USA > Illinois > Clay County > Biographical and reminiscent history of Richland, Clay and Marion counties, Illinois > Part 10
USA > Illinois > Richland County > Biographical and reminiscent history of Richland, Clay and Marion counties, Illinois > Part 10
USA > Illinois > Marion County > Biographical and reminiscent history of Richland, Clay and Marion counties, Illinois > Part 10
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The mother of the subject, a woman of many beautiful attributes, was known in her maidenhood as Fanny Long, a daughter of Darling Long, an old settler of Clay county. She is still living. To Mr. and Mrs. J. C. McCollum four children were born, our subject being the only survivor.
Our subject was reared in Louisville where he attended the high school from which he graduated, having gained a good common school education, for he was ambi- tious and applied himself in a very careful manner to his studies, outstripping may of the less ardent plodders. Not being satis- fied with what learning he had acquired up to this point, he attended the University of Illinois, taking the literary and law courses, in which institution he remained for six years, graduating in 1901, after making a splendid record for scholarship.
After completing his course in the univer- sity, Mr. McCollum returned home and at once began the practice of law, his success being instantaneous. He at once attracted
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the attention of the political leaders of the county, and he was the nominee of the Dem- ocratic party for County Judge in 1902, and while he headed his ticket, was defeated; however, the splendid race he made gave proof of his high standing with the people of Clay county and forecasted future victo- ries. He formed a law partnership that year with A. M. Rose, which continued until Mr. Rose was elected to the circuit bench.
Mr. McCollum was appointed Master in Chancery for two terms, serving with much credit and satisfaction from 1904 until 1908. He is at this writing practicing law with John W. Thomason, having formed a part- nership, which still exists, in January, 1907. It is generally regarded as one of the strong- est law firms in this or adjoining counties. and their office is always a busy place, their many clients coming from all over the dis- trict. As already stated, our subject made a successful race for the Legislature during the last election (1908), which event caused general satisfaction throughout the county, not only from friends, but members of other parties, for everyone recognized Mr. McCol- lum's ability and fidelity to duty, therefore they know their interests will be carefully guarded by him.
Mr. McCollum is unmarried. In his fra- ternal relations he is a member of the Be- nevolent and Protective Order of Elks No. 926, at Olney, the Knights of Pythias, the In- dependent Order of Odd Fellows and the Woodmen, and Masonic Order at Louisville.
Mr. McCollum is not a man who courts publicity, yet it must be a pleasure to him, as
is quite natural, to know how well he stands with his fellow citizens throughout this dis- trict. The public is seldom mistaken in its estimation of a man, and had Mr. McCollum not been most worthy he could not have gained the high position he now holds in public and social life. Having long main- tained the same without any abatement of his popularity, his standing in the county is perhaps now in excess of what it has ever been. He has, by his own persistent and praiseworthy efforts, won for himself a name whose luster the future years shall only aug- ment.
G. H. TRENARY.
The enterprise of the subject has been crowned by success, as the result of rightly applied principles which never fail in their ultimate effect when coupled with integrity, uprightness and a congenial disposition, as they have been done in the present instance, judging from the high standing of Mr. Tre- nary among his fellow citizens whose un- divided esteem he has justly won and re- tained.
G. H. Trenary, the influential and popu- lar superintendent of the Chicago & East- ern Illinois Railroad Company, with offices at Salem, Illinois, was born February 9, 1867, at Lafayette, Indiana, the son of Ran- dolph B. Trenary, a native of Ohio who came to Indiana when a boy. He was a lo- comotive engineer, having run an engine
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during the Civil war and he followed this profession all his life, becoming one of the best known railroad men in his community. He died in February, 1904, at Stone Bluff, Indiana. The mother of the subject was known in her maidenhood as Mollie Nor- duft, a native of Williamsport, Indiana, and the representative of a well known and highly respected family there. She passed to her rest in 1873. They were the parents of four children, three boys and one girl, namely: Charles W., of Kansas City, Mis- souri; G. H., the subject of this sketch; Evendar H., who died in 1888; Elizabeth, the wife of Charles Mallett, of Stone Bluff, Indiana.
Our subject attended the common schools at Urbana, Illinois, leaving school when in the eighth grade for the purpose of begin- ning the study of telegraphy at Urbana. Becoming an exeprt at this exacting profes- sion he followed it together with that of agent at various stations for thirteen years with great satisfaction to his employers who regarded him as one of the most efficient and reliable men in this line of work in their employ. He spent four years at Og- den, Illinois; one year at Urbana, one year at Waynetown, Indiana; one year at Cham- paign, Illinois ; two years at LeRoy, Illinois; three years at Veedersburg, Indiana; one year at Hoopestown, Illinois. From 1896 to 1899 he was chief clerk to the general superintendent of the Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad Company at Chicago. For five years our subject held the responsible position of superintendent at Brazil, In-
diana, from 1899 to 1904, since which time he has been superintendent of the Illinois division of the Chicago & Eastern Illinois road, with headquarters at Salem. The offices of this road were located here in De- cember, 1906, having been removed from St. Elmo, this state. This road employs about five hundred people in all departments. The local offices occupy the entire third floor of the Salem State Bank building and is the busiest place in Salem. Mr. Trenary's private office is also on this floor. Every- thing is under a splendid system.
Mr. Trenary has jurisdiction over all transportation, a very responsible position, indeed, and one that not only requires a superior talent along executive lines, but a clear brain, sound judgment and steady hab- its, but he has performed his duties so well that the company deems his services indis- pensable. This road has a departmental di- vision system.
Our subject was happily married in De- cember, 1884, to Beulah R. Glascock, the refined and accomplished daughter of H. J. Glascock, an influential and highly respected citizen of Ogden, Illinois.
The commodious, modern, cheerful and model home of the subject and wife has been blessed through the birth of the six children whose names and dates of birth follow in consecutive order: G. W., born April 12, 1886, lives in Salem; Nell, born December 30, 1887; Genevieve F., born March 1, 1893; Robert F., born October 22, 1895; H. Kenneth, born January 29, 1901 ; Randolph Bryant, born January 26, 1904.
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These children have received every care and attention, been given good educations and each gives promise of bright and suc- cessful futures, exemplifying in their daily lives what a wholesome home environment and careful parental training can do in de- veloping well rounded and highly cultivated minds and bodies.
Mr. Trenary moved his family to Salem in December, 1906. He has been honored by being chosen alderman for the city of Salem. Although a loyal Republican and well fortified in his political beliefs and anx- ious to see the triumph of his party's prin- ciples, Mr. Trenary has never aspired to positions of public trust at the hands of his fellow voters. However, his support can al- ways be depended upon in the advancement of all movements looking to the public weal in his community whether educational, moral or civic.
In his fraternal relations, the subject is a member of the Masonic Order and the Mod- ern Woodmen, and one would soon conclude by a knowledge of his consistent and gen- tlemanly daily life that he believed in carry- ing out the sublime precepts of these commendable organizations. Both Mr. and Mrs. Trenary are members of the Christian church. They are pleasant people to meet, and their cozy home is often the mecca for numerous admiring friends who seek the cheerfulness and hospitality so freely and unstintingly dispensed here. No better or more popular people are to be found in Mar- ion county and they justly deserve the high esteem in which they are held.
JOHN A. BATEMAN.
There is much in the life record of the subject of this sketch worthy of commenda- tion and admiration, and his public career is especially notable. Like many other brainy, energetic young men who have left their impress upon the magnificent develop- ment of this part of the great Prairie state, he did not wait for a specially brilliant open- ing. Indeed, he could not wait, for his natural industry would not have permitted him to do so. In his early youth he gave evidence of the possession of traits of char- acter which have made his life exceptionally successful and he is today admittedly one of Clay county's foremost and best known citizens.
John A. Bateman was born in Richland county, Illinois, September 20, 1863, the son of Thomas Bateman, who was a native of Queenstown, Ireland, where a sister, aunt of our subject, still resides. He came to America when he was eighteen years old, first settling in Ohio, near Cincinnati, where he lived about three years, after which he came to Richland county, Illinois, locating on a farm, having lived in'Richland county two years, when he moved near Sailor Springs, Clay county, where he lived until his death, June 24, 1879. He was a man of much sterling worth and many of his praiseworthy traits seem to have been in- herited by our subject. Grandfather Michael Bateman was a native of Ireland, where he lived and died. Our subject's mother was Mary A. Mitchell, whose people
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were natives of North Carolina. She was born near Bedford, Indiana, and is still liv- ing at Sailor Springs, Clay county, Illinois. She is a fine old lady of beautiful Christian character.
The following children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Bateman: Lucinda Jane died in infancy; John A., the subject of this sketch; William, deceased; Charles, a well-to-do farmer at Sailor Springs, this county ; Susanna, deceased; George P., liv- ing at Sailor Springs; Abraham, deceased; Robert, deceased.
Mr. Bateman spent his early life on the farm and received his primary education in the schools of Sailor Springs. He later attended Hayward College at Fairfield, Il- linois, for two or three terms. He also at- tended the Teachers' Normal of Clay coun- ty, having made a splendid record for schol- arship in all these institutions. Not being contented to leave school before he received a high education, he borrowed money of old Uncle Jim McKinney, and attended the Mitchell College, at Mitchell, Indiana, com- pleting the course.
His father dying when he was fifteen years old, Mr. Bateman became the head and support of the family, and although the struggle was hard, it merely tended to de- velop the sterner side of his nature and spurred him to achievements that he other- wise would never have known. After leaving school he taught for five years in the country with great success, becoming known as one of the leading educators of the county and his services were in great
demand. After his experience in teaching he went into the real estate and insurance business at Sailor Springs, also buying and shipping wool and grain. He also opened the first furniture store in that town and while there he was elected the first Mayor of the town, having become one of the leading men of the community and who did a great deal for the town's development. This was in 1893. He remained there for ten years, making a success of whatever business he engaged in.
In 1898 Mr. Bateman was elected Coun- ty Clerk on the Republican ticket, living at the time in Sailor Springs. On June 22, 1899, he moved to Louisville. He was elected to this office by twenty-four major- ity. He was counted out, but was finally seated by the Supreme Court. He was re- nominated in 1902, and re-elected by a ma- jority of three hundred and fifteen. Having made such a splendid record he was re- nominated in 1906 and re-elected by a ma- jority of four hundred and twenty-seven in the face of a strong fight. The Democratic party took their regular nominee off the ticket and placed the strongest man they could in the race against him. He is now (1908) serving his third term, and is re- garded by everyone concerned as an excep- tionally good officer, being careful and painstaking, courteous to all and giving his attention to the duties of the same with the same keen discernment that characterizes his own business affairs; in fact, he is said by his many friends to be the best County Clerk Clay ever had.
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Mr. and Mrs. Bateman are the parents of four children, namely : Dolores, who at this writing is fifteen years old; Chloe Irene is twelve years old; Mark Hanna is deceased, having died October 6, 1908; the fourth child died in infancy.
Mr. Bateman was very much attached to his baby son, Mark Hanna, whose untimely death at the age of nearly eleven years great- ly grieved him. The little boy was the pride of his father's heart and upon him he lav- ished his affection and care of an indulgent father.
Fraternally Mr. Bateman is a member of the Masonic Order, the Knights of Pythias, and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows; also the Modern Woodmen, Ben Hur, the American Home Circle and the Rebekahs. He is a member of the Christian church and a liberal supporter of the same.
Our subject is a purely self-made man, winning success by overcoming many ob- stacles, and he deserves the high esteem in which he is universally held, and is one of Clay county's most popular men, claiming a legion of friends in all parts of the county and throughout this district. He has a modern and elegantly furnished home, a good driving horse and many other con- veniences. His home place consists of five acres. Mr. Bateman enjoys the fullest measure of public confidence, because of the honorable business methods he has ever fol- lowed, and he is one of the most successful, prominent and honored men in this portion of Illinois.
G. A. IDLEMAN.
The subject of this sketch is one of those men who have met with success along the line of his chosen calling and he is today one of the prosperous and respected mer- chants of Salem, Marion county, where he conducts a modern and attractive store, hav- ing built up an extensive and lucrative busi- ness by reason of his peculiar adaptability for this line of work, his honesty of business principles and his courteous and kind treat- ment of customers whom he numbers by the scores.
G. A. Idleman was born in Marion county, Ohio, in 1844, the son of Jacob J. Idleman, a native of Virginia, who moved with his parents to Ohio when he was a small boy. He devoted his life principally to agricultural pursuits, but he also devoted much time and labor along a higher plane of action, that of Methodist minister, becom- ing known as an able expounder of the Gos- pel and a man of good deeds wherever he went. He engaged in ministerial work for forty years, having worked hard on his farm during the week and preached on Sun- day, and to show that he was an extraor- dinarily sincere men and desirous to do good for the sake of being true to the higher life as outlined by the lowly Nazarene, he never accepted a cent for his ministrial labors in all those forty years, merely preaching for the love of the work and the good he could do, which was an incalculable amount. He was called to his reward by the Good Shep-
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herd whom he had so faithfully followed, in 1887, while living on his farm in Marion county, Illinois, where he moved in 1865, settling two miles south of Salem where he resided the remainder of his life.
The grandfather of the subject was Jacob Idleman, also a native of Virginia, and also a farmer who was known as a man of in- tegrity and many sterling qualities. He reached the advanced age of eighty years, dying in Marion county, Ohio, where he had removed in an early day when the country was wild and unsettled. The subject's mother was Hannah Jones, whose people came from Pennsylvania. Her people lived to be very old, her mother having reached the remarkable age of ninety years. The subject's mother, a woman of gracious per- sonal qualities, is still living in 1908, on the old farm homestead south of Salem at the still more remarkable age of ninety-four years.
Ten children constituted the family of the parents of our subject, four having died in infancy and two having passed away after reaching maturity. Those living are: G. A., our subject; Samantha, the widow of E. W. Thompson, of Columbus, Ohio; Mrs. Callie M. Kell, the widow of William Kell, living in Salem; Mrs. Belle Sipes, who lives on a farm near Omega, Illinois.
G. A. Idleman, our subject, spent his boy- hood days in Marion county, Ohio, where he received a common school education and where he remained until he was twenty years old, having assisted with the farm work while going to school. He came to Salem,
Illinois, in 1865 with his parents, and has continued to make this his home. He farmed until he was thirty years old, thereby getting a good start in life. Since that time he has been engaged from time to time in various lines of business. He has been in the mer- cantile business here for a period of twenty- five years, most of the time in business for himself, but part of the time he was asso- ciated in business with others. He has been engaged in the grocery business for the past eight years, since 1900, and which he still conducts, having built up an excellent and lucrative trade as the result of courteous treatment to customers and his expert knowledge of the mercantile business, hav- ing always made this line of work pay, not only yielding him a comfortable living, but enabling him to gradually increase his busi- ness and at the same time lay up an ample competency for his old age. His customers are not confined to Salem and vicinity, but he is well known throughout Marion county, having always given his customers entire satisfaction as to the quality of goods he handles and to price, consequently he seldom loses a customer. Mr. Idleman built his present store building on First South street, which is one of the neatest and most sub- stantial stores in Salem.
Mr. Idleman was united in marriage in 1870 to Mattie Clark, the representative of one of Salem's well known families. To this union one child has been born, Mrs. Lydia M. Hubbs, of Chicago. The subject was married again May 14, 1902, to Agnes Ray, the daughter of Riley Rose. She was
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born and reared in Salem. They have no children. Their home is a commodious and nicely furnished one in the most de- sirable residence district of Salem, and is frequently the gathering place for numerous friends of the family.
Our subject has served his community in a most efficient and commendable manner as assessor of Salem township, having been the first Republican assessor ever elected in this township. In his fraternal relations he belongs to the Red Men, of Odin, Illinois. Both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Our subject has ever taken an active interest in the wel- fare of the community and gives an earnest support to every movement for the public welfare. A man of fine personal traits, he is highly regarded by all who know him, and he is counted one of Salem's most pro- gressive and worthy business men.
REV. JOHN BUENGER.
The mission of a great soul in this world is one that is calculated to inspire a multi- tude of others to better and grander things, and its subsequent influence cannot be meas- ured in meets and bounds, for it affects the lives of those with whom it comes in con- tact, broading and enriching them for all time to come. He who spends his life inter- pretating the Divine Word has one of the greatest missions to perform vouchsafed to man. The subject of this sketch is one of
that number and worthily wears the honor in proper meekness and reserve.
Rev. John Buenger, minister of the Ger- man Lutheran church in Iuka township, Marion county, was born at Burg, near Magdeburg, Germany, April 17, 1869, the son of Otto and Antonie (Ruehlmaun) Buenger, both natives of Germany, having spent their lives in that country. The sub- ject's father, who was a minister, is de- ceased. He did a great work in the Evan- gelical church in Germany. The mother of our subject is still living in the fatherland. They were the parents of eight children, namely: Max, Werner, Sophia, Emil; Adolph and John, our subject, are twins; Eliza and Erich, who is also a minister. He and the subject are the only ones who ever came to America. The above named chil- dren are all living.
The early education of Rev. John Buenger was obtained in Germany. He came to America in 1891 and attended Con- cordia College at St. Louis, Missouri, for two years. He then went to Madison county, Texas, in 1893, where he took charge of a church. He remained in Texas for ten years. He had very difficult charges in Madison, Fayette and Fannin counties, that state, but he did much good there in strengthening the congregations of his dif- ferent charges. In 1903 he came to his present pastorate in Marion county, Illinois, the German Lutheran Trinity church. He has done a great work here, having com- pleted in 1908 a beautiful and substantial church edifice, costing two thousand seven
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hundred dollars. He also conducts the pa- rochial school near the church, ably assisted by his wife, whom he married in 1894, her maiden name having been Louisa Franke, who was born in Barmen, Germany, the daughter of Henry and Jane Menkhoff, both of whom died in Germany. Henry Menk- hoff was a teacher in the old country.
Six children have been born to the sub- ject and wife as follows: Ruth, Gertrude, Hans, Antonett, Frieda and Paul. Our subject is well liked by his congregation and by everyone who has had the fortune to know him. He is an earnest and able ex- pounder of the Gospel.
JOHN B. CONANT.
This venerable pioneer and representative agriculturist of Kinmundy township, Ma- rion county, Illinois, has lived on the farm which is now his home practically all his life, and thus he has witnessed and taken part in the development of this section of the state from a sylvan wild to its present status as an opulent agricultural and industrial com- munity. He early began to contribute to the work of clearing and improving the land of its primitive forests, later assisted in estab- lishing schools and better public improve- ments and facilities, while his course has been so directed as to retain for him the un- qualified approval and esteem of the com- munity in which he has so long made his home, until today he is regarded as one of the most substantial and influential citizens
of the township, deserving of the greatest credit from the fact that he began life un- aided and without the tender guidance of parents, being compelled to go it alone fronı early childhood, but such stern discipline, somewhat unpleasant and regrettable, was not without its value, for it fostered in the lad an independent spirit and gave him that fortitude and courage that has made for sub- sequent success.
John B. Conant is a native of this county, having been born here February 17, 1839, the son of Airs Conant, who came to Mas- sachusetts from England, there being three brothers of the Conant family on the ship. one of whom settled in Baltimore, another in the North and one, Airs Conant, went to Georgia and joined the United States army for the purpose of taking part in the War of 1812, having fought faithfully throughout the struggle, being wounded in the hand. After the war he returned to Georgia, where he settled, and married Polly Pepper, to which union eleven children were born, John B. Conant being the youngest son. Airs Co- nant and wife moved to Marion county, Il- linois in an early day while the country was still a wilderness. He partly improved sev- en different farms, selling each and moved to Missouri, pre-empting all the land he had from the government. All the members of this pioneer family have passed away with the exception of our subject.
The father of our subject also taught school in Marion county, having been hired to teach a subscription school four miles from home, the first term lasting three
MR. AND MRS. J. B. CONANT.
WARY VI THE ........ . TVA IlINOIS.
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months, the second term being of the same duration; however, he taught only one month on the second term, when he stopped to put out a crop of corn. He worked too hard and drank too much water while over- heated, which caused his death in less than a week, leaving a large famaily to struggle with the wilderness and the clearing of a new country. The mother of our subject also passed away one week after her hus- band's death, leaving John B., then eight years old, to live with his older brother, Wil- liam, with whom he remained until he was fourteen years old, at which time he chose his own guardian, Mark Cole, who cared for our subject in a manly and fatherly man- ner and procured a land warrant for him, but the land was afterward sold for the lack of payment of one hundred dollars.
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