USA > Illinois > Brown County > Biographical review of Cass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois: Containing biographical sketches of pioneers and leading citizens > Part 64
USA > Illinois > Cass County > Biographical review of Cass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois: Containing biographical sketches of pioneers and leading citizens > Part 64
USA > Illinois > Schuyler County > Biographical review of Cass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois: Containing biographical sketches of pioneers and leading citizens > Part 64
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one years of age, and then he worked at the shoemaker's trade for two years. He next took up the cooper's trade, which he followed five years, and then engaged in farming. In 1860 he settled on the place he now owns and occupies, section 8, Bainbridge town- ship.
Mr. Frisby was married in 1845, to Eliza- beth Thompson, who was born in Greene county, Pennsylvania. They have five chil- dren living: Ann Elizabeth, William V., Mary C., James and Scrilla H. The parents are members of the Frce Methodist Church.
Politically our subject is identified with the Republican party, and has represented the people of his township in many offices of trust and honor; he lias been School Trustee and Director, Collector, Town Clerk, Con- stable, Magistrate, and at the present time is School Treasurer, an office he has held more than twenty-five years. He has dis- charged all the duties devolving upon him with rare fidelity, and has the utmost con- fidence of his fellow-men.
NDREW LOGSDON, aprominent fariner of Bainbridge township, has been a resident of Schuyler county, Illi- nois, since he was a child of seven years. He was born in Cooperstown township, Brown county, Illinois, March 13, 1858. His father, Josepli Logsdon, was a native of Kentucky, born in Madison county, September 6, 1809, and the grandfather, William Logsdon, was also born in Madison county, Kentucky; he was a planter by occupation, and spent all his life in the county of his birth. He married Elizabeth Beheimer, a Virginian by birth; after the death of her husband she emigrated from Kentucky to Illinois., and died in Brown
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county, at the age of eighty-four years. Jo- seph Logsdon was reared in Kentucky, and was there married. In 1844 he came to Illi- nois and located in Brown county, where he purchased sixty acres of unimproved land in Cooperstown township; there he resided un- til 1865, when he removed to Woodstock township, Schuyler county; here he bought a tract of land that had been improved, and on it he has since lived. He was married to Lucy Parker, who was born in Madison county, Kentucky, May 1, 1815, a daughter of Jonathan and Patsey (Everson) Parker. Of this union were born eight children, seven of whom lived to mature years.
Andrew Logsdon, the subject of this no- tice, was reared from his seventh year in Woodstock township, and received his educa- tion in the common schools of that neighbor- hood. At the age of twenty years he assumed the responsibilities of life, and began his career as a farmer on rented land. In 1882 he purchased the land which he now occupies, located on section 6, Bainbridge township. He is engaged in general farming, and has been quite successful in his operations.
He was united in marriage in 1879, to Ro- lamah Terrill, a native of Bainbridge town- ship, and a daughter of Jackson and Elizabeth Terrill. To them have been born four children : Maude, Hugh, Lucy and Elizabeth. Politi- cally Mr. Logsdon has always been inde- pendent, and is now identified with the Peo- ple's party.
EORGE H. KIRKHAM, a prominent farmer and progressive citizen of Little- ton township, Schuyler county, was born in Brooklyn township, this county, April 22, 1846. His parents were Henry
and Elizabeth Kirkham, his father still living in Buena Vista township, this county.
Our subject received his education from a private teacher, who boarded about at the different homes, teaching in the various families, his facilities were thus necessarily limited, all of which have been supplemented by subsequent endeavor and self instruction. At the age of twenty, he enlisted in the war on Angust 15, 1861, serving in Company G and D, Twenty-eighth Illinois Infantry for four years, under the command of Captain B. C. Gillam. He was with his regiment all through the war, with the exception of about four months, when he was sick and in the hospital at Monterey, and went through the international struggle without receiving so much as a scratch. He was mustered out of the service in Brownsville, Texas, and honor- ably discharged in March, 1866. He liad a brother and two step-brothers also in the late war, his brother in the same regiment as himself, while his step-brothers served in the Fiftieth Illinois Infantry. His brother served for three years, at the end of which time he went as a substitute, serving until the close of the war. Both of his step-brothers were re-enlisted,
After the war he returned to Schuyler county, and on November 6, 1870, was ınar- ried to Anna E. Garrison, who was born in . this township and county, July 31, 1846. She was a danghter of George and Sarah Garrison, prominent pioneers of this county, who both died here, her father at the age of seventy-seven years. She was one of eleven children, ten still living. Our subject is one of six children, five living, all of them farmers.
After marriage, he located where he now resides, on a part of the old Garrison farın, he having made all the improvements at present noticeable on the place. He built,
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in 1882, his present large and comfortable home, and now has good barns for his grain and stock, besides various other -modern con- venieuces, facilitating the handling of the various products of his farin, which is devoted to mixed agriculture. He has recently added to his original farm by purchasing 160 acres, and now has one of the largest and best farms in the county, having more than 800 rods of tiling on his place.
Mr. and Mrs. Kirkham have ten children: Charles L., at Normal school, born January 6, 1872; Elizabeth, born March 27, 1873, wife of William Blodgett; Ida F., born No- veinber 16, 1874, now attending the Normal school; William R., born December 14, 1876; Margaret G., born August 4, 1878; George H., born May 16, 1882; Anna B. M., born September 4, 1884; James O., born January 4, 1888.
Politically, Mr. Kirkham is a Republican, and cast his first vote for General Grant's first term. He served as Collector of his town- ship during 1890, doing in that capacity creditable and satisfactory work. He is a member of Colonel Horney Post, G. A. R., No. 131.
He and wife are consistent members of the Christian Church, of which Mr. Kirkham is Deacon, and for the support of which he and wife are ardent workers and liberal contrib- utors.
Intelligent, honest and public-spirited, he commands thic respect of all, while his more amiable virtues have won the affectionate re- gard of his fellow citizens.
HENRY KIRKHAM, one of the oldest living pioneers and most highly estecmed citizens of Schuyler county, dates his first appcarrnce on the stirring scene of this locality on January 4, 1835. He is a native of Ohio. His father, Henry Kirkham, was born in Virginia, Sep-
tember 2, 1769, while his grandfather, Michael Kirkham, came from Ireland, where he was married, to the United States, locating first in Virginia, and later moved to Kentucky, residing in Lexington, that State, for seven years, during the ludian troubles. He died in Kentucky in 1835, aged ninety-six years. His wife died on the same day, aged ninety- four years, both dying of cholera.
The father of our subject removed from Virginia when a boy, accompanying the family to Kentucky, where he was married to Mary Gay. She was a native of Kentucky, having been born in that State in 1773. She died September 9, 1820. The parents of our subject removed from Kentucky to Ohio, coming in 1834 to Illinois, locating in Rush- ville township. Here his father died April 12, 1840.
His parents had ten children: Agnes, born February 3, 1794, married John Patterson, and died in Ohio; Sarah, born February 15, 1796, married John Kaze, and died in Mis- souri; Margaret, born January 6, 1798, was married, and died in Bloomfield Illinois; James, born January 11, 1800, died in Ohio; John, born September 6, 1802, died in Schuyler county, Illinois; Michael, born February 20, 1805, died in Schuyler county, Illinois; Mary, born August 7, 1808, married Martin Huffstetter, and died in Iowa; Rebecca, born February 20, 1810, married Peter Wempler, and died in Schuyler county, Illinois; the subject of our sketch, was born in Ohio; Willianı, born August 1, 1815, died in California.
At the age of five or six years, our subject removed with his parents to Monroe county, Indiana. Here he was reared on a farın, at- tending the district school, but receiving but little instruction. On January 4, 1835, he married Elizabeth Hinkle, and at once came to Illinois, locating in Schuyler county. He
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was poor, consequently rented land for some years, finally purchasing land in Woodstock township, Schuyler county, where he re- mained until the close of the war, when he removed to Buena Vista township, where he now resides. Here he owns eighty-two acres, which he has vastly improved, having erected a substantial residence and barns for grain and stock, besides numerous other modern conveniences for the pursuit of farming. His land is under a good state of cultivation, being devoted to mixed agriculture. It was here that his wife died, September 26, 1847, leav- ing six children to his care. She was a lady of much intelligence and many admirable traits of character, and was greatly regretted by her family and friends. The children were: James, born February 13, 1836, still residing with his father; William, born Sep- tember 26, 1837, was a soldier in Company G, Twenty-eighth Illinois, serving three years in the army, then re-enlisted and did duty until the close of the war, and now resides in Portland, Oregon; Mary, born September 4, 1839, married Jabez Vatters, residing in Macomb, Illinois; George H., born April 22, 1841, was a soldier in the Twenty-eighth Illinois, serving until the close of the war, now residing in Littleton township, Illinois; Sarah E., born March 20, 1843, married, and now resides in Springfield, Illinois; Margaret, born December 7, 1844, married Amos Burgee, and resides in Portland Oregon.
Our subject was married a second time, March 26, 1846, his second wife being Frances Swan, born in 1803. They had one son: Robert John, born December 28, 1849. By a foriner marriage to Morris Swan, she had had six children: Martha, Matilda, Mary Ann, James, Jason W. and one that died in infancy. His second wife died in 1875, much lamented by all who knew her, as a worthy
woman, a faithful wife and devoted mother
Politically, our . subject first voted the Whig ticket, and is now a Republican. His constituents have honored him by electing him to one of the most responsible positions in their power to bestow, he having served as School Treasurer for forty years, which is the only office he would accept.
The Kirkhams are Presbyterians, although our subject is not a member of any church. He is, however, a believer in the Christian religion, and has never used a profane word, or tasted intoxicating liquor in his life. A kind of rara avis, sometimes heard of but seldom seen.
His endorsement by the community, and his conduct of life, make further remarks un- necessary. His integrity and fidelity are noticeable in this day of uncertainty in such matters, and are as refreshing as they are rare, and appear to be fully appreciated by his community. Would that the world might have more of such men, that the millennium might be hastened!
OHN H. CLARK was born in West- moreland county, Pennsylvania, Septem- ber 8, 1815, a son of William and Rosana (Hurst) Clark. The father was a na- tive of Ohio, and in 1838 penetrated the frontier to Illinois, and located in Schuyler county. He erected a sawmill, which he operated for eight years, and then disposed of the property, retiring from active labor; he died at the home of John J. Redick, aged seventy four years; his wife was born in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, and died at the old homestead in Schuyler county, aged sixty-four years. John H. is one of a
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BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW OF CASS,
family of eight children, and the only sur- viving meinber. He remained under the parental roof mitil his marriage, which oc- curred March 1, 1852, when he was united to Miss Rena Black; she was born in Schuyler county, Illinois, and died here in early woman- hood; she was the mother of four children, two of whom are living: Mary E. is married and lias four children; Lorena is married and the mother of one child. Mr. Clark was married again in 1858, to Miss Mary Carter, a native of Ohio, who died in Schuyler county, Illinois, at the age of forty years. The third union was in 1870, when Mr. Clark was married to Miss Sarah E. Lawler; she was born in Fauquier county, Virginia, October 22, 1821, a daughter of James and Nancy (Harris) Lawler.
In 1870, Mr. Clark settled on a farm near his father's home, and began the task of clearing a heavily timbered tract; there he labored industriously for eight years, and then sold the place; he bought the farm he now owns soon afterward, but only eleven acres were cleared, and a log cabin was the only place of habitation. Since then he has witnessed the many changes that have been wrought by the hand of progress, and has done his share in making the path clear for the advance of civilization. His dealings with his fellow-men have been characterized by a strict integrity and keen sense of honor that have won the highest respect of all who know him.
The parents of Mrs. Clark, James and Diana (Thomas) Lawler, reared a family of five children, four of whom survive; the maternal ancestors came from Ireland, and the father participated in the war of the Revolution; he died at the age of seventy- five years, and she survived to the age of sixty.
Politically the subject of this sketch affili- ates with the Democratic party, and has always supported its issues. He and his wife are consistent members of the Christian Church.
ENRY P. GROVER, Mount Sterling, Illinois, one of the oldest settlers of the county, was born in Mason county, Ken- tucky. His father, Joseph, came from Vir- ginia, and the grandfather, Jonathan, spent his last years in Lewis county, Kentucky. Joseph was a farmer in Mason county, where he spent the last years of his life. His wife was named Saralı Putnamı. She was the daughter of Elizabeth and Henry Putnam, who came from Kentucky to Illinois in 1836, and she spent her last years in Brown county.
Henry was ten years old when his father died, and wlien he was sixteen years old his mother and her family moved to Ohio, and settled in Champaign county, where they were pioneers. They lived there until 1836, when Henry concluded to go West and try to better his fortune in a new country; con- sequently he came by teams as did other emigrants, and after eighteen days of travel landed in that part of Schuyler now included in Brown county. His means were very limited, and therefore, although there was plenty of Government land to be had for $1.25 an acre, he was not able to secure any for a time. He rented for two years, and then entered a Goverment tract, near Mount Sterling township. It was timber land, and he built the usual log hut, and existed for a long time upon the game that at that time was very plentiful. It was many years be- fore there was any railroad through that sec- tion. He made frequent trips to Quincy,
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forty miles distant with wheat. Those were days of privations, but are now looked back npon as being very happy ones.
His first wife was very industrious, was able to card, spin and wcave and dressed her entire family in homespun, made entirely by her own liands. Mr. Grover cleared the land and built a brick house and lived there until 1882, and traded with his son James for the farm he now owns and occupies.
He married first in 1833, Lucinda Pntnam of Champaign county, Ohio, a daughter of William and Mary Putnam. She died about 1860. His second wife was named Martha Putnam. He has seven children, who were all born by his first marriage, and are named : Erwin, Caroline, John G., Marion, James, Joseph and Angeline. Mr. Grover is a member of the Regular Primitive Baptist Church, and is a Democrat in politics. He has served two terms as a member of the County Board of Supervisors.
OSEPH LOGSDON, a venerable pioneer of Schuyler county, has been a resident of the State of Illinois since 1844. He was born in Madison county, Kentucky, Sep- tember 6, 1809, a son of William and Eliza- beth (Beheimer) Logsdon; his father was a native of the same county, and died there, at the age of fifty-five years; the mother sur- vived until her eighty-fiftlı year, and died in Brown county, Illinois. The paternal grand- parents, Edward and Polly Logsdon, also lived to a good old age. Joseph Logsdon is one of a family of eleven children, four of whom are yet living. He spent his youth at home, and in 1837 was united in marriage to Mise Incy Parker, a native of his own county, born May 1, 1815. Her parents, Jonathan
and Patsey (Everson) Parker, were born in Madison county, Kentucky, and were pioneers of Ohio. After his marriage Mr. Logsdon settled in Kentucky and followed agricult- ural pursuits there until 1844, when he came to Brown county, Illinois; he purchased sixty acres of wild land, and made it his liome until coming to Schuyler connty, when he bought a tract of 184 acres, which was well improved. He has done a general farming business, and has met with merited success.
Mr. and Mrs. Logsdon have had born to them nine children, seven of whom survive; they are all married and the heads of families, excepting one: Elizabeth R. has seven chil- dren; Perry is the subject of a sketch which will be found elsewhere in this volume; Sarah is the mother of seven children; Ellen has a family of six children; George is married, but has no children; Jacob has two children; Andrew is the father of a family of fonr; the two who are deceased were twins. The an- cestors have been people of long lives, noted for their honor and uprightness, respected by all who knew them.
HARLES H. PHELPS was born in Dntchess county, New York, January 25, 1836. He is the son of E. B. and Jane (Wright) Phelps, the former born in New Medford, Connectient, taught school for twenty-six years, and also ran a tile factory, working at different trades. He died at the age of fifty-five, in Dutchess connty, New York. His wife was born in Fishkill, New York, and died in Hancock county, aged fifty-five years. Her family were from the New England States, where they followed the occupation of farmers.
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BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW OF CASS,
Charles remained at home until he was twenty-three years of age, when lie came to Illinois in 1857 and settled near Huntsville on a rented farm. He then rented in Birmn- ingham township for five years, and two years in Hancock county. He then bought a farm in Hancock county, and lived there for ten years, then sold and bought in this county, in Huntsville, 240 acres of improved land, wlierc lie lived for four years, and then sold and rented a farm in Adams county, and in 1887 bought his present farm of 200 acres, partly improved, near the geographical center of the township. He has also been engaged in threshing.
Until Lincoln's second term he was a Democrat, but since that has been a stanch Republican. He has been Supervisor for four years, being first elected in 1888. He succeeded Marcus Helston.
He was married February 3, 1859, to Nancy Scott, of Carroll county, Ohio, who came here with her parents when two years old. She was the daughter of William and Elizabeth (Hunter) Scott, the former a son of John Scott, of Ireland, who canie with his wife and son to the United States when Will- iam was only eight years old. He rented in Carroll county, Ohio, in 1817, and came from there to Illinois in 1842, settling in Huntsville, Schuyler county. John Scott was seventy years old at his death, and his wife, Isabel, died on the old farm. Eliza- beth Hunter was born in Maryland, but her father was a native of Ireland. She died on the old farm, aged sixty-five years. She and her husband liad five children, four yet living.
Mr. Phelps was one of fourteen children, but he himself has only nine, as follows: Sarah Alice, wife of B. Craft, and they have three children; Williamn E., married to Nana
Tyree, four children; Charles F., married to Josephine Farewell, two children; Eliza May, inarried to George Burnett, one child; Ervin is at home, as are also George B., John R., Bert R. and Clara Belle.
Mr. and Mrs. Phelps are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Phelps has been the Master of the Masonic lodge, No. 465, of Huntsville, for eigliteen years. He was once a member of the I. O. O. F. He is a Granger, and was Master and State Deputy in same, and no one has been more popular, both in the offices he has held and in the various business dealings he has had with his fellow-inen. He was one of the inen who put John A. Logan in the United States Senate. He worked for him personally, and as long as the history of the Thirty-fourth Illinois Congressional District contest, which pnt J. A. Logan in the Senate, is preserved, just so long will the biography of Charles H. Phelps be on record as one of the workers, if not the hardest worker, in that cause. He knew no such word as fail, and much of the enthusiasm of that time was due to his ef- forts. He is a man of honor and upright- ness, and is loved by every one, regardless of party affiliations.
BRAHAM LINCOLN STOUT was born in Ripley township, Brown county, Illinois, November 9, 1860. He is the fifth son of Francis M. and Catherine Stout (see biography of same). He was reared and educated at Ripley. In his youthful days he attended school and helped his father on the farm. He lived with his parents until his marriage and then settled on the farm he now Owns and occupies. This contains 180 acres, pleasantly located on the Rushville
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road one mile east of the courthouse. He has erected a good set of farm buildings, planted fruit and shade trees and otherwise improved the farm.
He was married in November, 1884, to Miss Lonisa Lanning. She was born in Cooperstown township and was the daughter of Isaiah and Ellen Lanning. They have three children: Ethel, Eleanor Lottie and Helen.
Mrs. Stout is a member of the Christian Church. Mr. Stout is a Republican in poli- tics. Both he and his wife are good, hard- working farmers and are greatly esteemed by all who know them.
ICHARD BUSH, of Mt. Sterling, a successful manufacturer of tile and brick, was born in Zanesville, Ohio, December 20, 1827. His father, Thomas, was born near Easton, Pennsylvania, in 1802, and his father, Richard, was born in the same Statc. He removed from there to Ohio and was one of the pioneers of Muskingum county. The removal was made on pack horses in 1801. He secured Government land on Meig's creek. At that time the In- dians were more numerous than whites, but all of them were friendly. For many years there were no railroads, no canals, no markets, and the people lived on the products of their lands. His wife's name was Dorothy Ryman, born in Pennsylvania of German ancestry. Thomas was eight years old when his parents made this move to Ohio, and there he was reared and married. He learned the trade of carpenter, and in his early life would hew all the timber and then saw all the lumber with a whipsaw to build a barn. He remained in Ohio until 1834, and then with his wife
and nine children came to this State. This removal was made by team, cooking and camping by the way. Mr. Bush entercd Government land, oue and one-half miles east of Exeter. There was a small cabin on the land. As soon as he could well do so he erected a frame honse with two rooms, and that was one of the five houses of that sec- tion. At the time he settled there the county was but sparsely inhabited and much of the land was still owned by the Government. He remained there until 1849, when he sold and came to Brown connty and settled in Lee township, and bought land and lived there until his death. The name of his wife was Elizabeth Morrison, born in Virginia, daugh- ter of Alexander Morrison, who liad come from Ireland. He had settled in Virginia and from there had moved to Muskingum county, Ohio, and died near Zanesville, his wife being also from Ireland. She reared seven children and finally died on the home farm.
Richard was six years of age when he came to Illinois with his parents and attended the log schoolhouse. He remained with his par- ents until 1848 and the same fall he moved to Brown county, and settled in Lee town- ship. There he bought eighty acres of land, all wild, part timber and part prairie. He improved the farm and resided there until 1856, and then sold out and moved to Texas, making the journey with teams. He bought 400 acres of land in Lamar county, at $5 an acre, and engaged in farming and stock-raising, and lived there until 1860, and then sold out, for $10 an acre. He had in the meantime accumulated quite a stock of cattle, so that his investment there had proved very profitable. On selling out he returned to Lee township and bought 200 acres of land, three miles west of Mt. Sterling, and
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