USA > Illinois > Brown County > Biographical review of Cass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois: Containing biographical sketches of pioneers and leading citizens > Part 59
USA > Illinois > Cass County > Biographical review of Cass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois: Containing biographical sketches of pioneers and leading citizens > Part 59
USA > Illinois > Schuyler County > Biographical review of Cass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois: Containing biographical sketches of pioneers and leading citizens > Part 59
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76
He was married in Perry, Pike county, Illinois, to Miss Dora Brandom of Indiana, in June, 1880. She came when young to Quincy, Illinois, with hier parents, and her father now resides in Beardstown. Mr. and Mrs. Coil have six bright children: Maybell M., Grace, Arthur L., Harry, Bessie L. and Ruth M.,- all at home with their parents. They attend the Methodist Church. Mr. Coil has been a delegate to local conventions as he is a strong inan in his party.
RNEST H. BOLLE, now running a suc- cessful meat market on Second street, was born in Hesse-Darmstadt, near Hesse- Cassel, March 26, 1832. He is the son of John and Keshling Bolle, natives of Hesse, where they were married and their children were born. The family set out for the United States in 1845, landing after five weeks' voy.
489
SCHUYLER AND BROWN COUNTIES.
age. They settled in Beardstown in the same year that they came to the country, and here the father died when sixty-eight years of age, and the mother died some time later. They liad both been inembers of the Lutheran Church.
Mr. Bolle has resided in Beardstown ever since he arrived here in 1845. For some years he was a mechanical engineer for the Quincy Railroad. In 1885 Mr. Bolle went into business on his own account and has been quite successful as a dealer in live stock. His present business was established in 1879, under the firm name of Bolle, Ortwine & Co.
He was inarried in this city to Helena Nice. She was born in Hesse, Germany, and there her parents lived and died. She came with some old friends to this country and lived in this city until her deatlı. December 5, 1887. She was born in 1833 and was a good wife and faithful mother, and bore her husband seven children, five of whom are yet living: Mary, wife of Henry G. Mohlman; Lena, wife of Zenas Sexton, a railroad bridge carpenter now at Galesburg; John is a clerk in the Quincy office in Beardstown, and mar- ried to Ida French; George and Bertha still live at home.
ILLIAM WOOD, a prominent pio- neer of 1827, resides on section 17, Huntsville township. He is the son of Mitchell and Nancy (Skiles) Wood, and was born in Wayne county, Missouri, March 8, 1824. His mother was born on the 27th of May, 1802. Her father, Williani, lived in Maryland and was the son of John and Lizzie Skyles. He was married in North Carolina, and went from there to Jasper county, Ten- nessee, resided there a few years and then
moved to within forty miles of Nasliville. There he lived until 1817 and then moved to the Territory of Missouri, remaining there until 1827, when he came to Schuyler connty, Illinois, and became one of the first settlers of Rushville township. He resided there until 1844, when he went to Madison, Iowa, and remained there with his sons until his death in 1845. His wife's name was Lydia Chaddick, of North Carolina, and she also died in 1845. Mr. Wood's mother was first married at nineteen years of age, to Mitchell Wood of Kentucky. They were married in Missouri, went from there to Arkansas, but after his death in 1825 she returned to her parents in Missouri. In 1827 she married Jonathan Smith. They lived in a log cabin near Rushville. At that time Rushville con- sisted of three log houses. She now resides with her dangliter, Mrs. Teel. During her married life she dressed her children in home- spun, and she raised the flax and spun and wove the cloth out of which they were made.
In 1827 Mr. Wood came with the family to Illinois and grew to manhood in the vicin- ity of Rushville. He was raised a farmer and embraced all the advantages for learning that was possible in tliose early days. In the fall of 1848 he married Hulda Ann Teel (see sketch of James A. Teel in this book). After his marriage he continued to live on the home farm.
In 1853 he crossed the plains to California and engaged in mining. After an absence of fourteen monthis he returned via Isthmus of Panama and New York city. In 1854 he purchased eighty acres of his present farnı and settled on same. In August, 1862, lie en- listed in Company F, One Hundred and Ninteenth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and served three years, going throngli many seri- ous battles, and was mustered out with the
490
BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW OF CASS,
rank of Corporal. After the war he resumed business on liis farm and now owns 240 acres of land and follows stock-raising.
Mr. and Mrs. Wood have seven children: William H., Ann Elizabeth Wilson, Mitchell C., Dora Josephine, John R., Calvin Mead and Ella Alice. Mr. Wood is a Republican in politics and has been honored with all the local offices and is a member of Cyclone Lodge, I. O. O. F.
ACHARIAH HASH, a widely known and esteemed pioneer of Cass county, Illinois, now one of the most prosper- ous farmers of this section, residing in town- ship 19, range 9, was born in Green county, Kentucky, April 6, 1812.
He came of a family of patriots and suc- cessful agriculturists, many of whom held re- sponsible positions, in the service of their country, and a few were noted hunters in pio- neer days, being unerring marksmen and skillful trappers. His parents were Philip and Sarah (Nance) Hash, both natives of Virginia, who emigrated with their parents to Kentucky in an early day, when they themselves were quite young. The paternal grandparents of the subject of this sketch were Thomas and Ruth (Sturgeon) Hash, also natives of the Old Dominion, who spent their last days in Kentucky. The grand- father was a brave and efficient soldier in the Revolutionary war. The Hash family were of English ancestry, while the Sturgeons were originally from Ireland. The maternal grandfather was Zachariah Nance. Grand- father Nance served all through the Revolu- tionary war, and was a distinguished soldier. He drew a pension for his services, drawing
at one time as high as $700. Others of the family were distinguished soldiers in the old wars of this country, who sought to defend their land in her hour'of need. The Nances were mostly mechanics, being skilled in their various callings, and all lived to an advanced age. Our subject's parents and paternal grandparents were pioneers in three different States, and were hardy and energetic men and women, inured to hardship and toil. His father was an extensive traveler in pioneer days throughout the frontier, and visited nearly every settlement in the West during the '30s. He was an old Andrew Jackson Democrat, and took an active interest in pio- neer politics. He was for forty years an effi- cient Justice of the Peace in this section of Illinois, discharging his duties with judg- ment and impartiality. He was born Janu- ary 31, 1790, and died August 5, 1849; liis wife was born October 24, 1791, and died February 27, 1847. Both expired in south- western Missouri, whither they had removed from Illinois. They were the parents of fif- teen children, six or eight of whoin now sur- vive, as far as known. Some of these are prominent men in Indiana.
The subject of this sketch worked on his father's farm in Kentucky and Illinois until he was married. On account of the new- ness of the country and his busy life, his educational advantages were neglected, and he attended school for the first time when he was twenty-one years of age. He is essen- tially a self-made man, and having inherited a good intellect and robust constitution, has applied himself with such persistency that he is now a well informed and progressive mau, interested in everything that pertains to the welfare of his county, and takes a prominent part in all movements tending to the advance- ment of the community.
491
SCHUYLER AND BROWN COUNTIES.
When he first came to this State it was wild and sparsely settled, game and wild fowl abonnding in great profusion. He first located on Government land a short distance from where he now lives, on which he erected a log cabin. He lived there only two or three years, when he sold out and bought his present farm. He purchased 220 acres, which is now as fine a farm as can be found in Sangamon valley, or in the State. He paid twenty-five per cent interest on money with which he entered his land, but his in- dustry and careful management soon enabled Irim to pay all indebtedness, and left him a comfortable income. He raises flourishing crops, has erected a comfortable farın house, and has large barns for his grain and stock, and is numbered among the prosperous farin- ers of the county.
He was first married, June 26, 1834, to Miss Polly Dick, who was born in Kentucky, February 16, 1817, an intelligent and worthy lady, and a danghter of Peter and Christina (Shutt) Dick, well known and highly re- spected people. By this marriage there were seven children, two of whom survive: Peter, born May 19, 1853; and Martha, born January 11, 1856, who married John Plun- kett, a successful farmer, and they have five children. Two of our subject's children were inarried before their death: Philip, who had #a son and daughter; and Sarah J., married to Benjamin E. Bowman, left two children, one of whom, Orpha, was born November 14, 1872, and has been at the home of the subject of this sketch ever since her birth. Mr. - Hash's first wife died where he now lives, June 22, 1857, leaving her family and inany friends to mourn her loss.
On April .3, 1862, Mr. Hash was again married, chosing for his , second wife Miss Bowman, an estimable lady, who was born in
Rutherford county, Tennesssee, March 17, 1825, Her parents were Danicl and Katie (Horn) Bowman, natives of Maryland and Tennessee, respectively. They were the par- ents of ten children, of whom, as far as known, only four are now living. The Bowmans were originally from Germany. Grandfather, Daniel Bowman, was an old Revolutionary soldicr, and drew a liberal pension for his services. Most of Mrs. Hash's people are successful farmers.
Mr. Hash, like all of his people before him, is an Andrew Jackson Democrat, and al- though not actively engaged in political mat- ters, takes an interest in all public affairs of importance. He is more of a home man, and his private affairs absorb most of his at- tention.
He and his wife have been earnest and use- ful members of the Christian Church for many years.
Whatever success in life has been obtained by Mr. Hash. is entirely due to his own ex- ertions; and many a poor young inan, just starting in life, would do well to read his history, and adopt the methods pursued by the subject of the sketch. These methods are unfailing, and are persistent industry and careful economy, supplemented by intelli- gence and uprightness of character.
HARLES M. DUNLAP, who was for many years engaged in the lumber buusiness in Mt. Sterling, was born in · Lexington, Fayette county, Kentucky, in 1836. His father, Rev Latin W. Dunlap was born in New Jersey and went from there to Kentucky when quite young. He was converted in his youthful days and joincd the Baptist Church, but later identified himself with the Pres-
492
BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW OF CASS,
byterian Church. He came to Illinois in 1837, landing at La Grange and then located in Mt. Sterling, and here organized the first Presbyterian Church in the county and was its pastor for many years. He was a resident of this place almost continuously from 1837 until he died in 1889, aged eighty-seven years. His wife's name was Rebecca M. Bell, born in Lexington, Kentucky, and died at the age of fifty-four.
Charles Dunlap was but one year old when lie came to Mt. Sterling with his parents. He received his education in the public schools of this city, and when he had reached inanhood's estate he engaged in tlie lumber business and so continued for twenty years. For about fifteen years of this time he was connected with F. W. Rottger. In 18 -- he sold out his lumberyard to his partner and moved to the farm whichi he now occupies. This contains 400 acres, located one and one half iniles east of the courthouse. The build- ings which he has erected compare favorably with the best in tlie county.
For his wife he married Helen McCreery, born in Rushville, Schuyler county, daughter of James and Hannah McCreery. Mr. and Mrs. Dunlap have four children: Helen, George, Latin and Annie. He is a Demo- crat and a member of Unity Lodge, I. O. O. F.
INGLETON G. WRIGHT is numbered among the honored pioneers who have passed away. He was born in Hardin county, Kentucky, January 12, 1816, and died in Huntsville township, February 24, 1886. He has four brothers, Richard, James, Edmund and William. He canie to Illinois on horseback in 1836 and when he arrived in
Schuyler county his saddle horse constituted his entire property. He worked as a farm liand for William McKee, near Rushville, and while thus engaged made the acquaintance of Sarah E. Graham, who afterward became his wife. She was born in Kentucky, a daughter of Fergus and Martha (Tyree) Graliam, who settled in Schuyler county in an carly day.
About two years later Mr. Wright settled on section 17, Huntsville, where he purchased 320 acres of land. He was industrious and observed dne economy, and thus soon paid for his land and had money to loan. He carried on stock-raising in addition to his farming. He was an active inan until 1880, when he was taken sick witlı softening of the brain, which cansed his death six years later.
He was a Democrat in politics and a warm friend of public schools, being elected as School Trustee several terms. He donated the land occupied by the schoolhouse in the district.
Mrs. Wright still survives her husband and still resides on the old homestead.
Mr. and Mrs. Wright had four children: Frances, the wife of William Wood, Jr .; Martha and Columbia, who carry on the home farm; and Alice, the wife of R. Ackley. When Mr. Wright's healthi failed the work of carrying on the farm devolved on his two daughters, Martha and Columbia, as did the other business. These two girls have carried on the work of the farm successfully, not only superintending the work but also doing much of the outdoor labor themselves. When their father died the two girls pur- chased the interest of the others and now own the farm with the exception of their mother's dowry. Martha attended college at Abingdon, Illinois, and taught school for thirteen terms. She was a close student,
493
SCHUYLER AND BROWN COUNTIES.
rising at four in the morning in order to study. She is very systematic in all her work. The two are always willing to exert. their influence for the Democratic party.
ILLIAM P. GAUT, the subject of this notice, was born in Jefferson county, Tennessee, April 16, 1862. His father was Robert Gaut, born in the same place, in 1800, and his father, the grandfather of our subject, was George Gaut, born in Pennsylvania, who went to Tennes- see when a young man. This family is of Huguenot origin. He had by one wife thir- teen children, of whom ten grew to adult age. One of these, James Gaut, lived to the age of ninety-seven years, and the average of these ten were over eighty, and the one still living, George Gaut, is on the old home farm. The father of our present subject was reared to farm life and has good common schooling. He married Mary P. Woods in Tennessee, who was born there in 1799. She was of a family of ten children: James, Mary P., , Lutetia, John C., Martha J., W. P., E. Flora, Mary E., Sarah P. and Julia Ann M., the last two twins. Some of these children died in infancy. Of the six that came to adult age, five are still living. The mother of this family died in her forty-seventh year and the father lived nineteen years a widowcr. He died in 1864, in his sixty-fiftlı year, still mourning liis wife.
William P. Gaut is a photographier. At the age of seventeen years he went to work in a blast furnace in Monroe county where he was reared and at this place he worked for six years at low wages. He had the promise of $20 a month, but at that time fifty cents a day was average wages 83
when six cords of wood, pine and chestnut, could be bought for a dollar. He next went to work at the trade of carpenter and mill- wright and for six years tliis claimed his at- tention. From 1861 to 1886 he became a photographer, and he worked at this through Knoxville, Tennessee, and New Orleans.
Our subject was married in Versailles, in 1866, to Miss Elizabeth E. Reily, of Davidson county, North Carolina, who was born there December 21, 1840. She was the daughter of Solomon and Polly (Williams) Reily, both natives of North Carolina. She came to Illinois in 1850 with her niother, in a cov- ered wagon, emigrant style, and were four weeks making the trip. They camped out all but two nights, when the weather was stormy. She was an only child and lived with her mother until her marriage.
After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Gaut lived in Mount Sterling for a few months and then moved to Marietta, Georgia, where they remained about nine years when they re- turned to Mount Sterling and Mr. Gaut con- tinued the old business which he had started during the war. They bought their present farm of 611 acres, all bottom land except eighty acres, where they reside on the Bluffs, paying $8,000 for it. They have buried two sons and two daughters, all in infancy, but have four of the finest boys left that can be found in the township. R. Eugene is twen- ty-one, James B. is nineteen, Charles W. is fourteen and George Lea is a bright lad of ten years. All are at home in the sense of not having thought of any separate liome; Eugene is attending college at the State Uni- versity at Champaign; and James B. is fol- lowing his fancy by learning the carpenter's trade.
Mr. Gaut makes a special crop of his corn, and raiscs many hogs. He has his hill land
494
BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW OF CASS,
for a fruit farm and has it planted mostly in apples and peaches. The native products of uplands are pawpaws and of the .bottoms are pecans. He expects his land to yield from fifty to 100 bushels of corn to the acre.
Mr. Gaut is an ancient Odd Fellow and is a Royal Archi Mason and is a Democrat in politics. He was in the Confederate army from 1861 to 1863, and although he was not wounded lie lost his health. He was made a prisoner at Knoxville. He has voted for every President since 1861 and has been active in his party.
The aged mother of Mr. Gaut lives with him and is strong and vigorons still.
2202 * 20000
ILLIAM H. MCCREERY is a resi- dent of Huntsville township, residing on section 6, having settled here in 1834. His father, William McCreery, was born in Culpeper county, Virginia, Marclı 1, 1802, being a son of Jolin McCreery, who was also a native of Virginia and a planter. He married Saralı Roussean, of French an- cestry. William McCrcery, Sr., was reared on a farm and when seven years of age, the family removed to Kentucky, where he grew to manhood in Pulaski county. Here he entered the ministry of the Methodist Epis- copal Church as an itinerant preacher. His work was in Kentucky and Tennessee. In 1827 he preached in Orange county, In- diana. From there, in 1829, he went to Mis- souri and stayed for a few years, and an account of his work in this State may be found at length in Dr. McNally's History of Method- isni in Missouri. In 1832, in Cape Girar- deau county, Missouri, he married Harriet E. Long, and two years later they came to Rushville, Schuyler county, Illinois. The
next year they settled on section 6, Hunts- ville township, where Mr. McCreery liad purchased a claim August, 1834, and herc he resided until his death, November 2, 1884. He was a local preacher and was assigned a circuit in 1848, the Columbus circuit, Adams county. He continued his religious work until within a few weeks of his death. His wife died two days before her husband. He died within two hours after returning from hier funeral. Mr. McCreery was a good nian and was greatly opposed to slavery, refusing to receive any portion of them from his fath- er's estate. He was an ardent Whig and Re- publican in politics. They had thirteen children, nine of whom grew up to manhood, namely: James N. and Jolin F., twins: the former was drowned in the Missouri river while working on the bridge at Kansas City; the latter died in Taylor county, Iowa; Wil- liam H .; Sarah married Robert Ellis and re- sides at Saline county, Missonri; Eliza mar- ried William Kirk and resides in Lincoln county, Washington; Benjamin B. is a mer- chant and resides in Augusta, Illinois; Henry C. is also a merchant and resides in Illinois ; Edward M. resides in Henry county, and Mary married to Quincy Allphin and residing near Andover, Kansas.
Our subject was born in Cape Griardeau county, Missouri, June, 1834, and was only six months old when the family settled in . Illinois. He was reared on the farm and at- tended the country schools two or three miles distant from his home until he was twenty- one. He thien attended Rode River seminary one year. He then rented a farm from his father and in 1863 ·settled where he now re- sides, and in 1868 became the owner of 160 acres of land. He now owns 333 acres of land and follows stock-raising. He is a good Republican and has always supported the
495
SCHUYLER AND BROWN COUNTIES.
straight ticket. He is interested in all matters tending to improve the welfare of the county or township. He has run for several of the local offices, but, owing to the Republican party being in the minority, he has been de- feated. He is a charter member of the Hunts- ville Lodge, No. 465, A. F. and A. M., and has been Master of the same lodge.
He was married in 1881 to Rachel Baxter, daughter of James and Elizabeth (Cooper) Baxter of Ohio. The Baxter family came to Schuyler county in June, 1857, and settled in Huntsville. Mr. and Mrs. McCreery have had ten children, six grown up, namely: Will- iam Morris, for fourteen months.in the cen- sus office at Washington, is now in Augusta, Illinois; Frank M. and Fred H., twins, the former at home and the latter dealing in im- plements in Augusta, Illinois; Harry, Ralph and Mary are at home. Mr. and Mrs. Mc- Creery are members of the Methodist Episco- pal Church, in which they are earnest work- ers.
DWARD HAGENER, one of the firin of Hagener & Schuman, dealers in wines and liquors, located at the corner of State and Main streets, Beardstown, was born here in 1855, and was reared and educated in this same city, and he has always resided here. He is the younger of three sons, all of whom are excellent business inen. Their father, William Hagener, now deceased, was for many years prominent in the history of Beardstown. He was a mnan liked and re- spected by every one. He was a Republican in politics, and a member of the Lutheran Church. His wife yet living, aged seventy- three years, is one of the best old ladies in the city.
Mr. Hagener established a wood and coal yard in 1877. He also dealt in farnı imple- inents, and also managed a farm for some time in Hitchcock county, Nebraska, and spent some time in Colorado and California. His present business was established in Feb- ruary, 1890.
He was married in this city first to Miss Carrie Nieman. She was born in this city, and died at her home in this city, when only twenty-three years of age. She left one child, John, now a clerk for his grandfather, Fred Nieman. Mr. Hagener was married a second time, in St. Louis, Missouri, to Miss Mollie Harmon, January 29, 1889. She was born and reared in Astoria, and she is an excellent housekeeper and the mother of two children, George E. and Pearl. Mr. and Mrs, Hagener attend the Lutheran Church, and Mr. Hagener is a member of the I. O. O. F., Arch Lodge, No. 16. It is an old and very strong lodge. He has been a public-spirited man, and a worker for everything of value for his city and county. He takes no par- ticular part in politics, but votes the Repub- lican ticket.
OSEPH J. SMITH, of section 8, Pea Ridge township, is a native of North Carolina, having been born in that State, Chatham county, February 25, 1843. His father, Relliff Smith, was also born in the same county, December 4, 1810, being a son of Jonah and Patsy Smith. He married Nancy Dorsett, came to Illinois in 1851, and settling in North East township, Adams connty, where he purchased land, becoming the owner of 180 acres of good land. He later removed to a farm near Clayton, and resided there until 1890; then as he had sold
496
BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW OF CASS,
his farm to our subject, he began to inake his home with his son, and has continued with him ever since. His wife died in 1875. They had three children.
Joseph was reared on a farm, and resided at home until he grew to manhood. He was married in the fall of 1861, to Elizabeth May, daughter of Benjamin May. She was a native of North Carolina. Mr. May and his wife, Mary (Harris) May, were natives of the same State as their daughter, Mrs. Smith. They caine to Illinois in the fall of 1846, settling, first in Mt. Sterling, where the father rented land for three years. He then removed to Pea Ridge township, where he first rented land and then purchased ninety acres in sec- tion 16, which was partially improved. Here he has since resided, becoming the owner of 280 acres of land. He still owns 150 acres. He dates his birth back to 1818. He had ten children, eight of whom grew up.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.