USA > Illinois > Brown County > Biographical review of Cass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois: Containing biographical sketches of pioneers and leading citizens > Part 49
USA > Illinois > Cass County > Biographical review of Cass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois: Containing biographical sketches of pioneers and leading citizens > Part 49
USA > Illinois > Schuyler County > Biographical review of Cass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois: Containing biographical sketches of pioneers and leading citizens > Part 49
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The subject of this sketch attended the subscription schools of Morgan county, and was reared to farm life. Thus passed his 28
boyhood and early manhood, when the coun- try was shaken to its foundations by the bloody carnage of civil war. Leaving his home, young Mr. Daniel enlisted, August 7, 1862, in Company K, One Hundred and First Illinois Infantry. He was assigned to duty at Cairo, Illinois, for a month, at the end of which time he was transferred to the Sixteenth Corps, accompanying his regiment to Holly Springs, Mississippi, where Mr. Daniel participated in his first engagement. A portion of the regiment was taken prison- ers, the remainder being detached to do duty as a guard at General Grant's headquarters. Among the latter was Company K, which ac- companied General Grant to Vicksburg, After the capture of that city, the portion of the regiment which had been captured was exchanged, and the regiment went to Union City, Tennessee, thencc to Louisville, Kell- tucky, and from there to Bridgeport, Ala- bama, whence they went to Chattanooga, Tennessee, where they took part in the bat- tle of Missionary Ridge with the Twentieth Army Corps. This brave company inade the meinorable winter inarch to Knoxville, during which they were without sufficient food, and their shoes being worn out they might have been tracked by blood from their bruised and bleeding feet. Mr. Daniel par- ticipated with his regiment in all the battles from Chattanooga to Atlanta, Georgia, being 100 days under fire. From Atlanta he accom- panied General Sherman in his march to the sea, and thence through the Carolinas, north to Washington City, where he par- ticipated in the grand review. In June, 1865, he was mustered out of service at Springfield, Illinois.
Mr. Daniel then returned to his boyhood home in Morgan county, where he was mar- ried in September, 1866, to Miss Lutheria
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Hubbard, an estimable lady and a native of Illinois. To this union two children were born, Edward Grant and Lorenzo Cass, botlı living and unmarried, and botlr employed as telegraph operators. Mr. Daniel's wife died, and he was afterward married to Zilpah Car- ter, a native of Morgan county. They had three children: Elizabeth E., Charles O. and Daisy, all living at home.
Mr. Daniel owns a small fruit farm in the suburbs of Ashland, and deals quite exten- sively in poultry, from the proceeds of whichi, and his pension, he lives very comfortably.
He is a stanch Republican in politics; and belongs to John Douglas Post, No. 592, G. A. R. He and his worthy wife are earn- est and useful members of the Missionary Baptist Church.
Thus in brief is given the few most promi- nent facts of a modest and useful life, which although not blazoned abroad is yet as well lived and important as that of the trumpeted heroes of the war. His duty done, he rests by his fireside in peace and happiness, the recipient of the good wishes of his neighbors, the affection of his family, and the gratitude of his country.
RS. RACHEL D. MARTIN was born in Redstone county, Pennsyl- vania, November 20, 1810. Her fatlier was Isaac Turner and her mother, Sarah Minton, and she was born in New Jer- sey and he in Germany. They were farmers, who moved to Ohio in an early day, in 1815, and located on the little Miami near the junction of the east fork. Mrs. Martin was one of a family of ten children. The family settled on 160 acres of partially improved jand and came down the Ohio on a flat-boat
from Whceling and landed at Cincinnati, and brought their teams and household goods. They worked hard and at their death they had the farm all paid for with improvements. The father died at the age of fifty-eight years and his wife some years later. Mrs. Martin and her sister, Sirena, the wife of Abel Light, a farmer in Kansas, are still living. The sub- ject of this sketch is eighty-two years old and her sister is eighty, both active, well preserved women. The most of the family died in youth or early childhood.
Matthias Turner was a farmer in this val- ley and died at the age of thirty-two years in 1852. His brother, Michael, was a farmer on the old homestead, and had many farms in the county of Hamilton in Ohio. He died at the age of eighty years, in 1890. He had a family of seven children, and the six who survived him have good farms. He never went to school in his childhood with the ex- ception of two years in Ohio, in summer, as they could not provide shoes and clothing in the winter.
When in her seventeenth year Rachel went to school eight weeks and learned to read and write, the reader being the New Testament In her nineteenth year she was married, April 12, 1829, to John Martin, who was born in Ohio, March 2, 1794. His father was Joseph Martin, and his mother was Rebecca (Giebel) Martin. Joseph Martin was a farmer, and was born in Wales and died in Ohio at a ripe old age, nearly eighty. His wife lived but a few months. They had nineteen children, two dying in infancy and one son at the age of nine years. Sixteen of these children caine to adult life and became heads of fami- lies and the youngest had but one child.
Mrs. Martin and her husband commenced domestic life on a rented farın in Hamilton county, Ohio. They owned a small farm
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SCHUYLER AND BROWN COUNTIES.
there, which they sold and eame to Illinois, in Marelı, 1837, bringing five children. They made the trip to Meredosia by steamboat, and settled on eighty acres in the Illinois bottoms. They sold this place to Mrs. Martin's brother, Matthias, and then bought 160 acres, of which the present home is a part. The beloved father died September 23, 1854, at the age of sixty-one, and then the farm was divided. He left his widow with a comfortable prop- erty. He owned at one time 860 acres, and 360 was swamp and bottom land that was overflowed. He came first out here on horse- baek from Cincinnati with Benjamin Speery, and the elioiee of land lie made was poor, hav- ing been deceived by some of the settlers, wlio liad come before him. When they eamne they brought their wagons and horses, one of the latter outliving his master. Mr. Martin was a stock-raiser and breeder, and was one of the leading ones of his time. He raised cattle, horses, hogs and sheep, and clothed themselves with the wool of the sheep and the flax which they raised. Mrs. Martin has been a heroine in hard work all her life, and is still the most important one on the place. She is bright in mind and strong in body. Of her children: Robert died at the age of ten years, August, 1846; Isaae died in November, 1862; he was a volunteer in Company D, One Hundred and Nineteenth Illinois Volunteers, and died in the hospital at Quiney; he left a widow and two sons; John Edward died October 25, 1883, aged twenty-two, and Sarah, the wife of James P. Craig, died in 1866, at the age of thirty-three, leaving one son and one daughter; Michael E. Martin died June 2, 1878, and left his widow, whose maiden name was Francis E. Hume, and one child, who died in infancy. She is witli her aged mother-in-law. The living of the family are; Joseplı Martin, a farmer of Ohio, and has
four living children: William B. Martin; M. V. Martin, a farmer near by on a part of the old farm. He has six children living and two deceased. John G. Martin, named for liis father, is residing on the old farm, and has four children: Rachel F. J., the youngest of the family, is the wife of John E. Taylor, and has eiglit children. Mrs. Martin is a Baptist. Mr, Martin is a Demoerat, while his sons are reformers.
OHN HENDERSON DAVIS, of see- tion 29, Huntsville, is numbered among the substantial farmers of Sehnyler county, where lie has resided since 1854. He was born in Rutherford county, Tennes- see, September 15, 1819, being a son of John and Mary (Bishop) Davis. John, Jr., was but a small boy when his father died. He was one of three children: John; James M., residing in Cartliage, Missouri; and Polly, now Mrs. John Lomax.
When John waseight years old the inother and other ehildren eamne to Illinois and first settled in Green county, near Whitehall, and later moved to Morgan eounty, near Jackson- ville. From there they went to Winchester, Scott county, and from there to Brown county, settling in Pea Ridge township, where the mother died. John was reared on the farm in Brown county and bought a farm in Brown county, where lie resided until 1854, when lie settled where he now resides. He purehased at first land that was entirely In- cultivated, but now lias 300 acres of as good land in as fine condition as any in the county. On this farm are excellent farin buildings. He has farmed and dealt in live stock for many years.
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He was married in Brown county to Maria Beckam, born in Ohio, daughter of George and Abigail Beckaın. She died in 1867, leaving ten children, namely: William H., and youngest sister, Cornelia, residing in Pratt county, Illinois; John W., married, re- sides in Huntsville township; James M., married and residing in Huntsville; Minerva, married to Newton Binkley, and resides in Hancock county; Emily, married to Luther Benson, of Harper county, Kansas; Louisa, married to John Swoap, of Adams county; Nancy, wife of William Adams, residing in Adams county; Charles H., at home; next, one that died in infancy; Alexander, married, and is living in Carroll county, Missonri.
Mr. Davis is a Democrat in politics, but has never wanted office. He is a man who has made his own way in the world and has done it successfully and gained the respect and esteem of every one who knows him.
AMES CUNNINGHAM, a prosperous farmer and stockinan of township 17 north, range 9 west, living near Phila- delphia, Illinois, was born near Edinburgh, Scotland, May 10, 1825. He comes of a family of sturdy, honest yoemanry, whose an- cestors have been of that bold, upright class which has infused new energy into the slug- gish veins of his country. His paternal grandfather was a baker in the British army, during the Revolutionary war. The parents of the subject of this sketch were John and Ellen (Taylor) Cunningham, both of them natives of bonny Scotland. In 1832, the first great sorrow fell upon the little family, when the devoted inother died, leaving six small children to the care of the bereaved fa- ther. Soon afterward, the father went alone
to the United States, and worked for about three years, at his trade of a miller, in Os- wego and Buffalo, New York. He then re- turned to his native country, where lie was soon afterward remarried; and in 1836, together with his wife and six children, he again emi- grated to the United States. After a voyage of five weeks they arrived in New York city, whence they went up the Hudson river to the Erie canal, via which they arrived at Buf- falo, New York. Thence they went by lake to Cleveland, Ohio, whence they staged across the country to the Ohio river, and then, by boat down to St. Louis and up the Illinois river, taveling all the time from May 10 until July 4, when they arrived at Beards- town, Cass county, Illinois, after an entire journey of fifty-five days, across an ocean and half-way across the American continent. In Cass county, near Virginia, his father pur- cliased a small farm, on which he erected a log cabin, in which he and his family resided, in pioneer fashion, until his father's death, two years later, in October, 1838. His fa- ther was a man of great uprightness of char- acter, generous-hearted and cordial in man- ner, and left many friends and well wishers to mourn his untimely death .-
Two of the six children who accompanied their parents to America have since died. Six children were by the first marriage and two by the second. Of the first family, Mar- garet was the eldest, wlio married Martin Hoagland, and dicd in middle life, near Jacksonville, Illinois, leaving a family; Jean- nette married Robert Taylor, a Scotchman by birth and a well-to-do farmer in the San- gamon valley; the third in order of birth is the subject of this sketch; Thomas, married, is a farmer near Virginia, Illinois; Archibald, married, died at Sugar Grove soinc twenty years ago, leaving one child; John is a farmer
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SCHUYLER AND BROWN COUNTIES.
in Missouri; Marian, now Mrs. Jacobs, is the sole survivor of the second family, the other child having died in infancy.
The subject of this notice landed in Amer- ica on his eleventh birthday,, and accompan- ied his parents to the little farin in Cass county, Illinois. Here he continued his edu- cation at the subscription schools of lis dis- triet, having previously attended school in his native country. His father's death, however, put an end to all further leisure for self-cult- ure, and a year after this sad event our sub- ject was bound ont to a neighbor, Stephen Lce, by whom he was reared to manhood. He then worked for a number of years in a steam saw and grist mill in Sugar Grove, in which he, later, bought a half interest, and finally purchased the entire property. This he continued to operate, in connection with his farm, for seven or eight years, when, in 1866, he sold his mill and bought his pres- ent farm, where he has since resided. This consists of 280 acres of choice agricultural land, owned by Mr. Cunningham and his son, who also operate eighty acres of leased land. This land is usually devoted to grain, but a great many hogs are also grown for market.
In October, 1856, Mr. Cunningham mar- ried Miss Sarah Elizabeth Hopkins, a native of Indiana, who came to Illinois with her parents, Henry and Elizabeth Hopkins, when she was only two years of age. Mr. and Mrs. Cunningham have two children: Henry, born in July, 1857, is unmarried, and man- ages his father's farm; Dorotha Ellen, born in October, 1858, married F. C. Fox, a pros- perous farmer and cattle feeder, who lives near by.
Mr. Cunningham was originally a Whig in politics, but has been a Republican since the organization of that party. His con-
stituents have shown their appreciation of his worth by electing him to the position of Trustee of his township, which office lie has held for twenty-four years, serving with in- tegrity and ability.
Mrs. Cunninghamn is an earnest and useful member of the Methodist Episcopal Churchi, and although Mr. Cunningliam is a non-pro- fessor of religion yet he gives liberally of his ineans to the support of the gospel and other religious and benevolent movements.
Thus, unaided, Mr. Cunningham has at- taincd, by his industry and lionesty, not only a competence for himself and family, but lias been able to donate to others less for- tunate than himself, all of which has en- deared him to his community and left his impress on many an honest heart.
ENRY GREVE, a successful mannfact- urer and dealer in tobacco and cigars, doing business on Main street in Beards- town, Illinois, was born in Hanover, in the town of Wittlage, May 20, 1844. He grew up, obtained his German education and learned his trade before he came to the Uni- ted States, which he reached in September, 1866. He was the second of the family to come to this conntry, his brother Anton having preceded him. His parents lived and died .in their native country. They were members of the German Lutheran Church all their lives. He worked at his trade in New York city for some time before he came to Beardstown. After his arrival here, April 2, 1867, lie at once began as a cigarmaker. He associated his brother Anton with him in 1876 as a partner, and they did business to- gether until 1880, since which time he has been continuing alone. He has a good,
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BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW OF CASS,
substantial trade, doing quite an extensive business and giving employment to several hundred workinen. He has accumulated considerable ineans, owns a good home and two business houses.
He was married in this city, to Miss Anna M. Reller, from Hanover, Germany, who came over in the same vessel with her husband. She has had two brothers and one sister settle in this city since her arrival. Her parents are both dead. She has been a good wife and mother. She and her husband attend the Lutheran Church, and have nine children: Lizzie, Carrie, Henry A., John F. W., Anna, Fred, William, Emma and Hilda. They have all been educated in the public and pa- rochial schools of Beardstown. Mr. Greve is a member of the A. O. U. W., of the Ger- man order, of Beardstown Lodge, of Prussia, No. 21, and is a trustee. He is a Democrat in politics, and is a very reliable mnan in every way.
SAAC M. STRIBLING, one of the most extensive and successful farmers of Illi- nois, a popular and influential citizen of Virginia, was born in Logan county, Ken- tucky, January 13, 1821.
His parents were Benjamin and Nancy (Washburn) Stribling, both natives of Vir- ginia. His paternal grandparents were Thomas and Elizabeth (Ayres) Stribling, also natives of the Old Dominion, who emi- grated to Logan county, Kentucky, in a very early day. There his grandfather purchased a tract of timber land, seven miles front Rus- sellville, which he improved and where he continued to reside until his death. The grandmother survived her husband, and ac- compauied her son, father of the subject of
this sketch, to Illinois, and died at his home. The father of the subject of this notice was inarried in Kentucky, and resided there until 1827, when he removed, with his wife and two children, to Illinois. The journey was made overland with a team, and they brought provisions and cooking utensils with them, and camped and cooked by the way. He first located in Morgan county, where he bought a tract of land, on which he and his family resided for three years. In 1830 he sold out and came to Cass county, settling a mile and a half northwest of the present site of Vir- ginia, he and his family being among the earliest settlers of the county. He bought eighty acres and entered 720 acres of Gov- ernment land. On that which he bought there was a small house, the sides and roof of which were covered with split boards, while the floor was made of puncheon. The chimney was made of carth and sticks, known in those days as a " cat-and-stick" chimney. He at once commenced to improve his land, and resided there some years, after which he removed to land which he had purchased on the Sangamon river bottomns. He remained there a few years, eventually moving to Beardstown, and finally to Virginia. In the latter place he bought a comfortable home, and spent his last years retired from active business. His first wife, mother of the sub- ject of this notice, was a daughter of Philip Washburn, and she died on the home farm in 1846. Three of her children attained matu- rity; Benjamin F. died on the old homestead; and Thomas, the youngest son, now resides in California.
Isaac M., whose name heads this memoir, was six years old when his parents removed to Illinois, and he has a vivid recollection of the overland journey and subsequent pioneer life. Central Illinois was then very sparsely
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SCHUYLER AND BROWN COUNTIES.
settled, while northern Illinois was uninhab- ited except by Indians. There were no rail- roads for many years, and the people lived on the products of their farms and wild game, which abounded in great profusion, such as deer, turkeys, prairie chickens, geese and ducks. His father used to raise flax and cot- ton, which his mother would card, while he and his brothers would spin it, after which it was woven in a hand-loom. All cooking was donc by a fireplace, while the method of farming was quite different from that now employed. Grass was mown by hand and grain was cut with a sickle or cradle. As soon as he was large enough, our subject as- sisted his father in the improvement of tlie land, attending school as opportunity afforded. The schools were supported by subscriptions, each family paying according to the number of scholars sent. The schoolhouse was of logs, and the benches were made of rough slabs. Fifty cents a day in trade was the price of labor.
Mr. Stribling remained at home until he attained his majority, after which he carned his first money by mowing ten acres of land, receiving for it $1 an acre. His father gave him a tract of wild land, on which he com- menced work for himself. Most of it was raw prairie, and he immediately set about preparing the land for cultivation. He built on it a small house, in which, after marriage, he and his wife commenced life. He resided there for ten years and then inoved to his present home. He now owns 2,000 acres of choice farming land, 160 of which is in Me- nard county, and the remainder in Cass county. His property consists of the best in those localities, for which he paid the highest price demanded for agricultural lands. None of it is rented, but the whole is under his · supervision. His principal business is rais-
ing and feeding stock, his various farms being well supplied witlı a high grade of shorthorn cattle, well-bred logs, and draft and trotting horses.
He was first married in 1843, to Margaret Beggs, an intelligent lady, and a native of Virginia, daughter of Charles Beggs. By this union there are five surviving children: Joan, James, Thomas, Kate, Henry C. and Lou M. The family were called upon to mourn the loss of the devoted wife and mother, whose life had been one of continued exertion in their interest.
Mr. Stribling was married a second time, to Maria Carr, an estimable lady, a native of Cass county, this State, and a daughter of David and Julia Carr. By this marriage there are eight children: Emina, Carrie, Nel- lia, William B .; Hattie, Frank, George and Howard.
Mr. Stribling is pre-eminently a self-made inan, and has; by good judgment, steady in- dustry, economy and integrity, attained his prese ut phenomenal prosperity and acquire tlie universal good will of his fellow inen.
UCINDA J. VANDEVENTER .- This estimable lady is the widow of Barnett B. Vandeventer, is a native of Brown county, this State, and is the daughter of John W. and Margaret (Brown) Reid, both natives of Tennessee, who came to Illinois when single. Here they met each other and after acquaintance were married. Jolın Reid was the son of James C. Reid, of Ten- nessee, who came to Illinois at a very early date, abont 1827 or 1829, settling on a mill site on McKee's creek, about two and one- half miles west of Versailles, where he laid claim to one quarter scetion. There is no
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BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW OF CASS,
doubt but that James Reid came from Scot- land, he having married a Miss Nancy Cam- eron, of Irish descent, a lady of noble ancestry. Mr. James Reid erected a water-power mill, laving preferred a mill site to the more fertile acres of the county, when he took up his claim. This mill was a great success and proved a boon to the settlers who could have their grain ground here, without traveling so far to obtain a little meal or feed. Mr. and Mrs. Reid had eleven children, all of whom lived to maturity. Their son, Mrs. Vande- venter's father, had seven children, of whom Mrs. Vandeventer was the eldest. Four of of this family are still living, namely: Wil- son, County Clerk of Mt. Sterling, married · Margaret Bell Vandeventer; Martha, wife of Orlando Casteen, residents of Anthony, Kan- sas, where they live with their two dauglı- ters, and where he is County Treasurer of that county; Luzena, wife of Frank Martin, of Kansas; and Mrs. Vandeventer.
The last named lady was married, Novem- ber 18, 1866, to Barnett Vandeventer, brother of Thomas Vandeventer. He died March 17, 1886, leaving his faithful wife to mourn his loss. She is sustained in her great be- reavement by her loving children who are as follows: Fred R., aged twenty-four; O. J., in his twenty-third year; Horace, in his twenty- first year; and Dora, eighteen. They have all been well educated, and incline toward agri- cultural and domestic pursuits. These young people are all at home and are a great com- fort to their widowed mother, who bears her affliction with Christian resignation and pa- tience. She and her lamented husband were members of the Methodist Church, as were most of Mr. Vandeventer's family. This gen- tleman was only fifty-three years old at the time of his death, yet he left a fine estate, in connection with the estate of the Vandeven-
ter brothers, in which he had a third interest.
Mrs. Vandeventer and her interesting family are among the most respected and highly esteemed in the entire township, and all consider it a pleasure to know them.
LARKSON DORSETT, of section 21, Huntsville, has had his residence in Illinois since 1835. He was born in Randolph county, North Carolina, April 28, 1823, being a son of Ezra and Mary (Beck- erdite) Dorsett. In 1835 the family came to Illinois and first settled in Adams county, and Mr. Dorsett, Sr., entered land in Hunts- ville township, section 6. There Clarkson grew to manhood, and after marriage settled where he now resides. At first he purchased forty acres of land, which was unimproved, and here he has since resided. He now owns ninety-seven and one-half acres of land, and has a good set of farm buildings.
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