USA > Illinois > A history of southern Illinois; a narrative account of its historical progress, its people, and its principal interests > Part 39
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grand lecturer of the state of Illinois. He is now master of the Masonic lodge at Ewing and has held that office for five years. In the ancient and august order he is held in high esteem and affection and successfully lives up to its high ideals. In his political faith he subscribes to the tenets of the Democratic party, in whose wisdom his father believed.
DR. LEWIS C. MORGAN. A man prominent in the social, professional and business cireles of Southern Ilinois is Dr. Lewis C. Morgan, of Mount Vernon. While devoting himself heart and soul to the practice of his profession, yet he manages to find the time to devote to other things and in this way has prevented himself from growing narrow minded and out of step with the workl. as do so many men whose lives are given to scientific pursuits. He has been closely connected with various financial institutions, and has endeavored to take his share of his responsibilities as a citizen. So highly thought of is his capacity along such lines that his fellow citizens elected him as mayor, and never were they better satisfied with their choice.
Dr. Lewis C. Morgan was born in Hamilton county, Illinois, near the present thriving town of Dahlgren. He was the son of Phillip W. Morgan, who, as might easily be guessed from his name, was a native of the Blue Grass state. Phillip Morgan was born in 1832 and spent his boy- hood on the farm upon which his father had settled on his migration from Virginia, which was the original home of the Morgan family in America. In 1840 Phillip Morgan settled in Hamilton county, where he speedily be- came a successful farmer and prominent citizen. Ile was one of the first county commissioners, serving in this capacity before the county went into township organization. He was known everywhere as Judge Morgan, which is significant of the respect and love which his neighbors felt for him, for a man must be above the average in order to win one of these honorary titles from a community. His wife was Harriet Damon. who was born in Massachusetts in the town of Athens. She was the daughter of Owen L. Damon, who was one of the early comers to Illi- nois, settling in Hamilton county in the forties. A number of children were born to this couple. Mary, now Mrs. Riddle, of St. Louis: Anna (Irwin), who lives in Dahlgren: Dr. Lewis; W. G., who makes his home in St. Louis: Nora N., who is now Mrs. Grigg and lives in Mount Ver- non ; Owen L., who is the general manager of a large wholesale house in Marion ; and Alice. Mrs. Wigginton. of Mount Vernon.
Lewis C. Morgan was educated in the common schools of his home county, and when he became old enough to go to college he felt that since his Father had a large family and about all he could do to sup- port and clothe and edneate the rest. he would get his further education by his own efforts. for he was determined that he would go through college. Consequently when he was eighteen he began teaching school. For five years he kept this up, teaching through the long. coll winters for the sake of the all too brief period of happiness which he found every summer in poring over his books in Ewing College. By this time he had decided what should be his voration, and so. in 1854. entered the Hospital Medical College at Evansville, Indiana, graduating from this institution on the Ith of March. 1886.
His professional career was opened in Dahlgren, Illinois, where he practiced medicine From March, 1886, until September. 1905, at which time he removed to Mount Vernon. He has been uniformly sie- cessful in his practice, and is fitted through the strength of his person- ality. his coolness and perfeet self control for the profession which he has chosen.
Ile was an important factor in the formation of some of Dahlgren's
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most prosperous institutions, being a leader in the movement to organize the First National Bank of Dahlgren. When he moved to Mount Vernon he did not allow his interest in such matters to flag but became interested in the affairs of the Jefferson State Bank, and at present is a director in that institution.
Polities always came in for a large share of Dr. Morgan's attention, for he felt that there was not enough thought taken in such matters by the better educated classes, and that this attitude of indifference was harmful to the country. He is a Republican by creed, and his term as mayor extended from April, 1909, to April, 1911. He also acted as president of the city board of Dahlgren. The deep insight which he gains into human nature through the daily practice of his profession has deepened in his own heart that regard for fraternity which finds its best expression outside of the churches in some of the fraternal orders, consequently he is very active in their behalf. IIe is a member of the Masonic order, of the Blue lodge, of the chapter and the com- mandery of Mount Vernon. He likewise belongs to the order of Elks and to the Odd Fellows of Mount Vernon. Along professional lines he is affiliated with a number of medical societies, being a member of the Jefferson County Medical Society, of the Southern Illinois Medical Association, of the Illinois State Medical Association and of the Amer- ican Medical Association. Through his membership with these societies and by constant reading and study Dr. Morgan endeavors to keep abreast of the time as regards his own profession.
He was married on the 12th of March, 1883, to Jennis Brumbaugh, who was born in Hamilton county. She is the daughter of Dr. A. M. Brumbaugh, of this county. Three children have been born to Dr. Morgan and his wife; Della, who is the wife of W. P. Wood, and has one child, Vermadell; Chloe, who is a student in Belmont College, at Nashville, Tennessee; and Paul W., who is attending Brawn's Business College at Marion, Illinois.
WILLIAM E. HARRELD. Prominent among the wealthy men of Union county who have added very materially to their store of this world's goods through the fruit growing industry is William E. Harreld, a resi- dent of Alto Pass for the past quarter of a century, and engaged there, first in a mercantile way, carrying on the business his father established in former years, and later in the brokerage and fruit growing business, with which he is now identified.
William E. Harreld was born February 16, 1863, on a farm in Jack- son county. His father, Cyrus Harreld, also born and reared in Jack- son county, was the son of James Harreld, who migrated to Jackson county in 1817. The state of Illinois was then in a most primitive state, and offered many opportunities to the far sighted pioneer. James Har- reld entered upon government land under the homestead laws, and further engaged in buying and selling farming and other lands then to he had for a mere pittance. Ile also engaged in the merchandising busi- ness and carried on a lucrative trading business. He died in 1844, while building a steamboat convoy on Big DIuddy river, leaving a family. The Harreld family was of a somewhat warlike tendency in its earlier history, the ancestors of James Harreld having fought in the Revolu- tionary war, five of his great uncles having fallen at Kings Mountain. He, himself, was a first lieutenant in Captain Jenkins company in the Black Hawk war in 1832, After his father's death, Cyrus Harreld eon- tinued to reside on the old homestead mmtil 1851, at which time he opened a store in the vicinity. In 1860 he went to Carbondale and en- gaged in the mercantile business there for a period of eighteen months.
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In 1872 he again ventured out in that line of business and continued so for six years. In May. 1883, he bought a store and business in Alto Pass, and there he remained until the end of his life. The business pros- pered, and he became a comparatively wealthy man. He owned two thousand acres of farm lands in Jackson and Union counties, in addition to the business in Alto Pass and other holdings in that city. In 1857 Cyrus Harreld married Miss Amelia Tuttle, a daughter of Matthew Tuttle, a native Pennsylvanian. Three children were born to them: James, William and Cora.
When Cyrus Harreld died in October, 1902, his son William E. sue- ceeded to the mercantile business in Palo Alto, and for fifteen years he conducted it successfully, after which time he sold out the place and engaged in the brokerage business. For the past two years he has bought and shipped fruit in Utah and other western points. His brok- erage business will exceed $15,000, in addition to which he owns a fine residence, eight public buildings and twenty lots, the latter of which will aggregate in value fully $10,000. In addition to the above, Mr. Harreld is the owner of five hundred acres of land, and is part owner of a company owning two hundred aeres. A portion of Mr. Harreld's holdings lie in JJackson county, on which is grown annually a consider- able quantity of fruit and grain. In 1911 he raised one thousand bushels of wheat, three thousand boxes, or six hundred barrels. of apples, and quantities of other products.
Mr. Harreld has been three times married. His first wife was Emily Cheney, and they were separated by divorce, some time subsequent to their marriage, in 1890. On February 24, 1894, he married Miss Molly Parsons. She died in December, 1906, leaving one son, William E. His third marriage took place in October, 1907, when Ora B. Hartlins he- came his wife. They are the parents of two children, Cora Amelia and Mary Louise.
JOHN G. YOUNG, county clerk of Jefferson county, has been active in the polities of his county ever sinee he was old enough to understand the intricacies of this phase of public life, for his father was an influen- tial figure in politics and the lad absorbed it with the very air he breathed. Ile has been both a business man and a farmer, and has carried the success which he had in these two branches of industry into his present position. He is widely known and liked throughout the county.
The father of John G. Young is William L. Young, a prominent busi- ness man and farmer of Farrington. He was born in Mississippi. in December, 1842, the son of Robert S. Young. When he was but a boy he migrated to Southern Illinois, loeating in Farrington township. Since 1880 he has conducted a merchandise store at Farrington, and in addition has extensive farming interests. In the northeast part of Jef- ferson county he owns over six hundred and forty aeres, which, taken as a whole, forms one of the richest tracts of land in Southern Illinois, and owing to the care that is used in its cultivation, and the scientific man- ner in which this is carried on, the yearly erop is uniformly large. Mr. Young was married in about 1870 to Laura C. Byard, who died in August, 1901. She and her husband were the parents of seven children. four of whom are now living. Two of these died in infancy, and James E., who was next to the oldest son, is deceased. John G. is the oldest. and the three girls of the family are all married. Cora is Mrs. Gibson. Ra- ehel A. is Mrs. Ganaway and Winnie became Mrs. Price.
John G. Young was born on the 30th of July, ISTI, on a farm in Farrington township. He was reared on the farm and attended the
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common sehools until it was time for him to go away to college. Ewing College was the institution of his choice, and he spent the school year of 1889-1890 studying there. Then, having come to believe that a busi- ness education would be more useful to him than a purely academic one, he entered Bryant and Stratton's Business College in St. Louis, where he completed the course offered. On his return home no favorable open- ing appearing in the business world, he turned to the first thing that turned up and began teaching school. He entered this profession when he was twenty-two and taught in Jefferson county until 1899, spending his summers farming. In this way he managed to accumulate consid- erable capital, and moving to Mount Vernon he invested in the mercan- tile business. He continued in this field until 1905. when he returned to his farm. Here on his beautiful farm in Farrington township he spent the next six years of his life. IIis election as county clerk in November, 1910. forced him to give up the agricultural life for a time. He was elected for a term of four years. Mr. Young has always been a factor in securing victories for his party, which is the Democratie, and previous to his election as county elerk had held various township offices. A taste for administering public affairs seems to run in the family, for in addition to his father's activities his uncle, W. T. Summer, was super- intendent of the county schools for a period of twelve years.
Mr. Young is very active in the various fraternal orders to which he belongs. He is a loyal and firm supporter of the tenets of Masonry, being a member of the blue lodge and of the chapter at Mount Vernon, as well as being a Royal Arch Mason. The other orders with which he is associated are the Knights of Pythias and the Red Men of Mount Vernon.
In May, 1897, Mr. Young was married to Miss Minnie J. Cox, who was born in Williamson county, Illinois. Her father was Thomas A. Cox and her mother was Kate Rendleman, who was a member of one of the largest and oldest of the pioneer families of Southern Illinois. Mrs. Young was reared on the old home near Carbondale, and has spent all of her life in this section. Two sons and two daughters constitute the family of Mr. and Mrs. Young, Edward Bernays, James, Helen and little Katherine, aged four.
HON. GEORGE VERNOR. There is something exceedingly attractive in the voluntary retirement of a man who for a quarter of a century has taken an active and influential part in the affairs of the govern- ment. He leaves publie life in the fullness of his strength, exchang- ing the exciting scenes of political turmoil, which present the most powerful attractions to the ambitious, for the peaceful labors of his profession, in the pursuit of which he, mayhap, finds time to rumin- ate on past events, on those that are passing and on those which the future will probably develop. Standing pre-eminent among the mem- bers of the bench and bar of Southern Illinois is the Hon. George Vernor, of Nashville, ex-judge of Washington county, who on his retirement from office in 1902 had a record of the longest continuous service in the history of the county. Judge Vernor was born in Nash- ville, October 23, 1839, and is a son of Zenos II. and Martha (Watts) Vernor.
Henry Vernor, the grandfather of the Judge, was born in county Armagh, Ireland, and died in Alabama. He was a Primitive Baptist minister and "steam doctor," and married a Miss Enloe, who bore him the following children: Ezekiel, who died in Tennessee during the Civil war; Zenos H .; Benjamin, who passed away in Jefferson county, Illinois, during the 'sixties; Noah, who was a resident of Mis-
JeorgeNenor.
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sissippi, where he died; James, who moved to Texas and there spent the remainder of his life; Jane, who married a Mr. Hodge; Nancy, who was the wife of a Mr. Stewart; and Sallie, who died in Mabama.
Zenos H. Vernor was born in 1808, in 1830 moved to St. Clair county, Illinois, and two years later removed to and entered land in Washington county. He enlisted for service against Black Hawk in 1832 and was in the field several months before the oldl chief surren- dered his warriors at Prairie du Chien in 1833. Zenos H. Vernor is remembered now by but few people of the county. He was not a man of enlture and broad education, but possessed a good mental poise, and his native ability commended itself to his countrymen. for they sent him to the constitutional convention of 1848 and made him a mem- ber of the lower house of the state legislature in 1850. In political matters he was a Democrat. He died in June, 1856, in Nashville, on his farm, after having spent some years as a blacksmith and in mer- eantile pursuits. Zenos H. Vernor married Miss Martha Watts, a daughter of JJames and Charlotte (Parker) Watts, who came to Illi- nois I'rom Georgia, James dying in St. Clair county about 1827. The Watts were of Welsh origin and moved to Illinois about 1818. Mrs. Vernor was the oldest of four children, the others being as follows: Miriam, who married W. B. Feelwiler; Rebecca, who passed away as Mrs. John Alexander; and Judge Amos Watts, who occupied a prominent place at the bar of Southern Illinois and spent many years of his life on the bench. Martha Vernor died in Nashville, Illinois, in 1866, at the age of seventy years, the mother of these children: James, who died unmarried; William H., of Nashville; Augusta, who married John Leeter and died in Nashville in 1911: Judge George, of this review ; Daniel, who left a family here at the time of his death ; Frank M .. of Salem, Illinois; Dr. R. E., of Nashville; John II., who is engaged in agricultural pursuits in Washington county : Mary C .. who died as Mrs. James B. Stoker; and Laura II., who married Sid- ney Moore and is now deceased.
Andge Vernor acquired his education prior to the inauguration of the public school. As a youth he took up the study of law with his uncle, Amos Watts, at that time state's attorney of the county, and was admitted to the bar at Salem in October, 1860. before Judge H. K. S. Omelveny. He became a member of the firm of Watts & Vernor by forming a partnership with Judge Watts, and was so associated until the latter was elected to the bench of the Third Judicial Circuit. He was elected county judge a few years later and his practice from the dissolution until recent years was done withont an important part- nership. In 1904 his nephew. Frank N. Vernor, who died in 1912, joined him and caused the law firm of Vernor & Vernor to launch itself and enroll as an active factor in the legal profession.
In 1877 Judge Vernor was first elected county judge. suecceding Judge M. M. Goodner. He had been associated with Judge Watts politically as well as professionally, and had his political tendencies greatly strengthened and his talent for organization and campaign work brought to the point of perfection. Ho possessed a belief in Democratic policies and principles that have over received his support, and his faith was well known. Notwithstanding this he was elected in 1877. Hle inherited an extra year from the action of the Legislature changing the date of the election during this term, and in 1982 succeeded him- self. Hle was chosen again in 1886. in 1890 defeated his Republican opponent again, as well as in 1894 and 1898, and retired from office in 1902 with a quarter of a century of public service to his credit and the longest continuous service in the history of the county.
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Judge Vernor was married in Washington county, in February, 1860, to Miss Martha Mitchell, daughter of John and Susan (Hunt) Mitchell. Mr. Mitchell was an agriculturist and an emigrant from Kentucky. Judge and Mrs. Vernor have been the parents of the fol- lowing children: Kate and Hattie, who died in childhood; Zenos H., who died in St. Louis in 1892, leaving a son; Daniel II., a prominent merchant of Nashville; Mrs. Alice Stroh, a teacher in the Nashville sehools; Deide, a resident ·of St. Louis, Missouri ; and Edgar, a soldier in the regular army, serving in the Philippine Islands.
Judge Vernor has been an active Odd Fellow, attended the Grand lodge of the state as representative on many occasions, and served on the judiciary committee of the organization at various times. He is not a member of an orthodox church, but comes from the "Hardshell" Baptists, as indicated in the reference to his grandfather Vernor. The roster of distinguished jurists who have brought honor to the bench and bar of Southern Illinois contains many names of deserved eminence, and the place which Judge Vernor holds among these leaders is one of high eredit and distinction. As a judge he made a record that held out a stimulus and example to all men who are called upon to bear the high responsibilities of a place upon the bench. The sound judgment, the well balanced, judicial mind; the intellectual honesty and freedom from bias which are required in a judge-these attributes were all his and enabled him not only to give opinions which today are quoted as authority, but to maintain the best traditions of the judicial office. From his return to private practice he has been a conspicuous and in- fluential force not alone in the legal profession, but as a leading citizen interested in the important publie movements of the day. As a lawyer his gifts as a speaker and his capacity for elose, logical reasoning have made him a peculiarly forceful and effective advocate. Probably no citizen in Washington county is better known, and certainly none are more highly respected.
CARL D. SANDERS, M. D. It is seldom that a young physician en- tering upon the practice of his profession achieves instantaneons and striking snecess. The path that leads to a large and lucrative practice is in nearly every ease a weary and tortuous one, but to all rules there are exeeptions. The physician whose life is diseussed in this sketeh, Dr. Carl D. Sanders, although one of the younger of Union county's medical men, has, nevertheless, in the few brief years that he has followed his calling attained an eminenee that places him well in the van as a prom- inent and successful physician and surgeon. He was born in Jones- boro, Illinois, his present field of practice, in 1880, and is a son of Dr. David R. and Lydia (Rauch) Sanders, and a grandson of Abraham and Mary Sanders, farming people of Tennessee.
Dr. David R. Sanders was born in Tennessee, in 1845, and eame to Williamson county. Illinois, when a lad of eight years. He resided on his father's farm there until 1863, in which year he enlisted in Com- pany E, Eighty-first Regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry, with which he served until the elose of the Civil war. For some years he was a school teacher in Williamson county, was ordained a minister of the Missionary Baptist church, and for thirty-five years was engaged in the practice of medicine, the last six years of his life being spent as as- sistant surgeon at the Southern Illinois Hospital for the Insane. His death occurred in 1907, while he was discharging the duties of that office. Dr. Sanders was much interested in political matters and one of the leaders of the Republican party in his section. His widow, who survives him, makes her home at Jonesboro with her son.
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Dr. Carl D. Sanders attended the public schools of Jonesboro, after which he took a literary course in the Union Academy, Anna, and graduated therefrom in 1899. For some time he was engaged in hos- pital work, which experience was a most valuable one, enabling the young physician to observe various medical and surgical cases, as well as to come in contact with some of the most skilled and prominent phy- sicians and surgeons of the state, and to note their methods of diagnosis and treatment of difficult and baffling cases. In 1904 he entered the Ensworth Medical College, at St. Joseph, Missouri, from which he was graduated in 1908, at which time he entered the medical field at Jones- boro. As has been said, his success here was instantaneous and com- plete. Being naturally endowed with a genial nature and agreeable manners, he made hosts of friends and the extent of his practice rapidly increased.
In 1908 Dr. Sanders was united in marriage with Miss Ella Jane Pickles, who was born in Johnson county, Ilinois. in 1883. They have had no children. Dr. Sanders belongs to the Masonic Blue Lodge, No. 111, and the Odd Fellows, both of Jonesboro, and his profession con- nects him with the Union County and Illinois State Medieal Associations and the American Medical Association. He is a learned and skilled physician, and a young man in every way entitled to the admiration and respect of all who are acquainted with him.
WALTER S. MAXEY. One of the oldest families in Jefferson county, or indeed, in the United States, has its representative in Walter S. Maxey, sinee 1884 actively connected with the drug business, and for a number of years a member of one of the leading drug firms in Mount Vernon. The early history of this interesting family is well worth some consideration, in view of its direct bearing upon the communities with which the family became identified and the fact that they have been American pioneers sinee 1725.
. Walter S. Maxey, born March 8, 1854, in Jefferson county, is the son of James C. Maxey, who was born in Shiloh township, Jefferson county, on June 14, 1827. He has the unique distinction of being the oldest living native born citizen of that county. Ile was the son of Burchett Maxey, the grandson of William Maxey and the great-grand- son of Jesse Maxey, the latter having been one of the oldest or earliest settlers of Tennessee. Ile was shot and scalped by Indians in a general massacre near Gallatin, Tennessee, and left for dead, but he revived and lived for twenty years thereafter. JJesse was the son of Edward Maxey, whose father was Walter Maxey, the first who immigrated to America from Wales in 1725, settling first in Maryland. The descend- ants of Walter Maxey settled in Virginia, later removing to Sumner county, Tennessee, and thence to Jefferson county, Illinois, where the family has been active and prominent since that time. Burchett Maxey. representing the fourth generation of American born Maxeys and the grandfather of Walter S. Maxey, of whom we write, came to Jeffer- son county with his wife and two children in ISIS. They came over- land, and his son, Perigan, was the first white person buried in the county, he having died at Morse's Prairie. The family soon afterward settled near Mount Vernon and in 1823 Mr. Maxey built a log house, the site of which is now occupied by the Third National Bank. Bur- chett Maxey's log cabin was the first building to be created on what is now the public square. He also built the first jail in Jefferson county. It was a erude affair, constructed of logs at a cost of $320.00. but it was well built and answered the needs of the time. He also built the first residence on the public square of Mount Vernon. His son, James
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