USA > Illinois > Clay County > Biographical and reminiscent history of Richland, Clay and Marion counties, Illinois > Part 36
USA > Illinois > Richland County > Biographical and reminiscent history of Richland, Clay and Marion counties, Illinois > Part 36
USA > Illinois > Marion County > Biographical and reminiscent history of Richland, Clay and Marion counties, Illinois > Part 36
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70
309
RICHLAND, CLAY AND MARION COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
He effected his escape, but was recaptured, and · later exchanged. After performing gallant service for a period of three years, he returned home and entered the Univer- sity of Illinois in 1864, where he completed his education.
Our subject's domestic life dates from December 25, 1876, when he was united in marriage with Sarah Martin Williams, a highly educated woman, a native of Cass county, Illinois, where she was born March 10, 1856. She lived in Morgan county, this state until seventeen years old, when she en- tered the State University at Bloomington, and was a student there for several years, where she made a brilliant record for schol- arship. No children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Richardson. Mrs. Richardson is a faithful member of the Christian church in Salem. Our subject is a Prohibitionist in his political affiiliations.
JOHN I. McCAWLEY.
Few men on the threshold of the anniver- sary of the eightieth year of their age pos- sess the remarkable energy and activity of the subject of this sketch, John I. McCaw- ley, who is and has been for years, the lead- ing spirit in every big enterprise that has been launched in Clay county, Illinois. He is not only the wealthiest man in that county, but has the distinction of being the oldest native born citizen thereof. He is
the son of parents who penetrated the un- broken wilderness of Illinois, when hidden dangers menaced their every step. . In those early days the great forests of that state were filled with hostile Indians and fero- cious beasts. The subject experienced all of the hardships and privations that fell to the lot of the youth of those days, but he had inherited many of the rugged qualities of his courageous ancestors, and the great wealth that he possesses today is the reward of perseverance and industry.
Mr. McCawley was born on the Little Wabash river, about two miles and a half from Clay City, Illinois, August 20, 1829, and has spent his entire life in Clay county. He is a son of John McCawley, a native of Kentucky, who came to Illinois in 1810. Soon after this pioneer had located in Clay county the Black Hawk war broke out, and he was warned by friendly Indians to leave the country, and realizing that to remain meant sure death he lieeded the admonition. He started back to Kentucky with an escort of Indians who accompanied him as far as Vincennes, Indiana. In 1816, when peace had been restored he returned to Clay coun- ty, and remained there until his death, in 1854. He was one of the first settlers in this section of Illinois, having been born in Jefferson county, Kentucky, December 24, 1782. The grandfather of the subject was James McCawley, a native of Scotland, who afterwards moved to the north of Ire- land, where he married, and came to America, settling in Jefferson county.
!
310
BIOGRAPHICAL AND REMINISCENT HISTORY OF
The mother of the subject was Martha Lacey, who was born in Jefferson county, Kentucky, February 4, 1791. She died Oc- tober 14, 1844. Her parents were of Irish extraction.
Mr. McCawley remained upon his fa- ther's farm until he was twenty years of age, and then traveled about the country, spending three or four years in St. Louis, where he traded in stock. He finally en- gaged in the grocery business at Maysville, then the county seat of Clay county. He was thus engaged for fifteen years, having added dry goods to his stock, after starting. When the Baltimore & Ohio Southwestern, then the Ohio & Mississippi Railroad, was finished, in 1856, he moved to Clay City, where he re-embarked in the mercan- tile business, and until 1898, he had one of the largest establishments in the city. It was at the close of that year that he retired from active business affairs, although his local interests are large and varied, and he gives them personal attention.
commission business; Mary Eliza, wife of Richard S. Rowland, lawyer of Olney, Il- linois, born September 9, 1873; Lewis W., born February 24, 1871, died August 17, 1905.
Mr. McCawley is a director in the Olney Bank, of Olney, Illinois. He has much money invested in real estate, and owns sev- eral large and substantial business blocks in Clay City. At one time he was the owner of three thousand acres of land, but .he has disposed of the greater portion of this as it required too much of the time that he de- sired to devote to his other interests. His wealth is the result of his own thrift and enterprise. He was compelled to enter the battle of life at a very early age, receiving a limited education. The subject's father was blind for twenty years previous to his death, and dutiful son that he was, Mr. Mc- Cawley gave him the most tender attention. The subject belongs to both the Masons and Odd Fellows' lodges, and in politics is a Democrat. He was the candidate of his party for State Senator ten years ago, but the district being strongly Republican, was de- Cawley was the first Baltimore & Ohio ticket agent at Clay City.
On May 17, 1856, the subject was mar- ried to Maria L: Moore, who was born in Johnson county, Tennessee, February 9, feated with the rest of the ticket. Mr. Mc- 1840. Seven children were the fruits of this union : Arthur H., born May 14, 1857, resides in Clay City; Sarah L., wife of The subject is a man of commanding presence, intellectual features, with a kindly and genial disposition, and is held in high esteem by the people of Clay City, regard- less of class or condition. Few men have done as much toward the material progress of this community. John T. Baird, of Olney, Illinois, born De- cember 7, 1858; Martha Maria, wife of Dr. T. L. Leeds, of Michigan City, Indiana; Mina Julia, wife of Oscar W. Gill, of Chi- cago, born June 25, 1865; John G., born March 5, 1871, lives in St. Louis, in the
31I
RICHLAND, CLAY AND MARION COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
JOSEPH WILLARD WALTON, M. D. years and passed away in 1877. Their five children, all living, are Samuel, who resides on grandfather Golden's place, northwest or Flora; Mrs. Maria Abel, of Santa Rosa, California ; Joseph W., subject of this sketch. Marlow Walton, of North Dakota; Thomas J. Walton, of Eagle Grove, Iowa.
Indiana was decidedly a wild and wooly territory when Joseph Willard Walton in- vaded her borders in search of work and a career. Born in North Carolina in 1801, he left his native state in early manhood to cast his fortune with struggling pioneers of the West. He was lucky in his location, as the county he chose was Washington and the iand he settled was a part of the alluvial bot- toms which in later years gave fame to the White river valley. Land was cheap when this newcomer arrived from the South, and he was able to secure a full section, which at the present time is worth at least one hundred and fifty dollars an acre. It is the region of great corn crops, unsurpased in the produc- tion of fine melons, as well as all the cereals and varieties of fruit. The old pioneer pros- pered as a fariner for those days, but wealth was then out of the question for a tiller of the soil, owing to lack of market and transporta- tion facilities, which the prices of products as well as the land placed at a low level. This patriot survived until 1901, and had rounded out a full century of existence before the final summons. He left a son named Daniel R., who caught the roving fever in early man- hood and decided to move farther west. He formed a satisfactory location in Clay coun- ty, Illinois, where he farmed until his death, which occurred in Harter township, north of Xenia, in 1862. After reaching Illinois he met and married Ellen Golden, who though a native of the state, was of Indiana parentage. She survived her husband fifteen
Joseph Willard Walton, third in order of birth in the above list of children, was born in Clay county, Illinois, July 5, 1869. As he was only seven years old when he lost his father, the struggle of this boy towards suc- cess was rendered unusually difficult. He was, however, a bright and courageous boy, obedient to his uncle, with whom he lived near Flora, and doing cheerfully the chores that fell to him, while also proving a diligent student in the district schools. After the usual elementary course, he entered asa pupil in Orchard City College at Flora, and later took a course in Austin College at Effing- ham. For ten years subsequent to leaving col- lege, he taught school in his native county. He had, however, always been ambitious to become a physician, and in 1902 entered the Medical Department of St. Louis Univer- sity, from which he was graduated in the class of May, 1906. On July, of the same year he hung out his shingle in Clay City and has since diligently prosecuted his profession. Dr. Walton belongs to the American, State and Clay County Medical societies and is the official examiner for the New York Life, Prudential, Springfield, Woodmen, Royal Neighbors and other insurance orders. His fraternal connections are with the Odd Fel- lows, Woodmen and Ben Hur societies. He
312
BIOGRAPHICAL AND REMINISCENT HISTORY OF
has a commodious office well equipped with all the modern appliances suitable for his business. The doctor has made his own way from orphanage and poverty to a command- ing and prosperous condition in life.
In 1893, Dr. Walton married Miss Josie Nash, a native of Clay county, and they have had three children, Violet Evelyn,. Daph- ney Ruth, and Charles Willard, deceased. The parents are members of the Christian church.
ISHAM E. HODGES.
Among the sterling Tennesseans who have settled in Marion county since the pio- neer days, none have shown more worthy traits of character or been more active in the development of the county than the gen- tleman whose biography we herewith pre- sent. Mr. Hodges is the owner of a fine farm in Raccoon township which has been brought from a wild state to one of the best in the locality through his skillful management.
Isham E. Hodges was born in Sumner county, Tennessee, July 30, 1840, the son of Marcus A. and Elizabeth (Marcum) Hodges, the former a native of Sumner county, Tennessee, where he grew up, made a farmer and where he died, and the latter a native of Abbyville Court House, Virginia, who died in Montgomery county, Tennessee. They were members of the Christian church. Our subject was their only child. His father married a second time, his last wife
being Susan Hodges, of Sumner county, Tennessee. She is still living there on the old place. Nine children were born to the subject's father by his second union. He was a soldier in the Indian war in Florida in 1836, being a prisoner of that struggle. Our subject's great-grandfathers on both sides. served in the Revolutionary war, being in General. Starke's and General Green's command.
Isham E. Hodges had little opportunity to attend school. However, he obtained some education in subscription schools of the early days. He left home when seventeen years of age and came to Marion county, Illinois, where he worked out and carried the mail from Fairfield to Salem. He also farmed in Salem and Raccoon townships. On Oc- tober 31, 1865, choosing as a life partner Frances Hays, of Raccoon township, the daughter of Elijah M. Hays, whose sketch appears in full on another page of this work. Eleven children have been born, eight of whom are living: Effie, deceased, married Harvey England, who lives in St. Louis, Missouri. She was born August 23, 1866, and died August 8, 1883. Iva E., the sec- ond child, was born October 28, 1867, mar- ried Harvey Mercer; they live in Sadora, Arkansas, and are the parents of five chil- dren, Clinton, Sylvia, Stewart, Howard and Opal. Clara B., the third child, was born March II, 1869, died February 8, 1892, married Charles Anderson, of Chicago, Illi- nois; John D., who was born March 21, 1873, first married Lucy White and second Lydia Kell, having had two children by his
313
RICHLAND, CLAY AND MARION COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
first wife, Clayton and Robert, and one child by his second wife, named Donald. He has been postal clerk for several years on the Chi- cago & Eastern Illinois Railroad. He was first on the Baltimore & Ohio Southwestern Railroad, his first run being between Mc- Leansboro and Shawneetown, Illinois. He runs between Marion and Villa Grove. Ralph Waldo, the fifth child, was born June 6, 1874, and died October 25, 1875; Mark Ainsly was born January 2, 1877, married Indiana Stonecipher, and they have four children, Delta, Isham, Charles and Mary; Grace was born September 13, 1878, mar- ried Levi Bigham, a farmer in Raccoon township; Mabel J. was born August 28, 1880, married Henry F. March, station agent at Cartter, Illinois, on the Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad, and they are the parents of three children, Everett, Franklin and Marie; Minnie Blanche, born September 26, 1882, married Elisha Harmon, a car- penter of Raccoon township; Blaine E., born November 8, 1884, who married Clara Pitts, is a farmer in Raccoon township; Dwight E., born October 28, 1886, is an operator on the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad at Herrin, Illinois, married Nellie Dukes, and they have one child, Clara.
The subject's children have been educated in the home schools, John D. and Iva went to Carbondale, and Blaine attended the agri- cultural department of the University of Missouri at Columbia.
In 1865, after the subject of this sketch was married, he rented land in Raccoon township. After farming here for a while
he went to Idaho, also the state of Wash- ington, also the Shoshone agency and the Red Cloud agency in Wyoming. He was in the West from 1869 to 1871. He was a clerk and did office work most of the time. After 1871 he worked in the United States Pension Agency at Salem, Illinois, under Gen. J. S. Martin, from March 4, 1872, to March 4, 1873, having given entire satisfac- tion in this capacity, after which he entered the railway mail service on the Baltimore & Ohio Southwestern Railroad and run be- tween Cincinnati and St. Louis for three years, when he was transferred to the Illinois Central Railroad, his run being between Cairo and Centralia for three years, and on the northern division from Centralia to Chi- cago until April 20, 1889. During this time he lived in Centralia, from 1878 to 1880. In 1869 he bought the farm he now lives on in Raccoon township. In 1880 he built his fine brick house and made all the other improvements on the place which is one of the choice farms of this locality. It con- sists of one hundred and forty acres in sec- tions 24 and 25, Raccoon township. One hundred and twenty-five acres are under a high state of cultivation. He has a very valuable orchard of one thousand apple trees, three hundred peach trees as well as pears, cherries and small fruits. He also raises much good stock, horses, mules and cattle and fine Chester White hogs. His farm is also well stocked with fine chickens, White Wyandotte and Rhode Island Red chickens.
Mr. Hodges was one of the patriotic sons
314
BIOGRAPHICAL AND REMINISCENT HISTORY OF
of the North who fought to preserve the been Supervisor of his township for two Union during the dark days of the sixties, years, has also been School Director and held minor offices. having enlisted July 4, 1861, in Company G, Twenty-second Illinois Volunteer In- fantry, under Capt. J. S. Jackson and Col. Henry Dougherty, having been mustered in at Casseyville, Illinois. He and his com- ISRAEL MILLS. pany were sent to Birds Point, Missouri, and was in the engagement November 7, 1861, at Belmont, Missouri. They joined General Pope and was at the surrender of Tiptonville, Tennessee, where they cap- tured about seven thousand prisoners. They then went down the Mississippi river to Ft. Pillow and after the battle of Ft. Donelson and Pittsburg Landing, they went up the Tennessee river and were at the siege of Corinth, and, after several skirmishes, . marched to Nashville, Tennessee, and oc- cupied that city until December 26, 1862. Our subject was in General Sheridan's di- vision, McCook's corps, General Rosecrans commanding. They were in the marches and battles from Nashville to Murphysboro, Tullahoma, Bridgeport, Alabama, and Chickamauga, Georgia, being wounded in the latter battle September 20, 1863, where he was shot in the thigh and sent to the field hospital at Crawfish Springs, where all the wounded men captured were paroled next day and sent to Nashville and Louisville, later to Quincy, Illinois, and then to Benton Barracks. Then the subject was on detail duty and in the commander's office until July 1, 1864, and he was sent to Springfield, Illinois, and mustered out July 7, 1864.
Mr. Hodges is a loyal Populist. He has
The streams of emigration, pouring from Pennsylvania and Virginia in the pioneer period usually united in Ohio, the first of the western states to be reached. Marriages often resulted between the descendants of the northern and southern branches and the in- fusion of blood often produced fine types for future citizenship. We find this working out well in the Mills family which, on the fa- ther's side, came from the state of Pennsyl- vania, and on the mother's side boasted of origin in the Old Dominion state. It was far back in the nineteenth century that Thomas Mills, with his wife, Hannah, crossed the Alleghanies from one of the counties of Pennsylvania. To the same locality in Ohio where he settled came Hugh and Mary Downing from the western part of Virginia. Jonathan Mills, a son of the first mentioned couple, eventually found a wife in the person of Sarah Downing, both the con- tracting parties being natives of Ohio. The former, who was a farmer, passed away in the early seventies, but his wife survived until 1894, being eigh- ty-two years old at the time of her death. This couple became the parents of twelve children, the six still living being as follows: Hugh, a resident of Clay City township;
315
RICHLAND, CLAY AND MARION COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
Thomas, a resident of Oklahoma ; Israel, the subject of this sketch; James D., of Carroll county, Ohio; Josephine Fry, of Tuscarawas county, Ohio; and William, of Tobacco Plains, Washington.
Israel Mills, who was the sixth in this large family, was born in Tuscarawas coun- ty, Ohio, April 18, 1843. He assisted his father on the farm until June, 1862, when he enlisted in Company K, Eighty-seventh Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served until taken prisoner at Harper's Fer- ry in September of that year. Being speed- ily paroled and discharged on October 3rd, he took a rest until June 29, 1863, when he re-enlisted in Company B, One Hundred and Twenty-ninth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, with which he served until the ex- piration of his term, March 5, 1864. For the third time, he took up his musket as a private in Company H, One Hundred and Seventy-Eighth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, with which he served until the close of the war and was honorably discharged June 29, 1865. . In October of that year, he came to Clay City, where he has since re- sided for forty-three consecutive years. He settled at first one mile south of town and engaged in farming, paying particular at- tention to the breeding of stock, in which line he acquired a high reputation. With the ex- ception of seven years spent in merchandis- ing, Mr. Mills has devoted practically all his time to breeding, handling and dealing in stock, with a preference for the fine grades in all varieties. Though he has other and varied interests, his heart has been set upon
and his attention always turned to the noble animals that have brought wealth and fame to Illinois. He is an extensive land owner, his possessions in this line lying in Clay City and Standford townships. At present he owns five hundred and seventy-five acres, though at one time he was proprietor of twice that amount. He is a thorough-going, practical and scientific farmer, well informed in everything relating to advanced agricul- ture, and an enthusiast in all movements to educate and improve conditions in the farm- ing industry. Appreciation of his qualifica- tions was shown by Governors Tanner, Yates and Deneen, when they appointed him delegate during six years to the Farmers' National Congress. He has held the position of director from his Congressional district for the State Farmers' Institute. He is an able and forceful speaker in the debates at county, state and national farmers' institutes. It may be said in short, that there is not man in Clay county whose business judg- ment is more highly valued than that of Israel Mills. A man of the loftiest integrity and most benevolent impulses, he has been an honor and a treasure to his adopted county.
Mr. Mills is president of the Clay City Banking Company, and for twenty years has held the same position with the Clay City Loan and Homestead Association. He is also president of the Opera House Company and president of the Clay County Farmers' Institute. He has been frequently honored with positions of trust in his township, serv- ing as a member of the board of supervisors, school trustees and as collector. He has
316
BIOGRAPHICAL AND REMINISCENT HISTORY OF
never desired office and never had a lawsuit during all the years of his active business life. He is a director of the Farmers' and Merchants' Bank at Louisville, Illinois. As president of the Clay City bank, he insisted during the panic of 1907, that all depositors should be paid on presentation of their checks. He is a Mason, and Eastern Star and a member of the Grand Army of the Re- public.
September 10, 1867, Mr. Mills married Elizabeth L., daughter of Thomas and Din- iah E. (Whitman) Bogwell, very early set- tlers of Clay county. . The children from this union were: Edna M., born July 2, 1870, died April 2, 1905. Edna married Jabez Edwin Coggan, April 29, 1891. One son survives her, Kenneth M., born June 23, 1896; James B., born October 22, 1881, married to Annettie Crackles December 28, 1904. One child, a daughter, Ethel, was born to them December 5, 1906. Mrs. Mills is a member of the Christian church and the entire family enjoy the highest social consid- eration and popularity.
GEORGE W. HILTIBIDAL.
The subject of this biographical review has well earned the title to be addressed as one of the progressive, self-made men of Marion county, being the owner of a very valuable landed estate in Raccoon township, where his labors have benefited alike him- self and those with whom he has come in contact.
George W: Hiltibidal was born in Grand Prairie township, Jefferson county, Illinois, March 15, 1867, the son of George and Elizabeth Bradford, both natives of Indiana. They moved to Marion county, Illinois, and finally located in Raccoon township. After building a dwelling house and making ex- tensive improvements on his farm here he moved to Grand Prairie, Jefferson county, where he died in 1869, on a farm which he had improved, and where his wife also died in 1876. He was a strong Republican and he and his wife were members of the Chris- tian church. They were the parents of five children, namely: Mary is living in Wash- ington county, this state, having married Neil Kingsley; Ella, who married Robert Birge, lives at Walnut Hill, this county ; John died young; Sarah, who married James Sprouse, lives in Jefferson county, Illinois; George William, our subject, was the youngest child.
The subject's mother died when he was nine years old. He had not been to school up to that time. He then went to live with his uncle, George Bundy, in Raccoon town- ship, with whom he remained for eleven years. He then located on his present farm in Raccoon township, section 28, having secured forty-five acres known as the May place. It had an old log house and stable on it. The subject has been a hard worker and a good manager and he built his present fine substantial and modern home in 1907, and his excellent barn in 1906, and he has made all the extensive improvements on the place.
317
RICHLAND, CLAY AND MARION COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
Mr: Hiltibidal was united in marriage April 5, 1888, to Josie Heyduck, the daugh- ter of Jacob and Phillimina Heyduck, na- tives of Germany, having lived in the River Rhine country. They came to America and secured wild land in Raccoon township, which they developed and on which they made a good home where they lived until 1903, when Mr. Heyduck retired and moved to Centralia. The subject's wife was born in Raccoon township, this county. Mrs. Heyduck died in 1890. Ten children were born to them as follows: Lizzie, who lives in Decatur, Illinois; Ricca is deceased ; Lucy is deceased; Kate lives at Odin, Illinois; Josie, wife of our subject ; John is deceased, Emma lives on the old place in Raccoon township; Henry lives at Centralia; Ben- nie lives in Centralia; Laura also lives in Centralia.
· Five children have been born to the sub- ject and wife as follows: George, Gracie, Esther, Bertha, Julius. The subject carries on a general farming business with great success. He is considered an excellent judge of live stock and raises some good horses. He has always been a farmer, but for many years has worked at the carpenter's trade. He has put up all his own buildings and done all his own work. He is regarded as an excellent carpenter and his services are frequently sought by those desiring to build.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.