USA > Illinois > Edwards County > Combined history of Edwards, Lawrence and Wabash counties, Illinois. With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 53
USA > Illinois > Wabash County > Combined history of Edwards, Lawrence and Wabash counties, Illinois. With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 53
USA > Illinois > Lawrence County > Combined history of Edwards, Lawrence and Wabash counties, Illinois. With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 53
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91
Mr. Rude was an active man of business, a devoted husband, a fond father and a model citizen.
MAXWELL W. MORGAN
WAS a native of what is now West Virginia, where he was born in Lewis county, the son of Theodore and Lydia Morgan. His father was a native of Connecticut. Mr. Morgan first came to Edwards county in 1848. The same year, November 16, he was married to Mary Ann Shurtleff, daughter of Oliver Shurtleff. Oliver Shurtleff died where he lived, in Virginia. He had married Sarah Kingsley, a native of New England. His daughter, who became Mrs. Morgan, came to Ed- wards county in 1831 with the family of Ansel Philips. Immediately after marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Morgan re- turned to Virginia, where they resided five years, re- turning again to Edwards county. There were born to them eight children, four of whom are living, Olive Poppele, now in Mt. Pulaski, Illinois, Jennie Ford, George Cliff, a druggist in the village of Bone Gap, and Elmer Grant. Mr. Morgan was a farmer and a justice of the peace. He entered the army in September, 1862, in Company K, 124th Regiment, III. Vol. In the charge made upon Vicksburg the following year he was severely wounded, necessitating his return home in November following. In 1870 he was by a handsome vote elected Sheriff of the county, a position he filled with marked
ability, and to which he was re-elected in 1872. During his second term of service he died, December 21, 1873. By his faithful discharge of every duty devolving upon him, and by his recognized ability, he had endeared himself to his fellow citizens, so that his death was uni- versally lamented. Politically, he was an active, out- spoken Republican, a leader in his party. He was an earnest advocate for temperance, being for years a member of the order of Sons of Temperance. Reli- giously his faith was deep and abiding. In the faith of the M. E. Church he lived and died triumphantly.
JOHN SMITH
Is one of the influential progressive men of Albion, where it stands a synonym for honesty and integrity. Mr. Smith was born in Albion September 9, 1825. His father, Moses Smith, wasa native of Dorsetshire, England, where he was born September 23, 1795. He came to this country accompanied by a brother David in 1820 ; a third brother also started, but died in New York on the way hither. David returned to England after enduring a siege of chills so common in early days, In 1854 he again came to America and died here the same year, on the 19th of August. Moses Smith was for a brief time in the British army in 1812. He ran away from home to enlist. His mother appealed to have him discharged, and her third appeal was successful, through her calling the surgeon's attention to the fact that he had an imper- fection in an eye. She had promised her son a watch in the event of success crowning her efforts in securing his release. This, with his name neatly engraved in the case was given him, and is now owned by the subject of this sketch. Moses was married to Ann Scudmore- maiden name Drinkwater-of Lincolnshire. She came to this country in company with Mr. Flower. They had nine children; names and dates of birth as follows : Thomas Scudmore, December 4, 1820 ; Harriet, October 2, 1823; John, September 9, 1825; Catharine, Septem- ber 16, 1827 ; Mary Catharine, September 9, 1829; Mary A., August 1, 1832; Clara, July 16, 1837; Moses, December 21, 1839; Eliza Julia, November 20, 1842. Of these Harriet, Emma and Moses died respec- tively January 12, 1851, August 31, 1853, and Febru- ary 9, 1874. Moses Smith, Sr., was a butcher, mer- chant and farmer. He flat-boated to New Orleans with produce. He died August 21, 1854, followed by his wife December 6, 1859. John Smith remained with his father as a clerk until about twenty-three years of age, when he bought out the business and followed it ten or twelve years. During the war he engaged in the lum- ber trade, which he has since followed with success. He married Mary Brown October 28, 1847, by whom he had five children, only one of whom, Harry, a miller of Ashley, now lives. Mary B. Smith died January 16, 1862. Mr. Smith was married to his present wife, Susan Brown, June 4, 1863. He is a man possessed of fine business qualifications, is ever foremost in efforts to advance the interests of Albion. Politically he is a Republican.
DAVID S. RUDE DEC'D.
HISTORY OF EDWARDS, LAWRENCE AND WABASH COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
219
Lyman. Dr. Low. M.&
Is one of the leading physicians not only of Edwards county, but of southern Illinois ; he was born in Shore- ham, Addison county, Vermont, October 4, 1822. His father, Henry S. Low, was a farmer, belonging to that class of intelligent, energetic husbandmen for which New England is noted. His mother, whose maiden name was Rachel Baldwin, was a native of New Jersey. Ly- man W. was the last son in a family of seven children, five sons and two daughters ; he obtained a good common school education, then entered the Academy in his native village, where the foundations of future usefulness were laid broad and deep, and where, too, his desire for schol- arly attainments constantly increased until he deter- mined upon a University course. To this end he entered the Connecticut Literary Institute at Suffield. During his two years' attendance here, the study of medicine was commenced; a love of it led him to continue its pursuit, which he did under direction of an older
brother, Dr. S. B. Low, an Allopathic physician in Suffield. In 1848 he went to Ohio, when he engaged in teaching-that stepping-stone to other professional life, and in which he continued two years. Here he marrried Fannie E. Bryant, May 1st, 1851. One son, now a druggist in Albion, was born to them. His wife died April 2d, 1858. Immediately after his first mar- riage he went to Clayton, Iowa, where he engaged ac- tively in the practice of medicine. From there he went to Prairie Du Chien, Wisconsin. In 1854 he attended lectures in Cincinnati, Ohio, graduating from the Ameri- can Medical College in 1855. On January 1st, 1856, he located in Albion, where he has since successfully prac- ticed his profession. He was married to his present wife, Mary A. Smith, July 27th, 1859. By her he has two sons-Smith D., a physician, and Lyman P., a student of law. The doctor is a pronounced Republican. For many years he was Medical Examiner for pensioners.
220
HISTORY OF EDWARDS, LAWRENCE AND WABASH COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
CYRUS RICE.
CYRUS RICE was a lineal descendant from Edmund Rice, who came from Barkhamstead, Hertfordshire, England, and settled in Sudbury, Massachusetts, in 1638. From records it appears that he was a selectman in 1644, and made a deacon in the church in 1648. Of his wife, Tamazine, nothing is known save the fact of her death, in Sudbury, June 13, 1654. He was a man of some means for those early days of colonial history, an inventory of his property, made out at the time of his death showing £566 personal, and £170 real pro- perty. A son, Edward, was the father of John, who was the father of Moses, who was killed by the Indians, at the age of sixty-one years, when engaged in plowing corn. A nephew, Asa, eight years of age, who accom- panied him, was taken by the Indians to Canada. His son, Sylvanus, was a Revolutionary soldier, who died in March, 1819, in the ninety-first year of his age, and was the father of Sylvanus, who was the first to leave the old Massachusetts home, which he did in 1819, finding - one in Virginia whence he came to Illinois in 1832. Here he died May 29, 1847. The subject of this sketcli, Cyrus, his son, was horn February 28, 1798. He was married to Martha Gould, a lineal descendant of John Alden, who came to this country in the May Flower in 1620, January 27, 1824. By her he had thirteen chil- dren, five of whom are now living. Cyrus Rice was an excellent citizen. He was an active member of the Presbyterian church. For ten years, from 1851 to 1861, he was a school commissioner for Edwards county, and for more than forty years he was township treasurer. He died October 11, 1882.
JAMES BEAR
Is a native of Ohio, having been born in Monroe county, in the southeastern part of that State, January 12, 1842. His father, Jacob Bear, was a Pennsylva- nian of German extraction. His mother's maiden name was Isabelle Heep. In the year 1850, the family con- sisting of nine children, of whom James was the sixth in order of birth, moved to Richland county, to a farm near Olney. After four years they again moved to a place near Parkersburg, the old gentleman assigning as a reason that Olney was a poor place, near which to rear a family of boys. On this farm Jacob Bear died September 30, 1881, from a stroke of paralysis. James Bear married Mary Whitaker, daughter of Jacob Whit- aker, a native of Indiana, December 24, 1868. By her he had four children. She died September 9, 1878. He married his present wife, Martha Hallam, widow of Joseph Hallam. She was a native of. West Virginia, having been born in Wheeling of that State. Her parents were Alfred and Mary Day. They came to Parkersburg, Illinois, in 1853, and yet live on the place where they originally located. In August, 1879, Mr. Bear came to Edwards county. He has always followed
farming and trading in cattle. He was a soldier during the late war, having enlisted in Co. A, 63rd Illinois Regi- ment Volunteers, in 1861, being in the service four and a half years. Was with Logan and Sherman to the sea. Veteranized at Huntsville, Alabama. Mrs. Bear came to the place where they now live as the wife of Joseph Hallam, November 26, 1872. Joseph Hallam died December 20, 1877. James Bear is a thorough-going Republican, an active member of the United Brethren church, and has been for years a local preacher of that faith. He is a man of sound judgment, pleasing manners and strictest integrity.
DR. CHESTERFIELD FILES.
TAKING high rank among physicians of Edwards county, is he whose name appears above. Dr. Files was born in White county, July 24th, 1841, as was also his father, John, who was born August 12, 1818. His inother, whose maiden name was Jane Maracle, was a native of Virginia where she was born February 22d, 1822. Her parents were German people. The grand- father of the doctor, William E. Files, was a native of South Carolina, whence he came in an early day to Ken- tucky, thence to White county, Illinois in 1816. His father in turn was from England. Dr. Files obtained a good common school education, taught school alter- nating it with attendance in the Wesleyan University at Bloomington. Upon the breaking out of the war for the Union he enlisted as a private in Company D, 40th Regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry, August 3d, 1861. He remained with his command eight months when he was discharged on account of disability ; while at home he received an appointment from Gov. Richard Yates as Lieutenant of a company of home militia. In 1863, he again entered the service as a recruit in the 87th Regiment Illinois Volunteers, upon the disbandment of this regiment he was transferred to the 18th. Belong- ing as he did to the mounted militia he did much ser- vice scouting. In 1870, he entered the office of Dr. R. J. Puckett to engage in the study of medicine, a study he had entered upon during the interim in his terms of ser- vice. He next attended lectures in the Physio-Medical College of Cincinnati, Ohio, whence he was graduated February 11th, 1873. He had already been engaged in practice six months in his old home, but upon gradu- ating he selected Bone Gap as a place of residence, and here in the enjoyment of a lucrative practice he has since remained. He was united in marriage to Emeline Wilson, daughter of Newton Wilson, of Wayne county, Illinois, March 9th, 1867. By her he has five children living and three dead. He is a Republican. On his mother's side the family was noted for longevity. His grandfather died aged a hundred years. His parents yet live in the old home iu White county. As a prac- titioner the doctor is held in high esteem ; as a citizen he is loyal, progressive and ever awake to the best interests of his fellows.
Cyrus Rice
-
1
LIPSARY OF THE
HISTORY OF EDWARDS, LAWRENCE AND WABASH COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
221
Walter LMayo
PERHAPS none of the prominent citizens of Edwards county has contributed more towards placing her in the rank she to-day holds among her sister counties than Walter S. Mayo. Through his decided executive abili- ty, his systematic efforts in her behalf, his untiring energy, coupled with his long service as an official, Edwards county possesses a record second to none in the administration of her finance or in the completeness of her past civil history. Mr. Mayo was born in Albe- marle county, Virginia, March 7th, 1810. His father, Lewis, was a teacher as well as planter. To be a planter in the Old Dominion carried with it the idea of being a slave-holder as well-and so he was. A brother of his, Joseph, was the father of Joseph Mayo, mayor of the city of Richmond, just before the late civil war. The father of Lewis was also named Lewis, and was one of three brothers who came from England and settled, one in Richmond, Virginia, one in Albemarle county, same state, and the third, after a short sojourn there, in Ken- tucky. It is thought that they were of the same family with Rev. John Mayo, who emigrated from England to this country about 1639, and who was one of the original settlers of the town of Barnstable, Cape - Cod, Massachusetts. He was the first pastor of the second church erected in the city of Boston, a position he filled
from 1655 to 1673. He died at Yarmouth, Cape Cod, in 1676.
To Lewis Mayo and wife were born Newson, Walter L., Samuel Winston, three sons, and Carey Ann (who married Hiram Keach) and Catharine Shepherd, daughters. Walter L. was a young man of ambition, great determination and self-reliance. Having acquired a fair education he started out to become the architect of his own fortune; crossing the Alleghenies he made a brief stop with his uncle Harry in Tateville, Kentucky, and thence came on to Edwards county, Illinois, in 1828. A stranger among strangers, penniless in pocket but fertile in resources, he soon obtained employment as teacher, a few miles southwest of Albion, where he boarded in the family of Jones, one of the commissioners of the county court. His adeptness in figures soon commanded attention, and he supplemented his meagre income as a teacher by making calculations in behalf of the county, and in making out papers for his host. This it was which afterwards led to his selection as clerk of the county court. Upon the breaking out of the Black Hawk war, in 1831, he was among the first to offer his services in response to the call of the Ranger Governor, which were promptly accepted. Being so well fitted by nature for such a position he was made
222
HISTORY OF EDWARDS, LAWRENCE AND WABASH COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
quartermaster for the battalion from Edwards and ad- joining counties. Just prior to this he had been ap- pointed to fill a vacancy as county clerk. The records were found by him to be in a chaotic state. With a will he set to work and brought system out of disorder. So well did he accomplish his ends that for thirty-seven years he was maintained at his post of duty, nor did the respect for his commanding talents rest here; in addition to the duties of county clerk he was called upon to act as circuit clerk, probate judge, and treasurer as well. Pioneers declared that as long as they had Mayo they needed no other official. Into his official relations with the people he brought that frankness and generosity so characteristic of the Virginians, and which he possessed in so remarkable a degree that he won the confidence, esteem and friendship of all. During all his long term of public service he was constantly sought as an arbi- trator between fellow-citizens in matters of dispute, and certain it is he adjusted more difficulties during that time than did the courts. Through his skill in this field of usefulness many heart-burnings and bitter feelings between neighbors were assuaged. Of a warm, genial and jovial nature, his voice and manner evinced a sin- cerity of conviction and an earnestness of good purposes, when giving advice or counselling harmonious adjust- ments between disputants, that he seldom failed in his efforts in this direction. No one hesitated to seek his advice, and very few ever had cause to regret its adop- tion. During the years of his.official career he amassed considerable property. Not a citizen of Edwards county says aught else than that it was well earned.
Mr. Mayo was warm and steadfast in his friendships, and confiding in his nature, yet he could not overlook a betrayal, even in semblance, and while he would go to almost any length for a friend-tried and true-he held but little intercourse with those who had incurred his disaproval.
Mr. Mayo was united in marriage to Elizabeth Hall, a native of England, March 3d, 1834. By her he had six children. Lewis Mayo, now a prominent citizen of Leavenworth, Kansas. Florence the wife of Henry Hopkins. Alfred, who died in Indian Territory, Sept. 30, 1868. Rosamond, Ella C., and Alice E, all living together with their widowed mother in Leavenworth, Kansas. The family of Mrs. Mayo came from England to Edwards county early in 1821. In the year 1871 Mr. Mayo's family went to Leavenworth, where they have since resided. At the time Mr. Mayo was a mem- ber of the State Legislature, and although he joined his family, he always considered Edwards county his home, and here he exercised all his rights of citizenship. He had, during the last few years of his life, large banking interests in Olney, Richland county, to look after, and doubtless, but for hia untimely end, would, with the family have returned to the old home to have spent life's evening. His sudden disappearance from the active duties of a busy life, and the manner of it, are matters of conjecture. He was last seen by acquaint-
ances boarding a train of cars on the Ohio and Missis- sippi Railroad at the Union Depot, in St. Louis on the evening of the 18th of January, 1878. Among reso- lutions adopted by his fellow-citizens in mass meeting assembled consequent upon his demise, as indicating their love of him we copy :
Resolved, That in this sudden bereavement our entire community feels deeply the severe loss we have sus- tained in the removal from sight and knowledge of one with whom we have so long and so intimately associated as one of our early settlers.
Resolved, That in Mr. Mayo we recognize one, who, through a long and active life, was highly esteemed as a true citizen, a just and high minded official, a kind neighbor, a warm-hearted and faithful friend, and in his late years an active and earnest Christian worker.
Resolved, That in this mysterious bereavement we realize the loss of one of our number whose place among us will be so long and so sadly vacant in our communi- ty and county, and while we wish to yield to the deal- ings of Providence we find it one of the severest strokes we have been called to suffer.
Resolved, That we realize that the peaceful and the financially prosperous character now so highly enjoyed by Edwards county, is due in a great degree to the in- fluence of Walter L. Mayo in his official and his social relations, and in his long and earnest active life.
JOHN SENTENCE,
THE popular proprietor of the Albion livery stable, a view of which may be found elsewhere in this work, is a man of enterprise and energy. In common with many of his fellow citizens he is a native of merry England, having been born in Lincolnshire June 25, 1827. So many citizens of Edwards county hail from the beautiful island of the name, as to give to her the appellation of " little Britain." , He was the son of Joseph Sentence, a farm laborer. His mother's maiden name was Mary Dennis. In a family of five children he was the eldeat. Desiring to better his condition in life, he took sail en the vessel Excelsior, and after a tedious passage of five weeks and two days he landed in New York harbor July 2d, 1850. He brought with him as a bride Jane Lane, to whom he was married in May of the same year. By her he has two children living, Joseph and Eliza J. Bower. She died May 3, 1856. For thirteen years after reaching this country, Mr. Sentence carried on farming operations. In 1869 he opened a livery sta- ble, in which business he has since been engaged, asso- ciating with it blacksmithing and carriage building. He was married to Ann Brewster September 19, 1861, by whom he has two children living, and two dead. He is proud of the fact that his first Presidential ballot cast in the country was for the martyr President, Abra- ham Lincoln. He has always been an unswerving, un- compromising Republican. As a business man he is noted for square, fair dealing. Socially he is held in esteem by a large circle of friends.
HISTORY OF EDWARDS, LAWRENCE AND WABASH COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
223
Alexander ettewants
PROMINENT among the pioneer business men of Albion who are yet living, is Alexander Stewart, who was born December 7th, 1805, in Comrie, Perthshire, Scotland. His father, also Alexander by name, was a physician. His mother's maiden name was Mary McLaughlin. They came to America in 1818, reaching Carmi, White county, Christmas day of that year. They first located in Burnt Prairie. In the family were nine children- David, James, Henry, John and Alexander, being the sons; and Jesse, Christina, Martha and Mary, the daugh- ters. To them was born William in this country. Part of the family remained in Scotland with their grandfather until 1824, when they too came thither. The family took up their residence in Albion in 1827, where Alexander Stewart, sr., died May 5th, 1865, aged 87 years. During the last eight years of his life he was blind. The subject
of this sketch, whose portrait is shown above, followed farming until he reached his majority, when he com- menced blacksmithing, which he prosecuted vigorously for sixteen years, when, his health giving way, he entered upon his career as a merchant. In this vocation he, by energy and straightforwardness, compelled success. He was married to Sarah Miller, daughter of James Miller, a farmer of. White county, January 19th, 1825. She died April 20th, 1853. He was married to his present wife, Emma A. Senseman, April 23, 1856. She is the daughter of John H. and Elizabeth Senseman, natives of North Carolina, whence they came here, via New York. Mr. Stewart has led an active, busy life. He is a man of superior business qualifications, of unquestioned integ- rity of character, and has won the esteem of all asso- ciates.
224
HISTORY OF EDWARDS, LAWRENCE AND WABASH COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
WILLIAM F. FOSTER,
A PROMINENT 'member of the bar of Edwards county, was born in Clark county, Indiana, May 3, 1840. His father, William Foster, was a native of Yorkshire, Eng- land. He was educated at Ackworth in an institution under the auspices of the Quakers, or Friends. He came to America in 1821, located in Indiana, where he was married to Lucy Shirley, of the Kentucky family of that name. Her father was Charles and her grand- father Michael Shirley. Michael came from Virginia to Kentucky with Daniel Boone, on his second trip to the then western wilds, and was scalped by the Indians near the site of Harrodsburg. To William and Susan. Foster were born six sons, Charles, Blashel, John and Wm. F. are living. The daughters are all dead. Wil- liam followed the avocations of teacher and farmer. He died August 19, 1868. His wife survives him. The subject of this sketch received a common school educa- tion, nine months' attendance all told. In 1861 he en- tered the army, enlisting in Company I, 66th Illinois Volunteers, generally known as " Burge's Western Sharp Shooters." With this command he was at Forts Donel- son, Shiloh, Corinth, Chickamauga and Resaca. When General Dodge was wounded he left Foster in charge of two darkies and four horses-his rank was never deter- mined nor commission ever made out. At the end of three years' service he was discharged. On the 20th of June, 1865, he was united in marriage to Lucy Y. Denny, of Charleston, Indiana, by whom he has six children. In 1876, he commenced the study of law, having determined on it as a profession. His first read- ing was Walken's American Law. Soon after he read regularly in the office of F. A. Sampson, Sedalia, Mis- souri, where he was admitted to practice. In 1878, he opened an office in Albion, and in the following year he was admitted to practice in the Illinois courts. He is a member of the Masonic order, also of the Christian church. In the furtherance of church matters he takes a deep and abiding interest. As a soldier Mr. Foster did his duty, and served his country faithfully ; as a lawyer he is possessed of great forensic power and excel- lent knowledge; as a citizen he is respected. Whatever he has to do he does with enthusiasm and earnestness.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.