USA > Illinois > Brown County > Biographical review of Cass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois: Containing biographical sketches of pioneers and leading citizens > Part 14
USA > Illinois > Cass County > Biographical review of Cass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois: Containing biographical sketches of pioneers and leading citizens > Part 14
USA > Illinois > Schuyler County > Biographical review of Cass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois: Containing biographical sketches of pioneers and leading citizens > Part 14
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
1
The original of this sketch and the young- est of the family was educated in the public schools of Bury St. Edmunds, and when fif- teen years of age joined his older brother and sisters in America, He located in York State, where he continued to reside. On Sep-
152
BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW OF CASS,
tember 5, 1862, he enlisted in Company A, One Hundred and Fifty-second New York Volunteer Infantry, and served with dis- tinction until the close of the war. He was in the Second Army Corps, of the second division, and at different times was connected with the First, Second and Third Brigades. At the battle of the Wilderness, May 6, 1863, he was wounded in the head by a minie ball while charging the enemy's lines, a portion of his skull being torn away. On the following day he fell into the hands of the cnemy and lay on the field withont medical attendance for fourteen days. The provisions of the rebels ran short and they sent word to the Federal commander that he might supply liis wounded with food and medicine. Consequently a forage train was sent upon the field when Mr. Craske man- aged to crawl aboard and in that way escape to the Union lines. He remained in the hos- pital until the last of June, when he joined his regiment and remained witlı it in all its campaigns, marches and battles until he was honorably discharged, July 14, 1865.
Upon the termination of his military career lie returned to York State and on December 23, 1865, was united in marriage to Miss Ellen Maria Jones, a native of Little Falls and a dangliter of Elijah and Jane Jones, born respectively in England and New York. On the 23d of April, 1866, he came West, and located in Springfield, Illi- nois, and there followed his trade, that of a dyer, until March 28, 1868, when he re- moved to Rushville and resumed his trade, continning until 1870, when he went to Decatur and lived a year and a half and then returned to Rushville and engaged in the grocery business and in buying and ship- ing produce to St. Louis, Chicago, New York and Boston, continuing the same for a
number of years. Mr. and Mrs. Craske have seven interesting children : Geneva A., Caro- line Elizabeth, Mamie, Frauccs C., Harry Barton, Lillian M. and John A. Logan. Fraternally Mr. Craske is a member of Rush- ville Lodge, No. 9, A. F. & A. M .; Rushville Chapter, No. 184, R. A. M .; and Rushville Commandery No. 56, K. T. He is also a member of the A. O. U. W. and of Security Lodge, No. 31, I. O. M. A .; and also of Col- onel Harney Post, No. 131, G. A. R.
Mr. Craske has taken considerable inter- est in politics and in that difficult and doubt- ful field has distinguished himself. He was elected a member of the State Board of Equalization in 1888, and in 1885 was the originator of the scheme in the Thirty-fourth District which elected a Republican Represent- ative to the State Legislature, thus breaking the dead lock which had tied up the General Assembly for months and ended in the election of John A. Logan for United States Senator. The following letter explains itself, and sliows how the part taken by Mr. Craske con- tributed to Republican success:
LELAND HOTEL, Springfield, Ill. May 20, 1885.
HENRY CRASKE,
My Dear Sir: The election is over and the victory is ours. To the Thirty-fourth Representative District we are indebted for the vote that gave us the majority in the Legislature, and to you, my dear sir, there is much due for the organization and success. You were the first man who suggested to me the possibility of carrying the district. I wrote you then, saying the plan was a good one. Of course, great credit is due to all onr friends who aided in carrying out the pro- gramme from whom I would not wish to de- tract anything; but to you I give the credit as the originator of the plan whichi was a
153
SCHUYLER AND BROWN COUNTIES.
success, and to you I now return my grateful acknowledgments. Your friend,
JOHN A. LOGAN.
It should be said by way of explanation. that in the Thirty-fourth General Assembly the two houses were a tie on joint ballot and in consequence there was a dead lock in the Senatorial contest which continued under great excitement for months. On the 12th of April, a Democratic member of the Thirty- fourth Senatorial District died, and a special election was called for May 6th to fill his seat. In that distriet the Democrats liad a majority of 2,000, and therefore felt certain of electing their nominee. Mr. Craske wrote a letter suggesting a still hunt and the plans to be pursued to secure success. His plan was submitted to General Logan and by him to the Republican caucus, and were adopted and acted upon. The result fully met their anticipations, the Republican nominee was elected, the Democrats were out-gencraled and astonished, and even the people in dis- tant States were filled with surprise. The movement was so adroit that General Logan pronounced it the most daring piece of political strategy, so successfully executed. since the days of Alexander the Great.
ILLIAM BURACKER was born on a farm in township 17, range 9, Cass county, Illinois, September 14, 1846.
His parents, Philip A., and Jane (Holzman) Buracker, were born, reared and married in Page county, Virginia, and in 1844 came to Illinois, making the journey with a team. They located on the farm on which their son William was born, and there resided six years. They then moved to a farm in range
-
10, of the same township, where they passed the rest of their lives. The father died May 28, 1891, at the age of sixty-eight years. The mother passed away in 1873. They reared three children, William, Alfred and George. Alfred is deceased. '
Willianı Buracker was reared and educated, and has passed his life thus far, in his native county. He was brought up on the farm, and has since been engaged in agricultural pur- suits. When he attained his majority lie commenced farming for himself on his father's land, and in 1870 his father gave him the farin he has since occupied, which is located in section 27, township 17, range 10. In connection with his agricultural pursuits he is also engaged in stock raising.
In 1868 Mr. Buracker was united in mar- riage with Helen C. Heslep, a native of Cass county, and a daughter of Thomas and Cath- erine Heslep. Mr. and Mrs. Buracker liave two children, Philip T. and Katie.
Politically, Mr. Buracker has always affili- ated with the Democratic party, and is a most efficient member of the same. He was elected a member of the Board of County Commissioners in 1885, and was re-elected in 1888. In this capacity he has always worked for the good of the entire county, ever taking a bold stand in favor of the right.
RED W. KORSMEYER, one of the most successful mnen of this locality, lives on section 30, township 17, range
12. He is a German, being born in Hanover, January 15, 1838. His parents were J. H. and Mary (Lovecamp) Korsmeyer, who were born in the same place, and descended from the best German blood. When our subject was thirteen years of age they came to the
154
BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW OF CASS,
United States iu the fall of 1851. They took the usual passage of their fellow country- men, from Bremer to New Orleans, and from there up the Mississippi and Illinois rivers to Beardstown. Tlicy located very near the present home of our subject, and here they lived and died, the father about sixty, and thic mother seventy. They had always been members of the German Lutheran Church and are remembered as good, honest German settlers of that early day. Our subject and a brother, Herman, are the only living mem- bers of the family.
Mr. Korsmeyer began farming on his own account about the time of his majority. His first was a purchase of 140 acres, and he in- creased it from time to time until he now owns 600 acres, the most of which is under the plow. He has made many improvements on the farni he has owned for the past thirty years. He has very fine land, lying in the bottoms of the Illinois river, and adjoining the Meredosia lake.
Mr. Korsmeyer was married in Cass county, to Miss Minnie Miller, who came from her birthplace, in Hanover, Germany, when young. Her parents settled in Beardstown, where her father died some years ago, at the home of his daughter, as did also his wife. "They had lived to good old age and had been valued members of the Lutheran Church. Mrs. Korsmeyer is the youngest of three cliil- dren. Her two brothers are Fred, a Morgan county farmer, and Henry, who lives in Springfield. Mr. and Mrs. Korsmeyer have seven living children: Henry and Herman assist in running the farm; Emma, William C., Christian, and Theodore and Charles, the twins, live at home. The children are all uatur- ally bright, and the parents intend to educate them thoroughly. The family is Lutheran in religion, aud Mr. Korsmeyer is very prominent
in the politics of his township, being a Dem- ocrat, and has held almost all of the local offices. He is now a candidate for County Commissioner, and so popular is he that this means a certain election. They are among the most prominent people in the township.
DAM SCHUMAN, one of the enterpris- ing and successful young farmers of section 13, range 12, owning a farm
of 120 acres which he has occupied since the death of his father, John A. Schuman, in October, 1886, lias becn the proprietor of the farm where he was born, reared aud educated. The date of his birth is February 13, 1851. Since lie came into pos- session of the farm, he has greatly improved it and made it very successful, having it well stocked and employing good farm hands. Although only a young man, he is ambitions and is bound to succeed.
Adam is the only son of John Adam and Katic (Loab) Schuman, both natives of Ger- many, of good ancestry. They were born, reared and cducated in Germany, and while yet young came in the early forties to Amer- ica, sailing from Hesse Darinstadt, arriving after several weeks' voyage in New Orleaus, coming from there to St. Louis, Missouri. Here he stopped for a short time and unfor- tunately was taken sick and was takeu to the hospital. As soon as he was able to leave he came to Beardstown, with the help of an old friend, Valentine Thron. After his arrival in Beardstown, lie worked for six months for Mr. Thron to repay him for his kindness; later Jolm A. Schuman was engaged as a butcher for a time, but later purchased land on section 13, township 17, range 12, at which place he spent the remainder of his life
-
-
155
SCHUYLER AND BROWN COUNTIES.
as a farmer, dying at the age of sixty-six. He was a good and worthy citizen, straightfor- ward and upright in all his dealings with his fellow men. He was a prominent member and a good worker in the German Methodist Church, to which he was a generous support- er, being always ready to help everything that tended toward the advancement of good prin- ciples. The Sunday-school received inch of his attention. He was a sound Democrat
in politics. His wife died some years before in 1865, when she was forty years of age. She was a good, Christian woman, a faithful wife and devoted mother, a kind neighbor and a worthy member of the Emanuel Methodist Episcopal Church, near Arenzville.
Adam was the only son in the family, but there were four daughters, Lizzie, wife of George Hauffman, farmer of this township; Mary, wife of Joseph Pierce, of Bluff Springs precinct; Lydia, wife of William Schute, also of Bluff Springs; and Amelia, wife of Charles Johnson, a farmer of Beardstown.
Mr. Schuman was married, at Arenzville, to Miss Lizzie Thron, a native of this county, being born, reared and educated here. She is the daughter of Valentine and Margaret (Bier) Thron, natives of Hesse Darmstadt, Germany. They were young, single people when they came to the United States, settling in Illinois, where they were married, in the city of Beardstown, where Mr. Thron en- gaged in wagon-making, and was thus en- gaged for some years, when he purchased land in the early fifties in township 17, range 12, and there lived for some years. Later he removed to Arenzville, and there his wife died, in January, 1884. She was then quite an old woman and a worthy member of the Lutheran Church, to which she had belonged all her life. She was a good, kind wife and mother, and was highly respected by all her
neighbors. Mr. Thron now makes his home with his dangliter, Mrs. Schuman, and passed his eighty-second birthday in June, 1892. He has been a good, hard-working man all his life and a consistent member of the Lutheran Church. He is a Democrat in politics.
Mr. and Mrs. Thron were the parents of nine children, six yet living and all are mar- ried, being successful in life. Mr. and Mrs. Schuman are active workers in the Emanuel Lutheran Church, and Mr. Schuman takes especial interest in the Sunday-school. He is a good and worthy man.
Mr. Schuman and his wife are the parents of six children : John W., Mary L., Fred G., Liddy E., Elmer and Myrtle.
EWTON LUCAS, a resident of Pea Ridge township, was born in what is now Cooperstown township, December 11, 1838. His father, D. R. Lucas, was one of the pioneers of Brown county, born in Butler county, Ohio, March 21, 1810. His father, John Lucas, was born September 7, 1760, in Virginia, and was a soldier in the Revolutionary war. He was taken prisoner by the Indians and by them taken to Ken- tucky and Ohio. He was pleased with the country, and after the close of the war located in Kentucky, but failed to secure a good title to his land and lost it, and then went to that part of Ohio now included in Butler county, secured a large tract of land in the Miami. bottom, improved a farın, residing there until his death June 15, 1836. His wife's uame was Jemima Robbins, who was born Novem- ber 19, 1768, who died on the liome farm, November 22, 1831, aged sixty-three years. She was the mother of twelve children. Dan- iel Robbins Lucas was raised in his native
156
BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW OF CASS,
county, but when a young man went to In- diana and commenced the study of medicine.
In January, 1836, he came to Mt. Sterling. Illinois, and commenced to practice his pro- fession. He also engaged in teaching and in the mercantile and lumber business. About 1843 he purchased land in Lee township, and resided there the greater part of the time un- til his death, which occurred January 26, 1884. His wife's name was Sarah Ann Keith, to whom he was married in 1836; she was born in Hardin county, Kentucky, December 14, 1817, and died March 22, 1890. She was the inother of twelve children; their names are: William, Newton, Martha, Ann (now dead), Mary E., George W., Henry C. (now dead), John H., Ethan A., Helen A. (now dead), Daniel W., Benjamin F., Jantes E. Thrce dead and nine living, seven of whom live in tlic county, one, B. F., lives in Colo- rado. I. E. lives in Missouri. Newton re- ccived his earlier education in the pioneer schools which were held in the log houses with furniture of the most primitive kind, where the teacher boarded around among the scholars; as soon as he was large cnough to inanage a yoke of oxen he worked upon the farnı. He caught the Pike's Peak fever in the spring of 1860, went across the plains in an ox wagon to the Rocky Mountains, returned in July of same year. He met with an acci- dent December 25, 1860, while cutting a tree for firewood; in trying to get out of the way of some falling limbs, the tree struck and crushed his hip, making a cripple of him for life. He was appointed route agent on inail route from Clayton, Illinois, to Keokuk, Iowa, in 1864, but after some two months' service resigned; taught school during the winter of 1862-'63 at what is now Fargo, in this county ; taught at Ashland, Adams county, during the winter of 1869-'70; remained with his par-
ents until he was married in 1865; then farmed and operated a saw mill until the spring of 1871, when he moved to Scotland county, Missouri, and operated a saw mill for three years; then moved to Memphis, Mis- souri, and went into the hay business with his brother for two years; moved back to Brown county, Illinois, engaged in farming and running a sawmill; operated a sawmill ou Sangamon river bottom during the winter of 1880-'81; moved to Mt. Sterling in the spring of 1882, and operated a steam thresher, lived there until December, 1883; then bonght the farm he now lives upon; owns 220 acres; farm is well improved and has good buildings; the house he built himself.
In politics he is a Republican; cast his first ballot for Abraham Lincoln for president, and Richard Yates for governor; has always been a Republican; and was a delegate to the Republican State Convention, May 4, 1892.
August 29, 1865, he -married Barbara Frank, who was born in Davison county, North Carolina, February 21, 1842, daughter of William and Sarah (Winkler) Frank. Mr. and Mrs. Lucas have three children: Minnie S., William D., Ruth R. Minnie is the wife of Henry L. Lee and has two children; they live in Maxwell City, New Mexico.
A. WARDEN, senior member of the firm of Warden & Son, proprietors of the Rushville Republican, was born in Clermont county, Ohio, January 2, 1839. His father, Moses Warden, was a native of Pennsylvania. and in his youth was con- verted to the Christian religion and became a preacher of the gospel; he learned the trade of a saddler, and followed this vocation in ad- dition to his ministerial labors. When quite
157
SCHUYLER AND BROWN COUNTIES.
a young man he went to Ohio, and there was married to Margaret Anderson, a native of Brown county, Ohio. Mr. Warden lived in Bethel, Clermont county, and there worked at his trade and preached in the Methodist Episcopal Church; later he purchased a farm near Betliel, and engaged in agriculture; there he passed the last days of his life. His only brother, Richard Warden, settled in the same county, and there spent the remainder of liis life. The mother of our subject died in 1851. There was a family of seven chil- dren: Anderson, William, Marthia L., Salathiel L., Margaret L., Sarah E., and Francis A.
Francis A. was a lad of twelve years when his father died, and one year later the mother passed away; le was thien cared for by his older brothers and sisters, and was reared and educated in his native county. At the age of seventeen years he began clerking in a drug store at Felicity, Ohio, and was thus employ- ed for two years; at the end of this period lie became a partner in the business, which was continued until 1876. In that year he camne to Shelby county, Illinois, and engaged iu inercantile trade, which lie conducted eight years. Ray Warden, son of Francis A., having learned the art of printing, engaged in the business at Stewardson and Cowden, Shelby county, conducting a paper at each place for a year; at the end of twelve months he went to Augusta, Hancock county, and published the Augusta Eagle for eight ycars; during all this time his father was a partner in the business, and in January, 1891, they (F. A. Warden and son, S. R. Warden,) came to Schuyler county, and established thie Rush- ville Republican. This is a well edited sheet, newsy, and a loyal supporter of Republican principles.
Mr. Warden was married in 1863, to Olive B. Leffingwell, a native of Williamsburg, 12
Ohio, and daughter of Sidney and Melissa Leflingwell. Five children have been born to them: S. Ray, F. Ella, Louise, Mary E., and Jessie.
During thic late civil war, Mr. Warden supported the Government of the Union; he cast his first vote for Abraham Lincoln, and has since affiliated with the Republican party; he and his wife are worthy members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He belongs to Rushville Lodge, No. 9, A. F. and A. M., to the Knights of Honor Lodge, No. 990, and to Augusta Camp, M. W. A.
ILLIAM D. DORSETT was born in Randolphi county, North Carolina, December 28, 1828. His father was Azarialı Dorsett, a native of the same State, who was a cooper by trade, but lie also fol- lowed farming for a livelihood. In 1835 he came in a six-horse wagon with his family, consisting of a wife and twelve of his four- teen children, to Illinois, camping out over night on their entire trip to Schuyler county. They settled in what is now Huntsville town- ship, and a little later bought a tract of land upon which a few acres had been broken and a log cabin erected. The cabin was a very rough, primitive concern, withi a roof of boards rived by hand, and a chimney of sods. After a little while this was replaced by a more pretentious and comfortable struc- ture. Here lie resided until his death in 1840. His widow died the following morn- ing, and both were buried in the same grave. The mother was formerly Mary Beckerdite, of North Carolina, who reared to maturity fourteen children.
Our subject, William D. Dorsett, was six years old wlien he was brought to Illinois by his parents, and he well remembers the wild
158
BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW OF CASS,
animals that could be seen almost daily in the woods and on the prairie. At that time it was easy to find an abundance of wild honey, as an experienced bee hunter could tell the location of a bee tree by watching the flight of the insect. Gristmills were very scarce, and often could not be reached at all. In this extremity the early settlers were com- pelled to grate their corn and wheat by hand, and Mr. Dorsett recollects having eaten inany a meal of this homely food. At first the people of this vicinity had to go to mill fifty miles below Quincy, and were absent several days. He was quite young when his parents died, and was taken to live with an older brother. He bought forty acres of land in Birmingham township, at $10 an acre, pay- ing for it by installments. When he began housekeeping, after his marriage. he had neither table nor chairs to commence with, and instead thereof had three bee-hives, one of which was used as a table and the other two for stools. Some kind person presented them with a dry-goods box, which was made to serve as a cupboard, and a bedstead was presented to them by Mrs. Dorsett's father. This was considered a great luxury. But this little home, thiongh humble and rude, was made comfortable and bright by Mrs. Dorsett, who took great pride in making it cozy and comfortable. Mr. Dorsett went to work with a will, was very industrious and his wife very economical, and together they have come to prosperous circumstances and a happy home. He secured early employment as a rail-splitter, like Abraham Lincoln, and it was not his fault that he did not reach the presidency instead of Mr. Lincoln. The first money he thus earned was used to bny his first table. After a period of seven years he was the owner of sixty acres, free from in- cumbrance, which he then traded for 100
acres in Huntsville township, and at the close of his career as a farmer in Illinois he was the owner of 400 acres of rich Huntsville soil and a section of land in Texas. In 1883 he rented his farm and came to Rushville, and has since lived a retired life.
On the 15th of November, 1849, he was married to Elizabeth Ann Pendleton, who was born in Hardin county, Kentucky, July 11, 1832. Her father was Edwin Pendleton, a native Virginian, and her grandfather was James Pendleton, also of that State. Her father was reared in his native State, and went to Kentucky when a young man, and was there united in marriage. He learned the shoemaker's trade, which he followed for a few years, and in 1830 came to Illinois. He came the entire distance on horseback, accompanied by his wife and eldest child. Upon his arrival here his entire possessions consisted of two horses and 50 cents in money. One of the horses died soon after crossing the Ohio river. He located in Huntsville township, entered land from the Government, upon which he built a log house and commenced to improve his farm. Mrs. Dorsett's mother was a thorough pioneer woman and knew how to make cloth from flax and cotton. Her daughter, Mrs. Dorsett, learned the art, and after her marriage made all the clothing for hier family. Mr. and Mrs. Dorsett have had six children: Martha L., Hattie E., Joshua E., Ellis Benson, Har- din Wallace and Alvin De W. The parents are members of the First Methodist Episco- pal Church of Rushville.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Dorsett in their youth attended the pioneer schools of this county, where they learned "readin', ritin' and rith- inetic," -- the three R's, as they were termed. The schoolhouse, of course, was a log build- ing, and a very rough one at that. The seats
-
159
SCHUYLER AND BROWN COUNTIES.
were made of slats, and wooden pins served for legs. Holes were borcd in the wall, pins inserted, and a board laid thereon served as a desk upon which the older scholars, with quill pens, learned to write. The windows consisted of a section taken out of the side of the house and the aperture covered with greased paper, which served to admit the light.
OHN T. BRADBURY was born in Har- rison county, West Virginia, March 4, 1840. His father is James Lee Bradbury, born in Virginia in 1816. He was reared on the farm and when he was twenty-three he went to Kentucky and engaged in teach- ing for some forty years. He came to Illinois in the fall of 1847, bringing his wife and two children. They came across the country in a lumber wagon and a horse team. It took them about thirty days to make the trip. Mr. Bradbury soon secured a school in Brown county. They soon moved into Mt. Sterling, where they lived until 1858. Mrs. Bradbury died in 1857, in the prime of hier life, thirty-six, leaving five children to mourn her loss, namely : John T .; Nancy, deceased; James R., carpenter; Mar- garet Mallory; William, a farmner on the bluffs of the Illinois river.
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.