USA > Illinois > Brown County > Biographical review of Cass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois: Containing biographical sketches of pioneers and leading citizens > Part 28
USA > Illinois > Cass County > Biographical review of Cass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois: Containing biographical sketches of pioneers and leading citizens > Part 28
USA > Illinois > Schuyler County > Biographical review of Cass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois: Containing biographical sketches of pioneers and leading citizens > Part 28
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resided on it till his death, October 21, 1869. The maiden name of his wife was Martha Trombo. She was born in Rockingham connty, Virginia, March 16, 1778, and died May 12, 1811. Fonr of her children grew to matnrity: Elizabeth, Sarah, Mary and George. The grandmother of Mrs. Mills died Jannary 11, 1882. Twelve of her children were reared: Charles, Abram, Cyrus, Mary A. Barrett, Sarah Fairbank, Elizabeth Hall, John M., William, David, Myron L., Ellen Prince, and Albert G.
William Epler, father of Mrs. Mills, was reared in his native connty, and received his early education in the pioneer schools here, and subsequently attended Illinois College, Jacksonville. He has been prominently iden- tified with the business interests of Virginia many years. The maiden name of Mrs. Ep- ler, wife of William Epler, was Jane Abigail Woodman. She was born at Paw Paw, Mich- igan, March 6, 1838. From a genealogical record of the Woodman family, compiled by Jabez H. Woodman, we learn that there were two brothers. Edward and Archalaus Wood- man, natives of Christian Malford, a parish in Wiltshire, England, came to America in 1635, and settled in Newbury, Massachusetts. There descendants are numerous and are scattered in varions parts of the United States. It seems from this that Mrs. Mills is a descend- ant of Edward. The second in line was his son Edward, the third in line his son Archa- lans, the next in line Archalans' son Joseph, born May 4, 1714. He married Bridget Wil- ley in 1762. He died in Wheelock, Vermont, November, 1807. His son John, great grand- father of Mrs. Mills, married Sarah Foy. He died at Lyndon, Vermont, December 6, 1853, aged ninety years. His son, David Wood- man, grandfather of Mrs. Mills, was born in New England, July 27, 1793. He removed
from New England to New York State, thence to Michigan, and from there to Oketo, Kan- sas, where his death occurred Angust 28, 1892, aged ninety- nine years and one month. His wife, grandmother of Mrs. Mills, was Abigail Gray. The mother of Mrs. Mills died in the State of Nebraska, October 2, 1863, in the twenty-sixth year of her age. Mr. Epler, father of Mrs. Mills, now has a piece copied from an English history, that was published in 1615, that gave an account of the trial and burning at the stake at Lewis, in Sussex, England, of Richard Woodman, Jnne 22, 1557, on account of his religions convictions. He was tried before the Bishops of Chiches- ter and Winchester. He was very tenacions of his opinions, as are said to be some of the Woodmans of the present day. The parents of Mrs. Mills were married at the home of the bride's brother-in-law, Colonel John B. Cnl- ver, at Duluth, Minnesota, April 12, 1859. At that time Duluth was an Indian trading post, and they were the first white settlers ever married there. Mr. Epler was there in the employ of the United States Government as a civil engineer.
IRAM JAQUES was born in Schoharie connty, New York, Angust 17, 1814. He was the son of Jesse and Maria (Boice) Jaqnes. They both died in New York. They had twelve children, but only one or two are living. Hirain remained at home with his parents nntil their death, when he worked by the month nntil the spring of 1837, when he came to Illinois by the Ohio, Mississippi and Illinois rivers, with one of his brothers and two neighbors. They first bnilt a mill race, working it by day, month or job for two years, and then took an interest
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in a saw and grist mill, and later bought it all aud 200 acres of land.
Mr. Jaques was married in 1838'or 1839, to Nancy Reeves of Kentucky, where her father and inother were early settlers. They had very few neighbors, but there was an abundance of wild game. Mr. Jaques has lived on the farm he first purchased ever since his marriage, except two or tliree years. He first built a log house in which they lived until the present one was built.
They have had nine children, four of whom are yet living: Louisa, wife of Dr. Scanland (see sketch); Alma, married, and has one child; he served four years during the late war, was wounded three times, and now re- sides at Colorado Springs; Nephi Jaques served in the Tenth Illinois Cavalry two years and has since died, leaving two children; Rachel, who married Mr. Scanland, and has three children living; George, married, and has two children ; Walace W., married.
Mr. Jaques has always been an Andrew Jackson Democrat, and now votes the People's ticket, as he is now a member of that party, although he voted for Andrew Jackson. He has been engaged in general farming all his life, and he and his wife are greatly respected by all who know thiem.
EORGE D. UTTER, a prosperous farmer and stock-raiser of Frederick, Schuyler county, Illinois, was born in that place on November 13, 1846, the youngest child of John and Charlotte (Brines) Utter. Both of his parents were natives of Allegany county, New York, where the father was born No- vember 11, 1810, and the mother April 11, 1807. In 1815, when five years of age, his father came to Palmyra, Illinois, where his
youth and early manhood were spent. He was there married to Charlotte Brines, De- cember 5, 1834, and in 1839 removed with his wife and family to Schuyler county, same State, settling on the Rushville road, near l'leasant View. There heand huis worthy wife spent their remaining days, rearing six chil- dren, two boys and four girls, of whom two boys and one girl now survive. October 15, 1887, the family were called upon to mourn the loss of the devoted wife and inother, who had unselfishly watched over their interests for so many years. On February 14, of the following year, the honest, hard-working father also departed this life, as if unable to endure separation from his beloved com- panion. Both of these worthy people enjoyed the csteem of their entire community.
George, whose name heads this biography, was the baby of the family, and now weighs 240 pounds, which shows what Illinois can produce under favorable circumstances. He was trained to farm life and educated in the public schools of his native county, and now resides within one mile of his birthplace. By industry, economy and careful manage- ment, he has accumulated a competence for himself and family. He owns an excellent farm of 240 acres, which was originally pur- chased by his father, and is numbered among the successful farmers of Schuyler county.
March 14, 1867, he was married in Schuy- ler county, to Miss Priscilla J. Ward, who was born in Bainbridge, that county, April 10, 1848. Her parents, Apollos and Jane (Bramble) Ward, were among the first settlers of Schuyler county. Her father was a native of Hamilton county, Ohio, where he was born July 29, 1805. Her mother was born Feb- ruary 23, 1815, and their marriage occurred June 23, 1835. Her mother still survives, and is universally respected.
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Mr. and Mrs. Utter have seven children: Arthur Frank, born January 9, 1868, married Clara Bradman February 27, 1889, and lives on a farm near by; Albert Marion, born Oc- tober 29, 1870; Alice May, born September 4, 1873; Pulaski, born November 30, 1876; Amy Florence, born January 10, 1880; Mary Viola, born October 21, 1883; and Cora Minnie, born October 30, 1889. All of these are under the parental roof, and form a typi- cal happy family.
Politically, Mr. Utter affiliates with tlie Democratic party. Religiously, he and his wife are prominent members of the Method- ist Episcopal Church South.
Mr. Utter's prosperity is due to his per- sistent efforts and honorable dealings in all the walks of life. He is one of the repre- sentative inen of his county, and deservedly enjoys the esteem of his fellow inen.
RANKLIN L. ANGIER, chief clerk of the Locomotive and Car Department of the St. Louis Division of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad, was born in Vermont at Waterbury, where he was reared until twelve years of age. He was the son of Aaron Angier of New Hampshire. His father was American of French ancestry. Aaron was a Baptist clergyman and married in Vermont, Miss Eliza Luther. She came of good family of Scotch descent. After marrying, Rev. Mr. Angier continued his work in the church of his faith until 1850, when he moved to New York State, and after four years moved to Illinois in 1854. He died a few months after his arrival in this State, in Bureau county, while yet in active work, being then only forty-seven. He was
a hard-working, logical preacher, fluent talker and a worthy citizen. His wife survived him until 1863, and then died at the age of fifty- four. They had ten children.
When Franklin Angier was twelve they removed to Elbridge, New York, and here he was educated until he was sixteen, when the family removed to Illinois, where he has since resided. Except three years in the army, he has been engaged in clerical work. He enlisted from Geneva, Illinois, in Sep- tember, 1861, in Company B, Fifty-second Illinois Volunteer Infantry, Captain E. A. Bowen and Colonel Wilson in command. The latter named official did not retain his command very long, but was succeeded by Colonel T. W. Sweeny. The regiment was in the Fifteenth Army Corps of the Army of the Tennessee. They fought their first battles at Fort Donelson, Shiloh and siege of Cor- inth and battle of Corinth under General Rosecrans, and in October, 1863, Mr. Angier was discharged, and in May, 1864, re-enlisted and joined Company G, One Hundred and Thirty-niuth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, remaining until expiration of service, Octo- ber 28, 1864. They were garrisoned at Cairo, Illinois. He served in the capacity of First Lieutenant all the time he was in the One Hundred and Thirty-ninth Regiment.
After coming to this State Mr. Angier lived in Bureau county for a short time, and was married there to Adaline Stnith, born in Rochester, New York, in 1838, bnt was reared in Illinois, where her parents had moved when she was young. Her father, Alonzo Smith, was a farmer and died in Bureau county in 1865, when in middle life. His wife is still living and resides with her daughter Mrs. Angier. She is eighty-four. She has been a worthy member of the Baptist Church for years.
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Mr. and Mrs. Angier are members of the Baptist Church. Mr. Angier is a Republi- can in politics, and a Master Mason, being a member of Cass Lodge, No. 23, and Clarke Chapter, No. 29, of Beardstown. He has been Master and is now Secretary of the lodge. Is a member of McLane Post, No. 97, Grand Army of the Republic.
They have seven children: Mary, wife of C. E. Sperry, a painter of Aurora, Illinois; Frank is a clerk under his father and married Maude Foster; Florence is at home; Carl and Earl (twins), and Charles and Dana are all four at home. They all have received the advantage of a good education and are refined, intelligent young people.
RED KROHE was born in Cass county, September 30, 1849, and was reared in Beardstown, which has been his home. He is the son of Fred Krohe, Sr., who was born in Saxony, Germany, May 8, 1809, and who died November, 1880, in Beardstown. He was a young man when with his parents he came to the United States. He married in Cincinnati, Sophia Hoverkluf, who was born in Hanover, Germany, in 1816, and died March 20, 1888. She had come with her parents to the United States to Cass county, both dying there. She had a family of six children, of whom three are living.
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Mr. Krohe is a man who has devoted his time to his business and the amassing of a fortune. He has now retired and is living in Beardstown, and is living on the corner of Washington and Third streets. He has made a fortune and owns some very valuable prop- erty, and is owner of the opera-house block and some fine property in the county. He has lived in this county all his life, except
three years in Omaha, Nebraska, where he has some property interests.
He was married in Beardstown, to Elizabeth Stock of Cass county, a native of the same ounty. She was born February, 1846. She cwas reared and educated in this county and is the daughter of Henry and Elizabeth Stock, natives of Prussia. Mr. and Mrs. Stock, werc wealthy and well-known members of thecounty, and were members of the Lutheran Church.
Mrs. Krohe died at St. Louis, May 9, 1892; she was a good and worthy woman, who had always lived in Cass county and was associ- ated with its history. Since her death Mr. Krbhe has lived in his home at Beardstown.
HOMAS H. CARTER was born in Little York, York county, Pennsyl- vania, October 11, 1823. His father, Bushnell Carter, a native of Connecticut, came when a young man to Pennsylvania, where he married Julia L. Barber, an esti- mable lady. He was an educated man, a suc- cessful lawyer, and died in early inanhood. After the death of his mother our subject was taken by his father to an uncle in Connecti- cut, and there he grew to manhood. When twenty years of age he became a school teacher, and so continued until 1847, when he went to Canfield, Ohio, where he began the study of law under Judge Newton. He was admitted to the bar in 1852, after grad- uating from Ballston, New York. About this time, with a young wife, he made his way to Beardstown, and engaged in partnership in a general law business with a cousin, Car- ter Van Vleck, who had come here some years before. In later years he was connected in a legal way with Henry Philips, of Virginia, Illi- nois, but after some years he liad sole charge
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of the business himself. He became well- known through the State as one of the legal lights of the day, and has figured in it promi- nently. He has amassed a good farm prop- erty in Missouri, which is still in the family. He was not a politician, but he had been City Attorney of Beardstown, and from 1858 to 1861 he was Postmaster of the place. He was held in high esteem for his upright char- acter and good qualities. He was a Demno- crat, a Master Mason, a good moral man and a great lover of liome.
He was married to Miss Maria L. Peck, in Warren, Litchfield county, Connecticut, where he was reared. She was born in the same place December 13, 1825, and was a daughter of Phineas and Phoebe (Taylor) Peck, both of Litchfield. Mr. Peck was a farmer and purchased the old Peck home- stead, which is yet in the family. His death occurred July 11, 1870, at the age of seventy- seven. He was a strong, active man, and both he and his wife were members of the Con- gregational Church, as are also their children. Mr. and Mrs. Carter had one son, Augustine P., now chief clerk of Superintendent Jolin- son of the Montana Central Railroad of Helena, Montana. He married Miss Frances B. Henderson, of Monmouth, a daughter of Colonel Henderson, a prominent man of Warren county. Mr. and Mrs. Augustine Carter and wife have one bright daughter, Marcia P., named for her grandmother.
Mr. Carter died while in Peoria, Illinois, for treatment, on March 19, 1886, leaving to his many friends a memory most pleasing to cherish.
EORGE HENRY EIFERT settled in Schuyler county, January 13, 1857. He was born in Hesse-Darmstadt, Ger- many, February 11, 1823. He had five brotli-
ers and two sisters; the former all came to the United States, where the brother, John, died in Schuyler county; George also died there, while Ludwig died in this county; Valentine went away during the civil war, and was never heard from again.
George was the youngest, but his father died when only forty-one years old, so lie had to work very hard, as there were nine small children left. He came to the United States and first stopped in Maryland with a Dunkard preacher two years, when the minister sent him to Ohio. He went to Preble county, Ohio, and in 1854 he sent to Germany for Margaret Roth. She came to America from Hesse-Darmstadt in 1826, Jnne 21, all by herself. When she arrived in Ohio she and Mr. Eifert were married. In 1855 they came to Illinois and rented land in Schuyler county, which was but little improved. Here he passed his remaining years. Before his death he became the owner of 417 acres of land and put up fine buildings on the land, and he also raised stock. His death oc- cnrred November 17, 1884. His wife is still living on the homestead. They had four children: George, Charles W. and two wlio died in infancy. Mr. Eifert was a Democrat in politics, a Methodist in religion, and was an earnest, good man, dying happy and satisfied.
When he was married he borrowed $50, and that was all he had. When he came to Illinois he was worse off yet, as he then had only $20. He purchased a stove and wash- tnb, and they began housekeeping withont a chair, table, knife or fork, and slept on the floor a whole month before they could afford to bny a bedstead, but they worked hard and prospered.
George Eifert is the elder son of George and Margaret Eifert. He was born in Preble
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county, Ohio, August 6, 1856. The family came to Illinois, and he has since resided here, where he lias followed farming.
He was married, November 17, 1878, to Sarah Hale, daughter of William and Mar- garet Hale (see sketch). She was born in Schuyler county, Illinois, in 1858. They have two children: Carl and Warren. Mr. Eifert has part of the old homestead, where he follows stock-raising. He is a Democrat in politics and a member of the Methodist Church South. He and his wife are highly respected citizens of their section, and are admired by every one who knows them.
APTAIN SYLVESTER D. NOKES was born in Franklin county, New York, February 11, 1835. His father was John Nokes, born March 20, 1809, and his grandfather was Jacob Nokes, of New Eng- land. He was a farmer who died at an ad- vanced age in Brown county, Illinois, and his wife's name was Mary -, who bore him seven children. She dicd in Brown county about ten years after her husband, aged eighty years. John Nokes came West from New York in 1842, and settled in Brown county on 160 acres of new land, it being part of his present farm. He brought his wife and six children with him in a covered wagon. Hc rented for several years and then built a hewed-log house. Much of his land was prairie of the most productive kind. He resided on this farin about twenty years.
The Captain was a volunteer in the One Hundred and Nineteenth Illinois Infantry, Company E, enlisting Angust 9, 1862. He went as Second Lieutenant, and was mustered out as Captain, to which post he was pro- moted in 1864, in the place of Captain Mun-
ford, resigned. He was absent from his com- mand on account of a gunshot wound in the thigh received on the Red river. He was all through that campaign, was in the two days' fight before Nashville, Tennessee, and in the charge on Fort Blakely. He lias sixty acres of orchard land, apples, peaches and grapes. He keeps ten to twelve horses, fifteen to twenty head of cattle and fattens about fifty hogs per year. His orchards return him the best interest on his money. He built their fine brick farm house in 1881. The school- ing of the Captain is limited, but he is well informed and a great reader.
He was married about the age of twenty, to Anna J. Dodd, who was nearly sixteen. She was the daughter of William and Julia Ann Richardson Dodd. Her father was of Green county, Illinois, and her mother of Bradenburg, Kentucky.
The living children of Captain and Mrs. Nokes are: Mrs. Carrie Bradney, living in Missouri; Mrs. Mary V. Wright, at home; Oscar E., living at the Mounds; Birdie May, a young lady at home; Irwin Grant; and Jessie.
The Captain has been a Republican, but now is an Alliance man. He is justly proud of his war record.
R. SIDNEY W. SCANLAND was born in Carroll county, Kentucky, October 13, 1834. He was the son of Thomas B. and Agnes W. (Searcy) Scanland, who were also born in Kentucky. Thomas followed the trade of cooper when a young inan, and was married at the age of twenty- six, in Kentucky. In 1840 he came to Illi- nois. He settled first in Elkhorn township, and lived there two years on his first farm.
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He built a frame house, but in 1842 he bought in section 16 120 acres, and still later bought more land, until he had acquired nearly 400 acres. He improved his farın, built several houses and barns, and died Octo- ber 14, 1885, aged seventy-seven years, re- spected by all who knew him. He was the son of William Scanland, a native of Ken- tucky. William had come to Illinois in 1846, and settled in Pike county, where he and his wife lived and died very old people. They spent their last days in Pittsfield, Illinois. Our subject's inother was born in Carroll county, Kentucky, May 3, 1812, and died in Versailles, January 20, 1888, at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Susan McCoy. Her par- ents died when very old people in Kentucky.
Sidney was one of six children: four are yet living. One brother, George, was taken prisoner in the late war, and died five months later at Macon, Georgia. Our subject is the only professional inan in the family now liv- ing, but some of his father's brothers were prominent physicians. He remained at home until eighteen years of age, attending school, and after that taught school for some time, and during this time was obliged to board around among the neighbors, as they did in those times. During the years of his teaching he was educating himself, and when about twenty-six years of age, began to study medi- cine. After marriage, in 1860, he settled on the old farm where he had always lived, and in December, 1863, he enlisted in Company K, Tenth Illinois Cavalry, and remained in the service until January, 1866.
Before this time he had attended lectures at Rush Medical College. After the war he set- tled in Chambersburg, Pike county, and prac- ticed for seven years. He then came to this county, taught school one winter, then bought a little farm in 1875, and has practiced medi-
cine ever since. He has 100 acres of the old homestead and takes life very easy. He has taken an active part in everything that has taken place in the county, and has contributed time and money to advance the interests of the People's party. He is a prominent member of the G. A. R. in Isaac McNeil Post, also a lecturer in the Farmers' Alliance, and Presi- dent of an Anti-horse-thief Association.
He was married to Louisa L. Jaques of this county (seesketch of Hiram and Nancy Jaques). They have four children: Sidney H., George A. and Birdie C. are in Califor- nia; and Florence Z. is the wife of Oscar McCoy still living at home.
Dr. Sidney W. Scanland has always been a representative man of Elkhorn township; has twice been elected Justice of the Peace, and is at present acting as Notary Public.
EV. JAMES DE WITT was born at Hope, Warren county, New Jersey, No- vember 5, 1817, a son of James and Anna (Coates) De Witt; the father was born in Sussex county, New Jersey, and about the year 1842 emigrated to Michigan; he located on a farm in Oakland county, and there passed the remainder of his days; he died at the age of eighty-six years; the mother was also a na- tive of New Jersey, and died in Michigan, at the age of seventy years. They reared a family of eight children, seven of whom are living: one son was a merchant, another a tanner, and a third was a millwright, but they are now engaged in agricultural pursuits. James De Witt, Jr., remained at home with his parents until he was thirteen years of age, and then began clerking for an older brother; at the end of two years he secured a position as clerk in a general store, and three
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years later he went to Pennsylvania, where he was employed as a clerk by his brother. In the spring of 1838, he left the Keystone State, and came by rail, canal and river, to St. Louis; the journey was continued by water to Warsaw, where he disembarked, and from that point he walked to Schuyler county. The first summer of his residence here he clerked for Dr. Benjamin V. Teel, and then returned to New Jersey, where he spent the summer of 1839, and in the fall of 1839 he came again to this county and secured a po- sition with the firm of Wilson & Greer, which he held until 1842.
Mr. De Witt was united in marriage, Jan- nary 25, 1842, to Miss Ellen Little, a native of Columbia, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania; she died in this county at the age of sixty- one years; seven children were born of this union, six of whom are living: James L. is married and has three children; John M. is inarried and has three children; George W .; Elizabeth is married and the mother of four children; Cyrus L. is married; William A. is the youngest. Mrs. De Witt was a daughter of James and Rebecca Little, natives of Ire- land, who emigrated to the United States in 1801, and died in Schuyler county, Illinois, the father, at the age of seventy, and the mother at eighty-four years of age. Mr. De Witt was married a second time, October 3, 1883, to Mrs. Catharine H. (Pittinger) Waddell. She was born in Hancock county, West Virginia, April 30, 1837, a daughter of Nicholas and Elizabeth (Matthewson) Pit- tinger, natives of Ohio and Pennsylvania re- spectively; the father died at the age of sev- enty-two years, and the mother at eighty-five; they removed to Illinois in 1838, and settled in Fulton county, where they resided two years, thence they came to Schuyler county, and here passed the last days of their life;
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