USA > Illinois > Brown County > Biographical review of Cass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois: Containing biographical sketches of pioneers and leading citizens > Part 61
USA > Illinois > Cass County > Biographical review of Cass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois: Containing biographical sketches of pioneers and leading citizens > Part 61
USA > Illinois > Schuyler County > Biographical review of Cass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois: Containing biographical sketches of pioneers and leading citizens > Part 61
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The history of the church dates back to the '40s, when a priest from Quincy, Illinois, came to start the church in Beardstown. He built and added to the edifice. There are now about 100 heads of families in the church and it is in a growing condition, although the railroad strike of 1887 caused a decrease of twenty-five families. Father Weigand is a worker and is a inan greatly be- loved by all his people, having studied their wants. He has charge of the parish at Arenzville. He had a parish school at Beardstown for a time, under his supervision. Father Weigand is a man of true Catholic spirit.
HRISTIAN BROCKSCHMIDT, a general fariner and stock raiser in Beardstown precinct, was born in Washington county, Illinois, January 30, 1852. His father's name was Henry, who was a native of Hanover, Germany, grew up
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a blacksmith and came to the United States in 1828. He settled in St. Louis, Missouri, and later his father and stepmother, through his help, also came to America. After Henry came to this country lie worked with the Eagle foundry of St. Louis, but losing his healtlı he settled with his family on a farm in Washington county, Illinois. His wife died some years later and he afterward went back to St. Louis and spent his last years there, dying in 1877 at the age of sixty- three years. He was a skilled mechanic, an active citizen and a worthy member of the Lutheran Church. He was a Deinocrat in politics. His wife was named Katharina Helmick, a native of Prussia, who came to St. Louis when a young girl. She was a inother of nine children and died in 1866, at the age of fifty-seven. She was a good, kind woman and a member of the Lutheran Church.
Christian is the youngest of a family of nine. He came here from St. Louis, where he had lived since he was fourteen years. He had been engaged as a teamster for many years. He came to Cass county, February 1880, first rented his land and then pur- chased his present farın, August 12, 1890. It consists of 244 acres in what is known as bottom lands, and 120 acres are under the plow. This is considered a fine piece of farming land and is located in township 19, range 11.
He was married in St. Louis, Missouri, to Louisa Shave, who was born in Prussia in 1850 and caine to the United States when fourteen years old, located at St. Louis, Mis- sonri, where her father, William died in 1877. He was thrice married. His first wife, the mother of Mrs. B., died in Germany when the latter was very young. Mr. and Mrs. B. have three children: Ida E., Fred
W. at home, and Minnie, deceased. They are members of the Sixth Street. Lutheran Church. He is a Republican. They are excellent people and highly respected.
ILLIAM L. BRUMBACK, Postmas- ter and merchant at Huntsville, be- came a resident of that place October 22, 1864. He was born in Boone county, Kentucky, January 29, 1852, being a son of Peter W. and Ann E. (Estes) Brumback. The former was born in Virginia in 1801, but removed in childhood with his parents to Kentucky, where he passed his early life on a farm, learned the trade of brick mason, also silversmith. He married in Kentucky a lady who was born September 22, 1809, and died March 16, 1884. After his marriage he bought land and engaged in farming. In October 1864, they came to Schuyler county, Illinois, and settled in Huntsville, where he was interested for a short time in merchandise. He died November 27, 1867. He and his wife had twelve children, eight of whom grew to maturity, namely: Oliver, Benjamin, Mil- dred Harrison, Isabel Barmour, Adelia Smith, Nathan, William L., Jessie Aleshire. Peter Brumback was an old-line Whig and later a Republican, being always prominent in poli- tics. His father, also Peter Brumback, was a German and caine to the United States when sixteen years of age. He served seven years in the Revolutionary war, being present at the surrender of Cornwallis. His brother, John, also came to America. The two were sons of a ship-builder in Germany. Mr. Peter Brumback, Jr., was an earnest mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
William was reared on a farm and tilled the soil until 1881, when he engaged in
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mercantile business and still continues it. He is a stanch Republican in politics. The appointment of Postmaster was conferred on him during Arthur's administration and he served nearly five years. In 1889 he was again appointed and now holds the office. He is also a Notary Public.
He was married, July 8, 1889, to Mary E., daughter of Budley and Nancy Overstreet. She was born in Huntsville. Mr. Bruin- back is a member of Huntsville Lodgc, No. 465, A. F. & A. M. Mr. and Mrs. Brum- back are highly esteemcd citizens of Hunts- ville.
ILLIAM HALE, an honored pioneer of Schuyler county, Illinois, who has contributed materially to the phe- nomenal advancement and prosperity of this section by liis superior executive ability, unremitting energy and progressive dis- position, enjoys a well-earned repose in retire- ment at Rushville. He is a native of New Madrid county, Missouri, where he was born May 18, 1833. His parents were James and Charlotte (Briggs) Hale, the former a native of Georgia and the latter of Vermont. Joshua Hale, paternal grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was also a native of Georgia, while his father was a native of England, who emigrated to this country at a very early day, and located in the South. Joshua Halc moved to Missouri previous to the war of 1812, and was one of the pioneers of that territory, which at that time included a very large area, out of which many States have been formed, but which was then the frontier of civiliza- tion. Joshua Hale was a farmer by occupa- tion and secured a large tract of Government land in this new and fertile territory, but
spent the last years of his life in New Mad- rid. James Hale was but a child when his parents removed to Missouri, where he was reared, educated and married, his wife being a lady of superior attainments and culture. She was a daughter of Asa Briggs, a brave and efficient soldier of the Revolutionary war; and widow of John Smith. In 1837, the family, consisting of father, mother and ten children, removed to Illinois. Here, al- though land could then be purchased for $1.25 an acre, the father, on account of limited mneans, was obliged to rent a farm for a few years. By industry and economy, he accumulated in time sufficient means to pur- chase a farm, and bought some choice agri- cultural land in Buena Vista township, on which he and his family located. This he as- siduously cultivated and inade on it many valnable improvements, continuing to reside there until his death, his wife also dying on the old homestead. He was a man of stor- ling qualities of mind and heart, and enjoyed with his worthy wife the highest esteem of all who knew them. Their death was greatly lamented, not only by their immediate faın- ily and friends, but by the whole community.
The subject of this sketch was only four years of age when his parents removed to Illinois, but he has a vivid recollection of the privations and vicissitudes of the long and toilsome journey, made in those pioneer days. The country was ¡wild and sparsely settled, while game and wild fowl abounded in great profusion, such as deer, turkey, prairie chickens, etc., while the streamns were full of excellent fish. People lived on the products of their land and wild game, while the subject of this biography and the rest of the family were clothed with homespun, manufactured by the unremitting toil of his mother's patient and skillful hands.
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Mr. Hale received the limited education afforded by the pioneer schools, and was reared to agricultural pursuits, early becom - ing accustomed to the liard labor incidental to farmn life. Previons to his father's deatlı he had invested in land, to which he subse- quently added, uutil lic now owns 430 acres in a body iu Buena Vista township, com- prising some of the best realty in that vicin- ity. He continued to reside on this farın, which lie brought to a high state of cultiva- tion and greatly improved, until 1892, when he moved to liis present home in Rushville. Here he has a substantial home with attract- ive and tasteful surroundings, all the ap- pointincuts of whichi suggest comfort and re- finement, where he and his worthy wife are enjoying in ease the fruits of their early in- dustrious efforts.
Mr. Hale was married in 1855, to Miss Margaret Priscilla Sponamore, an estimable lady, a native of Schuyler county, Illinois, and a daugliter of William and Mary (Green) Sponamore, pioneers and prominent residents of this county. They have had nine children, seven of whom now survive: Mary F .; Sarah Malinda;, James F., Hester A., William C., Lydia Belle, and John Martin, - all of whom fill positions of honor in business and society. The parents are earnest and nseful members of the Methodist Episcopal Church Sonth, to the support of which they contribute liber- ally of their means and influence.
Politieally, Mr. Hale affiliates with the Democratic party, and althoughi not a poli- tician in the modern acceptance of the word, takes an active interest in all public affairs of importance. He is public-spirited and is al- ways ready to assist any worthy enterprise, tending to the moral, educational or material advancement of his vicinity.
Whatever prosperity Mr. Hale has attained is entirely due to his own unaided efforts. By persistent industry, careful economy and intelligent management lie has accumulated a competency, while his unimpeachable in- tegrity, unwavering fidelity and uniform courtesy have gained for him the universal esteem of his fellowinen.
ILLIAM PILGER was born in the Rhine province, Prussia, Germany, iu 1832. He remained with his father in farming nutil 1853, when he took passage for the United States on the ship Yaeger which was making its first voyage. He landed in New Orleans after a six weeks' voyage, and then came up to St. Louis by way of the Mississippi, and from there caine on to Bcards- town. He spent the first five. or six years liere as a laborer. He was the first son of the family to come to this country, one sister having preceded liim, auother brother and two other sisters caine over and settled in St. Louis. Here one died. Mr. Pilger came here a poor young man just twenty-one years of age. He began to farm here in 1858, and was actively engaged in farming and stock- raising froun 1858 to 1891, when he retired to Beardstown. He owns 240 acres of very good land, forty being in timber, the rest iu- proved and supplied with good buildings. He lias niade inoney by his own efforts and is now enjoying the result of those efforts. He has been a hard-working citizen and is well known in the county, and now resides on the corner of Eleventh and Adains streets.
Mr. Pilger was married to Elizabeth Schmidt, who was born in Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, October 20, 1830, and she died at her home on the farul, March 4, 1881. She
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was young, when, with her mother and other children, she came to the United States and settled in Cass county, where her father had preceded them two years.
Mr. and Mrs. Pilger had six children, four of whom are living, viz .: Louis, a teamster in Beardstown, married Mary Stock; Lena, is the wife of Marshall J. Ratineau, a painter by trade; Henry C., is a farmer; William is also a farmer on his father's homestead, and married Mary Holbrook. Mr. and Mrs. Pil- ger and family are members of the Lutheran Church. Mr. Pilger is a Republican in politics, and is a man of influence in the city in which he has made his present wealth. He is great respected by all who know him.
RANCIS EUGENE CADY is one of the prominent pioneers and substantial farmers of Schuyler county, born in Stafford county, Connecticut, December 4, 1825, being a son of Isaac and Sarah (Chap- inan) Cady. Francis was ten years old when the family came to Illinois, landing June 12, 1835. The family soon settled in Camden township, entering the northwest one quarter, section 18. Here he grew to manhood. He was reared on the farm, but learned the trade of bricklaying and plastering. After he was inarried he settled on section 18, on eiglity acres of land, entered by his half brother, Alonzo Jones. Mr. Cady gave his attention to his trade for awhile, and then went to California in April, 1853, crossing the plains with an ox team most of the way. He was accompanied by his brother, M. E. Cady, and they took 150 head of cattle and thirteen head of horses. He remained two years and pur- sued mining, being successful at that occupa- tion. He returned via the Isthmus and New
York city. Hc now owns 160 acres of land, which he has well improved and on which he las erected a nice set of farm buildings.
He was married in 1855 to Percilla Nor- vall, of Claiborne county, Tennessee, a daugh- ter of William and Mary (Jenkins) Norvall, of Scotch parentage, the former born in Vir- ginia, the latter in North Carolina. Mr. Norvall received a good education and was a lawyer by profession, and was married twice, his second wife being Mrs. Cady's inother. He died at the age of sixty-five years, in 1825. Mrs. Cady was one of eleven children. A part of the family came to Illinois and settled in Huntsville in 1835, and Mrs. Cady was among the number. Here the inother died in 1858, aged seventy-two years. Her brothers and sisters are: William, Timothy, Ralph, John, Saralı, Henry, Nancy, Rufus Audren and Mrs. Cady.
Mr. and Mrs. Cady have had four children: Mary, wife of Henry King, of Huntsville township; Isaac N., a ranchman in California; William E., farmer of Huntsville township; Francis E., at home. He is a Democrat, but has never sought public office. He is a inem- ber of Camden Lodge, No. 668, A. F. & A. M.
AMES M. EDWARDS, of the firm of Edwards & Cavens, Camden, Illinois, general merchants, was born in the northern part of Greene county, Illinois, Sep- tember 12, 1839. He was the son of Islam B. and Sarah (Day) Edwards, natives of Vir- ginia and Kentucky. The father of our sub- ject went to Kentucky when a young man, where he married and in the winter of 1830 caine to Illinois and settled in Greene county, entering land and engaging in farming, and he there passed his remaining years. He
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died in February, 1882, aged seventy-nine years. His wife died at the age of sixty- two years.
Father of subject owned over 1,000 acres of land, and at one time he was a large stock- raiser. They had thirteen sons and three daugliters; twelve of whom grew up. The subject was the thirteenth child. He was raised on the farm, and in' August, 1857, was married to Miss Melinda E. Hoots, daughter of David Hoots, of Scott county. Our subject, after his marriage, purchased land and pursued farming in Greene county until 1862, in August, of which year he enlisted and was mnstered into service with Company H, Ninety-first Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and served for two years and nine months as a private soldier.
He was in the battles of Elizabethtown, Mabeto, Richmond, Red River expedition and many other battles. After the war he resumed farming in Greene county for one year, and then sold out his farm and went to the Cherokee lands in Indian Nation, and one year later he returned to Greene county, and two years later came to Schuyler county, and purchased 160 acres of land, which he improved further and sold. He has since improved ten farins in Schnyler county, numbering at least 2,000 acres. He has been a hard worker and has improved more farms than any other man in Schuyler county.
He owned a sawmill for eight years, and for thirty-two years has run the mill for threshing machines. He las at all times been ready to engage in any business which wonld promise to make any money. He has been at all times very successful in all of his enterprises. He now owns 160 acres of land, and property in Camden.
In 1891, he engaged in his present busi- ness. He dealt in live stock for twenty
years. Mr. and Mrs. Edwards have had eight children, six are living: Sarah J. mar- ried Harvey Bleckledge of Henderson county, Illinois; Etta married George Watt and re- sides in Camden township; Trissie married Nicholas Notson of Schnyler county; Ollie Belle married Amos Cavens, her father's partner; Mary Emeline and Daisie D.
In politics, Mr. Edwards is a Republican. He has been Justice of the Peace and other local offices. He is a member of the Cam- den Lodge, No. 648, A. F. & A. M. He is also a member of the G. A. R. Post in Brooklyn.
ENRY J. BAUJAN, a successful liv- eryman, blacksmith, dealer in imple- inents and buggies and owner of the Palace Hotel, was born December 20, 1859, in this city, and was here reared and edu- cated. He is the second son of John Banjan, who was born in Germany and who, when he was twenty-nine years old, came to the United States. He followed his trade of brick ma- son in St. Louis for one year and then came to Cass connty, and was married at Arenz- ville, and later came to Beardstown. Here he established a brick-yard, did a manufact- uring business for some time and later be- came connected with the gristmilling business under the firm name of J. Baujan & Co., until his death, in July, 1889. He was over sixty-nine years of age when he died and was a well-known and popular German of this city.
Our subject is one of seven children. He has always lived in this city and here learned his trade of blacksmith, before which he worked in his father's mill. He has been in the livery business for one year and carries a
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fine class of outfits and good horses. He has been a blacksmith and farm implement dealer for nine years, and has always made money. No doubt a great deal of it is owing to his good habits and his energy as a business man.
He was married to Rosa Milner, born in this city August 23, 1861. She was here educated, although she completed it at St. Louis, and she is an intelligent, agrecable lady. Her parents, Hannah and Richard Milner, of English descent, are well known settlers of this city. Mr. Milner has for six- teen years been the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy bridge tender and Government water ganger of the Illinois river. These old peo- ple are connected with the better elements of the city. They are Methodists and con- sistent Christians.
Mr. and Mrs. Banjan attend the Methodist Episcopal Church. He is a Democrat in politics, has been Alderman of the city, and is a public-spirited young man. They have three children, Nellie, Verna and Glenna.
AMES PERRY, a prominent citizen of Versailles, is a native of the Blue Grass country, being born there in 1817. His father was Edmond Perry, a farmer of South Carolina, and his father was Nathan Perry, a farmer of the same State, who came to Illi- nois in the fall of 1830. Edmond Perry had made the journey the year before, in the com- pany of his two brothers and a brother-in- law. They spent the winter of 1829-'30 in Illinois and were here during the big snow- storm, which is a historical one. In June of 1830, he returned to his family and brought them and his parents to the new country. The trip was made in the regulation style, covered wagons and ox teamns, and, although
they were a month on the journey, they en- joycd it to a remarkable degree. There was a fascination in the free life they led, camping by the roadside when they made their stops. One night the party had the luxury of sleep- ing in a vacant honse in Springfield. The party consisted of seven families of the Perrys, inchiding two brothers-in-law. They came with limited means, but before long by industry they all were in comfortable circum- stances. The old grandinother Perry had been a Miss Rebecca Yarbrey, and she was the mother of eight children, all of whom eventually came to Illinois. She and her husband lived to be aged people, he dying at the age of eighty-two years and she some three years before him. Their children were; Edmond Perry, father of subject, eighty-two; Luke Perry, eighty; Melvina, seventy; Will- iam died in the prime of life; Edward, ahont seventy; Sarah, over seventy; Irving, about sixty; Benjamin, baptized in the Baptist Church, is about sixty; John, baptized in the saine faith when seventy-five years of age; Edmond Perry married Rachel Bridges of North Carolina, and they had eleven children, all of whom grew up and had families, namely: Martha, died when she was about fifty, leaving nine children; Phoebe, died when a young woman, leaving four children; Rebecca, wife of Samnel Briggs, of Versailles ; Ichabod, a retired farmer in Mt. Sterling is a widower; James, of this sketch; Nathan, a farmer of this township; Sarah died in this township, leaving six children, being abont fifty at her death; Melvina died in the prime of life, lcaving one child; Lonisa married and in middle life; Francis, farmer of Mt. Sterling, has six sons; and Luke, a farmer of Stone county, Missouri, who has six children. The mother died when about seventy-six years of age and the father four
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years later, when he was eighty-two years of age. They left a good estate and are remem- bered as being among the best of the pioneer families of the State. -
Mr. Perry was inarried, in his twenty- third year to Eliza Hills of Indiana, dangh- ter of Robert and Betsy (Angel) Hills, who came to Schuyler county before the big snow- storm. They died on their farm at an ad- vanced age, he when he was seventy-five, and she when she was a year younger.
Mr. and Mrs. Perry settled on their present home of eighty acres in the fall of 1841, Oc- tober 15. He now pays taxes on abont 560 acres of land, although he started with very little money. All of their eleven children are living, the eldest fifty-three and the youngest twenty-six. There is not a dcath in the family and all of the children are inar- ried and settled in life. Thesc children are: Charles, now a banker in Knoxville, lowa, with two sons; William Perry (see sketch); Olive, wife of J. B. Masters, a retired farmer of Denver, with three children; Francis, a farmer of this township, with four children; Robin, a farmer of Mt. Sterling township, with one daughter; Almira, wife of Richard Underwood, a farmer living near by, has four sons; Elizabeth, wife of James Butler, a farmer of this township, six children; Ed- mond, a farmer of this township with two children; Eliza, wife of E. W. Lanier, a a farmer living near by, four children; and James K., a farmer on the old homestead, two children.
Mr. Perry supports the principles of the Democratic party and he and his wife are members of the Baptist Church. Mr. Perry is now an old man, being abont seventy-five, while his faithful wife is about two years younger. He is practically retired, but takes a strong interest in all that is taking place,
and is as much interested in the welfare of his children and grandchildren as if he were yet a young man. These children are persons to be proud of, as none of them ever contract any debts that they are not perfectly able to pay, all have been well educated, and are worthy sons and daughters of their respected and honored parents. The old people's hearts are gladdened by the merry prattle of the thirty-three grandchildren who have been added to this large and prosperous family.
J. ROWLAND was born in Frederick county, Virginia, near Winchester, January 15, 1864. His father, Mat- thew M. Rowland, was born in the same county. His father was a native of Wales and came to Virginia where he lived until his death at an advanced old age. Mr. Matthew Rowland was a farmer all his life; he mar- ried Miss Margaret Campbell, also of Vir- ginia, who died in Jacksonville, Illinois. Mr. Rowland died in Virginia, in 1834, when his son was still very small.
Our subject began to support himself when he was eleven years old. He learned the saddle and harness business at Zanesville, Ohio. Here he remained after learning his trade. He then removed to Newark, Ohio, and began business for himself and remaincd there six years. From there he went to Coshocton county, Spring Mountain, and from there to Coshocton, the county seat. The war then broke out and he enlisted in the One Hundred and Third Ohio Infantry and served about two years when lie was dis- charged by the close of the war. He made a fine record in the army and was a brave soldier. He settled in Keokuk, Iowa, and
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remained there three years and then re- mnoved to Brown county, and lias resided here ever since.
He was married in Newark, Ohio, to Miss Lenora Barring, of Slatestown, New York, born September 18, 1850. They have had eleven children, seven of whom are living, namely: Blendon L., Louise, Lu- cinda C., Abner C., Lovey Augusta, Bessie I. and Homer M. Mr. Rowland worked at his trade at this place until he retired. He is connected with .the Methodist Episcopal Church and has been for forty years. He has been a member of the Masonic fraternity for about the same number of years. He and his wife are good, higlily esteemed citizens of the place and liave earned their right to their present life of ease by years of toil in their younger days.
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