USA > Illinois > Franklin County > Franklin County, Illinois, war history, 1832-1919; containing a brief review of the world war--complete history of Franklin County's activities--photographs and service records of Franklin County's soldiers, sailors and marines--industrial and biographical review of business and professional firms who have made this history possible > Part 31
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W. F. BURKITT, Commissioner of Fi- nance, taught in the public schools of this county for several years, coming to Benton in 1898. He was Circuit Clerk and Recorder for two terms, and has since been engaged in the abstract business.
CHAS. B. TEAGUE, City Attorney, taught in the public schools of the county for twelve years, coming to Benton in 1900. He served as Police Magistrate four years, Justice of
the Peace eight years and was assistant County Superintendent one year. He was admitted to the bar in 1915.
QUINCY E. BURGESS, City Clerk, was born and reared in this county; educated in the common and city schools of Benton, supplanted with three terms select schools, and taught school for a number of years; served as Deputy County Treasurer, 1894-98, elected County Treasurer 1906-10, Deputy Treasurer 1910-14, re-elected 1914-18, now Deputy Treasurer and serving second term as City Clerk.
WALTER W. WILLIAMS, Corporation Counsel, very prominent in all activities for the civic and industrial upbuilding of Benton and Franklin Counties; complete biography in another section of this history.
OSCAR C. SMITH, Judge of City Court, has taken a very prominent part in the military history of the County and received the honor of election to the office of City Judge in 1919; full biography and military record in another section of this history.
W. S. RUSHING, Clerk of City Court, born in Pinckneyville, 1898, and came to this County in 1912; graduated from Benton Township High School, 1918, and entered mercantile business; appointed Clerk of the City Court in 1919.
ARTHUR L. ESKEW, City Treasurer, came to Illinois from Tennessee in 1890 and entered the mercantile business in Benton and is now one of the city's leading business men. Serving his third term as City Treasurer.
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FRANKLIN COUNTY, ILL. WAR HISTORY.
Benton Commercial Club
T "HE commercial and industrial activities of Benton during the last few years have been promoted principally by local capital. A few years ago Benton was a small county- seat town of less than two thousand popu- lation and while large mining activities were being promoted in the surrounding towns by mostly foreign capital there seemed to be a lack of such efforts directed towards the field surrounding Benton. The citizens of Benton began to organize on their own initiative and the mines now located near Benton are the direct result of the efforts of enthusiastic citizens who used their own financial resources in such work. This is the spirit that is at present incorporated in the Benton Commercial Club which was organized October 1, 1919. The Club has a membership of over two hundred, repre- senting practically every line of business endeavor and profession of the City.
The officers of the Benton Commercial Club are: Robert R. Ward, president; Mack McCreery, secretary, and Harry Nolen, treasurer.
Directors are: C. E. Seeber, E. B. Nolen, P. F. Holmes, D. M. Parkhill, W. B. Martin, F. H. Stamper, A. L. Eskew, F. L .. Skinner, W. W. Williams, W. A. McKee, Dr. J. B. Moore, Harry Stotlar, G. C. Cantrell, T. G. Lewis and S. C. D. Rea. The original offi- cers and directors have continued to the present time with the exception of Mr. Holmes, whose death created a vacancy on the Board of Directors and was filled by the selection of D. J. Carrol.
The Club is at all times ready to help promote any other worth while improvement and industry that will affect the general prosperity of the City.
The officers and board of directors form a compact organization and have the con- fidence of the entire membership. This compact working organization solves many problems with a greater facility than if submitted to the entire membership.
The future Benton will always be allied with the progressive and enterprising body of citizens represented by the Benton Com- mercial Club.
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FRANKLIN COUNTY, ILL. WAR HISTORY.
Major William Mooneyham
THE oldest living war veteran in southern Illinois, Sgt. Major William Mooney- ham, whose photograph at the age of one- hundred years and ten months appears here, was born in White county, Tenn., Dec. 4, 1819, son of Shadrach and Lucretia (Ogle) Mooneyham, who came to Franklin county in November, 1832.
William Mooneyham was twice married- in 1841 to Sally Ann Moore, who died Oct. 4, 1882; and in 1888 to Margaret Tyrrell, who died in Jan. 1907.
In 1844 he cast his first vote and has al- ways taken an interest in the affairs of the Government, a heritage perhaps, his paternal grandfather and great uncle, Shadrach and John Mooneyham and maternal grandfather, Harkless Ogle, serving in the Revolutionary war. At the age of nine- teen he was made cap- tain of the militia; elected sheriff 1854 and 1855; has been a Mason since 1863; volunteered in Union army Aug. 16, 1862, leaving a wife and eight children at home; was attached to 81st IIl. Inf. as sergeant major, until mustered out May 31, 1865; a G.A R.since its organization and a Baptist since 1841.
The Mooneyhams have been a military family when their country needed their ser- vices: William Ogle, maternal uncle, served in the Black Hawk war; a brother, Hezekiah lost his life in the Mexican war; Daniel and Thomas Mooneyham, a major and lieutenant in the Mexican war; Daniel, John and Shadrach also in the Civil war; the descend-
ants of Major Mooneyham who served in the World war are: Capt. Stanton Fitzgerrell, Lieut. R. J. Webb, Ross Hill, Edward Webb, . Cantrell Webb, Webb Phillips, Wendell Phillips, Capt. Ross Mooneyham, Capt. Hal Mooneyham and Herman D. Karnes.
For more than three quarters of a century he has stood for righteousness and Godly living and has lived through the vast thrilling times of our Nation's history, endeavoring to be on the right side of all ques- tions-religious, polit- ical and social.
Major Mooneyham has had one hundred and twenty-eight de- scendants, nineteen of whom are deceased; thirty - two grandchil- dren; seventy-five great grandchildren and four- teen great great grand- children. The line is un- broken for five gener- ations. As his children gather about him to celebrate his natal day they thank the wonder- ful Providence for such an ancestor who has an untarnished history as father, citizen and sol- dier. His life's work revealing that he has as- sisted in creating forces that have aided in the uplift of the world.
Major Mooneyham always possessed pro- digious energy. Courage, frankness and honesty have been his special characteristics. A proud man by nature, but never haughty, with polite genial greetings for all, sharing his joys but keeping his sorrows to himself. These characteristics have made him a citizen that his county have been proud to honor on many occasions.
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FRANKLIN COUNTY, ILL. WAR HISTORY.
Captain Carroll Moore
H ISTORY has given us the names of many heroes who sacrificed much to the good of their Country. Not stopping to think of personal loss or danger but offering themselves to the cause of liberty and through their efforts the foundation of this Country was laid. Prominent among the veterans of the great Civil War of Franklin County and one of the pioneers of this part of the State is Captain Carroll Moore, who has seen the Country in the wonderful changes that the last half century has brought. He has seen the County pass through panics and hard times. He has watched the growth of the early agricultural districts and the still more fruitful fields of business of business of the State and lent his wisdom and grasp of complicated situations to the building up of a stable institution and manage- ment of affairs.
Carroll Moore was born in Franklin county on the first day of September. 1837, whither his parents had come three years before. His father and mother. Joseph and Mary both natives of Tennessee, came to Illinois in 1834 and camped for a time on the banks of Jordon Fort until they were able to take up a tract of land for cultiva- tion. When they got their homestead it was heavily timbered. With typical energy they cleared the acreage and continued to manage and farm it. They made their permanent home in the County and remained here the rest of their lives. Joseph Moore has a most valorous record for service in the Black Hawk War.
Carroll Moore, the im- mediate subject of this short personal record, spent his early life on his parent's homestead and received his education at the community schools of the County. He was still a boy at the breaking out of the Civil War, but though young he had a man's enthusiasm and interest in the cause and in 1861 he helped to raise a company-Company 1, 31st Illinois Infantry, enlisting on August 15th, 1861. He was promoted to Sergeant September 10, and second Lieutenant March 29, 1862, and a short time later to Captain. He was in a great many serious engagements and many times distinguished himself as a commanding officer. He was present at Bel- mont, Ft. Henry, Ft. Donelson and led his company through the Vicksburg and Atlanta campaigns and was with Sherman on that never-to-be-forgotten march from Atlanta to the sea. On the 22nd of July, 1864, during the serious encounter at Atlanta,
Georgia, Captain Moore was wounded but continued to hold his place not even leaving his command to go to the hospital. At the close of the war he returned to Illinois and started life on the old farm; but that he left in the fall of 1865 to become deputy internal revenue officer and in this capacity he served the government until his election in 1867 to the office of Sheriff. As Sheriff he served two years, meantime buying a great deal of land. In 1872 he decided to enter the merchandise field and accord- ingly went into the dry goods business with W. R. Ward and continued to be thus engaged until 1875, when he and his associate established the Ward & Moore Bank, the first bank to be established in South- ern Illinois and the only monetary institution of the county for about twenty years.
In January, 1898, Mr. Moore and his associates organized the Benton State Bank, W. R. Ward being its president and Mr. Moore its vice-president. The bank has since become known as one of the strong- est and most reliable insti- tutions in this part of the State. Mr. Moore for several years after the death of Mr. Ward was its pres- ident.
In 1863, Mr. Moore was united in marriage to Miss Narcissa Layman, daughter of John D. Layman, one of the early stalwart pioneers of the County. She passed away three years later sur- vived by one child, William E. Moore, now a prominent merchant of Benton. In 1873 he was united in mar- riage to Miss Dora Snyder, daughter of Soloman Sny- der. She died in 1893, the mother of the following children: Mary, Harry, and Cicel. In 1898 was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Moore to Helen A. Hickman, daughter of Dr. Z. Hickman, one of the early physicians of the County and a surgeon of the Civil War. To this union have been born two children, Madge and Carroll.
It is interesting to note that Mr. Moore has been a member of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons for over forty-five years and is a charter member of the B. P. O. E. and G. A. R.
Mr. Moore at present devotes a great deal of his time to his enterprising farming interest for he is keenly interested in scientific farming in Illinois. He is not only one of the wealthiest but best liked public spirited men in Illinois and his name has been asso- ciated with almost every large undertaking that has led to the betterment of conditions in this region for over forty years.
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FRANKLIN COUNTY, ILL. WAR HISTORY. L
Captain Elisha Dillon
T "HE life histories of veterans of the Civil War, are at times interesting for their historical and uplifting influences. Of the many conspicuous veterans of Franklin county, active in all things that are of a patriotic and civic nature, none are more prominently identified with such than Capt. Elisha Dillon of Benton.
Capt. Dillon was born on a farm near Parish, the son of Capt. Wm. Dillon; enlisted as private in Co. I, 56th Ill. Vol. Inf. on Dec. 16, 1861; (organized by his father, who served as Captain until attacked by typhoid fever, com- pelling him to resign his commission and return home) promoted ser- geant Feb. 27, 1862; 2nd Lieut., Aug. 18, 1862; Capt. Aug. 31, 1862. He served in several hard fought bat- tles, the principal of which were the sieges of Corinth and Vicksburg. At the battle of Cor- inth, on Oct. 3, 1862, he was hit with a minnie ball. He was one of three brothers to sur- vive the war-James, being mortally wounded at Shiloh, and John dying soon after the close of the war of ill- ness contracted while in service. During the Spanish-American war, Capt. Dillon organ- ized a company and was commissioned Captain by Gov. Tanner, but the armistice was signed before the company was mustered in the service. After his return to civil life, Captain Dillon went to DeWitt county, where he bought one hundred acres of land, making the first payment with a few hundred dollars which he had been able to save. Rapidly developing into a successful and progressive farmer he made one of the finest farms in the county; later selling his holding for the highest price ever paid for land in that county and returning to Benton in 1883, established a mercantile business. Not
liking the business he sold out and began loaning money and buying tax titles, which business he has since carried on with great success.
In Jan., 1862, shortly after enlistment, he married Miss Laurenda Maddox, who died in 1863 while he was in service, and during the same year he married Miss Olive Martin. Mrs. Dillon died May 12, 1888, leaving one son, John S., who was 2nd Lieut. of Co. F. 9th Ill. Inf. during the Spanish-American war, now a successful news- paperman of Alabama. Capt. Dillon's third marriage occurred Jan. 15, 1893, when he was united with the widow of his cousin, Capt. W. J. Dillon, who was killed at Shiloh.
Capt. Dillon is an Odd Fellow and a mem- ber of the Sovereign Grand Lodge of the State, a charter member of the Benton B.P.O.E., and Commander of the Southern Illinois Sol- diers Reunion Assn. of Illinois - the largest Civil War veteran or- ganization in the United States.
Capt. Dillon bought the first automobile that was owned in Franklin county. He drove Col. W. J. Bryan in it to Ewing from Benton and threw mud on him. The Commoner smiled at the incident and asked: "Capt., what are your politics?" "I am a Republican, and a mud slinging one," he replied. Col. Bryan, not so easily headed off, said: "well it is not the first time a Republican ever slung mud at me." "The Captain replied: "I voted for Abraham Lincoln and have followed that line on down to the present time, so you got the genuine stuff this time."
Always conspicuous and an active party man, he has been delegate to many conven- tions, chairman of the County Central Com- mittee and never hesitates in using his every resource for his party.
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FRANKLIN COUNTY, ILL. WAR HISTORY.
Judge Oscar C. Smith
IGHTING life's battles against discour- F aging odds, surmounting obstacles that would test the most courageous, handicapped by an environment that ruins the best reso- lutions and through the inspiration of the inner soul being encouraged by patriotism and higher ambition, Oscar C. Smith has been victorious.
Born in Sullivan county, Ind., our subject received a common school education and being unable to take up the higher studies, perfected his education at odd times and taught school in Crawford county for two terms, 1893-1895, and then en- listed in the Regular Army, August 5, 1895, receiving his discharge Dec. 12, 1896. Coming to Franklin county in March, 1897, he ran a saw mill engine in the Middle Fork bottoms during the summer and taught school in the winter.
The military spirit of our subject again be- came paramount, and he actively engaged in organizing Co "F", 9th Ill. Vol. Inf. for ser- vice in the Spanish- American war. He later enlisted in Co. "C", 5th Ill. Vol. Inf. and was promoted Artificer May 26, 1898, and mustered out with the com- pany Oct. 16, 1898. Occasion for military activity arising in the Philippine Islands, he enlisted on July 6, 1899 in Co. "L", 30th Vol. Inf. and with forty-seven local mem- bers of the newly organized Co. "F", N. G., served through the Philippine campaign, being discharged Oct. 12, 1900, with the grade of sergeant.
Returning to civilian life he was city attorney of Benton from 1902 to 1904, and later read law while working in the coal mines, being admitted to the bar in 1913; asst. State's Attorney 1914. Keeping alive the military spirit of the county, he organ-
ized and mustered in Co. "F", IlI. N. G. on May 22, 1913. In June, 1916, with the war clouds again threatening, he recruited his company to full strength, serving on the Mexican border until March, 1917. When the call came to register for the World War, he conducted the registration of the county for the Sheriff and County Clerk and again recruited Co. "F" to war strengtn, but received an appointment as Asst. Judge Advocate with rank of Major, and was attached to the 33rd Division until March 8, 1918, and was then appointed Judge Ad- vocate of the 90th Division for overseas service, but before the severe engagements of St. Mihiel and the Ar- gonne requested to be relieved from his duties as Judge Advocate for active service at the front and acted as ob- server in these battles, being severely gassed on Sept. 15, 1918, and is the only Judge Advo- cate entitled to wear a wound chevron. Was promoted to Lieut. Col- onel on Nov. 11, 1918, and was officer in charge of civil affairs in Germany until Jan., 1919. Returning from overseas service he en- tered the race for City Judge of Benton and was elected July 9, 1919, but was not discharged from military service until July 11, 1919. The affairs of the Home Service Section of the Red Cross needing the vol- unteer work from one familiar with the needs of returning soldiers, he took up this work in connection with his judicial duties and law practice. Under his direction this department has handled more than 8,000 claims.
Judge Smith is a Republican and is ever active in the interest of his party. In every campaign he is working constantly for his party's advancement.
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Hon. Walter W. Williams
O NE of the most prominent and brilliant lawyers of the State, not one is more ver- satile, talented or well equipped for a national career than is Hon. Walter W. Williams, who maintains his home and business headquarters in Benton. Mr. Williams was born in Williamson county, January 18, 1873, and is a son of John G. and Louisa M. (Harrison) Williams, the former a native of Posey county, Indiana, and the latter of Williamson county.
Walter W. Williams received his early edu- cation in the common schools of Williamson county, and in 1890 entered the Southern Illinois Normal, which he attended one year. He then taught school two years and re- turned to the Normal for two years for further training, after which he became principal of the schools in Carterville, later teaching history and English literature in the High School at Greenville, and was then superintendent of schools at Benton for a year. He then entered the law department of the State University at Urbana, from which he graduated in 1903, and in April, 1904, was ad- mitted to the bar. He immediately returned to Benton, where he entered into partnership with W. H. Hart, an association which soon became one of the prominent legal firms of southern Illinois.
The coal industry of Williamson and Franklin counties, being a fertile field for organization and development work, our subject at once began to show his ability as an organizer and executive with marked capacity for big problems. With the coal properties on his mother's farm as the beginning, he bought and optioned large tracts of coal land. He assisted in getting the coal lands together, which were sold to
"Joe" Leiter and he is now the attorney for the Leiter interests in southern Illinois. Associated with J. R. Williams, P. A. Pierce and W. H. Hart, he opened the Benton Coal Mining Company, mine at Benton, and later the Hart & Williams mine at Benton. In 1915, his firm closed the largest deal in coal lands ever made in southern Illinois, selling to the United States Fuel Company forty-thousand acres of coal land in this county. Mostly in the Benton field.
The varied interests of our subject needing undivided attention the partnership of Hart & Williams was dissolved in 1916, and Mr. Williams rapidly added other achievements to his long record, and is now attorney for the Chicago, Wilmington & Franklin Coal Com- pany, Bell & Zoller Mining Company, the Zeigler Coal Company, the Southern Gem Coal Corporation and other important corporations, in this territory. He has associated with him Thurlow G. Lewis and Geo. C. Coffey, under the firm name of Wil- Jiams, Lewis & Coffey, and this firm, in addi- tion to its corporation work has built up a large general practice. And since the acquisition by the Diamond interests of the W. C. & W. railroad, he has been made general counsel for that road.
On June 27, 1906, Mr. Williams was mar- ried to Miss Mary V. Moore, daughter of Capt. Carroll Moore. She died in 1909, leaving two children, Margaret Eudora and Mary Louisa. In 1914, he married Miss Grace Elizabeth Moore.
A stalwart Democrat, active in the inter- ests of his party, Mr. Williams was elected in 1904 to represent the fiftieth District in the legislature, and this year has received the nomination for lieutenant governor of the state.
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FRANKLIN COUNTY, ILL. WAR HISTORY. -
Judge Charles H. Miller
T THE bench and bar of Southern Illinois is an able one, and ranks high in the character and attainments of its members, in its standard of legal ethics, in progressive and enlightened methods and in an intelli- gent and discriminating use of the exper- iences of other jurisdictions. A gentleman who combines in himself all the qualities is Judge Charles H. Miller, circuit judge of the second judicial district, whose home is Benton. By his scholarly attainments, close study and practice of these principles which must be developed from a natural aptitude for the profession, he has won for himself the re- putation of being the youngest and one of the most brilliant judges in the history of Southern Illinois. His life record began on August 26, 1884, in Union county, his parents being An- drew J. Miller and Allie (Phillips) Miller, prom- inent citizens of Cob- den, Illinois.
Until seventeen years of age our subject attended the public schools of Cobden and then a preparatory course of four years at the McKendree college at Lebanon, Ill., and he is at present one of the Trustees. While a student at McKendree he won first in the oratorical contest of the Brown Oratorical Contest. At the age of twenty-one he entered Harvard University in the law department of that noted college he received his legal education. Returning home he was admitted to the bar in Decem- ber, 1910; and in April, 1911, came to Benton and entered into a partnership with W. F. Spiller. Shortly after this he was appointed United States Commissioner which he held 6 years. His thorough familiarity with the Law, gained by an exceptional course of study by the best masters in the United States, soon won for
him deserved recognition as one of the best trial lawyers and counsellors, and these facilities, coupled with a genial nature soon placed him high in the ranks of the Repub- lican Party, in which he has always given his political allegiance, with the result that he soon became a leader, and in 1915 was honored by the nomination and subsequent election on June 7th, 1915, as circuit judge of the second judicial circuit of Illinois. As a representative of the higher branches of justice, he has shown his knowledge of life and its developments that form a foundation for right decisions when based upon an impartial application of the law. On July 24th, 1915, Charles H. Miller was united in marriage to Miss Lillian R. Snyder, daughter of S.O.Snyder and Ida (St. Clair) Sny- der, who are prominent citizens of Benton. To this union was born Mary Virginia, June 19th, 1916, and Joan, January 17th, 1920. Mr. and Mrs. Miller are members of the Christian Church and take an active part in all affairs for the up- building of the best for the home and country. Judge Miller has re- ceived all the Masonic degrees, is a member of the Elks and Knights of Pythias.
During the World War he held prominent places in all the war activities, including Liberty Loan, Red Cross, Y. M. C. A. and other drives, besides serving as a four minute-man and upon the legal Advisory Board.
On May 8th, 1920, Judge Miller was elected state central committeeman of the twenty-fifth congressional district, which was not of his choosing but permitted from a desire to promote political harmony in the district. Always active for his party, his services are in demand in every campaign.
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