  was  covered  with 
its  native  grasses,  the  timber  was  uncut, 
and  only  here  and  there  had  a  little  clear- 
ing been  made  to  show  that  the  work  of 
civilization  had  been  begun  on  the  fron- 
tier, while  deer  was  plentiful  and  there 
were  many  wild  animals  roaming  over 
the  prairies  or  in  the  woods.  The  In- 
dians, too,  were  numerous  and  going 
upon  the  warpath,  Mr.  Moffitt,  during 
the  Black  Hawk  war,  enlisted  in  the  army 
under  Captain  James  White.  He  partici- 
pated in  the  military  movements  that 
ended  in  the  ejection  of  the  savages  and 
received  a  land  warrant  for  his  services. 
He  afterward  added  to  his  land  until  he 
had  about  four  hundred  acres  in  Sonora 
township.  He  figured  prominently  in 
many  events  which  are  now  recognized 
as  of  historic  importance  and  lived  in  this 
locality  throughout  the  period  of  the 
Mormon  difficulty.  He  saw  them  estab- 
lish the  city  of  Nauvoo,  and  later  saw 
them  driven  from  their  homes  and  the 
Mormon  temple  destroyed  by  fire.  He 
died  March  15,  1853,  while  his  wife  long 
survived  him,  passing  away  March  17, 
1881.  They  were  the  parents  of  eleven 
children,  of  whom  three  sons  and  three 
daughters  reached  mature  years  but  the 
daughters  are  all  now  deceased.  The  liv- 
ing sons  are:  James  J. ;  John,  a  lawyer 
of  Chicago;  and  Thomas  B.,  who  is  liv- 
ing on  the  old  home  place. 

James  J.  Moffitt  lived  with  his  parents 
until  1852,  sharing  with  the  family  in  the 
hardships  and  privations  of  pioneer  life. 
and  aiding  in  the  work  of  the  fields  when 
plowing,  planting  and  harvesting  were 
largely  clone  by  hand,  for  the  improved 
farm  machinery  of  the  present  day  was 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


267 


then  unknown.  In  1852  lie  went  to  Cal- 
ifornia, starting  across  the  country  with 
ox  teams,  and  after  getting  near  the 
mountains  he  traded  his  oxen  for  pack 
horses.  At  length  the  party  with  which 
he  traveled  reached  Eldorado  county, 
Colorado,  where  he  remained  for  a  year 
and  a  half.  During  that  period  his  fa- 
ther died,  and  his  mother  wishing  him 
to  return  home,  he  made  the  journey  by 
way  of  the  Nicaraugua  route  and  up  the 
Mississippi  to  Nauvoo.  He  then  re- 
mained with  his  mother  and  established  a 
general  mercantile  business  in  connection 
with  T.  J.  Newton,  his  father-in-law. 
Three  years  later,  on  account  of  failing 
health,  he  retired  from  the  store  and  took 
up  his  abode  on  his  farm,  which  com- 
prised eighty  acres  of  the  old  homestead. 
He  then  bought  forty  acres  from  his  sis- 
ter and  subsequently  made  purchase  of 
another  tract,  so  that  he  owned  altogether 
one  hundred  and  seventy  acres  on  section 
7,  Sonora  township.  In  1859  he  erected 
a  good  frame  residence  thereon  and  has 
since  made  some  additions  to  this  house. 
As  a  companion  and  helpmate  for  life's 
journey  Mr.  Moffitt  chose  Miss  Saman- 
tha  A.  Newton,  to  whom  he  was  married 
on  the  I3th  of  February,  1855.  She  was 
born  in  Erie,  Pennsylvania,  December  3. 
1837,  a  daughter  of  Timothy  J.  and  Fi- 
delia (Webster)  Moffitt,  the  former  a  na- 
tive of  Erie  and  the  latter  of  Fredonia, 
New  York.  She  is  also  a  granddaughter 
of  Thomas  and  Mary  (Hillsgrove)  New- 
ton, natives  of  England,  and  Ebenezer 
and  Roxie  (Benjamin)  Webster,  natives 
of  New  England.  Mrs.  Moffitt  was -the 
eldest  of  seven  children  and  accompanied 
her  parents  on  their  removal  from  the 


Keystone  state  to  Canfield,  Trumbull 
county,  Ohio.  A  year  later  they  became 
residents  of  Rochester,  Iowa,  where  her 
father  engaged  in  merchandising,  and  in 
May,  1847,  they  took  up  their  abode  in 
Nauvoo,  where  the  following  spring  Mr. 
Newton  established  a  general  mercantile 
store,  which  he  conducted  successfully 
until  his  death  on  the  4th  of  February, 
1860.  His  wife  long  survived  him  and 
died  March  24,  1891.  Unto  Mr.  and 
Mrs. 'Moffitt  were  born  seven  children: 
Ida  E.,  now  of  Billings,  Montana;  Fran- 
cis E.,  who  died  at  the  age  of  one  and  a 
half  years ;  Louis  J.,  who  is  engaged  in 
mining  at  Wallace,  Idaho;  Mary  F.,  the 
wife  of  J.  Henry  Dover,  a  cattle  dealer 
and  horseman  of  Billings,  Montana : 
James  A.,  who  died  at  the  age  of  two 
years;  Julia,  the  wife  of  J.  F.  Ochsner,  of 
Nauvoo;  and  Edward  P.,  who  is  cashier 
in  a  bank  at  Anaconda,  Montana. 

Mr.  Moffitt  is  a  democrat  and  has  held 
the  offices  of  assessor,  collector  and  other 
local  positions.  His  religious  faith  is 
that  of  the  Catholic  church.  The  name 
of  Moffitt  has  been  interwoven  with  the 
history  of  the  county  since  its  earliest 
pioneer  development,  and  he  of  whom  we 
write  has  taken  an  active  and  helpful 
part  in  the  progress  and  improvement 
from  a  very  early  period.  His  mind 
bears  the  impress  of  many  of  the  early 
historic  annals  of  the  county  and  he  can 
relate  many  interesting  incidents  of  this 
locality,  when  it  was  a  frontier  section 
far  removed  from  the  older  settled  dis- 
tricts of  the  east  because  of  the  lack  of 
all  rapid  transportation  facilities  or  rapid 
means  of  communication.  It  was  then 
the  "far  west,"  in  which  there  were  many 


268 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


difficulties  of  pioneer  life  to  be  borne, 
while  dangers  were  not  lacking  owing  to 
the  proximity  of  the  red  men  and  their 
opposition  to  the  encroachments  of  the 
white  race  upon  their  hunting  grounds. 
Mr.  Moffitt  has  lived  to  see  remarkable 
changes  here  and  as  a  worthy  pioneer  set- 
tler deserves  prominent  mention  in  this 
volume. 


WILLIAM  K.  SMITH,  M.  D. 

Dr.  William  K.  Smith,  successfully  en- 
gaged in  the  practice  of  medicine  and  sur- 
gery in  La  Harpe,  was  born  in  Philadel- 
phia, Pennsylvania,  on  the  25th  of  De- 
cember, 1844,  of  Scotch  parentage. 

Dr.  Smith  completed  his  more  specific- 
ally literary  education  in  a  high  school 
of  Iowa  and  having  determined  upon  the 
practice  of  medicine  and  surgery  as  a  life 
work  he  prepared  for  his  chosen  calling 
in  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Sur- 
geons at  Keokuk,  Iowa,  from  which  he 
was  graduated  in  1875.  He  had,  how- 
ever, been  a  student  in  the  Chicago  Med- 
ical College  in  the  winter  of  1867-8  but 
completed  his  medical  training  in  Keo- 
kuk. He  entered  upon  the  active  prac- 
tice of  medicine  in  Mercer  county,  Illi- 
nois, and  was  a  practitioner  of  Hender- 
son county,  Illinois,  from  1869  to  1883, 
when  he  came  to  La  Harpe,  where  he  has 
since  built  up  a  good  business,  having  to- 
day an  extensive  patronage  which  is  in- 
dicative of  the  confidence  reposed  in  his 
skill  by  the  general  public. 

In  early  manhood  Dr.   Smith  enlisted 


for  service  as  a  soldier  of  the  Civil  war 
in  1861,  becoming  a  member  of  the  Ninth 
Missouri  Infantry,  with  which  he  served 
until  the  spring  of  1862,  when  that  regi- 
ment became  the  Fifty-ninth  Illinois  In- 
fantry. He  continued  at  the  front  for 
three  years  and  was  honorably  discharged 
in  1864  but  was  afterward  attached  to 
the  cavalry  bureau  and  did  duty  in  the 
southwest  and  on  the  frontier  until  1866. 
The  same  spirit  of  loyalty  that  he  dis- 
played during  the  dark  days  of  the  Civil 
war  has  always  been  manifest  in  his  citi- 
zenship. 

In  January,  1873,  Dr.  Smith  was  unit- 
ed in  marriage  to  Miss  Alice  M.  Hub- 
bard,  who  was  born  in  Hatfield,  Hamp- 
shire county,  Massachusetts,  a  daughter 
of  the  Hon.  Elisha  and  Cordelia  (Ran- 
dall) Hubbard,  who  were  natives  of 
Massachusetts.  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Smith 
have  now  resided  in  La  Harpe  for  twenty- 
three  years  and  have  a  wide  acquaintance 
here,  the  hospitality  of  the  best  homes 
being  cordially  extended  them.  More- 
over Dr.  Smith  has  the  respect  of  his  pro- 
fessional brethren,  for  he  always  closely 
adheres  to  a  high  standard  of  professional 
ethics  and  has  that  laudable  ambition 
which  prompts  thorough  and  discrimi- 
nating study  whereby  his  skill  and  effi- 
ciency are  being  continually  increased. 


WILLIAM  L.  WOODSIDE. 

William  L.  Woodside,  who  for  many 
years  was  connected  with  agricultural  in- 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


269 


terests  in  McDonough  county,  Illinois, 
but  is  now  living"  retired  in  La  Harpe, 
was  born  in  Washington  county,  Vir- 
ginia, February  2,  1833,  a  son  of  John  G. 
and  Jane  Woodside,  natives  of  Virginia 
and  North  Carolina  respectively.  His 
paternal  grandparents  were  James  and 
Mary  (Goliher)  Woodside,  also  natives 
of  Virginia.  The  father  was  a  farmer 
by  occupation  and  at  a  very  early  period 
in  the  development  of  Illinois  made  his 
way  across  the  country  to  this  state  from 
Virginia,  being  six  weeks  on  the  road. 
He  arrived  in  Blandinsville  township. 
McDonough  county,  November  16.  1833, 
and  took  up  his  abode  in  a  little  log 
cabin  on  section  9,  securing  the  title  to 
one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land.  Not 
a  furrow  had  been  turned  or  an  improve- 
ment made  upon  the  farm  and  with  char- 
acteristic energy  he  began  its  develop- 
ment, clearing  away  the  timber  and 
breaking  the  prairie  land  and  in  course 
of  time  the  farm  was  developed  into  a 
good  property,  the  fields  yielding  rich  re- 
turns in  bounteous  harvests.  There  the 
father  resided  until  his  life's  labors  were 
ended  in  death  on  the  i8th  of  March, 
1853.  and  his  wife  survived  until  Sep- 
tember 23,  1871,  when  she,  too,  was 
called  to  her  final  rest. 

William  L.  Woodside  was  the  young- 
est of  a  family  of  three  sons  and  three 
daughters  and  is  now  the  only  one  sur- 
viving. He  was  educated  in  the  common 
schools  of  McDonough  county  and  after 
his  father's  death  he  purchased  the  inter- 
est of  the  other  heirs  in  the  old  home- 
stead property,  which  was  then  partially 
improved.  In  1872  he  built  a  large  frame 
house.  He  also  has  a  large  hay  and  horse 


barn  on  the  place  and  grain  and^imple- 
ment  sheds.  He  bought  at  different 
times  one  hundred  and  fifteen  acres  which 
is  situated  on  the  northwest  corner  of  the 
old  home  place.  The  land  has  never  been 
out  of  possession  of  the  family  and 
through  the  efforts  of  Mr.  Woodside  and 
his  father  has  been  converted  into  a  very 
valuable  and  productive  farm.  In  all  of 
his  business  undertakings  he  has  been 
practical  and  progressive  and  his  labors 
have  brought  him  very  desirable  success. 
He  continued  to  engage  in  general  farm- 
ing and  stock  raising  until  October  2, 
1899,  when  he  was  injured  by  a  tree  fall- 
ing upon  him,  breaking  his  left  leg  and 
hurting  him  internally.  He  was  con- 
fined to  his  bed  all  winter  and  on  the  7th 
of  March,  1900,  the  family  removed  to 
La  Harpe,  where  he  has  since  resided. 
He  remained  upon  the  old  homestead 
place  from  November  16,  1833,  until 
March,  1900,  covering  a  period  of  more 
than  two  thirds  of  a  century.  He  still 
owns  the  farm,  which  he  now  rents  for 
six  dollars  per  acre  and  this  brings  him 
a  very  gratifying  income.  On  the  ist  of 
March,  1901,  he  purchased  his  present 
residence  on  East  Main  street  and  is  now 
comfortably  situated  in  a  pleasant  home 
in  La  Harpe. 

On  the  roth  of  April,  1859,  Mr.  Wood- 
side  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  Isabell 
Frits,  who  was  born  in  Monroe  county, 
Indiana,  August  24,  1839,  a  daughter  of 
Captain  James  Frits,  who  commanded 
Company  F  of  the  Sixteenth  Illinois  In- 
fantry in  the  Civil  war  and  was  a  brave 
and  loyal  soldier.  Her  mother  bore  the 
maiden  name  of  Julia  Ann  Kern  and  was 
born  in  Indiana,  while  Mr.  Frits  was  a 


270 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


native  of  Virginia.  Mrs.  Frits'  parents 
were  Conrad  and  Mary  A.  (Berry) 
Kern.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Woodside 
have  been  born  six  children :  Thomas 
Franklin,  who  was  born  April  i,  1860, 
and  is  living  in  Keokuk,  Iowa;  Emma 
Jane,  born  January  i,  1862,  and  now  the 
wife  of  Nathan  Ferris,  of  Blandinsville, 
Illinois;  Sarah  Louisa,  born  July  23, 
1864,  and  now  the  wife  of  Joel  Smith,  of 
Walnut,  Kansas;  Mary  Ella,  born  Janu- 
ary n,  1868;  Jennie  May,  who  was  born 
May  14,  1870,  and  is  the  wife  of  J.  E. 
Quayle,  of  Orion,  Illinois;  Mina  Alice, 
who  was  born  October  18,  1874,  and  is 
the  wife  of  Dr.  C.  H.  Stockon,  of  Love- 
land,  Colorado.  The  wife  and  mother 
passed  away  October  18,  1903,  and  was 
laid  ,to  rest  in  La  Harpe  cemetery.  She 
was  a  most  estimable  lady  and  they  had 
traveled  life's  journey  together  for  forty- 
four  years.  Mr.  Woodside  is  a  member 
of  the  Christian  church,  in  the  work  of 
which  he  has  taken  an  active  and  helpful 
interest.  He  served  as  deacon  of  the 
church  for  many  years  and  was  clerk  and 
treasurer  for  ten  years.  His  political  al- 
legiance has  been  given  to  the  Republican 
party  since  age  conferred  upon  him  the 
right  of  franchise  and  he  is  a  member  of 
the  Blue  lodge  of  Masons  and  of  the  An- 
cient Order  of  United  Workmen.  His 
entire  life'  has  been  passed  in  this  section 
of  Illinois  and  he  has  a  wide  acquaint- 
ance, having  long  been  known  as  an  en- 
terprising farmer  and  one  thoroughly  re- 
liable in  all  business  transactions.  His 
success  is  attributable  in  very  large  meas- 
ure to  his  own  efforts  and  his  persever- 
ance and  energy  have  enabled  him  to 
work  his  way  steadily  upward  until  he  is 


numbered  among  the  men  of  afflu- 
ence living  in  La  Harpe. 


now 


JOHN  FAULKNER. 

John  Faulkner,  a  horticulturist  and 
agriculturist  living  in  Sonora  township, 
is  one  of  the  worthy  citizens  that  Penn- 
sylvania has  furnished  to  Hancock 
county.  His  birth  occurred  in  Chester 
county  of  the  Keystone  state,  on  the  6th 
of  June,  1839,  and  he  comes  of  Irish  and 
German  lineage.  The  paternal  grandfa- 
ther, a  native  of  the  Emerald  isle,  took  up 
his  abode  in  New  Jersey  in  the  latter  part 
of  the  eighteenth  century  and  died  soon 
afterward.  His  son,  James  Faulkner, 
was  born  in  Ireland  and  came  to  the 
United  States  when  only  eighteen  months 
old.  When  about  fifteen  years  old  he 
went  to  sea  and  for  five  years  was  upon 
the  water.  He  was  afterward  married  in 
Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania,  to  Miss 
Catherine  Kimes,  who  was  born  in  Penn- 
sylvania and  was  a  daughter  of  Jacob 
Kimes,  a  native  of  Germany.  The  young 
couple  began  their  domestic  life  in  the 
Keystone  state  and  James  Faulkner 
worked  at  the  shoemaker's  trade,  which 
he  had  learned  after  leaving  the  sea.  In 
the  spring  of  1844,  however,  he  made  his 
way  westward  to  Nauvoo  but  on  reach- 
ing his  destination  he  found  things  very 
different  than  had  been  reported  and  in 
consequence  thereof  he  removed  to  Au- 
gusta, where  he  lived  until  1848,  when 
he  returned  to  Nauvoo.  Not  long  after- 


PI  AN  COCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


271 


ward  he  purchased  sixty  acres  of  land  on 
section  6.  Sonora  township,  and  ninety 
acres  in  Appanoose  township,  where  he 
carried  on  general  farming  and  also 
raised  stock.  Thus  his  life  was  one  of 
activity  and  his  industry  was  to  him  a 
source  of  gratifying  income.  He  died 
December  28,  1870,  and  was  laid  to  rest 
in  the  Catholic  cemetery,  at  Nauvoo,  on 
the  first  day  of  the  year,  1871.  His  wife 
survived  him  for  exactly  fifteen  years, 
passing  away  on  the  28th  of  December, 
1885.  In  their  family  were  the  follow- 
ing named:  Ellen,  who  died  the  wife  of 
Martin  Roser.  Mrs.  Sarah  Ritter,  of 
Fort  Madison,  Iowa :  John,  of  this  re- 
view: Mrs.  Catherine  Fulton,  of  So- 
nora township;  and  Mrs.  Mary  Webber, 
of  Las  Vegas,  New  Mexico. 

John  Faulkner  was  only  about  six 
years  of  age  when  his  parents  removed 
from  Pennsylvania  to  Hancock  county, 
so  that  his  education  was  acquired  in  the 
common  schools  of  this  part  of  the  state. 
He  always  remained  at  home  with  his 
parents  and  following  their  death  he  pur- 
chased the  interest  of  the  other  heirs  in 
the  old  home  property,  since  which  time 
he  has  resided  upon  and  conducted  the 
farm.  He  raises  peaches  and  grapes, 
having  six  acres  planted  to  both  fruits. 
He  has  followed  farming  with  the  best 
methods  of  carrying  on  agricultural  pur- 
suits and  has  made  a  close  study  of  the 
work  of  cultivating  fruit  trees,  so  as  to 
produce  the  best  results.  He  and  his  fa- 
ther built  a  house  of  stone  taken  from 
their  place,  and  he  also  has  a  large  barn 
thirty-two  by  thirty-six  feet  with  stone 
basement. 

On    the    7th    of    October,    1871,    Mr. 


Faulkner  was  married  to  Miss  Lillian 
Ward,  who  was  born  in  Middletown, 
Ohio,  August  3,  1850,  a  daughter  of 
James  and  Margaret  C.  (Striker)  Ward, 
natives  of  Ireland  and  New  Jersey  re- 
spectively, the  latter  a  daughter  of  Ste- 
phen A.  Striker.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ward 
were  married  in  Ohio  in  1841,  and  for 
some  years  he  engaged  in  merchandising 
in  Middletown.  In  1852,  however,  he 
closed  out  his  business  interests  in  the 
Buckeye  state  and  came  to  Nauvoo,  after 
living  for  one  year  at  Montrose,  where 
he  conducted  a  tavern.  Subsequent  to 
his  abode  in  Nauvoo,  he  lived  retired. 
His  wife  died  May  12,  1852,  while  he 
survived  until  February  4,  1874.  Each 
had  been  previously  married,  this  being 
their  second  union.  Mr.  Ward  had  three 
children  by  his  first  wife,  and  she  had  two 
children  by  her  first  husband.  There 
were  four  children  by  the  second  union : 
Ella,  the  Wife  of  Fred  Hellerrich,  of  Louis- 
ville, Kentucky;  Laura  S.,  the  wife  of 
Frank  Brown,  of  Marion  county,  Mis- 
souri ;  and  Charles  and  Lillian,  twins,  but 
the  former  died  in  infancy. 

The  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Faulkner 
was  blessed  with  nine  children :  Mary, 
who  was  born  August  26,  1872,  and  is 
the  wife  of  Thomas  G.  Kelly,  of  Rock 
Creek  township :  James,  who  was  born 
February  16,  1874,  and  is  now  living  in 
Carthage;  John,  who  was  born  April  9, 
1876,  and  resides  in  Sonora  township: 
Helen,  born  July  19,  1878;  William,  who 
was  born .  November  5,  1880,  and  is  lo- 
cated in  Nauvoo ;  Aloysius,  who  was  born 
December  19,  1882,  and  is  at  home: 
Thomas,  who  was  born  April  i,  1885. 
and  died  in  December,  1886;  Lorena, 


272 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


bom  July  i,  1889;  and  Henry,  August  8, 
1891.  The  family  are  communicants  of 
the  Catholic  church  at  Nauvoo,  and  Mr. 
Faulkner's  political  support  is  given  to 
the  Democratic  party.  More  than  six 
decades  have  passed  since  he  came  to  this 
county  and  he  has  therefore  witnessed 
the  greater  part  of  its  growth  and  de- 
velopment, for  the  work  of  progress  had 
been  scarcely  begun  when  he  took  up  his 
abode  within  its  borders.  He  has  vivid 
recollections  of  the  typical  pioneer  con- 
ditions, for  in  his  youth  much  land  was 
still  uncultivated,  while  the  log  cabin 
was  no  unusual  feature  in  the  landscape. 
Now  these  primitive  homes  have  been  re- 
placed by  substantial  farm  residences  and 
there  is  every  evidence  of  advancement 
along  agricultural  and  horticultural  lines 
as  well  as  industrial  and  commercial 
pursuits. 


HUGH  JACKSON. 

Hugh  Jackson,  a  prominent  and  pro- 
gressive fanner,  owning  one  hundred  and 
forty  acres  of  valuable  land  situated  on 
section  23,  Appanoose  township,  is  a  na- 
tive of  Fulton  county,  New  York,  his  na- 
tal day  being  September  23,  1837.  His 
parents,  James  and  Mary  (Ferguson) 
Jackson,  were  natives  of  Scotland,  the 
father  born  near  Glasgow,  while  the 
mother's  birth  occurred  on  the  island  of 
Bute.  The  paternal  grandparents  were 
James  and  Bell  (Thompson)  Jackson, 
and  the  maternal  grandparents  were 
Hugh  and  Catherine  (McFarlane)  Fer- 


guson, who  located  in  Fulton  county, 
New  York,  about  1830,  where  he  en- 
gaged in  general  agricultural  pursuits. 
The  father  of  our  subject  emigrated  from 
Scotland  to  America  in  1832,  his  destina- 
tion being  Fulton  county,  in  the  Empire 
state,  where  he  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Mary  Ferguson.  Here  he  engaged 
in  farming  until  1840,  when  he  removed 
to  Albany  county,  where  his  death  oc- 
curred in  November,  1861.  His  widow 
then  came  to  Hancock  county  in  1862, 
where  she  passed  away  in  July.  1885.  In 
their  family  were  nine  children :  James, 
who  died  at  the  age  of  twenty-two  years  ; 
Hugh,  of  this  review ;  Peter,  of  Carthage 
township,  Hancock  county ;  John  and 
Robert,  both  residents  of  Appanoose 
township ;  William,  of  Orange  county, 
California ;  Miller,  who  was  drowned  in 
the  Mississippi  river  in  1867;  Lansing, 
living  near  Durango,  New  Mexico ;  and 
Catherine,  who  makes  her  home  with  her 
brothers,  John  and  Robert,  in  Appanoose 
township. 

Hugh  Jackson,  whose  name  intro- 
duces this  record,  acquired  his  education 
in  the  district  schools  of  New  York,  and 
was  there  reared  to  farm  life,  assisting 
his  father  in  the  operation  of  the  home 
farm  until  nineteen  years  of  age,  when 
he  came  to  Hancock  county,  where  he 
worked  at  farm  labor,  being  in  the  em- 
ploy of  others  until  1862.  Saving  his 
earnings,  he  was  at  that  time  able  to 
make  purchase  of  land  and  engage  in 
farming  on  his  own  account.  He  first 
bought  eighty  acres  situated  on  section 
23,  Appanoose  township,  which  at  that 
time  was  wild  prairie.  He  improved 
his  land,  and  placed  the  fields  under  cul- 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


273 


tivation.  He  built  a  small  house  con- 
taining three  rooms,  and  he  also  erected 
board  stables  and  other  outbuildings  for 
the  shelter  of  grain  and  stock.  Here  he 
carried  on  agricultural  pursuits  and  as 
the  years  passed  by  he  prospered  in  his 
undertakings,  so  that  he  was  later  en- 
abled to  make  further  purchase  of  land, 
adding  sixty  acres  which  adjoined  his 
original  purchase,  so  that  he  now  has  one 
hundred  and  forty  acres  in  all.  In  1870, 
he  built  a  kitchen  to  his  house,  and  in 
1886  remodeled  and  added  to  his  dwell=- 
ing,  so  that  it  now  contains  eight  rooms. 
In  1872  he  built  a  horse  and  hay  barn, 
and  he  also  has  ample  cattle  sheds,  corn 
cribs  and  other  outbuildings  found  upon 
a  model  farm  of  the  present  age.  In  ad- 
dition to  his  farming  interests  he  former- 
ly engaged  extensively  in  the  raising  of 
horses,  cattle  and  hogs,  shipping  about 
two  carloads  of  cattle  annually.  He. 
however,  abandoned  this  branch  of  his 
business  in  1895,  and  since  that  time  has 
left  the  more  arduous  tasks  to  others  and 
at  the  present  time  merely  gives  supervi- 
sion to  his  business  interests.  In  the 
winter  of  1859-60,  in  company  with  two 
comrades,  he  started  with  ox  teams  for 
Pike's  Peak,  where  he  prospected  for  two 
months  and  took  up  a  mining  claim, 
which  he  later  traded  for  a  cow.  He  then 
journeyed  on  to  New  Mexico,  where  he 
dispose^  of  the  cow  for  thirty-five  dol- 
lars, which  was  considered  a  good  price. 
He  then  sold  his  oxen  and  bought  ponies 
and  started  toward  home,  stopping  in 
Kansas  City,  where  he  disposed  of  his 
ponies  and  took  passage  on  a  steamer 
for  New  Orleans.  He  then  spent  two 
winters  on  a  steamboat.  In  the  summer 


of  1860  he  traveled  through  eastern  Kan- 
sas and  southern  Illinois  and  then  re- 
turned to  New  Orleans,  where  he  spent 
some  time,  subsequent  to  which  time  he 
went  to  St.  Louis,  being  in  that  city  at 
the  time  of  the  inauguration  of  President 
Lincoln. 

On  the  30th  of  March,  1865,  Mr. 
Jackson  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Mary  A.  Hammond,  who  was  born  in 
Staffordshire,  England,  in  1840,  and 
when  two  years  of  age  was  brought  by 
her  parents  to  Hancock  county,  where 
the  father  bought  three  hundred  acres 
of  land,  situated  in  Pontoosuc  township, 
where  they  both  passed  away,  the  former 
on  the  26th  of  December,  1885,  while 
his  wife  survived  for  only  four  days, 
passing  away  on  the  3Oth  of  the  same 
month,  and  they  were  buried  in  the  same 
grave.  In  their  family  were  ten  chil- 
dren :  William,  who  was  killed  by  light- 
ning; Thomas,  who  was  drowned  in  the 
Mississippi  river;  John,  a  resident  of 
Monterey  county,  California;  Isaac,  of 
Butler  county,  Kansas;  Mary  A.,  now 
Mrs.  Jackson ;  James,  of  Lancaster 
county,  Nebraska ;  Hannah,  the  wife  of 
John  Cosgrove,  of  Appanoose  township; 
Fannie,  who  died  in  infancy ;  Sarah,  the 
wife  of  J.  J.  Worley,  of  Valisca,  Iowa; 
and  Martha,  the  widow  of  Thomas 
Stretch,  of  Appanoose  township. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jackson  have  been 
born  the  following  named :  Mary  Ellen, 
born  August  29,  1866,  married  Charles 
A.  Thompson,  of  Butler  county,  Kansas.  . 
Arthur  M.,  born  January  22,  1868,  died 
in  Appanoose  township  June  6,  1905, 
leaving  a  widow,  who  in  her  maidenhood 
was  Miss  Annie  Brady,  and  who  now 


274 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REV  I  Ell' 


makes  her  home  in  Nauvoo.  James  T., 
born  November  2,  1871,  is  employed  in  a 
lumber  office  in  Kansas  City,  Missouri. 
Ada,  born  August  18,  1873,  is  the  wife 
of  L.  R.  Traverse,  and  makes  her  home 
in  Oquawka,  Illinois.  Laura,  born  June 
5,  1875,  is  at  home. 

Mr.  Jackson  gives  his  political  support 
to  the  Democratic  party,  and  has  taken  a 
very  active  and  helpful  interest  in  the 
local  ranks  of  his  party,  being  called  to 
fill  a  number  of  offices  of  public  trust. 
He  was  town  clerk  for  several  years, 
served  as  supervisor  for  one  year,  as  col- 
lector three  years  and  as  township  treas- 
urer for  twenty  years,  and  in  all  of  these 
offices  he  discharged  his  duties  with  sat- 
isfaction to  the  public  and  with  credit  to 
himself.  In  his  religious  faith  he  is  a 
Presbyterian,  and  since  1875  has  served 
as  elder  of  the  church. 

He  is  a  public-spirited  man  who  gives 
his  aid  and  co-operation  to  every  move- 
ment which  tends  for  the  advancement 
of  his  community.  He  has  led  a  very 
busy  life,  and,  having  come  to  Hancock 
county  when  much  of  the  land  was  still 
unimproved  and  uncultivated,  he  made 
purchase  of  a  tract  which  he  improved 
until  it  is  today  one  of  the  fine  farming 
properties  of  Appanoose  township. 


GEORGE  FRAZER. 

George  Frazer,,  filling  the  office  of  su- 
pervisor in  Walker  township,  where  he 
carries  on  general  agricultural  pursuits. 


is  a  son  of  Lafayette  and  Caroline  Frazer, 
who  are  mentioned  elsewhere  in  this  vol- 
ume, in  connection  with  the  sketch  of  J. 
I.  Frazer.  He  whose  name  introduces 
this  record  was  bom  in  Adams  county, 
Illinois,  in  1850,  and  following  the  re- 
moval of  the  family  to  Hancock  county 
he  pursued  his  education  in  the  district 
schools  of  Walker  township.  He  re- 
mained under  the  parental  roof  until  the 
time  of  his  marriage,  which  was  cele- 
brated February  26,  1873,  when  he  was 
twenty-two  years  of  age,  the  lady  of  his 
choice  being  Miss  Rebecca  Shipe.  who 
was  born  in  Rocky  Run  township  in 
1854,  a  daughter  of  William  and  Mary 
(Shipe)  Shipe,  who  were  farming  people 
and  came  to  Hancock  county  in  the  early 
'505,  their  home  being  in  Rocky  Run 
township.  In  the  Shipe  family  are  four 
daughters:  Rebecca,  now  Mrs.  Frazer: 
Emma,  the  wife  of  William  Sauble,  of 
Adams  county ;  Gertrude,  at  home ;  and 
Catherine  E.,  the  wife  of  Harry  Frazer, 
of  Quincy,  Illinois. 

At  the  time  of  his  marriage  Mr.  Fra- 
zer's  father  gave  him  two  hundred  and 
twenty  acres  of  good  land,  situated  on 
section  19,  Walker  township,  and  he  has 
made  splendid  improvements  upon  the 
place,  erecting  an  elegant  residence  in 
1876  and  building  a  commodious  and 
substantial  barn  in  1880.  This  structure 
is  forty  by  sixty  feet  and  other  buildings 
are  in  keeping  with  it,  ample  shelter  being 
thus  afforded  to  grain  and  stock.  Mr. 
Frazer  has  engaged  in  the  raising  of  stock 
quite  extensively  and  at  the  same  time  has 
tilled  his  fields  so  that  they  have  brought 
forth  rich  harvests.  He  has  also  added 
to  his  landed  possessions  as  the  years 


•  HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


275 


have  passed  by  and  his  labors  have  in- 
creased his  financial  resources.  He  now 
has  two  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  the 
home  place,  one  hundred  and  twelve  acres 
elsewhere  in  Walker  township,  a  tract  of 
one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  in  the  same 
township  where  his  daughter  resides,  one 
hundred  acres  in  Rocky  Run  township 
and  ninety  acres  in  Adams  county,  Illi- 
nois. His  holdings  are  therefore  exten- 
sive and  indicate  a  life  of  thrift  and  en- 
terprise, of  good  business  ability  and 
keen  foresight. 

The  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Frazer 
has  been  blessed  with  six  children,  all 
bom  in  Walker  township:  Mary  C,  who 
died  at  the  age  of  sixteen  months ;  James 
L.,  who  is  a  graduate  of  the  Gem  City 
Business  College  at  Quincy  and  assists  in 
the  operation  of  the  home  farm;  Edith, 
the  wife  of  William  Schildman,  who  re- 
sides upon  her  father's  farm  in  Walker 
township,  and  by  whom  she  has  had  one 
daughter ;  Elberta  May ;  Lafayette,  who 
is  living  on  one  of  his  father's  farms  in 
Walker  township,  and  who  married  Ina 
Tripp,  by  whom  he  has  two  children ; 
Marvin,  who  at  the  age  of  twenty-two 
years  is  at  home;  Elberta  G..  also  at 
home.  Marvin  and  Elberta  are  attending 
the  Gem  City  Business  College  at  Quincy. 

Mr.  Frazer  is  a  stalwart  democrat  in 
his  political  views  and  is  now  serving  as 
supervisor  of  this  township  for  the  fourth 
or  fifth  term — a  fact  which  is  indicative 
of  the  confidence  reposed  in  him  by  his 
fellow  townsmen  and  his  promptness  and 
fidelity  in  the  discharge  of  his  duties.  He 
has  also  served  as  school  director  and  as 
treasurer  of  the  school  board.  Frater- 
nally he  is  connected  with  the  Odd  Fel- 


lows and  has  been  treasurer  of  his  local 
lodge.  Both  he  and  his  wife  are  members 
of  the  Methodist  church,  contributing 
generously  to  its  support  and  are  actively 
interested  in  its  work.  Wherever  known 
they  are  held  in  high  esteem  and  are  rec- 
ognized as  leading  people  of  the  commu- 
nity. Both  are  representatives  of  well 
known  and  honored  families  of  the 
county  and  they  have  reared  a  family  of 
whom  they  have  every  reason  to  be  proud. 
They  are  now  comfortably  situated  in 
life,  and  with  the  exception  of  the  farm 
received  from  his  father  Mr.  Frazer  has 
acquired  all  that  he  possesses.  He  now 
has  a  most  attractive  home,  supplied  with 
all  the  comforts  which  go  to  make  life 
worth  living  and  both  he  and  his  wife 
gladly  extend  the  hospitality  of  their 
home  to  their  many  friends.  In  disposi- 
tion he  is  kindly  and  charitable  and  in  all 
life's  relations  he  has  been  straightfor- 
ward and  honorable.  He  has  ever  been 
a  great  reader  and  deep  thinker  and  is 
recognized  as  a  man  of  sound  judgment 
whose  opinion  is  often  sought  by  friends 
and  neighbors  in  matters  of  individual  or 
public  interest. 


JUDGE  CHARLES  J.  SCOFIELD. 

Judge  Charles  J.  Scofield,  of  Carthage, 
whose  ability  as  lawyer,  jurist,  orator  and 
author  has  made  him  widely  known  be- 
yond the  borders  of  his  native  county  and 
state  and  whose  life  has  been  one  of  sig- 
nal usefulness  and  activity  not  only  for 


276 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REV  IE]}' 


the  benefit  of  his  individual  interests  but 
for  the  benefit  of  his  fellowmen  as  well, 
was  born  in  the  city  which  is  yet  his 
home,  on  Christmas  day  of  1853,  his  par- 
ents being  Charles  R.  and  Elizabeth 
(Crawford)  Scofield.  The  family  is  of 
English  lineage  and  was  established  in 
Stamford,  Connecticut,  between  the  years 
of  1635  and  1640.  His  father  was  born 
at  Dewittville,  Chautauqua  county,  New 
York,  in  1821,  and  spent  the  days  of  his 
boyhood  and  youth  in  the  place  of  his  na- 
tivity, coming  when  a  young  man  to  Han- 
cock county,  Illinois,  where,  in  1851,  he 
joined  his  brother,  Bryant  T.  Scofield, 
who  was  one  of  the  prominent  early  at- 
torneys of  Carthage.  He  read  law  with 
his  brother  and  afterward  entered  into 
partnership  with  him.  On  the  dissolution 
of  this  business  connection  Charles  R. 
Scofield  formed  a  partnership  with  David 
Mack  under  the  style  of  Mack  &  Scofield 
and  this  became  one  of  the  strongest  and 
most  prominent  law  firms  in  the  county, 
the  connection  being  maintained  until  the 
death  of  Mr.  Scofield  in  January,  1857. 
In  February,  1853,  ne  was  married  to 
Miss  Elizabeth  Crawford,  a  native  of 
Crab  Orchard,  Kentucky,  and  a  daughter 
of  Harrison  Crawford,  who  was  one  of 
the  early  residents  of  the  county  and  who 
at  the  time  of  Mr.  Scofield's  death  was 
engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits  near 
Carthage.  Mrs.  Scofield  had  two  sons, 
Charles  J.  and  Timothy  J.,  and  with  them 
she  returned  to  her  father's  home  about  a 
mile  from  the  city.  Subsequently  they 
again  took  up  their  abode  in  Carthage, 
where  her  death  occurred  on  the  27th  of 
May,  1877.  She  was  a  member  of  the 
Christian  church  and  she  devoted  her  life 


untiringly  to  the  welfare  of  her  sons,  the 
younger  of  whom,  Timothy  J.  Scofield, 
is  now  at  the  head  of  the  trial  department 
of  the  Union  Traction  Company,  of  Chi- 
cago, and  was  formerly  assistant  attorney 
general  under  General  Moloney. 

The  elder  son,  Charles  J.  Scofield,  was 
a  student  in  the  public  schools  of  Car- 
thage until  1868,  when  he  matriculated  in 
the  Christian  University  at  Canton,  Mis- 
souri, from  which  institution  he  was 
graduated  in  the  class  of  1871  with  the 
degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts.  For  three 
years  thereafter  he  was  a  teacher  in  the 
high  school  of  his  native  city  and  during 
that  period  devoted  his  leisure  hours  out- 
side of  the  schoolroom  to  the  study  of  law 
under  the  direction  of  his  uncle,  Bryant 
T.  Scofield,  and  William  C.  Hooker  and 
George  Edmunds,  who  occupied  the  same 
offices.  On  examination  he  was  admitted 
to  the  bar  in  June,  1875,  and  in  the  fol- 
lowing October  was  appointed  master  in 
chancery  of  the  circuit  court  of  Hancock 
county,  which  position  he  filled  continu- 
ously until  going  upon  the  bench.  In  the  * 
meantime  he  also  entered  upon  the  active 
practice  of  law,  which  he  continued  alone 
for  four  years,  occupying  offices,  however, 
with  William  E.  Mason,  a  prominent  at- 
torney. His  success  came  soon  because 
his  equipment  was  unusually  good.  His  ' 
native  and  acquired  abilities  were  soon 
manifest  in  the  able  manner  in  which  he 
handled  important  litigation.  His  mind 
is  analytical,  logical  and  deductive  and 
moreover  he  is  a  worker,  recognizing  that 
close  application  and  unfaltering  indus- 
try are  concomitants  for  success  at  the  bar 
as  truly  as  in  the  fields  of  manual  labor. 
In  February,  1879,  he  formed  a  partner- 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


277 


ship  with  Henry  \Y.  Draper,  one  of  the 
most  prominent  lawyers  of  Cartilage  and 
an  able  politician.  Under  the  firm  style 
of  Draper  &  Scofield  they  practiced  until 
the  death  of  the  senior  member,  July  8, 
1 88 1,  when  his  brother,  Timothy  J.,  hav- 
ing been  admitted  to  the  bar,  Judge  Sco- 
field formed  a  partnership  with  him  un- 
der the  firm  of  Scofield  &  Scofield.  In 
the  fall  of  1884  A.  W.  O'Hara  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  firm  as  Scofield,  O'Hara  & 
Scofield.  which  relation  was  continued 
until  June,  1885,  when  Charles  J.  See- 
field  was  elected  one  of  the  three  judges 
of  what  was  then  the  sixth  judicial  circuit 
of  Illinois,  comprising  the  seven  coun- 
ties of  Hancock,  Adams,  Pike,  McDon- 
ough,  Fulton,  Schuyler  and  Brown.  On 
the  expiration  of  his  six  years  term  he 
was  re-elected  and  sat  upon  the  bench  for 
twelve  consecutive  years.  He  was  nomi- 
nated for  a  third  term  in  1897  but  in  the 
meantime  the  legislature  had  changed  the 
boundaries  of  the  district  whereby  Han- 
cock was  assigned  to  a  district  so  strongly 
republican  that  there  was  no  hope  of 
election  for  a  supporter  of  democracy  and 
Judge  Scofield,  who  has  always  been  a 
stanch  democrat,  therefore  declined  to  be- 
come a  candidate.  In  1893  ne  was  aP~ 
pointed  by  the  supreme  court  of  the  state 
one  of  the  judges  of  the  appellate  court 
for  the  fourth  district  and  sat  upon  that 
bench  for  four  years,  or  until  the  expira- 
tion of  his  second  term  as  circuit  judge. 
His  legal  learning,  his  analytical  mind, 
the  readiness  with  which  he  grasps  the 
points  in  an  argument,  all  combine  to 
make  him  one  of  the  capable  jurists  of  the 
state  and  the  public  and  the  profession 
acknowledge  him  the  peer  of  any  member 


of  the  appellate  court.  Since  retiring 
from  the  bench  Judge  Scofield  has  en- 
gaged in  practice  in  Carthage,  at  various 
points  in  the  state  and  in  other  states  as 
well.  His  practice  has  been  of  a  most 
important  character,  calling  him  into  In- 
diana, Iowa,  Missouri,  to  Chicago  and 
other  cities.  Various  offers  have  been 
made  to  him  in  the  line  of  his  profession 
in  Chicago,  but  he  has  preferred  to  main- 
tain his  residence  at  his  old  home  in  Car- 
thage and  from  this  point  goes  forth  to 
perform  his  professional  service,  being 
recognized  as  one  of  the  strong  and  able 
members  of  the  Illinois  bar. 

Judge  Scofield  was  married  Septem- 
ber 12,  1876,  to  Miss  Rose  Spitler,  the 
adopted  daughter  of  Dr.  Adam  Spitler, 
of  this  city,  and  a  graduate  of  Carthage 
College.  Their  home  is  situated  on  the 
same  lots  where  his  parents  began  their 
domestic  life  and  its  hospitality  is  well 
known  to  the  citizens  of  Carthage.  They 
are  members  of  the  Christian  church,  in 
the  work  of  which  they  have  taken  a  most 
active  and  helpful  part.  In  addition  to 
his  law  practice  Judge  Scofield  has  acted 
as  a  minister  of  the  Christian  church  for 
many  years,  and  although  accepting  no 
regular  pastorate  has  filled  many  pulpits 
and  is  regarded  as  one  of  the  strong  rep- 
resentatives of  the  Christian  ministry. 
He  holds  the  degree  of  LL.  D  from  Eu- 
reka College,  one  of  the  schools  conduct- 
ed under  the  auspices  of  his  denomina- 
tion. He  belongs  to  the  Knights  of 
Pythias,  to  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd 
Fellows  and  other  fraternal  organizations 
and  gives  unfaltering  allegiance  to  the 
democracy  with  firm  faith  in  the  party 
principles.  He  has  won  much  more  than 


2/8 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


local  fame  as  a  writer  and  has  published 
two  volumes,  "A  Subtle  Adversary,"  a 
leading  temperance  work,  and  "Altar 
Stairs,"  a  work  bearing  on  the  questions 
of  Christian  faith,  both  of  which  have 
had  good  sales.  His  ability  as  an  orator 
has  caused  his  services  to  be  much  in  de- 
mand for  public  addresses  and  for  the  de- 
livery of  addresses  before  various  con- 
ventions in  Boston,  Chicago,  Denver  and 
elsewhere.  He  is  a  fluent,  earnest  and 
forcible  speaker,  and  while  he  employs 
the  adornment  of  rhetoric  with  good  ef- 
fect, they  are  but  the  avenue  of  expression 
for  facts  which  he  deems  of  vital  interest 
to  the  race  at  large  or  to  the  body  which 
he  is  addressing.  He  has  frequently 
been  chosen  as  a  delegate  to  the  church 
federations.  In  an  analyzation  of  his 
character  it  will  be  seen  that  he  has 
brought  all  of  his  native  talent,  acquired 
ability  and  energies  to  bear  upon  the  one 
purpose  of  the  fulfilling  of  his  duty  to 
his  fellowmen  and  to  his  country.  With 
a  keen  sense  of  individual  responsibility, 
believing  that  man  is  his  brother's  keeper, 
he  has  labored  to  uphold  the  political  and 
legal  status  and  to  promote  intellectual 
and  moral  advancement,  his  work  being 
directed  not  only  by  a  sense  of  duty  but 
the  higher  motive  of  principle. 


JAMES  L.  BRADFIELD. 

James  L.  Bradfield,  a  retired  farmer 
and  large  landowner,  making  his  home 
in  La  Harpe,  was  bom  in  Coshocton 


county,  Ohio,  June  29,  1854.  His  pater- 
nal grandfather,  James  Bradfield,  was  a 
resident  of  Virginia  and  married  a  Miss 
Nichols.  Their  son,  James  N.  Bradfield, 
was  born  in  Loudoun  county,  Virginia, 
and  having  arrived  at.  years  of  maturity 
was  married  in  Ohio,  April  12,  1853,  to 
Miss  Ada  Wolfe,  who  was  born  in  Co- 
shocton county,  Ohio,  and  was  a  daugh- 
ter of  James  and  Sarah  (Meredith). 
Wolfe,  natives  of  the  Buckeye  state. 
After  their  marriage  James  N.  Bradfield 
followed  farming  in  Ohio  for  a  year  and 
in  the  fall  of  1854  removed  to  Muscatine, 
Iowa.  In  Hardin  county,  that  state,  he 
purchased  a  farm  whereon  he  resided  un- 
til the  fall  of  1870,  when  he  sold  that 
property  and  came  to  Hancock  county, 
Illinois.  Here  he  invested  in  a  tract  of 
land  in  Durham  township,  whereon  he 
resided  for  about  twenty-one  years,  when 
in  1891  he  sold  out  and  went  to  Ne- 
braska, making  his  home  in  the  latter 
state  until  1899.  In  that  year  he  made 
a  visit  to  the  old  home  place  in  Durham 
township  and  died  there  on  the  4th  of  De- 
cember of  that  year.  He  had  for  a  num- 
ber of  years  survived  his  wife,  who 
passed  away  June  25,  1886.  In  their 
family  were  four  children :  James  L., 
of  this  review ;  William  F.,  of  La  Harpe ; 
Henry  S.,  of  this  county;  and  Laura  M., 
the  wife  of  Clark  H.  Rice,  of  Hancock 
county. 

James  L.  Bradfield  spent  his  boyhood 
days  on  the  home  farm  under  the  parental 
roof  and  at  the  age  of  seventeen  years  be- 
gan farming  on  his  own  account  upon 
rented  land,  which  he  operated  for  four 
years.  On  the  expiration  of  that  period 
he  established  a  general  store  at  Disco, 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


279 


where  he  also  engaged  in  the  grain  and 
stock  business  in  partnership  with  his  fa- 
ther. After  a  year  he  sold  out  and 
through  the  succeeding  three  years  op- 
erated rented  farms.  He  next  bought 
eighty  acres  of  improved  land  in  Durham 
township,  whereon  he  resided  for  six 
years  and  at  the  end  of  that  period  in- 
vested in  one  hundred  and  fifty-six  acres 
in  La  Harpe  township.  Taking  up  his 
abode  thereon  he  made  the  place  his  home 
until  March,  1905,  when  he  removed  to 
La  Harpe,  building  a  fine  residence,  con- 
taining ten  rooms,  besides  halls  and  clos- 
ets. It  is  heated  with  furnace,  supplied 
with  bath  and  all  modern  improvements 
and  is  one  of  the  fine  modern  residences 
in  the  city.  In  addition  to  this  property 
Mr.  Bradfield  has  extensive  landed  in- 
terests and  is  now  the  owner  of  four  hun- 
dred acres  of  valuable  land  in  Durham 
and  La  Harpe  townships.  He  also  owns 
an  interest  with  others  in  a  half  section  of 
coal  land  in  Colorado  and  has  seven  hun- 
dred acres  of  unimproved  land  in  north- 
western. Nebraska.  He  likewise  owns 
stock  in  the  Waldorf  Metal  Mining  Com- 
pany, of  Colorado,  is  a  director  in  the  La 
Harpe  State  Bank,  of  which  he  was  one 
of  the  organizers,  and  is  a  stockholder  of 
the  Coulson,  Brundage  Hardware  Com- 
pany, of  which  he  is  vice  president  and  a 
director.  His  business  investments  are 
now  extensive  and  return  to  him  a  splen- 
did income,  so  Tthat  he  can  well  enjoy  a 
retired  life,  his  property  returning  him 
sufficient  capital  to  bring  him  all  of  the 
comforts  and  many  of  the  luxuries  of 
life. 

On  the   1 5th  of  February,.  1872,  Mr. 
Bradfield  was  married  to. Ellen  Refzer, 
18 


who  was  born  in  Durham  township  and 
was  educated  in  the  district  schools,  a 
daughter  of  Daniel  and  Hannah  (Mor- 
ris) Retzer,  natives  of  Lancaster  and 
Green  counties,  Pennsylvania,  respective- 
ly. The  mother  came  with  her  parents 
to  this  county  in  1843,  while  the  father 
arrived  in  1851,  so  that  they  were  closely 
connected  with  the  county  from  pioneer 
times.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bradfield 
were  born  four  children :  Estella  R., 
born  December  31,  1872,  is  the  wife  of 
Wesley  Davis,  who  resides  upon  the  first 
farm  which  Mr.  Bradfield  purchased  in 
the  country.  James  Harvey,  born  De- 
cember 17,  1875,  is  a  practicing  physi- 
cian of  Sheridan,  Wyoming;  Leslie  S., 
born  August  30,  1869,  is  living  in  Pueblo, 
Colorado.  Mary  E.,  born  September  22, 
1883,  is  the  wife  of  Clair  J.  Thomas,  who 
resides  upon  one  of  her  father's  farms  in 
La  Harpe  township. 

Mr.  Bradfield  is  a  member  of  the  Meth- 
odist Protestant  church  and  his  political 
allegiance  is  given  to  the  Republican 
party.  He  has  served  for  three  years  as 
commissioner  of  highways  of  La  Harpe 
township,  also  as  school  director  and  jus- 
tice of  the  peace  of  La  Harpe  township, 
being  elected  to  the  last  named  position 
in  the  spring  of  1905.  His  interest  in 
community  affairs  is  that  of  a  public-spir- 
ited citizen  whose  labors  are  actuated  by 
an  earnest  desire  to  benefit  the  locality 
and  promote  the  welfare  of  town  and 
county.  In  an  active  life  he  has  displayed 
excellent  ability  and  keen  discernment, 
making  judicious  investments  and  gain- 
ing gratifying  success.  He  has  earned 
for  himself  an  enviable  reputation  as  a 
careful  man  of  business  and  in  his  deal- 


280 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


ings  is  known  for  his  prompt  and  honor- 
able methods,  which  have  won  him  the 
deserved  and  unbounded  confidence  of  his 
fellowmen. 


ADAM  KROPP. 

When  a  man  passes  on  the  highway  of 
life  others  who  perhaps  started  out  ahead 
of  him  surrounded  by  more  advantageous 
circumstances,  it  is  always  interest- 
ing to  examine  into  his  career  and  note 
the  causes  of  his  advancement  and  suc- 
cess. Mr.  Kropp  is  one  whose  life  rec- 
ord has  been  characterized  by  many  good 
business  traits  that  have  resulted  in  his 
winning  a  place  among  the  substantial 
residents  of  Hancock  county,  where  he 
now  owns  valuable  farming  property, 
situated  in  Walker  township.  He 
was  born  in  Germany  in  1831,  a 
son  of  Peter  and  Elizabeth  (Carman) 
Kropp,  who  were  likewise  natives 
of  that  country,  in  which  they  spent 
tives  of  that  county,  in  which  they  spent 
their  entire  lives.  Of  their  family  of  nine 
children  Adam  Kropp  is  the  only  one  now- 
living.  The  days  of  his  boyhood  and 
youth  were  passed  in  his  native  country 
and  when  twenty-two  years  of  age  he 
came  to  America,  the  voyage  consuming 
twenty-eight  days.  A  colony  of  three 
hundred  people  made  the  trip  at  the  same 
time.  Locating  in  Pennsylvania,  Mr. 
Kropp  remained  for  two  years,  after 
which  he  removed  to  Missouri  and  then 
came  to  Hancock  county,  Illinois,  where 
he  worked  as  a  farm  hand  bv  the  month. 


In  1862  Mr.  Kropp  was  married  to 
Mrs.  Annie  Catherine  Staff  (nee  Cress), 
who  was  born  in  Germany,  November  16, 
1835.  Her  parents  coming  to  America, 
settled  on  a  farm  in  Hancock  county,  but 
both  are  now  deceased.  Their  family 
numbered  six  children,  of  whom  four  are 
now  living:  John,  a  resident  farmer  of 
Walker  township ;  Mrs.  Kropp,  deceased ; 
Elizabeth,  the  wife  of  Lewis  Keiner,  of 
Walker  township;  and  another  John,  who 
died  in  Nebraska ;  Catherine,  the  wife  of 
Leonard  Egley,  living  in  Warsaw,  Illinois ; 
and  Caroline,  the  wife  of  Fred  Beeler, 
of  Walker  township.  Mrs.  Kropp's  first 
husband  was  Nicholas  Cress,  a  native  of 
Germany,  who  died  in  Warsaw,  Illinois, 
in  the  latter  part  of  the  '505.  There  were 
three  children  by  that  marriage,  of  whom 
one  is  now  living,  Caroline,  the  wife  of 
Lewis  Brackensick,  who  lives  in  Adams 
county,  Illinois,  and  has  four  children, 
Annie,  Lewis,  Irma  and  Albert,  who  are 
with  their  parents  on  a  farm.  Mrs. 
Kropp  had  two  brothers,  both  named 
John,  who  were  soldiers  in  the  Civil  war 
and  served  until  its  close.  One  of  them 
was  called  big  John  and  the  other  little 
John. 

After  his  marriage  Mr.  Kropp  pur- 
chased ninety-five  acres  of  good  land  on 
section  29,  Walker  township,  and  the 
young  couple  began  their  domestic  life 
in  a  log  cabin  there.  He  afterward  re- 
placed the  primitive  home  by  a  frame 
residence,  which  later  was  destroyed  by 
fire,  and  he  then  built  his  present  dwell- 
ing. In  addition  to  his  farm  he  likewise 
owns  twenty-seven  town  lots  in  Tioga. 
He  carried  on  general  farming  and  stock- 
raising  and  his  business  was  carefully 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


281 


conducted,  being  therefore  a  source  of 
gratifying  income.  He  was  drafted  for 
service  in  the  Civil  war  but  hired  a  sub- 
stitute and  remained  at  home,  concentrat- 
ing his  energies  upon  his  business  inter- 
ests. He  came  to  America  on  borrowed 
money  and  while  in  Pennsylvania,  as  the 
result  of  industry  and  frugality,  paid  off 
the  debt.  He  has  since  been  a  hard  work- 
ing man  and  his  earnest  toil  and  perse- 
verance, together  with  the  assistance  of 
his  estimable  wife,  brought  him  a  goodly 
competence  and  he  is  now  comfortably 
situated.  His  land  is  rented  and  he  prac- 
tically lives  retired  from  active  business, 
enjoying  a  well  merited  rest. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kropp  were  born 
four  children,  all  natives  of  Walker  town- 
ship, namely :  Henry,  a  farmer  of  Rocky 
Run  township,  who  married  Anna  Keith 
and  has  four  children,  Winnard,  Leoline, 
Carlton  and  Eugene;  John,  a  farmer  of 
Walker  township,  who  wedded  Louisa 
Kunz,  and  has  five  children,  Ursula,  Wil- 
lis, Eva,  Esther  and  Edith ;  Elizabeth, 
who  is  keeping  house  for  her  father ;  and 
Annie,  the  wife  of  Rev.  P.  Ott,  of  Calu- 
met, Iowa,  by  whom  she  has  one  daugh- 
ter, 'Lizzie.  The  children  were  all  edu- 
cated in  the  district  schools.  In  1890  the 
family  was  called  upon  to  mourn  the  loss 
of  wife  and  mother,  for  Mrs.  Kropp 
passed  away  in  January  of  that  year, 
amid  the  deep  regret  of  many  friends  as 
well  as  her  immediate  family.  She  was  a 
member  of  the  German  church  at  Tioga, 
and  was  laid  to  rest  in  the  Tioga  ceme- 
tery. Mr.  Kropp  is  also  a  member  of  the 
same  church  and  his  political  allegiance 
is  given  to  the  Republican  party.  He  has 
justly  won  the  broad  American  title  of 


a  self-made  man.  He  recognized  the  fact 
that  in  America  labor  is  king  and  he  paid 
his  allegiance  to  that  sovereign.  Work- 
ing persistently  year  after  year  he  has 
steadily  advanced  toward  the  goal  of 
prosperity  and  is  now  accounted  one  of 
the  substantial  residents  of  Walker 
township. 


JAMES  W.  BOLINGER. 

Among  the  retired  farmers  who  now 
make  their  home  in  Disco  but  who  in  for- 
mer years  were  actively  identified  with  the 
agricultural  development  of  Hancock 
county  is  numbered  James  W.  Bolinger, 
whose  birth  occurred  in  Monroe  county, 
West  Virginia,  July  i,  1838.  When  only 
about  four  years  of  age  his  parents,  Philip 
and  Mary  Bolinger,  drove  with  team  and 
wagon  from  West  Virginia  to  Meigs 
county,  Ohio,  where  the  father  engaged 
in  farming  for  about  ten  years,  and  then 
continued  his  journey  by  wagon  to  Ed- 
gar county,  Illinois,  where  he  continued 
his  farming  operations  for  several  years 
and  then  removed  to  this  county,  where 
he  followed  the  pursuits  which  had  been 
his  occupation  through  many  long  years. 
During  their  later  years,  however,  they 
resided  for  a  time  in  the  eastern  part  of 
this  state,  but  at  the  time  of  their  demise 
were  making  their  home  with  our  sub- 
ject. The  father  passed  away  in  1872, 
while  the  wife  survived  for  only  about 
two  years,  being  called  to  her  final  rest 
in  1874. 

James  W.  Bolinger  is  the  fourth  in  or- 


282 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


der  of  birth  in  a  family  of  eight  daughters 
and  two  sons,  of  whom  only  three  sur- 
vive, the  sisters  being  Elizabeth,  the  wife 
of  John  Taylor,  of  Hamilton,  Illinois, 
and  Sarah,  the  wife  of  John  Redford,  a 
resident  of  Terre  Haute,  Indiana.  Mr. 
Bolinger  acquired  a  common  school  edu- 
cation, but  his  advantages  in  this  direc- 
tion were  somewhat  limited.  He  has, 
however,  in  later  years  added  much  to  his 
knowledge  by  reading  and  investigation. 
He  remained  under  the  parental  roof  un- 
til twenty-five  years  of  age,  assisting  in 
the  development  of  the  home  farm,  when, 
on  the  1 4th  of  January,  1867,  he  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mariette  Zer- 
by,  whose  birth  occurred  on  the  farm 
which  is  still  her  home.  Her  parents 
were  Daniel  and  Mary  Zerby. 

Following  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Bolinger  took  up  their  abode  on  the  farm 
which  belonged  to  his  father-in-law,  and 
which  constituted  one  hundred  and  twelve 
acres  situated  on  section  6,  La  Harpe 
township.  The  land  was  unimproved 
and  the  only  building  upon  the  place  was 
a  small  house,  but  our  subject  at  once  set 
to  work  to  clear  the  land  and  cultivate 
the  fields,  and  in  due  course  of  time  he 
gathered  rich  crops.  The  property  is 
now  well  improved,  the  fields  being  di- 
vided by  woven  wire  fences,  and  there  are 
likewise  many  substantial  outbuildings 
for  the  shelter  of  grain  and  stock.  In 
1891  the  original  home  of  the  family  was 
replaced  by  a  modern  frame  residence 
and  altogether  the  place  is  one  of  the  at- 
tractive country  homes  in  this  section  of 
the  state.  He  also  set  out  an  orchard, 
containing  apple,  peach  and  plum  trees, 
and  grapes  are  also  found  upon  the  place. 


Mr.  Bolinger  continued  to  improve  and 
cultivate  his  farm  until  1903,  when,  feel- 
ing that  his  labors  in  former  years  now 
justified  his  retirement  from  the  more  ar- 
duous duties  of  life,  he  purchased  two  lots 
in  the  village  of  Disco,  on  which  he 
erected  a  good  frame  residence,  contain- 
ing eight  rooms  and  supplied  with  all 
modern  conveniences  and  accessories  and 
here  he  and  his  wife  are  now  living  in 
honorable  retirement,  the  farm  being  con- 
ducted by  his  son-in-law,  Allen  St.  Clair. 
In  the  family  of  this  worthy  couple  are 
three  children :  James-  W.,  a  telegraph 
operator,  being  stationed  at  Wilburton,  In- 
dian Territory ;  Minnie,  the  wife  of  Cyrus 
Rice,  a  resident  of  Durham  township; 
and  Emma,  the  wife  of  Allen  St.  Clair, 
residing  on  the  homestead  farm.  In  his 
political  views  Mr.  Bolinger  is  a  stalwart 
democrat  but  has  never  been  active  in  the 
work  of  the  party.  He  holds  membership 
in  the  Methodist  Protestant  church  at 
Disco,  in  the  work  of  which  he  is  a  help- 
ful and  interested  factor.  Starting  out  in 
life  a  poor  man,  he  has  worked  diligently 
and  persistently  to  acquire  a  competence 
that  now  enables  him  to  rest  from  further 
labor  and  he  and  his  wife  are  companion- 
able people,  highly  esteemed  in  the  com- 
munity where  they  have  lived  and  labored 
throughout  the  greater  part  of  their  lives. 


JOHN  B.  HASTINGS. 

John  B.  Hastings,  who  is  the  owner  of 
valuable  farming  and  stock  raising  inter- 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


283 


ests  in  Hancock  county  and  moreover  has 
extensive  landed  possessions  in  the  west, 
owning  and  conducting  a  very  large  stock 
ranch  in  Kearney  county,  Nebraska,  is  a 
native  son  of  Illinois,  his  birth  having  oc- 
curred in  Adams  county  on  the  3Oth  of 
December,  1842.  His  parents  were  Sam- 
uel R.  and  Martha  A.  (Anderson)  Hast- 
ings, natives  of  Kentucky  and  Maryland 
respectively.  The  father  was  a7  son  of 
Benjamin  and  Rachel  (Hitch)  Hastings, 
also  natives  of  Maryland,  and  the  mother 
was  a  daughter  of  John  and  Elizabeth 
(Guerrant)  Anderson,  who  were  natives 
of  Virginia,  while  the  great-grandfather, 
James  Anderson,  was  also  born  in  the 
Old  Dominion.  In  the  year  1837  Benja- 
min Hastings  became  a  resident  of 
Quincy,  Illinois,  and  John  Anderson  had 
previously  located  in  Adams  county  in 
1835.  entering  land  within  two  miles  of 
the  present  site  of  the  city  of  Quincy.  He 
became  the  owner  of  an  extensive  and 
valuable  tract  of  six  hundred  and  forty 
acres,  while  Mr.  Hastings  owned  the 
northeast  quarter  of  section  22,  Melrose 
township.  He  died  in  the  year  1839, 
while  John  Anderson  survived  until  1885. 
The  son  of  the  former  and  the  daughter 
of  the  latter  were  married  in  Adams 
county  and  Samuel  R.  Hastings  became 
the  owner  of  two  hundred  acres  of  land 
on  section  22,  Melrose  township,  which 
was  unimproved.  He  transformed  it  into 
a  richly  cultivated  tract  and  put  up  a 
number  of  buildings  thereon.  It  was  tim- 
ber land  when  it  came  into  his  possession, 
but  he  cleared  away  the  trees  and  brush 
and  while  thus  engaged  he  cultivated 
land,  which  he  rented.  He  continued  to 
rent  a  farm  for  about  five  years,  at  the 


end  of  which  time  he  removed  to  his 
home  place.  In  1868  he  bought  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  acres  of  the  southeast 
quarter  of  section  15,  Montebello  town- 
ship, Hancock  county.  This  was  im- 
proved prairie  land  and  he  also  invested 
in  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Marion 
county,  Missouri,  near  Palmyra,  and  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres  near  Kingston, 
Caldwell  county,  Missouri.  •  He  resided 
upon  the  home  place  until  he  had  a  stroke 
of  paralysis  in  the  spring  of  1903.  Los- 
ing the  use  of  his  vocal  organs  thereby, 
he  has  since  lived  with  his  son,  John  B. 
Hastings,  and  on  the  3d  of  October,  1906. 
he  will  have  reached  the  age  of  eighty-six 
years.  Earnest,  persistent  labor  consti- 
tutes the  strong  element  in  the  success 
which  he  has  enjoyed  as  the  years  have 
gone  by  and  as  the  result  of  diligence  and 
perseverance  he  became  the  owner  of  val- 
uable farming  property. 

John  B.  Hastings  is  the  eldest  of  a  fam- 
ily of  five  sons  and  two  daughters,  of 
whom  three  sons  and  one  daughter  are 
yet  living.  He  made  his  home  with  his 
father  on  the  old  farm  until  twenty-two 
years  of  age  and  acquired  his  education 
in  the  public  schools.  On  the  i6th  of 
January,  1865,  he  was  married  to  Miss 
Martha  E.  Watson,  who  was  born  near 
Quincy  on  the  i6th  of  December,  1845, 
her  parents  being  Benjamin  and  Maria 
(Tyrer)  Watson,  natives  of  Kentucky, 
in  which  state  also  lived  her  grandfather, 
James  Tyrer.  Mrs.  Hastings  was  edu- 
cated in  the  public  schools  of  Quincy.  For 
two  and  a  half  years  after  their  marriage 
they  resided  upon  the  old  Hastings  farm 
and  at  the  end  of  that  time  Mr.  Hastings 
fitted  up  a  freight  train  for  the  govern- 


284 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REl'IEU* 


ment  to  be  used  from  the  Missouri  river 
west  to  designated  points.  He  was  in 
Denver,  Colorado,  on  the  i6th  of  June, 
1866,  at  which  time  a  public  celebration 
was  held  because  of  the  turning  on  of  the 
first  irrigation  water.  For  two  years  Mr. 
Hastings  engaged  in  freighting  in  the 
west,  after  which  he  spent  the  succeeding 
year  upon  the  old  home  place  and  in  the 
fall  of  1868  he  came  to  the  farm  which 
his  father  had  purchased  in  Montebello 
township  and  which  was  given  to  John  B. 
Hastings  and  his  brother,  Green  B.  Hast- 
ings, who  have  always  been  equal  part- 
ners in  their  business  dealings.  They  se- 
cured the  home  place  of  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  and  have  added  to  it  until 
they  now  own  four  hundred  acres  on  sec- 
tions 14  and  15,  Montebello  township. 
They  own  three  hundred  and  sixty  acres 
of  improved  land  in  Faulkner  township, 
Clark  county,  Missouri,  which  is  used 
as  a  stock  farm,  and  in  1887  they  began 
the  importation  of  horses  from  England, 
France  and  Belgium,  devoting  their  at- 
tention to  the  raising  of  three  breeds. 
They  at  first  lx»ught  twelve  head  and 
since  that  time  have  made  two  other  ship- 
ments, one  of  thirty-two  head  and  the 
other  of  thirty-eight  head.  They  contin- 
ued in  business  until  1893,  when  they  re- 
tired from  the  field  as  importers.  They 
now  raise  draft  horses  and  have  one  stal- 
lion for  service  of  the  Percheron  breed 
upon  the  home  place,  and  one  Belgium 
stallion  on  the  Missouri  farm.  They  rais; 
from  ten  to  twelve  head  of  draft  horses 
each  year  and  they  raise  short-horn  cat- 
tle, Poland-China  hogs  and  Shropshire 
sheep.  Their  place  in  Hancock  county 
is  called  the  Montebello  Stock  Farm.  In 


addition  to  this  property  they  also  own 
twelve  hundred  acres  of  land  in  Kearney 
county,  Nebraska,  which  is  used  as  a 
stock  farm  for  the  raising  of  cattle,  horses 
and  hogs.  They  also  have  five  hundred 
acres  of  plowed  land  devoted  to  the  rais- 
ing of  wheat,  corn,  oats  and  alfalfa. 

Unto  Mr.  Hastings  and  his  first  wife 
were  born  four  children :  Emily  J.,  who 
died  at  tffe  age  of  twenty-one  years ;  Sam- 
uel R.,  at  the  age  of  twenty-four;  Cora 
E.,  at  the  age  of  twenty-three;  and  An- 
drew L.,  at  the  age  of  twenty-five;  while 
the  wife  and  mother  passed  away  in  No- 
vember, 1877.  On  the  8th  of  June,  1899, 
Mr.  Hastings  was  again  married,  his  sec- 
ond union  being  with  Iva  Simmonds,  who 
was  born  in  Adair  county,  Missouri,  July 
15.  1875.  and  is  a  daughter  of  John  S. 
and  Mary  (McConnell)  Simmonds,  na- 
tives of  Illinois  and  Missouri  respective- 
ly. Her  grandparents  were  Squire  and 
Martha  A.  (Cox)  Simmonds,  natives  of 
Indiana,  while  the  maternal  grandparents 
were  Asa  and  Martha  V.  (Peusa)  Mc- 
Connell, the  former  a  native  of  Missouri 
and  the  latter  of  France.  Their  children 
are:  Lessie  E.,  born  March  15,  1900: 
Mary  E.,  November  17,  1901;  Green. 
June  4,  1903 ;  and  John,  September  4. 
1905,  the  two  sons  being  named  for  the' 
father  and  the  uncle,  who  have  long  been 
partners  in  business. 

Mr.  Hastings  of  this  review  votes  with 
the  democracy  and  has  held  the  office  of 
road  commissioner  in  his  township,  but 
is  not  active  as  a  politician,  preferring  to 
leave  office  seeking  to  others,  while  he 
concentrates  his  energies  upon  his  busi- 
ness affairs.  Both  brothers  are  recog- 
nized as  men  of  excellent  business  enter- 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


285 


prise  and  capacity,  straightforward  in 
their  dealings  and  quickly  recognizing 
good  business  opportunities  and  ad- 
vantages. 


CLINTON  CUTLER. 

Clinton  Cutler,  living  retired  in  Car- 
thage after  many  years'  connection  with 
agricultural  interests,  lias  now  passed  the 
eighty-first  milestone  on  life's  journey,  his 
birth  having  occurred  in  Erie  county, 
New  York,  September  9,  1825.  There 
he  lived  until  twelve  years  of  age,  his 
youth  being  largely  passed  in  attendance 
at  the  public  schools.  His  parents  were 
Jonas  P.  and  Martha  (Jones)  Cutler, 
both  natives  of  Vermont,  where  they 
lived  until  after  their  marriage.  They 
then  removed  to  Erie  county,  New  York, 
and  the  father  served  as  a  justice  of  the 
peace  in  the  town  of  Holland.  He  also 
engaged  in  farming  there  for  a  number  of 
years,  or  until  his  removal  to  the  middle 
west  about  1837,  in  which  year  he  lo- 
cated in  Fulton  county,  Illinois,  where  he 
devoted  his  time  and  energies  to  farming 
until  1851.  He  then  came  to  Hancock 
county,  settling  in  Pilot  Grove  township, 
where  he  purchased  a  tract  of  land,  on 
which  he  carried  on  general  farming  until 
his  death  when  he  was  sixty-eight  years 
of  age.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Mis- 
sionary Baptist  church  and  a  man  whose 
entire  life  was  characterized  by  the  most 
honorable  principles  and  manly  conduct. 
His  political  allegiance  was  given  to  the 
democracy.  For  many  years  Mrs.  Cut- 


ler survived  her  husband  and  passed  away 
in  Winterset,  Iowa,  at  the  advanced  age 
of  ninety-one.  She  was  the  mother  of 
eleven  children,  nine  of  whom  still  sur- 
vive. 

Clinton  Cutler,  whose  name  intro- 
duces this  review,  was  a  youth  of  twelve 
summers  when  he  accompanied  his  par- 
ents on  their  removal  from  the  Empire 
state  to  Illinois.  He  attended  the  public 
schools  of  Fulton  county  and  through 
the  periods  of  vacation  assisted  his  fa- 
ther in  the  farm  work,  remaining  with 
his  .parents  until  after  their  removal  to 
Hancock  county  in  1851.  Subsequently 
he  lived  in  Pilot  Grove  township,  where 
he  purchased  one  hundred  and  six  acres 
of  land,  making  his  home  thereon  for  a 
number  of  years  or  until  after  the  death 
of  his  first  wife.  He  later  purchased 
land  in  several  different  townships  of 
this  county  and  successfully  carried  on 
farming  until  1903,  when  he  took  up  his 
abode  in  the  city  of  Carthage,  where  he 
has  since  lived  retired,  enjoying  in  well 
earned  rest  the  fruits  of  his  former  toil. 
His  property  he  has  divided  among  his 
first  children  and  he  now  occupies  a 
pleasant  home  in  Carthage  owned  by 
Mrs.  Cutler. 

Mr.  Cutler  has  been  married  twice.  He 
first  wedded  Miss  Mary  Ann  Christ,  who 
was  born  in  Pennsylvania  and  became 
the  mother  of  six  children.  Charles  H., 
the  eldest,  now  a  resident  of  Des  Moines, 
Iowa,  married  Sarah  Walker,  who  died 
leaving  a  large  family :  Benjamin,  a 
farmer  of  Winfield,  Kansas,  died  at  the 
age  of  forty  years ;  Caleb  is  residing  in 
Centerville,  Iowa ;  Joel  S.  makes  his  home 
in  Chicago;  John  A.  died  in  infancy;  and 


286 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


Laura  is  the  wife  of  John  Lawton,  a 
blacksmith  of  Carthage,  by  whom  she 
has  five  children.  For  his  second  wife 
Mr.  Cutler  chose  Mrs.  Nancy  A.  Booth, 
the  widow  of  John  N.  Booth,  a  farmer 
who  resided  in  Carthage  township.  He 
was  born  in  Kentucky  and  in  his  boyhood 
days  came  with  his  parents  to  Hancock 
county.  At  the  time  of  his  death  he  was 
the  owner  of  two  hundred  and  thirty- 
five  acres  of  valuable  farming  land,  which 
constituted  the  visible  evidence  of  a  life 
of  thrift  and  enterprise,  and  through  the 
kindness  and  liberality  of  his  father-in- 
law,  John  Booth,  she  received  the  deed 
of  this  farm.  In  politics  he  was  a  demo- 
crat. Unto  him  and  his  wife  were  born 
three  children,  Amanda  M.,  Eddie  and 
John  E.,  all  of  whom  were  born  in  Car- 
thage township  but  are  all  now  deceased. 
Mr.  Booth  was  forty-two  years  of  age  at 
the  time  of  his  demise.  Mrs.  Cutler  was 
educated  in  the  common  schools  of  Car- 
thage township.  •  She  was  a  daughter  of 
Edward  and  Mahala  White  (Collins) 
Russell.  Her  father  was  born  in  Mary- 
land and  there  resided  until  after  his  mar- 
riage. A  farmer  by  occupation,  he  fol- 
lowed that  pursuit  in  the  south  and  in 
1838  came  to  Illinois,  settling  in  Car- 
thage township,  Hancock  county,  where 
he  became  the  owner  of  extensive  prop- 
erty interests  and  carried  on  general  ag- 
ricultural pursuits  there  throughout  his 
remaining  days.  He  died  at  the  age  of 
sixty-eight  years  in  the  faith  of  the 
United  Brethren  church,  of  which  he  was 
a  devoted  member.  His  political  views 
accorded  with  the  principles  of  the  Re- 
publican party.  His  wife  lived  to  the 
advanced  age  of  ninety-five  years  and, 


having  passed  away  on  the  25th  of  De- 
cember, 1899,  was  laid  to  rest  by  his  side 
in  Franklin  cemetery  of  Carthage  town- 
ship. Unto  the  second  marriage  of  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Cutler  have  been  born  six  chil- 
dren, of  whom  five  are  yet  living.  Clara 
Josephine,  the  eldest,  is  the  wife  of  Sam- 
uel Law,  of  Carthage,  and  they  have  one 
child.  .  DeWitt  Clinton,  residing  in 
Carthage  township,  married  Olive  Rhor- 
bough  and  they  have  two  children,  Clara 
Ethel  and  Edith,  the  latter  a  music  teach- 
er residing  at  home.  Edward  P.,  living 
in  Carthage  township,  where  he  owns 
and  operates  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres 
of  land,  was  married  to  Nellie  Haney  and 
they  have  two  children,  Harrison  H.  and 
George  C.  Frank  Clarence,  residing  in 
Carthage  township,  where  he  owns  a 
farm  of  eighty  acres,  married  Matilda 
Huey,  a  daughter  of  Robert  Huey,  and 
they  have  two  children,  Paul  and  Leotta. 
Ralph  Cyrus,  residing  on  the  home  place, 
which  he  now  owns,  married  Daisy  Reno, 
a  daughter  of  Newton  and  Leonora  Reno, 
of  Carthage  township,  and  they  have  two 
children,  Kenneth  and  Mildred.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Cutler  are  most  highlv  esteemed 
people,  widely  and  favorably  known  in 
Carthage,  and  during  the  long  years  of 
his  residence  in  Illinois,  covering  almost ' 
six  decades,  Mr.  Cutler  has  ever  com- 
manded the  respect  and  good  will  of  those 
with  whom  he  has  been  associated 
through  social,  political  or  business  rela- 
tions. He  well  merits  the  ease  and  re- 
tirement he  now  enjoys.  Mrs.  Cutler 
from  her  father  and  husband  received  a 
good  estate  and  has  arranged  for  the  suc- 
cess of  her  sons  by  aiding  each  to  get  a 
start  in  the  business  world. 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


287 


FREDERICK  MAIRE. 

Frederick  Maire,  who  for  a  number  of 
years  was  a  traveling  salesman  for  a 
paint  house  but  is  now  living  retired  in 
Hamilton,  was  bom  in  Alsace,  France, 
December  31,  1844.  The  ancestry  of  the 
family  can  be  traced  back  through  au- 
thentic records  to  a  date  prior  to  1700. 
The  great-grandfather  was  Theodore 
Maire  and  the  grandfather  Francis  Maire. 
The  latter  was  a  captain  in  the  French 
army  and  served  under  Napoleon.  His 
son,  Alexander  Maire,  also  a  native  of 
France,  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  Ann 
Lorentz,  a  daughter  of  Ignatius  Lorentz, 
who  was  sergeant  major  in  the  command 
of  the  Prince  of  Conde  in  the  army  which 
opposed  Napoleon.  Alexander  Maire,  a 
man  of  broad  and  liberal  education  and 
strong  mentality,  served  as  professor  of 
ancient  languages  in  the  university  of 
France.  In  1856  he  came  to  America 
with  his  wife  and  their  only  child  Freder- 
ick, arriving  in  New  York,  whence  he 
went  to  Rochester,  spending  one  term  as 
a  teacher  in  a  seminary  for  young  ladies. 
He  afterward  removed  to  Basco,  Han- 
cock county,  Illinois,  where  he  purchased 
two  hundred  and  fifty  acres  of  land  as  an 
investment.  He  rented  the  farm,  how- 
ever, and  made  his  home  in  the  town, 
where  he  conducted  a  general  store  for 
several  years.  In  1868,  however,  he  sold 
all  of  his  interests  in  Hancock  county  and 
removed  to  York  county,  Virginia,  where 
he  was  engaged  in  the  oyster  business  and 
in  the  conduct  of  a  general  store  for  three 
years.  On  the  expiration  of  that  period 
he  disposed  of  his  interests  in  the  south 
and  removed  to  New  York  city,  where  he 


purchased  a  book  store  on  Ann  street,  con- 
ducting his  business  in  the  metropolis  and 
making  his  home  across  the  river  in  New- 
ark, New. Jersey.  He  continued  a  resi- 
dent of  New  York  until  1880,  when  he 
returned  to  France,  where  he  died  in 
1893,  while  his  wife  passed  away  in  1891. 

Frederick  Maire  pursued  his  prelimi- 
nary education  under  private  tutors  and 
spent  three  years  as  a  college  student.  He 
was  associated  with  his  father  until  1872, 
when  at  the  age  of  twenty-eight  years  he 
secured  a  position  as  decorative  painter, 
which  trade  he  had  learned  in  France.  He 
was  thus  engaged  until  1880  in  New  York 
city  and  from  1886  until  1888  was  ed- 
itor of  a  magazine  called  the  House 
Painter  and  Decorator,  which  was  pub- 
lished in  Philadelphia.  He  has  also  writ- 
ten several  books  on  painting  and  he  is 
certainly  an  expert  in  the  art  of  decora- 
tive painting.  In  1880  he  went  to  Basco, 
where  he  remained  until  1883,  when  he 
removed  to  Hamilton  and  purchased  two 
acres  of  land  just  north  of  the  cemetery. 
In  1888  he  bought  eleven  acres  on  the 
bank  of  the  Mississippi  river  just  north 
of  the  city,  there  residing  for  three  years, 
during  which  time  he  was  employed  by 
Harrison  Brothers  &  Company,  of  Chi- 
cago, as  a  traveling  salesman  for  paint 
and  also  as  an  expert  on  paint.  He  con- 
tinued with  that  house  for  eleven  years, 
being  one  of  its  most  efficient  and  trusted 
representatives,  but  in  1899  he  severed 
his  connection  with  Harrison  Brothers  & 
Company  and  has  since  been  living  re- 
tired with  his  family  in  Hamilton.  He  is 
one  of  the  finest  artists  in  the  county  and 
some  of  his  work  has  won  high  praise. 

On  the  24th  of  May,  1864,  Mr.  Maire 


288 


BIOGRAPHICAL  RE}' IE}}' 


was  married  to  Miss  Hannah  Fisher,  who 
was  born  in  Rockville,  Indiana,  a  daugh- 
ter of  Samuel  and  Elizabeth  (Cox)  Fish- 
er, natives  of  Ohio.  They  came  to  Han- 
cock county  in  1856  and  Mr.  Fisher  gave 
his  attention  to  general  agricultural  pur- 
suits. Mr.  and  Mrs.  Maire  were  married 
in  Alexandria,  Missouri,  and  unto  them 
have  been  born  the  following  named : 
Marie,  the  wife  of  Cyprien  Bedouin,  a 
captain  of  the  French  army;  Renee,  the 
wife  of  J.  V.  Crum,  a  merchant  of  Ham- 
ilton ;  Elizabeth,  who  is  the  widow  of  Eu- 
gene Droussent,  of  Hamilton;  Theresa, 
the  wife  of  Henry  Cuerden,  a  merchant 
of  Hamilton ;  Annette,  at  home ;  Paul  M., 
who  owns  a  farm  in  Montebello  town- 
ship ;  and  a  son  and  daughter,  Samuel  A. 
and  Louise,  now  deceased. 

Mr.  Maire  is  a  Catholic  in  religious 
faith,  while  his  political  allegiance  is 
given  to  the  Republican  party.  While 
living  in  Virginia  he  served  as  township 
clerk.  He  gave  his  attention  to  his  busi- 
ness interests  for  a  number  of  years 
and  with  a  desirable  capital  retired  to 
private  life  to  enjoy  a  well-earned  rest. 
He  devotes  considerable  time  and  atten- 
tion to  artistic  work  and  his  excellent 
conception  of  artistic  subjects,  his  fine 
shading  and  color  have  made  him  an  artist 
of  more  than  local  fame. 


HARRY  R.  FOLCKEMER.  M.  D. 

Dr.  Harry  R.  Folckemer,  who  though 
a  young  man   has   attained   success   and 


prominence  in  his  profession  that  many 
an  older  practitioner  might  well  envy,  is 
now  located  in  Dallas  City,  where  al- 
ready a  liberal  patronage  has  been  accord- 
ed him.  He  was  born  in  Camp  Point, 
Illinois,  in  1880,  his  parents  being  Henry 
and  Ellen  (Craver)  Folckemer.  Some 
of  his  ancestors  were  in  the  war  of  1812 
and  his  great-great-grandfather  on  the 
mother's  side  served  as  a  major  in  the 
second  war  with  England.  The  father. 
Henry  Folckemer,  was  born  in  Shrews- 
bury, York  county,  Pennsylvania,  in 
1836,  while  his  wife's  birth  occurred  in 
Lewisburg,  Pennsylvania,  in  1845.  H-e 
learned  the  tinner's  trade  in  his  native 
town  and  came  to  Illinois  in  1866,  set- 
tling at  Camp  Point,  where  he  established 
a  hardware  store,  which  he  is  still  con- 
ducting. During  the  period  of  the  Civil 
war  he  served  in  the-  Fifty-first  Pennsyl- 
vania Volunteer  Infantry  and  was  in  the 
army  of  the  Potomac  under  General  Mc- 
Clellan,  participating  in  the  battle  of  An-, 
tietam.  He  served  for  one  year,  after 
which  he  returned  home  and  has  since 
1866  been  connected  with  the  hardware 
trade  of  Camp  Point.  In  politics  lie  is 
an  unfaltering  advocate  of  the  democracy 
and  has  held  a  number  of  local  offices, 
serving  for  several  terms  as  alderman 
and  in  other  positions  of  public  trust. 
Fraternally  he  is  connected  with  the  Odd 
Fellows  and  with  the  Knights  of  Pythias 
and  he  attends  the  services  of  the  Meth- 
odist church,  of  which  his  wife  is  a  mem- 
ber. In  their  family  are  three  living  chil- 
dren ;  Paul  M.,  who  is  in  business  with  his 
father;  Harry  R.,  of  this  review;  and 
Richard,  who  is  in  Indian  Territory. 
Dr.  Harry  R.  Folckemer  acquired  his 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


289 


early  education  at  Camp  Point  and  passed 
through  successive  grades  until  he  was 
graduated  from  the  high  school.  Later 
he  attended  the  University  of  Illinois  at 
Champaign  for  two  years  and  acquired 
his  professional  education  in  Chicago  as 
a  student  in  the  College  of  Physicians  and 
Surgeons,  from  which  he  was  graduated 
in  the  class  of  1905.  In  the  same  year  he 
came  to  Dallas  City,  where  already  he 
has  obtained  a  large  city  and  country 
practice.  He  is  a  regular  physician,  thor- 
oughly proficient  in  his  profession  and  is 
constantly  adding  to  his  knowledge  by 
reading  and  observation  as  well  as  by 
practical  experience.  He  has  a  well 
equipped  office  on  Third  street  in  connec- 
tion with  his  home  and  has  done  excellent 
work  as  a  representative  of  the  profes- 
sion. Like  his  father  he  gives  his  polit- 
ical allegiance  to  the  democracy.  He  is 
also  a  member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias 
fraternity  and  of  the  Masonic  lodge,  and 
of  the  Hancock  County  Medical  Society 
and  the  American  Medical  Association. 
A  young  man  of  strong  intellectual  force 
and  laudable  ambition,  he  is  wide-awake 
and  enterprising  and  it  needs  no  gift  of 
prophecy  to  foretell  that  a  successful  fu- 
ture awaits  him. 


JOSEPH  F.  DEITRICH. 

Joseph  F.  Deitrich,  deceased,  was  an 
indusrious,  enterprising  and  representa- 
tive citizen  of  Hancock  county.  He  be- 
came a  resident  of  Illinois  in  1865  and 


of  this  county  in  1867.  He  was  born  in 
Northumberland  county,  Pennsylvania, 
September  14,  1826,  and  passed  away  on 
the  i8th  of  December,  1901,  at  the  age  of 
seventy-five  years.  His  parents,  Joseph 
and  Rosana  (Fullmer)  Deitrich,  lived  and 
died  in  Pennsylvania,  where  the  father 
was  a  successful  farmer.  Unto  him  and 
his  wife  were  born  ten  children,  but  only 
two  are  now  living:  Daniel,  who  resides 
in  Williamsport,  Pennsylvania;  and 
Sarah,  the  wife  of  John  Kaiser,  of  Mil- 
ton, Pennsylvania. 

Joseph  F.  Deitrich  was  educated  in 
the  subscription  schools  of  his  native  state 
and  was  reared  to  farm  life,  remaining 
at  home  with  his  father  until  twenty-six 
years  of  age.  He  was  then  married  on 
the  1st  of  January,  1852,  to  Miss  Sarah 
A.  Benner  and  they  have  become  the  par- 
ents of  five  children,  of  whom  three  are 
now  living :  Mary,  the  wife  of  Ludwig 
H.  Foresman,  of  Dallas  City;  Ellen,  the 
wife  of  George  M.  Cummings,  who  is 
mentioned  elsewhere  in  this  work;  and 
Hettie,  the  wife  of  Walter  Cummings,  of 
Los  Angeles,  California.  The  wife  and 
mother  died  February  21,  1862,  and  on 
the  1 5th  of  May,  1864.  Mr.  Deitrich  was 
married  to  Miss  Sarah  E.  Wolf,  who  was 
born  in  Northampton  county,  Pennsyl- 
vania. December  28,  1845,  a  daughter  of 
Joseph  and  Mary  Magdalena  (Beck) 
Wolf,  who  were  natives  of  Pennsylvania. 
Her  great-grandparents  in  the  maternal 
line  came  from  Germany.  Her  father 
was  a  shoemaker  by  trade  and  thus  pro- 
vided for  the  support  of  his  family.  Both 
he  and  his  wife  were  members  of  the 
Lutheran  church  and  passed  away  in  the 
Keystone  state,  where  they  were  laid  to 


290 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


rest.  Ill  their  family  were  five  children, 
but  only  two  are  now  living:  Joseph, 
who  resides  in  Williamsport,  Pennsyl- 
vania; and  Mrs.  Deitrich.  By  her  mar- 
riage Mrs.  Deitrich  became  the  mother  of 
thirteen  children,  of  whom  six  are  living. 
Etta  A.,  the  wife  of  James  Paulus,  of  Co- 
lusa,  has  eight  children;  Edith,  the  wife 
of  Homer  Matthews,  of  Burnside,  by 
whom  she  has  one  child,  Phineas  Frank- 
lin; Grace,  Joseph  F.,  Clarence  V.,  Vesta, 
Edna,  Irene  and  Ellen  R.,  at  home.  El- 
mira,  the  second  member  of  the  family,  is 
the  wife  of  Warren  H.  Jacobs,  of  Mis- 
souri, and  they  have  two  sons :  Verner 
Lloyd  and  Otis  Cleon.  William,  living 
in  Dallas  township,  is  married  and  has 
one  child.  Susanna,  Grover  C.  and  John 
W.  are  at  home  with  their  mother. 

It  was  in  the  year  1865  that  Mr.  Deit- 
rich came  to  Illinois,  settling  first  in  Mc- 
Donough  county,  where  he  lived  for  two 
years.  He  then  came  to  Dallas  township, 
where  he  purchased  sixty-nine  acres  of 
land  on  section  13.  It  is  upon  this  farm 
that  his  widow  yet  resides.  Here  he  car-- 
ried  on  general  agricultural  pursuits.  He 
built  a  new  house  after  his  cottage  was 
destroyed  by  fire,  also  built  a  new  barn 
and  made  other  needed  improvements. 
He  also  bought  one  hundred  acres  of  land 
across  the  road  from  his  home  on  section 
ii,  .Dallas  township.  He  lived  a  life  of 
industry  and  enterprise  and  was  a  model 
farmer,  keeping  everything  about  his 
place  in  neat  and  thrifty  condition.  In 
matters  of  citizenship,  too,  he  was  also' 
progressive  and  loyal.  He  gave  his  po- 
litical support  to  the  democracy  and  served 
as  supervisor  for  several  years.  No  pub- 
lic tras't  reposed  in  him  was  ever  betrayed 


in  the  slightest  degree.  He  belonged  to 
the  Lutheran  church,  in  which  he  served 
as  deacon  and  of  which  his  wife  is  still  a 
member.  Mr.  Deitrich  was  generous  al- 
most to  a  fault,  being  particularly  kind 
and  helpful  to  the  poor  and  needy.  In  his 
family  he  was  a  devoted  husband  and 
father  and  wherever  he  was  known  he 
was  respected  because  of  those  sterling 
traits  of  character  which  in  every  land 
and  clime  command  respect  and  admira- 
tion. Mrs.  Dietrich  still  survives  her 
husband  and  is  managing  the  home  prop- 
erty. Like  him,  she  has  many  friends  in 
the  county  and  is  well  worthy  of  repre- 
sentation in  this  volume. 


ARTHUR  RAY  MANIFOLD. 

Arthur  Ray  Manifold  is  a  native  son 
of  Hancock  county,  his  birth  having  oc- 
curred in  La  Harpe  township,  August  I, 
1883.  and  is  one  of  the  younger  represent- 
atives of  agricultural  interests  in  this  por- 
tion of  the  state.  His  father,  John  Mani- 
fold, was  born  in  Roane  county,  Tennes- 
see, a  son  of  George  and  Mary  Manifold, 
who,  on  leaving  their  native  state  came 
to  Illinois,  locating  on  a  farm  on  section 
19,  La  Harpe  township,  this  county.  Here 
the  son  John  was  reared  to  farm  life  and 
after  reaching  man's  estate  was  married 
in  1854  to  Miss  Eliza  Ann  Miller,  and  he 
continued  to  reside  on  the  home  place, 
assisting  his  mother  in  the  management 
of  her  farming  interests,  his  father  having 
died  in  1836.  After  the  death  of  his 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


291 


mother  he  inherited  the  homestead  prop- 
erty, to  which  he  added  from  time  to  time 
until  he  possessed  an  extensive  tract,  com- 
prising four  hundred  and  eighty-nine 
acres  all  in  one  body  except  twenty-five 
acres  situated  on  section  19,  La  Harpe 
township.  Here  he  engaged  extensively 
in  general  farming  and  stockraising  until 
his  death,  which  occurred  February  16, 
1901.  By  this  marriage  there  is  one  son, 
William  Edison,  who  is  a  resident  of  this 
township.  The  father  was  married  a  sec- 
ond time  to  Elizabeth  Loretta  Chapin,  the 
widow  of  Henry  Foley,  and  a  daughter  of 
Robert  P.  and  Elizabeth  Chapin.  She 
was  a  native  of  Ohio,  and  by  her  mar- 
riage became  the  mother  of  Arthur  Ray 
Manifold,  the  subject  of  this  sketch.  Her 
death  occurred  November  10,  1900. 

Arthur  Ray  Manifold  acquired  his  edu- 
cation in  the  public  schools,  passing 
through  consecutive  grades  until  he  had 
completed  a  high  school  course,  subse- 
quent to  which  time  he  pursued  a  course 
of  study  in  Gettings  Seminary,  at  La 
Harpe.  He  assisted  his  father  in  the  op- 
eration of  the  home  farm  and  always  re- 
mained with  his  parents,  and  at  their 
death  came  into  possession  of  a  valuable 
farm  property,  which  he  is  now  success- 
fully operating. 

On  the  1 9th  of  October,  1904,  our  sub- 
ject was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Alice 
May  Smith,  who  was  born  at  Raritan, 
Illinois,  but  was  reared  in  Fort  Madison, 
Iowa,  where  she  acquired  her  education, 
there  completing  a  high  school  course. 
She  is  a  daughter  of  Albert  R.  and  Ella 
(Harris)  Smith,  the  former  a  native  of 
Fort  Madison,  Iowa,  where  he  still  re- 
sides, being  engaged  in  the  conduct  of  a 


dairy,  and  also  as  a  dealer  in  real  estate. 
A  daughter,  Eleanor  Lois,  was  born  to 
this  union  November  24,  1906. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Manifold  is 
a  republican,  while  his  religious  faith  is  in- 
dicated by  his  membership  in  the  Chris- 
tian church  at  La  Harpe.  He  is  a  Mason, 
belonging  to  lodge  No.  195,  Ancient  Fret 
and  Accepted  Masons,  at  La  Harpe.  Hav- 
ing been  born  and  reared  ini  Hancock 
county  Mr.  Manifold  has  a  wide  acquaint- 
ance -both  in  business  and  social  circles 
and  both  he  and  his  wife  are  popular 
young  people,  the  hospitality  of  their 
home  being  freely  extended  to  their  many 
friends. 


JOHN  M.  HABBEN. 

John  M.  Habben,  who  is  now  one  of  the 
most  prominent  German-American  farm- 
ers of  Hancock  county,  residing  in  Prairie 
township,  where  he  owns  a  very  rich  farm 
of  three  hundred  twenty  acres,  where  his 
time  and  energies  are  devoted  to  general 
agricultural  pursuits,  is  a  native  of  Eur- 
ich,  Hanover,  Germany.  He  was  born 
December  13,  1859,  and  when  but  seven 
years  of  age  was  brought  to  the  United 
States  by  his  parents,  Mimka  and  Anna 
(Jaspers)  Habben,  likewise  natives  of 
Germany,  who,  on  crossing  the  Atlantic, 
made  their  way  at  once  to  Illinois,  settling 
in  Adams  county.  There  the  father  rent- 
ed land  for  three  years,  after  which  he 
made  purchase  of  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  in  Prairie  township,  Hancock 
county — the  farm  upon  which  his  son 


292 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


John  now  resides.  He  transformed  this 
from  a  tract  of  wild  land  into  a  well  im- 
proved farm  and  made  it  his  home  until 
his  death,  which  occurred  when  he  was 
fifty-two  years  of  age,  his  remains  being 
interred  in  Concord  cemetery.  He  pros- 
pered in  his  undertakings  and  was  a  self- 
made  man,  whose  prosperity  was  attribu- 
table entirely  to  his  own  efforts.  He 
never  cared  for  public  office  or  sought  to 
figure  prominently  in  any  public  light, 
content  to  devote  his  attention  to  his  busi- 
ness affairs  whereby  he  provided  a  com- 
fortable living  for  his  family.  His  widow, 
who  held  membership  in  the  Lutheran 
church  at  Carthage,  died  at  the  age  of 
seventy-three  years. 

John  M.  Habben  largely  acquired  his 
education  in  the  public  schools  of  Car- 
thage, attending  both  the  district  and  city 
schools,  and  in  his  youth  assisted  in  the 
work  of  the  home  farm.  He  has  always 
remained  upon  this  place  since  his  par- 
ents took  up  their  abode  here  and  he  now 
owns  the  property  which  he  bought  in 
1901  after  the  death  of  his  mother,  to- 
gether with  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres 
adjoining  the  old  homestead.  Soon  after 
buying  the  farm  he  built  one  of  the  most 
beautiful  and  commodious  residences  in 
the  vicinity,  the  main  part  having  a  front- 
age of  thirty-eight  feet  by  sixteen  feet 
deep,  two  stories,  and  a  large  ell  in  the 
rear.  All  is  nicely  finished  and  fur- 
nished, and  also  has  modern  conveniences 
as  windmill,  telephone  and  those  acces^ 
series  usually  found  on  the  place  of  the 
more  successful  men.  His  fields  are  all 
under  cultivation  and  in  addition  to  rais- 
ing the  cereals  best  adapted  to  soil  and 
climate  he  devotes  his  attention  to  the 


raising  of  high  grade  stock.  He  is  well 
known  as  an  enterprising,  successful 
farmer,  who  is  never  idle  a  day  and  who 
through  his  diligence  has  gained  a  place 
among  the  substantial  agriculturists  of 
the  community.  He  has  almost  entirely 
unaided  brought  himself  to  a  position  of 
wealth  and  independence. 

Mr.  Habben  was  married  April  16, 
1 88 1,  to  Miss  Anna  Ficht.  who  was  born 
in  Eurich,  Hanover,  Germany,  March  8, 
1860,  and  came  to  the  United  States 
about  1868,  living  in  Prairie  township 
until  her  marriage.  Her  parents  were 
Henry  and  Marie  (Bruntz)  Ficht.  They 
were  born  in  Germany,  and  there  they 
followed  the  occupation  of  fanning  and 
all  but  one  of  their  six  children  were 
born.  When  Anna  (now  Mrs.  Ficht). 
was  about  eight  years  old  they  embarked 
for  America  on  one  of  the  oldtime  sail 
vessels,  being  eight  weeks  making  the 
voyage,  and  after  arriving  in  New  York, 
it  took  eight  days  to  come  to  Illinois.  He 
rented  land  first  hear  Golden,  Adams 
county,  and  there  he  lived  but  a  short 
time  when  he  moved  to  Prairie  township, 
his  wife  dying  within  a  few  years.  He 
was  a  farmer  of  Prairie  township  during 
his  active  life.  He  is  now  living  retired 
and  makes  his  home  with  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Habben  at  the  age  of  eighty-three  years. 
Unto  our  subject  arid  his  wife  have  been 
born  five  children  and  the  family  circle 
yet  remains  unbroken.  These  are:  Mim- 
ka,  who  aids  in  the  operation  of  the 
home  farm;  Man-,  Louis,  Henry  and 
George,  all  of  whom  are  yet  under  the 
parental  roof.  All  were  born  upon  the 
homestead  farm  in  Prairie  township.  The 
parents  are  members  of  the  German  Luth- 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


293 


eran  church  of  Carthage  and  are  well 
known  residents  of  the  community  in 
which  they  make  their  home,  enjoying  the 
favorable  regard  of  all  with  whom  social 
or  business  relations  have  brought  them 
in  contact. 

While  a  democrat  in  politics  he  is 
rather  independent,  voting  each  time  for 
the  best  man.  He  does  not  care  for  office, 
preferring  to  give  his  time  to  his  exten- 
sive farming  interests.  He  has  been 
school  director  for  a  number  of  terms,  the 
cause  of  education  finding  in  him  a  warm 
friend. 


JAMES  F.  GIBSON. 

James  Finley  Gibson  is  one  of  the  na- 
tive sons  of  Hancock  county,  whose  life 
record  stands  in  contradistinction  to  the 
old  adage  that  "a  prophet  is  never  with- 
out honor  save  in  his  own  country,"  for 
here  in  the  locality  where  he  has  spent  his 
entire  life  he  has  gained  signal  recogni- 
tion as  a  lawyer  of  ability,  who,  though 
yet  a  young  man,  has  gained  prominence 
equal  to  that  of  many  a  practitioner  of 
twice  his  years.  He  was  bom  in  Pilot 
Grove  township,  June  19,  1879,  and  is  a 
son  of  Robert  C.  and  Harriet  (Lowrey) 
Gibson.  He  is  a  graduate  of  Carthage 
College  and  prepared  for  his  chosen  pro- 
fession as  a  student  in  the  law  department 
of  the  University  of  Wisconsin,  from 
which  he  was  graduated  in  the  class  of 
1903.  He  was  president  of  his  class  and 
commencement  orator,  the  two  highest 
honors  that  could  be  bestowed  in  the  law 


school.  Following  his  graduation  Mr. 
Gibson  located  at  once  in  Carthage  and 
opened  an  office.  He  has  met  with  very 
gratifying  success  in  his  chosen  field  of 
labor  and  has  secured  a  liberal  clientage 
that  has  connected  him  with  much  impor- 
tant litigation  tried  in  the  courts  of  his 
district.  He  is  a  close  and  discriminating 
student  and  has  comprehensive  knowl- 
edge of  the  principles  of  jurisprudence 
and  is  correct  in  their  adaptation.  In 
1905  he  was  elected  city  attorney  of 
Carthage,  which  position  he  still  fills. 

On  the  ist  of  September,  1898,  Mr. 
Gibson  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Sarah  Alberta  Tyner,  who  was  born  in 
Pilot  Grove  township  in  1878  and  is  a 
daughter  of  Jared  L.  and  Emily  L.  Tyner. 
Her  father  was  a  popular  druggist  of 
Burnside,  where  he  died  and  is  buried. 
In  the  family  were  three  children :  May, 
now  the  wife  of  George  W.  Rhea,  of 
Carthage ;  Viola,  the  wife  of  Edward 
Lyon,  of  this  city;  and  Mrs.  Gibson. 
Unto  our  subject  and  his  wife  has  been 
born  a  son,  James  C.,  whose  birth  oc- 
curred in  Madison,  Wisconsin,  July  21, 
1903.  Her  mother,  Mrs.  Tyner,  is  still 
living  and  makes  her  home  with  her 
daughters  in  Carthage. 

Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gibson  hold  mem- 
bership in  the  Christian  church  and  take 
an  active  and  helpful  part  in  its  work.  He 
served  as  church  treasurer  in  1905  and 
has  put  forth  effective  effort  in  behalf  of 
the  church  and  has  contributed  gener- 
ously of  his  means  to  its  support.  He  be- 
longs to  the  Masonic  fraternity,  in  which 
he  has  served  as  senior  deacon  and  he  is 
a  stanch  advocate  of  the  democracy.  He 
owns  one  of  the  largest  and  finest  law 


294 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


libraries,  in  the  city,  with  the  contents  of 
which  he  is  largely  familiar.  In  the  prep- 
aration of  his  cases  he  is  most  thorough 
and  careful,  preparing  for  the  unexpect- 
ed which  happens  in  the  courts  quite  as 
frequently  as  out  of  them.  He  is  always 
well  armed  for  any  point  of  attack  and 
is  quick  to  notice  the  weak  points  in  an 
adversary's  position.  He  has  won  many 
notable  forensic  triumphs  and  is  regarded 
as  an  able  member  of  the  bar,  who  is  mak- 
ing rapid  progress  in  the  line  of  success- 
ful practice.  He  and  his  wife  are  recog- 
nized as  people  of  culture  and  refinement 
to  whom  an  enviable  social  position  is 
readilv  accorded. 


.  GOTTLIEB  BOLLIN. 

Gottlieb  Bollin,  in  his  farming  opera- 
tions, keeps  fully  abreast  with  the  most 
modern  methods  of  farming,  using  the 
latest  improved  machinery  and  all  the 
accessories  which  facilitate  farm  work. 
Advancement  along  agricultural  lines  has 
been  rapid  and  pronounced,  and  Mr.  Bol- 
lin is  a  typical  representative  of  this  spirit 
of  progress.  He  resides  on  section  23, 
Sonora  township,  where  he  has  a  tract  of 
two  hundred  acres,  and  he  also  owns  one 
hundred  and  twenty  acres  on  section  15, 
besides  twelve  acres  of  timber  land  in 
Sonora  township  on  the  banks  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi river.  Mr.  Bollin  was  born  in 
Baden,  Germany,  September  15,  1841, 
and  is  a  son  of  Joseph  and  Agnes 
(Haire)  Bollin,  likewise  natives  of  the 


fatherland.  The  father  on  leaving  his 
native  country  made  his  way  to  Cincin- 
nati, Ohio,  where  he  located  in  1856,  there 
following  farming  for  three  years,  and  in 
1859  he  removed  to  Nauvoo,  where  he 
operated  rented  land  in  Sonora  township. 
Two  years  later  he  removed  to  Rock 
Creek  township,  where  he  remained  for 
three  years  and  then  came  to  Nauvoo, 
where  he  spent. his  remaining  days.  His 
wife  had  died  in  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  leav- 
ing six  sons  and  three  daughters.  The 
father  was  married  a  second  time  to  Mrs. 
Kimes,  of  Nauvoo,  and  her  death  oc- 
curred in  this  city,  while  the  father  also 
passed  away  here  in  the  fall  of  1881. 

Gottlieb  Bollin,  the  second  in  order  of 
birth  in  his  father's  family,  pursued  his 
studies  in  Germany  to  the  age  of  twelve 
years,  and  continued  his  education  for 
two  years  after  the  family  arrived  in  Cin- 
cinnati, Ohio.  He  remained  with  his 
parents  to  the  age  of  seventeen  years  and 
then  started  out  to  face  the  responsible 
duties  of  life  on  his  own  account.  He 
began  work  as  a  farm  hand  in  Sonora 
township,  where  he  was  employed  for  one 
season  and  also  worked  for  a  time  in 
Nauvoo  township.  In  June,  1861,  how- 
ever, he  put  aside  all  business  and  per- 
sonal considerations,  and  in  response  to 
the  country's  call  for  aid  offered  his  serv- 
ices' to  the  government,  enlisting  as  a 
member  of  the  First  Iowa  Cavalry,  at 
Keokuk.  The  company  was  mustered  in 
at  Burlington  in  August,  and  did  duty 
in  the  state  of  Missouri.  He  served 
in  the  army  until  the  close  of  the  war, 
and  then  went  with  General  Custer  to 
Texas,  where  he  was  honorably  dis- 
charged at  Austin  in  the  spring  of  1866. 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


295 


After  the  close  of  hostilities  Mr.  Bol- 
lin  returned  to  his  home,  where  he  was 
employed  as  a  farm  hand  by  the  month 
until  1871,  when,  through  his  industry 
and  economy,  he  was  enabled  to  make 
purchase  of  forty  acres  of  land  on  sec- 
tion 15,  which  he  had  hitherto  rented. 
Three  years  later  he  added  another  tract 
of  forty  acres,  adjoining  on  the  west. 
Later  he  added  another  forty-acre  tract, 
belonging  to  the  estate  of  his  father-in- 
law,  and  known  as  the  Theodore  Lohr 
farm,  thus  making  in  all  one  hundred  and 
twenty  acres  situated  on  section  15.  Here 
he  carried  on  general  agricultural  pur- 
suits and  as  the  years  passed  by  he  pros- 
pered in  his  undertakings,  so  that  in 
course  of  time  he  was  able  to  make  fur- 
ther purchases,  at  one  time  adding  eighty 
acres  situated  on  section  23  and  at  a  later 
date,  eighty  and  then  forty  acres,  mak- 
ing a  total  of  two  hundred  acres  on  sec- 
tion 23,  and  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres 
on  section  15.  On  the  two-hundred-acre 
tract  he  erected  a  house  and  barn,  and 
has  since  made  an  addition  to  his  house 
of  brick,  the  residence  now  containing 
nine  rooms,  and  two  stories  in  height. 
He  built  a  horse  and  cattle  barn,  corn 
cribs  and  all  substantial  outbuildings  for 
the  shelter  of  grain  and  stock.  He  also 
set  out  a  fine  orchard,  containing  apple, 
peach  and  plum  trees.  He  has  a  wind- 
pump  on  his  place,  and  has  two  wells,  one 
thirty-three  feet  in  depth,  while  the  other 
is  forty-three  feet  deep,  thus  furnishing 
water  for  stock  and  for  use  in  the  house. 
He  has  used  both  wire  and  Osage  hedge 
fencing  in  dividing  his  farm  into  fields 
of  convenient  size,  and  thus  his  is  one  of 
the  valuable  farms  of  this  portion  of  the 
19 


state.  He  is  practical  and  progressive 
in  all  that  he  does  and  each  year  his  finan- 
cial resources  are  greatly  enhanced  and 
today  he  is  numbered  among  the  wealthy 
citizens  of  Sonora  township. 

On  the  ist  of  August,  1870,  occurred 
the  marriage  of  Mr.  Bollin  and  Miss 
Christina  Lohr,  a-native  of  Prussia,  born 
February  9,  1848.  Her  mother  died  in 
Germany,  and  Mrs.  Bollin  then  accom- 
panied her  father  to  America  in  1855, 
being  then  a  little  maiden  of  seven  sum- 
mers, and  one  of  three  sons  and  two 
daughters.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bollin 
have  been  born  nine  children,  as  follows : 
John  Theodore,  born  March  13,  1871, 
and  a  resident  of  Sonora  township;  An- 
nie Katherine,  born  April  i,  1873,  and 
her  death  occurred  October  26,  1874; 
Andrew,  born  December  18,  1874,  and  a 
resident  of  Sonora  township,  married 
Julia  Beecher;  Mary  Josephine  Benedic- 
ta,  whose  birth  occurred  September  20, 
1877;  Jacob  Joseph,  born  May  27,  1880, 
of  Sonora  township,  who  married  Miss 
Jennie  Terry,  August  22,  1906;  Frances 
Louisa,  born  March  5,  1883,  and  likewise 
a  resident  of  this  township;  Nellie  Ger- 
trude, born  October  30.  1886,  and  Wil- 
liam Adolph  and  Frank  Leo,  twins,  born 
July  22,  1889,  are  still  under  the  parental 
roof. 

Mr.  Bollin's  study  of  the  political  ques- 
tions and  issues  of  the  day  have  led  him  to 
give  his  support  to  the  Republican  party 
although  he  has  never  been  an  office  seek- 
er, for  he  finds  that  his  business  affairs 
make  sufficient  demand  upon  his  time  and 
attention,  and  he  has  attained  through  his 
own  labors  his  position  as  one  of  the 
progressive  and  prosperous  farmers  of 


296 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


Hancock  county.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Grand  Army  of  the  Republic  and  in  reli- 
gious faith  is  a  Catholic.  Although  start- 
ing out  in  life  empty-handed,  he  possesses 
that  spirit  of  enterprise  and  industry  so 
characteristic  of  the  German  race,  and  by 
the  proper  use  of  his  native  talents  has 
worked  his  way  up  to  a  position  of  prom- 
inence and  affluence. 


GUY  B.  CHANDLER. 

Guy  B.  Chandler  is  the  owner  of  a  fine 
farm  in  Wythe  township.  An  attractive1 
residence  stands  in  the  midst  of  fine  shade 
trees  and  there  are  ample  buildings  in  the 
way  of  barns  and  sheds  for  the  shelter 
of  grain  and  stock.  There  is  also  an  ap- 
ple orchard  of  two  and  a  half  acres,  while 
the  well  tilled  fields  annually  produce 
good  crops,  showing  that  the  owner  is 
thoroughly  conversant  with  the  best 
methods  of  tilling  the  soil. 

The  owner,  Guy  B.  Chandler,  is  one 
of  Wythe  township's  native  sons,  his  birth 
having  occurred  within  its  borders  on 
the  1 5th  of  September.  1842.  His  pater- 
nal grandfather,  Dr.  Chandler,  was  a 
noted  physician  who  practiced  near 
Zanesville  in  Muskingum  county,  Ohio, 
but  died  there  when  comparatively  a 
young  man.  His  son,  Rudolphus  Chan- 
dler, born  in  Vermont,  was  but  a  young 
lad  at  the  time  of  his  father's  demise. 
He  learned  the  trade  of  a  harness  maker 
and  coach  finisher,  and,  attracted  by  the 
opportunities  of  the  growing  west,  in 


1836,  he  drove  across  the  country  with 
team  and  wagon  and  purchased  one  hun- 
dred and-  sixty  acres  of  land,  constituting 
the  northwest  quarter  of  section  20, 
Wythe  township,  Hancock  county,  Illi- 
nois. This  was  all  wild  prairie  covered 
with  the  native  grasses  and  there  was 
little  indication  in  the  entire  neighborhood 
that  the  work  of  improvement  and  prog- 
ress had  been  begun.  Mr.  Chandler 
brought  with  him  to  Illinois  his  family, 
constituting  wife  and  three  children. 
He  had  been  married  in  Ohio  to  Miss 
Lydia  Hutchinson,  a  native  of  that  state, 
and  unto  them  were  born  two  sons  and  a 
daughter  ere  they  left  their  old  home. 
After  reaching  this  county  Mr.  Chandler 
built  a  log  house  and  log  stable,  and  in 
true  pioneer  style  began  life  here.  He 
broke  the  prairie  with  the  crude  imple- 
ments then  in  use,  finding  it  an  arduous 
task,  but  he  persevered  in  his  work  and 
continued  the  cultivation  and  improve- 
ment of  the  farm  until  his  death,  which 
occurred  December  13,  1876.  His  wife 
passed  away  January  10,  1871,  and  was 
laid  to  rest  in  the  Congregational  church 
cemetery  in  Wythe  township. 

Guy  B.  Chandler  was  the  youngest  liv- 
ing child  at  the  time  of  his  father's  death. 
His  early  education  acquired  in  the  dis- 
trict schools,  was  supplemented  by  three 
terms  of  study  in  Warsaw  Seminary,  and 
he  remained  upon  the  old  homestead  un- 
til the  time  of  his  marriage,  aiding  in  the 
work  of  tilling  the  soil  and  caring  for 
the  crops.  On  the  I2th  of  March,  1864. 
when  twenty-one  years  of  age,  he  wedded 
Miss  Elizabeth  A.  Smith,  who  'was  born 
in  Clark  county,  Indiana,  March  23,  1839, 
a  daughter  of  William  and  Susan  (Scott) 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


297 


Smith,  natives  of  England  and  Maryland 
respectively,  the  former  a  son  of  John 
Smith,  and  the  latter  a  daughter  of  John 
Scott.  In  the  spring  of  1856  they  went 
to  Warsaw  and  soon  afterward  settled 
with  his  brother,  John  Smith,  in  Wythe 
township. 

Following  his  marriage  Mr.  Chandler 
purchased  a  farm  of  one  hundred  and 
twenty  acres  in  Clark  county,  Missouri, 
of  which  sixty  acres  had  been  cleared, 
fenced  and  was  under  cultivation.  He 
resolutely  undertook  the  task  of  improv- 
ing the  remainder  of  the  farm  and  there 
lived  until  after  his  mother's  death,  when 
he  returned  to  the  home  place  in  Hancock 
county,  conducting  the  farm  for  his  fa- 
ther until  the  latter's  demise,  when  he- 
purchased  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres 
of  the  old  homestead.  Eight  years  later 
he  remodeled  and  improved  the  residence, 
which  his  brother  had  built.  After  his 
father's  death  he  also  fenced  the  place 
with  hedge  and  with  wire  fences  and  he 
planted  many  fine  shade  trees,  which  add 
much  to  the  value  and  attractive  appear- 
ance of  the  farm.  He  also  has  an  apple 
orchard  covering  two  and  a  half  acres. 
In  1903  he  replaced  the  old  home  by  a 
fine  residence,  containing  all  modern 
equipments  and  conveniences.  It  is  sup- 
plied with  hot  and  cold  water  and  heated 
by  furnace  and  convenient  in  its  arrange- 
ment and  tasteful  in  its  furnishings. 

The  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Chandler 
has  been  blessed  with  three  daughters: 
Luella,  now  the  wife  of  P.  A.  Fulton,  of 
Keokuk,  Iowa;  Nettie  S.,  the  wife  of  Rev. 
Edward  Montgomery,  a  Presbyterian  min- 
ister at  Warsaw,  Indiana;  and  Eve  E., 
the  wife  of  Rev.  W.  H.  Matthews,  pas- 


tor of  a  Presbyterian  church  in  Chicago. 
The  daughters  were  educated  in  Knox 
College,  the  older  two  pursuing  the  regu- 
lar course,  while  the  other  pursued  the 
scientific  course  and  also  studied  music 
in  that  institution.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Chandler  thus  gave  their  children  excel- 
lent educational  privileges  and  have  lived 
to  see  them  well  settled  in  life.  They 
hold  membership  in  the  Presbyterian 
church,  in  the  work  of  which  they  are 
deeply  interested  and  to  the  support  of 
which  they  contribute  generously.  Mr. 
Chandler  is  a  republican,  who  has  served 
as  trustee  of  his  township  and  also  as 
assessor,  discharging  the  duties  of  these 
offices  with  promptness  and  fidelity.  His 
entire  life  has  been  passed  in  Wythe 
township  and  he  is  both  widely  and  fa- 
vorably known  in  this  part  of  the  county. 
He  has  made  an  enviable  record  as  a 
business  man  and  has  achieved  a  measure 
of  success  which  is  most  creditable,  as  it 
has  been  honorably  won. 


-  CHARLES  B.  DOOLITTLE. 

Charles  B.  Doolittle,  owning  and  op- 
erating one  of  the  finest  tracts  of  land 
in  Appanoose  township,  is  a  native  son 
of  this  township,  having  here  been  born 
May  25.  1838,  a  son  of  Amzi  and  Phebe 
(White)  Doolittle,  natives  of  New  York 
and  Ohio  respectively.  The  paternal 
grandfather.  Edward  Doolittle,  left  New 
York  at  an  early  day,  coming  to  Illinois, 
settling  in  Sangamon  county.  He 


298 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


brought  with  him  his  son  Amzi,  who  was 
then  seventeen  years  of  age.  He  then 
left  the  son  in  Illinois  and  started  back 
to  New  York  for  his  wife  and  the  other 
members  of  the  family  but  died  on  the 
way.  The  son  Amzi  worked  at  farm  la- 
bor in  Sangamon  county,  receiving  nine 
dollars  per  month  for  his  work.  'He  was' 
thus  employed  for  thirteen  months  and 
during  that  time  had  saved  one  hundred 
dollars,  which  he  invested  in  a  heifer,  a 
yoke  of  steers  and  a  sow.  He  then  broke 
eight  acres  of  wild  land,  which  he  plant- 
ed to  corn,  and  in  this  way  he  gained  his 
start  in  life.  At  the  end  of  two  years, 
having  raised  quite  an  amount  of  stock, 
which  he  disposed  of,  and  then  removed 
to  Schuyler  county,  Illinois,  where  he  also 
broke  eight  acres  of  land,  on  which  he 
lived  until  1826,  and  then  came  to  Appa- 
•  noose  and  built  the  first  house  in  the  vil- 
lage— double  log  cabin.  Many  Indians 
were  still  to  be  found  in  this  section  of 
the  state,  and  Mr.  Doolittle  traded  some 
stock  to  them  for  a  tract  of  land.  He 
also  conducted  the  first  ferryboat  run- 
ning from  Appanoose  to  Fort  Madison, 
Iowa.  He  was  married  in  this  state  to 
Miss  Phebe  White  and  they  took  up  their 
abode  in  Appanoose.  Later  in  company 
with  his  wife  and  one  child  he  started 
for  his  old  home  in  the  Empire  state, 
traveling  on  a  steamer  up  the  Mississippi 
and  Ohio  rivers,  and  it  was  not  until  he 
had  reached  his  old  home  that  he  learned 
of  his  father's  death,  he  having  died 
twelve  years  previous  while  on  his  way 
to  that  state  for  his  family.  Mr.  Doolit- 
tle after  a  time  returned  again  to  Appa- 
noose, where  he  continued  the  operation 
of  his  ferry-boat.  He  also  built  a  large 


sawmill  and  in  connection  with  two  other 
men  built  one  of  the  first  houses  in  Bur- 
lington, Iowa.  He  was  a  very  prosper- 
ous man  in  all  of  his  undertakings  and 
eventually  became  a  large  landowner, 
having  one  thousand  acres,  situated  in 
Iowa,  Missouri,  and  Hancock  county. 
He  also  conducted  a  merchandising  en- 
terprise and  dealt  in  lumber.  He  was 
very  active  in  the  ranks  of  the  Democratic 
party,  serving  as  supervisor,  as  poor  mas- 
ter of  the  county,  and  during  his  incum- 
bency in  the  office  of  supervisor  he  saved 
the  township  several  thousand  dollars. 

Charles  B.  Doolittle,  whose  name  intro- 
duces this  record,  was  reared  to  farm  life, 
assisting  his  father  in  the  operation  of 
the  homestead  property,  where  he  re- 
ceived practical  training  in  all  depart- 
ments of  farm  labor.  His  educational 
advantages,  however,  were  very  limited 
for,  owing  to  the  unsettled  condition  of 
the  country  in  his  youth,  there  was  not  a 
good  school  system  established,  and  dur- 
ing the  short  time  that  he  pursued  his 
studies  the  sessions  of  school  were  held 
in  private  homes.  In  1862,  in  company 
with  three  comrades,  he  crossed  the 
plains,  traveling  overland  with  six  yoke 
of  oxen,  and  after  a  long,  tedious  jour- 
ney, which  covered  four  months  and  five 
days,  they  reached  Walla  Walla,  Wrash- 
ington,  where  he  was  employed  in  the 
gold  mines  during  the  summer  season 
and  through  the  winter  months  he  worked 
on  different  ranches.  In  October,  1866, 
he  started  down  the  Yellowstone  river 
to  Sioux  City,  Iowa,  from  which  place 
he  went  by  stage  to  Denison,  and  there 
boarded  the  first  railroad  train  lie  was 
ever  on,  his  destination  being  Fort  Madi- 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


299 


son.  He  worked  for  his  father  for  one 
year  following  his  return  from  the  west, 
and  his  father  then  gave  him  one  hundred 
and  nine  acres  of  land,  situated  on  section 
n,  Appanoose  township,  of  which  twen- 
ty-five acres  had  been  cleared,  while  the 
remainder  was  covered  with  timber.  He 
has  since  cleared  much  of  this  and  now 
has  about  seventy-five  acres  under  culti- 
vation, which  each  year  yields  abundant 
harvests  as  the  result  of  care  and  labor 
he  has  bestowed  upon  the  fields.  He  has 
nineteen  acres  in  oak  timber,  which  is 
the  first  growth.  He  has  also  added  many 
modern  improvements  upon  his  place,  in- 
cluding good  fences  and  outbuildings, 
which  are  kept  in  good  state  of  repair, 
so  that  his  farm  shows  evidence  of  an  en- 
terprising and  progressive  owner. 

In  August,  1867.  occurred  the  mar- 
riage of  Mr.  C.  B.  Doolittle  and  Miss 
Nancy  Olive  Atherton,  a  native  of  Appa- 
noose township,  and  a  daughter  of  Rob- 
ert Atherton.  She  became  the  mother  of 
four  sons  and  a  daughter:  Amzi.  of 
Decorra,  Illinois;  Cora,  the  wife  of  Wil- 
liam Long,  of  Hancock  county,  Illinois : 
Harry  D.  and  Charles  Roy,  on  the  home 
place;  and  John  Simpson,  of  Xiota.  Illi- 
nois. The  wife  and  mother  died  about 
1894,  and  thus  passed  away  one  of  the 
highly  esteemed  women  of  Hancock 
county,  her  loss  being  deeply  regretted 
by  many  friends,  as  well  as  her  immediate 
family. 

Mr.  Doolittle  gives  his  political  sup- 
port to  the  Democratic  party,  and  served 
as  school  director  for  eight  years,  but 
aside  from  this  has  held  no  public  office. 
Although  deeply  interested  in  the  ad- 
vancement of  his  countv  and  its  welfare 


he  finds  little  time  for  holding  public  of- 
fice, preferring  to  concentrate  his  ener- 
gies upon  his  own  private  interests,  in 
which  he  is  meeting  with  very  desirable 
success.  Although  he  inherited  his  prop- 
erty from  his  father  he  has  worked  hard 
in  clearing  and  improving  the  place  until 
today  his  is  one  of  the  productive  and  val- 
uable tracts  of  his  section  of  the  .state. 


WILLIAM  H.  HARTZELL. 

William  H.  Hartzell  is  actively  con- 
nected with  a  profession  which  has  im- 
portant bearing  upon  the  progress  and 
stable  prosperity  of  any  section  or  com- 
munity and  one  which  has  long  been  con- 
sidered as  conserving  the  public  welfare 
by  furthering  the  ends  of  justice  nnd 
maintaining  individual  rights  and  in  his 
practice  has  attained  considerable  promi- 
nence, having  today  a  distinctively  rep- 
resentative clientage. 

Mr.  Hartzell  was  born  in  Durham 
township.  Hancock  county,  November  8, 
1869,  and  is  a  son  of  Noah  and  Rebecca 
(Weatherington)  Hartzell.  The  father 
was  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  born  in 
1829,  and  the  mother's  birth  occurred  in 
or  near  Columbus,  Ohio,  in  the  same  year. 
Mr.  Hartzell  was  a  farmer  by  occupation 
and  followed  that  pursuit  following  his 
removal  to  Hancock  county.  -In  religious 
faith  he  was  a  Methodist,  while  his  wife 
belongs  to  the  Baptist  church.  His  death 
occurred  in  La  Harpe,  while  Mrs.  Hart- 
zell is  now  living  in  that  town  with  her 


300 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


daughter,  Belle  C.,  who  is  now  the  wife 
of  Harry  E.  Claycomb  and  is  the  eldest 
of  the  family.  The  others  are:  Judd 
O.,  who  resides  in  Monmouth,  Illinois; 
Franklin,  who  died  in  childhood;  and 
William  H.,  of  this  review. 

Reared  under  the  parental   roof  Wil- 
liam H.   Hartzell  pursued  his  education 
in  the  high  school  at  La  Harpe,  of  which 
he  is  a  graduate,  and  in  Gitting's  Semi- 
nary.    In   1886,  at  the  age  of  seventeen 
years,  he  took  up  the  study  of  law  in  the 
office  and  under  the  direction  of  the  firm 
of  O'Hara  &  Scofield,  of  Carthage,  and 
in   1890  was  admitted  to  the  bar,  being 
then  twenty-one  years  of  age.     He  was 
then    admitted   to   a   partnership   by    his 
former  preceptors  and  the  firm  became 
O'Hara,  Scofield  &  Hartzell.     Following 
the   dissolution   of   this   connection   Mr. 
Hartzell  joined  Truman  Plantz  in  the  es- 
tablishment  of  a   law   firm,    Mr.    Plantz 
maintaining  an  office  in  Warsaw  and  Mr. 
Hartzell  in  Carthage.     The  firm  had  an 
existence  of  nine  months  in  that  form,  at 
the  end  of  which. time  William  C.  Hooker 
was   admitted   to   a   partnership  and   so 
continued  for  three  years.     In  1901,  Mr. 
Hartzell  opened  an  office  alone  on  Jack- 
son street  in  Carthage,  where  he  is  now 
located.     He  possesses  a  fine  law  library, 
with  the  contents  of  which  he  is  largely 
familiar.     A  self-made  man,  he  entered 
business  life  as  an   employe  of   Charles 
Gill,  proprietor  of  a  general  store  in  La 
Harpe,  working  in  the  implement  depart- 
ment through  the  summer  vacations,  on 
Saturdays  and  after  school  hours.     To- 
day he  is  a  leading  lawyer  of  Carthage, 
having  one  of  the  finest  practices  in  jury 
cases    in    the    county.      He    is    indeed    a 


strong  and  able  trial  lawyer  and  has  won 
notable  successes  in  several  criminal 
cases.  His  is  a  natural  discrimination  as 
to  legal  ethics  and  he  is  so  thoroughly 
well  read  in  the  minutae  of  the  law  that 
he  is  able  to  base  his  arguments  upon 
thorough  knowledge  and  familiarity  with 
precedent  and  to  present  a  case  upon  its 
merits,  never  failing  to  recognize  the 
main  point  at  issue  and  never  neglecting 
to  give  a  thorough  preparation.  He 
served  as  state's  attorney  from  1892  un- 
til 1896  and  was  also  city  attorney  for 
La  Harpe. 

On  the  1 3th  of  June,  1891,  Mr.  Hart- 
zell was  married  to  Miss  Inez  E.  Char- 
ter, who  was  born  near  La  Harpe  in  1872, 
a  daughter  of  Samuel  and  Salina  (Lov- 
itt)  Charter,  both  of  whom  were  natives 
of  Muskingum  county,  Ohio.  Her  fa- 
ther was  descended  from  Kentucky  an- 
cestry and  came  to  Illinois  at  an  early 
day,  settling  on  a  farm.  He  is  now  de- 
ceased, while  his  widow  resides  in  Los 
Angeles,  California.  They  were  mem- 
bers of  the  Christian  church  and  to  this 
church  Mrs.  Hartzell  also  belongs.  In 
her  parents'  family  were  five  children : 
Phoebe  and  Ella,  both  deceased;  Lucile, 
wife  of  J.  W.  Mitchell,  who  is  living  in 
Kentucky;  Clara,  the  widow  of  Richard 
Sailor,  of  Los  Angeles,  California ;  and 
Inez  E.,  the  wife  of  our  subject.  Unto 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hartzell  have  been  born 
five  children,  Ruth,  Franklin,  Philip. 
Eloise  and  Grace,  aged  respectively  thir- 
teen, eleven,  eight,  four  and  one  years. 
All  were  born  in  Carthage.  The  family 
home  is  pleasantly  located  about  three  and 
a  half  blocks  northeast  of  the  square  and 
is  a  beautiful  residence  at  the  comer  of 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


301 


Jackson  and  Davis  streets.  Mrs.  Hart- 
zell  is  a  most  active  and  interested  worker 
in  the  church  and  is  now  president  of  the 
Missionary  Society.  Mr.  Hartzell  usu- 
ally votes  with  the  Democratic  party,  but 
does  not  consider  himself  bound  by  party 
ties  and  often  casts  an  independent  bal- 
lot. He  is  a  jovial,  warm-hearted  man, 
a  true  friend  and  an  entertaining  conver- 
sationalist, who  looks  at  life  from  a  prac- 
tical standpoint,  appreciative  of  its  bless- 
ings and  pleasures  and  never  neglectful 
of  its  duties.  He  has  won  a  notable  pjace 
in  legal  circles  and  is  respected  by  all 
with  whom  business  or  social  relations 
have  brought  him  in  contact. 


BREVET   MAJOR   GENERAL   OLI- 
VER EDWARDS. 

Brevet  Major  General  Oliver  Edwards 
was  born  in  Springfield,  Massachusetts, 
January  30,  1835.  The  family  has  al- 
ways furnished  representatives  as  defend- 
ers of  the  country. 

Captain  Oliver  Edwards  entered  the 
colonial  service  in  1775,  and  valiantly 
aided  in  the  struggle  that  secured  the  re- 
lease of  the  oppressed  colonies  from  Brit- 
ish tyranny.  He  married  Rachel  Par- 
sons, of  Northampton,  and  their  soif,  Dr. 
Elisha  Edwards,  father  of  the  general, 
was  bom  in  Chesterfield,  Massachusetts, 
January  26,  1795. 

When  a  young  man,  Elisha  Edwards 
went  to  Northampton  and  in  the  employ 
of  E.  Hunt  learned  the  apothecary  busi- 


ness. In  1815  he  moved  to  Springfield, 
Massachusetts,  and  engaged  in  business 
on  his  own  account.  In  1820  he  formed 
a  partnership  with  Henry  Sterns,  which 
lasted  until  1825,  and  in  1828  with 
Charles  J.  Upham  under  the  firm  name  of 
C.  J.  Upham  &  Company  he  established 
a  wholesale  drug  house.  He  was  one  of 
the  subscribers  to  the  fund  that  purchased 
Court  Square  and  was  chosen  one  of  the 
nine  original  directors  of  the  Chicopee 
Bank  of  Springfield.  In  1821  he  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Eunice  Lombard, 
the  daughter  of  Daniel  and  Sylvia  (Burt) 
Lombard,  the  birth  of  the  father  occurring 
February  4,  1764.  In  1787,  during 
Shay's  rebellion,  Mr.  Lombard  was  ac- 
tive on  the  side  of  the  government  forces 
in  quelling  the  insurrection.  He  received 
the  commission  of  quartermaster  of  the 
First  Regiment,  Massachusetts  Volunteer 
Militia,  from  Governor  Samuel  Adams 
on  July  31,1 794,  and  was  honorably  dis- 
charged January  20,  1798.  He  was  ap- 
pointed postmaster  by  Thomas  Jefferson 
in  1806  and  held  that  office  during  the  ad- 
ministrations of  James  Madison,  James 
Monroe  and  John  Quincy  Adams  until 
June  3.  1829,  a  continuous  service  of 
twenty-three  years.  He  married  Sylvia 
Burt,  of  Longmeadow,  Massachusetts. 

To  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Edwards  were  born 
five  sons  and  five  daughters,  seven  of 
whom  grew  to  maturity:  Mrs.  Caroline 
L.  Smith,  of  Springfield,  Massachusetts ; 
Mrs.  Sophia  O.  Johnson,  of  Bath,  New 
Hampshire;  Mrs.  Charlotte.  E.  Warner, 
of  Springfield,  Massachusetts;  William, 
a  prominent  merchant  of  Cleveland,  Ohio; 
Mrs.  Julia  E.  Hurd,  of  Dorchester,  Mas- 
sachusetts; Oliver,  of  Warsaw,  Illinois; 


302 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


and  Mrs.  Mary  E.  Childs,  of  Cleveland, 
Ohio. 

From  early  boyhood,  Oliver  Edwards, 
of  this  review,  had  shown  an  undivided 
interest  in  mechanics,  taking  delight  in 
the  construction  of  articles  from  his  play- 
things. It  had  been  his  mother's  inten- 
tion to  give  him  a  collegiate  education, 
but  so  firmly  was  his  heart  set  on  mechan- 
ism, that  she  at  last  consented  for  him  to 
pursue  studies  along  that  line  and  ar- 
ranged for  him  a  paid  apprenticeship  at 
the  Springfield  Arsenal,  and  there  he  be- 
came a  master  mechanic. 

At  the  age  of  twenty-one,  he  started  for 
Dubuque.  Iowa,  with  the  intention  of 
establishing  a  foundry.  An  accident  to 
the  steamer  coming  up  the  Mississippi 
delayed  him  at  Warsaw,  Illinois,  and 
overtures  were  made  to  him  to  build  a 
foundry  at  that  point.  He  entered  a  busi- 
ness partnership  known  as  Neberling,  Ed- 
wards &  Company,  a  foundry  was  built 
and  to  this  work  he  devoted  his  time  un- 
til the  breaking  out  of  the  Civil  war.  Be- 
ing in  Cleveland,  Ohio,  when  the  first 
call  for  troops  was  made  he  determined 
to  return  to  the  state  where  his  ancestors 
had  fought  to  establish  the  Union  and 
there  offer  his  services  to  aid  in  its  pres- 
ervation. He  entered  the  service  June 
21,  1 86 1,  as  a  private,  but  was  appointed 
adjutant  of  the  Tenth  Massachusetts 
Regiment,  but  was  soon  detailed  senior 
aid-de-camp  on  the  staff  of  General  D. 
X.  Couch,  commanding  the  division.  In 
August,  1862.  he  was  commissioned  ma- 
jor and  directed  to  organize  the  Thirty- 
seventh  Massachusetts  Volunteer  Regi- 
ment and  September  4,  1862,  he  was  mus- 
tered in  as  its  colonel. 


His  ability  as  a  commander  was  many 
times  demonstrated.  At  Salem  Church, 
Va.,  May  3,  1863,  he  was  placed  in  com- 
mand of  his  own  and  the  Thirty-sixth 
New  York  Regiment  to  occupy  the  posi- 
tion of  the  extreme  angle  on  the  Federal 
line  of  battle,  throughout  the  night  of 
the  3d  and  the  ensuing  day.  This  exposed 
position  was  one  of  great  peril  and  Gen- 
eral Sedgwick,  the  corps  commander,  ex- 
pressed his  gratification  at  the  outcome, 
frankly  admitting  that  he  had  not  expect- 
ed to  save  a  single  man  from  the  exposed 
position  in  which  it  had  been  necessary 
to  place  the  command.  Colonel  Edwards 
personally  led  his  command  through  the 
terrible  cannonade  at  Gettysburg,  July  3, 
1863,  and  when  more  than  thirty  of  his 
men  had  fallen  in  a  few  minutes  his  reso- 
nant words  of  confidence,  "Steady, 
Thirty-seventh!"  rose  above  the  din  of 
battle  and  held  every  man  to  his  place  in 
a  manner  that  won  immediate  and  un- 
qualified compliment  delivered  upon  the 
field  by  the  brigade  commander.  On  the 
3Oth  of  July,  1863,  an  order  was  given 
detailing  "Four  of  the  best  disciplined 
regiments  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac" 
for  duty  at  New  York  in  connection  with 
the  draft  temporarily  suspended  owing 
to  the  draft  riots,  and  the  Thirty-seventh 
Massachusetts  was  the  first  regiment 
named  in  arranging  for  the  detail.  Dur- 
ing his  stay  in  New  York  Colonel  Ed- 
wardS  was  in  command  of  the  troops  at 
.Ft.  Hamilton,  consisting  of  his  own  regi- 
ment, two  regiments  of  New  York  heavy 
artillery  and  some  detachments  of  regu- 
lars that  formed  the  permanent  garrison. 
One  incident  only  of  the  two  months'  stay 
there  may  be  repeated  there,  although 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


many  others  would  make  interesting  read- 
ing: Learning  that  prominent  anti-draft 
leaders  had  declared  that  probably  no  fur- 
ther rioting  would  take  place  unless  Mas- 
sachusetts troops  were  brought  to  the 
city,  in  which  case  not  a  man  of  them 
would  be  allowed  to  leave  alive,  Colonel 
Edwards  promptly  requested  that  he  be 
allowed  to  bring  up  his  regiment  as  a 
special  guard  for  the  drafting  quarters, 
that  no  other  troops  be  allowed  in  sight 
and  that  only  the  Massachusetts  state  flag 
be  displayed  unless  actual  conflict  took 
place.  The  request  was  granted  and  the 
plan  fully  carried  out,  but  the  .threatened 
vengeance  of  the  murderous  wretches, 
who  a  few  weeks  before  had  drenched  the 
city  with  blood,  did  not  (very  fortunately 
for  them)  go  further  than  sullen  looks 
and  gloomy  silence.  The  will  of  one  fear- 
less commander  had  faced  a  lawless  ele- 
ment boasting  an  organized  force  of  20,- 
ooo  men  and  had  won  a  bloodless  tri- 
umph for  law  and  order. 

It  was  not  until  fall  that  an  opportu- 
nity occurred  for  leave  of  absence  that 
enabled  Colonel  Edwards  to  return  to 
Warsaw  for  the  intended  bride  who  had 
waited  with  trunks  ready  packed  since 
May,  the  time  first  set  for  their  marriage, 
and  on  September  3,  1863,  Oliver  Ed- 
wards was  united  in  marriage  to  Ann 
Eliza  Johnston,  daughter  of  John  E.  and 
Catherine  (Baldwin) Johnston,  of  War- 
saw, Illinois,  whose  sketch  appears  on 
another  page  of  this  work. 

In  the  battle  of  the  wilderness.  May  5, 
1864,  General  Wadsworth,  whose  divi- 
sion had  been  broken  and  driven  back  in 
some  disorder,  called  upon  Colonel  Ed- 
wards and  his  regiment  for  assistance  in 


checking  the  triumphant  enemy  and  clear- 
ing the  field  so  that  the  broken  division 
might  be  reformed  and  put  into  action. 
For  nine  hundred  yards  his  single  regi- 
ment swept  the  field  triumphantly,  though 
at  a  cost  of  one-fourth  of  its  number. 

"You  have  made  a  splendid  charge, 
your  regiment  has  done  all  I  wished,  and 
more  than  I  dared  hope,"  said  General 
Wadsworth  as  he  rode  away  in  search  of 
his  division  and  to  instant  death. 

General  Edwards  received  the  brevet 
rank  of  brigadier  general  October  19, 
1864,  "for  gallant  and  distinguished 
services  in  the  battle  of  Spotsylvania 
Court  House  and  meritorious  conduct  on 
the  field  of  battle  at  Winchester,  Vir- 
ginia." 

At  the  battle  of  Opegnam,  September 
19,  1864,  upon  the  death  of  General  Rus- 
sell and  the  wounding  of  General  Upham, 
the  command  of  the  division  devolved 
upon  Colonel  Edwards,  which  he  held 
until  the  close  of  the  battle  and  handled 
with  such  promptness  and  skill,  with 
such  unfailing  judgment  as  to  win  the  ad- 
miration of  his  superior  officers,  especially 
General  Sheridan,  who  as  a  mark  of  ap- 
preciation appointed  him  commandant  of 
the  post  at  Winchester,  Virginia,  with  his 
brigade  as  post  garrison.  It  was  from 
the  breakfast  table  at  General  Edwards's 
headquarters  that  General  Sheridan  start- 
ed on  his  ride  to  Cedar  Creek  to  check 
the  disaster  of  October  19.  In  fact,  the 
friendship  between  Generals  Sheridan  and 
Edwards  was  so  close  that  the  former 
urged  Edwards  to  accept  the  appoint- 
ment of  provost  marshal  general  on  his 
staff  and  it  was  with  great  reluctance  that 
Sheridan  consented  for  him  to  return  to 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


his  old  brigade.  In  vain  was  the  offer 
of  a  command  of  a  division  not  includ- 
ing his  old  brigade  made  Edwards  by 
General  Meade.  When  his  return  to  ac- 
tive duty  was  decided  upon  the  heart  of 
the  commander  was  with  his  old  regi- 
ment and  he  emphatically  refused  to  take 
any  appointment  which  would  take  him 
from  them.  In  the  assault  of  April  2 
on  the  lines  at  Petersburg  his  brigade 
took  an  active  part,  being  the  first  to 
break  through  the  confederate  works. 
Next  morning  General  Edwards  received 
from  the  mayor  of  Petersburg  the  sur- 
render of  the  city  very  soon  after  the 
evacuation  of  General  Lee.  For  his  serv- 
ices at  this  time  he  received  the  commis- 
sion of  brevet  major  general  to  date  from 
April  5,  1865.  On  the  I5th  of  January, 
1866,  he  was  honorably  discharged  from 
the  service  of  the  United  States  after 
declining  an  appointment  for  permanent 
military  advancement  of  which  any  sol- 
dier might  be  proud,  contentedly  return- 
ing to  take  up  the  broken  threads  of  busi- 
ness life.  Returning  to  Warsaw,  Illi- 
nois, at  the  close  of  the  war,  he  remained 
for  three  years,  serving  the  city  as  post- 
master for  a  year  and  a  half,  a  position  he 
resigned  to  become  general  agent  for -the 
Florence  Machine  Company  at  North- 
ampton, Massachusetts,  removing  with 
his  family  to  that  place,  and  later  be- 
came the  company's  general  superintend- 
ent, during  which  time  he  patented  sev- 
eral improvements  on  the  sewing  machine. 
He  invented  and  patented  the  Florence 
spring  skate,  which  the  company  manu- 
factured, also  the  Florence  oil  stove,  the 
base  of  which  is  used  in  all  the  wick  oil 
stoves  used  and  manufactured  today. 


In  1875  he  retired  from  active  business, 
and  returning  to  Warsaw  bought  the 
house  built  by  William  H.  Roosevelt,  a 
grand  uncle  of  President  Theodore 
Roosevelt,  which  remains  the  family 
home. 

In  1882  he  accepted  an  appointment  as 
general  manager  of  the  Gardner  Machine 
and  Gun  Company,  of  England,  with 
headquarters  in  that  country.  After  a 
year  he  returned  to  the  United  States  for 
his  family,  but  two  years  later  resigned 
owing  to  ill  health  and  again  returned  to 
Warsaw. 

He  was  always  active  in  the  advance- 
ment of  the  best  interests  of  his  city,  serv- 
ing it  as  mayor  three  terms,  was  chosen 
many  times  upon  the  boards  of  public 
school  and  library,  was  frequently  com- 
mander of  Arthur  W.  Marsh  Post  No. 
343,  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  and 
a  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity.  In 
politics  he  was  a  stalwart  republican. 
During  the  last  two  years  of  his  life  he 
gathered  into  manuscript  his  recollec- 
tions of  the  Civil  war.  An  ardent  lover 
of  nature,  time  never  hung  heavy  for  him 
and  he  spent  many  hours  in  the  cultiva- 
tion of  his  rose  garden,  in  growing  and 
experimenting  with  fruits  and  vegetables. 
He  was  a  keen  sportsman  with  rod  and 
gun,  a  friend  of  animals,  a  student  of 
books,  a  loyal  friend  and  an  honored  citi- 
zen, following  faithfully  every  pursuit 
of  earnest  duty,  content  and  proud  to 
pass  his  life  modestly,  sweetly,  in  the  land 
his  valor  had  helped  to  save. 

General  Edwards  died  at  his  home  in 
Warsaw,  April  28,  1904.  There  sur- 
vive him  his  wife  and  two  children:  John 
E.  and  Julia  Katherine,  the  latter  now 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


305 


living  with  her  mother  at  the  home  in 
\Yarsaw.  John  E.  received  his  educa- 
tion in  the  public  schools  of  Massachu- 
setts and  Illinois  up  to  the  age  of  four- 
teen, when  he  was  sent  to  Hanover  Col- 
lege, Hanover,  Indiana,  for  two  years, 
and  then  for  one  year  attended  the  Quincy 
(Illinois)  Business  College.  At  the  age 
of  seventeen,  being  in  poor  health,  he 
went  to  Colorado  to  spend  the  summer 
on  the  ranch  of  his  mother's  uncle,  Ed- 
win Baldwin,  intending  to  enter  the  Uni- 
versity of  Michigan  that  fall,  but  the 
charm  of  the  west  held  him  and  the  fol- 
lowing three  years  he  spent  on  the  ranches 
in  Colorado,  Texas  and  Indian  Territory 
as  a  cowboy.  In  1888  he  went  to  Chi- 
cago and  for  a  year  was  in  the  employ  of 
Nelson,  Morris  &  Company  and  of  Swift 
&  Company,  but  returned  to  Texas  and 
drove  a  herd  to  Montana.  For  nine  years 
he  was  in  the  employ  of  Thomas  Cruse 
as  foreman  of  an  outfit  and  as  general 
manager  of  all  his  cattle  and  sheep  in- 
terests in  Fergus  County,  Montana,  re- 
signing to  go  into  a  general  merchandis- 
ing business  at  Junction,  Montana.  A 
year  later  he  was  appointed  United  States 
Indian  agent  on  the  Crow  reservation,  an 
appointment  he  held  for  three  years,  re- 
signing to  be  appointed  United  States 
Indian  inspector  for  the  northwest,  from 
which  he  resigned  to  go  into  business  at 
Forsyth,  Montana,  where  he  is  president 
of  the  Bank  of  Commerce,  of  the  Electric 
Light  and  Telephone  Company  and  is 
also  engaged  in  irrigation  and  railroad 
construction.  He  has  recently  been  elect- 
ed to  represent  Rosebud  county  as  state 
senator.  In  1891  he  married  Julia,  a 
daughter  of  Reese  Anderson,  a  ranchman 


at  Ft.  Maginnis,  Montana,  and  to  them 
have  been  Iwrn  three  children,  two  now 
living:  Annie  Johnstone  and  Eunice 
Irene  Edwards. 

(Taken  from  the  Springfield,  Massa- 
chusetts, Repubican,  date  September  20, 
1904)  :  At  the  presentation  of  a  portrait 
of  General  Edwards  by  Mr.  Bowen  to  the 
Springfield,  Massachusetts,  city  hall  col- 
lection. 

Secretary  James  L.  Bowen,  of  this  city, 
who  made  the  presentation  speech,  said 
that  General  Edwards  needed  no  memo- 
rial to  keep  his  memory  enshrined  in  the 
hearts  of  those  who  fought  under  him, 
and  with  him.  But  it  was  fitting  that  the 
members  of  General  Edwards's  old  regi- 
ment should  leave  something  to  serve  as 
a  reminder  in  the  city  of  his  birth  of 
their  old  commander.  Mr.  Bowen  said 
that  he  should  not  aitempt  to  review  the 
life  of  General  Edwards,  for  the  facts 
were  too  well  known.  His  military  rec- 
ord did  not  need  to  be  eulogized.  From 
the  battle  of  Fair  Oaks  to  the  mustering 
out  in  1865  he  fought  bravely.  General 
Edwards  had  entered  the  service,  Mr. 
Bowen  said,  from  civilian  life,  dropping 
his  business  in  the  west  on  the  call  to 
arms.  He  came  to  Springfield  and  be- 
gan recruiting  on  Hampden  park.  And 
when  the  recruits  that  he  had  collected 
were  portioned  out  to  fill  other  brigades 
General  Edwards  did  not  sulk  in  his  tent, 
but  accepted  the  conditions  like  a  true  sol- 
dier. His  promotion  was  clue,  Mr. 
Bowen  said,  not  to  political-  influence,  but 
to  his  own  ability. 

Loyal  as  he  was  to  the  state  and  city 
of  his  nativity,  he  was  equally  loyal  to  the 
regiment  which  he  had  organized  and 


306 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


which  had  given  its  organizer  such  credit. 
During  his  entire  military  career  he  ab- 
solutely refused  to  accept  any  command 
which  did  not  include  the  Thirty-seventh 
Massachusetts  regiment.  His  warm 
friend,  General  Sheridan,  urged  him, 
while  commandant  of  the  post  at  Win- 
chester, to  accept  an  appointment  which 
meant  a  lifetime  of  service  in  the  regular 
army,  with  high  rank,  but  it  was  declined, 
and  he  returned  to  the  army  of  the  Poto- 
mac, to  renew  the  perils  of  'active  service 
in  the  field.  There  he  positively  refused 
to  accept  any  command  which  did  not 
embrace  you  men  who  are  gathered  here 
today.  This  refusal  was  carried  to  such 
a  point  as  to  place  him  in  antagonism 
with  officers  of  superior  rank,  but  Ed- 
wards would  not  swerve,  and  finally  he 
was  assigned  to  the  command  which  he 
sought,  and  through  the  defenses  of  Pe- 
tersburg he  led  his  tried  and  trusted  bat- 
talions, as  he  did  in  that  last  terrific  strug- 
gle at  Sailor's  creek,  where  General  Sher- 
idan, not  accustomed  to  delay  in  striking 
the  enemy,  sat  upon  his  horse,  with  the 
battlefield  before  him,  and  waited  till  Ed- 
wards and  his  command  could  be  brought 
up  from  a  point  three  miles  in  the  rear  to 
bear  the  brunt  of  the  infantry  fighting. 

His  life  as  a  citizen  was  a  worthy  sup- 
plement to  his  life  as  a  soldier.  Modest 
in  his  manner,  the  esteem  in  which  he  was 
held  is  showr^by  the  positions  of  trust 
given  him  by  the  community  in  which 
his  life  was  passed,  where  every  honor 
within  the  gift  of  his  constituents  was 
gratefully  bestowed.  Such,  in  brief,  was 
the  life  whose  close  we  mourn  as  we 
gather  here  today.  Mr.  Commander.  I 
give  to  your  keeping  this  memorial. 


Brevet  Major  General  Oliver  Edwards — 
peerless  soldier,  worthy  citizen,  true- 
hearted  comrade. 


JOHN  W.  BERTSCHI. 

John  W.  Bertschi  is  one  of  the  native 
sons  of  Hancock  county,  having  first 
opened  his  eyes  to  the  light  of  day  on 
section  22,  Appanoose  township,  Febru- 
ary 12,  1852.  In  the  years  that  have 
come  and  gone  he  has  proved  an  active 
and  enterprising  citizen,  giving  helpful 
support  to  many  progressive  public 
measures  and  at  the  same  time  carefully 
conducting  his  individual  business  inter- 
ests. Little  is  known  concerning  the  an- 
cestral history  of  the  family  save  that 
earlier  generations  were  for  a  long  pe- 
riod residents  of  Switzerland.  John 
Bertschi,  the  grandfather,  born  and 
reared  in  that  country,  was  there  married 
to  Miss  Steiner,  and  their  son,  William 
Bertschi,  was  born  in  the  land  of  the 
Alps  April  18,  1825.  Having  arrived  at 
years  of  maturity,  he  wedded  Miss  Eliza- 
beth Walti,  who  was  born  in  Switzerland. 
July  2,  1827,  and  was  a  daughter  of  Ru- 
dolph Walti.  It  was  in  the  year  1849 
that  William  Bertschi  came  to  Hancock 
county  with  his  widowed  mother  and 
brothers  and  sisters.  He  was  then  a 
young  man  of  twenty-four  years,  and 
after  assisting  the  family  to  get  located 
in  the  new  world,  he  returned  to  his  na- 
tive country  in  1850  and  there,  in  the 
spring  of  1851,  he  was  married.  In  the 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


fall  of  the  same  year  he  brought  his  bride 
to  the  United  States  and  made  his  way 
to  Hancock  county,  Illinois,  having  pre- 
viously determined  to  locate  here  where 
the  family  had  taken  up  their  abode.  He 
purchased  forty  acres  of  land  on  section 
22.  Appanoose  township,  it  being  one  of 
the  first  farms  of  the  locality.  Upon  it 
was  the  only  apple  orchard  in  this  part 
of  the  county  and  people  would  come  for 
miles  around  to  get  apples,  and  others 
came  for  long  distances  just  to  see  the  or- 
chard, which  was  an  oddity  in  those  early 
days.  There  was  one  frame  house  and 
one  log  building  upon  the  farm  and  also 
two  or  three  log  stables.  As  Mr.  Bertschi 
could  not  obtain  possession  of  his  prop- 
erty until  the  spring  of  1852  he  lived 
with  his  sister,  who  had  the  adjoining 
forty  acres,  during  the  winter.  When 
spring  came,  however,  he  took  up  his 
abode  upon  his  own  place  and  began  its 
development  and  improvement.  In  course 
of  time  he  added  eighty  acres  of  prairie 
land  and  forty  acres  of  timber  and  at  dif- 
ferent times  made  purchase  of  twenty 
acres  on  section  15,  twenty  acres  on  sec- 
tion 1 6,  and  an  eighty-acre  tract  on  sec- 
tion 27.  He  became  well  known  as  a 
stockman,  being  particularly  fond  of 
horses,  and  thus  well  qualified  for  their 
care  and  raising.  He  owned  the  first 
imported  Percheron  horse  sired  by  Napo- 
leon brought  to  this  country.  At  differ- 
ent times  he  owned  many  stallions  and  did 
an  extensive  business  as  a  breeder.  He 
died  March  7,  1900,  and  was  laid  to  rest 
in  Nauvoo  cemetery,  while  his  wife 
passed  away  October  7,  1893.  Their 
family  numbered  five  sons  and  three 
daughters,  as  follows :  John  W. ;  Her- 


man and  Albert,  who  are  residing  at 
Glenwood,  Washington;  Carl,  whose 
home  is  in  Niota,  this  county ;  Lizette  B., 
the  widow  of  Lee  Miller,  of  Iowa ;  Otillia, 
the  wife  of  John  Kindscher,  of  Meeker, 
Colorado;  Emma,  the  wife  of  Louis  J. 
Bicker,  who  resides  on  the  old  Bertschi 
homestead  in  Appanoose  township;  and 
William  D.,  also  of  Niota. 

No  event  of  special  importance  oc- 
curred to  vary  the  routine  of  farm  life 
for  John  W.  Bertschi  in  his  boyhood  and 
youth.  He  was  a  student  in  Center  dis- 
trict school  of  Appanoose  township  and 
like  other  boys  he  enjoyed  the  sports 
which  were  indulged  in  by  the  youth  of 
the  neighborhood.  He  was  trained  to  ac- 
tive farm  labor,  early  becoming  familiar 
with  the  work  of  the  fields,  and  to  his  fa- 
ther he  gave  the  benefit  of  his  services  un- 
til his  marriage,  remaining  until  that  time 
under  the  parental  roof.  He  had  pre- 
viously purchased  eighty  acres  of  land  on 
section  27,  Appanoose  township,  of 
which  he  became  owner  in  the  spring  of 
1876.  There  was  an  old  log  house  upon 
the  place  that  is  still  standing,  and  the 
other  improvements  were  of  a  primitive 
nature. 

It  was  to  this  pioneer  home  that  Mr. 
Bertschi  took  his  bride,  when  on  the  24th 
of  October,  1877,  he  was  married  to  Miss 
Margaret  Forth,  who  was  born  in  Appa- 
noose township.  May  28,  1856.  Her  par- 
ents were  Frederick  and  Dorothy  E.  (  Her- 
man) Forth,  natives  of  Hesse,  Germany. 
The  father  made  his  way.  to  Belleville. 
Illinois,  in  1841,  and  lived  in  St.  Clair 
county  -until  1852,  when  he  removed  to 
Nauvoo  and  settled  upon  a  farm  in  Ap- 
panoose township,  where  he  spent  his  re- 


3o8 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


maining  days,  passing  away  on  the  ist  of 
December,  1894.  His  widow  still  sur- 
vives him  and  is  now  living  in  St.  Louis 
with  her  daughter,  Mrs.  John  Klug.  As 
stated,  Mr.  Bertschi  took  his  bride  to  the 
log  cabin  upon  his  farm  and  there  lived 
for  ten  years,  after  which  they  spent  two 
years  in  a  stone  house  situated  opposite 
his  place.  In  the  fall  of  1890  he  was 
elected  treasurer  of  the  county  and  re- 
moved to  Carthage,  where  he  continued 
to  reside  until  1898,  when  he  removed  to 
the  vicinity  of  his  home  place  and  rented 
a  house,  but  in  that  year  he  had  a  modern 
dwelling  erected,  which  he  and  his  fam- 
ily have  occupied  since  September,  1898. 
He  has  also  extended  the  boundaries  of 
his  farm  by  purchasing  sixty  acres  on  the 
south.  He  is  well  known  as  a  general 
farmer  and  stock-raiser,  his  attention  in 
the  latter  direction  being  given  largely 
to  Poland  China  hogs. 

In  1902  Mr.  Bertschi  was  called  upon 
to  mourn  the  loss  of  his  wife,  who  died 
on  the  28th  of  January,  and  was  buried 
in  Nauvoo  cemetery.  Their  children 
are:  William  Tell,  who  was  bom  Au- 
gust 19,  1878,  and  is  now  in  Portland, 
Oregon;  Roscoe  R.,  who  was  born  April 
13,  1883,  and  is  at  home;  and  Wallace, 
born  May  14,  1887. 

Mr.  Bertschi  holds  membership  in  the 
Christian  church  at  Carthage,  and  is  one 
of  the  prominent  democrats  of  the  county, 
recognized  as  a  leader  in  the  ranks  of  the 
party.  He  was  called  to  various  public 
offices,  the  duties  of  which  he  has  dis- 
charged with  promptness  and  fidelity. 
He  was  first  elected  township  collector, 
serving  in  1877,  1878,  1879  and  1880. 
It  was  during  the  same  period  that  he 


acted  for  one  year  as  town  clerk,  and  he 
has  also  filled  the  office  of  supervisor  for 
a  numlier  of  terms.  For  three  years  he 
was  a  director  of  the  agricultural  board 
of  the  county  fair  at  Carthage.  In  the 
fall  of  1890  he  was  chosen  by  popular 
suffrage  to  the  office  of  county  treasurer, 
and  served  for  one  term  of  four  years, 
while  since  1900  he  has  been  assessor  of 
Appanoose  township.  Called  thus  to  va- 
rious offices  his  re-elections  have  been  in- 
dications of  his  ability  and  the  trust  and 
confidence  reposed  in  him  by  his  fellow 
townsmen.  He  has  wielded  a  wide  influ- 
ence in  public  affairs  and  be  it  said  to  his 
credit  that  the  weight  of  his  influence 
is  ever  on  the  side  of  right,  reform,  prog- 
ress and  improvement.  He  is  a  man  hon- 
orable in  all  life's  relations  and  whether 
in  positions  of  public  trust,  in  business 
circles  or  as  a  representative  of  social 
relations  he  is  known  as  a  man  worthy 
of  high  regard  and  confidence. 


FRANKLIN  L.  McCORMICK,  M.  D. 

He  whose  name  initiates  this  review 
has  gained  recognition  as  one  of  the  able 
and  successful  physicians  of  Carthage  and 
Hancock  county,  and  by  his  labors,  his 
high  professional  attainments  and  his 
sterling  characteristics  has  justified  the  re- 
spect and  confidence  in  which  he  is  held 
in  the  medical  fraternity  in  the  local  pub- 
lic. He  is  one  of  Illinois'  native  sons,  his 
birth  having  occurred  in  Mount  Sterling, 
Brown  countv,  on  the  22d  dav  of  March, 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


309 


1857,  his  parents  being  Robert  and  Ade- 
line (Wilson)  McCormick.  The  father 
was  bom  in  Kentucky  and  both  he  and 
his  wife  spent  their  childhood  days  there 
and  were  married  in  that  state.  The 
name,  however,  would  indicate  Scotch  an- 
cestry. Robert  McCormick  and  his  wife 
came  to  Illinois  prior  to  1849,  as  the 
court  records  show  that  he  owned  the 
ground  where  the  Baptist  church  now 
stands  prior  to  that  day.  He  was  a  tan- 
ner and  owned  a  tannery  in  Brown  coun- 
ty, continuing  in  that  business  up  to  the 
time  of  his  death.  Both  he  and  his  wife 
were  devoted  members  of  the  Pres- 
byterian church  and  were  people  of  the 
righest  respectability.  The  father  died 
December  24,  1861,  when  his  son  Frank- 
lin was  but  four  years  of  age,  and  the 
mother  was  left  with  the  care  of  twelve 
children,  whom  she  reared,  giving  a 
mother's  loving  devotion  to  them.  She 
died  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty  years, 
three  months  and  three  days,  passing 
away  in  1896. 

Dr.  McCormick  is  the  eleventh  child 
and  seventh  son  in  the  family.  When 
seven  years  of  age  he  left  Brown  county 
and  removed  to  Pike  county,  Illinois, 
where  he  acquired  his  preliminary  educa- 
tion and  afterward  attaided  Normal 
school.  Later  he  engaged  in  teaching  but 
regarded  this  merely  as  an  initial  step  to 
other  professional  labor,  for  he  desired 
to  become  a  member  of  the  medical  fra- 
ternity and  became  a  student  in  the  office 
and  under  the  direction  of  Dr.  Harvey, 
of  Pittsfield.  He  afterward  attended  the 
Missouri  Medical  College  at  St.  Louis 
and  pursued  one  course  of  lectures  there, 
while  later  he  entered  the  Keokuk  Med- 


ical College,  from  which  he  was  gradu- 
ated with  the  class  of  1897.     He  located 
for  practice  at  Bentley,  in  Hancock  coun- 
ty, where  he  soon  secured  a  good  country 
practice,  but  desiring  a  broader  field  he 
removed  to  Memphis,  Missouri,  where  he 
remained  six  months.     He  then  came  to 
Carthage  on  the  22d  of  February,   1899, 
and  has  since  maintained  a  prominent  po- 
sition in  the  ranks  of  the  medical  frater- 
nity here  and  has  a  large  and  lucrative 
practice.      He    occupies    a    fine    suite    of 
rooms  in  the  McMahan  building  and  is  a 
general  practitioner,  well  versed  in  all  de- 
partments of  medical  science  and  its  adap- 
tation.   He  belongs  to  the  Hancock  Med- 
ical   Society,    the   Illinois   State    Medical 
Society  and  the  American  Medical  Asso- 
ciation.    He  is  moreover  grand  medical 
examiner  of  the  Hancock  County  Mutual 
Life  Association,   of   which   he   was  the 
originator,  and  which  is  now  known  as 
one  of  the  most  successful  mutual  insur- 
ance companies  of  the  country,  and  owes 
its    success    largely    to    Dr.    McCormick. 
Dr.   McCormick  was  married  Decem- 
ber  13,   1882,  to  Miss  Mary  E.  Brown- 
ing, of  Perry,   Pike  county,   a  daughter 
of  William  and  Mary  (Dorsey)  Brown- 
ing, who  were  old  residents  of  Pike  coun- 
ty, locating  there  on  coming  from  Ten- 
nessee.    Unto  Dr.  and  Mrs.  McCormick 
have   been    born    three   children :     Matie 
A.,  married  June  3,  1906,  to  Carl  C,  Carl- 
ton,  of  Sault  St.  Marie,  Michigan,  where 
she  resides.    She  is  a  graduate  of  the  Car- 
thage high  school;  Nettie  L.,  who  is  also 
a  graduate  of  the  high  school  and  is  cash- 
ier of  the   Wyman   Rand   Carpet   Com- 
pany of  Carthage;  and  Grace  E.,  who  is 
vet  a  student.     Dr.  and  Mrs.  McCormick 


3io 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


and  the  two  elder  daughters  hold  mem- 
bership in  the  Christian  church.  Theirs 
is  a  pleasant  and  attractive  home  on  South 
Main  street,  Dr.  McCormick  having 
made  most  of  the  improvements  there. 
Its  hospitality  is  justly  celebrated  and 
their  circle  of  friends  is  an  extensive  one. 
Dr.  McCormick  belongs  to  the  Odd  Fel- 
lows Society  of  Perry  and  the  Knights 
of  Pythias  lodge  at  Pittsfield,  Illinois. 
In  politics  he  is  a  democrat  but  is  too 
busy  to  hold  office  even  if  he  had  political 
aspirations.  He  is  justly  accounted  one 
of  the  strong  members  of  the  medical 
fraternity  in  the  county,  having  thor- 
oughly acquainted  himself  with  the  sci- 
ence of  medicine,  and  to  his  knowledge  he 
is  continually  adding  through  reading  and 
investigation,  while  in  his  practice  he  dis- 
plays keen  power  of  diagnosis,  so  that  he 
is  seldom  at  error  in  a  matter  of  profes- 
sional judgment. 


CLARK  H.  RICE. 

Clark  H.  Rice  is  one  of  the  native  sons 
of  Hancock  county  and  although  his  resi- 
dence here  has  not  been  continuous  he 
has  yet  spent  the  greater  part  of  his  life 
within  the  borders  of  the  county  and  is 
now  classed  with  the  representative  agri- 
culturists of  Pontoosuc  township,  owning 
and  cultivating  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  of  land  on  section  33.  His  life 
record  began  in  Durham  township  in 
:r866  and  he  is  a  son  of  Henry 
and  Elizabeth  Rice,  who  are  men- 


tioned elsewhere  in  this  volume.  He 
was  educated  in  the  Almater  school 
and  in  Elliott's  Business  College,  at  Bur- 
lington, Iowa,  and  thus,  by  liberal  train- 
ing, was  well  equipped  for  the  arduous 
duties  that  come  with  one's  entrance  into 
the  business  world.  He  remained  at 
home  with  his  parents  until  twenty-four 
years  of  age  and  then  made  arrangements 
for  having  a  home  of  his  own  through 
his  marriage  in  1890,  to  Miss  Laura  M. 
Bradfield,  who  was  born  in  Hardin 
county,  Iowa,  January  4,  1870,  a  daugh- 
ter of  James  N.  and  Ada  (Wolf)  Brad- 
field.  Her  father  was  born  in  Virginia, 
Loudoun  county,  in  1833,  and  her  mother 
in  Ohio,  in  1836,  and  they  came  to  Han- 
cock comity  from  Iowa  when  their  daugh- 
ter, Mrs.  Rice,  was  a  very  little  girl. 
She  is  the  youngest  of  their  four  children, 
all  yet  living,  the  others  being :  James 
L.,  of  La  Harpe;  William  F.,  also  living 
in  La  Harpe ;  and  Sherman,  a  resident  of 
Durham  township. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rice  began  their  domestic 
life  on  a  farm  near  Disco,  Illinois,  and 
followed  farming  in  this  county  until 
1893.  The  succeeding  three  years  were, 
spent  upon  a  farm  in  Nebraska  and  on  re- 
turning to  Illinois,  Mr.  Rice  was  again 
engaged  in  farming  near  Disco  for  a  year. 
He  after  engaged  in  the  same  pursuit 
near  Argyle,  Iowa,  for  six  years,  and 
in  1903  he  purchased  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  of  land  on  section  32,  Pon- 
toosuc township,  where  he  has  since  re- 
sided. The  place  is  well  improved  with  a 
good  residence,  barn  and  other  modern 
equipments  and  as  a  general  farmer  and 
stock-raiser  Mr.  Rice  is  meeting  with 
prosperity,  as  the  result  of  his  close  ap- 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


plication,  careful  management  and  laud- 
able ambition. 

L'nto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rice  were  born 
four  children :  One  died  in  infancy. 
Bertha,  born  October  25,  1891,  in  Disco, 
died  July  19,  1899;  Charles  L.,  born  in 
Argyle,  Iowa,  April  26,  1898,  is  at  home; 
Eulah  E.,  born  in  Pontoosuc  township, 
July  5,  1903,  died  on  the  29th  of  August, 
of  that  year.  The  parents  are  consistent 
members  of  the  Methodist  church  and 
in  politics  he  is  a  republican.  He  has  no 
desire  for  office,  preferring  to  devote  his 
entire  time  and  attention  to  his  business 
interest  which,  carefully  conducted,  are 
bringing  him  a  measure  of  success  that 
classes  him  with  the  men  of  affluence  in 
his  township. 


LAFAYETTE  FRAZER. 

Lafayette  Frazer.  carrying  on  general 
farming  in  Walker  township,  was  born 
in  Walker  township  in  1882,  a  son  of 
George  W.  and  Elizabeth  Rebecca 
(Shipe)  Frazer.  The  father  was  reared 
to  farm  life  and  has  always  followed 
agricultural  pursuits.  His  wife,  also  a 
native  of  Hancock  county,  was  born  in 
Rocky  Run  township.  They  still  reside 
in  Walker  township  and  are  people  of 
genuine  personal  worth.  Their  family 
numbers  six  children,  of  whom  five  are 
now  living:  James,  a  resident  of  Walker 
township:  Edith,  the  wife  of  William 
Schildman.  of  Walker  township;  Lafay- 
20 


ette,  of  this  review ;  Marion  and  Elberta, 
both  at  home. 

The  Oak  Valley  school  in  Walker 
township  afforded  Lafayette  Frazer  his 
educational  privileges,  which  he  enjoyed 
in  his  youth.  He  remained  on  the  old 
homestead  until  he  had  attained  his  ma- 
jority and  on  the  ist  of  December.  1901, 
he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Ina 
Tripp,  who  was  born  in  Adams  county. 
June  13,  1881,  a  daughter  of  Alva  and 
Sallie  Tripp,  both  of  whom  were  natives 
of  Illinois,  the  former  born  in  1854,  and 
the  latter  in  1861.  They  are  now  pros- 
perous farming  people  of  Adams  county, 
Illinois,  and  in  their  family  are  four  chil- 
dren, namely :  Mrs.  Frazer,  Clifford, 
Verna,  and  Virgil.  The  family  yet  re- 
mains unbroken  by  the  hand  of  death,  and 
with  the  exception  of  Mrs.  Frazer  all  are 
yet  under  the  parental  roof. 

Following  his  marriage  Mr.  Frazer 
rented  a  farm  of  two  hundred  and  forty 
acres  which  was  once  owned  and  occu- 
pied by  his  grandfather  and  is  now  the 
property  of  his  father.  Here  he  engages 
in  the  raising  of  stock  in  addition  to  the 
cultivation  of  the  cereals  best  adapted  to 
soil  and  climate.  In  his  farm  work  he 
is  enterprising  as  well  as  diligent  and  his 
persistence  and  determination  constitute 
the  salient  features  in  his  life  and  argue 
well  for  his  success. 

The  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Frazer  has 
been  blessed  with  two  interesting  chil- 
dren :  Helen,  born  in  1902 ;  and  Harold, 
in  1904.  The  parents  are  pleasant, 
genial  people  and  hospitality  is  one  of  the 
delightful  features  of  their  home.  Mr. 
Frazer  exercises  his  right  of  franchise  in 
support  of  the  democracy  but  has  never 


3I2 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


been  an  aspirant  for  office,  preferring  to 
concentrate  his  energies  upon  his  busi- 
ness affairs. 


JOHN  MORGAN  KISER. 

A  well  developed  and  highly  improved 
farm  in  Wythe  township  is  the  property 
of  John  Morgan  Kiser,  who  has  spent 
almost  his  entire  life  in  Illinois.  He  was 
born  in  Campbell  county,  Kentucky,  Sep- 
tember 20,  1862,  being  the  sixth  in  order 
of  birth  in  a  family  of  two  sons  and  seven 
daughters  whose  parents  ;werei  Wilson 
and  Mary  (Johnson)  Kiser,  likewise  na- 
tives of  Campbell  county.  The  paternal 
grandfather  was  Robert  Kiser,  and  the 
maternal  grandfather,  James  Johnson, 
both  residents  of  Kentucky.  In  the  year 
1864,  Wilson  Kiser  brought  his  family 
to  Hancock  county  and  purchased  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  on  sec- 
tion 29,  Wythe  township.  Upon  this 
farm  was  a  small  house  and  a  little  stable 
and  a  fence  had  been  built  around  the 
place.  He  soon  remodeled  the  house, 
built  a  granary  and  barn  and  continued 
the  work  of  improving  his  farm  which 
in  course  of  years  became  an  excellent 
property,  the  fields  returning  him  golden 
harvests  in  reward  for  the  care  and  labor 
which  he  bestowed  upon  them.  He  re- 
mained upon  this  farm  until'  called  to 
his  final  rest,  his  wife  passing  away  in 
May.  1890.  while  he  survived  until  Oc- 
tober of  the  same  year. 

Brought  to  Wythe  township  when  but 
two  years  of  age,  John  M.  Kiser  pursued 


his  education  in  the  district  schools  of  the 
neighborhood  and  when  not  busy  with 
his  text-books  aided  in  the  farm  work,  . 
giving  his  father  the  benefit  of  his  services 
in  the  field  and  meadow  until  he  had 
attained  his  majority.  He  then  began 
farming  on  his  own  account,  and  pur- 
chased forty  acres  of  land  on  section  j 
28,  Wythe  township,  from  his  father. 
This  he  cultivated  for  six  years,  at 
the  end  of  which  time  he  pur- 
chased the  old  homestead  of  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acres  from  the  other  heirs  and 
took  possession  of  the  place.  When  the 
barn  was  destroyed  by  fire  in  1895  he 
replaced  it  by  a  good  barn  forty  by  fifty 
feet  and  in  1905  he  further  improved  his 
place  by  the  erection  of  one  among  the 
finest  homes  in  the  township.  It  is 
heated  by  furnace  and  supplied  with  all 
modern  equipments,  is  tastefully  furnished 
and  is  noted  for  its  gracious  and  warm 
hearted  hospitality.  Mr.  Kiser  gives  his 
attention  to  the  cultivation  of  his  fields 
and  to  the  raising  of  Percheron  horses 
and  good  grades  of  cattle  and  hogs.  He 
also  farms  eighty  acres  of  land  belonging 
to  his  wife,  and  the  success  which  is  at- 
tending his  efforts  is  indicative  of  his 
progressive  methods  in  carrying  on  the 
farm  work. 

On  the  2jth  of  August,  1883,  Mr.  Kiser 
was  married  to  Miss  Rose  Ewing,  who 
was  born  in  Walker  township  and  pur- 
sued her  education  in  the  district  schools 
there,  while  spending  her  girlhood  days 
in  the  home  of  her  parents,  John  and 
Margaret  (Stacker)  Ewing.  who  were 
natives  of  Kentucky  and  Ohio  respective- 
ly. Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kiser  now  have  an 
interesting  family  of  four  children : 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


Ethel,  born  June  2,  1887;  Emma.  Sep- 
tember 10,  1893;  Claud,  April  23,  1898; 
and  Annie,  September  20,  1900.  The 
parents  hold  membership  in  the  Presby- 
terian church  and  Mr.  Kiser  votes  with 
the  democracy  but  he  has  never  been  an 
aspirant  for  office.  The  fact  that  many 
of  his  stanchest  friends  are  those  who 
have  known  him  from  his  boyhood  days 
to  the  present  time  is  an  indication  that 
his  life  has  been  well  spent  and  that  his 
sterling  traits  of  character  are  such  as 
command  uniform  confidence  and  good 
will. 


ALBERT  BERTSCHI. 

Albert  Bertschi.  a  prominent  stockman 
of  Niota,  where  he  is  engaged  in  handling 
horses,  cattle  and  sheep,  is  a  native  son 
of  Illinois,  having  been  born  in  Appa- 
noose  township,  September  18,  1871,  of 
Scotch  and  Swiss  ancestry.  His  paternal 
grandparents  were  Solomon  and  Eliza- 
beth Bertschi,  who  emigrated  from  the 
land  of  the  Alps  in  an  early  day,  bring- 
ing with  them  their  son  Philemon,  who 
was  the  father  of  our  subject.  They  first 
settled  in  New  Orleans,  but  in  1856  went 
to  St.  Louis,  where  they  remained  one 
winter  and  then  removed  to  Illinois,  lo- 
cating in  Appanoose  township.  Here 
Philemon  Bertschi  was  married  in  1868 
to  Miss  Margaret  Mackie,  the  wedding 
ceremony  being  performed  at  French- 
town.  She  was  a  daughter  of  Robert 
Mackie,  whose  birth  occurred  in  Scotland, 
and  who  emigrated  to  America,  settling 


in  Hancock  county  prior  to  the  time  the 
Mormons  took  up  their  abode  in  this  sec- 
tion of  the  state.  In  this  county  the 
daughter,  Margaret,  was  born  and  after 
reaching  womanhood  gave  her  hand  in 
marriage  to  Philemon  Bertschi.  Her 
father  passed  away  in  -this  county  in  the 
year  1870.  Following  his  marriage 
Philemon  Bertschi,  father  of  our  subject, 
located  on  a  farm  in  Appanoose  town- 
ship, comprising  one  hundred  and  ninety- 
eight  acres,  to  which  he  added  from  time 
to  time  until  at  the  time  of  his  death, 
April  2,  1902,  he  left  a  valuable  farm 
of  four  hundred  acres.  His  wife  had 
preceeded  him  to  the  home  beyond,  her 
death  occurring  in  May,  1887. 

Albert  Bertschi,  the  eldest  of  four  sons 
and  three  daughters,  was  reared  on  the 
home  farm,  assisting  his  father  in  the 
operations  of  his  farming  pursuits,  so 
that  the  son  received  practical  training 
which  enabled  him  later  in  life  to  carry 
on  business  on  his  own  account.  He  ac- 
quired his  education  in  district  school  No. 
43,  near  his  father's  home,  and  remained 
with  his  parents  until  he  attained  his  ma- 
jority, at  which  time  he  was  married  and 
started  out  in  life  on  his  own  account. 
He  chose  as  a  companion  and  helpmate 
on  life's  journey  Miss  Bessie  Briley, 
whom  he  wedded  on  the  5th  of  April. 
1892.  She  is  a  native  of  Appanoose 
township,  and  is  a  daughter  of  William 
and  Matilda  (Uhler)  Briley,  both  na- 
tives of  the  Keystone  state. 

Following  his  marriage  Mr.  Bertschi 
took  up  his  abode  on  a  farm  in  Sonora 
township,  belonging  to  his  father,  where 
he  remained  for  ten  years.  After  his 
father's  death  he  removed  to  the  old 


3*4 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REl'IEU' 


homestead  farm,  which  he  operated  until 
A'larch,  1905.  when  he  took  up  his  abode 
in  Niota,  where  he  built  a  large  barn  and 
began  dealing  in  horses,  cattle  and  sheep. 
He  now  has  an  associate  in  business,  his 
partner  being  William  Ellison.  The}'  are 
now  engaged  quite  extensively  in  hand- 
ling horses,  cattle  and  sheep,  shipping  a 
large  amount  of  each,  from  which  they 
derive  a  gratifying  income.  He  is  a 
wide-awake  and  enterprising  business 
man  well  known  all  over  Hancock  county, 
his  business  interests  taking  him  over  a 
large  territory.  He  is  ever  found  re- 
liable and  straightforward  in  all  his  busi- 
ness transactions  and  is  accounted  one  of 
the  leading  factors  of  his  village. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Bertschi  is 
a  democrat,  and  for  a  number  of  years 
served  as  school  director.  He  holds 
membership  relations  with  the  Modern 
Woodmen  of  America,  belonging  to  camp 
No.  1654,  at  Xiota,  and  is  also  an  Odd 
Fellow,  belonging  to  lodge.  No.  222,  at 
Nauvoo.  In  his  family  are  two  children. 
Phil  Albert,  born  April  30,  1893;  and 
Bernice,  born  in  March.  1895. 


CHARLES  T.  MARTIN. 

Charles  T.  Martin,  captain  on  a  boat 
running  from  Quincy,  Illinois,  to  Daven- 
port, Iowa,  is  a  worthy  citizen  of  Niota, 
where  he  owns  and  occupies  a  fine  home, 
besides  other  property  which  he  rents. 
He  is  a  native  of  Columbus,  Ohio,  his 
birth  having  occurred  September  22, 


1840,  a  son  of  Charles  T.  and  Mary  Jane 
(Jackson)  Martin,  natives  of  Harper's 
Ferry,  West  Virginia,  and  Connecticut,  re- 
spectively. Air.  and  Mrs.  Charles  T. 
Martin  had  accompanied  their  respective 
parents  to  Columbus,  Ohio,  during  their 
youth  and  were  there  married  about  1834, 
The  father  was  a  contractor  and  builder, 
and  in  1842  he  removed  to  Fort  Madison, 
Iowa,  where  he  continued  his  work  as  a 
carpenter  and  contractor  until  1853, 
when  he  went  to  California,  and  his  death 
there  occurred  three  years  later.  In  his 
family  were  two  sons  and  four  daugh- 
ters, of  whom  the  subject  of  this  review 
was  the  third  in  order  of  birth,  and  of 
whom  four  yet  survive,  namely :  Charles 
T. ;  Sarah  A.,  the  widow  of  Dr.  George 
Ferrard,  now  residing  in  Chicago ; 
Helen  M.,  the  wife  of  W.  B.  Bently.  and 
a  resident  of  Fort  Madison,  Iowa,  and 
A.  A.,  also  of  that  city.  The  mother,  in 
1871.  married  Jonathan  Allen,  who  was  a 
retired  farmer,  and  her  death  occurred 
February  13,  1906,  when  she  had  reached 
the  very  advanced  age  of  eighty-eight 
years,  for  her  birth  occurred  April  28, 
1818. 

Charles  T.  Martin,  whose  name  intro- 
duces this  record,  acquired  a  common- 
school  education  in  Fort  Madison,  and  at 
the  age  of  thirteen  years  entered  a  print- 
ing office,  where  he  was  employed  for  one 
year,  after  which  he  went  to  Davenport, 
Iowa,  and  worked  in  a  job  printing  office 
for  the  succeeding  six  years.  He  then 
became  interested  in  navigation  and 
learned  to  be  a  pilot,  his  work  being  on 
the  Mississippi  river.  Three  years  later 
he  became  captain  of  a  boat  running  from 
Quincy,  Illinois,  to  Davenport,  Iowa, 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


315 


which  he  has  followed  to  the  present  time. 
In  the  meatime,  in  1883,  he  bought  a  farm 
comprising  one  hundred  and  sixty-eight 
acres,  situated  on  section  i,  Appanoose 
township,  a  portion  of  which  was  operated 
by  his  sons,  while  the  remainder  he  rented 
to  other  parties.  In  the  spring  of  1902. 
however,  he  sold  this  property  and  in- 
vested in  four  lots  and  two  houses  in 
Niota,  one  of  which  he  occupies,  while 
the  other  he  rents.  He  has  a  fine  home, 
which  is  supplied  with  all  comforts  and 
conveniences  and  he  is  now  comfortably 
situated  in  life. 

On  the  3d  of  March.  1864,  Mr.  Martin 
was  married  to  Miss  Justina  M.  Dellan- 
baugh.  a  native  of  North  Georgetown, 
Columbiana  count}-,  Ohio,  a  daughter  of 
John  and  Sarah  ( Sheets)  Dellanbaugh. 
natives  of  Switzerland  and  Pennsylvania, 
respectively.  Mrs.  Martin  was  born  June 
3,  1846,  and  between  the  ages  of  four 
and  eighteen  years  pursued  her  studies 
in  a  convent  at  Cleveland,  Ohio.  The  liv- 
ing members  of  Mr.  Martin's  family  are 
as  follows:  Charles  L.,  who  was  born 
March  13.  1865,  an(l  's  a  pilot  on  a  boat 
running  on  the  Mississippi  river  and  re- 
sides in  Warsaw,  Illinois:  Justina  M., 
born  August  12,  1869,  and  now  the  wife 
of  Thomas  Cosgrove,  of  Appanoose  town- 
ship: Anderson  A.,  born  July  31,  1876, 
and  a  resident  of  Fort  Madison,  Iowa : 
Frank  E.,  born  October  23,  1878.  and  p. 
resident  of  Mammoth.  Montana:  Mary 
H..  who  was  born  October  4,  1880,  and 
is  now  the  wife  of  Fred  Jackson,  of  Car- 
thage township;  Royal  M..  who  was  born 
December  12.  1886,  and  resides  with  his 
parents  but  is  employed  by  the  Atchison, 
Topeka  £  Santa  Fe  Railroad,  at  Fort 


Madison,  Iowa;  Sydney  L..  born  Decem- 
ber 26,  1889;  Earl,  born  June  26.  1891. 
Those  deceased  are:  Harriett  M.,  who 
was  born  November  26,  1866,  and  died 
July  6,  1870;  Damaras  C.,  who  was 
born  May  13,  1874,  and  passed  away  Feb- 
ruary 3,  1887;  John  D.,  who  was  born 
February  10,  1872,  and  died  February  5, 
1888;  Sarah  E.,  who  was  born  March  5, 
1883.  and  died  February  21.  1888:  and 
Raymond  V.,  twin  brother  of  Royal, 
whose  death  occurred  July  17,  1897. 

Mr.  Martin  supports  the  principles  of 
the  Democratic  party  and  served  as  school 
director  for  four  years  but  aside  from  this 
has  accepted  no  political  office.  Frater- 
nally he  holds  membership  with  the 
Modern  Woodmen  of  America.  He  has 
been  energtic  and  persevering  in  all  that 
he  has  undertaken  and  as  the  years  have 
passed  by  has  accumulated  a  comfortable 
competence  so  that  he  is  now  enabled  to 
enjoy  many  of  the  comforts  of  life.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Martin  have  reared  a  family  of 
children  of  which  they  have  every  reason 
to  be  proud  and  they  are  highly  esteemed 
people  of  this  portion  of  the  state. 


WILLIAM  M.  FERGUSON. 

William  M.  Ferguson,  who  is  engaged 
in  the  livery  business  and  is  also  a  dealer 
in  horses  in  La  Harpe,  was  born  in  Ayre- 
shire,  Scotland,  May  29.  1867.  He  is  a 
son  of  John  Ferguson,  also  a  native  of 
Ayreshire  and  a  grandson  of  Mathew 
Earl.  The  former  married  Grace  Ear!. 


316 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REV  IE}}' 


a  daughter  of  David  and  Margaret 
( Stevens)  Earl,  who  were  born  in  Ayre- 
shire  as  was  Mrs.  Ferguson.  John  Fer- 
guson was  an  engineer  on  the  Glasgow 
&  Southwestern  Railroad  and  spent  his 
entire  life  in  his  native  country,  there 
passing  away  in  1901,  having  for  more 
than  a  decade  survived  his  wife,  who  died 
in  1890. 

William  M.  Ferguson  acquired  a  com- 
mon-school education,  attending  until  the 
age  of  ten  years,  when  he  started  out  upon 
his  business  career,  working  with  a  horse 
buyer  of  the  name  of  Crawford,  at 
Manare  Head,  Scotland.  He  was  thus 
engaged  for  eight  years  and  afterward 
removed  to  Inchnnan,  Paisley,  Scotland, 
where  'he  worked  for  a  Mr.  Taylor,  a 
horse  breeder,  for  two  years.  In  1887 
he  came  to  America  with  eighteen  head 
of  thoroughbred  horses  for  John  C. 
Huston,  of  Blandinsville,  Illinois,  and  was 
in  the  employ  of  Mr.  Huston  for  seven 
years,  the  latter  being  one  of  the  most 
prominent  stock  breeders  and  dealers  in 
his  section  of  the  state.  In  1895  he 
entered  the  employ  of  W.  O.  Talbert, 
feeding  and  caring  for  horses  and  five 
years  later,  with  the  capital  that  he  had 
acquired,  he  began  business  on  his  own 
account,  dealing  in  and  shipping  horses 
for  himself.  On  the  i8th  of  January, 
1906,  he  purchased  the  Lancaster  livery 
barn  in  La  Harpe,  becoming  owner  of 
fourteen  head  of  horses  and  twelve  ve- 
hicles. He  is  still  conducting  the  livery 
business  and  he  yet  deals  in  horses,  em- 
ploying two  men.  He  is  an  expert  judge 
of  horses,  seldom  at  error  in  his  estimate 
of  the  value  of  an  animal  and  since  en- 
gaging in  business  on  his  own  account 


he  has  secured  a  good  patronage  and  con- 
ducted a  profitable  trade. 

On  the  3  ist  of  January,  1893,  Mr. 
Ferguson  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Mary  Martin,  who  was  born  in  Canton, 
Illinois,  in  June,  1875,  and  is  a  daughter 
of  Patrick  and  Belle  (Haley)  Martin, 
who  were  natives  of  Ireland  and  her  father 
was  employed  in  railroad  work  in  Illinois 
for  many  years.  He  died  in  August, 
1905.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ferguson 
have  been  born  three  children :  Grace, 
who  was  born  in  1894  and  died  at  the 
age  of  two  years;  Maggie,  born  in  1896 
and  died  in  infancy ;  and  Raymond,  born 
in  August,  1903. 

Mr.  Ferguson  is  a  member  of  the  Chris- 
tian church  and  his  political  allegiance  is 
given  to  the  democracy  but  he  has  neither 
time  nor  inclination  to  seek  office,  pre- 
ferring to  give  his  attention  to  his  busi- 
ness interests,  in  which  he  is  now  meet- 
ing with  success.  He  has  had  no  oc- 
casion to  regret  his  determination  to  come 
to  America  for  he  has  found  here  good 
business  opportunities  and  through  their 
utilization  has  gained  a  comfortable 
living. 


HENRY  THOMAS  PITT. 

Henry  Thomas  Pitt,  a  progressive  agri- 
culturist and  stock-raiser  of  Sonora  town- 
ship, having  here  a  fine  tract  of  land  of 
one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  rich  and 
arable  land,  is  a  native  of  Herefordshire, 
England,  his  natal  day  being  July  15, 
1836,  a  son  of  Thomas  and  Charlotte 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


317 


(Hardwick)  Pitt,  likewise  natives  of  the 
fatherland.  The  son  was  a  little  lad  of 
five  years,  when,  in  the  spring  of  1841, 
he  accompanied  his  mother  to  America, 
and  they  at  once  made  their  way  to 
Xauvoo,  where  they  were  joined  by  the 
father  in  the  following  spring.  The  fam- 
ily then  located  on  a  farm  in  Sonora  town- 
ship, where  he  engaged  in  general  agricul- 
tural pursuits. 

Henry  Thomas  Pitt  acquired  his  educa- 
tion in  the  Elliott  district  school  near  his 
father's  home,  this  being  the  first  school 
built  in  the  township.  He  remained  with, 
his  parents  until  his  marriage  on  the  I2th 
of  December,  1861,  Miss  Huldah  Jane 
Stevens  becoming  his  wife.  She  is  a 
native  of  Meigs  county,  Ohio,  her  birth 
having  occurred  March  3,  1842,  and  when 
eight  years  of  age  she  was  brought  to  this 
state  by  her  parents.  Daniel  and  Mary 
(Stabbord)  Stevens,  both  natives  of 
Maine.  On  removing  from  their  native 
state  they  settled  in  Ohio,  .where  they 
remained  from  1840  until  1850  and  at 
that  time  went  to  Quincy,  but  four  years 
later  removed  to  Sonora  township,  Han- 
cock county,  where  he  purchased  a  farm 
of  eighty  acres  which  he  improved  and 
his  death  occurred  one  year  later  in  1865. 
while  his  wife  survived  for  twelve  years. 

Following  his  marriage  Mr.  Pitt  lo- 
cated on  his  farm  of  eighty  acres,  lying 
on  section  14,  Sonora  township,  of  which 
only  about  fifteen  acres  had  been  cleared. 
He  at  once  set  to  work  to  improve  his 
farm  and  in  course  of  time  placed  his 
fields  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation 
and  planted  his  crops,  from  which  he  an- 
nually gathered  rich  harvests.  On  the 
place  was  a  log  cabin,  in  which  the  family 


made  their  home  until  the  fall  of  1866, 
when  this  was  replaced  by  a  more  com- 
modious frame  dwelling.  He  set  out 
shade  trees  and  an  orchard  containing  one 
hundred  and  twenty  fruit  trees  of  va- 
rious kinds,  of  which  only  two  apple  trees 
remain.  He  has  set  out  a  second  orchard, 
as  well  as  small  fruit  of  all  kinds,  has 
built  barns  and  other  outbuildings  for 
the  shelter  of  stock,  grain  and  farm  ma- 
chinery, and  from  time  to  time  added  to 
his  house  until  he  today  has  one  of  the 
finest  country  residences  of  his  portion 
of  the  state,  being  supplied  with  all 
modern  conveniences  and  accessories.  In 
1 88 1  he  added  an  additional  tract  of 
eighty  acres  to  his  home  place,  so  that 
he  now  has  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres 
of  finely  improved  land.  Here  he  is  en- 
gaged in  general  farming  and  stock-rais- 
ing, including  horses,  cattle  and  Chester 
White  and  Poland  China  hogs. 

Unto  our  subject  and  his  wife  have  been 
born  five  sons  and  four  daughters,  as 
follows :  Alice  Ann,  who  was  born  June 
26,  1862,  and  died  in  January,  1863 ;  Ed- 
win, born  March  13,  1864,  a  resident  of 
Rock  Creek  township;  Orin  W.,  born  in 
1866,  and  likewise  a  resident  of  Rock 
Creek  township ;  Ida  J.,  the  wife  of  Frank 
Stevenson,  also  of  that  township;  Hattie 
C.,  the  wife  of  Charles  Ross,  of  Mont- 
rose,  Iowa;  Henry  Thomas,  of  Van 
Buren  county,  Iowa ;  John  Everett,  resid- 
ing in  Rock  Creek  township ;  Milton  War- 
ren, of  Dallas  City;  and  Maud  Allen,  the 
wife  of  Harvey  Hardy,  of. Rock  Creek 
township. 

In  politics  Mr.  Pitt  is  independent,  vot- 
ing for  the  men  whom  he  regards  as  best 
qualified  for  office,  regardless  of  party 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


ties.  He  has  served  as  school  director 
but  aside  from  this  has  held  no  public 
office.  His  religious  faith  is  indicated  by 
his  membership  in  the  Latter  Day  Saints' 
church.  Mr.  Pitt  has  led  a  busy  and 
useful  life  and  all  that  he  possesses  has 
been  acquired  through  his  own  well  di- 
rected labors.  He  has  worked  diligently 
and  persistently  as  the  years  have  gone 
by  and  now  has  an  excellent  farm  which 
bears  evidence  of  the  careful  supervision 
and  management  of  the  owner. 


DAVID  R.  SIGHTS. 

Among  the  self-made  men  who  are  now 
leading  and  influential  factors  in  the  agri- 
cultural life  of  Hancock  county  may  be 
numbered  David  R.  Sights,  for,  being  left 
an  orphan  at  a  very  early  age,  he  has 
depended  upon  his  own  enterprise  and  in- 
dustry for  his  success  in  life  and  the  posi- 
tion which  he  occupies  today  is  due  entire- 
ly to  his  own  well  directed  efforts.  A 
native  of  Guernsey  county.  Ohio,  he  was 
born  July  4,  1847,  a  son  of  William  and 
Martha  (Sarchet)  Sights,  the  former 
born  in  Pennsylvania,  and  the  latter  a  na- 
tive of  Grundy  Island,  France.  The 
father  followed  farming  in  the  Buckeye 
state,  and  in  1853  made  his  way  to  the 
state  of  Iowa,  the  family  traveling  in  a 
wagon,  the  journey  requiring  six  weeks, 
at  which  time  they  arrived  at  Keokuk, 
their  destination.  There  the  family  made 
their  home  for  two  years,  the  father  being 
employed  in  a  brick  yard,  and  later  took 


a  contract  to  chop  wood,  which  continued 
to  be  his  occupation  for  some  time.  Here 
both  the  father  and  mother  passed  away, 
their  deaths  occuring  only  a  month  apart. 

David  R.  Sights,  is  the  youngest  in 
a  family  of  four  sons  and  four  daughters, 
and  being  bereft  of  both  parents  at  a  very 
early  age  he  accompanied  a  neighbor  to 
La  Harpe  township,  this  county,  where 
he  was  employed  for  several  years  by 
different  farmers  of  this  section  of  the 
state.  He  was  industrious  and  econom- 
ical, and  thus  saving  his  earnings  he  was 
in  the  course  of  time  enabled  to  carry  on 
farming  on  his  own  account. 

Considering  -the  subject  of  having  a 
home  of  his  own,  he  sought  and  won  a 
companion  December  16,  1881,  by  his 
.marriage  to  Miss  Ida  Kate  Nichols, 
whose  birth  occurred  in  La  Harpe  town- 
ship. May  29,  1863,  a  daughter  of  Jo- 
seph and  Thurza  (Murdock)  Nichols, 
both  natives  of  Greene  county,  Pennsyl- 
vania. Her  parents  removed  to  Adams 
county,  Illinois,  in  1853,  and  later  took 
up  their  abode  in  La  Harpe  township, 
where  the  father  purchased  land  and  set- 
tled on  a  farm  on  section  7.  Here  the 
father  engaged  in  general  agricultural 
pursuits  and  became  an  extensive  dealer 
in  live  stock.  His  death  occurred  Sep- 
tember, 1871.  His  widow  continued  to 
reside  on  the  homestead  property  until  her 
death,  which  occurred  October  9,  1893. 

Following  his  marriage  Mr.  Sights 
took  up  his  abode  on  the  farm  of  his 
mother-in-law,  which  he  managed  until 
her  death,  subsequent  to  which  time  he 
purchased  the  interest  of  the  heirs  in  the 
property,  thus  becoming  owner  of  fifty- 
four  acres  of  well  improved  and  valuable 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


319 


property.  He  has  added  to  his  original 
purchase  until  he  now  owns  eighty  acres 
of  improved  land  and  five  acres  of  timber, 
and  on  his  place  are  found  good  substan- 
tial outbuildings  for  the  shelter  of  grain 
and  stock.  On  the  2d  of  May,  1905,  the 
house  was  destroyed  by  fire,  and  in  the 
fall  of  the  same  year  Mr.  Sights  built  a 
two-story  frame  residence,  containing 
eight  rooms,  which  is  supplied  with  all 
modern  conveniences  and  accessories. 
He  has  an  orchard  of  three  acres,  which 
is  'set  out  to  apples,  peaches,  pears  and 
plums,  and  he  likewise  raises  small  fruits 
of  different  varieties. 

Unto  our  subject  and  his  wife  have 
been  born  three  daughters :  Nora  Belle 
was  born  April  4,  1882,  and  is  now  the 
wife  of  Alvin  Martin,  a  resident  of  Dur- 
ham township.  Beulah  Frances,  born 
May  24,  1887,  and  Gladys  Aldona,  born 
November  5,  1897,  are  both  at  home. 
Politically  Mr.  Sights  is  a  democrat,  and 
has  served  as  school  director  for  several 
years.  He  belongs  to  the  Independent 
Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  holding  member- 
ship with  .La  Harpe  lodge.  No.  653 
Starting  out  in  life  a  poor  boy  with  no 
assistance  and  depending  entirely  upon 
his  own  labors.  Mr.  Sights  has  worked 
untiringly  in  the  acquirement  of  a  com- 
petence and  is  today  in  possession  of  a 
well  improved  farm  property  on  which 
are  found  all  the  improvements  known  to 
a  model  farm  of  the  twentieth  century, 
and  through  his  honesty  am1  reliability 
has  gained  a  place  among  the  represen- 
tative and  progressive  agriculturists  of 
this  portion  of  the  state.  He  is  held  in 
high  esteem  by  all  who  know  him,  and  in 
his  work  is  persistent  and  energetic. 


THOMAS  JEFFERSON  SIGHTS. 

Among  the  men  who  are  interested  in 
the  commercial  development  and  progress 
of  Disco  is  numbered  Thomas  Jefferson 
Sights  who,  in  connection  with  A.  N. 
Davier.  is  successfully  carrying  on  a  gen- 
eral mercantile  establishment  at  this  place. 
He  is  a  native  of  the  Buckeye  state,  his 
birth  having  occurred  in  Guernsey  county. 
February  15,  1839,  a  son  of  William  and 
Martha  Elizabeth  (Sarchet)  Sights,  the 
former  born  in  Washington  county,  Penn- 
sylvania, while  the  latter  likewise  claims 
Guernsey  county  as  the  place  of  her  na- 
tivity. In  the  paternal  line  our  subject 
comes  from  Scotch  ancestry,  his  grand- 
parents being  David  and  Jane  Sights, 
natives  of  Pennsylvania  and  Scotland,  re- 
spectively, while  the  maternal  grandpar- 
ents were  Thomas  and  Catherine  (Mar- 
quard)  Sarchet,  born  on  the  Isle  of 
Guernsey.  The  parents  of  our  subject 
were  married  in  Ohio,  where  the  father 
followed  general  farming  until  1853. 
when  he  removed  to  Keokuk,  Iowa, 
where  he  was  employed  for  a  year,  sub- 
sequent to  which  time  he  once  more  re- 
sumed farming  in  Lee  county,  that  state, 
and  there  his  death  occurred  in  Septem- 
ber, 1855,  while  his  wife  survived  him 
for  only  one  month,  passing  away  in  Oc- 
tober of  the  same  year. 

Thomas  Jefferson  Sights,  losing  his 
parents  at  the  early  age  of  sixteen  years, 
was  thus  early  thrown  upon  his  own  re- 
sponsibilities for  a  livelihood.  He  pur- 
sued his  studies  in  an  old  log  school- 
house  in  his  native  state,  the  educational 
system  being  quite  as  primitive  as  the 
building  in  which  he  pursued  his  studies. 


320 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


He  also  attended  school  for  a  time  after 
his  arrival  in  Hancock  county.  Follow- 
ing the  death  of  his  parents  he  remained 
on  the  farm  during  the  succeeding  winter 
and  the  family  then  removed  to  Keokuk, 
while  our  subject  came  to  Hancock  coun- 
ty, where  he  secured  employment  as  a 
farm  hand  by  the  month,  remaining  in  the 
employ  of  Henry  Blythe,  of  Durham 
township,  for  seven  years.  Being  of  an 
industrious  and  economical  nature,  and 
watchful  of  opportunities  for  advance- 
ment, he  then  rented  a  farm,  on  which  he 
was  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits  un- 
til 1902.  .In  the  meantime,  in  1880,  hav- 
ing prospered  in  his  undertakings,  he  pur- 
chased a  tract  of  sixty-seven  acres,  which 
he  conducted  in  connection  with  the  prop- 
erty which  he  had  leased.  He  later  sold 
his  land,  and  in  1902  retired  from  farm- 
ing pursuits  and  removed  to  Disco, 
where,  in  connection  with  A.  N.  Davier, 
he  purchased  the  mercantile  enterprise 
formerly  owned  and  operated  by  Curtis 
Payne,  and  he  has  since  been  engaged  in 
mercantile  pursuits,  in  which  he  is  meet- 
ing with  gratifying  success.  They  have 
an  up-to-date  stock  of  goods  to  meet  the 
tastes  and  fancies  of  the  general  public 
and  it  is  owing  largely  to  the  business 
ability  and  sound  judgment  of  Mr.  Sights 
that  their  store  ranks  among  the  best 
commercial  enterprises  of  the  city  or 
county.  On  the  loth  of  January,  1906, 
Mr.  Sights  was  appointed  postmaster  and 
is  proving  a  capable  official  in  this  re- 
gard. 

On  the  nth  of  April,  1867,  Mr.  Sights 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Irena  E. 
Wills,  whose  birth  occurred  at  Sardinia, 
near  Cincinnati,  Ohio.  She  is  a  daugh- 


ter of  William  and  Jane  (Gilliland) 
Wills,  likewise  natives  of  the  Buckeye 
state.  They  located  in  Hancock  county 
in  1854,  where  the  father  purchased  a 
farm  which  he  conducted  until  his  death 
in  1901.  His  wife  survived  for  only 
a  few  years,  passing  away  in  the  present 
year.  An  only  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Sights  died  in  infancy. 

Mr.  Sights  gives  his  political  support 
to  the  Republican  party  and  has  taken  an 
active  and  helpful  interest  in  public  af- 
fairs, having  filled  the  office  of  assessor 
for  one  term.  He  holds  membership  with 
the  Methodist  Protestant  church,  in  which 
he  has  served  as  trustee  and  treasurer. 
Mr.  Sights  is  ever  interested  in  any  move- 
ment that  tends  to  the  advancement  of 
his  community  and  he  and  his  wife  are 
highly  esteemed  for  their  sterling  worth 
and  are  numbered  among  the  worthy  cit- 
izens of  the  county. 


EDWARD  ARGAST. 

Edward  Argast,  who  for  many  years 
has  been  a  representative  of  business  life 
in  Nauvoo,  where  he  is  engaged  in  deal- 
ing in  grapes  and  other  fruits,  making  ex- 
tensive shipments,  was  born  in  Kehl, 
Baden,  Germany,  June  18,  1834,  and  ac- 
quired a  common-school  education  while 
spending  his  boyhood  days  in  the  home  of 
his  parents,  John  F.  and  Salamoer 
( Knecht)  Argast,  the  former  a  native  of 
Baden  and  the  latter  of  Strasburg,  France', 
The  mother  died  in  Germany  in  1851,  and 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


321. 


the  father  afterward  cam  to  America  with 
his  two  sons  but  one  daughter  had  died 
prior  to  the  emigration,  and  Frederick 
John,  who  accompanied  the  father  on 
the  voyage,  passed  away  in  Nauvoo,  Illi- 
nois, July  10,  1880.  The  sailing  vessel 
on  which  they  embarked  dropped  anchor 
in  the  harbor  of  New  Orleans,  after  which 
John  F.  Argast  and  his  sons  made  their 
way  up  the  Mississippi  river  to  St.  Louis, 
where  he  worked  at  his  trade  of  cabinet- 
making  until  1854,  when  he  came  to 
Nauvoo.  Here  he  established  a  whole- 
sale store,  which  he  conducted  for  about 
eighteen  years,  or  until  his  life's  labors 
were  ended -in  death  on  the  4th  of  Sep- 
tember, 1872.  In  this  country  he  married 
Caroline  Peters,  a  native  of  Baden.  This 
marriage  was  celebrated  in  St.  Louis,  and 
Mrs.  Argast  passed  away  in  that  city  in 
1884. 

E)dward  Argast  began  earning  his  own 
living  in  St.  Louis,  where  he  learned  to  be 
a  cook.  He  was  thus  employed  in  that 
city,  in  New  York  and  in  New  Orleans 
until  the  7th  of  May,  1861.  when  he  en- 
list for  three  months'  service  with  the 
Third  Missouri  United  States  Reserve 
Corps.  With  that  command  he  did  duty 
in  St.  Louis  and  all  parts  of  Missouri 
under  command  of  John  C.  Fremont,  and 
also  proceeded  to  Cairo,  Illinois.  He 
was  mustered  out  in  February,  1862,  his 
first  term  having  expired  and  later  he 
re-enlisted  at  St.  Louis  with  the  boys  in 
blue  of  Company  F,  Twenty-ninth  Mis- 
souri Infantry.  Following  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  regiment  he  went  to  Cape 
Giranleau.  Missouri,  in  the  fall  of  1862, 
and  thence  on  to  Vicksburg,  participating 
in  the  first  campaign  there  under  General 


Sherman.  He  participated  in  the  battle  of 
Chickasaw  Bayou  on  the  .29th  of  De- 
cember where  one-half  of  the  regiment 
was  lost.  On  the'  ist  of  January,  1863, 
he  went  to  Arkansas  Post,  participating 
in  the  engagement  at  that  place  on  the 
loth  of  January,  at  which  time  five 
thousand  Confederates  were  taken  prison- 
ers. Eventually  he  returned  to  Vicks- 
burg, where  the  regiment  remained  until 
the  capitulation  of  the  city,  and  he  partici- 
pated in  the  battle  of  Raymond,  Champion 
Hills  and  Jackson  and  was  present  at  the 
surrender  of  Vicksburg  on  the  4th  of 
July,  1863.  He  afterward  returned  to 
Jackson,  fighting  in  the  battle  there  and 
then  went  back  to  Vicksburg,  where  the 
regiment  remained  for  some  time,  later 
proceeding  to  Memphis,  Tennessee.  They 
were  under  Grant  at  the  battle  of  Chero- 
kee Station  and  proceeded  on  foot  to 
Chattanooga.  The  Twenty-ninth  Missouri 
participated  in  the  memorable  battle  of 
Lookout  Mountain  "above  the  clouds," 
and  afterward  in  the  battle  of  Missionary 
Ridge,  proceeding  thence  to  Ringgold, 
Georgia,  where  another  engagement  oc- 
curred. They  went  into  winter  quarters 
at  Woodville,  Alabama,  and  on  the  ist 
of  May,  1864,  started  on  the" Atlanta  cam- 
paign under  Sherman,  proceeding  from 
Atlanta  to  Savannah,  Georgia,  and  par- 
ticipating in  the  battles  of  Resaca,  Dallas, 
Kenesaw  Mountain,  the  first  battle  of  At- 
lanta on  the  2 ist  of  May,  and  the  second 
battle  there  on  the  28th  of  May,  1864. 
The  LTnion  troops  then  besieged  the  city, 
and  on  the  ist  of  September  made  a  vic- 
torious entrance  therein.  The  Twenty- 
ninth  Missouri  afterward  followed  .Gen- 
eral Hood  of  the  Confederate  army  to 


322 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


Chattanooga  and  subsequently  returned  to 
Georgia,  taking  part  in  the  Georgia  cam- 
paign and  the  march  to  the  sea.  They 
were  then  mounted  and  did  scout  duty 
until  arriving  at  Savannah,  where  Mr. 
Argast  sustained  a  gunshot  wound  in  the 
foot.  This  secured  him  a  leave  of  ab- 
sence for  thirty  days  and  he  returned 
home,  being  sent  from  St.  Louis  to  Cin- 
cinnati in  the  grand  officers'  hospital,  as 
he  was  a  lieutenant.  He  was  afterward 
assigned  to  like  duty  at  Columbus,  Ohio, 
it  being  a  part  of  his  work  to  take  drafted 
men  to  the  front.  When  the  war  was 
over  he  was  honorably  discharged  at 
Washington  on  the  22d  of  June,  1865, 
and  sent  thence  to  St.  Louis,  where  he 
was  mustered  out.  He  was  in  the  capitol 
city  when  President  Lincoln  was  assas- 
sinated and  saw  him  as  he  lay  in  state  in 
the  rotunda  of  the  capitol. 

Following  his  discharge  Mr.  Argast 
came  to  Nauvoo,  on  the  i2th  of  July. 
1865,  and  removing  his  family  here,  he 
purchased  two  lots  and  four  acres  of  land 
in  the  city.  In  that  year  he  had  charge 
of  his  father's  store,  at  the  end  of  which 
time  his  father  again  purchased  it.  Later 
Mr.  Argast  conducted  a  saloon  for  twelve 
years  on  the  flat,  after  which  he  removed 
his  business  to  Main  street,  where  he 
bought  a  lot  and  erected  business  blocks, 
covering  one  hundred  feet  front  and  two 
hundred  feet  in  depth.  He  there  con- 
ducted a  saloon  for  about  ten  years,  when 
he  again  sold  out  and  removed  to  his 
present  location  on  Thirteenth  street  a 
half  block  from  the  corner  of  Main  street. 
He  is  now  engaged  in  the  grape  and  fruit 
business  and  makes  extensive  shipments 
of  fruit. 


Mr.  Argast  was  married  in  St.  Louis 
to   Miss   Margareta   Sherer,  a  native  of 
France,  and  a  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
John  Sherer,  who  died  of  cholera  in  St. 
Louis    in    1849.     Unto    Mr.    and    Mrs. 
Argast  were  born  three  sons  and  a  daugh- 
ter :     Edward,  of  Nauvoo ;  Louis,  a  news- 
paper man  of  the  same  city ;  William,  who 
is  proprietor  of  the  Nauvoo  Rustler;  and 
Cora,    the    wife    of   Joseph    WTelder,    of 
Nauvoo.     Mrs.  Argast  passed  away  De- 
cember 4,  1902,  and  on  the  25th  of  June, 
1904,  Mr.  Argast  was  again  married,  his 
second   union  being  with   Mrs.   Caroline 
Gabblemann     Kettman,     the    widow    of 
Theodore   Kettman,   and   a   daughter  of 
Christian  and  Catherine   (Hall)   Gabble- 
man.     Mr.    Argast   is   a   republican   and 
has  served  for  two  terms  as  alderman  of 
the   first    ward   and    for   many   years   as 
school  director.     He  is  a  Mason,  belong- 
ing  to    Reclamation    lodge.    No.    54,    at 
Xauvoo,    and   holds   membership   in    the 
Lutheran  church.     He  proved  his  loyalty 
to  his  adopted  country  by  his  long  years 
of  faithful  service  in  the  Civil  war  and 
he  has  always  been   interested    in   those 
things    which    promote   good    citizenship 
and   which    work    for   the   welfare   of  a 
democratic  government. 


FRED  FORTH. 

Fred  Porth.  a  representative  of  the 
farming  and  stock-raising  interests  of 
Appanoose  township,  was  bom  within 
the  borders  of  this  township  June  13. 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


323 


1860,  his  parents  being  Fred  and  Doro- 
thy (Florich)  Forth,  who  were  natives  of 
Germany.  In  early  manhood  the  father 
made  his  way  to  East  St.  Louis,  Illinois, 
where  he  was  married,  and  later  he  en- 
gaged in  farming  in  St.  Clair  county,  this 
state,  where  he  owned  land.  He  came  to 
Sonora  township  following  the  expulsion 
of  the  Mormons  and  there  rented  a  farm, 
while  later  he  purchased  land  in  Appa- 
noose  township,  becoming  owner  of  sixty 
acres  which  he  subsequently  sold.  He 
then  invested  in  eighty  acres  on  section 
34,  which  was  improved,  and  he  contin- 
ued the  work  of  further  development  and 
cultivation  until  1893,  when  he  sold  that 
property,  afterward  living  with  his  son 
Fred  until  his  death,  which  occurred  on 
the  ist  of  December,  1894.  His  widow 
still  survives  him  and  now  resides  in  St. 
Louis.  The  family  numbered  eleven  chil- 
dren, four  sons  and  seven  daughters,  of 
whom  the  subject  of  this  review  is  the 
eighth. 

No  event  of  special  importance  oc- 
curred to  vary  the  routine  of  farm  life  for 
Fred  Forth  in  the  days  of  his  boyhood 
and  youth.  He  attended  the  common 
schools,  worked  in  the  fields  and  enjoyed 
the  pleasures  of  the  playground  as  op- 
portunity offered.  He  lived  with  his  par- 
ents until  twenty-three  years  of  age  and 
then,  desirous  that  his  labors  should  more 
directly  benefit  himself,  he  began  farm- 
ing on  his  own  account  upon  a  tract  of 
rented  land,  lying  partly  in  Appanoose 
and  partly  in  Sonora  township.  He  aft- 
erward operated  other  farms  in  the  two 
townships  and  for  three  years  rented  his 
father's  place.  Following  his  marriage 
he  lived  for  two  years  on  the  old  Webb 


place  and  then  again  farmed  the  old  home- 
stead. One  year  previous,  however,  he 
had  purchased  eighty  acres  of  land  on 
section  30,  Appanoose  township,  and 
when  about  twelve  months  had  passed 
he  took  up  his  abode  thereon.  This  was 
an  improved  property  and  he  has  since 
added  forty  acres  on  section  31.  That 
tract,  however,  he  sold  five  years  later 
and  then  bought  eighty  acres  adjoining 
his  original  purchase.  His  time  was  fully 
occupied  with  his  farming  and  stock- 
raising  interests,  for  he  engages  quite  ex- 
tensively in  the  raising  of  Durham  cat- 
tle, Percheron  horses  and  Poland  China 
hogs.  As  he  has  had  opportunity,  re- 
sulting from  his  improved  financial  con- 
dition, he  has  made  changes  in  the  ap- 
pearance of  his  farm  through  the  erec- 
tion of  substantial  buildings.  He'  has  re- 
modeled the  barn,  making  it  forty  by 
forty-four  feet,  and  he  also  made  an  ad- 
dition to  the  house.  In  1902  he  built  a 
large  barn  forty  by  forty-four  feet  and 
he  has  since  erected  a  commodious  two- 
story  residence,  which  is  heated  by  fur- 
nace and  is  supplied  with  many  of  the 
conveniences  known  in  city  homes. 

On  the  1 3th  of  November,  1888,  Mr. 
Forth  was  married  to  Miss  Catherine 
Haas,  a  native  of  Nauvoo,  where  she  ac- 
quired her  education  in  the  public  schools. 
Her  parents  were  Joseph  and  Catherine 
(Emerich)  Haas.  The  father  was  born 
in  Switzwald  in  the  Black  Forests,  Ger- 
many. Mr.  and  Mrs.  Forth  now  have 
one  child,  Annie  Marie,  born  March  20. 
1895.  In  politics  Mr.  Forth  is  an  inde- 
pendent democrat,  supporting  the  party 
at  national  elections  but  at  local  elections 
he  does  not  consider  himself  bound  by 


324 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


party  ties.  He  served  as  township  col- 
lector for  one  year  but  has  never  been 
ambitious  in  the  sense  of  office  seeking. 
Fraternally  he  is  connected  with  the 
Modem  Woodmen  of  America,  Nauvoo 
camp.  Having  spent  his  entire  life  in 
this  locality  he  is  widely  known  and  he 
has  always  lived  as  a  farmer,  and  it  has 
been  his  desire  to  become  the  owner  of 
a  good  property  that  he  might  provide 
his  family  with  the  comforts  of  life.  To 
this  end  he  has  worked  steadily  and  per- 
sistently and  the  fact  that  he  started  out 
in  life  empty-handed  and  is  now  in  pos- 
session of  an  excellent  farm  and  goodly 
competence,  entitles  him  to  be  classed 
with  those  who  have  just  reason  to  be 
proud  of  the  fact  that  they  are  known  as 
self-made  men. 


GEORGE  LOCKE. 

George  Locke,  deceased,  was  for  many 
years  one  of  the  successful  fanners  of 
Hancock  county  and  through  his  own 
efforts  won  the  prosperity  which  enabled 
him  in  his  later  years  to  live  retired.  He 
was  born  in  Indiana,  November  7,  1831. 
a  son  of  Thomas  and  Grazilla  (Gardner) 
Locke,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of 
Ohio.  During  the  boyhood  days  of  their 
son  George  the  parents  removed  to  Mich- 
igan and  there  he  resided  until  he  at- 
tained his  majority,  when  he  came  to 
Hancock  county,  Illinois,  and  purchased 
a  farm  in  Fountain  Green  township, 
comprising  two  hundred  and  forty-six 


acres  of  land.  With  characteristic  energy 
he  began  the  development  and  improve- 
ment of  the  fields  and  carried  on  his  farm 
work  with  success  for  many  years,  or 
until  1893,  when  he  retired  from  active 
business  life  and  took  up  his  abode  in 
La  Harpe,  where  he  built  a  fine  house, 
making  it  his  place  of  residence  until  his 
death,  which  occurred  on  the  ist  of  Oc- 
tober, 1902.. 

On  the  6th  of  December,  1854,  Mr. 
Locke  was  married  to  Elizabeth  Webster, 
who  was  born  in  Cass  county,  Michigan, 
February  15,  1826.  She  attended  the 
common  schools  of  that  state.  Her  par- 
ents were  Amos  and  Susanna  (Wright) 
Webster,  the  former  a  native  of  Rutland 
county,  New  York,  and  the  latter  of  Ohio. 
The  paternal  grandfather  was  William 
Webster,  of  New  York,  and  the  maternal 
grandfather  was  William  Wright.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Webster  removed  to  Fulton 
county  about  1840  and  there  the  father 
followed  the  occupation  of  farming.  In 
the  family  were  ten  children,  Mrs.  Locke 
being  the  sixth  in  the  family  of  five  sons 
and  five  daughters.  She  gave  her  hand 
in  marriage  to  -Mr.  Locke  in  Lewiston, 
Fulton  county,  where  they  lived  for  some 
years,  subsequent  to  which  time  he  be- 
came a  farmer  of  McDonough  county  and 
was  for  a  long  period  successfully  con- 
nected with  agricultural  interests. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Locke  were  born 
five  children :  Thomas,  born  October 
u,  1855,  died  April  6,  1883.  Lowell 
G.,  born  January  31,  1851,  died  October 
1 6,  1860.  Clara  A.,  born  May  8,  1861, 
is  the  wife  of  Dr.  I.  M.  Martin,  of  La 
Harpe.  Gary  E..  twin  brother  of  Clara, 
died  in  July,  1862.  George  W.,  born 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


325 


November  28,  1869,  died  August  31, 
1895.  He  was  instructor  in  penmanship 
in  the  Gem  City  Business  College  at 
Ouincy,  Illinois,  and  he  was  married  No- 
vember 28,  1894,  to  Pearl  Creighton,  of 
Peoria,  Illinois.  The  eldest  son,  Thomas, 
was  married  June  8,  1876,  to  Annie  Todd 
and  had  one  child,  Clevie,  born  November 
i,  1 88 1,  and  now  attending  school  in  St. 
Louis,  Missouri. 

Mr.  Locke  was  a  member  of  the  Chris- 
tian church,  in  which  he  served  as  a 
deacon  until  his  death.  His  political  sup- 
port was  given  to  the  Democratic  party. 
His  carefully  directed  labor  was  the  secret 
of  his  business  success  whereby  he  ad- 
vanced to  a  prominent  position  among 
the  agriculturists  of  the 'county,  becoming 
the  owner  of  a  valuable  farm,  from  which 
he  derived  an  income  that  was  sufficient  in 
his  later  years  to  enable  him  to  live  re- 
tired. Mrs.  Locke  still  survives  her  hus- 
band and  yet  resides  in  the  home  which 
he  built  in  La  Harpe  in  1893. 


AUGUST  WATERMAN. 

August  Waterman,  who  at  one  time 
was  actively  engaged  in  general  agricul- 
tural pursuits  in  Sonora  township  but  is 
now  living  retired,  although  he  still  owns 
his  farm  of  one  hundred  and  four  acres 
where  he  lives,  is  a  native  of  Germany, 
his  birth  having  occurred  in  Leppa,  Det- 
moldt,  September  19,  1837.  His  parents, 
Christian  and  Sophia  (Kielsmayer)  Wa- 
terman, were  likewise  natives  of  the  fa- 


therland, where  the  father  engaged  in  ag- 
ricultural pursuits  and  spent  his  entire 
life.  The  paternal  grandfather  of  our 
subject  was  Christian  Waterman,  while 
the  maternal  grandfather  bore  the  name 
of  Frederick  Kielsmayer. 

August  Waterman  acquired  his  educa- 
tion in  Germany,  completing  the  high 
school  course  there.  He  assisted  his  fa- 
ther to  the  age  of  fifteen  years,  when, 
thinking  that  other  pursuits  would  be 
more  congenial  to  him,  he  learned  the 
baker's  trade  and  emigrated  to  the  new 
world,  landing  in  Keokuk,  Iowa,  on  the 
24th  of  June,  1857.  He  crossed  the  At- 
lantic on  a  sailing  vessel  which  dropped 
anchor  in  the  harbor  of  New  Orleans 
and  thence  made  his  way  by  boat  up  the 
Mississippi  river  to  Keokuk.  His  brother 
Fred  had  preceded  him  to  this  country 
and  was  proprietor  of  a  hotel  in  Keokuk, 
and  August  secured  work  in  his  hostelry, 
where  he  was  employed  for  one  year.  He 
then  made  his  way  to  Sonora  township, 
Hancock  county,  where  he  was  employed 
as  a  farm  hand,  working  by  the  month 
until  1868,  and  in  that  year,  having  saved 
his  earnings,  he  made  purchase  of  a  tract 
of  land  on  section  24,  Sonora  township, 
comprising  one  hundred  and  four  acres, 
a  small  portion  of  which  had  been  cleared. 
He  further  improved  the  place,  placing 
his  fields  under  a  high  state  of  cultiva- 
tion, fenced  the  place,  built  a  house  and 
barn,  dug  a  well,  and  otherwise  improved 
the  place.  He  also  set  out  fruit  trees, 
from  which  he  annually  gathered  good 
crops,  and  has  since  added  to  his  fruit 
orchard,  having  now  sixty  apple  trees, 
besides  peach,  plum  and  cherry  trees,  all 
of  which  are  in  bearing.  In  1886  he  re- 


326 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REl'IEU' 


placed  his  first  residence  by  a  modern 
frame  house,  containing  six  rooms  and 
having  a  cellar  under  the  entire  building. 
Here  he  carried  on  general  agricultural 
pursuits,  and  in  addition  to  the  cultiva- 
tion of  the  fields  he  engaged  to  some  ex- 
tent in  the  raising  of  high  grades  of 
horses,  cattle  and  hogs.  His  health  be- 
came impaired,  however,  and  in  1900  he 
laid  aside  all  business  pursuits  and  retired 
to  private  life. 

On  the  26th  of  February,  1865,  Mr. 
Waterman  chose  a  companion  and  help- 
mate for  life's  journey,  Miss  Susan  Hu- 
ber,  a  native  of  St.  Clair  county,  Illinois, 
who  was  born  July  24,  1841.  Her  par- 
ents resided  for  many  years  in  Nauvoo, 
where  the  daughter  pursued  her  studies 
in  the  public  schools,  and  here  the  father 
and  mother  passed  away,  the  latter  dying 
in  1848.  She  was  a  daughter  of  Martin 
and  Christina  Huber,  natives  of  Byer, 
Germany.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Waterman 
make  their  home  with  a  niece,  Louisa 
Waterman,  the  daughter  of  his  brother 
William,  who  still  makes  his  home  in  the 
fatherland. 

Although  starting  out  in  life  at  the 
early  age  of  fifteen  years  and  coming  to 
a  new  country  when  still  a  young  man, 
Mr.  Waterman  has  allowed  no  difficulties 
^or  obstacles  to  deter  him  in  his  labor,  and 
from  an  humble  financial  position  worked 
his  way  up  until  he  is  now  the  possessor 
of  a  fine  farm  property,  from  which  he 
derives  a  good  income,  so  that  he  and 
his  wife  are  able  to  spend  the  evening 
of  their  days  in  honorable  retirement.  He 
has  always  given  his  political  support 
to  the  Democratic  party,  and  has  taken 
an  active  interest  in  the  local  ranks  of 


his  party,  having  served  for  two  terms 
as  highway  commissioner  of  his  township 
and  for  three  terms  as  school  director. 
He  holds  membership  relations  with  the 
Lutheran  church  at  Xauvoo. 


JAMES  G.  JOHNSON. 

James  G.  Johnson,  the  inventor  and 
manufacturer  of  Johnson's  patent  corn 
husker  and  a  business  man  of  energy  and 
ability,  whose  success  is  attributable  en- 
tirely to  his  well  directed  efforts,  was 
born  in  Jefferson  county,  Kentucky,  De- 
cember 24,  1827.  His  parents,  George  and 
Eleanor  (Guthrie)  Johnson,  were  also 
natives  of  the  same  county,  the  former 
born  December  15,  1779,  and  the  latter 
January  21,  1802.  In  1774,  James  Guth- 
rie. the  grandfather,  built  a  large  stone 
house  on  the  Bardstown  pike  near  Louis- 
ville, Kentucky,  which  stood  as  one  of 
the  landmarks  of  that  section  of  the  coun- 
try until  about  1896.  It  was  known  as 
the  "house  of  entertainment,"  being  prac- 
tically a  hostelry  but  more  respectable 
than  a  "tavern,"  as  no  intoxicating 
liquors  were  there  sold.  It  was  there  that 
many  Catholic  missionaries  stopped  on 
their  way  to  Bardstown.  being  instructed 
in  France  by  the  priest  to  stop  at  the 
"stone  house,"  where  other  priests  would 
be  sent  to  meet  them,  as  it  was  regarded 
as  a  perfectly  safe  place.  There  James 
Guthrie  made  his  home  for  many  years 
and  ran  a  daily  stage  coach  to  several  ad- 
joining places.  In  the  conduct  of  his 


GO 
O 

C-H 
O 

a 


/ 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


327 


business  affairs  he  became  a  very  wealthy 
man  and  was  one  of  the  most  prominent 
and  influential  residents  of  that  section 
of  the  country.  The  maternal  grandfa- 
ther of  our  subject  was  a  colonel  in  the 
Revolutionary  war  and  became  one  of  the 
pioneer  residents  of  Kentucky,  going 
there  when  the  Indians  still  roamed 
through  its  forests,  waging  war  upon  the 
settlers  until  the  district  became  known 
as  "the  dark  and  bloody  ground." 

George  Johnson,  father  of  James  G. 
Johnson,  was  a  blacksmith  by  trade  and 
in  1831  removed  from  Kentucky  to 
Adams  county,  Illinois,  where  he  carried 
on  blacksmithing,  farming  and  the  nur- 
sery business."  He  died  in  the  year  1869, 
his  wife  surviving  until  April  10,  1887. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  Christian  church 
and  his  wife  of  the  Presbyterian  church 
and  when  called  to  their  final  rest  they 
were  laid  in  a  cemetery  in  Adams  county, 
Illinois.  In  their  family  were  nine  chil- 
dren, of  whom  seven  are  now  living: 
James  G. ;  Parmelia,  the  wife  of  Thomas 
Bailey,  of  Camp  Point,  Illinois ;  Ephraim 
P.,  living  in  Holden,  Missouri;  Moses  C., 
of  Harrisville,  Missouri;  Henry  C.,  of 
Idaho;  Mary  E.,  the  wife  of  Edward  Ste- 
phenson,  of  Ottawa,  Kansas;  and  Urith 
Serepta  A.,  the  wife  of  William  Hanna, 
of  Golden,  Illinois.  Of  this  family 
Henry  C.  Johnson  was  a  soldier  of  the 
Civil  war  for  four  years,  enlisting  in  the 
Fiftieth  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry.  He 
participated  in  the  two  battles  of  Corinth 
and  in  many  other  important  engage- 
ments. 

James  G.  Johnson  was  educated  in  the 
schools  of  Columbus,  Illinois,  first  pur- 
suing his  studies  in  a  little  log  cabin 
21 


which  was  without  a  floor  and  which 
stood  on  the  bank  of  McGee's  creek  in 
Adams  county,  a  mile  and  a  half  from 
Columbus.  He  worked  upon  his  father's 
farm  until  he  had  attained  his  majority 
and  in  1855  removed  to  Hancock  county, 
urchasing  an  improved  tract  of  land  in 
arn  township,  where  he  carried  on 
geffei^Sarming  for  nine  years.  He  then 
remw£4>t|^Elvaston,  where  he  purchased 
a  farrJa;  making  it  his  home  for  four 
years,  w*jjjen  he  took  up  his  abode  in  Car- 
thage andijjurchased  an  elegant  home  on 
North  Main  street.  It  is  surrounded  by 
a  beautiful  and  well  kept  lawn  and  in  ad- 
dition to  this  property  he  owns  good  farm 
lands.  In  1871  he  invented  what  is 
known  as  Johnson's  hand  corn  husker, 
upon  which  he  took  out  a  patent.  Since 
that  time  he  has  manufactured  this  de- 
vice in  Carthage  and  its  sale  extends  to 
all  states  in  the  Union.  Its  utility  is  uni- 
versally recognized  and  it  is  regarded  as 
the  best  invention  of  its  kind  on  the  mar- 
ket. Mr.  Johnson  has  entire  control  of 
the  trade  and  has  enjoyed  a  good  busi- 
ness in  this  way  in  the  last  twenty-five 
years.  He  is  still  engaged  in  the  manu- 
facture of  the  husker  and  sells  to  whole- 
sale dealers.  Moreover  he  possesses  su- 
perior mechanical  ingenuity,  which  is 
manifest  in  many  ways  in  his  home. 

On  the  24th  of  December,  1850,  Mr. 
Johnson  was  married  to  Miss  Melvina  J. 
Thomas,  of  Adams  county,  a  daughter  of 
Robert  Thomas,  who  was  born  in  Bour- 
bon county,  Kentucky.  They  traveled 
life's  journey  happily  together  for  about 
thirty-four  years  and  were  then  separ- 
ated by  the  death  of  Mrs.  Johnson  on  the 
3d  of  December,  1884.  Two  children 


328 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


of  that  marriage,  born  in  Adams  county, 
are  living",  namely :  Ella  R.,  who  is  an 
artist  of  considerable  ability,  is  the  wife 
of  N.  P.  McKee,  of  Cedar  Rapids,  Iowa, 
and  has  two  sons,  William  Thomas  and 
Irwin  J.  The  former  married  Jessie  Wal- 
ters and  lived  in  Cleveland,  Ohio,  while 
Irwin  wedded  Cora  Gibbins  and  with 
their  daughter,  Marjorie  Maud,  they  re- 
side in  Halsted,  Kansas.  Alice  G.  John- 
son is  the  wife  of  William  L.  Aaron,  a 
practicing  lawyer  of  Joplin,  Missouri, 
and  has  three  children,  Lawrence  J.,  Ella 
May  and  William. 

On  the  1 8th  of  November,  1886,  Mr. 
Johnson  was  married  to  Miss  Minerva 
Hughes,  who  was  born  in  Ursa,  Adams 
county,  Illinois,  a  daughter  of  Albert  and 
Sarah  Ann  (Taylor)  Hughes.  Her  fa- 
ther was  a  farmer  by  occupation.  He 
attended  the  Christian  church  and  both 
he  and  his  wife  were  laid  to  rest  in 
Adams  county.  Of  their  three  children 
all  are  living,  namely:  Eliza  J.,  who 
resides  with  Mrs.  Johnson;  and  Robert 
C..  living  in  Ursa. 

In  his  religious  faith  Mr.  Johnson  is 
a  Methodist  and  has  served  as  elder  and 
trustee  of  his  church,  while  his  wife  be- 
longs to  the  Christian  church.  He  holds 
membership  with  the  Ancient  Order  of 
United  Workmen  and  in  politics  is  a  re- 
publican. He  has  served  as  alderman 
of  Carthage  and  road  supervisor  of  his 
township  and  is  interested  in  all  matters 
relating  to  public  progress  and  substan- 
tial improvement.  As  proof  of  his  in- 
genuity can  be  mentioned  eight  beautiful 
canes  which  he  has  made  of  small  pieces 
of  horn  strung  together  upon  an  iron 
rod,  and  one  of  these  is  now  in  the  Ma- 


sonic temple  of  Cedar  Rapids,  Iowa.  He 
also  has  made  many  pairs  of  beautifully 
polished  mounted  horns  which  he  has 
prepared  himself  and  which  adorn  his 
walls  in  many  rooms.  He  has  made  hat 
racks  and  chairs  of  the  horns  and  these 
are  articles  of  furniture  of  great  value 
and  beauty.  He  has  moreover  several 
cases  of  fine  specimens  of  all  kinds,  in- 
cluding shells,  coins,  beads,  wood,  iron, 
ore  specimens,  minks,  owls,  squirrels,  an 
armadilla,  sea  grasses  and  an  elaborate 
collection  of  eggs  of  more  than  one  hun- 
dred kinds.  He  likewise  has  a  large  col- 
lection of  Indian  flint  arrows  of  all  kinds. 
He  has  beautiful  corals  and  polished 
stones  and  a  large  quantity  of  sea  mosses 
from  the  Pacific  coast,  all  of  which  are 
nicely  arranged  in  cabinets  with  glass 
doors.  He  has  traveled  from  ocean  to 
ocean,  has  visited  California  two  or  three 
times  and  wherever  he  has  gone  he  has 
gathered  his  specimens  and  his  collection 
today  is  doubtless  worth  five  thousand 
dollars.  He  has  moreover  a  model  in  his 
yard  of  the  first  log  house  his  father 
built  when  he  came  to  Illinois.  It  stands 
in  his  front  yard  and  was  made  by  Mr. 
Johnson.  A  love  of  the  beautiful  has 
been  one  of  his  strong  characteristics  all 
through  his  life  and  this  is  manifest  in 
his  attractive  home  with  its  fine  curiosity 
cabinets.  Moreover  his  interest  in  all 
these  things  indicates  his  broad  and  com- 
prehensive knowledge  and  he  is  indeed 
regarded  as  one  of  the  best  educated  men 
in  the  county,  a  fact  which  is  due  not 
to  any  special  educational  advantages  but 
to  his  broad  reading  and  investigation 
during  the  leisure  hours  of  a  busy  and 
active  life.  He  is  now  seventv-nine  vears 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


329 


of  age,  but  is  still  an  active  and  energetic 
man  and  moreover  he  commands  unquali- 
fied esteem  wherever  he  is  known. 


WILLIAM  F.  BRADFIELD. 

William  F.  Bradfield,  secretary  and 
treasurer  of  the  firm  of  Coulson,  Bntn- 
dage  &  Company,  hardware  dealers  of 
La  Harpe,  and  also  financially  interested 
in  other  business  affairs,  although  prac- 
tically living  retired  from  the  active  man- 
agement of  business  interests,  was  born 
in  Hardin  county,  Iowa,  near  Eldora, 
March  12,  1863.  His  paternal  grandfa- 
ther, James  Bradfield,  was  a  resident  of 
Virginia  and  married  a  Miss  Nichols. 
Their  son,  James  N.  Bradfield,  was  bom 
in  Loudoun  county,  Virginia,  and  having 
arrived  at  years  of  maturity  was  married 
in  Ohio,  April  12,  1853,  to  Miss  Ada 
Wolfe,  who  was  born  in  Coshocton  coun- 
ty, Ohio,  and  was  a  daughter  of  James 
and  Sarah  (Meredith)  Wolfe,  natives  of 
the  Buckeye  state.  After  their  marriage 
James  N.  Bradfield  followed  fanning  in 
Ohio  for  a  year  and  in  the  fall  of  1854 
removed  to  Muscatine,  Iowa.  In  Hardin 
county,  that  state,  he  purchased  a  farm 
whereon  he  resided  until  the  fall  of  1870, 
when  he  sold  that  property  and  came  to 
Hancock  county,  Illinois.  Here  he  in- 
vested in  a  tract  of  land  in  Durham 
township,  whereon  he  resided  for  about 
twenty-one  years,  when  in  1891  he  sold 
out  and  went  to  Nebraska,  making  his 
home  in  the  latter  state  until  1899.  In 


that  year  he  went  on  a  visit  to  the  east 
and  died  there  on  the  4th  of  December 
of  that  year.  He  had  for  a  number  of 
years  survived  his  wife,  who  passed 
away  June  25,  1886.  In  their  family 
were  four  children  :  James  L. ;  William 
F.;  Henry  S.,  of  this  county;  and  Laura 
M.,  the  wife  of  Clark  H.  Rice,  of  Han- 
cock county. 

William  F.  Bradfield  pursued  his  early 
education  in  the  district  schools  and  aft- 
erward attended  Abingdon  College  in 
Abingdon,  Illinois.  During  the  period 
of  his  boyhood  and  youth  he  made  his 
home  with  his  parents,  who  removed  to 
Hancock  county  in  September,  1870.  He 
continued  under  the  parental  roof  until 
he  had  attained  his  majority,  when  he 
went  to  Colorado,  where  he  worked  at 
the  carpenter's  trade  for  a  year.  He  aft- 
erward returned  to  Hancock  county  and 
began  farming  on  rented  land.  He  was 
thus  engaged  for  a  few  years,  when  with 
the  capital  he  had  acquired  through  his 
industry  and  perseverance  he  purchased 
one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  in 
Durham  township,  which  he  owned  for 
four  years,  at  the  end  of  which  time  he 
sold  that  property  and  bought  three  hun- 
dred acres  of  the  old  homestead.  There 
he  took  up  his  abode,  making  it  his  place 
of  residence  until  February,  1904.  He 
has  since  bought  and  sold  property  and 
now  owns  two  'hundred  and  forty  acres 
of  land  all  on  section  12,  Durham  town- 
ship. While  giving  his  attention  to  farm 
work  his  close  application  and  unabating 
energy  enabled  him  to  gather  rich  crops 
annually  and  to  make  his  farm  a  profit- 
able source  of  labor.  He  was  also  one  of 
the  organizers  of  the  State  Bank  at  La 


330 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


Harpe  and  has  been  one  of  its  stockhold- 
ers and  directors.  He  has  also  been  a 
stockholder  and  director  of  the  firm  of 
Coulson,  Brundage  &  Company  since  its 
incorporation  in  May,  1905,  and  is  its 
secretary  and  treasurer.  In  1904,  retir- 
ing from  his  farm,  he  removed  to  La 
Harpe,  where  he  has  since  resided  and 
where  he  has  bought  residence  property. 

In  February,  1885,  Mr.  Bradfield  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  J.  Margaret 
Schultz,  who  was  bor"n  in  Durham  town- 
ship and  is  a  daughter  of  Benjamin  and 
Elizabeth  (Gillette)  Schultz.  By  this 
marriage  were  born  three  sons,  J.  Sher- 
man, Charles  F.  and  Edward  L.  The 
wife  and  mother  died  October  10,  1898, 
and  on  the  3Oth  of  January,  1900,  Mr. 
Bradfield  wedded  Catherine  J.  McManus, 
who  was  born  near  Carthage,  Illinois. 
They  had  one  child,  Catherine  M.,  who 
was  born  October  6,  1901,  and  died  Au- 
gust 28,  1903.  The  mother  passed  away 
October  14,  1901,  and  on  the  :8th  of 
June,  1905,  Mr.  Bradfield  was  again 
married,  Clara  W.  Burr  becoming  his 
wife.  She  was  born  in  Durham  town- 
ship and  is  a  daughter  of  Jarvis  N.  and 
Joanna  (Oilman)  Burr. 

Mr.  Bradfield  is  a  republican  in  his  po- 
litical views  and  has  taken  much  interest 
in  the  questions  of  the  day  and  in  the 
growth  and  development  of  his  party.  He 
has  frequently  been  a  delegate  to  the  con- 
ventions of  his  party  but  is  without  po- 
litical aspiration  for  himself.  It  is  true 
that  his  chief  life  work  has  been  that 
of  a  successful  farmer,  but  the  range  of 
his  activities  and  the  scope  of  his  influ- 
ence have  reached  far  beyond  this  spe- 
cial field.  He  belongs  to  that  class  of 


men  who  wield  a  power  which  is  all  the 
more  potent  from  the  fact  that  it  is 
moral  rather  than  political  and  is  exer- 
cised for  the  public  weal  rather  than  for 
personal  ends.  He  has  displayed  aptitude 
and  ability  in  achieving  results  both  in 
business  life  and  in  his  connection  with 
affairs  of  public  importance. 


MATHEW  GODDERTZ. 

Mathew  Goddertz,  conducting  the  old- 
est harness  establishment  in  Warsaw,  was 
born  in  Sichlar,  Prussia,  Germany,  Feb- 
ruary 2,  1840,  and  was  educated  in  the 
public  schools  of  that  country.  His  par- 
ents, Edward  E.  and  Anna  C.  (Quartz) 
Goddertz,  left  Germany  in  1850  upon  a 
sailing  Vessel,  which  was  twenty-eight 
days  in  reaching  the  harbor  of  New  York. 
They  proceeded  to  Buffalo  by  rail  and  by 
way  of  the  lakes  to  Chicago,  thence  by 
canal  to  Peru,  Indiana,  and  over  the  Ohio 
and  Mississippi  rivers  to  Warsaw.  The 
father  died  soon  after  his  arrival  here. 
His  mother  died  in  September,  1879,  at 
the  age  of  sixty-four  years.  In  the  fam- 
ily were  three  children:  Mathew;  Mrs. 
William  Leyhe,  of  Alton,  Illinois,  now 
deceased ;  and  Catherine,  the  widow  of 
Henry  Hertzog. 

At  his  father's  death,  Mr.  Goddertz, 
then  only  ten  years  of  age,  began  to  earn 
his  own  living  by  working  on  the  farm  of 
A.  J.  Steffee,  by  whom  he  was  employed 
two  years.  His  mother  then  married 
John  Leyhe  and  Mathew  returned  home, 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


living  with  his  mother  for  about  two 
years.  Subsequently  he  was  employed 
at  general  farm  labor  until  about  thir- 
teen years  of  age,  when  he  was  appren- 
ticed to  learn  the  trade  of  making  har- 
ness and  saddlery  with  the  firm  of  Weir 
&  Elliott.  He  continued  with  that  firm 
for  about  sixteen  months,  when  the  part- 
nership was  dissolved  and  he  went  with 
.Mr.  Elliott,  under  whom  he  completed 
his  trade  and  for  whom  he  worked  for 
eleven  years,  when  he  bought  the  busi- 
ness of  his  employer.  He  is  continuing 
in  the  same  line  today  and  is  now  pro- 
prietor of  the  oldest  established  harness 
business  in  the  county.  With  the  excep- 
tion of  three  years  it  has  continuously 
been  conducted  in  the  same  building,  hav- 
ing been  located  here  for  fifty-two  years. 
Mr.  Goddertz  carries  a  large  line  of  har- 
ness and  saddlery  and  makes  goods  of 
that,  class  of  the  best  grades.  He  finds 
a  ready  sale  for  his  product  and  has  long 
conducted  a  profitable  business. 

On  the  1 8th  of  March,  1860,  Mr.  God- 
dertz married  Rachel  Beck,  a  daughter 
of  John  and  Elizabeth  (Steiger)  Beck. 
They  became  parents  of  three  children : 
Catherine,  who  was  the  wife  of  James 
Cox,  of  Ottumwa,  Iowa,  died  May  31, 
1906,  and  is  buried  in  Oakland  cemetery, 
Warsaw,  Illinois ;  Josephine,  who  became 
the  wife  of  Harry  Nealand,  of  Aspen, 
Colorado,  and  died  in  1903,  at  the  age  of 
thirty-eight  years;  and  Flora,  the  wife 
of  F.  B.  Green,  of  Ottumwa,  Iowa.  Mrs. 
Goddertz  passed  away  September  24, 
1 88 1.  and  on  the  nth  of  December, 
1889,  Mr.  Goddertz  wedded  Ella  Peo- 
ples, a  daughter  of  James  and  Mary  Anna 
(Fox)  Peoples. 


Mr.  Goddertz  is  a  member  of  the  Mod- 
ern Woodmen,  joining  the  order  as  a 
charter  member  of  Warsaw  camp,  No. 
240.  He  is  also  connected  with  the  Knights 
of  Pythias  and  his  wife  is  a  member  of  the 
Christian  church.  He  held  the  office  of 
alderman  for  one  term  but  has  never 
sought  nor  desired  political  honors,  pre- 
ferring to  concentrate  his  energies  upon 
his  business  interests,  in  which  he  has 
made  creditable  success.  He  may  truly 
be  called  a  self-made  man  and  deserves 
all  the  praise  that  that  term  implies,  for 
since  the  age  of  ten  years  he  has  been 
dependent  entirely  upon  his  own  re- 
sources, and  whatever  success  he  has 
achieved  has  come  to  him  as  the  reward 
of  earnest,  persistent  labor  and  business 
integrity. 


GEORGE  H.  THOMPSON. 

George  H.  Thompson,  in  whose  busi- 
ness life  each  step  has  been  carefully  and 
thoughtfully  made,  is  now  conducting  a 
dry  goods  and  grocery  store  in  La  Harpe 
and  his  enterprise  is  one  of  the  leading 
commercial  interests  of  the  town.  He 
was  born  in  Baltimore.  Maryland,  Janu- 
ary 16,  1860,  and  largely  acquired  his 
education  in  the  public  schools  of  that 
city  while  spending  his  boyhood  days  in 
the  home  of  his  parents,  Charles  H.  and 
Margaret  ( Hergesheimer)'  Thompson. 
His  paternal  grandfather,  Edward 
Thompson,  was  also  a  native  of  Balti- 
more, Maryland,  while  the  maternal 
grandfather,  Charles  Hergesheimer,  was 


332 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


a  native  of  New  Jersey.  Charles  H. 
Thompson,  the  father,  was  born  in  Balti- 
more in  April,  1826,  and  is  now  deceased, 
while  his  wife,  who  was  born  in  New 
Jersey  in  March,  1828,  has  also  passed 
away. 

When  a  youth  of  seventeen  years 
George  H.  Thompson  of  this  review  be- 
came a  resident  of  Livingston  county, 
Illinois,  and  for  three  years  worked  on 
a  farm.  He  then  rented  sixty-five  acres 
of  land  and  for  one  year  engaged  in 
farming  on  his  own  account.  Feeling 
the  need,  however,  of  better  educational 
privileges,  he  then  went  to  Chicago  and 
pursued  a  course  of  study  in  the  Metro- 
"politan  Business  College  of  that  city. 
His  education  completed,  he  went  to 
Aberdeen,  South  Dakota,  where  he  pre- 
empted a  claim  of  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  of  land,  whereon  he  engaged  in 
farming.  After  residing  there  for  two 
years  he  was  elected  township  clerk  of 
New  Hope  township,  Brown  county, 
South  Dakota,  and  held  the  office  for 
four  years.  He  was  next  elected  town- 
ship assessor  and  acted  in  that  capacity 
for  two  terms  of  one  year  each.  At 
the  same  time  he  filled  the  position  of 
road  commissioner  and  was  then  nomi- 
nated as  representative  for  the  first  ses- 
sion of  the  general  assembly  held  in 
South  Dakota.  Before  the  election, 
however,  he  withdrew  on  account  of 
private  business  interests  and  in  his 
place  was  nominated  J.  W.  Scattergood, 
who  was  elected.  For  a  number  of  years 
he  took  an  active  and  leading  part  in 
political  affairs  during  the  early  epoch 
of  statehood  in  South  Dakota  and  was 
a  man  of  influence  in  party  ranks.  He 


lived  upon  his  farm  there  for  nine  years 
and  in  April,  1893,  went  to  Salem,  Ore- 
gon, where  he  remained  for  about  four 
months,  spending  his  time  in  prospecting. 
On  the  expiration  of  that  period  he  re- 
turned to  Fairbury.  Livingston  county, 
Illinois,  where  he  engaged  in  the  grocery 
and  queensware  business.  There  he  re- 
mained for  three  years,  on  the  expiration 
of  which  period  he  sold  out  and  entered 
the  employ  of  the  Peoria  Packing  and 
Provision  Company  as  manager  of  its 
branch  house  at  Forrest,  Illinois.  After 
a  year  he  came  to  La  Harpe  in  February, 
1898,  and  bought  the  business  of  the 
Kem  &  Biggs  Grocery  Company.  He. 
afterward  added  a  stock  of  dry  goods 
and  notions  and  at  present  is  the  owner 
of  one'  of  the  largest  business  enterprises 
of  the  kind  in  La  Harpe. 

On  the  1 6th  of  February,  1884,  was 
celebrated  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Thomp- 
son and  Miss  Sarah  A.  Eyre,  who  was 
born  January  24,  1859,  in  Sturgis,  Mich- 
igan, and  removed  to  Livingston  county, 
Illinois,  with  her  parents  when  about  six 
years  of  age.  Her  father,  George  Eyre, 
was  born  in  Lincolnshire,  England,  May 
25,  1824,  and  died  April  30,  1879.  His 
wife,  Alice  Catton,  who  was  born  in 
Lincolnshire,  England,  April  20,  1825, 
died  July  9,  1901.  Mr.  Eyre  came  to 
America  about  1853,  locating  in  Sturgis, 
Michigan,  and  after  about  eleven  years 
spent  in  that  state  removed  to  Fairbury, 
Illinois,  where  both  he  and  his  wife  re- 
sided until  called  to  their  final  rest.  Unto 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thompson  has  been  born  a 
son,  F.  Boyd  Thompson,  who  was  born 
in  Brown  county,  South  Dakota,  August 
i,  1885.  He  was  graduated  from  Git- 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


333 


tings  Seminary  at  La  Harpe  in  1903  and 
in  September,  1904,  entered  Brown's 
Business  College  at  Peoria,  from  which 
he  was  graduated  in  December,  1905. 
He  afterward  entered  the  employ  of  Par- 
lin  &  Orrendorf,  plow  manufacturers  of 
Canton,  Illinois,  as  assistant  time-keeper 
and  paymaster,  and  in  November,  1906, 
was  promoted  to  sales  department.  He 
was  married  August  5,  1906,  to  Vinna 
Dickson,  of  Durham  township,  Hancock 
county,  Illinois,  where  her  father,  J.  E. 
Dickson,  still  resides,  being  a  farmer  of 
that  township.  Her  mother,  who  was  a 
Ballew,  passed  away  several  years  ago. 
Mr.  Thompson  is  not  only  a  leading 
representative  of  the  business  life  of  La 
Harpe  but  has  also  been  prominently  and 
actively  connected  with  many  interests  of 
direct  benefit  to  the  community.  He  is 
president  of  the  board  of  trustees  of 
Gittings  Seminary  and  also  president  of 
tthe  executive  committee.  He  is  like- 
wise president  of  the  board  of  stewards 
of  the  Methodist  Protestant  church  of  La 
Harpe,  of  which  he  is  an  active  and  help- 
ful member.  He  votes  with  the  Repub- 
lican party  and  is  a  representative  of  the 
Odd  Fellows  fraternity,  belonging  to  the 
lodge,  encampment  and  the  Order  of  Re- 
bekahs. 


HON.  JESSE  C.  WILLIAMS. 

Hon.  Jesse  C.  Williams  is  the  oldest 
male  resident  of  Carthage,  having  at- 
tained the  venerable  age  of  eighty-seven 
years.  He  is  still  hale  and  hearty,  well 
preserved  and  as  straight  as  an  arrow. 


He  has  long  been  widely  and  favorably 
known  in  this  part  of  the  state,  having 
for  many  years  carried  on  business  as  a 
general  merchant,  and  at  one  time  he  rep- 
resented his  district  in  the  state  senate. 
His  birth  occurred  in  Richmond,  Madi- 
son county,  Kentucky,  on  the  22d  of  Au- 
gust, 1819,  his  parents  being  Richard  and 
Catherine  (Holder)  Williams.  The  fa- 
ther was  born  in  Fredericsburg,  Culpep- 
per  county,  Virginia,  in  1786,  and  the 
mother  was  a  native  of  Clark  county, 
Kentucky,  her  birth  occurring  in  1797. 

Mr.  Williams's  maternal  grandfather, 
John  Holder,  and  great-grandfather,  Col- 
onel Richard  Callaway,  joined  Daniel 
Boone  at  Boone's  fort  on  the  Kentucky 
river,  now  in  Madison  county,  in  1775. 
In  July,  1776,  Colonel  Calla way's  two 
daughters,  Betsy  and  Fanny  Callaway, 
and  Jemima  Boone  were  in  a  skiff  on 
the  river  and  were  captured  by  a  party 
of  Indians,  which  was  concealed  on  the 
river  bank.  They  were  pursued  by 
Boone,  Callaway  and  Mr.  Callaway's  son, 
Flanders.  Henderson  and  Captain  Hol- 
der were  overtaken  and  the  girls  rescued 
by  their  friends  and  returned  to  the  fort. 
On  their  return  to  the  fort  Henderson 
married  Betsy  Callaway  and  Flanders 
Callaway  married  Jemima  Boone,  having 
a  double  wedding,  and  were  the  ancestors 
of  the  numerous  Callaway  family  of  Mis- 
souri. Captain  Holder  and  Fanny  Cal- 
laway were  married  the  next  year, 
Boone's  brother,  a  Baptist  minister,  offi- 
ciating on  both  occasions. 

Both  the  paternal  and  maternal  grand- 
fathers of  Mr.  Williams  were  soldiers  of 
the  Revolutionary  war,  also  the  great- 


334 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


grandfather,  who  is  known  in  history  as 
Colonel  Richard  Galloway,  of  Virginia, 
who  was  prominent  in  the  early  develop- 
ment and  settlement  of  Kentucky  and 
who  was  a  soldier  in  the  frontier  and  In- 
dian war  under  General  Washington. 
The  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Jesse  Williams 
in  both  the  paternal  and  maternal  line 
was  a  soldier  of  the  Revolutionary  war, 
one  being  John  Collier  and  the  other  Jo- 
seph Graves.  The  daughters  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Williams  were  therefore  eligible  to 
membership  with  the  Daughters  of  the 
American  Revolution  and  are  now  con- 
nected with  chapters  of  this  organization. 
Richard  Williams  learned  the  trade  of 
a  saddler  and  harness-maker  in  the  city 
of  Richmond,  Virginia,  and  in  1808  re- 
moved to  Richmond,  Kentucky,  where  he 
followed  his  trade  until  1828.  He  then 
settled  on  a  farm  twenty  miles  from  Rich- 
mond, in  Rockcastle  county,  Kentucky, 
where  he  remained  for  twenty  years, 
when,  in  1848,  he  removed  to  the  county 
seat  of  that  county  and  lived  retired  un- 
til his  death.  He  was  a  warm  admirer  of 
Henry7  Clay  and  served  several  terms  as 
a  magistrate  in  his  locality.  His  wife  was 
of  the  Presbyterian  faith.  In  their  fam- 
ily were  thirteen  children,  of  whom  five 
are  yet  living :  Jesse,  of  this  review ;  Vir- 
ginia, who  is  seventy-three  years  of  age 
and  is  the  wife  of  James  Wilson,  of  Mo- 
nett.  Missouri ;  David,  aged  sixty-eight 
years,  living  in  Mount  Vernon,  Ken- 
tucky ;  William  H.,  seventy-four  years 
of  age,  residing  in  Aztec,  New  Mexico; 
and  Louisa,  who  is  the  widow  of  James 
Boulware,  of  Madison,  Kentucky,  and  is 
sixty-five  years  of  age.  The  father  of 
this  family  died  in  January,  1878,  and 


their  mother  passed  away  in  1884,  the 
remains  of  both  being  interred  in  the 
cemetery  at  Mount  Vernon,  Kentucky. 

Jesse  C.  Williams  acquired  a  limited 
education  in  the  district  schools  of  his 
native  state  and  the  next  year  after  he 
put  aside  his  text-books  he  left  home  and 
went  south,  and  was  engaged  on  the  con- 
struction of  one  of  the  first  railroads  in 
that  part  of  the  country,  the  line  extend- 
ing between  Atlanta  and  Chattanooga. 
It  was  over  this  road  that  General  Joe 
Johnson  made  his  celebrated  retreat  dur- 
ing the  period  of  the  Civil  war.  Return- 
ing to  Kentucky  Mr.  Williams  raised  a 
crop  of  com  on  his  father's  farm  and 
for  several  years  during  the  winter  sea- 
sons engaged  in  teaching  school.  He  aft- 
erward turned  his  attention  to  merchan- 
dising in  Mount  Vernon,  Kentucky,  and 
in  1857  he  removed  to  Carthage,  where 
he  opened  a  general  store,  which  he  con- 
ducted continuously  until  about  fourteen 
years  ago,  keeping  a  large  line  of  general 
goods.  He  was  first  located  on  the  south 
side  of  the  public  square,  afterward  re- 
moving to  the  west  side  and  finally  erect- 
ed a  business  block  on  the  north  side,  in 
which  he  continued  until  his  retirement 
from  mercantile  life.  He  was  energetic 
and  diligent  and  as  the  result  of  his  fru- 
gality, careful  management  and  straight- 
forward business  dealings  he  acquired  a 
very  desirable  competence,  which  now  en- 
ables him  to  live  retired. 

On  the  5th  of  March,  1850,  Mr.  Wil- 
liams was  married  to  Miss  Mary  Col- 
lier, who  was  born  in  Rockcastle,  Ken- 
tucky, May  8.  1826,  a  daughter  of  John 
and  Susan  (Groves)  Collier,  both  of 
whom  were  natives  of  Culpepper  county, 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


335 


Virginia,  the  former  born  July  4,  1782, 
and  the  latter  December  15,  1787.  Mr. 
Collier  engaged  in  farming  in  Kentucky 
for  many  years  and  died  in  that  state  in 
18^3.  at  the  age  of  fifty-one  years,  while 
his  wife  passed  away  at  the  age  of  sixty- 
three  years.  He  was  a  soldier  of  the 
war  of  1812.  Both  he  and  his  wife  were 
members  of  the  Baptist  church.  In  their 
family  were  eleven  children,  seven  of 
whom  reached  adult  age,  but  for  a  long 
period  Mrs.  Williams  has  been  the  only 
surviving  member  of  the  family.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Williams  celebrated  their  golden 
wedding  six  years  ago,  having  all  of 
their  children  with  them  on  this  happy 
occasion.  They  have  now  traveled  life's 
journey  together  as  man  and  wife  for 
fifty-six  years,  sharing  with  each  other 
in  the  joys  and  sorrows,  the  adversity 
and  prosperity  which  comes  to  each  indi- 
vidual in  a  lung  lifetime.  They  had 
seven  children,  two  of  whom  were  born 
in  Kentucky  and  five  in  Illinois.  Of  this 
number  five  are  living:  Oscar,  who  re- 
sides at  Fort  Stockton,  Texas,  married 
Sallie  Wheat  and  has  five  children,  Oscar, 
Mary  E.,  Susan  C,  Clayton  and  Jesse  C. 
William  D.  married  Miss  Jettie  Pierson 
and  lives  at  Fort  Worth,  Texas.  Josiah 
J.  resides  in  Kansas  City,  Missouri.  Su- 
san is  at  home.  Jessie  is  the  wife  of 
Archibald  Hart  and  lives  in  Nora 
Springs,  Iowa.  All  of  Mr.  Williams's 
sons  are  prominent  and  successful  law- 
yers. The  eldest  is  a  graduate  of  the 
Harvard  Law  School  and  of  Bethany 
School.  William  D.  is  a  graduate  of  Ab- 
ingdon  College  and  lived  for  a  time  in 
Austin,  Texas,  where  he  studied  law 
prior  to  his  removal  to  Fort  Worth.  Jo- 


siah is  a  graduate  of  Carthage  College, 
studying  law  with  Judge  Scofield,  and 
located  in  Kansas  City.  Both  of  the 
daughters  have  taught  school  in  Texas 
and  both  were  teachers  for  a  year  in  the 
public  schools  of  Carthage.  The  young- 
er daughter,  Jessie,  occupied  for  a  num- 
ber of  years  an  editorial  position  with  the 
Chapman  Publishing  Company,  of  Chi- 
cago. 

Mr.  Williams  built  his  present  pretty 
home  in  1866  and  has  lived  in  it  for  forty 
years.  It  was  first  a  farm  but  the  land 
has  since  been  divided  and  much  of  it 
has  since  been  sold  off  in  town  lots.  He 
began  life  in  very  humble  financial  cir- 
cumstances but  worked  on  persistently 
year  after  year  until  now  in  the  evening 
of  life  he  is  surrounded  by  many  com- 
forts and  has  a  very  desirable  compe- 
tence. He  is  a  Mason  and  he  and  his 
wife  are  zealous  members  of  the  Chris- 
tian church,  in  which  he  has  been  elder 
and  Sunday  school  superintendent.  He 
and  his  wife  take  a  most  active  and  help- 
ful part  in  the  work  of  the  church  and 
his  entire  life  proves  the  value  of  hon- 
esty as  a  factor  in  winning  success  and 
the  respect  of  one's  fellowmen.  His  po- 
litical allegiance  is  given  to  the  democ- 
racy and  in  1870  he  was  elected  state 
senator  for  Hancock  and  Adams  coun- 
ties, when  he  served  for  one  term  when 
he  refused  to  again  become  a  candidate. 
He  has  long  been  a  strong  temperance 
man  and  at  all  times  he  exercises  his  of- 
ficial prerogatives  to  support  temperance 
principles.  He  has  acted  for  several 
terms  as  alderman  of  Carthage  and  has 
been  president  of  the  council.  His  in- 
terest in  community  affairs  has  been  of 


336 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


a  helpful  character  and  in  the  evening 
of  life  he  receives  the  veneration  and  re- 
spect which  are  accorded  in  recognition 
of  ability,  success,  an  honorable  political 
career  and  devotion  to  those  rules  of  con- 
duct which  are  not  only  in  comformity 
with  a  high  standard  of  ethics,  but  also 
with  the  high  and  lofty  principles  of 
Christianity. 


FRANCIS  MARION  HARRIS. 

Francis  Marion  Harris,  numbered 
among  the  early  settlers  of  Hancock  coun- 
ty, so  that  his  memory  now  forms  a  con- 
necting link  between  the  past  and  the 
present,  and  who  is  now  residing  in  Au- 
gusta, was  born  in  Putnam  county,  In- 
diana, December  7,  1834.  His  parents 
were  John  and  Ruth  (Aldridge)  Harris. 
The  father  was  born  in  Hawkins  county, 
Tennessee,  September  i,  1811,  and  at  an 
early  day  removed  to  Indiana,  where  he 
engaged  in  farming.  In  1847  he  sold  the 
farm  and  removed  to  Schuyler  county, 
Illinois,  where  he  purchased  a  tract  of 
land,  making  his  home  thereon  until 
about  1858,  when  he  took  up  his  abode 
in  Augusta  to  become  identified  with  its 
business  interests  as  a  dry  goods  and 
grain  merchant.  Later  he  gave  his  at- 
tention to  the  lumber  trade,  which  he 
followed  until  1868,  when,  having  ac- 
quired a  handsome  competence  that  en- 
abled him  to  live  retired,  he  put  aside 
further  business  cares  and  responsibili- 
ties and  spent  his  remaining  days  in  Au- 


gusta in  the  enjoyment  of  a  well  earned 
rest.  He  died  November  15,  1873,  in 
the  faith  of  the  Baptist  church,  of  which 
he  was  a  consistent  member.  His  polit- 
ical views  accorded  with  democratic  prin- 
ciples and  for  some  years  he  was  a  capa- 
ble and  efficient  member  of  the  town 
board  of  Augusta.  His  widow  survived 
him  for  about  twenty  years  and  died  in 
Bowen,  Illinois,  at  the  age  of  seventy- 
six,  and  was  buried  in  Augusta  cemetery 
by  the  side  of  her  husband.  She  was  born 
in  Stokes  county.  North  Carolina.  By 
her  marriage  she  became  the  mother  of 
ten  children,  three  of  whom  survive. 

Francis  Marion  Harris  acquired  his 
education  in  the  district  schools  of  his 
native  county  and  in  his  youth  assisted 
his  father  in  the  farm  labor,  coming  with 
the  family  to  Illinois  in  1847,  when  a 
youth  of  thirteen  years.  He  farmed  upon 
the  old  homestead  in  Schuyler  county  on 
his  own  account  in  early  manhood,  re- 
maining there  for  two  years,  when  he  sold 
the  property  and  came  to  Augusta,  where 
he  spent  one  summer.  In  1859  he  went 
to  Colorado,  attracted  by  the  discovery 
of  gold  in  that  state,  and  devoted  a  year 
to  mining,  but  not  meeting  with  the  suc- 
cess he  had  anticipated  he  returned  to  Au- 
gusta, where  he  has  since  continuously 
made  his  home.  He  has  been  following 
the  trade  of  a  carpenter  and  contractor 
here  and  has  been  closely  associated  with 
building  operations,  many  of  the  substan- 
tial structures  of  the  town  and  surround- 
ing community  standing  as  monuments 
to  his  skill  and  enterprise.  He  always 
lives  up  to  the  terms  of  his  contract  and 
has  an  unassailable  business  reputation. 

Mr.  Harris  was  married  on  the  2d  of 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


337 


November,  1856,  to  Miss  Susan  R.  Dush- 
er,  who  was  born  in  Indiana  and  is  a 
daughter  of  Jacob  and  Susan  Dusher  and 
a  member  of  the  Methodist  church.  She 
is  a  lady  of  many  good  traits  of  charac- 
ter, her  life  being  formulated  upon  lines 
of  conduct  laid  down  by  the  church  with 
which  she.  is  identified.  Unto  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Harris  have  been  born  ten  children, 
six  of  whom  are  now  living.  Leona  died 
in  infancy;  Fanny,  the  wife  of  William 
Cordell,  a  farmer  residing  near  Industry, 
Illinois,  by  whom  she  has  three  daugh- 
ters and  a  son,  Susan,  Collin,  Ruth  and 
Mabell;  Luella,  the  wife  of  Samuel 
Yoting,  a  machinist  of  Kewanee,  Illi- 
nois, by  whom  she  has  five  children, 
Marie,  Howard,  Florence,  Charles  and 
Sarah;  Ruth  E.,  the  wife  of  William  H. 
Johnson,  of  Augusta;  \Villiam  R.,  a  car- 
penter and  wagon-maker  of  Lamar,  Mis- 
souri, who  married  Ella  Jeffries,  of  Col- 
chester, Illinois ;  Francis  M.,  a  mechanic, 
who  married  Rosa  Phillips,  of  Oklahoma 
City,  Oklahoma,  and  has  one  son,  Lo- 
renzo; Charles  L.,  a  carpenter  residing 
in  Lowell,  Arizona,  married  to  Miss  Jes- 
sie Cox,  of  Mt.  Sterling,  Illinois;  two 
daughters  who  died  in  infancy ;  and  John, 
who  also  died  -in  infancy. 

Mr.  Harris  is  a  member  of  the  Meth- 
odist church.  He  votes  with  the  democ- 
racy and  has  served  as  police  constable 
for  Augusta.  Throughout  almost  sixty 
years  he  has  lived  in  this  part  of  the  state 
and  has  seen  many  changes  in  Hancock 
county  as  pioneer  conditions  have  given 
way  before  the  improvements  of  an  ad- 
vanced civilization.  In  matters  of  citi- 
zenship he  is  public-spirited  and  he  has 
co-operated  to  the  extent  of  his  resources 


in  the  movements  and  measures  for  the 
public  good.  At  seventy-two  years  of 
age  his  penmanship  was  as  regular  and 
plain  as  print  and  looked  as  though  it 
were  copper-plate. 


CARL  BERTSCHI. 

Carl  Bertschi,  the  proprietor  of  a  fine 
meat  market  in  Niota,  where  he  is  con- 
ducting an  excellent  trade,  was  born  in 
Appanoose  township,  July  26,  1860,  a 
son  of  William  and  Elizabeth  (Walte) 
Bertschi,  natives  of  Switzerland. 

Carl  Bertschi  was  reared  to  farm  life 
and  acquired  his  education  in  the  dis- 
trict schools  near  his  father's  home.  He 
remained  with  his  parents  to  the  age  of 
sixteen  years,  when  he  started  out  to 
make  his  own  way  in  the  world,  going 
first  to  Wisconsin,  where  he  was  em- 
ployed at  farm  labor  during  the  sum- 
mer months,  while  in  the  winter  season  he 
worked  in  the  pine  woods,  being  thus  oc- 
cupied for  six  years,  and  on  the  expira- 
tion of  that  period  he  returned  to  the  old 
home  place,  where  he  remained  for  one 
year,  subsequent  to  which  time  he  went 
to  Bond  county,  Illinois,  where  he  was 
employed  by  the  month  as  a  farm  hand 
for  fourteen  months,  and  then  returned 
again  to  Hancock  county,  where  he  still 
followed  that  pursuit,  and  during  the 
threshing  season  he,  in  connection  with 
his  brother,  operated  a  threshing  machine 
from  1882  until  1892.  He  also  operated 
a  thresher  in  Wisconsin  and  in  Bond 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


county,  Illinois.  In  this  business  .the 
brothers-  were  quite  successful,  their  trade 
extending  over  a  large  territory  in  this 
section  of  the  county. 

As  a  companion  and  helpmate  for  life's 
journey  Mr.  Bertschi  chose  Miss  Bar- 
bara Lutz,  to  whom  he  was  married  June 
26,  1886.  She  was  born  in  Franklin,  Lee 
county,  Iowa,  October  10,  1867,  a  daugh- 
ter of  John  and  Eliza  (Bertschi)  Lutz, 
both  natives  of  Switzerland.  Following 
his  marriage  Mr.  Bertschi  lived  for  one 
year  with  his  wife's  mother,  and  then  re- 
moved to  the  village  of  Niota,  where  he 
was  employed  at  bridge-building  for  the 
Santa  Fe  Railroad  Company  for  one  year, 
and  on  the  expiration  of  that  period  he 
went  to  Tyson  creek  and  engaged  in  the 
manufacture  of  tile,  but  this  business  ven- 
ture did  not  prove  a  success,  and  he  then 
took  up  his  abode  on  a  farm  in  Appa- 
noose  township,  where  he  was  engaged  in 
general  agricultural  pursuits  until  1893, 
when  he  left  the  farm  and  removed  to 
Niota,  where  he  invested  in  two  lots  and 
a  business  block,  in  which  he  opened  a 
meat  market  and  has  since  been  engaged 
In  carrying  on  this  enterprise.  He  con- 
ducts the  only  market  in  Niota  and  has 
an  excellent  trade,  which  returns  him  a 
gratifying  annual  income.  He  handles 
only  the  best  class  of  meats  and  does  all 
his  own  butchering. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Bertschi  ad- 
vocates the  principles  of  democracy  and 
because  of  his  ability  and  his  interest  in 
local  affairs  his  fellow  townsmen  have 
called  him  to  a  number  of  offices,  having 
served  for  one  term  as  assessor,  three 
terms  as  supervisor,  one  term  as  school 
director  and  is  now  serving  his  second 


term  as  school  trustee.  He  is  identified 
with  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fel- 
lows, holding  membership  in  Lodge  No. 
222,  at  Nauvoo,  and  with  Harrick  lodge, 
No.  193.  of  Masons.  Mr.  Bertschi  was 
elected  sheriff  of  Hancock  county  Novem- 
ber 6,  1906.  Unto  him  and  his 
wife  '  have  been  born  four  children, 
of  whom  three  survive:  Caroline  Ame- 
lia, who  died  at  the  age  of  one  and  one- 
half  years;  Lloyd,  born  March  3,  1889; 
Palmer  E.,  born  April  17,  1894;  and 
Lona,  December  i,  1903.  He  and  his 
family  are  well  known  in  Niota  and  the 
surrounding  country,  and  the  hospitality 
of  their  own  home  is  greatly  enjoyed  by 
their  many  friends. 


EMIL  J.  BAXTER. 

Emil  J.  Baxter  is  well  known  as  a  bee 
culturist  and  the  business  which  he  has 
conducted  in  this  regard  has  become  ex- 
tensive and  important.  He  carries  on 
the  work  along  modern  scientific  lines  and 
in  addition  he  engages  in  horticultural 
pursuits,  while  in  other  sections  of  the 
country  he  owns  valuable  landed  interests. 
He  is  likewise  the  oldest  director  in  point 
of  continuous  service  of  the  State  Bank 
of  Nauvoo,  and  is  regarded  as  one  of  the 
representative  business  men,  his  life  of 
activity  being  crowned  with  success,  while 
his  commercial  integrity  stands  as  an  un- 
questioned fact  in  his  career. 

Mr.  Baxter  is  a  native  of  Newark.  New 
Jersey,  a  son  of  Emil  and  Annette  (Pow- 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


339 


ell)  Baxter,  both  natives  of  France,  the 
former  born  in  St.  Quintin.  The  paternal 
grandparents  were  John  and  Marie  Bax- 
ter, the  former  born  in  England  of  Scotch 
parentage,  while  the  latter  was  of  French 
birth.  John  Baxter  served  as  commander 
of  artillery  at  the  battle  of  \\  aterloo 
under  the  Duke  of  Wellington  and  was 
given  a  medal  in  recognition  of  his  able 
military  service.  So  well  pleased  with 
France  was  he  that  he  determined  to  re- 
main in  that  country  and  there  engaged  in 
the  manufacture  of  lace,  the  product  of 
his  factory  being  sent  to  New  York  city 
and  sold  by  Robert  Jaffray,  who  estab- 
lished the  wholesale  lace  house  of  Jaffray 
&  Sons,  which  is  today  one  of  the  largest 
wholesale  establishments  of  the  western 
metropolis. 

About  the  year  1845  Emil  Baxter 
crossed  the  Atlantic  to  the  new  world  and 
accepted  a  position  with  the  firm  of  Hen- 
nequin  &  Company,  large  importers  of 
laces,  dry  goods,  etc.,  in  New  York,  and 
also  owners  of  a  store  in  Paris,  France. 
He  continued  with  that  house  until  1856, 
when  he  removed  to  Nauvoo  and  became 
secretary  of  the  Icarian  community.  A 
year  later,  however,  he  returned  to 
Xewark,  New  Jersey,  and  again  accepted 
a  position  as  bookkeeper  but  his  health 
failed  and  he  returned  to  Hancock 
county,  purchasing  eight  acres  in  the  heart 
of  Nauvoo.  He  made  a  specialty  of  the 
raising  of  grapes  and  the  manufacture  of 
wine.  The  gentle  slope  of  the  Mississippi 
river  bank  affords  splendid  opportunity 
for  grape  culture  and  Mr.  Baxter  con- 
tinued successfully  in  business  until  1894, 
when  he  removed  to  Keokuk  to  live  with 
his  daughter,  Mrs.  Addie  Kruskopf,  the 


widow  of  Ernest  Krusdopf.  There  his 
death  occurred  in  June,  1895.  He  is  sur- 
vived by  his  second  wife  and  four  sons 
and  two  daughters  of  the  first  marriage 
and  one  daughter  of  the  second  marriage. 
Mr.  Baxter  had  been  married  on  the  2gth 
of  July.  1852,  at  Meriden,  Connecticut, 
to  Miss  Annette  Powell,  who  was  en- 
gaged in  teaching  in  a  seminary  in  that 
state.  Her  death  occurred  in  July,  1863. 
Emil  J.  Baxter,  the  eldest  of  the  chil- 
dren, remained  with  his  father  until  1871 
and  attended  the  common  schools  of 
Nauvoo  during  the  winter  months  until 
sixteen  years  of  age.  In  1871  he  went 
to  Little  Rock  and  to  Hot  Springs, 
Arkansas,  and  planted  one  of  the  first 
vineyards  ever  set  out  in  that  state.  Sev- 
everal  months  later  he  returned  to  Illinois 
and  engaged  in  teaching  school  for  one 
winter,  after  which  he  went  to  Chicago, 
where  he  continued  in  the  study  of  law 
for  one  year  with  John  Lyle  King.  He 
had  previously  studied  law  at  Nauvoo 
under  the  direction  of  R.  W.  McKinney, 
and  returning  to  Nauvoo,  he  engaged  in 
teaching  school  through  the  winter  sea- 
sons, while  in  the  summer  months  his  at- 
tention was  devoted  to  horticultural  pur- 
suits and  to  the  conduct  of  an  apiary.  He 
taught  through  thirteen  winter  terms  of 
six  months  each  and  was  regarded  as  one 
of  the  capable  educators  of  this  part  of 
the  state,  his  labors  being  effective  in 
promoting  the  standard  of  education.  In 
more  recent  years  he  has  been  making  a 
specialty  of  bee  culture,  having  from  two 
hundred  to  three  hundred  hives  on  hand. 
He  has  also  been  especially  interested  in 
horticulture,  which  he  has  studied  in  all 
its  phases,  including  the  subject  of  the 


340 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


insect  enemies  that  attack  fruit.  He  is 
a  life  member  of  the  Missouri  and  the 
Illinois  State  Horticultural  Societies  and 
his  knowledge  concerning  the  best  meth- 
ods of  cultivating  fruit  is  now  compre- 
hensive and  accurate,  his  decisions  being 
largely  considered  authority  throughout 
this  part  of  the  state.  For  many  years 
he  was  the  senior  member  of  the  firm  of 
E.  Baxter  &  Sons,  his  partners  being 
Thomas  P.  and  Cecil  J.  Baxter,  to  whom 
he  sold  out  in  1901.  He  now  owns  ten 
acres  in  his  home  place  in  Nauvoo  devoted 
to  all  kinds  of  fruit  and  he  also  keeps 
ninety  colonies  of  bees  at  the  home  place. 
He  likewise  owns  thirty  acres  additional 
within  the  city  limits  of  Nauvoo,  devoted 
to  fruit  raising,  and  he  has  a  third  in- 
terest in  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres 
of  farm  land  in  Hand  county,  South  Da- 
kota, and  likewise  owns  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  in  Sherman  county,  Kansas. 
He  is  one  of  the  heavy  stockholders  of 
the  State  Bank  of  Nauvoo  and  is  its  oldest 
director  in  years  of  service,  while  at  the 
present  time  he  is  chairman  of  the  loan 
and  discount  committee  and  chairman  of 
the  examining  board. 

On  the  2 ist  of  June.  1877,  Mr.  Baxter 
was  married  to  Miss  Eugenie  S. 
Dadant,  a  daughter  of  Charles  and 
Gabrielle  (Parrisot)  Dadant,  natives  of 
France.  Their  children  are:  Alice  A., 
born  August  26,  1880:  E.  Miles,  Jan- 
uary 13,  1885;  Charles  Bayard.  Feb- 
ruary 17,  1887;  and  Florence  G.,'  Jan- 
uary 21,  1890.  In  the  spring  of  1905 
Mr.  Baxter  erected  a  fine  modern  resi- 
dence, supplied  with  all  city  conveniences 
and  heated  with  hot  water  and  system  for 
lighting  by  either  gas  or  electricity  was 


installed.     This  is  one  of  the  attractive 
residences    of    Nauvoo,    and    its    warm- 
hearted hospitality  makes  it  a  favorite  re- 
sort with  the  many  friends  of  the  family. 
Mr.  Baxter  is  prominent  politically  and 
socially    as    well    as    in    business    circles. 
He  is  a  stalwart  democrat,  and  in  1880 
served  as  supervisor  of  Nauvoo  township, 
while  for  seven  terms  he  has  served  as 
alderman  of  the  city  from  the  third  ward 
and  was  again  elected  in  the  spring  of 
1906.     He  has  served  continuously  since 
1891   as  a  member  of  the  school  board 
in   district   No.    53,   and   he  has  been   a 
member    of    the    township    high    school 
board  since  1900.     His  labors  have  been 
effective  and  far-reaching  in  his  efforts  to 
promote  the  intellectual  progress  and  up- 
hold the  political  status  of  his  community 
and    he   has    used    practical    methods    in 
working  toward  the  ideal.     He  belongs 
to  Temple  lodge.   No.   222,   Independent 
Order     of     Odd     Fellows,     of      which 
he    became     a     charter     member    on  its 
organization      in      April.       1888.        He 
is  also  a  member  of  the  Rebekah  lodge, 
and  belong-s  to  Puchechetuck  camp,  No. 
7,   Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows, 
at  Keokuk.     Also  a  charter  member  of 
Temple    camp,     Modern    Woodmen    of 
America.     He  also  served  for  many  years 
as  representative  to  the  grand  lodge  of 
the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen 
but  has  withdrawn   from  that  organiza- 
tion.    His  life  has  been  a  success.     His 
entire  career  is  illustrated  by  the  fact  that 
certain  actions  are  followed  by  certain  re- 
sults.    As  a  business  man  he  has  always 
been    enterprising,    and   his   labors    have 
resulted  in  successful  accomplishment.    As 
a  citizen  he  has  displayed  sagacity  and 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


true  patriotism  and  as  a  public  official  his 
actions  have  been  above  reproach  or  criti- 
cism. .  He  stands  today  as  a  worthy  rep- 
resentative of  a  high  type  of  our  Ameri- 
can manhood. 


S.  W.  HECOX. 

S.  W.  Hecox.  engaged  in  the  livery 
business  in  Carthage,  was  born  in  Adams 
county,  Illinois,  April  6,  1860,  a  son  of 
R.  C.  and  Mary  (Lancaster)  Hecox. 
The  father,  a  native  of  Illinois,  resided 
upon  a  farm  in  Adams  county  through- 
out the  greater  part  of  his  life.  His 
political  allegiance  was  given  to  the  de- 
mocracy and  in  his  fraternal  relations 
he  was  a  Mason.  He  married  Miss 
Mary  Lancaster,  a  native  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  they  became  the  parents  of 
seven  children,  of  whom  six  are  living, 
as  follows :  Rebecca,  the  wife  of  Henry 
\Yillard,  of  Bowen,  Illinois;  S.  W.,  of 
this  review ;  George,  also  living  in 
Bowen ;  Anna,  the  wife  of  Stuart  Woods, 
who  resides  near  Bowen ;  Oscar,  who  is 
living  in  Golden.  Adams  county,  Illinois : 
and  Dr.  Chalmer  Hecox,  of  Golden.  The 
mother  passed  away  in  1877  and  her  re- 
mains were  interred  in  Ebenezer  ceme- 
'tery.  The  father,  however,  is  now  liv- 
ing in  vBowen. 

S.  W.  Hecox  was  educated  in  the 
country  schools  of  Bowen  and  remained 
with  his  father  until  of  age.  When  a 
young  man  of  twenty-five  years  he  was 
married  to  Miss  Lillian  Parish  on  the 


4th  of  October,  1885.  She  was  also  a 
native  of  Adams  county  and  a  daughter 
of  Dr.  Parish.  Her  mother  died  when 
the  daughter  was  but  six  years  of  age  and 
the  father  passed  away  in  Oregon  in 
1904.  He  was  a  physician  by  profession 
and  served  as  a  Union  soldier  in  the  Civil 
war.  Of  their  family  of  five  children 
Mrs.  Hecox  is  the  youngest,  the  others 
being:  William  and  Byron,  who  reside 
in  Oregon ;  Reuben,  who  is  living  in 
Iowa :  and  Elizabeth,  the  wife  of  Clark 
Headley,  of  Iowa. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hecox  resided  upon  a 
farm  in  Hancock  county  for  three  and 
a  half  years  and  afterward  removed  to 
a  farm  in  Adams  county,  where  they 
spent  eleven  and  a  half  years,  his  atten- 
tion being  given  to  the  development  of 
the  fields  which  were  highly  improved. 

On  the  6th  of  March,  1900,  .Mr.  Hecox 
removed  to  Carthage  and  opened  a  livery 
stable,  in  which  enterprise  he  was  first 
associated  with  Sherman  Lancaster, 
afterward  with  George  Gardner  and 
now  with  Dr.  E.  H.  Herring.  He  con- 
ducts a  general  livery  stable  on  Jackson 
street  and  also  has  funeral  equipment, 
including  hearse  and  carriages.  He  re- 
ceives a  liberal  patronage  owing  to  his 
earnest  effort  to  please  his  customers  and 
his  -reasonable  prices. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hecox  have  been 
born  two  children :  Veva  Bernice,  born 
in  Adams  county,  June  15,  1891,  and 
now  a  high  school  student ;  and  Chalmer 
Rosswell,  who  was  born  March  9,  1899. 
The  parents  are  active  members  of  the 
Christian  church,  doing  much  to  pro- 
mote its  growth  and  development  and 
are  teachers  in  the  Sundav-school.  Mr. 


34-' 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


Hecox  belongs  to  the  Odd  Fellows  so- 
ciety and  the  Modern  Woodmen  camp. 
He  has  served  as  road  commissioner  and 
as  a  member  of  the  school  board  and  is 
interested  in  all  that  pertains  to  public 
progress  and  improvement.  His  polit- 
ical allegiance  is  given  to  the  Democratic 
party  ajjd  his  church  and  political  rela- 
tions indicate  much  of  the  character  of 
the  man,  showing  that  he  is  arrayed  on 
the  side  of  right,  justice  and  truth.  He 
deserves  much  credit  for  what  he  has 
accomplished  in  a  business  way,  for  he 
has  had  no  assistance  but  has  depended 
upon  his  own  labors  and  resources  for 
advancement.  In  manner  he  is  kind  and 
jovial  and  is  spoken  of  in  terms  of  praise 
and  friendship  by  all  with  whom  business 
or  social  relations  have  brought  him  in 
contact. 


WYMAN  T.  WHITCOMB. 

The  Whitcomb  family  was  established 
in  America  when  this  country  was  still 
numbered  among  the  colonial  possessions 
of  Great  Britain.  Wyman  Whitcomb, 
Sr.,  grandfather  of  our  subject,  was  a 
school  teacher  by  profession  and  was  also 
a  musician  of  considerable  skill  and  repu- 
tation. His  services  were  in  frequent  de- 
mand for  political  meetings,  on  which 
occasions  he  would  play  the  fife  and 
drum.  He  became  one  of  the  pioneer 
settlers  of  Adams  county,  Illinois,  in 
1833.  He  had  a  brother  who  was  killed 
in  Cuba  in  1844,  having  been  taken  pris- 
oner there  and  shot  at  the  time  of  mili- 
tary uprisings. 


Dwight  Whitcomb,  father  of  our  sub- 
ject, was  born  in  Ohio,  November  12, 
1830,  and  passed  the  age  of  seventy- three 
years,  departing  this  life  January  21, 
1904,  his  remains  being  interred  in  Pow- 
ellton  cemetery.  He  was  but  three  years 
of  age  at  the  time  of  the  removal  of  the 
family  to  Adams  county  and  was  a 
young  man  of  twenty-one  years  when  he 
located  in  Rock  Creek  township,  Han- 
cock county.  His  entire  life  was  de- 
voted to  agricultural  pursuits  and  thus 
he  provided  for  his  family,  numbering 
wife  and  fifteen  or  sixteen  children. 
Mrs.  Whitcomb  bore  the  maiden  name  of 
Mary  H.  Ellison,  and  is  still  living  in 
Adrian.  She  was  born  December  29, 
1836,  and  has  therefore  reached  the  sev- 
entieth milestone  on  life's  journey.  Of 
the  family  only  five  sons  are  now  living, 
Wyman  T.,  Farnum  M.,  John  D.,  James 
A.  and  Lewis  M.,  all  residents  of  Rock 
Creek  township. 

Wyman  T.  Whitcomb  was  born  on  the 
old  farm  home  in  Rock  Creek  township, 
December  21,  1856,  and  at  the  usual  age 
entered  the  district  school  not  far  dis- 
tant from  his  father's  farm.  After  leav- 
ing home  he  began  farming  on  his  own 
account  in  his  native  township,  where 
he  has  spent  his  entire  life  save  for  a 
period  of  seven  years,  which  he  passed  in 
Colorado  and  Nebraska,  undergoing 
many  hardships  and  privations  incident 
to  frontier  setlement  there,  so  that  he 
was  glad  to  return  to  his  native  county. 
He  now  owns  and  operates  seventy-nine 
acres  of  rich  and  arable  land  on  section 
5,  Rock  Creek  township,  whereon  he  has 
erected  a  good  dwelling,  barns  and  made 


HANCOCK  COUN-TY,  ILLINOIS. 


343 


other  substantial  and  modern  improve- 
ments. In  all  of  his  farm  work  he  is 
exceedingly  practical  and  his  labors  are 
therefore  the  source  of  a  goodly  income. 

On  the  23d  of  March,  1879,  Mr.  Whit- 
comb  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Frances  E.  Hollingworth,  who  was  born 
in  Keokuk,  Iowa,  January  17,  1860,  a 
daughter  of  G.  W.  and  Ann  (Slocum) 
Hollingworth,  natives  of  Pennsylvania 
and  Ohio,  respectively.  The  father  was 
a  printer  by  trade  and  spent  much  of  his 
life  in  Iowa,  where  both  he  and  his  wife 
died.  She  was  a  member  of  the  Metho- 
dist church.  In  their  family  were  two 
daughters  and  a  son,  namely :  Mrs. 
Whitcomb;  F.  J.  Hollingworth,  who  is 
living  in  Seattle,  Washington ;  and  Lot- 
tie, the  wife  of  Ray  Lewis,  of  Des 
Moines,  Iowa.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Whitcomb 
have  one  child,  Grover  F.,  who  was  born 
in  Phelps  county,  Nebraska,  October  28, 
1892,  and  is  now  a  student  in  the  Rock 
Creek  township  schools.  Mrs.  Whit- 
comb is  also  descended  from  ancestors 
who  served  in  the  Revolutionary  war  and 
her  great-uncle,  Samuel  Slocum,  was  a 
soldier  of  the  Civil  war,  while  David 
Whitcomb,  an  uncle  of  our  subject,  was 
a  member  of  an  Illinois  regiment  in  the 
same  war. 

Mr.  Whitcomb  exercises  his  right  of 
franchise  in  support  of  the  men  and 
measures  of  the  democracy  and  has  filled 
some  local  offices,  such  as  road-boss, 
school  director  and  township  treasurer. 
He  belongs  to  the  Loyal  American,  an 
insurance  company.  Both  he  and  his 
\vife  are  kind-hearted,  pleasant  people, 
who  occupy  warm  places  in  the  esteem 
and  friendship  of  those  who  know  them. 

22 


JOHN  WELLNER. 

John  Wellner  is  a  worthy  and  well 
known  representative  of  horticultural  and. 
agricultural  interests  in  Appanoose  town- 
ship. His  life  record  began  in  Baden, 
Germany,  May  14,  1849,  but  he  was 
reared  in  Nauvoo,  where  he  acquired  a 
common  school  education.  His  parents, 
Michael  and  Catherine  (Emerich)  Well- 
ner, were  also  natives  of  Germany,  where 
the  father  learned  and  followed  the  mill- 
er's trade.  In  1852,  however,  he  came 
with  his  family  to  the  United  States, 
landing  at  New  Orleans,  where  for  four 
years  he  was  employed  in  a  wholesale 
sugar  house.  He  then  secured  a  posi- 
tion on  a  river  packet,  and  in  passing 
Nauvoo  he  was  so  well  pleased  with  the 
town,  its  site,  and  its  prospects  that  he 
resolved  to  make  it  his  home  and  pur- 
chased here  a  house  and  lot.  In  the  sum- 
mer months  he  worked  on  boats  on  the 
river,  and  in  the  winter  seasons  was  at 
home  with  his  family.  His  death,  how- 
ever, occurred  in  New  Orleans  in  1859, 
and  subsequently  his  widow  became  the 
wife  of  Joseph  Haas,  who  died  in  1900. 
She  is  still  living  in  Nauvoo,  at  the  ad- 
vanced age  of  eighty  years.  She  was  Mr. 
Wellner's  second  wife.  By  a  former 
marriage  he  had  one  son  and  three  daugh- 
ters, and  by  his  second  marriage  he  had 
two  sons  and  two  daughters.  Unto  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Haas  were  born  two  sons  and 
two  daughters,  and  by  a  previous  mar- 
riage Mr.  Haas  had  three  sons  and  a 
daughter. 

John  Wellner  in  his  youth  continued 
to  make  his  home  with  his  mother,  but 
worked  out  by  the  month  on  farms  in  Ap- 


344 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


panoose  and ,  Nauvoo  townships  until  his 
marriage,  which  was  celebrated  in  Octo- 
ber, 1870,  Miss  Agnes  Haas  becoming  his 
wife.  She  was  a  daughter  of  his  step- 
father, Joseph  Haas,  and  his  first  wife, 
Ferona  Haas,  who  were  natives  of  Ger- 
many. Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wellner  were 
born  the  following  named :  Lena,  the 
wife  of  William  Yager,  of  Nauvoo;  Jo- 
seph, who  died  at  the  age  of  eight  years ; 
Katie,  who  was  killed  when  a  year  and  a 
half  old;  Charles,  who  died  at  the  age  of 
three  years ;  Doretta,  who  died  at  the  age 
of  four  years;  Emma,  Vallie,  Agatha, 
Edwin  and  Vera,  all  at  home.  The  three 
children,  Joseph,  Mary  and  Charles,  all 
died  of  diphtheria  within  one  week  in 
1888. 

Following  his  marriage  Mr.  Wellner 
rented  a  farm  in  Appanoose  township  and 
lived  on  different  farms  until  1876,  when 
he  invested  his  savings  in  forty-eight 
acres  of  land  in  Nauvoo  township.  The 
same  year  he  began  building  a  house  and 
just  before  its  completion  it  was  de- 
stroyed in  a  severe  windstorm  on  the 
night  of  July  4.  Mr.  Wellner  was  away 
from  home  at  the  time.  His  wife,  how- 
ever, was  in  the  house  with  her  two  chil- 
dren, and  one  infant,  Katie,  in  her  arms, 
was  killed.  One  child  escaped,  while  Mrs. 
Wellr.er  was  pinned  down  by  the  arm  un- 
der some  debris,  being  held  there  from 
i  130  a.  m.  in  the  morning  until  4  o'clock, 
when  Mr.  Wellner  returned  and  released 
her.  He  then  took  his  family  to  Nau- 
voo, but  in  thje  fall  again  built  upon  his 
farm.  There  were  about  eighteen  acres 
of  timber  there,  while  the  remainder  was 
fit  for  cultivation  and  was  largely  de- 
voted to  the  raising  of  grapes.  There  are 


four  acres  of  grapes  and  five  acres  of  ap- 
ples. His  second  house  which  he  built 
was  of  brick  and  this  he  remodeled  in 
1900,  making  it  an  attractive  home  of 
eight  rooms,  heated  by  furnace  with  a 
cellar  under  the  entire  house.  In  1891 
he  purchased  eighty  acres  of  land  on  sec- 
tion 31  in  Appanoose  township,  which  is 
devoted  to  farming  and  pasturage.  As 
the  years  have  gone  by  he  has  made  many- 
changes  and  improvements  on  the  farm, 
developing  a  splendid  property,  from 
which  he  now  annually  harvests  good 
crops  of  grain  and  of  fruit.  He  belongs 
to  the  Catholic  church  and  his  political 
views  are  in  accord  with  the  principles 
of  democracy. 


JOHN  D.  WHITCOMB. 

John  D.  Whitcomb,  a  representative 
of  the  farming  interests  of  Rock  Creek- 
township,  who  has  owned  and  occupied 
this  place  for  thirty  years,  has  now  a  good 
tract  of  land  of  one  hundred  and  twenty 
acres,  and  in  addition  to  tilling  the  soil 
is  raising  stock.  He  is  one  of  the  native 
sons  of  the  township,  having  been  born 
September  6,  1861,  upon  the  old  home- 
stead farm  which  was  the  property  of  his 
parents,  Dwight  and  Mary  H.  (Ellison) 
Whitcomb.  The  father  was  a  native  of 
Trumbull  county,'  Ohio,  bom  in  1830. 
while  the  mother's  birth  occurred  in  Eng- 
land in  1837.  In  1832  he  became  a  resi- 
dent of  Adams  county,  Illinois,  his  par- 
ents removing  to  this  state  at  that  time. 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


345 


and  about  1853  he  took  up  his  abode  in 
Hancock  county,  where  he  carried  on  gen- 
eral agricultural  pursuits  and  stock-rais- 
ing until  his  death.  He  passed  away  Jan- 
'uary  22,  1904,  and  his  grave  was  made 
in  Powellton  cemetery.  His  widow  still 
survives  and  is  now  living  in  Adrian.  The 
father  had  one  brother,  David  Whitcomb, 
who  was  a  member  of  an  Illinois  regi- 
ment in  the  Civil  war,  and  is  now  living 
in  Adams  county.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Dwight  Whitcomb  were  born  fifteen  chil- 
dren, of  whom  five  yet  survive:  Wyman 
T.,  who  is  living  in  Rock  Creek  township 
and  is  represented  elsewhere  in  this  vol- 
ume ;  Farnham.  of  the  same  township : 
John  D.,  of  this  review ;  and  James  A. 
and  Lewis  M.,  who  are  also  living  in 
Rock  Creek  township. 

Like  the  other  members  of  the  family, 
John  D.  Whitcomb  was  reared  under  the 
parental  roof  and  the  public  schools  of 
his  native  township  afforded  him  his  edu- 
cational privileges.  When  not  busy  with 
his  text-books  he  worked  in  the  fields  and 
remained  with  his  parents,  assisting  in 
the  labor  of  the  home  farm  until  twenty- 
eight  years  of  age.  when,  in  1890.  he  was 
married  and  established  a  home  of  his 
own.  The  lady  of  his  choice  was  Miss 
Mary  L.  Youngmeyer,  who  w.is  born  in 
Nauvoo  in  1870,  a  daughter  of  Joseph 
and  Elizabeth  (Sibert)  Youngmeyer,  the 
former  a  native  of  Prussia.  Germany,  and 
the  latter  of  Virginia.  They  became 
early  settlers  of  Hancock  county,  Illi- 
nois, and  for  many  years  Mr.  Young- 
meyer followed  farming  but  passed  away 
about  five  years  ago.  His  widow,  how- 
ever, still  lives  in  Rock  Creek  township. 
In  their  family  were  eight  children,  of 


whom  two  are  now  deceased.  The  others 
are:  John  H.,  a  resident  of  Oklahoma: 
Mary  L.,  now  Mrs.  Whitcomb;  Rosetta 
G.,  the  wife  of  John  Jacks,  of  Rock  Creek 
township;  Catherine,  the  wife  of  George 
Haislett,  of  East  St.  Louis,  Illinois;  Ed- 
ward S.,  of  Rock  Creek  township:  and 
Arthur  W.,  of  Oklahoma. 

Mr.  Whitcomb  received  as  a  gift  from 
his  father  eighty  acres  of  land  on  section 
14,  Rock  Creek  township,  and  is  now  the 
owner  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres. 
He  has  lived  upon  this  farm  for  twenty- 
four  years  and  all  of  the  improvements 
here  are  as  a  monument  to  his  life  of 
thrift,  enterprise  and  diligence.  His  res- 
idence is  an  elegant  country  home,  and 
were  it  not  for  the  surrounding  fields 
might  well  be  regarded  as  a  city  dwelling, 
and  in  fact  would  grace  any  town  in  the 
county.  He  has  also  built  good  barns 
and  outbuildings  for  the  shelter  of  grain 
and  stock  and  has  successfully  carried 
on  the  work  of  tilling  the  soil  and  rais- 
ing stock,  but  is  now  renting  most  of  his 
land  and  is  largely  living  retired,  enjoy- 
ing a  rest  which  is  truly  merited  because 
of  his  activity,  enterprise  and  careful 
management  in  former  years.  , 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Whitcomb  have 
been  born  six  children,  all  natives  of  Rock 
Creek  township,  namely :  Ethel  May, 
who  was  born  April  18,  1891,  and  is  a 
student  in  the  Carthage  high  school  and 
is  also  studying  music :  David  Joseph, 
who  was  born  December  n,  1892.  and 
died  December  19.  1893;.  Willis,  who 
was  born  December  n,  1895,  and  passed 
away  July  9,  1896;  Ruth  Elizabeth,  who 
was  born  June  22,  1897,  and  died  Janu- 
*ary  17,  1904;  Arthur  Dwight,  born  July 


346 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


7,  1903 ;  and  Ada  Frances,  March  19, 
1906.  The  three  deceased  children  were 
laid  to  rest  in  Powellton  cemetery.  Mrs. 
Whitcomb  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
church  and  Mr.  Whitcomb  affiliates  with 
the  Odd  Fellows.  His  political  support 
is  given  to  the  democracy,  and  for  fifteen 
years  he  has  served  as  school  director,  but 
has  never  been  ambitious  in  the  line  of 
office  holding.  Both  he  and  his  wife  are 
honest,  respected  people,  whose  life  rec- 
ords characterized  by  much  that  is  up- 
lifting-, are  a  credit  to  the  county  of  their 
nativity.  Their  pretty  home  is  attract- 
ively furnished  and  is  the  center  of  a 
cultured  society  circle,  their  many  friends 
greatly  enjoying  its  warm-hearted 
hospitality. 


WILLIAM  WEBER. 

William  Weber  resides  on  section  32. 
Appanoose  township,  where  he  has  an 
excellent  farm  of  one  hundred  and  ninety 
acres.  The  greater  part  of  this  is  under 
cultivation  and  the  farm  is  well  equipped 
with  modern  accessories  and  conve- 
niences. Many  fruit  trees  upon  the  place 
are  a  good  source  of  income,  while  the 
well  tilled  fields  annually  bring  forth 
golden  harvests.  It  was  upon  section  32 
that  William  Weber  first  opened  his  eyes 
to  the  light  of  day,  on  the  6th  of  Janu- 
ary, 1853,  and  a  district  school  educa- 
tion fitted  him  for  life's  practical  and 
responsible  duties.  He  is  of  Swiss  line- 
age, his  parents,  Samuel  and  Rose 
(Bertschi)  Weber,  having  been  born. 


reared  and  married  in  Switzerland.  Hop- 
ing to  enjoy  better  business  opportunities 
in  the  new  world,  they  sailed  for  America 
late  in  the  '405,  and  took  up  their  abode  in 
St.  Louis,  where  they  remained  for  about 
two  years,  Mr.  Weber  doing  farm  work. 
In  1850  he  came  to  Nauvoo  and  his  earn- 
ings, which  had  been  carefully  saved, 
were  invested  in  forty  acres  of  prairie 
land  and  twenty  acres  of  timber  in  Ap- 
panoose township.  Upon  this  place  he 
located  and  began  the  further  cultivation 
and  development  of  a  farm,  making  it  his 
home  until  about  1886,  when  he  sold  that 
property  and  bought  eighty  acres  in  So- 
nora  township.  There  he  lived  until  his 
life's  labors  were  ended  in  death  on  the 
i8th  of  October,  1893.  His  widow  has 
since  resided  with  her  daughter,  Mrs. 
Mary  Cowles,  of  Fort  Madison.  Iowa, 
who  is  one  of  a  family  of  five  sons  and 
six  daughters. 

William  Weber,  the  sixth  in  order  of 
birth  in  this  family,  remained  under  the 
parental  roof  until  twenty-nine  years  of 
age  and  from  his  early  youth  gave  ma- 
terial assistance  in  the  work  of  the  farm. 
At  the  age  of  twenty-two  years  he  rented 
his  father's  land  and  continued  its  culti- 
vation on  his  own  account  for  seven  years. 
He  then  married  on  the  ist  of  January, 
1883,  Miss  Annie  Rentschler,  a  native  of 
Nauvoo,  born  April  12,  1852,  and  a 
daughter  of  John  M.  and  Annie 
fSchnearly)  Rentschler.  who  were  na- 
tives of  Wurtemburg,  Germany.  They 
made  the  voyage  across  the  briny  deep 
to  New  Orleans,  and  some  time  later  be- 
came residents  of  Keokuk,  Iowa.  The 
father  had  learned  and  followed  the  mill- 
ing business  in  his  native  country  but 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


347 


after  coming  to  the  new  world  he  en- 
gaged in  farming.  He  spent  some  time 
in  Iowa  and  then  removed  to  Nauvoo, 
purchasing  a  farm  in  Sonora  township, 
upon  which  he  and  his  wife  spent  their 
remaining  days,  her  death  occurring  Sep- 
tember 13,  1874,  while  he  survived  until 
May  20,  1888.  As  stated,  their  daughter 
Annie  became  the  wife  of  William  Web- 
er, and  one  child  has  been  born  of  this 
union,  Archie  Harry,  whose  natal  day 
was  October  8,  1883. 

Following  their  marriage  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Weber  lived  upon  her  father's  farm. 
Mr.  Weber  purchased  the  interest  of  the 
other  heirs  in  this  property  and  continued 
to  cultivate  the  fields  there  until  1891. 
when  he  sold  that  place  and  bought  one 
hundred  and  ninety  acres  of  land  situated 
on  sections  28  and  32,  Appanoose  town- 
ship. Of  this  twenty-five  acres  are  cov- 
ered with  timber,  while  the  remainder  is 
improved  land  and  the  further  work  of 
cultivation  and  development  has  been 
carried  forward  by  the  present  owner. 
The  buildings  all  stand  as  monuments 
to  his  enterprise  and  thrift  and  include 
barns,  a  two-story  frame  house,  corn 
cribs,  and  in  fact  everything  necessary 
for  the  shelter  of  grain,  stock  and  farm 
machinery.  He  has  recently  erected  a 
modern  and  commodious  country  home, 
which  is  tasteful  in  its  arrangement  and 
in  its  furnishings.  He  carries  on  general 
agricultural  pursuits  and  stock-raising 
and  he  also  gives  considerable  attention 
to  the  cultivation  of  fruit,  having  upon 
his  place  one  hundred  and  fifty  apple 
trees,  fifty  peach  trees  and  also  cherries 
and  pears.  He  has  made  a  close  study  of 
the  best  methods  of  caring  for  the  fruit 


and  in  his  farm  work  he  follows  the 
rotation  of  crops  and  brings  to  bear 
modern  scientific  knowledge  in  the  prac- 
tical work  of  tilling  the  soil.  A  democrat 
in  his  political  allegiance  he  has  never 
been  an  aspirant  for  office  and  the  only 
position  of  public  trust  he  has  ever  held 
was  that  of  school  director,  in  which  he 
served  four  years.  He  and  his  family  at- 
tend the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  and 
are  esteemed  in  the  community  as  people 
of  genuine  worth  who  well  merit  a  posi- 
tion of  prominence  in  social  circles. 


GEORGE  M.  BRANT. 

George  M.  Brant,  owning  and  operat- 
ing one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land 
on  section  35,  Sonora  township,  which 
is  a  portion  of  his  father's  estate,  is  a 
native  son  of  this  township,  having  here 
been  born  February  6,  1868,  a  son  of 
Hezekiah  and  Isabella  (Dick)  Brant,  the 
former  born  in  Indiana,  January  i,  1826, 
a  son  of  John  Brant,  who  was  a  soldier 
in  the  war  of  1812,  while  the  mother  was 
a  daughter  of  James  Dick.  The  father 
of  John  Brant  died  when  he  was  only 
five  years  old,  and  in  his  youth  he  learned 
the  blacksmith's  trade  in  his  native  state, 
and  about  1853  removed  to  Hancock 
county,  Illinois.  His  marriage  to  Miss 
Isabella  Dick  occurred  in  -Vincennes,  In- 
diana, in  1850,  and  after  the  years  spent 
in  that  state,  he  took  up  his  abode  in  So- 
nora township,  this  county,  where  the 
father  purchased  one  hundred  and  sixty 


348 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEll' 


acres  of  wild  prairie  land,  which  he  im- 
proved, and  on  which  he  erected  a  house. 
From  time  to  time  he  added  to  his  landed 
possessions  until  at  the  time  of  his  death 
he  owned  five  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in 
Sonora  township  and  four  hundred  and 
forty  acres  situated  in  Pawnee  county, 
Nebraska,  His  death  occurred  Novem- 
ber 29,  1904,  while  his  wife  passed  away 
December  3,  1899,  at  the  age  of  sixty- 
three  years,  her  birth  having  '  occurred 
June  6,  1836.  In  the  family  of  this 
worthy  couple  were  six  sons  and  two 
daughters,  as  follows:  James  D.,  of 
Sumner  county,  Kansas;  H.  W.,  a  physi- 
cian of  Cardston,  in  the  province  of  Al- 
berta, Canada;  C.  M.,  a  stockman  of 
Hamilton,  Illinois;  Mina  S.,  the  wife  of 
William  Spence,  of  Hamilton ;  John  M., 
a  resident  of  Bushnell ;  Herman,  resid- 
ing on  the  home  place;  George  M.,  of  this 
review ;  and  Jessie,  the  wife  of  George 
Ludington,  also  on  the  home  place. 

George  M.  Brant  acquired  his  early 
education  in  the  district  schools  and  later 
pursued  a  course  of  study  in  an  academy 
at  Denmark,  Iowa,  and  at  Eureka  (Illi- 
.nois)  College,  subsequent  to  which  time 
he  pursued  a  business  course  in  Gem  City 
Business  College  at  Quincy,  from  which 
he  was  graduated  December  15.  1892. 
He  remained  at  home  until  he  had 
reached  the  age  of  twenty-eight  years, 
when  he  was  married,  July  3,  1896,  Miss 
Elizabeth  Marguerite  Schell  becoming  his 
wife.  She  is  a  native  of  Montebello 
township,  this  county,  and  is  a  daughter 
of  Peter  A.  and  Jennie  (Le  Clere)  Schell, 
the  former  born  in  Germany,  and  the  lat- 
ter in  Montebello  township.  Her  pater- 
nal grandparents  were  Frank  and  Mar- 


guerite Schell,  while  the  maternal  grand- 
parents were  Joseph  and  Elizabeth  (An- 
slet)  Le  Clere,  both  natives  of  France. 

Following  his  marriage  George  M. 
Brant  took  up  his  abode  on  a  farm  be- 
longing to  his  father,  and  here  remained 
until  the  latter's  death,  when  the  land  was 
divided  among  his  children,  his  son, 
George  M.,  falling  heir  to  a  tract  of  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres,  being  the  north- 
west quarter  of  section  35,  Sonora  town- 
ship. .Here  he  has  since  continued  to  re- 
side, and  has  added  many  improvements 
to  the  place.  When  he  first  took  possession 
of  the  farm  there  had  been  a  little  cottage 
erected  thereon,  but  Mr.  Brant  has  en- 
larged this,  and  has  also  put  up  a  wind- 
mill, built  corn  cribs  and  other  outbuild- 
ings, so  that  lie  now  has  a  finely  im- 
proved farm  property.  In  addition  to 
carrying  on  general  agricultural  pursuits 
he  is  also  engaged  in  the  raising  of  cat- 
tle, Percheron  horses  and  Poland  China 
hogs,  and  this  branch  of  his  business  is 
proving  very  profitable. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Brant  has  been 
born  a  daughter,  Golda  Mary,  whose 
birth  occurred  November  13,  1898.  Mr. 
Brant  is  independent  in  politics,  voting" 
for  the  men  whom  he  things  best  quali- 
fied for  office  regardless  of  party  ties  and 
affiliation.  He  holds  membership  in  the 
Christian  church  at  Golden  Point,  and 
fraternally  is  connected  with  the  Masonic 
order,  holding  membership  with  Black 
Hawk  lodge,  No.  238,  at  Hamilton. 
Having  received  a  good  business  educa- 
tion in  his  youth,  Mr.  Brant  is  well  quali- 
fied to  carry  on  his  private  interests  in  a 
very  successful  manner.  Although  he 
came  into  possession  of  an  excellent  farm- 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


349 


ing  property  through  inheritance,  he  has, 
through  industry  .and  well  directed  labor, 
so  managed  his  affairs  that  he  is  now 
numbered  among  the  well-to-do  and  pros- 
perous agriculturists  of  this  section  -of 
the  state,  and  both  he  and  his  wife  enjoy 
the  warm  regard  of  a  host  of  friends  for 
they  are  well  and  favorably  known 
throughout  Hancock  county,  having  here 
spent  their  entire  lives. 


BURNETT  SCHAFER. 

Burnett  Schafer  is  the  owner  of  a  good 
farm  property  of  one  hundred  and  twenty 
acres  in  Appanoose  township.  It  was  in 
this  township  that  he  was  born  on  the 
nth  day  of  January,  1862,  his  parents 
being  Marcus  and  Martha  (Myers) 
Schafer,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of 
Baden,  Germany.  The  father  was  a  son 
of  Fabian  Schafer,  and  the  mother  was 
a  daughter  of  John  Myers.  In  the  year 
1844  Marcus  Schafer  became  a  resident 
of  Madison  county,  Illinois,  and  in  St. 
Louis,  Missouri,  he  wedded  Miss  Mar- 
tha Myers.  He  had  come  to  America 
with  friends  about  1845  ar>d  met  her  in 
St.  Louis.  In  1849  they  removed  to  Nau- 
voo,  and  for  a  time  Mr.  Schafer  engaged 
in  teaming,  but  as  he  had  opportunity  to 
purchase  a  farm,  owing  to  his  industry 
and  economy  in  former  years,  he  made  inr 
vestment  in  forty  acres  of  land  on  sec- 
tion 26,  Appanoose  township.  He 
moved  to  this  farm  from  Nauvoo,  a  dis- 
tance of  seven  miles,  a  frame  house 


which  he  placed  upon  the  farm,  and  when 
a  home  had  thus  been  arranged  for  his 
family  he  resolutely  undertook  the  task 
of  clearing  and  cultivating  his  fields.  He 
worked  persistently  and  energetically 
and  prospered  as  the  years  went  by,  so 
that  in  1865  he  was  enabled  to  add  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres  'on  section  35, 
Appanoose  township,  to  his  holdings. 
Soon  afterward,  however,  he  sold  eighty 
acres  to  his  brother  Vitus  and  later  he 
bought  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  on 
section  31,  Rock  Creek  township.  He 
was  closely  and  actively  associated  with 
farming  interests  for  many  years,  and  in 
1890  he  removed  to  Nauvoo,  where  he 
died  February  13,  1894.  Subsequent  to 
this  time  his  property  was  sold  and  the 
proceeds  divided  among  his  children. 
His  wife  passed  away  August  13,  1903. 
In  their  family  were  eleven  children : 
Cassie,  who  became  the  wife  of  Christian 
Hotz,  and  died  in  Madison  county,  Illi- 
nois, in  1884;  Mary,  the  wife  of  John 
Webber,  of  Mercer  county,  California; 
William,  who  is  a  traveling  representa- 
tive for  a  New  York  house;  Annie,  the 
second  wife  of  Christian  Hotz,  of  south- 
ern Minnesota ;  Henry,  who  is  living  in 
Fillmore  county,  Nebraska ;  Burnett ; 
Minnie,  the  wife  of  S.  G.  McBride,  of 
Pontoosuc  township,  this  county;  Emma, 
the  wife  of  Philip  Farren,  of  Henderson 
county,  Illinois;  Ferdinand,  who  died  at 
the  age  of  eleven  years ;  John,  who  was 
accidentally  shot  and  killed  in  Nauvoo  in 
1892;  and  George,  who  died  when  a  year 
and  a  half  old. 

At  the  usual  age  Burnett  Schafer  be- 
gan his  education,  attending  first  the  dis- 
trict schools,  and  afterward  Bailey's  Busi- 


350 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


ness  College,  at  Keokuk,  Iowa.     He  was 
a  student  there  from  the  fall  of  1876  un- 
til the  spring  of  1877,  and  again  in  the 
fall  of  1880,  being  graduated  March   i, 
1 88 1.     He   was    thus   well   qualified   by 
school  training  for  life's  practical  duties 
and  the  responsibilities  of  a  business  ca- 
reer.   He  made  his  home  with  his  parents 
until    twenty-five    years    of    age,    when, 
thinking  that  he  might  enjoy  better  busi- 
ness opportunities  in  the  newer  west,  he 
went  to  Kansas  in   1882  and  secured  a 
homestead  claim  in  Grove  county,  where 
he  remained  for  six  months.     He  did  not 
prove  up  the  property,  however,  but  re- 
turned to  Hancock  county.     When  only 
a  half  year  had  passed,  however,  he  once 
more    went    to    Grove    county,.  Kansas, 
where  he  had  some  cattle.     There  he  re- 
mained for  three  months,  when  he  sold 
his  cattle  and  once  more  came  to  Han- 
cock county,  being  employed  on  the  home 
farm  until  the  time  of  his  marriage.    Fol- 
lowing his  marriage  he  rented  the  home 
place   until    1900,   when   he  bought   one 
hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  that  farm 
and  has  since  engaged  in  the  tilling  of  the 
soil  and  in  the  raising  of  French  Norman 
draft    horses.      He    also    has    other   fine 
grades  of  stock  and  is  known  as  one  of 
the  leading  stock  breeders  and  dealers  of 
this  part  of  the  state.     In   1885  he  and 
his  father  imported  two  stallions  and  a 
mare,   since  which  time  he  has  bred  all 
of  the  stock  raised  upon  his  place.     He 
now  owns  three  stallions,  a  jackass,  and 
one  American  coach  horse  and  also  has 
valuable   French  draft  horses.       He  has 
gained  more  than   local  reputation  as  a 
breeder  of  fine  stock,  and  this  branch  of 
his  business  is  to  him  a  profitable  source 
of  revenue. 


On  the  27th  of  December,  1887,  Mr. 
Schafer  was  married  to  Miss  Minnie 
Marsh,  who  was  born  in  Appanoose 
township,  November  20,  1869,  a  daugh- 
ter of  James  and  Mildred  (Lott)  Marsh, 
the  former  a  native  of  Clark  county,  Mis- 
souri, and  the  latter  of  Kentucky.  They 
gave  their  daughter  good  educational 
privileges,  and  after  attending  the  district 
schools  she  continued  her  education 
in  Johnson's  College,  at  Fort  Madi- 
son, Iowa.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Schafer  have  been  born  six  chil- 
dren :  Genevieve,  born  November  6, 
1888;  Lsal>ell.  September  6,  1890;  Marie. 
August  4,  1892;  Verona,  February  20, 
1898;  Eulalia,  July  4,  1902;  and  Loret- 
ta,  November  20,  1905,  who  died  August 
20,  1906.  The  family  are  communicants 
of  the  Catholic  church,  at  Nauvoo,  and 
in  his  fraternal  relations  Mr.  Schafer  is 
a  Modern  Woodman,  belonging  to  the 
camp  at  Powellton,  of  which  he  has  been 
past  counsel  since  1903.  He  was  pre- 
viously counsel  for  four  years  and  is  a 
worthy  representative  of  that  order. 
Prominent  in  the  local  ranks  of  the  Dem- 
ocratic party,  he  has  served  as  a  member 
of  the  central  committee,  and  in  the 
spring  of  1906  was  elected  on  that  ticket 
to  the  office  of  assessor. 


WILLIAM  S.  BEARD. 

William  S.  Beard,  whose  residence  in 
Hancock    county    dates    from    1876.    at 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


which  time  he  located  in  Augusta,  and 
who  is  now  one  of  the  extensive  land- 
owners of  Augusta  township,  where  he 
makes  his  home  in  the  village,  was  born 
in  Vinton  county,  Ohio,  September  17, 
1854.  His  parents  were  A.  L.  and  Emma 
(Plenkharp)  Beard.  The  maternal 
grandparents,  as  the  name  indicates, 
were  of  Swiss  birth  and  ancestry,  and 
having  married  in  Switzerland,  they  aft- 
erward came  to  America,  crossing  the 
Atlantic  in  one  of  the  old-time  sailing 
vessels. 

A.  L.  Beard  was  born  February  2, 
1816,  in  Muskingum  county,  Ohio,  and 
his  wife's  birth  occurred  in  Hocking 
county,  Ohio,  November  8,  1822.  She 
had  eight  brothers,  all  of  whom  were  sol- 
diers of  the  Civil  war.  Born  and  reared 
on  a  farm,  A.  L.  Beard  followed  agri- 
cultural pursuits  in  his  earlier  life,  but 
afterward  became  a  manufacturer  of  pig 
iron  in  Ohio,  owning  and  operating  a 
smelting  works  in  Hamden,  that  state. 
In  1870  he  removed  to  Schuyler  county, 
Illinois,  where  he  was  largely  engaged 
in  the  live  stock  business.  In  1880  he 
became  a  resident  of  Augusta,  where  he 
continued  his  operations  as  a  live  stock 
dealer.  His  political  allegiance  is  given 
to  the  Republican  party  and  he  has  held 
various  local  offices  of  honor  and  trust, 
serving  as  supervisor  of  Schuyler  coun- 
ty, and  also  in  Augusta  township.  His 
life  has  been  characterized  by  unremitting 
industry  and  close  application  in  his 
business  affairs,  and  although  he  started 
out  empty-handed — a  poor  boy,  having 
been  left  fatherless  at  an  early  age — he 
became  one  of  the  largest  landowners  of 
this  part  of  the  county  and  also  owned 


much  land  in  the  west.  Both  he  and  his 
wife  were  devoted  members  of  the  Meth- 
odist church  and  his  life  record  proved 
that  prosperity  and  honesty  might  go 
hand  in  hand.  Of  the  ten  children  born 
of  this  worthy  couple  only  three  are  liv- 
ing: Margaret  A.,  the  wife  of  Dr. 
George  Wiles,  a  resident  of  Schuyler 
county,  Illinois;  William  S.,  of  this  re- 
view ;  and  Addie  I.  Beard,  also  of  Au- 
gusta. The  father  died  August  25,  1891, 
and  was  buried  in  the  Huntsville  ceme- 
tery, being  laid  by  the  side  of  his  wife, 
who  had  passed  away  on  the  iQth  of 
June,  1890.  They  were  most  worthy  peo- 
ple, esteemed  and  honored  by  all  who 
knew  them  because  of  their  many  excel- 
lent traits  of  character  and  their  fidelity 
to  their  confessions  as  Christians.  Mr. 
Beard  certainly  deserved  much  credit  for 
what  he  accomplished  and  his  life  was  a 
living  illustration  of  what  ability,  energy 
and  force  of  character  can  accomplish.  A 
community  is  ever  enriched  by  such  an 
example  and  while  winning  success  he  at 
the  same  time  bore  an  honored  name. 
While  prosperous,  he  was  also  generous, 
and  his  wife  possessed  many  good  traits 
of  heart  and  mind  that  made  her  beloved 
by  all. 

William  S.  Beard,  whose  name  intro- 
duces this  review,  supplemented  his  early 
education,  acquired  in  the  schools  of 
Hamden,  Ohio,  by  study  in  the  public 
schools  of  Augusta,  Illinois,  and  he  re- 
mained with  his  father  until  he  attained 
his  majority.  He  took  up  hjs  abode  here 
in  1876  and  became  proprietor  of  a  gen- 
eral store,  continuing  active  in  merchan- 
dising until  1886.  The  following  year 
he  was  married  and  at  once  began  farm- 


352 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


ing  and  stock-raising  in  Augusta  town- 
ship, locating  on  land  which  he  inher- 
ited and  to  which  he  added  by  purchase. 
He  has  been  more  than  ordinarily  success- 
ful in  his  farming  and  stock-raising  ®p- 
erations  and  is  now  one  of  the  largest 
landowners  of  the  county.  At  one  time 
his  possessions  aggregated  eight  hundred 
and  fourteen  acres  and  he  still  owns 
seven  hundred  and  twenty-four  acres,  all 
of  which  is  well  improved  and  under  cul- 
tivation. He  resided  upon  his  farm  until 
1895,  when  he  again  took  up  his  abode 
in  Augusta,  but  he  still  operates  his  land, 
employing  help  by  the  month,  and  is 
therefore  one  of  the  most  prominent  rep- 
resentatives of  agricultural  interests  in 
Hancock  county. 

In  May,  1887,  was  celebrated  the  mar- 
riage of  Mr.  Beard  and  Miss  Cornelia  C. 
Nicholson,  of  Plymouth,  Illinois,  who 
was  born  in  Essex  county.  New  York, 
October  9,  1855,  a  daughter  of  Homer 
and  Mary  A.  (Parkell)  Nicholson.  Her 
parents  were  both  natives  of  New  York, 
where  Mr.  Nicholson  engaged  in  farming 
until  his  removal  to  this  county  about 
1857  or  1858.  He  settled  in  Hancock 
township  upon  a  farm  and  devoted  his 
remaining  days  to  its  improvement,  never 
seeking  or  desiring  office,  although  he 
gave  a  stalwart  support  to  the  principles 
of  the  Republican  party.  His  wife  held 
membership  in  the  Presbyterian  church 
and  he  contributed  to  its  support,  living 
a  life  in  which  he  recognized  small  ob- 
ligations and  upheld  high  principles.  His 
death  occurred  February  9.  1892,  while 
his  wife  passed  away  October  20,  1880, 
and  they  were  laid  to  rest  in  Plymouth 
cemetery.  They  had  two  daughters,  the 


sister  of  Mrs.  Beard  being  Mary  A.  Nich- 
olson, who  became  the  wife  of  Oscar  Pad- 
dock, and  lived  in  Racine,  Wisconsin,  un- 
til her  death  on  the  7th  of  October,  1905. 
Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Beard  has  been  born 
a  son,  Fred  W.,  who  was  born  in  Au- 
gusta township,  December  6,  1889,  and 
will  complete  the  course  of  the  high 
school  in  Augusta  with  the  class  of  1907, 
after  which  it  is  intended  that  he  shall 
enjoy  the  benefit  of  a  college  education. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Augusta  band, 
belongs  to  the  Presbyterian  church  and 
is  a  son  of  whom  the  parents  have  every 
reason  to  be  proud.  Both  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Beard  are  devoted  members  of  the  Pres- 
byterian church,  in  the  work  of  which 
they  take  an  active  and  helpful  part,  con- 
tributing generously  to  its  support.  Mr. 
Beard  is  serving  as  a  chairman  on  the 
building  committee,  which  now  has  in 
charge  the  erection  of  a  new  house  of 
worship.  His  political  allegiance  is  given 
to  the  Republican  party  but  he  has  never 
taken  a  very  active  part  in  its  work.  At 
the  death  of  his  parents  he  purchased  their 
old  home  on  Center  street  and  the  family 
are  now  pleasantly  located  in  a  good  mod- 
ern brick  residence  there.  Mr.  Beard  is 
one  in  whom  nature  and  culture  have  vied 
in  making  an  interesting,  entertaining 
gentleman.  A  man  of  large  physique,  he 
is  warm-hearted,  kindly  in  purpose  and 
charitable  in  his  opinions.  He  is  also 
correct  in  his  judgment  and  he  believes 
in  enjoying  life  to  the  full — such  enjoy- 
ment as  worked  for  the  development  of 
character.  He  is  fond  of  music  and  pos- 
sesses a  good  voice,  so  that  he  is  always 
a  valued  addition  to  musical  gatherings. 
Both  he  and  his  wife  are  very  widely 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


353 


known  in  this  county  and  their  friends 
are  legion.  His  example  is  worthy  of  em- 
ulation in  many  respects  and  like  his  fa- 
ther his  record  proves  that  success  and 
an  honored  name  may  be  won  simultan- 
eously. 


FRED  M.   WALTON. 

Fred  M.  Walton,  a  farmer  of  Har- 
mony township,  was  born  in  St.  Mary's 
township,  this  county,  July  20,  1869,  the 
family  having  been  established  in  this 
part  of  the  state  during  the  pioneer 
epoch  in  its  history.  His  great-grandpar- 
ents, William  and  Barbara  Walton,  were 
of  Welsh  and  German  descent  respect- 
ively and  became  early  residents  of  Ken- 
tucky, where  their  son,  Frederick  M. 
Walton,  was  born  January  9,  1809.  He 
married  Emily  Rice,  also  a  native  of  Ma- 
son county,  Kentucky,  and  in  1835  he 
came  to  Hancock  county,  Illinois,  settling 
on  section  3,  Augusta  township,  where 
for  many  years  he  made  his  home,  his 
death  there  occurring  April  9,  1880.  He 
secured  large  property  interests,  owning 
at  one  time  over  one  thousand  acres  of 
land.  In  his  younger  days  he  was  very 
active  in  public  life  and  wielded  a  wide 
influence,  filling  many  positions  of  pub- 
lic honor  and  trust  in  most  creditable 
manner. 

William  C.  Walton,  father  of  Fred  M. 
Walton,  was  born  on  section  27,  Au- 
gusta township,  Hancock  county,  Au- 
gust 15,  1844,  and  was  married  on  the 
i4th  of  February,  1867,  to  Miss  Mary 


Clark,  also  a  native  of  this  county  and  a 
daughter  of  Andrew  Jackson  and  Biddie 
M.  (McCoy)  Clark,  the  former  a  native 
of  Kentucky  and  the  latter  of  Ireland. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  William  C.  Walton  became 
the  parents  of  two  sons  and  two  daugh- 
ters, of  whom  Fred  is  the  eldest,  the  oth- 
ers being:  Anna,  a  resident  of  Quincy, 
Illinois;  Ettie,  the  wife  of  Frank  John- 
son, of  Camp  Point,  Illinois;  and  Roy 
C.,  who  with  his  sister  Anna  lives  in 
Quincy. 

In  the  Liberty  district  school  Fred  M. 
Walton  acquired  the  education  which 
prepared  him  for  life's  practical  duties 
and  through  the  assistance  which  he  ren- 
dered his  father  in  the  days  of  his  boy- 
hood and  youth  he  became  familiar  with 
all  the  duties  and  labors  that  fall  to  the 
lot  of  the  agriculturist.  He  made  his 
home  with  his  parents  until  his  mar- 
riage, which  was  celebrated  September 
14,  1892,  the  lady  of  his  choice  being 
Miss  Eva  Keyser,  who  was  born  in  Car- 
thage township  June  8,  1872,  and,  after 
obtaining  her  preliminary  education  in 
the  district  school  attended  Kaboka  (Mis- 
souri) College.  She  is  a  daughter  of 
John  H.  and  Eliza  (Tolman)  Keyser,  the 
former  a  native  of  Page  county,  Virginia, 
and  a  son  of  Alexander  and  Nancy 
(Koontz)  Keyser,  of  the  Old  Dominion, 
while  the  mother  was  born  near  Dayton. 
Montgomery  county,  Ohio,  a  daughter  of 
Osee  and  Elizabeth  (Loman)  Tolman,  of 
Ohio.  John  Keyser,  leaving  his  native 
state,  removed  to  McDonough  county, 
Illinois,  settling  in  Hire  township,  where 
he  was  married  and  made  his  home  until 
1862,  when  he  sold  his  property  there 
and  removed  to  Carthage  township,  Han- 


354 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


cock  county.  He  died  in  December,  1894, 
and  his  widow  now  resides  in  Kansas 
City,  Missouri. 

After  his  marriage  Mr.  Walton  took 
up  his  abode  on  a  farm  belonging  to  his 
father  about  a  half  mile  from  the  home 
place,  where  he  lived  until  1904,  when  he 
came  into  possession  of  ninety  acres  of  the 
old  homestead.  His  father  improved  this 
place,  comprising  two  hundred  acres,  to 
which  he  added  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  adjoining  on  the  east.  Fred  Wal- 
ton has  ten  acres  of  timber  land,  while 
the  remainder  of  his  farm  is  devoted  to 
the  cultivation  of  his  crops  or  is  used  for 
pasture  for  his  stock.  He  raises  horses, 
cattle  and  hogs,  and  keeps  good  grades 
upon  his  place. 

The  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  W'alton  has 
been  graced  with  a  little  daughter,  Alma, 
born  February  7,  1896.  They  are  well 
known  socially  and  have  a  host  of  warm 
friends.  Fraternally  Mr.  Walton  is  con- 
nected with  the  Modern  \Voodmen  of 
America,  also  the  Odd  Fellows,  while  his 
political  allegiance  is  given  the  Repub- 
lican party. 


JAMES  P.  YEAGER. 

James  P.  Yeager,  owning  and  operat- 
ing an  extensive  farm  comprising  five 
hundred  and  forty  acres,  situated  in  Foun- 
tain Green  township,  was  born  on  the 
place  which  is  yet  his  home,  his  natal 
day  being  August  I,  1845.  His  paternal 
grandfather  bore  the  name  of  Nicholas 
Yeager,  and  was  born  in  Virginia,  while 


his  parents,  James  and  Nancy  (Hayden) 
Yeager,  were  natives  of  Washingtoi 
county,  Kentucky,  where  they  wen 
married,  the  father  there  engaging  ir 
farming  pursuits  until  1835,  when  h< 
made  his  way  by  steamer  up  the  Ohk 
and  Mississippi  rivers  to  Keokuk,  Iowa 
from  which  city  he  traveled  overland  tc 
Fountain  Green  township,  Hancock  coun- 
ty, and  entered  one  hundred  and  sixtj 
acres  of  land,  for  which  he  paid  the  usua 
government  price  of  one  dollar  and  ; 
quarter  per  acre.  This  tract  was  situ 
ated  on  section  8,  and  was  all  coverec 
with  timber  when  it  came  into  his  posses 
sion.  He  at  once  began  the  arduous  tasl 
of  clearing  and  developing  the  land,  plow 
ing  his  fields  and  planting  his  crops,  am 
in  due  course  of  time  gathered  abundan 
harvests.  He  also  erected  a  log  house 
in  which  the  family  took  up  their  abode 
and  in  which  they  lived  for  many  years 
enduring  all  the  hardships  and  privation: 
of  life  on  the  frontier.  The  red  men  wen 
still  to  be  found  here,  while  the  Mormon: 
were  the  principal  white  people  who  hac 
located  here.  There  were  also  many  kind: 
of  wild  beasts  roaming  through  the  for 
ests  and  over  the  prairies  and  wild  garni 
was  to  be  had  in  abundance,  so  that  th< 
settlers  could  indulge  in  their  love  of  thi 
sport  of  hunting,  and  supply  the  famih 
board  with  meats.  Mr.  Yeager  possessec 
a  determined  and  resolute  spirit'  and  al 
lowed  no  obstacle  to  deter  him  in  the  ac 
quirement  of  a  competence,  and  thus  yeai 
by  year  he  carried  on  the  work  of  th< 
fields  and  from  time  to  time  added  to  hi: 
possessions  as  his  financial  resources  per 
mitted.  After  a  few  years  he  added  an- 
other tract  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acre: 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


355 


tuated  on  section  17,  which,  with  the 
<sistance  of  his  sons,  he  cleared  and  de- 
eloped,  making  it  a  finely  improved 
roperty.  Thus  through  many  years  the 
imily  bore  the  hardships  and  inconve- 
iences  of  pioneer  life,  the  nearest  mills 
eing  located  at  Quincy  and  Nauvoo, 
rhere  they  had  to  go  to  secure  bread- 
tuff.  The  father  continued  his  residence 
ere  until  his  death,  which  occurred  in 
)ctober,  1880,  when  he  had  reached  the 
ge  of  seventy-two  years.  After  his 
eath  the  widow  resided  for  a  time  on  the 
ome  farm  and  then  lived  for  ten  years 
nth  her  son,  James  P.,  but  now  makes 
ier  home  with  her  son  William,  at  Bur- 
ington,  Iowa.  She  has  now  reached  the 
xtreme  old  age  of  ninety-one  years,  her 
lirth  having  occurred  in  1815,  but  she  is 
till  a  hale  and  hearty  old  lady,  possessing 
ier  physical  powers  and  mental  faculties 
o  a  remarkable  degree. 

James  P.  Yeager  pursued  his  educa- 
ion  in  district  school  No.  93,  near  his 
ather's  home,  and  is  the  eighth  in  order 
if  birth  in  a  family  of  eight  sons  and  six 
laughters,  of  whom  ten  still  survive.  He 
emained  under  the  parental  roof  until  his 
'ather's  death,  when  he  took  possession 
>f  the  homestead  property  and  his  mother 
ived  with  him  for  the  succeeding  ten 
fears.  Later  he  purchased  the  interest 
)f  the  other  heirs  in  the  home  farm,  com- 
ng  into  possession  of  all  except  twenty- 
:hree  acres,  which  are  owned  by  his 
jrother  William.  He  here  continues  the 
.vork  of  development  and  improvement 
ivhich  was  carried  on  for  many  years  by 
nis  father,  and  on  the  place  is  a  com- 
nodious  frame  residence,  which  was 
erected  by  his  father  in  1855,  to  replace 


the  log  house  which  was  built  upon  the 
establishment  of  the  family  home  here. 
Mr.  Yeager  has  laid  about  eight  hundred 
rods  of  tiling,  so  that  the  fields  are  well 
drained,  and  he  has  built  barns  and  sheds 
for  the  shelter  of  grain  and  stock  and 
thus  has  a  finely  improved  tract  of  land. 

Choosing  as  a  companion  and  helpmate 
for  life's  journey,  Mr.  Yeager  wedded 
Miss  Alice  F.  Daily,  a  native  of  Fulton 
county,  this  state,  who  was  born  Septem- 
ber 20,  1860,  a  daughter  of  Patrick  and 
Margaret  (Henry)  Daily,  natives  of 
Ireland,  whom  he  wedded  on  the  nth  of 
January,  1886.  The  children  born  of  this 
marriage  are :  Marie,  born  August  6, 
1892;  Earl,  born  March  15,  1894;  Carl, 
born  April  14,  1895;  Roy,  January  30, 
1904;  and  Joseph  Merlin,  who  was  born 
February  8,  1906. 

Mr.  Yeager's  study  of  the  political 
questions  and  issues  of  the  day  has  led  him 
to  give  hearty  support  to  the  Democratic 
party,  while  in  religious  faith  he  is  a 
Catholic.  He  has  ever  been  reliable  and 
straightforward  in  his  relations  with  his 
fellowmen  and  thereby  has  won  the  high 
regard  of  all  with  whom  he  has  come  in 
contact.  Having  spent  his  entire  life  in 
this  county,  covering  a  period  of  more 
than  six  decades,  he  is  widely  known  and 
is  today  classed  among  the  well-to-do  and 
influential  factors  of  this  section  of  the 
state. 


CHARLES  A.  DOWNING. 

Charles  A.  Downing,  until  recently  ac- 
tively connected  with  agricultural  interests 


356 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


and  now  living  in  Bowen,  is  a  represen- 
tative of  a  prominent  family  of  Adams 
county.  He  was  born  in  Adams  county, 
Illinois,  in  1861,  and  is  a  son  of •  R.  H. 
and  Rebecca  (Bennett)  Downing.  The 
family  is  noted  for  longevity,  as  the 
grandfather  and  grandmother  of  our  sub- 
ject reached  a  very  advanced  age  and 
they  had  several  children  that  lived  to 
be  over  ninety  years  of  age.  The  father 
was  born  in  Indiana  in  1827,  while  the 
mother's  birth  occurred  in  Indiana  in  1832 
R.  H.  Downing  was  a  farmer  by  occu- 
pation and  was  only  ten  years  of  age 
when  he  became  a  resident  of  Illinois,  his 
remaining  days  being  spent  in  Adams 
county.  His  political  allegiance  was 
given  to  the  Republican  party,  he  being 
elected  to  the  legislature  on  the  republican 
ticket.  He  had  a  brother  who  was  elected 
on  the  democratic  ticket  to  the  Illinois 
legislature.  In  public  affairs  R.  H. 
Downing  was  very  prominent  and  influ- 
ential and  he  was  also  successful  in  his 
business  life.  He  won  a  place  of  promi- 
nence in  the  community  where  he  resided 
and  was  esteemed  and  honored  by  all 
who  knew  him.  His  death  occurred  in 
1897  and  he  is  still  survived  by  his  wife, 
who  is  living  in  Golden,  this  state.  Both 
were  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  and  lived  upright,  consistent  lives. 
In  their  family  were  eleven  children,  of 
whom  nine  are  yet  living:  John  R..  and 
W.  O.,  residents  of  York  county,  Xe- 
braska;  Nannie  E.,  the  wife  of  L.  A. 
Smith,  of  Adams  county,  Illinois :  Charles 
A.,  of  this  review:  Mary  E.,  wife  of  A. 
O.  Wallace,  of  Adams  county,  Illinois ; 
Florence,  who  is  living  with  her  aged  and 
invalid  mother:  Laura,  the  wife  of  D.  W. 


Whitford,  of  Adams  county;  Cora,  at 
home;  and  Warren  W.  R.,  who  is  living 
upon  the  old  homestead  in  Adams  count}'. 

Charles  A.  Downing  began  his  educa- 
tion in  the  district  schools  near  his  father's 
home  and  pursued  his  studies  there  until 
twenty-one  years  of  age.  When  twenty- 
five  years  of  age  he  was  married  to  Miss 
Fannie  C.  Whitford,  who  was  born  in 
Adams  county,  1865,  a  daughter  of  Henry 
S.  and  Myra  (Clark)  Whitford,  the 
former  a  native  of  Rhode  Island  and  the 
latter  of  New  York.  Mr.  Whitford  was 
a  tailor  by  trade  and  on  removing  to  the 
west  settled  upon  a  farm  in  Adams  county, 
Illinois.  He  eventually  became  quite 
wealthy  through  the  careful  conduct  of 
his  business  affairs,  his  enterprise  and  un- 
remitting diligence.  He  was  married 
three  times  and  by  his  first  wife,  who  bore 
the  maiden  name  of  James,  had  one  child. 
Mary  C.,  living  in  Philadelphia,  Pennsyl- 
vania. His  second  wife  was  Mary  Down- 
ing, an  aunt  of  our  subject,  and  they  be- 
came the  parents  of  nine  children,  of 
whom  four  are  now  living :  James,  a 
resident  of  Missouri ;  Lydia.  the  wife  of 
Abner  Peden.  of  Missouri ;  E.  C. ;  and 
John,  also  of  that  state.  Following  the 
death  of  his  second  wife  Mr.  Whitford 
wedded  Miss  Myra  Clark,  and  they  had 
five  children,  namely:  Henry  R.,  who 
is  living  in  Adams  county:  Alice,  the  wife 
of  J.  S.  Wallace,  of  Wichita,  Kansas: 
Dora  A.,  wife  of  W.  G.  Stafler,  of  Adams 
county:  Fannie  G.,  now  Mrs.  Downing: 
and  D.  W..  who  is  living  in  Adams  county. 
Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Whitford  have  passed 
away. 

For  a  year  after  their  marriage  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Downing  lived  in  Adams 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


357 


county,  and  in  1887  removed  to  Han- 
cock county,  residing  for  several  years 
in  Augusta  township  upon  a  rented  farm. 
Later  he  purchased  one  hundred  and 
eighty  acres  of  land  on  section  19,  Au- 
gusta township,  which  was  improved. 
To  this  he  added  from  time  to  time  and 
he  now  has  eighty  acres  in  Augusta  town- 
ship on  section  19,  and  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  on  section  36,  Chili  township. 
In  1903,  he  built  an  elegant  home,  modern 
in  every  respect.  It  is  the  most  attract- 
ive residence  in  Bowen  and  stands  in 
Nash's  addition  to  the  town.  He  has  also 
otherwise  improved  the  property,  which 
is  a  valuable  piece  of  real  estate.  While 
upon  the  farm  Mr.  Downing  carried  on 
general  agricultural  pursuits  and  stock- 
raising  but  his  health  caused  him  to  re- 
tire to  private  life  in  the  enjoyment  of  the 
fruits  of  his  former  toil. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Downing  has  been 
born  a  daughter,  Helen  R.,  who  was  born 
in  Augusta  township.  Hancock  county,  in 
1899,  and  is  now  a  student  in  the  public 
schools  of  Bowen.  The  parents  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church. 
In  the  work  of  the  church  they  are  deeply 
and  actively  interested  and  they  have  done 
much  to  advance  its  growth  and  promote 
its  upbuilding.  Mr.  Downing  has  always 
been  industrious  and  upright  and  by  rea- 
son of  his  laudable  ambition  and  good 
judgment,  combined  with  his  straightfor- 
ward dealings  he  has  gained  .a  goodly 
measure  of  success,  which,  together  with 
his  wife's  inheritance  makes  them  com- 
fortably situated  in  life.  Both  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Downing  are  very  prominent  social- 
ly, being  recognized  leaders  of  society 
in  Bowen  and  this  part  of  the  county. 


while  their  own  beautiful  and  attractive 
home  is  noted  for  its  gracious  and  warm- 
hearted hospitality,  which  is  freely  ex- 
tended to  their  many  friends. 


FRANCIS  M.  HUFF. 

Francis  M.  Huff,  who  holds  extensive 
landed  interests  and  successfully  carries 
on  farming  in  St.  Mary's  township,  is 
a  son  of  William  A.  and  Betsey  Ann 
(Teaney)  Huff.  He  was  born  April  13, 
1846,  in  Brooklet  township,  Schuyler 
county,  Illinois.  His  father,  a  native  of 
Guilford  county.  North  Carolina,  was 
born  in  1808,  while  the  mother's  birth 
occurred  in  Virginia  in  1812.  She  went 
from  the  Old  Dominion  to  Tennessee  when 
a  very  small  girl.  William  A.  Huff,  a 
farmer  by  occupatian,  removed  from  the 
south  to  Schuyler  county,  Illinois,  in  1836, 
Both  he  and  his  wife  were  members  of 
the  Methodist  church  and  after  coming  to 
this  state  remained  residents  thereof  until 
called  to  their  final  rest.  His  death  oc- 
curred in  1869.  while  his  wife  passed 
away  in  1903,  and  was  buried  in  Scott's 
church  cemetery  in  McDonough  county. 
In  their  family  were  eight  children : 
Mary  E.,  the  wife  of  E.  David  Clampett. 
of  Kansas;  Amanda  C.,  the  wife  of  T. 
P.  Lionberger,  of  McDonough  county ; 
Maria,  the  wife  of  Thomas  Fisher,  of 
Creston.  Iowa ;  Francis,  of  this  review ; 
George,  who  is  living  on  the  old  home 
place  in  Schuyler  county:  Homer,  a  resi- 
dent of  St.  Mary's  township;  Perry,  of 


358 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


Schuyler  county ;  and  Eliza,  the  wife  of 
Wisdom  Welborn,  of  McDonough  county. 

Francis  M.  Huff  was  a  student  in  the 
Guineau  school  of  Brooklyn  township, 
Schuyler  county,  until  seventeen  years  of 
age,  when  he  obtained  his  father's  per- 
mission for  his  enlistment  in  the  Civil 
war  and  went  to  the  front  as  a  member 
of  Company  D,  One  Hundred  and 
Twenty-fourth  Illinois  Volunteer  Infan- 
try. He  served  for  two  years,  partici- 
pating in  the  battles  of  Vicksburg,  Jack- 
son and  Spanish  Fort.  He  was  at  Mobile 
for  thirteen  days  and  the  siege  of  Spanish 
Fort  was  his  last  active  military  service. 
When  the  war  was  over,  although  still  in 
his  teens,  he  returned  home  with  a  most 
creditable  record  as  a  soldier.  He  then 
engaged  in  farming  for  two  years  near 
Carthage,  Illinois. 

In  1873  Mr.  Huff  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Annette  Melvin,  who  was 
born  in  Henderson  county,  Illinois,  De- 
cember 8,  1850,  a  daughter  of  Milton  and 
Elizabeth  (Beaver)  Melvin,  who  were 
natives  of  Tennessee  and  came  with 
their  respective  parents  to  Illinois, 
settling  in  Henderson  county.  Mrs. 
Huff  was  left  an  orphan  when  only  three 
years  of  age  and  was  the  elder  of  two 
children,  her  brother  being  Milton  Mel- 
vin, of  Henderson  county,  Illinois.  Fol- 
lowing his  marriage  Mr.  Huff  purchased 
a  farm  in  Augusta  township,  where  he 
resided  for  fifteen  years  and  then  came  to 
St.  Mary's  township,  purchasing  two  hun- 
dred acres  of  land  on  section  36.-  He 
has  since  added  to  the  property  from  time 
to  time  until  he  now  owns  seven  hundred 
and  twenty  acres,  the  greater  part  of 
which  is  in  St.  Mary's  township,  although 


one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  lies  in  Au- 
gusta township.  He  has  since  greatly 
improved  the  property  by  adding  the 
modern  accessories  of  a  model  farm  and 
his  time  and  energies  are  given  to  the 
cultivation  of  the  fields  and  the  raising 
of  stock.  He  raises  and  ships  his  own 
cattle  and  does  quite  an  extensive  busi- 
ness in  this  particular.  He  is  one  who 
has  through  his  economy  and  enterprise 
made  a  creditable  place  in  the  business 
world  and  secured  valuable  property  in 
terests  as  the  reward  of  his  labor.  He 
started  out  in  life  with  only  two  horses 
and  a  wagon  but  today  owns  hundreds 
of  acres  of  land. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Huff  have  been 
born  seven  children,  who  are  yet  living: 
Sidney  E.,  of  Augusta,  who  is  married 
and  has  two  children,  Roscoe  and  Newell ; 
George  M.,  of  Augusta  township,  who 
is  married  and  has  two  children,  Clyde 
and  Clare;  William,  of  St.  Mary's  town- 
ship, who  has  two  children,  Frances  and 
Pearl ;  Arthur,  who  is  living  in  Augusta 
township  and  has  one  child,  Glen; 
Blanche,  the  wife  of  George  Monk,  of 
St.  Mary's  township ;  Claude  and  Leora, 
both  at  home.  They  also  lost  one  daugh- 
ter, Clara  Belle,  who  was  their  third  child. 
She  died  November  3,  1896,  at  the  age  of 
seventeen  years  and  was  laid  to  rest  in 
Plymouth  cemetery.  She  belonged  to  the 
Christian  church  and  was  a  most  estimable 
young  lady,  esteemed  by  many  friends 
and  loved  in  her  own  home  where  her 
loss  was  most  deeply  felt. 

In  politics  Mr.  Huff  is  a  republican  and 
has  served  as  school  director  for  many 
years  but  is  not  an  incumbent  in  office 
at  the  present  time.  His  wife  is  a  mem- 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


359 


ber  of  the  Christian  church  and  he  be- 
longs to  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic, 
thus  maintaining  pleasant  relations  with 
his  old  army  comrades  who  wore  the  blue 
upon  the  battle-fields  of  the  south.  The 
home  of  this  worthy  couple  indicate  re- 
finement and  comfort,  and  is  all  the  more 
attractive  from  the  fact  that  the  residence 
and  all  that  it  contains  represent  the  life 
of  activity  and  enterprise  of  the  owner, 
who  has  been  a  most  energetic  and  there- 
fore most  successful  business  man. 


HENRY  THORNBER. 

Henry  Thornber,  deceased,  was  a  self- 
made  man,  deserving  of  all  the  praise 
that  the  term  implies,  for  when  but  a 
young  lad  he  was  forced  to  start  out 
in  life  for  himself.  He  fought  its  battles 
unaided  and  came  off  victorious  in  the 
strife.  A  native,  of  Lancashire,  England, 
he  was  born  in  the  town  of  Downing,  in 
1816,  a  son  of  Richard  and  Hannah 
(Lord)  Thornber.  When  a  young  man 
of  twenty-nine  years  he  crossed  the  At- 
lantic and  settled  in  Nauvoo,  Illinois,  in 
1842.  Before  leaving  his  native  country 
he  had  learned  the  shoemaker's  trade  and 
had  followed  that  in  connection  with 
farming.  Aside  from  two  trips  which  he 
made  to  his  native  country,  one  covering 
two  years,  and  the  other  six  months,  he 
resided  continuously  in  Hancock  county, 
after  first  crossing  the  Atlantic  and  de- 
voted the  greater  part  of  the  time  to  farm- 
ing in  Rock  Creek  township.  He  was 
23  • 


very  prosperous  and  owned  at  the  time 
of  his  death  twelve  hundred  acres  of  land, 
his  possessions  being  scarcely  equalled  by 
that  of  any  resident  of  his  part  of  the 
county.  He  transferred  raw  prairie  land 
into  richly  productive  fields  and  made  all 
of  the  improvements  upon  the  farm  in- 
cluding the  erection  of  a  commodious  and 
comfortable  residence.  In  all  that  he  did 
he  was  eminently  practical  and  accom- 
plished results  that  were  indicative  of  his 
business  enterprise,  unfaltering  diligence 
and  executive  skill. 

In  1846,  Mr.  Thornber  was  married 
to  Miss  Lucy  Ellison,  who  was  born  in 
Yorkshire,  England,  and  died  in  1865. 
Of  the  eight  children  of  that  marriage  five 
are  still  living,  namely :  David  R.,  a  resi- 
dent of  Montana;  Mary  A.,  the  wife  of 
Isaac  Siegfried,  of  Rock  Creek  township ; 
John,  who  is  living  in  Sonora  township 
near  the  old  homestead;  William  Henry, 
of  the  same  township ;  and  James  M.,  who 
is  a  physician  by  profession  but  is  now 
engaged  in  the  printing  business  in  Fort 
Madison,  Iowa.  In  1868,  Mr.  Thornber 
was  again  married,  his  second  union  being 
with  Margaret  Pilkington,  who  was  born 
in  Bolton  La  Moors,  Lancashire,  Eng- 
land, in  1837,  a  daughter  of  Adam  and 
Jane  (Garside)  Pilkington,  who  were  also 
natives  of  Bolton  La  Moors.  The  father 
came  to  America  in  1842  and  the  mother 
in  1844,  settling  in  Hancock  county. 
They  were  well  known  as  farming  people 
of  Sonora  township  but  ere  his  emigra- 
tion to  the  United  States  Mr.  Pilk- 
ington had  been  employed  as  a  bleacher  in 
his  native  country.  His  political  alle- 
giance was  given  to  the  democracy  and 
both  he  and  his  wife  were  members  of 


36° 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


the  Church  of  England,  while  in  their 
native  land,  and  before  coming  to  Amer- 
ica became  identified  with  the  church  of 
the  Latter  Day  Saints.  The  death  of  Mr. 
Pilkington  occurred  in  1856,  and  his  wife 
survived  until  1880,  when  she  was  laid  by 
his  side  in  Sonora  township.  They  had 
six  children  but  only  three  are  now  living : 
Mrs.  Thornber;  Alice,  the  wife  of  Wil- 
liam Lambert,  of  Rock  Creek  township ; 
and  Mary,  the  wife  of  William  Weber,  of 
Prairie  township. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thornber  was  born 
one  son,  Amos  Joseph,  whose  birth  oc- 
curred in  Rock  Creek  township  in  1869, 
and  he  is  now  a  successful  practicing  phy- 
sician at  Burlington,  Iowa.  He  married 
Catherine  Reiter,  who  died  in  1898  leav- 
ing two  children,  Gladys  and  Geraldine, 
and  for  his  second  wife  he  married  Miss 
Anna  Shank.  Although  devoting  his  en- 
ergies to  the  practice  of  medicine  he  is 
also  the  owner  of  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  of  good  farm  land  in  Rock  Creek 
township. 

Mr.  Thornber  continued  actively  in 
farm  work  until  his  life's  labors  were 
ended  in  death  on  the  ijth  of  February, 
1887.  He  was  a  member  of  the  church 
of  the  Latter  Day  Saints,  and  in  England 
had  been  identified  with  the  Odd  Fellows 
society.  Starting  out  in  life  with  a  few 
advantages  he  became  imbued  with  the 
laudable  ambition  to  attain  something  bet- 
ter and  steadily  advanced  in  those  walks 
of  life  demanding  business  ability  and 
fidelity.  He  became  one  of  the  largest 
landowners  of  his  township,  making  ju- 
dicious investments,  while  at  all  times  his 
business  career  was  characterized  by  un- 
questioned probity.  He  passed  away 


February  17,  1887,  honored  and  respected 
by  all  who  knew  him  and  such  a  life 
record  as  his  should  serve  as  a  source  of 
inspiration  and  encouragement  to  others, 
showing  what  may  be  accomplished 
through  industry  and  perseverance — 
qualities  that  may  be  cultivated  by  all. 
Mrs.  Thornber  continued  to  reside  upon 
the  home  farm  until  1901,  when  she  pur- 
chased a  beautiful  residence  on  Maple 
street  in  Ferris.  She  is  there  residing 
together  with  her  niece  and  grandson, 
David  McCollom,  whom  she  has  reared 
to  the  age  of  eighteen  years.  Mrs. 
Thornber  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
Protestant  church.  Mr.  Thornber  was 
a  republican  in  politics  but  though  he 
held  several  offices  did  not  seek  promi- 
mence  along  that  line,  being  content  to  de- 
vote his  time  and  energies  to  his  business, 
in  which  he  met  with  signal  success. 


ANDREW  J.  HARRIS. 

Andrew  J.  Harris  has  spent  his  entire 
life  in  La  Harpe  township,  Hancock  coun- 
ty, his  birth  having  here  occurred  Jan- 
uary 8,  1854,  on  the  farm  which  he  now 
owns  and  occupies,  so  that  he  has  through 
long  years  been  interested  in  the  agricul- 
tural development  and  progress  of  this 
portion  of  the  state.  He  is  a  son  of  Isaac 
and  Marthina  (Atwater)  Harris,  both  of 
whom  were  born  in  Tennessee.  His  pa- 
ternal grandparents,  Reuben  and  Allie 
(Wolf)  Harris,  were  likewise  natives  of 
Tennessee,  while  the  maternal  grandpar- 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


361 


ents,  Joseph  and  Rachel  (Duncan)  At- 
water  were  natives  of  Connecticut  and 
Tennessee  respectively.  Both  the  pater- 
nal and  maternal  grandparents  became 
early  settlers  of  this  state,  having  re- 
moved from  the  south  to  Schuyler  county 
in  1833,  and  after  a  year  Reuben  Harris, 
removed  to  McDonough  county,  where 
he  entered  government  land,  which  he 
cleared  and  improved  and  on  which  he 
resided  until  his  death.  Joseph  Atwater 
likewise  removed  to  McDonough  county, 
and  it  was  in  this  county  that  his  daugh- 
ter, Marthina,  gave  her  hand  in  marriage 
to  Isaac,  the  son  of  Reuben  Harris,  the 
wedding  ceremony  being  performed  No- 
vember 22,  1840.  The  father  of  our  sub- 
ject participated  in  the  Mormon  war  of 
1844,  which  resulted  in  the  expulsion  of 
that  religious  sect  from  this  part  of  the 
state.  Following  his  marriage  Isaac 
Harris  took  up  his  abode  in  McDonough 
county,  but  in  1843  removed  with  his 
family  to  La  Harpe  township,  Hancock 
county,  where  he  purchased  a  farm  of 
forty  acres,  to  which  he  added  from  time 
to  time  until  he  came  into  possession  of 
one  hundred  and  eleven  acres  all  lying  on 
section  36.  This  was  all  covered  with 
timber  when  he  made  the  purchase  but 
with  characteristic  energy  he  at  once  un- 
dertook the  task  of  clearing  the  land  and 
preparing  it  for  the  plow,  which  in  course 
of  time  he  accomplished,  and  from  which 
he  gathered  abundant  crops,  so  that  at  his 
death,  which  occurred  April  14,  1900,  he 
left  to  his  family  a  valuable  estate.  He 
was  born  February  12,  1822,  and  there- 
fore at  the  time  of  his  death  had  reached 
the  advanced  age  of  seventy-eight  years, 
while  his  wife,  who  was  born  May  5. 


1824,  passed  away  February  6,  1866,  at 
the  comparatively  early  age  of  forty-two 
years.  In  their  family  were  twelve  chil- 
dren but  only  five  are  living.  The  record 
is  as  follows :  John,  who  died  at  the  age 
of  twenty-three  years ;  Campbell,  who 
died  when  three  years  old ;  Durinda,  the 
wife  of  James  Brown,  a  resident  of  Mis- 
souri ;  Andrew  J..  of  this  review ;  Reuben, 
who  died  when  two  years  of  age :  Martha, 
who  died  at  the  age  of  nine  months ; 
Rachel,  who  became  the  wife  of  George 
Carter,  of  La  Harpe  township,  and  passed 
away  at  the  early  age  of  eighteen  years; 
James,  who  resides  on  the  old  homestead ; 
Allie  E.,  the  wife  of  Warren  Addison,  of 
Trenton,  Missouri;  Martina  Jane,  the 
wife  of  William  Faylor,  of  Canton,  Illi- 
nois ;  Marthina,  who  became  the  wife  of 
Joseph  Fry,  and  passed  away  June  3, 
1892 ;  and  Matilda,  who  was  born  March 
1 8,  1864,  and  died  February  14,  1881. 

Andrew  J.  Harris  acquired  a  district- 
school  education,  and  remained  with  his 
parents,  assisting  his  father  in  the  opera- 
tion of  the  family  homestead  until  the 
tatter's  death,  when  he  bought  the  interest 
cf  the  other  heirs  in  the  home  place  and 
is  here  engaged  in  general  farming  and 
stock-raising,  having  good  grades  of 
horses,  cattle  and  hogs  upon  his  farm. 
He  has  made  many  modern  improvements 
upon  the  farm,  having  built  an  addition 
to  the  house,  making  it  a  fine  country 
home,  and  he  has  also  built  fences,  and 
otherwise  added  to  the  attractive  appear- 
ance of  the  place,  so  that  it  is  today  a 
model  farm  property. 

As  a  companion  and  helpmate  on  life's 
journey  Mr.  Harris  chose  Miss  Alice 
Severns,  to  whom  he  was  married  Sep- 


362 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


tember  25,  1873.  Her  birth  occurred  in 
Schuyler  county,  this  state,  July  5,  1854, 
and  she  acquired  her  education  in  the 
schools  of  Astoria.  She  is  a  daughter 
of  James  and  Nancy  (Ogle)  Severns, 
natives  of  Coshocton  county,  Ohio,  while 
her  paternal  grandparents  were  Daniel 
and  Mary  (Buteer)  Severns,  and  her 
maternal  grandparents  bore  the  names  of 
Mordecai  and  Elizabeth  (Yarington) 
Ogle.  They  located  in  Fulton  county, 
Illinois,  in  1837,  where  Mr.  Ogle  con- 
ducted a  sawmill  until  his  death,  which 
occurred  December  24,  1840.  James 
Severn,  Mrs.  Harris's  father,  was  a 
carpenter  and  died  in  Astoria,  July  29. 
1897.  Her  mother  still  survives  and  now 
makes  her  home  in  Astoria. 

In  the  family  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Harris 
are  four  sons  and  a  daughter:  James 
Edward,  who  was  born  July  28,  1874,  and 
makes  his  home  in  La  Harpe  township; 
Isaac  Elmer,  born  October  31,  1875,  and 
is  at  home;  William  Lloyd  Harris,  born 
December  28,  1877,  married  and  lives  in 
La  Harpe;  Zada  May,  who  was  born 
April  i,  1884,  and  is  now  the  wife  of 
Samuel  Flickinger,  and  resides  at  Middle- 
town,  this  state;  and  Ralph  S.,  whose 
birth  occurred  December  31,  1893,  and  is 
at  home. 

Politically  Mr.  Harris  is  a  democrat 
and  served  as  school  director  for  twelve 
years.  He  possesses  the  enterprising 
spirit  which  has  proved  an  essential  ele- 
ment in  the  upbuilding  of  this  portion  of 
the  state  and  by  his  reliable  and  straight- 
forward dealing  in  all  transactions  has 
gained  the  esteem  and  good  will  of  all 
with  whom  he  has  come  in  contact,  in  so- 
cial or  business  life. 


BLAIR  KELLY,  M.  D. 

Dr.  Blair  Kelly,  engaged  in  the  general 
practice  of  medicine  in  the  village  of 
Ferris,  is  a  native  of  Hancock  county, 
having  been  born  in  Dallas  township, 
February  28,  1876.  He  is  a  son  of 
Allison  G.  and  Fanny  (Ballinger)  Kelly, 
the  former  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  and 
the  latter  of  Kentucky.  The  father  came 
to  Illinois  in  1854  and  located  in  Hancock 
county,  devoting  his  time  and  energies 
to  farming  in  Pontoosuc  township,  where 
he  rented  land  for  some  years,  or  until 
his  earnings  justified  his  purchase  of  a 
farm  in  Dallas  township,  where  he  con- 
tinued to  carry  on  general  agricultural 
pursuits  during  his  active  life.  He  is 
now  living  retired  at  the  age  of  seventy 
years.  His  wife  passed  away  in  1887 
at  the  age  of  forty-five  years,  leaving 
four  children,  all  of  whom  still  survive. 

Dr.  Kelly  acquired  his  early  education 
in  the  common  schools  of  his  native  town- 
ship, and  afterward  continued  his  studies 
in  Bushnell,  Illinois,  and  Carthage  Col- 
lege. His  literary  course  completed  he 
then  took  up  the  study  of  medicine,  enter- 
ing the  Keokuk  Medical  College,  from 
which  institution  he  was  graduated  in  the 
class  of  1902.  He  located  for  practice 
at  Clio,  Iowa,  where  he  remained  for  two 
years  and  then  returned  to  Hancock 
county,  establishing  his  office  in  Ferris, 
where  he  has  since  engaged  in  active  prac- 
tice. He  has  also  pursued  a  post-grad- 
uate course  in  the  Chicago  Polyclinic. 
He  has  a  general  practice,  which  is  con- 
stantly increasing  in  volume  and  impor- 
tance, and  which  might  well  be  envied  by 
many  an  older  practitioner.  Thoroughly 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


363 


conversant  with  the  most  modern  methods 
known  to  the  members  of  the  medical  and 
surgical  profession  he  has  brought  to  bear 
in  his  work  not  only  broad  scientific 
knowledge  but  also  that  practical  com- 
mon sense  which  is  an  indispensable  con- 
comitant of  the  successful  physician,  and 
the  results  which  have  followed  his  labors 
have  been  satisfactory,  gaining  for  him 
the  trust  and  confidence  of  the  public  at 
large  and  his  professional  brethren  as 
well. 

Dr.  Kelly  is  a  member  of  the  Christian 
church  and  is  a  democrat  in  politics.  He 
has  never  sought  or  desired  office  outside 
the  strict  path  of  his  profession  but  at  the 
present  writing  is  serving  as  village  phy- 
sician of  Ferris  and  as  health  officer. 
He  is  making  substantial  progress  for 
one  of  his  years  and  the  future  undoubt- 
edly holds  in  store  for  him  still  greater 
successes. 


JOHN  W.  GRANT. 

John  W.  Grant,  the  proprietor  of  the 
Grant  Hotel  at  Warsaw,  is  a  representa- 
tive of  one  of  the  old  pioneer  families  of 
this  part  of  the  state.  He  was  born  Au- 
gust 5,  1849,  in  a  log  cabin,  which  was 
the  home  of  his  parents,  Harrison  and 
Emily  (Eason)  Grant.  The  paternal 
great-great-grandfather  came  from  Scot- 
land and  settled  in  Virginia,  whence  later 
representatives  of  the  family  went  to 
Kentucky.  The  great-grandfather,  Noah 
Grant,  was  with  Washington  throughout 
the  Revolutionary  war  and  had  a  long 
and  interesting  military  career.  He  was 
also  a  slaveholder  and  became  one  of  the 


pioneer  settlers  of  Hartford,  Kentucky. 
Noah  Grant  was  the  grandfather  of  'Gen- 
eral U.  S.  Grant,  the  latter  being  a  second 
cousin  of  our  subject.  The  father  was 
born  in  Bullet  county,  Kentucky,  Decem- 
ber 1 6,  1822,  and  came  to  Hancock 
county  in  the  fall  of  1848,  after  his  mar- 
riage to  Emily  Eason.  About  a  year 
later  he  bought  twenty  acres  of  land  for 
a  dollar  and  a  half  per  acre  and  paid  for 
the  same  by  cutting  rails  at  thirty-seven 
and  a  half  cents  per  hundred,  during 
which  time  he  boarded  himself.  With 
the  little  twenty-acre  tract  as  the  nucleus 
of  a  farm  he  kept  adding  to  his  property 
from  time  to  time  until  he  had  two  hun- 
dred acres  of  good  land  in  the  old  home- 
stead, and  was  also  the  owner  of  one 
hundred  acres  in  Arkansas.  He  likewise 
carried  on  general  agricultural  pursuits 
and  continued  to  reside  upon  the  home 
farm  in  Hancock  county  save  for  the 
period  between  the  years  of  1890  and 
1895,  when  he  lived  on  his  farm  in  the 
south.  He  then  returned  to  Warsaw  and 
made  his  home  with  his  son  in  the  hotel 
until  his  death,  which  occurred  on  the 
7th  of  November,  1895.  He  had  long 
survived  his  wife,  who  died  upon  the 
old  homestead,  January  i,  1865,  when 
thirty-eight  years  of  age.  She  was  the 
mother  of  eight  children :  William  A., 
now  living  in  Arkansas;  John  W.,  of  this 
review ;  Henry  Washington,  of  Lorain, 
Illinois;  Mary  E.,  deceased;  Martha  Ann, 
the  deceased  wife  of  Peter  Suit;  and 
Emily  Ellen,  the  wife  of  William  Mc- 
Intyre,  of  Arkansas.  After  losing  his 
first  wife  the  father  married  Rebecca 
lies,  by  whom  he  had  a  daughter,  Mrs. 
Anna  Mueller,  now  of  Crawford  county, 


364 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


Kansas.  His  third  wife  was  Rebecca 
Whitledge,  and  for  his  fourth  wife  he 
chose  Agnes  Boggs. 

Harrison  Grant  made  many  improve- 
ments upon  his  farm.  He  lived  first  in  a 
log  cabin  which  had  been  built  by  the  Mor- 
mons and  later  he  built  and  occupied  a 
hewed  log  house,  which  continued  to  be 
his  home  as  long  as  he  remained  upon  the 
farm.  He  experienced  all  the  hardships 
and  difficulties  incident  to  pioneer  life 
and  aided  in  laying  the  foundation  for 
the  present  development  and  progress  of 
the  county  by  performing  the  arduous 
tasks  connected  with  early  development. 
Politically  he  was  a  democrat  in  early 
life,  at  one  time  gave  his  support  to  the 
Know  Nothing  party,  and  in  1864  became 
a  supporter  of  Abraham  Lincoln,  after 
which  he  continued  to  vote  with  the  Re- 
publican party  until  his  demise. 

John  W.  Grant  was  reared  on  his  fa- 
ther's farm  and  assisted  in  the  onerous 
work  of  the  fields.  In  February,  1869,  in 
company  with  his  two  brothers,  he  went  to 
Kansas  and  took  up  pre-emption  claim, 
remaining  in  the  Sunflower  state  for  four 
years  and  in  Cedarville  he  built  the  first 
dwellings.  That  was  an  entirely  new 
country  and  he  had  many  exciting  adven- 
tures with  the  Indians,  at  one  time  he  and 
about  twenty  comrades  being  surrounded 
by  five  hundred  red  men.  They  finally, 
however,  succeeded  in  making  their  es- 
cape without  recourse  to  the  force  of  arms 
but  on  other  occasions  Mr.  Grant  has  had 
fights  with  the  red-skins,  in  which  several 
men  have  been  killed.  After  four  years' 
experience  on  the  frontier  he  returned  to 
the  old  homestead  and  continued  to  en- 
gage actively  and  successfully  in  farming 


until  his  health  became  impaired  and  he 
removed  to  Warsaw  on  the  I5th  of  July, 
1888.  He  then  purchased  an  eating- 
house  from  John  Boscow,  which  he  has 
enlarged  and  converted  into  a  hotel,  now 
known  as  the  Grant  Hotel,  located  on 
Main  street,  between  Fifth  and  Sixth 
streets.  The  structure  is  eighty-one  by 
seventy-two  feet  and  contains  thirty  sleep- 
ings  rooms  and  is  a  well  equipped  model 
property.  In  addition  to  his  hotel  prop- 
erty Mr.  Grant  now  owns  one  hundred 
and  six  acres  of  the  two-hundred-acre 
tract  which  was  formerly  his  father's 
farm  and  which  adjoins  the  first  twenty 
acres  which  the  father  bought.  The 
farm  is  located  on  section  7,  Walker 
to\vnship,  and  is  devoted  to  general  agri- 
cultural purposes.  In  1900  he  built  there- 
on a  good  residence  of  seven  rooms  and 
has  erected  barns  and  other  farm  build- 
ings. He  has  also  re-fenced  the  place 
since  it  came  into  his  possession  and  it  is 
now  a  valuable  and  well  improved 
property. 

On  the  23d  of  February,  1876,  Mr. 
Grant  was  married  to  Miss  Malissa  Jane 
Suit,  a  daughter  of  Henry  and  Cynthia 
(Troutman)  Suit.  They  have  become 
the  parents  of  five  children ;  Harrison 
H.,  now  a  merchant  of  Warsaw;  Myrtle 
Pearl,  Mary  J.,  and  Lula  Jeanette,  all  at 
home;  and  Waunnetta  Luciele,  born  Feb- 
ruary 22,  1906,  and  died  September  5, 
1906. 

Mr.  Grant  is  a  member  of  Warsaw 
lodge,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  and  has  passed  all  of 
the  chairs  in  both  the  subordinate  lodge 
and  the  encampment.  He  is  likewise  con- 
nected with  the  Rebekah  lodge  and  has 
three  times  represented  the  local  order 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


365 


in  the  grand  .lodge,  first  in  1896,  again 
in  1898  and  a  third  time  in  1902,  showing 
that  he  is  one  of  the  most  prominent,  pop- 
ular and  valued  members  of  the  organiza- 
tion. Politically  he  is  a  republican  where 
national  questions  are  involved  but  casts 
an  independent  local  ballot.  From  pio- 
neer days  he  has  been  a  witness  of  the 
growth  and  development  of  the  county 
and  has  rejoiced  in  the  changes  which 
have  marked  the  work  of  public  progress 
and'  improvement.  At  the  same  time  he 
has  borne  his  part  in  the  task  of  develop- 
ing the  county  and  stands  at  all  times  firm 
in  support  of  those  interests  which  are  a 
matter  of  civic  virtue  and  of  civic  pride. 


JOHN  WILKENS. 

John  YVilkens,  deceased,  devoting  his 
life  to  farming,  manifested  in  his  busi- 
ness and  social  relations-  such  sterling 
qualities  as  commended  him  to  the  friend- 
ship and  regard  of  those  who  knew  him. 
He  was  born  in  Hanover,  Germany,  in 
September,  1828,  and  acquired  his  educa- 
tion in  the  common  schools  of  that  coun- 
try. His  mother  died  in  Germany  when 
the  son  was  but  a  little  lad,  and  the  father, 
William  Wilkens,  in  1846,  accompanied 
by  his  son  John  and  two  daughters 
crossed  the  Atlantic  and  made  his  way  to 
Nauvoo,  Illinois,  where  he  established  his 
home  and  spent  his  remaining  days, 
passing  away  there  about  1896.  He  was 
married  a  second  time  and  had  two  sons 
and  two  daughters  by  that  marriage, 
namely :  Charles,  living  in  Sonora  town- 
ship; Gabriel,  of  Kansas;  Mrs.  Mary 


Childers,  of  Nauvoo;  and  Mrs.  Margaret 
Sugars,  of  Appanoose  township. 

John  Wilkens  was  a  youth  of  about 
eighteen  years  when  he  accompanied  his 
father  on  the  emigration  to  the  new  world 
and  with  him  he  resided  in  Appanoose 
township  until  he  attained  the  age  of 
thirty  years,  when  he  secured  employment 
at  farm  labor  in  the  neighborhood.  He 
was  thus  engaged  up  to  the  time  of  his 
marriage,  which  was  celebrated  in  Feb- 
ruary, 1863,  Miss  Cynthia  Konance  be- 
coming his  wife.  She  was  born  in  Ger- 
many, June  21,  1841,  a  daughter  of 
Anthony  and  Catherine  (Wolf)  Konance, 
who  in  1847,  having  emigrated  to  the 
new  world,  established  their  home  in 
Clinton  county,  Indiana,  where  the  father 
followed  farming  for  seven  years.  In 
1854  he  removed  to  Wapello,  Iowa,  where 
he  purchased  one  hundred  and  thirty 
acres  of  farm  land,  making  his  home 
thereon  through  the  succeeding  decade. 
He  then  sold  his  property  there  and  came 
to  Nauvoo,  purchasing  a  residence  in  the 
town.  His  wife  died  in  Nauvoo  about 
1870,  and  he  afterward  went  to  live  with 
a  daughter  in  Ottumwa.  where  he  died 
in  1 890. 

After  his  marriage  Mr.  Wilkens  bought 
seventy-two  acres  of  land  and  later  added 
a  tract  of  seventeen  and  a  half  acres  to 
his  farm.  His  entire  life  was  given  to 
general  agricultural  pursuits  and 'he  con- 
tinued the  work  of  tilling  the  soil  and 
caring  for  his  crops  until  his  life's  labors 
were  ended  in  death  on  the  6th  of  May, 
1891.  He  was  always  straightforward 
in  his  business  relations  and  thoroughly 
reliable  in  all  his  trade  transactions,  so 
that  he  enjoyed  the  full  confidence  and 


366 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


good  will  of  those  with  whom  he  was 
associated. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wilkens  were  born 
six  children :  Mary,  now  the  wife  of 
John  Bruegger,  a  resident  of  Nauvoo; 
Frank,  of  Sonora;  Annie,  the  wife  of 
John  Nickowash,  of  Minnesota ;  Agnes, 
the  wife  of  Victor  Banarx,  of  Rock  Creek 
township;  and  Joseph  and  Edward,  both 
of  whom  are  at  home,  and  carry  on  the 
work  of  the  farm.  Mr.  Wilkens  was  a 
communicant  of  the  Catholic  church,  and 
was  a  democrat  in  his  political  belief  and 
adherence.  He  lived  continuously  in  this 
county  from  the  age  of  eighteen  years  and 
witnessed  the  greater  part  of  its  growth 
and  progress  for  it  was  still  a  frontier 
region  when  the  family  came  and  he  lived 
to  see  it  converted  into  one  of  the  rich 
agricultural  districts  of  this  great  state. 
He  made  a  creditable  record  as  a  busi- 
ness man,  as  a  citizen  and  as  a  friend,  and 
thus  his  death  was  the  occasion  of  wide- 
spread regret  to  many  who  knew  him  as 
well  as  to  his  immediate  family. 


JACOB  MICHAEL  GROSS. 

Jacob  Michael  Gross,  who  is  engaged 
in  the  raising  of  grapes  and  the  manu- 
facture of  wine  at  Nauvoo,  is  a  business 
man  of  enterprise  whose  intense  and  well 
directed  activity  has  led  to  a  gratifying 
measure  of  success.  He  was  born  in 
Sheboygan,  Wisconsin,  January  12,  1863, 
and  is  a  son  of  John  and  Catherina 
(Hauptman)  Gross,  who  were  natives  of 
Alsace.  France.  The  paternal  grandpar- 
ents were  George  and  Barbara  (See- 


wagon)  Gross,  while  the  maternal  grand- 
parents were  John  and  Marie  (Lamb) 
Hauptman,  and  the  former  was  a  son  of 
Michael  Hauptman.  George  Gross  owned 
a  large  farm  and  also  conducted  a  tavern, 
while  John  Hauptman  had  extensive  agri- 
cultural interests. 

John  Gross  was  the  youngest  in  a  fam- 
ily of  three  daughters  and  two  sons.  Hav- 
ing arived  at  years  of  maturity,  he 
wedded  Catherina  Hauptman,  who  was 
born  November  3,  1823,  in  Melscheim. 
Alsace,  France,  while  his  birth  occurred 
on  the  24th  of  December,  1820.  Fol- 
lowing their  marriage  they  remained  resi- 
dents of  their  native  country  until  Jan- 
uary, 1855,  and  Mr.  Gross  there  con- 
ducted a  tavern  and  also  followed  the 
cooper's  trade.  Making  arrangements 
to  come  to  America,  they  sailed  for  New 
York  in  1855,  and  after  reaching  the 
eastern  metropolis  made  their  way  to 
Buffalo  and  proceeded  around  the  lakes 
to  Wisconsin.  In  that  state  John  Gross 
purchased  a  farm  and  carried  on  general 
agricultural  pursuits  until  1865,  when  he 
sold  his  property  and  removed  to  Nauvoo, 
where  he  purchased  four  acres  of  land 
and  later  four  acres  additional.  Here  he 
began  raising  grapes  and  manufacturing 
wine,  continuing  in  the  business  until  his 
death,  which  occurred  December  13,  1900. 
His  widow  still  survives  and  now  makes 
her  home  with  her  son,  Jacob  M.,  who  is 
the  next  to  the  youngest  in  a  family  of 
six  sons  and  three  daughters  but  only 
two  sons  and  one  daughter  are  now  liv- 
ing, these  being:  John  G.,  of  Appa- 
noose  township ;  Jacob  M. ;  and  Mary 
Ann,  the  wife  of  Henry  Argast,  a  painter 
of  Nauvoo. 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


367 


Jacob  Michael  Gross  has  always  resided 
with  his  parents,  and  on  the  2d  of  Jan- 
uary, 1891,  he  purchased  four  acres  of 
land  in  the  city  of  Nauvoo,  on  which  he 
has  since  engaged  in  the  cultivation  of 
grapes  and  the  manufacture  of  wine,  his 
output  being  from  two  to  seven  thousand 
gallons  of  native  wine  annually.  He  has 
a  fine  cellar  which  holds  about  seven 
thousand  gallons  and  upon  his  place  he 
also  has  a  comfortable  brick  residence 
and  other  improvements.  He  has  been 
familiar  with  his  present  line  of  business 
from  his  boyhood  days  and  his  capable 
management  is  bringing  him  a  gratify- 
ing measure  of  success. 

On  the  25th  of  November,  1890,  oc- 
curred the  marriage  of  Jacob  M.  Gross 
and  Miss  Caroline  Sherz,  who  was  born 
in  Hannibal,  Missouri,  a  daughter  of  An- 
drew and  Julia  Sherz.  Their  children 
are:  Carl  John,  born  September  22, 
1891  ;  and  Theodore  J.,  November  6, 
1893.  Mr.  Gross  was  educated  in  the 
English  and  German  schools  of  Nauvoo, 
and  is  a  well  informed  man  of  enterprise 
and  activity  in  his  business.  He  is  a 
democrat  in  his  political  faith  and  has 
served  as  township  collector  for  two 
terms,  while  for  four  years  he  has  been 
school  director.  He  holds  membership 
with  Nauvoo  camp,  No.  905,  Modern 
Woodmen  of  America,  and  is  a  member 
of  the  Lutheran  church. 


AMOS  H.  WORTHEN. 

Amos  H.  Worthen,  scientist,  and  for 
thirty   years   state   geologist    of   Illinois, 


contributed  through  his  written  works, 
volumes  of  the  utmost  value  to  the  scien- 
tific world.  He  was  one  of  the  pioneers 
in  the  task  of  collecting  fossils  and  geolog- 
ical specimens  of  the  middle  west  and 
with  other  laborers  in  the  same  field  of 
investigation  made  practically  a  new 
science  of  geology.  He  is  one  of  the 
distinguished  citizens  who  have  made 
Warsaw  famous,  having  for  more  than  a 
half  century  been  a  resident  of  that  city. 
Born  in  the  town  of  Bradford,  Orange 
county,  Vermont,  on  the  3ist  of  Oc- 
tober. 1813,  he  was  a  son  of  Thomas  and 
Susannah  (Adams)  Worthen,  whose 
family  numbered  twelve  children,  Amos 
being  the  eleventh  in  order  of  birth.  Lit- 
tle is  known  concerning  the  ancestral  his- 
tory of  the  Worthens.  The  father  was  a 
representative  of  a  Massachusetts  family, 
the  descendants  of  which  are  scattered 
through  a  number  of  states  of  the  Union. 
In  early  manhood  he  went  with  his  young 
wife  to  Bradford,  Vermont,  and  pur- 
chased a  farm  upon  what  was  known  as 
the  south  road,  a  few  miles  west  of  the 
village,  where  they  made  a  permanent 
home  and  reared  their  family.  He  was 
born  August  24,  1765,  and  died  October 
21,  1851.  His  wife,  Susannah,  was  born 
December  24,  1768,  and  passed  away 
March  17,  1843.  She  was  the  eldest  child 
of  Abraham  Adams,  a  descendant  of 
Henry  Adams,  who  came  from  England 
and  settled  at  Mount  Wollaston,  now 
Quincy,  Massachusetts,  and  who  was  the 
founder  in  America  of  the  celebrated 
Adams  family  that  has  included  two  presi- 
dents of  the  United  States.  She  was  a 
woman  of  great  energy  and  tact  and  it 
is  evident  that  it  was  largely  from  her 


368 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


that  her  son  Amos  inherited  the  force  of 
character  and  adherence  to  a  definite  pur- 
pose which  distinguished  him. 

The  childhood  and  early  youth  of  Amos 
Worthen  were  spent  continuously-  upon 
the  home  farm  where  he  was  employed 
during  the  warm  months  in  such  of  its 
labors  as  were  suitable  to  his  strength. 
while  in  the  winter  seasons  he  attended 
the  district  schools  of  the  neighborhood. 
His  well  directed  labor  and  the  sports 
which  the  surrounding  fields  and  forests 
afforded,  resulted  in  the  development  of 
a  vigorous  physical  manhood,  and  his 
winter  schooling — for  the  Vermont  dis- 
trict schools  were  among  the  best  of  their 
class — gave  him  the  foundation  of  that 
mental  development  that  afterward  dis- 
tinguished him.  As  his  youth  progressed 
and  he  had  mastered  the  rudiments  taught 
in  the  district  schools  he  desired  to  enter 
Bradford  Academy,  since  merged  with 
the  Bradford  high  school,  which  was  lo- 
cated at  the  village  a  few  miles  from  his 
home.  He  obtained  the  means  to  gratify 
his  wish,  and  it  was  at  this  institution 
that  young  Worthen  received  the  last  of 
his  school  training.  During  his  attend- 
ance at  Bradford  Academy  he  boarded  in 
the  family  of  his  sister  Mary,  who  was 
older  than  himself  and  who  had  married 
Captain  Ellis  Bliss,  an  extensive  farmer 
in  the  Connecticut  valley.  While  prose- 
cuting his  studies  at  the  academy  young 
Worthen  also  prosecuted  his  suit  for  the 
hand  of  Miss  Sarah  B.  Kimball,  of  War- 
ren, New  Hampshire,  and  they  were  mar- 
ried" on  January  14,  1834,  at  which  time 
he  was  in  his  twenty-first  year.  The 
•  union  was  a  fortunate  one  and  lasted  fifty- 
three  years,  when  it  was  broken  by  the 


death  of  his  faithful  wife,  which  occurred 
only  a  little  more  than  a  year  previous 
to  his  own.  Seven  children  were  born  to 
them — one  daughter  and  six  sons.  The 
daughter  died  in  childhood.  All  of  the 
six  sons,  Lafayette  Shaw,  George  B., 
Thomas  A.,  Amos  H.,  Charles  K.  and 
John  B.,  were  living  at  the  time  of  the 
father's  death  and  were  the  pallbearers 
at  the  funeral.  Of  this  number  La- 
fayette and  Thomas  have  since  passed 
away. 

About  the  time  of  his  marriage  Mr. 
Worthen  decided  to  make  his  home  in 
what  was  then  called  the  far  west.  Such 
a  journey  was  then  a  serious  undertaking, 
most  of  it  being  through  a  comparative 
wilderness  and  by  slow  means  of  trans- 
portation, for  railroads  were  yet  in  an 
experimental  condition  and  none  of  the 
few  then  existing  was  available  for  any 
portion  of  it.  His  eldest  brother,  Enoch, 
had  already  moved  with  his  family  to 
Cynthiana,  Kentucky,  and  thither  Amos 
also  decided  to  go.  His  stay  at  Cyn- 
thiana seems  to  have  been  short,  for  we 
learn  that  in  the  next  year  after  leaving 
his  New  England  home  he  was  teaching 
at  Cumminsville,  near  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 
He  remained  at  Cumminsville  until  June, 
1836,  when  he  joined  the  tide  of  emigra- 
tion which  had  begun  to  flow  into  the 
Mississippi  valley  and  settled  at  Warsaw, 
Illinois.  Here,  with  the  exception  of  an 
interval  of  two  years,  1842  to  1844, 
which  he,  together  with  his  family,  spent 
in  Charlestown,  Massachusetts,  and  about 
three  years,  1857  to  1860,  in  Springfield, 
Illinois,  he  lived  continuously  until  his 
death.  Some  of  his  wife's  family,  the 
Kimballs,  had  preceded  the  young  couple 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


369 


to  Warsaw  and  its  vicinity,  and  with  two 
of  her  brothers  Mr.  Worthen  formed  a 
partnership  in  the  mercantile  business. 
This  business,  with  the  exception  of  sever- 
al changes  and  interruptions,  he  continued 
until  1855,  after  which  time  he  devoted 
himself  entirely  to  the  scientific  pursuits 
for  which  he  had  been  preparing  him- 
self ever  since  his  arrival- in  Warsaw.  It 
is  a  fact,  but  not  a  surprising  one,  that 
Mr.  Worthen's  career  as  a  merchant  was 
not  successful  as  success  is  usually  counted 
in  such  occupations.  Business  as  .  such 
had  no  attractions  for  him  or  none  be- 
yond the  fact  that  it  yielded  him  the 
moderate  means  of  meeting  the  necessary 
demands  of  his  growing  family,  but  un- 
consciously to  his  friends,  who  were  some- 
times inclined  to  censure  him  for  what 
to  them  was  a  lack  of  business  enterprise, 
it  was  giving  him  an  opportunity  to  ac- 
complish far  more  than  this.  His  in- 
herent predilection  for  natural  science  had 
from  his  boyhood  been  subdued  or  kept 
latent  by  the  pressure  of  duties  to  the 
demands  of  which  he  was  ever  ready  to 
respond  but  it  found  at  his  new  home  and 
in  its  vicinity  an  unwonted  and  irresistible 
stimulation.  The  forests  of  the  Missis- 
sippi valley  and  the  adjacent  broad  prai- 
ries afforded  him  a  boundless  field  for 
study  and  observation,  and,  above  all,  the 
fossiliferous  rocks  of  the  Lower  Carbon- 
iferous series,  which  prevail  in  that  region 
and  some  of  which  are  well  exposed  at 
and  around  his  home,  were  his  especial 
delight.  He  began  at  once  the  study  of 
this  great  series  of  strata  and  the  collec- 
tion of  its  fossils  and  minerals.  A  con- 
temporary biographer  has  said  of  him : 
"With  no  education  beyond  that  acquired 


at  the  common  schools  of  New  England, 
and  no  scientific  training,  he  took  up  the 
study  of  geology  and  mastered  it  to  an 
extent  excelled  by  few,  and  this,  too,  after 
his  settlement  in  Warsaw,  and  amid  the 
cares  of  a  family  and  while  engaged  in 
business.  His  attention  was  drawn  to 
the  science  of  geology  by  observing  the 
interesting  minerals  and  fossils  that  were 
met  with  in  such  profusion  on  every  hand. 
We  well  remember  seeing  him  out  in  the 
morning  or  evening,  with  basket  and 
hammer  rambling  over  the  bluffs  and 
among  the  ravines  collecting  specimens, 
and  then  thought  he  was  unprofitably  en- 
gaged. The  ravines  were  then  full  of 
geodes  that  had  weathered  out  of  the  de- 
composing shales  of  the  geode  beds  and 
the  beautiful  crystals  with  which  they  were 
lined  were  objects  of  great  interest.  The 
limestone  was  also  full  of  fossils  and  al- 
though the  forms  of  organic  life  they 
presented  were  entirely  new  to  him,  they 
excited  an  intense  desire  to  know  some- 
thing of  their  history  and  of  the  specific 
character  of  the  animals  to  which  they 
once  belonged.  There  had  been  no  ele- 
mentary work  on  geology  published  in 
this  country  at  that  time,  and  the  first 
books  he  was  able  to  obtain  that  contained 
any  account  of  fossils  were  a  copy  of  Dr. 
Mantell's  'Medals  of  Creation'  and 
'Wonders  of  Geology,'  published  in  Eng- 
land. These,  though  they  threw  no  light 
on  the  specific  character  of  the  specimens 
he  gathered  in  his  excursions  among  the 
rocks  here  gave  some  insight  into  the 
manner  in  which  the  rocks  were  formed 
and  how  the  remains  of  living  beings 
came  to  be  preserved  in  them.  By  collect- 
ing the  minerals  and  fossils  that  were 


370 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


found  in  the  vicinity  of  Warsaw,  and 
exchanging  them  for  other  collections 
he  gradually  acquired  the  information  so 
much  desired.  Through  these  collections 
and  exchanges  and  by  other  means  Pro- 
fessor Worthen  obtained  a  valuable  geo- 
logical museum,  which,  when  he  was 
called  to  Springfield,  thousands  would  not 
have  purchased.  Subsequently  the  first 
volumes  of  the  Paleontology  of  New 
York  were  published,  affording  the  first 
figures  and  descriptions  of  American  fos- 
sils that  he  had  been  able  to  obtain.  Those 
who  commence  the  study  of  geology  now, 
when  the  characteristic  fossils  of  every 
formation  on  the  North  American  conti- 
nent have  been  figured  and  described  in 
published  works,  that  are  accessible  to  the 
student,  in  public  and  private  libraries, 
can  form  but  little  idea  of  the  difficulties 
with  which  students  in  the  same  fields 
had  to  contend  forty  years  ago.  Profes- 
sor Worthen's  labor  as  state  geologist  re- 
sulted in  an  extended  survey  of  every 
county  in  the  state,  and  the  publication 
of  seven  large  volumes  as  a  record  of  the 
work, — a  publication  deemed  of  great 
value  to  the  scientific  world." 

It  was  in  1851  that  Professor  Worthen 
accepted  an  appointment  as  assistant  geol- 
ogist in  the  Illinois  geological  survey,  con- 
tinuing in  that  position  for  three  years. 
In  1855  he  was  appointed  ad  assistant  in 
the  geological  survey  of  Iowa  by  Gover- 
nor Bissell.  In  that  position  he  continued 
until  it  was  abolished,  when  he  was  ap- 
pointed curator  in  the  State  Historical 
Library  and  Natural  History  Museum 
by  Governor  Cullom,  which  position  he. 
was  holding  at  the  time  of  his  death.  In 
that  position  he  amassed  a  magnificent 


collection  which  is  the  admiration  of  all 
visitors  to  the  state  capitol.  From  and 
after  the  time  he  entered  upon  his  duties 
as  state  geologist  of  Illinois,  the  current 
of  his  life,  although  extending  through 
thirty  years,  was  too  uniform  to  require 
a  material  extension  of  this  biographical 
notice.  During  all  that  time  his  labor 
was  constant  and  severe,  and  he  took  few 
vacations  beyond  his  attendance  upon 
scientific  meetings  but  his  great  physical 
strength  made  him  equal  to  his  self-im- 
posed tasks.  His  delight  in  his  work  and 
in  his  home  was  such  that  his  share  of 
happiness  was  greater  than  that  which 
falls  to  the  lot  of  most  men  and  he  de- 
sired no  addition  to  it.  But  his  continued 
success  was  not  due  to  the  absence  of 
adverse  conditions.  Again  and  again  his 
work  was  in  danger  of  suspension  by  the 
threatened  failure  of  the  necessary  ap- 
propriations by  the  legislature  and  more 
than  once  they  were  so  far  reduced  that 
only  the  most  careful  management  averted 
disaster.  Once,  indeed,  appropriations 
failed  entirely,  for  the  years  1875  to  1877. 
When  appropriations  were  resumed  in  the 
last  named  year  provision  was  -made  for 
.the  establishment  of  the  Illinois  State  His- 
torical Library  and  Natural  History  Mu- 
seum, and  Mr.  Worthem  became  its  cu- 
rator as  well  as  state  geologist.  He. 
however,  continued  his  work  without 
compensation  and  with  such  evident  sin- 
cerity of  purpose  that  they  were  resumed 
by  the  next  legislature.  One  by  one  his 
volumes  of  reports  were  published  and 
gladly  accepted  by  the  scientific  world ; 
one  by  one  the  great  difficulties  he  en- 
countered were  overcome  and  he  was  per- 
mitted to  finish  his  work  to  the  great  ad- 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


vantage  of  science  and  the  satisfaction 
of  the  most  exacting  economist.  As  his 
work  approached  completion  old  age  was 
coming  upon  him  but  he  retained  his 
mental  vigor,  and  in  a  great  measure  his 
accustomed  good  health  until  his  final  ill- 
ness, which  prostrated  him  suddenly  and 
terminated  in  death  within  a  few  days. 
He  died  on  Sunday,  May  6,  1888,  in  the 
seventy-fifth  year  of  his  age,  surrounded 
by  people  who  respected  and  honored  him 
and  among  whom  he  had  lived  a  full  half 
century.  Personally  Mr.  \Yorthen  was 
of  manly  presence  and  kindly,  candid,  and 
unpretentious  in  manner.  He  was  im- 
pulsively generous  to  his  friends  and  char- 
itable, even  to  those  with  wrhom  he  had 
little  sympathy  but  he  was  uncompromis- 
ing in  his  love  of  justice  and  scientific 
truth.  The  only  proper  standard  by 
which  to  judge  of  his  scientific  labors  is 
and  must  always  be  his  published  works, 
which  are  his  monument  and  the  records 
by  which  his  name  will  be  known  in  fu- 
ture years. 


\V.  W.  HUGHES. 

W.  W.  Hughes,  deceased,  who  was  one 
of  the  worthy  and  respected  citizens  of 
Carthage,  where  his  memory  is  still  cher- 
ished by  all  who  knew  him,  was  born  in 
Bourbon  county,  Kentucky,  September 
15,  1821,  a  son  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  William 
Hughes.  The  father  was  a  native  of 
Maryland  and  was  a  cabinet-maker  by 
trade.  Removing  to  Kentucky  he  spent 
his  remaining  days  there,  both  he  and  his 
wife  passing  away  in  that  state.  In  their 


family  were  five  children,  all  of  whom  are 
now  deceased. 

W.  W.  Hughes  of  this  review  attended 
the  common  schools  in  his  boyhood  days 
and  afterward  was  a  student  in  the  Col- 
lege of  Kentucky.  He  worked  in  his 
father's  cabinet-shop  for  a  short  time  and 
later  learned  the  harness-maker's  trade 
in  Kentucky,  from  which  state  he  re- 
moved to  Illinois  in  1854,  settling  in 
Carthage.  Here  he  followed  harness- 
making  for  several  years  and  then  turned 
his  attention  to  the  drug  business,  estab- 
lishing a  store  which  he  conducted  suc- 
cessfully for  some  time.  Later  he  was 
proprietor  of  a  photograph  gallery  and 
in  that  business  also  prospered.  When 
his  well  directed  labors,  enterprise  and 
careful  management  had  brought  him  a 
desirable  competency  he  retired  from  busi- 
ness life  and  spent  his  remaining  days 
in  the  enjoyment  of  a  well  earned  rest. 

Mr.  Hughes  was  married  October  16, 
1846,  to  Miss  Sarah  E.  Payne,  who  was 
born  in  Kentucky,  October  16,  1825,  a 
daughter  of  John  and  C.  (Hughes) 
Payne.  The  mother  though  of  the 
same  name  was  not  a  relative  of  the 
Hughes  family  of  which  our  subject 
is  a  member.  Her  birth  occurred  in 
Maryland,  while  Mr.  Payne  was  born  in 
Virginia.  His  life  was  devoted  to  agri- 
cultural pursuits  and  he  passed  away  in 
Kentucky  at  a  ripe  old  age.  In  their 
family  were  nine  children,  of  whom  Mrs. 
Hughes  of  this  review  is  the  only  sur- 
viving member.  By  her  marriage  she 
became  the  mother  of  six  children.  Perry 
B.,  the  eldest,  born  September  4,  1847, 
married  Missouri  Belle  Scott  on  the  2d 
of  September,  1868,  and  died  January  13, 


372 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


1897,  leaving  two  daughters,  Belle  and 
Minnie.  The  former  is  the  wife  of  a 
Mr.  Parker,  of  Brookfiekl,  Missouri,  and 
has  two  children,  Marion  and  Hugh 
Parker.  Minnie  Hughes  became  the  wife 
of  Dr.  Bynum,  of  Memphis.  Tennessee, 
and  has  two  children,  Woodfield  and  Eliz- 
abeth. Albert  G.  Hughes,  the  second 
surviving  member  of  the  family  of  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  W.  \V.  Hughes,  was  born  De- 
cember 28,  1848,  and  was  married  May 
26,  1872,  to  Miss  Fannie  Logan,  their 
home  being  in  Dighton,  Lane  county, 
Kansas.  They  have  one  child,  Mrs. 
Maud  King,  who  is  living  in  Waukeena, 
Kansas.  Henry  F.  Hughes,  born  Decem- 
ber 22,  1853,  married  Miss  Katie  Apple- 
gate,  by  whom  he  has  four  children,  their 
home  being  in  Missouri.  William  S. 
Hughes,  born  December  15,  1859,  was 
married  June  10,  1881,  to  Miss  Ina  Ed- 
wards ana  resides  in  Carthage.  They 
have  two  sons,  William  Woodfield  and 
Paul.  The  other  members  of  the  Hughes 
family  are  deceased. 

In  his  fraternal  relations  Mr.  Hughes 
was  an  earnest  Mason  and  passed  all  of 
the  chairs  in  the  local  lodge.  He  was 
for  many  years  an  active  and  influential 
member  of  the  Christian  church,  doing  all 
in  his  power  to  promote  its  growth  and  in- 
sure its  success.  His  political  allegiance 
was  given  to  the  democracy  but  he  never 
sought  or  desired  office.  By  his  energy 
and  unfaltering  perseverance  he  accumu- 
lated a  considerable  competence  and  thus 
left  his  family  in  comfortable  circum- 
stances. He  built  a  beautiful  home  about 
fifteen  years  ago  and  in  this  his  widow 
still  resides.  Mr.  Hughes  passed  away 
December  12,  1898.  at  the  advanced  age 


of  eighty-seven  years  and  the  county 
thereby  Jost  one  of  its  most  venerable, 
honored  and  worthy  citizens.  His  life 
at  all  times  was  characterized  by  high 
principles  and  worthy  motives  and  he 
enjoyed  the  unqualified  regard  and  good 
will  of  all  with  whom  he  came  in  contact. 
Benevolence  was  one  of  the  strong  and 
salient  features  of  his  character  but  in 
his  charitable  acts  he  was  always  quiet 
and  unostentatious,  never  seeking  the 
praise  of  men.  In  his  home  he  was  a 
devoted  and  loving  husband  and  father 
and  for  fifty-two  years  he  and  his  wife 
traveled  life's  journey  happily  together. 
While  he  was  active  and  reliable  in  citi- 
zenship and  in  business  and  faithful  in 
friendship,  his  best  traits  were  always 
reserved  for  his  family.  Some  years  prior 
to  his  death  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hughes  built 
a  vault  in  Moss  Ridge  cemetery  in  Car- 
thage, where  his  remains  were  interred. 
Mrs.  Hughes,  now  nearly  eighty-one 
years  of  age.  still  survives  her  husband 
and  is  yet  an  active  and  well  preserved 
lady,  who  is  spending  the  evening  of  her 
life  in  comfort  amid  many  warm  friends, 
who  have  known  her  for  long  years  and 
who  entertain  for  her  the  deepest  esteem 
and  affection. 


LEON  CHEVILLON. 

Leon  Chevillon  •  is  the  senior  member 
of  the  firm  of  Chevillon  &  Clere,  of  Car- 
thage, who  are  conducting  the  largest 
business  in  Hancock  county  in  implements 
farm  machinery,  carriages  and  buggies 
and  the  firm  is  not  onlv  foremost  in  the 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


373 


extent  of  its  trade  but  also  occupies  a  lead- 
ing position  because  of  the  reliability,  en- 
terprise and  business  activity  of  the 
house.  Mr.  Chevillon  is  one  of  the  na- 
tive sons  of  the  county,  his  birth  having 
occurred  in  Nauvoo  on  the  2Oth  of  April, 
iSsi,  his  parents  being  Eugene  and  An- 
gelia  (Xaegelin)  Chevillon.  Both  par- 
ents were  natives  of  France  and  the  ma- 
ternal grandfather  was  interested  in  the 
French  revolution  of  1848.  The  father  of 
our  subject  came  to  America  about  1849 
or  1850,  settling  in  Nauvoo  after  the 
Mormons  had  left  for  their  western  home 
in  Utah.  He  was  a  farmer  by  occupa- 
tion and  subsequently  worked  at  the  tin- 
ner's trade.  Both  he  and  his  wife  spent 
their  last  days  in  Hancock  county.  In  his 
fraternal  relations  Eugene  Chevillon  was 
an  Odd  Fellow  and  he  held  membership 
in  the  Catholic  church,  while  his  wife  was 
a  Presbyterian  in  religious  faith.  In  their 
family  were  four  children,  of  whom  three 
are  living :  Leon,  of  this  review ;  Hena. 
the  wife  of  Thomas  Crow,  of  Kansas :  and 
Victoria,  the  wife  of  Thomas  Cecil,  who 
is  living  in  Oklahoma. 

Leon  -Chevillon  was  educated,  in  the 
public  schools  of  Keokuk,  Iowa,  and  re- 
mained upon  his  father's  farm  for  some 
time.  He  was  only  ten  years  of  age  at  the 
time  of  his  mother's  death  and  he  and 
his  sister  kept  house  together  and  he 
farmed  the  home  place  until  twenty-three 
years  of  age,  but  thinking  that  he  would 
find  commercial  pursuits  more  congenial, 
in  1876  he  entered  the  employ  of  an  im- 
plement house  of  Keokuk,  Iowa,  which 
he  represented  upon  the  road  as  a  travel- 
ing salesman.  After  traveling  for  three 
different  firms  of  that  city  he  finally  repre- 


sented a  New  York  firm  and  eventually 
traveled  for  an  Ohio  house  and  then  with 
the  capital  saved  from  his  earnings  he 
made  investment  in  a  mercantile  enter- 
prise and  in  January,  1901,  opened  a  large 
implement  house  in  Carthage,  having  in 
the  meantime  made  his  home  in  this  city, 
while  traveling  for  a  number  of  years. 
This  is  not  only  the  largest  implement 
house  in  Carthage  but  of  the  county  as 
well  and  in  addition  he  handles  hard- 
ware. He  is  the  "senior  member  of  the 
firm  of  Chevillon  &  Clere  and  they  deal 
extensively  in  farm  machinery,  carriages, 
buggies  and  wagons,  selling  to  the  retail 
trade.  Their  place  of  business  is  on  Main 
street  and  employment  is  furnished  to 
three  salesmen.  The  trade  has  gradually 
grown  until  it  has  now  reached  very  ex- 
tensive and  profitable  proportions  and  the 
business  is  constantly  developing  along 
substantial  lines. 

In  1879.  Mr.  Chevillon  was  married  to 
Miss  Sophia  Clere,  who  was  born  in  Han- 
cock county,  Illinois,  a  daughter  of  Frank 
and  Josephine  (Miller)  Clere.  Her  father 
was  a  native  of  France  and  her  mother 
of  Ohio.  Mr.  Clere,  however,  was  but 
eight  years  of  age  when  he  came  to 
America  and  throughout  his  active  busi- 
ness life  he  followed  farming,  living  at 
different  times  in  Ohio.  Hancock  county, 
Illinois,  and  in  Arkansas.  He  died  in  the 
last  named  state  in  1891  and  was  laid  to 
rest  in  a  cemetery  there  by  the  side  of 
his  wife,  who  had.  passed  away  in  1873. 
They  were  the  parents  of  three  children. 
Mary,  deceased:  Frank  H.,  of  Bluffs, 
Illinois,  and  Sophia,  wife  of  our  subject. 
Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Chevillon  have 
been  born  five  children,  all  of  whom  are 


374 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


living:     Frank  and  Fred,  twins,  now  in 
school;  Leonore  and  Blanche,  twins,  at 
home;  and  Ruth,   who  is  also  attending 
school.      Fred    will    graduate    from    the 
high  school  in  the  class  of  1906,  and  the 
daughter  is  now  studying  bookkeeping  in 
a  business  college.     The  family  residence 
is  on  Cherry  and  Main  streets,  where  Mr. 
Chevillon    purchased    a   nice   home.      He 
and  his  wife  are  devoted  members  of  the 
Presbyterian  church  and  he  belongs  to  the 
Odd  Fellows  society.     His  political  alle- 
giance is  given  to  the  Republican  party, 
but  his  business  interests  leave  him  no 
leisure  for  political  preferment  or  office 
holding.     He  has  concentrated  his  ener- 
gies upon  the  development  of  his  business, 
which  has  grown  rapidly  and  along  sub- 
stantial  lines.      He   is  methodical   in  all 
that  he  does,  has  systematized  his  inter- 
ests and  in  his  trade  relations  is  found 
thoroughly  reliable,  his  name  being  a  syn- 
onym for  business  integrity  in  commercial 
circles  in  Carthage.     The  history  of  the 
American  people  is  replete  with  illustra- 
tions of  the  fact  that  it  is  only  under  the 
pressure  of  adversity  and  the  stimulus  of 
opposition  that  the  best  and  strongest  in 
men  is  brought  out  and  developed.     If 
anything   can    inspire   the   youth   of  our 
country  to  persistent,  honest  and  laudable 
endeavor,  it  should  be  the  life  record  of 
such  men  as  he  of  whom  we  write. 


J.  I.  FRAZER. 

J.  I.  Frazer,  one  of  the  most  promi- 
nent and  prosperous  residents  of  Rocky 


Run  township,  has  devoted  his  entire  life 
to  general  agricultural  pursuits  and  his 
intense  and  well  directed  energy  has  been 
the  salient  element  in  his  success.     He  is 
seldom  if  ever  at  error  in  a  matter  of 
business  judgment  and  his  keen  sagacity 
has  enabled  him  to  make  judicious  invest- 
ments,   which,    viewed    from   a   financial 
standpoint  have  resulted  beneficially.    His 
life  record  began  in  Adams  county,  Illi- 
nois,  September  8,    1848.     He  was   the 
elder  of  two   sons  born   unto   Lafayette 
Harrison  and  Caroline  (Wilson)  Frazer. 
The  father  was  born  in  Kentucky  in  1818, 
and  was  a  little  lad  of  eight  years,  when, 
in  1826,  he  came  with  his  parents  to  Illi- 
nois, the  family  home  being  established 
in  Adams  county,  near  Quincy.      He  ar- 
rived in  Hancock  county  in  1846,  and  cast 
in  his  lot  with  its  pioneer  residents.     He 
first  purchased   two   hundred   and   sixty 
acres  of  land  in  Walker  township  and 
there  lived  in  true  pioneer  style,  his  home 
being  a  log  cabin.     He  served  in  the  Mor- 
mon war  in  1844  when  the  attempt  was 
made  to  drive  the  followers  of  Brigham 
Young  from  the  county,  and  he  took  part 
in  many  other  events  which  are  now  of 
historic  importance.     He  shared  in  all  the 
hardships  and  privations  incident  to  pio- 
neer life  while  converting  raw  prairie  land 
into  a  good  farm,  and  he  assisted  in  the 
material  development  and  upbuilding  of 
the  county,  which  recognized  in  him  a 
valued  citizen.     His  political  support  was 
always  given  to  the  democracy  but  he 
never  sought  or  desired  office.     His  wife 
was  born  in  Ohio  in  1829,  and  their  mar- 
riage was  celebrated  in  this  state.     Her 
death  occurred  in  September,  1882,  and 
Mr.  Frazer  passed  away  in  January,  1886, 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


375 


He  was  a  splendid  type  of  an  enterprising, 
sturdy  citizen  of  high  principles,  beloved 
by  all  who  knew  him.  Both  he  and  his 
wife  were  laid  to  rest  in  a  cemetery  in 
Rocky  Run  township.  They  had  two  sons, 
the  younger  being  George  W.,  who  is  now- 
living  in  Walker  township. 

J.  I.  Frazer  was  educated  in  the  schools 
of  Walker  township  and  remained  under 
the  parental  roof  until  twenty-four  years 
of  age.  He  assisted  in  the  arduous  task 
of  developing  a  new  farm.  His  birth 
place  was  a  log  cabin,  in  which  his  parents 
lived  during  the  pioneer  epoch  in  the  his- 
tory of  the  county  and  from  personal 
recollection  he  can  relate  many  incidents 
of  pioneer  times  and  tell  of  the  conditions 
of  life  which  then  existed  when  the 
frontier  homes  were  heated  with  huge 
fireplaces  and  lighted  by  candles,  and 
when  the  farm  work  was  largely  done  by 
hand,  for  the  fine  machinery  of  the  pres- 
ent day  was  then  unknown. 

On  the  i5th  of  April,  1873,  Mr.  Frazer 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Jincy  Re- 
becca Crenshaw,  who  was  born  in  Lima, 
Hancock  county,  Illinois,  in  1852,  a 
daughter  of  Theophilus  and  Martha 
(Martin)  Crenshaw,  both  of  whom  were 
natives  of  the  southern  part  of  this  state. 
The  father  was  a  farmer  by  occupation 
and  removed  from  southern  Illinois  to 
Adams  county.  The  grandfather  of  Mrs. 
Frazer  lived  for  a  time  in  Hancock 
county,  and  her  father  was  a  soldier  of 
the  Mormon  war  of  1844  and  also  partici- 
pated in  the  Indian  warfare  of  1848.  His 
name  was  thus  closely  associated  with 
pioneer  events  and  he  left  the  impress  of 
his  individuality  upon  the  early  develop- 
ment and  progress  of  the  county.  Both 
24 


he  and  "his  wife  are  now  deceased,  their 
graves  having  been  made  in  Holden 
cemetery  in  Rocky  Run  township.  In 
their  family  were  six  children  but  only 
two  are  now  living :  Celatha,  the  wife  of 
F.  M.  Jacobs,  of  Lima,  Adams  county ; 
and  Mrs.  Frazer. 

Following  his  marriage  Mr.  Frazer  re- 
ceived as  a  gift  from  his  father  two  hun- 
dred acres  of  land  on  section  36,  Rocky 
Run  township,  bordering  on  the  southern 
boundary  of  the  township.  Since  then  he 
has  added  to  his  original  holdings  until 
he  was  at  one  time  owner  of  over  seven 
hundred  and  seventy  acres  but  he  has 
given  to  each  of  his  children  two  hundred 
acres.  In  1888  he  built  his  large,  beauti- 
ful and  modern  residence,  and  he  has  also 
built  a  fine  barn  forty  by  sixty  feet.  The 
home  is  surrounded  by  a  well  kept  lawn 
and  there  are  many  modern  improvements 
and  accessories  upon  the  "farm,  all  indi- 
cating the  progressive  spirit  and  enter- 
prise of  the  owner.  He  has  been  very 
successful  in  his  farming  operations. 
Since  1898  he  has  practically  retired  from 
active  farming  and  rents  most  of  his  land. 
With  a  good  start  received  from  his 
father  he  has  made  steady  progress  in 
business  affairs,  adding  largely  to  his 
holdings  until  he  has  become  one  of  the 
extensive  landowners  of  his  township. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Frazer  have  every  reason 
to  be  proud  of  their  family  of  two  sons 
who  are  an  honor  to  their  family.  Lafay- 
ette Harison  Frazer,  the  elder,  married 
Miss  Catherine  E.  Shipe,  by  whom  he  has 
two  children,  Caroline  and  Lafayette 
Harrison  Frazer,  Jr.  Their  home  is  in 
Quincy,  Illinois.  William  T.  Frazer, 
born  August  15,  1884,  is  a  graduate  of 


376 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


the  Gem  City  high  school  at  Quincy  of 
the  class  of  1902.  He  is  now  at  home 
with  his  parents. 

Mr.  Frazer  gives  his  political  support 
to  the  democracy  and  is  serving  for  the 
second  term  as  supervisor  of  his  township 
and  chairman  of  the  board.  He  has 
passed  all  of  the  chairs  in  the  Masonic 
lodge  to  which  he  belongs  and  has  several 
times  been  master.  Both  he  and  his  wife 
are  members  of  the  Southern  Methodist 
church,  of  which  he  is  trustee  and  they 
contribute  generously  to  its  support  and 
take  an  active  and  helpful  interest  in  its 
work.  Their  home  is  noted  far  and  wide 
for  its  generous  and  warm-hearted  hos- 
pitality. It  is  most  beautifully  and  taste- 
fully furnished  and  moreover  is  the  em- 
bodiment of  good  cheer  and  kindly  spirit. 
Their  friends  are  numerous  and  the  warm 
regard  in  which  they  are  uniformly  held 
is  justly  merited.  They  have  done  much 
for  the  township  in  which  they  make  their 
home,  never  living  selfishly  to  themselves 
but  standing  for  progress  and  improve- 
ment along  all  lines  which  benefit  the  com- 
munity at  large.  July  4,  1906,  while  at 
the  breakfast  table  he  was  stricken  with 
paralysis  and  although  all  was  done  that 
skill  could  do,  he  passed  away  on  July 
6th.  He  is  laid  to  rest  in  the  family  lot  in 
Fletcher  cemetery  in  Rocky  Run 
township. 


JOHN  F.  ANTOINE. 

John   F.   Antoine  is  a   retired   farmer 
living  in  Basco,  the  years  of  his  former 


toil  making  it  possible  for  him  to  live' 
in  leisurely  manner  without  recourse  to 
further  labor.  He  was  born  in  the  village 
of  Many,  Department  of  Meurthe  and 
Moselle,  France,  in  1838.  He  came  to 
America  in  1856  with  his  mother  and 
family,  consisting  of  an  uncle  and  a 
brother  and  sister.  All  these  have  passed 
away  except  Mr.  Antoine.  and  the  resting 
place  of  their  mortal  remains  is  in  Basco 
cemetery.  The  family  settled  upon  a 
farm  in  Bear  Creek  township,  Hancock 
county,  Illinois,  where  he  worked  until 
1867.  He  then  began  to  consider  the 
subject  of  having  a  home  of  his  own  and 
consummated  his  purpose  through  his 
marriage  to  Miss  Celina  Ancelet,  who 
was  born  in  the  village  of  Le  Sourd.  in 
the  department  of  Aisne,  France.  Her 
parents  were  also  natives  of  that  coun- 
try and  her  father,  who  was  a  weaver  by 
trade,  .settled  in  Bear  Creek  township. 
Hancock  county,  upon  his  emigration  to 
America  in  1855.  Purchasing  land,  he 
then  carried  on  general  farming  and 
stock-raising  until  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred in  1877.  His  wife  survived  him 
until  1893  and  both  lie  buried  in  Basco 
cemetery.  In  their  native  land  they  were 
communicants  of  the  Catholic  church. 
Their  family  numbered  four  children,  of 
whom  three  are  living:  Ernest  and 
Adonis,  both  of  whom  reside  in  Bear 
Creek  township;  and  Mrs.  Antoine. 

Following  his  marriage  Mr.  Antoine 
lived  upon  a  farm  in  Bear  Creek  town- 
ship for  thirty-five  years  and  carefully 
cultivated  the  fields  and  managed  his 
property  until  it  brought  to  him  a  good 
financial  reward.  He  then  sold  his  farm 
and  in  Basco  built  a  pretty  cottage.  He 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


377 


owns  forty  acres  of  land  there  and  is  en- 
gaged in  raising  vegetables.  He  and  his 
bride  began  life  on  limited  financial  cir- 
cumstances but  through  their  united  ef- 
forts they  have  accumulated  a  comfortable 
competence  and  are  now  well  situated 
financially.  They  also  own  twenty  acres 
of  timber  land.  In  the  community  they 
stand  high  in  the  regard  of  those  who 
know  them.  Mrs:  Antoine  is  a  lady  of 
domestic  tastes,  devoted  to  her  home  and 
is  especially  fond  of  reading,  from  which 
she  derives  much  benefit,  as  she  possesses 
an  excellent  memory.  In  politics  Mr.  An- 
toine is  a  republican,  but  has  never  cared 
for  office  and  the  concentration  of  his 
energies  upon  his  business  affairs  to  the 
exclusion  of  other  interests  resulted  in 
the  acquirement  of  a  measure  of  success 
that  now  enables  him  to  enjoy  life  in 
quiet  and  retirement. 


THEOPHILUS  OUTHIER. 

Theophilus  Outhier,  whose  home  is  on 
section  i,  Montebello  township,  for  many 
years  has  resided  in  the  township  where 
he  has  carried  on  general  agricultural 
pursuits  and  the  raising  of  high  grade 
stock.  He  was  born  in  France,  October 
5,  1830,  and  is  a  son  of  Francis  and  Fran- 
ces (Gandard)  Outhier,  and  a  grandson 
of  Pierre  Gandard.  The  father  was  a 
farmer  of  France,  where  he  followed  ag- 
ricultural pursuits  until  1847.  when  he 
came  with  his  family  to  America,  sailing 
to  New  Orleans  and  thence  proceeding  up 


the  Mississippi  river  to  Keokuk.  He  lo- 
cated in  Henry  county,  Illinois,  and  soon 
afterward  purchased  sixty-five  acres  of 
land  on  section  20,  Sonora  township, 
Hancock  county,  a  part  of  which  was 
timber  and  part  prairie  land.  The  farm 
was  located  a  mile  from  the  Mississippi 
river  and  thereon  he  devoted  his  energies 
to  general  agricultural  pursuits  until 
1856,  when  he  sold  that  property  and  re- 
moved to  another  farm  of  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acres  on  section  34,  Sonora 
township.  This  was  prairie  land  which 
he  soon  brought  under  a  high  state  of 
cultivation,  also  erecting  there  a  good 
residence,  substantial  outbuildings,  to- 
gether with  well  kept  fences,  which  di- 
vided the  place  into  fields  of  convenient 
size.  He  was  not  long  permitted  to  en- 
joy his  new  home,  however,  for.  his  death 
occurred  in  1857.  He  had  for  ten  years 
survived  his  wife,  who  died  about  1847. 
Theophilus  Outhier  was  the  eldest  of 
a  family  of  three  sons  and  two  daughters, 
and  only  two  are  now  living,  his  brother 
being  Amiel  Outhier,  who  resides  in 
Adams  county,  Iowa.  Our  subject  was 
educated  in  the  public  schools  of  his  na- 
tive country  and  Illinois  and  was  reared 
to  farm  life.  He  came  to  the  United 
States  with  his  parents  when  sixteen 
years  of  age  and  remained  under  the 
parental  roof  until  his  marriage  on  the 
2Oth  of  November,  1856,  to  Miss  Susan 
Haycraft,  a  native  of  Kentucky  and  a 
daughter  of  John  and  Lydia  Ann  (Ash) 
Haycraft.  Following  his  marriage  Mr. 
Outhier  removed  to  a  farm  of  forty  acres, 
constituting  a  part  of  the  second  farm 
which  his  father  had  purchased.  He  im- 
proved all  of  his  father's  land  and  hauled 


378 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


the  lumber  from  Nauvoo  for  building 
fences  and  making  other  improvements 
upon  the  farm.  He  also  erected  a  house 
upon  that  forty-acre  tract,  which  his  fa- 
ther gave  him  and  he  there  carried  on 
general  fanning  for  about  two  years, 
after  which  he  traded  it  for  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acres  of  land  on  section  36,  So- 
nora  township.  This  was  only  partially 
improved.  There  was  a  small  house  and 
well  upon  the  place  and  a  little  orchard 
of  about  thirty-five  trees  had  been  set  out. 
Mr.  Outhier's  next  purchase  of  land  made 
him  owner  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres 
on  section  i,  Montebello  township.  This 
tract  came  into  his  possession  in  1864. 
and  he  continuously  carried  on  farm 
work  there.  He  built  a  two-story  frame 
residence  and  in  1875  built  a  large  barn 
thirty-two  by  sixty  feet.  He  also  built 
'a  double  corn  crib  thirty-two  by  thirty 
feet  and  he  set  out  many  soft  maple  trees, 
covering  about  four  acres.  The  land  has 
natural  drainage  and  the  farm  is  well 
equipped  with  all  modern  accessories  and 
conveniences.  In  1903  Mr.  Outhier  pur- 
chased one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of 
land  on  section  36,  Sonora  township,  all 
of  which  had  been  placed  under  a  high 
state  of  cultivation,  while  a  good  house 
and  barn  had  been  built.  Here  he  car- 
ries on  general  agricultural  pursuits  and 
also  raises  Norman  and  Percheron 
horses,  Durham  cattle  and  Poland  China 
hogs,  keeping  between  two  and  three  hun- 
dred head  of  hogs  on  his  farm  annually. 
He  also  has  about  three  acres  planted  to 
apples,  peaches,  plums,  cherries  and  pears 
and  he  likewise  raises  the  various  small 
fruits  adapted  to  soil  and  climate.  His 
farm  is  a  well  developed  property  and  in 


its  neat  and  thrifty  appearance  gives  evi- 
dence of  the  careful  supervision  of  the 
owner. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Outhier 
has  been  blessed  with  the  following 
named :  Emma,  the  wife  of  James 
Jones,  of  Hamilton,  Illinois;  Arthur 
Douglas,  who  is  living  in  Elaine  county, 
Oklahoma;  Mrs.  Addie  Emmons,  of  Prai- 
rie township ;  Albert,  of  Gage  county,  Ne- 
braska; Frank,  of  Montebello  township; 
George,  of  Prairie  township;  Justin,  who 
is  in  the  commission  business  in  Ferris, 
Illinois;  Estella,  the  wife  of  George  Ale- 
shire,  of  Carthage;  Clarence  and  Bert- 
rand,  who  are  residents  of  Elaine  county, 
Oklahoma ;  and  Elsie,  the  wife  of  Erastus 
Hanson,  of  Hamilton,  Illinois.  The  par- 
ents have  reared  a  family  of  which  they 
have  every  reason  to  be  proud,  as  their 
sons  and  daughters  have  become  respect- 
ed men  and  women  esteemed  in  the  va- 
rious localities  where  they  reside.  Mr. 
Outhier  has  served  as  school  director  and 
as  overseer  of  roads  and  is  interested  in 
public  affairs  to  the  extent  of  not  only 
giving  his  approbation  to  many  move- 
ments for  the  general  good  but  also  a 
hearty  and  generous  support. 


WILLIAM  ROASA. 

\Yilliam  Roasa,  who  since  1892  has 
resided  upon  his  present  farm  on  section 
I,  Wythe  township,  was  born  in  Keokuk, 
Iowa,  August  1 6.  1860.  He  is  of  Ger- 
man lineage,  his  parents,  Charles  and 
Elizabeth  (Kaufman)  Roasa,  being  na- 
tives of  Hesse  Darmstadt,  Germany. 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


379 


They  were  married,  however,  in  Phillips- 
burg,  Pennsylvania,  where  thev  were  liv- 
ing at  that  time.  The  father  was  a  stone- 
mason by  trade,  and  following  his  mar- 
riage removed  to  Louisville,  Kentucky, 
where  he  worked  at  his  trade  until  1854, 
and  then  went  to  Keokuk,  Iowa,  where 
he  worked  as  a  stonemason  until  1861. 
Following  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  war 
he  enlisted  in  the  Fifteenth  Regiment  of 
Missouri  Volunteers  at  St.  Louis  and 
was  in  the  service  for  ten  months,  at  the 
end  of  which  time  he  sustained  injuries 
in  his  back  that  necessitated  his  discharge. 
He  then  returned  to  Keokuk,  where  he 
again  followed  his  trade  until  1865,  in 
which  year  he  removed  to  Elvaston,  Illi- 
nois, and  for  four  years  cultivated  a  rent- 
ed farm.  On  the  expiration  of  that  pe- 
riod with  the  capital  he  had  saved  from 
his  earnings  he  purchased  two  hundred 
acres  of  land  in  Clark  county,  Missouri, 
whereon  he  resided  until  1880,  carrying 
on  general  agricultural  pursuits.  In  the 
year  mentioned  he  traded  that  farm  for 
eighty-two  acres  of  land  in  Prairie  town- 
ship, Hancock  county,  a  mile  and  a  quar- 
ter south  of  Elvaston,  to  which  he  after- 
ward added  ten  acres.  There  he  contin- 
ued to  carry  on  general  agricultural  pur- 
suits until  his  death  on  the  27th  of  Sep- 
tember. 1893.  This  was  occasioned  by 
injuries  sustained  by  being  thrown  from 
a  wagon  while  on  a  trip  to  Scotland  coun- 
ty, Missouri.  His  wife  survived  him  and 
died  upon  the  old  home  place  October  5, 
1904. 

\Yilliam  Roasa.'the  seventh  in  order  of 
birth  in  a  family  of  four  sons  and  six 
daughters,  made  his  home  with  his  par- 
ents until  he  had  attained  the  age  of 


twenty-four  years,  and  in  the  meantime 
acquired  a  district  school  education  in 
Clark  county,  Missouri,  and  in  this  county. 
On  starting  out  in  life  on  his  own  account 
he  worked  by  the  month  as  a  farm  hand, 
and  about  two  years  later  he  made  ar- 
rangements for  establishing  a  home  of  his 
own  through  his  marriage  on  the  5th  of 
October,  1886,  to  Miss  Amelia  Heagy, 
who  was  born  in  Montebello  township, 
Hancock  county,  December  23,  1865. 
She  acquired  her  education  in  the  public 
schools  of  Elvaston,  while  spending  her 
girlhood  days  in  the  home  of  her  par- 
ents, George  and  Theresa  (Bauer) 
Heagy,  the  former  a  native  of  Alsace, 
Germany,  and  the  latter  of  Waldurn,  Ba- 
den, Germany.  The  maternal  grandfa- 
ther was  Joseph  Bauer.  Both  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Heagy's  paternal  grandfathers  came 
to  the  United  States,  and  the  latter  estab- 
lished his  home  in  Ohio,  where  he  spent 
his  remaining  days.  Mr.  Bauer,  how- 
ever, died  in  Hamilton,  Ontario,  Can- 
ada. The  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Heagy  was  celebrated  in  Pittsburg,  Penn- 
sylvania, on  the  24th  of  June,  1852.  and 
in  the  following  year  they  removed  to 
Keokuk,  Iowa,  where  Mr.  Heagy  worked 
at  his  trade  until  1854.  He  then  pur- 
chased land  in  Montebello  township  and 
began  farming,  in  connection  with  which 
he  continued  to  work  at  his  trade  until 
1866,  when  he  purchased  sixty-two  acres 
of  land  in  Prairie  township.  There  he 
still  resides,  being  one  of  the  respected 
and  well  known  agriculturists  of  his  com- 
munity, but  in  1895  he  was  called  upon  to 
mourn  the  loss  of  his  wife,  who  died  in 
August  of  that  year. 

After  his  marriage  Mr.   Roasa  estab- 


38o 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


lished  his  home  in  Wythe  township  and 
also  operated  rented  land  in  Prairie  town- 
ship. He  was  thus  engaged  until  1892 
when  he  "purchased  his  present  place  of 
forty  acres  on  section  i,  Wythe  township. 
They  have  resided  upon  this  farm  con- 
tinuously since  their  marriage,  and  in  the 
fall  of  1905  Mr.  Roasa  added  to  his  pos- 
sessions through  the  purchase  of  the  place 
of  ninety-two  acres  in  Prairie  and  Bear 
Creek  townships,  which  he  had  previ- 
ously rented.  He  carries  on  general  agri- 
cultural pursuits  and  stock-raising  and 
finds  both  branches  of  his  business  profit- 
able, owning  to  his  careful  management 
and  his  indefatigable  enterprise.  In  1892 
he  purchased  one  hundred  and  twenty 
acres  of  land  in  Hodgeman  county,  Kan- 
sas, which  he  rents  out  for  pasture. 

The  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Roasa  has 
been  blessed  with  four  children :  Olga 
Louisa,  born  April  14,  1887;  Wilma 
Amelia,  December  31,  1888;  Gretta  Juan- 
ita,  February  10,  1895;  and  William 
Ivan,  February  5,  1893.  The  family  at- 
tend the  Evangelical  chuich  at  Hamilton, 
of  which  the  parents  are  members,  and 
Mr.  Roasa  is  identified  through  member- 
ship relations  with  the  Modern  Woodmen 
of  America  at  Elvaston,  while  his  polit- 
ical support  is  given  to  the  Republican 
party.  He  deserves  much  credit  for  what 
he  has  accomplished,  as  he  started  out  in 
life  empty-handed,  brooking  no  obstacles 
that  could  be  overcome  by  determined 
purpose  and  honest  effort,  and  he  has 
gradually  worked  his  way  upward  from  a 
humble  financial  position  to  one  of 
affluence,  having  an  excellent  farming 
property  in  Hancock  county,  Illinois,  on 
which  he  resides. 


WILLIAM  EDGAR  LYON. 

The  business  enterprises  of  Carthage 
find  a  worthy  representative  in  William 
E.  Lyon,  who  figured  prominently  in  com- 
mercial and  industrial  circles  here,  his 
wise  counsel  and  unflagging  industry  be- 
ing the  dominant  factors  in  the  success- 
ful control  of  a  large  lumber  and  house 
finishing  business  and  at  the  same  time 
he  is  a  dealer  in  coal  and  wood  and  as  a 
member  of  the  firm  of  W.  E.  Lyon  & 
Company  is  engaged  in  the  manufacture 
of  brick  and  tile.  Of  resourceful  busi- 
ness ability  and  strong  determination,  he 
carries  forward  to  successful  completion 
whatever  he  undertakes  if  his  end  can  be 
accomplished  by  honorable  means. 

Mr.  Lyon  is  yet  a  young  man,  for  his 
birth  occurred   in  Burlington,   Iowa,   on 
the  5th  of  April,  1870,  his  parents  being 
William  and  Mary  (Barkley)  Lyon.  His 
father  was  born  in  Linden,  Washington 
county,    Pennsylvania,    in    1851    and   the 
mother's    birth    occurred    in    the    same 
county.      The    former   was   a   grandson 
of  a  Presbyterian  minister,  Dr.  McMillan, 
who  was  one  of  the  first  preachers  of  the 
gospel  west  of  the  Alleghany  mountains 
and  established  the  Washington  College 
in  Washington  county,  Pennsylvania.   He 
preached  for  many  years,  riding  the  cir- 
cuit on  horseback.     He  was  over  six  feet 
tall,  weighed  three  hundred  pounds  and 
was  a  most  jovial  and  good-hearted  man 
and  very  witty.     Moreover  his  earnest- 
ness of  purpose  and  his  strong  humani- 
tarian principles  were  manifest  in  his  un- 
tiring efforts  to  promote  the  cause  of  re- 
ligion.    A  great-uncle  of  our  subject  on 
the  paternal  side  was  a  soldier  of  the  war 


WILLIAM  E.  LYON 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS, 


of  1812  and  his  father  has  in  his  posses- 
sion the  old  German  rifle  mounted  in  sil- 
ver belonging  to  his  uncle  and  which  will 
eventually  be  inherited  by  Mr.  Lyon  of 
this  review. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  William  Lyon  have  re- 
sided in  Burlington,  Iowa,  for  the  past 
thirty-seven  years  and  for  a  considerable 
period  he  was  engaged  in  business  as  a 
carpenter  and  contractor,  but  eventually 
turned  his  attention  to  the  lumber  trade, 
becoming  a  member  of  the  Burlington 
Lumber  Company.  At  the  time  of  the 
Civil  war  he  enlisted  in  the  Union  army, 
running  away  from  home  to  become  a 
drummer  boy,  and  he  remained  at  the 
front  until  the  close  of  hostilities.  Fra- 
ternally he  is  an  Odd  Fellow  and  has 
passed  all  of  the  chairs  in  the  local  lodge. 
Both  he  and  his  wife  are  devoted  and  ac- 
tive members  of  the  Presbyterian  church 
of  Burlington,  in  which  Mr.  Lyon  has 
served  as  elder  for  many  years.  When 
Mr.  Lyon  arrived  in  Burlington  the  joint 
capital  of  himself  and  wife  was  but  ten 
dollars.  He  is  today  a  wealthy  man, 
owning  a  fine  residence  and  in  control  of 
an  extensive  and  profitable  business.  His 
aged  father  still  lives  in  Pennsylvania. 
William  Lyon  is  a  self-made-  man  in  the 
truest  and  best  sense  of  the  term  and  his 
well-directed  labors  have  been  the  source 
of  his  prosperity.  He  is  seldom  at  error 
in  matters  of  business  judgment,  has  the 
power  to  co-ordinate  plans  and  forces  and 
through  the  utilization  of  opportunity 
has  developed  extensive  trade  interests 
until  the  name  of  William  Lyon  com- 
mands respect  and  admiration  wherever 
it  is  heard.  His  political  allegiance  is 
given  to  the  Republican  party  and  for 


several  years  he  has  served  as  alderman 
of  Burlington  and  has  also  been  a  mem- 
ber of  the  school  board,  filling  those  po- 
sitions with  dignity  and  honor.  Unto 
him  and  his  wife  have  been  bom  seven 
children,  of  whom  five  are  yet  living.  John 
M.  is  engaged  in  the  lumber  business  in 
La  Harpe  and  is  a  graduate  of  Parsons 
College,  of  Fairfield,  Iowa.  William  E. 
is  the  second  of  the  family.  Lydia  B., 
also  a  graduate  of  Parsons  College,  of 
Fairfield,  is  residing  with  her  parents  in 
Burlington.  Charles,  who  is  a  graduate 
of  Elliott's  Business  College,  of  Burling- 
ton, is  now  engaged  in  the  lumber  busi- 
ness in  Palmyra,  Missouri.  Bessie,  who 
has  been  attending  Parson's  College  at 
Fairfield,  is  at  home  with  her  parents. 

William  E.  Lyon  was  a  public  school 
student  in  his  native  city  and  for  two 
winters  attended  Elliott's  Business  Col- 
lege. He  was  afterward  bill  clerk  and 
stenographer  for  the  Burlington  Lumber 
Company  for  four  years.  While  attend- 
ing school  he  began  to  handle  saws  and 
tools  in  the  sawmill,  working  when  quite 
a  young  boy  for  fifty  cents  a  day.  He 
spent  his  vacations  and  Saturdays  in  this 
way  and  gained  an  intimate  knowledge 
and  interest  in  the  trade  with  which  his 
father  was  connected.  He  did  all  kinds 
of  work  in  the  sawmill  in  order  to  ac- 
quaint himself  with  the  business  and  be- 
come qualified  for  a  position  in  connection 
therewith.  After  four  years  spent  as  bill 
clerk  and  stenographer  for  the  Burling- 
ton Lumber  Company  he  came  to  Car-  . 
thage  in  February,  1892,  when  not  quite 
twenty-one  years  of  age  and  established 
a  lumber  yard,  having  an  office  on  Main 
street.  He  handles  sash,  doors,  molding, 


382 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


nails,  barbed  wire,  fencing  wire  and  all 
grades  of  lumber,  and  in  1901  he  enlarged 
his  business  by  adding  to  it  a  coal  office, 
dealing  in  wood  and  both  anthracite  and 
bituminous  coal.  He  has  the  largest  lum- 
ber plant  in  the  city  and  has  established 
a  fine  business.  In  1902  he  purchased 
the  brick  and  tile  plant  of  Plumb  Broth- 
ers and  has  since  conducted  that  enter- 
prise under  the  firm  style  of  W.  E.  Lyon 
&  Company.  They  have  enlarged  and  re- 
built the  tile  plant  and  make  shipments 
of  their  output  to  various  points  in  Illi- 
nois. There  is  also  a  large  home  de- 
mand for  their  tile  and  brick.  They  like- 
wise deal  in  lime,  cement  and  patent  plas- 
ter and  also  handle  sewer  pipe. 

On  the  20th  of  December.  1894,  Mr. 
Lyon  was  married  to  Miss  Viola  Susan 
Tyner,  who  was  born  in  Burnside,  Han- 
cock county,  Illinois,  a  daughter  of  Jared 
and  Emily  (McGahan)  Tyner,  both  of 
whom  were  natives  of  Hancock  county, 
Illinois.  The  father,  who  was  a  drug- 
gist at  Burnside,  passed  away  a  number 
of  years  ago,  but  the  mother  is  still  liv- 
ing and  is  a  member  of  the  Christian 
church,  to  which  Mr.  Tyner  also  be- 
longed. They  had  three  children :  Mary, 
the  wife  of  George  W.  Ray,  superintend- 
ent of  the  Lyon  brick  plant  at  Carthage : 
Airs.  Lyon;  and  Birdie,  the  wife  of  James 
F.  Gibson,  of  Carthage.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Lyon  have  three  children,  all  born  in  Car- 
thage :  Emily  Margaret,  aged  eight 
years ;  Orville.  six  years  of  age ;  and 
Jared  Edgar,  three  years  old.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Lyon  reside  on  Wabash  avenue  with 
her  mother,  Mrs.  Tyner. 

Mr.  Lyon  belongs  to  the  Masonic  fra- 
ternitv  and  is  also  an  Odd  Fellow  and 


Knight  of  Pythias.  He  and  his  wife  are  • 
devoted  Christian  people,  his  membership 
being  with  the  Presbyterian  church,  while 
his  wife  belongs  to  the  Christian  church. 
He  is  serving  as  elder  and  clerk  of  the 
session  and  is  also  teacher  of  the  men's 
Bible  class.  He  gives  his  political  sup- 
port to  the  Republican  party,  but  has 
never  aspired  to  office.  While  he  has 
never  been  a  public  man  in  social  or  po- 
litical life  he  has  always  been  quite 
prominent  in  church  circles  and  there  is 
no  good  work  either  in  the  name  of  char- 
ity or  the  advancement  of  religion  which 
does  not  find  in  him  an  earnest  and  ma- 
terial helper.  That  his  tastes  have  not 
led  him  into  public  walks  is  the  only  rea- 
son why  he  has  not  been  honored  by  his 
fellow  townsmen  with  office  and  political 
preferment.  Like  his  ancestors,  he  is  a 
man  of  large  proportions  and  is  equally 
large-hearted.  Of  genial  good  nature, 
pleasant  and  jovial,  he  is  always  a  gen- 
tleman and  numbers  his  friends  and  ad- 
mirers among  all  classes  of  people.  He 
has  made  a  notable  success  in  business 
for  one  of  his  years  and  his  success  is 
due  chiefly  to  his  natural  ability  and  his 
thorough  insight  into  the  business  in 
which  as  a  young  tradesman  he  embarked. 


L.  THADDEUS  THOMAS. 

L.  Thaddeus  Thomas  is  the  owner  of 
an  excellent  farm  of  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres,  constituting  the  northeast 
quarter  of  section  24.  Montebello  town- 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


383 


ship,  where  he  has  lived  since  the  spring 
of  [900.  His  home,  a  commodious  frame 
residence,  stands  in  the  midst  of  a  fine 
lawn,  ornamented  with  beautiful  shade 
trees  and  about  fifteen  rods  from  the  road 
that  divides  Montebello  and  Prairie  town- 
ships. Mr.  Thomas  is  a  native  of  Adams 
county,  Illinois,  born  December  i;  1849. 
His  father,  Isaac  Thomas,  was  born  in 
Bourbon  county,  Kentucky,  and  was  a 
son  of  James  and  Abigail  (Langsford) 
Thomas,  who  were  likewise  natives  of 
Kentucky.  Isaac  Thomas  came  with  his 
parents  to  Illinois  in  1831,  the  family 
home  being  established  in  Adams  county 
near  Quincy.  and  in  that  locality,  after 
attaining  his  majority,  he  married  Miss 
Louisa  Nichols,  likewise  a  native  of 
Bourbon  county,  Kentucky,  and  a  daugh- 
ter of  John  and  Kittie  (Carter)  Nichols, 
who  were  born  in  the  Blue  Grass  state. 
Following  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Isaac  Thomas  began  their  domestic  life 
upon  a  rented  farm  in  Adams  county, 
where  they  remained  until  1851,  when 
they  removed  to  Sonora  township,  Han- 
cock county,  making  purchase  of  eighty 
acres  of  land.  This  Mr.  Thomas  im- 
proved and  cultivated,  erecting  thereon  a 
frame  residence  and  extending  the  bound- 
aries of  his  farm  by  additional  purchase 
from  time  to  time.  Eventually  he  became 
one  of  the  extensive  landowners  of  the 
county;  his  holdings  covering  about  seven 
hundred  acres.  He  used  the  place  for 
stock-raising  and  general  farming,  rais- 
ing large  numbers  of  cattle,  horses  and 
hogs.  His  business  interests  were  a 
source  of  large  revenue  to  him,  owing  to 
his  capable  conduct  of  his  farm  and  his 
thorough  understanding  of  the  best  meth- 


ods of  tilling  the  soil  and  caring  for  the 
stock.  He  died  upon  the  old  homestead 
in  April,  1901,  at  the  age  of  seventy- four 
years,  and  in  the  spring  of  1906  his 
widow  removed  from  the  farm  to  Car- 
thage, where  she  is  now  living  at  the  age 
of  seventy-seven  years. 

L.  Thaddeus  Thomas  was  one  of  twins, 
the  sister  being  Laura  Ann  Thomas,  who 
is  now  with  her  mother  in  Carthage. 
They  were  the  parents  of  eight  children, 
six  of  whom  are  yet  living,  the  others  be- 
ing :  Luella,  who  is  the  widow  of  Henry 
\Yebber,  and  resides  in  Carthage;  Nao- 
ma  Jane,  who  is  with  her  mother;  Mar- 
tha, the  wife  of  Orville  Honce,  of  Mon- 
tebello township;  and  James  Harvey,  of 
Carthage. 

In  his  boyhood  days  L.  Thaddeus 
Thomas  remained  upon  the  old  homestead 
farm,  acquiring  his  education  in  the  dis- 
trict schools,  but  his  opportunities  in  that 
direction  were  somewhat  limited.  He 
was  married  April  15,  1886,  to  Miss  Eliz- 
abeth Honce.  who  was  born  in  Adams 
county,  Illinois,  a  daughter  of  Henry 
and  Sarah  (McBroom)  Honce,  natives 
of  Butler  county,  Ohio,  who  in  1850  ar- 
rived in  Adams  county,  Illinois,  where 
they  resided  for  a  few  years  and  then 
came  to  Montebello  township.  Mr. 
Honce'  purchased  a  farm  upon  which  he 
lived  until  his  death  in  August,  1899, 
while  his  wife  now  makes  her  home 
among  her  children. 

,  Following  his  marriage  Mr.  Thomas 
purchased  eighty  acres  of  land  on  sec- 
tion 13,  Montebello  township,  which  was 
an  improved  prairie  farm.  He  built  a 
barn  forty  by  sixty  feet  and  added  other 
modern  structures  and  equipments.  He 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


also  extended  the  boundaries  of  his  place 
until  he  owns  over  two  hundred  and  forty 
acres  all  in  one  body,  but  he  now  rents 
the  land,  while  he  gives  his  personal  su- 
pervision to  his  farm  of  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  on  section  24,  Montebello 
township,  which  he  purchased  in  the 
spring  of  1900.  This  place  was  well 
improved  when  it  came  into  his  posses- 
sion. He  has  here  a  very  pleasant  and 
comfortable  home  and  a  two-story  frame 
residence  which  is  situated  in  the  midst 
of  a  fine  growth  of  ornamental  and  shade 
trees.  There  are  also  well  tilled  fields, 
the  grain  ripening  under  the  summer  sun 
and  promising  abundant  harvests.  In 
the  barnyards  and  pastures  are  seen  good 
grades  of  shorthorn  cattle  and  Poland 
China  hogs  for  his  stock-raising  inter- 
ests prove  an  important  department  of  his 
business. 

The  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thomas  has 
been  blessed  with  two  children :  Alta 
Pearl,  born  January  26,  1889;  and  Les- 
ter Earl,  born  October  5,  1891.  Both 
are  attending  school  in  Hamilton.  The 
parents  hold  membership  in  the  Presby- 
terian church  at  Elvaston,  in  the  work 
of  which  they  take  an  active  and  helpful 
part,  while  since  1905  Mr.  Thomas  has 
served  as  one  of  the  church  trustees. 
His  political  support  is  given  to  the 
democracy. 


SAMUEL  DAVID  GNANN. 

The  attractiveness  of  Hancock  county 
as  a  place  of  residence  is  plainly  indicated 


by  the  fact  that  many  of  its  native  sons' 
have  remained  within  its  borders  since 
attaining  adult  life  to  enjoy  its  privileges 
and  benefit  through  the  improvement  of 
its  business  conditions.  Such  a  one  is 
Samuel  David  Gnann,  a  resident  fanner 
of  Appanoose  township.  He  was  born 
-  in  this  township,  January  30,  1869,  his 
parents  being  Benedict  and  Ursula  (Sut- 
ter)  Gnann,  natives  of  Prussia  and  of 
Switzerland  respectively.  About  1858, 
the  father  leaving  Germany,  crossed  the 
Atlantic  to  the  new  world  and  took  up 
his  abode  in  Wisconsin,  where  he  was 
employed  at  farm  labor.  Mr.  Gnann, 
however,  had  learned  and  followed  the 
baker's  trade.  He  removed  to  Iowa,  lo- 
cating in  Keokuk,  where  he  was  em- 
ployed in  various  ways  for  three  years 
and  on  the  expiration  of  that  period  came 
to  Appanoose  township,  and  invested  the 
money  which  he  had  saved  from  his  earn- 
ings in  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of 
land  on  section  33.  The  farm  had  been 
placed  under  cultivation  and  upon  it  .was 
a  brick  dwelling.  He  was  married  in 
Keokuk  to  his  brother's  widow.  She  had 
accompanied  her  first  husband  to  that 
city,  and  by  that  marriage  had  become 
the  mother  of  one  child,  Hannah,  who  is 
now  the  wife  of  John  Gross,  of  this  town- 
ship. The  death  of  Mrs.  Ursula  Gnann 
occurred  in  November,  1892,  and  in  the 
spring  of  1894  Benedict  Gnann  was 
again  married,  his  second  union  being 
with  Mrs.  Minnie  (Lutz)  Blum,  the 
widow  of  Carl  Blum.  Since  their  mar- 
riage they  have  resided  in  Nauvoo. 

Samuel  David  Gnann,  the  only  son  in 
a  family  of  seven  children,  has  always  re- 
sided upon  the  old  homestead  and  on  the 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


385 


1 2th  of  April,  1900,  he  purchased  one 
hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  this  place. 
He  attended  the  Maple  Grove  township 
school,  wherein  he  acquired  his  elemen- 
tary education  and  subsequently  he  was  a 
student  in  the  high  school  at  Nauvoo. 
Since  beginning  business  on  his  own  ac- 
count he  has  made  substantial  improve- 
ment upon  his  farm,  not  the  least  impor- 
tant of  which  is  a  fine  residence,  which 
was  erected  in  1905. 

On  the  24th  of  October,  1895,  Mr. 
Gnann  was  married  to  Miss  Nellie  May 
Webb,  a  native  of  Appanoose  township, 
and  a  daughter  of  William  G.  and  Laura 
(Davis)  Webb,  the  former  born  in  Han- 
cock county  and  the  latter  in  Ohio.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Gnann  now  have  two  sons : 
Everett  Ervin,  born  August  20,  1896: 
and  Merle  Edgar,  born  August  9,  1903. 
In  religious  faith  Mr.  Gnann  is  a  Lu- 
theran, having  been  confirmed  in  the 
church  when  fifteen  years  of  age.  He 
votes  with  the  democracy,  has  served  as 
township  clerk  for  three  years  and  has 
been  school  treasurer  since  1894.  His 
aid  and  co-operation  can  always  be  count- 
ed upon  for  supporting  movements  for 
the  general  good.  Fraternally  he  is  iden- 
tified with  Temple  lodge.  No.  222,  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  at  Nau- 
voo, and  also  is  a  member  of  the  Mod- 
ern Woodmen  of  America  at  Niota. 


CHARLES  WILKENS. 

Charles  Wilkens,  who  is  the  owner  of 
an  excellent  farming  property  in  Sonora 


township,  and  because  of  his  activity  and 
success  in  business  making  him  a  repre- 
sentative citizen  and  by  reason  of  the  fact 
that  he  is  a  native  son  of  Hancock  coun- 
ty, well  deserves  mention  in  this  volume. 
He  was  born  in  Appanoose  township, 
February  2,  1857,  and  is  the  eldest  in  a 
family  of  two  sons  and  three  daughters, 
whose  parents  were  William  and  Mar- 
garet (Zimmerman)  Wilkens,  the  former 
a  native  of  Hanover,  Germany,  and  the 
latter  of  Bavaria.  His  rnaternal  grand- 
father  was  Charles  Zimmerman.  Wil- 
liam Wilkens  emigrating  from  Germany 
to  America  in  1846,  made  his  way  to  St. 
Louis,  accompanied  by  a  son  and  two 
daughters  born  of  his  first  marriage,  the 
wife  and  mother  having  died  prior  to  that 
date.  He  was  employed  in  a  brickyard 
in  St.  Louis  .for  a  time,  and  after  the 
Mormon  war  came  to  Appanoose  town- 
ship, Hancock  county,  and  purchased 
eighty  acres  of  land  two  and  a  half  miles 
northeast  of  Nauvoo,  which  had  been 
placed  under  cultivation.  Subsequently, 
in  connection  with  a  Mr.  Bryant,  he  pur- 
chased one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of 
land  and  later  bought  several  acres  more. 
He  improved  these  different  places  and 
continued  to  engage  actively  in  farming 
un*il  1882,  when  he  sold  out  and  removed 
to  the  town  of  Nauvoo,  spending  his  re- 
maining days  in  the  enjoyment  of  a  well 
earned  rest.  His  wife  died  September 
19,  1875,  and  his  death  occurred  July 
ii,  1885. 

Charles  Wilkens  acquainted  himself 
with  the  common  branches  of  English 
learning  by  attending  the  district  schools, 
but  his  educational  privileges  were  some- 
what meager,  as  in  his  youth  he  had  as- 


386 


BIOGRAPHICAL  RE  J-' I  EH' 


sisted  his  father  in  clearing  the  land  and 
cultivating  the  fields.  He  swung  the  cra- 
dle during  many  harvest  seasons  and  per- 
formed all  the  work  incidental  to  devel- 
oping the  fields  and  cultivating  crops. 
Following  his  first  marriage  he  bought 
eighty  acres  of  land  in  Rock  Creek  town- 
ship, where  he  lived  for  seven  years.  He 
then  sold  out  and  bought  eighty  acres  on 
section  29,  Sonora  township,  all  under 
cultivation  save  for  about  seven  acres  of 
timber  which  he  has  since  secured  and 
placed  under  the  plow.  The  improve- 
ments upon  the  farm  constituted  a  stone 
dwelling  of  eight  rooms  and  a  stone  bam, 
which  he  has  since  remodeled,  adding 
thereto  sheds  and  granaries.  In  1904  he 
also  built  a  new  bam  and  has  improved 
his  property  until  it  is  now  a  fine  farm. 
It  :s  well  supplied  with  water,  for  he  has 
dug  four  wells  and  two  cisterns,  which 
furnish  an  unbounded  water  supply  for 
the  house  and  for  the  stock.  He  has  a 
fine  house  upon  the  place  and  various  ac- 
cessories and  conveniences  which  go  to 
make  up  a  model  farm  of  the  twentieth 
century.  On  the  23d  of  May,  1903,  he 
added  ninety-seven  acres  to  his  farm  ad- 
joining the  original  tract  on  the  south 
and  purchased  from  the  estate  of  Joseph 
Miller.  It  is  situated  on  section  32,  So- 
nora township,  and  he  also  bought  ninety- 
eiglr:  and  seven-tenths  acres  on  section 
31.  of  which  forty  acres  was  under  cul- 
tivation, while  the  remainder  was  cov- 
ered with  timber  and  brush.  He  carries 
on  general  fanning  and  raises  shorthorn 
cattle,  Poland  China  hogs  of  good  grades. 
He  is  well  known  as  an  extensive  feeder. 
On  the  i/th  of  February.  1881,  Mr. 
Wilkens  married  Miss  Carrie  Kahler,  a 


native  of  Nauvoo,  who  died  March  29, 
1888,  leaving  two  children:  George 
William,  who  was  born  November  25, 
1 88 1  ;  and  David  F.,  born  February  17, 
1885.  Another  son,  Bernard,  died  in  in- 
fancy. On  the  2d  of  May,  1889,  Mr. 
Wilkens  married  Mary  Schmidt,  who 
was  born  in  Nauvoo,  a  daughter  of  John 
and  Mary  (Blockberger)  Schmidt,  na- 
tives of  Austria.  The  children  of  this 
marriage  are:  Valley  M.,  born  April 
22,  1890;  Charles  and  Gabriel,  twins, 
born  May  4,  1892;  John,  May  5,  1898; 
Ralph  O.,  October  10,  1899;  and  Eulia, 
born  January  8,  1903. 

When  only  six  years  of  age  Mr.  Wil- 
kens made  frequent  trips  to  Nauvoo, 
walking  two  and  a  half  miles,  and  he  re- 
members seeing  the  county  when  there 
were  still  many  evidences  of  frontier  life 
and  the  work  of  improvement  has  been 
carried  on  until  this  is  one  of  the  rich 
agricultural  centers  of  the  state  of  Illi- 
nois, nor  is  it  lacking  in  its  commercial 
and  industrial  advantages.  He  belongs 
to  the  Catholic  church  at  Nauvoo,  and  is 
a  supporter  of  the  Democratic  party,  on 
which  ticket  he  has  been  elected  to  the 
office  of  highway  commissioner.  He  has 
also  served  as  school  director  and  is 
known  for  his  devotion  to  matters  that 
are  of  material  interest  to  the  county. 


COLLINS  BRUNTON. 

Collins  Brunton,  deceased,  was  an  early 
settler  of   Illinois,   whose  memory  com- 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


387 


passes  the  greater  period  of  development, 
progress  and  improvement  in  this  part  of 
the  state.  He  bore,  too,  an  active 
and  helpful  part  in  the  work  of 
general  improvement,  especially  along 
material  lines  and  he  justly  merited 
the  success  which  came  to  him  and 
the  high  regard  which  was  uniformly 
tendered  him  by  those  with  whom  he  was 
associated.  He  was  born  near  Cincin- 
nati, Ohio,  May  14,  1818,  his  parents 
being  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thomas  Brunton. 
The  father  was  born  in  Scotland,  while 
his  mother  had  her  birthplace  among  the 
Pennsylvania  Dutch.  About  1830  the 
parents  removed  from  Ohio  to  Indiana, 
and  in  1840  became  residents  of  Mc- 
Donough  county,  Illinois,  but  soon  after- 
ward took  up  their  abode  in  Adams 
county,  this  state,  where  the  mother  died. 
The  members  of  the  family  then  became 
scattered  and  Collins  Brunton  came  to 
Wythe  township,  Hancock  county.  He 
was  a  youth  of  about  twelve  years  at  the 
time  of  the  removal  to  Indiana  and  his 
education  was  largely  acquired  in  the  pub- 
lic schools  of  that  state.  Following  the 
death  of  his  mother  he  came  to  this  county 
in  1850,  purchasing  three  hundred  and 
twenty  acres  of  land  on  section  26,  Wythe 
township,  of  which  about  one  hundred 
acres  was  covered  with  timber.  He  after- 
ward, however,  disposed  of  much  of  the 
timber  tract  but  two  hundred  and  fifty 
acres  are  still  comprised  within  the- old 
homestead  farm.  When  he  came  into  pos- 
session of  this  property  there  was  no 
building  upon  it  save  a  log  house,  which 
had  been  erected  by  the  Mormons,  while 
forty  acres  of  the  land  had  been  placed 
under  the  plow.  In  1851  he  erected  a 


residence  of  eleven  rooms  and  as  the  years 
passed  he  placed  upon  his  farm  all  modem 
improvements — which  are  many.  There 
is  also  a  house  for  tenants  and  a  fine  tim- 
ber tract  of  thirty  or  forty  acres.  Good 
barns  and  outbuildings  are  a  feature  of 
the  farm  and  during  the  active  manage- 
ment of  Mr.  Brunton  everything  about 
the  place  was  kept  in  most  thrifty 
condition. 

On  the  28th  of  March,  1852,  occurred 
the  marriage  of  Collins  Brunton  and  Miss 
Nancy  N:  McGee,  who  was  born  in  Mc- 
Donough  county,  Illinois,  March  31, 
1832,  and  was  educated  in  the  district 
schools  there.  Her  parents  were  Samuel 
and  Elizabeth  (Bullington)  McGee,  na- 
tives of  Kentucky,  whence  they  removed 
to  Indiana  in  their  childhood  days.  They 
were  married  in  the  latter  state  and  sev- 
eral children  were  born  to  them  ere  their 
removal  to  McDonough  county,  Illinois, 
about  1829.  They  located  there  just 
prior  to  the  winter  of  the  great  snow— 
an  incident  memorable  in  the  history  of 
this  state.  It  brought  on  very  hard  times 
and  the  MeGee  family  had  to  go  to  Jack- 
sonville, about  eighty  miles,  to  get  bread 
stuff,  having  to  break  a  road  through  the 
snow  with  ox  teams.  Sometimes  such  a 
trip  would  require  three  weeks.  Mr.  Mc- 
Gee had  lost  his  first  wife  in  Indiana,  and 
at  her  death  she  left  six  children.  The 
second  wife  was  the  mother  of  Mrs. 
Brunton,  and  there  were  twelve  children 
by  this  marriage.  Altogether  fifteen  of 
his  children  lived  to  mature  years  but  only 
four  are  now  living,  namely :  Mrs. 
Brunton;  Sarah  E.,  the  wife  of  Isaac 
Wilson,  of  Carthage;  Francis  Marion,  of 
Elvaston;  and  Andrew  Jackson,  who  is 


388 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


living  in  Bear  Creek  township.  Mr. 
McGee  passed  away  May  31,  1864,  while 
his  wife  survived  until  August  21,  1882. 

Following  his  marriage  Mr.  Brunton 
located  upon  what  has  since  been  known 
as  the  old  homestead  and  there  he  tilled 
the  soil  and  raised  cattle,  horses  and  hogs, 
while  during  the  period  of  the  Civil  war 
he  also  kept  sheep.  In  early  days  there 
were  many  wild  animals  in  the  forests  and 
various  evidences  of  frontier  life  were 
still  to  be  found  in  Hancock  county.  His 
wife  had  located  in  Bear  Creek  township 
in  1846,  and  was  here  during  the  Mor- 
mon war,  while  her  half-brother,  Henry, 
and  her  eldest  brother,  Elisha,  partici- 
pated in  the  effort  which  resulted  in  the 
expulsion  of  the  Mormons  from  the 
county. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Brunton  became  the  par- 
ents of  two  children,  Henrietta  Evelyn 
and  Minnie  Frances.  The  former  was 
born  March  21,  1855,  lost  her  hearing 
when  eighteen  years  of  age  and  has  al- 
ways remained  at  home  with  her  mother. 
Minnie  F.,  born  November  25,  1859,  is 
the  wife  of  Nelson  Comfort,  of  Carthage, 
and  she  is  now  sending  two  daughters 
to  school  there,  Marie  Evelyn,  born  April 
17,  1885;  and  Annetta  Grace,  born  Sep- 
tember 15,  .1890. 

Mr.  Brunton  was  a  devoted  member  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  for  many 
years  but  afterward  joined  the  Baptist 
church,  in  the  faith  of  which  he  passed 
away.  He  belonged  to  the  Masonic  fra- 
ternity in  Warsaw  and  gave  his  political 
allegiance  to  the  Republican  party.  His 
death  resulted  from  heart  trouble,  occa- 
sioned by  lagrippe,  and  he  passed  away 
March  17,  1896,  his  remains  being  in- 


terred in  McGee  cemetery  on  the  old 
home  place  in  Wythe  township.  He  was 
then  in  the  seventy-eighth  year  of  his 
age,  and  was  accounted  one  of  the  most 
respected  and  venerable  of  the  worthy 
pioneer  settlers  of  this  part  of  the  state. 
He  had  lived  in  Hancock  county  from  the 
early  '405  and  had  been  a  landowner  here 
from  1850.  A  life  of  diligence  and  en- 
terprise was  crowned  with  a  goodly 
measure  of  success  and  through  his  hon- 
orable dealings  he  became  known  as  a 
man  of  unquestioned  integrity  who  closely 
adhered  to  the  golden  rule  in  all  of  his 
business  and  social  relations. 


JOHN  T.  THORNBER. 

John  T.  Thornber,  who  is  engaged  ex- 
tensively in  agricultural  pursuits  in  Han- 
cock county,  owning  a  farm  of  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  acres  situated  in  Sonora 
and  Rock  Creek  townships,  a  portion  of 
which  was  the  property  of  his  father,  is 
a  native  of  Lancashire,  England,  born 
October  16,  1854,  a  son  of  Henry  and 
Lucy  (Ellison)  Thornber,  also  natives  of 
that  country,  the  former  bom  in  Lanca- 
shire, while  the  latter's  birth  occurred  in 
Yorkshire.  The  maternal  grandfather  of 
Mr.  Thornber  was  Mathew  Ellison. 
Henry  Thornber,  father  of  our  subject, 
on  leaving  England  emigrated  to  Amer-. 
ica,  and  at  once  made  his  way  to  Hancock 
county,  the  year  of  his  arrival  being  1843. 
Here  he  bought  forty  acres  of  land  lying 
in  Rock  Creek  township,  and  two  years 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


389 


later  was  married  to  Miss  Lucy  Ellison, 
her  parents  having  emigrated  from  Eng- 
land to  this  portion  of  the  state.  In  1853 
the  father  returned  to  his  native  land,  but 
two  years  later  made  his  way  once  more 
to  Rock  Creek  township,  Hancock  coun- 
ty, where  he  purchased  considerable  land 
and  engaged  in  general  agricultural  pur- 
suits. His  death  occurred  in  February, 
1887.  while  his  wife  had  passed  away 
many  years  before,  her  death  occurring 
on  Christmas  day,  1865.  The  father  was 
married  a  second  time,  in  February,  1868, 
his  union  being  with  Margaret  Pilking- 
ton,  likewise  a  native  of  England,  and  of 
this  marriage  there  is  one  son,  Amos  J., 
a  practicing  physician  of  Burlington, 
Iowa.  Of  the  father's  first  marriage  there 
were  born  six  children,  of  whom  our  sub- 
ject is  a  member,  namely:  David  R.,  a 
resident  of  Chateau  county,  Montana ; 
Mary  H.,  the  wife  of  Isaac  Seigfreid,  of 
Rock  Creek  township;  John  T..  whose 
name  introduces  this  review ;  Lucy  M., 
who  became  the  wife  of  C.  H.  McCollom, 
of  Carthage,  Illinois,  where  her  death  oc- 
curred in  December,  1886;  W.  H.,  a  res- 
ident farmer  of  Sonora  township:  and 
James  H.,  a  printer  of  Fort  Madison, 
Iowa.  At  the  time  of  the  father's  death 
he  left  his  family  a  valuable  estate,  com- 
prising twelve  hundred  acres  of  land,  sit- 
uated in  Rock  Creek,  Sonora  and  Pon- 
toosuc  townships,  of  which  our.  subject 
fell  heir  to  one  hundred  and  thirty-one 
acres  lying  on  section  12,  Sonora  town- 
ship. 

Mr.  Thornber  of  this  review  acquired 
his  education  in  the  district  schools  of 
Rock  Creek  township,  and  during  his 
boyhood  and  youth  assisted  his  father  in 


the  operation  of  the  home  farm. 
At  the  age  of  twenty-three  years 
he  located  on  the  farm  which  he 
inherited  from  the  father's  estate,  and 
here  he  added  many  modern  improve- 
ments, including  a  nice  home,  good  barns 
and  other  substantial  outbuildings  for  the 
shelter  of  grain  and  stock,  and  here  he 
took  up  the  work  of  general  farming  and 
stock-raising,  meeting  with  very  gratify- 
ing success,  so  that  he  was  eventually 
able  to  add  to  his  original  holdings  by 
the  purchase  of  more  land,  lying  on  sec- 
tions I  and  12,  Sonora  township,  and  he 
also  owns  ten  acres  of  timber  land  in 
Pontoosuc  township.  In  1905  he  erect- 
ed a  barn  forty  by  fifty  feet,  for  the  shel- 
ter of  horses,  grain  and  hay.  On  his 
farm  he  has  also  erected  a  tenant  house 
which  is  now  occupied  by  his  son-in-law, 
Harry  H.  Martin,  who  assists  Mr. 
Thornber  in  the  operation  of  the  farm. 
He  has  also  set  out  many  shade  and  fruit 
trees,  having  an  orchard  of  two  acres 
planted  to  apples,  cherries  and  peaches, 
and  many  varieties  of  smaller  fruit. 

In  September,  •  1877,  Mr.  Thornber 
chose  as  a  companion  on  life's  journey 
Miss  Flora  B.  Berdine,  a  native  of  Mar- 
shall county,  Illinois,  and  a  daughter  of 
Jacob  S.  and  Mary  (Randolph)  Berdine, 
both  natives  of  New  Jersey,  and  the  lat- 
ter a  daughter  of  Isaac  Randolph.  Unto 
our  subject  and  his  wife  have  been  born 
four  children:  Grace,  who  was  born 
August  ii,  1878,  is  the  wife  of  Harry  H. 
Martin,  and  they  live  on  'her  father's 
farm.  Frank  was  born  October  20,  1883. 
and  married  Grace  Weber,  and  resides  in 
Rock  Creek  township.  Edrie,  born  Oc- 
tober 24,  1888,  is  engaged  in  teaching 


390 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


school  in  Sonora  township;  Henry,  bom 
in  January,  1880,  died  in  August  of  the 
following  year. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Thornber  is 
a  republican  and  served  one  year  as  high- 
way commissioner.  He  has  never  been 
active  in  politics,  preferring  to  give  his 
undivided  attention  to  his  own  private 
interests.  Although  he  inherited  a  por- 
tion of  his  property,  he  has  worked  hard 
in  the  improvement  of  this  and  in  his 
work  met  with  success  so  that  he  was  able 
to  add  many  more  acres  to  his  original 
holdings  and  is  today  accounted  one  of 
the  prominent  and  prosperous  farmers  of 
his  section  of  the  county.  He  has  spent 
the  greater  part  of  his  life  in  the  com- 
munity where  he  yet  resides  and  has  so 
lived  as  to  win  the  respect  and  confidence 
of  all  with  whom  he  has  come  in  contact. 


JOHN  B.  WORTHEN. 

John  B.  Worthen,  a  leading  merchant 
of  Warsaw,  owning  and  conducting  a 
grocery  store,  was  born  in  this  city,  Feb- 
ruary 4,  1855,  a  son  of  Amos  H.  and 
Sarah  B.  (Kimball)  Worthen.  His 
father,  the  distinguished  geologist  and 
scientist,  came  to  Warsaw  in  1836,  and  in 
the  public  schools  of  this  city  the  son,  John 
B.,  acquired  his  early  education,  which 
was  supplemented  by  study  in  the  State 
University,  at  Champaign.  After  com- 
pleting his  education  he  went  to  Salt  Lake 
City,  where  in  1872  and  1873,  he  was  em- 
ployed as  bookkeeper  in  a  commercial 


house.  He  then  returned  to  Keokuk, 
Iowa,  and  accepted  a  clerical  position  at. 
the  depot  of  the  Keokuk  &  Northwestern 
Railroad  and  remained  there  until  1876, 
when  he  went  to  Centerville.  Iowa,  as 
agent  on  the  Minnesota,  Iowa  &  Nebraska 
Railroad.  In  1878  he  was  agent  at 
Hokah,  Minnesota,  for  the  Canadian 
Southern  Railroad,  where  he  remained 
until  1879,  when  he  returned  to  Warsaw, 
and  in  partnership  with  W.  B.  Hill  opened 
a  grocery  store.  In  1881  Mr.  Hill  sold 
his  interest  to  Charles  K.  Worthen  and 
the  firm  name  of  Worthen  Brothers  was 
then  assumed.  In  1882,  however,  John 

B.  Worthen  purchased  his  brother's  in- 
terest and  since  that  time  has  conducted 
the  business  alone,  having  at  the  present 
time  the  largest  grocery  house  in  War- 
saw.    He  occupies  a  store  building  forty 
by  seventy  feet  with  a  complete  line  of 
staple  and  fancy  groceries  and  the  extent 
of  his  stock  is  indicative  of  the  growth  of 
his  trade,  which  is  now  very  important 

"  and  brings  him  a  gratifying  income. 

In  1882  Mr.  Worthen  was  married  to 
Belle  S.  Connor,  who  was  born  in  Luray, 
Missouri,  in  1857,  a  daughter  of  Benja- 
min F.  and  Elizabeth  (Lamb)  Connor. 
They  have  five  children :  Ella  E.,  born 
in  1883;  Jeannette  L.,  in  1887;  Marie,  in 
1891;  Helen  Eunice,  in  1893;  and  John 

C,  in  1899.     Mrs.  Worthen  and  the  fam- 
ily are  members  of  the  Episcopal  church. 
Mr.  Worthen  affiliates  with  the  Masonic 
fraternity,  in  which  he  has  taken  the  de- 
grees of  the  blue  lodge,  chapter  and  com- 
mandery.     For   four  years   he  acted   as 
master  of  the  lodge,  has  filled  other  offices 
therein  and  at  this  writing  is  treasurer. 
Having  spent  almost  his  entire  life  in  his 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


native  city  he  has  a  wide  acquaintance 
and  his  salient  characteristics  are  such 
as  have  gained  for  him  a  position  of 
prominence  in  public  regard. 

CHARLES     K.     WORTHEN. 

Charles  K.  Worthen,  who  since  1867 
has  devoted  the  greater  part  of  his  life 
to  scientific  research  and  the  collection  of 
animals  and  birds  for  the  various  natural 
historical  museums  of  this  country  and 
Europe,  was  born  in  Warsaw,  Illinois, 
September  6,  1850.  He  has  a  natural 
predilection  for  the  tasks  to  which  he  is 
now  devoting  his  energies,  his  inherited 
tendency  coming  to  him  from  his  father, 
Amos  H.  Worthen,  scientist  and  geolo- 
gist, who  for  many  years  stood  as  one 
of  the  foremost  representatives  of  geolog- 
ical research  in  America.  The  son  was 
educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Warsaw 
and  of  Springfield,  the  family  removing 
to  the  latter  city  in  1858.  In  1861,  how- 
ever, they  returned  to  Warsaw,  and  in 
1867  Charles  K.  Worthen  began  the  work 
of  illustrating  the  geological  reports  pub- 
lished by  his  father.  He  devoted  ten 
years  to  that  task  and  then  went  to  Bow- 
doin  College  in  Brunswick,  Maine,  where 
he  illustrated  Lieutenant  Wheeler's  Ex- 
pedition West  of  the  One  Hundredth  Me- 
ridian under  Professor  Charles  A.  White. 
He  afterward  went  to  the  Cambridge 
(Massachusetts)  Museum  of  Compara- 
tive Zoology,  where  he  became  associated 
with  Professor  Louis  Agassiz,  illustrating 
the  fishes  and  fish  teeth  of  Illinois  fos- 
sils. A  part  of  the  work  was  done  for 
Professor  Agassiz  and  part  for  the  Illi- 
nois geological  survey.  While  at  Cam- 
25 


bridge  he  began  his  work  in  natural  his- 
tory, which  he  has  followed  since  that 
time,  his  energies  being  devoted  to  labors 
along  the  line  of  natural  history  and  tax- 
idermy. He  has  supplied  various  mu- 
seums of  this  country  and  of  Europe  with 
their  animal  and  bird  specimens,  having 
collectors  in  all  parts  of  the  world,  se- 
curing material  for  his  work.  His  scien- 
tific knowledge  along  these  lines  is  broad 
and  comprehensive  and  his  opinions  are 
largely  received  as  authority. 

In  May,  1873,  Charles  K.  Worthen 
was  married  to  Clara  F.  Waugh,  a  daugh- 
ter of  John  M.  and  Mary  A.  (Ellis) 
Waugh,  who  were  natives  of  Rock  Is- 
land. She  was  born  in  Waughtown,  ad- 
jacent to  Rock  Island,  June  15,  1855,  and 
was  educated  in  the  schools  of  Rock  Is- 
land and  of  Warsaw,  accompanying  her 
parents  on  their  removal  to  the  latter  city 
in  her  early  girlhood.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Worthen  now  have  four  children.  Frank 
F.,  born  March  10,  1874,  is  vice  president 
of  the  O'Brien-Worthen  Company,  of 
Keokuk,  Iowa,  manufacturers  of  dental 
and  surgical  goods  and  supplies.  He  is 
a  graduate  of  Washington  University,  at 
St.  Louis,  Missouri,  and  practiced 
dentistry  in  Warsaw  for  eight  years. 
The  other  members  of  the  family  are 
Bertha  V.,  who  was  born  February  14, 
1876,  and  died  February  3,  1901 ;  Aimee 
W.,  born  August  24,  1880;  and  Mabel 
R.,  born  November  26,  1883. 

AMOS  H.  WORTHEN. 

Amos  H.  Worthen,  proprietor  of  a 
grocery  store  in  Warsaw,  was  born  in 
Charlestown,  Massachusetts,  February 


392 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


2T.  1844,  and  was  educated  in  the  schools 
of  Warsaw  and  of  Springfield,  Illinois. 
At  the  age  of  seventeen  years  he  en- 
listed in  August,  1861,  as  a  member  of 
the  Seventh  Missouri  Cavalry  and  served 
until  the  2ist  of  November,  1864,  when 
he  was  mustered  out  with  the  rank  of 
first  sergeant.  He  participated  in  the 
battle  of  Prairie  Grove,  Arkansas,  Decem- 
ber 7,  1863,  and  was  there  captured  and 
sent  as  a  prisoner  of  war  to  Fort  Smith, 
Arkansas,  where  he  remained  for  about 
two  weeks,  when  he  was  paroled.  Later 
he  was  exchanged  and  returned  to  his 
regiment,  where-he  served  until  mustered 
out.  After  returning  from  the  war  in 
1864  he  made  his  home  in  Warsaw,  where 
he  filled  the  office  of  tax  collector  for 
a  year.  In  1867  he  bought  a  farm  of 
forty  acres  four  miles  south  of  Warsaw, 
where  he  engaged  in  raising  grapes  and 
fruit,  his  attention  being  devoted  to  horti- 
cultural pursuits  until  1894,  when  he 
again  took  up-  his  abode  in  Warsaw  and 
clerked  for  his  brother,  J.  B.  Worthen, 
until  1904.  In  that  year  he  purchased 
the  store  of  Homer  Schaefer  and  is  now 
conducting  a  grocery  house,  carrying  a 
complete  line  of  staple  and  fancy  gro- 
ceries and  enjoying  a  good  patronage. 

On  the  2d  of  May,  1867,  Mr.  Worthen 
was  married  to  Miss  Jennie  M.  Brown,  a 
daughter  of  Peter  Brown,  of  Indianapolis, 
Indiana.  She  was  born  August  10,  1846, 
and  in  her  girlhood  days  came  to  War- 
saw, residing  with  her  uncle,  Isaac  H. 
Brown,  until  her  marriage.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Amos  H.  Worthen  have  six  children. 
Bernard  H.,  born  in  1869.  is  now  a  dealer 
in  sporting  goods  at  Atlanta,  Georgia. 
Robert  B.  is  proprietor  of  a  restaurant  at 


Lake  Arthur,  Louisiana.  Kate  S.  is  the 
wife  of  Charles  H.  Bolte,  of  Cripple 
Creek,  Colorado.  Helen  S.  is  conducting 
a  millinery  establishment  at  Cripple 
Creek.  Hubbard  B.  is  a  painter  at 
Boulder,  Colorado,  and  Mary  is  assistant 
chief  operator  in  the  telephone  office  at 
Warsaw. 


GEORGE  COLUMBUS  McCORD. 

George  Columbus  McCord  is  the  owner 
of  valuable  farming  property  in  La  Harpe 
township,  where  he  owns  and  operates 
one  hundred  and  eighty-two  and  a  half 
acres,  which  was  formerly  the  property 
of  his  father,  and  he  is  one  of  the  re- 
spected and  worthy  citizens  of  Hancock 
county.  His  birth  occurred  on  the  farm 
which  is  now  his  home,  February  22, 
1845,  a  son  of  J.  W.  and  Nancy  (Mani- 
fold) McCord,  the  former  born  in  Over- 
ton  county,  Tennessee,  July  I,  1815.  The 
paternal  grandfather.  John  McCord,  lo- 
cated in  Morgan  county,  Illinois,  in  1830, 
but  a  year  later  took  up  his  abode  in  Mc- 
Donough  county,  this  state,  where  his 
death  occurred.  His  wife  bore  the  maid- 
en name  of  Mary  Willard.  The  maternal 
grandparents  of  our  subject,  George  and 
Mary  (Pursley)  Manifold,  became  resi- 
dents of  Hancock  county  in  1836,  at 
which  time  they  settled  in  La  Harpe 
township,  where  the  death  of  George 
Manifold  occurred  about  one  year  later. 
J.  W.  McCord  and  Nancy  Manifold  were 
married  in  this  county  on  the  T5th  of 
March,  1835.  and  at  once  began  their 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


393 


domestic  life  in  McDonough  county, 
where  the  father  operated  a  tract  of  land 
which  he  rented,  and  on  which  they  made 
their  home  during  the  succeeding  three 
years,  subsequent  to  which  time  they 
came  to  La  Harpe  township,  this  county, 
where  the  father  purchased  forty  acres 
of  land  lying  on  section  20.  As  he  pros- 
pered in  his  undertakings  he  added  to  his 
original  holdings  until  he  owned  one  hun- 
dred and  eighty-two  and  a  half  acres  all 
in  La  Harpe  township,  and  in  addition  to 
this  he  owned  a  tract  of  ninety-four  acres 
situated  in  Fountain  Green  township.  He 
participated  in  the  Mormon  war  of  1844, 
which  resulted  in  the  expulsion  of  this 
religious  sect  from  this  section  of  Illi- 
nois. He  was  a  democrat  in  his  political 
views,  and  cast  his  first  presidential  vote 
for  Martin  Van  Buren  in  1836.  He  and 
his  wife  were  both  devoted  members  of 
the  Cumberland  Presbyterian  church. 
The  mother  of  our  subject  died  October 
8,  1899,  while  the  father  survived  until 
April  9,  1901,  when  he,  too,  was  called 
to  bis  final  rest. 

George  C.  McCord,  whose  name  intro- 
duces this  record,  is  the  fourth  in  order 
of  birth  in  a  family  of  four  sons  and 
four  daughters.  He  was  reared  to  farm 
life  in  this  county,  assisting  his  father  in 
the  various  tasks  of  carrying  on  general 
agricultural  pursuits,  and  during  his  boy- 
hood and  youth  attended  the  common 
schools  near  his  father's  home.  He  re- 
mained under  the  parental  roof  until  he 
had  attained  the  age  of  twenty-two  years, 
when  he  started  out  in  life  on  his  own 
account,  first  going  to  McDonough  coun- 
ty, where  he  bought  a  farm  of  eighty 
acres  situated  in  Hire  township.  He  later 


added  a  tract  of  forty  acres  and  had  one 
of  the  finely  improved  farms  of  his  por- 
tion of  the  state.  He  continued  to  make 
his  home  here  until  1893,  when  he  dis- 
posed of  this  property  and  bought  the 
homestead  property  in  Hancock  county, 
which  comprises  one  hundred  and  eighty- 
two  and  a  half  acres,  to  which  he  re- 
moved, and  here  he  has  resided  to  the 
present  time,  his  energies  being  devoted 
to  general  agricultural  pursuits  and  the 
raising  of  stock.  He  has  been  very  pro- 
gressive and  practical  in  his  work  so  that 
he  has  accomplished  whatever  he  has  un- 
dertaken and  is  now  in  possession  of  four 
hundred  and  twenty-one  acres  of  valua- 
ble land  partly  in  La  Harpe  township 
and  partly  in  Fountain  Green  township. 
Mr.  McCord  has  been  three  times  mar- 
ried, his  first  union  being  with  Miss  Han- 
nah Moore,  their  marriage  being  cele- 
brated in  1865.  She  was  born  in  Terre 
Haute.  Illinois,  a  daughter  of  James 
Moore,  and  by  her  marriage  became  the 
mother  of  one  son,  Arthur,  who  was  born 
in  1867  and  died  in  infancy.  The  mother 
passed  away  in  March,  1868,  and  for  his 
second  wife  Mr.  McCord  chose  Amanda 
Murray,  their  marriage  being  celebrated 
in  October,  1873.  Her  birth  occurred  at 
Lebanon,  Kentucky,  a  daughter  of  Ben- 
jamin F.  and  Mary  Elta  (Wilson)  Mur- 
ray, who  were  likewise  natives  of  Leb- 
anon. The  children  of  this  marriage  are : 
Willis,  who  was  born  September  4,  1874, 
and  who  married  Daisy  DeHaven.  To 
them  were  born  two  children,  Edna,  now 
at  home,  and  a  son  Fay,  who  died  in  in- 
fancy. Her  death  occurred  November 
8,  1902,  and  Willis  McCord  then  wedded 
Lela  Barret,  by  whom  he  has  one  son. 


394 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


Harry.  Lula  Etta  McCord,  bo.rn  Janu- 
ary i,  1877,  is  the  wife  of  Joseph  Cam- 
eron, a  resident  of  Fountain  Green  town- 
ship. They  'have  two  children,  Vernon 
and  Mamie.  Two  of  the  children  by  Mr. 
McCord's  second  marriage  died  in  in- 
fancy. Mr.  McCord's  second  wife  passed 
away  February  22,  1882.  For  his  third 
wife  Mr.  McCord  chose  Ellen  C.  Wilson, 
to  whom  he  was  married  May  3,  1883. 
She  was  born  in  Hire  township,  McDon- 
ough  county,  this  state,  January  17,  1852, 
and  was  educated  in  the  district  schools 
near  her  home.  She  is  a  daughter  of 
Thomas  and  Sallie  (Hungate)  Wilson, 
natives  of  Kentucky,  while  her  paternal 
grandparents  were  James  and  Nancy 
(Dougherty)  Wilson  and  William  and 
Nancy  (White)  Hungate,  respectively, 
all  natives  of  the  Blue  Grass  state.  By 
the  last  marriage  of  Mr.  McCord  there 
have  been  born  six  children,  of  whom 
two  are  deceased.  Herma  Mahala,  born 
May  15,  1884,  was  married  January  25, 
1905,  to  Joseph  Freeman.  Lloyd  Elmer, 
born  October  8.  1886,  died  August  6, 
1896.  Alpha  M.,  born  May  18,  1887, 
is  with  her  parents.  Fronia  Hazel,  the 
next  member  of  the  family,  was  born 
March  22,  1890.  Wilson  A.,  born  June 
14.  1892,  died  March  22,  1893.  Elva 
Leona,  the  youngest,  was  born  March  29, 
1894. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  McCord  is  a 
democrat  but  is  not  active  in  the  work  of 
the  party,  preferring  to  give  his  undi- 
vided attention  to  his  business  interests, 
which  are  quite  extensive.  Starting  out 
in  life  on  his  own  account  he  possessed 
a  strong  determination  to  succeed  in  the 
business  world  and  with  this  end  in  view 


worked  diligently  and  energetically  until 
he  is  now  one  of  the  prosperous  represent- 
ative agriculturists  of  Hancock  county: 
In  his  relations  with  his  fellowmen  he 
has  commanded  the  respect  of  all  and  be- 
cause of  his  straightforward  and  honor- 
able dealing  his  success  has  been  worth- 
ily won. 


GEORGE  BYRON  WORTHEN. 

George  Byron  Worthen  is  well  known 
in  \Varsaw,  being  a  representative  of  one 
of  its  prominent  pioneer  families  and  a  na- 
tive son  of  the  city.  He  was  borrl  June 
30,  1837,  his  parents  being  Amos  H.  and 
Sarah  B.  (Kimball)  Worthen.  His  fa- 
father  for  thirty  years  state  geologist  of 
Illinois,  is  mentioned  on  another  page  of 
this  work.  At  the  usual  age  George  B. 
\Vorthen  began  his  education  in  the  pub- 
lic schools  and  when  a  youth  of  fifteen 
years  learned  the  tinner's  trade,  which  he 
followed  through  the  succeeding  decade. 
He  then  turned  his  attention  to  the  culti- 
vation of  a  vineyard  and  fruit  farm  in 
Wilcox  township,  where  he  resided  for 
thirty-seven  years,  being  a  very  successful 
in  that  line  of  business.  In  1901  he  again 
took  up  his  abode  in  Wrarsaw  and  is  now 
living  at  the  corner  of  Eighth  and  Clark 
streets,  his  activity  and  enterprise  in  for- 
mer years  having  brought  him  a  compe- 
tence that  now  enables  him  to  live  retired. 

On  December  23,  1868,  Mr.  Worthen 
was  married  to  Mrs.  Mary  L.  Death,  nee 
Bedell,  then  the  widow  of  Absalom  Death. 
She  is  descended  from  an  old  colonial  fain- 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


395 


ily.  Her  great-grandfather  in  the  pater- 
nal line  was  in  the  Revolutionary  war, 
and  her  Grandfather  Bedell  served  in  the 
war  of  1812.  The  great-grandfather  was 
a  French  Huguenot,  and  a  man  of  much 
prominence.  Mrs.  Worthen  was  born  in 
Warsaw,  in  1839,  a  daughter  of  Edward 
A.  and  Elizabeth  (Montgomery)  Bedell. 
Her  father's  birth  occurred  in  Syracuse, 
New  York,  in  1818,  and  her  mother  was 
born  in  Ireland  in  1819.  He  came  to  Illi- 
nois when  only  eight  years  of  age,  arriv- 
ing in  1826,  and  eventually  became  one 
of  the  prominent  and  prosperous  residents 
of  Warsaw,  where  he  followed  merchan- 
dising and  the  real  estate  business,  at  one 
time  owning  nearly  the  entire  town.  He 
afterward  went  to  Utah,  where  he  was 
Indian  agent  at  the  time  of  his  death, 
serving  under  appointment  of  President 
Franklin  Pierce.  He  passed  away  in  1853, 
when  on  his  way  home  from  Utah.  In 
politics  he  was  a  Douglas  democrat,  and 
was  frequently  a  delegate  to  the  conven- 
tions of  his  party,  wielding  a  wide  influ- 
ence in  local  political  circles.  His  wife 
died  at  the  home  of  her  daughter  in  Keo- 
kuk.  Iowa,  in  1899,  although  she  always 
made  Warsaw  her  place  of  residence.  She 
held  membership  in  the  Presbyterian 
church,  while  Mr.  Bedell  was  a  Methodist 
in  religious  faith.  He  was  one  of  the 
most  prominent  residents  of  Warsaw  for 
many  years  and  wielded  a  wide  influence 
over  public  thought  and  action.  In  the 
family  were  seven  children :  Mrs. 
Worthen ;  Helen,  who  died  at  the  age  of 
five  years ;  Edward  A.,  who  was  a  sol- 
dier of  the  One  Hundred  and  Eighteenth 
Illinois  Regiment  and  is  now  connected 
with  the  dispensary  department  at  the  Vet- 


erans' Home  in  Colorado;  Elizabeth 
Montgomery,  the  wife  of  Edmund  H. 
Jones,  who  resides  at  San  Juan,  Porto 
Rico;  LaFayette,  who  died  in  childhood; 
Louis  Peyton,  of  California ;  and  Warren 
Ashley,  who  died  in  childhood.  Mrs. 
Bedell  lived  in  Fort  Edwards  which  was 
located  on  a  point  in  the  northwest  part 
of  Warsaw,  when  she  came  to  Hancock 
county  in  1835.  There  was  little  else 
in  the  locality  save  this  fort,  which  had 
been  erected  for  protection  against  the 
Indians. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Worthen  have  become  the 
parents  of  seven  children,  all  born  in  this 
county,  namely :  Henry  Knox,  who  died 
in  infancy:  Jesse  M.,  a  civil  engineer  liv- 
ing in  Quincy,  who  married  Luella  New- 
ell, and  has  a  daughter,  Frances  Lucile, 
now  seven  years  of  age ;  two  children  who 
died  in  infancy;  George  B.,  a  successful 
attorney  at  law  in  Iowa  City,  Iowa,  who 
married  Etta  Horstman,  and  has  a  daugh- 
ter, Mary  Theye ;  Amos  Henry,  who  died 
in  infancy ;  and  Edmund  Louis.  The  last 
named  is  a  graduate  of  the  State  Univer- 
sity at  Champaign,  Illinois,  and  of  Cor- 
nell College,  and  is  now  in  the  employ  of 
the  United  States  government,  located  at 
Washington,  D.  C.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Worthen  were  playmates  together  in 
childhood  days  and  are  now  spending  the 
evening  of  life  together,  having  traveled 
life's  journey  together  as  man  and  wife 
for  almost  forty  years.  Mr.  Worthen  has 
prospered  in  his  business  undertakings 
and  whatever  success  he  has  achieved  is 
attributable  entirely  to  his  own  labors.  In 
politics  he  is  a  republican  and  has  served 
as  tax  collector  of  Warsaw  and  a  member 
of  the  school  board  in  his  township,  but 


396 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


has  never  Ijeen  ambitious  for  political  hon- 
ors. The  home  which  he  and  his  wife  oc- 
cupy was  built  in  1847,  an<^  is  °ne  of  the 
old  landmarks  of  the  city.  It  was  former- 
ly owned  by  Mrs.  Worthen's  mother  after 
her  father's  death.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Worthen 
spend  much  time  in  travel,  largely  passing 
the  winter  months  in  Porto  Rico,  Florida, 
Texas  and  other  winter  resorts.  Their 
home  contains  many  beautiful,  rare  and 
tasteful  souvenirs  of  their  trips,  including 
a  screen  which  is  made  of  shells  and  was 
secured  in  Porto  Rico,  together  with  a 
set  of  hangings  made  of  shells  of  the 
same  kind. 


DAVID  MACK. 

David  Mack,  deceased,  was  for  many 
years  a  distinguished  and  able  lawyer, 
practicing  at  the  Carthage  bar,  and  his 
ability  in  his  profession,  his  devotion  to 
and  co-operation  in  matters  of  public 
'  progress  and  citizenship  and  his  genuine 
personal  worth  endeared  him  to  so  large 
a  percentage  of  the  people  of  this  city 
and  county  that  his  death  came  as  a  per- 
sonal bereavement  to  the  great  majority. 
He  was  born  in  Adams  county,  Penn- 
sylvania, May  15,  1817,  his  parents  be- 
ing Alexander  and  Susanna  (Fisher) 
Mack,  also  of  Adams  county.  The  fa- 
ther was  the  owner  of  a  large  farm  in 
Pennsylvania  and  he  came  to  the  west 
when  seventy-six  years  of  age.  In  the 
family  were  seven  sons  and  three  daugh- 
ters. 

David  Mack  was  a  self-made  man,  who 


depended  upon  his  own  resources  for  his 
education  as  well  as  the  material  things 
of  life.  He  remained  with  his  father 
until  seventeen  years  of  age,  working  at 
farm  labor.  One  day,  however,  he  tied 
his  horse  and  plow  to  the  fence  and  said, 
"Father,  I  am  going  to  college.  I  have 
plowed  my  last  row."  The  father 
thought  he  must  have  been  affected  by 
the  heat  of  the  sun  and  made  that  state- 
ment, but  the  young  man  replied,  "No,  I 
am  going  tonight."  He  had  thought  the 
matter  over  carefully  and  earnestly  and 
carried  out  his  plan  by  at  once  entering 
Miami  College  in  Ohio.  He  made  a  state- 
ment to  the  president  of  his  financial  con- 
dition and  also  of  his  ambition  to  pur- 
sue a  collegiate  course,  and  arrangements 
were  made  whereby  he  was  able  to  teach 
in  the  summer  seasons  and  attend  col- 
lege in  the  winter  months.  This  he  did 
until  he  had  completed  the  course  in  Mi- 
ami College  by  graduation.  Much  of  the 
elemental  strength  of  his  character  was 
thus  shown  forth  and  as  the  years  passed 
he  developed  his  latent  energies  and  tal- 
ents and  added  to  his  ability  by  research, 
investigation  and  broad  reading. 

In  1846  Mr.  Mack  made  his  way  to 
Springfield,  Illinois,  to  study  law  and  was 
there  graduated,  as  was  his  son  a  number 
of  years  afterward.  In  1848  he  came  to 
Carthage,  where  he  afterward  entered 
into  partnership  with  Bryant  T.  Scofield, 
a  connection  that  was  continued  for  a 
number  of  years.  He  was  at  different 
times  a  partner  of  Mr.  Peterson,  Henry 
Draper  and  William  Baird  and  later  ad- 
mitted his  son,  Judge  Mack,  to  a  partner- 
ship. The  favorable  opinion  which  the 
public  passed  upon  him  at  the  outset  of 


HAXCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


397 


liis  career  was  in  no  degree  set  aside  or 
modified  as  the  years  went  by,  but  on  the 
contrary  was  strengthened  as  he  gave 
evidence  of  his  ability  to  handle  intricate 
litigated  interests.  He  won  notable  vic- 
tories before  court  or  jury  and  the  rec- 
ords give  evidence  of  his  connection  with 
most  of  the  important  litigation  tried  in 
the  courts  of  his  district. 

On  the  loth  of  March,  1851,  Mr.  Mack 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Augusta 
Ulrich,  who  was  born  on  the  Hudson 
river,  at  Fishkill,  New  York,  on  the  27th 
of  November,  1824,  a  daughter  of  Louis 
and  Henrietta  (Von  Reisenkampff)  Ul- 
rich. The  father  died  at  the  home  on  the 
Hudson  river,  where  Mrs.  Mack  was 
born,  when  she  was  fifteen  years  of  age. 
He  was  the  owner  of  a  large  manufactur- 
ing plant  there  and  was  a  very  prominent 
and  influential  business  man.  In  the 
family  were  eight  children,  all  of  whom 
are  now  deceased  with  the  exception  of 
Mrs.  Mack  and  her  brother,  E.  R.  Ul- 
rich, who  is  now  living  in  Springfield. 
By  the  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mack 
were  born  five  children,  of  whom  four 
are  yet  living:  Anna  became  the  wife 
of  William  Simms  Knight,  a  Presbyte- 
rian minister,  who  died  in  1906.  She  is 
now  living  in  Carthage,  Missouri,  and  has 
three  children,  Augusta,  Ellen  and  Da- 
vid. Henrietta  Mack,  who  resides  at 
home.  David  E.  Mack  married  Miss  El- 
len Carey  and  with  their  son  Edward  yet 
reside  in  Carthage.  Susanna  is  the  wife 
of  John  Firey,  a  wholesale  druggist  of 
Aberdeen,  South  Dakota,  and  they  have 
two  children,  Carl  and  Margaret. 

Mr.  Mack  gave  his  early  political  alle- 
giance to  the  democracy  and  after  the 


war  became  a  stalwart  republican,  but 
would  never  accept  any  political  office, 
although  many  have  been  proffered  him. 
He  held  membership  in  the  Presbyterian 
church,  to  which  his  wife  now  belongs 
and  in  which  he  served  as  an  elder  for 
many  years,  taking  an  active  and  helpful 
part  in  church  work.  In  his  early  years 
he  was  a  Mason  and  at  all  times  he  was 
a  conscientious  and  upright  man  and  an 
enterprising  and  prominent  citizen  whose 
efforts  in  behalf  of  public  progress  were 
far-reaching  and  beneficial.  He  was 
honored  and  respected  by  all  and  deep 
regret  was  felt  when  his  life  work 
was  ended  on  the  2oth  of  September, 
1897.  Mrs.  Mack  still  survives  her  hus- 
band and  occupies  the  old  and  beautiful 
home  which  he  built  some  years  prior  to 
his  death.  She  is  a  cultured  and  intelli- 
gent woman,  greatly  admired  by  those 
who  know  her  as  she  bears  her  eighty- 
two  years  lightly. 

David  Mack  was  afflicted  with  near- 
sighted eyes,  and  for  this  reason  he  was 
unable  to  join  the  ranks  of  the  defenders 
of  the  Union  during  the  Civil  war,  but 
gave  his  attention  and  money  to  assist 
the  widows  and  orphans,  to  which  many 
now  living  in  Carthage  can  testify. 


JAMES  BRIDE. 

James  Bride  is  now  the  owner  of  what 
is  known  as  the  old  Bride  homestead,  for- 
merly in  possession  of  his  father  and 
which  he  received  through  inheritance.  He 


398 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


was  born  in  St.  Albaris  township,  this 
county,  May  28,  1848,  a  son  of  Samuel 
and  Esther  J.  (Dyer)  Bride,  both  of 
whom  were  natives  of  Rutland,  Vermont, 
the  former  born  January  4,  1810,  and  the 
latter  in  October,  1812.  The  paternal 
grandfather,  William  Bride,  was  a  native 
of  Scotland,  and  married  Miss  Scripture, 
who  was  likewise  born  in  the  land  of  hills 
and  heather.  The  maternal  grandfather 
was  Jonathan  Dyer,  a  native  of  Vermont. 
The  marriage  of  Samuel  Bride  and  Esther 
J.  Dyer  was  celebrated  in  the  Green  Moun- 
tain state  in  1835,  and  a  year  later  they 
started  with  teams  for  Illinois,  traveling 
across  the  country  by  slow  stages,  often 
camping  by  the  roadside  at  night  and  thus 
they  made  their  way  across  the  prairies 
and  through  the  forests  until  they  at 
length  reached  Hancock  county.  They 
located  in  St.  Albans  township,  where 
Mr.  Bride  purchased  a  tract  of  raw  prairie 
land  upon  which  he  established  his  home 
and  began  the  development  of  a  farm.  In 
1841,  however,  he  sold  that  property  and 
removed  to  Wythe  township,  purchasing 
one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  on  section 
21.  This  was  all  open  prairie  land,  not 
a  furrow  having  been  turned  nor  an  im- 
provement made  upon  the  place,  but  he 
at  once  began  to  fence  his  property,  erect- 
ing buildings  and  breaking  the  prairie. 
He  turned  the  sod  on  many  an  acre, 
dropped  the  seed,  and  in  due -course  of 
time  gathered  good  harvests.  He  contin- 
uously and  successfully  engaged  in  gen- 
eral farming  until  1871,  when  he  retired 
from  active  agricultural  pursuits  and  pur- 
chased a  residence  and  about  fifteen  acres 
of  land  in  Warsaw.  He  then  gave  his  at- 
tention to  the  further  development  and  im- 


provement of  that  place  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  on  the  24th  of  December, 
1893.  H's  widow  afterward  made  her 
home  among  her  children  until  she  too 
passed  away  in  January,  1900,  subsequent 
to  which  time  the  old  home  in  Warsaw 
was  sold.  Mr.  Bride  was  a  stalwart  re- 
publican from  the  time  of  the  organiza- 
tion of  the.  party  and  always,  took  an  ac- 
tive and  helpful  interest  in  politics  but 
was  never  an  office  seeker.  As  a  citizen, 
however,  he  greatly  desired  general  im- 
provement and  progress  and  did  what  he 
could  to  promote  the  best  interests  of  his 
community  and  his  county.  Unto  him  and 
his  wife  were  born  four  children  :  Lercy. 
who  died  in  infancy  in  Vermont ;  Frances 
E.,  the  wife  of  Albert  Shinn,  of  Ottawa, 
Franklin  county,  Kansas;  Wallace  S.,  who 
is  living  in  Warsaw ;  James,  of  this  re- 
view. 

James  Bride  has  always  resided  upon 
the  old  home  place  in  Wythe  township, 
which  he  inherited  from  his  father  while 
his  brother  Wallace  was  given  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  acres  of  land  adjoining  our 
subject's  farm  on  the  west.  In  his  bay- 
hood  days  James  Bride  attended  the  dis- 
trict schools  of  Wythe  township,  where 
he  mastered  the  common  branches  of  Eng- 
lish learning  and  through  the  periods  of 
vacation  he  received  ample  training  at 
farm  work,  assisting  in  the  labors  of  field 
and  meadow.  Since  inheriting  the  old 
home  property  he  has  erected  various 
buildings  upon  it.  The  house  was  built 
in  1890  and  contains  nine  rooms.  He  has 
planted  apple,  pear  and  cherry  trees,  so 
that  he  has  considerable  fruit  upon  his 
place  and  in  addition  to  the  development 
of  the  fields  he  raises  stock.  His  home 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


399 


stands  in  the  midst  of  a  well  kept  lawn, 
adorned  with  fine  shade  trees  and  is  one 
of  the  attractive  farm  properties  of  this 
part  of  the  county. 

On  the  20th  of  April,  1871,  Mr.  Bride 
was  married  to  Miss  Julia  Warne,  whose 
birth  occurred  in  Muskingum  county, 
Ohio,  May  23,  1847.  Her  paternal 
grandparents  were  Llewellyn  and  Sarah 
(Beach)  Warne,  natives  of  Pennsylvania. 
Her  father,  Abram  Warne,  was  born  in 
Ohio,  and  having  arrived  at  years  of  ma- 
turity was  married  to  Miss  Nancy  Allen, 
also  a  native  of  that  state,  and  a  daughter 
of  Samuel  and  Sarah  Allen.  The  death 
of  Abram  Warne  occurred  December  3, 
1899,  while  his  wife  survived  until  May 
18,  1906.  The  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Bride  has  been  blessed  with  three  sons 
and  two  daughters :  Samuel  Elmer,  who 
was  horn  June  25.  1872,  and  is  living  in 
Callaway  county.  Missouri ;  Cora  Esther, 
who  was  born  October  30,  1874,  and  is 
the  wife  of  Joseph  Gray,  of  Wythe  town- 
ship; Florence  May,  who  was  born  May 
ii.  1878,  and  is  at  home;  Frank  E.,  who 
was  born  April  3.  1882,  and  is  engaged 
in  the  feed  business  in  Keokuk,  Iowa; 
a.nd  James  K..  who  was  born  June  22, 
1885,  and  completes  the  family. 

Politically  a  republican,  Mr.  Bride 
keeps  well  informed  on  the  questions  and 
issues  of  the  day  and  is  recognized  as  a 
local  leader  in  the  ranks  of  his  party.  He 
has  served  for  three  terms  as  assessor  and 
has  been  school  trustee  since  1900.  His 
religious  faith  is  that  of  the  Presbyterian 
church  and  he  is  a  most  active  and  helpful 
worker  therein,  serving  at  the  present 
time  as  elder,  deacon  and  treasurer.  The 
church  finds  in  him  a  devoted  member 


and  he  stands  for  all  that  is  just,  true  and 
right  in  man's  relations  with  his  fellow 
man. 


OSCAR  EMMET  RICHART. 

Oscar  Emmet  Richart,  who  was  a  self- 
made  man,  his  example  illustrating  what 
may  be  accomplished  through  determina- 
tion and  energy  in  the  active  affairs  of 
life,  was  for  many  years  identified  with 
farming  interests  in  Hancock  county  and 
at  his  death  he  left  not  -only  a  very  de- 
sirable property  but  also  an  untarnished 
name.  He  was  born  in  Akron,  Ohio, 
February  21,  1837,  a  son  of  Thomas  and 
Armina  (Capron)  Richart.  The  father 
was  born  in  Pennsylvania,  September  14, 
1810,  and  the  mother  in  the  same  state 
October  7,  1811.  They  were  married  in 
1831  and  in  1848  became  residents  of 
Hancock  county,  taking  up  their  abode  in 
what  is  now  called  Dallas  City  but  was 
then  East  Bend.  The  father  was  a  stone 
mason  by  trade  and  for  several  years 
lived  in  Dallas  City,  after  which  he  spent 
a  few  years  in  Kansas.  Subsequently  he 
went  to  Chicago,  but  his  death  occurred  in 
Dallas  City,  November  29,  1893,  when 
he  was  eighty-three  years  of  age.  His 
political  support  was  given  to  the  Repub- 
lican party.  His  wife  survived  him  only 
a  few  days,  passing  away  December  9, 
1893.  Of  their  five  children  only  one  is 
now  living,  George  Richart,  who  resides 
in  Chicago. 

Oscar  E.  Richart,  whose  name  intro- 
duces this  record,  was  educated  in  the 


4OO 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REI'IEIV 


public  schools  of  Dallas  City  and  in  the 
district  schools  of  Dallas  township.  He 
remained  at  home  with  his  mother  while 
his  father  was  in  Kansas  and  at  the  out- 
break of  the  Civil  war,  responding  to  his 
country's  call  for  aid,  he  enlisted  in  1862 
as  a  member  of  Company  K,  Fifteenth 
Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  but  after  two 
years'  active  service  he  became  ill  and 
was  forced  to  return  home. 

On  the  25th  of  March,  1865,  Mr. 
Richart  was  married  to  Miss  Caroline 
Ramsay,  whose  birth  occurred  in  Mar- 
shall county,  Illinois,  May  I,  1844,  her 
parents  being  Samuel  and  Lovisa  (Terry) 
Ramsay.  Her  father,  a  native  of  Mary- 
land, was  born  in  1818,  while  her  mother's 
birth  occurred  in  Ohio  in  1820.  They 
spent  much  of  their  younger  years  in 
Marshall  county,  Illinois,  and  in  1856,  re- 
moved to  Hancock  county,  settling  in 
Dallas  township.  Mr.  Ramsay  gave  his 
political  support  to  the  democracy  and  was 
a  citizen  of  worth,  who  took  deep  interest 
in  everything  pertaining  to  general  prog- 
ress and  improvement.  His  wife  died  in 
1874.  Of  their  family  of  eight  children 
seven  are  yet  living,  namely :  Mrs. 
Richart;  William,  of  Dallas  City;  Mary, 
the  wife  of  Andrew  Byers,  of  Dallas  City; 
Addison,  of  Kansas;  Elizabeth,  the  wife 
of  John  Layton,  of  Stronghurst,  Penel- 
ope, deceased;  Stephenson,  who  is  living 
in  Durham  township;  and  Andrew  ].,  of 
St.  Louis,  Missouri. 

Following  his  marriage  Mr.  Richart 
purchased  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres 
of  land  on  section  14,  Dallas  township. 
It  was  covered  with  timber  but  he  cleared 
away  the  trees  and  brush  and  in  1889 
erected  a  pleasant  residence  thereon.  He 


was  then  engaged  in  general  farming 
until  his  death,  which  occurred  May  28, 
1890,  his  remains  being  interred  ir 
Harris  cemetery.  He  was  a  man  of  en- 
terprising spirit,  carefully  conducted  his 
business  affairs  and  his  success  was  at- 
tributable in  large  measure  to  his  owr 
efforts.  He  was  a  mere  boy  when  he 
started  out  in  life  on  his  own  account  anc 
he  always  assisted  his  mother  during  hei 
life  time. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Richarl 
was  blessed  with  six  children,  of  whorr 
five  are  still  living  and  all  were  born  upor 
the  old  homestead  farm.  These  are 
Frank  C.,  who  lives  with  his  mother 
Nellie  A.,  the  wife  of  James  Foresman 
of  Pontoosuc  township,  by  whom  she  ha< 
four  children,  Harry,  Lloyd,  Hugh  anc 
Ruth ;  Eunice,  the  wife  of  William  Kyle 
of  Dallas  township,  by  whom  she  has  fivt 
children,  Corwin,  Isabelle,  Chester 
Ernest  and  Caroll,  while  Roxy  Ma> 
was  born  of  Mr.  Kyle's  first  marriage 
Ernest,  a  resident  farmer  of  Pontoosuc 
township,  who  married  Amy  Holmes  anc 
has  one  son,  Glenn ;  and  Ellice,  who  is 
at  home  with  her  mother. 

Mr.  Richart  belonged  to  the  Granc 
Army  post  and  was  a  republican  in  his 
political  views.  "He  held  various  town- 
ship offices  and  in  all  life's  relations  was 
found  to  be  a  man  worthy  of  the  trust 
reposed  in  him.  He  was  faithful  in  cit- 
izenship, progressive  and  reliable  in  his 
business  life  and  trustworthy  in  his 
friendships.  Since  her  husband's  death 
Mrs.  Richart  has  continued  the  work  oi 
the  farm  and  has  erected  a  barn  and 
granary.  In  addition  to  the  home  place 
of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  she  owns 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


401 


sixty-three  acres  in  Dallas  township  about 
a  half  mile  west  of  her  place  of  residence. 
She  is  a  refined,  intelligent  woman,  kind- 
hearted  and  loyal,  and  she  and  her  family 
occupy  an  enviable  position  in  public  re- 
gard in  the  community  where  they  reside. 


CHARLES  C.  CRAWFORD. 

Charles  C.  Crawford  is  the  youngest 
member  of  an  old,  prominent  and  highly 
respected  family  of  Hancock  county,  ever 
characterized  by  great  industry,  fair  deal- 
ing and  courteous  and  obliging  treatment 
of  all  with  whom  they  have  been  associ- 
ated: Like  the  others  of  the  family  he 
has  made  rapid  strides  in  his  business  ca- 
reer and  is  one  of  the  successful  mer- 
chants of  the  town. 

His  parents,  Thomas  and  Serepta 
(Daugherty)  Crawford,  were  both  repre- 
sentatives of  old  families  of  Kentucky, 
and  were  born  in  Bourbon  county,  the  fa- 
ther on  the  2d  of  September,  1812,  and 
the  mother  on  the  23d  of  April,  1829. 
Thomas  Crawford  came  with  his  parents 
to  this  county  in  1832,  the  family  home 
being  established  in  Walker  township, 
since  which  time  the  name  of  Crawford 
has  figured  prominently  and  honorably  in 
connection  with  the  substantial  growth 
and  development  of  this  part  of  the  state. 
After  some  years  Thomas  Crawford  en- 
tered a  large  tract  of  land  in  Walker 
township,  there  carrying  on  farming  very 
successfully  for  many  years.  Subsequent- 
ly he  purchased  a  good  farm  in  Wilcox 


township,  where  his  aged  widow  now  re- 
sides with  her  son  and  daughter.  He  was 
a  stalwart  republican  in  his  political  views 
and  held  various  township  offices,  being 
justice  of  the  peace  for  some  years,  in 
which  capacity  he  rendered  fair  and  im- 
partial decisions.  He  was  a  man  of 
strong  character,  of  good  heart  and  of 
marked  individuality.  He  was  greatly  in- 
terested in  all  that  tended  to  advance  the 
county  and  promote  the  welfare  of  its  peo- 
ple, and  wherever  he  was  known  he  com- 
manded the  respect  and  good  will  of  those 
with  whom  he  was  associated.  He  spent 
nearly  his  entire  life  in  Walker  township, 
but  prior  to  his  death  purchased  a  farm 
in  Wilcox  township,  whereon  his  widow 
still  makes  her  home.  His  death  occurred 
March  23.  1875,  and  he  was  laid  to  rest 
in  Green  Plain  cemetery.  Mr.  Crawford 
was  twice  married,  and  by  the  first  union 
had  three  children,  of  whom  two  are  now 
living :  Alice,  the  wife  of  John  Stockton, 
of  Denver,  Colorado;  and  Laura,  the  wid- 
ow of  Uriah  Seaton,  also  of  Denver.  The 
children  of  the  second  marriage  are  nine 
in  number,  of  whom  eight  reached  years 
of  maturity :  Mary,  the  wife  of  Frank  C. 
Andrews,  of  Warsaw;  Margaret  E.,  who 
became  the  wife  of  Aquila  Daugherty, 
and  at  her  death  was  laid  to  rest  by  her 
father's  side;  Virginia,  who  died  in  in- 
fancy ;  James  F. ;  William  T.  and  John  C, 
all  of  Warsaw ;  Fannie,  the  wife  of  L.  W. 
Berry,  of  Carthage ;  Cora,  who  is  with  her 
mother;  and  Charles  C.,  who  completes 
the  family. 

The  last  named  was  bom  upon  the  old 
farm  homestead  in  Walker  township, 
which  was  also  the  birthplace  of  all  his 
brothers  and  sisters,  in  the  year  1870.  He 


4O2 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


acquired  his  education  in  the  district 
schools  near  his  home  and  in  the  public 
schools  of  Warsaw,  while  later  he  became 
a  student  in  Parson's  College,  at  Fair- 
field,  Iowa.  He  then  returned  to  his  home 
and  for  a  brief  period  was  busy  upon  the 
home  farm  but  soon  afterward  entered 
into  partnership  with  John  M.  Cherry  and 
opened  a  drug  and  book  store  on  Main 
and  Fourth  streets  in  Warsaw.  From  the 
beginning  success  has  attended  this  ven- 
ture and  they  now  have  a  profitable  trade. 
The  store  is  thoroughly  modern  in  every 
particular,  and  in  addition  to  the  line  of 
drugs  and  books  which  they  carry  they 
also  keep  a  fine  line  of  cut  glass  and 
queensware,  paints  and  other  commodities, 
and  have  a  beautiful  soda  fountain.  Their 
business  is  one  of  the  leading  commercial 
enterprises  of  the  city  and  the  proprietors 
are  classed  with  the  representative  busi- 
ness men. 

On  the  nth  of  October,  1905,  Mr. 
Crawford  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Blanche  Pond,  of  Blandinsville,  Illinois, 
a  daughter  of  Albert  and  Ida  (Griffin) 
Pond,  the  former  a  native  of  Ohio,  and 
the  latter  of  McDonough  county,  Illinois. 
They  still  reside  in  Blandinsville,  where 
Mr.  Pond  is  a  successful  druggist.  They 
have  four  children,  three  sons  and  a 
daughter :  Blanche,  now  Mrs.  Crawford ; 
Charles,  who  is  in  the  store  with  his  fa- 
ther; Rollo  and  Robert,  both  at  home. 
Mr.  Crawford  has  an  attractive  residence 
between  Fifth  and  Sixth  on  Crawford 
street,  and  its  hospitality  is  greatly  en- 
joyed by  their  many  friends.  Mr.  Craw- 
ford is  a  Mason  and  pastmaster  of  his 
lodge.  His  father  was  one  of  the  first 
Masons  of  Hancock  county  and  his  father 


and  his  brothers,  James  F.  and  John  C., 
have  all  been  masters  in  the  fraternity. 
Charles  C.  Crawford  likewise  holds  mem- 
bership with  the  Maccabees  and  is  a  val- 
ued representative  of  these  organizations. 
His  business  life  is  characterized  by  alert- 
ness and  enteq^rise  which  enable  him  to 
readily  appreciate  and  improve  on  oppor- 
tunity, and  through  his  well  directed  ef- 
forts and  unfaltering  diligence  he  is 
steadily  working  his  way  upward.  The 
consensus  of  public  opinion  regarding 
him  as  a  business  man  is  altogether  favor- 
able, while  socially  he  is  popular  and  his 
wife,  during  the  brief  period  of  her  resi- 
dence here,  has  likewise  made  many  warm 
friends. 


ANTHONY  P.  LAYTON. 

Anthony  P..  Layton,  of  Dallas  town- 
ship, is  proprietor  of  the  largest  nursery 
in  Hancock  county  and  his  business  is 
constantly  growing  in  accordance  with 
the  spirit  of  enterprise  and  close  applica- 
tion which  he  manifests  in  its  control.  A 
native  of  Burlington,  Iowa,  he  was  born 
July  22,  1864,  and  is  a  son  of  Biard  and 
Margaret  (Rose)  Layton.  The  father, 
born  July  2,  1818,  is  now  eighty-eight 
years  of  age  and  is  practically  living  re- 
tired in  Dallas.  His  wife,  however,  died 
in  1891,  at  the  age  of  seventy-six  years. 
They  came  to  Hancock  county  when  their 
son,  Anthony  P.  Layton,  was  only  a 
year  old  and  the  father  establishing  in 
business  as  a  nurseryman  and  farmer.  In 
the  family  were  nine  children :  William, 


\COCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


403 


of  Carthage;  Samuel,  of  Batavia,  Iowa; 
Joseph,  of  Deadwood,  South  Dakota ; 
John,  of  Stronghurst,  Illinois;  George, 
also  living  in  Stronghurst;  Millard,  whose 
home  is  in  Fairfield,  Iowa ;  Margaret,  the 
wife  of  John  Gathers,  of  Dallas;  Anthony 
P.,  and  Clara,  the  wife  of  Newton  Byler, 
of  Durham,  Illinois.  James,  the  second 
eldest  child,  was  killed  in  the  battle  of 
Vicksburg  and  William  served  as  a  team- 
ster in  the  Civil  war. 

Anthony  P.  Layton  was  educated  in  the 
district  schools  of  Hancock  county  and 
worked  with  his  father  in  the  nursery 
business  until  he  attained  his  majority. 
He  afterward  became  a  partner  in  the 
enterprise  and  they  are  still  associated  in 
the  ownership  of  the  nursery,  although 
the  father  has  retired  from  active  busi- 
ness life.  Mr.  Layton  of  this  review 
occupies  sixty-four  acres  of  land  on  sec- 
tion 12,  Dallas  township,  which  is  still 
owned  by  his  father,  and  he  also  owns 
some  unimproved  lots  in  Dallas  City. 
He  sells  trees,  shrubbery,  small  fruit, 
plants,  and  makes  a  specialty  of  roses  and 
his  nursery  business  is  the  most  extensive 
in  the  county.  In  earlier  days  they  em- 
ployed salesmen  to  dispose  of  their  stock 
but  it  has  now  become  so  well  and  fa- 
vorably known  that  he  now  depends  on 
the  reputation  of  his  product  and  a  good 
catalog  issued  annually  to  sell  his  trees 
and  shrubs.  He  is  thoroughly  conver- 
sant with  the  best  methods  of  carrying  on 
this  /work,  having  had  practical  expe- 
rience from  his  boyhood  days  to  the  pres- 
ent time,  and  the  nursery  stock  which  he 
ships  is  always  of  the  best  quality,  so  that 
his  goods  command  a  ready  sale  on  the 
market.  In  his  business  he  is  very  suc- 


cessful owing  to  his  fine  nursery  stock  and 
his  capable  management. 

In  November,  1905,  was  celebrated  the 
marriage  of  Mr.  Layton  and  Miss  Laura 
Coman,  who  was  born  in  Keokuk,  Iowa. 
Mrs.  Layton  is  a  member  of  the  Presby- 
terian church  and  a  most  estimable  lady, 
who  has  gained  many  warm  friends  dur- 
ing her  residence  in  this  county.  Mr. 
Layton  belongs  to  Knigths  of  Pythias 
fraternity  and  is  also  a  member  of  Dallas 
City  lodge,  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted 
Masons,  No.  235,  of  Dallas,  of  which  he 
served  as  master  for  three  years  and  as 
representative  to  the  grand  lodge  for  three 
years.  His  political  allegiance  is  given 
to  the  democracy,  but  he  has  never  sought 
or  desired  political  office,  as  his  business 
interests  claim  his  time  and  attention, 
making  him  one  of  the  prosperous  and 
representative  residents  of  his  part  of  the 
county.  The  name  of  Layton  has  long 
been  associated  with  the  nursery  business 
in  this  locality  and  has  ever  stood  as  a 
synonym  for  commercial  integrity  and 
enterprise. 


JOHN  CHARLES  GOEHRING. 

In  studying  the  lives  and  characters  of 
prominent  men  we  are  naturally  led  to  in- 
quire into  the  secret  of  their  success  and 
the  motives  that  prompted  their  actions. 
When  we  trace  the  career  of  those  whom 
the  world  acknowledges  as  successful  and 
of  those  who 'stand  highest  in  public  es- 
teem we  find  that  in  almost  every  case  they 
are  those  who  have  risen  gradually  by 


404 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


their  own  efforts,  their  diligence  and  per- 
severance. These  qualities  are  undoubt- 
edly based  in  a  large  measure  by  the  gen- 
tleman whose  name  introduces  this  re- 
view, and  added  to  these  is  a  devotion  to 
principle  that  may  well  be  termed  the  key- 
note of  his  character.  It  is  this  which 
commands  the  confidence  and  respect  so 
uniformly  given  him,  and  it  was  this  that 
secured  him  the  liberal  patronage  which 
was  accorded  him  during  the  long  period 
of  his  connection  with  commercial  inter- 
ests in  Warsaw.  Now  he  is  living  retired, 
enjoying  a  well  earned  rest.  He  was 
born  in  Saxony,  Germany,  March  2,  1836, 
and  was  educated  in  the  public  schools. 
In  1866  he  came  to  America,  landing  in 
New  York  and  after  three  weeks  he  went 
to  New  Jersey  and  thence  to  Philadelphia. 
The  year  1868  witnessed  his  arrival  in 
Warsaw,  where  he  has  since  lived.  He 
was  for  a  time  connected  with  the 
woolen  mills  as  a  weaver,  working  there 
for  about  four  years,  and  on  the  expiration 
of  that  period  he  began  business  on  his 
own  account  as  a  dry  goods  merchant, 
conducting  his  store  continuously  and  suc- 
cessfully until  1906,  when  he  sold  out.  His 
business  grew  from  a  small  beginning  to 
an  enterprise  of  large  proportions,  being 
.the  most  extensive  store  oT  its  kind  in 
Warsaw.  His  methods  were  such  as 
would  always  bear  close  investigation  and 
scrutiny.  He  sought  success  along  hon- 
orable lines,  believing  that  it  would  come 
to  him  if  he  was  straightforward  in  his 
dealings,  resolute  in  his  purpose  and  en- 
ergetic in  all  that  he  undertook. 

On  the  24th  of  July,  1872,  Mr.  Goeh- 
ring  was  married  to  Miss  Amalie  Kol- 
julzky.  a  daughter  of  John  and  Margaret 


(Spleict)  Koladzky.  She  was  born  in 
Holstein,  Germany,  August  24,  1842,  and 
came  alone  to  Hancock  county  when 
twenty-one  years  of  age.  Here,  how- 
ever, she  joined  a  sister  and  an  uncle,  who 
had  previously  crossed  the  Atlantic,  and 
since  that  time  she  has  continuously  lived 
in  this  part  of  the  state.  Unto  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Goehring  were  born  six  children 
but  three  have  passed  away — Marie,  who 
died  at  the  age  of  two  ears;  Henry7,  at 
the  age  of  nine  months ;  and  Amanda 
when  three  years  old.  Those  who  still 
survive  are :  John ;  Emily,  the  wife  of 
Dr.  J.  R.  Blan,  a  practicing  physician 
at  Eliza,  Illinois;  and  Hannah,  at  home. 
In  1886  Mr.  Goehring  purchased  a  fine 
residence  of  Mr.  Miller  and  now  has  one 
of  the  beautiful  homes  in  Warsaw,  which 
he  occupies,  in  the  enjoyment  of  a  well 
earned  rest,  surrounded  by  many  of  the 
comforts  and  luxuries  that  go  to  -make 
life  worth  living.  He  is  a  member. of 
the  Lutheran  church  and  where  national 
issues  are  involved  he  votes  with  the  Re- 
publican party  but  otherwise  casts  an  in- 
dependent ballot.  Mr.  Goehring  has  been 
a  man  of  commanding  influence  in  the 
community  and  county  and  is  widely 
known  and  honored.  He  is  always  on 
the  right  side  of  questions  affecting  moral 
and  educational  interests  and  is  known  as 
a  man  of  sterling  integrity.  He  has  a 
wide  acquaintance  and  his  friends  are 
numerous,  having  been  gained  by  his 
personal  worth  and  his  outspoken  devo- 
tion to  the  best  interests  of  the  commu- 
nity. In  the  summer  of  1906  Mr.  Goeh- 
ring made  a  visit  to  his  old  home  in  Sax- 
ony, Germany,  where  he  renewed  ac- 
quaintance with  a  few  old  friends. 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


405 


SMITH  F.  BRYAN. 

Smith  F.  Bryan,  one  of  the  representa- 
tive  and  prominent  agriculturists  of 
Hancock  county,  is  a  native  of  Mercer 
county,  Pennsylvania,  where  his  birth 
occurred  November  17,  1832.  He  is 
a  son  of  Jacob  and  Mary  (Bagley) 
Bryan,  the  former  a  native  of  New  Jer- 
sey, while  the  latter  was  born  in  New 
York.  His  paternal  grandparents  were 
William  and  Mary  (Suphon)  Bryan,  like- 
wise natives  of  New  Jersey,  while  the 
maternal  grandparents  were  Daniel  and 
Elizabeth  (Showerman)  Bagley.  During 
his  residence  in  the  Keystone  state,  the 
father,  Jacob  Bryan,  followed  the  occu- 
pation of  farming,  and  also  engaged  to 
some  extent  in  shoemaking,  doing  work 
of  this  character  for  his  own  family  and 
for  his  neighbors  during  his  evenings 
after  his  work  in  the  fields  was  done. 
Hoping  to  enjoy  better  business  opportu- 
nities in  the  new  and  unimproved  regions 
of  the  west,  Jacob  Bryan  removed  with 
his  family  in  1840,  to  Illinois,  traveling 
by  steamer  down  the  Ohio  and  up  the  Mis- 
sissippi rivers  to  Warsaw,  where  they  ar- 
rived May  1 2th  of  that  year.  They  then 
continued  their  journey  overland  to  La 
Harpe,  where  they  took  up  their  abode  on 
land  known  as  the  Gettings  farm,  which 
was  situated  four  miles  north  of  the  city. 
He  rented  that  place  for  two  years,  and 
then  having  saved  sufficient  capital  to  jus- 
tify the  purchase  of  land,  he  invested  in  a 
tract  of  two  hundred  acres,  lying  on  sec- 
tion 3,  La  Harpe  township,  and  forty 
acres  of  timber  land  lying  on  section  10. 
The  tract  of  two  hundred  acres  was  all 
wild  prairie,  and  Mr.  Bryan  at  once  set 


to  work  to  clear  the  fields  and  further  im- 
prove the  place  by  the  erection  of  a  home 
and  out  buildings.  The  first  house  which 
the  family  ocupied  was  made  of  sod,  in 
which  they  continued  their  residence  for 
three  years,  when  a  more  substantial 
frame  house  was  erected.  He  continued 
the  arduous  task  of  developing  and  culti- 
vating new  land  by  his  careful  manage- 
ment and  well  directed  energy  he  at  length 
gathered  good  crops  and  was  thus  enabled 
form  time  to  time  to  increase  his  landed 
possessions  and  further  improve  his  place. 
During  this  time,  however,  the  family 
endured  many  hardships  and  privations 
incident  to  life  in  a  new  and  undeveloped 
region  but  as  the  years  passed  by  and 
other  settlements  were  made  they  were 
enabled  to  enjoy  more  conveniences  and 
comforts  of  life.  Mr.  Bryan  purchased 
one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  adjoining 
his  original  purchase,  and  also  bought 
a  tract  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres 
in  Henderson  county,  besides  purchasing 
other  tracts  of  both  improved  and  timber 
land  from  time  to  time.  On  the  2d  of 
November,  1857.  however,  he  purchased 
a  tract  of  twenty  acres  located  near  La 
Harpe.  for  which  he  paid  one  hundred 
dollars  per  acre,  and  on  which  he  took  up 
his  abode,  his  death  there  occurring  March 
26.  1881,  when  he  had  reached  the  very 
venerable  age  of  eighty-seven  years,  for 
his  birth  had  occurred  August  15,  1794. 
In  the  family  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jacob 
Bryan  were  born  six  children,  as  follows : 
Rice  B.,  born  June  4,  1826,  passed  away 
in  Kansas.  Hannah,  who  was  born  July 
9.  1828,  met  her  death  in  a  runaway  Oc- 
tober 22,  1850.  Cowden  M.,  born  June 
1 6.  1830,  died  December  9,  1884.  Smith 


406 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


F.,  whose  name  introduces  this  record,  is 
the  next  of  the  family.  John  F.,  born 
January  3,  1836,  died  March  8,  1864, 
while  serving  his  country  in  the  Civil  war, 
having  enlisted  as  a  member  of  Company 
G,  One  Hundred  and  Eighteenth  Illinois 
Volunteers.  Elizabeth  B..  born  March 
22,  1839,  became  the  wife  of  J.  \Y.  Cas- 
singham,  and  her  death  occurred  October 
21,  1886.  After  the  death  of  the  father, 
the  mother  made  her  home  with  her 
daughter,  Mrs.  Cassingham,  until  the  lat- 
ter's  death,  when  she  went  to  live  with  our 
subject,  where  she  remained  until  her 
death,  February  21,  1898,  when  she  had 
reached  the  very  advanced  age  of  ninety- 
three  years,  her  birth  having  occurred 
March  26,  1805. 

Smith  F.  Bryan  shared  with  the  family 
in  the  hardships  of  life  on  the  frontier 
and  assisted  his  father  in  the  arduous  task 
of  developing  and  cultivating  his  land. 
He  began  his  education  in  the  early  sub- 
scription schools  of  Pennsylvania  and 
after  the  removal  of  the  family  to  this 
state  continued  his  studies  in  the  common 
schools,  but  his  advantages  in  this  direc- 
tion were  very  limited,  owning  to  the  un- 
settled condition  of  the  country  and  the 
meager  facilities  that  were  offered  along 
educational  lines.  He  has,  however,  in 
later  life  through  reading  and  investiga- 
tion become  a  well  informed  man.  He 
continued  under  the  parental  roof  until 
the  time  of  his  marriage,  January  28, 
1859,  at  which  time  he  was  married  to 
Miss  Delina  Painter,  whose  birth  occurred 
November  13,  1836,  she  being  the  fifth 
white  female  child  born  in  Hancock 
county.  She  is  a  daughter  of  Joseph  T. 
and  Phebe  (Rea)  Painter,  the  former 


born  in  Philadelphia.  March  25,  1800, 
while  the  mother's  birth  occurred  in  Mer- 
cer county,  Pennsylvania,  November  2, 
1809.  The  paternal  great-great-grand- 
father of  Mrs.  Bryan  came  to  the  United 
States  on  the  Mayflower,  and  his  son, 
Robert  Painter,  was  one  of  the  signers  of 
the  Declaration  of  Independence.  Her 
paternal  grandparents  bore  the  names  of 
William  and  Martha  (Torton)  Painter, 
natives  of  the  Keystone  state,  while  her 
maternal  grandparents  were  John  and 
Anna  (White)  Rea,  the  latter  a  daughter 
of  William  and  Mary  (Webster)  White. 
The  father  of  Mrs.  Bryan,  Joseph  T. 
Painter,  on  leaving  Pennsylvania  removed 
to  Missouri  in  1816,  making  the  journey 
on  a  flat  boat  down  the  Ohio  river.  In 
January,  1823,  however,  he  returned  to 
his  native  state,  where  he  continued  to  re- 
side until  June,  1836,  at  which  time  he 
made  his  way  to  Illinois,  landing  in  Han- 
cock county,  where  the  town  of  Pontoosuc 
is  now  located.  He  and  his  family  then 
walked  to  La  Harpe — a  distance  of  twelve 
miles,  where  the  father  purchased  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  located 
on  section  9,  and  a  tract  of  eighty  acres 
in  timber  on  the  same  section.  Here 
he  hewed  the  lumber  with  which  to  erect 
a  home  for  himself  and  family,  and  began 
the  work  of  clearing  and  cultivating  his 
land.  This  proved  an  arduous  task  but 
he  possessed  a  resolute  spirit  and  by  the 
assistance  of  his  estimable  wife  he  soon 
had  a  well  developed  farm,  on  which  he 
had  placed  many  improvements.  In  1838 
he  built  the  first  sawmill  in  Hancock 
county,  and  his  brother-in-law,  Henry 
Reynolds,  built  the  first  grist  mill  in  this 
section  of  the  country,  both  being  run  by 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


water  power.  This  pioneer  couple  con- 
tinued to  make  their  home  in  Hancock 
county  throughout  their  remaining  days, 
the  mother  passing1  away  August  29, 
1842,  while  the  father  survived  for  many 
years,  his  death  occurring  September  9, 

1875.  ' 

Following  his  marriage  Smith  F. 
Bryan  removed  to  a  farm  near  La  Harpe, 
which  he  rented  for  several  years,  and 
then  made  purchase  of  the  farm  formerly 
owned  by  his  father-in-law,  Mr.  Painter. 
At  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  war,  how- 
ever, Mr.  Bryan  put  aside  all  business  and 
personal  considerations,  and  enlisted  as  a 
member  of  Company  G,  One  Hundred 
and  Eighteenth  Illinois  Volunteer  Infan- 
try, joining  the  company  at  Terre  Haute, 
Illinois,  on  the  I4th  of  August,  1862. 
They  were  assigned  to  duty  with  the 
Thirteenth  Army  Corps  under  General 
Me.  Clernard,  General  Osterhause  acting 
as  brigadier  commander.  Mr.  Bryan 
participated  in  many  of  the  important  and 
hard-fought  battles,  including  the  siege 
of  Vicksburg  and  Grand  Gulf,  the  siege 
at  Jackson,  and  many  other  places.  Dur- 
ing his  service  he  was  injured  in  the  left 
hip  by  the  explosion  of  a  shell,  after  which 
he  was  sent  to  a  hospital  in  Keokuk  in 
April,  1865.  He  had  many  very  narrow 
escapes  while  at  the  front.  He  received 
an  honorable  discharge  June  5,  1865,  after 
which  he  returned  to  his  home,  and  re- 
sumed his  farming  operations,  and  has 
here  continued  to  make  his  home  to  the 
present  time,  being  now  one  of  the  valued 
factors  in  the  agricultural  life  of  Hancock 
county.  Mrs.  Bryan  also  had  two  broth- 
ers who  served  their  country  in  the  Civil 
war.  Charles  T.,  born  February  18, 
26 


1831,  enlisted  in  the  same  company  in 
which  her  husband  did  duty,  and  he  was 
promoted  to  the  rank  of  first  lieutenant. 
His  death  occurred  in  Terre  Haute,  May 
30,  1892.  The  other  brother,  Arion,  who 
was  born  January  25,  1842,  became  a 
member  of  Company  B,  Twenty-eighth 
Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  and  died  dur- 
ing the  service,  in  the  Marine  Hospital 
at  Cincinnati,  April  26,  1862. 

Unto  our  subject  and  his  wife  were 
born  five  sons  and  three  daughters, 
namely:  Emma  V.,  who  was  born  De- 
cember 6,  1859,  and  is  now  the  wife  of 
James  T.  Brown,  a  resident  of  La  Harpe ; 
Ida  May,  who  was  born  July  28,  1861, 
and  died  October  25.  1865 ;  Joseph  P., 
who  was  born  December  9,  1862,  and 
died  August  10,  1891  ;  John  F..  who  was 
born  July  25,  1865,  and  now  resides  in 
La  Harpe  township;  \Yilliam  E.,  living 
on  the  home  farm,  born  September  4, 
1867;  James  R.,  who  was  born  Septem- 
ber 15,  1869,  and  is  a  resident  of  Belfast, 
Iowa;  Mary  A.,  born  June  13,  1872,  who 
is  the  widow  of  Elmer  Spiker,  and  re- 
sides at  Waterloo,  Iowa;  and  Charles  C., 
who  was  born  March  14,  1876,  and  is  a 
barber  residing  at  Terre  Haute,  Illinois. 

Politically  Mr.  Bryan  has  always  given 
stanch  support  to  the  Republican  party 
and  served  as  assessor  of  his  township  for 
one  term.  His  religious  faith  is  indicated 
by  his  membership  in  the  Christian  church 
at  La  Harpe,  and  his  life  is  guided  by 
high  principles  and  good  deeds.  His 
military  record  is  one  of  which  he  has 
every  reason  to  be  proud  for  during  the 
service  of  his  country  he  displayed  un- 
faltering loyalty  on  the  battle-fields  of  the 
south.  As  a  pioneer  of  this  portion  of 


408 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


the  state  he  has  seen  many  wonderful 
changes  as  the  work  of  transformation 
and  development  has  been  carried  on 
along  all  lines  of  agricultural,  industrial 
and  commercial  activity,  and  in  the  ad- 
vancement of  the  agricultural  life  of  the 
county  no  man  has  taken  a  more  active 
and  helpful  part  than  he  whose  name  in- 
troduces this  review.  Having  spent  the 
greater  part  of  his  life  here  he  has  a 
wide  and  favorable  acquaintance  and  both 
he  and  his  estimable  wife  enjoy  the  high 
esteem  of  all  with  whom  they  are  brought 
in  contact. 


DAVID  ALLEN  ROBINSON. 

David  Allen  Robinson,  one  of  the  ven- 
erable citizens  of  Wythe  township,  has 
passed  the  eightieth  milestone  on  life's 
journey,  his  birth  having  occurred  in 
Muskingum  county,  Ohio,  on  the  2d  of 
April,  1826.  His  paternal  grandfather, 
Israel  Robinson,  married  a  Miss  Hedge, 
and  their  son  Silas,  father  of  our  sub- 
ject, was  born  in  Virginia,  and  wedded 
Polly  Warne,  a  native  of  Pennsylvania, 
and  a  •  daughter  of  Abram  and  Sarah 
(Pierce)  Warne. 

David  Allen  Robinson  pursued  his  ed- 
ucation in  the  common  schools  of  Ohio, 
and  when  a  young  man  of  twenty-two 
years  left  home  in  1-848,  and  with  a  com- 
rade traveled  by  stage  to  Colorado  and 
thence  on  one  of  the  old-time  railroads 
to  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  where  they  took 
passage  on  a  steamer,,  the  E.  W.  Ste- 
vens, that  proceeded  down  the  Ohio  and 


Mississippi  rivers  to  St.  Louis.  At  St. 
Louis  they  boarded  the  Edward  Bates, 
which  was  blown  up  a  short  time  after- 
ward. Upon  the  latter  vessel  they  pro- 
ceeded to  Warsaw,  Illinois,  and  Mr.  Rob- 
inson soon  secured  employment  as  a  book 
agent.  After  a  month  or  two,  however, 
he  began  chopping  wood  and  continued  at 
that  work  during  the  winter  for  about  five 
years,  while  in  the  summer  seasons  he 
engaged  in  breaking  prairie.  Thus  he 
made  his  start  upon  the  frontier.  Sub- 
sequently he  worked  as  a  farm  hand  un- 
til he  and  his  brother  Barzillai  were  able 
to  purchase  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres 
of  land,  constituting  the  northeast  quar- 
ter of  section  8,  Wythe  township.  This 
was  a  tract  of  wild  prairie,  on  which  not 
a  furrow  had  been  turned  nor  an  improve- 
ment made.  They  built  a  rail  fence  and 
broke  the  land  and  also  erected  thereon  a 
frame  house.  When  arrangements  had 
been  thus  far  completed  for  the  develop- 
ment of  their  home  they  were  joined  by 
their  father,  mother  and  another  brother, 
Abram  Robinson,  who  came  from  Ohio. 
Soon  after  the  marriage  of  David  A. 
Robinson  the  land  was  divided  among  the 
members  of  the  family,  his  tract  compris- 
ing four  hundred  and  eighty  acres  in  all. 
The  first  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres 
which  had  been  purchased  fell  to  the 
share  of  his  brother  Barzillai,  while  Mr. 
Robinson  took  as  his  share  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acres  just  south.  The  third 
brother,  Abram,  secured  the  southwest 
quarter  of  the  same  section,  and  thus  the 
three  brothers  continued  to  reside  in  the 
same  neighborhood  and  were  prominent 
and  active  forces  in  the  development  of 
this  part  of  the  county.  Upon  the  land 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


409 


which. David  A.  Robinson  secured  there 
was  an  old  house,  while  forty  acres  had 
been  broken,  but  there  were  no  fences. 
He  at  once  began  fencing  the  place  and 
he  broke  the  remainder  of  the  land.  He 
also  made  additions  and  improvements 
to  the  house  from  time  to  time  and  as  the 
years  passed  transformed  his  property 
into  a  valuable  and  well  improved  farm, 
bringing  the  fields  under  a  high  state  of 
cultivation  and  adding  many  modern  im- 
provements. 

On  the  8th  of  January,  1856,  Mr. 
Robinson  won  as  a  companion  and  help- 
mate for  life's  journey  Miss  Laura  D. 
Chandler,  who  was  born  in  Muskingum 
county,  Ohio,  a  daughter  of  Samuel  and 
Lorinda  (Bliss)  Chandler;  who  came  to 
Hancock  county  by  canal  through  Ohio, 
and  thence  by  the  Ohio  and  Mississippi 
rivers  to  Warsaw.  They  settled  in  Wil- 
cox  township  among  its  earliest  residents 
and  shared  in  the  hardships  and  priva- 
tions of  pioneer  life  while  assisting  in  the 
work  of  establishing  a  home  upon  the 
frontier.  The  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Robinson  was  blessed  with  seven  chil- 
dren :  Nira,  at  home ;  Harriet,  who  is 
the  widow  of  Fred  Wood  and  resides 
with  her  parents;  Grace,  the  wife  of  Ed- 
ward Albers,  of  Warsaw;  Florence,  at 
home;  Laura,  the  wife  of  C.  A.  McFet- 
ters,  of  Bolton,  Missouri ;  Chandler,  who 
is  living  in  southern  Minnesota;  and  Al- 
len, who  deals  in  horses  and  mules  at 
Hamilton. 

Subsequent  to  his  marriage  Mr.  Rob- 
inson added  eighty  acres  to  his  place  and 
later  purchased  one  hundred  and  twenty 
acres  more  in  this  county.  He  also  be- 
came the  owner  of  four  hundred  and 


forty  acres  in  Gentry  county,  Missouri, 
and  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  in  Sher- 
man county,  Nebraska,  thus  making  ju- 
dicious and  extensive  investments  in  real 
estate  as  his  financial  resources  have  per- 
mitted. He  has  also  carried  on  general 
farming  and  stock-raising.  At  two  dif- 
ferent times  he  has  lived  in  Warsaw  for 
two  years  each  time,  but  has  remained 
for  the  most  part  upon  his  farm,  and  has 
transformed  it  into  one  of  the  best  im- 
proved farm  properties  in  the  county.  In 
1885  he  erected  a  fine  residence,  contain- 
ing ten  rooms,  and  he  has  planted  all  of 
the  shade  and  fruit  -trees  upon  the  place, 
having  an  orchard  of  three  acres.  He 
also  has  a  large  barn  eighty  by  forty 
feet,  with  twenty-four-foot  posts,  afford- 
ing ample  shelter  for  grain  and  stock. 
In  1887  he  sank  an  artesian  well  to  the 
depth  of  eight  hundred  and  twenty-six 
feet.  When  the  drilling  was  completed 
it  spouted  twenty  feet  in  the  air,  but  the 
stream  has  been  gradually  receding  un- 
til now  it  is  eighteen  feet  below  the  sur- 
face. He  has  the  water  piped  about  a 
half  mile  for  the  benefit  of  the  stock  upon 
his  place.  All  of  the  improvements  are 
in  keeping  with  ideas  of  progress  along 
agricultural  lines  and  his  extensive  hold- 
ings are  the  visible  evidence  of  a  life  of 
enterprise  and  thrift.  Now  in  the  even- 
ing of  his  days  he  has  a  fine  property, 
from  which  he  derives  a  good  income, 
supplying  him  with  all  of  the  comforts 
and  many  of  the  luxuries  of  life — a  fitting 
reward  for  his  earnest  and  indefatigable 
toil  in  former  years.  In  his  political 
views  he  is  a  republican  and  in  religious 
faith  a  Presbyterian.  He  has  ever  lived 
so  as  to  command  the  respect  and  good 


4io 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REl'IEW 


will  of  his  fellowmen,  his  life  exemplify- 
ing most  honorable  principles. 


PHILLIP  DALLAM. 

Phillip  Dallam,  editor  and  proprietor  of 
the  Warsaw  Bulletin,  was  born  in  St. 
Louis,  May  22,  1853.  His  father,  Fran- 
cis A.  Dallam,  was  a  native  of  Butler, 
Kentucky,  born  in  November,  1824.  His 
education  was  acquired  in  St.  Louis, 
where  he  went  when  a  young  boy,  and 
when  still  but  a  lad  he  became  connected 
with  newspaper  work  and  subsequently 
was  owner  and  editor  of  various 
journals  at  Potosi,  Missouri,  Quincy, 
Illinois,  Oquawka,  Illinois,  and  finally 
at  Warsaw,  Illinois.  At  the  time  of 
the  Civil  war  he  took  the  first  com- 
pany from  Henderson  county,  Illinois, 
this  being  known  as  Company  E  of  the 
Tenth  Illinois  Infantry,  and  after  serving 
for  some  time  as  captain  he  was  promoted 
to  the  rank  of  major,  and  still  later  to  ad- 
jutant general  on  the  staff  of  General  L. 
F.  Ross.  After  about  eighteen  months' 
active  service  he  was  forced  to  leave  the 
army  on  account  of  ill  health  and  went  to 
Nevada  and  California  to  recuperate. 
While  in  Nevada  he  was  on  the  editorial 
staff  of  the  Virginia  City  Enterprise,  and 
during  that  time  he  served  as  a  member 
of  the  constitutional  convention,  which 
made  Nevada  a  state.  He  continued  his 
residence  in  the  west  for  about  two  and  a 
half  years,  after  which  he  returned  to 
Oquawka,  Illinois.  He  was  fond  of 


change,  however,  and  lived  at  various 
places,  coming  in  May,  1867,  to  Warsaw, 
where  he  died  in  March,  1868.  He  mar-  I 
ried  Miss  Anna  M.  McKee,  whose  parents 
were  early  residents  of  St.  Louis.  In  their 
family  were  nine  children :  Frank  M., 
now  of  Loomis,  Washington;  William 
H.,  deceased ;  Philip ;  Guy  M.  and  Thomas 
A.,  who  have  passed  away;  Nellie  B.,  the 
deceased  wife  of  Truman  Plantz,  who  is 
attorney  general  of  the  Modern  Woodmen 
of  America,  and  is  represented  elsewhere 
in  this  volume;  Richard,  who  is  in  the 
printing  business  in  St.  Louis;  Anna,  the 
wife  of  John  P.  Hill,  of  Minnesota;  and 
John  E.,  who  is  an  Episcopal  clergyman 
and  is  now  chaplain  in  the  regular  army, 
having  resigned  his  charge  in  Minnesota 
and  enlisted  for  service  in  the  Philippines. 
The  mother  still  survives  and  makes  her 
home  with  her  daughter,  Mrs.  Hill,  of 
Minnesota. 

Philip  Dallam  largely  acquired  his  edu- 
cation in  the  public  schools  of  Oquawka, 
Quincy  and  Warsaw,  becoming  a  resident 
of  the  last  named  place  when  a  youth  of 
fourteen  years.  Soon  afterward  he  took 
up  the  newspaper  work,  entering  the  office 
of  the  Warsaw  Bulletin  on  the  ist  of  Jan- 
uary, 1868.  He  has  since  been  continu- 
ously connected  with  this  paper  save  for 
the  period  of  his  service  in  the  Spanish- 
American  war,  when  he  served  as  pay- 
master under  appointment  of  President 
McKinley  for  nearly  a  year.  The  Bulle- 
tin, formerly  the  Record,  was  established 
in  August.  1865.  by  Henry  Lick,  who 
conducted  it  until  May,  1867,  with  two 
partners,  Messrs.  Blyth  and  Schiffger.  In 
1867  F.  A.  Dallam  became  proprietor  and 
conducted  the  paper  for  ten  months,  and 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


411 


he  \vas  succeeded  by  his  son,  Frank  M. 
Dallam,  who  took  charge  in  March,  1868, 
and  remained  as  editor  and  proprietor  un- 
til May  I,  1875,  when  he  was  succeeded 
by  his  brother,  Philip  Dallam,  who  is  the 
oldest  editor  in  consecutive  service  in  the 
county,  having  published  the  Bulletin  as 
proprietor  for  thirty-one  years,  while  his 
connection  therewith  covers  a  period  of 
almost  thirty-nine  years.  In  1891  he 
erected  the  present  building  in  which  the 
paper  is  published  and  enlarged  the  plant. 
The  paper  today  has  a  much  greater  cir- 
culation than  it  had  when  Mr.  Dallam 
took  charge,  and  is  gradually  increasing. 

Mr.  Dallam  has  never  aspired  to  polit- 
ical honors.  He  has  been  a  member  of 
the  library  board  for  more  than  twenty 
years  and  has  been  president  of  the  Young 
Men's  Homestead  and  Loan  Association 
since  its  organization  in  1883. 

On  the  1 7th  of  March.  1880,  Philip 
Dallam  was  married  to  Miss  Eugenia  A. 
Hunt,  a  daughter  of  Milton  T.  and  Helen 
M.  (Baldwin)  Hunt.  Their  family  has 
numbered  six  children:  Philip  H.,  now 
in  the  state  auditor's  office  at  Springfield, 
Illinois;  Edith  E..  who  is  a  graduate  of 
the  New  England  Musical  College,  at 
Boston,  and  also  of  Oberlin  College,  of 
Ohio,  and  is  now  a  teacher  of  music  in 
Howard  College,  Gallatin,  Tennessee: 
Clara  H..  a  teacher  in  the  public  schools 
of  Warsaw:  Milton  H.,  who  died  at  the 
age  of  five  months ;  Anna  Therese,  a  stu- 
dent in  the  public  schools  of  Warsaw ;  and 
Erances  Paca,  who  died  October  20.  1900. 
at  the  age  of  six  years.  The  mother  passed 
away  on  the  25th  of  April  of  the  succeed- 
ing year  at  the  age  of  forty-two,  com- 
paratively a  young  woman. 


LINUS  CRUISE. 

Linus  Cruise,  attorney-at-law  of  the 
Carthage  bar,  was  born  in  Connersville, 
Indiana,  April  5,  1859,  a  son  of  John 
and  Margaret  (Moore)  Cruise.  The  fa- 
ther was  born  in  Pennsylvania  in  1826, 
while  the  mother's  birth  occurred  in 
Morgan  county,  Ohio,  in  1825.  He  re- 
moved from  the  Keystone  state  to  Ohio 
and  afterward  to  Connersville,  Indiana, 
where  he  engaged  in  merchandising  un- 
til the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  war.  In  1861 
he  enlisted  in  response  to  the  country's 
call  for  troops  as  a  member  of  an  Indiana 
regiment  and  participated  in  several  bat- 
tles. At  the  battle  of  Chickamauga  he 
lost  his  life  and  was  buried  upon  the  field, 
there  being  about  thirteen  thousand 
Union  men  killed  in  that  engagement.  It 
was  the  day  the  Union  line  was  extended 
and  the  rebels  took  advantage  of  the 
same.  In  his  political  views  Mr.  Cruise 
was  a  democrat  but  without  aspiration 
for  office.  His  wife  survived  him  for 
many  years,  passing  away  on  the  I3th  of 
February,  1899.  In  1865  she  removed 
with  her  seven  children  to  Adams  coun- 
ty, Illinois,  where  she  located  upon  a 
farm,  there  residing  until  her  children 
reached  adult  age,  while  later  she  took  up 
her  abode  in  Hancock  county,  settling 
near  Burnside.  The  following  is  the 
record  of  the  family :  R.  B.  is  living 
in  Burnside.  Isabella  became  the  wife 
of  John  J.  Walker,  who  died  some  years 
prior  to  the  death  of  his  wife,  who  passed 
away  in  i88i:  leaving  one  child,  Ella,, 
who  is  now  the  wife  of  Frank  Wilkes,  a 
resident  of  Adams  county,  Illinois.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Wilkes  have  four  children,  Mer- 


412 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


lin,  Wesley,  Maude  and  Olive.  George 
W.  Cruise,  the  third  member  of  the  fam- 
ily, now  living  in  Dallas,  Texas,  mar- 
ried Francis  Lanier,  who  is  deceased.  In 
their  family  were  nine  children :  Elsie, 
who  is  married  and  has  two  children ; 
Alva,  Eddie,  Estey  (deceased),  Claude, 
Palmer,  Ruth,  Francis  and  Sidney.  Fan- 
nie Cruise  is  acting  as  housekeeper  for 
her  two  brothers  at  Burnside,  Illinois. 
John  is  living  in  Burnside.  Linus  is  the 
next  of  the  family.  Margaret  is  the  wife 
of  F.  M.  Hammerick,  of  Burnside,  and 
has  two  sons,  Harold  and  Aubrey,  aged 
respectively  twelve  and  six  years. 

Mr.  Cruise  of  this  review  was  educated 
in  the  district  schools  of  Adams  county, 
in  the  Camp  Point  high  school  and  in 
the  State  Xormal  University  at  Normal, 
Illinois.  He  pursued  his  law  course  in 
Drake  University  at  Des  Moines,  Iowa, 
from  which  he  was  graduated  in  1897. 
In  the  fall  of  that  same  year  he  opened 
a  law  office  in  Carthage  and  is  a  gen- 
eral practitioner  in  this  city  and  county. 
From  the  beginning  he  has  enjoyed  a 
good  clientage  and  his  business  has  con- 
stantly increased  along  safe  and  gratify- 
ing lines  and  he  has  in  more  recent  years 
been  connected  with  much  of  the  im- 
portant litigation  tried  in  the  courts  of 
his  district  and  is  regarded  as  a  safe  coun- 
selor and  strong  advocate. 

In  1890  Mr.  Cruise  was  married  to 
Miss  Anna  H.  Gentry,  who  was  born  in 
Bloomington,  Monroe  county,  Indiana, 
January  26,  1863,  a  daughter  of  John  T. 
and  Harriet  J.  (Shreves)  Gentry.  Her 
mother  was  born  in  Indiana  and  her  fa- 
ther was  a  native  of  North  Carolina. 
Mr.  Gentry  was  a  farmer  by  occupation 


and  when  Mrs.  Cruise  was  two  months  | 
of  age  he  removed  to  Pilot  Grove  town- 
ship, Illinois,  where  he  carried  on  gen- 
eral agricultural  pursuits.  His  political  I 
allegiance  was  given  to  the  Republican  ] 
party,  of  which  he  was  a  stanch  advocate. 
He  died  January  14,  1873,  while  his  wife 
passed  away  January  9,  1903,  the  for- 
mer being  laid  to  rest  in  Pilot  Grove 
cemetery  and  the  latter  in  Ross  Ridge 
cemetery  in  Carthage.  They  were  mem- 
bers of  the  Baptist  church  and  were  peo- 
ple of  the  highest  respectability.  In  their 
family  were  six  children.  William  R. 
Gentry,  the  eldest,  died  in  Hancock  coun- 
ty, Illinois,  in  1881,  leaving  a  widow, 
who  in  her  maidenhood  was  Malinda  J. 
Scott,  and  two  children,  William  M.  and 
Lillian.  The  former  married  Grace  Dag- 
gert,  resides  in  Denver,  Colorado,  and 
has  one  child,  Vivian  Mildred,  now  five 
years  of  age.  Joshua  N.  Gentry,  now 
residing  near  McMinnville,  Oregon,  mar- 
ried Miss  Mary  A.  Brechtel,  who  died 
in  Norton,  Kansas,  in  1902,  leaving  two 
children,  Orin  C,  who  married  Miss 
Helen  Burnett,  of  Norton,  Kansas ;  and 
Mabel,  the  wife  of  August  Ford,  resid- 
ing at  McMinnville,  Oregon.  Mary  died 
in  infancy.  John  M.  Gentry,  the  third 
member  of  the  family,  now  living  at  Hy- 
annis,  Nebraska,  married  Miss  Fannie 
Monnahan  and  has  three  children :  Car- 
ver, aged  fifteen ;  John,  who  died  in  in- 
fancy; and  Raymond,  aged  six  years. 
Mrs.  Cruise  is  the  next  of  the  family. 
Fannie  J.  Gentry  became  the  wife  of 
Thomas  J.  McFarland  and  they  reside  in 
Carthage. 

Mrs.  Cruise  began  her  education  in  the 
district  schools  of  Pilot  Grove  township 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


and  was  graduated  from  the  State  Nor- 
mal School  at  Terre  Haute,  Indiana,  in 
the  class  of  1884.  She  successfully 
taught  school  for  several  years  in  Han- 
cock county.  By  her  marriage  she  has 
become  the  mother  of  one  son,  Orville 
Gentry  Cruise,  who  was  born  December 
17,  1890,  in  Pilot  Grove  township  and 
died  January  17,  1891.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Cruise  are  devoted  members  of  the  Chris- 
tian church,  in  which  he  has  served  as 
deacon  and  for  two  years  has  been  one 
of  its  elders.  His  wife  belongs  to  the 
Society  of  Willing  Workers  and  the 
Missionary  Society,  while  Mr.  Cruise  has 
been  assistant  superintendent  of  the  Sun- 
day-school. They  both  take  a  very  ac- 
tive and  helpful  part  in  the  work  of  the 
church  and  Sunday-school  and  their  la- 
bors have  been  effective  and  far-reach- 
ing. Mrs.  Cruise  read  law  at  home  with 
her  husband  while  he  was  pursuing  his 
law  course  in  Des  Moines  and  is  an  able 
assistant  to  him  in  his  profession.  They 
reside  on  Madison  street,  north  of  the 
public  square,  where  Mr.  Cruise  pur- 
chased a  home  several  years  ago.  In  a 
profession  where  advancement  depends 
entirely  upon  individual  merit  he  has 
worked  his  way  steadily  upward  and  to- 
day occupies  a  prominent  position  in  pro- 
fessional circles  in  Carthage.  In  his  po- 
litical views  he  is  a  democrat,  but  has 
never  been  an  aspirant  for  office,  serving 
on  the  school  board  for  several  years 
but  in  no  other  official  positions.  He  has 
preferred  to  give  his  undivided  time  and 
attention  to  his  practice  and  his  devotion 
to  his  clients'  interests  is  proverbial.  He 
has  a  comprehensive  knowledge  of  law, 
is  correct  in  its  adaptation  and  in  the  trial 


of  a  case  shows  great  strength  by  reason 
of  his  earnest  study,  his  analytical  mind 
and  his  logical  deductions. 


HENRY  G.  LINNENBURGER. 

Henry  G.  Linnenburger  possesses  much 
mechanical  genius  and  is  one  of  the  en- 
terprising agriculturists  of  Walker  town- 
ship, where  he  now  has  a  splendidly  im- 
proved property,  his  farm  with  all  of  its 
fine  equipments  being  the  visible  evidence 
of  his  life  of  thrift,  enterprise  and  capabil- 
ity, and  he  justly  merits  the  success  that 
he  has  achieved  and  is  well  worthy  of  the 
esteem  and  admiration  which  are  tendered 
him  by  his  friends  and  neighbors  for  what 
he  has  accomplished.  Mr.  Linnenburger 
is  a  native  of  Walker  township,  having 
been  born  here  in  1862.  His  parents, 
Charles  and  Mary  (Susick)  Linnenbur- 
ger, were  natives  of  Germany,  born  in  the 
year  1829.  They  came  to  America  in 
early  life,  crossing  the  Atlantic  on  one  of 
the  old-time  sailing  vessels,  which  re- 
quired weeks  to  make  a  voyage  that  is 
now  accomplished  in  about  the  same  num- 
ber of  days,  making  their  way  to  Han- 
cock county,  settling  in  Walker  township. 
After  several  years'  residence  here  upon 
a  farm  he  was  married.  He  has  since  de- 
voted his  attention  to  the  general  agricul- 
tural pursuits  in  this  part  of  the  county, 
and  both  he  and  his  wife  are  yet  living  in 
Walker  township.  His  political  support 
is  given  to  the  Republican  party,  but  he 
has  never  been  an  office  seeker.  In  the 


414 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


family  are  six  children  :  Minnie,  who  be- 
came the  wife  of  Henry  Altheide,  and 
died  in  1888 ;  Henry,  of  this  review ; 
Elizabeth,  the  wife  of  Gotlieb  Haner,  liv- 
ing in  Walker  township ;  Mary,  the  widow 
of  Joseph  Altheide,  also  a  resident  of 
Walker  township;  Matilda,  the  wife  of 
William  Wallbrink,  of  Wythe  township; 
and  Annie,  the  wife  of  Edward  Wall- 
brink,  of  Rocky  Run  township. 

Henry  Linnenburger  had  somewhat 
limited  educational  privileges,  although 
he  attended  school  to  some  extent  in 
Rocky  Run  township.  He  engaged  in 
farming  on  his  own  account  to  some  ex- 
tent before  he  attained  his  majority,  hav- 
ing been  reared  to  the  occupation  and 
trained  to  habits  of  industry,  economy  and 
perseverance.  In  1883  he  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Miss  Anna  Eliza  Whitledge, 
who  was  born  in  Kentucky  in  1862.  a 
daughter  of  Overall  K.  and  Frances 
(Wheeler)  Whitledge,  also  natives  of  the 
Blue  Grass  state.  The  father  died  during 
the  early  girlhood  of  his  daughter,  Mrs. 
Linnenburger,  and  the  mother  afterward 
came  to  Hancock  county  in  1872,  settling 
in  Walker  township.  At  a  later  date, 
however,  she  returned  to  Kentucky,  where 
she  now  resides.  She  was  the  mother  of 
five  children  but  only  two  are  now  living, 
Robert  Whitledge,  of  Warsaw,  and  Mrs. 
Linnenburger. 

For  a  year  after  his  marriage  Mr.  Lin- 
nenburger resided  in  Rocky  Run  township, 
and  then  purchased  one  hundred  and  thir- 
ty-five acres  of  land,  of  which  sixty  acres 
is  on  section  6,  and  seventy-five  acres  on 
section  7,  Walker  township.  In  1885  he 
erected  here  a  cottage  and  he  has  made  all 
of  the  other  substantial  improvements 


upon  the  place.  He  has  forty  acres  of  tim- 
ber land  on  section  27,  Walker  township, 
in  addition  to  his  home  property  and  he 
is  regarded  as  a  successful  farmer  and 
stock-raiser.  He  possesses  much  more 
than  ordinary  mechanical  ingenuity.  In 
fact,  his  ability  is  such  as  may  well  entitle 
him  to  be  called  a  genius.  His  large,  mod- 
ern granary,  tool  house,  blacksmith  shop 
and  summer  house  are  substantial  and  at- 
tractive buildings  which  are  an  ornament 
to  his  farm  and  a  monument  to  his  own 
labor,  for  he  built  them  all  with  his  own 
hands.  Beside  thorough  understanding 
of  the  carpenter's  trade  he  is  equally  pro- 
ficient as  -a.  blacksmith  and  does  all  of  his 
own  horse  shoeing  and  other  blacksmith- 
ing  work.  He  also  has  one  or  two  pri- 
vate telephone  lines,  putting  in  his  own 
switchboard  and  doing  all  of  this  work 
himself. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Linnenburger 
have  been  born  three  children  :  Lelia,  the 
wife  of  Charles  Ewing,  of  Walker  town- 
ship, by  whom  she  has  one  son,  Truman ; 
Charles,  who  was  born  in  1888,  and  is  at 
home ;  and  Winnard,  twelve  years  of  age.  • 
also  at  home.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Linnenburger 
have  also  reared  an  adopted  son.  John 
Homer,  who  married  Lina  Hastings,  by 
whom  he  has  one  child,  John  Henry.  He 
and  his  family  now  reside  in  Walker 
township.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Linnenburger 
also  received  into  their  home  in  19x16  a 
little  girl,  Ethel  Climer,  ten  years  of  age. 
Thus  out  of  the  kindness  of  their  hearts 
they  have  given  homes  to  two  children,  a 
fact  for  which  they  deserve  much  credit. 
They  are  both  members  of  the  Christian 
church,  and  those  who  know  them  and 
know  aught  of  their  kindly  purposes  and 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


415 


their  main'  good  deeds  as  well  as  their 
fidelity  to  high  principles,  know  them  to 
be  most  consistent  Christian  people.  Mr. 
Linnenburger  is  also  a  member  of  the 
Modern  Woodmen  of  America  at  War- 
saw and  for  six  years  he  has  served  as 
a  school  director.  His  political  allegiance 
is  given  to  the  Republican  paity.  It  is 
rarely  that  one  finds  a  more  chivalrous 
man,  and  it  is  needless  to  say  that  his  is  a 
happy  home.  With  few  advantages  in 
his  youth  and  with  little  material  assist- 
ance during  his  business  life  he  has  stead- 
ily worked  his  way  upward  and  is  today 
one  of  the  substantial  farmers  of  the 
county  with  a  splendid  property  as  proof 
of  his  well  directed  labors  and  capable 
management. 


GEORGE  C. 


George  C.  LaCroix  is  a  representative 
farmer  of  Appanoose,  his  native  township. 
He  was  born  on  section  32,  his  natal  day 
being  September  20.  1848.  His  parents 
were  Andrew  and  Chloe  Ann  (Osborn) 
LaCroix,  the  former  a  native  of  France. 
and  the  latter  of  Bainbridge,  Ohio.  By 
a  former  marriage  to  a  Mr.  Henry,  Mrs. 
LaCroix  had  two  daughters  :  Josephine. 
now  deceased  :  and  Adelaide,  the  wife  of 
Leonard  Hobbs.  of  Nauvoo.  In  1844, 
Andrew  LaCroix  came  to  Nauvoo.  He 
had  one  son  by  his  first  marriage.  Isaac 
LaCroix,  who  died  in  the  army  in  1864. 
He  was  married  a  second  time  in  Rush- 
ville,  Schuvler  countv.  Illinois.  Follow- 


ing his  arrival  in  Nauvoo  he  purchased 
seventy-six  acres  on  section  32,  Appa- 
noose township,  and  later  his  wife  bought 
ten  acres  adjoining.  He  began  building 
a  house  but  had  only  completed  it  to  the 
first  story,  when,  in  1850,  he  started  for 
California,  traveling  across  the  plains 
with  teams.  He  spent  two  years  on  the 
Pacific  coast  and  then  returned  by  way 
of  the  isthmus  route  to  New  Orleans. 
In  that  city  he  contracted  a  cold  which 
caused  his  death  April  31,  1853.  He 
brought  back  with  him  twenty-two  hun- 
dred dollars  as  the  result  of  his  two  years' 
labor  in  the  Golden  state.  His  wife  sur- 
vived him  for  more  than  two  decades  and 
passed  away  July  31,  1875. 

George  C.  LaCroix  was  the  younger 
of  two  sons,  his  brother  being  James  La- 
Croix, of  Los  Angeles,  California. 
George  C.  LaCroix  remained  with  his 
mother  on  the  old  homestead  until  her 
death  and  then  bought  the  interest  of  the 
other  heirs  in  the  property,  to  which  he 
has  since  added  sixty-six  acres  all  on 
section  32,  Appanoose  township.  He 
now  has  one  hundred  and  ten  acres  in 
the  home  place  and  forty  acres  on  the 
northeast  corner  of  the  same  section,  to- 
gether with  ten  acres  of  timber  on  section 
22.  Appanoose  township.  A  house,  a 
story  and  a  half  construction  of  eight 
rooms,  was  built  by  his  father,  and  to 
this  Mr.  LaCroix  has  made  additions, 
converting  it  into  a  good  modern  home. 
He  carries  on  general  farming  and  stock- 
raising  and  is  careful  in  the  management 
of  his  business  interests,  which  are  re- 
sulting profitably  to  him.  His  farm  is 
an  old  historic  place  in  Hancock  county, 
for  the  battle  with  the  Mormons  took 


416 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


place  right  in  front  of  his  house  and 
the  father  witnessed  the  engagement  from 
the  housetop. 

On  the  23d  of  March,  1871,  Mr.  La- 
Croix  was  married  to  Miss  Caroline  Rent- 
schler,  a  native  of  Nauvoo,  and  a  daugh- 
ter of  John  M.  and  /ftinie  (Snearlery) 
Rentschler,  natives  of  Wurtemberg.  Ger- 
many. In  their  family  were  four  chil- 
dren, who  are  yet  living,  while  the  family 
record  is  as  follows :  Christ,  a  resident 
of  California ;  John,  who  died  in  Colo- 
rado, in  September,  1895,  leaving  a  wife 
and  five  children ;  George,  who  died 
March  30,  1903,  in  Corning,  Arkansas; 
Fred,  of  Denver,  Colorado,  who  is  mar- 
ried and  has  two  children ;  Mrs.  LaCroix ; 
and  Anne  and  Sophia,  twins.  The  former 
is  the  wife  of  William  Webber,  and"  the 
latter  is  the  widow  of  George  Bressler,  of 
Breckenridge,  Colorado. 

The  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  LaCroix 
was  blessed  with  three  sons  and  three 
daughters.  Chloe  Adelaide,  born  Octo- 
ber 5,  1872,  was  married  December  25, 
1905,  to  Charles  Smith,  of  Cripple  Creek, 
Colorado.  Harry  A.,  born  September 
10,  1874,  married  Grace  McCullom  in 
December,  1905.  Minnie  E.,  who  was 
born  December  14,  1876,  was  married 
February  n.  1902,  to  Ed  Ainsworth,  of 
Mason  City,  Illinois.  Fred  C,  born  May 
8,  1882,  resides  in  Cripple  Creek,  Colo- 
rado. Jesse  Raymond,  born  August  17, 
1887,  and  Mildred  Helen,  December  25, 
1892,  are  at  home. 

Mr.  LaCroix  exercises  his  right  of  fran- 
chise in  support  of  the  men  and  measures 
of  the  democracy,  and  in  his  frateral  re- 
lations he  is  a  Mason,  who  exemplifies  in 
his  life  the  beneficent  spirit  of  the  craft, 


which  is  based  upon  mutual  helpfulness 
and  brotherly  kindness.  He  has  always 
lived  upon  the  old  homestead  and  the  les- 
sons of  industry  and  integrity  which  he 
learned  in  his  youth  have  been  carefully 
followed  and  have  made  him  a  prosperous 
and  honored  business  man  and  farmer  of 
Appanoose  township. 


ROBERT  L.-CARLTON. 

Robert  L.  Carlton,  proprietor  of  a  re- 
tanrant  in  Carthage,  his  business  making 
him  a  foremost  representative  cf  this  line 
of  commercial  activity,  was  born  in  Car- 
thage, September  9,  1868,  his  parents  be- 
ing George  W.  and  Nancy  (Boyles) 
Carlton,  natives  of  Maryland  and  Penn- 
sylvania respectively.  The  father  was  a 
farmer  by  occupation  and  removed  from 
Kentucky  to  Woodville,  Illinois,  in  the 
year  1840.  There  he  followed  farming 
for  a  number  of  years  and  in  1851  came 
to  Carthage,  Hancock  county.  Soon  aft- 
erward he  settled  upon  a  farm  near  the 
city,  on  which  he  made  maany  substantial 
improvements,  but  this  farm  has  now  been 
cut  up  into  town  lots.  He  died  in  the 
year  1896  and  his  wife  survived  until 
February,  1905,  both  being  buried  in  Moss 
Ridge  cemetery.  Her  brother,  Archibald 
Boyles,  served  throughout  the  Civil  War 
with  the  Union  army  and  was  with  Sher- 
man on  the  celebrated  march  to  the  sea 
and  also  participated  in  the  grand  review 
in  Washington,  D.  C.  Unto  George  Carl- 
ton  bv  his  first  wife  there  were  born  five 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


417 


children,  four  of  whom  are  living :  A.  I., 
a  resident  of  Carthage;  Susan,  the  wife 
of  John  T.  Davis ;  O.  P., ;  and  Marietta, 
the  wife  of  Thomas  W.  Davis.  All  are 
living  in  Carthage.  Mr.  Carlton's  second 
wife  was  the  mother  of  our  subject  and 
in  their  family  were  ten  children,  of  whom 
eight  are  living:  George  E.,  who  resides 
in  the  state  of  Washington;  Edward,  of 
Galesburg,  Illinois ;  Eliza,  the  wife  of  J. 
H.  McOuary,  of  Monett,  Missouri ;  Alice, 
the  wife  of  Richard  McCrellias,  of  Car- 
thage, Illinois :  William  H.,  of  Monett, 
Missouri;  Robert  L. ;  Minerva  E.,  the 
wife  of  Charles  A.  Starkey;  and  Richard 
B.  Carlton,  whose  home  is  in  Keokuk, 
Iowa.  One  son  of  the  family.  O.  P.  Carl- 
ton,  served  during  the  latter  part  of  the 
Civil  war. 

Robert  L.  Carlton  at  the  usual  age  en- 
tered the  public  schools  and  therein  con- 
tinued his  studies  until  he  was  well 
equipped  for  life's  practical  and  responsi- 
ble duties.  He  resided  upon  his  father's 
farm  until  twenty  vears  of  age,  when 

J       J  o     * 

he  was  married.  It  was  in  March.  1888, 
that  he  wedded  Miss  Ella  Smith,  a  native 
of  this  county  and  a  daughter  of  John 
Smith,  who  was  a  carpenter  by  trade  but 
lias  been  dead  for  many  years.  Her  moth- 
er has  also  passed  away  and  both  were 
buried  in  Oak  Grove  cemetery.  Their 
seven  living  children  are:  .Henry,  a  resi- 
dent of  Oklahoma:  Sylvester,  who  is  liv- 
ing in  Carthage;  A.  B.,  residing  in  this 
city:  Edward,  of  Oklahoma;  Homer,  of 
Missouri:  Mrs.  Carlton:  and  Emma,  the 
wife  of  Harvey  Ellington,  of  Keokuk, 
Towa. 

Following  his  marriage  Mr.  Carlton 
lived  for  nine  years,  on  one  of  his  father's 


farms,  where  he  engaged  in  general  agri- 
cultural pursuits  and  stock-raising  and  his 
business  activity  and  careful  management 
constitute  the  basis  of  a  very  gratifying 
success.  In  1898  he  was  called  upon  to 
mourn  the  loss  of  his  wife,  who  died  on 
the  5th  of  January  of  that  year  and  was 
laid  to  rest  in  Moss  Ridge  cemetery.  She 
was  a  devoted  member  of  the  Christian 
church,  was  a  kind  friend,  a  good  neigh- 
tor  and  a  devoted  and  loving  wife  and 
mother.  She  left  two  children,  Hazel  E. 
and  Claude,  aged  respectively  fourteen 
and  eleven  years  and  now  students  in  the 
public  schools.  In  February,  1900,  Mr. 
Carlton  was  married  to  Miss  Alda  J.  Mos- 
ley,  who  was  born  in  Hancock  township 
and  is  a  daughter  of  Samuel  and  Mar- 
garet (Gibson)  Mosley.  The  father  is  a 
farmer  of  Hancock  county  and  is  an  advo- 
cate of  the  democracy.  In  the  family  are 
seven  living  children :  Arthur,  who 
makes  his  home  in  this  county;  Taylor, 
Luther,  both  of  Carthage ;  Mrs.  Alda 
Carlton ;  Ida,  the  wife  of  Homer  Nelson, 
of  Fountain  Green,  Illinois;  Lawrence, 
who  is  with  his  father  in  Hancock  town- 
ship :  and  Dena,  at  home  with  her  parents. 
The  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Carlton 
has  been  blessed  with  four  children  :  Edith, 
five  years  of  age ;  Kenneth  and  Ruth,  aged 
respectively  four  and  two  years ;  and  Leah 
less  than  a  year  old.  Since  1900  Mr.  Carl- 
ton  has  been  engaged  in  the  restaurant 
business  on  Main  street  and  has  a  larger 
patronage  than  any  other  merchant  in  this 
line  in  the  city.  He  serves  regular  meals 
and  lunches,  ice  cream  and  soda  water 
and  his  establishment  is  a  favorite  resort 
with  those  who  have  patronage  to  bestow. 
His  close  application  to  his  business  and 


418 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


his  earnest  desire  to  please  his  patrons 
have  been  strong  elements  in  his  growing 
trade.  He  votes  with  the  democracy  and 
fraternally  is  connected  with  the  Knights 
of  Pythias  and  with  the  Modern  Wood- 
men. His  wife  is  a  sincere  member  of 
the  Christian  church.  They  occupy  his 
father's  old  home  place,  which  he  pur- 
chased and  which  is  situated  on  Wabash 
avenue.  Mr.  Carlton  is  a  jovial,  pleasant 
gentleman  of  good  principles,  affable  in 
manner  and  friendly  in  disposition  and 
both  he  and  his  wife  are  popular  in  the 
community. 


JOHN  E.  COCHRAN. 

John  E.  Cochran.  a  highly  respected 
farmer  of  Wythe  township,  is  numbered 
among  the  residents  that  Pennsylvania 
has  furnished  to  Hancock  county.  He 
was  born  in  Westmoreland  county,  of  the 
Keystone  state,  September  9,  1841,  a  son 
of  James  and  Nancy  (Elder)  Cochran, 
who  were  also  born  in  that  county.  His 
paternal  grandfather.  John  Cochran.  was 
a  native  of  Fayette  county,  Pennsylva- 
nia, while  the  maternal  grandparents, 
John  and  Sarah  (Rose)  Elder,  were  na- 
tives of  Pennsylvania,  but  were  of  Eng- 
lish lineage,  the  family  having  been  es- 
tablished in  Pennsylvania  at  an  early 
day.  James  Cochran,  father  of  our  sub- 
ject, followed  the  occupation  of  farming 
and  conducted  salt  works  in  Pennsylva- 
nia for  many  years,  but  at  length,  attract- 
ed by  the  opportunities  of  the  new  and 


growing  west,  he  came  to  Hancock  coun- 
ty, arriving  in  Bear  Creek  township,  on 
the  1 4th  of  November,  1862.  There  he 
lived  for  eighteen  years  and  became  the 
owner  of  a  valuable  farm  of  three  hun- 
dred and  twenty  acres  of  prairie  and  tim- 
ber land.  It  was  unimproved  when  it 
came  into  his  possession,  but  he  placed  it 
under  a  high  state  of  cultivation,  devel- 
oping an  excellent  farm  property.  As 
his  son,  John  E.  Cochran,  was  the  eldest 
of  the  family,  much  of  the  work  devolved 
upon  him.  In  1870  the  parents  removed 
to  Wythe  township,  where  they  purchased 
one  hundred  and  forty  acres  of  land  on 
section  16,  and  thereon  made  their  home 
until  called  to  their  final  rest.  The  fa- 
ther died  on  the  I4th  of  August,  1895, 
while  his  wife  survived  until  the  2d  of 
November,  1900.  They  were  most  high- 
ly esteemed  people  .and  during  the  long 
years  of  their  residence  in  this  county 
won  the  friendship  and  high  regard  of 
many  with  whom  they  were  brought  in 
contact.  In  their  family  were  five  sons 
and  two  daughters. 

John  E.  Cochran.  the  eldest,  spent  his 
youth  in  Pennsylvania  and  acquired  a  dis- 
trict school  education  there.  He  was  a 
young  man  of  about  twenty-one  years  at 
the  time  of  the  removal  of  the  family  to 
Illinois,  and  he  did  much  of  the  arduous 
work  connected  with  the  development  of 
a  new  farm,  turning  the  first  furrows  on 
many  an  acre.  At  length  he  began,  farm- 
ing on  his  own  account  and  eventually 
he  traded  a  sixty-acre  farm  as  partial 
payment  for  a  tract  of  two  hundred  and 
forty  acres.  He  lived  upon  the  latter 
place  until  1882,  when  he  came  to  Wythe 
township  and  bought  one  hundred  and 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


419 


sixty  acres  on  section  22.  the  purchase 
price  being  nine  thousand  dollars.  He 
sold  his  first  place  in  1887  for  seven  thou- 
sand dollars,  and  in  the  spring  of  1906  it 
was  sold  for  nineteen  thousand.  On  re- 
m<  iving  to  his  present  property  Mr.  Coch- 
ran  at  once  began  its  further  cultivation 
and  development.  He  had  dug  a  forty- 
foot  well,  which  is  the  finest  in  the  town- 
ship. He  now  has  twenty  feet  of  water 
in  the  well  and  has  erected  in  connection 
therewith  a  windmill.  He  has  also  built 
a  two-story  frame  residence  of  eight 
rooms  with  cellar  of  cement  sides  and 
floor.  He  has  also  installed  an  acetylene 
gas  lighting  plant  and  altogether  has  one 
of  the  most  modern  and  attractive  homes 
of  this  part  of  the  county.  He  has  like- 
wise built  a  large  barn  forty  .by  sixty 
feet  with  twenty-four-foot  posts,  and  it 
has  capacity  for  two  thousand  bushels  of 
corn?  He  has  a  nice  house,  carriage  sheds 
and  various  other  buildings  upon  his 
farm,  and  altogether  it  is  a  model  prop- 
erty, lacking  in  none  of  the  equipments 
and  accessories  known  to  the  best  farms 
of  the  twentieth  century.  There  is  a  fine 
apple  orchard  and  everything  about  the 
place  indicates  the  careful  supervision  of 
the  owner  through  its  neat  and  thrifty 
appearance. 

On  the  7th  of  March,  1867,  Mr.  Coch- 
ran  was  married  to  Miss  Rachel  Moore, 
who  .was  born  about  a  mile  and  a  half 
north  of  Basco  in  Bear  Creek  township. 
Her  parents,  Andrew  and  Abigail 
(Tweed)  Moore,  were  natives  of  Dela- 
ware, and  in  1835  became  residents  of 
Bear  Creek  township,  where  the  father 
purchased  and  improved  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  of  land.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Coch- 


ran  have  become  the  parents  of  seven  chil- 
dren, but  only  one  is  now  living,  Newton 
M.,  of  Wythe  township,  who  was  born  in 
Bear  Creek  township,  August  4,  1868. 
The  others — Elmer,  Harry,  Annie,  Nan- 
nie, Jessie  and  Charles — all  died  in  in- 
fancy. Mr.  Cochran  is  a  republican  in  his 
political  allegiance  and  his  religious  faith 
is  indicated  by  his  membership  in  the 
Presbyterian  church.  He  has  always 
been  deeply  interested  in  the  subject  of 
agriculture  and  in  anything  pertaining 
to  progress  along  that  line  and  has  not 
only  been  a  follower  but  a  leader  in  the 
work  of  general  improvement  in  farm 
life  in  Hancock  county.  His  own  pro- 
gressive spirit  is  indicated  in  the  splen- 
did appearance  of  his  place  and  his  fine 
farm  is  the  just  reward  of  his  life  of  in- 
tense and  well  directed  activity. 


REASON  A.  NELSON. 

Reason  A.  Nelson,  of  La  Harpe,  is  an 
extensive  landowner,  having  seven  hun- 
dred acres  in  Illinois  besides  valuable 
property  elsewhere.  He  was  born  near 
Pittsfield,  Pike  county,  Illinois,  January 
26,  1846.  His  paternal  grandfather, 
Elisha  Nelson,  was  a  native  of  Ireland  and 
after  coming  to  the  new  world  settled  in 
Ohio.  His  son,  George  C.  Nelson,  was 
born  about  ten  miles  from  Cadiz,  Ohio, 
March  28,  1825,  and  when  but  seventeen 
years  of  age  was  married  to  Charlotte 
Carnes,  who  was  born  in  the  same  lo- 
cality. They  became  the  parents  of  five 


42O 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


children,  of  whom  three  are  still  living, 
the  second  being  the  subject  of  this  re- 
view. The  wife  and  mother,  however, 
passed  away  in  1850  and  in  1853  George 
C.  Nelson  married  Sarah  A.  Irving,  who 
was  born  in  Harrison  county,  Ohio,  No- 
vember 12,  1833.  Her  paternal  grand- 
parents were  James  and  Elizabeth 
(Barnes)  Irving,  both  of  whom  were  na- 
tives of  Maryland.  Her  father,  James 
Irving,  was  born  in  Harrison  county, 
Ohio,  and  having  arrived  at  years  of 
maturity  was  married  to  Martha  Dun- 
ham, also  a  native  of  that  county  and  a 
daughter  of  William  and  Mary 
(Chauncy)  Dunham,  natives  of  Virginia. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  James  Irving  lived  upon  a 
farm  in  Ohio  until  1844,  when  he  sold 
his  property  there  and  removed  to  Pike 
county,  Illinois.  There  he  purchased  a 
tract  of  land  upon  which  he  lived  until 
his  death  about  two  years  later.  It  was 
in  1853  that  his  daughter  Sarah  Ann  be- 
came the  wife  of  George  C.  Nelson,  then 
of  Henderson  county,  Illinois.  At  the 
time  of  his  first  marriage  Mr.  Nelson 
was  but  seventeen  years  of  age  and  for 
four  years  thereafter  he  continued  to 
work  for  his  father.  When  he  attained 
his  majority  he  was  the  owner  of  two 
steers  costing  thirteen  dollars  and  a  half, 
which  he  had  earned  through  extra  labor. 
Continuing  to  work  hard  and  saving  his 
earnings,  he  was  at  length  enabled  to  pur- 
chase forty  acres  of  land  in  Pike  county, 
Illinois,  which  he  tilled  with  one  horse 
and  an  ox.  In  1854  he  sold  out  and  re- 
moved to  Henderson  county,  where  he 
purchased  a  half  section  of  farm  land 
and  ten  acres  of  timber,  paying  one  half 
down  and  the  balance  on  time.  After 


that  change  he  met  with  success  and  be- 
came one  of  the  most  extensive  landown- 
ers of  the  state,  having  about  three 
thousand  acres.  He  was  also  the  owner 
of  one  hundred  and  fifty  head  of  blooded 
horses  and  many  head  of  cattle,  sheep 
and  hogs  and  was  thus  one  of  the  leading 
stock-raisers  as  well  as  large  landowners 
of  Henderson  county.  He  continued  ac- 
tively in  business  until  his  death,  which 
occurred  November  I,  1894.  The  chil- 
dren of  the  second  marriage  are :  Wil- 
liam S.,  born  November  12,  1854; 
Charles  H. ;  Elmer  R. ;  Grace  M.,  the  wife 
of  Andrew  James,  of  La  Harpe,  Illinois; 
Bessie  S.,  who  became  the  wife  of  Ernest 
Hull  and  died  August  30,  1905 ;  and 
Quinton  Ward.  There  were  also  six 
children  who  died  in  infancy.  The 
spring  following  the  death  of  Mr.  Nelson 
his  widow  and  the  children  removed  to 
La  Harpe,  where  she  is  now  residing. 

Reason  A.  Nelson  acquired  his  educa- 
tion in  the  public  schools  of  Henderson 
county,  Illinois,  and  was  reared  to  the 
occupation  of  farming.  He  remained 
under  the  parental  roof  and  assisted  in 
the  work  of  field  and  meadow  until  1871, 
or  for  a  year  after  his  marriage,  when  he 
rented  one  of  his  father's  farms,  consist- 
ing of  two  hundred  acres.  He  then  re- 
moved to  that  place,  whereon  he  remained 
for  three  years,  when  he  rented  two  hun- 
dred and  eighty-five  acres  near  Terre 
Haute,  Illinois.  This  he  continued  to 
lease  for  eight  years  at  a  rental  of  one 
thousand  dollars  per  year  and  at  the  end 
of  that  time  he  bought  the  farm  for  sixty- 
two  and  a  half  dollars  per  acre.  The 
west  half  of  Terre  Haute  comprised  a 
part  of  his  original  farm.  After  selling 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


421 


that  tract  for  city  lots  he  bought  eighty 
acres  lying  west  of  the  north  half  of  his 
first  purchase  and  later  he  added  six  and  a 
half  acres  adjoining  on  which  stood  a 
house,  barn  and  other  good  farm  build- 
ings. As  the  years  passed  he  has  pros- 
pered through  his  judicious  investment, 
through  his  careful  management  of  his 
business  affairs  and  through  his  unremit- 
ting diligence,  so  that  when  the  La  Harpe 
district  fair  was  established  he  was  able 
to  loan  five  thousand  dollars  towards  its 
promotion.  He  has  continued  adding  to 
his  property  until  he  now  owns  seven 
hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  farm  land  in 
Illinois,  together  with  city  property,  and 
he  also  has  an  interest  of  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  in  Kansas.  About  1900  he 
bought  eighty  acres  of  land  in  Henderson 
county,  for  which  he  paid  sfx  thousand 
dollars,  and  after  stocking  it  with  every- 
thing necessary  for  a  complete  farm  he 
presented  it  to  his  eldest  son,  who  lived 
there  for  about  two  years,  when  he  sold 
the  property  for  seven  thousand  dollars 
and  removed  to  La  Harpe. 

On  the  29th  "of  October,  1870,  Mr. 
Nelson  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Susan  R.  Ruckman,  who  was  born  in 
Newark,  New  Jersey,  November  25,  1846, 
a  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stephen 
Ruckman  and  the  fourth  of  a  family  of 
eight  children.  About  1864  her  mother 
and  stepfather  removed  to  Hancock 
county,  settling  near  La  Harpe,  and  later 
they  took  up  their  abode  at  Bloomfield, 
Iowa,  where  Mrs.  Nelson  was  living  at 
the  time  of  her  marriage.  This  union 
was  blessed  with  eight  children,  four  sons 
and  four  daughters,  but  three  of  the  num- 
ber died  in  infancy.  Those  still  living 


are:  'Mrs.  Jerusha  M.  Berkshire,  of 
Terre  Haute,  Illinois,  who  was  born  in 
September,  1876;  Le  Roy  E.,  who  was 
born  in  August,  1879,  and  is  now  in  La 
Harpe;  Mrs.  Maude  E.  Kerr,  who  was 
born  in  March,  1881,  and  lives  in  La 
Harpe  township;  George  C.,  who  was 
born  January  4,  1884,  and  is  also  in  La 
Harpe;  and  Mrs.  Charlotte  Elston,  who 
was  born  March  n,  1886,  and  is  now  on 
the  old  home  place  at  Terre  Haute,  Illi- 
nois. Mrs.  Nelson  departed  this  life 
June  5,  1904.  In  May,  1904,  the  family 
had  removed  to  La  Harpe,  where  a  month 
later  Mrs.  Nelson  died.  Mr.  Nelson  has 
since  resided  in  La  Harpe,  from  which 
town  he  superintends  his  business  inter- 
ests. His  eldest  son,  after  selling  the  farm 
which  was  a  gift  from  his  father,  clerked 
for  two  years  in  a  grocery  store  owned 
by  his  uncle  in  La  Harpe  and  then  bought 
a  third  interest  in  the  Keef  Clothing 
Company  in  this  place.  He  also  owns  a 
third  interest  in  a  farm  of  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acres  in  Iowa. 

Mr.  Nelson  votes  with  the  Republican 
party  and  fraternally  is  identified  with 
the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows 
and  the  Rebekah  lodge.  His  entire  life 
has  been  passed  in  Illinois  and  for  many 
years  he  has  resided  in  Hancock  county, 
where  his  labors,  directed  by  intelligence 
and  sound  judgment,  have  proven  im- 
portant factors  in  a  very  desirable  success. 

The  sons  of  Mr.  Nelson  belong  to  the 
Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and 
all  of  his  daughters  belong  to  Rebekah 
lodge,  and  are  also  members  of  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  church  of  La  Harpe,  and 
all  are  held  in  the  highest  esteem  by  all 
who  know  them. 


422 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


JOHN  HAIGH. 

John  Haigh,  a  pioneer  farmer  of  Appa- 
noose  township,  where  he  owns  two  hun- 
dred and  sixty  acres  of  rich  and  produc- 
tive land  situated  on  section  14,  was  born 
in  Frankford,  near  Philadelphia,  Penn- 
sylvania, July  26,  1821,  and  conies  of 
English  lineage,  his  paternal  grandfather 
having  been  born  in  Yorkshire.  England. 
whence  he  removed  to  Pennsylvania  in 
1815,  where  he 'conducted  a  cotton  manu- 
factory. His  death  there  occurred  in 
1844,  his  wife  having  passed  away  many 
years  previous.  The  subject  of  this  sketch 
is  a  son  of  John  and  Mary  Haigh,  in 
whose  family  were  four  sons  and  two 
daughters,  of  whom  our  subject  is  the 
third  in  order  of  birth. 

John  Haigh.  whose  name  introduces  this 
review,  was  reared  in  the  Keystone  state, 
and  was  there  educated  in  the  common 
schools.  When  a  small  hoy  he  assisted 
his  father  in  a  cotton  mill,  and  later 
learned  the  trade  of  dressing  morocco  used 
for  making  ladies'  shoes,  being  employed 
in  this  way  for  twelve  or  fifteen  years.  He 
was  there  married  in  1841  to  Miss  Sarah 
Folcrod,  who  was  born  in  Philadelphia, 
and  her  death  occurred  about  a  year  after 
their  marriage,  leaving  a  son,  Louis.  On 
the  1 2th  of  February,  1846,  Mr.  Haigh 
was  married  a  second  time,  his  union  be- 
ing with  Miss  Sarah  Sheward,-  who  was 
torn  in  Chester  county,  Pennsylvania, 
September  28,  1828,  a  daughter  of  War- 
rick  and  Ann  Sheward.  Following  his 
marriage  he  lived  in  Philadelphia  until 
1853,  when  he  went  to  Pittsbmg  by  rail, 
where  he  took  passage  on  a  steamer  for 
Ouincy.  Illinois,  where  Mrs.  Haigh's  par- 


ents were  then  living.  After  a  very  brief 
stay  in  that  city  they  came  to  Hancock 
county,  and  made  purchase  of  forty  acres 
of  land  situated  on  section  18,  Pontoosuc 
township,  a  portion  of  which  had  been 
cleared,  while  the  remainder  was  covered 
with  timber.  This  he  cleared,  placing  his 
land  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation.  On 
the  place  was  a  log  house,  in  which  the 
family  made  their  home  for  two  years. 
He  then  removed  to  a  farm  in  Appanoose 
township,  to  which  he  moved  his  log 
house.  As  the  years  passed  by  he  pros- 
pered in  his  business  affairs  and  was  soon 
enabled  to  purchase  more  land,  adding 
sixty  acres.  On  this  he  erected  a  frame 
house  containing  three  rooms,  to  which 
he  has  since  added  so  that  he  now  has  a 
comfortable  home  supplied  with  every 
convenience.  He  has  added  to  his  landed 
possessions  from  time  to  time  so  that  he 
now  owns  two  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of 
rich  prairie  land,  situated  on  section  14, 
Appanoose  township.  Here  he  is  en- 
gaged in  the  work  of  general  farming,  and 
also 'raises  cattle,  horses,  hogs  and  sheep, 
arid  finds  this  branch  of  his  business  a 
very  profitable  source  of  income.  When 
he  took  possession  of  his  property  it  was 
all  wild  and  unimproved  but  he  soon  broke 
the  prairie,  placed  his  fields  under  cultiva- 
tion and  added  all  of  the  buildings  which 
are  here  found,  so  that  he  now  has  a 
model  farm  of  the  twentieth  century. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Haigh  have  been 
torn  the  following  named :  John,  of  Ap- 
panoose township;  William,  of  Holt 
county.  Nebraska;  Annie,  the  wife  of  Wil- 
liam Seigrist,  also  residing  in  Appanoose 
township ;  Jennie,  the  wife  of  David  R. 
Thornber,  who  now  makes  her  home  with 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


423 


parents;  George,  on  the  home  farm;  Tru- 
man, of  Los  Angeles,  California ;  Mary 
Emma,  the  wife  of  Nimrod  Woody,  of 
Los  Angeles,  California ;  Rachel,  the  wife 
of  Peter  Mclntosh,  of  Alton,  Oregon 
county,  Missouri;  Sherman,  likewise  a 
resident  of  Los  Angeles  ;  Morris,  who  died 
at  the  age  of  thirty-two  years;  James,  of 
Bogard,  Missouri ;  and  Benjamin,  who 
died  at  the  age  of  thirteen  years.  Louis, 
the  son  of  the  first  marriage,  resides  at 
Niota,  Illinois. 

In  politics  Mr.  Haigh  is  a  republican 
but  is  not  an  active  worker  in  the  work 
of  the  party.  While  still  a  resident  of  the 
Keystone  state  he  became  a  member  of  the 
Odd  Fellows  order  and  also  of  the  Ameri- 
can Mechanics.  When  he  located  in  Han- 
cock county  much  of  the  land  was  still  un- 
claimed and  uncultivated,  and  deer  and 
wolves  were  still  roaming  over  the 
prairies  and  through  the  forests,  while 
prairie  chickens,  wild  turkeys  and  other 
game  was  to  be  had  in  abundance.  He 
has  lived  to  see  many  changes  here,  the 
land  having  been  reclaimed  by  the  set- 
tlers and  all  modern  improvements  are 
here  seen.  His  life  has  been  quietly 
passed,  and  yet  his  record  contains  many 
lessons  worthy  of  emulation,  for  he  has 
been  found  persistent,  active  and  honor- 
able in  all  life's  relations,  and  having 
lived  in  this  section  of  the  state  for  more 
than  a  half  century  he  has  a  wide  and 
favorable  acraiaintance. 

Since  the  above  was  written  Mr.  Haigh 
has  passed  away,  his  death  occurring  on 
November  6,  1906,  at  the  home  place  after 
a  short  sickness.  He  is  buried  in  the 
Jackson  graveyard  in  Appanoose  town- 
ship. 
27 


WILLIAM  O.  SANFORD. 

William  O.  Sanford  is  now  living  re- 
tired in  Hamilton  and  belongs  to  that 
class  of  men  who  have  found  in  the  pres- 
sure of  adversity  and  the  stimulus  of  op- 
position incentive  for  bringing  forth  their 
best  and  strongest  efforts  and  thereby 
winning  success.  Mr.  Sanford  is  one 
of  the  oldest  citizens  of  Hamilton,  hav- 
ing passed  the  eighty-fourth  milestone  on 
life's  journey,  his  birth  having  occurred 
in  Tioga  county,  New  York,  July  21, 
1822.  His  parents  were  Timothy  and 
Lucinda  (Teal)  Sanford,  the  former  a 
native  of  Connecticut  and  the  latter  of 
New  Hampshire.  In  the  paternal  line  he 
comes  of  one  of  the  old  New  England 
families.  His  grandfather  was  Ebenezer 
Sanford,  also  a  native  of  Connecticut,  and 
a  son  of  Ebenezer  Sanford,  Sr,  who  was 
born  in  England.  The  last  named,  in 
company  with  three  brothers,  came  to  the 
United  States,  settling  here  before  the 
Revolutionary  war  when  this  country 
was  still  numbered  among  the  colonial 
possessions  of  Great  Britain.  He  became 
connected  with  the  navy  during  the  pe- 
riod of  hostilities,  which  led  to  the  es- 
tablishment of  the  republic  and  was  killed 
in  an  effort  to  prevent  the  British  from 
reaching  West  Point,  New  York.  Eb- 
enezer Sanford,  Jr.,  lived  in  Connecticut 
and  later  removed  to  Candor,  Tioga 
county.  New  York,  where  he  resided  for 
a  few  years,  when  he  removed  to  Mon- 
roe county,  Michigan,  where  he  died. 
He  married  Rhoda  North,  who  was  a 
granddaughter  of  Lord  Norton,  of  Eng- 
land, and  their  son,  Timothy  Sanford, 
was  reared  in  Hartford  county,  Connect- 


424 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


icut,  removing  thence  to  Tioga  county, 
New  York,  after  he  had  attained  his  ma- 
jority. In  the  latter  place  he  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Lucinda  Teal,  a  daughter 
of  Rev.  Benjamin  Teal.  At  the  time  of 
the  war  of  1812  he  espoused  the  cause 
of  the  United  States  and  valiantly  fought 
during  the  second  period  of  hostilities 
with  England.  He  continued  to  remain 
a  resident  of  New  York  up  to  the  time  of 
his  demise,  which  occurred  in  1891.  He 
had  long  survived  his  wife,  who  passed 
away  in  1837. 

William  O.  Sanford  was  the  second  in 
order  of  birth  in  the  family  of  six  sons 
and  two  daughters.  He  assisted  his  fa- 
ther in  a  sawmill  business  which  the  lat- 
ter was  operating  in  the  midst  of  the  tim- 
bered regions,  as  that  country  was  cov- 
ered with  hemlock  and  pine  trees.  He 
also  learned  the  trade  of  cabinet  making, 
entering  upon  an  apprenticeship  when 
seventeen  years  of  age  and  working  for 
four  years  in  that  way.  He  and  his 
brother  afterward  removed  to  Akron, 
Ohio,  where  they  conducted  a  cabinet 
making  business  until  1855,  when  Wil- 
liam O.  Sanford  sold  out  to  his  brother, 
who  carried  on  the  business  until  his 
death  in  1896.  After  disposing  of  his 
cabinet  making  interests  Mr.  Sanford  of 
this  review  came  to  Illinois  and  spent 
about  two  years  in  looking  for  a  favora- 
ble location  on  the  Mississippi  river. 
.Finally  he  located  at  Hamilton,  where  he 
spent  many  years,  being  employed  as  dis- 
tributing agent  and  also  overseeing  the 
construction  of  depots.  He  erected  sev- 
eral of  the  older  houses  in  Hamilton, 
and  now  owns  three  of  them.  He  trav- 
eled over  about  five  hundred  miles  of  the 


Chicago.  Burlington  &  Quincy  Railroad, 
assisting  in  the  construction  of  all  of  the  • 
buildings  on   its   line.      For  about  three- 
years  he  conducted  a  mercantile  business, 
being    thus    engaged    subsequent    to    the 
Civil  war. 

When  the  country  was  engaged  in  hos- 
tility between  the  north  and  the  south 
Mr.  Sanford  enlisted  in  defense  of  the 
Union,  becoming  a  member  of  Company 
G,  Twenty-third  Illinois  Infantry,  called 
Mulligan's  Irish  Brigade  of  the  Second 
Division  and  Twenty-third  Regiment  of 
the  Twenty-fourth  Army  Corps.  He 
was  one  of  those  who  guarded  Libby 
Prison  for  three  months.  He  enlisted  in 
1 86 1  for  the  purpose  of  driving  the  Con- 
federates from  the  northeastern  part  of 
Missouri  and  in  the  winter  of  1864-5  ne 
re-enlisted  with  the  same  command  and 
was  honorably  discharged  in  August  of 
the  latter  year. 

Following  the  war  Mr.  Sanford  re- 
turned to  Hamilton  and  entered  the  serv- 
ice of  the  railroad,  remaining  in  that  po- 
sition for  about  four  years.  He  had 
charge  of  the  mechanical  department  of 
the  Toledo,  Peoria  &  Warsaw  Railroad 
when  it  was  built  to  Keokuk.  He  assisted 
in  the  construction  of  the  bridges  and  de- 
pots on  the  road.  That  he  has  prospered 
in  his  undertakings  is  indicated  by  the 
fact  that  he  now  owns  three  houses  and 
lots  in  addition  to  his  attractive  residence 
in  Hamilton.  Since  1892  he  has  lived 
retired  amid  many  of  the  comforts  and 
some  of  the  luxuries  of  life  which  have 
been  gained  through  his  own  efforts. 

Mr.  Sanford  was  first  married  in  Oc- 
tober, 1849.  to  Miss  Joanna  Baker,  who 
was  born  in  New  York.  Thev  had  one 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


425 


child,  Charles  B.  Sanford,  who  died  in 
Nemaha  county,  Kansas,  in  1888.  while 
the  wife  and  mother  passed  away  in 
April,  1852.  On  the  ist  of  January, 
1857,  Mr.  Sanford  was  again  married, 
his  second  union  being  with  Sarah  A. 
Kauffman,  who  was  born  near  Dayton, 
Ohio,  March  4,  1829,  a  daughter  of 
Christian  and  Hester  (Whitmore)  Kauff- 
man, natives  of  Pennsylvania.  The  chil- 
dren of  this  marriage  were  as  follows: 
Arthur  J.,  who  died  at  the  age  of  two  and 
a  half  years;  Emma  Luella,  who  died 
when  three  and  a  half  years  of  age;  Orion 
H.,  who  died  in  San  Antonio,  Texas, 
March  6,  1892,  at  the  age  of  twenty- 
seven  years;  and  Orion  H.,  who  was  born 
September  21,  1863.  and  died  March  6, 
1892.  The  last  named  attended  the 
Pierce  Business  College  at  Keokuk  and 
was  afterward  clerk  for  the  Standard  Oil 
Company  at  Keokuk  for  about  a  year, 
when  he  was  transferred  to  Davenport, 
where  he  was  employed  for  six  years. 
His  health  then  failed  him  and  with  his 
parents  he  traveled  to  California  and 
Texas,  but  was  taken  with  grip  in  the 
last  named  state  after  his  health  had  be- 
come partially  improved.  This  disease, 
however,  terminated  fatally. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Sanford  is 
a  stalwart  republican.  He  was  elected  as 
a  member  of  the  city  council  at  Akron, 
Ohio,  served  for  two  terms  and  an  unex- 
pired  term  as  clerk  and  also  filled  out 
an  unexpired  term  as  mayor,  acting  in  the 
latter  capacity  for  nearly  a  year.  He  was 
a  very  prominent  resident  of  Akron, 
Ohio,  and  was  connected  with  the  ma- 
jority of  its  leading  organizations.  After 
coming  to  Hamilton  he  was  elected  and 


served  as  alderman  here.  He  wrote  the 
first  city  charter  and  succeeded  in  secur- 
ing its  passage  through  the  legislature. 
He  was  the  second  mayor  of  Hamilton 
and  served  for  three  terms,  while  for  ten 
terms  he  filled  the  position  of  alderman. 
His  public  service  has  been  most  capa- 
ble and  over  the  record  of  his  official  ca- 
reer there  falls  no  shadow  of  wrong  or 
suspicion  of  evil.  In  his  business  affairs 
he  has  prospered  as  the  years  have  gone 
by  and  is  now  in  possession  of  property 
which  indicates  a  well-directed  activity 
and  enterprise  in  former  years.  He  has 
made  a  close  and  discriminating  study  of 
the  needs  and  possibilities  of  his  town  and 
county  and  in  his  official  capacities  has 
labored  earnestly  and  effectively  to  pro- 
duce the  best  results.  Living  retired  in 
Hamilton,  he  has  a  wide  and  favorable 
acquaintance  in  this  part  of  the  county 
and  his  labors  have  at  all  times  been  so 
honorable  that  he  has  won  not  only  suc- 
cess but  also  an  untarnished  name. 


JAMES  W.  WESTFALL. 

Oh  the  roster  of  county  officials  in  Han- 
cock county  appears  the  name  of  James 
\Y.  Westfall,  who  is  filling  the  position 
of  county  clerk.  Carthage  has  been  fa- 
vored in  the  class  of  men  who  have  oc- 
cupied her  official  positions,  for  there  has 
been  little  corruption  in  public  office  here 
such  as  is  more  common  in  large  cities. 
In  fact  the  business  duties  connected  with 
the  city  and  county  have  been  performed 


426 


BIOGRAPHICAL  RE  I' I  El  I' 


in  a  most  favorable  manner  by  men  of 
broad  integrity  and  worth  and  of  this 
class  James  \Y.  Westfall  is  a  worthy  rep- 
resentative. He  is  a  son  of  Calvin  and 
Elizabeth  (McCullough)  Westfall  and 
was  born  near  Lacrosse  in  Hancock 
county,  November  30,  1861.  His  par- 
ents are  also  natives  of  this  county  and 
the  father  for  many  years  followed  the 
occupation  of  farming  but  at  length  re- 
tired from  active  business  life  and  died 
in  Burnside.  Illinois,  December  n,  1893. 
His  widow  still  resides  there.  In  their 
family  were  four  children,  of  whom  three 
are  now  living :  '  Mary,  who  died  at  the 
age  of  four  years ;  Ellen,  now  the  wife  of 
T.  G.  Wright,  of  Burnside;  James  W. : 
and  George  X.,  who  resides  in  Marcel ine, 
Missouri. 

Mr.  Westfall  of  this  review  pursued 
his  early  education  in  the  public  schools 
in  Pilot  Grove  township  and  afterward 
attended  a  business  college  at  Keokuk, 
Iowa.  When  his  schools  days  were  over 
he  became  a  successful  telegraphic  op- 
erator for  the  Toledo,  Peoria  &  Warsaw 
Railroad,  occupying  positions  at  various 
places  for  ten  years.  He  was  also  post- 
master at  Burnside  for  four  years  and 
was  engaged  in  the  hardware  business 
there  for  four  years.  He  came  to  Car- 
thage to  make  his  home  in  1898  and  was 
here  elected  to  the  office  of  county  clerk, 
which  position  he  is  still  filling.  He  is  a 
stanch  democrat  in  politics  and  has  served 
in  several  official  positions,  acting  as 
township  clerk  in  Pilot  Grove  township. 

On  the  20th  of  February,  1887,  Mr. 
Westfall  was  married  to  Miss  Laura 
Mills,  of  Durham  township,  Hancock 
county,  a  daughter  of  John  and  Elizabeth 


Mills,  whose  parents  were  old  settlers  of 
that  township,  where  her  father  followed 
farming.  They  are  still  living  and  now 
make  their  home  with  their  children. 
They  had  two  daughters :  Mrs.  West- 
fall;  and  Emma,  the  wife  of  O.  D.  Wick- 
izer,  of  Chinook,  Montana.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Westfall  have  six  sons,  four  of 
whom  were  born  in  Burnside  and  the 
youngest  in  Carthage.  These  are :  Ver- 
non,  born  March  28,  1888;  Bruce,  in  De- 
cember, 1889";  Paul,  December  18,  1894; 
Mills,  July  22,  1897;  and  James,  born 
July  21,  1900.  Lewis,  born  April  13, 
1906.  The  parents  are  prominent  and 
influential  members  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church,  in  which  Mr.  Westfall 
is  serving  as  steward,  while  his  wife  be- 
longs to  the  various  church  societies. 
Fraternally  he  is  connected  with  the  Ma- 
sonic lodge  of  Burnside  and  with  the 
chapter  at  Carthage  and  he  also  belongs 
to  Bentley  lodge,  No.  412,  Independent 
Order  of  Odd  Fellows  in  which  he 
has  passed  all  of  the  chairs.  He 
is  likewise  a  member  of  the  Woodmen 
of  the  World  and  the  Court  of  Honor  and 
is  popular  in  these  various  organizations. 
He  is  now  proving  a  capable  officer,  dis- 
charging his  duties  with  promptness  and 
fidelity  such  as  indicates  his  loyal  citizen- 
ship and  progressive  spirit. 


THOMAS  RUGGLES. 

No  history  of  Hamilton  would  be  com- 
plete without  mention  of  Thomas   Rug- 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


427 


gles,  who  for  fifty  years  lias  been  a  dry 
goods  merchant  of  this  city  and  since 
1848  has  resided  here.  He  came  to  Illi- 
nois when  it  was  a  pioneer  district,  trav- 
eling across  the  country  when  one  would 
ride  for  miles  and  miles  without  seeing  a 
habitation  or  evidences  that  the  seeds  of 
civilization  had  been  planted  on  the  west- 
ern frontier.  He  is  thoroughly  familiar 
with  the  history  of  the  county  and  events. 
which  to  most  people  are  matters  of  his- 
tory, have  been  witnessed  by  him  or  have 
been  matters  of  experience  with  him.  He 
was  born  in  Daviess  county.  Indiana,  De- 
cember 13,  1825.  His  paternal  grandfa- 
ther. Thomas  Ruggles.  was  a  native  of 
North  Carolina  and  married  Rachel  Free- 
land,  who  was  torn  in  Maryland.  Their 
son,  Jacob  Ruggles,  was  born  in  Bourbon 
county,  Kentucky,  where  the  family  lived 
for  a  number  of  years.  Having  arrived 
at  adult  age.  he  married  Miss  Henrietta 
McDonald,  who  was  also  born  in  Ken- 
tucky and  was  a  daughter  of  Francis  and 
Eleanor  (Hamilton)  McDonald,  the  for- 
mer a  native  of  Maryland  and  the  latter 
of  Delaware.  Francis  McDonald  was  a 
Revolutionary  soldier  and  was  taken  on  a 
British  man  of  war  to  the  new  world. 
When  they  landed  at  Charleston.  South 
Carolina,  he  deserted  the  British  troops 
and  joined  the  colonial  army.  He  was 
only  a  boy  at  that  time.  He  fought,  for 
the  independence  of  the  colonies  and  after 
the  establishment  of  the  republic  he  emi- 
grated to  Kentucky  at  an  early  day  and 
lived  there  for  a  number  of  years.  Subse- 
quently he  removed  to  Indiana,  where  his 
last  days  were  passed.  Thomas  Ruggles 
was  also  a  pioneer  settler  of  Indiana,  liv- 
ing there  at  a  time  when  in  the  midst  of 


the  little  settlement  was  an  old  log  fort,  to 
which  all  of  the  citizens  would  go  to  seek 
protection  from  the  Indians  when  there 
would  be  an  uprising  among  the  red 
people. 

Jacob  Ruggles,  father  of  our  subject, 
lived  upon  the  farm  in  Indiana  for  many 
years.  In  1851  he  wait  to  California, 
where  he  remained  for  nine  years,  return- 
ing to  Indiana  in  the  fall  of  1860. 

Thomas  Ruggles,  whose  name  intro- 
duces this  review,  began  his  education  in 
one  of  the  old-time  subscription  schools 
which  met  in  a  log  cabin  in  Indiana.  He 
spent  the  days  of  his  boyhood  and  youth 
on  the  old  homestead  farm  in  that  state, 
living  with  his  parents  until  1847.  At  the 
age  of  twenty-three  years  he  came  to  Illi- 
nois, making  his  way  to  Hamilton.  He 
traveled  on  horseback  alone,  being  two 
weeks  upon  the  way.  He  would  travel  all 
day  at  times  and  not  see  more  than  two 
or  three  houses.  He  stopped  at  first  at 
Montebello  and  in  the  spring  of  1849  went 
to  work  on  a  farm,  where  he  farmed  for 
six  years.  Before  removing  to  Illinois, 
however,  he  had  studied  law  with  an  uncle 
in  Indiana.  He  fanned  the  first  year  in 
Illinois  and  worked  with  the  man  who 
helped  lay  out  the  town  of  Hamilton,  be- 
ing employed  at  carpentering.  In  1856  he 
established  a  general  mercantile  business 
in  the  new  town  of  Hamilton  and  has  con- 
tinued in  active  connection  with  commer- 
cial interests  to  the  present  time,  although 
various  changes  have  occurred  in  the 
partnership.  He  was  first  associated  with 
John  K.  Allen  'and  in  1860  he  sold  out. 
In  1861  he  began  business  again  at  Oak- 
wood,  where  he  continued  until  1870.  He 
then  entered  upon  the  active  practice  of 


428 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REl'IEU' 


law,  having  been  admitted  to  the  bar  in 
1867,  and  he  also  engaged  in  farming  a 
tract  of  land  until  1875.  In  that  year  he 
again  established  a  general  store,  which 
he  conducted  until  1881,  since  which  time 
he  has  given  his  attention  only  to  the  gro- 
cery trade.  He  is  a  pioneer  in  business 
in  Hamilton  and  no  man  today  connected 
with  its  business  interests  has  been  for  a 
longer  period  actively  associated  with 
commercial  life  here.  He  now  has  a  good 
store,  well  equipped  with  a  carefully  se- 
lected stock  of  staple  and  fancv  groceries 
and  has  a  gratifying  patronage. 

In  December,  1849,  Mr.  Ruggles  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Wal- 
ler, who  was  born  in  Indiana,  a  daughter 
of  George  and  Catherine  (McDonald) 
Waller.  Their  children  were  George,  who 
was  born  in  1851  and  died  at  the  age  of 
five  years,  Homer,  who  was  born  in  1852, 
and  died  at  the  age  of  four  years ;  Cather- 
ine, who  was  born  in  1854  and  died  at  the 
age  of  thirty-five  years;  and  Henrietta, 
who  was  born  in  1855  and  died  when 
eighteen  years  of  age.  The  wife  and 
mother  passed  away  in  June,  1857.  In 
July,  1858,  Mr.  Ruggles  was  again  mar- 
ried, his  second  union  being  with  Hannah 
L.  Choate,  who  was  born  in  Adams  coun- 
ty, Illinois,  and  is  a  daughter  of  Langdon 
and  Deborah  (Jones)  Choate.  There 
were  six  children  of  this  marriage,  of 
whom  one  daughter  died  in  infancy.  The 
others  are :  Thomas,  who  was  born  in 
1863  and  died  at  the  age  of  thirty  years ; 
Clara,  the  wife  of  Robert  Hall,  who  is  en- 
gaged in  the  insurance  business  in  Hamil- 
ton ;  Edinond,  who  died  at  the  age  of  thir- 
ty-five years;  Leon,  of  Hancock  county; 
and  Alice,  who  died  in  infancy.  The  wife 


and  mother  passed  away  in  June,   1872, ! 
and  in  April,  1874,  Mr.  Ruggles  was  mar-<j 
ried  to  Mrs.  Anna  B.  Christfield  Mason, 
the  widow  of  Dr.  John  Mason,  who  was 
a  dentist  of  Keokuk. 

In  his  political  affiliation  Mr.  Ruggles 
has  long  been  a  republican,  supporting  the 
party  since  its  organization.  He  was  one 
of  the  first  school  directors  of  this  district, 
was  trustee  of  Hamilton  during  the  sec- 
ond year  of  the  existence  of  the  village 
and  was  alderman  for  about  twelve  years. 
In  1858  he  was  elected  justice  of  the  peace 
and  filled  the  position  of  supervisor  the 
same  year.  He  continued  in  the  latter  of- 
fice for  eight  terms  and  was  also  school 
trustee  for  a  number  of  years  and  has  con- 
tinued as  a  justice  of  the  peace  with  the 
exception  of  two  terms  up  to  the  present 
time.  The  fact  that  he  has  long  been  re- 
tained in  the  public  service  is  indication 
of  his  capability  and  fidelity.  He  is  a  Ma- 
son, being  the  only  charter  member  of 
Hamilton  lodge  now  living.  This  is 
known  as  Black  Hawk  lodge.  No. 
238,  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons,' 
and  he  is  also  connected  with  the 
Royal  Arch  chapter  and  the  Eastern 
Star.  He  is  now  in  his  eighty-first  year 
and  is  a  well  known  citizen,  who  at  all 
times  has  enjoyed  the  fullest  confidence 
and  respect  of  his  fellowmen  and  has  mer- 
ited their  regard  and  good  will. 


AUSTIN    COLEMAN    WOOLFOLK. 

Austin  Coleman  Woolfolk  was  born  in 
Farmington,  Missouri,  on  the  i6th  of  De- 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


429 


cember,  1836,  a  son  of  George  and  Ma- 
tilda (Taylor)  \Yoolfolk.  In  his  early 
boyhood  days  the  family  removed  to  Pike 
county,  Illinois.  The  father  died  during 
the  infancy  of  his  son  and  the  mother 
passed  away  when  Austin  C.  \Yoolfolk 
was  but  sixteen  years  of  age.  He  was 
thus  early  deprived  of  parental  care  and 
attention.  In  his  youth  he  attended  the 
public  schools  of  Pike  county  and  his 
collegiate  course  was  pursued  in  Bethany  , 
College  of  Virginia,  after  which  he  re- 
turned to  Pittsfield,  Illinois,  and  took  up 
the  study  of  law  under  the  Hon.  Milton 
Hay,  one  of  the  most  distinguished  legists 
that  has  ever  practiced  at  the  bar  of  Illi- 
nois. His  deep  interest  was  aroused  by 
the  momentous  questions  which  awakened 
public  attention  in  anti-bellum  days.  He 
was  a  student  of  the  signs  of  the  times, 
noted  the  growing  dissatisfaction  in  the 
south  and  the  threatening  attitude  and 
his  patriotic  spirit  was  aroused  in  defense 
of  the  Federal  government  and  its  su- 
premacy. Therefore  it  was  not  strange 
that  when  Fort  Sumter  was  fired  upon, 
like  many  other  young  attorneys,  he  put 
aside  his  law  books  that  he  might  aid 
his  country  in  the  preservation  of  the 
Union.  He  enlisted  and  was  instru- 
mental in  raising  a  company  which  was 
attached  to  the  Seventeenth  Illinois  Vol- 
unteer Infantry.  The  command  was  sent 
to  Alton  and  he  was  on  active  duty  with 
the  regiment  for  a  year,  at  the  end  of 
which  time  he  was  transferred  to  the 
quartermaster's  department  and  later  as- 
signed to  the  United  States  service.  He 
participated  in  two  of  the  most  hotly 
contested  battles  that  occurred  in  the  mid- 
dle west — Fort  Donelson  and  Corinth, 


where  he  suffered  from  strangulation  and 
forever  afterward  was  a  sufferer  from 
asthma.  He  continued  with  the  army 
from  1 86 1  until  1866,  faithfully  perform- 
ing every  task  that  devolved  upon  him 
no  matter  how  hazardous  was  its  nature 
or  what  risks  he  had  to  incur  in  perform- 
ing the  duty  assigned  him.  He  was  then 
honorably  discharged  at  Cairo,  Illinois, 
after  sending  in  his  resignation. 
>  Resuming  the  pursuits  of  civic  life,  Mr. 
Woolf.«lk  once  more  entered  upon  the 
practice"' *af  law,  locating  in  Mankato, 
Minnesota';*  and  there  he  soon  gained 
recognition  as  an  able  lawyer,  who  pre- 
pared his*i?ases  with  thoroughness  and 
care,  was  logical  in  his  reasonings,  sound 
in  argument  and  forceful  in  his  presenta- 
tion of  his  cause.  His  ability  attracted 
to  him  wide  attention  and  led  to  his  ap- 
pointment by  the  governor  to  the  position 
of  district  judge  of  the  sixth  judicial  dis- 
trict of  Minnesota.  His  legal  learning, 
his  analytical  mind,  the  readiness  with 
which  he  grasped  the  points  in  an  argu- 
ment, all  combined  to  make  him  one  of  the 
most  capable  jurists  of  that  district.  His 
decisions  indicated  strong  mentality,  care- 
ful analyzation,  a  thorough  knowledge 
of  the  law  and  an  unbiased  judgment. 
He  was  widely  recognized  as  a  man  of 
well  balanced  intellect  and  discharged 
with  impartiality  and  equity  the  duties 
of  the  office  to  which  life,  property,  right 
and  liberty  must  look  for  protection.  At 
length,  however,  he  resigned  his  position 
as  district  judge  and  went  to  Colorado, 
where  through  the  succeeding  six  years 
he  devoted  his  attention  to  the  private 
practice  of  law. 

On    the   8th    of    October,    1863,    Mr. 


43° 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REl'IEIl' 


Woolfolk  had  been  married  to  Miss  Mary 
Pierce  Hay,  a  daughter  of  Dr.  Charles 
and  Helen  (Leonard)  Hay,  a  history  of 
whom  is  given  elsewhere  in  this  work 
together  with  the  history  of  her  brothers. 
Major  Leonard  Hay,  of  the  United 
States  army  and  Hon.  John  Hay,  late 
secretary  of  state  under  McKinley  and 
Roosevelt.  Mrs.  Woolfolk  was  born  in 
Salem,  Indiana,  and  with  her  parents  re- 
moved to  Warsaw.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wool- 
folk  remained  residents  of  Colorado  until 
the  death  of  the  husband  on  the  i5th 
of  February,  1880,  after  which  his  re- 
mains were  returned  to  Warsaw  for  in- 
terment and  here  Mrs.  Woolfolk  has  since 
made  her  home.  In  an  active  life  he  dis- 
played many  sterling  traits  of  character — 
not  only  the  qualities  which  insured  prog- 
ress and  success  in  his  chosen  profession 
but  also  those  personal  traits  of  character 
which  win  confidence  and  regard  in  every 
land  and  clime.  The  spirit  of  loyalty 
which  prompted  his  enlistment  for  ser- 
vice in  the  Civil  war  was  ever  manifested 
in  all  his  duties  of  citizenship  and  among 
his  friends — and  they  were  many — he  was 
recognized  as  a  most  congenial  spirit  be- 
cause of  his  intellectual  force,  his  kindly 
disposition,  his  genial  manner  and  his  sin- 
cere and  genuine  interest  in  the  welfare 
of  others. 


SOLOMON  J.  SALISBURY. 

Solomon  J.  Salisbury  is  the  owner  of 
a  farm  of  one  hundred  and  two  acres 
in  Pilot  Grove  township,  which  he  has 


placed  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation, 
making  it  a  well  improved  place.  He  was 
bprn  in  Kirkland.  Lake  county.  Ohio, 
.September  18,  1835,  and  when  three 
years  of  age  came  to  Hancock  county, 
Illinois,  with  his  parents,  Wilkins  J.  and 
Catherine  (Smith)  Salisbury.  The  fa- 
ther was  born  in  the  state  of  New  York, 
and  the  mother  in  Vermont,  and  follow- 
ing their  marriage  they  removed  to  Ohio, 
where  they  lived  until  coming  to  Illinois 
in  1838.  The  mother  was  a  sister  of  Jo- 
seph and  Hiram  Smith.  On  arriving  in 
Illinois  they  settled  first  in  Plymouth, 
where  the  father  followed  the  black- 
smith's trade.  He  afterward  became  a 
blacksmith  at  Webster,  Illinois,  where  he 
continued  until  his  death,  which  occurred 
when  he  was  about  forty-three  years  of 
age.  His  wife  continued  to  live  at  Web- 
ster, and  there  passed  away  at  the  age  of 
eighty-three  years.  She  was  reared  in 
the  Mormon  church  and  continued  in  that 
belief  until  her  demise.  In  early  life  Mr. 
Smith  was  also  a  member  of  the  Mormon 
church. 

Solomon  J.  Salisbury  acquired  his  pre- 
liminary education  in  the  schools  of 
Plymouth,  but  at  the  time  of  the  upris- 
ing of  the  people  against  the  Mormons 
the  family  was  expelled  from  there  in 
1846  and  removed  to  Alexandria.  Mis- 
souri. In  1847.  however,  they  returned 
to  Hancock  county,  settling  at  Warsaw, 
and  later  removed  to  Webster,  where  they 
made  their  home.  In  his  early  youth 
Solomon  J.  Salisbury  began  work  as  a 
farm  hand  by  the  month  and  was  thus 
employed  until  about  the  time  when  he 
attained  his  majority,  when  he  purchased 
land  in  Pilot  Grove  township.  He  has 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


431 


since  owned  and  operated  a  number  of 
different  farms  and  about  twenty  years 
ago  he  purchased  his  present  farm,  which 
lie  improved  and  upon  which  he  has  since 
lived.  Here  he  engages  in  general  agri- 
cultural pursuits  and  in  feeding  cattle  and 
hogs.  In  his  business  affairs  he  has  been 
quite  successful  and  is  the  owner  of  a 
valuable  place  which  is  indicative  of  his 
unremitting  diligence  and  ceaseless  toil, 
whereby  he  has  advanced  to  a  place 
among  the  men  of  affluence  in  the  county. 
Twice  married,  Mr.  Salisbury  first 
wedded  Elizabeth  Swisher,  and  unto  them 
were  born  three  children.  Ella,  the  eld- 
est, is  now  the  wife  of  Ransom  Sherman, 
of  Keewaunee,  Illinois,  and  their  chil- 
dren are  Elmer,  Robert.  Eliza.  Effie  and 
Ruby.  Robert  resides  in  Pilot  Grove 
township,  where  he  owns  a  farm  of  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land.  He 
married  Margaret  Jones,  has  two  chil- 
dren, Eliza  and  Ella,  the  former  now  the 
wife  of  Elmer  Grotts.  by  whom  she  has 
two  children,  Eva  and  Earl.  Tames,  the 
youngest  of  the  family,  resides  in  Pilot 
Grove  township,  where  he  owns  a  farm 
of  eighty-three  acres.  He  wedded  Mary 
L.  Roush.  and  they  have  one  child,  Ar- 
thur. Mrs.  Salisbury  died  and  was 
buried  at  Webster  and  Mr.  Salisbury  has 
since  wedded  Margaret  Swisher,  who  was 
born  in  Gallia  county,  Ohio,  and  is  a 
sister  of  his  first  wife.  Their  parents 
were  Jacob  and  Mary  (Rife)  Swisher, 
the  former  a  native  of  Virginia  and  the 
latter  of  Kentucky.  Following  their 
marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Swisher  came  to 
Hancock  county,  settling  in  Pilot  Grove 
township,  where  the  father  engaged  in 
farming  and  made  his  home  until  his 


death  at  the  age  of  seventy-three  years. 
He  was  laid  to  rest  in  La  Harpe,  and  his 
wife,  who  died  at  the  age  of  fifty-five 
years,  was  buried  at  Webster.  They  were 
the  parents  of  eleven  children,  Mrs.  Mar- 
garet Swisher  being  the  youngest.  By 
her  marriage  she  has  three  children : 
Mary  B.,  now  the  wife  of  Doud  Furrow, 
a  farmer  of  Pilot  Grove  township,  who 
owns  ninety  acres  and  by  whom  she  has 
four  children,  Hulen,  Millie,  Ruth  and 
Raymond ;  William  H.,  who  owns  and 
cultivates  sixty  acres  of  land  in  Pilot 
Grove  township  and  who  married  Ger- 
trude Dailey.  by  whom  she  has  four  chil- 
dren, Ona,  Otie,  Lulu  and  Solomon. 
Don  Carlos,  who  has  a  farm  of  eighty 
acres  in  Pilot  Grove  township,  wedded 
Zua  Marrill,  and  has  three  children.  Ev- 
erett. Herbert  and  June. 

Mr.  Salisbury  has  been  an  elder  of  the 
Mormon  church  for  the  past  thirty-five 
years.  With  a  number  of  others  he  or- 
ganized what  is  known  as  the  reorganized 
church  and  has  aided  in  the  establishment 
of  various  congregations  of  this  faith  in 
Hancock  county.  In  politics  he  is  a  dem- 
ocrat and  has  held  some  township  offices, 
sewing  as  supervisor,  collector  and  jus- 
tice of  the  peace.  He  has  also  practiced 
before  the  justice  courts  but  has  never 
been  admitted  to  the  bar.  During  the 
long  years  of  his  residence  in  Hancock 
count}'  he  has  seen  many  improvements 
made  here  and  has  borne  his  share  in  the 
work  of  development  along  agricultural 
lines  and  also  as  a  citizen  has  labored  di- 
rectly for  the  benefit  of  the  community, 
and  is  held  in  the  highest  esteem  by  all 
with  whom  he  comes  in  contact,  either  in 
social  or  business  relations. 


432 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


SETH  M.  BAKER. 

Seth  M.  Baker,  farmer  and  stock-rais- 
er, was  born  in  Maryland  in  1846,  his 
parents  being  Seth  W.  and  Martha  (Mur- 
ray) Baker,  who  were  likewise  natives  of 
that  state.  The  father  was  born  in  1804, 
and  died  in  1871,  at  the  age  of  sixty-seven 
years,  while  the  mother,  born  in  1815, 
passed  away  in  February,  1899.  He  was 
a  farmer  by  occupation  and  came  to  Han- 
cock county  in  1852,  settling  upon  the 
farm  which  is  now  owned  and  occupied 
by  his  son,  Seth.  His  political  support 
was  given  to  the  democracy.  In  the  fam- 
ily were  nine  children,  of  whom  seven  are 
now  living:  James  L.  T.,  who  is  living 
in  the  state  of  Washington;  Nancy  H., 
the  wife  of  Joel  Clark,  of  Washington; 
Seth  M. ;  Jane  M.,  the  wife  of  James 
Gardner,  of  Walker  township;  Angeline, 
the  wife  of  Ira  Bowens,  of  Adams  county, 
Illinois ;  Ollie,  the  wife  of  Alvin  Carr,  of 
Stillwell,  Illinois ;  and  Severn,  also  of  Ad- 
ams county. 

Seth  M.  Baker  was  a  youth  of  but  six 
years  when  brought  by  his  parents  to  Illi- 
nois and  in  the  district  schools  of  Walker 
township  he  was  educated.  He  remained 
at  home  with  his  parents  until  after  he 
had  attained  his  majority,  and  at  times 
was  engaged  in  the  operation  of  the  home 
farm  and  at  other  times  devoted  his  ener- 
gies to  stock-raising.  He  still  continues 
to  reside  upon  the  old  homestead  prop- 
erty, comprising  one  hundred  and  five 
acres  on  section  23,  Walker  township,  and 
upon  this  place  in  1904  he  erected  a  pretty 
residence.  He  also  has  a  good  barn  twen- 
ty-eight by  thirty-six  feet  and  other  sub- 
stantial improvements.  He  is  a  general 


fanner  and  stock-raiser  and  his  success  is 
attributable  to  his  own  labors,  for  with 
the  exception  of  twelve  acres  of  land 
which  he  inherited  in  1899  all  that  he  now 
possesses  has  been  acquired  through  his 
persistency  of  purpose  and  unfaltering 
diligence. 

In  1892  Mr.  Baker  was  married  to  Miss 
Belle  Mitchell,  who  was  born  in  Wheel- 
ing, West  Virginia,  in  1854.  Her  grand- 
father in  the  maternal  line  was  a  soldier 
of  the  Revolutionary  war.  Her  parents 
were  David  and  Rebecca  Mitchell,  the 
former  born  in  county  Tyrone,  Ireland,  in 
1826,  and  the  latter  in  Ohio  in  1830.  Mr. 
Mitchell  was  a  farmer  and  spent  many 
years  in  Adams  county,  Illinois,  where  his 
death  occurred.  He  served  throughout 
the  Civil  war  as  a  stalwart  champion  of 
the  Union  cause  and  thus  proved  his  loy- 
alty to  his  adopted  country.  Both  he  and 
his  wife  now  rest  in  the  cemetery  in  Lima 
township,  Adams  county.  They  became 
residents  of  Illinois  in  1864,  and  Mrs. 
Mitchell  died  in  1871,  while  the  death  of 
Mr.  Mitchell  occurred  in  1901.  In  their 
family  were  four  children,  of  whom  three 
are  living :  Belle,  now  Mrs.  Baker ;  John 
D.  and  J.  W.,  both  of  Adams  county.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Baker  reared  <*  niece  <~>f  Mr? 
Baker's,  a  Miss  Lillian  McCune,  who  re- 
ceived a  good  education  and  became  a 
teacher  in  the  schools  of  Hancock  county, 
Illinois.  She  married  Archie  Woodworth 
and  now  lives  in  Fernita,  Colorado.  Mrs. 
Baker  is  the  owner  of  a  good  farm  prop- 
erty in  Adams  county.  Both  our  subject 
and  his  wife  hold  membership  in  the 
Methodist  church  and  are  highly  esteemed 
people,  whose  circle  of  friends  is  almost 
co-extensive  with  their  acquaintance. 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


433 


JAMES  MCCARTY. 

James  McCarty,  manager  of  the  grain 
and  elevator  business  owned  by  F.  M.  Cut- 
ter and  also  carrying  on  a  store  of  his  own 
for  the  sale  of  canned  fruits,  confection- 
ery, tobacco  and  staple  and  fancy  gro- 
ceries, was  born  in  Hamilton,  Butler 
county,  Ohio,  May  29,  1862,  his  parents 
being  James  and  Mary  (O'Donell)  Mc- 
Carty. The  parents  were  natives  of 
county  Leitrem,  Ireland,  and  the  former 
came  to  America  when  fifteen  years  of 
age  and  the  latter  when  eight  years  of  age. 
In  1859,  James  McCarty,  Sr.,  took  up  his 
abode  in  Pilot  Grove  township,  Hancock 
county,  where  he  engaged  in  farming 
for  a  year  or  more  and  in  1861  returned 
to  Ohio,  where  he  remained  until  1869, 
when  he  again  came  to  Hancock  county 
and  continued  one  of  its  residents  up  to 
the  time  of  his  death,  which  occurred 
June  6,  1903.  His  wife  passed  away  May 
23,  1898,  and  he  was  laid  to  rest  by  her 
side  in  the  cemetery  of  this  county.  In 
1861  he  had  enlisted  for  service  in  the 
Civil  war  with  the  Seventy- fourth  Ohio 
Volunteer  Infantry  and  defended  the 
Union  cause  until  after  the  surrender  at 
Appomattox.  He  was  wounded  at  the 
battle  of  Atlanta  and  participated  in  the 
engagements  of  Mission  Ridge,  Vicks- 
burg  and  the  celebrated  march  to  the  sea 
under  Sherman  and  also  the  Grand  Re- 
view in  Washington,  where  the  president 
and  other  noted  officials  of  the  nation 
watched  the  parade  of  the  victorious 
troops,  whose  long  and  arduous  service 
had  upheld  the  Union.  Mr.  McCarty 
was  a  democrat  in  his  political  affiliation, 
but  neither  held  nor  sought  public  office. 


Both  he  and  his  wife  were  members  of  the 
Catholic  church.  In  the  family  were  sev- 
en children,  of  whom  five  are  now  living : 
John ;  James ;  Thomas,  who  is  conducting 
a  restaurant  at  Grand  Junction,  Colora- 
do; Charles,  in  the  railroad  service  at 
Grand  Junction;  and  George,  also  a  rail- 
road employe  living  at  that  place. 

James  McCarty  of  this  review  was  a 
young  lad  when  brought  by  his  parents 
to  this  county  and  was  educated  in  the 
public  schools  of  Carthage.  He  entered 
business  life  as  a  brakesman  on  the  rail- 
road, being  thus  employed  for  about  a 
year.  He  was  afterward  section  fore- 
man for  ten  or  twelve  years  at  Peters- 
burg, Illinois,  at  Hannibal,  Missouri,  and 
in  the  state  of  Colorado.  In  1898  he  as- 
sumed the  duties  of  a  responsible  position 
as  manager  for  the  grain  and  elevator 
business  of  F.  M.  Cutler  at  Carthage  and 
in  this  connection  he  conducts  a  store  of 
his  own,  dealing  in  staple  and  fancy 
groceries,  canned  fruits,  confectionery, 
tobacco  and  other  supplies.  His  business 
career  has  been  marked  by  a  steady  ad- 
vance and  each  step  has  been  carefully  and 
thoughtfully  made. 

On  the  1 6th  of  February,  1887,  Mr. 
McCarty  wedded  Miss  Winifred  B.  Kel- 
ly, a  native  of  Menard  county,  Illinois, 
and  a  daughter  of  Patrick  and  Mary 
Kelly.  Her  father  was  born  in  Ireland 
but  her  mother  was  born  in  Menard 
county.  He  has  for  many  years  been 
engaged  in  mining  and  he  and  his  wife 
are  now  living  in  the  county  of  her  na- 
tivity. Both  are  devoted  members  of  the 
Catholic  church.  They  have  ten  living 
children:  Winifred  B.,  now  Mrs.  Mc- 
Carty ;  Thomas,  of  Chicago ;  Catherine, 


434 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REl'IEll' 


the  wife  of  Edward  Guahn,  of  Peters- 
burg, Illinois;  Edward,  of  Chicago;  Pat- 
rick, of  Roodhouse,  this  state ;  Andrew, 
of  Petersburg,  Illinois ;  Daniel  of  Rood- 
house:  Xellie,  who  is  with  her  parents; 
Robert,  of  Petersburg;  and  Frank  and 
George,  both  at  home. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  McCarty  have  been 
born  six  children,  all  of  whom  are  living, 
the  two  eldest  being  in  Petersburg,  while 
four  are  in  Hancock  county.  These  are : 
James  D.  and  Thomas  Leo,  both  in 
school ;  Mary  Catherine  and  John,  who 
are  also  attending  school ;  W.  J.  Bryan, 
known  as  Bryan  McCarty :  and  Elizabeth 
Alice,  who  completes  the  family.  The 
parents  are  members  of  the  Catholic 
church.  Mr.  McCarty  is  a  democrat 
and  has  served  as  township  collector.  He 
belongs  to  the  Odd  Fellows  society  and 
to  the  Modern  Woodmen  camp  of  Car- 
thage. He  is  a  self-made  man  in  the 
truest  and  best  sense  of  the  term.  He 
started  out  in  life  empty-handed  and 
through  his  energy,  ambition  and  honest 
dealing  has  accumulated  a  competence 
that  enables  him  to  provide  his  family 
with  many  comforts.  He  is  a  pleasant 
spoken,  kind-hearted  and  home-loving 
man.  of  much  natural  wit  and  is  a  pleas- 
ant and  genial  companion,  while  in  busi- 
ness circles  he  is  known  for  his  upright 
principles  and  steady  business  habits. 


FLOYD  N.  CASBURN. 

Floyd    N.    Casburn    is    cashier   of    the 
Farmers  State  Bank  at  Ferris.     His  life 


has  been  one  of  continuous  activity,  in 
which  has  been  accorded  due  recognition 
of  labor,  and  today  he  is  numbered  among 
the  substantial  citizens  of  the  county.  He 
was  born  March  22,  1876,  and  his  par- 
ents are  A.  J.  and  Victoria  (Bailey)  Cas- 
burn. The  father's  birth  occurred  in 
Cambridgeshire,  England,  April  30,  1848, 
and  when  a  lad  of  but  three  years  he  came 
to  America  with  his  parents,  the  family 
home  being  established  in  Monroe  county, 
New  York.  They  afterward  removed  to 
Ohio,  where  he  remained  until  1869,  when 
he  came  to  Ferris,  where  he  still  resides, 
his  home  being  on  almost  the  same  site  of 
his  first  residence  here.  He  carries  on  gen- 
eral farming  and  stock-raising,  and  has 
one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  good  land 
in  Rock  Creek  township,  where  he  has 
made  many  substantial  and  modern  im- 
provements. He  still  lives  upon  the  farm 
but  has  rented  his  land  and  is  now  prac- 
tically retired  from  business  cares.  His 
wife  is  also  of  English  birth  and  was  a 
daughter  of  Wright  Bailey.  Unto  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Casburn  have  been  born  six  chil- 
dren, and  the  family  circle  yet  remains 
unbroken  by  the  hand  of  death.  These 
are :  May,  now  the  wife  of  C.  D.  Tay- 
lor, a  farmer  living  near  Ferris ;  Floyd  N. ; 
Frank  E..  who  married  Mabel  Hyndman. 
and  is  a  successful  practicing  physician 
near  Kansas  City.  Missouri :  A.  L..  who 
wedded  Ada  Richardson,  and  is  an  able 
member  of  the  medical  fraternity  at  Bent- 
ley,  Illinois ;  and  Nellie  and  Edith,  who 
are  attending  school  in  Ferris.  The  father 
is  an  honored  Mason  and  Odd  Fellow  and 
has  passed  all  of  the  chairs  in  both  lodges. 
He  and  his  wife  hold  membership  in  the 
Methodist  church  at  Ferris,  of  which  the 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


435 


family  are  also  members,  regularly  at- 
tending its  services  and  contributing  gen- 
erously to  its  support. 

Floyd  X.  Casburn  supplemented  his 
early  educational  privileges  by  a  fcur 
years'  course  in  Carthage  College,  after 
which  he  engaged  in  teaching  school  in 
Rock  Creek  and  Pontoosuc  townships  for 
thiee  years.  On  the  expiration  of  that 
period  he  invested  his  savings  in  eighty 
acres  of  land  on  section  35,  Rock  Creek 
township,  which  he  still  owns  and  there 
he  carried  on  general  agricultural  pur- 
suits for  four  years,  or  until  10,03,  when 
he  was  elected  assistant  cashier  of  the 
Farmers  State  Bank  at  Ferris.  He  be- 
came one  of  the  largest  stockholders  and 
in  February  of  the  same  year  he  was  ap- 
pointed cashier,  which  position  he  is  still 
successfully  filling  and  is  a  popular  bank 
offitial.  whose  courtesy  to  the  patrons  of 
the  institution  and  whose  obliging  manner 
have  gained  for  him  high  regard,  while 
his  devotion  to  the  interests  of  the  bank 
have  won  for  him  the  entire  confidence  of 
the  stockholders. 

On  the  igth  of  July,  1899,  Mr.  Cas- 
burn was  married  to  Miss  Rachel  Wilson, 
a  daughter  of  Alexander  and  Isabella 
(Griffin)  Wilson.  Mrs.  Casburn  was 
tern  at  Niota,  Illinois.  September  22, 
1877,  and  her  father  was  a  native  of  Ire- 
land, while  her  mother's  birth  occurred  in 
Ohio.  They  became  early  and  representa- 
tive fanning  people  of  Appanoose  town- 
ship but  passed  a\vay  some  years  ago.  In 
their  family  were  eleven  children,  all  of 
whom  survive,  namely-:  Albert,  a  resi- 
dent of  Weber.  Kansas :  James,  of  Beaver, 
Texas;  John,  of  Denver,  Colorado;  Sarah, 
the  wife  of  I.  T.  Lewis,  of  Powellton,  Illi- 


nois; Robert  H.,  of  Niota,  this  state;  Dil- 
lie,  the  wife  of  John  Shank,  of  Ferris; 
Daniel,  of  Montrose,  Iowa ;  George 
Franklin,  of  Ferris;  Rachel,  now  Mrs. 
Casburn ;  Jesse,  of  York,  Nebraska ;  and 
Laura,  who  attends  the  Western  College 
for  Ladies,  at  Oxford,  Ohio. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Casburn  have  an  inter- 
esting little  daughter,  lola  Fern,  who  was 
born  November  2,  1905,  in  their  pleasant 
home  in  Ferris,  which  stands  in  the  west- 
ern part  of  the  town,  and  is  the  property 
of  Mr.  Casburn.  They  are  devoted  mem- 
bers of  the  Methodist  church  and  Mr.  Cas- 
burn is  now  noble  grand  in  the  Odd  Fel- 
lows lodge  at  Ferris.  He  is  the  possessor 
of  a  fine  automobile  which  he  has  recently 
purchased  and  which  is  the  only  one  in 
the  town.  In  spirit  and  interests  he  is 
most  progressive,  as  is  manifest  in  his 
business  relations  and  social  life,  and  both 
he  and  his  wife  occupy  an  enviable  posi- 
tion in  societv  circles  in  Ferris. 


GEORGE  COULSON. 

George  Coulson.  for  thirty-eight  years 
connected  with  commercial  and  manufac- 
turing interests  in  La  Harpe,  his  native 
city,  and  still  financially  interested  in  an 
important  business  enterprise  under  the 
firm  style  of  Coulson,  Brundage  &  Com- 
pany, hardware  dealers,  was  born  Feb- 
ruary 17,  1843.  His  parents,  Dr.  George 
and  Nancy  A.  (Cossitt)  Coulson,  were 
natives  of  Pennsylvania  and  Connecticut 
respectively.  They  were  married  in  the 


436 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


Keystone  state  and  in  1833  made  their 
way  westward  to  Illinois,  settling  on  the 
present  site  of  La  Harpe.  They  built 
one  of  the  first  houses  here  and  lived  in 
it  until  1846. 

George  Coulson  when  a  child  was 
taken  to  Council  Bluffs,  where  he  re- 
mained until  1852,  when  he  was  taken 
to  Salt  Lake  Valley,  Utah.  He  acquired 
his  education  in  the  common  schools  of 
Ogden,  Utah,  and  remained  in  Utah  until 
1857,  when  he  recrossed  the  plains  and 
returned  to  La  Harpe,  where  he  spent 
two  years.  He  then  went  to  Texas  with 
an  older  brother  and  a  year  later  made 
his  way  to  California,  crossing  the  plains 
with  mules.  On  the  Pacific  coast  he  was 
employed  in  and  about  the  mines  for  four 
years  and  then  again  made  the  long  and 
arduous  journey  across  the  plains.  At 
length  he  safely  reached  La  Harpe  and 
here  he  embarked  in  the  grocery  business 
in  1869.  He  was  thus  connected  with 
trade  interests  until  1875,  when,  on  ac- 
count of  poor  health,  he  sold  out  and 
went  to  Colorado,  where  he  spent  six 
months.  Again  returning  he  once  more 
embarked  in  the  grocery  business,  in 
which  he  continued  until  1878,  when  he 
sold  his  grocery  stock  but  continued  in 
commercial  circles  as  a  representative  of 
the  hardware  business.  In  the  new  en- 
terprise he  prospered  and  in  1881  he  sold 
a  third  interest  to  Israel  Brundage,  con- 
tinuing the  business  under  the  name  of 
Coulson  &  Brundage  until  1896,  when 
other  partners  were  admitted.  The  busi- 
ness was  incorporated  in  May,  1905,  un- 
der the  name  of  Coulson,  Brundage  & 
Company,  of  which  George  Coulson  is 
president;  J.  L.  Bradfield,  vice  president; 


W.  F.  Bradfield,  secretary;  and  R.  L. 
Widney,  manager.  The  business  was 
capitalized  at  fifty  thousand  dollars,  and 
continued  the  manufacture  of  a  chicken 
watering  fountain  patented  by  R.  L.  Wid- 
ney, and  the  buying  and  selling  of  hard- 
ware. This  manufacturing  department 
of  the  business  has  become  quite  exten- 
sive and  the  output  is  shipped  all  over 
the  western  states  and  to  various  points 
in  the  east,  being  sent  as  far  west  as  Cali- 
fornia and  as  far  east  as  Massachusetts. 
Since  1896  Mr.  Coulson  has  engaged  in 
the  fire  insurance  business  and  the  buying 
and  shipping  of  grain. 

In  November,  1868,  Mr.  Coulson  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Maggie  Bain- 
ter,  who  was  born  in  Fountain  Green 
township,  Hancock  county,  and  is  a 
daughter  of  Daniel  M.  Bainter.  Three 
children  were  born  of  this  union :  George, 
who  died  in  1889,  at  the  age  of  nineteen 
years;  Mary  L.,  the  wife  of  R.  L.  Wid- 
ney, of  La  Harpe;  and  Charles,  who  died 
in  1875  when  three  years  old.  The  wife 
and  mother  passed  away  in  1876  and  Mr. 
Coulson  was  again  married  in  July,  1877, 
his  second  union  being  with  Rebecca 
Mayor,  who  was  born  in  La  Harpe  and 
is  a  daughter  of  John  and  Eliza  A. 
Mayor,  who  came  from  England  to 
America  in  1842  and  settled  in  La  Harpe, 
Illinois.  Mrs.  Rebecca  Coulson  passed 
away  in  December,  1891,  and  in  April, 
1897,  Mr.  Coulson  wedded  Martha  May- 
or, a  sister  of  his  second  wife.  They 
have  a  pleasant  home  in  La  Harpe  and 
are  highly  esteemed  by  all  who  know 
them,  while  the  hospitality  of  the  best 
homes  of  the  town  is  accorded  them. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Coulson  has 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


437 


long  been  a  democrat  where  national  is- 
sues are  involved  but  at  local  elections 
casts  an  independent  ballot.  He  has 
served  as  county  supervisor  for  three 
years,  as  collector  for  one  year,  township 
assessor  for  four  years,  justice  of  the 
peace  one  term,  mayor  one  term  and  al- 
derman of  La  Harpe,  and  in  these  va- 
rious offices  has  discharged  his  duties 
with  promptness,  capability  and  fidelity. 
He  co-operates  in  many  measures  for  the 
general  good  and  is  a  progressive,  public- 
spirited  citizen.  Fraternally  he  is  a  Ma- 
son and  also  connected  with  the  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  and  has 
been  treasurer  of  their  lodge  at  La  Harpe 
for  the  past  twenty-five  years,  and  the 
Modern  Woodmen  of  America.  Al- 
though he  has  several  times  left  La  Harpe 
he  has  always  returned  here,  finding  a 
pleasant  home  in  the  city  and  good  busi- 
ness opportunities.  He  has  been  an  im- 
portant factor  in  its  business  life,  and 
while  promoting  his  individual  success 
has  also  contributed  to  public  prosperity 
and  improvement. 


JOHN  E.  DE  GROOT. 

John  E.  De  Groot,  who  at  one  time  was 
engaged  in  the  practice  of  dentistry  but  is 
now  giving  his  supervision  to  agricultural 
interests,  makes  his  home  in  Augusta  and 
is  widely  recognized  throughout  the  com- 
munity as  a  man  of  keen  business  discern- 
ment and  enterprise,  who  possesses  the 
strong  principles  and  determination  that 


enables  him  to  carry  forward  to  success- 
ful completion  whatever  he    undertakes. 
He  was  born  in  Northeast  township,  Ad- 
ams county,  April  6,  1842,  his  parents  be- 
ing John   and   Margaret    (Harvey)    De 
Groot.    The  father  was  born  in  New  York 
city  and  came  to  Illinois  by  the  way  of 
the  overland   route   in    1836,   settling  at 
Ouincy,    Adams    county,    where    he    re- 
mained for  one  year.     He  then  purchased 
a  farm  in  Northeast  township,  that  county, 
comprising  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres 
of  new  and  unimproved  land  and  with 
characteristic    energy    he    undertook    the 
task   of   developing  and   cultivating   this 
tract.     He  was  successful  in  his  under- 
takings and  continued  to  make  his  home 
upon  that  place  until  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred in  1889,  when  he  had  reached  the 
age  of  eighty-one  years,  for  he  was  born 
in  1808.     As  the  years  had  passed  he  hac! 
made  extensive  investments  in  property, 
his    landed    interests    aggregating    about 
eighteen  hundred  acres,  all  of  which  was 
in  Adams  county  and  in  addition  he  had 
some  city  property.     Starting  out  in  life 
on  his  own  account  he  displayed  excellent 
business  ability,  keen  discernment  and  a 
readiness  to  solve  intricate  business  prob- 
lems that  brought  him  a  very  gratifying 
measure  of  prosperity.    He  voted  with  the 
democracy  and   held  membership   in   the 
Christian  church  of  Augusta.     His  wife 
was  also  born  in  New  York  city  and  died 
alxnit  three  years  prior  to  her  husband's 
death.     She,  too,  held  membership  'in  the 
Christian  church  and  her  life  was  in  har- 
mony with  her  professions.    In  the  family 
were  seven  children,  five  of  whom  are  yet 
living,  although  John  E.  De  Groot  is  the 
only  one  now  residing  in  Hancock  county. 


438 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


The  family  record  is  as  follows :  William 
H.  De  Groot.  residing  in  Quincy,  Illinois, 
is  a  surveyor  of  Adams  county.  Mary  W. 
died.  Phoebe  E.  is  the  wife  of  Rev.  J.  C. 
Stark,  a  minister  of  the  Christian  church 
at  Hamilton,  Illinois.  Edward  H.,  of 
Downer's  Grove,  Illinois,  is  one  of  the 
oldest  conductors  in  service  of  the  Chi- 
cago. Burlington  &  Quincy  Railroad,  hav- 
ing represented  the  company  for  over 
forty  years.  Clarissa  is  the  wife  of  W.  R. 
Gordon,  a  retired  farmer  living  in  Red 
Oak,  Iowa.  John  E.  is  the  next  of  the 
family.  Jacob  died  at  the  age  of  thirteen 
years. 

In  the  schools  of  his  native  county  Dr. 
De  Groot  was  educated,  being  reared  upon 
the  home  farm,  where  he  remained  until 
1859.  He  was  at  that  time  a  youth  of 
seventeen  years  and  thinking  that  he 
would  find  other  pursuits  more  congenial 
than  farm  work  he  went  to  Quincy.  where 
he  took  up  the  study  of  dentistry  and  after 
the  completion  of  this  course  he  entered 
upon  the  active  practice  of  his  chosen  pro- 
fession, continuing  there  until  1875.  In 
that  year  he  removed  to  Augusta.  Han- 
cock county,  where  he  opened  an  office  and 
was  engaged  in  practice  until  1877,  when 
he  retired  from  the  active  work  of  his  pro- 
fession and  took  up  the  management  of 
his  father's  farms,  located  in  Adams  coun- 
ty. He  has  continued  to  make  his  home 
in  Augusta,  however,  and  still  manages 
the  farming  interests,  being  now  an  ex- 
tensive feeder  of  cattle  and  hogs.  After 
the  death  of  his  father  and  the  estate  was 
divided  Dr.  De  Groot  continued  the  man- 
agement of  his  inheritance,  also  having 
charge  of  the  farms  belonging  to  his 
brother  and  sister.  He  has  now  alxiut 


five  hundred  acres  of  very  valuable  land 
in  Adams  county  and  in  Augusta  he  owns 
some  village  property. 

Dr.  De  Groot  was  married  October  7, 
1874,  to  Miss  Josephine  Davis,  of  Abing- 
don,  Illinois,  a  daughter  of  Asenath  and 
Elizabeth  (Price)  Davis,  who  came  from 
the  east  to  Illinois  at  an  early  day,  prob- 
ably in  1836,  at  which  time  they  located 
in  Warren  county.  The  father  was  a 
blacksmith  by  trade  and  subsequently  took 
up  his  abode  in  Abingdon,  where  his  chil- 
dren were  educated.  He  died  in  that 
town  in  1872  and  was  survived  by  his 
wife  until  1900,  her  death  occurring  at 
the  home  of  her  daughter.  Mrs.  DeGroot, 
in  Augusta,  when  she  was  eighty-four 
years  of  age.  In  the  family  of  this  worthy 
couple  were  six  children,  but  only  two  are 
now  living.  The  two  oldest  died  in  in- 
fancy. John  W.,  who  became  a  member 
of  Company  E,  Thirty-third  Illinois  In- 
fantry, was  wounded  at  Vicksburg  and 
died  ten  days  later  on  the  6th  of  June, 
1863,  his  remains  being  interred  at  Mem- 
phis. James  H.  was  killed  at  the  siege  of 
Vicksburg  and  was  buried  on  the  battle- 
field on  the  22d  of  May,  1863.  Eugene  A. 
is  a  farmer,  residing  at  Garden  City, 
Kansas. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  De  Groot  have  been 
born  four  children  and  the  family  circle 
yet  remains  unbroken  by  the  hand  of 
death.  Maud,  the  eldest,  is  the  wife  of  A. 
J.  Laughl'in,  a  confectioner  of  Macomb. 
Illinois,  by  whom  she  has  two  children, 
Josephine  and  Raymond.  Bertha  is  the 
wife  of  Dr.  R.  B.  Roberts,  of  Augusta, 
and  they  have  two  children,  Brockway  D. 
and  Elise.  Clarence  E.  is  a  physician  re- 
siding in  Muskogee.  Indian  Territory. 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


439 


Mabel  is  the  wife  of  Frank  Deiley,  an  op- 
erator in.  tlie  Western  Union  Telegraph 
office  in  Chicago.  All  of  the  children 
were  torn  in  Illinois,  where  Mr.  De  Groot 
still  resides.  He  and  his  wife  are  promi- 
nent and  influential  residents  of  the  city, 
occupying  an  enviable  position  in  social 
circles  and  giving  of  their  aid  and  influ- 
ence to  the  various  measures  which  tend 
to  uplift  humanity  and  advance  the  moral 
welfare.  They  hold  membership  in  the 
Methodist  church  of  Augusta  and  Mr.  De 
Groot  is  a  prohibitionist  in  his  political  af- 
filiation, being  a  warm  advocate  of  the 
cause  of  temperance.  \Yhile  connected 
with  his  profession  he  was  an  able  practi- 
tioner, but  the  demands  made '  upon  his 
time  and  attention  by  his  property  inter- 
ests led  him  to  concentrate  his  energies 
upon  the  management  of  his  farm  and 
stock  and  he  is  today  a  leading  representa- 
tive* of  agricultural  life  in  this  section  of 
the  state.  He  does  not  take  charge  of  the 
active  work  of  the  farm  but  gives  to  it 
his  personal  supervision  and  his  excellent 
business  qualifications  are  manifest  in  the 
desirable  results  which  are  attending  his 
efforts. 


JOHN  SHUTWELL. 

Among  the  citizens  of  Hancock  county 
who  were  born  across  the  water  and  who 
through  many  long  years  have  aided  in 
the  development  of  the  rich  agricultural 
resources  of  this  section  of  the  state,  is 
numbered  John  Shut  well,  whose  birth 
occurred  in  Yorkshire,  England,  August 
5,  1828.  His  parents,  Frances  and  Eliz- 
28 


abeth  (Norwood)  Shutwell,  were  like- 
wise natives  of  the  fatherland,  the  former 
a  son  of  John  Shutwell,  and  the  latter 
a  daughter  of  Robert  Norwood.  Francis 
Shutwell  was  a  carpenter  and  joiner  by 
trade,  and,  having  heard  favorable  reports 
concerning  the  new  world,  he,  with  his 
family  crossed  the  Atlantic  on  a  sailing 
vessel  in  the  winter  of  1828.  They  re- 
sided for  a  short  time  at  Toronto,  Canada, 
and  Buffalo,  New  York,  and  Dresden,  and 
Cincinnati,  Ohio,  and  Louisville,  Ken- 
tucky, later  traveling  on  the  Ohio,  Missis- 
sippi and  Illinois  rivers  until  they  reached 
Jacksonville,  this  state,  where  lived  a 
brother-in-law  of  Francis  Shutwell,  who 
bore  the  name  of  Adam  Allison,  who  had 
located  here  some  years  previous  and  was 
engaged  in  the  conduct  of  a  grist  mill. 
He  purchased  forty  acres  of  land  situated 
about  six  miles  west  of  where  the  city  of 
Jacksonville  now  stands.  He  there  worked 
at  his  trade,  and  was  an  active  factor  in 
the  erection  of  many  substantial  buildings 
of  this  portion  of  the  state.  In  connec- 
tion with  others  he  executed  many  large 
contracts.  In  1852,  having  decided  to 
engage  in  agricultural  pursuits,  he  came 
with  his  family  to  Hancock  county,  the 
journey  being  made  with  team  and 
wagons,  where  the  father  purchased  two 
hundred  and  seventy-six  acres  of  land  ly- 
ing on  section  6,  La  Harpe  township. 
The  land  had  been  cleared  but  there  were 
few  improvements  upon  the  place,  it  being 
wild  prairie,  and  deer  and  many  other 
wild  animals  were  to  be  found  roaming 
over  the  prairie  and  through  the  forests. 
The  father  at  once  undertook  the  work 
of  transforming  his  land  into  a  cultivable 
tract,  broke  the  land,  plowed  the  fields, 


440 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


planted  his  crops,  and  in  due  course  of 
time  gathered  abundant  harvests  as  the  re- 
sult of  his  care  and  labor  bestowed  upon 
the  fields.  He  made  many  improvements 
in  the  way  of  fences,  outbuildings  and  a 
large  country  residence.  He  worked  dili- 
gently and  persistently  year  after  year  in 
carrying  on  his  farming  operations  and 
thus  made  his  property  one  of  the  rich 
and  valuable  tracts  of  this  section  of  the 
state.  His  death  occurred  on  the  home 
place  in  1885,  when  he  had  reached  the 
very  venerable  age  of  ninety  years.  His 
widow  continued  to  make  her  home  there 
for  a  year  and  a  half  but  at  the  time  of 
her  death,  in  1898,  was  residing  with  her 
son  John.  She  had  reached  the  extreme 
old  age  of  ninety-six  years,  and  thus  the 
county  lost  two  of  its  most  venerable 
pioneers. 

John  Shutwell  is  the  second  in  order 
of  birth  of  three  children,  and  the  only 
surviving  member  of  his  father's  family, 
his  sisters  being  Mary,  who  became  the 
wife  of  Daniel  L.  Dixon,  and  died  many 
years  ago,  and  Jane,  who  wedded  James 
Eckles  and  is  also  deceased.  John  Shut- 
well  was  reared  upon  the  old  homestead 
amid  the  scenes  of  frontier  life,  and 
shared  with  the  family  in  the  hardships 
and  privations  of  a  pioneer  existence.  He 
was  early  trained  to  the  duties  of  the  farm, 
and  during  the  winter  months  pursued 
his  studies  in  an  old  log  cabin,  which  was 
used  for  a  school  house,  the  furnishings 
being  of  the  most  primitive  character. 
He  remained  under  the  parental  roof  until 
the  time  of  his  marriage,  August  12, 
1858,  when  Miss  Sarah  Jane  Bland  be- 
came his  wife.  She  was  a  native  of 
Greene  county,  Pennsylvania,  her  natal 


day  being  March  3,  1836.  Her  parents, 
Thomas  and  Elizabeth  (McCulahy) 
Bland,  were  natives  of  England  and  Ire- 
land respectively,  and  the  father  served 
as  soldier  in  the  war  of  1812.  Both 
passed  away  in  the  Keystone  state,  after 
which  the  daughter,  Elizabeth,  accompa- 
nied the  family  of  Jonathan  Whitlash  to 
Hancock  county,  where  she  met  and  mar- 
ried John  Shutwell. 

Following  their  marriage  our  subject 
and  his  wife  began  their  domestic  life 
in  a  small  house  located  on  his  father's 
farm,  and  here  he  continued  to  assist  his 
father  in  the  operation  of  the  home  place. 
In  1876  their  primitive  home  was  re- 
placed by  a  more  commodious  and  sub- 
stantial residence,  and  purchased  seventy 
acres  of  the  home  farm,  continuing  its 
operation  until  the  death  of  his  father, 
when  he  purchased  the  interest  of  the 
other  heirs  and  came  into  possession  of 
the  entire  tract,  his  holdings  comprising 
one  hundred  and  eighty-six  acres,  of  which 
sixty  acres  adjoined  the  village  of  Disco, 
and  a  portion  of  this  has  since  been  platted 
and  sold  in  town  lots.  He  engaged  in 
the  work  of  general  farming  for  many 
years,  and  in  addition  to  his  other  inter- 
ests was  extensively  engaged  in  the  rais- 
ing of  hogs.  Through  his  careful  man- 
agement and  unremitting  diligence  he  ac- 
quired a  comfortable  competence,  so  that 
in  1902  he  retired  from  all  active  busi- 
ness pursuits  and  now  rents  his  land,  from 
which  he  derives  an  income  sufficient  to 
supply  himself  and  family  with  all  the 
comforts  and  many  of  the  luxuries  of  life. 
He  and  his  wife,  however,  continue  to 
reside  on  the  home  farm. 

Unto  our  subject   and  his  wife  have 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


441 


been  born  three  sons  and  two  daughters, 
as  follows :  Frank,  who  wedded  Mar- 
garet Manifold  and  resides  in  Page 
county.  Iowa;  Mary,  now  the  wife  of 
John  R.  Blythe,  of  Morris  county,  Kan- 
sas ;  Robert,  who  married  Catherine 
Blythe  and  makes  his  home  near  La 
Harpe;  John  Irwin.  who  wedded  Bessie 
Freeland  and  is  now  living  near  Black- 
well,  Oklahoma;  and  Emma  Jane,  the 
wife  of  Dr.  Roy  Hurdle,  a  practicing 
dentist  of  Mount  Sterling,  Illinois.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Shutwell  have  reared  a  family 
of  whom  they  have  every  reason  to  be 
proud  and  have  lived  to  see  all  of  them 
married  and  comfortably  situated  in  life. 
In  his  political  views  Mr.  Shutwell  is 
a  stanch  republican  and  aside  from  hold- 
ing the  office  of  school  director  for  one 
term  has  taken  no  active  part  in  public 
affairs.  Many  wonderful  changes  have 
occurred  since  he  took  up  his  abode  in 
this  county  as  the  forests  have  been 
cleared  and  in  their  stead  are  now  seen 
valuable  and  productive  tracts  of  land, 
in  the  midst  of  which  many  thriving 
towns  and  villages  have  sprung  into  ex- 
istence, and  progress  has  been  made  along 
all  lines  of  commercial,  industrial  and 
agricultural  development,  and  in  this  work 
Mr.  Shutwell  has  taken  an  active  and 
helpful  part.  He  has  spent  a  very  busy 
and  active  life  and  with  the  assistance  of 
his  estimable  wife  they  have  accumulated 
a  competence  which  now  enables  them 
to  live  in  honorable  retirement,  enjoying 
the  fruits  of  their  former  toil.  They 
are  excellent  people,  highly  esteemed 
throughout  the  county,  where  they  are 
known  for  their  many  excellent  traits 
of  heart  and  mind. 


WILLIAM  HENRY  MOORE. 

William  Henry  Moore,  a  retired  farmer 
living  in  '  Carthage,  enjoying  in  well 
earned  ease  the  fruits  of  his  former  toil, 
is  a  native  of  Delaware,  having  been 
born  in  Newcastle  county,  on  the  26th  of 
March,  1832,  his  parents  being  Andrew 
and  Abigail  (Tweed)  Moore.  His  par- 
ents were  likewise  natives  of  that  coun- 
ty, the  former  born  January  13.  1805, 
and  the  latter  on  the  i6th  of  July,  1805. 
The  father  was  a  tanner  by  trade,  and 
hoping  to  enjoy  better  business  opportu- 
nities in  the  new  and  growing  west  where 
competition  was  not  so  great,  he  removed 
to  Hancock  county,  Illinois,  where  he  ar- 
rived on  the  28th  of  May,  1837.  He 
found  himself  on  the  frontier,  the  work 
of  improvement  and  progress  being 
scarcely  begun.  Much  of  the  land  was 
still  unclaimed  and  uncultivated  and  the 
task  of  development  largely  lay  in  the 
future.  He  resided  upon  a  farm  in  Bear 
Creek  township,  finding  a  claim  upon 
which  a  log*  cabin  had  been  built.  Soon 
afterward,  however,  he  removed  to  a 
prairie  claim,  where  he  built  a  log  house. 
The  homes  of  the  settlers  were  widely 
scattered  and  the  countryside  was  cov- 
ered with  timber  or  else  by  the  native 
prairie  grasses.  The  pioneer  condition 
of  the  district  is  evidenced  by  the  fact 
that  there  were  many  wild  deer,  and  less- 
er game  was  to  be  had  in  abundance. 
Venison  was  no  unusual  dish  on  the  ta- 
ble of  the  early  settlers  and  turkeys,  prai- 
rie chickens  and  quail  furnished  many  a 
meal  for  the  residents  of  that  period.  An- 
drew Moore  followed  farming  in  Bear 
Creek  township  until  1865,  when  he  re- 


442 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


tired  from  active  life,  sold  his  property 
and  removed  to  Marion  county,  Illinois, 
where  he  spent  his  remaining  days.  He 
died  in  February,  1882,  at  the  age  of 
seventy-seven  years,  and  was  buried  in 
Moss  Ridge  cemetery,  at  Carthage.  His 
wife  survived  until  June  22,  1890,  and 
was  then  laid  to  rest  by  the  side  of  her 
husband.  Mr.  Moore  had  voted  with  the 
Republican  party,  which  he  joined  on  its 
organization,  and  he  served  as  township 
clerk  and  justice  of  the  peace.  Both  he 
and  his  wife  were  members  of  the  Meth- 
odist church,  in  which  Mr.  Moore  held 
all  of  the  offices  and  in  the  work  of  which 
they  took  an  active  and  helpful  part.  In 
the  family  were  seven  children :  William 
Henry,  of  this  review;  Mary  Elizabeth, 
who  is  the  widow  of  Wesley  C.  Williams, 
and  lives  with  her  brother  William ;  Levi 
B.,  who  resides  in  Denison,  Texas;  Anna 
Maria,  the  wife  of  Calender  Rohrbaugh, 
of  Kinmundy,  Marion  county,  Illinois ; 
and  Rachel,  the  wife  of  John  E.  Coch- 
ran,  of  Elderville,  Hancock  county.  One 
son  Levi  B.  Moore,  was  a  soldier  of  the 
Civil  war,  enlisting  in  the  One  Hundred 
and  Eighteenth  Regiment  of  Illinois 
Mounted  Cavalry.  He  remained  from 
1862  until  1865  in  the  service  and  par- 
ticipated in  the  siege  of  Vicksburg  un- 
der Grant. 

William  Henry  Moore,  reared  amid 
pioneer  surroundings,  acquired  his  educa- 
tion in  the  old-time  log  schoolhouses  of 
Hancock  county,  where  instruction  was 
given  in  reading,  writing,  arithmetic  and 
perhaps  a  few  other  of  the  elementary 
branches  of  learning.  In  1849,  attracted 
by  the  discovery  of  gold  in  California,  he 
made  his  way  to  the  mining  regions, 


spending  several  years  upon  the  Pacific 
coast.  In  May,  185.5,  ne  returned  to 
Hancock  county  and  began  farming  in 
Prairie  township.  His  experience  in 
youth  as  an  assistant  in  his  father's  fields 
now  came  in  good  play  and  he  carefully 
and  systematically  directed  his  farm 
work,  which  he  carried  on  successfully 
until  1890.  As  the  years  passed  by  his 
capital  was  increased  until  he  became  a 
man  in  affluent  circumstances.  In  1890 
he  retired  from  further  business  cares.  In 
1883  he  removed  to  Carthage  and  pur- 
chased a  beautiful  home  on  Head  street, 
since  which  time  he  has  lived  in  this  city, 
now  enjoying  the  comforts  which  have 
come  to  him  as  the  result  of  his  active 
labor  in  former  years. 

As  a  companion  and  helpmate  for  life's 
journey  Mr.  Moore  chose  Miss  Helen 
Maria  Page,  whom  he  wedded  on  the 
ist  of  February,  1860,  and  who  was  born 
in  Vermont,  December  16,  1839,  her  par- 
ents being  Ozra  and  Elmira  (Morse) 
Page,  also  natives  of  the  Green  Mountain 
state.  Her  father  was  a  farmer  by  occu- 
pation, and  in  1848  came  to  Carthage,  but 
was  not  long  permitted  to  enjoy  his  new 
home,  for  he  died  July  19,  1851.  His 
wife  survived  him  until  1857,  and  lies 
buried  in  the  Basco  (Illinois)  cemetery, 
while  Mr.  Page  was  laid  to  rest  in 
Carthage  cemetery.  They  were  both 
earnest  Christian  people  and  held 
membership  in  the  Methodist  church. 
In  their  family  were  five  children : 
Helen  Maria,  now  Mrs.  Page;  Henry 
W.,  who  is  living  near  Arbela,  Mis- 
souri; and  Cynthia,  the  wife  of  George 
Rand,  of  Nebraska.  Henry  W.  Page 
was  a  soldier  of  the  Civil  war,  serv- 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


443 


ing  in  the  One  Hundred  and  Eighteenth 
Illinois  Regiment.  His  brother,  Zeno  D. 
Page,  now  deceased,  was  also  a  defender 
of  the  Union  cause,  enlisting  in  the 
Twelfth  Illinois  Cavalry.  Unto  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Moore  have  been  born  four  children, 
all  natives  of  Hancock  county,  of  whom 
three  are  now  living.  Frank  E.  is  a 
hardware  merchant  residing  in  Sulphur, 
Indian  Territory.  Lewis  A.  resides  in 
Evanston,  and  is  general  adjuster  for 
the  Traders  Insurance  Company,  is  mar- 
ried and  has  two  sons,  Leonard  Page  and 
William  C,  aged  respectively  seven  and 
two  years.  Anna  Laura  is  the  wife  of 
William  Bruce,  who  was  killed  in  the 
Chicago  switchyards  in  1899.  She  now 
lives  with  her  father  and  has  two  chil- 
dren :  Helen,  who  was  born  September 
24,  1895,  and  William  Ronald,  who  was 
born  August  9.  1898.  Their  father,  Wil- 
liam Bruce,  was  a  native  of  New  York. 

Mr.  Moore  owns  two  improved  farms 
in  Hancock  county,  which  bring  to  him 
a  good  financial  return.  One  comprises 
a  quarter  section  in  Prairie  township, 
and  the  other  embraces  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  in  Bear  Creek  township  and 
both  are  now  rented  advantageously.  In 
his  political  views  Mr.  Moore  is.  an 
earnest  republican,  and  in  1880  served  as 
road  supervisor.  He  has  also  been  path 
master  and  alderman  of  Carthage  for  two 
terms,  discharging  his  official  duties  in 
prompt  and  capable  manner.  He  is  an 
Odd  Fellow  and  has  passed  all  of  the 
chairs  in  the  subordinate  lodge.  Both  he 
and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Meth- 
odist church  and  are  actively  interested 
in  its  work,  doing  all  in  their  power  to 
promote  its  growth  and  extend  its  influ- 


ence. Mr.  Moore  is  a  man  of  good  heart, 
honest  and  kindly  and  of  upright  prin- 
ciples, and  has  made  it  the  aim  of  his 
life  to  follow  the  golden  rule. 


JOSEPHUS  NEWELL. 

Josephus  Newell,  a  farmer  and  stock- 
raiser  living  on  section  6,  Wythe  town- 
ship, was  born  in  Van  Buren  county, 
Iowa,  July  31,  1839.  His  parents  were 
David  and  Rebecca  (Carson)  Newell,  the 
former  born  in  Kentucky,  May  16.  1803, 
and  the  latter  in  Indiana.  January  31, 
1807.  They  were  married  in  Danville, 
Illinois,  at  which  time  Mrs.  Newell  was 
the  widow  of  Mr.  Doubleday.  By  her 
former  marriage  she  had  one  daughter, 
now  Mrs.  Mary  Ann  Byard.  The  year 
1835  witnessed  the  arrival  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Newell  in  Van  Buren  county,  Iowa. 
They  cast  in  their  lot  with  the  pioneer  set- 
tlers in  a  region  where  Indians  were  still 
numerous  and  which  was  infested  with 
wild  beasts.  They  lived  in  true  pioneer 
style,  sharing  in  the  hardships  and  priva- 
tions that  usually  fall  to  the  lot  of  those 
who  establish  homes  on  the  frontier  and 
bearing  their  share  in  the  work  of  general 
improvement.  On  leaving  Van  Buren 
county  they  removed  to  Davis  county, 
Iowa,  where  they  resided  until  1851,  when 
they  liecame  residents  of  Wythe  town- 
ship. Hancock  county,  Illinois. 

Here  Mr.  Newell  rented  a  farm  until 


444 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REJ'IEU' 


1860,  when  he  purchased  eighty  acres  of 
land  upon  which  he  spent  his  remaining 
days,  his  death  occurring  on  the  4th  of 
June,  1874.  Many  years  before  he  had 
lost  his  first  wife,  who  died  February  13, 
1848,  and  subsequently  he  had  married 
Catherine  Rose,  who  passed  away  about 
1867. 

Josephus  Newell  was  the  fourth  in  or- 
der of  birth  in  a  family  of  five  sons  and 
two  daughters.  He  lived  with  his  father  to 
the  age  of  eighteen  years  and  in  a  district 
school  of  Wythe  township  mastered  the 
usual  branches  of  learning  therein  taught. 
When  eighteen  years  of  age  he  started  out 
in  life  on  his  own  account,  working  as  a 
farm  hand  until  1862,  when  he  made  his 
way  westward  to  Denver,  Colorado,  and 
thence  into  the  mountains  where  he  en- 
gaged in  mining  and  in  herding  cattle. 
Also  during  his  sojourn  in  the  west  he 
freighted  across  the  plains  from  Denver 
to  the  Missouri  river.  After  four  years 
of  that  somewhat  wild  and  dangerous  life, 
during  which  he  experienced  many  of  the 
hardships  and  excitements  incident  to  life 
on  the  borders  of  civilization,  he  returned 
to  the  old  homestead  and  assisted  his  fa- 
ther until  the  latter's  death.  He  contin- 
ued to  reside  upon  the  home  farm  until 
1881.  when  he  sold  that  place,  and  in  con- 
nection with  his  brother  James  purchased 
one  hundred  acres  of  land  on  section  6, 
Wythe  township.  This  was  partially  cov- 
ered with  timber.  The  brothers  cultivated 
the  farm  for  a  time,  but  in  the  spring  of 
1902  James  Newell  sold  his  half  of  the 
farm  and  went  to  Oklahoma,  where  he 
now  resides.' 

Mr.  Newell  of  this  review  is  here  carry- 
ing on  general  agricultural  pursuits  and 


stock-raising,  keeping  horses,  cattle  and 
hogs  upon  his  place.  Through  the  rota- 
tion of  crops  and  other  advanced  methods 
of  farming,  he  has  made  his  land  very 
productive  and  everything  about  the  farm 
is  indicative  of  the  skill  and  supervision 
of  the  owner,  who  is  both  practical  and 
progressive  in  his  methods. 

In  September,  1879,  Mr.  Newell  was 
married  to  Mary  Simpson,  a  native  of 
Buffalo,  New  York,  and  the  widow  of 
Anthony  Ritenauer.  By  her  former  mar- 
riage she  had  two  children :  Anthony, 
who  died  in  infancy;  and  Annie  E.,  now 
the  wife  of  Alexander  Magness,  of  Bel- 
fast, Iowa.  To  her  marriage  to  Mr.  New- 
ell one  child  was  torn,  Adelaide,  whose 
birth  occurred  July  14,  1880.  Mrs.  New- 
ell passed  away  July  19,  1886,  and  was 
laid  to  rest  in  the  Wythe  cemetery. 

Mr.  Newell  is  independent  in  politics 
nor  has  he  ever  sought  or  desired  public 
office.  He  has  concentrated  his  efforts 
upon  his  business  interests  and  has  lived  a 
life  of  unremitting  diligence  and  persever- 
ance, working  hard  year  after  year  to  ac- 
cumulate a  comfortable  competence. 


WILLIAM    HARVEY    MARSHALL. 

William  Harvey  Marshall,  a  leading 
representative  of  agricultural  interests  in 
Hancock  county,  with  his  home  farm  in 
Montebello  township  and  adjoining  prop- 
erty in  Prairie  township,  was  born  in 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


445 


Richland  county,  Ohio,  November  21, 
1848,  his  parents  being  William  and 
Nancy  (Thompson)  Marshall,  who  were 
natives  of  Pennsylvania.  The  grandfa- 
ther, James  Marshall,  was  likewise  born 
in  the  Keystone  state  and  the  paternal 
and  maternal  grandparents  of  our  sub- 
ject removed  from  the  east  to  Ohio,  the 
former  settling  in  Richland  and  the  lat- 
ter in  Wayne  county.  At  a  later  date 
James  Marshall  went  to  Marion  county, 
Iowa,  where  he  secured  land  and  spent 
his  remaining  days.  His  grandson  and 
namesake,  James  Marshall,  Jr.,  the  eld- 
est brother  of  our  subject,  was  visiting 
him  in  Iowa  at  the  time  of  the  breaking 
out  of  the  Civil  war  and  there,  his  pa- 
triotic spirit  aroused,  he  enlisted  in  the  de- 
fense of  the  Union  as  a  member  of  the 
Eighth  Iowa  Infantry.  In  the  first  day 
of  the  battle  of  Shiloh  he  was  wounded 
in  the  leg  and  was  captured  by  the  Con- 
federates, remaining  in  their  hands  until 
they  were  repulsed.  He  did  not  receive 
proper  medical  attention,  but  was  taken 
to  an  old  house,  where  his  leg  was  ampu- 
tated. He  was  then  placed  on  board  a 
Mississippi  river  steamboat,  which  was 
used  for  hospital  purposes  and  which  was 
bound  for  Keokuk,  but  he  died  about  four 
miles  below  that  city,  and  was  buried  in 
the  soldiers'  cemetery  at  Keokuk.  His 
father,  in  Ohio,  learning  of  his  son's 
wound,  started  to  look  for  him  in  the 
hospitals  at  Cincinnati,  and  not  finding 
him  there  went  to  St.  Louis,  Missouri, 
where  he  examined  the  hospitals.  Still 
unsuccessful  in  his  search  he  proceeded 
up  the  river  to  Keokuk,  where  he  learned 
that  his  son  had  died  and  was  buried. 
The  father  then  started  upon  the  return 


trip  and  passed  through  Hancock  coun- 
ty. He  was  so  greatly  impressed  with 
the  country  and  its  possibilities  and  pros- 
pects that  after  the  war  he  disposed  of 
his  property  in  Ohio  and  purchased  one 
hundred  acres  of  land  in  Montebello 
township,  which  was  an  improved  prairie 
farm.  He  then  took  up  his  abode  upon 
that  place  and  the  following  winter 
bought  one  hundred  and  eighty  acres  of 
land  in  Wythe  township  but  never  resided 
on  the  latter  tract.  Eventually  he  re- 
tired from  active  business  life  and  re- 
moved to  Elvaston,  where  he  died  Decem- 
ber 27,  1895,  having  for  several  years 
survived  his  wife,  who  passed  away  in 
October,  1889.  They  were  the  parents 
of  five  sons  and  five  daughters :  Me- 
lissa, the  wife  of  Captain  M.  Geddes,  of 
Butler  county,  Kansas;  Lula,  the  wife  of 
George  Hastings,  of  the  city  of  Okla- 
homa ;  Archibald  L.,  of  Knox  county, 
Missouri ;  William  Harvey,  of  this  re- 
view; Willis,  who  is  living  in  Mon- 
mouth,  Illinois;  and  John  W.,  also  a  resi- 
dent of  Oklahoma. 

William  Harvey  Marshall  largely  ac- 
quired his  education  in  the  district  schools 
of  Ashland  county,  Ohio,  and  spent  one 
term  as  a  student  in  the  academy  at 
Hayesville,  Ohio.  He  remained  with  his 
parents  until  1875  and  assisted  in  the 
farm  work,  gaining  thorough  and  prac- 
tical knowledge  of  the  best  methods  of 
tilling  the  soil  and  caring  for  the  crops. 
On  starting  out  in  life  on  his  own  ac- 
count he  rented  a  farm  of  eighty  acres 
on  section  13,  Montebello-  township,  and 
a  year  later  he  secured  a  companion  and 
helpmate  for  life's  journey  by  his  mar- 
riage on  the  2Oth  of  January,  1876,  to 


446 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REl'IEU" 


Miss  Annette  Harper,  a  native  of  Tennes- 
see, and  a  daughter  of  Frank  and  Eliza- 
beth (Johnson)  Harper.  Unto  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Marshall  were  born  two  children  • 
Ruby,  who  was  born  November  i,  1876, 
and  is  now  the  wife  of  Herbert  L.  Camp- 
bell, of  Montebello  township,  and  Mabel 
A.,  who  was  born  December  5,  1877.  and 
is  now  a  teacher  in  the  public  schools  at 
Camp  Point,  Illinois.  The  wife  and 
mother  died  December  14.  1877,  and  on 
the  29th  of  October,  1881,  Mr.  Marshall 
wedded  Ettie  May  Kirkpatrick,  who  was 
born  in  Adams  county,  Illinois,  May  i, 
1857.  a  daughter  of  Benjamin  J.  and 
Mary  Turner  (Orr)  Kirkpatrick,  natives 
of  Tennessee  and  Kentucky  respectively. 
Her  paternal  grandparents  were  John  and 
Eliza  (Cox)  Kirkpatrick,  natives  of 
North  Carolina,  and  her  maternal  grand- 
parents were  William  and  Mary  (Tur- 
ner) Orr,  who  were  natives  of  Kentucky. 
By  the  second  marriage  of  Mr.  Marshall 
there  are  six  children:  William  F.,  born 
February  5,  1883;  Mary  Josephine,  born 
April  25,  1885;  Frederick  Lee,  April  25. 
1887;  Harvey  Paul,  February  14,  1889; 
Geraldine,  July  28,  1891  ;  and  Jeanette, 
March  29,  1892.  , 

Following  his  marriage  William  H. 
Marshall  purchased  eighty  acres  of  land 
from  his  father.  There  were  some  build- 
ings upon  the  place  but  he  has  set  out 
all  of  the  trees  and  has  erected  his  pres- 
ent residence,  a  two-story  frame  dwelling. 
He  also  built  a  large  barn  in  1889  and 
has  since  put  an  addition  thereto,  making 
it  a  commodious  structure  'sixty-two  by 
thirty-six  feet.  He  now  owns  one  hun- 
dred and  five  acres  of  land  on  section  19. 
Prairie  township,  which  corners  with  his 


home  place,  and  in  1892  he  set  out  a  fine, 
apple  orchard  and  also  has  fifty  peach 
trees  upon  his  farm.  He  raises  the  ce- 
reals best  adapted  to  soil  and  climate  and 
also  raises  cattle  and  Poland  China  hogs. 
His  farm  is  now  a  splendidly  developed 
property  and  from  the  sale  of  his  prod- 
ucts he  derives  a  good  income.  He  votes 
with  the  Republican  party  but  is  without 
aspiration  for  office  and  his  religious  faith 
is  indicated  by  his  membership  in  the 
Presbyterian  church. 


WILLIAM  PERRIN. 

William  Perrin,  who  since  1871  has 
been  a  resident  of  La  Harpe  and  for  many 
years  was  closely  associated  with  its  com- 
mercial interests  as  proprietor  of  a  drug 
store  but  is  now  living  retired,  was  born 
in  Stockbridge,  England,  November  30, 
1836,  his  parents  being  William  and  Eliz- 
abeth (Gulliver)  Perrin,  both  of  whom 
were  natives  of  Stockridge.  the  former 
born  October  20,  1803,  and  the  latter 
September  20,  1810.  The  paternal 
grandparents  were  Richard  and  Catherine 
(Hulbert)  Perrin,  both  of  whom  were 
natives  of  Hampshire.  England,  and  the 
maternal  grandfather,  George  Gulliver, 
was  also  born  in  England.  In  his  early 
youth  William  Perrin,  Sr.,  worked  with 
his  father  at  the  shoemaker's  trade  for 
several  years  and  afterward  turned  his 
attention  to  commercial  pursuits,  being 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


447 


engaged  in  the  grocery  and  dry  goods 
business  with  a  brother.  In  this  he  con- 
tinued until  the  spring  of  1847,  when, 
crossing  the  Atlantic  to  the  new  world 
to  enjoy  its  broader  business  opportunities, 
he  made  his  way  to  Monmouth.  Illinois, 
where  he  arrived  on  the  27th  of  June. 
Soon  afterward  he  purchased  a  farm  three 
miles  northwest  of  that  city,  took  up  his 
abode  thereon  and  made  it  his  home  until 
1856,  when  he  sold  the  property  and  re- 
moved to  Monmouth,  where  he  lived  for 
a  number  of  years.  During  the  period 
of  the  Civil  war,  however,  he  traded  some 
town  property  for  a  farm  four  miles 
northwest  of  the  city  and  removed  to  that 
place,  whereon  his  wife  died  August  20, 
1868.  He  later  traded  that  farm  for  real 
estate  in  Monmouth  and  continued  to  re- 
side there  until  his  death,  which  occurred 
July  10,  1886. 

William  Perrin  of  this  review  was  the 
second  in  a  family  of  three  sons  and  six 
daughters.  No  event  of  special  impor- 
tance occurred  to  vary  the  routine  of  farm 
life  for  him  in  his  youth  after  coming  to 
America  with  his  parents  when  about 
eleven  years  of  age.  He  continued  under 
the  parental  roof  until  1860.  when  he  be- 
gan farming  on  his  own  account  by  rent- 
ing forty  acres  of  land  four  miles  west 
of  Monmouth.  He  afterwards  rented 
another  farm  the  next  season  and  his  first 
crop  was  a  good  one  but  the  second  one 
was  a  failure,  for  the  season  was  very 
wet.  About  that  time  he  put  aside  all 
personal  and  business  considerations  in 
order  to  respond  to  his  country's  call  for 
aid  to  crush  out  the  rebellion  in  the  south 
and  on  the  6th  of  August.  1862.  he  en- 
listed as  a  member  of  Company  F, 


Eighty-third  Regiment  of  Illinois  Infan- 
try, under  command  of  Captain  John  T. 
Morgan  and  Colonel  A.  C.  Harding. 
This  regiment  was  assigned  to  the  Army 
of  the  Cumberland  and  the  troops  pro- 
ceeded from  Burlington  by  boat  to  St. 
Louis,  Missouri,  where  they  were  trans- 
ferred to  a  larger  boat  and  taken  to  Cairo, 
Illinois.  On  the  3d  of  September  they 
took  a  steamer  to  Fort  Henry  and  after- 
ward went  to  Fort  Donelson.  Tennessee. 
They  were  in  the  battle  on  the  3d  of 
February,  1863,  the  Union  troops  engag- 
ing generals  Forrest  and  Wheeler  with 
eight  thousand  men.  Mr.  Perrin's 
brother-in-law  was  standing  by  his 
side  and  was  shot.  He  was  then  taken 
to  the  hospital  at  Paducah,  Kentucky,  and 
there  died  from  lock-jaw  on  the  23d  of 
February,  1864. 

At  the  close  of  the  war  he  was  taken 
to  Nashville,  Tennessee,  where  he  was 
mustered  out  June  26,  1865.  and  with 
his  regiment  went  to  Chicago,  where  the 
men  received  their  pay  and  were  dis- 
charged July  4,  1865.  He  made  a  cred- 
itable military  record,  being  always  at  his 
post  of  duty  whether  on  the  lonely  picket 
line  or  on  the  firing  line.  After  being 
discharged  he  started  for  his  father's 
home  near  Monmouth.  Not  long  after- 
ward he  made  arrangements  to  enter 
business  life  by  purchasing  a  stock  of 
drugs,  which  he  offered  for  sale  in  the 
Seminary  block  in  Monmouth.  There  he 
carried  on  business  until  he  sold  out  to 
Dr.  Cuthburt,  who  afterward  sold  to  Dr. 
A.  V.  T.  Gilbert.  In  the  summer  of 
1871,  Mr.  Perrin  came  to  La  Harpe, 
where  he  purchased  the  drug  stock  of 
Dr.  Sutton  and  continued  in  business  until 


448 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


December  14,  1900,  when  he  sold  out  to 
J.  N.  Campbell.  He  was  for  almost 
thirty  years  a  leading  druggist  in  this 
town  and  conducted  a  profitable  business, 
having  a  well  appointed  store  and  doing 
everything  in  his  power  to  meet  the  wishes 
of  his  patrons,  so  that  he  enjoyed  a  large 
trade.  After  selling  his  stock  he  con- 
ducted the  business,  however,  for  one 
year  for  Mr.  Campbell  and  then  clerked 
for  two  years  for  Mr.  Knappenberger. 
Since  that  time  he  has  lived  retired,  en- 
joying a  well-earned  rest.  He  owns  a 
fine  brick  residence  in  La  Harpe  and  also 
the  south  half  of  the  Masonic  block, 
which  is  two  stories  in  height  and 
which  contains  a  store  building.  This 
brings  him  a  good  income. 

On  the  4th  of  October,  1866,  Mr.  Per- 
rin  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mary 
Todd,  who  was  born  in  Burlington,  Iowa, 
May  31,  1845,  and  is  a  daughter  of  Miles 
and  Eunice  (Haight)  Todd,  natives  of 
Ohio.  The  children  of  this  marriage  are 
as  follows :  Flora  Emma,  born  August 
6,  1867;  Mary  E.,  born  November  10, 
1870,  and  now  the  wife  of  E.  G.  Braymen, 
of  Monett,  Missouri ;  William  Miles,  who 
was  born  January  30,  1873,  and  died  Feb- 
ruary 17,  1874;  Harriet  Eunice,  who  was 
born  November  27,  1874,  and  is  at  home; 
Arthur  E.,  who  was  born  October  5, 
1876,  and  is  living  in  Monett,  Missouri; 
George  Gulliver,  born  October  28,  1878, 
and  now  a  student  in  the  University  of 
Chicago:  and  Fleming  Allen,  born  April 
29,  1884,  and  is  now  a  student  in 
Champaign. 

Mr.  Perrin  is  a  member  of  the  Christian 
church,  in  which  he  has  served  as  elder 
since  1899  and  also  as  clerk.  He  takes 


an  active  interest  in  church  work  and  does 
all  in  his  power  to  extend  its  influence 
and  promote  its  growth.  In  politics  he  is 
a  republican  and  served  as  school  director 
in  La  Harpe  township,  but  otherwise  has 
sought  nor  desired  public  office.  His  un- 
divided attention  in  former  years  was 
given  to  his  business  interests,  which,  be- 
ing carefully  managed,  brought  to  him 
a  good  financial  return  and  now,  with  a 
comfortable  competence  gained  through 
his  own  labors,  he  is  living  retired  in  the 
enjoyment  of  well-earned  ease. 


C.  A.  ECKLES. 

C.  A.  Eckles  is  the  owner  of  a  fine  farm- 
ing property  comprising  three  hundred 
and  eighty-seven  acres  in  Durham  town- 
ship on  section  13,  and  he  also  has  eighty 
acres  on  section  7,  La  Harpe  township,  to- 
gether with  five  acres  of  timber  in  the 
latter  township.  Starting  out  in  life  on 
his  own  account  at  the  age  of  fourteen 
years,  and  providing  to  a  considerable  ex- 
tent for  his  mother  and  sisters,  he  certain- 
ly deserves  much  credit  for  the  success  he 
has  achieved  and  his  life  •  record  should 
serve  as  a  source  of  inspiration  to  others, 
proving  what  may  be  accomplished 
through  perseverance  and  close  adherence 
to  the  rules  which  govern  unfaltering  dili- 
gence and  unswerving  integrity. 

A  native  of  Adams  county,  Illinois, 
he  was  born  in  1853,  and  is  a  son  of  Sam- 
uel and  Diana  (Hopson)  Eckles,  the 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


449 


former  a  native  of  Virginia  and  the  lat- 
ter of  Ohio.  Both  were  married  twice. 
The  father  was  a  carpenter  by  trade  and 
removed  to  Illinois  in  1851,  becoming  a 
resident  of  Durham  township,  Hancock 
county,  in  the  fall  of  1854.  He  lived  the 
life  of  an  honest,  upright  and  enterpris- 
ing farmer,  was  loyal  to  the  best  inter- 
ests of  the  community  and  gave  his  po- 
litical support  to  the  democracy.  He  died 
in  1876.  while  the  mother  of  our  subject 
passed  away  in  1872.  Both  were  interred 
in  Durham  cemetery.  After  losing  her 
first  husband  the  mother  became  the  wife 
of  Samuel  Eckles.  Unto  Samuel  and 
Diana  Eckles  were  born  six  children; 
C.  A. ;  Emma  C,  who  died  at  the  age  of 
eleven  years;  Narcissa  B.,  deceased  wife 
of  Horace  Dodd,  who  has  also  passed 
away ;  Johanna,  the  wife  of  Isaac  G.  Kil- 
gore,  of  La  Harpe;  Ella,  the  wife  of  John 
Kilgore.  of  Nebraska;  and  Mahala,  the 
wife  of  Charles  Cambron,  living  in  La- 
Crosse,  Illinois. 

C.  A.  Eckles  was  only  about  a  year  old 
when  his  parents  removed  from  Adams 
county  to  Durham  township  and  here  in 
the  public  schools  he  was  educated.  He 
lost  his  father  when  fourteen  years  of  age 
and  remained  with  his  mother,  assisting 
her  in  the  work  of  the  farm,  until  twenty- 
six  years  of  age,  when,  he  went  to  Colo- 
rado, working  in  the  Leadville  mines  for 
two  years.  Following  his  marriage  he  set- 
tled on  the  old  homestead  in  Durham 
township  and  lived  in  the  old  house  until 
1902,  when  he  erected  an  elegant  country 
home,  supplied  with  all  modern  improve- 
ments and  conveniences.  He  has  also 
built  fine  barns  and  sheds,  has  built  fences 
and  put  up  windmills  and  is  now  the 


•  owner  of  one  of  the  model  farms  of  the 
county,  comprising  three  hundred  and 
eighty-seven  acres  on  section  13,  Durham 
township,  and  eighty  acres  on  section  7,  La 
Harpe  township,  in  addition  to  which  he 
owns  a  five-acre  timber  tract.  He  is  a  gen- 
eral farmer  and  also  raises  considerable 
stock,  his  farming  interests  being  so  care- 
fully, systematically  and  admirably  man- 
aged that  he  seems  to  have  realized  the 
utmost  possibility  for  successful  ac- 
complishment. 

In  1882  Mr.  Eckles  was  married  to 
Miss  Erances  B.  Nichols,  who  was  born 
in  La  Harpe  township,  in  1859,  a  daugh- 
ter of  Joseph  and  Thirza  (Murdock) 
Nichols,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of 
Pennsylvania  and  came  to  Hancock  coun- 
ty in  1852,  the  father  settling  en  a  farm 
in  La  Harpe  township,  where  he  became 
an  extensive  dealer  in  stock.  Both  he  and 
his  wife  have  now  passed  away.  Of  their 
seven  children,  only  two  are  living:  Mrs. 
Eckles ;  and  Ida,  wife  of  David  R.  Sights, 
of  La  Harpe  township.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Eckles  had  four  children :  Amy,  Ada  and 
Marion,  all  at  home ;  and  Inez,  who  died 
at  the  age  of  two  years. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Eckles  are  members  of 
the  Methodist  Protestant  church  and  he 
belongs  to  the  Durham  Lodge  of  Wood- 
men and  to  the  La  Harpe  Lodge  of  Odd 
Fellows,  in  which  he  has  passed  all  the 
chairs.  In  politics  he  is  a  democrat  and 
has  served  for  two  terms  as  supervisor 
of  Durham  township,  also  as  highway 
commissioner  and  as  a  member  of  the 
school  board.  .  His  fellow  townsmen  have 
also  given  other  evidences  of  their  confi- 
dence in  him  and  he  is  in  every  way 
worthy  of  their  trust. 


450 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REl'IEU' 


WILLIAM  JAMES  TOMLINSON. 

\\~illiam  James  Tomlinson,  whose  life 
has  been  one  of  earnest  labor  character- 
ized by  fidelity  to  duty  and  straightfor- 
ward dealing  in  all  relations,  makes  his 
home  in  Augusta,  where  he  is  now  acting 
as  sexton  of  the  Christian  church.  He 
was  born  in  Humphreys  county,  Tennes- 
see, August  9,  1837,  a  sen  of  Daniel  and 
Emily  (Ridings)  Tomlinson,  the  former 
a  native  of  South  Carolina  and  the  latter 
of  North  Carolina.  The  father  removed 
to  Tennessee  when  a  schoolboy  and  the 
mother  became  a  resident  of  that  state 
when  only  three  years  of  age.  Mr.  Tom- 
linson engaged  in  farming  throughout 
the  period  of  his  residence  there  and  in 
1852  he  came  to  Illinois,  making  an  over- 
land journey  with  horse  teams.  He  set- 
tled in  Jackson  county,  this  state,  where 
he  purchased  eighty  acres  of  land,  which 
he  cultivated  and  improved,  making  a 
good  home  there  for  himself  and  family. 
In  1854,  however,  he  removed  to  Augus- 
ta township,  Hancock  county,  where  he 
rented  land  and  continued  farming  until 
1859.  when,  on  the  2Oth  of  October  of 
that  year,  his  life's  labors  were  ended  in 
death.  He  passed  away  at  the  age  of  fif- 
ty-three years  and  ten  days.  He  was  a 
democrat  in  politics  and  was  known  as  a 
man  of  thorough  reliability.  His  wife 
long  survived  him  and  passed  away  March 
22,  1895,  on  the  old  homestead  west  of 
Augusta  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-six 
years.  She  was  a  member  of  the  Baptist 
church  and  was  laid  to  rest  by  the  side 
of  her  husband  in  Pulaski  cemetery.  In 
the  family  were  nine  children,  but  only 
two  are  now  living. 


William  J.  Tomlinson  acquired  his 
early  education  in  a  log  schoolhouse  at 
the  place  of  his  nativity  and  in  his  youth 
assisted  his  father  upon  the  home  farm. 
He  afterward  attended  school  in  Augusta 
for  a  short  time  and  when  eighteen  years 
of  age  he  began  working  as  a  section  hand 
on  the  Chicago,  Burlington  &  Quincy 
Railroad.  There  his  capability  and  trust- 
worthiness gained  him  promotion  and  for 
twenty-two  years  he  had  charge  of  section 
43  at  Augusta,  filling  the.  position  con- 
tinuously until  1898.  Since  his  retirement 
from  the  railroad  service  he  has  acted  as 
sexton  of  the  Christian  church  at  Augus- 
ta. He  has  always  lived  a  busy  life  inter- 
rupted only  by  his  .service  in  the  Civil  war, 
for  which  he  enlisted  on  the  I2th  of  Au- 
gust, 1862,  becoming  a  member  of  Corn- 
pan}-  A,  Eighty-ninth  Illinois  Infantry, 
with  which  he  served  until  the  close  of  hos- 
tilities, when  he  was  mustered  out  with  his 
regiment  at  Nashville,  Tennessee,  June 
10,  1865.  He  participated  in  the  battles 
of  Stone  River,  Chickamauga,  Missionary 
Ridge,  Lookout  Mountain  and  the  Atlanta 
campaign,  also  the  engagements  at  Frank- 
lin and  Nashville  and  many  others  of  less- 
er importance.  He  was  wounded  at  Pick- 
ett's  Mills,  Georgia.  As  a  soldier  he  was 
brave  and  loyal,  always  at  his  post  of  duty 
whether  it  called  him  to  the  firing  line  or 
the  lonely  picket  line.  He  is  now  a  mem- 
ber of  Union  Post,  No.  302.  Grand  Army 
of  the  Republic,  at  Augusta  and  served 
for  some  time  as  its  quartermaster. 

Following  his  return  from  the  army  Mr. 
Tomlinson  was  married  at  Augusta  on 
the  2d  of  Tune.  1867.  to  Miss  Anjaline 
Booker,  a  daughter  of  Samuel  J.  and 
Sarah  W.  (Haworth)  Booker.  Her  fa- 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


ther  was  born  in  West  Virginia  and  when 
seven  years  of  age  became  a  resident  of 
Vermilion  county,  Illinois.  Throughout 
his  entire  life  he  followed  the  occupation 
of  farming  and  his  last  days  were  spent 
in  Adams  county.  He,  too,  was  a  soldier 
of  the  Civil  war,  serving  with  the  boys 
in  blue  of  Company  C,  Seventy -eighth  Il- 
linois Infantry.  His  wife  died  in  Law- 
rence, Kansas,  at  the  age  of  sixty-five 
years.  Mrs.  Tomlinson  was  educated  in 
Augusta  and  has  lived  in  the  village  since 
1864.  By  this  marriage  there  have  been 
born  nine  children :  Ella  G.,  who  died 
at  the  age  of  thirteen  months ;  August  F., 
police  magistrate  at  Galesburg,  Illinois, 
who  married  Susie  Raymond  and  has  five 
children — Kenneth  C.,  William  Carroll, 
Charles  L.,  deceased,  Lois  and  Jesse  L. ; 
Rosette  M.,  a  teacher  in  the  public  schools 
of  Elvaston ;  Effie,  who  became  the  wife 
of  Elmer  J.  Bellew  and  died  leaving  one 
son,  Chellis;  Jennie,  who  died  at  the  age 
of  three  years ;  Bertha,  who  is  a  typesetter 
in  the  office  of  the  Augusta  Eagle;  Mary, 
who  died  at  the  age  of  seven  years ;  Jessie, 
who  died  at  the  age  of  eight  years;  and 
James  Robert,  at  home.  All  of  the  chil- 
dren were  born  in  the  residence  which  the 
parents  yet  occupy,  Mr.  Tomlinson  having 
built  the  home  in  1868.  He  and  his  wife 
are  members  of  the  Christian  church  and 
he  belongs  to  Augusta  camp,  No. 
527,  Modern  Woodmen  of  America. 
His  political  allegiance  is  given  to  the 
Republican  party,  which  was  the  de- 
fense of  the  Union  in  the  Civil  war  and 
which  has  always  been  the  party  of  reform 
and  progress.  He  is  today  a  valued  and 
respected  citizen  of  Augusta  and  in  public 
affairs  has  manifested  the  same  loyal  and 


progressive  spirit  which  characterized  his 
military  service  on  the  battlefields  of  the 
south. 


WILLIAM  C.  STIDUM. 

William  C.  Stidum.  residing  on  his 
farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  on 
section  18,  Pilot  Grove  township,  is  a 
native  of  Hancock  county,  Kentucky, 
born  April  17,  1843.  His  parents  were 
Henry  and  Sarah  (Marene)  Stidum,  the 
former  a  native  of  Tennessee  and  the  lat- 
ter of  Indiana.  They  removed  from  Ken- 
tucky to  Perry  county,  Indiana,  where 
both  passed  away. 

William  C.  Stidum  resided  in  his  na- 
tive county  until  he  had  attained  his  ma- 
jority and  his  education  was  acquired  in 
the  common  schools.  His  mother  died 
in  1854,  when  he  was  only  eleven  years 
of  age  and  he  soon  afterward  started  out 
in  life  on  his  own  account,  working  on 
various  farms  until  after  the  outbreak  of 
the  Civil  war,  when,  in  1861,  he  enlisted 
as  a  member  of  Company  B,  Seventeenth 
Kentucky  Regiment,  and  served  until  the 
close  of  hostilities.  He  was  in  the  bat- 
tle of  Fort  Donelson,  Corinth,  Shiloh, 
Missionary  Ridge  and  other  important 
military  movements,  including  the  march 
from  Atlanta  to  the  sea,  and  was  honor- 
ably discharged  and  mustered  out  at  Lou- 
isville, Kentucky,  having  made  a  credit- 
able record  as  a  soldier  by  his  unfalter- 
ing bravery  and  loyalty.  He  enlisted  as 
a  private  soldier  but  in  about  one  month's 
time  he  was  promoted  to  the  duties  of 
colorbearer  for  his  regiment. 


452 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


After  the  war  Mr.  Stidum  returned 
to  Hancock  county,  Kentucky,  where  he 
engaged  in  farming  for  about  two  years. 
He  then  came  to  Illinois,  settling  at  To- 
lono,  Champaign  county,  where  he  also 
spent  about  two  years,  after  which  he 
came  to  Hancock  county,  taking  up  his 
abode  in  Durham  township,  where  he  fol- 
lowed farming  on  rented  land  for  five 
years.  He  next  removed  to  Pilot  Grove 
township,  where  he  purchased  a  farm  of 
one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  par- 
tially improved  land,  whereon  he  made  a 
home  for  himself  and  family.  For  thirteen 
years  he  lived  upon  that  farm,  after 
which  he  sold  the  property  and  bought 
his  present  place,  which  at  that  time  was 
only  partially  improved.  He  has  here 
erected  a  good  residence,  barns  and  other 
outbuildings  and  has  developed  a  model 
farm  property  equipped  with  all  modern 
accessories  and  conveniences.  In  addi- 
tion he  owns  eighty  acres  adjoining  the 
homestead  property  and  throughout  his 
entire  life  he  has  carried  on  general  farm- 
ing and  stock-raising,  meeting  with  a 
creditable  measure  of  success. 

On  the  8th  of  November,  1876,  Mr. 
Stidum  was  married  to  Mrs.  Sarah  E. 
Haley,  a  native  of  Durham  township, 
Hancock  county,  Illinois,  and  a  daughter 
of  Samuel  and  Jane  (Phillips)  Shinn,  na- 
tives of  Ohio  and  Indiana  respectively. 
Her  parents  came  to  Illinois  about  1854, 
settling  in  Durham  township,  where  Mr. 
Shinn  engaged  in  farming  where  he  lived 
until  his  death.  He  died  at  about  the 
age  of  eighty-two  years  and  his  wife  sur- 
vived him  for  about  three  weeks,  passing 
away  at  the  age  of  sixty-eight.  He  was 
one  of  the  prosperous  men  of  his  day. 


Their  daughter  Sarah  was  educated  in 
the  schools  of  Durham  township  and . 
there  reared  to  womanhood.  She  first 
married  a  Mr.  Haley,  by  whom  she  had 
one  daughter,  Stella,  now  the  wife  of 
James  Bassett,  a  farmer  of  Dallas  town- 
ship, by  whom  she  has  three  children. 
Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stidum  have  been 
born  three  children.  Jesse  D.  resides  on 
his  father's  farm,  which  he  operates.  He 
is  now  twenty-seven  years  of  age  and  he 
-  married  Miss  Pearl  Wright,  a  daughter 
of  John  Wright,  of  Webster,  Illinois,  by 
whom  he  had  one  child,  who  died  in  in- 
fancy. In  politics  he  is  a  Republican  and 
belongs  to  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd 
Fellows.  William  S.  resides  upon  the 
home  farm.  Roy  E.  is  a  farmer  of  Pilot 
Grove  township,  renting  forty  acres  of 
land,  and  he  also  aids  in  the  operation  of 
the  old  home  place.  Roy  E.  is  twenty- 
three 'years  of  age  and  recently  married 
Miss  Inez  Towles,  daughter  of  Mr.  Ster- 
ling Towles,  of  Plymouth,  Illinois. 

In  politics  Mr.  Stidum  is  a  republican, 
but  is  without  aspiration  for  office,  pre- 
ferring to  concentrate  his  energies  upon 
his  business  affairs  and  other  interests. 


JACOB  GROVE. 

Jacob  Grove  was  one  of  the  earliest 
settlers  of  Hancock  county,  where  he  took 
up  his  abode  in  April.  1836.  From  that 
time  until  his  death  he  was  closely  as- 
sociated with  the  early  development  of 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


453 


the  county  and  although  more  than  sixty 
years  have  been  added  to  the  cycle  of  the 
centuries  since  he  passed  away,  he  should 
be  mentioned  and  honored  as  one  of  those 
who  aided  in  laying  the  foundation  for 
the  present  development  and  progress  of 
this  part  of  the  state. 

A  native  of  Page  county,  Virginia,  he 
was  born  in  October,  1809,  a  son  of 
Christian  and  Mary  (Gochenour)  Grove, 
who  were  likewise  natives  of  the  Old 
Dominion.  Educated  in  the  subscription 
schools,  Jacob  Grove  afterward  learned 
and  followed  the  miller's  trade  in  Vir- 
ginia, where  he  owned  a  grist  mill. 
While  still  residing  in  that  state  he  was 
married  to  Miss  Rebecca  Lionberger,  who 
was  born  in  Page  county,  Virginia,  June 
10,  1816,  a  daughter  of  Joseph  and 
Esther  (Burner)  Lionberger,  natives  of 
the  same  county,  and  a  granddaughter  of 
John  and  Barbara  (Hershberger)  Lion- 
berger, who  were  born  in  Pennsylvania. 
The  maternal  grandparents  were  John 
and  Lythia  (Young)  Burner,  natives  of 
Virginia. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Grove 
was  celebrated  January  16,  1834.  and  for 
a  year  thereafter  they  remained  in  their 
native  state,  after  which  they  sold  their 
property  there  and  started  with  team  and 
wagon  for  Illinois.  They  left  their  old 
home  in  September  and  in  November 
reached  Sangamon  county,  where  they 
spent  the  winter,  coming  in  April,  1836, 
to  Hancock  county  where  for  two  years 
Mr.  Grove  operated  a  rented  farm.  He 
then,  in  company  with  Joseph  Lionberger, 
bought  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres 
of  land  in  Pilot  Grove  township,  where 
they  built  the  saw  and  grist  mill  on 


Crooked  creek.  About  this  time  they 
owned  and  operated  a  dry  goods  store  in 
La  Harpe,  taking  produce  of  all  kinds  in 
exchange  for  goods  which  they  shipped 
on  flatboats  to  New  Orleans. 

In  1842  he  went  to  New  Orleans 
to  sell  flour  and  bacon,  making  the  jour- 
ney down  the  Mississippi  on  a  flat- 
boat  and  while  there  he  contracted  a 
fever,  which  terminated  his  life  three  days 
after  his  return  home,  his  death  occurring 
July  15,  1842.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
Baptist  church  and  a  democrat  in  his  polit- 
ical views.  Men  who  knew  him  respected 
and  honored  him,  for  he  was  always  just 
and  upright  in  all  life's  relations. 
Following  his  death  the  mill  was  con- 
ducted by  Joseph  Lionberger  until  the 
time  of  the  Civil  war,  when  it  was  washed 
away  in  an  overflow  of  the  creek  and 
never  rebuilt. 

After  the  death  of  her  husband  Mrs. 
Grove  lived  with  her  father  who  also 
came  to  Hancock  county  in  April,  1836, 
and  owned  the  land  where  the  town  of 
La  Crosse  -  now  stands.  She  continued 
to  live  with  her  father  until  after  her 
children  were  grown  and  following  his 
death,  in  January,  1868,  she  bought  sixty 
acres  of  prairie  land  on  section  7,  Foun- 
tain Green  township  and  forty  acres  of 
timber  on  section  i.  Pilot  Grove  township. 
With  the  help  of  her  children  she  con- 
ducted the  farm  and  the  business  was 
carefully  managed. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jacob  Grove  had 
been  born  the  following  named :  Benja- 
min F.,  born  in  Virginia,  November  7, 
1834,  is  a  partner  of  his  brothers,  W. 
Scott  and  Joseph  N.,  in  the  owner- 
ship of  the  home  place,  where  they  live. 


454 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REI'lEU'. 


William  Harrison,  who  was  born  Sep- 
tember i,  1837,  and  was  married  and  re- 
sided in  Pilot  Grove  township,  died  May 
31,  1897,  leaving  five  sons  and  a  daughter. 
Mary  V.,  born  May  19,  1839,  is  the  wid- 
ow of  Calvin  Phelps  and  resides  in  Pilot 
Grove  township.  Winfield  Scott,  born 
August  3,  1841,  is  a  partner  of  his  brother 
Benjamin.  In  1872  these  brothers 
bought  one  hundred  and  eighty-six  acres 
of  the  home  place  and  have  since  con- 
ducted their  farming  interests  in  partner- 
ship. In  connection  with  the  tilling  of 
the  soil  they  have  raised  Percheron  horses 
since  1886,  when  they  imported  two  stal- 
lions and  two  mares.  They  now  keep 
two  full-blooded  Percheron  stallions  and 
they  also  keep  and  raise  Durham  cattle 
and  Poland  China  hogs.  They  are  well 
known  and  successful  stockmen,  with 
large  business  interests,  which  they  are 
capably  conducting. 


FARMER  NUDD. 

Farmer  Nudd,  who  is  an  extensive  land- 
owner and  makes  his  home  in  La  Harpe, 
is  numbered  among  the  native  sons  of 
La  Harpe  township,  where  his  birth  oc- 
curred on  the  ist  of  November,  1844.  His 
parents,  Joseph  and  Sarah  (Wales) 
Nudd,  were  both  natives  of  New  Eng- 
land, the  former  born  in  Massachusetts 
and  the  latter  in  New  Hampshire.  The 
paternal  grandfather,  Robert  Nudd,  was 
a  native  of  Scotland  and  married  a  Miss 


Pinkham,  who  was  also  born  in  that  coun- 
try. The  maternal  grandfather  was  Sam- 
uel Wales,  a  native  of  the  old  Granite 
state. 

Joseph  Warren  Nudd,  removing  from 
New  England  in  1832,  became  a  resident 
of  Quincy,  Illinois,  where  he  remained  un- 
til 1834.  He  was  married  there  and  aft- 
erward removed  to  La  Harpe,  which  then 
contained  but  two  houses  and  the  little 
hamlet  was  called  Franklin.  He  entered 
three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  land 
a  half  mile  south  and  one  mile  west  of  the 
village  on  section  20,  La  Harpe  town- 
ship, and  began  to  till  the  soil,  improving 
the  place  until  he  had  brought  the  farm 
under  a  high  state  of  cultivation.  He 
lived  there  until  1855.  when  he  sold  the 
property  and  took  up  his  abode  in  La 
Harpe.  He  was  the  owner  of  two  hun- 
dred and  forty  acres  of  valuable  and  pro- 
ductive land  two  miles  south  of  the  town 
and  he  also  owned  twenty-seven  acres  in 
La  Harpe,  extending  from  the  square  to 
the  depot,  which  has  since  been  divided 
and  sold  off  in  town  lots.  He  lived  in  a 
house  on  the  south  side  of  the  square, 
which  is  still  standing  and  is  one  of  the 
old  landmarks  of  the  town,  it  being  one  of 
the  first  dwellings  which  were  erected  in 
the  village.  He  was  closely  associated 
with  many  of  the  events  of  the  early  days 
which  indicate  the  trend  of  public  prog- 
ress and  improvement  and  he  always  gave 
his  support  to  any  measure  or  movement 
that  was  calculated  to  advance  the  general 
welfare.  He  held  several  positions  of  po- 
litical preferment,  including  that  of  justice 
of  the  peace  and  was  also  school  treasurer 
in  his  township  for  many  years.  His  wife 
passed  away  December  3,  1868,  and  he 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


455 


spent  his  last  years  with  his  daughter, 
Mrs.  Sarah  C.  Gochenour,  who  lived  two 
and  a  half  miles  south  and  a  half  mile  east 
of  La  Harpe.  There  his  death  occurred 
in  January,  1890,  and  thus  passed  away 
one  of  the  prominent  and  honored  pioneers 
of  the  county,  who  had  resided  in  this  sec- 
tion of  the  state  for  fifty-six  years.  Their 
children  were:  Joseph  Warren,  who  died 
in  1865,  at  the  age  of  twenty-five  years; 
Farmer,  the  subject  of  this  review ;  Ham- 
mond Woodman,  who  died  in  1890,  at  the 
age  of  forty-five  years ;  Pinkham  Wales,  a 
resident  of  London,  Arkansas ;  and  Sarah 
Emma,  the  wife  of  David  Gochenour,  of 
La  Harpe  township. 

Farmer  Nudd,  whose  name  introduces 
this  record,  pursued  his  education  in  the 
public  schools  of  La  Harpe  and  at  the  age 
of  eighteen  years  started  out  in  life  on 
his  own  account.  He  went  to  the  west 
with  a  company  of  men  including  Sydney 
Tuttle,  Israel  Brundage,  James  N. 
Younger,  Charles  Thompson  and  several 
others,  being  one  hundred  and  six  days 
on  the  way  to  Virginia  City.  He  started 
to  work  in  the  gold  mines,  receiving  at 
different  times  six,  ten  and  twelve  dollars 
per  day.  He  also  took  up  claims  and 
worked  for  himself,  remaining  a  resident 
of  Montana  until  the  fall  of  1866.  With 
his  companions  he  built  a  flatboat  and  they 
thus  made  their  way  down  the  Missouri 
river  from  Fort  Benton  to  Omaha,  Ne- 
braska, in  company  with  twelve  others.  At 
the  last  named  point  they  took  a  steamer 
to  St.  Joseph,  Missouri,  and  thus  proceed- 
ed to  Keokuk,  Iowa,  from  which  point  Mr. 
Nudd  made  his  way  to  his  home  in  Han- 
cock county.  Illinois.  Here  he  turned  his 
attention  to  farming  and  for  two  years  op- 
29 


crated  a  rented  farm.  He  then  pur- 
chased forty  acres  of  land  on  section  32, 
La  Harpe  township,  which  he  afterward 
traded  to  his  father  for  the  home  place 
of  three  hundred  and  forty  acres.  He  re- 
moved to  the  latter  farm  and  thereon  en- 
gaged in  the  tilling  of  the  soil  and  in 
stock-raising.  He  still  owns  that  place, 
which  is  now  being  conducted  by  his  son 
Harry  and  his  son  also  lives  upon  the  old 
homestead.  Since  his  return  from  the 
west  Mr.  Nudd  has  enjoyed  a  very  suc- 
cessful career.  He  worked  diligently  and 
energetically  to  bring  his  farm  under  a 
high  state  of  cultivation  and  as  the  result 
of  the  care  and  labor  which  he  bestowed 
upon  the  fields  he  reaped  bounteous  har- 
vests. From  time  to  time  he  made  judi- 
cious investment  in  property  until  his  land- 
ed possessions  now  aggregate  seven  hun- 
dred acres,  of  which  three  hundred  and 
eighty  acres  is  in  La  Harpe  township  and 
the  remainder  in  Fountain  Green  town- 
ship. He  lived  upon  the  home  farm  until 
the  spring  of  1899,  when  he  purchased  a 
fine  residence  in  the  central  part  of  La 
Harpe.  It  is  one  of  the  most  attractive 
and  best  located  homes  in  the  village  and 
here  he  resides  with  his  wife  and  son  Clay. 
On  the  8th  of  March,  1868,  Mr.  Nudd 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Rosabelle 
Vincent,  who  was  born  in  La  Harpe  town- 
ship, April  8,  1847,  upon  the  site  of  the 
present  fair  ground.  She  was  educated  in 
the  public  schools  and  became  a  successful 
teacher,  being  connected  with  the  work  of 
the  schoolroom  from  1864  until  1868.  She 
is  a  daughter  of  Samuel  C.  Vincent,  who 
was  born  near  Buffalo,  New  York,  and 
married  Jane  Andrews,  whose  birth  oc- 
curred at  Great  Barrington,  Connecticut. 


456 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


Her  parents  were  married  in  the  Empire 
state  and  removing  westward  settled  in 
Elgin.  Illinois,  where  they  remained  for  a 
short  time.  They  then  came  to  this  town- 
ship and  purchased  land  on  the  west  of  the 
town,  where  Mr.  Vincent  lived  up  to  the 
time  of  his  death,  which  occurred  on  the 
1 5th  of  August,  1870.  For  twenty  years 
he  was  engaged  in  teaching  in  the  public 
schools  of  Hancock  county  through  the 
winter  seasons.  He  was  a  well  educated 
man  and  a  successful  educator,  imparting 
readily  and  clearly  to  others  the  knowl- 
edge that  he  had  acquired,  so  that  he  gave 
excellent  satisfaction  in  his  school  work. 
His  wife  passed  away  in  January,  1890. 
In  their  family  were  the  following  named : 
Alary  Adell,  who  married  Cowden  Bryan 
and  after  his  death  wedded  Wesley  Cas- 
singham,  and  resides  in  La  Harpe,  Illi- 
nois ;  Rosabell,  now  Mrs.  Nudd ;  Frances 
Adelaide,  the  wife  of  Frank  James,  a  resi- 
dent of  Galesburg,  Illinois:  Byron  Z.,  of 
Shenandoah,  Iowa :  Juie,  who  became  the 
wife  of  Charles  Sanford.  and  died  in  No- 
vember, 1876;  and  Elma,  who  died  in  La 
Harpe,  October  25.  1903. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Nudd  have  been 
born  four  children,  as  follows :  Joseph 
Samuel,  Harry  and  Clay,  all  residing  in 
La  Harpe  township;  and  May,  who  was 
born  May  17.  1880,  and  died  February 
17.  1906.  In  his  political  views  Mr.  Nudd 
is  a  stalwart  democrat  and  has  served  as 
commissioner  of  highways,  as  assessor  of 
his  township  and  as  supervisor  since  1902, 
his  last  term  expiring  on  the  3d  of  April, 
1906.  In  all  of  his  public  service  he  has 
been  found  faithful,  capable,  prompt  and 
efficient.  He  belongs  to  the  Masonic  fra- 
ternity, in  which  he  has  attained  the 


Royal  Arch  degree  and  he  is  well  known 
in  La  Harpe  as  a  man  of  many  good  traits 
of  character,  whose  business  success  has 
been  worthily  achieved  and  honorably  won 
and  now  in  possession  of  splendid  prop- 
erty interests  which  yield  him  a  good  in- 
come he  is  living  retired  in  one  of  the 
beautiful  homes  of  La  Harpe,  surrounded 
by  all  of  the  comforts  and  many  of  the 
luxuries  which  go  to  make  life  worth 
living. 


ANDREW  KIRBY. 

Andrew  Kirby,  conducting  a  real  es- 
tate and  loan  agency  business  at  Dallas 
City,  was  born  near  Lomax,  in  Hender- 
son county,  Illinois.  March  8,  1858.  a 
son  of  Joseph  and  Jane  (Swymer)  Kir- 
by. The  father  was  born  June  8,  1822, 
on  the  eastern  shore  of  Maryland,  and 
the  mother's  birth  occurred  in  Downing- 
ton,  Chester  county,  Pennsylvania,  on  the 
1 4th  of  February,  1822.  Joseph  Kirby 
was  a  farmer  by  occupation,  and  in  1838 
removed  to  Henderson  county,  Illinois, 
where  he  engaged  in  tilling  the  soil  until 
his  death,  with  the  exception  of  a  period 
of  four  or  five  years  spent  in  the  mining 
regions  of  California.  He  died  June  19, 
1879,  and  is  still  survived  by  his  wife, 
who  lives  at  the  old  home.  In  their  fam- 
ily were  four  children,  of  whom  two  are 
living:  Minerva,  the  wife  of  G.  H.  Mes- 
sick,  who  resides  near  Lomax.  Illinois : 
and  Andrew. 

Having  acquired  his  preliminary  edu- 
cation in  the  public  schools.  Andrew  Kir- 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


457 


by  afterward  attended  Denmark  Academy 
in  Iowa  and  Elliott's  Business  College,  at 
Burlington,  Iowa.  He  afterward  re- 
mained upon  the  home  farm  until  he  had 
attained  his  majority  and  subsequently 
engaged  in  farming  on  his  own  account 
in  Henderson  county  until  1896.  He  was 
afterward  engaged  in  the  conduct  of  a 
meat  market  and  grocery  store  for  sev- 
eral years  but  had  been  connected  to  a 
greater  or  less  extent  with  real  estate  op- 
erations and  has  recently  opened  a  real 
estate  office  and  loan  agency,  in  which  he 
has  met  with  splendid  success.  His  sales 
of  land  exceed  the  business  of  many  an- 
other real  estate  dealer  of  the  county  and 
he  is  represented  in  various  sections  by 
agents  selling  Texas  land.  He  has  thor- 
oughly acquainted  himself  with  property 
values  in  Dallas  City  and  Hancock  coun- 
ty, as  well  as  in  the  southwest,  and  has  a 
large  clientage,  so  that  his  annual  sales 
of  real  estate  are  now  extensive.  He  is 
also  conducting  a  loan  agency  and  is  en- 
gaged in  the  insurance  business,  repre- 
senting the  following  insurance  com- 
panies :  National  of  Hartford,  the  Fire 
Association  of  Philadelphia,  and  the  Ger- 
man Alliance,  of  New  York,  and  he  now 
writes  a  large  amount  of  insurance  annu- 
ally and  has  a  good  business  in  its  various 
departments,  his  offices  being  pleasantly 
located  in  the  Byers  Building  on  Oak 
street.  He  has  laid  out  three  additions 
to  Dallas  City,  which  he  now  owns.  The 
first  was  laid  out  in  the  western  part  of 
the  town  in  1903,  the  second  lies  west  of 
the  first  and  was  platted  in  1904,  and  the 
third  lies  south  of  the  first  addition  and 
was  platted  in  1906.  This  is  being  rap- 


idly built  up  and  his  real  estate  operations 
are  now  extensive  and  profitable. 

On  the  23d  of  December,  1886,  Mr. 
Kirby  was  married  to  Miss  Hattie  Helen 
Lowry,  who  was  born  in  Lomax,  Hender- 
son county,  in  1868,  a  daughter  of  Al- 
bert H.  and  Jennie  Lowry,  who  still  lives 
on  a  farm  near  Lomax.  Her  father  was 
a  soldier  of  the  war  of  the  rebellion,  en- 
listing in  an  Illinois  regiment,  with  which 
he  was  connected  for  a  year,  being  sta- 
tioned on  the  Rio  Grande  river.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Lowry  have  three  children :  Fred, 
living  in  Williamsfield,  Illinois ;  Mrs. 
Blanch  White,  a  widow  who  makes  her 
home  with  her  parents ;  and  Mrs.  Kirby. 
Unto  our  subject  and  his  wife  have 
been  born  four  children,  all  natives  of 
Henderson  county.  Carl  Raymond,  who 
was  born  November  13,  1887,  and  is  a 
student  in  the  Dallas  City  high  school; 
Guy.  born  August  5,  1891  ;  Hugh,  born 
in  1894;  and  Helen,  in  1896.  Mr.  Kirby 
purchased  the  old  Rallonoson  mansion, 
which  was  later  destroyed  by  fire,  and  he 
then  erected  a  pretty,  modern  home  in  the 
western  part  of  the  town.  In  politics  he 
is  a  republican  and  has  twice  served  as  as- 
sessor of  his  township.  He  has  also  been 
a  school  director  and  is  now  secretary  of 
the  school  board  of  Dallas  City.  Socially 
he  is  a  Chapter  Mason,  and  his  wife  is  a 
member  of  the  Congregational  church. 
In  their  home  is  a  good  library  and  a  fine 
collection  of  various  ores.  The  home  is 
one  of  culture  and  refinement  and  the 
members  of  the  household  occupy  an  en- 
viable position  in  social  circles.  Mr. 
Kirby  is  ambitious,  energetic  and  enter- 
prising— qualities  which  are  concomi- 


458 


BIOGRAPHICAL  RETIEU' 


tants    to    success    and    form    a    splendid 
basis  upon  which  to  build  prosperity. 


JAMES  B.  LEACH. 

In  a  history  of  the  pioneer  residents 
of  Hancock  county  it  is  commensurate 
that  mention  be  made  of  James  B.  Leach, 
who  is  now  living  a  retired  life  in  the 
village  of  Augusta  but  who  in  former 
years  was  actively  and  prominently  con- 
nected with  business  affairs  and  his  life 
stands  in  exemplification  of  the  fact  that 
earnest  purpose  and  unfaltering  industry 
will  bring  a  comfortable  competence  and 
gain  simultaneously  an  honored  name. 
He  has  now  passed  the  seventy-seventh 
milestone  on  life's  journey  and  well  merits 
the  rest  which  he  is  enjoying.  He  was 
born  in  Mason  county,  Kentucky,  Novem- 
ber 2,  1828,  a  son  of  Thomas  and  Docia 
Ann  (Davis)  Leach,  the  former  a  na- 
tive of  Virginia  and  the  latter  of  Ken- 
tucky. They  were  married  in  the  Blue 
Grass  state  and  throughout  the  greater 
part  of  his  active  business  life  the  father 
engaged  in  farming  but  during  his  last 
three  or  four  years  he  operated  a  coal 
bank  within  a  mile  and  a  half  of  Augusta. 
He  died  at  the  age  of  sixty-five  years  and 
twenty-two  days,  passing  away  March 
9,  1864,  in  the  faith  of  the  Methodist 
church,  of  which  he  was  a  devoted  and 
loyal  member.  His  early  political  alle- 
giance was  given  to  the  democracy  but 
later  he  joined  the  ranks  of  the  Repub- 
lican party.  His  wife,  long  surviving 
him.  passed  away  in  1892,  at  the  advanced 
age  of  eighty-two  years.  The  remains 


of  both  .were  interred  in  Augusta  ceme- 
tery. In  the  family  of  this  worthy  couple 
were  eleven  children,  four  of  whom  are 
yet  living,  namely :  James  B.,  of  this 
review ;  Mary,  the  wife  of  Thomas  E.  B. 
Rice,  of-  California;  Orange,  who  is  a 
plasterer  and  brick  mason  of  Augusta ; 
and  Alice  J.,  who  makes  her  home  with 
her  elder  brother. 

James  B.  Leach  remained  in  Kentucky 
until  eight  years  of  age,  when  he  came 
to  Illinois  with  his  grandfather,  Benja- 
min Davis,  who  settled  in  Schuyler 
county  near  Camden,  where  Mr.  Leach 
remained  for  five  years.  His  father,  hav- 
ing come  to  the  west,  he  then  removed 
with  him  to  Augusta,  Illinois,  but  in  the 
meantime  had  spent  four  years  with  his 
father  upon  the  farm  in  Schuyler  county, 
at  the  end  of  which  time  their  home  was 
established  in  close  proximity  to  the  vil- 
lage of  Augusta.  He  started  out  in  life 
on  his  own  account  when  twenty-one 
years  of  age  and  for  a  year  was  employed 
on  a  farm  in  Sangamon  county  this  state, 
after  which  he  spent  two  years  at  farm 
labor  in  Adams  county,  whence  he  re- 
moved to  Hancock  county  and  worked 
on  a  farm  near  the  village  of  Augusta 
for  some  time.  Later  he  began  learning 
the  trade  of  a  painter  and  paper-hanger 
under  James  Cooper  and  continued  his 
active  connection  with  that  department  of 
industrial  labor  until  he  put  aside  busi- 
ness cares. 

Mr.  Leach  was  married  October  7. 
1856,  to  Miss  Mary  M.  Rice,  who  was 
born  in  Adams  county,  Illinois,  and  is 
a  daughter  of  David  H.  and  Clarinda 
(Wilson)  Rice,  who  were  early  settlers 
of  that  county.  Her  father  followed 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


459 


farming  during  the  greater  part  of  his  life 
but  after  removing  from  Adams  county 
to  Augusta  he  carried  on  blacksmithing, 
his  death  occurring  in  this  village  when  he 
was  seventy-two  years  of  age.  His  wife 
passed  away  here  some  years  before.  One 
of  their  sons,  Henry  H.  Rice,  is  a  harness- 
maker,  residing  in  Augusta.  Mrs.  Leach 
was  a  devoted  member  of  the  Methodist 
church  and  took  an  active  and  helpful  part 
in  its  work.  Her  life  was  at  all  times 
characterized  by  an  earnest  Christian 
spirit  and  devotion  to  the  right  and  she 
performed  many  deeds  of  kindness  and 
acts  of  charity  for  those  less  fortunate 
than  herself.  She  died  in  Augusta,  Feb- 
ruary 9,  1894,  and  her  remains  were  in- 
terred in  the  Augusta  cemetery.  In  the 
family  were  three  children,  two  of  whom 
died  in  infancy;  Carrie  May  and  Lu- 
ther L.,  who  were  the  youngest  and  oldest 
respectively.  One  daughter,  Fannie  B., 
became  the  wife  of  James  H.  Coffman, 
present  postmaster  of  Augusta  and  died 
at  the  age  of  thirty-five  years.  The  chil- 
dren of  this  family  were  all  born  in  Au- 
gusta in  the  house  which  Mr.  Leach  yet 
occupies. 

In  his  religious  views  he  is  a  Metho- 
dist and  his  political  support  is  given  to 
the  Republican  party.  He  has  never 
been  active  as  a  politician  in  the  sense 
of  office-seeking  yet  served  for  five  years 
as  collector  of  the  village.  He  has  been 
a  witness  of  nearly  all  of  the  improve- 
ments which  have  been  made  in  Hancock 
county  and  has  watched  its  development 
from  a  wild  prairie  to  a  highly  cultivated 
farming  district  with  here  and  there  thriv- 
ing towns  and  cities.  He  has  done  his 
full  share  to  bring  about  this  desired  re- 


sult and  is  classed  among  the  worthy 
pioneer  residents  who  in  a  long  life  has 
ever  deserved  and  commanded  the  respect 
and  good  will  of  all  with  whom  he  has 
come  in  contact. 


ISAAC  FRANKLIN  LANDIS. 

Isaac  Franklin  Landis,  a  prominent  and 
influential  factor  of  Hancock  county,  has 
been  engaged  in  various  commercial  and 
industrial  enterprises  of  this  portion  of 
the  state,  and  is  now  engaged  in  general 
agricultural  pursuits  in  La  Harpe  town- 
ship, where  he  conducts  a  large  farm  on 
section  26.  His  birth  occurred  in  this 
township,  August  12,  1844,  and  with  the 
exception  of  a  brief  period  spent  in  Mis- 
souri, has  always  resided  in  this  state.  His 
paternal  grandparents,  Joseph  and  Eliza- 
beth (Kline)  Landis,  were  both  natives 
of  Lancaster  county,  Pennsylvania,  and  in 
1842  removed  to  Hancock  county,  thus 
becoming  pioneer  settlers  of  this  portion 
of  the  state,  where  they  entered  land  from 
the  government  and  engaged  in  farming, 
and  here  they  spent  their  remaining  days. 
The  maternal  grandparents,  Isaac  and 
Hester  Ann  Funk,  were  likewise  natives 
of  the  Keystone  state,  their  births  having 
occurred  in  Bucks  county,  that  state.  Like 
the  Landis  family,  they,  too,  became  num- 
bered among  the  early  settlers  of  Hancock 
county  and  here  passed  away.  The  par- 
ents of  our  subject,  Jacob  and  Mary 
(Funk)  Landis,  accompanied  their  re- 
spective parents  to  Hancock  county  from 
the  east,  and  were  here  married  in  1843, 
after  which  they  took  up  their  abode  on 


460 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REI'IEIV 


a  tract  of  forty  acres  which  the  father 
had  -purchased,  this  being  located  on  sec- 
tion 35.  It  was  covered  with  timber  and 
brush  when  he  made  the  purchase  but 
with  characteristic  energy  Jacob  Landis 
undertook  the  work  of  development  and 
in  course  of  time  had  cleared  his  land  and 
placed  the  fields  under  a  high  state  of  cul- 
tivation. After  about  ten  years  here 
passed,  the  family  removed  to  Nauvoo, 
where  for  three  years  the  father  conduct- 
ed a  stone  quarry  and  lime  kiln,  and  on 
the  expiration  of  that  period  he  again 
resumed  farming  operations  on  a  tract  of 
land  of  forty-two  acres  which  he  had 
purchased,  this  being  in  the  same  neigh- 
borhood where  he  had  formerly  lived. 
In  addition  to  his  farming  operations  he 
also  conducted  a  stone  quarry  and  lime 
kiln  until  the  fall  of  1860,  at  which  time 
he  took  up  his  abode  in  the  city  of  La 
Harpe.  Watching  with  interest  the  great 
questions  which  were  then  affecting  the 
nation,  and  heeding  the  call  for  troops 
at  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  war,  he  enlist- 
ed as  a  member  of  the  Fiftieth  Illinois  In- 
fantry, and  at  once  went  to  the  front, 
where  he  lost  his  life  in  the  battle  of  Fort 
Donelson,  February  16,  1863,  and  his  re- 
mains were  interred  at  Nashville,  Ten- 
nessee. He  had  also  served  in  the  Semi- 
nole  war  in  Florida,  and  was  thus  a  loyal 
patriot  of  his  country.  In  the  family  of 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jacob  Landis  were  born 
eight  children,  of  whom  our  subject  is  the 
eldest,  the  others  being  in  order  of  birth : 
Joseph,  who  died  March  16,  1902,  at  the 
age  of  fifty-seven  years;  Hester  A.,  the 
wife  of  Martin  Ruckman.  of  Denver, 
Missouri ;  Catherine,  who  died  at  the  age 
of  two  years;  Amanda,  now  the  wife  of 


0.  McDonald,  a  resident  of  La  Harpe; 
Hannah,  the  wife  of  Smith  Wade,  a  resi- 
dent of  La  Harpe;  Elizabeth,  the  widow 
of  Asbury  Evans,  and  a  resident  of  Nel- 
son,  Nebraska ;   and   Dora,   the   wife   of 
Michael   Collins,  and   a   resident  of    La 
Harpe.    After  the  death  of  the  father  the 
mother  was  married  a  second  time,  her 
union  being  with   Louis  Long,  and  her 
death  occurred  January  4,  1887. 

Isaac  F.  Landis  pursued  his  studies  in 
the  Maynard  district  school  near  his  fa- 
ther's home  and  spent  his  boyhood  and 
youth  under  the  parental  roof,  remaining 
with  his  mother  after  his  father's  death 
until  the  time  of  his  marriage,  August 

1,  1869,  when  he  chose  as  a  companion 
and    helpmate    on    life's    journey,    Miss 
Frances    Finett    Leavings,    a    native    of 
Warren  county,  this  state,  where  she  ac- 
quired    her    education     in     the    district 
schools  of  that  section  and  also  in  Foun- 
tain    Green    township.       Her    maternal 
grandfather,  Benamin  Gates,  was  born  in 
New  York,  served  in  the  war  of  1812  and 
located  in  Hancock  county  about   1832. 
Her  paternal  grandparents,  John  D.  and 
Abigail  (Brown)  Leavings,  were  natives 
of  Potsdam,  St.  Lawrence  county,  New 
York,  and  the  latter  lived  to  the  extreme 
old  age  of  one  hundred  and  two  years. 
Her  parents,  John  D.   and   Minerva  E. 
(Gates)  Leavings,  were  born  in  Chautau- 
qua  county,  New  York,  the  former  Octo- 
ber 12,  1811,  and  the  latter  January  30, 
1822.    They  accompanied  their  respective 
parents  from  the  east  to  Hancock  county, 
the  former  arriving  about  1832,  and  in 
this  county  they  were  married,  the  wed- 
ding ceremony  being  performed  on   the 
nth   of  November,    1841,   at  Carthage. 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


461 


The  father  had  learned  the  cabinet-mak- 
er's trade  in  the  east  but  never  followed 
that  business  after  his  arrival  in  Hancock 
county.  He  followed  general  agricul- 
tural pursuits  in  various  sections  of  this 
county  until  1888,  when  he  removed  to 
La  Harpe,  where  he  purchased  property 
and  lived  retired  until  his  death,  June  4, 
1891,  when  he  had  reached  the  age  of 
eighty  years.  His  wife  survived  until 
February  16,  1901.  when  she,  too,  was 
called  to  her  final  rest,  having  reached  the 
age  of  seventy-nine  years.  Thus  passed 
away  a  highly  esteemed  couple  of  this 
section  of  the  state.  In  their  family  were 
three  sons  and  five  daughters,  of  whom 
one  son  and  two  daughters  survive :  My- 
ron A.,  born  September  4,  1843,  died  Sep- 
tember 5,  1897;  Harriett  C.,  who  was 
born  September  6,  1845,  and  passed  away 
February  2,  1847;  Lorenzo  E.,  who  was 
born  October  6,  1849,  antl  died  January  8, 
1876;  Frances  Finett,  who  was  born  April 
20,  1850,  and  is  now  the  wife  of  our  sub- 
ject; Seth  Gates,  who  was  born  January 
2,  1852,  and  resides  in  Monroe  county, 
Missouri ;  Rosa  Bell,  who  was  born  Sep- 
tember 32,  1855,  and  died  July  16,  1860; 
Lois  Nora,  who  was  born  July  8,  1858, 
and  died  January  22,  1859;  and  Minnie 
Ella,  who  was  born  October  22,  1860,  and 
is  now  the  wife  of  T.  G.  Head,  a  resident 
of  Idaho. 

Following  his  marriage  Mr.  Landis  lo- 
cated on  a  farm  in  La  Harpe  township, 
but  a  year  later  removed  to  Fountain 
Green  township,  where  he  continued  in 
the  same  line  of  pursuits  for  ten  years  and 
then  took  up  his  abode  in  the  city  of  La 
Harpe,  where  he  dealt  in  grain  and  stock 
until  1885,  meeting  with  very  desirable 


success  in  this  business  venture.  He  once 
more  resumed  farming  operations,  living 
on  different  farms  which  he  bought  in 
this  and  in  Henderson  counties  until  1892, 
when  he  once  more  removed  to  La  Harpe 
and  engaged  in  the  butcher  business,  con- 
ducting a  meat  market  there  for  four 
years,  when  he  disposed  of  his  business 
there  and  removed  to  Lancaster,  Missouri, 
where  he  engaged  in  the  same  line  of  trade 
for  a  short  time,  and  again  returned  to  this 
county,  taking  up  his  abode  in  La  Harpe 
where  he  engaged  in  the  live  stock  busi- 
ness, buying  and  shipping  several  car- 
loads of  stock  annually.  In  1900  he  dis- 
posed of  all  his  busines  interests  and  real- 
estate  and  removed  to  the  farm  of  Wil- 
liam Comstock,  the  place  constituting  two 
hundred  and  thirty  acres,  and  being  lo- 
cated on  section  26,  La  Harpe  township. 
Here  he  has  since  resided  and  is  engaged 
in  general  farming,  his  labors  bringing 
him  very  gratifying  returns.  For  the  past 
twenty-three  years  he  has  conducted  a 
threshing  machine,  being  the  first  man  to 
own  a  traction  engine  in  Hancock  county. 
He  is  thoroughly  familiar  with  the  du- 
ties of  a  thresher  and  in  this  connection 
is  employed  by  farmers  all  over  the  coun- 
ty. He  likewise  continues  as  a  dealer  in 
live  stock,  and  each  year  handles  a  large 
amount  of  stock,  which  he  ships  to  the  city 
markets.  It  will  thus  be  seen  that  he  has 
not  confined  his  energies  to  any  one  line 
but  his  ability  and  sound  judgment  en- 
able him  to  carry  on  successfully  his 
varied  business  interests,  thus  placing  him 
among  the  foremost  and  influential  fac- 
tors of  his-  community.  In  his  political 
views  and  affiliations  Mr.  Landis  is  a  re- 
publican, and  his  co-operation  can  always 


462 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


be  counted  upon  to  further  any  movement 
which  tends  to  advance  the  general  inter- 
ests of  his  locality.  He  has  taken  an  ac- 
tive and  beneficial  interest  in  public  affairs 
and  being  popular  among  his  fellow 
townsmen  has  been  called  to  fill  a  number 
of  offices,  having  served  as  road  commis- 
sioner, as  assessor  for  fifteen  terms,  as 
alderman  of  La  Harpe,  and  for  two  terms 
he  acted  as  mayor  of  the  city,  the  duties 
of  which  he  has  always  discharged  with 
capability  and  fidelity  to  every  trust  re- 
posed in  him.  In  the  spring  of  1906  he 
was  elected  supervisor  of  his  township  and 
as  the  present  incumbent  is  loyal  to  the 
best  interests  of  the  general  public.  He  is 
a  member  of  the  Masonic  order,  belong- 
ing to  La  Harpe  lodge,  No.  195. 

Unto  our  subject  and  his  wife  have 
been  born  two  sons  and  three  daughters, 
of  whom  the  eldest  is  deceased :  Vernon 
Denison,  who  was  born  May  23,  1870, 
and  died  January  3,  1897;  Lottie  Helen, 
who  was  born  April  3,  1876,  and  is  now 
the  wife  of  Charles  Maynard,  a  resident 
of  Henderson  county;  Hattie  Ellen,  twin 
sister  of  Lottie  H.,  who  is  now  the  wife 
of  Asa  Bennington,  a  contractor  and 
builder  of  buildings  and  bridges,  and  a 
resident  of  La  Harpe ;  Minnie  Emma,  who 
was  born  October  19,  1880,  and  is  now 
the  wife  of  Willis  Hazelwood,  of  Hen- 
derson county ;  and  Quinton  Herbert,  who 
was  born  May  14.  1882,  and  is  at  home. 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  BLACK. 

Benjamin  Franklin  Black,  whose  name 
is  on  the  roll  of  Hancock  countv's  honored 


dead,  was  considered  to  have  been  one  of 
the  most  prominent  residents  of  Dallas 
City,  and  the  extent  and  importance  of  his 
business  interests  were  a  most  prominent 
factor  in  the  commercial  development  and 
prosperity  of  the  town.  Because  of  this 
and  also  by  reason  of  many  other  excel- 
lent traits  of  character,  his  life  was  one  of 
signal  usefulness  and  benefit  to  his  fellow- 
men,  and  to  his  family  he  left  not  only  a 
handsome  competence,  but  also  an  untar- 
nished name.  For  many  years  his  name 
was  recognized  as  a  synonym  for  busi- 
ness enterprise  and  integrity. 

A  native  of  Grand  Rapids,  Wisconsin, 
Mr.  Black  was  born  on  the  28th  of  Octo- 
ber, 1854,  a  son  of  Henry  Farnwaldt  and 
Mary  Newell  (Bliss)  Black,  who  are 
mentioned  on  another  page  of  this  volume. 
The  father,  a  prominent  lumber  merchant, 
placed  his  lumber  interests  at  Carthage 
in  care  of  his  son,  Dr.  Black,  when  the 
latter  was  but  seventeen  years  of  age,  but 
thinking  that  he  would  find  a  professional 
career  more  congenial.  Dr.  Black  turned 
his  attention  to  the  task  of  preparing  him- 
self for  such  a  career.  His  education 
was  acquired  in  the  college  at  Jackson- 
ville, Illinois,  and  in  Denmark  Academy, 
in  Iowa,  after  which  he  took  up  the  study 
of  medicine  in  Quincy,  Illinois,  in  the 
office  and  under  the  direction  of  Dr. 
Curtis.  Later  he  attended  medical 
lectures  in  Keokuk  Medical  College,  and 
spent  two  years  in  the  Michigan  State 
University,  at  Ann  Arbor.  He  after- 
ward matriculated  in  the  Long  Island 
College  Hospital,  at  Brooklyn,  New  York, 
and  was  there  graduated  in  1876.  Later 
he  pursued  a  post-graduate  course  in 
Rush  Medical  College,  in  Chicago,  in 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


463 


1880.  Following  his  graduation  he  prac- 
ticed for  eight  years  in  Dallas  City  as  a 
regular  physician  and  surgeon  and  was 
accorded  a  liberal  patronage,  which  at- 
tested his  skill  and  ability,  and  showed 
him  worthy  of  the  public  trust  reposed 
in  his  professional  prowess.  In  1885, 
however,  he  gave  up  the  practice  of  medi- 
cine and  took  charge  of  his  father's  busi- 
ness interests  as  a  partner.  His  father 
was  not  only  the  pioneer  lumberman  of 
Dallas  but  also  of  a  wide  territory  em- 
bracing several  counties  on  this  side  of 
the  river.  In  1888  the  father's  health 
failed  and  Dr.  Black  purchased  his  inter- 
est in  the  business.  As  the  years  passed 
by  he  extended  the  scope  of  his  activities 
and  in  1892  became  associated  with  L.  M. 
Loomis  in  the  ownership  and  control  of 
a  lumber  business  at  Stronghurst,  Illi- 
nois. Later  they  purchased  the  lumber- 
yard at  Media  and  Smithshire,  and  in 
1897  these  interests  were  incorporated 
under  the  name  of  the  Loomis  Lumber 
and  Coal  Company,  with  headquarters  at 
Stronghurst.  In  1901  the  firm  style  was 
changed  to  the  Black  &  Loomis  Com- 
pany, with  the  principal  office  in  Dallas 
City  and  they  also  purchased  the  Dallas 
City  lumberyard.  The*  lumber  business 
became  a  large  and  profitable  one  under 
the  capable  direction  of  Dr.  Black  and 
his  associates,  but  he  did  not  confine  him- 
self entirely  to  this  line  of  trade,  for  in 
1891  he  became  a  member  of  the  firm  of 
Black,  Leinbaugh  &  Burg  in  the  establish- 
ment of  a  private  bank,  which  after  a 
time  was  conducted  under  the  style  of 
Black  &  Company,  and  so  continued  until 
1900,  when  the  First  National  Bank  was 
organized  and  acquired  the  old  private 


bank  by  purchase.  This  financial  insti- 
tution was  of  the  greatest  importance  to 
Dallas  City,  which  up  to  that  time  was 
deficient  in  its  banking  interests.  In 
1901.  largely  through  the  efforts  of  Dr. 
Black,  the  Dallas  Printing  Company  was 
organized  and  thus  was  added  another 
factor  in  the  development  and  industrial 
activity  of  the  city. 

On  the  1 5th  of  April,  1883,  Dr.  Black 
was  married  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Rebhon, 
who  was  born  in  Germany,  July  22,  1864, 
a  daughter  of  George  and  Margaret 
(Motschmann)  Rebhon.  who  were  also 
natives  of  Germany,  the  father  born 
March  30,  1833,  and  the  mother  August 
2,  1827.  Mr.  Rebhon  was  a  miller  and 
cabinet-maker  by  trade  and  died  in  the 
year  1864.  His  wife  afterward  came  to 
Hancock  county,  Illinois,  having  in  the 
meantime  married  George  Weber,  of 
Dallas,  Illinois.  They  settled  on  a  farm 
in  this  county  and  Mr.  Weber  died  Feb- 
ruary 23,  1883.  His  widow  is  still  living 
and  makes  her  home  with  Mrs.  Black. 
Mr.  Weber  was  a  democrat  in  his  polit- 
ical views  although  not  an  office  seeker. 
He  held  membership  in  and  served  as 
one  of  the  elders  of  the  Lutheran  church, 
and  his  remains  were  interred  in  Meyers 
cemetery.  Mrs.  Weber  is  also  a  member 
of  the  Lutheran  -church.  By  her  first 
marriage  she  had  two  children,  one  son 
dying  in  infancy,  the  other  being  Mrs. 
Black. 

Unto  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Black  there  were 
born  three  sons.  Henry  F.,  born  in 
Dallas  City,  September  14,  1887,  is  now 
a  student  in  Kemper  Military  College,  at 
Boonville,  Missouri.  George  F.,  born 
February  23,  1889,  is  attending  the  same 


464 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


college.  Arthur  H.,  born  March  26, 
1891,  is  likewise  a  student  in  that  in- 
stitution. The  two  elder  sons  will  grad- 
uate in  1906  and  the  youngest  son  is  in 
the  freshman  year. 

While  Dr.  Black  controlled  important 
business  enterprises  he  yet  found  time  to 
devote  to  the  public  welfare  and  was  a 
strong  and  stalwart  friend  of  the  cause  of 
education.  He  was  one  of  a  few  men  to 
whose  force  and  enterprise  is  due  the 
erection  of  the  splendid  school  building, 
in  which  all  citizens  of  Dallas  City  take 
just  pride.  He  co-operated  in  many 
progressive  movements  that  have  resulted 
beneficially  to  this  city  and  county  and 
his  efforts  could  always  be  counted  upon 
to  support  every  measure  which  had  for 
its  object  the  public  good.  He  belonged 
to  Dallas  City  lodge,  No.  2,  to  Alamo 
commandery,  Knight  Templar,  of  Illi- 
nois, and  to  Modern  Woodmen  camp, 
No.  1496,  at  Dallas.  He  contributed ' 
generously  to  the  support  of  churches,  es- 
pecially to  the  Congregational  church,  of 
which  his  wife  and  all  of  their  sons  are 
now  members.  In  December,  1905,  he 
contracted  pneumonia  and  sank  rapidly  in 
spite  of  all  that  the  best  medical  skill 
could  do.  He  passed  away  Tuesday 
evening,  December  19,  1905,  and  the 
funeral  services  were  conducted  by  the 
Rev.  J.  B.  King,  who  also  performed  the 
sad  task  of  conducting  the  funeral  service 
of  Anna  CeHa  Shipman.  a  niece  of  Dr. 
Black,  who  passd  away  on  the  same  day 
as  her  uncle,  their  remains  being  interred 
in  Dallas  cemetery.  The  death  of  Dr. 
Black  came  as  an  irreparable  loss  in  his 
home  and  was  most  deeply  felt  in  busi- 
ness and  social  circles  not  only  in  Dallas 


City  but  throughout  the  entire  surround- 
ing country.  He  was  very  widely  known 
and  was  uniformly  regarded  as  a  man 
of  unfaltering  integrity  and  of  genuine 
personal  worth.  As  a  student  he  was 
quick  to  perceive  and  understand  and  he 
was  endowed  with  a  fund  of  common- 
sense  and  practical  ideas  that  brought 
him  success  in  all  that  he  undertook.  He 
was  kindly  in  manner,  charitable  in  dis- 
position, generous  in  impulse  and  per- 
haps no  man  in  the  county  was  more  fre- 
quently consulted  by  others  concerning 
important  business  transactions,  for  those 
who  knew  him  reposed  in  him  the  ut- 
most confidence  and  knew  that  he  would 
advise  with  the  same  fidelity  that  he 
would  have  conducted  his  own  private 
business  affairs.  He  did  much  to  pro- 
mote the  general  welfare  and  his  interest 
in  his  fellowmen  was  deep  and  sincere. 
"Of  the  countless  gifts  which  God  be- 
stows upon  man  the  rarest  and  divinest 
is  the  one  that  takes  supreme  interest  in 
human  welfare."  He  was  an  earnest, 
honest  and  incorruptible  man  with  a 
frank,  genial  manner,  which  won  and  re- 
tained friendship  and  in  consequence  his 
death  was  sincerely  mourned  by  a  large 
number  of  appreciative  friends  and  ac- 
quaintances with  whom  his  long  public 
service  and  business  career  had  placed 
upon  terms  of  intimacy.  He  deserves 
most  honorable  mention  at  the  hands  of 
his  fellowmen,  for  his  life  record  shows 
the  value  and  sure  rewards  of  character, 
and  he  was  regarded  as  one  of  Hancock 
county's  most  worthy  citizens.  Mrs. 
Black  makes  her  home  in  Dallas  City. 
Her  father  owned  a  great  deal  of  prop- 
erty here,  including  the  store  known  as 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


465 


Finch's  store,  and  in  1892  she  remodeled 
and  occupied  it.  This  is  now  one  of  the 
most  attractive  and  pleasant  modern 
homes  in  the  city  situated  on  Front  ave- 
nue and  Oak  street.  Mrs.  Black  takes  a 
most  active  and  helpful  interest  in  church 
work  and  she  retains  her  interest  in  the 
lumber  business,  which  is  now  being  con- 
ducted by  Mr.  Loomis,  and  she  also  owns 
the  lots  that  are  now  occupied  by  the 
lumberyard.  She  has  three  tenant  houses 
and  half  of  the  property  called  the  En- 
terprise and  she  is  also  a  large  stock- 
holder in  the  First  National  Bank.  In 
manner  while  rather  reserved  she  is  also 
most  kindly  and  pleasant  and  is  greatly 
beloved  and  admired  by  all  for  her  good 
deeds. 

NOTE — On  December  17,  1905,  a  dis- 
astrous fire  at  Dallas  destroyed  the  bank 
building.  A  new  Milwaukee  pressed 
brick,  three-story  building  has  been 
erected,  and  the  bank  will  occupy  the 
whole  of  the  first  floor. 


CHARLES  M.  McCOLLOM. 

Charles  M.  McCollom,  a  carpenter  of 
Carthage,  residing  at  No.  201  Main 
street,  is  a  son  of  Henry  B.  and  Nancy 
(Davidson)  McCollom,  and  was  born  in 
Hancock  county,  in  1851.  His  parents, 
however,  were  natives  of  Cumberland 
county,  Kentucky,  born  February  10, 
1813.  and  November  9,  1810,  respective- 
ly. The  father  was  a  farmer  by  occu- 
pation and  in  the  year  1844  arrived  in 
Illinois,  while  in  1850  he  came  to  Han- 


cock county.  He  engaged  in  farming  in 
Bear  Creek  township  until  1865,  when 
he  removed  to  western  Iowa,  where  he 
engaged  to  a  greater  or  less  extent  in 
farming,  his  death  occurring,  however, 
in  Mount  Pleasant,  Henry  county,  in 
1875.  His  wife  had  passed  away  April 
14,  1864,  in  Illinois,  and  was  buried  in 
this  state,  while  the  father's  grave  was 
made  in  Mount  Pleasant.  He  was  a 
republican  in  his  political  views,  and  a 
Cumberland  Presbyterian  in  his  religious 
faith.  In  the  family  were  eleven  chil- 
dren, of  whom  four  are  now  living. 
Mary  J.  is  the  widow  of  John  Phelps,  and 
resides  in  Taylor  county,  Iowa.  Wilbern 
Porter,  who  was  a  member  of  the  Seventh 
Kansas  Cavalry  and  served  throughout 
the  greater  part  of  the  Civil  war,  is  now 
living  in  Adams  county,  Washington. 
Charles  is  the  third  surviving  member. 
Irvin  Sylvester  resides  in  Gorin,  Missouri. 
Charles  M.  McCollom  was  educated  in 
the  common  schools  of  Hancock  county, 
Illinois,  and  of  Adams  county,  Iowa,  and 
remained  upon  his  father's  farm  until 
twenty  years  of  age,  after  which  he  was 
employed  by  the  month  by  various  farm- 
ers for  some  time.  He  began  farming 
on  his  own  account  on  a  tract  of  land 
in  Sonora  township,  Hancock  county, 
where  he  remained  for  nineteen  years, 
and  in  1895  he  removed  to  Carthage 
where  he  has  since  resided,  having  in  the 
previous  year  built  his  present  pretty 
home  at  No.  201  Main  street.  He  has 
here  engaged  in  contracting  and  building 
and  has  erected  many  of  the  substantial 
structures  of  the  city,  including  the  fine 
residence  of  Joseph  Dorsey  and  a  tenant 


466 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


house  for  him,  the  residence  of  Mrs.  At- 

v 

wood  on  Main  street,  Edward  Booth,  two 
houses  for  James  Corbin,  one  for  Harry 
Corbin  and  various  other  fine  structures 
of  the  city.  He  has  met  with  good  suc- 
cess since  becoming  identified  with  build- 
ing operations  in  Carthaage  and  a  liberal 
patronage  has  been  accorded  him.  He 
has  thus  prospered  in  his  undertakings 
and  in  addition  to  his  home  property  he 
owns  eighty  acres  of  good  farm  land  in 
Prairie  township,  while  his  shop  is  situ- 
ated on  the  same  lot  as  his  residence. 

On  the  I4th  of  December,  1874.  Mr. 
McCollom  was  married  to  Miss  Lucy  M. 
Thornber,  who  was  born  in  this  county 
and  is  a  daughter  of  Henry  and  Lucy 
(Ellison)  Thornber,  who  were  natives  of 
England,  and  came  to  Illinois  in  1842, 
the  father  following  the  occupation  of 
farming  here.  Both  he  and  his  wife  are 
now  deceased.  Mrs.  McCollom  died  De- 
cember 1 6,  1888,  and  her  remains  were 
interred  in  Sonora  township.  By  her 
marriage  she  had  become  the  mother  of 
four  children :  Charles  H.,  who  married 
Alice  Snitz  and  lives  in  Scotland  county, 
Missouri,  has  two  children,  Yolande  and 
Patrice.  James  P.  of  Sonora  township, 
married  Augusta  Beger,  and  has  one 
child,  Noretta  Margaret.  Carrie  M.,  a 
graduate  of  the  high  school  and  of  Car- 
thage college,  is  now  a  teacher  in  the 
public  schools  of  the  county  seat.  David 
F.  is  still  a^  student  in  school.  On  the 
27th  of  May,  1891,  Mr.  McCollom  was 
married  to  Miss  Jennie  Baird,  who  was 
born  in  Warsaw,  this  county,  in  Feb- 
ruary, 1866,  and  is  a  daughter  of  Robert 
and  Margaret  A.  (Brook)  Baird,  both  of 
whom  were  natives  of  Maryland,  the 


father  born  in  1819,  and  the  mother  in 
1825.  He  was  a  carpenter  by  trade  and 
on  leaving  the  south  came  to  Hancock 
county,  in  1853,  after  which  he  worked 
at  his  trade  in  Warsaw  until  he  retired 
from  active  business  life.  His  wife  died 
in  1905  but  he  is  still  living  at  the  ven- 
erable age  of  eighty-seven  years.  A 
stanch  advocate  of  the  cause  of  temper- 
ance he  votes  with  the  Prohibition  party 
and  he  holds  membership  in  the  Metho- 
dist church,  to  which  his  wife  also  be- 
longed, both  being  very  active  in  church 
work,  Mr.  Baird  having  held  a  number 
of  offices  therein.  In  his  family  were 
eleven  children,  all  of  whom  are  yet  liv- 
ing :  Henry,  who  resides  near  Warsaw ; 
David  O.,  of  Oilman  City,  Missouri ; 
Mary  E.,  a  competent  nurse  who  makes 
her  home  in  Warsaw  although  her  duties 
largely  call  her  to  Carthage;  Charles  E., 
living  in  Oilman  City,  Missouri;  Marga- 
ret A.,  who  was  a  successful  teacher  in 
various  places  for  many  years  but  is  now 
at  home  with  her  aged  father:  Robert  J.. 
who  is  engaged  in  the  insurance  business 
in  Des  Moines,  Iowa;  Phoebe  E.,  the  wife 
of  Charles  Curry,  of  Atlanta,  Georgia ; 
Richard,  of  Pasedena,  California;  Mrs. 
Jennie  McCollom;  Frank,  a  grocer  of  Des 
Moines,  Iowa;  and  Ella  H.,  who  is  a 
stenographer  in  Des  Moines. 

The  second  marriage  of  Mr.  McCollom 
has  been  blessed  with  three  children,  all 
born  in  Hancock  county :  Florence  I., 
who  was  born  in  1892  and  is  attending 
school  in  Carthage:  Winifred,  .who  was 
born  in  1893  and  is  also  in  school;  and 
Aldo  Baird.  who  was  born  in  1901. 

Mr.  McCollom  is  a  strong  and  earnest 
advocate  of  temperance  principles  and 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


467 


votes  with  the  Prohibition  party.  Social- 
ly he  is  connected  with  the  Odd  Fellows 
lodge,  and  both  he  and  his  wife  are  de- 
voted members  of  the  Methodist  church, 
in  which  he  is  serving  as  a  trustee.  He 
has  never  received  any  assistance  in  his 
business  career  but  has  had  to  work  for 
all  that  he  has  possessed  and  enjoyed  and 
in  his  business  life  has  been  found  a 
thoroughly  reliable,  competent  and  honest 
workman  and  as  a  contractor  has  secured 
a  good  patronage  which  is  indicative  of 
the  trust  reposed  in  him  by  his  fellow 
townsmen. 


JOSEPH  D.  RITER. 

Joseph  D.  Riter  is  a  resident  of  Pon- 
toostic  township,  living  upon  a  farm,  al- 
though he  has  practically  retired  from 
business  cares.  He  has  had  a  somewhat 
eventful  life  and  his  broad  travels  and 
varied  experiences  enrich  his  conversation 
and  make  him  an  entertaining  compan- 
ion. Born  in  Berks  county,  Pennsylva- 
nia, on  the  i8th  of  April,  1830,  he  is  a 
son  of  Benjamin  and  Elizabeth  (Beidler) 
Riter,  both  natives  of  Chester  county, 
Pennsylvania,  the  father  born  July  26, 
1801,  and  the  mother  January  15,  1795. 
It  was  in  the  last  of  April.  1846,  that 
they  became  residents  of  Nauvoo,  Illinois, 
where  they  resided  until  1855,  when  they 
removed  to  the  prairie,  and  Mr.  Riter 
engaged  in  farming  in  Appanoose  town- 
ship up  to  the  time  of  his  retirement  from 
active  business  cares.  He  died  November 
23.  1884',  having  long  survived  his  wife. 


who  passed  away  February  15,  1868.' 
Both  were  laid  to  rest  in  Nauvoo  ceme- 
tery. Of  their  family  of  five  children 
only  two  are  living,  the  younger  brother 
being  William  W.  Riter,  of  Fort  Madi- 
son, Iowa. 

In  the  schools  of  his  native  state  Jo- 
seph D.  Riter  acquired  his  education  and 
remained  with  his  parents  until  seventeen 
or  eighteen  years  of  age.  He  came  with 
them  to  Hancock  county  in  1846,  and  in 
1848  went  to  the  northern  part  of  Wis- 
consin, spending  three  and  a  half  years 
in  connection  with  the  lumber  business  in 
that  part  of  the  country.  In  1851  he 
went  to  California,  and  in  1853  made  a 
trip  to  Australia,  returning  the  following 
year  by  way  of  the  Society  Islands,  re- 
maining there  one  summer.  He  then 
again  made  his  way  to  California,  remain- 
ing in  San  Francisco  until  1858,  when 
he  went  to  the  Frazer  river  in  British 
Columbia.  In  1859  he  was  in  Portland, 
Oregon,  where  he  purchased  cattle,  which 
he  drove  to  the  Frazer  river.  In  the  fall 
of  the  same  year,  however,  he  returned 
to  Illinois  and  has  since  made  his  home 
in  Pontoosuc  township,  Hancock  county. 
A  detailed  account  of  his  travels  would 
make  interesting  reading.  He  was  on  the 
Pacific  coast  during  the  early  days  of 
mining  excitement  and  is  familiar  with 
the  history  of  that  period  because  of  the 
experiences  which  he  himself  met  in  the 
middle  of  the  century. 

On  the  ist  of  May,  1861,  Mr.  Riter 
was  married  to  Miss  Edith  Davis,  who 
was  born  in  Columbiana  county,  Ohio, 
January  8,  1832,  a  daughter  of  Isaac  and 
Edith  (Richards)  Davis,  both  of  whom 
were  natives  of  West  Virginia.  The  fa- 


468 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REV  IE}}' 


ther  was  born  February  10,  1783,  and 
the  mother  on  March  16,  1794,  and  both 
have  now  passed  away.  Mr.  Davis  first 
went  to  Ohio  from  West  Virginia  and  in 
that  state  his  ten  children  were  born. 
Later  he  removed  to  Iowa,  where  he  lo- 
cated in  1840,  there  devoting  his  time  and 
energies  to  farming  for  a  considerable 
period.  He  died  in  the  eastern  part  of 
Nebraska  in  1847,  after  a  residence  there 
of  about  a  year,  and  his  wife  passed  away 
in  the  western  part  of  Iowa  in  1872.  Of 
their  ten  children  only  two  are  living,  the 
elder  being  Eli  Davis,  who  resides  in 
Yuba  City,  California.  Both  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Davis  were  members  of  the  Society 
of  Friends,  or  Quakers,  and  were  most 
worthy  people,  their  lives  being  in  har- 
mony with  the  teachings  of  the  sect  whose 
followers  are  justly  celebrated  for  their 
kindliness,  gentleness  and  uprightness. 

Following  his  marriage  Mr.  Riter  pur- 
chased a  small  farm  in  Appanoose  town- 
ship, where  he  resided  for  about  a  year, 
and  in  1862  he  purchased  sixty-one  acres 
on  the  northwest  quarter  of  section  31, 
Pontoosuc  township.  Subsequently  he 
bought  sixty  acres  on  the  southwest  quar- 
ter of  the  same  section,  and  aftenvard  he 
bought  his  brother's  interest  in  the  old 
home  place,  securing  one  hundred  and 
six  acres  on  section  36,  Appanoose 
township.  He  also  invested  in  eighty- 
three  acres  in  Sonora  township  and  his 
holdings  are  therefore  very  extensive.  In 
1902  he  built  a  comfortable  residence 
upon  his  farm  and  he  has  a  large  barn 
one  hundred  and  thirty-two  feet  long,  to- 
gether with  other  good  and  substantial 
outbuildings  furnishing  ample  shelter  for 
grain,  stock  and  farm  machinery.  He  has 


carried  on  the  tilling  of  the  soil  and  also 
raised  high  grades  of  stock,  but  in  1892 
he  practically  retired  from  farm  life  and 
now^  rents  his  land.  In  politics  he  is 
rather  independent,  although  he  usually 
gives  his  support  to  the  Prohibition  party. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Riter  have  had  no  chil- 
dren of  their  own,  but  reared  Sadie  Smith, 
who  is  now  the  wife  of  Christopher  San- 
ders, and  lives  in  Kansas.  She  has  nine 
children.  Receiving  very  little  assistance 
in  the  way  of  an  inheritance  Mr.  Riter  has 
gained  his  property  through  his  own 
well  directed  labors  and  unremitting 
efforts.  He  is  now  very  comfortably 
situated  in  life  and  has  by  reason 
of  the  competence  that  he  has  ac- 
quired the  opportunity  to  indulge  his  love 
of  travel.  He  has  frequently  gone  to  Cal- 
ifornia, making  two  trips  by  way  of  the 
isthmus,  and  his  extensive  journeyings 
have  made  him  a  man  of  broad  general 
culture  and  wide  experience.  Since  his 
retirement  from  active  business  cares  he 
and  his  wife  have  traveled  quite  exten- 
sively, visiting  many  points  of  interest  in 
this  country. 


THOMAS  G.  FRENCH. 

Thomas  G.  French,  a  general  farmer 
and  stock-raiser  living  on  the  southeast 
quarter  of  section  i,  Wythe  township,  has 
always  resided  in  the  middle  west,  his 
birth  having  occurred  in  Orange  county, 
Indiana,  May  13,  1839.  He  is  a  son  of 
Samuel  and  Julia  (Daugherty)  French, 
natives  of  Barron  county.  Kentuckv,  who 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


469 


removed  to  Indiana  about  1830  when  In- 
dians still  lived  in  that  locality,  the  re- 
gion being  a  pioneer  district  in  which  the 
work  of  civilization  had  scarcely  begun. 
Samuel  French  secured  timber  land  from 
the  government,  and  in  the  midst  of  the 
forest  undertook  the  task  of  hewing  out 
a  farm.  There  he  resided  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  in  1842,  and  his  wife 
passed  away  on  the  old  homestead  in 

1854- 

Thomas  G.  French,  of  a  family  of  nine 
children,   five   sons  and   four  daughters, 
was  but  three  years  of  age  at  the  time 
of  his  father's  demise  and  was  left  an  or- 
phan when  a  youth  of  fifteen.     He  went 
to  Knox  county,  Illinois,  with  his  brother, 
John  C.,  and  after  living  there  for  five 
years,  started  out  in  life  on  his  own  ac- 
count, working  by  the  month  as  a  farm 
hand  in   Mercer  county.     His  education 
was  acquired  in  the  common  schools  of 
Knox  ;and    Mercer   counties,    and    after 
spending    some   time    in    the   employ    of 
others  at  farm  labor  began  farming  on  his 
own  account  and  had  followed  that  pur- 
suit for  two  years,  when,  in  response  to 
the  country's  call  for  aid  he  enlisted  in 
defense  of  the  Union,  on  the  I3th  of  Au- 
gust, 1862,  as  a  member  of  Company  A, 
One  Hundred  and  Second  Illinois  Vol- 
unteer Infantry.     The  regiment  was  as- 
signed to  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland 
under   General    Rosecrans,    and   made   a 
forced  march  from  Louisville,  Kentucky, 
to  Gallatin,  Tennessee,  during  which  time 
Mr.  French  became  ill  with  the  measles 
and   was   confined    in   the   hospital    until 
January  17,   1863,  when  he  was  honor- 
ably discharged  at  Gallatin  on  account  of 
disability. 


-  He  at  once  returned  to  his  old  home 
in  Mercer  county  and  the  following  spring 
began    farming   on    rented    land,    where 
he  resided  until  1865.     He  then  removed 
to  Warren  county,  Illinois,  where  he  en- 
gaged  in    farming   for  two   years,   after 
which  he  returned  to  Knox  county,  where 
he  purchased  a  forty-acre  farm.     There 
he  engaged  in  the  tilling  of  the  soil  for 
two  years,  and  on  the  expiration  of  that 
period  he  sold  the  property  but  bought 
eighty   acres   adjoining.      There   he    fol- 
lowed farming  until  1875,  when  he  went 
to  Taylor  county,  Iowa,  where  he  pur- 
chased one  hundred  and   sixty  acres  of 
farm   land,   which  he  cultivated   for  six 
years.     He  then  traded  that  property  for 
a  farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres, 
one-half   in   Wythe    township,    Hancock 
county,  and  the  remainder  in  Bear  Creek 
township.     He  also  bought  eighty  acres 
more  in  Wythe  township,  adjoining  his 
place  on  the  south.    .The  farm  was  then 
well  improved  and  in  good  shape  and  he 
has  since  kept  everything  up  to  a  high 
standard     of    agricultural     development. 
He  lives  on  the  southeast  quarter  of  sec- 
tion i,  Wythe  township,  and  here  he  car- 
ries on  general  farming  and  his  fields  pro- 
duce   rich    crops,    while    in    the   pastures 
are  seen   good  grades   of  cattle,   horses 
and  hogs. 

On  September  15,  1862,  while  in 
camp  at  Knoxville,  Illinois,  Mr.  French 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Jane 
Brown,  of  Mercer  county.  Illinois.  She 
was  born  in  that  county,  July  8.  1846, 
and  attended  school  there  while  spending 
her  girlhood  days  in  the  home  of  her  par- 
ents. Benjamin  and  Louvisa  (McMur- 
tv)  Brown,  natives  of  Indiana  and  Ken- 


470 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


tucky,  respectively.  For  a  number  of 
years  Mrs.  French  was  troubled  with 
cancer  and  went  to  various  places  for 
medical  treatment  and  for  the  benefit  of 
her  health.  At  length  she  received  X-ray 
treatment  in  Chicago  and  afterward  in 
Quincy,  but  everything  was  unavailing  to 
check  the  ravages  of  the  disease  and  she 
died  January  23,  1906,  her  remains  be- 
ing interred  at  Rio,  Knox  county,  Illi- 
nois. Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  French  were 
born  four  children :  Helen  Matilda,  who 
died  when  only  a  month  old;  Otis  A., 
who  was  bom  in  March,  1865,  and  is  a 
business  man  of  Quincy,  Illinois;  Orvil 
B.,  who  was  born  in  Knox  county,  July  4, 
1872,  and  is  now  in  Quincy;  and  Capeles 
C,  who  was  born  January  30,  1884,  and 
js  conducting  the  home  farm.  Mr.  French 
is  thus  relieved  of  much  of  the  arduous 
labor  connected  with  farm  work,  although 
he  still  gives  his  personal  supervision  to 
the  management  of  his  property,  while 
he  has  never  sought  or  desired  public  of- 
fice he  is  a  stalwart  champion  of  demo- 
cratic principles  and  fraternally  he  is  con- 
nected with  the  blue  lodge  and  the  East- 
ern Star  chapter  of  Masonry  in  Elvaston. 
and  belongs  to  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  there, — associations  which  indi- 
cate much  of  the  character  of  the  man 
and  the  principles  which  guide  his 
conduct. 


ROBERT  D.  MATTHEWS. 

Robert  D.  Matthews,  who  has  spent  the 
greater  part  of  his  life  in  Hancock  coun- 


ty, and  who  in  his  business  career  has 
worked  his.  way  steadily  upward  to  a  po- 
sition of  affluence,  now  owning  altogether 
two  hundred  and  ten  acres  of  rich  land, 
was  born  in  Indiana,  in  December,  1845. 
His  paternal  grandfather,  William  Mat- 
thews, was  a  Welshman,  while  his  wife 
was  of  Gentian  birth.  Both  lived  to  an 
advanced  age  and  were  hale  and  hearty 
old  people,  the  wife  passing  away  at  the 
advanced  age  of  ninety  years.  He  was 
a  republican  in  politics  and  a  most  high- 
ly respected  man.  He  was  a  soldier  of 
the  war  of  1812,  and  our  subject  can  well 
remember  of  his  relating  incidents  of  the 
time  when  he  was  stationed  at  Chicago 
which  then  contained  only  a  few  log  cab- 
ins at  Fort  Dearborn.  His  son,  William 
Jackson  Matthews,  was  a  captain  in  the 
Civil  war  and  also  served  as  a  member  of 
the  legislature  in  Oregon. 

Alfred  B.  Matthews,  father  of  our 
subject,  was  born  in  Ohio  in  1817,  and 
became  a  farmer  of  Indiana.  He  mar- 
ried Miss  Diana  V.  Kalley,  who  was  born 
in  Parke  county,  Indiana,  in  1827,  and  on 
leaving  the  Hoosier  state  they  removed 
to  Hancock  county,  Illinois,  in  1851,  set- 
tling in  the  vicinity  of  Warsaw.  After- 
ward they  took  up  their  abode  in  Augus- 
ta township,  where  Alfred  B.  Matthews 
spent  his  remaining  days.  In  his  early 
life  his  political  allegiance  was  given  to 
the  democracy,  but  when  the  slavery 
question  became  a  paramount  issue  before 
the  people  and  the  Republican  party  was 
formed  to  prevent  the  further  extension 
of  slavery  he  joined  its  ranks  and  con- 
tinued one  of  its  stalwart  advocates.  He 
was  twice  married,  his  first  union  being 
with  Emily  Davis,  by  whom  he  had  one 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


daughter,  Manclane,  now  the  wife  of  John 
T.  Jones,  of  Oregon.  Her  mother  hav- 
ing passed  away  Mr.  Matthews  wedded 
Diana  V.  Kalley,  and  they  became  the 
parents  of  nine  children:  Robert  D. ; 
Miles  Irby,  now  living  in  Oklahoma ; 
Fernando  Cortez,  deceased ;  Susan  Cath- 
erine, the  wife  of  John  A.  Campbell,  a 
resident  farmer  of  Augusta  township, 
mentioned  elsewhere  in  this  work ;  Wil- 
liam Jackson,  of  Iowa ;  Harvey  Allen,  of 
Chili  township;  Edna  Emeline,  the  wife 
of  Lincoln  S.  Smith,  now  living  in  Chili 
township;  Daniel  M.,  of  Augusta  town- 
ship; and  Cassius,  deceased.  The  father 
passed  away  in  1891  and  the  mother  in 
April,  1892,  and  their  graves  were  made 
in  Irwin  cemetery.  He  lived  and  died  in 
a  log  house  and  there  he  began  life  on 
his  own  account  with  very  small  means 
but  at  the  time  of  his  death  he  owned  one 
hundred  and  ninety  acres  of  very  rich 
and  productive  land. 

Robert  D.  Matthews  was  educated  in 
the  district  schools  of  Augusta  township 
and  displayed  special  aptitude  in  master- 
ing his  studies.  He  had  opportunities 
when  he  might  have  taught,  but  he  did 
not  like  teaching  and  so  always  declined. 
He  lived  with  his  parents  until  he  at- 
tained his  majority,  when  he  began  work 
as  a  farm  hand  for  a  neighbor,  being 
thus  employed  for  a  year.  On  the  expira- 
tion of  that  period  he  commenced  farm- 
ing on  his  own  account  and  rented  land 
until  twenty-five  years  of  age  or  until  his 
labor  had  brought  him  sufficient  capi- 
tal to  enable  him  to  purchase  a  farm.  He 
won,  as  a  companion  and  helpmate  for 
life's  journey,  Miss  Lucinda  Catherine 
Sparks,  to  whom  he  was  married  Janu- 
30 


.ary  5,  1871.  She  was  born  in  Tennessee 
in  1850,  a  daughter  of  William  Leander 
and  Elizabeth  (Shook)  Sparks,  both  of 
whom  were  natives  of  Tennessee,  while 
the  latter  was  of  German  lineage.  Her 
father  was  a  man  of  real  genius.  It  was 
said  that  he  could  "do  anything  from  be- 
ing an  expert  detective  to  running  a 
blacksmith  shop,  trying  a  case  at  law  or 
successfully  conducting  a  store."  He 
came  to  Illinois  in  1853  an(l  settled  in 
Adams  county.  At  Quincy  after  the  out- 
break of  the  Civil  war  he  enlisted  for 
service  and  was  for  three  years  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Union  army.  He  then  re- 
turned to  his  home  and  remained  in  Ad- 
ams county  until  his  death  in  1898.  His 
wife  had  died  when  their  daughter,  Mrs. 
Matthews,  was  only  two  years  of  age 
and  was  buried  in  Tennessee.  .They  had 
two  children,  of  whom  one  died  in  child- 
hood. After  losing  his  first  wife,  Mr. 
Sparks  wedded  Miss  Elizabeth  Ellwood  in 
1855,  and  they  had  nine  children,  of 
whom  five  are  living:  William,  a  resi- 
dent of  Liberty,  Illinois ;  Annie,  the  wife 
of  George  Griffitts,  of  Augusta ;  John,  of 
Hannibal,  Missouri;  Belle,  the  wife  of 
Preston  Golliher,  of  Adams  county ;  and 
Frank,  who  is  living  with  his  mother  in 
Adams  county.  Mrs.  Matthews  losing  her 
mother  when  very  young,  was  reared  by 
her  paternal  grandparents,  who  brought 
her  to  Illinois  from  Tennessee  in  an  old 
wagon  borne  by  ox  teams  and  she  car- 
ried a  pet  chicken  with  her  all  the  way. 
Mrs.  Sparks  was  quite  an  expert  in  weav- 
ing and  spinning  and  Mrs.  Matthews  now 
has  cards  which  she  used.  She  also  taught 
her  granddaughter  to  weave  and  spin  and 
trained  her  in  the  duties  of  the  household. 


4/2 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


The  grandfather,  Mr.  Sparks,  although 
a  Southern  man,  was  also  a  strong  repub- 
lican. In  the  early  "muster  days"  in 
Tennessee  he  was  a  drummer,  while  his 
wife  acted  as  a  fifer  in  the  Tennessee  mar- 
tial band. 

Following  his  marriage  Mr.  Matthews 
rented  a  tract  of  land  on  section  6,  Au- 
gusta township,  and  before  the  year  of 
lease  had  expired  he  purchased  it,  becom- 
ing owner  of  forty  acres,  upon  which  he 
lived  until  1874.  He  then  bought  eighty 
acres  on  section  5  of  the  same  township 
and  on  that  place  erected  his  home,  to- 
gether with  three  barns  and  other  im- 
provements. He  likewise  has  eighty  acres 
on  section  8  and  ten  acres  on  section  6, 
his  landed  possessions  aggregating  two 
hundred  and  ten  acres.  He  follows  both 
farming  and  stock-raising,  selling  to  the 
home  market,  and  is  a  wide-awake,  ener- 
getic business  man  who  placed  his  depend- 
ence solely  on  his  own  efforts  and  has 
looked  for  no  outside  aid  or  influence  to 
assist  him  in  his  business  affairs. 

The  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Matthews 
has  been  blessed  with  four  children,  all 
born  in  Augusta  township:  Robert  El- 
mer, born  in  October,  1871,  and  still  at 
home;  Alfred  Leander,  who  was  born  in 
1873.  and  died  in  1875;  Tina  Roberta, 
who  was  born  September  28,  18 — ,  and 
died  November  17,  1902;  and  Troy  Ma- 
rion, born  in  February,  1891.  The  par- 
ents are  members  of  the  Christian  church 
at  Bowen  and  their  deceased  daughter 
was  also  a  member  of  that  church,  and 
was  laid  to  rest  by  her  sisters  in  that  or- 
ganization. Mr.  Matthews  is  a  stalwart 
republican  but  an  active  business  career 
has  left  him  little  time  to  seek  office  even 


had  he  so  desired.  He  and  his  wife  have 
thoroughly  realized  the  deprivations  and 
hardships  incident  to  the  development  of 
a  home  on  the  frontier  and  since  their 
marriage  they  have  by  their  joint  energy, 
economy  and  upright  living  come  into 
possession  of  a  good  farm  as  the  reward 
of  their  labor. 


GEORGE  WASHINGTON  WEBB. 

George  Washington  Webb  was  born  on 
section  34,  Appanoose  township,  July  4, 
1850,  and  it  is  in  the  same  township  that 
he  now  follows  the  occupation  of  farm- 
ing, being  accorded  a  place  among  the 
representative  agriculturists  of  the  com- 
munity. He  is  of  English  lineage,  a 
grandson  of  Giles  Webb,  a  native  of  Eng- 
land. His  father,  William  Webb,  was 
also  born  in  that  country,  and  was  mar- 
ried there  to  Harriet  Baldwin,  a  daugh- 
ter of  James  Baldwin.  In  1841  William 
Webb  became  a  resident  of  Hancock 
county,  settling  in  La  Harpe,  and  he  after- 
ward opened  the  first  coal  mine  in  Mc- 
Donough  county,  at  Colchester.  His 
time  was  largely  devoted  to  well  digging 
in  earlier  years  and  eventually  he  took 
up  his  abode  in  Appanoose  township, 
where  he  purchased  forty  acres  of  land 
on  section  34,  and  forty  acres  on  section 
33.  He  built  a  log  house  on  the  latter 
section,  where  a  portion  of  his  land  was 
covered  with  timber.  As  the  years  passed 
he  added  to  his  property  until  he  secured 
about  two  hundred  and  eighty  acres  lying 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


473 


in  one  body,  a  tract  of  forty  acres,  and  an- 
other of  eighty  acres.  His  time  and  ener- 
gies were  given  to  the  cultivation  of  the 
cereals  best  adapted  to  the  soil  and  he 
likewise  raised  stock.  Later  he  added 
dairying  to  his  work  and  sold  his  butter 
in  Keokuk.  Thus  he  lived  a  life  of  in- 
dustry and  perseverance  and  his  prosper- 
ity was  attributable  entirely  to  his  own 
well  directed  labor.  He  died  Octobers. 
1882,  while  his  wife  passed  away  April 
16,  1884.  In  their  family  were  three 
sons  and  a  daughter:  James,  William 
and  George,  all  residents  of  Appanoose 
township;  and  Sarah,  the  wife  of  Emmet 
Horton,  of  Red  Willow  county,  Ne- 
braska. 

George  W.  Webb  spent  his  boyhood 
days  on  the  old  home  place  where  he  con- 
tinued to  live  until  six  years  after  his 
marriage.  It  was  on  the  I2th  of  Janu- 
ary, 1875,  that  he  wedded  Ella  E.  Lewis, 
who  was  born  in  Lynnville,  Chester  coun- 
ty, Pennsylvania,  and  who  was  educated 
in  this  state.  Her  natal  day  was  April 
n,  1853,  and  her  parents  were  Morgan 
R.  and  Mary  Ann  (Downing)  Lewis, 
natives  of  Chester  county,  Pennsylvania. 
Her  father  was  a  son  of  Henry  and  Ele- 
nore  (Evans)  Lewis,  while  her  mother 
was  a  daughter  of  Joseph  and  Elizabeth 
(Beidler)  Downing,  natives  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  a  granddaughter  of  Thomas 
Lewis  and  Sarah  (Smith)  Downing,  who 
were  natives  of  England  and  were  Quak- 
ers, or  Friends,  in  religious  faith.  In  Oc- 
tober, 1853,  Morgan  R.  Lewis  removed 
with  his  family  to  Nauvoo,  and  purchased 
a  farm  on  section  n,  Sonora  township, 
where  he  engaged  in  the  tilling  of  the 
soil  and  in  raising  stock.  He  also  con- 


ducted a  dairy  business,  selling  butter  in 
Keokuk.  He  owned  eighty  acres  of 
prairie  land  in  Sonora  township,  and  six- 
teen acres  of  land  in  Appanoose  town- 
ship. He  died  February  8,  1894,  while 
his  wife  passed  away  February  5,  1875. 

After  residing  with  his  parents  six 
years  subsequent  to  his  marriage,  Mr. 
Webb  purchased  eighty  acres  of  land,  con- 
stituting the  south  half  of  the  northeast 
quarter  of  section  34,  Appanoose  town- 
ship. There  were  no  trees  or  buildings 
upon  the  place  at  that  time  and  he  soon 
erected  a  residence  and  has  since  built 
two  barns,  one  in  1893  forty-eight  by 
fifty  feet  and  the  other  in  1900,  forty-four 
by  forty-four  feet.  He  has  other  build- 
ings upon  his  place  for  the  shelter  of 
farm  machinery  and  stock  and  altogether 
has  a  model  property.  Many  shade,  or- 
namental and  fruit  trees  have  been  planted 
by  him  and  he  now  has  much  fruit  upon 
his  place,  deriving  a  considerable  income 
from  its  sale  as  well  as  from  the  other 
departments  of  his  farm  labor. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Webb  have  been 
born  four  sons  and  a  daughter.  Morgan 
Lewis,  born  December  15,  1876,  is  pastor 
of  the  English  Lutheran  church,  now  lo- 
cated at  Murphysboro,  Illinois;  Blanche 
Edith,  born  December  18,  1880.  is  the 
wife  of  Frederick  Earl  Schofield,  the 
physical  director  in  the  Young  Men's 
Christian  Association,  of  Burlington, 
Iowa.  William,  born  November  24,  1885, 
is  at  home.  Frank,  born  November  12, 
1888,  died  August  n,  1889.  Jasper 
Kent,  born  December  25,  1893,  completes 
the  family. 

Politically  a  democrat,  Mr.  Webb  has 
always  refused  to  accept  public  office  save 


474 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


that  of  school  trustee  and  director.  He 
has  lived  continuously  in  the  county  from 
his  infancy  to  the  present  time  and  great 
changes  have  occurred  during  this  period 
of  more  than  a  half  century.  At  the 
same  time  he  has  carefully  conducted 
business  interests  that  have  resulted  in 
bringing  him  a  substantial  competence. 


JOHN  HENRY  BUCKERT. 

John  Henry  Buckert,  deceased,  was 
bom  in  Firstenberg,  Waltbeck,  Germany, 
in  the  year  1831  and  acquired  his  educa- 
tion in  the  public  schools  of  his  native 
country.  He  was  employed  in  a  hotel 
in  Germany  until  twenty-five  years  of  age, 
when  he  crossed  the  Atlantic  to  America 
and  took  up  his  abode  in  Warsaw,  Illi- 
nois. He  was  thai  employed  on  river 
boats  and  was  also  in  the  service  of  a 
grain  commission  company,  utilizing  ev- 
ery opportunity  for  advancement  and  to 
gain  a  start  in  the  new  world. 

On  the  1 6th  of  October,  1865,  Mr. 
Buckert  was  married  to  Miss  Annie  Cath- 
erina  Spitza,  who  was  born  in  Ada, 
Brinkhausen,  Hesse,  Germany,  December 
1 6,  1839,  and  with  her  parents  came  to 
the  United  .States  in  1847,  the  family 
home  being  established  in  Warsaw,  where 
Mrs.  Buckert  attended  the  public  schools/ 
She  is  a  daughter  of  John  Henry  and 
Dora  Dell  (Walker)  Spitza.  Her  father 
was  a  mason  contractor  and  did  much 
business  in  the  line  of  building  in  War- 
saw and  vicinity.  He  had  learned  his 


trade  in  Germany  and  after  coming  to  the 
new  world  he  built  the  old  distilleries  near 
Warsaw.  In  fact  he  erected  nearly  all 
of  the  principal  buildings  of  his  locality 
at  an  early  day.  His  death  occurred  in 
Warsaw,  June  19,  1856,  while  his  wife 
passed  away  about  two  years  later.  She 
was  the  mother  of  fourteen  children,  two 
of  whom  were  born  of  her  first  marriage. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Buckert  began  their  do- 
mestic life  in  Warsaw,  where  he  was  em- 
ployed in  connection  with  the  grain  trade. 
He  continued  to  reside  there  until  his 
death,  which  occurred  on  the  3Oth  of 
May,  1875.  Mrs.  Buckert  lived  with 
her  family  in  Warsaw  for  a  year  there- 
after and  then  rented  a  farm  near  the 
town  for  three  years,  after  which  she  re- 
mored  to  a  place  south  of  Warsaw, 
where  she  also  lived  for  three  years.  She 
next  bought  ninety-three  acres  in  Wythe 
township,  where  five  years  later  she  sold 
out  and  bought  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  in  Montebello  township.  There  she 
lived  for  five  years,  when  she  again  dis- 
posed of  her  farm  and  invested  in  eighty 
acres  of  land,  formerly  the  property  of 
Dr.  Spence,  of  Liberty,  Adams  county, 
of  which  forty  acres  lay  on  section  33 
and  forty  acres  on  section  34,  Montebello 
township.  Here  she  has  resided  contin- 
uously since  1900  and  the  farm  is  oper- 
ated by  her  youngest  son,  Daniel.  Mrs. 
Buckert  is  a  lady  of  excellent  business 
ability  and  executive  force  and  her  capa- 
ble management  of  her  business  interests 
has  brought  her  a  good  return.  At  the 
same  time  she  has  "carefully  reared  her 
family.  Eight  children  were-  born  unto 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Buckert:  John  F.,  who  is 
now  living  in  Nauvoo,  Illinois ;  Adam, 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


475 


who  resides  in  Trenton,  Missouri ;  George 
and  Gustav,  who  are  also  residents  of 
Nauvoo :  Christian,  who  is  employed  by 
the  Moline  Plow  Company  at  Rock 
Island,  Illinois ;  Henry,  of  Hamilton  :  An- 
nie, the  wife  of  George  Montgomery,  also 
of  Hamilton,  Illinois;  and  Daniel,  at 
home,  now  superintending  the  farm. 

Mr.  Buckert  was  a  member  of  the 
Lutheran  church  of  Warsaw  and  he  gave 
his  political  support  to  the  democracy, 
but  never  sought  or  desired  office.  He 
was  a  man  of  genuine  personal  worth  and 
gained  the  respect  of  those  who  knew  him 
and  the  family  have  many  warm  friends 
in  this  part  of  the  county. 


J.  HARVEY  NORRIS. 

J.  Harvey  Norris.  who  owns  and  oper- 
ates a  well  kept  farm  in  Chili  township, 
was  bom  upon  this  place  June  27,  1877. 
and  is  a  son  of  James  W.  and  Elizabeth 
(Sterrett)  Norris.  His  father's  birth  oc- 
curred in  Baltimore  county.  Maryland, 
February  17,  1840.  He  became  a  farmer 
by  occupation  and  was  a  resident  of  Ad- 
ams county,  Illinois,  from  1850  until 
June.  1876.  when  he  removed  to  Han- 
cock county.  He  wedded  Miss  Elizabeth 
Sterrett.  whose  birth  occurred  in  Hart- 
ford county,  Maryland,  February  TQ. 
1856,  and  they  had  three  children  but  J. 
Harvey  Norris  is  the  only  one  now  liv- 
ing. The  father  died  February  10,  1906, 
and  the  mother  passed  away  September 
5,  1884.  Both  were  faithful  members  of 


the  Methodist  church.  Mr.  Norris  was  a 
man  who  possessed  in  marked  degree  the 
trust  and  good  will  of  his  fellowmen.  He 
is  said  never  to  have  had  an  enemy.  He 
was  always  kind  and  sympathetic  and  he 
knew  no  distress  within  his  reach  that  he 
did  not  try  to  relieve.  He  was  a  friend 
to  all  the  churches  and  was  a  believer  in 
the  Christian  religion.  In  his  family  he 
was  a  devoted  husband  and  father  and 
among  his  neighbors  was  known  as  a  loyal 
friend.  His  good  qualities  were  many 
and  have  made  his  name  an  honored  one. 
In  the  city  schools  of  Bowen  J.  Harvey 
Norris  acquired  his  education  and  under 
the  parental  roof  spent  the  days  of  his 
boyhood  and  youth,  early  becoming  fa- 
miliar with  the  duties  and  labors  that  fall 
to  the  lot  of  the  agriculturist.  In  1902 
his  marriage  to  Miss  Nellie  Manlove  was 
consummated,  and  he  started  out  in  life 
on  his  own  account.  She  was  born  in 
this  county  July  31,  1881,  a  daughter  of 
Wilfred  and  Sarah  (Waggoner)  Man- 
love,  the  former  born  in  Knox  county, 
Illinois,  in  1841,  and  the  latter  in  Han- 
cock county  in  1849.  The  Manloves  were  . 
of  French  and  Welsh  extraction.  William 
Manlove,  an  uncle  of  Mrs.  Norris.  was 
killed  at  Missionary  Ridge  in  the  Civil 
war  while  defending  the  Union  cause. 
She  also  had  a  great-uncle,  Henry  Cecil, 
who  was  a  soldier  of  the  Civil  war  and 
her  maternal  uncles,  Ephraim  and  Cyrus 
Waggoner,  were  also  numbered  among 
the  boys  in  blue.  In  the  year  1867  Wil- 
fred Manlove,  father  of  Mrs.  Norris.  ar- 
rived in  Hancock  county,  settling  on  sec- 
tion 29.  Chili  township.  He.  too,  was  a 
veteran  of  the  war.  having  enlisted  as  a 
member  of  Company  D.  Seventy-seventh 


476 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


Illinois  Regiment  under  Captain  Black. 
His  life  was  exemplary  in  many  respects, 
for  he  was  ever  faithful  and  honorable  in 
all  his  relations  with  his  fellowmen,  was 
honest,  active  and  industrious  in  business 
and  lived  an  upright  life.  He  possessed 
the  confidence  of  his  fellow  citizens  to  an 
unusual  degree.  He  passed  away  July  8, 
1905,  and  was  laid  to  rest  in  Bowen  ceme- 
tery. In  the  family  were  four  children: 
Linn,  now  living  in  Chili  township ; 
George,  of  Bowen ;  Mrs.  Morris ;  and 
Ada,  the  wife  of  Curtis  Powell,  of 
Bowen. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Norris  make  their  home 
on  section  29,  Chili  township.  The  resi- 
dence here  was  erected  by  his  father  in 
1897.  The  place  comprises  two  hundred 
and  eighty  acres  of  arable  land,  and  thir- 
ty acres  of  timber,  and  will  come  into 
possession  of  Mr.  Norris,  as  he  is  his 
mother's  only  heir.  He  now  gives  his 
time  and  energies  to  general  agricultural 
pursuits  and  stock-raising,  making  a  spe- 
cialty of  the  breeding  and  raising  of  thor- 
oughbred Duroc  hogs.  As  a  business 
man  he  is  reliable  and  enterprising  and 
has  already  made  a  creditable  place  in  ag- 
ricultural circles,  although  he  is  numbered 
among  the  younger  farmers  of  the  town- 
ship. Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Norris  has 
been  born  one  son,  Gerald  William,  whose 
birth  occurred  May  i,  1903,  on  the  same 
farm  on  which  his  father's  birth  occurred. 
This  is  also  the  place  on  which  the  par- 
ents of  Mr.  Norris  and  also  the  parents 
of  Mrs.  Norris  began  housekeeping.  In 
his  political  views  Mr.  Norris  is  a  stal- 
wart republican  but  without  aspiration  for 
office.  Socially  he  is  connected  with  the 
Masons  and  the  Odd  Fellows. 


JOHN  PARKER  EWING. 

Death  often  removes  from  our  midst 
those  whom  we  can  ill  afford  to  lose,  and 
it  was  with  the  feeling  of  universal  re- 
gret that  the  news  of  the  demise  of  John 
P.  Ewing  was  received  in  Hancock  coun- 
ty. He  had  lived  and  labored  here  for 
many  years  and  was  one  of  the  worthy 
pioneer  settlers,  who  as  time  passed,  stood 
for  progress  and  improvement  in  all  lines 
relating  to  the  county's  welfare  and  up- 
building. At  the  same  time  he  displayed 
in  his  business  career  those  commendable 
traits  which  lead  to  success  and  he  became 
one  of  the  extensive  landowners  of  the 
county,  while  his  life  work  proved  that 
prosperity  and  an  honorable  name  may  be 
won  simultaneously.  A  native  of  Brown 
county,  Ohio,  he  was  born  on  the  8th  of 
March,  1824,  being  one  of  the  seven  chil- 
dren of  Jackson  and  Catherine  (Turner) 
Ewing.  The  family  is  of  Irish  lineage, 
the  grandfather  having  been  born  on  the 
Emerald  Isle,  whence  he  came  to  Amer- 
ica, founding  the  family  in  new  world. 
His  son,  Jackson  Ewing,  was  born  in 
Prussia  and  was  a  farmer  by  occupation. 
He  removed  to  Hancock  county  in  1846 
and  his  home  was  one  of  the  pioneer  log 
cabins  of  Walker  township.  He  also 
spent  some  time  in  Schuyler  county,  Illi- 
nois, but  died  in  this  county  in  1876. 
His  widow,  surviving  him  for  several 
years,  passed  away  at  the  home  of  her 
daughter,  Mrs.  H.  Gillham,  in  Walker 
township  in  1883.  In  his  political  views 
Mr.  Ewing  was  a  democrat.  In  the  fam- 
ily were  seven  children :  Margaret  Ann, 
who  is  the  wife  of  Charles  Laughlin  and 
lives  in  Walker  township ;  Sarah  Newton, 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


477 


the  wife  of  Samuel  Guyman,  of  Missouri ; 
Mary  Jane,  the  wife  of  Henry  Gillham, 
of  Walker  township;  and  four  who  have 
passed  away.  The  parents  were  both 
members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church,  in  which  they  took  an  active 
and  helpful  interest,  Mr.  Ewing  serving 
for  some  time  as  classleader. 

John  Parker  Ewing,  educated  in  the 
public  schools  of  New  York,  was  reared 
to  farm  life  and  having  removed  to  the 
west  engaged  in  general  agricultural  pur- 
suits in  Walker  township.  He  was  fa- 
miliar with  all  of  the  experiences  of  pio- 
neer life,  with  its  hardships  and  its  priva- 
tions, its  pleasures  and  its  opportunities. 
In  his  business  he  prospered  as  the  years 
went  by,  and  by  his  energy  and  economy 
he  was  enabled  to  add  to  his  possessions 
from  time  to  time,  and,  making  judicious 
investments  in  real-estate  eventually  be- 
came the  owner  of  fifteen  hundred  acres 
of  rich  farm  land  that  has  made  Illinois 
one  of  the  greatest  agricultural  states  of 
the  union.  He  also  gave  to  each  of  his 
children  a  good  farm,  and  in  addition 
left  a  goodly  sum  of  money  to  the  family. 
He  was  known  as  one  of  the  wealthy  men 
of  the  county  but  moreover,  he  was 
known,  too,  as  one  of  its  most  honorable 
men,  being  ever  straightforward  and  re- 
liable in  his  business  transactions. 

Mr.  Ewing  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Elizabeth  Fuller,  and  they  became 
the  parents  of  five  children :  John,  now 
living  near  Basco,  Illinois;  William, 
whose  home  is  near  Sutter,  Hancock 
county,  Illinois;  Sarah  E.,  the  wife  of 
John  Wallace,  living  near  Bowen,  Illi- 
nois ;  Margaret  Ella,  the  wife  of  John 
Battles;  and  Perry,  deceased.  The  wife 


and  mother  passed  away  in  September, 
1865,  and  Mr.  Ewing  was  again  married, 
his  second  union  being  with  Margaret 
Jane  Stucker,  who  was  born  near  Car- 
thage, March  5,  1858,  a  daughter  of 
David  and  Nancy  (Ewing)  Stucker.  By 
the  death  of  her  parents  she  was  left  an 
orphan  when  only  nine  years  of  age.  Her 
father  was  a  farmer  by  occupation  and 
lived  at  different  times  in  Iowa,  in  Kan- 
sas, and  in  Schuyler  county,  Illinois, 
while  eventually  he  removed  to  Hancock 
county.  Politically  he  was  a  stalwart  re- 
publican, and  both  he  and  his  wife  were 
devoted  and  faithful  members  of  the 
Methodist  church,  living  lives  in  harmony 
with  their  professions  and  doing  many 
good  deeds  which  endeared  them  to  all 
who  knew  them.  When  called  to  their 
final  rest  their  remains  were  interred  near 
Keokuk  in  Lee  county,  Iowa.  In  their 
family  were  five  children :  John  W.,  who 
is  living  in  Warsaw;  Samuel  S.,  who  re- 
sides in  Higgins,  Texas;  Sarah  A.,  the 
wife  of  Thomas  McLain,  of  Exira,  Iowa ; 
Lydia  A.,  the  deceased  wife  of  Abraham 
Wells,  who  lives  in  Miami  county,  Kan- 
sas ;  and  Mrs.  Ewing. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ewing  were  born 
eight  children :  Rosetta,  the  wife  of 
John  Kiser,  of  Warsaw,  Illinois,  by 
whom  she  has  four  children,  Ethel,  Irma, 
Anna  L.  and  Claude;  Robert  S.,  who 
married  Rhoda  Whittaker,  a  resident  of 
Hamilton,  Illinois;  Charles  W,,  living  in 
Sutter,  who  married  Fannie  McCracken, 
and  has  two  sons,  Lorren  and  Carroll ; 
Viola  A.,  the  wife  of  Charles  Rampley, 
of  Warsaw;  Lemuel  M.,  who  lives  in 
Warsaw  and  married  Anna  Schlenk,  by 
whom  he  has  one  son,  Cecil ;  Maude  Belle, 


478 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


who  died  at  the  age  of  four  years  and 
was  laid  to  rest  in  the  cemetery  by  her 
father's  side:  Grover  C.,  who  lives  in 
Sutter  and  married  Lyclia  Hinerhoff,  by 
whom  he  has  one  son,  Marvin ;  and  Vic- 
toria, who  is  at  home  with  her  mother. 
It  was  on  the  ist  of  July,  1903,  that  Mr. 
Ewing  was  called  from  this  life,  passing 
away  on  the  home  farm  near  Sutter,  his 
remains  being  interred  in  Walker  ceme- 
tery. Mrs.  Ewing's  youngest  daughter 
still  owns  a  part  of  the  home  place,  and 
one  son  the  other  part.  Her  husband  built 
the  residence  thereon  and  made  all  of  the 
improvements.  In  April,  1904,  Mrs. 
Ewing  purchased  a  pretty  residence  on 
Eighth  and  Webster  streets  in  Warsaw, 
where  she  is  now  comfortably  situated 
and  she  has  many  friends  in  the  commu- 
nity— friends  who  know  her  as  a  most 
kind-hearted  woman  and  a  good  neigh- 
bor. Mr.  Ewing  lived  to  attain  the  age 
of  seventy-nine  years  and  his  was  a  use- 
ful, active  and  upright  life,  standing  in 
exemplification  of  what  may  be  accom- 
plished by  unfaltering  industry  and  unre- 
mitting diligence.  His  wealth  was 
worthily  won  so  that  the  most  envious 
could  not  grudge  him  his  success  and  his 
record  is  one  which  reflects  credit  upon 
the  county  in  which  he  so  long  made  his 
home. 


JUDGE  GEORGE  W.  JONES. 

Judge  George  W.  Jones  represents  one 
of  the  old  and  prominent  pioneer  fami- 
lies of  Hancock  county,  his  parents  being 


Emmanuel  and  Mary  Ann  (Rees)  Jones, 
who  are  mentioned  elsewhere  in  this  work 
and  in  connection  with  their  life  history  is 
given  an  account  of  the  ancestral  history 
of  the  family.  He  left  Ohio  in  1856  with 
his  father's  family  and  proceeded  by  boat 
down  the  Ohio  and  up  the  Mississippi 
river  to  St.  Louis,  the  family  remaining 
for  three  weeks  at  Canton.  There  were 
about  eighty  families  aboard  the  steam- 
boat, named  "Ben  Bolt."  Emmanuel 
Jones  left  his  wife  and  children  with  his 
brother-in-law,  Lloyd  Rees,  while  he 
came  to  Carthage  and  investigated  the 
land,  which  he  had  previously  purchased. 
He  then  in  company  with  his  son,  George 
W.,  and  an  uncle  of  the  latter  made  a 
trip  with  a  yoke  of  oxen  and  a  mule  to 
Alexandria,  crossing  to  Warsaw  on  the 
ferry  boat.  There  they  waited  for  the 
family,  who  came  up  on  the  packet,  and 
at  the  same  time  they  accidentally  came 
across  a  cousin  of  Mr.  Jones'  mother,  who 
lived  about  twelve  miles  from  that  place. 
The  family  traveled  across  the  prairie 
with  ox  teams  to  Carthage  and  on  the 
entire  trip  did  not  pass  a  single  home  un- 
til they  came  to  the  old  Comer  place, 
which  is  still  standing.  They  remained 
all  night  at  the  Wells  tavern,  which  was 
torn  down  about  two  years  ago.  The 
first  house  they  came  to  in  Carthage  stood 
where  the  James  Black  residence  is  now 
seen  and  was  a  little  one-story  structure 
weatherboarded  with  clapboards.  Going 
from  Carthage  to  the  tract  they  did  not 
pass  another  house  for  two  miles,  when 
they  saw  a  little  log  cabin.  About  two 
miles  northeast  of  this  stood  the  little 
house  of  Ned  Russell  and  these  were  the 
only  houses  between  Carthage  and  the 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


479 


old  homestead  farm,  upon  which  the 
Jones  family  located.  Emmanuel  Jones 
built  his  house,  requiring  about  four 
months  to  complete  the  work.  The  tract 
was  wild  and  unimproved.  Wild  tur- 
keys and  geese  could  be  had  in  abundance 
and  deer  were  also  plentiful.  Judge 
Jones  of  this  review  has  a  very  retentive 
memory  and  relates  in  most  interesting 
style  events  of  pioneer  times  and  the  way 
in  which  they  lived.  He  well  remembers 
the  conversation  that  occurred  on  that 
overland  trip  fifty  years  ago.  Soon  after 
reaching  their  new  home  five  out  of  the 
family  of  six  were  ill  with  malaria  and 
it  was  almost  impossible  to  get  any  one 
to  wait  on  them.  An  old  neighbor  wo- 
man came  to  them  to  render  assistance. 
She  lived  four  miles  away  and  she  said 
she  would  undertake  their  care  if  they 
would  turn  off  their  physician  and  get 
hers.  Mr.  Jones  did  this  and  the  new 
physician,  Dr.  Booz.  greatly  assisted 
them  and  remained  the  family  physician 
until  his  death.  Judge  Jones  has  in  his 
possession  a  medal  which  he  picked  up 
in  the  dust  when  a  barefoot  boy.  It  rep- 
resents the  campaign  when  William  H. 
Harrison  was  presidential  nominee.  He 
also  has  many  coins  over  seventy-five 
years  old  and  other  interesting  curios. 
His  education  was  largely  acquired  in  the 
district  schools,  such  as  were  common  at 
an  early  day  in  Illinois.  He  learned  his 
lessons  while  seated  on  a  sycamore  slab, 
the  seat  being  formed  by  placing  such  a 
slab  upon  wooden  pins  which  were  in- 
serted into  the  slab.  The  writing  desk 
was  formed  much  after  the  same  manner, 
a  long  board  being  hung  upon  hinges  fas- 
tened to  the  window  sills,  and  when  writ- 


ing was  to  be  done  they  just  raised  one 
side  of  the  board  and  through  an  auger 
hole  they  placed  a  stick  to  hold  it  up.  In 
the  summer  months  he  worked  in  the 
fields,  taking  his  place  behind  the  plow  as 
soon  as  his  age  and  strength  permitted. 
Later  he  carried  on  farming  on  his  own 
account  through  the  summer  months  and 
in  the  winter  seasons  for  five  years  en- 
gaged in  teaching. 

On  the  25th  of  September,  1864,  Mr. 
Jones  was  married  to  Miss  Emeline  Dale, 
who  was  born  on  section  30,  Hancock 
township,  March  4,  1846,  her  parents  be- 
ing George  W.  and  Martha  (Booz)  Dale, 
who  were  natives  of  Kentucky,  in  which 
state  Mr.  Dale  carried  on  farming.  They 
came  to  Illinois  at  an  early  day  and  Mr. 
Dale  died  in  1862  from  the  effects  of  in- 
juries received  in  a  runaway.  He  was  an 
industrious,  enterprising  man,  kindly  and 
considerate  of  others.  His  wife,  who 
made  her  home  with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jones 
for  seven  years,  passed  away  February 
12,  1 88 1,  at  the  age  of  seventy-five  years. 
She  was  a  member  of  the  Christian 
church  and  was  a  most  estimable  lady. 
Mr.  Dale  filled  several  township  offices. 
In  their  family  were  seven  children,  four 
of  whom  are  now  living,  namely :  James, 
who  resides  in  Carthage :  Margaret,  the 
wife  of  Phil  D.  Williams,  of  La  Haqie, 
Illinois;  Emeline,  now  Mrs.  Jones:  and 
John,  who  is  living  on  section  31,  Han- 
cock township. 

Five  years  after  his  marriage  Judge 
Jones  of  this  review  abandoned  farming 
and  devoted  five  years  thereafter  to  teach- 
ing, with  the  exception  of  one  winter, 
that  of  1868-69,  which  he  spent  as  a  stu- 
dent in  Abingdon  College.  In  the  sum- 


480 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


mer  of  1869  and  the  winter  of  1870  he 
taught  at  Oak  Grove  and  through  the 
following  summer  and  winter  was  a 
teacher  in  the  Independence  school.  In 
1871  he  purchased  a  lot  in  Carthage  on 
Main  street  and  built  his  home,  which  he 
has  since  rebuilt  and  greatly  enlarged. 
He  then  returned  to  Middle  creek,  where 
he  taught  through  the  winter  of  1871-72. 
which  ended  his  career  as  an  educator. 
He  had,  however,  proved  a  very  capable 
instructor  and  the  schools  of  which  he 
had  charge  made  substantial  progress  un- 
der his  direction  but  his  ambitions  lay 
in  other  directions.  While  teaching  he 
had  served  for  two  terms  as  town  clerk 
in  Hancock  township,  in  1855  and  1856. 
In  his  political  views  he  is  a  democrat 
and  has  long  been  recognized  as  one  of 
the  leaders  of  the  party  in  his  county. 
On  the  3  ist  of  March,  1874,  he  became 
deputy  sheriff  and  served  to  the  end  of  the 
term  under  John  D.  Stevens  and  also  was 
deputy  sheriff  for  two  terms,  or  four 
years,  under  C.  T.  Cannon,  filling  the  po- 
sition until  December,  1882.  In  the 
meantime  he  was  also  constable  of  Car- 
thage township  for  eight  years,  acting  in 
that  capacity  until  1883,  when  he  was 
elected  magistrate  of  the  city  and  resigned 
the  former  position.  He  acted  as  mag- 
istrate for  four  terms,  or  sixteen  years, 
being  chosen  to  the  office  on  the  anti- 
license  ticket,  and  it  was  this  position 
which  won  him  the  title  by  which  he  is 
uniformly  known — Judge  Jones.  While 
acting  as  police  magistrate  he  married  one 
hundred  and  sixty-six  couples  and  since 
taking  the  office  of  justice  of  the  peace  in 
April,  1905,  he  has  performed  sixteen 
marriage  ceremonies.  He  has  also  served 


as  a  member  of  the  city  school  board 
and  the  cause  of  education  has  found  in 
him  a  warm  and  stalwart  friend.  ^He 
maintains  his  justice  court  on  Main 
street  and  in  addition  to  his  other  duties 
he  has  for  the  past  thirty  years  worked 
at  the  court  house  extending  taxes  on  the 
tax  books.  He  has  many  times  been  dep- 
uty county  clerk  and  has  also  been  em- 
ployed in  the  office  of  county  superintend- 
ent and  that  of  city  treasurer.  Since  1883 
he  has  been  the  efficient  and  trusted  school 
treasurer  of  Carthage  township,  being  ap- 
pointed by  a  board  of  two  republicans  and 
one  prohibitionist,  while  he  is  a  stanch 
democrat.  The  appointment  came  to  him 
on  the  7th  of  March,  1883,  and  he  still 
continues  in  the  office.  In  1892  he  was 
chosen  superintendent  of  the  fair  grounds 
for  a  term  of  one  year  and  was  assistant 
secretary  of  the  Fair  Association  prior  to 
this  time.  He  has  assisted  for  three  years 
in  distributing  the  poor  fund  of  the  city 
and  thus  he  has  filled  many  places  of  pub- 
lic trust  and  responsibility,  being  always 
found  thoroughly  reliable  and  enterpris- 
ing. He  has  moreover  frequently  been 
called  to  assist  in  the  bank  when  extra 
help  has  been  needed.  Like  his  father  he 
has  always  been  an  earnest  and  stalwart 
democrat.  He  is  undoubtedly  one  of  the 
most  methodical  men  of  the  county  and 
state,  having  kept  an  account  of  all  his 
doings  ever  since  he  entered  business  life. 
He  is  a  fine  writer  and  splendid  account- 
ant and  has  been  well  qualified  for  the 
discharge  of  the  various  duties  that  have 
devolved  upon  him.  Upon  the  organiza- 
tion of  Plum  Brothers  Brick  and  Tile 
Company  of  Carthage,  Mr.  Jones  became 
treasurer  and  has  served  in  this  position 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


481 


continuously  since,  or  for  three  years. 
He  was  administrator  of  his  father's  es- 
tate, has  also  acted  as  administrator, 
guardian,  trustee  and  conservator  of 
many  estates  for  many  years  and  in  this 
connection  has  settled  many  intricate 
business  problems. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jones  has  been 
born  a  son,  Emmanuel  W.,  whose  birth 
occurred  in  Hancock  county,  March  31, 
1871.  He  pursued  his  education  here, 
passing  through  successive  grades  until 
he  had  completed  the  high  school  work, 
and  he  also  attended  a  year  and  a  half 
at  Carthage  College.  He  afterward  at- 
tended Eureka  College  at  Eureka,  Illi- 
nois, for  nearly  two  years,  when  his 
health  failed  and  he  returned  home.  He 
is  a  carpenter  and  contractor  and  is  an 
expert  mechanic.  He  spent  six  years 
working  at  his  trade  in  Omaha,  Nebraska, 
with  a  prominent  builder,  going  there  in 
1899  or  1900.  During  the  winter  of 
1905-06  he  worked  on  the  tax  books  at 
Carthage.  He  wedded  Miss  Mary  Chris- 
tensen,  at  Council  Bluffs,  Iowa,  in  1903, 
and  they  make  their  home  in  Carthage. 
Like  his  father  he  is  a  stalwart  democrat 
and  is  a  man  of  good  education. 

Both  Judge  Jones  and  his  wife  are  con- 
sistent members  of  the  Christian  church. 
He  became  identified  therewith  October 
26,  1862,  and  beginning  in  1873  he  served 
for  two  years  as  an  elder  in  Oak  Grove 
church  and  was  also  assistant  superin- 
tendent of  the  Sunday-school  for  one  year 
and  superintendent  for  one  year  of  that 
school.  He  served  as  deacon  in  the  church 
at  Carthage  from  1877  until  1879  and 
since  that  time  has  been  elder,  being  again 
and  aeain  re-elected.  He  was  assistant  su- 


perintendent of  the  Sunday-school  in  Car- 
thage for  three  years  and  a  half  and  for 
many  years  has  been  superintendent  and 
continuously  has  served  as  a  teacher  when 
not  in  the  former  position.  He  has  also 
been  church  treasurer,  and  in  fact  has  la- 
bored untiringly  for  the  benefit  of  the 
church  whether  in  office  or  out  of  it  and 
has  contributed  in  direct  measure  to  its 
improvement.  His  wife  is  also  deeply  in- 
terested in  the  church,  sharing  with  him 
in  all  of  his  work  in  its  behalf.  Mr.  Jones 
is  an  honored  member  of  the  Odd  Fellows 
society,  belonging  to  Bentley  lodge,  No. 
412,  of  which  he  served  as  secretary  for 
two  years.  He  belongs  to  the  Knights  of 
Pythias  lodge,  No.  388,  and  for  five  terms 
has  served  as  keeper  of  the  records  and 
has  been  both  chancellor  commander  and 
vice  chancellor. 

Judge  Jones  has  spent  nearly  his  entire 
life  in  this  county  and  few  men  are  more 
widely  known  and  none  are  held  in  higher 
esteem  because  of  a  life  of  uprightness, 
honor,  integrity  and  kindly  purpose.  His 
life  has  been  filled  with  many  good  deeds 
and  benevolent  actions.  He  is  pleasant 
and  genial  and  the  number  of  his  friends 
is  almost  co-extensive  with  the  number 
of  his  acquaintances. 


EMMANUEL  JONES. 

Emmanuel  Jones,  deceased,  was  born 
in  Reiley  township,  Butler  county,  Ohio, 
December  25,  1813,  and  was  a  son  of 
Nicholas  and  Mary  (Farnsworth)  Jones, 


482 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


who     removed     from     Northumberland 

county,  Pennsylvania,  to  Ohio  after  the 
war  of  1812,  in  which  Nicholas  Jones 
had  participated.  He  had  three  brothers 
who  served  in  that  war,  under  General 
Anthony  Wayne.  On  removing  west- 
ward to  Ohio  Nicholas  Jones  arrived  at 
Cincinnati,  Ohio,  which  was  a  village  of 
log  cabins  on  the  bottom  then  called  Lo- 
santville.  He  did  not  like  it  there.  He 
then  went  back  thirty  miles  and  settled 
in  the  midst  of  a  timbered  tract  in  Butler 
county,  three  miles  south  of  where  Ox- 
ford now  stands,  the  trees  growing  so 
thick  that  it  was  necessary  to  remove 
them  before  he  could  build  a  log  cabin. 
The  family  there  lived  in  true  pioneer 
style.  There  was  no  glass  for  windows 
and  instead  greased  paper  was  used.  In 
the  cabin  were  large,  broad  chimneys  and 
they  hung  their  candles  in  the  chimneys 
so  the  Indians  could  not  see  the  lights, 
for  the  red  men  were  still  numerous  in 
the  neighborhood  and  were  a  constant 
menace  to  life  and  property.  The  first 
tax  which  Nicholas  Jones  paid  was  fifty 
cents  on  his  quarter  section  of  land.  He 
won  the  half  dollar  by  driving  a  heifer 
which  a  neighbor  had  sold  to  a  man  at 
the  county-seat,  a  distance  of  ten  miles, 
but  while  walking  back  home  he  lost  the 
money.  There  were  many  privations  and 
hardships  incident  to  pioneer  life  which 
were  borne  by  the  family  but  as  the  years 
passed  they  succeeded  in  converting  the 
place  into  a  good  and  well  improved 
farm. 

Emmanuel  Jones  spent  his  boyhood 
days  upon  the  old  homestead  farm  in 
Butler  county  and  in  his  youth  learned 
the  trade  of  a  carpenter  and  millwright. 


He  afterward  spent  ten  years  in  Venice, 
Ohio,  and  in  May,  1856,  removed  west- 
ward to  Carthage,  Illinois,  where  he  re- 
sided continuously  until  his  death,  which 
occurred  in  1900.  He  was  a  fife  major 
in  the  second  regiment  of  the  Third 
Battalion  of  the  Ohio  Militia.  This  com- 
mission was  dated  September  14.  1831. 
He  played  the  fife  throughout  his  entire 
life,  his  services  in  that  direction  being 
much  in  demand  at  different  celebrations. 
He  did  duty  as  a  fifer  under  Colonel 
Griffin  Halstead,  the  father  of  Murat 
Halstead,  of  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  the  official 
historian  of  the  war  department.  Mr. 
Jones  received  his  appointment  as  fifer 
from  L.  D.  Kennard.  lieutenant  colonel, 
attested  by  L.  D.  Campbell,  adjutant  and 
the  commission  papers  are  now  in  posses- 
sion of  his  son.  Judge  George  W.  Jones, 
of  Carthage.  (This  commission  was 
dated  Hamilton,  Ohio,  October  17.  1835), 
In  the  year  1857,  Emmanuel  Jones  served 
as  collector  in  Hancock  township,  Han- 
cock county,  and  he  was  in  many  ways 
identified  with  the  public  life  of  the  com- 
munity and  the  development  and  prog- 
ress of  this  portion-of  the  state.  He  was 
also  one  of  the  school  trustees  of  said 
township. 

In  early  manhood  Emmanuel  Jones 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mary  Ann 
Rees,  a  daughter  of  John  Rees.  who  came 
from  Wales  to  America  in  company  with 
a  brother  in  the  latter  part  of  the  eight- 
eenth century.  The}'  landed  in  New 
York  and  John  Rees  at  once  associated 
himself  with  the  English  people  of  the 
new  world,  so  as  to  become  familiar  with 
the  language  spoken.  He  worked  for  a 
man  who  was  a  whig.  One  day  his  land- 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


483 


lord  asked  him  how  lie  was  going  to  vote, 
telling  him  the  whigs  were  in  favor  of 
the  landlords.  Rees  replied  "If  that  is 
the  case  I  will  not  investigate  farther  but 
will  vote  against  them"  and  so  voted  the 
democratic  ticket  all  his  life.  He  was 
married  in  New  York  to  Miss  Sarah 
Lloyd  and  together  with  his  brother  they 
removed  to  Kentucky,  where  Mrs.  Rees 
died.  John  Rees  afterward  wedded  Miss 
Ann  Laing  and  removed  to  Rossville, 
Ohio,  which  is  now  a  part  of  West  Hamil- 
ton. Ohio.  There  he  worked  at  his  trade 
of  blacksmithing,  which  he  had  perfected 
in  a  seven  years'  apprenticeship  in  Wales. 
After  a  residence  of  several  years  in 
Hamilton,  Butler  county,  he  took  up  his 
abode  upon  a  farm  in  Butler  township, 
that  county,  where  he  conducted  a  black- 
smith shop  and  also  carried  on  general 
farming  until  he  retired  from  active  busi- 
ness life.  He  was  influential  in  commu- 
nity affairs  and  served  as  assessor  for 
many  years  in  Ohio.  He  was  also  cap- 
tain in  one  of  the  old  militia  companies 
and  was  always  known  by  that  title.  He 
came  to  America  in  order  to  escape  com- 
pulsory military  service  in  the  English 
army  but  was  so  well  pleased  with  the 
country  that  he  never  returned.  The 
last  letter  he  ever  received  from  home 
was  written  by  his  mother,  who  was  then 
one  hundred  and  five  years  of  age.  He 
died  in  1853,  at  the  age  of  seventy-six 
years.  George  W.  Jones  has  in  his  pos- 
session the  Bible  in  the  Welsh  language 
that  was  given  to  John  Rees  by  his  mother 
when  he  left  Wales.  It  was  his  daugh- 
ter, Mary  Ann,  who  became  the  wife  of 
Emmanuel  Jones.  Her  grandmother, 
Sarah  Chamberlain,  who  married  John. 


Laing,  at  one  time  kept  the  Americans 
and  British  from  meeting  at  her  home  in 
New  Jersey,  being  at  that  time  a  little 
girl.  When  the  British  marauders  went 
around  over  the  country  demanding 
everything  that  they  cared  to  use,  they 
saw  her  one  day  out  in  the  yard  and  told 
her  they  wanted  honey.  She  advised 
them  to  go  to  the  house  for  it  but  instead 
of  that  they  knocked  the  hives  to  pieces 
and  took  the  honey.  Mrs.  (Chamberlain) 
Laing  also  remembered  of  seeing  General 
Washington.  She  died  in  Union  county, 
Indiana,  when  between  ninety-seven  and 
ninety-eight  years  of  age.  Mrs.  Laing's 
mother's  maiden  name  was  Hannah 
Lawrence.  Her  ancestors  had  settled  on 
Long  Island  at  a  very  early  day,  one  of 
them  being  John  Lawrence,  an  English- 
man. 

Mary  Ann  Rees,  wife  of  Emmanuel 
Jones,  was  born  in  Rossville,  now  West 
Hamilton,  Ohio,  April  7,  1818,  and  on  the 
1 2th  of  March,  1835,  gave  her  hand  in 
marriage  to  Mr  Jones,  with  whom  she 
lived  happily  for  fifty-six  years.  She, 
with  her  husband,  became  members  of 
the  Christian  church  in  1857,  being  bap- 
tized by  Elder  Thomas  S.  Brockman,  in 
Crooked  creek  near  their  home.  She  was 
a  kind-hearted  woman,  was  never  known 
to  do  an  unkindly  act  in  her  life  and  she 
was  greatly  beloved  by  all.  Her  funeral 
sermon  as  well  as  that  of  her  husband  was 
preached  by  Elder  Charles  Scofield.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Jones  became  the  parents  of  nine 
children,  of  whom  four  are  now  living: 
George  W.,  .mentioned  elsewhere  in  this 
work ;  Jerome  B.,  who  is  living  in  Car- 
thage township:  Anna  M.,  the  wife  of 
Alfred  Adams,  who  resides  upon  the  old 


484 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


homestead  farm  in  Hancock  township; 
and  Tylee  R.  Jones,  who  is  living  with 
his  sister  on  the  old  homestead.  The 
parents  were  devoted  members  of  the 
Christian  church,  in  which  Mr.  Jones 
served  as  an  elder  for  thirty  years.  In 
the  work  of  the  church  they  took  a  very 
active  and  helpful  part  and  their  influ- 
ence proved  a  potent  element  for  good. 
Mr.  Jones  was  a  quiet  unostentatious  man 
and  good  citizen,  who  was  well  respected 
by  all  who  knew  him.  A  devoted  Chris- 
tian gentleman,  he  did  much  to  promote 
the  cause  of  the  church  at  Oak  Grove  and 
largely  aided  in  the  erection  of  the  sub- 
stantial frame  building  there.  He  fur- 
nished every  piece  of  timber  for  the  frame 
work  and  heavy  sills  and  hauled  them  to 
the  place  of  building  over  a  miserably 
poor  road  for  a  distance  of  four  or  five 
miles,  in  which  he  had  to  cross  two  creeks. 
The  timber  was  hewed  by  George  W. 
Jones  and  his  brother  and  was  framed 
for  the  church  by  the  father.  He  also 
worked  by  the  day  as  a  carpenter  on  the 
building,  likewise  gave  money  for  its  con- 
struction and  was  never  known  to  refuse 
a  call  for  aid  in  worthy  Christian  work 
or  benevolent  purpose.  He  was  one  of 
the  first  converts  under  the  teaching  of 
General  T.  S.  Brockman  in  1857  and 
throughout  his  entire  life  his  actions  were 
guided  by  high  purpose  and  worthy  mo- 
tives. His  Christianity  was  not  in  reserve 
for  Sunday  use  but  permeated  his  every- 
day life  and  work  and  found  exemplifi- 
cation in  his  business.  He  was  a  very 
industrious  man  and  could  never  be  in- 
duced to  execute  a  poor  job.  He  was 
always  at  work,  rain  or  shine,  and  did 
all  of  the  work  for  Norman  Hobart,  who 


had  the  best  mill  ever  erected  in  the 
county.  He  also  built  other  mills  and 
he  wove  thousands  of  yards  of  carpet, 
operating  looms  in  an  early  day.  A  man 
of  domestic  tastes  he  had  great  love  for 
his  home  and  in  his  family  displayed  the 
most  kindly,  generous  spirit.  All  who 
knew  him  respected  him  for  his  genuine 
worth  and  his  history  well  deserves  men- 
tion in  this  volume,  as  he  was  one  of  the 
early  settlers  of  the  county  and  did  much 
to  promote  its  upbuilding  and  develop- 
ment. 

He  and  his  wife  lived  upon  the  farm 
until  their  children  prevailed  upon  them 
to  leave  it  and  take  up  their  abode  in  Car- 
thage, where  they  remained  until  called 
to  their  final  rest.  They  experienced 
many  privations  and  hardships  during 
their  early  life  as  pioneers  in  Illinois.  He 
first  built  his  house  on  the  hill  at  the 
advice  of  friends  but  had  to  move  it  down, 
so  that  the  neighbors  hitched  twenty 
yoke  of  oxen  to  it  and  in  this  way  took 
it  to  its  present  site,  hauling  the  building 
with  very  strong  chains.  The  number 
of  their  friends  was  almost  co-extensive 
with  the  number  of  their  acquaintances 
and  they  were  classed  among  the  most 
respected  and  worthy  pioneer  residents  of 
the  county. 


HENRY  C.  WILLIAMS. 

Henry  C.  Williams,  one  of  the  promi- 
nent residents  of  Walker  township,  who 
has  attained  a  goodly  measure  of  suc- 
cess in  his  farming  operations,  was  born 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


485 


in  Kentucky  on  September  20,  1829,  his 
parents  being  Levi  and  Mary  (Reid) 
Williams,  who  were  likewise  natives  of 
Kentucky.  Both  were  born  in  Madison 
county,  the  father  in  1794  and  the  mother 
in  1796.  His  life  was  given  to  the  work 
of  the  farm,  and  thinking  to  more  readily 
achieve  success  by  establishing  a  home 
on  the  frontier  he  came  to  Hancock 
county  in  1832,  settling  in  Walker  town- 
ship. The  land  was  largely  unbroken  prai- 
rie or  uncut  forests,  and  he  lived  in  a  little 
log  cabin  for  some  years  in  true  pioneer 
style,  sharing  in  the  hardships  and  pri-  • 
vations,  the  pleasures  and  the  opportuni- 
ties which  come  to  those  who  establish 
homes  on  the  frontier.  He  had  previous- 
ly served  his  country  as  a  soldier  in  the 
war  of  1812,  and  again  his  military  spirit 
was  manifest  in  the  attempt  which  was 
made  by  the  settlers  to  drive  the  Mor- 
mons from  the  county  in  1844,  resulting 
in  the  expulsion  of  the  sect  whose  polyg- 
amous practices  were  obnoxious  to  the 
law-abiding  citizens.  He  was  also  a 
member  of  the  Illinois  militia  and  served 
with  the  rank  of  colonel,  commanding  a 
regiment.  His  political  allegiance  was 
given  to  the  whig  party  and  his  last  pres- 
idential vote  was  cast  for  Abraham  Lin- 
coln. He  died  in  the  year  1860,  while 
his  wife  passed  away  in  1872,  and  they 
were  laid  to  rest  in  Walker  township. 
People  of  the  highest  respectability,  they 
won  the  hearty  esteem  and  confidence  of 
all  with  whom  they  were  associated.  In 
their  family  were  five  children,  of  whom 
three  are  now  living:  John  R.,  of  War- 
saw ;  Rice  C.,  of  Peoria,  Illinois ;  and 
Henry  C.,  of  this  review. 

When  only  three  years  of  age  Henry  C. 


Williams  was  brought  by  his  parents  to 
Hancock  county,  and  in  the  primitive 
schools  of  Walker  township  he  acquired 
a  knowledge  of  the  common  branches  of 
English  learning.  His  training  at  farm 
labor  was  not  meager,  for  he  early  as- 
sisted in  the  arduous  task  of  developing 
new  land  and  remained  upon  the  old 
homestead  with  his  parents  until  long 
after  he  had  attained  his  majority.  At 
the  time  of  the  early  gold  excitement  in 
California  he  made  a  trip  to  the  Pacific 
coast,  spending  three  years  in  the  mines 
and  in  traveling  over  that  part  of  the 
country.  Following  his  return  to  Han- 
cock county  he  engaged  in  fanning  in 
Walker  township  and  throughout  the 
greater  part  of  his  life  has  continuously 
followed  general  agricultural  pursuits. 
He  completed  his  arrangements  for  hav- 
ing a  home  of  his  own,  by  his  marriage  in 
1858.  to  Miss  Martha  J.  Quick,  who  was 
born  in  Bullet  county,  Kentucky,  in  1840, 
a  daughter  of  Alfred  and  Susan  E.  Quick, 
both  of  whom  were  born  about  twenty- 
five  miles  from  Louisville,  Kentucky, 
whence  they  came  to  Hancock  county  in 
1847,  settling  in  Rocky  Run  township. 
Her  father  was  a  stalwart  republican  but 
not  an  office  seeker.  In  his  family  were 
seven  children :  Preston  X.  Quick,  now 
living  in  Rocky  Run  township;  Samuel, 
of  the  same  township;  James  A.,  a  resi- 
dent of  Missouri ;  Susan,  the  wife  of 
James  Shipe,  of  Warsaw;  and  three  who 
have  passed  away.  The  mother's  death 
occurred  in  July,  1892,  and  the  father  died 
in  1895,  his  remains  being  then  interred 
by  her  side  in  a  cemetery  in  Rocky  Run 
township. 

Prior  to  his  marriage   Mr.   Williams 


486 


BIOGRAPHICAL  RETIEU' 


purchased  one  hundred  and  thirteen  acres 
of  land  in  Walker  township  and  upon 
this  farm  he  has  made  all  of  the  improve- 
ments, erecting  a  pretty  home  in  1879, 
and  at  different  times  other  substantial 
structures  in  the  way  of  barns  and  sheds 
for  the  shelter  of  grain  and  stock.  He 
was  quite  successful  in  the  work  of  tilling 
the  soil  and  has  also  raised  some  stock. 
At  the  same  time  he  has  not  been  neglect- 
ful of  public  duties  and  interests  and  has 
served  as  school  trustee  and  director. 
His  political  allegiance  is  given  to  the 
Republican  party. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Williams  were  born 
five  children,  the  birthplace  of  all  being 
the  present  home  farm.  These  are: 
Rosa  A.,  the  wife  of  J.  C.  Perry,  of 
Bowen.  Illinois,  by  whom  she  has  three 
children,  Russell.  Stella  and  Grace;  Rob- 
ert M.,  who  wedded  Anna  Denton,  by 
whom  he  has  three  children,  Earl,  Lo- 
vetta,  and  Dolores,  their  home  being  in 
the  state  of  Missouri ;  William  P.,  who 
resides  in-  Wrythe  township,  and  married 
Etta  Lane,  by  whom  he  has  two  sons, 
Ralph  and  Lloyd;  lona  J.,  who  is  acting 
as  her  father's  housekeeper;  and  Luella 
M.,  the  wife  of  John  T.  Gabel,  of  \Vythe 
township,  by  whom  she  has  two  chil- 
dren, Harold  and  Edna.  The  wife  and 
mother  died  April  22,  1895,  and  was  laid 
to  rest  in  Wilcox  cemetery.  She  passed 
away  in  the  faith  of  the  Christian  church, 
of  which  she  was  a  devoted  and  faithful 
member.  In  her  life  she  exemplified 
many  sterling  traits  of  character  and  thus 
left  behind  her  many  warm  friends  who 
yet  cherish  her  memory.  Mr.  Williams 
is  also  a  devoted  member  of  the  Christian 
church,  in  which  he  has  served  as  deacon 


and  treasurer  for  some  time.  He  began 
life  with  limited  resources  but  through 
economy,  upright  life  and  business  ability, 
and  the  aid  of  his  wife,  who  was  indeed 
a  faithful  companion  and  helpmate  to  him 
on  life's  journey,  he  has  accumulated  a 
comfortable  competence  and  is  now  en- 
abled to  enjoy  many  of  the  comforts  of 
life,  while  in  the  community  he  stands 
high  in  public  regard  as  one  who  is 
worthy  of  the  ties  of  home  and  friendship 
and  to  the  duties  of  citizenship  as  well 
as  to  the  obligations  of  the  business 
world. 


JOSEPH  E.  HELFRICH. 

Joseph  E.  Helfrich,  postmaster  of  Car- 
thage, was  born  in  this  city  November 
15,  1860,  a  son  of  John  and  Josephine 
(Loring)  Helfrich.  The  father  was  born 
and  reared  in  Germany  and  in  1857  came 
to  the  United  States  to  avoid  compulsory 
military  service  in  his  country,  settling 
first  in  Ohio,  but  soon  afterward  remov- 
ing to  Carthage.  Here  he  met  and  mar- 
ried Miss  Loring,  a  daughter  of  Fred- 
erick Loring,  who  came  to  Illinois  from 
Vermont.  Mr.  Helf rich's  desire  to  avoid 
military  service  was  not  from  any  lack 
of  courage  on  his  part  as  was  soon,  dem- 
onstrated by  the  patriotism  and  loyalty 
he  displayed  to  his  native  country  when 
the  United  States  became  involved  in  the 
Civil  war.  \Vith  firm  belief  in  the  right- 
eousness of  the  Union  cause,  he  enlisted 
in  1861  as  a  member  of  Company  B,  One 
Hundred  and  Eighteenth  Illinois  Volun- 


JOSEPH  E.  HELFRICH 


^ 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


487 


teer  Infantry  and  served  until  the  close 
of  the  hostilities  without  hospital  record. 
He  was  always  at  his  post  of  duty  and 
participated  in  many   important  engage- 
ments.    Returning  to  the  north  when  the 
war  was  over  he  opened  a  meat  market 
in  Carthage  in  1865  and  continued  in  that 
business    successfully   until    his   death    in 
1887.     He  was  a  very  active  and  earnest 
worker  in  support  of  the  Republican  party 
but  not  an  aspirant  for  office.     That  he 
gave  his  aid  willingly  and  freely  to  the 
country  in  the  dark  days  of  the  Civil  war 
is  not  only  indicated  by  his  valorous  ser- 
vice on  the  field  of  battle  but  also  by  his 
refusal  to  apply  for  a  pension.     He  was 
nominated   on   the   republican   ticket   for 
the  office  of  sheriff  when  the  county  had 
a    normal    democratic    majority    of    one 
thousand  and  his  personal  duty  and  the 
confidence  reposed  in  him  by  his  fellow 
townsmen   is  indicated  by  the  fact  that 
he  was  defeated  by  only  sixty-two  votes. 
He  was  reared  in  the"  faith  of  the  Catho- 
lic church,  while  his  wife  was  a  member  of 
the  Christian  church.     She  is  still  living 
and  is  a  most  active,  effective  and  earnest 
worker  in  the  Christian  church  and'  its  at- 
tendant   societies.      She    is    greatly    re- 
spected   and    admired    among    the    older 
residents  of  the  city,  where  she  has  many 
friends.     In  the  family  were  seven  sons 
and  two  daughters,  all  of  whom  are  now 
living  in  Carthage:    Joseph  E.,  of  this  re- 
view; Mary  C.,  the  wife  of  J.  L.  Wolfe; 
Estella,  the  wife  of  L.  G.  Gerard ;  Charles 
N. ;  George  V.,  state's  attorney  for  Han- 
cock county ;  John  F. ;  Albert  H. ;  Leo  L. ; 
and  Oliver  C.  Helfrich. 

Joseph  E.  Helfrich,  the  eldest  of  the 
family,  was  educated  in  the  public  schools 


and  afterward  became  his  father's  assist- 
ant in  the  meat  market  and  subsequent  to 
the  father's  death  purchased  the  business, 
which  has  been  conducted  in  the  same 
.buildjjjg  for  forty  years.  It  is  situated 
on  the  sqjffihjglfeof  the  square  and  is  now 
the  propert/jc^^Sy.  Helfrich  of  this  re- 
view, the  enterprise  being  the  oldest  busi- 
ness conducted  urkter  the  same  name  in 
the  city.  Mr.  Helfwch  enjoys  an  unas- 
sailable reputation  in  business  circles  for 
his  reliability  and  enterprise.  He  is  ever 
straightforward  in  his  dealings  and  well 
merits  the  success  which  has  come  to 
him,  for  it  has  resulted  from  close  ap- 
plication and  unfaltering  energy. 

Mr.  Helfrich  was  married  September 
i,  1 88 1,  to  Miss  Ida  May  Cudney,-  of  Car- 
thage, a  daughter  of  Peter  Cudney,  one 
of  the  earlier  residents  of  the  county,  who 
came  here  from  Michigan.  They  now 
have  three  children:  Mabel  A.,  the  wife 
of  Alva  M.  Williams,  a  resident  of  Breck- 
enridge,  this  county;  and  Edith  Lyle  and 
Otis  Lloyd,  both  at  home.  All  have  re- 
ceived good  educational  privileges.  The 
family  residence  is  at  the  corner  of  Main 
and  College  avenue  and  the  parents  and 
children  attend  and  support  the  Christian 
church. 

Mr.  Helfrich  is  a  member  of  Hancock 
lodge,  No.  20,  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted 
Masons,  of  which  he  has  been  worshipful 
master  for  two  terms  and  also  representa- 
tive to  the  grand  lodge.  He  belongs  to 
Carthage  chapter,  Royal  Arch  Masons, 
to  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows, 
the  Knights  of  Pythias  fraternity,  the 
Modern  Woodmen  camp,  Ancient  Order 
of  United  Workmen  and  Court  of  Honor 
and  is  a  worthy  exemplar  of  these  va- 


488 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


rious  organizations  which  have  their  basic 
element  in  mutual  helpfulness  and  broth- 
erly kindness.     In  politics  Mr.   Helfrich 
has   always   been   an   active  and   earnest 
republican  from  the  time  he  attained  his 
majority  and  lias  been  a  member  of  the 
district  central  committee  and  for  a  num- 
ber of  years,  chairman  of  the  township 
central    committee.     The    first    office    to 
which  he  was  elected  was  that  of  town- 
ship clerk,  while  later  he  was  supervisor 
of  Carthage  township  for  two  terms.     He 
has   attended   as   a   delegate  the  various 
county  and  congressional  conventions  but 
has  never  been  active  as  a  politician  in 
the  usually  accepted  sense  of  the  term. 
He  is,  however,  now  filling  the  position 
of  postmaster,  to  which  he  was  appointed 
by  President  Roosevelt  in  1902.     During 
his   incumbency   the   postoffice   has   been 
advanced  from  a  third  to  a  second  class 
and  four  new  rural  free  delivery  routes 
have   been    established,    while   there   has 
been  a  large  increase  in  the  amount  of 
business  done,  the  revenue  being  increased 
twenty-five   per    cent.     There    are   three 
assistants  employed  in  the  office  and  Mr. 
Helfrich    was   re-appointed,    May,    1906. 
which  is  entirely  satisfactory  to  the  citi- 
zens at  large,  for  his  administration  has 
been    acceptable    to    all,    owing    to    his 
promptness  and  reliability  in  the  discharge 
of  his  duties.     His  residence  in  the  city 
covers  the  entire  period  of  his  life  and  he 
is  one  of  its  most  respected  and  worthy 
business  men  and  officers. 

On  the  President's  call  for  volunteers 
for  the  Spanish- American  war  in  1898, 
Mr.  Helfrich  organized  a  company  of 
one  hundred  and  thirty  men,  known  as 
the  Hancock  County  Volunteers,  and  the 


whole  company  was  very  much  disap- 
pointed on  finding  that  the  quota  for  the. 
state  had  been  filled  when  their  regiment 
was  enlisted.  Mr.  Helfrich  served  nine 
years  in  the  state  militia,  resigning  the 
captaincy  of  his  company,  owing  to  lack 
of  time. 


JOHN  B.  JOHNSON. 

John  B.  Johnson,  who  since  1901  has 
resided  in  Carthage,  prior  to  which  date 
he  was  engaged  in  farming  and  stock- 
raising  in  Hancock  county,  was  bom  in 
St.  Mary's  township,  March  4,  1867,  his 
parents  being  M.  M.  and  Mary  (Bacon) 
Johnson.  The  father's  birth  also  occurred 
in  St.  Mary's  township,  Hancock  county, 
while  the  mother  was  born  in  Tennessee 
township,  McDonough  county.  The  fa- 
ther died  April  7.  1906,  and  the  mother 
lives  at  Carthage.  Further  mention  is 
made  of  the  family  in  connection  with 
the  sketch  of  the  father  on  another  page 
of  this  work. 

John  B.  Johnson  was  educated  in  the 
district  schools  of  St.  Mary's  township, 
in  Carthage  College  and  in  Bloomington 
College  in  this  state.  During  the  periods 
of  vacation  he  assisted  in  the  labors  of 
the  farm  and  remained  with  his  parents 
upon  the  old  homestead  until  he  had  at- 
tained his  majority,  giving  his  attention 
to  farming  and  stock-raising.  In  Octo- 
ber, 1894,  he  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Stella  Walker,  a  daughter  of  Thom- 
as I.  and  Mary  (Atchinson)  Walker,  and 
a  native  of  St.  Mary's,  Hancock  county. 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


489 


where  she  was  born  October  3,  1870,  and 
made  her  home  until  she  came  to  live  in 
Carthage.  Her  father  is  also  a  resident 
of  Carthage  but  her  mother  passed  away 
February  I,  1905.  Mrs.  Johnson  contin- 
ued her  education  in  the  high  schools  and 
in  the  college  of  Carthage  and  is  a  well 
informed  lady  of  innate  culture  and  re- 
finement, who  presides  with  gracious  hos- 
pitality over  their  pleasant  home.  For 
seven  years  after  their  marriage  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Johnson  lived  upon  a  farm  in  St. 
Mary's  township,  but  in  1901  removed 
to  -the  city,  purchasing  a  new  house  at 
the  corner  of  Adams  and  Buchanan 
streets.  Mr.  Johnson  is  still  engaged  in 
farming  and  stock-raising,  but  superin- 
tends his  business  interests  while  living  in 
Carthage.  He  feeds  about  three  hundred 
head  of  cattle  a  year  and  also  a  large 
number  of  hogs  and  deals  quite  exten- 
sively in  horses.  He  also  owns  some  lots 
in  Carthage  in  addition  to  his  residence 
property  and  he  has  his  office  at  the  Stock 
Exchange  in  the  McMahon  building  on 
Adams  street.  He  likewise  has  an  im- 
proved farm  of  two  hundred  and  forty 
acres  of  land  in  Carthage  township  and 
one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  in 
St.  Mary's  township.  He  is  yet  a  young 
man  but  has  attained  considerable  suc- 
cess in  business  affairs  and  has  accumu- 
lated a  very  desirable  competence. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Johnson  is 
a  democrat  and  has  served  as  supervisor 
and  school  director.  He  belongs  to  the 
Woodmen  camp  and  he  and  his  wife  are 
devoted,  active  and  faithful  members  of 
the  Methodist  church,  in  which  he  is  serv- 
ing as  steward.  Both  are  eligible  to 
membership  with  the  Sons  and  Daugh- 


ters of  the  American  Revolution,  being 
descended  from  ancestors  who  fought  for 
the  independence  of  the  nation.  They 
have  an  attractive  home,  tastefully  fur- 
nished, and  books  and  music  indicate  the 
interests  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Johnson.  She 
has  greatly  aided  her  husband  in  all  of 
his  undertakings  and  both  enjoy  in  large 
measure  the  esteem  and  good  will  of 
many  friends.  He  has  already  attained  a 
creditable  place  in  business  circles  and  yet 
is  hardly  in  the  prime  of  life,  so  that  the 
future  probably  holds  in  store  for  him 
greater  successes. 


CHARLES  F.   SPENCE. 

Charles  F.  Spence,  engaged  in  general 
farming  and  stock-raising  in  Montebello 
township,  is  one  of  Illinois'  native  sons, 
and  from  his  youth  has  resided  largely 
in  Hancock  county.  His  birth,  however, 
occurred  in  Adams  county  on  the  26th 
of  July,  1 86 1,  his  parents  being  Abram 
and  Angeline  (Hulse)  Spence,  both  na- 
tives of  Ohio.  The  maternal  grandpar- 
ents, Thomas  and  Elizabeth  Hulse,  were 
likewise  natives  of  the  Buckeye  state. 
Abram  Spence,  in  his  early  manhood  re- 
moved from  Ohio  to  Adams  county,  Illi- 
nois, where  he  was  married  and  there  his 
death  occurred  in  1862.  Following  his 
demise  his  widow  made  her  home  near 
Beverly,  Illinois,  where  she  engaged  ih 
teaching  school,  and  in  1866,  she  gave 
her  hand  in  marriage  to  Peter  Williams, 
a  farmer  of  that  locality.  By  this  union 


490 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REV  IE}}' 


there  were  born  four  children,  two  sons 
and  two  daughters,  of  whom  three  are 
now  living,  Mary  Etta,  William  G.  and 
Frank  E.,  all  of  whom  are  residents  of 
Camp  Point,  Illinois,  while  Melissa,  who 
was  the  second  in  order  of  birth,  died  at 
the  age  of  two  years.  By  the  mother's 
first  marriage  there  were  two  sons,  the 
elder  being  Dr.  John  T.  Spence,  who  is  a 
practicing  physician  at  Camp  Point,  Illi- 
nois. The  death  of  Mrs.  Spence  occurred 
April  28,  1899. 

Charles  F.  Spence  lived  with  his 
mother  to  the  age  of  seventeen  years, 
when  he  began  earning  his  own  living  by 
working  by  the  month  as  a  farm  hand  in 
Adams  and  Hancock  counties.  He  was 
thus  employed  until  a  year  prior  to  his 
marriage,  when  he  purchased  seventy-nine 
acres  of  land  on  section  26,  Walker  town- 
ship, Hancock  county,  whereon  he  re- 
sided for  four  years.  He  then  purchased 
one  hundred  acres  on  section  35,  Monte- 
bello  township  and  the  year  following  his 
removal  to  his  new  purchase  he  sold  his 
property  in  \Valker  township.  The  one- 
hundred-acre  tract  was  quite  well  im- 
proved when  he  took  possession.  It  was 
a  stock  farm  and  Mr.  Spence  has  here  en- 
gaged extensively  in  raising  stock.  He 
has  an  eight-ton  stock  scale  upon  his  place, 
and  from  time  to  time  he  has  made  sub- 
stantial improvements.  He  also  built 
two  corn-cribs,  one  a  double  crib.  Later 
he  built  two  more  cribs  and  afterward 
a  hay  barn  twenty-six  by  thirty-six  feet 
with  a  nine  foot  shed  on  three  sides.  In 
1896  he  had  a  well  drilled  to  the  depth 
of  one  hundred  and  twenty-six  feet.  He 
farms  very  little  upon  his  place,  having 
eighteen  acres  only  in  corn,  while  the 


remainder  of  his  land  is  used  for  pastur- 
age or  for  the  raising  of  hay.  However, 
he  gives  his  personal  supervision  to  the 
conduct  of  a  farm  of  seventy-seven  acres 
on  section  34-,  Montebello  township,  culti- 
vating the  fields  for  the  purpose  of  rais- 
ing the  cereals  best  adapted  to  soil  and 
climate.  '  He  is,  however,  best  known  as 
a  stockman  and  raises  horses,  hogs  and 
cattle.  He  also  buys  and  deals  in  cattle, 
feeding  and  shipping  about  eighty  or  one 
hundred  head  annually.  He  also  deals 
quite  extensively  in  hogs,  feeding  about 
three  hundred  head  per  year. 

On  the  1 7th  of  February,  1886,  Mr. 
Spence  was  married  to  Miss  Dora  Har- 
rison, who  was  born  in  Walker  town- 
ship, Hancock  county,  September  16, 

1864.  She  is  a  granddaughter  of  John 
and  Martha   (Ainsworth)   Harrison,  na- 
tives of  Lancashire,  England,  and  came 
to  America  about   1842,   and  settled  in 
Walker^township  in  1842.     It  was  in  that 
township   that   their   son,   William   Har- 
rison,   who   was   eighteen   years   of   age 
when  he  came  to  America,  the  year  before 
his  parents,   was  united  in   marriage  to 
Miss  Maria  Kirkendall,  October  19,  1851. 
She   was   born    in    Pennsylvania,    and   a 
daughter  of  David  Kirkendall,  who  was 
born    in    Scotland.     The   death   of   Mrs. 
Maria    Harrison    occurred    August    25, 

1865,  and  the  father  afterward  married 
again.     His   death   occurred   January   8, 
1901.     By  his  first  marriage  he  had  four 
sons  and  four  daughters,  of  whom  Mrs. 
Spence  is  the  youngest.     By  her  marriage 
she  became  the  mother  of  three  children, 
of  whom  two  died  in  infancy,  while  Carl 
H.,   the   eldest,   was  born   November  8, 
1894,  and  died  February  16,  1895.     The 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


491 


only  living  child  is  Charles  W.,  who  was 
.born  June  13,  1897. 

Mr.  Spence  gives  his  political  support 
to  the  democracy  and  is  a  member  of  the 
Masonic  fraternity,  having  taken  the  de- 
grees of  the  lodge  and  chapter  in  Elvas- 
ton.  Starting  out  in  life  on  his  own  ac- 
count when  seventeen  years  of  age  he  has 
always  been  dependent  upon  his  own  re- 
sources and  investigation  into  his  life 
history  will  show  that  his  success  is  at- 
tributable to  his  own  labors.  He  has 
never  been  idle  for  a  single  day  and  indo- 
lence is  utterly  foreign  to  his  nature.  He 
has  worked  persistently  making  the  best 
possible  use  of  his  opportunities  and  he 
is  justly  accounted  one  of  the  foremost 
citizens  and  representative  agriculturists 
of  Montebello  township. 


WILLIAM  DICKSON   BRADSHAW. 

William  Dickson  Bradshaw  is  a  prom- 
inent pioneer  of  Hancock  county,  where 
he  owns  and  operates  large  landed  pos- 
sessions and  is  also  engaged  quite  exten- 
sively in  the  raising  of  cattle.  He  was 
born  in  Jacksonville,  Morgan  county, 
this  state,  March  30,  1837.  His  father, 
Joel  Bradshaw,  was  born  in  Sparta, 
White  county,  Tennessee,  in  1812,  and 
when  a  little  lad  of  seven  years  was 
brought  from  the  south  to  Illinois  by  his 
parents,  John  and  Mary  (Morgan) 
Bradshaw,  natives  of  Tennessee  and  Ken- 
tucky respectively,  the  family  home  being 
established  in  Morgan  county,  near  Jack- 


sonville. Here  the  father  spent  his  boy- 
hood and  youth,  and  after  reaching  man's 
estate  was  there  married  to  Miss  Cather- 
ine Dickson,  who  was  born  in  Tennessee 
in  1815,  a  daughter  of  Hugh  J.  and  Mar- 
garet (Tunk)  Dickson,  the  former  a  na- 
tive of  Baltimore,  Maryland,  while  the 
latter  claimed  the  Keystone  state  as  the 
place  of  her  nativity,  and  upon  leaving 
the  south  they,  too,  located  in  Morgan 
county,  in  1817,  their  home  being  near 
the  Bradshaws.  Hugh  J.  Dickson  served 
as  a  soldier  in  the  Seminole  war  in  Flor- 
ida. After  his  marriage,  which  occurred 
March  20,  1834,  the  father  of  our  sub- 
ject then  removed  from  Morgan  county 
to  this  county,  the  time  of  his  arrival  be- 
ing about  August  20,  1837.  He  located 
in  La  Harpe  township,  where  he  pur- 
chased six  hundred  acres  of  wild  and  un- 
improved land,  and  taking  up  his  abode 
here  he  at  once  began  the  work  of  de- 
veloping and  cultivating  the  land,  erect- 
ing many  buildings  and  otherwise  im- 
proving the  place  until  he  made  it  a  very 
valuable  and  productive  farm  property. 
In  addition  to  his  farming  interests  he 
engaged  quite  extensively  in  the  raising 
of  horses,  cattle  and  hogs,  keeping  only 
the  best  grades  of  stock  upon  his  farm. 
He  was  a  very  prominent  and  influential 
man  in  his  day  and  was  a  leader  in  the 
upbuilding  and  development  of  this  por- 
tion of  the  state,  and  here  his  death  oc- 
curred November  5th  at  the  age  of  seven- 
ty-nine. In  the  family  of  this  worthy  pio- 
neer couple  were  born  ten  children,  but 
only  two  brothers  and  one  sister  of  our 
subject  are  now  living.  The  family  rec- 
ord is  as  follows :  Jane,  who  was  born 
March  14,  1835,  and  is  now  deceased; 


492 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REl'IEU7 


\\"illiam  D.,  of  this  review ;  Mary  Jane, 
who  was  bom  January  3,  1839,  and  be- 
came the  wife  of  Frank  Hine,  of  Jack- 
sonville, Illinois,  but  is  now  deceased; 
George  W.,  who  was  born  January  I, 

1841,  and  is  a  resident  of  La  Harpe;  Su- 
sanna E.,  who  was  born  December   18, 

1842,  and  died  at  the  age  of  six  years; 
Sarah    L.,    who   was   born    January    14, 
1845,  and  became  the  wife  of  William  C. 
Bainter,  but  is  now  deceased ;  Emma  E., 
who  was  born  February  8,  1847,  and  the 
widow  of  James  Davis,  now  making  her 
home  in  La  Harpe;  Elvina  G.,  who  was 
born  May  20,  1849,  and  passed  away  at 
the  age  of  six  years;  Joel  G.,  who  was 
born  October  2,   1852,  and  passed  away 
in   1894;  and  James  M.,  who  was  born 
December  20,  1855,  and  now  occupies  the 
old  homestead   farm.     The  mother  died 
in  1859. 

William  D.  Bradshaw  pursued  his  edu- 
cation in  the  common  schools  of  Morgan 
county,  but  his  educational  privileges 
were  very  limited  owing  to  the  unsettled 
condition  of  the  country  and  the  lack  of 
a  good  school  system.  He  has,  however, 
through  reading  and  observation  added 
to  his  fund  of  knowledge  until  he  has  be- 
come a  well  informed  man.  He  was  early 
trained  to  the  duties  of  farm  labor,  as- 
sisting his  father  in  the  arduous  work  of 
breaking  and  cultivating  wild  land,  and 
sharing  with  the  family  in  all  of  the 
hardships  and  privations,  as  well  as  the 
pleasures  of  a  frontier  existence.  When 
he  came  to  this  county  deer  and  other 
wild  beasts  were  to  be  seen  roaming 
through  the  forest,  and  there  was  much 
wild  game  of  all  kinds  to  be  had,  so  that 
the  early  settlers  could  indulge  in  hunt- 


ing in  those  days,  and  thus  the  family 
board  was  frequently  supplied  with  wild 
meat  of  various  kinds.  He  remained  with 
his  parents  until  the  time  of  his  marriage, 
when  on  the  22d  of  December,  1867,  he 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mary  E. 
Bainter,  a  daughter  of  Daniel  and  Sarah 
(Huston)  Bainter,  who,  after  their  mar- 
riage in  Ohio,  made  an  overland  trip  to 
this  state,  the  year  of  their  arrival  being 
1835.  Thus,  like  the  Bradshaws,  they 
were  numbered  among  the  early  pioneer 
settlers  of  this  portion  of  the  state. 

Following  his  marriage  Mr.  Bradshaw 
purchased  a  farm  of  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres,  on  which  he  has  placed  many 
improvements  in  the  way  of  fences,  sub- 
stantial outbuildings  and  a  fine  country 
residence,  and  here  he  has  continued  to 
make  his  home  to  the  present  time.  He 
has  added  a  tract  of  one  hundred  and  fifty 
acres,  located  on  section  31,  so  that  he 
has  here  extensive  holdings,  on  which  he 
is  engaged  in  general  farming  and  has 
raised  cattle  to  quite  an  extent,  this 
branch  of  his  business  proving  a  gratify- 
ing source  of  income.  His  place  is  well 
tiled  and  the  land  is  placed  under  a  high 
state  of  cultivation,  so  that  he  annually 
gathers  abundant  crops  as  the  result  of 
the  care  and  labor  he  bestows  upon  the 
fields.  He  follows  only  the  best  methods 
of  farming  and  uses  the  latest  improved 
farm  implements  to  facilitate  his  work. 
Unto  our  subject  and  his  wife  was  born 
one  daughter,  Sarah  Margaret,  who  was 
bom  November  4,  1868.  Her  death  oc- 
curred in  June,  1894,  she  having  been  a 
great  sufferer  from  rheumatism  for  many 
years  prior  to  her  death. 

Mr.  Bradshaw's  study  of  the  current 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


493 


events  of  the  nation  has  led  him  to  give 
heart}-  support  to  the  Democratic  party. 
For  twenty  years  he  served  as  school 
treasurer  of  La  Harpe  township,  and  in 
many  ways  has  given  active  and  helpful 
support  to  local  advancement  and  prog- 
ress. He  has  now  almost  reached  the 
seventieth  milestone  on  life's  journey  and 
during  the  long  years  of  his  residence 
here  has  seen  marvelous  changes  as  the 
wild  land  has  been  converted  into  rich 
farming  property,  towns  and  villages 
have  sprung  into  existence  and  the  work 
of  development  and  improvement  along 
commercial,  industrial  and  agricultural 
lines  has  been  carried  forward,  and  he 
has  not  only  been  a  witness  of  all  this 
but  has  been  an  active  participant  and  a 
leader  in  many  movements  whereby  the 
general  public  has  benefited.  He  and  his 
wife  are  worthy  pioneer  people,  highly 
esteemed  throughout  the  county  where 
they  have  so  long  lived  and  labored  and 
where  they  enjoy  the  good  will  and  con- 
fidence of  a  host  of  friends,  to  whom 
they  have  become  endeared  by  reason  of 
the  many  excellent  traits  of  character 
which  they  possess. 


GEORGE  CLERE. 

George  Clere,  who  is  engaged  in  gen- 
eral farming  in  Bear  Creek  township,  has 
a  place  that  is  well  kept,  denoting  his 
great  neatness,  thrift  and  enterprise.  He 
was  born  upon  this  farm  April  30,  1872, 
and  is  a  son  of  Theodore  and  Catherine 


(Miller)  Clere.  His  father  was  born 
in  France  and  crossed  the  ocean  when 
ten  years  of  age  with  his  parents.  Soon, 
however,  they  became  residents  of  Cler- 
mont  county,  Ohio.  At  a  later  date 
Theodore  Clere  went  to  California,  where 
he  remained  for  ten  years,  and  in  1869, 
he  was  married  and  came  to  Illinois.  His 
wife  was  born  and  reared  in  Highland 
county,  Ohio,  and  both  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Clere  are  now  living  in  Basco.  Although 
a  blacksmith  by  trade  Mr.  Clere  has  fol- 
lowed farming  for  many  years  and  is 
now  associated  with  his  son  George  in 
the  conduct  of  agricultural  interests. 
Mrs.  Clere  had  one  brother,  Henry  Miller, 
who  was  a  soldier  in  the  Civil  war  for 
three  years,  enlisting  from  Ohio.  He  lost 
his  eyesight  in  the  service.  He  was  not 
in  any  battles  but  was  an  expert  bridge- 
builder,  who  with  other  workmen  of  this 
character  went  ahead  of  the  army  and 
built  bridges  and  other  such  work,  so  that 
the  armies  could  continue  their  progress. 
While  thus  engaged  he  was  shot  at  many 
times. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Theodore  Clere 
have  been  born  four  children :  George, 
of  this  review ;  Emma,  the  wife  of  Charles 
Hays,  who  is  living  near  Carthage ;  Eliza- 
beth, the  wife  of  Albert  Hartman,  resid- 
ing in  Bear  Creek  township ;  and  Cath- 
erine, the  wife  of  Dr.  William  Rankin, 
of  Basco,  Illinois. 

George  Clere  pursued  his  education  in 
the  schools  of  Basco  and  during  the  fall 
and  winter  of  1890-91  was  a  student  in 
the  Gem  City  Business  College,  at  Quincy, 
Illinois.  He  then  returned  to  the  old 
home  farm  and  assisted  his  father  in  its 
operation,  continuing  thereon  after  his 


494 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


marriage.  He  is  now  a  partner  of  his 
father  and  they  deal  very  extensively  in 
stock,  feeding  and  shipping  large  quanti- 
ties of  cattle. 

On  the  1 8th  of  October,  1898,  Mr. 
Clere  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Birdie  Rohrbaugh,  who  was  born  near 
Basco,  October  3,  1876,  and  is  a  daughter 
of  Solomon  and  Mary  (Tanner)  Rohr- 
baugh. Her  maternal  grandfather  was  a 
soldier  of  the  war  of  1812.  Her  father 
was  born  in  Virginia,  while  the  mother's 
birth  occurred  near  Plymouth,  Hancock 
county,  Illinois.  Mr.  Rohrbaugh  came 
to  this  state  when  quite  young  and  is 
now  living  in  Oquawka,  in  Henderson 
county,  Illinois.  His  wife  died,  how- 
ever, when  their  daughter,  Mrs.  Clere, 
was  a  little  maiden.  They  had  three  chil- 
dren :  Birdie;  Clarence,  who  is  living  in 
Leavenworth,  Kansas ;  and  Albert,  who 
died  at  the  age  of  fourteen  years. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Clere  began  their  do- 
mestic life  upon  the  old  homestead  farm, 
comprising  three  hundred  and  seventy 
acres  of  valuable  land  situated  on  sections 
22  and  23,  Bear  Creek  township.  It  is 
very  valuable  and  the  fields  are  productive 
because  of  the  care  and  cultivation  that 
has  been  bestowed  upon  them.  There 
are  also  good  buildings  upon  the  place 
and  everything  is  indicative  of  the  super- 
vision of  the  owner.  In  his  political 
views  George  Clere  is  a  stalwart  demo- 
crat, yet  has  ^never  been  an  aspirant  for 
office.  He  is  an  Odd  Fellow  and  has 
passed  all  of  the  chairs  in  the  local  lodge 
and  has  twice  been  representative  to  the 
grand  lodge.  He  also  holds  membership 
relations  with  the  Modern  Woodmen  of 
America,  and  he  and  his  wife  are  devoted 


members  of  the  Baptist  church.  The 
marriage  of  this  worthy  couple  has  been 
blessed  with  one  son,  Leslie,  who  was 
born  January  17,  1900,  on  the  same  farm 
where  the  father's  birth  occurred  and 
where  the  family  are  still  residing. 

Mr.  Clere  has  led  a  life  of  activity  and 
usefulness  and  much  that  he  possesses  has 
been  acquired  through  his  own  labor. 
He  has  worked  diligently  and  persistently 
as  the  years  have  gone  by  and  his  farm 
bears  every  evidence  of  his  care  and 
supervision. 


JOHN  J.  BODDEKER. 

The  man  whose  name  introduces  this 
review  is  one  of  the  prosperous  farmers 
of  Appanoose  township  that  Germany  has 
furnished  to  this  state.  Born  in  Prussia, 
Germany,  his  natal  day  was  March  6, 
1848,  his  parents  being  Joseph  and  Jo- 
sephine (Lengenman)  Boddeker.  He 
acquired  his  education  in  the  fatherland, 
and  at  the  age  of  twenty-three  years  en- 
listed for  service  in  the  German  army,  in 
which  he  served  for  six  months,  at  the  end 
of  which  time,  having  heard  favorable 
reports  concerning  the  advantages  and 
opportunities  to  be  enjoyed  in  the  new 
world,  he  decided  to  leave  his  native  land, 
and  accordingly  in  1871,  emigrated  to 
America,  making  his  way  at  once  to  Han- 
cock county,  where  he  spent  the  succeed- 
ing three  years  as  a  farm  hand,  working 
by  the  month  for  various  farmers  of  this 
locality.  Possessing  the  energetic,  in- 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


495 


dustrious  and  economical  spirit  so  char- 
acteristic of  the  German  element,  at  the 
end  of  three  years  he  was  enabled  to  en- 
gage in  farming  on  his  own  account  and 
then  removed  to  Knox  county,  Missouri, 
where  he  lived  on  a  rented  farm  for  eight 
years.  Here  he  carried  on  general  agri- 
cultural pursuits  and  met  with  such  good 
success  that  on  the  expiration  of  that 
period  he  had  capital  sufficient  to  justify 
the  purchase  of  land,  and  then  returned 
again  to  Appanoose  township,  where  he 
bought  eighty-eight  acres,  situated  on  sec- 
tion 14.  This  was  but  partially  improved 
but  he  at  once  set  to  work  to  further  im- 
prove the  land,  placing  his  fields  under 
cultivation,  from  which  he  annually  gath- 
ered good  crops.  He  has  erected  all  of 
the  buildings  which  are  today  found  upon 
his  farm,  and  from  time  to  time  has 
added  to  his  landed  possessions,  having 
in  1888  added  forty  acres  to  his  original 
purchase,  and  also  twenty-four  acres  of 
timber  land,  and  in  1899  he  bought  an 
additional  eighty-acre  tract,  so  that  he 
now  has  two  hundred  and  thirty-two  acres 
in  all,  of  which  one  hundred  acres  is  un- 
der a  high  state  of  cultivation.  The  re- 
mainder is  covered  with  timber  or  used 
as  pasture  land,  on  which  are  found  high 
grades  of  horses,  shorthorn  cattle  and 
Chester  White  hogs.  He  engages  quite 
extensively  in  the  raising  of  live  stock, 
and  this  branch  of  his  business  is  like- 
wise proving  a  good  source  of  revenue  to 
him.  In  1898  he  built  a  fine  country 
residence,  containing  nine  rooms,  and 
supplied  with  all  modern  conveniences  for 
the  comfort  and  convenience  of  the  in- 
mates. In  1903  he  built  a  large  barn 
seventy  by  fifty  feet,  which  furnishes 


ample  room  for  horses,  cattle  and  hay, 
and  he  also  has  many  other  outbuildings 
for  the  shelter  of  grain  and  stock,  and 
which  add  to  the  attractive  appearance 
of  his  place. 

As  a  companion  and  helpmate  on  life's 
journey  Mr.  Boddeker  chose  Miss  Mary 
Ponnaburg,  to  whom  he  was  married  on 
the  ist  of  January,  1875.  She  is  a  native 
of  this  township,  and  a  daughter  of  Henry 
and  Mary  Ann  Catherine  (Moss)  Ponna- 
burg, natives  of  Prussia.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Boddeker  have  become  the  parents  of  six 
sons  and  five  daughters,  namely :  Annie, 
who  was  born  April  7,  1876,  and  is  now 
the  wife  of  Henry  Schneider,  of  Appa- 
noose township;  Joseph,  born  March  6, 
1878,  likewise  a  resident  of  this  township ; 
Henry,  born  March  25,  1881,  and  a  resi- 
dent of  Pontoosuc  township;  John,  born 
March  3,  1884,  at  home;  Jennetta,  born 
March  18,  1886,  and  now  the  wife  of 
George  Hisler,  residing  near  Dallas,  Illi- 
nois; Antony,  born  June  n,  1888,  Jo- 
sephine, December  5,  1890,  Ferdinand, 
July  31,  1892,  Florence,  March  15,  1896, 
Isabella,  November  13,  1899,  and  Albert, 
born  March  7,  1903,  all  at  home  with 
their  parents. 

Coming  to  America  thirty-five  years 
ago,  possessing  little  capital,  and  without 
knowledge  of  the  language  or  customs  of 
the  new  world.  John  J.  Boddeker,  soon 
acquired  the  English  tongue  and  was 
quick  to  note  and  improve  any  opportu- 
nity that  presented  itself  for  advancement 
and  as  the  years  have  passed  he  has  grad- 
ually worked  his' way  up  until  he  is  now 
in  possession  of  a  comfortable  property. 
He  gives  his  political  support  to  the 
Democratic  party  and  is  a  communicant 


496 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REl'IEl}' 


of  the  Catholic  church.  Aside  from  hold- 
ing the  office  of  school  director  he  has 
served  in  no  other  official  capacity,  pre- 
ferring to  give  his  undivided  attention 
to  his  farming  interests,  in  which  he  is 
meeting  with  unbounded  success  and  is 
today  numbered  among  the  prosperous 
and  progressve  agriculturists  of  Appa- 
noose  township. 


WILLIAM   G.   MILBORN,   JR. 

William  G.  Milborn,  Jr.,  figures  prom- 
inently in  political  circles  in  Carthage, 
where  he  is  now  serving  as  city  treasurer 
and  also  occupies  an  enviable  position  in 
business  circles  as  one  of  the  proprietors 
of  the  Rand-Milborn  Cigar  Manufactur- 
ers. He  dates  his  residence  in  Carthage 
from  1873,  tne  Year  °f  his  birth,  his  par- 
ents being  William  G.  and  Barbara 
(Workman)  Milborn.  The  father,  a  na- 
tive of  Germany,  came  to  America  when 
a  young  man  about  twenty-one  years  of 
age,  landing  at  New  York.  He  is  a  cab- 
inetmaker by  trade  and  at  the  present 
writing  is  employed  in  J.  Nace's  furni- 
ture factory  in  Carthage,  having  made 
his  home  in  this  city  since  1870.  He  is 
now  sixty-two  years  of  age  and  his  wife 
is  also  living.  They  have  six  children 
who  still  liver  five  having  died  in  child- 
hood, the  record  of  the  sons  and  daugh- 
ters still  living  being  as  follows:  Wil- 
liam G.,  Jr- !  Charles,  who  is  living  with 
his  parents ;  Caroline,  who  is  employed  in 
a  store  in  Peoria,  Illinois ;  Emma,  An- 
tone  and  Esther,  all  at  home. 


At  the  usual  age  William  G.  Milborn, 
Jr..  entered  the  public  schools  and  there- 
in pursued  his  studies  until  he  entered 
business  life,  being  first  employed  in  a 
restaurant  for  a  period  of  four  years. 
He  afterward  learned  the  trade  of  a  cigar- 
maker  in  Carthage  and  on  the  3d  of  Feb- 
ruary, 1906,  embarked  in  business  on  his 
own  account  in  a  building  in  which  he 
had  been  employed  for  twelve  years.  The 
firm  is  now  known  as  the  Rand-Milborn 
Cigar  Company,  and  they  manufacture 
cigars,  having  the  largest  factory  of  the 
kind  in  the  city,  employing  ten  assistants 
in  Carthage,  while  they  have  upon  the 
road  a  traveling  salesman.  They  sell  to 
both  the  wholesale  and  retail  trade  and 
the  business  has  reached  extensive  pro- 
portions, making  it  a  profitable  enterprise. 
Mr.  Milborn  has  closely  applied  himself 
to  his  trade,  which  he  has  mastered  in 
principle  and  detail,  and  is  thus  compe- 
tent to  ably  direct  the  labors  of  those 
whom  he  now  employs. 

In  1894  Mr.  Milborn  was  married  to 
Miss  Sarah  M.  Marvel,  who  was  bom 
in  Chili  township,  September  25,  1871,  a 
daughter  of  William  B.  and  Mary  (Pow- 
ell) Marvel,  who  were  of  Scotch  descent. 
Her  father  is  a  retired  farmer  now  living 
in  Carthage  and  in  the  family  are  five 
daughters :  Eva ;  Mollie,  the  wife  of 
Cleophus  O'Harra,  of  Rapid  City,  South 
Dakota ;  Mrs.  Sarah  Milborn  ;  Alice ;  and 
Phillena,  the  wife  of  John  Rand,  Jr.,  a 
nephew  of  the  partner  of  our  subject. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Milborn  have  one  son, 
William  Marvel  Milborn.  who  was  bom 
in  Carthage.  April  26,  1905.  Mr.  Mil- 
born  has  recently  completed  a  handsome 
residence  on  North  Adams  street  and  he 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


497 


and  his  wife  occupy  an  enviable  position 
in  social  circles,  while  the  gracious  hos- 
pitality of  their  own  home  has  made  it 
a  favorite  resort  with  their  many  friends. 
Mr.  Milborn  is  a  Knight  of  Pythias  and 
has  served  as  chancellor  in  the  Court  of 
Honor,  which  position  he  still  holds.  In 
politics  he  has  always  been  a  stanch  dem- 
ocrat and  in  1905  was  elected  city  treas- 
urer of  Carthage,  in  which  position  he 
has  discharged  his  duties  in  prompt  and 
faithful  manner.  He  is  deeply  interested 
in  the  success  of  his  party  and  does  all 
in  his  power  to  insure  its  growth.  Both 
he  and  his  wife  are  faithful  members  of 
the  Presbyterian  church.  His  success  in 
business  is  largely  due  to  his  energy,  abil- 
ity and  genuine  uprightness. 


ALEXANDER  PHILLIPPI. 

Alexander  Phillippi  is  a  retired  farmer 
living  in  Colusa.  He  dates  his  residence 
in  this  county  since  1868,  during  which 
time  he  has  formed  a  wide  and  favorable 
acquaintance  among  the  residents  of  this 
part  of  the  state.  He  was  born  in  West- 
moreland county,  Pennsylvania,  Decem- 
ber 26,  1833,  his  parents  being  George 
and  Mary  (McMillan)  Phillippi.  Both 
were  natives  of  the  Keystone  state  and 
the  father,  who  was  born  in  October, 
1802,  followed  the  occupation  of  farming 
as  a  life  work.  He  always  lived  in  the 
vicinity  of  his  birthplace  and  both  he 
and  his  wife  have  now  passed  away.  Of 


their  four  children  two  are  living :  Eliza- 
beth, the  widow  of  Lewis  F.  Ambrose 
and  a  resident  of  Indiana ;  and  Alexander, 
of  this  review. 

To  the  district  school  system  of  his  na- 
tive state  Alexander  Phillippi  is  indebted 
for  the  educational  privileges  he  enjoyed. 
He  remained  under  the  parental  roof  until 
he  had  attained  his  majority  and  in  1856 
came  to  Illinois,  working  for  four  years 
by  the  month  as  a  farm  hand  in  Fulton 
county.  He  afterward  engaged  in  farm- 
ing on  the  shares  in  that  county  until 
March,  1868,  when  he  came  to  Hancock 
county,  Illinois,  settling  on  a  farm  of 
eighty  acres  in  Pilot  Grove  township, 
which  he  had  purchased  the  year  before 
and  where  he  lived  until  1886.  He  then 
exchanged  his  original  property  for  a 
quarter  section  of  land  also  on  section  5, 
Pilot  Grove  township,  which  he  still  owns. 
His  time  and  energies  were  devoted  to  its 
further  cultivation  and  improvement  until 
1897,  when  he  retired  from  farming  and 
removed  to  Colusa,  building  there  a  pretty 
cottage  which  he  now  occupies. 

In  early  manhood  Mr.  Phillippi  was 
married  to  Miss  Martha  Burnett,  who 
was  born  October  2,  1841,  and  was  reared 
in  Fulton  county,  Illinois.  Her  death 
occurred  in  1865  and  of  the  two  children 
born  of  that  marriage  only  one  is  now 
living:  George  M.,  who  was  born  in 
1863  and  resides  in  Nebraska.  Mrs. 
Phillippi  was  a  member  of  the  United 
Brethren  church  and  was  an  estimable 
lady  who  had  many  friends.  In  October, 
1868,  Mr.  Phillippi  was  again  married, 
his  second  union  being  with  Mrs.  Mary 
Fry,  widow  of  Isaac  Fry,  who  was  a  sol- 
dier of  the  Civil  war.  Mrs.  Phillippi  was 


498 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


born  in  Westmoreland  county,  Pennsyl- 
vania, a  daughter  of  Henry  and  Marga- 
ret Swartz.  She  had  two  children  by 
her  first  marriage;  Emma,  the  wife  of 
Edward  Weirather,  of  St.  Louis;  and 
Alma,  the  wife  of  William  Robertson,  of 
Kansas.  By  the  second  marriage  there 
are  two  children:  Mary  E.,  who  is  the 
wife  of  U.  S.  Swigert,  of  Colusa,  and  is 
postmistress;  and  Francis  M.,  of  Nash- 
ville, Tennessee. 

Mr.  Phillippi  exercises  his  right  of 
franchise  in  support  of  the  men  and  meas- 
ures of  the  democracy  and  has  held  a 
number  of  township  offices,  including 
that  of  road  supervisor.  He  has  also 
been  a  member  of  the  school  board  and 
is  interested  in  all  that  pertains  to  ma- 
terial, intellectual  and  moral  progress  in 
his  community.  Throughout  his  entire 
life  he  has  commanded  and  enjoyed  the 
respect  of  his  fellowmen  and  is  one  whose 
word  is  as  good  as  his  bond.  A  life  of 
energy  and  activity  has  been  crowned 
with  well-earned  rest  and  he  is  now  spend- 
ing the  evening  of  his  days  in  a  pleasant 
home  in  Colusa  surrounded  by  many  of 
life's  comforts. 


ANDREW  W.  BYERS. 

Andrew  W.  Byers,  the  late  owner  and 
proprietor  of  Riverside  Hotel  in  Dallas 
City,  displayed  many  progressive  meth- 
ods in  the  conduct  of  his  hostelry,  which 
he  kept  thoroughly  modern  in  its  equip- 
ments, while  putting  forth  effective  and 


earnest  effort  for  the  comfort  and  wel- 
fare of  his  patrons.  His  business  quali- 
fications and  his  genial  manner  made  him 
a  favorite  with  many  travelers  and  he  was 
popular  with  all  who  found  entertain- 
ment at  the  Riverside  Hotel.  His  life 
record  began  in  Fayette  county,  Penn- 
sylvania, in  1849,  -and  ended  in  Dallas 
City,  September  17,  1906,  his  parents  be- 
ing William  and  Esther  (Cochran)  By- 
ers, the  former  a  native  of  Westmore- 
land county,  and  the  latter  of  Fayette 
county,  Pennsylvania.  William  Byers 
was  a  farmer  by  occupation  and  in  the 
year  1858  came  to  Hancock  county,  Illi- 
nois, settling  upon  a  farm,  his  remaining 
days  being  devoted  to  general  agricul- 
tural pursuits  in  this  part  of  the  state. 
His  political  support  was  given  to  the 
democracy.  He  died  in  May,  1878,  and 
when  in  December,  1894,  his  wife  also 
passed  away,  she  was  laid  to  rest  by  his 
side  in  Union  cemetery.  Their  family 
numbered  seven  children  and  four  have 
departed  this  life,  while  those  now  living 
are  as  follows :  Nancy,  the  wife  of  Al- 
fred Nelson,  a  resident  of  Oklahoma : 
Samuel,  who  is  living  in  Hancock  county ; 
and  Margaret,  the  wife  of  Charles  Hull, 
of  La  Harpe. 

Andrew  W.  Byers  was  educated  in  the 
district  schools  of  Hancock  county  and 
remained  upon  the  old  home  farm  until 
his  father's  death,  after  which  he  engaged 
in  the  cultivation  and  management  of  the 
property.  In  1888,  however,  he  left  the 
farm  and  came  to  Dallas  City,  where  for 
a  year  and  a  half  he  conducted  a  hotel 
and  livery  barn.  He  then  removed  to 
Fort  Madison,  Iowa,  where  he  was  pro- 
prietor of  a  livery  stable  for  nine  years. 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


499 


and  on  the  expiration  of  that  period  he 
conducted  a  hotel  and  livery  business  in 
La  Harpe,  Illinois,  for  a  year  and  a  half. 
In  1902  he  returned  to  Dallas  City  and 
with  wide  experience  in  the  hotel  busi- 
ness took  charge  of  the  Riverside  Hotel 
on  Oak  and  Front  streets.  This  is  a 
modern  hostelry,  first  class  in  every  re- 
spect, and  both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Byers  did 
everything  in  their  power  for  the  wel- 
fare and  comfort  of  their  patrons  during 
his  life,  and  since  his  death  Mrs.  Byers 
with  her  son  Lester  have  continued  the 
business,  which  has  increased  rapidly  of 
late,  they  much  of  the  time  having  more 
than  they  can  accommodate.  The  present 
manager  being  a  natural  hotel  man,  cour- 
teous, accommodating  and  genial  in  ways, 
giving  his  patrons  better  than  is  often 
found  in  much  larger  towns,  it  is  a  nat- 
ural result  that  the  business  is  increasing. 
In  August,  1874,  Mr.  Byers  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Mary  Ramsey,  who  was  born 
in  Marshall  county,  Illinois,  in  1851,  a 
daughter  of  Samuel  and  Louisa  (Terry) 
Ramsey,  the  former  a  native  of  Maryland 
and  the  latter  of  the  state  of  New  York. 
The  father  was  a  farmer  by  occupation 
and  in  1851  came  to  Illinois,  settling  on 
a  farm  in  Hancock  county.  His  days 
were  devoted  to  tilling  the  soil  and  he 
placed  his  land  under  a  high  state  of  cul- 
tivation so  that  rich  crops  were  annually 
gathered  therefrom.  His  political  sup- 
port was  given  to  the  democracy.  His 
wife  died  in  the  year  1875  an<^  ne  passed 
away  in  1883,  his  remains  being  laid  to 
rest  in  the  Harris  cemetery  in  Dallas 
township.  In  their  family  were  eight 
children,  of  whom  seven  are  living, 
namely:  Caroline,  the  wife  of  Oscar 


Rich,  of  Hancock  county ;  William,  a  res- 
ident of  Dallas  City;  Mrs.  Byers;  Addi- 
son,  living  in  Kansas;  Elizabeth,  the  wife 
of  John  Leighton,  of  Stronghurst,  Illi- 
nois; Stephen,  whose  home  is  in  this 
county ;  and  Andrew,  a  carpenter  of  St. 
Louis,  Missouri. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Byers  were  the  parents 
of  seven  children,  all  born  on  the  farm 
in  Hancock  county  with  the  exception 
of  the  youngest.  The  family  record  is  as 
follows :  Roy  married  Grace  McKee- 
han,  lives  in  Seattle,  Washington,  and  has 
two  children,  John  and  Dorothy.  Wil-' 
liam  died  at  the  age  of  twenty-one  years 
and  was  buried  at  Fort  Madison.  Josie 
is  the  wife  of  Harry  Bradshaw  and  re- 
sides in  La  Harpe,  Illinois.  Samuel  went 
to  Chicago  at  the  age  of  eighteen  and 
died  at  the  age  of  twenty-three.  Lester, 
who  married  Miss  Grace  Hart  and  has 
one  daughter,  Mary,  is  now  manager  of 
the  hotel.  Nell  is  at  home  with  her 
mother,  and  Frank,  twelve  years  of  age. 
is  attending  school  in  Dallas  City.  The 
death  of  their  son  Samuel,  who  at  the 
age  of  twenty-three  years  went  to  Chi- 
cago, and  at  the  time  of  his  demise  was 
occupying  a  fine  position  with  a  live  stock 
company  in  that  city,  having  worked  his 
way  steadily  upward  to  a  very  responsi- 
ble place,  was  a  great  blow  to  the  fam- 
ily. About  Thanksgiving  in  1905  he  con- 
tracted a  severe  cold,  which  developed 
into  consumption.  His  brother  Lester 
took  him  to  El  Paso,  Texas,  but  he  found 
no  relief  in  that  sunny  clime  and  passed 
away  March  6,  1906,  at  the  age  of 
twenty-three  years,  six  months  and  eight- 
een days,  his  remains  being  interred  in 
Dallas  City  cemetery.  He  was  a  dutiful 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REV  IE]]' 


and  loving  son,  a  trusted  employe  and  a 
general  favorite  among  his  associates. 
The  company  by  which  he  was  employed 
felt  the  deepest  sorrow  at  his  death  and 
spoke  most  feelingly  of  his  good  qualities 
not  only  because  of  his  business  capacity 
but  also  because  of  his  honorable  dealings 
and  trustworthy  character.  These  quali- 
ties as  well  as  the  social  side  of  his  na- 
ture were  manifest  in  all  life's  relations 
and  he  was  genuinely  esteemed  by  all 
who  knew  him.  His  personality  was 
such  as  to  make  him  popular  with  all  who 
knew  him.  He  was  a  young  man  of  fine 
personal  appearance,  of  high  principles, 
generous  and  kindly  spirit,  and  his  death 
came  as  a  great  loss  to  his  many  friends 
as  well  as  his  immediate  family. 

Mr.  Byers  voted  with  the  democracy. 
His  widow  is  a  devoted  member  of  the 
Christian  church  and  stands  high  in  pub- 
lic regard  throughout  the  community  in 
which  she  resides.  Mr.  Byers  depended 
largely  upon  his  own  resources  for  the 
success  that  he  achieved,  having  inherited 
nothing  from  relatives  nor  did  he  place 
his  dependence  upon  fortunate  circum- 
stances, but  relied  upon  diligence  and  en- 
terprise to  win  him  the  success  which  is 
the  goal  of  all  business  endeavor. 


BENJAMIN  F.  BENNER. 

Benjamin  F.  Benner,  who  gave  his  life 
as  a  sacrifice  to  his  country  in  the  Civil 
war,  was  born  in  Stark  county.  Ohio. 
May  27,  1836,  a  son  of  Elias  and  Chris- 


tina (Cramer)  Benner.  In  the  year 
1839,  his  parents  came  to  Illinois  but 
afterward  returned  to  Ohio  and  in  that 
state  the  mother  died.  Benjamin  F. 
Benner  spent  his  boyhood  and  youth 
there,  remaining  a  resident  of  Ohio  until 
about  1855,  when  he-removed  to  Sonora, 
Illinois,  where  he  conducted  a  blacksmith 
shop,  having  previously  learned  the  trade 
in  the  Buckeye  state.  He  was  a  good 
workman  and  soon  secured  a  liberal  pat- 
ronage, leading  a  busy  and  industrious 
life.  He  was  also  appointed  to  the  posi- 
tion of  postmaster  of  Sonora,  in  which 
capacity  he  served  for  two  years,  when 
he  resigned  in  August,  1862,  and  enlisted 
for  service  in  the  Civil  war,  being  as- 
signed to  duty  with  the  boys  in  blue  of 
Company  C,  One  Hundred  and  Eight- 
eenth Illinois  Infantry.  He  served  with 
that  command  until  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred at  Baton  Rouge,  Louisiana,  on 
the  5th  of  February,  1865. 

On  the  gth  of  November,  1861,  Mr. 
Benner  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Mary  A.  Forney,  who  was  born  at 
Sonora,  Hancock  county,  on  the  23d  of 
September,  1843,  and  pursued  her  educa- 
tion in  the  district  schools.  Her  father, 
Jacob^  Forney,  was  born  in  Stark  county, 
Ohio,  April  17,  1816,  and  was  a  son  of 
John  and  Mary  (Smith)  Forney,  both 
of  whom  were  natives  of  Ohio.  With 
his  parents  he  removed  from  Ohio  to  Ray 
county,  Missouri,  in  1835,  making  the 
journey  westward  with  ox  teams  and  it 
was  in  Missouri  that  he  was  married  on 
the  1 5th  of  April.  1838,  to  Miss  Margaret 
Smith,  whose  birth  occurred  in  Stark 
county,  Ohio,  December  22.  1821,  her 
parents  being  John  and  Betsey  (Clapper) 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


Smith,  who  were  natives  of  Pennsylvania. 
She,   too,   had   accompanied   her   parents 
from   Ohio  to   Missouri,   traveling  after 
the  primitive  manner  of  the  times.     At 
their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jacob  For- 
ney settled  upon  a  farm  of  eighty  acres 
in  Missouri,  but  in  1839  sold  that  prop- 
erty and  in  the  spring  of  that  year  re- 
moved to  Adams  county,  Illinois.     In  the 
succeeding  autumn  they  removed  to  So- 
nora,  becoming  pioneer  residents  of  this 
part  of  the  state.     They  found  an  unim- 
proved district,  the  land  being  raw  and 
uncultivated,  while  every  evidence  of  pio- 
neer life  was  to  be  found  here.     Mr.  For- 
ney saw  many  deer  and  much  wild  game, 
whereby  many  a  pioneer  table  was  sup- 
plied with  meat.     There  were  a  number 
of  wild  animals  and  the  Indians  were  also 
frequently  seen,  having  not  yet  left  this 
district    for    their    reservations    farther 
west.     Mr.  Forney  purchased  a  tax  title 
to  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land 
which   was    wild    and   unimproved.     He 
located   on   the   prairie  and   also  bought 
eighty     acres     more.     Subsequently     he 
purchased    eleven    and    a    half    acres    of 
timber  land  and  afterward  invested  in  five 
acres  more  of  timber.     He  also  bought 
two  more  eighty-acre  tracts  which  he  sub- 
sequently sold  to  his  sons.     He  improved 
his  first  farm  and  carried  on  general  agri- 
cultural pursuits  and  stock-raising,  bring- 
ing the  fields  under  a  high  state  of  culti- 
vation  and   adding   the   equipments   and 
accessories  which  are  found  upon  a  model 
farm.     He  continued  to  reside  there  until 
he  came  to  Hamilton,  where  he  now  re- 
sides, making  his  home  with  his  daughter. 
Mrs.  Brenner.    His  wife,  however,  passed 
away   on   the   8th   of   June.    1887.     Mr. 


Forney  still  owns  two  hundred  and  forty 
acres  of  prairie  land  in  Sonora  township, 
which  he  now  rents  and  from  which  he 
derives  a  good  income.  Unto  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Forney  were  born  four  daughters 
and  three  sons.  Elizabeth  Sarah  became 
the  wife  of  Franklin  Bradley,  who  died 
in  Hancock  county,  after  which  she  re- 
moved to  Osborne  county,  Kansas,  where 
she  now  resides.  Aaron  H.  died  in  Os- 
borne county,  Kansas,  in  1903.  Mary  A. 
is  now  Mrs.  Benner.  Emerilla  is  the 
widow  of  George  C.  Waggonner,  of 
Hamilton,  who  died  March  8,  1904. 
Bianca  L.  is  the  wife  of  Wilson  J.  Powers, 
who  is  living  in  Osborne  county,  Kan- 
sas. Chauncey  S.  is  a  practicing  physi- 
cian of  Dallas  City,  Illinois,  and  Ervin 
L.  is  living  in  Roger  Mills  county, 
Oklahoma. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Benner  had  but  one  child, 
Austin  F.,  who  was  born  November  3, 
1862,  and  died  of  typhoid  fever  Novem- 
ber 19,  1879.  They  had  been  to  Kan- 
sas and  taken  a  claim  of  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acres  in  Mitchell  county,  there 
living  for  a  short  time,  after  which  they 
returned  to  Hancock  county.  In  April, 
1879,  they  again  went  to  Kansas,  where 
they  remained  until  November,  when  they 
again  came  to  Hancock  county  and  with- 
in a  few  days  the  son  passed  away.  Mrs. 
Benner  still  owns  five  acres  of  land  in  the 
village  of  Sonora,  where  she  has  two 
houses  which  she  rents.  She  bought  two 
lots  in  Hamilton  and  in  the  fall  of  1902 
built  a  residence,  to  which  she  removed 
in  1903  and  she  and  her  father  are  now 
living  together.  She  is  a  representative 
of  one  of  the  old  pioneer  families  of  this 
section  of  the  state  and  has  a  wide  ac- 


502 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


quaintance  here.  She  has  witnessed  much 
of  the  development  and  progress  of  Han- 
cock county  from  pioneer  times  down  to 
the  present  and  can  relate  many  interest- 
ing incidents  of  the  early  days. 


JAMES  A.  PAUL. 

James  A.  Paul,  who  dates  his  residence 
in  this  county  from  1885,  at  which  time 
he  took  up  his  abode  upon  his  present 
farm  in  Pontoosuc  township,  is  a  native 
of  Ohio,  having  been  born  in  Ross  county, 
in  1849,  a  son  °f  Hugh  H.  and  Margery 
(Nichols)  Paul.  The  father  was  born 
in  Virginia,  on  September  2,  1821,  and 
the  mother's  birth  occurred  in  Ohio,  Jan- 
uary i,  1823.  For  some  years  after  their 
marriage  they  remained  in  the  Buckeye 
state  and  in  1861  became  residents  of 
Henderson  county,  Illinois,  where  the 
father  died  April  i,  1866.  His  wife  long 
survived  him  and  passed  away  December 
17,  1 88 1,  when  her  grave  was  made  by 
his  side  in  a  cemetery  at  Burlington,  Iowa. 
Three  of  their  five  children  survive,  our 
subject  and  the  daughters  being  Eliza 
Ann,  the  wife  of  Benjamin  Long,  of 
Burlington,  and  Victoria,  the  wife  of 
Merton  Galvin,  of  Burlington.  Two 
uncles  of  our  subject,  James  F.  and 
Thomas  Paul,  were  soldiers  of  the  Civil 
war. 

James  A.  Paul  was  educated  in  the 
public  schools  of  Henderson  county,  Illi- 
nois, and  of  Burlington,  Iowa,  and  re- 
mained with  his  mother  as  long  as  she 


lived.  He  was  married  January  4,  1883. 
to  Miss  Junie  Haworth,  whose  birth  oc- 
curred in  Pontoosuc,  this  county,  March 
12,  1865,  a  daughter  of  Reese  and  Eliza- 
beth (Kidson)  Haworth.  Her  father 
was  born  in  Iowa,  where  he  still  lives, 
but  her  mother,  a  native  of  Ohio,  is 
deceased.  He  served  for  a  year  or  more 
as  a  soldier  of  an  Indiana  regiment  dur- 
ing the  Civil  war  and  in  1863  came  to 
this  county,  settling  in  Pontoosuc  town- 
ship. In  his  family  were  two  children 
but  one  has  passed  away.  After  their 
marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Paul  lived  for  two 
years  on  a  farm  near  Burlington,  Iowa, 
and  in  1885  settled  on  a  farm  on  section 
2i,  Pontoosuc  township,  Mr.  Paul  pur- 
chasing eighty  acres  of  land,  on  which 
he  built  a  good  house,  barn  and  fences, 
and  which  he  owned  until  October  i, 
1906,  when  he  sold  at  good  advantage 
and  will  buy  a  larger  farm  where  land  is 
not  so  costly.  He  actively  carries  on  the 
farm  work  of  the  fields  and  also  raises 
good  stock,  both  branches  of  his  business 
proving  profitable. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Paul  have  been 
born  eight  children,  of  whom  seven  are 
living:  Jennie  M.,  the  wife  of  Otto 
Englehard,  of  Pontoosuc  township,  by 
whom  she  has  one  daughter,  Clara ;  Jessie 
E.,  the  wife  of  Albert  Krause,  a  resident 
farmer  of  Dallas  township,  by  whom  she 
has  one  child,  Paul;  Reese  M.,  Ruth  Ann, 
Hugh  F.,  Bertha  Grove  and  Junie  Mae, 
all  at  home.  The  parents  are  devoted 
members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  at  Shiloh,  in  which  he  is  serving 
as  trustee;  and  upon  the  republican  ticket, 
which  he  always  votes,  he  has  been  elected 
to  various  township  offices,  including 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


those  of  assessor,  commissioner  and  road 
overseer.  He  finds  in  the  faithful  per- 
formance of  each  day's  duties,  whether  of 
a  public  or  private  nature,  inspiration  and 
encouragement  for  the  labors  of  the  suc- 
ceeding day  and  while  rather  retiring  in 
disposition  both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Paul  are 
recognized  as  possessing  many  sterling 
traits  of  character. 


G.  M.  HUMPHREY. 

G.  M.  Humphrey  was  widely  known 
as  the  proprietor  of  the  Shoreham  Hotel 
in  Carthage.  He  was  born  in  Burton, 
Adams  county,  this  state.  March  30, 
1850,  his  parents  being  William  and 
Frances  (Richards)  Humphrey.  His 
paternal  great-grandfather  was  a  soldier 
of  the  war  of  1812,  while  his  uncle,  Abner 
Humphrey,  was  a  soldier  of  the  Civil  war. 
William  Humphrey,  the  father,  was  born 
in  Loudoun  county,  Virginia,  and  the 
mother's  birth  also  occurred  in  the  Old 
Dominion.  He  devoted  his  time  and  en- 
ergies to  farming  and  was  only  about 
eleven  years  of  age  when  he  came  to  Illi- 
nois. His  political  support  was  given  to 
the  democracy  and  during  and  after  the 
war  he  served  as  sheriff  of  Adams  county. 
He  was  drafted  for  service  with  the 
Union  army  but  hired  a  substitute,  to 
whom  he  paid  one  thousand  dollars.  He 
acted  as  constable  and  was  also  a  member 
of  the  school  board  in  his  home  locality 
and  in  local  affairs  took  an  active  and 
helpful  interest.  His  first  wife  died  when 
32 


about  fifty-one  years  of  age  and  three 
years  later  Mr.  Humphrey  married  Cy- 
drilla  Childers.  By  the  first  union  there 
were  two  children :  M.  E.,  now  the 
widow  of  Tom  Spense,  of  Chicago;  and 
G.  M.,  deceased,  of  this  review.  Five 
children  were  born  of  the  second  marriage 
and  are  yet  living,  namely :  Thomas, 
who  resides  in  Macomb,  Illinois ;  Alice, 
the  wife  of  George  Muhl,  of  Indiana ; 
James,  who  is  living  in  the  Black  Hills; 
Charles,  who  resides  in  Missouri ;  and 
Blanche,  the  wife  of  William  Laramore, 
of  Adams  county,  Illinois. 

G.  M.  .Humphrey  was  indebted  to  the 
public  school  system  of  Adams  county 
for  the  early  educational  privileges  he 
enjoyed.  Later  he  attended  the  high 
school  at  Quincy  and  after  putting  aside 
his  text  books  remained  with  his  father 
and  grandfather,  devoting  his  time  to 
farming  until  he  had  attained  the  age  of 
eighteen  years.  He  then  rented  land  and 
followed  farming  until  the  last  four  years, 
in  Adams,  McDonough  and  Hancock 
counties,  becoming  a  well  known  agri- 
culturist and  meeting  with  success  in  his 
cultivation  of  the  rich  land  of  Illinois. 

In  1876,  Mr.  Humphrey  was  married 
to  Miss  Belle  Hungate.  who  was  born  in 
McDonough  county,  this  state.  Their 
only  child  died  at  the  age  of  two  years 
and  Mrs.  Humphrey  died  in  1878,  her 
remains  being  interred  in  her  native  coun- 
ty. On  the  23d  of  January,  1881,  Mr. 
Humphrey  wedded  Miss  Maggie  E.  Yet- 
ter,  who  was  born  in  Fountain  Green 
township,  Hancock  county,  in  1863,  a 
daughter  of  Lewis  and  Martha  E. 
(Wright)  Yetter.  Her  mother  was  born 
in  Tennessee  and  was  brought  to  Illinois 


504 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


when  three  years  of  age.  Her  father,  a  na- 
tive of  Pennsylvania,  became  a  resident  of 
Hancock  county  at  the  age  of  seven  years 
and  in  manhood  followed  farming  and 
stock-raising.  Both  he  and  his  wife  died 
and  were  buried  in  this  county.  He  was 
a  Mason  and  also  connected  with  the 
Modern  Woodmen  of  America  and  both 
he  and  his  wife  were  devoted  Methodists. 
For  forty-two  years  Mr.  Yetter  served  as 
class-leader  and  was  also  superintendent 
of  the  Sunday-school  for  a  long  period. 
He.  too,  was  drafted  for  service  in  the 
war  but  sent  a  substitute  to  the  front. 
His  political  allegiance  was  given  to  the 
democracy  but  he  never  aspired  to  office. 
In  the  family  were  eight  children,  seven 
of  whom  are  yet  living,  namely :  C.  A. 
Yetter,  a  resident  farmer  of  Fountain 
Green  township;  T.  B.,  a  merchant  of  the 
same  township;  J.  B.,  a  wholesale  grocer 
of  Galesburg,  Illinois ;  Mrs.  Humphrey ; 
Ella  F.,  the  wife  of  William  Day,  of 
Fountain  Green;  Morris  H.,  a  resident 
farmer  of  Fountain  Green :  and  Susie, 
the  wife  of  William  Fortney.  of  Mis- 
souri. To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Humphrey  were 
born  two  children,  both  born  in  Hancock 
county :  Arda  L.,  who  was  born  January 
8,  1882,  and  is  a  clerk  in  the  Hotel  Shore- 
ham  ;  and  Martha  F.,  a  student  in  the 
Carthage  schools. 

Mr.  Humphrey  was  always  a  democrat 
but  without  political  aspiration.  He  be- 
longed to  the  Woodmen  and  was  a 
worthy  representative  of  the  order.  In 
December,  1902,  he  removed  from  Foun- 
tain Green  to  Carthage,  where  he  and 
his  wife  conducted  the  Shoreham  Hotel 
on  the  American  plan,  having  entertain- 
ment for  sixty  guests.  Mr.  Humphrey 


was  a  wide-awake  business  man,  upright 
citizen  and  genial  and  pleasant  gentleman, 
popular  with  his  guests  and  the  commu- 
nity at  large.  That  he  had  the  support  of 
the  public  is  shown  by  the  fact  that  every 
week  he  was  forced  to  turn  away  people 
for  lack  of  room.  His  wife  ably  assisted 
him,  doing  much  of  the  office  work  and 
both  put  forth  every  effort  in  their  power 
to  promote  the  comfort  of  their  guests. 
Mr.  Humphrey  died  May  9,  1906,  at 
1:15  A.  M.,  and  his  remains  were  laid 
to  rest  in  the  home  cemetery,  at  Mayor- 
ville,  Illinois.  He  is  greatly  mourned 
and  missed,  not  only  by  his  immediate 
family,  but  also  by  his  many  friends  and 
acquaintances  who  were  accustomed  to 
his  genial  face  and  hospitable  manner, 
when  guests  at  the  Shoreham  Hotel. 
Mrs.  Humphrey  and  her  daughter  are 
still  managing  the  business  in  a  very 
efficient  manner. 


SILVANUS  E.  SIMPSON. 

When  ambition  is  satisfied  and  every 
ultimate  aim  accomplished  then  will  labor 
cease  and  inactivity  become  the  common 
law  of  man,  when  ambition  holds  forth 
its  promises  industry  seeks  its  reward. 
Numbered  among  the  energetic,  wide- 
awake agriculturists  of  Montebello  town- 
ship is  Silvanus  E.  Simpson,  who  was 
born  upon  the  farm  where  he  now  re- 
sides, constituting  the  southeast  quarter 
of  section  8,  June  30,^1862.  This  fact 
indicates  that  his  parents  were  early  set- 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,- ILLINOIS. 


505 


tiers  of  the  county  and  the  name  has  long 
been  known  here.  The  father,  Silvanus 
E.  Simpson,  was  born  in  Seneca  county, 
Ohio,  January  5,  1823,  and  accompanied 
his  parents  on  their  removal  from  the 
Buckeye  state  to  New  York.  After  a  few 
years,  however,  they  returned  to  Ohio, 
where  thev  carried  on  general  agricul- 

-•  L>  O 

tural  pursuits.  There  are  two  surviving 
sons  of  the  family  and  a  daughter,  name- 
ly :  Elmer,  who  is  living  at  Applegate 
Station  in  California;  Volney  A.,  of  Los 
Angeles,  California;  and  Mary,  whose 
home  is  in  San  Francisco,  California. 
Silvanus  E.  Simpson,  Sr.,  however,  again 
leaving  his  native  state  went  to  Galena, 
Jo  Daviess  county,  Illinois,  and  from  that 
place  engaged  in  teaming  to  Shullsburg, 
Wisconsin.  At  the  latter  place  he  read 
law  and  also  taught  school,  but  after  a 
few  years  returned  again  to  Ohio.  In 
1853  he  started  from  Cincinnati,  Ohio, 
with  provisions  and  other  equipments 
and  boarded  a  river  steamer,  thence  pro- 
ceeding down  the  Ohio  and  up  the  Mis- 
sissippi and  Missouri  rivers  to  St.  Joseph, 
Missouri,  where  he  bought  an  outfit  of 
cattle  and  with  his  brother  Elmer  and  his 
wife  started  for  California,  attracted  by 
the  discovery  of  gold  on  the  Pacific  slope. 
They  joined  a  wagon  train  and  were  six 
months  upon  the  way,  at  the  end  of  which 
time  they  located  in  Placer  county.  Cali- 
fornia. Mr.  Simpson  engaged  in  mining 
during  the  winter  months  and  also 
worked  in  the  redwood  forests.  He  was 
also  employed  in  harvest  fields,  using  cra- 
dles, as  the  more  modern  machinery  had 
not  yet  come  into  use.  Prior  to  1857  he 
started  for  Mexico,  where  he  was  cap- 
tured by  some  Mexicans  and  held  a  pris- 


oner for  sixty  days,  together  with  sixty 
other  American  citizens.  At  length  they 
were  put  on  board  a  United  States  ship 
and  sent  back  to  San  Francisco.  In  1857 
Mr.  Simpson  again  started  for  his  old 
home,  crossing  the  isthmus  of  Panama 
and  then  proceeded  by  steamer  to  New 
York,  whence  he  returned  across  the 
country  to  Ohio,  continuing  a  resident 
of  that  state  until  1860.  Once  more  he 
started  for  California,  stopping  on  his 
way  to  visit  his  mother,  who  lived  in 
Hamilton.  He  had  with  him  the  sum 
of  two  thousand  dollars  and  this  he  in- 
vested in  the  farm  upon  which  his  son 
Silvanus  now  resides.  Giving  up  the  idea 
of  going  to  California  he  married  and 
built  a  house  upon  his  farm  and  there  he 
lived  until  the  I2th  of  December,  1871, 
when  his  home  was  destroyed  by  fire.  He 
afterward  built  a  portion  of  the  present 
residence  and  subsequently  made  other 
additions.  There  were  few  improvements 
on  the  farm  when  it  came  into  his  pos- 
session, but  he  worked  earnestly  and  en- 
ergetically to  reclaim  the  wild  land  and 
transform  it  into  richly  cultivated  fields. 
There  he  carried  on  general  farming  for 
many  years,  living  upon  the  old  home- 
stead until  his  demise,  which  occurred  on 
the  iQth  of  January,  1904.  His  wife  had 
departed  this  life  many  years  previously, 
her  death  having  occurred  September  24, 
1886.  They  had  three  sons:  Silvanus 
E. ;  Cassius  A.,  living  in  Montebello 
township ;  and  Empire,  who  lives  with  the 
subject  of  this  review. 

Silvanus  E.  Simpson,  whose  name  in- 
troduces this  record,  has  always  lived 
upon  the  home  place  and  before  his  fa- 
ther's death  the  land  was  divided  and  Mr. 


5°6 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


Simpson  came  into  possession  of  eighty 
acres  of  the  homestead,  while  Empire 
Simpson  secured  the  other  eighty  acres. 
About  1888  Silvanus  E.  Simpson  went  to. 
South  Dakota  on  a  prospecting  trip  and 
in  October,  1893,  ne  and  h*5  father  took 
a  trip  to  Houston,  Galveston  and  other 
points  in  Texas.  He  owns  two  town  lots 
in  Laporte,  Texas,  and  thirty  acres  of 
land  there.  With  the  exception  of  these 
brief  periods,  however,  he  has  always  re- 
mained in  Montebello  township  and  the 
old  homestead  farm  has  continually  been 
his  place  of  residence.  As  the  years  have 
passed  by  he  has  carried  on  general  ag- 
ricultural pursuits  in  successful  manner 
and  now  has  a- well  equipped  farm  prop- 
erty, from  which  he  annually  derives  a 
good  income. 

On  the  25th  of  October,  1882,  oc- 
curred the  marriage  of  Mr.  Simpson  and 
Miss  Martha  Frances  Self,  who  was  born 
in  Callaway  county,  Missouri,  September 
24,  1865,  and  was  educated  in  the  schools 
of  her  native  state.  Her  parents  were 
John  G.  and  Mattie  J,  (Davis)  Self,  the 
former  a  native  of  Boone  county,  Mis- 
souri, and  the  latter  of  Callaway  county. 
Her  paternal  grandparents  were  Jenkin 
and  Martha  (Black)  Self,  of  Kentucky, 
and  her  maternal  grandparents  were 
James  and  Frances  (Davis)  Davis,  who 
were  own  cousins  and  were  also  natives 
of  Kentucky.  The  marriage  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Simpson  has  been  blessed  with  six 
children :  Ressie  E.,  born  June  7,  1885  ; 
Elmer  B.,  born  January  14,  1889;  Ever- 
ett Ray,  born  May  12,  1892;  Ora  L.  and 
Mora  B.,  twins,  born  March  4,  1895; 
and  William  Donald,  born  December  16, 
1904. 


Mr.  Simpson  exercises  his  right  of 
franchise  in  support  of  the  men  and 
measures  of  the  democracy.  He  belongs 
to  the  Odd  Fellows  lodge  at  Hamilton 
and  is  interested  in  fraternity  and  in  va- 
rious matters  relating  to  public  progress 
and  general  improvement.  He  has  a  wide 
acquaintance  in  the  county  where  his  en- 
tire life  has  been  passed  and  the  fact  that 
many  of  the  acquaintances  of  his  youth 
are  still  numbered  among  his  warmest 
friends  is  an  indication  that  his  life  has 
been  worthy  of  all  respect. 


W.  O.  SHARP. 

W.  O.  Sharp,  editor  and  owner  of  the 
Carthage  Gazette,  was  born  November 
2,  1854,  in  Warsaw,-  Hancock  county, 
Illinois,  a  son  of  Thomas  C.  and  Hannah 
(Hardy)  Sharp.  He  comes  of  a  family 
to  which  belonged  Governor  Sharp  of 
Maryland,  and  whose  old  residence,  called 
Sharp's  Folly,  is  still  standing  near  Rich- 
mond, Virginia.  It  was  so  termed  be- 
cause of  the  fact  that  he  imported  the 
brick  used  in  its  construction  from  Eu- 
rope. It  is  one  of  the  attractive  old 
colonial  homes  of  the  south  and  a  noted 
landmark  in  the  district  in  which  it  is  lo- 
cated. 

W.  O.  Sharp,  following  _the  removal  of 
his  parents  to  Carthage,  was  educated  in 
the  public  schools  there  and  in  Carthage 
College  and  on  putting  aside  his  text- 
books entered  the  printing  office  with  his 
father,  where  he  remained  until  after  his 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


507 


marriage,  completely  mastering  the  print- 
er's trade.  In  April,  1-878,  he  was  joined 
in  wedlock  to  Miss  Georgiana  S.  Cannon, 
who  was  born  near  Carthage,  a  daughter 
of  Cornelius  and  Nancy  A.  Cannon,  who 
were  natives  of  Illinois  and  Iowa  respect- 
ively. Her  father,  a  farmer  by  occupa- 
tion, removed  to  Carthage,  where  he 
served  at  different  times  as  deputy  sheriff 
and  sheriff,  being  elected  to  the  latter  posi- 
tion on  the  democratic  ticket.  He  was 
also  identified  with  commercial  interests 
in  Carthage,  being  associated  with  Wil- 
liam Dale  in  the  dry-goods  business. 
Later  he  bought  a  ranch  in  Texas  with 
his  brother  and  acted  as  its  manager  until 
his  death.  His  wife  has  also  passed 
away.  In  his  fraternal  relations  he  was 
connected  with  the  Odd  Fellows  and  the 
Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen  and 
both  he  and  his  wife  were  members  of  the 
Christian  church.  In  their  family  were 
nine  children,  of  whom  six  are  living : 
Alwilda,  the  wife  of  J.  W.  Dale,  a  resi- 
dent of  Indianapolis.  Indiana :  Georgiana 
S.,  now  Mrs.  Sharp;  Rolla,  of  California; 
Lena,  the  wife  of  W.  C.  Newton,  of  Car- 
thage; Robert,  who  is  living  with  his  sis- 
ter, Mrs.  Sharp ;  and  Richard,  who  re- 
sides in  Decatur,  Illinois. 

After  his  marriage  Mr.  Sharp  was  en- 
gaged in  the  conduct  of  a  photograph 
gallery  for  ten  years,  spending  six  years 
of  that  time  in  Washington.  Illinois, 
while  for  four  years  he  conducted  a  studio 
in  Carthage.  In  1888  he  re-entered  the 
printing  business  in  connection  with  his 
father  and  by  the  terms  of  the  father's 
will  inherited  the  Gazette  office  at  his 
death  and  has  since  published  the  paper. 
The  Gazette  was  established  in  1865  and 


is  the  largest  paper  in  the  county.  It  is 
issued  each  Friday  and  is  an  enterprising 
journal,  devoted  to  the  dissemination  of 
general  and  local  news.  In  connection 
therewith  Mr.  Sharp  also  owns  and  con- 
ducts a  good  job  printing  office  and  is 
making  his  business  a  commercial  success. 
Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sharp  have  been 
born  two  children :  Ethel  K.,  who  is  a 
graduate  of  the  public  schools  of  Car- 
thage and  is  at  home:  and  Maud  S.,  the 
wife  of  William  Helfrich,  of  New  York 
city,  who  has  charge  of  the  typewriting 
and  stenographic  department  of  a  large 
business  college  there.  Mrs.  Helfrich  is 
a  graduate  in  typewriting  and  ste- 
nography of  the  Gem  City  Business  Col- 
lege of  Quincy.  The  Sharp  family  resi- 
dence is  situated  in  the  northern  part  of 
Carthage  on  Washington  street,  where 
Mr.  Sharp  has  erected  a  handsome  home. 
In  politics  he  is  a  republican  but  without 
aspiration  for  office.  He  and  his  wife  are 
members  of  the  American  Protective 
League  and  Mrs.  Sharp  belongs  to  the 
Christian  church.  By  reason  of  his  ac- 
commodating disposition  and  kindly  man- 
ner he  is  popular  in  the  city  in  which  al- 
most his  entire  life  has  been  passed. 


LORENZO  YOUNG. 

Lorenzo  Young,  a  prominent  and  pro- 
gressive farmer  of  Hancock  county,  own- 
ing two  hundred  and  fifteen  acres  of  land 
in  Rock  Creek  township  and  a  tract  of 
eighty-five  acres  in  Montebello  township, 
is  one  of  the  worthy  citizens  that  Ger- 
many has  furnished  to  this  section  of  the 


5o8 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REl'IEU' 


state.  He  is  a  native  of  Baden,  his  na- 
tal day  being  August  26,  1832,  and  a  son 
of  Jacob  and  Magdalena  ( Bartz )  Young, 
who  carried  on  general  agricultural  pur- 
suits on  a  large  scale  in  Germany. 

To  avoid  service  in  the  German  army 
.Lorenzo  Young  emigrated  to  America  at 
the  age  of  nineteen  years,  having  acquired 
his  education  in  the  schools  of  his  native 
country  during  his  boyhood  and  youth. 
On  his  arrival  in  this  country  he  landed 
in  New  York  and  went  at  once  to  Buf- 
falo, and  from  there  made  his  way  to  Mil- 
waukee, Wisconsin,  and  pn  to  Chicago, 
Illinois,  where  he  spent  one  month  in  the 
employ  of  a  railroad  company.  From 
that  city  he  made  his  way  to  Cairo,  Illi- 
nois, and  spent  a  year  and  a  half  in  the 
employ  of  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad 
Company.  He  was  then  taken  sick  with 
typhoid  fever  and  was  taken  to  a  hos- 
pital in  St.  Louis,  where  he  was  forced  to 
remain  for  three  months,  and  on  his  recov- 
ery he  made  his  way  again  to  Chicago  in 
the  hope  of  recuperating  his  health.  After 
a  time  he.  secured  employment  in  a  lum- 
ber yard  at  that  place,  where  he  spent  a 
time  and  then  made  his  way  to  McLean 
county,  where  he  was  employed  as  a  farm 
hand  for  three  years.  During  this  time 
he  had  saved  some  money  which  he  in- 
vested in  land,  having  at  different  times 
purchased  three  eighty-acre  tracts.  In 
that  county  he  fed  cattle  and  received  an 
eighty-acre  tract  in  payment  for  his  serv- 
ices. However,  he  had  watched  with 
keen  interest  the  condition  of  affairs  in 
his  adopted  country  and  when  the  Civil 
war  broke  out,  his  patriotic  spirit  being 
aroused,  he  offered  his  services  to  the 
government,  enlisting  at  Lincoln,  Illi- 


nois, in  the  summer  of  1862,  joining 
Company  C,  One  Hundred  and  Six  of  the 
Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  and  served 
until  the  close  of  the  war.  At  the  battle 
of  Yazoo  river,  Arkansas,  he  was  wound- 
ed by  a  shell  in  the  forehead  which  in- 
capacitated him  for  a  few  days,  but  aside 
from  this  he  was  always  on  active  duty, 
returning  home  with  a  most  creditable 
military  record. 

When  his  services  were  no  longer 
needed  by  the  government  he  at  once  made 
his  way  to  Logan  county,  Illinois,  and 
disposed  of  his  land,  and  made  his  way 
to  Kansas,  where  he  spent  six  months 
traveling  over  the  state  recuperating  from 
his  army  service.  He  then  made  his  way 
to  Ferris,  this  state,  where  he  rented  a 
farm.  He  later  bought  a  tract  of  wild 
prairie  on  section  36,  Sonora  township, 
which  comprised  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres.  He  at  once  set  to  work  to  develop 
and  cultivate  his  land  and  also  built  there- 
on a  house,  which  in  that  day  was  consid- 
ered a  very  good  one.  From  time  to 
time  as  his  financial  resources  increased 
he  added  to  his  landed  possessions,  be- 
coming the  possessor  of  land  in  Rock 
Creek  township,  so  that  he  has  altogether 
two  hundred  and  fifteen  acres  of  land 
there  besides  a  tract  of  eighty-five  acres 
in  Montebello  township.  He  has  im- 
proved his  home  place,  erecting  the  build- 
ings which  are  here  found,  and  has  set 
out  an  orchard  containing  apple,  peach 
and  plum  trees,  and  he  also  raises  grapes 
and  small  fruits  of  various  kinds.  He 
is  engaged  in  general  farming  and  stock- 
raising,  fine  grades  of  horses,  cattle  and 
hogs  being  seen  in  his  pastures. 

On  the  i8th  of  June,  1868,  Mr.  Young 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


509 


was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Catherine 
Yung,  the  wedding  ceremony  being  per- 
formed at  Carthage.  She  was  born  in 
Bavaria,  Germany,  July  16,  1846,  a 
daughter  of  Jacob  and  Elijabeth  (Kee- 
fer)  Yung,  likewise  natives  of  the  father- 
land. Her  paternal  grandfather  bore  the 
name  of  Jacob  Yung,  while  the  maternal 
grandfather  was  Peter  Keefer.  Mrs. 
Young's  father  died  in  Germany  in  the 
summer  of  1870.  The  daughter  had 
come  to  America  in  1866  in  company 
with  her  brother  Jacob.  After  landing 
in  New  York  they  at  once  made  their 
way  by  rail  to  Keokuk,  Iowa,  where  Mrs. 
Young  had  a  sister,  Eva,  the  wife  of 
Adam  Trautvetter,  with  whom  she  lived 
until  the  time  of  her  marriage.  After 
the  father's  death  the  mother  likewise 
came  to  America,  bringing  with  her  a 
daughter,  Charlotte,  the  year  of  their 
arrival  being  1881.  They  also  went  to 
live  with  Mrs.  Trautvetter,  and  Mrs. 
Yung  there  passed  away  in  June,  1892. 

Unto  our  subject  and  his  wife  have 
been  born  four  daughters  and  two  sons : 
Elizabeth,  born  January  28,  1870;  Louis, 
born  April  19,  1872;  and  Carrie,  born 
November  i,  1874,  all  are  at  home. 
Mary,  who  was  born  February  28,  1876, 
is  now  the  wife  of  B.  M.  Bolton,  and  re- 
sides in  Sonora  township.  Lena,  born 
October  12,  1877,  is  the  wife  of  Millard 
Shenk,  also  living  in  Sonora  township. 
George,  born  November  27,  1879,  re- 
sides in  Rock  Creek  township. 

Mr.  Young  is  a  republican  in  his  po- 
litical allegiance  but  has  never  been  ac- 
tive in  the  local  ranks  of  his  party,  for 
he  finds  that  his  private  interests  demand 
his  entire  attention.  He  has  worked 


earnestly  and  persistently  and  as  the 
years  have  gone  by  has  accumulated  a 
comfortable  competence  so  that  he  is  to- 
day numbered  among  the  well-to-do  farm- 
ers of  this  section  of  the  state. 


GEORGE  LEVI  RICHARDSON. 

George  Levi  Richardson,  who  has  been 
called  from  this  life,  was  born  in  Mary- 
land. January  29,  1815,  and  during  his 
infancy  was  taken  by  his  parents,  Jere- 
miah and  Susan  Richardson,  to  West 
Virginia,  where  he  attended  the  subscrip- 
tion schools.  He  lost  his  father  during 
his  early  youth,  but  continued  to  work 
with  his  mother  on  the  home  farm  until 
he  had  attained  his  majority.  Starting 
out  in  life  on  his  own  account,  he  chose 
the  occupation  to  which  he  had  been 
reared  as  a  source  of  livelihood  and 
bought  a  farm  in  West  Virginia,  which 
he  continued  to  cultivate  and  improve 
until  the  spring  of  1869.  He  then  sold 
out  and  came  to  Hancock  county.  Here 
he  made  investment  in  a  farm  two  miles 
north  of  Elvaston  in  Prairie  township, 
comprising  eighty  acres.  It  came  into 
his  possession  in  1873  and  was  somewhat 
improved  at  the  time.  He  resided  there- 
on for  about  six  years,  when  he  sold  that 
place  and  for  two  years  thereafter 
operated  a  rented  farm  and  also  gave  his 
attention  to  teaming  and  other  business 
interests.  In.  1881  he  bought  twenty-one 
acres  of  land  in  the  Oakwood  addition  to 
Hamilton,  upon  which  a  house  was  stand- 
ing. There  he  afterward  engaged  in  the 
cultivation  of  fruit  and,  vegetables  and 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


also  followed  teaming  to  some  extent  and 
his  business  interests  brought  to  him  a 
good  living. 

In  the  year  1840  Mr.  Richardson  was 
married  to  a  lady  who  had  been  born  in 
West  Virginia,  and  they  became  the  par- 
ents of  eight  children,  five  daughters  and 
three  sons.  Two  of  the  sons  are  now  in 
Kansas  and  one  in  Ferris,  Illinois,  while 
one  daughter  is  in  Oklahoma  and  another 
in  Iowa.  The  wife  and  mother  passed 
away  in  Hancock  county  in  the  fall  of 
1869  and  on  the  28th  of  December,  1871, 
Mr.  Richardson  was  again  married,  his 
second  union  being  with  Miss  Susan 
Knapp,  who  was  born  in  Chautauqua 
county.  New  York,  January  14,  1835, 
a  daughter  of  Moses  and  Susan  (Morse) 
Knapp,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  the 
Empire  state,  where  also  lived  her  mater- 
nal grandfather,  Charles  Morse.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Richardson  became  the  parents 
of  two  daughters.  Laura  Belle,  born 
June  28,  1873,  died  August  18.  1874. 
Martha  Alice,  born  September  10,  1876, 
is  the  wife  of  William  Smith,  a  mer- 
chant and  postmaster  at  Middle  Creek, 
this  county.  They  have  three  children, 
Lowell,  Ruby,  and  an  infant  daughter. 

Mr.  Richardson  carried  on  his  business 
interests  in  Hamilton  up  to  the  time  of  his 
death,  which  occurred  February  8,  1902, 
when  he  was  about  eighty-seven  years  of 
age.  He  was  buried  in  Oakwood  ceme- 
tery and  thus  was  laid  to  rest  a  man  whom 
to  know  had  been  to  respect  and  honor 
because  of  his  fidelity  to  the  principles 
which  guided  his  life.  His  political  alle- 
giance was  given  to  the  democracy  until 
the  period  of  the  Civil  war,  after  which 
he  became  a  stalwart  republican.  He 


was  for  almost  a  third  of  a  century  a  resi- 
dent of  Hancock  county  and  had  become 
widely  known  as  an  active  and  enterpris- 
ing business  man  and  one  who  was  thor- 
oughly reliable  in  all  of  his  dealings. 


CHARLES  FORTH. 

A     well     developed     farm     property, 
equipped    with    all    modern    conveniences 
and  accessories,  is  the  property  of  Charles 
Forth,  and  lies  on  section  22,  Appanoose 
township.      The  owner  was  born   in  St. 
Clair  county,    Illinois,    March   23,    1851, 
and  acquired  a  district  school  education 
while  spending  his  boyhood  days  in  the 
home  of  his  parents,  Fred  and  Dorothy 
(Herman)  Forth,  the  former  a  native  of 
Hesse  Darmstadt,  and  the  latter  of  Nas- 
sau, Germany.     The  parents  made  their 
way  to  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  via  New  Or- 
leans, becoming  acquainted  on  board  the 
ship   on   which   they   sailed   to   the   new 
world.     They  were  married  in  St.  Clair 
county,  Missouri,  where  they  engaged  in 
farming  until    1854,  when  they  came  to 
Sonora   township,   living  upon   a   rented 
farm  for  some  time.     The  father  after- 
ward   purchased    sixty   acres   on    section 
28,  Appanoose  township,  and  a  few  years 
later  he  sold  and  bought  eighty  acres  on 
section    34,    which    was    improved    land. 
In  1876  he  erected  a  two-story  frame  res- 
idence,   which    he    occupied    until    1893, 
when  he  sold  that  property  and  made  his 
home  with  his  sons,   Charles  and  Fred. 
He  died  at  the  home  of  the  latter  De- 
cember 3,    1894.      His   widow   still   sur- 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


vives  and  is  now  living  with  her  daugh- 
ter, Mrs.  Mary  Clug,  in  St.  Louis,  Mis- 
souri. In  the  family  were  eleven  chil- 
dren :  Elizabeth,  the  wife  of  Julius  Gru- 
now,  of  Dallas,  Oregon ;  George,  of  Ham- 
ilton, Illinois;  Louisa,  who  became  the 
wife  of  John  Schroeder,  and  died  in  June, 
1898;  Margaret,  who  was  the  wife  of 
John  Bertschi,  and  died  in  February, 
1902;  Mary,  the  wife  of  John  Clug,  of 
St.  Louis;  Helen,  who  was  the  wife  of 
William  Rohkar.  and  died  September  26, 
1904;  Fred,  of  Appanoose  township; 
Mrs.  Armina  Simmons,  of  Los  Angeles, 
California;  Carrie,  the  wife  of  Humbolt 
Hoffmeister,  of  Los  Angeles;  and  Wil- 
liam, of  Kansas  City,  Missouri. 

Charles  Forth  made  his  home  with  his 
parents  until  his  marriage  on  the  28th 
of  February,  1878,  to  Miss  Anna  Desney, 
a  daughter  of  William  and  Barbara  (Wy- 
man)  Desney,  who  were  natives  of  Ger- 
many, and  the  latter  was  a  daughter  of 
Peter  Wyinan.  William  Desney  came 
with  his  parents  to  Nauvoo,  Illinois, 
when  the  Mormons  were  there  and  his 
wife  accompanied  her  parents  on  their 
removal  to  Hancock  county.  They  were 
married  in  Nauvoo  and  took  up  their 
abode  there,  Mr.  Desney  carrying  on 
business  as  a  brick  and  stone  mason  and 
well  digger.  He  died  in  Nauvoo  and  his 
wife  still  lives  there,  being  now  the  wife 
of  Philip  Weisner.  Mr.  Weisner's  first 
wife  was  Catherine  Gittelman.  a  second 
cousin  of  Mrs.  Forth,  and  their  children 
were  Fred,  Mary  and  Annie.  Unto  the 
parents  of  Mrs.  Forth  were  born  the  fol- 
lowing named :  Herman,  a  resident  of 
Lee  county,  Iowa :  Annie,  the  wife  of  our 
subject ;  Christina,  the  wife  of  Andrew 


Cooper,  of  Strout,  Oklahoma ;  William, 
of  Wahoo,  Nebraska ;  Peter,  who  died  at 
the  age  of  three  and  a  half  years;  John, 
a  resident  farmer  of  Sonora  township; 
Louisa,  who  was  the  wife  of  John  Snider, 
of  Wahoo,  Nebraska,  and  died  there  in 
1891,  leaving  a  baby  boy;  and  Katie,  the 
wife  of  John  Bernhardt,  of  Nauvoo. 

After  his  marriage  Charles  Forth  re- 
moved to  a  farm  of  forty  acres,  which  he 
owned  on  section  34,  Appanoose  town- 
ship. He  had  purchased  this  from  John 
Cheese  and  after  occupying  it  for  seven 
years  he  sold  to  Arnold  Soland.  He  then 
bought  one  hundred  acres  on  section  22 
of  the  same  township,  all  under  cultiva- 
tion, while  upon  the  place  was  an  old 
frame  house  which  had  been  built  by  the 
Mormons.  He  occupied  it  for  five  years, 
and  in  the  spring  of  1891  built  a  two- 
story  frame  residence,  to  which  he  has 
since  made  an  addition.  He  also  built  a 
good  barn  in  1891  and  made  an  addition 
thereto  in  1898.  He  likewise  has  a  tool 
house  and  corn  crib  upon  the  place  with  a 
large  platform  scale  of  eight  tons  capac- 
ity. Ample  shelter  is  provided  for  grain 
and  stock,  and  the  farm  is  one  of  the  best 
located  in  the  township.  Mr.  Forth  cul- 
tivates the  cereals  best  adapted  to  the  cli- 
matic conditions  which  are  here  found 
and  he  also  raises  Chester  White  hogs, 
keeping  about  forty  head  per  year. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Forth  has  been 
born  one  son,  William  Fred,  born  Janu- 
ary 6,  1879.  He  married  Ida  Radel  on  Oc- 
tober 25,  1906.  She  was  born  in  Sonora 
township,  Hancock  county.  In  his  reli- 
gious faith  Air.  Forth  is  a  Presbyterian  and 
in  the  work  of  the  church  takes  an  active 
and  helpful  part,  serving  as  trustee  since 


512 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REJ'IEIl' 


the  spring  of  1906.  He  was  reared,  how- 
ever, in  the  faith  of  the  Lutheran  church. 
His  political  support  is  given  to  the  de- 
mocracy. His  life  has  been  a  busy,  ac- 
tive and  useful  one  and  his  efforts  have 
largely  been  concentrated  upon  his  busi- 
ness interests.  In  1905,  however,  he  had 
the  pleasure  of  an  extended  trip  to  the 
Pacific  coast,  visiting  on  the  way  Denver 
and  many  points  of  scenic  interest  in  the 
Rocky  mountains.  They  stopped  at 
Rifle,  Colorado,  and  traveled  by  stage  to 
Meacher,  that  state,  passed  through  Salt 
Lake  City  and  Ogden,  Utah,  and  on  to 
the  Dalles  on  the  Columbia  river  in  Ore- 
gon. They  passed  through  the  fine  pine 
woods  of  Washington  and  afterward  at- 
tended the  exposition  at  Portland,  like- 
wise visited  Tacoma,  Washington,  and 
from  Seattle  went  to  San  Francisco,  Cali- 
fornia, and  on  to  Los  Angeles.  The  re- 
turn trip  embraced  a  visit  to  the  Grand 
Canon  of  the  Colorado.  All  this  was  well 
described  by  Mr.  Porth  in  a  letter  to  his 
home  paper,  and  many  years  will  have 
come  and  gone  before  the  scenes  which 
he  saw  will  have  faded  from  the  mem- 
ory of  Mr.  Porth. 


JOSEPH  DORSEY. 

Joseph  Dorsey.  a  merchant  living  in 
Carthage,  Illinois,  was  born  in  Muskin- 
gum  county,  Ohio,  January  31,  1828,  his 
parents  being  William  and  Rebecca  (Gor- 
such)  Dorsey.  The  father  was  born  in 
Virginia  in  1803  and  the  mother  in  Mary- 


land in  1805.  Removing  from  the  south 
to  Ohio  they  there  resided  until  1857, 
when  they  became  residents  of  Adams 
county,  Illinois,  settling  on  a  farm.  Wil- 
liam Dorsey  spent  the  last  few  years  of 
his  life  in  the  home  of  his  son,  Joseph, 
who  was  then  a  resident  of  Denver,  Han- 
cock county,  Illinois,  and  there  the  father 
died  in  January,  1876.  In  politics  he  was 
a  democrat  and  he  was  one  of  the  early 
Masons  of  Ohio.  His  first  wife  had  died 
in  Ohio  and  was  buried  in  Shannon,  that 
state.  The  father  married  again  and  his 
second  wife,  who  was  an  estimable 
woman,  held  membership  in  the  Baptist 
church.  Mrs.  Rebecca  Dorsey  had  passed 
away  October  30,  1831,  leaving  two  chil- 
dren, but  our  subject  is  the  only  one  now 
living.  The  father  afterward  married 
Eliza  Cooksey,  of  Ohio,  and  she  died  at 
the  home  of  our  subject  in  October,  1875. 
By  this  marriage  there  were  six  children, 
of  whom  two  are  now  living:  Orin,  a 
resident  of  Minnesota ;  and  Celesta  E.,  the 
wife  of  Green  Fisher,  who  is  living  in 
Basco,  Illinois. 

Joseph  Dorsey  acquired  his  early  edu- 
cation in  the  district  schools  of  Ohio  and 
in  an  academy  of  that  state.  He  re- 
mained with  his  father  until  after  he  had 
attained  his  majority  and  in  his  early 
manhood  he  assisted  in  the  labors  of  the 
home  farm  during  the  summer  months, 
while  in  the  winter  seasons  he  engaged 
in  teaching.  His  time  was  thus  occupied 
for  four  years  in  Ohio  and  afterward  for 
seven  years  in  Illinois.  In  1864  he 
opened  a  dry-goods  store  in  Woodville, 
this  state,  and  in  1869  removed  to  Denver, 
Illinois,  where  he  continued  in  the  same 
line  of  business,  also  serving  as  post- 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


513 


master  there  for  four  years.  He  was 
justice  of  the  peace  in  Woodville,  Illinois, 
for  eight  years  and  for  two  years  in 
Denver,  Illinois,  and  was  also  notary  pub- 
lic for  eight  years,  thus  being  closely  iden- 
tified with  the  public  interests  of  the 
towns  as  well  as  with  the  commercial  ac- 


J3AU9Q  }p[  au  ' 
and  removed  to  Augusta,  Hancock  coun- 
ty, where  he  opened  a  store  which  he 
successfully  conducted  for  about  twelve 
years  or  more,  when  he  sold  out  and  came 
to  Carthage.  Here  he  has  since  lived 
retired  in  the  enjoyment  of  a  rest  which 
has  been  well  earned  and  is  richly 
deserved. 

In  September,  1860,  Air.  Dorsey  was 
married  to  Miss  Eveline  Lovitt,  who  was 
born  in  Muskingum  county,  Ohio,  April 
19,  1838,  a  daughter  of  Daniel  and 
Deborah  (Burch)  Lovitt,  who  were  na- 
tives of  the  Buckeye  state.  Her  father  was 
a  farmer  and  came  to  Illinois  in  1869,  set- 
tling in  Hancock  county.  Both  he  and 
his  wife  died  in  Augusta  and  their  re- 
mains were  interred  in  the  cemetery  there. 
They  were  people  of  the  highest  respec- 
tability and  held  membership  in  the  Chris- 
tian church.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lovitt 
were  born  seven  children.  Elizabeth  is 
the  widow  of  David  Waters  and  resides 
in  Kansas.  Eveline  became  Mrs.  Dorsey. 
Rezin  Lovitt  is  living  in  California. 
Maria  J.  is  the  widow  of  John  Beal  and 
resides  in  Beatrice,  Nebraska.  Andrew- 
is  living  in  Crab  Orchard,  Nebraska  and 
the  others  have  passed  away.  Unto  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Dorsey  were  born  six  children, 
of  whom  two  are  now  living,  three  hav- 
ing been  born  in  Adams  county  and  three 
in  Hancock  county.  These  are  :  Jennie, 


Ella,  Bertha  and  Myrta,  twins,  all  of 
whom  are  now  deceased ;  Cora,  the  wife 
of  John  A.  McGuire,  of  Hiawatha,  Kan- 
sas, by  whom  she  has  two  children,  J.  D. 
and  Evelyn  McGuire;  and  Pearl,  the  wife 
of  Edward  Hotch,  proprietor  of  a  book 
store  in  Carthage.  They  live  with  her 
father  and  have  one  child,  Helen  Hotch, 
now  four  years  of  age.  In  1904,  Mr. 
Dorsey  was  called  upon  to  mourn  the  loss 
of  his  wife,  who  died  on  the  3<Dth  of 
April  of  that  year  at  the  age  of  sixty-six 
and  was  laid  to  rest  in  Carthage  ceme- 
tery. She  was  a  faithful  and  devoted 
member  of  the  Christian  church,  doing  all 
in  her  power  to  advance  the  church  work 
and  was  a  most  kind-hearted  woman, 
a  good  neighbor  and  a  loving  wife  and 
devoted  mother.  For  some  years  prior 
to  her  demise,  however,  she  suffered  from 
nervous  prostration  but  died  after  a  very 
brief  complicated  illness.  She  was  a 
lady  of  fine  personality,  of  good  intellect- 
ual force  and  kindly  spirit  and  her  death 
was  deeply  regretted  by  all  who  knew  her. 
Mr.  Dorsey  is  a  devoted  member  of  the 
Christian  church,  in  which  he  has  been  an 
elder  for  twenty-five  years  and  also  a 
teacher  in  the  Sunday-school.  He  is  now 
the  senior  elder  of  the  church  and  he 
makes  his  religion  a  part  of  his  every  day 
life,  not  a  garment  to  be  assumed  on 
Sunday  alone.  His  entire  career  has 
been  actuated  by  high  and  honorable 
principles  and  by  close  adherence  to  the 
Golden  Rule.  In  1904  he  built  his  hand- 
some residence  on  Wabash  avenue,  which 
was  planned  by  Mrs.  Dorsey.  In  his  po- 
litical affiliation  Mr.  Dorsey  is  a  prohi- 
bitionist and  the  cause  of  temperance  finds 
in  him  a  warm  friend  and  at  all  times  he 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


is  ready  to  assist  in  every  movement  or 
measure  that  tends  to  uplift  humanity  or 
ameliorate  the  hard  conditions  of  life. 
He  started  out  on  his  own  account,  work- 
ing at  eleven  dollars  per  month  and  may 
well  be  termed  a  self-made  man,  his  suc- 
cess being  due  in  large  measure  to  his 
earnest  labors.  For  years  he  was  an  en- 
terprising merchant  of  the  county  and 
now  he  is  living  retired  in  the  enjoyment 
of  a  well  earned  rest,  having  passed  the 
seventy-eighth  milestone  on  life's  journey. 


WILLIAM  LINNIUS  HEBERER. 

William  Linnius  Heberer  is  the  own- 
er of  a  splendidly  improved  farm  prop- 
erty whereon  he  has  resided  since  the 
spring  of  1903.  None  of  the  accessories 
of  a  model  farm  are  there  lacking  and  its 
neat  and  thrifty  appearance  indicates  his 
careful  supervision  and  good  manage- 
ment. Born  in  Sonora  township,  on  the 
28th  of  July.  1878.  Mr.  Heberer  comes 
of  German  lineage,  his  paternal  grand- 
father being  John  Andrew  Heberer,  a  na- 
tive of  Germany.  His  son.  Charles  F. 
Heberer,  was  born  in  Hesse  Darmstadt, 
and  when  only  nine  years  of  age  lost  his 
mother.  Following  her  death  the  father, 
Adam  Heberer,  was  married  to  Elvira 
Bennett,  and  they  resided  in  Sonora 
township  until  his  demise,  which  occurred 
in  the  early  part  of  March,  1892. 

Charles  F.  Heberer  was  reared  under 
the  paternal  roof,  remaining  at  home  un- 
til his  marriage,  which  was  celebrated  in 


May,  1875,  Miss  Margaretta  Bucher  be- 
coming his  wife.  She  was  born  in  Penn- 
sylvania, and  was  a  daughter  of  David 
and  Catherine  (Bennett)  Bucher.  Fol- 
lowing his  marriage  he  purchased  a  farm 
in  Sonora  township,  comprising  a  little 
more  than  one  hundred  and  eight  acres, 
and  there  he  carried  on  general  agricul- 
tural pursuits  until  the  spring  of  1901, 
when  he  sold  that  property  and  removed 
to  Lee  county,  Iowa,  becoming  the  owner 
of  a  farm  of  three  hundred  and  ninety 
acres.  There  he  has  successfully  en- 
gaged in  business  as  a  stockman,-  feed- 
ing hogs  and  cattle.  In  his  family  were 
five  sons :  John  Albert,  also  living  in  Lee 
county ;  William,  of  this  review ;  Thomas 
Charles,  Walter  Martin  and  Clarence 
Howard,  all  residents  of  Lee  county. 

William  L.  Heberer  when  a  youth  of 
six  years  began  attending  the  Pleasant 
Hill  district  school  and  he  remained  un- 
der the  parental  roof  until  his  marriage. 
The  work  of  the  fields  early  became  fa- 
miliar to  him,  as  he  assisted  in  the  task 
of  plowing,  planting  and  harvesting.  On 
the  ist  of  January,  1900,  he  took  a  com- 
panion and  helpmate  for  life's  journey, 
being  married  to  Miss  Hattie  Belle  Bri- 
ley,  who  was  born  in  Appanoose  town- 
ship, June  24,  1879,  a  daughter  of  Wil- 
liam and  Matilda  Briley.  Her  father  was 
born  in  Maryland  in  1826,  and  was  a  son 
of  Peter  and  Mary  (Rollins)  Briley.  The 
mother,  also  a  native  of  Maryland,  was 
born  in  1834,  and  was  a  daughter  of  Da- 
vid Uhler.  Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Briley 
are  now  deceased,  the  former  having 
passed  away  in  December,  1899,  and  the 
latter  in  May,  1902.  He  was  one  of  the 
earliest  settlers  of  this  locality  to  take 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


515 


part  in  the  Mormon  war  whereby  that 
religious  sect  was  expelled  from  the 
county,  and  participated  in  other  events 
which  have  become  of  historic  impor- 
tance and  mark  the  growth  and  develop- 
ment of  the  county.  He  had  two  sisters : 
Mrs.  Elizabeth  R.  Tull,  who  after  the 
death  of  her  first  husband  became  the 
wife  of  Bayard  Layton,  of  Dallas,  Illi- 
nois; and  Mary,  who  was  the  wife  of 
George  Yetter,  a  farmer  living  two  miles 
east  of  Carthage.  Her  death  occurred  in 
Februaiy,  1905.  .In  the  family  of  Mr. 
and  Airs.  William  Briley  were  thirteen 
children  :  James ;  Margaret,  the  wife  of 
Daniel  Jordan ;  Henry,  who  died  at  the 
age  of  forty-three  years;  Geoge  \V.,  Wil- 
liam F. ;  Peter  R.,  who  died  in  infancy; 
David  Uhler;  Albert  Alden;  Bessie  M., 
the  wife  of  Albert  Bertschi;  Mary  M.. 
the  wife  of  Talcott  Howard ;  Louis  R. ; 
Hattie  B.,  now  Mrs.  Heberer;  and  La- 
veta  A.,  who  is  a  nurse  in  Marietta 
Phelps  Hospital  at  Macomb,  Illinois. 

Following  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Heberer  lived  for  a  year  upon  his  father's 
farm  in  Sonora  township,  after  which  he 
operated  his  father-in-law's  farm  in  Ap- 
panoose  township  from  the  ist  of  March 
until  July.  He  then  removed  to  Iowa, 
where  he  continued  with  his  father  until 
the  following  spring,  and  subsequently 
he  operated  rented  land  in  Iowa  for  a 
year.  In  the  spring  of  1903  he  bought 
the  home  place  from  his  wife's  parents, 
comprising  eighty  acres  on  the  southeast 
quarter  of  section  21,  Appanoose  town- 
ship. He  has  since  placed  many  rods  of 
wire  fencing  on  the  farm  and  he  keeps 
everything  in  a  state  of  first  class  repair. 
In  addition  to  cultivating  the  cereals  best 


adapted  to  soil  and  climate  he  likewise 
raises  cattle  and  also  feeds  Duroc  Jersey 
hogs  and  engages  to  some  extent  in  the 
poultry  business.  He  is  a  wide-awake 
and  progressive  business  man  whose  la- 
bors have  been  the  basis  upon  which  he 
has  builded  his  success.  Unto  him  and 
his  wife  have  been  born  no  children  but 
they  have  reared  his  brother-in-law's 
daughter,  Gladys  Marie  Briley.  Mr 
Heberer  is  a  democrat  in  his  political 
views  but  without  aspiration  for  office, 
preferring  to  give  his  time  and  energies 
to  his  business  affairs  which  are  well 
managed. 


JOHN  NELSON  HURDLE. 

John  Nelson  Hurdle,  deceased,  was 
for  many  years  one  of  the  highly  re- 
spected citizens  of  La  Harpe  township. 
Hancock  county,  where  he  owned  and 
conducted  valuable  farming  property. 
He  was  a  native  of  Muskingum  county, 
Ohio,  his  birth  having  occurred  Febru- 
ary 15,  1831.  His  paternal  grandfather 
was  John  Hurdle,  and  his  parents  were 
William  and  Mary  (Kinney)  Hurdle, 
who  were  likewise  natives  of  the  Buck- 
eye state,  where  the  father  always  en- 
gaged in  farming  pursuits. 

John  Nelson  Hurdle  was  reared  to 
farm  life  in  his  native  state,  assisting  his 
father  in  the  work  of  the  fields,  and  in  the 
common  schools  acquired  his  education. 
He  remained  with  his  father  until  his 
marriage,  and  subsequent  to  that  time, 
hoping  to  enjoy  better  opportunities  in 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


the  new  and  undeveloped  districts  of  Illi- 
nois, made  his  way  in  the  spring  of  1854 
to  Henderson  county,  traveling  with  a 
team  and  wagon.  He  made  his  way  to 
the  western  portion  of  the  county,  where 
he  had  previously  purchased  a  tract  of 
land  comprising  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres.  There  he  made  his  home  for  a 
few  years  and  then  disposing  of  that 
property,  made  his  way  to  La  Harpe 
township,  Hancock  county,  where  he  pur- 
chased one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of 
land  lying  on  section  5  and  a  tract  of 
one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  lying  on  sec- 
tion 8.  There  were  no  fences  upon  the 
place  and  the  only  buildings  consisted  of 
an  old  house  and  a  stable.  Mr.  Hurdle 
with  characteristic  energy  at  once  set  to 
work  to  further  improve  his  place  by 
building  fences,  sheds  and  other  outbuild- 
ings, and  soon  placed  his  land  under  a 
high  state  of  cultivation  and  planted  his 
crops,  which  in  due  course  of  time  yield- 
ed him  abundant  harvests.  Thus,  adding 
to  his  financial  income  as  the  years  passed 
by,  he  was  enabled  to  increase  his  landed 
possessions,  by  adding  a  tract  of  two 
hundred  and  forty  acres  also  situated  on 
section  8  and  a  tract  of  timber  land  con- 
stituting forty  acres.  In  addition  to  this 
he  invested  his  capital  in  a  half  section  of 
land  located  in  Durham  township,  near 
Disco,  this  county.  In  1873  he  also  re- 
placed his  original  home  by  a  ten-room 
house,  this  being  one  of  the  fine  homes  of 
his  section  of  the  state.  In  addition  to 
his  general  farming  interests  he  also  en- 
gaged extensively  in  the  raising  of  stock, 
fine  grades  of  horses,  cattle,  sheep  and 
hogs  being  seen  in  his  pastures.  He  was 
ever  practical  and  systematic  in  his  work 


and  in  all  that  he  did  he  was  successful, 
so  that  at  his  death  he  left  to  his  family 
a  valuable  estate. 

Mr.  Hurdle  was  twice  married.  On 
the  1 5th  of  December,  1853,  he  was 
joined  in  wedlock  with  Miss  Mary  M. 
Wolf,  who  was  likewise  a  native  of  Mus- 
kingum  county,  Ohio.  Her  birth  oc- 
curred June  2,  1830,  and  she  was  reared 
in  her  parents'  home  near  Zanesville,  that 
state.  By  this  marriage  there  were  two 
daughters  and  a  son  but  the  daughters 
are  both  now  deceased.  Laura  Jane, 
born  August  7,  1855,  died  on  the  23d  of 
November  following.  Edgar  Fremont, 
born  July  13,  1856,  is  a  resident  of  Hart- 
ville,  Wyoming.  Emma  F.,  born  Au- 
gust 18,  1858,  became  the  wife  of  John 
A.  Goodin,  of  Eaton,  Colorado,  where 
her  death  occurred.  The  mother  of  these 
children  died  in  La  Harpe  township  on 
the  gth  of  August,  1860,  at  the  early  age 
of  thirty  years,  and  Mr.  Hurdle  was 
again  married,  his  second  union  being 
with  Elmira  Ann  Barr,  who  was  born 
June  2,  1836,  in  Breckenridge,  Kentucky, 
and  there  pursued  a  common  school  edu- 
cation. The  paternal  grandparents  of 
Mrs.  Hurdle  were  Adam  and  Mary 
(Claycomb)  Barr,  natives  of  Maryland, 
while  the  maternal  grandfather  was  Jerry 
Boam  Beauchamp.  It  was  his  daughter, 
Sallie  A.,  who  became  the  wife  of  Elias 
Barr,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Hurdle.  Pre- 
vious to  their  marriage  the  parents  had 
removed  from  the  south  to  Hancock 
county,  and  it  was  here  that  their  mar- 
riage occurred.  The  father  bought  land 
in  1859  in  Dallas  township  and  here  the 
family  home  was  established.  The  death 
of  our  subject  occurred  October  28,  1887, 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


517 


when  he  had  reached  the  age  of  fifty-six 
years. 

By  the  marriage  of  John  Nelson  and 
Ehnira  Hurdle  there  were  born  five 
daughters  and  three  sons,  but  one  daugh- 
ter has  passed  away.  The  family  record 
is  as  follows :  Lulu  B.,  who  was  born 
March  19,  1862,  is  now  the  wife  of  Dr. 
T.  W.  Bath,  of  Bloomington,  Illinois. 
Sarah  Olive,  born  July  19,  1863,  is  the 
wife  of  Luther  James  and  they  make  their 
home  in  La  Harpe  township.  Maggie  C., 
who  was  born  October  2,  1865,  is  now 
the  wife  of  C.  D.  Rice,  of  Disco,  Han- 
cock county.  Carrie  E.,  born  June  14, 
1868,  died  July  16,  1888,  at  the  age  of 
twenty  years.  William  E.,  who  was  born 
January  24,  1870,  makes  his  home  in 
Fort  Collins,  Colorado.  Dora  K.,  born 
February  20,  1872,  is  the  wife  of  W.  E. 
Miller,  who  resides  in  Durham  township 
near  Disco.  H.  Al.,  born  March  5,  1876, 
is  at  home  with  his  mother.  John  F. 
who  was  born  November  21,  1877,  re- 
sides at  Colusa,  Illinois. 

Mr.  Hurdle  was  a  republican  in  his  po- 
litical affiliation,  and  held  membership 
with  the  Methodist  Protestant  church  at 
Morris  Chapel,  having  filled  all  of  the 
offices  in  that  organization.  He  was  al- 
ways deeply  interested  in  the  work  of  the 
church  and  the  moral  development  of  the 
community,  and  at  the  time  of  the  erec- 
tion of  the  church  edifice  contributed  one 
thousand  dollars  and  was  always  one  of 
its  most  generous  supporters.  In  his 
family  he  was  a  devoted  husband  and  fa- 
ther, was  loyal  in  citizenship  and  faithful 
to  the  ties  of  friendship,  so  that  his  death 
was  the  occasion  of  deep  and  widespread 
regret  when  he  was  called  from  this  life, 


for  his  labors  had  been  of  great  benefit  to 
his  community  and  through  his  honorable 
methods  and  straightforward  dealing  in 
all  relations  with  his  fellowmen  he  had 
gained  numerous  and  lasting  friends. 
His  widow  still  resides  on  the  farm,  in 
the  management  of  which  she  is  assisted 
by  her  son  Al,  and  by  her  many  good 
traits  of  heart  and  mind  she  has  won  the 
good  will  and  confidence  of  all  with 
whom  she  is  brought  in  contact. 


EDWIN  WRIGHT  HOSFORD. 

Edwin  Wright  Hosford,  born  in 
Wythe  township,  May  26,  1857,  is  among 
those  citizens  who  indicate  the  attrac- 
tiveness of  Hancock  county  as  a  place 
of  residence  by  the  fact  that  they  have 
always  continued  to  reside  in  this  locality 
in  which  they  were  born  and  in  which 
their  boyhood  days  were  passed.  In  both 
the  paternal  and  maternal  lines  he  comes 
of  Scotch  lineage.  His  paternal  grand- 
parents were  Truman  and  Elizabeth  Hos- 
ford, natives  of  Scotland,  and  in  the  land 
of  hills  and  heather  his  maternal  grand- 
parents, William  and  Annie  (Wilson) 
Wright,  were  also  born.  Having  emi- 
grated to  America,  Harlow  Hosford,  the 
son  of  the  former  couple,  was  born  in 
Ohio,  and  Mary  Wright,  the  daughter  of 
the  latter  couple,  was  born  in  Scotland, 
and  came  to  the  United  States  when  six- 
teen years  of  age.  Harlow  Hosford  came 
to  Hancock  county,  Illinois,  with  his  par- 
ents in  1835,  the  family  being  one  of  the 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


earliest  to  locate  in  this  section  of  the 
state,  for  in  that  year  Warsaw  contained 
but  one  house  and  it.  was  a  log  cabin.  He 
was  born  in  1824  and  was  therefore  a 
youth  of  eleven  years  at  the  time  of  his 
arrival.  He  shared  with  the  family  in 
the  usual  experiences  and  hardships  in- 
cident to  pioneer  life  and  assisted  his  fa- 
ther in  the  arduous  task  of  clearing  and 
developing  a  farm  from  the  timber.  The 
grandfather  continued  the  work  of  im- 
proving his  place  until  1849,  when  at- 
tracted by  the  discovery  of  gold  in  Cal- 
ifornia he  started  for  that  state  with  two 
yoke  of  oxen  and  while  engaged  in 
searching  for  the  precious  metal  on  the 
Pacific  coast  he  was  murdered  there  by 
his  partner.  In  the  following  year  Har- 
low  Hosford  married  Miss  Wright  and 
settled  in  Wilcox  township  upon  his  fa- 
ther's old  farm,  where  he  lived  for  two 
years.  Subsequently  he  removed  to 
Wythe  township  and  on  selling  his  sec- 
ond place  he  bought  eighty  acres  about 
two  miles  south  of  Hamilton,  residing 
thereon  until  1868,  when  he  once  more 
sold  out  and  came  to  Montebello  town- 
ship, investing  in  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  of  land  on  section  10.  This  was 
unimproved,  but  the  resolute  spirit  and 
indefatigable  energy  of  Mr.  Hosford  en- 
abled him  to  soon  transform  the  wild 
tract  into  richly  cultivated  fields.  At  the 
time  of  his  purchase  there  was  a  small 
house  upon  It  with  a  stable  at  one  end. 
He  fenced  the  land,  placed  the  fields  un- 
der the  plow,  added  modern  equipments 
and  in  due  course  of  time  extended  the 
boundaries  of  his  property  by  the  addi- 
tional purchase  of  two  hundred  and  sev- 


cultivation.  He  was  widely  known  as  an 
enterprising  farmer  and  stock  raiser  and 
for  many  years  successfully  continued  in 
business,  gaining  thereby  a  very  gratify- 
ing competence  which  enabled  him  in  his 
later  years  to  live  retired  from  business 
cares.  In  1890  he  and  his  wife  removed 
to  Hamilton,  where  Mrs.  Hosford  passed 
away  in  April,  1895,  while  the  death  of 
Mr.  Hosford  occurred  on  the  i6th  of 
January,  1897. 

Edwin  W.  Hosford  was  the  fourth  in 
a  family  of  three  sons  and  three  daugh- 
ters, all  of  whom  are  yet  living.  He  has 
a  brother  now  residing  in  Urbana,  Illi- 
nois, while  one  sister,  Mrs.  Fleck,  is  liv- 
ing in  Sterling,  this  state,  and  another 
sister,  Mrs.  Hanson,  in  Taylor  county, 
Iowa.  The  others  are  all  residents  of 
Hancock  county.  Edwin  Hosford  spent 
his  boyhood  days  from  the  age  of  ten 
years  upon  the  farm  which  is  yet  his 
home.  Hs  attended  the  district  schools 
and  supplemented  his  preliminary  knowl- 
edge by  two  years'  study  in  Carthage  Col- 
lege. He  has  always  kept  well  informed 
on  current  questions  and  the  issues  of  the 
day  through  reading  and  investigation 
and  is  a  well  informed  man. 

As  a  companion  and  helpmate  for  life's 
journey  Mr.  Hosford  chose  Miss  Mary 
Leith  Morris,  who  was  born  in  Edin- 
burgh, Scotland,  and  who  became  his  wife 
on  the  2  ist  of  June,  1892.  The  children 
of  this  marriage  are :  Edwin  L.,  born 
October  12,  1893;  Daisy  Olive,  born  Sep- 
tember 22,  1895;  Harlow  Newton,  March 
22,  1898;  Charles  Truman,  January  16, 
1901 ;  and  Floyd  Morris,  March  19,  1904. 

Following  his  marriage  Mr.  Hosford 


enty  acres,  one-half  of  which  was  under     rented  the  old  home  farm,  which  he  con- 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


519 


tinued  thus  to  operate  until  his  father's 
death,  when  he  inherited  the  property. 
He  now  owns  three  hundred  and  twenty 
acres  of  land  which  is  very  rich  and  pro- 
ductive, the  alluvial  soil  responding  read- 
ily to  the  care  and  labor  which  he  be- 
stows upon  it,  his  work  being  crowned 
with  golden  harvests.  He  also  raises 
stock,  including  cattle,  hogs  and  horses, 
and  this  adds  materially  to  his  yearly  in- 
come. He  votes  with  the  Republican 
party  and  has  twice  served  by  appoint- 
ment as  road  commissioner,  while  at  the 
present  writing  he  is  a  school  director. 
He  belongs  to  the  Modern  Woodmen 
camp  at  Hamilton  and  is  a  resident  of 
wide  acquaintance  in  Hancock  county, 
where  his  entire  life  has  been  passed.  His 
labors  have  been  followed  with  the  ut- 
most regard  to  a  high  standard  of  busi- 
ness ethics  and  he  has  never  been  known 
to  take  advantage  of  the  necessities  of  his 
fellowmen  in  any  trade  transaction. 


FRED  A.  WILKINSON. 

Fred  A.  Wilkinson,  who  throughout 
his  entire  business  life,  has  been  a  repre- 
sentative of  printing  interest  and  is  now 
half  owner  of  The  Quill,  published  in  La 
Harpe,  his  native  city,  was  born  October 
15,  1862,  and  acquired  a  public  school 
education  while  spending  his  boyhood 
days  in  the  home  of  his  parents,  John 
and  Jane  (Nance)  Wilkinson.  His 
paternal  grandfather  was  John  Wilkin- 
son, a  native  of  Pennsylvania.  His  son, 

33 


John  Wilkinson,  Jr.,  was  born  in  Phila- 
delphia, January  16,  1806,  and  after 
reaching  years  of  maturity  married  Jane 
Nance,  who  was  born  in  New  Albany, 
Indiana,  in  1825.  In  the  year  1837,  John 
Wilkinson  arrived  in  La  Harpe  township 
and  located  on  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  of  land  about  a  mile  and  a  half 
west  of  La  Harpe,  where  he  engaged  in 
farming  and  also  operated  a  sawmill. 
After  several  years  he  took  up  his  abode 
in  the  town,  where  he  built  a  residence 
and  engaged  in  general  merchandising, 
continuing  actively  in  the  business  until 
1883,  when  he  retired,  enjoying  through 
his  remaining  days  the  comforts  of  life 
earned  by  earlier  toil.  He  died  in  1893. 
Fred  A.  Wilkinson,  the  ninth  in  order 
of  birth  in  a  family  of  fourteen  children, 
of  whom  six  are  still  living,  after  finishing 
his  education,  entered  a  printing  office 
in  the  fall  of  1877  and  nas  smce  been  con- 
nected with  that  line  of  business,  owning 
at  the  present  time  a  half  interest  in  the 
Quill,  a  weekly  paper  published  at  La 
Harpe. 

On  the  29*  of  November,  1888,  Mr. 
Wilkinson  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Emma  Walter,  who  was  born  in  Indiana, 
July  30,  1860,  a  daughter  of  William  and 
Sallie  B.  (Sweazy)  Walter,  natives  of 
Kentucky,  who  removed  to  Blandinsville, 
Illinois,  during  the  early  girlhood  of  their 
daughter  Emma.  Two  children  have 
been  born  unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wilkinson : 
Maud  E.,  born  February  2,  1890,  and 
Ruth  E.,  October  29,  1891.  The  family 
home  stands  upon  a  lot,  five  by  ten  rods, 
which  was  purchased  by  Mr.  Wilkinson's 
father  in  1839,  for  seventy-five  dollars, 
and  which  has  since  been  in  possession  of 


520 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


the  family.  Mr.  Wilkinson  is  a  member 
of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows, 
Bristol  lodge,  of  La  Harpe,  No.  653,  hav- 
ing joined  the  order  in  1888. 

He  is  a  stanch  democrat  and  has  been- 
alderman  of  the  city  for  three  terms. 


WILLIAM  ROSENSTENGEL,  D.   D. 

Rev.  William  Rosenstengel,  pastor  of 
the  German  Lutheran  church  at  Car- 
thage, was  born  in  the  village  of-  Asel  in 
the  Grand  Duchy  of  Hesse  Darmstadt  on 
Christmas  day  of  1846,  his  parents  being 
John  and  Catherine  (Best)  Rosenstengel. 
who  were  likewise  natives  of  Hesse 
Darmstadt,  the  father  conducting  a  hotel 
in  Asel.  They  never  came  to  America, 
but  continued  to  reside  in  Germany  until 
called  to  their  final  rest. 

Rev.  Rosenstengel  is  the  only  surviv- 
ing member  of  their  family  of  five  chil- 
dren. He  was  reared  and  educated  in 
his  native  country  and  came  to  America 
on  the  old-time  sailing  vessel,  Atler, 
which,  after  a  voyage  of  five  weeks, 
dropped  anchor  in  the  harbor  of  New 
York  in  1867.  He  at  once  made  his  way 
toward  the  interior  of  the  country  and 
worked  at  farm  labor  in  Illinois  until 
1871,  when  he  entered  Carthage  College, 
spending  five  years  as  a  student  there. 
He  afterward  matriculated  in  the  Get- 
tysburg (Pennsylvania)  Theological 
Seminary,  where  he  was  graduated  on  the 
completion  of  a  three  years'  course  and 
thus  having  prepared  for  the  active  work 


of  the  ministry  he  entered  at  once  upon 
the  labor  connected  with  this  holy  call- 
ing. His  first  charge  was  in  Fulton 
county,  Illinois,  where  he  remained  for 
three  years.  It  was  during  this  time  that 
Rev.  Rosenstengel  was  married,  in  1881, 
to  Miss  Margaret  Walter,  who  was  born 
in  Illinois,  October  4,  1854,  a  daughter 
of  George  Henry  and  Catherine  (Muhl) 
Walter,  both  natives  of  Germany.  Her 
father  was  a  tradesman  in  the  old  coun- 
try and  followed  the  occupation  of  farm- 
ing after  coming  to  Illinois.  In  the  fam- 
ily were  ten  children,  of  whom  seven  are 
living:  Philip,  residing  in  Des  Moines 
county,  Iowa ;  Henry,  who  lives  near 
Bushnell,  Illinois ;  Catherine,  the  wife  of 
Philip  Rock,  residing  on  the  old  home- 
stead in  Fulton  county ;  Ernest,  living  in 
Canton,  this  state;  George,  who  makes 
his  home  near  Canton;  Mrs.  Rosensten- 
gel :  and  Peter,  who  resides  in  Fairview, 
Illinois.  The  parents  were  members  of 
the  Lutheran  church  and  for  some  years 
the  father  was  in  the  church  council.  In 
his  political  affiliations  Mr.  Walter  is  a 
democrat. 

On  leaving  his  first  pastorate  in  Ful- 
ton county  Dr.  Rosenstengel  accepted  a 
church  in  Nebraska  City,  Nebraska,  and 
afterward  was  pastor  at  Grand  Island, 
Nebraska.  From  there  he  went  to  Al- 
buquerque, New  Mexico,  where  he  or- 
ganized the  church  and  erected  the  church 
edifice,  and  upon  his  return  to  the  north 
was  called  to  the  First  Lutheran  church 
of  Beardstown,  Illinois,  where  he  also 
erected  a  fine  church.  In  1899  he  came 
to  Carthage,  where  he  has  since  remained 
as  pastor  of  the  German  Lutheran  church 
in  this  city,  doing  great  good  among  the 


WILLIAM  ROSENSTENGEL,  D.D. 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


people  with  whom  he  labors  for  charac- 
ter development  and  spiritual  advance- 
ment. He  is  also  editor  of  a  German  pa- 
per known  as  Lutheritcher  Cions  Bote, 
which  in  English  means  Science  Messen- 
ger, a  paper  of  sixteen  pages  published 
bi-monthly  and  devoted  to  church  work. 
He  is  untiring  in  his  efforts  for  the  church 
and  the  dissemination  of  the  principles 
of  the  Christian  religion  and  his  labors 
have  been  far-reaching  and  beneficial. 

Unto  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Rosenstengel  have 
been  born  four  children,  all  of  whom  were 
born  in  Nebraska,  while  three  are  yet 
living.  Marie,  a  graduate  of  Carthage 
College  of  the  class  of  1905,  is  now  a  suc- 
cessful teacher  in  Plymouth  school  in  this 
county.  Margaret,  a  graduate  of  the 
high  school,  attended  Carthage  College 
for  a  year  and  afterward  a  business  col- 
lege, where  she  learned  shorthand.  She 
is  now  a  stenographer  in  the  law  office 
of  A.  W.  O'Harra  in  Carthage.  Min- 
nie is  now  a  senior  in  the  high  school. 
August  23,  1906,  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Rosen- 
Stengel  celebrated  their  twenty-fifth  wed- 
ding anniversary,  the  members  of  his 
church  being  present,  and  in  token  of 
their  high  esteem  presented  them  with  a 
fine  silver  tea  set. 

In  his  political  views  Dr.  Rosenstengel 
is  a  republican,  believing  firmly  in  the 
principles  of  the  party.  He  is  an  hon- 
ored trustee  of  Carthage  College,  having 
occupied  the  position  for  many  years,  and 
he  is  president  of  the  German  Worthberg 
synod.  At  the  late  meeting  of  the 
Worthberg  synod  in  Mt.  Pulaski.  Illi- 
nois, he  was  for  the  sixth  time  elected 
president  of  that  body.  At  the  com- 
mencement exercises  of  Carthage  Col- 


lege in  1905  the  board  of  trustees  con- 
ferred upon  him  the  degree  of  Doctor  of 
Divinity,  an  honor  which  was  well  mer- 
ited. He  is  a  cultured,  intelligent  man 
of  scholarly  attainments  and  broad  learn- 
ing and  there  is  in  him  an  abiding  char- 
ity and  kindly  sympathy  which  have 
made  him  honored  and  respected  by  all. 
He  has  done  much  work  in  connection 
with  the  ministry,  performing  many 
burial  and  marriage  ceremonies  among 
his  friends  of  both  the  German  and 
American  people.  His  wife  is  a  lady  of 
culture  and  intelligence  and  of  warm 
heart,  who  has  been  of  much  assistance 
to  her  husband  in  his  work.  Dr.  Rosen- 
stengel has  purchased  a  lot  at  the  cor- 
ner of  Buchanan  and  First  streets  near 
the  college  and  built  a  fine  residence 
thereon  in  the  spring  of  1906.  The  fam- 
ily home  is  a  happy  one  and  is  the  center 
of  many  delightful  social  gatherings. 
That  Dr.  Rosenstengel  is  held  in  highest 
regard  by  his  parishioners  is  shown  by 
the  fact  that  his  church  people  in  Beards- 
town  presented  him  with  a  beautiful  gold 
watch  December  15,  1898,  upon  his  de- 
parture for  Carthage,  as  a  testimonial 
of  the  high  esteem  in  which  he  was  held 
during  his  stay  among  them.  All  who 
know  him  learn  to  love  and  respect  him 
and  recognize  the  fact  that  his  life  is  de- 
voted to  his  work  in  behalf  of  the  church. 


EDWARD  HARRISON. 

Edward  Harrison,  whose  life  has  been 
devoted  to  general   farming  and  who  is 


522 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


now  pleasantly  located  in  \Yalker  town- 
ship, was  born  in  Bursleim,  Staffordshire, 
England,  in  1827.  His  parents,  John  and 
Martha  (Fitten)  Harrison,  were  likewise 
natives  of  that  country  and  in  1842  they 
came  to  America  as  passengers  on  an  old 
sailing  vessel  which  after  sixty  days  on 
the  voyage  dropped  anchor  in  the  harbor 
of  New  Orleans.  Making  their  way 
northward  they  became  residents  of 
Walker  township,  Hancock  county,  Illi- 
nois, and  here  the  father  purchased  a  farm 
and  built  a  log  cabin.  He  was  an  in- 
dustrious, successful  agriculturist  and 
aided  in  the  early  development  of  the 
county  along  that  line.  His  death  oc- 
curred in  1864,  and  his  wife  passed  away 
in  1856,  both  being  laid  to  rest  in  Walker 
township. 

Edward  Harrison  is  the  only  living 
member  of  their  family  of  seven  children. 
He  was  a  youth  of  about  eleven  years  at 
the  time  of  the  emigration  to  the  new 
world,  and  his  education  was  largely  ac- 
quired in  the  common  schools  of  Walker 
township,  while  during  the  summer 
months  he  aided  in  the  farm  work.  He 
remained  at  home  with  his  parents  until 
thirty-two  years  of  age,  and  in  the  mean- 
time became  manager  of  the  farm,  which 
he  cultivated  successfully.  He  was  mar- 
ried in  1858  to  Miss  Adaline  York,  who 
was  born  in  Tippecanoe  county,  Indiana, 
April  25,  1841.  a  daughter  of  Larkin  A. 
and  Eliza  (Bastian)  York.  Her  father 
was  born  in  the  state  of  New  York,  June 
2,  1814,  while  his  wife  was  born  in  Hol- 
land, August  18.  1818.  He  was  a  farmer 
and  lived  for  a  time  in  Missouri  before 
coming  to  Illinois.  Following  his  re- 
moval to  this  state  he  located  in  Walker 


township,  where  he  and  his  wife  made 
many  warm  friends,  becoming  representa- 
tive and  valued  citizens  of  that  commu- 
nity. Mr.  York  was  a  member  of  the 
Baptist  church,  while  his  wife  held  mem- 
bership in  the  Methodist  church.  They 
lived  here  in  early  pioneer  times  and  were 
familiar  with  many  of  the  events  that 
culminated  in  the  Mormon  war.  In  their 
family  were  six  children,  but  only  two  are 
now  living,  Mrs.  Harrison,  and  James 
Monroe  York,  a  resident  of  Washington 
county,  Idaho.  The  mother  died  Jan- 
uary 2,  1849,  and  the  father  passed  away 
August  n,  1852,  being  then  laid  to  rest 
by  her  side  in  Walker  township. 

Following  his  marriage  Mr.  Harrison 
purchased  a  farm  of  one  hundred  and  ten 
acres  on  section  15,  Walker  township,  and 
his  first  home  there  was  a  log  cabin.  He 
has  since  made  all  of  the  improvements 
upon  the  property  and  now  has  a  splen- 
didly developed  farm.  In  1862  he  and  his 
wife  made  a  trip  across  the  plains,  going 
overland  to  Oregon,  which  trip  required 
seven  months.  They  lived  upon  a  farm 
in  Willamette  valley  for  a  time  and  greatly 
enjoyed  the  journey  westward  and  their 
sojourn  on  the  coast.  They  visited  many 
large  cities  on  this  trip  and  returned  home 
by  way  of  New  York,  being  passengers 
on  a  large  boat,  Constitution,  to  Panama, 
They  were  accompanied  on  the  trip  by 
their  two  eldest  children.  On  again  reach- 
ing Hancock  county  Mr.  Harrison  re- 
sumed farming  here  and  has  since  given 
his  attention  to  general  agricultural  pur- 
suits. He  now  has  a  well  improved  farm 
property  and  derives  therefrom  a  good 
income. 

Unto    Mr.    and    Mrs.    Harrison    has 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


523 


been  born  a  most  interesting  family  of 
six  daughters:  Flora  M.,  born  in  1859, 
and  educated  in  Hamilton,  is  the  wife  of 
Augustus  Davis,  of  Los  Angeles,  Cali- 
fornia, and  has  one  son,  Loy  A.  Smith, 
twenty-three  years  of  age,  who  married 
Anna  Schultz  and  lives  in  Los  Angeles. 
Sophia  Adaleine,  born  in  1862,  is  the  wife 
of  Harry  York,  of  St.  Alban's  township 
and  they  have  two  sons,  Gay  and  Shirley. 
Eva  B.,  born  in  1866,  was  educated  in 
Warsaw,  afterward  engaged  in  teaching 
school,  and  is  now  the  wife  of  B.  F.  Clark, 
a  resident  of  St.  Alban's  township,  by 
whom  she  has  two  sons,  Glenn  and  Car- 
roll. Oral  is  the  wife  of  Walter  Hem- 
mings,  of  Keokuk,  Iowa,  and  prior  to 
her  marriage  was  a  successful  teacher. 
Nora  B.,  born  in  1872,  and  a  graduate 
of  Hamilton  high  school,  after  which  she 
engaged  in  teaching  school,  is  now  the 
wife  of  John  Kirkendall,  of  Keokuk, 
Iowa,  and  has  two  children,  Wayne  and 
Fern.  Ollie  B.,  born  in  1876,  was  edu- 
cated in  Hamilton  and  is  the  wife  of  Jesse 
Tracey,  of  Macomb,  Illinois,  by  whom  she 
had  a  son,  Clyle  E.,  who  died  at  the  age 
of  two  years.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Harrison 
have  every  reason  to  be  proud  of  their 
family  of  daughters,  most  of  whom  have 
been  capable  teachers  and  are  now  com- 
fortably situated  in  life  in  homes  of  their 
own.  Mrs.  Harrison,  the  daughters  and 
grand-daughters  are  all  eligible  to  mem- 
bership in  the  society  of  the  Daughters 
of  the  Revolution,  for  her  paternal  grand- 
father was  a  soldier  of  the  Revolution. 
She  also  had  two  brothers,  Jesse  and  Mart 
York,  who  were  soldiers  of  the  Civil  war, 
enlisting  from  Illinois.  Mrs.  Harrison 
is  a  lady  of  literary  tastes,  who  has  been 


a  broad  reader.  Both  our  subject  and 
his  wife  have  traveled  to  a  considerable 
extent,  visiting  various  parts  of  the  west. 
At  the  same  time  he  has  lived  an  active 
business  life  and  broke  much  of  the  land 
of  his  farm  with  ox  teams.  He  has  ad- 
vanced step  by  step  in  his  business  inter- 
ests and  is  now  comfortably  situated  in 
life,  having  a  good  farm  which  returns 
him  a  gratifying  annual  income. 


GEN.  CHARLES  A.  GILCHRIST. 

General  Charles  A.  Gilchrist,  at  one 
time  a  resident  of  Carthage,  was  respect- 
ed and  esteemed  in  this  community  and 
wherever  he  was  known  because  of  his 
possession  of  sterling  traits  of  character. 
His  public  spirit  and  his  devotion  to  the 
general  good  stood  as  an  unquestioned 
fact  in  his  life  and  in  the  greatest  crisis 
in  the  country's  history  his  manhood,  his 
loyalty  and  his  valor  were  so  manifest 
that  his  military  record  became  an  honor 
to  the  state  which  he  represented.  His 
life  was  varied  in  its  activity,  honorable 
in  its  purpose  and  far-reaching  and  ben- 
eficial in  its  effects. 

General  Gilchrist  was  born  at  Saxton's 
River,  Vermont,  February  13,  1834,  and 
was  but  three  years  of  age  when,  in  1837, 
his  parents  removed  to  Hills  Grove,  Mc- 
Donough  county,  Illinois.  In  his  early 
boyhood  he  attended  a  school  taught  by 
Isaac  Holton  in  a  log  cabin  at  Hills 
Grove,  which  was  called  the  "Seminary" 
by  the  people  there.  In  1849  he  contin- 


524 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


ued  his  studies  in  Galesburg,  Illinois,  and 
the  following  year  taught  a  district  school 
in  McDonough  county.  In  1851-52  he 
attended  school  in  New  York  city,  and  in 
1853  entered  upon  his  business  career  in 
connection  with  the  engineering  depart- 
ment of  the  Northern  Cross  Railroad, 
then  building  from  Galesburg  to  Quincy. 
In  1855  he  was  elected  and  served  as  sur- 
veyor of  McDonough  county.  He  then 
turned  his  attention  to  the  lumber  busi- 
ness in  Macomb,  Illinois,  but  that  ven- 
ture proved  disastrous  financially. 

In  the  meantime  General  Gilchrist  was 
married,  on  the  ist  of  October.  1857,  to 
Miss  Lucy  Ellen  Walker,  of  McDonough 
county,  a  daughter  of  Joseph  Gilmer  and 
Susan  Pope  (Bell)  Walker,  the  former 
a  native  of  Rockbridge  county,  Virginia. 
The  mother  was  a  descendant  of  Nathan- 
iel Pope,  an  own  cousin  of  George  Wash- 
ington. Joseph  Gilmer  Walker  was  close- 
ly and  prominently  identified  with  the 
early  history  of  Illinois  and  especially  of 
McDonough  county,  where  he  resided 
with  his  family  and  practiced  law  until 
his  death  in  1842.  Histories  of  early  Illi- 
nois associate  four  names  in  legal  and  po- 
litical prominence  in  that  period :  Abra- 
ham Lincoln,  Stephen  A.  Douglas,  Jo- 
seph Gilmer  Walker  and  Cyrus  Walker, 
his  brother.  His  son,  Pinckney  H.  Wal- 
ker, of  Rushville.  Illinois,  a  brother  of 
Mrs.  Gilchrist,  was  judge  of  the  supreme 
court  for  many  years.  Mrs.  Gilchrist 
died  in  1898  and  was  buried  near  her 
childhood  home  at  Scottsburg,  McDon- 
ough county. 

Following  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil 
war  General  Gilchrist  promptly  respond- 
ed, when,  in  1861,  the  call  was  made  for 


troops.  The  Illinois  quota  being  full  he 
enlisted  in  the  Tenth  Missouri  Infantry 
and  was  elected  and  commissioned  cap- 
tain of  Company  A.  On  the  pth  of 
March,  1862,  he  took  the  examination  at 
St.  Louis  for  promotion.  Four  days  prior 
to  this  time  he  studied  eighteen  hours  out 
of  twenty-four  the  book  of  tactics  and 
was  under  examination  four  consecutive 
hours.  The  thoroughness  of  his  meth- 
ods, his  great  determination  and  tenacity 
were  here  exemplified.  He  answered 
correctly  two  hundred  and  forty-four 
questions  out  of  two  hundred  and  fifty 
and  was  complimented  upon  his  exami- 
nation. He  also  answered  satisfactorily 
in  artillery  and  fortifications.  By  spe- 
cial order,  No.  23,  from  the  war  depart- 
ment he  was  appointed  colonel  of  the 
Fiftieth  Louisiana  Colored  Infantry  with 
headquarters  near  Vicksburg,  Mississippi. 
He  lacked  but  three  days  of  serving  five 
years  and  was  mustered  out  in  1866  as 
colonel  and  breveted  brigadier  general, 
commanding  the  Fiftieth  United  States 
Infantry.  As  a  soldier  he  won  credit  in 
every  position  in  which  he  served.  The 
troops  under  his  command  before  Vicks- 
burg were  stationed  for  a  long  time  in 
an  unhealthy  location  in  a  marshy  spot, 
with  no  water  fit  to  drink  and  the  most 
deplorable  sanitary  conditions,  while  the 
shelter  afforded  was  entirely  inadequate. 
The  surgeons  attached  to  his  regiment 
were  inexperienced  eastern  political  ap- 
pointees, who  soon  deserted  or  were 
transferred  through  political  pull  to  more 
agreeable  locations  and  he  was  left  with 
but  a  nurse  or  two.  His  men  were  dying 
like  flies  from  typhoid  and  dysentery.  An 
appeal  to  the  commanding  general 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


525 


brought  no  relief.  The  adjutant  general 
snubbed  him  outright.  He  threatened  to 
bring-  the  matter  personally  before  Gen- 
eral Grant.  The  adjutant  threatened  to 
have  him  arrested  for  insubordination. 
Colonel  Gilchrist  left  the  adjutant's  tent, 
mounted  a  mule,  rode  post  haste  to  Gen- 
eral Grant's  headquarters.  He  was  re- 
fused admission  by  the  guard  at  the  door. 
He  slipped  around  to  the  rear  of  the  tent, 
went  in  through  another  opening  and 
found  himself  in  the  presence  of  General 
Grant,  alone.  He  was  covered  with  mud 
and  his  uniform  of  an  indifferent  nature. 
His  case  was  a  desperate  one  and  he  came 
to  attention  before  General  Grant,  saluted 
and  poured  out  his  story.  A  loud  com- 
motion was  made  at  the  door  and  an  or- 
derly came  in  with  the  information  that 
an  officer  wished  to  see  him  at  once. 
General  Grant  told  him  to  wait  and  turn- 
ing to  General  Gilchrist  said,  "What  you 
say  is  no  doubt  correct,  but  we  have  no 
surgeons."  "General,  my  men  are  dy- 
ing. They  are  brave  men  and  are  hold- 
ing uncomplainingly  the  worst  place  be- 
fore Vicksburg.  I  must  have  surgeons  if 
any  are  left  to  guard."  "All  right,"  said 
Grant,  "I  will  send  you  surgeons.  "Can 
I  have  two  today?"  "Yes."  "Can  I  have 
four"  "Yes."  "Can  I  have  them  in  an 
hour?"  "Yes."  With  a  salute,  Colonel 
Gilchrist  passed  out  the  front  way  almost 
into  the  arms  of  the  adjutant,  who  was 
impatiently  waiting  to  see  General  Grant 
about  his  arrest  for  insubordination.  The 
surgeons  came  and  later  he  succeeded  in 
having  his  regiment  moved  to  higher 
ground.  This  incident  was  typical  of  his 
dogged  and  determined  nature  under  dif- 
ficulties. Within  his  breast  burned  the 


fires   of  patriotism   and   loyalty  and   de- 
votion, and   he  wrote  home  cheery  and 
optimistic    letters   of    his    work   and   the . 
ultimate  outcome  of  the  war. 

For  a  year  after  the  war  General  Gil- 
christ remained  in  the  south,  but  was  un- 
successful in  his  attempt  to  raise  cotton. 
In  1867  he  removed  his  family  to  Car- 
thage and  here  established  a  lumber  busi- 
ness, in  which  he  was  successful.  The 
following  year  he  was  employed  as  engi- 
neer in  charge  of  the  construction  of  the 
Carthage  &  Burlington  Railroad,  and 
subsequently  built  the  road  to  Ouincy 
and  also  the  La  Harpe  &  Burlington 
branch  of  the  Toledo,  Peoria  &  Western 
Railroad.  Extending  his  activity  into 
other  fields  of  business,  he  was  chosen 
president  of  the  Rand  Boot  and  Shoe 
Company  upon  its  organization  in  Car- 
thage, and  in  the  interests  of  the  house 
made  various  trips  over  the  country.  To 
make  time  and  save  expense  he  often 
walked  from  one  point  to  another  and  the 
failure  of  the  enterprise  was  due  to  no 
lack  of  judgment  or  energy  on  his  part. 
In  1872  he  made  the  survey  for  a  road 
to  run  from  Grinnell  to  Webster  City, 
Iowa,  a  distance  of  over  one  hundred 
miles,  and  in  1874  he  made  surveys  and 
accumulated  data  for  an  atlas  of  Han- 
cock county,  that  today  is  regarded  as 
the  most  accurate  in  existence.  In  1880 
and  1 88 1  he  was  employed  on  a  survey 
of  the  route  of  the  Hennepin  canal  feeder 
from  Sterling  to  a  point  near  Sheffield 
at  the  mouth  of  Rock  river,  and  walked 
from  Chicago  to  Rock  Island  examining 
the  topography  of  northern  Illinois  for 
a  feasible  live  river  canal  route.  He  also 
traveled  in  the  same  manner  from  Chi- 


526 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


cago  to  Minneapolis  and  farther  west  on 
an  engineering  tour,  the  purport  of  which 
he  was  never  informed  by  his  employers. 
Going  to  Dakota  to  locate  some  land 
under  the  soldier's  claim  law  General  Gil- 
christ  found  the  country  in  a  chaotic  con- 
dition and  speculation  rife.  He  acted  as 
commissioner  there  and  his  official  du- 
ties involved  him  in  the  county  seat  fights 
and  all  the  troubles  incident  to  the  set- 
tlement of  government  land.  He  sur- 
veyed and  built  the  Fort  Madison  and  the 
Northwestern  and  the  Keokuk  and 
Mount  Pleasant  roads  and  as  the  receiver 
of  the  former  attended  to  the  business  of 
the  road  for  five  years,  successfully  op- 
erating it  until  the  line  was  sold.  He 
then  went  to  Texas,  where  he  surveyed 
a  line  from  Lampasas  to  Llano.  During 
the  World's  Columbian  Exposition  in 
Chicago  he  was  employed  by  the  Watt- 
kesha  Mineral  Company  in  running  a 
pipe  line  from  Waukesha,  Wisconsin,  into 
the  fair  grounds  in  Chicago.  About  the 
same  time  he  became  associated  with  the 
Bannings  in  the  Florida  phosphate  beds 
and  went  to  the  south  to  assume  the  man- 
agement in  the  development  of  the  mines. 
He  introduced  the  placer  method  for  min- 
ing phosphate  that  has  since  been  adopted 
in  all  phosphate  mines.  Other  mines 
were  located  that  could  furnish  phosphate 
more  cheaply  and  the  mine  in  Florida  was 
abandoned  by,  the  owners.  General  Gil- 
christ  then  went  to  New  York  city,  where 
his  remaining  days  were  spent  with  his 
children.  In  his  last  years  he  perfected 
a  rail  joint  and  was  engaged  in  its  man- 
ufacture at  the  time  of  his  death.  He 
died  in  New  York  city,  January  22,  1906, 
and  was  buried  at  Scottsburg,  McDon- 


ough  county,  Illinois,  by  the  side  of  his 
wife.  They  were  the  parents  of  eight 
children :  Joseph  G,,  who  is  living  in 
Brookfield,  Missouri;  Mrs.  Lansing  P. 
Wood,  of  New  York ;  Charles,  died  in  in- 
fancy; Mrs.  Leslie  L.  Cleveland,  of 
Keene,  New  Hampshire;  Ellen  F.,  died 
in  Florida  in  1895 ;  Allen  R.,  who  is  now 
city  engineer  at  Montgomery,  Alabama ; 
Edward  P.,  an  attorney  in  New  York ; 
and  Ann  M.,  who  is  dean  of  the  Woman's 
Department,  University  of  Tennessee,  at 
Knoxville. 

In  his  life  he  made  the  best  use  of  his 
talents  and  his  opportunities.  In  his  pro- 
fession he  possessed  broad,  scientific 
knowledge  as  well  as  the  practical  attain- 
ments which  are  indispensable  to  the  best 
work.  In  every  relation  of  life,  whether 
of  a  business  nature  or  otherwise,  he  was 
true  to  duty  and  a  high  standard  of  con- 
duct. He  possessed  rare  personal  bravery 
and  a  determined  spirit  that  enabled  him 
to  face  dangers  and  hardships  unflinch- 
ingly and  death  came  to  him  in  his  pro- 
fessional career.  He  was  conscientious 
in  the  fulfillment  of  his  duty  as  a  man 
in  his  relations  to  his  fellowmen  and  as 
a  citizen  in  his  relations  to  his  locality,  his 
state  and  his  country. 


S.  G.  McBRIDE. 

S.  G.  McBride  is  a  representative  of  one 
of  the  early  families  of  the  county  and  is 
numbered  among  the  native  sons  of  Ap- 
panoose  township,  where  his  birth  oc- 


HANCOCK  COUNTY;  ILLINOIS. 


527 


curred  in  1862.  He  is  now  devoting 
his  time  and  energies  to  general  farming 
in  this  township,  where  two  hundred  and 
forty  acres  of  land  pay  tribute  to  him, 
as  the  reward  of  his  labors  and  enterprise 
in  the  fields.  His  parents,  John  and  Ann 
Elizabeth  (Shields)  McBride,  were  na- 
tives of  Ireland  and  in  early  life  came  to 
America.  The  father,  a  farmer  by  occu- 
pation, came  to  Hancock  county  at  a  prim- 
itive period  in  the  development  of  this 
part  of  the  state  and  settled  first  in  Appa- 
noose  township,  where  he  aided  in  re- 
claiming wild  land  and  converting  it  into 
valuable  farms.  When  he  married  Ann 
Elizabeth  Shields  his  capital  consisted  of 
only  twenty  cents  and  ere  his  death  he  was 
able  to  give  to  each  of  his  sons  a  quarter 
section  of  land,  at  Wichita,  Kansas,  ex- 
cept S.  G.,  he  being  the  youngest,  re- 
ceived fifty-one  acres  in  Pontoosuc  town- 
ship, so  that  one  can  see  how  he 
progressed  step  by  step  in  the  business 
world,  adding  to  his  possessions  as  the 
result  of  his  industry,  frugality  and  care- 
ful investment,  until  his  holdings  were 
extensive  and  valuable.  He  raised  and 
sold  corn  for  ten  cents  per  bushel  in  an 
early  day  and  used  the  proceeds  to  pur- 
chase horses  and  other  stock  or  for  farm 
machinery.  His  untiring  energy  was  one 
of  the  strongest  elements  in  his  success 
and  he  left  behind  him  not  only  a  valuable 
property  but  also  an  untarnished  name 
and  a  record  well  worthy  of  emulation. 
About  eighteen  years  ago  he  removed 
from  his  farm  to  Nauvoo,  where  he  lived 
retired  until  his  death,  which  occurred 
August  17.  1901,  when  he  had  reached 
the  age  of  eighty-four  years,  seven  months 
and  twenty-four  days,  while  his  wife  died 


December  5,  1897,  aged  seventy-six  years, 
two  months  and  nineteen  days.  Of  their 
ten  children,  four  are  living:  Hannah, 
wife  of  Daniel  Harrington,  of  Keokuk, 
Iowa ;  Ellen,  wife  of  George  Burke,  of 
Nauvoo ;  Anna  Belle,  wife  of  Guss  Well- 
ner,  of  Sidney,  Nebraska;  and  S.  G.,  of 
this  review. 

The  last  named  remained  upon  the 
home  farm  with  his  father  until  twenty- 
one  years  of  age  when  his  father  gave  him 
fifty-one  acres  of  good  land  on  section 
22,  Pontoosuc  township.  For  three  years 
he  boarded  while  operating  his  land  and 
then  his  sister  kept  house  for  him  for  two 
and  a  half  years.  He  has  added  to  his 
original  holdings  until  he  now  owns  two 
hundred  and  forty  acres  of  farm  land  and 
five  acres  of  timber,  the  latter  in  Appa- 
noose  township.  In  1905  he  built  a  part 
of  his  present  home,  which  is  a  neat  resi- 
dence, and  he  has  also  built  barns  and 
made  many  other  substantial  improve- 
ments. 

Mr.  McBride  was  married  June  12, 
1888,  to  Miss  Minnie  L.  Schaefer,  who 
was  born  in  Appanoose  township  in 
1864,  a  daughter  of  Marcus  and  Martha 
(Myers)  Schaefer,  who  were  natives  of 
Germany  and  in  early  life  came  to  the 
United  States.  About  1858  or  1860  they 
settled  on  a  farm  in  this  county  and  after 
many  years'  identification  with  agricul- 
tural interests  here,  they  removed  to  Nau- 
voo, where  they  lived  retired.  The 
father  died  February  16,  1894,  at  the  age 
of  sixty-six  years,  and  the  mother  August 
1 6,  1904,  aged  seventy-one  years  and 
fourteen  days.  They  had  eleven  children, 
seven  now  living:  Mary,  the  wife  of 
John  Weber,  of  Mercer  county.  Cali- 


528 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


fornia;  William,  a  resident  of  New  York; 
Ann,  wife  of  Christ  Hutts.  of  North  Da- 
kota; Henry,  of  Geneva,  Nebraska;  Ber- 
nard, who  resides  on  the  old  home  farm 
in  Appanoose  township ;  Mrs.  McBride, 
of  Colusa,  Illinois :  and  Emma,  wife  of 
Phillip  Farren,  of  Henderson  county. 

The  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  McBride 
has  been  blessed  with  five  children,  all 
born  in  Pontoosuc  township:  Elmer, 
born  June  19.  1889;  Maurice,  February 
17,  1891 ;  Leo,  December  28,  1893;  Guy, 
June  23,  1898;  and  Joseph,  March  4, 
1904.  The  family  are  pleasantly  located 
on  the  home  farm  near  Colusa  and  in  ad- 
dition to  tilling  the  soil  Mr.  McBride 
feeds  cattle  and  hogs,  shipping  five  or  six 
carloads  of  stock  to  Chicago  each  year, 
where  he  always  receives  good  prices.  Tn 
politics  a  democrat,  he  has  held  township 
offices  and  filled  other  positions  of  public 
trust.  He  was  administrator  of  his 
father's  estate  and  recently  he  and  Ber- 
nard Shaefer  have  closed  up  the  Shaefer 
estate  as  administrators.  He  has  accu- 
mulated a  nice  property  and  is  classed  not 
only  with  the  men  of  affluence  of  his  com- 
munity but  also  with  them  whose  business 
methods  are  straightforward  and  whose 
rules  of  conduct  are  in  harmony  with  high 
principles.  He  and  his  family  are  com- 
municants of  the  Catholic  church. 


SELAH  G.  HART. 

Selah  G.  Hart  is  the  owner  of  an  ex- 
cellent farm  in  Montebello  township  and 


its  splendidly  improved  condition  is  at- 
tributable entirely  to  his  earnest  efforts. 
A  native  of  New  York,  he  was  born  at 
Candor,  Tioga  county,  January  31,  1829, 
his  parents  being  Samuel  and  Lois  (Grid- 
ley)  Hart,  natives  of  New  York  and  of 
Connecticut  respectively.  His  paternal 
grandparents  were  Abel  and  Rachel  ( Sey- 
mour) Hart,  the  former  born  in  Eng- 
land, and  the  latter  in  Pennsylvania.  The 
maternal  grandfather,  Selah  Gridley,  was 
also  a  native  of  England,  and  like  Abel 
Hart,  was  a  soldier  of  the  Revolutionary 
war,  aiding  valianty  in  the  cause  of  in- 
dependence. Samuel  Hart,  the  father, 
was  a  wealthy  landowner,  having  about 
six  hundred  acres  of  land,  and  in  addi- 
tion to  carrying  on  general  agricultural 
pursuits  he  conducted  a  sawmall.  He 
died  when  his  son  Selah  G.  was  fourteen 
years  of  age.  and  two  years  later,  Her- 
man Hart,  the  elder  brother  of  our  sub- 
ject, went  to  Wisconsin,  where  he  pur- 
chased eighty  acres  of  land,  covering  what 
is  now  the  central  part  of  Fond  clu  Lac. 
Later  he  sold  this  all  out  in  town  lots 
and  he  now  lives  in  Michigan,  where  he 
purchased  a  large  farm  and  set  it  out  to 
fruit.  After  his  brother  left  home  Selah 
G.  Hart  remained  with  his  mother  until 
he  reached  the  age  of  twenty-four  years, 
when,  thinking  that  he  would  have  better 
business  opportunities  in  the  middle  west, 
he  made  his  way  to  Newark,  Kendall 
county,  Illinois,  where  he  arrived  in  1853. 
Soon  afterward  he  rented  land  there  and 
engaged  in  farming  for  two  years.  On 
the  expiration  of  that  period  he  came  to 
Hancock  county  and  for  seven  years 
operated  a  rented  farm  in  Montebello 
township,  at  the  end  of  which  time  he 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


529 


bought  forty  acres  of  timber  land  on 
section  6.  He  built  a  cabin  in  the  midst 
of  the  forest  and  at  once  began  clearing 
away  the  trees  in  order  that  he  might  plow 
the  land  and  convert  it  into  productive 
fields.  He  kept  adding  to  this  place  from 
time  to  time  as  his  financial  resources  per- 
mitted until  he  now  owns  forty  acres  on 
section  6,  and  fifty-two  and  a  half  acres 
on  section  31,  Sonora  township.  He 
planted  extensive  orchards  of  apples, 
peaches,  pears  and  plums  and  also  set  out 
much  small  fruit,  and  in  addition  to  the 
conduct  of  his  horticultural  interests  he 
is  now  engaged  in  cultivating  about  forty- 
five  acres  planted  to  corn.  He  has  put  all 
of  the  improvements  upon  the  place  and 
after  living  in  a  little  log  cabin  for  about 
fifteen  years  he  erected  his  present  frame 
residence.  He  has  good  buildings  upon 
the  farm  and  everything  is  in  keeping 
with  modern  ideas  of  progressive  agri- 
culture. 

Since  coming  to  the  west  Mr.  Hart  has 
continuously  followed  farming  save  for 
the  period  of  his  services  in  the  Civil  war. 
He  enlisted  in  February,  1864,  as  a  mem- 
ber of  Company  I,  One  Hundred  and 
Fifty-sixth  Illinois  Infantry,  the  regiment 
being  assigned  to  Sherman's  division  of 
the  Army  of  the  Cumberland.  He  did 
guard  duty  at  Nashville,  Memphis  and 
Chattanooga,  and  was  honorably  dis- 
charged at  Nashville,  September  30,  1865, 
after  which  he  was  mustered  out  at  Mem- 
phis. On  one  occasion  while  attending 
the  sick  he  did  not  receive  relief  as  he 
should  have  done  and  became  overheated. 
This  underminded  his  health  and  he  was 
able  to  do  little  service  from  June  until 
cold  weather. 


When  the  war  was  over  Mr.  Hart  at 
once  returned  to  Illinois  and  joined  his 
family  in  this  county.  He  had  been  mar- 
ried in  Spencer,  Tioga  county,  New  York, 
November  i,  1851,  to  Miss  Emeline  Van 
Etten,  a  native  of  Spencer,  in  which  place 
she  acquired  her  education  in  the  public 
schools.  Her  father  was  killed  while  en- 
gaged in  logging  during  the  infancy  of 
his  daughter.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hart 
were  born  three  children:  Albert  B.,  at 
home;  Mary  E.,  the  wife  of  William 
Peak,  of  Montebello  township;  and 
George  H.,  who  is  engaged  in  farming 
and  raising  and  shipping  fruit  at 
Nauvoo. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Hart  is  a 
stalwart  republican  and  has  served  as 
school  director  for  twenty-one  years  and 
also  acted  as  road  overseer.  He  attends 
the  Christian  church  and  is  an  upright, 
honorable  man,  whose  well-spent  life  has 
gained  for  him  the  regard  and  friendship 
of  many  with  whom  he  has  come  in 
contact. 


JOSEPH  E.  LORD. 

Joseph  E.  Lord,  who  is  now  practically 
living  a  retired  life,  making  his  home 
upon  a  farm  of  seventy-two  acres  which 
adjoins  Augusta  on  the  west,  was  born 
in  that  village  on  the  corner  where  now 
stands  the  First  National  Bank,  his  natal 
day  being  the  loth  of  June,  1842.  His 
paternal  grandparents  were  Thomas  and 
Elizabeth  Lord,  in  whose  family  were 
eleven  children,  all  of  whom  are  now  de- 


530 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REl'IE]}' 


ceased.  Among  the  number  was  one  who 
became  a  missionary  to  Natal,  South  Af- 
rica, and  sent  his  children  back  to  this 
country,  where  they  were  educated,  being 
graduates  of  Oberlin  College,  Ohio.  His 
parents  were  Robert  B.  and  Elizabeth 
(Ireland)  Lord.  The  father  was  born 
in  Abingdon,  Connecticut,  where  he  lived 
until  coming  to  the  west  about  1836,  mak- 
ing and  overland  journey.  He  located  in 
Jacksonville.  Illinois,  and  subsequently  re- 
moved to  Augusta,  purchasing  a  tract  of 
land  south  of  the  village  in  Adams  county 
of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres.  He 
bought  this  from  the  government  and  it 
was  wild  and  unimproved,  but  with  char- 
acteristic energy  he  began  its  cultivation 
and  improvement  and  made  a  good  home 
for  himself  and  family.  He  remained 
thereon  for  only  a  few  years  and  then 
went  to  Quincy,  where  he  spent  his  re- 
maining days,  his  death  occurring  Oc- 
tober 2,  1875,  when  he  was  sixty-five 
years  of  age,  his  remains  being  interred 
in  a  Quincy  cemetery.  While  living  in 
the  city  he  followed  the  carpenter's  trade 
and  was  known  as  a  reliable  and  skilled 
workman.  He  held  membership  in  the 
Presbyterian  church  and  during  his  resi- 
dence in  Augusta  served  as  one  of  the 
deacons  and  also  as  choir  master  and  at 
all  times  he  was  deeply  and  actively  in- 
terested in  the  material,  intellectual  and 
moral  progress  of  the  community  in 
which  he  made  his  home.  In  politics  he 
was  a  republican  but  never  sought  or  de- 
sired office,  although  he  was  a  public- 
spirited  man  and  kept  well  informed  on 
the  current  topics  and  political  issues  of 
the  day  and  was  an  advocate  of  all  that 
tended  to  advance  the  best  interests  of  his 


adopted  city.  His  wife  was  born  in  Eng- 
land and  came  to  America  in  her  child- 
hood days,  her  father  being  Thomas  Ire- 
land, who  was  a  paper  manufacturer, 
owning  a  large  paper  mill  in  New  York 
city.  After  operating  this  successfully 
for  a  number  of  years  the  mill  was  de- 
stroyed by  fire  and  with  his  family  he 
removed  to  Hancock  county,  Illinois,  set- 
tling at  Augusta,  where  he  engaged  in 
farming  for  a  considerable  period.  He 
afterward  took  up  his  abode  in  Quincy, 
where  he  engaged  in  the  dairy  business, 
there  making  his  home  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  when  he  had  reached  an 
advanced  age.  He  was  a  man  of  honor- 
able principle  and  high  Christian  char- 
acter and  for  some  years  served  as  a  dea- 
con in  the  Presbyterian  church  in  Quincy. 
His  wife,  Miss  Elizabeth  Ireland,  was 
also  a  native  of  England  and  was  a  lady 
of  more  than  average  culture,  education 
and  refinement.  Her  father,  Rev.  Lacon 
Ireland,  was  a  minister  of  England,  and 
the  grandmother  of  Joseph  E.  Lord  was 
a  descendant  of  Phillip  Henry,  a  promi- 
nent and  talented  divine  of  that  country. 
In  the  family  of  R.  B.  and  Elizabeth  (Ire- 
land) Lord  were  four  children. 

Joseph  E.  Lord,  the  only  one  now  sur- 
viving, was.  reared  in  Augusta  and  ac- 
quired his  early  education  in  the  village 
schools.  He  removed  with  his  parents  to 
Quincy,  where  he  continued  his  studies 
and  after  putting  aside  his  text-books  he 
began  learning  the  tinner's  trade,  which 
he  followed  until  after  the  outbreak  of  the 
Civil  war.  when,  in  1864,  in  response  to 
his  country's  need,  he  joined  the  boys  in 
blue  of  Company  C,  Forty-seventh  Illi- 
nois Volunteer  Infantry,  with  which  reg- 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


531 


iment  he  served  until  the  close  of  hostili- 
ties. He  participated  in  a  number  of  im- 
portant battles  and  skirmishes  and  was 
discharged  and  mustered  out  at  Mobile, 
Alabama.  He  still  maintains  pleasant  re- 
lations with  his  old  army  comrades 
through  his  membership  in  Augusta  post, 
\i>.  302,  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic, 
of  which  he  is  now  chaplain. 

When  the  war  was  over  Mr.  Lord  re- 
turned to  Quincy,  where  he  engaged  in 
the  manufacture  of  a  patent  spring  bed, 
of  which  he  was  the  inventor.  In  1879 
he  removed  his  business  to  Augusta  and 
continued  the  operation  of  his  factory  at 
this  point  until  it  was  destroyed  by  fire. 
Later  he  embarked  in  the  hardware  trade, 
conducting  a  store  in  Augusta  for  four 
years,  when  he  sold  out  and  turned  his 
attention  to  farming,  having  a  good  prop- 
erty of  seventy-two  acres  adjoining  the 
village  of  Augusta  on  the  west.  He  is 
also  connected  with  the  business  con- 
ducted under  the  firm  name  of  J.  E.  Lord 
&  Company,  manufacturers  of  Lord's  Im- 
proved United  States  Metallic  Steel 
Spring  Bed,  which  was  made  at  Quincy. 
The  business  was  established  in  1867  and 
has  become  an  important  industry  of  this 
city  in  which  it  is  located.  Mr.  Lord  re- 
ceived a  medal  from  the  Centennial  Ex- 
position at  Philadelphia  in  1876  for  his 
bed. 

Mr.  Lord  was  married  on  the  2Oth  of 
May,  1874,  to  Miss  Anna  Augusta  Mead, 
a  daughter  of  Horace  and  Mary  B. 
(Mead)  Mead,  both  of  whom  were  na- 
tives of  Greenwich,  Connecticut,  and 
there  resided  until  after  their  marriage, 
coming  to  Illinois  on  their  wedding  trip. 
They  located  in  Augusta,  where  they  re- 


sided until  called  to  their  final  rest,  their 
home  being  the  house  which  is  now  occu- 
pied by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lord  and  which 
was  built  by  Mr.  Mead.  He  was  a  farm- 
er by  occupation  and  also  engaged  in  the 
real  estate  business.  He  filled  the  posi- 
tion of  justice  of  the  peace  for  many 
years,  his  decisions  being  strictly  fair  and 
impartial,  and  his  death  occurred  in  Au- 
gusta at  the  age  of  fifty-nine  years,  while 
his  wife  passed  away  at  the  very  ad- 
vanced age  of  ninety-four  years,  being 
one  of  the  oldest  and  most  highly  es- 
teemed citizens  of  the  county.  Both  were 
members  of  the  Presbyterian  church  and 
their  lives  were  in  harmony  with  their 
professions.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mead 
were  born  three  children :  William  H., 
an  attorney  of  Augusta;  Silas  K.,  who 
died  at  the  age  of  fifteen  years ;  and  Mrs. 
Lord.  Five  children  graced  the  union  of 
our  subject  and  his  wife,  all  of  whom 
were  born  in  Augusta,  namely:  Mary  E., 
who  died  at  the  age  of  twenty  years ;  Ar- 
thur R.,  a  farmer  living  in  Augusta  town- 
ship, who  married  Myrta  Allen  and 
has  three  children,  Dorothy,  Ethel  Dar- 
lene  and  Donald;  Frederick  H.,  who  is 
operating  the  home  farm,  belonging  to 
his  father;  and  William  and  Augusta, 
twins,  who  died  in  infancy. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Lord  has 
always  been  an  earnest  republican  and 
fraternally  he  is  connected  with  the  Mod- 
ern Woodmen  of  America,  while  he  and 
his  wife  hold  membership  in  the  Presby- 
terian church.  These  associations  indi- 
cate something  of  the  character  of  the 
man,  who  has  been  an  advocate  of  all 
that  tends  to  benefit  humanity  and  pro- 
mote the  general  welfare.  His  influence 


S32 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


is  ever  given  on  the  side  of  right,  justice 
and  truth  and  he  stands  as  a  representa- 
tive of  a  high  type  of  American  man- 
hood and  chivalry.  He  has  spent  his  en- 
tire life  in  this  part  of  the  county  and  his 
history  is  an  open  book  which  all  may 
read.  He  is  a  witness  of  many  changes 
that  have  occurred  here  and  in  so  far  as 
possible  has  given  active  co-operation  to 
measures  and  movements  for  public 
progress  and  improvement. 


AMOS  DAVIS,  JR. 

Amos  Davis,  a  prominent  and  progress- 
ive farmer  and  stock-raiser  residing  in 
Appanoose  township,  was  born  in  this 
township  on  section  25,  on  the  2ist  of 
January,  1867,  a  son  of  Amos  and  Mary 
Jane  (Isenberger)  Davis,  natives  of  Ver- 
mont and  Ohio  respectively,  the  latter 
a  daughter  of  Jacob  and  Rachel  Isenber- 
ger. The  father  on  leaving  the  Green 
Mountain  state  located  in  Nauvoo,  Illi- 
nois, where  he  was  engaged  in  merchan- 
dising during  the  time  the  Mormons  lived 
in  this  section  of  the  state.  He  pur- 
chased land  in  Appanoose  and  Pontoosuc 
townships  and  made  his  home  in  the  for- 
mer township,  being  located  on  section 
25.  Here  he  engaged  quite  extensively 
in  the  raising  of  stock,  including  horses, 
cattle,  hogs  and  sheep.  He  was  a  very 
prosperous  man  and  at  the  time  of  his 
death  was  the  owner  of  fourteen  hundred 
acres  of  very  valuable  land.  He  was 
three  times  married.  Bv  the  first  mar- 


riage there  were  two  children,  of  whom 
one  daughter  survives,  Bell,  the  wife  of 
Gus  Alley,  of  Fort  Madison,  Iowa.  By 
the  second  marriage  there  were  three 
sons  and  one  daughter,  of  whom  the 
eldest,  Ethan,  died  several  years  ago. 
The  surviving  members  are :  George 
Edmund,  of  Rock  Creek  township ;  Rich- 
ard, of  Appanoose  township ;  and  Chloe, 
the  wife  of  Frank  Weber,  of  Fort  Madi- 
son, Iowa.  By  the  third  marriage  there 
are  three  sons  and  a  daughter,  of  whom 
our  subject  is  the  eldest,  the -others  being: 
Jacob  Wells,  of  Coffey  county,  Kansas; 
Mary  J.,  the  wife  of  George  Ellison,  of 
Prairie  township,  Hancock  county;  and 
Guy,  who  occupies  a  part  of  the  old  home- 
stead in  Appanoose  township.  The  father 
of  these  children  died  March  22,  1872, 
at  the  age  of  fifty-six  years,  six  months 

o  J  J 

and  twenty-two  days,  and  was  laid  to  rest 
in  the  family  cemetery  on  the  home  farm. 
After  his  death  the  widow  was  again 
married,  her  second  union  being  with 
Robert  Hulen,  and  they  now  reside  at 
Rush  Springs.  Oklahoma.  She  has  be- 
come the  mother  of  four  children,  Roy. 
Grace,  William  and  Sherley,  all  yet  under 
the  parental  roof. 

Amos  Davis,  whose  name  introduces 
this  record  was  reared  to  farm  life  and 
acquired  his  early  education  in  the  district 
schools  near  his  father's  home,  which  was 
supplemented  by  a  course  of  study  in  the 
high  school  at  Carthage.  He  remained 
at  home  until  twenty  years  of  age,  and  at 
that  time  went  to  live  with  his  brother 
George,  with  whom  he  remained  for  two 
years.  .  He  then  started  out  in  life  on  his 
own  account,  locating  on  one  hundred  and 
twelve  acres  of  the  old  family  homestead. 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


533 


which  was  inherited  from  his  father's 
estate.  Here  he  has  resided  continuously 
since  and  is  engaged  in  general  agricul- 
tural pursuits,  and  also  raises  a  large 
amount  of  stock,  including  Percheron 
horses,  Durham  cattle,  hogs  and  Shrop- 
shire sheep.  He  also  owns  two  registered 
Percheron  stallions  which  he  uses  for 
breeding  purposes,  and  he  also  has  two 
full-blooded  Percheron  mares. 

On  the  25th  anniversary  of  his  birth 
Mr.  Davis  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Catherine  Rose  Schilson,  a  native  of  So- 
nora  township,  and  a  daughter  of  John 
and  Angelina  (Laufer)  Schilson,  natives 
of  Germany,  the  place  of  their  nativity 
being  Hesse  Darmstadt.  They  were 
married  in  that  country,  and  on  their 
emigration  to  America  located  on  land 
in  Sonora  townhsip,  Hancock  county,  but 
they  now  make  their  home  in  Nauvoo, 
where  the  father  owns  ten  acres  of  land 
and  is  engaged  in  the  raising  of  fruit.  In 
their  family  are  the  following  named : 
Angeline,  the  wife  of  John  Rose,  of  Con- 
nellsville,  Pennsylvania;  George,  a  resi- 
dent of  Montebello  township,  near  Hamil- 
ton ;  Mrs.  Davis ;  John,  of  Prairie  town- 
ship ;  Joseph,  of  Nauvoo ;  and  Ernest,  at 
home.  Pauline,  the  sixth  in  order  of 
birth  died  at  the  age  of  twelve  years. 

Unto  our  subject  and  his  wife  have  been 
born  two  daughters :  Leah,  born  July  1.2, 
1894,  and  Ada  May,  born  February  8, 
1897.  In  his  political  views  Mr.  Davis 
is  a  democrat,  and  has  taken  an  active  in- 
terest in  the  local  ranks  of  his  party,  hav- 
ing served  as  assessor  four  years  and 
as  school  director  from  1902  to  1905. 
Fraternally  he  is  a  member  of  the  Modern 
Woodmen  of  America.  During  his  early 


youth  Mr.  Davis  suffered  from  a  severe 
spell  of  illness,  which  rendered  him  a  crip- 
ple, although  he  is  active  in  the  pursuits 
of  his  farm,  giving  careful  supervision  to 
his  farming  and  stock-raising  interests. 
He  inherited  a  good  tract  of  land  from 
his  father's  estate  and  on  this  are  found 
good  improvements,  his  buildings  and 
fences  being  kept  in  an  excellent  state  of 
repair.  He  is  prospering  in  his  business 
interests  and  is  today  numbered  among 
the  alert  and  enterprising  agriculturists 
of  Hancock  county,  where  he  has  a  wide 
and  favorable  acquaintance,  having  spent 
his  entire  life  here. 


JOSEPH  M.  MILLER. 

At  the  time  of  the  Civil  war  Illinois 
sent  its  full  quota  of  soldiers  to  the  front. 
They  were  brave  men,  who  made  splendid 
records  upon  the  battle-fields  of  the  south 
and  among  this  number  was  Joseph  M. 
Miller,  who  now  resides  upon  a  farm  near 
Augusta,  and  who  is  classed  with  the 
honored  veterans  of  the  war.  He  was 
born  in  Miami  county,  Ohio,  in  1838,  a 
son  of  Nathan  and  Eleanor  (Engart) 
Miller.  The  family  has  a  most  creditable 
military  record.  Joseph  Miller,  the  grand- 
father, was  one  of  the  heroes  of  the  Revo- 
lution as  was  Joseph  Engart,  the  maternal 
grandfather,  while  Daniel  and  \Yilliam, 
brothers  of  our  subject,  were  soldiers  of 
the  Civil  war,  the  former  being  in  the 
One  Hundred  and  Thirty-seventh  Illinois 
Regiment,  and  the  other  in  the  Thirty- 


534 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


second  Illinois  Infantry.  The  father 
was  born  in  Coshocton  county,  Ohio,  in 
1813,  and  devoted  his  life  to  general  agri- 
cultural pursuits.  In  the  spring  of  1855 
he  removed  to  Adams  county,  Illinois, 
where  he  spent  his  remaining  days,  pass- 
ing away  in  1876,  while  his  wife,  who  was 
born  in  Pennsylvania,  in  1817,  died  in 
1889,  and  was  laid  to  rest  by  his  side  in 
Adams  county.  She  was  a  member  ot 
the  Methodist  church,  while  the  father's 
Christian  belief  was  indicated  by  his  identi- 
fication with  the  United  Brethren  church. 
They  had  ten  children,  of  whom  five  are 
now  living :  Joseph  M. ;  Daniel,  a  resi- 
dent of  Cdlwell  county,  Missouri ;  Mar- 
garet, the  wife  of  Frank  Potter,  of  Bates 
county,  Missouri;  Nancy  E.,  the  wife  of 
Edward  Maryin,  of  Tyler,  Texas;  and 
Leander  J.,  who  resides  in  Kansas  City, 
Missouri. 

Joseph  M.  Miller  was  educated  in  the 
public  schools  and  assisted  his  father  in 
the  work  of  the  home  farm  until  he  had 
attained  his  majority,  when  he  started  out 
in  life  on  his  own  account.  In  August, 
1862,  he  responded  to  the  country's  call 
for  aid,  enlisting  in  the  Seventy-eighth 
Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  with  which 
he  served  until  the  close  of  the  war.  He 
was  in  Franklin,  Tennessee,  and  Chicka- 
mauga,  two  of  the  hotly  contested  battles 
of  the  war,  and  was  with  Sherman  on 
the  march  to  the  sea.  He  also  partici- 
pated in  the  grand  review  in  Washington, 
the  culminating  event  of  a  war  which 
meant  the  perservation  of  the  Union  and 
the  establishment  of  the  republic  on  a 
more  solid  basis  than  ever  before. 

In  the  fall  of  1865,  Mr.  Miller  was 
married  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Kelly,  who 


was    born    in    Kentucky,    December    28. 

1844.  Her  grandfather,    Samuel   Kelly, 
was  a  soldier  of  the  war  of  1812  and  she 
had  one  brother  who  was  in  the  Civil  war, 
together  with  an  uncle,  James  Allen  Sea- 
ton,  and  several  cousins,   Samuel  Lewis 
being  in  the  Sixteenth  Illinois  Regiment. 
Mrs.  Miller  is  a  daughter  of  Joseph  and 
Jane   (Seaton)    Kelly,  who  were  natives 
of    Kentucky.     The   latter   was   born    in 
March,  1827,  and  is  now  living  in  Okla- 
homa,   to    which    territory    she    recently 
removed,  having  up  to  that  time  made  her 
home  with   Mr.  and  Mrs.   Miller.     Mr. 
Kelly,  who  was  born  in  1816,  and  was  a 
farmer  by  occupation,  came  to  Illinois  in 

1845,  settling  in  Adams  county,  where  he 
followed  farming  up  to  the  time  of  his 
death,  which  occurred  in  November,  1855. 
Mrs.  Kelly  is  a  devoted  member  of  the 
Christian  church.     In  their  family  were 
six  children,  all  of  whom  are  now  living : 
Mrs.  Miller ;  Samuel,  of  Hancock  county ; 
Mrs.   Sarah  L.   Davis,  who  is  living  in 
Rice  county,  Kansas ;  Charles  H.,  of  Sax- 
mon,  Kansas;  George  W.,  of  Custer,  Ok- 
lahoma; and  Johanna,  the  wife  of  Lewis 
Steinbeck,  of  Hutchinson,  Kansas. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Miller  began  their  do- 
mestic life  upon  a  farm  in  Adams  county, 
Illinois,  where  they  lived  until  1881,  when 
they  came  to  Hancock  county.  Here  Mr. 
Miller  purchased  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  of  land  on  section  19,  Augusta 
township,  on  which  he  has  placed  many 
modern  improvements.  His  time  and 
energies  have  been  given  to  the  tilling 
of  the  soil  and  the  raising  of  stock,  and  he 
also  owns  eighty  acres  on  section  29, 
Augusta  township,  whereon  a  good  resi- 
dence has  been  erected.  The  home  of 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


535 


Mr.  and  Mrs.  Miller  has  been  blessed  with 
eight  children,  all  of  whom  were  born  in 
Adams  county  with  the  exception  of  the 
youngest  two,  and  six  of  the  number  are 
yet  living:  Nathan  E.,  the  eldest,  died 
when  nine  months  old  and  was  buried  in 
Adams  county.  Elnora  J.  is  the  wife  of 
John  T.  Robertson,  and  resides  in  Chili 
township,  and  they  have  three  children, 
Lola  E.,  Roy  M.,  and  Juanita.  James  P., 
who  marreid  Martha  Pierce  and  lives  in 
Macomb,  Illinois,  has  five  children,  Ruby 
I.,  Alma,  May,  Nina  and  Joseph.  Lillie 
Ellen  died  at  the  age  of  three  years. 
Samuel  L.  married  Ethel  Davis,  by  whom 
he  has  a  son,  Joseph  L.,  and  follows  farm- 
ing on  his  father's  farm  of  eighty  acres 
in  Augusta  township.  Vanette  Irene  is 
a  trained  nurse  who  was  graduated  in 
September,  1905,  from  the  Chicago 
Hahnemann  Hospital  at  Chicago,  after 
three  years  devoted  to  study,  whereby 
she  became  very  proficient  in  her  chosen 
life  work.  Albert  L.  and  Ernest  Sid- 
ney are  both  at  home  and  assist  their 
father  in  the  operation  of  the  farm. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Miller  have  worked  earn- 
estly and  harmoniously  together  in  the 
establishment  of  a  home  and  the  rearing 
of  their  family  and  are  now  comfortably 
situated  in  life.  Both  are  worthy  and 
pleasant  people  and  are  much  esteemed 
by  all  who  know  them.  Mrs.  Miller  is  of 
a  family  of  which  there  are  four  living 
generations,  while  twelve  years  ago  there 
were  five  generations  represented.  The 
four  now  living  are  Mrs.  Jane  Kelly,  the 
mother  of  Mrs.  Miller;  Mrs.  Elenora 
Robertson,  the  daughter  of  the  latter; 
and  Lola  Robertson,  the  granddaughter 
of  Mrs.  Miller.  In  matters  of  citizen- 
34 


ship  Mr.  Miller  has  ever  ben  public- 
spirited  and  progressive,  stanchly  sup- 
porting the  interests  and  measures  which 
are  calculated  to  prove  of  benefit  to  the 
community,  and  manifesting  the  same 
loyalty  which  he  displayed  upon  southern 
battle-fields.  In  his  business  career  he 
has  made  steady  advancement  and  is  now 
holding  large  landed  interests  in  this 
county. 


MICHAEL  BAUMERT,  SR. 

Michael  Baumert,  Sr.,  an  honored  vet- 
eran of  the  Civil  war,  engaged  in  the 
real  estate  and  insurance  business  in  Nau- 
voo,  is  numbered  among  the  worthy  resi- 
dents of  Hancock  county  who  claim  the 
fatherland  as  the  place  of  their  nativity* 
Born  in  Baden,  Germany,  October  I, 
1833,  he  is  a  son  of  Michael  Baumert, 
while  his  father  also  bore  the  same  name. 
The  latter  married  Magdalena  Schut- 
terle,  who  was  also  born  in  Baden  and 
was  a  daughter  of  George  Schutterle. 

Michael  Baumert,  of  this  review,  ac- 
quired his  education  largely  in  the  com- 
mon schools  of  his  native  country  and 
when  eighteen  years  of  age  came  to 
America  on  a  sailing  vessel,  the  Arcadia, 
which  dropped  anchor  in  the  harbor  of 
New  Orleans.  Two  days  later  he  started 
on  a  trip  up  the  Mississippi  river  to  St. 
Louis,  Missouri,  where  he  arrived  on  the 
22d  of  April,  1852.  Later  he  attended 
night  schools  in  this  country.  He  and 
his  father  worked  at  the  stone  mason's 
trade  in  St.  Louis  for  more  than  two 


536 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


years  and  in  June,  1854,  the  son  came  to 
Nauvoo  on  a  steamer  and  here  began 
business  as  a  mason  contractor,  building 
the  foundation  for  the  Lutheran  church. 
Believing  that  the  town  afforded  good 
business  opportunities  he  sent  for  his  fa- 
ther who  came  with  the  family  in  July 
and  he  remained  a  resident  of  this  place 
until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  July, 
1886,  when  he  was  seventy-eight  year's 
of  age.  The  mother  died  at  the  age  of 
sixty-three  years  in  August,  1868. 

Following  the  removal  of  the  family 
to  Nauvoo  Michael  Baumert,  Sr.,  whose 
name  introduces  this  record,  lived  with 
his  parents  until  his  marriage,  which  was 
celebrated  on  the  I5th  of  March,  1857. 
Miss  Mary  Schini  becoming  his  wife. 
She  was  born  in  Alsace,  France,  a  daugh- 
ter of  Michael  and  Annie  (Israel)  Schini, 
who  were  likewise  natives  of  Alsace,  and 
.  made  the  voyage  to  America  in  1854.  In 
the  fall  of  1854  they,  too,  became  resi- 
dents of  Nauvoo.  After  his  marriage 
Mr.  Baumert  rented  a  home  in  Nauvoo, 
which  he  occupied  until  1858,  after  which 
he  spent  a  year  in  his  father-in-law's 
home  and  then  removed  to  the  home  of 
his  parents.  In  1860  he  purchased  a  lot 
at  the  corner  of  Mulholland  and  Fif- 
teenth street,  on  which  there  was  a  brick 
residence  and  he  has  since  added  to  it  a 
frame  addition.  He  followed  the  mason's 
trade,  doing  work  as  a  contractor  and 
builder  until  after  the  outbreak  of  the 
Civil  war  and  he  had  at  that  time  a  fam- 
ily of  four  children  and  he  felt  that  his 
first  duty  was  to  provide  for  their  sup- 
port, so  that  he  could  not  enter  the  serv- 
ice until  the  22cl  of  March,  1865. 

At  that  date,  however,  he  enlisted  in 


Chicago  as  a  member  of  Company  G, 
Twenty-third  Illinois  Volunteer  Infan- 
try, which  was  a  part  of  Mulligan's  bri- 
gade. The  regiment  was  divided  and  a 
portion  participated  in  the  battle  of  Pe- 
tersburg, Virginia,  while  Mr.  Baumert 
with  his  company  went  to  Richmond, 
Virginia,  where  they  were  on  detailed 
service  doing  guard  duty  most  of  the 
time  until  mustered  out  on  the  24th  of 
July,  1865.  They  arrived  at  Chicago  on 
the  3d  of  August  following,  and  were 
there  honorably  discharged.  Company 
G  on  the  return  trip  was  the  only  Ger- 
man company  in  the  crowd  of  soldiers, 
the  remainder  being  Irish,  and  these  with 
all  of  their  officers  became  intoxicated  so 
that  Company  G  had  to  guard  them  all 
and  prevent  the  fights  which  were  con- 
tinually breaking  out.  In  passing  through 
Pittsburg  a  fine  supper  was  served  to  all 
of  the  troops  by  the  ladies  of  that  city, 
who  thus  provided  for  the  soldiers  at  all 
times  by  day  and  by  night.  Mr.  Baumert 
well  remembers  the  return  trip,  on  which 
all  of  the  veterans  had  small  flags  pinned 
on  their  coats  together  with  Confederate 
bills  sometimes  of  one  hundred  and  some- 
times of  five  hundred  dollars  but  which 
had  become  worthless  currency. 

Whai  mustered  out  of  the  army  Mr. 
Baumert  returned  to  Nauvoo  and  was 
ill  until  the  fall,  when  he  went  into  the 
saloon  business,  which  he  followed  until 
1871.  He  then  sold  out  and  again 
worked  at  his  trade  until  1895,  when  he 
turned  his  attention  to  the  real  estate  busi- 
ness and  also  became  a  notary  public.  He 
has  since  dealt  in  property,  negotiating 
many  important  realty  transfers,  and  since 
the  fall  of  1905  he  has  conducted  an  in- 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


537 


surance  business  as  agent  for  the  Ger- 
mania  Fire,  Cyclone  and  Tornado  In- 
surance Company  of  New  York. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Baumert  have  been 
born  nine  children :  Charles,  who  died 
July  4,  1865.  at  the  age  of  six  months; 
John  F.,  who  died  in  1872,  at  the  age  of 
six  years;  Jacob,  who  died  in  1873,  at 
the  age  of  twenty  months;  George,  who 
conducts  an  independent  newspaper  in 
Nauvoo;  Mary,  at  home;  Julia,  the  wife 
of  Louis  Boquet,  of  Keokuk,  Iowa; 
Michael,  who  is  connected  with  the  pub- 
lication of  an  independent  newspaper  at 
Nauvoo ;  Annie,  of  Keokuk,  Iowa :  and 
Emma,  the  wife  of  Alfred  Haganer,  of 
Keokuk.  Mr.  Baumert  is  well  known  in 
Nauvoo,  where  for  many  years  he  has 
made  his  home.  He  has  taken  an  active 
and  prominent  part  in  community  affairs 
and  his  fellow  townsmen  recognizing  his 
worth  and  ability  have  frequently  called 
him  to  public  office.  He  served  for  three 
years  as  alderman  of  the  city,  for  one 
year  as  city  treasurer  and  for  four  years 
as  township  school  treasurer,  while  for 
six  years  he  was  township  tax  collector. 
In  1890  he  was  made  census  enumerator 
and  since  that  year  has  also  been  notary 
public.  All  of  the  duties  devolving  upon 
him  in  that  connection  have  been  dis- 
charged with  promptness  and  fidelity. 


ARTHUR  McNEALL. 

Arthur    McNeall,    one   of   the   worthy 
and  prominent  residents  of  Chili  town- 


ship living  in  Bowen,  has  displayed  in  his 
business  and  private  life  those  traits  of 
character  which  ever  command  respect, 
good  will  and  confidence.  He  was  born 
in  Clermont  county,  Ohio,  August  29, 
1837,  a  son  of  Mathias  and  Elizabeth 
(Brown)  McNeall.  His  paternal  grand- 
parents were  A.  and  Elizabeth  (Boyer) 
McNeall,  the  former  born  in  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  the  latter  a  native  of  Mary- 
land. The  Boyer  family  is  of  German 
lineage,  while  the  McNealls  come  of 
Scotch-Irish  ancestry. 

Mathias  McNeall  was  born  in  Clermont 
county,  Ohio,  January  24,  1812,  and  dur- 
ing the  greater  part  of  his  life  carried  on 
general  farming.  He  also  worked  at  the 
carpenter's  trade  when  not  busy  with  the 
duties  of  the  fields.  He  went  to  Adams 
county,  Illinois,  in  1847,  and  in  1864,  set- 
tled in  Chili  township,  Hancock  county. 
He  was  a  democrat  in  his  political  views 
and  served  as  justice  of  the  peace  for  a 
number  of  years.  He  was  well  posted  on 
current  topics  and  was  a  public-spirited 
and  progressive  citizen.  He  was  also  a 
Methodist  preacher  and  was  known  as  the 
railroad  preacher  from  the  fact  that  he 
was  railroad  agent  at  Bowen  for  thirteen 
years.  He  married  Miss  Elizabeth 
Brown,  and  they  became  the  parents  of 
seven  children :  Those  living  are : 
Elizabeth,  the  wife  of  Joseph  Dalton,  of 
Missouri;  Letitia,  the  wife  of  Jesse  Pal- 
mer, a  resident  of  Minnesota ;  Matilda,  the 
wife  of  Milton  Rist,  of  Morgan,  Minne- 
sota ;  Permelia,  who  is  the  widow  of 
George  Butler  and  lives  at  Camp  Point, 
Illinois;  and  Arthur,  of  this  review.  The 
mother  of  these  children  died  in  Adams 
county  in  1855  and  lies  buried  there. 


'   BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


After  her  death  Mr.  McNeall  wedded  her 
sister,  Letitia  Brown,  who  is  also  de- 
ceased. There  were  no  children  by  that 
marriage.  Mathias  McNeall  passed  away 
December  7,  1900,  in  BoWen,  where  he 
was  laid  to  rest.  Dr.  McNeall,  an  uncle 
of  our  subject,  enlisted  from  Pike  county, 
Illinois,  for  service  in  the  Civil  war.  He 
was  senior  assistant  surgeon  of  the  Nine- 
ty-ninth Regiment  of.  Illinois  Infantry, 
and  died  in  1904.  In  1864  he  was  nom- 
inated for  the  legislature  from  the  dis- 
trict comprising  Pike  and  Green  counties 
and  was  defeated  by  a  very  small 
majority. 

In  the  public  schools  of  Ohio,  Arthur 
McNeall  acquired  his  early  education, 
which  was  supplemented  by  study  in 
Adams  county.  He  was  married  in  1862 
to  Miss  Mary  Shepherd,  a  daughter  of 
Austin  and  Rebecca  Shepherd,  who  were 
natives  of  West  Virginia,  in  which  state 
Mrs.  McNeall  was  born.  There  was  one 
child  by  that  marriage,  Ida  Belle,,  the 
wife  of  William  T.  Gillis,  who  resides 
in  Bowen,  and  they  have  three  children, 
Everett  Mack,  Ruth  Letitia  and  Leah 
Gertrude  Gillis.  Mrs.  MeNeall  died  in 
1864  and  was  laid  to  rest  at  Columbus, 
Adams  county,  Illinois.  On  the  igth  of 
April,  1866,  Mr.  McNeall  was  again  mar- 
ried, his  second  union  being  with  Mar- 
garet S.  Livingood,  who  was  born  in 
Missouri  in  1843,  a  daughter  of  Andrew 
and  Mary  (Taggart)  Livingood,  both  of 
whom  were  natives  of  North  Carolina, 
the  former  born  November  6,  1810,  and 
the  latter  May  22,  1816.  Mr.  Livingood 
was  a  cabinet-maker  and  lived  in  Missouri 
until  after  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  war, 
when  he  removed  to  Hancock  county,  Illi- 


nois. Of  the  seven  children  of  that  mar- 
riage four  are  now  living:  Martitia 
Jane,  the  widow  of  William  Rowe,  of 
Kansas  City,  Missouri;  Sarah  Rebecca, 
the  widow  of  Melvin  Davis,  of  Idaho; 
Mrs.  McNeall ;  and  Rachel  E.,  the  wife  of 
Dr.  Thomas  Whray,  of  Golden,  Illinois. 
The  eldest  member  of  the  family,  John 
M.  Livingood,  died  October  i,  1903,  and 
was  buried  at  Cordor,  Missouri.  The 
father  of  Mrs.  McNeall  passed  away  No- 
vember 15,  1902,  and  the  mother's  death 
occurred  on  the  23d  of  August  of  the 
same  year,  the  remains  being  interred  in 
Bowen  cemetery.  They  were  members 
of  the  Congregational  church,  in  which 
Mr.  Livingood  served  as  deacon  for  many 
years  and  they  were  most  worthy  Chris- 
tian people,  devoted  to  the  upbuilding  of 
the  cause  with  which  they  were  connected. 
Mr.  McNeall,  following  his  marriage, 
settled  on  a  farm  of  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  in  Chili  township,  owned  by 
his  father.  In  after  years,  he  and  his 
father  entered  into  a  partnership,  the  son 
managing  the  farm  and  the  father  carry- 
ing on  business  in  Bowen.  In  1888  he 
built  on  the  farm  a  nice  home  and  also 
erected  good  barns  and  made  other  sub- 
stantial improvements.  He  carried  on 
general  farm  work  and  stock-raising  and 
in  his  business  affairs  has  met  with  a 
goodly  measure  of  success,  for  his  strong 
determination  and  resolute  will  has  en- 
abled him  to  carry  fonvard  to  a  success- 
ful completion,  much  that  he  has  under- 
taken. At  the  dissolution  of  the  partner- 
ship, caused  by  the  death  of  his  father, 
he  is  the  owner  of  two  hundred  and  five 
acres  of  land  on  section  26,  but  at  this 
time  has  retired  from  active  farm  work. 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


539 


His  political  allegiance  is  given  to  the 
democracy  and  he  keeps  well  informed  on 
the  questions  and  issues  of  the  day,  al- 
though he  does  not  seek  'or  desire  office. 
His  wife  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
church.  Unto  them  were  born  seven  chil- 
dren :  Oliver,  who  died  at  the  age  of 
ten  months;  Fannie  Maud,  who  is  the 
wife  of  Danby  Harrison,  of  Adams 
county,  and  by  whom  she  has  three  chil- 
dren, Arthur  Thomas,  Margaret  Adeline, 
and  Paul  Leonard ;  Ada  May,  who  died  at 
the  age  of  ten  years;  Mary  S.,  who  is  a 
graduate  of  Wesley  Hospital  and  Train- 
ing School  for  nurses,  of  Chicago,  in  the 
class  of  1903,  and  who  is  successfully  fol- 
lowing her  profession  in  that  city ;  Tina 
P.,  Eva  D.,  and  Grace  E.,  all  at  home 
with  their  parents.  The  latter  is  a  grad- 
uate of  Bowen  high  school  and  has 
studied  music  in  Quincy  and  Chicago,  and 
is  now  teaching  music  in  Bowen. 

Mr.  McNeall  is  recognized  as  a  man  of 
high  principles  and  genuine  personal 
worth  and  is  respected  by  all  who  know 
him.  In  manner  he  is  quiet  and  unpre- 
tentious, yet  kind  and  warm-hearted  and 
he  and  his  family  are  greatly  esteemed 
throughout  the  community  in  which  they 
live. 


JAMES  C.  COULSOX. 

James  C.  Coulson,  editor  and  proprie- 
tor of  The  La  Harper,  is  a  native  son 
of  this  city,  his  birth  having  here  oc- 
curred September  24,  1847,  where  he 
was  educated  in  the  common  schools.  He 


is  a  son  of  Dr.  George  and  Nancy  Ann 
(Cossitt)  Coulson,  the  former  born  in 
Trumbull  county,  Ohio,  and  the  latter  in 
Hartford,  Connecticut.  In  1852  James 
C.  Coulson,  in  company  with  his  mother 
and  brother  George,  made  a  trip  to  Salt 
Lake  City,  Utah,  returning  overland  to 
La  Harpe,  in  1857,  the  return  journey 
covering  a  period  of  two  months.  In 
1863  he  went  to  Raritan,  Henderson 
county,  where  he  was  employed  as  a  clerk 
in  various  stores  for  sixteen  years,  and 
for  one  year  he  taught  school  in  that  lo- 
cality, after  which  he  returned  to  his 
home  in  La  Harpe,  and  purchased  The 
La  Harper,  the  paper  having  been  estab- 
lished in  1874  by  L.  S.  Coggswell  and 
is  the  oldest  paper  of  the  city.  When  he 
assumed  the  editorship  the  printing  was 
done  by  an  old  hand  press  but  in  course 
of  time,  as  his  business  increased  he  was 
enabled  to  add  modern  equipments  and 
accessories  and  in  1886  purchased  a 
steam  press.  In  1893,  however,  the  city 
suffered  a  disastrous  fire  whereby  the 
main  business'  district  was  destroyed, 
including  the  building  in  which  Mr.  Coul- 
son was  located.  However,  he  had  his 
paper  issued  at  Bushnell  until  he  could 
established  himself  again  in  business.  He 
then  erected  a  new  building  to  replace  the 
one  which  had  been  destroyed  by 
fire,  this  being  twenty-two  by  sixty- 
five  feet  and  two  stories  in  height, 
and  installed  a  Potter  press,  which 
is  run  by  a  gasoline  engine.  He  has  con- 
tinued as  editor  of  The  La  Harper  to  the 
present  time,  being  assisted  in  his  work 
by  his  daughter,  Erfie  M..  who  has  charge 
of  the  local  department. 

Mr.   Coulson  has  been  twice  married. 


540 


BIOGRAPHICAL  RFA'IEU' 


He  first  wedded  Miss  Anna  B.  Stans- 
bury,  June  25,  1868,  at  Raritan.  She  was 
a  native  of  Urbana,  Ohio,  having  been 
bom  November  19,  1848,  a  daughter  of 
C.  H.  and  Sidney  E.  (Humes)  Stans- 
bury,  natives  of  Maryland  and  Virginia 
respectively.  She  became  the  mother  of 
a  son  and  daughter :  Efne  M.,  who  is  as- 
sisting her  father  in  the  management  of 
the  paper;  and  Charles  Sidney,  who  is  a 
teacher  in  Gettings  Seminary,  of  this  city. 
The  mother  of  these  children  passed  away 
April  8,  1882,  her  remains  being  interred 
in  the  cemetery  at  Raritan.  On  the  28th 
of  October,  1885,  Mr.  Coulson  was  mar- 
ried a  second  time,  this  union  being  with 
Alice  M.  Corzatt.  the  widow  of  Nelson 
Corzatt.  She  is  a  native  of  Harrison 
county,  Missouri,  born  November  15, 
1860,  a  daughter  of  John  Armstrong.  Of 
this  marriage  there  are  three  children, 
Margie  C,  George  C.  and  Edna  C.,  all 
yet  under  the  parental  roof. 

In  politics  Mr.  Coulson  is  a  democrat, 
while  fraternally  he  is  identified  with  the 
Modern  Woodmen  of  America,  the 
United  Workmen,  Court  of  Honor  of  the 
Odd  Fellows  society,  having  belonged  to 
the  latter  organization  since  1873.  He  has 
been  representative  to  the  Head  Camp  of 
the  Modern  Woodmen  ten  times.  He  acted 
as  postmaster  at  La  Harpe  under  Cleve- 
land's first  administration,  in  which  ca- 
pacity he  gave  general  satisfaction.  Mr. 
Coulson  is  one  of  the  influential  factors 
of  this  city,  and  has  a  wide  and  favor- 
able acquaintance  throughout  Hancock 
county. 

He  has  been  a  member  of  the  Illinois 
Press  Association  since  1882  and  served 
as  first  vice-president  one  term.  He  is  also 


a  member  of  the  National  Editorial  Asso- 
ciation since  1886,  and  has  attended  each 
year  since  1886  except  one  year  when  his 
daughter  attended  and  in  1905  when  his 
son  attended. 


HENRY  STURM. 

The  German-American  element  has  al- 
ways been  an  important  one  in  our  citi- 
zenship, for  the  representatives  of  the 
Teutonic  race  have  everywhere  they  have 
gone  readily  adapted  themselves  to 
changed  conditions,  and  at  the  same  time 
have  brought  to  bear  in  business  life  the 
spirit  of  perseverance  which  is  one  of  the 
chief  characteristics  of  the  fatherland, 
and  which  is  always  a  strong  and  invalu- 
able element  in  success.  Henry  Sturm 
is  one  of  the  residents  of  Appanoose 
township  that  the  fatherland  has  fur- 
nished to  Hancock  county.  He  was  born 
in  Alsace,  Germany,  April  i,  1864,  and 
his  parents,  Louis  and  Salma  (Wohl- 
huter)  Sturm,  were  likewise  natives  of 
that  province.  The  paternal  grandfather 
was  Jacob  Sturm,  and  the  maternal 
grandfather,  Henry  Wohlhuter.  Reared 
in  his  native  country,  Henry  Sturm 
learned  the  cabinet-maker's  trade  in  Al- 
sace, following  that  pursuit  until  sixteen 
years  of  age.  In  1881,  attracted  by  the 
broader  business  opportunities  of  the 
new  world,  he  crossed  the  Atlantic  to 
America  and  made  his  way  to  Cape  Gi- 
rardeau,  Missouri,  where  he  worked  as  a 
carpenter.  He  was  also  employed  at 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


54i 


farm  labor  for  three  years  and  thus  util- 
ized every  means  that  would  bring  him 
an  honorable  living  and  enable  him  to 
gain  a  start  in  life.  In  1884  he  came  to 
Hancock  county,  where  he  again  se- 
cured employment  at  farm  work,  being 
thus  engaged  for  four  years.  Desirous 
that  his  labors  should  more  directly  bene- 
fit himself,  he  rented  land  in  Appamx^e 
township,  and  thus  cultivated  a  farm  for 
six  years,  during  which  time  his  economy 
and  industry  brought  him  sufficient  capi- 
tal to  justify  his  purchase,  in  1892,  of 
one  hundred  and  thirty  acres  of  land  on 
section  36.  This  had  already  been  culti- 
vated and  improved,  but  he  further  car- 
ried forward  the  work  of  development 
and  improvement  and  all  of  the  buildings 
upon  the  place  stand  as  monuments  to  his 
thrift  and  enterprise,  having  been  erected 
by  him.  He  built  a  house  of  eight  rooms 
and  has  also  put  up  good  barns,  corn 
cribs,  wagon  sheds  and  other  structures 
necessary  for  the  shelter  of  grain,  stock 
and  farm  machinery.  He  has  a  good 
orchard  and  vineyard,  and  the  fields  are 
carefully  tilled,  bringing  him  good  crops 
of  the  various  cereals  best  adapted  to  soil 
and  climate. ' 

On  the  I3th  of  March,  1888,  Mr. 
Sturm  was  married  to  Miss  Minnie 
Gnann,  who  was  born  in  Appanoose 
township,  and  is  a  daughter  of  Benedict 
and  Ursula  (Sutter)  Gnann,  the  former 
a  native  of  Germany,  and  the  latter  of 
Switzerland.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sturm  now 
have  three  children :  Olia,  born  October 
20,  1888;  Elvyn,  born  January  10,  1891, 
and  Vera,  born  March  25.  1896.  Mr. 
Sturm  belongs  to  the  Modem  Woodmen 
camp  at  Niota,  and  he  was  reared  in  the 


faith  of  the  Lutheran  church,  to  which 
he  has  always  adhered.  In  politics  he  is 
independent  but  has  no  aspiration  for  of- 
fice. He  has  never  had  occasion  to  re- 
gret his  determination  to  seek  a  home 
in  America  and  here  through  the  im- 
provement of  business  conditions  and 
the  utilization  of  his  opportunities  he  has 
worked  his  way  upward  from  a  humble 
financial  position  until  now  his  property 
interests  class  him  with  the  substantial 
residents  of  Appanoose  township. 


LEWIS  D.  HAIGH. 

Lewis  D.  Haigh,  who  has  followed 
agricultural  pursuits  during  the  greater 
part  of  his  life  but  is  now  living  in  the 
village  of  Niota,  is  a  native  of  the  Key- 
stone state,  his  birth  having  occurred  in 
Philadelphia,  April  23,  1844,  a  son  of 
John  and  Sarah  (Folkrod)  Haigh,  of 
whom  more  extended  mention  is  made 
in  connection  with  the  sketch  of  John 
Haigh  on  another  page  of  this  work. 
Losing  his  mother  during  his  infancy, 
the  father  was  again  marred,  his  second 
union  being  with  Sarah  Sheward. 

Lewis  D.  Haigh  accompanied  his  father 
and  step-mother  on  the  removal  from  the 
east  to  Hancock  county,  Illinois,  the 
family  settling  on  a  farm  in  Appanoose 
township.  He  had  begun  his  education 
in  the  schools  of  his  native  city  and  at- 
tended for  only  a  short  period  after  his 
arrival  in  Appanoose  township,  attending 
in  all  only  about  a  year.  He  has,  how- 


542 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


ever,  through  reading  and  investigation 
added  largely  to  his  knowledge  so  that  he 
is  a  self-educated  man.  He  remained  with 
his  father  until  the  age  of  seventeen  years, 
when,  responding  to  the  country's  call  for 
aid  during  the  Civil  war,  he  enlisted  on 
the  1 7th  of  February,  1862,  as  a  member 
of  Company  D,  Seventeenth  Iowa  Volun- 
teer Infantry,  joining  the  company  at 
Fort  Madison,  being  under  command  of 
Generals  Grant  and  Sherman.  He  was 
in  the  skirmish  at  Corinth,  Mississippi, 
Vicksburg,  Rodney,  Lick  Creek  Church, 
Mississippi,  and  at  Coleman's  Plantation 
and  Duck  River,  Tennessee,  the  latter 
place  being  the  last  battle  in  which  he 
participated.  He  was  on  picket  duty  on 
a  gunboat.  Autocrat,  on  the  Mississippi 
river  near  Ashton  Landing,  Mississippi. 
During  his  service  he  was  wounded  in  the 
right  foot,  and  was  honorably  discharged 
in  November,  1865.  having  spent  almost 
three  years  in  the  service  of  his  country, 
where  he  proved  himself  a  loyal  and  faith- 
ful soldier. 

Upon  his  return  from  the  war  he  made 
his  way  to  the  home  of  his  father,  where 
he  remained  until  the  spring  of  1866. 
when  he  started  out  in  life  on  his  own  ac- 
count, being  employed  for  a  time  at  farm 
labor  by  the  month.  He  then  rented  bot- 
tom land  opposite  Fort  Madison,  where 
he  engaged  in  farming  operations  until 
1873,  when  he  removed  to  Montgomery 
county,  Kansas,  where  he  operated  rented 
land  for  one  season  and  once  more  re- 
turned to  Hancock  county,  where  he  lo- 
cated on  a  rented  tract  of  land  in  Pon- 
toosuc  township,  which  he  operated  until 
1879,  and  then  removed  to  the  sand 
prairie  in  Lee  county,  Iowa,  where  he 


remained  for  three  years,  subsequent  to 
which  time  he  again  returned  to  Pon- 
toosuc  township  and  farmed  land  which 
he  rented  until  the  spring  of  1887,  when 
he  removed  to  a  farm  of  sixty-one  and  a 
half  acres,  lying  on  section  18,  Pontoosuc 
township,  which  he  had  purchased  in 
1886.  Here  he  continued  his  agricultural 
pursuits  until  1895,  when  he  sold  his  farm 
and  invested  the  money  in  town  property 
in  Niota,  consisting  of  two  lots,  a  house 
containing  six  rooms,  and  a  story  and 
two-thirds  in  height,  and  here  he  has 
since  continued  to  make  his  home  to  the 
present  time. 

On  the  1 7th  of  April,  1873,  Mr.  Haigh 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Minerva 
Ballinger,  who  was  born  February  8, 
1854,  in  Mifflinville,  Franklin  county. 
Ohio,  a  daughter  of  Orish  and  Elizabeth 
(Canfield)  Ballinger,  also  natives  of 
Franklin  county.  Her  paternal  grand- 
parents were  William  and  Elizabeth 
(Green)  Ballinger,  while  the  maternal 
grandparents  were  Henry  and  Elizabeth 
(Montgomery)  Canfield.  Her  father  on 
leaving  the  Buckeye  state  removed  to 
Nauvoo  in  1859,  where  for  two  years  he 
followed  agricultural  pursuits,  and  then 
removed  to  Columbus.  Ohio,  where  he 
likewise  engaged  in  farming  until  1866, 
when  he  once  more  came  to  Hancock 
county,  renting  a  farm  in  Pontoosuc 
township,  and  here  his  death  occurred  in 
November,  1896.  His  wife  still  survives 
and  now  makes  her  home  in  the  village 
of  Niota.  In  their  family  were  two  sons 
and  four  daughters,  of  whom  Mrs.  Haigh 
is  the  eldest. 

In  his  political  allegiance  Mr.   Haigh 
is  a   republican,   while  for  twenty  years 


HANCOCK  COUNTY.  ILLINOIS. 


543 


he  was  a  member  of  the  Grand  Army  of 
the  Republic  at  Xiota,  or  until  the  lodge 
disbanded  in  1904. 


ALEXANDER  BOLTON. 

Alexander  Bolton,  a  prominent  and 
progressive  farmer  of  Sonora  township, 
where  he  owns  extensive  landed  posses- 
sions, is  a  native  of  Hull,  England,  having 
there  been  born  on  the  1 3th  of  March, 
1837,  a  son  of  Peter  and  Mary  (Brier) 
Bolton,  also  natives  of  the  fatherland, 
and  the  former  a  son  of  Richard  Bolton. 
The  father,  hearing  favorable  reports  of 
the  new  country  and  the  opportunities 
here  afforded,  decided  to  try  his  fortune 
in  America,  and,  accordingly,  in  1844,  he 
took  passage  on  a  sailing  vessel  bound  for 
this  country.  He  made  his  way  at  once 
to  Canada,  locating  near  Montreal,  being 
accompanied  by  his  son  George.  The  son 
there  remained  but  his  father  returned 
again  to  England,  where  he  spent  a  time 
with  his  family  and  once  more  made  his 
way  to  America,  this  time  coining  to  Han- 
cock county,  where  he  purchased  ninety- 
two  acres  of  land,  lying  on  section  19,  So- 
nora township.  In  1845  he  returned  a 
second  time  to  England,  and  in  the  spring 
of  1847  sent  two  °f  his  sons,  William  and 
Charles,  to  America,  the  sons  making 
their  way  at  once  to  the  farm  which  had 
been  purchased  by  the  father  previous  to 
his  return  to  the  old  country.  In  the  fall 
of  the  same  year.  1847,  the  father  with 
the  remainder  of  his  family  came  to  the 


United  States,  this  time  making  a  per- 
manent location  on  his  farm  in  Sonora 
township.  This  tract  had  formerly  been 
in  possession  of  the  Mormons,  and  here 
Mr.  Bolton  made  many  improvements, 
and  cultivated  his  fields,  each  year  har- 
vesting good  crops.  Here,  with  the  as- 
sistance of  his  sons,  he  carried  on  agri- 
cultural pursuits  until  his  death,  which 
occurred  in  1865,  while  his  wife  sur- 
vived him  for  about  six  years  and  passed 
away  in  1871.  In  their  family  were 
seven  sons  and  three  daughters,  of  whom 
five  sons  yet  survive:  James,  Charles, 
William  and  Alexander,  all  of  Sonora 
township,  and  Joseph,  a  resident  of  Rice 
county,  Kansas. 

Alexander  Bolton,  the  seventh  in  order 
of  birth  in  his  father's  family,  began  his 
education  in  England  before  the  removal 
of  the  family  to  Hancock  county,  and 
here  continued  his  studies.  During  the 
periods  of  vacation  and  in  the  summer 
months  he  assisted  in  the  work  of  the 
home  farm,  and  remained  with  his  par- 
ents to  the  age  of  sixteen  years,  when  he 
started  out  to  make  his  own  way  in  the 
business  world,  being  employed  for  one 
season  by  his  brother  George,  with  whom 
he  made  his  home  for  two  years,  and  then 
began  farming  on  his  own  account  by 
renting  land  until  1859,  in  which  year  he 
made  purchase  of  eighty  acres  of  wild 
land  lying  on  section  22,  Sonora  township. 
Later,  in  connection  with  a  Mr.  Forney, 
he  purchased  an  additional  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acres,  for  which  they  paid  fif- 
teen hundred  dollars.  After  fifteen  years 
Mr.  Bolton  gave  his  partner  sixty  dollars 
for  a  choice  of  eighty  acres  of  this  tract, 
and  he  then  continued  his  farming  inter- 


544 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


ests  alone.  He  improved  his  land  and 
built  a  house  thereon,  containing  four 
rooms,  this  being  erected  in  the  year  1860. 
He  fenced  his  fields  and  set  out  many 
kinds  of  fruit  trees,  having  in  all  about 
thirty-six  different  varieties  of  choice  fruit 
trees  on  his  place,  of  which  two  apple 
trees  and  one  pear  tree  are  still  standing. 
In  the  fall  of  1865,  he  bought  an  addi- 
tional one-hundred-and-sixty-acre  tract, 
adjoining  his  original  purchase,  but  lo- 
cated on  section  26.  This  was  all  wild 
prairie  and  he  at  once  undertook  the  task 
of  breaking  the  sod  and  planting  his  crops, 
which  in  due  course  of  time  brought  forth 
abundant  harvests.  In  1873,  having  ac- 
cumulated considerable  capital  from  his 
business  interests,  he  was  enabled  to  again 
make  purchase  of  land,  this  time  coming 
into  possession  of  an  eighty-acre  tract  on 
section  23,  adjoining  his  original  pur- 
chase, the  entire  tract  comprising  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres,  of  which  his 
brother  Charles  was  joint  owner.  In 
March,  1892,  Mr.  Bolton  purchased  an- 
other one-hundred-and-sixty-acre  tract  on 
the  southeast  quarter  of  section  26,.  this 
land  being  improved,  so  that  he  now  has 
an  extensive  tract  of  five  hundred  and 
sixty  acres,  all  lying  in  one  body.  Here 
he  is  engaged  in  general  agricultural  pur- 
suits and  in  addition  raises  considerable 
stock,  consisting  of  horses,  shorthorn  cat- 
tle and  hogs.  He  is  ever  practical  in  all 
his  work,  following  the  most  progressive 
methods  of  farming  and  uses  all  the  latest 
improved  machinery  in  the  cultivation  of 
his  fields.  He  occupies  a  fine  country 
residence,  in  which  are  found  all  modern 
conveniences  and  his  is  one  of  the  highly 
productive  and  attractive  farms  of  this 
section  of  the  county. 


On  the  30th  of  October,  1864,  Mr. 
Bolton  was  united  in  holy  bonds  of  wed- 
lock to  a  companion  and  helpmate  on  life's 
journey,  Miss  Phedora  Dort,  who  was 
born  in  Union  county,  Ohio,  August  n, 
1839,  a  daughter  of  Calvin  and  Mary 
(Clark)  Dort,  natives  of  Vermont.  They 
removed  from  the  Green  Mountain  state 
to  Fulton  county,  Illinois,  where  they  re- 
mained for  two  years  and  then  went  to 
Burnside,  Hancock  county.  They  then 
removed  to  a  farm  belonging  to  our  sub- 
ject, situated  on  section  26,  where  her 
father's  death  occurred  in  1879.  His 
wife,  however,  had  passed  away  in  Ohio, 
being  killed  by  the  upsetting  of  a  buggy. 
In  their  family  were  three  daughters  and 
one  son.  After  the  mother's  death  the 
father  was  married  a  second  time  and  by 
that  marriage  had  one  son  and  a  daughter. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bolton  were  born 
the  following  named :  Florence,  born 
August  13,  1865,  became  the  wife  of 
David  C.  Clark,  of  Fairfield,  Iowa,  and 
her  death  occurred  one  year  later.  F. 
Belle,  bom  August  8.  1866,  is  at  home. 
William  C,  born  January  9,  1868,  makes 
his  home  in  Sonora  township.  Mary  A., 
born  June  23,  1869,  is  also  at  home. 
Maggie  R.,  the  next  of  the  family,  was 
born  January  5,  1871,  and  gave  her  hand 
in  marriage  to  Edward  B.  Bollin,  a  resi- 
dent of  Sonora  township.  Edgar  A., 
born  October  18,  1872,  is  with  his  father. 
M.  Burns,  born  March  I,  1874,  resides  in 
Sonora  township.  Charles  O.,  born 
April  9,  1876,  resided  in  Sonora  town- 
ship, where  his  death  occurred  March  10, 
1906.  The  wife  and  mother  passed  away 
August  27,  1905,  and  her  death  was  the 
occasion  of  deep  and  wide-spread  regret 
among  her  many  friends  as  well  as  in 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS'. 


545 


her  own  household,  where  she  was  un- 
tiring" in  her  labors  for  the  interests  of  her 
family.  She  was  a  most  estimable  lady, 
possessing  many  traits  of  heart  and  mind 
which  endeared  her  to  all  with  whom  she 
came  in  contact. 

In  his  political  allegiance  Mr.  Bolton 
is  a  stalwart  republican  but  not  an  active 
office  seeker,  prefering  to  give  his  undi- 
vided attention  to  his  private  business 
interests.  Starting  out  in  life  without 
financial  assistance,  and  working  as  a 
farm  hand,  he  has  gradually  worked  his 
way  up  from  year  to  year  until  today  he 
has  one  of  the  best  improved  properties 
of  this  part  of  the  state,  for  here  are  found 
all  modern  improvements  which  consti- 
tute a  model  farm  of  the  twentieth  cen- 
tury. Mr.  Bolton,  too,  has  been  found 
reliable  and  straightforward  in  all  busi- 
ness transactions  so  that  his  success  has 
been  richly  merited  and  honorably  won. 


GEORGE  W.  BAILEY. 

George  W.  Bailey,  carrying  on  gen- 
eral fanning  in  Rock  Creek  township, 
was  born  in  West  Virginia,  August  21, 
1849,  and  is  one  of  a  family  of  nine  chil- 
dren whose  parents  were  Wright  B.  and 
Malinda  (Bailey)  Bailey,  who,  though  of 
the  same  name,  were  not  relatives.  The 
father,  who  was  born  in  Harrison  coun- 
ty, Virginia,  October  7,  1810,  was  a  son 
of  Samuel  and  Agnes  (Hudson)  Bailey, 


the  latter  a  descendant  of  the  noted  Henry 
Hudson,  who  first  discovered  and  sailed 
up  the  river  which  now  bears  his  name. 
Wright  B.  Bailey  was  educated  in  the 
old-time  subscription  schools,  his  text- 
books constituting  a  New  Testament, 
speller  and  arithmetic.  He  was  so  anx- 
ious to  learn  that  he  dressed  a  soapstone 
'  which  he  had  taken  from  the  creek  and 
had  his  friends  make  him  copies  of  the 
alphabet  upon  it  and  he  worked  with 
assiduity  and  accomplished  the  task  that 
was  thus  set  for  him.  He  never  had  a 
grammar  lesson  in  his  life,  but  his  ambi- 
tion enabled  him  to  learn  in  the  school 
of  experience  many  valuable  lessons.  He 
came  to  Hancock  county,  November  14, 
1851,  settling  in  Wythe  township,  where 
he  followed  farming.  In  1864  he  re- 
moved to  Rock  Creek  township,  where  he 
spent  his  remaining  days,  passing  away 
September  23,  1888,  at  the  age  of  sev- 
enty-seven years,  eleven  months  and  six- 
teen days.  He  was  married  April  19, 
1838,  to  Miss  Malinda  Bailey,  and  they 
lived  to  celebrate  their  golden  wedding. 
For.  fifty  years  he  was  a  devoted  member 
of  the  Missionary  Baptist  church  and 
lived  an  earnest,  consistent  Christian  life. 
He  had  no  enemies  and  he  was  ever  ready 
to  speak  a  good  word  for  all.  Rev.  Ward 
assisted  Rev.  Doud  in  preaching  his  fu- 
neral sermon.  His  wife  was  also  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Baptist  church  and  when  called 
to  the  home  beyond  their  remains  were 
interred  in  Moss  Ridge  cemetery  at  Car- 
thage. Of  their  family  of  nine  children 
six  are  now  living:  Sarah,  the  wife  of 
Eugene  Nair,  of  Kansas ;  Colbert,  of 
Brashear,  Missouri ;  Maria,  the  wife  of 
George  Jackson,  of  David  City,  Nebras- 


546 


BIOGRAPHICAL  RE! 'I  El  T 


ka ;  George  W. ;  J.  M.  C.,  who  is  living  in 
Laplata,  Missouri ;  and  Victoria,  the  wife 
of  A.  J.  Casburn,  of  Ferris. 

George  W.  Bailey  was  a  student  in  the 
schools  of  Rock  Creek  township  and  re- 
mained with  his  parents  until  twenty-two 
years  of  age,  never  being  away  from 
home  for  two  weeks  at  a  time  during  the 
period  of  his  minority.  On  the  2ist  of  • 
December,  1871,  he  wedded  Mary  Eliza 
Ward,  who  was  born  in  La  Harpe,  Illi- 
nois, January  8,  1853,  a  daughter  of  Rev. 
William  and  Isabelle  (Johnson)  Ward. 
Her  father  was  born  in  Northhampton- 
shire,  England,  in  1827,  and  came  to 
America  immediately  after  his  marriage 
as  a  passenger  on  an  old-time  sailing  ves- 
sel, which  was  sixteen  weeks  in  making 
the  voyage.  He  is  now  a  superannuated 
minister  of  the  Northern  Illinois  confer- 
ence. In  his  childhood  days  he  attended 
the  Church  of  England,  and,  at  the  age 
of  nineteen  years  was  converted  and 
joined  the  Wesleyan  Methodist  church, 
wherein  he  labored  faithfully,  leading 
many  to  a  knowledge  of  the  better  life. 
After  his  marriage  he  came  to  America, 
settling  m  Illinois,  where  his  experiences 
were  those  that  usually  fall  to  the  lot  of 
the  pioneer  minister.  On  one  occasion 
he  went  to  a  love-feast  which  was  held 
behind  bolted  doors.  Quite  a  number  of 
the  Christian  ladies  of  the  neighborhood, 
together  with  Mr.  Ward,  were  shut  out 
because  they  were  too  late.  This  dis- 
tressed the  ladies  greatly  and  Mr.  Ward 
tried  to  comfort  them  by  saying  that 
when  they  reached  the  church  triumphant 
they  would  always  find  the  doors  open. 
After  an  experience  of  this  kind  in  the 
Wesleyan  Methodist  church  it  was  but 


natural  that  he  seek  a  church  where  the 
lines  were  not  so  strictly  drawn  and  he 
therefore  joined  the  Methodist  Protestant 
church,  whose  love-feasts  were  open,  free 
to  all.  He  entered  the  ministry  of  that 
denomination  by  uniting  with  the  Illinois 
conference  in  1851,  and  from  that  time 
until  he  entered  upon  superannuated  re- 
lations proved  a  faithful  and  efficient' 
preacher  of  the  conference,  acting  as  pas- 
tor of  some  of  the  most  important 
charges  of  the  conference.  He  was  a 
popular  minister  who  held  the  affections 
of  his  people  and  the  seeds  of  spiritual 
truth  which  he  had  sown  bore  rich  fruit 
in  later  years.  His  home  life  has  always 
been  a  most  beautiful  and  largely  ideal 
one  and  he  is  today  one  of  the  most  hon- 
ored representatives  of  the  Methodist 
ministry  in  this  state.  He  now  resides 
in  Ferris  and  his  membership  is  with 
the  church  of  his  denomination  there.  In 
his  family  were  nine  children,  of  whom 
seven  are  now  living:  J.  W.,  a  resident 
of  Argyle,  Iowa;  Mary  E.,  of  this  re- 
view; W.  H.,  of  Adrian,  Illinois;  C.  B.. 
of  Rock  Island ;  Fannie,  the  wife  of  J. 
A.  Van  Nelson,  of  Woodlawn,  Illinois : 
Belle,  the  widow  of  Senator  W.  F.  Har- 
ris, and  a  resident  of  Carthage ;  and  D. 
r\ ..  of  Niota,  Missouri.  The  parents  are 
now  residents  of  Ferris  and  they  have  a 
wide  acquaintance  in  the  state,  where 
they  have  lived  and  labored  to  such  good- 
ly ends. 

For  a  year  after  their  marriage  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Bailey  lived  upon  a  farm  west  of 
Ferris,  and  after  three  removals  returned 
to  his  father's  farm,  where  they  resided 
for  twelve  years.  During  the  succeeding 
fourteen  years  they  lived  upon  a  farm 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


547 


northeast  of  Ferris,  which  was  owned  by 
our  subject,  and  in  September,  1902,  lie 
bought  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  on 
section  13,  Rock  Creek  township,  and  re- 
modeled the  house  into  a  beautiful  coun- 
try residence  and  added  many  modern 
equipments.  Here  he  has  since  carried 
on  general  farming  and  stock-raising. 
He  is  also  a  large  stockholder  in  the  ele- 
vator at  Adrian,  and  a  director  of  the 
Seminary  at  La  Harpe,  Illinois,  while  his 
wife  is  the  owner  of  four  lots  in  Okla- 
homa. In  his  business  interests  he  has 
displayed  a  watchfulness  and  alertness 
which  argue  well  for  success  and  his  in- 
dustry and  probity  are  unquestioned  fac- 
tors in  his  business  career. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bailey  at  their 
home  in  Rock  Creek  township  have  been 
born  six  children,  of  whom  five  are  now 
living:  W.  W.  Bailey,  the  eldest,  born 
October  16,  1873,  an^  now  living  in 
Bushnell,  Illinois,  married  Louie  Mason, 
and  has  two  children,  Pearl  and  Charles. 
Estella  L.,  born  November  4,  1877,  and 
a  graduate  of  the  La  Harpe  Seminary,  is 
now  the  wife  of  J.  F.  Weber,  of  Ottum- 
wa,  Iowa,  and  has  one  son,  John  Francis. 
Lillian  Emma,  bom  November  14,  1881, 
is  a  public  school  teacher,  but  now  at 
home.  Charles  T.,  born  March  8,  1884, 
died  on  the  29th  of  October  of  the  same 
year.  Everett  G.,  born  October  23,  1887. 
is  attending  the  academy  which  is  the  pre- 
paratory department  of  the  Carthage  Col- 
lege. H.  F.,  born  June  29,  1890,  is  a 
student  in  Carthage  College  academic 
course. 

Mr.  Bailey  is  independent  in  politics 
and  has  held  some  township  offices.  He 
is  a  third  degree  Mason,  belongs  to  the 


Modern  Woodmen  camp  at  Carthage  and 
has  passed  all  of  the  chairs  in  the  local 
lodge  of  Odd  Fellows.  Both  he  and  his 
wife  are  zealous  members  of  the  Metho- 
dist Episcopal  church,  of  which  he  is  serv- 
ing as  a  trustee,  and  their  influence  and 
acts  '  uphold  the  moral  and  legal  status 
of  the  community.  A  self-made  man 
his  success  stands  in  incontrovertible 
proof  of  his  life  of  well  directed  and  con- 
tinuous activity.  He  has  been  both  in- 
dustrious and  frugal  and  these  qualities 
have  been  the  source  of  a  gratifying  pros- 
perity. It  is  proverbial  that  no  one  goes 
hungry  from  his  door.  In  fact  hospi- 
tality is  one  of  the  chief  elements  in  Mr. 
Bailey's  home  and  the  good  cheer  of  the 
household  is  greatly  enjoyed  by  the  many 
friends  of  the  family,  who  are  legion. 


JULIUS  CHARPENTIER. 

The  many  good  traits  of  character  of 
Julius  Charpentier  were  well  worthy  of 
emulation  and  made  him  worthy  the  trib- 
ute of  respect  and  honor  that  was  tendered 
him  in  life  and  is  a  credit  to  his  memory 
since  he  has  passed  away.  He  was  born 
in  Paris,  France,  November  8,  1839,  a 
son  of  Henri  and  Lucy  (Fountaine) 
Charpentier,  who  were  likewise  natives 
of  France.  The  father  was  a  book- 
binder by  trade  and  also  engaged  in  the 
sale  of  religious  tracts.  He  died  in  1869, 
while  his  wife  passed  away  in  1890. 
They  always  remained  residents  of  their 
native  land.  In  their  familv  were  seven 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


children,  of  whom  five  are  yet  living: 
Marie,  the  wife  of  General  Thomas,  of 
Paris,  who  was  in  command  of  the  city 
at  the  time  of  the  Franco-Prussian  war; 
Madame  Aline  Viltard,  the  widow  of  Ed- 
mund Viltard,  who  was  a  distinguished 
linguist,  novelist  and  play-writer  of  Paris, 
where  she  still  makes  her  home;  Claire, 
the  wife  of  a  Mr.  Perois,  proprietor  of  a 
large  book  store  in  Paris ;  and  George 
and  Emile,  who  came  to  Illinois  in  1870. 
the  former  being  now  in  West  Point  and 
the  latter  in  Texas. 

Julius  Charpentier,  the  third  member  of 
the  family,  came  to  America  in  1866, 
landing  at  New  York.  He  first  settled 
at  Keokuk,  Iowa,  where  he  resided  for  a 
year,  and  on  the  3Oth  of  August,  1867, 
arrived  in  Illinois.  Here  he  was  married 
to  Miss  .Marie  Bouquet,  who  was  born  in 
the  village  of  Sourd,  France,  February 
15,  1847,  a  daughter  of  Ferdinand  and 
Marie  Rose  (Boidin)  Bouquet.  Her 
father  was  born  in  Leemee,  France, 
March  18,  1806.  They  came  to  America 
in  1855,  landing  at  Xew  Orleans  and  set- 
tled near  Basco,  Illinois,  April  i,  1856. 
They  had  arrived  in  Hancock  county, 
however,  in  the  previous  fall,  having 
reached  Nauvoo  on  the  5th  of  November, 
1855.  The  father  was  a  weaver  by  trade. 
They  had  four  children  but  Mrs.  Char- 
pentier is  the  only  one  living.  Ferdinand, 
the  eldest,  died  at  Memphis,  Tennessee, 
while  on.  the  way  to  Illinois,  January  24, 
1855,  anfl  was  buried  there.  Louis  Bou- 
quet, who  first  engaged  in  farming  in 
Prairie  township  and  afterward  was  in 
business  in  Warsaw,  subsequently  re- 
moved to  Quincy,  Illinois,  where  he  con- 
ducted business  as  a  dealer  in  poultry, 


butter  and  eggs.  He  died  December  27, 
1897.  and  was  buried  in  Graceland  ceme- 
tery in  Quincy.  The  father  died  in  Basco, 
August  19,  1875,  and  the  mother's  death 
there  occurred  January  15,  1891.  Their 
remains  were  interred  in  Sylvandale 
cemetery.  They  were  members  of  the 
Catholic  church,  of  which  they  were  faith- 
ful communicants. 

Julius  Charpentier  was  educated  in 
Paris,  and  after  his  marriage  settled  on 
a  farm  near  Basco,  where  he  lived  for 
twenty  years.  In  1888  he  came  to  West 
Point  and  built  a  store  there,  engaging 
in  general  merchandise  until  his  death. 
June  23.  1895.  The  business  was  first 
conducted  by  the  firm  of  Cacheux  &  Char- 
pentier. which  relation  was  maintained 
until  February  24,  1895,  when  Mr.  Char- 
pentier purchased  his  partner's  interest 
•and  admitted  his  sons  to  partnership 
under  the  firm  style  of  J.  Charpentier  & 
Sons.  In  his  business  life  he  was  en- 
terprising and  alert,  always  watching  for 
opportunities  for  honorable  advancement 
and  using  the  means  at  hand  to  the  best 
advantage.  While  on  the  farm  he  car- 
ried on  general  agricultural  pursuits  and 
his  widow  still  owns  two  hundred  acres 
of  good  land,  constituting  the  old  home- 
stead in  Wythe  township.  In  his  polit- 
ical views  he  was  a  democrat  and  both 
he  and  his  wife  wrere  devout  members  of 
the  Catholic  church. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Charpentier  had  three 
children,  the  eldest  being  Henri,  \vho  was 
born  in  Wythe  township,  July  27,  1868. 
He  married  Miss  Gane  Moulin,  who  was 
born  in  London,  April  5,  1878.  Her  broth- 
er, George  Simon,  is  an  explorer  in  Hin- 
doo, China.  He  is  a  lieutenant  on  a  vessel 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


549 


in  the  French  navy  and  is  the  first  white 
man  that  ever  went  up  the  McKane  river. 
Henri  Charpentier  and  Gane  Moulin  were 
married  in  Paris,  November  12,  1904, 
after  which  they  came  to  America  and 
spent  the  winter  with  his  mother,  Mrs. 
Charpentier  and  then  returned  to  Paris, 
where  he  represents  the  Milwaukee  Har- 
vesting Machine  Company.  He  repre-' 
sented  the  company  at  the  Paris  Exposi- 
tion in  1900  and  has  also  been  to  Tunis, 
Africa,  in  the  same  interest.  He  is  a 
most  enterprising  business  man,  possess- 
ing in  large  measure  that  quality  which 
for  want  of  better  term  has  been  called 
commercial  sense.  He  is  well  known  in 
business  circles  in  Illinois  and  in  many 
places  of  this  country  as  well  as  abroad, 
where  he  is  operating.  He  belongs  to  the 
Masonic  and  Odd  Fellows  societies,  in 
which  he  has  passed  all  of  the  chairs,  anc4 
when  in  America  gives  his  political  sup- 
port to  the  democracy.  Unto  him  and  his 
wife  has  been  born  a  son,  Gean,  whose 
birth  occurred  August  29,  1905.  Edmund 
Lois,  born  February  4,  1872.  near  Basco, 
in  Wythe  township,  married  Arminna 
McLarty,  who  was  born  August  25, 
1868,  in  Bowen.  and  they  have  one  son, 
Julius  Alexander,  who  was  born  at  West 
Point.  June  18,  1897.  After  the  death 
of  the  father  Henri  Charpentier  sold  his 
interest  in  the  store  which  is  now  owned 
by  Edmund  and  his  mother,  the  business 
being  still  conducted  under  the  firm  style 
of  J.  Charpentier  &  Son.  Edmund  Char- 
pentier is  an  energetic  and  successful  busi- 
ness man,  prominent  in  the  community 
where  he  resides.  In  1903  he  made  a 
trip  to  France  for  business  and  pleasure. 
He  belongs  to  the  Masonic  fraternity  and 


has  a  wide  and  favorable  acquaintance  in 
Hancock  county.  Claire,  born  January 
20,  1889,  in  West  Point,  was  graduated 
from  the  West  Point  high  school  with 
the  class  of  1906  and  is  at  home  with 
her  mother.  The  family  all  speak  French 
as  well  as  English  and  the  sons  and 
daughter  have  all  been  providd  with  ex- 
cellent educational  privileges,  Claire  hav- 
ing been  a  student  in  St.  Mary's  Institute 
in  Quincy. 

Before  leaving  his  native  country  Mr. 
Charpentier  served  for  two  years  with 
the  French  army  in  Algiers  and  other 
points  in  Africa,  and  was  also  with  the 
army  in  France  for  a  year  and  for  four 
years  in  Mexico,  taking  part  in  the  war 
against  that  country  between  1859  and 
1865.  He  made  an  excellent  military 
record  by  his  loyalty  and  bravery — quali- 
ties which  were  manifest  throughout  his 
entire  life.  They  were  evident  in  his  at- 
tachment^to  his  adopted  country,  while  in 
community  affairs  he  manifested  a  deep 
and  loyal  interest  in  all  that  pertained  to 
the  welfare  of  this  part  of  the  state.  He 
was  ill  for  two  years  prior  to  his  demise 
and  when  called  from  this  life  was  laid  to 
rest  inSylvandale  cemetery.  All  who  knew 
him  respected  and  esteemed  him.  He 
was  faithful  in  citizenship  and  had  a  very 
wide  and  favorable  acquaintance  in  this 
part  of  the  county.  His  best  traits,  how- 
ever, were  reserved  for  his  family,  to 
whom  he  was  a  most  devoted  husband  and 
father.  Mrs.  Charpentier  has  been  a  resi- 
dent of  America  since  November,  1855. 
She  is  a  lady  of  excellent  business  ability 
as  well  as  many  social  qualities  and  in  all 
that  she  does  is  very  methodical  and 
systematic.  Moreover,  she  has  many 


550 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


friends  in  this  community  and  is  accorded 
social  prominence. 


T.  J.  GARWOOD. 

T.  J.  Garwood,  a  prosperous  and  prom- 
inent farmer  of  Augusta  township,  re- 
sides on  section  5,  where  he  owns  and 
cultivates  one  hundred  and  eighty  acres 
of  rich  and  productive  land.  He  has 
erected  here  a  substantial  residence,  good 
barns  and  other  outbuildings,  and  the 
improvements  are  all  in  keeping  with 
ideas  of  modern  farming.  He  likewise 
owns  another  tract  of  one  hundred  and 
eighty  acres  on  sections  16,  8  and  17  of 
the  same  township,  and  is  thus  one  of  the 
large  landholders  of  the  county,  his  pos- 
sessions making  him  a  substantial  citi- 
zen of  this  part  of  the  state. 

A  native  of  Jasper  county,  Illinois, 
born  in  1843,  Mr.  Garwood  is  a  son  of 
Thomas  and  Jane  (Richards)  Garwood. 
The  father  was  born  near  Cincinnati, 
Ohio,  in  1810,  while  the  mother's  birth 
occurred  near  Nashville,  Tennessee,  in 
1817.  He  devoted  his  life  to  general  ag- 
ricultural pursuits  and  in  1856  became 
a  resident  of  Adams  county,  Illinois, 
where  he  resided  until  1860,  when  he 
took  up  his  abode  on  the  farm  in  Au- 
gusta township,  Hancock  county,  that  is 
now  occupied  by  his  son,  T.  J.  Garwood. 
There  he  carefully  conducted  general 
farming,  with  the  result  that  his  labors 
were  attended  with  success.  Both  he  and 
his  wife  were  devoted  and  loyal  members 
of  the  Christian  church  and  died  in  that 


faith,  the  father  passing  away  February 
4,  1869,  and  the  mother  March  9,  1898. 
Both  were  laid  to  rest  in  the  Pulaski 
cemetery.  Of  their  eleven  children  six 
yet  survive :  T.  J. ;  James,  of  Augusta 
township;  Benjamin  and  Lorenzo,  who 
are  living  in  California;  Mary,  the  wife 
of  Robert  Young,  of  Ely,  Missouri ;  and 
Charles,  of  the  state  of  Washington. 
Two  uncles  of  our  subject,  John  and  Al- 
fred Richards,  were  soldiers  of  the  Civil 
war.  John  served  as  a  member  of  a  reg- 
iment of  Illinois  infantry  under  General 
Grant,  and  Alfred  was  killed  in  the  bat- 
tle of  Murfreesboro. 

T.  J.  Garwood  was  educated  in  the 
schools  of  Adams  and  of  Hancock  coun- 
ties, the  little  "temples  of  learning"  being 
partly  log  structures.  He  remained  on 
the  home  farm  until  the  time  of  his  mar- 
riage, which  important  event  was  cele- 
brated on  the  i8th  of  January,  1872,  the 
lady  of  his  choice  being  Miss  Julia  Wei- 
born,  who  was  born  in  Augusta  town- 
ship, in  1850,  a  daughter  of  Henry  and 
Phoebe  (Horney)  Welborn,  natives  of 
North  Carolina,  the  former  born  Novem- 
ber 30,  1817,  and  the  latter  September 
14,  1826.  Her  father,  who  devoted  his 
life  to  farming,  located  in  Augusta  town- 
ship, Hancock  county,  in  1850.  His  po- 
litical support  was  given  to  the  democ- 
racy, and  he  was  a  member  of  the  Ma- 
sonic fraternity,  while  his  religious  faith 
was  indicated  by  his  membership  in  the 
Baptist  church.  He  died  in  February, 
1891,  having  long  survived  his  wife,  who 
passed  away  in  January,  1851.  They 
had  but  two  children,  Mrs.  Garwood  and 
John  Welborn.  who  is  now  living  in  Mis- 
souri. 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


Mr.  and  Mrs.  Garwood  began  their  do- 
mestic life  upon  the  farm  on  which  they 
now  reside  on  section  5,  Augusta  town- 
ship, comprising  one  hundred  and  eighty 
acres  of  rich  and  productive  land.  He 
has  carried  on  general  farming  and  stock- 
raising  but  now  rents  much  of  his  land. 
He  cultivates,  however,  the  tract  of  one 
hundred  and  eighty  acres  about  two  miles 
from  his  home  on  sections  16,  8  and  17, 
Augusta  township.  He  had  very  little 
capital  at  the  time  of  his  marriage,  but 
by  economy,  industry  and  honorable  busi- 
ness methods  has  accumulated  a  prop- 
erty which  is  very  desirable  and  which 
now  enables  him  and  his  family  to  enjoy 
many  of  life's  comforts  and  luxuries. 
They  have  become  the  parents  of  four 
children,  all  born  on  the  old  home  place, 
where  they  have  lived  for  thirty-five  years, 
namely :  Henry,  Leonard,  John  and  Maie. 
All  attended  the  district  schools  of  Au- 
gusta township  and  the  daughter  will 
graduate  from  the  high  school  of  the  vil- 
lage of  Augusta  in  1907.  The  parents 
are  both  highly  respected  people,  affable 
and  pleasant  in  manner,  and  the  hospi- 
tality of  their  home  is  greatly  enjoyed  by 
their  many  friends. 


CHARLES  CARTER. 

Charles  Carter,  a  prominent  and  well- 
to-do  citizen  and  farmer  of  Walker  town- 
ship, represents  one  of  the  old  historic 
families  of  Hancock  county.  He  was 

35 


born  in  Lowell,  Massachusetts,  November 
6,  1846,  and  is  a  son  of  Philip  L.  and 
Martha  E.  (York)  Carter,  both  of  whom 
were  natives  of  Oxford  county,  Maine, 
the  former  born  January  17,  1813,  and 
the  latter  September  9,  1814.  The  pater- 
nal grandparents  of  our  subject  were  resi- 
dents of  Maine,  and  were  among  the  early 
Mormons  of  the  country.  With  a  band 
of  colonists  they  came  westward  to  Han- 
cock county  at  an  early  day  and  were 
owners  of  a  cottage  which  was  torn  down 
during  an  attack  made  upon  the  Mormons 
by  settlers  of  this  part  of  the  state.  Wil- 
liam. F.  Carter,  an  uncle  of  our  subject, 
was  one  of  the  first  Mormon  elders  and 
carried  the  teachings  of  the  sect  across 
the  Pacific,  coming  to  this  country  from 
Calcutta.  The  father  of  our  subject  was 
a  blacksmith  in  Massachusetts  and  re- 
moved from  New  England  to  the  middle 
west,  settling  in  Hancock  county  in  May, 
1851.  He  took  up  his  abode  on  the  farm 
which  is  now  occupied  by  his  son,  Charles, 
in  Walker  township,  and  there  he  engaged 
in  general  agricultural  pursuits  and  stock- 
raising  up  to  the  time  of  his  death,  which 
occurred  July  27,  1876.  His  wife  sur- 
vived him  for  about  two  decades,  and  died 
at  the  home  of  her  son  Charles  in  January, 
1897,  when  her  remains  were  interred  in 
the  family  graveyard  on  the  farm  by  the 
side  of  her  husband.  They  were  both 
highly  esteemed  people  and  enjoyed  the 
warm  personal  regard  of  those  with 
whom  they  were  associated. 

Charles  Carter  was  educated  in  the 
schools  of  Walker  and  Lima  townships, 
and  remained  with  his  father,  assisting 
him  in  the  farm  work  until  the  latter's 
death  and  acting  as  manager  of  the  farm 


552 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


during  the  last  year  or  so.  He  was  mar- 
ried December  23,  1877,  to  Miss  Marietta 
Archer,  who  was  born  in  Lima,  Adams 
county,  Illinois,  in  1851,  a  daughter  of 
Harrison  and  Mary  Ann  Archer,  natives 
of  Kentucky  and  Ohio  respectively.  Her 
father  was  a  wagon-maker  by  trade  and 
removed  from  Adams  county  to  War- 
saw, where  he  lived  for  many  years,  con- 
ducting a  wagon  shop  there.  Mrs.  Archer 
died  in  1870,  while  Mr.  Archer  passed 
away  in  1896,  and  both  were  laid  to  rest 
in  Lima  cemetery.  They  were  the  par- 
ents of  nine  children  but  only  four  are 
living,  namely:  Mrs.  Carter;  Ida,  the 
wife  of  M.  Fawbush,  of  Wichita,  Kan- 
sas; Martha  A.,  wife  of  J.  A>  Califf.  of 
Carthage,  Illinois;  and  Harry,  who  is  on 
the  farm  with  our  subject.  One  brother, 
John  Albert  Archer,  was  killed  in  battle 
in  the  Civil  war  on  the  banks  of  the  Red 
river,  while  serving  as  a  member  of  Com- 
pany G,  One  Hundred  and  Nineteenth 
Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry. 

Following  his  marriage  Charles  Carter 
continued  to  live  upon  the  old  home  place, 
which  comprises  three  hundred  and  ten 
acres  of  productive  and  valuable  land  on 
sections  31  and  32,  Walker  township.  He 
has  built  a  house  here  and  has  made  other 
modern  and  substantial  improvements, 
while  year  by  year  his  labors  are  given 
exclusively  to  the  work  of  tilling  the  soil 
and  raising  stock.  The  home  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Carter  has  been  blessed  with  four 
children,  all  born  in  Walker  township, 
namely :  Ida  Mabel,  the  wife  of  H.  W. 
Osgood,  of  Labelle,  Missouri,  by  whom 
she  has  two  children,  Stella  M.  and 
Charles  S. ;  Philip  L.,  Dora  A.  and  John 
Archer,  all  at  home. 


Mr.  Carter  votes  with  the  Republican 
party  and  has  served  in  some  local  offices, 
acting  as  supervisor,  while  for  many  years 
he  has  been  school  director.  A  part  of 
his  land  was  once  occupied  by  the  Mor- 
mon cottages  which  were  burned  down 
and  this  is  old  historic  ground.  Mr. 
Carter's  memory  compasses  a  long  period 
in  the  history  of  the  county  and  he  is  well 
informed  concerning  many  of  the  events 
which  find  record  in  its  annals.  He  and 
his  family  are  highly  esteemed  and  his 
acquaintance  is  wide  and  favorable  in  his 
part  of  the  county. 


HERMAN  HAASE. 

Herman  Haase,  owning  and  operating 
one  hundred  and  sixty-four  acres  of  val- 
uable land  lying  in  Appanoose  township, 
a  part  of  which  is  the  old  family  home- 
stead, was  born  in  Walker  township. 
Hancock  county,  June  21,  1862,  of  Ger- 
man parentage,  his  parents  being  Conrad 
and  Barbara  (Siphery)  Haase,  natives 
of  the  fatherland,  the  former  born  in 
Hesse  Cassel,  while  the  latter's  birth  oc- 
curred in  Saxony.  The  father  on  leaving 
his  native  land  crossed  the  Atlantic  in  a 
sailing  vessel,  which  dropped  anchor  in 
the.  harbor  of  New  Orleans,  and  after  a 
brief  stay  in  that  city  he  removed,  in 
1853,  to  Galveston,  Texas,  where  he  was 
employed  in  a  warehouse,  handling 
freight.  After  spending  some  time  in  the 
south  he  came  to  Illinois,  traveling  by 
steamer  up  the  Mississippi  river,  settling 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


553 


first  at  Warsaw,  where  he  learned  and 
followed  the  cooper's  trade  for  a  number 
of  years.  In  1859  he  was  married  in 
Tioga,  Hancock  county,  to  Miss  Barbara 
Siphery,  where  he  was  conducting  a 
cooper  shop  at  that  time.  He  then  made 
purchase  of  sixty  acres  of  land  which  he 
conducted  in  addition  to  doing  cooper 
work.  He  later  traded  this  tract  of  land 
to  Ira  Allen  for  one  hundred  acres  on 
section  22,  Appanoose  township,  which 
adjoined  another  tract  of  sixty  acres 
which  he  had  previously  owned.  He  car- 
ried on  the  work  of  his  farm  in  connec- 
tion with  his  cooper  shop  for  many  years, 
and  later  returned  to  his  native  country 
on  a  visit.  He  made  a  second  trip  to 
Germany,  thus  crossing  the  Atlantic  five 
times.  After  he  removed  to  his  farm  in 
Appanoose  township  in  September.  1880, 
he  discontinued  his  work  as  a  cooper  and 
gave  his  entire  attention  to  his  general 
agricultural  -pursuits,  which  he  continued 
to  follow  until  his  death  on  the  28th  of 
March,  1904,  when  he  had  reached  the 
advanced  age  of  eighty-six  years,  for  his 
birth  occurred  December  2,  1817.  He 
had  survived  his  wife  for  only  about  a 
year,  she  having  passed  away  on  the  8th 
of  April,  1903.  In  their  family  were  two 
sons  and  two  daughters,  of  whom  our 
subject  is  the  eldest  son  and  second  child, 
the  others  being :  Lena,  the  wife  of 
George  A.  Baker,  a  resident  of  Hitch- 
cock county,  Nebraska ;  Conrad,  also  of 
Hitchcock  county,  Nebraska ;  and  Annie, 
who  makes  her  home  in  Fort  Madison, 
Iowa. 

Herman  Haase  acquired  his  early  ed- 
ucation in  the  district  schools  of  Walker 
township,  which  was  later  supplemented 


by  study  in  the  schools  at  Cropp  and 
Tioga.  He  was  reared  to  the  occupation 
of  farming  and  has  always  followed  gen- 
eral agricultural  pursuits  since  engaging 
in  business  on  his  own  account.  He  re- 
mained with  his  parents  until  the  time 
of  his  marriage,  which  was  celebrated 
May  3,  1891,  Miss  Sophia  Weber  be- 
coming his  wife.  She  was  born  in  Ap- 
panoose township  on  the  farm  which  is 
now  owned  by  Mr.  Haase,  a  daughter 
of  Samuel  and  Rosa  (Bertschi)  Weber, 
natives  of  Switzerland,  the  former  a  son 
of  Fred  Weber,  and  the  latter  a  daugh- 
ter of  Samuel  Bertschi.  A  year  previous 
to  his  marriage  Mr.  Haase  had  purchased 
from  his  father  sixty-four  acres  of  land, 
the  contract  being  made  on  the  7th  of 
August,  1890.  There  were  no  buildings 
or  improvements  of  any  kind  on  this  tract 
when  it  came  into  his  possession,  but 
he  bought  an  old  house  which  he  moved 
to  this  tract.  He  also  fenced  the  place 
and  erected  outbuildings,  including  a 
barn,  cattle  shed,  tool  house  and  gran- 
ary. Here  he  engaged  in  general  agricul- 
tural pursuits,  bringing  his  land  under  a 
good  state  of  cultivation,  from  which  he 
annually  harvested  good  crops  as  the  re- 
sult of  the  care  which  he  bestowed  upon 
the  fields.  He  derived  sufficient  capital 
from  his  farming  interests,  so  that  at  his 
father's  death  he  was  able  to  purchase 
the  interest  of  the  other  heirs  in  the  old 
homestead  farm,  which  comprised  one 
hundred  acres,  so  that  he  has  now  alto- 
gether one  hundred  and  sixty-four  acres. 
He  has  refenced  the  entire  place  with 
wire  fencing,  and  there  are  now  only 
about  two  hundred  rods  of  hedge  fencing 
on  the  place.  He  keeps  his  farm  and 


554 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


buildings  in  excellent  condition  so  that 
he  now  has  an  attractive  and  productive 
tract  of  land.  In -addition  to  carrying  on 
the  work  of  the  fields  he  also  engages  to 
some  extent  in  the  raising  of  horses,  cat- 
tle and  Poland  China  hogs. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Haase  have  been 
born  a  son  and  daughter :  Samuel  Con- 
rad, bom  February  9,  1893 ;  and  Leah 
Ruth,  whose  birth  occurred  December  3, 
1895.  He  gives  his  political  support  to 
the  Democratic  party  and  takes  a  deep 
and  helpful  interest  in  the  work  of  his 
party,  having  served  as  constable  for 
seven  years,  while  for  three  years  he  was 
road  commissioner.  Socially  he  is  iden- 
tified with  the  Modern  Woodmen  of 
America  and  the  Independent  Order  of 
Odd  Fellows.  Having  spent  his  entire 
life  in  Hancock  county  Mr.  Haase  is 
widely  and  favorably  known,  where  both 
social  and  business  friends  speak  of  him 
in  terms  of  highest  praise,  for  he  has 
ever  been  straightforward  in  all  his  deal- 
ings with  his  fellowmen.  His  wife,  too, 
is  popular  among  her  many  friends,  hav- 
ing been  born  and  reared  in  the  locality 
where  she  now  makes  her  home,  and  the 
hospitality  of  the  best  homes  of  this  com- 
munity is  freely  accorded  them. 


AUGUST  H.  DISSELHORST. 

August  H.  Disselhorst,  who  is  conduct- 
ing the  Pine  Grove  farm,  the  old  home- 
stead property  of  his  father,  was  born  in 
Adams  county,  Illinois,  September  30, 


1882.  In  both  the  paternal  and  maternal 
lines  he  comes  of  German  lineage.  His 
father,  Ernest  Disselhorst,  was  born  in 
Germany,  and,  emigrating  to  America, 
was  married  at  Fowler,  Adams  county. 
Illinois,  to  Miss  Rickie  Meyers,  a  native 
of  that  county.  Her  father,  Gotlieb 
Meyers,  was  born  in  Germany  and  made 
his  way  to  Quincy,  Illinois,  when  there 
were  not  more  than  a  half  dozen  houses 
in  the  town.  He  began  farming  in  that 
locality  and  was  married  there  to  Miss 
Heaner.  They  began  their  domestic  life 
upon  a  farm  about  nine  miles  east  of 
Quincy  and  for  many  years  Mr.  Meyers 
there  carried  on  agricultural  pursuits  but 
died  several  years  ago.  Following  his 
marriage  Ernest  Disselhorst  rented'  land 
for  fourteen  years,  and  in  1894  he  pur- 
chased one  hundred  and  fifty-eight  acres 
on  section  5,  Wythe  township,  Hancock 
county,  and  also  fifty-seven  acres  in  Wil- 
cox  township.  Some  improvements  had 
been  made  upon  his  first  purchase,  there 
was  a  comfortable  residence  there  and 
other  buildings.  Later,  however,  the 
father  erected  a  large  barn  sixty  by  forty 
feet.  This  was  in  1899,  and  1904,  he 
built  a  second  barn  fifty  by  forty-two  feet. 
He  has  also  added  other  buildings  and 
modern  equipment  to  his  place  and  he 
there  carried  on  general  farming  and 
raising  cattle,  horses  and  hogs.  In  1902 
he  was  called  upon  to  mourn  the  loss  of 
his  wife,  who  died  on  the  25th  of  Feb- 
ruary of  that  year.  He  continued  to  re- 
side upon  the  old  homestead  until  the 
spring  of  1906,  when  he  married  Emma 
Knox,  and  now  lives  upon  her  farm  of 
eighty  acres  in  Adams  county.  There 
were  two  children  by  his  former  mar- 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


555 


riage,  the  daughter  being  Lydia,  who  was 
born  February  28,  1879,  and  is  now  the 
wife  of  Edward  Trautvetter,  living  in 
Alontebello  township  about  two  miles 
north  of  Hamilton. 

August  H.  Disselhorst  pursued  a  pub- 
lic school  education  and  was  reared  in  the 
usual  manner  of  farm  lads,  early  becom- 
ing familiar  with  the  duties  and  labors 
that  fall  to  the  lot  of  the  agriculturist. 
He  took  his  place  behind  the  plow  when 
but  a  young  boy  and  as  the  years  have 
passed  has  gained  practical  experience 
in  the  best  methods  of  tilling  the  soil  and 
caring  for  the  crops.  He  is  now,  con- 
ducting the  Pine  Grove  farm,  which  is  a 
valuable  property  and  which  under  his 
careful  supervision  is  returning  a  grati- 
fying income. 

On  the  Qth  of  May,  1906,  Mr.  Dissel- 
horst was  married  to  Miss  Laura  Mabel 
Dralle,  a  native  of  Adams  county,  and  a 
daughter  of  Henry  Dralle.  He  votes 
with  the  Republican  party  and  manifests 
a  public-spirited  interest  in  community 
affairs  but  has  neither  time  nor  desire  for 
office  as  his  attention  is  fully  occupied 
with  the  interests  and  improvement  of 
the  home  farm. 


JOHN  A.  CAMPBELL. 

John  A.  Campbell  is  the  owner  of  a 
good  farm  of  two  hundred  and  forty  acres 
situated  near  Augusta.  It  is  a  well  de- 
veloped property  constantly  increasing  in 
value  bv.  reason  of  the  care  and  labor  he 


bestows  upon  it  and  because  of  the  mod- 
ern improvements  which  he  has  added 
thereto.  He  was  borrr  in  Parke  county, 
Indiana,  in  1844,  and  is  descended  from 
Scotch  ancestry.  His  father,  Gustavus 
Campbell,  was  born  in  Scotland  and  died 
when  his  son  John  A.  was  a  very  small 
boy.  The  mother  bore  the  maiden  name 
of  Octavie  Payne,  and  was  born  in  Vir- 
ginia. Her  father  was  an  owner  of  slaves 
and  a  part  of  her  dowry  was  composed 
of  negro  servants.  For  twelve  years  Gus- 
tavus Campbell  followed  the  sea  as  a 
sailor  and  then  removed  to  Indiana, 
where  he  engaged  in  farming.  His  wife 
long  survived  him  and  then  passed  away 
in  1877.  Of  their  family  of  nine  chil- 
dren six  are  living  as  follows :  James,  a 
resident  of  Augusta,  Illinois;  Richard, 
living  at  Coal  Bluff,  Indiana ;  John  A. ; 
Allen,  George  and  Charles,  also  of  In- 
diana. 

In  the  district  schools  of  his  native 
state  John  A.  Campbell  acquired  his  edu- 
cation and  after  leaving  school  went  to 
live  with  his  brother,  working  on  a  farm 
and  also  spending  some  time  as  a  farm 
hand  in  the  employ  of  others.  He  was 
ambitious,  however,  to  make  a  start  in 
life  and  eagerly  availed  himself  of  every 
opportunity  for  his  own  business  ad- 
vancement. In  July,  1868,  he  chose  a 
companion  and  helpmate  for  life's  jour- 
ney, being  married  to  Miss  Susan  Mat- 
thews, who  was  born  in  Hancock  county, 
Illinois,  in  1853.  Her  grandfather  in  the 
paternal  line  was  a  soldier  of  the  Revo- 
lutionary war  and  Mrs.  Campbell  can  re- 
late many  interesting  stories  which  he  told 
her  concerning  that  struggle.  She  is  a 
daughter  of  A.  B.  and  D.  V.  (Kalley) 


556 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


Matthews.  Her  father  was  born  in  Ohio 
in  1817  and  her  mother  in  Parke  county, 
Indiana,  in  1827.  He  devoted  his  life  to 
farm  work  and  in  1851  removed  to  this 
county,  spending  much  of  his  time  here  in 
Augusta  township.  He  died  in  1891  in 
the  faith  of  the  Christian  church,  of  which 
he  was  a  devoted  member.  His  wife  also 
belongs  to  that  church.  Eight  of  their 
ten  children  still  survive,  namely :  Man- 
dane,  the  wife  of  John  Jones,  of  Oregon ; 
Robert,  of  Augusta  township;  Miles,  of 
Oklahoma;  Mrs.  Susan  Campbell;  Wil- 
liam Jackson,  of  Cass  county,  Iowa; 
Harvey,  of  Hancock  county ;  Edna,  the 
wife  of  Lincoln  Smith,  of  Hancock  coun- 
ty; and  Marion,  also  of  this  county. 

Mr.  Campbell  arrived  in  this  county 
about  1864  or  1865,  and  lived  in  Au- 
gusta township  for  two  years,  after  his 
marriage.  He  then  removed  to  Indiana, 
where  he  carried  on  farming  for  two 
years,  after  which  he  returned  to  Augusta 
township  and  invested  his  little  capital  in 
twenty  acres  of  land  also  on  section  7. 
Here  he  has  since  added  to  his  property 
from  time  to  time  as  his  financial  re- 
sources have  increased  until  he  now  owns 
two  hundred  and  forty  acres  of  rich  and 
arable  land  on  sections  7  and  9.  His 
first  home  here  was  a  log  cabin  and  he 
also  lived  in  a  log  house  in  Indiana.  He 
had  to  clear  his  place  in  order  to  have 
sufficient  ground  upon  which  to  erect  a 
home.  He  has  built  barns  and  outbuild- 
ings and  now  has  a  well  improved  prop- 
erty although  when  it  came  into  his  pos- 
session it  was  largely  covered  with  hazel 
brush.  His  attention  has  been  given  to 
the  raising  of  grain  and  stock  and  his 
fields  are  richly  tilled,  bringing  forth 


good  harvests.  The  home  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Campbell  has  been  blessed  with 
three  children,  all  born  in  Augusta  town- 
ship: Harvey,  who  was  born  in  1869, 
and  married  Miss  Mary  Young,  of  Au- 
gusta township,  by  whom  he  has  one  son, 
Wayne;  Dovie,  who  was  born  in  1876, 
and  died  in  1896,  the  interment  being 
made  in  Irwin  cemetery;  and  Charles, 
who  was  born  in  1880  and  lives  upon  a 
farm  adjoining  his  father's  place.  He 
married  Etta  Little  and  has  three  chil- 
dren, Herschel  and  Mark,  aged  respect- 
ively six  and  four  years,  and  baby  Eva, 
two  weeks  old. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Campbell  endured  many 
hardships  and  privations  in  the  early  days 
of  their  married  life  but  have  gradually 
climbed  the  ladder  of  success  and  are  now 
comfortably  situated.  No  longer  the 
owner  of  twenty  acres  of  land  he  has 
more  than  ten  times  that  amount  and  his 
farm  is  a  well  improved  place,  being  one 
of  the  attractive  features  of  the  landscape. 
In  manner  genial  and  jovial,  these  quali- 
ties make  him  popular  with  a  large  circle 
of  friends.  Both  he  and  his  wife  are 
worthy  people  and  they  hold  membership 
in  the  Congregational  church,  in  which 
he  has  efficiently  served  as  deacon  for 
many  years.  His  political  endorsement 
is  given  to  the  democracy. 


ANDREW  JACKSON  HARRIS. 

Andrew  Jackson  Harris  is  in  control 
of  varied  and  important  business  enter- 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


557 


prises  whereby  he  is  classed  as  one  of  the 
representative  men  of  the  community.  In 
addition  to  his  agricultural  pursuits  he  is 
vice  president  of  the  Burnside  Bank,  and 
a  director  in  the  Adrian  Elevator  Com- 
pany, and  moreover,  he  is  prominent  and 
influential  in  community  affairs,  serving 
at  the  present  writing  in  the  office  of 
justice  of  the  peace  for  the  second  term. 
A  native  of  Adams  county,  Illinois,  he 
was  born  October  2,  1862,  and  his  par- 
ents, Jackson  and  Louisa  (Hardy)  Har- 
ris, were  also  natives  of  the  same  county. 
The  father,  a  farmer  by  occupation,  took 
up  his  abode  in  Rock  Creek  township 
upon  his  removal  to  Hancock  county  in 
1866,  and  carried  on  the  work  of  tilling 
the  soil  there  until  a  recent  date  but  now 
makes  his  home  with  his  children,  living 
on  some  of  his  farms.  His  wife  died  in 
March,  1905,  and  was  laid  to  rest  in  Moss 
Ridge  cemetery  at  Carthage.  She  was  a 
lady  of  many  good  traits  of  heart  and 
mind  and  thus  her  loss  was  the  occasion 
of  wide-spread  regret  among  her  many 
friends,  as  well  as  in  her  immediate  fam- 
ily. Mr.  Harris  is  a  man  of  genuine  per- 
sonal worth,  who  has  been  accorded  high 
regard  in  recognition  of  his  salient  and 
commendable  characteristics.  His  polit- 
ical allegiance  is  given  to  the  democracy 
and  he  has  filled  several  township  offices, 
well  meriting  the  trust  reposed  in  him  by 
his  election  thereto.  In  his  family  were 
seven  children,  of  whom  five  are  now 
living,  namely :  Andrew ;  Tamar,  the 
wife  of  G.  F.  Wilson,  of  Rock  Creek 
township;  George  E.,  who  is  living  in 
Denver,  Illinois;  Mary  E.,  the  wife  of 
L.  J.  Fry,  living  on  the  old  home  place; 
and  Sarah  E.,  the  wife  of  Clyde  Shep- 
herd, of  Rock  Creek  township. 


At  the  usual  age  Andrew  J.  Harris  be- 
gan his  education,  becoming  a  student  in 
Rock  Creek  township  schools.  He  after- 
ward attended  Carthage  College,  and  also 
Chaddock  College,  in  Quincy,  Illinois. 
Thus  liberally  educated  he  was  well  quali- 
fied for  the  profession  of  teaching,  upon 
which  he  entered  after  the  completion  of 
his  college  course.  For  six  months  he 
was  thus  engaged  in  Pilot  Grove  town- 
ship and  he  also  taught  in  various  other 
townships  of  Hancock  county,  his  identi- 
fication with  the  work  of  public  instruc- 
tion covering  four  years.  He  afterward 
became  associated  with  his  brother  in  the 
ownership  and  conduct  of  a  general  store 
at  Adrian  for  ten  years,  during  which 
period  he  likewise  served  as  postmaster 
of  the  town  for  two  terms.  On  the  expi- 
ration of  that  period  he  had  eighty  acres 
of  land  in  Rock  Creek  township,  given 
him  by  his  father,  and  to  this  property  he 
has  since  added  until  he  now  owns  two 
hundred  acres  altogether,  situated  on  sec- 
tions 13  and  23.  He  has  built  there  a 
good  residence  and  substantial  outbuild- 
ings and  has  a  well  improved  farm  prop- 
erty, carrying  on  general  agricultural  pur- 
suits and  stock-raising  with  results  that 
are  highly  satisfactory  when  viewed  from 
a  financial  standpoint.  The  spirit  of  enter- 
prise which  brooks  no  obstacle  but  pushes 
steadily  forward  to  the  goal  of  success 
is  his  and  his  record  as  a  representative 
of  agricultural  interests  is  most  creditable. 
He  has  also  extended  his  efforts  into  other 
fields  of  activity  and  is  now  vice  president 
of  the  Burnside  Bank  and  a  director  in 
the  Adrian  Elevator  Company. 

On  the  1 2th  of  March,  1891,  Mr. 
Harris  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Nellie  Burr,  who  was  born  in  Durham 


558 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


township  in  1879,  a  daughter  of  Jonathan 
and  Sarah  (Terrell)  Burr.  The  mother 
was  a  native  of  Virginia,  born  in  1841, 
and  died  at  the  age  of  thirty-seven  years. 
The  father,  a  native  of  Connecticut,  was 
a  farmer  by  occupation,  and  for  many 
years  a  resident  of  Durham  township, 
when,  in  1905,  he  removed  to  Winfield. 
Kansas,  where  he  is  now  living  at  the  age 
of  sixty-seven  years.  He  is  a  republican, 
firm  in  support  of  party  principles  yet 
without  aspiration  for  office.  He  left  be- 
hind him  in  Hancock  county  many  warm 
friends  who  knew  him  to  be  a  genial  gen- 
tleman, courteous  and  considerate  to 
others  and  reliable  in  his  business  trans- 
actions. His  wife,  too,  had  many  warm 
friends  here,  so  that  her  death  was  deeply 
regretted.  In  their  family  were  five  chil- 
dren as  follows :  Rev.  Edward  S.  Burr, 
who  is  now  living  in  Nebraska:  Minnie, 
the  wife  of  W.  T.  Dugger,  of  Dallas  City ; 
Mrs.  Harris;  Clarence,  of  Durham  town- 
ship ;  and  John,  of  Lomax.  After  losing 
his  first  wife  Mr.  Burr  wedded  Miss 
Amanda  Clark,  who  still  survives,  and 
their  children,  five  in  number,  are  Walter, 
Mary,  Wesley,  Arthur  and  Ellis.  - 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Harris 
has  been  blessed  with  six  children,  all  born 
in  Hancock  county:  Albert  B.,  born 
September  25,  1892;  Orville  F.,  who  was 
born  December  22,  1894,  and  died  De- 
cember 1 6,  1895;  Ernest  Roy.  born  No- 
vember 5,  1896;  Esther  Louisa,  October 
7.  1898;  Edward  J.,  March  21,  1901 ;  and 
Sarah  Alice,  January  16,  1903.  The  fam- 
ily have  a  lovely  home,  pleasantly  situated 
near  Ferris.  Mr.  Harris  is  a  Master  Ma- 
son and  both  he  and  his  wife  are  earnest 
Christian  people.  He  belongs  to  the 


Primitive  Baptist  church,  in  which  he  is 
serving  as  deacon,  while  Mrs.  Harris  is  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  church.  His 
political  support  is  given  to  the  Demo- 
cratic party  and  he  is  now  serving  his 
second  term  as  justice  of  the  peace,  while 
for  some  years  he  has  also  been  a  member 
of  the  school  board.  In  the  former  office 
he  has  rendered  decisions  which  are  recog- 
nized as  strictly  fair  and  impartial  and 
thus  he  has  "won  golden  opinions  from 
all  sorts  of  people." 


ISAAC  W.  CASSELL. 

Isaac  W.  Cassell,  who  in  former  years 
was  connected  with  educational  work  in 
Illinois  and  Nebraska  but  is  now  owning 
and  operating  extensive  landed  posses- 
sions in  La  Harpe  township.  Hancock 
county,  is  an  influential  factor  in  this  sec- 
tion of  the  state.  He  is  a  native  of  Ohio, 
his  birth  having  occurred  in  Knox  coun- 
ty, December  26,  1839,  and  comes  of 
German  lineage.  His  paternal  great- 
grandfather was  Henry  Cassell,  a  native 
of  Hesse  Cassel,  Germany,  who,  on  em- 
igrating to  the  United  States,  settled  in 
Maryland,  the  family  home  being  estab- 
lished in  Carroll  county.  There  the  fa- 
ther of  our  subject,  Isaac  Cassell,  was 
born  and  reared  and  was  married  to  Miss 
Lydia  Nicodemus,  likewise  a  native  of 
Carroll  county,  Maryland,  and  a  daughter 
of  John  Nicodemus,  who  was  also  born  in 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


559 


that  state.  Isaac  Cassell  removed  from 
his  native  state  to  Knox  county,  Ohio, 
about  the  year  1834.  and  there  purchased 
three  hundred  acres  of  timber  land,  which 
lie  cleared  and  improved  and  on  which  he 
made  his  home  until  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred in  1885,  while  his  wife  had  pre- 
ceded him  to  the  home  beyond,  her  death 
having  occurred  in  1871. 

Isaac  W.  Cassell  is  the  youngest  of  five 
sons  and  seven  daughters,  and  two  of  his 
sisters  yet  survive.  He  pursued  his  edu- 
cation in  the  public  schools  of  Ohio,  and 
was  reared  to  farm  life,  assisting  his  fa- 
ther in  the  duties  of  the  home  place.  He 
remained  with  his  parents  until  the  3d 
of  September,  1861,  when,  his  patriotic 
spirit  being  aroused  during  the  Civil  war, 
he  enlisted  as  a  member  of  Company  A, 
Twentieth  Ohio  Infantry,  joining  at 
Fredericktown.  The  command  was  as- 
signed to  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland 
and  at  once  went  to  the  front.  Mr.  Cas- 
sell was  loyal  in  the  discharge  of  every 
duty  that  was  assigned  him,  and  for  mer- 
itorious service  was  promoted  in  the 
ranks,  being  given  a  lieutenant's  commis- 
sion on  the  1 2th  of  September.  1862,  of 
the  Ninety-sixth  Ohio  Infantry,  but  on 
account  of  illness  he  was  forced  to  resign 
and  then  returned  to  his  home  in  Ohio. 
His  health  had  become  so  badly  impaired 
during  his  service  in  the  army  that  he  was 
unable  to  resume  farm  work,  and,  real- 
izing the  need  of  better  educational  facili- 
ties that  would  fit  him  for  other  business, 
he  decided  to  pursue  a  collegiate  course, 
and  entered  Wittenburg  College,  at 
Springfield,  Ohio,  from  which  he  was 
graduated  in  June,  1866.  He  then  ac- 
cepted a  professorship  in  Adrian  Col- 


lege, at  Adrian,  Michigan,  there  having 
charge  of  the  Latin  and.  Greek  classes  un- 
til June,  1872,  when  he  went  to  Lincoln, 
Nebraska,  and  organized  the  public 
school  system  at  that  place.  He  was  then 
elected  superintendent  of  schools  at  that 
place,  filling  the  position  two  years,  and 
during  one  year,  viz.,  1874.  was  also 
county  superintendent  of  schools  in  Lan- 
caster county,  that  state,  and  in  all  of 
these  positions  he  gave  excellent  satis- 
faction, his  ability  as  an  educator  being 
recognized  by  all  with  whom  he  was  as- 
sociated. 

On  the' 3d  of  August,  1871,  Mr.  Cas- 
sell was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mary 
J.  Gittings,  a  native  of  La  Harpe  town- 
ship, whose  birth  occurred  April  7,  1851. 
Her  parents  were  James  and  Susanna 
(Thompson)  Gittings.  Her  paternal 
grandparents  were  Ason  and  Elizabeth 
(Clark)  Gittings,  natives  of  Maryland, 
while  the  maternal  grandparents  were 
John  and  Libbie  Thompson,  natives  of 
Stokes  county,  North  Carolina.  Her  fa- 
ther, James  Gittings,  had  come  to  Illinois 
from  Zanesville,  Ohio,  in  1836,  and  had 
entered  land  in  La  Harpe  township,  hav- 
ing a  half  section  situated  on  section  5. 
for  which  he  paid  the  usual  government 
price  of  one  dollar  and  a  quarter  per 
acre.  He  added  to  this  tract,  however, 
from  time  to  time  until  he  was  the  owner 
of  two  thousand  acres  of  valuable  land  in 
La  Harpe  township  besides  owning  seven 
hundred  acres  in  the  northwestern  part  of 
Missouri.  The  daughter,  Mrs.  Cassell. 
supplemented  her  early  educational  privi- 
leges by  a  course  of  study  in  Denmark 
Academy,  at  Denmark,  Iowa,  and  later 
pursued  a  course  of  study  in  Adrian  Col- 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


lege,  at  Adrian,  Michigan.  Both  her 
parents  are  now  deceased,  the  father  hav- 
ing passed  away  November  18,  1882, 
while  the  mother  survived  for  about  ten 
years,  passing  away  January  23,  1892. 

Our  subject  and  his  wife,  after  remain- 
ing for  a  number  of  years  in  the  west, 
where  he  was  connected  with  educational 
interests,  then  returned  to  his  native 
township  to  assist  in  the  management  of 
the  extensive  landed  interests  of  his  fa- 
ther-in-law, James  Gittings.  He  took 
up  his  abode  on  a  farm  of  two  hundred 
and  forty  acres,  which  he  successfully 
managed  until  the  fall  of  1879,  when  he 
again  resumed  his  former  work  as  an  ed- 
ucator, becoming  principal  of  La  Harpe 
Seminary,  which  position  he  filled  until 
1884,  when  the  building  was  destroyed  by 
fire,  and  he  then  removed  to  a  farm  north 
of  La  Harpe,  which  comprised  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  acres,  and  since  1891  has 
continued  to  reside  on  this  place.  His 
wife  inherited  a  portion  of  her  father's 
estate  upon  his  death,  and  together  they 
now  have  four  hundred  and  ninety  acres, 
all  of  which  with  the  exception  of  about 
fifty  acres  is  cultivable.  Here  he  is  en- 
gaged in  general  farming,  in  which  he  is 
meeting  with  very  gratifying  success. 

Unto  our  subject  and  his  wife  have 
been  born  nine  children,  four  having  died 
in  infancy.  The  five  living  are:  Abbie, 
who  was  born  December  18,  1872,  and  is 
now  the  wife  x>f  Judd  Hartzell,  engaged 
in  the  insurance  business  at  Monmouth, 
Illinois;  Robert,  born  February  22,  1874, 
and  a  resident  of  La  Harpe  township; 
Ort,  born  February  2,  1877,  Mayme, 
born  December  18,  1881,  and  Susannah 
G.,  born  October  10,  1887,  all  of  whom 
are  yet  under  the  parental  roof. 


Mr.  Cassell  holds  membership  with  the 
Congregational  church  at  La  Harpe,  in 
which  he  has  filled  all  of  the  offices  of  the 
organization.  He  is  identified  with  the 
Masonic  fraternity,  holding  membership 
with  the  Blue  lodge  and  chapter  at  La 
Harpe,  and  the  commandery  at  Macomb. 
In  April,  1905,  he  was  granted  a  pension 
by  the  government,  and  is  now  receiving 
six  dollars  per  month.  He  has  always 
been  deeply  interested  in  educational  ad- 
vancement in  his  county  and  has  given 
active  and  helpful  support  in  all  move- 
ments along  those  lines.  In  his  political 
views  he  is  a  republican,  actively  inter- 
ested in  the  work  of  his  party.  He  has 
a  wide  and  favorable  acquaintance  in 
Hancock  county,  where  he  has  so  long 
resided,  and  he  is  today  classed  among 
the  wide-awake  and  prosperous  represent- 
atives of  agricultural  interests  in  his 
section  of  the  state.  Both  Mr.  Cassell 
and  his  wife  are  people  of  culture  and  re- 
finement and  their  pleasant  home  is  noted 
for  its  gracious  and  warm-hearted 
hospitality. 


WILLIAM  C.  HOOKER. 

William  C.  Hooker,  who  has  conferred 
honor  and  dignity  upon  the  legal  pro- 
fession of  Hancock  county,  with  which 
he  has  long  been  connected,  being  for 
many  years  classed  with  the  prominent 
attorneys  of  Carthage,  where  he  has  re- 
sided for  more  than  a  half  century,  was 
born  in  Auburn,  New  York,  September 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


13,  1828.  His  parents,  Harley  Hooker 
and  Mary  Beardsley  Hooker,  were  both 
natives  of  Connecticut  and  he  is  a  lineal 
descendant  of  Rev.  Thomas  Hooker,  who 
in  1636  led  the  colony  which  settled  New- 
town,  now  Hartford,  in  that  state. 

His  father,  a  physician  of  extensive 
and  successful  practice,  in  1839,  removed 
to  Pecatonica,.  now  Rockton,  Illinois. 
From  that  time,  except  'pccasional  at- 
tendance during  winter  months  at  the  dis- 
trict school,  and  "one  year  at  Onondaga 
Academy,  New  York,  he  was  engaged  on 
his  father's  farm  and  in  teaming  to  Chi- 
cago and  other  lake  ports,  until  the  fall 
of  1847,  when  he  entered  Beloit  College 
from  which  institution  he  graduated  in 
1851,  being  a  member  of  the  first  class  to 
complete  the  college  course  there.  Sub- 
sequently he  engaged  in  teaching  school 
and  his  leisure  hours  were  devoted  to 
reading  law,  thus  preparing  for  the  bar 
in  Syracuse,  New  York,  Milwaukee,  Wis- 
consin and  other  places,  where  he  was  en- 
gaged in  teaching.  He  completed  his 
preliminary  reading  at  Quincy,  Illinois,  in 
the  fall  of  1853  and  in  the  spring  of 
1854  was  admitted  to  the  bar. 

The  following  June  he  located  at  Nau- 
voo,  and  soon  after  became  a  law  partner 
of  Milton  M.  Morrill.  In  March,  1858, 
he  removed  to  Carthage  and  formed  a 
partnership  for  the  practice  of  law  with 
Hiram  G.  Ferris  and  George  Edmunds, 
under  the  name  of  Ferris,  Hooker  &  Ed- 
munds. This  relationship  continued 
about  four  years,  the  firm  being  promi- 
nent in  the  early  history  of  the  county. 
Since  then  he  has  remained  in  Carthage 
and  continued  as  a  general  practitioner. 
He  has  a  fine  office  and  library  and  al- 


though he  has  passed  the  seventy-eighth 
milestone  on  life's  journey  is  yet  active 
in  the  practice  of  law.  He  had  been  a 
resident  of  the  county  for  only  a  brief 
period  when  a  good  clientage  was  ac- 
corded him  and  through  the  succeeding 
years  he  has  maintained  a  foremost  place 
at  the  bar. 

Iii  1856  William  C.  Hooker  was  mar- 
ried to  Anna  M.  Hume,  of  Clark  county, 
Kentucky,  who  died  in  1857.  In  Decem- 
ber, 1862,  he  wedded  Mary  Catherine 
McQuary,  of  Carthage,  and  unto  them 
were  born  two  daughters  and  two  sons : 
Mary,  who  was  the  wife  of  Charles  J. 
Daoust,  of  Defiance,  Ohio,  and  died  in 
1896;  Frances,  who  became  the  wife  of 
Michael  C.  Flynn,  and  died  in  1898;  Har- 
ley J.,  who  is  engaged  in  the  land  busi- 
ness in  Oklahoma;  and  Chellis  E.,  who 
was  an  attorney  and  in  1898  was  elected 
county  judge  but  died  in  July,  1901,  his 
father  filling  out  his  unexpired  term. 
Mrs.  Hooker  departed  this  life  February 
5,  1900.  Her  many  excellent  qualities 
of  heart  and  mind  had  gained  her  leader- 
ship in  social  circles  and  the  number  of 
her  friends  was  almost  co-extensive  with 
the  number  of  her  acquaintances. 

Mr.  Hooker  has  been  a  democrat  from 
the  time  he  cast  his  first  vote  in  1854. 
He  served  as  a  member  of  the  central  com- 
mittee of  the  county  for  a  number  of 
years  and  for  some  years  was  a  member 
of  the  democratic  state  central  committee, 
frequently  he  has  been  a  delegate  to  the 
local,  congressional  and  state  conventions 
of  the  party.  Never  an  aspirant  for  office 
he  has  held  no  public  position  outside  the 
strict  path  of  his  profession  but  was  mas- 
ter in  chancery  for  twelve  years,  begin- 


562 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REV  I  Ell' 


ning  in  1863  and  again  for  three  or  four 
years,  beginning  in  1895.  He  was  made  a 
Mason  in  Alabama  during,  the  winter  of 
1852-3  and  is  now  a  member  of  Hancock 
lodge.  No.  20,  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted 
Masons.  He  served  as  worshipful  master 
of  Reclamation  lodge,  No.  54,  at  Nauvoo, 
He  also  belongs  to  Carthage  chapter,  No. 
33,  Royal  Arch  Masons,  has  for  several 
terms  served  as  high  priest,  was  a  member 
of  the  council  and  is  a  member  of 
the  commandery  at  Quincy.  Mr.  Hook- 
er has  figured  for  many  years  as  one 
of  the  most  prominent  and  representa- 
tive citizens  of  Carthage,  whose  career 
reflects  credit  upon  its  legal  history 
while  his  private  life  has  been  exemplary 
of  all  that  constitutes  the  true  citizen. 
His  nature  is  kindly,  his  temperament 
genial  and  his  manner  courteous  and  he 
has  not  only  been  found  a  most  congenial 
spirit  among  men  of  broad  learning  and 
culture  but  one  whose  words  of  wisdom 
and  kindly  counsel  have  been  a  source  of 
encouragement  and  inspiration. 


JUDGE  CHELLIS  E.  HOOKER. 

Judge  Chellis  E.  Hooker,  elected  to 
the  bench  of  the  county  court  of  Han- 
cock county  when  only  twenty-eight  years 
of  age  and  distinguished  as  one  of  the 
foremost  representatives  of  the  bar  of 
this  part  of  the  state,  his  career  cut  short 
by  his  untimely  death,  which  was  the  oc- 
casion of  most  deep  and  widespread  re- 
gret, was  a  son  of  William  C.  Hooker  and 
a  native  resident  of  Carthage.  He  ac- 


quired his  preliminary  education  in  the 
common  schools  of  this  city,  while  his 
more  specifically  literary  education  was 
obtained  as  a  student  in  Carthage  Col- 
lege. In  1887  he  went  to  St.  Louis,  Mis- 
souri, and  subsequently  was  for  some 
time  in  Kansas  City,  Omaha  and  Mon- 
tana as  a  clothing  salesman.  From  Col- 
orado Junction  he  returned  to  Carthage 
and  entered  his  father's  office  as  a 
law  student  in  1890.  The  following 
year  he  matriculated  in  the  law  depart- 
ment of  the  Northwestern  University  at 
Chicago,  and  was  graduated  with  the  de- 
gree of  Bachelor  of  Law  in  the  class  of 
1893.  During  the  March  term  prior  to 
his  graduation  he  successfully  passed  the 
examination  before  the  supreme  court 
and  was  admitted  to  the  bar.  Returning 
to  his  native  city  he  entered  into  partner- 
ship with  his  father  under  the  style  of 
William  C.  Hooker  &  Son,  and  came  into 
almost  immediate  distinction  as  a  mem- 
ber of  the  firm.  His  position  at  the  bar 
is  indicated  by  the  resolutions  passed  by 
the  County  Judges'  Association  as  given 
below. 

Judge  Hooker  was  a  member  of  the  In- 
dependent Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  in 
which  he  held  various  offices  and  in  the 
work  of  which  he  took  an  active,  helpful 
and  prominent  part.  He  was  also  active 
in  the  ranks  of  the  Democratic  party  and 
was  identified  with  the  Episcopal  church, 
in  which  he  served  for  a  number  of  years 
as  lay  reader.  His  distinctive  character- 
istics were  a  strong  logical  mind,  a 
marked  devotion  to  every  cause  which  he 
espoused  and  a  high  sense  of  honor  in 
every  relation  of  life.  No  better  evi- 
dence of  his  work  and  the  position  which 


CHELLIS  E.  HOOKER 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


563 


lie  occupied  in  the  public  regard  can  be 
given  than  in  presenting  the  resolutions 
prepared  by  Judge  Carl  E.  Epler  and 
passed  by  the  County  Judges'  Association 
at  .its  meeting  in  Springfield  in  1902. 
These  resolutions  read  as  follows : 

"A  ruling  Providence  has  first  taken 
from  our  number  one  of  the  youngest  of 
our  members,  Chellis  E.  Hooker,  county 
judge  of  Hancock  county,  died  at  Car- 
thage, Illinois,  July  23,  1901,  of  laryng 
consumption.  He  was  born  at  Carthage! 
November  9,  1870,  and,  therefore,  he  was 
not  thirty-one  years  of  age  at  his  untime- 
ly death.  He  was  unmarried.  The  son 
of  William  C.  Hooker,  an  honored  mem- 
ber of  the  Hancock  county  bar,  he  was 
reared  the  idol  of  his  family.  He  was 
devoted  to  his  mother,  whose  gentle  in- 
fluence was  removed  by  the  hand  of  death 
a  few  years  ago. 

"Going  west  in  1887,  and  returning  sev- 
eral years  after,  young  Hooker  studied 
law  in  his  father's  office,  and  also  at- 
tended the  Northwestern  Law  School  at 
Chicago,  where  he  graduated  in  1893, 
having  already  been  examined  and  been 
admitted  to  the  bar  in  March  of  that 
year.  He  then  commenced  the  practice 
of  law  as  a  partner  with  his  father,  un- 
der favorable  auspices.  In  1897  ne  was 
elected  city  attorney  of  Carthage,  win- 
ning such  popular  esteem  that  in  1898 
he  was  elected  county  judge  of  Hancock 
county,  when  but  twenty-eight  years  of 
age.  He  joined  in  organizing  this  asso- 
ciation. He  gave  general  satisfaction  in 
the  discharge  of  his  official  duties.  The 
high  personal  regard  borne  for  him  and 
his  family  led  all  parties  to  unite  in  elect- 
ing, without  opposition,  his  father,  Wil- 


Ham C.  Hooker,  as  his  successor  in  office 
for  the  unexpired  term — a  deserved  but 
unusual  tribute. 

"Of  fine  instincts,  ambitions  and  intel- 
ligence, by  dint  of  energy  and  industry, 
Judge  C.  E.  Hooker  stood  well  forward 
at  the  Hancock  county  bar,  long  noted  for 
its  ability  and  high  character.  Sincere 
and  lovable,  gifted  with  all  manly  quali- 
ties, his  home  life  was  ideal.  True  to  his 
friends,  generous  and  charitable  in  dis- 
,pqsffcon,  affable  in  his  official  work,  he 
^^"'•fteservedly  popular  in  the  commu- 
ni^'tv*fiere  he  lived  and  with  all  with 
who'Hj,  he  came  in  contact.  His  career, 
able  arfijionorable,  but  all  too  brief,  com- 
mands our  highest  eulogy.  He  lived  no- 
bly. We  pay  him  fitting  tribute.  His 
life  work  is  done.  He  rests  in  peace. 

"To  his  venerable  father,  Hon.  William 
C.  Hooker,  chosen  by  a  grateful  public  as 
his  son's  successor,  we  extend  our  heart-  ' 
felt  sympathy  in  his  recent  and  bitter  be- 
reavements, with  regret  that  his  son's  as- 
pirations had  no  longer  term  in  which  to 
realize  more  fully  his  professional  ideals." 


JOEL  BAILEY. 

Joel  Bailey,  residing  on  a  farm  of  one 
hundred  and  two  acres  in  Pilot  Grave 
township,  which  he  is  cultivating  in  con- 
nection with  his  son,  was  born  in  La 
Harpe  township,  this  county,  January  22, 
1842,  his  parents  being  John  F.  and  Mary 
(Thompson)  Bailey.  The  father  was 
born  in  Ohio,  and  the  mother  in  Virginia, 


564 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


the  year  1836  witnessing  their  arrival  in 
Illinois,  at  which  time  they  located  in 
Pilot  Grove  township.  After  some  years 
the}'  removed  to  La  Harpe  township 
where  they  resided  for  three  years  but 
returned  to  Pilot  Grove  township.  The 
maternal  grandfather,  Elton  Thompson, 
was  the  owner  of  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  of  land.  Upon  his  death  this  property 
was  inherited  by  his  daughter,  Mrs. 
Bailey,  who  was  his  only  heir.  The  fam- 
ily then  removed  to  the  farm,  which  Mr. 
Bailey  cultivated  for  many  years.  At 
length  the  property  was  sold  and  another 
farm  was  purchased  near  Burnside,  com- 
prising sixty-nine  acres,  upon  which  Mr. 
Bailey  continued  to  reside  for  a  consid- 
erable period.  He  died  near  Adrian  in 
Rock  Creek  township,  at  the  age  of  sev- 
enty-nine years  and  thus  passed  away  one 
of  the  well  known  pioneer  settlers  of  the 
county.  His  early  political  support  was 
given  to  the  Whig  party  and  on  its  dis- 
solution he  became  a  republican.  For 
several  years  he  filled  the  office  of  justice 
of  the  peace.  He  belonged  to  the  Bap- 
tist church,  while  his  wife  held  member- 
ship in  the  Methodist  church. 

Joel  Bailey  remained  with  his  parents 
until  about  fourteen  years  of  age,  when 
his  mother  died  and  the  household  was 
broken  up.  He  afterward  worked  for  a 
short  time  on  a  neighboring  farm  and 
then  began  learning  the  blacksmith's 
trade  but  when  the  Civil  war  was  inaugu- 
rated he  responded  to  the  country's  call, 
enlisting  in  July,  1861,  as  a  member  of 
Company  G,  Second  Illinois  Cavalry. 
When  his  term  with  that  regiment  had 
expired  he  joined  Company  K,  of  the 
One  Hundred  and  Forty-sixth  Illinois  In- 


fantry and  served  until  the  close  of  the 
war,  being  sergeant  of  his  company.  He 
was  one  of  the  soldiers  who  guarded  the 
body  of  Abraham  Lincoln  while  it  lay. 
in  state  at  the  capitol  at  Springfield,  and 
also  acted  as  guard  at  the  tomb.  He 
took  part  in  a  number  of  battles  and  en- 
gagements, including  the  siege  of  Vicks- 
burg.  After  the  war  he  returned  to  this 

• 

county,  where  he  has  since  lived,  giving 
his  time  and  attention  to  general  farm- 
ing and  also  working  at  the  blacksmith's 
trade  and  at  painting,  which  he  has  fol- 
lowed for  many  years.  For  three  years 
he  followed  his  trade  in  Carthage  and 
then  returned  to  Pilot  Grove  township, 
where  at  different  times  he  has  owned 
a  number  of  farms,  having  now  one  hun- 
dred and  ten  acres  of  good  land  which 
which  he  is  operating  in  connection  with 
his  son. 

Mr.  Bailey  was  married  January  i, 
1867,  to  Miss  Carrie  E.  Phelps,  who  was 
born  in  New  York.  They  have  become 
the  parents  of  seven  children,  of  whom 
five  are  living.  Maud  is  the  wife  of 
Jacob  Schneider,  of  Niota,  Illinois,  and 
has  two  children,  Joel  Dean  and  Robert 
Kent.  Leonard  resides  in  Oklahoma. 
William  P.  resides  on  the  home  farm  and 
aids  in  its  operation.  Florence  is  the  wife 
of  Guy  Harris,  a  farmer  of  Rock  Creek 
township,  and  has  two  children,  Thelma 
and  Ercell.  James  died  at  the  age  of 
eleven  years.  John  died  at  the  age  of 
fourteen  years.  Pearl,  the  youngest 
child,  resides  at  home. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bailey  are  members  of 
the  Methodist  church  and  he  votes  with 
the  Republican  party  but  has  never  cared 
for  office.  He  has  seen  many  important 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


565 


changes  made  in  Hancock  county  and  has 
done  his  full  share  toward  its  improve- 
ment. At  the  same  time  he  made  a  cred- 
itable record  in  military  service  of  his 
country  and  throughout  his  life  has  mani- 
tested  a  spirit  of  loyalty  that  is  most 
commendable. 


JOHN  H.  GARNER. 

John  H.  Garner,  comfortably  situated 
in  life  as  the  result  of  his  capable  busi- 
ness management  and  enterprise,  his 
home  being  Augusta  township,  was  born 
near  Clayton,  in  Adams  county,  Illinois, 
May  15,  1846.  His  parents,  William 
and  Elizabeth  (Garner)  Garner,  were 
natives  of  Indiana,  born  in  the  vicinity 
of  Terre  Haute.  They  were  representa- 
tives of  pioneer  families  of  that  part  of 
the  county,  and  the  grandfather  and  the 
father  of  our  subject  both  lived  in  log 
houses,  which  were  covered  with  shingles 
that  they  themselves  shaved.  William 
Garner,  the  grandfather,  was  ninety-five 
years  of  age  when  he  passed  away  at  his 
son's  home  near  Denver,  Illinois.  He 
was  a  soldier  in  the  war  of  1812,  and  he 
lived  under  every  presidential  adminis- 
tration from  Washington  to  Cleveland, 
his  death  occurring  in  1888.  He  was 
married  in  1817  to  Sarah  Robbinson  and 
emigrated  westward  to  Illinois  in  1831, 
becoming  a  pioneer  resident  of  Hancock 
county  and  one  who  contributed  in  sub- 
stantial measure  to  its  early  development, 
when  it  was  still  a  frontier  district.  He 


was  not  the  only  member  of  the  family 
who  has  done  military  service  for  the 
country,  for  James  and  George  Garner, 
brothers  of  our  subject,  were  soldiers  of 
the  Union  army  in  the  Civil  war,  the  lat- 
ter serving  for  about  eight  months.  The 
former  enlisted  in  1861,  and  being  cap- 
tured, was  held  as  a  prisoner  in  both 
Libby  and  Andersonville  prisons.  Mr. 
Garner  of  this  review  also  occupied  a 
home  in  his  early  life  that  was  built  of 
logs.  William  Garner  was  a  farmer  by 
occupation  and  coming  to  Illinois  when 
about  twenty-two  years  of  age  settled  in 
Adams  county  when  it  was  a  frontier  dis- 
trict. In  1848  he  removed  to  Hancock 
county,  where  he  lived  until  his  death. 
He  was  laid  to  rest  in  West  Point  ceme- 
tery, while  his  wife  was  buried  in  Adams 
county  near  Hebron  church.  Both  were 
members  of  the  Methodist  church  and 
were  people  of  the  highest  respectability 
and  worth.  They  had  seven  children,  of 
whom  the  following  still  survive:  Fran- 
ces, the  widow  of  Rev.  N.  A.  Walker, 
and  a  resident  of  Beloit,  Kansas ;  James 
R.,  living  in  West  Point,  Illinois;  John 
H.,  of  this  review;  George,  of  Red  Cloud, 
Nebraska ;  and  Fletcher,  of  Quincy,  Illi- 
nois. 

John  H.  Garner  at  the  usual  age  be- 
gan his  education,  pursuing  his  studies  in 
West  Point  (Illinois)  district  schools. 
He  afterward  remained  with  his  parents 
until  twenty  years  of  age  and  was  then 
married,  in  1866,  to  Miss  Angeline  Blake, 
who  was  born  in  this  county,  December 
28,  1846,  a  daughter  of  Gideon  and  Mary 
Blake.  Her  father  was  of  German  par- 
entage, while  her  mother  was  born  in  the 
east.  He  followed  farming  in  order  to 


566 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


provide  for  his  family  and  both  he  and 
his  wife  have  now  passed  away,  his  death 
having  occurred  about  fifteen  years  ago, 
while  his  wife  died  twenty  years  ago. 
They  had  ten  children,  four  of  whom  are 
now  living :  Ellen,  the  wife  of  Marion 
Bagley,  of  Chicago ;  Joseph,  of  Kansas ; 
Cora,  the  wife  of  John  Adams,  of  John- 
son county,  Missouri;  and  Enoch,  who 
lives  in  Colorado. 

On  the  4th  of  July,  1873,  Mrs.  Garner 
departed  this  life,  leaving  a  son,  James 
Edward,  who  was  born  in  Chili  township, 
December  23,  1866.  He  married  Miss 
Rosa  Symmonds,  and  lives  in  Monroe 
county,  Missouri.  They  have  four  chil- 
dren, Helen  Ethel,  Ernest  Ell  wood  (de- 
ceased), Luella  and  John  Edward.  On 
the  3d  of  December,  1874,  Mr.  Gamer 
was  again  married,  his  second  union  be- 
ing with  Miss  Mary  F.  Dudman,  who 
was  born  in  Clark  county,  Indiana,  Sep- 
tember 17,  1846,  a  daughter  of  Robert 
Jackson  and  Phoebe  Ann  (Mills)  Dud- 
man, the  former  born  in  Adams  county, 
Indiana,  March  13,  1821,  and  the  latter 
in  Pennsylvania,  October  30,  1818.  Mr. 
Dudman  was  a  cooper  by  trade  and  also 
followed  the  occupation  of  farming.  In 
1849  he  became  a  resident  of  Adams 
county,  Illinois,  and  while  carrying  on 
general  agricultural  pursuits  there  he  also 
found  time  and  opportunity  to  take  an 
active  part  in  the  work  of  the  Methodist 
church,  of  which  he  was  a  member  and 
in  which  he  served  as  class  leader  and 
steward.  He  died  December  28,  1873. 
leaving  his  family  the  priceless  heritage 
of  an  untarnished  name,  and  his  wife, 
a  most  estimable  lady,  passed  away  May 
25,  1861,  both  being  laid  to  rest  in  Chili 


cemetery.  They  had  eight  children,  of 
whom  five  are  now  living:  Mrs.  Gar- 
ner; Thomas,  of  Macomb,  Illinois;  Anna 
E.,  the  wife  of  J.  A.  Veach,  of  Blooming- 
ton,  Illinois;  Lizzie  Koehler,  of  Eltler- 
ville,  Illinois ;  and  William  Finley,  who 
lives  in  Roanoke,  this  state,  and  is  a  min- 
ister of  the  Methodist  church. 

At  the  time  of  his  first  marriage  Mr. 
Garner  located  in  Chili  township,  where 
he  lived  until  1869,  when  he  removed  to 
a  farm  in  Johnson  county,  Missouri,  there 
spending  three  years.  In  1873  he  re- 
turned to  Hancock  county  and  for  six- 
teen years  made  his  home  upon  another 
farm  in  Chili  township,  coming  thence  to 
Augusta  township  in  1892,  when  he  pur- 
chased forty  acres  of  land  on  section  18, 
and  twenty-five  acres  on  section  7.  He 
has  since  added  to  the  home  place  and 
he  now  owns  forty  acres  on  section  8. 
He  has  improved  his  residence,  built  good 
barns  and  outbuildings  and  has  a  well 
equipped  farm  property,  the  main  fea- 
tures of  which  indicate  his  careful  su- 
pervision and  spirit  of  thrift  and  enter- 
prise. His  attention  is  given  not  only  to 
the  development  of  the  fields  but  also  to 
stock-raising,  and  he  likewise  has  four 
acres  in  a  peach  orchard,  containing  one 
thousand  fine  young  trees,  which  in  the 
present  year,  1906,  have  borne  bounti- 
fully. This  is  one  of  the  finest  orchards 
in  the  county.  In  the  work  of  carrying 
on  his  farm  he  displays  thorough  knowl- 
edge of  agricultural  interests  and  as  all 
who  know  him  are  aware,  his  property 
has  come  to  him  as  the  legitimate  reward 
of  his  persistence  and  labor. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Garner  are  the  parents 
of  a  daughter  and  two  sons,  all  born  in 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


567 


Chili  township  but  Helen  Ann,  who  was 
born  December  I,  1875,  died  April  15, 
1895.  Orville  Ellwood,  born  June  13, 
1878,  is  mail  carrier  on  the  Augusta 
rural  route  No.  2.  Fred  Garfield,  born 
June  25,  1880,  married  Mittie  Catherine 
McGinnis,  and  lives  in  Augusta  township. 
They  have  two  children,  Martin  Henry 
and  Elbert  Ellwood.  Besides  their  own 
children  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gamer  have 
reared  a  little  daughter,  Ruth  Tucker, 
who  came  to  them  when  two  years  of  age 
and  is  now  twelve  years  old.  She  was 
born  November  28,  1894.  Mr.  Garner 
votes  with  the  Republican  party  and  has 
served  as  township  collector  and  as  a 
member  of  the  school  board.  He  and 
his  wife  are  members  of  the  Methodist 
church  and  their  salient  characteristics 
are  such  that  all  who  know  them  speak 
of  them  in  terms  of  warm  regard  and 
admiration.  They  have  worked  persist- 
ently together  in  the  building  of  a  home 
and  the  acquirement  of  a  comfortable 
competence  and  are  now  pleasantly  situ- 
ated in  life. 


WILLIAM  BAGBY. 

Long  years  have  come  and  gone  since 
William  Bagby  took  up  his  abode  in  Han- 
cock county  and  few  men  are  more  fa- 
miliar with  the  history  of  its  development 
and  upbuilding.  What  to  others  are  mat- 
ters of  history  are  to  him  events  of  ac- 
tual experience  or  else  he  has  been  a  wit- 
ness of  those  movements  which  have  left 
36 


their  impress  upon  the  development  and 
progress  of  the  county.  He  passed  the 
ninetieth  year  of  his  age  on  October  II, 
1906,  and  is  one  of  the  most  venerable 
and  honored  citizens  of  this  part  of  the 
state.  His  birth  occurred  in  Lewis 
county,  Kentucky,  October  11,  1816,  and 
he  there  resided  until  twenty-two  years 
of  age,  his  parents  being  Robert  and 
Frances  Bagby,  both  of  whom  were  na- 
tives of  Virginia,  whence  they  removed 
to  Kentucky  in  an  early  period  in  the  de- 
velopment of  the  latter  state.  The  father 
engaged  in  farming  throughout  his  entire 
life  and  both  he  and  his  wife  passed 
away  in  Kentucky,  his  death  occurring 
when  he  was  about  forty-five  years  of 
age,  while  his  wife  reached  the  advanced 
age  of  seventy  years.  In  religious  faith 
they  were  connected  with  the  Methodist 
church. 

William  Bagby  acquired  his  education 
in  the  county  of  his  nativity.  No  event 
of  special  importance  occurred  to  vary  the 
routine  of  farm  life  for  him  in  his  boy- 
hood days.  He  assisted  in  the  labors  of 
the 'farm  and  met  the  usual  experiences 
of  life  in" a  frontier  community.  In  May, 
1838,  he  came  to  Illinois  to  visit  his  sister 
and  brother-in-law,  who  had  removed  to 
this  state  in  1836.  Here  he  formed  the 
acquaintance  of  Miss  Eliza  Warring,  a 
daughter  of  Basel  and  Sarah  (Thomp- 
son) Warring,  and  they  were  united  in 
marriage  on  the  29th  of  November,  1838. 
Her  parents  were  natives  of  Greenup 
county,  Kentucky,  where  they  spent  near- 
ly their  entire  lives,  the  father  following 
the  occupation  of  farming  (throughout 
his  entire  business  career.  They  came  to 
Illinois  in  1835,  settling  in  Adams  county, 


568 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


where  he  devoted  his  energies  to  general 
agricultural  pursuits  until  his  death. 
Both  he  and  his  wife  died  at  an  advanced 
age.  Mrs.  Bagby  was  educated  in  the 
schools  of  Adams  county,  where  she  lived 
until  her  marriage.  In  April,  1839,  Mr. 
'  and  Mrs.  Bagby  started  on  their  way  to 
Kentucky,  traveling  on  horseback.  They 
went  as  far  as  Frederick  on  the  Illinois 
river  and  there  took  a  boat  for  St.  Louis, 
Missouri.  On  the  way  down  the  river, 
the  night  being  quite  dark,  the  boat  ran 
upon  a  snag  and  sprang  a  leak.  The 
pilot,  being  informed  of  the  accident, 
made  for  the  shore  where  the  deck  hands 
succeeded  in  fastening  a  hauser  rope  on 
the  outside  and  over  the  hurricane  roof 
and  made  fast  to  a  nearby  tree.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Bagby  were  the  first  passengers  to 
leave  the  boat  and  they  remained  sitting 
on  their  baggage  for  two  hours,  when  an- 
other boat  came  along  on  the  way  to 
Cincinnati,  which  took  all  passengers  on 
the  illfated  boat  aboard,  so  that  they  soon 
arrived  safely  in  Cincinnati.  In  1840 
their  first  child  was  born  and  they  honored 
it  with  the  names  of  both  grandmothers, 
calling  the  little  girl  Sarah  Frances. 
Soon  after  this  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bagby  re- 
turned to  Illinois  and  settled  in  Adams 
county,  where  he  engaged  in  farming  and 
later  purchased  forty  acres  in  Hancock 
county,  afterward  an  eighty-acre  tract  in 
this  county  and  also  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  in^\dams  county.  He  placed 
many  improvements  upon  his  farm,  mak- 
ing his  home  in  Adams  county  for  a  num- 
ber of  years,  after  which  he  removed  to 
Augusta  township  just  east  of  the  village 
of  Augusta.  In  1854  he  took  up  his  abode 
in  the  village,  where  he  conducted  a  tavern 


for  a  number  of  years  called  the  Augusta 
Tavern,  which  was  the  predecessor  of  the 
Commercial  Hotel.  As  a  landlord  he  be- 
came widely  known  to  the  early  settlers 
and  entertained  a  number  of  prominent 
men  in  his  day.  At  length,  however,  he 
traded  the  tavern  for  a  farm  west  of 
Augusta,  whereon  he  resided  for  about 
six  years.  About  1885  he  again  located 
in  the  village  of  Augusta,  where  he  has 
since  lived  a  retired  life,  occupying  a 
pleasant  home  in  which  he  is  surrounded 
by  the  comforts  and  luxuries  that  go  to 
make  life  worth  the  living. 

Nine  children,  five  daughters  and  foir 
sons  were  born  unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bagby. 
Sarah  Frances,  the  eldest,  born  June  16, 
1840,  is  now  the  wife  of  William  Mcr 
and  resides  in  Estherville,  Iowa.  She  has 
three  children.  Emmet,  Maud  and  Homer. 
Mary  Caroline,  born  November  21,  1842, 
is  the  widow  of  William  Pickens  and  has 
six  children,  Frank,  Luella,  Nettie,  Ora, 
Bertie  and  William.  William  Wallace, 
born  May  23,  1845,  died  May  5,  1878. 
He  left  one  child,  Edgar,  who  is  still  liv- 
ing. Cynthia  Ellen,  born  October  7,  1850, 
is  the  wife  of  Samuel  Osgood,  of  Ewing. 
Missouri,  and  they  have  the  follow- 
ing children  :  George,  Frederick,  Harry, 
May,  Frank,  Nellie,  James,  Edward, 
Earl  and  Pearl,  twins,  and  Gladys.  Mar- 
garet Elizabeth,  born  November  22,  1848, 
is  the  widow  of  William  Wade  and  they 
have  two  children,  Lida  and  Edward. 
John  C.  had  one  child,  Myrtie.  John  C. 
died  at  the  age  of  thirty-three  years. 
Charles  F.  is  a  farmer  residing  in  Mis-" 
souri.  He  has  three  children,  Harold. 
William  and  Effie.  Basil,  born  May  31, 
1 86 1,  is  a  merchant  of  Skidmore,  Mis- 


PI  AN  COCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


569 


souri.  He  has  six  children,  Minnie, 
Homer,  James,  Addie  and  two  others. 
Addie  L.,  born  January  21,  1864,  is  the 
widow  of  James  Byrns,  of  Brown  county, 
Illinois.  She  has  three  children,  Edna, 
Harvey  and  Bennie. 

Xovember  29,  1898,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Bagby  celebrated  their  sixtieth  wedding 
anniversary  and  on  Thanksgiving  day, 
November  29,  1906.  their  sixty-eighth. 

Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bagby  are  members 
of  the  Christian  church.  In  politics  Mr. 
Bagby  is  a  republican  and  for  many  years 
was  a  school  director  in  Augusta  town- 
ship but  otherwise  sought  or  held  no 
office,  although  he  is  a  most  public-spirited 
citizen  and  has  been  the  champion  of 
many  movements  which  have  been  of  di- 
rect benefit  to  his  town  and  county.  He 
and  his  wife  reside  in  a  pleasant  home  in 
Augusta  and  although  he  is  ninety  years 
of  age  he  is  a  well  preserved  man,  retain- 
ing his  mental  faculties  unimpaired  and 
in  spirit  and  interests  seems  yet  in  his 
prime.  He  has  never  worn  eyeglasses 
and  writes  a  hand  that  few  today  can 
equal  and  he  is  able  to  read  well  by  lamp- 
light. He  uses  no  tobacco  in  any  form 
or  intoxicating  liquors  and  his  good 
health  is  undoubtedly  attributable  largely 
to  his  abstemious  habits  and  his  life  of 
sobrietv  arid  virtue. 


JOSEPH  W.  BOTTS. 

Joseph   W.    Botts   is   the  owner   of   a 
most  beautiful  home  on  St.  Marys  Prai- 


rie and  is  one  of  the  leading  and  influen- 
tial residents  of  the  city  and  county.  He 
was  born  in  Hancock  township  in  1863, 
and  is  a  representative  of  one  of  the  old- 
est pioneer  families  of  the  county,  his  fa- 
ther, Absalom  Botts,  having  lived  for 
seventy  consecutive  years  in  Hancock 
township.  He  was  born  in  Boone  county, 
Kentucky,  June  7,  1828,  and  with  his 
parents  came  to  Illinois  in  1836.  His  en- 
tire life  has  been  devoted  to  agricultural 
pursuits  and  he  has  contributed  in  large 
measure  to  the  development  of  the  county 
along  this  line.  In  community  affairs 
he  has  also  taken  an  active  and  helpful 
part  and  has  served  as  justice  of  the 
peace,  as  a  member  of  the  school  board, 
as  road  commissioner,  as  assessor,  treas- 
urer of  his  township  and  village  trustee. 
He  married  Miss  Sarah  White,  and  they 
became  the  parents  of  six  children,  of 
whom  five  are  living:  Maria,  the  wife 
of  Frank  Yates,  of  Oklahoma ;  Belle,  the 
wife  of  Robert  Cloud,  a  druggist  of 
Plymouth ;  Joseph  W. ;  J.  C,  who  wedded 
Verna  Cannon  and  lives  in  Plymouth; 
and  Ira,  who  was  educated  in  Carthage 
and  in  Macomb,  Illinois,  and  in  the  Chi 
cago  Medical  College,  and  is  now  engaged 
in  the  practice  of  medicine  in  Doddsville, 
this  state.  He  married  Clara  Wheeler. 
The  parents  continued  to  reside  upon  the 
old  home  farm  until  1891,  when  they  re- 
moved to  Plymouth  and  for  some  time 
Mr.  Botts  conducted  a  cider  and  feed 
mill  there  but  is  now  living  retired.  After 
losing  his  first  wife  he  married  Mrs. 
Rachel  Crump,  the  widow  of  Dr.  Morris 
Crump,  and  a  sister  of  his  first  wife.  Her 
parents  were  Joseph  and  Maria  (Arm- 
strong) White.  The  family  has  a  cred- 


570 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


itable  military  record.  Mills  Kelts,  a 
great-uncle  of  our  subject,  was  a  soldier 
of  the  war  of  1812,  and  the  great-grand- 
father in  the  maternal  line  was  one  of  the 
heroes  of  the  Revolution,  while  Simeon, 
Oscar  and  Sidney  Botts,  cousins  of  our 
subject,  entered  the  Civil  war  from  Han- 
cock county,  while  one  other  cousin,  Sid- 
ney Botts,  was  a  member  of  the  Eight- 
eenth Illinois  Infantry. 

In  taking  up  the  personal  history  of 
Joseph  W.  Botts  we  present  to  our  read- 
ers the  life  record  of  one  who  has  a  wide 
and  favorable  acquaintance  in  Hancock 
county.  The  district  schools  of  St. 
Marys  township  afforded  him  his  early 
educational  privileges  and  he  afterward 
spent  one  term  as  a  student  in  Macomb, 
Illinois.  He  then  remained  upon  his  fa- 
ther's farm  until  he  had  attained  his  ma- 
jority, when  he  engaged  in  farming  on 
his  own  account  and  has  since  devoted  his 
time  and  energies  to  agricultural  pur- 
suits. In  1893  Mr.  Botts  wedded  Mrs. 
Orrilla  Gould,  the  widow  of  Lewis  Gould, 
She  bore  the  maiden  name  of  Orrilla 
Johnson,  and  was  born  in  St.  Marys 
township  in  1856.  Her  paternal  grand- 
father was  Otho  Johnson,  who  was  born 
February  18,  1787,  and  came  to  Illinois 
at  a  very  early  day,  settling  in  St.  Marys 
township,  where  the  youngest  brother  of 
Mrs.  Botts  now  lives.  He  married  Mar- 
garet Turner,  who  was  born  August  9, 
1793,  and  who  passed  away  in  1838, 
while  his  death  occurred  September  15, 
1870.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Botts  now  live  on 
the  old  Johnson  homestead,  which  be- 
longed to  her  parents  and  where  her 
grandfather,  Mr.  Otho  Johnson,  died. 
Mrs.  Botts  is  a  daughter  of  John  T.  and 


Marie  (Wright)  Johnson,  both  of  whom 
were  natives  of  Ohio,  born  in  1813  and 
1818  respectively.  They  became  resi- 
dents of  St.  Marys  township  in  1840,  and 
Mr.  Johnson  participated  in  the  Mormon 
war.  His  death  occurred  in  1883,  and 
his  wife  passed  away  in  1898.  They  were 
devoted  members  of  St.  Marys  Baptist 
church.  Of  their  family  of  ten  children 
four  are  living:  Hiram  and  Joseph,  res- 
idents of  Plymouth ;  John  Nelson,  of  St. 
Marys  township;  and  Mrs.  Botts.  By 
her  first  marriage  Mrs.  Botts  had  two 
children :  John  Gould,  who  is  a  mechan- 
ical engineer  in  St.  Louis,  Missouri ;  and 
Nellie  Gould,  who  is  living  with  her 
mother.  The  son  attended  Carthage  Col- 
lege for  four  years  and  is  a  graduate  of 
Cornell  College  at  Ithaca,  New  York. 
He  is  a  man  of  much  ability  and  is  now 
holding  a  responsible  position  in  St. 
Louis,  which  reflects  great  credit  upon  his 
early  training. 

Following  his  marriage  Mr.  Botts  set- 
tled on  section  10,  St.  Marys  township, 
where  he  and  his  wife  own  three  hundred 
and  sixty-eight  acres  of  valuable  land  in 
the  midst  of  which  stands  one  of  the 
finest  homes  in  the  township.  It  is  mod- 
ern in  all  its  equipments  and  appoint- 
ments and  is  most  beautifully  furnished, 
indicating  the  refined  and  cultured  taste 
of  the  inmates.  Mr.  Botts  gives  his  at- 
tention to  general  farming  and  is  also 
extensively  engaged  in  raising  stock, 
carefully  conducting  his  business  affairs 
with  the  result  that  his  efforts  are  prov- 
ing very  profitable.  Unto  the  marriage 
of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Botts  has  been  born  one 
son,  Paul,  whose  birth  occurred  Septem- 
ber 15,  1895,  and  who  is  now  attending 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


school.  In  his  political  views  Mr.  Botts 
is  rather  independent,  voting  for  men 
and  measures  rather  than  party.  He  is 
now  serving  on  the  school  board  but  has 
never  sought  or  desired  office.  In  1900 
he  built  his  fine  residence,  which  would 
be  a  credit  to  any  city,  for  it  contains  all 
of  the  conveniences  and  accessories  of 
a  city  home  and  gives  every  evidence  of 
the  wealth  and  culture  of  those  who  oc- 
cupy it. 


ANDREW  J.  KETCHUM. 

Andrew  J.  Ketchum  is  the  well  known 
and  popular  proprietor  of  the  Wildwood 
farm  in  Augusta  township,  where  he  is 
successfully  engaged  in  the  breeding  and 
raising  of  fine  horses.  His  life  record  be- 
gan on  the  29th  of  March,  1836,  the  place 
of  his  nativity  being  near  Goshen,  Orange 
county,  New  York.  His  parents  were 
•Edmund  and  Jane  (Curry)  Ketchum. 
The  father  was  born  December  31,  1811, 
and  the  mother's  birth  occurred  about 
1816  or  1818.  They  were  also  natives  of 
Orange  county,  where  the  father  fol- 
lowed farming  until  1838,  when  he 
brought  his  family  to  this  county,  set- 
tling in  Augusta  township,  his  home  be- 
ing a  log  cabin  on  the  frontier.  The  fam- 
ily shared  in  many  of  the  hardships  and 
privations  as  well  as  the  pleasures  and 
opportunities  incident  to  pioneer  life,  and 
Mr.  Ketchum  figured  in  the  events  which 
are  known  in  history  as  the  Mormon  war.  - 
He  voted  with  the  Republican  party.  He 
passed  away  in  1896,  being  buried  at 


Postsville,  Iowa,  while  his  wife  departed 
this  life  in  Chicago,  at  the  age  of  thirty- 
six  years.  They  were  the  parents  of 
seven  children,  all  of  whom  still  survive, 
and  in  1905  they  held  a  reunion  in  Iowa, 
representing  seven  states.  These  are: 
Mary  R.,  the  wife  of  Lyonsville,  of -Cook 
county,  Illinois;  Andrew  J. ;  Phineas  R., 
living  in  Idaho ;  Eugene  died  at  Wa- 
verly,  Iowa,  November  17,  1906;  Amos 
K.,  of  Clarion,  Iowa;  Stella  B.,  the 
wife  of  William  Stewart,  of  Fayette, 
Iowa;  Ellen,  the  wife  of  William  Marten, 
of  Oklahoma ;  Florence,  the  wife  of  Fred 
Burling,  of  Postville,  Iowa ;  and  Jo- 
sephine, the  wife  of  H.  Moody,  of  Greens- 
burg,  Indiana.  The  two  last  named  were 
children  of  a  second  marriage. 

Andrew  J.  Ketchum  was  educated  in 
the  early  schools  of  Chicago,  and  also 
in  the  district  schools  in  this  state.  At 
the  age  of  fourteen  years,  however,  he 
began  to  earn  his  own  living,  spending 
three  years  in  the  service  of  a  horseman 
in  Chicago  and  three  years  with  a  black- 
smith near  that  city,  with  whom  he 
learned  the  trade.  He  afterward  fol- 
lowed that  pursuit  for  one  year  in  Pu- 
laski,  and  for  ten  years  conducted  a  black- 
smith shop  in  LaPrairie,  Illinois.  In  Au- 
gust. 1862,  he  enlisted  in  response  to  the 
country's  call  for  aid,  becoming  a  mem- 
ber of  the  One  Hundred  and  Nineteenth 
Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  with  which 
he  served  until  honorably  discharged -in 
September,  1865.  He  was  in  the  Red 
river  campaign,  the  battle  of  Pleasant 
Hill  and  Yellow  Bayou,  was  with  Sher- 
man on  the  march  to  the  sea  and  was  cap- 
tured in  Tennessee,  after  which  he  was 
paroled  in  St.  Louis.  He  was  a  brave 


572 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIRIV 


and  loyal  soldier,  never  faltering  in  the 
performance  of  any  military  duty,  and 
made  a  record  of  which  he  has  every  rea- 
son to  be  proud  as  one  of  the  defenders 
of  the  Union  during  the  Civil  war. 

Soon  after  his  return  home  Mr. 
Ketchum  was  married  in  March,  1866, 
to  Miss  Annie  Sickles,  who  was  born 
in  Augusta  township  in  1844,  a  daughter 
of  William  and  Caroline  (Van  Antwerp) 
Sickles.  Her  father  was  born  in  New 
York  city  in  1805,  and  the  mother  in 
1822.  In  1840  he  became  a  resident  of 
Hancock  county,  where  they  were  after- 
ward married,  and  in  the  Mormon  war  of 
1844  they  took  part.  He  was  a  tailor  by 
trade  but  following  his  removal  to  the 
middle  west  engaged  in  farming  in  Au- 
gusta township.  He  voted  with  the  Re- 
publican party,  and  held  membership  in 
the  United  Brethren  church,  while  his 
wife  belonged  to  the  Methodist  church. 
In  their  family  were  eight  children,  of 
whom  five  are  living :  Mary,  the  wife  of 
William  H.  Ketchum,  whose  home  is  near 
Durango,  Colorado;  Margaret,  of  New 
York ;  Sarah,  living  near  St.  Louis ;  and 
William,  of  this  county.  The  father  died 
in  1873  and  was  then  laid  to  rest  in  Au- 
gusta cemetery,  where  his  wife  had  slept 
since  1852. 

Following  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Ketchum  settled  in  LaPrairie,  where  he 
conducted  a  blacksmith  shop  for  ten  or 
twelve  years,  after  which  they  located  on 
the  Sickles  farm.  This  property  he  sold, 
however,  in  1905,  and  in  1904  he  pur- 
chased his  present  farm  of  one  hundred 
and  forty  acres  on  section  32,  and  three 
hundred  and  twenty  acres  on  sections  33 
and  34,  Augusta  township.  He  is  there- 


fore one  of  the  large  landowners  of  the 
county  and  is  extensively  engaged  in  gen- 
eral farming,  conducting  his  business  with 
excellent  success.  In  1905  he  erected  a 
commodious,  substantial  and  attractive 
modern  residence,  and  he  also  has  large 
outbuildings  for  the  shelter  of  grain  and 
stock.  His  improvements  are  entirely 
modem  and  indicate  the  progressive  spirit 
of  the  owner.  He  uses  the  latest  im- 
proved machinery  to  facilitate  the  work 
of  the  fields  and  he  manifests  a  spirit  of 
thrift  in  all  departments  of  farm  work. 
He  is,  however,  perhaps  best  known  as  a 
dealer  in  fine  horses.  He  rents  his  land, 
while  he  gives  his  attention  to  his  live 
stock  interests,  which  are  now  very  im- 
portant and  profitable.  He  raised  and 
owns  the  horse,  Star  Alerton,  2:ijl/4, 
quite  a  popular  horse. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ketchum  have 
been  born  eight  children,  of  whom  seven 
are  living,  the  second  child,  Ellis,  having 
been  born  November  17,  1867,  and  died 
at  the  age  of  eight  months.  The  others 
are  as  follows :  Eugene,  born  December 
10,  1866,  married  Iva  Robbins,  has  one 
son,  Frederick,  lives  in  Adams  county, 
Illinois.  Florence,  born  December  13, 
1868,  is  the  wife  of  C.  F.  Tenhaeff,  of  La- 
Prairie,  Illinois,  and  they  have  three 
sons,  Arthur,  Hale  and  Ralph.  Loretta, 
born  February  5,  1873,  is  the  wife  of  Rev. 
Joseph  Leidy,  a  Methodist  minister 
preaching  in  Benson,  Nebraska,  and  they 
have  three  children,  Grace,  Edna  and 
Paul.  Richard  B.,  born  June  10,  1875, 
married  Lulu  Pierce,  and  lives  on  the 
western  boundary  of  Idaho.  He  is  a  divi- 
sion engineer  on  the  Oregon  Short  Line 
Railroad  and  thev  have  one  son.  Pierce. 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


573 


lulna,  born  September  i.  1877,  is  a  ste- 
nographer and  typewriter  at  Walla  Walla, 
Washington.  Adele,  born  August  24, 
1879,  has  taught  school  and  is  a  gradu- 
ate of  the  law  class  of  1900  of  the  State 
University,  and  is  at  home  at  present. 
She  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  this  state 
in  1901.  Ellen,  born  December  16,  1885, 
is  a  graduate  of  the  State  University  and 
now  a  practicing  physician  at  Walla 
Walla,  Washington.  Richard,  also  a 
graduate  of  the  State'  University,  is  a 
civil  and  architectural  engineer.  The 
parents  are  members  of  the  Methodist 
church,  in  which  Mr.  Ketchum  is  serving 
as  trustee,  and  he  belongs  to  the  Ma- 
sonic fraternity,  while  in  politics  he  is 
a  Bryan  democrat.  In  manner  he  is  ge- 
nial and  jovial,  and  these  qualities  make 
him  popular  with  all  with  whom  he  comes 
in  contact,  and  as  an  enterprising  busi- 
ness man  and  progressive  citizen  and  a 
loyal  friend  he  is  well  known  in  the  com- 
munity where  is  extended  to  him  the 
warm  regard  of  all  with  whom  he  comes 
in  contact. 


D.  L.  FRAZEE,  D.  D.  S. 

Dr.  D.  L.  Frazee  is  the  mayor  of  Ply- 
mouth and  a  most  prominent  citizen  there. 
He  wields  a  wide  influence  in  public 
affairs  and  his  efforts  have  been  far-reach- 
ing and  beneficial,  while  in  his  profes- 
sional career  he  has  gained  more  than 
local  reputation  by  his  able  understanding 
of  the  scientific  principles  which  underlie 
his  work  and  his  correct  application  of 


his  theoretical  knowledge  to  the  needs  of 
his  patrons.  Born  in  St.  Mary's  town- 
ship, Hancock  county,  in  1874,  he  is  a 
.son  of  S.  G.  and  Eliza  (Kurry)  Frazee. 
The  father's  birth  occurred  in  Hancock 
county,  Illinois,  in  1843,  and  the  mother 
was  born  here  in  the  same  year.  Mr. 
Frazee  is  a  farmer  by  occupation  and  still 
lives  upon  the  old  homestead,  which  was 
his  birthplace.  Both  he  and  his  wife  are 
leading  members  of  the  Providence  Bap- 
tist church,  in  which  he  is  serving  as 
clerk  and  deacon.  In  their  family  are 
four  children,  of  whom  three  are  living : 
Mary  F.,  now  the  wife  of  William  Win- 
termeyer,  a  resident  of  Plymouth ;  Emma 
J.,  the  wife  of  William  Clary,  of  Coshoc- 
ton,  Ohio;  and  D.  L.,  of  this  review. 

Dr.  Frazee  supplemented  his  early  edu- 
cational privileges  by  study  in  the  Gem 
City  Business  College,  at  Quincy.  and  in 
a  dental  college  at  St.  Louis.  He  was 
also  a  student  in  the  dental  department  of 
the  Illinois  University  at  Chicago  and 
entered  upon  the  active  practice  of  his 
profession  in  Quincy,  where  he  remained 
for  three  years.  In  February,  1901,  he 
came  to  Plymouth,  where  he  has  since 
been  located  and  here  he  is  enjoying  a 
constantly  increasing  patronage,  so  that 
his  practice  is  now  of  large  extent  and 
importance. 

On  the  25th  of  January, '  1904,  was 
celebrated  the  marriage  of  Dr.  Frazee 
and  Miss  Sarah  Shinkle,  who  was  born 
in  Harmony  township,  Hancock  county, 
March  27,  1876,  and  is  a  daughter  of  G. 
W.  and  Ruth  A.  (Southwick)  Shinkle, 
the  former  a  native  of  Ohio,  and  the  latter 
of  Massachusetts.  The  father,  who  was 
born  in  1832,  departed  this  life  in  1902, 


574 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


while  his  wife,  whose  birth  occurred  in 
1839,  still  lives  upon  the  old  home  place 
in  Harmony  township,  this  county.  Mr. 
Shinkle  was  president  of  the  Harmony 
Mutual  Insurance  Comapny  at  the  time  of 
his  death  and  he  had  held  various  town- 
ship offices.  In  his  family  were  three  chil- 
dren, all  yet  living:  Mary,  now  the  wife 
of  J.  W.  Fleming,  of  Harmony  town- 
ship; George  B.,  of  the  same  township; 
and  Mrs.  Frazee. 

L'nto  the  Doctor  and  his  wife  has  been 
born  a  daughter,  Dorothy,  whose  birth 
occurred  May  20,  1905.  The  parents  are 
prominent  socially  and  their  own  home 
is  justly  celebrated  for  its  warm-hearted 
hospitality.  Dr.  Frazee  is  very  promi- 
nent in  the  public  life  of  Plymouth,  and 
his  influence  has  been  far-reaching,  while 
his  efforts  have  been  of  direct  benefit  to 
the  city  in  many  ways.  He  is  a  stalwart 
champion  of  the  democracy  and  upon  the 
party  ticket  has  twice  been  elected  mayor 
of  the  town,  filling  the  position  at  the 
present  time  and  giving  his  fellow  citizens 
a  public-spirited,  progressive  and  busi- 
ness-like administration.  Fraternally  he 
is  connected  with  the  Masonic  lodge,  in 
which  he  is  a  senior  warden  and  his  wife 
is  a  member  of  the  Congregational  church. 
They  have  a  pleasant  home  in  Plymouth 
and  are  widely  and  favorably  known 
there.  The 'Doctor  is  now  devoting  his 
energies  to  a  profession  wherein  advance- 
ment must  depend  upon  individual  merit. 
It  cannot  be  obtained  through  influence  or 
purchase  and  by  reason  of  his  capability 
and  broad  and  accurate  knowledge  the 
Doctor  has  gained  a  foremost  place  among 
the  ranks  of  the  dental  fraternity  of  this 
part  of  the  state. 


JAMES  M.  BRADSHAW. 

Among  the  wealthy  citizens  of  Han- 
cock county,  who  have  formerly  been  rep- 
resentatives of  extensive  agricultural 
interests,  is  numbered  James  M.  Brad- 
shaw,  owner  of  the  Prairie  stock  farm, 
which  constitutes  one  of  the  valuable 
properties  of  this  section  of  the  state, 
comprising  several  hundred  acres  of  land. 
He  was  born  in  the  township  in  which 
he  still  makes  his  home,  December  20. 
1855,  a  son  of  Joel  and  Catherine  (Dick- 
son)  Bradshaw,  both  natives  of  Tennes- 
see, in  whose  family  are  four  sons  and 
three  daughters,  of  whom  our  subject  is 
the  youngest. 

James  M.  Bradshaw  supplemented  his 
early  education,  acquired  in  the  district 
schools,  by  a  course  of  study  at  the  Illinois 
College,  at  Jacksonville,  and  later  pursued 
a  business  course  in  a  college  at  Jackson- 
ville, from  which  he  was  graduated.  He 
remained  with  his  parents  until  his  mar- 
riage, February  13,  1878,  to  Miss  Tillie  E. 
Manifold,  whose  birth  occurred  August 
2,  1859,  a  native  of  Durham  township, 
this  county,  and  a  daughter  of  Benjamin 
Jasper  and  Cornelia  (Hutton)  Manifold, 
natives  of  Tennessee  and  New  York  re- 
spectively. Her  paternal  grandparents 
were  George  and  Mary  (Persley)  Mani- 
fold, while  her  maternal  grandfather  was 
a  native  of  New  York  and  bore  the  name 
of  Samuel  Hutton. 

Following  his  marriage  our  subject  lo- 
cated on  a  farm  of  one  hundred  and  five 
acres  situated  on  section  30,  La  Harpe 
township,  on  which  were  no  improve- 
ments save  a  house  and  stable,  and  some 
fences,  and  altogether  was  in  a  dilapidated 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


575 


and  run-down  condition.  He  at  once  be- 
gan the  work  of  further  developing  and 
improving  his  place  by  tilling  the  land, 
building  barns  and  sheds  for  the  shelter 
of  grain  and  stock  and  in  course  of  time 
placed  his  land  under  a  high  state  of  cul- 
tivation, from  which  he  annually  gathered 
good  crops.  As  the  years  passed  he 
prospered  in  his  undertakings,  each  year 
adding  to  his  financial  resources,  so  that 
from  time  to  time  he  increased  the  bound- 
aries of  his  farm  and  enlarged  the  scope 
of  his  business  activity.  In  1894  he  pur- 
chased an  additional  tract  of  one  hundred 
and  forty-five  acres,  located  on  the  south- 
western part  of  section  30,  La  Harpe 
township,  being  the  old  homestead  place, 
and  the  following  year  removed  to  this 
place,  where  he  has  continued  his  resi- 
dence to  the  present  time.  He  has  like- 
wise improved  this  place  and  has  added 
to  it  from  time  to  time  until  today  he  is 
in  possession  of  five  hundred  acres  of 
valuable  land  all  in  one  body  and  known 
as  the  Prairie  stock  farm.  Besides  this 
tract  he  owns  one  hundred  acres  on  section 
36,  Durham  township,  and  twenty  acres 
on  section  19,  La  Harpe  township,  which 
is  used  for  pasturage.  Mr.  Bradshaw  has 
set  out  two  fine  orchards,  containing  va- 
rious kinds  of  fruit  trees,  from  which  he 
gathers  good  crops  in  their  season,  and  he 
erected  a  large  country  residence,  con- 
taining nine  rooms,  modern  in  all  its 
equipments  and  tastefully  furnished,  his 
being  one  of  the  attractive  country  homes 
of  this  part  of  the  county.  This  place  is 
now  occupied  by  his  eldest  son,  James  F. 
Bradshaw.  The  place  is  surrounded  by 
a  well-kept  lawn,  and  adorned  with  large 
shade  trees,  so  that  in  its  neat  appearance 


it  at  once  gives  evidence  of  the  thrift  and 
capable  management  of  the  owner.  He 
has  also  built  several  barns,  corn-cribs, 
and  other  substantial  outbuildings  and  has 
drilled  two  wells,  one  of  which  is  eighty 
feet  in  depth,  while  the  other  is  one  hun- 
dred and  ninety-one  feet  deep,  the  water 
in  this  standing  to  within  thirty  feet  of 
the  surface,  and  thus  furnishing  an  abun- 
dant supply  of  water  for  use  at  the  house 
as  well  as  for  the  stock,  in  the  pastures 
of  which  are  seen  Hereford  and  Polled 
Angus  cattle  and  Poland  China  hogs.  It 
will  thus  be  seen  that  Mr.  Bradshaw  has 
led  a  very  busy,  active  and  useful  life, 
which  has  been  crowned  with  an  unbound- 
ed measure  of  success,  which  now  enables 
him  to  rest  from  the  more  arduous  duties 
of  a  rural  existence,  for  since  the  spring 
of  1906  he  has  left  the  conduct  of  the 
farm  to  his  sons,  who,  owing  to  the  care- 
ful instruction  which  they  received  from 
their  father,  are  now  proving  valuable 
assistants  to  him  in  his  later  life.  Beside 
his  extensive  landed  interests,  Mr.  Brad- 
shaw is  also  a  stockholder  in  the  Waldorf 
Mill  and  Mining  Company,  at  George- 
town. Colorado,  buying  stock  in  Decem- 
ber, 1903,  since  which  time  the  company 
has  been  paying  a  good  dividend. 

Mr.  Bradshaw  is  an  extensive  raiser 
of  high  grade  cattle  and  hogs  and  is  also 
a  large  feeder  and  shipper  of  stock  to 
the  Chicago  markets.  He  is  a  stockholder 
in  the  First  National  Bank  of  La  Harpe, 
and  is  one  of  the  directors  of  the  bank. 

Of  the  marriage  of  James  M.  and 
Tillie  E.  (Manifold)  Bradshaw  there 
were  born  two  sons  and  a  daughter,  name- 
ly :  Lillian,  who  was  born  in  November, 
1879,  and  died  in  infancy:  James  F.,  who 


576 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


was  born  April  29,  1881,  married  Emma 
May  Goodrich,  of  Carthage,  Illinois,  and 
has  three  children,  James  Franklin,  Helen 
May,  and  Charles  Wesley;  and  Ouinton 
M.,  who  was  born  March  29,  1887,  mar- 
ried Bessie  Maynard  and  has  one  child, 
Florence  Tillie.  Both  sons  are  farmers 
and  live  in  La  Harpe  township.  The 
mother  of  these  children  passed  away  No- 
vember 17,  1903,  and  on  the  25th  of  Oc- 
tober, 1905,  Mr.  Bradshaw  was  married 
again,  his  second  union  being  with  Ollie 
Blanche  Kelly,  who  was  born  at  Zanes- 
ville,  in  Muskingum  county,  Ohio.  July 
23>  ^73-  a  daughter  of  Simeon  and 
Nancy  (Williams)  Kelly,  likewise  natives 
of  Muskingum  county. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Bradshaw  is  a 
democrat  but  has  never  been  a  politician 
in  the  sense  of  office  seeking.  He  has 
always  been  an  energetic,  industrious 
man,  possessing  strong  purpose  and  deter- 
mination, and  has  by  his  own  well  directed 
labor  and  close  application  worked  his 
way  steadily  upward  in  the  business 
world,  for  his  success  has  been  worthily 
won,  and  he  is  now  numbered  among  the 
wealthy  and  influential  citizens  of  Han- 
cock county.  He  and  his  wife  are  hospit- 
able people  and  their  pleasant  home  is  the 
favorite  resort  of  a  host  of  warm  friends. 


LAWRENCE  TIMASHESKE. 

Lawrence  Timasheske,  occupying  a 
good  farm  pleasantly  located  near  Au- 
gusta, is  one  of  the  adopted  sons  of  Amer- 


ica, who  came  to  this  country  from  the 
fair  land  of  Poland,  and,  improving  the 
opportunities  offered,  has  advanced  from 
a  humble  position  to  one  in  which  he 
is  enabled  to  surround  himself  and  his 
family  with  the  comforts  that  go  to  make 
life  worth  living.  He  was  born  in  Po- 
land in  1845,  and  is  a  son  of  Caisma  and 
Zofkar  Kriskstofk  Timasheske.  who  were 
likewise  natives  of  Poland.  They  came 
to  America  in  1875,  settling  in  La  Salle 
county,  Illinois,  where  the  father  fol- 
lowed the  occupation  of  farming.  In 
their  family  were  eleven  children,  of 
whom  seven  are  living :  Andrew,  Rosa, 
Lawrence,  Mahala,  Buda,  Nancy  and 
Karlof.  The  father  died  in  1901,  while 
his  wife  passed  away  in  1886,  and  both 
were  laid  to  rest  at  La  Salle,  Illinois. 

Lawrence  Timasheske  acquired  his  ed- 
ucation in  the  schools  of  Poland  and  re- 
mained with  his  parents  until  he  had  at- 
tained his  majority,  after  which  he  served 
in  the  German  army  in  France  and  Ger- 
many from  1871.  The  year  1873  wit- 
nessed his  emigration  to  the  new  world. 
He  settled  upon  a  farm  in  Iowa,  and  in 
1874  he  located  in  Augusta,  where  for 
some  time  he  was  employed  by  a  Mr.  Dex- 
ter. In  1876  he  chose  a  companion 
and  helpmate  for  life's  journey,  being 
married  in  that  year  to  Miss  Martha 
Woods,  who  was  born  in  Hancock  county, 
Illinois,  July  31,  1855,  a  daughter  of 
the  Rev.  Joseph  and  Orlena  (Kirk) 
Woods,  the  former  a  native  of  Pennsyl- 
vania and  the  latter  of  Ohio.  They  came 
at  an  early  day  to  Illinois,  and  in  their 
family  were  seventeen  children.  In  the 
family  of  the  maternal  grandparents  of 
Mrs.  Timasheske  there  were  five  sons 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


577 


who  were  ministers  of  the  gospel.  Unto 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Woods  were  born  nine  chil- 
dren :  Martha,  now  the  wife  of  our  sub- 
ject; Susan,  the  wife  of  George  Holt, 
of  Augusta;  Emma,  the  wife  of  Herbert 
\\oods,  of  Galesburg;  Amanda,  the  wife 
of  Thomas  Cain,  of  Basco,  Illinois;  Jen- 
nie, the  wife  of  Charles  Knott,  of  Basco, 
Illinois;  Belle,  at  home;  James,  residing 
in  Griggsville.  Illinois;  William,  living  in 
Kansas  City,  Missouri ;  and  Melvin,  of 
Augusta,  this  county.  Mr.  Woods  died 
in  1905,  and  was  buried  in  Plymouth, 
where  his  widow  still  resides. 

For  seven  years  after  his  marriage  Mr. 
Tirnasheske  resided  upon  a  farm  near 
Augusta  and  then  removed  to  the  farm 
whereon  he  now  lives,  purchasing  two 
hundred  and  forty  acres  of  good  land  on 
sections  16  and  17.  He  has  greatly  im- 
proved and  enlarged  the  home  since  that 
time  and  has  made  many  other  substantial 
additions  to  the  farm  in  the  way  of  good 
buildings.  He  is  a  general  farmer  and 
stock-raiser  and  each  year  he  derives  from 
his  labors  a  goodly  living,  owing  to  his 
careful  management  and  well  directed  ef- 
forts. Unto  him  and  his  wife  have  been 
born  three  children :  Etta  and  Effie, 
twins,  born  in  1878;  and  Damon,  born 
in  1886.  All  were  born  in  Augusta  town- 
ship. Effie  is  the  wife  of  Arland  Web- 
ster, who  resides  near  Bowen,  Illinois. 
Damon  wedded  Dollie  Dexter,  and  lives 
in  Augusta  township.  Mr.  Timasheske 
came  to  America  a  poor  boy,  but  he  read- 
ily adapted  himself  to  the  changed  condi- 
tions of  the  new  world,  mastered  the  lan- 
guage and  has  worked  his  way  upward 
through  his  energy  and  ability,  stimu- 
lated by  a  laudable  ambition.  He  has 


also  been  greatly  assisted  by  his  estima- 
ble wife,  who  has  indeed  been  a  faithful 
companion  and  helpmate  to  him  on  life's 
journey.  In  the  early  days  of  his  resi- 
dence in  this  country  he  was  very  lone- 
some and  strongly  desired  to  return  to 
his  native  land,  but  he  persisted  in  his 
purpose  of  establishing  a  new  home  in  the 
new  world  and  is  today  most  loyal  in  his 
patriotism  for  his  adopted  country,  where 
he  has  found  good  opportunities  that 
have  led  to  his  success.  Mr.  Timasheske 
has  recently  purchased  residence  property 
in  Augusta  and  now  resides  in  that  place. 


HENRY  FARNWALT  BLACK. 

To  win  the  respect  of  one's  fellowmen 
is  to  live  worthily  and  to  enjoy  the  friend- 
ship of  those  with  whom  he  comes  in  con- 
tact and  is  an  indication  of  consideration 
and  kindliness  on  the  part  of  the  individ- 
ual for  his  fellowmen.  Such  was  the 
career  of  Henry  Farnwalt  Black,  who 
did  much  to  promote  the  good  and  pros- 
perity of  his  county,  while  advancing  his 
private  business  interests.  Viewed  in  any 
relation  of  life  his  was  an  honorable  ca- 
reer and  one  of  which  his  family  have 
every  reason  to  be  proud.  He  was  born 
in  Milton,  Northumberland  county, 
Pennsylvania,  October  26,  1823,  and  was 
there  reared  to  manhood,  coming  to  the 
west  in  1849  when  about  twenty-six 
years  of  age.  He  spent  some  time  in 
Galena.  Illinois,  after  which  he  made  his 


5/8 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


way  to  the  pineries  of  Wisconsin,  and  was 
there  engaged  in  the  lumber  business  for 
six  years.  In  1857  he  located  in  Dal- 
las City,  Illinois,  and  the  following  year 
removed  his  family  to  his  new  home.  He 
continued  in  the  lumber  business  in  this 
place  for  thirty  years,  or  until  1888,  when 
on  account  of  failing  health  he  retired. 
In  1890  he  removed  to  Ness  City,  Kan- 
sas, where  he  built  a  grain  warehouse  and 
was  furthermore  connected  with  the  com- 
mercial and  financial  interests  of  that 
place  as  president  of  the  First  National 
Bank.  At  length,  however,  failing  health 
compelled  him  to  retire  from  business  al- 
together. His  life  was  one  of  activity 
and  enterprise,  however,  and  his  careful 
management  and  keen  discrimination 
in  business  affairs  combined  with  his  dili- 
gence and  close  application  resulted  in 
the  acquirement  of  a  very  handsome  com- 
petence, so  that  he  was  enabled  to  leave 
his  family  in  most  comfortable  circum- 
stances. 

On  the  isth  of  October,  1851,  Mr. 
Black  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Mary  Newel  Bliss,  at  Warrensville,  Du 
Page  county,  Illinois,  the  wedding  cere- 
mony being  performed  by  the  Rev.  Silas 
Tucker.  Mrs.  Black  was  born  in  Berk- 
shire county,  Massachusetts,  June  15, 
1829,  a  daughter  of  Moses  and  Polly 
(Carpenter)  Bliss.  In  the  maternal  line 
she  was  descended  from  ancestors  who 
fought  in  the  Revolutionary  war.  while 
her  father  was  a  soldier  of  the  war  of 
1812.  Mr.  Bliss  came  west  with  his_fam- 
ily  when  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Black,  was 
but  ten  years  of  age,  and  the  days  of  her 
girlhood  were  passed  in  Warrensville. 
An  ideal  marriage  relation  existed  be- 


tween herself  and  her  husband,  their  mu- 
tual love  and  confidence  increasing  as  the 
years  went  by.    They  had  the  rare  privi- 
lege of  celebrating  their  golden  wedding 
at  their  old  home  in  Dallas  City,  which 
was  then  and  is  still  occupied  by  their 
daughter,  Mrs.  Charles  Savage  Shipman. 
Almost  another  year  of  happy  wedded  life 
was  vouchsafed  to  them  but  on  the  i8th 
of   September,    1902,   Mr.    Black   at   his 
home  in  Ness  City,  Kansas,  departed  this 
life.     His  remains  were  brought  back  to 
Dallas  City  for  interment  and  he  had  so 
endeared   himself  to  the  people  of   this 
place  and  Hancock  county  that  his  death 
was  the  occasion  of  uniform  regret  wher- 
ever he  was  known.    He  was  truly  a  self- 
made  man,  for  his  parents  died  when  he 
was  quite  young  and  he  was  then  thrown 
upon  his   own  resources.     As  the  years 
passed  by  his  watchfulness  of  opportunity 
and  his  utilization  of  the  resources  at  his 
command   enabled   him   to   make   steady 
progress  in  the  business  world  and  each 
forward  step  brought  him  a  broader  out- 
look   and    brighter    opportunities.      For 
many  years  he  controlled  prosperous  busi- 
ness interests  and  thus  left  to  his  family 
a  handsome  inheritance,  but  moreover  he 
gave  to  them  as  a  priceless  heritage  an 
untarnished  name.     In  his  home  he  was  a 
tender  and  devoted  husband  and  a  loving 
father.     He  was  faithful  as  a  friend  and 
was  generous  to  a  fault  but  his  benevo- 
lence was  of  such  a  quiet  and  unostenta- 
tious character  that  many  times  only  the 
recipients  of  his  bounty  were  conscious 
of  it.     He  indeed  in  spirit  and  truth  fol- 
lowed the  admonition  not  to  let  his-  left 
hand  know  what  his  right  hand  had  done. 
His  life  work  was  filled  with  manv  deeds 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


579 


of  kindness  and  acts  of  mercy  which  en- 
deared him  to  all  who  knew  him. 

As  the  years  passed  by  six  children  were 
added  to  the  household  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Black,  but  only  two  are  now  living.  Wil- 
liam Henry,  the  eldest,  died  at  the  age 
of  two  years.  Benjamin  F.,  deceased, 
was  the  second  in  the  family,  and  made 
his  home  in  Dallas,  where  he  died  De- 
cember 19,  1905.  Harry  and  Catherine 
Farmvalt  were  twins,  and  the  former  died 
at  the  age  of  two  and  a  half  years,  while 
the  latter  is  the  wife  of  Charles  S.  Ship- 
man,  of  Dallas  City,  who  is  mentioned 
elsewhere  in  this  work.  Philo  Carpenter, 
who  died  at  the  age  of  twenty-nine  years, 
was  a  graduate  of  Yale  College  and  of 
the  Columbia  Law  School  of  New  York. 
He  practiced  law  in  Ness  City,  Kansas, 
where  he  was  elected  county  attorney,  but 
he  died  at  the  old  family  home  in  Dallas 
City,  Illinois,  October  29,  1889.  He  had 
been  attending  the  Triennial  Masonic 
Conclave  at  Washington,  D.  C.,  and  stop- 
ping at  his  old  home  here  he  passed  away 
at  the  comparatively  early  age  of  twenty- 
nine  years,  and  was  laid  to  rest  in  Dal- 
las cemetery.  Mary  C.,  the  youngest  of 
the  family,  is  the  wife  of  Samuel  Bennett, 
of  Ness  City,  Kansas.  She  was  born  in 
Dallas,  January  9,  1862,  and  was  edu- 
cated at  Rockford,  Illinois,  and  in  New 
York  city,  being  a  graduate  of  one  of 
the  best  schools  of  the  eastern  metrop- 
olis. In  her  girlhood  days  she  was  a 
schoolmate  of  Mrs.  William  Jennings 
Bryan,  and  acted  as  her  bridesmaid,  since 
which  time  she  has  entertained  Mrs. 
Bryan  in  her  own  home.  On  the  2Qth  of 
February,  1888,  Mary  C.  Black  gave  her 
hand  in  marriage  to  George  Burton,  and 


after  his  death  she  was  married  Decem- 
ber 25,  1904,  at  the  home  of  Mrs.  B.  F. 
Black,  in  Dallas  City,  to  Samuel  Bennett, 
a  lumber  and  grain  merchant  of  Ness 
City,  Kansas.  Mrs.  Bennett  ivent  into 
the  First  National  Bank  of  Ness  City, 
working  for  a  salary  of  ten  dollars  per 
month.  She  acted  in  that  capacity  for 
a  year,  and  at  the  end  of  the  second  year 
bought  out  the  owner  of  the  bank  and  is 
now  the  largest  stockholder  and  also  presi- 
dent. She  is  also  vice  president  of  the 
bank  at  Ransom,  Kansas,  and  owns  a  cat- 
tle ranch  in  that  state.  She  is  widely 
recognized  as  a  thorough  and  capable 
business  woman.  She  has  been  regent  of 
a  chapter  of  the  Daughters  of  the  Ameri- 
can Revolution,  at  Topeka,  Kansas,  and 
is  going  to  organize  a  chapter  in  Ness 
City.  .  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Black  were  charter 
members  of  the  Congregational  church  in 
Dallas  City,  which  was  established  in 
1859,  and  Mrs.  Black  is  now  the  only  sur- 
viving charter  member.  For  many  years 
her  husband  was  deacon  in  the  church 
and  for  a  quarter  of  a  century  was  Sun- 
day-school superintendent.  His  polit- 
ical allegiance  was  given  to  the  Repub- 
lican party  but  he  never  aspired  to  office. 
As  a  private  citizen,  however,  he  did 
much  for  public  progress  and  for  civic 
virtue  and  ever  co-operated  in  any  move- 
ment that  was  instituted  for  the  public 
good.  His  life  was  honorable,  his  actions 
manly  and  sincere,  and  his  motives  pure 
and  upright.  Mrs.  Black  shared  with 
her  husband  in  all  of  his  good  work  and 
is  of  a  kindly  disposition,  her  many  good 
qualities  having  endeared  her  to  all  who 
know  her.  She  has  ever  been  deeply 
thoughtful  of  others  and  possesses  a  ready 


S8o 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


tact  which  arises  only  from  true  sympa- 
thy. She  makes  her  home  with  her 
daughter,  Mrs.  Charles  S.  Shipman,  of 
Dallas,  and  with  her  daughter,  Mrs.  Ben- 
nett, of  Ness  City,  Kansas. 


BENJAMIN  F.  JOHNSON. 

Benjamin  F.  Johnson,  deceased,  was 
one  of  the  most  distinguished  residents  of 
Hancock  county,  not  alone  on  account  of 
the  splendid  success  he  achieved  and 
which  made  him  owner  of  twenty-three 
hundred  acres  of  land,  but  also  on  account 
of  his  spirit  of  benevolence  and  philan- 
thropy which  prompted  his  bequest 
to  found  and  maintain  a  school  in  La 
Harpe.  In  this  he  builded  to  his  memory 
a  monument  more  enduring  than  any  of 
bronze  or  stone,  for  as  long  as  the  institu- 
tion endures,  its  founder  will  be  honored 
by  those  who  have  benefited  by  his  bene- 
faction. 

Tracing  back  the  ancestry  of  the  fam- 
ily, it  is  found  that  early  representatives 
of  the  name  lived  in  New  England  in 
colonial  days.  His  father,  Joseph  John- 
son, who  was  born  in  Maine,  in  1791,  died 
January  12,  1880,  at  a  very  venerable  age. 
He  was  married  to  Miss  Betsey  Mussic, 
who  was  born  in  Maine,  and  died  April 
1 6,  1876.  In  1836  they  came  west,  jour- 
neying in  the  slow  stages  of  water  travel, 
and  after  reaching  St.  Louis,  proceeded 
up  the  river  to  Warsaw,  and  thence  across 
the  country  to  La  Harpe,  where  they  con- 
ducted a  hotel  for  a  number  of  years. 


Mr.  Johnson  was  a  thrifty,  hard-working 
man  and  accumulated  considerable  prop- 
erty, being  considered  a  wealthy  man  at 
the  time  of  his  death.  Unto  him  and  his 
wife  were  born  six  children :  Edwin  R.. 
born  March  22,  1814,  died  August  29, 
1835.  A  son  died  in  infancy.  Mrs.  Har- 
riet O.  Hughes,  born  December  25,  1816. 
died  January  17,  1901.  Augusta,  wife  of 
Daniel  Garner,  was  born  March  24,  1819. 
and  died  August  8.  1842.  Mrs.  Mary  YV. 
Wood,  "born  March  18,  1821,  died  in 
Denver,  Colorado,  December  23,  1899. 
Joseph,  born  March  15,  1823,  left  home 
for  the  southwest  to  buy  land,  when  a 
young  man  and  is  supposed  to  have  been 
murdered. 

Benjamin  F.  Johnson,  whose  name  be- 
gins this  article  was  born  in  Maine,  Jan- 
uary 1 8,  1825,  and  came  to  Illinois  with 
his  parents  when  ten  years  of  age.  He 
was  a  student  in  the  La  Harpe  schools, 
for  four  years,  after  which  he  put  aside 
his  text-books  and  gave  his  entire  atten- 
tion to  work  on  his  father's  farm.  At  the 
age  of  sixteen  he  became  an  apprentice  in 
his  brother-in-law's  blacksmith  shop  and 
worked  there  until  about  1846,  when  he 
Went  to  California,  where  for  several 
years  he  was  engaged  in  sheep-raising. 
He  returned  to  La  Harpe  a  wealthy  man 
and  invested  his  money  in  farm  land  and 
stock.  His  first  farm  consisted  of  three 
hundred  and  twenty  acres  adjoining  the 
village  of  Colusa,  to  which  place  he  gave 
the  name.  He  continued  adding  to  his 
original  purchase  until  at  his  death  he 
was  the  owner  of  over  twenty-three  hun- 
dred acres  in  various  parts  of  Hancock- 
county.  He  also  raised  large  herds  of 
Jersey  cattle  and  many  mules,  but  would 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS, 


never  have  hogs  upon  his  place.  He  made 
his  second  trip  to  California  in  1852, 
again  going  overland,  and  in  later  years 
he  made  another  trip  with  his  wife,  this 
time  traveling  by  rail.  He  remained  for 
a  year  in  the  Golden  state  and  then  re- 
turned to  La  Harpe.  About  1890  he 
retired  from  active  business  and  built  a 
home  in  La  Harpe,  where  he  remained 
until  his  death. 

Although  he  left  school  when  quite 
young  Mr.  Johnson  was  always  a  great 
reader  and  thus  became  one  of  the  best 
educated  men  in  his  township,  possessing 
a  wonderfully  retentive  memory.  He 
was  never  an  office  seeker  but  was  re- 
peatedly elected  supervisor  of  his  town- 
ship and  during  his  long  term  of  service 
never  missed  a  meeting  of  the  board.  He 
lived  and  loved  a  strenuous  life  and  his 
spacious  farm,  with  its  orchards,  gardens, 
lawns  and  fine  buildings,  was  a  model  of 
comfort  and  utility.  When  thus  sur- 
rounded by  all  that  goes  to  make  life 
worth  living  he  met  with  an  accident 
which  rendered  him  a  cripple.  While 
driving  home  with  a  load  of  lumber,  the 
wagon  overturned  and  he  was  crushed 
beneath  the  load,  his  hip  being  badly 
injured". 

Having  secured  a  legal  separation  from 
his  wife  Mr.  Johnson,  after  several  years, 
married  Mrs.  Phoebe  Green,  who  still 
survives  him.  That  marriage  was  cele- 
brated October  19,  1874.  She  was  born 
in  La  Harpe  township,  April  26,  1839, 
and  was  educated  in  the  public  schools. 
Her  parents  were  John  and  Flora  L. 
(Otman)  Sperry,  natives  of  Ohio,  where 
they  were  married,  and  then,  in  company 
with  their  parents  they  came  to  this 


county,  casting  in  their  lot  with  the  early 
settlers  of  La  Harpe  township.  After  op- 
erating a  rented  farm  for  several  years 
they  removed  to  La  Harpe  where  Mr. 
Sperry  resumed  work  at  the  gunsmith's 
trade,  conducting  a  shop  for  a  number  of 
years.  Mr.  Johnson,  after  a  gradual  de- 
cline, lasting  about  a  year,  passed  away 
February  18,  1906,  leaving  a  widow  and 
one  daughter  by  his  former  marriage — 
Mrs.  Clara  (Johnson)  Laswell,- for  whom 
he  liberally  provided  through  the  terms 
of  his  will  during  their  lifetime.  His 
philanthropic  spirit  was  manifest  in  his 
generous  gift  of  one  hundred  and  fifty 
thousand  dollars  for  the  maintenance  of 
a  school  in  La  Harpe,  the  tuition  of  which 
must  be  free.  What  more  fitting  monu- 
ment to  the  life  of  one  who  was  himself 
deprived  of  liberal  educational  advan- 
tages and  yet  always  had  the  utmost 
interest  in  the  schools  and  a  high  apprecia- 
tion of  their  value  as  one  of  the  bulwarks 
of  the  nation. 


M.  E.  RANDALL. 

M.  E.  Randall,  who  is  'engaged  ex- 
tensively in  buying,  feeding  and  shipping 
stock,  resides  in  Augusta  township,  and 
it  was  in  this  township  that  he  was  born 
in  1864,  his  parents  being  John  and 
Sarah  E.  (Graham)  Randall,  both  of 
whom  were  natives  of  Ohio,  the  former 
born  in  1828,  and  the  latter  in  1838. 
Choosing  agricultural  pursuits  as  a  life 
work  John  Randall  was  thus  engaged  in 


582 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


Ohio  until  1850,  when  he  came  to  Illinois 
and  made  permanent  location  in  Hancock 
county.  In  1852  he  settled  in  Augusta 
township,  living  first  in  a  log  cabin  and  it 
was  in  such  a  pioneer  home  that  the 
birth  of  M.  E.  Randall  occurred.  The 
father  usually  voted  for  the  republican 
candidates  but  was  rather  independent  in 
his  political  views  and  affiliation  and  fre- 
quently cast  his  ballot  for  the  men  whom 
he  regarded  as*  best  qualified  for  office 
at  local  elections.  He  belonged  to  the 
Methodist  church,  was  active  in  the  ex- 
tension of  its  influence  and  served  as  one 
of  its  trustees.  He  died  in  1900  and  was 
buried  in  Augusta  cemetery,  while  his 
widow  still  lives,  a  resident  of  Bowen, 
Illinois.  In  their  family  were  five  chil- 
dren :  James,  deceased ;  Hannah,  who 
died  in  infancy;  Laura  B.,  the  wife  of 
Benjamin  Garwood,  of  California;  M. 
E. ;  and  Mary  F.,  the  wife  of  R.  J.  Wil- 
son, who  lives  near  Augusta. 

In  the  district  schools  M.  E.  Randall 
began  his  education  and  subsequently  be- 
came a  high  school  student  in  Augusta, 
leaving  that  institution  only  two  weeks 
before  graduation.  He  remained  under 
the  parental  roof  until  twenty-six  years 
of  age  and  gave  active  assistance  to  his 
father  in  the  work  of  the  home  farm. 
Following  his  marriage  he  purchased  the 
old  homestead,  locating  on  sections  7  and 
1 8,  Augusta  township,  and  comprising 
one  hundred^  and  eighty  acres  of  land. 
He  also  owns  eighty  acres  on  section  8, 
and  forty  acres  on  section  16,  thus  culti- 
vating altogether  three  hundred  acres. 
He  raises  considerable  stock,  and  also 
buys  and  feeds,  shipping  from  seven  to 
nine  carloads  of  stock  annually,  his  mar- 


ket being  Chicago.  On  one  of  his  farms 
is  a  fine  substantial  brick  residence,  to- 
gether with  other  modern  improvements. 

In  1890  was  celebrated  the  marriage 
of  M.  E.  Randall  and  Miss  Katie  Kin- 
near,  who  was  born  in  Pennsylvania  in 
1871,  and  is  a  daughter  of  J.  W.  and 
Susan  Kinnear,  both  of  whom  were  na- 
tives of  the  Keystone  state.  The  father 
came  to  Hancock  county  with  his  family 
in  1885,  settling  in  Augusta  township. 
Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Randall  was  born  one 
child,  who  died  at  the  age  of  twenty 
months,  and  the  mother  also  died  about 
a  year  after  her  marriage,  and  was  laid 
to  rest  in  Augusta  cemetery.  In  1896 
Mr.  Randall  wedded  Miss  Cora  Hale, 
who  was  born  in  Schuyler  county,  Illi- 
nois, in  1868,  a  daughter  of  Joshua  and 
Elizabeth  (Bartlow)  Hale,  both  of  whom 
were  natives  of  Schuyler  county.  They 
were  married  in  1847,  and  Mrs.  Hale 
who  was  born  October  27,  1826,  died  Au- 
gust 24,  1887,  while  Mr.  Hale,  whose 
birth  occurred  in  1825,  died  in  1897. 
Both  were  buried  in  Schuyler  county. 
His  political  support  was  given  to  the 
democracy.  In  their  family  were  eight 
children,  of.  whom  four  are  living: 
Letha,  the  widow  of  George  Ross,  of 
Augusta  township;  Jesse,  of  Schuyler 
county ;  Sarah,  the  wife  of  John  Deweese, 
of  Hamilton,  Illinois;  Cora,  now  Mrs. 
Randall.  By  the  second  marriage  of  our 
subject  there  are  two  sons  :  Claude,  born 
June  5,  1897;  and  Chellis,  November  18. 
1900. 

Mr.  Randall  votes  for  the  best  men 
rather  than  for  party.  He  has  served  as 
school  director  and  is  interested  in  many 
progressive  measures.  He  was  elected  to 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,. ILLINOIS: 


583 


the  school  board  the  day  after  he  attained 
his  majority  and  has  served  in  that  capac- 
ity to  the  present  time.  He  is  also  sec- 
retary of  the  Hancock  County  Telephone 
Company  and  secretary  and  treasurer  of 
the  Illinois  State  Alliance,  of  which  he 
served  as  president  for  two  years.  His 
acquaintance  in  this  county  is  wide  and 
favorable,  for  he  has  spent  almost  his 
entire  life  here  and  both  he  and  his  wife 
are  esteemed  by  a  wide  circle  of  friends. 
He  represents  one  of  the  old  families  of 
the  county,  his  father  having  lived  here 
during  the  period  of  the  Mormon  war, 
in  which  he  was  much  interested.  Many 
changes  in  the  county  have  occurred  dur- 
ing the  years  of  the  son's  connection 
therewith  and  he  has  not  only  been  a  wit- 
ness of  its  growth  and  progress  but  has 
co-operated  in  many  movements  which 
have  had  direct  bearing  upon  its  welfare. 


ROBERT  NETHERY. 

Robert  Nethery,  deceased,  was  a  man 
of  such  genuine  worth  of  character  as  to 
make  his  death  the  occasion  for  deepest 
regret  wherever  he  was  known.  For 
many  years  he  resided  in  Hancock  county 
and  is  classed  among  the  men  of  the  past 
and  present  who  have  contributed  to  gen- 
eral progress  and  improvement  here  by 
upholding  the  legal  and  political  status  of 
the  community  and  advancing  its  ma- 
terial, intellectual  and  moral  progress. 
His  parents  were  James  and  Mary  (Wil- 
son) Nethery,  natives  of  Ireland,  in 

37 


which  country  the  father  died.  The  son 
was  there  15orn  in  June,  1855,  and  when 
thirteen  years  of  age  came  with  his 
mother  to  the  United  States,  the  family 
home  being  established  on  a  farm  in  In- 
diana. The  mother  died  about  fifteen 
years  ago,  passing  away  in  Nebraska.  In 
the  family  were  ten  children,  of  whom 
six  are  living:  Eliza,  married  William 
Wilson  and  resides  in  Indiana;  Mrs. 
Maria  Stewart,  of  Ireland ;  Margaret,  the 
widow  of  James  Nethery,  of  Ireland; 
William,  of  Wyoming;  Thomas,  of  Ne- 
braska; and  Matilda,  the  wife  of  James 
Holpa,  also  of  Nebraska. 

Robert  Nethery  began  his  education 
in  the  district  schools  of  Ireland  and  con- 
tinued his  studies  in  Indiana.  In  his 
youth  his  time  was  also  devoted  largely 
to  farm  labor,  as  he  assisted  in  the  culti- 
vation and  improvement  of  the  home 
property  in  Indiana,  remaining  with  his 
mother  until  his  marriage,  which  im- 
portant event  in  his  life  was  celebrated  on 
the  ist  of  January,  1883,  when  he  won 
the  hand  of  Miss  Rebecca  Singleton,  who 
was  born  in  Hancock  county,  Illinois,  a 
daughter  of  George  and  Rebecca  (Wil- 
son) Singleton.  Mrs.  Nethery  was  born 
in  March,  1856.  Her  parents  were  both 
natives  of  Ireland,  and  in  early  life  came 
to  America,  being  married  in  Philadel- 
phia, Pennsylvania,  about  1850.  The  fa- 
ther was  a  farmer  by  occupation,  and  in 
the  spring  of  1853  came  to  Hancock 
county,  where  he  purchased  a  farm  near 
Adrian.  There  he  carried  on  business  as 
a  general  farmer  and  stock-raiser,  remain- 
ing a  respected  and  prominent  resident 
of  that  locality  until  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred in  November,  1890.  His  wife 


584 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


survived  him  for  ten  years,  departing  this 
life  in  November,  1900,  and  both  were 
buried  in  Moss  Ridge  cemetery.  Mr. 
Singleton  was  a  republican  in  his  polit- 
ical views  and  served  on  the  school  board, 
being  a  warm  friend  of  the  cause  of  edu- 
cation but  he  did  not  care  for  office. 
Both  parents  were  devoted  members  of 
the  Presbyterian  church  and  Mr.  Single- 
ton filled  several  official  positions  therein. 
In  the  family  were  seven  children,  and 
with  the  exception  of  the  eldest  all  were 
born  in  Hancock  county  and  all  are  yet 
living,  as  follows :  Anna,  who  was  born 
in  Philadelphia,  and  is  the  wife  of  John 
Bailey,  a  resident  of  Colusa,  Illinois ; 
Margaret,  who  is  living  at  the  old  home 
near  Adrain ;  Thomas,  also  living  at 
Adrian ;  Elmira,  the  wife  of  Perry  Hub- 
bard,  of  Colusa,  Illinois:  George,  living 
at  Adrian ;  and  William,  who  lives  at 
Nauvoo  and  is  in  the  State  Bank  there. 

Following  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Nethery  located  on  a  farm  in  Indiana, 
where  they  remained  for  three  years,  and 
in  1886  they  came  to  Hancock  county, 
Illinois,  settling  on  a  farm  east  of  Colusa. 
where  they  fived  for  ten  years,  and  which 
Air.  Nethery  improved  according  to 
modern  methods  of  agriculture.  He  af- 
terward removed  to  Carthage  township, 
where  he  made  his  home  upon  the  farm 
for  three  years,  and  in  1899  he  took  up 
his  abode  in  the  city  of  Carthage,  where 
he  erected  a- beautiful  residence  on  Main 
street.  He  and  his  wife  planned  their 
town  residence  and  it  is  a  very  convenient 
and  attractive  home.  Mr.  Nethery  con- 
tinued to  reside  in  the  county  seat  until 
his  demise,  which  occurred  January  19, 
1903,  his  remains  being  interred  in  Moss 


Ridge  cemetery.  He  voted  with  the  Re- 
publican party,  and  as  every  true  Amer- 
ican citizen  should  do,  kept  well  informed 
on  the  questions  and  issues  of  the  day 
but  he  did  not  desire  office  as  a  reward 
for  party  fealty.  He  held  membership 
in  the  Presbyterian  church,  to  which  his 
wife  also  belongs  and  was  deeply  inter- 
ested in  church  work  and  its  various  ac- 
tivities. In  a  review  of  his  life  it  will 
be  seen  that  he  was  a  man  of  untiring 
industry  and  enterprise  and  that  his  own 
energy,  ambition  and  honesty  constituted 
the  foundation  upon  which  he  builded  the 
superstructure  of  his  success.  In  addi- 
tion to  the  home  place  in  Carthage  he  left 
to  his  family  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres 
of  good  farm  land  well  improved,  in  Car- 
thage township,  and  Mrs.  Nethery  also 
owns  a  quarter  section  and  another  tract 
of  eighty  acres  in  Prairie  township,  to- 
gether with  two  hundred  acres  of  land  in 
Dallas  township.  Three  of  the  eighty- 
acre  tracts  were  inherited  by  her  from 
her  father.  She  also  owns  a  lot  and 
two  houses,  which  she  rents,  in  the  south 
part  of  Carthage. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Nethery  were  born 
two  sons,  twins,  James  W.  and  George 
W.,  both  in  the  high  school.  Mrs.  Neth- 
ery is  a  lady  of  quiet,  courteous  demeanor,  - 
greatly  beloved  by  her  old  neighbors  in 
the  country  and  also  in  Carthage.  She 
is  held  in  high  esteem  by  all  with  whom 
she  has  come  in  contact  and  she  is  a  rep- 
resentative of  one  of  the  prominent  and 
honored  pioneer  families  of  the  county. 
Her  landed  possessions  are  now  extensive 
and  valuable  and  bring  to  her  a  handsome 
income,  enabling  her  to  enjoy  all  of  the 
comforts  and  inanv  of  the  luxuries  of  life. 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


585 


LEWIS  F.  MILLER. 

Lewis  F.  Miller,  who  follows  the  oc- 
cupation of  farming  near  Bowen,  his 
home  being  in  Chili  township,  was  born 
in  Schuyler  county,  Illinois,  in  1864,  a  son 
of  August  and  Dora  (Yaap)  Miller.  The 
parents  were  both  natives  of  Prussia. 
The  father  born  in  1828,  and  the  mother's 
birth  occurred  in  1837.  He  devoted  his 
life  to  general  agricultural  pursuits  and 
on  coming  to  the  United  States  in  1861, 
settled  in  Littleton,  Schuyler  county,  Illi- 
nois. His  political  support  was  given  to 
the  Republican  party  and  he  remained 
one  of  its  stanch  champions  until  his. 
death,  which  occurred  in  1901,  his  re- 
mains being  interred  at  Littleton.  His 
widow  still  survives.  In  their  family 
were  nine  children,  of  whom  five  are  yet 
living :  Paulina,  the  wife  of  Andrew 
Hughes,  a  resident  of  Schuyler  county, 
Illinois;  August,  living  at  Table  Grove, 
this  state ;  Lewis,  of  this  review ;  Frank, 
of  Littleton,  Illinois ;  and  Laura,  at  home. 

The  public  school  system  of  Schuyler 
county  afforded  to  Mr.  Miller  of  this  re- 
view his  educational  privileges  and  he 
remained  upon  the  old  homestead  until 
he  had  attained  his  majority,  early  be- 
coming familiar  with  the  duties  and  labors 
of  the  home  farm.  He  was  married 
January  i,  1889,  to  Miss  Mary  Burrows, 
whose  birth  occurred  in  Vermont,  Illinois, 
in  1867,  her  parents  being  Benjamin  and 
Rachel  Ann  (Dawson)  Burrows,  natives 
of  Illinois.  Her  father,  however,  repre- 
sented an  old  Pennsylvania  family  and 
by  trade  was  a  carpenter,  which  pursuit 
he  followed  in  order  to  provide  for  his 
family  that  numbered  two  children,  the 


elder  being  Malinda,  the  wife  of  James 
Sloan,  who  resides  at  Long  Beach, 
California. 

For  ten  years  after  their  marriage  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Miller  lived  upon  a  farm  in 
Schuyler  county,  and  in  1899  removed  to 
Chili  township,  Hancock  county,  where  he 
purchased  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres 
lying  on  section  21.  This  was  a  well 
improved  property  and  he  has  carried  on 
the  work  of  further  development,  being 
numbered  among  the  able  and  prosperous 
general  farmers  and  stock-raisers.  His 
live  stock  interests  are  an  important 
branch  of  his  business  and  contribute 
largely  to  his  annual  revenue.  He  de- 
serves considerable  credit  for  what  he  has 
acquired  and  the  success  to  which  he  has 
attained  in  a  business  world,  for  he  was 
in  limited  financial  circumstances  at  the 
time  of  his  marriage  and  is  now  comfort- 
ably situated  in  life. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Miller  have  been 
born  two  children  but  they  lost  one. 
Their  surviving  son  is  Guy,  who  was 
born  on  the  I5th  of  November,  1899,  and 
is  now  a  student  in  the -high  school  of 
Bowen.  Mr.  Miller  is  a  Mason  in  his 
fraternal  relations  and  he  and  his  wife  are 
faithful  and  consistent  members  of  the 
Christian  church.  His  political  support 
is  given  to  the  Republican  party  and  he 
has  served  as  road  commissioner,  while 
since  attaining  his  majority  he  has  been 
a  member  of  the  school  board.  Both  he 
and  his  wife  are  people  of  genuine  per- 
sonal worth  with  a  wide  and  favorable 
acquaintance  in  Chili  township.  Both  be- 
long to  the  Order  of  the  Eastern  Star 
and  while  they  have  many  friends  within 
that  organization  they  are  also  greatly 


586 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


esteemed  by  those  who  know  them  outside 
of  the  lodge. 


JAMES  EATON  JOHNSTON,  M.  D. 

Dr.  James  Eaton  Johnston,  who  in  the 
practice  of  medicine  and  osteopathy  has 
become  recognized  as  one  whose  labors 
have  been  of  the  utmost  value  to  the  peo- 
ple of  his  locality,  was  born  in  Philadel- 
phia, Pennsylvania,  July  28,  1845,  a  son 
of  James  E.  and  Cynthia  (Belfield)  John- 
ston. The  father's  birth  occurred  in 
Glasglow,  Scotland,  in  September,  1812, 
while  the  mother  was  born  in  Notting- 
ham, England,  in  1814.  Mr.  Johnson 
was  a  millwright  by  trade  and  operated 
a  planing  mill.  He  also  operated  the 
first  machine  that  ever  made  tongued  and 
grooved  flooring.  He  was  a  leading  wit- 
ness in  the  famous  Woodworth-Planer 
patent  right  infringement  case,  in  which 
Rufus  Choate  was  the  most  prominent 
attorney  and  in  his  plea  brought  tears  to 
the  eyes  of  all  who  heard  him.  Both 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Johnston  came  to  Amer- 
ica in  childhood,  the  former  locating  in 
Philadelphia,  and  the  latter  in  Baltimore. 
Removing  to  the  west  they  resided  in 
Springfield,  Illinois,  from  1855  until  1860, 
when  they  went  to  St.  Louis,  Missouri, 
where  Mr.  Johnston  was  connected  with 
lumber  interests  being  foreman  of  va- 
rious large  planing  mills.  His  wife  died 
in  Keokuk,  Iowa,  in  1876,  while  his 
death  occurred  in  St.  Louis,  in  1878.  He 
was  a  man  of  intense  patriotism  and  did 
great  good  as  a  home-guard  in  St.  Louis 


at  the  time  of  the  Civil  wai.  He  was  out- 
spoken in  defense  of  the  Union  and  did 
everything  in  his  power  to  support  the 
cause.  His  wife  held  membership  with 
the  Presbyterian  church  and  was  a  most 
earnest  Christian  woman.  In  their  family 
were  five  children :  James  E. ;  Wilfred 
Hall,  who  died  at  the  age  of  two  years; 
Jane  and  Anna  M.  E.  who  are  living  in 
Chicago,  the  latter  being  bookkeeper  for 
a  large  barrel  and  stave  business  in  that 
city;  and  Walter  Lincoln,  who  resides  in 
Portland,  Oregon,  and  is  credit  man  and 
bookkeeper  of  John  Deere  Plow  Com- 
pany, of  Moline,  Illinois,  who  have  a 
branch  at  Portland. 

Dr.  Johnston  attended  the  public 
schools  of  Springfield,  Illinois,  and  when 
but  a  youth  of  sixteen  years  he  enlisted 
at  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  in  the  hospital 
corps,  for  a  period  of  one  year,  serving  as 
nurse  and  surgeon's  assistant  and  being 
the  youngest  of  one  hundred  employes  in 
the  City  General  Hospital,  at  the  corner 
of  Fifth  and  Chestnut  streets  in  St.  Louis, 
where  he  remained  for  sixteen  months. 
During  that  time  he  was  detailed  as  nurse 
on  the  steamer,  D.  A.  January,  which  was 
fitted  up  by  patriotic  citizens  of  St.  Louis 
and  sent  with  supplies  to  Grant's  army  at 
Vicksburg.  He  returned  with  some 
twelve  hundred  sick  and  wounded  on  the 
boat.  He  afterward  remained  in  the  hos- 
pital much  of  the  time  until  the  expira- 
tion of  his  term.  He  had  always  had  a 
desire  to  take  up  the  study  of  medicine 
and  his  hospital  experience  strengthened 
this.  While  in  the  government  service 
he  had  to  dress  wounds  under  a  physi- 
cian's instruction,  having  a  regular  num- 
ber of  patients.  At  one  time  the  hospital 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


587 


was  in  great  danger  of  fire  but  he  and 
three  or  four  others  quickly  extinguished 
the  flames  without  creating  any  excite- 
ment among  the  patients — an  incident 
which  displayed  his  ability  as  one  well 
fitted  to  deal  with  emergencies.  He, 
however,  was  severely  burned  on  his 
hands.  Before  the  war  closed  he  enlisted 
in  the  Missouri  Militia  for  home  guard 
duty  and  was  thus  engaged  for  two  years. 
In  the  second  year  the  troops  were  sent 
out  after  Price.  Subsequently  he  re- 
mained in  St.  Louis  and  assisted  his  fa- 
ther in  business  and  also  attended  a  com- 
mercial college  there. 

On  the  1 7th  of  December,  1867,  Dr. 
Johnson  went  to  Keokuk,  Iowa,  where  for 
a  year  and  a  half  he  was  employed  as  time 
keeper  and  assistant  bookkeeper  on  the 
government  canal.  Leaving  there  he  im- 
mediately accepted  a  position  as  shipping 
clerk  and  later  bill  clerk,  of  the  Des 
Moines  Valley  Railroad,  at  Keokuk,  and 
during  sixteen  years  was  in  the  employ 
of  railroads  there,  holding  responsible  po- 
sitions, most  of  the  time  as  local  cashier, 
handling  large  amounts  of  money.  In 
1889  he  was  enabled  to  carry  out  his 
long  cherished  desire  of  preparing  for 
the  practice  of  medicine,  and  he  was  grad- 
uated from  the  Chicago  Homeopathic 
College,  in  March,  1891.  He  located  for 
practice  at  Hammond,  Indiana,  where  he 
remained  for  one  and  a  half  years,  at  the 
end  of  which  time  he  took  up  the  study 
of  osteopathy  at  Kirksville,  Missouri, 
since  which  time  he  has  practiced  along 
that  line.  He  spent  a  brief  period  in  St. 
Louis,  and  in  July,  1895,  located  in  War- 
saw, being  the  only  osteopathic  practi- 
tioner in  Warsaw.  As  the  years  have 


come  and  gone  he  has  done  much  for  hu- 
manity as  a  practitioner,  employing  both 
homeopathy  and  osteopathy  in  his  efforts 
to  alleviate  human  suffering.  He  was 
very  successful  and  his  cures  in  the  latter 
department  of  the  healing  art  seem  al- 
most miraculous,  and  during  1900  he  pur- 
sued a  post-graduate  course  in  Chicago. 
On  the  26th  of  April,  1905,  he  received 
the  Ad  Eundem  degree  from  the  Hahne- 
mann  Medical  College,  of  that  city.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  Homeopathic  Medical 
Societies  of  „  Chicago,  State  of  Indiana 
and  State  of  Illinois,  and  is  constantly 
broadening  his  knowledge  and  promoting 
his  efficiency  through  reading  and  investi- 
gation. 

On  the  7th  of  November,  1882,  Dr. 
Johnston  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  A. 
Williams,  a  native  of  Warsaw,  and  a 
daughter  of  Captain  John  R.  and  Ange- 
line  A.  Williams.  They  have  no  children 
of  their  own  but  are  rearing  a  nephew, 
who  is  now  eight  years  of  age.  Dr.  and 
Mrs.  Johnston  are  members  of  the  Pres- 
byterian church  and  in  politics  he  has  al- 
ways been  a  stalwart  republican.  Fra- 
ternally he  is  connected  with  the  Knights 
of  .Pythias,  and  for  eight  years  has  been 
clerk  of  the  Woodman  camp,  No.  340, 
holding  a  certificate  of  efficiency  from  the 
head  camp  clerk  of  Woodmen.  He  is  a 
man  of  kindly  disposition,  generous  al- 
most to  a  fault  and  has  the  reputation  in 
his  community  of  living  for  others.  He 
possesses  a  cheery  manner  and  a  disposi- 
tion that  enables  him  to  shed  around  him 
much  of  the  sunshine  of  life  and  he  has 
always  been  most  helpful  to  those  with 
whom  he  has  come  in  contact.  While  in 
the  railroad  service  he  was  instrumental 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


in  starting  more  than  a  half  dozen  youths 
upon  the  upward  road  and  they  are  now 
occupying  honorable  positions  in  connec- 
tion with  railroad  work.  He  also  edu- 
cated and  reared  his  younger  brother,  who 
is  now  occupying  a  good  position  in  Port- 
land, Oregon.  He  has  also  worked  for 
the  general  improvement  of  his  town  and 
community  and  is  secretary  of  the  War- 
saw Improvement  Association.  He  has 
been  correspondent  to  .various  newspa- 
pers and  in  this  connection  has  become 
well  known.  He  was  for  a  number  of 
years  medical  examiner  of  Warsaw  camp, 
No.  340,  Modern  Woodmen  of  America, 
and  is  at  the  present  time  medical  exami- 
ner of  the  Prudential  Insurance  Company 
of  America,  of  Newark,  New  Jersey.  A 
man  of  liberal  views,  of  advanced  ideas, 
and  of  broad  humanitarian  principles,  he 
is  always  preaching  in  his  life  work  the 
gospel  of  good  cheer,  of  advancement  and 
progress,  and  no  man  is  more  honored  or 
more  deserving  the  respect  of  his  fellow 
citizens  than  Dr.  James  E.  Johnston. 


ADOLPH  SIEGRIST. 

Adolph  Siegrist,  deceased,  was  for 
many  years  one  of  the  prominent  •  repre- 
sentatives of  agricultural  interests  in  Ap- 
panoose  township,  and  his  death  was 
deeply  deplored  by  his  many  friends 
throughout  Hancock  county,  as  well  as 
by  the  members  of  his  own  household. 
He  was  a  native  of  Switzerland,  his  natal 
year  being  1841.  He  was  a  son  of  Ru- 


dolph and  Mary  (Amsler)  Siegrist,  who 
emigrated  from  the  land  of  the  Alps  to 
America  at  an  early  day,  settling  first  in 
Ohio,  where  they  remained  for  a  few 
years  and  then  removed  to  Nauvoo, 
Illinois. 

Aclolph  Siegrist  was  but  a  young  lad 
when  he  was  brought  by  his  parents  from 
the  old  country  to  Illinois.  He  entered 
the  common  schools  during  the  residence 
of  his  parents  in  Ohio  and  attended  school 
to  some  extent  after  the  removal  to  Nau- 
voo. In  1863,  however,  in  response  to 
the  country's  call  for  aid  during  the  Civil 
war  he  offered  his  services  to  the  govern- 
ment, enlisting  as  a  member  of  Company 
A,  Second  Regiment  of  Illinois  Artillery, 
and  going  to  the  front  he  served  until  the 
close  of  hostilities,  having  been  a  loyal  and 
faithful  soldier. 

Upon  his  return  from  the  war  he  re- 
turned to  the  home  farm,  where  he  as- 
sisted his  father  in  the  operation  of  the 
farm  until  his  marriage,  November  15, 
1872,  to  Miss  Theresia  Klinglemiller,  a 
native  of  Austria,  born  December  29, 
1850,  a  daughter  of  Wolfgang  and  Eliza- 
beth (Sachhuver)  Klingmiller.  Her 
parents  came  to  Nauvoo  in  1853  from 
Jonesboro,  where  they  had  spent  the  win- 
ter previous,  having  come  to  that  city 
from  their  native  land.  The  father 
bought  a  farm  in  Sonora  township,  on 
which  he  located,  and  here  his  death  oc- 
curred in  June,  1894,  while  his  wife  had 
died  many  years  before,  she  having  passed 
away  in  1854,  the  year  after  their  arrival 
in  Illinois. 

Following  his  marriage  Mr.  Siegrist 
located  on  land  in  Appanoose  township, 
which  he  rented,  of  which  twenty  acres 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


589 


was  situated  on  section  23,  and  fortv 
acres  on  section  26,  making  in  all  a  tract 
of  sixty  acres.  He  rented  this  tract  for 
about  six  years,  and  at  the  end  of  that 
time,  having  prospered  in  his  agricultural 
interests,  he  was  enabled  to  purchase  the 
farm,  and  here  he  continued  his  farming 
operations  until  his  death,  which  occurred 
November  n,  1888,  from  paralysis, 
which  was  contracted  during  his  service 
in  the  army.  Unto  him  and  his  wife  had 
been  born  seven  sons  and  two  daughters, 
as  follows :  Carl  Henry,  of  Appanoose 
township;  John,  a  resident  of  Lee  county, 
Iowa ;  Ida,  the  wife  of  Albert  Xestle,  liv- 
ing on  her  father's  old  home  property; 
Joseph,  at  home;  William,  of  Xiota,  Illi- 
nois :  Minnie,  Edward,  Charles  and 
Walter,  twins,  all  at  home  with  their 
mother. 

In  1iis  political  views  Mr.  Siegrist  was 
an  earnest  republican,  unfaltering  in  his 
allegiance  to  the  party  yet  not  active  as 
an  office  seeker.  In  his  religious  faith 
he  was  a  Lutheran,  while  his  fraternal  re- 
lations were  with  the  Grand  Army  of  the 
Republic,  at  Niota.  He  was  a  man  of  up- 
right and  honorable  principles,  ever  loyal 
in  citizenship  and  faithful  to  the  ties  of 
friendship,  and  thus  his  death  was  the 
occasion  of  deep  regret  throughout  the 
community  in  which  he  had  so  long  lived 
and  labored. 


HIRAM  KOONTZ. 

Hiram  Koontz,  deceased,  who,  coming 
to  Hancock  county  at  an  early  day,  opened 


up  a  new  farm  which  he  developed  and 
cultivated  successfully  for  many  years, 
was  born  in  Portage  county,  Ohio,  De- 
cember 14,  1841,  his  parents  being  Wil- 
liam and  Catherine  (Stanbaugh)  Koontz. 
The  father  was  a  farmer  and  plasterer 
and  came  to  Illinois  in  the  early  '505, 
settling  at  Camden,  Schuyler  county, 
where  they  lived  for  many  years.  There 
the  mother  died  in  August,  1876,  while 
the  father's  death  occurred  in  Astoria, 
this  state,  in  1889.  Both  were  members 
of  the  United  Brethren  church.  Their 
family  numbered  sixteen  children,  of 
whom  three  are  living:  William,  a  resi- 
dent of  Camden;  Dora,  the  wife  of  Jo- 
seph Dunham,  of  Pittsfield,  Illinois;  and 
David,  of  East  St.  Louis,  Illinois. 

Hiram  Koontz  was  a  young  lad  at  the 
time  of  the  parents'  removal  to  Illinois 
and  his  education  was  largely  acquired 
in  the  public  schools  of  Camden.  When 
not  busy  with  his  text-books  he  assisted 
his  father  in  the  work  of  the  farm  and 
remained  with  his  parents  until  nearly 
twenty-one  years  of  age.  He  spent  a 
year  and  a  half  in  St.  Louis,  Missouri, 
where  he  learned  the  trade  of  a  broom 
maker  and  later  he  engaged  in  farming 
for  a  year  or  more  at  Camden.  On  the 
expiration  of  that  period  he  settled  on  a 
farm  on  sections  10  and  n  in  Augusta 
township,  which  he  purchased  from  his 
father,  comprising  two  hundred  and  one 
and  a  half  acres  of  land  that  was  then 
covered  with  timber.  He  cut  away  the 
trees,  took  out  the  stumps  and  placed  all 
of  the  improvements  upon  the .  property, 
transferring  it  from  a  wild  tract  into  one 
of  rich  fertility,  from  which  he  annually 
gathered  goods  crops.  He  was  a  general 


590 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


farmer,  carrying  on  his  business  with 
good  success.  In  his  work  he  displayed 
close  application  and  unremitting  dili- 
gence, which  are  always  substantial  ele- 
ments upon  which  to  build  prosperity. 

On  the  3Oth  of  May,  1874,  Mr.  Koontz 
was  married  to  Miss  Ethalinda  Miller, 
who  was  born  in  Millwood,  Knox  county, 
Ohio,  December  8,  1849,  a  daughter  of 
Michael  H.  and  Mary  Ann  (Garrett) 
Miller.  Her  father  was  born  in  Cham- 
bersburg,  Pennsylvania,  February  8, 
1819,  and  died  in  Dallas  City,  Illinois, 
March  26,  1906,  at  the  age  of  eighty- 
seven  years.  In  early  life  he  learned  the 
tailor's  trade  and  visited  every  state  in 
the  Union  before  settling  at  Millwood, 
Ohio.  He  wedded  Miss  Mary  A.  Gar- 
rett, September  19,  1843,  and  they  be- 
came the  parents  of  seven  children,  of 
whom  two  died  in  infancy,  the  others 
being:  William  A.,  now  of  La  Harpe, 
Illinois ;  Elizabeth,  the  wife  of  Marion 
Walker,  of  Dallas  City;  Ethalinda,  now 
Mrs.  Koontz ;  Jacob,  who  resides  in  Dal- 
las City ;  and  Anna,  the  wife  of  L.  K. 
Symmonds,  of  Dallas  township.  In  1854 
Mr.  Miller  removed  with  his  family  from 
Ohio  to  Dallas  City,  Illinois.  He  had 
previously  served  as  postmaster  and  cor- 
oner at  Millwood  and  his  political  alle- 
giance was  given  to  the  democracy.  In 
Dallas  City  he  filled  the  office  of  justice 
of  the  peace.  He  likewise  had  a  military 
record,  having  been  appointed  captain  of 
Company  C,  of  the  First  Rifles  of  the 
Second  Brigade  during  the  Mexican  war 
but  the  command  was  never  sent  to  the 
front.  In  1902  he  was  converted  and  bap- 
tized. His  wife,  who  was  born  in  Martins- 
burg,  Knox  county,  Ohio,  in  1826,  was  a 


daughter  of  Jacob  and  Elizabeth  ( Schaff- 
ner)  Garrett,  in  whose  family  were  ten 
children,  of  whom  two  are  living,  Mrs. 
Miller,  and  William,  who  resides  in  the 
Indian  Territory.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Miller 
lived  together  as  man  and  wife  for  sixty- 
two  years  and  at  his  death  he  left  a  widow, 
twenty  grandchildren,  nineteen  great- 
grandchildren and  three  great-great- 
grandchildren. He  was  buried  in  Dallas 
City  cemetery  and  thus  departed  this  life 
a  good  man  honored  by  everyone  where- 
ever  known. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Koontz  became  the  par- 
ents of  seven  children,  all  of  whom  were 
born  on  the  farm  in  Augusta  township, 
where  she  now  resides.  These  are :  Wil- 
liam, born  July  30,  1875;  Clara,  Decem- 
ber 24,  1876;  Lottie  M.,  June  25,  1879; 
Laura  Ellen,  January  18,  1881 ;  Lewis  H., 
January  7,  1883;  Daisy  E.,  October  20, 
1884;  and  Jesse  A.,  July  3,  1888.  Of 
this  number  three  have  passed  away.  All 
were  educated  at  Augusta  and  the  living 
members  of  the  family  are  yet  at  home. 

Mr.  Koontz  voted  with  the  Republican 
party  and  regarded  it  as  the  duty  as  well 
as  the  privilege  of  every  American  citi- 
zen to  -  cast  a  ballot  in  support  of  the 
measures  which  he  deemed  most  con- 
ducive to  good  government.  He  did  not 
seek  nor  desire  office,  however,  as  a  re- 
ward for  party  fealty.  He  held  member- 
ship in  the  Methodist  church  of  Augusta, 
of  which  his  wife  was  also  a  devoted 
member  and  his  Christian  faith  was  one 
of  the  strong  elements  in  his  life.  More- 
over he  was  a  most  enterprising  man  who 
worked  hard  and  long  in  order  to  secure 
a  good  home  for  his  family,  and  at  his 
death,  which  occurred  on  the  igth  of  Au- 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


gust,  1889,  he  was  enabled  to  leave  to  his 
family  a  comfortable  competence.  He 
was  respected  and  esteemed  wherever 
known  and  most  of  all  was  best  liked 
where  best  known — a  fact  which  indi- 
cates that  his  life  was  upright  and  honor- 
able. He  had  many  friends  who  as  well 
as  his  wife  and  children  deeply  regretted 
his  death.  Mrs.  Koontz  still  lives  upon 
the  home  farm  and  owns  two  hundred 
and  forty-one  and  a  half  acres  of  excel- 
lent land,  from  which  she  derives  a  good 
income.  She  likewise  owns  town  prop- 
erty in  Plymouth  and  she  is  devoting  her 
life  to  the  careful  rearing  of  her  family 
who  are  a  credit  to  her  name. 


S.  H.  ALDRIDGE. 

S.  H.  Aldridge,  filling  the  position  of 
postmaster  at  Plymouth,  is  also  engaged 
in  the  insurance  and  real  estate  business, 
and  as  an  official  and  business  man  has 
made  a  creditable  record.  He  was  born 
in  Windsor,  Shelby  county,  Illinois, 
March  23,  1857,  ar>d  is  a  son  of  Dr. 
Hugh  Hunter  and  Mary  Jane  (Harlan) 
Aldridge.  The  ancestry  can  be  traced 
back  to  Geoffrey  Aldridge,  who  wedded 
Mary  Jones,  a  lady  of  Irish  birth.  His 
paternal  grandfather,  Joel  Aldridge,  was 
born  in  Petersburg,  Virginia,  February 
22,  1794,  and  wedded  Mary  Ann  Hunter, 
also  of  that  place,  on  the  24th  of  April, 
1816.  They  were  farming  people,  and 
in  1830  removed  to  Kentucky,  whence 
in  1835  they  went  to  Macoupin  county, 
Illinois.  Dr.  H.  H.  Aldridge  was  born  in 


Petersburg,  Virginia,  February  6,  1817, 
and  was  reared  in  Kentucky.  He  came 
to  Illinois  when  about  twenty-one  years 
of  age,  and  engaged  in  carpentering  in 
Macoupin  county.  He  was  married  in 
Sangamon  county,  Illinois,  in  1848,  to 
Miss  Mary  Jane  Harlan,  who  was  born 
in  that  county,  and  it  was  subsequent  to 
his  marriage  that  he  took  up  the  study  of 
medicine  and  engaged  in  its  practice.  He 
lost  his  first  wife  in  1863,  and  later  he 
married  Miss  Elizabeth  Edwards,  a  na- 
tive of  Illinois,  whose  father  was  county 
clerk  of  Coles  county,  this  state.  By  the 
first  marriage  there  were  six  children,  of 
whom  four  are  now  living:  Hattie,  the 
wife  of  James  A.  Price,  who  is  living 
near  Windsor,  Illinois;  Illinois  L.,  the 
wife  of  John  P.  Rose,  who  also  resides 
near  Windsor;  S.  H.,  of  this  review;  and 
Georgia  M.,  who  is  a  trained  nurse  in 
Brooklyn,  New  York.  Unto  Dr.  Ald- 
ridge by  his  second  marriage  there  were 
born  four  daughters :  Florence  N.,  Ina 
M.,  Adella  M.,  and  Sue  D.,  only. one  of 
whom,  Florence  N.,  who  is  Mrs.  W.  B. 
Brown,  of  Woods  county,  Oklahoma, 
with  whom  the  mother  is  now  living. 

S.  H.  Aldridge  acquired  his  education 
in  the  public  schools  of  his  native  town 
and  afterward  became  connected  with  the 
drug  trade  there,  in  which  he  continued 
until  about  eighteen  years  ago,  when  he 
came  to  Plymouth.  Here  he  established 
a  drug  store,  conducting  the  business  until 
1897,  when  he  was  appointed  postmaster 
of  Plymouth,  in  which  capacity  he  has 
since  served,  having  been  reappointed. 
He  has  also  engaged  in  the  insurance  and 
real  estate  business,  and  as  a  land  agent 
has  secured  a  good  clientage. 


592 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


In  1885  Air.  Aldridge  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Maude  M.  Flowers,  who 
was  born  in  Ohio,  in  1857,  a  daughter  of 
Benjamin  Flowers,  who  was  a  native  of 
Ohio.  The  father  was  a  miller,  farmer 
and  engineer,  and  lived  and  died  in  Wind- 
sor, Illinois.  His  family  numbered  five 
children,  of  whom  four  are  living :  Hat- 
tie,  now  a  resident  of  Ohio;  Leila,  the  wife 
of  Amos  Messer,  an  ex-sheriff  of  Coles 
county,  Illinois,  and  a  retired  farmer; 
Mrs.  Aldridge ;  Lydia,  the  wife  of  George 
McCain,  who  is  part  owner  of  an  elevator 
in  Coles  county,  Illinois;  and  Augustus, 
who  is  clerking  in  Mattoon,  this  state. 
The  death  of  Mrs.  Aldridge  occurred  in 
July,  1887,  and  her  remains  were  laid  to 
rest  in  the  cemetery  at  Windsor.  She 
left  one  daughter,  Maude  E.  Aldridge, 
who  was  graduated  in  June,  1906,  from 
the  Plymouth  high  school.  On  Thanks- 
giving day  of  1892.  Mr.  Aldridge  was 
married  to  Miss  Lena  Parker,  who  was 
born  in  Ohio,  in  1870,  and  is  a  daughter 
of  Willis  and  Eliza  Parker,  natives  of 
Ohio.  Her  father  is  now  deceased,  and 
the  mother  spends  a  part  of  her  time  with 
Mrs.  Aldridge,  who  is  the  youngest  of  a 
family  of  five  children,  the  others  being: 
Etta,  the  wife  of  L.  V.  Brown,  of  Ply- 
mouth ;  Nora,  the  wife  of  DeForest  Hub- 
bard,  of  Chicago ;  Ambrose,  living  in 
Richmond,  Indiana ;  and  Raleigh,  a  resi- 
dent of  Logansport,  Indiana.  By  his 
second  marriage  Mr.  Aldrige  has  had  two 
children,  both  born  in  Plymouth;  Murrel, 
who  was  four  years  of  age  in  July,  1906. 
and  Maurine,  who  was  two  years  of  age 
in  December,  1906.  Mrs.  Aldridge  is  a 
member  of  the  Congregational  church. 
Theirs  is  a  pleasant  and  attractive  resi- 


dence on  Virginia  street  in  Plymouth,  and 
Mr.  Aldridge  is  one  of  the  prominent 
men  of  the  town,  taking  an  active  interest 
in  all  that  pertains  to  its  growth,  devel- 
opment and  substantial  improvement.  He 
possesses  a  generous  spirit  and  kindly  dis- 
position, and  is  recognized  as  a  man  of 
much  ability. 


TRUMAN  PLANTZ. 

Truman  Plantz,  a  resident  of  Warsaw 
and  engaged  in  the  practice  of  law,  was 
born  in  Fulton  county,  New  York,  No- 
vember 17,  1860,  and  came  to  Warsaw 
at  the  age  of  six  years. 

His  parents  were  Peter  W.  and  Jea- 
nette  (Higbee)  Plantz,  who  removed  with 
their  family  to  this  state,  where  they  re- 
sided for  many  years  and  here  the  father 
died  in  1896,  at  the  age  of  seventy-eight 
years.  Peter  W.  Plantz  was  an  attorney, 
practicing  in  the  state  of  New  York,  but 
never  followed  the  profession  actively 
after  coming  to  the  west,  his  attention 
being  given  to  civil  engineering.  His 
wife  survived  him  until  1901,  dying  at 
the  age  of  seventy-seven  years.  In  their 
family  were  five  children :  Oliver,  who 
died  in  infancy;  Charles  B.,  who  is  chief 
train  dispatcher  for  the  Toledo,  Peoria  & 
Western  Railroad,  resides  in  Peoriav  Illi- 
nois; Fannie  M.,  the  widow  of  Charles 
S.  Green,  residing  in  Warsaw ;  William, 
who  died  in  1879,  at  the  age  of  twenty- 
one  years ;  and  Truman. 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


593 


Truman  Plantz  was  educated  in  the 
public  schools  of  Warsaw  and  after  put- 
ting aside  his  text-books,  devoted  eleven 
years  to  railroad  work,  acting  at  differ- 
ent times  as  telegraph  operator,  baggage- 
man, brakeman  and  conductor,  filling  the 
last  mentioned  position  during  the  last 
seven  years  of  his  connection  with  the  rail- 
road service,  with  the  Toledo,  Peoria  & 
Western  Railroad.  In  1890  he  withdrew 
from  that  position,  having  determined  to 
become  a  member  of  the  bar.  In  the 
meantime  he  had  taken  up  the  study  of 
law,  and  for  about  six  months  pursued  his 
reading  in  the  office  of  D.  F.  Miller,  Jr., 
of  Keokuk,  Iowa. 

In  1891  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar 
at  Springfield,  and  at  once  entered  into 
the  practice  of  law  in  Warsaw.  He  was 
for  some  time  a  member  of  the  firm  of 
Plantz  &  Hartzell,  and  afterwards  of  the 
firm  of  Hooker,  Plantz  &  Hartzell.  He 
is  now  the  senior  partner  of  the  firm  of 
Plantz  &  Lamet.  Mr.  Plantz  is  the  gen- 
eral attorney  for  the  Modern  Woodmen 
of  America,  the  largest  fraternal  benefi- 
ciary society  in  the  United  States,  having 
been  elected  to  the  office  in  March  1903. 
He  became  a  member  of  this  order  in 
1895,  joining  at  Warsaw  and  has  held 
the  office  of  Consul  in  the  local  lodge  and 
was  appointed  and  served  as  one  of  the 
law  committee  of  the  society  for  six  years 
prior  to  becoming  general  attorney. 

Mr.  Plantz  is  also  a  member  of  the 
Order  of  the  Railway  Conductors.  He 
has  been  prominent  and  influential  in  local 
political  circles  and  for  several  years  was 
alderman  of  this  city.  He  has  also  been 
mayor  for  three  terms,  retiring  from  the 
office  about  1898.  The  fact  that  he  was 


twice  re-elected  is  an  indication  of  his 
capability  and  the  confidence  reposed  in 
him  by  his  fellow  townsmen.  He  was  a 
candidate  for  congress  on  the  democratic 
ticket  in  1892  and  1894  and  is  now  a 
member  of  the  democratic  state  commit- 
tee. For  the  past  ten  years  he  has  been 
president  of  the  board  of  education,  the 
cause  of  education  finding  in  him  a  stal- 
wart advocate,  who  has  done  effective 
work  in  behalf  of  the  public  schools. 

On  the  1 8th  of  August,  1890,  Mr. 
Plantz  was  married  to  Miss  Helen 
Dallam,  a  daughter  of  Francis  and  Anna 
M.  Dallam.  They  had  born  to  them  one 
child,  Truman,  who  is  a  student  in  the 
Warsaw  schools.  Mrs.  Plantz  died  No- 
vember 15,  1904,  at  Warsaw.  Mr. 
Plantz  is  kind,  unaffected  and  approach- 
able and  every  comer  has  a  claim  upon  his 
attention. 


CARTHAGE  FREE  PUBLIC 
LIBRARY. 

This  institution  was  founded  in  1893 
through  the  efforts  of  a  few  women  of 
Carthage,  organized  as  the  Columbian 
Library  Association  and  having  a  dollar 
and  a  half  in  their  treasury.  Mrs.  Wil- 
liam C.  Hooker,  the  president  and  an 
enthusiast  in  the  work,  called  a  meeting 
of  the  citizens  at  the  home  of  Mrs. 
Amanda  E.  Shultz.  At  this  meeting 
Ex-Mayor  A.  W.  O'Harra  encouraged 
the  women  to  continue  their  efforts.  For 
several  months  receptions  and  market 
days  were  held.  Dr.  E.  M.  Robbins, 


594 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


mayor,  being  appealed  to  for  help,  ap- 
pointed a  board  of  directors  as  follows : 
Messrs.  M.  P.  Berry,  A.  N.  Cherrill,  C. 
J.  Scofield  and  D.  E.  Mack  and  Mesdames 
William  C.  Hooker,  S.  L.  Botts,  Mary 
Robbins,  Elizabeth  Cherill  and  Mrs. 
Duane  Pennock.  Mrs.  William  C.  Hook- 
er was  made  president  of  this  board  and 
held  the  position  until  her  death  in  Feb- 
ruary, 1900. 

M.  P.  Berry  offered  to  give  the  sum  of 
five  hundred  dollars  toward  starting  a 
public  library,  providing  a  like  sum  to 
be  given  by  the  citizens.  In  a  short  time 
six  hundred  and  twelve  dollars  were 
subscribed  to  insure  Mr.  Berry's  gift. 
The  library,  now  being  an  assured  fact, 
was  opened  to  the  public  March  10,  1894, 
with  two  thousand  one  hundred  and  thir- 
ty-six books  on  the  shelves.  Two  courses 
of  lectures  were  arranged  for,  several  of 
our  prominent  men  and  women  giving 
time  and  talent  toward  the  success  of  this 
enterprise.  A  third  course  was  given  by 
M.  P.  Berry  on  his  trip  to  Europe.  The 
different  churches  were  offered  free  of 
charge  for  these  lectures  and  accepted  by 
the  Carthage  Library  Association.  The 
first  year  of  the  library's  existence  was 
spent  in  a  room  owned  by  John  Culkin 
and  given  by  him  free  of  rent.  The  new 
city  hall  being  completed  soon  after  this, 
the  library  moved  into  two  rooms  up- 
stairs furnished  by  the  city.  Mrs.  M.  P. 
Berry  was  elected  to  fill  Mrs.  Hooker's 
place  as  president  of  the  Carthage  Li- 
brary Association  and  held  office  until 
her  death,  November  6,  1902.  Novem- 
ber, 1900,  the  library  was  moved  an>I 
permanently  located  in  the  lower  room 
of  the  city  hall,  Mr.  M.  P.  Berry  having 


offered  to  fit  up  this  room,  providing  the 
city  make  it  the  home  of  the  library,  and 
it  now  has  very  pleasant  quarters. 

The  library  now  consists  of  forty-four 
hundred  volumes,  the  average  number 
loaned  per  week  being  two  hundred. 
The  circulating  department  is  open  every 
Saturday  afternoon  from  one  to  five  and 
from  seven  to  nine  p.  m.  The  reading 
room  is  open  every  evening  during  the 
week  from  seven  to  nine  o'clock.  The 
reference  rooms  and  current  literature  of 
this  room  are  free  for  the  use  of  all  who 
may  desire  to  come  to  the  library.  Lega- 
cies have  been  received  by  the  library 
as  follows:  August  9,  1898,  from  the 
Swartz  estate,  one  hundred  and  forty-six 
dollars  and  twenty  cents;  November  10, 
1900.  one  thousand  dollars  by  the  will  of 
Willis  Bernethy;  in  1902,  thirty-five  dol- 
lars by  the  will  of  Judge  Chellis  Hooker, 
and  July  6,  1906,  five  hundred  dollars 
was  left  by  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Cherrill  to  the 
general  fund.  The  city  by  appropriation 
provides  for  the  running  expenses  of  the 
library.  The  books  are  free  to  the  resi- 
dents and  non-residents  can  purchase 
membership  tickets  at  two  dollars  per 
year.  The  Carthage  Library  Association 
still  continues  its  work  for  the  library 
with  Mrs.  A.  W.  O'Harra  as  president, 
she  having  held  this  position  since  Mrs. 
Berry's  death.  Mrs.  Duane  Pennock  is 
and  has  been  librarian  ever  since  the  li- 
brary has  been  opened.  Although  she 
has  never  received  a  very  large  compen- 
sation for  her  services,  yet  she  has  been 
faithful  and  untiring  in  the  discharge  erf 
her  many  duties  and  her  efforts  have 
aided  very  materially  in  making  the  li- 
brary what  it  is  today. 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


595 


C.  J.  ROBINSON. 

C.  J.  Robinson,  in  whose  business  in- 
tegrity and  enterprise  are  found  the  secret 
of  his  success,  is  now  conducting  a  gen- 
eral merchandise  store  in  Pontoosuc,  and 
is  accounted  one  of  the  leading  business 
men  of  the  village.  A  son  of  William 
and  Mary  Ann  (Howard)  Robinson,  his 
birth  occurred  in  an  old  log  house  in  Dal- 
las township,  July  5,  1873.  His  parents 
were  also  natives  of  the  same  township. 
The  father,  who  was  born  in  1849,  was  a 
farmer  by  occupation  and  served  in  the 
Civil  war  as  a  member  of  the  Sixty-fifth 
Regiment  of  Illinois  Volunteers.  Both 
he  and  his  wife  are  now  living  at  Colusa. 
In  their  family  were  nine  children :  Wil- 
liam H.,  deceased ;  C.  J.,  of  this  review ; 
Leonette,  the  wife  of  William  B.  Thaner, 
of  Mason  City,  Illinois ;  Emma,  the  wife 
of  Clarence  Dry,  of  Burnside,  Illinois; 
Clara,  who  married  John  Lamb,  of  Pon- 
toosuc, Illinois;  Mintie,  who  died  at  the 
age  of  thirteen  years;  Mary  A.,  the  wife 
of  George  Lamb,  formerly  of  Pontoosuc, 
but  now  of  Colusa ;  Gladys,  at  home ;  and 
Christina,  who  died  in  infancy. 

C.  J.  Robinson  attended  the  Pontoosuc 
schools  from  the  age  of  nine  years  until 
nineteen  years  of  age.  Then  his  parents 
moving  to  Colusa,  he  attended  the  Camp 
Creek  school,  where  he  studied  book- 
keeping under  the  direction  of  his 
mother's  cousin,  Dwight  Hubbard,  until 
twenty-one  years  of  age,  and  remained  at 
home  during  that  time.  He  then  took 
up  his  abode  in  the  village  of  Pontoosuc 
and  secured  employment  in  the  Snake 
Den  stone  quarries  where  he  was  em- 
ployed in  the  fall  of  1894.  On  Decem- 


ber 2,  1904,  he  secured  a  clerkship  in  the 
store  of  Charles  Price,  of  Pontoosuc.  A 
short  time  afterward  he  became  a  clerk  in 
the  Star  shoe  store  in  Fort  Madison,  Iowa, 
On  the  8th  of  April,  1895,  he  opened  in 
Pontoosuc  a  branch  store  for  the  firm  of 
Rollosson  Brothers,  of  Dallas  City,  and 
continued  as  manager  until  the  i3th  of 
June,  1900,  when  he  purchased  the  store, 
which  he  has  since  conducted  with  con- 
stantly growing  success.  It  is  now  one 
of  the  leading  stores  in  the  village  and  he 
has  built  up  a  good  trade,  which  is  con- 
stantly increasing.  He  carries  a  large 
line  of  carefully  selected  goods,  endeavors 
earnestly  to  meet  the  wishes  of  his  patrons 
and  by  reason  of  fair  prices  and  honorable 
dealing  has  won  a  goodly  share  of  the 
patronage. 

In  the  spring  of  1898  Mr.  Robinson 
was  married  to  Miss  Ella  M.  Congrove, 
who  was  born  in  Ohio,  August  19,  1879, 
and  is  a  daughter  of  A.  V.  and  Caroline 
(Harper)  Congrove,  both  of  whom  are 
natives  of  Ohio.  Her  father  was  owner 
and  proprietor  of  a  threshing  machine, 
which  he  operated  for  twenty-seven  sea- 
sons in  Hancock  county  and  he  is  now 
running  a  huckster  wagon  for  his  son- 
in-law,  Mr.  Robinson,  with  whom  he 
lives.  His  wife  died  about  1896,  when 
forty-six  or  forty-seven  years  of  age.  In 
their  family  were  five  children :  Hilas, 
now  living  in  Bendena,  Kansas;  Lorena, 
the  wife  of  Casper  Clark,  of  Dallas  City, 
Illinois;  E.  H.,  of  Bendena,  Kansas;  Ari- 
zona, the  wife  of  Fred  Urban,  of  Pontoo- 
suc; and  Mrs.  R'obinson. 

Our  subject  and  his  wife  now  have  a 
pleasant  home  at  the  corner  of  Mercer 
and  Fifth  streets,  which  property  he  owns. 


596 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


They  are  now  parents  of  two  children : 
Millie  Beatrice,  born  in  Pontoosuc,  June 
2,  1898;  and  William  H.,  born  February 
7,  1902.  Mr.  Robinson  is  a  republican, 
active  in  the  ranks  of  the  party  and  he  has 
served  as  village  treasurer  and  also  as 
village  clerk.  He  belongs  to  the  Modern 
Woodmen  camp,  which  he  joined  on  its 
organization  and  for  four  or  five  years 
thereafter  he  served  as  its  clerk.  He  like- 
wise belongs  to  the  Illinois  Bankers'  Life 
Association,  and  his  wife  is  a  member  of 
the  Christian  church,  also  the  Royal 
Neighbors.  Both  are  representatives  of 
families  which  have  creditable  military 
histories.  John  A.  Robinson,  an  uncle 
of  our  subject,  served  throughout  the 
Civil  war,  while  Franklin  Pierce,  an  uncle 
of  Mr.  Robinson,  was  in  the  Spanish- 
American  war,  being  one  of  the  Rough 
Riders  of  Colonel  Roosevelt.  He  died  in 
Wichita,  Kansas,  December  i,  1900. 
Major  Robinson,  the  grandfather  of  C. 
J.  Robinson,  was  active  in  the  Mormon 
war  of  1844.  The  family  is  an  old  and 
prominent  one  of  this  part  of  the  state 
and  from  pioneer  times  the  representa- 
tives of  the  name  have  been  loyal  to  the 
best  interests  of  the  community  and  have 
co-operated  in  many  movements  resulting 
in  its  material  progress. 


DE  WITT  C.  WOOD. 

De  Witt  C.  Wood,  who  for  many  years 
has  resided  in  Hancock  county  and  is 
now  living  retired  in  Augusta,  was  born 


in  Orange  county,  New  York,  about  for- 
ty miles  from  New  York  city  on  the  8th 
of  March,  1827,  a  son  of  Jesse  and  Jane 
(Tunison)  Wood.  The  father  was  a  na- 
tive of  New  York  state  and  throughout 
his  entire  life  followed  fanning,  spending 
his  last  years  upon  the  farm  where  his 
birth  occurred.  He  had  then  reached  the 
age  of  eighty-three  years  and  nine 
months.  His  wife,  a  native  of  New  Jer- 
sey, was  a  daughter  of  Garrett  Tunison, 
who  served  as  a  sergeant  in  the  American 
Army  in  the  Revolutionary  war.  Mrs. 
Wood  also  died  upon  the  old  homestead 
farm  in  Orange  county.  She  was  the 
mother  of  thirteen  children,  of  whom  two 
are  now  living. 

De  Witt  C.  Wood  acquired  his  edu- 
cation in  the  schools  of  his  native  town- 
ship and  in  the  academy  at  Chester,  New 
York,  and  when  liberal  advantages  had 
well  qualified  him  for  life's  practical  and 
responsible  duties  he  resumed  work  upon 
his  father's  farm,  where  he  remained  for 
several  years.  He  then  turned  his  atten- 
tion to  railroading  as  a  brakeman  on  the 
Erie  Railroad,  occupying  that  position  for 
fourteen  months,  when  he  became  fore- 
man on  a  construction  train.  He  con- 
tinued in  that  service  until  1853,  when 
he  came  to  Illinois  attracted  by  its  op- 
portunities and  business  development  of 
the  new  and  growing  west.  Locating  at 
Joliet  he  worked  on  the  Chicago  &  Alton 
Railroad,  making  a  cut  of  twenty-two 
feet.  He  afterward  returned  to  the  Em- 
pire state  in  1854,  but  later  in"  that  year 
again  came  to  Illinois  and  was  train 
baggageman  from  Chicago  to  St.  Louis 
on  the  Chicago  &  Alton  Railroad,  occu- 
pying that  position  for  almost  a  year. 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


597 


Again  he  went  to  New  York  and  for 
twelve  years  thereafter  worked  upon  his 
father's  farm.  Thus  he  resided  in  his 
native  state  almost  continuously  for  for- 
ty-two years,  after  which  he  again  came 
to  Illinois,  arriving  in  1869  in  the  village 
of  Augusta,  where  he  now  resides.  Here 
he  has  been  engaged  principally  in  gar- 
dening and  has  well  cultivated  gardens, 
the  products  of  which  find  a  ready  sale 
on  the  market  because  of  size,  quality 
and  flavor  in  addition  to  the  honorable 
business  methods  of  Mr.  Wood.  A  life 
of  industry  has  brought  to  him  a  fair 
measure  of  success. 

In  1849  Mr.  Wood  was  married  to 
Miss  Elizabeth  Hallock,  who  was  born 
at  Sugarloaf,  New  York,  and  died  leav- 
ing two  children.  Charles  H.  died  of 
heart  failure  when  twenty  years  of  age 
while  attending  the  services  of  the  Chris- 
tian church  in  Augusta.  Elizabeth  is  the 
wife  of  Frank  Nation,  a  resident  of  Chi- 
cago and  they  have  three  children,  Ralph, 
Clinton  and  Charles.  Mrs.  Elizabeth 
Wood  died  and  was  buried  at  the  old 
home  place  in  New  York.  For  his  second 
wife  Mr.  Wood  chose  Miss  Jane  Cogan, 
who  was  born  in  Troy,  New  York,  and 
was  a  daughter  of  John  and  Ann  (Foy) 
Cogan,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Ire- 
land, whence  they  came  to  the  United 
States  on  their  wedding  trip.  They  lo- 
cated in  New  York  city,  where  they  re- 
sided for  some  time  and  afterward  re- 
moved to  Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania. 
Both  parents,  however,  passed  away  in 
the  Empire  state,  the  mother  being  killed 
by  the  cars.  Mrs.  Wood  was  educated  in 
New  York  and  was  one  of  a  family  of 
nine  children,  three  of  whom  are  yet 


living.  By  her  marriage  she  became  the 
mother  of  two  children,  Daisy  and  Wini- 
fred. The  former  was  born  in  Augusta 
in  the  house  in  which  Mr.  Wood  now  re- 
sides. She  is  a  teacher  in  the  public 
schools  here,  having  followed  the  pro- 
fession for  seven  years,  subsequent  to  her 
graduation  from  the  high  school.  She 
also  possesses  considerable  artistic  talent 
and  does  very  good  work  in  pastel  paint- 
ing. Winifred,  also  born  in  the  home  in 
which  she  is  living,  acquired  her  early  ed- 
ucation in  the  schools  of  Augusta  and 
afterward  attended  the  Northern  Indiana 
Normal  School  at  Valparaiso,  Indiana. 
She  is  now  clerk  in  the  large  department 
store  of  F.  M.  King,  of  Augusta. 

Mr.  Wood  is  a  republican  from  princi- 
ple but  does  not  seek  office  as  a  reward  for 
party  fealty.  He  is  well  known  in  the 
town  where  he  resides,  having  long  made 
his  home  here  and  the  family  is  one  of 
social  prominence,  occupying  an  enviable 
position  where  culture  and  intelligence 
are  received  as  passports  into  good 
societv. 


WILLIAM  G.  WEBB. 

William  G.  Webb  is  a  native  of  Appa- 
noose  township  where  he  still  makes  his 
home.  His  birth  occurred  January  5, 
1848,  and  he  is  the  second  son  in  a  family 
of  three  sons  and  one  daughter,  whose 
parents  were  William  and  Harriett  (Bald- 
win) Webb.  This  was  the  father's  second 
marriage.  In  his  boyhood  days  William 
G.  Webb  remained  upon  the  home  farm 


598 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


and  from  an  early  age  was  compelled  to 
work  in  the  fields.  When  but  a  young 
lad  he  would  rake  and  bind  grain  and  do 
all  kinds  of  tasks  incident  to  the  raising 
of  crops.  As  his  age  and  strength  per- 
mitted he  undertook  greater  responsibili- 
ties and  more  arduous  duties  in  connection 
with  the  farm  work  and  he  thus  early 
became  familiar  with  agricultural  inter- 
ests in  every  department.  His  school 
privileges  were  somewhat  limited  but  he 
has  become  a  well  informed  man  through 
reading,  observation  and  experience  in 
later  years.  He  remained  at  home  until 
twenty-four  years  of  age,  when  he  was 
married  to  Miss  Laura  V.  Davis,  the  wed- 
ding being  celebrated  on  the  28th  of 
February,  1872.  Mrs.  Webb  was  born  in 
Columbiana  county,  Ohio,  July  i,  1852, 
and  was  about  three  years  old  when  she 
accompanied  her  parents  on  their  removal 
to  Hancock  county.  She,  too,  acquired 
a  common-school  education,  while  spend- 
ing her  girlhood  days  in  the  home  of  her 
parents,  John  T.  and  Elenore  (Burton) 
Davis,  the  former  a  native  of  Maryland, 
and  the  latter  of  Ohio.  Her  maternal 
grandparents  were  William  and  Rebecca 
(Stoddard)  Burton.  The  marriage  of 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Webb  was  blessed  with  a 
family  of  seven  children :  Elenore  May, 
who  was  born  November  22,  1872,  and 
is  the  wife  of  Samuel  Gnann,  of  Appa- 
noose  township;  Albert  Erwin,  who  was 
born  February  7,  1874,  and  is  living  in 
the  same  township;  Florence  Laura,  who 
was  born  February  9,  1876,  and  is  the 
wife  of  Henry  Siegrist,  of  Appanoose 
township;  Josephine  Harriet,  who  was 
born  August  7,  1878,  and  is  at  home; 
Vincent  Giles,  who  was  born  January  7, 


1887,  and  died  January  22,  1898;  Orville 
C.  Wayne,  who  was  born  February  4, 
1890,  and  is  yet  with  his  parents;  and 
Sydney  Thomas,  who  was  born  June  21, 
1892,  and  completes  the  family. 

It  was  subsequent  to  his  marriage  that 
Mr.  Webb  invested  his  earnings  in  eighty 
acres  of  land  on  the  south  half  of  a  quar- 
ter section,  upon  which  he  had  previously 
lived.  It  was  an  improved  place,  at  one 
time  occupied  by  the  Mormons  and  all  of 
the  buildings  which  he  there  found  have 
been  replaced  by  more  commodious  and 
modern  structures.  The  residence  is  a 
substantial  frame  one  of  seven  rooms  and 
there  are  good  barns  and  other  outbuild- 
ings. Mr.  Webb  at  once  undertook  the 
task  of  developing  and  improving  his 
place  and  the  fields  are  now  richly  tilled, 
so  that  the  threshing  season  is  a  busy 
time  upon  the  Webb  farm,  while  in  the 
later  autumn  good  crops  of  corn  are  also 
gathered.  He  likewise  raises  shorthorn 
cattle,  Poland  China  hogs  and  Shropshire 
sheep.  Following  his  father's  death  Mr. 
Webb  inherited  eighty  acres  of  land  on 
section  35,  Appanoose  township,  and  he 
also  bought  eighty  acres,  of  which  one 
half  is  on  section  34,  and  the  remainder 
on  section  33,  Appanoose  township.  This, 
however,  he  sold  to  his  son,  Albert  E. 
Webb,  in  the  fall  of  1899.  Still  actively 
engaged  in  the  management  of  his  farm, 
he  is  a  business  man  whose  alert  and  en- 
terprising spirit  has  been  manifest  in  his 
capable  conduct  of  his  interests  as  the 
years  have  gone  by.  He  was  early 
trained  to  habits  of  industry  and  economy 
and  these  proved  important  factors  in  his 
success  in  after  years.  A  faithful  mem- 
ber of  the  Presbyterian  church,  he  has 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


599 


served  as  elder  since  1903.  He  belongs 
to  Temple  lodge,  No.  222,  Independent 
Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  at  Nauvoo,  and  to 
the  Modern  Woodmen  camp  there. 
Interested  in  politics  to  the  extent  of 
giving  hearty  and  earnest  support  to  the 
principles  which  he  believes  are  most  con- 
ducive to  good  government,  his  fellow 
townsmen  have  recognized  his  devotion 
to  the  public  good  and  have  elected  him 
to  some  local  offices.  For  twelve  years 
he  served  as  commissioner  of  highways 
and  as  collecto'r  for  one  year,  in  which 
connection  his  duties  have  been  promptly 
and  faithfully  performed. 


GEORGE  H.  SLINGERLAND. 

George  H.  Slingerland  owns  and  op- 
erates a  farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  on  sections  15  and  10,  Augusta 
township.  He  was  born  in  Sloansville, 
Schoharie  county,  New  York,  Novem- 
ber 14,  1849,  and  his  parents,  Henry  and 
Maria  (Machin)  Slingerland,  were  like- 
wise natives  of  the  same  locality.  The 
mother  was  a  daughter  of  Thomas 
Machin,  •  who  defended  the  interests  of 
the  colonies  as  a  captain  in  the  Revolu-. 
tionary  war.  In  1856  the  father  brought 
his  family  to  Hancock  county,  Illinois, 
where  he  followed  the  occupation  of 
fanning,  to  which  he  had  also  given  his 
attention  in  the  Empire  state.  He  died 
in  the  early  '8os,  while  his  wife  survived 
until  1896  and  both  were  buried  in  Au- 
gusta cemetery. 
38 


George  H.  SKngerland  is  the  only  one 
of  their  five  children  now  living.  He 
was  a  lad  of  six  years  when  brought  to 
this  county  and  his  early  education  was 
acquired  in  Augusta,  while  later  he  con- 
tinued his  studies  in  Union  Classical  In- 
stitute and  Union  College,  Schenectady, 
New  York.  He  continued  under  the 
parental  roof  until  of  age  and  then  start- 
ed out  in  life  on  his  own  account.  On 
the  i3th  of  January,  1885,  he  married 
Jennie  Reynolds,  who  was  born  in  Ne- 
braska in  1859,  a  daughter  of  David  and 
Elizabeth  (Lock)  Reynolds.  Her  fa- 
ther, a  native  of  New  York,  came  to  Illi- 
nois in  1855.  He  devoted  his  life  to 
school  teaching  and  farming  and  passed 
away  in  1872,  his  remains  being  laid  to 
rest  in  Greeley,  Colorado.  His  widow, 
who  was  born  in  Schuyler  county,  Illi- 
nois, is  now  living  in  Kansas.  Their 
children  were:  Hattie,  now  the  wife  of 
John  McFarlan,  of  Colby,  Kansas;  and 
Jennie,  the  wife  of  our  subject.  The 
great-grandfather  and  two  great-uncles 
of  Mrs.  Slingerland  were  valiant  soldiers 
of  the  Revolutionary  war. 

Following  their  marriage  Mr.  Slinger- 
land settled  on  a  farm  in  Augusta  town- 
ship, comprising  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  on  sections  15  and  10.  Here  he 
has  since  engaged  in  tilling  the  soil  and 
raising  stock.  He  is  a  republican  but 
without  aspiration  for  office,  and  fra- 
ternally he  is  a  Mason,  Knight  of  Pythias 
and  Woodman.  In  all  these  orders  he  is 
a  valued  factor,  for  his  life  is  in  harmony 
with  the  principles  and  tenets  of  the  dif- 
ferent societies.  In  a  review  of  his  life 
it  will  be  seen  that  he  merits  the  compli- 
ment implied  in  the  term  a  "self-made 


6oo 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


man,"  for  all  that  he  possesses  has  been 
obtained  through  his  own  labor. 


ABNER  MURPHY. 

Abner  Murphy,  whose  memory  is  cher- 
ished in  Augusta,  where  he  made  his 
home,-  by  many  friends  who  long  enter- 
tained for  him  warm  regard  and  respect, 
was  born  in  Adams  county,  Ohio,  No- 
vember 15,  1822,  and  died  in  this  village 
September  u,  1898.  He  was  the  young- 
est in  a  family  of  eleven  children  bom 
unto  Robert  and  Elizabeth  (Clifford) 
Murphy,  the  former  a  native  of  Penn- 
sylvania and  the  latter  of  Ohio.  The  fa- 
ther was  a  farmer  by  occupation  and  be- 
came one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Adams 
county,  Ohio,  where  he  lived  until  his 
death,  his  wife  also  passing  away  at  the 
old  homestead  in  that  county.  Both  were 
well  advanced  in  years,  the  mother  hav- 
ing reached  the  venerable  age  of  ninety 
years  when  called  to  her  final  rest. 

Abner  Murphy  acquired  his  education 
in  the  place  of  his  nativity,  after  which 
he  engaged  in  teaching  in  the :  district 
schools  in  his  native  county.  He  re- 
mained a  resident  of  Ohio  until  about 
twenty-seven  years  of  age,  when,  in  1850, 
he  came  to  Illinois  and  was  engaged  in 
teaching  for  a  number  of  years  in  Brown 
and  Schuyler  counties. 

In  1860  Mr.  Murphy  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Miss  Bethania  Billiter,  who 
was  born  in  Butler  county,  Ohio,  a 
daughter  of  John  and  Mary  (Stroup) 
Billiter,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of 


North  Carolina,  whence  they  removed  to 
Kentucky,  remaining  in  this  state  for  a 
short  time,  while  later  they  resided  in 
Butler  county,  Ohio,  where  the  father 
engaged  in  farming  for  a  number  of 
\ears.  He  then  removed  with  his  family 
to  Clay  county,  Indiana,  where  he  also 
engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits  and 
some  years  later  he  came  to  Illinois,  lo- 
cating near  Camden,  where  he  engaged  in 
farming  until  his  death,  which  occurred 
when  he  was  sixty-five  years  of  age.  The 
mother  survived  him  for  a  number  of 
years  and  passed  away  at  the  age  of  sev- 
enty-five. 

Subsequent  to  his  marriage  Mr.  Mur- 
phy spent  a  year  in  Missouri,  after  which 
he  returned  to  Illinois  and  came  to  Au- 
gusta in  1876,  having  in  the  meantime 
lived  in  various  places.  He  followed 
farming  in  Adams  county,  the  greater 
part  of  his  land  extending  over  the  bor- 
der line  into  that  county  although  his 
home  was  in  Hancock  county.  He  re- 
mained there  for  about  four  years  before 
coming  to  Augusta  and  he  owned  eighty 
acres  of  land,  which  he  sold  before  tak- 
ing up  his  abode  in  this  village,  where 
his  remaining  days  were  passed.  For 
about  thirteen  years  his  brother  and  sis- 
ter. Robert  and  Rebecca  Murphy  made 
their  home  with  him  until  they  were 
called  to  their  final  rest  about  two  years 
before  his  demise.  Shortly  before  com- 
ing to  Augusta  Mr.  Murphy  of  this  re- 
view purchased  a  home  in  the  northern 
part  of  the  village,  where  his  widow  still 
resides  and  here  he  lived  retired  in  the 
enjoyment  of  a  well  earned  rest.  He 
made  an  addition  to  the  house  and  trans- 
formed it  into  a  very  comfortable  home. 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


601 


Mr.  Murphy  was  a  man  of  sterling 
business  integrity  and  industry  and  was 
always  true  to  his  convictions  as  a  citi- 
zen and  faithful  to  his  professions  as'  a 
believer  in  the  Christian  faith.  In  his 
family  he  was  devoted  to  the  welfare  of 
the  members  of  his  household  and  was 
considerate  of  all  who  knew  him  in  ev- 
ery relation  of  life.  The  poor  and  needy 
found  in  him  a  warm  friend,  whose  sym- 
pathy was  often  manifest  by  his  assist- 
ance. He  held  membership  in  the  Ma- 
sonic fraternity,  being  a  charter  member 
of  the  blue  lodge  at  Camden,  Illinois, 
and  throughout  his  entire  life  he  mani- 
fested the  beneficent  spirit  of  the  craft. 
His  political  allegiance  was  given  to  the 
democracy  and  for  one  term  he  held  the 
office  of  supervisor  of  Augusta  township. 
His  remains  were  interred  in  the  ceme- 
tery at  Augusta  and  his  death  was  deeply 
deplored  by  all  who  knew  him,  because 
he  had  ever  displayed  the  sterling  traits 
of  character  which  win  warm  friendships 
and  strong  regard. 


THOMAS  CRAWFORD. 

Thomas  Crawford  devoted  his  life  to 
general  farming  and  stock-raising  and 
while  carrying  on  his  business  interests 
developed  a  character  that  made  him  an 
exemplary  citizen  and  a  man  whom  to 
know  was  to  respect  and  honor.  He 
guided  his  life  by  high  principles,  was 
kind-hearted,  generous  and  enterprising, 


and  at  all  times  and  under  all  relations 
commanded  the  respect  and  esteem  of 
those  with  whom  he  was  associated. 
Born  in  Nicholas  county,  Kentucky, 
July  8,  1812,  he  was  a  son  of  William  and 
Alzira  (Doughty)  Crawford.  The  father 
a  Kentucky  farmer,  went  to  Adams  coun- 
ty, Illinois,  in  1831,  and  lived  in  Quincy 
until  the  spring  of  1832,  while  later  he 
entered  land  in  Wythe  township,  Hancock 
county,  for  a  dollar  and  a  quarter  per  acre. 
He  lived  in  a  log  house  and  knew  all  of 
the  experiences  and  hardship  of  pioneer 
life.  Indians  were  still  seen  in  the  neigh- 
borhood and  there  was  much  wild  game, 
including  deer.  He  was  a  man  of  brave 
and  resolute  spirit,  as  manifest  in  his  pio- 
neer life.  His  death  occurred  in  Mis- 
souri in  1869,  while  his  wife  passed  away 
in  1846.  He  was  buried  in  Wilcox  town- 
ship and  his  wife  in  Walker  township  in 
a  private  burying-ground  known  as  the 
Hatchett  burying-ground.  In  their  fam- 
ily were  seven  children.  The  parents 
were  most  highly  esteemed  as  worthy 
pioneer  people,  who  contributed  in  large 
and  substantial  measure  to  the  early  de- 
velopment of  the  county  and  whose  in- 
fluence was  ever  given  on  the  side  of 
right,  progress,  justice  and  truth.' 

Thomas  Crawford  was  educated  in  the 
public  schools  of  Kentucky  and  when 
eighteen  years  of  age  accompanied  his 
parents  on  their  removal  to  Illinois.  In 
1839  he  wedded  Jane  M.  Stockton,  a 
native  of  Tennessee  and  a  daughter  of 
Samuel  and  Sarah  Stockton,  who  were 
also  born  in  that  state  and  have  now 
passed  away.  In  their  family  were  eleven 
children.  The  father  was  a  soldier  of  the 
war  of  1812.  Mrs.  Crawford  died  in  1847, 


602 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


leaving  five  children,  of  whom  two  are 
now  living:  Laura  A.,  the  widow  of 
Uriah  C.  Seaton  and  a  resident  of  Colo- 
rado, having  one  daughter,  Jessie,  who 
is  a  trained  nurse  in  that  state;  Alzira  F., 
who  is  the  wife  of  John  K.  Stockton,  of 
Colorado,  by  whom  she  has  three  chil- 
dren ;  Sarah,  who  married  H.  O.  Knox 
and  died  in  1875.  On  the  25th  of  March, 
1849,  Mr.  Crawford  wedded  Serepta  J. 
Doughty,  who  was  born  in  Kentucky  in 
1829,  a  daughter  of  James  and  Mary 
(McMahan)  Doughty,  natives  of  Ken- 
tucky. Her  father,  a  farmer  by  occupa- 
tion, located  in  Wilcox  township,  Han- 
cock county,  Illinois,  in  1843  and  his 
original  home  here  was  a  log  cabin,  but 
as  the  years  passed  he  prospered  and  be- 
came owner  of  a  comfortable  modern 
residence.  Both  he  and  his  wife  were 
members  of  the  Christian  church.  Their 
family  numbered  seven  children,  but  only 
two  are  living:  Mrs.  Crawford;  and 
Ann,  the  wife  of  Benjamin  F.  Howes,  of 
Bragmer,  Missouri. 

Following  his  first  marriage  Mr.  Craw- 
ford entered  land  in  Walker  township  on 
several  different  sections  and  became  an 
extensive  proptery  holder.  He  had  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  his  home  place, 
which  he  improved,  transforming  it  into 
a  very  fine  farm.  As  his  financial  re- 
sources increased  he  kept  adding  to  his 
property  until  at  one  time  he  owned  the 
greater  part  of  Sutter.  He  displayed 
keen  discernment  in  his  investments  and 
was  a  man  of  excellent  business  ability 
and  executive  force.  He  never  inherited 
anything  but  was  very  enterprising  and 
progressive  and  with  the  assistance  of  his 
estimable  wife,  who  was  indeed  a  great 


helpmate  to  him,  he  advanced  from  a 
humble  financial  position  to  one  of 
affluence. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Crawford  were  born 
nine  children,  all  natives  of  Walker  town- 
ship :  Mrs.  Mary  Jane  Andrews,  the  eld- 
est, lives  with  her  mother  and  has  four 
children ;  Clarence,  Claude,  Bay,  and 
Harry.  James  F.  is  postmaster  of  War- 
saw. Margaret  Ella  was  the  wife  of 
Aquilla  J.  Dougherty,  who  was  consul  to 
Peru,  South  America,  and  was  in  the  in- 
ternal revenue  office  at  Peoria,  Illinois. 
His  wife  died  November  15,  1881,  while 
his  death  occurred  in  1904.  Virginia 
Crawford  died  in  1859,  at  the  age  of  three 
years.  William  T.  is  assistant  postmaster 
at  Warsaw.  John  Coleman  operates  the 
farm  for  his  mother.  Fannie  is  the  wife 
of  Leon  W.  Berry,  a  jeweler  of  Carthage, 
and  they  have  three  children :  Freda, 
Kenneth  and  Leonard  Coleman.  Cora 
M.  is  at  home,  and  Charles  C.  is  a  drug- 
gist of  Warsaw. 

About  1874  Mr.  Crawford  built  for  his 
family  a  comfortable  and  commodious 
brick  residence  upon  the  farm  in  Wilcox 
township.  He  was,  however,  not  per- 
mitted to  enjoy  his  new  home  for  he  died 
before  it  was  completed,  passing  away 
March  23,  1875.  In  politics  he  was  a  re- 
publican and  served  as  justice  of  the- 
peace.  He  was  also  an  enrolling  officer 
in  the  Civil  war.  He  was  one  of  the  early 
Masons  of  this  part  of  the  state  and  in 
his  life  exemplified  the  beneficent  spirit 
of  the  craft.  He  was  a  temperate  man 
and  at  all  times  discouraged  the  excessive 
use  of  intoxicants.  In  his  business  af- 
fairs he  was  strictly  honorable  and  reliable 
and  was  never  known  to  take  advantage 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


603 


of  the  necessities  of  another  in  a  business 
transaction.  Generous  by  nature,  kindly 
in  disposition  and  warm-hearted,  he 
would  rather  be  imposed  upon  than  to  in- 
jure another,  and  his  life  record  proved 
that  wealth  and  an  honored  name  may  be 
won  simultaneously.  He  became  one  of 
the  prosperous  landowners -of  the  county 
and  though  he  attained  wealth  he  never 
allowed  it  to  effect  in  any  way  his  re- 
lations toward  those  less  fortunate  and 
was  ever  ready  to  respond  quickly  to  the 
call  of  the  poor  and  needy.  In  1866  he 
became  a  member  of  the  Christian  church 
of  Wythe  township  and  his  religious  faith 
was  at  all  times  manifest  in  his  life  and 
in  his  relations  with  his  fellowman.  Mrs. 
Crawford  yet  resides  upon  the  home  farm 
and  is  the  owner  of  more  than  five  hun- 
dred acres  of  valuable  land  in  this  county, 
her  husband  having  left  her  a  very  de- 
sirable competence. 


THOMAS   McFARLAND. 

When  an  individual  passes  on  the  high- 
way of  life  others,  who  perhaps  started 
out  in  advance  of  him  or  had  more  ad- 
vantageous environments  it  is  interest- 
ing to  examine  into  his  life  record  and 
know  the  elements  which  have  contrib- 
uted to  his  success.  In  a  review  of  the 
life  history  of  Thomas  McFarland  we 
note  that  in  early  youth  his  opportuni- 
ties were  limited  and  without  financial 
assistance  he  entered  upon  the  field  of 
business  activity  wherein  as  the  years  ad- 


vanced he  won  a  very  desirable  compe- 
tence that  now  enables  him  to  live  re- 
tired. He  made  judicious  investments  in 
property  and  is  the  owner  of  large  land 
interests,  including  five  hundred  and 
eight  acres  in  Prairie  township.  He  like- 
wise has  farm  property  in  Kansas  and  a 
home  and  business  in  Carthage,  and  his 
property  interests  are  the  visible  evidence 
of  a  life  of  industry  and  energy. 

Mr.  McFarland  was  born -in  Clermont 
county,  Ohio,  May  7,  1837,  and  his  par- 
ents, John  and  Phebe  (Smith)  McFar- 
land, were  likewise  natives  of  that  state, 
the  mother  born  June  16,  1816.  They 
were  married  September  16,  1834.  The 
father  was  a  farmer  and  cooper,  who  in 
1842  brought  his  family  to  Illinois,  set- 
tling on  a  farm  in  Adams  county.  He 
cleared  land  in  order  to  have  a  space 
large  enough  upon  which  to  build  a  log 
cabin.  After  a  brief  period  he  was  called 
upon  to  mourn  the  loss  of  his  wife,  who 
died  on  the  29th  of  June,  1844,  and  he 
soon  afterward  left  the  original  farm  and 
removed  to  another  farm  in  Adams  coun- 
ty. In  later  years  he  took  up  his  abode  in 
Mendon,  Illinois,  where  he  died  in  1891, 
and  was  buried,  while  his  wife  was  laid 
to  rest  in  Adams  county.  His  political 
allegiance  was  given  to  the  democracy 
but  he  held  no  office  nor  did  he  seek  po- 
litical preferment.  By  his  first  marriage 
there  were  five  children :  David,  who 
was  born  October  13,  1835,  and  is  living 
in  Appanoose  county,  Iowa;  Thomas,  of 
this  review;  Elizabeth  Jane,  who  was 
born  October  22,  1839,  and  is  the  wife 
of  Mr.  Ganzert,  of  Walnut  Creek,  Cali- 
fornia ;  Ephraim,  who  was  born  Novem- 
ber i,  1841,  and  died  December  23,  1844; 


604 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


and  Josephine,  who  was  born  March  20, 
1844,  and  is  the  wife  of  Dr.  James  S. 
Akins,  of  Quinlan,  Oklahoma. 

The  public  schools  afforded  Thomas 
McFarland  the  early  educational  advan- 
tages he  enjoyed.  He  was  only  about 
five  years  of  age  when  the  family  removed 
to  Illinois,  and  was  seven  years  of  age  at 
the  time  of  his  mother's  death.  He  then 
went  to  Hancock  county  with  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  George  Walker,  who  were  relatives 
of  his  mother  and  who  provided  him 
with  educational  privileges  and  clothing 
until  he  attained  his  majority.  He  after- 
ward earned  the  money  which  enabled 
him  to  spend  one'year  in  the  seminary,  at 
Warsaw,  and  subsequently  he  engaged 
in  farm  labor  by  the  month  in  Hancock 
county  for  a  year.  In  1863  he  bought  a 
farm  of  sixty  acres  in  Carthage  town- 
ship, where  he  remained  for  a  year,  after 
which  he  took  a  trip  of  eight  months  to 
the  gold  mines  in  Virginia  City,  Mon- 
tana, leaving  Carthage  on  the  i8th  of 
February,  1864.  Having  returned  to 
Hancock  county  he  has  since  given  his 
attention  to  agricultural  pursuits.  After 
owning  and  selling  several  farms  in  Car- 
thage township  he  invested  in  farm  land 
on  sections  2  and  15,  Prairie  township, 
having  two  hundred  and  twenty-six  acres 
on  section  2,  and  two  hundred  and  forty 
acres  on  section  15.  He  made  his  home 
on  section  2  until  September,  1888,  when 
he  took  up  his  abode  in  Carthage.  He 
still  gives  his  supervision  to  his  farming 
interests,  however,  and  in  addition  to 
cultivating  the  fields  is  also  engaged  in 
stock-raising,  employing  men  to  care  for 
the  fields  and  the  stock.  He  now  lives  at 


No.   36 .  North  Adams   street,   where  he 
purchased  property. 

On  the  1 5th  of  January,  1862.  Mr. 
McFarland  was  married  to  Miss  Maria 
Louise  McColm,  who  was  born  in  Cler- 
mont  county,  Ohio,  March  15,  1843,  a 
daughter  of  John  and  Nancy  McColm. 
The  mother  died  December  10,  1850, 
and  the  father,  May  23,  1853.  He  was 
a  farmer  by  occupation  and  spent  his 
last  days  in  Ohio.  In  their  family  were 
five  children :  Erastus,  who  was  born 
January  4,  1838,-  and  is  living  in  Car- 
thage; David  R.,  who  was  born  Febru- 
ary 15,  1839,  and  is  deceased;  Melissa 
Jane,  who  was  born  June  2,  1841,  and 
is  the  wife  of  Allen  Glancy,  a  resident 
of  Batavia,  Clermont  county,  Ohio; 
Mrs.  McFarland ;  and  Albert  Asbury  Mc- 
Colm, who  was  born  January  10,  1848, 
.and  lives  in  Chino,  California.  Mrs.  Mc- 
Farland departed  this  life  April  25,  1899, 
amid  the  deep  regret  of  many  friends, 
and  her  remains  were  interred  in  Moss 
Ridge  cemetery.  There  had  been  six 
children  born  of  this  marriage,  all  natives 
of  Hancock  county.  John  Dennis,  born 
December  23,  1862,  died  March  6,  1863, 
and  was  buried  in  the  Walker  cemetery 
in  AValker  township.  Albert  Homer, 
born  March  I,  1864,  married  Miss  Anna 
McColm  and  lives  in  Ottumwa,  Iowa. 
Charles  Thomas,  born  November  21, 
1867,  married  Frances  Pomroy,  lives  at 
Fabius,  Missouri,  and  has  four  children. 
Roy,  Mary,  Ida  and  Wilbur  Thomas. 
Jennie  Rachel,  born  May  17,  1869,  mar- 
ried Edward  Harris,  lives  at  Herrick, 
South  Dakota,  and  has  three  living  chil- 
dren, Thomas,  Lucia  and  Cleophas, 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


605 


while  Ruth  and  Harold  are  deceased. 
Ethel  Louisa  May,  bom  May  17,  1872, 
is  t'he  wife  of  David  Bluebaugh,  of  Kan- 
sas City,  Missouri,  and  has  two  chil- 
dren, Ray  and  Blanche.  Jesse  Edward, 
born  November  7,  1882,  married  Elsie 
Belle  Vail,  April  5,  1904,  and  has  one 
son,  Thomas  McFarland,  who  was  born 
March  3,  1905,  in  Prairie  township,  the 
parents  living  on  one  of  our  subject's 
farms  in  that  township.  The  mother  of 
Mrs.  Thomas  McFarland  was  a  devoted 
member  of  the  Christian  church  and  died 
in  that  faith.  She  was  a  home-loving 
woman  and  devoted  to  her  family,  and 
her  efforts  and  her  many  excellent  traits 
of  character  won  her  the  kindly  regard 
of  all  with  whom  she  came  in  contact. 
On  the  nth  of  July,  1900,  Mr.  McFar- 
land married  Miss  Fanny  Jane  Gentry, 
who  was  born  in  Pilot  Grove  township, 
Hancock  county,  October  7,  1865,  a 
daughter  of  John  Thornton  and  Harriet 
Jane  (Shreve)  Gentry.  Her  father  was 
born  in  Madison,  Stokes  county,  North 
Carolina,  October  26,  1821,  and  in  1835 
went  with  his  widowed  mother  to  Mon- 
roe county,  Indiana,  where  he  settled  on 
a  farm.  On  the  3<Dth  of  September,  1863, 
he  came  to  Hancock  county,  settling  on 
a  farm  in  Pilot  'Grove  township,  where 
lie  died  suddenly  on  the  i/jlli  of  January, 
1873,  his  remains  being  interred  in  Mc- 
Kay cemetery.  Mrs.  Gentry  was  born 
in  Monroe  county,  Indiana,  June  12, 
1821,  and  on  the  26th  of  March,  1846, 
was  married.  She  died  at  Carthage, 
January  9,  1903,  and  her  grave  was 
made  in  Moss  Ridge  cemetery.  In  the 
family  were  six  children :  William 
Richard,  who  was  born  in  Monroe  coun- 


ty, Indiana,  January  17,  1847,  an(i  was 
a  railroad  agent  at  Hamilton,  Illinois, 
died  there  September  7,  1881.  Joshua 
Newton,  born  December  15,  1851,  in 
Monroe -county,  Indiana,  is  now  living  at 
McMinnville,  Oregon.  Mary  Catherine, 
born  in  Monroe  county,  Indiana,  August 
7,  1854,  died  October  i,  1858,  and  was 
buried  in  her  native  county  in  the  Ver- 
nal Baptist  church  cemetery.  John  Mc- 
Vicar  Shreve  Gentry  was  born  in  Mon- 
roe county,  March  16,  1858.  Anna  Har- 
riet, born  July  26,  1863,  is  the  wife  of 
Linus  Cruise,  of  Carthage,  Illinois,  who 
is  represented  elsewhere  in  this  volume. 
Fannie  Jane,  the  youngest  of  the  family, 
is  now  the  wife  of  Thomas  McFarland. 

In  his  political  affiliation  Mr.  McFar- 
land is  a  democrat  and  has  served  as  col- 
lector of  Prairie  township  and  as  road 
supervisor.  His  wife  belongs  to  the  Mis- 
sionary Baptist  church,  with  which  she 
united  on  the  23d  of  September,  1894, 
and  she  is  also  a  member  of  the  Woman's 
Home  and  Foreign  Missionary  Societies. 
The  family  residence  is  at  No.  36  North 
Adams  street,  which  property  was  pur- 
chased by  Mr.  McFarland.  He  also 
owns  a  lot  at  No.  17  Main  street  oppo- 
site the  Shoreham  Hotel  and  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acres  of  land  in  Kansas  in  ad- 
dition to  his  valuable  farming  properties 
in  Prairie  Grove  township,  while  his 
wife  owns  sixty  acres  of  land  in  Pilot 
Grove  township.  In  1888  he  made  a 
trip  to  Europe  for  the  purpose  of  pur- 
chasing horses  and  secured  fourteen 
while  in  England  and  some  in  France.  He 
bought  English,  Norman  and  one  hack- 
ney and  was  absent  for  about  two  months, 
during  which  time  he  visited  Liverpool, 


6o6 


'BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


London  and  Paris,  returning  by  the  way 
of  the  St.  Lawrence  and  Thousand 
Islands.  His  is  a  commendable  business 

N 

record,  showing  what  can  be  accom- 
plished by  energy  and  determination,  for 
he  is  now  in  possession  of  valuable  prop- 
erty interests  although  he  started  out  in 
life  empty-handed.  He  is  a  gentleman 
of  pleasant  manner,  while  his  wife  is  an 
intelligent  lady  of  literary  tastes  and  both 
have  a  host  of  warm  friends  in  Carthage. 


GEORGE  W.  YETTER. 

George  W.  Yetter  is  the  owner  of  a 
valuable  farm  property  of  three  hundred 
acres  on  section  15,  Carthage  township, 
and  with  its  modern  equipments  is  a  mon- 
ument to  the  skill  and  enterprise  of  the 
owner,  whose  well  directed  activity  has 
been  the  source  of  his  success.  He  was 
born  in  Lancaster  county,  Pennsylvania, 
January  26,  1835,  and  was  only  two  years 
of  age  when  brought  to  Illinois  by  his 
parents,  William  and  Lydia  (Rock)  Yet- 
ter, who  settled  in  Hancock  county  and 
are  mentioned  on  another  page  of  this 
work  in  connection  with  the  sketch  of  S. 
R.  Yetter. 

At  the  usual  age  George  W.  Yetter 
began  his  education  in  the  common 
schools  of  Carthage  township  and  con- 
tinued his  studies  in  the  city  schools. 
When  not  busy  with  his  text-books  he  as- 
sisted in  the  work  of  the  home  farm,  re- 
maining there  until  about  seventeen  years 
of  age  although  he  lost  his  father  two 
years  before.  Leaving  the  old  home  place 
he  worked  for  one  year  at  the  carpenter's 


trade  but  not  finding  it  a  congenial  pur- 
suit he  sought  and  obtained  employment 
as  a  farm  hand  and  worked  by  the  month 
in  that  way  for  a  year.  Ambitions  to 
engage  in  farming  on  his  own  account  hi 
next  rented  eighty  acres  of  land  in  Car- 
thage township,  which  he  cultivated  and 
improved  for  four  years,  during  which 
time  his  indefatigable  energy  and  frugal- 
ity had  brought  him  capital  sufficient  to 
justify  his  purchase  of  eighty  acres  of  land 
on  section  15,  Carthage  township,  consti- 
tuting a  part  of  his  present  homestead. 
About  twenty  acres  at  that  time  had  been 
placed  under  cultivation  but  he  soon 
turned  the  furcows  in  the  fields  and  in 
course  of  time  gathered  abundant  har- 
vests. He  also  erected  a  good  substantial 
dwelling  and  other  buildings  and  has  con- 
tinuously lived  upon  this  farm  since  mak- 
ing his  purchase  in  1865.  The  years  have 
witnessed  his  prosperity,  resulting  from 
.  carefully  directed  labor  and  good  business 
sagacity  and  he  has  added  to  his  acreage 
from  time  to  time  until  he  is  now  the 
owner  of  a  valuable  property  of  three  hun- 
dred and  forty-seven  acres,  nearly  all  of 
which  has  been  placed  under  a  high  state 
of  cultivation.  Practically  all  his  life  he 
has  engaged  in  general  farming  and  stock- 
raising,  keeping  good  grades  of  cattle, 
horses  and  hogs  upon  his  place  yet  not 
making  a  specialty  of  blooded  stock. 
Whatever  he  undertakes  he  carries  for- 
ward to  successful  completion  and  in  this 
largely  lies  the  secret  of  his  success. 

In  1862  Mr.  Yetter  chose  as  a  com- 
panion and  helpmate  on  life's  journey 
Miss  Mary  A.  Briley,  who  was  born  in 
Ohio  and  came  to  Illinois  with  her  par- 
ents when  a  young  child.  She  was  a 


o 
o 

§ 

td 
3 

Kj 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


607 


daughter  of  Peter  and  Mary  Briley,  na- 
tives of  Maryland,  and  the  father,  who 
was  an  agriculturist,  engaged  in  farming 
in  Hancock  township  up  to  the  time  of 
his  death.  His  widow  suljwyed  him  and 
died  in  Appanoose  townslr^ 
daughter,  Mrs.  Yetter,  was  t 
the  common  schools  of  Hancock 
ship,  and  by  her  marriage  has  becoftj£ 
the  mother  of  five  children  and  the  family^ 
circle  yet  remains  unbroken  by  the  hand 
of  death.  Calvin  R.,  the  eldest,  born  in 
Carthage  township,  resides  upon  and  op- 
erates the  old  home  place.  Lewis  G.  re- 
sides on  section  15,  Carthage  township, 
where  he  owns  seventy-five  acres  of  land 
and  who  is  holding  the  office  of  school 
director,  married  Mary  Harter  Kim- 
brough.  a  daughter  of  William  Kim- 
brough  and  they  have  two  children,  Ber- 
tha and  Eva.  Elizabeth  Yetter  is  the 
wife  of  Ashford  Perry,  a  farmer  of  Car- 
thage township,  owning  one  hundred  and 
twenty  acres  of  land  on  section  14,  which 
he  purchased  of  his  father-in-law.  They 
have  three  children,  Herschel,  Howard 
and  Mary.  William  R.  resides  at  home. 
Estella  is  the  wife  of  James  Kimbrough, 
a  teamster  of  Carthage.  The  wife  and 
mother  died  upon  the  old  home  place 
February  22,  1905,  at  the  age  of  sixty- 
nine  years.  She  was  a  woman  of  many 
excellent  traits  of  heart  and  mind  and 
was  held  in  highest  esteem  by  all  who 
knew  her.  In  her  family  she  was  a  de- 
voted and  loving  wife  and  mother  and 
all  who  knew  her  found  in  her  a  faithful 
friend. 

.  Mr.  Yetter  holds  membership  in  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  takes  an 
active  part  in  its  work  and  the  extension 


of  its  influence.  For  many  years  he  has 
acted  as  trustee  of  the  church  and  is  still 
filling  that  position.  In  politics  he  is  a 
republican  and  has  held  the  office  of  road 
commissioner,  while  for  a  long  period  he 
has  served  as  school  directer.  No  move- 
ment for  the  general  good  seeks  his  aid 
in  vain  and  his  efforts  have  been  a  valued 
factor  in  general  improvement.  He  has 
witnessed  the  greater  part  of  the  growth 
and  development  of  Hancock  county, 
which  was  largely  a  wild  prairie  during 
the  period  of  his  early  recollection.  He 
has  seen  this  changed  into  richly  culti- 
vated farms  and  has  done  his  full  share  in 
the  line  of  agricultural  improvement,  aid- 
ing in  making  this  one  of  the  richest  farm- 
ing districts  in  the  great  state  of  Illinois. 


HON.  CHARLES  COOKE. 

Death  often  removes  from  our  midst 
those  whom  we  can  ill  afford  to  lose,  and 
there  was  a  feeling  of  universal  regret 
when  Charles  Cooke  was  called  from 
this  life,  for  in  Hancock  county,  where  he 
long  resided,  he  made  a  most  creditable 
record  as  a  representative  of  agricultural 
and  commercial  interests,  and  also  as  a 
factor  in  public  life.  In  all  relations  he 
was  upright  and  honorable,  and  his  in- 
fluence was  far-reaching  and  beneficial. 
A  native  of  Southfield,  Michigan,  he  was 
born  October  24,  1837,  and  was  a  son  of 
Dr.  Noah  and  Elizabeth  Cooke.  His 
father  was  a  native  of  Massachusetts  and 
the  moth&r  was  also  born  in  the  east.  Dr. 


6o8 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


Noah  Cooke  devoted  his  life  to  the  work 
of  the  Presbyterian  ministry  and  also  en- 
gaged in  the  practice  of  medicine  and  sur- 
gery. After  the  death  of  his  first  wife 
he  resided  in  Hancock  county,  Illinois, 
until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  Bowen 
about  thirty-five  years  ago.  His  remains 
were  interred  in  Chili  cemetery.  In  the 
family  were  five  children,  but  only  one 
is  now  living,  namely,  Camillus  Cooke,  a 
resident  of  Truckee,  California.  One 
daughter  of  the  family  became  the  wife 
of  a  Congregational  minister  at  Payson, 
Illinois. 

Charles  Cooke  was  a  young  lad  when 
brought  to  Illinois,  his  education  being 
acquired  in  the  schools  of  this  state.  His 
opportunities  in  that  direction  were  some- 
what limited,  but  in  later  years  he  read 
broadly  and  thought  deeply  and  as  the 
result  of  his  investigation,  his  experience 
and  his  observation  he  became  a  well  in- 
formed man.  He  was  reared  under  the 
parental  roof  and  when  he  attained  his 
majority  he  went  westward  to  California, 
where  he  was  engaged  in  surveying  for 
gold.  It  was  in  that  state  that  he  made 
his  real  start  in  business  life.  For  eight 
years  he  remained  in  the  mining  districts 
and  then  returned  to  Bowen,  Illinois, 
where  he  invested  his  capital  in  a  busi- 
ness enterprise,  becoming  proprietor  of  a, 
lumberyard  and  agricultural  implement 
store.  He  also  owned  a  farm  of-one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  acres  of  good  land  before 
he  went  to  the  west,  and  following  his  re- 
turn he  devoted  a  portion  of  his  time  and 
energies  to  agricultural  interests.  He 
carried  on  general  farming  and  stock- 
raising  and  likewise  continued  in  the  lum- 
ber trade  and  in  the  sale  of  agriculturab 


implements,  being  thus  closely  associated 
with  fanning  and  commercial  pursuits 
until  his  death.  He  erected  a  beautiful 
residence  in  1871  on  a  part  of  what  was 
then  his  farm  and  is  now  in  the  southern 
portion  of  Bowen.  The  home  is  most 
beautifully  and  tastefully  furnished  and  is 
still  the  property  of  Mrs.  Cooke,  who 
also  owns  one  hundred  and  seventeen 
acres  of  the  farm. 

On  the  1 7th  of  April,  1872,  occurred  the 
marriage  of  Mr.  Cooke  and  Miss  Inez 
Amelia  Patchen,  who  was  born  in  Chili 
township,  February  4,  1854,  a  daughter 
of  Levi  G.  and  Catherine  (Gumbell) 
Patchen.  Her  father  was  born  in  Dutch- 
ess  county,  New  York,  August  16,  1822, 
and  the  mother's  birth  occurred  in  New 
York  city  May  18,  1826.  Levi  Patchen 
was  a  farmer  by  occupation  and  came  to 
Hancock  county,  Illinois,  in  1845,  set~ 
tling  in  Chili  township,  where  he  pur- 
chased land  from  the  government  and 
built  a  log  house  on  the  prairie  there,  liv- 
ing in  true  pioneer  style  in  the  early 
days.  He  contributed  in  substantial 
measure  to  the  development  and  progress 
of  the  county  as  it  emerged  from  pio- 
neer conditions  and  took  on  all  the  evi- 
dences of  advanced  civilization.  For 
many  years  he  successfully  carried  on 
general  agricultural  pursuits  and  then  re- 
tired to  Bowen,  where  he  spent  his  re- 
maining days  in  the  enjoyment  of  a  well 
earned  rest.  When  coming  to  the  west 
he  and  his  wife  lost  all  of  their  goods 
and  clothing  and  their  possessions  at  the 
time  of  their  arrival  consisted  only  of  the 
clothing  they  wore  and  about  a  dollar  in 
money.  As  the  years  passed,  however, 
they  prospered,  and  when  called  from  this 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


609 


life  were  in  possession  of  a  very  comfort- 
able competence. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Patchen  was 
a  stalwart  democrat  and  his  fellow  citi- 
zens, recognizing  his  worth  and  ability, 
called  him  to  public  office.  He  served  as 
justice  of  the  peace,  was  highway  com- 
missioner and  for  many  years  was  school 
director,  and  in  all  of  these  offices  dis- 
played capability  and  fidelity  that  won 
him  warm  commendation.  Unto  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Patchen  were  born  twelve  children : 
Olin.  who  resides  in  Oklahoma;  Sarah 
Maria,  the  wife  of  Samuel  Garnett,  of 
Rock  Island,  Illinois ;  Alvah,  who  lives 
at  Chandler,  Oklahoma ;  Daniel,  who  is 
located  at  Lewiston,  Missouri ;  Franklin 
J.,  a  practicing  physician  at  Albuquerque, 
New  Mexico;  Inez  A.,  now  the  widow  of 
Charles  Cooke,  and  a  resident  of  Bowen ; 
Anna  Augusta,  the  wife  of  Rev.  Henry 
V.  Tull,  a  Congregational  minister  lo- 
cated at  Jonesboro,  Arkansas ;  Frederick 
B.,  who  lives  at  Bowen;  Lillian,  also  of 
Bowen ;  Charles  W.,  who  is.  a  resident 
of  Colorado  Springs,  Colorado ;  and  Ida, 
the  wife  of  George  B.  Oder,  of  Kansas 
City,  Missouri.  The  parents  were  mar- 
ried in  1844,  and  for  more  than  half  a 
century  traveled  life's  journey  together. 
The  death  of  Mr.  Patchen  occurred 
March  5,  1898,  while  his  wife  survived 
until  March  12,  1905,  and  was  laid  to 
rest  by  his  side  in  the  cemetery  at  Bowen. 
She  was  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal church  and  both  were  good  and 
upright  people,  deserving  the  warm  re- 
gard and  friendship  which  was  extended 
them.  They  were  among  the  early  resi- 
dents of  Illinois,  and  no  pioneer  did  more 


to  improve  the  county  and  pave  the  way 
for  the  privileges  and  blessings  which- 
the  inhabitants  now  enjoy  than  did  Levi 
Patchen.  He  was  an  honest  man  under 
all  circumstances.  He  possessed,  more- 
over, great  energy  and  was  a  public- 
spirited  citizen.  He  never  upheld  evil 
of  any  kind  but  on  the  contrary  stood  for 
righteousness  and  progress  and  was  es- 
pecially interested  in  the  training  of  the 
young.  He  also  befriended  any  institu- 
tion or  influence  that  would  help  young 
people  and  he  was  generous  in  his  sup- 
port of  the  church.  In  his  later  years  he 
was  a  regular  attendant  at  church  serv- 
ices and  his  life  was  ever  honorable  and 
upright.  In  manner  he  was  jovial  and 
pleasant  and  was  a  most  companionable 
gentleman,  uniformly  respected  and  loved 
by  his  neighbors  and  friends  for  his  sin- 
cerity and  his  true  manliness.  His  wife 
was  one  of  the  charter  members  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  in  her 
life  exemplified  her  faith  and  belief. 

Following  their  marriage  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Cooke  at  once  began  housekeeping 
in  the  residence  which  she  still  occupies 
and  there  seven  children  came  to  bless 
their  home,  namely:  Jessie  E.,  who  at- 
tended school  at  Grinnell,  Iowa,  and  is 
now  the  wife  of  Dr.  D.  D.  Nine,  of  Bow- 
en,  by  whom  she  has  two  children,  Her- 
bert C.  and  Madaline  J. ;  Freddie,  who 
died  in  infancy;  Ralph  W..  who  is  a 
graduate  of  the  Illinois  College  at  Jack- 
sonville, and  is  secretary  of  the  Young 
Men's  Christian  Association  at  Chicago, 
being  deeply  interested  in  the  work ;  Inez, 
the  wife  of  Duane  Bennett,  of  Bowen, 
Illinois;  Mary,  who  died  when  only  two 


6io 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


weeks  old ;  Edmund,  who  is  attending 
college  at  Champaign,  Illinois;  and  Gay- 
lord,  deceased. 

Mr.  Cooke  gave  his  political  support 
to  the  Republican  party,  but  was  without 
aspiration  for  office.  He  was  truly  a 
self-made  man  and  deserved  all  the  praise 
that  that  term  implies.  Without  special 
family  or  pecuniary  advantages  to  aid 
him  at  the  outset  of  his  career  he  worked 
his  way  steadily  upward,  and  was  much 
esteemed  and  respected  by  young  and  old, 
rich  and  poor.  He  possessed  a  kindly, 
charitable  nature,  and  was  a  regular  at- 
tendant at  the  services  of  the  Congrega- 
tional church,  of  which  his  wife  is  a  de- 
voted member.  He  was  always  much  in- 
terested in  the  work  of  the  Sunday-school 
as  a  teacher  therein  and  was  very  liberal 
in  giving  to  the  church.  He  possessed 
sterling  qualities  that  combined  to  make 
an  upright,  noble  man.  Believing  in  ed- 
ucation, he  gave  his  children  good  ad- 
vantages in  that  direction.  In  early  days, 
while  engaged  in  mining,  he  made  sev- 
eral trips  to  California  and  was  always 
interested  in  that  state,  so  that  in  the  lat- 
ter part  of  his  life  he  frequently  traveled 
to  the  Pacific  coast,  looking  after  the  in- 
terests of  his  brother's  mine  there  and 
also  greatly  enjoying  his  sojourn  in  that 
sunny  clime.  The  death  of  Mr.  Cooke 
occurred  on  April  28,  1892,  and  he  left 
behind  a  valued  name  as  well  as  a  com- 
fortable competence  for  his  family.  His 
memory  is  cherished  by  all  who  knew  him 
and  he  had  many  friends  in  the  commu- 
nity. His  children  seem  to  have  inherited 
many  of  his  good  traits  and  are  standing 
nobly  by  the  side  of  their  mother,  who  is 
a  lady  of  sweet  and  kindly  disposition. 


now  living  with  her  daughter  and  son-in- 
law,  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Nice. 


HON.  JOHN  W.  MARSH. 

Hon.  John  W.  Marsh  was  at  the  time 
of  his  demise  the  oldest  practitioner  at 
the  bar  of  Hancock  county,  having  for 
fifty-five  years  been  a  representative  of  the 
legal  profession  at  Warsaw.  A  student 
of  law  in  the  office  of  Judge  Logan,  a 
partner  of  Abraham  Lincoln,  the  con- 
temporary in  practice  of  many  of  the  dis- 
tinguished lawyers  of  the  middle  and  lat- 
ter half  of  the  nineteenth  century,  he  at 
all  times  commanded  the  respect  and  en- 
joyed the  friendship  of  those  with  whom 
he  was  associated  in  his  professional  la- 
bors, for  his  strong  mentality  and  intel- 
lectual energy  made  him  their  equal  on 
the  mental  plane.  He,  too,  perhaps  might 
have  attained  marked  prominence  in  po- 
litical circles  had  he  lived  in  a  commu- 
nity where  his  party  was  in  power  and 
had  not  his  ambition  been  in  the  line  of 
his  profession,  which  he  regarded  as 
abundantly  worthy  of  his  best  efforts. 
He  felt,  too,  that  deep  interest  in  local 
affairs,  which  led  to  his  hearty  co-opera- 
tion in  movements  for  general  progress 
and  improvement  and  many  tangible  prin- 
ciples were  brought  forth,  his  efforts  in 
this  direction  leading  to  most  commend- 
able results.  He  lived  in  the  county  for 
sixty-four  years,  which  period  virtually 
covers  its  history  and  he  was  familiar 
with  its  development  in  every  phase. 
Born  in  New  Brunswick,  on  the\2oth  of 
August,  1815,  John  W.  Marsh  was  a  son 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


611 


of  Benjamin  F.  and  Ruth  (Wetmore) 
Marsh.  The  father  was  born  at  Weath- 
ersfield,  Vermont,  December  n,  1792, 
and  when  a  young  man  went  to  New 
Brunswick.  After  the  outbreak  of  the  war 
of  1812,  which  cut  off  all  communication 
between  the  English  province  and  the 
United  States,  he  did  not  hear  from  his 
home  for  three  years.  At  St.  Johns  he 
entered  mercantile  life  and  continued  ac- 
tively in  business  there  until  1833.  He 
became  a  successful  dealer  in  merchandise 
and  a  very  successful  man.  During  his 
residence  in  New  Brunswick  he  married 
Miss  Ruth  Wetmore,  whose  parents  were 
Tories  and  were  loyal  to  the  crown  of 
England.  Following  the  revolution  they 
went  to  New  Brunswick,  and  the  govern- 
ment of  England  recompensed  them  in 
part  for  the  property  which  had  been  con- 
fiscated during  the  Revolutionary  war 
in  the  United  States.  .The  old  Wetmore 
home  was  at  Rye,  New  York. 

In  N^w  Brunswick  Benjamin  F.  Marsh 
was  an  influential  business  man  but  feel- 
ing that  he  wished  to  live  again  under 
the  old  flag  he  returned  to  the  United 
States,  in  1832,  spending  the  first  winter 
thereafter  in  St.  Louis,  Missouri.  Dur- 
ing that  period  he  examined  the  coun- 
try on  horseback,  eventually  reached  old 
Fort  Edward  and  taking  up  his  abode  in 
one  of  the  old  houses  there,  he  purchased 
a  farm  of  several  hundred  acres,  where- 
on he  erected  a  house  in  the  spring.  He 
then  brought  his  family  to  Hancock  coun- 
ty and  the  name  of  Marsh  has  been  in- 
separately  interwoven  with  the  history  of 
this  part  of  the  state  since  the  spring  of 
1833.  The  father  improved  and  develop- 
ed a  farm  and  built  a  residence,  which 


he  occupied  until  the  time  of  the  Civil 
war.  In  ante-bellum  days  he  was  a 
strong  whig  and  upon  the  dissolution  of 
the  party  joined  the  ranks  of  the  Repub- 
lican party,  which  was  formed  to  pre- 
vent further  extension  of  slavery.  He 
was  a  stanch  advocate  of  the  Union  cause 
and  was  interested  in  local  political  prog- 
ress although  never  an  aspirant  for  office 
himself.  For  some  years,  however,  he 
was  county  school  commissioner,  having 
charge  at  that  time  of  the  school  lands. 
He  was  also  one  of  the  early  members 
of  the  Masonic  fraternity  in  this  portion 
of  the  state.  He  died  in  Warsaw,  in 
1864,  while  his  wife  passed  away  in  1837. 
In  their  family  were  seven  children,  who 
reached  adult  age:  Charles  Carroll; 
John  W. ;  Sophia,  the  deceased  wife  of 
Cyrus  Felt;  Elizabeth,  the  deceased  wife 
of  Chauncey  Richmond;  Charlotte,  who 
married  James  Luzadder;  Caroline,  the 
wife  of  Henry  Richmond ;  Colonel  Benja- 
min F.  Marsh,  who  for  many  years  was 
a  distinguished  representative  of  this  dis- 
trict in  congress;  Arthur  W.  The  last 
named,  together  with  his  brother,  Benja- 
min, enlisted  for  service  in  the  Second 
Illinois  Cavalry,  and  Arthur  was  killed 
while  serving  as  colonel  of  the  One  Hun- 
dred and  Eighteenth  Volunteer  Infantry. 
Mrs.  Marsh  was  a  member  of  the  Episco- 
pal church,  and  her  husband  contributed 
generously  to  its  support. 

John  Wellington  Marsh  acquired  his 
preliminary  education  in  St.  Johns,  New 
Brunswick,  and  subsequently  was  grad- 
uated from  Kenyon  College,  in  Ohio, 
which  he  entered  as  a  sophomore  in  the 
class  of  1836,  being  graduated  with  vale- 
dictorian honors  in  the  class  of  1839.  In 


6l2 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


the  meantime  his  parents  had  removed 
from  New  Brunswick  to  St.  Louis  and 
as  stated,  became  residents  of  Hancock 
county  in  the  spring  of  1833.  At  that 
time  Warsaw  had  not  been  laid  out  and 
the  only  families  here  were  those  of  Mark 
Aldrich,  John  R.  Wilcox  and  Isham 
Cochran.  For  many  years  the  family 
home  was  maintained  upon  a  farm  four 
miles  east  of  Warsaw  and  at  the  time  of 
his  death  Judge  Marsh  still  owned  a  por- 
tion of  the  original  farm,  on  which  stands 
the  old  log  house  which  was  a  pretentious 
structure  when  erected.  Mr.  Marsh 
shared  with  the  family  in  the  usual  ex- 
periences and  hardships  of  life  on  the 
frontier,  for  Illinois  was  then  on  a  border 
of  civilization.  He  assisted  in  the 
arduous  task  of  developing  new  land  and 
turning  the  first  furrows  in  the  fields  until 
he  entered  college  and  following  his 
graduation,  having  determined  upon  a 
professional  career,  he  went  to  Spring- 
field. Illinois,  where  he  became  a  law 
student  in  the  office  of  Judge  Logan,  a 
partner  of  Abraham  Lincoln.  In  fact 
it  was  while  he  was  in  the  office  that  the 
partnership  was  formed  and  under  the 
direction  of  those  two  distinguished  law- 
yers he  gained  his  first  knowledge  of  the 
principles  of  jurisprudence,  while  Judge 
Logan  and  Judge  Trumbull  were  among 
those  who  examined  him  when  he  was 
finally  admitted  to  the  bar. 

Judge  Marsh  entered  upon  the  active 
practice  of  law  in  Carthage  in  1842,  and 
for  fifty-five  years  was  recognized  as 
one  of  the  ablest  members  of  the  Han- 
cock county  bar,  exceeding,  at  the  time  of 
his  death,  in  years  of  practice  as  well  as  in 
ability,  all  who  were  connected  with  the 


bar  of  the  county  at  that  time.  He  was 
regarded  as  one  of  the  most  able  lawyers 
of  this  section  of  the  state,  standing 
among  the  leaders  of  the  profession  in 
western  Illinois.  He  was  retained  as 
counsel  on  many  of  the  important  cases 
and  met  with  remarkable  success.  When 
he  accepted  a  case  he  bent  every  energy 
toward  winning  it  but  he  never  sacrificed 
right  and  principle  to  do  so.  His  ad- 
dresses always  showed  thorough  and 
painstaking  preparation  and  at  once  in- 
dicated that  he  was  master  of  the  situa- 
tion. He  was  a  man  of  keen  power  of 
perception  and  of  analytical  mind,  which 
enabled  him  to  quickly  discover  the  weak 
points  in  aji  opponent's  argument  and  at 
once  attack  his  position  thereon.  He  was 
thoroughly  versed  in  the  fundamental 
principles  of  common  law  and  was  never 
at  a  loss  to  cite  an  authority  or  precedent. 
His  style  of  address  was  dignified,  candid 
and  straightforward  with  never  an  at- 
tempt to  juggle  with  a  jury  or  entrap  the 
court.  It  has  been  said  that  in  his  ad- 
dresses the  listener  was  first  interested, 
then  captivated  and  finally  convinced  that 
every  word  of  the  argument  was  in  aid 
of  justice. 

Judge  Marsh  was  never  an  aspirant  for 
office  yet  was  always  interested  in  the 
great  questions  involving  the  weal  or  woe 
of  the  nation.  He  became  a  republican 
on  the  organization  of  the  party,  and 
while  strong  in  his  convictions  and 
prompt  and  effective  in  maintaining  them, 
he  did  so  without  being  offensive  to  those 
who  differed  from  him.  In  1855  he  was 
a  candidate  for  circuit  judge  in  a  district 
with  an  abnormally  large  democratic  ma- 
jority and  while  unsuccessful,  he  greatly 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


613 


reduced  that  majority  and  made  a  strong 
canvass  although  defeated.  About  1886 
he  was  nominated  and  elected  county 
judge  but  was  defeated  for  a  second  term 
because  of  the  very  strong  democratic 
strength  in  Hancock  county.  As  a  jurist 
he  made  a  splendid  record,  his  decisions 
being  strictly  fair  and  impartial  and  based 
upon  a  comprehensive  knowledge  of  the 
law  and  correct  adaptation  thereof. 

On  the  27th  of  November,  1849,  Judge 
Marsh  was  married  to  Eudocia  Baldwin, 
a  daughter  of  Epaphras  B.  Baldwin,  and 
their  married  life  was  a  most  happy  one. 
In  1 854  they  removed  to  Warsaw  and 
Judge  Marsh  remained  a  resident  of  that 
city  until  his  demise.  He  passed  away 
July  12,  1897,  leaving  a  widow  and  five 
children,  but  one  daughter,  Miss  Cara 
Potwin,  has  since  departed  this  life. 
Those  still  living  are:  Mary  Eudocia; 
Mrs.  Helen  S.  Bardens,  of  Warsaw,  Illi- 
nois; Aclele  Rose,  the  wife  of  A.  H.  Mac- 
Gregor,  of  Warsaw ;  and  John  Wetmore 
Marsh.  Two  sons  and  two  daughters 
of  the  family  had  died  in  infancy.  The 
family  have  occupied  a  beautiful  home 
in  Warsaw  since  1876  and  in  addition  to 
this  property  Judge  Marsh  owned  val- 
uable farm  lands  in  this  section  of  the 
state,  having  placed  his  money  in  the 
safest  of  all  investments — real  estate. 

While  his  life  was  a  busy  one  and  his 
profession  made  heavy  demands  upon  his 
time  and  energies,  Judge  Marsh  yet 
found  opportunity  to  aid  in  many  move- 
ments having  direct  benefit  upon  the  wel- 
fare and  progress  of  his  city  and  county. 
He  became  one  of  the  original  members 
of  St.  Paul's  Episcopal  church  and  from 
its  early  existence  was  a  member  of  its 


vestry  and  for  thirty  years  was  senior 
warden.  He  contributed  generously  to  its 
support  and  often  acted  as  lay  reader  dur- 
ing the  absence  of  a  regular  pastor.  For 
years  he  was  chancellor  of  the  Quincy 
diocese.  At  the  time  of  his  death  he  was 
serving  as  a  director  and  vice  president 
of  the  Warsaw  free  public  library,  and 
he  was  a  member  of  the  city  council  from 
1860  until  1862,  and  afterward  a  member 
of  the  board  of  education.  All  of  those 
interests  which  are  a  matter  of  civic  pride 
and  virtue  received  his  endorsement  and 
co-operation  and  his  public-spirited  citi- 
zenship stood  as  an  unquestioned  fact  in 
his  career. .  He  was  an  interested  witness 
of  the  epochal  events  in  Hancock  county's 
history  and  in  many  cases  was  an  active 
participant  therein.  Pioneer  life  in  its 
various  phases  was  familiar  to  him  and  he 
likewise  passed  through  the  trying  period 
of  the  Mormon  troubles,  his  office  in  Car- 
thage at  that  time  being  a  meeting  place 
for  the  anti-Mormons,  who  molded  their 
bullets  there.  He  was  an  active  member 
of  the  Union  League  in  the  clays  of  the 
Rebellion  and  his  aid  could  be  counted 
upon  to  further  the  material,  intellectual 
and  moral  progress  of  the  community 
throughout  the  sixty-four  years  of  his 
residence  in  Hancock  county. 

The  Warsaw  Bulletin  in  its  editorial 
upon  his  death  said :  "The  death  of 
Judge  Marsh  elicited  a  universal  expres- 
sion of  sorrow.  Known  to  all,  respected 
by  all,  the  one  feeling  was  that  of  regret 
and  sympathy — regret  at  the  loss  of  such 
a  citizen  and  sympathy  for  the  family 
who  have  thus  been  bereft  of  a  kind, 
thoughtful,  considerate  husband  and 
father,  for  Judge  Marsh  was  character- 


614 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


istically  a  home  man, — a  man  who  was 
intensely  devoted  to  his  wife  and  children 
and  spent  his  unemployed  hours  with 
them.  *.••*-**  In  his  public  life 
Judge  Marsh  was  careful  and  conscien- 
tious in  the  discharge  of  every  duty.  In 
his  private  life  he  was  upright  and  hon- 
orable. In  every  relation  he  was  irre- 
proachable. Of  even  temperament,  he 
lived  a  gentle,  blameless  life,  and  dying 
leaves  a  blessed  heritage  to  those  nearest 
and  dearest,  and  an  example  of  pure,  clean 
citizenship  that  may  be  emulated  by 
others  with  profit  to  the  community. 
Such  a  life  builds  for  all  time,  and  the 
world  is  the  better  for  his  having  lived 
it  it."  In  all  places  and  under  all  cir- 
cumstances he  was  loyal  to  truth,  honor 
and  right,  justly  valuing  his  own  self- 
respect  as  infinitely  more  profitable  than 
wealth,  fame  and  position.  In  those  finer 
traits  of  character  which  combine  to  form 
that  which  we  call  friendship,  which  en- 
dear and  attach  man  to  man  in  most  inti- 
mate bonds,  which  triumph  and  shine 
brightest  in  the  hour  of  adversity — in 
these  qualities  he  was  royally  endowed. 


ISAAC  McCOY  MARTIN,  M.  D. 

Dr.  Isaac  McCoy  Martin,  who  is  the 
second  oldest  medical  practitioner  of  La 
Harpe  in  years  of  continuous  connection 
with  the  profession  in  this  place,  was 
born  in  Macomb,  Illinois,  September  9, 
1853,  a  son  of  Joseph  Morris  and  Hen- 
rietta Girard  (Westfall)  Martin,  both  of 
whom  were  natives  of  Miami  county, 
Ohio.  The  father  was  born  January  6, 


1823,  and  was  a  son  of  Abiah  and  Cath- 
erine (Wilson)  Martin,  of  Miami  county. 
Henrietta  G.  Westfall  was  born  March 
18,  1823,  and  was  a  daughter  of  Levi 
and  Margaret  (Pettit)  Westfall.  Both 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  M.  Martin  were  reared 
in  Boone  county,  Indiana,  and  were  mar- 
ried in  the  town  of  Lebanon.  They  re- 
sided for  a  time  at  Thorntown,  where 
Mr.  Martin  followed  the  carpenter's 
trade.  They  left  Indiana  in  one  of  the 
oldtime  moving  wagons,  which  were  the 
only  means  of  travel  across  the  country 
at  that  day,  and  took  up  their  abode  in 
Macomb,  Illinois,  about  1850.  For  many 
years  Mr.  Martin  carried  on  business 
there  as  a  contractor  and  builder,  hav- 
ing a  large  patronage  and  erecting  many 
of  the  substantial  structures  of  the  town 
and  surrounding  country.  He  continued 
in  active  connection  with  his  trade  until 
his  death,  which  occurred  February  21, 
1893.  When  in  the  prime  of  life  he  was 
one  of  the  prominent  and  influential  resi- 
dents of  the  town,  served  in  various  pub- 
lic offices  and  several  times  acted  as 
mayor.  He  and  his  wife  were  among  the 
charter  members  of  the  Universalist 
church  and  always  took  an  interest  in  its 
work.  Mrs.  Martin  still  resides  in  Ma- 
comb, making  her  home  with  her  daugh- 
ter, Mrs.  Henrietta  A.  Campbell,  and  is 
the  oldest  surviving  member  of  the  Uni- 
versalist church  there.  In  their  family 
were  four  sons  and  four  daughters. 

Dr.  Martin,  of  La  Harpe,  is  the  fifth 
in  order  of  birth.  He  was  educated  in 
the  Macomb  schools,  being  graduated 
from  the  high  school,  and  in  early  man- 
hood he  engaged  in  teaching.  He  also 
took  up  the  study  of  medicine  while  in 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


Macomb  and  in  1876  he  went  to  Eyota, 
Minnesota,  where  he  engaged  in  study- 
ing and  practicing  with  his  uncle,  Dr.  I. 
M.  Westfall.  After  two  years  he  re- 
turned to  Macomb,  where  he  engaged  in 
teaching  school  until  he  entered  Hahne- 
man  College,  of  Chicago,  from  which 
he  won  his  diploma  on  the  24th  of  Feb- 
ruary, 1881.  He  located  for  practice  at 
Macomb,  where  he  resided  until  1887, 
since  which  time  he  has  been  practicing 
in  La  Harpe,  being  the  second  oldest 
practicing  physician  here. 

In  September,  1883.  Dr.  Martin  was 
married  to  Elsie  Taylor,  who  was  bom 
at  Mt.  Sterling,  Illinois,  a  daughter  of 
Colonel  Samuel  E.  and  Nancy  (McCor- 
mick)  Taylor,  who  were  residents  of  Col- 
chester. Her  father  was  captain  of  Com- 
pany E,  Sixteenth  Illinois  Volunteer  In- 
fantry, but  was  transferred  to  the  One 
Hundred  and  Ninteenth  Illinois  Volun- 
teer Infantry  as  Lieutenant-Colonel,  en- 
listing from  Mt.  Sterling  at  the  time  of 
the  Civil  war.  Mrs.  Martin  was  edu- 
cated in  the  schools  of  Quincy.  By  this 
marriage  there  were  two  children :  Mor- 
ris Carl,  born  July  27,  1884;  and  Edgar 
Scott,  born  June  3,  1886.  They  are  now 
associated  with  their  father  in  the  publi- 
cation of  The  La  Harpe  Times  in  La 
Harpe.  The  wife  and  mother  died  July 
30,  1888.  On  the  5th  of  December,  1889, 
Dr.  Martin  married  Clara  A.  Locke,  who 
was  born  in  Blandinsville  township,  Mc- 
Donough  county,  Illinois,  and  was  edu- 
cated in  the  public  schools  of  La  Harpe. 
her  parents  being  George  and  Mary  E. 
(Webster)  Locke,  natives  of  Michigan. 
There  are  two  daughters  of  this  mar- 
riage: Mary  E.,  born  August  17,  1891; 
39 


and   Esther   Pearl,   born   November   23, 
1898. 

Dr.  Martin  is  a  member  of  the  Uni- 
versalist  church  and  is  a  republican  in 
politics,  being  prominent  in  the  local 
ranks  of  the  party.  He  was  city  clerk  of 
Macomb  for  five  consecutive  years,  from 
1882  until  1886,  inclusive,  and  since  his 
removal  to  La  Harpe  has  served  as  city 
attorney  in  1890-91,  tax  collector  in 
1894-95  and  in  1905  was  elected  alder- 
man from  the  first  ward  for  a  two  years' 
term.  He  has  also  been  a  member  of 
the  board  of  education  for  ten  years  and 
has  been  its  president  for  two  years.  His 
fraternal  relations  are  with  the  Independ- 
ent Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  the  Modern 
Woodmen  of  America,  the  Mystic  Work- 
ers, the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Work- 
men and  the  Knights  of  Pythias. 


ANDREW  J.  GRIFFITH,  M.  D. 

Andrew  Jackson  Griffith,  now  deceased, 
was  one  of  the  pioneer  physicians  of  Han- 
cock county,  following  his  profession  here 
when  such  a  service  demanded  great  per- 
sonal sacrifice  because  of  the  unsettled 
condition  of  this  part  of  the  state.  Later 
he  became  widely  known  in  banking  cir- 
cles and  at  all  times  he  stooc1  as  a  high 
type  of  American  manhood. 

Dr.  Griffith  was  born  February  4,  1820, 
in  the  eastern  part  of  Ohio,  where  his 
parents  were  temporarily  located.  He 
was  a  son  of  Llewellyn  and  Hannah 
(Hope)  Griffith.  The  parents  were  of 
Welsh  ancestry  and  had  formerly  been 
residents  of  Easton,  Pennsylvania.  Fol- 


6i6 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


lowing  the  birth  of  their  son  they  re- 
turned to  Philadelphia  and  Llewellyn 
Griffith  there  followed  the  wagon-making 
trade  during  the  youth  of  the  Doctor  but 
later  removed  with  his  family  to  Berna- 
dotte,  Fulton  county,  Illinois,  where  his 
wife  died.  Subsequently  he  came  to  Car- 
thage to  make  his  home  with  his  son  and 
here  spent  his  remaining  days. 

Dr.  Griffith  acquired  his  early  education 
in  Philadelphia  and  later  continued  his 
studies  in  Illinois  but  subsequently  re- 
turned to  Philadelphia,  where  he  became  a 
student  in  Jefferson  Medical  College.  He 
almost  completed  the  course  there  but  be- 
fore the  time  of  graduation  came  again  to 
the  west  and  pursued  a  collegiate  course 
in  the  St.  Louis  Medical  College.  He  lo- 
cated for  practice  in  Hancock  county, 
settling  first  at  Fountain  Green,  where  he 
soon  secured  a  large  country  practice, 
riding  over  an  extended  section  of  the 
country.  In  1854,  however,  he  removed 
to  Carthage  and  almost  immediately  won 
renown  as  an  able  physician,  his  busi- 
ness reaching  large  proportions.  He  con- 
tinued in  active  practice  until  late  in  the 
'6os,  when  he  retired  from  professional 
ranks  to  become  one  of  the  founders  of 
the  Hancock  National  Bank,  of  which  he 
served  as  vice  president  for  a  number  of 
years,  occupying  the  position  at  the  time 
of  his  death. 

Dr.  Griffith  married  Miss  Margaret 
McClaughry  of  this  county,  a  daughter 
of  Matthew  McClaughry,  a  pioneer  of 
Illinois  from  New  York.  Mrs.  Griffith 
still  survives  her  husband,  who  died 
March  19,  1884.  He  was  a  member  of 
the  Masonic  fraternity  and  in  his  practice 
had  ample  opportunity  to  exemplify  the 


beneficent  and  helpful  spirit  of  the  craft. 
With  the  improvement  of  Carthage  he 
was  actively  connected,  being  deeply  inter- 
ested in  everything  pertaining  to  its  wel- 
fare and  progress.  He  was  one  of  the 
original  committee  for  the  organization 
of  the  Carthage  College  and  assisted  in 
raising  the  fund  to  erect  the  first  build- 
ings, also  giving  the  ground  for  the  col- 
lege campus.  He  was  one  of  the  first 
board  of  directors  and  also  at  the  head 
of  building  committee  when  the  first  build- 
ing, now  known  as  Main  building  was 
erected.  He  continued  a  most  helpful  ad- 
vocate and  worker  in  behalf  of  the 
college  and  remained  the  head  of  the 
board  until  within  a  short  time  of 
his  death  and  in  addition  to  his  labor  he 
contributed  liberally  of  his  means  to  its 
support.  His  life  was  at  all  times  of 
intense  usefulness  to  his  fellowmen  and 
his  name  became  a  synonym  for  improve- 
ment and  development  in  public  matters 
in  this  county.  He  commanded  the  re- 
spect of  all  by  his  genuine,  personal 
worth  and  his  death  was  the  occasion  of 
deep  and  widespread  regret. 


CHARLES  H.  VAN  AERNAM. 

Charles  H.  Van  Aernam  is  the  owner 
of  good  farming  property  in  Hancock 
county  and  has  resided  at  his  present 
place  of  residence  in  Montebello  town- 
ship since  1854.  He  was  born  in  Lewis 
county.  New  York,  June  16,  1848,  his 
parents  being  Anthony  and  Susan 
(Wardwell)  Van  Aernam,  both  of  whom 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


617 


were  natives  of  New  York.  The  grand- 
father, William  Van  Aernam,  was  also  a 
resident  of  the  Empire  state.  The  ma- 
ternal grandparents  were  Dennis  and  Ly- 
dia  (Church)  Wardwell,  the  former  a 
native  of  Pennsylvania  and  the  latter  of 
Ohio.  In  the  year  1842  Austin  Ward- 
well,  a  brother  of  Dennis  Wardwell,  came 
to  Hancock  county,  settling  in  Monte- 
bello  township.  He  took  part  in  the 
Mormon  war  under  the  command  of  Col- 
onel Smith,  who  afterward  served  in  the 
Civil  war.  Leaving  the  east,  Anthony 
Van  Aernam  and  his  family  started  for 
Illinois,  making  the  journey  by  railroad 
to  Chicago,  whence  they  proceeded  to 
Rock  Island  and  down  the  Mississippi 
river  to  Keokuk,  where  they  arrived  on 
the  2d  of  October,  1854.  In  Montebello 
township  Mr.  Van  Aernam  purchased 
eighty  acres  on  section  22.  It  was  wild 
land  and  there  were  still  deer  and  wolves 
in  the  county,  while  all  kinds  of  wild 
fowl  could  be  had  in  abundance,  showing 
that  the  work  of  improvement  had  scarce- 
ly been  begun  and  that  many  conditions 
and  evidences  of  pioneer  life  were  still 
to  be  seen  here.  Mr.  Van  Aernam  built 
a  house,  sixteen  by  twenty  feet,  and  put 
other  improvements  upon  his  place. 
With  characteristic  energy  he  began  cul- 
tivating the  soil  and  as  the  years  passed 
and  he  prospered  in  his  undertakings  he 
added  to  his  possessions  until  he  owned 
two  hundred  and  forty  acres  of  rich  and 
productive  land  at  the  time  of  his  death, 
which  occurred  on  the  23d  of  August, 
1904.  His  wife  passed  away  December 
23,  1893.  1°  their  family  were  four 
sons:  George,  Charles  H.,  William  and 
Ransom. 


Charles  H.  Van  Aernam  made  his 
home  with  his  parents  until  twenty-one 
years  of  age  and  acquired  his  education 
in  the  public  schools,  while  the  periods  of 
vacation  were  largely  devoted  to  farm  la- 
bor. On  attaining  his  majority  he  went 
to  Audubon  county,  Iowa,  where  he  was 
engaged  in  trading  in  land  and  also  in 
the  stock  business.  Five  years  later  he 
returned  to  his  home  place  in  this  town- 
ship and  has  since  lived  here.  After 
about  fifteen  years  he  sold  the  property, 
which  up  to  that  time  he  had  owned  and 
cultivated,  to  his  brother.  He  had  a 
tract  of  eighty  acres  adjoining  the  home 
place  and  which  had  been  inherited  from 
his  father,  from  whom  he  also  received 
the  personal  property.  On  selling  his 
original  farm  Mr.  Van  Aernam  pur- 
chased his  brother  William's  farm  of 
eighty  acres.  He  has  altogether  two 
hundred  and  forty  acres  of  rich  and  pro- 
ductive land,  making  him  one  of  the  sub- 
stantial agriculturists  of  the  community, 
and  to  his  work  he  brings  intelligence  and 
enterprise  that  have  resulted  in  the  ac- 
quirement of  a  handsome  property.  He 
has  a  barn,  thirty  by  one  hundred  and 
twenty  feet,  a  scale  house  and  other  mod- 
em equipments,  and  the  well  developed 
property  returns  to  him  a  gratifying  in- 
come. Having  never  married,  he  makes 
his  home  with  his  brother  Ransom.  His 
political  views  are  in  accord  with  repub- 
lican principles  and  although  he  is  not 
a  politician  in  the  sense  of  office  seeking, 
he  keeps  well  informed  on  the  questions 
and  issues  of  the  day. 

Ransom  D.  Van  Aernam,  rated  with 
the  representative  and  prosperous  fann- 
ers of  Montebello  township,  was  born  in 


6i8 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


Lewis  county,  New  York,  April  16,  1852, 
and  was  educated  in  the  district  schools 
of  Hancock  county.  He  was  reared  in 
the  usual  manner  of  farm  lads  and  the 
history  of  his  family  is  given  in  connec- 
tion with  that  of  his  brother,  Charles  H. 
Van  Aemam,  which  appears  above.  He 
lived  upon  the  home  farm  until  twenty- 
two  years  of  age  and  on  the  i/th  of 
April,  1873,  he  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Robenia  Morrison,  who  was  born 
in  Glasgow,  Scotland,  October  7,  1853, 
hef  parents  being  John  and  Robenia 
(Glenn)  Morrison.  The  mother  died 
during  the  infancy  of  her  daughter  and 
the  father  afterward  wedded  Mary  Robin- 
son, a  native  of  Scotland.  In  the  year 
1865  he  brought  his  family  to  America, 
settling  at  Hamilton  in  Hancock  county, 
Illinois,  where  he  lived  for  a  year  and 
then  removed  to  Montebello  township. 
He  made  his  home  in  Iowa  for  five  years 
with  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Van  Aernam, 
and  afterward  returned  to  Hamilton, 
where  he  passed  away  on  the  gth  of  Au- 
gust, 1885.  His  second  wife  still  sur- 
vives and  is  now  residing  in  Kansas. 
Mrs.  Van  Aernam  pursued  her  educa- 
tion in  the  common  schools  of  Scotland 
and  of  Hancock  county,  Illinois,  having 
been  about  eleven  years  of  age  when  she 
came  with  her  father  to  the  United  States. 
Two  years  after  their  marriage  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Van  Aemam  removed  to  Audubon 
county,  Iowa,"  and  for  seven  years  he 
rented  his  father's  farm  there  and  engaged 
in  its  cultivation  and  improvement.  He 
afterward  removed  to  Villisca,  Montgom- 
ery county,  Iowa,  where  he  purchased  a 
house  and  lot  and  made  his  home  for 


twenty  years.  He  was  in  the  employ  of 
a  hardware  and  implement  firm  for  seven 
years  during  that  period  and  for  one  year 
had  charge  of  the  county  bridge  work. 
He  still  owns  property  in  Villisca,  but 
in  1902  removed  to  his  portion  of  the 
home  place,  comprising  eighty  acres.  He 
has  in  his  possession  the  first  eighty-acre 
tract  which  his  father  secured  on  coming 
to  Montebello  township.  On  the  farm  is 
a  barn,  thirty  by  thirty-six  feet  and  six- 
teen feet  posts,  which  has  replaced  a 
barn  that  was  destroyed  by  fire  in  1895. 
He  has  a  corn  crib,  granary  and  wagon 
shed  and  also  a  tool  house,  and  thus  his 
farm  is  well  equipped,  being  supplied  with 
all  modern  accessories  and  conveniences. 
Mr.  Van  Aernam  also  owns  property  in 
Hamilton,  having  purchased  two  vacant 
lots  there  in  the  spring  of  1906. 

Unto  our  subject  and  his  wife  have 
been  born  three  children.  William  A., 
born  May  20,  1874,  married  Anna  Niell, 
of  Iowa.  In  November,  1902,  he  cut  his 
knee  with  a  corn  knife  and  later  blood 
poisoning  set  in,  resulting  in  his  death  on 
the  2gth  of  that  month.  Frankie  A., 
born  August  16,  1875,  died  of  diptheria 
in  June,  1888.  Jessie  May,  born  in  1890, 
died  July  4,  1895.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Van 
Aerman  joined  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  in  the  winter  of  1882  and  she  is 
now  a  member  of  the  Ladies'  Aid  So- 
ciety. The  family  has  long  been  well 
known  in  this  county  and  the  Van  Aernam 
brothers  are  prominently  connected  with 
.  agricultural  pursuits,  being  known  as  en- 
terprising and  reliable  business  men,  and 
are  held  in  the  highest  esteem  by  all  who 
know  them. 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


619 


AUGUST  C.  WILKE. 

The  gentleman  whose  name  introduces 
this  record  is  one  of  the  worthy  citizens 
that  Germany  has  furnished  to  Hancock 
county,  and  through  his  energy  and  well 
directed  labors  he  has  worked  his  way 
steadily  upward  until  he  is  now  in  pos- 
session of  a  valuable  tract  of  land.  His 
birth  occurred  in  Mecklenburg,  of  the 
fatherland,  February  i,  1861,  a  son  of 
Carl  and  Wilhelmina  (Wolgast)  Wilke. 
The  paternal  grandfather  bore  the  name 
of  John  Wilke,  while  the  maternal  grand- 
father of  our  subject  was  John  Wolgast. 
Carl  Wilke  was  born  in  the  fatherland, 
September  29,  1828,  and  was  there  mar- 
ried, April  20,  1860,  to  Miss  Wilhelmina 
Wolgast,  whose  birth  occurred  March 
4,  1830.  They  remained  in  their  native 
country  until  1871,  when  the  father,  hear- 
ing favorable  reports  concerning  the  ad- 
vantages to  be  found  in  the  new  and 
growing  country,  decided  to  cross  the 
Atlantic,  and  accordingly  in  that  year 
took  passage  on  a  sailing  vessel  which 
landed  in  New  York,  from  which  place 
they  traveled  by  rail  to  Dallas,  this  state, 
and  from  that  place  the  father  made  his 
way  to  La  Harpe  township,  where  he 
rented  a  farm,  on  which  the  family  took 
up  their  abode  and  which  continued  to 
be  their  home  for  eleven  years.  Having 
prospered  in  his  undertakings  during 
these  years,  Mr.  Wilke  then  felt  justified 
in  purchasing  land  and  establishing  a 
home  of  his  own,  and  accordingly  bought 
one  hundred  and  fifty-four  acres  on  sec- 
tion 35,  of  which  all  except  fourteen  acres 
was  cultivable  land.  He  carried  on  the 
work  of  general  farming  from  year  to 


year  and  as  the  result  of  his  careful  man- 
agement added  to  his  income  annually,  so 
that  when  he  was  called  from  this  life  he 
left  to  his  family  a  valuable  estate.  His 
death  occurred  January  22,  1906,  when 
he  had  reached  the  advanced  age  of  sev- 
enty-eight years,  and  his  remains  were 
interred  in  the  La  Harpe  cemetery.  His 
widow  continues  her  residence  on  the 
homestead  property,  which  is  now  being 
managed  by  her  son,  Ludwig.  In  the 
family  are  three  sons  and  one  daughter, 
of  whom  our  subject  is  the  eldest,  the 
others  being:  William  C.,  who  was  born 
May  10,  1862,  and  is  a  resident  farmer  of 
Bushirell,  Illinois;  Louisa,  who  was  born 
April  28,  1864,  and  is  now  the  wife  of 
Ransford  Bennett,  of  Durham  township; 
and  Ludwig,  who  was  born  August  27, 
1868,  and  is  operating  the  home  farm. 

As  a  companion  and  helpmate  for  life's 
journey  August  C.  Wilke  chose  Miss  Em- 
ma Bedker,  whom  he  wedded  November 
30,  1882.  She  is  a  native  of  Beaver  Dam, 
Wisconsin,  born  April  5,  1861,  and  ac- 
quired her  education  in  the  schools  of  that 
place.  She  is  a  daughter  of  William  and 
Mary  (Kurt)  Bedker,  natives  of  Ger- 
many, while  the  paternal  grandfather, 
Carl  Bedker,  and  the  maternal  grand- 
parents, Jochim  and  Mary  (Hoot)  Kurt, 
were  likewise  natives  of  the  fatherland. 

Following  his  marriage  Mr.  Wilke  re- 
mained with  his  parents  on  the  home 
farm,  assisting  in  its  operation  for  five 
years,  and  he  then  removed  to  a  farm 
which  he  rented  in  La  Harpe  township 
for  four  years,  after  which,  having  saved 
a  capital  sufficient  to  justify  the  purchase 
of  land,  he  invested  his  money  in  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres,  of  which  one 


62O 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


hundred  and  fifteen  acres  are  located  on 
section  25,  La  Harpe  township,  and  the 
remainder  is  situated  on  section  36.  He 
then  removed  his  family  to  the  new  home 
and  is  here  engaged  in  general  farming 
and  stock-raising,  having  placed  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty  acres  under  a  high  state 
of  cultivation,  while  the  remainder  of 
the  farm  is  devoted  to  pasturage.  Since 
locating  on  the  place  Mr.  Wilke  has  made 
many  improvements,  including  wire 
fences,  the  erection  of  barns  and  sheds  for 
the  shelter  of  grain,  stock  and  farm  ma- 
chinery, and  he  recently  erected  a  fine 
residence,  modern  in  its  equipments  and 
accessories,  to  which  the  family  removed 
on  the  ist  of  January,  of  the  present  year. 
There  is  a  fine  orchard  on  the  place  con- 
taining different  varieties  of  fruit  trees, 
from  which  good  crops  are  gathered  in 
their  season. 

Unto  our  subject  and  his  wife  have 
been  born  a  son  and  daughter :  Louis  C. 
W.,  born  February  6,  1884,  and  Mayme 
E.,  born  February  22,  1888,  both  at  home. 
Mr.  Wilke  is  a  republican  in  his  political 
views  and  affiliations  and  he  holds  mem- 
bership with  the  German  Methodist  Epis- 
copal church  in  La  Harpe  township.  He 
takes  a  helpful  interest  in  educational  af- 
fairs, having  served  as  school  director 
continuously  since  1894.  Having  ac- 
companied his  parents  from  the  father- 
land when  only  ten  years  of  age,  he  has 
here  spent  the  greater  part  of  his  life,  and 
enjoyed  the  educational  advantages  of 
this  country,  although  he  had  attended 
school  to  some  extent  in  Germany.  He 
was  early  trained  to  habits  of  industry 
and  economy,  and  possessing  a  strong 
determination  to  win  success  he  applied 


himself  diligently  to  his  work  and  has 
availed  himself  of  every  opportunity  that 
presented  itself  whereby  he  might  ad- 
vance until  he  is  today  numbered  among 
the  prosperous  and  progressive  agricul- 
turists of  this  section  of  the  state,  and  all 
the  success  that  he  has  achieved  has  been 
won  through  his  own  efforts.  Both  he 
and  his  wife  are  highly  esteemed  people 
and  enjoy  the  warm  regard  of  a  large 
circle  of  friends. 


WILLIAM  J.  RIGGINS. 

William  J.  Riggins,  who  is  engaged 
in  business  as  a  contractor  and  builder 
of  La  Harpe,  was  born  in  La  Harpe  town- 
ship, Hancock  county,  in  December,  1836. 
His  paternal  grandfather  was  John  Rig- 
gins  and  his  father  was  Wright  Riggins, 
who  was  a  native  of  North  Carolina  and 
wedded  Mary  Bradshaw,  whose  birth  oc- 
curred in  Warren  county,  Illinois,  while 
her  father,  Joel  Bradshaw,  was  a  native  of 
Tennessee.  In  the  year  1828,  Wright 
Riggins  went  to  McDonough  county,  Illi- 
nois, and  was  numbered  among  its  pioneer 
settlers  who  journeyed  toward  the  ever 
receding  west  and  aided  in  the  reclama- 
tion of  a  wild  and  unimproved  district 
for  the  purposes  of  civilization.  The  In- 
dians were  still  numerous  in  the  state  and 
he  aided  in  defending  the  frontier  in  the 
Black  Hawk  war.  Even  prior  to  this 
time  lie  had  lived  for  several  years  in 
Illinois,  for  when  he  removed  from  North 
Carolina  he  took  up  his  abode  in  Madison 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


621 


county  and  later  lived  in  Morgan  county, 
Illinois,  where  he  worked.  After  spend- 
ing about  three  years  in  McDonough 
county  he  settled  in  La  Harpe  township, 
Hancock  county,  in  1831,  and  purchased 
about  eight  hundred  acres  of  land  from, 
the  government,  securing  his  title  to  the 
same  from  the  land  office  in  Quincy,  Illi- 
nois. All  was  wild  and  uncultivated  and 
about  two  hundred  acres  of  it  was  cov- 
ered with  timber.  He  took  up  the  task 
of  breaking  the  sod  and  improving  the 
farm,  having  the  first  improved  farm  west 
of  La  Harpe.  For  many  years  he  was 
successfully  and  actively  engaged  in  gen- 
eral agricultural  pursuits,  bringing  his 
farm  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation 
and  finding  that  through  care  it  could  be 
made  into  a  productive  place,  the  well 
tilled  fields  yielding  bounteous  harvests. 
He  continued  to  reside  upon  the  farm 
in  this  county  until  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred in  January,  1876,  while  his  wife 
passed  away  in  April,  1844. 

William  J.  Riggins  is  the  only  surviv- 
ing member  of  a  family  of  three  daugh- 
ters and  four  sons,  of  whom  one  son  and 
one  daughter  were  older  than  himself. 
He  was  reared  amid  the  environments 
and  surroundings  of  pioneer  life  and  be- 
gan his  education  in  a  little  log  school- 
house,  while  later  he  attended  school  in 
La  Harpe.  He  spent  his  boyhood  days 
with  his  parents  and  from  the  time  of 
early  spring  planting  until  crops  were 
gathered  in  the  late  autumn  he  aided  in 
the  work  of  the  fields.  He  was  thus  en- 
gaged until  twenty-one  years  of  age,  when 
he  started  out  in  life  on  his  own  account 
and  completed  his  arrangements  for  hav- 
ing a  home  of  his  own  by  his  marriage 


in  October,  1858,  to  Miss  Eliza  Ann 
Peck,  who  was  born  in  Galloway  county, 
Ohio,  in  1835,  and  was  a  daughter  of 
Peter  Peck.  Unto  this  marriage  were 
born  seven  children :  William  Riley, 
who  died  at  the  age  of  twenty- four  years ; 
Pernila,  the  wife  of  Jacob  Hesh,  of  Mc- 
Donough county,  Illinois;  Roena  Belle, 
who  became  the  wife  of  Samuel  Owings 
and  died  in  the  spring  of  1896,  in  Han- 
cock county;  Arali,  the  wife  of  Gillard 
Tiltoh,  of  La  Harpe,  Illinois;  Wesley,  a 
carpenter,  of  Peoria,  Illinois;  Edwin  J., 
also  a  carpenter,  residing  at  Peoria ;  and 
Abigail,  the  wife  of  A.  B.  Barlow,  an  en- 
gineer on  the  Toledo,  Peoria  &  Western 
Railroad.  The  wife  and  mother  passed 
away  in  August,  1871,  and  Mr.  Riggins 
was  again  married  on  the  3d  of  Decem- 
ber, 1873,  his  second  union  being  with 
Miss  Amelia  Bush,  who  was  born  Feb- 
ruary u,  1844,  in  Cumberland  county, 
Pennsylvania,  and  •  acquired  her  educa- 
tion in  the  common  schools  of  that  state. 
Her  parents,  John  C.  and  Henrietta 
(Schmidt)  Bush,  were  both  natives  of 
Germany.  The  children  of  the  second 
marriage  are :  Carolina,  at  home ;  James 
Albert,  who  died .  at  the  age  of  twenty 
years ;  and  Ernest  Weaver,  who  died  in 
infancy. 

Following  his  first  marriage  Mr.  Rig- 
gins  located  upon  one  hundred  acres  of 
the  home  farm,  which  he  purchased  from 
his  father  and  there  he  resided  continu- 
ously until  September,  1876,  when  he  sold 
that  property  and  bought  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  of  land  in  Pontoosuc  township, 
Hancock  county,  making  his  home  there- 
on for  a  decade,  or  until  September,  1886. 
when  he  also  sold  this  farm.  He  then  pur- 


622 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


chased  one  acre  of  land  in  La  Harpe,  on 
which  he  erected  his  present  residence, 
having  since  made  it  his  home.  He  also 
built  four  other  houses  but  has  sold  all 
except  the  one  which  he  now  occupies 
and  one  which  he  rents.  On  removing 
to  La  Harpe  he  purchased  a  butcher  shop, 
which  he  conducted  for  two  years  and 
then  became  identified  with  building  op- 
erations as  a  carpenter  and  contractor. 
He  still  continues  actively  in  this  line  of 
business  and  has  erected  a  number  of  the 
important  structures  of  La  Harpe  and 
vicinity.  He  also  bought  four  lots  in 
Peoria  and  has  built  two  houses  thereon. 
Mr.  Riggins  is  a  democrat  in  his  po- 
litical affiliation  and  has  served  as  super- 
visor and  also  as  assessor.  In  the 
spring  of  1906  he  was  elected  as  mayor 
of  the  city  of  La  Harpe  to  fill  the  va- 
cancy caused  by  the  resignation  of  C. 
A.  Knappenberger.  He  has  led  a  life 
characterized  by  industry  and  carries 
forward  to  successful  completion  what- 
ever he  undertakes.  He  has  always 
lived  in  this  section  of  the  state  and  the 
fact  that  many  \vho  have  known  him  from 
his  boyhood  to  the  present  are  numbered 
among  his  stanchest  friends,  is  an  indi- 
cation that  he  has  displayed  many  sterling 
traits  of  character  as  the  years  have  gone 
by. 


EDWARD  BRINES. 

From  an  early  period  in  the  develop- 
ment of  Hancock  county  to  the  present 
time  Edward  Brines  has  been  numbered 


among  its  residents  and  is  now  living 
in  Augusta.  He  was  born  in  Schuyler 
county,  near  Rushville,  Illinois,  October 
29,  1829,  and  has  therefore  attained  the 
seventy-sixth  milestone  pn  life's  journey. 
He  was  only  two  years  of  age  when  his 
parents  removed  with  their  family  to  Wa- 
bash  county,  Illinois,  where  the  father 
engaged  in  farming,  and  in  the  public 
schools  there  the  son  acquired  his  educa- 
tion and  in  the  summer  months  assisted  in 
the  labors  of  the  farm.  He  resided  there 
until  twenty-one  years  of  age,  performing 
the  various  tasks  incident  to  the  raising 
of  the  crops  and  the  care  of  the  stock. 
In  the  fall  of  1850  he  returned  to  his  na- 
tive county,  where  he  engaged  in  farm- 
ing on  his  own  account,  cultivating  a 
tract  of  rented  land.  He  there  resided 
until  the  spring  of  1874,  when  he  came 
to  Hancock  county  and  took  up  his  abode 
in  Augusta  township,  about  three  and  a 
half  miles  southeast  of  the  village  of  Au- 
gusta. Here  he  also  rented  a  farm  until 
the  spring  of  1878,  when  he  located  in 
Augusta,  where  he  has  since  resided.  He 
has  been  totally  blind  for  the  past  twenty 
years  but  has  learned  to  do  some  kinds  of 
work,  such  as  caning  chairs  and  occu- 
pies much  of  his  time  in  this  way. 

Mr.  Brines  was  married  on  the  2ist 
of  August,  1851,  to  Miss  Mary  Jane 
Curry,  who  was  born  in  Kentucky, 
whence  she  came  to  Illinois  with  her  par- 
ents when  six  years  of  age,  the  family 
home  being  established  near  Rushville, 
where  she  was  reared  and  educated.  The 
family  resided  on  a  farm  about  two  miles 
east  of  Rushville  and  there  she  remained 
until  her  marriage.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Brines  were  born  eight  children.  Nancy 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


623 


Susan,  the  eldest,  is  the  widow  of  John 
N.  Stark,  who  was  a  farmer  of  Augusta 
township.  She  now  resides  in  California 
and  has  two  children,  Earl,  of  Chicago, 
and  Kitty,  who  is  the  wife  of  Neal  Thron- 
son,  of  Minnesota,  and  has  three  children, 
Elvira,  Norma  and  Newman.  George 
H.  Brines  resides  in  Kansas,  where  he  fol- 
lows farming  and  merchandising  in  At- 
tica. He  married  Miss  Ollie  Manson  and 
has  three  children,  Haeey,  Carl  and 
Helen.  Charles  Brines  died  at  the  age  of 
four  years,  Edgar  at  the  age  of  three,  Ma- 
bel at  the  age  of  two  and  three  other  chil- 
dren died  unnamed  in  infancy. 

Mr.  Brines  exercises  his  right  of  fran- 
chise in  support  of  the  men  and  measures 
of  the  democracy  but  never  sought  or 
desired  office,  preferring  always  to  give 
his  undivided  attention  to  his  business 
interests  and  until  blindness  overtook  him 
he  led  a  very  busy  and  useful  life.  Both 
he  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Chris- 
tian church  and  are  well  known  in  Au- 
gusta, being  classed  with  the  worthy  and 
respected  citizens  here. 


GEORGE  KLINEFELTER. 

George  Klinefelter,  devoting  his  time 
and  energies  to  general  agricultural  pur- 
suits in  Chili  township,  was  born  in  Penn- 
sylvania, in  1852.  and  is  one  of  the  four 
children  and  only  living  representative 
of  the  family  of  John  .and  Rebecca  (Wor- 
rell) Klinefelter.  The  father's  birth  oc- 
curred in  Mount  Bethel,  Northampton 


county,  Pennsylvania.  He  was  a  prac- 
ticing physician  as  was  also  the  grand- 
father of  our  subject,  who  was  a  native 
of  the  same  state.  Dr.  John  Klinefelter 
was  born  in  1826,  and  died  in  1868,  at 
the  comparatively  early  age  of  forty-two 
years,  his  remains  being  interred  in  Penn- 
sylvania. His  widow,  who  was  born 
September  8,  1830,  came  to  Illinois  after 
the  death  of  her  husband  and  died  in  1885, 
being  laid  to  rest  in  Chili  cemetery.  She 
was  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church 
and  was  a  most  estimable  lady.  Her  son, 
Joseph,  who  died  in  Minnesota,  July  21, 
1906,  was  brought  to  this  county  for 
interment  in  Chili  cemetery  and  was  laid 
by  the  side  of  his  mother.  Mr.  Kline- 
felter had  an  uncle  on  his  father's  side 
who  was  a  soldier  of  the  Revolutionary 
war,  while  two  of  his  uncles  in  the  ma- 
ternal line  were  soldiers  of  the  Civil  war. 
George  Klinefelter  acquired  his  educa- 
tion in  the  schools  of  Pennsylvania.  He 
came  to  Illinois,  however,  in  1867,  at  the 
age  of  fourteen  years  and  lived  with  his 
mother  in  Chili  township,  Hancock  coun- 
ty, until  he  had  attained  his  majority.  He 
early  became  familiar  with  the  duties  and 
labors  that  fall  to  the  lot  of  the  agricul- 
turist and  throughout  his  entire  life  has 
carried  on  general  farming.  In  1877  he 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Alice  Par- 
ker, who  was  born  in  Chili  township  in 
1849,  a  daughter  of  David  and  Sarah 
(Todd)  Parker,  the  former  born  in  Penn- 
sylvania in  1806,  and  the  latter  in  Con- 
necticut in  1821.  Her  father  followed 
agricultural  pursuits  and  on  coming  to 
Hancock  county  settled  in  Chili  township, 
where  he  resided  until  his  death.  He  was 
in  the  Mormon  war  of  1844  and  was 


624 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


connected  with  other  events  of  early  his- 
toric importance.  In  his  family  were 
four  children,  namely:  Mrs.  Klinefelter; 
B.  F.  Parker,  of  Chili ;  and  two  who 
have  passed  away.  The  father  died  in 
1894,  while  his  wife  departed  this  life 
in  December,  1868.  Both  were  members 
of  the  Presbyterian  church  and  were  de- 
voted Christian  people.  When  Mr.  Par- 
ker arrived  in  Hancock  county  in  1837 
it  was  all  open  prairie  and  Indians  could 
be  seen  daily  in  their  tramps  through 
this  part  of  the  state.  There  were  many 
wolves  and  herds  of  wild  deer  were  fre- 
quently seen,  venison  being  no  unusual 
dish  upon  the  pioneer  table.  There  were 
many  kinds  of  lesser  game  and  every  evi- 
dence of  frontier  life  could  here  be  found. 
There  were  few  houses  between  Chili  and 
Carthage  and  the  work  of  development 
and  improvement  seemed  scarcely  begun 
but  Mr.  Parker  and  other  pioneer  settlers 
laid  broad  and  deep  the  foundation  for 
the  present  development  and  progress  of 
the  county. 

For  some  years  after  their  marriage 
Mr.  Klinefelter  and  his  wife  lived  with 
her  parents.  He  is  now  the  owner  of 
seventy-five  acres  of  land  on  section  30, 
Chili  township,  and  he  built  thereon  his 
present  residence,  together  with  substan- 
tial barns  and  other  outbuildings.  He  is 
now  carrying  on  general  farming  and  also 
raises  some  stock  and  trie  work  of  the 
fields  is  carefully  conducted  and  results 
in  rich  harvests.  He  has  never  had  time 
nor  inclination  to  seek  public  office  but 
has  always  given  a  stalwart  support  to 
the  Republican  party  and  its  principles. 
Both  he  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the 
Presbyterian  church  and  are  interested 


in  its  work.  They  are  esteemed  in  the 
community  as  people  of  genuine  personal 
worth,  their  good  qualities  of  heart  and 
mind  winning  for  them  the  friendship  and 
regard  of  those  with  whom  they  have 
been  associated. 


MAX  LAUBERSHEIMER. 

Occupying  a  leading  position  among 
the  prominent  and  influential  farmers  of 
Appanoose  township,  Hancock  county, 
Illinois,  is  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  Max 
Laubersheimer,  who  was  born  across  the 
water,  his  natal  day  being  November  1 1 , 
1839,  and  the  place  of  his  nativity  Rheim, 
Bavaria,  Germany.  When  a  youth  of 
eighteen  years  he  accompanied  his  par- 
ents, Laurence  and  Barbara  (Ballinger) 
Laubersheimer,  to  the  new  world,  their 
destination  being  New  Orleans,  in  which 
city  they  remained  for  only  six  months, 
at  the  end  of  which  time,  in  the  spring  of 
1858,  they  went  to  St.  Louis,  where  they 
spent  the  succeeding  six  months,  and  in 
the  fall  of  that  year  removed  to  Nauvoo, 
Illinois.  Previous  to  the  removal  of  the 
family  to  the  United  States  the  father 
had  engaged  in  farming  in  his  native 
country  and  also  conducted  a  grocery 
store  there.  After  his  arrival  in  Nauvoo 
he  purchased  a  house  and  an  acre  of 
ground  and  in  this  city  his  death  occurred 
in  February,  1883,  while  his  wife  survived 
him  for  only  a  short  period,  passing 
away  on  the  3ist  of  November  following. 
Franz  Schreiber's  father  conducted  three 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


625 


very  large  hotels  in  the  Alps,  and  after 
coming  to  this  country  located  for  a  time 
in  Missouri,  where  he  was  watch-maker, 
but  he  later  came  to  Nauvoo,  where  he 
followed  his  trade,  and  was  here  joined 
by  his  family  in  1853.  His  death  here  oc- 
curred in  1873,  while  his  wife  had  passed 
away  on  the  loth  of  December.  1854.  In 
the  family  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Laubershei- 
mer  there  were  three  sons  and  a  daughter, 
of  whom  the  subject  of  this  review  is  the 
eldest,  and  he  also  has  a  half  sister. 

Max  Laubersheimer,  on  his  arrival 
with  his  parents  in  New  Orleans,  was  em- 
ployed for  one  month  in  a  hotel  in  that 
city  and  for  five  months  was  a  bartender. 
After  the  removal  of  the  family  to  St. 
Louis  he  learned  the  barber's  trade,  which 
he  followed  fer  some  time  before  coming 
to  Nauvoo.  In  1865,  however,  he  put 
aside  all  business  and  personal  considera- 
tions, and  responded  to  the  country's  call 
for  aid  by  his  enlistment  at  Chicago  in  the 
Twenty-third  Illinois  Infantry,  being  as- 
signed to  duty  in  Company  G  of  that  com- 
mand. He  participated  in  the  siege  of 
Richmond  with  the  army  of  the  Potomac, 
and  was  honorably  discharged  in  August 
of  that  year,  having  served  from  March 
preceding.  While  at  Richmond  he  was 
poisoned  by  mistake  and  for  a  time  was 
in  a  serious  condition  and  after  his  re- 
turn home  was  confined  to  his  bed  for 
three  months,  and  he  has  never  entirely 
recovered  from  its  effects,  having  been  in 
poor  health  ever  since  his  service  in  the 
army. 

About  a  year  after  his  return  home 
from  the  war  Mr.  Laubersheimer  again 
resumed  his  trade  as  a  barber,  which  he 
continued  to  follow  until  1885.  In  the 


meantime  he  had  purchased  a  tract  of 
land  of  one  hundred  and  eleven  acres,  sit- 
uated on  section  19,  Appanoose  township, 
of  which  only  twenty  acres  had  been 
cleared  of  the  timber.  The  only  building 
on  the  place  consisted  of  an  old  log  house, 
and,  having  made  a  small  addition  to  the 
house,  he  made  this  his  home  until  1899, 
and  this  primitive  dwelling  was  then  re- 
placed by  a  modern  frame  residence,  con- 
taining eight  rooms  and  supplied  with  all 
conveniences  for  the  comfort  of  the  fam- 
ily. He  has  cleared  about  fifty  acres  of 
timber  and  has  placed  many  modern  im- 
provements on  his  land,  and  here  with 
the  assistance  of  his  eldest  son  he  is  en- 
gaged in  general  agricultural  pursuits 
and  stock-raising,  having  fine  grades  of  - 
horses,  cattle  and  hogs,  and  both  branches 
of  his  business  are  proving  a  gratifying 
source  of  income  to  him.  In  former 
years  he  was  engaged  to  some  extent  in 
the  raising  of  fruit,  mostly  of  berries,  but 
is  not  now  engaged  in  horticultural  pur- 
suits. His  farm  is  one  of  the  attractive 
features  of  the  landscape,  being  situated 
on  a  high  point,  commanding  an  excellent 
view  of  the  Mississippi  river,  of  the  city 
of  Fort  Madison  six  miles  distant  and  of 
Montrose,  Iowa,  three  and  a  half  miles 
distant. 

On  the  6th  of  January,  1861,  Mr.  Lau- 
bersheimer was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Catherine  Schreiber,  a  native  of 
Switzerland,  born  September  24,  1842, 
and  a  daughter  of  Franz  and  Barbara 
Ann  (Weber)  Schreiber.  Her  paternal 
grandfather  was  Franz  Schreiber,  while 
the  maternal  grandfather  was  Sebastian 
Antone  Weber.  Mrs.  Laubersheimer  ac- 
quired her  education  in  the  schools  of  her 


626 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


native  country  and  also  in  the  schools  of 
Nauvoo.  Unto  our  subject  and  his  wife 
have  been  born  four  sons  and  eight  daugh- 
ters, namely :  George,  born  October  4, 
1 86 1,  and  assisting  his  father  in  the  op- 
eration of  the  home  farm;  Matilda,  bom 
November  31,  1862,  who  died  in  infancy; 
Valentine,  who  was  born  September  II, 
1864,  and  also  died  in  infancy;  Emilia  A., 
born  September  27,  1866,  and  is  now  the 
wife  of  John  E.  Schaefer,  of  Burlington, 
Iowa;  John,  who  was  born  April  4,  1868, 
and  is  now  engaged  in  merchandising  in 
Nauvoo;  Valentine,  born  July  15,  1870, 
and  died  in  infancy;  Bertha  A.,  who  was 
born  October  13,  1872,  and  is  now  the 
wife  of  Albert  Herbert,  of  Appanoose 
township :  Sophia  Adel,  who  was  born 
April  i,  1874,  and  is  now  the  wife  of 
Frank  A.  Wilkins,  of  Sonora  township; 
Dena,  born  September  9,  1876,  and  is  the 
wife  of  William  Clark,  of  Pontoosuc 
township;  Marie  Edith,  born  January  4, 
1878,  and  now  the  wife  of  Joseph  T. 
Boeddeker,  of  Niota.  Illinois ;  Josephine 
Elizabeth,  born  June  20,  1880,  and  now 
the  wife  of  Henry  J.  Boeddeker,  of  Appa- 
noose township;  and  Florence  Gertrude, 
born  May  8,  1883,  and  now  the  wife  of 
Henry  A.  Boeddeker,  of  Appanoose 
township. 

Mr.  Laubersheimer  acquired  his  edu- 
cation in  the  common  schools  of  his  na- 
tive country  and  later  pursued  a  six 
months'  course-  of  study  in  a  college  of 
Germany  before  accompanying  his  par- 
ents to  the  United  States.  He  was  reared 
in  the  faith  of  the  Republican  party  and 
has  taken  an  active  interest  in  the  ranks 
of  his  party,  having  served  as  alderman 
of  the  second  ward  in  Nauvoo,  as  citv 


treasurer  for  seven  years  and  as  school 
directoj-  for  nine  years,  in  all  of  which 
positions  he  was  loyal  to  the  best  inter- 
ests of  the  public  at  large.  Although 
starting  out  in  life  on  his  own  account 
in  a  strange  land,  without  financial  assist- 
ance, Mr.  Laubersheimer  started  at  the 
bottom  round  of  the  ladder  and  through 
his  persistency  of  purpose  and  his  lauda- 
ble ambition  he  has  worked  his  way  stead- 
ily upward  until  he  occupies  a  foremost 
place  among  the  leading  agriculturists  of 
his  adopted  county. 


SAMUEL  SWEENEY. 

Samuel  Sweeney,  engaged  in  business 
in  Carthage  as  a  stone  mason  and  also 
conducting  a  general  teaming  business, 
was  born  in  Preble  county,  Ohio,  October 
10,  1846,  his  parents  being  George  and 
Elizabeth  (Hoover)  Sweeney.  The  fa- 
ther was  born  in  Fredericksburg,  Mary- 
land, and  the  mother  near  Gettysburg, 
Pennsylvania.  George  Sweeney  was  a 
farmer  by  occupation  and  on  leaving 
Ohio,  where  he  resided  for  a  number  of 
years,  traveled  across  the  country  with 
team  to  Hancock  county,  Illinois,  in  1852, 
being  fifteen  days  upon  the  way.  He  set- 
tled on  a  farm  in  Carthage  township,  liv- 
ing in  a  log  house  for  some  time  and  with 
characteristic  energy  and  purpose  he  im- 
proved his  farm,  placing  it  under  a  high 
state  of  cultivation.  In  1870  he  built  a 
large  modern  residence  and  made  other 
improvements,  transforming  the  place 


HANCOCK  CO  UNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


627 


into  an  excellent  farm  property,  which 
he  continued  to  cultivate  until  November, 
1886,  when  he  retired  and  took  up  his 
abode  in  the  city  of  Carthage.  He  voted 
with  the  Republican  party  and  served 
as  school  director  and  road  supervisor. 
Both  he  and  his  wife  were  faithful  mem- 
bers and  active  workers  in  the  Presby- 
terian church,  in  which  he  served  as  an 
elder  from  1854  until  the  time  of  his 
death,  his  labor  proving  a  source  of  much 
benefit  in  various  church  activities.  He 
died  honored  and  respected  by  all,  March 
27,  1891,  and  his  wife,  who  was  a  most 
estimable  lady,  passed  away  in  November. 
1889.  Both  were  laid  to  rest  in  Moss 
Ridge  cemetery.  In  their  family  were 
nine  children :  Jacob  and  William,  both 
deceased;  Susan,  the  wife  of  Milton 
\Yieder,  of  Carthage:  George,  who  is  liv- 
ing in  Carthage ;  Elizabeth,  the  wife  of 
Henry  Biery,  of  Carthage;  Reader,  who 
died  in  the  Civil  war  while  serving  in  the 
Seventh  Missouri  Cavalry ;  Samuel,  of 
this  review7 ;  Alexander  M.,  who  is  living 
in  Cedar  Rapids,  Iowa;  and  Mary,  the 
wife  of  Thomas  Metcalf,  of  Carthage. 
Samuel  Sweeney  was  educated  in  the 
public  school  called  the  Mount  Zion 
school,  north  of  Carthage,  and  when  not 
busy  with  his  text-books  worked  at  farm 
labor.  He  lived  with  his  parents  until 
twenty-eight  years  of  age,  although  for 
a  short  time  previous  he  was  engaged  in 
farming  on  his  own  account.  On  the 
24th  of  March,  1874,  he  married  Miss 
Alice  Jordan,  who  was  born  in  Muskin- 
gum  county,  Ohio,  June  26,  1851,  a 
daughter  of  Aaron  and  Mergeline  (Rob- 
inson) Jordan,  who  were  likewise  natives 
of  the  Buckeye  state.  The  father  was  a 


schoolteacher  and  followed  the  profession 
of  teaching  in  the  public  schools  of  Ohio 
for  many  years.  He  also  engaged  in 
merchandising  there  for  some  time  and 
was  a  man  of  marked  intellectual  force 
and  business  ability.  In  1859  he  came  to 
Hancock  county,  settling  near  Warsaw, 
where  he  taught  school  and  also  engaged 
in  farming  until  1870,  when  he  took  up 
his  abode  upon  a  farm  near  Carthage, 
there  residing  until  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred on  the  26th  of  November,  1876. 
His  wife  had  passed  away  June  23,  1872, 
and  both  were  buried  in  Wythe  township 
cemetery.  Mr.  Jordan  in  his  political 
views  was  a  stalwart  republican  and  held 
various  positions  in  Ohio  and  also  in  this 
county,  ever  proving  faithful  to  the  trust 
reposed  in  him.  In  his  fraternal  relations 
he  was  a  Mason  and  Odd  Fellow  and  took 
a  very  prominent  part  in  the  work  of  the 
lodges  in  the  Buckeye  state.  Both  he  and 
his  wife  held  membership  in  the  Presby- 
terian church  and  he  acted  as  an  elder 
from  his  twenty-first  year  until  his  death. 
In  the  work  of  the  thurch  he  was  very 
greatly  interested  and  took  an  active  part 
in  advancing  the  growth  and  extending 
the  influence  of  his  denomination.  His 
wife,  too,  shared  with  him  in  the  good 
work  and  both  were  earnest  Christian  peo- 
ple, enjoying  in  unqualified  measure  the 
good  will  and  respect  of  those  with  whom 
they  were  associated.  In  their  family 
were  ten  children,  of  whom  seven  are  now 
living :  Mary  L.  Jordan,  who  for  thirty 
years  engaged  in  teaching  school  in  Illi- 
nois and  Kansas,  but  is  now  living  in 
Anthony,  Kansas;  Plummer,  who  died  in 
May,  1867;  Mrs.  Sweeney;  Mercy,  the 
wife  of  Benoine  Warne,  who  resides  in 


628 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


South  Zanesville,  Ohio;  Merritt  Jordan, 
living  in  Kansas  City,  Kansas;  Harriet 
Jordan,  who  resides  in  Anthony,  Kansas, 
where  she  is  a  successful  music  teacher; 
Silas  R.,  who  died  in  Kansas  in  1892;  J. 
Arthur,  who  lives  in  Freeport,  Kansas; 
Abraham  and  Grace,  the  former  living 
in  Anthony,  Kansas,  with  his  two  sisters, 
while  the  latter  died  in  1888,  after  having 
taught  school  successfully  for  seven  years 
in  Harper  county,  Kansas. 

Silas  Robinson,  the  great-grandfather 
of  Mrs.  Sweeney,  served  with  the  militia 
during  the  Revolutionary  war,  and  his  son 
and  namesake,  the  grandfather  of  Mrs. 
Sweeney,  was  a  soldier  of  the  war  of 
1812,  while  two  of  his  brothers,  Isaac  and 
Aaron,  also  fought  for  the  American 
interests  in  that  struggle.  Aaron  Jordan, 
father  of  Mrs.  Sweeney,  had  seventeen 
relatives  in  the  Civil  war. 

Following  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Sweeney  lived  for  four  years  in  a  log 
cabin,  which  his  parents  had  built  when 
they  came  to  Illinois.  In  1878  they  re- 
moved to  Sumner  county,  Kansas,  settling 
on  a  frontier  farm  forty  miles  from  a 
railroad  and  sharing  in  the  usual  expe- 
riences and  hardships  of  pioneer  life. 
They  remained  for  three  and  a  half  years 
in  the  Sunflower  state  and  then  returned 
to  Hancock  county,  after  which  they  spent 
a  similar  period  upon  a  farm  in  Car- 
thage township.  Later  they  resided  again 
in  Kansas  for  ten  years  and  in  1895  they 
took  up  their  abode  in  the  city  of  Car- 
thage, where  Mr.  Sweeney  has  since  en- 
gaged in  teaming  and  also  working  as  a 
stone  mason.  They  purchased  a  pretty 
home  at  No.  904  Buchanan  street  in  1900 
and  have  here  since  lived.  They  are  con- 


sistent and  helpful  members  of  the  Presby- 
terian church,  in  which  Mr.  Sweeney  has 
served  as  an  elder  since  1885,  while  Mrs. 
Sweeney  is  a  popular  teacher  in  the  Sun- 
day-school. She  was  also  a  teacher  in  the 
public  schools  for  a  part  of  five  years 
prior  to  her  marriage.  Mr.  Sweeney 
votes  with  the  Republican  party  and  his 
interest  in  community  affairs  is  that  of  a 
public-spirited  citizen.  Unto  this  worthy 
couple  have  been  born  six  children.  Mer- 
geline  E.,  born  in  Hancock  county,  was 
formerly  a  teacher  in  this  county  but  has 
been  in  the  telephone  exchange  for  the 
past  five  years.  Hattie  M.,  born  in  Sum- 
ner county,  Kansas,  died  there  in  1897. 
Grace  E.,  born  in  Sumner  county,  is  a 
stenographer,  bookkeeper  and  cashier  for 
the  Western  Electric  Company,  at  Kan- 
sas City,  Missouri,  with  which  she  has 
been  connected  for  three  years.  Minnie 
Alice,  born  in  Hancock  county,  is  also  in 
the  telephone  exchange  here.  George  A., 
born  in  Kansas,  in  October,  1885,  is  liv- 
ing at  Shawnee,  Oklahoma.  Carrie  Helen, 
born  in  Kansas,  is  now  a  sophomore  in 
the  high  school  at  Carthage.  Minnie  is 
a  graduate  of  the  high  school  and  all  are 
members  of  the  Presbyterian  church. 

Mr.  Sweeney  is  classed  with  those  busi- 
ness men  who  are  known  as  self-made, 
having  started  in  life  without  family  or 
pecuniary  assistance,  placing  his  depend- 
ence upon  industry  and  enterprise  to 
gain  him  a  living.  His  Christian  faith 
has  prompted  him  to  follow  the  golden 
rule  at  all  times  in  business  transactions 
as  well  as  in  social  relations.  In  manner 
he  is  quiet  and  unostentatious  but  pos- 
sesses sterling  traits  of  character  that 
have  won  him  warm  regard.  He  now 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


629 


has  a  comfortable  home  in  Carthage  and 
has  provided  a  good  living  for  his  family, 
and  both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sweeney  occupy 
a  very  enviable  position  in  the  friendship 
of  those  with  whom  they  have  come  in 
contact.  Their  religious  faith  has  per- 
meated their  lives  and  has  been  the  de- 
cisive factor  which  has  governed  their 
actions  on  many  occasions. 


JOSIAH  C.  BELL. 

Josiah  C.  Bell,  a  highly  respected  citi- 
zen of  Warsaw,  where  he  is  living  retired, 
was  born  in  Tyler  county,  West  Virginia, 
September  5,  1834.  His  father,  William 
H.  Bell,  was  born  in  Lancaster  county, 
Pennsylvania,  March  5,  1801,  and  was 
there  married,  on  the  I2th  of  September, 
1826,  to  Miss  Rebecca  Coyn,  whose  birth 
occurred  in  Allegheny  county,  September 
27,  1801.  Following  their  marriage  they 
removed  to  Tyler  county,  West  Virginia, 
where  they  located  on  a  farm,  there  re- 
maining until  the  spring  of  1835,  when 
they  removed  to  Ohio,  settling  in  Monroe 
county,  where  the  father  purchased  a  farm 
of  one  hundred  and  ten  acres,  which  he 
operated  until  1857,  when  he  disposed  of 
his  property  and  came  to  Warsaw,  Illi- 
nois, where  he  lived  retired  throughout 
his  remaining  days,  his  death  occurring 
April  15,  1877.  His  wife,  however,  had 
preceded  him  to  the  home  beyond,  she 
having  passed  away  October  22,  1858.  In 
their  family  were  seven  children,  five  sons 
and  two  daughters,  and  three  of  the  sons 


were  valiant  and  loyal  soldiers  in  the 
Civil  war,  one  of  the  number  having  en- 
listed in  West  Virginia,  a  second  in  Ohio, 
and  the  third  in  Warsaw. 

Josiah  C.  Bell,  the  fourth  in  order  of 
birth  in  his  father's  family,  spent  his  boy- 
hood and  youth  in  the  home  of  his  par- 
ents, accompanying  them  on  their  various 
removals,  and  during  the  years  of  their 
residence  in  Ohio  he  acquired  his  educa- 
tion in  the  public  schools.  He  was  there 
reared  to  farm  life,  assisting  his  father  in 
the  operation  of  the  home  farm  when  not 
busy  with  his  text-books,  and  thus  gained 
practical  knowledge  of  the  best  methods 
of  cultivating  the  soil.  During  the  sea- 
sons of  the  year  when  his  services  were 
not  required  on  the  farm  he  also  worked 
on  various  boats  which  plied  on  the  Ohio 
river,  first  being  employed  as  cabin  boy, 
but  by  faithful  service  and  capability  he 
was  promoted  from  time  to  time  until  he 
became  steward  of  the  boat.  He  likewise 
learned  the  stone-cutter's  trade  in  the 
Buckeye  state  and  was  employed  in  that 
line  of  work  there  for  one  year.  When 
his  father  disposed  of  the  farm  property 
there  the  son,  Josiah,  attended  to  the  busi- 
ness in  connection  therewith  and  then  ac- 
companied his  parents  on  their  removal 
to  this  state,  being  thai  a  young  man  of 
twenty-three  years. 

Following  his  arrival  in  Warsaw  Mr. 
Bell  continued  his  work  as  a  stone-cutter, 
being  employed  by  others  in  this  way  for 
about  thirteen  years,  or  until  1870,  when, 
in  company  with  Henry  Beach,  he  opened 
a  marble  yard  in  the  village,  which  was 
successfully  conducted  until  1884.  In 
that  year  Mr.  Bell  disposed  of  his  busi- 
ness interests  and  made  a  contract  to  de- 


630 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


liver  the  mail  on  the  Star  route,  radiating 
from  the  city,  which  position  he  held  dur- 
ing the  succeeding  four  years,  since  which 
time  he  has  lived  retired,  occupying  a 
pleasant  home  which  is  located  on  the  cor- 
ner of  Fifth  and  Jackson  streets. 

As  a  companion  and  helpmate  for  life's 
journey  Mr.  Bell  chose  Miss  Sarah  E. 
French,  to  whom  he  was  married  on  the 
28th  of  April,  1861.  She  was  born  near 
Nashville,  Tennessee,  January  30,  1839,  a 
daughter  of  John  and  Mary  J.  (Fowler) 
French,  the  former  born  near  Nashville, 
and  the  latter  in  South  Carolina.  When 
Mrs.  Bell  was  a  child  her  parents  removed 
to  Missouri,  and  there  her  father's  death 
occurred  in  1850.  The  following  year, 
1851,  at  the  time  of  a  flood  caused  by  the 
overflowing  of  the  Missouri  river,  the 
family  lost  all  their  property  and  personal 
effects  and  the  mother  with  her  children 
came  to  Warsaw,  Illinois,  where  she  has 
since  resided. 

Unto  our  subject  and  his  wife  have 
been  born  nine  children,  of  whom  two  are 
deceased :  Emma  Jane,  who  was  born 
April  9,  1862,  is  a  teacher  of  English  and 
history  in  the  Lutheran  College  at  Car- 
thage. Illinois;  Clara  died  in  infancy. 
Flora  G.,  the  next  member  of  the  family, 
was  born  March  30,  1865.  Carrol  M., 
who  was  born  March  25^  1867,  is  an  en- 
gineer, being  located  at  Greencastle,  In- 
diana. Rose  E.,  who  was  bom  August 
17,  1869,  was-  engaged  in  teaching  for 
eight  years  but  is  now  pursuing  a  course 
in  a  college  in  Chicago  to  prepare  her  for 
work  as  a  deaconess.  Guy  E..  born  De- 
cember 7,  1874,  is  a  photographer  of  Keo- 
kuk,  Iowa.  Alberta,  who  was  born  De- 
cember 21,  1876,  died  in  infancy.  The 


two  younger  members  of  the  family  are 
Eugenia  M.,  who  was  born  May  10,  1879, 
and  Jessie  Mildred,  born  May  16,  1881. 
Besides  rearing  their  own  family  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Bell  have  reared  two  children,  which 
they  adopted  as  their  own,  these  being 
Robert  Turnpaugh,  who  was  born  May 
22,  1884,  and  Mildred  McKinney,  whose 
birth  occurred  February  21,  1887. 

Mr.  Bell  is  a  prohibitionist  in  his  po- 
litical affiliation,  thus  indicating  his  views 
on  the  temperance  question.  He  has 
served  on  the  board  of  health  at  Warsaw 
for  fifteen  years  and  for  two  years  was 
truant  officer.  In  his  religious  faith  he  is 
a  Methodist,  holding  membership  with 
that  organization  in  his  city,  and  he  is 
likewise  a  charter  member  of  the  Ancient 
Order  of  United  Workmen  lodge  of  War- 
saw, having  become  identified  with  the 
order  September  21,  1877. 

Having  spent  the  greater  part  of  his 
life  in  Hancock  county,  covering  a  period 
of  almost  a  half  century,  Mr.  Bell  is  wide- 
ly known  and  commands  the  respect 
and  good  will  of  all  with  whom  he  is 
associated. 


JAMES  F.  CRAWFORD. 

James  F.  Crawford,  well  deserving  of 
mention  in  the  history  of  Hancock  coun- 
ty, as  one  of  its  progressive  and  repre- 
sentative citizens,  has  served  as  post- 
master of  Warsaw  since  1897  and  for 
some  years  has  been  identified  with  its 
business  interests.  Born  in  this  county, 
September  2,  1851,  he  is  a  son  of  Thomas 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


631 


and  Serepta  J.  (Doughty)  Crawford, 
who  are  mentioned  on  another  page  of 
this  work  in  connection  with  the  sketch 
of  Charles  C.  Crawford. 

In  the  district  schools  James  F.  Craw- 
ford began  his  education,  which  was  con- 
tinued in  the  Christian  University,  at 
Canton,  Missouri.  His  father  died  soon 
afterward  and  as  James  was  the  eldest  son 
of  the  family  upon  him  devolved  the  care 
of  his  widowed  mother  and  younger 
brothers  and  sisters.  He  remained  upon 
the  home  farm,  carefully  conducting  the 
work  until  his  marriage,  which  was  cele- 
brated October  10,  1876,  Mary  E.  Tappe 
becoming  his  wife.  They  were  married 
in  Quincy.  Mrs.  Crawford  was  born  Oc- 
tober 10,  1857,  a  daughter  of  Colonel 
William  D.  and  Belinda  (Shinn)  Tappe. 
Her  father  was  editing  a  newspaper  in 
Virginia  at  the  time  of  the  outbreak  of  the 
Civil  war  and  became  a  colonel  in  the 
•Confederate  army.  After  the  war  he  re- 
moved to  Illinois,  where  he  died  in  1903, 
while  his  widow  yet  resides  in  Quincy. 
Their  family  numbered  four  children : 
Mrs.  Crawford ;  William  and  John  Lewis, 
of  Quincy;  and  Mrs.  Lucy  Pringle,  who 
is  with  her  mother. 

In  1880  Mr.  Crawford  took  up  his 
abode  in  Warsaw,  where  he  engaged  in 
the  hay  and  grain  business  until  1890, 
when  he  turned  his  attention  to  real  es- 
tate dealing,  in  which  he  has  since  con- 
tinued, negotiating  many  important  realty 
transfers.  He  has  been  a  stalwart  repub- 
lican since  age  conferred  upon  him  the 
right  of  franchise  and  since  the  ist  of 
October,  1897,  has  served  as  postmaster 
of  Warsaw,  his  administration  of  the 
affairs  of  the  office  being  prompt  and 
40 


businesslike.  He  has  also  been  city  clerk 
and  supervisor  and  his  official  service  re- 
flects credit  upon  his  party.  For  four- 
teen years  he  has  been  chairman  of  the 
republican  congressional  committee  and  is 
recognized  as  one  of  the  republican  lead- 
ers of  this  part  of  the  state,  his  labors 
having  been  far-reaching  and  beneficial 
in  support  of  the  principles  in  which  he 
believes  so  firmly. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Crawford  have 
been  born  four  children :  Erie  Thomas, 
located'  in  Forsyth,  Montana;  William  R., 
of  St.  Louis,  Missouri ;  James  L.,  ste- 
nographer, and  Lucy  Gladys,  at  home. 
All  of  the  the  sons  are  graduates  of'  the 
Warsaw  schools  and  have  received  train- 
ing in  business  colleges.  The  mother  and 
children  are  communicants  of  the  Episco- 
pal church  and  Mr.  Crawford  was  reared 
in  the  Christian  church,  although  he  is 
not  a  member.  He  has  attained  the 
Knight  Templar  degree  in  Masonry,  has 
filled  all  the  offices  in  the  local  lodge  and 
has  been  identified  with  the  Odd  Fellows. 
Accommodating, and  reliable  in  the  dis- 
charge of  his  official  duties,  genial  and 
friendly  in  disposition,  he  is  a  popular 
man  in  Warsaw  and  in  political  circles 
throughout  this  part  of  the  state. 


JOHN  HERBERT. 

John  Herbert,  who  departed  this  life 
at  the  venerable  age  of  eighty-three  years, 
was  for  a  long  period  a  well  known  farm- 
er of  Hancock  county.  He  was  born  in 


632 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


Hanover,  Germany,  September  22,  1811, 
and  acquired  a  common-school  education 
there.  Having  reached  adult  age,  he  was 
married  in  Germany  to  Miss  Catherine 
Trenton,  and  they  became  the  parents  of 
six  children,  of  whom  two  are  now  liv- 
ing: Henry,  who  resides  in  Oklahoma; 
and  Martin,  who  makes  his  home  in  Mis- 
souri. In  the  year  1847  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Herbert  bade  adieu  to  friends  and  native 
land  and  sailed  for  the  new  world,  for 
favorable  reports  had  been  received  by 
them  concerning  the  opportunities  that 
were  offered  in  this  country,  and  believ- 
ing that  they  might  more  readily  attain 
success  they  crossed  the  briny  deep.  The 
death  of  Mrs.  Herbert  occurred  in  St. 
Louis,  in  1849,  resulting  from  an  attack 
of  cholera  which  in  that  year  was  epidemic 
in  the  country. 

On  the  2d  of  December,  1850,  Mr. 
Herbert  wedded  Miss  Mary  E.  Derlan, 
who  was  born  in  Prussia,  June  i,  1828. 
For  a  year  and  a  half  after  his  first  mar- 
riage he  remained  in  St.  Louis,  and  in 

1852  removed  to  Adams  county,  Illinois, 
where  he  rented  a  farm  for  one  year.     In 

1853  ne  came  to  Nauvoo  and  purchased 
two  and  a   half   acres   in   the   southeast 
part  of  the  Kimball  addition.     There  he 
lived   for  eight  years,   when   he  bought 
twenty   acres   in    Nauvoo   township.     In 
1869  he  became  owner  of  forty  acres  in 
Appanoose    township,    and    in    1880    he 
bought  ten  acres  more.     Upon  that  place 
he  carried  on  the  work  of  tilling  the  soil 
and  cultivating  fruit,  having  three  acres 
planted  to  grapes,  while  he  also  had  many 
peach  and  other  fruit  trees  upon  the  place. 
He  kept  in  touch  with  modern  progress, 
concerning  agricultural  and  horticultural 


interests,  and  not  the  least  important  fea- 
ture of  his  success  was  his  unfaltering 
industry. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Herbert  were  born 
three  sons  and  a  daughter:  Frank,  who 
was  born  February  10,  1853,  and  is  now 
living  in  Appanoose  township;  Agnes, 
who  was  born  December  27,  1855,  and  is 
the  wife  of  William  Arenz,  a  resident  of 
Holyoke,  Phillips  county,  Colorado;  Al- 
bert, who  was  born  February  22,  1861, 
and  makes  his  home  in  Appanoose  town- 
ship; and  Louis,  who  was  born  Novem- 
ber 13,  1860,  and  was  drowned  July  8, 
1878.  The  death  of  the  father  occurred 
February  16,  1895,  when  he  was  in  the 
eighty-fourth  year  of  his  age,  and  his  re- 
mains were  interred  in  the  Catholic  ceme- 
tery at  Nauvoo.  He  had  been  a  life-long 
communicant  of  the  Catholic  church,  and 
was  a  democrat  in  his  political  allegiance. 
He  was  thoroughly  in  sympathy  with 
American  institutions  and  with  the  spirit - 
of  republican  government  and  in  the  com- 
munity where  he  made  his  home  he  took 
an  active  and  helpful  interest  in  many 
movements  for  general  progress.  He  was 
devoted  to  his  family  and  through  his 
business  affairs  secured  to  them  a  good 
property  and  comfortable  competence.  In 
September,  1889,  Mrs.  Herbert  pur- 
chased eight  acres  of  land  in  Sonora 
township,  on  which  is  a  residence  and 
barn,  and  she  now  rents  this  property  to 
John  Faulkner.  She  still  makes  her 
home  on  the  old  farm  which  her  husband 
purchased  many  years  ago,  and  her  resi- 
dence in  the  county  covers  more  than  a 
half  century,  for  it  was  still  an  early 
period  in  the  development  of  this  part  of 
the  state  when  she  accompanied  her  hus- 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


633 


band  on  his  removal  from  Adams  to  Han- 
cock county.  She  has  therefore  been  a 
witness  of  many  of  the  changes  which 
have  occurred  and  the  events  that  have 
taken  place  in  the  county,  and  deserves 
mention  in  this  volume  as  one  of  the 
worthy  pioneer  women. 


GEORGE  SMITH. 

Among  the  residents  of  Hancock  coun- 
ty of  foreign  birth  is  numbered  George 
Smith,  who  was  born  in  Banffshire,  Scot- 
land, on  the  nth  of  October,  1834.  He 
is  a  grandson  of  George  Smith,  and  a 
son  of  David  and  Margaret  (Duff) 
Smith.  The  father  was  a  resident  farmer 
of  Scotland  and  died  in  his  native  country 
in  the  year  1853.  His  wife  also  passed 
away  there. 

George  Smith  acquired  his  education 
in  the  parish  schools  of  his  native  coun- 
try, was  reared  to  the  occupation  of  farm- 
ing and  continued  to  assist  his  father  in 
general  agricultural  pursuits  until  the 
latter's  death.  He  was  a  young  man  of 
about  twenty-two  years  when  in  1856  he 
crossed  the  ocean  to  America,  making  his 
way  to  Quebec,  Canada,  where  he  worked 
at  farm  labor  for  a  year.  He  afterward 
went  to  Montreal,  Canada,  whence  he 
took  a  boat  up  the  St.  Lawrence  river  and 
across  Lake  Ontario  to  Hamilton, 
Canada.  From  that  point  he  proceeded 
by  rail  to"  Detroit,  Michigan,  and  on  to 
Chicago,  to  Rock  Island  and  down  the 
Mississippi  river  to  Montrose,  Iowa, 


whence  he  continued  the  journey  by  rail 
to  Keokuk.  Thence  he  came  to  Mon- 
tebello  township,  Hancock  county,  where 
he  worked  for  two  and  a  half  years  by 
the  month  as  a  farm  hand.  In  1860  he 
rented  a  farm,  whereon  he  resided  for 
.eight  years  and  later  he  lived  upon  an- 
other place  for  two  years  and  upon  a  third 
farm  for  six  years.  In  1874  he  invested 
his  earnings  in  eighty  acres  of  land  on 
section  14,  Montebello  township,  Han- 
cock county.  This  was  partially  improved 
and  in  1876  he  added  thereto  eighty 
acres  more.  He  built  a  house  of  seven 
rooms  and  he  has  put  up  barns  and  like- 
wise fences.  He  has  now  many  rods  of 
fine  hedge  fence.  He  has  carried  on  gen- 
eral farming  and  stock-raising,  making 
a  specialty  of  cattle  and  hogs,  and  his 
well  developed  farm  property  returns  to 
him  an  excellent  income. 

On  the  :8th  of  August,  1854,  Mr. 
Smith  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Margaret  McDonald,  who  was  born  Sep- 
tember 25,  1833,  and  is  a  daughter  of 
John  and  Jane  (Donald)  McDonald,  who 
lived  and  died  in  Scotland.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Smith  had  one  child,  David,  who  was  born 
in  Scotland,  February  i,  1856,  and  died 
near  Montreal,  Canada,  February  18, 


While  in  his  native  country  Mr.  Smith 
held  membership  in  the  Presbyterian 
church.  He  votes  with  the  democracy 
and  keeps  well  informed  on  the  questions 
and  issues  of  the  day.  He  is  in  fact  in 
hearty  sympathy  with  the  institutions  of 
this  republic  and  has  never  had  occasion 
to  regret  his  determination  to  seek  a  home 
in  the  new  world,  realizing  the  advan- 
tages that  are  here  offered  where  labor 


634 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


is  not  hampered  by  caste  or  class.  He 
has  steadily  made  substantial  progress  in 
his  business  career  and  is  now  in  pos- 
session of  a  very  comfortable  home  and 
good  property. 


WILLIAM  C.  REIMBOLD. 

William  C.  Reimbold,  owner  and  pro- 
prietor of  a  hotel  in  Nauvoo,  his  native 
city,  was  here  bom  November  27,  1860, 
a  son  of  Casper  W.  and  Elizabeth  (Bush) 
Reimbold,  both  natives  of  Cologne,  Ger- 
many, the  former  a  son  of  William  and 
Christina  (Bruner)  Reimbold.  The  fa- 
ther on  coming  to  Hancock  county  in 
1849,  settled  in  Nauvoo,  where  he  en- 
gaged in  a  merchandising  enterprise. 
After  residing  here  for  a  number  of  years 
he  went  to  New  York  city,  there  engaging 
in  the  manufacture  of  confectionery, 
which  he  continued  for  three  years,  and 
then  went  to  Chicago,  where  he  continued 
in  the  same  line  of  trade  for  a  year.  He 
then  again  came  to  Nauvoo,  where  he  con- 
ducted a  confectionery  store,  and  also 
conducted  a  freighting  outfit  until  his 
death,  which  here  occurred  July  23,  1903, 
and  thus  passed  away  one  of  the  worthy 
citizens  of  this  city,  where  he  had  for 
many  years  been  a  factor  in  business  life. 
He  is  still  survived  by  his  widow,  who  yet 
makes  her  home  in  Nauvoo. 

William  C.  Reimbold  attended  the 
common  schools  of  Nauvoo  to  the  age  of 
thirteen  years,  and  at  that  time  became 
his  father's  assistant,  driving  a  transfer 


wagon  for  him  for  several  years.  He 
then,  in  1891,  purchased  the  business 
from  his  father  and  conducted  the  busi- 
ness on  his  own  account  until  March, 
1901.  In  the  meantime,  in  January,  1894, 
he  had  purchased  what  was  known  as  the 
Swartz  residence,  which  he  remodeled  and 
added  to,  converting  the  place  into  a  ho- 
tel, which  he  called  the  Oriental  Hotel. 
This  is  the  only  hotel  in  Nauvoo  and  un- 
der the  management  of  Mr.  Reimbold  it 
enjoys  a  very  large  trade  from  the  trav- 
eling public,  for  it  is  an  up-to-date  house, 
supplied  with  every  convenience  and  com- 
fort for  the  convenience  of  the  patrons. 

On  the  27th  of  October,  1887.  Mr. 
Reimbold  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Elizabeth  Hillisheim,  a  native  of  Sonora 
township,  bom  September  13,  1861,  and 
a  daughter  of  Garrett  and  Margaret  Hill- 
isheim, natives  of  Hanover  and  Bavaria, 
Germany,  respectively.  Mrs.  Reimbold 
acquired  her  education  in  the  common 
schools  and  by  her  marriage  has  become 
the  mother  of  one  son,  William  C.,  born 
January  12,  1899. 

In  politics  Mr.  Reimbold  is  independ- 
ent, supporting  men  rather  than  adhering 
to  party  ties,  while  in  his  fraternal  rela- 
tions he  is  a  member  of  the  Modem 
Woodmen  of  America,  belonging  to  the 
lodge  at  Nauvoo.  He  possesses  a  ge- 
nial, kindly  manner. 


JAMES  A.  ROSEBERRY. 

James     A.     Roseberry,     a     prominent 
farmer  and  stock-raiser  of  Sonora  town- 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


635 


ship,  represents  one  of  the  pioneer  families 
of  Illinois,  his  parents  having  removed 
from  Kentucky  in  May,  1832,  and  lo- 
cated in  Adams  county,  where  the  father 
entered  land  at  Columbus,  near  Ouincy. 
He  there  engaged  in  farming  until  his 
life's  labors  were  ended  in  death  and 
there  he  passed  away  in  1881,  having  sur- 
vived his  wife  for  only  five  days. 

James  A.  Roseberry,  whose  name  intro- 
duces this  record,  is  the  eldest  in  a  family 
of  seven  sons  and  two  daughters,  his  birth 
having  occurred  near  Louisville.  Ken- 
tucky, on  the  4th  of  July,  1830.  He  was 
only  two  years  of  age  when  brought  to 
Illinois  by  has  parents,  the  family  home 
being  located  in  Adams  county  at  Colum- 
bus, where  he  acquired  his  education  in 
the  common  schools.  He  remained  with 
his  parents  until  twenty-two  years  of  age 
and  then  started  out  in  life  on  his  own  ac- 
count by  engaging  in  the  work  to  which 
he  had  been  reared.  He  first  operated 
rented  land  in  Adams  county  for  two 
years,  and  on  the  25th  of  April,  1857, 
arrived  in  Sonora  township,  Hancock- 
county,  where  he  purchased  eighty  acres 
of  land  on  section  34.  This  was  unim- 
proved when  it  came  into  his  possession 
but  he  at  once  set  to  work  to  develop  and 
cultivate  his  fields.  He  also  built  fences, 
and  erected  a  dwelling,  set  out  fruit  trees 
and  otherwise  improved  his  property.  At 
a  later  date  his  first  residence  was  replaced 
by  a  larger  dwelling  and  he  has  now  one 
of  the  fine  country  homes  of  this  section 
of  the  county,  and  is  engaged  in  general 
farming  and  stock-raising,  including 
horses,  cattle  and  hogs,  of  which  he  has 
good  grades. 


On  the  loth  of  March,  1854,  occurred 
the  marriage  of  Mr.  Roseberry  and  Miss 
Emily  Jane  Payne,  a  native  of  Adams 
county,  and  a  daughter  of  Henry  and 
Anna  (Pounds)  Payne,  natives  of  the 
Blue  Grass  state.  Of  this  marriage  four 
sons  and  two  daughters  were  born, 
namely :  William,  a  resident  of  Okla- 
homa ;  Annie,  the  wife  of  Edward  Utter- 
back,  a  resident  of  Kansas;  Henry,  of 
Osceola,  Nebraska;  Everett  and  Lincoln, 
both  of  Portland,  Oregon;  and  Emma, 
the  wife  of  Martin  Egan,  of  Hamilton, 
this  state.  The  mother  of  these  children 
passed  away  in  December,  1866,  and  in 
October,  1868,  the  father  was  again  mar- 
ried, his  second  union  being  with  Miss 
Mary  Roseberry,  a  native  of  Adams 
county,  Illinois,  and  a  daughter  of  John 
and  Mary  (McElhenny)  Roseberry.  The 
surviving  son  of  this  marriage  is  Edward, 
who  assists  in  the  operation  of  the  farm, 
while  the  daughter,  Cora,  became  the  wife 
of  Frank  Nowles,  of  Almira,  Washing- 
ton, and  died  111.1904.  leaving  one  son 
and  three  daughters. 

Mr.  Roseberry  supports  the  Republican 
party  and  has  served  as  school  director 
and  trustee,  but  aside  from  being  inter- 
ested in  the  educational  development  of 
his  community  has  taken  no  active  inter- 
est in  public  office.  His  religious  faith 
is  indicated  by  his  membership  in  the 
Christian  church  at  Sonora.  He  has 
worked  earnestly  and  persistently  in  his 
efforts  to  accumulate  a  good  property, 
for,  though  starting  out  in  life  without 
capital  he  is  today  in  possession  of  an 
excellent  farm  on  which  are  found  all 
modern  improvements,  and  by  honesty 


636 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


and  fair  dealing  has  won, a  place  among 
the  highly  esteemed  residents  of  this  por- 
tion of  the  state. 

Since  the  above  was  written  Mr.  Rose- 
berry  has  passed  away,  his  death  occur- 
ring at  the  home  place  on  October  20, 
1906,  and  is  buried  at  Curry  cemetery  in 
Sonora  township. 


THOMAS  J.  BAINTER. 

Thomas  J.  Bainter,  residing  in  the  city 
of  La  Harpe,  where  he  owns  a  nice  home, 
and  where  he  is  acting  as  janitor  of  the 
Christian  church,  is  a  native  of  Muskin- 
gum  county,  Ohio,  his  birth  having  there 
occurred  October  31,  1834,  a'  son  of 
George  and  Lucy  (Meater)  Bainter,  both 
natives  of  Pennsylvania,  the  former  born 
August  14,  1771,  a  son  of  Godfrey  Bain- 
ter. The  father  of  our  subject  was  en- 
gaged in  the  manufacture  of  chairs  in 
Ohio  for  many  years,  but  both  he  and  his 
wife  are  now  deceased,  the  former  hav- 
ing passed  away  September  13,  1849, 
while  his  wife  survived  until  October  20, 
1857.  The  father  had  been  married  pre- 
viously, his  first  union  being  with  Miss 
Lydia  Sprague,  who  was  born  September 
28,  1777,  and  to  whom  he  was  married 
August  9,  1796.  The  children  of  this 
marriage  were:  John  S.,  who  was  born 
August  12,  1797;  Ellis,  born  October  23, 
1799;  James,  January  6,  1802;  Sprague. 
September  17,  1804;  Anson,  October  8, 
1806;  Calvery,  September  20,  1808;  Be- 
linda M.,  September  14,  1811;  Mary  S., 
April  3,  1814;  and  Lydia  C.,  September 
15,  1817.  After  losing  his  first  wife  the 


father  was  then  married,  in  1830,  to  Lucy 
Meater,  who  became  the  mother  of  our 
subject  and  who  is  the  second  in  order  of 
birth,  his  surviving  brother  being  George 
W.,  who  was  born  June  4,  1832,  while 
Henry,  who  was  born  August  14,  1836, 
died  at  the  age  of  six  years. 

Thomas  J.  Bainter,  whose  name  intro- 
duces this  record,  pursued  his  studies  in 
the  district  schools  of  Ohio,  and  remained 
with  his  parents  to  the  age  of  twenty-one 
years,  when,  leaving  his  native  state,  he 
made  his  way  to  Burlington,  Iowa,  where 
he  remained  for  a  time,  and  later  contin- 
ued his  journey  to  La  Harpe,  this  county, 
where  he  was  employed  at  farm  labor  un- 
til 1857.  He  then  again  made  his  way 
to  Iowa,  locating  in  Johnson  county, 
where  he  was  employed  in  a  hotel  for  a 
year.  In  the  spring  of  1858  he  once  more 
came  to  La  Harpe,  where  he  was  mar- 
ried on  the  5th  of  August  following,  Miss 
Elmira  Gray  becoming  his  wife.  She  was 
a  native  of  Coshocton  county,  Ohio,  and 
a  daughter  of  David  Gray,  who  was  born 
in  the  Buckeye  state,  June  20,  1.811,  while 
her  mother,  who  bore  the  maiden  name  of 
Henrietta  Richard,  was  there  born  Octo- 
ber 30,  1812,  and  on  the  28th  of  March, 
1823,  was  united  in  marriage  to  David 
Gray. 

Of  the  first  marriage  of  Mr.  Bainter 
there  were  born  two  sons  and  two  daugh- 
ters, all  of  whom  survive,  namely :  Ron- 
aldo,  who  was  born  May  7,  1859,  and  is 
now  a  resident  of  Story  county,  Iowa; 
Sarah  Ellen,  who  was  born  September 
n,  1861,  and  is  now  the  wife  of  George 
Carter,  a  resident  of  Durham  township; 
John  H.,  born  November  23,  1863 ;  and 
Jennie  A.,  who  was  born  November  25. 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


637 


1866,  and  is  the  widow  of  Charles  Ander- 
son, residing  in  La  Harpe.  The  mother 
of  these  children  passed  away  June  26, 
1900,  and  her  remains  were  interred  in 
the  cemetery  at  La  Harpe.  For  his  sec-; 
ond  wife  Mr.  Bainter  then  chose  Mrs.  An- 
geline  Scott,  whom  he  wedded  December 

25,  1901.     She  was  born  in  Champaign 
county,   Ohio,   December   12,   1832,   and 
was  the  widow  of  George  Scott,  to  whom 
she  was  married  December  24,  1858,  and 
who,  in  1860,  had  gone  with  a  company 
to    California,    where    he    was    drowned 
three    years    later.      By    this    marriage 
there  is  one  son,  Isaac  Scott,  who  was 
born   in   October,    1859,   and   is   now   a 
resident  of  Fremont  county,  Iowa.     Mrs. 
Bainter  is  a  daughter  of  Louis  and  Eliza 
(Anderson)   Long,  natives  of  Shippens- 
burg,  Pennsylvania,  the  former  born  July 

26,  1803,  a  son  of  Sephenar  Long,  like- 
wise a  native  of  the  Keystone  state,  while 
the   mother's    birth   occurred    March    7, 
1806.     Unto  Louis  and  Eliza  Long  were 
born    the    following   named :      Elizabeth 
Ann,    who   became   the   wife   of   James 
Smith,    and   died    in   Kansas;   Caroline, 
who  became  the  wife  of  M.  Porter,  and 
also  passed  away  in  that  state;  David, 
who  passed  away  in  La  Harpe ;  Angeline, 
now  the  wife  of  our  subject;  Joseph,  who 
died   in    Sciota,    Illinois;    Mrs.    Lavonia 
Minnick,  a  resident  of  California;  Mary 
C.,  the  wife  of  Z.  Birch,  and  a  resident 
of  Burlington,  Iowa;  Louis  E.,  who  died 
at  La  Harpe ;  Charles,  of  Good  Hope,  Illi- 
nois; Eleanor  J.,  the  widow  of  L.  Oakes, 
and  a  resident  of  Nebraska ;  Laura  and 
Bathsheba,  twins,  who  died  in  infancy; 
Annette,  the  wife  of  James  Marshall,  of 
Whiting,    Kansas;   and   Henrietta,   twin 


sister  of  Annette,  and  the  wife  of  John 
Gray,  a  resident  of  Nebraska.  By  a  sec- 
ond marriage  of  Louis  Long  there  are  two 
sons  and  a  daughter :  Louis,  of  La  Harpe 
township;  George,  of  Henderson  county, 
Illinois;  and  Daisy,  the  wife  of  Marion 
Huston,  of  La  Harpe. 

Following  his  first  marriage  Mr.  Bain- 
ter continuously  followed  general  agricul- 
tural pursuits  until  1895,  when  he  re- 
moved to  La  Harpe,  where  he  had  pur- 
chased a  house  and  two  lots  in  1892. 
Since  locating  here  he  has  greatly  im- 
proved the  place,  having  set  out  many 
shade  and  fruit  trees,  has  erected  a  barn 
and  tool  sheds,  and  has  a  nice  residence, 
which  stands  in  the  midst  of  a  well  kept 
lawn,  and  altogether  has  one  of  the  best 
homes  in  the  city.  In  his  political  views 
Mr.  Bainter  is  a  democrat,  and  in  his  re- 
ligious faith  is  identified  with  the  Chris- 
tian church  at  La  Harpe,  of  which  he  is 
now  acting  as  janitor. 

Mr.  Bainter  has  resided  in  Hancock 
county  for  almost  a  half  century  and  ow- 
ing to  his  reliable  and  straightforward 
dealing  is  accounted  one  of  the  highly  re- 
spected citizens  of  his  community.  He 
has  now  passed  the  seventy-second  mile- 
stone on  life's  journey  but  is  still  a  hale 
and  hearty  man,  beloved  by  all  with 
whom  he  has  come  in  contact. 


ROY  B.  ROBERTS,  M.  D. 

Dr.  Roy  B.  Roberts,  who  is  enjoying 
very  gratifying  success  in  the  practice  of 


638 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


medicine  for  one  of  his  years,  having  al- 
ready attained  a  reputation  which  many 
an  older  practitioner  might  well  envy, 
was  born  in  Waukesha,  Wisconsin,  Sep- 
tember 17,  1875.  His  father,  Dr.  Charles 
B.  Roberts,  was  bom  on  a  farm  in  Ohio 
in  1848,  and  is  a  graduate  of  the  Ens- 
worth  Medical  College  of  Missouri.  He 
was  a  minister  of  the  Baptist  church  prior 
to  the  time  that  he  took  up  the  profession 
of  medicine,  preaching  in  Illinois  and  Mis- 
souri with  great  success.  He  now  makes 
his  home  in  McLean  county,  Illinois,  and 
is  practically  retired.  He  married  Miss 
Sarah  Ellen  Bulkley,  who  was  born  in 
Upper  Alton,  Illinois,  in  1854,  and  like 
him,  she  is  a  devoted  member  of  the 
Baptist  church.  In  their  family  were 
seven  children  :  Hazelteen  Ruth,  the  wife 
of  Harry  Tilburg,  of  Towanda,  Illinois; 
Roy  B. ;  Luther,  deceased ;  Alice  M.,  the 
wife  of  Arthur  L.  Rainalter,  of  St.  Jo- 
seph, Missouri;  Francis  X.,  who  lives  in 
the  Alberta  district  of  Canada ;  Lathrop 
E.  and  Horace  B.,  also  of  Canada. 

Dr.  Roberts  of  this  review,  having  ac- 
quired a  good  preliminary  education  re- 
solved to  make  the  practice  of  medicine 
his  life  work  and  is  a  graduate  of  the 
Ensworth  Medical  College  of  Missouri, 
and  of  the  Rush  Medical  College,  of  Chi- 
cago. He  first  practiced  in  Brooklyn, 
Illinois,  where  he  remained  for  two  years, 
and  in  August,  1901,  located  in  Augusta, 
where  he  has  met  with  excellent  success, 
having  a  large  practice  in  both  the  town, 
and  county.  He  keeps  in  touch  with 
the  progress  of  the  medical  fraternity  and 
is  continually  broadening  his  knowledge 
and  efficiency  by  reading  and  investiga- 
tion. He  has  demonstrated  his  ability  to 


successfully  solve  intricate  problems  con- 
nected with  the  restoration  of  health,  and 
he  has  the  regard  of  his  professional 
brethren  by  reason  of  his  conformity  to  a 
high  standard  of  professional  ethics. 

Dr.  Roberts  \vas  married  in  1902  to 
Miss  Bertha  A.  DeGroot,  who  was  born 
in  Augusta,  January  7,  1876,  and  is  a 
daughter  of  John  E.  and  Mary  Josephine 
(Davis)  DeGroot,  residents  of  this  state. 
Her  father  is  a  native  of  Ouincy,  and  is 
a  retired  farmer  now  sixty-three  years 
of  age,  while  her  mother  has  reached 
the  age  of  fifty-five  years.  In  their  fam- 
ily are  four  children,  and  the  circle  yet 
remains  unbroken  by  the  hand  of  death. 
These  are :  Maude,  the  wife  of  Arthur 
J.  Laughlin,  of  Macomb,  Illinois;  Mrs. 
Roberts ;  Eugene,  a  practicing  physician 
living  at  Muskogee,  Oklahoma ;  and 
Mabel,  the  wife  of  Frank  Deiley,  of  Ber- 
wyn,  Illinois.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  DeGroot 
are  members  of  the  Methodist  church. 
For  many  years  he  was  a  dentist,  engaged 
actively  in  practice  for  a  long  period.  Dr. 
and  Mrs.  Roberts  now  have  two  children : 
Brockway  DeGrott,  born  in  Augusta, 
April  6,  1903 ;  and  Elsie  Monica,  born 
January  26,  1906. 

Dr.  Roberts  votes  with  the  Republican 
party  but  is  not  active  in  its  ranks.  He 
belongs  to  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  and  he 
and  his  wife  are  consistent  and  faithful 
members  of  the  Methodist  church.  They 
are  prominent  socially  in  Augusta  and 
their  own  home  is  justly  celebrated  for 
its  gracious  and  attractive  hospitality, 
professionally  and  fraternally  Dr.  Roberts 
is  popular  and  has  made  an  excellent 
record  as  a  medical  practitioner  for  one  of 
his  years. 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


°39 


SAMUEL  H.  ATHEY. 

Samuel  H.  Athey.  deceased,  who  was 
engaged  in  carriage  making  in  Hamilton, 
was  born  in  Washington  county,  Ohio, 
May  1 6,  1831,  a  son  of  Walter  and  Clara 
(Goldsmith)  Athey,  who  were  natives  of 
Maryland.  In  that  state  they  were  mar- 
ried, after  which  they  crossed  the  moun- 
tains to  Ohio  on  horseback,  spending  their 
remaining  days  in  the  Buckeye  state. 

Samuel  H.  Athey  was  reared  under  the 
parental  roof  and  acquired  his  education 
in  the  public  schools  in  Washington  coun- 
ty. He  lived  with  his  parents  until  the 
23d  of  November,  1852,  and  was  then 
married  to  Miss  Sarah  M.  Campbell,  who 
was  born  near  Marietta,  Wood  county. 
West  Virginia,  a  daughter  of  Robert  and 
Letitia  (Wright)  Campbell,  the  former  a 
native  of  Ireland  and  the  latter  of  Hunt- 
ington  county,  Pennsylvania.  Their  mar- 
riage was  celebrated  in  the  Keystone  state 
and  they  afterward  removed  to  Virginia, 
where  Mr.  Campbell  purchased  four  hun- 
dred acres  of  land.  He  was  a  shoemaker 
by  trade,  but  in  the  Old  Dominion  gave 
his  attention  to  agricultural  pursuits. 
Subsequently  he  resided  for  a  time  in  Erie 
county,  Pennsylvania,  but  afterward  re- 
turned to  Virginia,  where  he  and  his  wife 
spent  their  remaining  days.  In  their  fam- 
ily were  five  sons  and  six  daughters. 

After  his  marriage  Samuel  H.  Athey 
and  his  bride  began  their  domestic  life  in 
his  father's  old  home,  where  they  lived 
until  1855,  when  they  removed  to  the 
vicinity  of  Keokuk,  settling  upon  a  rented 
farm.  There  Mr.  Athey  carried  on  gen- 
eral agricultural  pursuits  and  taught 
school  for  a  year.  He  afterward  went  to 


St.  Francisville,  Missouri,  where  he  re- 
sided until  1864,  when  he  came  to  Ham- 
ilton and  purchased  fifteen  acres  of  land 
in  the  northern  part  of  the  city.  Here 
he  was  first  employed  at  carpentering,  but 
later  turned  his  attention  to  carriage 
building  and  was  thus  engaged  during  the 
latter  part  of  his  life. 

In  the  same  year  of  his  removal  to 
Hamilton,  Mr.  Athey  enlisted  for  service 
in  the  Civil  war,  joining  Company  C  of 
the  One  Hundred  and  Eighteenth  Illinois 
Infantry  in  the  spring  of  1864.  He 
served  until  the  end  of  the  war  but  was 
fifteen  months  in  the  hospital  at  Baton 
Rouge,  Louisiana,  and  was  discharged  at 
Springfield,  Illinois,  after  the  close  of  hos- 
tilities. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Athey  were  born 
three  daughters  and  three  sons:  Clara, 
the  wife  of  William  Morgan  Oakley,  of 
Ouincy,  Illinois;  Addie,  at  home;  Mary, 
who  became  the  wife  of  John  Finley  Mal- 
colm, and  died  at  Libertyville,  Illinois,  in 
1895;  Robert,  of  Hamilton;  and  Eugene, 
who  is  a  painter  and  paper  hanger  of 
Hamilton.  The  husband  and  father  died 
March  24,  1893,  when  about  sixty-two 
years  of  age.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  his  po- 
litical views  were  in  accord  with  repub- 
lican principles.  He  served  as  constable 
in  Lee  county,  Iowa,  but  was  never  an  of- 
fice seeker,  preferring  to  give  his  time  and 
attention  to  his  business  interests.  He 
led  a  busy,  active  and  useful  life  and  all 
that  he  possessed  was  obtained  through 
his  own  persistent  efforts.  In  citizenship 
he  ever  manifested  the  same  loyalty  which 
he  displayed  when  upon  southern  battle- 
fields. 


640 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


MRS.  JANE  L.  HAWLEY. 

Mrs.  Jane  L.  Hawley,  living  in  Hamil- 
ton, was  born  in  Hector,  New  York,  in 
May,  1831,  a  daughter  of  Jeremiah  and 
Martella  (Kelly)  Robinson,  both  of 
whom  were  natives  of  New  York.  Re- 
moving westward,  the  parents  settled  in 
the  vicinity  of  Connersville,  Indiana,  in 
1837,  taking  up  their  abode  upon  a  farm 
there.  The  mother's  death  occurred  in 
1838  and  the  father  passed  away  in  1856. 
Mrs.  Hawley  spent  her  girlhood  days 
under  the  parental  roof,  acquired  a  public 
school  education  and  was  carefully  trained 
in  the  duties  of  the  household,  so  that 
she  was  well  qualified  to  take  care  of  a 
home  of  her  own  at  the  time  of  her  mar- 
riage. She  left  Indiana  in  1843  and  went 
to  McLean  county,  Illinois,  where  she 
lived  with  a  sister,  Mrs.  Harriet  Trow- 
bridge,  until  seventeen  years  of  age.  She 
afterward  returned  to  Indiana  and  was 
there  married  in  October,  1849,  to  Jo- 
seph Laramore,  who  was  born  in  1810 
and  was  a  son  of  Daniel  and  Mary 
Brooks.  Her  husband  was  conducting  a 
hotel  in  the  village  of  Eagle,  Boone  coun- 
ty, Indiana,  and  in  1856  came  to  Adams 
county,  settling  at  West  Point,  where  he 
purchased  a  farm  and  resided  until  iE62, 
when  he  sold  that  property  and  bought 
a  farm  in  Wythe  township,  Hancock 
county.  He  was  engaged  in  its  cultiva- 
tion and  development  until  1875,  when 
he  sold  the  property  and  bought  a  large 
brick  house  with  a.  store  front  on  Main 
street  in  Hamilton.  Here  Mr.  Laramore 
died  in  August,  1877,  leaving  one  daugh- 
ter, Celesta,  who  was  born  in  January, 
1852,  and  became  the  wife  of  Trever 


Slattery.  She  died  in  1881,  leaving  two 
daughters,  of  whom  one  is  yet  living,  Iva, 
now  the  wife  of  Edward  McQuarry,  of 
West  Point,  Illinois.  By  a  former  mar- 
riage Joseph  Laramore  had  two  sons : 
Thomas,  who  died  at  the  age  of  forty 
years;  and  James,  a  practicing  physician 
residing  in  Greenfield,  Indiana.  Having 
lost  her  first  husband,  Mrs.  Laramore  was 
again  married  in  August,  1881,  becoming 
the  wife  of  George  A.  Hawley,  who  was 
born  in  the  state  of  New  York  in  1820, 
He  was  an  attorney  at  law,  who  practiced 
in  Iowa  for  many  years.  He  had  been 
married  before  and  had  one  son  who  died 
in  infancy.  Mr.  Hawley  passed  away 
March  31,  1902,  since  which  time  his 
widow  has  been  living  alone  in  Hamilton. 
She  is  well  known  here  as  a  lady  of  many 
excellent  traits  of  character  that  have 
gained  for  her  a  wide  circle  of  friends. 


J.  L.  ESSLEY. 

J.  L.  Essley,  of  Dallas  City,  was  born 
in  Washington,  Iowa,  on  the  gth  of  De- 
cember, 1880,  and  is  a  son  of  Mark  and 
Emma  Essley,  who  are  residing  upon  a 
farm  near  Washington.  They  have  four 
children :  Estella,  the  wife  of  Lester 
Rank,  a  resident  of  Oklahoma;  J.  L.,  of 
this  review;  Oliver  and  Esther,  both  at 
home. 

J.  L.  Essley  was  educated  in  the  Uni- 
versity at  Iowa  City,  completing  a  busi- 
ness course  there  by  graduation.  He  was 
afterward  employed  in  a  grocery  store  for 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


641 


two  years  at  Washington,  Iowa,  in  the 
capacity- of  bookkeeper  and  clerk.  On  the 
nth  of  December,  1900,  he  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Miss  Minnie  Moss,  who  was 
born  in  West  Virginia,  in  1881,  and  is  a 
daughter  of  Lewis  and  Elizabeth  (Rhea) 
Moss,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  West 
Virginia,  and  in  1891  became  residents  of 
Hancock  county,  Illinois,  settling  upon  a 
farm  in  Dallas  township,  where  they  are 
now  living.  In  their  family  were  four 
children,  all  born  in  West  Virginia :  Eva, 
at  home;  Iva,  the  wife  of  Lloyd  Moss, 
living  in  Arrowsmith,  Illinois :  and  Mrs. 
Essley  of  this  review.  The  last  named 
was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Dal- 
las City  and  in  her  girlhood  days  learned 
the  milliner's  trade.  In  1901  she  em- 
barked in  the  millinery  business  in  Dal- 
las City,  and  in  the  spring  and  fall  of  1904 
employed  a  manager  to  conduct  her  place 
in  this  city,  while  she  managed  a  branch 
store  in  Lone  Tree,  Iowa.  She  has  the 
largest  patronage  of  any  millinery  estab- 
lishment in  this  city  and  draws  her  trade 
from  the  surrounding  country  as  well. 
Her  place  of  business  is  pleasantly  and 
conveniently  located  on  Oak  street  and 
she  keeps  an  excellent  line  of  goods,  em- 
ploying a  trimmer  from  Quincy  during 
the  busy  seasons.  Her  store  is  indeed 
modern  and  up-to-date  in  every  particu- 
lar and  is  tastefully  arranged  and  conve- 
niently equipped.  She  well  merits  the  lib- 
eral patronage  which  is  accorded  her,  her 
business  being  one  of  the  leading  commer- 
cial enterprises  of  the  city.  She  suffered 
losses  in  the  disastrous  fire  which  swept 
over  the  city  -on  the  i7th  of  December, 
1905,  but  she  at  once  resumed  business 
as  a  milliner  and  has  a  good  trade. 


Mr.  Essley  was  connected  with  a  but- 
ton factory  of  Dallas  City  for  three  years 
and  is  now  with  a  well  drilling  company. 
He  votes  with  the  Republican  party  and 
his  wife  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
church,  in  which  she  acted  as  organist  for 
eight  or  nine  years.  Mr.  Essley  pur- 
chased a  pleasant  home  on  West  Third 
street  and  this  worthy  couple  has  a  son, 
Jesse,  who  was  born  in  Dallas  City,  No- 
vember 9,  1901.  Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ess- 
ley  stand  well  in  the  community  where 
they  make  their  home  and  have  the  warm 
regard  of  many  friends. 


JOHN  REID  WILLIAMS. 

John  Reid  Williams,  a  resident  of  War- 
saw, has  for  many  years  been  one  of  the 
leading  factors  in  business  life  in  this 
city.  He  was  a  captain  on  the  Mississippi 
river  in  the  old  picturesque  days  of  steam- 
boat travel  upon  the  father  of  waters  and 
following  his  retrrement  in  1887  he  has 
made  extensive  and  judicious  investments 
in  property,  becoming  one  of  the  large 
landowners  of  this  part  of  the  state.  He 
is  now  spending  his  days  in  well-earned 
ease,  having  through  well  conducted  busi- 
ness affairs  become  possessor  of  a  very 
gratifying  competence. 

Mr.  Williams  was  born  in  Madison 
county,  Kentucky,  March  28,  1816,  a  son 
of  Levi  and  Mary  (Reid)  Williams.  In 
the  year  1831,  the  parents  removed  with 
their  family  to  Hancock,  settling  three 


642 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


miles  below  Warsaw  on  the  bluff  road, 
while  later  they  took  up  their  abode  on 
the  prairie  six  miles  southeast  of  the  city, 
Levi  Williams  there  entering  one  hun- 
dred and  thirteen  acres  of  land,  which  was 
at  that  time  wild  and  unimproved,  but 
which  he  transformed  into  a  valuable  and 
productive  farm.  He  was  a  ranger  up 
and  down  the  river  during  the  Black 
Hawk  war  and  was  connected  with  many 
interesting  events  of  early  history  which 
have  shaped  the  policy  and  promoted  the 
progress  of  this  portion  of  the  state.  He 
lived  upon  the  old  homestead  farm  until 
his  death,  which  occurred  November  27, 
1860,  when  he  was  sixty-six  years  of  age 
and  his  wife  survived  until  the  2d  of  De- 
cember, 1872.  In  their  family  were  nine 
children,  of  whom  three  are  now  living : 
Rice  C.,  who  resides  at  Peoria :  Henry, 
who  is  living  on  the  old  homestead ;  and 
John  Reid,  of  this  review.  Those  who 
have  passed  away  are  William,  Thomas, 
Jane,  Theresa  M.,  Elizabeth  and  two  who 
died  in  infancy. 

John  Reid  Williams  pursued  his  educa- 
tion in  the  old-time  subscription  schools 
and  was  reared  to  agricultural  pursuits. 
He  devoted  the  winter  months  to  the 
mastery  of  the  branches  of  learning 
taught  in  the  early  educational  institutions 
of  those  days,  while  the  remainder  of 
the  year  was  given  to  farm  work  from 
the  time  of  early  spring  planting  until 
crops  were  harvested  in  the  late  autumn. 
During  the  years  of  his  early  manhood 
his  attention  was  given  to  farming  and 
he  afterward  began  boating  on  the  Mis- 
sissippi river,  eventually  becoming  a  cap- 
tain of  one  of  the  old-time  crafts.  Before 
the  era  of  railroad  travel  the  river  was 


the  great  highway  between  the  north  and 
the  south  and  with  its  tributaries  formed 
the  source  of  communication  for  all  points 
of  the  middle  west  and  the  gulf  ports.  It 
is  within  the  memory  of  many  men,  when 
the  river  crafts  were  "floating  palaces" 
and  a  trip  down  the  Mississippi  was  a 
most  enjoyable  occasion,  for  as  the  boat 
proceeded  slowly  down  the  stream  there 
was  ample  time  for  the  forming  of  new 
acquaintances,  many  of  which  ripened  into 
warm  friendships.  There  was  laughter 
and  music  aboard  and  the  dance  was  often 
a  feature  of  the  evening  entertainment. 
As  the  boat  put  up  at  different  landings 
to  take  on  or  discharge  its  cargo  the 
negroes  would  perform  the  task  of  load- 
ing and  unloading,  keeping  time  to  a 
rythmic  chant  or  song.  The  Mississippi 
formed  not  only  the  highway  for  pas- 
senger travel  but  also  for  all  traffic.  The 
products  of  many  great  states  that  lie  in 
the  Mississippi  basin  were  shipped  by 
boat  down  the  father  of  waters  and  this 
method  of  transportation  proved  a  profit- 
able business.  As  before  stated,  Mr. 
Williams  became  captain  of  a  Mississippi 
river  steamer  and  for  some  time  his  run 
was  from  St.  Louis  to  Keokuk.  He  later 
purchased  an  interest  in  the  Eagle  Packet 
Company,  holding  office  of  president  of 
this  company  while  he  was  interested,  in 
which  he  remained  a  stockholder  until 
'1887,  when  he  disposed  of  his  holdings 
and  retired  to  private  life,  since  which 
time  he  has  given  his  attention  merely  to 
the  supervision  of  his  private  business 
affairs.  As  his  financial  resources  had 
increased  he  had  made  judicious  invest- 
ments in  property  and  is  now  the  owner 
of  about  seven  hundred  acres  of  farming 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


643 


land  in  Hancock  county.  He  also  owns 
considerable  valuable  city  property  and 
the  old  homestead,  which  was  once  the 
property  of  his  father.  At  one  time  he 
owned  nine  hundred  and  fifty  acres  of 
farming  land,  but  later  disposed  of  two 
hundred  and  fifty  acres. 

Aside  from  his  experiences  on  the  river 
in  what  forms  one  of  the  most  attractive 
and  picturesque  periods  in  the  history  of 
the  middle  west  Captain  Williams  has  had 
other  interesting  experiences  and  adven- 
tures. In  1852  he  went  to  California,  at- 
tracted by  the  discovery  of  gold  on  the 
Pacific  coast  and  had  the  usual  life  of  the 
western  miner  with  its  hardships  and 
dangers  during  the  several  months  which 
he  spent  in  California  ere  returning  to  Illi- 
nois. He  was  also  in  the  Mormon  war 
which  occurred  in  the  '405  and  took  an 
active  interest  in  affairs  of  that  time. 
The  Mormons,  coming  from  the  east, 
endeavored  to  establish  a  colony  in  Han- 
cock county,  but  their  practices  of  polyga- 
my were  so  abhorent  to  the  citizens  of  this 
part  of  the  state  that  they  rose  against 
the  sect  and  drove  them  from  the  state. 
Captain  Williams  was  in  the  suburbs  of 
the  city  of  Carthage  when  Joseph  Smith 
and  his  brother  Hiram,  Mormon  prohets 
and  leaders,  were  shot.  While  acting  as 
deputy  sheriff  he  slept  many  nights  in  the 
room  where  Joseph  Smith  lost  his  life. 

In  1849  occurred  the  marriage  of  Cap-, 
tain  Williams  and  Miss  Angeline  McMa- 
han,  a  daughter  of  Andrew  and  Mary 
(Crawford)  McMahan.  Nine  children 
were  born  of  this  union :  Mary,  who  is 
now  the  wife  of  Dr.  J.  Eaton  Johnston, 
of  Warsaw,  Illinois ;  Flora,  who  married 
Thomas  F.  Howard  and  is  living  with 


her  father;  Thomas,  who  resides  on  a 
farm  in  Wise  township;  and  six  children 
who  died  in  early  youth.  The  wife  and 
mother  passed  away  March  28,  1901,  at 
the  age  of  seventy-two  years.  She  was  a 
native  of  Kentucky  and  came  to  Illinois 
with  her  parents  the  year  following  the 
arrival  of  the  Williams  family,  the  Mc- 
Mahan family  settling  upon  an  adjoining 
farm,  and  it  was  upon  that  farm  that 
Captain  and  Mrs.  Williams  were  married. 
In  his  political  views  Captain  Williams 
was  in  early  life  a  whig  and  cast  his  first 
presidential  ballot  for  William  Henry 
Harrison.  Upon  the  dissolution  of  the 
party  he  joined  the  ranks  of  the  new 
Republican  party,  of  which  he  has  since 
been  a  stanch  advocate.  He  was  elected 
coroner,  at  one  time  served  as  deputy 
sheriff  and  was  also  constable  for  a  num- 
ber of  years,  discharging  the  varied  duties 
which  devolved  upon  him  with  prompt- 
ness and  fidelity.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Christian  church  and  is  one  of  the  most 
esteemed  and  honored  citizens  of  War- 
saw. He  is  a  venerable  man  of  ninety 
years  and  his  life  has  been  one  of  activity 
crowned  with  success.  He  lived  in  this 
county  during  early  pioneer  times  when 
many  of.  the  homes  were  log  cabins  and 
these  were  widely  scattered,  there  being 
long  distances  betwen  the  farms.  The 
farm  machinery  was  primitive  and  the 
household  utensils  were  equally  so.  Can- 
dles were  in  use  for  lighting  and  cooking 
was  largely  done  over  the  fireplace,  while 
the  sickle  and  scythe  were  seen  in  the  har- 
vest fields  and  the  sheaves  were  bound  by 
hand.  Great  changes  have  occurred  in 
all  lines  of  business  life  within  the  mem- 
ory of  Captain  Williams.  As  an  honored 


644 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


pioneer  settler  he  well  deserves  mention 
in  this  volume,  for  few  have  been  longer 
connected,  with  Hancock  county,  its  de- 
velopment and  progress. 


O.  F.  WEISENBORN. 

Otto  F.  Weisenborn,  viewing  life  from 
the  standpoint  of  a  practical,  enterprising 
man,  has  won  a  position  in  business  cir- 
cles that  has  gained  for  him  simultaneous- 
ly a  good  name  and  creditable  success. 
He  is  today  the  senior  partner  in  the  firm 
of  Weisenborn  &  Company,  of  Carthage, 
dealers  in  farm  lands  in  Hancock  county, 
in  residence  property  in  Carthage,  and 
also  in  lands  in  New  Mexico,  Oklahoma, 
Kansas,  Iowa  and  Texas.  He  was  born 
at  Lentner,  Missouri,  in  1870,  his  parents 
being  Conrad  and  Rebecca  (Altdater) 
Weisenborn.  The  father,  a  native  of 
Germany,  born  in  1832,  was  twenty  years 
of  age  when  he  came  to  America  with  his 
parents,  settling  near  Quincy,  Illinois,  at 
a  place  called  Mill  Creek.  He  is  a  farmer 
by  occupation  and  now  makes  his  home 
with  his  children,  being  at  present  in  Ma- 
con,  Missouri.  His  early  political  alle- 
giance was  given  to  the  democracy,  but 
he  now  votes  with  the  Republican  party. 
For  a  number  of  years  he  was  a  member 
of  the  police  force  of  Quincy.  He  holds 
membership  in  the  German  Lutheran 
church,  to  which  his  wife  also  belonged. 
She  passed  away  in  1882,  her  remains  be- 
ing interred  in  South  Union  cemetery 
near  Zion  church  in  the  vicinity  of  Clar- 


ence, Missouri,  at  which  time  Otto  F. 
Weisenborn  was  but  fourteen  years  of 
age.  In  the  family  were  six  children,  of 
whom  four  are  now  living,  as  follows : 
George,  who  is  a  manufacturer  at  Indian- 
apolis, Ind. ;  Henry  C.,  an  expert  me- 
chanic of  Macon,  Missouri;  Theodore  A., 
a  traveling  salesman  of  Peoria,  Illinois; 
and  Otto  F.,  of  this  review. 

A  graduate  of  the  high  school  of  Clar- 
ence, Missouri,  Otto  F.  Weisenborn  thus 
completed  his  education,  after  which  he 
engaged  in  the  operation  of  rented  farms, 
for  several  years  in  Missouri.  Subse- 
quently he  spent  a  few  years  as  a  com- 
mercial traveler  and  in  1900  as  the  result 
of  study,  investigation  and  experiment,  he 
invented  a  patent  wire  stretcher,  upon 
which  he  secured  a  United  States  patent  in 
April,  1905.  He  then  began  the  manufac- 
ture of  this  device,  which  he  sold  in  all 
states  of  the  Union.  He  disposed  of  a  half 
interest  in  the  business  to  L.  A.  Shipton, 
of  Carthage,  and  later  Becher  Jackson,  of 
Adrian,  Illinois,  became  interested  with 
him  in  the  business.  He  is  still  engaged 
in  the  manufacture  of  his  invention  at  De- 
troit, Michigan,  and  has  other  patents 
pending.  This  wire  stretcher  is  consid- 
ered the  best  on  the  market  and  took  first 
premium  at  the  St.  Louis  exposition  in 
1900.  Mr.  Weisenborn  possesses  consid- 
erable mechanical  ingenuity  and  original 
ideas  and  has  brought  forth  several  use- 
ful devices.  After  selling  a  half  interest 
in  his  patent  he  entered  into  general  mer- 
chandising in  Carthage,  but  after  a  year 
sold  out  and  lived  retired  for  a  few  years. 
He  is  now,  however,  engaged  in  the  real 
estate  business  with  offices  in  the  Mc- 
Mahon  block  on  Main  and  Adams  streets 


r 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


645 


in  Carthage.  He  is  associated  with 
Charles  H.  Garnett  under  the  firm  style 
of  Weisenborn  &  Company  and  is  one  of 
the  leading  land  dealers  of  this  part  of 
the  state,  making  a  specialty  of  Hancock 
county  farm  lands.  He  also  handles  resir 
dence  property  in  Carthage  and  is  agent 
for  the  Pecos  valley  lands  in  New  Mex- 
ico and  also  for  property  in  Oklahoma, 
Kansas,  Iowa  and  Texas.  He  has  charge 
of  Santa  Fe  excursions  to  the  southwest 
and  has  made  extensive  sales  of  property 
not  only  in  this  county  but  in  adjoining 
states  and  in  Texas  and  Oklahoma*  He 
is  largely  conversant  with  property  vafijes 
and  has  thus  engaged  many  important 
realty  transfers. 

On  the  26th  of  February,  1902,  Mr. 
WTeisenborn  was  married  to  Miss  Alice 
M.  White  at  her  home  near  Bentley,  Illi- 
nois. She  was  born  in  McDonough 
county,  Illinois,  in  1871,  a  daughter  of 
James  and  Amelia  (Boyd)  White.  Her 
parents  were  natives  of  Ohio  and  the  fa- 
ther, a  farmer  by  occupation,  lived  upon 
a  farm  in  this  state  for  over  thirty  years. 
In  his  political  views  he  was  a  strong 
democrat.  He  died  August  10,  1905. 
while  his  widow  now  resides  with  her 
daughter,  Mrs.  BottsT  In  their  family 
were  seven  children,  of  whom  six  are  now 
living :  Morris,  who  resides  in  St.  Marys, 
Illinois;  Laura,  the  wife  of  Robert  Botts, 
living  in  Carthage;  Martha,  the  wife  of 
Tom  Stevens,  of  Dallas  City,  Illinois ; 
Jane,  the  wife  of  William  Ewing,  of 
Dighton,  Kansas;  Katherine,  the  wife  of 
George  Crump,  of  St.  Marys.  Illinois; 
and  Mrs.  Weisenborn.  The  last  named 
was  a  graduate  of  the  Carthage  high 
school  and  attended  Carthage  College. 


She  gained  a  teacher's  certificate  but  never 
followed  that  profession.  She  was,  how- 
ever, a  successful  stenographer  for  four 
years  in  the  law  office  of  Miller  &  Wil- 
liams at  Carthage.  She  was  reared  in  the 
faith  of  the  Christian  church  but  alter 
her  marriage  joined  the  Presbyterian 
church  with  her  husband.  She  took  a 
deep,  active  and  helpful  interest  in  church 
work  and  prior  to  her  marriage  vyas  a 
teacher  in  the  Sunday-school.  In  1904 
she  became  ill  with  typhoid  fever  and  on 
the  4th  of  July  of  that  year  passed  away, 
.er  remains  being  interred  in  Moss  Ridge 
.  Her  death  was  deeply  regret- 
many  friends,  for  by  her  excellent 
f  heart  and  mind  she  had  endeared 
herseff  ty  all  who  knew  her. 

Mr.  Weisenborn  is  a  republican  but 
without  aspiration  for  office  and  he  be- 
longs to  the  Presbyterian  church.  When 
he  became  a  factor  in  business  life  his 
capital  consisted  of  not  more  than  sev- 
enty-five or  eighty  cents,  but  honest  la- 
bor, ambition  and  energy  have  enabled 
him  to  overcome  all  the  difficulties  and  ob- 
stacles in  his  path.  In  fact,  these  have 
seemed  to  serve  as  a  stimulus  for  renewed 
effort  and  concentration  and  he  is  today 
in  possession  of  a  comfortable  compe- 
tence. He  has  a  fine  automobile  which 
he  uses  in  his  business  and  he  owns  a 
beautiful  home  on  North  Main  street. 
Whatever  he  undertakes  receives  his  en- 
tire attention  and  his  strong  purpose,  ca- 
pable methods  and  energy  constitute  the 
secret  of  a  well  deserved  and  gratifying 
success.  He  is  the  kind  of  man  that  gives 
strength  and  high  standing  to  any 
community,  and  because  of  his  sterling 
qualities  is  held  in  great  esteem. 


646 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


GEORGE  W.  KINKADE. 

George  W.  Kinkade  has  at  different 
times  been  closely  associated  with  mer- 
cantile, industrial  and  agricultural  inter- 
ests in  Hancock  county  but  is  now  living 
retired  in  Hamilton.  He  was  born  in 
Adams  county,  Illinois,  September  21, 
1847,  and  attended  the  district  schools 
of  both  Adams  and  Hancock  counties, 
while  spending  his  boyhood  days  under 
the  parental  roof.  He  is  a  son  of  Lo- 
renzo D.  and  Harriett  (Stewart) 
Kinkade,  the  former  born  in  Hardin 
county,  Kentucky,  near  Elizabeth,  and  the 
latter  near  Evansville,  Indiana.  George 
W.  Kinkade,  the  paternal  grandfather  of 
our  subject,  was  born  near  Lynchburg, 
Virginia,  while  his  parents,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Robert  Kinkade,  settled  in  the  Old  Do- 
minion at  a  very  early  day  and  later  went 
to  Kentucky.  They  had  been  married  in 
Ireland  prior  to  their  emigration  to  the 
new  world.  There  were  two  brothers 
who  came  together  from  the  Emerald 
Isle  to  the  United  States,  one  of  these  be- 
ing James  Kinkade,  who  died  in 
Kentucky. 

Accompanying  his  parents  on  their  re- 
moval from  Virginia  to  Kentucky,  George 
W.  Kinkade,  grandfather  of  our  subject, 
was  married  in  Hardin  county  to  Miss 
Sarah  Trainer,  also  a  native  of  Virginia. 
Leaving  Kentucky,  he  settled  upon  a  farm 
in  Clay  county,  Illinois,  casting  in  his  lot 
with  its  pioneer  residents,  and  eventually 
he  removed  from  Clay  county  to  Pike 
county,  Illinois,  in  1844.  A  year  later 
he  took  up  his  abode  in  Adams  county 
and  two  years  afterward  settled  at  War- 
saw, Hancock  county.  In  1853  he  went 


to  Calhoun  county,  where  he  died  in  De- 
cember, 1854.  His  wife  had  passed  away 
during  their  residence  in  Clay  county, 
Illinois. 

Lorenzo  D.  Kinkade,  father  of  our  sub- 
ject, was  the  second  in  order  of  birth  in 
a  family  of  nine  children,  seven  sons  and 
two  daughters.  He  accompanied  his  par- 
ents on  their  removal  from  Kentucky  to 
Illinois  and  having  arrived  at  years  of 
maturity  was  married  in  Richland  county, 
this  state,  to  Miss  Harriet  Stewart,  a 
daughter  of  Cornelius  and  Sarah  (Bui- 
lard)  Stewart,  both  of  whom  were  natives 
of  South  Carolina.  Soon  after  their  mar- 
riage Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lorenzo  D.  Kinkade 
removed  to  Pike  county,  Illinois,  where 
he  operated  a  rented  farm  for  a  year  and 
in  1846  he  removed  to  the  northeastern 
part  of  Adams  county,  where  he  engaged 
in  farming  until  1852.  In  that  year  he 
came  to  Hancock  county,  settling  in 
Wythe  township,  where  he  farmed 
through  one  summer  and  later  he  removed 
to  Clarksville,  Adair  county,  Missouri. 
There  he  purchased  eighty  acres  of  farm 
land  which  was  all  wild  prairie,  but  with 
characteristic  energy  he  began  its  cultiva- 
tion and  development  and  improved  the 
place,  living  thereon  for  three  years,  wherr 
he  sold  out  and  returned  to  Hancock 
county,  Illinois.  This  time  he  setteled 
near  West  Point  and  bought  forty  acres 
of  unimproved  land,  where  he  trans- 
formed into  a  richly  cultivated  tract,  mak- 
ing his  home  thereon  until  1871,  when  he 
sold  the  place  to  his  son,  George  W.  He 
then  took  up  his  abode  in  Keene  township, 
Adams  county,  where  he  rented  land  and 
made  his  home  until  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred January  16,  1876.  His  widow 


HAN.COCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


647 


still  survives  him  and  makes  her  home 
among  her  children,  three  sons  and  three 
daughters,  all  of  whom  are  living  in  this 
vicinity.  She  is  a  member  of  the  Chris- 
tian church,  to  which  Mr.  Kinkade  also 
belonged. 

George  W.  Kinkade  was  the  second  in 
order  of  birth  in  a  family  of  eleven  chil- 
dren, six  sons  and  five  daughters.  He 
was  reared  to  farm  life,  was  educated  in 
the  public  schools  and  lived  with  his  par- 
ents until  twenty  years  of  age.  In  the 
meantime,  in  February,  1865,  when  only 
seventeen  years  of  age,  he  enlisted  in  de- 
tense  of  his  country,  becoming  a  member 
of  Company  B,  Thirty-fourth  Illinois  In- 
fantry. He  joined  the  Second  Brigade 
of  the  Second  Division  of  the  Fourteenth 
Army  Corps  at  Quincy,  Illinois,  and  was 
assigned  to  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland, 
first  doing  duty  at  Camp  Butler  and  later 
at  Wilmington,  North  Carolina,  where 
he  was  taken  ill  with  smallpox.  He  was 
then  sent  to  the  hospital  at  Cleveland, 
Ohio,  where  he  was  honorably  discharged 
June  9,  1865.  Mr.  Kinkade  returned  to  his 
father's  home,  where  he  remained  until 
twenty  years  of  age,  after  which  he 
worked  on  a  farm  in  Hancock  county  for 
two  years.  He  then  purchased  forty 
acres  of  land  from  his  father  and  operated 
that  place  until  1879,  when  he  sold  out 
and  removed  to  Breckenridge,  where  he 
purchased  a  drug  store,  which  he  con- 
ducted for  five  years.  He  then  disposed 
of  his  store  and  turned  his  attention  to  the 
operation  of  a  saw  mill  and  the  timber 
business,  in  which  he  was  associated  with 
his  two  brothers,  J.  A.  and  H.  B.  Kinkade. 
In  1898  he  and  his  brother,  H.  B.,  sold 
their  interest  to  J.  A.  Kinkade  and  the 
41 


subject  of  this  review  then  rented  a  farm 
near  Bentley,  where,  with  his  brother,  H. 
B.  Kinkade,  carried  on  general  agricul- 
tural pursuits  for  three  years.  The  latter 
then  removed  to  Hamilton,  after  which 
George  W.  Kinkade  continued  farming 
until  1904,  when  he  let  his  son-in-law, 
R.  G.  Crume,  have  the  place.  Mr.  Kin- 
kade then  came  to  Hamilton  and  pur- 
chased the  Houston  property,  since  which 
time  he  has  made  his  home  in  this  city. 
On  the  26th  of  June,  1869,  Mr.  Kin- 
kade was  married  to  Miss  Nancy  A. 
Lockwood,  who  was  born  in  Aurora,  In- 
diana, in  February,  1852,  a  daughter  of 
Dr.  I.  F.  Lockwood,  whose  birth  oc- 
curred near  Rochester,  New  York,  while 
her  mother,  Annie  M.  (Riggin)  Lock- 
wood,  was  a  native  of  Aurora,  Indiana4 
Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kinkade  were  born 
three  children  :  Orlena  E.,  who  was  born 
September  20,  1870,  and  is  the  wife  of 
J.  W.  Dunsworth,  a  farmer  near  Bentley, 
Illinois;  Harry  L.,  who  was  born  Octo- 
ber 17,  1876,  and  died  in  March,  1878; 
Cordelia  I.,  who  was  born  September  15, 
1879,  and  is  the  wife  of  Ralph  G.  Crume, 
a  resident  farmer  of  Hancock  county. 
The  wife  and  mother  died  July  23,  1881, 
and  her  remains  were  interred  in  the 
cemetery  in  Walker  township.  Mr.  Kin- 
kade now  makes  his  home  in  Ham- 
ilton, where  he  is  pleasantly  situated. 
His  life  has  been  one  of  activity  and  he 
has  been  thorough  in  all  that  he  has  un- 
dertaken, believing  that  what  is  worth 
doing  at  all  is  worth  doing  well.  His 
diligence  and  business  capacity  have  en- 
abled him  to  steadily  advance  and  he  is 
now  enjoying  a  well-merited  rest,  sur- 
rounded by  many  comforts  of  life. 


648 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


DON  C.  S.  MILLIKIN. 

Don  C.  S.  Millikin  a  resident  farmer 
of  Montebello  township,  was  born  in 
Saco,  Yorkshire  county,  North  Carolina, 
October  13,  1843.  His  parents  were  Ar- 
thur and  Lucy  (Smith)  Millikin,  the  lat- 
ter a  native  of  Vermont,  while  the  for- 
mer was  born  in  the  same  building  in 
which  the  birth  of  his  son  Don  occurred. 
The  maternal  grandparents  were  Joseph 
and  Lucy  (Mack)  Smith,  natives  of  the 
Green  Mountain  state,  and  it  was  their 
son,  Joseph  Smith,  who  became  the  dis- 
tinguished leader  of  the  church  of  the 
Latter  Day  Saints,  and  was  killed  to- 
gether with  his  brother  Hiram  at  Car- 
thage, Illinois,  in  the  war  against  the 
Mormons  in  1844.  Arthur  Millikin 
joined  the  Mormon  church  and  at  the  age 
of  fourteen  years  left  home,  going  to  Fort 
Leavenworth,  Kansas,  and  on  to  Mis- 
souri. He  was  married,  however,  at  Nau- 
voo,  Illinois,  to  Miss  Lucy  Smith  and  they 
were  visiting  in  Maine  at  the  time  of  the 
birth  of  their  son  Don.  They  made  their 
home  in  Nauvoo,  being  residents  there 
at  the  time  that  the  Mormon  temple  was 
burned.  Subsequently  they  removed  to 
Fountain  Green,  where  they  lived  for 
some  time,  and  later  they  took  up  their 
abode  in  Colchester,  Illinois,  where  the 
father  owned  coal  lands.  There  both  he 
and  his  wife  passed  away. 

Don  C.  S.  Millikin  is  the  eldest  of  nine 
children,  four  sons  and  five  daughters, 
who  attended  the  common  schools  of 
Fountain  Green  until  the  removal  of  the 
family  to  Colchester,  McDonough  county, 
Illinois,  whence  he  continued  his  educa- 
tion there.  He  remained  under  the  pa- 


rental roof  until  February,  1865,  when,  in 
response  to  the  country's  call  for  aid  he 
enlisted  as  a  member  of  Company  H,  One 
Hundred  and  Fifty-first  Illinois  Volun- 
teer Infantry.  The  regiment  was  as- 
signed to  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland 
and  he  did  duty  in  Georgia  and  other 
places  in  the  south  until  honorably  dis- 
charged after  the  close  of  the  war.  He  re- 
turned to  Colchester,  where  he  worked  in 
the  coal  mines  until  1873,  when  he  came 
to  Montebello  township,  Hancock  county. 
He  lived  upon  a  rented  farm  for  three 
years  and  then  with  the  capital  which  he 
had  acquired  through  his  economy  and 
industry  he  made  purchase  of  eighty  acres 
of  land  on  section  n,  Montebello  town- 
ship. This  was  in  1876  and  he  has  since 
made  his  home  thereon,  carrying  on  gen- 
eral farming  and  stock-raising. 

Mr.  Millikin  has  been  married  three 
times.  He  first  wedded  Sophia  Gridley, 
a  native  of  Montebello  township,  and  a 
daughter  of  Timothy  and  Roxanna  (Es- 
terbrook)  Gridley.  By  this  union  there 
were  four  children:  Clara  A.,  the  wife 
of  Caleb  Smith,  of  McLean,  Texas ;  Ar- 
thur, who  died  at  the  age  of  fifteen 
months;  George,  who  died  in  infancy; 
and  Mary  F.,  the  wife  of  John  Pitts,  of 
Keokuk.  The  wife  and  mother  passed 
away  April  17,  1881,  and  Mr.  Millikin 
afterward  wedded  Mary  Elvie  Durfee, 
who  was  born  at  Good  Hope,  McDon- 
ough county,  Illinois,  a  daughter  of  Jo- 
seph and  Sarah  (McGee)  Durfee.  The 
second  marriage  was  celebrated  in  1886, 
and  in  1899  Mrs.  Millikin  passed  away.  In 
September.  1900,  Mr.  Millikin  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Emma  Smith,  a  native  of 
Rock  Creek  township,  but  a  resident  of 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


649 


Montebello  township,  this  county,  and  a 
daughter  of  James  H.  and  Nancy  (Som- 
mers)  Smith,  the  former  a  native  of  Han- 
cock county  and  the  latter  of  Adams  coun- 
ty, Illinois. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Millikin  is 
a  stalwart  republican  and  is  now  serving 
as  justice  of  the  peace  for  the  .third  term, 
while  since  1886  he  has  been  postmaster 
at  Millikin  postoffke.  He  belongs  to  the 
church  of  the  Latter  Day  Saints  and  fra- 
ternally is  connected  with  Montebello 
lodge,  No.  697,  Independent  Order  of 
Odd  Fellows,  at  Hamilton,  and  the  Re- 
bekah  lodge  there,  and  also  with  Russell 
post,  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  at 
Hamilton.  He  is  now  accounted  one  of 
the  enterprising  and  leading  agricultur- 
ists and  citizens  of  Montebello  township 
and  is  a  representative  of  one  of  the  most 
historic  and  prominent  families  of  Han- 
cock county. 


JOHN  McCRORY. 

John  MCrory,  now  living  retired  upon 
a  farm  in  Montebello  township,  has  de- 
voted the  greater  part  of  his  life  to  the 
plastering  trade,  but  since  1905  has  rele- 
gated all  active  labor  to  others  and  is 
now  enjoying  a  well-earned  rest.  For 
eighty-four  years  he  has  traveled  life's 
journey,  his  birth  having  occurred  in 
Washington  county,  Pennsylvania,  July 
29,  1822.  On  the  paternal  side  he  is  of 
Scotch-Irish  descent.  His  parents  were 
Samuel  and  Hannah  (Martin)  McCrory, 


the  former  a  native  of  South  Carolina 
and  the  latter  of  Ohio.  James  McCrory, 
the  grandfather  on  the  paternal  side,  was 
a  soldier  of  the  Revolutionary  war  for 
seven  years,  valiantly  aiding  in  the  strug- 
gle for  independence.  Following  the  ces- 
sation of  hostilities  he  always  lived  in 
Washington  county,  Pennsylvania,  until 
called  to  his  final  rest.  His  son,  Samuel 
McCrory,  was  born  in  South  Carolina, 
but  in  early  life  accompanied  his  parents 
on  their  removal  to  Washington  county, 
Pennsylvania.  There  he  was  married  to 
Miss  Hannah  Martin,  a  native  of  Ohio 
and  of  English  descent.  Following  their 
marriage  the  young  couple  established 
their  home  in  Washington  county,  where 
they  resided  continuously  until  1851, 
when  they  made  their  way  westward  by 
boat  down  the  Ohio  and  up  the  Missis- 
sippi rives  to  Quincy,  Illinois.  There 
they  spent  their  remaining  days  with  one 
of  their  children,  passing  away  in  Adams 
county. 

In  his  youth  John  McCrory  of  this  re- 
view learned  the  plasterer's  trade  and  con- 
ducted a  large  business  in  Pennsylvania. 
His  education  was  obtained  in  the  sub- 
scription schools  and  when  his  text-books 
were  put  aside  he  concentrated  his  ener- 
gies entirely  upon  his  business  affairs.  In 
the  year  1847,  attracted  by  the  opportu- 
nities of  the  new  and  growing  west,  he 
started  by  steamer  down  the  Ohio  and  up 
the  Mississippi  rivers  to  Quincy.  While 
on  the  boat  he  became  ill  with  measles 
and  almost  died.  He  was  very  weak 
when  he  arrived  in  Quincy,  but  after 
about  three  weeks  he  was  able  to  resume 
work  at  his  trade.  He  continued  to  en- 
gage in  plastering  for  a  year  and  then 


650 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


went  to  Wheeling,  Virginia,  traveling  in 
that  vicinity  for  about  three  years.  In 
1851  he  located  in  Hancock  county  and 
bought  land  near  Elvaston.  This  he  con- 
tinued to  cultivate  and  improve  for  a 
time,  but  eventually  he  sold  out  and  in- 
vested in  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres, 
constituting  the  northeast  quarter  of  sec- 
tion 3,  also  ten  acres  of  timber  in 
Sonora  township.  He  resided  in  Hamil- 
ton in  1857  and  in  1858  he  was  elected  as 
one  of  the  first  alderman  but  would  not 
qualify  for  that  position.  When  he 
bought  a  farm  on  section  3  it  was  all  wild 
prairie  land,  on  which  no  improvements 
had  been  made.  There  he  began  the  cul- 
tivation of  the  fields,  turning  the  first 
furrows  on  many  an  acre.  He  built  the 
first  house  on  this  place  in  1854,  planted 
hedge  fences  and  erected  all  of  the  build- 
ings. He  now  lives  to  enjoy  his  de- 
clining years  upon  this  farm  amid  the 
comforts  and  luxuries  which  go  to  make 
life  worth  living.  He  has  always  fol- 
lowed the  plasterer's  trade  as  the  years 
have  gone  by,  renting  his  farm  to  others 
and  thus  he  was  closely  associated  with 
business  affairs  until  1905. 

On  the  ist  of  January,  1851,  Mr.  Mc- 
Crory  was  married  to  Miss  Joanna  Pease, 
who  was  born  in  Washington  county, 
Pennsylvania,  and  came  to  Illinois  with 
Mr.  McCrory.  A  year  later  she  died, 
leaving  a  young  child,  who  was  reared 
by  our  subject  and  to  whom  .he  gave  the 
name  of  Joanna  P.  She  married  Emile 
Colino  and  had  a  son,  John,  who  lived 
with  his  grandfather,  John  McCrory,  until 
his  death,  which  occurred  when  he  was 
nineteen  years  of  age.  His  mother  died 
when  he  was  two  years  of  age. 


On  the  27th  of  February,  1855,  Mr. 
McCrory  was  again  married,  his  second 
union  being  with  Miss  Emeline  Carson, 
a  native  of  Blount  county,  Tennessee,  and 
a  daughter  of  Alexander  and  Jane 
(Weir)  Carson,  who  were  likewise  na- 
tives of  Tennessee.  The  children  of  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  McCrory  are :  Alexander,  now 
living  in  Montebello  township;  Alfonso, 
who  is  upon  the  home  place ;  James,  living 
in  Sonora  township;  Helen,  the  wife  of 
Oscar  Duncan,  of  Columbus  Junction, 
Iowa;  John  H.,  who  died  at  the  age  of 
eighteen  years;  Edith,  the  wife  of  Jacob 
Smith,  whose  home  is  in  Sonora  town- 
ship; and  Lottie,  at  home. 

Mr.  McCrory  has  long  since  passed  the 
psalmist's  span  of  three  score  years  and 
ten  and  at  an  advanced  age  is  now  living 
retired,  but  for  many  years  was  an  active 
factor  in  industrial  life,  gaining  through 
his  persistency  of  purpose  and  his  dili- 
gence the  competence  which  now  enables 
him  to  live  retired.  He  is  a  member  of 
the  Christian  church  and  his  political 
views  accord  with  democratic  principles. 
He  is  today  one  of  the  most  venerable 
citizens  of  the  county  and  a  life  of  activity 
and  integrity  well  entitle  him  to  repre- 
sentation in  this  volume. 


JOHN  W.  MARSH,  D.  M.  D. 

One  of  the  leaders  among  the  young 
professional  men  of  Warsaw  is  Dr.  John 
W.  Marsh,  engaged  actively  and  success- 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


651 


fully  in  the  practice  of  dentistry.  He  was 
born  in  this  city  July  23,  1872,  a  son  of 
Judge  John  W.  Marsh.  His  education 
was  acquired  in  the  public  schools  of  this 
city  and  in  St.  John's  Military  Academy 
at  Delafield,  Wisconsin,  from  which  he 
was  graduated  in  the  class  of  1890.  He 
then  entered  upon  preparation  for  a  pro- 
fessional career  by  matriculation  in  the 
dental  department  of  Washington  Uni- 
versity, at  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  in  1892, 
and  was  graduated  therefrom  with  the 
class  of  1895,  on  which  occasion  the  de- 
gree of  D.  M.  D.  was  conferred  upon 
him.  He  was  then  connected  with  the 
college  for  one  year  as  an  instructor  and 
this  gave  him  marked  advantage  as  a 
training  for  his  later  practical  experience 
in  the  profession.  In  the  spring  of  1896 
he  opened  an  office  in  Warsaw  and  is  now 
splendidly  established  in  his  chosen  field 
of  labor,  being  numbered  among  the 
leading  dentists  of  the  county.  He  has 
elegantly  equipped  offices  in  the  Winnard 
Building,  supplied  with  all  of  the  mod- 
ern appliances  that  facilitate  the  work 
and  promote  the  efficiency  of  the  dentist. 
He  is  thoroughly  conversant  with  the 
most  modern  methods  of  practice  and  has 
kept  in  touch  with  the  trend  of  thought 
and  progress  made  by  the  dental  frater- 
nity. He  belongs  to  Adams  and  Hancock 
Counties  Dental  Society,  and  is  president 
of  the  First  District  Dental  Society,  and 
is  recognized  as  one  of  the  able  repre- 
sentatives of  the  profession,  the  consen- 
sus of  public  opinion  being  indicated  by 
the  large  patronage  extended  to  him. 

On  the  1 2th  of  June,  1902,  Dr.  Marsh 
was  married  to  Miss  Lucy  Scholl  Cher- 
rill,  of  Carthage,  a  daughter  of  Edward 


and  Susan  A.  (Sholl)  Cherrill,  well 
known  residents  of  Carthage.  Dr.  and 
Mrs.  Marsh  have  two  children,  John 
Cherrill  and  Susan  Sholl.  The  parents 
are  members  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal 
church,  of  which  Dr.  Marsh  is  now  se- 
nior warden.  He  has  also  been  a  mem- 
ber of  the  library  board  of  Warsaw  for 
nine  years,  and  during  this  time  has  acted 
as  secretary.  A  life-long  republican  he 
has  kept  well  informed  on  the  questions 
of  the  day  and  has  represented  his  ward 
in  the  city  council  but  has  never  been  an 
aspirant  for  office.  He  belongs  to  War- 
saw lodge,  No.  257,  Ancient  Free  and 
Accepted  Masons,  and  is  its  present  wor- 
shipful master,  and  on  a  number  of  oc- 
casions he  has  attended  the  sessions  of 
the  grand  lodge.  The  fact  that  he  has 
been  continuously  chosen  to  official  pref- 
erment in  the  various  organizations  with 
which  he  is  connected  indicates  his  stand- 
ing in  the  regard  of  those  with  whom  he 
is  associated  and  his  professional  and  so- 
cial prominence  are  both  widely  recog- 
nized in  the  city  where  his  entire  life  has 
been  passed. 

Since  the  above  was  written  Dr.  Marsh 
has  moved  to  Keokuk,  Iowa,  where  he  is 
secretary  of  the  dental  department  of  the 
Keokuk  Medical  Department. 


J.  E.  DICKSON. 

J.  E.  Dickson,  of  Durham  township, 
bears  an  enviable  reputation  in  the  com- 
munity in  which  he  lives,  his  name  stand- 


652 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


ing  for  unquestionable  honesty,  integrity, 
and  firmness  of  purpose.  He  is  the  son 
of  Daniel  and  Mary  (Shutwell)  Dickson, 
his  birth  occurring  in  Durham  township, 
Hancock  county,  December  28,  1855. 
His  father  was  born  in  East  Tennessee, 
May  1 8,  1817,  and  the  mother  in  England. 
Daniel  Dickson  was  the  son  of  Hugh 
and  Margaret  (Leib)  Dickson,  both  na- 
tives of  Pennsylvania,  who  came  to  Han- 
cock county  in  1843,  settling  in  La  Harpe 
tonwship,  where  Mr.  Dickson  carried  on 
the  industry  of  farming  for  many  years. 
He  served  in  the  Black  Hawk  war  and  he 
and  his  wife  died  at  the  advanced  ages  of 
seventy-four  and  seventy-five  years  re- 
spectively. The  Dickson  family  is  of 
Irish  extraction,  and  was  probably  found- 
ed in  the  United  States  in  the  early  colo- 
nial period.  Daniel  Dickson,  the  father 
of  our  sketch,  came  to  Hancock  county 
in  1838  where  he  purchased  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  acres  of  land  in  La  Harpe 
township,  which  he  farmed  for  some  time, 
later  selling  it  and  buying  a  quarter  sec- 
tion in  Durham  township.  He  kept  add- 
ing to  this  as  he  could  until  he  owned 
one  thousand  acres  of  fine  farming  land. 
He  was  always  a  successful  farmer,  which 
vocation  he  followed  until  1883,  when  he 
sold  part  of  his  land  and  purchased  a 
handsome  residence  on  Third  street  in 
Dallas  City,  which  is  now  a  hotel  known 
as  "Park  House,"  and  also  bought  the 
entire  block  of  land  on  which  that 
hostelry  now  stands.  He  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Miss  May  Shutwell,  of  Mor- 
gan county,  Illinois,  in  1837.  To  this 
union  were  born  nine  children,  four  of 
whom  are  now  living:  H.  S.  lives  in 
Waco,  Texas;  J.  E.,  our  subject;  D.  D., 


now  living  in  Fair  Oaks,  California;  and 
Fred  J.,  of  Dallas  City.  The  mother 
died  in  1867,  and  later  the  father  married 
Miss  Lucinda  Adams,  who  still  resides  in 
Dallas  City.  Daniel  Dickson  was  one  of 
the  first  prairie  settlers  in  Hancock  county 
and  during  his  life  he  saw  the  wild  lands 
transformed  into  beautiful  farms  and 
homes,  and  its  hamlets  develop  into  thriv- 
ing cities,  and  progress  and  civilization 
carried  on  so  rapidly  that  the  county  at 
his  death  on  February  17,  1895,  bore  little 
resemblance  to  the  county  of  fifty  years 
before.  He  was  an  enterprising  man,  en- 
tirely self-made,  and  at  the  time  of  his 
death  was  a  very  wealthy  man,  his  pos- 
sessions being  monuments  of  his  thrift 
and  energy. 

J.  E.  Dickson  received  his  early  educa- 
tion in  the  district  school.  On  October 
19,  1880,  Mr.  Dickson  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Sarah  L.  Bellew,  from  near 
Adrian,  Illinois.  Her  birth  occurred  on 
April  ii,  1862,  and  she  was  the  daughter 
of  Jadiah  and  Nancy  (Grant)  Bellew, 
both  parents  were  born  near  Camp  Point, 
Illinois,  coming  to  Hancock  county  at  an 
early  day,  where  the  father  was  a  pros- 
perous farmer.  They  were  the  parents 
of  seven  children,  three  of  whom  are  still 
living:  Alice,  wife  of  W.  A.  Davis,  of 
Des  Moines,  Iowa ;  Cora,  wife  of  Everett 
Turney,  of  Chapman,  Nebraska;  and 
Elmer,  living  in  Des  Moines,  Iowa. 

To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dickson  were  born 
ten  children,  eight  of  whom  are  now  liv- 
ing: Rolla,  born  September  3,  1881, 
married  Forrest  Eimmler,  of  Durham 
township;  Vinnie  A.,  born  March  17, 
1884,  and  keeps  house  for  her  father; 
Lloyd,  born  January  26,  1886,  at  home; 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


653 


Harry,  born  September  19,  1887;  Clar- 
ence, born  March  17,  1889;  Ruby,  born 
November  16,  1890,  died  April  4,  1893; 
Ernest,  born  September  26,  1892;  Ruth, 
born  November  n,  1894;  and  Mildred 
and  Merlyn,  twins,  born  April  n,  1900, 
Mildred  dying  October  3,  1900.  On  the 
1 5th  of  April,  1900,  the  unrelenting  hand 
of  death  for  the  second  time  entered  the 
home  of  Mr.  Dickson  and  claimed  the 
faithful  wife  and  mother.  This  was  a 
great  blow  to  the  husband  and  children 
as  well  as  to  her  many  friends  and  neigh- 
bors. Mrs.  Dickson  was  a  model  mother, 
a  kind  and  loving  wife  and  a  gentle 
woman  well  beloved  by  all  who  knew 
her.  Her  earthly  remains  were  sorrow- 
fully laid  to  rest  in  the  La  Harpe  ceme- 
tery to  await  the  call  of  the  last  day. 
She  was  a  devoted  member  of  the  Chris- 
tian church.  After  his  marriage  Mr. 
Dickson  bought  a  farm  of  one  hundred 
and  twenty  acres  on  section  10,  Durham 
township,  upon  which  he  has  built  a  good 
house,  and  has  added  to  his  possessions 
until  he  now  has  two  hundred  and  forty 
acres  on  section  10  and  sixty  acres  of 
good  land  in  Texas.  Besides  general 
farming,  at  which  he  has  been  very  suc- 
cessful, Mr.  Dickson  carries  on  stock- 
raising  quite  extensively  and  handles 
grain.  He  is  a  man  that  is  interested  in 
local  affairs  of  his  county  and  township, 
doing  everything  in  his  power  to  advance 
the  cause  of  education  and  the  well-being 
of  the  community  at  large.  The  confi- 
dence which  his  contemporaries  place  in 
his  ability  and  judgment  is  evidenced  by 
the  position  of  trust  and  responsibility 
which  they  bestow  upon  him.  He  is  an 
ardent  member  of  the  Democratic  party, 


taking  quite  an  active  interest  in  the  wel- 
fare of  that  party,  especially  in  this  coun- 
ty. He  has  served  as  assessor,  collector, 
and  justice  of  the  peace,  being  elected  on 
the  democratic  ticket  to  these  offices  and 
rendered  upright,  conscientious  and  high- 
ly satisfactory  service  in  these  capacities. 
He  has  repeatedly  served  as  school  di- 
rector in  his  dictrict,  and  fraternally  is 
connected  with  the  Modern  Woodmen  of 
America. 

He  believes  in  giving  his  children  ad- 
vantage of  such  facilities  as  the  time 
affords,  his  oldest  son  being  educated  in 
the  Carthage  College,  in  the  La  Harpe 
Academy,  and  in  the  school  at  Urbana, 
Illinois.  His  daughter  also  attends  the 
La  Harpe  seminary.  Mr.  Dickson  is 
considered  one  of  the  foremost  men  in 
Durham  township,  has  a  very  quiet  and 
kind  disposition  and  yet  is  firm,  exceed- 
ingly energetic,  and  above  all  truly  honest, 
and  the  kind  of  man  that  gives  strength 
and  high  standing  to  any  community. 


EDWIN  BROWN. 

Edwin  Brown,  occupying  a  farm  in  Ap- 
panoose  township,  where  he  is  engaged 
in  general  farming  and  stock-raising,  was 
born  in  Jefferson  county,  Iowa,  his  natal 
day  being  October  8,  1850,  a  son  of  Da- 
vid and  Martha  (Rudisill)  Brown.  His 
mother  was  born  in  Ohio  but  it  was  in 
Iowa  oh  the  8th  of  January,  1846,  that 
she  gave  her  hand  in  marriage  to  David 
Brown.  Here  the  father  carried  on  gen- 


654 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


eral  agricultural  pursuits  until  1850,  when 
he  removed  to  Dallas,  Illinois,  where  his 
death  occurred  February  23,  1856.  The 
mother  still  survives  and  makes  her  home 
in  Niota.  She  has  now  reached  an  ad- 
vanced age  and  is  a  sufferer  from 
paralysis. 

Edwin  Brown  is  the  younger  of  two 
children  bom  unto  his  parents,  his  sister 
being  Helen,  who  was  born  June  21,  1848, 
and  is  now  the  wife  of  George  Skyles, 
and  resides  in  the  western  part  of  Ne- 
braska. Mr.  Brown  attended  the  com- 
mon schools  of  Iowa  in  his  youth,  and 
during  the  periods  of  vacation  and  in  the 
summer  months  aided  his  father  in  the 
work  of  the  home  farm,  receiving  prac- 
tical training  which  later  enabled  him  to 
carry  on  work  of  this  character  on  his 
own  account.  He  is  now  operating  one 
hundred  and  twenty  acres  situated  in  Ap- 
panoose  township,  of  which  fifty  acres 
is  pasture  land,  while  the  balance  is  de- 
voted to  the  raising  of  grain.  In  addi- 
tion to  his  farming  pursuits  he  raises 
stock  to  quite  an  extent,  and  both 
branches  of  his  business  are  proving  a 
profitable  source  of  revenue. 

Mr.  Brown  chose  as  a  companion  and 
helpmate  for  life's  journey  Miss  Flor- 
ence Doolittle,  to  whom  he  was  married 
November  3,  1880.  She  is  a  native  of 
Appanoose  township,  and  is  a  daughter 
of  Amzi  and  Sarah  M.  (Welch)  Doolit- 
tle, natives  of  New  York  and  Tennessee 
respectively.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Brown 
have  been  born  two  sons :  Frank,  born 
June  8,  1883,  and  John,  born  October 
ii,  1888,  both  with  their  parents.  Mr. 
Brown  gives  his  political  support  to  the 
Democratic  party  and  has  served  as  school 


director  of  his  township.  He  has  ever 
been  diligent  and  persevering  in  all  that 
he  has  undertaken  and  through  industry 
and  economy  is  working  his  way  upward, 
being  classed  among  the  progressive  ag- 
riculturists of  Hancock  county. 


BENJAMIN  F.  THATCHER. 

Benjamin  F.  Thatcher,  representing 
the  agricultural  interests  of  Hancock 
county,  was  born  January  7,  1861,  in 
Adams  county,  Ohio.  His  father,  like- 
wise a  native  of  the  Buckeye  state,  was  a 
blacksmith  by  trade  and  served  as  a  val- 
iant soldier  during  the  Civil  war,  enlist- 
ing as  a  member  of  the  Seventieth  Ohio 
Regiment.  He  died  in  a  southern  hos- 
pital during  his  service  at  the  front.  The 
mother  bore  the  maiden  name  of  Rowan- 
na  Palmer,  and  was  also  born  in  Adams 
county,  of  the  Buckeye  state.  By  her 
marriage  she  became  the.  mother  of  seven 
children,  four  sons  and  three  daughters, 
of  whom  our  subject  is  the  sixth  in  or- 
der of  birth. 

Benjamin  F.  Thatcher  acquired  his  ed- 
ucation in  the  common  schools  of  his 
native  state  and  spent  his  boyhood  and 
youth  under  the  parental  roof.  For  a 
time  after  leaving  home  he  lived  with  a 
family  by  the  name  of  Shaffer  in  Darke 
county,  Ohio,  and  on  attaining  his  ma- 
jority, in  company  with  George  W. 
Holmes,  he  went  to  Kearney,  Nebraska, 
where  he  was  employed  in  various  ways 
for  six  years,  a  part  of  that  time  being 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


6SS 


spent  on  a  ranch  there.  It  was  during  his 
residence  in  the  west  that  he  was  mar- 
ried, July  13,  1885,  to  Miss  Ella  Nelson, 
who  was  born  in  Hancock  county,  but 
was  then  making"  her  home  in  Buffalo 
county,  Nebraska.  She  is  a  daughter  of 
Elisha  and  Elizabeth  (Wade)  Nelson, 
both  natives  of  Illinois,  while  her  pater- 
nal grandfather,  George  C.  Nelson,  and 
the  maternal  grandparents,  Greenberry 
and  Margaret  (Scott)  Wade,  were  born 
in  Kentucky. 

Following  his  marriage  Mr.  Thatcher 
remained  for  several  years  in  the  west 
but  in  1892  returned  with  his  family  to 
Hancock  county,  the  journey  being  made 
with  team  and  wagon.  He  arrived  in 
La  Harpe  township  in  May  of  that  year 
and  in  the  following  September  went  to 
Ottumwa,  Iowa,  being  employed  for  sev- 
eral months  on  the  construction  of  a  rail- 
road there.  He  then  returned  home, 
where  he  engaged  in  agricultural  pur- 
suits, leasing  land  until  1900,  subsequent 
to  which  time  he  purchased  a  tract  of 
fifty-three  acres,  located  on  section  36,  La 
Harpe  township.  There  were  few  im- 
provements upon  the  place  when  he  took 
possession  but  he  has  erected  good  build- 
ings, set  out  an  orchard,  containing  apple, 
peach,  plum  and  cherry  trees,  has  fenced 
the  place,  and  altogether  has  an  excellent 
farm  property,  of  which  forty  acres  are 
devoted  to  general  farming,  while  the  re- 
mainder is  fine  pasture  land,  in  which  are 
seen  good  grades  of  stock,  including  Po- 
land China  hogs  and  Polled  Angus  cattle. 
He  also  raises  poultry,  making  a  specialty 
of  the  Plymouth  Rock  breed,  and  he  finds 
this  branch  of  his  business  is  proving  very 
profitable. 


Unto  our  subject  and  his  wife  have 
been  born  two  sons  and  three  daughters, 
namely :  George  David,  who  was  born 
May  5,  1886;  Millie  May,  born  April  10, 
1888;  Claud  C,  July  13,  1893;  Lillie 
Goldie  E.,  April  28,  1900;  and  Dorothy 
F.,  October  10,  1903.  While  Mr.  Thatch- 
er supports  democratic  principles  he  is  not 
active  in  the  work  of  the  party,  preferring 
to  give  his  undivided  time  to  his  busi- 
ness interests.  He  holds  membership 
with  the  Christian  Union  church  at  La 
Harpe.  Starting  out  in  life  on  his  own 
responsibility  without  capital  he  has 
worked  his  way  upward  from  a  humble 
financial  position  and  whatever  success  he 
has  achieved  is  due  entirely  to  his  own 
well  directed  labors  and  strong  purpose. 


NOAH  McCORD. 

Noah  McCord  represents  the  rich  agri- 
cultural district  of  Hancock  county,  where 
he  is  carrying  on  general  farming  and 
stock-raising.  He  is  a  native  son  of  this 
county,  his  natal  day  being  February  8, 
1854,  a  son  of  John  W.  and  Nancy  (Man- 
ifold) McCord,  both  natives  of  Tennes- 
see. In  their  family  are  four  sons  and 
four  daughters,  of  whom  our  subject  is 
the  seventh  in  order  of  birth.  . 

Noah  McCord  acquired  his  education 
in  the  Bradshaw  district  school  near  his 
father's  home,  and  during  his  boyhood 
and  youth  assisted  his  father  in  the  op- 
eration of  the  home  farm,  remaining  with 
his  parents  until  his  marriage,  Septem- 


656 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


her  27,  1877,  at  which  time  Miss  Frances 
Long  became  his  wife.  She  is  likewise 
a  native  of  Hancock  county,  her  birth 
having  here  occurred  January  6,  1858,  a 
daughter  of  David  and  Mildred  (Child- 
ress)  Long,  the  former  a  native  of  Ohio, 
and  the  latter  born  in  Fountain  Green 
township,  this  county.  Her  father  accom- 
panied his  parents,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Louis 
Long,  on  the  removal  to  Henderson  coun- 
ty, this  state,  in  the  year  1840,  and  her 
parents  were  married  in  this  county,  thus 
becoming  early  settlers  of  this  portion  of 
the  state.  The  father  passed  away  Oc- 
tober 22,  1895,  while  the  mother  survived 
until  October  14,  1896,  when  she,  too, 
was  called  to  her  final  rest,  having  reached 
the  age  of  fifty-three  years,  her  birth  hav- 
ing occurred  in  1843. 

Following  his  marriage  our  subject 
rented  a  farm  in  McDonough  county,  to 
which  he  took  his  bride,  their  home  being 
in  Hire  township.  One  year  latter  he  re- 
moved to  another  farm,  this  being  lo- 
cated near  La  Crosse,  and  he  there  con- 
tinued his  farming  operations  for  six 
years,  subsequent  to  which  time  he  re- 
moved to  La  Harpe  township,  Hancock 
county,  where  he  operated  rented  land 
during  the  succeeding  six  years,  and 
through  his  industry  and  economy  at  the 
end  of  that  time  he  was  enabled  to  invest 
in  property,  becoming  possessor,  in  1892, 
of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land, 
lying  on  section  10.  This  was  a  partially 
improved  tract  but  since  Mr.  McCord  has 
taken  up  his  abode  here  he  has  made  many 
modern  and  substantial  improvements. 
He  has  added  to  the  original  residence 
so  that  he  now  has  a  modern  country 
home,  and  has  also  erected  barns  and 


sheds,  has  fenced  the  place  with  wire  fenc- 
ing, and  has  set  out  a  good  orchard, 
from  which  he  gathers  good  crops  of 
fruit  in  season.  In  1902  he  added  to  his 
original  holdings  by  the  purchase  of  an 
eighty-acre  tract  lying  on  section  9,  and 
in  1905  added  a  second  eighty-acre  tract 
but  in  the  spring  of  the  present  year  he 
disposed  of  eighty  acres,  so  that  he  now 
has  two  hundred  and  forty  acres,  and  his 
is  one  of  the  finely  improved  and  pro- 
ductive tracts  of  this  section  of  the  state. 
In  addition  to  his  agricultural  pursuits  he 
also  engages  in  the  raising  of  cattle,  horses 
and  hogs,  and  this  branch  of  his  business, 
is  proving  a  profitable  source  of  revenue 
to  him. 

In  the  family  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  McCord 
have  been  born  four  children,  of  whom 
two  died  in  infancy.  Those  who  survive 
are:  Mabel,  born  January  i,  1882,  the 
wife  of  Roy  E.  Hancock,  engaged  in  the 
dray  business  at  La  Harpe;  and  Cleola 
May,  born  January  29,  1887,  and  now 
the  wife  of  Clarence  Ketchum,  of  La 
Harpe.  The  deceased  are :  Ardie  Clark, 
who  was  born  July  18,  1878,  and  died 
June  29,  1880;  and  Atley  Clyde,  who  was 
born  March  17,  1896,  and  died  October 
24,  1898. 

Mr.  McCord's  study  of  the  political 
questions  and  issues  of  the  day  has  led 
him  to  give  his  support  to  the  Democratic 
party.  He  held  the  office  of  school  di- 
rector for  nine  years  but  aside  from  this 
has  never  been  active  in  public  affairs. 
Fraternally  he  is  identified  with  the  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  belonging 
to  lodge  No.  653,  at  La  Harpe.  His 
integrity  and  energy  have  been  salient 
characteristics  in  his  business  life  and  he 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


657 


enjoys    the    full    confidence    of   all    with 
whom  he  comes  in  contact. 


JOSEPH  V.  MANUSSIER. 

Joseph  V.  Manussier,  well-known  in 
Hancock  county  as  a  prosperous  and 
prominent  resident  of  Basco,  and  as  a 
business  man,  who  has  controlled  and  still 
has  important  interests,  was  born  in  Mar- 
tigny  les  Lamarche,  France,  in  1848,  and 
his  parents,  Claude  and  Marguerite 
(Poincot)  Manussier,  were  also  natives 
of  that  country,  the  former  born  in  1826 
and  the  latter  in  1820.  The  father  came 
to  America  in  1852  but  returned  in  1855. 
However,  he  once  more  crossed  the  At- 
lantic to  the  United  States  in  1859  with 
his  family  and  remained  in  this  country 
until  1873.  In  that  year  he  and  his 
wife  re-visited  the  land  of  his  birth  and 
on  March  i,  1861,  he  settled  in  the  vil- 
lage of  Basco.  During  the  first  three 
years  of  his  residence  in  America  he  lived 
in  Ohio,  but  throughout  the  remaining 
time  spent  in  this  country  he  made  his 
home  in  Basco,  where  he  continued  to  re- 
side until  his  death,  which  occurred  in 
1880.  In  his  fraternal  relations  he  was 
a  Mason.  His  wife  came  to  America  in 
1859  and  made  a  visit  to  France  with  her 
husband  in  1873.  She  died  in  1893  and 
they  lie  buried  in  Basco  cemetery.  Of 
their  three  children  two  were  born  in 
France,  Joseph  V.  and  Charles,  the  latter 
now  a  resident  of  France.  One  son,  Au- 
gust, was  born  in  this  country  and  lives 
in  Basco. 


Joseph  V.  Manussier  acquired  his  early 
education  in  France,  and  came  to  America 
with  his  parents  in  1859.  He  remained 
with  his  father  until  twenty-two  years  of 
age  and  then  started  out  in  life  on  his  own 
account,  completing  his  arrangements  for 
having  a  home  of  his  own  by  his  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Ermence  Sylvester,  who 
was  born  in  Ohio,  in  1855,  and  is  a 
daughter  of  Joseph-  and  Pelagic  (Sirrey) 
Sylvester,  who  were  also  natives  of 
France.  The  father  was  a  wagonmaker 
by  trade  and  arrived  in  America  in  1852^ 
settling  in  Ohio.  Later  he  became  a  resi- 
dent of  Warsaw,  Illinois,  where  he  died 
about  1861.  His  widow  still  survives 
him  and  has  reached  the  age  of  eighty- 
three  years.  She  died  October  20,  1906. 
They  have  two  daughters,  both  living,  the 
elder  being  Eloise,  the  wife  of  Julius  Lan- 
net,  of  Warsaw. 

Following  his  marriage  Mr.  Manussier 
rented  land  from  his  father  and  thereon 
engaged  in  farming  for  five  years.  In 
1870  he  removed  to  Basco,  and  in  1876 
became  connected  with  C.  Cachuex  in  a 
business  enterprise  which  they  continued 
for  eighteen  months.  The  partnership 
was  then  dissolved  in  1877  and  for  ten 
years  thereafter  the  firm  was  Doty  & 
Manussier,  the  partner  of  our  subject  be- 
ing Lyman  Doty.  They  conducted  a  gen- 
eral store  with  good  success  and  when 
Mr.  Doty  retired  the  firm  became  Ma- 
nussier &  Naeglin,  while  the  succeeding 
change  in  partnership  has  led  to  the  as- 
sumption of  the  title  of  Manussier,  Naeg- 
lin &  Company.  In  1896,  however,  Mr. 
Manussier  withdrew  from  the  firm,  and 
selling  his  interest,  embarked  in  the  grain 
business  under  the  firm  name  of  Damron 


658 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


Si  Manussier,  which  was  continued  for 
two  years  and  then  became  Manussier  & 
Son.  An  admission  of  another  son  to  the 
business  has  made  the  firm  style  of  Ma- 
nussier &  Sons.  They  own  and  control 
the  only  elevator  in  the  village,  with  a  ca- 
pacity of  twenty  thousand  bushels  of  grain 
and  they  handle  both  grain  and  stock. 
Mr.  Manussier  is  likewise  president  of  the 
Basco  Bank.  His  business  interests  have 
thus  been  varied  as  well  as  important  and 
he  is  continually  enlarging  the  scope  of 
his  activities',  each  step  in  his  career  being 
a  forward  one  and  bringing  him  a  broad- 
er outlook  and  greater  opportunities.  He 
has  accomplished  whatever  he  has  under- 
taken by  reason  of  his  force  of  charac- 
ter, his  unfaltering  perseverance  and  his 
unflagging  industry. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Manussier  have 
been  born  five  children,  all  bom  in  Bear' 
Creek  township,  and  three  are  now  living. 
Charles,  who  married  Minnie  Tieman, 
and  has  a  daughter,  Vera,  is  engaged  in 
business  with  his  father.  Joseph  married 
Lulu  Biggs,  by  whom  he  has  a  daughter, 
Fairy,  and  their  home  is  in  Basco.  Jen- 
nie, who  attended  a  private  school  in 
Chicago,  a  student  of  music  under  Emil 
Liebling,  a  famous  pianist,  is  now  en- 
gaged in  teaching  music  in  Basco,  and 
likewise  has  pupils  at  West  Point  and  at 
Bentley.  In  1890  Mr.  Manussier  built 
an  elegant  home  on  Main  street  in  Bnsco. 
It  is  the  largest  residence  in  the  village 
and  one  of  the  most  attractive  features. 
The  scene  of  a  cultured  society  circle,  one 
of  its  chief  charms  is  its  warm-hearted  and 
gracious  hospitality.  Mr.  Manussier  also 
has  a  fine  vineyard  and  owns  one  hundred 
and  fifty-four  acres  of  ground  in  Bear 


Creek  township.  He  also  has  twelve  acres 
north  of  Basco  where  his  creamery  stands, 
eighty  acres  below  Warsaw  and  several 
lots  in  Basco.  He  is  largely  a  self-made 
man.  His  wife  received  fifty  dollars  from 
his  father  as  a  present  and  he  was  given 
a  team  of  horses  by  his  father.  This  was 
all  the  inheritance  which  they  received  and 
thus  they  practically  started  out  in  life 
empty-handed.  Today  Mr.  Manussier  is 
one  of  the  prosperous  residents  of  the 
county,  due  to  his  fidelity  and  enterprise. 
He  has  readily  recognized  and  utilized  op- 
portunities, and  constantly  broadening 
the  scope  of  his  activity,  has,  through  his 
well  directed  energy,  gained  a  place 
among  the  leading  business  men  of  this 
locality.  Never  making  engagements 
that  he  has  not  filled  nor  incurring  obli- 
gations that  he  has  not  met,  he  enjoys  to 
the  full  extent  the  respect  and  good  will 
of  those  with  whom  he  has  been  associ- 
ated. In  politics  he  is  a  democrat  and 
has  served  as  school  director,  while  he  and 
his  wife  are  devout  members  of  the  Cath- 
olic church  and  their  social  prominence 
places  them  among  the  leaders  in  society 
interests  in  Basco  and  this  part  of  the 
county. 


SCOTT  G.  LIONBERGER. 

Scott  G.  Lionberger.  whose  farming 
interests  are  represented  in  an  excellent 
tract  of  land  in  Fountain  Green  township, 
which  was  the  old  family  homestead,  was 
born  in  Pilot  Grove  township,  this  county, 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


659 


November  22,  1854,  and  is  the  second 
in  order  of  birth  in  a  family  of  four  chil- 
dren, whose  parents  were  Hamilton  and 
Eliza  (Bainter)  Lionberger.  The  father 
was  born  in  Page  county,  Virginia,  Sep- 
tember 2,  1817,  and  the  mother,  a  daugh- 
ter of  John  Bainter,  was  born  in  Madison 
county,  Ohio,  January  24,  1822.  Hamil- 
ton Lionberger  came  to  this  county  in  the 
spring  of  1836  and  settled  in  Pilot  Grove 
township  with  his  parents.  He  was  mar- 
ried November  23,  1852,  after  which  he 
purchased  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres 
of  land  in  the  same  township.  Two  years 
later  he  sold  that  property  and  bought 
two  hundred  and  forty-six  acres  on  sec- 
tion 6,  Fountain  Green  township,  about 
one-half  of  which  was  under  cultivation 
while  the  remainder  was  covered  with 
timber.  He  erected  some  new  buildings 
and  also  remodeled  those  that  were  al- 
ready there,  carrying  on  the  work  of  im- 
provement along  many  lines.  He  set  out 
many  soft  maples  for  shade  and  put  the 
place  in  fine  shape.  He  died  there  August 
6,  1884,  and  his  wife  passed  away  April 
29,  1890.  In  their  family  were  four  chil- 
dren :  John,  who  was  born  December  24, 
1853,  and  died  in  infancy;  Scott  G. ; 
Carlos,  of  Scotland  county,  Missouri ;  and 
Amelia,  the  wife  of  G.  W.  Schlackett,  of 
Memphis,  Missouri. 

Reared  to  the  occupation  of  farming, 
Scott  G.  Lionberger  attended  the  Ross- 
ville  district  school  and  was  also  a  student 
in  Carthage  College  for  six  months.  He 
remained  upon  the  home  farm  until  his 
marriage,  which  was  celebrated  March 
25,  1880,  Miss  Fannie  A.  Parker  becom- 
ing his  wife.  She  was  born  in  Harpers- 
field,  Delaware  county,  New  York,  and 


was  educated  in  the  district  schools  and 
the  high  school  at  Fountain  Green.  Her 
parents  were  William  and  Mary  (Young) 
Parker.  Her  father  was  born  in  Bain- 
bridge,  New  York,  September  5,  1827, 
and  was  a  son  of  James  and  Sarah  (Mc- 
Cauley)  Parker,  while  her  mother  was 
born  in  Delaware  county,  July  12,  1827, 
a  daughter  of  Hugh  and  Sarah  (Camp- 
bell) Young.  Mrs.  Lionberger's  parents 
came  to  Fountain  Green  township  in  the 
spring  of  1867,  and  the  father  purchased 
eighty  acres  of  land,  which  he  cultivated 
for  some  time  and  then  sold.  He  then 
removed  to  Keokuk,  Iowa,  where  he  died 
February  14,  1890,  while  his  wife  passed 
away  May  23,  1888.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Lionberger  have  been  born  three  children  : 
Harvey  Loy,  who  was  born  February  i, 
1 88 1,  and  is  now  in  Spokane,  Washing- 
ton; Hubert  Earl,  who  was  born  Decem- 
ber 26,  1883,  and  is  in  Fountain  Green 
township;  and  Mary  Frances,  born  June 
5,  1893. 

After  his  marriage  Mr.  Lionberger  be- 
gan operating  the  old  home  place  and 
subsequent  to  his  parents'  death  he  pur- 
chased the  interest  of  the  other  heirs  in 
the  home  property.  There  is  now  about 
fifty  acres  of  timber  land,  while  the  re- 
mainder is  used  for  pasture  land  and  for 
general  farming.  In  addition  to  tilling 
the  soil  and  raising  the  crops  best  adapted 
to  climatic  conditions  here,  he  also  raises 
shorthorn  cattle,  Duroc  Jersey  hogs  and 
Morgan  and  Percheron  horses,  having 
high  grades  of  stock  upon  his  place,  this 
branch  of  his  business  being  an  important 
source  of  revenue  to  him. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Lionberger 
is  a  democrat  and  is  conversant  with  the 


66o 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


dominant  party  issues.  Fraternally  he  is 
connected  with  the  Masons  and  he  is  a 
member  of  the  Christian  church  at  La 
Crosse,  in  which  he  has  served  as  a 
deacon  since  1902.  He  is  interested  in  it? 
work  and  does  all  in  his  power  to  pro- 
mote its  progress. 


LEWIS  F.  GEORGE. 

Lewis  F.  George  is  the  owner  of  one 
of  the  finest  farms  in  Hancock  county  and 
western  Illinois.  It  is  situated  in  Foun- 
tain Green  township,  and  the  beautiful 
modern  residence  which  stands  in  its 
midst  is  indicative  of  the  spirit  of  prog- 
ress which  dominates  the  owner.  His 
stock,  too,  is  of  the  highest  grades  and 
everything  about  the  farm  is  in  keeping 
therewith  and  shows  Mr.  George  to  be 
a  man  of  excellent  business  ability  and 
executive  force. 

Born  in  Fountain  Green  township, 
April  19,  1868,  Ke  is  a  son  of  Henry  and 
Martha  (Balsley)  George.  The  father 
was  born  in  Weisenhasel  Hesse  Cassel, 
Germany,  June  24,  1825,  and  the  mother's 
birth  occurred  near  Staunton,  Augusta 
county,  Virginia,  June  22,  1831.  The 
former-was  a  son  of  Henry  and  Elizabeth 
(Schaffer)  George,  and  the  latter  a 
daughter  of  Jonathan  Balsley.  In  1848 
Henry  George,  Jr.,  came  with  his  parents 
to  America  from  the  fatherland  and  set- 
tled in  Augusta  county,  Virginia,  where 
they  were  fanning  people  and  continued 
to  reside  until  1867.  The  father  of  our 


subject  then  removed  with  his  family  to 
McDonough  county,  Illinois,  where  he 
lived  for  one  year,  and  then  came  to 
Fountain  Green  township,  purchasing 
eighty  acres  of  land  on  section  13,  then 
under  cultivation,  while  a  house  and  barn 
had  also  been  erected.  The  parents  of 
our  subject  had  been  maried  in  Sherando, 
Virginia,  February  28,  1854.  and  had 
lived  upon  rented  farms  there  until  com- 
ing to  Illinois.  Mr.  George  lost  heavily 
through  the  depreciation  of  Confederate 
money  at  the  time  of  the  Civil  war  and 
after  coming  to  the  west  he  lived  upon  a 
farm  upon  which  his  father  died,  and 
whereon  he  and  his  wife  spent  their  re- 
maining days,  his  death  occurring  March 
14,  1899,  while  his  wife  passed  away  Feb- 
ruary 26,  1904.  In  their  family  were 
four  children :  Mary,  the  wife  of  Man- 
sel  White,  of  Blandinsville,  Illinois ;  Mrs. 
Elenora  Virginia  White,  of  La  Plata, 
Missouri;  and  Emma,  the  wife  of  F.  S. 
McElherne,  an  attorney  of  Chicago. 

Lewis  George,  the  only  son,  attended  the 
Hickory  Grove  district  school,  and  spent 
the  days  of  his  boyhood  and  youth  in  his 
parent's  home.  When  twenty-one  years 
of  age  he  rented  a  farm  in  Fountain  Green 
township  and  continued  its  operation  until 
the  death  of  his  father,  when  he  came  into 
possession  of  the  old  home  farm  of  nine- 
ty-three and  a  half  acres,  of  which  eighty 
acres  lies  on  section  13,  and  the  remainder 
on  section  23,  Fountain  Green  township. 
About  seventy  acres  were  under  cultiva- 
tion and  the  remainder  in  timber  and  pas- 
ture. Mr.  George  has  carried  on  general 
farming.  One  year  before  his  marriage 
he  purchased  eighty  acres  on  section  14, 
of  the  same  township,  nearly  all  of  which 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


661 


was  cleared.  Upon  it  stood  an  old 
frame  house  which  \vas  built  by  his 
wife's  grandfather  as  a  school  house 
in  the  '305.  It  was  he  who  also  built 
the  first  frame  barn  in  the  county. 
Mr.  George  and  his  wife  occupied 
the  old  frame  house  until  1893,  when  he 
erected  a  large  modern  residence,  heated 
with  hot  water.  He  has  also  an  appliance 
for  making  gas  from  gasoline,  used  for 
both  lighting  and  cooking  and  he  has  air 
pressure  system  for  forcing  water  to  any 
part  of  the  house.  Outside  of  the  cities 
there  is  no  finer  home  in  Hancock  county, 
and  its  furnishings  are  both  luxuriant  and 
comfortable  without  evidences  of  display, 
but  on  the  contrary,  indicating  a  refined 
taste.  In  1896  he  built  a  large  barn  and 
in  1898  purchased  an  old  church  which  he 
converted  into  a  granary.  In  1905  he 
built  a  cattle  shed  and  he  has  a  large  Fair- 
bank's  wagon  scale,  installed  in  1896.  He 
has  put  up  a  large  windmill,  and  a  well 
over  one  hundred  feet  deep  supplies  the 
house  and  stock  with  water.  The  farm  is 
most  complete  in  every  detail  and  indi- 
cates the  most  modern  progress  in  agri- 
cultural lines.  Mr.  George,  in  connection 
with  the  cultivation  of  the  fields,  raises 
Belgium  draft  horses,  also  road  horses, 
shorthorn  cattle  and  Duroc  and  Poland 
China  hogs.  His  business  interests  are 
also  further  represented  by  six  rural  tele- 
phone lines  which  he  owns. 

On  the  7th  of  June,  1893,  Mr.  George 
was  married  to  Miss  Nellie  B.  White,  who 
was  born  in  Warsaw,  Illinois,  January  15, 
1867,  and  was  educated  in  the  public 
and  high  schools  there.  Her  parents 
were  William  Harrison  and  Eunice  F. 
(Beebe)  White,  the  former  born  in  Al- 


legany  county,  New  York,  March  9, 
1817,  a  son  of  Jary  and  Lucinda  White, 
while  Eunice  F.  Beebe  was  born  March 
31,  1827,  in  Cattaraugus  county,  New 
York,  a  daughter  of  Jabez  and  Sophia  A. 
(Waite)  Beebe.  Jabez  Beebe  was  born 
in  January,  1799,  and  died  in  1871. 
After  the  death  of  his  first  wife  he  mar- 
ried her  sister,  Martha  Waite.  He  came 
to  this  township  in  1832,  among  its  ear- 
liest settlers  and  gave  to  it  the  name  of 
Fountain  Green.  He  was  the  owner  of 
the  land  whereon  the  village  now  stands 
and  also  owned  tracts  for  miles  around. 
Jary  White  came  with  ox  teams  from 
New  York  in  1835  and  settled  in  the  same 
locality,  where  he  lived  until  his  death. 
William  H.  White  first  married  Irene 
L.  Foy,  a  native  of  New  York,  who  died 
April  27,  1851.  They  had  two  children 
— one  who  did  in  infancy,  the  other, 
Emory  B.  White,  of  Clarion,  Iowa.  The 
mother  of  Mrs.  George  died  December  7, 
1874.  Her  living  children  are:  W. 
Scott,  of  Muscatine,  Iowa;  Henry  C,  of 
Spokane,  Washington;  Mrs.  George;  and 
Lucy  M.,  the  wife  of  Wesley  Engel,  of 
Brighton,  Iowa. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  George  have  been 
born  two  children  :  Philip  Earl,  born  De- 
cember 8,  1898;  and  Martha  Ruth,  No- 
vember 20,  1900.  The  parents  are  liberal 
contributors  to  the  Christian  church,  of 
which  Mr.  George  has  been  a  trustee  since 
1903,  He  votes  the  republican  ticket 
and  in  the  spring  of  1906  was  elected 
road  commissioner  for  a  two  years'  term. 
Fraternally  he  is  connected  with  the 
Modern  Woodmen  of  •  Fountain  Green 
and  the  Odd  Fellows  of  Blandinsville. 
Well  known  in  the  county  where  his  en- 


662 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


tire  life  has  been  passed  he  is  thoroughly 
in  touch  with  the  most  modern  methods 
of  fanning  and  his  business  experience 
and  sound  judgment  are  elements  in  a 
success  which  places  him  in  the  foremost 
rank  among  the  representatives  of  agri- 
culture in  Hancock  county. 


HENRY  BRICKER. 

Henry  Bricker,  who  since  the  age  of 
fourteen  years  has  been  dependent  upon 
his  own  resources-  so  that  the  success 
which  he  has  achieved  and  enjoyed  has 
come  as  the  merited  reward  of  his  earnest 
labor  and  perseverance,  is  now  living  in 
Montebello  township, .  where  he  owns  a 
good  farming  property  on  section  34.  He 
is  one  of  Hancock  county's  native  sons, 
for  he  was  bom  in  the  old  historic  town 
of  Warsaw,  November  23,  1865.  His 
parents  were  John  and  Elizabeth  (Het- 
rick)  Bricker,  both  of  whom  were  na- 
tives of  Hesse  Darmstadt,  Germany. 
They  became  residents  of  Warsaw  early 
in  1864,  in  which  year  they  crossed  the 
Atlantic  from  the  fatherland  to  the  new 
world,  hoping  in  this  country  to  secure  a 
more  substantial  pecuniary  reward  for  la- 
bor than  could  be  obtained  in  their  native 
land.  Mr.  Bricker  purchased^ thirty,  acres 
of  land,  whereon  he  engaged  in  general 
gardening,  in  raising  grapes  and  in  the 
manufacture  of  wine.  At  a  later  date  he 
sold  that  property  and  purchased  a  resi- 
dence in  Warsaw,  where  he  now  makes 
his  home.  His  wife,  however,  passed 


away  in  1892.  In  their  family  were  four 
children,  namely :  Henry,  of  this  review ; 
Annie,  the  wife  of  C.  A.  Wegenhenkel,  of 
Wythe  township;  Otto,  of  Lura,  Mis- 
souri ;  and  Amelia,  the  wife  of  J.  D.  Pig- 
gott. 

Henry  Bricker  was  a  student  of  the 
public  schools  of  Warsaw  in  his  early 
boyhood  days,  and  at  the  age  of  fourteen 
started  out  to  earn  his  own  living,  be- 
ginning work  in  this  vicinity  in  the  em- 
ploy of  Owen  Pence,  of  Keokuk,  and  A. 
L.  Miller,  of  Hamilton,  who  were  pro- 
prietors of  a  dairy.  From  that  time  aft- 
.  erward  Mr.  Bricker  has  provided  for  his 
own  support,  and  following  his  marriage 
he  took  up  his  abode  upon  a  farm  oi 
eighty  acres  in  Prairie  township.  The 
only  improvements  upon  the  farm  were  a 
small  house,  which  was  surrounded  by  a 
fence.  In  later  years  Mr.  Bricker  made 
additions  to  and  remodeled  the  house 
built  a  barn,  fenced  his  place  and  other- 
wise improved  it,  transforming  it  into  a 
good  property.  After  two  years  he  sole 
that  property  and  bought  seventy-sever 
acres  on  section  34,  Montebello  township 
He  has  a  good  set  of  farm  buildings  anc 
his  residence  stands  well  back  from  th< 
road  with  a  fine  lawn  in  front,  adornec 
with  shade  trees.  It  shows  every  evidence 
of  care  and  improvement,  and  Mr.  Brickei 
is  numbered  among  the  progressive  agri- 
culturists who  keep  in  touch  with  moderr 
ideas  of  farm  life  in  all  his  work.  The 
fields  are  devoted  to  the  cereals  best  adapt- 
ed to  soil  and  climate  and  he  also  raise; 
Durham  cows  and  Poland  China  hogs. 

On  the  5th  of  March,  1891,  Mr.  Brick 
er  was  married  to  Miss  Caroline  Egley 
who  was  bom  in  Warsaw,  January  i 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


663 


1871,  a  daughter  of  George  and  Catherine 
(Straling)  Egley,  who  were  natives  of 
Germany,  but  were  married  in  Warsaw, 
where  they  still  reside.  The  paternal 
grandparents  were  Henry  and  Catherine 
Egley,  who  were  likewise  residents  of 
Warsaw,  where  the  latter  passed  away  in 
1 88 1,  and  the  former  in  1886. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bricker  have  an  inter- 
esting family  of  two  sons  and  a  daugh- 
ter: Marion  J.,  bom  December  7,  1891 ; 
George  H.,  September  10,  1895;  and 
Clara  Ida,  August  25,  1898.  Politically 
Mr.  Bricker  is  a  republican  and  he  and 
his  family  attend  the  German  Congrega- 
tional church,  of  which  he  is  a  member. 
He  has  always  displayed  a  resolute  spirit 
and  strong  determination  in  carrying  on 
his  business  interests,  while  in  public  mat- 
ters he  has  given  evidence  of  a  progres- 
sive spirit  in  the  manner  in  which  he  has 
supported  all  movements  for  the  general 
good. 


DICK  HERBERT  DAVIS. 

Dick  Herbert  Davis,  carrying  on  gen- 
eral farming  and  stock-raising  in  Appa- 
noose,  his  native  township,  was  born  Au- 
gust 7,  1860.  He  was  educated  in  the 
Mound  district  school,  in  the  high  school 
at  Carthage  and  in  the  Carthage  College, 
which  he  attended  for  a  year.  His  par- 
ents were  Amos  and  Harriet  L.  (An- 
drus)  Davis,  the  former  a  native  of  Ver- 
mont, and  the  latter  of  Michigan.  The  fa- 
ther came  from  the  Green  Mountain  state 
with  a  cousin  to  the  eastern  part  of  Illi- 
nois and  afterward  went  to  St.  Louis, 
42 


Missouri,  where  he  entered  the  employ 
of  a  firm  that  established  a  branch  store 
in  Nauvoo.  This  he  conducted  for  a 
time,  after  which  he  purchased  the  prop- 
erty. He  was  conducting  the  store  at  the 
time  the  Mormons  were  driven  from  their 
stronghold  there.  He  afterward  traded 
his  stock -of  goods  for  land  in  Appanoose 
township,  and  in  1849  ne  went  to  Cali- 
fornia, attracted  by  the  discovery  of  gold 
on  the  Pacific  coast.  He  then  returned  by 
way  of  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  but  later 
again  went  to  California,  where  he  re- 
mained for  some  time.  He  was  there 
during  the  days  of  early  mining  excite- 
ment and  was  familiar  with  all  of  the  ex- 
periences which  are  to  be  met  in  a  district 
before  the  organization  of  courts  when  the 
lawless  take  advantage  of  the  opportuni- 
ties they  offer  them  for  the  perpetratiori 
of  crime.  At  length  returning  to  Han- 
cock county  he  lived  upon  his  farm  until 
death,  which  occurred  March  22,  1872, 
while  his  wife  passed  away  in  January, 
1866.  Their  children  were  Ethan,  who 
died  at  the  age  of  twenty-six  years; 
George  E.,  of  Rock'  Creek  township; 
Dick  H.,  of  this  review;  and  Chloe  E., 
the  wife  of  F.  H.-  Weber,  of  Fort  Madi- 
son, Iowa. 

Mr.  Davis  of  this  review  made  his 
home  on  his  father's  farm  until  after  the 
latter's  death,  after  which  he  spent  ten 
months  in  Quincy.  He  then  returned  to 
the  old  homestead  and  remained  with  his 
step-mother  for  several  years  although  at 
intervals  he  was  occupied  with  business 
duties  elsewhere.  At  the  age  of  seven- 
teen years  he  began  work  on  the  farm  of 
Hugh  Jackson,  where  he  remained  one 
summer,  and  in  the  fall  of  1879  he  went 


664 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


to  Kansas  but  on  the  7th  of  June,  1880, 
returned  to  Hancock  county.  Here  he 
began  farming  on  his  own  account  on  one 
hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  land  which 
he  owned  on  section  29,  Pontoosuc  town- 
ship. Three  years  later  he  took  up  his 
abode  near  North  Platte,  Nebraska, 
where  he  followed  ranching  for  three 
years.  He  then  secured  a  homestead  of 
one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  which  he 
proved  up  and  on  the  2Oth  of  March, 
1894,  he  rented  that  place  and  removed 
to  North  Platte,  where  he  worked  for  the 
Union  Pacific  Railroad  Company  for  ten 
months.  On  the  2ist  of  January,  1895, 
he  again  located  on  the  ranch,  where  he 
spent  sixteen  months,  and  on  the  24th 
of  May,  1897,  he  again  entered  the  em- 
ploy of  the  railroad  company,  living  at 
North  Platte  for  a  year  thereafter  in  that 
capacity.  He  was  afterward  appointed 
city  marshal  and  served  until  May,  1900. 
subsequnt  to  which  time  he  was  again  an 
employe  of  the  Union  Pacific  Railroad 
Company  until  June  21,  1902.  Remov- 
ing to  Fort  Madison  he  was  employed  by 
the  Atchison,  Topeka  &  Santa  Fe  Rail- 
road Company  from  August  1 ,  1902,  until 
April  6,  1903,  when  he  rented  a  farm  of 
one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  on  section 
25,  Appanoose  township,  from  Mrs.  Sa- 
rah Hoxworth.  Here  he  carries  on  gen- 
eral farming  and  stock-raising. 

Mr.  Davis  was  married  July  2,  1888, 
in  Perkins  county,  Nebraska,  to  Viola 
M.  Smith,  who  was  born  in  Lawrence 
county,  Indiana,  a  daughter  of  James  and 
Euphemia  (Nation)  Smith.  Their  chil- 
dren are:  Chloe  E.,  born  June  21,  1889 ; 
Marie  F.,  January  28,  1900;  and  Mabel 
A.,  March  17,  1905. 


BERNHARD  GIESE. 

Bernhard  Giese,  a  veteran  of  the  Civil 
war,  who  though  not  a  native  son  of 
America  displayed  a  loyalty  as  great  as 
that  of  any  of  the  soldiers  who  were  born 
under  the  stars  and  stripes,  now  makes 
his  home  in  Hamilton.  His  birth  oc- 
curred in  Hanover,  Germany,  in  1828, 
his  parents  being  Bernhardt  and  Angela 
(Schultz)  Giese,  also  of  the  fatherland. 
In  early  manhood  Mr.  Giese  of  this  re- 
view enlisted  for  service  in  the  German 
Army  but  after  two  years  he  deserted, 
wishing  to  make  his  home  in  the  "land 
of  the  free."  Crossing  the  Atlantic,  he 
took  up  his  abode  in  Quincy,  Illinois, 
where  he  was  employed  in  various  ways 
until  after  his  marriage  on  the  igth  of 
April,  1853,  Miss  Mary  Ann  Eising  be- 
coming his  wife.  She  was  born  in  Prus- 
sia, March  27,  1835,  a  daughter  of  Bern- 
hard  and  Elizabeth  (Steining)  Eising 
both  natives  of  Prussia.  Her  parents, 
leaving  the  fatherland,  sailed  for  New 
Orleans,  where  they  resided  for  two  years 
and  in  1844  made  their  way  northward  to 
Quincy,  Illinois,  where  Mr.  Eising  was 
employed  as  a  laborer  for  seven  years. 
He  then  purchased  a  farm  in  Marion 
county,  Missouri,  where  he  spent  a  year 
and  a  half  engaged  in  general  agricultural 
pursuits.  On  the  expiration  of  that  pe- 
riod he  returned  to  Quincy,  where  he 
lived  until  1865,  when  he  removed  to 
Warsaw,  Illinois,  making  his  home  there 
until  his  death  on  the  8th  of  December, 
1888,  when  he  was  ninety-three  years  of 
age.  His  wife  passed  away  September 
12.  1884,  when  she  was  seventy-one 
years  of  age. 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


665 


Following  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Giese  resided  in  different  places,  but  their 
children,  seven  in  number,  were  all  born 
in  Quincy.  These  are:  Elizabeth,  now 
Mrs.  W.  A.  Sherman,  a  widow;  Bern- 
hard,  a  resident  of  Quincy;  Anthony; 
Frank,  who  died  at  the  age  of  twenty-two 
years;  Mollie,  who  died  at  the  age  of 
eighteen  years;  Katie,  the  wife  of  Henry 
Lefers,  of  Quincy,  Illinois ;  and  one  died 
in  infancy. 

At  the  time  of  the  Civil  war  Mr.  Giese 
responded  to  the  country's  call  for  troops, 
enlisting  in  1865  as  a  member  of  Com- 
pany H,  Forty-third  Illinois  Infantry. 
He  served  for  one  year  and  was  then 
honorably  discharged  and  in  recognition 
of  conditions  brought  about  by  his  mili- 
tary service  he  has  been  granted  a  pension 
of  twelve  dollars  per  month  since  1892. 
In  1895  he  removed  with  his  family  to 
Hamilton  and  purchased  four  lots  in  Oak- 
wood,  which  is  Safford's  addition  to  the 
city.  Here  he  has  since  lived  retired  and 
he  has  become  well  known  here,  gaining 
many  warm  friends  during  the  period 
of  his  residence  in  Hancock  county. 


RUDOLPH  WILSON  ALVORD. 

Rudolph  Wilson  Alvord,  one  of  the 
venerable  citizens  of  Hamilton,  who  re- 
ceives and  merits  the  respect  and  good 
will  of  all.  was  born  in  Niagara  county. 
New  York,  December  29,  1823.  His 
parents  were  Samuel  and  Ursula  (Smith) 
Alvord,  natives  of  Massachusetts  and 


Connecticut  respectively.  His  maternal 
grandfather,-  Oliver  Smith,  was  a  resident 
of  Canada  and  was  a  great  trader,  being 
engaged  in  merchandising  also  for  a  num- 
ber of  years.  The  paternal  grandfather 
was  a  farmer,  always  resided  in  Massa- 
chusetts and  was  a  soldier  of  the  Revolu- 
tionary war. 

Samuel  Alvord,  following  the  occupa- 
tion of  farming,  was  also  a  local  preacher 
in  Massachusetts,  where  he  resided  to  the 
age  of  thirty-five  years,  when  he  removed 
to  Niagara  county,  New  York.  He  was 
ordained  a  minister  of  the  Baptist  church 
at  Casnovia,  New  York,  and  engaged  in 
preaching  the  gospel  in  that  state  until 
1847,  when  he  removed  to  Montebello 
township,  Hancock  county,  Illinois, 
where  he  made  his  home  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  about  1873,  when  he  had 
reached  the  very  advanced  age  of  eighty- 
eight  years.  He  had  long  survived  his 
wife,  who  died  about  1858. 

Rudolph  Wilson  Alvord,  the  fifth  in 
order  of  birth  in  a  family  of  ten  children, 
two  sons  and  eight  daughters,  was  reared 
to  farm  life.  He  remained  with  his  par- 
ents until  twenty-four  years  of  age,  when 
he  returned  to  Chautauqua  county,  New- 
York,  and  was  there  married  in  May, 
1852,  to  Miss  Angeline  Sullivan,  whose 
birth  occurred  in  that  county,  her  parents 
being  Rev.  Benjamin  and  Amy  Sullivan, 
the  former  a  minister  of  the  Reformed 
church.  '  Following  his  marriage  Mr.  Al- 
vord brought  his  bride  to  Hancock  coun- 
ty, Illinois,  and  unto  them  were  born  four 
children,  but  three  have  passed  away: 
Benjamin,  who  died  at  the  age  of  fifteen 
months ;  Charles,  at  the  age  of  six  years ; 
and  Wilson,  at  the  age  of  sixteen  years. 


666 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


The  surviving  member  of  the  family  is 
Susanna,  the  wife  of  Amassa  Hagar,  of 
Hamilton. 

Following  his  return  to  Hancock  coun- 
ty Mr.  Alvord  lived  upon  the  farm  which 
he  owned  in  Montebello  township,  making 
his  home  there  for  two  years,  when  he 
purchased  another  place  of  nine  acres  in 
the  eastern  part  of  Hamilton.  He  has 
since  divided  this  and  has  sold  off  six 
town  lots.  He  began  raising  fruit  and 
after  some  years  he  sold  his  prairie  farm. 
Having  lost  his  first  wife  in  the  fall  of 
1876,  he  was  married  to  Julia  (Johnson) 
Chapin,  a  widow,  who  was  born  in  Con- 
necticut. They  had  two  sons,  Milton  and 
Horace  Alvord,  both  residents  of  Illinois. 
The  wife  and  mother  died  in  1880  and  in 
1883  Mr.  Alvord  wedded  Mary  Jane  Wil- 
son at  Keokuk,  Iowa.  She  was  bom  in 
Ohio  and  her  death  occurred  in  Hamilton, 
April  17,  1902.  Mr.  Alvord's  daughter 
has  been  a  widow  since  1890  and  has  re- 
sided with  her  father  since  the  death  of 
her  daughter  in  1902.  She  was  married 
December  2,  1874,  to  Amassa  Hagar, 
who  was  born  in  Whitehall,  Illinois,  July 
27,  1850.  There  were  four  children  of 
that  marriage:  Mary,  who  was  born  in 
August,  1876,  and  died  in  infancy;  Nel- 
lie Belle,  who  was  born  December  2,  1878, 
and  died  April  4,  1901.  She  was  the 
wife  of  Frank  Worth,  a  native  of  Jersey- 
ville,  Illinois,  and  now  a  cigar  maker  at 
Canton,  Missouri.  They  had  o'ne  child, 
Amassa  Hagar  Worth,  born  June  3,  1898. 
Frances  Ada  was  born  July  4,  1883,  and 
the  wife  of  George  Janeway,  cashier  of 
the  bank  at  Skiatook,  Indian  Territory. 
Angelina  was  born  September  9,  1888. 
The  death  of  Mr.  Hagar  occurred  March 


22,  1890.  He  was  engaged  in  the  grain 
and  live  stock  business  at  Marysville, 
Kansas,  where  he  resided  with  his  family 
for  many  years,  and  after  his  demise  Mrs. 
Hagar  continued  to  remain  there  until  her 
father  lost  his  wife,  when  she  returned 
and  has  since  lived  with  him  in  Hamilton. 
Mr.  Alvord  has  for  a  number  of  years 
lived  retired  at  his  pleasant  home  in  Ham- 
ilton. He  has  led  a  busy  and  useful  life 
and  his  rest  is  well  merited.  There  have 
been  no  exciting  chapters  in  his  history, 
but  he  has  always  been  faithful  to  the  du- 
ties of  citizenship  and  the  ties  of  home  and 
wherever  known  is  held  in  high  esteem 
in  recognition  of  his  genuine  personal 
worth. 


WILLIAM  F.  TRAVERSE. 

William  F.  Traverse,  owning  and  op- 
erating two  hundred  acres  of  land  called 
the  Twin  Hill  Stock  Farm,  situated  in 
Appanoose,  his  native  township,  was  born 
February  27,  1868.  His  paternal  grand- 
father bore  the  name  of  Hiel  Traverse, 
and  his  father,  William  F.  Traverse,  who 
was  born  in  Kentucky,  December  15, 
1827,  arrived  in  Appanoose  township  in 
1847,  where  he  purchased  land,  and  was 
here  married  May  4,  1865,  to  Miss  Emily 
Willsey,  who  was  born  April  2.  1842.  and 
her  father,  Peter  Willsey,  was  numbered 
among  the  very  early  settlers  of  this 
county.  William  F.  Traverse  owned 
three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  land 
on  section  26.  Appanoose  township,  and 
he  likewise  owned  two  other  tracts,  one  of 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


667 


twenty  and  the  other  containing  sixty 
acres,  situated  near  Niota.  His  land  was 
all  wild  and  unimproved  when  it  came 
into  his  possession  but  he  developed  and 
cultivated  the  fields,  and  erected  a  fine 
home  and  many  substantial  outbuildings, 
thus  making  his  farm  one  of  the  valuable 
properties  of  this  section  of  the  state.  He 
was  thus  actively  and  helpfully  identified 
with  much  of  the  improvement  and  up- 
building of  the  county  in  its  early  pioneer 
development.  In  addition  to  his  farm- 
ing interests  he  also  engaged  quite  exten- 
sively in  the  raising  of  draft  horses.  In 
his  family  were  three  sons  and  one  daugh- 
ter, namely:  John  Q.,  who  was  born 
June  23,  1866,  was  married  and  resided 
in  Quincy,  Illinois,  there  passing  away 
November  8,  1897.  William  F.  is  the 
next  of  the  family.  Isaac  W..  who  was 
born  October  22,  1872,  is  a  physician  and 
surgeon,  practicing  at  Fort  Madison, 
Iowa.  Emily  J.,  born  December  13,  1876, 
is  now  the  wife  of  C.  L.  W.  Silver- 
schmidt,  and  resides  in  San  Francisco, 
California.  The  mother  of  this  family 
died  June  29,  1878,  and  her  remains  were 
interred  in  Tull  cemetery  in  Pontoosuc 
township.  The  father 'survived  until  Oc- 
tober 4,  1901,  when  he  was  laid  to  rest  by 
the  side  of  his  wife. 

After  the  death  of  the  parents  the  land 
was  divided  among  the  children,  and  our 
subject  and  his  brother,  Isaac  W.,  pur- 
chased the  interest  of  their  sister  in  the 
estate,  so  that  William  F.  Traverse  came 
into  possession  of  two  hundred  acres  of 
the  old  homestead  property,  and  he  like- 
wise owns  sixty-eight  acres  on  section 
9  and  ten  acres  of  timber  land  on  sec- 
tion 15. 


William  F.  Traverse  received  liberal 
educational  advantages,  having  supple- 
mented his  early  education  by  a  course 
of  study  at  the  Fort  Madison  Business 
College  and  also  at  the  Northern  Illinois 
Normal  School,  at  Dixon.  At  the  age  of 
twenty-two  years,  having  completed  his 
education,  he  engaged  in  the  fire  and  life 
insurance  business  at  Fort  Madison,  con- 
tinuing in  that  business  for  four  years. 
Subsequent  to  that  time  he  and  his 
brother,  John  Q.,  now  deceased,  engaged 
in  the  wholesale  and  retail  shoe  business, 
having  an  establishment  in  Medina  Tem- 
ple, at  the  corner  of  Jackson  and  Fifth 
avenue,  Chicago.  A  year  later  he  dis- 
posed of  his  shoe  business  and  went  to 
Joplin,  Missouri,  where  he  conducted  a 
steam  drill  for  two  years,  and  following 
that  period  he  then  for  a  year  represented 
the  Joplin  Machine  Works  on  the  road, 
selling  mining  and  other  machinery  in 
the  state  of  Missouri.  His  father's  health 
having  failed,  Mr.  Traverse  then  returned 
again  to  the  old  home  farm  and  assumed 
its  management  until  his  father's  death, 
after  which,  as  stated,  he  came  into  pos- 
session of  two  hundred  acres  of  the  old 
homestead  property,  known  as  the  Twin 
Hill  Stock  Farm,  being  so  called  from 
the  fact  that  the  house  stands  on  one  hill, 
while  the  barn  is  located  on  an  opposite 
hill.  In  addition  to  carrying  on  general 
farming  he  is  also  engaged  in  raising 
Chester  •  White  hogs,  raising  about  one 
hundred  and  fifty  annually. 

On  the  8th  of  November,  1901,  Mr. 
Traverse  secured  as  a  companion  and 
helpmate  Miss  Jennie  O.  Hobbs,  a  daugh- 
ter of  Leonard  Hobbs.  She  was  born, 
reared  and  educated  in  Appanoose  town- 


668 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


ship,  and  by  her  marriage  has  become 
the  mother  of  one  daughter,  Emily  J., 
whose  birth  occurred  September  5,  1902. 
Politically  Mr.  Traverse  is  a  democrat, 
while  his  religious  faith  is  that  of  the 
Presbyterian  church.  He  is  a  Mason,  be- 
longing to  the  lodge  at  Pontoosuc,  while 
he  also  holds  membership  with  the  Mod- 
ern Woodmen  camp  at  Fort  Madison, 
Iowa. 


JOHN  M.  BERRY. 

John  M.  Berry,  better  known  as  J. 
M.  Berry  in  Carthage,  where  he  has  long 
made  his  home,  was  born  in  Macoupin 
county,  Illinois,  October  31,  1834,  his  par- 
ents being  Jesse  and  Mary  (Collins) 
Berry,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of 
Kentucky.  In  an  early  day  they  removed 
from  that  state  to  Macoupin  county, 
where  the  father  engaged  in  farming  until 
his  death,  which  ocurred  when  he  was 
sixty-nine  years  of  age.  His  widow 
afterward  removed  to  Carthage,  where 
her  last  days  were  passed.  Both  were 
members  of  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian 
church.  In  their  family  were  eight  chil- 
dren but  only  two  are  now  living :  J.  M. ; 
and  Mary  S.,  the  latter  the  wife  of  Wil- 
liam Clark,  of  Carlinville,  Illinois.  One 
son  of  the  family,  David  M.  Berry,  served 
for  four  years  as  a  soldier  in  the  Civil 
war. 

J.  M.  Berry  is  indebted  to  the  public 
sch'ool  system  of  Macoupin  county  for  the 
early  educational  privileges  he  enjoyed 
and  when  not  occupied  with  his  text-books 


he  engaged  in  farming  upon  his  father's 
land.  His  attention  was  given  to  gen- 
eral agricultural  pursuits  until  1861,  so 
that  he  lived  upon  the  home  farm  for  five 
years  after  his  marriage.  In  1861  he 
came  to  Carthage  and,  owning  a  team,  he 
engaged  in  teaming  for  six  years.  He 
then  engaged  in  the  grocery  business, 
which  he  successfully  followed  for  a 
quarter  of  a  century  and  was  also  en- 
gaged with  the  coal  and  grain  trade,  giv- 
ing his  attention,  however,  more  largely 
to  the  coal  business.  Later  he  conducted 
a  jewelry  store  in  Carthage  for  two  years, 
but  during  the  past  six  years  has  lived 
retired. 

Mr.  Berry  was  married  January  24, 
1856,  to  Miss  Mary  Crawford,  who  was 
born  in  Macoupin  county,  Illinois,  De-> 
cember  22,  1827,  her  parents  being  Joseph 
and  Rebecca  (Ledford)  Crawford.  Her 
father  was  a  farmer  and  for  many  years 
was  engaged  in  the  tilling  of  the  soil 
in  Macoupin  county,  both  he  and  his  wif* 
coming  to  Illinois  from  Tennessee  at  an 
early  day.  They  were  both  prominent 
and  influential  members  of  the  Methodist 
church,  in  which  he  filled  nearly  all  of 
the  offices.  In  their  family  were  ten  chil- 
dren, of  whom  three  have  passed  away. 
Those  still  living  are:  S.  M.,  a  resident 
of  La  Plata,  Missouri ;  Mary,  now  Mrs. 
Berry;  Jesse,  of  Beloit,  Kansas;  Joseph, 
of  Gerard,  Illinois;  James,  of  Palmyra 
Illinois;  and  Jonathan  and  Elijah,  who 
are  also  residents  of  Palmyra.  Five  sons 
in  that  family  served  in  the  Civil  war 
for  four  full  years,  these  being  John,  S. 
M.,  Jesse,  James  and  Joseph  Crawford. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Berry  have  been 
born  eight  children,  of  whom  three  died 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


669 


in  infancy,  while  the  others  reached  years 
of  maturity.  L.  \V.  Berry,  the  eldest  sur- 
viving member  of  the  family,  married 
Fannie  Crawford,  lives  in  Carthage  and 
has  three  children :  Freddie  Corine, 
Kenneth  and  Leonard  Coleman.  Naomi 
F.  is  the  wife  of  Walter  VanZile,  of  Car- 
thage, Illinois,  and  they  have  five  chil- 
dren: Roy  H.,  Leon,  Jesse,  Mary  and 
Signa.  Duwane  G.  married  Hattie 
Noyes,  of  Carthage,  and  has  one  child, 
Catherine.  Rosa  B.  is  the  wife  of 
Charles  McCool,  of  Jacksonville,  Illinois, 
and  has  four  children.  Oscar  V.  married 
Mary  E.  Frazier,  by  whom  he  has  one 
child,  J.  M.  Berry,  named  for  his  grand- 
father. Their  home  is  in  Peoria,  where 
Oscar  V.  Perry  is  an  optician. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Berry  are  devoted  mem- 
bers of  the  Methodist  church,  of  which 
he  has  served  as  trustee  and  steward  for 
many  years.  His  early  political  affiliation 
was  given  to  the  Republican  party  but  he 
is  now  a  prohibitionist,  having  long  been 
a  stalwart  supporter  of  the  cause  of  tem- 
perance. In  1892  he  purchased  his  pres- 
ent cottage  on  Main  street  and  is  com- 
fortably settled  in  life.  On  the  24th  of 
January,  1906,  he  and  his  wife  celebrated 
their  golden  wedding,  all  of  their  children 
and  the  greater  number  of  their  grand- 
children being  gathered  around  the  fam- 
ily board,  while  a  reception  was  held  for 
them  in  the  Methodist  church.  It  was 
largely  attended  and  the  event  was  a  very 
happy  one.  This  worthy  couple  well  de- 
serve the  esteem  and  admiration  which 
are  so  uniformly  accorded  them.  Mr. 
Berry  has  lived  in  Carthage  for  over 
forty-five  years,  coming  here  when  the 
city  was  but  a  village.  He  has  witnessed 


many  changes  here  and  throughout  the 
county  and  has  an  intimate  knowledge  of 
the  events  which  have  molded  the  history 
and  shaped  the  policy  of  this  part  of  the 
state.  He  had  no  special  advantages  in 
his  youth  nor  any  superior  educational 
privileges  and  his  life  has  been  character- 
ized by  steady  and  determined  purpose 
and  by  unimpeachable  integrity.  In  man- 
ner he  is  modest  arid  quiet  and  is  an  en- 
tertaining conversationalist.  He  devoted 
much  time  to  reading  until  the  failure  of 
his  eyesight  and  is  a  well  informed  man, 
who,  having  passed  the  seventy-second 
milestone  on  life's  journey,  is  now  en- 
joying a  well-earned  rest  at  his  home  in 
Carthage. 


WESLEY  WILLIAMS. 

The  name  of  Williams,  borne  by  suc- 
cessive generations,  is  inseparably  inter- 
woven with  the  history  of  Carthage  and 
Hancock  county  and  he  whose  name  in- 
troduces this  review  was  one  of  the  pio- 
neers of  this  part  of  the  state,  arriving 
here  from  Kentucky  in  1828.  He  was 
one  of  a  family  of  twelve  children,  most 
of  whom  became  residents  of  Illinois, 
where  many  of  their  descendants  are  still 
found.  Wesley  Williams  was  born  in 
Bourbon  county,  Kentucky,  the  family 
emigrating  from  Virginia  to  the  Blue 
Grass  state.  It  is  probable  that  they  are 
descendants  of  Roger  Williams  and  at 
all  events  it  is  definitely  known  that  the 
family  has  been  represented  in  America 
through  many  generations,  the  ancestry 


670 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


being  traced,  .ba,gk  to  early  colonial  days. 
Reared  in  the  state  of  his  nativity  Wes- 
ley Williams  was  there  married  and 
brought  two  children  with  him  on  his  re- 
moval from  Kentucky  to  Illinois.  His 
second  wife  was  Mrs.  Ruth  Scobey  and 
they  lived  for  a  time  at  what  is  known 
as  the  old  town  of  Montebello,  now  de- 
serted. There  their  first  child  was  bom, 
after  which  they  removed  to  Carthage, 
where  occurred  the  birth  of  their  second 
child,  Wesley  C.  Williams,  who  bore  the 
distinction  of  being  the  first  child  born 
at  the  new  county  seat. 

For  a  number  of  years  Mr.  Williams 
operated  a  mill  on  Crooked  creek,  this 
being  one  of  the  first  grist  mills  of  the 
county  and  an  old  landmark.  He  was 
one  of  the  prominent  and  influential  resi- 
dents of  the  county  at  an  early  day,  fill- 
ing various  positions  of  public  trust,  to 
which  he  was  called  by  his  fellow  towns- 
men, who  recognized  his  worth  and  his 
fidelity  to  duty.  He  acted  as  circuit  clerk 
and  recorder  from  1828  until  1841  and 
later  was  judge  of  the  county  commis- 
sioners' court.  Removing  to  Elvaston, 
Illinois,  he  occupied  the  position  of  post- 
master at  that  place.  His  political  alle- 
giance was  given  to  the  Whig  party  until 
its  dissolution,  when  he  joined  the  ranks 
of  the  new  Republican  party.  He  spent  his 
last  years  with  his  children,  passing  away 
in  1870  after  a  residence  of  more  than 
four  decades  in  Illinois.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  and 
his  life  was  permeated  by  his  Christian 
faith.  He  was  a  typical  pioneer  settler 
of  courageous  spirit  and  earnest  purpose, 
who  bravely  met  the  difficulties  and  hard- 
ships of  pioneer  life  and  aided  in  plant- 


ing the  seeds  of  civilization  here.  He 
recognized  the  possibilities  of  the  county, 
labored  earnestly  for  its  development  and 
left  the  impress  of  his  individuality  for 
good  upon  public  thought  and  action. 


WESLEY  C.  WILLIAMS. 

Wesley  C.  Williams  has  the  distinction 
of  being  the  first  white  child  born  in  Car- 
thage, his  natal  day  being  August  13, 
1833.  The  old  family  home,  in  which 
he  first  opened  his  eyes  to  the  light  of 
day,  stood  near  the  present  site  of  the 
Presbyterian  church.  His  father  was 
Wesley  Williams,  an  honored  pioneer  set- 
tler, who  is  mentioned  elsewhere  in  this 
volume.  His  education  was  acquired  in 
such  schools  as  were  found  in  pioneer 
communities  and  when  about  eighteen 
years  of  age  he  went  to  California,  at- 
tracted by  the  discovery  of  gold  on  the 
Pacific  coast.  He  made  the  overland  trip, 
his  father  fitting  out  an  ox  team  for  that 
purpose  and  there  he  carried  on  freighting 
business  between  Shasta  City  and  Yreka 
with  good  success.  He  operated  six 
mule  teams  and  had  a  large  and  profitable 
business.  He  was  recognized  as  one  of 
the  prominent  citizens  of  his  part  of  the 
state  in  an  early  day  and  aided  in  its 
preliminary  development  and  improve- 
ment. Remaining  in  the  west  for  several 
years,  he  returned  to  Hancock  county 
about  1858  and  began  farming  in  Prairie 
township,  where  he  secured  a  tract  of 
raw  land,  on  which  not  a  furrow  had 


JOHN  W.  WILLIAMS 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


671 


been  turned  nor  an  improvement  made. 
There  he  carried  on  the  work  of  the 
fields  for  some  time  but  afterward  re- 
moved to  Bear  Creek  township,  where 
he  prospered  in  his  undertakings. 

While  living  in  Bear  Creek  township 
Mr.  Williams  was  married  on  the  6th  of 
June,  1860,  to  Miss  Mary  E.  Moore,  also 
a  native  of  this  county  and  a  daughter  of 
Andrew  and  Abigal  (Tweed)  Moore, 
pioneer  residents  who  came  to  Hancock 
county  from  Delaware  in  1836.  Mr. 
Williams  continued  his  farming  opera- 
tions in  Bear  Creek  township  until  after 
the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  war,  when,  in 
response  to  his  country's  need  he  offered 
his  services  to  the  government  and  became 
a  member  of  Company  G,  Eighteenth  Illi- 
nois Cavalry.  While  serving  with  that 
command  he  was  captured  at  Harper's 
Ferry  and  after  being  held  a  prisoner  for 
a  time  was  paroled  and  later  honorably 
discharged.  At  the  close  of  his  military 
service  he  resumed  farming  in  Bear  Creek- 
township,  where  he  resided  until  1871, 
bringing  his  fields  under  a  high  state  of 
cultivation  and  making  many  improve- 
ments upon  his  farm.  In  the  year  men- 
tioned, however,  he  put  aside  agricultural 
pursuits  and  removed  to  Carthage,  where 
he  engaged  in  the  livery  business  until 
1873.  He  then  located  in  Prarie  town- 
ship, where  he  continued  farming  until 
his  death  on  the  4th  of  November,  1891. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Williams  were  born 
six  children,  two  of  whom  died  in  infancy, 
while  four  are  yet  living:  Homer  G., 
who  is  cashier  of  the  People's  State 
Bank  of  Hamilton,  Illinois;  Judge  J.  Wr. 
Williams,  county  judge  of  Hancock- 
county;  Archibald  C.,  a  resident  farmer 


of  Prairie  township  and  a  member  of  the 
county  board  of  supervisors,  of  which 
he  has  also  been  chairman ;  and  Robert, 
who  is  a  practicing  physician  at  Alden, 
Minnesota.  All  of  the  sons  have  become 
prominent  in  the  various  walks  of  life 
which  they  have  chosen. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Williams  was 
an  earnest  democrat,  always  supporting 
the  candidates  of  the  party  save  when  at 
the  time  of  the  Civil  war  he  cast  his  ballot 
for  Abraham  Lincoln.  He  was  supervi- 
sor from  Bear  Creek  township,  also  from 
Carthage  and  Prairie  township  and  for 
one  year  was  chairman  of  the  board.  In 
1886  he  was  elected  to  represent  his  dis- 
trict in  the  state  legislature  and  served 
through  the  ensuing  term.  In  1888  he 
was  again  nominated  by  the  democracy 
of  the  old  twenty-fourth  district  but  was 
defeated  owing  to  the  fact  that  this  is  a 
strong  republican  district.  No  one  ques- 
tioned his  ability  nor  his  fidelity  in  any 
office  which  he  filled.  He  was  a  man  of 
honor  in  public  and  private  life,  reliable 
and  enterprising  in  business  and  progres- 
sive in  citizenship.  He  attended  and  con- 
tributed to  the  support  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church,  of  which  Mrs.  Wil- 
liams, who  is  now  living  in  Carthage  with 
her  brother,  W.  H.  Moore,  is  an  active 
and  faithful  member. 


JUDGE  JOHN  WESLEY  WILLIAMS. 

With  few  opportunities  or  advantages 
that  he  has  not  secured  for  himself  Judge 


672 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


Williams  has  made  steady  advancement  in 
those  lines  of  life  demanding  intellectu- 
ality, business  ability  and  fidelity  and  to- 
day commands  a  respect  and  esteem  not 
only  of  his  community  but  throughout 
the  state.  He  has  won  prominence  at  the 
bar  and  is  serving  as  county  judge  of 
Hancock  county.  His  labors  have  been 
as  well  a  source  of  direct  and  immediate 
benefit  to  the  county  along  many  lines  of 
progress  and  improvement,  much  of  his 
work  having  been  done  without  any 
thought  of  remuneration  but  solely  for  the 
love  of  the  work. 

Born  in  Bear  Creek  township,  this 
county,  on  the  i8th  of  November,  1865, 
he  is  a  representative  of  one  of  its  old- 
est and  most  prominent  families.  His  fa- 
ther was  Wesley  C.  Williams,  the  first 
white  child  born  in  Carthage,  mention 
of  whom  is  made  on  another  page  of  this 
work.  Judge  Williams  acquired  his  early 
education  in  Carthage  and  in  Prairie 
township  and  in  early  manhood  engaged 
in  teaching  school.  He  also  attended 
teachers'  institutes  and  continued  private 
study  at  home,  alternating  his  time  be- 
tween teaching  school  and  farm  work  un- 
til 1888.  In  that  year  he  entered  the 
office  of  the  firm  of  Manier  &  Miller  to 
read  law  and  also  attended  the  Union 
College  of  Law,  the  law  department  of 
the  Northwestern  University,  being  ad- 
mitted to  practice  in  1891  on  examination 
before  the  appellate  court  at  Mount  Ver- 
non.  Returning  to  Carthage  he  entered 
into  partnership  with  his  former  precept- 
ors, Messrs.  Manier  and  Miller,  under  the 
firm  style  of  Manier,  Miller  &  Williams. 
This  soon  became  recognized  as  one  of  the 
leading  law  firms  of  the  county,  having 


the  best  library  in  this  part  of  the  state 
and  usually  representing  either  the  de- 
fense or  prosecution  of  every  important 
litigated  interest  tried  in  the  courts  of  the 
district. 

In  April,  1891,  Judge  Williams  was 
elected  city  attorney  and  filled  the  office 
for  three  terms.  He  continued  in  pri- 
vate law  practice  with  the  firm  of  Manier 
&  Miller  and  following  the  death  of  the 
senior  partner,  Mr.  Manier,  in  1897,  the 
firm  of  Miller  &  Williams  was  formed 
and  continued  to  enjoy  a  large  and  dis- 
tinctively representative  clientage.  In 
1902  Mr.  Williams  was  nominated  and 
elected  county  judge  of  Hancock  county, 
at  which  time  he  withdrew  from  the  part- 
nership. He  has  filled  the  office  with 
credit  to  himself  and  satisfaction  to  the 
general  public,  his  decisions  being  strict- 
ly fair  and  impartial.  He  has  proven  him- 
self correct  in  his  understanding  and  adap- 
tation of  the  law  and  is  a  worthy  con- 
servator of  the  rights  of  the  people  who 
must  look  to  those  of  position  for  the 
protection  of  their  rights  and  liberties  of 
life  and  property.  Judge  Williams  also 
continues  in  private  practice  aside  from 
the  duties  of  his  judicial  position.  He 
has  moreover  exerted  a  wide  influence  in 
public  affairs,  standing  in  support  of  im- 
provement and  advancement  at  all  times. 
He  served  as  a  member  of  the  city  coun- 
cil in  1901-02,  during  which  time  he  was 
instrumental  in  securing  the  passage  of  a 
measure  for  paving  the  streets,  making 
the  first  motion  in  favor  of  such  an  or- 
dinance. He  is  a  member  of  the  board 
of  education  and  it  was  in  great  measure 
due  to  his  efforts  that  the  new  high  school 
building,  the  finest  building  in  the  county 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


673 


of  its  kind,  was  erected,  while  in  other 
ways  he  has  stood  for  the  betterment  of 
the  schools  and  the  upbuilding  of  a  high 
standard  of  public  instruction.  His  po- 
litical allegiance  is  given  to  the  Dem- 
ocratic party  and  he  is  an  earnest,  log- 
ical and  convincing  speaker  upon  many 
of  the  questions  and  issues  of  the  day  in 
the  campaigns. 

Judge  Williams  was  married  June  27, 
1894,  to  Miss  Adda  Prentice,  a  daughter 
of  Luke  P.  and  Lydia  A.  (Quimby) 
Prentice,  her  father  having  been  one  of 
the  early  settlers  of  the  county  and  later 
a  resident  of  Carthage.  Judge  and  Mrs. 
Williams  have  a  daughter,  Miriam  E., 
and  a  son,  Wesley  Prentice.  They  are 
members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  and  occupy  a  pleasant  and  attract- 
ive home  on  Jackson  street.  He  is  a 
prominent  Mason,  belonging  to  Hancock 
lodge,  No.  20,  Ancient  Free  and  Accept- 
ed Masons,  in  which  he  has  been  secre- 
tary and  senior  deacon  and  he  is  likewise 
a  member  of  Carthage  chapter,  No.  33, 
Royal  Arch  Masons,  and  the  Order  of  the 
Eastern  Star,  of  which  he  has  been 
worthy  patron.  He  is  also  a  charter 
member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias  lodge, 
of  which  he  is  past  chancellor  commander 
and  belongs  to  the  Woodmen  and  other 
fraternal  organizations.  His  entire  life 
has  been  passed  in  Carthage  and  his  rec- 
ord is  another  verification  of  the  assertion 
of  the  German  philosopher  and  poet  that 
"merit  and  success  go  linked  together." 
He  has  made  a  lasting  impression  upon 
the  bar  of  the  county  both  for  legal  abil- 
ity of  a  high  order  and  for  the  individu- 
ality of  a  personal  character  which  im- 
presses itself  upon  a  community. 


ELI  D.  GILLHAM. 

Eli  D.  Gillham,  who  was  numbered 
among  the  California  miners  that  flocked 
to  the  Pacific  coast  following  the  discov- 
ery of  gold  there,  and  who  in  Hancock 
county  is  living  the  more  quiet  life  of  a 
prosperous  agriculturist,  now  makes  his 
home  in  Warsaw.  He  is  no  longer  en- 
gaged in  the  active  business  duties,  for 
his  former  toil  and  capable  management 
brought  him  a  competence  sufficient  to 
enable  him  to  enjoy  in  rest  and  quiet  the 
fruits  of  former  years.  Born  in  Camp- 
bell county,  Kentucky,  April  22,  1832, 
he  is  descended  from  old  southern  fami- 
lies. His  paternal  grandfather,  Robinson 
Gillham,  was  a  native  of  Charleston, 
South  Carolina,  whence  he  removed  to 
Kentucky,  where  his  son,  Robert  Gillham, 
was  born.  The  latter,  having  arrived  at 
adult  age,  was  married  in  that  state  to 
Elizabeth  Walker,  who  was  born  in  Ken- 
tucky, and  was  a  daughter  of  John  and 
Mary  Walker,  natives  of  Maryland,  their 
birthplace  being  in  the  vicinity  of  Balti- 
more. Mr.  and  Mrs.  Robert  Gillham 
were  farming  people  in  the  Blue  Grass 
state  until  the  spring  of  1836,  when  they 
started  for  Illinois,  traveling  by  the  Ohio 
and  Mississippi  river  route  and  arriving 
at  Warsaw  on  the  nth  of  April.  Mr. 
Gillham  purchased  one  hundred  and  six- 
ty-five acres  of  land  in  Walker  township, 
of  which  about  sixty  acres  was  timber 
land,  while  the  remainder  was  unculti- 
vated prairie.  Deer  were  so  numerous 
that  venison  was  a  common  dish  upon  the 
pioneer  table  and  there  were  many  wolves, 
panthers  and  other  wild  animals  in  the 
forests,  while  Indians  were  yet  frequently 


6/4 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


seen.  Mr.  Gillham  built  a  log  cabin  in 
the  midst  of  the  green  woods  and  reso- 
lutely undertook  the  task  of  clearing  and 
improving  his  place.  Year  by  year  saw 
the  fields  placed  under  the  plow  and  as 
opportunity  offered  he  added  to  his  land 
until  he  owned  about  six  hundred  acres 
all  in  Walker  township.  He  kept  about 
eighty  acres  in  timber  but  improved  all 
of  the  prairie  land,  bringing  his  fields 
under  a  high  state  of  cultivation.  There 
he  lived  until  1873.  when  he  sold  his 
property  in  Walker  township  and  removed 
to  Monroe  county,  Missouri,  where  he 
purchased  about  three  hundred  acres  of 
land,  making  his  .home  thereon  until  his 
death  in  April,  1879.  His  wife  had 
passed  away  in  October,  1856. 

Eli  D.  Gillham,  the  seventh  in  their 
family  of  six  sons  and  seven  daughters, 
of  whom  two  sons  and  three  daughters 
are  yet  living,  spent  his  boyhood  days 
upon  the  farm  in  Walker  township,  hav- 
ing been  a  little  lad  of  four  years  when 
brought  by  his  parents  to  Illinois.  The 
district  schools  near  by  afforded  him  his 
educational  privileges  and  he  received 
ample  training  in  the  work  of  the  fields, 
assisting  each  summer  in  the  task  of  plow- 
ing, planting  and  harvesting  upon  the  old 
homestead  until  1850,  when  in  company 
with  his  brother  John,  he  started  for  Cali- 
fornia, crossing  the  plains  with  a  team 
of  horses.  They  left  home  on  the  loth 
of  April  and  after  a  long  and  wearisome 
trip  across  the  hot  stretches  of  sand  and 
over  the  mountain  passes  arrived  at  Hang- 
town,  now  called  Placerville.  There  they 
engaged  in  placer  mining  and  Mr.  Gill- 
ham  of  this  review  remained  for  two 
years  but  his  brother  returned  home  prior 


to  that  time.  Eli  Gillham  made  the  re- 
turn trip  by  way  of  the  isthmus  route, 
riding  from  Panama  to  Chagres  on  a 
pony,  and  floated  down  Chagres  river  in  a 
small  boat  to  Gargonia,  thence  by  rail  to 
Aspinwall,  now  Colon,  to  New  Orleans 
and  the  Mississippi  river,  arriving  event- 
ually at  Warsaw.  He  came  back  broke. 
He  later  rented  a  farm  in  Walker  town- 
ship for  five  years,  and  with  the  capital 
which  he  had  saved  from  his  earnings 
during  that  period,  he  made  purchase  of 
eighty  acres  on  section  9,  Walker  town- 
ship, where  he  lived  from  1858  until 
April,  1863.  In  that  year  he  and  his 
brother  Robeson,  and  his  brother-in-law 
drove  twenty-six  head  of  horses  across  the 
plains  to  the  Pacific  coast.  After  reach- 
ing California  they  sold  their  stock  and 
soon  returned  by  way  of  the  isthmus, 
which  they  crossed  by  rail.  They  then 
bought  steamer  tickets  for  New  York  but 
encountering  very  severe  weather  during 
the  voyage  they  left  the  ship  at  Fortress 
Monroe,  Virginia,  proceeded  thence  to 
Baltimore  and  on  home.  On  again  reach- 
ing Hancock  county  Mr.  Gillham  pur- 
chased the  old  homestead  farm  from  his 
father  and  resided  there  continuously 
until  March  15,  1906,  when  he  purchased 
a  residence  in  Warsaw,  where  he  is  now 
living  retired.  He  still,  however,  owns 
three  hundred  and  eighty-four  acres  of 
valuable  farming  land,  of  which  one  hun- 
dred and  eighty-three  acres  lies  in  Wythe 
township. 

On  the  5th  of  January,  1858,  Mr.  Gill- 
ham  was  married  to  Sarah  Woodworth, 
who  was  born  in  Rocky  Run  township, 
this  county,  a  daughter  of  Hiram  and 
Polly  (Glenn)  \Voodworth,  natives  of 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


675 


Kentucky.  The  children  born  of  this 
marriage  are:  Charles  M.,  who  was 
born  in  December,  1858,  and  died  in  Feb- 
ruary, 1875;  Belle,  the  wife  of  Isaac 
Baker,  of  Wythe  township;  Elizabeth, 
who  was  born  August  22,  1862,  and  died 
November  1 1 ,  1 873 ;  Emma  died  in  in- 
fancy ;  and  Ida,  at  home. 

Mr.  Gillham  is  a  stalwart  democrat  and 
has  been  honored  with  the  various  town- 
ship offices,  the  duties  of  which  he  has 
discharged  with  promptness  and  fidelity, 
indicative  of  his  loyal  and  patriotic  citizen- 
ship. He  is  a  self-made  man  whose  pros- 
perity is  justly  attributed  to  his  own  la- 
bors and  perseverance.  He  has  had  an 
interesting  and  varied  life  in  many  ways, 
owing  to  his  journeys  across  the  plains 
ere  the  building  of  railroads  and  his  resi- 
dence upon  the  Pacific  coast  during  the 
days  of  early  mining  excitement.  While 
living  more  quietly  in  Hancock  county 
he  has  made  a  creditable  record  as  a  busi- 
ness man,  whose  close  application  and  un- 
remitting attention  to  his  interests  have 
been  the  source  of  a  gratifying  success. 

In  1890  Mr.  Gillham  and  his  wife  took 
another  trip  to  the  Pacific  coast,  taking  in 
Washington,  Oregon  and  California,  vis- 
iting with  relatives  in  all  of  those  states, 
going  by  Northern  Pacific  and  returned 
by  Southern  Pacific.  They  were  gone  all 
winter. 


WILLIAM  ROSWELL  FAIRCHILD. 

William  Roswell  Fairchild  is  a  factor 
in    business    circles    in    Warsaw,    where 


he  has  lived  for  years,  and  where  he 
is  dealing  in  coal.  He  was  born  eleven 
miles  east  of  Cleveland,  Ohio,  on  the  23d 
of  January,  1840,  and  is  a  son  of  Levi 
and  Dierdama  (Barber)  Fairchild,  who, 
when  their  son  was  a  lad  of  nine  years, 
removed  from  Ohio  to  Augusta,  Hancock 
county,  Illinois.  There  the  father  pur- 
chased eighty  acres  of  land  and  began 
fanning,  making  his  home  upon  that  place 
until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1869. 
His  wife  also  died  on  the  old  homestead 
property  in  the  winter  of  1897-98. 

It  was  at  Augusta  that  Mr.  Fairchild 
acquired  his  education  in  the  subscription 
and  the  free  schools.  He  was  reared  to 
the  occupation  of  farming,  which  he  fol- 
lowed continuously  until  twenty-two  years 
of  age,  when  he.  put  aside  all  business  and 
personal  considerations,  and  on  the  7th 
of  August,  1862,  offered  his  services  to 
the  government,  enlisting  as  a  member 
of  Company  H,  Seventy-second  Illinois 
Infantry  at  Augusta.  With  others  he  was 
sent  to  fill  out  a  regiment  at  Chicago, 
where  he  was  mustered  into  service.  He 
did  active  duty  at  Vicksburg,  Nashville, 
Franklin,  Mobile  and  Champion  Hills. 
At  the  last  he  saw  the  ground  covered 
with  the  bodies  of  the  slain,  charge  after 
charge  being  made,  the  fight  lasting  for 
hours,  continuing  with  undetermined  fe- 
rocity. The  regiment  to  which  he  be- 
longed was  assigned  to  the  Army  of  the 
Tennessee,  subsequently  to  the  Army  of 
the  Cumberland  and  afterward  to  the  De- 
partment of  the  Gulf.  When  he  had 
served  for  three  years  Mr.  Fairchild  was 
honorably  discharged  at  Chicago  and  was 
mustered  out  at  Vicksburg.  He  saw 
much  arduous  military  services,  and  with 


6;6 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


a  creditable  record  as  a  soldier  returned 
to  his  home. 

Again  making  his  way  to  Augusta,  Mr. 
Fairchild  remained  there  for  eighteen 
months  and  then  went  to  St.  Louis,  where 
he.  worked  for  the  Pacific  Railroad  Com- 
pany as  car  loader  for  a  year  and  a  half. 
In  1868  he  came  to  Warsaw,  where,  in 
connection  with  his  two  brothers,  he  pur- 
chased a  threshing  outfit  which  they  op- 
erated for  three  years,  when  he  sold  out. 
He  then  turned  his  attention  to  teaming 
and  farming  and  for  twenty-five  years  he 
was  connected  with  the  coal  trade,  han- 
dling both  hard  and  soft  coal,  in  which 
connection  he  has  enjoyed  a  large  busi- 
ness. His  sheds  are  located  at  the  To- 
ledo, Peoria  &  Warsaw  station  and  he  has 
a  capacity  of  one  hundred  cars  of  both 
kinds  of  coal  annually. 

Mr.  Fairchild  was  married  in  St.  Louis 
to  Miss  Anna  D.  Ruger,  a  daughter  of 
Martin  and  Anna  Ruger.  While  he  is 
in  sympathy  with  the  principles  of  the  Re- 
publican party  he  does  not  feel  himself 
bound  by  party  ties  nor  does  he  always 
vote  for  its  candidates  at  local  elections 
where  no  issue  is  involved.  He  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Grand  Army  post  at  Warsaw, 
in  which  he  has  held  most  of  the  offices, 
being  sergeant-major  at  the  present  time. 
He  is  likewise  connected  with  the  Mod- 
ern Woodmen  camp  at  Warsaw,  of  which 
he  was  one  of  the  organizers  and  for 
seven  years  he  acted  as  presiding  officer 
and  has  held  several  other  offices  there- 
in. He  is  as  loyal  to  his  country  in  days 
of  peace  as  in  days  of  war  and  he  made 
'a  most  creditable  record  when  on  south- 
ern battlefields  he  followed  the  stars  and 
stripes. 


W.  R.  HARRIS. 

Success  is  usually  a  criterion  of  indi- 
vidual ability  and  is  certainly  so  in  the 
case  of  Mr.  Harris  who,  without  specia 
pecuniary  or  family  advantages  at  the  out- 
set of  his  career,  has  worked  his  waj 
steadily  upward,  making  a  business  recorc 
which  any  man  might  be  proud  to  pos- 
sess. He  has  never  made  engagement! 
that  he  has  not  filled  or  incurred  obliga 
tions  that  he  has  not  met,  and  thus  he 
has  won  the  respect  and  admiration  of  hi: 
fellowmen,  while  at  the  same  time  he  ha: 
gained  a  goodly  measure  of  prosperit) 
and  is  now  one  of  the  large  landowner: 
of  the  county.  He  was  born  in  Indiana 
in  1837,  a  son  of  John  and  Ruth  (Aid- 
ridge)  Harris,  the  former  a  native  ol 
Tennessee  and  the  latter  of  North  Caro- 
lina. The  father  was  a  grain  and  lumbei 
merchant  and  came  to  Illinois  in  1844 
settling  in  Schuyler  county,  while  latei 
he  removed  to  Augusta,  where  he  con- 
tinued to  deal  in  grain  and  lumber  foi 
ten  or  fifteen  years  prior  to  his  death 
In  the  family  were  nine  children  but  onh 
three  are  now  living:  Francis  M.,  a 
resident  of  Augusta ;  Tabatha  E.,  the  wife 
of  E.  J.  Sims,  of  Brookfield,  Missouri 
and  W.  R.,  of  this  review. 

In  the  public  schools  of  Schuylei 
county  W.  R.  Harris  acquired  his  educa- 
tion. He  remained  upon  the  home  farn 
until  he  attained  his  majority,  assisting 
in  the  work  of  field  and  meadow  and  ther 
went  to  Colorado,  where  he  engaged  ir 
mining.  He  afterward  proceeded  west- 
ward to  Oregon,  where  he  followed  the 
same  business  and  later  he  was  in  Idaho 
spending  seven  years  altogether  in  the 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


677 


west.  On  the  expiration  of  that  period 
he  returned  to  Chili  township,  Hancock 
county,  Illinois,  where  he  resided  for 
thirty  years  as  a  farmer  and  stock- raiser. 
During  that  period  he  made  all  of  the 
improvements  upon  his  farm  but  when 
three  decades  had  passed  he  sold  the  home 
place.  He  still  owns,  however,  between 
six  and  seven  hundred  acres  of  very  rich 
and  valuable  land,  from  which  he  derives 
a  most  excellent  income.  His  investments 
have  been  judiciously  made  and  bring  him 
therefore  a  good  financial  return.  Tn 
1904  he  erected  an  elegant  residence  in 
the  south  part  of  Bowen  and  there  he 
now  resides.  The  home  is  modern  in  all 
of  its  appointments  and  is  one  of  the  most 
attractive  dwellings  of  the  town.  Since 
that  time  Mr.  Harris  has  lived  retired 
and  is  enjoying  in  well  merited  rest  the 
fruits  of  his  former  toil. 

On  the  3  ist  of  October,  1866,  was  cel- 
ebrated the  marriage  of  W.  R.  Harris  and 
Miss  Mary  E.  Hall,  who  was  born  in 
Virginia,  in  1842,  a  daughter  of  Thomas 
and  Edith  (Martin)  Hall,  both  of  whom 
were  natives  of  Virginia.  The  father 
was  a  farmer  by  occupation  and  removed 
to  Hancock  county  in  1851,  settling  in 
Augusta  township.  His  political  views 
endorsed  the  principles  of  democracy,  and 
both  he  and  his  wife  were  active  and 
devoted  members  of  the  Methodist 
church,  in  which  he  held  various  offices. 
In  their  family  were  ten  children,  of 
whom  seven  are  living,  namely :  Louisa, 
the  wife  of  Dr.  Benjamin  Thayer,  of  Kan- 
sas ;  Mrs.  Harris :  Bessie,  the  wife  of 
Elijah  Knotts,  of  Missouri ;  Miss  Kate 
Hall,  of  Bowen :  James  W.,  who  is  living 
in  Topeka,  Kansas;  Howard  L.,  of 


Bowen ;   Mrs.   Lillie  Callison,   a    widow, 
living  in  Kirksville,  Missouri. 

Mr.  Harris  holds  membership  with  the 
Masonic  fraternity  and  the  Odd  Fellows 
lodge  in  Bowen  and  has  passed  all  of 
the  chairs  in  the  latter.  He  votes  with 
the  democracy  but  has  never  aspired  to 
office  and  has  served  in  no  public  posi- 
tions of  that  character  save  that  he  was 
school  director,  and  is  a  man  who  in  all 
life's  relations  has  commanded  and  en- 
joyed the  respect  and  confidence  of  those 
with  whom  he  has  been  associated.  He 
has  worked  earnestly  and  persistently  for 
what  he  has  accomplished,  and  in  the 
evening  of  his  days  is  surrounded  by  all 
of  the  comforts  that  go  to  make  life  worth 
living.  His  friends  entertain  for  him  the 
warmest  esteem  because  of  his  pleasant, 
jovial  manner  and  those  qualities  which 
ever  render  any  individual  popular. 


LUCIAN  W.  CRAVENS. 

Lucian  W.  Cravens,  carrying  on  gen- 
eral farming  in  St.  Mary's  township,  was 
born  in  Woodford  county,  Kentucky,  in 
1865,  and  is  the  youngest  living  of  the 
seven  children  of  James  D.  and  Catheryn 
(Blackford)  Cravens,  who  were  likewise 
natives  of  Kentucky  and  members  of  the 
Presbyterian  church,  the  former  born 
January  24,  1829,  and  the  latter  May 
15,  1831.  In  the  spring  of  1877  he  be- 
came a  resident  of  McDonough  county, 
Illinois,  where  he  died  June  30,  1901,  his 
remains  being  interred  in  St.  Mary's  cem- 


6;8 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


etery.  His  wife  had  passed  away  in  Ken- 
tucky, January  5,  1867,  and  was  there  laid 
to  rest.  Only  five  of  their  children  are 
living:  Josie,  the  wife  of  Robert  Sacre, 
of  Kentucky ;  Xannie,  the  widow  of  Silas 
Aubrey,  living  in  Plymouth;  Thomas,  of 
Missouri;  Bennie,  wife  of  Henry  Reans, 
of  Christian  county ;  and  Lucian  W. 
The  last  named  was  a  youth  of  twelve 
years  when  brought  by  his  father  to  Illi- 
nois, and  in  the  schools  of  McDonough 
county  he  was  educated.  He  remained 
with  his  father  until  seventeen  years  of 
age.  after  which  he  lived  with  his  sister, 
Mrs.  Aubrey,  and  worked  upon  the  farm 
for  some  time.  He  made  arrangements 
for  having  a  home  of  his  own  by  his  mar- 
riage, in  1889,  to  Miss  Phoebe  Halbert, 
who  was  born  in  this  county  in  1871,  a 
daughter  of  Silas  and  Loretta  (Hobart). 
Halbert,  the  former  born  in  Springfield, 
Illinois,  in  1831,  and  the  latter  near  Car- 
thage, in  1835.  Mr.  Halbert  was  brought 
to  Hancock  county  in  1834  and  resided 
in  Hancock  township  until  a  few  years 
prior  to  his  death,  which  occurred  Feb- 
ruary 3,  1905.  His  wife  died  on  the  5th 
of  the  same  month  and  both  were  buried 
in  St.  Mary's  cemetery.  They  were  faith- 
ful members  of  the  Baptist  church  and  the 
latter  was  a  representative  of  a  prominent 
pioneer  family  of  this  part  of  the  state. 
Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Halbert  were  born 
seven  children :  Mary,  who  died  twenty- 
six  years  ago,  when  nineteen  years  of 
age;  Helen,  the  wife  of  Robert  Huey,  a 
resident  of  Plymouth ;  Francis,  who  died 
in  1875,  at  the  age  of  nine  years ;  William, 
a  Baptist  minister  living  at  Cascade. 
Iowa ;  Mrs.  Cravens ;  Walter,  who  is  liv- 
ing on  the  old  homestead  in  St.  Mary's 


township;  and  an  infant  daughter  who 
died  unnamed.  E.  L.  Hobart,  a  brother 
of  Mrs.  Cravens'  mother,  was  a  soldier 
of  the  Civil  war  from  the  beginning  until 
its  close.  The  Hobarts  are  a  well  known 
and  prominent  family  of  this  county  and 
Mrs.  Polly  Hobart,  a  great-aunt  of  Mrs. 
Cravens,  is  now  living  in  Webster,  and 
has  reached  the  very  venerable  age  of 
ninety-eight  years.  Both  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Hobart  were  born  in  log  houses  and  lived 
in  a  log  cabin  for  long  years  after  their 
marriage.  They  were  thoroughly  fa- 
miliar with  all  of  the  experiences  of  pio- 
neer life  and  the  name  is  inseparably  in- 
terwoven with  the  early  history  of  the 
county. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cravens  have  been 
born  five  children  and  the  family  circle 
yet  remains  unbroken  by  the  hand  of 
death :  Ruey,  who  was  born  September 
13,  1890,  and  is  now  a  student  in  Ply- 
mouth school;  Homer,  born  June  16, 
1892;  Clara,  October  21,  1895;  Marion, 
February  17.  1898;  and  Leslie,  March 
20,  1901. 

Following  his  marriage  Mr.  Cravens 
settled  in  Hancock  township,  where  he 
lived  for  three  years,  and  in  1893  he  pur- 
chased seventy-seven  acres  on  section  2, 
St.  Mary's  township,  on  which  stood  a 
brick  residence.  He  has  since  erected  a 
barn  and  other  substantial  outbuildings 
and  has  added  nearly  ninety  acres  to  his 
home,  thus  making  substantial  and  valu- 
able improvements  upon  his  farm.  His 
efforts  are  devoted  to  the  tilling  of  the  soil 
and  to  stock-raising  and  he  is  meeting 
with  a  goodly  measure  of  success  in  his 
undertakings.  His  political  support  is 
given  to  the  democracy  and  he  has  served 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


679 


as  school  director  but  has  never  been  a  pol- 
itician in  the  sense  of  office  seeking.  His 
wife  and  daughters  are  members  of  the 
Baptist  church  and  they  are  well  known 
in  the  community  where  they  reside  and 
where  they  have  a  host  of  warm  friends. 


JOHN  D.  KASER. 

John  D.  Kaser,  deceased,  was  born  near 
Dubuque,  Iowa,  May  2,  1854,  a  son  of 
John  and  Rosa  (Bertschi)  Kaser.  Both 
parents  were  born  in  Switzerland  and 
came  to  America  when  very  young.  The 
father  engaged  in  merchandising  in  St. 
Louis  and  afterward  at  Dubuque,  Iowa. 
His  death  occurred  in  St.  Louis,  where  his 
remains  were  interred,  while  his  wife  was 
laid  to  rest  in  Appanoose  township, 
Hancock  county,  where  they  resided  for 
a  time.  In  their  family  were  seven  chil- 
dren :  Fred,  now  living  in  Kirksville,  Mis- 
souri; William  H.,  of  Baring,  Missouri; 
John  D.,  of  this  review;  Carrie  L.,  the 
widow  of  John  McBride,  of  Galesburg, 
Illinois;  L.  M.,  of  Xiota,  Illinois:  Theo- 
dore, of  Adair  county;  and  Rosa,  the 
wife  of  James  Mackey,  of  Summitville, 
Iowa.  « 

With  the  exception  of  John  D.  Kaser 
all  are  yet  living.  His  educational  priv- 
ileges were  afforded  by  the  public  schools 
of  Hancock  county  but  were  necessarily 
somewhat  limited,  owing  to  the  fact  that 
he  was  but  a  young  lad  at  the  time  of  his 
parents'  death.  The  children  were  then 
scattered  and  he  was  reared  by  a  farmer 
43 


in  the  southern  part  of  Hancock  county 
When  eighteen  years  of  age  he  and  his 
brother  went  to  Missouri,  where  he  en- 
gaged in  farming  for  a  number  of  years, 
but  about  1875  or  1876  he  returned  to 
Hancock  county  and  purchased  a  forty- 
acre  farm  in  Appanoose  township,  where 
for  some  years  he  carried  on  general  ag- 
ricultural pursuits. 

On  the  23d  of  October.  1883.  Mr. 
Kaser  was  married  to  Miss  Hattie  L. 
Cheadle,  who  was  born  in  Pontoosuc 
township,  Hancock  county,  October  26, 
1864,  a  daughter  of  Richard  and  Phoebe 
(McKee)  Cheadle.  The  father  was  born 
in  Muskingum  county,  Ohio,  in  1821,  and 
the  mother  near  Cairo,  Illinois,  in  1832. 
In  early  manhood  he  was  an  engineer  and 
in  1851  he  bought  land  in  Pontoosuc 
township.  In  politics  he  was  a  democrat 
and  served  in  some  township  offices  and 
at  all  times  he  was  loyal  and  progressive 
in  citizenship.  For  over  thirty  years  he 
was  a  faithful  member  of  the  Masonic 
fraternity  and  exemplified  in  his  life  the 
principles  of  brotherly  kindness  and  mu- 
tual helpfulness  upon  which  the  craft  is 
based.  Both  he  and  his  wife  in  their 
younger  years  were  members  of  the  Meth- 
odist church,  but  in  later  years  were  mem- 
bers of  the  Christian  church.  His  death 
occurred  in  Pontoosuc  township,  Febru- 
ary 12,  1899,  and  his  remains  were  in- 
terred there.  In  the  family  were  five  chil- 
dren. Joseph  R.  Cheadle,  the  eldest,  was 
born  April  15,  1858,  and  is  living  in  Sa- 
lem, Marion  county,  Illinois.  He  married 
Ida  M.  Abise  and  they  became  the  parents 
of  five  children,  as  follows :  Leon,  Harry, 
Thomas,  Mary  and  William.  Charles  B. 
Cheadle,  the  second  of  the  family,  was 


68o 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


born  May  9,  1862,  and  is  a  lawyer  of 
prominence  living  in  Joliet,  Illinois.  He 
married  Miss  Elizabeth  Ruple  and  has 
three  children,  Genevieve,  Charles  and 
Richard.  Hattie  L.  Cheadle,  born  Octo- 
ber 26,  1864,  is  now  the  widow  of  John 
D.  Kaser.  Dr.  Clarence  M.  Cheadle,  born 
August  27,  1869,  is  a  capable  physician 
and  surgeon  of  Ashton,  Illinois.  He  mar- 
ried Miss  Maggie  McCormick  and  his  six 
children — Genevieve,  Clarence,  Gertrude, 
Mildred,  Harold  and  Grace.  Thomas  A. 
Cheadle,  of  Lockport,  Illinois,  was  born 
July  n,  1871,  and  has  for  some  years 
been  editor  and  proprietor  of  one  of  the 
leading  newspapers  of  that  place.  He 
married  and  has  three  children,  Bruce, 
Arthur  and  Anna  May. 

Richard  Cheadle,  father  of  Mrs.  Kaser, 
was  twice  married.  His  first  union  was 
with  Miss  Hanna  Coleman,  who  died  Sep- 
tember 25,  1856,  leaving  four  children 
who  were  reared  by  his  second  wife. 
These  are  as  follows :  S.  R.,  who  was  bom 
April  3,  1847,  n'ves  m  Ottumwa,  Iowa, 
and  is  married  and  has  four  children, 
Clarence,  Albert,  Corinne  and  Willard. 
George,  born  January  8,  1849,  died  July 

28,  1885.     Edwin  F.,  born  May  5,  1852, 
and  now  living  at  Niota,  Illinois,  where 
he  is  agent  for  the  Santa  Fe  Railroad 
Company,  married  Miss  Sarah  Way  and 
has    eight    children,    Charles,    Clarence. 
Mina,    John,    Elmer,    Dora,    Ruth    and 
Frank.     Mina,  the  youngest  child  of  the 
father's  first  marriage,  was  born  March 

29,  1855,   and  died   in   early  childhood. 
Thus  Mrs.  Cheadle,  the  mother  of  Mrs. 
Kaser,  has  reared  a  family  of  eight  chil- 
dren, who  are  now  a  great  joy  and  source 
of  comfort  to  her  in  her  old  age.     Her 


sons  are  exemplary  men,  both  in  business 
and  private  life,  not  one  of  them  ever 
using  liquor  or  tobacco  in  any  form. 
Mrs.  Cheadle-  is  an  active  and  well  pre- 
served woman,  very  intelligent  and  kind- 
hearted.  She  makes  her  home  with  her 
daughter,  Mrs.  Kaser,  as  does  her  invalid 
sister,  Margaret,  the  widow  of  Henry  A. 
Van  Noy.  They  are  the  last  survivors 
of  a  family  of  ten  children,  seven  of 
whom  reached  adult  age.  Mrs.  Van  Noy 
had  three  sons,  all  of  whom  are  deceased, 
but  she  has  grandsons  and  great-grand- 
sons in  Ohio.  Mrs.  Cheadle  has  thirty- 
five  grandchildren  in  all.  Mrs.  Cheadle, 
Mrs.  Van  Noy  and  Mrs.  Kaser  are  all 
eligible  to  membership  with  the  Daughters 
of  the  American  Revolution,  for  Mrs. 
Kaser's  great-great-grandfather  was  a 
soldier  in  the  war  of  independence  under 
General  Putnam  and  the  father  of  Mrs. 
Cheadle  was  a  soldier  of  the  war  of  1812. 
Following  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Kaser  lived  for  two  and  a  half  years  in 
Appanoose  township  and  then  removed  to 
a  farm  in  Scotland  county,  Missouri, 
where  Mr.  Kaser  was  successfully  en- 
gaged in  general  farming  and  stock  rais- 
there  on  the  6th  of  January,  1806,  and 
his  remains  were  interred  in  a  cemetery  in 
that  county.  He  was  a  citizen  of  substan 
tial  worth  and  was  entirely  a  self-made 
man,  for  at  an  early  age  he  was  thrown 
upon  his  own  resources  by  the  death  of  his 
parents.  He  was  not  a  politician,  but  he 
was  ready  to  assist  in  furthering  the  po- 
litical principles  in  which  he  believed  and 
he  stood  at  all  times  for  progressive  citi- 
zenship. He  was  a  devoted  husband,  kind 
father  and  true  friend  and  in  his  house- 
bold  his  death  caused  a  great  vacancy. 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


68 1 


His  good  name  and  his  upright  acts  will 
stand  as  a  monument  to  his  memory  for 
years  to  come.  He  held  membership  in 
the  Christian  church,  of  which  his  wife  is 
also  a  devoted  member.  Unto  them  had 
been  born  six  children,  all  of  whom  are 
yet  living.  Olive  M.,  born  August  6, 
1885,  in  Appanoose  township,  is  a  grad- 
uate of  the  high  school  of  Dallas  and  now 
a  student  in  Knox  Conservatory  of  Music 
of  Galesburg,  Illinois.  Rose  B.,  born  Oc- 
tober 29,  1886,  in  Scotland  county,  Mis- 
souri, is  a  student  in  Dallas  high  school. 
Everett  D.,  born  August  12,  1888,  in  Mis- 
souri, is  also  attending  the  high  school. 
Elmer  L.,  born  in  Missouri,  July  23, 
1890,  is  likewise  a  high  school  student. 
Nellie,  born  in  Missouri,  March  20,  1894, 
is  pursuing  her  education  in  Dallas;  and 
John  D.,  born  in  Pontoosuc  township, 
July  1 6,  1896,  is  attending  the  city 
schools. 

In  the  fall  following  her  husband's 
death  Mrs.  Kaser  returned  to  Hancock 
county  and  purchased  a  good  home  one 
mile  west  of  Dallas  City  adjoining  the 
city  limits.  Here  she  has  thirty-five  acres 
of  land  on  which  she  has  erected  a  hand- 
some residence  which  she  has  improved, 
making  it  one  of  the  most  attractive  sub- 
urban homes  of  Dallas  City.  She  still 
owns  the  farm  in  Missouri  and  a  house 
which  she  rents  in  Dallas.  She  possesses 
excellent  business  ability  and  executive 
force  and  is  one  of  the  sterling  women 
of  Dallas,  of  keen  mental  strength,  ca- 
pable and  enterprising.  She  is  giving  her 
children  excellent  educational  advantages 
and  in  addition  to  this  she  is  caring  for 
her  mother  and  her  aunt.  All  who  know 
her  esteem  her  for  her  many  excellent 


traits  of  character  and  she  certainly  de- 
serves much  credit  for  what  she  is  accom- 
plishing in  the  home  circle. 


JOSHUA  COCHRAN. 

Joshua  Cochran,  owner  of  the  old 
Cochran  homestead  in  Wythe  township, 
is  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  his  birth 
having  occurred  in  Westmoreland  county, 
on  the  loth  of  March,  1849.  He  is  a  son 
of  James  Cochran,  and  a  grandson  of 
John  Cochran,  and  a  representative  of  one 
of  the  early  families  of  the  Keystone 
state.  James  Cochran  was  born,  reared 
and  married  in  Westmoreland  county,  the 
lady  of  his  choice  being  Nancy  Elder,  a 
native  of  the  same  county  and  a  daugh- 
ter of  John  Elder.  He  engaged  in  the 
manufacture  of  salt  in  Pennsylvania  for 
a  number  of  years  and  eventually  traded 
his  business  there  for  a  farm  in  Missouri 
but  never  lived  upon  that  place.  About 
ten  years  later  he  traded  his  Missouri 
land  for  eighty  acres  and  personal  prop- 
erty in  Bear  Creek  township,  Hancock 
county,  Illinois,  which  tract  was  situated 
about  four  miles  from  a  farm  of  three 
hundred  and  twenty  acres,  which  had  been 
given  him  by  his  father.  In  1862  he 
came  to  his  place  in  Bear  Creek  township, 
which  at  that  time  was  partially  im- 
proved, and  he  completed  the  work  of  de- 
velopment and  cultivation,  making  his 
home  thereon  for  some  time.  Later,  how- 
ever, he  sold  out  there  and  removed  to 


682 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


Wythe  township,  purchasing  one  hun- 
dred and  forty  acres  on  section  16.  This 
farm  was  equipped  with  good  buildings 
and  the  land  was  well  tilled.  He  had  five 
sons  and  assisted  each  to  become  the 
owner  of  a  farm  in  this  locality.  His 
life  was  characterized  by  unremitting  dili- 
gence and  thrift  and  he  prospered  in  his 
work  as  the  years  went  by.  His  death 
occurred  in  1898,  and  his  wife  passed 
away  in  1900,  both  reaching  the  advanced 
age  of  eighty  years.  Their  children  were : 
John,  of  Wythe  township;  James,  of  El- 
vaston ;  Caleb  and  Joshua,  twins,  the  for- 
mer living  in  Jacksonville,  Illinois;  Wil- 
,  Ham,  of  Boulder,  Colorado ;  Eliza  Jane, 
twin  sister  of  William,  and  a  resident  of 
Hamilton,  Illinois ;  Lucy,  who  is  the 
widow  of  William  Weyand  and  resides 
with  her  sister  Eliza  in  Hamilton ;  and 
Newton,  who  died  at  the  age  of  seven 
years. 

Joshua  Cochran  early  became  familiar 
with  the  work  of  farming,  planting  and 
harvesting,  as  he  assisted  in  the  operation 
of  the  old  homestead  farm  in  the  days  of 
his  boyhood  and  youth.  He  attended  the 
district  schools  of  Pennsylvania  and  Illi- 
nois, and  on  attaining  his  majority  he 
started  out  in  life  on  his  own  account, 
his  father  giving  him  eighty  acres  of  par- 
tially improved  land  on  section  21,  Wythe 
township.  About  the  first  thing  which 
he  did  was  to  build  a  barn  for  the  shelter 
of  hay  and  stock.  He  later  erected  a 
commodious  residence  of  nine  rooms  and 
has  since  built  an  extensive  barn  forty 
by  twenty-five  feet  with  twenty-five  feet 
posts.  He  has  set  out  many  trees  and 
has  thus  beautified  the  place  and  there 
are  various  other  accessories  which  add 


to  the  value  and  attractive  appearance  of 
the  farm.  In  1891  he  made  purchase  of 
eighty  acres  additional  and  afterward  se- 
cured sixty  acres  more  of  the  old  home- 
stead on  section  16.  He  next  bought  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres  adjoining  on  the 
south  but  afterward  sold  that  property 
and  then  purchased  the  remainder  of  the 
old  homestead — eighty  acres.  His  is  such 
a  place  as  has  won  for  Illinois  its  splen- 
did reputation  as  one  of  the  greatest  farm- 
ing states  of  the  Union. 

On  the  22d  of  February,  1874,  Joshua 
Cochran  wedded  Harriett  Hill,  who  was 
born  in  Walker  township,  and  acquired  a 
district  school  education,  while  living  with 
her  parents,  John  and  Julia  A.  (Haw- 
kins) Hill,  who  were  natives  of  England 
and  Pennsylvania  respectively.  The  mar- 
riage of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cochran  was  cele- 
brated in  Wythe  township  and  has  been 
blessed  with  three  children :  John  H., 
who  was  born  October  4,  1875,  and  is  liv- 
ing on  the  old  homestead ;  James  Ray, 
born  August  4,  1884;  and  Ida  Pearl,  born 
in  September,  1887. 

The  parents  hold  membership  in"  the 
Presbyterian  church  of  Wythe  and  since 
1886  Mr.  Cochran  has  continuously 
served  as  one  of  its  elders,  a  fact  which 
indicates  his  position  in  the  church  as  a 
leading  and  helpful  member.  His  polit- 
ical views  are  in  accord  with  republican 
principles.  Though  he  received  some  as- 
sistance in  starting  out  in- life  he  has  con- 
tinuously enlarged  the  scope  of  his  busi- 
ness activity  and  has  added  to  his  prop- 
erty holdings  until  he  is  now  one  of 
the  substantial  agriculturists  of  his 
community,  where  he  has  so  long  resided, 
and  where  he  is  held  in  esteem. 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


683 


WILLIAM  R.  HAMILTON. 

William  R.  Hamilton,  one  of  the  oldest 
residents  of  Carthage,  was  born  in  Johns- 
town, New  York,  November  5,  1829,  a 
son  of  Artois  and  Atta  (Bentley)  Hamil- 
ton. The  father  was  born  in  Tolland. 
Massachusetts,  August  15,  1795,  and 
spent  his  early  boyhood  there,  after  which 
he  removed  to  Johnstown,  New  York. 
He  was  married  in  Mayfield,  a  suburb  of 
Johnstown,  to  Miss  Atta  Bentley,  a 
daughter  of  Elisha  Bentley.  While  re- 
siding in  the  Empire  state  Mr.  Hamilton 
engaged  in  the  tanning  business  and  was 
also  a  raftsman  on  the  river.  He  came 
west  in  1835,  reaching  Carthage  on  the 
1 4th  of  August  of  that  year,  driving 
across  the  country  with  horse  teams. 
Here  he  opened  the  first  tavern  in  the 
place  and  he  owned  and  operated  two 
large  farms  in  the  county.  In  his  little 
hostelry  he  entertained  many  of  the  prom- 
inent men  of  that  day,  including  Abraham 
Lincoln.  He  conducted  his  hotel  from 
1835  until  1851  and  afterward  concen- 
trated his  energies  upon  agricultural  pur- 
suits. He  lost  his  wife  during  the  cholera 
epidemic  in  1851,  her  death  occurring  on 
the  1 8th  of  July  of  that  year,  while  he 
survived  until  July  4.  1873. 

William  R.  Hamilton,  being  brought 
to  Illinois  in  his  early  boyhood  days,  com- 
pleted his  education  in  a  private  school 
for  the  public  school  system  had  not  been 
established  at  that  time.  When  he  put 
aside  his  text-books  he  became  his  father's 
assistant  in  his  farming  operations  and 
later  he  began  farming  on  his  own  ac- 
count. He  married  Miss  Martha  H. 
Miller  on  the  8th  of  June,  1854.  Her 


parents,  Warren  and  Phoebe  (Strong) 
Miller,  came  to  this  county  in  1846  from 
Adams  county,  Illinois,  but  their  home 
was  originally  in  Elmira,  New  York. 

It  was  subsequent  to  his  marriage  that 
he  was  elected  sheriff  on  the  Democratic 
ticket  in  1858  for  a  two  years'  term.  The 
law  at  that  time  did  not  permit  of  re- 
election. His  duties  were  very  arduous, 
owing  to  the  events  that  followed  the 
panic  of  1857.  He  continued  to  serve 
until  December,  1860.  and  then  retired 
to  his  farm,  where  he  successfully  carried 
on  agricultural  pursuits  for  more  than 
two  decades.  In  1882,  however,  he  sold 
his  property  and  went  to  the  west,  making 
his  way  to  Oregon.  Washington  and 
other  places  on  the  Pacific  coast.  After 
a  few  months,  however,  he  returned  to 
Hancock  county  and  purchased  a  home 
in  Carthage.  About  that  time  Mr.  Ferris 
died  and  Mr.  Hamilton  was  elected  as  his 
successsor  in  the  office  of  magistrate, 
which  position  he  filled  for  ten  years. 
In  1893  he  was  appointed  under  Grover 
Cleveland  to  the  position  of  postmaster 
of.  Carthage,  which  position  he  filled  for 
four  years  and  during  his  incumbency  the 
business  of  the  office  was  largely  in- 
creased. It  was  just  at  the  close  of  his 
term  that  the  government  plans  were 
changed  and  the  postoffice  room  was  pro- 
vided. Since  his  retirement  from  office 
Mr.  Hamilton  has  engaged  in  no  active 
business  pursuits  but  has  enjoyed  a  well 
earned  rest. 

Unto  our  subject  and  his  wife  have 
been  born  three  children,  who  still  live, 
three  having  died  in  childhood :  Willard 
C.,  who  is  now  in  the  National  Bank ;  Ida, 
at  home;  and  Herbert,  who  is  an  under- 


684 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


taker.  The  family  attend  and  support  the 
Presbyterian  church,  of  which  Mrs.  Ham- 
ilton is  a  member.  Mr.  Hamilton  be- 
longs to  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd 
Fellows  and  Hancock  lodge,  No.  20, 
Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  in 
which  he  is  a  past  master,  having  been  the 
first  worshipful  master  in  the  lodge  at 
Hancock.  He  was  made  a  Mason  here 
in  1852  and  he  took  the  Royal  Arch  de- 
gree in  Stapleton  chapter  in  Rushville  in 
1853,  afterward  serving  for  ten  years 
as  its  high  priest  in  Carthage  Chapter  No. 
33.  In  1877  he  beame  a  member  of  Car- 
thage council,  Scottish  Rite  Mason,  and 
in  1884  attained  the  Knight  Templar  de- 
gree in  Almoner  commandery.  He  has 
been  associated  with  business,  political 
and  fraternal  interests  in  the  county  and 
for  more  than  the  allotted  psalmist's  span 
of  three  score  years  and  ten  has  been 
a  resident  of  the  state,  watching  with 
interest  its  progress  and  development  and 
doing  much  to  assist  in  its  upbuilding. 
Few  have  longer  resided  in  the  county 
and  none  are  more  familiar  with  events 
which  have  shaped  its  history  and  molded 
its  policy  than  William  R.  Hamilton,  who 
at  all  times  has  been  regarded  as  one  of 
the  most  prominent,  valued  and  influential 
citizens  here. 


J.  B.  MONROE. 

J.  B.  Monroe,  a  prosperous  merchant 
of  Powellton,  where  he  is  engaged  in  deal- 
ing in  all  kinds  of  agricultural  imple- 


ments, vehicles,  etc.,  is  a  native  son  of 
Hancock  county,  his  birth  having  oc- 
curred in  Appanoose  township,  March  i, 
1862.  His  parents,  Martin  and  Marguer- 
ite (Fitzgerald)  Monroe,  were  both  na- 
tives of  Ireland,  the  former  born  in  Tuam, 
County  Galway,  in  1829,  while  the  moth- 
er's birth  occurred  at  Limerick,  in  1831. 
The  father,  a  stonemason  by  trade,  left 
the  fatherland  in  1851,  and  upon  landing 
in  New  York,  at  once  made  his  way  to 
Wisconsin,  where  he  remained  until  1855, 
when  he  went  to  Fort  Madison,  Iowa, 
and  there  worked  at  his  trade.  On  the 
4th  of  June,  1860,  he  was  married  in  that 
city  to  Mrs.  Marguerite  Stack,  who  had 
emigrated  from  the  fatherland  to  Keo- 
kuk,  Iowa,  in  1852,  and  in  1856  was 
there  married  to  James  Stack,  whose 
death  occurred  in  1858.  By  that  mar- 
riage one  son  survives,  James  Stack,  who 
resides  in  Sonora  township,  this  county. 
After  the  death  of  her  first  husband  Mrs. 
Stack  then  removed  to  Fort  Madison, 
Iowa,  and  as  stated  was  there  married  to 
Martin  Monroe,  the  father  of  our  sub- 
ject. The  parents  then  removed  to  a  farm 
in  Appanoose  township,  and  in  1870  the 
father  purchased  a  farm  of  two  hundred 
and  sixty  acres,  situated  on  section  n. 
He  developed  and  cultivated  the  property 
and  erected  all  of  the  buildings  thereon, 
including  many  substantial  outbuildings, 
and  a  fine  home  containing  ten  rooms,  and 
costing  twenty-two  hundred  dollars.  He 
was  a  stanch  democrat  in  his  political 
views.  In  1864  he  enlisted  for  service 
in  the  Civil  war,  and  was  with  Sherman 
on  his  celebrated  march  to  the  sea,  being 
honorably  discharged  at  the  close  of  hos- 
tilities, when  he  returned  to  his  home  and 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


685 


there  spent  his  remaining  days,  his  deatli 
occurring  November  20,  1896,  while  his 
wife  had  passed  away  September  15, 
1888. 

J.  B.  Monroe  is  the  eldest  of  three  sons 
and  two  daughters  born  of  his  father's 
family,  but  of  this  number  one  son  and 
a  daughter  are  now  deceased :  Henry, 
who  died  in  1896,  at  the  age  of  thirty- 
three  years,  and  Mary,  who  passed  away 
May  3,  1887,  when  twenty-one  years  of 
age.  One  brother,  George,  who  was  born 
June  4,  1868,  makes  his  home  with  our 
subject. 

Mr.  Monroe  acquired  his  education  in 
the  public  schools  at  Powellton,  and  re- 
mained with  his  parents  on  the  home- 
stead farm  until  September,  1884,  when 
he  went  to  Sheridan  county,  Nebraska, 
and  took  up  a  homestead  claim  of  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres,  and  remained  on 
the  place  until  January  16,  1890,  since 
which  time  he  has  rented  the  land.  At 
that  time  he  again  returned  to  Hancock 
county  and  rented  his  father's  farm, 
which  he  operated  for  a  few  years,  but 
in  1895  ne  to°k  up  his  abode  in  the  vil- 
lage of  Powellton,  where  he  has  since 
successfully  conducted  a  business  enter- 
prise, dealing  in  agricultural  implements, 
the  Deering  harvesters,  vehicles  of  all 
kinds  and  grass  seeds,  and  the  business 
has  now  increased  from  six  thousand  dol- 
lars to  from  twenty-six  thousand  to  thirty 
thousand  dollars,  which  indicates  the  care- 
ful management  and  executive  ability  of 
the  owner. 

On  the  1 6th  of  August,  1892,  Mr. 
Monroe  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Ida  E.  Ewing,  who  was  born  in  Carthage 
township,  where  she  acquired  her  early 


education,  while  later  she  attended  school 
in  the  city  of  Carthage  for  two  terms. 
Her  parents,  James  and  Angeline  (Mc- 
Kee)  Ewing,  are  natives  of  Ohio  and  Vir- 
ginia respectively. 

Unto  our  subject  and  his  wife  have 
been  born  five  sons  and  three  daughters, 
namely :  Morris  E.,  Catherine  A.,  Helen, 
Henry,  Louis,  Geneva,  Leslie  and  John 
B.,  Jr.  In  his  political  views  Mr.  Mon- 
roe is  a  stanch  democrat  and  held  the  of- 
fice of  collector  of  Sonora  township  for 
one  term,  while  for  three  years  he  served 
as  school  trustee.  He  is  a  communicant 
of  the  Catholic  church  at  Nauvoo. 


JAMES  OGDEN. 

James  Ogden,  now  practically  living  re- 
tired on  his  farm  of  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  on  section  5,  Sonora  township, 
is  a  native  of  Lancashire,  England,  his 
birth  having  there  occurred  March  30, 
1828.  His  father,  Dennis  Ogden,  died 
in  England,  and  following  his  demise  the 
mother,  who  bore  the  maiden  name  of 
Elizabeth  Madder,  emigrated  with  her 
children  to  the  United  States,  landing  in 
Nauvoo,  May  22,  1842.  In  their  family 
were  three  sons  and.  two  daughters,  of 
whom  our  subject  is  the  eldest,  the  others 
being :  Samuel,  a  resident  of  California ; 
Sarah,  the  widow  of  Cord  Bradley,  re- 
siding near  Davis  City,  Iowa ;  Ann,  the 
wife  of  Mathias  Wellington,  of  Parsons, 
Kansas ;  and  William,  a  resident  of  Leon, 
Iowa.  After  coming  to  this  state  the 


686 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEIV 


mother  of  these  children  was  again  mar- 
ried, her  second  union  being  with  George 
Nelson,  by  whom  she  had  two  sons,  John 
and  Joseph,  the  latter  being  in  the  bank 
at  Nauvoo.  Her  death  occurred  in  1850. 
James  Ogden  remained  with  his  mother 
until  the  time  of  her  second  marriage, 
when,  in  1843,  ne  went  to  Schuyler  coun- 
ty, this  state,  where  he  was  employed  by 
Squire  Dron  at  farm  labor  for  six  years, 
and  he  always  made  that  place  his  home 
until  the  time  of  his  marriage.  In  1850, 
in  company  with  Erasmus  Cady  and  a 
Mr.  Taylor,  he  made  the  overland  trip 
to  California,  the  journey  requiring  three 
months.  He  remained  at  Hangtown,  now 
Placerville,  fifty  miles  southeast  of  Sac- 
ramento, and  was  there  employed  until 
1854,  when  he  started  on  the  return  trip, 
traveling  by  way  of  the  Nicaragua  route 
to  New  York,  from  which  city  he  returned 
to  Nauvoo,  where  he  bought  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acres  of  land,  located  on  sec- 
tion 5,  Sonora  township,  only  a  quarter 
of  which  had  been  cleared,  while  the  re- 
mainder was  covered  with  its  native 
growth  of  timber.  On  the  place  had  been 
erected  five  cottages,  in  which  the  Mor- 
mons had  lived.  Here  Mr.  Ogden  took 
up  his  abode,  remaining  on  the  place  un- 
til 1855,  when  he  made  a  second  trip,  to 
the  Pacific  coast,  traveling  by  way  of  the 
isthmus  of  Panama.  He  was  in  various 
places  during  his  sojourn  in  the  west  but 
made  his  headquarters  at  St.  Louis,  in 
Sierra  county,  California.  After  remain- 
ing in  the  west  for  a  year  he  again  start- 
ed on  his  homeward  journey,  traveling  by 
way  of  the  isthmus  route  to  New  York 
citv.  where  he  boarded  a  railroad  train 


for  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  from  which  city 
he  traveled  by  steamer  to  Nauvoo. 

On  the  7th  of  March,  1859,  Mr.  Ogden 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Frances 
E.  Risse,  who  was  bom  in  Baden,  Ger- 
many, a  daughter  of  Lawrence  and  Wil- 
helmina  Risse.  He  took  his  bride  to  his 
farm  and  then  for  the  third  time  made 
his  way  to  the  west,  making  the  overland 
journey  with  mule  team,  his  destination 
being  Walla  Walla,  Washington,  where 
he  and  a  Mr.  Dovenspeck  went  into  the 
mountains  and  there  engaged  in  the  man- 
ufacture of  shingles  and  clapboards,  but 
for  this  work  they  were  never  compen- 
sated, and  they  then  went  into  the  gold 
mines.  In  the  meantime  they  had  dis- 
posed of  their  mules  and  purchased 
ponies,  tools,  etc.  At  one  time  during 
their  journey  in  the  far  west  the  two 
men  were  compelled  to  travel  through 
snow  to  the  depth  of  four  feet.  They  dis- 
posed of  their  ponies  March  20,  1863. 
and  Mr.  Ogden  there  entered  a  claim,  on 
which  he  remained  for  six  months,  and 
then  disposed  of  it  to  good  advantage. 
He  then  purchased  two  ponies  and  in  com- 
pany with  fifteen  others  started  on  the  re- 
turn trip  to  Illinois.  While  traveling 
over  the  plains  he  got  lost  and  was  forced 
to  lie  out  two  nights,  but  finally  made 
his  way  to  Fort  Boise,  where  he  remained 
four  days,  and  replenished  his  stock  of 
supplies  and  then  continued  on  the  jour- 
ney, arriving  home  in  September,  1863. 
In  January,  1864,  Mr.  Ogden  made  an- 
other trip  to  the  west,  this  time  traveling 
by  rail  to  New  York,  where  he  boarded 
a  steamer  and  made  his  way  to  San  Fran- 
cisco, and  from  there  went  to  St.  Louis, 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


687 


in  Sierra  county,  where  he  worked  on 
some  of  his  old  claims,  and  returned  home 
in  the  early  fall  of  the  same  year,  and 
once  more  resumed  farming  on  his  own 
property.  He  engaged  in  farming  and 
stock-raising  for  a  number  of  years,  but 
is  now  practically  living  retired,  leaving 
the  actual  work  of  the  farm  to  his  son, 
James  L. 

Unto  our  subject  and  his  wife  have 
been  born  five  sons  and  one  daughter: 
Eliza,  the  wife  of  Joseph  Weber,  of  So- 
nora  township ;  James  L.,  who  operates 
the  homestead  farm;  Samuel,  a  resident 
of  Nauvoo;  William,  of  Seattle,  Wash- 
ington ;  Bernard,  of  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah  ; 
and  Levi,  a  resident  of  Jacksonville,  Illi- 
nois. In  his  political  views  Mr.  Ogden 
is  a  democrat,  and  has  served  as  highway 
commissioner  and  school  director,  while 
he  has  filled  the  office  of  deputy  sheriff 
for  several  terms.  He  is  a  Mason,  and 
held  membership  with  the  Blue  lodge  at 
Nauvoo  until  the  lodge  was  discontinued. 


WALLACE  DIVER. 

Wallace  Diver,  postmaster  at  Dallas 
City,  was  born  May  19,  1876,  in  Hen- 
derson county,  Illinois,  a  son  of  Murray 
W.  and  Elizabeth  M.  (Hazen)  Diver. 
The  father  was  born  in  Illinois  and  the 
mother  in  Ohio.  He  was  a  farmer  by 
occupation  and  always  carried  on  agri- 
cultural pursuits  in  Henderson  county. 
At  the  time  of  the  Civil"  war  he  en- 
listed for  active  service  in  the  Twenty- 
eighth  Illinois  Infantry,  with  which  he 


was  connected  for  three  years.  He  was 
unable  to  do  much  work  after  this  great 
conflict,  his  health  having  been  impaired 
through  his  military  experience  and  he 
died  in  1870.  His  wife  passed  away 
April  10,  1894,  and  both  were  buried  in 
Henderson  county  cemetery.  Mrs.  Diver 
was  a  member  of  the  Methodist  church. 
In  their  family  were  four  children,  of 
whom  three  are  now  living.  The  eldest. 
Celia,  married  Lewis  Moore  and  died 
April  i,  1900,  leaving  four  children,  who 
live  with  their  father  in  Henderson  coun- 
ty, Illinois.  Amanda  is  the  wife  of  Felix 
Shain,  of  the  state  of  Washington,  and 
they  have  one  daughter.  Wallace  -is  the 
next  of  the  family.  Clayton  Diver  is  a 
farmer  in  Idaho. 

Wallace  Diver  acquired  his  early  educa- 
tion in  what  is  known  as  the  Tiwappity 
school  in  Dallas  precinct,  Henderson 
county.  Illinois,  and  afterward  attended 
school  in  Missouri,  while  for  a  time  he  was 
a  high  school  student  in  Stronghurst. 
Illinois.  He  remained  with  his  widowed 
mother  until  about  sixteen  or  seventeen 
years  of  age,  when  he  began  to  provide 
for  his  own  support  by  working  as  a  farm 
hand  on  various  farms  in  Hancock  county 
spending  four  or  five  years  in  Durham 
township.  He  afterward  operated  hi? 
brother-in-law's  farm  in  Henderson  coun- 
ty for  one  year,  after  which  he  spent  a 
year  as  a  fireman  in  the  employ  of  the 
Big  Four  and  the  Santa  Fe  Railrpad  com- 
panies. On  the  2  ist  of  August.  1901,  he 
began  carrying  the  rural  mail  from  Dalla? 
City  and  was  thus  engaged  for  two  and  a 
half  years,  or  until  November  14,  1903. 
when  he  was  appointed  to  a  position  in  the 
postoffice  in  Dallas  City.  On  the  ist  of 


688 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


April,  1905,  he  received  the  appointment 
to  the  position  of  postmaster  and  is  now 
acting  in  that  capacity.  Since  that  time 
the  postoffice  has  been  moved  to  the  new 
building,  corner  of  Oak  and  Second 
streets,  where  he  installed  a  thoroughly 
modern  equipment  throughout  and  also 
has  two  rural  routes. 

Mr.  Diver  was  married  June  4,  1902, 
to  Miss  Lillie  May  Hull,  who  was  born 
in  Mineral  county,  West  Virginia,  in 
1878,  a  daughter  of  J.  O.  and  Jennie 
(Arnold)  Hull,  of  Dallas,  both  of  whom 
were  natives  of  Virginia.  Her  father 
was  engaged  in  farming  in  the  Old  Do- 
minion for  many  years  and  came  to  Han- 
cock county  about  twenty  years  ago,  here 
carrying  on  general  agricultural  pursuits 
until  1905,  when  he  retired  and  removed 
to  Dallas.  He  served  in  the  Civil  war. 
In  his  political  views  he  is  a  republican 
and  for  many  years  was  sheriff  of  Mineral 
county,  Virginia.  He  has  been  a  school 
director  of  this  county  for  the  past  ten 
years  and  has  been  road  supervisor.  He 
and  his  wife  attend  the  Methodist  church, 
of  which  Mrs.  Hull  is  a  member.  They 
have  had  five  children :  Lulu,  the  wife 
of  Charles  Rice,  a  resident  farmer  of  Dur- 
ham township; -William,  living  in  Dur- 
ham township;  Mrs.  Lillie  Diver;  Guy, 
a  resident  of  Dallas;  and  Nina,  who  is 
at  home  with  her  parents. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Diver  have  one  son,  Iris 
J.,  who  was  born  in  Dallas,  October  n, 
1903.  Their  home  is  on  Fifth  street, 
where  they  have  a  nice  residence  which 
he  purchased  two  years  ago.  In  his  po- 
litical views  he  is  an  earnest  republican 
and  is  proving  a  capable  and  efficient  of- 
ficer. His  energy,  ambition  and  determi- 


nation have  enabled  him  to  work  his  way 
steadily  upward  and  though  he  started 
out  in  life  empty-handed  when  about  six- 
teen years  of  age,  he  is  now  one  of  the 
substantial  residents  of  Dallas  City,  re- 
spected by  all  for  what  he  has  accom- 
plished and  the  place  he  has  made  for 
himself. 


SAMUEL  P.  McGAW. 

Samuel  P.  McGaw,  now  living  a  re- 
tired life  at  his  pleasant  home  in  Elvas- 
tori;  was  for  many  years  actively  identi- 
fied with  farming  interests  in  Hancock 
county  and  his  record  is  also  commend- 
able from  the  fact  that  he  rendered  val- 
ued aid  to  his  country  in  the  Civil  war 
and  as  a  public  officer — in  the  position  of 
county  sheriff — he  has  ably  represented 
his  community.  A  native  of  South  Caro- 
lina he  was  born  in  Abbeville  on  the  5th 
of  October,  1827,  and  when  only  five 
years  of  age  was  taken  by  his  parents  to 
Ohio.  A  year  later  the  family  came  to 
Illinois,  settling  first  at  Oquawka,  Hen- 
derson county,  Illinois,  where  Mr.  Mc- 
Gaw remained  until  the  death  of  his  fa- 
ther and  mother,  John  and  Agnes  (Mc- 
Gaw) McGaw.  Both  were  natives  of 
South  Carolina,  the  former  born  Sep- 
tember 20,  1 80 1,  and  the  latter  on  the 
2  ist  of  September,  1803.  The  father  was 
a  carpenter  and  millwright  and  followed 
that  occupation  until  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred on  an  island  a  short  distance  from 
Oquawka  on  the  3<Dth  of  June,  1838.  His 
wife  passed  away  on  the  7th  of  July  of 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


689 


the  same  year,  so  that  they  were  separ- 
ated for  only  about  a  week  by  death. 
They  were  members  of  what  was  then 
known  as  the  Associate  Reform  church, 
now  the  United  Presbyterian  church. 

Samuel  P.  McGaw  is  the  only  member 
of  the  family  now  living  in  Hancock 
county.  He  acquired  his  education  in 
the  common  schools  of  Henderson  coun- 
ty, Illinois,  and  worked  on  farms  in  the 
neighborhood  while  still  in  his  teens.  Un- 
der the  direction  of  an  uncle  he  after- 
ward learned  the  tailor's  trade  in 
Oquawka  and  was  there  engaged  in  busi- 
ness for  several  years.  Before  he  at- 
tained his  majority  he  purchased  the  busi- 
ness of  the  man  for  whom  he  was  -work- 
ing and  conducted  a  tailoring  establish- 
ment on  his  own  account.  While  thus 
engaged  he  was  elected  sheriff  of  Hen- 
derson county  in  1852  and  served  for  two 
years.  Following  his  retirement  from 
the  office  he  purchased  a  tract  of  land  in 
that  county,  where  he  carried  on  farming 
until  1866,  save  for  the  period  of  his 
service  in  the  Civil  war.  In  the  year 
mentioned  he  sold  his  property  in  Hen- 
derson county  and  came  to  Hancock  coun- 
ty and  purchased  a  farm  adjoining  the 
village  of  Elvaston,  where  he  carried 
on  general  agricultural  pursuits  for  more 
than  twenty  years,  or  until  about  1888, 
when  he  took  up  his  abode  in  the  village, 
where  he  has  since  resided.  In  all  of 
his  farm  work  he  was  thoroughly  prac- 
tical and  enterprising,  keeping  in  touch 
with  lines  of  modern  progress,  and 
through  his  capable  direction  and  enter- 
prise won  the  competence  that  now  en- 
ables him  to  live  retired. 

His  business  interests,  however,  were 


interrupted  by  active  service  in  the  Civil 
war,  for  in  August,  1862,  in  response  to 
the  country's  call,  Mr.  McGaw  enlisted  as 
a  member  of  Company  K,  Eighty-fourth 
Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  with  which 
he  served  until  1864.  He  took  part  in  the 
battle  of  Stone  River  and  was  wounded 
at  the  battle  of  Chickamauga,  being 
honorably  discharged  on  the  25th  of  Feb- 
ruary, 1864,  on  account  of  injuries  he 
had  sustained.  He  was  then  sergeant  of 
his  company. 

When  the  war  was  over  Mr.  McGaw 
returned  to  his  farm  and  resumed  his 
farming  operations.  He  had  been  mar- 
ried on  the  i4th  of  October,  1851,  to  Miss 
Elvira  J.  Hopkins,  a  daughter  of  Isaac 
and  Jane  (Kinkade)  Hopkins,  early  set- 
tlers of  Henderson  county,  Illinois.  Mrs. 
McGaw  died  April  5,  1855,  leaving  two 
children,  but  the  younger,  John  H.,  who 
was  born  December  25,  1853,  survived 
the  mother  until  the  2d  of  October,  1855. 
The  daughter,  Sarah  L.,  is  now  the  wife 
of  Thomas  J.  Ruddell,  of  Elvaston,  and 
they  have  one  child,  Clarence  M.,  who 
was  born  in  Elvaston.  Mr.  McGaw  mar- 
ried for  his  second  wife  Mrs.  Elizabeth 
McGaw,  nee  Leslie,  who  died  at  their 
home  in  Elvaston,  November  6,  1904. 
There  were  eight  children  born  of  that 
marriage.  Alexander  F.,  the  eldest,  now 
a  Presbyterian  minister  at  Keokuk,  Iowa, 
married  Jane  Millar  and  has  four  chil- 
dren, Agatha,  Lelia,  Frances  and  Foster. 
James  W.  McGaw,  a  farmer  residing  in 
Prairie  township,  Hancock  county,  wed- 
ded Nettie  Puntenney  and  has  two  daugh- 
ters, Leota  and  Grace.  Alice  Leslie  Mc- 
Gaw is  the  wife  of  George  J.  Hersman,  a 
farmer  of  Hersman,  Illinois,  and  their 


690 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


children  are  Frank,  Bessie  E.,  Ernest  G. 
and  Gladys  E.  Hersman.  Albert  G.  Mc- 
Ga\v,  a  missionary  of  the  Presbyterian 
church  now  stationed  at  Etah,  India, 
where  he  has  been  for  eleven  years,  mar- 
ried Ella  Hersman  and  they  have  three 
children,  Miriam,  Wilbert  and  Gordon. 
Mary  Agnes  McGaw  is  the  wife  of  Rev. 
J.  Albert  Miller,  a  missionary  of  the  Pres- 
byterian church  stationed  at  Pautingfu, 
China,  and  has  four  children,  Zenos, 
Ralph,  Porter  and  Paul  Miller.  Clara 
and  Clarence,  twins,  are  deceased.  Grace 
E.,  the  youngest  member  of  the  McGaw 
family,  is  the  wife  of  D.  W.  Lyon,  of 
Shanghai,  China,  who  was  sent  to  that 
country  as  a  missionary  by  the  Young 
Men's  Christian  Association  and  has  there 
remained  for  eleven,  years.  They  have 
four  children,  David,  Scovel,  Jean  and 
Lawrence.  The  second  wife  of- Mr.  Mc- 
Gaw had  one  child  by  her  first  husband, 
Malissa  McGaw,  now  the  wife  of  Rev.  R. 
J.  Pressley,  who  was  a  minister  of  the 
Presbyterian  church  and  died  leaving 
three  children,  Lorena,  John  W.  and  Es- 
tella  E. 

Mr.  McGaw  is  a  member,  of  the  Grand 
Army  of  the  Republic.  In  politics  he  is 
a  stalwart  republican  and  in  1870  was 
appointed  census  taker  for  the  west  half 
of  Hancock  county.  He  was  also  super- 
visor of  Prairie  township  for  two  terms 
and  under  the  Harrison  administration 
was  appointed  postmaster  of  Elvaston. 
Following  the  interval  of  the  Cleveland 
?dmistration  he  was  again  appointed 
postmaster  and  served  from  that  time 
until  he  resigned  in  1905,  since 
which  time  he  has  had  no  business 
nor  official  connections.  He  is  a  member 


of  the  Presbyterian  church,  in  which  he 
has  served  as  elder.  His  life  has  been 
actuated  by  high  and  honorable  princi- 
ples and  worthy  motives  leading  to  just 
treatment  of  his  fellowmen  in  all  business 
and  social  relations  and  at  the  same  time 
displaying  those  kindly  and  considerate 
qualities  which  rise  above  mere  justice. 
His  business  career  is  another  exemplifi- 
cation of  the  fact  as  stated  by  a  German 
philosopher  that  "Merit  and  success  go 
linked  together." 


FRED  REYER. 

Fred  Reyer,  who  is  engaged  in  the 
plumbing  and  steam-heating  business  in 
Carthage,  was  born  in  Hamilton,  Han- 
cock county,  on  the  7th  of  May,  1861. 
His  parents  were  natives  of  Germany 
and  came  to  America  in  early  life,  settling 
first  in  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  whence  they 
afterward  removed  to  Pike's  Peak,  Colo- 
rado, and  subsequently  to  Keokuk,  Iowa. 
First  they  made  their  way  to  Hamilton 
and  in  1862  came  to  Carthage.  The  fa- 
ther was  a  hardware  merchant,  in  which 
business  he  continued  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  in  Carthage  in  1892,  his 
remains  being  interred  in  the  Carthage 
cemetery.  He  was  one  of  the  pioneer 
Odd  Fellows  of  this  section  of  the  state 
and  passed  all  of  the  chairs  in  the  local 
lodge.  Both  he  and  his  wife  were  de- 
voted members  of  the  German  Lutheran 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


691 


church,  in  which  he  served  as  trustee  for 
many  years.  His  widow  still  survives  at 
about  the  age  of  seventy-two  years  and 
is  yet  quite  active,  her  home  being  in  Car- 
thage with  her  daughter.  In  the  family 
were  six  children :  Anna  Reyer,  who 
lives  with  her  mother;  Fred,  of  this  re- 
view; Henry,  deceased;  Herman  A.,  of 
Denver,  Colorado;  Edward,  of  Scranton, 
Pennsylvania;  and  Augustus,  -who  died 
in  infancy. 

Fred  Reyer  was  educated  in  the  public 
schools  of  Carthage,  his  family  removing 
from  Hamilton  to  this  city  when  he  was 
but  a  year  old.  He  afterward  learned  the 
tinner's  trade  here,  his  father  being  en- 
gaged in  the  hardware  and  tinsmith  busi- 
ness as  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Scholl  & 
Reyer.  The  son  remained  with  that 
house  for  seventeen  years  and  in  1892  em- 
barked in  business  on  his  own  account  as 
a  dealer  in  plumbing  and  heating  ap- 
paratus. He  takes  contracts  for  install- 
ing such  plants  and  has  done  excellent 
work  in  all  parts  of  this  and  adjoining 
counties,  placing  bath  room  fixtures,  hot 
air  plants  and  general  plumbing.  He  has 
been  very  successful  since  beginning  busi- 
ness and  has  a  liberal  patronage,  his  trade 
growing  annually,  for  his  reliability  and 
enterprise  are  recognized  by  the  general 
public. 

In  September.  1885,  occurred  the  mar- 
riage of  Mr.  Reyer  and  Miss  Sarah  Conk- 
lin,  who  was  born  in  Carthage.  Illinois, 
in  1865,  a  daughter  of  Elliott  and  Laura 
(L'ittle)  Conklin,  both  of  whom  were 
natives  of  Tennessee.  They  came  to  Illi- 
nois at  an  early  day  and  for  a  number  of 
years  the  father  conducted  a  brickyard  in 
Carthage.  He  was  a  republican  but  with- 


out political  aspiration.  His  wife  was  an 
earnest  and  untiring  worker  in  the  Metho- 
dist Episcopal  church,  in  which  she  held 
membership  and  she  also  belonged  to  the 
Woman's  Relief  Corps.  Both  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Conklin  have  passed  away,  their  re- 
mains being  interred  in  the  Carthage 
cemetery.  They  had  a  family  of  nine  chil- 
dren :  Viola,  the  wife  of  George  Mc- 
Clintock,  of  Carthage,  Illinois ;  Henry, 
deceased;  David  C,  of  Hamilton,  Illinois; 
Elizabeth,  the  widow  of  George  E.  John- 
son, who  was  a  lawyer,  practicing  at  the 
Chicago  bar;  Mrs.  Sarah  Reyer;  Mary, 
deceased ;  Sidney  E.,  who  is  living  in 
Butte,  Montana ;  Dr.  B.  A.  Conklin,  a 
dentist  of  Chicago ;  and  Mabel,  the  wife 
of  Rex  Goodrich,  of  Carthage.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Reyer  have  two  children,  both  born 
in  Carthage,  namely :  H.  L.,  who  was 
born  in  October,  1886,  and  assists  his 
father  in  his  office;  and  Elizabeth  L.,  who 
was  born  in  September,  1895,  and  is  now 
in  school. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Reyer  is  a 
republican  and  has  served  as  tax  collector. 
Fraternally  he  is  a  Mason  and  Odd  Fel- 
low, a  member  of  the  Modern  Woodmen 
camp,  the  Court  of  Honor  and  the  Tribe 
of  Ben  Hur  and  Knights  of  Pythias.  In 
the  Odd  Fellows  lodge  he  has  passed  all 
of  the  chairs.  Both  he  and  his  wife  are 
zealous  members  of  the  Presbyterian, 
church,  in  which  he  is  serving  as  a  trustee. 
In  September,  1904,  he  erected  an  elegant 
modern  residence  on  Main  street  and  has 
a  very  happy  home.  In  addition  to  this 
property  he  owns  a  business  lot  in  Car- 
thage and  a  farm  in  Carthage  township. 
He  began  life  on  his  own  responsibility 
at  the  age  of  seventeen  years  and  without 


692 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


pecuniary  assistance  has  labored  earnest- 
ly and  consecutively  until  he  has  now  ac- 
cumulated a  comfortable  competence,  his 
business  supplying  him  with  a  gratifying 
income.  He  has  been  chief  of  the  fire  de- 
partment of  Carthage  for  the  past  fifteen 
years  and  is  actively  interested  in  progres- 
sive public  measures,  withholding  his  sup- 
port from  no  movement  that  is  calculated 
to  benefit  the  community  or  any  feasible 
plan  that  promises  substantial  advance- 
ment, He  is  jovial  by  nature,  warm- 
hearted and  genial  and  at  all  times  his 
life  is  actuated  by  high  and  manly 
principles. 


ETIENNE  CABET. 

Etienne  Cabet  was  born  in  Dijon  De- 
partment, Cote  d'  Orr,  France,  January 
I,  1788.  His  father  was  a  cooper  by 
trade.  The  son  acquired  a  liberal  educa- 
tion in  his  native  country,  and  in  1825 
went  to  Paris,  where  he  was  a  leader  in 
democratic  investment.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Carbonaris  secret  society,  and 
was  an  active  participant  in  the  revolu- 
tionary movement  of  1830,  after  which 
he  was  appointed  provincial  general  in 
Corsica.  In  1834  he  was  elected  deputy 
in  the  lower  chamber  but  his  opposition 
was  so  intense  that  it  could  not  be  tol- 
erated by  the  leaders  and  he  was  given  his 
choice  of  two  years  in  prison  or  five  years 
exile,  and  choosing  the  last  he  went  to 
England,  where  he  studied  various  books 
and  languages,  and  in  1840  wrote  the  vol- 
ume entitled  "Voyage  to  Icaria."  In 


1841  he  published  a  paper,  the  Populaire, 
in  which  he  brought  his  theory  before  the 
public.  In  1846  he  asked  permission  of 
the  French  government  to  appoint  his 
theory  to  practice  in  France  but  this  being 
denied  him,  in  1848,  he  made  a  proposi- 
tion to  his  followers  -to  emigrate  to  the 
United  States,  which  company  numbered 
more  than  six  hundred  thousand  although 
he  had  supposed  he  could  get  a  million. 
Having  obtained  a  concession  of  one  mil- 
lion acres  of  land  in  Texas,  on  the  ijth  of 
January,  1848,  he  announced  that  state 
to  be  the  place  of  their  settlement,  and 
on  the  3d  of  February  following,  sixty- 
nine  men  volunteered  to  emigrate  to  this 
country  and  under  the  leadership  of 
Gouhenant,  who  was  appointed  by  Cabet. 
the  company  started.  Gouhenant,  how- 
ever, proved  to  be  a  traitor.  While  he 
was  ill  letters  were  found  in  his  trunk 
which  proved  him  to  be  a  member  of  the 
Society  of  Jesus.  His  head  was  then 
shaved  and  he  was  driven  away,  after 
their  arrival  at  New  Orleans,  on  the  27th 
of  March.  The  second  advance  left 
France,  June  3,  1848.  The  first  com- 
pany that  had  come  to  the  United  States 
then  went  to  Sulphur  Prairie,  where  they 
obtained  ten  thousand,  two  hundred  and 
forty  acres  of  land  instead  of  one  milllion 
acres;  and  there  they  remained  for  four 
months  but  in  the  meantime  all  became  ill 
and  retreated  to  Shreveport,  Louisiana, 
where  they  met  the  second  advance. 
Cabet  embarked  from  France  December 
15,  arriving  in  New  Orleans  the  follow- 
ing January  with  the  first  company  of 
women  and  childen.  They  sent  a  com- 
mission up  the  Mississippi  river,  and 
found  that  Nauvoo.  had  been  deserted  bv 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


693 


the   Mormons,   so   Cabet's   followers  de- 
cided  to   locate  here,   the  date  of  their 
arrival  being  March  15,  1849.     A  branch 
was  then  started  at  Corning,  Iowa.     In 
1850  they  began  rebuilding  the  Mormon 
temple  but  after  three  days  the  country 
was   visited  by   a   hurricane,   which   de- 
stroyed the  north  wall  of  the  temple,  this 
being  on  the  28th  of  June  of  that  year. 
The  building  of  the  structure  was  then 
discontinued.     In    1855   Cabet  made  his 
famous   proposition   for   a  president   for 
four  years  but  he  was  defeated  by  J.  B. 
Gerard,  who  became  the  president.    Cabet, 
however,   succeeded  in  his  contest  after 
a  long  struggle.     He  later  left  Nauvoo 
and  went  to  Cheltenham.     In  1852  Cabet 
was  back  in  France  to  answer  an  accusa- 
tion of  embezzlement  by  some  of  his  mem- 
bers who  had  returned  to  that  country 
but  he  was  vindicated  and  again  returned 
to  this  country.     He  passed  away  in  St. 
Louis,  Missouri,  in  1856,  his  death  being 
occasioned  by  a  stroke  of  apoplexy.     He 
was  the  author  of  several  works,  includ- 
ing. "The  History  of  the  French  Revolu- 
tion,"  published  in  five  volumes,  "True 
Christianita,"  "Voyage  in  Icaria,"  "So- 
cial Contact,"  "Twelve  Letters  to  a  Com- 
munist," and"  several  others. 


REV.  JOHN  STAHL. 

Rev.  John  Stahl,  one  of  the  early  set- 
tlers of  Hancock  county,  who  for  many 
years  has  been  active  in  the  ministry  of 
the  United  Brethren  church  but  for  two 


years  has  lived  retired,  was  born  near 
Mount  Pleasant,  Pennsylvania,  October 
24,  1820.  He  has  therefore  passed  the 
eighty-fifth  milestone  on  life's  journey 
and  in  the  evening  of  his  days  can  look 
back  over  the  past  without  regret  and 
forward  to  the  future  without  fear,  be- 
cause his  life  has  been  permeated  by  the 
highest  principles  and  has  been  charac- 
terized by  many  good  deeds  and  by  un- 
tiring devotion  to  the  welfare  of  his  fel- 
lowmen. 

His  parents,  Jacob  and  Jane  (Melloy) 
Stahl,  were  also  natives  of  the  Keystone 
state  and  the  mother  died  in  Pennsyl- 
vania, after  which  the  father  married 
again  and  removed  to  Iowa,  where  he 
lived  until  his  death,  which  occurred  when 
he  had  reached  the  advanced  age  of 
eighty-three  years.  He  always  devoted 
his  energies  to  farming  and  thus  provided 
for  his  family.  He  was  a  man  of  strpng 
temperance  views  and  gave  his  political 
support  to  the  Prohibition  party. 

Rev.  Stahl  of  this  review  spent  the 
days  of  his  boyhood  and  youth  in  his  na- 
tive state  and  acquired  his  education  in 
the  public  schools  of  his  home  town. 
When  seventeen  years  of  age  he  entered 
mercantile  life  as  a  clerk  in  Mount  Pleas- 
ant, Pennsylvania,  and  afterward  en- 
gaged in  merchandising  on  his  own  ac- 
count in  that  city  until  1854,  when,  be- 
lieving that  he  might  have  better  busi- 
ness opportunities  in  the  west,  he  came 
to  Illinois,  taking  up  his  abode  near  Fow- 
ler, in  Adams  county,  where  he  purchased 
eighty  acres  of  land.  The  tract  was  un- 
cultivated and  he  placed  all  of  the  im- 
provements upon  it,  making  a  good  home 
there  for  himself  and  family.  He  resided 


694 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


upon  that  property  until  the  spring  of 
of  1870  and  was  engaged  in  general  farm- 
ing, while  frequently  on  Sundays  he 
preached  the  gospel,  continuing  an  active 
and  earnest  worker  in  the  United  Breth- 
ren church.  In  1870  he  removed  to  Fow- 
ler, Adams  county,  and  while  living  there 
was  pastor  of  the  United  Brethren  church, 
situated  a  short  distance  from  the  town. 
He  continued  at  that  town  until  1873, 
when  he  removed  to  Elmwood,  in  Peoria 
county,  and  was  presiding  elder  of  the 
district,  making  his  home  there  for  about 
eight  years.  In  1883  he  took  up  his  abode 
in  Augusta,  where  he  has  resided  contin- 
uously since  and  during  much  of  this 
time  has  engaged  in  preaching.  Here  he 
built  a  home  for  himself  and  family  and 
during  the  past  few  years  has  lived  a  re- 
tired life. 

It  was  in  February,  1845,  that  ^r- 
Stahl  was  united  in  marriage  at  Mount 
Pleasant,  Pennsylvania,  to  Miss  Anna 
Worman,  who  was  born  at  that  place,  a 
daughter  of  George  and  Elizabeth  (Trax- 
el)  Worman,  both  of  whom  were  natives 
of  Pennsylvania,  born  in  Mount  Pleasant, 
where  they  spent  the  greater  part  of  their 
lives.  The  father  died  in  the  Keystone 
state  and  subsequent  to  that  time  the 
mother  removed  with  her  family  to  Illi- 
nois in  1850  and  spent  her  last  days  in 
Hancock  county.  Unto  Rev.  and  Mrs. 
Stahl  were  born  three  children,  but  only 
one  is  now  living,  Hanby,  whose  birth 
occurred  in  Mount  Pleasant,  Westmore- 
land county,  Pennsylvania,  in  June,  1849. 
He  was  educated  at  Otterbein  University, 
near  Columbus,  Ohio,  and  was  for  some 
years  a  teacher  in  the  public  schools  of 
Illinois.  Later  he  engaged  in  the  drug 


business    in    Fowler   and   afterward   be- 
came proprietor  of  a  general  mercantile 
store.    He  was  married  July  30,  1878,  to 
Miss  Ella  T.  Thayer,  who  was  born  in 
Canton,  Missouri,  a  daughter  of  David 
W.  and  Cynthia   (Daniels)   Thayer,  the 
former  a  native  of  Connecticut  and  the 
latter  of  Indiana.     Mrs.  Thayer  died  at 
Canton,  Missouri,  while  Mr.  Thayer  laid 
down  his  life  on  the  altar  of  his  country 
while  serving  as  a  soldier  of  the  Civil 
war.     He  was  with  the  army  for  some 
time  and  his  death  occurred  during  the 
latter  part  of  the  war.     Hanby  Stahl  is 
now  located  at  Golden,  Adams  county, 
Illinois,   being  a  pharmacist   for  Hecox 
Brothers,  of  that  place.     Unto  him  and 
his  wife  have  been  born  four  children : 
Ida  May,  who  died  at  the  age  of  twenty 
years ;  Elmer  Roy,  who  is  a  student  in  the 
Xormal  University  at  Bloomington,  Illi- 
nois; Floyd  M.,  a  student  in  the  North- 
western University  at  Chicago ;  and  Myr- 
le  S.,  who  is  a  student  in  the  high  school 
at  Augusta.     The  parents  of  these  chil- 
dren are  members  of  the  United  Breth- 
ren church.     Wallace  Melloy,  the  second 
son  of  Rev.  and  Mrs.  Stahl,  died  at  the 
age  of  four  years,  and  Ida  May,  the  only 
daughter,  died  at  the  age  of  twelve  years 
and  six  months.     She  was  born  in  Illi- 
nois and  the  other  children  in  Pennsyl- 
vania. 

Rev.  Stahl  is  a  prohibitionist  in  his  po- 
litical views.  He  is  a  most  earnest  ad- 
vocate of  the  cause  of  temperance  and  has 
furthered  its  interests  both  by  precept  and 
example.  In  the  work  of  the  church  he 
has  been  untiring  and  his  zeal  and  devo- 
tion have  contributed  to  the  development 
of  the  churches  with  which  he  has  been 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


695 


connected.  He  stands  today  as  one  of 
the  most  respected  and  honored  residents 
of  the  county  and  is  also  one  of  its  most 
venerable  citizens. 


DELOS  L.  CUTLER. 

Delos  L.  Cutler,  who  started  out  in  life 
on  his  own  account  at  an  early  age  has  by 
energy,  ambition  and  upright  living  suc- 
ceeded in  his  undertakings  and  acquired 
a  comfortable  competence,  is  engaged  in 
painting  and  paper-hanging  in  Carthage. 
He  was  born  in  Erie  county,  New  York, 
in  1849,  an<3  several  of  his  ancestors  were 
soldiers  of  the  Revolutionary  war.  His 
parents  were  Albert  and  Permelia  (Hill) 
Cutler,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  the 
Empire  state  and  came  to  Hancock  coun- 
ty, Illinois,  in  the  spring  of  1869.  Here 
Mr.  Cutler  opened  a  wagon-shop  in  Car- 
thage, which  he  conducted  for  a  number 
of  years  and  was  thus  closely  associated 
with  the  industrial  interests  of  the  city. 
He  voted  with  the  democracy  and  was 
township  collector.  In  the  family  were 
five  children,  of  whom  two  are  now  liv- 
ing :  Howard  Cutler,  who  is  residing  in 
Carthage,  Illinois;  and  Delos,  of  this  re- 
view. The  parents  still  reside  in  the 
county  seat  where  they  have  a  wide 
acquaintance. 

Delos  L.  Cutler  was  educated  in  the 
public  schools  and  in  a  private  institution 
of  learning  in  New  York,  and  learned  the 
trade  of  carriage-making  with  his  father 
in  that  state.  He  followed  that  pursuit 
44 


in  the  east  and  also  during  the  early 
period  of  his  residence  in  Carthage.  He 
arrived  in  this  city  in  1868  and  for  more 
than  thirty  years  has  engaged  in  paper- 
hanging  and  painting,  having  a  shop  on 
the  same  lot  on  which  his  house  stands. 
Thus  almost  his  entire  life  has  been  de- 
voted to  his  line  of  industrial  activity  and 
his  excellent  workmanship  has  secured 
him  a  liberal  patronage,  many  of  his  pa- 
trons having  given  him  their  business  sup- 
port through  a  long  period. 

On  the  23d  of  October,  1871,  Mr.  Cut- 
ler was  married  to  Miss  Laura  Davies, 
who  was  born  near  Seven  Mile,  Ohio,  a 
daughter  of  Elliott  and  Evelina  (Scott) 
Davies,  the  latter  a  native  of  the  Buckeye 
state.  The  father  was  a  farmer  by  oc- 
cupation and  became  an  early  settler  of 
this  county,  making  his  way  to  Carthage 
in  1856.  He  owned  a  goodly  tract  of 
land  inside  the  corporation  limits  of  the 
city  as  well  as  considerable  farming  land 
outside,  and  he  built  the  first  grist  mill  in 
Carthage.  For  about  twenty  years  he 
engaged  in  farming  here,  and  in  1877  re- 
moved to  Kansas,  settling  on  a  farm, 
where  his  death  occurred,  passing  away 
at  Kearney,  Nebraska.  His  wife  sur- 
vived him  for  some  time  and  both  were 
buried  in  the  cemetery  at  Kearney.  In 
their  family  were  ten  children,  of  whom 
seven  are  now  living:  Elliott,  residing 
in  Emporia,  Kansas;  James,  also  of  Em- 
poria ;  Mary,  the  wife  of  Edward  Jewett, 
of  Kansas  City,  Missouri ;  Ella,  of  Pueblo, 
Colorado;  Josephine,  the  wife  of  J.  W. 
Crawford,  of  Carthage,  Illinois;  Aurelia, 
the  wife  of  David  Vance,  of  Lincoln,  Ne- 
braska; and  Mrs.  Cutler.  Isaac  Davies, 
a  brother  of  Mrs.  Cutler,  was  a  captain 


696 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


in  the  One  Hundred  and  Eighteenth  Illi- 
nois Infantry  during  the  Civil  war,  and 
Samuel  Davies,  another  brother,  was  a 
member  of  the  Sixteenth  Illinois  Regi- 
ment. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cutler  have  been 
born  three  children,  all  born  in  Carthage. 
Carena,  who  attended  the  high  school  and 
Carthage  College,  married  Charles 
Owens,  and  lived  in  Johnson  county, 
Iowa.  She  died  abo  it  eight  years  ago 
and  was  buried  in  M>  >ss  Ridge  cemetery. 
Neta  is  the  wife  of  C.  A.  Weber,  of  Iowa 
City,  Iowa,  and  has  a  son,  Russell  Lovell 
Weber.  Ferrill,  a  musician  of  the  Car- 
thage Band,  has  taken  a  business  course 
in  the  Gem  City  Business  College  at 
Ouincy,  Illinois,  and  assists  his  father  in 
paper-hanging. 

Mr.  Cutler  exercises  his  right  of  fran- 
chise in  support  of  the  men  and  measure1 
of  the  Republican  party.  He  is  a  valued 
and  prominent  member  of  the  Woodmen 
camp  at  Carthage,  served  as  clerk  for  nine 
years  and  served  as  Venerable  Counsel 
for  three  years.  Both  he  and  his  wiftt 
are  devoted  members  of  the  Presbyterian 
church  and  for  the  past  quarter  of  a  cen- 
tury he  has  been  secretary  of  the  Sunday- 
school,  doing  all  in  his  power  to  promote 
its  interests,  feeling  the  value  of  Chris- 
tian education  as  a  preparation  for  the 
youth  in  their  life  work.  Both  he  and 
his  wife  are  people  of  intelligence  and 
culture,  esteemed  by  all  who  know  them. 
As  the  years  have  gone  by  his  labors  have 
been  carefully  directed  an'd  his  position 
in  business  circles  is  an  enviable  one, 
owing  to  the  unqualified  trust  reposed  in 
him  by  all  with  whom  he  has  become 
acquainted. 


MORRIS  JOHNSON  LEE. 

Among  the  prominent  representatives 
of  farming  and  stock-raising  interests  in 
Hancock  county  is  classed  Morris  John- 
son Lee,  who  is  a  native  son  of  this 
county,  his  birth  having  occurred  in  Dur- 
ham township,  April  2,  1866.  His  pater- 
nal grandparents  were  Morris  and  Mary 
(Ryan)  Lee,  both  of  whom  were  natives 
of  County  Tipperary,  Ireland,  while  the 
maternal  grandfather  was  Patrick  Dunn. 
His  parents,  Patrick  and  Bridget  (Dunn) 
Lee,  were  likewise  natives  of  County  Tip- 
perary, Ireland,  both  born  in  1840.  They 
accompanied  their  respective  parents  to 
the  United  States  and  were  married  in 
New  Haven,  Connecticut,  about  1860, 
where  the  father  was  employed  as  a  ma- 
chinist until  the  spring  of  1864,  at  which 
time  he  took  up  his  abode  in  Hancock 
county,  locating  on  a  farm  in  Durham 
township,  where,  two  years  later,  he  pur- 
chased fifty  acres  of  timber  land,  situated 
on  section  36.  This  he  cleared  and  de- 
veloped, placing  his  fields  under  a  high 
state  of  cultivation,  and  as  the  years 
passed  and  his  financial  resources  permit- 
ted, he  added  to  the  boundaries  of  his 
farm  until  he  possessed  two  hundred  and 
twenty  acres  in  Durham  township  and 
one  hundred  acres  in  Pilot  Grove  town- 
ship, of  which  seventy-two  acres  was  prai- 
rie land  when  it  came  into  his  possession, 
but  he  placed  it  all  under  cultivation  ex- 
cept about  twenty-five  acres,  which  is  still 
covered  with  timber.  He  spent  his  re- 
maining days  on  this  farm,  passing  away 
May  3,  1905.  He  is  still  survived  by  his 
widow,  who  yet  resides  on  the  homestead 
farm. 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


697 


Morris  J.  Lee,  whose  name  introduces 
this  record,  is  the  second  in  order  of  birth 
in  a  family  of  three  sons  and  four  daugh- 
ters. He  acquired  his  early  education  in 
the  district  schools  near  his  father's  home, 
and  later  pursued  a  course  of  study  for 
one  year  in  the  Macomb  (Illinois)  Nor- 
mal College,  thus  being  well  fitted  for  the 
practical  and  responsible  duties  of  life. 
He  was  early  trained  to  the  duties  of 
field  and  meadow  and  his  father  benefited 
by  his  services  until  he  had  reached  the 
age  of  twenty-two  years,  when,  ambitious 
to  engage  in  business  on  his  own  account, 
he  operated  leased  land  for  three  years, 
this  belonging  to  D.  L.  Dixon.  At  the 
end  of  that  time,  through  his  economy 
and  careful  management,  he  had  saved 
capital  sufficient  to  justify  the  purchase 
of  land,  and  he  therefore  bought  a  tract 
of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres,  situated 
on  section  3 1 ,  Durham  township,  of  which 
forty  acres  was  covered  with  timber, 
while  the  remainder  was  improved  land. 
There  were  no  buildings  upon  the  place 
when  he  took  possession  of  it,  but  Mr. 
I.ee  purchased  a  house  which  he  removed 
to  his  farm,  and  has  since  added  to  and 
remodeled  the  house  until  it  is  now  a  mod- 
ern and  commodious  country  residence. 
In  1895  he  erected  a  horse  and  hay  bam, 
thirty-six  by  forty  feet,,  but  this  was  de- 
stroyed by  fire  in  June,  1906.  He  like- 
wise has  various  kinds  of  fruits,  having 
about  two  acres  devoted  to  horticulture. 
He  has  also  set  out  many  maple  trees, 
thus  furnishing  shade  around  the  home 
and  adding  to  the  attractive  and  neat  ap- 
pearance of  the  place.  He  is  engaged  in 
general  farming,  following  only  the  most 
modern  and  practical  methods  in  the  pur- 


suit of  his  labors.  He  engages  quite  ex- 
tensively in  stock-raising  interests,  hav- 
ing Percheron  horses,  shorthorn  cattle, 
Poland  China  hogs  and  Shropshire  sheep, 
the  latter  being  registered. 

As  a  companion  and  helpmate  on  life's 
journey  Mr.  Lee  chose  Miss  Teressa  Mc- 
Gan,  whom  he  wedded  November  29, 
1893.  Her  paternal  grandparents  are 
Patrick  and  Mary  (Ryan)  McGan,  while 
the  maternal  grandparents  are  Richard 
and  Bridget  (Carens)  Simmons.  Mrs. 
Lee  is  a  native  of  McDonough  county, 
Illinois,  while  her  parents,  Michael  and 
Catherine  (Simmons)  McGan,  were  born 
in  County  Roscommon,  Ireland.  Unto 
our  subject  and  his  wife  have  been  born 
four  sons  and  one  daughter,  of  whom  one 
son  is  deceased :  Francis,  who  was  born 
February  13,  1895;  Charles,  born  Feb- 
ruary 26,  1896;  Morris  Earl,  who  was 
born  April  2,  1898,  and  died  on  the  24th 
of  the  same  month ;  Richard  Harold,  born 
October  i,  1901 ;  and  Teressa  Helen,  born 
December  30,  1904. 

Mr.  Lee  is  a  democrat  in  his  political 
views  and  affiliations,  and  since  1904  has 
filled  the  offices  of  school  director  and 
commissioner  of  highways,  faithfully 
discharging  the  duties  which  devolve  upon 
him  in  this  connection. 


PHILIP  PENCE. 

Death  Often  removes  from  our  midst 
those  whom  we  can  ill  afford  to  lose  and 
such  was'  the  feeling  of  deep  and  uni- 


698 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


form  regret  throughout  Dallas  City  when 
the  news  of  the  demise  of  Philip  Pence 
was  received.  Cut  down  in  the  prime 
of  life  when  it  seemed  that  many  more 
years  of  usefulness  were  before  him,  he 
nevertheless  left  to  his  family  a  profitable 
business  and  an  untarnished  name.  All 
who  knew  him  respected  him  for  his  many 
strong  traits  of  character,  such  as  won  for 
him  the  warmest  regard  and  confidence. 
A  native  of  Pennsylvania,  he  was  born 
in  Lycoming  county  on  the  ipth  of  No- 
vember, 1833,  his  parents  being  John  and 
Hannah  (Pence)  Pence.  The  parents 
were  natives  of  the  same  county  in  Penn- 
sylvania and  came  to  the  west  in  1838, 
settling  on  a  farm  in  Henderson  county, 
when  this  section  of  the  state  was  largely 
an  unimproved  district.  They  aided  in 
subjugating  the  wilderness  and  in  extend- 
ing the  frontier  and  as  the  years  passed 
by  Mr.  Pence  contributed  in  substantial 
measure  to  the  agricultural  development. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  Baptist  church 
and  passed  away  in  Henderson  county 
about  fifty  years  ago.  His  wife  long 
survived  him,  passing  away  in  1881.  In 
their  .family  were  six  children,  three  of 
whom  are*  now  living  and  with  the  ex- 
ception of  our  subject  all  were  born  in 
Illinois.  Those  who  still  survive  are: 
Robert,  who  lives  near  Lomax,  Hender- 
son county;  Louisa,  the  wife  of  James 
Harwood,  of  Garrison,  Iowa;  and  Anna- 
bel, the  wife  of  Eli  Pickering,  of  Kear- 
ney, Nebraska. 

In  the  district  schools  of  Henderson 
county,  Illinois,  Philip  Pence  was  edu- 
cated and  after  putting  aside  his  text- 
books he  remained  upon  his  father's  farm 
until  the  latter's  death,  after  which  he  con- 


ducted the  home  place  for  many  years. 
Subsequently  he  sold  the  home  farm  to  his 
brother  and  removed  to  Kearney,  Ne- 
braska, where  for  four  or  five  years  he 
was  successfully  engaged  in  the  grocery 
business.  At  the  end  of  that  time  he  dis- 
posed of  his  store  and  bought  land  in 
Marshall  county,  Kansas.  In  1899  in 
connection  with  Mr.  Lynberger  he  estab- 
lished the  button  factory  in  Dallas  City, 
Illinois,  and  a  year  later  by  the  purchase 
of  his  present  interest  became  sole  proprie- 
tor and  removed  to  this  city  to  make  his 
home.  In  1904  the  button  department 
and  the  finishing  plant  were  consolidated 
and  incorporated  under  the  state  law,  the 
name  of  the  Pence  Button  Company  being 
assumed.  In  1905  the  stockholders  sold 
out  to  Mr.  Pence,  who  was  the  sole  owner, 
at  the  time  of  his  death,  and  the  enter- 
prise is  still  owned  by  his  widow.  This 
plant  has  thirty  machines  in  the  cutting 
and  ten  in  the  finishing  departments  and 
furnishes  employment  to  forty-five  people, 
including  a  number  of  girls  who  work  in 
the  finishing  department.  Since  the  death 
of  Mr.  Pence  the  factory  has  been  con- 
ducted by  Mr.  Tandy,  the  bookkeeper- 
and  E.  Harvey,  son  of  Mrs.  Pence,  who 
is  administrator  of  the  estate. 

On  the  7th  of  November,  1900,  Mr. 
Pence  was  united  in  marriage  to  Mrs. 
Mary  E.  Harvey,  the  widow  of  Thomas 
Harvey,  of  Lomax,  Illinois,  who  in  her 
maidenhood  bore  the  name  of  Mary  Mc- 
Daniel  and  was  born  near  Lomax  in 
1842.  Her  parents  were  Isaac  and  Mar- 
garet (Thompson)  McDaniel,  both  na- 
tives of  Ohio,  whence  they  removed  at  an 
early  day  to  Lomax,  settling  on  a  farm, 
on  which  they  remained  until  called  to 


, 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


699 


heir  final  rest.  They  had  five  children 
but  all  are  now  deceased  with  the  ex- 
ception of  Mrs.  Pence.  In  early  woman- 
hood she  gave  her  hand  in  marriage  tc 
Thomas  Harvey,  who  was  born  in  Ly- 
coming  county,  Pennsylvania.  He  was  a 
farmer  by  occupation  and  dealt  in  grain 
and  stock  and  also  agricultural  imple- 
ments at  Terre  Haute,  Indiana,  and  at 
Disco,  Illinois,  and  in  the  latter  part  of 
his  life,  at  Lomax,  where  he  died  De- 
cember 28,  1888,  his  remains  being  in- 
terred in  the  cemetery  there.  In  his  fra- 
ternal relations  he  was  a  Mason.  He  left 
one  son,  Elsworth  Harvey,  who  was  born 
in  Lomax  in  1861,  and  married  Miss 
Jennie  Babcock,  by  whom  he  has  two  chil- 
dren, Bird  and  Tom,  both  at  home  with 
their  parents.  Mr.  Harvey  is  a  grain  and 
implement  dealer  and  since  the  death  of 
Mr.  Pence  has  acted  as  administrator  of 
the  estate.  In  1900  Mr.  Pence  purchased 
an  attractive  home  on  Third  street,  where 
his  widow  still  resides  and  she  also  owns 
the  button  factory. 

Mr.  Pence  was  largely  a  self-made  man, 
winning  success  through  his  own  efforts. 
He  realized  the  value  and  force  of  untir- 
ing industry  and  close  application  as  re- 
sultant factors  in  a  business  career  and 
he  worked  persistently  and  energetically 
to  establish  a  modern  and  prosperous  busi- 
ness enterprise.  He  was  exceptionally 
methodical,  finishing  up  each  day's 
work  as  though  it  was  to  be  his  last  and 
in  fact  the  end  came  very  suddenly,  for 
he  passed  away  March  13,  1906,  without 
previous  illness.  In  politics  he  was  a 
democrat  but  without  aspiration  for  office 
and  in  the  Masonic  fraternity  he  became 
connected  with  the  blue  lodge  and  the 


Order  of  the  Eastern  Star.  He  was  a 
man  who  took  great  delight  in  doing  good 
deeds  and  was  ever  considerate  of  the 
comfort  and  happiness  of  others.  His  in- 
tegrity stood  as  an  unquestioned  fact  in 
his  career  and  no  act  of  his  was  an  in- 
fraction to  this  rule  in  the  slightest  degree. 
Plain  in  manner  and  unassuming  in  speech 
and  dress,  he  had  no  fads,  disliked  sham 
and  pretense  but  lived  so  as  to  enjoy  the 
full  respect  and  confidence  of  all  by  reason 
of  the  sterling  traits  of  his  character.  At 
the  time  of  his  demise  his  remains  were 
taken  back  to  Lomax  for  interment. 
Dallas  City  mourned  the  loss  of  one  of 
its  representative  men,  for  he  had  become 
an  important  factor  in  its  industrial  life 
and  was  also  well  known  in  connection 
with  his  support  of  many  measures  which 
had  direct  bearing  upon  the  welfare  and 
progress  of  the  city.  His  best  traits  of 
character,  however,  were  reserved  for 
his  family  and  his  interests  centered  in 
his  home.  He  was  very  devoted  to  his 
wife  and  theirs  was  largely  an  ideal  mar- 
ried relation.  Mrs.  Pence  has  left  to  her 
the  son  of  her  first  marriage,  who  is 
an  enterprising  business  man,  well-known 
in  Dallas  City.  She  also  has  many 
friends  here  and  the  hospitality  of  the 
best  homes  of  the  city  is  freely  accorded 
her. 


MRS.  JOSHUA  S.  WEATHERS. 

Mrs.  Joshua  S.  Weathers,  residing  in 
Augusta,  was  born  in  Morgan  county, 
Illinois,  on  the  loth  of  November,  1833, 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


and  is  a  daughter  of  Reuben  and  Betsey 
(Lake)  Moore,  both  of  whom  were  na- 
tives of  Kentucky,  whence  they  came  to 
Illinois  after  their  marriage.  The  father 
was  a  farmer  and  purchased  a  tract  of 
land  in  Cass  county,  this  state.  Here  he 
engaged  in  farming  until  his  death,  and 
placed  all  of  the  improvements  upon  his 
property.  He  had  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  of  land  which  he  brought  under  a 
high  state  of  cultivation.  He  passed 
away  in  1839,  at  the  age  of  fifty  years, 
and  his  wife  departed  this  life  the  pre- 
vious year,  both  being  laid  to  rest  in 
Cass  county.  In  their  family  were  six 
children,  only  two  of  whom  are  now 
living :  Precious,  the  widow  of  Joshua 
S.  Weathers ;  and  Elizabeth,  the  wife  of 
Frederick  Muntman,  a  farmer  of  Morgan 
county,  Illinois. 

.  Mrs.  Weathers  obtained  her  education 
in  Morgan  county,  this  state,  and  re- 
mained there  until  her  marriage.  On  the 
9th  of  November,  1851,  she  gave  her 
hand  in  marriage  to  Joshua  S.  Weathers, 
who  was  born  in  Kentucky  and  when  a 
small  boy  came  to  Illinois,  casting  in  his 
lot  among  the  early  settlers  of  this  state. 
He  located  in  Morgan  county,  where  he 
was  educated  and  later  engaged  in  farm- 
ing there  until  1864,  when,  in  response 
to  the  country's  call  for  aid,  he  enlisted 
as  a  member  of  Company  K,  Twenty- 
eighth  Illinois  Infantry,  with  which  he 
served  for  three  months,  when,  on  the 
28th  of  May,  1865,  he  passed  away  at 
Greenville,  Louisiana,  his  death  resulting 
from  illness  contracted  at  the  front.  He 
was  thus  about  forty-five  years  of  age  and 
he  gave  his  life  as  a  ransom  for  the 
Union.  His  political  allegiance  was  given 


to  the  Republican  party.  He  was  devoted 
to  the  welfare  of  his  family  and  was  a 
man  of  many  sterling  traits  of  character, 
who  enjoyed  in  high  measure  the  regard 
and  good  will  of  those  with  whom  he 
came  in  contact.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Weathers  were  born  four  children,  of 
whom  three  are  now  living:  Alice  S., 
the  wife  of  William  Happy,  who  is  clerk 
in  a  general  mercantile  establishment  at 
Denver,  Colorado,  where  they  reside  with 
their  one  daughter,  Alma;  Elizabeth  J., 
who  is  clerk  in  Venable's  dry  goods  store 
in  Augusta;  and  John  F.,  a  teamster,  re- 
siding in  Galesburg.  He  wedded  Mary 
Sward,  of  Augusta,  and  they  have  two 
children,  Otto  and  Maegy.  The  eldest 
child  of  the  family,  Josephine,  died  when 
only  three  months  old.  All  of  the  chil- 
dren except  Alice  were  born  in  Morgan 
county,  her  birth  having  occurred  in 
Brown  county. 

At  the  death  of  her  husband,  Mrs. 
Weathers  was  left  with  the  care  of  her 
little  family.  She  continued  to  reside  in 
Morgan  county  for  some  time  and  thirty- 
two  years  ago  came  to  Augusta,  where 
she  has  since  resided.  She  purchased  a 
lot  here  and  erected  thereon  a  neat  and 
pleasant  residence,  which  she  has  since  oc- 
cupied. She  has  gained  many  warm 
friends  during  the  period  in  which  she 
has  made  her  home  here,  possessing  ex- 
cellent traits  of  character  which  have  en- 
deared her  to  those  with  whom  she  has 
come  in  contact.  In  the  rearing  of  her 
family  and  the  management  of  her  prop- 
erty interests  she  has  displayed  excellent 
business  ability,  executive  force  and  sound 
judgment,  and  deserves  much  credit  for 
what  she  has  accomplished. 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


701 


WILLIAM  J.  WILKE. 

William  J.  Wilke,  engaged  in  agricul- 
tural pursuits  in  La  Harpe  township, 
where  he  owns  fifty  acres  of  land,  sit- 
uated on  section  34,  was  born  in  Meck- 
lenburg, Germany,  May  18,  1841,  a  son. 
of  John  and  Christine  (Rechline)  Wilke, 
who  always  remained  in  the  fatherland 
and  both  are  now  deceased. 

William  J.  Wilke,  whose  name  intro- 
duces this  review,  was  educated  in  the 
common  schools  of  Germany  and  spent 
his  boyhood  and  youth  under  the  parental 
roof.  Starting  out  in  life  for  himself, 
he  went  to  Hamburg,  where  he  was  em- 
ployed in  a  sugar  refinery  for  a  few  years. 
He  had  heard  favorable  reports  of  the 
advantages  and  opportunities  to  be  en- 
joyed in  the  United  States,  and,  deciding 
to  try  his  fortune  in  the  new  world,  ac- 
cordingly took  passage  on  a  sailing  vessel 
bound  for  the  new  world,  the  year  1865 
witnessing  his  arrival  in  New  York.  He 
at  once  made  his  way  to  Jersey  City,  New 
Jersey,  where  he  was  employed  for  two 
years  in  a  sugar  refinery.  In  the  meatime 
his  brother  Carl  had  likewise  come  to 
America  and  the  two  brothers  then  made 
their  way  to  Hancock  county,  and  fol- 
lowing the  great  fire  of  Chicago  in  the 
year  1871,  our  subject  then  made  his  way 
to  that  place,  where  he  was  employed  in 
a  lime  kiln  for  two  years,  and  for  two 
years  worked  at  that  occupation  in  Bur- 
lington, Iowa,  being  employed  by  a  Mr. 
Patterson.  He  then  returned  to  Han- 
cock county,  locating  in  La  Harpe  town- 
ship, where,  in  the  spring  of  1882,  he  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Mrs.  Christina 
(Walter)  Richter,  the  widow  of  Henry 


Richter.  By  her  first  marriage  she  had 
become  the  mother  of  a  son  and  two 
daughters :  Lena,  now  the  wife  of  Ed 
Moore,  of  Lomax,  Illinois ;  John,  of 
Avery,  Iowa;  and  Christina,  who  died  in 
infancy.  Unto  our  subject  and  his  wife 
have  been  born  two  sons :  William,  born 
February  16,  1883,  and  George,  born  in 
September,  1885,  and  both  under  the 
parental  roof. 

Following  his  marriage  Mr.  Wilke  op- 
erated a  farm  of  thirty  acres,  belonging 
tc  his  wife,  and  he  likewise  cultivates  a 
tract  of  forty  acres  adjoining,  which  is 
the  property  of  his  mother-in-law,  while 
Mr.  Wilke  has  since  purchased  fifty  acres 
adjoining,  which  is  situated  on  section 
34,  La  Harpe  township,  and  here  he  is 
carrying  on  general  farming  pursuits  and 
raises  stock  to  some  extent.  For  the  past 
few  years,  however,  Mr.  Wilke  has  suf- 
fered from  rheumatism  which  has  in- 
capacitated him  for  hard  labor,  so  that  he 
merely  gives  supervison  to  his  business 
interests,  the  work  of  the  farm  being  left 
to  his  two  sons,  who  are  valuable  assist- 
ants to  him. 

Mr.  Wilke  gives  his  political  support 
to  the  Republican  party,  in  the  work  of 
which  he  takes  an  active  and  helpful  part. 
For  four  years  he  served  as  road  com- 
missioner, while  for  six  years  he  filled 
the  office  of  school  director.  He  holds 
membership  with  the  German  Methodist 
Episcopal  church,  in  the  work  of  which 
he  is  deeply  interested,  having  served  as 
assistant  superintendent  of  the  Sunday- 
school  and  as  a  teacher  therein  for  many 
years.  Coming  to  America  when  a  young 
man,  ignorant  of  the  manners  and  cus- 
toms of  the  new  world,  he  readily 


702 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


adapted  himself  to  the  changed  conditions 
herein  found,  soon  acquired  the  English 
tongue,  and  eagerly  availed  himself  of 
every  opportunity,  for  advancement,  thus 
working  his  way  up  from  a  humble  be- 
ginning to  a  position  of  affluence,  and 
he  is  today  classed  among  the  highly  es- 
teemed German-American  citizens  of 
Hancock  county. 


JACOB  E.  SHINDEL. 

Every  community  has  its  representative 
citizens — men  who  perhaps  are  not  widely 
known  beyond  the  borders  of  their  own 
town  but  who  in  their  respective  Commu- 
nities are  enterprising  and  progressive, 
contributing  to  the  general  improvement 
and  upbuilding.  Such  a  one  was  Jacob  E. 
Shindel,  deceased,  of  Augusta,  and  his 
death  was  deeply  deplored  by  all  who 
knew  him.  He  was  born  in  Lebanon, 
Lebanon  county,  Pennsylvania,  February 
2,  1845,  and  remained  at  the  place  of  his 
birth  until  about  twenty-one  years  of  age. 
His  parents  both  died  in  the  Keystone 
state.  There  the  son  acquired  his  edu- 
cation in  the  public  schools  and  after  put- 
ting aside  his  text-books  learned  the 
blacksmith's  trade,  which  he  followed 
throughout  his  active  business  career. 
The  first  work  which  he  did  in  that  line 
in  the  west  was  at  Burlington,  Iowa,  and 
he  afterward  came  to  Augusta  on  the 
2Oth  of  March,  1867,  and  here  entered 
the  employ  of  Winfield,  Leach  &  Seems. 
Later  he  purchased  a  shop,  which  he  con- 


ducted on  his  own  account,  continuing  in 
the  business  there  until  his  death.  He  en- 
joyed a  liberal  patronage  because  of  his 
excellent  workmanship  and  his  straight- 
forward business  dealings.  He  was  a 
man  of  untiring  industry  and  persever- 
ance and  to  these  qualities  were  attributa- 
ble the  success  which  he  enjoyed. 

Mr.  Shindel  was  married  on  Christmas 
day  of  1869  to  Miss  Belle  Nelson,  a 
daughter  of  George  and  Julia .  (Robert- 
son) Nelson.  The  father  was  born  in 
Scotland  and  was  for  some  time  a  sailor 
on  the  high  seas  but  afterward  came  to 
America,  where  his  first  business  position 
was  that  of  clerk  in  a  store  in  St.  Louis, 
Missouri.  Later  he  removed  to  Rushville, 
Illinois,  where  he  engaged  in  merchandis- 
ing, being  connected  with  the  dry  goods 
store  until  five  years  prior  to  his  death. 
He  died  at  the  age  of  seventy-three  years, 
while  his  wife,  who  was  a  native  of  Lex- 
ington, Kentucky,  passed  away  at  the  age 
of  forty-five  years.  The  marriage  of  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Shindel  was  blessed  with  six 
children.  Elizabeth,  who  was  born  in 
Augusta,  became  the  wife  of  Edwin  Em- 
erett,  of  Galesburg,  Illinois,  and  died  at 
the  age  of  twenty-six  years.  George,  who 
learned  the  blacksmith's  trade  with  his 
father,  carried  on  the  shop  after  his 
death  until  February,  1905,  is  now  en- 
gaged in  the  nursery  business.  Delia  be- 
came the  wife  of  Arthur  Denny,  a  farmer 
of  Schuyler  county,  Illinois,  and  died 
leaving  two  children,  Roy  and  Esmond. 
Bruce  is  now  teaching  for  the  fourth  year 
in  Ambrose,  Adams  county,  Illinois. 
Mary  K.  is  the  wife  of  L.  M.  Barrett,  a 
shoe  merchant  of  Kansas  City,  Missouri. 
Ross  died  in  1896,  at  the  age  of  eleven 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


703 


years.  All  of  the  children  were  born  in 
Augusta. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Shindel  was 
an  earnest  republican  and  was  honored 
by  his  fellow  townsmen  with  several  pub- 
lic offices.  For  several  terms  he  was  a 
member  of  the  town  council  and  was  twice 
its  president.  He  was  first  elected  to  the 
board  of  trustees  in  1884  and  again  in 
1890  and  was  president  in  1891-92  and 
once  more  in  1898-99.  He  labored  earn- 
estly for  the  welfare  of  the  village  and 
exercised  his  official  prerogatives  in  sup- 
port of  various  measures  which  he  deemed 
would  prove  of  public  benefit  He  held 
membership  with  the  Masonic  fraternity 
and  the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Work- 
men and  was  also  a  devoted  member  of 

i 

the  Presbyterian  church.  He  purchased 
for  his  family  a  substantial  frame  dwell- 
ing, which  his  widow  now  occupies,  and 
there  his  death  occurred  January  14, 
1901,  when  he  was  in  his  fifty-sixth  year. 
He  was  a  man  who  easily  made  friends 
and  who  retained  their  high  regard  by 
reason  of  an  upright  life,  genial  manner, 
affable  spirit  and  kindly  disposition.  He 
had  a  wide  acquaintance  throughout  the 
county  and  as  he  enjoyed  the  esteem  of 
all  who  knew  him  his  death  was  the  occa- 
sion of  deep  and  widespread  regret. 


JOHN  HENRY  BAINTER. 

John  Henry  Bainter,  owning  and  op- 
erating a  valuable  tract  of  land  constitut- 
ing one  hundred  and  sixty  acres,  sit- 


uated on  section  14,  La  Harpe  township, 
is  a  native  son  of  this  township,  his  natal 
day  being  November  23,  1863.  His 
grandparents,  George  and  Lucy  Bainter, 
were  natives  of  Ohio,  and  it  was  their 
son,  Thomas  J.,  who  is  the  father  of  our 
subject.  He  was  born  in  Muskingum 
county,  of  the  Buckeye  state  and  after 
coming  to  Illinois  was  here  married  to 
Miss  Elmira  Gray,  on  the  5th  of  August, 
1857,  she  having  accompanied  her  father, 
David  Gray,  to  this  state.  Her  mother 
had  departed  this  life  in  Ohio,  previous 
to  the  removal  of  the  family  to  Illinois, 
while  the  father  died  in  1863,  while  serv- 
ing his  country  in  the  Civil  war.  Fol- 
lowing his  marriage  Thomas  J.  Bainter 
began  farming  on  rented  land  near  La 
Harpe,  and  lived  on  different  farms  in 
this  locality  until  March,  1894,  at  which 
time  he  purchased  a  house  and  two  lots 
in  the  village  of  La  Harpe,  where  he  yet 
makes  his  home  but  his  wife  was  called 
to  her  final  rest,  June  26,  1900.  In  the 
family  are  'four  children  :  Ronaldo  M., 
residing  in  Story  county,  Iowa ;  Ella,  the 
wife  of  George  Carter,  a  resident  farmer 
of  Dallas.  Illinois;  John  Henry,  of  this 
review ;  and  Jennie,  now  the  widow  of 
Charles  Anderson,  and  a  resident  of  La 
Harpe.  John  Henry  Bainter  was  reared 
to  the  occupation  of  farming  and  at- 
tended the  district  schools  near  his  fa- 
ther's home  for  only  a  short  period,  his 
advantages  in  that  direction  being  very 
meager,  for  his  services  were  needed  on 
the  home  farm.  He  has,  however, 
through  reading  and  investigation  added 
largely  to  his  fund  of  knowledge  and  is 
now  a  well-read  man.  He  remained  un- 
der the  parental  roof,  assisting  in  the  work 


7°4 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


of  the  fields  until  he  attained  his  majority, 
when,  on  the  4th  of  February,  1885,  he 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Malinda 
Bolton.  She  was  born  June  7,  1864,  at 
Terre  Haute,  Henderson  county,  this 
state,  and  pursued  her  early  education  in 
the  district  schools  near  her  father's  home, 
and  later  attended  St.  Mary's  Academy 
at  Nauvoo.  She  is  a  daughter  of  Wil- 
liam and  Sarah  (Neighbors)  Bolton,  na- 
tives of  Hardin  county,  Kentucky,  the 
former  a  son  of  William  and  Ann 
(Mudd)  Bolton,  natives  of  England  and 
Kentucky,  respectively,  while  the  mater- 
nal grandparents  bore  the  names  of  Wil- 
liam and  Malinda  (Cash)  Neighbors,  of 
whom  the  former  was  born  in  Virginia, 
and  the  latter  in  Maryland.  The  parents 
of  Mrs.  Bainter  were  reared  and  married 
in  the  Blue  Grass  state,  and  after  a  few 
years  there  spent  the  father  made  an 
overland  trip  to  Henderson  county,  this 
state,  the  journey  being  made  in  1859. 
He  was  soon  joined  by  his  wife  and  two 
children,  he  having  purchased  land  in  that 
county,  on  which  the  family  took  up  their 
abode.  The  mother  there  passed  away 
June  6,  1878,  while  the  father  survived 
until  February  6,  1891.  In  the  family  of 
this  worthy  couple  were  born  eight  chil- 
dren, five  daughters  and  three  sons,  name- 
ly: James  W.,  a  resident  of  Texas;  An- 
nie E.,  who  became  the  wife  of  Joseph 
Dunham,  and  passed  away  at  her  home  in 
Canton,  Illinois,  in  1904;  Lafayette,  like- 
wise a  resident  of  Canton ;  Malinda,  now 
Mrs.  Bolton.;  Mary,  the  wife  of  Charles 
Gieseker,  a  resident  of  Terre  Haute,  Illi- 
nois ;  Clara,  the  wife  of  Oliver  Livingston, 
a  resident  of  Canton;  Rosa,  who  became 
the  wife  of  George  Rogers,  and  passed 


away  at  the  home  of  Mrs.  Bainter  in 
1900;  and  Raymond,  a  resident  of  Canton. 

Following  the  marriage  of  our  subject 
and  his  wife  they  took  up  their  abode 
upon  a  rented  farm  in  Henderson  county, 
where  they  continued  their  residence  dur- 
ing the  succeeding  six  years,  and  on  the 
expiration  of  that  period,  having  accumu- 
lated a  handsome  competence  owing  to  his 
careful  management,  Mr.  Bainter  was 
then  enabled  to  purchase  land,  coming 
into  possession  of  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  in  Terre  Haute  township,  that  coun- 
ty, but  he  later  disposed  of  that  tract  and 
removed  to  this  county,  where  he  invested 
in  another  tract  of  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  situated  on  section  14,  La  Harpe 
township.  This  land  was  improved  when 
he  took  possession  but  since  taking  up  his 
residence  here  he  has  added  many  acces- 
sories and  conveniences,  has  fenced  the 
place  with  woven  wire  fencing,  has  tiled 
some  of  the  land  and  has  built  an  addi- 
tion to  the  house,  so  that  today  his  is  one 
of  the  well-kept  and  productive  farm  prop- 
erties of  this  community.  He  is  engaged 
in  general  farming,  following  only  the 
most  practical  and  progressive  methods 
in  the  management  of  his  business  inter- 
ests, and  his  farm  shows  every  evidence 
of  the  thrift  and  enterprise  of  the  owner. 
In  addition  to  his  other  work,  Mr.  Bain- 
ter also  engages  to  some  extent  in  stock- 
raising,  having  Norman  horses,  shorthorn 
cattle,  and  Poland  China  hogs  upon  his 
farm,  and  he  finds  this  an  important  and 
profitable  branch  of  his  business. 

Unto  our  subject  and  his  wife  has  been 
born  an  interesting  little  daughter,  whose 
birth"  occurred  August  5,  1896,  and  who 
bears  the  name  of  Ruby  Eleanor.  Mr. 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


705 


Bainter's  study  of  the  questions  and  is- 
sues of  the  day  has  led  him  to  give  his  sup- 
port to  the  democratic  party,  while  fra- 
ternally he  is  identified  with  the  Independ- 
ent Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and  the  Mod- 
ern Woodmen  of  America  at  La  Harpe. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bainter  are  well-known  and 
highly  respected  residents  of  their  locality, 
where  they  enjoy  the  hospitality  of  the 
best  homes,  and  their  many  sterling  traits 
of  character  have  endeared  them  to  many 
with  whom  they  have  been  associated. 


ROBERT  H.  MIZNER. 

Among  the  progressive  farmers  and 
stock-raisers  of  Hancock  county  who  rep- 
resent pioneer  families  of  this  portion  of 
the  state  is  numbered  Robert  H.  Mizner, 
a  native  son  of  La  Harpe  township,  his 
natal  day  being  May  9,  1857.  His  ma- 
ternal grandfather,  Henry  Spiker,  lo- 
cated in  this  township  about  1836,  where 
he  entered  eighty  acres  of  land  situated 
on  section  n.  His  wife  bore  the  maiden 
name  of  Rachel  Hucle,  whose  father  was 
Joseph  Hucle.  The  paternal  grandpar- 
ents were  John  and  Mary  (McGee)  Miz- 
ner. and  it  was  their  son  Henry  who 
married  Maria  Spiker  and  who  became 
the  parents  of  our  subject.  The  father 
was  born  in  Maryland,  while  the  mother's 
birth  occurred  in  the  state  of  Virginia. 
They  located  in  Hancock  county  about 
1854,  coming  here  with  their  respective 
parents,  and  it  was  in  this  county  that 
they  met  and  married,  the  wedding  being 


celebrated  May  15,  1856.  Following  their 
marriage  they  lived  on  rented  farms  until 
the  spring  of  1872,  when  the  father  pur- 
chased twenty  acres  of  timber  land  on 
section  12,  La  Harpe  township.  This  he 
cleared  and  improved  and  carried  on  the 
work  of  general  fanning  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  May  27,  1898,  when  he 
had  reached  the  age  of  sixty-three  years, 
his  birth  having  occurred  November  18, 
1825.  His  widow  still  survives  at  the 
age  of  sixty-eight  years,  her  birth  hav- 
ing occurred  April  28,  1838,  and  now 
makes  her  home  with  her  son,  Robert  H. 
With  them  resides  the  grandmother  of 
our  subject,  Mrs.  Rachel  Spiker,  who  has 
reached  the  very  venerable  age  of  nipety 
years,  for  her  birth  occurred  October  25, 
1816. 

Robert  H.  Mizner  is  the  eldest  of  two 
sons  and  two  daughters,  born  of  his  fa- 
ther's family,  the  others  being:  Alfred 
H.,  a  resident  of  Stronghurst,  Illinois; 
James,  the  wife  of  R.  J.  Owsley,  a  resi- 
dent of  this  township;  and  Rachel  Lu- 
cinda,  the  wife  of  Clarence  H.  Ferris, 
likewise  residing  in  La  Harpe  township. 

Our  subject  pursued  his  studies  in  the 
district  schools  to  the  age  of  eighteen 
years,  and  during  the  periods  of  vacation 
assisted  his  father  in  the  work  of  the 
farm,  thus  gaining  practical  knowledge 
of  the  best  methods  of  agricultural  pur- 
suits, which  in  later  life  has  enabled  him 
to  carry  on  business  in  a  successful  man- 
ner. When  he  attained  his  majority  he 
purchased  ten  acres  of  land  but  later  sold 
that  to  good  advantage  and  invested  in 
a  tract  of  thirty  acres,  to  which  he  has 
added  from  time  to  time  as  his  financial 
resources  have  permitted  until  he  is  now 


706 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


in  possession  of  one  hundred  and  fifteen 
acres  of  rich  farming  land  located  on  sec- 
tion 12,  La  Harpe  township.  When  this 
tract  came  into  his  possession  it  was  all 
covered  with  timber  and  brush,  but  with 
characteristic  energy  he  began  the  work 
of  clearing  his  land,  plowing  the  fields 
and  planting  his  crops,  until  in  due  course 
of  time  he  made  it  a  productive  property, 
from  which  he  annually  gathers  rich 
crops.  He  also  raises  stock  to  some  ex- 
tent and  this  branch  of  his  business  is 
proving  a  good  source  of  income  to  him. 
He  has  never  married  and  remained  with 
his  father  until  his  death  and  now  fur- 
nishes a  good  home  for  his  mother.  In 
his  political  affiliation  he  is  a  democrat, 
giving  stalwart  support  to  the  party,  yet 
never  active  in  the  way  of  seeking  office. 
Mr.  Mizner  is  a  splendid  type  of  the 
self-made  man,  for,  early  becoming  im- 
bued with  a  desire  to  possess  land,  he 
saved  his  earnings,  which  he  invested  in 
property,  and  as  the  years  have  passed 
he  has  prospered  and  has  worked  his  way 
steadily  upward  until  he  is  now  classed 
with  the  substantial,  prosperous  and  hon- 
ored citizens  of  Hancock  countv. 


DWIGHT  CLINTON  CUTLER. 

There  are  in  every  community  quiet,  re- 
tiriilg  men  who,  nevertheless  ,exert  a 
strong  and  beneficial  influence  in  public 
affairs  and  such  a  one  was  Dwight  Clinton 
Cutler,  who  for  many  years  was  engaged 
in  the  drug  business  in  Carthage.  At  his 


death  a  feeling  of  deep  regret  spread 
throughout  the  community,  for  all  who 
had  been  associated  with  him  in  business 
or  social  relations  had  learned  to  respect 
and  honor  him  for  his  genuine  worth 
and  in  a  quiet  and  unostentatious  way 
he  exerted  a  strong  influence  by  reason 
of  the  strength  of  his  character  and  his 
fidelity  to  high  principles.  He  was  born 
in  Holland,  New  York,  February  13, 
1848,  a  son  of  Albert  and  Pamelia  (Hill) 
Cutler,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  the 
Empire  state.  They  left  Buffalo,  New 
York,  for  Illinois,  where  they  arrived  at 
an  early  period  in  the  development  of 
Hancock  county.  The  father  was  a 
wagon-maker,  following  that  pursuit  in 
Carthage  in  pioneer  times.  He  is  now 
living  retired  in  the  enjoyment  of  a  rest 
which  he  has  truly  earned  and  richly 
deserves.  He  votes  with  the  democracy 
and  both  he  and  his  wife  are  members 
of  the  Methodist  church.  In  their  family 
were  five  children,  of  whom  two  are  now 
living:  Howard,  proprietor  of  Hotel 
Cutler,  of  Carthage;  and  De  Loss,  also 
residing  in  Carthage. 

Dwight  C.  Cutler  began  his  education 
in  the  public  schools  of  his  native  state 
and  after  coming  to  Illinois  attended  the 
Aurora  Seminary.  He  entered  upon  his 
business  career  as  a  clerk  in  a  store  in 
Buffalo,  New  York,  and  in  1869  returned 
to  Carthage,  where  he  purchased  a  drug 
store,  which  he  conducted  successfully  for 
twenty-three  years,  or  until  1891,  when 
failing  health  compelled  him  to  dispose  of 
the  store  and  he  sold  out  to  Mr.  Cain. 
In  his  business  life  he  was  possessed  of 
?.  spirit  of  enterprise,  such  as  brooks  no 
obstacles  but  overcomes  all  difficulties  bv 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


707 


determined,  honest  and  earnest  effort. 
He  had  a  well  appointed  establishment 
which  was  attractive  in  its  neat  and  taste- 
ful arrangement  and  which  won  a  liberal 
patronage  by  reason  of  his  straightfor- 
ward business  methods. 

On  the  8th  clay  of  July,  1875,  Mr.  Cut- 
ler was  married  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Show- 
ers, a  native  of  Winchester,  Preble  coun- 
ty, Ohio,  born  December  12,  1848,  a 
daughter  of  Emanuel  and  Sarah  Jane 
(Wilson)  Showers.  Her  father  was 
born  in  Pennsylvania,  November  26, 
1814,  while  the  mother's  birth  occurred 
in  1820.  Mr.  Showers  was  a  carpenter 
by  trade  and  while  living  in  Ohio  also 
did  business  as  a  peddler.  In  1852  with 
three  other  gentlemen  he  made  an  over- 
land trip  from  Ohio  to  Carthage  and  se- 
lected a  site  for  the  original  Presbyterian 
church  of  this  city.  The  other  gentle- 
men were  Mr.  Sneeny,  who  is  deceased, 
and  Mr.  Swan,  the  first  minister  of  the 
Presbyterian  church,  who  resigned  his 
charge  in  the  east  and  preached  in  Car- 
thage for  twelve  or  fourteen  years.  Mr. 
Showers  was  elder  in  the  church  for  many 
years,  acted  as  Sunday-school  superin- 
tendent and  in  fact  all  of  the  offices  of  the 
church  and  school  with  the  exception  of 
that  of  minister.  His  wife  also  belonged  to 
the  church  and  both  took  a  very  active  and 
helpful  part  in  its  work,  doing  all  in  their 
power  to  promote  the  moral  development 
of  the  community  and  to  advance  those 
interests  which  are  beneficial  to  the  race. 
Both  have  now  passed  away,  their  remains 
being  interred  in  the  old  cemetery  at  Car- 
thage. Mrs.  Showers  died  at  the  home 
of  her  daughter,  Mrs.  Cutler,  in  1888. 
Mr.  Showers  was  a  democrat  in  his  polit- 


ical views  and  served  as  town  clerk  in 
Carthage  and  also  as  sheriff  and  deputy 
sheriff.  In  the  family  were  seven  chil- 
dren. Mary  is  the  widow  of  John 
Spangler  and  resides  at  Long  Beach,  Cali- 
fornia. Her  husband  served  as  a  soldier 
in  the  Civil  war.  He  was  at  one  time  a 
druggist  of  Carthage  and  was  also  su- 
perintendent of  schools.  He  occupied  a 
position  in  Joliet  prison,  while  his  wife 
was  matron  there  for  three  years  and  he 
died  in  Joliet.  Sidney,  the  second  mem- 
ber of  the  Showers  family,  is  deceased. 
Elizabeth  became  Mrs.  Cutler.  Edgar, 
who  married  Miss  Fannie  Baker,  resides 
in  Chicago  and  is  proprietor  of  a  dry 
goods  store,  in  which  he  sells  on  the  in- 
stallment plan.  Willie  and  the  other 
members  of  the  family  have  also  passed 
away. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cutler  were  born 
four  children.  Elsie  is  the  wife  of  Wil- 
liam Borz,  of  Carthage,  and  has  two  chil- 
dren, Albert  Byron  and  Mary  Elizabeth. 
Homer  Cutler,  of  Chicago,  married  Grace 
Metcalf  and  their  daughter  Catherine  is 
a  stenographer  in  Chicago  in  what  is  the 
largest  building  in  the  world.  Clyde  Cut- 
ler is  in  the  undertaking  business  in  Chi- 
cago. Edgar  Dwight  is  a  high  school 
student  in  Carthage.  The  husband  and 
father  died  July  8,'  1894,  and  his  remains 
were  interred  in  the  Carthage  cemetery. 
He  held  membership  with  the  Masonic 
fraternity,  with  the  Ancient  Order  of 
United  Workmen  and  the  Modern  Wood- 
men camp  and  his  political  support  was 
given  to  the  democracy  but  he  never 
sought  or  desired  office.  In  manner  he 
was  quiet  and  retiring,  he  was  careful  in 
all  of  his  business  interests,  systematic 


708 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


and  methodical  and  at  all  times  thorough- 
ly trustworthy.  While  he  never  sought 
to  figure  prominently  in  public  life  him- 
self he  was  nevertheless  an  enterprising 
citizen  who  gave  of  his  time  and  means 
for  the  town's  progress.  He  possessed 
a  warm  heart,  a  kindly  disposition,  a 
genial  manner  and  was  prepossessing  in 
appearance.  When  his  health  failed  he 
traveled  through  the  west  in  the  hope  of 
being  benefited  by  a  change  of  climate  but 
this  proved  unavailing.  In  his  family 
he  was  a  devoted  husband  and  father  and 
was  likewise  a  kind  neighbor.  In  him 
were  embodied  many  virtues — virtues  to 
which  the  splendid  civilization  of  Amer- 
ica is  indebted  for  its  wonderful  develop- 
ment and  its  glorious  progress. 

Mrs.  Cutler  and  her  son  Clyde  now  re- 
side at  the  corner  of  Adams  and  Walnut 
streets  in  a  very  comfortable  home,  which 
her  husband  purchased  twenty-five  years 
ago  and  which  was  erected  about  sixty- 
five  years  ago.  The  property  then  covered 
a  half  block,  or  six  lots,  and  Mrs.  Cutler 
still  retains  one  lot  and  the  house,  in  which 
her  daughter,  Mrs.  Borz,  lives  in  addition 
to  the  home  property.  She  also  owns  a 
store  building  on  Main  street  which  is 
now  occupied  by  the  Boscoe  Grocery 
Company.  The  son  was  a  student  in  the 
high  school  at  Carthage  and  is  a  grad- 
uate of  Carthage  College  of  the  class  of 
1902.  Mrs.  Cutler  is  a  very  conscien- 
tious woman,,  possessed  of  innate  culture, 
refinement  and  tact,  who  has  displayed  ex- 
cellent qualifications  in  the  management 
of  her  business  interests  and  at  the  same 
time  has  those  thorough  womanly  traits 
of  character  which  render  her  prominent 
in  social  circles.  She  is  a  devoted  mem- 


ber of  the  Presbyterian  church  and  also 
belongs  to  the  Eastern  Star,  of  which  she 
is  now  matron;  For  long  years  she  has 
resided  in  Carthage  and  the  circle  of  her 
friends  is  an  extensive  one. 


HENRY  CARNES. 

Henry  Carnes,  a  well-to-do  and  influ- 
ential agriculturist  of  Hancock  county, 
has  been  interested  in  the  agricultural  de- 
velopment of  the  rich  farming  lands  of 
Illinois  throughout  his  entire  life.  He  is 
a  native  son  of  this  state,  his  birth  hav- 
ing occurred  in  Pike  county,  on  the  4th  of 
July,  1844.  His  parents,  Thomas  and 
Elizabeth  (McCartney)  Carnes,  were  na- 
tives of  Ohio,  and  his  grandfather,  Rea- 
son Carnes,  was  likewise  born  in  the 
Buckeye  state.  His  parents  were  reared 
and  married  in  their  native  state,  after 
which  they  removed  to  Pike  county,  Illi- 
nois, where  the  father  purchased  forty 
acres  of  land,  which  he  retained  until 
1858,  when  he  removed  with  his  family 
to  McDonough  county,  where  he  pur- 
chased a  tract  of  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres.  Later  he  made  his  home  in  Iowa, 
where  he  owned  and  operated  a  farm, 
and  on  disposing  of  that  property  once 
more  took  up  his  abode  in  this  state,  com- 
ing to  Hancock  county.  He  purchased  a 
farm  of  forty  acres  on  section  12,  La 
Harpe  township,  and  added  to  this  from 
time  to  time  until  he  owned  one  hundred 
and  sixty-seven  and  a  half  acres,  which 
he  improved  and 'cultivated,  making  it  a 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


709 


valuable  piece  of  property.  He  died  on 
the  farm  in  April,  1901,  while  his  wife 
had  passed  away  in  Schuyler  county,  this 
state,  in  1870. 

Henry  Carnes,  whose  name  introduces 
this  record,  is  the  third  in  a  family  of 
three  sons  and  two  daughters,  and  is  a 
self-educated  man.  At  a  very  early  age 
he  took  his  place  in  the  fields,  assisting 
his  father  in  the  arduous  task  of  clearing 
wild  land  and  transforming  it  into  cul- 
tivable fields.  In  those  early  days  the 
farm  machinery  was  very  crude  as  com- 
pared with  the  modern  implements  used 
at  the  present  time.  He  continued  under 
the  parental  roof  until  the  outbreak  of  the 
Civil  war,  when,  his  patriotic  spirit  being 
aroused  by  the  attempt  of  the  south  to 
overthrow  the  Union,  he  offered  his  serv- 
ices to  the  government,  enlisting  as  a 
member  of  Company  D,  Fifty-third  Illi- 
nois Volunteer  Infantry.  He  was  mus- 
tered into  service  at  Quincy,  and  the  com- 
mand went  at  once  to  New  York,  where 
they  embarked  for  Morehead,  North  Car- 
olina, being  seven  days  and  nights  on  the 
water.  He  saw  much  arduous  duty  dur- 
ing his  service,  participating  in  many  im- 
portant engagements,  including  the  battle 
at  Raleigh,  and  from  there  the  company 
marched  to  Washington,  D.  C,  where 
Mr.  Carnes  took  part  in  the  grand  review 
at  the  close  of  hostilities,  and  after  being 
honorably  discharged  at  Chicago,  re- 
turned to  his  home,  having  made  a  most 
creditable  military  record. 

Following  his  return  home  he  re- 
sumed the  occupation  to  which  he  had 
been  reared,  and  in  November,  1868,  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mary  Ann 
Cass,  a  native  of  Ohio,  who  was  born 


November  12,  1854,  a  daughter  of  Sam- 
uel and  Jennetta  (Duboid)  Cass,  who  lo- 
cated in  Hancock  county  about  1855.  In 
1886  Mr.  Games  purchased  the  old  home 
farm  of  his  father,  and  has  since  added 
many  modern  and  substantial  improve- 
ments to  the  place.  His  fields  are  divided 
by  woven  wire  fencing,  and  in  1890  he 
built  a  nice  home.  In  addition  to  his 
fanning  operations,  our  subject  is  also 
engaged  quite  extensively  in  the  raising 
of  fruit  and  now  owns  a  fine  orchard, 
containing  two  hundred  apple,  one  hun- 
dred peach,  seventy-five  pear  and  fifteen 
cherry  trees,  and  he  likewise  raises  small 
fruit  and  berries.  In  1896  Mr.  Carnes 
purchased  one  hundred  and  forty  acres 
of  land  lying  on  section  13.  La  Harpe 
township.  This  he  improved  by  the  erec- 
tion of  a  house  and  other  substantial 
buildings  and  also  set  out  a  large  orchard. 
For  this  tract  he  paid  three  thousand, 
three  hundred  and  seventy-five  dollars, 
and  in  1904  he  disposed  of  the  property 
for  seventy-eight  hundred  dollars,  the 
place  having  more  than  doubled  in  value, 
owing  to  the  many  improvements  which 
he  had  placed  upon  it. 

Unto  our  subject  and  his  wife  have 
been  born  five  sons  and  three  daughters, 
of  whom  seven  still  survive :  Melzer 
Adelbert,  who  died  at  the  age  of  nearly 
two  years;  Jesse,  a  resident  of  Mount 
Union,  Henry  county,  Iowa ;  Ernest,  of 
La  Harpe ;  Effie,  now  the  wife  of  Thomas 
Scanlan.  residing  near  Lacrosse.  Illinois ; 
Grover,  who  assists  his  father  in  the  op- 
eration of  the  home  place ;  Jennetta,  the 
wife  of  Alvin  Thompson,  residing  in  this 
township;  Mamie,  the  wife  of  Ward  Mel- 
vin,  of  Dallas  City;  and  John,  who  at  the 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


age  of  fourteen  years  is  yet  under  the  pa- 
rental roof. 

Mr.  Carnes  is  a  republican  in  his  polit- 
ical affiliation,  and  is  identified  with  the 
Methodist  Protestant  church  at  La  Harpe, 
while  fraternally  he  is  connected  with  the 
Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and 
the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  both 
at  La  Harpe.  Having  accompanied  his 
parents  to  Illinois  during  his  early  youth, 
Mr.  Carnes  came  here  at  a  very  early  day, 
and  during  the  long  years  of  his  residence 
in  this  section  of  the  state  has  seen  many 
changes  as  the  work  of  development  and 
progress  has  been  carried  steadily  for- 
ward. He  has  killed  many  deer  and 
wolves,  for  wild  game  of  all  kinds  was 
plentiful  in  the  early  days.  Taking  his 
place  in  the  fields  almost  as  soon  as  he 
was  old  enough  to  reach  the  plow  handles, 
he  was  early  trained  to  the  work  of  the 
farm,  and  has  always  continued  in  this 
line  of  activity.  Having  been  deprived  of 
educational  privileges  in  his  youth,  much 
credit  is  due  him  for  what  he  has  accom- 
plished in  a  business  way,  for  he  displays 
excellent  ability  in  the  management  of  his 
affairs  and  is  today  one  of  the  wealthy 
and  highly  esteemed  citizens  of  Hancock 
county. 


E.  H.  RAND. 

E.  H.  Rand  is  a  man  of  marked  busi- 
ness enterprise,  carefully  and  successfully 
conducting  varied  interests  at  the  present 
time.  He  is  a  general  merchant  of  Pon- 
toosuc,  is  also  carrying  on  an  extensive 


poultry  business  and  likewise  farms 
two  hundred  acres  of  valuable  land.  He 
was  born  in  Denmark,  Iowa,  in  1842,  a 
son  of  Thomas  and  Mary  S.  (Badger) 
Rand.  The  mother  was  born  in  Boston, 
and  the  father  in  Keene,  New  Hampshire. 
He  became  a  clerk  in  Boston  in  early 
life,  and  in  1835  sought  a  home  in  the 
middle  west,  settling  in  Quincy,  Illinois. 
Subsequently  lie  became  a  farmer  of  Pay- 
son,  Illinois,  and  he  died  in  September, 
1842,  a  short  time  prior  to  the 
birth  of  E.  H.  Rand  of  this  review. 
He  was  then  forty-two  years  of  age, 
having  been  born  in  1800.  His  wife, 
who  was  born  in  1808,  passed  away 
in  Chicago,  in  1893,  and  her  grave 
was  made  in  Quincy,  Illinois.  In  their 
family  were  five  children,  of  whom  four 
are  now  living:  Thomas  Henry,  a  resi- 
dent of  Boise  City;  Idaho;  L.  B.,  living 
in  Kansas  City,  Missouri;  Martha  J.,  the 
widow  of  Fry  Thompson,  and  a  resident 
of  California;  and  E.  H.,  of  this  review. 
One  daughter,  Mary  E.,  who  was  the 
third  of  the  family,  became  the  wife  of 
James  Noyes,  of  Kansas,  and  is  deceased! 
E.  H.  Rand  acquired  his  education  in 
the  schools  of  Denmark,  Quincy,  Illinois, 
and  Pontoosuc.  He  remained  with  his 
widowed  mother  until  he  had  attained  his 
majority,  and  when  twenty-two  years  of 
age  he  married  Miss  Mary  Louisa  Har- 
per, who  was  born  in  New  York  state  in 
1844,  a  daughter  of  Abraham  and  Mary 
S.  Harper,  the  former  a  native  of  New 
Hampshire.  Her  father  was  a  merchant 
and  speculator  and  at  a  very  early  epoch 
in  the  history  of  Hancock  county  settled 
at  La  Harpe,  whence  he  afterward  re- 
moved to  Pontoosuc,  living  there  for  forty 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


711 


years.  He  died  in  Burlington,  Iowa, 
about  twenty-five  years  ago,  while  his 
wife  died  in  that  city  in  1905.  They  were 
the  parents  of  six  children:  Warren, 
who  passed  away  in  Burlington,  where 
he  had  lived  for  a  number  of  years ;  Car- 
rie, the  wife  of  L.  B.  Rand,  a  brother  of 
our  subject,  residing  in  Kansas  City,  Mis- 
souri ;  Mrs.  E.  H.  Rand ;  Seymour,  of 
Oklahoma ;  Lewis,  of  Kansas  City ;  and 
Emma,  the  deceased  wife  of  John 
Campbell. 

Following  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Rand  began  their  domestic  life  in  Pon- 
toosuc,  where  for  a  number  of  years  he 
was  engaged  in  the  lumber  and  grain 
trades.  He  afterward  spent  twenty  years 
in-  Mississippi,  being  captain  and  pilot  of 
various  boats.  He  then  began  dealing  in 
poultry,  butter  and  eggs,  and  is  still  carry- 
ing on  an  extensive  business  in  this  line 
in  connection  with  a  general  store  at  Pon- 
toosuc,  and  also  one  at  Fountain  Green. 
In  both  his  mercantile  enterprises  he  has 
met  with  success  and  now  has  two  well 
appointed  general  stores,  carrying  a  large 
and  carefully  selected  line  of  goods,  for 
which  he  finds  a  ready  sale.  He  has  the 
principal  market  for  butter  and  eggs  in 
his  part  of  the  county,  and  in  addition  to 
his  operations  in  that  business  he  is  also 
well  known  as  a  prosperous  and  enter- 
prising farmer,  owning  and  operating  two 
hundred  acres  of  rich  land  on  sections  4 
and  5,  Pontoosuc  township.  He  readily 
comprehends  intricate  business  situations 
and  finds  a  solution  for  difficult  business 
problems,  and  his  diligence  and  persever- 
ance have  constituted  salient  features  in 
his  prosperity. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rand  have  been 
45 


born  eight  children :  Frank,  who  died  in 
infancy;  Addie  B.,  who  was  born  in  1867, 
and  is  the  wife  of  Perry  Sines,  of  Pontoo- 
suc, by  whom  she  has  a  daughter,  Grace; 
Charles  H.,  who  was  born  in  1869,  and 
is  in  business  with  his  father  in  Pontoosuc, 
where  he  makes  his  home,  having  mar- 
ried Delia  M.  Richardson,  by  whom  he 
has  one  daughter,  Leona  G. ;  Pearl,  who 
was  born  in  1871,  and  lives  with  her  par- 
ents ;  Carrie,  who  was  born  in  September, 
1873,  and  is  the  wife  of  John  Barker,  of 
Pontoosuc  township,  by  whom  she  has 
two  sons,  Howard  and  Carroll ;  Nellie, 
who  was  born  in  1875,  and  is  the  wife  of 
Claude  Daily,  of  Pontoosuc,  by  whom  she 
has  one  child,  Osborne;  Frederick,  who 
was  born  in  1879,  and  was  a  soldier  of 
the  Spanish-American  war,  going  to  the 
Philippines,  since  which  time  he  has  oc- 
cupied a  responsible  position  as  clerk  in 
the  office  of  the  president  of  the  Santa  Fe 
Railroad,  of  Chicago,  where  he  resides, 
having  married  Mabel  Evans,  by  whom 
he  has  one  son,  Evans;  and  Harry  S., 
who  was  born  in  1885  and  is  living  at 
home.  Mrs.  Rand  is  a  devoted  member 
of  the  Presbyterian  church.  Mr.  Rand 
is  a  republican  and  has  served  as  mayor 
of  Pontoosuc  for  one  or  two  terms,  also 
as  trustee  of  the  village  and  as  a  member 
of  the  school  board.  He  faithfully  per- 
forms every  duty  incumbent  upon  him  as 
a  public-spirited  citizen  and  is  one  of  the 
most  highly  respected  as  well  as  most 
progressive  residents  of  this  part  of  the 
county.  His  life  history  reflects  credit 
upon  one  of  the  pioneer  families  of  this 
portion  of  the  state,  for  his  unabating 
energy  and  his  industry  that  never  flags 
have  constituted  the  secret  of  his  success, 


712 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


while  his  straightforward  dealing  has 
gained  for  him  the  respect  and  confidence 
which  are  uniformly  extended  him. 


CHARLES  E.  CRUM. 

Charles  E.  Crum,  a  resident  farmer  of 
La  Harpe  township,  where  he  is  engaged 
in  general  agricultural  pursuits  and 
stock-raising,  is  a  native  son  of  this  town- 
ship, his  natal  day  being  August  i,  1879. 
He  is  a  son  of  Charles  P.  and  Salina 
(James)  Crum,  the  former  born  in 
Arensville,  Cass  county,  Illinois,  April 
n,  1853,  while  the  mother's  birth  oc- 
curred in  this  township  September  8, 
1856.  The  paternal  grandparents  of  our 
subject  were  James  and  Christina  Crum, 
while  the  maternal  grandparents  were  An- 
drew J.  and  Sydney  (Pigman)  James. 
The  father  of  our  subject  went  from  his 
native  county  to  Adrian,  Michigan. 
It  was  while  attending  college  there 
that  he  met  his  wife,  and  later 
they  were  married  in  this  township.  Fol- 
lowing his  marriage  he  carried  on  general 
agricultural  pursuits  in  this  township, 
owning  considerable  land  both  in  Hancock 
and  Henderson  counties.  For  a  time  he 
was  engaged  in  a  mercantile  enterprise 
at  Disco,  his  partner  being  his  brother- 
in-law,  Evan  James,  but  eventually  dis- 
posed of  his  business  interests  in  the  vil- 
lage and  once  more  engaged  in  agricul- 
tural pursuits  and  stock-raising,  which 
continued  to  be  his  occupation  until  March 
25.  1885,  when  he  met  his  death  in  a  rail- 
road accident  while  on  his  way  home  from 


Missouri.  At  one  time  Mr.  Crum  was 
engaged  in  teaching  in  Gittings  Seminary 
at  La  Harpe,  and  he  and  his  family  were 
residing  in  this  city  where  he  was 
teaching  at  the  time  of  his  death. 
His  widow  continued  her  residence  here 
until  March,  1893,  when  she  removed 
to  the  farm  property,  where  she  has 
since  been  located.  In  their  family 
were  born  four  sons  and  one  daughter : 
Ray  Ream,  born  April  8,  1877,  is  now  en- 
gaged in  the  drug  business  at  Sutherland, 
Iowa.  He  was  married  December  28, 
1901,  to  Miss  Belle  Todd,  of  Des  Moines, 
Iowa.  James  E.  and  Charles  E.,  of  this 
review,  twins,  were  born  August  I,  1879. 
The  former  was  married  October  30, 
1905,  to  Miss  Catherine  Yager,  a  native 
of  Durham  township,  this  county,  and 
their  home  is  in  Chicago.  Mabel  C, 
born  December  7,  1881,  is  now  the  wife 
of  E.  R.  McManiman,  and  resides  at 
Galesburg.  Virgil  A.,  born  March  30, 
1884.  is  with  his  mother  on  the  home 
farm. 

During  the  time  of  his  parents'  resi- 
dence in  La  Harpe,  Charles  E.  Crum  at- 
tended the  public  schools,  and  clerked  in 
various  stores  in  the  city  during  his  boy- 
hood and  youth,  or  until  the  removal  of 
his  mother  to  the  farm  after  the  death  of 
his  father.  He  then  assisted  in  the  op- 
eration of  the  fields  and  the  raising  of 
stock,  and  has  here  continued  to  the  pres- 
ent time,  being  accounted  one  of  the  young 
and  prosperous  farmers  of  this  commu- 
nity. 

Choosing  a  companion  and  helpmate 
for  life's  journey,  he  was  married  Sep- 
tember 25,  1901,  to  Miss  Catherine  C. 
Eradshaw,  likewise  a  native  of  Hancock 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


713 


county,  where  she  pursued  her  early  edu- 
cation,  which  was  supplemented  by  a 
course  of  study  in  St.  Mary's  Academy, 
at  Nauvoo.  She  is  a  daughter  of  George 
W.  and  Delia  (Manifold)  Bradshaw,  the 
former  born  in  La  Harpe,  January  I, 
1841,  a  son  of  Joel  and  Catherine  (Dix- 
on)  Bradshaw,  while  the  mother,  who 
was  born  in  Durham  township,  February 
/,  1853,  is  a  daughter  of  Benjamin  Jas- 
per and  Cornelia  (Hutton)  Manifold,  and 
it  was  here  that  their  daughter  Delia  gave 
her  hand  in  marriage  to  George  Brad- 
shaw, on  the  1st  of  January,  1880.  Unto 
our  subject  and  his  wife  have  been  born 
one  son  and  two  daughters:  Charles 
Pierce,  born  September  20,  1902;  Ruth 
Darlyn,  born  September  4,  1903  ;  and  Ma- 
bel Catherine,  August  18,  1905. 

Mr.  Crum's  study  of  the  political  ques- 
tions and  issues  of  the  day  has  led  him  to 
give  stalwart  support  to  the  Republican 
party,  while  in  his  fraternal  relations  he  is 
identified  with  the  Odd  Fellows  lodge, 
No.  688,  and  the  Modern  Woodmen 
camp,  both  at  Disco.  He  and  his  wife  are 
popular  young  people  and  have  a  host  of 
warm  friends,  to  whom  they  have  become 
endeared  by  reason  of  their  many  traits 
of  character. 


KINZY  H.  BOWEN. 

Kinzy  W.  Bowen  is  the  owner  of  an 
excellent  farm  of  one  hundred  and  fifty 
acres  on  sections  8  and  9,  Fountain  Green 
township,  all  of  which  is  under  cultiva- 


tion save  about  fifteen  acres  of  timber 
land  on  the  latter  section.  His  home 
stands  on  section  8,  and  the  entire  farm 
presents  a  well-kept  appearance.  The 
owner  was  born  in  Terre  Haute  township, 
Henderson  county,  Illinois,  October  21, 
1866.  His  paternal  grandparents  were 
John  and  Pollie  Bowen,  natives  of  Vir- 
ginia. They  became  early  settlers  of 
Terre  Haute  township,  where  John 
Bowen  secured  land  by  entering  a  claim 
from  the  government  on  the  boundary 
line  between  Henderson  and  Hancock 
counties.  He  broke  many  acres  of  prairie 
in  that  vicinity,  and  added  to  his  posses- 
sions until  he  had  an  entire  section  of 
prairie  land,  one-half  in  Terre  Haute 
township  and  the  remainder  in  Raritan 
township. 

Thomas  LaFayette  Bowen,  father  of 
our  subject,  was  born  in  Henderson  coun- 
ty, and  was  married  in  Terre  Haute,  in 
1862,  to  Miss  Sarah  D.  Knowles,  also  a 
native  of  that  county.  Her  parents, 
Philip  and  Martha  Knowles,  were  of  Eng- 
lish descent.  The  former  was  a  minister 
of  the  United  Brethren  church  and  was 
one  of  the  early  settlers  of  this  part  of 
the  state.  Thomas  L.  Bowen  followed 
the  occupation  of  farming  as  a  life  work 
and  still  resides  on  the  old  home  place  at 
the  age  of  sixty-six  years,  but  his  wife 
died  in  January,  1902.  Their  children 
were :  Warren,  who  is  living  in  Yuma 
county,  California;  K.  H.,  of  this  review; 
Dora,  who  died  in  1881,  at  the  age  of 
twelve  years  and  seven  months ;  Allie,  the 
wife  of  C.  E.  Harris,  of  Los  Angeles, 
California. 

Kinzy  H.  Bowen  was  educated  in  the 
district  schools  and  made  his  home  with 


714 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


his  parents  until  March  19,  1888 — his 
wedding  day.  He  married  Anna  M. 
Finch,  who  was  born  in  Terre  Haute 
township,  December  20,  1870,  a  daughter 
of  William  and  Ellen  (Pennie)  Finch,  na- 
tives of  Pennsylvania  and  Virginia,  re- 
spectively. 

After  his  marriage  Mr.  Bowen  lived 
upon  a  rented  farm  in  Henderson  county 
for  a  year  and  then  removed  to  Blandins- 
ville  township,  McDonough  county,  where 
he  rented  the  John  Mustain  farm  for  six 
years.  He  afterward  leased  and  operated 
the  farm  of  C.  H.  Nelson  in  Henderson 
county,  but  after  four  years  returned  to 
McDonough  county  and  purchased  a  farm 
of  one  hundred  acres  in  Emmet  township. 
He  cultivated  it  for  three  years  and  then 
sold  out,  after  which,  in  September,  1902, 
he  purchased  his  present  farm  of  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty-five  acres  in  Hancock  coun- 
ty, all  of  which  is  under  a  high  state  of 
cultivation  and  yields  good  crops  save 
for  a  small  tract  of  timber  land  of  fifteen 
acres.  One  of  the  first  improvements  he 
made  was  putting  up  seven  hundred  rods 
of  woven  wire  fence.  He  is  extensively 
engaged  in  raising  Poland  China  hogs, 
and  for  their  shelter  built  a  house  sixty- 
four  by  sixteen  feet.  He  has  also  built 
u  large  barn  for  horses  and  hay  and  a 
poultry  house,  thirty-two  by  fourteen  feet. 
He  has  a  granary,  buggy  and  implement 
house  and  workshop  on  his  place,  together 
with  a  comfortable  residence,  and  every- 
thing on  the  farm  presents  an  attractive 
appearance,  indicative  of  the  care  and  su- 
pervison  of  the  owner.  In  all  that  he 
does  he  is  practical  and  therefore  success- 
ful. He  deals  extensively  in  draft  horses, 
keeping  about  fifteen  head  on  his  farm. 


The  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bowen  ha 
been  blessed  with  eight  children :  Gu; 
Franklin,  born  August  8,  1889;  Eula  Mil 
licent,  July  2,  1891 ;  Roy  Glenn,  Septem 
her  10,  1892;  Elive  Esther,  December  20 
1894;  Leta  May,  May  14,  1896;  Walte 
Jennings,  May  26,  1897;  Ralph  William 
who  was  born  February  7,  1899,  and  die< 
August  2,  1901 ;  and  Sarah  Ellen,  bon 
August  2,  1901. 

Mr.  Bowen  votes  with  the  democracy 
and  holds  membership  with  the  Moden 
Woodmen  camp  at  Blandinsville.  He  ha 
always  lived  in  this  part  of  the  state,  an< 
since  starting  out  in  business  on  his  owi 
account  he  has  worked  persistently  am 
energetically  in  order  to  provide  a  gooc 
home  for  his  family.  His  laudable  am 
bition  has  been  crowned  with  success,  anc 
his  enterprise  and  diligence  have  come  of 
conqueror  in  the  strife  which  confront; 
every  man  in  the  business  world. 


ANTONE  DAVIER. 

Antone  Davier,  starting  out  in  life  for 
himself  at  the  early  age  of  twelve  years, 
and  realizing  that  labor  is  the  foundation 
for  honorable  success,  has  worked  his  way 
steadily  upward  from  a  humble  beginning 
until  he  is  today  in  control  of  varied  busi- 
ness interests  in  Hancock  county.  A  na- 
tive of  St.  Teene,  France,  his  birth  oc- 
curred September  21,  1856,  and  when 
only  two  years  of  age  was  brought  by  his 
parents,  Antone  and  Frances  Davier,  to 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


715 


America,  the  home  being  established  at 
Nauvoo.  After  a  time  the  parents  re- 
moved to  La  Harpe,  and  the  father  then 
went  to  Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania, 
where  he  secured  employment  as  a  silk 
weaver.  In  1865,  while  returning  from 
Pennsylvania  to  his  family  in  La  Harpe, 
his  death  occurred  on  the  train.  His 
wife  continued  to  reside  in  La  Harpe 
until  her  death,  which  occurred  in  the 
spring  of  1880.  In  the  family  were  only 
two  children,  the  sister  of  our  subject 
being  Mary  Davier,  who  resides  in  Disco. 
Antone  Davier  began  work  as  a  farm 
hand  at  the  early  age  of  twelve  years, 
and  was  employed  in  that  way  during  the 
summer  months  until  he  had  reached  the 
age  of  eighteen,  while  during  the  winter 
seasons  he  attended  school.  Having  been 
trained  to  habits  of  industry  and  economy 
by  saving  his  earnings  he  was  enabled  to 
start  out  upon  an  independent  business  ca- 
reer when  eighteen  years  of  age,  by  rent- 
ing a  farm  belonging  to  James  Gittings, 
which  later  became  the  property  of  I.  \Y. 
Cassell,  and  on  this  farm  Mr.  Davier  con- 
tinued to  reside  for  twenty  years.  Pros- 
pering in  his  undertakings  he  was  then 
justified  in  making  purchase  of  land, 
when,  in  1898,  he  became  the  owner  of 
one  hundred  and  seventy-three  acres,  sit- 
uated on  section  7,  La  Harpe  township. 
He  there  took  up  his  abode  and  con- 
tinued the  work  of  general  agricultural 
pursuits  until  1904,  when  he  leased  his 
property  and  removed  to  Disco,  where  he 
bought  the  elevator  formerly  owned  by 
T.  W.  Kimler,  and  he  is  now  conducting 
a  prosperous  business,  dealing  in  all  kinds 
of  grain  and  stock,  thus  furnishing  a  mar- 
ket for  the  local  trade.  He  also  deals  in 


both  hard  and  soft  coal,  and  this  branch 
of  his  business  is  likewise  proving  a  profit- 
able source  of  revenue  to  him.  In  1902, 
in  company  with  T.  G.  Sights,  Mr.  Davier 
purchased  the  mercantile  establishment 
owned  by  Charles  Collins,  in  which  our 
subject  owns  a  half  interest.  Both  are 
men  of  enterprise  and  carry  a  stock  of 
general  merchandise  to  meet  the  demands 
of  the  general  public.  In  addition  to  the 
farm  which  he  formerly  occupied,  Mr. 
Davier  also  owns  an  eighty-acre  tract  sit- 
uated on  section  5,  La  Harpe  township, 
and  a  second  eighty-acres  tract  situated 
on  section  16,  of  the  same  township. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Davier  is  a 
republican  but  is  not  active  in  the  work 
of  the  party  for  aside  from  his  personal 
business  interests  he  has  little  time  for 
office  holding.  He  has,  however,  served 
as  road  supervisor  of  his  township.  He 
can  well  be  termed  a  self-made  man,  for, 
starting  out  in  life  at  a  very  early  age, 
without  capital  or  assistance  of  any  kind, 
he  has  gradually  worked  his  way  upward 
until  he  is  today  one  of  the  leading  factors 
in  business  and  financial  circles  of  Han- 
cock county.  He  follows  only  the  strict- 
est business  principles  in  the  conduct  of 
his  varied  interests,  and  is  a  man  of  genial 
disposition  and  pleasing  manner. 


JOHN  PITT. 

Former  years  of  prosperity  now  enables 
John  Pitt  to  live  retired  in  Nauvoo,  in 
the  enjoyment  of  a  well  earned  rest. 


7i6 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


Since  1885  he  has  made  his  home  in  this 
county,  where  he  owns  considerable  val- 
uable property.  He  has  now  passed  the 
seventy-ninth  milestone  on  life's  journey, 
his  birth  having  occurred  in  Dymock, 
Gloucestershire,  England,  December  30, 
1827.  His  paternal  grandfather,  Robert 
Pitt,  married  a  Miss  Hill,  and  their  son 
Thomas,  who  became  the  father  of  our 
subject,  was  also  a  native  of  Gloucester- 
shire. Having  reached  adult  age  he  was 
married  in  his  native  country  to  Miss 
Charlotte  Hadwick,  whose  birth  occurred 
in  Herfordshire,  England.  Ten  children 
were  born  unto  them  ere  they  crossed  the 
Atlantic  to  America.  Mr.  Pitt  came  to 
Nauvoo  in  the  spring  of  1841  with  her 
mother-in-law,  Mrs.  Robert  Pitt,  who 
died  during  that  summer.  It  was  the 
intention  of  Thomas  Pitt  to  make  the  voy- 
age in  the  fall  of  1841  but  he  was  delayed 
by  business  complications  until  the  spring 
of  1842. 

John  Pitt,  whose  name  introduces  this 
record,  made  the  trip  to  the  new  world 
with  friends,  who  sailed  to  New  Orleans, 
from  which  town  he  proceeded  up  the 
Mississippi  river  to  St.  Louis,  where  he 
arrived  after  two  weeks.  This  was  in  the 
fall,  of  1841.  He  soon  made  his  way  to 
Warsaw  but  it  was  some  time  before  the 
party  could  secure  wagons  to  bring  them 
on  to  Nauvoo.  After  arriving  at  this 
place  Mr.  Pitt  made  his  home  with  his 
mother  and  did  tithing  by  working  on  the 
Nauvoo  House,  which  is  partially  stand- 
ing today.  The  Mormon  temple  had  re- 
cently been  begun  and  was  completed  to 
such  an  extent  that  services  could  be  held 
therein.  The  father  arrived  in  the  spring 
of  1842  and  purchased  forty  acres  of  land 


on  section  II,  Sonora  township,  which 
at  that  time  was  wild  prairie.  He  then 
hauled  a  load  of  lumber  to  the  place,  left 
it  there  and  started  for  a  second  load. 
Upon  his  return,  however,  he  was  a  long 
time  locating  the  first  load  on  account  of 
the  height  of  the  prairie  grass.  With 
characteristic  energy  he  began  turning  the 
sod  and  cultivating  the  fields,  continuing 
the  work  of  development  and  improve- 
ment throughout  his  remaining  days.  He 
there  established  a  good  home  for  his 
family  and  was  identified  with  general 
agricultural  pursuits  in  Sonora  township 
up  to  the  time  of  his  demise,  which  oc- 
curred in  1887.  His  wife  survived  him 
for  a  number  of  years,  passing  away 
about  1898.  There  was  one  child  born 
unto  them  after  their  arrival  in  this 
county. 

John  Pitt  was  the  sixth  in  a  family  of 
five  sons  and  six  daughters.  He  pur- 
sued his  education  in  the  schools  of  his 
native  country  and  after  coming  to  Amer- 
ica assisted  in  the  work  of  the  home  farm 
until  1853,  when  he  was  married  to  Miss 
Mary  Jane  Chadsey,  whose  birth  occurred 
in  Vincennes,  Indiana.  She  was  a  daugh- 
ter of  John  Milton  and  Margaret 
(Mitchell)  Chadsey,  likewise  natives  of 
the  Hoosier  state.  During  the  Mormon 
troubles  her  parents  were  allowed  to  re- 
main, owing  to  the  fact  that  Mr.  Chadsey 
was  a  mechanic,  although  they  had  been 
ordered  to  depart. 

Following  his  marriage  Mr.  Pitt 
bought  thirty-four  acres  of  land  to  which 
he  kept  adding  from  time  to  time  until 
his  possessions  comprised  five  hundred 
acres,  becoming  one  of  the  extensive  land- 
owners of  the  community.  Subsequently 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


717 


he  deeded  eighty  acres  to  each  of  his  four 
sons  and  he  now  owns  about  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acres  in  different  tracts  in  Rock 
Creek  and  Sonora  townships.  Most  of 
the  land  was  unimproved  when  it  came 
into  possession  but  in  later  years  he  pur- 
chased improved  property.  Indolence  and 
idleness  being  utterly  foreign  to  his  na- 
ture he  resolutely  undertook  the  task  of 
bringing  his  property  under  a  high  state 
of  cultivation  and  in  the  course  of  years 
gathered  good  harvests,  where  had  for- 
merly been  seen  the  native  prairie  grasses. 
He  also  erected  a  fine  brick  residence  to 
replace  the  frame  house  that  was 
destroyed  by  fire  and  this  is  now  occupied 
by  his  son  William,  who  purchased  it 
from  his  father.  Mr.  Pitt  carried  on  gen- 
eral farming  continuously  and  success- 
fully until  1885,  when  he  removed  to 
Nauvoo,  where  he  now  owns  several 
houses  and  lots.  He  also  has  several 
business  blocks  in  the  city  and  his  real 
estate  interests  return  him  a  good  income. 
He  makes  his  home  with  his  son  Charles. 
Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Pitt  have  been  born 
the  following  named:  James  Albert, 
who  is  living  in  Los  Angeles,  California ; 
Lottie,  the  wife  of  Duncan  Cummins,  of 
Bardsdale,  California;  Mary,  the  wife  of 
William  Chadsey,  of  Los  Angeles,  Cali- 
fornia; William  H.,  of  Sonora  township; 
John  Franklin,  superintendent  of  the  oil 
wells  at  Tulsa,  Indian  Territory;  Charles 
Robert,  who  is  living  in  Nauvoo;  Fred, 
who  is  in  Rock  Creek  township,  where 
he  follows  farming;  Lillian,  who  became 
the  wife  of  Frank  Chadsey,  and  died  in 
California  about  1892;  Eva,  the  wife  of 
George  Brown,  of  Los  Angeles,  Cali- 
fornia; and  Mrs.  Cora  Sanders,  who  re- 


sides upon  a  ranch  near  Los  Angeles. 
Mr.  Pitt  and  his  family  are  conencted 
with  the  church  of  the  Latter  Day  Saints 
at  Nauvoo.  He  is  a  republican  and  has 
served  as  school  director,  as  constable  and 
overseer.  In  the  community  where  he 
has  spent  the  greater  part  of  his  life  he  is 
known  as  a  respected  and  worthy  citizen 
who  has  lived  at  peace  with  his  fellowmen 
and  has  been  straightforward  and  honor- 
able in  his  dealings.  He  has  prospered, 
and  an  anajyzation  into  his  life  record 
shows  that  his  success  has  been  the  legiti- 
mate outcome  of  his  earnest  purpose  and 
his  unremitting  industry. 


CECIL  JOHN  SHERMAN  BAXTER. 

The  raising  of  grapes  and  the  manu- 
facture of  wine  are  important  industries 
of  Nauvoo  and  the  surrounding  districts, 
being  large  sources  of  revenue  for  the 
residents  of  the  town  and  locality.  The 
land,  a  gentle  slope  toward  the  Missis- 
sippi, is  especially  adapted  to  grape  cul- 
ture, and  no  finer  grapes  can  be  produced 
in  all  the  country  than  come  from  the 
vineyards  of  this  section  of  the  state. 

Cecil  John  Sherman  Baxter  is  among 
the  number  who  are  carrying  on  business 
as  a  vineyardist  and  manufacturer  of 
wine.  He  was  born  in  Nauvoo,  Feb- 
ruary 1 6,  1 86 1,  and  is  a  son  of  Emil  and 
Annette  (Powell)  Baxter,  the  former 
born  near  Paris,  France,  and  the  latter  in 
England.  Further  mention  of  them  is 
made  on  another  page  of  this  work  in 


7i8 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


connection  with  the  sketch  of  Emil  Bax- 
ter. The  father  engaged  in  the  raising 
of  grapes  and  the  manufacture  of  wine, 
and  in  his  youth  the  subject  of  this  re- 
view became  familiar  with  the  business  in 
its  various  details  and  was  admitted  to  a 
partnership  with  his  father  and  brothers, 
Emil  J.  and  Thomas,  in  1882,  under  the 
firm  style  of  E.  Baxter's  Sons.  He  had 
acquired  his  preliminary  education  in  the 
schools  of  Nauvoo  and  had  attended  Car- 
thage College  for  one  term.  He  then 
entered  busines  life  as  previously  stated 
and  the  enterprise  is  still  conducted  under 
the  firm  style  of  E.  Baxter  &  Sons.  In 
connection  with  his  brother  Thomas  he 
now  owns  ninty-six  acres  of  land  in  the 
city  of  Nauvoo,  which  is  devoted  to  the 
raising  of  grapes.  After  the  father's 
death  the  business  was  continued  by  the 
three  sons  until  1902,  when  Emil  J.  sold 
his  interest  to  Cecil  and  Thomas,  who 
now  conduct  the  business  along  modern 
scientific  lines  resulting  in  success.  They 
make  from  ten  to  twenty  thousand  gallons 
of  wine  annually,  and  have  a  cellerage 
capacity  of  twenty  thousand  gallons. 
They  are  conducting  an  exclusively 
wholesale  business  and  ship  their  output 
largely  to  the  south,  where,  because  of  its 
excellent  quality  it  finds  a  ready  sale  on 
the  market. 

On  the  loth  of  May,  1883,  Mr.  Baxter 
was  married  to  Miss  Elenora  Knithan, 
who  was  born-  in  Nauvoo,  and  obtained 
her  preliminary  education  in  the  public 
schools,  while  later  she  attended  St. 
Mary's  Convent.  She  also  pursued  the 
study  of  music  in  Burlington  under  Pro- 
fessor Richards  and  also  under  Profes- 
sor W.  H.  Sherwood,  spending  several 


years  in  that  city.  She  also  spent  one 
summer  at  Bielefeld,  Prussia,  Germany, 
pursuing  her  musical  education,  and  she 
has  much  more  than  ordinary  talent  in 
this  direction.  She  is  a  daughter  of 
Frederick  and  Elizabeth  (Peters) 
Knithan,  the  former  a  native  of  Dort- 
mund, Prussia,  and  the  latter  of  Marietta, 
Ohio.  Her  grandfather  Knithan  was  a 
prominent  musician,  and  he  with  Paganini 
played  before  the  Emperor  of  Prussia. 
Frederick  Knithan  came  to  the  United 
States  by  way  of  South  America,  having 
spent  a  few  years  in  touring  the  islands 
of  Tierra  del  Fuego.  In  1857  he  settled 
at  Nauvoo.  While  in  Germany  he  had 
studied  and  become  a  practitioner  of  med- 
icine and  after  locating  in  Hancock  coun- 
ty engaged  in  practice  for  a  number  of 
years  at  Nauvoo.  In  1870  he  removed 
to  Burlington,  Iowa,  where  he  practiced 
in  partnership  with  Dr.  Harvey,  and  con- 
tinued an  active  representative  of  the 
medical  fraternity  of  that  city  until  1898, 
when  he  retired  from  professional  life  and 
made  his  home  with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bax- 
ter until  his  death,  which  occurred  De- 
cember 13,  1904. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Baxter  have  been 
born  six  children :  Harriet  Alta,  born 
January  17,  1885:  Salome  Elizabeth,  Oc- 
tober 21,  1886;  Cecil  John,  April  21, 
1888;  Fred  Knithan,  September  17,  1893; 
Anita  Elenore,  January  9,  1894;  and 
Emil  Oscar,  September  6,  1895.  The 
family  home  is  one  of  the  fine  residences 
of  Nauvoo.  It  was  built  of  brick  in  the 
fall  of  1900  and  contains  eleven  rooms. 
It  is  lighted  by  acetylene  gas  and  supplied 
with  all  modern  conveniences  and  acces- 
sories. It  stands  in  the  midst  of  a  beau- 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


719 


tiful  lawn,  adorned  with  fine  shade  trees, 
and  in  addition  to  this  property  Mr.  Bax- 
ter owns  in  connection  with  his  two  broth- 
ers three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of 
land  in  Hand  county,  South  Dakota,  also 
one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Sherman 
county,  Kansas,  and  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  in  Lee  county,  Iowa,  just 
outside  the  city  limits  of  Fort  Madi- 
son and  it  is  his  intention  to  plant 
this  farm  entirely  to  fruit,  owing 
to  the  splendid  adaptability  of  this  sec- 
tion of  the  country  for  fruit  culture.  In 
seeking  for  the  causes  which  have  con- 
tributed to  his  success  we  find  them  not 
so  much  in  their  rarity  as  in  their  harmo- 
nious union  and  they  may  be  briefly 
summed  up  by  saying  that  he  has  the 
tastes  of  a  scholar,  the  manners  of  a  gen- 
tleman and  the  habits  of  a  man  of  busi- 
ness— a  combination  of  qualities  that  are 
bound  to  produce  the  best  results.  He  is 
a  republican  but  without  aspiration  for 
office,  as  his  time  is  fully  occupied  by  his 
constantly  increasing  business  interests. 


DR.  DAVID  LOY  TRESSLER,  PH.  D. 

There  are  few  men  whose  lives  are 
crowned  with  the  honor  and  respect  which 
was  uniformly  accorded  to  Professor 
David  Loy  Tressler.  but  through  many 
years'  connection  with  the  history  of  Car- 
thage his  was  an  unblemished  character. 
With  him  advancement  in  life  was  reached 
through  his  sterling  qualities  of  mind  and 
a  heart  true  to  every  manly  principle.  He 
never  deviated  from  what  his  judgment 


would  indicate  to  be  right  and  hororable 
between  his  fellowmen  and  himself ;  never 
swerved  from  the  path  of  duty  and  con- 
stantly put  forth  earnest  and  effective 
effort  to  lift  his  fellowmen  to  a  recogni- 
tion and  following  of  the  high  ideals 
which  directed  his  own  life.  He  was 
moreover  a  man  of  broad  scholarly  attain- 
ments and  his  intellectual  and  moral  force 
made  him  a  power  for  good  not  only  in 
the  educational  institution  with  which  he 
was  so  long  connected  but  in  Carthage, 
the  county,  and  wherever  he  was  known. 
A  native  of  Pennsylvania,  Dr.  Tressler 
was  born  in  the  village  of  Loysville,  Feb- 
ruary 15,  1839.  His  father  died  in  1859. 
The  son  was  provided  with  liberal  edu- 
cational privileges,  his  father  having  been 
a  noted  educator  of  his  day,  with  keen 
recognition  of  the  value  of  thorough  in- 
tellectual training  as  a  preparation  for 
life's  practical  and  responsible  duties. 
Dr.  Tressler  therefore  prepared  for  col- 
lege in  Loysville  Academy,  an  institution 
founded  by  his  father.  He  subsequently 
entered  Pennsylvania  College  at  Gettys- 
burg, from  which  he  was  granuated  in 
1860  with  the  valedictorian  honors  of  his 
class  and  soon  afterward  he  took  charge 
of  Loysville  Academy,  where  he  was  en- 
gaged in  teaching  at  the  time  of  the  out- 
break of  the  Civil  war.  He  enlisted  for 
service  in  the  Union  army  and  was  com- 
missioned a  captain  of  the  One  Hundred 
and  Thirty-third  Regiment  of  Pennsyl- 
vania Volunteers,  with  which  he  partici- 
pated in  the  battles  of  Fredericksburg, 
Antietam,  South  Mountain  and  others, 
often  inspiring  his  men  with  his  own  cour- 
age, zeal  and-  loyalty.  He  was  twice 
wounded  at  the  battle  of  Fredericksburg 


720 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


and  on  the  expiration  of  his  term  of  ser- 
vice in  1864,  he  was  tendered  a  colonelcy 
but  thought  best  to  decline  the  honor  and 
returned  to  Pennsylvania,  where  he  was 
again  actively  connected  with  educational 
work. 

Dr.  Tressler  entered  upon  the  active 
work  of  the  ministry  in  1870  at  Lena, 
Illinois,  and  in  1872  was  elected  to  a  pro- 
fessorship in  Carthage  College,  while  in 
1873  he  was  chosen  the  first  president  of 
the  institution.  In  connection  with  the 
duties  of  this  office  he  had  charge  of  its 
financial  affairs  which  gave  him  additional 
care  and  labor  and  he  was  likewise  pastor 
of  the  Trinity  Lutheran  church  of  Car- 
thage. He  did  much  in  building  up  both 
the  church  and  the  college  and  was  deeply, 
earnestly  and  zealously  interested  in  his 
chosen  work,  doing'  all  in  his  power  to 
plant  the  seeds  of  intellectual  and  moral 
culture  and  thus  to  lift  man  to  a  high 
standard  of  living  with  principles  which 
work  for  the  best  character  development. 
He  responded  readily  and  willingly  to  all 
calls  which  were  made  upon  him  in  behalf 
of  his  fellowmen  and  it  was  one  of  these 
missions  of  helpfulness  that  he  incurred 
the  illness  which  terminated  his  life's  la- 
bors when  he  was  yet  in  the  prime  of  life. 
He  made  a  trip  to  West  Point  on  horse- 
back and  becoming  very  fatigued  he  con- 
tracted a  severe  cold,  resulting  in  pneu- 
monia. He  was  unable  to  throw  off  the 
disease  and  passed  away  on  the  2oth  of 
February,  1880.  In  early  manhood  Drv 
Tressler  was  married  to  Miss  Ada  Jo- 
sephine Mclntire,  also  a  native  of  Penn- 
sylvania. She  was  a  granddaughter  of  a 
Revolutionary  soldier  and  represented  one 
of  the  old  and  prominent  families  of  the 


Keystone  state.  To  her  husband  she  was 
a  very  faithful  companion  and  helpmate 
on  life's  journey,  sharing  with  him  in  all 
his  efforts  to  benefit  mankind  and  inspir- 
ing him  with  her  encouraging  words  and 
active  co-operation.  Unto  Dr.  and  Mrs. 
Tressler  were  born  five  children.  Mary 
Loretta  is  now  the  wife  of  Professor  Cy- 
rus B.  Newcomer,  of  Carthage  College, 
who  is  mentioned  elsewhere  in  this  work. 
Elizabeth  Agnes  is  the  wife  of  James 
Sumner  Maloney,  a  resident  of  Polo,  Illi- 
nois ;  Charles  J.  is  an  able  lawyer,  repre- 
senting the  firm  of  Swift  &  Company,  of 
Chicago.  The  other  members  of  the 
family  are  deceased. 

Dr.  Tressler  possessed  a  rare  combina- 
tion of  excellent  qualities  which  admirably 
fitted  him  for  the  position  which  he  filled. 
He  was  a  man  of  indomitable  energy,  keen 
intellectuality,  of  ready  tact  and  excellent 
business  ability,  all  of  which  qualities  are 
needed  in  the  successful  management  of 
an  educational  institution.  He  possessed 
a  kindly,  generous  and  sympathetic  nature 
and  cheerful  and  optimistic  disposition, 
being  inclined  always  to  look  upon  the 
bright  side.  He  was  also  a  man  of  ready 
and  pleasing  address,  capable  of  easily 
adapting  himself  to  all  classes  of  people 
and  making  the  humblest  feel  at  ease  in 
his  presence.  In  his  efforts  and  unflag- 
ing  zeal  for  Carthage  College  and  the 
advancement  of  the  Christian  kingdom  he 
sacrificed  his  life  and  the  church  and 
college  lost  in  his  death  one  of  the  most 
efficient  leaders  and  useful  servants.  His 
memory,  however,  is  yet  cherished  by  all 
who  knew  him  and  remains  as  a  blessed 
benediction  to  all  who  were  associated 
with  him  in  his  work  or  came  under  his 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


721 


teaching.  In  the  pulpit  and  on  the  lecture 
platform  he  was  a  fluent  speaker,  having 
his  subject  thoroughly  in  hand  and  ad- 
dressing his  audiences  in  the  logical,  con- 
vincing manner  which  never  fails  to  leave 
a  deep  impress  upon  the  minds  of  the 
hearers.  He  had  but  just  entered  upon 
his  forty-second  year  when  called  to  his 
final  rest.  The  funeral  services,  con- 
ducted by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Kuhl  and  Dr. 
Rhodes,  of  St.  Louis,  were  largely  at- 
tended by  many  ministers  and  friends  out- 
side of  the  city  as  well  as  by  a  large  con- 
course of  Carthage  people.  No  man  in 
Hancock  county  was  ever  more  respected 
or  enjoyed  more  fully  the  confidence  of 
the  public  or  better  deserved  such  respect 
and  confidence.  In  his  lifetime  those  who 
knew  him,  recognizing  his  worth,  rejoiced 
in  his  advancement  and  in  the  honors  to 
which  he  attained  and  since  his  death  they 
have  cherished  his  memory. 


F.  H.  C.  NEWCOMB. 

F.  H.  C.  Newcomb,  whose  life  has  been 
devoted  to  general  farming  and  stock- 
raising,  was  born  in  Colchester,  Vermont, 
March  16,  1828,  and  has  therefore 
reached  the  age  of  seventy-eight  years, 
being  one  of  the  esteemed  and  venerable 
citizens  of  his  part  of  Hancock  county. 
His  parents  were  P.  P.  and  Sarah  Ann 
f  Munson)  Newcomb.  The  father  was. 
born  in  Bardstown,  Massachusetts,  May 
19,  1804,  and  in  1839  removed  from 
Colchester,  Vermont,  to  Rushville,  Illi- 


nois, while  in  1836  he  became  a  resident 
of  Pulaski,  Hancock  county.  When  he 
arrived  there  he  built  a  log  cabin  twelve 
by  twelve  feet,  in  which  he  lived  until  he 
erected  the  first  frame  house  in  the  town. 
For  miles  around  there  was  not  another 
home  but  in  the  course  of  years  the  coun- 
try became  thickly  settled  and  he  con- 
tinued to  reside  in  Pulaski  until  his  death, 
one  of  its  most  valued  and  prominent  pio- 
neers. He  was  reared  to  farm  life  and 
engaged  in  teaching  school  in  both  the 
east  and  in  Illinois.  He  also  worked  at 
the  carpenter's  and  joiner's  trade  in  Pu- 
laski as  well  as  at  cabinet-making  and  was 
thus  early  identified  with  the  industrial 
interests  of  the  town.  After  1850  he 
turned  his  attention  to  merchandising  and 
he  also  owned  an  interest  in  the  bank  at 
Dexter,  at  Newomb  and  at  Augusta.  He 
thus  figured  quite  prominently  in  business 
circles  and  was  thus  closely  associated 
with  the  commercial  and  industrial  de- 
velopment of  this  part  of  the  state.  For 
six  years  he  filled  the  office  of  justice  of 
the  peace,  was  postmaster  for  twenty-four 
years,  school  treasurer  for  twenty-three 
years  and  supervisor  for  four  years,  and 
his  long  continuance  in  these  different  of- 
fices is  an  indication  of  his  capable  service 
and  of  his  fidelity.  His  political  alle- 
giance was  given  to  the  Republican  party 
and  his  religious  faith  was  indicated  by 
his  membership  in  the  Methodist  church, 
in  which  he  served  as  steward  and  re- 
corder. He  married  Miss  Sarah  Ann 
Munson,  a  daughter  of  Theodore  and 
Lydia  (Philbrook)  Munson.  Mrs.  Mun- 
son was  born  in  Dover,  New  Hampshire. 
She  was  poisoned  from  virus  from  the 
wounds  of  her  son  William,  who  was 


722 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


mortally  wounded  at  the  battle  of  Frank- 
lin, and  only  lived  for  six  days  afterward, 
while  Mrs.  Munson  passed  away  Sep- 
tember 20,  1865,  and  now  sleeps  beside 
her  patriot  sons.  Mr.  Munson  also  passed 
away.  Both  were  people  of  the  highest 
respectability  and  genuine  worth,  es- 
teemed for  their  many  good  qualities. 
They  had  a  family  of  seven  children : 
Abigail  Parmeter,  who  is  now  the  wife 
of  William  Reynolds ;  Francis ;  Henry 
Clay,  of  this  review ;  Sarah  Pherona,  the 
wife  of  Dr.  H.  E.  Elliott;  Proctor  Peter, 
who  married  Nancy  Compton,  and  lives  in 
Augusta,  Illinois ;  Wilbur  Fisk,  who  mar- 
ried Fannie  W.  Gordon ;  William  Lan- 
don ;  and  John  Locke.  The  son  Wilbur 
enlisted  August  10,  1862.  in  Company  C, 
Seventy-second  Illinois  Volunteer  In- 
fantry and  at  the  assault  at  Vicksburg  on 
the  22d  of  May,  1863,  was  mortally 
wounded  in  the  head  and  died  on  the  3ist 
of  May.  His  remains  were  disinterred 
by  his  brother.  Proctor  P..  and  his  broth- 
er-in-law, Dr.  Elliott,  and  brought  home, 
being  laid  to  rest  within  sight  of  his  birth- 
place. W.  L.  also  enlisted  at  the  same 
time  of  his  brother  and  in  the  same  regi- 
ment and  was  mortally  wounded  at  the 
battle  of  Franklin,  Tennessee,  November 
30,  1864.  He  was  brought  home  Janu- 
ary 6,  1865,  and  died  on  the  I4th  of  the 
same  month,  so  that  his  remains  were  in- 
terred by  his  brother's  side  in  Augusta 
cemetery. 

F.  H.  C.  Newcomb  was  a  very  young 
lad  when  he  accompanied  his  parents  on 
their  removal  to  Illinois.  He  was  reared 
in  Pulaski  and  acquired  his  education  in 
the  public  schools.  On  the  2ist  of  Feb- 
ruary, 1860,  he  married  Miss  Sarah  Eliza- 


beth Gordon,  who  was  born  in  the  city 
of  New  York  in  1839,  a  daughter  of  Ed- 
win and  Martha  Ann  Gordon,  both  na- 
tives of  New  York.  The  father  was  a 
farmer  by  occupation  and  settled  in 
Adams  county,  Illinois,  at  an  early  day. 
In  their  family  were  ten  children,  of 
whom  eight  are  living :  William,  now  of 
Iowa ;  Anna,  the  wife  of  Rodman  Foster, 
of  Augusta;  Fannie,  the  wife  of  Joe 
Smith,  of  Augusta ;  Neally,  the  widow 
of  Samuel  Fisher,  of  Augusta ;  Mahla, 
the  widow  of  Frank  Bacon,  also 
a  resident  of  Augusta ;  Charles  and 
Ed,  who  are  living  in  the  same  place; 
and  Sarah  E.,  now  Mrs.  Newcomb. 
The  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  New- 
comb  has  been  blessed  with  six  chil- 
dren :  John  Elliott,  born  March  29, 
: 86 1,  is  at  home.  Wilbur  Fisk,  born  Au- 
gust 21,  1863,  died  September  16,  1864. 
Fannie,  twin  sister  of  Wilbur,  died  Octo- 
ber 7,  1864.  Sarah  A.,  born  January  6, 

1865,  is  the  wife  of   Morris   Grain,    of 
Washington,   and   they   have    one   child, 
Helen.        Susan,     born     November     30, 

1866,  is  the  wife  of  Frank  Williams,  of 
Pulaski,    and    they    have    five    children, 
Grace,  Lela,  Roy,  Carl,  and  Abbie.    Mar- 
tha, born  December  29,  1871,  is  the  wife 
of  Fred  Grain,  living  near  Pulaski,  and 
they    have    two    children,    Donald    and 
Dorothy. 

Mr.  Newcomb  is  a  republican  and  has 
served  as  tax  collector.  He  is  one  of  the 
early  representatives  of  the  Odd  Fellows 
and  Masons  lodges  in  this  locality  and 
his  wife  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
church.  Their  home  is  a  farm  of  two 
hundred  and  forty  acres  on  section  36, 
Augusta  township,  and  their  residence 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS: 


723 


was  erected  thereon  in  1893.  Mr.  New- 
comb  has  added  to  the  property  until 
he  now  owns  five  hundred  and  twenty- 
five  acres  in  Augusta  township,  the  great- 
er part  of  which  is  under  a  high  state  of 
cultivation.  He  has  made  all  of  the  im- 
provements upon  the  farm  and  it  is  now 
one  of  the  attractive  features  of  the  land- 
scape. He  has  carried  on  the  general 
work  of  tilling  the  soil  and  has  also  en- 
gaged in  stock-raising,  formerly  dealing 
quite  extensively  in  horses.  He  never  in- 
herited a  dollar  in  his  life  but  is  now  com- 
fortably situated,  his  land  having  in- 
creased in  value  owing  to  the  rapid  settle- 
ment of  the  county  and  also  due  to  the 
many  improvements  he  has  placed  upon 
it  until  he  is  now  comfortably  situated. 
There  was  no  home  between  this  place 
and  Huntsville  when  his  father  arrived 
and  there  were  no  fences  or  other  evi- 
dences to  show  that  the  work  of  civiliza- 
tion had  been  begun.  The  entire  coun- 
try-side was  covered  with  the  native  prai- 
rie grasses  and  Mr.  Newcomb  has  seen  it 
developed  from  such  a  stage  to  its  present 
advanced  condition  of  improvement.  He 
is  thoroughly  familiar  with  pioneer  life 
and  its  experiences  in  this  portion  of  the 
country  and  he  relates  many  interesting 
incidents  of  the  early  days. 


T.  A.  HALLAM. 

T.  A.  Hallam,  who  for  almost  a  half 
century  has  resided  in  this  section  of  Illi- 
nois, is  one  of  the  esteemed  residents  of 


Pulaski — a  man  whom  to  know  is  to  re- 
spect and  honor.  He  has  now  passed  the 
seventy-eighth  milestone  on  life's  jour- 
ney, and  looking  back  over  the  past  he 
finds  little  occasion  for  regret  over  lost 
opportunities.  On  the  contrary  his 
friends  know  him  to  be  a  man  worthy 
of  their  confidence  and  regard  because  of 
the  active,  upright  life  he  has  lived.  He 
was  born  in  Allenton,  Lincolnshire,  Eng- 
land, in  1828,  and  is  a  son  of  Thomas 
Allen  and  Elizabeth  (Bell)  Hallam.  The 
father  was  born  in  Eden,  Lancastershire, 
England,  and  in  that  country  was  en- 
gaged in  the  clothing  business.  He  spent 
his  entire  life  in  his  native  land  as  did 
his  wife,  who  was  born  in  Allenton, 
Lincolnshire.  In  their  family  were  nine 
children. 

T.  A.  Hallam  was  educated  in  the 
schools  of  his  native  country  and  remained 
upon  the  farm  until  eighteen  years  of  age, 
when  he  left  home  and  was  employed  in 
various  ways  in  order  to  earn  an  honest 
living.  He  spent  three  years  in  France 
as  a  civil  engineer,  being  for  two  years 
of  that  time  in  Paris,  and  then  having 
carefully  considered  the  matter  of  emi- 
grating to  America  he  became  convinced 
that  he  would  have  better  opportunities 
in  the  new  world  and  accordingly  made 
arrangements  to  seek  a  home  beyond  the 
Atlantic. 

Before  he  sailed,  however,  Mr.  Hallam 
was  married  in  1857  to  Miss  Anna  Cook, 
who  was  born  in  Lincolnshire,  England, 
in  1832,  a  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Samuel  Cook.  Her  father  died  when  she 
was  a  child.  He  was  foreman  of  a  large 
estate  in  his  native  country  and  there 
reared  his  family  of  seven  children  but 


724 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


only  three  are  now  living :  Mrs.  Hallam ; 
Jabez ;  and  Joseph,  who  has  been  con- 
nected with  the  public  library  at  Quincy, 
Illinois,  since  its  opening. 

Immediately  after  his  marriage  Mr. 
Hallam  and  his  bride  sailed  for  the  new 
world  and  came  to  Ilinois.  Since  that 
time  they  have  resided  in  Quincy,  in  Au- 
gusta, and  in  Nebraska,  at  different 
periods,  and  in  1881  Mr.  Hallam  pur- 
chased ten  acres  of  land  in  Pulaski,  where 
he  now  makes  his  home.  For  many 
years  he  was  actively  engaged  in  farm- 
ing but  has  now  retired '  from  business 
cares  and  enjoys  a  well  earned  rest.  He 
lived  a  life  of  activity  and  enterprise,  and 
his  well  directed  labors  brought  him  a 
measure  of  success  which  is  most  cred 
itable  and  gratifying  and  which  now  sup- 
plies him  with  all  of  the  comforts  and 
some  of  the  luxuries  of  life.  On  becom- 
ing a  naturalized  American  citizen  he 
-  gave  his  political  allegiance  to  the  Repub- 
lican party,  of  which  he  has  ever  been 
a  stalwart  advocate.  He  and  his  wife  are 
now  pleasantly  located  in  Pulaski  and  in 
addition  to  their  home  here  Mr.  Hallam 
owns  a  house  and  lot  in  Augusta,  which 
he  rents.  They  are  people  who  are  es- 
teemed by  young  and  old,  rich  and  poor, 
and  claim  many  friends  among  the  chil- 
dren, all  of  whom  delight  to  visit  at  their 
home.  They  are  both  well  read  upon  cur- 
rent topics  and  though  Mr.  Hallam  has 
passed  the  psalmist's  alloted  span  of  three 
score  years  and  ten,  in  spirit  and  inter- 
ests he  seems  yet  in  his  prime.  His 
ready  adaptability  and  strong  purpose  en- 
abled him  to  make  steady  advancement  in 
business  life  after  coming  to  the  new 
world. 


WILLIAM  MILLER  SPANGLER. 

William  Miller  Spangler,  one  of  the 
oldest  pioneer  settlers  of  Hancock  county, 
now  living  in  Carthage  at  the  age  of 
eighty-four  years,  has  not  only  been  a  wit- 
ness of  many  changes  that  have  occurred 
in  the  city  and  county  but  has  also  been 
a  participant  in  many  events  which  have 
left  their  impress  upon  the  annals  of  the 
county.  His  name  is  inseparably  inter- 
woven with  the  history  of  this  part  of  the 
state  and  this  volume  would  be  incom- 
plete without  mention  of  him.  His.  natal 
year  was  1822  and  the  place  of  his  birth 
Cumberland  county,  Pennsylvania.  His 
father.  Samuel  Spangler,  was  born  in 
Lancaster  county,  Pennsylvania,  April  i, 
1787,  and  on  the  isth  of  October,  1812, 
was  maried  to  Miss  Rebecca  Trego,  who 
was  born  in  the  same  state  April  27,  1788. 
The  father  was  an  expert  mechanic  and 
engaged  in  manufacturing  wagons,  plows 
and  farm  implements.  He  cast  in  his 
lot  with  the  early  settlers  of  Hancock 
county,  Illinois,  in  1838,  and  shared  in 
the  hardships  and  trials  incident  to  fron- 
tier life.  He  served  as  a  soldier  of  the 
war  of  1812  and  at  all  times  was  progres- 
sive and  loyal  in  citizenship.  He  served 
as  school  director  and  was  interested  in 
the  movements  relating  to  the  county's 
development  and  upbuilding.  He  died  in 
Hancock  township  over  thirty  years  ago 
and  his  wife  had  passed  away  a  number 
of  years  previous,  the  remains  being  in- 
terred in  Hancock  township.  In  their 
family  were  nine  children,  Margaret 
Eleanor,  Mary  Matilda,  Joseph  Trego, 
Samuel  Lewis,  William  Miller,  Rebecca 
Skiles,  Emeline  Hannah,  John  Skiles  and 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


725 


Elizabeth  Verdelia.  Of  this  number  John 
was  a  soldier  of  the  Civil  war,  serving 
for  three  years.  He  enlisted  in  the 
One  Hundred  and  Eighteenth  Illinois 
Infantry. 

William  M.  Spangler,  the  only  surviv- 
ing member  of  the  family,  was  educated 
in  the  public  schools  of  Pennsylvania  and 
at  the  age  of  sixteen  years  came  to  Han- 
cock county,  where  he  arrived  to  find  a 
district  that  was  but  sparsely  settled  and 
in  which  the  work  of  civilization  and 
progress  seemed  scarcely  begun.  He  can 
well  remember  the  important  incidents 
of  the  early  days,  including  the  troubles 
which  arose  over  the  settlement  of  the 
Mormons  in  this  part  of  the  state.  He 
has  a  vivid  recollection  of  the  time  when 
Joseph  and  Hiram  Smith,  the  leaders  of 
the  Mormon  church  were  killed.  As  the 
years  went  by  he  watched  with  interest 
the  settlements  that  were  made  and  the 
progress  that  was  carried  on  as  wild  lands 
were  converted  into  productive  farms  and 
as  towns  and  cities  were  built,  bringing 
with  them  all  of  the  industrial  and  com- 
mercial interests  of  the  older  east.  In  his 
youth  he  aided  in  the  arduous  task  of 
developing  the  new  land  at  a  time  when 
one  had  to  walk  in  the  furrows  after  the 
plow  and  when  much  of  the  farm  labor 
was  done  by  hand.  He  continued  with 
his  parents  until  1844,  in  which  year  he 
was  married  to  Miss  Emily  Renshaw,  a 
native  of  Sangamon  county,  Illinois,  and 
a  daughter  of  James  and  Nancy  Renshaw, 
natives  of  North  Carolina,  the  former 
born  September  30,  1803,  and  the  latter 
September  i,  1805.  They  were  married 
June  17,  1824,  and  had  a  family  of  five 
children,  all  of  whom  have  now  passed 


away.  Sarah  Emily,  who  became  Mrs. 
Spangler,  was  born  July  i,  1825,  in  Ken- 
tucky, and  died  July  20.  1899.  Matilda 
Renshaw  was  born  December  12,  1826. 
Martha  Avalene,  born  October  22,  1828, 
died  March  7,  1856.  Elizabeth,  born 
March  2,  1831,  died  September  27,  1854. 
Elijah,  twin  brother  of  Elizabeth,  died 
May  1 6,  1831,  aged  two  months  and 
fourteen  days.  The  father  died  May  22, 
1885,  and  his  wife  at  the  age  of  eighty-six 
years.  This  aged  couple  were  devout 
members  of  the  Methodist  church  and 
were  exceedingly  active  in  religious  work. 
Their  home  was  for  many  years  the  place 
of  entertainment  for  visiting  preachers  to 
their  neighborhood  and  church  services 
were  frequently  held  in  their  house. 
They  were  kind  and  charitable  people, 
giving  freely  to  assist  the  poor  and  needy 
and  doing  much  to  help  their  fellowmen. 
Following  his  marriage  Mr.  Spangler 
was  given  a  farm  in  Fountain  Green 
township,  where  he  lived  until  1856.  This 
was  government  land  entered  by  his  fa- 
ther and  on  it  a  log  cabin  had  been  built. 
In  this  Mr.  Spangler  lived  until  a  new 
house  could  be  erected.  Afterward  he 
removed  to  Carthage,  where  he  lived  for 
a  few  years  but  in  1860  returned  to  Foun- 
tain Green  township.  Later  he  again  lo- 
cated in  Carthage,  where  he  and  his  broth- 
er owned  a  dry  groods  store  and  for  a 
time  he  also  clerked  for  Jesse  Williams, 
who  conducted  a  store  there.  It  was  sub- 
sequent to  this  time  that  Mr.  Spangler 
embarked  in  business  on  his  own  account. 
Later  he  engaged  in  dealing  in  wagons 
and  subsequently  his  attention  was  again 
given  to  farming  interests  until  1886, 
since  which  time  he  has  lived  retired.  In 


726 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REV  IE]}-' 


1865  he  purchased  his  present  home, 
which  he  has  occupied  continuously.  In 
his  business  career  he  has  ever  been  found 
straightforward  and  honorable,  treating 
all  men  in  a  fair  and  impartial  manner 
and  his  business  integrity  and  enterprise 
constitute  the  strong  element  in  his 
success. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Spangler  were  born 
eight  children,  all  born  in  Hancock  coun- 
ty. Matilda,  the  eldest,  born  April  18, 
1845,  was  married  November  10,  1869, 
to  William  Henry  and  lives  in  Emmetts- 
burg,  Iowa.  They  had  five  children, 
namely:  Claud  M.,  of  Redfield,  South 
Dakota,  who  wedded  L.  Genevieve  Show- 
er and  has  a  daughter,  Claudia  Maxine 
Henry ;  Frank  Edmunds  Henry,  who  is 
a  Congregational  preacher  of  Garner, 
Iowa,  who  wedded  Anna  Cameron  and 
has  one  child,  Glenn  Cameron  Henry; 
Mrs.  Mabel  Armstrong,  who  is  living  in 
Dakota  and  has  one  child;  Glenn,  who 
was  the  twin  brother  of  Frank  and  died 
at  the  age  of  six  months;  and  Lena. 
Evelyn  Verdelia,  the  second  daughter  of 
Mr.  Spangler,  was  born  December  19, 
1847,  was  married  in  1896  to  William  C. 
Taylor  and  lives  in  Brown  county,  Kan- 
sas. Virginia  Rebecca,  now  of  Enderlin, 
North  Dakota,  born  June  7,  1850,  became 
the  wife  of  William  Cruff,  who  died  Oc- 
tober 23,  1904.  They  had  been  married 
in  March,  1871,  and  had  five  children: 
James  R. ;  William,  who  is  married  and 
has  five  children,  his  home  being  in  Lucca, 
North  Dakota;  Arthur  Cruff,  who  died 
in  1900;  Frank  Cruff,  who  is  living  with 
his  parents ;  and  Mary  Cruff,  deceased. 
Josephine  Emily  Spangler,  the  fourth 
member  of  the  Spangler  family,  was  born 


April  24,  1853,  and  was  married  Decem- 
ber 26,  1872,  to  Oliver  Miller,  their  home 
being  now  in  Beaconsfield,  Ringgold  coun- 
ty, Iowa.  They  have  five  living  children : 
Madge,  the  wife  of  Dr.  A.  R.  Mulcahy, 
of  Beaconsfield,  Iowa,  by  whom  she  has  a 
son,  Rex;  Fred  Miller,  at  home;  Nellie, 
who  married  and  lives  in  Beaconsfield ; 
Coyle  and  Thomas,  both  at  home.  Mary 
Susan  Spangler,  the  fifth  member  of  the 
family,  born  January  29,  1857,  is  the 
wife  of  W.  A.  Symonds,  of  Carthage,  to 
whom  she  was  married  November  26, 
1878.  She  was  one  of  the  first  graduates 
of  the  Carthage  high  school,  completing 
her  course  there  about  thirty  years  ago. 
She  has  six  children,  Frederick  W., 
Emily  Clare,  James  Spangler,  Raymond 
Hyde,  Mary  Evelyn  and  John  Hawley. 
James  Renshaw  Spangler,  the  sixth  mem- 
ber of  the  family,  born  May  20,  1861, 
died  March  6,  1886.  Nellie  Skile  Span- 
gler, born  April  1 1,  1863,  has  acted  as  her 
father's  housekeeper  since  her  mother's 
death. 

Mr.  Spangler  is  a  prominent  member 
of  the  Presbyterian  church,  to  which  his 
wife  also  belonged.  He  is  now  its  oldest 
member  and  for  the  past  twenty-three 
years  has  served  as  one  of  its  elders.  He 
has  always  taken  a  very  active  part  in 
church  work  and  his  wife  was  his  associate 
in  all  his  Christian  labors.  She  served  as 
treasurer  for  many  years  of  the  Ladies' 
Missionary  Society  and  their  daughter 
Nellie  is  now  secretary  of  the  literature 
committee  of  the  Missionary  Society,  in 
which  capacity  she  has  acted  for,  several 
years  and  was  also  treasurer  of  the  Chris- 
tian Endeavor  Society  for  ten  years.  Her 
maternal  grandmother,  Mrs.  Renshaw, 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


727 


took  several  shares  in  a  Bible  tract  so- 
ciety. Mrs.  Spangler  was  a  very  active 
and  earnest  church  worker,  was  a  home 
loving  woman  and  did  everything  in  her 
power  to  promote  the  happiness  of  her 
husband  and  children.  She  and  her  son 
were  laid  to  rest  in  Moss  Ridge  cemetery 
at  Carthage,  while  her  memory  remains 
as  a  blessed  benediction  to  many  who 
knew  her  and  came  within  the  influence  of 
her  noble  character,  her  gentle  spirit  and 
Christian  life.  Mr.  Spangler  has  always 
been  a  republican  since  the  organization 
of  the  party  and  was  tax  collector  of  Han- 
cock township  but  has  never  sought  to 
become  prominent  in  public  affairs.  His 
wife  inherited  some  property  from  her 
father  and  by  economy  and  industry  Mr. 
Spangler  has  accumulated  a  competence. 
He  is  a  well  preserved  man,  possessing  a 
retentive  memory  and  few  citizens  of 
Hancock  county  have  more  intimate  or 
accurate  knowledge  of  the  events  which 
mark  its  history.  He  is  highly  respected 
in  the  city  and  county  and  his  good  quali- 
ties makes  his  example  one  well  worthy 
of  emulation. 

Since  the  above  was  written  Mr. 
Spangler  passed  away  October  9,  1906, 
and  was  buried  in  Moss  Ridge  cemetery 
at  Carthage,  Illinois. 


JOHN  E.  JOHNSTONS. 

John  E.  Johnstone,  deceased,  was  born 
near  Belfast,  Ireland,  July  12,  1812,  a  son 
of  Robert  and   Eliza    (Mathews)    John- 
stone,  and  came  to  America  with  his  par- 
46 


ents  when  only  -ten  years  of  age.  His 
parents  located  at  Elkton,  Maryland. 
The  father  was  a  contractor  and  builder 
of  railways  and  followed  this  line  of  work 
as  long  as  he  was  in  active  business  life. 
The  grandfather  of  our  subject  had  been 
proprietor  of  extensive  cotton  mills  in 
Ireland. 

John  E.  Johnstone  at  the  age  of  eight- 
een went  to  Baltimore  and  for  a  time  was 
a  clerk  in  a  mercantile  establishment,  and 
later  he  engaged  in  a  retail  mercantile 
business  for  himself.  He  became  ac- 
quainted with  a  prominent  attorney,  Bev- 
erly Johnson,  who  took  a  great  liking  for 
him  and  made  him  a  member  of  his  fam- 
ily, and  throughout  his  young  manhood, 
was  a  warm  personal  friend  and  adviser. 
Later  John  Johnstone  went  to  Hercu- 
laneum,  Missouri,  and  there  engaged  in 
business  with  a  Dr.  Johnson,  later  engag- 
ing in  the  mercantile  business  in  St.  Louis, 
for  a  short  time. 

In  1839  he  came  to  Warsaw  and  estab- 
lished himself  in  the  same  line  in  this  city, 
in  the  same  year  a  Miss  Catherine  Bald- 
win, daughter  of  Epiphras  Bull  and  Hebe 
(Brown)  Baldwin,  of  Carthage,  Illinois, 
came  to  Warsaw  to  visit  an  aunt,  and 
while  here  all  her  girl  friends  were  anx- 
ious to  introduce  her  to  the  new  merchant, 
Mr.  Johnstone,  from  Baltimore.  He  was 
very  popular,  but  little  did  his  lady  friends 
think  they  were  introducing'some  one  who 
would  prove  a  successful  rival.  They 
were  married  at  her  home  in  Carthage 
December  15,  1840.  They  made  their 
home  in  Warsaw  and  Mr.  Johnstone  con- 
tinued in'business  for  many  years. 

Of  the  nine  children  born  unto  them, 
five  grew  to  years  of  maturity.  Ann 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


Eliza,  became  the  wife  of  Gen  Oliver  Ed- 
wards, whose  sketch  appears  in  this  work; 
Emily  Jeanette  married  Horace  A.  Scott, 
and  departed  this  life  at  Osceola,  Ne- 
braska; James  E.  married  Clara  Black 
and  died  in  Wichita,  Kansas,  leaving  four 
children  :  Frances  Ellen  married  Alonzo 
H.  McGregor,  and  spent  the  last  few  years 
of  her  life  and  died  in  Warsaw ;  John 
Charles  married  Anna  Kreipkie  and  lives 
in  St.  Louis. 

John  E.  Johnstone  was  a  whig  and  later, 
a  very  stanch  republican.  He  took  an 
active  part  in  the  Mormon  war  and  re- 
ceived a  commission  from  the  governor 
of  the  state  as  quarter-master,  during 
those  troublous  times.  He  retired  from 
the  mercantile  business  and  served  as  post- 
master several  years,  being  appointed  by 
President  Grant,  and  served  until  after 
Cleveland  went  into  office.  He  became 
identified  with  the  Presbyterian  church 
and  served  as  a  trustee  in  that  body.  He 
was  closely  identified  with  the  growth  of 
Warsaw  from  its  infancy  doing  all  that 
came  to  his  notice  to  aid  in  the  progress 
and  upbuilding  of  the  community.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity 
and  took  great  interest  in  the  work  of 
that  order.  His  death  occurred  August 
5,  1887.  His  widow  is  still  active  at  the 
advanced  age  of  eighty-seven  years. 


STEPHEN  H.  FERRIS. 

Stephen  H.  Ferris,  whose  activity  has 
largely  touched  the  general  interests  of 


city  and  of  muncipality,  is  well  known  in 
Carthage  as  cashier  of  the  Hancock  Coun- 
ty National  Bank,  as  a  friend  and  pro- 
moter of  Carthage  College  and  as  one 
of  the  factors  of  the  Building  and  Loan 
Association,  which  has  proven  of  value 
in  the  upbuilding  of  the  city  and  also  as 
a  valued  mayor.  He  was  born  here  Sep- 
tember 13,  1862,  a  son  of  H.  G.' Ferris, 
and  in  the  public  schools  of  Carthage  he 
began  his  education,  passing  through  suc- 
cessive grades  until  he  became  a  high 
school  student.  Later  he  entered  Car- 
thage College,  from  which  he  was  grad- 
uated with  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts 
in  the  class  of  1882,  while  subsequently 
the  degree  of  Master  of  Arts  was  con- 
ferred upon  him.  He  also  attended  East- 
man's Business  College,  of  Poughkeepsie, 
New  York,  where  he  was  graduated,  and 
soon  after  his  return  home  he  entered 
actively  upon  business  life  in  connection 
with  the  Hancock  County  National  Bank, 
becoming  bookkeeper  of  the  institution  in 
January,  1884.  He  so  continued  until 
elected  director  on  the  23d  of  July,  1884, 
and  at  the  annual  meeting  held  January 
19,  1884,  he  was  chosen  assistant  cashier. 
He  also  held  the  office  of  vice  president 
from  the  nth  of  January,  1898,  until  the 
1 4th  of  January,  1902,  when  he  was 
chosen  cashier,  in  which  capacity  he  has 
since  served,  and  in  connection  with  his 
brother,  J.  C.  Ferris,  he  has  the  active 
management  of  the  bank  which  is  largely 
known  throughout  the  county  as  the  Fer- 
ris Bank. 

A  democrat  in  his  political  affiliation, 
Mr.  Ferris  has  never  been  an  aspirant  for 
political  honors  and  yet  his  fellow  txnvns- 
men  have  called  upon  him  to  serve  in  some 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


729 


positions  of  public  trust.  From  May, 
1903,  until  May,  1905,  he  was  mayor  of 
the  city,  being  elected  on  the  street  paving 
issue.  Mr.  Ferris  was  in  favor  of  perma- 
nent improvements  and  under  his  admin- 
istration the  first  real  work  in  street  pav- 
ing was  done,  including  the  laying  of  the 
pavement  around  the  public  square  and 
to  the  depot,  at  an  outlay  of  between 
thirty  and  forty  thousand  dollars.  His 
fellow  citizens  recognizing  his  stand  in 
support  of  improvements  of  this  character, 
he  was  nominated  for  the  office  and  ac- 
cepted it  in  order  that  he  might  put  into 
practice  his  views  regarding  municipal 
improvements.  He  placed  the  affairs  of 
the  city  upon  a  strictly  business  basis  and 
while  working  for  an  economical  adminis- 
tration he  also  labored  effectively  for 
progress.  While  not  an  active  politician 
he  has  always  been  interested  in  anything 
for  the  public  benefit  and  his  labors  have 
been  of  far-reaching  importance.  He  has 
been  one  of  the  active  members  in  school 
affairs,  has  served  as  a  member  of  the 
school  board  from  April,  1897,  and  dur- 
ing this  time  labored  effectively  and  suc- 
cessfully for  the  erection  of  the  high 
school  building.  .  He  believes  in  the  em- 
ployment of  competent  teachers  and  the 
utilization  of  advanced  ideas  in  regard  to 
public  education  and  this  has  been  mani- 
fest in  many  tangible  results.  He  has 
likewise  been  treasurer  of  Carthage  Col- 
lege since  1884  and  is  still  acting  in  that 
capacity.  He  was  largely  instrumental 
in  organizing  the  Carthage  Building  and 
Loan  Association  in  1885,  in  which  move- 
ment he  was  associated  with  W.  H. 
Davidson,  who  did  the  first  preliminary 
work  in  bringing  matters  about.  At  the 


first  meeting  the  following  officers  were 
elected:  A.  W.  O'Harra,  Thomas  F. 
Dunn,  Edward  Cherrill,  E.  C.  Quimby, 
W.  C.  Hooker,  M.  P.  Berry,  George  W. 
Payne,  Frank  Halbower  and  H.  G.  Ferris. 
Mr.  Ferris  was  elected  secretary  and  has 
since  filled  the  position.  Splendid  success 
has  attended  the  organization  and  a  large 
local  business  has  been  conducted.  Nine- 
teen series  have  matured  and  the  associa- 
tion has  been  the  means  of  bringing  about 
much  substantial  improvements  and  build- 
ing in  Carthage.  His  fraternal  relations 
are  with  Hancock  lodge.  No.  20,  Ancient 
Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  of  which  he 
has  been  master  and  he  is  also  president 
of  the  Citizens  Association.  Wherever 
there  is  a  public-spirited  attempt  to  do 
away  with  misrule  in  municipal  affairs 
he  is  to  be  found  working  with  the  leaders 
of  the  movement  and  he  furthermore 
knows  how  to  utilize  the  practical  methods 
at  hand  in  working  for  the  ideal. 

Mr.  Ferris  was  maried  to  Miss  Helen 
B.  Durkes,  of  Warsaw,  on  the  28th  of 
October,  1885,  and  they  have  become  the 
parents  of  seven  children,  Dorothy  L., 
Ellen  D.,  Adelaide  A.,  Stephen  Hunt, 
Julia,  Phoebe  and  John  D.  The  family 
attend  and  support  the  Episcopal  church 
of  which  Mr.  Ferris  is  a  trustee  and  they 
occupy  a  fine  home  on  Fayette  street. 
The  life  record  of  him  whose  name  intro- 
duces this  review  stands  in  contradistinc- 
tion to  the  old  adage  that  "a  prophet  is 
never  without  honor  save  in  his  own 
country,"  for  in  the  city  where  his  entire 
life  has  been  passed  Mr.  Ferris  is  accorded 
leadership  in  recognition  of  a  public 
spirit  which  places  the  general  good  be- 
fore personal  aggrandizement  and  which 


730 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


labors   unselfishly    for   the   best   interests 
of  the  community  at  large. 


HIRAM  G.  FERRIS. 

Hiram  G.  Ferris,  coming  to  Hancock 
county  when  it  contained  a  population  of 
less  than  two  hundred,  engaged  actively 
upon  the  work  of  upbuilding  and  prog- 
ress and  left  the  impress  of  his  individual- 
ity upon  many  historic  events  and  upon 
the  material  development  of  this  portion 
of  the  state.  He  figured  for  a  long  period 
as  one  of  the  leading  attorneys  and  later 
as  a  prominent  banker  of  Carthage,  and 
he  aided  in  laying  broad  and  deep  the 
foundation  for  the  present  development, 
progress  and  prosperity  of  the  city.  His 
birth  occurred  near  Howard,  Steuben 
county,  New  York,  May  13,  1822,  his 
parents  being  Stephen  G.  and  Emma 
(Beebe)  Ferris.  The  first  authentic  in- 
formation obtainable  concerning  the  Fer- 
ris family  in  America  shows  that  they 
were  residents  of  Connecticut,  living, 
however,  not  far  from  New  York  city, 
during  an  early  period  in  the  settlement 
of  that  part  of  the  country.  Representa- 
tives of  the  name  participated  in  the 
Colonial  wars  and  the  war  for  inde- 
pendence. 

Stephen  Gano  Ferris,  grandfather  of 
our  subject,  was  born  in  Hillsdale,  Colum- 
bia county,  New  York,  in  August,  1788, 
and  was  there  reared.  He  afterward  be- 
came a  resident  of  North  Norwich, 
Chenango  county,  New  York,  when  it  was 


a  frontier  district,  and  there  learned  the 
tanner's  and  furrier's  trade,  which  he  fol- 
lowed until  his  father's  removal  to  Yates 
county,  New  York,  about  1810  or  1812. 
In  the  latter  county  Stephen  G.  Ferris 
devoted  his  time  and  energies  to  farm- 
ing. On  the  nth  of  August,  1814,  the 
twenty-third  anniversary  of  his  birth,  he 
was  married  to  Miss  Emma  Beebe,  a  na- 
tive of  Chenango  county,  New  York. 
He  retained  his  residence  in  Yates  coun- 
ty until  1820,  when  he  removed  to  How- 
ard, New  York,  where  he  resided  until 
1832,  when,  through  the  persuasion  of 
his  brother-in-law,  Jabez  A.  Beebe,  he 
made  his  way  to  Illinois.  Mr.  Beebe  had 
come  to  this  state  and  taken  up  his  abode 
where  Fountain  Green  now  stands. 
Stephen  G.  Ferris  purchased  land  in  this 
state  and  with  his  family,  consisting  of- 
wife  and  six  children,  started  westward 
by  way  of  the  river  route,  proceeding 
down  the  Allegheny  river  to  Pittsburg  on 
a  flatboat,  it  requiring  nine  weeks  to  make 
that  trip.  He  then  took  passage  on  the 
steamer  Niagara  bound  for  St.  Louis, 
where  he  arrived  about  the  ist  of  Decem- 
ber. The  lateness  of  the  year  made  it 
almost  impossible  for  him  to  get  a  flat- 
boat  to  convey  himself  and  family  north- 
ward but  they  eventually  reached  Trad- 
ers' Point,  now  Keokuk,  Iowa,  where 
they  arrived  about  the  loth  or  nth  of 
December.  The  place  at  that  time  con- 
sisted of  only  three  or  four  log  cabins  at 
the  base  of  the  hill.  These  were  occu- 
pied by  three  or  four  traders  and  their 
families  and  there  were  about  one  hun- 
dred Indians  camped  in  the  neighborhood. 
There  were  no  houses  at  Hamilton,  and 
Fort  Edwards,  now  Warsaw,  contained 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


but  one  dwelling — the  home  of  Abraham 
Smith.  It  cost  Mr.  Ferris  sixteen  dollars 
to  have  himself  and  family  ferried  across 
the  river  on  the  i3th  of  December,  1832. 
Accompanied  by  his  son,  John  M.  Ferris, 
he  afterward  walked  to  Horseback  Grove, 
now  Fountain  Green,  a  distance  of  twen- 
ty-two miles.  There  he  employed  a  man 
to  go  for  his  family  and  goods,  the  jour- 
ney being  made  with  a  one-horse  wagon 
and  ox  team,  Fountain  Green  being 
reached  on  the  I5th  of  December,  1832. 

The  brother-in-law,  Mr.  Beebe,  and  his 
family  having  arrived  the  year  before  had 
a  comfortable  double  log  house,  which  he 
shared  with  Mr.  Ferris  until  spring.  The 
latter  then  purchased  one  hundred  and 
ten  acres  of  land  of  Mr.  Beebe,  on  which 
he  erected  a  good,  substantial  pioneer 
residence.  In  1833  he  began  opening  up 
his  farm  and  also  built  a  small  tannery 
but  the  latter  enterprise  was  not  a  success 
on  account  of  the  lack  of  bark.  He  also 
built  a  sawmill  but  that  did  not  prove  a 
profitable  venture  and  in  1836  he  sold  his 
farm. 

On  the  i4th  of  September,  1860,  his 
wife  died  at  Fountain  Green,  and  he  after- 
ward came  to  Carthage,  where  he  made 
his  home  with  his  son,  Hiram  G.  Ferris, 
'residing  there  almost  continuously  until 
his  death,  which  occurred,  however,  on 
the  evening  of  November  29,  1876,  while 
on  a  visit  to  his  son,  Dr.  L.  T.  Ferris,  at 
Fountain  Green.  He  was  then  over 
eighty-eight  years  of  age,  and  his  grave 
was  made  by  the  side  of  his  wife  in  Foun- 
tain Green  cemetery.  He  was  one  of  the 
early  Baptists  of  the  county  and  did  much 
for  that  denomination,  while  in  other 
wavs  he  contributed  to  the  substantial  im- 


provement and  moral  advancement  of  hi? 
community. 

Hiram  G.  Ferris,  whose  name  intro- 
duces this  record,  was  a  lad  of  about  ten 
years  when  he  came  to  this  county.  Here 
he  was  reared  amid  the  wild  scenes  and 
environment  of  pioneer  life,  and  shared 
with  the  family  in  the  task  of  reclaiming 
a  tract  of  wild  land  for  the  purposes  of 
civilization.  His  early  education  was  ac- 
quired in  the  public  schools  and  he  after- 
ward entered  Knox  College,  at  Galesburg. 
where  he  completed  the  work  of  the  junior 
year.  Afterward  in  company  with. David 
D.  Holton  he  made  an  overland  trip  to 
California  in  1850,  driving  a  team  of 
horses.  He  first  engaged  in  placer  min- 
ing in  northern  California,  following  that 
pursuit  for  a  year  or  two,  after  which  he 
was  appointed  one  of  the  commissioners 
who  organized  Siskiyou  county.  Later 
he  was  elected  and  served  for  two  years 
as  county  clerk,  which  office  then  also  em- 
braced the  duties  of  county  register.  At 
the  same  time  General  Colton  was  sheriff 
of  the  county,  which  at  that  time  harbored, 
many  rough  characters  attracted  by  the 
opportunities  of  lawlessness  upon  the 
frontier.  About  that  time  a  mob  tried  to 
rescue  a  member  of  their  gang  from  jail 
but  General  Colton  and  Mr.  Ferris  kept 
them  back  with  drawn  revolvers. 

After  a  number  of  years  spent  on  the 
coast  Hiram  G.  Ferris,  in  1856,  returned 
to  Hancock  county.  Having  previously 
read  and  studied  law  he  made  application 
to  the  supreme  court  of  Illinois  and  was 
admitted  to  the  bar.  Not  long  afterward 
he  formed  a  partnership  with  William  C. 
Hooker,  George  Edmunds,  Jr.,  under  the 
firm  name  of  Hooker,  Ferris  &  Edmunds, 


732 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


which  relation  \vas  continued  until  1873, 
when  the  partnership  was  dissolved.  The 
firm  of  Ferris  &  Hooker  then  practiced 
until  1864,  when  Mr.  Ferris  became  as- 
sociated with  Francis  M.  Corby  and  or- 
ganized a  banking  institution  under  the 
firm  name  of  Ferris  &  Corby.  They  were 
also  interested  in  large  real  estate  transac- 
tions, operating  extensively  in  land  and 
improved  property.  The  bank  was  con- 
tinued as  a  private  institution  until  it  was 
incorporated  under  the  name  of  the  Han- 
cock County  National  Bank,  on  the  i8th 
of  May,  1865.  At  that  time  the  firm  of 
Ferris  &  Corby  passed  out  of  existence 
and  the  bank  took  its  place  with  the  fol- 
lowing directors,  who  also  had  signed  the 
application :  Francis  M.  Corby,  Hiram 
G.  Ferris,  Bryant  T.  Scofield,  Andrew  J. 
Griffith  and  Edward  Cherrill.  The  board 
elected  the  following  officers :  H.  G.  Fer- 
ris, president;  F.  M.  Corby,  vice  presi- 
dent ;  and  Edward  Cherrill.  cashier.  On 
the  i6th  of  January,  1863,  Mr.  Corby  re- 
tired and  Dr.  Griffith  was  elected  vice 
president,  retaining  the  office  until  his 
death  in  1884,  after  which  he  was  suc- 
ceeded by  David  Mack.  Mr.  Ferris  con- 
tinued as  president  until  his  demise  on  the 
20th  of  August,  1893.  The  first  state- 
ment issued  by  the  Hancock  County  Na- 
tional Bank  in  1865  showed  a  business  of 
about  one  hundred  and  seventy-five  thou- 
sand dollars,  and  the  last  statement  issued 
by  this  institution  showed  half  a  million. 
Its  growth  therefore  has  been  steady  and 
healthy  and  it  is  safe  to  say  that  in  its 
forty  years  existence  it  has  handled  be- 
tween twelve  and  fifteen  million  dollars 
of  the  people's  money  and  not  a  cent  has 
been  lost  by  a  depositor  and  not  a  mo- 


ment has  the  bank  closed  its  doors  on  ac- 
count of  financial  stringencies  which  in 
that  period  temporarily  embarrassed  many 
very  good  banking  institutions.  The 
bank  was  first  incorporated  with  a  capital 
stock  of  fifty  thousand  dollars,  which  was 
afterward  increased  to  sevtaty-five  thou- 
sand dollars.  Later,  however,  it  was  re- 
duced again  to  fifty  thousand  dollars  but 
recently  has  once  more  been  raised  to  sev- 
enty-five thousand  dollars.  It  is  now  the 
oldest  banking  institution  in  the  county 
and  was  the  first  national  bank  in 
Carthage. 

Mr.  Ferris  continued  as  president  up  to 
the  time  of  his  death  and  was  also  the 
owner  of  extensive  real  estate  interests. 
The  bank  built  a  fine  two-story  brick- 
structure  on  the  corner  of  Main  and  Madi- 
son streets  and  occupy  the  ground  floor. 
This  was  in  1871,  and  individually  Mr. 
Ferris  also  had  extensive  realty  holdings. 

In  his  political  views  a  stalwart  demo- 
crat, Mr.  Ferris  was  for  a  number  of 
terms  a  member  of  the  board  of  super- 
visors and  for  many  years  served  on  the 
school  board,  taking  a  great  interest  in 
the  cause  of  public  education  in  Carthage. 
He  was  also  president  of  the  town  council 
and  his  aid  and  co-operation  could  be 
counted  upon  to  further  every  progressive 
measure  for  the  good  of  the  community. 
He  was  always  a  stalwart  advocate  of  the 
temperance  cause  and  strongly  opposed 
licensed  saloons  in  Carthage.  In  fact  he 
stood  for  all  that  promotes  honorable,  up- 
right manhood.  He  was  made  a  Mason 
in  1850  and  later  became  a  member  of 
Hancock  lodge,  No.  20,  Ancient  Free  and 
Accepted  Masons,  serving  as  master  for 
a  number  of  terms.  He  was  likewise  a 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


733 


member  of  the  chapter  and  council  and 
Almoner  commandery,  Knight  Templar, 
at  Augusta.  While  in  California  he 
served  as  senior  grand  deacon  of  the 
grand  lodge  of  the  state  for  one  year. 

On  the  2Oth  of  August,  1857,  Mr.  Fer- 
ris was  married  to  Miss  Julia  E.  Holton, 
at  Hill's  Grove,  McDonough  county,  a 
daughter  of  Isaac  and  Phoebe  (Arnold) 
Holton.  They  became  the  parents  of  nine 
children,  all  of  whom  are  yet  living, 
namely:  Junius  C.,  now  president  of  the 
Hancock  County  National  Bank ;  Esther 
Maude,  the  wife  of  Frank  H.  Graves,  one 
of  the  leading  attorneys  of  Spokane, 
Washington ;  Stephen  H.,  cashier  of  the 
Hancock  County  National  Bank ;  Julia, 
the  wife  of  L.  P.  Hobbs,  of  Oregon; 
Ellen,  the  wife  of  Ralph  E.  Scofield,  an 
attorney-at-law,  at  Kansas  City,  Mis- 
souri ;  Phoebe,  the  wife  of  George  W. 
Worcester,  of  Grand  Forks,  British 
Columbia;  Hiram  B.,  of  Spokane,  Wash- 
ington; Joel  E.,  of  St.  Louis,  Missouri; 
and  Harold  G.,  of  Chicago. 

Mr.  Ferris  has  left  worthy  successors 
in  his  sons,  who  are  prominent  business 
men  of  various  localities.  He  was  a 
typical  citizen  of  pioneer  times  and  kept 
in  touch  with  the  general  progress  as  man- 
ifest in  business  development  and  in  pub- 
lic thought  and  action.  He  was  particu- 
larly active  in  the  support  of  Carthage 
College,  was  for  several  years  a  member 
of  its  board  of  trustees,  acted  as  treas- 
urer for  a  time  and  was  one  of  its  stanch 
supporters,  taking  a  most  helpful  interest 
in  its  welfare.  No  movement  for  the 
benefit  of  the  city  or  county  sought  his 
aid  in  vain.  He  was  also  the  president 
of  the  Masonic  fraternal  order  for  a  num- 


ber of  years  and  while  his  attention  was 
mainly  given  to  his  business  interests, 
which  became  extensive  and  important, 
making  him  one  of  the  prosperous  resi- 
dents of  the  community,  he  allowed  the 
accumulation  to  in  no  wise  affect  his  re- 
lations with  those  less  fortunate  and  re- 
garded his  prosperity  merely  as  a  means  to 
;md  end,  delighting  in  the  opportunities 
which  it  gave  him  for  providing  for  his 
family  and  for  assisting  in  matters  of  pub- 
lic moment.  His  name  has  thus  become 
inseparably  interwoven  with  the  history 
of  Carthage  and  Hancock  county,  where 
for  more  than  sixty  years  he  made  his 
home,  passing  away  August  20,  1893. 
His  widow  still  occupies  the  old  home- 
stead, which  he  had  greatly  beautified  as 
the  years  went  by.  It  was  one  of  the 
early  fine  homes  of  the  city  and  is  located 
at  the  southeast  corner  of  Madison  and 
Locust  streets. 


JUNIUS  C.  FERRIS. 

Junius  C.  Ferris,  president  of  the  Han- 
cock County  National  Bank,  and  the  eld- 
est son  of  the  late  Hiram  G.  Ferris,  pio- 
neer, attorney  and  banker,  whose  enter- 
prise was  a  dominant  factor  in  the  early 
development  of  the  city,  was  born  in  Car- 
thage, June  24,  1858.  The  public  schools 
afforded  him  his  preliminary  educational 
advantages  and  he  was  graduated  from 
Carthage  College  in  1878  with  the  degree 
of  Bachelor  of  Arts.  He  afterward  pur- 
sued a  course  in  the  School  of  Mines  of 


734 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


the  Columbia  College,  of  New  York  city, 
c'.ncl  was  graduated  as  mining  engineer  in 
1883.  Returning  to  his  home,  he  became 
associated  with  his  father  in  the  conduct 
of  the  Hancock  County  National  Bank, 
and  in  1887  was  elected  assistant  cashier, 
while  in  1894  he  was  chosen  vice  presi- 
dent and  in  1898  was  elected  president 
of  the  institution.  Prior  to  this  time 
he  had  been  a  member  of  the  board 
of  directors  and  with  his  brother  has 
had  the  active  management  of  the  bank 
since  1894.  This  is  now  one  of  the  larger 
and  more  conservative  financial  institu- 
tions of  the  county  and  Mr.  Ferris  has 
devoted  his  time  almost  exclusively  to  its 
conduct.  The  charter  of  the  bank  was 
extended  February  13,  1906,  and  the  cap- 
ital stock  was  raised  to  seventy-five 
thousand  dollars,  with  the  following  of- 
ficers in  charge:  Junius  C.  Ferris,  pres- 
ident ;  Charles  S.  Dehart,  vice  president ; 
and  S.  H.  Ferris,  cashier.  These  three 
gentlemen  are  also  on  the  board  of  di- 
rectors, together  with  David  E.  Mack  and 
A.  W.  O'Harra.  The  deposits  now 
amount  to  three  million,  five  hundred 
thousand  dollars.  They  do  a  strictly 
commercial  business  and  also  have  a  sav- 
ings department  in  connection.  The  bank 
has  had  an  unusually  successful  existence. 
It  has  stood  firm  in  times  of  financial 
storm  and  a  safe  conservative  policy  was 
instituted  at  its  foundation  by  H.  G.  Fer- 
ris and  his  partner,  Mr.  Corby.  The 
same  straightforward  policy  has  ever  been 
maintained  and  the  business  has  been  con- 
ducted along  practical  lines  broadening 
the  sphere  of  usefulness  as  the  business 
has  increased  and  modern  conditions  have 
demanded.  Mr.  Ferris  of  this  review 


was  one  of  the  incorporators  of  the  Elec- 
tric Light  Company,  which  was  estab- 
lished in  1888.  He  became  one  of  its 
first  directors  and  has  been  treasurer 
since  its  organization.  This  has  been  one 
of  the  successful  public  utility  concerns. 
On  the  27th  of  June,  1899,  Mr.  Ferris 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Adelaide 
Elaine,  of  Monmouth,  Illinois,  and  they 
have  one  child,  Mary  B.  The  family  at- 
tend and  support  the  Presbyterian  church, 
of  which  Mrs.  Ferris  is  a  member.  Mr. 
Ferris  belongs  to  Hancock  lodge,  No.  20, 
Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  of 
which  he  is  a  past  master  and  he  belongs 
to  Carthage  chapter,  No.  13,  Royal  Arch 
Masons,  and  formerly  to  Carthage  coun- 
cil, No.  47,  Royal  and  Select  Masons, 
which,  however,  has  surrendered  its  char- 
ter. He  was  at  one  time  a  member  of  Al- 
moner commandery,  Knights  Templar,  at 
Augusta,  but  has  demitted.  He  votes 
with  the  democracy  and  was  at  one  time 
a  member  of  the  city  council  but  the  hon- 
ors of  office  have  little  attraction  for  him. 
However,  he  is  a  most  public-spirited  citi- 
zen, and  the  name  of  Ferris  has  been  a 
potent  one  in  connection  with  municipal 
improvement  and  development. 


HON.  M,  P.  BERRY. 

Hon.  M.  P.  Berry  is  a  reognized  leader 
in  all  public  affairs  in  Carthage  and  has 
been  specially  strong  in  his  advocacy  of 
those  interests  which  are  matters  of  civic 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


735 


pride.  He  is  well  known  as  a  lawyer, 
having  for  many  years  been  a  practitioner 
at  the  bar,  while  at  this  writing  he  is 
cashier  of  the  Dime  Savings  Bank.  Born 
in  McDonough  county,  Illinois,  May  25, 
1853,  he  is  a  son  of  Lee  and  Martha  (Mc- 
Connell)  Berry  and  a  brother  of  Senator 
O.  F.  Berry,  now  representing  this  dis- 
trict in  the  upper  house  of  the  general  as- 
sembly. His  literary  education  was  com- 
pleted in  Carthage  College  after  leaving 
the  public  schools  and  for  four  years  he 
engaged  in  teaching  in  Hancock  county  at 
Webster  and  Burnside.  Following  his 
preparation  for  the  bar  he  practiced  law 
with  his  brother,  O.  F.  Berry,  their  pro- 
fessional interests  being  continuously  in 
common  until  the  retirement  of  M.  P. 
Berry  from  the  bar.  The  court  records 
show  the  standing  of  the  firm.  In  no  pro1 
fession  is  there  a  career  more  open  to  tal- 
ent than  in  that  of  the  law  and  in  no  field 
of  endeavor  is  there  demanded  a  more 
areful  preparation,  more  thorough  ap- 
preciation of  the  absolute  ethics  of  life 
or  of  the  underlying  principles  which 
form  the  basis  of  all  human  rights  and 
privileges.  Possessing  the  requisite  qual- 
ities of  the  able  lawyer,  Mr.  Berry  stead- 
ily advanced  until,  leaving  the  ranks  of 
the  many,  he  stood  among  the  successful 
few  as  a  practitioner.  Associated  with 
his  brother,  he  established  the  Dime  Sav- 
ings Bank  of  Carthage  and  has  since  been 
active  in  its  management  as  the  cashier, 
while  his  brother  is  serving  as  president. 
In  1874,  was  celebrated  the  marriage 
of  M.  P.  Berry  and  Miss  Harriet  Camp- 
bell, a  native  of  McDonough  county,  Illi- 
nois, and  a  daughter  of  W.  S.  Campbell, 
D.  D.,  who  was  a  Cumberland  Presby- 


terian minister,  spending  many  years  in 
McDonough  county,  where  his  death  oc- 
.  curred.  His  wife  bore  the  maiden  name 
of  Virginia  Kirkpatrick.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Berry  had  one  daughter,  Leota  R.,  who 
was  born  in  Hancock  county  and  later 
passed  away.  Mrs.  Berry  passed  away 
in  November,  1902,  and  mother  and 
daughter  were  laid  to  rest  in  Moss  Ridge 
cemetery.  She  possessed  innate  culture 
and  refinement,  which  made  her  always 
thoughtful  and  considerate  of  others  and 
she  was  avery  active  and  helpful  member 
in  the  church,  holding  all  of  the  different 
offices  in  various  societies  with  which  she 
was  connected.  She  was  also  deeply 
interested  in  the  public  library  and  was 
president  of  the  Library  Club  at  the  time 
of  her  demise.  Her  influence  was  ever 
an  elevating  force,  never  aggressively 
exerted  but  always  quietly  and  modestly 
put  forth.  Her  many  good  deeds  and 
commendable  characteristics  won  her  the 
love  and  esteem  of  all  with  whom  she  was 
brought  in  contact.  In  November,  1904, 
Mr.  Berry  wedded  Miss  Lillian  Black- 
more,  who  was  born  in  Hamilton,  Illinois, 
the  only  daughter  of  Mark  and  Fred- 
ericka  Blackmore,  both  of  whom  are  now 
deceased. 

In  politics  Mr.  Berry  is  a  stalwart  re- 
publican, who  has  made  a  close  and  dis- 
criminating study  of  the  questions  and 
issues  of  the  day.  He  has  several  times 
been  mayor  of  the  city  and  for  fifteen 
years  has  served  on  the  school  board,  act- 
ing as  a  part  of  that  time  as  its  president. 
He  was  also  a  member  of  the  Librarv 
Club  for  several  years  and  it  will'  thus 
be  seen  that  his  co-operation  has  been  an 
active  factor  in  many  of  the  movements 


736 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


which  are  of  direct  benefit  to  the  city.  He 
is  a  prominent  Odd  Fellow  and  has 
served  as  grandmaster  of  his  lodge.  He 
and  his  wife  hold  membership  in  the 
Presbyterian  church,  in  which  he  has  filled 
all  of  the  church  offices  and  has  frequently 
addressed  audiences  from  the  pulpit  in  the 
absence  of  a  pastor.  He  is  chairman  of 
the  devotional  committee  and  has  labored 
zealously  and  untiringly  for  the  growth 
and  the  extension  of  its  influence.  His 
wife  is  a  teacher  in  the  Sunday-school 
and  shares  with  him  in  all  of  his  labors 
for  the  church  and  for  benevolent  and 
charitable  interests.  She  is  eligible  to 
membership  with  the  Daughters  of  the 
American  Revolution  and  is  a  member  of 
P.  E.  O.,  in  which  she  has  been  vice  presi- 
dent and  president.  In  1905,  Mr.  Berry 
built  an  elegant  residence  at  No.  405 
Cherry  street  at  the  corner  of  Marian 
street  and  he  also  owns  much  other  valu- 
able property  in  Carthage.  Theirs  is  one 
of  the  beautiful  homes  of  the  city  in  its 
exterior  adornments  and  interior  furnish- 
ings, displaying  an  artistic  taste  that 
argues  well  for  the  culture  of  its  posses- 
sors. Its  hospitality,  too,  is  one  of  its 
most  attractive  features  and  is  cordially 
extended  to  their  many  friends.  The 
consensus  of  public  opinion  is  unanimous 
regarding  Mr.  Berry's  worth  as  a  citizen 
and  business  man.  All  acknowledge  the 
indebtedness  of  the  public  to  him  for  his 
co-operation  in  measures  for  the  general 
good,  his  labors  at  all  times  being  of  a 
practical  nature  and  at  the  same  time  of  a 
character  that  makes  steady  advance  to- 
ward high  ideals  in  civic  virtue,  in  the 
adornment  of  the  city  and  in  intellectual 
progress.  He  is  justly  accorded  promi- 


nence yet  wears  his  honors  with  becoming 
modesty.  Few  residents  of  Carthage 
have  done  as  much  for  mankind  as  has 
Mr.  Berry  but  it  would  never  be  known 
were  it  left  for  him  to  tell. 


PROF.  CYRUS  B.  NEWCOMER 

While  the  disposition  to  do  honor  to 
those  who  have  served  well  their  race  or 
their  nation  is  prevalent  among  all  en- 
lightened people  and  is  of  great  value 
everywhere  and  under  all  forms  of  gov- 
ernment, it  is  particularly  appropriate  to 
and  to  be  fostered  in  this  country,  where 
no  man  is  born  to  public  office  or  to  public 
honor,  or  comes  to  either  by  inheritance, 
but  where  all  men  are  equal  before  the 
law,  where  the  race  for  distinction  is  over 
the  road  of  public  usefulness  and  is  open 
to  every  one  who  chooses  to  enter  and 
where  the  advantageous  circumstances  of 
family  or  wealth  count  in  the  vast  ma- 
jority of  cases  for  but  little  or  naught. 
Under  our  system,  whose  very  existence 
depends  upon  the  virtue  of  the  people 
themselves,  those  who  have  distinguished 
themselves  in  public  service,  whether  in 
citizenship  or  in  arms  or  in  the  path  of 
civil  usefulness,  should  not  fail  of  recog- 
nition, and  in  this  regard  Professor  New- 
comer deserves  mention,  his  life  in  its 
professional  connections  being  of  great 
value  to  his  fellowmen.  He  is  now  prin- 
cipal of  the  normal  department  of  Car- 
thage College  and  since  1902  has  been 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


737 


professor  of  ancient  languages  in  that  in- 
stitution. 

A  native  son  of  Illinois,  Professor 
Newcomer  was  born  in  Mount  Morris, 
Ogle  county,  October  28,  1866,  a  son  of 
Cyrus  Barr  and  Elizabeth  (Hause)  New- 
comer. The  father  was  born  September 
2,  1829,  in  Greene  county,  Pennsylvania, 
and  the  mother's  birth  occurred  in  Chews- 
ville,  Washington  county,  Maryland,  in 
February,  1835.  He  was  a  cooper  by 
trade  and  for  thirteen  years  he  taught 
school,  most  of  the  time  in  Pennsylvania. 
In  the  spring  of  1861,  however,  he  came 
to  Illinois,  settling  in  Ogle  county,  where 
he  engaged  to  some  extent  in  teaching. 
Much  of  his  life,  however,  in  this  state 
was  devoted  to  farming  and  he  remained 
a  resident  of  Ogle  county  until  his  death. 
In  politics  he  was  earnest  in  his  advocacy 
of  republican  principles  but  never  sought 
office  as  a  reward  for  party  fealty.  He 
lived  a  consistent  Christian  life  and  in 
early  days  was  connected  with  the  River 
Brethren,  but  afterward  became  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Church  of  God.  He  died  in 
Upper  Alton,  in  1896,  his  remains  being 
interred  in  Mount  Morris.  His  widow 
still  survives  him  and  now  resides  with 
her  children,  spending  much  of  her  time, 
however,  in  Upper  Alton.  There  were 
eight  children  in  the  family :  Daniel 
Hause,  a  farmer  residing  near  Mount 
Morris;  Samuel  Martin,  who  resides  at 
Polo,  in  Ogle  county;  William  Tell,  de- 
ceased; Barbara  Ellen,  the  wife  of  Lewis 
Leak,  of  Polo ;  Cyrus  B. ;  William  Tell, 
the  second  of  the  family,  also  deceased ; 
John  David,  of  Mount  Morris,  Illinois; 
and  Mary  Almeda,  the  wife  of  Alvin 
Finney,  of  Forest,  Illinois. 


Professor  Newcomer  began  his  edu- 
cation in  Coon  Creek  schoolhouse  in  his 
home  district  in  Ogle  county  and  after- 
ward spent  one  year  as  a  student  in  the 
public  schools  of  Mount  Morris,  contin- 
uing his  education  in  Mount  Morris  Col- 
lege, from  which  he  was  graduated  in 
1885.  He  then  entered  Carthage  Col- 
lege and  was  graduated  with  the  class  of 
1889,  while  later  he  matriculated  in  the 
State  University  of  Michigan  at  Ann  Ar- 
bor, from  which  he  won  his  Master's  de- 
gree in  1895.  He  pursued  .two  post- 
graduate courses  of  study  in  the  Chicago 
University  in  1899.  During  the  interval 
between  the  attendance  at  Mount  Morris 
College  and  Carthage  College  he  taught 
school  for  a  year,  being  a  part  of  the  time 
in  the  West  Branch  school  and  the  re- 
mainder of  the  time  in  the  Coon  Creek 
school  in  Ogle  county.  After  his  gradu- 
ation from  Carthage  College  he  went  to 
Peabody,  Kansas,  where  he  was  located 
for  three  years  as  principal  of  the  high 
school,  and  in  the  fall  of  1892  he  entered 
the  Michigan  University.  Early  in  the 
year  1895  he  became  principal  of  the  high 
school  of  Belleville,  Kansas,  and  it  was 
in  the  same  year  that  he  received  his 
Master's  degree  at  Ann  Arbor.  In  the 
fall  of  that  year  he  was  elected  to  a  pro- 
fessorship in  Carthage  College  and  also 
made  principal  of  the  normal  department 
in  this  institution,  which  is  under  the  aus- 
pices of  a  general  synod  of  the  Lutheran 
church.  In  1902  he  was  elected  asso- 
ciate professor  of  ancient  languages  and 
still  fills  that  position  and  in  the  summer 
months  he  frequently  teaches  privately. 
He  is  recognized  as  one  of  the  strong  and 
able  educators  of  this  part  of  the  state 


738 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


and  during  the  eleven  years  of  his  con- 
nection with  Carthage  College  has  done 
much  to  advance  its  standard  of  pro- 
ficiency and  scholarship.  Professor  New- 
comer finds  an  interesting  and  pleasant 
occupation  in  raising  ginseng,  called  the 
gold  miner  from  the  fact  that  the  root  is 
somewhat  the  shape  of  a  man.  It  is  re- 
garded as  a  panacea  for  many  ills  by  the 
Chinese  and  when  properly  raised  sells 
for  ten  or  twelve  dollars  per  pound  and 
in  China  brings  its  weight  in  gold.  Pro- 
fessor Newcomer  has  made  a  study  of  the 
plant  for  three  years  and  is  now  devoting 
an  entire  lot  to  the  raising  of  ginseng. 
He  has  purchased  seed  and  hopes  to  have 
his  first  crop  for  sale  in  1906.  This  plant 
requires  shade  like  a  forest  and  is  very 
difficult  to  produce. 

Professor  Newcomer  was  married  De- 
cember 19,  1895,  to  Miss  Mary  Loretta 
Tressler,  who  was  born  in  New  Bloom- 
field,  Pennsylvania,  November  9,  1867. 
and  is  a  daughter  of  Professor  David  L. 
and  Ada  Josephine  (Mclntire)  Tress- 
ler, who  are  mentioned  on  another  page 
of  this  work.  Mrs.  Newcomer  is  a  grad- 
uate of  Carthage  College  and  taught  for 
one  term  at  Chili,  Hancock  county,  while 
for  five  years  she  was  a  teacher  in  the 
public  schools  of  this  city.  She  .was  also 
a  competent  stenographer  in  the  law  office 
of  Scofield,  O'Hara  &  Scofield  in  Car- 
thage. She  is  connected  with  the  Daugh- 
ters of  the  American  Revolution,  being 
regent  of  the  chapter  in  Carthage,  being 
entitled  to  membership  in  this  order  from 
the  fact  that  her  maternal  grandfather, 
John  Mclntire.  was  a  soldier  of  the 
American  army  in  the  war  for  independ- 
ence. She  has  in  her  possession  a  piece 


of  Revolutionary  money  which  came  to 
her  from  her  grandfather  Mclntire  and 
which  is  now  worth  four  dollars.  It 
was  issued  in  1774.  She  is  a  lady  of  su- 
perior intelligence  and  culture  and  of  in- 
nate refinement. 

Professor  Newcomer  is  a  republican  in 
his  political  views.  Both  he  and  his  wife 
are  devoted  members  of  the  Trinity  Lu- 
theran church  and  he  has  served  as  dea- 
con, as  financial  secretary  in  the  council, 
as  superintendent  of  the  Sunday-school 
and  director  of  the  choir.  He  possesses 
a  fine  voice  and  also  plays  the  cornet,  hav- 
ing two  superior  instruments  of  that 
kind.  In  1900  he  built  a  beautiful  mod- 
ern residence  on  College  avenue,  having 
one  of  the  finest  homes  in  the  city.  It 
contains  an  extensive  library  and  all  the 
furnishings  that  go  to  make  a  beautiful 
and  attractive  home.  Professor  New- 
comer is  pleasant,  genial  and  affable  in 
manner,  is  popular  with  his  students  as 
well  as  with  the  general  public  and  is 
splendidly  qualified  for  the  important  po- 
sition which  he  is  occupying  in  educa- 
tional circles  of  western  Illinois.  At  this 
point  it  would  be  almost  tautological  to 
enter  into  any  series  of  statements  as 
showing  him  to  be  a  man  of  broad  in- 
telligence and  genuine  public  spirit,  for 
these  have  been  shadowed  forth  between 
the  lines  of  this  review.  Strong  in  his 
individuality  he  never  lacks  the  courage 
of  his  convictions  but  there  are  as  deter- 
mining elements  in  this  individuality  a 
lively  human  sympathy  and  an  abiding 
charity  which,  as  taken  in  connection 
with  the  sterling  integrity  and  honor  of 
his  character,  have  naturally  gained  for 
him  the  respect  and  good  will  of  men. 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


739 


WILLIAM  R.   PHELPS. 

William  R.  Phelps  is  living  retired  in 
Plymouth  but  for  many  years  was  actively 
associated  with  farming  interests  in  Han- 
cock county,  and  devoted  his  time  and 
energies  to  the  improvement  of  a  good 
property,  which  he  brought  under  a  high 
state  of  cultivation.  He  was  born  in 
Dutchess  county,  New  York,  in  1830,  a 
son  of  Elijah  B.  and  Jane  (Wright) 
Phelps,  the  former  a  native  of  New  Mil- 
ford,  Connecticut,  and  the  latter  of  Fish- 
kill,  Putnam  county,  New  York.  The 
father  engaged  in  school  teaching  in  early 
manhood  and  for  fourteen  years  devoted 
his  energies  to  the  task  of  grinding 
scythes.  He  died  in  his  native  county 
in  1855,  while  his  wife  passed  away  Janu- 
ary i,  1866,  and  was  buried  near  Burn- 
side,  Illinois,  after  making  her  home  with 
her  son  William  for  some  years  prior  to 
her  death.  In  the  family  were  fourteen 
children,  of  whom  seven  are  now  living : 
Eliza,  the  widow  of  Arthur  McArthur, 
and  a  resident  of  Massachusetts ;  Charles, 
of  Augusta,  Illinois;  Tamar,  the  wife  of 
William  Scott,  who  resides  near  Hunts- 
ville  in  Schuyler  county,  Illinois ;  Carrie, 
the  wife  of  Joseph  Bailey,  living  near 
Burnside,  this  state;  and  John,  of  Cali- 
fornia. Four  sons  of  the  family  were 
soldiers  of  the  Civil  war.  James  and 
.  John  were  members  of  the  Sixteenth  Illi- 
nois Volunteer  Infantry,  and  the  former 
was  killed  in  battle,  while  the  latter  served 
throughout  the  period  of  hostilities. 
Chauncey  and  Robert  both  enlisted  for 
service  from  Massachusetts. 

William    R.    Phelps    was    educated    in 
Dutchess  county,  New  York,  to  the  age  of 


fourteen  years,  when  necessity  demanded 
that  he  provide  for  his  own  support,  and 
he  began  work  as  a  farm  hand,  being  em- 
ployed upon  various  farms  in  that  section 
of  the  country  until  twenty-four  years 
of  age.  He  then  determined  to  seek  a 
home  in  the  middle  west  and  on  the  4th  of 
December,  1854,  arrived  in  Wisconsin. 
Soon  afterward  he  made  his  way  to  Free- 
port,  Illinois,  and  for  three  years  he  was 
engaged  in  peddling  stoves  for  a  Wiscon- 
sin firm.  He  then  settled  upon  a  rented 
farm  near  Huntsville,  Illinois,  where  he 
lived  for  three  years,  after  which  he  came 
to  Hancock  county  and  invested  his  sav- 
ings in  a  farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres,  upon  which  he'  also  lived  for  three 
years.  He  then  sold  that  property  and 
purchased  two  hundred  and  forty  acres 
on  sections  5  and  8,  Schuyler  county,  Illi- 
nois. He  built  thereon  a  residence  and 
added  many  other  substantial  improve- 
ments, carrying  on  general  farm  work 
until  about  seventeen  years  ago,  when  he 
located  in  Plymouth,  where  he  has  since 
lived  retired,  building  a  pretty  and  at- 
tractive home  on  Sumner  street.  While 
on  the  farm  he  also  engaged  in  stock- 
raising  and  both  branches  of  his  business 
proved  a  good  source  of  revenue. 

In  1863  occurred  the  'marriage  of  Mr. 
Phelps  and  Miss  Harriet  Atkins,  who 
was  born  in  Schuyler  county,  Illinois,  on 
a  farm  which  Mr.  Phelps  still  owns  there. 
The  year  of  .her  birth  was  1839,  and  her 
parents  were  David  and  Asenath  (Kent) 
Atkins,  natives  of  Connecticut.  The  fa- 
ther, a  carpenter  and  farmer,  came  to 
Illinois  in  1844,  and  three  of  the  brothers 
of  Mrs.  Phelps  were  in  the  Mormon  war. 
Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Atkins  died  in  Schuy- 


740 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


ler  county,  where  they  were  buried. 
They  had  seven  children,  four  sons  and 
three  daughters  but  only  two  are  now 
living,  the  elder  daughter  being  Cornelia, 
the  wife  of  George  Fitch,  a  resident  of 
Iowa.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Phelps  have  had 
three  children,  the  eldest  born  in  Hancock 
county  and  the  other  two  in  Schuyler 
county.  Mary  became  the  wife  of  Albert 
Walter  and  lived  in  Colchester,  Illinois, 
where  she  died  June  8,  1906,  leaving 
three  sons,  Ralph,  Elmer  and  Glenn. 
Fred  W.  married  Lillie  Wade,  lives  at 
Plymouth  and  has  two  children,  Hattie 
and  Leona.  L.  R.  is  living  on  his  father's 
old  farm,  and  married  Miss  Alice  War- 
wick, who  died  in  1889,  leaving  two  chil- 
dren, Harry,  fifteen  years  of  age,  who  is 
now  with  his  father,  and  Eva,  eleven  years 
of  age,  who  is  living  with  her  grandfather 
Phelps.  For  his  second  wife  L.  R.  Phelps 
chose  Vesta  Cooper. 

Politically  a  republican,  Mr.  Phelps  has 
always  kept  well  informed  on  the  ques- 
tions and  issues  of  the  day  but  has  never 
sought  or  desired  office.  He  belongs  to 
the  Congregational  church  and  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  finance  committee,  while  in  the 
various  departments  of  church  work  he 
is  interested. 

From  the  age  of  fourteen  years  he  has 
been  dependent  entirely  upon  his'  own 
resources  and  started  out  in  life  on  his 
own  account  at  a  salary  of  five  dollars 
per  month,  while  the  highest  wage  which 
he  ever  received  for  his  farm  labor  was 
fifteen  dollars  per  month.  As  the  result 
of  his  energy  and  ambition,  together  with 
the  assistance  of  his  estimable  wife,  he  has 
accumulated  a  goodly  share  of  the  com- 
forts of  life  and  in  the  evening  of  his  days 


is  now  enabled  to  live  without  recourse 
to  further  labor,  occupying  a  pleasant  and 
attractive  home  in  Plymouth.  He  has 
passed  the  seventy-sixth  milestone  on  life's 
journey  and  warm  regard  is  -extended  to 
him  by  all  with  whom  he  has  come  in 
contact. 


JOHN  M.  OWEN. 

John  M.  Owen,  who  is  conducting  a 
livery  stable  in  Carthage  on  Wabash 
avenue  and  is  also  one  of  the  "city  fa- 
thers," serving  at  the  present  writing,  in 
1906,  as  alderman,  was  born  in  Chili 
township,  this  county,  in  1852,  his  parents 
being  Archibald  and  Elizabeth  (Mustain) 
Owen,  the  former  a  native  of  Paris,  Ken- 
tucky, and  the  latter  of  Virginia.  The 
grandfather,  John  Stephen  Owen,  came  to 
Illinois  in  1832,  at  which  time  there  was 
no  city  of  Carthage  and  but  few  houses  in 
the  county.  The  Indians  were  far  more 
numerous  than  the  white  settlers  and  wild 
deer  roamed  everywhere.  The  Owen 
family  thus  became  closely  associated  with 
the  pioneer  development  of  the  county  and 
the  name  has  ever  stood  as  a  synonym 
for  progress  and  improvement  as  the 
years  have  gone  by.  The  father,  when 
eight  years  of  age,  came  to  Illinois  with 
his  parents  who  settled  in  Chili  township, 
where  he  lived  on  a  farm  until  1867, 
when  he  was  called  to  his  final  rest.  He 
was  a  democrat  in  his  political  views  and 
was  honored  with  a  number  of  township 
offices.  Both  he  and  his  wife  were  faith- 
ful members  of  the  Methodist  church,  in 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


which  he  served  as  trustee  and  elder. 
His  wife  died  in  1879  and  they  were  laid 
to  rest  in  the  old  cemetery  in  Chili  town- 
ship. In  their  family  were  eight  chil- 
dren :  Nancy,  now  the  wife  of  Charles 
B.  Griffith,  of  Carthage,  Illinois ;  Stephen 
Owen,  who  was  drowned  in  1872,  when 
out  fishing;  John  M. ;  Thomas,  who  is 
living  in  Iowa;  Laura,  the  wife  of  Wil- 
liam Williams,  of  Chili  township;  Eliza- 
beth, the  wife  of  Christopher  Williams 
and  a  resident  of  Chili  township ;  Loretta, 
the  wife  of  James  Conley,  of  West  Point, 
Iowa;  and  Anna,  of  Chili  township. 
Peter  La  Grande,  a  maternal  uncle  of  our 
subject,  served  in  the  Revolutionary  war. 

John  M.  Owen  was  educated  in  the 
public  schools  of  Chili  township,  after 
which  he  operated  a  farm  there  for  some 
years.  On  selling  that  property  he  es- 
tablished a  general  store  in  Stillwell,  Han- 
cock county,  which  he  conducted  until 
1899,  when  he  disposed  of  his  store  and 
removed  to  Carthage,  where  for  two  years 
he  was  engaged  in  dealing  in  agricultural 
implements  and  farm  machinery.  In 
1903,  however,  he  turned  his  attention 
to  the  conduct  of  a  livery  barn  and  sales 
stable  in  connection  with  Homer  C.  John- 
son and  they  now  have  an  office  and  stable 
on  Jefferson  street,  buying  and  selling 
horses  all  through  the  county  and  state. 

In  1 884  John  M.  Owen  was  married  to 
Miss  Wealthy  M.  Gay,  who  was  born  in 
Adams  county,  Illinois,  a  daughter  of 
Vickson  and  Axie  (Davis)  Gay,  the  lat- 
ter a  native  of  the  state  of  New  York: 
The  father  came  to  Hancock  county  at 
an  early  day  and  followed  farming  until 
his  death,  which  occurred  in  1880.  His 
wife  passed  away  in  1887  and  both  were 


buried  in  the  Camp  Point  cemetery.  Mr. 
Gay  was  a  republican  in  his  political  views 
and  allegiance  and  capably  served  in  va- 
roius  township  offices,  to  which  he  was 
called  by  the  vote  of  his  fellow  townsmen, 
who  recognized  his  worth  and  ability. 
Both  he  and  his  wife  were  members  of 
the  Methodist  church.  He  had  three  chil- 
dren by  his  first  wife  and  two  by  his 
second  wife  and  with  the  exception  of  one 
child  of  the  second  marriage  all  are  yet 
living,  these  being  Charles  V.,  a  banker 
at.  Camp  Point,  Illinois ;  Albert,  of  Camp 
Point,  who  is  interested  in  a  farm  in 
Adams  county,  Illinois;  Sophronia,  the 
widow  of  Clayton  McGill,  of  Bowen,  this 
county;  and  Mrs.  Owen.  Unto  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Owen  have  been  born  two  sons,  both 
natives  of  Hancock  county :  Gay,  who 
will  graduate  from  the  high  school  in 
1907,  at  the  age  of  eighteen  years;  and 
Archibald,  who  at  the  age  of  sixteen  years 
is  a  high  school  student  in  Carthage. 
The  parents  are  members  of  the  Presby- 
terian church,  in  which  Mr.  Owen  is  serv- 
ing as  trustee  and  in  the  church  work  they 
take  an  active  and  helpful  part,  being  iden- 
tified with  its  various  societies  and  the 
plans  which  it  has  instituted  for  the  up- 
lifting of  humanity.  In  his  social  rela- 
tions Mr.  Owen  is  an  Odd  Fellow,  has 
passed  all  of  the  chairs  of  the  lodge  and 
i:<  the  honored  treasurer  of  the  Masonic 
lodge  of  Carthage.  Prominent  in  local 
democratic  circles  he  has  held  various  po- 
sitions of  public  trust,  serving  as  collector, 
as  a  member  of  the  school  board  and  now 
as. alderman  from  the  first  ward  of  Car- 
thage. He  and  his  family  live  at  the  cor- 
ner of  Wabash  and  Scofield  streets,  where 
he  has  purchased  a  pretty  home  and  in 


742 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


addition  .to  this  property  he  and  his  part- 
ner own  a  building  ninety-five  feet  front, 
in  which  they  carry  on  their  livery  busi- 
ness.  He  also  has  three  hundred  and 
twenty  acres  of  farm  land  in  Kansas  and 
one  hundred  acres  of  farm  land  in  Han- 
cock county  and  his  real  estate  interests 
are  thus  valuable.  He  is  largely  a  self- 
made  man  and  has  been  very  active  and 
energetic  since  he  left  school,  his  limited 
financial  resources  and  his  enterprise  be- 
ing the  stimulus  to  a  business  career  that 
has  now  been  crowned  with  a  gratifying 
measure  of  success.  He  is  a  large,  portly 
man,  of  warm  heart  and  kindly  disposi- 
tion and  he  is  held  in  high  esteem  in  Car- 
thage, where  he  is  now  comfortably  sit- 
uated in  life. 


SAMUEL  RUSSEL. 

Samuel  Russel,  deceased,  was  one  of 
the  substantial  farmers  and  respected  cit- 
izens of  Hancock  county.  He  was  early 
left  an  orphan  and  had  no  inheritance  but 
possessed  an  energetic  nature  and  by  up- 
right living,  careful  management  and  the 
assistance  of  his  good  wife,  was  enabled 
to  make  steady  progress  in  business,  and 
at  the  time  of  his  death  gave  to  each  of 
his  children  a  good  farm  of  eighty  acres 
or  more.  He  was  born  on  the  Emerald 
Isle  in  1816,  and  when  a  lad  of  fourteen 
years  came  to  America.  Here  he  was 
bound  out  to  a  farmer  who  reared  him, 
as  his  parents  had  both  died  on  the  Em- 


erald Isle.  He  acquired  a  taste  for  house- 
building and  learned  the  carpenter's 
trade,  which  he  followed  for  many  years. 
He  afterward,  however,  concentrated  his 
energies  upon  general  farming,  which  he 
conducted  in  Bear  Creek  township  for 
fifty  years  or  more. 

Mr.  Russel  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Jemima  A.  Hickman,  who  was  born 
in  New  Jersey  in  1823.  Daniel  and  Jo- 
seph Hickman,  brothers  of  Mrs.  Russel, 
were  soldiers  in  the  Civil  war,  entering 
the  army  from  Illinois  and  remaining  at 
the  front  throughout  the  period  of  hos- 
tilities. Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Russel  were 
born  ten  children,  but  only  four  are  now 
living:  James,  a  resident  of  Kansas; 
Nancy,  the  widow  of  Isaac  A.  O'Haver; 
Mary  Jane,  the  wife  of  John  O'Haver,  a 
resident  of  Harmony  township;  and  Jo- 
seph, who  married  Miss  Belle  Clampet, 
and  has  five  children,  three  daughters  and 
two  sons.  Their  home  is  in  Bear  Creek 
township.  The  death  of  Mr.  Russel  oc- 
curred October  17,  1895,  when  he  was 
about  seventy-nine  years  of  age,  and  he 
was  laid  to  rest  in  Graham  cemetery.  He 
left  a  valuable  farm  as  well  as  an  untar- 
nished name  to  his  wife  and  children.  He 
had  started  out  in  life  empty-handed  and 
was  always  dependent  upon  his  own  la- 
bors and  business  ability  for  the  success 
he  achieved.  He  worked  persistently  and 
earnestly  year  after  year  until  he  had 
gained  a  good  start  and  was  enabled  to 
purchase  a  farm.  He  then  devoted  a  half 
century  to  general  agricultural  pursuits 
and  his  work  was  attended  with  a  gratify- 
ing measure  of  success.  His  name  became 
an  honored  one  and  he  well  deserved  the 
praise  and  confidence  that  were  given  him. 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


743 


Mrs.  Russel,  though  eighty-three  years  of 
age,  is  still  very  active  and  accomplishes 
a  great  deal.  She  is  extremely  neat  in 
appearance  and  in  all  that  she  does 
is  a  most  intelligent  and  interesting  lady. 
She  still  owns  ninety  acres  of  good  land 
in  Bear  Creek  township,  which  she  rents, 
while  she  makes  her  home  with  her  chil- 
dren, now  living  with  her  daughter,  Mrs. 
O'Haver. 

This  daughter,  Nancy  Russel,  was  born 
in  St.  Albans  township,  Hancock  county, 
in  1855,  and  in  1879  gave  her  hand  in 
marriage  to  Isaac  A.  O'Haver,  who  was 
born  in  Montrose.  Iowa,  in  1855.  He 
was  educated  in  Missouri,  and  in  1872 
became  a  resident  of  Bear  Creek  township, 
Hancock  county,  Illinois,  where  he  fol- 
lowed the  occupation  of  farming.  After 
coming  to  Illinois,  Isaac  A.  O'Haver  de- 
voted his  time  and  energies  to  general 
farming  and  stock-raising  and  had  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  on  section 
27,  Bear  Creek  township,  where  were  to 
be  seen  good  and  substantial  improve- 
ments. His  political  views  accorded  with 
democratic  principles  and  he  held  several 
township  offices.  He  and  his  wife  were 
devoted  and  faithful  members  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church,  to  the  sup- 
port of  which  they  contributed  liberally. 
Mr.  O'Haver  died  and  was  laid  to  rest  in 
Graham  cemetery.  Of  the  six  children 
born  of  this  marriage  five  are  now  living, 
namely :  Josie,  who  is  engaged  in  teach- 
ing in  the  public  schools  of  this  county ; 
Mary,  the  wife  of  Frank  Swain,  of  Car- 
thage, and  the  mother  of  two  children, 
Merle  and  Leonore;  Joseph,  who  is  op- 
erating the  home  farm :  James,  who  is  as- 
sociated with  his  brother  Joseph  in  the 
47 


work ;  and  Esther,  now  twelve  years  of 
age.  The  families  of  Russel  and 
O'Haver  have  always  commanded  respect 
in  this  county  and  both  Mr.  Russel  and 
Mr.  O'Haver  were  business  men  of  enter- 
prise and  integrity. 


JOSEPH  YARNELL. 

Joseph  Yarnell,  who  passed  away  on 
the  8th  of  August,  1893,  left  behind  a 
most  creditable  record  because  of  a  life 
of  honesty  and  industry  crowned  with 
success  and  the  esteem  of  his  fellowmen. 
He  was  born  in  Uniontown,  Lancaster 
county,  Pennsylvania,  January  4,  1841, 
his  parents  being  David  and  Margaret 
(Neal)  Yarnell.  The  father  was  reared 
in  the  faith  of  the  Society  of  Friends,  or 
Quakers,  and  represented  an  old  family 
of  the  Keystone  state.  In  1850  he  re- 
moved westward  to  Illinois,  settling  in  St. 
Albans  township,  Hancock  county.  In 
the  family  were  seven  children,  of  whom 
four  are  living :  William,  who  resides  in 
Milan,  Kansas,  and  was  a  soldier  of  the 
Civil  war;  Edward  Louisa,  the  wife  of 
James  Lament,  living  in  the  west;  and 
Hattie,  the  wife  of  James  Wirtz,  of  Colo- 
rado. The  parents  are  now  deceased  and 
were  laid  to  rest  in  Chili  township. 

Joseph  Yarnell  was  a  youth  of  eleven 
years  when  he  came  to  Illinois  with  his 
parents.  He  was  educated  in  the  public 
schools  and  remained  under  the  parental 
roof  until  1861,  when,  at  the  age  of  twen- 
ty years  he  responded  to  the  country's 
call  for  troops  and  joined  the  army.  He 


744 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


afterward  re-enlisted  as  a  member  of 
Company  B,  Seventy-eighth  Illinois  Vol- 
unteers and  was  discharged  in  1865  at 
the  close  of  hostilities.  He  served  with 
an  engineer  corps  and  was  a  most  loyal 
defender  of  the  Union  cause.  When  the 
country  no  longer  needed  his  aid  he  re- 
turned to  his  home  and  remained  with  his 
parents  until  he  reached  the  age  of  thirty- 
one  years,  caring  for  the  farm. 

In  1872,  however,  Mr.  Yamell  left 
home  to  establish  a  home  of  his  own,  be- 
ing married  in  that  year  to  Miss  Mary 
E.  Boeshenz,  who  was  born  in  Peoria, 
Illinois,  October  18,  1849,  a  daughter  of 
Mathew  and  Magdalena  (Yoerger) 
Boeshenz.  The  father  was  born  in  Ger- 
many, March  8,  1821,  and  the  mother's 
birth  occurred  in  France,  July  14,  1827. 
Mr.  Boeshenz  came  to  America  when  fif- 
teen years  of  age  with  his  father,  the 
family  home  being  established  in  Ohio, 
whence  he  afterward  removed  to  Peoria, 
Illinois,  where  he  learned  the  blacksmith's 
trade.  In  1854  he  became  a  resident  of 
Chili  township,  Hancock  county;  where 
he  conducted  the  village  smithy.  In  his 
family  were  twelve  children  but  only 
three  are  now  living :  Mrs.  Yarnell ;  Ma- 
tilda, the  wife  of  Charles  Graham,  a  resi- 
dent of  St.  Albans  township;  and  Alfred, 
of  Chili  township.  The  parents  were 
members' of  the  Presbyterian  church  and 
in  its  work  took  an  active  interest,  Mr. 
Boeshenz  serving  as  superintendent  of 
the  Sunday-school.  His  political  support 
was  given  to  the  Republican  party.  He 
died  in  1874,  while  his  wife  passed  away 
in  1873,  and  their  graves  were  made  in 
Chili  cemetery. 

After   their   marriage   Mr.    and    Mrs. 


Yarnell  purchased  forty-nine  acres  of  land 
on  section  28,  Chili  township,  and  later 
he  purchased  the  interest  of  the  other 
heirs  in  his  father's  home  property  and 
erected  thereon  a  nice  residence,  together 
with  substantial  barns  and  outbuildings, 
thus  furnishing  ample  shelter  for  grain 
and  stock.  In  his  business  interests  he 
became  very  prosperous  and  was  widely 
known  as  an  able  and  successful  farmer 
and  stock-raiser.  His  political  views 
were  in  accord  with  republican  principles 
and  he  served  as  school  director  but  other- 
wise neither  sought  nor  held  public  office. 
In  all  his  business  transaction  he  was 
strictly  fair  and  reliable  and  his  advance- 
ment in  the  business  world  was  due  to  his 
unfaltering  energy  and  laudable  ambition. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Yarnell  were  bom 
ten  children :  Margaret,  who  was  former- 
ly a  teacher  in  Chili  township,  is  now  the 
wife  of  Mark  Parsons,  a  farmer  of  that 
township.  Mathew,  who  was  also  a 
teacher  in  the  township,  is  now  operating 
his  mother's  farm.  Benjamin,  who  died 
in  Chili  township,  married  Margaret 
King  and  lives  in  Wenona,  Illinois.  Lena 
is  a  graduate  of  the  Woman's  College,  at 
Jacksonville,  Illinois,  and  now  teaches  in 
Auburn,  this  state.  Lizzie  was  formerly 
a  student  in  the  high  school  in  Bowen  and 
is  now  teaching  in  that  city.  Jacob 
Henry,  a  graduate  o  fthe  Bowen  high 
school,  is  attending  the  State  University, 
at  Champaign,  Illinois.  Mary,  who 
taught  in  Hancock  county  in  1906,  is 
also  a  student  in  the  university  at  Cham- 
paign. Bessie,  Archibald  and  Jeseph,  are 
all  at  home. 

Fraternally  Mr.  Yarnell  was  connected 
with  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic  and 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


745 


had  the  warm  regard  of  his  brethren  of 
the  post.  He  lived  a  life  of  business  ac- 
tivity and  enterprise,  and  although  he 
started  out  on  his  own  account  a  poor 
boy  he  worked  his  way  upward  and  at  the 
time  of  his  demise  was  well-to-do.  He 
was  a  man  most  highly  respected,  for  in 
all  life's  relations  he  was  honorable  and 
upright.  He  thus  left  to  his  family  the 
priceless  heritage  of  an  untarnished  name. 
In  his  home  he  was  a  devoted  husband 
and  father  and  his  neighbors  found  him  a 
faithful  friend  and  the  community  a  val- 
ued citizen.  Mrs.  Yarnell  is  a  member  of 
the  Methodist  church  and  a  most  esti- 
mable lady.  In  addition  to  the  home 
property  she  owns  eighty  acres  adjoining 
this  place,  which  is  operated  by  her  son 
and  also  thirty-six  acres  of  timber  land. 
Her  children  have  all  been  carefully  and 
liberally  educated  and  all  of  the  elder 
members  of  the  family  have  taught  in  the 
public  schools.  She  has  every  reason  to 
be  proud  of  her  family  of  sons  and  daugh- 
ters as  they  are  a  credit  to  her  name. 


W.  T.  HUFF. 

W.  T.  Huff,  who  is  engaged  in  the 
livery  business  in  Carthage,  was  born  in 
Basco,  Hancock  county,  in  1864,  a  son  of 
J.  E.  and  Rebecca  (Bryant)  Huff,  the 
former  born  in  1837  and  the  latter  in 
1840.  His  grandfather,  who  came  from 
North  Carolina,  settled  on  the  first  farm 
which  was  developed  between  Carthage 
and  Basco,  known  as  the  old  Huff  place 


and  J.  E.  Huff  has  been  an  active  farmer 
of  Hancock  county  for  many  years  and 
now  conducts  a  livery  and  hoted  business 
in  Basco.  The  Huffs  have  always  been 
advocates  of  the  democracy  but  have 
never  been  aspirants  for  office  and  both 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  E.  Huff  are  devoted 
members  of  the  Methodist  church.  In 
their  family  were  three  sons :  Lymon, 
who  is  living  in  Basco ;  Charles,  who  was 
telegraph  operator  at  Golden,  Illinois,  for 
a  number  of  years  but  is  now  deceased; 
and  W.  T. 

In  the  public  schools  of  Basco,  W.  T. 
Huff  acquired  his  education,  remaining 
upon  the  home  farm  with  his  father  until 
the  time  of  his  marriage,  on  the  I7th  of 
February,  1887.  The  lady  of  his  choice 
was  Miss  Florey  Foster,  who  was  born 
in  Hancock  county  in  1869,  a  daughter 
of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  M.  Foster.  Her 
parents  were  natives  of  Ohio  and  came 
to  this  state  at  an  early  day.  The  father 
first  engaged  in  teaching  school  at  Ply- 
mouth, Illinois,  and  afterward  settled  up- 
on a  farm  in  Hancock  county.  Later  he 
was  a  teacher  in  the  high  school  of  Can- 
ton, Missouri,  for  a  number  of  years  and 
after  another  period  devoted  to  farming 
he  retired  from  business  life  and  removed 
to  Basco.  At  the  time  of  the  Civil  war 
he  enlisted  in  the  Union  army  and  be- 
came a  general  of  the  Illinois  Volunteers. 
His  political  support  is  given  to  the  Re- 
publican party  and  he  is  an  exemplary  rep- 
resentative of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  hav- 
ing passed  all  of  the  chairs  in  the  local 
lodge,  while  frequently  he  is  a  delegate 
to  the  conventions  of  the  organization. 
Both  he  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the 
Methodist  church  and  he  has  frequently 


746 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


filled  the  pulpit  in  the  absence  of  the  regu- 
lar pastor.  In  the  Foster  family  were 
four  children :  Ida,  the  wife  of  Gilbert 
Kirkpatrick,  who  died  fifteen  years  ago, 
while  her  death  occurred  eighteen  years 
ago ;  Mrs.  Huff ;  Belle,  the  wfie  of  W.  O. 
Fisher,  of  Basco,  Illinois ;  and  Roy,  who 
died  at  the  age  of  five  years. 

After  his  marriage  Mr.  Huff  began  his 
domestic  life  on  a  farm  near  Bentley. 
where  he  remained  one  year  and  then 
purchased  a  tract  of  land  near  Basco, 
where  he  followed  farming  for  two  years. 
He  paid  ten  dollars  per  acre  for  that  prop- 
erty, cleared  the  timber  away  and  trans- 
formed the  land  into  productive  fields. 
Later  he  sold  the  property  to  good  ad- 
vantage and  in  1890  removed  to  Carthage, 
where  he  established  a  livery  business. 
For  the  last  ten  years  he  has  been  located 
on  Main  street.  He  has  horses  and  car- 
riages to  rent  and  he  also  buys  and  sells 
horses.  He  is  in  fact  conducting  a  gen- 
eral livery  business  and  has  been  a  repre- 
sentative of  this  line  of  activity  for  a 
longer  period  than  any  other  liveryman  of 
Carthage.  He  now  has  a  good  business, 
which  has  grown  in  extent  until  he  derives 
therefrom  a  gratifying  annual  income. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Huff  have  been 
born  seven  children,  all  of  whom  were 
born  in  Hancock  county,  namely : 
Vernon,  deceased;  Roy,  who  will  grad- 
uate from  the  Carthage  high  school  in 
the  class  of  1906;  Jessie,  Minnie  and 
Leslie,  all  in  school ;  Leona ;  and  Harold. 

Mr.  Huff  belongs  to  the  Modern  Wood- 
men camp  and  he  and  his  wife  hold  mem- 
bership in  the  Methodist  church,  to  the 
support  of  which  they  have  contributed 
liberally  and  in  the  work  of  which  they 


take  an  active  and  helpful  part.  In 
politics  Mr.  Huff  is  a  democrat  but  has  no 
desire  for  office.  In  connection  with  his 
father-in-law  he  owns  the  building  in 
which  he  is  now  carrying  on  the  livery 
business.  He  is  an  intelligent  gentleman, 
and  has  a  retentive  memory  and  as  his 
entire  life  has  been  passed  in  this  county 
he  is  familiar  with  its  history  through 
more  than  four  decades.  He  can  well 
remember  the  tornado  which  occurred  on 
the  3d  of  July,  1871.  Although  he  was 
but  seven  years  of  age  at  the  time.  The 
storm  came  up  about  six  o'clock  in  the 
afternoon,  his  father  being  away  from 
home  at  the  village  at  the  time.  His 
mother  and  two  cousins  were  ironing  on 
the  east  porch  and  his  two  brothers  were 
plowing  in  the  field.  Seeing  the  ap- 
proaching storm  they  came  to  the  house 
to  inform  their  mother  and  soon  the  wind 
was  blowing  a  terrific  gale.  The  barn 
was  blown  down  and  the  family  had  bare- 
ly gotten  the  doors  and  windows  fastened 
when  the  roof  was  lifted  off  of  the  kitchen 
and  the  top  taken  off  the  stove.  The 
mother  at  once  emptied  the  teakettle  of 
water  in  the  stove  to  prevent  fire.  Then 
the  family  proceeded  to  the  cellar,  for  in  a 
few  moments  the  whole  house,  a  large 
two-story  frame  structure,  was  lifted  en- 
tirely off  the  foundation  and  hurled  to 
pieces,  as  were  also  twelve  or  fifteen  other 
houses  in  the  neighborhood,  while  the 
greater  number  of  the  young  trees  in 
the  orchard  were  torn  up  by  the 
roots,  or  broken  up  and  piled  in 
a  heap  in  the  cellar  doorway.  The 
members  of  the  Huff  family  were 
unhurt,  much  to  the  joy  of  the  husband 
and  father  on  his  return.  Neighbors 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS.  747 

nearby  were  killed,  however,  and  members  by  ambition,  energy  and  upright  dealing 
of  other  families  were  injured  and  Mr.  has  succeeded  in  building  up  a  good  busi- 
Huff  had  to  rebuild  his  home.  W.  T.  ness  and  secured  many  of  the  comforts 
Huff  of  this  review  has  never  had  a  dollar  of  life.  He  is  a  pleasant,  genial  gentle- 
given  him  in  his  life.  He  started  out  in  man  and  one  highly  respected  in  the 
very  limited  financial  circumstances  but  community. 


Index  to  Biographical   Sketches. 


Albers,    Charles 201 

Albers,    Glaus 197 

Albers,  William  Edward 201 

Aldridge,  S.  H 591 

Alvord,   Rudolph  W 665 

Antoine,   John  F 376 

Argast,    Edward 320 

Ash,    William    J 141 

Athey,   Samuel   H 639 

Ayers,   David 241 

Babcock,    James 25 

Bagby,   William 567 

Bailey,  George  W 545 

Bailey,    Joel 563 

Bainter,  John  H 703 

Bainter,  Thomas  J 636 

Baker,    Seth    M 432 

Balsley,   Jacob   C 145 

Barr,   George   W 21 

Barr,   Robert  A 94 

Bascow,  'Alex    W 48 

Baumert,   Michael,   Sr 535 

Baxter,   Cecil   J.   S 717 

Baxter,  Emil  J 338 

Beard,  William  S 350 

Bell,   Josiah  C 629 

Benner,   Benjamin   F 500 

Bennington,  Asa  L 262 

Berry,    .!ohn    M 668 

Berry,  Hon.  M.  P 734 

Berry,  Hon.   O.  F 53 

Bertschi,   Albert 313 

Bertschi,   Carl 337 

Bertschi,  John  W 306 

Bideaux,    William    A 171 

Black,  Benjamin  F 462 

Black,   ilenry  F 577 

Boddekar,  John  J 494 

Bolinger,   James   W 280 

Bollin,    Gottlieb 294 

Bolton,    Alexander 543 

Boston,    Charles   W 225 


Botts,  Joseph  .W 569 

Bowen,  Kinzy  H 713 

Bradfleld,    James    L 278 

Bradfield,  William  F 329 

Bradshaw,   James   M 574 

Bradshaw,  William  D 491 

Brant,  George  M 347 

Bricker,   Henry 662 

Bride,   James 397 

Bridges,   Jcel   W 211 

Bridges,  Wesley  C 205 

Brines,   Edward 622 

Brown,    Edwin 653 

Brown,   Homer   D 82 

Brunton,    Collins 386 

Bryan,    Smith    F 405 

Buckert,  John  H 474 

Buell,    l.overett  W 86 

Burr,    CMcar    H 101 

Butler,  Dr.  William  0 256 

Byers,    Andrew   W 498 

Byler,   Henry  C 55 

Cabet,    Etienne 692 

Campbell,  John  A 555 

Carlton,  Robert  L 416 

Games,   Henry 708 

Carter,    Charles 551 

Casburn,  Floyd  N 434 

Cassell,  Isaac  W 558 

Cassingham,   James  W 263 

Chandler,  Guy  B 296 

Chapman,   Samuel    S 136 

Charpentier,   Julius 547 

Chenowjth,   Marcellus   T. . .  213 

Cherrill,  Edward 32 

Chevillon,    Leon 372 

Clark,    Charles   E 96 

Clark,  Charles  G 228 

Clark-,  James  H. 134 

Clere,   George 493 

Cochran,    John    £ 418 

Coohran,  John  S 184 


Cochran,    Joshua 681 

Conner,   Benjamin   F 138 

Cooke,   Hon.   Charles 607 

Coulson,    George 435 

Coulson,  James  C 539 

Crabill,  John  H 252 

Cravens,   Lucian  W 677 

Crawford,   C.    C 401 

Crawford,   James   F 630 

Crawford,    Thomas 601 

Cruise,   Linus 411 

Crum,    Charles    E 712 

Cummings,  George  M 40 

Cutler,  Francis  M 226 

Cutler,    Clinton 285 

Cutler,  Deles  L 695 

Cutler,   L-wight   C 706 

Cutler,  I-arkhurst  W 114 

Dadant,   Camille  P 91 

Dallam,   Phillip 410 

Davier,   Antone 714 

Davis,   Amos,   Jr 532 

Davis,   Dick   H 663 

Den  ton,  Edmond  P 66 

DeGroot,  John  E 437 

Deitrich,  Joseph  F 289 

Dickinson,  Henry  R 243 

Disselhorst,  August  H 554 

Diver,    Wallace 687 

Dickson,  J.  E 651 

Doolittle,  Charles  B 297 

Downing,  Charles  A 355 

Dorsey,   Joseph 512 

Dye,  William  T 89 

Echbohm,  Martin  C 112 

Eckles,    C.    A 448 

Edwards,  Maj.  Gen.  Oliver.  301 

Ellefritz,    Thaddeus   J 81 

Ellison,    Ralph 120 

Elsea,  Dr.  Homer  J 229 

Essley,   J.   L 640 

Ewing,    John   P 476 


750 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW 


Fail-child,  William  R 675 

Faught,  Verrieus   R 107 

Faulkner,    John 270 

Ferguson,   William   M 315 

Ferris,   Hiram   G 730 

Ferris,  Junius   C 733 

Ferris,  Leonard  T 246 

Ferris,    Stephen   H 728 

Fletcher,    John   A 102 

Folckemer,  Dr.  Harry  R 288 

Frazee,  Dr.   D.   L 573 

Frazer,  J.  1 374 

Frazer,   LaFayette 311 

Frazer,    George 274 

French,  Thomas  G 468 

Fuller,  Dr.  Briggs  J 185 

Galbraith,    John   R 239 

Garner,  John  H 565 

Garnett,   Charles   H 196 

Garwood,   T.  J 550 

George,    Lewis    F 660 

Gibson,    James    F 293 

Gibson,  Robert  C 254 

Giese,   Bernhard 664 

Gilchrist,   Gen.   Charles  A..   523 

Gillham,  Eli  D 673 

Gillham,    Henry 209 

Gillham,  R.  E 156 

Gnann,  Samuel  D 384 

Goddertz,   Mathew 330 

Goehring,  John  C 403 

Gordon,  Robert  S 223 

Gordon,    Samuel 128 

Grant,   John   W 363 

Griffith,    Andrew 615 

Gross,  Jacob  M '. . .   366 

Grove,   Jacob 452 

Grove,  Joseph  N 453 

Haase,   Herman 552 

Habben,  John  M 291 

Haigh,    John 422 

Haigh,  Lewis  D 541 

Hallam,   T.  A 723 

Hamilton,  William  R 683 

Hanson,  Henry  C 119 

Harnest,    S.    E 97 

Harris,  Andrew  J 360 

Harris,   Andrew   Jackson . . .   556 

Harris,   Francis   M 336 

Harris,  W.  R 676 

Harrison,    Edward 521 

Hart,   Selah   G 528 

Hartzell,  William  H 299 

Hastings,  John  B 282 


Hawley,   Mrs.   Jane  L 640 

Hay,    Dr.    Charles 11 

Hay,    Hon.    John 159 

Hay,  Maj.  Leonard  A 242 

Hazen,    Erastus    A 174 

Heberar,  William  L 514 

Hecox,  S    W 341 

Heisler,   John   1 36 

Helfrich,  Joseph  E 486 

Henry,    Martin    A 249 

Herbert,    John 631 

Hewitt,  Cyrus  M 122 

Hill,  Prof.  William  K 19 

Hobart,   Isaac   N 84 

Honce,   William  H 233 

Hooker,  Chellis  E 562 

Hooker,  William  C 560 

Homey,   John  H 194 

Hosford,  Edwin  W 517 

Huff,   Francis   M 357 

Huff,  W.  T 745 

Hughes,   W.    W 371 

Humphrey,    G.    M 503 

Hurdle,  John  N 515 

Jackson,    Hugh 272 

Jackson,    Peter 137 

Jenkins,    Henry 105 

Jones,    Emmanuel 481 

Jones,  Judge  George  W. . . .  478 

Jones,  Samuel  R 158 

Johnson,  Benjamin  F 580 

Johnson,   James   G 326 

Johnson,  John  B 488 

Johnson,  Matthew  M 180 

Johnston,  Dr.  James  E 586 

Johnstone,  John  E 727 

Kaser,    John    D 679 

Kelly,    Dr.    Blair 362 

Ketchum,    Andrew   J 571 

Kimbrough,  Robert  M 79 

Kimbrough,  William  L 147 

Kimbrough,  William  R 148 

Kinkade,  George  W 646 

Kinkade,  Hiram  B 214 

Kirby,    Andrew 456 

Kizer,  John  M 312 

Klinefelter,    George 623 

Knox,  Harrison  0 235 

Koontz,    Hiram 589 

Kropp,    Adam 280 

LaCroix,  George  C 415 

Lamet,    Louis 212 

La  Monte,  Jacob  P 169 

Landis,    Isaac    F 459 


Laubersheimer,    Max 624 

Layton,    Anthony    P 402 

Leach,   James   B 458 

Lee,    Morris   J 696 

Library,  Carthage  Public . . .  593 

Linnenburger,   Henry   G. . . .  413 

Lionberger,  Scott  G 658 

Little,    Franklin    C 23 

Little,   Lorenzo  D 68 

Locke,    George 324 

Lofton,    Charles    B 152 

Loop,    J.    E 151 

Lord,    Joseph    E 529 

Lung,    Jacob    G 153 

Lyon,  William  E 380 

Mack,  David 396 

Maire,    Frederick 287 

Manifold,   Arthur  R 290 

Manussier,  Joseph  V 657 

Marsh,   Col.   Benjamin   F. . .  61 

Marsh,  Hon.  John  W 610 

Marsh,  Dr.  John  W 650 

Marshall,  William  H 444 

Martin,   Charles   T 314 

Martin,  Dr.  Isaac  McCoy. . .  614 

Matthews,   Robert  D ,  470 

McBride,   S.   G 526 

McCarty,  James 433 

McCollom,   Charles   M 465 

McCord,   George  C 392 

McCord,    Noah 655 

McCormick,  Dr.  Franklin  L.  308 

McCrory,    John 649 

McFarland,    Thomas 603 

McGaw,  Samuel  P 688 

McKee,   Albert   N 187 

McKee,  James  W 186 

McNeall,    Arthur 537 

Meyer,   Frederick  W 189 

Milborn,  William  G.,  Jr 496 

Milby,  Fred  N 190 

Miller,  D.   H 42 

Miller,    Lewis    F 585 

Miller,   Joseph    M 033 

Millikin,  Don  C.  S 648 

Mizner,  Robert  H 705 

Moffitt,   James  J 265 

Morrison,    James   E 51 

Monroe,   J.   B 684 

Moore,   William   H 441 

Murphy,    Abner 600 

Myers,   Lewis   M 60 

Nelson,    Reason    A 419 

Nethery,   Robert 583 


HANCOCK  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


Newcomb,  P.  H.  C 721 

Newcomber,  Prof.  Cyrus  B.   736 

Newton,   Lewis   L 118 

Newell,  Josephus 443 

Norris,   John   H 475 

Noyes,   Dr.   William   H.   D. .   215 

Nudd,    Farmer 454 

Ogden,    James 685 

O'Harra,    A.    W 28 

Outhier,  Theophilus 377 

Owen,    John    M 740 

Paul,    James    A 502 

Payne,  George  W 125 

Pence,    Philip 697 

Perrin,  William 446 

Pershing,   Dr.   Francis   O...     34 

Phelps,  William  R 739 

Phillippi,    Alex 497 

Pitt,    Henry   T 316 

Pitt,  John 715 

Plantz,   Truman 592 

Plumb,   J.   A 251 

Plumb,  W.  H 251 

Forth,   Charles 510 

Forth,    Fred 322 

Puntenney,    Ahimaaz 143 

Quick,   Alfred 203 

Rand,    E     H 710 

Randall,    M.   E 581 

Ray,   Daniel   T 27 

Reed,    Dayton    W 222 

Reid,    Lucien    S 207 

Reimbold,  William  C 634 

Reiselt,   Jacob 58 

Reyer,    Fred 690 

Rice,    Clark   H 310 

Rice,    Henry 69 

Richardson,  George  L 509 

Richart,    Oscar   E 399 

Riggins,  William  J 620 

Ritchey,    Josiah 73 

Ritter,  Joseph  D 467 

Roasa,    William 378 

Roberts,  Dr.  Roy  B 637 

Robinson,    C.    J 595 

Robinson,    Barzillai 87 

Robinson,  David  A 408 

Roseberry,  James  A 634 


Roskarup,  Lewis  Gotlieb 201 

Rosenstengel,  Rev.  William.  520 

Rowe,  Edwin  P 124 

Rucker,    Ezekiel 50 

Ruggles,   Thomas 426 

Russel,    Samuel 742 

Sack,    Lewis 155 

Salisbury,  Solomon  J 430 

Sanford,  William  0 423 

Schafer,   Burnett 349 

Scofleld,    Charles    J 275 

Sharp,  Judge  Thomas  C 108 

Sharp,    W.    0 506 

Shipman,  Charles  S 17 

Shindel,   Jacob   E 702 

Shipton,   John   S 43 

Shutwell,    John 439 

Siegrist,   Adolph 588 

Sights,  David  R 318 

Sights,  Thomas  J 319 

Simpson,  Silvanus  E 504 

Slingerland,   George   H 599 

Smith,    George 633 

Smith,    Lee 178 

Smith,  Dr.  William  K 268 

Spangler,  William  M 724 

Spence,    Charles    F 489 

Stahl,  Rev.  John 693 

Stewart,   Robert  P 116 

Stidum,  William  C 451 

Stone,  Samuel  T 231 

Sturm,    Henry 540 

Sweeney,    Samuel 626 

Symonds,  William  A 192 

Thatcher,    Benjamin   F 654 

Thomas,  L.  Thaddeus 382 

Thomas,  William  H 234 

Thompson,  George  H 331 

Thornber,    John    T 388 

Thornber,    Henry 359 

Timasheske,   Lawrence 576 

Tomlinson,  William  J 450 

Trautvetter,  George  A 172 

Traverse,  William   F 666 

Tressler,  Dr.  David  L 719 

Van  Aernam,  Charles  H 616 

Van  Aernam,  Ransom   D.  . .   617 
Vaughn,  Luke  M 39 


Vincent,  Samuel  C 264 

Walker,    Frank    W 132 

Walker,   George 258 

Walker,   Thomas   1 46 

Wallace,  Eugene  A 167 

Walton,    Fred   M 353 

Ward,    Zebdiah 176 

Warner,   Dr.   Charles  '  A. ...   204 

Waterman,  August 325  , 

Watt,  Lyman  W 126 

Weathers,   Mrs.   Joshua   S . .   699 

Webb,   George  W 472 

Webb,  William   C 597 

Weber,    Henry 165 

Weber,    William 346 

Weisenborn,  Otto  F 644 

Weiser,    Simon   D 237 

Wellner,  John 343 

Westfall,    James   W 425 

Whitcomb,  John  D 344 

Whitcomb,  Wyman  T 342 

White,   Zimri 71 

Wilke,  August  C 619 

Wilke,   William  J 701 

Wilkens,    Charles 385 

Wilkens,    John 365 

Wilkinson,  Fred  A 519 

Willey,   Jonathon   C 77 

Williams,  Henry  C 484 

Williams,  Prof.  James  E 220 

Williams,  Hon.  Jesse  C 333 

Williams,  John  R 641 

Williams,  John  Wesley 671 

Williams,    Wesley 669 

Williams,  Wesley  C 670 

Wood,  De  Witt  C 596 

Woodside,  William  L 268 

Woolfolk,   Austin   C 426 

Worthen,  Amos   H 367 

Worthen,  Amos   H 391 

Worthen,    Charles 391 

Worthen,  George  B 394 

Worthen,  John  B 390 

Yarnell,   Joseph 743 

Yeager,  James  P 354 

Yetter,  George  W 606 

Yetter,  Samuel  R 130 

Young,    Lorenzo 507 


BIOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW  OF  HANCOCK  COUNTY   i