Combined history of Edwards, Lawrence and Wabash counties, Illinois. With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers, Part 64

Author:
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. L. McDonough & co.
Number of Pages: 490

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 64
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 64
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 64

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).

DR. HUGH A. MURPHY.

THE medical fraternity of Lawrence county, numbers in its ranks no more successful practitioner than Dr. Hugh A. Murphy. He was born in Walash county, Indiana, June 29th, 1845. His father, James Murphy, was a farmer, a native of Virginia, whence he came to Indiana about the year 1836. In the family were twelve children, eight of whom are living. Of these the five sons were William M., a commercial traveler in Missouri ; David, a farmer in Iowa ; Wicka, an editor and publisher in Kansas; Nathan, a commercial traveler in Iowa,

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HISTORY OF EDWARDS, LAWRENCE AND WABASH COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.

and the subject of this sketch. In common with his brothers Hugh obtained a fair common school education. Upon the breaking out of the war his patriotism led him to enlist in his country's service, which he did Sept. 26th, 1861, in Co. B. 47th Regt. Indiana Vol. Inf. In the service he remained until Dec. 13, 1865. Much of the time he was engaged in hospital duties, as an assistant. Here he acquired a love for the study of medicine, which he vigorously prosecuted under the tuition, first of Dr. Perry, then of Dr. M. D. Frazer, of Bridgeport, Law- rence county, Illinois. In September, 1867, he went to Cincinnati, when he entered the Ohio Medical College. After attending a course of instruction there he com- menced practice in chancery, Lawrence county, Illinois, where he has most successfully followed it for fifteen years. In April, 1883, he, in connection with J. M. Bosart, bought the drug store of W. W. Shepherd, in Sumner, to which place he moved and now lives. He was married to Einma Kingsbury, daughter of Harlie and Mary Kingsbury, natives of Ohio, of Puritan stock, March 15th, 1871. By this union there have been born four children -Carrie Laura, Hugh K., Milton F., and Mary G., by name. The Doctor is a Democrat, politi- cally ; a member of the Masonic, and of the Knights of Honor Orders.

DR. JAMES O. McDOWELL

WAS born in Lawrence county, New York. Nov. 18th, 1843. His father, Harvey Theodore McDowell, was, in early life, engaged in the manufacture of woolen goods, but exchanged this occupation for that of carpentering, which he has,constantly followed since. In New York he married Mary E. Howe, and by her had two sons, William Edward and James O. Mrs. McDowell died in 1846. William E. in 1856. In the year 1859 father and son came West, making a tour of the state of Illinois, occupying six or seven months, and finally locating in Olney, Richland county, where they remained two years, and where his father was united in marriage with Sarah Nelson. Harvey T. and wife soon after located in Franconia, Richland county, where they have since continued to reside. James O. McDowell, wishing to see more of the world, traveled north through Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota, returning after two years' wandering. Having acquired a fair common school education, and being by nature fitted for profes- sional life, he entered upon the work of teaching imme- diately upon his return to his home, in what is known as the Curtis District, in Edwards county. After a six months' term he returned to carpentering, which he had followed in connection with his father, only again to yield up the plane and saw for school-room work, upon the recurrence of the winter months, this time in the Sugar Creek district, same county. In 1867 he entered the office of Dr. Clark, at Franconia, as a student of medicine. He next attended lectures in the Cincinnati Medical Institute, from which institution he graduated

in 1873. He had, before this, practiced with Dr. Bates, with whom he formed a co-partnership which continued during five years. After graduation he came to Sumner, where he has since resided. For four years he followed the drug business, and in 1881 he took possession of the Christy farm, where he now resides. Although he farms largely, his old time patrons will not permit his absolute retirement from his profession. He married Clara J. Foster, daughter of Charles Foster, October 6th, 1874. By her he has five children, one son and four daughters, Jessie May, Charles Melvin, Carrie Ethel, Mamie Elsie and Vida Ann, by name. He is an uncompromising Democrat. He comes of patriotic stock, numbering among his ancestors soldiers of both the Revolutionary war and war of 1812, in which last his grandfather was a drum-major. Genial, courteous, generous, and emi- nently social, the doctor has many warm friends.

G. W. PETTY

WAS born in Perry Co., Ohio, May 18th, 1834. His parents, who were natives of the state of New Jersey, were early settlers in Ohio, whence they came to Law- rence county, Illinois, in the year 1838. His father's name was Joseph Petty, whilst the maiden name of his mother was Elizabeth Clover. Joseph Petty's ancestors were French and his wife's German. In the family were seven sons and four daughters. Of these, the sub- ject of this sketch was the fourth in order of birth. Of the eleven children, two, the oldest and youngest, Peter and Perry, by name, are dead. The others are all living in the neighborhood where the parents first located in Lawrence county. By name they are Mary Ann, Bal- sor, George W, William, Moses, Jacob, Lavinia, Nancy E. and Hannah. Joseph Petty was among the substan- tial, energetic farmers of his vicinity. Upon coming west his first move was to pay $500 for a tract of eighty acres of land, although it was surrounded by the finest prairie, open to entry from the Government, at $1.25 per acre. His reason for making the investment was, that a log cabin was ready for occupancy. In life, he was quite successful, owning at one time as much as eight hundred acres about the old homestead. He died in April, 1864 ; his widow still lives. G. W. Petty had like opportunities afforded the youth of his section of country for acquiring an education. He was married to Sarah Jane Burget, on the 8th of November, 1859, by whom he has six children. The marriage ceremony was per- formed by Isaac Potts, at that time Judge of the county court. The names of the children of G. W. and Sarah J. Petty are : Annie Laurie, Belle E., Rosa C., Nellie, George and William. Mr. Petty is a Democrat, as he expresses it, he was rocked in a Democratic cradle, reared in the Democratic faith, from which he has never departed. He held the position of Road Commissioner three terms, the last of which he served as President. He is a member of the Masonic order, in which he takes great interest. He was representative from the Blue

OLD HOMESTEAD.

RESIDENCE, STOCK & GRAIN FARM (607 ACRES) OF JOHN CURTIS, SEC.33, T.IN. R.10 E. SHELBY PRECINCT, EDWARDS CO.ILL.

Of THE UNIVERSITY

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HISTORY OF EDWARDS, LAWRENCE AND WABASH COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.

Lodge in 1876, and of the Chapter, in the Conclave of the Grand Commandery in Chicago, in 1880. He is, as he has always been, a farmer, although for two and a half years he was the proprietor of a drug store in Sumner.

DR. ZEBA D. FRENCH.

IN few professions do men endear themselves so much to their patrons as in the practice of medicine, and he whose name appears above is no exception to the quite universal rule. Dr. French was born in Dubuque, Iowa, June 24th, 1837. His father, Chauncey French, was by chance a native of Indiana, having been born in that state when his father's family were on their way west from Massachusetts. By avocation he was a farmer and stock dealer, which he varied by two years' experience in mining, prosecuted in Iowa and Wisconsin, and merchandising which he followed about six years in Sumner, Lawrence county. The later years of his life he passed upon his farm in the vicinity of the same vil- lage, where he died in October, 1869. His wife, whose maiden name was Jane Travis, died in 1859. To them were born ten children, five of whom are now liv- ing; William W., a railroad employee in Kansas ; Mar- tha, now in California ; Jennie Sumner, of Sumner ; Henry Clay, a railroad conductor in Kansas, and the subject of this sketch. The family came to Lawrence county when the doctor was but two years old, in 1839. Zeba D. French obtained a fair common school edu- cation, which was supplemented by a year's attendance in the High School at Evansville, Indiana, in 1856-57.

He early became infatuated with the study of medicine, and entered the office of Dr. Panebaker of Sumner as a student. This he followed up with study under Dr. H. Smith a year, then with Dr. W. W. Hilt, of Vincennes, Indiana, and attendance upon lectures in the Chicago Medical College in 1859-60. Late in 1860 he began the practice of his profession in Charlotteville, Illinois. In 1861, when the call was made for soldiers in behalf of the cause of the Union, he enlisted in the first company that went out from Lawrence county, Co. I. 8th Regi- ment Illinois, three months' men. In November follow- ing he re-enlisted in the 11th Missouri, where he was promptly placed in the hospital department as Hospi- tal Steward. He was with his command in this capaci- ty until August, 1864. The duties of his position he discharged with credit. After his term of service, he entered the Iowa Medical College, at Keokuk, Iowa, whence he graduated, in 1865. The same year, April 23rd, he was united in marriage with Mary Frances Crawford, daughter of.John B. and Elizabeth Crawford, natives of New York. By her he has two children, Nel- lie Z., born July 4th, 1867, and Earl Chauncey, born Nov. 27th, 1876. His wife died in Ripley county, Mis- souri, where the doctor was engaged in practice about three years, Feb. 27th, 1877. He was married to his present wife, Elizabeth Cowden, daughter of J. P. Cowden, Oct. 11th, 1882. The doctor is a very pronounced Republican ; a member of the Masonic, Odd Fellows and Knights of Honor orders, and of the Centennial Medi- cal Society. He is faithful in the discharge of all duties ; firm in his friendships and skilled in his profession.

RUSSELL.

LAWRENCE CO.

R USSELL township is bounded on the north by Crawford county, on the east by the Wabash, on the south by Allison, and on the west by Lawrence and Bond. The northern and western portions were originally, and are still, to some extent, heavily timbered. A part of Purga- tory Swamp is embraced by the township, in the south- west. Most of congressional township 4 north, range 10 west, is an elevated sandy plain. Sugar creek flowing into Purgatory Swamp, and Flat creek emptying into the Wabash at Russellville, are the principal sources of drainage.

The first settlements in the township were made at Russellville, the site of an Indian village, about the year 1809 or '10. Among those who, at this time, made homes

here were Samuel and Jonathan Allison, whose name is borne by the prairie lying principally south and west. They came from Kentucky with families. Samuel's children were Daniel, John, Isaac, Richard, Samuel, Jr., Nancy, Lydia, and Phebe. Jonathan had three sons, Isaac, David, and Joseph, and two daughters, Phebe and Nancy. Frederick and Ezra Allison were married sons of Samuel, having families when the Allisons came to prairie. The fort was built in the spring of 1812, as a protection against the Indians, and stood in what is now the northern part of Russellville It was projected and built by Samuel Allison. About this time, 1809 or 10, or shortly after, came Thomas Mills, William Stockwell, William Hogue, Daniel and Henry Kuykendall, and a man named McBane, all of

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HISTORY OF EDWARDS, LAWRENCE AND WABASHI COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.

whom became inmates of the fort, and probably assisted in its construction. Mills was from Kentucky and had eight children, viz., Edward, John, Thomas, Jr., Mary, Lydia, Amy, Rebecca, and Matilda. He had prior to entering the fort made an improvement about two hundred yards north of its site, to which in the spring of 1815, he returned, and which was his permanent home. Stock- well was likewise a Tennesseean. His childen were Wm., Jesse, Henry, Thompson, Michael, Rachel, and Eliza. The brothers Kuykendall came from Ohio. Henry was married and lived on the present site of Russellville. Hogue immigrated from Kentucky, and had one son, Jeremiah. He settled on the N. W. } of section 28, township 5, range 10, and subsequently moved to a point opposite Terre Haute, and there died. McBane had one son and two daughters, Mary and Ellen. He located about three-fourths of a mile north of Russellville. The Indian hostilities checked immigration till 1815. Then came Peter Price from Ohio, with nine children, Henry, Peter, Jr, Michael, David, George, John, William, Mary, and Sarah, and settled on the N E. } of the S. W. { of section 15, township 4, range 10. In 1818 he moved to the E. } of S. E. { of section 33, township 5, range 11. With Price came his cousin Jeremiah Price, also a married man. One Garner, from Ohio, about this time, 1815, settled on the S. W. } of section 10, township 4, range 10. In the same neighborhood lived a family of Manns, who came from Ohio. Joseph and James Baird, probably as early as 1814, settled on the N. W. { of section 18. James was shot by an Indian while plowing. William Miller, in 1816, brought from Ohio, a family of nine children, viz, Robert, John, Jane, Thomas A., Samuel, Elizabeth, Rachel, and Belinda, and settled on the N. W. } of section 28, township 5, range 10. Israel Price came with Miller, and settled in the township. Samuel and Eli Harris, came from Tennessee, with families, in 1815, and settled on section 13, in what was known as the Christian settlement. Samuel had two sons, John and Perzas, and two daugh- ters. Eli was one of the earliest teachers in Centre school-house, and also taught singing school there. Chas. Emmons, formerly from Virginia, came to the town- ship from Kentucky, in 1818, and settled permanently on the W. } of section 3. He brought with him nine children, William, Wesley, Charles, Sinclair, Thornton, Wyley, Martha, Elizabeth, and Fannie. In this year, came the Pinkstaff families, from Kentucky. Andrew Pinkstaff settled on the S. } of the N. W. } of section 2, where he made his permanent home, and died at the age of about ninety-nine years. He had served as a soldier in the war of the revolution. His son, John, brought five children, Andrew, John, Owen, Nancy, and Cynthia, and settled on the N. E. } of the S. E. } of section 3, township 4, range 11, where he died at the age of about seventy-five years. The Pinkstaff family is a quite numerous one in the northern part of the county. John Felton, came from Pennsylvania, a single man, in 1818. Married Huldah Harriman, and settled on the S. E. }

of section 29, township 5, range 11. The Harriman family came from New York. The children were John, Luke, Stephen, and Huldah, just mentioned, and Clarissa. John was a mechanic. Samuel Haskins, also from New York, in 1818, had a family of five children, Robert, Hiram, Samuel, Abigail, aud Maria. He settled about a mile southeast of Russellville, and kept a hotel. One Lamfere, with a family, was among the earliest arrivals. About 1818, he established a ferry a short distance below the present site of Russellville. It con- tinued in operation about ten or twelve years. The boat was sufficient to carry a team and wagon. Austin Tann, a negro, who had been an inmate of the fort, and was afterward a member of the Shaker community, about 1820, settled on the N. W. } of section 10, township 4, range 11. He was quite intelligent, and was influential among those of his own race. The central portion of so much of Allison prairie, as lies in the township, was but little settled until about 1829 or '30. At this time Adam Lackey, John Ashbrook, and John Organ, all settled in section 8. Peyton Moler settled on the S. } of section 5 ; James Vance, on the N. W. } of section 9; Jas. Fisher, on the N. W. } of section 17 ; Abijah Emmons, on section 18; and James Mickey, on the S. W. } of that section. The latter was from Pennsylvania with a family of seven children.

The first white child of American parents, born in + Lawrence county, was E. P. Tyffe, in Russellville, July 17, 1812. He died March 12, 1878.

In 1817 a school was taught in an old cabin that stood ou the northwest quarter of the southeast quarter of sec- tion 4, township 4, range 10. A round log school-house was built about 1822 on the southwest quarter of section 5. Samuel Borden, a young man from New Jersey, taught the first school. The first school in the western part of the township was taught by Borden in a log school-house about 1821. Little Village Cemetery was laid out by John Mills in 1818, just north of Russell- ville. Old Mr. McBane was the first person buried here; the next was Samuel Allison, and the third, Daniel Kuykendall.

About the year 1809 or 10, several families of Baptists from Kentucky settled north of the site of Russellville, in Lawrence and Crawford counties. Elder Thomas Kennedy and Daniel Parker preached for this commu- nity ; and in 1817 a church was organized at the house of Thomas Mills. In 1821 the society built a log house of worship on the site of the cemetery, now owned by Mr. Tewalt, above the village. The house, after years of use, rotted and went to decay, but the venerable so- ciety that met within its rude walls still exists under the name of Canaan Church, whose house of worship now occupies the site about four miles north of Russellville, in Crawford county, to which the primitive Little Vil- lage church was removed. Among the pious families who were active and instrumental in the affairs of this ancient society were the brothers Samuel and Jonathan Allison, Frederick and Ezra Allison, sons of Samuel and

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HISTORY OF EDWARDS, LAWRENCE AND WABASH COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.

Richard Allison, and Richard Highsmith, leaders of the flock, and the Mills.

Following will be found the first land entries : Aug. 10, 1814, William Howard entered the southwest quar- ter of section 14, township 4, range 11. January 24th, 1815, John Dunlap entered the northeast quarter of sec- tion 13. May 13, 1815, Samuel Allison entered the southeast quarter of section 13. August 13, 1814, Sa- muel Harris entered the southwest quarter of section 13. August 8, 1815, Moses Turner entered the northeast quarter of section 15, township 4, range 11.

The following is a list of supervisors, with their terms of office : Andrew Pinkstaff, 1857 ; A. C. Baird, 1858- 1859 ; Capt. John Tilton, 1860, 1861 ; James N. Alli- son, 1862, 1863 ; D. H. Morgan, 1864; J. N. Allison, 1865-1867 ; Josiah Tewalt, 1868; Francis M. Pinkstaff, 1869 : Josiah Tewalt, 1870-1872; H. B. Broyles, 1873; T. E. Adams, 1874 ; Charles Pinkstaff, 1875 : Joel Har- mon, 1876; Adam Lackey, 1877; Thomas G. Cecil, 1878, 1879 (chairman in 1880, resigned, and John P. Price chosen to the vacancy); J. P. Price, 1881, 1882, 1883.

RUSSELLVILLE

occupies the site of an Indian town called Little Village. A number of small mounds were in existence, and were burial-places. The grave of Little Turtle is still pointed out. From it, a few years since, was exhumed the figure of a turtle, which the implacable enemy of the pale-face had worn with a chain about his neck. The town was laid out by David Price on location 5, township 4, range 10, and was surveyed and platted by S. Dunlap, county surveyor, October 26, 27, 28, 1835. It was named in honor of August, Andrew and Clement Russell, three brothers, from Kentucky, who, in 1835, built a saw-mill and manufactured the lumber for the first buildings in the town. Since that time the village has had eight

saw and grist-mills. The present frame two-story, two- run flouring mill, erected by George W. Toreman in 1881, is a rebuilding of that put up by T. J. Kyle in 1855, which was burned in 1880. Ferdinand Vande- burg sold the first goods in a small frame store-house built in 1834 or '35. A. R. Slosson, now of Vincennes, built the first blacksmith shop in 1837. About this time David Price established a ferry and built a boat sufficient to carry a team. The first (frame) school- house was built soon after the town was laid out, and served its purpose till the present frame two room house was built at a cost of about $1600 in the fall of 1861. The post-office was established in 1835. A frame church was built by the Christian Denomination about 1845. In 1873 it was rebuilt at a cost of $500 or $600. The town was first incorporated in 1872. In 1875 it was a second time incorporated under the general law of Illinois.

PRESENT BUSINESS.

Physician .-- T. J. Ford, J. J. Mckibbon.

Druggists .- Anderson Brothers.

General Stores -W. E. Fitch, J. Leonard & Co.

Grocer .- W. H. Thomas.

Blacksmith and Cabinet Maker .- W. A. Boring.

Carpenter and Wagon Maker .- Henry Dugan.

Shoemaker .- T. A Hall.

Post-master .- J. B. Regan.

Hotel .- Mrs. Diana Falls.

For a distance of one and a half miles along the Wa- bash, south of Russellville, including its site, existed many small mounds of earth. They were usually about fifty feet in circumference, and were commonly found in small groups. Some of them have been explored in the interest of science, and specimens of pottery, implements of war, a toy, a copper kettle, etc., have been removed. A quantity of bones were also exhumed, showing that these mounds were burial-places.

SHELBY.

EDWARDS CO.

HIS political division of Edwards county occu- pies the north western part, and is bounded on the north by Richland county, on the east by Salem and Albion precincts, on the south by Albion and on the west by Wayne county, from which its terri- tory extends east, excluding one tier of sections from range 10. North and south it embraces all between the northern limit of the southern tier of sections of town. 2, nortb, and the southern line of the third tier, from the north of town. 1, south. The surface is gener- ally level, but slightly undulating localities. occur. It was originally timbered, except that Long Prairie in the east, Village Prairie in the southeast and Sugar Creek Prairie were open areas. Timber, much of which is of recent growth, is quite abundant, and is an import- ant source of wealth. The varieties of hard wood are well represented. Corn, oats and wheat are the princi- pal products, the last being the staple. Apples are quite abundant. The principal streams are the Little Wabash, Fox river and Sugar creek. The latter enters the precinct at section 35, town. 2, north, and flows south- west, into the Little Wabash at section 17, town. 1, north, draining the northern part of the precinct.

The earliest permanent settlements were made by Jonathan Shelby, after wliom the precinct was named, Thomas Carney, John Bell and Lot Sams, a short ac- count of whose life will be found in the chapter devoted to Salem precinct. These pioneers fixed their homes in the wilderness, far in advance of civilization. In the year 1815, Shelby and Carney, with their families, came in company from Tennessee, having stopped a year in Grayville. ¿ The former settled on the northwest quar- ter of section 34, township 1 north, range 10. His children were Nile, Jonathan, Jr., William, Jennings, Jackson, Nancy, Oripy, Jency, Seley and Patsey, two or three of whom came to Illinois, as a part of their father's family. He was an active and energetic inan, and held the office of justice of the peace for many years. In 1831 he moved to the northeast quarter of the northeast quarter of section 18, township 1 north, and there, on the Little Wabash, in 1835, built the first water-mill in the precinct. It was of a rude and primi- tive character, but proved a substantial benefit to the community. His death occurred at the mill property about the year 1838. The Shelby family is one of the most numerous in the precinct. Carney settled on the southwest quarter of the southeast quarter of section 34, township 1, north. Two or three of a family of

eight grown children he brought to the precinct with him, and was a leading farmer and highly respected citizen. This gentleman held the office of county com- missioner for a number of years. To him belongs the honor of erecting the first mill in the precinct in the year 1832. It was a horse-power-mill, and rude in con- struction, but a valuable aid in those early times. About 1844, Carney moved to Missouri and there died twelve or fifteen years ago. John Bell was a native of South Carolina, of German descent. He moved with his parents to Kentucky, where he married, and subse- quently went to Tennessee, where he married again, his first wife having died in Kentucky. He enlisted in the army of 1812, and served his country about one year. In 1815 he moved to Illinois with his family, consisting of his wife, Elizabeth Carney, sister of Thomas, already mentioned, and five or six children, and settled on the southwest quarter of section 27, where he resided all his life. He was a plain, unassuming farmer, and was noted for his peaceable disposition and good, neigh- borly qualities. Harrison C. Bell, his third child, now resides on the southwest quarter of the southwest quar- ter of section 10, township 1, south, and is a farmer and Baptist minister.

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Combined history of Edwards, Lawrence and Wabash counties, Illinois. With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers, Part 64

Author: Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Philadelphia, J. L. McDonough & co. Number of Pages: 490

Author:
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. L. McDonough & co.
Number of Pages: 490