USA > Illinois > Clay County > Biographical and reminiscent history of Richland, Clay and Marion counties, Illinois > Part 53
USA > Illinois > Richland County > Biographical and reminiscent history of Richland, Clay and Marion counties, Illinois > Part 53
USA > Illinois > Marion County > Biographical and reminiscent history of Richland, Clay and Marion counties, Illinois > Part 53
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
George Madden remained at home with his brothers, helping his father until his twentieth year, when the Civil war broke out. The military enthusiasm of the period seized him and in the fall of 1861 he enlisted in the Sixty-third Illinois Regiment, Company L, under the command of Captain John Craig. He was first sent to Jackson, Tennessee, where he remained but a short time, hurriedly breaking camp to march on Vicksburg, but the rebels had cut off supplies, and the Un- ion army retreated, returning to Memphis, Tennessee. In Memphis he remained with ultory fighting and marching were indulged the troops till spring, when once more des- in. He served all through the seige of Vicks- burg, Missionary Ridge, Atlanta, and other engagements, with much bravery. He not only followed the valiant Sherman to the sea but marched with him back to Washington, where they got a memorable reception. He also attended the grand review of the sol-
453
RICHLAND, CLAY AND MARION COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
dirs at Waslington in 1865, and was mus- tered out of the service at Louisville, Ken- tucky, going from there to Springfield, Illi- nois, where he received an honorable dis- charge about a month later, on the 21st day of July, 1865, having served three years and eight months of valiant military serv- ice. He had the good fortune never to have been wounded in all that eventful time.
At this time George Madden returned to the family farmstead where he remained up to the time of his marriage. Later in life his father sold the family farm and lived a retired life and dying in March, 1884, at the age of seventy-five. George Madden's moth- er's death had occurred previously. As stat- ed before, she was the daughter of George and Mrs. Poff, natives of Pennsylvania. They both died in Richland county, Illinois, where they had lived (Madison township). George Poff reached the age of eighty, and his wife died about the same age. They are laid to rest at Parkersburg cemetery, Richland county, Illinois.
George Madden was the fourth of a family of seven boys and one girl, all of whom grew to maturity with the exception of one boy, aged fifteen years. He married on June 14, 1866, Mary Jane Coons, in Richland county. She was a native of Kentucky, where she was born December 19, 1846. Her parents originally belonged to that state. Her mother died in Kentucky at the age of forty- four when she was but twelve years of age. Her father then came to Illinois, but after- wards returned to Kentucky, where he died in 1902, at the age of eighty-four years, hav-
ing been born February 14, 1818. Her mother (deceased) was born December 20, 1814.
At the time of his marriage George Mad- den settled on a farm of one hundred and one acres, all timber, east of Parkersburg. He paid twelve dollars an acre for this land. Here he built a house and cleared about fif- teen acres when he sold the place and rented farms for several years and following the oc- cupation of threshing for several seasons. In 1885 he bought fifty-six acres in Preston township where he settled and where his wife died on December 4, 1899, at the age of fifty-three years. Mrs. Madden bore her husband one child, Annie Lou, who is now the wife of William L. Murry, and resides upon the home place with her father and hus- band.
George Madden attended the subscription schools as a boy and later the common schools. Owing to the heavy work done on the farm for his father he did not have a very great opportunity to advance very far in his studies. He was, however, attending school at the period he volunteered for service in the Civil war. In the religious realm he has always been a practical worker. In his younger days he attended the Methodist church, but now, and for many years, he has been a member of the New Light branch of the Christian church. A marked characteristic of his family and himself has been their activity in church affairs. He was ordained a deacon, of his communion eighteen years ago, a position he still holds.
In politics he has taken somewhat of an
454
BIOGRAPHICAL AND REMINISCENT HISTORY OF
active part at various times in his township and county. He held the office of Township Trustee in Madison township, Richland county, for three terms. On his being elected to office for another period of three years, he served but two, as he removed out of the township. He is a Republican and a firm believer in the efficacy of his party. He has also been a member of the Knights of Pyth- ias of the Olney lodge.
Mr. Madden holds an honored place in the prosperous community in which he resides.
HARRISON UMFLEET.
Among the native born residents of Rich- land county who have reached a well-mer- ited success we must certainly include the name of Harrison Umfleet. He is now ap- proaching his eightieth year and has been prosperous in his agricultural calling. Few men are better known in this township and county than he. Honesty and fair dealing have been his watchwords, and these twin virtues have been personified in his active life.
Harrison Umfleet was born on October 26, 1829, in Richland county, or as it was then known, Lawrence county. His family lived in the vicinity of Claremont. He was the son of Seth and Rebecca Umfleet, his mother's maiden name being Cummings, a daughter of Daniel and - (Durman) Cum- mings. His father was born in North Caro- lina and his mother in Kentucky, her birth occurring in 1810. His father came with his
parents from North Carolina to Kentucky in the year 1815, in which state they settled on a farm. Here he remained with his parents until he married Rebecca Cummings, Febru- ary 4, 1827. They then went to farming for themselves, and in 1828, moved to Lawrence county, Illinois, making the long journey on horseback and ferrying the Ohio and Wa- bash rivers. He did not sell his farm on leaving Kentucky, possibly for the reason that he regarded his journey as a tentative one. Seth Umfleet first entered forty acres near Sumner on government license, paying one dollar and twenty-five cents an acre for it. It was all prairie land at the time. He, however, quickly set to work and erected a log house and stable and a rail fence on the settlement. At the time he was possessor of only one horse and it was much of a draw- back to him. In order to draw the rails he hitched his horse to a sled and loaded three rails on at a time, carrying another on his shoulder, during the building of the fence. At the same time he was busy in another oc- cupation. He taught country school in Clare- mont township at the same time. When Har- rison Umfleet was but an infant his parents returned to Kentucky on a visit to his grand- parents, making the journey once more on horseback. It was then a bad time for such a journey, being late in the fall of 1829. They returned to Illinois again in the early winter of 1830, where they farmed in Claremont township. Soon afterwards they sold the place and moved into Lawrence county, buy- ing forty acres on state road. Here they remained five or six years when they moved
455
RICHLAND, CLAY AND MARION COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
to South Sumner, which was their home un- til 1865, whereupon they again moved, this time to Olney, Illinois. Here the family re- mained until the death of Mrs. Seth Umfleet, in the fall of 1871, at the age of sixty-one years. Seth Umfleet married again, secondly a widow Truskett, and Harrison Umfleet lived near his father until his death in Feb- ruary, 1892, at the age of eighty-seven years.
Harrison's mother was the daughter of Daniel and Mrs. Kilburn, both natives of Kentucky, where they died on a farm near Crab Orchard. Her mother died when she was but ten years of age and her father sur- vived for many years, eventually dying in Kentucky at a period after she had married.
The subject of our sketch remained at home with his parents, helping and assisting them in their daily round of work, until his marriage to Martha Elston, on April 3, 1853. His wife was the daughter of Martha and Lucy Elston, her mother's name being Cropper. They were natives of Kentucky, who had moved from there to Ohio, where Martha was born on June 10, 1837. At an early age she removed with her parents to Richland county, Illinois, where her father died at the age of seventy-nine, after he had survived her mother who died at the age of fifty-seven years on February 1, 1858; her father's death occurring in the fall of 1879. Mrs. Umfleet remained with her parents up to the time of her marriage in 1853. She was the seventh in order of birth of ten chil- dren who all grew to maturity. One of her brothers participated in the Civil war.
Harrison Umfleet was the second in order
of birth of a family of four children, all cf whom grew to maturity. His oldest broth- er, James Fountain, served in the Mexican war under the gallant General Taylor (well known as "Old Rough-and-Ready"), for about three or four years and was never wounded in any encounter.
When Harrison Umfleet married in 1853 he moved onto a forty-acre farm in Law- rence county, inherited from his father, and lived on it until 1864, when he sold the place and bought two hundred acres in Preston township, Richland county, for which he paid six dollars an acre. This is the spot on which he and his wife now live. He has pros- pered in his farming business and has greatly improved the farmstead. The land is mostly all under cultivation, an improved type of buildings have been erected, and fencing and other improvements have been carried out upon the property. He and his wife are now living on the place, having retired from active work. He has divided up some of his land among his children, but yet has one hundred acres in his possession. This is being taken care of by one of his sons, who, with his youngest sister, lives upon the place with their parents.
Harrison Umfleet obtained his early edu- cation during his attendance at the sub- scription schools in Lawrence county. Owing to the conditions prevalent in those days he was not able to attain very much in the educa- tional way, although his younger brother Benjamin went very far in that line. He taught school for years in Richland and Lawrence county, and served through the
456
BIOGRAPHICAL AND REMINISCENT HISTORY OF
greater part of the Civil war. On enlisting a second time he was assigned to a post in the Christian Commission.
To Harrison Umfleet and his wife six chil- dren have been born, namely: Olive, Lucy, William, Seth, Matthew and Rebecca. All married with the exception of Rebecca, who is the youngest. He and his wife have led a married life of singular happiness, and their sons and daughters have always been a source of much gratification to them.
Harrison Umfleet has played an active part in county and township politics .... In the old regime his father and elder brother belonged to the Whig party. He is himself a Repub- lican and a loyal supporter of his party. John C. Fremont was the first Presidential candi- date he recorded his vote for. He has been for several terms a School Trustee and as a School Director and he has been also road overseer for many terms.
Practical religious work has been one of the characteristics of Harrison Umfleet and his family, being staunch believers in the Bible and church work. Though he him- self favors the Baptist communion, his wife and children are members of the Christian church and work actively for its expansion.
FREDERICK SEILER.
This land of ours owes a debt of gratitude to the stalwart and hardy European races whose sons came in large numbers in the early "twenties" and "thirties" when there
was a crying need of fearless men to assist in the work of winning the western states from their primitive wildness. The people of Switzerland who came at that time formed a goodly contingent and numbered in their ranks the present subject of our sketch and his parents.
Frederick Seiler, son of Olrich and Anna Seiler, was born on the 15th of December, 1830, in Switzerland. In 1852, his parents, his brother John, and himself, bidding adieu to the Fatherland, sailed for the United States. Upon landing they settled in Illi- nois, and the subject of this biography lost no time in getting down to the work of mak- ing a living. For some time he worked as a farm hand on different farms, covering corn with a hoe for twenty-five cents a day and board. He also helped his brother for some time, assisting him in his trade as carpenter. For this work he received fifty cents per day and his board. He again returned to farm work. He next became an employe of the old Ohio & Mississippi Railroad (now the Balti- more & Ohio) where his rate of wages was one dollar and twenty-five cents per day and board. Here his industry and frugal habits permitted him to save some three hundred dollars, which enabled him to make his first start in life on his own account. In August, 1856, he married Mrs. Barbara Biber (nee Friedley), in Preston township. She was the daugliter of Lawrence and Barbara Friedley, her mother's maiden name being Stingley. Like her husband, Mrs. Frederick Seiler was born May 30, 1830, in Switzerland, coming from there to the United States with her par-
457
RICHLAND, CLAY AND MARION COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
ents when but thirteen years of age. The rassing wolves and wildcats infested the tim- family settled near Mansfield, Ohio, upon a ber. farm, where they remained for twelve years. Eight children were born to Frederick Seiler and his wife, seven of whom grew to maturity and one died in infancy. Their names are: Frederick H., lives on a farm in Oklahoma; John F. lives on the home farm in Preston township; Lucy D. is in Pennsyl- vania and is the wife of a Presbyterian min- ister; Christian R. lives in Evansville, Indi- ana, where he has been for twenty years; Louise E. lives at Newton, Illinois. Henry E. and Charles are both deceased. In 1848, she (Barbara Friedley) married Caleb Biber, remaining in Ohio till May, 1852, when, together with her husband and her parents she came to Richland county, Illinois, the journey being made overland in wagons. In Richland county, they settled on a farm of one hundred acres, obtaining same from government at one dollar and twenty-five cents an acre. Caleb Biber died in 1854, having had two children born to him, namely: Mary and Lawrence. Mrs. Seil- er's parents died on the farm, her father in 1861 and her mother in 1864.
On his marriage Frederick Seiler settled in 1856 upon his wife's farm of two hundred acres, where they lived for about ten years, when Frederick Seiler much improved the property, building a house, etc., on forty acres adjoining which he now lives, which he had previously bought. The family then moved into the new home where they lived until 1902, when they moved to. Dundas, where they lived until the death of Mrs. Fred- erick Seiler in 1904, at the age of seventy- four. She closed a happy married life and is buried in Preston township in the Lutheran church cemetery.
In this short period up to 1904, Frederick Seiler had acquired altogether two hun- dred acres of very choice land, one hundred and sixty acres of this being mostly tim- ber, sixty-five was cleared and cultivated. In the early days wild deer and other game ex- isted in large quantities in the township; har-
Frederick Seiler, on the death of his first wife, remarried, July 26, 1906, his second wife being Mrs. Sadie Austin (nee Crane), the widow of James Austin. She was born in 1843, at Bridgeport, Lawrence county, Illinois, and was the daughter of Ishmael and Mrs. Crane. They were Easterners, the father being born in New York and the mother in New Jersey. Frederick Seiler's second wife had one daughter, Laura (Aus- tin) Hollingsworth, by her first husband; Mrs. Hollingsworth lives in Ohio. The sec- ond Mrs. Seiler died in Sumner, Illinois, Feb- 1uary II, 1907, and was buried in the county cemetery southeast of Bridgeport, where her parents were also buried.
The subject of our sketch received a good education in the canton in which he lived in Switzerland, and it may surprise many to learn that at that early time the laws of the country compelled all children up to the age of sixteen to attend school for the period of eleven months in each year. He is well versed in the German language and his early
458
BIOGRAPHICAL AND REMINISCENT HISTORY OF
training has been of much advantage to him. As he was not tall enough in his youth in Switzerland to drill as a soldier, according to the constitution of the country he should have paid the sum of one dollar and serve a conscriptive term in the home guards. He was able to evade this law through coming to the United States.
In politics Frederick Seiler has been a con- sistent Democrat. At one period of his life, however, he voted the Prohibition ticket dur- ing the Mckinley administration. In his younger days he was very active in the town- ship and county political affairs. For a period of twenty years he was a School Trustee of the township. He was also formerly active in fraternal and social affairs, being at one time a member of the Grange lodge in Dundas, Preston township. He is a mem- bes of the Lutheran Evangelical church. He has himself taken a very active part in church work during the twenty-four years he has been connected with it. He was for twenty years or over an elder in the church. His wife during her long life belonged to the German Reformed communion.
Frederick Seiler is now in his seventy- ninth year and is enjoying the fruits of a very successful though arduous life. Start- ing life and making it a success in a new country, the language and customs of which were foreign to him, was not an easy task. He has been through the mill, he suffered many hardships and many privations at the beginning of his career, he has been for many years a prosperous farmer. He has reared a large and intelligent family, and
now in his retirement the memory of those early years of struggle makes his leisure years all the more appreciable.
RICHARD WILSON.
Among the many industries carried on in our country there is none that calls for more intelligent judgment than that of farming. One of the most successful men in the business in Marion county is Rich- ard Wilson, who was born in Clark county, Ohio, on the 18th day of January, 1831. His father, Samuel Wilson, a native of Pike county, Ohio, was born in 1804, while his mother, Eliza (Foster) Wilson, also a native of Ohio, was born in 1806. Sam- uel Wilson was the father of nine children, of whom our subject, Richard, was the sec- ond in order of birth. This family removed to Marion county, Illinois, in 1842, where Mr. Wilson departed this life on December 20, 1847. He was survived by his wife until 1900.
Richard received his early education in the district school of the neighborhood, and upon reaching manhood chose farming as his occupation in life. In 1856 he was married to Rebecca A. Fulton, who was born in Marion county, Illinois, in 1837. Ten children graced this union, five boys and five girls. Letitia A. married James Roberts, and was the mother of six chil- dren. Seth C. married Irma Chapman, of Michigan, and is the father of one child.
459
RICHLAND, CLAY AND MARION COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
Samuel A. is the husband of Florence Bar- num, a cousin of P. T. Barnum of world- wide circus fame. He is the father of four children. Sarah E. married Pack Parcell, and is the mother of eight children, Wil- liam T. married Ella Wagner, their union being blessed with four children. Maggie is the wife of Charles Spencer, to whom have been born four children: Carrie be- came the wife of Mason Weerns; Charles R. is deceased; John D. married Nellie Custer, who is related to the brave General Custer, being a cousin of the same, and they are the parents of one child. Mary P. was· joined in marriage to Elmer E. Spencer, and they have a family of three children, one died in 1907.
The task of raising such a large family was not a light one, but Mr. and Mrs. Wil- son have demonstrated their ability to meet the requirements most successfully. The home life has been of the most congenial and wholesome sort, and the recollections of the family hearth stone are cherished as one of the most precious heritages by all of the children. The religious atmosphere of the family was never found wanting, the affiliations being with the Methodist church.
Mr. Wilson was for three years school trustee, and' discharged the duties of his office in an economic and intelligent way. He owns and manages his farm of one hun- dred and twenty acres and has given some attention to the raising of good horses. In both of these projects he has met with sin- gular success.
Mr. Wilson has been a life-long Repub-
lican, his father and grandfather before him having been adherents to the tenets of the Whig party. Mr. Wilson still takes an active interest in the political and civic affairs of the neighborhood, but does not consider himself bound to support any party to the sacrifice of principle, a fact for which he is to be most heartily commended.
JOHN TAYLOR KERMICLE.
Although his opportunities to procure the thorough education for which he so ar- dently yearned were limited the subject of this sketch has been exceptionally success- ful in the battle of life, and he is today known as one of the most substantial citi- zens of Preston township, Richland county, Illinois. The entire career of John Taylor Kermicle has been characterized by indus- try, and a determination to overcome all obstacles in his efforts to make his way in the world.
Mr. Kermicle is a product of the fair state of Kentucky, having been born in La Rue county, December 17, 1846. His par- ents were Samuel and Mary (Trainor) Kermicle. His father was born in Mary- land, and his mother at Rock Bridge coun- ty, Virginia, January 30, 1800. Samuel Kermicle, father of the subject, moved to Kentucky with his parents when quite a small boy, and they settled on a small farm, where he died in November, 1855. Short- ly after the death of his father, the sub-
460
BIOGRAPHICAL AND REMINISCENT HISTORY OF
ject and his mother moved to Richland county. They made the trip by wagon to Louisville, from there they crossed on the ferry to New Albany, Indiana, thence by rail by way of Greencastle to Vincennes, where they changed cars to the Ohio & Mis- sissippi Railway, which is now the Balti- more & Ohio Southwestern. This road carried them to Olney, Illinois. Two older brothers of the subject had prior to that located in Richland county, and the newly arrived travelers made their home with them. Mr. Kermicle's mother died Novem- ber, 1874, having attained the age of sev- enty-four years and ten months.
When eighteen years old, Mr. Kermicle, who was then living with a brother in Pres- ton township, made arrangements with a neighbor to work land on shares, the agree- ment being that he should be furnished with all the necessary agricultural imple- ments and receive one-third of the crop as his share, for his labor. This agreement lasted for two years, and during this period the subject plowed most of the ground upon which now stands the town of West Liberty. During the three years following the termination of this agreement, he worked on shares with an older brother.
On September 28, 1869, Mr. Kermicle was married to Sarah C. Zerkel. Imme- diately after his marriage he rented a farm, known now as the Fred Schilt place, con- taining one hundred and sixty acres. He remained there three years when he pur- chased sixty acres in Preston township, dis- posing of the same, however, within twelve
months. His next venture was the pur- chase of the land upon which he now lives, which consists of two hundred and ninety- six acres, of which eighty acres was the original amount first purchased, and for which the price paid was ten dollars per acre, and which now averages a value of fifty dollars per acre.
The subject is the youngest of nine chil- dren, only five growing to maturity. His wife was born October 12, 1847, in Clark county, Ohio. She is the daughter of Noah and Martha (Foltz) Zerkel, both of whom were natives of Virginia, but left there when mere children. They were married in Clark county in 1845, and remained there eighteen years, when they removed to Rich- land county, Illinois, making the trip in a wagon and encountering many difficulties on account of the bad condition of the roads. They purchased one hundred and eighty acres east of Dundas, Preston town- ship, paying twenty-two dollars per acre for a well improved farm. They remained here for eight years, at the end of which time they purchased a farm in Clay county, where the husband remained until his death, which occurred July 14, 1889, when he was in the sixty-ninth year of his age. The mother survived him many years, she dying October 24, 1908, at the age of eighty-one.
To Mr. Kermicle and his wife nine chil- dren have been born, one having died in its infancy. They are, Perry, Aden, Rosella, Warren, Della, Levina, Edgar and Olive, all married except Edgar.
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.