USA > Illinois > Brown County > Biographical review of Cass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois: Containing biographical sketches of pioneers and leading citizens > Part 69
USA > Illinois > Cass County > Biographical review of Cass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois: Containing biographical sketches of pioneers and leading citizens > Part 69
USA > Illinois > Schuyler County > Biographical review of Cass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois: Containing biographical sketches of pioneers and leading citizens > Part 69
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BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW OF CASS,
whom he has been associated, either socially or in business capacity. He has been Justice of the Peace for Browning township for the last sixteen years, and has represented his township on the Board of Supervisors for five or six years, and has held the various offices of the county.
Mr. and Mrs. Reno have seven living chil- dren, having lost one, namely: Samuel F. is cashier of the bank at Rushville, Illinois; Sa- lina and Jennie are at home, the former a teacher in the public schools; Mark M. is a telegraph operator at Creston, Iowa; Minnie M. is a teacher in the public schools; Jay and Fred are still at home. Mrs. Reno belongs to the Methodist Episcopal Church. The Reno family are of French ancestry on the father's side and of Welsh and Dutch on the mother's. The family was established in America five generations ago and all were given to agri- cultural pursuits. His father was a soldier in the Black Hawk war.
LENDON L. ROWLAND, one of the most prominent citizens of Versailles, Illinois, was born in Newark, Ohio, De- cember 5, 1856. His father, Thomas Jack- son Rowland, was born near Winchester, Virginia. about 1826, and his father, grand- father of subject, was named Martin Rowland, who was a farmer of Virginia, who died there in 1830, in early manhood, of consump- tion. He was married and had four children, namely: Julia Ann, wife of Mr. McCapp; Abner died near Jacksonville, Illinois, leav- ing four children ; Thomas, father of subject; Lucinda, wife of Henry Lybarger, died in middle life, leaving two children. Thomas Rowland married Leonora Barney of Sackett's Harbor, New York, daughter of Thomas J.
and Louisa (Wells) Barney, of Wellsville, New York. The latter died in Watertown, New York, and the mother of subject was reared by an uncle, James Barney, who moved to Newark, Ohio, when she was a small child. Here she was married to the fa- ther of subject, who was a harnessmaker and worked at his trade at Newark, Millwood and Spring Mountain, Ohio. He and Senator Joseph Wilson were shopmates and warm friends. They came West in 1864, to Keokuk, Iowa, but three years later landed in Ver- sailles. They were in humble circumstances and had only $200 when they arrived in Ver- sailles. Mrs. Rowland bore her husband eleven children, three of whom died in in- fancy, and another, Einma, died when seven years old. The adults, seven in number, are as follows: Blendon L., of this notice; Anna, wife of Charles W. Wainnon, of Rushville, Illinois; Lucinda C., wife of Oscar Van De- venter; Abner C., of the mercantile firm of Rowland Brothers, hardware and farm im- plements; Love Augusta, of Versailles; Bes- sie, wife of J. C. Cleveland of . Versailles; and Homer M., bookkeeper and salesman for the firm of Rowland Brothers, a promising young man of twenty. These children all received a good common-school education and are all well informed, intelligent people. The parents. while not wealthy, were able to give them a good start in life. The mother died in 1884, but the father is still living a retired life in Versailles, making his home with Abner C. The maternal grandfather, Thomas J. Barney, died in St. Paul, in his seventy-eighth year, leaving an estate of $100,000, which he willed to his nephews and nieces, making no mention of this daugh- ter. This injustice was too great, so Blendon broke the will and recovered $40,000 to the family, showing great ability in the contest,
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SCHUYLER AND BROWN COUNTIES.
although he had received no education in this direction. He persistently worked at the case in the face of much discouragement from a prominent lawyer, who told him that there was nothing in the case. His efforts were richly rewarded and much credit is due him.
Mr. Blendon Rowland left the harness trade, in 1884, having worked at it for twenty years, and embarked in his present business, with his brothers. They do nearly all of the business in this line, and he is the leader in this line, as he always was in the harness business.
Mr. Rowland is chairman of the Demo- cratic Central Committee of Brown county, and has filled all the township offices, being School Director for ten years and the Super- visor from this township. He is a Master Mason, and is a very influential man in his township.
He and his charming wife have four cliil- dren, Dollic Rowland, a young lady of twenty; Nellie, wife of A. R. Groves of Versailles; Nettie, fourteen; and Ethel, eight.
Mrs. Rowland is a Methodist and her hus- band is favorably inclined toward that church.
ATHANIEL G. SLACK, M. D., de- ceased, stood at the head of his pro- fession in Schuyler county, and it is fit- ting that his name should be recorded in this history as one of the most skillful and be- nevolent practitioners. He was a native of England, born April 9, 1830, a son of John and Ann Slack; the father spent all his life in England, but after liis death the inother emigrated to Ainerica and settled in Fulton Illinois; she had married a second time, a Mr. Potts, who died a few years after they
came to this country. Nathaniel G. was a mere lad when his father died, and still in his youth when he came to the United States with an older brother; he first settled in Rhode Island, and thence removed to Fulton county, Illinois. He attended Farmington Academy, and afterward went to Cedar Rap- ids; but the funds to defray his expenses were raised through his own efforts; possess- ing a natural talent for painting, he secured pupils in this art, and taught until he had saved sufficient means to carry him through his literary course; he then taught school for a time, and choosing the profession of den- tistry he was in due time engaged in prac- tice. All his leisure time, however, was given to study, and he attended medical lectures at Keokuk later on; lie finally abandoned the profession of dentistry, and began practicing medicine in Fulton county, Illinois. In 1859 he removed to Rushville, Schuyler county, and in November of that year entered upon a career, every action of which reflected honor upon liis name. He was very successful in the practice of medicine and was a skillful surgeon. The poor found in him the truest and kindest of friends, and the best knowl- edge was as freely given to them in their distress as was expended in the care of the wealthiest patient.
In addition to his professional duties, Dr. Slack found time to engage in mercantile pursnits, and was also interested in the woolen mills here.
He was united in marriage November 12, 1858, to Eliza C. Berry, a native of Fulton county, Illinois, and a daughter of Henry C. Berry, who was a native of Berkshire, En- gland; the grandfather, Joseplı Berry, also a native of England, emigrated to America, accompanied by his family, and settled in Canada; he removed from the Dominion to
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BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW OF CASS,
Fulton county, Illinois, about 1839; he pur- chased a tract of land there on which he re- sided until his death; his wife's maiden name was Elizabeth Blanche; lier death occurred in Fulton county. Henry C. Berry was a iniller by trade, having mastered this vocation in England; he followsd this pursuit after coming to America, and also engaged in farın- ing. Later he disposed of his land and ein- barked in mercantile business in Fulton county, Illinois. Thence he removed to Cali- fornia, and lived in Santa Ana for a number of years; his death occurred there. He married Elizabeth Temple, a native of En- gland, wlio emigrated to this country with an uncle. Dr. and Mrs. Slack had born to them six children: Clement L., Sheridan Grant, Flora M., Bessie, Clara and Henry.
Politically, the Doctor affiliated with the Republican party. During the war he was United States Marshal, and passed through many dangers and perils in the discharge of his duty. He was a member of the Rush- ville Lodge, I. O. O. F., and also belonged to the Encampment. He continued in the active practice of his profession until overtaken by death, August 9, 1887. The country lost a loyal, noble-hearted citizen, the medical pro- fession a skilled practitioner, and the family a beloved liusband and indulgent father.
AMUEL A. MOORE, of Lee township, was born in the State of North Caro- lina, in 1820. His father was William Moore, a farmer and blacksmith, who emi- grated from North Carolina to Indiana when about sixty years of age. He settled on a farm in Monroe county, where lie re- sided some fifteen years, when he again sold
and moved to Illinois, in the fall of 1852. He died on his farm near Kingston, when about eighty-five years old. His wife was Margaret Summers, born near Baltimore, and died when nearly eighty years old. They left what was considered a good estate at that time.
Samuel had but little schooling, as there were no public schools where he was reared. His parents had but a small farm, but did the best they could for their children. He worked by the day and month for some years, and was married at twenty-six years of age, in Indiana, to Sarah, daughter of John and Agnes (Jones) Goodnight. They were farm- ers and moved to McDonough county, Illi- nois, about two years after Mr. and Mrs. Moore came to Illinois. Mr. and Mrs. Moore started with no means when they were mar- ried and they worked rented lands three years near Bloomington, the county seat of Monroe county. They then started with a pair of horses, a covered lumber wagon, bedding, furniture and clothing, all that they could draw for a new home. They camped nights in their tent, which they brought along. They drove two milch cows, and had a pleasant journey of some three weeks. They settled in Adams county, where they now have a good farm of 240 acres and other lands there, making 720 acres in this part of Illinois. They have seven living children: A. W., of Chicago, a stock-dealer in the Exchange building; Elizabeth, at home with her parents; Esther Ann, wife of J. H. Amran, a farmer of Lee township; Sarah M., wife of I. M. Sout, of Ripley, Illinois; Paris D. is on the old homestead; S. D. remains on the old farm, and Mary E. is still at home. Mr. and Mrs. Moore, with most of the chil- dren, are professors of the Christian faith.
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SCHUYLER AND BROWN COUNTIES.
Mr. Moore is a Democrat. He never sought office, but was made Supervisor of the town- ship, and for sixteen years a director of the County Agricultural Society.
ENRY R. SUTHERLAND was born in Knox county, Ohio. His father, Joseph B., was born in Trumbull county, Ohio, and his father, Benjamin, married Jane Beard, of Pennsylvania. They were farmers and spent the most of their lives in that county. Joseph Sutherland married, in Ohio, in 1834, Jane, daughter of Joseph and Sarah (Crider) Eaton both of Pennsylvania. They were married in Ohio, where the father died, in middle age, and the mother died in Little- ton, Illinois, aged fifty. Mr. Joseph Suther- land died in Ohio, aged twenty-four, leaving his widow and this one son. She was mar- ried again, to Henry Schoonover, of Ohio, by whom she had two children, both dying young. They came to Illinois in '1858, and settled near the present home soon after com- ing. They bought 140 acres first, paying $800, and they have lived liere since, where Mr. Schoonover died, aged forty-four years. Mrs. Schoonover and her son, Henry R. Sutherland, have added to the original pur- chase of eighty acres, making 220. All of this, except twenty acres, is under good culti- vation, and these twenty are in pasture and timber. They were left in good circum- stances, and by good management have prospered since.
Henry married Ella R. Pratt, of Licking county, Ohio, daughter of Hector and Susan E. (Reed) Pratt. They have two children: Twilie D., born Jnly 3, 1887, and Glen C., born Angust 30, 1889.
Mr. Sutherland has been a School Director for many years. He has a good education, and is an intelligent, reading man. He is a Democrat. They have one a general farmer, raising the usual crops, but he sells no grain but wheat. He has six cows and the same number of horses, and fattens forty to sixty hogs, also feeding some cattle. They raise a great plenty of orchard and small fruits.
Mrs. Sutherland is a Baptist, and the whole family are greatly esteemed by their large circle of admiring friends.
DAM L. HAGEMAN was born Feb- ruary 26, 1857, on the farmn which he now owns. Here he grew to man- hood, and was educated. His father, Isaac Hageman, was born in Schuyler county, Pennsylvania, in 1809, of English and Scotch ancestry. His wife was Susanna Lischy, born in York county, Pennsylvania, in 1813, of German and Scotch ancestry. They were married in 1837, in Ohio, and removed to Illi- nois in 1839. They settled on the farm where their son now lives in Monroe precinct, Cass county, Illinois, where both died, the father in 1873 and the mother in 1883. They had eight children: Jesse, William, Emanuel, Noah, Miller, Adam, Amanda and Sarahı. All the children except Jesse were born on the old homestead in Monroe pre- cinct. He was born in Ohio. Mrs. Hageman was raised in the Lutheran faith, but after marriage she joined the Methodist Episcopal Church with her husband. Both were con- sistent members of that church at their death and were respected by all.
Adam bought out the other heirs and now owns the old homestead. The farm comprises 4222 acres of farming land well adapted to
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BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW OF CASS,
stock-raising. There are sixty acres of tim- ber on the land. He has rented the farın for five years. Next year he purposes moving his family to Virginia to live in comfort and ease. He is a Republican in politics.
He was married to Miss Lizzie Jockisch of Bluff Springs, Cass county, Illinois, born May 20, 1865, he being thirty years of age. Her parents were Charles T. and Eleanora (Carls) Jockisch, who were very early settlers of Bluff Springs. To Mr. and Mrs. Hageman have been born four children, three of who in are living: Mary Eleanora, Emma Madora, Effie Cornelia and a son who is yet un- named. Effie C. is the one not living.
Mrs. Hageman is a member of the Method- ist Episcopal Church and both she and her husband are worthy people.
OHN J. BEATTY, Sheriff of Cass county and a member of the firmn of Beatty & Hammer, formerly Rearick & Beatty, was born in Franklin county, Penn- sylvania. He lost his father when very young. The latter was of Irish descent and died in the prime of life. He was a miller by trade. His mother died soon after and he was reared by Jacob Rearick and wife, who brought him to Cass connty, when he was six years old. They were early settlers of Cass county and here they lived and died, leaving three sons. The latter were very prominent in politics for many years. Mr. Beatty, after he had grown up, started out to seek his own fortune, always with the love and respect of his foster parents. He camc to Beardstown in 1856, and afterward spent some five years in Missouri, engaged in the hardware business. His present business is dealing in farm implements and hardware.
He is located on Main street and the present firm has been in business seven years. The store is an old one and was first started in the '40s and has been considered one of the leading stores of the city since it was started. Some years ago he was elected Mayor and held that office five terms. In 1980 he was elected Sheriff of the county, and has held this office with great credit to himself and satisfaction to the people. Being an ardent Democrat, he has taken an active part in local politics and has been a delegate to the Congressional conventions.
He was married in Canton, Missouri, to Miss Mary Francis Pickering, of Boston, Massachusetts. Her father, John, was born in New England, and came from there to Chicago, and at one time was well-known as a railroad contractor and builder and now lives retired in Portland. His wife is yet living and is also quite old. They are both quite intelligent and are highly respected by all who know them.
Mrs. Beatty was carefully educated and is the devoted mother of two bright young sons, William P. and Edward L. Mr. and Mrs. Beatty are prominent people of Beards- town and leaders in society. Mr. Beatty is a leading Mason, member of the blue and chapter lodges in Beardstown.
HOMAS ARMSTRONG, a retired farmer now residing in Bainbridge township, was born in county Mona- ghan, Ireland, in March, 1837. His father, Robert Armstrong, was a native of the same county, but unquestionably of Scotch ex- traction; he was a farmer by occupation, and passed his life in his own country. He married Jane Crozier, a native of county
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SCHUYLER AND BROWN COUNTIES.
Tyrone, Ireland, and a daughter of William Crozier; she emigrated to America iu 1852, resided in the State of New York four years, and then caine to Illinois, where she spent the remainder of her days; she was the mother of sixteen children. Thomas Armstrong was a youth of sixteen years when he came to America; he sailed from Dundalk to Liver- pool, and there embarked upon an American vessel; he landed at the port of New York after a voyage of five weeks and three days. He now fonnd himself a stranger in a strange land, withont money. After a time he found work at the cabinetmaker's trade which he followed about a year and a half, and then turned his attention to inarble-cutting. Times were liard, business dull, and he could earn but little more than a living. He there- fore determined to emigrate to the West, and try his fortunes on the frontier. He lo- cated at Rushville, Illinois, and worked by the day, montli or job for three years. He then rented land for a time, aad a little later, purchased forty acres in Bainbridge town- ship; there was a small house on the place, and seven acres had been cleared; this con- stituted the improvements. Mr. Armstrong lived here four years, and at the end of that time sold at an advance; he then bought seventy-five acres in the same township, made many valuable improvements, occupy- ing the place two years; he disposed of this farm and purchased 106 acres, which are in- cluded in his present farm. He has erected a nice set of frame buildings, lias invested in other lands as his means increased, and now owns 285 acres. He was actively engaged in agricultural pursuits until 1892, when he removed to the home he now occupies; he erected this dwelling in 1891, and is sur- rounded with all the comforts which his years of industry have secured.
Mr. Arınstrong was married, in 1859, to Catherine Ryan, who was born in Bucna Vista township, February 1, 1840, a daugh- ter of Charles and Margaret Ryan (see sketch of Thomas Ryan). They have six children living: John, Mary, Charles, Rob- ert, Samuel and Frank. The parents are consistent members of the Protestant Meth- odist Church. Mr. Armstrong is a sup- porter of the principles of the Democratic party. He is a man of strict integrity, and has the respect of the entire community.
ILLIAM SCHEWE, a large farmer and stock-raiser living in section 5, range 18, has a large farm of 160
acres. He owns in other parts of the county large amounts of land. He has altogether 680 acres, mostly in the Sangamon bottonis, and is unusually well improved. He has lived in this county ever since 1866. He has always been a farmer on his own account since 1869, having spent the first two years in Beardstown.
He was born in Westphalia, Prussia, Ger- many, in 1839, and was reared and educated in his native country. When he was of age he set out for the United States, being the first of the family to come. He left Bremen in 1859, crossing on a sailing vessel to New Orleans, and thence up the Missis- sippi river to St. Louis. After spending some years in the southern part of Illinois and around St. Louis, he came on to Beards- town, and has since been a tiller of the soil in Cass county.
He was joined, some years after his comning to this country, by his father, William Schewe, who died in Cass county when forty-four years of age. He had lost his wife in Ger-
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BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW OF CASS,
inany, when she was in middle life. Her maiden name was Louisa Meyer. She and her husband were members of the Lutheran Church all their lives. Our subject and a sister, Mrs. Charles Brokemeier, are all that are living of the children born to their parents.
Our subject was married in St. Louis county, Missouri, to Miss Ingra Otschwe. She was born and reared in Prussia, Ger- inany, and came to the United States when twenty years of age, and since her marriage has been a hard-working woman, and has · borne her husband eight children: Anna, wife of Henry Wette; Lonisa, wife of Henry Merz, a farmer in this county; William, Charles, Herman, Minnie, Henry and Emiel are at home.
Mr. and Mrs. Schewe are members of the German Lutheran Church. Mr. Schewe is a Republican.
AVID C. LINN, who ably represents Frederick township on the County Board of Supervisors, was born in Franklin county, Indiana, March 29, 1834, a son of John Linn, a native of Sidney, Ohio. The father was a carpenter and wheelwright by trade, and was engaged in the manufacture of large spinning and small flax wheels. He removed to Indiana when a young man, and followed his trade in Franklin county until 1839, when he started westward with his family, his objective point being Illinois; the entire journey was made overland, and after about five weeks of travel lie landed in Adams county. At first he rented land near Camp Point, and two years later he bought a tract of land; here he erected a log house and a
shop, and worked at his trade, at the same time superintending the cultivation of his farm. He made many valnable improve- ments, and resided on the place until his death in 1881. His wife's maiden name was Nancy Gant; she now resides at Camp Point, at the advanced age of eighty-three years. David C. is one of a family of eleven chil- dren, and was but six years of age when he came to Illinois with his parents. At that time Adams county was sparsely settled ; deer, wild turkeys and other game abounded, and the iron horse had not yet penetrated the frontier. Quincy was the nearest market town, and was the depot of supplies for many miles around.
Dr. Linn received his early education in the primitive schools which were taught in the log schoolhouse. At the age of eighteen he began the study of medicine under tlie preceptorship of Dr. Ashton, of Cincinnati; he also attended lectures at the Eclectic Medical College, and in 1857 began the practice of his profession at Birmingham ; he had been there but a short time when lie went to Plymouth, where he practiced until 1859. In the spring of that year he was graduated from the Eclectic Medical College of Cincinnati, and then located in Frederick township, where he has practiced continu- ously since. He has been a close student of his profession, and has availed himself of every opportunity of improvement. In 1883 he attended a course of medical lectures at Bellevue Hospital Medical College, and in 1888 he was graduated from the Ohio Medi- cal College at Cincinnati.
In the month of March, 1865, Dr. Linn entered the service of the United States, as Assistant Surgeon of the One Hundred and Forty-eiglith Volunteer Infantry, and was on duty until the following September, when he
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SCHUYLER AND BROWN COUNTIES.
was honorably discharged, the war being ended.
Hc was married in March, 1861, to Ada Folsoni, a native of Illinois; she died in Au- gust, 1862. The Doctor was married again in 1863, to Della Truett, of Baltimore. Po- litically he is a Republican, and a stanch supporter of the principles of that party. He was first elected Supervisor in 1886, and has served continuously since that time. He lias been a capable and efficient officer, work- ing always for the best interests of the county. He has been successful in his pro- fession, and has a large and appreciative practice.
ILLIAM THOMAS was born in Fay- ette county, Ohio, January 9, 1809. His father was John, a Virginian, who caine to Ohio while the Indians were still plentiful on Paint creek. His first wife was Nancy Putnam of Pennsylvania, who died in early life, leaving six young children. Four years later he was married again, but she was drowned about one year later, while trying to save the life of his child. Some years later he was married again, and by this marriage he had six children, making in all thirteen. He died at eighty years, on his farm. These children liave all passed away but our subject and Benjamin Thomas, a farmer in his eighty-fifth year, living in Iowa.
William lias been a farmer all his life and had very little schooling. He was married in Ohio, to Julia DeWitt, and came West in the fall of 1831, with wife and one child. They came in a four-horse wagon and with three loose horses, which they rode part of the tinie. In good weather his wife rode his little pacing mare and carried the baby. He had
very little money left wlien he crossed theriver at Beardstown. He took up a homestead, and, not being able to deed it, sold out his im- provements and then had enough to enter 120 acres, for which he obtained a Govern- ment deed, and then had eighty acres under the plow and an orchard and two good hewed-log houses. There he lived from 1837 to 1860. He traded it for 160 acres of his present farm and moved upon it. There was an old log house into which he moved until he could build a good log liouse, and in 1866 or 1867 he built a part of his present frame house. In 1882 he built his good barn, and in 1884 he built the frame addition to liis house. There is not a man living in this section that was living here when Mr. Thomas first came.
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