USA > Illinois > A history of southern Illinois; a narrative account of its historical progress, its people, and its principal interests > Part 71
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It is in the political field that Mr. Prill has gained the widest repu- tation. Ile is a Demoerat and has been one ever since he arrived in Cen- tralia. He began to take an active part in polities as soon as he became a citizen of the United States, and has never ceased since that time to fight for the success of the Democratic party. He is now an alderman. for fourteen years having held this office, and he was reeleeted for two more years. From this it is evident that his principles admit of no frands being played on the people, for, though the people may be fooled for a few years, they can not be fooled forever. and had he not played fair with his constituents they would have discovered it long ere this. In 1911 he ran for state senator but was defeated by one hundred and forty votes. In his own township he was victorious by over three hundred votes, whereas before the township had always polled a Republican ma- jority of five hundred. Another evidence of his popularity. He is the present Democratie candidate for state senator from the Forty-second district of Illinois, and since receiving the nomination for this high posi- tion he has been the recipient of numerous letters of congratulation and endorsement from prominent men. For two years he has served as a member of the state central committee, for many years has been a mem- her of the county Democratic committee, and is now the chairman of the Marion county Democratie central committee.
Mr. Prill elings to the memories of his Fatherland, and believes that one can be a better citizen of the United States if he does not forget the country of his birth. He, therefore, is a prominent member of the Ger- man order known as the Independent Order of Treubund. He is also grand secretary for the Illinois branch of this order, and also president of the Centralia Turn Verein, the leading German organization of the eity. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias, the Eagles and also the Owls, and is interested in the work of the fraternal circles. He and all the members of his family are members of the Evangelical church. He was married in 1885 to Johanna Kiester. a daughter of August Kiester, of Shattue, Illinois. He came to Marion county in 1858, and is now liv- ing on a farm near Centralia. Mr. and Mrs. Prill have two children : Frances, who is in school at Lindenwood College. St. Charles, Missouri. will graduate in 1912, and M. II .. a student in the University of
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St. Louis, in the law department, from which he will graduate this year. It is Mr. Prill's intention that these children shall have every advantage in an educational way, for he knows from experience that a person without an education has a much more difficult time than has the one with an education. In addition to his business and political interests Mr. Prill has considerable property in the city, and this has to be cared for and managed. He is perhaps one of the busiest men in the city, but his popularity attests the fact that he is never too busy to stop his work to do a kindness for a friend or even a stranger.
EGBERT A. SMITH was born in Dundas, Dominion of Canada, June 18, 1856. His father, George Smith, who died in Cairo, Illinois, October 30, 1864, was born in Ely, England, about 1806, where he married Annie Groves, who died in Canada, leaving a family of six children. George Smith with his family immigrated to Canada about the year 1839 or 1840. Four sons, Thomas, George, William H. and Fuller, and two daughters, Emma and Annie M., belonged to this family. All are now dead with the exception of William H. Smith, of Denver, Colorado, and Annie M. Guion, of Cairo, Illinois. The father, George Smith, with his six children lived in Dundas, Canada, and on December 31, 1849, mar- ried Catherine Turner, of Brantford, Canada. To these parents were born seven children : Cyrus E., Arthur W., James R., Egbert A., Clara, Mary E. and Caroline F. The four sons were born in Canada and the three daughters in Cairo, Illinois. All of his family are now dead with the exception of Egbert A. Smith.
George Smith, the father, by trade was a machinist and carpenter, and while in Dundas, Canada, was engaged in the business of manufac- turing straw eutters, cultivators, etc. In the year 1856 he sold out the business and in 1858 moved his family to Cairo, Illinois, where he died in 1864. In 1859 he had established a store at the corner of Thirteenth and Poplar streets, Cairo. This business was continued by him until his death and afterward carried on by his sons until the year 1867, when it was closed out, the family moving to different places. The mother again returned to Cairo in the year 1872. She was a daughter of Robert and Sarah Turner, being one of twins and was born June 22, 1834, in the town of By Town (now the city of Ottawa), Ontario, Dominion of Can- ada. Her father, Robert Turner, was born in Glasgow, Scotland, about the year 1795 and died in Brantford, Ontario, about the year 1851. Sarah Jennings, her mother, was born in Northumberland, England, about the year 1800, and died in Brantford, Ontario, about 1845. Her mother was the daughter of Nicholas Jennings and was married to Robert Turner in Edinburgh, May 10, 1818. After the death of George Smith his widow married Louis Lincoln, of Carbondale, Illinois, at Cairo, this state, in 1867. Of this marriage three sons were born : Louis Logan Lineoln and Bishop Grant Lincoln, twins, and Staata S. Lineoln, but all are now deceased. Catherine Lineoln died in Cairo, Illinois, in the year 1911, at the age of seventy-seven years. All were members of the Episcopal church.
Egbert A. Smith at the age of eighteen years and with his brother James R. again started the business at the old stand, with a capital of one hundred dollars and under the style of Smith Brothers. James R. Smith died in the year 1886, leaving a widow and one son, James Arthur Smith. Another brother, Cyrus E. Smith, became associated with Eg- bert A. Smith in the business, but later disposed of his interests therein to Egbert A. Smith, who continued the business under the firm name of Smith Brothers, but Egbert A. being the sole owner. He also gave some attention to saw milling in Alexander county and owns large traets of
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farming land there, besides smaller traets in Pulaski county and a farm inside the city limits of Cairo containing about nine hundred acres. This land a few years ago was considered of small value, but the im- provements made upon it with a large expenditure of money have made this traee a very valuable addition to Cairo. About seven miles of drive- way have been constructed over the land and following the Mississippi river, known as Smith Drive, which is enjoyed by the citizens of Cairo. As Cairo grows this land will be required as a part of the city.
In 1903 Egbert A. Smith organized the Cairo National Bank, with a capital of $100,000, was elected its president and still holds that posi- tion. This bank is a prosperous institution with over a half million deposits. During the year 1903 the Cairo & Thebes Railroad was pro- jeeted by him, and in the year 1905, through the Cairo Commercial Club, of which he was president, the projeet took life and he with his associates organized the company with a capital of ten thousand dollars. He was elected its president, and through his efforts it was financed and construeted. About a million dollars has already been expended on terminals in the city of Cairo and about one million dollars in con- strueting the main line through Alexander county to Thebes, Illinois.
Mr. Smith served about ten years in the city council of Cairo, was president of the Cairo Board of Trade about six years and was president of the Cairo Commercial Club for five years. He has been identified with river improvement associations for thirty years, and is vice presi- dent of the Ohio Valley Improvement Association for Illinois and is a member of the Lakes to the Gulf Improvement Association, the National Rivers and Harbors Congress and the Good Roads Organization.
Mr. Smith was married in 1886 to Miss Phyllis Howard, a daughter of Phillip and Iney A. Howard, early settlers of Cairo. The children of this union are: Berta Tyler, now Mrs. Wilfred W. Beach, of Sioux City, Iowa; Phyllis II., Egbert A. Jr., Catherine and Caroline, and they have also taken two boys to raise, Arthur and Robert Lincoln, sons of the deceased brother. The children received their education in the Cairo schools, and Berta and Phyllis completed their education in Chi- eago and New York. The family are members of the Episcopal church.
HARRY P. MORGAN, M. D. One of the younger generation of pro- fessional men of Southern Illinois, Dr. Harry P. Morgan, of Sesser, has through his activities in the field of medicine and surgery won the right to be named among his section's representative men. Although he has been engaged in practice at Sesser for only five years, he has a clientele that extends throughout the community, and the reputation he has won in his chosen vocation is an enviable one. Dr. Morgan was born October 28, 1880, in Washington county, Illinois, and is a son of the late Hon. Matthew A. and Ida J. (Staude) Morgan.
HI. P. H. Morgan, the grandfather of Ilarry P., was a native of Mis- souri, came to Illinois in young manhood, and became one of the best- known traders in the southern part of the state. Hle accumulated a large fortune, and died in 1881, advanced in years and with the regard and esteem of his fellow citizens. His son, Matthew A. Morgan, inherited many of his sterling characteristics, and like his father became widely and favorably known. He. however, devoted himself to the law, and after attending school at Lebanon, Illinois, and the Chicago Law School. entered Republican polities, and rose to positions of honor and trust within the gift of the people. He served with distinction in the Illinois State Legislature for three years, but a most promising career was ont short when he met an accidental death, October 10. 1898. He had been exceedingly successful in his law practice at Okawville, Washington
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county, and at his death left a large estate. His widow, who survives him and makes her home at that place, was a daughter of Frank Staude, who was born in Saxony, Germany, and came to the United States as a young man, settling in Washington county, where he spent the rest of his life in agricultural pursuits, passing away in 1898, at the age of eighty- five years.
Harry P. Morgan was educated in the public schools of Okawville and in the university at Valparaiso, Indiana, from which he was gradu- ated in pharmacy in 1902. Being desirous of becoming a physician, he entered the Chicago Medical College, and later the Bennett College of Medicine, also at Chicago, and graduated from the latter in 1906, with the degree of M. D. In the following year he established himself in practice at Sesser, and the success which has attended his efforts speaks eloquently for his ability. Dr. Morgan belongs to the Illinois State and Franklin County Medical Societies and is a prominent Mason and Odd Fellow. Although an ardent Republican, he has had no disposition or time to engage in active contest in the political arena. Aside from his profession, he gives the greater part of his attention to looking after his realty holdings in Washington county. One of Sesser's best citizens, he enjoys the regard and respect of all who have ever had occasion to call him in a professional capacity, as well as many others of his friends and acquaintances who knew him to be a generous, kindly man.
Dr. Morgan was married March 21, 1912, to Miss Daisy A. Lionberger. a daughter of A. J. Lionberger, a prominent Republican of Mt. Vernon. Mr. Lionberger is a native of Jefferson county and a very successful farmer. Mrs. Morgan is a member of the Baptist church.
MATTIIEW R. HOLCOMB. One of the best examples of self-made men to be found in Franklin county is Matthew R. Holcomb, who, starting life as a poor boy with no advantages of any kind, has not only accumu- lated an excellent farm of two hundred acres, but is also proprietor of the leading store at Hanaford. Not satisfied with having made a suc- cess of his agricultural operations, he branched ont into the mercantile line, and the success which attended his efforts in the new field proved that he was possessed of the rare ability to follow more than one line of endeavor and to be able to place himself in the front rank of each. He is a product of St. Clair county, Illinois, and was born August 16, 1852, a son of John T. and Lovina (Potter) Holcomb.
William Holcomb, the grandfather of Matthew R., was a native of North Carolina, who served as a soldier from that state during the war of 1812, and eame to Illinois among the pioneers, settling in St. Clair county, where the remaining years of his life were spent in agricultural pursuits, his death occuring at the advanced age of ninety-eight years. His son, John T. Holcomb, was born in St. Clair county, as was his wife. and both spent their lives within its confines, Mr. Holcomb passing away in 1857 and his wife in 1891, both in the faith of the Missionary Baptist church. On the maternal side Mr. Holcomb's grandfather was Matthew Potter, an old sea captain of Maine, who came to Illinois at an early day and built the mill at Freeburg, the first mill in St. Clair county.
Matthew R. Holcomb received his education in the schools of Free- burg, but the greater part of his education was secured in the school of hard work. as his father died when he was only five years of age and he was compelled to early start to work to help support the family. Un- til 1872 he was engaged in farming in St. Clair county, but in that year moved to Franklin county, where he was soon able to purchase a farm, due to his industry and hard and faithful labor. He has added to his original purchase from time to time, and now has a tract of two hundred
Yours Truly. William C. Jones.
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aeres of some of the best farming land in the county. As his finances have permitted, he has erected new and modern buildings, and he is now the owner of a beautiful country home. In 1891, recognizing the need for and realizing the opportunities of a modern business establishment at Hanaford, Mr. Holcomb erected a large, two-story briek structure here and stocked 'it with a full and up-to-date line of goods of every kind to be found in a general store, and his business has rapidly increased, until he now has by far the largest trade in Hanaford. The same char- acteristie traits of industry, fidelity to duty and honorable methods that made him a successful agriculturist have been displayed in his operations as a merchant, and his reputation is that of a man of the highest integ- rity. In political matters he is a Democrat, although he has not been an office seeker. IIe has served, however, for eighteen years as a member of the school board and has acted as justice of the peace for three terms.
Mr. Holcomb was married to Miss Mary Chesney, who died without issue. His second marriage was to Miss Margaret Sweet, the daughter of T. W. Sweet, who was a native of Tennessee, came to Franklin county, Illinois, in 1850, and was a successful farmer for many years, serving also as county treasurer. One child was born to this union : Timothy O., who now lives at Colorado Springs, for his health. Mrs. Holcomb died, and Mr. Holcomb was married a third time to Charlotte Thompson, by whom he had four children : Clara, Bertha, James and Matthew A. The latter, a very bright young man, lost his life in the mine disaster at Harrisburg, Illinois, February 13, 1911. Mrs. Holcomb passed away in 1899.
JUDGE WILLIAM C. JONES is a citizen of whom any city might well be proud. In his long career as an attorney in Crawford county. Illi- nois, he has never brought anything but honor to the profession, and during his service as a dispenser of justice he was always able to de- liver an unbiased opinion, a rare quality that is lacking in so many of our judges of today. He is not only a prominent member of the bar. but is a sneeessful business man and a popular author. It is not often that one finds a man of so striking a versatility, and especially one who reaches a height far above mediocrity in all of these lines. The public has shown that they may be relied upon to appreciate true worth, for they elected JJudge Jones to the bench of the cirenit court of Illinois when he was the youngest judge of this court, and he was also the youngest member of the Twenty-seventh general assembly of Illinois. His ability therefore showed itself early in life and he has never ceased to sustain the reputation that he made for himself' in those young days.
William C. Jones was born on the 15th of July, 1848, at Hutson- ville, Crawford county. Illinois. Hle is the son of Caswell Jones, a well known merchant of that place, who died in 1853, when William was still a young boy. His mother, whose maiden name was Mary Barlow, after a time was married to the Honorable Ethelbert Callahan. and the family removed to Robinson, Illinois, in 1861. His education was obtained in the common schools of Crawford county. Hlinois, the Ohio Wesleyan University, and the Law Department of the University of Michigan. He was admitted to the bar on the 9th of May. 156s, and in June of the same year he went into partnership with his step-father, the Honorable E. Callahan. This association continued for ten years, or until 1877. when he was elected county judge. During these first years of his active work as a lawyer he gained an invaluable experience in various branches of the law and had the inestimable benefit of the
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wider experience and older head of his step-father. He had always taken a keen interest in politics and so in 1871, when he was elected a member of the general assembly, he was well qualified to fill the office. After his two years as county judge in 1879 he was elected to the bench of the Second judicial circuit of Illinois, for a term of six years. In 1885, when his first term expired, he was re-elected for another term of six years.
After the expiration of his term of service as judge he formed a law partnership with the Honorable E. E. Newlin, Judge J. C. Eagle- ton being admitted to the firm two years later. The fine training and practical experience that had been Judge Jones' had by this time been broadened and developed by his political work and by his judicial po- sition, so that it is no wonder that the firm soon had all the cases they could handle. The Judge himself was extremely painstaking in the prep- aration of his cases, and it was next to impossible to detect him in an error or to catch him unprepared on an obscure point. This firm con- tinned to do business until 1897, when Mr. Newlin was elected to a judgeship of the second judicial circuit, and the firm was reorganized under the name of Jones. Eagleton and Newlin. In 1900, Mr. T. J. Newlin retiring from the business, Mr. Edward S. Baker was admit- ted as a partner. This firm continued for a year. when it was again reorganized, as Jones, McCarty and Arnold. The new members of the firm were George D. MeCarty and William W. Arnold. On the 15th of June, 1903, the senior member of the firm announced his withdrawal from active business, on account of failing eyesight. and since that time he has occupied himself solely with his private business affairs.
Judge Jones might have made a financier had he not turned lawyer, and he has always been interested in various financial institutions, notably in the First National Bank of Robinson, of which he was at one time vice-president. In 1897 he was appointed by Governor John R. Tanner judge of the court of elaims, in which position he served for four years, his knowledge of business and of finance coming in very conveniently.
As a lawyer Judge Jones has a local or rather a statewide reputa- tion, but as a writer of both prose and poetry his name has gone out through the whole country. Perhaps to no one as much as to the author is fame so gracious. We all know and revere the name of Washington Irving, but how many of us know even the names of the great lawyers who made up the supreme court of the United States of that time. On the other hand no one has less excuse for being than a poor author, but Judge Jones' books are full of meat and contain food for thought. His first publication was while he was county judge and was done in collaboration with Judge Cunningham. This book was "Practice in County Courts," Flood and Company of Chicago be- ing the publishers. This work has passed through three editions and is still regarded as a standard reference work on the subject. In 1893 his second volume appeared, and one more different from his first eould not be imagined. Its title was "Elements and Science of English Versification," and it immediately caught the publie attention, and is still a popular book. This same year he published a small volume of poetry that appealed to many people in all parts of the country. for in "Birch Rod Days and Other Poems" there was a spirit of freshness and a sympathetic insight into the feelings possessed by humanity as a whole that could not fail to win the interest of the reader.
Judge Jones was married on the 25th of November, 1869, to Mary
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H. Steel, a daughter of James H. and Emily J. Steel, and they have three children. The eldest of these, Caswell S. Jones, is vice-president and director of the First National Bank of Robinson, Illinois. The daughter, Dorothy J., is the wife of Stewart L. Crebs, who is the cashier and one of the directors of the National Bank of Carmi, Ili- nois. Both of these children would seem to have inherited their father's taste for finance and financiers, while the third, William C. Jones, in- herited his business ability, and was the organizer of the Jones Cloth- ing and Shoe Company, of Robinson, in 1903.
Judge Jones is a member of the Masonic order, Gorin Commandery, No. 14, Knights Templars of Olney, Illinois. He is also a member of the Robinson Lodge of Elks, No. 1188. In his religious affiliations he is a member of the Presbyterian church. Politically he upholds the standards of the Democratic party, and has always been much in- terested in local polities and in the civie life of his home town.
In addition to the literary work which has been mentioned above. Judge Jones was an associate editor of the "Ilistory of Crawford County," which was published in 1909 by the Munsell Publishing Com- pany. It will be seen that ludge Jones is not only a many sided man but a many sided writer. What a combination, lawyer, business man and anthor, poet, scientist and historian!
O. F. REINHARDT, M. D. Every profession has its prominent men, some made such by long membership, others by their proficiency in their calling. Dr. O. F. Reinhardt, of Aviston. Illinois, is made conspicuous among the citizens of Clinton county not so much by the length of time he has devoted to the calling for he is as yet a young man as by the eminent sneeess he has already made of it.
O. F. Reinhardt was reared to manhood in the city of New Baden, Illinois, whenee his family had come from St. Louis, Missouri, when he was about five years of age. and his early education was secured in the public schools of New Baden and the high school at Trenton, from which latter institution he was graduated with the class of 1902. From Tren- ton he went to the Normal College at Valparaiso, Indiana, where he took a special course in the elassies, after which he entered the medieal de- partment of Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, completing his medieal course in 1908 in the Chicago College of Medicine and Surgery. from which he received the degree of Doctor of Medicine. Immediately after graduation Dr. Reinhardt came to Aviston, where he has been in a continual and successful praetiee. He is one of those men who may be said to have chosen well. He is possessed of a kindly, sympathetic nature. a keen sense of discrimination and fine qualities of mind and heart, and, having a natural taste for the branches of the medical profession, he has made a signal snecess. As befits the young medical practitioner of today, Dr. Reinhart is a elose student, and the success he has attained has been dne to close application, ready acceptance of the new methods and discoveries of his profession as set forth in the leading medical periodicals of the day, of which he is a subscriber, and membership in the leading medieal associations, including the American and Clinton County Medical Societies. In political matters the Doctor has given his allegiance to the Republican party, but outside of taking a good citizen's interest in publie matters he has not found time to engage in political affairs, although he has always had the welfare of his adopted city at heart. His standing in his profession is high, and he has attained great popularity among the people of Aviston.
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