USA > Illinois > A history of southern Illinois; a narrative account of its historical progress, its people, and its principal interests > Part 13
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and putting the Eden mine property in shape for operation, its ultimate sale to the Willis Coal & Mining Company and subsequent lease from them to the Wilson Brothers to operate the mine.
Although this is one of the leading properties in this region of coal mining, and while Mr. Wilson and his brothers have been identified with its operation since 1906, he opened Mine No. 4 for the Ilinois Fuel Com- pany and also opened the Moffat mine of Sparta. The mining of coal has been Mr. Wilson's lot from childhood and few years of his career since attaining his majority has he devoted himself to other work.
Mr. Wilson was married in Whatcheer, Iowa, in November, 1890, to Miss Christina Moffat, a daughter of John Moffat, also from Scotland. The issue of this marriage are: Christine, a graduate of the Sparta high school and a teacher in the public schools of Randolph county ; and Eliza- beth, Frank, William and John, all of whom remain at the parentat home.
Mr. Wilson's life, as already seen, has been devoted to industry and few matters ontside of those affecting his family or his craft have at- tracted him. His polities are severely independent and his publie serv- ice has consisted alone in his work as a member of the Sparta conneil one term, during which the saloons made their exit from the community. lle is one of the congregation of Gospel Hall and occasionally supplies the pulpit there. Since returning from his evangelistie work in Scotland Mr. Wilson's activity as a minister has been only occasional when he takes a holiday. fle is a man of broad and noble principle and his life has been exemplary in every respect.
Sinee coming to Sparta he pursued a course in mining in the I. C. Schools of Seranton, Pennsylvania. At the urgent request of a St. Louis company, he went to Arkansas to manage its property, but re- turned broken in health. John Mitchel, when president of the U. M. W. of A., sent a special delegate from the Indianapolis convention requesting him to work for the U. M. W. of A., either in West Virginia or Illinois, saying : "We get more out of the operators when they recognize our man to be fair minded." Mr. Wilson loves home too much to enter on such work, and refused the very liberal offer. Ile formed this resolution early in life, "Never be idle," and when not engaged manually, he is mentally.
HENRY M. SMITH. Long and faithful service of the most unselfish and high-minded order marked the eareer of the late II. M. Smith, prominent in the political and other activities of Pulaski county for forty years, and a resident of the state of Illinois since he was a lad of ten until the time of his death, which occurred in 1898. Never a politician, but always deeply interested in the best welfare of the Republican party, whose ad- herent he was. he was called by the people to fill various important offices within their gift, and as the incumbent of those offices he labored honestly and with a singleness of purpose which proved him to be a man of in- trinsie worth, well fitted to be employed in the services of the community in which he lived and moved.
Judge Smith was born in Newberry District, South Carolina, May 3. 1820. He was the son of Daniel Lee Smith, a native of Virginia, who settled in South Carolina in early life and there married Elizabeth Hamp- ton. They came to Illinois in 1830, located in Pulaski county, where Daniel L. Smith opened a farm. His death occurred in Jeaf, one year previous to the death of his wife. They reared a family of five children : Eliza l., who married JJohn Carnes; Elizabeth, who became the wild of William Carnes: HI. M., of this review ; James G., and Julia, who died as the wife of Dow Smith.
As a boy and youth, H. M. Smith acquired a passing fair education in the schools of Pulaski county, and between seasons of schooling was his
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father's assistant on the farm until 1842, when he entered the employ of Captain Hughes, continuing thus for two years at Lower Caledonia. In 1844, when he was just twenty-four years of age, he was elected sheriff of Pulaski county on the Democratic ticket and served four years in that office. In 1852 he was returned to fill the position of county judge, but after one year of service he resigned and began the study of law in the offices of Hon. John Dougherty and in 1857 was admitted to the bar in Caledonia. He immediately entered upon the practice of the law, and was more or less identified with the profession in the capacity of attor- ney for the remainder of his life. In 1860 he was elected circuit clerk and so well did he conduet the affairs of that office that he was retained until 1868, after which he led the life of a private eitizen for four years, intent upon the practice of his profession. In 1872 Judge Smith was chosen state's attorney for the county and served in that important capacity for a period of four years. Then followed another brief term of official inac- tivity covering three years, when he was again chosen by the voters of Pulaski county for the office of county judge, and he filled that office by successive elections until 1886, when he severed his connection with pub- lic life and retired to his store and other private interests. During all the years of his politieal activity Judge Smith had been condneting a store in Olinstead; or it might be more correct to say that while he was connected with public affairs his wife managed the store, thus relieving him of a deal of responsibility that must otherwise have been a drag upon him, and rendered less efficient his wholly worthy service. Although Judge Smith began his political career as a supporter of the Democratie cause, the issues of the Civil war period eaused him to transfer his al- legianee to the Republican party, and he was the faithful supporter of that party throughout the remainder of his life. Although he filled many important offices in his day, Judge Smith was never an office seeker. It is an undeniable faet that he never made a canvass in his own behalf, never contributed toward a fund to influenee votes for any ean- didate, and that when he was a candidate he remained in his office throughout the campaign and accepted the result of the election as the sincere expression of the wish of the people. He was ever an independent and conscientious man, and his attitude towards any subject was ever consistent with his naturally high-minded and honorable instincts. He belonged to no ehureh, and never identified himself with any society or organization save the Masons, being a member of Caledonia Lodge, No. 47.
Four times did Judge Smith enter upon matrimony. His first wife was Lueinda Wogan, who left one son. His second wife, Sarah Burton, bore him a son and daughter: Hulda E., who married Thomas Smalley and is a resident of Springfield, Missouri ; and Lucius C., who married Hester Magee, and is now deceased, leaving a family. The third wife of Judge Smith was Elizabeth Barber, who died without issue, and in June of 1861 he married Mrs. Sarah Little. She was a daughter of Isaac K. Swain, a native of Virginia, who was the son of Dr. Chas. Swain. Dr. Swain later moved to Kentucky as a pioneer of that section and died in Ballard county. Isaac K. Swain married Luey Henderson, a North Caro- lina lady, who pased away in Ballard county, Kentucky, as did her hus- band. Mrs. Smith was born in Ballard county, Kentneky, in 1834, on Oc- tober 16th, and is the oldest child of her parents, the others being: Jo- seph and Jeremiah, who died in their youth ; Isaac N., who at his death left one son; Judson K. resides at Herington, Kansas; Calista married James White; Mildred married Russell B. Griffin and died leaving one daughter ; Lucy, the wife of Raymond Griffin, deputy county surveyor of Pulaski county; and Marion C. Swain, living in Mississippi. Mrs.
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Smith's first husband was John Muffet, by whom she is the mother of Betty, the wife of Malcolm MeDonald, of Enid, Oklahoma. As the wife of Judge Smith she was the mother of four children. They are: II. M., who died in 1902; Sarah, who passed away in childhood ; Belle, the wife of George Bullock, of Marston, Missouri, and Myra, the wife of James Ray Weaver, of Mounds, Illinois.
HON. FRANK C. MESERVE, at one time county judge of Lawrence county, is one of the leading Democratie politicians of Southern Illinois. His father, Clement Meserve, of New Hampshire, was for many years a contractor by profession. Late in life he took up the study of law and was admitted to the Massachusetts bar. Here he practiced until his death, in April, 1891, living to see realized his fond hope that his eldest son would follow him in the legal profession. Clement Meserve was mar- ried in his young manhood to Miss Nancy Colburn, of Massachusetts, and five children were born to them. She died in 1869, and some years later Mr. Meserve married a widow, Mrs. Sarah Hayes, a native of Massa- chusetts. No children were born of this union. Mr. Meserve was a eon- servative Demoerat, giving consistent service to the party and holding various offices during his lifetime. He was postmaster of his home town for some years, and represented his distriet for two consecutive terms in the Massachusetts legislature. The family was reared in the Methodist church, and most of them have ever continued in affiliation with the faith in which they were early trained.
Five children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Clement Meserve, of which number Frank C. was the third in order of birth. He was born in Hop- kinton, Massachusetts, on JJuly 2, 1856. After attending the elementary schools of Hopkinton he was sent to Boston University, where he en- tered the College of Liberal Arts and was graduated from that institution in the elass of 1877. He taught in the high school of Mendon, Massa- chusetts, and in his home town before entering his father's law office to begin his study of that profession. In 1879 he left Massachusetts for Illi- nois, settled in Robinson and devoted himself to reading law in the office of Callahan & Jones. In 1880 he was admitted to the bar, coming at onee to Lawrenceville, where in JJnne of that same year he began active practice. Almost at onee he formed a partnership with George Inffman, which partnership continued until Mr. Intiman was forced to go to Florida in search of health. In 1894 the business relations were resumed and lasted for the several years following before the final dissolution was brought about.
In 1881 the firm of Meserve & Huffman purchased the Democratic Herald, the leading Democratic organ of Lawrenceville, and conducted its publication until 1888. During these seven years Mr. Meserve acted as editor and business manager for the paper. Since that time the publi- eation has been discontinued. In 1890 Mr. Meserve was elected county judge. From 1886 to 1890 and from 1902 to 1906 he served as master in chancery and for a number of years he was a prominent member of the Democratie central committee of his eounty, attending several state con- ventions as the delegate of his party.
Mr. Meserve, like many another successful business man, is a member of several fraternal orders. Among them is the Masonic fraternity, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Modern Woodmen of America.
On the 15th of November, 1888, Mr. Meserve was united in marriage with Rosma B. Roberts, the daughter of T. W. Roberts, who was, prior to his death, a prominent and popular merchant of Lawrenceville.
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CHARLES C. BURTON. A man of literary tastes and talents, possessing good business and executive ability, Charles C. Burton is an esteemed and popular citizen of Belle Rive, and as editor and proprietor of the Belle Rive Enterprise is doing mueh toward promoting the highest interests of the community in which he lives. Coming on both sides of the house of excellent New England aneestry, he was born February 6, 1879, on a New Hampshire farm.
His father, William Burton, also a native of the Granite state, was born in 1840, and died in 1906. He was a farmer by occupation, but was for many years identified with military affairs, during the Civil war serving in both the army and the navy, being first in the Seventh New York Volunteer Infantry and later in the Eleventh New Jersey Volun- teer Infantry, and on board the gunboat "Anderson." After the close of the conflict he enlisted in the regular service, and served in the Sixth United States Cavalry for fifteen years, when he was retired as a eap- tain. Two of his brothers and two of his wife's brothers also served in the Civil war, and of those four soldiers three lost their lives at Gettys- burg and one at the battle of Antietam. William Burton married Ellen Campbell, a daughter of John Campbell, who served in the Revolutionary war as an officer, and subsequently migrated from his native state, Massa- chusetts, to New Hampshire. Three children were born of their union, as follows : Charles C., with whom this sketch is chiefly concerned ; Wil- liam, deceased ; and Emma, deceased.
Brought up in New Hampshire, Charles C. Burton attended the pub- lie sehools and in a country offiee learned the printer's trade. At the age of sixteen years he made his way to Boston, where he followed his trade two years. Going from there to Buffalo, New York, Mr. Burton was in the employ of the Buffalo Courier Company for four years. Again mov- ing westward, he went to Missouri, and until eoming to Belle Rive was a resident of Saint Louis. Imbned with the same patriotie ardor and zeal that animated his father and his Grandfather Campbell, he enlisted for service at the first call for troops for the Spanish-American war, and for eleven months served in the Eighth Massachusetts Hospital Corps. In June, 1911, Mr. Burton, who is an expert journalist, established the Belle Rive Enterprise, an eight page, five-column, sheet, bright, interesting, clean and newsy. which has already a large loeal circulation, and a most liberal advertising patronage. Mr. Burton has without doubt one of the best job printing establishments in Jefferson county, and in addition to doing much local work is well patronized by people from Mount Vernon and other cities who desire a neat, attractive and accurate job of print- ing done.
Mr. Burton married, January 22, 1908, Edna F. Gerdom, of Saint Louis, Missouri, and they have one child, Charles E. Burton, born Feb- ruary 6, 1910.
CARROLL MOORE. Among the men to whom Southern Illinois may look for the prosperity that blesses the region there is a man who for many years has served the community by guiding and supporting the business interests of this part of the state, and in his capacity of banker and capitalist has ever yielded the most active personal and financial support to every enterprise advanced for the publie interest. He has seen the country pass through panies and hard times; he has watched the growth of the early agricultural distriet into a still more fruitful farming region and into one of the most progressive business seetions in the state; and he has ever lent his wisdom and grasp of complicated situations to the building up of stable institutions and the management of affairs.
Candle Neron
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Carroll Moore was born in Franklin county, Illinois, on the Ist of September, 1837, whither his parents had come three years before. Ilis father and mother, Joseph and Mary Moore, both natives of Tennessee, came to Illinois in 1834 and camped for a time on the banks of Jordan fort until they were able to take up a tract of land for cultivation. When they got their homestead it was heavily timbered. With typical Moore energy and enthusiasm, they cleared their acreage and continued to manage their farm well. They made their permanent home in the county, and lived here all their remaining lives. Joseph Moore passed away in 1848. Ile was the son of Thomas Moore, another early settler in this region, who also took out land in Franklin county in the year 1834, and spent the remainder of his days on a farm. Joseph Moore had a most valorous record for service during the Black Hawk war, one of the most interesting and thrilling pages in the history of Illinois.
Carroll Moore, the immediate subject of this short personal record. spent his early life on his parents' homestead and received his educa- tion at the common schools of the county. He was still a school-boy at the breaking ont of the Civil war, but though young he had a man's en- thusiasm and interest in the cause, and in 1861 he helped to raise a com- pany-Company 1 of the Thirty-first Illinois Infantry, and was sub- sequently elected its captain and served in the Union army until Jan- uary, 1865. Ife was in a great many serious engagements and many times distinguished himself as a commanding officer. Ile was present at Belmont, Fort Henry. Fort Donelson, and led his company through- out the Vieksburg and Atlanta campaigns and was with Sherman on that never-to-be-forgotten march from Atlanta to the sea. On the 22d of July, 1864, during a serious encounter at Atlanta, Georgia, Captain Moore was wounded, but he continued to hold his place in the service, not even leaving his command to go to the hospital. At the elose of the war he returned to Illinois and started life on a little farm; but that he left in the fall of 1865 to become deputy internal revenue assessor, and in this capacity he served the Federal government until his elec- tion, in 1870, to the office of sheriff. As sheriff Mr. Moore served two years, meantime buying a great deal of land. In 1873 he decided to enter the mereantile field and accordingly went into the dry-goods bus- iness with W. R. Ward as partner, and continued to be so engaged until 1875, when he and his partner started the Ward and Moore Bank, the first bank to be established in the country, and the only monetary in- stitution of its kind here for twenty years.
In January, 1898, Mr. Moore and his associate organized the Benton State Bank, Mr. W. R. Ward being elected its president and Mr. Moore its vice-president. The bank has since become known as the strongest and most reliable financial institution in this part of the state. Mr. Moore has since become its president. The institution is capitalized at fifty thousand dollars and has a surplus of sixty thousand. Its aver- age yearly deposits amount to four hundred and fifty thousand dollars.
In 1863 Mr. Moore was united in marriage to Miss Narcissa Layman. daughter of John D. bayman, one of the carly stalwart pioneers of Franklin county. She passed away three years later, in Just, survived by one child. William E. Moore, now a prominent merchant of Benton. Illinois. In 1873 Mr. Moore was again united in marriage, his bride being Miss Dora Snyder, the daughter of Solomon Snyder, one of the earliest and best-known settlers in Franklin county, Illinois. It is in teresting to note that when Mr. Snyder first came to Franklin county it was still a virgin wilderness and almost unpopulated save for the rom nants of the Indian tribes that had formerly hell sway. He made a business of buying and dressing hogs, selling them at two dollars and a
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half a hundred pounds. His daughter, the wife of Carroll Moore, died in 1893. She was the mother of the following children: Mary Moore, who became the wife of W. W. Williams, a well-known attorney and mining man; Harry, now prosperously engaged in the mining business ; Grace, bookkeeper in the Benton State Bank; and Cieel, single, is in the Christian College in Missouri, class of 1912. In 1898 was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Moore to Helen A. Hickman, daughter of Dr. Z. Hiek- man, one of the most successful and trusted physicians of the county. To this union have been born two children,-Madge and Carroll. Both are attending school. Mrs. Moore is a member of the Baptist church, and her husband is an active member of the Christian denomination.
It is interesting to note that Mr. Moore has been a member of the Aneient Free and Accepted Masons for over forty-five years and is a chapter Mason. He is also a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and of the Grand Army of the Republic.
Politically he has all his life been an influential member of the Repub- lican party, lending his energy gladly to forward the interests of the party he thinks most dedicated to the general welfare. He served a term of four years on the state board of equalization, and was one of the com- missioners that placed the monuments on the soldiers' graves in the National Cemetery at Vicksburg, Mississippi.
Mr. Moore at present devotes the greater part of his time to his extensive farming interests, for he is keenly interested in the future of seientifie farming in Illinois. He is not only one of the wealthiest but one of the best liked and most publie spirited citizens in Franklin county, and his name has been associated with almost every large un- dertaking that has led to the betterment of conditions in this region for over forty years.
ABRAM G. GORDON is eminently deserving of recognition and represen- tation among the men who have been strongly instrumental in promoting the welfare of Chester, Illinois, where he is a senior member of the bar. The son of a family of ancient lineage and high birth, he has faithfully upheld the traditions of his house, and the name of Gordon is as bright and untarnished today as it was in the days of Richard of Gordon, Lord of the Barony of Gordon in the Merse, midway of the twelfth eentury. The family has ever been one of strong purpose, dominant will and high- est integrity. The father of Abram G. Gordon is but another of the many ilhistrions examples of the strength and power which are the glowing attributes of the name of Gordon. The founder of the church of the Free Will Baptists and ever the ardent and faithful disciple of the church of his organization, he has done more for the religious and spiritual growth and the broadening of Christian charity in the hearts and minds of the people who came within the sphere of his influence than any other man in Southern Illinois. As the son of his father, Abram Gordon has been as aetive in a busines way and in the developing of the material resources of Chester as was that parent in the development of the spiritual life of this section of the state.
Abram G. Gordon is the son of Rev. Henry and Nancy (Hill) Gordon, and he was born in Randolph county, Ilinois, on the 6th of November, 1849. Ile was one of the nine children of his parents the others being: Mary; Rev. George A., who is carrying on the work which his father commeneed; Henry C., deceased ; Parker, a merchant of Ava, Illinois; Dr. Noel R., of Springfield, Illinois ; Charles S., in business at Ava, Illi- nois ; Edward B., a railroad man of St. Louis; and Ora C., a merchant of Percy, Illinois. The father passed away in 1896, after a long and noble life of good works, and his devoted wife survived him until 1905.
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After completing the curriculum of the public schools of his native place Abram G. Gordon was matriculated as a student in MeRendree College at Lebanon, Illinois, in which worthy institution he completed both the scientific and Latin courses, and in which he also prosecuted the study of law. He was duly graduated in 1873, with the degree of Bachelor of Laws, and initiated the active practice of his profession in 1874. Ile is well known as one of the most prominent and able law- years in Randolph county, the years telling the tale of an eminently suc- cessful career, due to the possession of innate talent along the line of his chosen profession. Most of his attention has been devoted to eivil rather than criminal practice, and a review of the docket of the courts of his jurisdiction will show his connection with much of the varied lit- igation that has come up within the last thirty years. In addition to his law practice he has had time for the development of various business projects affecting the welfare of the city, and his part in many of the industrial activities of the county has been large and worthy. He as- sisted in the promotion of the Grand View Hotel and the knitting mills at Chester, and in connection with his son built the Gordon telephone system of Chester in 1898. The telephone exchange since then has de- veloped extensively and now covers much of Randolph county. It has toll lines to Steeleville and Perey and owns the exchanges in those places, in addition to which it also owns farmers' lines of its own con- struetion and gives connection to co-operative rural lines, thus bringing the country into close touch with the towns. Various other enterprises have also felt his influence and power, all of which has redounded to the good of his city and county.
In politics Mr. Gordon maintains an independent attitude, prefer- ring to give his support to men and measures meeting with the ap- proval of his judgment, rather than to vote along strictly partisan lines. In his religious faith he is a member of the Baptist church, in kind with the other members of his family. Fraternally he is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and is past noble grand of that order, as well as having sat in the Grand Lodge of the order in Illinois.
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