USA > Illinois > Brown County > Biographical review of Cass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois: Containing biographical sketches of pioneers and leading citizens > Part 39
USA > Illinois > Cass County > Biographical review of Cass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois: Containing biographical sketches of pioneers and leading citizens > Part 39
USA > Illinois > Schuyler County > Biographical review of Cass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois: Containing biographical sketches of pioneers and leading citizens > Part 39
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his associates, always heading every movement for the moral and material improvement of his locality. The second wife lives on the old homestead. She is a lady of much cul- ture and refinement, and is universally be- loved.
The subject of this sketch was educated in Iudiana, and was reared to farin life, and in the peaceful pursuits of rural and home life spent liis earlier days. This happy routine was interrupted by civil discord, which rent the country, and on July 14, 1861, he en- listed at Madison, Indiana, in Company K, Twenty-second Indiana Infantry. He par- ticipated in the Missouri campaign, the first encounter taking place at Glasgow, that State, where Major Tanner was killed; and also took part in the fight at Blackwater, where the Union forces took 1,300 of the enemy prison- ers. Thence he accompanied his regiment, under the supervision of General Fremont, to Springfield, Missouri. General Hunter superseding General Fremont, they were re- turned to their old quarters, under the imme- diate command of General Curtis, with whom they marched to Springfield and thence to the battle at Pea Ridge, where the right flank suffered severely. Thence they went to Cor- inth, Mississippi, where they participated in the siege of Corinth, after which they returned to Iuka, that State, going from there to Flor- ence, Alabama, and back again to Louisville, inarching 400 miles in August and September, 1862. After this they went to Perryville, Kcn- tucky, where there was an engagement, in which Mr. Baxter was shot through the left knec, lying on the battlefield all night after being wounded. There were thirty-five men in his company on going into battle, and on emerging there were but eight unharmed, ten having been killed, thirteen wounded and four taken prisoners. Mr. Baxter was sent to the
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hospital at Louisville, where he remained from October 8, 1862, to February of the following year. He rejoined his regiment at Mur- freesboro, Tennessee, and there received his commission as First Lieutenant, being pro- moted from Duty Sergeant to that rank. In , the absence of the captain, who had been wounded, Mr. Baxter at once assumed com- mand of the company. His regiment re- mained in Murfreesboro until June, and then went on the Tullahoma campaign, following the enemy as far as Chattanooga, and par- ticipated in the historic battle of Chicka- mauga. It then fell back to Chattanooga, and engaged for a time in building fortifica- tions. It next took part in the sanguinary battle of Missionary Ridge, at which it was in Sheridan's division, and fought in the center. The following morning it started on a forced march for Knoxville, to relieve Burn- side, who was surrounded by Longstreet. During this rapid march, the regiment was short of rations and had no tents. It was encamped on Strawberry Plains for six weeks, while the ground, the greater part of the time, was covered with snow. At this place the regiment re-enlisted for three years, and then returned to Chattanooga, after which the men were given a veteran furlough. At the ex- piration of their leave of absence, they re- joined their command at Chattanooga, whence they started with General Sherman on his memorable march to the sea, the Twenty- second Indiana being in the advance brigade. The enemy were met in force at Tunnel Hill and Rocky Face Ridge, and next at Resaca, Georgia, whence the Union forces proceeded to Snake Crcek Gap, where Mr. Baxter's di- vision was separated from the main army, and sent, under General Jefferson C. Davis, via Rome, Georgia. Here an engagement was fought, at which Mr. Baxter was again
wounded in the left leg, the same as before. He remained about a month in Rome, when he secured a leave of absence for forty days, finally reporting to the officer's hospital, in Cincinnati, where the board of examiners ordered his discharge, General Slemmer being the chief of the board. On being discharged, August 29, 1864, he was granted $8.50. a month, that being half of a first lieutenant's pension.
In February, 1865, Mr. Baxter assisted in raising a company for the One Hundred and Forty-eightlı Indiana Regiment, of which company he became First Lieutenant and af- terward Captain. This regiment was sent to Columbia, Tennessee, where it did patrol duty until September 6, 1865, when it was mus- tered out of service.
Mr. Baxter then returned to his home in Indiana, and was subsequently employed for a time in the railroad business in Indianapo- lis. December 15, 1866, he reached Jack- sonville, Illinois, near which place he taught school two years; later, he taught school for another two years at Literberry, same State. . He was afterward engaged in selling goods in the latter place, where he acted at various times as railroad agent, Postmaster and Jus- tice of the Peace, his residence there extend- ing over a period of nine years.
In 1876 he was married, and included the Centennial Exposition in his wedding tour, visiting in old Virginia and spending a week in Washington city. Miss Lydia Ellen Crum was the lady of his choice, a daughter of Abram A. and Sarah (Buchanan) Crum, old and highly respected residents of the vicinity of Literberry, Illinois, where they still reside. Mr. and Mrs. Baxter have two sons, -- Albert, born October 9, 1880, and William Abram, born September 18, 1887.
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In 1881, Mr. Baxter sold ohut is mercan- tile interests in Literberry and removed to his present farm, five miles west of Ashland, where his father-in-law had given him $20,- 000 worth of land. He owns a farm of 760 acres on the garden spot of Illinois, and, as for that matter, of the world, inasmuch as there is no more fertile country on the globe than that included in the Prairie State. This season (1892), he has 260 acres of corn, 180 of wheat, and eighty of oats, the balance being meadow and pasture land. He lias here a substantial farm residence, neatly and com- fortably arranged; large barns for his grain and stock; and many other valnable improve- ments.
Mr. Baxter is a stanch Republican and takes an active interest in political matters. He has been a candidate for varions offices, but liis party being in the minority he was never elected, yet succeeded in helping to hold the party organization together.
He belongs to the G. A. R. and was the first commander of John L. Douglas Post, No. 591, at Ashland, having served two terms in that capacity.
Seven of Mr. Baxter's brothers were in the army, no two of whom were in the same regi- ment, and all returned home, and still sur- vive. Dr. Josiah was a Surgeon in the army; and Hayden was taken prisoner, stripped of his clothing and other valuables, paroled and turned loosc, walking all the way home from Arkansas Post. Of this family there were one Surgeon, two Captains one Lieutenant, and three privates in the service. The sub- ject of this sketch received three commissions, two as First Lieutenant, and one as Captain, all from the hands of the famous war Gover- nor Oliver P. Morton. Mr. Baxter received two wounds at the hands of the rebels, which compelled him to spend some eight months in
the hospital. During the total period of three years and eight months he served two years in comniand of his company; and, while he was one of the youngest soldiers in it, he thinks he did his part.
Had this family lived in Napoleon's time, they would have been greatly honorcd, inas- , much as he valued families only in proportion to the number of sons contributed to the in- satiable monster of war. It is the disadvan- tage of republican forms of government, that they bestow no special privileges for services rendered by their inhabitants other than the universal gratitude of millions living and unborn, which is supplemented, in the breasts of those champions of liberty in the late war, by a deep sense of duty done, which soothes the wounded spirit and begets a peace which passeth understanding.
REDERICK C. LANG, a self-made inan and one of the prominent merchants of Virginia, Illinois, belongs to that race of people -the Germans-noted this world over for theirenergy and thrift. By his own well-directed efforts he has risen to a position of prosperity, and at the same time has won the confidence and respect of all with whom he has had dealings, being now classed with the substantial business men and highly respected citizens of Virginia. It is with pleasure that we present the following facts in regard to his life and ancestry.
Frederick C. Lang was born on the river Teclı, village of Omden, in the Kingdom of Württemburg, Germany, September 7, 1848. His father, Christopher Frederick Lang, was born in the same locality. His grandparents, as far as known, spent their entire lives in Württemburg. Christopher F. Lang was
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reared and educated in his native land and there served an apprenticeship to the trade of a weaver, weaving at that time being chiefly done on the liand loom. He followed that trade in Germany till 1855, in the early part of which year he set sail from Havre de Grace, with his wife and three children, and landed in America in March, after a voyage of nearly three months. He went direct to Indianapolis, where he was employed at va- rious kinds of work. Finally he secured a position as porter in a wholesale drug store, and was thus engaged for a number of years. He resided in Indianapolis until his death, in 1887. The maiden name of his first wife, mother of Frederick C., was Mary Liebriclı. She was also a native of Württemburg. She reared three children: Frederick C., George and Mary.
Mr. Lang, being only six years old when he came to America, remembers little of any other save his adopted country. He was educated in the public schools of Indian- apolis, was reared to habits of industry, and at the age of fifteen was apprenticed to Jacob Vægtle, a tinsmith, of Indianapolis, and served four years. He did "jour" work in Indian- apolis one year, after which he went to Jack- sonville, Illinois, and was employed in the saine kind of work six years. He was very industrious, saved his money, and in 1874 caine to Virginia and began busines for him- self. He first opened a stock of stoves and tinware, and in 1885 added liardware. He now carries a full line of shelf hardware, stoves, tinware, etc. In connection with his store he also conducts a repair shop, having first-class machinery for doing all kinds of job work, tin roofing and the like.
In 1877 Mr. Lang was united in marriage with Mary Tendick, a native of Jacksonville, Illinois, and a dangliter of Deidrich and Sib-
illa Tendick, natives of Germany. They have four children: George, Clara, Flora and Willie.
Mr. and Mrs. Lang are members of the Presbyterian Church. Politically, he is a Republican.
R. GEORGE A. BYRNS was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, September 30, 1829.
His father, John, was born in Pennsyl- vania, and his father, Michael, was born in Ireland, of Scotch ancestry. He came to America a young man and followed his trade of paper maker, and lie met his death in 1825, by an accident in the mill in which he was working. John learned the same trade, fol- lowed the trade in Cincinnati for a few years and then began clerking on a steamboat run- ning on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. In a very early day he came to Illinois as a mem- ber of a surveying party and assisted in mak- ing surveys in the middle of the State. In 1840 he emigrated thither with his family and settled four miles north of Mt. Sterling, bought a farm and followed farming until 1849. He then started with others for Cal- ifornia, and after six months' travel with ox teams, landed there safely. He engaged there in mining for seven years and then re- turned to Mt. Sterling and lived retired until his death, in 1865. He was a soldier in the war of 1812. His wife was Harriet E. Hobbs, born in Scott county, Kentucky, daughter of Joseph Hobbs. She still lives in Mt. Sterling at the advanced age of eighty-six years.
George was in his eleventh year when he ' came to Illinois witli his parents. He re- ceived his early education in the schoools of Cincinnati, advanced by attendance in tlie
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schools of Brown county, Illinois. At the age of eighteen he began teaching, and threc years later began the study of medicine. In the winter of 1851-'52 he attended. lectures at Rush Medical College. He then com. menced practice at Cooperstown. In 1854 he returned to Rush Medical College and graduated in the class of 1855, then resumed practice at Cooperstown until 1862. In No- vember of that year lie entered the United States service as Assistant Surgeon of the One Hundred and Nineteenth Illinois Infantry, continuing in service until after the close of the war, participating in all the marches and campaigns of his regiment. He was honor- ably discharged and returned home and was in active practice at Cooperstown, with the exception of two years, 1866 to 1868, when he was in Mt. Sterling, until 1891, when he came to Mt. Sterling and has practiced here since.
He married in 1854, Cynthia A. Henry, born in Cooperstown, Brown county, Illinois. * She was the daughter of Orris M. Henry, one of the pioneers of Brown county, and for many years one of the most extensive bnsi- ness men. Dr. and Mrs. Byrns have seven living children: John H., Robert A., Elmer, Susan, Candace, Kate and Hattie. William, the second son, died at the age of thirty- three years. The Doctor is a member of Isaac McNeil Post, No. 289, G. A. R., and of Hardin Lodge, No. 44, A. F. & A. M.
BNER LEGRAND NOBLE has been for many years prominently identified with the history of Schuyler county, and is entitled to the following space in this volume. He is a native of Madison county, Kentucky, born June 12, 1822, a son of Will-
iam Noble of Lexington, Kentucky; the fa- ther was born, reared and married in the Blue- grass State, and there learned the trade of honse painting, which he pursued inany years. He resided in Kentucky until 1835, and then with his wife and six children re- moved to Illinois; they inade the journey with teams, camping along the way. Mr. Noble located in what is now Bainbridge township, where he purchased a tract of tim- ber land; a few acres had been cleared and a two-story honse had been built of hewn logs; here he lived several years, and finally sold the place and purchased another near by, on which he lived until death. He married Eleanor Ransom of Virginia, and a danghter of Ignatius Ransom, also a Virginian by birth. Abner Legrand Noble was a lad of twelve years when he came with his parents to Illinois, and remembers well many of the privations and hardships endured by the fam- ily. He received a limited education, and in early youth began to assist his father on the farm. He has been for years an exten- sive reader, and has made up for the deficien- cies of his early training. He remained with his parents until attaining his majority; he then learned the cooper's trade, and opened a shop in Rushville, manufacturing and selling to the trade for several years; he was com- pelled to close out the business on account of ill health.
In 1847, Mr. Noble was elected Constable, and for more than thirty-five years attended to the collections of this office; during this time he served three terms as Deputy Sheriff, one term as County Clerk, and one and a half terins as a member of the County. Board of Supervisors. He was a very efficient offi- cer, and gave entire satisfaction to the public.
He was married October 28, 1845, to Catherine Serrot, a native of Ohio, and a
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daughter of Peter and Nancy (Patton) Serrot. Of this union four children were born, two of whom survive: Phoebe Jackson, Dora and Ruth Tetrick; the only son, . William H., died at the age of eighteen years; Mary J., the oldest, married William D. Sperry: her death occurred in 1890. Mr. and Mrs. No- ble are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In early days Mr. Noble was a member of the Whig party, and cast his suf- frage for Lincoln; latterly he has voted with the Democratic party. For some time he has held the office of Police Magistrate.
NDREW CUNNINGHAM, of town- ship 17, range 9, section 6, Virginia post office, Illinois, was born near Edin- borough, Scotland, December 17, 1806. His parents were James and Marion (Wright) Cunningham, natives of Scotland, where they lived and died. His father was a baker and miller by occupation and owned and operated a flouring mill in the village of Bonnington, a suburb of Edinborough. They had eight children: Archibald, John, Charles, George, Andrew, Margaret, Jeanette and Mary, now Mrs. Russell, living at Edinborough. The eldest brother died in Scotland. Charles, who was British Consul to Russia and died at Gal- atz, on the Black sea. John and George died in Cass county, Illinois, leaving families. Margaret was Mrs. Blair and died in Edin- borough. Jeanette became Mrs. Shaen and died in England.
Mr. Cunningham was educated in his own country, where he learned the baker trade, and sailed for America March 14, 1834. He was married in Canada, in 1836, to Ellen Allen, who was also born in Scotland, in 1812.
She died in 1880. In 1835 he came to Cass county to look up a location and in the be- ginning of 1837 settled on his present farın. He entered about 700 acres of land, to which he has since added by purchase until he owns about 1,000 acres all. adjoining his present lome. On locating here he started a tannery on his farm and followed that business until after the war. He has since superintended his large estate and taken life more easily. He is a literary man, keeps himself surrounded with newspapers and books and lias a valuable library where he spends most of his time. Mr. and Mrs. Cun-
ningliam have five children: William went into the army in 1862 in the Third Illinois Cavalry, Company C, and died at Helena, Arkansas, Decmber 12, following; Andrew died in infancy; Margaret inarried Dr. Al- fred S. Dodds of Andrew county, Missouri; James A. lives with his father and superin- tends the faruis; Florence married a lawyer, A. G. Jones, at Mt. Pulaski, Illinois. She attends the college at Lincoln, Illinois, bnt Margaret finished her education in England. The boys all had good school education. An- drew afterward attended a business college at Chicago. Mr. Cunninghamı is a Unitarian in religious belief, a Republican in politics and was a Whig before the organization of the Republican party. His first presidental vote was cast for Clay. He has been a School Trustee and Director. Both he and his son James are mechanically inclined. He has given a portion of his leisure time to sculpt- ure, having now on exhibition two very fine ideal images of Venus and Hercules, besides other articles of animal sculpture.
James Cunningham settled in Charlestown, South Carolina, previous to the breaking out of the Revolutionary war. He at first served in the inilitia, under King George, and sub-
.
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sequently joined with the Colonial forces, with which he remained during hostilities.
Mr. Wright, the father of Marion Wright, also served in the war with the mother country.
OSHUA HEDGCOCK was born in Schuyler county, Illinois, February 2, 1843, onthe place where he now resides, a son of Jolin and Temperance Hedgcock. He received his educatiou at the public schools, remaining at home until August, 1862, when he enlisted, at the age of twenty, as a private in Company G, Seventy-second Regiment Illinois Volunteers, Captain H. D. French commanding the company. His was the first Board of Trade regiment made up in Chicago, commanded by Colonel F. A. Starring. He was in the battles of Champion Hills, Big Black, Benton, Mississippi; siege of Vicks- burg; Columbia and Spring Hill, Tennessee; Nashville, December, 1864, and Spanish Fort, Alabama, in April, 1865. He was discharged as Second Sergeant at the close of the war, with the record of which he is justly proud. He returned home in August, 1865, and lived with his father until his death, May 20, 1877, aged seventy-four years, and now occu- pies the old Spring Hill home of seventy- eiglit and one- lialf acres, which his father first bought and settled on in this country. He has now 230 acres.
Joshua was married first January 9, 1870, to Miss Susan E. Glover, born in Hancock county, and died here January 9, 1872, aged twenty-six years. She left one son, who sur- vived her eight months. Joshua was mar- ried for the second time, to Miss Anna M. Totten, April 10, 1879, who was born in Adams county, September 26, 1854, and by
this marriage there are six children. Mr. and Mrs. Hedgcock attend the Methodist Protestant Church. He is a member of Post No. 302, G. A. R., at Augusta, Illinois; has been Assessor of his township. His first vote was cast while home on furlough, for Lincoln, and every president he has since voted for has been elected, except one.
EORGE W. McCOY, an extensive farmer of Mt. Sterling, Illinois, was born in Adams county, Ohio, January 1, 1831. His father, Samuel McCoy, was born in Cecil county, Maryland, in 1796. The grandfather of our subject, Alexander McCoy, was born in Ireland, of Scotch an- cestry. His parents were poor and he com- menced very early to earn his own living, being brought up to work in a factory. He was a lad in his 'teens when he came to America and located in Maryland, where his parents who had preceded him to America were then living. He learned the cooper's trade, which he followed for some time. He was twice married but lost both of his wives before coming to Ohio. After the death of his second wife he removed with his children to Ohio and lived in that State some years, and then spent his last years in Brown county. The father of our subject died in 1882, in the eighty-fifth year of his age. He was about eighteen years old when he went to Ohio. He was very industrious, saved his earnings and finally purchased land in Adams county. He then turned his atten- tion to agricultural pursuits but still fol- lowed his trade a portion of each year. He resided inAdams county until 1839, and then sold his farm there and came to Illinois. He was accompanied by his wife and three chil -
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dren, and the entire journey was made over- land. After about fifteen days' travel they landed in Brown connty. He purchased a tract of land near Versailles, and there de- voted his time to farming. He was a resi- dent of Brown county until his death, which occurred as before stated.
The maiden name of the mother of our subject was Sarah Pilston. She was born in in Virginia, a daughter of William and Easter Pilston. She died in Ohio in 1834.
The subject of this writing was in his ninth year wlien he came to Illinois with his parents. At that time the country was wild and deer, wild turkeys, and other game were qnite plentiful. Farming was conducted in the most primitive inanner. All the grass was ent with a scythe, and the grain was either cut with a reap hook or a cradle aud trampled out with horses or with a flail. There were no fanning-mills, and in order to clean the grain one man would take it in a seive and hold it high and two others would stand by with a sheet with which they fanned the air and in that manner separated the grain from the chaff.
Mr. McCoy remained with his father until nineteen years of age, then commenced farm- ing on rented land. When he attained liis majority his father gave him $250, and with that and his earnings he had enough to pay cash on 120 acres of land, which is now in- cluded in the farin he now occupies. The whole price of the farm was $680, and he paid six per cent. interest on the balance. He lived in a log cabin and in that humble abode himself and wife commenced house- keeping. They occupied that dwelling about eighteen months and then built a brick house. Since that time he has erected a cominodions frame house and other build- ings, planted fruit and shade trees and
placed the land in a highi state of cultivation. He has been very successful as a farmer and. has purchased other land at different times and is now the owner of about 500 acres, all in Brown county.
The marriage of Mr. McCoy took place Jannary 27, 1853, to Sarah Harper. She was born in Ohio, August 29, 1835, and was the daughter of Elder James Harper. Mrs. . McCoy died November 2, 1868, and Mr. McCoy subsequently married Lucinda, a sister of his former wife, October 28, 1869. She was born in Brown county, Illinois, April 17, 1847, and died May 7, 1890. He was married to Laura J. Putman, October 28, 1891. She was born in Ohio, Angust 7, 1841. Her father, William Putman, was born in Bourbon county, Kentucky, October 16, 1797, and was the son of Zachariah and Winnifred (Collins) Putman. The parents of Mrs. McCoy moved to Ohio and resided in Champaign county for some years, com- ing from there to Illinois in 1841, at which time the father purchased a farm in Mt. Sterling township, which he occupied until his death, July 24, 1880. Mr. McCoy has five children by his first marriage: Elvira, Mahala, Mary Jane, Turner and Martha. Of liis second marriage there are William and Arthur. Mr. and Mrs. McCoy are members of the Primitive Baptist Church and are good pious people. In politics he affiliates with the Democratic party. He has served long as Supervisor and has been Chairman of the Board.
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