USA > Illinois > Brown County > Biographical review of Cass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois: Containing biographical sketches of pioneers and leading citizens > Part 72
USA > Illinois > Cass County > Biographical review of Cass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois: Containing biographical sketches of pioneers and leading citizens > Part 72
USA > Illinois > Schuyler County > Biographical review of Cass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois: Containing biographical sketches of pioneers and leading citizens > Part 72
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and Williamn. Jolin Webb was a child of five years when he was brought to America; he attended seliool in Baltimore, and when he had finished his studies began to learn the machinist's trade; he served an apprentice- ship of three years, and at the end of that time took charge of a shop for his employer; he held this position three years, and then entered the service of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad at Mt. Clare; after a year he went to work in a marine foundry in Baltimore; twelve months later he entered the employ of the Savage Manufacturing Company, and remained with this firm until 1817. In that year he came to Illinois, via stage to Pittsburg, and thence by the Ohio, Missis- sippi and Illinois rivers. He was in poor health, and did not at once engage in business. September 12, of the same year, he started baek to Baltimore with a horse and carriage inaking the entire journey overland, and ar- riving at his destination October 22. De- cember 2, he started on the return trip, ae- companied by his family; this journey was also made with a liorse and carriage.
Mr. Webb remained in Springfield until 1839, and in the fall of that year went to Petersburg, where he had purchased a flour mill; in 1844 he went to Cass county, and there built the first eircular-saw mill west of the Alleghany mountains; this he operated until 1848, and then went to Beardstown where he opened a machine shop and foundry. December 5, 1856. the buildings and entire plant were destroyed by fire, and the follow- ing year he rebuilt, and continued there until 1866, when he sold out. Later he built a carriage-shop which he operated a number of years. For the past nineteen years he has been interested in agriculture; he owns 500 aeres of land, and is one of the directors of the First State Bank of Beardstown.
He was married in the city of Baltimore in 1834 to Miss Eliza Callaley, a native of Vir- ginia; she died November 20, 1888. His second marriage was in November, 1890, when he was united to Maria Serrat, a native of Scioto county, Ohio, and a daughter of Peter and Mary Serrat. Five children were born of this union: John, Joseph, Samuel, Williamn and Mary; the children are all mar- ried, and there are twenty-eight grand-chil- dren in the family.
HOMAS GAPEN, a retired farmer of Rushville township, Schuyler county, is the subject of the following bio- graphieal sketeh. He was born in Clearfield county, Pennsylvania, May 3, 1833, a son of Zachariah T. Gapen, also a native of the Key- stone State. The paternal grandfather, John Gapen, was descended from English ancestors; he was a farmer by occupation, and owned land in Greene county, Pennsylvania, on which he lived the last years of his life. His son, Zachariah T., was reared and inarried in Pennsylvania; there he resided until 1841, when he removed to Illinois; the journey was begun March 19; he floated down the Mo- nongahela to Pittsburg, and there took a boat, going via the Ohio, Mississippi and Illinois rivers to a point in Schuyler county then known as Erie; by team he came to Rushville township. His means were very small, and he was obliged to rent the lands he cultivated; later he purchased the tract on which he had expended so much labor, and lived there until his death in 1846. His wife's maiden name was Margaret MeGee; she was born in Pennsylvania and died in Rushville township, Sehuyler county, Illinois, in 1851; they reared a family of eleven chil
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dren. Thomas Gapen was a child of eight years when his parents came to Illinois. He has since witnesscd many changes in the country, wrought by the march of progress He remained under the parental roof until bereft of both father and mother. He then purchased the old homestead, and now has 320 acres, 130 acres being in an advanced state of cultivation. He now rents the land and lives a quiet life at Rushville.
Mr. Gapen was married, in 1872, to Isabelle Williamson, a daughter of L. S. and Margaret Williamson; she was born in Peoria county, Illinois. Three children have been born to them, two of whom died in infancy: Maggie is the name of the surviving child. Mr. Gapen is a man of high and honorable principles, and lias the respect of the entire community.
ILLIAM T. EMMERSON of Beards- town was born in Morgan county, November 27, 1840. His father was Richard Emmerson of Yorkshire, England, who was the son of Thomas Emmerson. The' latter came to the United States and settled on a large tract of Government land in Mor- gan connty, Illinois, amounting to over a tlionsand acres, near St. Clair station, and went back to England, and returned fonr years later with his wife and children, and finally they became the most prominent peo- ple in Morgan county. Of their four chil- dren, Richard was the eldest, and was ınar- ried, as was also one of his sisters, before leaving England. A nephew of his now lives on the old homestead in Morgan county. Richard Emmerson, after he came to the United States, became a farmer of Morgan county. He came to Beardstown in 1850, and died here the following December, at
the age of forty. His wife survived him many years and died at the home of her son, in 1869. She and her husband were Metli- odists, and she was born, reared and married at Scarborough, England. Her maiden name was Elizabeth Musham. She was a mother of a family, of whom five are still living.
William Einmerson was reared in this county and has never married. He was only nine years old when his parents came to Cass county, and has always lived here, except from 1862 to 1864, when he served as a sol- dier in the quartermaster's department, at Roila, Missouri, and at Helena, Arkansas. After two years' service he was honorably dis- charged, and returned to Cass county, where he has since lived, and made inost of his fortune by his own efforts. He lives near the city precinct. He owns a well improved farm adjoining the city limits. Here he lias lived since 1867. He also owns and has a controlling interest in 600 acres in other parts of the county, all well improved. He is a Democrat in politics and a public- spirited citizen. His brothers and sisters are as follows: Mary Thornley, lives in Morgan connty; Ann Harris is the wife of the pres- ident of the First National Bank of Beards- town; Edward lives with his brother, and Emina Harris lives in this county.
AVID W. ORR was born in Sumner county, Tennessee, March 17, 1826. His father was Greenberry Orr, widely known as " Berry Orr", who came to Illinois in the fall of 1828. He stopped two years in Morgan county, and then moved to Mount Sterling township, near the village, which was then in Schuyler county. He made some improvements on 160 acres of Govern-
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inent land, which he sold, and one year later moved to what is now section 34, Pea Ridge township. They had twelve children, born in Tennessee, and left two behind and bnried one on the way. Their journey was made in one of the old-style prairie schooners, drawn by tliree horses, and were six weeks on the way. They arrived in Morgan county, November, 1830, and at Pea Ridge the night of the great snow storm. Their new log lionse had not been well chinked, and he was obliged to take up the puncheon floor to get dirt to make mud for the walls, in order to keep ont the fearful storm. They reached liere with very little means, but he was fortunate in getting work in wood hauling, and wlien liis farm came into the market he was able to obtain his deed for 160 acres. It was part prairie and part timber. He built a house here, where he died, February, 1850, aged sixty- five. He left his widow with eleven children. She had been Mary Brown of Tennessee. His children all had to work hard in life, and had but very little schooling. One of their employments was to beat thie hominy mortar, which Mr. Orr obtained by trading a shot gun. The nearest doctor was at Jacksonville, and they were obliged to go there over the paths that the Indians had trod.
David remained at home until after his father's death, and August 1, 1850, he was married to his first wife, Mary Jane Pells, who died a year and a half later. April 6, 1854, he was married to his present wife, Patience H. Osborn, daughter of Lewis and Amelia (Corwin) Osborn, of Ohio, where she was born, reared and educated. She was a teacher there and in Illinois before her mar- riage. Her father was a Baptist minister, and he died in Hancock county, while on a visit, in his eighty-fifth ycar. His wife died in 1875, aged seventy-one, leaving four chil- 89
dren, Mrs. Orr being the only one now liv- ing. . She is a niece of Tom Corwin, of Ohio, and is a relative of the family of General Halleck. Mr. Osborn owned the farm on which his daughter, Mrs. Orr, lives, for fifty years. He had no regular charge for some ten years prior to liis death, but preached occasionally. Mr. Orr left the old homestead of his parents in 1858, and moved to Hancock county. He lias lived in Kansas and Mis- . souri, and came back to Illinois and settled on his present farm of 112 acres, in 1874. This has forty acres of timber. He has been doing general farming. Mr. and Mrs. Orr have four children: John M., now.a resident of Anthony, Kansas; Mary Halleck, at home; and Lewis H., residing in Mount Sterling. Mr. and Mrs. Orr had reared this son to farm life, and lioped to have him with them on the farm during their declining years, bnt he preferred the life of a mechanic; hence of late years tliey rent out their land. He has made much money out of corn and hogs, and also breeds some horses. He has a stallion of Leviathan stock, which is turning ont well.
He has served the town as Road Commis- sioner, and both he and and his wife are Mis- sionary Baptists.
RA BELL, a prominent citizen of section 28, Missouri township, Brown county, was born in this township, October 27, 1830. His grandfather, Robert Bell, was a native of Virginia, and married Jane Ander- han. These two reared a family of nine children, namely: James, Richard, Emily, Ira, John, Patsey, Sarah, Catherine, Rebecca, and they all came to Illinois, settling in Brown county, after a residence of a short period in Morgan county. The aged grand-
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father of our subject died in Brown county, surrounded by his children. The father of our subject was born in the State of Vir- ginia, February 5, 1800, and was married in Morgan county, Illinois, to Elizabeth Mul- len, coming to Brown county after marriage where he settled, and entering land in Missouri township. This he improved and finally be- came the owner of a farm of 200 acres of very fine land. He died February 13, 1882. His wife died in 1836, having been the mother of six children, namely: Mary Jane, wife of Moses Coffman, of Quincy, Illinois; Robert, of Missouri township; Ira, our subject; James died at Nashville, Tennessee, was a inember of the Eighty-fourth Illinois Volun- teer Infantry; Lizzie, wife of John Carter, of Kansas; John W., died in childhood.
Ira was reared in Missouri township, where he helped on the home farm until he was married, when he settled on forty acres given him by his father and erected a dwell- ing on it. Soon he added another forty and thien removed to his present residence, where he has eighty acres of land. The land was but little improved when he took charge of it and it owes its present state of cultivation to his efforts.
Mr. Bell was married to Emiline Bates, daughter of William and Elizabeth Bates. Mrs. Bell is a native of Winchester, Scott county, Illinois, born January 1, 1837. Her father was born in Kentucky, near Lexing- ton, and was a son of Thomas Bates. He was reared to farm life in his native State, but migrated to Indiana, where he married Elizabeth Carr, a native of that State, born in 1818. They came to Illlinois in 1835, re- siding in Scott county until 1839, when they came to Brown county, where the father died. His wife still survives him, however, and is a very interesting lady. She and her
husband had five children: Emiline, Math- ew T., Francis M., Mary A. and Sarah Jane.
Mr. and Mrs. Bell have five children: Mary E., wife of Peyton R. Keith; John W., of Missouri township; George D., of same township; James A., at home: and Charles Bertie, also at home.
In politics Mr. Bell supports the principles of the Democratic party, but his time is so fully occupied that he has not been willing to accept any of the public offices, except that of School Director, which office was thrust upon him. He is a consistent mem- ber of the Christian Church and he and his intelligent wife are influential members of society in Missouri township.
RS. MARY (PETERS) JACKSON was born in Alleghany county, Vir- ginia, February 18, 1820, a daugh- ter of John Peters. The father was also a Virginian, and was reared and married in his native State; he purchased land, owned slaves, and was in very good circumstances at one time; he endorsed notes for other parties, which he had to pay, and as the sums were heavy his property was swept away. He re- sided in Virginia until 1825, and then emi- grated to Missouri, where he spent the re- mainder of his days. His wife's maiden name was Catherine Lane, a native of Virginia; she came from Missouri to Illinois, and here passed the last years of her life with her children in Schuyler county. Mrs. Jackson was a young child when her parents removed to Missouri, and at the age of eight years she came to Illinois with her sister and brother- in-law, Allen Persinger. The country was then sparsely settled, deer and wild turkeys
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were plentiful, and the privations of the pio- neer were many. Mrs. Jackson lived with her sister until her marriage, September 3, 1835, when she was united to Jeremiah Jack -. son.
Mr. Jackson was born in North Carolina, November 27. 1807, a son of James and Mary Jaekson. He emigrated to Illinois about the year 1826, and was one of the pioneers of Sehnyler county. Two years after his mar- riage lie purchased the farm now occupied by his widow, and engaged in agricultural pur- suits, which he followed until his death in June, 1883.
Mrs. Jackson lias reared a family of nine children: Martha J. Chitwood, died in Ne- braska; Harriet Riley is a resident of Mis- souri; Andrew J. served in the late war in the One Hundred and Fifteenth Illinois Vol- unteer Infantry, and died before the war was ended; John was a member of the same regi- ment, and now resides in Kansas; Jesse, en- listed twice in the late war, and is now a citi- zen of the State of Washington; Calvin and Garrett live in Nebraska; Emrita Kokenours and Mary McCormick are residents of Schuy- ler county. Mrs. Jackson belongs to the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which her husband was also a consistent member. Po- litically he affiliated with the Democratic party.
R. W. G. UNLAND, one of the sue- cessful physicians and surgeons of Beardstown, was born and chiefly reared in Cass county, Illinois. His people are pio- neers of tlic eounty. He eame of good, re- spectable German stoek, his parents being born in Hanover. His father, Rev. Casper H. Unland, had grown up there and for some
time associated in ministerial way with the old German Reformed Church. After eom- ing to this country and settling in Cass county, Mr. Unland connected himself with the Methodist Episcopal Church and was as. sociated with the local work as a Methodist minister. He was so engaged at the time of his death, March 8, 1889, when nearly eighty- two years of age. With the money he had brought with him he bought and improved land, erecting houses and a gristmill, which was one of the first in the county for making flour. He was a good and worthy citizen, a prominent man. At first a Whig, but in later years a stanch Republican. His wife who survived him died September 25, 1891, and was eighty years of age on the day of lier burial. Her inaiden name was Maria Carlas. She was a worthy woman and a good neigh- bor.
The parents of Dr. Unland, recognizing in their son a bright mind and a liking for books, afforded him opportunities for im- provement by sending him to the best schools in Quincy, Illinois. After this lie completed his classical education at the Wesleyan eol- lege at Warrenton, Missouri. The Doctor practices upon a broad and liberal seale, fol- lowing no particular school. He is a graduate of two different schools: Hahnemann Medi- cal College of Chicago, in the class of 1871 (later he spent one year at Quiney, Illinois); after that he went to Berlin, Germany, and graduated there again in medicine, and re- turned, remained in Quincy for a time, going thence to Lincoln, Nebraska, later to Fre- mont, and afterward to Pekin, Illinois, spend- ing some time in each place. Since 1881 he has praetieed in Beardstown. His genial nature and cheerful manner have made him very popular in his chosen profession. His experience and thorough education in all
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BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW OF CASS,
branches of medicine liave made him very popular and his practice is a very large and paying one.
The Doctor was married here to Miss Emily Minton, of Ohio, who lived in Schuy- ler county for six years after coming to Illi- nois. Her parents died in Caldwell, Kansas, some years ago. They have a bright little daughter of eight years of age, named Ethel. They are inembers of the Methodist Episco- pal Church.
AMUEL MILLER, an intelligent farm- er and prominent vetcran of the late war, residing in Aslıland, Illinois, is a native of Tazewell county, this Statc, where he was born July 6, 1837.
His parents were Joseph and Sarah (Kem- per) Miller, the former a native of Philadel- phia, Pennsylvania, while the latter was born in Kentucky, in which latter State they were married, and whence they removed in an early day to Tazewell county, Illinois. Eight children were born to this union, four sons and four daughters, only three children now surviving. The deceased are, Christiana, Eliza, Harriet, Diana; Thomas and William, of whom Harriet and Diana died in childhood and the other two daughters in mature life, being married and leaving families; William also died in mature age, leaving a wife and child. Thomas, Joseph and the subject of this sketch comprise the surviving members of this once large family. Thomas, who served two years in the army, is now married, and is a farmer in Harper county, Kansas; Joseph is a prosperons farmer, and resides in Delavan, Tazewell county; he is also married, and both have families. The father of this family died in 1843, widely mourned by the
pioneers of his county. He left a large fam- ily to the care of his faithful wife, who ably performed her duty by thiem, finally going to lier reward in 1863, while the subject of this notice was absent in the war.
Mr. Miller received a common-school edu- cation in Tazewell county, and was reared to farm life. November 8, 1858, he married Miss Nancy Nash, an intelligent lady, wlio was also a native of Tazewell county. Slic was a daughter of Andrew and Lucinda Van- cil, prominent pioneers of that county, and was one of seven children, three of whom are now living. Andrew J., the oldest, died in childhood; Mrs. Miller is the second; Cath- arine died aged two years; George served in the Twenty-sixth Illinois Infantry, is mar ried, and is a farmer in Harper county, Kan- sas; William Graliam, a half-brother, was also a soldier in the late war, and resides in Tazewell county,; Sarah and John A. died in youth.
Mr. Miller enlisted in Company C, Elev- enth Illinois Cavalry, at Peoria, this State, in November, 1861, serving in the regiment commanded by the noted Colonel R. G. In- gersoll. He was sworn into the United States service December 20, 1861, remaining at Camp Lyon until February 22, 1862, when he accompanied his regiment to Benton Bar- racks, St. Louis, Missouri, where they were armed and mounted. Thence they proceeded to Shiloli, to take part in that sanguinary en- gagement, under the command of General Lew Wallace. After two days at that point, they moved forward to Corinth, participating at the siege of that city. They remained there until the fall of 1862, when they were attacked by Van Dorn and Price, who sought to recapture Corinth, but the enemy were re- pulsed with heavy loss of killed, wounded and prisoners. The regiment next went to
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Rienzi, Mississippi, where they had a severe battle, capturing the place and returning to Corinth. They afterward went to Lagrange, Tennessee, under the command of General Grant, and were cut off at Holly Springs, be- ing obliged to return; whereupon they took boats and went to Vicksburg, participating in the siege of that city. They captured Yazoo City and went in camp between Jack- son and Vicksburg, on the Black river. While lying there, the regiment and two sec- tions of artillery were ordered on a forced march to Lexington, Tennessee, where a por- tion of the regiment, including Colonel In- gersoll, were taken prisoners by General For- rest's men, and were paroled on the field. At Parker's cross-roads they had a fight, in which the Union forces defeated the enemy, and pursued thiem into Tennesseee. Mr. Miller's regiment was with General Sherman in his march to Meridian, Mississippi, in Feb- ruary, 1864. Their time having expired, nearly all re-enlisted, and were mustered in at Vicksburg, December 20, 1863. They then returned to Illinois on a veteran fur- lough, at the expiration of which they went back to Vicksburg, where they spent the spring and summer in scouting and watching guerillas and bushwhackers. It was while here that Mr. Miller received a severe injury, by his horse falling on him, for which he now receives a pension. He was mustered ' out of the service, September 30, 1865, and was paid off and discharged at Springfield, October 20, 1865.
He then hastened to return to his family in Tazewell county, Illinois, where he missed one kindly face and heart-felt welcome, his inother having died during his absence. He gradually assumed his former daily routine of duties, and notwithstanding loss of dear ones, many hardships endured and misfor-
tunes sustained, the sense of having fulfilled his duty, as lie realized it, gave him renewed energy for the prosecution of life's tasks.
He and his worthy wife are the parents of six children, all of whom are now married and at the head of families. Thomas is a farmer near Delavan, Illinois; Alpheus lives in Ashland; Clara, now Mrs. Thompson, lives in Virginia, this State; Ida, married Ralph Nixon, a superintendent of coal mines, and resides in Wesley City,, near Peoria, this State; Martha, now Mrs. Smitlı, lives at her parents' home; Della married Mr. Perrin, and resides in Virginia, Illinois;
Mr. Miller is a stanchi Republican in pol- itics, and is a prominent member of Down- ing Post, No. 321, Virginia, Illinois. His worthy wife is an earnest and useful member of the Baptist Church, to the support of which they both contribute.
An honest and industrious citizen, a brave and efficient soldier, and devoted husband and father, he deserves the high esteem in which he is universally held.
ANIEL LYONS, M. D., an eminent physician and surgeon, of Ashland, Illi- nois, was born in La Salle, of the same State, June 16, 1848. His parents were Daniel and Mary (Morris) Lyons, both natives of Ireland, who came to America in 1832, soon after their marriage. His father was a railroad contractor, whichi business he fol- lowed during his life in this country. The first death which the family was called upon to mourn was that of the devoted wife and mother, who expired in Arkansas, in 1861, greatly lamented by her associates and friends. The father survived his faithful companion fifteen years, dying in Brierfield, Alabama, in 1876.
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He was a man of the highest integrity, ex- tremely kind-hearted and benevolent, and was very popular among his acquaintances. This worthy couple had six children: Lawrence, Michael, Daniel, David, Mary and Katie. All but two of these are now deceased, the subject of this sketch and a brother David, who is engaged in mining at Crystal, Colo- rado.
Dr. Lyons received his elementary educa- tion in the public schools of La Salle county, where his boyhood and early manhood were spent. . After attaining his majority, he was engaged for about seven years in civil engin- eering. During the Rebellion, he was for three years in the Quartermaster's Depart- ment, in St. Louis. In 1878, he commenced the study of Eclectic medicine, in the Amer- ican Medical College, St. Louis, taking four courses, and continuing his studies until 1883. While pursuing his studies, he spent most of his time in the city hospitals of St. Louis, gaining practical experience in his chosen work. In 1883, on graduating in St. Louis, he came to Ashland, where he commenced the practice of his profession. He has stead- ily grown in favor until he now does a large and lucrative business, being universally re- garded as thoroughly skilled in liis profes- sion, conscientious and careful.
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