Combined history of Randolph, Monroe and Perry counties, Illinois . With illustrations descriptive of their scenery and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers, Part 84

Author: McDonough, J.L., & Co., Philadelphia
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.L. McDonough & Co
Number of Pages: 578


USA > Illinois > Perry County > Combined history of Randolph, Monroe and Perry counties, Illinois . With illustrations descriptive of their scenery and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 84
USA > Illinois > Randolph County > Combined history of Randolph, Monroe and Perry counties, Illinois . With illustrations descriptive of their scenery and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 84
USA > Illinois > Monroe County > Combined history of Randolph, Monroe and Perry counties, Illinois . With illustrations descriptive of their scenery and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 84


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accepted a seat on the Circuit beneh, and in 1857, when Judge Scates resigned, he was elected to the Supreme Court to fill the vacancy. In regular course he became Chief Jus- tiec. He was re-elected in 1861, and again elected in 1870. In June, 1878, on his way home to Carlyle, from the Su- preme Court, at Mt. Vernon, he stopped over at Pinekney- ville to see his son, William MI., and while here was taken suddenly ill, and died a few hours later, the date of which was June 27, 1878. From the resolutions passed by the Cheago bar, we subjoin the following excerpts : 'For sixty years he occupied a conspicuous position as a lawyer, states- man, and jurist, and by his eminent services in professional and publie life, and the sterling integrity which marked his character inspired universal confidence and respect. In every position he attained, he was fully equal to its respon- sibilities ' * ' In the last twenty years of his life * he was one of the most learned and accomplished members of the Supreme bench.'


Much more might be written of Judge Breese's eminent ability as a jurist and statesman, but we deem the foregoing sufficient to give our readers an insight to his eharaeter, talents and profound learning.


Judge Breese married Miss Eliza, the second daughter of William Morrison, of Kaskaskia. She yet survives her honored husband, and is a resident of Carlyle, Clinton county, Illinois. Of that union is William M. Breese. He is the ninth in a family of fourteen children, six of whom are liv- ing. Samuel Livingston Breese is a captain in the United States Navy, Henry L. enlisted in the ill fated expedition to Nicaragua, under Walker, and died from cholera before the siege of Grenada. Mary, wife of George C. Hanson, died and left one child. The others, deceased, died in infancy and early childhood. William M. was born in Carlyle, Clinton county, Illinois, April 29, 1839. He received his primary education in the common schools, and at fourteen years of age went to Roek River Seminary, in Ogle eonuty, and remained there one term, then entered MeKendree Col- lege at Lebanon, Illinois. One year later he went to the St. Louis University, in St Louis, and from that institution graduated in 1857. He then spent one year under private instructions in York, Maine, then returned home and com- meneed the study of law in the office of his father. When the war broke out he was appointed second lieutenant in the 16th U. S. Infantry, and subsequently was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant, commanding a company. Ile re- mained in the service until 1864, then resigned. He was in the battle at Shiloh, Stone River, Chickamauga, siege of .\t- lanta, and with Sherman in his "March through Georgia." After the war he returned home and engaged in farming, in which he continued until 1870, when he was admitted to the bar, and eommeneed practice in Carlyle. In 1872 he went to Grand Tower, in Jackson county, then to Thebes, in Alexandria county, and in 1875 came to Pinckneyville and opened a law office, aud here he has remained to the present. He married Miss Julia, daughter of IIon. Levi L. Leghtner. of Alexandria Co., Illinois. Had one ehikl by that union named Rosa Irvin Breese. Politically he has always voted the Democratie ticket.


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HISTORY OF RANDOLPH, MONROE AND PERRY COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.


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I JA Smith


WALTER SCOTT DINSMORE SMITH, the present county clerk, who has just entered upon his third term, is a native of Ohio, born at Beallsville, Monroe county, January 12, 1845.


Samuel Smith, the great-grandfather of Walter, was a native of Scotland, a Presbyterian clergyman, educated at the University of Edinburgh. He came to America, settled in New Jersey, and was for a short time a teacher in the Theological Seminary at Princeton ; taught a select school at Rahway, at which place he died leaving a wife in destitute circumstances, with two small children, one a daughter, named Mary, who never married, and the other a son, Samuel B., then a lad of ten years, who was ap- prenticed to a shoemaker, from whose cruel treatment he soon ran away and began to buffet the realities of life for himself. At about twenty years of age, in Bucks county, Penn, after a short service in the war of 1812, he married Martha Siegfried, daughter of George Siegfried, who was by profession an editor, a descendant of the old and notable Siegfried family of Germany, and whose sons and grandsons were nearly all editors and Baptist ministers.


Samuel B. and Martha were the parents of ten children, all but one of whom are still living though widely scattered.


After the birth of their third child, born March 23, 1817, and named George Siegfried Smith, they removed to Ohio, settling in Jefferson and Belmont counties, afterward in Monroe, where the family grew up in the occupations of farming and manufacturing woollen cloths.


George S. adopted the profession of medicine, and was mar- ried March 3, 1840, to Miss Rachel Garviu, of Scotch-Irish parentage, born in Ohio county, West Virginia. She was about a year his junior. Her parents, James Garvin and Jane, whose maiden name was Scott, a descendant of the Scotts and Dinsmores, were both born in the north of Ireland, and had five children. Rachel being the youngest was left an orphan at an early age. She died in Jackson county, Ill., in 1866, leaving four children grown to maturity. The subject of this sketch is the third in the family : the other members being A. J. Smith, of Du Quoin ; Friend Smith, of Murphysboro ; and Jennie, wife of L. T. Ross. George S. Smith, the father, now lives in Pinckney ville, having moved to near Jefferson City, Mo., in 1858, thence to Du Quoin, Ill , in 1862, and to Pinckneyville in 1877.


Walter obtained his primary education in the district school near Newport, Ohio, where he spent the formative


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HISTORY OF RANDOLPH, MONROE AND PERRY COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.


period of his youth, fortunately surrounded by good in- fluences. He was quite proficient in all his studies, and while the family resided in Missouri, he taught two terms of school-this was before he was seventeen years old. After the family came to Illinois, he was engaged in farming, taught school one winter and attended Shurtleff college, at Upper Alton, a little over two years.


In December, 1865, having abandoned his college course on account of ill-health, he was appointed deputy clerk by L. T. Ross, and continued to serve as such under him and his successor, Mr. Harriss, until 1873, when as an In- dependent candidate, he was elected county clerk by a majority of nearly 850. In 1877, he was re-elected without opposition, held over under the new law until 1882, when, for the third time he was elected, his majority being 1803 in a vote of 2989. These frequent elections by increased majorities show, in the strongest manner possible, the stand- ing and popularity of Mr. Smith in Perry county, and are tributes to his worth as a man, and his ability and faith- fulness as a county official. Politically, Mr. Smith is a Republican, but in no wise a partisan.


On the 11th day of Sept., 1868, he married Miss Laura A. Gordon, a native of Pinckneyville, born February 8, 1851. She was the youngest daughter of James E. Gordon (deceased), who came here from Kentucky in 1846, and died in 1855. Her mother, Lucy A. (now Malone), is the daughter of William Jones, deceased, and sister of Humph- rey B. Jones, deceased.


To Mr. and Mrs. Smith have been born six children- Emma, Elmer G., Arthur C., Harry S., Nellie May, and Percy B. The two before the last named sleep side by side in the village cemetery.


Both Mr. and Mrs. Smith are members of the Baptist church. The former has been a member since the eleventh year of his age, having been baptized in the Ohio river by Rev. J. C. Riley. Two'of the children have followed his example by uniting with the church at an early age.


Of W. S. D. Smith, it may truly be said that, next to his family he loves his church. Though tolerant of the opinions of others, he is firm in the doctrines of his people and earnest in the support of the cause. He has for many years served as Sunday-school superintendent and clerk of the church, and was years ago granted a license to preach, but secular engagements have kept him from engaging in the work of the ministry, except as an occasional supply.


LOUIS M. KANE.


THE Kane family are of Scotch-Irish ancestry and the de- scendants of the old covenanter stock. John Kane, the grandfather of Louis M., emigrated to America from Ireland about the time of the Revolutionary war. IIe was while a resident of Ireland engaged in shipping. Was a sailor hy profession and captain of a vessel. He settled in New York city, and there continued the merchant marine business, and was the owner of several ships that plied be- tween New York and foreign ports. Ile was then a man of large means, but a short time before his death his fortune hy some unlucky ventures was swept away from him. Ifis wife


whom he married in Ireland, died in New York, where both she and her husband lie buried. There were six children. The eldest son Searline died while at college. John K., rose to prominence as a lawyer and was a judge of the courts of Philadelphia for many years. He was the father of Gen. Kane, who distinguished himself during the late war, and also of Dr. Kane, the famous Artic explorer. There were three daughters, only one of whom married. Elias Kent Kane, the father of Louis M., was the youngest of the family. He was born in New York in 1781, and educated at Yale College. After his graduation he studied law, and practiced for some time in his native state. In 1814 he came west to the territory of Illinois and settled at Kaskas- kia, which was then the metropolis of the west. He there opened a law office and had for his pupils the late Judge Sidney Breese, Gen. Shields and other men who in after years became prominent in the state. In 1818 he was ap- pointed Secretary of State by Governor Bond, and continued in office until 1824, when he was elected to the senate of the United States. He proved himself an industrious and able member of that body and served out his full term with so much satisfaction to his constituents that he was re-elected in 1830, without any serious opposition. Before the expira- tion of his second term his health, which had always been feeble, gave way, and he died December 11th, 1835. As a public man Mr. Kane stood among the first of the state. Ile left the impress of his genius and talent upon the fun- damental law of Illinois. It was he who drafted and wrote the constitution which was adopted, and which notwith- standing the changes that time has demanded, and its amendments which have marred its beauty, still challenges the admiration of statesmen for its matchless purity of dic- tion, broad statesmanlike principles, liberal construction, concise though comprehensive provisions and definition of its powers. It is, indeed, a model of its kind, and without a peer in the Union. Mr. Kane was held in high estimation by his party throughout the Union. He was distinguished for his zeal and firmness as a party man, and exerted a po- tent influence through his talents and moral worth, as well as by the rectitude of his political principles, for the cause of his party in the west. Yet such was his sense of decorum and his power of enforeing its obligations on others that he was scarcely ever reached by the bitterness of party invec- tive. His political friends loved him-his political enemies respected him. In 1814 he married Felicita Peltia, a native of Kaskaskia, born in 1796, and a descendant of an oldl French family. She died in the home of her hirth in 1852. There were ten children by that union. Two of them died in infancy and four grew to maturity. Maria, the eldest daughter, married W. C. Kinney, son of ex.Governor Kin- ney. Elias K., was educated and graduated from West l'oint in 1841. He passed through the Mexican war under the command of Gen. Taylor, with distinguished honor to himself, and rose to the rank of captain at its close. He was captured with Captain Thornton at the opening of the war when the first blood was shed, and remained a prisoner a few weeks when he was exchanged. He was at the siege of Monterey, and was stationed there during the battle of


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HISTORY OF RANDOLPH, MONROE AND PERRY COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.


Buena Vista. He came up with re-enforcements early on the morning after the battle, having been engaged dnring the battle in guarding the pass of Rinconada, to protect Gen. Taylor's rear. After the war he went in the expedition from Camargo to Santa Fé. He was then ordered to Cali- fornia, where he acted as Quartermaster from 1847 to 1852. He disbursed immense sums of money to the perfect satis- faction of his superiors at Washington city. It is said of him, that although he was one of the youngest officers in the regular army, yet he stood among the highest in every quality of the man of honor, the soldier and the gentleman. No man ever possessed more of the confidence of those who were on terms of intimacy with him. " None knew him but to love him." Elizabeth, the second danghter of Elias K. Kane, married William H. Bissell, who was then a practising attorney of law, in which profession he became eminent. At the breaking ont of the Mexican war he raised a regi- ment and was commissioned colonel. It was known as the 2d Regiment, and took a conspicuous part in the battle of Buena Vista, and to it and the Mississippi Rifles belongs the honor of saving the day and preventing the defeat of Gen. Taylor's forces. After the war he returned and represented his District in Congress, and while there was noted for his aggressiveness and hostility to the slave power. His phil- ippics against the institution of slavery were nnequaled and terrible, and called down upon bim the wrath and vengeance of the leaders from the South. But he had faced the cold polished lance in the hands of the Mexican, and stood nn- daunted on the gory field of Buena Vista, while his com- rades were falling thick and fast around him, and was made of too heroic material to quail before the braggadocio of southern chivalry and their threatened resort to the duello, to compel his acquiescence to their views and schemes. In 1856 he was nominated by his party and elected Governor of Illinois, and died much regretted in 1859.


Louis M. Kane, the subject of this sketch, is the youngest of the children of Elias Kent Kane. He was born in Kaskaskia May 17th, 1831, and spent his boyhood in the schools of Kaskaskia and remained there until 1844, when he removed to Belleville, and from there he went to California in 1851, and engaged in mining and different vocations until 1856, when he returned home to Belleville. In 1857, he was ap- pointed private secretary to Governor Bissell, and remained in that capacity for two years. In 1869 he went to Nashville in Washington county, then back to Belleville, and in 1879 came to Pinckneyville, and engaged in the agricultural implement trade in connection with his sons, and soon after they added livery, feed and sale stables, and here he has continued to the present. On the 6th of Angust, 1856, he was united in marriage to Miss Mary, daughter of Captain William Watson of Belleville. By that union there have been ten children, eight of whom are living. Their names in the order of their birth, are Louis McLain, who is a lawyer and resident of Chicago, Illinois ; Carrie W., Charles Delisle, law student in the office of E. H. Lemen ; William W., Elias Kent, John K., May and Elizabeth Kane. Lonis M., married Miss Ella Kaniff of St. Louis, Mo. Politically Mr. Kane has always been a staunch and reli- able Democrat. He is an honored member of A. F. and A.


M., and belongs to Mitchell Lodge No. 85, Pinckneyville, Illinois.


THOMAS BOYD.


THE Boyd family on the paternal side is of Scotch ances- try, and on the maternal, English. William Boyd, the great-grandfather of Thomas, was a native of Ireland, and emigrated to America during the Revolutionary war, es- poused the cause of the patriots, joined the army under Washington and fought for the independence of his adopted conntry. After the close of the war he married and settled in Georgia, where his son, John, the grandfather of the present family, was born in 1818. John Boyd moved to North Carolina, and from thence to Tennessee, and in 1823 came to Illinois and settled in Washington county, but soon after removed to Randolph county to a point then known as Heacock's Prairie, now known as Dutch Hill Prairie, and there remained until his death, which occurred about 1837. During the war of 1812 he enlisted and was a soldier under Jackson in the southern army. His son, John B., father of Thomas, was born in Georgia in 1806, and came with his father to Illinois, and here married Isabel Douglass, daughter of Lance L. Douglass. She was born in Scotland though partially reared in Illinois. She survived her husband, who died in 1854, and she in 1880. By this union there were eight chil- dren, five of whom are living. Thomas, the subject of this sketch, was born in Randolph county, Sept. 6th, 1847; he was reared upon his father's farm and recieved his education in the district schools of his neighborhood. At the age of nineteen he left home and worked at his trade of carpenter ; subsequent- ly taught school, which he continned nntil 1870, when he en- tered the law office of Murphey & Boyd at Pinckneyville and commenced the study of law; he however continued to follow teaching in the winter months, returning to his studies during vacation. At the January term of the Su- preme Court, held at Springfield in 1875, he passed a suc- cessful examination and was admitted to the bar; he then formed a law partnership with his preceptors, and became a member of the well-known law firm of Murphey & Boyd Bros., which continned until July, 1882; when John Boyd withdrew, and Thomas Boyd remained a law partner with Mr. Murphy until the latter part of November, 1882, when the dissolution of the firm took place by mutual consent. As a practitioner Mr. Boyd has reason to be gratified with his success; he bronght to the profession studions habits, industry, and an earnest desire to excel ; while comparative- ly on the threshold of his professional life, he has given nn- doubted evidence of his fitness and ability to cope with the subtle intricacies of the law, and in good time we opine he will become eminent and learned in his chosen professiou.


Politically Mr. Boyd has always been a reliable Demo- crat, true to his principles, and without doubt or shadow of turning. He is an honored member of the A. F. & A. M. and also of the higher order of R. A. M. On the 13th of March, 1878, he was joined in holy wedlock to Mrs. Sarah J. Hight, nee Hughes, danghter of William A. Hughes, of Pulaski county, Illinois. By that nnion there have been two children, named Maud S., who died in her second year, and Loren H. Boyd.


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FARM RESIDENCE OF W SOUKUP. SEC. 10, T. 6, R.3, (PINCKNEYVILLE PRECINCT, PERRY CO.ILL .


HISTORY OF RANDOLPH, MONROE AND PERRY COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.


351


THE Anderson family of Perry county are descended from the pioneer stock of Illinois. They are of Scotch ancestry. Members of the family eame to America prior to the Revo- Jutionary war and settled in Virginia. Amos Anderson, the grandfather of Richard B., was born in that State and came west to Kaskaskia in 1790. He remained there until 1824, then moved to Perry county and settled in the eastern part of Holt's Prairie, and there died about 1844. In his house was held the first term of court after Perry county was or- ganized in 1827. During the war of 1812 he volunteered and was a soldier under General Jackson in the Southern army. He married in Virginia, by which union there were seven children, one of whom is living, named John, a resi- dent of Emporia, Kansas. Of that union was Berry Ander- son, the father of Richard B. He was born in Kaskaskia December 27, 1805, and died December 5, 1867. He fol- lowed the occupation of a farmer, and was a resident of this county until his death He was a soklier of the Black Hawk war, and was an open-hearted generous man, and gave much to charity. He married Elizabeth Marlow in 1830. She was a native of Perry county, and the daughter


of Richard and Tabitha Marlow. She died June 11, 1853. Ile subsequently married Aletha MeKinney. Her maiden name was HIall, daughter of Alcanac Hall. By the latter marriage there was one child named John Newton Ander- son. By the first marriage there were nine children, six of whom are still living. Two of the sons, Andrew J. and Bartley C. were soldiers in the late war. The first was a member of Company I, 1st Mo. Regt., and the latter in the 80th Regt. Ils. Vol. The subject of this sketch is the youngest in the family. He was born in Holt's Prairie, Perry county, Illinois, June 9, 1853. He was reared upon the farm, aud received his primary education in the public schools of the county. After the death of his father he was placed with his brother in Bond county and remained in his home one year, after which he hired out to do general farm work. During the winter months he attended school. When he reached the age of nineteen he attended the Agricultural School in Irvington, in Washington county, and in the follow. ing winter taught school. In the summer he returned to farm work, and so continued teaching in the winter and working in the summer months until 1875, when in the spring


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HISTORY OF RANDOLPH, MONROE AND PERRY COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.


of that year he entered the National Normal University at Lebanon, Ohio, with the design of more fully equipping him. self for teaching, a profession he determined to adopt and make his life work. He remained in the University two years, then returned and taught the public schools in Nash- ville, Washington county, Illinois, then took charge of the schools at New Mindom in same county, and subsequently was Principal of the public schools of Tamaroa and Pinckney- ville in Perry county, and Kinmendy, in Marion county, Illinois. In 1882 ill health compelled him to abandon teaching for awhile. In 1882 his ability as a teacher and zeal iu the cause of education was suitably rewarded by being elected to the position of Superintendent of theschools of Perry county, and at the present time he is exercising the duties of the office in a manner creditable alike to himself and those who honored him with their suffrages. On the 14th of August, 1879, he was united in marriage to Miss Retta, daughter of A. J. and Sarah Bowman, of Tamaroa, Ill. By that union there is one daughter namcd Elma Vera Anderson. His wife is a member of the Presbyterian church. Mr. Anderson holds membership with the Baptist church. His father and mother were among the first members of that church in Perry county, and assisted in its organization. Mr. Anderson is a member of the A. F.and A. M., and belongs to Tamaroa Lodge No. 207. Politically he uniformly votes the Republican ticket. School teaching has been his pro- tession during the greater part of his active life, and it may be incidentally mentioned that his brother, Harrisou M. Anderson, is also a teacher, and stands in the front rank of the profession in the State.


LEWIS HAMMACK.


THE Hammack family is of English and Scoteli ancestry. The paternal grandfather was named Lewis, and was born in Virginia, and removed to Tennessee in 1814, and settled in Warren county, where he died. He was by occupation a farmer, and a local preacher in the M. E. Church. He married a lady by the name of Fagins, by which union there were nine children, who grew to maturity. Of these was Benjamin, the father of the subject of this sketch. He was born in Virginia in 1800, and went with the family to Ten- nessee, where he remained until 1827, when he came north to Illinois, and settled in Jackson county. Two years later he removed to Perry county, and settled northwest of Tama- roa, and there died in 1875. He followed farming. He married Sarah Hull, of Kentucky. She was the daughter of Richard and Naucy (Stockdale) Hull. She died in 1877. By that union there were nine children, all of whom reached maturity, and five of them yet survive. Lewis is the second iu the family. He was born in Warren county, Tennessee, June 25, 1825, and was two years old when the family came north to Illinois. He grew up on the farm, and like most farmers' hoys of an early day in Illinois, received a limited education in the subscription schools of his neighborhood. He remained at home until June, 1846, at which time he volunteered for one year's service in the Mexican war. He joined Company K of the Second Regiment Illinois Vol- unteers, under the command of Col. Bissell, subsequently


governor of Illinois. He participated with his command in the hard-fought battle of Buena Vista, where the American forces under Gen. Taylor met and defeated five times their number of the Mexicans under their favorite leader and general, Santa Anna. After his enlistment expired he re- turned home and went to school fifteen days,-then taught school two terms at Pinckneyville. In 1848 he was soli- cited to run for circuit clerk. He consented, made the race, and was elected, and served oue full term. In 1852 he was a candidate for the same position ou the prohibition plat- form, but was defeated by a small majority. When he was teaching school he got hold of "Chitty on Contracts," which awakened in him a desire for the profession of law. Dr. Jones, a warm personal friend of his, encouraged him to study for the bar, and, without his knowledge, procured his license to practice, the date of which is Feb. 7th, 1853. He then went to work in earnest, and studied hard to acquire a knowledge of the law. The first court held after his admis- sion he had a few cases, and at every subsequent term they kept increasing, and he was soon in the possession of a large docket ; and, in fact, for a number of years, no cases of any importance were tried in the courts of Perry county in which he was not retained as counsel on one side or the other. His specialties are in the line of the Chancery side and real estate law, and in that class of practice he has few superiors at the bar.




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