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 86
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 86
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 86
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HISTORY OF RANDOLPH, MONROE AND PERRY COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
First Lieutenant, and duly commissioned. The company became a part of the 18th Regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and was known as Company C. The date of the muster in was August 10, 1862. The regiment was organized and rendezvoused at Anna, Illinois, and from there pro- ceeded to Cairo, where it became a part of the Third Bri gade of the Third Division of the Seventeenth Army Corps The regiment received its first baptism of fire at Fort Gibson, May 1st, 1863. Afterward it took part in the siege, reduction and capture of Vicksburg. In the charge upon the works of the latter place May 22, 1863, company C went into the fight with thirty-two men, and so desperate and deadly was the fire of the enemy that they left twenty-four dead and wounded on the field of battle. After the capture of Vicks- burg the regiment was detached and joined the command under General Thomas, and were placed in the corps com- manded by General A. J. Smith, and under him made the memorable campaign through Missouri in their effort to capture the rebel General Price. Before, however, going upon that raid they assisted in the battle of Guntown, or Tupelo. After the campaign in Missouri they went to St. Louis and embarked for Nashville, where they joined Thomas' forces and assisted in the battle of Nashville, which resulted in the annihilation of Hood's forces. Soon after they joined the forces at Mobile, and participated in the cap- ture of Fort Blakely and Spanish Fort. The regiment then returned to Montgomery, Alabama, where they were mus- tered, and proceeded to Chicago, where they were discharged. Lieutenant Edwards was promoted to the captaincy of the company and commissioned in June, 1864, soon after the battle of Tupelo. Captain Edwards returned home and here engaged in various businesses until 1869, when he engaged regularly in the practice of law in which he has con- tinued until the present. In 1880 he was nominated for the office of State's Attorney by the Republican party, in convention assembled, and at the ensuing election in Novem- ber was elected by a handsome majority. Mr. Edwards is recognized as an able and vigilant prosecutor, well read in law and a good advocate. His official career so far has justified the wisdom of those who honored him with their suffrages. Politically, he is a thorough-paced Republican, and a prohibitionist in sentiment. He is an honorable member of the A. F.and A. M. order. On the 23d of August, 1860, he married Miss H. M. Edwards, a native of Pinck- neyville, hy which union there are two children, whose names are Emma A., wife of J. A. Bihy, of Cairo, Illinois, and William O. Edwards. Both he and his wife are mem- bers of the M. E. church.
RICHARD M. DAVIS.
THE Davis family are of Welsh ancestry on the paternal side and Irish on the maternal. Four generations ago, the paternal great-grandfather emigrated from Wales and settled in Virginia. There his son, Isham Davis, was born and there grew to manhood. About 1808, the family moved to Kentucky, and settled in Warren county, and there Isham Davis died. He married a Miss Gillam, and of that union was born Richard. Gillam Davis, father of the subject of
this sketch. He was born in Virginia in 1806. He was in his infancy when the family went to Kentucky. Iu 1828 he came to Illinois and settled in Randolph county, near what is now known as Steelesville. In 1849, he took up his permanent residence in Perry county, and died near the village of Denmark, in June, 1851. He was a regularly ordained minister in the Baptist church, and followed his ministerial calling until his death. He married Eliza Bradley, a native of Tennessee, daughter of Joshua and Nancy (Gardner) Bradley. She was a resident of Jackson county, Illinois, at the time of her marriage. She still sur- vives her husband, and at present is a resident of Pinckney- ville. By her marriage with Mr. Davis there were eight children, five of whom are living. Richard M. is the eldest. He was born in Jackson county, Illinois, September 15, 1834, and was in his fourth year when the family removed to Perry county. The family subsequently removed to Randolph county, and again returned and located per- manently here in 1849, as above stated. Richard M. was educated in the public schools of Randolph and Perry counties. He farmed, taught school during the winter seasons, and remained so engaged until July, 1862, when he assisted in raising a company of soldiers for the war. Upon its organization it was known as Co. " I" of the 80th Regt. Ill. Vol. Infantry. Mr. Davis was elected 2nd Lieutenant, and duly commissioned. He remained in the service and with the company until June, 1863, when continued ill- health compelled his resignation. He returned home and commenced the study of law in the office of Lewis Ham- mack and John Boyd, and in May, 1864, was admitted to the bar. He commenced the practice in connection with his preceptor, Mr. Hammack, which arrangement continued until 1866, then practiced alone until 1876, when he again formed a law partnership with Mr. Hammack, which con- tinued until November, 1882, when it was dissolved hy mutual consent. In 1863, he was elected superintendent of schools of Perry county and held the office one term. Politically Mr. Davis was originally an old line whig, and voted for Fillmore in 1856, and in 1860 he voted for Lincoln and remained a Republican until 1872, when he joined the Liberal party, voted for Horace Greeley, and subsequently acted and voted with the Democrats. In 1876, he was nominated for the office of state's attorney by the Demo- cratic party in Convention assembled, and notwithstanding the county was Republican, Mr. Davis was elected by seventy-five majority. As a public prosecutor he was vigilant and active, and justified the wisdom of those who had honored him with their suffrages. As a lawyer, Mr. Davis is well read, has a clear conception of the law govern- ing his cases, and in the cause of his clients is very indus- trious and painstaking. On the 6th of March, 1865, he was joined in holy wedlock with Mrs. Catherine O. Vineyard nee Willis, daughter of James Willis. She had two child- ren by her former husband. Their names are Albert and Mary J. The latter married W. J. Gordon, now deceased. By her latter marriage with Mr. Davis there were five children, three of whom died in infancy and early childhood. The names of those living are Maggie F. and Annie B. Davis.
HISTORY OF RANDOLPH, MONROE AND PERRY COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
359
W. L. Hi Te andless
THE subject of the following sketch is a native of Phila- delphia, born December 6th, 1848. The family is of Scotch ancestry. His father, James F. McCandless, was born in New York, removed to Philadelphia, and there married Mary J. Lemon, who was a native of the latter city. In 1857 he came west to Illinois, and settled in Sparta, in Randolph county, where his wife and mother of Dr. McCandless died in 1859. During the late war he enlisted in Co. A. of the 22d Regiment Illinois Infantry, and was injured in the service before his time expired, which compelled his discharge.
He is now a resident of Terre Haute, Indiana, where he is enaged in the agricultural implement trade. Dr. William L. is the eldest of a family of four children, three of whom are living. He was in his ninth year when the family came west. His schooling was obtained in Sparta, and a short time in the High School in Du Quoin. His mother dying while he was yet a youth, and his father entering the army in 1861, had the effect of breaking up the family. When in his thirteenth year he came to Perry county and made his home with Matthew Rule, a prominent farmer of this
county, and remained with him at work on the farm until he reached his twenty-first year. He then concluded to adopt the profession of medicine as the business of life, and with that idea in view, came to Pinckneyville and entered the office of Dr. James Ritchie, and studied under his directions. In order to sustain himself and defray expenses through the Medical College, he clerked in a drug store, and thereby provided means. He studied diligently up to the fall of 1870, when he entered Rush Medical College at Chicago, and continued there through two terms, and graduated from that institution in the spring of 1872 with the degree of M.D. He commenced the practice in Pinck- neyville in connection with his preceptor. The partnership continued two years, after which Dr. McCandless practiced alone, and has so continued to the present. The Doctor belongs to the progressive school of medicine, and keeps well posted and fully abreast with all the discoveries that are constantly being made in the science of medicine. He is a member of the Tri-State and Southern Illinois Medical Societies, which have for their object the mutual advance- ment of its members in the healing art. Dr. McCandless
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HISTORY OF RANDOLPH, MONROE AND PERRY COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
has been eminently successful in his profession, and has succeeded by his zeal, studious habits and superior knowledge in building up a large and lucrative practice.
On the 14th of May, 1879, he was united in marriage to Miss Lizzie, daughter of Dr. James and Mary J. Murphey Ritchie. Her mother was the daughter of Hon. W. C. Murphey, one of the pioneers and prominent men in an early day of Perry county. He was the first sheriff of the county in 1827, and held many other offices of equal im- portance. Mrs. MeCandless was born in Perry county. One child has been born to them, named Marion McCandless. Dr. MeCandless is a strong and ardent be- liever in the principles of the Democratic party, and votes that ticket on all national and state occasions.
THOMAS F. PENWARDEN.
THE subject of the following sketch is of English parentage. His father emigrated from England to Canada in 1842, and there died in 1851. He was a seafaring man, and married Sarah Bromell, a native of Devonshire, England. At present she is a resident of Wisconsin. By that marriage there were four children ; three sons and one daughter. Thos. F. was born in Elgin county, Canada, January 28th, 1843. In 1853, he was taken by his maternal uncle to Wisconsin. At the age of twelve years he shipped as a cabin boy on board a vessel plying between Chicago and Buffalo. He stayed on the lake, and also sailed on the ocean until 1861, when he returned and in company with others started for Pike's Peak, but hearing bad reports from that place turned back to Fort Leavenworth, and there he and his comrades enlisted for three years in the 3rd Reg. Kansas Vols. Cavalry, after- wards known as the 5th Kansas. Date of enlistment was July 11th, 1861. In 1864 he veteranized with his command and remained in the service until the close of the war. On the 25th of April, 1864, he was wounded at the battle of
Mark's Mills, and left for dead on the field. He was taken prisoner, paroled and sent to Fort Leavenworth, and as soon as he recovered rejoined his command. He was also woun led at Pine bluff, and in South Carolina, when under Sher- man in his famous march to the Sea, taken prisoner, sent to Libby, and was in the last lot of prisoners freed from that famous prison. He was mustered out and honorably dis- charged at Louisville Ky., in July 1865, having been in the service exactly four years. He was attracted to Du Quoin where his mother who had married again was living, and here engaged in mining, in which he continued until elected Sheriff of Perry county.
On the 2nd of December, 1866, he was united in marriage to Jane, daughter of Robert and Agnes Houston. She was born in Scotland and came with her parents to America in 1853. By that union there are three children living, whose names are Robert, Thomas and John Penwarden. He is an honored member of the A. F. & A. M. order and also a member of the Royal Arch Chapter. Both he and his wife are members of the M E. Church. Politically he has always voted the Republican ticket. In 1880 he was regu- larly nominated for Sheriff of Perry county by the Repub- lican party in convention as embled, and in November follow- ing was elected by a handsome majority. During his term of office it hecame his duty to execute the extreme sentence of the law passed upon James Vaughn. He obeyed the mandate of the courts and hung the prisoner on the day and hour fixed for the execution. That was the first judi- cial hanging ever held in Perry county. Mr. Penwarden made a most excellent Sheriff. No man ever held the office who executed the laws more faithfully, or guarded the inter- ests and rights of the people more jealously. He is a man of the most generous impulses, warm-hearted and kind to a fault ; one who would share his last crust or coat if possible with a friend. This trait is characteristic of Thos. Penwar- den.
TAMAROA.
PERRY COUNTY.
HIS portion of the county occupies the extreme northeast, and is bounded on the north by Washington county, on the east by Jefferson and Franklin, on the south by Paradise and Du Quoin Precincts, and on the west by Pinck- neyville and Beaucoup. The surface, though mainly level, and apparently flat, is quite ele- vated, and the drainage is good. The soil is principally of the prairie kind, and is well adapted to wheat- growing. Corn, though cultivated to some extent, is re- garded as an uncertain crop, and less profitable than wheat,
which is the staple. Other cereals are also grown. Though the precinct is composed of land mainly under cultivation, yet there is timber,-chiefly hard wood,-sufficient for the ordinary purposes of life. The principal water-courses are Little Muddy river, Little Beaucoup, and Rees' creek. The precinct has excellent railroad facilities, tlfe Illinois Central extending through it from north to south, and the Tamaroa and Chester, connecting with the Cairo Short Line at Pinckneyville, terminating at the village of Tamaroa, in the central part. The principal industry of the inhabitants is agriculture, although coal-mining is carried on to some
360A
P. C.KNAPP.
STORE OF P. C.KNAPP, DEALER IN GENERAL MERCHANDISE, CHESTER ILL .
"THE ROOTS PLACE; S. E./4 T.5 S.R.IW.3R.º P. M.AND ADJOINING LANOS PURCHASED BY B.G.ROOTS IN 1838 & 1839, WHEN RAW PRAIRIE AND BROUGHT TO ITS PRESENT CONDITION BY HIM & MEMBERS OF HIS FAMILY VIZ. MARTHA S.HIS FIRST WIFE, ELIZABETH R. HIS PRESENT WIFE, P.K.& L.H ROOTS, HIS SONS, MARTHA E. HIS DAUGHTER, J. C. KIMSEY HER HUSBAND. SITUATED ON I.C.R.R. 2 MILES SOUTH OF TAMAROA.
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HISTORY OF RANDOLPHI, MONROE AND PERRY COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
extent. Cattle-breeding receives some attention. The Jer- seys were introduced by II. J Cox in 1866. The Durham breed largely prevails.
EARLY HISTORY.
The dates of the earliest settlements in Tamaroa precinct are necessarily obscure, and are arrived at with difficulty and some uncertainty. But from information which we have good reason to credit, the first settlement was made about the year 1815 hy the parents of the late Judge E. T. Rees of Cutler precinct, who settled near what is now known as Rees' creek, which took its name from that family.
Following this settlement was that of a family named Foster, about the year 1825. Benjamin Hammack, a native of Virginia, came into the precinct, in 1828, from Jackson county, and located on section seventeen, township four south, range one west. Ile had a wife and four children. When he arrived, he found located on the same section N. G Curlee, who had preceded him only a few months. lle and his family stopped with Abe Morgan, who lived on the Samuel Benson place, and who had located several years previous to 1825. Stephen Brown and family came soon after Ilammack, and located in the same section. About 1829 came the Bland family, consisting of the eller John Bland and wife, John and David Bland, his sons, and their families, who came from Tennessee. Between the years 1828 and 1833 came James Johnson, Daniel Council, Jacob Wałker Blackstock and Isaac B Walker, Peter Scronce, Richard Hull, James, Robert and Solomon Carpenter, from North Carolina ; a family of Calloways, who settled ou section 3; the Robinsons and Martin C. Lindsley. Ben- jamin Hammack located on section 20, twp. 4, range 1, in 1829. Abner Keith was one of the first settlers in the arm of the Nine Mile Prairie; William Dial located in Para- dise Prairie ; William Williams, George Sturtevant, old Joe Little, Heury and John Bridges, and Thomas Metcalf, Tennesseeans, came to the precinct about 1836. Richard Hull and Henry Bridges were notorious throughout that part of the county as gr. at hunters. Isaac Lee, Abraham Lee, Samuel Etherton, Anthony Lufferty, Thomas Morris, William Dye, Samuel Dixon and Henry Coban were among the early settlers of this precinct. Dr. J. S. Williams, a native of Kentucky, came to the county in 1840. He is now a practicing physician in Tamaroa.
Illustrative of the force of pioneer custom uf those early days, we cite the incident related of Martin C. Lindsley, who lost the respect and esteem of all of his pioneer neighbors by the simple act of inviting them to a house-raising after breakfast, which they regarded as a gross violation of pio- neer etiquette, too palpable 10 be forgotten, and ever after stamped him in their estimation as too selfish and stingy for their fellowship.
The first dry gouds store in the precinct dates back to 1834, and was kept by Nathan G. Curlce, in a little shed- ruom ten feet square, on his farm, some three miles north of the present site of Tamaroa. Mr. Curlec was a prominent man in that precinct among the early settlers, acting as he did in the varied capacity of farmer, merchant, minister and
post-master, at what, if we are properly informed, was known as Appleton post-office, about the year 1840. The first blacksmith who had his shop and did work in this precinct was Henry Bridges. Previous to his day ( 1830 ), the settlers had their smithwork done at Old Man White's in Mud prairie, in the edge of Washington county. In 1829 and 1830, Benjamin Hammack, a wheelwright, made truck wagons, stocked plows, and did such other work as the far mers stood in need of in the way of repairs. The early set- thers (1824-'30) got their milling at what was known as Stilley's mill, north from Tamaroa, in the age of Washing- ton county. It was one of the old pioneer style of horse- mills, with cog-wheel attachment and buhrs about two feet and a-half in diameter, and, when run steadily all day, would grind about fifteen bushels of corn. When they ground wheat on it, the flour was bohed by hand. The crank, which was turned hy boys, required regularity in the turning, in order that the flour might bolt evenly. Our informant, who had experience at the old bolt-crank, said : " When we got to turning irregularly, the old miller, Stilley, would yell out at us, 'turn that crank regular; I don't want your father fussing about the way that flour is bolted.'" The old Stilley mill was the principal institution of that kind for a number of years, and was patronized al- most entirely by the neighbors for eight or ten miles around. It was finally purchased by one Lazarus Stuart, who re- moved it to the neighborhood of Coloma.
Subsequent to 1836, William Christian owned a little mill two and a-half miles northeast of Tamaroa, which did a considerable amount of grinding for the early settlers.
Among the first preachers in the precinct, were, James Walker and Rev. Barr, of the Methodist denomination, the latter the circuit rider. This was about 1831 previous to the organization of a church, when the meetings were held at the house of Benjamin Hammack. N G. Curlee was for many years a minister of the Gospel, of the Methodist de- nomination, and preached in that precinct. One incident of Rev. Curlee's preaching, which occurred in 1540, has come to us in gathering up our scraps of the pioneer days. His subject on the occasion allu led to was "Abraham offering up Isaac." In the course of his sermon, becoming somewhat animated and wound up, he described the ram which the Lord provided as " Tied by a rope in the bushes, waiting for the sacrifice." The first local preachers were, Rev. Curlee, and " Father " Depositor, as he was familiarly known in those days. He organized the first M. E. Church in the precinct, at the Bland school-house, about 1831 or '32, and about the year 1833 or 1834, the school-house having been removed, the meetings were held at the house of Benjamin Hammack, where they were entinued up to 1837. Isaac B. Walker, was the first class leader, and James Walker was a licensed Exhorter, who occasionally preached. In 1837, Wm Hammack sold out and moved to Holt's Prairie, where the church was still kept up at his residence, until he moved to the arm of Nine Mile, about '48 or '49, when the church went down, and was neglected. About the year 1831, and several years afterward, Shadrach Cheek, a hard shell Baptist preacher, called in those days,
46
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HISTORY OF RANDOLPH, MONROE AND PERRY COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
the " Old Regulars," held meeting from time to time in the Stilley Settlement. The first Sabbath-school held in the preeinet, was organized at the Bland school house, by Rev. James Walker, Itinerant preacher, and Elder S. J. Borger, presiding Elder, about 1831. Nathan G. Curlee and Thos. O. Ellis, were Superintendents, and Benjamin Hammack and wife, Joseph Tilley and Elizabeth Sturdevant, were the teachers. The Sunday-school enterprise met with very strong oppositi n at that early day, from many, even the most pious professors, they regarding it as a questior able innovation upon the church, aud as calculated rather to injure its influence than to add support to its cause.
The first school-house was the Bland school-house, built about 1832 or '33, and was named after old Grandfather Bland. It was about four or five miles north of Tamaroa. The first teacher was Jacob Walker. His qualifications as a teacher in Mathematics were expressed. in the homely phrase, of " Cipl or through Long Division." Some of his more advanced scholars, however, even doubled his capacity in that rule. The first school consisted of about twenty-five seholars - tuition, $2 00 a scholar, per quarter. In 1834, a second school was taught at the same place, by old Grand- daddy Johnson, as he was familiarly called. He was deaf and indiscreet, aud failed to control the school, and it broke off before his term was regularly ended. Dr. Joseph Bray. shaw, who lived ncar old Du Quoin, was the chief reliance of the pioneer settlers of this precinet, for medical aid, for a uumber of years. Dr. Wm. Weir was the first resideut physician. Dr. Wall, of Du Quoin, practiced in the pre- cinct, in 1840, and for several years thereafter
The following were the first land entries in the precinct : October 11th, 1832, George Lipe entered N. E } of S. WV. } of section 18, thirty-four and forty-four hu dredths acres. January 3, 1833, Wm. Hatcher entered E } of N. W. } of section 5, seventy-five and seventy one hundredth acres. January 23d, 1833, Abraham Morgan entered S. W. 4 of N. E. } of section 18, forty acres.
VILLAGE OF TAMAROA.
After the Illinois Central railroad was located, Col. R. B. Mason, chief engineer, proposed to Mrs. Nelson Holt and Mrs. B. G. Roots, that they tame the station which the company had decided to locate on the present site of the village of Tamaroa. At first they chose the name of " Kiawkashaw," after a tribe of Indians. They afterwards adopted the more polite and euphorious "Tamaroa," which was the French name of that tribe. The village was laid out on the N. E } of section thirty two, T. 4, R. 1, by the Central Railroad Company, J. N. A. Griswold, President, and surveyed and platted May 14, 1855, by Nathan Holt, deputy county surveyor. After the village was first platted, it received three additions, one by the railroad company, one of thirty acres, by W. E. Smith, north of the original plat, and one of forty acres, by Joseph Cox, on the south. The present area of the village is one square mile. The first election for trustees was held April 4, 1859. and resulted in the choice of Thomas Sanders, R H. Davis, S. A. Beard, F. B. Garner and M. S. Spencer. The village is
pleasantly located, and has excellent railroad facilities. Among the railroad improvemer ts is a large union freight depot and a passenger house, belonging to the Illinois Central Railroad Co. The company have a park extending along the railroad four hundred feet long and eighty feet wide. It is shaded by forest trees. The school-house is a two-story frame, and contains four rooms. The first public school building was erected in 1861. It was destroyed by fire in 1873, and the present one was immediately built. Prior to 1861, school was taught in unoccupied dwellings. The first village teacher was Miss Bonner. The school was graded in 1859-60. The three church edifices are frame buildings, and belong respectively to the Methodist, the Presbyterian, and the Baptist denomination. The first in the order mentioned was built in 1858, the second in 1869, and the remaining one in 1874. The first house in the vil- lage was put up by the railroad company in August and September of 1854. It was a two story frame building, erected for a boarding house. The first settlers of the town were Mrs N. Holt, Samuel Ewing, William Garner, Samuel Eaton, r. P. and E. H. Simmons, Allen Pailier, D. C. Barber, and D. Saucks. N. Holt assisted in surveying and laying out the town, and was the first postmaster and station agent, the latter of which positions he still holds. We have no hesitation in saying Mr. Hult is the oldest station agent in this county, having performed its duties satisfactorily to the company for twenty-eight years in succes- sion. Barber and Simmons put up the first store; Beard and Hague starting a store about the same time. The first resident physician was William E. Smith.
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