USA > Illinois > Brown County > Biographical review of Cass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois: Containing biographical sketches of pioneers and leading citizens > Part 20
USA > Illinois > Cass County > Biographical review of Cass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois: Containing biographical sketches of pioneers and leading citizens > Part 20
USA > Illinois > Schuyler County > Biographical review of Cass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois: Containing biographical sketches of pioneers and leading citizens > Part 20
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John Kerr and his brother Alexander emi- grated to America in 1864, the latter settling at Newark, New Jersey; they were the only members of the family who came to this country. Our subject was reared and edu- cated in his native land, and followed agri- cultural pursuits. He did not bring his
family with him to the United States, as it was to them an untried land, and he wished to be able to return if the prospects were not fair. He was first located at Whitestone on the Hudson, his wife and children joining him there the following year. Later on he went to Newark, New Jersey, and was em- ployed in the woolen mills until 1872. In that year he removed to Illinois, and pur- chased eighty acres of land, ten miles nortlı of Rushville; here he lived a year, and then sold out, buying ten acres near Rushville. Two years later he had the good fortune to open a coal bank, and since that time he has been busily engaged in operating the same; he ships to northern Illinois and Wisconsin, and carries on a profitable trade. He has in- vested in lands at different times, and now owns one hundred and ninety and a half acres, lying three quarters of a mile from the courthouse. 1
Mr. Kerr was united in marriage in 1862, to Miss Eleanor Bell, a native of County Fer- managh, Ireland, and a daughter of Robert and Ann Bell. Eight children have been born to them: Josephi, Catherine, Robert, Annie, Fred, William, Burt and May.
Politically, Mr. Kerr adheres to the prin- ciples of the Republican party, and is a thoroughly loyal citizen of his adopted country.
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HOMAS W. SCOTT, deceased, was born in Montgomery county, Maryland, December 2, 1808. His father, Amos Scott, was a native of the same county, born in 1777, of Scotch-Irish ancestors, who were among the early settlers of this country. He was reared to agricultural pursuits, and re- sided in Maryland until 1814, when he re- moved to Kentucky. The journey was made
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with teams to the Ohio river, and thence down that stream on flatboats. Mr. Scott located near Georgetown, Scott county, and was engaged in planting until 1832, when he came to Schuyler county, Illinois, and settled ou land in Buena Vista township, which his son Thomas W. had purchased; there lie and his wife spent the remainder of their days; her maiden name was Nancy West, and she was born in Montgomery county, Maryland; she was the mother of two sons and five daughters. Thomas W. ,was a child of six years when the family removed to Kentucky, and therc in the Blue-Grass State he was rcared and educated. In 1829 he came to Illinois, making the trip on horseback, and located at Rushville, which was but a hamlet; the surrounding country was thinly settled, and much of the land was yet owned by the Government. He embarked in the mercan- tile trade at Rushville, opening the first store of the kind in that place; he carried on a business there until 1835, and then returned to Scott county, Kentucky. He bought the Blue Springs farin, five miles west of George- town, and cultivated this land with slave labor; he lived there until 1851, when he sold out and returned to Rushville, Illinois. He was engaged in condneting a general loan and brokerage business until his death, which occurred January 22, 1885.
Mr. Scott was twice married; his first wife was Adeline Johnson; she was born in Scott county, Kentucky, and died there in 1834; the issue of this marriage was one son, R. J., now living at Brookfield, Missouri, a phy- sician. The second marriage was December 20, 1840, when he was united to Catherine Fitzgerald. She was born one mile from Lex- ington, Kentucky, October 30, 1822, a daugh- ter of Jesse Fitzgerald, a native of Colfax county, Virginia. . The paternal grandfather,
William Fitzgerald, was also a Virginian by birth, but removed to Kentucky, being one of the earliest white settlers there. On account of the hostility of the Indians, he with sev- eral others lived for some time in the fort at Boone Station. Later he purchased land in Fayette connty, and resided there until his death. Jesse Fitzgerald was a young child when his parents moved to Kentucky. He was reared to the occupation of a farmer, and owned land one mile from Lexington which was cultivated by slaves. He married Lucretia Shellars, a native of Maryland and a daughter of William Shellars.
Mrs. Scott has nine children living: Jo- sepliine, Eugene J., Mary F., Thomas W., Catherine, Leonidas, Winfield, Mentor and Florida. The parents were both consistent members of the Christian Church. Mr. Scott cast his first vote for General Jackson, and was all his life an ardent supporter of the principles of Democracy. He was a man of much force and integrity of character, and his name is honored among the pioneers of Schuyler county.
OSEPH HUNT, farmer, of section 2, township 17, range 10, post office Vir- ginia, was born in Kentucky, September 19,1824. His parents moved to Sullivan county, Indiana, when lie was one year old. Here he grew to manhood, coming to Illinois when he was twenty-five and stopping two years in Sangamon county. From there he went to Cass county, thirty-eight years ago. His parents were John R. and Hannah (Davis) Hunt. Botlı were natives of Kentucky, and the grandfather was also a Kentuckian, who ived to be ninety years old. Both parents died in Sullivan county, Indiana. They had
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eleven children, of which large family Joseph was the eldest. Eight of the children are still living. John Wesley died in Nashville during the war, being a soldier; Dora was killed accidently with a scythe, and George died in mature years, leaving a family. Levi, James, Sarah A., Mary, Elizabeth, Martha and Macia all live in Sullivan county, Indiana.
Joseph enlisted in August, 1862, in Com- pany D, One Hundred and Fourteenth Illinois Infantry, and was assigned to duty with the army of the Cumberland. He participated in the siege of Vicksburg under General Grant. From there he went to the battle of Jackson, returned to Memphis, and was in that fight; next engaged in the fight at Champion Hills, and from there went to the Black River, where he built a bridge under fire from the enemy. He was under General Thomas at this time. He guarded a pontoon bridge for abont six months, and while there heard of the surrender of Lee and Johnson. He was discharged in August, 1865, having served three years. Joseph was home but once during his service, and that was on a sick furlough. He had the erysipe- las while in service and it injured his eyes so much that he was nearly blind, and a furlough was necessary. He has never recovered from the effect of it. He receives a small pension, on account of heart disease.
He was married on the farm where he now lives, to Durinda B. Freeman, February 12, 1854. They have had two children: James Henry, the eldest, is married and resides in Leadville, Colorado. He has been keeping hotel until recently. He is now employed at the Government Fish Hatchery. He has one child, Bernice. Ida married John T. Drink- water, and lives near by. They have two sons, Ralph and Joe. Mr. Drinkwater is a breeder of road and draft horses.
Mr. Hunt is a staunch Republican, al- though the rest of the family were Democrats. He and his wife are members of the Cumber- land Presbyterian Church and are worthy people and are highly respected by their liosts of friends. Mr. Hunt does not belong to any social orders.
RS. NANCY GREEN was born in Ohio, November 30, 1824, and lived there until two or three years of age, and then came to Kentucky with her parents. They were James and Lovey (Tolle) Tolle, both born in Virginia, who had gone to Oliio in au early day. In 1836 they concluded to move West and sold every thing except some household goods, and with a two-horse wagon came overland and first settled in Schuyler county for two months. They then came to Brown county and entered eighty acres of land and bought 160 more of that partly improved, and hewed out a log hut in which they lived until about 1850. They then sold out again and went to Grundy county, Missouri, where Mr. Tolle bought an improved farm of 160 acres and there lived until his death, but he had sold the farm before this. He was living at the home of his daughter Sarah when he died, aged about seventy-four years. The mother of our subject died at the same place, aged about sixty-five years. There were ten chil- dren, four of whom are yet living. The father was a wheelwright and chair-maker. The grandparents on the mother's side were Reuben and - Tolle, and the paternal grandparents were William and Diana Tolle.
The marriage of our subject took place. January 28, 1843, to Mr. Hiram Green, who was born in Culpeper county, Virginia, Deceniber 25, 1817. He was the son of
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John and Sarah (Newby) Green, who lived in Virginia all their lives and died about middle age. The husband of our subject came to Illinois about 1838, with some of his relatives, and worked by the month for some time, but was a cooper at the time of his marriage. He bought a farın of 160 acres in the county of Brown from a man who had im- proved it; but Mr. Green built a log house and there they lived for about six years, and then he bought another eighty acres and built a better house. There the family lived until 1873, when he sold it and bought his present farm of 240 acres on which are all improvements. He died August 2, 1877. He was a Democrat in his politics but did not bother much about them.
Our subject and her husband started with nothing and at the time of his death had ac- quired as fine a farm as there is in the county. They were faithful members of the Union Baptist Church for years, and he was an active member, assisting in the building of it and was lamented by all at the time of his death.
Mrs. Greene, the estimable lady whosc sketch we are presenting, is well known in the township where she and her husband have shown to the world a life of married felicity. She has been the beloved mother of fourteen children and is not only esteemed above all others by her immediate family but by the neighborhood. We close this short notice with the names of her family. Mary Jane is at home; Sarah is married and has two children; Lovey M. is married and died leaving four children; Ann G. is married and has seven childre; Juliet is married and lias five children; William F. is married and has six children ; Celinda E. is married and has five children; Angeline is married and has four children; George W. is married and has
three children; Purlina is married and has two children; Olive; Almira is married but has no family ..
Mrs. Greene looks after the farm herself and rents to her son George, who carries on a very successful mixed farining.
ILLIAM J. DAVIS, of Lee township, was born in Adams county, Illinois, in 1845. His father, Washington, was born in Virginia about 1822, and his father, Edward, was a Virginia farmer who emigrated to Illinois in 1837, where he died at an advanced age, in Adams county. They came by land the most of the way. The mother of William J. was Nancy Chip- man of North Carolina, a daughter of David Chipman, who came to Illinois in 1835. She survived her husband.
William Davis had a good common-school education, was rcared to farm lite, and this has been his vocation except a little agency as a salesman in fruit trees. He remained at home until twenty-six years of age, when he married Maggie, daughter of George and Hannah (Ferguson) Colgate. She was born in Pike county, of which her parents were early set- tlers. Her mother died about 1877. Her father is living, at the age of seventy-five.
Mr. and Mrs. Davis settled on a small farm near Clayton in 1874. Three years later they sold there and moved to their present home in Brown county, buying sixty acres for $2,- 250. He rents part, and farms about 120 acres a year. They have been greatly blessed, and have not lost any of their ten children. They are, Charles E., Adelbert, Walter, Har- riet, Jackson, Julia, George, Belle, Mary and Nellie. This family is all comely, bright and dutiful; and are being carefully educated.
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Mr. Davis is a Missionary Baptist, he is also a Democrat, but is not strongly partizan. While he has been very busy raising stock and engaged in general farming -he has had time to become a successful bee-keeper in the last six years. He is School Director and a very active member in his church. His family is highly thought of in the commit- ity as is he himself.
ENJAMIN F. REBMAN, a farmer and dairyman, was born in Schuyler county, Illinois, at Pleasant View, January 12, 1848. He was the seventh child in a family of nine born to John and Margaret (Huffman) Rebman, the former of whom was born at Strasburg, Germany, and the latter near the same place. They emigrated to A'inerica in 1830 and were married in New York city in 1832. They lived in New York State about four years, when they removod to St. Louis, and after remaining there two years removed to Beardstown, Illinois, where they lived four years more. At the end of that time they moved to Schuyler county and here they both died, Mrs. Rebman in 1877 and her husband four years later. Mr. Reb- man was a mechanic by trade.
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Benjamin Rebinan, after the slight school- ing he was able to obtain in the country schools, at the age of eighteen, engaged in farming, working by the month for farmers until he had accumulated enough to begin business for himself. He has been engaged in the dairy business for some years and has supplied the city of Beardstown with vast quantities of milk. This taken in connection with his extensive farming yield him a nice income. He was engaged in the manufacture of brick, but sold out recently.
He was married in this county January 1, 1879, to Mrs. Louisa Curry, daughter of An- thony Messeren, one of the pioneers of Schuyler county. He was a very successful farmer, being a representative of an agricul- tural family for generations back. He went from Germany, his birthplace, to the West Indies, when he was six years of age. The uncle who was taking him to America died on the voyage and the child was adopted by a West Indian planter. Here he grew to man- hood, and came to Illinois in 1832 and en- tered a large tract of land in Schuyler county, where he lived until the time of his death in 1859. His wife survived him for twenty- two years. They had five children, two of whom died in infancy.
Mr. and Mrs. Rebman have had three children: Anthony, deceased; Gale and Her- man Blane. His religious views are those of a free-thinker; is Republican in politics.
ANDREW J. MEAD is located at Hunts- ville and is the oldest physician in Schuyler county, as he has been lo- cated at this place since March, 1840. He was born in Henry county, Kentucky, April 4, 1815, being a son of William and Mary (Scott) Mead.
He grew to manhood in his native State, passing his boyhood on the farm. At the age of thirteen he commenced to clerk in a store and continued there four years. He then lived with Dr. Gosle, with whom he studied medicine until he was twenty-one and then practiced with him one year. He then went to Indiana, whence he came to Illinois and located at Huntsville. He had been on a visit to Missouri, and on his return stopped in Huntsville, where lie met somne
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old Kentucky friends who induced him to locate in this place. He has had a large practice and is well and favorably known.
He married in December, 1843, Mary J. Briscoe, born near Perryville, Kentucky, June 2, 1825, dangliter of George H. and Eliza K. (Ewing) Briscoe. She died December 4, 1891. They had four children: Alice, died, aged six years; Richard Homer, see sketch; William B., a physician in Kansas, graduate of Rush Medical College; and Clara, wife of Charles Everson, of Huntsville. Both sons studicd medicine with their father and both graduated before they were twenty-one years of age. The Doctor is a Democrat in poli- tics and has always been an active worker in the party. He never accepted any office, as his profession occupied all his time. He is a man who is liberal in his religious views. No one is more highly respected and ad- mired than this same pioneer doctor of Huntsville.
ILLIAM C. BOLLMAN, Postmaster at Browning, is a native of Pike county, Illinois, born March 13, 1839. His parents were John and Rebecca (Hedgen) Bollman. Both were natives of Ohio and came to Illinois in 1837, locating in Pike county, where the father died in 1850, and the mother died in Quincy, of the cholera, when it was raging there. There were seven children by this marriage, and two by the former one. The brothers and sisters of William were: Michacl, deceased; our subject was the next child; Samuel, still living in Pike county, married; Jolin, deceased; Or- ville, deceased; Sarah Massey of Fulton county, Illinois; Mary O., married; Aaron Finton resides near Pittsfield, Illinois, The other two are dead.
William grew to manhood in Pike county, and married thicre Miss Amanda Preston, of Ohio. Her parents were John and . Hannah Preston. The father died when Mrs. Boll- man was a child, but the mother died in Browning with her daughter, Mrs. Bollman.
Mr. Bollman farmed for many years in Pike county, and then removed to Browning, Schuyler county, where he lived until 1861, when he enlisted in Company H, Third Illi- nois Cavalry, as a private, and becaine Quarter Master Sergeant of his regiment. He served four years and two months, and participated in the battles of Pea Ridge; was with Sherman when he made the attack on Haines' Bluff, at Vicksburg; was at the cap- ture of Arkansas Post, and from thence to Hol- low Springs, Mississippi; did scouting duty in Mississippi, and afterward liad a serious en- gagement at Gravelly Springs, Tennessee, and he was also engaged in many other skir- mishes and battles of less importance. After the surrender of the rebel armnies, the regi- ment was sent across the plains to award the Indians, and remained there until Octo- ber, 1865. They were mnstered out at Min- neapolis, October 10, 1865. Mr. Bollman returned to Browning, and engaged in farın- ing, and remained in that business until 1887, when he engaged in mercantile business. He was appointed Postmaster in 1890, and still holds that position.
Mr. and Mrs. Bollman have had nine chil- dren, but only one of that nuniber is living, Frank, now twenty-three years of age, is married and resides in Beardstown, Illi- nois. The Bollman family are of German and Irish origin. Mr. Bollman is a Repub- lican, though he entered the army as a Demo- crat, but changed his views while in the service, and has faithfully voted with the Re- publican party ever since. He is a member
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of the G. A. R., also of the I. O. O. F., Browning Lodge, No. 309. He is a P. G., and has represented his lodge for two years at the Grand Lodge of the State. Mr. and Mrs. Bollman are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Mr. Bollman was not the only member of his family who served in the late war; a brother, Samuel, served three years in the Ninety-ninth Illinois Infantry. Both escaped injury, except to general health.
IMON A. REEVE, who has long been closely connected with the agricultural interests of Schuyler county, is a native of the State of Illinois, born at Springfield, December 28, 1828. His father, John Reeve, was a native of New York, and the pa- ternal grandfather was born in the same State; the latter is supposed to have visited Illinois at an early day, as he purchased land in Fulton county. John Reeve was still a youth when he acccompanied his parents to Kentucky, and there he was married to Bet- sey Ross, a Kentuckian by birth; from the Brue Grass State he removed to Indiana, and thence to Illinois, being one of the pioneers of Springfield; he resided there some years before it became the capital city of the com- monwealth. In 1829 he caine to Schuyler county, and settled in Bainbridge township on land his father had given him; the tract was heavily timbered, and there were no im- provements. Mr. Reeve erected a log house, and began the task of placing the land under cultivation. He resided there until after the death of his wife, which occurred in 1843, when he returned to Indiana; in a few years he came back to Illinois and located in Peoria county, where he spent the last days of his
life. His death occurred in his seventy-fifth year. Simon A. Reeve was but an infant when his parents removed to Schnyler county; here he was reared amid the privations and hardships incident to life on the frontier; the country was thinly settled, Indians still roamed the prairie, and wild game was abund- ant. The mother spun and the sister wove all the cloth with which the children were dressed. Our subject attended the, pioneer schools taught in the primitive log house, and in early youth began to earn his own liv- ing; for some time he received as compensa- tion only his board and clothing; later he had $8 or $9 per month, which he considered ex- cellent wages. He afterward learned the cooper's trade, which he followed a number of years, and at this vocation earned the money with which he bought the first land he owncd. An incident worthy of note as illustrating the value of neighbors as compared with that of land, is furnished in the act of the father of the subject of this sketch: When he settled on 160 acres of land in Schuyler county, his neighbors were few and far between, and in order to secure a near neighbor, Mr. Reeve sold fifty of his 160 acres to a gentleman for $25, upon the condition that he would reside mpon it. Mr. Reeve has been very success- ful as a farmer, and has accumulated consid- erable amount of property; to his oldest son he has given 107 acres, to another 91 acres, and now occupies a farm of 120 acres, which is well improved.
Mr. Reeve was married, in 1854, to Miss Jane Orr, a native of county Tyrone, Ireland, and a daughter of Joseph and Mary (Burn- side) Orr. Two sons have been born of this nnion, William H. and Pulaski; the former married Harriet E. Ackley, who was born in Adams connty, Illinois, a danghter of Latham and Pauline (Spangler) Ackley; their three
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children died in infancy: Pulaski married Mary I. Ward, and they have one child liv- ing, named Bertha. Mr. and Mrs. Reeve are consistent members of the Methodist Episco- pal Church. In his political opinions Mr. Reeve adheres to the principles of the Demno- cratic party. 4
WALKER BECKWITH was one of the early settlers of Bainbridge town- ship, Schuyler county, Illinois, and is entitled to recognition as a member of tliat worthy band of men and women who pene- trated the wilderness of the frontier, and made the way for the onward march of prog- ress. He was born at Stephentown, Rens- selaer county, New York, August 17, 1798, and is a son of Elisha Beckwith, a native of New England, and grandson of Elisha Beck- witlı, Senior; the latter was a sailor and fol- lowed the sea for many years, visiting the principal ports of the world; he spent his last years in Chenango county, New York. The father of our subject was reared to agri- cultural pursuits; from Stephentown he re- moved to Chenango county, New York, where he was one of the early settlers; he bought a tract of timber land there, and erected a log house; he cleared a farm, made many valuable improvementss, and spent his last years in tliat home. He married Mary Walker, a danghter of James Walker; she survived him many years, coming to Illinois after his death; she died in Hancock county.
E. Walker Beckwithi grew to manhood among the primitive surroundings of Chen- ango county, New York; there were no rail- roads, and Albany was the principal market town; the inother spun and wove the cloth with which her children were clothed. Here he remained until he was about twenty-six
years of age, and then pushed his way to Olio; after a year spent in that State he went to Indiana, and while a resident of the Hoosier State was engaged in various occupations; he once made a trip on a flat-boat, loaded witlı produce, to New Orleans. He lived in Indi- ana seven years, and then came to Illinois, lo- cating in Schuyler county; as before stated; he was one of the early settlers in Bainbridge township, and with the exception of four years spent in Hancock county, Illinois, this has been his home for the past forty years.
He married Mary Wangh, a native of Ken- tucky and a daughter of Thomas and Sally Waugh. She died in 1886. Of this union five children were born: James, Charles, Nor- man, Stephen and Emily J. Stephen resides on the home farin, and has the management of the same; he married Elizabeth Kline, May 8, 1884, and they are the parents of three children: Olie T., Fidelia and Min- nie E.
Mr. Beckwith is a consistent inember of the Baptist Church, as was also his wife. He is a man of honor and integrity, and has the respect of the entire community.
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