USA > Illinois > Brown County > Biographical review of Cass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois: Containing biographical sketches of pioneers and leading citizens > Part 15
USA > Illinois > Cass County > Biographical review of Cass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois: Containing biographical sketches of pioneers and leading citizens > Part 15
USA > Illinois > Schuyler County > Biographical review of Cass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois: Containing biographical sketches of pioneers and leading citizens > Part 15
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John was brought up to be industrious and was well educated. At sixteeu he began to study under Dr. Witty at Mt. Sterling. In summer he took charge of the farm, but in the winter studied under the instruction of the able Dr. Witty. In 1859 lie went to the Missouri Medical College at St. Louis, and graduated in 1861. He opened his first office in Ripley, but very soon closed it and went to Hiawatha, Kansas, in the spring of 1861. Here he remained, practicing until
1863, when lie returned home and enlisted in the One Hundred and Nineteenthi Illinois Infantry, Company D. He was in the ser- vice three years, but most of the time as hos- pital surgeon. He was mustered out at Mobile, Alabama. In the spring of 1865 he returned to Missouri, at Parke, in Sharon county, and opened an office, where he prac- ticed for about a year, when he returned to Versailles, in Brown county. Here he opened an office and drug store. In 1872 he sold out and came to Cooperstown, where he lias resided since. He lias had a large practice these many years and has felt the nced of rest at times. He has been Postmaster dur- ing the Harrison administration.
He was married in 1861, in Mt. Sterling, to Viola Hatcher, daughter of E. and Maria N. (Brisbin) Hatcher, the former from Nortlı Carolina, the latter from Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. She was born in Madison, Indiana. The family came to Illinois in 1856.
Mr. and Mrs Bradbury have had seven children, only three of whom arc now living: Samuel E. married to Ellen Logsden, two children; James Mitchel married Katc Hur- lett; George Anderson, a youth of fifteen. They have all been educated. Dr. Bradbury is an Odd Fellow and a stanchi Republican. He and his wife are very estimable people and are highly respected by all.
OHN MCCABE, well-known in business circles in Schuyler county, Illinois, was born in Coshocton county, Ohio, Sep- tember 11, 1828. His father, John McCabe, Sr., was a native of Pennsylvania, but was taken to Ohio when quite young by his par- ents; there he learned the blacksmith's trade,
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which he followed until 1844. In that year he emigrated to Indiana and settled in Ma- rion county ; here he resumed his occupation, remaining for three years. In 1847 he came to Illinois, and settled in the town of Wood- land; he afterward entered a tract of land on which he erected a log house; he followed his trade until 1862, when he enlisted in the war. He died in 1863, while in the service. His wife died in Rushville, Illinois. They reared a family of eight children. Our sub- ject resided with his parents until he had at- tained his majority, when he started out in life for himself; he had worked in a brick- yard-three or four seasons, and at the age of twenty-two years he embarked in this busi- ness on his own account. His first yard was at Littleton, where he conducted a business for two years; thence he removed to Macomb, where he continued until 1862. In June of that year he cnlisted in Company A, Eighty-fourth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and served until the close of the war. The most important battles in which he partici- pated were Stone River and Chickamauga; in the latter he was wounded, and so dis- abled from active duty in the field; when he had sufficiently recovered he was made hos- pital steward, and served the remainder of the war in that capacity. He was inustered out in August. 1865, after which he returned to Macomb. There he remained until the spring of 1866, when he came to Rushville and engaged in the manufacture of brick. In 1879 he added machinery for the manu- facture of tile, and his products find a ready sale at the yard.
Mr. McCabe was married in 1851, to Mary Clark, a native of Indiana and a daughter of Henry and Margaret Clark. Four children have been born to tliem: James is engaged in business with his father;
Arthur is a resident of Versailles, where he is engaged in the practice of medicine; How- ard C. lives in Rushville; Cora inarried Allen Walker, and also resides in Rushville; two children died in infancy. The parents are con- sistent members of the Methodist Episcopal Church; the father joined in May, 1842, and the mother ten years later. For thirty years Mr. McCabe has been Steward of his church. He is a zealous advocate of temperance, and an ardent supporter of the Prohibition party. He is a member of the Tile Manufacturers' Association, and has been treasurer of this body for a number of years. He belongs to Colonel Horney Post, No. 156, G. A. R., and is actively interested in its welfare. He is a nian of energy and entertains progressive views upon questions of public interest, sup- porting those movements which tend to aid and elevate the masses.
ARK BOYD, a pioneer farmer of Rushville township, now retired from active labor, was born in county Armagh, Ireland, February 6, 1823, a son of William Boyd, a native of the same county. The paternal ancestors were natives of Scot- land. William Boyd was reared to the life of a farmer, and when he had arrived at inan's estate he emigrated to America; this was previous to the war of 1812, and he remained three years; at the end of that period lie re- turned to Ireland, was married, and resided there until 1838. In that year he sailed with his wife and three children for the port of New York, the voyage consuming three weeks. He engaged in teaming in New York city, and resided there until 1868, when he bought a farm of 120 acres, on which he lived until his death, February 10,
-
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1868. He married Maria Boyd, who died in Rushville, in 1868; she was the mother of three children: Esther J., Mark and Samnel. Mark Boyd was a child of five years when he crossed the deep blue sea with his parents. He received his education in New York, the school which he attended being located on Seventeenth street, near Eighth avenue.
In 1841 he began to learn the trade of a baker, and followed thiis calling until 1860, when he went to Orange county, New York; he was employed on a farm until 1867, when le came to Sehuyler county, Illinois. His first investment here was in a farm of eighty acres, and to this he has made additions until he now owns nearly 200 acres, in Oakland and Rushville townships. There he made his home until 1892; in February of this year he removed to Rushville, where he is living in the quiet enjoyment of the reward his years of industry and toil have won.
Mr. Boyd was married in New York city, September 11, 1845, to Sarah Fourgeson, the daughter of Daniel Fourgeson. Her paternal grandfather, John Fourgeson, was a native of Scotland, and removed to county Derry after his marriage, where lie purchased a farm and passed the remainder of his life. He married Ann Kennedy, also a native of Scotland. Daniel Fourgeson, their son, spent his entire life on the farm where he was born; he married Mary Fulton, a descendant of Scotch ancestors, but a na- tive of county Derry, Ireland, Mrs. Boyd and lier sister Elizabetli, wife of Duncan Taylor, were the only members of their fam- ily wlio came to America. Mrs. Boyd sailed from Liverpool in 1850, and after twenty- one days on the water reached the port of New York. Our subject and wife arc the parents of three children: Maria J., Eliza- beth and Saralı. Maria married James Bill
and is the mother of three children; Robert W., Henry and Charles; Elizabethi is the wife of George Manlove, and has a family of three children,-Bessie, Annie and Mark; Saralı married Elijah Wilson, and has a family of six children, Nellie, Annie, Maud, Henry, Walter and Jennie.
Mr. and Mrs. Boyd were reared in the Presbyterian Church, and have always ad- hered to that faith. They are people of Inucli force and stability of character, and have reared a family who are an honor to tlicm and a credit to the community in which they live.
RANCIS M. CURRY, a highly respected citizen of Mount Sterling, was born in Scott county, Kentucky, April 9, 1825, a son of John R. Curry, who was born October 19, 1803. The paternal grandfather, Alexander Curry, the honored founder of Mount Sterling, Illinois, was born October 14, 1770, in the State of Maryland, the son of Archibald Curry, a native of Scotland, who emigrated to America in colonial times and settled in Maryland, where he passed the remainder of his life. Alexander Curry was a pioneer of Scott county, Kentucky; he pur- chased a tract of land on the Lexington pike, on which he lived until 1830, when he came to Illinois; he was accompanied by his wife and children, and made a settlement in Brown county, which was then a part of Schuyler county. As soon as the land came into mar- ket he entered 2,000 acres, including the pre- sent site of Mount Sterling; he erected a double log house on the lot now occupied by tlie Christian Church, which was used at the same time as a dwelling, a justice's room and a inecting-house. He did not keep a liotel but entertained travelers free of charge. He
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was the first Justice of the Peace and the first Postmaster of Mount Sterling. In 1833 he laid out the town, and June 21 of that year occurred the first sale of lots. His son, Robert, liad the first store in the place, the goods being brouglit by teams from St. Louis. He continued a resident of the place until his death in 1842. The maiden name of his wife was Elizabeth Nutter, a native of Delaware, born August 20, 1776. They reared a fam- ily of nine children: Daniel, Robert N., John R., Olivia, Sarah, Nancy, Leah, Mary and Harriet.
John R. Curry was reared and married in Kentucky, and came from the Blue Grass State with his parents. He located on land his father gave him near Mount Sterling, and engaged in farming. He died November 17, 1882. He married Belle Brockman, a na- tive of Scott county, Kentucky, born May 15, 1804; she died December 17, 1875. They reared a family of five children: Fran- cis M., James R., Elizabeth, Alexander A. and Mary B. Francis M. was a child of five years wlicn he came to Illinois with his pa- rents. He received his education in the pio- neer schools which were tauglit in the primi- tive log structures, often without a floor, and furnished with puncheon seats and puncheon desks; the building was erected without nails, and light was admitted by an opening in the wall, which was made by taking out a part of the log; in cold weather this hole was covered by a piece of greased paper. At the age of fourteen years Mr. Curry began clerking, receiving $12.50 a month the first year, and boarding himself. After a few years he engaged in business on his own ac- count, which he conducted successfully a number of years.
He was married September 21, 1853, to Mary Clements, a native of Bourbon county,
Kentucky, born March 26, 1829. Her father, William H. Clement, was born in Kentucky, and died in that State in 1834; lie married Maria Givens, a daughter of John and Ruth Givens. Mr. and Mrs. Curry are the parents of five children: Lizzie B., Ida M., Mattie G., Frank C. and Charles A .; the oldest son, William, died at the age of three and a half years. The father and inother are members of the Presbyterian Church. Politically onr subject has been identified with the Demo- cratic party, but he is a Prohibitionist both in principle and practice. He is a man of many excellent traits and has the respect and confidence of the entire community.
REDERICK E. WELLFARE, foreman of the copper shops of the Quincy Railroad at Beardstown for the past nine years, was born in Candage, Erie county, New York, June 23, 1858. He was but one year old when his parents moved to Illinois. He is the son of Jolin Wellfare, who was born in England, of English parentage, and was yet a sınall child when his parents brought him to the United States and settled in New York. Here he grew up in the town of Can- dage and acquired a complete knowledge of the coppersmith's trade, also tin, sheet-iron and pipe fitting; and, having become skilled in these departinents of mechanical work, he came in 1859 with his family to Illinois. Here he was connected for about two years with a prominent manufacturer of copper pipe, sheet copper and brass goods, and his skill secured him the foremanship of the shops. Finally he was offered a partnership, but refused it and went to Anrora to take charge of the copper shops of the main line or Chicago division of the Quincy Railroad.
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He was afterward connected with this large corporation for about thirty years, but owing to failing health he had to withdraw and entered into the hardware business, in 1883, in Aurora; but, not receiving the proper re- lief for his malady (catarrh of the head), he went to Kansas, and after two years, not being able to stand the hcated winds, he went in 1886 to Los Angeles, California, and there opened and has since carried on a first- class restaurant. He is now about sixty years of age. He was married in Youngs- town, New York, to Harriet Myers. She was born and rearcd in the Empire State, and was of German parentage. She is yet living and is about three years her husband's junior. They are members of the Presbyterian Church, and Mr. Wellfare is a sound Republican in politics.
Our subject is the eldest of three sons and three daugliters yet living. He began when about twelve years of age with his father in the Quincy shops. Here he has remained with the exception of about three years. One year he was with his father in his hardware store at Aurora, and later was one year with the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad, with headquarters at Dubuque, Iowa, and the last year with the Kansas City, St. Joseph & Council Bluffs Railroad, with headquarters at St. Joseph, Missouri. Since then he has been in the employ of the Quincy Railroad, for the last eleven years at Beardstown. He is a practical and thorough workman in his department. Hc also does the tin and sheet- iron work for the St. Louis division, and the steam-pipe fitting for it also.
He was married in Aurora, to Miss Alınira Warner, of New York, born in 1862. She was brought to Cook county in 1867, and reared near the city of Chicago. She is the daughter of John P. and Julia (Havens)
Warner, both now living near Aurora. Mr. Warner is a stock-breeder, and he and family live on a farm one mile southeast of Aurora.
Mr. and Mrs. Wellfare are good, hard- working young people. Mr. Wellfare is a member of the Ark Lodge, No. 116, I. O. O. F., of Beardstown. He is a sound Re- publican. Mr. and Mrs. Wellfare are the parents of two bright little children,-Lydia, aged seven, and Dare, aged four.
HAUNCEY RICE, a well known and reliable druggist, aud dealer in all kinds of goods generally carried by those in this business, was born in St. Lawrence county, New York, February 21, 1830. He was yet young when his parents moved to Ohio in 1842, aud to Illinois in 1846. They were natives of New York. His father was born in Herkimer county, and came of New England stock, his parents being natives of Connecticut, and the family came of Welsh ancestry. Andrus Rice, father of our sub- ject, married a Miss Mary Parks, of Ver- mont.
Chauncey is the eldest of the four surviv- ing children. Mr. Rice has been in the drug business, and in the building he now occu- pies ever since 1859. He was in the sanie business in Rushville, Illinois, from 1850 to 1856, and hence is one of the oldest druggists in the State. He has seen the State strug- gle through many changes in the last fifty years. Nearly all the railroads have been built since then. He has taken an active part in the building up of the city himself, and has lent a helping haud to all enter- prises, aud has attended closely to business, and lias made money. He was a director and stockholder in the old Cass County Bank,
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and a stockholder in the first State bank since it started. He is also a member and stockholder of the Beardstown Building and Loan Association.
He was first married in Hancock county, Illinois, to Miss Emily J. Denney, of Bond county, Illinois, but reared and married in Hancock county. She died in Nebraska, when in the prime of life, leaving three children: James, a commercial traveler in Iowa; Mary J., wife of Henry J. Nead; Chauncey A., now with a theatrical troupe in the West. Mr. Rice was married for the second time, to Elizabeth J. Knight, of Beardstown, but born in England. She died here April 4, 1892, aged about fifty years. Mr. Rice and wife have always been identi- fied as members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He is a member of the order of I. O. O. F., and Knights of Honor.
ARTIN BROOKS, editor of the Mount Sterling Examiner, was born in Jacksonville, in 1836. His father, Samuel S., came from Connecticut, of Scotch ancestry.
Martin commenced very young to learn the trade of printer, and was employed in different places until 1863, when he came to Mount Sterling, and with his brother Sam- uel bought the office and good will of the Mount Sterling Union, a weekly paper, and changed the name to the Mount Sterling Record. He was elected Circuit Clerk in 1864, and served eight years, and then bought an interest in the Mount Sterling Message, and two years later sold out, and was clerk- ing in the courthouse for a time. In 1879 he bought the furniture and lease of the Lambert House, and kept hotel two years,
and then resumed clerking in the courthouse. In 1883, lie was elected Police Magistrate, and served two terms. In the meantime, with George S. Campbell he bought the Mount Sterling Examiner, and has been its editor ever since.
He was married in 1867, to Sophia S. Price, of Brown county, who died in 1869. In 1872 he was married to Nannie Kendrick.
He has two daughters by his second mar- riage: Mabel Claire and Bernicc A. He belongs to Hardin Lodge, No. 44, A. F. & 'A. M., is a Democrat, and he and his wife belong to the Christian Church.
ILLIAM M. COX, M. D., one of the leading members of the medical pro- fession in Brown county, Illinois, was born five miles from Jacksonville, Mor- gan county, Illinois. His father, Charles Cox, was a native of Virginia, and removed from that State to Kentucky, where he mar- ried; he afterward removed to Indiana, and thence to Morgan county, Illinois, where lie was one of the early settlers; he located there previous to the "winter of the deep snow" (1830-'31), and experienced all the hardships and privations of that year. His brother, Hon. Jerry Cox, settled there at the same time. He entered a tract of Government land, on which he erected a log cabin. For several years after his settlement there wild game was plentiful, and the merchandise was brought from St. Louis by teams. The first railroad in the State was the one from Jack- sonville to Naples, and the cars were first drawn by horses. Mr. Cox improved his farm, built good frame buildings, and re- sided there several years. He removed to Adams county and bought a farmi, on which
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he made his home one year; at the end of that time lie sold and moved to Hancock county, where he purchased a large tract of land opposite Keokuk; there lic was exten- sively engaged in general farming, raising and feeding large numbers of live-stock, and carrying on a profitable business. He mar- ried Rachel N. Craig, who was born in Ken- tucky and died at her home in Hancock county ; his deathi also occurred at the home farm. They had a family of seven children, six of whom grew to mature years. William M., their son, received his education in the public schools, and at the age of nineteen years turned his attention to the study of medicine; his first work was done under the direction of Dr. McGougin, of Kcokuk, and he afterward entered the medical department of the Iowa State University, from whichi he was graduated in 1860; ten years later he received a diploma from the College of Phy- sicians, New York, and in 1878 he was grad- uated from the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Keokuk, Iowa. He began the practice of his profession at Bloomfield, Iowa, in 1860, and upon the breaking out of the Civil war he entered the United States ser- vice as First Surgeon of the Third Iowa Cav- alry; after three months he was stricken with typhoid fever and was compelled to resign his position. In 1862 he settled in Liberty, Adams county, and remained there until 1877, when he came to Mount Sterling, where he lias since been in active practice. He has been an indefatigable worker, a close student, and has kept fully abreast of the times upon all subjects pertaining to the great science. .
The fire of May, 1892, destroyed his library, which was one of the most extensive and valuable to be found in Illinois outside the city of Chicago.
Dr. Cox was united in marriage to Effie M. Morris, who was born in Payson, Adams county, Illinois, a daughter of Israel and Emily H. Morris, Of this union one child has been born, Eleanor M. The mother and daughter are members of the Presbyte- rian Church. Politically, the Doctor affiliates with the Democratic party. He is a member of Hardin Lodge, No. 44, A. F. & A. M .; of the Chapter, R. A. M., and of Delta Commandery, No. 48, K. T. He belongs to the Adams County and American Medical Societies, and is highly esteemed in profes- sional, business and social circles for his inany excellent traits, liis ability as a physician, and his unswerving devotion to his country's in- terests.
MARION STOVER is the present superintendent of schools in Schuyler county, Illinois. He was born in Bainbridge township, this county, October 27, 1848, a son of Samuel Stover, a native of Page county, Virginia. born in November, 1813; he was a son of Samuel Stover, whose father was also named Samuel Stover. The parental great grandfather, who lived in Shen- andoalı county, Virginia, married Barbara Lionbarger. The paternal grandfather emi- grated to Ohio in 1816, and was a pioneer of Licking county; he purchased a tract of land on which was a log house and other scant im- provements; there were no market towns, and cattle and other live-stock had to be driven to Baltimore and other eastern markets; the wife carded and spun and wove the cloth with whichi her children were clothed; the maiden name of the paternal grandmother was Susanna Brumback, a native of Virginia, who died in Licking county, Ohio. She reared a family of thirteen children; the father of our
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subject was a child of three years when his parents removed to Olio; there he was reared, receiving his education in the subscription schools that were taught in the primitive log cabin. He remained with his parents until he attained his majority, and thien started out in life for himself. He first rented land and carried on farming in this way for three years; at the end of that time he turned his attention to tlie carpenter's trade, which he followed until 1845, when he came to Illinois; he made the journey overland, accompanied by his wife and one child. He settled in what is now Bainbridge township, on land which he had purchased previous to coming here, the quarter section costing $150. Then there were no railroads, and grain liad to be delivered at river towns. Mr. Stover went to work diligently to improve his farm, erccting substantial buildings, and placing the land under good cultivation; he lived on this place until 1888, when he reuted it and removed to Rushville, where he has since lived a retired life. He was married to the mother of our subject in 1842; her maiden name was Maria Campbell, a native of Richland county, Ohio, and a daughter of Peter L. Campbell; he was born in 1799, and was but one year old when his parents removed to Ohio, and there he was reared and married to Agnes Jones; in 1844 he emigrated to Illinois, and settled in Schuyler connty, wliere he became a prominent citizen; he and his wife are both deceased. Mrs. Stover has also passed from this life; seven of her children survive her: Milton L., Oscar A., D. Marion, Horace T., Rollin M., Robert C. and Zelm E.
D. Marion Stover spent his early days upon the farm, and attended the rural schools during the winter season. Although his opportunities were very limited he was diligent and used his time to the best advan-
tage. At the age of twenty-one years he be- gan teaching, and has since become well- known among thie educators of the county. In 1886 he was elected to the office of county superintendent of schools, in which he has served continuously since that time. Familiar with all the needs of the child, he is very ef- ficient iu this capacity, and has brought the schools to a high grade of excellence. Politi- cally he is a Democrat. He is a member of Rushville Lodge, No. 9, A. F. & A. M.
OUIS W. CARLES, a well-to-do and successful farmer and stock-raiser, living on section 30, township 18, range 11, was born in this township in 1847, and was here rcared and educated. He is the son of George H. Carles, born in Germany in 1818. He was of pure Germany ancestry. His wife's namnc was Elizabetlı Crims, and she died at the age of sixty-one. She and her people were members of the Lutheran Church. The father and his children, in September, 1844, started for the United States, landed in New Orleans, and on the largest steamer then ruuning on the Mississippi they came to Beardstown. They arrived January 10, 1845, having been three months on the way. Soon after landing Mr. Carles and one son pur- chased land in the county, and before long the family became large land owners. Here Mr. Carles, Sr., spent the last years of his life, and died when eighty-six years. He had always been identified with the Lutheran Church as had his parents before him. George H. Carles, Jr., has, since he came to this county been a resident near Bluff Spring station. He is yet smart and active, and runs the homestead, liaviug many friends in the county, among thie early settlers. He was married in
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