USA > Illinois > Stark County > Documents and biography pertaining to the settlement and progress of Stark County, Illinois : containing an authentic summary of records, documents, historical works and newspapers > Part 40
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OF TOULON TOWNSHIP.
Charles Geesey, son of Charles and Lydia (Murray) Geesey, was born in Steuben county, N. Y. His father died in Fulton county in 1863, leaving six sons and four daughters. Of these, the subject of this sketch learned the trade of wagon-maker in Ohio, of which state his parents were then residents. He subsequently learned the carpen- ter's trade, and in 1874 moved to Illinois, taking up his residence at Wyoming. Mr. Geesey was married in Ohio to Miss Mary, daughter of Jacob Gyman, a native of Alsace. but herself of Germany. Since coming to Wyoming in 1874, he has devoted his attention to builders' and contractors' work, and his name is identified with many business and residence buildings, which mark the progress of Wyoming.
Amos P. Gill, born in Chautauqua county. N. Y., came, with his father, Elder Elisha Gill, to Illinois in 1843. In 1849, he and family settled at Toulon. Up to 1851, he was the only Odd Fellow in Toulon, and organized Stark lodge, October 17, 1851. He died February 11. 1870.
Hugh Y. Godfrey, whose name occurs as the first nominator of Lincoln for the presidency, was born in New Jersey, February 22, 1829; moved to a point opposite Philadelphia in 1846-47: sailed to Mexico about this time, and on returning came with parents to Toulon. November 5. 1848; learned the carriage- and wagon-builder's trade here; served eleven months with the Thirty-third Illinois In- fantry, and in 1865 resumed his trade at Toulon. In December. 1850, he married Miss Frances A. McCance.
Joel D. Goodale died here August 21, 1855, in the ninety-fifth year of his age.
W. II. Gray, born in Knox county, Ill. January 16, 1843, is the son of William and Betsey (Jordan) Gray. Ilis father, was a native of New York state and mother of Ohio, who came to Illinois in 1835 or 1536, and was prominently connected with the early manufacturing in- terest of Knox county for many years. He died in Bates county. Mo. in 1879. His mother, Betsey Gray, preceded her husband to the grave in 1877. They had three sons and three daughters, all of whom grew to manhood and womanhood. William H. spent his boyhood in Olmo; learned his business from his father, and in 1863 came to Stark county. where he carried on farming until 1869, when he established himself at Princeville, Peoria county : and after one year came here and founded his briek manufacturing industry. He was married in Stark county to Miss Eliza Jane, daughter of Alexander and Martha (Jordan) Trapha- gan. They are the parents of six sons and three daughters. Gray's brick works at Wyoming are among the leading industries of the county. In religious matters, the family attend the Congrega- tional church, while in society matters he is a member of the Odd Fel- lows Lodge here and of the Encampment.
Mrs. Ruby (French) Greenfield, born in 1821, married Elisha Green- field in 1846 near Princeville, Peoria county : later moved north of Wy- oming, thenee to Henry county, and finally to Toulon. This lady was drowned in a cistern here April 24, 1884. The coroner's jury brought in a verdict of suicide.
Frederick Rudolph Greenwood, son of Asa and Lucy (Moser) Green-
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wood, was born at Dublin, Cheshire county, N. II., December 18, 1826. His grandfather, Joshua, who married Hannah Twitchell, was a car- penter and mechanic, also his greatgrandfather, William, who worked there as early as 1762. The family dates back to Thomas Greenwood, who came to our shores in 1667, whose grandchildren were found in the ranks of the Revolution, and whose children protested prior to 1776 against British ignorance and tyranny. In 1853 Frederick R. and his father came to Knox county, and located land near Yates City ; the father moving a few years later to Toulon and thence to his old home in New Hampshire, where he died July 16, 1876, leaving three sons-Jolin, Frederick R. and William Il. The first resides at Denver, Col., the second in Toulon township, and the last named lost his life while chief engineer on the Palmer & Sullivan R. R. survey, August 19, 1879, being shot from his horse. A son, named Her- man, a master mechanic in railroad shops, died at Galesburg, Ill .; Maria married Whitney Tenney, of Orange, Mass., and Mary Ann died in youth. Frederick R. grew to manhood in Marlboro' county, N. II .; there learned the builders' trade, but on coming here turned his attention to agriculture and fine stock growing, and in 1864 pur- chased his present farm of eighty acres. In 1854 he married here Miss Elizabeth, daughter of Herbert and Sarah (Kennedy) Blakely, who came from Marshall county, Ind. Of their two children, Onetta M. is the wife of James A. Jones, of Burlington Junction, Mo., who are the parents of three children; the other, Ora Blakely Greenwood. is a farmer. Mr. Greenwood. Sr., is a supporter of all churches. He has been a member of the district school board. and like most men who earned all they possess, is practical and broad-minded in everything.
Colonel W. H. Greemrood, born in Dublin, N. II., 1932, the engineer in charge of the Toulon division of the American Central R. R., and well known here, was murdered in Mexico. August 19. 1880. On May 28, 1882, Mrs. Mary, widow of Asa Greenwood died at Toulon. She was born at Dublin, N. IL., in 1814, and in 1853 married, both coming to Stark county about 1854.
James Griffin. of Modena, died in August, 1865. He was an old settler.
Elder A. Gross preached in Toulon, in the court house, to the Bap- tist creed, in the years of 1855 and 1856, and assisted in buikling the Baptist church, and sent his four oldest children to the academy there, it being the only school where children could be taught the higher common school branches, nearer than Galesburg. One of the children is now Judge W. L. Gross, of Springfield. The Elder and his wife board with their daughter at Cathem, ten miles from Springfield.
Robert Grierc. a prominent farmer of this township for almost forty years, was born in Roxburghshire, Scotland, September 27, 1826, emigrated in 1848, and settled on a tract of 145 acres, Section 5, Toulon township, which he purchased in 1849. As related in the marriage record, he married Miss Ellen Scott in 1856. This lady was born in the same shire May 27, 1830. and came to America in 1845. Since his marriage he increased his acreage to 429, together with about five acres of timber land, all beautifully situate on Jack Creek, which runs
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throngh 150 acres. Mr. and Mrs. Grieve were the parents of eight children, five of whom are living. Janet, Ellen, Thomas A., and Chris- tina reside at home. and William is married=a resident of this town- ship. The mother of this family died March 30, 1885, and was buried in Elinira cemetery. Mr. Grieve has served since its first organization as president of the Farmers' Mutual Insurance Co. Almost since the day of his settlement here he has been an earnest member of the United Presbyterian church, and clerk of the board of trustees of that body. To matters relating to education and all else bearing on the interests of the townships of Tonlon and Ehmmra, and, indeed, of the county in general, he gives close attention. In political life the Re- publican party claims him as a member.
Thomas Hlall, M. D., was born at Mansel Park, Derbyshire, Eng- land, May 12, 1805 ; married Miss Matilda Manifold, of Findern in that shire, May 14, 1829. and with his family of four children came to the United States in 1837. settled in Elmira township for a few years, moved to Toulon village in 1841, and resided there until his death, in 1876. Mrs. Shallenberger, his eldest child, speaks of him in her work, " Stark County and Her Pioneers," and from her history of the family the following is taken : " Indeed, while he was vet quite young, it was decided to give him a thorough educational and professional training, in the direction of medicine and surgery. So he was kept steadily at school after he had reached his eighth year. first at the village school of LIulland, where he acquired the rudiments of an education ; from there at the age of ten, he was transferred to a sort of grammar school at West-Under-Wood; from there to Brailsford for the study of French and Latin; at fourteen he went for two years to a finishing schoolat Quarndon, and at sixteen was " entered as an apprentice " (this being the law of the land) to Dr. Coleman of Wolverhampton for five years. Having now attained his majority, " he went to walk the hos- pital at Guys," and during the next two years in London. enjoyed the instruction of many eminent men, whose names have since become historical, especially in the archives of medical science. A few of these we may record as possessing a modicum of inter- est for the professional reader, should any such honor these pages with a perusal. " On Materia Medica and Therapeutics" the lecturer was Thomas Addison, M. D., on "The Principles and Practice of Physic." John Armstrong. On the diploma granted to Thomas Hall. by " The Royal College of Surgeons" in 1828 are the signatures of Sir Astley Cooper and " plain John Abernethy." In 1850, Rush Medical College conferred on Thomas Hall, in view of the high testimonials he had brought with him from his native land, and his long experience in western practice. an " honorary degree," constituting him - Doctor of Medicine," "done at Chicago, Illinois. February 7th. 1850." Thus, it may be seen the doctor holds in his hands the best credentials of both lands : but perhaps no man ever lived who valued such honors less, or cared less for distinction of any kind. When he came to Illinois in 1837. he brought with him not only a thorough acquaintance with his profession, but the prestige of nearly ten years successful practice at home ; to these advantages may be added an abounding vitality, giving
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powers of endurance far beyond the average of men. Then he brought with him a library of choice medical works and surgical instruments of the most approved pattern then known, to meet every emergency. Coming thus equipped, to a new and growing state, what opportuni- ties for professional distinction and ultimate wealth loomed up before him, had he been gifted with even ordinary ambition. But this he had not. He built him a cabin and settled down in the obscurity of Osceola Grove; and although the finest lands could still be hekl by preemption, and afterwards came into market and were sold at $1.25 per acre, yet he never bought one, although from the date of his set- tlement he had a large practice, soon kept four or five horses and rode almost constantly. In 1840, when sickness here assumed a very fatal type, dysentery and typhoid fevers prevailing to a frightful extent, he rode on horseback for nine successive weeks, eighty miles one day and fifty-six the other, alternately. In 1846, he and his partner, Dr. Cham- berlain, treated fifteen hundred cases of fever and ague or kindred dis- eases, using in their practice that season eighty ounces of quinine or its equivalent, in the shape of the extract of Peruvian bark. When ad- vised by his Family or Friends in those days to collect his dues and in- vest them in something for future resource, he would turn away with a smile saying. " Don't bother me about such trifles, Iam laying up treasures in heaven !" .
But while thus indifferent to pecuniary rewards, he was by no means insensible to the approval, or gratitude of his patients. No man ever more highly appreciated the beaming smile or moistened ovo, that must sometimes reveal, especially to a physician, emotion too deep for utterance, or treasured in a warmer heart the memory of grateful words and generous deeds! * * Rather than disappoint the sick whom he knew would be watching anxiously for his coming. he encountered all sorts of personal perils and discom- forts-braved all dangers, buffetting with the fierce storm at mid- night on the snow-covered pathless prairie, swimming swollen rivers, sometimes with the thermometer so low that he was encased in an in- flexible armor of ice, five minutes after he had emerged from the flood. For some of the most desperate of these exploits he rather seems to enjoy saying, " I never received a cent." Of late years, when to our view death seemed hovering very near him, he would refer to a little incident that occurred long ago, in his native land, but which has no doubt colored more or less his whole life. When, as he relates, having won his diploma, he was about leaving home to begin life and practice for himself, his mother followed him to the gate, and laying her hand lovingly on his shoulder said, "Tom, do your duty by all, but espe- cially remember the poor;" and he would add, "I am not afraid to meet my mother, for she knows I have done as she told me."
But we must not particularize, or this sketeh, which was intended should be brief, will grow into a volume. Dr. Ilall was married May 14th, 1829. to Miss Matilda Manifold, of Findern, Derbyshire, England. This lady was our mother, and we have lost her all too lately to discuss with any appearance of impartiality (if that was de- sirable) her life and character. Her memory is enshrined in the
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OF TOULON TOWNSHIP.
hearts of her friends; we leave it with them alone, knowing this would be her desire could she be consulted ; for few ever shrank more instinctively from publie gaze than she. Her inner life was a sealed casket, not many had the privilege of unlocking. Let a rev- erential silence veil its treasures still ! Her children can never esti- mate their indebtedness to her, not only for the mere fact of existence, which sometimes in this uncertain world is rather a questionable boon, or for the mother's love she gave them all; but for that "well of English undefiled," which her conversation always supplied, and for even a tithe of the mental acuteness and physical vigor she possessed. She left us August 8, 1874, in the seventy-second year of her age, vet, as another truly said, "she died as the young die," with all her facul- ties in full play, as if with her, it was yet life's morning! The children of this marriage are in the order of their ages. 1st, Eliza, the writer of this little volume : 2nd, Ilarriet M., wife of P. M. Blair, Esq .: 3d, Mary S., who rests beside her mother : 4th, Henry M. Hall, present editor and proprietor of The Red Out Now Era : 5th, Dr. Walter Thomas Hall, successor to his father's home and honors; 6th, Louisa, wife of Mr. John C. Emery, now of Ottumwa, Iowa; 7th, James Knox Hall, at present following his trade, that of a printer at Cambridge, IlI.
We may remark in passing, that of these children, the first fom were born in England, prior to the emigration, the three remaining ones being native Illinoisans. Mrs. Emery was the first child ever born in the town of Toulon, to which place the family removed soon after the site was surveyed, and have resided within its limits since July 6, 1842.
As we write that date, memory reproduces with wonderful fidelity, the picture of that summer morning, so long ago. We had been up since dawn, marking with charcoal the logs in our big cabin, prepara- tory to taking them out of their places, and loading them on the wagons, which would soon be waiting for them. By six o'clock the family had breakfasted, the teams were arriving, and the bustle of moving began in earnest. Think of it reader, not only the contents of the house and all the appurtenances of a large family to be packed and loaded, but the house itself to be taken down and prepared for a journey to Toulon ! We can see the teams, many of them consisting of four horses, as they drew up around the seene of our labors. They had come from Spoon river, from Wethersfield, from Lafayette and Walnut creek, "to help the doctor move." We could give you the names of the drivers -true pioneers every one of them, not a laggard among them all; but our readers would not know them, for they have nearly all taken a longer journey since that time, from which they never returned. But finally the last load started, even Peter Miner's laugh was lost in the lengthening distance, and silence settled upon the hill, where for five years there had been a busy happy home, ring- ing with the voices of children, and the patter of little feet. But we looked our farewells to the spot, and not without tears set our faces in another direction. We were soon on the open prairie, and towards evening reached our destination, the house of Mr. Benjamin Turner,
21
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THIOGRAPHY AND REMINISCENCES
who in those days kept a sort of hotel for the accommodation of the public. The cabin had undergone a second 'raising.' the roof was partly on and we could say we had already a home in Toulon."
J. Knor Hall, son of 'Dr. Thomas and Matilda ( Mannifold) Hall, was born at Toulon, April 20, 1548. Here he received a practical com- mon school education, and in 1863 entered mercantile life, in which he continued four years. Next entering the office of the New Era with his brother, Henry M. Hall, he acquired a thorough knowledge of typography, and hell a position "at the case," on the News for three years, and was connected with the newspaper press up to April. 1886, when he received the first postmaster's commission issued to Illinois by the present executive On April 30. 1851, when the firm of T. II. Blair and W. E. Nixon, publishers of the Stark County Sentinel, dissolved, he purchased T. H. Blair's in- terest, and with Mr. Nixon took hold of this journal. To him in greatest measure is due the prompt success which waited on the Sentinel, of which paper he became sole proprietor in 1882. On JJanu- ary 1, 1854, Gus Hulsizer purchased a half interest, and the firm of Hall & Hulsizer conducted the Sentinel until February 13, 1885, when the present owner and editor, Mr. Hulsizer, purchased Mr. Hall's interest therein. He was married to Miss Eva Ardell, daughter of the late B. F. Young ; they are the parents of one daughter, Eva Mannifold Hall. He has been in public life ahnost continuously since 1869, and though an aggressive politician and outspoken Democrat, has received many acts of public kindness from men of every political faith. Mr. HIall is a Roval Arch Mason, a member of the Blue Lodge and its Worshipful Master at the present time. ( Vide sketch of Dr Thomas HIall : also History of' Elmira township).
Mrs. Mary M. Hammett, who resided at Wyoming from 1873 to 'T5. died at Peoria, November 29, 1879.
John and Mary Hanes came from Warrenton, Ohio, to Wyoming in 1867.
Richard Hardin, aged sixty-three, died at his home, Princeville, July 27, 1886. Ife had been a resident near Princeville since 1840.
Mrs. Harty, mother of Andrew and Dominic Harty, died March, 1886.
Sarah M. (Cassky) Hazzard married William Hazzard, of West Jersey in 1866, died at Winona, Minn., in 1885.
Augustus G. Hammond, son of Gideon and Nancy (Chandler) Hammond, was born at Westport, Essex County, N. Y., January 27. 1834. The family dates back to the beginning of Welsh immigration. Gideon Hammond, referred to above, was a farmer and lumber dealer in New York State, and a member of the legislature of that State for over fifteen years. The fact of his service during the war of 1812. particularly at the battle of Plattsburg, his honesty, integrity and un- swerving fidelity to principle, contributed much toward his popularity. but his unselfish. wise course in the legislature won repeatedly for him his legislative honors. A. G. Hammond moved to Wisconsin in 1848, making his first western home at Waukesha, in that State. Shortly after he moved to Farmington, Ill., and thence, in 1850, to
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OF TOULON TOWNSHIP.
Stark County. Since his settlement here he has filled a large place in the economic and social little republic of Stark County. A reference to the school history of Essex Township, and of Wyoming village, points out at once his connection with onr schools. In 1862 he was com- missioned Justice of the Peace. In 1874 he was elected representative on the Republican ticket by 591 majority over Davis Lowman, the A. M. R. candidate, and since that time has received repeated tokens of public confidence. From 1850 to 1865 he was engaged in farming or school teaching. In the latter year he entered mercantile life at Wyoming, and in less than twenty years built up one of the largest mercantile interests in the county. In October, 1853, he married Miss Cecilia B. Wynkoop, of Chemung County, N. Y. They are the par- ents of Harry A., a graduate of Winona, Minnesota, High School, and the Davenport Business College, and for the last ten years cashier in Scott & Wrigley's bank, Wyoming. Ill .; Will W., a graduate of Knox College, Galesburg, Ill., who is now practicing law at Peoria, ]]]., where in the space of ten years he has reached a Incrative practice, and Mary Louisa, now at home. In the history of Wyoming, the part taken by Mr. Hammond and family in social matters and otherwise is set forth concisely. ( Vide Political history.)
Charles Hartley. born in Yorkshire, England, February 7, 1822, is the son of George and Elizabeth Hartley, who came to America some years later and settled in Virginia. Charles remained at the old home in Yorkshire, where he grew to manhood, and learned agriculture. In 1853 he came to the United States with his wife and four children. and located here on section 28, where he purchased eighty aeres which have been handsomely improved. His wife was Ann Hamshaw, daughter of Joseph and Mary Hamshaw, of the same shire. Their children are Elizabeth, wife of W. P. Caverly ; George, a farmer here : Mary, wife of Monroe Guyre, and Moses, a farmer of Harvard, Clay county, Neb. Their children born here are Joseph, a farmer of Inland, Clay county, Neb .: Jennie, deceased ; Thomas, a farmer, here; and Delphine and William, residing at home. They have twelve grandchildren. Ile supports all denominations, avoids public life, but has served on the school board of his district. Mr. Hartley has 480 acres joining his old farm and 160 acres in Adams county, Neb. He is a member of the Stark county Agricultural Society. His herd of Holsteins is considerd one of the best in the military tract.
George Hartley, born in Yorkshire, England, August 21, 1846, is the son of Charles and Ann (Hamshaw) Hartley, came with his parents to Illinois and grew to manhood in this county. He was married here in 1878 to Miss Mary Ann, danghter of James and Elizabeth (Smith) Fraser. James Fraser was a native of Blythe, Northumberland county near Newcastle on the Tyne, England, and a son of James Fraser and Mary Ann Robinson, the former a native of Scotland, and the latter, of England. Elizabeth (Smith) Fraser, was a native of Pennsylvania, and there Mrs. Hartley was born in De Vosburg. Her father, James Fraser, came to Stark county in 1857, accompanied by Thomas Tunsall, who died in 1865, and leasing coal land on section fourteen, opened a mine there. In 1858 they worked on section twenty-three and took
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out 1,000 tons of coal, or one-fourth the total product of the year. In 1859 he went to Colorado, whither the family moved in 1860. They subsequently returned to Stark county, but in 1874 removed to Col- orado, where they have lived since. Mr. and Mrs. Hartley are the parents of three sons and one daughter, Lenora, James C., Marion A. and Lee R. He supports the Christian church, of which Mrs. Hartley is a member. He is a member of the Stark county Agricultural Socie- ty, and is largely interested in stock-growing and agriculture.
James P. Headley, born in this township, March 10, 1842, is a son of James and Sarah (Finley) Headley, who moved from Ohio to this county in 1839 and settled south of Toulon. They were married in 1819, seven years after the settlement of the Finley family in Ohio, of which family she was the last member. She was born in Fayette county, Pa., in 1800, and died at Toulon, June 11, 1886, thirty-five years after her husband's death. This family consisted of six sons and four daughters, namely ; Wilson and Matilda, deceased ; Craig, who died in Toulon township, leaving a widow, now Mrs. John Reed, and a family of one son, Walter Headley, of Lafayette: John, a carpenter, of Toulon, the head of a family; Elizabeth, wife of Matthew Rounds, of Toulon; William M .. of Pawnee City. Neb. : Alex. B. died here, leaving a family of one son and one daughter; Mary, wife of David Crum ; James P. and Milton, a brick manufacturer, who has a family of six children ; the four latter served in the war of the Rebellion, as shown in the military chapter. James P. Headley spent his boyhood on the farm and grew to manhood there. Hle carried on farming until 1862, when he enlisted in Company F., One-hundred-and-twelfth Illinois Vol- unteer Infantry. He served for three years, until honorably dis- charged, in 1865. Returning to his home, he resumed agricultural life and was engaged in farming until 1875, when he purchased the Toulon briekvards, and has carried on this business, always keeping pace with his increasing trade. He employs, during the season of brick-making, eleven men, giving support to eleven families. The material produced is all pressed brick, made exclusively for building purposes; has built large sheds and introduced many improvements for mixing, moulding and drying, among them being the " Martin machine." The yards occupy four acres, and produce about 500,000 brick per season. Mr. Headley married Miss Catherine Kendall, of Ashland, O., and to them one son was born, James Anson (now train dispatcher of Keokuk. Ia.). who married Miss Minnie Madison, of Ottumwa, Ia., a native of that town. James P. Headley is a member of W. W. Wright post. G. A. R. He has always taken an active part in the affairs of the agricultural society, of the township and of the town, and is now serving his second term, as a member of the council of Toulon.
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