USA > Illinois > Madison County > Centennial history of Madison County, Illinois, and its people, 1812 to 1912, Volume II > Part 28
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Some time after Mr. Sloan's death his widow married Mr. Fields, as mentioned above, and to this union one child, Clarence, was born. He lives in Edwardsville, married Marie Sumerlad and they have a family of three children,-Edwin, Norman and Marie. For many years Mrs. Fields has had with her in her home two admirable young ladies,-a cousin's daughter, Agnes King, who has been with her for a period of twenty-three years; and her own niece, May Kimball. Mrs. Fields is an honored member of the Columbia Pres- byterian church, to which Mr. Sloan very gen- erously donated a tract of two acres of land from his farm at the time of its erection.
In their political sentiments the Fields fam- ily are all stanch Republicans, the women just as enthusiastic as the men, and all that they lack is the right of franchise in order to be- come as active as Mr. Fields himself. They live in hopes that in the near future the great,
liberal state of Illinois will grant this right to her daughters as well as her sons. Mr. and Mrs. Fields can be found today in their pleas- ant home northeast of Edwardsville, where they enjoy the confidence and esteem of the community in which they have spent their lives. They have ever taken pride in raising their young people to a sense of true citizenship and are thus enabled to look back over useful and well-spent lives.
HARRY J. MACKINAW was elected county clerk of Madison county in November, 1910, by a majority of two thousand five hundred and fifty-six, the largest majority ever given a candidate for this office. A prominent Re- publican, he has been in official life a number of years, and is well known throughout the county and state.
He was born in Jefferson county, Ohio, May 30, 1869. His parents were Hugh and Margaret (McGrath) Mackinaw. The former, ,a native of Ireland, came to America when young and became interested in oil and coal mining. He lived for forty years in Jefferson county, Ohio, where he died in 1903. His wife still resides in Jefferson county, Ohio.
Harry J. Mackinaw obtained his early edu- cation in his native county and at Wheeling, West Virginia. Locating in Illinois, he was for twenty years employed by the Illinois Glass Company of Alton. He became closely identified with the industrial interests and political life of his community. His first im- portant position was in 1905, when he was elected as national vice-president of the Glass Workers Association of the United States and Canada. In 1909 Governor Deneen appointed him to the department of Illinois Factory In- spection, and he was serving in this capacity until he was elected county clerk of Madison county for the term of four years.
On July 3, 1897, he married Miss Emma Bell, a daughter of James R. and Emma (Alcott) Bell, old residents of Upper Alton. Mrs. Mackinaw was a teacher for several years in the public schools of Alton and is now chief deputy county clerk under her hus- band. Mr. and Mrs. Mackinaw have one son, Harry Curtis, a student in the public schools.
JAMES R. HOXSEY. "The pen is mightier than the sword" and it may be added the plow is mightier than the pen for it is to that oldest and noblest occupation that every other follow- ing that man knows must turn for the basic foundations of life and industry. Among the men who have found in agriculture their life occupation and rendered the general prosperity
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of Madison county possible is James R. Hox- sey. He was born in Alhambra township, this county, on August 30, 1862, in the carly part of the Civil war epoch. He is the son of William and Jincy G. (Lyons) Hoxsey, and the grandson of John Hoxsey.
John Hoxsey was a native son of Kentucky, who left the Blue Grass state to marry and settle in Illinois. After his marriage to Miss Mary Martin the young couple returned to Kentucky and farmed in that state for four years, returning at the end of that time to this state.
William Hoxsey, father of the immediate subject of this review, remained at the home of his parents until his twenty-sixth year, and then established a home of his own, making Miss Jincy G. Lyons its mistress. To them eight children were born six of whom are now living. Concerning the brothers and sisters of James R., the following brief data are here inserted : Mary is now the wife of John A. King; Frances became the wife of William Brown; Sarah is now Mrs. William J. King, of Vernon county, Missouri; John C. lives in Girard, Illinois; and Margaret is the wife of James R. McGaughey, of Olive township.
James R. Hoxsey spent his boyhood amid the pleasant scenes of Alhambra township, and having reached man's estate, he was united in marriage on October 11, 1883, to Miss Mar- tha W. Livingston, the charming daughter of John and Mary J. (Brown) Livingston. This union was blessed with five children, as fol- lows : John W., who married Miss Nellie Cald- well, and who with their little son Roy E. reside in Staunton, Illinois; Edna M. one of Madison county's most successful young teach- ers, whose death occurred June 2, 1911 ; Jen- nie S., who holds a teaching position in the local schools; Mamie G .; and Ethel B. All of Mr. Hoxsey's daughters have been given musical educations and they are on their way to being accomplished musicians.
Mr. Hoxsey is a Modern Woodman of America and politically is found in the ranks of the Democratic party. He has served for four years as school director, always advocat- ing those measures which mean the greatest good to the greatest number and he has given earnest service to the community in the ca- pacity of highway commissioner. He is the owner of one hundred and eighty acres of most arable land, whose fertility bears witness to his knowledge of farm methods.
It is interesting to note that Mr. Hoxsey was a cousin to Arch Hoxsey, the noted avi-
ator, who after a remarkable record in the new field of practical science lost his life in his aeroplane at an aviation meet in Los Angeles.
E. K. PREUITT. An honored representative of the early pioneers of Madison county E. K. Preuitt is a true type of the energetic, hardy and enterprising men who have actively as- sisted in the development of this section of our beautiful country into a fertile and productive agricultural region, and having accomplished a satisfactory work he is now living retired at his pleasant home in Fosterburg township, Madison county. He comes from loyal and patriotic stock on both sides of the house, and having inherited in no small measure the pub- lic-spirit and love of country that distinguished his ancestors has fought as valiantly for the peace and prosperity of the Union as they clid in earlier days. A son of James Preuitt, he was born May 21, 1838, in a rude log cabin located in Moro township not far from Dorsey, Madison county, being a lineal descendant of one Martin Preuitt, who came from England to America in colonial days, settling in Vir- ginia soon after Captain John Smith's settle- ment in that state. Solomon Preuitt, Mr. Preuitt's grandfather, was born in Virginia.
Martin Preuitt went to Kentucky, where for nine months he explored the country and fought Indians, belonging to the little band commanded by Daniel Boone, the noted fron- tiersman and hunter. After living for a time in Kentucky, Solomon Preuitt accompanied his parents to Tennessee, from there coming to Madison county, Illinois. In 1806, he, with his father located near East Alton, and having purchased wild land cleared and improved a homestead. Following in the footsteps of his honored father, who served bravely in the colonists' struggle for independence, he en- listed as a soldier in the war of 1812, and took part in many of its more important engage- ments. His father on coming to Madison county settled first on two hundred acres of land now forming the town-site of East Alton, and after selling that tract of land bought the property now know as the old Preuitt home- stead, near Bethalto, Madison county, where he spent his remaining years.
Solomon Preuitt married a Miss Higgins, a daughter of Cyrus Higgins, a farmer, and granddaughter of Philip Higgins, who served as a soldier in the Revolutionary war. The Higgins family from which he was descended originated in France, and with the Huguenots fled that country, coming to America to es- tablish a home. Among the descendants in
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY
the immigrant ancestor was Thomas Higgins, a cousin of Cyrus Higgins. Thomas Higgins was one of the very early settlers of Illinois, and as an Indian fighter acquired considerable note, his name being associated with the pioneer history of Illinois.
Mr. Preuitt's father, James Preuitt, was en- gaged in farming during his active life, and died at Eureka Springs, Arkansas, in 1888. He married Malinda Starkey, a daughter of David Starkey and a granddaughter on her mother's side of a Mr. Russell, a Revolution- ary soldier and a famous Indian fighter, who came from Alabama to Madison county, Illi- nois, in pioneer days locating on the present site of the village of Bethalto. She passed to the life beyond in 1880 at the age of seventy- three years. To her and her husband two children were born and reared, as follows : W. G. and E. K. W. G. Preuitt moved to Montana in 1866, and was there a resident until his death, in 1909. The Preuitt family was especially noted for its activity and bravery in war, Solomon Preuitt, who was commis- sioned major of his company, was a famous scout and ranger, a Revolutionary soldier, and always advised his children, grandchildren and kinsmen, to uphold the rights of their country in times of war as well in peaceful days, and it is said that all of his grandsons did serve in the wars that ensued.
E. K. Preuitt obtained his early education `in the public schools, and throughout his earlier life became familiar with agriculture in all of its phases. On August 25, 1862, in- spired with the heroic zeal of his ancestors, he enlisted in Company K, Eightieth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and served under Colonel Allen and Lieutenant Colonel Rodgers, who afterwards became commander of the regiment- Joining the Army of the Cumberland, under General Thomas, Mr. Preuitt first met the enemy in battle at Perryville, Kentucky, and in March, 1863, was with Morgan at Milton, Tennessee. He subsequently took part in Colonel Strait's raid, and on May 3, 1863, was taken prisoner at Rome, Georgia, and con- fined for three weeks before being exchanged. With the Eleventh Army Corps, he afterwards took part in the engagements at Lookout Moun- tain, Missionary Ridge, and in those around Chattanooga. Being then transferred to the First Division of the Fourth Corps, he marched with Sherman to Atlanta, and on his return fought Hood's army, skirmishing and fighting, constantly, for several months. Mr. Preuitt was with his command at Greenville, Tennes-
see when Lee surrendered, and, happening to be in the telegraph office when the message telling of his surrender was received, the operator gave the message to him before he did to any one else, and he gladly conveyed the news to his comrades. On June 10, 1865, he was mus- tered out of the service, having served his country nearly three years, during which time he had met with various experiences and many thrilling incidents, one of which seems worthy of mention. On the first day of the advance on Kenesaw Mountain, an old soldier was wounded and left to die. A comrade attempted to carry him from the field, but failed to do so, and he lay among the dead and wounded a day and a night, the rain falling steadily during that time. The following morning John S. Culp, William Miller and another brave Illi- nois soldier went on to the battle-field at the risk of their lives, and bore the wounded soldier to a place of safety and had him kindly cared for.
Returning home, Mr. Preuitt assumed the management of his father's farm, having its entire care after the summer of 1866, when his father had a sunstroke that rendered him an invalid for life. Mr. Preuitt first owned one hundred and twenty acres of land, but subsequently bought one hundred and twenty acres more at Dorsey, and continued general farming successfully for sometime. Disposing of his land several years ago, he has since lived retired from active pursuits. Public- spirited and enterprising, Mr. Preuitt has ever taken an intelligent interest in local affairs, and has contributed his full share towards advancing the best interests of his community. He was one of the first supervisors of Moro township; has served as township treasurer ; and for ten years was a school treasurer. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows ; and of Fosterburg Post, Grand Army of the Republic, of Fosterburg, being adju- tant of this post. Religiously he belongs to the Baptist Church.
Mr. Preuitt married, in 1860, Mary Kirk- patrick, a daughter of John Kirkpatrick who settled in Greenville, Illinois, in 1815, but sub- sequently moved to Wisconsin, where he spent the remainder of his life. His grandfather Kirkpatrick served in the Revolutionary army, and while on his way home, at the close of the war, was killed by an assassin. Two of Mrs. Preuitt's uncles, Frank Kirkpatrick and Wil- liam Kirkpatrick, took part in the battle of Bad Axe, where her Uncle William's horse was shot from under him.
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY
WILLIAM B. THOMAS. Perhaps no family has done more to promote interest in music in this county than that of Mr. Thomas. The importance of this art cannot be overestimated. The man who said "Let me make the songs of a nation and I care not who makes the laws," understood the power of music in the develop- ment of those qualities which make life a gift of interest and value. William B. Thomas was born in Carlinville, Illinois, February 4, 1868. His parents were Robert E. Thomas, a native of England, and Hannah Pocklington Thomas, who was born in Kentucky. Their marriage took place in Carlinville on the Ist of April, 1865. Mr. Thomas was a school teacher until he was thirty-five years of age and then he took up the occupation of wagon-making. In this he was very successful, owning his own shop in Carlinville, where he was a citizen widely respected and of no little prominence. He served the city as alderman for a long time and was a director of the school board for many years. His family consisted of two children, the subject of this sketch and Olive, now Mrs. Birney, of Macomb, Illinois.
Both of the children attended the public schools of Carlinville and at the completion of the high school course, William Thomas attended Blackburn University, in his home town, for two years. His musical education was obtained from private instructors and was the best which the county could supply. His sister graduated from the high school with honors and then became a teacher in the kin- dergarten department of the schools of Le- claire, a suburb of Edwardsville. Later she was married to Professor T. M. Birney, at that time principal of the high school, but now holding the same position in Macomb, Illinois.
In 1893 William Thomas was married to one of Edwardsville's most popular and ac- complished young women, Miss Jessie Schwarz. She is the daughter of Charles and Frances Marshall Schwarz, whose other chil- dren are Mamie. Etta, Estelle, Minna, Paul, Edith, Irene, Kathryn and Ruth. Mrs. Thomas was born at Edwardsville, in 1870, and like her brothers and sisters, received her education in the high school of that city. They were a musical family and organized an orchestra, known as the Schwarz Sisters' Or- chestra, a body whose high class performances made its members much in demand, both indi- vidually and collectively. Mrs. Thomas is a gifted player on the trombone besides being a pianist of superior ability. As organist of Saint Mary's Catholic church, her talent has
won wide recognition and it has contributed materially to the beautiful and impressive serv- ices of the church.
Leclaire was the first home of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas when they began their wedded life. Here Mr. Thomas was elected president of the Cooperative Association and a member of its board of trustees. This body is closely allied with the public interests of Edwardsville, fill- ing the place of a commercial club. He and his wife were fortunate in having the bond of an absorbing interest in the same noble art, and this circumstance has contributed to the success each of them has made in the pursuit of music. Mr. Thomas has probably instructed more bands than any man in the state ; begin- ning with raw and untrained material, he has by careful and thorough instruction brought the performers to the rank of skilled players and given the surrounding cities finely drilled bands. Their work attests his ability as an in- structor and is justly a matter of pride.
One of the first bands which Mr. Thomas trained was a company known as the Leclaire band, whose instruction he undertook in 1892, while he was president of the board of school directors of Leclaire. It has since adopted the name of its leader and is known as the Thomas Band. There were six members in the company when Mr. Thomas took charge, but under his excellent management and skilled leadership this number has grown to twenty- four and is one of the most popular bands in. this section of the country. Other bands which Mr. Thomas organized and drilled are the Hub City Band, the Black Diamond, both of Ed- wardsville, and the Schwarz Sisters' Orches- tra. This last-named organization has played for a number of years in the principal cities of southern Illinois, furnishing music for Chau- tauqua entertainments where work of high quality is in demand. Other bands which Mr. Thomas has organized and led are those of Glen Carbon. Collinsville, Troy, O'Fallon, Worden, Alhambra, Sorento, Donaldson and Fillmore. In addition to all this he has drilled several fine orchestras and given private les- sons in band music. In harp music he is a recognized artist and owns one of the finest instruments in the country. He is always in demand as a player at popular entertainments and in 1903 was delegate to the National Musi- cal Convention at Indianapolis.
Mr. Thomas takes active interest in public affairs and has been called upon to fill several offices in the county. For two years he was a member of the county board and for four
HamB. Thomas
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY
years assessor of Edwardsville township. He is a thorough-going Democrat and prominent in the party organization of the county. He has served as precinct committeeman and in 1906 was delegate to the Democratic state con- vention at Peoria. In 1910 he received the nomination for the legislature on the Demo- cratic ticket. At the primaries the largest number of votes cast were for him and he was defeated by only the slight majority of one hundred and thirty-six votes out of the twenty- five thousand cast in the senatorial district. This indicates something of the popularity which is his in the county, and all his friends confidently predict that he will at no very dis- tant date be a successful candidate of his party.
Two children, Frances and Bennett, twins seven years of age, complete the home circle of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas. The family reside at 424 South Buchanan street, a home into which come a large group of friends, attracted by the musical talents and the friendly hearts of its owners. Mrs. Thomas is a member of St. Mary's Catholic church and in it as wherever she is known she is a valued attend- ant. In every particular she and her husband are representatives of the best attributes of our citizenship and their record is an acquisi- tion to the Madison county Centennial His- tory.
ANTON J. KRAFT is the proprietor of the Diamond Mineral Springs and Health Sumi- mer Resort. The great state of Illinois has a generous quota of parks, resorts, and famous beauty spots, and of these the Diamond Min- eral Springs, of Grant Fork, in the eastern part of Madison county is indeed a gem of Nature's own unsurpassable creation. On this popular health resort of southern Illinois she has poured one and all the various endow- ments with which she crowns the beauty of her especial garden spots. Its forty acres abound in graceful trees, charming and un- expected paths that wind through the cool groves, and by the playing fountains, flower- bordered retreats, rustic nooks, swings and on down to the little lake set so perfectly amid these beautiful surroundings. Pleasure and health are here ideally combined. On the lake there is boating. One may fish or swim, as fancy dictates. The springs themselves are among the finest mineral springs in the state affording especial relief from rheumatism, stomach trouble, and skin diseases. The water is strongly charged with bi-carbonate of soda, chloride of sodium, magnesia, iron and lime,
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minerals whose curative properties are well known to the medical profession as well as to the thousands they have helped.
A fine large hostelry makes it possible for hundreds of pleasure and health-seeking people to enjoy the beauty spot in luxurious comfort. The Hotel Windsor contains thirty rooms, large and airy rooms with a wide view of the surrounding country, hot and cold mineral baths. There is also a large pavilion, which furnishes ample room for dancing, billiards and.other amusements.
By no means least of the hotel's attractions is the genial personality and whole-souled cor- diality of the proprietor, Anton J. Kraft, whose care for the comfort and pleasure of the guests is the actuating motive of the place. Nothing is too small for him to notice, no want too difficult for him to gratify. And the frank pleasure he takes in bringing his service to perfection is one of the most delightful features of the Windsor. The activities of Anton J. Kraft has been so closely and inter- estedly associated with the stirring scenes and changes that mark the history of Madison county that no record of the same would ap- proximate completeness without ample mention of his career.
Anton J. Kraft was born in Saint Louis in 1841, the son of Anton and Eva (Richart) Kraft. His father was a native born German, who immigrated at an early day to the land of opportunity across the Atlantic, and settling in Saint Louis, there married. By trade he was a cabinet-maker, and he worked in Saint Louis for the ensuing twenty years. The Kraft family came to consist of five children, three sons and two daughters as follows :- Christina, Theresa, Edward, George and Anton J., the ' latter the subject of this sketch. The children were all born and educated in Saint Louis. In 1855 Mr. Kraft moved his family to Leef township, where he purchased one hundred and twenty acres, located a mile and a quarter from Saline. At that time there were plenty of wild animals, and wild game, prairie chick- ens, turkeys, and ducks abounding in the coun- try and inviting the huntsman's art. These advantages were naturally accompanied by the disadvantages and hardships of the pioneer's life, and Mr. and Mrs. Kraft bought prosperity with the coin of faithful industry. The pio- neer program of working early and late began to bring its rewards, and forty acres were added to the original homestead. The children, hav- ing their parents' qualities of sturdy. German perseverance, worked with them. Farm pro-
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ducts in those days found no ready market nearer than Saint Louis, and Anton J. re- members three distinct trips to that city with an ox team and loads of apples. The parents spent the remainder of their lives on the farm, the mother passing to the Great Beyond in 1867, and the father following her in 1868.
While Anton was still at home Fort Sumter was fired on, and the war which was to tear the heart of the nation was begun. When he was only nineteen he volunteered at Saint Louis, and was enlisted June 8, 1863, in the Second Missouri Light Artillery. He partic- ipated in the following engagements: The bat- tle at little Missouri River ; Prairie De Land ; Mark's Mill, April 25, 1864; at which time he was one of many to be taken prisoner. He was doing service under General Steele. He had been detailed with eleven hundred men to guard a wagon train that was going to Pine Bluff for provisions. There were two hun- dred and twenty-five wagons, six mules to each wagon and the wagons were filled with contraband negroes, escaping to join the Union army. When seventy miles from Steele's army, they were surrounded by thirteen thou- sand men, under Kirby Smith, and the white flag of surrender had to be raised, since the utter uselessness of resistance was apparent. The surrender was promptly followed bv a scene of horror, bloodshed and slaughter, the Rebels raising the wagon curtains and shoot- ing the negroes like rats, especially the young negro men. For three hours the Union sol- diers, unable to render any assistance, were obliged to witness the slaughter of the un- armed defenseless creatures, for whose free- dom they themselves were willing to suffer the fortunes of war. At the close of the war An- ton J. Kraft received his honorable discharge, and was mustered out of the service June 8, 1865.
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