USA > Illinois > Clay County > Biographical and reminiscent history of Richland, Clay and Marion counties, Illinois > Part 45
USA > Illinois > Richland County > Biographical and reminiscent history of Richland, Clay and Marion counties, Illinois > Part 45
USA > Illinois > Marion County > Biographical and reminiscent history of Richland, Clay and Marion counties, Illinois > Part 45
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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
George Butler is a member of the Bour- ier Post, Grand Army of the Republic No. 92, at Olney, Illinois. In politics he has always been a Republican. His first bal- lot for President was cast while in the army and went to Abe Lincoln. He has always taken an interest in local politics, and served as Road Commissioner for over nine years in German township, and as School Director for over thirty years. He and his wife and all members of his family are regular attendants of the Methodist church.
GEORGE C. WELLS.
The fact that the subject was one of the patriotic sons of the north who offered his services and his life, if need be, on the field of battle in defense of the flag during the dark days of the rebellion, entitles him to the high honor which is due everyone of the gallant boys in blue.
George C. Wells was born in Washing-
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ton county, Rhode Island, January 20, the place and was considered one of the 1844, the son of Peter C. and Elizabeth best farmers in the township. (Stillman) Wells, both natives of the same county, in Rhode Island. He was a farmer and died in 1872, at the age of sixty-six years; she passed away in July, 1888, at the age of seventy-eight years. The sub- ject's parents had seven children, namely : Anna Elizabeth; Maria, of Alleghany county, New York; Harriett, living in Rhode Island; George Clark, our subject; Adeline, Emeline and Oscar, all living in Rhode Island.
The subject of this sketch was educated in the home schools and Alford College, New York. In July, 1862, he enlisted for a period of three years in Company A, Seventh Rhode Island Volunteer Infantry, at Hopkinton, Rhode Island. He was in the army of the Potomac, Ninth Army Corps. He was in the great battle of Fred- ericksburg and was shot in the right hip, December 13, 1862, and was sent to Wash- ington, District of Columbia, where he re- mained for one month, and he was in the home hospital for one year, was then dis- charged and came home. He. served six months. After the war he went to Westerly, Rhode Island and engaged as a mechanic until December 10, 1865, when he came west and located in section 4, Meacham township, Marion county, Illinois. He first bought forty-four acres of land, but being thrifty and a good manager, he gradually added to this until he owned two hundred and ninety acres. He made all of the improvements on
Our subject was united in marriage Feb- ruary 16, 1868, with Emma L. Brown, a native of Niagara county, New York, and three children have blessed this union, namely : Oscar C., who married Inez Ran- dolph. He is a farmer and poultry raiser in Meacham township, and the father of five children, Gale, Glenn, Ora, Elsie and George. Harriett, the subject's second child, is living at home; Lena, the young- est, is also a member of the home circle. Oscar Wells taught school for many years. Lena is now in the Farina high school.
The subject carries on a general farm- ing business, raises Red Polled stock, Red Comb and Brown Leghorn chickens, Pekin ducks and several varieties of good live stock. Since 1896 Mr. Wells has been liv- ing in practical retirement, however, he still oversees his farm. He has for many years dealt very successfully in poultry, feed and fertilizers. He has held several of the township offices, and is a Republican of pronounced convictions.
Mr. Wells is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, No. 426, at Farina, Illinois. He has been commander of the same, having held all the offices of this post. He is a member of the Seventh Day Baptist church at Farina. Mr. Wells de- serves a great deal of credit for what he has accomplished. He started life poor, but being ambitious he worked hard and has achieved eminent success, being today
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one of the solid and substantial men ot his township and well and favorably known by every one. He is remembered as a teacher of more than ordinary ability, hav- ing taught school for six years, one year in the Farina, Illinois, high school. What his hand and mind have found to do he has done with his might, and having attained a commanding position among his contem- poraries he wears his honor in a becoming manner.
WINFIELD S. LACEY.
Among the citizens of Meacham town- ship, Marion county, whose lives have been led along such worthy lines of endeavor that they have endeared themselves to their fellow citizens, thereby being eligible for representation in a volume of this nature, is the gentleman whose name appears above.
Winfield S. Lacey was born in Morrow county, Ohio, September 30, 1849, the son of Hiram G. and Sophia (Sell) Lacey, the former a native of Ohio, who grew to man- hood there and married before leaving that county. He lived in Ohio until 1855, when he brought his family to Marion county, Illinois, settling in Meacham town- ship. He drove through the country from Ohio, bringing twenty-two head of cows with him, also three teams. He secured one hundred and twenty acres of land in sections 10 and 15. It was partly improved and had an old house, eighteen by thirty-six
feet, of split timber, and there was an old log stable. These soon gave way to com- fortable and substantial buildings, and the place was put under a high state of im- provements. Being thrifty he soon bought more land and lived on this place until his death. His wife died in Farina, this state. They were Methodists. Mr. Lacey was a Republican, but never aspired to office. The following children were born to them: Gabriel S., who lives in Meacham town- ship; Mahala also lives in Meacham town- ship; Thomas S. lives in the same town- ship; Francis M., enlisted in the Union army when eighteen years old and served during the war. After the war he mar- ried and moved to Cowley county, Kansas ; Abram F., was also a soldier in the Federal ranks, who served three years. After the war he returned to his home in this county, where he remained until his death; A. H., resides on the old place, and was also a soldier; Nancy married Michael Butts, and is living in Meacham township; W. S., our subject ; Anthony and Catherine were twins, the former is deceased, and the lat- ter is the wife of Jacob Althon, of Clay county, Illinois; Hiram is living in Meach- am township, this county; Hugh is de- ceased; Mary is the wife of Douglas Roberts, who lives in Fayette county. Illinois.
The subject of this sketch had only a lim- ited education, not having an opportunity to attend school very long in his youth. He remained a member of the parental family circle until he was twenty-four years old.
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He was married February 27, 1873, to a substantial and beautiful dwelling and a Nancy Hitchcock, of Harrison county, Ohio, good barn and other out buildings. the daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth Hitch- No little part of Mr. Lacey's income has been derived from live stock, raising an ex- cellent grade of hogs, cattle and sheep. He is also a good judge of horses and has al- ways kept some fine ones. He has devoted his life to farming, consequently he has mastered every detail of this class of busi- ness. In politics he is a Populist, but has never held office. He started in life in a small way, but he is now one of the sub- stantial men of the township, having gained all his property unaided, by his careful man- agement and hard work. The subject's first wife was called to her rest in February, 1903, and he married Rebecca Minard, of Harrison county, Ohio, in October, 1905. Mr. Lacey is known by the people of Mea- cham township for his honesty and useful life. cock. Her parents moved to Marion county, Illinois, in 1870, and located in Omega township, where they remained two years and then moved to Meacham town- ship, remaining here one year, then they went to Iowa, where Mr. Hitchcock died. His wife is living at this writing in Ne- braska. Seven children were born to the subject and wife as follows: Edward, who is farming in Meacham township, married Margaret Gotshall, of Ohio; Lydia, who is now deceased, was the wife of Lon Myres; Haman is living in Farina, Illinois, en- gaged in the hardware business, and in mar- ried to Olive Warren; Orville is deceased; Hugh is also deceased; Ollie married Jesse Norman, and is living in Meacham town- ship; Milton is living at home. These children attended the local schools, receiving fairly good educations.
After his marriage the subject bought forty acres of land in Meacham township lives, in section 4, Meacham township. It was raw land, but Mr. Lacey was always a and lived there for three years, when he sold out and bought the place where he now hardworker and a good manager, and he rapidly improved the place up to its present high state of efficiency. The subject now owns three hundred and forty acres, which he rents, being now retired. His farm is well up to the standard of Marion county's choice farms, being well fenced, and in every way in first class condition. He has
JOHN THOMAS HAUSER.
The people in the vicinity of Claremont township and we might say of Richland county in general, are well acquainted with the life history of its pioneer inhabitants, and the story of the career of John T. Hauser is not the least known. He was born on the 28th day of December, 1817, in Stokes county, now known as Forsythe county, in North Carolina, the son of John and Annie Hauser, both of his parents na- tives of the state in which they lived: his mother's maiden name being Canuse.
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When six years old his father died and he came to be of much assistance to his mother on the family farm. At the age of fifteen he started in to learn the trade of shoe- maker and, upon becoming a proficient workman, he left home. His travels took him over various portions of the Carolinas and the state of Kentucky, successfully ply- ing his trade as he went along. On the outbreak of an epidemic of cholera during his stay in Kentucky he decided to return home, traveling by way of the famous Cum- berland Gap. A short time after his re- turn his mother died and once more he set about to seek a change. He was then about twenty-three years of age and upon settling upon a small farm in the state of Ohio, he soon married. His choice fell upon Lucy Ulrich, but their married life was unfortu- nately a brief one, his wife dying in the following year, being buried at New Phil- adelphia. On March 21, 1851, he married Elizabeth, the widow of Oliver Weaver. She was the daughter of Jacob and Eliza- beth Cable, natives of Pennsylvania, who came to the state prior to the War of 1812, both of whom were well known and respect- ed in the community.
John T. Hauser's life in Ohio was not an uneventful one. Those were early Ohian days; many Indians still lingered in the western part of the state, reluctant to leave their patrimony; game abounded in large quantities ; marauding bears and ferocious wolves were not uncommon visitors, and consequently many hardships were suffered.
wandering instincts-and possibly with a view of taking a hand in "the winning of the West," the subject of our sketch pressed onward to Illinois, where he settled on a farm in Richland county. On his arrival he set to work and built a rude house, and two months later, his wife and family ar- rived in the new surroundings in which they were destined to live. Year after year has seen improvements made on the property. The land today is in an admirable state of cultivation. A substantial brick house has been erected.
The death of his wife occurred on the 26th of September, 1908. Seven children resulted from the union, all of whom are still living. In order of birth they are: Anna Elizabeth, Cable, Ira A., Susie, John L., Benjamin F., and Harvey E.
John T. Hauser has now reached the ripe age of ninety-one years-an age not reached by very many nowadays.
Such a man as John T. Hauser could not fail to be drawn into the whirlpool of at least one of the struggles for supremacy that convulsed the country in the early half of the century. He passed through the Civil war, serving four arduous years in an Ohio regiment. At different periods of the time he served under Grant and Sherman. He is a member of Grand Army, Post No. 92, at Calhoun.
In religion Mr. Hauser is a member of the Methodist communion, though formerly he was affiliated with the German Moravian church for many years. While his health
In the year 1867, once more a prey to permitted he was ever active in church work.
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His wife was for twenty years a German Lutheran, but at the time of her death she was a Methodist.
Mr. Hauser has ever been a Republican in politics and, had his delicate health per- mitted him, would have attended the elec- tion of November, 1908. Had he done so he would have voted for eighteen consecu- tive Presidents of the United States.
SAMUEL PUFFER.
Prominently identified with the industrial ยท and civic affairs of Marion county is the subject of this sketch who is one of the leading farmers of this locality, residing on a beautiful farmstead in Meacham township, which he has improved.
Samuel Puffer was born in Effingham county, Illinois, June II, 1848, the son of John Puffer, a native of Maury county, Tennessee. He married Martha J. Gray, in Illinois. He was the son of Samuel Puffer, a native of the New England states, who came to Tennessee in an early day. About 1833 he came to Marion county, Illinois, and settled near Kinmundy. His father came later and lived with him until the latter's death. His wife died in Tennessee. He married a Miss Eagan. His second wife was a Miss Caldwell. He had two sons and a daughter by his first wife and two daughters by his second marriage. The subject's father located in Effingham county, Illinois, about 1836, taking up government land on
Fulfer creek, where he lived until about 1857, when he went to Collins county, Texas, where he secured eighty acres of land and in 1862 he went to Bates county, Missouri, where he owned a farm of one hundred and twenty acres. He died there in 1862, having been preceded to the other world by his wife in 1851. He married a second time, this wife being Lovina New- man, who died in Texas. He again mar- ried, liis third wife being a Miss Degraften- read, of Texas. There were two children by his second wife, one dying when small John, who grew to maturity, lived in Mis- souri, and went to Colorado in 1890.
The subject of this sketch came to Ma- rion county, Illinois, in 1862, and located near Kinmundy, where he lived until 1878, when he bought a farm of one hundred acres in Meacham township, section 7, where he has since lived. He made all the improve- ments on his farm, which is considered equal in every way to any in the county, and he has a beautiful, well furnished and comfortable home.
On February 12, 1872, the subject was united in marriage with Sarah Eagan, of Kinmundy township, the daughter of Isaac and Athlina Tulley, the former of Tennes- see, where his youth was spent. They were pioneers of Marion county, first set- tling at Salem, later at Kinmundy. He was the owner of a large tract of land, part of which is the present site of Kinmundy. He died in 1874 and his wife passed away in 1888. They were the parents of eight chil- dren, of whom four are living at this writ-
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ing, namely: John, who resides in Kin- mundy township; Sarah, the subject's wife; Ras, of Salem, Illinois; Harriett, widow of James Hayworth, of Kinmundy. Two chil- dren have been born to the subject and wife, namely: Myrtle, the wife of Charles E. Wenck, who lives east of Farina, Illinois; Mae, who was maried June 24, 1903, to Mark Boyd, of Meacham township, and who is the mother of one son, Richard F. Mark Boyd lives with the subject and as- sists him in managing the place. Mr. Puffer has lived on his present place since 1878. He carries on general farming in such a man- ner as to gain a comfortable living from year to year and lay by a competency for his old age. His farm is well improved and he raises not only good crops of various kinds, but also excellent horses, hogs and cattle. He has held some of the township offices, and is a loyal Democrat. He is a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian church. He de- served a great deal of credit for what he has accomplished. Having started in life a poor boy, he has, by hard work, achieved success.
PERRY SAYRE.
Action is the keynote of the character of all who achieve success on this planet of ours-action subtilly planned and carefully carried out. The successful life story of the subject of this sketch is a case in point, be- ing one of a determined struggle for a definite purpose.
He is now comfortably established on his
farm of two hundred and forty acres, which he has wrested from a resisting nature and improved year by year, and which through his efforts is now as good land as Richland county contains.
He was born in November, 1857, a short distance from Waverly, in Ross county, Ohio, and was the son of David O. and Frances Sayre. His mother, whose maiden name was Lee, belonged to an old Virginia family. His father came at an early age from Virginia with his parents, who set- tled on a farm in Ross county. Here he as- sisted his parents on the farm until his mar- riage with Perry's mother, at which time he purchased a farm of forty acres in the same county. There Perry was born and there his life was spent until the family, including the grandparents, who also wished to come
further afield, migrated to Illinois. As no railroad communication was established at the time the itinerary was made overland, the tedious journey was not performed with- out a mishap, however, for in the accidental breakdown of a light wagon Grandmother Sayre sustained injuries from which she never completely recovered. The two fam- ilies finally landed in Jasper county, Illinois, where they bought farms and settled in the vicinity of Newton, Perry being then in his seventh year. Shortly afterwards his grand- father and grandmother passed away, the space of three or four weeks only separating their demise. They were buried near New- ton. In the spring of 1865-the following year-his parents sold their property and re- moved once more. Claremont township, Richland county, was the destination on
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this occasion. Here the parental farm con- sisted of forty acres which continued to in- crease until it comprised one hundred and twenty-eight acres. The land they settled was mostly unimproved. At first the build- ings thereon consisted of a small log house and stable, and only eight acres had been cleared for cultivation. Clearing the land, making important improvements and build- ing a substantial homestead were the occu- pations of the following years, a period in which the youthful Perry underwent a strenuous apprenticeship.
The subject of our sketch is the third member of a family of four children. The other members living are Ellen and Henry Clinton. Another brother, named Harrison, died a few years ago. On February 5, 1900, his father died at the age of seventy-two. The family burial lot at Antioch contains the remains of his father and brother. His mother is still alive, being in her seventy- fourth year and enjoying good health.
Perry had two uncles who saw active ser- vice in the Civil war, each one sacrificing his life for the Union cause. Their fate was very sad. One languished as a prisoner of war in Salisbury prison, where he was allowed to starve to death; the other was killed in battle. Both served in Ohio regi- ments, and in General Grant's division.
We have already touched upon his moth- er's antecedents. She was born in 1834. and like her husband, came to Ohio from Virginia with her parents in early life. Her mother died in 1885 and her father in 1890. She was the fourth eldest of a family of
nine children-three boys and six girls. Her eldest brother also is a Civil war veteran.
Perry remained with his parents on the farm up to the time of his marriage to Amanda E. Chaplain on September 9, 1882, when he moved onto the farm he now occu- pies. The property had then a very prim- itive appearance. It boasted a log cabin and the land around was almost totally uncleared. The soil was marshy and in the springtime it closely resembled a frog-pond. Then it was that Perry Sayre performed by far the most strenuous work of his life. He cleared, drained and ditched the land. In time he was repaid for his efforts. It became as good a farm as any in the vicinity. An in- stance of his industriousness at this period may not be amiss. In wintertime when farm work was at a standstill he cut and made railroad ties and fence posts, etc., selling the posts at three cents and the ties at twenty- eight cents a piece. In the course of time he built a substantial frame structure where- in he still lives. Each year has seen im- provements, which go to make his the home of a prosperous farmer.
His family life has been happy. Two of his children have grown to maturity, the only other dying in early life. His two sons, Clarence and Roy, live in St. Louis, where they are skilled workmen, and a constant source of comfort and satisfaction to their parents on the farm in Illinois.
Mrs. Perry Sayre was the daughter of Perry and Ellen Chaplin, Ohio folk, who came to Illinois in the year 1851. Her mother died some years ago, but her father still
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survives at the age of seventy-five. She is the fifth in order of succession of a family of ten children, six of whom grew to matu- rity. In the regular order her living sisters and brothers are: Otis O., Milton F., Nanna B., Ellen and Curtis.
Outside of agricultural pursuits, Mr. Sayre is a good business man. As a boy he attended the Claremont common schools, at- tending whenever possible until his twen- tieth year, and receiving all the education that the institution could give him.
Rutherford B. Hayes was the first Presi- dent for whom he voted. Though not ag- gressive in politics he takes a passing inter- est in the game, and when election time comes he is always found solidly Repub- lican. In the spring elections of 1908- pressure being brought to bear upon him to come forward as a candidate. He did so and came within a vote of being elected Township Supervisor of Claremont. Strange to say he was himself responsible for his opponent's victory. He chivalrously re- corded his vote for him, thereby placing him in office by the slender margin of one. Perry Sayre and his wife have been ever active in Methodist church affairs.
LEWIS COMBS.
victories and defeats, sorrows and joys, but withal, satisfactory as most lives of honest endeavor as his has been.
Lewis Combs was born in Dubois county, Indiana, November 20, 1828, the son of John Combs, of Tennessee. His mother's name was Delila Vancouver, a na- tive of Scott county, Indiana. John Combs went with his parents when a boy to Du- bois county, Indiana, where they were pio- neers. They secured wild land which they cleared, made a comfortable home and on which they died. John Combs lived to about 1842. He came by wagon, bring- ing seven head of horses to Walnut Prairie, Clark county, Illinois, and later to Marion county, settling in Meacham township on Scritchfield Prairie, where he stayed two years and went back to Indiana, remaining there one year when he returned to Marion county, Illinois, where he remained for six years. Then he went to Missouri where he remained for two years, moving then to Arkansas, where he died. His wife died in Indiana. They were the parents of six children, as follows: Lewis, our subject ; Starling; Wesley, Smith, Minerva Lytle; the last four named are all deceased.
Lewis Combs, our subject, had no chance to go to school and learn to read and write. He remained with his father until twenty years old when he began working out at various places. He first bought forty acres of land in Omega township, Marion county, Illinois, in 1864. He sold this the following year and located where he now lives in sec-
Eighty years have dissolved in the mists of time since the venerable subject of this sketch first saw the light of day and they have been years of failures and triumphs, tion 35, Meacham township, then known as
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Miletus township. He served as postmaster for a period of fourteen years. He was married three times, first to Martha Schritchfield, a native of Indiana. His sec- ond wife was Isabelle Simonds, a native of Kentucky, and his third wife was Caroline Melton, a widow of Christopher Melton and a daughter of Charles and Rebecca Lock- hart. The latter was a native of Orange county, Indiana. The subject's wife was born in Clay county, Illinois, in 1841. Her parents located in Oskaloosa, Illinois, and in 1860 went to Arkansas. Her husband in 1862 enlisted and was taken sick at Helena, Arkansas, and died at St. Louis in a hospital in October, 1862. The family came to Clay county, Illinois, and the mother died in March, 1895. Three chil- dren were born to them, namely: Martha, who died in April, 1862; Caroline, the wife of our subject; May, who died April 10, 1863. Our subject has six children by his first wife, namely: Frances, widow of Thomas Garner, and she lives near Salem, Illinois; Louisa married Austin Hanks, of Omega township; Logan is a farmer in Meacham township; Julia is the wife of Lorenzo Phillips, of Omega township; Aus- tin is a farmer in Clay county, Illinois ; Samuel, the sixth child, is deceased. The subject had four children by his second wife, namely: Nellie, the wife of Frank Dravance, of Effingham county, Illinois; Ella is the wife of Henry Smith, living near Salem, Illinois; Lee is a farmer in Omega township; Edgar died when young. Two children have been born to the sub-
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