USA > Illinois > Cumberland County > Counties of Cumberland, Jasper and Richland, Illinois. Historical and biographical > Part 78
USA > Illinois > Richland County > Counties of Cumberland, Jasper and Richland, Illinois. Historical and biographical > Part 78
USA > Illinois > Jasper County > Counties of Cumberland, Jasper and Richland, Illinois. Historical and biographical > Part 78
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES-RICHLAND COUNTY :
graduated from the Ohio Medical College, of Cincinnati, after a course of three years. Since that time he has practiced his profes- sion at Olney with signal success. The Doctor was married, 1869, to Mary L., daughter of Rev. Jesse B. Locke, of Bourbon County, Ky. To this union was born one daughter, viz .: Lula J. Mrs. Thomp- son died in 1870. She was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The Doctor was next married in 1874, to Mary L. Ridway, a native of Olney. Two children have blessed this union, viz .: Edna R. and Sarah B. Both the Doctor and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He is also a member of the Masonic Fraternity, the I. O. O. F., K. of P. and I. O. M. A. In politics he is a Republican and one of the prominent professional men of the city.
THOMAS TIPPIT, Circuit Clerk, was born in this county on June 6, 1851, and is the sixth of seven children born to Matthew L. and Sarah ( Ellingsworth) Tippit, natives, respectively, of Tennessee and Ohio. When three years old, in 1820, Matthew L. was car- ried by his parents to what is now Edwards County, Ill., then an unbroken wilderness. He received only two weeks of schooling in one of the primitive log buildings of the frontier. When he was four or five years old, his father died, and a few years later his mother moved to Richland County. He afterward married here, and here he entered some 1,000 acres at different times, a part of which land he finally sold. He erected a log cabin and made improvements on the farm, and resided in the same place until his death, which occurred September 13, 1871. At this time he owned about 600 or 700 acres, in well-improved farms. Thomas received a good education and was employed on his father's farm until he reached the age of twenty-one, when he began farming for himself on a small farm of fifty-seven acres, which his father had left him. This farm is in Olney Township, and to this he has added from time to time, until he has 140 acres in the limits of the city of Olney. In 1876, Mr. Tippet was the Democratic candidate for Circuit Clerk of Richland County, but was defeated. In the following year he was elected a member of the Board of Supervisors. In January, 1880, Mr. Tippit was appointed Circuit Clerk to fill a vacancy, and in the fall of the same year was elected to the office, and still holds that position. Mr. Tippit was married on March 15. 1877, to Eva Leaf, a native of Richland County. Three children bless this marriage, viz .: George M., Mabel A. and Albert. Mr. Tippit is a member of Olney Lodge, No. 140, A. F. & A. M., Richland Chapter, No. 38. R. A. M., and Olney Council, No. 55, R. & S. M. In politics he is a Democrat, and a prominent citi- zen of the county.
GUSTAVE H. B. TOLLE, special agent for the Masonic Beney- olent Association of Illinois, was born in Hanover, Germany, Octo- ber 26, 1840, and is the youngest of six children born to George H. W. and Louise ( Veerkamp) Tolle, natives of Germany. The father was in the civil service of the government of Hanover, and advanced until he became Director of Civil and Hydraulic Engineering for the
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OLNEY CITY AND TOWNSHIP.
district of the Kingdom. He died in 1859, in his sixty-sixth year, in the communion of the Lutheran Church, and his wife died in that of the Roman Catholic Church. Mr. Tolle was a Mason for over forty years. Gustave H. B. was well educated in the land of his birth, graduating from the College Georgianum at Hanover, in 1858. Iu the same year he entered the Hanoverian army, and after three months' service was commissioned Second Lieutenant and assigned to the First Regiment of Infantry, or Body Guard of the late King George V. In September. 1863, he resigned his commission, and after a short stay in Amsterdam, returned to Germany, and in the latter part of the year came to the United States. He came imme- diately to Terre Haute, Ind., and was employed for a short time as shipping clerk in a wholesale grocery store. He then went to Vin- cennes. and was again engaged as salesman. In 1869, Mr. Tolle came to Olney and opened a leather store. under the firm name of William Baker & Company. In 1879, he closed out this business, and accepted a position as traveling salesman for a wholesale leather house in Cincinnati, continuing in this until the spring of 1883, when he was appointed Special Agent for the Masonic Benevolent Association of Illinois. In September, 1875, he married Hattie R., daughter of the late Hon. Horace Heyward, of Olney. They have two sons, George H. W. and Gustave H. A. Mr. Tolle is a Lutheran, and his wife a Congregationalist. He belongs to the A. F. & A. M .. R. A. M., R. & S. M., and K. T .. Olney Masonic bodies, of the Ohio Grand Consistory, of Cincinnati, S. P. R. S. 32d deg .; belongs to both branches of the I. O. O. F., and of A. O. U. W. He was W. M., of his Lodge in 1877, D. D. G. M .. in 1878 and 1883, H. P. of his Chapter from 1879 to 1883, G. M. of his Council from 1878 until the pres- ent time. Since 1880, he has been G. C. of the Grand Council of Illinois, and from 1878 to 1881. was E. C. of his Commandery; in political fields, he is under the Republican colors, and is a prominent citizen of the county.
BERNHARD E. VOIGT, merchant tailor, was born in Prus- sia, April 27, 1857, and is the eighth of ten children born to Carl and Frederike (Muench) Voigt, Prussians. He was a shoemaker by trade. In 1874, he emigrated to the United States, coming to Olney. He soon purchased a farm near the city, and he and his wife reside here and are adherents of the Evangelical Association. Bern- hard E. received a good education in Prussia. At fourteen years of age he was apprenticed to the tailors' vocation. and served three years. He was then a journeyman in Illinois, Missouri, Iowa and Kansas. After the arrival of the family to this country. he was em- ployed by a firm in Olney for a period of three years. In 1880, Mr. Voigt returned to Olney, and went into business for himself. He is proprietor of the only merchant tailoring establishment in this place, and his trade is excellent. He was married. April 27. 1880. to Adeline A. Fessel, of Wabash County. Two daughters bless his marriage, Clara P. and Olga A. He is a Republican, and a rising man in every respect.
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BIOGRAPHICAL, SKETCHES-RICHLAND COUNTY:
WILLIAM VON ALLMEN & SON, boarding house and saloon. William was born in Switzerland, March 31, 1823, and is third child ina family of eight children born to John and Elizabeth ( Balmer) Von Allmen, natives of Switzerland. John was educated in his native land, learned the shoemaker's trade, and followed it to some extent through life. He was engaged some in farming, and during the wars of Napoleon I. was a soldier in the Swiss army. In 1851, he came to the United States, settling in German Township, in this county, where he lived until death claimed him, October, 1872. He and wife were members of the German Reformed Church. William Von Allmen received a fair education in his native land. and was apprenticed to the carpenters' trade, and in 1846 came to the United States in company with his employer. They worked for a month in New Orleans, and finally, William came up the river to Louisville, Ky., landing with only $1.25 in money. He worked for some months in a dairy, then went to Terre Haute, Ind., was employed on a canal and in a slaughter house. He was then employed in various ways at Cincinnati, Ohio, and at Terre Haute, Ind., until in 1857, when he came to German Township, farmed for five years, then came to Olney, and engaged in the saloon and boarding house business. He was married, in 1855, to Margaret Rue, a native of New Albany, Ind. Ten chil- dren were given them, seven of whom, three sons and four daugh- ters. are living. The family belongs to the German Reformed Church. Henry Von Allmen is oldest of the ten children born to Wil- liam Von Allmen, and was born June 11, 1856. He received an excel- lent education. At the age of eighteen he was apprenticed to the gun- smiths' trade. He served for two years with his brother-in-law. Henry Goedeke, and then followed the trade at Fairfield and Olney for some three years. He then entered the saloon business with his father, remaining there some three years. In 1882, in company with C. Eggler, he engaged in the same business, and since then has con- tinned in the position. He is a member of the German Reformed Church, of the A. O. U. W., and is very highly esteemed by his associates.
J. C. VON ALMEN, dealer in lumber, doors, sash and blinds, Olney, was born June 4, 1843, in Switzerland. His father followed the stone-mason trade till 1847, when he emigrated to America and located in Preston Township, where he now lives, engaged in farming pursuits. The subject of this sketch was reared on the farm, and at the age of twenty he commenced to learn the coopers' trade; this he
worked at about eighteen months. Ile enlisted, in 1864, in Company G, One Hundred and Thirty-Sixth Illinois Infantry, served about six months and returned home. He then continued the coopers' trade during that winter; the following spring he engaged in farming; this he continued four years. In the spring of 1869, he removed to Olney and followed the carpenters' trade several years; in 1879, his present business was established, which has since been rapidly increasing, the transactions running from $18,000 to $20,000 a year. Hle was married, in 1868, to Mary Yelch, who was born in Clark
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OLNEY CITY AND TOWNSHIP'.
County, Ill. This union has been blessed with three sons and one daughter.
GOTTLIEB WEISS, brick-maker, was born January 6, 1857, in Olney. He is the son of Gottlieb Weiss, who was born in Switz- erland and there learned the carpenters' trade; in 1848, he emi- grated to America, and located in Olney; here he died, JJanuary 17, 1880, aged fifty-three years. On coming here he followed the car- penters' trade; but his last twenty years he was engaged in the man- ufacture of brick. Gottlieb, the subject of this sketch, has worked at this business since a boy, and his yard turns out about 600,000 in a season. He was married April 5, 1883, to Rosa Weiland, who was born in Jefferson City, Mo.
GEORGE F. WISSHACK. confectioner, was born in Cincin- nati, Ohio, June 17, 1863, and is the oldest of four living children born to Adolph G. and Matilda (Bagley) Wisshack, the former a native of Wurtemburg, Germany, and the latter of West Virginia, but of English descent. Adolph G. Wisshack was educated in his native land, and while yet a young man he emigrated to the United States, first settling at Cincinnati, then removing to Wheeling, W. Va., where he was married. Ho soon returned to Cincinnati, then opened a grocery store at Covington, Ky., but in 1880 went back to Wheel- ing, W. Va., where he still resides. George F. Wisshack, our sub- ject, received a good common school and academic education and also took a commercial course at Los Angeles, Cal. At the age of eight years he went into a stationery and confectionery store at Coving- ton, Ky., as an errand boy, and at the same time went to school. In 1877, he came to Olney, Ill., where he was employed part of the time in his uncle's confectionery store, and at the same time attended school for four years. In 1881 he went to Los Angeles, Cal., where he was employed in a confectionery for eight months, taking his commercial course at night. In the fall of 1882 he returned to Olney and went into a drug store as a salesman, remaining until June, 1883, when he, in company with George D. JJohnstone and William A. Starts- man, bought the confectionery store of his uncle, where they are doing an excellent business.
JOHN M. WILSON was the first official of Richland County. being appointed Clerk of the Circuit Court June 17, 1841, whilst the other officials were not elected until the first Monday in August fol- lowing; he was born in Prince William County, Virginia, within two miles of Thoroughfare Gap, at the old Bull Run church, on March 13, 1811. His father, Jacob Wilson, of Scotch-Irish descent, was a Pennsylvanian by birth. , His grandfather Wilson fought in the Revolutionary war, and was wounded and taken prisoner at the massacre of Paoli. His uncle Silas fought and was wounded at the battle of Brandywine. His father, J. Wilson. was at Harper's Ferry in 1798, under Col. William Washington; in the war of 1812 served at the White House, in the neighborhood of Washington and Bal- timore. His mother, Margaret King, a most exemplary woman, was, by her mother's side, a Kearney, and a relation of Gen. Phil Kear-
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES-RICHLAND COUNTY:
ney, who was a second cousin. The subject of this sketch was one of ten children, and until the age of twelve remained at the place of his birth and for six years went to an old field school. His family, in 1824, moved to JJefferson County, Va., within eight miles of Har- per's Ferry, where they farmed. On October 27, 1828, they left Vir- ginia for Illinois, and on the 17th of December following, by steady traveling in a four-horse wagon reached their destination, White County, and at the home of Chief Justice William Wilson, a cousin, where they passed the winter. In the spring of 1829, removing to the Skillit Fork, eight miles northwest of Carmi, where they engaged in stock-raising and farming, the nearest neighbor being three mile distant; being dense woods; wolves plenty, with deer and turkeys by the hundred, and a few bear and panthers. On more than one occasion John M. was treed by wolves. In 1832, being then twenty- one years of age, John volunteered in service as Second Sergeant in the Black Hawk campaign, in Captain Thomas' company; Colonel Eubank's regiment of White County volunteers, forming part of General Posey's brigade. He served through the campaign and was mustered out of service at Rock River. Returning home he resumed the occupation of farming, and continued that occupation-except at short intervals-after the death of his elder brother, William: with his brother, James, purchased a one-half section farm southwest of Carmi, where, with his parents, two brothers and three sisters, he resided until 1839, when he surrendered his interest in the farm and stock to his family and studied law at Carmi with E. B. Webb; was admitted to the bar in 1848, and in the first great Whig demonstra- tion at Carmi in the opening of the celebrated Harrison campaign in 1840, acted as one of the Marshals of the day. Being appointed Circuit Clerk of Richland County, at the age of thirty, on the 5th day of July, he came to the County of Richland where Olney now stands. On the 31st of March he was married to Harriet A. Pow- ers, whose family had, the preceding fall. moved from Vermont. Mr. Wilson soon became prominent as a lawyer and a Whig leader, and so continued until the disorganization of the Whig party; when he took a like position in the Democratic party until 1860, when he took sides with the Republican party, with which he has ever since acted on party questions. In 1847 he resigned his position as Clerk, and devoted his attention to the practice of law, in which he was thought invincible. In 1849 he bought of Daniel Cox his newspaper office; an old Ramage press-the first used in Vincennes-and on which the first paper in Olney (the News) was printed. For sev- eral years he published a paper and during the first year of the Re- bellion published two-one in Vincennes, and one, the first, in Flora. He also published a paper in Salem (the Gazette) where, for a short period, he resided. Mr. Wilson suggested the incorporation of Olney as a village in 1848, and drew up the ordinances. During the Rebel- lion he took a most active part, and by a suggestion in his paper at Vincennes advising volunteers on furlough to practice pistol firing at the butternut breast-pins of the rebel sympathizers in that city,
791
OLNEY CITY AND TOWNSHIP'.
removed in a single day all those secesh ornaments. When the O. & M. Railway was first surveyed, a direct line ran near Fairview, seven miles south of Olney. The O. & M. Railroad company, as a condition to come to Olney, required a subsidy from the county of $50,000. As editor of the only paper in Olney and the most active politician and best known attorney, Mr. Wilson at once began an active canvass of the county, and with the aid of JJohn Wolf, Will- iam Shelby and some others. had the $50,000 voted, and though never called for. it was the prime agent in bringing that road to Olney and making it what it is. In 1867 Mr. Wilson suggested the incorporation of Olney as a city, drew up the charter and ordinances, and by the aid of Dr. Bowyer. had it passed by the Legislature, and after an active canvass against most bitter opposition, had it adopted by the people, and was elected the first Mayor and at once com- meneed a system of city improvements. In 1873 Mr. Wilson was again elected Mayor, and by his casting vote gave Olney its fine brick pave- ments, lighted the city and made it what it is-the best paved city in Illinois. Mr. Wilson's last forty years of his life has been largely devoted to public interests and public good, and he is now, at the age of seventy-two, City Attorney, actively engaged in the city interests of his beloved Olney, of which he claims to be the first citizen; hay- ing been appointed Clerk before the county-seat was located, and when located on Lilly & Barney's donation, there being no one liv- ing on it. Mr. Wilson is as active as most men at fifty, with mind and memory wholly unimpaired; perfectly familiar with the world's history and geography. He has not an enemy, and every man, woman and child in Olney ever greets with a smile and kind word, " Uncle John." Mr. Wilson was for nine years stock agent and attorney for the O. & M. Railway. After the G. & M. Railway had been chartered for ten years and almost defunet, Mr. Wilson, in 1867, suggested the voting of a subsidy. His wife is a cousin of the cele- brated sculptor, Hiram Powers, and a sister of Frank Powers, one of Olney's most energetic citizens, and is herself a most exemplary Christian worker. Mr. Wilson has five children living-John F., Phil, Alice (married to William Ferriman ). Ida and Ada. twins, at home with their parents.
ROBERT B. WITCHER, attorneyand master in chancery, was born in Upshur County, Texas, April 15, 1855, and is one of three living children born to Benjamin W. and Sarah ( Bledsoe) Witcher, natives of Georgia. Benjamin W. married in his native State where he was brought up, and some three years after removed to Texas and engaged in cotton planting until he died, September 3. 1863. He was a Mason. His wife died JJanuary 31, 1860, a member of the Baptist Church. Robert B. was well educated in the com- mon schools and Drury College at Springfield, Mo., graduating there in 1876. At that time prizes were offered for oratory, and he drew the first prize. After graduation, Mr. Witcher went to Saint Joseph, Mo., where he was employed on the Saint Joseph Gazette, the old- est paper in the State. In April, 1877, he came to Olney, and
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES-RICHLAND COUNTY :
entered the office of James P. Robinson as a law student, and in 1879 was admitted to practice by the Supreme Bench, in the courts of Illinois. He has since been practicing here with good success. In January. 1882, Mr. Witcher was appointed Master in Chancery for Richland County, and was reappointed in 1883, and is still fill- ing that office. He belongs to Marmion Lodge, No. 52, K. of P., and is a Democrat.
JOHN WOLF was born in Cumberland County, Penn., JJan- uary 31, 1817, and is the third of ten children born to John and Mary (Hawk) Wolf, both natives of the same county and of Ger- man descent. John, senior, was educated and married in his native State when. in 1831. he removed to Richland (now Ashland ) County, Ohio. He bought a farm and resided there until his death in April, 1833. Mr. Wolf and wife were both members of the Lutheran Church. She lived upon the old place until 1850, when she went to live with her children. She died in February, 1866, living at the time with her daughter in Rome. in this county. John Wolf, Jr .. received a common school education, and after his father's death. worked upon the old place until 1839, when he came to Illinois and entered 400 acres of land in the northern part of Sugar Ridge Prai- rie, in what is now Madison Township in Richland County. H erected a rude log cabin and improved a farm, then, in 1843, built a two-story frame dwelling; the first in the neighborhood. In 1845 and 1846 while employed at farm work, he studied mathematics and surveying. Mr. Wolf was appointed County Assessor and in 1845 took the census of this county. He has also been Deputy Surveyor, and was elected in 1846 County Surveyor, being re-elected in 1848. In 1849 Mr. Wolf, in company with eleven others made the over- land journey to California, experiencing great hardships in the undertaking. They arrived in Sacramento August 8, 1849. Mr. Wolf returned to this county in July. 1850, after having some suc- cess in work at the mines. In 1851 he was again elected County Surveyor, and in 1853 removed to Olney where he has lived ever since. In 1855 he was elected Sheriff of the county, and in 1857 was made to transcribe records of lands relating to Richland County, from records of Clay and Lawrence counties. In 1859 was made Circuit Clerk to fill a vacancy, was elected in 1860 to that. office for four years, in 1857 was elected Secretary of the Grayville & Mattoon Railroad. now the P., D. & E. Railway, and held this office for more than twenty years. From 1865 until 1871 Mr. Wolf followed mercantile pursuits: since that he has not been actively engaged in business. He is a Director of the First National Bank, which he helped to organize in 1866, and in which he is a stock- holder. Mr. Wolf has been twice married. In 1837 he wedded Margaret Snively, of Ashland County. To this union were born three children, all now living. Mrs. Wolf died on May 15. 1878, a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Wolf was next married on May 10, 1880, to Mary E. Butz, of Monroe County, Penn., and who is a devout Lutheran. Mr. Wolf has since early
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OLNEY CITY AND TOWNSHIP.
youth been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, is a Den- ocrat, and after passing a very eventful and active life, is now respected and appreciated by the people, as a prominent citizen and pioneer of this county should be.
HENRY J. B. WRIGHT, M. D., was born in Rush County. Ind., March 18, 1851, and is the youngest of the five chiklen born to Ephraim and Polly (Buckley) Wright, natives, respectively, of Pennsylvania and New York. The father of Ephraim was for about twenty-one years JJudge of the Common Pleas Court of Fayette County, Ohio, and from early years until his death, in June, 1866, Ephraim was an itinerant minister of the Gospel. Henry J. B. Wright was reared on the home farm until twenty-one years old. when he began the study of medicine with Dr. S. J. Voris, of Edin- burgh, Ind. He took his first course of lectures at the Ohio Medi- cal College, and graduated from the Cincinnati College of Medicine and Surgery in 1875. From 1876 until the fall of 1880, he prac- ticed at Odin. Ill., and then attended Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, from which he graduated the next spring and came to Olney, where he has since been in successful practice, in partnership with Dr. Johnson. Both he and his partner hold appointments as examining surgeons of the Pension Department. In October, 1875. Dr. Wright married Kate E. Phillips, a native of Switzerland County, Ind., and to this union has been born one daughter. Han- nah L. Mr. and Mrs. Wright are members of the Methodist Epis- copal Church, and in politics he is a Republican.
W. M. WYATT, grocer, was born February 13, 1857, in Edwards County, Ill .; he is the son of Ballard S. and Avalina (Compton) Wyatt, the former a native of Ritchie County, W. Va., the latter a native of Wabash County, Ill. In 1855 his father emigrated to Edwards County and there engaged in farming pursuits till his death, which occurred in 1879 at the age of fifty-seven. He enlisted, in 1861, in Company G. Ninety-Eighth Illinois Infantry, served three years, and was mustered out as Commissary-Sergeant. Ile also held the office of Constable several years in Edwards County. The subject of this sketch was reared on his father's farm ; at the age of twenty he had earned sufficient to buy a farm of eighty acres; this he improved and occupied for six years; he then sold this farm and in the fall of 1883 removed to Olney, and in company with Mr. Reinhardt opened a general grocery store. This partnership con- tinned four months, when Mr. Wyatt bought the entire business. He carries a well selected stock worth about $1,200, and is doing a constantly increasing business. He was married May 29, 1879, to Allie R. Jenner, of Richland County. She died January 14, 1880, aged nineteen years. His second marriage. March 11, 1881, was to Sarah S. Chapman, of Richland County. One bright son gladdens their home.
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