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 42
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George Kernx, the son of William and Mary (Drummond) Kerns, was born in Ross county, Ohio, Jannary 6, 1838. When sixteen years of age he removed with his parents to Stark county, and for some six vears remained upon the form of his father, in Toulon township. At twenty-two years of age he was united in marriage to Miss Alice Wrigley, the daughter of Edmund and Alice (Howorth) Wrigley, whose sketch appears elsewhere. She was born at Hooleybridge. Eng- land, in 1839, and remained there until seventeen years of age, and then removed to America with her father, soon after her mother's death, settling with them in Stark county, and remained at her father's home until twenty-one years of age, and then, as before stated, was married to our subject. After their marriage they removed to their present farm, which at that time was a raw, unimproved place, and since have made their home here. Under the management of Mr. Kerus the prairie has changed to one of the pleasantest places in the township, and their beantiful home and neat surroundings attest the energy and thrift of the owner. But one child has been born to them, Minnie A., who still resides at home.
Politically Mr. K. is a Republican, and a member of the Congrega- tional church, as is also Mrs. K. and daughter. Mrs. K. is also a member of the Women's Missionary Association. The family is one widely known and very highly respected. Mr. Kerns possesses a farm of one hundred and twenty aeres, within the corporation lines of Wy-
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oming. Mr. Kerns' paternal grandparents were natives of Europe, and upon reaching manhood emigrated to Pennsylvania, whence they removed to Ross county. Ohio, about the year 1793, and purchased a large traet of land, and engaged in the raising of cattle, which he drove to Philadelphia, across the Allegheny mountains. While here he was married to Miss Sarah Winders. They removed to Koss county, Ohio, where he continued the raising of stock. Here he died in the year 1824, in his seventy-sixth year. His wife followed hun sey- eral years later. William, the fifth child of the family, was born in Ross county, Ohio, in the year 1800, and lived upon the farm of his father until 1823, when he took as his wife Miss Mary Drummond, the daughter of Benjamin and Ann (Kerns) Drummond, who was born in Philadelphia in the year 1807. Her parents were natives of New Jer- sey. She was born 1778 and he about 1775. From New Jersey they removed to Pennsylvania and settled in Philadelphia, where he fol- lowed his business as a marble cutter. From Philadelphia they re- moved to Ohio, Ross county, where he died about the year 1837. in his sixty-third year. His wife lived until 1852. when she also died, aged seventy-four. The family consisted of eight children, three of whom still live, and but two in Stark county, Mary and Benjamin. Mary, the mother of our subject, remained at home until her marriage to the father of our subject. They remained in Ross county, where Mr. K. was a farmer and stock raiser, until 1853, when they removed to Stark county and settled in Wyoming, but removed to a farm in Valley township, some eight years later. Here. in 1872, Mr. Kerns died after a short sickness. After her husband's death Mrs. K. remained upon the farm until 1885, when she has made her home with her chil- dren, of whom she had nine, six still living, four in Stark county : Ab- ner in Essex township, our subject in Toulon township, James in Essex, and Richard in Essex township. Mary resides in Springfield, III., Da- vid in Kansas. Mrs. Kerns has been an active member of the Metho- dist church over seventy-two years. Benjamin Drummond was born in Philadelphia in 1805. Removed to Ohio with his parents, where he was married in 1829, and for five years remained in Ohio, and then in 1834 removed to Stark county, and since has resided here, excepting some three years which he spent in Ohio. Since 1800 he has made his home in Wyoming. Eleven children came to his home, nine of whom still live ; one boy dying in the army and one other entirely losing his health. Mr. D. is a strong Republican, never voting but for one Dem- ocrat (Jackson), and has voted at every Presidential election since 1827. His first wife was Polly Cox, who died in 1865, having become the mother of ten of his children. Ilis second wife was Jane Donald, who bore him one child, dying in 1871. His present wife was Mrs. Mar- garet Johnson, who for twenty-two years has been a resident of Stark county. Mr. Drummond has been a member of the Methodist church some sixty-five years, and has never been drunk in his life nor used profanity.
Martin Korun, an old resident of Toulon, died November 18, 1867.
James Kinney, for several years a Stark county teacher, now re- sides at Chillicothe.
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Mrx. Maria Kightlinger, sister of Messrs. John and Carson Berfield, died at her home in Yates City, July 16. 1886, aged eighty-one years. She, with her husband, came from Pennsylvania to this county in 1837, living here two years, when they moved on a farm of their own in Knox county, where they lived until about ten years ago, when they moved to Yates City.
Wesley King, son of John and Rachel (Hixon) King, was born in Fayette county, Ohio. August 18, 1821. Ilis father was a native of Londoun county, Va., who at eighteen years of age located in Ohio, and accepted a call as preacher of the Methodist church. Ilis grandfather was Renben King, of Virginia, a farmer and official of Londonn county; while his mother, Rachel, was a daughter of Timothy Ilixon, of Ross county, Ohio. Wesley King was educated in Fayette county. On November 11, 1841, he marr ed Miss Eliza, daughter of Peter and Eliza (Bateman) Brown, of that county, who moved thither from Virginia, where Mrs. King was born. Their children are, Salenia, wife of Thomas C. Hepperly, of Ringgold county, Iowa ; Albert W., engaged in mercantile work; Isaiah, a farmer of Penn township; Peter, a farmer of Burlington, Coffee county, Kan .; Alice, wife of J. W. Clarke, of that county ; James E , merchant, Wyoming, IN .; John W., a mer- chant of Quitman, Mo .; Elizabeth A., wife of W. R. Terpening, of Geneseo, Ill .; Alvaretta, wife of Alonzo Pettit, of Quitman, Mo. Their grandchildren number twenty-five. Mr. King was born and raised on the farm cleared by his father. In 1847, he and Mrs. King moved to Hardin county, Ohio, where he farmed until 1854. when he moved to Wyoming with his family. purchased land in Valley township, which he sold and bought a farm on section 30, Penn township, in 1860, and was an active agriculturalist and grower of fine stock there until his retirement in March, 1879. For years, in fact, since his settlement here, he has identified himself with the old and new agricultural societies. He has been a prominent member of the Methodist church since 1842, has served in township offices and on the school board of his district.
Albert W. King. son of Wesley and Eliza ( Brown) King, was born in Fayette county, Ohio, November 2, 1816. (Vide sketch of Westry King. in this chapter.) He came with his parents from llardin county, Ohio, to Stark connty, Ill .. in the spring of 1854, arriving at what was then known as the " Adam Day Farm," in Valley township, on April 24. and received a practical education in this connty : at the age of sixteen years took charge of a district school; two years later he visited Independence, Mo., and entered Ezra Brown's store there, where he worked for one year. This Mr. Brown was his uncle, who took extra pains to teach his young visitor the principles of Missouri trade. On returning to Stark county, he took charge of a school; again was clerk in the employ of Scott & Wrigley, whose interest he, with Sylvester F. Otman, purchased February 1, 1869. This partnership continued until April 23, 1874. On June 1, following, he embarked in business, and made the beginning of the present extensive trade of King Bros. August Ist of the same year flames E. King became his partner. Mr. A. W. King was married September 16, 1873, at Kewanee,
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Ill., to Miss Mattie E. Stone, of that place, who was then teaching in the public schools of Wyoming. This Jady is a native of Geanga county, Ohio. Their children are Fred Stone, Nina Louise and Albert W., the latter dying in infancy. Both Mr. and Mrs. King are mem- bers of the Congregational society. and in all social matters which comes within the range of woman's work she is a zealous and intelligent laborer. both being members of the Eastern Star Chapter and inter- ested in temperance work. Mr. King is a member of the F. and A. M., Royal Arch Chapter, a Knight Templar, a member of the new lodge of Modern Woodmen. He has been an active member of the Central Agricultural Society, of the City Council and of the School Board.
James Eera King, born in Stark county, October 13, 1855, married Miss Clara B., daughter of Harvey Pettit, to whom one son, Ralph King, was born. This lady died in 1884, in full communion with the Methodist Episcopal church, and her remains interred in the Wyoming cemetery. Recently he married Mrs. Maud (Nelson) Weller, daughter of Major II. C. Nelson, of Canton. III. Mr. King is a member of the Central Agricultural Society and junior partner of the firm of King Bros., Wyoming, III.
George Steele Laurence, son of Vincent G. and Abigail (Parker) Lawrence, of an old New Jersey family, was born in Warren county, N. J., June 9, 1838, and educated in that state. In 1856 the parents with three sons and four daughters moved westward, and located four miles northwest of Shellield, in Burean county, where one daughter was born. Mr. Lawrence, sr., subsequently located at Princeton, where he died March, 17, 1882, years after the death of his wife, the mother of Geo. S. Lawrence, who died Jannary 18, 1864. The subject of this sketch entered mercantile life at Neponset, in 1860. A few years later he engaged in business at Ramsey, III .: in 1866 opened a store at Kewanee, which, in 1868, he disposed of, and moving to Toulon, has continued in business down to the present time. Mr. Lawrence was married at Kewanee, to Miss Alvina E., daughter of Squire John P. Potter, a pioneer of Henry county. They have two children-Abbie Young and Bessie Potter Lawrence. Both Mr. and Mrs. Potter are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. L. is an old member of the Masonic society, is interested in Texas lands, carries on a stock business, and is here connected with the carriage and wagon building industry as well as carrying on an extensive general store.
Caleb M. S. Lyon, born at Northampton, in what is now Fulton county, N. Y., February 28, 1816, is the son of Ezra and Hannah (Bass) Lyon, the former a native of Connecticut, and the latter a daughter of Jeremiah Bass, of Fulton county. N. Y. The grandfather of Mr. Lyon, also named Ezra, was a farmer of Connecticut, residing near New Haven: while his father carried on a farm in connection with his trade of blacksmith. Caleb grew to manhood in his native county, and there in his Father's shop learned blacksmithing. In 1837 he set out on his western journey to visit his uncle, then a farmer of French Grove, Peoria county, and arrived there June 20, 1837. Without delay he pushed on to Elmore, ( Rochester) resumed work at his trade and remained there four years. There he married Miss Lora
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Maria Cushman, daughter of Joshua Cushman, an artisan of East Leb- anon, N. Il. After a term of four years of a pioneer blacksmith's life at Elmore, he moved to West Jersey township, purchased and improved eighty aeres, and there raised and educated a family of four sons and three daughters, of whom all are living except one daughter. Prior to 1864 he had increased his landed property to 360 acres, and dis- posed of the shop. which he built on his first farm here. He was elected Connty Treasurer in 1863, receiving a majority over the democratic nominee. R. J. Diekenson, of 489. Prior to this he served as justice of the peace and supervisor of West Jersey, and since moving to Toulon in 1864. has filled that office as well as that of supervisor as shown in the sketches of West JJersey and Toulon townships. A ref- erence to the history of the schools here will point out his services to education. Mrs. Cushman Lyon died in 1847, leaving one son and one daughter, D. C. Lyon, a farmer of Green county, the head of a family of live children, and Lora Antoinette, who married M. P. Davidson. of Calhoun county, Ia., died leaving two sons. His marriage with Miss Sophronia E. Rhodes has been blest by five children, namely ; Ellie, wife of Sylvester McKeighan, of this township; Frank W., a lawyer of Minneapolis, Minn .; Clyde R., a farmer of Dallas county, Ia., each the head of a family ; Morton, a student, and Mande Eliza, a school girl. It may be said of Mr. Lyon that a more useful citizen never visited the military tract to stay.
Duris Lowman, born in Highland county, Ohio, February 8, 1827, came to Knox county, Ill., in 1837, moved in 1551 to Tonlon, and went into the mercantile business. In 1853, he was united in marriage with Miss Anna Williams, of Knoxville, which union was blessed by three danghters and two sons, one of the latter dying in 1861. He leaves two brothers and two sisters living; a brother in California or Oregon, a sister in Butler county. Neb., another in Omaha, and his brother William here, his companion, four children. many relatives, and a mul- titude of friends. For twenty-six years he was a citizen of Toulon. living a portion of the time in the place and a part on his beautiful farm of 320 aeres, now owned by John Whitaker. For a time he was engaged in merchandising, then dealing in real estate, stock buying. grain buying. and lastly that of line stock-raising on his Green Lawn farm. About the year 1876 he sold his property here and moved to Algona, Ia., a year later moved to Duncan, Ill., where he engaged in merchandising until 1878, when he moved to Hastings, Neb., and engaged in the real estate business, and there lived to the time of his death, October 26, 1886.
James K. LaShells, who came to Wyoming in 1844, is now a resi- dent of Biggs, Butte county, Cal. His son Oscar is editor of the Biggs Independent, one on the Chicago Mail, and Edward a blacksmith at Biggs. Cora May LaShells, born at Wyoming in 1866, died in Cali- fornia m 1886.
William J. Law, formerly of Wyoming, is in the drug business at Seward, Neb.
Abram Lindsey, who resided at Wyoming a number of years, was found dead near the cemetery, Angust 8, 1882.
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"Doctor" J. I. Lightfall died in January, 1886, at San Antonio, Tex. He was born at Tiskilwa, Bureau county, in 1856, where his father, a fourth-breed Wyandotte, and mother, a white woman, then resided. In early years, he formed the acquaintance of the "Original Indian Doctor," McBride, and learned from him the tricks of the "Big Medicine Man" Lightfall married Hannah Fredericksen, a Swedish girl, of Bureau county, who eloped with another man. His second wife was equally frolicsome.
William R. Legg, who erected a blacksmith's shop where the post- oflice now stands, and also built for himself the house in which Dr. Bacmeister resides, moved to Clarks. Neb., and there died May 11, 1883.
Mrs. Elizabeth Long, born in 1822, died at Indiana, Penn., March 14, 1884. She was the mother of Dr. L. L. Long, of Toulon.
Mrs. Mary Ann Lowman, wife of Branson Lowman, died Septem- ber 27. 1870.
Mrs. Caroline Lyon, widow of Laton Lyon, born in Saratoga county, N. Y., in 1818, married in 1839, came to Toulon township in 1854, died here February 14, 1878.
Mrs. Minerra Lyon, wife of Elias Lyon, of Toulon, died December 4, 1881. She was born in St. Lawrence county, N. Y., in 1832, mar- ried Lyon there in 1852, and came with him to Tonlon in 1857.
The Leek family, one of the first to settle on Indian creek, of Spoon river, moved to Hennepin in 1835, after selling their lands to Col. John Henderson. In July, 1836, the latter settled there with his family. The Leeks carried on several wheat- and corn-crushing mills of a very primitive character. That on Spoon river, near the crossing of the Toulon and Wyoming road (subsequently operated by Minott Silliman, and ultimately swept away) was, however, a pretentious con- cern. Some members of this family also had a mill at Centreville, in later years.
Richard Mascall. now of Cambridge, Ill., came with his family and brother James to Stark county in 1836, and took up their residence in a cabin belonging to General Thomas. That winter his eldest son was the first to be buried in Wyoming cemetery. The boards for their home in Henry county were sawn at Wyoming from logs hauled thith- er by the Mascalls.
William Mahany, one of the pioneers of the county, settled two miles south of Toulon, near the Leek family, about 1834. In the gen- eral history as well as in the sketches of Toulon and West JJersey town- ships, many references are made to this pioneer and his family.
Colonel D. J. Mage, M. D., son of Thomas and Charity (Matth- ews) Magee, was born in Dry Valley, Mifflin county. Pa., June 19, 1825. His mother was born in New Jersey. and his father was the son of Charles Magee, who was married at Belfast, Ireland, came to Amer- ica with his family, and took a prominent part in the war of the Revo- lution with his brother Thomas, who returned to Ireland after the treaty of peace was negotiated, and at a time when that country was bounding forward in the paths of progress under her own government. Charles settled in Pennsylvania and there raised his family of two sons
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and three daughters, one of whom was Thomas (father of Dr. Magee), one of a family of ten sons and three daughters, of whom seven sur- vive. In 1832 the family moved to Guernsey county, Ohio, in 1844 to Tuscarawas county, Ohio, and in 1852 to Smithville, Peoria county, where the father died in 1854, at the age of 74 years; the mother dy- ing there also in 1872, aged 88 years. Dr. Magee received a common school education in his native county. On coming to New Philadel- phia, Ohio, in 1844, he learned the carpenter's trade, also read medicine and later engaged in house building. There he married Miss Henrietta. a daughter of Michael Doll, a native of Maryland, and a pioneer of Tusearawas county, whose eldest daughter was Mrs. Judge Hance of that county. In 1853 he visited California, in 1855 came to Henry, Marshall county, Ill., at the invitation of a friend, and engaged in build- ing there until 1858, when he moved to Peoria. From this time until 1860 he was clerk in the house of J. T. Robinson & Co. In the latter year he became a partner in the retail department, which partnership continued until the fall of 1862, when he recruited Company II, 86th 1. V. Inf .; was mustered in as lieutenant-colonel of the regiment and served until 1865, when he was commissioned colonel of the 47th Ill. Vet. Inf. He remained with this command until the breaking up of the brigade and division organization, when he was placed in command of the post at Selma, Ala. He was brevetted brigadier-general for dis- tinguished service and assigned to command the district of Montgom- ery. AAla., with headquarters at Montgomery, which position he held umtil his retirement in February, 1866. On returning he engaged in mercantile work. In 1867 he was appointed postmaster at Peoria, holding the position until 1877. when his second term expired, he then engaged in the wholesale flour trade. In 1879 he took a course of med- icine at Rush Medical College, Chicago, was admitted to practice before the State Board that year, and moving to Wyoming, established his office there. In June. 1846, he left Ft. Wayne, Ind., as a soklier for the Mexican War, went on the Rio Grande Expedition under Colonel 1. P. Drake, and served until June. 1847. He served as Commander of the first G. A. R. Post at Peoria : is a member of the Army of the Ten- nessee and of the Cumberland, and belongs to the Masonic Society since his majority. He has always been a republican in political life. IFis children are Thomas E. Magee. an accountant and bookkeeper of Peoria ; William N., of Chicago, and Mrs. Clara Parmley of Peoria.
William Mason, son of Jacob and Catherine (Biddinger) Mason, was born in German township. Fayette county, Pennsylvania, Novem- ber 9, 1806. His father was a native of that county, and mother was born near Martinsburgh, West Virginia. His grandfather. Martin Mason, came from Germany to Maryland with his parents, ten years before Braddock's campaign. At the age of thirteen years he assisted in taking supplies to Braddock's camp, was captured by the Indians two weeks before Braddock's defeat, taken to Fort DuQuesne, thence to Canada, and held there until the defeat of Montcalm before Quebec. In his travels he met white men at Pittsburgh, Fort DuQnesne and other points, then supposed to be uninhabited. On returning he re-
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OF TOULON TOWNSHIP.
mained at home until his marriage. when he moved to Fayette county. Pennsylvania, and took up land by the " Tomahawk Right," had his claim surveyed and recorded for $75, and there for a number of years had to fight the Indians. Jacob Mason, the youngest of his nine children, was the father of three sons and one daughter, of whom the subject of this sketch is the senior. In 1814 the family moved to a point four miles north of Ashland. Ohio, thence to Richland county. Ohio, where he was justice for many years, and where they remained until September. 1837, when the family moved to Farmington, Illinois, where his father died in October. 1839, and his mother some years later. Their children are. William, of Stark county ; Martin, of Yates City : James, of Farmington, Ils .: and Nancy, who married Jefferson Trickle, and died in this county. William came to Stark in August, 1837, purchased land two and one- half miles south of Lafayette. 270 acres. a cabin, ten acres of corn. fenced. and twenty-five hogs for $2,200 in five frane pieces, and cultivated it for several years, until exchanged for his present farm, south of Toulon, of 370 acres. He was married in Pennsylvania to Miss Mattie Mc Williams, of Washington county. This lady died August 10, 1854, leaving two children, Wallace, mar- ried, and Elizabeth-the latter wife of John Black, and mother of one son and one daughter. Ilis present wife, Mrs. Matilda (Hoadley) Fow- ler. is a native of New York state. Her daughter, Abbie, is wife of Charles Hoadley. In early years Mr. Mason was Ensign and Captain of a company of Ohio militia. was one of the original members of the Stark County Agricultural Society, and an active member of the Anti- Horse-Thief Organization of 1838-48. He has gone through all the experiences of border and pioneer life, and is now on the sunset side. satisfied that a citizen's duty has always been performed by him.
Wallace Me Williams Mason, born in Ashland county. Ohio, April 22. 1835, is the son of William and Mattie (Mc Williams) Mason. 'Ile came with parents to this county in the fall of 1837, and grew to man- hood here. At the age of 22 years he took up farming for himself and was married here in 1-66. to Miss Sarah Ann Cox, daughter of Enoch Cox, of Essex township. They are the parents of one son- James B. Mason. Ile is a member of the Stark County Agricultural Society. and with his agricultural interests pays some attention to horses, cattle and hog growing, owning 175 acres of excellent land on Section 30. In public affairs Mr. Mason has served on the school board of his district for several years. The family lend their support to the Methodist Episcopal church.
John A. Marfield, born at China, Me., engaged in the coast marine service when a boy ; in 1843 ascended the Mississippi and Illinois to Peoria, and arrived at Toulon in May of that year. In 1845 he mar- ried Miss Jane Winter. His son Thomas, now in Kansas, served in the war for the Union.
Thomas II. Martield, son of Orrin and Chloe W. (Dexter) Maxfield. was born in Toulon township, August 31. 1845. His parents were na- tives of Penobscot county, Me., from which state the family came to Knox county. Ills .. in 1839. Orrin Maxfield was a son of Eliphalet and Jane (McCrilhis) Maxfield, of Old Durham, N. H .. where father was born Jan-
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nary 1. 1804. He took a leading part in building up the county to its present importance. Ilis wife died November 21, 1872, and lies in Toulon cemetery. Mr. T. H. Maxfield was married here to Miss Sarah Frances, daughter of Russell and Sarah (Clements) Carr, horn near Saratoga, New York. They are the parents of two sons and seven danghters, namely : Ulysses G .. Chloe F., Lillian L .. Augusta P., Susan F .. Vivian P .. Thomas B., Cora E., and Miriam E. Mrs. and Mr. Maxfield, with their two eldest daughters, are members of the Congre- gational church. although the elder Maxfield is of the Free Will Bap- tist faith. He is a Past Grand of the I. O. O. F. Lodge at Toulon, and conected with the organization of the Rebekah degree. his wife being also a member. Of his father's family, George and Orrin served in the war for the Union. The former is now married, and is engaged in the real estate business at Fairmont. Neb .; Snsan, who married Thomas J. Wright, is dead : Charles died in Nebraska: N. D. Max- field is an agriculturalist near Fairmont, Neb. These, with John B. and Orrin constituted this pioneer family. Thomas H. occupies the homestead farm of 160 acres.
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