USA > Illinois > Clay County > Biographical and reminiscent history of Richland, Clay and Marion counties, Illinois > Part 57
USA > Illinois > Richland County > Biographical and reminiscent history of Richland, Clay and Marion counties, Illinois > Part 57
USA > Illinois > Marion County > Biographical and reminiscent history of Richland, Clay and Marion counties, Illinois > Part 57
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
Our subject was born in Maysville, then the county seat of Clay county, on the 28th day of January, 1844. He was the son of John W. Davis and his wife, whose maiden name was Mary Bishop. John W. Davis was a well known figure in the political life of the state in his day, and for many years of his life held responsible official positions of trust. He provided well for his family and lived a well ordered life. C. R. Davis spent his youth in the shelter of the paternal
487
RICHLAND, CLAY AND MARION COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
homestead and being eighteen years of age during the Civil war he enlisted in July of the year 1862 and served as a soldier, par- ticipating in many engagements, until Sep- tember, 1865. His first vote as a citizen was recorded during this time and was cast for Abraham Lincoln while at the front in Georgia in 1864. On returning from the war he entered a printing office in Louis- ville and there learned the various phases of the printing trade, serving an apprenticeship of three years.
In the year 1871, in partnership with an- other, he launched the publication of a newspaper in Greenup, Illinois, which he sold in the spring of 1872. He then re- turned to Louisville and took charge of the official Republican paper of Clay county, which he conducted with marked success. In 1874 he became the publisher of The Baptist Banner for Reverends Kelly and Allen at Ewing. Franklin county. In 1876 he was in Louisville as editor and pub- lisher of The Louisville Ledger. In 1882 he started The Farina News at Farina, Il- linois, which he conducted for over nineteen years, disposing of the plant on the Ioth of January, 1902. On the 17th of December. 1901, he purchased The Pinckneyville Ad- vocate, the official Republican paper of Perry county. Here he remained for four years and built up the paper when, having made it one of the best circulating in the southern part of Illinois, he sold it for a good price and purchased a job office in Centralia, where for a year he did excellent business and finally disposed of it to a company.
In October of the year 1907, gaining control of The Toledo Argus, he re-named it the Toledo Republican and added ma- chinery and new material, making it an up- to-date modernly equipped newspaper plant. The paper from the time of its reorganiza- tion gained in popularity, and each suc- ceeding week saw an increase in its circu- lation. At the present time C. R. Davis also controls the destiny of The Louisville Republican which was established in 1894. Both papers are ably edited with undi- minished vigor and receive all the benefits of the foresight and judgment of our sub- ject.
The veteran Republican newspaper edi- tor and soldier of the Civil war is now in his sixty-fifth year and indications point to his still being in the harness many years from today. He is a well known figure at the gatherings of Republican newspaper editors and is popular with his confreres. In fraternal and social circles the subject of our sketch is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, local post; of the Masonic Order up to the Royal Arch de- gree, and of the Eastern Star. In religion he is a member of the Methodist church.
JAMES MILLER RATCLIFF.
To his own efforts is the success of James M. Ratcliff attributable, for he started out upon his business career practically without capital or aid from anyone, but being am- bitious and industrious he forged ahead and
488
BIOGRAPHICAL AND REMINISCENT HISTORY OF
is the owner of a good farm in Olney town- going to Texas where he died October 27, ship, Richland county. This, too, is the 1900. His wife, born May 29, 1827, also visible evidence of his prosperity and in- dustry, for when it came into his possession it was only partly improved and not nearly so productive as it is at this writing. Such a man deserves the high regard in which he is held by his neighbors.
James M. Ratcliff was born in Noble township, Richland county, August 20, 1848, the son of John and Mary (Bullard) Ratcliff, the former a native of England, the latter of Noble township, this county. John Ratcliff came to the United States when twelve years old with his parents, William and Mary Ann (Miller) Ratcliff, locating in Ohio, where they remained for a short time, and later came to Richland county, taking up one hundred and sixty acres of land in what is now Olney town- ship. The country was then wild and un- inhabited. They were among the early pioneers. Here William and Mary Rat- cliff lived a number of years, developing a good farm, and died on the same, the for- mer November 8, 1868. at the age of sev- enty-eight years, his wife surviving him sev .. eral years.
John Ratcliff. father of our subject. born January 27. 1823, was twelve years old when he came to the United States with his parents. He grew to manhood in Rich- land county, and bought an unimproved farm in Olney township which he devel- oped into a good farm. selling the same in a few years and engaging in merchandising at Louisville, Illinois, for a few years, later
died in the Lone Star state, February 10, 1907. They were the parents of thirteen children, seven of whom grew to maturity, five of them living at this writing, the sub- ject of this sketch being the third in order of birth. When he was six years old the family located on a farm in Olney town- ship, where James was reared and where he attended the common schools, receiving a fairly good education. The father of the subject being a preacher in the Methodist Episcopal church, James was compelled to do much of the work on the farm and he did not have the advantages of an educa- tion that he desired. He remained under his parental roof until he was twenty-two years old, when he married and settled on a farm which he rented, consisting of one hundred and twenty acres in Madison town- ship, where he remained for twenty years, having thrived from the first owing to his habits of industry and economy. Besides engaging in general farming he raised much good stock.
In 1903 Mr. Ratcliff bought forty acres where he now lives in section 27. Olney township, having previously bought forty acres in Madison township. His farm shows that a man of good judgment and business ability has managed it, for it ranks well with the modern farms of this county in every respect, on which is to be found an excellent, comfortable and con- venient residence.
Mr. Ratcliff was united in marriage
489
RICHLAND, CLAY AND MARION COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
August 27, 1870, to Levina Stauffer, a na- tive of Olney, and the daughter of Michael and Elizabeth (Lutz) Stauffer, natives of Pennsylvania, who were early settlers in Richland county, near Calhoun. The par- ents of Mrs. Ratcliff died in Olney. The subject and wife are the parents of three children : Cora, born July 2, 1871, the wife of Harvey Barnes, of Madison township; Oris, born June 15, 1874, who is living at home; Ira, born April 10, 1879, married Elsie Kite and lives in Vinton, Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. Ratcliff also have a (foster) daughter, Lena, who has been in their home since she was two and a half years old, and is now over fifteen years old.
In politics Mr. Ratcliff is a Republican. He faithfully served on the School Board for a number of years. In his fraternal re- lations he is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America at Calhoun. He and his family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, in which he has been a steward, class leader, etc., for many years. He and his family are held in high favor by their neighbors and all who know them for their clean and industrious lives.
HERBERT D. RYMAN, M. D.
The subject of this sketch, although yet a young man, has won a wide reputation in the medical profession and shown what a man of careful mental training, honesty of purpose and an abundance of zeal and per-
sistence can accomplish, although his early advantages were none too flattering. He is naturally endowed with the capacities of the successful practitioner of medicine, at least this would be inferred, judging from the eminent success he has attained.
Dr. Herbert D. Ryman was born April II, 1878, in Vernon, Illinois, the son of Samuel T. and Martha S. (Jones) Ryman, the former having been born near Salem, this county, in 1850. He was a successful merchant in Vernon for many years, but in later life was a farmer, having died on his farm in 1882. He was a well known Re- publican and took quite an active part in local political affairs in Marion county. He ably served as Collector, Assessor, Super- visor and in many other township offices. He was the son of old Doctor Ryman, of Salem, who was known to everyone in the county during his residence here. The Ry- man family came from Heidelburg, Ger- many, being the descendants of the royal family. One of them who was entitled to high rank in Germany died in 1882. The grandmother of our subject on his father's side was a direct descendant of Charles Dickens, the famous English novelist. The mother of the subject was born in Foster township in 1860 and passed to her rest in 1902. She belonged to the Methodist Epis- copal church. The subject's paternal grand- father was a preacher, a doctor and a tailor at Salem.
The subject had one brother who is de- ceased; one sister also deceased, and two half sisters, one of whom is deceased. Our
490
BIOGRAPHICAL AND REMINISCENT HISTORY OF
subject is from a family of physicians and it is quite natural that he should take to the medical profession. He is the cousin of Doctor Jones, of Salem, and the grandson of old Doctor Ryman, of Salem. His grand- mother's father was also a physician.
Dr. Herbert D. Ryman received his early education in Marion county, first attending the public school at Vernon. Being an am- bitious lad he applied himself in a most as- siduous manner and made rapid strides in his studies. He entered the medical col- lege at Topeka, Kansas, from which he graduated with high honors. He is both a registered physician and pharmacist of Kan- sas and a registered doctor of Illinois.
After leaving college, Doctor Ryman practiced for a short time in Shawnee coun- ty, Kansas, with much success from the first. Then he moved back to Vernon, Illinois, and has been engaged in practice here ever since, having built up an excellent patron- age.
Only about two years of the subject's life was spent out of the school room since he was six years old. He taught school for several years in Kansas where he became known as an able educator. He was prin- cipal of the Richmond, Kansas, schools. He was also principal of the schools at Roches- ter, just north of Topeka. Through years of study and experience in teaching and practice he has become a well educated man and is an interesting conversationalist. His practice is not confined to Patoka township, but it extends to remote parts of the county, being often called on serious cases and in
counsel with other physicians, and his ad- vice is invariably followed with flattering results.
Doctor Ryman was happily married to Cora B. Norris, of Vernon, this county, September 7, 1898. She is an accomplished and refined lady, the representative of an ex- cellent family, being the daughter of J. P. Norris, whose sketch appears in full in this work. Two interesting children have been born to our subject and wife, namely : Christene, who was six years old in Febru- ary, 1908; and Lucile, who was two years old in June, 1908. Our subject was mar- ried at high noon and left at one o'clock for Kansas. His wife is also a teacher of much ability, having taught school in Kan- sas with her husband. Doctor Ryman served as Town Clerk in Richmond, Kansas. He is a loyal Republican. The future to such a man as our subject holds much of promise, for he is a man of genuine worth, ambi- tious and popular, being well liked by all who know him.
THOMAS RATCLIFF. (1824-1909.)
Richland county is characterized by her full share of the honored and faithful ele- ment who have done so much for its de- velopment and upbuilding and the establish- ing of the institutions of civilization in this fertile and well favored section. In this work are comprised many biographical and memorial sketches of this class of citizens
491
RICHLAND, CLAY AND MARION COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
and it is not in the least too early to record in print the principal items in the lives of such honest people, giving honor to whom honor is due. Among those sturdy pio- neers, if not pioneers in settlement, at least in certain lines of business that have de- veloped along with the rest of the county, the gentleman whose life history we now take under review is properly installed, for his eminently useful career which has now been closed by the inevitable fate that awaits us all, resulted in incalculable good to this locality as many who revere his memory can attest.
Thomas Ratcliff. long one of the most widely known business men of the county, but who lived in retirement in the town of Olney for several years prior to his death, was born in the County of Kent, Canterberry, England, April 24, 1824. the son of William and Mary Ann (Miller) Ratcliff, who emigrated to Amer- ica in 1830, locating at Buffalo, New York, where they remained two years, then moved to Richland county, Illinois. William Rat- cliff had previously entered one hundred and sixty acres in what is now Olney town- ship, five miles south of Olney. Here the family located, built a log house and began making improvements, developing a good farm, being among the pioneers. William Ratcliff died on the farm he entered, having reached the age of seventy-nine years, and his good wife passed to her rest a year later at the age of seventy-six. They were the parents of fourteen children, three of whom died in infancy, only one of the number is
now living. Elijah, who is residing in Osh- kosh, Wisconsin. He was the eighth in order of birth and our subject was the sev- enth. The family was nine weeks and three days in crossing the Atlantic from Liverpool to New York, making the trip on the "Mount Vernon," an old sailing vessel.
James M. Ratcliff, brother of Thomas, was a soldier in the Civil war, having served three years. Two brothers of the subject's mother, George and John Miller, came to the United States in an early day and became farmers in Richland county, Ohio, where they died.
Thomas Ratcliff was six years old when he came to the United States, and in his fourteenth year when he came to Richland county, Illinois. He was here reared on a farm and attended the subscription schools, such as they were in those early days, and received a good foundation for an education which in later life was supplemented by home reading and contact with the business world. He helped clear and improve his father's farm, experiencing many hardships and privations, remaining at home until 1842 when he began the trade of black- smith in the village of Olney, in a shop lo- cated on the lot owned by the subject until his death. He served an apprenticeship of three years under James Urie, who had come from Ohio and opened a shop here. He received three dollars and fifty cents per month, board and washing. Mr. Rat- cliff succeeded his employer in business in a little frame shop. He later erected a two- story brick on the lots and conducted the
492
BIOGRAPHICAL AND REMINISCENT HISTORY OF
business for about thirty years with splen- did success, after which the work was car- ried on by his son for several years. In early days he manufactured tools, plows, wagons and many other things used by farmers.
Thomas Ratcliff was united in marriage September 19, 1844, to Catherine Ransted, a native of Vigo county, Indiana, who came with her step-father and mother to Richland county, Illinois, in 1839, her father having died previously. Her mother mar- ried Thomas Ellingsworth, a farmer, own- ing a farm adjoining the village of Olney; he later sold the same and bought a farm in Claremont township, where he died. Her mother died in Olney at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Ratcliff. To Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Ratcliff nine children were born, four of whom are deceased. They are Albert, William F., Luther, John, Oscar, George W., died when young; Caroline, Julia Ann, Ida Eudora. Albert, the eldest child, en- listed in Company B, Ninety-eighth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and served until the close of the war. without mishap, having been in many engagements. He became a blacksmith and machinist and carried on this business very successfully for many years after his father retired. He later moved to Princeton, Indiana, where he en- gaged in similar work, and where he died.
After retiring from blacksmithing Mr. Ratcliff was engaged in the sale of agricul- tural implements for several years. By years of hard work and good management he laid up a comfortable competence.
In politics Mr. Ratcliff was a Republican, and served in several local positions, having been one of the Supervisors at the time the court-house was built, and he was also on the building committee. He also served as Alderman of Olney.
On September 19, 1908, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Ratcliff celebrated the sixty-fourth anniversary of their marriage, one of the leading events in the history of such gather- ings in the county. They were then both in good health and in full possession of all their faculties, but the dawning of another year meant the closing of their beautiful lives on earth and the breaking of a new day in the mystic beyond, for death, "like a friend's voice from a distant field," called them hence, only a few days apart, the summons coming to Mrs. Ratcliff on Jan- uary 8, 1909, and on January 23, 1909, to her honored and faithful husband.
CHARLES E. BLANKINSHIP.
He whose career we now take under con- sideration and to whom the reader's atten- tion is respectfully directed is numbered among the progressive and successful busi- ness men of Marion county, of which he has been a resident for many years, while he has gained prosperity through his own honest efforts in connection with the development of the natural resources and the subsequent business prosperity.
Charles E. Blankinship was born in Fay-
493
RICHLAND, CLAY AND MARION COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
ette county, Illinois, August 8, 1861, the son of Edward and Susannah (Lollar) Blank- inship. Grandfather Blankinship was a na- tive of Tennessee, who came to Illinois about 1837 and settled in Fayette county, on a farm and where he lived until his death in 1860. The father of the subject was born in Tennessee and was brought here by his parents when a child. After he reached manhood he first engaged in farming and later engaged in merchandising the balance of his life, having passed to his rest in 1871, at the age of thirty-four years. The sub- ject's mother was also about the same age when she died in 1877. The father was a member of the Methodist church and the mother of the Christian church. The for- mer was a Democrat. They were the par- ents of five children, all having died young except our subject.
Charles E. Blankinship attended the pub- lic schools at Patoka until he was seven- teen years old. He then attended school at Valparaiso, Indiana, and at Eureka, Illinois, receiving a good education, having made a splendid record in each.
After leaving school he went to farming on his own account. He inherited a farm from his father in Marion county on which he remained for a period of five years, mak- ing agriculture a paying business. He then moved to Patoka and became postmaster under President Harrison, and served four years under that appointment and four years under Mckinley's administration. He made a most efficient public servant and won the approbation of all in the community,
and the high favor of the Post Office De- partment.
Since he left the office he has been en- gaged in the hay, grain and coal business, also has been handling farming implements and is still in this line of business which he has built up until he has a lucrative patron- age, his trade constantly growing by reason of his sound business principles and his courteous and kind consideration of custo- mers. He is vice-president of the local bank.
Mr. Blankinship was married on March 9, 1882, to Albertine F. Clark, daughter of Henry I. and Mary J. Clark. Her parents were natives of Virginia, who settled in McLean county, Illinois. Her father died in Woodford county, this state. He was over eighty years old at the time of his death and he had been a soldier in the War of 1812. Her mother, a woman of fine traits, is still living at the age of eighty years. The subject's wife has one brother, two sisters and two half-sisters.
Four children have been born to the sub- ject and wife, namely : Leta C., whose date of birth occurred in January, 1883, is the wife of Robert A. Ward, and the mother of one son; Dean Francis, who was born in August, 1885, is now cashier of the bank at Patoka and is married; Nellie M., who was born in 1887, is the wife of Albert J. Earl and the mother of one son; Clark J., who was born in October, 1898, is living at home.
The subject of this sketch is a great Ma- son, belonging to six lodges in this frater-
494
BIOGRAPHICAL AND REMINISCENT HISTORY OF
nity, namely: Patoka lodge No. 613, An- The subject's father came to America in cient, Free and Accepted Masons, Centralia Chapter No. 93, Cyrene Commandery, Knights Templar, No. 23, Centralia Coun- cil No. 29, Royal and Select Masters, Ori- ental Consistory (thirty-second degree) of Chicago; also Chapter 253 Order of the Eastern Star, of Patoka. He is also a member of the Modern Wood- men. He has filled all the chairs in the local lodge of the Free Masons.
Mrs. Blankinship is a member of the Christian church. Our subject has long taken an active part in political and public affairs, having served as Supervisor of the township, also Township Collector. He was a member of the School Board for nine consecutive years, and was Mayor of Patoka for two terms. In all these public offices he served the people in a most capable and praiseworthy manner, eliciting nothing but favorable comment from everyone, and be- cause of his past honorable record, his in- tegrity and his successful enterprises, to- gether with his gentlemanly bearing to both stranger and friend, he is popular with all.
ADEN KNOPH.
Aden Knoph, the well known president of the First National Bank, of Olney, Illi- nois, was born in Lawrenceville, this state, December 18, 1843, the son of Thompson and Lucinda (Brunson) Knoph, a former resident of Copenhagen. Denmark, where he was born. The latter was a native of Ohio.
1830 and engaged in the mercantile busi- ness in Evansville, Indiana, operating a wholesale grocery in 1835, which was a large undertaking in those early days. In 1839 he located at Lawrenceville, Illinois, and continued in the merchandise business. He was one of the original pork packers of that place, having built up an extensive business for that time, giving a market for most of the hogs raised in Southern Illinois. He retired from the packing business in 1855. In 1859 he located in Vincennes, Indiana, and engaged in the mercantile business and in 1861 he came to Olney, Illinois, where he was engaged in business until 1865 when he retired. He was successful in whatever he undertook and was a man of many ster- ling traits of character that made him in- fluential wherever he went. He was called from his earthly labors in 1867, at the age of sixty-seven years. His first wife died many years previous and he re-married the sister of his first life companion, who passed away in Washington before it was a state.
The subject's paternal grandfather was born on the day that Commodore Nelson bombarded the city of Copenhagen, Den- mark. When he was twelve years old he went to sea as cabin boy and as he grew to manhood he worked his way up until he became master of the ship and he made many long voyages to foreign lands and was several times around the globe.
Aden Knoph, our subject, was reared in Lawrenceville, Illinois. His educational ad- vantages were limited owing to the re-
495
RICHLAND, CLAY AND MARION COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
verses of his father and the death of his year, making rapid progress. Mr. Kitchell mother shortly after his birth. When nine was later colonel of the subject's old regi- ment. The father's health now gave way and he met with financial reverses, so our subject began clerking in the store to assist in supporting the large family, during the year 1867-68. During the latter year he was elected Clerk of the Circuit Court, and was twice re-elected, but he resigned at the close of the third term, each term being of four years, after having given his constitu- ents entire satisfaction in the faithful dis- charge of his duties. He was a Republican in a strong Democratic county, but his pop- ularity was such with all parties that he was chosen without serious opposition for this office. years old he entered the store of his father to help with the work and he stood on a box behind the counter when he measured goods. Yielding to his patriotic spirit when the war between the states began, he tried to enlist, but was rejected when he sought to become a private in the Eighth Regiment, Illinois Volunteers. He was later rejected by the Fourteenth and Twen- ty-fourth Indiana regiments. Still persist- ent he finally enlisted in the Ninety-eighth Illinois Volunteer Infantry in January. 1864. This regiment was first assigned to the Army of the Cumberland, later to the Wild- er Brigade. He served in a most gallant manner until the close of the war, taking Mr. Knoph assisted in the organization of the Olney Electric Light Company, in 1887, and was its secretary and treasurer. He organized the Olney Elevator Com- pany and one of the largest and most com- plete elevators in the southern part of the state was built, having a capacity of sixty thousand bushels. Mr. Knoph afterwards became its sole owner. part in many closely contested engagements. In September, 1864, Mr. Knoph was pro- moted to sergeant and on December 5, 1864 he was promoted to adjutant of the regiment. He participated in all the battles in which this regiment was engaged. He was wounded at Selma. Alabama, being shot twice through the left leg; one of the bullets he carries today. He was mustered out at the close of the war, July 7, 1865. at Nashville, Tennessee.
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.