USA > Illinois > Brown County > Biographical review of Cass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois: Containing biographical sketches of pioneers and leading citizens > Part 21
USA > Illinois > Cass County > Biographical review of Cass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois: Containing biographical sketches of pioneers and leading citizens > Part 21
USA > Illinois > Schuyler County > Biographical review of Cass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois: Containing biographical sketches of pioneers and leading citizens > Part 21
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ON. PERRY LOGSDON, a citizen of Schuyler county, is a man whose name is honored where it is known. He was born in Madison county, Kentucky, July 8, 1842, a son of Joseph and Lucy (Parker) Logsdon (see sketch of Joseph Logsdon). Until the age of eighteen years he passed an uneventful life amid the scenes of his child- hood, but this quiet was then rudely dis- turbed by the breaking out of the Civil war between the North and South. In 1861 he enlisted in Company H, Fiftieth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and served his country faithfully until the cessation of hostilities,
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July 13. 1865, being the date of his die- charge. He participated in every engagement of his company, and when the war was ended he returned to his home, with the rank of First Lieutenant.
Mr. Logsdon was married September 5, 1867, to Miss Lizzie Byers, who was born in Schuyler county, Illinois, March 12, 1850, a daughter of William and Eleanor (Stutsman) Byers (see sketch of John S. Stutsman). Mr. Byers was born in the Blue-grass State, and removed to this. county in 1847, where he spent his last days; the date of his birth is May 22, 1826, and his death occurred Feb- ruary 24, 1862; his wife was born August 23, 1828, in the State of Indiana. The paternal grandparents of Mrs. Logsdon were John and Elizabeth Byers; he died in 1827, and she survived until 1857. After his mar- riage, Mr. Logsdon settled on land which is a portion of his present farm; the dwelling was a log house which was raised the day General William Henry Harrison was in- augurated President of the United States; there he lived six years, and then removed to his present home. He first bought 106 acres' of choice land, to which he added 120 acres later on; to this he added two eighty-acre tracts, and is now the owner of one of the most desirable farms in the county ; a portion of this land is rented, and the rest is devoted to general farming.
To Mr. and Mrs. Logsdon have been born seven children, four of whom are deceased: Luella was born on the home farm, August 5, 1869; Julia was born July 31, 1873; Charles P. was born January 6, 1880. Mr. Logsdon has for many years been identified with the political movements of his county; he has been Assessor, was Supervisor two ycars, and has been School Director; in 1884 he was elected a member of the State
Legislature, and in 1888 was re-elected by a large majority. He is a Republican, but carried a Democratic district. While a inem- ber of the Legislature he was on several committees of importance, among which were these on Penal and Reformatory Insti- tutions, Canals and Rivers, Insurance, Drain- age, and Farm Drainage. He discharged his duties with marked ability, and such was the dignity and courtesy of his bearing as to com- mand the respect of his allies as well as oppo- nents. Throughout all his career, Mr. Logsdon has borne himself with a deep sense of honor which has insured a name above re- proach, a credit to his ancestry and a legacy of great worth to his posterity. In the terri- ble conflict of this nation he was a brave, courageous soldier; in the private walks of life he has been as much the hero. He is a prominent member of the G.A. R. at Rush- ville, and takes an active interest in this organization.
WILLIAM MEYER, a prosperous fariner and stock-raiser of section 17, range 11, was born in Westphalia, Prussia, Germany, in 1838. In 1849, he came to America with his parents (see bio- graphy of Fred Meyer) and has been living in this country ever since. Here he grew to inanhood, obtaining a little knowledge of Englisli and English books. While he is not a well educated man he has good judgment and is very intelligent He is the eldest of his father's family, of whom all are married and live in the United States. Mr. Meyer owns a well improved farm of 160 acres, all under the plow with first-class farm buildings, all erected by himself. Beside this fine farm he owns seventy acres of good grass land and
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eighty acres of timber land. These lands are all earned by his own hard work. He follows general farming and stock-raising and breeds cattle from a first-class stock.
He was married the first time to Caroline Telkemeyer, born in Cass county, in 1845, where she was reared and educated. Slie came of German parents who came to the United States and settled in Cass county where they lived and died, the mother when young and the father, William, when about sixty-five. They were earnest members of the German Lutheran Church. Mrs. Meyer died at her home in this county in 1879, on Easter Sunday of that year. She was thirty- three years of age, a true, good wife and mother, and a devout member of the Lutheran Church. She was the mother of three chil- dren: Mary at home with her father; Minnie and Emma, also at home. They are intelli- gent young women. Mr. Meyer was married the second time in Schuyler county, to Lizzie Gise, of Hesse Darmstadt, born in 1849. She came to the United States when a young woman with her father, John, the mother having died in Germany. They settled in Cass county. Later, Mr. Gise went to Ore- gon and died there when an old man. He and his family were Lutherans. Mr. and Mrs. Meyer liave one child, Lucy. They are members of the Lutheran Church, and are true, good people. Mr. Meyer is a Republi- can in politics.
ZRA JACKSON is a Hoosier by birth, born in Scott county, February 26, 1823. His father, Samuel Jackson, was a native of North Carolina, and his grandfather, Solomon Jackson, was probably a native of the sanie State. The grandfather was a powerful man and lived to the great
age of ninety-eight years. He enlisted three different times in the Colonial army during the Revolutionary war, the first two enlist- ments being as substitute. He served dur- ing nearly the entire war, and was very young when he first enlisted. He was a shoemaker by occupation, but also taught school, and remained in North Carolina until the formation of the Territory of Indiana, when he came there, too, and settled in what is now Scott county. He was thus one of the earliest settlers and pioneers of Indi- ana. He bought land and lived there until his death. For many years he drew a pen- sion from the Government for his services and patriotism during the Revolutionary war. He visited Schuyler county several times, but finally died in Jefferson county, Indiana.
Sanınel Jackson, the father of our subject, was quite a young man when he went to Indi- ana. He married and lived there until 1829, and then, accompanied by his wife and fivechil- dren, all drawn by two yoke of oxen, hitched to an old-fashioned wagon, came to Illinois in search of a home. There was scarcely an inhabitant on the broad prairie then, and not a laid-out road in Schuyler county. He located in what is now Bainbridge township, moving into a vacant log cabin, which the family occupied for two ycars, buying in tlie meantime a tract of land upon which was a rude log cabin and five or six acres of cleared land, the remainder of the farm being lieavy timber. There was little valne then in stand- ing timber, no matter how large and fine, and accordingly the great trees were cut down, rolled together, and destroyed by the torch. This was necessary in order to clear the land for cultivation. Upon this farm lie resided until his death in 1839. He was an indus- trious, exemplary citizen, and an honor to the great and historic name of Jackson. The
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maiden name of his wife, the mother of our subject, was Esther Close, who was born within two miles of Albany, New York. Her father was a native of England, who came to America at the age of thirteen. He ınar- ried a Connecticut lady, and came to Scott county, Indiana, in a very early day, being one of its pionecrs.
Onr subject, Ezra Jackson, is one of seven children born to his parents, viz .: Zadok, Ezra, Calvin, Elizabeth, Jesse, Solomon and Mary J. When Ezra was five years of age, he was brought to Schuyler county, where he grew to manhood. He was reared on the farm, and remained there until the age of twenty years, when he commenced to learn the trade of a cooper, after following which a few years, he conducted a hotel for one year in Frederick. In 1865 he bought property at the corner of Liberty and Lafayette streets, Rushville, where he kept hotel for twenty years. He then removed the building stand- ing there and erected the brick store build- ing now occupying the site of the hotel. For some time he has been retired from active business. He was inarried, in 1846, to Emily Brunk, who was born in Morgan county, Illinois, June 8, 1829, the daughter of Jesse and Eliza (Day) Brunk, natives of Kentucky, and pioneers of Morgan county. Mr. and Mrs. Jackson's living children are; Owen, Felix, Mary Ellen, Effigene, Martha and Frederick. Mr. Jackson is a Democrat in politics.
HOMAS J. CLARK was born in Hunts- ville township, Schuyler county, Sep- tember 16, 1853. His father, Harrison, was born in Logan county, Kentucky, Febru- ary 15, 1811, and he was the son of Abner Clark .. The father of our subject was reared
and married in his native township and re- sided there until 1833, when he emigrated to Illinois. He was accompanied by his wife and child, and his brother-in-law, Mr. Wilgus, and family. They owned a wagon together, and each one had his own horse, and in this way made an overland journey to Illinois and located in Schuyler county. When he landed here his entire wealtlı consisted in his inter- est in the wagon, his horse and $150. He lived at Mount Sterling one year, then en- tered a tract of Government land in what is now Huntsville township, Schuyler county. He wanted a quarter section of land, but that would have cost more money than he had, consequently he entered eighty acres, and as soon as he obtained the money he entered the remainder of the quarter. As every other settler, he first built a log cabin on the place and commenced to improve his farm. For several years there were no railroads, and he hauled his wheat to Quincy, forty miles away. He commenced very soon to deal in stock, and was very successful both as a stock-dealer and farmer. He continued to purchase land until he had about 500 acres. Here he con- tinued until his death in 1883. His wife was named Lydia Coffman, of Hardin county, Kentucky, born Angust 3, 1815. Her par- ents came from Germany, and were early settlers of Kentucky. She died in 1860.
Thomas was educated in Schuyler county, and two years at Lincoln University. In 1875 he went to Sedgwick county, Kansas, pur- chased a farm twelves from Wichita and there engaged in farming for two years, when he went into Wichita and engaged in the grain business. He remained there two years and then went to McPherson, where he engaged in the same business, there built an elevator and shipped the first car load of grain ever shipped from that station. After two years
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he returned to Illinois and purchased the farm where he now resides in Pea Ridge township. It contains 240 acres, and is one of the finest in the county.
He was married in 1874, to Virginia, daughter of John S. Anderson. She was born in Huntsville township. Mr. and Mrs. Clark have seven children: Helen, Arthur R., Ches- ter L., John H., Paul, Mary A. and Stanley.
Mr. Clark joined the Cumberland Presby- terian Church when sixteen years of age, and is an Elder in the church and has officiated both as Superintendent and teacher in the Sunday-school. Politically he is a stanch Republican, and is a member of the County Central Committee. In 1890 he was special agent of the Government to make note of the recorded indebtedness of the Twelfth Con- gressional District. He has served several ternis as Secretary of the Mount Sterling Mutual Insurance Company, which office he now holds. Mr. Clark is well read, keeps posted on all general questions, is also a for- cible writer, and is one of the prominent men of the township.
HOMAS R. WILLIAMS, Superintend- ent of the Cass County Poor Farm, was born in Bertie county, North Carolina, June 1, 1850. He is the son of Williamson A. and Margaret (Thomas) Williams, natives of Bertie county, North Carolina. The family is an old one in the State. The pa- rents lived on a farm until after the birth of six children, and in the fall of 1856 removed to Illinois by wagon, and settled in this favored section, not far from Bluff Springs. They rented for two years, and then purchased the farm where they lived, when the mother died in May, 1884, three-score-and-ten. She was a member of the Methodist Episcopal
Church. Her husband remained on the farm for two years longer, and then went to Beards- town, and one year later came to Bluff Springs, and here spent his last years, dying in October, 1888. He was a good citizen, a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, a stanch Democrat, and a very worthy man.
Our subject and his brother are the only members of the family now living. Mr. Williams has lived in this county since he was six years of age, and has been a practi- cal farmer since lie was twenty-two years of age. He took charge of the Poor Farm in 1887, after his brother had managed it for eight years. It is located at Bluff Springs. and consists of more than 100 acres of fine land. It is well managed by Mr. Williams.
The average poor in attendance all the time is about twelve, and there is but one feeble-minded person among them.
Our subject was married in this county to Sophia Reichert, born in Beardstown, in 1857, reared and educated in Cass county, and a daughter of Conrad and Sophia Rei- chert, of Germany. The mother died in the prime of life, in Cass county. Mr. Reichert was married the second time to Mrs. Withroe, and they live in Beardstown, now quite old.
Mr. and Mrs. Williams have three chil- dren: Charles F., John F. and Howard, all at home. The family belongs to the Metho- dist Episcopal Church, and Mr. Williams is a Democrat. The county has the right man in the right place.
OSEPH M. SPENCER, an intelligent and progressive citizen of Ashland, Illi- nois, and an honored veteran of the late war, was born in Gibson county, Indiana, October 24, 1842.
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His parents were Joseph and Elizabetlı (Hayhurst) Spencer, both of whom were na- tives of Morgantown, Virginia, the father of Welsh and the mother of German ancestry. They were married in Miami county, Ohio, removing thence to Indiana, from where they came to Morgan county, Illinois, in 1849. The parents and younger children later removed to Kansas, where the father died in 1870, leaving his family and many friends to mourn his loss. He was a man of superior intelligence and generous impulses, and was very popular among his associates, who keenly felt his loss. His devoted wife, whose greatest interest was the welfare of her husband and family, returned to Illinois after her husband's death, finally expiring in Morgan county, Illinois, in 1879, deeply lamented by all who knew her and who ap- preciated her many excellent qualities of mind and heart.
This worthy conple were the parents of seven children, four of whom are now living: Job H., the eldest, died in Arkansas, in April, 1890, leaving two children, his wife having previously died; John D. served three years in the Forty-second Indiana Infantry, is now married and is a prosperons farmer of Gibson county, Indiana; William S. resides in Buena Vista, Colorado: he is a widower and has a family; Rebecca, wife of William A. Baldwin, lives in Loami, Sangamon county, Illinois; Amos and Simeon died in youth.
The subject of this sketch accompanied his parents to Illinois when he was seven years of age, and his boyhood and early man- hood was spent in this State, in the quiet pursuits of farm and home life. These peaceful, happy days were disturbed by the Civil war, and young Joseph enlisted at Springfield, on September 15, 1861, in Com-
pany K, Thirty-third Illinois Infantry. He was in the Department of Missouri, and was taken prisoner by the notorious Jeff Thomp- son, at the battle of Blackwell Station, in October, 1861, and was paroled on the same day. Jeff said " they could either take the oath of allegiance, receive a parole, or be shot;" that he had "no use for prisoners." It was at this battle that Mr. Spencer saved the life of General Lippincott, a service which the General appreciated until the day of liis death, and the heroic act afterward brought many courtesies to the subject of this sketch. He was offered a commission as Second Lientenant, but declined it as a re- ward for doing his dnty. We pause. to ex- claim, In what other country could such an incident have occurred? Truly, America rears kings, not ordinary men !
Mr. Spencer was seven months under pa- role, when he returned to the right of his command, at Village Creek, Arkansas, and took part in the fight at Cotton Plant, - which occurred the following day. Here, he captured Colonel Harris' horse, sword and two revolvers. This was the Colonel who commanded the Texas Legion in that engage- ment. Mr. Spencer was next engaged in battle at Port Gibson, May 1, 1863; he had been in several unimportant battles during the interim, but this was the next general engagement. He was at Champion Hills and Black River Bridge; after which came the siege of Vicksburg, where he dug in the ditches and was under fire for forty-seven days. Here, he received a sunstroke, and was sent to St. Louis on a hospital boat. It was then that he realized fully the saying that misfortunes never come singly, for, while en route, he fell down a hatchway, striking on his head and causing deafness in liis left ear, from which he has never recovered.
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He rejoined his regiment at New Orleans, in February, 1864, they being on their way home on veteran furlough. Mr. Spencer re- cnlisted as a inusician, and accompanied the boys liome. Afterward, he returned to New Orleans, where he did garrison duty until the Mobile campaign, when the regiment was badly decimated by a railroad wreck, which killed and wounded many meu. Mr. Spen- cer was assigned to the Sixteenth Army Corps, under General A. J. Smith, and par- ticipated in the fight at Spanish Fort. He then went to Montgomery, Alabama, and thence to Selma, of the same State, whence he and the command moved forward to Meridian, Mississippi. From there they went to Vicksburg, and, later, to Yazoo, where Mr. Spencer was mustered out of ser- vice, November 24, 1865, after a continuous service of more than four years.
His duty done, his thoughts naturally turned to procuring a means of livelihood. It was then that he turned his attention to learning the business of painting and deco- rating, whichi he has followed most of the time ever since, In 1866, he went to Kan- sas, where he remained until 1874, at which time he removed to Iowa. While in Mis- souri, in the winter of 1862, he met with a very painful accident, in which he lost one finger and had another severely injured, which, although not incapacitating him from work, lias, at times, seriously interfered with his dexterity. In 1880, he finally returned to Ashland, Illinois, to which place he is at- tached by all the associations of liis child- hood. Here he and his family have since resided, in a substantial and comfortable home surrounded by neat and attractive grounds, the whole place breathing the air of thrift and content. Besides this, Mr. Spencer is also the owner of other valuable property.
He was married, August 7, 1870, to Miss Mary E. Gard, an estimable lady, who is a native of Morgan county, Illinois, of which place her parents, Ephraim and Paulina Gard, were worthy pioneers. Her eldest brother, John S., died in the United States service, while waiting for his discharge, after the close of the war. Mrs. Spencer was the second of six children, only three of whom now survive: William, Mary and Lydia.
Mr. and Mrs. Spencer have three daugh- ters, Ella, Anna and Lulu, all of whom are at home, the second being a teacher in the public schools. They are all highly intel- lectual and have been liberally educated. Mrs. Spencer and the two older daughters rae useful members of the Christian Church.
Mr. Spencer is a straight Republican in politics, and takes an active interest in all public affairs.
He is a prominent member of John L. Douglas Post, No. 592, in which he served for two terms as Quartermaster, and one term as Officer of the Day. He is an An- cient Odd Fellow, to which order he has belonged for a number of years.
Any one who has read thus far in the life of this noble, upright man, will not be at a loss to make deductions in keeping with his exemplary character. Unaided, he has at- tained to prominence and acquired a com- fortable income for himself and family, while his numerous generous qualities ap- peal successfully to the hearts of his country- men.
ENRY CADY, of Huntsville, came to this county in 1840. His grandfather, Reuben Cady, has been written up in the biography of M. E. Cady. His father was Horace Cady, and lie married also a
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Miss Cady, but no relation. Mr. Horace Cady was a farmer, and emigrated to New York State, settling near Rochester. Here they stayed nntil 1840, when they came to Illinois, settled in Camden, and the father purchased 120 acres of land. He later re- sided for four years near Farmington, Fulton county, then returned to Schuyler county and passed the remaining years of his life on the farm on which he first settled. He died January, 1851. His wife died November, 1870. They had ten children, namely: Heze- kialı, died in Sacramento, California; Dane- ford, now in Camden township; Elizabeth, now Mrs. I. G. Cady, of Camden township; Lucia married Perry Anderson, and is now dead; Henry; Renben died in Camden town- ship; Orin died at Memphis, Tennessee, while in the army; Philinda married Cyrus Ander- son, of Huntsville township; Emeline, now Mrs. Richard Mead, of Rushville. This large family have commanded the respect and esteem of every one wherever any of them have gone.
Henry Cady was born in Otsego county, New York, December 3, 1828. He came with the family to Illinois, and learned the blacksmith's trade in 1849. He started a shop in 1854 and continued it for six years. He then settled where he now resides and purchased land, but still continued his trade until 1870, when he discontinued the black- smithi shop and devoted himself to farming. He now owns 320 acres of land, on which he has made many valuable improvements. He follows stock-raising and has produced some very fine cattle. He has been Supervisor one term, and Road Commissioner still an- other term.
He was married in 1855, to Emeline Plunk- ett, of Camden township. They have had eiglit children: Adelia, now Mrs. Edwin
Elliott; Amelia, died in childhood; Amanda, now Mrs. Greeley Clark; Frank, died at eighteen; Everett is at home; Mary is also at home, and the youngest child is Stowell R. Mr. Cady is a Democrat in politics, and the family are members of the Christian Church. Mr. Cady is a man who has made his property himself, and has been a man of good habits all his life.
E. JONES, prominently connected for the last twelve years, as division road master between Bushnell, Illinois, and St. Louis, Missouri, of the St. Lonis di- vision of the Quincy Railroad, with headquar- ters at Beardstown, was born on a farm near Baldwinsville, New York, February 11, 1847. . He was there reared and educated, becoming early acquainted with hard work. At the age of sixteen, he enlisted in the Scott's Nine Hundred Cavalry, but before he reached the front he was overtaken by his father, and compelled to return home. In 1863, he en- listed in Nine Hundred of New York State Militia, and served until July, 1864, when he enlisted in Company A, One Hundred and Eighty-fifth New York Regiment Volunteer Infantry, Colonel Jennings and Captain O. K. Howard, commanding, and this regiment was assigned to First Division of the Fifth Army Corps. He fought as a brave soldier at Hatcher's Run, Petersburg, Weldon .and Qnaker roads and Five Forks; was in the pur- suit of Lee, and was at Lee's surrender at Appomattox, where his company lost their First Lieutenant, the last man killed of the Army of the Potomac, and, later, he partici- pated in the grand review at Washington, District of Columbia. He had inany narrow escapes from capture and wonnds, especially
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while serving as a scout for General Chamber- lain, and for the period of nine months his was one of the figliting regiments of the war. He was one of the first to obtain a piece of the famous apple tree at Appomattox Court House, where Lee held his last consultation with his staff and decided to surrender. He is honestly proud of his military record, and was honorably discharged June 11, 1865.
His connection with the Chicago, Burling- ton & Quincy Railroad system began in 1867, and after a period of two years' service with tlie bridge departinent, with headquarters at Galesburg, he helped in the construction of the large railroad bridges over the Mississippi river at Burlington, Quincy and Hannibal, Missouri. He was also engaged between Hannibal and Moberly, Missouri. Later lie was assistant track layer for the new road. then known as the Hannibal and Naples, now part of the Wabaslı system. All these years he has proven himself a good man, and his promotion has been won by his own efforts, He helped build what is known as the Louis- iana branch of the Q. system, and after the completion of that road he became section foreman, and later extra gang foreman, whichi is on line of regular promotion, and after nine years was promoted to assistant road master of the St. Louis division, with headquarters at Beardstown. Two years later he became roadinaster from Bushnell to St. Louis. He now has control of 136 iniles of track, with two yards, thus putting him over a large number of men. Since May, 1880, he has been the Q. road-master, and has, achieved a just prominence by his indomitable energy and devotion to the interests of the company. He is a good citizen, and à leader in all local and public matters.
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