USA > Illinois > A history of southern Illinois; a narrative account of its historical progress, its people, and its principal interests > Part 73
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Mr. Carter is not connected with any fraternal order excepting the Modern Woodmen of America, in which order he has passed all the ehairs in the local camp. He is a Republican, and has served as een- tral committeeman for his precinct these many years.
SAMUEL LOVEJOY TAYLOR is editor of the Sparta Plaindcaler and has been identified with local journalism during practically his entire life time. The dissemination of news, the discussion of the public questions and the promotion of the general welfare of his community through the columns of his paper have constituted life's object with him as a private citizen. His public services, both to his city and his county, have been no less important and earnest and the period of twelve years in which he dispensed justice from the bench of the Randolph county court mark him as one of the influential and prominent citizens of this section of the state.
Judge Taylor was born at Sparta, Illinois, October 31, 1848. His father, John Taylor, was born in Lincoln county, Tennessee, in 1816, and left that state because of his dislike of the ulcer of slavery which then afflicted the whole south. John Taylor was a son of Clark Taylor and a grandson of IIngh Taylor, the latter of whom was a Scoteliman, born near Glasgow, Scotland. Hugh Taylor married Nancy Ganlt and came to
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America during the colonial regime, locating in Lincoln county, Tennes- see. He was a planter of that early time and his abode was situated within the danger limits of hostile savages, at whose hands he lost his life while on a horse-hunting expedition on Red river in the adjacent territory of Kentucky.
John Taylor was educated in Tennessee and at the age of twenty- three came to Illinois, where was solemnized his marriage to Jane Haw- thorne, a daughter of James Hawthorne, one of the pioneers of Randolph county and one of its carly county recorders or circuit court clerks, when the county seat was still at Kaskaskia. John Taylor died in 1876 and his wife passed away in 1879. John Taylor affiliated with the Whig party until the formation of the Republican party, when he became one of the first to align himself with that organization. In the political contests between Lincoln and Douglas in Illinois he was a strong partisan of Mr. Lineoln and during the war between the states he was government official for assessing and collecting the various federal taxes for the prosecution of the war. Ile was not a public speaker or debater, not endowed with the art of fluent expression, but he was a conscientious doer of deeds among the people and was an elder in the United Presbyterian church.
The children of John Taylor and wife were: William B., John G., Samuel L., Albert, Lydia B., and Alice. All have passed through life thus far without marriage save JJudge Samuel L., and all excepting him are members of the old family home. The brothers have a common in- terest in merchandising at Sparta and Samuel and Albert have passed their lives actively in newspaper work, the latter being business manager of the Sparta Plaindcaler. Samuel L. was postmaster at Sparta for five years and Albert was his deputy. All were trained in the schools of Sparta common to their student days, and in addition to that discipline Samuel L. attended the University of Michigan, where he studied law up to his junior year.
Judge Taylor's first independent efforts were expended in the office of the Randolph County Democrat, of Chester. published by I. B. Nes- bit, who is still living. Following his work there he spent the last year of the war in Ann Arbor, and when he returned home the opportunity to become the owner of the Sparta Plaindealer existed and he seized it. This paper was founded by Rotrock Brothers over fifty years ago as a Republican paper and the principles and policies of that organization have dominated its columns ever since. They sold it to General J. Blackburn Jones, who disposed of it to Nichol & Watson, from whom Fred Alles obtained it. At this point Judge Taylor became connected with it, for he purchased it next. He conducted it for seven years, when he sold it to Campbell & Deitrich, Charles M1. Campbell bought. out Campbell & Deitrich and Campbell Brothers were proprietors of the Journal for a time. Finally George HI. Campbell became sole proprietor and JJudge Taylor resumed his connection with it as editor. When Mr. Campbell sold the paper to E. I. Smith the Judge again took charge and has been editor ever since. for Taylor Brothers purchased the plant in 1899. When founded the Plaindealer was a four page folio, while now it is a seven column quarto.
Judge Taylor was admitted to the Illinois bar by the circuit court of Randolph county, but he never entered into the active practice of law. Ile served as eity attorney of Sparta for a time : was also city treasurer and mayor. Ile was a delegate from his congressional distriet to the Republican national convention at Minneapolis in 1892. As already in- timated, he was a stalwart Republican in his political convictions and in 1894 was elected county judge. He retired from that office after a faith- ful service of four years, but in 1902 was again cleeted and four years
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later was chosen his own successor. Having at the expiration of his second term served the county twelve years, he declined to stand again as a candidate, although urged by petition and otherwise to do so. He resumed his old place at the editorial desk of the Plaindealer and now his paper and other business affairs occupy all his time. Personally and through the medium of his paper the Judge exerts a splendid infinenee on community affairs and he is recognized as one of the most prominent and public-spirited citizens of Sparta.
On January 28, 1879, Judge Taylor married Miss Mary J. Caudle, and the issue of their union are two daughters, Gail and Vera. The family are devout members of the Presbyterian church and Judge Tay- lor has served on the board of trustees of that body.
FRANK M. DAVIS. An able, intelligent and enterprising journalist, Frank M. Davis, of Breese, Illinois, editor, manager and proprietor of the People's Interest, has been actively identified with the advancement of the newspaper interests of Clinton county since attaining his majority. He is a self-made man in the best sense of that term, whatever success has come to him having been honestly earned by hard work and unflag- ging devotion to his profession. A native of Illinois, he was born in Louisville, Clay county.
His father, William M. Davis, who was born in Waterford, Ohio, April 14, 1852, came with his parents to Illinois when a small child, and was brought up on his father's farm in Kinmundy. He subsequently worked at various occupations in and around that town, finally locating at Sailor Springs, Clay county, where he spent the closing years of his life retired from active pursuits, passing away Mareli 23, 1900. He was an uncompromising Republiean in polities, and a member of the Old School Presbyterian church. He married Maria T. Critehlow, of Louis- ville, Illinois, and to them five children were born, as follows: Florence, the wife of George Bateman ; Frank M .; Pearl C., the second son ; Claude P. and Iney May. The wife survived him many years, dying in March, 1910.
Frank M. Davis spent his childhood days in Illinois, in Wakefield and Farina, subsequently aequiring his preliminary education in the public schools of Sailor Springs, and later being graduated from the Clay City high school. For five years, from the age of fourteen until nineteen, he was employed in a drug store. Embarking then upon his journalistic career, Mr. Davis became affiliated with the World, one of the leading papers of Sailor Springs, having a half interest in the sheet. At the age of twenty-one years he bought ont his partner's interest and eon- tinued to publish the paper until 1906. In January of that year Mr. Davis moved his plant to Breese, and the following month, in February, 1906, established the journal with which he has since been associated as proprietor and editor, the People's Interest, a paper that is in every way true to its name. being a non-partisan sheet, devoted to the best and high- est interests of the people and the community, and gladly championing all enterprises conducive to the publie good. Mr. Davis started busi- ness, with a partner, at Sailor Springs with no other assets than a courageous heart, an active brain and plenty of ambition and energy, and has sinee built up a substantial business, having a large, well equipped newspaper plant, which he is managing successfully.
Mr. Davis married, June 17, 1911, Allie Patton, of Beekemeyer, Illi- nois. Politically Mr. Davis is a staunch advocate of the principles of the Republican party; fraternally he is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows; and religiously he belongs to the Methodist Epis- eopal church.
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REV. G. H. HAERTLING. The Lutheran church of Neunert, Illinois, the strongest Lutheran congregation in Jackson county, is fortunate in having for its pastor the Rev. G. H. Haertling, a man whose qualities of mind and heart have made him beloved by all who know him, and one who has proved himself not only an able pastor and efficient business man, but also a friend and advisor to all who will place confidence in him. Born at Cape Girardeau, Missouri, May 8, 1876, Rev. Haertling is a son of Herman and Sophia (Koenig) Haertling.
Herman Haertling was born in Saxony, Germany, February 16, 1841, and came to the United States when about twenty-two years, lo- eating in Cape Girardeau county, Missouri, among, the heavy timber. Clearing his original land, he added to it from time to time, becoming eventually one of his section's most prosperous men. In political mat- ters he was a Republican, but he never cared for public preferment, and the time he could spare from his private affairs was all devoted to the work of the Lutheran church, of which he was an active and useful member, holding several official offices and being a deacon for a number of years. A good man and true Christian, the world was better for Mr. Haertling having lived in it, and at the time of his death, which occurred July 13, 1904, his community lost not only an able agriculturist, but a man whose life was so spent that those who came after him could look back upon his career with a sense of pride. His widow still survives and makes her home with a younger brother of Rev. Haertling on the old homestead.
Rev. G. Il. Haertling was the fifth of nine children born to his par- ents, and his early education was seeured in the parochial schools. When he was fourteen years of age his father sent him to college at Concordia. Missouri, and in 1894 he was graduated at which time he went to Mil- waukee and was graduated from college there in 1897. Returning to Missouri, he was a student at Concordia College, St. Louis, until his graduation in 1900, and at that time was ordained. His first charge was at Menno, Hutchinson county, South Dakota, where he remained for two years, and then received a call to Hanson. Brown county. in that state, remaining there until 1904, then going to the Fountain Bluff con- gregation. The Rev. P. S. Estel, whom Rev. Haertling succeeded as pas- tor of the present congregation had been in charge here for twenty-two years. During Rev. Haertling's administration, the congregation, com- prising seventy-eight active members, has erected a new church editier at Neunert, made necessary by the extensive growth of its attendance. Rev. Haertling is sincerely loved in his parish, enjoys the fullest con- fidence of the members of his church, and is accorded the highest respect of all who know him. He has a deep sense of the high duties of his position and the responsibility he has assumed in caring for the spiritual needs of those who have been entrusted to his charge. His eloquence in the pulpit and his sincere interest in the welfare of his people have en- abled him to accomplish much good. and he has administered the finan- cial affairs of the church to the advantage of that organization.
In 1901, Rev. Haertling was united in marriage with Miss Louisa Koenig, of Cape Girardeau county, Missouri, daughter of Julius Koenig. and to this union there have been born four children : Concordia, Lorna, Paula and Milta.
DRAKE II. RENDLEMAN. In the early days of the West the more fav- ored distriets naturally drew to themselves the men of greatest ambition, foresight and business sagacity. These sought the fields that held ont the most to them in the way of promise for the future, and settling there they bent their energies to laying the foundation of prosperity for them-
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selves and their posterity. Thus it is that Union county has been for- tunate in the character of its pioneers. They were not only of sturdy stoek, fit to endow their descendants with the physical strength to build up a great community, but they were also above the average in mental grasp and moral fibre. They were able to discern the opportunities which the region held forth for agriculture, manufacture and commerce, and possessed the sound judgment, courage and perseveranee to organize these and direet them to their full fruition. Of this sort were the aneestors of Drake H. Rendleman, seven generations of whose family have lived on his present farm, an excellent traet of two hundred and thirty aeres located near Jonesboro.
Mr. Rendleman's great-grandfather on his mother's side seenred the present farm from the government during the earliest settlement of Union county, and died here at the remarkable age of one hundred and two years, about 1814 or 1816. His son, who grew up here, went to Missouri in 1841, considering that this seetion was becoming too thickly settled, and died in that state at the age of ninety-six years. He was possessed of a fine head of red hair, and for this was greatly respected by the Indians. Drake Harris Rendleman, the father of Drake H., was born in North Carolina, November 16, 1801, and in 1815 came to Union county with four brothers. He was a tanner by trade and had a tan yard on the present property, but subsequently became engaged in farming, in which he continued for the remainder of his life, his death occurring in October, 1886. Mr. Rendleman married Catherine Hun- saker, who was born on this property in 1813, among the Indians, and here she spent all of her life, her death occurring in 1905, when she was ninety-two years old. Both branches of the family have been widely and favorably known, and it has been their boast that no member has ever been brought before a court.
Drake H. Rendleman was reared among pioneer surroundings, hav- ing been born January 10, 1841, on his present land, where in his boy- hood he remembers often seeing wild turkeys and deer in the farmyard. His preliminary education was seenred in the distriet sehools, and later he attended a seminary here and Lebanon College, from which he was graduated in 1864. Seenring a teacher's license, Mr. Rendleman followed the profession of an educator for sixteen years, but since that time has devoted all of his attention to agricultural pursuits. His fine farm is in an excellent state of cultivation, and he has given a great deal of attention to the raising of berries. He is vice president and a stockholder in the Anna Creamery and the Union Fruit Package Com- pany, and a director in the Fruit Growers' Association of Anna, and is recognized as a business man of more than ordinary ability. Politieally, he is a Democrat. but he has never eared for public office. He has been prominent in Masonry sinee 1862.
In 1864 Mr. Rendleman was married (first) to Miss Goodman of Union county, who died in 1886 leaving the following children: Cora, Daisy, Clara, Arthur, Zoe and Charles. In 1887 Mr. Rendleman was married a second time, when occurred his union with Miss Nettie Eddle- man, who was born in this county in 1863. and they have had two ehil- dren : Edith and Mary, both of whom reside with their parents. Mr. and Mrs. Rendleman are consistent members of the Lutheran church, and have been prominent in religious and charitable work for a number of years.
FOUNTAIN E. JAMES. Born on a farm near Cobden, Union county, Illinois, on September 28, 1874, Fountain E. James is the son of George W. James and Mamie (Condon) James, and the grandson of Wilson
Levi Browning
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James, who first settled in Union county in the early pioneer days. For fifteen years Fountain James has been an esteemed and honored eitizen of Alto Pass, where he is known as one of the most progressive and rep- resentative fruit growers in Union county, with a reputation for skill and adeptness in the business that is second to none in that district.
The early schooling of Fountain E. James was seeured through the avenues of the common schools of his home town. When he attained his majority he started life for himself by acquiring a farm of one hun- dred and forty-six acres in Alto Pass, and there he has lived since that time, cultivating his land and building up a business that has placed him among the first rank in the producers of I'nion county. On one hun- dred aeres planted to apples and peaches, mostly young trees just com- ing into bearing, in 1911 he harvested a yield of four thousand bushels each of apples and peaches; an average crop, all things considered. On his place he has erected a fine modern dwelling on a high ridge overlooking the town. It is a thoroughly up-to-date and modern resi- denee in every respeet, costing him something over $4,000 when com- pleted. His other buildings compare favorably with the best in his loeality.
In 1894 Mr. James married Miss Ava Asbury, the daughter of Charles and Edna Asbury, and they have been the parents of four chil- dren : Layman and Norma, deceased; Herbert, aged seventeen, and Louise, now ten years of age.
LEVI BROWNING. Three generations of Brownings have left their indelible stamp upon the history of Illinois, the first representative set- tling in what is now Franklin county, but which then (1796) was un- explored, unsurveyed and unsettled country. They were pioneers in the purest sense of that most expressive word, and have been identified since the coming of the first Browning to Illinois with the civilizing, settling and general growth of the state. Levi Browning. a son of the first of his name to locate in Illinois, lived a life replete with good works in be- half of his fellow men. His benefactions in money alone would ag- gregate an enormous sum, while his material gifts were freely supple- mented by the greater charity of time, love and labor on his part towards those who needed his ministrations. Although he lived to the venerable age of eighty-four years, his passing on July 22, 1905, marked the elose of an unfinished work. for he was active and ambitions to the last. continuing his good work with an energy seldom seen in a man of his years. The educational interests of Southern Illinois ever found in Mr. Browning a staunch supporter. not alone in a material way, but by his personal aid and influence, and it has been estimated that he gave more in time, labor and money to the various educational institutions of his seetion of the state than any other man in Franklin county.
Levi Browning was born in 1820, at Browning Ilill, which point was first settled by his father. John Browning. in 1804, the latter being the first man to locate in what is now Franklin county, then an unpierced wilderness. John Browning was a Missionary Baptist minister, born in North Carolina in 1781. He moved first to Tennessee, thence to Illinois in 1796, moving into the Jordan Fort in order to be safe from Indians. This fort was three miles south of Fitts Hill. llere JJohn Browning was engaged as guard for the mail carrier who made the trip between Kas- kaskia and Shawneetown semi-weekly, and continued in that employment for some little time. He eventually married Naney Kitchen, and they reared to maturity a family of twelve children. Today JJohn Browning has fully one hundred and fifty descendants living. As mentioned above, he built a home on an elevated site which he named Browning
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Hill. and this was his home throughout his life. He eame of a family of Baptists and he himself entered the ministry and gave a lifetime of service to his church and his people in Franklin county. He was known and loved throughout his county and Southern Illinois by a wide circle of admiring friends, who keenly felt his loss when he passed away at an advanced age at the family home on Browning Hill.
Levi Browning, his son, received his early education in the home of his boyhood. In his youth opportunities for the education of the young were not as numerous as today, and in Southern Illinois that this is longer the fact is due largely to the efforts and generosity of himself in later years. Always deeply interested in the cause of education, he exerted every influence he possessed to seenre for this section of the state schools and colleges of the best class, so that the children of this day may secure advantages of an educational charaeter unsurpassed by those of any part of the country. He helped to found Ewing College at Ewing, Franklin county, and was one of the first trustees of Shurtleff College at Alton, Illinois. In 1840 Mr. Browning first came to Benton, where he lived until the day of his death. He saw the town grow from its first day of life, being there when the town was laid out and the first lots sold. In 1841 he opened up a general store in Benton, and he continued in that business until he retired from commercial life in 1888. Ilis early experience in business life was attended by many trying con- ditions. For years he was compelled to "tote" his goods from Chicago, then a small town, by ox-team. He remembers the great business thoroughfare, State street, when it was not more than an ill kept road, and on one occasion when driving out of Chicago with a load of mer- chandise for his Benton store, Mr. Browning's team became mired in the most prominent part of State street, so bad was the condition of the road. Thus from a small beginning, Mr. Browning continued his mer- chandising for nearly a half a century, having built up a splendid busi- ness before his retirement. The first flour mill in Franklin county was built by Mr. Browning, and it was in operation until a few years previous to his death. He also built the first sawmill to be operated in the county. and with the aid of John G. Buchanan, built the first jee house known in Franklin county. Furthermore, he was instrumental in causing to be erected the first church in Benton, now the house of worship of the First Baptist church of the city. IIe assisted in making the original plat of the city, and was the owner of much Benton real estate. It is estimated that his name appears on the transfer deeds to more Benton real estate than does the name of any other man in the county. In 1854 Mr. Browning was appointed a member of the Illinois drainage commission, which position he retained up to the time of his demise, and during his tenure of office he disposed of more than forty thousand acres of swamp land. Among his official acts was the con- struetion of what is known as pond diteh, made to drain Buekner pond, a work of vast importance to the surrounding country and at that time regarded as a most difficult undertaking. Through his efforts a large aereage of swamp lands were thus reclaimed, and is now held as valu- able farming land.
Not alone in business and educational affairs was Mr. Browning an active promoter, but in religious eireles also his influenee was most pronounced. For fifty years he was a deacon in the Baptist church, of which denomination the Browning family has long been the adherent, and he was familiarly known as Deacon Browning. He was the last of the original organizers of the Franklin Baptist Association, of which he was clerk until a few years prior to his death. The records of this Association bear witness to the faet that Mr. Browning's father, John
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Browning, was the first white man to be baptized in the waters of Big Muddy, and that the officiating clergyman was Rev. Isaac Herrin, whose descendants are now so prominent in the affairs of Williamson county, and who was the grandfather of Ephraim Herrin, the founder of the city named Herrin. The interest of Mr. Browning in Shurtleff Col- lege, which he helped to found, was most beautiful to behold, and he was the last member of the original board of trustees of that College. That institution and Ewing College were always the recipient of every benefit he was able to bestow, and in his death both lost a friend and supporter of the highest order. A man of deepest sympathies, inex- hanstible energy, unfailing personal integrity and exceptional business talents, his whole life was a boon to his county and state, and his death, which oeeurred on Ily 22. 1905, was felt as an irremediable loss in the community in which he was so universally loved and respected.
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