USA > Illinois > Clay County > Biographical and reminiscent history of Richland, Clay and Marion counties, Illinois > Part 34
USA > Illinois > Richland County > Biographical and reminiscent history of Richland, Clay and Marion counties, Illinois > Part 34
USA > Illinois > Marion County > Biographical and reminiscent history of Richland, Clay and Marion counties, Illinois > Part 34
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Mr. Skipworth ably served his commu-
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BIOGRAPHICAL AND . REMINISCENT HISTORY OF
township, the former on August 9, 1838, the son of John, known as Jack, Bundy. The subject's father grew up and married in Raccoon township and lived there all his life. He was one of the prominent farmers and stockmen. He was a Republican, was Justice of the Peace and served in many minor township offices. He and his wife were members of the Christian church. He died July 1, 1904, and she died January 30, 1900. He was not only popular but high- ly esteemed. The subject of this sketch was their only child.
George Bundy was one of the patriotic citizens of the Prairie state who responded to the call for volunteers to save the na- tion's integrity during the sixties, having enlisted in the Union army, August 12, 1862, and served faithfully in Company H, Eightieth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and he was mustered out June 19, 1865. He was a flag bearer. He met with an acci- dent while on duty in the service. While car- rying the flag, he caught his foot on a grape vine, fell and was very badly injured. After the war our subject returned to Raccoon township and being a hard worker he se- cured two hundred and thirty-nine acres in this township. He had only a common school education in the home schools. He has always lived on a part of the old home- stead.
Our subject, Charles E. Bundy, was united in marriage October 29, 1885, to Effie Jane Prather, who was born in Raccoon town- ship, the daughter of Joseph Prather, a na- tive of Indiana. He was one of the old and
favorably known residents of Raccoon town- ship. Eleven children have been born to our subject and wife as follows: Sarah Gladys, Earl, Iva May, George Ashton, Carroll Ashton, Thomas Oren, John Guy; Lola Elizabeth; Ula Violet; Paul Sherman, and Charles Deward.
Our subject has always been a man of industry and has made many valuable and lasting improvements on his place. He re- modeled his fine home in 1908, making it a. very attractive, substantial and comfortable one. He has a most excellent and valuable. orchard of forty acres. He carries on gen- eral farming and stock raising with that rare foresight that insures success.
While Mr. Bundy is a loyal Republican, and anxious to see his county develop along all lines, he has never aspired for public office. He is a member of the Farmers' Union. He is known to be a man of thor- oughly honest principles, public-spirited and agreeable to all his neighbors and many friends.
M. W. MICHAELS.
Mr. Michaels, of this review, is one of those strong, sturdy characters who has con- tributed largely to the material welfare of the community and township in which he re- sides, being a modern agriculturist and a business man of more than ordinary sagac- ity and foresight, and as a citizen public- spirited and progressive in all that the terms. imply. For a number of years he has been
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RICHLAND, CLAY AND MARION COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
an important factor in promoting the prog- ress of Marion county.
M. W. Michaels was born near Sumner, Lawrence county, Illinois, May 19, 1861, the son of Samuel Michaels, a native of Pennsylvania, who was born in 1815, and came to Illinois when a young boy, before Chicago was known. He was a sturdy pio- neer and braved the dangers, inconveniences and obstacles of the early days, securing a wild piece of land which he transformed into a valuable and highly productive farm, devoting his entire life to agricultural pur- suits. He came to Marion county in 1880 and was called from his earthly labors in Romine township, Illinois, in 1897. The mother of the subject was also a woman of the strongest mould and possessed the ster- ling qualities of the typical pioneer woman. Samuel Michaels was three times married and had a family of twenty children, eight- een of whom are living in 1908, a somewhat remarkable record. His first wife was a Ea- kas, who became the mother of six children, all now living, as follows: Mary A., wife of W. J. Jones, of Iuka, Illinois; Anna, the wife of Joseph Clevy, of Pomona, Kansas ; Adline, the wife of Isaac Williams, of Browns, Illinois; Mrs. Lafe Jones, of Cal- houn, Illinois; Mrs. Martha Jones, of Sum- ner, Illinois; William B. lives at Kremlin, Oklahoma. The second wife of Samuel Michaels was Mary A. Collins, daughter of William Collins, who was murdered near Lawrenceville, Illinois, in the seventies. The following children were born to this union: M. W., the subject of this sketch; Samuel, of Gettysburg, Washington; L. G., of
Franklin, Alaska; C. J., of Iuka, Illinois; R. B., of Centralia, Illinois ; W. N., of Iuka, Illinois ; Rose, widow of John Meadows, liv- ing in St. Louis, Missouri; Charlie, who is living in one of the Western states. The mother of these children passed to the other shore December 13, 1879. The third wife of the subject's father was Caroline Turner, a native of Illinois, who became the mother of the following children: Cora, wife of Charles Bryan, of Iuka, Illinois; Elizabeth, who was the wife of Charles Williams, is now deceased; Alvin, Ida and Minnie all live in Romine township; Albert died in in- fancy. L. J. Michaels, brother of the sub- ject, has been in Alaska since about 1897, and has made a great success at placer min- ing, refusing fifty thousand dollars for his claims.
The subject of this sketch lived with his father, assisting with the farm work and attending the neighboring schools in the winter, until he became a young man, when he went west, where he spent several years in the railroad business, gaining a fund of valuable experience and information. He finally returned home and married, Novem- ber 6, 1883, Maggie Taylor, daughter of P. A. Taylor. Both he and his wife were natives of Kentucky. Mr. Michaels went west again in 1887 with his family and worked from Colorado to New Mexico, but was in California most of the time. He re- turned to Illinois in 1897, and began farm- ing in Romine township. He made a signal success of farming, having improved a good tract of land and skillfully managed the same until he soon had not only a comfort-
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able living, but quite a competency laid by. Mr. Michaels is a stockholder in the First National Bank at Salem, however, he de- votes his attention to farmingt interests principally and is known as one of the best and most painstaking agriculturists in the township and his farm shows unmistakably that a man of thrift and industry manages it.
Mr. Michaels is a member of the Ma- sonic fraternity, also the Woodmen, and both he and his wife are members of the Christian church. The subject and wife are the parents of two children, namely : Clarence, who was born July 18, 1885. He is a bright young man who gives prom- ise of a brilliant and successful future. The second child, Everett, died in infancy.
Mr. Michaels has always taken consider- able interest in political matters and of re- cent years has been influential in local elec- tions, being well grounded and well read in his political opinions and on political sub- jects. Having a laudable ambition for offi- cial preferment, and being a popular man in his party, his Republican friends selected him for Sheriff, having been elected to this important office in 1906, by a big majority in a county nominally Democratic, which shows that he is regarded as a strong man in his community. He also served as a member of the County Board for two terms, representing his township. He has shown himself eminently capable in all the offices or positions of public or private trust that have been proffered, giving entire satisfac- tion to all his constituents and, in fact, every- one concerned.
JOSEPH S. PEAK.
The state of Maryland contributed her proportion of emigrants to form the army of pioneers who crossed the Alleghanies in the earlier part of the nineteenth century to grap- ple with the western wilderness. Among the number was Joseph Peak, whose birth oc- curred about the time of the Revolutionary war, and who, after marrying Lucy Leach, started on the perilous trip to the "Dark and Bloody Ground," south of the Ohio river. He does not seem to have been pleased with the opportunities offered by Kentucky, as we find him soon crossing over to the more con- genial soil of the Buckeye state. He settled in Butler county, then as now, one of the best sections of Ohio and made his living by farming until his death in 1835. He had eight children and among them William B. Peak, whose birth occurred on the Butler county homestead, September 25, 1812. He also followed the occupation of farming, but concluding late in life that the Illinois prai- ries offered better inducements, he removed to that state in August, 1864, and settled in Flora, where he engaged in business until his death, January 7, 1896. Aside from agricul- tural pursuits, he became a preacher of the Methodist Episcopal church and did much religious work during the active period of his life. He married Cynthia Flanner, a native of Butler county, Ohio, who made him a faithful companion until her death in 1874. This worthy couple had eleven children, all but one of whom lived to ma- turity and eight are still living. Of
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RICHLAND, CLAY AND MARION COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
these, Mrs. Angeline Chidester is a resident of Flora, Mrs. Mary Floyd is a resident of Dublin, Indiana. Rev. T. De Witt Peak is a citizen of Litchfield, Illinois. Mrs. Caro- line Major makes her home in Flora. Rev. R. F. Peak holds forth at Oakland, Califor- nia. Mrs. S. C. Manker is the sixth in order of birth. Mrs. C. E. Beckett resides at Cen- tralia, Illinois. Joseph S. Peak, the second in order of birth of the surviving children, was born in Butler county, Ohio, March 16, 1837. He accompanied his parents to Clay county during the latter part of the Civil war, after obtaining a fair common school education, partly in his native county and partly n Shei- by county, Indiana, where the family so- journed for a while. For many years after reaching Illinois, he combined farming and school teaching as a means of livelihood. In August, 1861, he enlisted in Company D, Thirty-third Regiment Indiana Volunteer In- fantry, with which he served nine months, being discharged on account of sickness. He farmed and taught school in Indiana before he came to Illinois, where he spent his time on a farm until the winter of 1893, when he removed to Flora, Illinois. In 1884 he was elected Surveyor of Clay county on the Re- publican ticket, in which office he served ac- ceptably for four years. In 1888 he obtained the nomination for the same office, but was defeated, at the polls. He tried again in 1894, and was triumphantly elected, but after serving his term, aban- doned politics for the real estate and gen- eral notary business. In 1896 he was elected Justice of the Peace and has continued to
exercise the duties of that office by repeated re-elections. He had served in this capacity also while a resident of the country, previous to his removal to Flora. Mr. Peak is a hale and vigorous man for his age and possessed of a cheerfufl disposition, fortified by many of the sterling virtues. He has resided in or near Flora for forty-five years and is known to every one in the county. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and for five years was secretary of the International Sunday School Association. He is com- mander of the local post of the Grand Army of the Republic. On October 7, 1857, Mr. Peak Married Susan E. Lick, who was born and reared near the town of Hope in Barthol- omew county, Indiana. Their marriage re- lations have continued harmonious for over fifty-one years. Of their seven children, those living are Mrs. Addie Lewis, of Oma- ha, Nebraska ; Charles A. Peak, of the same city ; Mrs. Mary Chapman, also of Omaha ; W. B. Peak, Omaha ; E. E. Peak, of Detroit, Michigan; Miss Stella Peak, of Flora.
FRANK LOOMIS.
Among those men of Marion county, who by the mere force of their personality, have forged their way to the front ranks of that class of citizens who may justly be termed progressive, is the gentleman whose name heads this sketch, who has a fine farm in Tonti township, which he has taken a great interest in and which he has improved
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in a most systematic way until it is the equal of any in the vicinity where it is so admir- ably located.
Frank Loomis was born in this township, March 20, 1865, the son of S. E. and Mar- garet (McMurray) Loomis, a highly re- spected family and for several generations well known in Marion county. S. E. Loomis was a native of Ohio, where he was born October 12, 1841, and came with his parents to Marion county, Illinois, in 1846, and after a life of hard work in practically a new country, he passed to his rest in 1885. Almon Loomis, the grandfather of our sub- ject, also came to this county from Ohio, settling on the farm where Frank Loomis now lives. He was one of the pioneers in this part of the county and reclaimed the farm in question from the wilderness. He is remembered as a hard worker and a good man in every respect. He passed to his rest in this township July 26, 1893.
S. E. Loomis was married in Marion county, his wife having come to this country from Scotland, where she was born. Four children were born to this marriage. Three sons are now living, namely: Frank, our subject ; Byron C., and Louis L. Frank Loomis was reared upon his father's farm in Tonti township and worked during the summer months on the farm, attending the district schools during the winter months until he had a fairly good common school education. He remained at home until he was twenty-one years old, and at the age of twenty-three was united in marriage with Ida M. Martin, the affable and congenial
daughter of Caleb and Martha J. (Mc- Heney) Martin. Her father was born in North Carolina, and he moved to Tennessee, later coming to Marion county, Illinois. The mother of Mrs. Loomis was born in Tonti township, this county. Ida M. was the sixth child in order of birth in this fam- ily. She was educated in the dis- trict schools, where she applied her- self in such a manner as to become well educated. Two children were born to the subject and wife, namely: Glen M., born September 12, 1890, and Omer F., who was born April 23, 1895. They are both bright boys, and will, no doubt, make their mark in the world. Mr. Loomis is the owner of a farm consisting of one hun- dred and twenty acres on which he carries on general farming which yields him a com- fortable living from year to year and at the same time permits him to lay up a compe- tency for old age and to give his children every necessary advantage in launching them successfully in the battle of life. His fields are well tilled, the crops of heavy grain being rotated with clover so as to re- tain the strength of the soil. He has a comfortable and substantial residence which is well furnished and nicely kept. Many and convenient out buildings also stand on the place, and much good stock of various kinds is to be found in his fields and barns.
In politics Mr. Loomis is a staunch Re- publican, but he does not take a very active part in party affairs, being contented to spend his time on his farm. Fraternally he is a member of the Ben Hur lodge, Odin,
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RICHLAND, CLAY AND MARION COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
No. 226. Mrs. Loomis is also a member of this organization. He is regarded as one of the substantial and best citizens of Tonti township.
ROY H. McKNIGHT, M. D.
The grandfather of this popular physi- cian was James A. McKnight, a native of Indiana, who became an early settler of Il- linois. He located at Ingraham, in the county of Clay, and prosecuted his trade as a miller, a business of much importance in a pioneer community. His death occurred in 1895, when he was quite advanced in years. He had been accompanied to Il- linois by his son, Frank, who was born in Indiana, learned his father's trade of mill- ing, and continued in this calling during the working period of his life, which ended at Ingraham, in 1894, at the comparatively early age of forty-seven years. Frank Mc- Knight was married in early manhood to Lou Shriner, a native of Ohio, who is still residing in Chicago. The chil- dren of this union, three in number, were: Roy H., Rolla, now at Minnie, Arkansas, and Hazel, a resident of Chicago.
Roy H. McKnight was born March 14, 1881, at Ingraham, Clay county, Illinois. Af- ter the usual elementary course in the district schools at home, he was graduated in 1899 from the Jefferson high school in Chicago. In 1900, he matriculated in the medical de- partment of the Illinois University and spent three years in diligent prosecution of his
studies. After leaving this institution, three additional years were spent at the Dearborn Medical College in Chicago, from which he was graduated in the class of 1906. After practicing a year in Chicago, Dr. McKnight opened an office in Clay City in the fall of 1907 and since then has continued in busi- ness at that place. He had a lucrative prac- tice in the hospital at Englewood, but was forced to give this up and seek the country on account of ill health. The doctor's early career was at once a test of his ambitious determination and a guarantee of his success in life, as he early learned the valuable les- son of self-denial and saving. When his fa- ther died, he was thrown on his own re- sources at the tender age of thirteen. He bought a pair of overalls and a cap, took a freight train to Chicago and found employ- ment at four dollars per week. All but fifty cents of this went for board, but on this scant surplus he saved money. When by hard work and faithful service he was promoted to a stipend of four dollars and fifty cents a week, he was correspondingly happy. His first work was for the Thompson (bicycle) Man- ufacturing Company and his next job was with the Western Electric Company. His hard labor extended through seven years, at the end of which time he found himself in possession of the, to him, munificent remuner- ation of twenty-five dollars per week. In the seven years he saved four thousand dollars, every cent of which was spent in procuring his education as a physician. It is hardly necessary to add that the doctor is a pro- gressive young man, of boundless ambition
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and possessing especial aptitude and ability. Dr. McKnight is a member of the American, Clay County and Cook (Chicago) County Medical societies. He is a Mason and holds membership in Union Park Lodge, No. 610, of that order in Chicago.
In 1903, Dr. McKnight was married to Bertha May Hill, of Wheeling, West Vir- ginia, and they have one child, Mildred, born July I, 1904. The parents are mem- bers of the Christian church at Clay City.
GEORGE J. HEAVER.
The gentleman to whom the biographer now calls the reader's attention was not fa- vored by inherited wealth or the assistance of influential friends, but in spite of this, by perseverance, industry and a wise economy, he has attained a comfortable sta- tion in life, and is well and favorably known throughout Tonti and surrounding town- ships, Marion county, as a result of the in- dustrious life he has lived there for over a half century.
George J. Heaver was born in Crawford county, Ohio, December 8, 1838, the son of George Jacob and Christena (Fritz) Heaver, both natives of Wertenburg, Ger- many. They married in the Fatherland where two children were born to them. Deciding that greater opportunties were to be found in the United States they landed at Sandusky, Ohio, July 3, 1838, and be- fore becoming hardly established in the new
country the father died December 1, 1838. His widow re-married in 1841, her second husband being Levi Kline, of Crawford county, Ohio, and in 1849 they emigrated to Marion county, Illinois, locating west of Salem, where they lived until 1854, when Mr. Kline died, and his widow was again married, her third husband being George Kline; both are now deceased.
The first marriage of Christena Fritz re- sulted in the birth of four children, two boys and two girls, all deceased but the sub- ject of this sketch. George J. Heaver re- mained at home under the parental roof-tree until he reached maturity. His educational advantages were very limited but he early acquired enough schooling to read and write, but being by nature an intelligent man, he has succeeded admirably well without tech- nical training. Our subject was one of those loyal sons of the North, who, when the fierce fires of rebellion were raging in the Southland, felt it his duty to forsake home ties and offer his services in behalf of the stars and stripes, consequently he enlisted in Company A, One Hundred and Eleventh Il- linois Volunteer Infantry, on August 12, 1862, under Capt. Amos Clark, of Salem, Il- linois, and was in camp at that place. He was called to Camp Marshall where he re- mained until October 31, 1862, when his company was sent to Columbus, Kentucky, and was assigned to the Army of the Cum- berland, later taking part in the battle at Re- saca, Georgia, and the strenuous Atlanta campaign, also in Sherman's famous march to the sea. Our subject also came back with
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RICHLAND, CLAY AND MARION COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
Sherman's army through the Carolinas to Washington City. He was mustered out here after rendering conspicuous and valu- able service, and returned to Springfield, Illinois, on June 6, 1865. He was wounded on May 13, 1864, which resulted in his be- ing absent from duty for some time. He rejoined his regiment at Rome, Georgia, af- ter he had recovered. After his career in the army our subject returned to Salem, this state, and engaged in farming.
Mr. Heaver was united in marriage in 1866 to Maggie Williams, of Salem, who was born in Ohio, February 13, 1838. She was a woman of many fine characteristics, and after a harmonious wedded life of twenty-six years she was called to her rest in the fall of 1902. Four children were born to our subject and wife as follows: George W. was born February 19, 1870; Louie C. was born September 29, 1874; William W. was born October 1, 1869, died aged seven years; Charles W. was born in 1879.
Mr. Heaver was in Texas for a period of eight years where he made a financial suc- cess of his labors, but he returned to this county in 1885. He is now the owner of sixty-five acres of land in Tonti township which he farmed with the greatest results at- tending his efforts, for he understands well all the details of managing a farm success- fully. His fields are well fenced and cleanly kept. Most of the corn the place produces is fed on the farm to various kinds of stock. He has a nice and comfortable dwelling and plenty of good out buildings. His son,
George W., and daughter, Louie C., live with him.
In his social relations our subject is a member of the Salem Post, No. 202, Grand Army of the Republic, in which he takes a great interest, as might be expected. He is a member of the Presbyterian church, a regular attendant at the local gatherings of this denomination in which he has long taken a delight. In his political affiliations he is a loyal Democrat, and faithfully served the public as Commissioner of Highways and Road Supervisor. He is regarded by every one who knows him as a man of sound business principles, honest and kind.
JOSEPH K. MCLAUGHLIN.
Our subject is the present Supervisor of Raccoon township where no man is better known or is held in higher respect than he, for his life has been led along honorable lines and he has always had the interest of his county at heart.
Joseph K. Mclaughlin was born in Wal- nut Hill, Marion county, September 26. 1850, the son of James and Ann E. (Lyons) McLaughlin, both natives of Ireland, where they married. They came to the United States in 1845 and settled in Randolph county, Illinois, later came to Marion county and in 1848 settled near Walnut Hill, about 1855 locating in Raccoon township. They were members of the Reformed Presbyterian church. The subject's father was a Repub-
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lican. He and his wife were the parents of the following children: Ann Eliza, Eliza- beth, Nancy, Thomas J., Joseph K., our sub- ject; Annie E., Jane, James A. and Ann- ette E. The subject's father devoted his life to farming. He died February 7, 1878, at the age of sixty-two years, and his wife died February 14, 1908.
The early education of the subject of this sketch was obtained in the home schools. In 1882 he bought his present farm of one hun- dred and twenty acres in Raccoon township. He carries on general farming and stock raising in a most successful manner, being a man of sound judgment and a hard worker. His farm is highly improved and very .pro- ductive. He raises much good stock and his dwelling and other buildings are substantial and comfortable.
Mr. Mclaughlin was united in marriage in 1870 with Tirzah E. Morton, who was born in Raccoon township, the daughter of James and Mary Morton, a well known family in their neighborhood. Nine chil- dren have been born to the subject and wife: Charles, who married Dorothea Huff, has three children, Merlyn, Paul, Dorothea; James C. married Mora Bennett and they have two children, Bennett and Collin C .; Harry married Kate White; Stella married Willis R. Burgess and they have two chil- dren, Buford and Nellie; Hugh Archie mar- ried Lulu Kell; Joseph is a law student at Champaign, Illinois; John is a member of the family circle and is a teacher; Walter is also teaching and living at home; Elma lives with her parents. These children are bright and have received good educations.
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