Biographical review of Cass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois: Containing biographical sketches of pioneers and leading citizens, Part 12

Author: Illinois bibliography; Genealogy bibliography
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Review Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 648


USA > Illinois > Brown County > Biographical review of Cass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois: Containing biographical sketches of pioneers and leading citizens > Part 12
USA > Illinois > Cass County > Biographical review of Cass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois: Containing biographical sketches of pioneers and leading citizens > Part 12
USA > Illinois > Schuyler County > Biographical review of Cass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois: Containing biographical sketches of pioneers and leading citizens > Part 12


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 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76


Charles Dunn is the youngest of a family of eight children, four of whom are yet liv- ing, Mary Paschal, now living in Morgan county; Sarah Kuhlman, living near Vir- ginia, this county ; William, a farmer in But- ler county, Kansas; and Charles, who lias never been married. He is a sound Repub- lican of good habits and sound principles. He has been a very successful farmer and stock-raiser and now owns a fine farm of 160 acres, well improved and with a fine set of farm buildings. The place has been his own for fifteen years, and is where he was born and resides.


MAZIAH C. EDGAR was born at Vir- ginia, Cass county, Illinois, May 12, 1845. His father, George Edgar, was a native of Franklin county, Kentucky, aud was there reared and married; he emigrated to Illinois at an early day, and was one of tlie honored pioneers of Schuyler county. After a few years he removed to Cass county,


Illinois, and located at Virginia, engaging in farming near that place. In 1849, when the gold fever swept this country, he joined the train of emigrants journeying to the Pacific coast. He remained in the Golden State six- teen years, and then returned to Illinois, and resumed agricultural pursuits in Cass county ; his death occurred soon after his return. He was united in marriage to Elizabeth Nall, a native of Kentucky and a daughter of Gabriel and Fanny (Tuttl) Nall. To them were born four children: Martha, Robert, Amaziah C., the subject of this biography, and Henrietta.


Mr. Edgar received his education at Vir- ginia, and in early life was thrown upon his own responsibility; he also assisted in the support of the family, and by industry and economy managed to save his earnings until he could get a start in the world. He resided at Virginia until after his marriage, and then removed to Macon county, Illinois, and pur- chased a farm near Niantic; here he was en- gaged in agricultural pursuits until 1882, when he sold this land and came to Rushville, where he lives a retired life.


He has been twice inarried: In 1868 he was united to Julia (Carr) Cook, a native of Cass county, Illinois, and a daughter of David Carr: her first husband was John Cook, and her deatlı occurred in 1875. Mr. Edgar's second inarriage was in 1878, to Eliza E. Ford, a native of Arkansas and a daughter of Elias E. Ford; her father was a Kentuckian by birth and one of the pioneers of Macon county, Illinois; he removed thence to Ar- kansas in search of health, but soon returned and now lives a retired life at Niantic; he married Sarah McDonald, a native of Ohio. Mrs. Edgar died at Las Vegas, New Mexico, April 23, 1892, on the thirty-fourth anniver- sary of her birth; she had gone there in quest of health, but the hand of death was laid


138


BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW OF CASS,


upon her, and she was called from this life to the reality of the future. She was the mother of two children: Effie May and Ballinger. Mr. Edgar had one child by his first marriage, named Nevada. Politically he has always been a Democrat, and a stanch supporter of the principles of the party. He represented Niantic on the County Board of Supervisors for six years, and as a member of the County Central Committee. He was president of the Macon Connty Fair Association four years. He is a member of Rushville Lodge, No. 9, A. F. and A. M. In all the walks of life his action has been characterized by that integrity and honor which insures the respect and con- fidence of the entire community.


ONATHAN PATTESON was born in State of Virginia, June 1, 1797. His father was Charles Patteson, also a na- tive of Virginia, who removed from that State to Green county, Kentucky about the year 1800, and was thus one of the pioneers of that locality. He bought a tract of timber land, and erected thereon a log cabin, in which were domiciled the family. They were in a wilderness and were compelled to live off the products of their little place and the game that was found in abundance in the woods. Mr. Patteson was an owner of slaves, and they cultivated flax and cotton, and used to card, spin and weave all the cloth for the entire family. They were compelled to be self-snp- porting, and knew little of the outside world because railroads were unheard of, newspapers rarely seen, and even steamboats had but just been heard of. He continued to reside in Green county until his death. His wife, the mother of our subject, was Regina De- Graphenreidt, a native of North Carolina,


who died when our subject was but four years of age.


Our subject, Jonathan Patteson, is the only survivor of a family of six children. He was reared on the farin in Kentucky and was there married. At quite an early age he went to live with a merchant in Columbia, Adair county, and there he remained, clerking in a store, until he was married. He then went to that part of Adair county now included in Russell county, and took charge of a paper mill. Soon after his location there, Russell county was organized, and the first court was held in his house. He lived there until 1837, at which time he came to Illinois. While in Kentucky he lived on a small stream, six miles from the Cumberland river. This little streamn was known as Greasy creek. He built a flat boat, and himself and family, accompanied by Thomas J. Garrett, floated down to the Cuin- berland river and there took a steamer and continned on down to the Ohio, thence down to the Mississippi, thence np the Mississippi and Illinois rivers, stopping at Eric (now Frederick), Schuyler county. This country was then an utter wilderness, filled with wild animals and with a few scattering pioneers, alınost as wild as the animals. He bought a tract of 160 acres, two miles east of town, covered with heavy timber, npon which two log cabins had been erected and a few acres cleared by the former owner. He paid $2,- 000 for the entire tract, which was thien con- sidered a very high price. Here he lived and labored nntil 1871, when he came to Rushville and has since lived there retired from active business. He is the oldest inan now living in Schuyler county. Generally his health has been good, but of late years he has suffered with rheumatism, though his mind and memory are yet well preserved. During his long life he has witnessed the in-


139


SCHUYLER AND BROWN COUNTIES. .


troduction of railroads and steamboats, tele- graph lines, and when he came to Illinois, as he passed through Louisville, he traded for two stoves, the first ever bronght to Schuyler county. They were rough, primitive affairs, which would now sell for about three dollars, but for which he paid the sum of seventy dollars. In 1822 he was married to Miss Matilda Caldwell, a native of Columbia, Ken- tucky, and a daughter of William and Eliza (Pyles) Caldwell. To himself and wife have been born seven children: Eliza M., Charles R., Williamn C., Harriet J., Lanra, Matilda and Louisa Caroline. Of these children all are living except the daughter, Laura, who died in 1872.


EONIDAS SCOTT, one of the promi- nent citizens of Rushville, Schuyler county, Illinois, is a native of this county, born September 7, 1855 (for family history, see sketch of Mrs. T. W. Scott). He was united in marriage March 25, 1874, to Me- linda B. Demaree, a native of Mercer county, Kentucky, born Angust 9, 1855. Her par- ents, Holdman aud Martha J. Demaree, were also natives of Mercer county, Kentucky. They emigrated to Schuyler county in 1857, and bought land on which they lived until death; they had born to them eight children, six of whom are living. Mrs. Scott's grand- parents were Virginians by birth, and were among the pioneers of Kentucky.


Mr. and Mrs. Scott have two children: Lanra B. was born March 18, 1876, and Catherine, born August 16, 1888. Mr. Scott passed an uneventful yonth, being reared to the occupation of a farmer; after his marriage he remained on the home farm until 1887, when he purchased his present residence in Rushville. He rents his farm, which consists


of 200 acres, and devotes his time to the breeding of fine horses. Netty Thorn is a very fine animal belonging to his stables, and he has sent out some of the most promising horses that are on the turf to-day.


Our worthy subject is a member of the Knights of Pythias, and takes an active in- terest in the order. His wife belongs to the Christian Church. They are giving their children a good education, and are thns pro- viding them with a legacy of which no man can defraud thiem.


REDERICK E. BERRY, one of the managers of the National Union store at Rushville, was born in . Schuyler county, Illinois, December 23, 1841, a son of Daniel and Mary A. (Crow) Berry, natives of Washington county, Pennsylvania. Samuel Berry, the paternal grandfather, was also a resident of Washington county, Pennsylvania. Daniel Berry was reared to the occupation of a farmer; he emigrated to Schuyler county, Illinois, in an early day, and settled in Rush- ville township, where he purchased eighty acres of land, partially improved; here he lived until his death in 1871; his widow still resides on the liome farm. They had a family of nine children, all of whom grew to mature years: William C. died in Rushville, leaving a family; Daniel died in California; George G. died at Tombstone, Arizona; Sarah is the wife of Morris Hobart; Elizabeth married C. L. Easley; Mary A. is the wife of W. R. Milby; Frederick E. is the subject of this sketch; Martha M. is the wife of A. V. Quinn; John S. died in New York city; Frederick E. was brought up amid rural scenes, and attended the common schools.


When the great Civil war arose between the


-


140


BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW OF CASS,


North and South, he was not slow to esponse the cause of the Union, and May 10, 1861, he enlisted iu the service of the State Govern- inent; and May 24, 1861, enlisted for three years in Company G, Sixteenth Illinois Vol- unteer Infantry, and spent the summer and fall of 1861 in Missouri; in January, 1862, he weut to Cairo and afterward joined Pope's army in the siege of New Madrid; he partici- pated in the capture of Island No. 10, the siege of Corinthi, and was afterward stationed at Big Spring, Mississippi; next at Tuscum- bia, Alabama, and took part in the retreat of Negley's and Paliner's brigades; next they were at Decatur and Nashville, Tennessee, remaining at the latter place during the two mnouthis of the siege; he was at Stone river, at Nashville, and during the siege of Chatta- nooga was at Kelly's Ferry. January 1, 1864, he was transferred to the Sixtieth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and took part in the battles of Tunnel Hill and Buzzard Roost Gap; he was transferred March 1st to the Sixteenth Regimeut, which he joined in the beginning of the war, and served until May 2d, when he began the Atlanta campaign; he went as far as Burnt Hickory, and there was ordered back, and June 13th, at Chattanooga, was discharged. He returned to his home, and resumed the more peaceful pursuit of agriculture.


Mr. Berry was married January 3, 1867, to Miss Maggie Milby, a daughter of Ben- jamin and Mary Milby, a native of Delaware, born January 30, 1845. He then took charge of his father's farın, which he managed until the fall of 1891. In October of that year the branch store of the National Union Company was organized; he was made manager at Rush- ville; this company does a general mercantile business, carries a well selected stock, and is worthy of the generous patronage received.


Mr. Berry owns the old homestead left by his father, which consists of 178 acres.


Mr. and Mrs. Berry have had born to thein a family of five children: Katie is the wife of Miles Van Horn; Anna, Elizabeth, Grace and Fred E. In politics Mr. Berry is inde- pendent, although he formerly affiliated with the Republican party. He has been Tax Col- lector and served as a inember of the School Board. He belongs to the Grand Army of the Republic, and has been Commander of Colonel Harney Post, No. 131; he is also a member of the A. O. U. W., and is Secretary of the County Alliance. He has also been interested in public movements, and has been a loyal supporter of home industries. He is a inan of superior business qualifications, and through strictly honorable methods he has accumulated considerable property.


RS. WILLIAM PRICE, a resident of Rushville, Illinois, has the honor of being one of the earliest settlers of Schuyler county, Illinois, her parents re- moving there in 1826. She was born in Crawford county, Indiana, October 8, 1816, a daughter of Wiliam and Cassie (Frakes) McKee, whose history appears on another page of this volume. She recalls many in- cidents of life on the frontier, and has not forgotten the privations and hardships en- dured by those who were couragcous enough to undertake to subdne the wild land and con- vert it into fertile farnis. She was married at the age of sixteen years, to William Price, a native of Tennessee, born October 8, 1809, a son of Samnel and Becrsheba (Atehily) Price; his father removed from Tennessee to Illinois, and was a pioneer of Schuyler county; he afterward removed to Arkansas, and lived


141


-


SCHUYLER AND BROWN COUNTIES.


there until after the death of his wife, when lic returned to Illinois; he speut his last years at the home of Mrs. Price in Rushville. William Price was reared in his native State, and there learned the trade of a blacksmith; he remained in Tennessee until 1830, when he emigrated to Schuyler county, Illinois, where he resided until his death. At the time of his marriage he settled on the land now oc- cupied by Mrs. Mary Price, which was the gift of her father; he followed his trade, and at the saine timne superintended the cultiva- tion of his farm; he made inany excellent improvements, crecting good buildings, and bringing the land to a high state of produc- tiveness. His death occurred March 21, 1887.


Mrs. Price has four children living; John married Margarct Owen; George married Einma Meador; Agnes is the wife of Oscar B. Hite; Jaines F. marricd Nannie Boden- heimer.


In his political views Mr. Price adhered to the principles of the Republican party. He was a man of great integrity of character, and enjoyed the respect of all who knew him.


HARLES GOTTHELF JOKISCH, an old settler and farmer of Cass county, now deceased, was born in Saxony, Ger- inany, February 27, 1819. He was one of nine children. His grandfather, believing that opportunities for young men were better in the United States than in Germany, urged his two sons and their families to emigrate to this country. This they did early in the thirties, and began in Cass county on Govern- ment land, and here the father of Gotthelf died in what is now Bluff Springs precinct, at about the age of fifty. He had accumulated 11


a fine property and left an estate valned at twenty-five thousand dollars. Hisaged father also died here. (For fuller history of family see biography of Williamn Jockisch.)


Charles Gotthelf grew up an industrious boy, and was ever afterward identified with the best interests of the county, but unfortu- nately died before he was very old. In spite of his early death he left an estate that was very valuable. His death occurred in March; 1874, in the fifty-fourth year of his age. By industry and economy he first was able to buy a small farın, and from time to time increased it until he owned a property of 350 acres, most of it in a high state of cultivation. He was a quiet, good man, gave his entire time to his business, never engaged in politics, except to vote thic Republican ticket.


He was married herc to Elinore Carls, of Hanover, Germany, November 1, 1846. Her inother had died in Germany, and she came to this country with her father and other members of the family in 1843, and has since lived in the borders of Cass county. (For family history, see biography of Louis M. Carls.) Mrs. Jokisch is the youngest of tlie family now living. She has two brothers, George and Henry, both of this county. Shc is a well preserved lady and very intelligent. She and her husband were life-long members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.


She is the mother of ten children: Theophi- lus, Otto, George and Matilda (Loomis) are deceased; those living are: Maurice W., a far- mer living in Virginia; Mary E., a noble character, living at home; Philip J., a very successful farmer of this township; Amnelia Hackman, a native of this county; Edward F., a successful farmer in Virginia; Harry J., now running the homestead, is a well edu- cated farmer. He attended the high school of Virginia, and also the Wesleyan University


142


BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW OF CASS,


at Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, and the Illinois State Normal School. He tanght recently in the schools of Beardstown. He is industrious and knows how to put his education to good nse. He clings to the same political faith as did his father, and bids fair to do that parent honor.


ILLIAM OETGEN, one of the old settlers and successful farmers living in Cass county, was born in Hanover, Germany, May 31, 1817. He came of pure German ancestry. His father, G. Henry, was a native of the same place in Germany, born in 1787 and died December 26, 1820. He was a blacksmith, as were all his brothers and his father before. They were all inem- bers of the Lutheran Church. The name of his mother was Helen L. Veslage, a native of Hanover, who survived her first hnsband, and in 1823 married Dr. J. C. A. Seeger, who came to the United States in 1831, and in 1832 was joined by his wife and our subject. The family settled in Philadelphia, Pennsy- lvania, in September, 1832, where Mr. Oetgen learned the shoemaker's trade. Mr. Oetgen mnade a quick passage of twenty-eight days and landed in New York City. In 1834 his parents came to Beardstown, and were joined a year later by onr subject. They both died here, bnt left no children: lience Mr. Oetgen is the only one of his family now living that came from Germany. Mr. Oetgen landed in this county July 25, 1835. He began here a poor boy and worked for years for $8 a month; later he received as much as $12.50 a month, and in 1843 farmned one ycar as a renter, and in 1844 purchased his first land not far from Beardstown city. This consisted of 290 acres, which he improved, and in 1859 he pur-


chased 126 acres on section 20, township 18, range 11, where he now lives. He later added 120 acres, and then seventy acres more, and again eighty acres, all of which is valu- able and some of which is worth more than $100 an acre. He has been one of the lead- ing men of the county, and has had all the experiences of a pioneer. Being a smart and intelligent man he has a fine memory, and can tell in a very interesting manner of the condition of things in the past history of the county. He has been a good citizen.


He was married, in Cass county, to Cathe- rine Middlebusher, born in Hanover, near Osnabruck, December 23, 1826, and came to the United States in 1835, and to Cass county with her parents, Adam and Petro N. (Ket- wick) Middlebusher, who died here of cholera two weeks after landing in Beardstown. They were members of the Lutheran Church, and while only in this country a short time they came in a day when their names should be associated with the other pioneers. Mrs. Oetgen was yet very young when her parents died, and was partly reared by the mother and step-father of Mr. Oetgen. She is yet living. She was married, April 7, 1843, to Mr. Oetgen, and has proved herself a good, true wife. They are the parents of eight children, of whom Mary and Hannah died young. John recently died in Beardstown, leaving a wife and two bright children. He had been educated at Poughkeepsie, Now York, and was book-keeper for Henry Keil. At the time of his death he was a promising young inan and a worthy member of the family. The living are: Helen Fricke, of Lafayette county, Missouri; Henry William, who married Angusta Hansmier, a farmer in Schuyler county; and George C., who married Henrietta Reichert, and also on the old home- stead; Martha, wife of Lonis Leonhard, work-


- -- 1


143


SCHUYLER AND BROWN COUNTIES.


ing Mr. Oetgen farm in this township; and Edward L., on the home farm. The latter was appointed in 1890 as a census enumerator in this county. The children are all smart and self-snstaining, and are all active Repub- licans.


AVID HERRON, a prominent farmer of Bainbridge township, was born in county Down, Ireland, in June, 1829, a son of Robert Herron, who was born in the same county; the paternal grandfather, Robert Herron, was a native of Ireland, of Scotch ancestry. The father of our subject learned the trade of linen weaver at a time when this work was done on liand looms, and followed this occupation through life. He married Mary Cleland, a daughter of Thomas and Jane (Bell) Cleland, natives of Ireland, of Scotch lineage. After the death of her husband, Mrs. Herron emigrated to America, in 1850, and spent the last years of her life in Schuyler county, Illinois. She was the mother of eight children: Sarah, Robert, Thomas, Jane, David, John, William and Hugh. David Herron passed his youth in his native country, and there received his education. In 1850 he determined to try his fortunes in the New World, and accordingly, the 27th day of March, sailed from Belfast on the vessel Annie, and landed at the port of New York after a voyage of forty-nine days. He went directly to Ohio, via the Hudson river and Erie canal to Buffalo, and thence by lake to Cleveland; from that city he went by team to Mahoning county. He began to learn the tanner's trade, but on account of ill health abandoned the plan; he then went to work in the iron furnaces and continued there for two years, after which he


engaged in farming; he was employed by the month until 1858, when he came to Schuyler county, Illinois, and purchased 160 acres of land; abont eighty acres of this tract were cleared, and a log cabin had been built, which was their first Illinois home. Mr. Herron has added to his first purchase of land until he now owns 240 acres, more than half of which is under a high state of cultivation; he lias erected a good set of framne buildings, and has developed the place into one of the most desirable in the township.


Hc was united in marriage, in 1857, to Mary Hull, who was born in Mahoning county, Ohio, a daughter of Logan and Annie (Ross) Hull, of the same county; Mrs. Herron's paternal grandfather, Benjamin Ross, was a native of New Jersey, and one of the earliest settlers of Mahoning county; he was a man of much energy and enterprise, and crected the first mill operated by water power in Mahoning county. Mr. and Mrs. Herron are the parents of six children: Jane, Thomas, Blanche, Lula, Mary A. and Robert L., who died in 1865. They are consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Poli- tically Mr. Herron affiliates with the Demo- cratic party.


EORGE BORDENKIRCHER, Chair- man of the County Board of Supervisors, was born on a farm in Ohio, May 1, 1842. His father was named Wendal, and was born in Germany; and his father, David, was born in Germany, and there married and came to America abont 1833 and settled in Coshocton county, Ohio. He bought a large tract of land there, and lived there until his death. Wendal was eighteen years old when he came to America, and he resided with his


144


BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW OF CASS,


parents until his marriage, when his father gave him land in Coschocton county, and he lived there until 1851, when he moved to In- diana and lived there until 1856, and then came to Illinois and settled in Mount Ster- ling township, and bought a tract of unim- proved land with a set of log buildings Their first home was a log hut. He quickly im- proved his land, erected frame buildings and lived there until 1878, when he removed into the city of Mount Sterling, and now lives retired. His wife's name was Mary Stons, born in Germany, and came an orphan girl to America. When she died in Mount Ster- ling she left four children.


George attended school both in Ohio and Indiana. He remained on the farm with his father until his enlistment, August 8, 1862, in Company D, One Hundred and Nineteenth Illinois Volunteers, and remained with the regiment until the close of the war, being in all the various marches, campaigns and bat- tles of his regiment. He worked his father's farm in 1867, then bought eighty acres of land in section 14, Mount Sterling township, which is included in his present farın. He has in all 180 acres of land.


He was married, April 10, 1866, to Floren- tine Meyer, born in Alsace, Germany, April 29, 1846. Her father came to America in 1851 and settled in Ohio, and his wife and seven children followed lim two years later. He followed his trade of tailor for four years in Cincinnati, and then moved to Mount Sterling and continued the business. Mr. and Mrs. B. have six children living: Emily, Edward, Anna, Albert, Celestine and Freddie. Our subject with his family is a member of the St. Joseph Catholic Church. He is a Democrat in politics, and is now serving his third term as Supervisor and second term as chairman of the board, and is president of




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.