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 54
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 54
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 54
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JOHN HALLAM,
A FARMER, earnest in the calling and quite successful in its prosecution, was born in Brassington, Derbyshire, England, October 2, 1835. His father, Thomas Hallam, was also a farmer, who, desiring to better his condition in life, came to the United States, in 1836, landing in Philadelphia, where he remained three months, thence to a brother's, who had preceded him in White county, and from thence to the English settlement, as that in Ed- wards county, was popularly termed. Here he became one of the most successful farmers on Boltinghouse
prairie. At first he hired his services to the noted Geo. Flower, with whom he lived three years, engaged in tending sheep. His flock numbered about one thousand head. Of Flower, he rented land with privilege of pur- chasing at a stipulated price, and so economical and successful was he that at the expiration of two years from time of making such contract he was the owner of a fine tract of land, which is yet in the family's hands. He was married to Elizabeth Handley, by whom he had seven children, of whom two died in England ; three crossed the sea with him, and two were added after ar- rival in this country. He died September 6, 1878. His son, John Hallam, obtained a fair common school educa- tion. He was united in wedlock to Bertha Rosevelt, daughter of James H. and Elizabeth Rosevelt, October 28, 1869. By her he had one child. She died October 28, 1874. He was married to his present wife, Sarah Vallette, daughter of William Vallette, April 12, 1877, by whom he has one child. In the fall of 1876, he vis- ited England, and returned better satisfied than ever with his father's choice of a home. He is an ardent Re- publican politically, and an active devout member of the Methodist Episcopal church religiously.
DR. HENRY L. DICKSON
WAS born in the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His father was William Dickson, a merchant of that city. His mother's maiden name was Rebecca Cullo- den. They were both natives of Ireland, and both died when Henry L., was a small child. Together with a brother Francis, now a book-keeper in Louisville, Ky., he was raised by his grandfather and an uncle. In 1820 he was brought to Mt. Carmel, thence taken to Vincennes, then again to Mt. Carmel about 1830. From there he came to Wanborough in this county. He received a good common school education in the schools of Park county, Indiana. His grandfather was the first merchant to do business in Albion, having opened a store here while yet living in Indiana. The doctor commenced the study of medicine with Dr. A. S. Haskell, of Hillsboro, Illinois, in 1846, and attended lectures in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1848-'9, graduating from the institution in 1849. He at once thereafter commenced the practice of his profession in Montgomery county, where he, for convenience of self and neighbors had established a post-office named Fillmore, and where he was the first postmaster. He was married to Mrs. Phoebe C. Rugg in Fillmore, May 1, 1850. She was a native of Orange county, New York. Her maiden name was Doty. She died February 5, 1881. The doctor is a member. of the Cumberland Presbyterian church, in whose success he takes deep interest. He is an active, earnest Republican in politics, a faith from which he has never swerved since casting his first ballot, which was for General William H. Harrison. As a physician he is painstaking, well read and earnest.
HISTORY OF EDWARDS, LAWRENCE AND WABASH COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
A LITTLE
yours Kindly R.C. "flower
The gentleman, whose portrait appears above, is the second son of Alfred and Elizabeth Flower, and grand- son of George Flower. He was born near Albion, in Edwards county, Illinois, December 16th, 1849. His father, Alfred Flower, was a minister, and, like many ministers in early times, witnessed the inconveniences of limited circumstances. He made, however, an extraordi- nary effort to give his children, in their early years, an ed- ucation. By great efforts and sacrifices on the part of his parents the best teachers of that day were employed and boarded in the house that they might devote their entire time to the education and improvement of their children. At the age of thirteen, R. C. Flower, a frail and delicate boy, desirous of obtaining a more thorough education, left his prairie home and went to Indianapolis, Indiana. His trials and struggles for years in search of knowledge were numerous, bitter and long-indeed the events of this period of his life would make a long and interesting history in itself-two hundred miles from home, an en- tire stranger in the city, he entered college with three dollars and seven cents in his pocket, which was his 224-A
entire capital. Every cent he spent he had, by his own efforts, to first earn. Fortunately he had settled in his own mind the precept " that the man must make the circumstances, rather than the circumstances the man." In his college course he studied theology, law, and medi- cine, and, being early admitted to the bar, he had before him a most promising future. Owing to early influences and the advice of his associates he was induced to abandon the profession of his choice and enter the ministry. He belonged to the Disciple or Christian church, a de- nomination of great strength in the west. He always had one of the most desirable churches in the denomina- tion for his charge, and preached extensively in Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky. Within four years he held fourteen public discussions, and, in many instances, with the leading and champion debaters of other denomina- tions. Mr. Flower's oratorical parry and thrust style of argumentation rendered him a formidable antagonist to meet in debate. Shrewd, smart, quick and of astonish- ing self-possession, he never became excited yet never failed to excite his opponent. By masterly eloquence
HISTORY OF EDWARDS, LAWRENCE AND WABASH COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
and irresistible magnetism he would carry his foes as well as his friends, and in the excitement of the moment compel his opponents to cheer his arguments against their own belief. In wit he had few equals; in pathos and sarcasm, none.
During all this time R. C. Flower continued his studies in medicine, purely because of his love for the science. In December, 1875, he went to Alliance, Ohio, to take charge of a large and wealthy church. As usual, the crowds to hear him became very great, so that no house in the city could hold his vast audiences. It was soon whispered round that the eloquent preacher was not sound in the faith-that he was not sound on the questions of baptism, hell, personal devil, hereditary depravity and many other church doctrines. This cre- ated an intense excitement in the denomination. Con- vention after convention was held to try the young preacher for heresy. But no trial was ever held ; the eloquent tongue, shrewd and fertile brain, defeated the plans of his opponents, and, under all circumstances, would he carry the conventions as he would a public audience. This done, R. C. Flower publicly withdrew from the denomination, and carried with him his entire church, with a few unimportant exceptions. He or- ganized an Independent church upon a broad and liberal basis-a church he claimed " should be free from all priestcraft, popecraft, bookcraft, and all superstitious and illiberal doctrines, and that it should be as broad as the wants of man, as deep as his fall, and as high as his aspirations."
He built a large and magnificent house of worship upon the highest point in the center of the city ; and to- day this Independent church stands forth (a monument of his success) as one of the largest, wealthiest and most influential societies in all the State.
About this time, Dr. R. C. Flower went actively into the practice of medicine. In less than four months (on account of his almost miraculous success), his practice became so great, he was compelled to employ assistant physicians as well as establish a large health institute. His success in the practice of medicine more than out- rivaled all his preceding achievements.
His practice drifted largely eastward, and the Doctor finally determined to move to the great cities of the east where he could more successfully operate his al- most supernatural healing powers. In accordance with these feelings, he sold out his Institute in February, 1880, and transferred his practice to Philadelphia, and New York. From this on, his practice became very great. His cures were so numerous, and so phenomenal, that he became a wonder in the east, Always anxious to live in Boston, and many attractions drawing him to the hub, he gave up his beautiful residence on Fifth Avenue, New York, and transferred his practice in May, 1882, to the Athens of America. In Boston he has built up a prac- tice which is said by many to be the largest in the world.
His offices are some distance from his residence, and under no circumstances will he mingle business with the 224-B
pleasures of his home. A phenomenal feature in his practice is his method of diagnosing disease. He never asks a patient his trouble, but the instant he takes the hand of a sick person, he tells most accurately the disease in all its ramifications. This phenomenal phase of his practice, has brought to him thousands upon thousands of patients, and it is claimed that out of upwards of one hundred thousand examinations he has never made a mistake. In the business world Dr. R. C. Flower is as great a wonder as he is in the practice of medicine. It is said by his most intimate friends, that in all his many business enterprises he has never lost a dollar. His in- tuitional powers in detecting the actual condition of the markets seem almost infallible. If he buys stocks they go up, if he sells, they go down. He has made fortunes for many of his friends, and saved many from ruin, by advising them when to buy, and when to sell. He is largely interested in some of the largest manufacturing companies in New England, also some of the largest and richest mining companies in the world.
He is a man of great individuality, a man of methods, and a man, who from all appearances, does the work of a hundred men.
He never went into any thing which did not succeed, and some of his friends, prominent and leading minds in the business world, unhesitatingly declare (as superstitious as the statement may seem to some) that over his every movement is a star of destiny which enables him to evolve success out of any enterprise.
Within the last few years Dr. Flower has made some large fortunes, and fortunes has he given to his friends and the needy around him. He gave away last year to his needy patients, over fifty-nine thousand dollars. No patient was ever turned away because he was too poor to pay, and no beggar ever left his door hungry and empty in pocket. Regarding his religious views, we have been permitted to quote the following extract from a letter written by Dr. R. C. Flower, iu December, 1882, to an old friend in Philadelphia, in answer to these three questions.
"First. What value has money to you ? 2d. What is your re- ligion? 3d. What are your ideas of good and evil ?" " In answer to your questions, I would say. First. Money has no value to me except for the pleasure it gives to others ; according to the pleasure you get out of a dollar, is the dollar valuable; and a dollar which never makes a human being happy, is a valueless, useless coin.
"Second. I do not hold to any special church creed. I have long since given up the sham of shadow and form. To me, re- ligion is to do as you would be done by, to enjoy yourself, and to give to others all possible pleasure. To do something worthy of a healthy brain, worthy of an existence, worthy of an infinite soul, and to leave the world better for having lived. I believe in the ulti- mate and just punishment of all sin and in the final happiness of all men. I believe that the more lovely, pure, gentle and beautiful you make this life, you will hegin in correspondingly beautiful conditions in the life to come. I hold that every man has a right to express his honest thoughts; thought is like a river, rather than a stationary pool, it grows deeper and broader with the birth of every second. Thought is the loco-power which never
HISTORY OF EDWARDS, LAWRENCE AND WABASH COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
exhausts, tires nor wanes, and moves the ship of life to-day through brighter seas, and beneath fairer skies than those of the past; makes the new a possibility, and generates every day a bud for to-morrow's blossom. Thought is the sun of the harvest, the star in darkness, the dew drop of all foliage. For me to honestly and constantly think is right ; hence it cannot be wrong for me to express my honest thoughts. I believe in the immortality of man, and that no clouds, mists, or barriers exist, or can exist, between the spirit world and the intuitional spiritual minded person.
"Third .- Good is pleasure-evil is sorrow. All sorrow is evil, all pleasure is good. To cause sorrow, to allow it to exist when you can prevent it is to do evil. To create pleasure, to perpetu- ate it, is to create and perpetuate the germ essence of goodness. The' following verses, as they come to me, still better express my idea of good."
GOOD.
There is no good outside of that which helps a human soul ; There is no creed of all the creeds that's worth a pence, Except the creed of pure good deeds richly given to those in need And ever from the soul of love flowing hence.
Good is a deed or word ever so small or feebly spoken, Designed to lift a burden, to cheer the weary heart of struggling life.
Rest to the trudging form and hope to blighted prospects crushed and riven,
The feeblest effort to light the lip with smiles in lieu of shadows from disappointments' night.
Doing because it is sweet to do something to help another, Conscious that the lowest human life is my sister or my brother,. Defending the abused and down-trodden, uplifting the fallen and weak,
Not ashamed to help the lowest, nor too proud to see the poorest, nor afraid to the vilest to speak.
Dissolve my life into such a creation, that from every step and from every pulsation
Burst a ray of light to guide some eye, a mountain spring some soul to revive
A breast of hope in which some broken life may trust and rest in peace,
A life which will cast in the human form, s face that can never shed aught but a smile.
Inspires the eye to piteously see the homes of want, though palaces are unobserved.
The ear and heart to hear and heed the muffled cry from the vilest soul, sin stained and crushed,
Though cursed by the world for plucking from the field of thorns This bruised and sin stained bud of heaven.
Good is to do to my neighbor's child as I would have my neigh- bor do to mine. 224-C
Never a pit so deep, so dark, so wild and vile, Into which if my dear child should fall,
I would not move the earth and heaven to pluck him from the burning.
Thus should every child be loved and sought and saved, And doing good is doing that which does all this,
And nothing less is doing good as he would do who said to others do As you would have to yourself others do.
This is my creed and such shall be my life, Nothing less can I accept-nothing more can I conceive, Thus will I make the world better for having therein lived, And better will I be for having lived therein."
Dr. R. C Flower's palatial residence on Common- wealth avenue is one of the finest in the city ; the situa- tion is the choicest on what is claimed by Bostonians to be the grandest and most superb of all American streets. Here the hand of art and design has played a great part-the cost has never been considered in giving com- fort, elegance, and beauty to this model home, and within these radiant rooms and granite walls live the happiest hearts of earth. The Doctor takes great in- terest in his home, and in every little thing about the place. He might be considered a domestic man, for when not actually engaged in his business he is at home, or with his family at some place of amusement, or rid- ing with them behind his prancing span.
He has been twice married. First in December, 1870, to Miss Ella Nicholson, of Jeffersonville, Indiana, a most beautiful, elegant, and highly accomplished woman ; she died in 1876 of quick consumption. In this mar- riage four sons were born, two of whom preceded their mother to the spirit world, the other two are living.
In the summer of 1877 Dr. Flower was married to Miss Mayde M. Manfull, of Alliance, Ohio. This young, loveable and gifted woman possessing rare attainments, was a great favorite with all who knew her, and was well fitted for the position her marriage called her to fill. The Doctor has been remarkably fortunate in his marriages, and this he appreciates, for his devotion to his home and family is almost idolatry. By his second marriage he has one child, a daughter.
We close this biographical sketch of one of the most remarkable of men. A man who is a thorough success in every thing, who has made for himself and others a heaven on earth, and has settled beyond doubt that by study, industry and integrity you can attain eminence, and realize and enjoy most fully your own triumphs.
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HISTORY OF EDWARDS, LAWRENCE AND WABASH COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
WILLIAM H. MEDLER
Is one of the most industrious and successful farmers in his neighborhood ; in fact he is spoken of as being a model farmer. He was born in Aylsham, Norfolk, Eng- land, May 19, 1832. His father, William Medler, was by trade a shoemaker, his part of the work being that of overseer or foreman. He was also a dancing master and musician. His mother, whose maiden name was Mary Potter, was the daughter of a Veterinary Surgeon, who had a business worth a thousand pounds per annum. When but nineteen years of age the subject of this sketch, accompanied by his mother and step-father came to this country. They were six weeks and four days on the ocean aboard the sailing vessel Savannah. After reaching New York city they got out of funds, and were compelled to remain there until supplied by Mr. E. Dyball, of Madison county, New York. For seven years William H. remained in Madison county, New York, when he came to this county. His mother and family followed two years thereafter. While living in New York, he attended three terms of school of three months each, thus obtaining a fair education. He was married to Mary A. Rolands, a native of Oxfordshire, England, March 15, 1856. By her he had five children, three sons and two daughters. Of these the sons are all living, but both daughters are dead. Mary A. Medler died September 29, 1866. On the 10th of October, 1867, Mr. Medler was married to Martha Ann Kitchens, his present wife. She was the daughter of Joab Kitchens. Both of her parents died when she was a small child, so that she was reared by her grandmother. By her he has had four children, two of whom Alonzo and Lily are liviog, and two, Alfred Charles and Ralph are dead. Mr. Medler has been a hard worker. His first purchase of land was only five acres, which he sold, buying where he now lives, a small tract to which he has been steadily adding until it is now a farm of one hundred and sixty acres. At times he has labored as a farm hand, again at brick making or as a mechanic. Anything his hand found to do that would earn for him an honest penny was his motto. Now that he is quite independent he blesses the day he turned his back on old England, which by the way he was only enabled to do through the aid of George Barber, and found a home in America. When yet in New York, he earned $25 by chopping a hundred and fifty cords of wood, which money he sent to England to defray the passage of a brother hither. He is a staunch Republican and a member of the M. E. church. He is determined that his children shall have better chances than were his lot, and to that end is giving them good facilities for gaining knowledge.
DR JOHN C. MCCLURKIN
Was born in Union County, Indiana, August 28th, 1840. His father, Joseph Mcclurkin, a farmer, was a South Carolinian by birth, whilst his mother, Nancy Cook, was an Ohioan. At the age of three years he was taken by 29
his parents to Preble County, Ohio, to live where they resided ten years, from whence they moved to Gib- son County, Indiana, where his father died January 12, 1872, aged 71 years, and where his mother still lives. In October 1861, he of whom we write enlisted as a private soldier in Co. F. Ord. Reg. Indiana Volunteers. He was with Sharman " to the . " and took part in all the battles of that memorable campaign. On the 5th of March, 1863, he was taken prisoner after being wound- ed in the battle of Columbia, Tennessee, and was sent to Libby prison, at Richmond. Just two months after his imprisonment he was exchanged among the last lot of unfortunate inmates of that dread pen. He joined his command at Tullahoma in the following autumn, after having spent several months in the hospitals. His term of service extended over three years and eleven months. Upon being discharged from the service, he entered the State University of Indiana, at Bloomington, which he attended three years. He next entered the office of Drs. Mumford and West, at Princeton, Ind., as a student of medicine. From there he went to Bellevue Medical College, New York, to further prosecute his studies, and from this institution he graduated, March 2nd, 1871. He at once in seeking a location came to Albion, where he has since resided, engaging with great success in his profession. He is a member of the Illinois Medical So- ciety, and of the A. O. U. W. also of the Episcopal Church. Politically, he is an active Republican. Re- cently he was elected a member of the Albion Board of Education, as a mark of the esteem in which his interest in educational matters is held by his fellow citizens. He was married to Ellen Churchill, daughter of Joel Churchill, December 2nd, 1873. Three children, two boysand one girl, bless the union.
HENRY GLAUBENSKLEE.
GERMANY has contributed largely to the ranks of American citizenship. Her sons are a loyal, freedom- loving class of men. "Many of them come to this country for the enjoyment of a larger measure of liberty than is vouchsafed under the institutions of the " faderland." Of the number were the Glaubensklees. They were natives of Kersha, East Prussia. Theodore, a famous educator, at one time candidate for State Superintend- ent of Public Instruction in the State of New York, was the first to break the ties of home, cross the Atlantic and cast his lot with Americans. He became a profes- sor in the Free Academy iu New York city, and accu- mulated property. To his duties as a professor he added banking operations which have made him independent. Henry Glaubensklee, our distinguished subject, was born in Prussia, May 17th, 1821. In 1850, he made a visit to his brother, Theodore, in New York, and from thence started off on a hunting tour throughout the West. After reaching Edwards county he was persuaded to purchase the farm where he yet lives. This was quite foreign to his purpose, but attractions were not alone of ยท
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HISTORY OF EDWARDS, LAWRENCE AND WABASH COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
farming, as on the 26th of March, 1851, he was united in marriage with Sarah Hallam, daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth Hallam, natives of Derbyshire, England. To Henry Glaubensklee and wife there have been born eleven children, seven of whom are living and four dead. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Politically he is a straightforward, earnest Republican. He obtained a fine education in one of the oldest institution's of learning in Prussia. He is a man of urbane manners, happy disposition, and is a good citizen.
MORRIS EMMERSON.
THE able editor of that sterling paper, the Albion Journal, was born in Wanborough, Edwards county, Illi- nois, June 7th, 1853. He comes of one of the pioneer families of the county, being the son of Jesse and Sa- mantha Emmerson. His father was a native of Indiana, while his mother, whose maiden name was Sperry, was born in Connecticut. His father has held the position as county clerk and sheriff with great acceptance. To the office of sheriff he was three times elected. Morris obtained his education chiefly in the common schools of the county and the high school of Albion. This was sup- plemented by a commercial course in Bryant & Strat- ton's Commercial College of St. Louis, from which insti- tution he graduated in the summer of 1869. Upon his return home he was installed as book-keeper for Church- ill & Dalby, dealers in pork, grain and general mer- chandise, with whom he remained about six years. In September, 1875, he went to Red Oak, Iowa, where he was engaged in a similar capacity, and for a time in the Valley National Bank. In 1876, he returned to Fair- field, Wayne county, as clerk for Thomas W. Scott, a merchant of that place. In connection with Balleutine he bought the Journal during the same year, and in 1878, became sole proprietor. He was married to Ida Harris, daughter of George Harris, April 10, 1878. By this union there have been born two bright children, a boy and a girl. Mr. Emmerson is an active member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, of the A. O. U. W. and of the Sons of Temperance. In the manage- ment of his paper he is earnest in his advocacy of Re- publican principles, fearless in upholding his ideas of temperance, and careful in making his a reliable family paper.
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