USA > Illinois > Brown County > Biographical review of Cass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois: Containing biographical sketches of pioneers and leading citizens > Part 23
USA > Illinois > Cass County > Biographical review of Cass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois: Containing biographical sketches of pioneers and leading citizens > Part 23
USA > Illinois > Schuyler County > Biographical review of Cass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois: Containing biographical sketches of pioneers and leading citizens > Part 23
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Mr. and Mrs. Thompson are the parents of six children: Mary E. is married, and the mother of three children; William J. is mar- ried, and lias six children; Jefferson E. is married, and has three children; Emily L. is married, and the mother of a family of three; Charles W. is married; and Lorena M. is at home.
Mr. Thompson has been prominently con- nected with the agricultural interests of the county, and owns about 300 acres of choice land; he has been School Director for twenty- three years, and has held other local offices, always discharging his duties with a fidelity that won the entire confidence of his con- stituency. Politically he affiliates with the Democratic party.
R. GEORGE W. CRUM, farmer and physician, town 17, range 11, section 35, post office Arenzville, was born on the homestead adjoining. (See sketch of James Crum.) Dr. Crum began his educa- tion in the district schools. From there he went to the Illinois College at Jacksonville for one year, and then attended two years at the State Normal School at Normal, Illinois. He then attended three years the Illinois Wesleyan College, receiving the degrees of B. A. and M. A. from that popular institu- tion. From there he went to Adrian, Michi- gan, to complete his scientific course. He received the degree of B. S. at Adrian, and completed a full classical course at the Wes- leyan College. He studied medicine under private tutors during his vacations, and then attended the St. Louis Medical College, re- ceiving the degree of M. D. in 1874. His close application to study had undermined his health, and he felt obliged to retire to the
farm to recuperate. On completing his pro- fessional course he entered upon the duties imposed by the office of hospital physician, but this was terminated by failing health. He intends to resume practice during the coming year.
He was married August 21, 1878, to Mol- lie E., daughter of Dr. David Malone, now deceased. Mrs. Crum was born in Posey county, Indiana. They have two children, Cora and Olga, eleven and thirteen years old.
The Doctor is not an aggressive politician. He owns a farm of 160 acres of well- improved land, adjoining that of his father. Mrs. Crum is a lady of fine literary attain- ments, a graduate of the Athenæum College at Jacksonville, Illinois. Her only brother is a physician there. Her sisters, Alice, Emma and Rosa, all married into representa- tive and prominent families. Alice was the wife of William Morrison, and died in Iowa; Emma became the wife of Robert McCurdy, of Princeton, Indiana; and Rosa married Elijah Needham, of Virginia, Illinois. She is not now living. Mrs. Crum is a member of the Christian Church, and her husband is a member of the I. O. O. F. and the A. O. U. W. They are very worthy people.
AMES HILES, general farmer and stock raiser of Beardstown, was born in Salem county, New Jersey, January 4, 1822 His father, John, was a native of the same place, was there engaged as a truck-raiser, and afterward ran a large farm in Manning- ton township, and still later was engaged in farming and truck-raising near Bridgeport. He died at the age of ninety-six, after lead- ing a quiet, peaceable life. His wife's name was Sarah Chrispen, also born in Salem
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county. She came of an old Quaker family. Her own mother and a sister were speakers among Friends for many years. She and her husband, however, adhered -very closely to the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which they were working members. She died at the age of ninety.
James grew up in New Jersey, and was married March 7, 1844, and about this time commenced farming in Marion county, and followed it for about nine years; then he was a butcher in Woodtown two years. He came here in 1856; first he engaged as a butcher and farmer at Brighton, Illinois, for two years, and then went to Greenfield. While at those towns he furnished the meat for the workmen on what is now the Quincy railroad, while it was building. He followed that business there for three years. He was a poor man when he reached here, but has since acquired a good property. It is now thirty- one years since he came to Cass county, en- gaging first in farming. He has been very successful, because of a progressive nature, and because he understood the nature of the soil. He soon began the growing of sweet potatoes and watermelons, and this has oc- cnpied inost of his time for twenty-five years. He raises from 2,000 to 2,500 bushels an- nually, and a large number of melons. Hc is very well known, and is respected as a hard worker and a good citizen. His place consists of fifty-nine acres, where he has lived but a few years.
He was married in Woodtown, New Jersey, to Sarah Kidd, who was born and reared in Salem county, born in 1818. Her parents, Joseph and Jane Kidd, lived and died on the old farm in Salem county, New Jersey, members of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. and Mrs. Hiles have had ten children, among whom were two sets of twins, who died when
yonng. The three living children are: Elizabeth, wife of Thomas Reeves, farmer and gardener, near Beardstown; James, a farmer in Cass county, and Charles, a farmer and trucker, near Beardstown. Mr. and Mrs. Hiles are good people: both have been active members of the Methodist Episcopal Church for more than fifty years. Mr. Hiles has never been a chewer or smoker of tobacco, has never been intoxicated, nor has he ever used a profane word. He has been a life- long Democrat.
EORGE S. CAMPBELL was born in Missouri township, Brown county, Illi- nois, April 12, 1857. His father, Will- iam O. F. Campbell, was born in Logan county, Kentucky, in 1815, and his father, Owen Campbell, was a native of Orange county, North Carolina, while his father, John Campbell, came from Ireland to Amer- ica in Colonial times, and served in the Revo- lutionary war. The grandfather of our subject went to Kentucky with his parents when quite young. He was married to Mary, the daughter of William Clark, a native of North Carolina, and a soldier in the Revolutionary war. Owen Campbell resided in Logan county until his death, during the war of 1812. He greatly opposed England and was killed during a dispnte relating to the great measures which were then attracting the at- tention of everyone. He left a farm of sixty- two acres. The father of our subject resided in Kentucky until 1835, when he emigrated to Illinois, and settled on that part of Schny- ler county now included in Brown county. He had a tract of land in what is now Mis- sonri township, but at that time they were included in Schuyler county. Here he re-
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sided until his death in 1891. His wife, whose maiden name was Caroline Stubble- field, was born in Kentucky, in 1819, and died in 1870. He was a firm member of tlie Cumberland Presbyterian Church, but after coming to Illinois he united with the Chris- tian Church, and served as an Elder seven years; and also preached. He was a great bible student, and a Democrat in politics. He " also served as Justico of the Peace for seven years.
George S. Campbell was educated at the Mt. Sterling schools. He lived with his father until 1872. At that time he began to learn the printer's trade in the office of the Gazette of Mt. Sterling, and this has been his business ever since. He has worked at lıis trade in different places, and in 1878 purchased the Examiner, a weekly paper devoted to the interests of the people in gen- cral, and the Democratic party in particular.
He was married, in 1886, to Miss Alta M. Larkin, born in Brown connty, danghter of John and Mary Larkin. They have had two children, Earl and Elsie. Mr. Campbell is a Democrat in politics, and is a member of Jeph- tha Lodge, No. 100, I. O. O. F., and also the Encampment of the I. O. O. F., thic I. O. M. A. and Modern Woodmen.
OHN W. SEAMAN, an old represent- ative citizen and successful stock raiser, was born in Jefferson county, Virginia, six miles north of Harper's Ferry. Septem- ber 21, 1820. His father, Joseph, was also a native of Jefferson county, and was en- gaged there for years as a boatman on the Shenandoah and Potomac rivers, and kept a public inn for some time. His parents, who lived and died there, were American born, but of German ancestry, the father being in 16
the Revolutionary war. Joseph J. was a soldier in a Virginia regiment, was in many engagements, and for some time was stationed at Baltimore, Maryland. His wife was Nancy Deaver, who was born and reared in Jefferson county, and came of similar aucestry as her husband. After the birth of their children, of whom our subject is the youngest, Joseph Seaman and wife, in the spring of 1832, came West, taking a boat at Wheeling, and came down the Ohio, and up the Mississippi and Illinois rivers, and landed at Beardstown when it was a hamlet of a few houses. There the family lived for some years, Mr. Seaman fol- lowing the trade of carpenter. He later went to Frederick, Schuyler county, and there died when sixty years of age. His wife died the next day, at about the same age. They had many acquaintances among the pio- neers of Cass county. .
Jolin is the only surviving member of the family that came from Virginia to Illinois, He came here in 1832, found it new and un- broken, and has lived to note the many changes that have taken place during the past thirty years. He reached here about the time the Indians left the county, and hence has been closely connected with all pioneer his- tory. He has seen the county settled, all the roads laid out and built, all the school houses built, all the railroads and all the other im- provements made that have made this the garden spot of Cass county. His farm of about 500 acres, highly improved and well stocked, is located in section 16, township 18, range 11 west. He can boast of the character of his soil, except 100 acres on a sand ridge, and sixty-five acres in the bluffs. He purchased the place in 1852, and its present substantial condition is due to his perseverance and industry.
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He was married in this county, to Mary E. Thompson, born in New York, in 1828. She came to this county with her parents, George B. and Hannahı Thompson, late in the '30s. Both lived and died in the county, Mr. Thompson being a farmer, and at one time a merchant in Beardstown. Mr. and Mrs. Thompson were quite well known as pioneer settlers of this county, the former dying in Beardstown, about seventy years of age, and the latter in 1850. Mrs. Seaman was one of five children. A brother, Seth Thompson, now at the soldier's home at Quincy, Illinois, and Mrs. Seaman, are the only remaining members of the family.
Mr. and Mrs. Seaman are members of no church, but are good, mnoral people, and are beloved by all who knew them. He is not an office seeker, but is a decided Democrat in politics.
They are the parents of eleven children, four of whom are dead: Frank, Harriet, Charles and an infant. Those living are: John, a farmer on the old homestead, mar- ried Ida Kruse; George, a machinist living in Cass county, married Susie Reiket; Fred, at home helping on the farm; Hannah Hea- ton, living in Washington, on a farın; Cora, wife of James Heaton, also lives in Waslı- ington; Anna S. Pearn, near Virginia, Illi- nois; and Bertha S. Hale, of Springfield, Illinois.
The entire family are excellent people, and excellent representatives of Cass county.
ZARIAH LEWIS, a prosperous and influential farmer of Cass county, Illi- nois, residing in township 18, range 9 west, was born in Washington county, Ken- tucky, March 15, 1813, and is a son of Will- iam and Elizabeth (Burns) Lewis. The Lewis
branch of the family is of Welsh ancestry, while that of Burns descended from German ancestry. The father of our subject par- ticipated in the war of 1812, for which lie also received a pension and a soldier's war- rant, which were contined to his widow. He was born in Virginia, and accompanied his parents to Kentucky at an early day. He continued to - reside in the latter State until 1828, and then, with his wife and seven chil- dren, started for Illinois, at that time the ex- treme frontier. They made the journey with a two-wheeled cart, which was drawn by a pair of small oxen, preceded by horses. They were four weeks on the journey, and most of the family came on foot. They were among the very earliest settlers of Illinois, the country being then wild and abounding witlı game. On their arrival in Morgan (now Cass) county, they had only fifty cents between them ; and all who were able went out to work by the day and month-worked on farns, split rails, and did whatever they found to do. The honest, hard-working father was finally enabled to enter forty acres of Government land, in Mason county, where he built a small cabin, in which he resided until his death in 1844, at the age of fifty-five years. His de- voted wife survived him many years, dying at the age of seventy-eight years, on the original forty acres which she had assisted in reclaiming from a wilderness. By her careful management she had accumulated a nice little property. She was the mother of eleven children, of whom, as far as known, five now survive.
The subject of this sketch attended a sub- scription school for a short time in his youth, but owing to his father's limited means and the scarcity of schools he had'but few educa- tional opportunities. He continued to reside at home until his marriage, working on farms
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in his vicinity by the day and month. After his marriage, he settled on a farm in the eastern part of Cass county, which he rented and worked on shares by the month, where he continued for four or five years. He then bought forty acres of fertile farming land, on which he built a log cabin, 16 x 16 feet, into which he and his family moved. Here he continued to live and industriously improved his farm, for two years. At the end of this time, he sold out and again rented land, on which he lived for about five years. He then bought forty more acres of partly im- proved land, which he continued to work for seven or eight years, wlien he again sold out and bought 110 acres in the immediate vicinity. On this latter place, he continued to live until 1856, at which time he pur- chased his present farm. Here he now has 120 acres, which he has carefully cultivated to mixed farming, besides which he lias made a specialty of stock-raising, having now some very fine specimens of cattle. By unremit- ting industry, able management and careful economy, he has prospercd, and is now vir- tually retired from active business, and is en- joying in comfort the fruits of his early toil.
Mr. Lewis first was married in February, 1832, to Miss Sarah Graham, an intelligent lady, who was an orphan, and a native of Green county, Kentucky. By this marriage, there were seven children, five of whom are yet living: the elder, Elizabeth, is married and has seven children and ten grandchildren; Nancy Jane W. is married and has eleven children and sixteen grandchildren; Mary A. married, has four children and two grandchil- dren; Caroline, married, has five children and one grandchild; Kilbourn, married, has eight children. The devoted wife and mother died in 1863, aged forty-six years, leaving her fam- ily and many friends to mourn hier loss.
October 4. 1864, Mr. Lewis was again married, his second wife being Mary E. Clark, an estimable lady, who was born in Marietta, Ohio, August 28, 1823. Her parents were John S. and Mary E. (Pearse) Clark, both natives of Ohio. Grandfather Pearse was a brave soldier in the Revolutionary war, and drew a pension for his services in that struggle. Her father was born in Cincin- nati, and was an old sailor and river boat- man. In 1826 he brought a boat load of saltto Illinois, landing at Beardstown. Thence he proceeded to Morgan county, where he settled on a farm, on which he continued to live until three years previous to his deatlı. He then sold out and bought property in town, where he resided, retired from business pursuits, until his death, at the age of seventy- three years. He was a very energetic man and was popular among his associates, being widely known throughout this State. His wife died at the same place as her husband, aged sixty-five years. She was an intelligent woman of kindly impulses, and much beloved by those who knew her. They were the pa- rents of fourteen children, of whom, as far as known, three or four now survive. By the second marriage Mr. A. Lewis has one son, Charles, born July 4, 1868, who is now married and has one child.
Whatever success has blessed Mr. Lewis' efforts is entirely due to his own persistence and intelligence, and he richly deserves the prosperity which he now enjoys.
ORMAN PARSONS, now retired and living quietly at his home at the corner of Fifth and Washington streets, is one of the old settlers, having come here in 1854. Hc was born in Hartford, Connecticut, No- vember 6, 1811, and was a child only a few
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years old when his parents, Moses and Elsiby (Pease) Parsons, with a colony of twenty families, during the war of 1812, came over- land with teams to Geauga county, Ohio. They arrived in June, 1814, and made a set- tlement in the heavy timber of that new, un- broken country, surrounded by Indians and plenty of game. He there lived until the country was well improved, when he died some years ago at the advanced age of eighty- seven years. His wife had died some five years before. They were Methodists, and the father and seven sons were all Republicans.
Norman Parsons served with his State militia, went through all the promotions from First Lieutenant to Colonel of his regiment. He was one of the organizers of the G. A. R. at Beardstown.
After liis arrival in Beardstown he became a member of the firm of Fischer & Parsons, wagon manufacturers, who did business for two years. A company was then established known as Putnam & Parsons, doing a general tonibstone business. This continued for two years, and at this time Mr. Parsons bought a stock of goods at Falls City, Nebraska, where lie lived for one year, and then returned to this county, where he secured and began to improve 175 acres of land near Beardstown. Here he continued until 1861, when he en- listed in the Third Illinois Cavalry and was soon after made Sergeant of Company C. He served three years in the army of the West. At Gerinantown, Tennessee, he veteranized and was made First Sergeant of Company F. of Third Illinois Cavalry, re-organized, and served until the fall of, Richmond. He returned to St. Louis, Missouri, with his regiment in 1865, and later was sent to Fort Snelling, Minnesota, to protect the whites against the Indians. He was honorably dis- charged at St. Paul, Minnesota, June 20,
1865. He was in all the great battles of his division of the army, and had many narrow escapes, and at one time was surrounded by General Forrest's men and made his escape only by his military tactics. He was a ınan of daring and bravery. He returned to Beardstown in 1865, made a trip to Nebraska on horseback, and spent some time there look- ing after his real-estate interests.
He was appointed Postmaster of this place by President Grantin his first term, and held it for eighteen years consecutively, and had in the meantime served as Justice of the Peace. He was one of the organizers of the Republican party in Geauga county, Ohio, and was vice-president of the first anti-slavery society organized in that section.
He was first married in Ohio, to Amanda F. King, who died in 1852, aged thirty-four. She left two sons: Melbourne, living in Beardstown, and William; both of these gen- tlemen made very fine records indeed in the war of the rebellion. Mr. Parsons was inar- ried a second time to Mrs. Catherine Saun- ders. She has three children by a former marriage, namely: John, a mercantile book- keeper; George, who was a member of Bat- tery B, Second Illinois Light Artillery, in the late war; and Elva J., a lady of superior talent, and a teacher in the high school, and is now the wife of Mr. Saunders.
QUIRE JAMES M. WATKINS, a popular Justice of the Peace and one of the most prosperous farmers of Cass county, Illinois, residing in township 18, range 9, was born in Richmond precinct, same county, February 5, 1839.
His parents were Elijah and Lydia A. (Montgomery) Watkins, both natives of Ken-
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tucky, the former born in Green county, in 1797, and the latter a native of Hart county. His father's parents were Samuel and Mary (McClnre) Watkins, the former a native of Wales and the latter of Maryland. Samuel Watkins came to America when a very young man and settled in Maryland, where he was married, and whence he removed to Ken- tucky. He was a prominent pioneer of the latter State, in which he made his home for many years, and where he died at the age of eighty-five years. His wife also died in that State, aged sixty-five or seventy years. They were the parents of twelve children, eleven of whom survive. Two of these, Lewie and Hank, were brave and efficient soldiers in the war of 1812. The mother of this subject was a daughter of Simpson and Salie (Gum) Montgomery. She was one of five children, two of whom were half brothers. Her father was of Scottish descent, his parents never com- ing to America, and her people were mostly farmers. Her father was a boatman, and lost his life by being struck on the head with a gun.
The father of the subject of this notice re- sided at home until he attained the age of nineteen. He then worked for a while by the day and month in Kentucky until he had ac- cumulated some means, and when, about the year 1833-'34, he emigrated with his wife to Illinois, at that time the frontier of civiliza- tion. They came overland with one wagon, drawn by oxen, and brought some stock. They first located in Wayne county, but shortly afterward removed to Menard county, where he continued to live nntil 1838, when he sold out and came to Cass county. Here he first rented land for five or six years, then bought eighty acres, a few of which were broken, and the place having an old log house on it. This house served as their home
for about a year, when it was replaced by a better one. The father was an exceedingly energetic man, and his success in this new country was a foregone conclusion. He added, from time to time, to his original pur- chase, until he possessed 300 acres of choice farming land, 160 of which was received from the Government. His death occurred on the old homestead in 1884, to the great sorrow of many friends, who esteemed him for his ability, industry and uprightness of character. He and his worthy wife were earnest and useful members of the Primitive Baptist Church, and he helped to build the first church in his locality. He displayed his usual activity in church and all good work, and acted as a Deacon for many years.
The subject of this sketch was reared to farm work and attended subscription school during the winters, working on his father's farm in the summer. Owing to his busy life, his education was limited, and he is es- sentially a self-educated and self-made man. Extensive reading, supplemented by excellent judgment and an active mind, have combined to render himself successful in life and a leader among men. He lived at home until after his marriage, and the following year moved to his father-in-law's farm, on which he remained until the next year. He then bought twenty-five acres, a few of which were broken, and built on it a box house, 16 x 18 feet. He and his family lived in this house for twelve or fourteen years, when he erected his present substantial and comfortable home. He has lived on the same place ever since, which now contains 120 acres, devoted to mixed farming, and is one of the finest farms in the connty.
He was married June 14, 1859, to Miss Nancy Jane Lewis, an estimable lady and a daugliter of Azariah and Sarah Lewis, a
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sketch of whom appears in this work. She was born April 4, 1842. They have eleven children, as follows: Sarah E., born March 10, 1860, married H. Speulda, and they have seven children; they live in South Dakota; Charles L., born October 16, 1861, married Susan McNeil, a native of this county; they have three children; Simpson Lee, born November 13, 1863, married Ida Taylor, and lives in Chandlerville; William B., born De- cember 28, 1867, married Belle Miller, and they have two children; he lives in this neighborhood; Laura, born December 15, 1865, married James Cooper, and they have three children; John R., born March 29, 1870, married Dora Lucas, and they have one child; Azariah, born August 20, 1872. Stella M., born December 19, 1874; Miamia B., born June 16, 1877; Josephine, born August 28, 1880; Casper, born June 25, 1884. All of Mr. Watkins' children have had educational advantages.
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