USA > Illinois > Clay County > Biographical and reminiscent history of Richland, Clay and Marion counties, Illinois > Part 64
USA > Illinois > Richland County > Biographical and reminiscent history of Richland, Clay and Marion counties, Illinois > Part 64
USA > Illinois > Marion County > Biographical and reminiscent history of Richland, Clay and Marion counties, Illinois > Part 64
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Our subject is a member of the ancient
and his wife are members of the Methodist church, the latter having been a church mem- ber since she was fourteen years old. In politics Doctor Downey is a Republican, and he has the interests of his community at heart, ever laboring for its development along political, religious and educational lines. His comfortable and well furnished home in Sandoval is frequented by his many friends and those of the family, and holds high rank in this community.
EDWIN L. WELTON.
The record of a life well spent, of tri- umph over obstacles, of perseverance under difficulties and steady advancement from a modest beginning to a place of distinction in the industrial world, when imprinted on the pages of a history, present to the youth of a rising generation a worthy example. Such a life is that of the gentleman whose name appears at the head of this review, who is at this writing encumbent of the re- sponsible position of postmaster of the city of Centralia, Illinois, and the able and con- scientious manner in which he has ever looked after the interests of this city have called forth much praise from his fellow townsmen.
Edwin L. Welton was born at New Al- bany, Indiana, May 16, 1857, the son of Tandy and Mary E. (Carlan) Welton, the former having been born in Harrison
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county, Indiana, January 4, 1827, and is plosion of a lubrication glass on an engine. still living in the Hoosier state. The mother of the subject was born near New Albany, Indiana, in 1832. They became the par- ents of eleven children, of whom Edwin L., our subject, was the sixth in order of birth. There were six boys and five girls, seven of whom are living.
The early education of the subject of this sketch was obtained in the common schools of New Albany. He early began working on a farm and later in the Ohio Falls Iron Works at New Albany. He came to Marion county, Illinois, in young manhood without a dollar, but possessing courage and energy he set to work and his subsequent career has been a most successful one. He now owns a costly and well furnished home in Cen- tralia, besides considerable other property in real estate, and his rental income pays over one thousand dollars a year on his in- vestment. He arrived in Centralia Febru- ary II, 1879.
After coming to this state our subject worked for the Illinois Central Railroad for a period of seventeen years and for thirteen years was an engineer on the road, having been one of the most trusted and efficient employes of this company. He also worked for some time in the nail mills of Centralia.
Our subject supports his aged father and mother, which he has done for years. He subscribed the first one hundred dollars for the erection of the present Catholic hospital erected in Centralia the latter part of 1908.
Our subject met with the misfortune to lose his left eye nine years ago by the ex-
Edwin L. Welton first married Addie J. Andrews, of Centralia, October 17, 1882, by whom one son was born, Dwight E., whose birth occurred July 22, 1884. He lived eight months and seventeen days, having died in March, 1885. The subject's first wife passed to her rest October 15, 1887. Mr. Welton was married a second time, his last wife being Isabel H. See, the wedding occurring January 31, 1894. To this union five children have been born. The first died in infancy. The names of the others are Helen F., Frederick E., Winifred L. and Edna L., all living at home and attending school in 1908. Mrs. Welton is the daugh- ter of C. M and Anna M. See, of Alma.
Mr. Welton was elected Township Col- lector in 1902, the duties of which he faith- fully performed, as he did also while serv- ing as a member of the School Board of Centralia from 1887 to 1889. He was ap- pointed postmaster of Centralia in 1903 and has faithfully continued to serve the people of this city under Roosevelt's administra- tion, still being the incumbent of this office in 1908, and according to the consensus of opinion is one of the best postmasters the city has ever had, possessing as he does a remarkable executive ability and being of a pleasing address he is popular with all classes.
In politics our subject is a Republican, having always voted this ticket and done what he could in furthering the interests of his party. Fraternally he is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons, the Blue
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Lodge, also Chapter, Council and Com- mandery. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias, the Modern Woodmen and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen. Both he and his wife are members of the Order of Eastern Star.
Our subject's people and also those of his wife were Methodists. Mrs. Welton is an active member of this church. Mr. Welton, while not affiliated with any special church, contributes liberally to the support of the Methodist church and worships there with his family, being a stanch believer in prac- tical, every-day Christianity, a man of gen- erous disposition who has always given his aid and influence to enterprises for the pub- lic good, and since becoming a resident of Centralia he has contributed largely to the material advancement of the city and to the social and moral welfare and he keeps abreast of the times in all matters in which the public is interested. No act inconsistent with the strictest integrity has ever been imputed to him, nor has his name ever been connected with any measure or movement that would not bear closest and most crit- ical scrutiny. Thus far his official career has fully demonstrated the wisdom of his friends in urging his selection for the position which he holds.
ALFRED LIVESAY.
Although the unmarred life-chapter of the subject of this sketch has been closed and the seal set thereon forever by the "grim
reaper," his influence for good still pervades the lives of those with whom he was asso- ciated, for his life was led along high planes of endeavor and resulted in not only the ac- complishment of good for himself and fam- ily, but also his neighbors.
Alfred Livesay was born in Tennessee February 15, 1822, and when seven years of age he came to Washing- ton county, Illinois, at the age of seven years, and in about 1866 he came to Marion county, locating in Patoka township. Our subject was the son of John Wesley and Margaret (Lyons) Livesay, both natives of Tennessee, who came to Marion county, Illi- nois, where they spent the remainder of their lives, dying on the same place on which they settled.
Our subject made nearly all the improve- ments of his place, having been a hard worker and an excellent manager. He was always a Democrat, but never sought pub- lic office. Entering the ministry, he was a Methodist preacher.for several years, doing much good and becoming widely known as an earnest expounder of the Gospel, but he gave up preaching quite a while before his death, abandoning the ministry owing to failing health. He had the distinction of serving one year and one month in the Mex- ican war, during which he contracted sick- ness from which he never fully recovered. He was a farmer and an extensive stock raiser and was highly successful at his work wherever it was applied, being a man of good judgment and always industrious. He was a cousin of Dr. Thomas Livesay, one
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of the leading physicians of Marion county and a man respected by all.
After receiving such common schooling as the times afforded our subject worked at various things, principally farming, until he married, February 26, 1846, in Washington county, Hannah Logan, who was born in Washington county September 30, 1830, and to this union the following children have been born; William T. married Eliza Seward and are the parents of four children and live in Stanley, Iowa; Elizabeth R. is single and takes care of her mother ; Isaac B., who married Leticia Rock and who has two children, lives in Kansas; Pearl married Joseph Larimer and they are the parents of two children ; Hester A. mar- . ried Perry Davidson, of Marion county, and she is the mother of five children; Ransom P. married Louisa Suter and they are the parents of five children; Marshall A. mar- ried Rachael Walton and they have nine children; Liddie, deceased, married Robert Quale, and they are the parents of two liv- ing children and two deceased; Harvey R. married Mollie Chick and they are the par- ents of five children ; Allen H., who remained single, died when forty-four years old; Dan- iel R. married Laura Cruse and they have three children; Etta married James Smith and they became the parents of eight chil- dren, four of whom are living; Clinton O. marreid Elvira McHaney and they became the parents of seven children, one of whom is deceased.
1883, honored and respected by all who knew him, and his place in the neighborhood has since been greatly missed, for he was a good and useful man, who, while laboring to ad- vance the interests of himself, did not fail to do what he could in promoting the wel- fare of the public. He left his family about six hundred acres of well improved land. Mrs. Livesay now manages in a most suc- cessful manner one hundred and thirty-four acres, all under a high state of cultivation. She is a woman of rare business tact and ability, although she is now well advanced in old age, and she has a wonderful mem- ory and is an interesting conversationalist. She draws a pension of twelve dollars per month. She is held in high esteem by the people of Patoka township for her many commendable traits of character and beau- tiful life.
JACOB COPPLE.
It is hard for the present generation to properly appreciate the brave deeds of the "boys in blue," who sacrificed so much on the altar of patriotism during the sixties, but as years go by the immensity of their deeds will be realized to a fuller extent and each veteran will be accorded full measure of credit and praise. The gentleman whose name appears above is a member of this great number of patriots.
Jacob Copple was born in Clark county, Indiana, December 23, 1835, the son of An-
Alfred Livesay departed this life, after a strenuous and useful career, on April 22, drew and Christina (Fine) Copple, both na-
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tives of North Carolina, who were among the pioneers in the vicinity of Walnut Hill, Illinois, where they lived for a short time, then moved to Raccoon township, Marion county. He secured wild land and developed a good farm, on which he and his wife both died. He was a Demo- crat, but held no office, and an active mem- ber of the Christian church. The subject's mother was twice married, first to James Snow, and she had two sons by this mar- riage, William and James, the former a farmer and the latter a minister in the Chris- tian church for many years. They are both deceased.
Four children were born to Andrew Cop- ple and wife, namely: Jacob, our subject; John L., deceased, who lived in Raccoon township on a farm and was also a black- smith; Simpson is living in Hood River, Oregon, a retired farmer; Mary Elizabeth is the widow of Robert Sanders, who lives in Raccoon township.
Our subject had only a limited amount of schooling in his youth, but he became self- educated and he taught five terms of winter schools in a most successful manner. He was married in March, 1856, to Malinda F. Mccullough, a native of Tennessee, the daughter of Thomas Mccullough, of Ten- nessee, who were among the early settlers in Jefferson county, Illinois, having located on a farm. Mr. Mccullough lived to be over eighty years old. His wife survived him, dying in 1844. The subject's wife died November 20, 1901. Seven children were born to them, five of whom grew to
maturity, namely : Rebecca J., who married J. H. Creed, and who lived in Centralia township, died in 1884, after becoming the mother of three children; Charles L., a ho- tel keeper living near Portland, Oregon, is married and has four sons: Theopolis V., a farmer living in Raccoon township, is sin- gle; Samuel A., a farmer in Raccoon town- ship, married Florence Copple and has three children; George F., deceased, married Min- nie McMillin, and became a farmer near Walnut Hill. These children were educat- ed in the home schools and are all fairly well situated in reference to business and homes.
Mr. Copple, as already intimated, was a soldier during the war of the Rebellion, hav- ing enlisted on April 6, 1865, in Company H, Fifty-third Illinois Volunteer Infantry. He first went to New York City, being sick with the measles, and came home in 1865, and was sick until the spring of 1866. He had moved to Jefferson county, Illinois, in 1861, and he lived there until 1881, when he moved to Raccoon township, where he bought the Robert Rainey farm. His fine farm now consists of one hundred and twelve acres and he carries on general farm- ing and stock raising in a most successful manner, having his farm highly improved and carefully tilled. He has always been a farmer and has taken much interest in pub- lic affairs. He has been School Director and he cast his first vote for Abraham Lin- coln, but since 1876 he has been a Populist and he has the splendid record of having been a member of the Christian church for
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the past fifty years. Our subject has been retired since 1900, when he bought a home in Walnut Hill, where he has since lived.
JOSEPH PORTER ROOT.
One of the venerable and highly respected citizens of Marion county is he whose name appears above, a man whose life has been led along useful and conservative lines, re- sulting in good to those with whom he came in contact and resulting in success to him- self and family.
Joseph Porter Root was born August 4, 1828, in Orange county, Vermont, the son of King and Elizabeth (Bacheldor) Root, both natives of Orange county, Vermont, the former's father and mother also being natives of that county. Jethro Bacheldor was the subject's maternal grandfather. He and his wife were both natives of New Hampshire. The subject's father, who grew up and married in Vermont, was a very ac- tive man, a great drummer, and a farmer by occupation. Both he and his wife died in Vermont; the latter was a member of the Free Will Baptist church. The former was a Democrat. They were the parents of thir- teen children, twelve of whom grew to ma- turity and married. The subject had one brother, Lawton, a farmer, who came west in about 1838, going to Chicago and down the Mississippi river and through Southern Illinois and in two years went back to Ver- mont.
The subject of this sketch, who receive only a limited schooling when a boy, live at home with his parents until he reache manhood. In early life he worked as a turr er at the lathe and made tool handles. I 1852 he came west unaccompanied and lo cated in Marion county where Centralia no stands. The country was then wild and b has seen the development of the community taking no small part in the great work. Ther was no railroad in the county when he cam here. He went into partnership with Rot ert Hensley in 1854 and put up a steam saw mill on Fulton creek, the first mill in tha locality. Lumber was sawed here for th Illinois Central Railroad Company to b used in the construction of round house! shops and buildings in general. Our sub ject operated the mill for about two years when he sold it and went into partnershi with Josiah Gilkey and they made when barrows and such implements by hand an later took up painting. He secured lan and started to make a home.
Our subject was united in marriage o June 14, 1856, to Sarah Ann Stradley, o Ashville. North Carolina, who was bor November 20, 1832, the daughter of Davi and Mary (Bruce) Stradley, the forme having been born in England and the latte in North Carolina. Mr. Stradley was sen by a syndicate to Mexico to look after thei interests in a silver mine, and he remaine there three years. He had relatives in Nort Carolina, where he went and in which stat he was married, and later came to Mario county, Illinois, settling in Centralia town
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ship, where he got land, where he and his wife both died.
The wife of the subject, a woman of many beautiful traits of character, passed to her rest August 24, 1898.
After his marriage our subject lived in Centralia township, having cleared land and made a good and comfortable home and where he lived in ease until the death of his wife, since which time he has lived among his children. Eight children were born to the subject and wife as follows: Mary E., born August 8, 1857, married Oliver P. Moore; they live in Jefferson county, Illi- nois, and are the parents of eight children, one deceased. Erastus S., the second child, was born September 20, 1859, married Celia Wood; they live in Centralia, this county, and are the parents of eight children, two being deceased; King David was born Oc- tober 24, 1861, married Orphelia Van Hou- ten, and they are the parents of four chil- dren and make their home in Centralia; Charles Burdette, who was born September II, 1863, married Edith Creed; he is a farmer and teacher in Centralia township, being the parents of three children, one child being deceased. Joseph Elmer, the fifth child, was born May 8, 1866, is a farmer in Centralia township, married Mary Bates, and they have three children living and one dead. Jethro Bacheldor, the sixth child, was born March 4, 1870, and married Mollie Burge, of Centralia, and they have five chil- dren. Ella B. was born April 25, 1872, mar- ried Lloyd Burge, living at Hyattville, Wyo- ming, and they are the parents of three chil-
dren; Cyrus, the youngest child, was born October 6, 1878, married Grace Burge, of Marion county, Illinois, the daughter of Jar- rett and Susan (Warren) Burge, both of this county. They were of Virginia and Tennessee stock. Jarrett Burge lived all of his life in Marion county, this state, on a farm. He now lives one mile east of Odin. His wife died in January, 1904.
Mr. and Mrs. Cyrus Root are the parents of three children, namely : Earl, Evelyn and Lavinia. Our subject is regarded as one of the representative farmers of Centralia township, having always devoted his life to the farm. However, he has been practically retired since 1898. He is a Democrat ; his wife was a member of the Baptist church. Mr. Root is a remarkably well preserved man for his advanced age, still hale and hearty. He is a great reader and is well posted. He started in life in a small way, but being in- dustrious and a good manager, he has achieved success and is today one of the substantial men of the county.
CHARLES F. DEW.
The gentleman whose career is briefly sketched in the following lines is an in- fluential member of the Marion County Bar, who by reason of his professional success has been honored from time to time with po- sitions of responsiblity and trust. He also holds worthy prestige as a citizen, being in- terested in whatever tends to benefit his fel-
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low men, and in matters of public import. His reputation as an influential factor and trusted leader is duly recognized and ap- preciated.
Charles F. Dew is one of Illinois' native sons and a descendant of an old Virginia family that was first represented in the West by his grandfather, Rev. John Dew, a Methodist minister of much more than local repute and one of the leading men of his church in the central and southern parts of the state. This eminent pioneer divine was the intimate associate and co-laborer of the celebrated Peter Cartwright, whom he as- sisted in evangelistic work among the early settlers, and his name frequently occurs in the latter's autobiography and personal rem- iniscences. He was not only an able and earnest preacher, but also a prominent edu- cator and to his efforts more perhaps than to those of any other man is due the found- ing of McKendree College, of which he was the first president. Subsequently he served for many years on the board of directors of that institution and was untiring in promot- ing its interests by every means at his com- mand. He migrated from Virginia in a very early day and settled originally near Tren- ton, Clinton county, but spent the greater portion of his time in ministerial work in different parts of the state and establishing churches, many of which are still in exist- ence and flourishing organization.
Henry P. Dew, son of the above and father of the subject, was born in St. Clair county, Illinois, in the year 1833. He mar- ried in 1861, Sarah C. Arrowsmith, whose
birth occurred in June, 1838, and who bore him three children, namely: Edward, died in early years, Lulu, who also died young, and Charles F., whose name introduces this sketch. Henry P. Dew departed this life at Odin, Illinois, in the year 1872, his wife, who is still living, makes her home with Charles F., her only surviving child. The Arrowsmiths moved to Illinois from Ohio and were among the early settlers of Marion county, the parents of Mrs. Dew locating near Salem in 1848. Mr. Arrowsmith pur- chased land and in due time became a pros- perous farmer and praiseworthy citizen. He reared a family of eight children, three sons and five daughters, and with his good wife has for a number of years been sleeping the sleep of the just.
Charles F. Dew was born March 20, 1866, in Washington county, Illinois, and received his preliminary education in the public schools, this training being afterwards sup- plemented by a course in the high school of Centralia, where he was graduated in 1883. Actuated by an earnest desire to add to his scholastic knowledge, he subsequently en- tered McKendree College, where he prose- cuted his studies until completing the pre- scribed course and receiving the degree of Bachelor of Science, after which he engaged in educational work, devoting the ensuing ten years to teaching in the schools of Illi- nois, Missouri and Minnesota.
Mr. Dew achieved honorable distinction as an educator, and while in the profession taught in the schools of St. Louis, Kansas City, and served for some time as superin-
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tendent of the public schools of Rush City, City Attorney of Centralia, and so ably did Minnesota, in the meantime receiving from he discharge his official functions that he was twice chosen his own successor. His record while looking after the interest of the municipality was without a blemish and compared favorably with those of his predecessors. his alma mater the degree of Master of Science. Although a natural teacher and fond of the work, he had no intention of making it his permanent calling. Accord- ingly, in 1893, he retired from the school room and began the study of law in the of- fice of Judge William Stoker, of Centralia. After three years of close application, un- der the direction of that able lawyer and jurist, he took the required examination at Springfield and received his license to prac- tice in the state and federal courts, his ad- mission to the bar bearing the date of 1896.
The year in which he was granted his li- cense, Mr. Dew engaged in the practice of his profession at Centralia, and after expe- riencing the usual difficulties which beset the young attorney at the beginning of his ca- reer, he forged rapidly to the front among the successful lawyers of the city, and in due time built up a large and satisfactory legal business. His habits of study and con-
As a lawyer Mr. Dew stands deservedly high and his career thus far has been char- acterized by continuous advancement and a success such as few of his professional ex- perience attain. He is well grounded in the principles of jurisprudence and by critical study has become so familiar with the lead- ing authorities that he experiences little dif- ficulty in applying his knowledge to practice or in successfully competing with older and more experienced men. He is regarded as a safe and judicious counselor, careful and methodical in the preparation of legal pa- pers and all matters entrusted to him are sure to receive his earnest attention and to be attended to with promptness and dispatch.
Mr. Dew is a man of scholarly tastes and centration together with his previous ex- an influential factor in the literary life of perience as a teacher were greatly in his Centralia. His office in the Ramer Build- favor and he brought to his profession a ing on North Locust street is not only fre- quented by clients and those deserving legal advice, but it is also a favorite resort of the intellectually inclined, for therein are fre- quently considered and discussed matters of high import in which only men of like tastes and inclinations have an interest. Mr. Dew is a member of the Masonic fraternity and the order of Woodmen, and the Methodist Episcopal church represents his religious creed. Although earnest in his views and well disciplined mind, which enabled him to grow in public favor within a comparatively brief period. In connection with the duties of his calling, he became actively interested in political affairs and it was not long until he acquired considerable political prestige, not only locally, but in district and state matters as well. In recognition of valuable political resources as well as by reason of his fitness for the position, he was elected
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