USA > Illinois > Brown County > Biographical review of Cass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois: Containing biographical sketches of pioneers and leading citizens > Part 22
USA > Illinois > Cass County > Biographical review of Cass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois: Containing biographical sketches of pioneers and leading citizens > Part 22
USA > Illinois > Schuyler County > Biographical review of Cass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois: Containing biographical sketches of pioneers and leading citizens > Part 22
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For several years he has been a working member of McLane Post, No. 97, G. A. R.,
of Beardstown, of which he is now Past Com- mander. He is also a member of the Bcards- town Lodge, K. of P., No. 207, and was a charter member and the first Chancelor Com- mander, serving for three terms, and is now Deputy Grand Master of the district, and has taken an active part in all its work, and he is a member of the orders of Woodmen and Work- men. He is also active in local politics, is Chairman of the Republican County Central Committee, and has been a member of the Board of Education. He belongs to the Road- masters' Association of America, is an ex-Vice President of it, and is a member of the Execu- tive Board.
He was married in Quincy, Illinois, to Almira E. Stedman, of Pike county, formerly of Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania. She was only twelve years old when her parents came to Illinois, and she grew up in Pike county. Their living children are: Bertha, Anna, Al- thea, Ray and Almira Edrie.
DWARD F. HACKMAN, a farmer of section 26, township 17, range 12, was born at his father's home, in this county, November 28, 1857. He is the second son and fifth child. His parents were John Fred- erick and Inglehert (Meyer) Hackman, natives of Hanover, Germany, coming of pure Ger- man ancestry. They came to America in 1835, with their respective families. They grew up, were married in Cass county, and soon afterward settled on a farm in Indian Creek precinct, and later, they came to Arenz- ville precinct, where they purchased their present house. They bought from time to time, and made improvements, and now have a beautiful home. (For further particulars, with regard to ancestry, see biography of Will- | iam Hackınan.)
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Edward was reared on his father's farm and remained there until he was twenty-five years old. He lias since tilled his own farm. He has resided on the farm he now owns for cleven years, and last year, 1890, he bought it. It is a fine farın, and he has made many improvements upon it. It contains 240 acres.
He was married here to Amelia Jokish, an accomplished young lady, born and reared in the county. Since her marriage, she has been a devoted wife and mother. (For family his- tory, see biography of C. G. Jokisch.) Mr. and Mrs. Hackman are the parents of five children: Elmer, Orville E., Cora M., Mor- ton H., and Earl R. All are bright, sınart children. Mr. and Mrs. Hackman are mem- bers of the Einannel Methodist Episcopal Church, of which Mr. Hackman has been Steward for five years. He is a Republican in politics, and is very prominent in politics.
Mr. John Frederick and wife have lived honored lives in the county, and their sons and daughters are a credit to them. The father and sons are all strong Republicans, and the former is seventy-five years of age, but he is in poor health, and for the past ten years has been retired from active business. He was one of the first members of the Emanuel Methodist Episcopal Church of this place. His wife is also a member of the same, and is seventy-two years of age. They have eight children living: Wilhelmenia, widow of Henry Winkle, residing in Beards- town, inother of three bright daughters; Her- man; Sophia, wife of M. L. Korse, a hardware dealer of Beatrice, Nebraska; Matilda is at home keeping honse for her parents; Edward; Sarah, wife of Philip Jokisch; Henry, of the firm of Korse & Hackman, hardware dealers at Beatrice, Nebraska.
Herman Hackman is a prominent young farmer and stock-raiser, yet single, of section
30, township 17, range 11. He manages his father's old homestead of 319 acres, and has run it on his own account for the past ten years. He was born on this farm, May 6, 1850, and was reared and received his first education in the county; later he attended a commercial school in St. Louis. He has always followed the vocation of farming, and is a hard-working yonng man. He, like his father and brothers, is a stannch Repub- lican in politics, and a Methodist in religion.
R. RICHARD HOMER MEAD is a native of Schuyler county, born in Huntsville, January 16, 1847, being a son of Andrew J. and Mary (Briscoe) Mead. He was educated in Huntsville. When he was sixteen years old he enlisted in Company K, Eighth Iowa Cavalry, at Camp Roberts, Davenport, Iowa. From there they went to Nashville, Tennessee, and were on duty in the mountains during the winter of 1863-'64. In the spring they were on the left wing of General McCook's cavalry, with Sherman's army on his advance on Atlanta, participating iu the engagements of that campaign, besides other engagements. There was fighting every day for 100 days. They then returned north, and were the first forces to oppose Hood's crossing the Tennessee river. They retreated before Hood's advance to Duck river, where they prevented his advance until the battle of Franklin, in which they participated, also in the battle of Nashville, when they pur- sued Hood's army to the Tennessee river. In the spring of 1865 they were in Wilson's cavalry, and fought two engagements in the mountains in Alabama after the war was over, not having received notice of the sign- ing of the terms of the surrender. They
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next were sent in pursuit of Jeff. Davis, to Macon, Georgia, where he was captured. Mr. Mead was then mustered ont, August 28, 1865. He was taken prisoner on McCook's raid in the rear of Atlanta, but escaped in a few hours. One half of his company died at Andersonville prison. After the war he re- turned to Illinois and resumed the study of medicine, which he had commenced in the office of his father. In November, 1865, he entered the medical college at Keokuk, Iowa, graduating with the class of 1867. He then located at Huntsville, and practiced with his father until 1872, when he went to Texas and spent five years with the I. & G. N. Railroad Company. In 1878 and 1879 he attended the St. Lonis Medical College, and then re- snmed practice at Huntsville, and continued until 1884. Dr. Mead had thus received a good medical education, but his literary edu- cation was limited to the schools of Hunts- ville; however, he applied to the Civil Service · Commissioner for examination, and passed in the class of Burlington, Iowa, receiving an appointment as Pension Clerk at Washing- ton, District of Columbia, August 18, 1884, being the fifteenth man from Illinois who passed the examination. March 2, 1885, lie became a permanent member of class 1, and in October of the same year he was promoted to class 2. April 24, 1886, he was detailed to the field as special examiner, and worked in Maine, New Hampshire and New York. December 28, 1886, lie resigned his position, bnt being an honorably discharged soldier he can re-enter the service at any date, without an examination. He returned to Huntsville, where he resumed his practice, and where he has remained ever since. He usually spends the winter months in the Southern States. Dr. Mead has had a large practice, and has always attended to his patients re-
gardless of weather, bad roads or illness.
He was married October 3, 1889, to Mary, daughter of James N. and Martha (Parrish) Ward, and they have one child,-Clara Briscoe.
Dr. Mead has voted the Democratic ticket for years, but now supports the People's party. He is a member of the Huntsville Lodge, No. 465, A. F. & A. M .; Augusta Chapter, No. 78, R. A. M., and Almoner Commandery, No. 32, K. T., also of Cyclone Lodge, No. 635, I. O. O. F., of which he is one of the organizers. He attended the Na- tional Columbian Medical Association at Washington, District of Columbia, in 1884- '85-'86. He is very active in G. A. R. mat- ters, is a member of George A. Brown Post, No. 417, of the Department of Illinois, and always attends the annual National Encamp- ment.
ILLIAM T. TREADWAY came to Cass county (then Morgan) with his parents in 1829. He was the son of Edward and Elizabeth (Anderson) Treadway, natives of Maryland, raised near Baltimore. They moved from there after marriage, to Hamilton county, Ohio, and from there to this county. The family is English-Scotch. They had eight children, of whom the sub- ject was the fourth; only three are living, and he is the oldest. They are Edward, Owens and Elizabeth. The parents died here and are interred in the Monroe cemetery.
William was born in Hamilton county, Ohio, August 22, 1819, hence was ten years old when he became a resident of Cass county. Sixty-three years of his life have been spent in this county, forty-one of them on his present farm. He was educated in the sub- scription schools, grew to manhood a farmer
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and followed that occupation all his life. He is now enjoying the fruit of his early indus- try, and is living a retired life. During his residence in this county Mr. Treadway has witnessed a wonderful transformation from a wilderness to a populous and prosperous community. His farm in this precinct was partly improved when he bought it, and this was his first real estate in the county, though he spent about twenty-one years here before this purchase. He is a Democrat in politics, and has held the various county and precinct offices. He owns 290 acres of tillable land, has a good house and fair improvements. His farming is divided between grain and stock-raising. The Treadway family has always been noted as a robust race, always enjoying long lives, and have been repre- sented in America for six generations.
He was married in this county, in 1850, to Mary McHenry, who has borne him nine children, all living: Jacob, Margaret, Mary, Nancy, James, John, Louisa, Joseph and Jefferson. Two danghters and one son are unmarried. The others are all married and are farmers, except Joseph, who is in the agricultural business at Virginia City. Mrs. Treadway died in 1879, and her husband is still unmarried.
LEXANDER D. SIX, M. D., one of the successful surgeons and physicians of Versailles, was born in Morgan county, now Scott, in 1828. His father, David Six, was born in Tennessee, in 1799, and his father, John Six, was a native of the Shenandoah valley, Virginia, and liis grand- father, the great-great-grandfather of the Doc- tor, was banished from Germany on account of his tendency toward mutiny, and settled in
this country, where he founded the family of Six on American soil. The offence for which he was exiled from his native land was a small one, it being the infringement of the game laws with regard to hunting rabbits. His grandson, John, took a very active part in the Revolutionary war, and though a youth was one of the prison guards at Yorktown. His wife was Mary Duvall, of Pennsylvania, and they were inarried in the State where he was following his trade of carpenter and joiner. After marriage they removed to Tennessee, where their seven sons were born. This gentleman was a typical frontiersman and hunter, and was a pioneer of Tennessee, Kentucky and Illinois. The father of our subject, David, and his brother, John, were the pioneers of that family to Illinois, coin- ing in the spring of 1823, landing near Spring- field in June, making the journey with pack horses and bringing their families with them, David having two children, while his brother had but one. In a year or two they came to the western part of Morgan county, and their parents and brothers followed to Illinois a couple of years afterward, making the jour- ney with covered wagons. The entire party was very poor, having nothing but their out- fits and their willing hands, ready to engage in whatever offered itself. John Six had a family as follows: Abraham Six, died in Scott county, aged sixty-seven, leaving three sons , and two danghters; Daniel, died in the same county, about the same age, leaving eight or nine children to mourn his death; John, the next, and his family are all buried, he dying in 1857, aged sixty-seven; Jacob, moved to Arkansas and died at an advanced age, leav- ing a large family; David, father of subject; Isaac, farmer of Scott county, where he died about the same age as his other brothers; William died at the same age; Mary, wife of
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James Taylor, of Scott county, a farmer, and they had a medium family; Elizabeth, wife of William Parker, died in Arkansas, leaving a large family; Catherine is still living with her daughter, in Missouri, aged nincty years, and is in fair health of mind and body; she liad five children; Nancy, wife of Simon Taylor, died wheu about seventy, leaving twelve or thirteen children. These children were all farmers, or the wives of fariners, and they all crossed the plains to Illinois. The father and mother of the subject lived on a farm of 140 acres, near Mount Sterling, where the father died, aged fifty-nine years, leaving eleven living children and one deceased daughter of five years. The name of the children were: Nancy, wife of a Mr. Green, of California, has a large family: Martha, died in Missouri, aged forty-eight, leaving the nine children she had born to her husband, George Scott; Daniel, a farmer of Mount Sterling, has a family of two daughters and the same number of sons; Abraham, a farmer two miles east of Mount Sterling, has seven children; Alexander D., subject; Mary, died, aged forty-eight, in California, near Los An- geles, being the wife of Irving Carter, by whom she had six children; Isabella died when five years old; William died near Mount Sterling on the homestead, aged fifty-four, leaving a wife and two daughters; Eliza- beth, now Mrs. William Bowen, of Knox county, Missouri, has six daughters; Cynthia, widow of W. A. Sieles, lives on her farm in Missouri with her seven children; Oliver P. and James K. are both bachelors on the home farın. This family is among the earliest of the settlers, and the Six prairie in Mount Sterling is named after them.
The Doctor was reared to farni life and received his primary education in the log schoolhouses, with the puncheon floors and
slab seats, without backs. The school that he attended, principally, was held in Mount Sterling. He left the subscription school at cigliteen and went for a year to the Mount Sterling Academy when he was twenty-two. tion school of the neighborhood held in the log After this he tauglit school for four years, reading medicine all this time. He finished his medical course in Rush Medical College, Chicago, graduating in the class of 1859, beginning his practice at Mount Pleasant. He went to Colorado in 1860 and two years later made an exploring trip through Idaho and Montana. He spent two years in Colo- rado and four years in Montana, and was one of the nineteen wlio discovered the gold mines in the last named State, at Big Hole, not long before the discovery of the Bannock mines. He was interested in these and other inines during the four years he spent in this State, but returned home, across the plains, by stage, a journey of 2,200 miles, an easier journey than the trip out, which was made witlı ox teams.
The Doctor bought his present farm of 400 acres about 1873, of J. P. Hambaugh for $9,000, with no buildings but the old log- cabin. He built lis farm house in 1875 and his barns in 1880 and 1889, one being 36 by 40 and the other 36 by 48. His farm is a grain and stock one, he raising wheat, corn aud liay, feeding his stock at home. At times lie has as many as forty-two head of horses, which he raises from colts. He has built a warehouse on his own land, at Perry Spring Station, where they ship a great deal of grain and stock.
This gentleman was married, in Lee town- ship, to Elizabeth Osborn, still living. They have three living children, but have buried one daughter, Jessie, aged nine years. She was a lovely child and her untimely death
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BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW OF CASS,
cast a gloom over the entire household. The living children are: Charles, aged twenty - four; Fred H., twenty-two; and Mattie, the pet of the household, aged eight. The sons are both regular farmers, and are now con- ducting the stoek farm. Both have received a good business education, and are still single, residing at home. The little danghter is a sweet child and fills, to some extent, the ach- ing void left by her departed sister.
The Doctor still praetiees, but only pursued his profession exclusively for about two years. He was of a great deal of use in the inines, where his professional skill was often called into play, at one time being blown up from a premature discharge of a blast of powder; the Doctor was injured, and it was soune time before he recovered, having nar- rowly eseaped death. This gentleman is a member of no seeret society or creed, and believes in Democracy, but is hardly within party lines. He and his family are highly respected.
EVI DICK, one of the most prominent eitizens of this section, was born in Simpson county, Kentucky, February 17, 1815, son of Peter and Christina (Shutt) Diek. Peter Dick was born in one of the Carolinas, and reared to farm life. He came to Illinois in the fall of 1829, bringing his wife and eight ehildren all the way from Simpson county, Kentucky, where he had set- tled at a very early day. The journey lasted . about twenty-two days, and they settled in . Sangamon county, where they raised one crop, and then, in the winter of 1831, re- inoved to near the present home of our sub- jeet, buying 160 aeres of partly improved land, nine or ten acres being broken, and a small log house ereeted on the land. In this
cabin they lived for two years, until Peter rebuilt it, and in the remodeled house this esteemed gentleman ended his days, aged seventy years. His wife was born iu the same eounty as himself, and died on the old farm, aged sixty-eight. These two had eight children, five yet living. Peter Dick was a son of Jolin and Dick, also natives of one of the Carolinas, who died in Kentucky, when very old. Subject's mother was a daughter of Henry and Polly Shutt, natives of Germany, who came to Illinois at an early day, dying here when very old. The entire family, on both sides, pursued farming to a great extent. Peter Dick and wife were very poor when they came to Illinois, and so were unable to provide for their ehildren, who were forced to take care of themselves.
Our subject was no exception to this rule, and everything he has was earned by himself. He remained on the farmn, working with his father until his marriage. His education was received at the district and subseription schools. After his marriage, Mr. Dick set- tled in a log cabin, about 18 x 20, in which he lived until 1852, when he moved into his present fine house. The fine home and farin now owned by Mr. Dick presents a great contrast to the wild prairie found by his father and inother when they came to this region in search of fortunes. Wild deer and game of inany kinds abounded. Mr. Dick is inclined to think, however, that pioneer life had its pleasures as well as trials, as he says that the people were mueh inore sociable in those days than now.
Mr. Dick was married the first time to Emmatiah Leeper, in 1839. This lady was born in Kentucky, and was a daughter of Robert and Mary Leeper. Mrs Diek died on the farm where he now lives, aged about thirty-five years; by this wifc lie
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SCHUYLER AND BROWN COUNTIES.
had nine children, three now living, namely: Amos, married to Matilda Armstrong, two children; Robert L. married Amanda Sutton, three children; Martha A. married Alonzo Sutton, five children. Mr. Dick was mar- ried a second time, to Mary Morgan, born in Kentucky, died on the old home farm, aged fifty-three. She borc him two children, Eliza C. and George L .. the latter now in Oregon. The former married N. B. Orr, of Delaware county, Iowa, born in 1856, son of Thomas and Caroline Orr, and they have three children.
Mr. Dick's fine farm of 300 acres is nial- aged by his son-in-law, Mr. Orr, who carries on a mixed farming, and waving fields of grain now occupy the prairie where, half a century ago, deer were found in flocks of sev- enty-five.
Mr. Dick, like his father before him, is a stanch Democrat, and cast his first vote for Martin Van Buren. Mr. Dick and his father helped build the first church and schoolhouse in the section, and has taken a deep interest in church and school matters ever since. He and his family are all church attendants and worthy, good people.
ENRY W. TAYLOR, a prominent farmer of Brooklyn township, and an honored pioneer of the county, was born in Trumbull county, Ohio, in February, 1824, a son of Alexander and Betsey (Scott) Taylor, natives of Pennsylvania; the father died at the age of fifty-five years, and the mother died at the advanced age of eighty years, at Burlington, lowa. The paternal grandfather, Matthew Taylor, was born in the north of Ireland, of English parents. He emigrated to the United States in 1772,
and settled in Pennsylvania; he died in Huntingdon county, at the age of ninety- seven years. His wife, whose maiden name was MeIllieny, was born in Ireland, of Scotch- Irish ancestors; she lived to be ninety-five years old. Alexander Taylor came to Ohio in 1810, and cleared a farm out of the heart of the forest. His wife, Betsey Scott, was a daughter of Nehemiah and Mary (Wick) Scott; her father was a native of Long Island, and was a descendant of Scotch an- cestry, and the mother of Washington county, Pennsylvania; botlı died in Trumbull county, Ohio. The Taylor family have been promi- nent in the affairs of both church and State, possessing great intelligence and culture.
Henry W. Taylor rceeived superior edu- cational advantages, and at the age of nine- teen years began teaching school; he followed this profession two years, and then took a course of law in a private school. After his graduation he engaged in practice, but in a short time the California gold fever swept this country, and le determined to go to the Pacific coast. He made the journey over- land with four yoke of oxen, and was on the way from the 1st of April until October 22. He remained four years, and was engaged in mining during that time.
He was married June 8, 1853, to Miss Cornelia Manlove, a native of Rushville, Schuyler county, Illinois, and a daughter of Jonathan D. and Soplironia (Chadsey) Man- love. Mrs. Taylor's father was born in Northı Carolina, came to Illinois in an early day, and was married in Schuyler county in 1826. (This was the third marriage in the county.) Mr. and Mrs. Taylor have three children living: Marian H. married T. D. Lewis, and has three children; Ida M. is at home; Fan- nette married Dr. J. E. Camp, and is the mother of three children.
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After his marriage Mr. Taylor lived in Rushville township, and was engaged in operating a lumber-yard and building a plank road until 1857, when he sold his entire possessions and removed to Brooklyn town- ship. He developed a farm of 900 acres out of prairie and timber land, made many valu- able improvements, and has one of the best places in the county. He and his wife are members of the Presbyterian Churchi, of which he is an Elder. Politically he affiliates with the Republican party; his first vote was cast for Zachary Taylor, but at the formation of the Republican party he gave his allegi- sance to that organization, and cast liis suffrage for J. C. Fremont. He was Justice of the Peace for sixteen years, was Super- visor for two terms, and has served on the school board. In connection with his large agricultural interests, Mr. Taylor has carried on a mercantile business since before the war, purchasing his first stock in February, 1861. He makes a specialty of raising fine, blooded stock, and has done much to elevate the standard in this section. He is a self- made man, and a citizen in whom Schuyler county takes just pride.
AMES D. THOMPSON, one of the suc- cessful farmers of Woodstock township, is entitled to the space that has been accorded him in this history of Schuyler county, and following is a brief outline of his career. He is a native of Crawford county, Pennsylvania, born March 30, 1823, a son of William and Mary (Peterson) Thompson. The paternal grandfather, Will- iam Thompson, Sr., was born in Ireland, and when a boy crossed the seas to try his for- tunes in the New World. He was a car pen- ter by trade, and followed his vocation all
his life; he and his wife attained the good old age of three-score and ten years. Will- iam Thompson, Jr., was a native of the Key- stone State, and resided there until 1837, when he came to Illinois; he was a mill- wright by trade, and worked at that occupa- tion several years. Two years after coming to this State he purchased land in Brown county, on which he settled the 14th day of May. In the fall of the same year his death occurred, at the age of fifty-four years and seven months; he left a wife and six chil- dren. The family then rented land for a period of eight years, and at the end of that time located on the tract purchased by the father. The mother died in Brown county, at the age of eighty-six years. Her parents, James and Elizabeth (Abbott) Peterson, were of English and German descent, and died in Pennsylvania, at the ages of ninety-one and ninety years respectively. James D. Thomp- son is one of a family of ten children, five of . whom are living. He remained under his parents' roof until he was married; this event occurred April 3, 1856, when he was united to Miss Margaret E. Grosclaude, a native of France, born April 27, 1830. Her parents, James F. and Catharine E. (Jonte) Grosclaude, emigrated to the United States in 1833, and located in Woodstock township, Schuyler county, Illinois; he died here Sep- tein ber 30, 1878, at the age of seventy-four years, and she September 15, 1878, at seventy- two years; they reared a family of eleven children. Mrs. Thompson's paternal grand- parents died in 1878, the grandfather Sep- tember 30, and the grandmother September 16. Peter J. Jonte, the maternal grand- father, was born in February, 1776, and died October 2, 1846; his wife, Susan Landon, was born March 25, 1774, and died June 7, 1842.
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