USA > Illinois > A history of southern Illinois; a narrative account of its historical progress, its people, and its principal interests > Part 84
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Born in Wayne county on a farm, on October 29, 1837. John Keen, Jr .. is the son of James Keen, a native of Tennessee, and the grandson of Ashford Keen, also a native of that state. The birth of James Keen occurred September 10, 1812, and he died September 24. 1886. IIe mi- grated to Illinois in 1830, with his father, Ashford Keen, settling in Hie- kory Hill township, where he passed the remainder of his life. Ashford Keen, his father, was in the marine service during the war of 1812 and fought at the battle of Lake Erie under Commodore Perry. The life of James Keen was passed as a farmer. He married Harriet Book, a native of Kentucky and the daughter of Harry Book. They reared a family of eight. five sons and three daughters, namely: John, Jr .; Samuel, de- ceased ; William, who died in service in the Union army in 1864, at Mem- phis; Elvis, resident of Hickory Hill township; Ashford, deceased; Cath- erine and Mary, both deceased ; Elizabeth, who married one George Ped- dicord, now residing in Hiekory Hill township.
In common with the early life of his brothers and sisters John Keen, Jr., attended the common schools of the home community and worked on his father's farm during school intervals. Following his attendance upon the common schools of Hiekory Hill he entered the college at Salem, Marion county, after which he taught school and farmed for three years. He filled various township offices in those days, and was justice of the peace for nine years, supervisor one term, collector one year and assessor for a like period, and was town clerk for a year, all while he was tilling his farm in Hickory Hill township. In January, 1872, Mr. Keen re- moved to Fairfield, and it was then that he began the study of law, to which he had a strong inclination, and in 1878 he was admitted to the bar of the state of Illinois. Previous to this time he had served as connty treasurer, having been elected in 1864 and serving until 1866. In 1882
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Mr. Keen was elected to the office of county judge on the Republican tic- ket, filling that office until 1886. In that year the county records were mysteriously burned, and the services of Mr. Keen were in demand in the court house owing to his full knowledge of probate business and other matters of a similar nature. He served seven and a half years as deputy- county clerk under F. M. Brock. In 1888 Mr. Keen was elected secretary of the Fairfield Building and Loan Association and he is filling that po- sition at the present time. For several years he has been secretary of the board of education and he has made his influence felt on that board for the betterment of educational conditions in Fairfield. His career in a publie way in Fairfield has been of a frank and worthy nature, and he has been privileged to aid in the accomplishment of much that has been for the advancement of the city and county. He has been a member of the Masonie fraternity since 1865, and is also a member of the Odd Fel- lows. He is of the Presbyterian faith.
On April 7, 1859, Mr. Keen was united in marriage with Miss Martha J. Attebury, the daughter of Stout and Fannie Attebury. They have reared a family of three children, two sons and one daughter. Isaac N., the eldest, is married and resides in Fairfield, and is a father and a grandfather, his son, Estil, living in Vincennes, Indiana, and being the father of a daughter, Jessie Katharyn. Asa is also married and living in Fairfield ; he has one daughter, Elsie. Harriet Lavinia is married to Rollo S. Clark and lives in Maunie, White county, Ilinois. She has two children, Dorothy and Lucy.
JAMES M. TANNER, for many years identified with the mill and lum- ber business of Louisville, is adjudged to be one of the wealthiest men in Clay county. if not, indeed, the wealthiest. Certain it is that he has pros- pered beyond his fairest dreams of early days, when his possessions were trifling but his ambitions of that high order which make success the na- tural outcome of one's efforts. First as a farmer in a small way on a rented farm, then as the proprietor of a farm of which he was the actual owner, later branching out into the saw-mill business on a somewhat limited scale which has resulted in the extensive mill and humber busi- ness of later years, he has advanced steadily from one phase of prosper- ity to another until he has reached his present high place in the finan- cial affairs of his city and county. He is variously connected with a number of the leading enterprises of his community. and his inthenee has been felt in practically every avenue of industry peenliar to his dis- triet. He has been identified also with public affairs of the state, and at one time was warden of the penitentiary at Chester. Illinois. His life has been one of wide and varied interests and he is still occupying a foremost place in the affairs of his eity.
Born in Indiana, June 8, 1839, James M. Tanner is a son of John and Eliza (Downs) Tanner, both natives of Kentucky and born in that state in 1814 and 1813, respectively. In 1833 John Tanner moved to Indiana and settled in Warrick county, where he engaged in farming pursuits. In 1858 he removed to Missouri, where he became interested in the hun- ber and mercantile business, locating in that line at Popular Bluff. and there erecting the first steam saw mill that town over possessed. Early in the Civil war Mr. Tanner enlisted in the Union army, but after a few months he was furloughed home on account of illness. While at home he was made prisoner and taken to Columbus, Mississippi, and died there in the southern prison. The years of later life had prospered John Tanner, and he left a comfortable estate for the maintenance of his family lle left nine children and his widow at his death. The family were mem- bers of the Missionary Baptist church from childhood. the father having
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been reared in that faith. He was a son of John Tanner, a native of Vir- ginia, who removed to Kentucky, where he remained until the War of 1812, in which he served, passing away a short time after his return from the war. The maternal grandfather of James M. Tanner, of this review, was Thomas Downs, a native of Kentucky. He was a farmer and a Mis- sionary Baptist preacher for sixty-five years, dying in the pulpit.
Educated in the common schools of Indiana, James M. Tanner passed his boyhood years in like manner with the youth of his time and elass. In 1862 he enlisted in the Thirteenth Illinois Cavalry, having served as a scout previous to his enlistement in that regiment. He was captured while on a scouting expedition and sent to Columbia, Mississippi, where his father expired as a prisoner. The young man made his escape, how- ever, and after enlisting in the Thirteenth Illinois served through to the elose of the war, when he came to Carbondale, Illinois. In 1865 he moved to Clay county, with the intention of entering on the life of a farmer. He was practically penniless, and it was necessary for him to rent a farm to begin operations. After a few seasons of strenuous work and planning Mr. Tanner found himself in a position where he was able to buy a farm for himself, which he did. He prospered, and in a short while saw an opportunity to engage in the saw mill business, and he has since that time been occupied in that industry, with ever increasing operations, and has amassed a considerable wealth as the result of his efforts along that line. IIe was for some time associated in the business with his brother, ex-Governor John R. Tanner, as a partner, but for the most part has been alone in his operations. He has never entirely given over his early farming interests, and is the owner of a magnificent farm of three hundred and forty-seven acres of valuable farm land. and de- votes much of his attention to stock-breeding,-mules being the princi- pal produce of his farm.
Mr. Tanner is interested in a number of financial organizations of the county, and is president of the Farmers and Merchants National Bank. He was at one time warden of the State Penitentiary at Chester, Illinois. and while there devoted his spare moments to writing a book entitled "Genealogy of the Tanner Family." The work is a most interesting col- leetion of material and facts relating to the Tanners, and throws much light upon the lives and characters of representatives of this fine old name. Mr. Tanner has always been a Republican and has been active in his efforts for the party welfare. He is a member , of the Grand Army of the Republic, and is past commander of Louisville Chapter, No. 556. He is also a member of the Odd Fellows and the Rebekahs. Mr. Tanner bears the distinction of being the oldest resident of Louisville, all who were there when he eame having died or moved away to other parts.
Mr. Tanner has been thrice married. IIis first marriage occurred on Christmas day of 1860, when Mary J. Tanner became his bride. One child was born to them, Viola, who married George Vandever, and she died in September, 1871. Mr. Tanner subsequently married Matilda Missenheimer. They became the parents of two children. Myrtle. who married John Blaeklage. and Lillian, who became the wife of Seymour Hoyt. On February 15, 1890, Mrs. Tanner died and in 1892 Mr. Tanner married Mittis J. Clifton, a sehool-teacher. They have two children : Ruby, who is still in the parental home, was graduated from a college in Lexington, Kentucky ; and James C., now in high school at Louisville. The family are members of the Christian church.
J. C. WILSON. The substantial and well-to-do citizens of Harrisburg have no better representative than J. C. Wilson, who stands high among the keen, progressive business men who are rendering such efficient aid
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in advancing the industrial prosperity of this part of Saline county. IIe was born September 29, 1852, in Armstrong county, Pennsylvania, which was likewise the birthplace of his father, John Il. Wilson.
Brought up in the Keystone state, John HI. Wilson learned the trade of a butcher, which he followed in connection with general farming for a number of seasons, owning a large tract of land. Induced by his brother-in-law, the late W. M. Christy, who was for twenty or more years a practicing lawyer of Harrisburg, to come to Saline county, Illinois, he located in Harrisburg. November 15, 1868, and soon after purchased the old Dick Stiff farm, lying one mile southwest of the city, and there fe- sided until his death, at the age of four score years. In his earlier life he was identified with the Whigs, but after the formation of the Republi- can party became one of its most loyal adherents. He took great interest in local affairs, and for two terms served as county commissioner of Sa- line county. He was one of the organizers of the Presbyterian church at Harrisburg, in which he served as ruling elder. While living in Penn- sylvania he joined the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and there be- ing no lodge of that order in Harrisburg when he came here to live he soon took steps to secure a charter for one, and continued as one of its most active members until his death. His old farm of two hundred aeres was in a rich coal section, and from it the land now included in the eity cemetery was taken. His wife, whose maiden name was Jennie Christy, was born in Armstrong county, Pennsylvania, and died about three years before he did, in Harrisburg, Illinois, on the home farm. Children blessed their union as follows: Ella J., wife of James Elder. a merchant in Harrisburg : Lizzie M., who married B. F. Davidson, died in early womanhood ; Annie ; Alice May, wife of W. II. Wiliford, living near Harrisburg; Kate, wife of a Mr. Robinson of Nashville, Tennessee ; and R. N. a traveling salesman for the International Harvester Company. with headquarters at Longmont, Colorado.
Coming with the family to Harrisburg while yet in his 'teens. JJ. t. Wilson remained at home until twenty-six years of age. after attaining his majority. having entire charge of the home farm. He afterwards bought the adjoining farm, and has since met with eminent success in his agricultural operations, his well-improved estate containing three hundred and sixty-five acres of choice land. all in one body, and in its supervision Mr. Wilson has taken both pride and pleasure.
In 1897 Mr. Wilson, who still retained possession of his farm, moved to Harrisburg. and took a half interest in the Wolcott Milling Company. with which he has since been actively interested, having the entire charge of the grain interests and outside work, Mr. Wolcott attending to the supervision of the plant. This plant is one of the largest manufacturing enterprises of Saline county, having a capacity of six hundred barrels per day, with an elevator with a capacity for sixty-five thousand bushels of grain, and steel tanks in Harrisburg. The Company also has three steel tanks, forty thousand bushels capacity cach, at Eldorado, and a mill at Stonefort used for the manufacturing of meal. The company likewise has an elevator and steel tanks at Equality: a warehouse at Carriers Mills; and also at Stonefort, in each of those places doing an exchange business. This enterprising firm ships its mill products to all parts of the Union, and receives its large supplies of hard wheat and spring wheat from Chicago, Minneapolis and Saint Lonis, and with its most highly approved machinery and equipments manufactures some of the highest grade flour to be found in any market in the world.
Mr. Wilson married. December 12. 1579, Carrie Mugge, a sister of George G. Mugge, who was for seventeen years a member of the Wilson household, and of their union tive children have been born, namely :
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Jennie Pearl, wife of Arthur Dean, of East Saint Louis; Walter, engaged in the grocery business ; Blanche, who married Eugene Sehneirle, died in 1911, leaving one child, Eugene, who lives with his Grandfather Wilson ; Stanley J., engaged in the mercantile business with G. G. Mugge; and Madge, wife of Everett Hess, of East Saint Louis. Mr. and Mrs. Wil- son are members of the Presbyterian church, in which Mr. Wilson has succeeded his father as an elder. Fraternally Mr. Wilson belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and in addition to having passed all the chairs of his lodge has represented it in the Grand Lodge.
R. N. RAWSTRON, manager of the American Asphalt Company at Lawrenceville, Illinois, is a son of Great Britain by birth, casting his lot with America and Americans as lately as in 1909. Since his arrival in America he has been manager of the Asphalt Company mentioned above, and has, through his excellent business ability and his proven fitness for the position he holds, established himself most firmly in Lawrenceville and the surrounding country.
Born in Levenshulme, England, April 16. 1860, Mr. Rawstron is the son of William Rawstron, also born in England, and a cotton manufac- turer near Rochdale, England. His mother's maiden name was Elizabeth Nicholson. He was the second child in a family of six, and received good educational advantages, attending Rossall College, near Fleetwood, Lan- eashire, and later completing his edueation at a private school in Weis- baden, Germany, conducted by Herr Kindermann. His education com- pleted, he entered the British army and served thus for a period of twenty-eight years, from 1881 to 1909. In July, 1898, he was ordered out to Egypt to take part in the Soudan expedition, then about to start, with the purpose of smashing the Khalifa at Khartoum. When the campaign was over he remained in the country for the following six years, during the tedious period of pacification, finally returning home in 1904, where, after completing a tour of duty at the War Office, he retired from mili- tary life.
Throughout his military career Mr. Rawstron was an enthusiastic erieketer, and so little was his health affected by the hardships of service in Egypt that on returning home he was elected captain of the regi- mental cricket team, a position that he subsequently proved himself to be eminently fitted for and thoroughly deserving of holding by making the largest number of runs and the biggest individual score of any member of the team, and leading to victory his men in twelve out of sixteen matches during the first year of his captainey. He continued playing with success this typically British game until he was forty-nine years of age.
In 1909 Mr. Rawstron came to the United States, eoming directly to Lawrenceville, where he assumed charge of the new factory of the Ameri- ean Asphalt Company, a large and fast growing concern with head of- fices in Chieago. This company manufactures various kinds of asphalt, their specialty being the produet known as Pioneer Road Asphalt, a grade of asphalt entirely different from the product of any other manufac- turing plant, and generally conceded to be the superior in elasticity and general endurance to any other asphalt known to the trade. Its basic element is gilsonite, and its eomponent parts are gilsonite and oil. A very speaking tribute to the superior qualities of the product of this company was given by Hon. James C. Wonders, state highway commis- sioner of Ohio in September, 1910, when he reported officially on a stretch of road constructed as an experiment in Columbus for the sole purpose of aseertaining the various values of the different preparations for preventing dust and for binding the surface of maeadam roads. Sev-
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enteen different materials were used in making seventeen separate stretches of road, each four hundred feet in length, the sections forming a continuous road. The report of the state highway commissioner reads as follows: " In this section all of the pieces of stone are perfectly hound. No excess of binder is in evidence, the surface is smooth, and its whole condition is excellent." This report referred to the section of road pre- pared by the American Asphalt Company with Pioncer Road Asphalt. It follows but naturally that Mr. Rawstron should take special pride in his management of a factory that produces something so manifestly su- perior, and it is safe to assume that his own peenliar ability, with that of his able band of assistants, has something to do with the excellency of the output at this plant. The Lawrenceville factory, erected there in 1910, is built on the most improved lines, and the process used differs much from the old methods prevailing in the manufacture of asphalt. In 1911 the almost new factory at Lawrenceville was destroyed by fire, wrought through carelessness on the part of a new workman at the plant. It was rebuilt in less than six weeks' time, and is now as nearly fireproof as such a plant could be. It has most complete fire equipment and all conven- iences for dealing with fire, and is altogether a splendid specimen of the most approved and modern plant. The company, which operates another plant at Grand Crossing. Illinois, also manufactures roofing. paint, etc. The average number of men employed at the Lawrenceville factory is twenty-five, and the average output of asphalt is fifty tons daily. This factory was established here in order that it might be easily accessible to the oil fields, oil being one of the principal parts of the product.
In 1885 Mr. Rawstron married Miss Josephine Hennessy, of England, and they have one daughter, Mary. Mrs. Rawstron and their daughter are at present sojourning in London .. Mr. Rawstron is a communicant of the Church of England and is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
THOMAS ALLEN CLARK, M. D., is the type of physician that is, un- fortunately for the country at large. rapidly becoming more and more rare in the active life of this twentieth century. He has been willing to devote the years since his graduation to the relief of the suffering close about him without marring his usefulness by dreams of the city operating room or of the specialist's fee. Of him Goldsmith might have said : "A man he was to all the country dear-" and even further,-
"Remote from towns, he ran his godly race Nor ever had changed nor wished to change his place."
This doctor, who willingly gives of his skill and energy to soothe his fellow men in their illness and affliction travels through the Southern Illi- nois country by horse, visiting patients often fifteen or twenty miles dis- tant from his home, such is the confidence of the people in his ability
Thomas Allen Clark was born on the 21st day of April. ISH. on a farm in Farmington township. Jefferson county, Ilinois. He is the son of Joseph Clark, who began his life in Nashville, Tennessee, in October of 1831. The senior Mr. Clark had grown to young manhood in Tennes see when the war cloud grew black and his father, Jesse, always a loyal I'mionist, brought his little family from the south to Jefferson county. Illinois. On the Illinois farm purchased by his father Joseph Clark spent the remainder of his life and here he passed away on the 24th day of The tober, 1904, having just celebrated his seventy-third birthday He left to mourn his death his wife, Sarah Smith Clark, the daughter of Mr. Col. man Smith, a Virginia gentleman, and seven grown children, of whom five are daughters. The first born, Florence, who finished her life work
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some years since, was the widow of Doctor S. II. Hilliard, who has been deceased for eighteen years. The next sister, Cassie, married Horace Maxey, of Eldorado, Kansas. Edith is now Mrs. Doctor A. G. Brown, of St. Louis. Love of the medical profession seems to be a family trait. Cora, next to the youngest of the girls, also married a physician, in this case Doctor J. T. Whillock, of Mount Vernon, Illinois. Lillie, who mar- ried J. Will Howell, still lives in the home city, while Walter Clark, the older of the boys, ocenpies the home farm.
Dr. Thomas A. Clark attended, in his childhood, the district schools of Jefferson county, graduating later from the Mount Vernon high school. For the ensuing year he studied at Fairfield College, then for one year at Ewing College. Feeling the necessity of becoming at once self sup- porting, he left his college work unfinished that he might enter the nor- mal school at Oakland, Indiana, and in his twentieth year began teaching in the schools of his native county. During five years of life as a teacher he was able to save from his earnings enough to help him to realize his boyhood ambition-a medical education. At the age of twenty-six he entered the medical department of the University of St. Louis, receiving his degree of Doctor of Medicine in the spring of 1904.
Upon graduation he settled in Dix, Illinois, where his large general practice covers a territory from fifteen to twenty miles in radius. His nights as well as his days are given over to his profession, so popular has he become with the people of his vicinity. In the autumn of 1907 he was elected county coroner on the Democratic tieket. This office he has filled with such ability that his friends of both political parties are anx- ious that he continue to accept the responsibilities. He is a member of the Jefferson County Medical Society and the Illinois State Medical As- sociation. In lodge cireles he belongs to the Knights of Pythias and to the Woodmen of the World.
One year previous to his entering medical school the doctor was united in marriage to Miss Dora May Smith, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Nelson Smith, of Jefferson county. They were married on the 30th of November, 1889, his bride going with him to St. Louis-there to make a home for him while his hopes were becoming realities. Dr. and Mrs. Clark are now the parents of two attractive little daughters : Doris Alene is seven years of age, while the baby sister celebrated her third birth- day on the 30th of October, 1911.
CAPTAIN WILLIAM KINNEY MURPHY. The roll of those men who have been the builders of Southern Illinois would not be complete without the name of Captain William Kinney Murphy, lately deceased. The men who seize an opportunity when it comes to them are rare and when found are quite certain to be successful, but the men who make opportunities for themselves are still more uncommon and are certain to be discovered only among the ranks of the great captains of industry. It was to this latter class that Captain Murphy belonged. Although he confined his operations to a comparatively small portion of the country, his genius as a financier and a promoter of successful enterprises, make him compare favorably with some men whose names are blazoned forth upon the front sheets of our daily newspapers. He was chief among the business men, finaneiers and agriculturists of Perry county throughout the years of his life, and the record which he left behind as a politician was an enviable one. With his remarkable power of foreseeing future events he knew just when a new project should be launched. At various points through Southern Illinois he has left monuments to his memory in the shape of financial institutions, and all of these have met with only the most unvary- ing snecess, thanks to his steady hand upon their rudders. While it is
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