USA > Illinois > Douglas County > Historical and biographical record of Douglas County, Illinois > Part 27
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two acres of highly cultivated land and one of the most magnificent residences in the county. fle farms on business principles and has made himself independent in a financial way by his careful and methodical way of doing things. On November 22, 1881, he was united in mar- riage to Miss Martha C. Todd, and to their marriage have been born five children: Flor- ence, Olive, Grace, Arthur and Anne.
Our subject has held the office of road com- missioner for nine years, and twenty-one years out of the twenty-five he has resided in New- man township he has been school director and is greatly interested in the success of education. In 1898 he built his new house. He is a mem- ber of the Knights of Pythias and the Order of Woodmen.
JOHN M. MADISON.
Within the past two years Tuscola has lost many of its oldest and most prominent citizens by death, but in the list none have been more sadly missed or sincerely mourned than our subject, John M. Madison, whose death occurred Monday, July 13, 1896. Ile was born in Harrison county, Kentucky, May 6, 1823, and was at the time of his death in the seventy-fourth year of his age. He belonged to a family of ten children; one brother and two sisters are still living : II. B. Madison, Tus- cola; Mrs. Harriet Parrish, of Cynthiana, Ken- tucky; and Mrs. Parmelia Carter, of Wash- ington.
On September 22. 185t, our subject mar- ried Miss Jennie Rankin, at Cynthiana, a good
and noble woman, who preceded him to the grave only a few years. To them were born llarry, Robert and Fannie, all of whom re- side in Tuscola, the two former composing the large clothing house of Harry Madison & Com- pany. In 1854 Mr. and Mrs. Madison came to Charleston, Illinois, where he opened up a store, and in 1860 they removed to Tuscola, where Mr. Madison engaged in the mercantile busi- ness, which he continued up to within two years of his death. For many years he con- ducted the leading general store in Tuscola and by his honesty and straightforward dealing with his fellow men prospered in a gratifying manner. Ile was a man of unquestioned char- acter and possessed the fullest confidence of all of our people. He and his wife spent the later years of their lives with their daughter, Mrs. Fannie Loose, who made it the purpose of her life to care for them and make their last days pleasant, granting their every wish.
OWEN E. JONES.
Owen E. Jones, one of the leading mer- chants of Murdock since 1893, and the second son of Abram Jones, was born in Murdock township, January 31, 1862. After leaving. the common schools, he took a course at the commercial college at Terre Haute in 1897. In 1899 Mr. Jones took in as a partner Percy Welliver, and the firm is doing a thriving business.
In 1894 our subject was married to Miss Nora B. Dever, of Murdock, Illinois. Mr.
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Jones is a member of the Modern Woodmen; he and his wife are members of the Methodist church; he is classed as one of the pro- gressive and successful business men of the county.
William Jones, eldest son of Abram, and a well-known grain buyer and hotel keeper of Murdock, was born in Newman township. this county, April 4, 1858, and was reared on the farm one and one-half miles from Mur- dock. His education was received in the neighborhood schools, and at the age of twenty- one started in merchandising at Hume, where he continued to do business for three years. In 1882 he engaged in the same line of business at Murdock, and remained there until 1889. In the latter year he, with John W. Burgett, of Sargent township, formed a partnership in buying grain at Murdock. They continued to do business for two years, when the firm was succeeded by Fred 1. Rush & Co., of Indianapolis, Mr. Jones acting as the buyer. He buys about three hundred thousand bush- els of grain annually, which is purchased prin- cipally from Murdock township farmers. In October, 1899, he took charge of the Jones House, which was previously managed by his father, Abram Jones.
In 1880 Mr. Jones was wedded to Miss Victoria Dever, of Clark county, Illinois. They have two children, Asher C. and Nellie B. From 1893 to 1898 he served as post- master at Murdock, and is now serving his twelfth year as justice of the peace. He is a member of the Modern Woodmen, and him- self and wife are members of the Methodist church. He is one of the substantial citizens who has done well his part to add stability to to the business and social life of Murdock.
Abram Jones, father of William W. and Owen E., was one of the early settlers of what is now Douglas county. He came in the fall of 1853 and located on a farm southeast of Tuscola, where he resided with his cousin, Owen Jones, until his marriage in 1855. He married Miss Elizabeth Eagler, of Macksburg, Ohio. In 1857 he became a tenant farmer in what was then called Coles county, and in
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1863 moved to what is now known as Mur- dock township, Douglas county, where he has lived since and become the owner of one hun- dred and twenty acres of land, which he has only recently sold and retired from active business. He was born October 16, 1826, in Monroe county, Ohio, and is a son of Samuel Jones. His grandfather, Ephraim Jones, was born in Wales, and his maternal grandfather, Patrick Hamilton, was born in Ireland.
To Mr. and Mrs. Abram Jones were also born four daughters. (1) Anna Belle was born September 5, 1856, and became the wife ' of Hugh M. Wilson. To them were born two
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children, one of whom died in infancy: and Marvin .A. Mrs. Wilson died June 26, 1898. ( 2 ) Mary Frances was born November 4, 1860, and died January 2, 1861. (3) Carrie was born November 6, 1864, and on March 19, 1885. became the wife of Samuel Baxter. Their children were Samuel Il. and Gertrude. (4) Lulie lowen was born September 25. 1867. and on September 4. 1895, married John forne. The death of Mrs. Abram Jones occurred July 8, 1893.
CAPTAIN DAVID BAILEY.
Captain David Bailey, of Tuscola, one of the best and most favorably known citizens of the county, was born in Edgar county, Decem- ber 24. 1845, and was reared on the farm and received his education in the Westfield College. For some years he resided on his farm of 320 acres in Murdock township. In May, 1887, with his family, he removed from his farm to Tuscola, where he resides in one of the beau- tiful homes for which this place is noted.
In 1870 he married Miss Elizabeth Cal- houn, who is a most estimable woman. They have two children, Gertrude and Edward. Cap- tain Bailey is a Knight Templar in Masonry, and is of easy and pleasing address, very ap- proachable and a genial companion. He is a sou of David Bailey, who was born in Salem, Rockingham county, New Hampshire, August 2. 1814, of poor but honest parents, his father being a farmer and shoemaker, to which busi- ness most of the boys in that section of the
country were brought up. There were nine children in this New England home, three boys and six girls, and the story of their early life is only that which has been written of so many others, of hard work and of a few months only at the district school during the winter season. David Bailey had no further oppor- tunity for scholastic training. Indeed, while yet under twelve years of age he was put out to work. After spending a number of years on the farm Mr. Bailey found an opportunity to enter a clerkship at Haverhill, Massachusetts, but did not long remain there on account of poor health. He soon drifted into Boston, or rather to Charlestown, where he for a time held a clerkship in the state penitentiary. Late in the '3os he decided to follow the star of empire. and came west as far as Danville, lilinois, en- tering a general store, and it was while there that he first met Miss Hannah A. Finley, to whom he was married February 9. 1841. Of this union were born five children : three sous, Edward, president of the Champaign National Bank, of that city; David, of Tuscola, and Ozias, of Texas, who survive their father ; and two daughters, Abah, who died in childhood, and Sue Bailey Stayden, who died some years ago in Waco, Texas.
After spending some time working in Dan- ville, Mr. Bailey went to Bloomfield, Edgar county, walking all the way because he had not the means to pay coach fare, that being the on- ly mode of travel in those days. 'There he took a position on a salary. Later, with his brother Ozias, who had recently come west with a few dollars saved, he formed a partnership, under the firm name of O. & D. Bailey, and the Bailey peddler wagons became well known all over the
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country between the Wabash and Sangamon rivers. The brothers also operated a pork pack- ing establishment at Clinton, Indiana, on the Wabash, shipping their product by flat-boat to New Orleans.
About 1855 Mr. Bailey moved to Monti- cello, thence, after a short sojourn, to Urbana, and in March, 1856, he removed to Champaign, where for a number of years he successfully conducted a dry goods business in the location where now stands the Metropolitan block, oc- cupied by F. K. Robeson & Brother.
Aside from this Mr. Bailey was one of the original shareholders and directors of the First National Bank, and it was largely through his efforts that the charter was secured. The names appearing with his in the original arti- cles of incorporation were James S. Wright, John F. Thomas, William M. Way, Hamil- ton Jefferson, B. F. Harris, John S. Beasley, Daniel Gardner, William C. Barrett, Simon H. Busey, S. P. Percival, John G. Clark and A. E. Harmon. Mr. Bailey disposed of his holdings in this institution some time during the '70s. In 1882 he became one of the charter members of the Champaign National Bank, in which his holdings were always considerable and in which he had been a director continuously since its organization. During Mr. Bailey's residence in this city he was several times elected to the board of supervisors, and also served one term as school trustee. He was a public-spirited citizen, contributing liberally, yet wisely, to every worthy enterprise, whether secular or re- ligious. His givings were never ostentatious, but it may be said in passing that among his gifts are numbered the lot occupied by the Bap- tist parsonage, he being a member of that so-
ciety, and the valuable ground now occupied by the city building.
Mr. Bailey gave up his residence in Cham- paign about 1877, traveling for a season, and finally locating in St. Joseph, Missouri, where he remained until after the death of his wife, in 1879. He then lived for a time in New York City, and finally returned to his boyhood home in New Hampshire where he resided most of the time until his death, visiting his old home and friends in Champaign frequently. March 22, 1882, he married Miss Harriet Ilaseltine, of Methune, Massachusetts, and only two weeks afterward followed her remains to the ceme- tery. He was again married, on November 1, 1886, at Salem, New Hampshire, to Mrs. Mary B. Ewins, who survives him. She has often visited here with him and has made many warm friends, whose sincere sympathy attends her in this bereavement.
Mr. Bailey's new home in Champaign, built on the site of the old family residence, had just been completed and occupied by him, and it was his intention had he lived to spend the clos- ing days of his life amid the scenes of his great- est successful activity. Mr. Bailey was a man of magnificent physical presence and it may be truly said that he carried within his breast a soul worthy so splendid a habitation. He sought no man's praise, satisfied to have the approval of his own conscience, and he was un- movable in his adherence to justice and right. Once his duty was made plain nothing could swerve him from it. Yet under a stern exterior beat a great, big, kind heart, as those who knew him can best testify. He was a manly man, and that means much. His character. devel oped in the pioneer days, may not have take ı
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on the esthetic finish of these later times, but what it lacked in polish it made up in strength and integrity. The life and labors of such as he have made possible the greater comfort and beauty in the world of the present.
During the war of the Rebellion David Bailey, Jr., enlisted as a member of the Sixty- seventh Illinois Infantry, and at the close of his three months' term of enlistment returned home and in 1864 enlisted in the One Hundred and Thirty-fifth Illinois Infantry, serving until the close of the war.
ALBERT F. FIDLER.
Albert F. Fidler is one of the self-made and highly successful young farmers and busi- ness men of the county, and is a son of Levi
Fidler, who was born April 28. 1819. in Berks county, Pennsylvania. Albert F.'s grand-
father. Samuel, was a native of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and was of Dutch ancestry. Adam Fidler ( great-grandfather ), who came originally from Germany, was the founder of this branch of the Fidler family in America.
Our subject's grandfather, Samuel Fidler. fought in the war of 1812, and his great-grand- father. Adam, in the war of the Revolution. Samuel Fidler was a brick plasterer and con- tractor by trade, and was married to a daugh- ter of Valentine Showalter, who was born in Pennsylvania and was descended from Ger- man ancestry.
Levi Fidler was reared to manhood in Lebanon county, Pennsylvania, until he be- came of age, when, in 1840, he emigrated west and settled in Union county, Indiana, and in 1861 located in what is now Newman town- ship. Douglas county. He learned the car- pentering business, at which he was engaged up to 1861, when he bought what is now known as the Thomas H. Smith farm, one of
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the finest in the county. Ile kept this farm until 1885, when he sold it. In 1842 Levi Fidler wedded Mary Ann Hessler, a native of Bourbon township and a daughter of John and Mary (Thomas) Ilessler, who were formerly of Kentucky. To Mr. and Mrs. Fidler were born the following children: John, Matilda, William J., Joseph S., Dan G., George W., Smith T., LaFayette, Sarah C., Levy Eddy and Albert F., the subject of this sketch. John S., William J. and Daniel G. served in the Civil war.
Albert F. Fidler has made it a rule in his life to do what he does well. Commencing life with comparatively nothing, but with a willing mind and heart, he has attained a de- gree of success in life far above the average. He is yet a comparatively young man, and his farm of two hundred and forty acres is one of the most productive and successfully man- aged in Douglas county. In 1883 he was united in marriage to Miss Anna Lewis, of Newman, Illinois, to whom he is much devoted and who has been a true and devoted wife to him. They have the following children : Mona and Wayne.
JAMES H. WRIGHT.
James H. Wright, one of the oldest grain buyers in the county, residing at Arthur, was born near the town of Poland, Trumbull (now Mahoning ) county, Ohio, February 6, 1827,and is a son of James and Mary (Kidd) Wright, who were born near Poland, Trumbull (now
Mahoning) county, Ohio, of Scotch-lrish origin.
Rev. James Wright ( father) received his education for the Presbyterian ministry at the Canonsburg College, and spent most of his life in preaching the gospel, first at Poland, and later at Westfield, Pennsylvania. Ile died in 1843 at the age of fifty-nine years. His father was Alexander Wright, who was an early set- tler from the north of Ireland, to Washing- ton county. He married a Scotch girl by the name of Esther Silcox. Robert Kidd ( grand- father) was also a native of Ireland, was an early settler in Trumbull county, Ohio, and in religious affairs he was known as a Seceder in that day, now known as a United Presbyterian.
James 11. Wright was reared in his native county, and in Pennsylvania, receiving the ad- vantages of an ordinary education. In 1857 he came west and located at Arcola, which at that time contained but three houses, and was for several years engaged in farming in that vicin- ity. In 1873 he commenced buying grain at Ilindsboro, where he continued successfully in business until 1886, when he removed to Ar- thur, where he has since resided, engaged in buying grain for the firm of Bartlett, Kuhn & Co.
In 1848 Mr. Wright was united in marriage to Miss Sarah E. Rogers, who was a daughter of Sammuel and Sarah Wangh Rogers. She was born in New Bedford, Pennsylvania. They have seven children : William, who resides in Cairo; Sadie; Frank E., who lives in Arthur, engaged in the lumber business; Samuel R., a farmer in South Dakota; John M., engineer of his father's grain elevator; Nettie, wife of G. H. Damron, of Arcola; and A. K. resides
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in Springfieldl. Illinois. Mr. Wright has been an Odd Fellow since 1852, and has served as president of the town board of Arthur. James 11. Wright has passed the allotted three-score and ten years of man, but, owing to his ab- stemious habits and good constitution, he still enjoys good health, and it is hoped that he will live for many years to continue the good which has been characteristic of his life.
CHARLES W. WILSON.
Charles W. Wilson. editor and proprietor of the Tuscola Review, was born fourteen miles west of Plainfiekl. Indiana, February 15. 1856. and in 1865 located in Tuscola. He attended school more or less up until fourteen years of age. In 1872 he entered the office of the Tus- cola True Republican as office boy. The paper was owned by Charles Smith and was Demo- cratic in politics. Later he entered the office of the Tuscola Gazette, which was edited by Hon. Leander B. Lester, now of Washington. Mr. Wilson remained here about one year when he went to the Review, then owned and edited by Converse & Park, who founded the paper July 23.1875. In 1876 he went on the printing force where he remained for some years. Con- verse & Park were succeeded by the well-known writer. Col. Phecian, who was the editor for six months: the latter was known as one of the wittiest writers the newspaper fraternity af- forded. During this time he wrote a great deal for the Inter-Ocean, which kept him away 2 great deal. and this forced Mr. Wilson to take
charge of the editorial tripod. Howard was succeeded by Major Asa Miller, who managed the paper up to December. 1892, when he sold out to Charles W. Wilson, who reconstructed the plant throughout buying new machinery. and to-day issues every Friday one of the new- siest, wittiest and cleanest county newspapers published east, west, north or south. Mr. Wil- son has a paid circulation of three thousand and there is little doubt but what his paper is read by twelve thousand people every week. His career as a newspaper man has been re- markable: commencing as the "editor's devil." he has become recognized as an able writer and all-round newspaper man. Within a year after he becameproprietor the circulationof the paper became double. As to the newspaper history of Tuscola, college bred men have come and gone, who were writers on different papers of the city, but Mr. Wilson, who has educated himself, remains, and it is a fact that might be mentioned, that his paper. while Democratic. is popular among the Republicans.
Mr. Wilson was united in marriage to Miss Christina Cosler, a daughter of the late Isaac Cosler, who was for twenty years presi- dent of the Douglas County Fair.
EMMOR W. JEFFERS.
Emmor W. Jeffers, the present circuit clerk of Douglas county, who has occupied that office since February 3. 1899, was born in Pike county, Illinois. November 19. 1861. He is a son of John C. and Elizabeth ( Mc- Kinney) Jeffers, both natives of Ohio, who re-
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moved to Douglas county and settled in Ca- margo township about 1864. His mother died in December, 1893, while his father resides in Bloomington, Illinois. ( For further ancestry of the Jeffers family see sketch of George C. Jeffers, of Camargo). James Mckinney, our subject's maternal grandfather. was a native of Ohio.
In 1889 E. W. Jeffers was married to Miss Carrie F. Hill, a daughter of Thomas W. and Rebecca ( Underwood ) Hill, and as a result of this union they have two children: Villa and Beulah.
Since 1890 Mr. Jeffers has been secretary and keeper of records and seal of the Knights .
of Pythias lodge of Tuscola, and is also promi-
nent in several other fraternal orders. He was nominated without opposition at the Repub- lican primaries held March 24, 1900, for the same office he now occupies.
The Tuscola Journal of March 11, 1899, says of Mr. Jeffers: "In selecting Emmor W.
Jeffers as their candidate for the office of cir- cuit clerk the Republican representatives in con- vention have voiced the sentiment of the peo- ple. Mr. Jeffers is of that class of young Re- publicans who are enthusiastic in their sup- port of their party, and while in the office with the late Major Daniel A. Conover as deputy, he became thoroughly familiar with every detail of the work and is in every way par- ticularly qualified to fill the position with credit to himself and party besides giving the people entire satisfaction.
"He is a native of this grand state, hav- ing been born in Pike county on the 19th day of November, 1861, and about 1864 he came to this county with his parents and was em- ployed on his father's farm until he reached his majority when he started out for him- self, working by the month for two years for Nicholas Cooley, after which he secured a business education, attending nights at the Terre Haute Business College. He graduated from that institution and went to Bloomington. Illinois, where he secured a good position in a grocery store where he was employed nearly two years, when he came to Tuscola and ac- cepted a similar position with Joseph J. Knox, formerly of this city, who was succeeded by F. M. Wardall & Co. Ile remained with this firm until he opened up a grocery business in company with J. F. Kerker in the building on Sale street, now occupied by T. J. McKee. On account of failing health he was compelled to give up the store and enter the real estate business, which he followed with success until January 1, 1897, when he was appointed dep- uty circuit clerk by the late Major Daniel A. Conover, which position he filled with credit and honor.
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"Upon the death of Mr. Conover he was appointed protempore circuit clerk by the judges of this district, and he will certainly be elected to succeed himself, and fill out the un- expired term of the late lamented Major Con- over.'
W. L. WATSON.
W. L. Watson was born in Vermilion con- ty, Illinois, on the 220 of December. 1837. His father was William D. Watson, in his early life an itinerant Methodist preacher who traveled extensively through Indiana, having been born in the neighborhood of Vincennes, and in Foun- tain county, of that state, married Mary Low. His health finally failed him, and coming to Illinois, he located above Georgetown in Ver- milion county. William Watson, the grand- father, was born in Kentucky, and when a young man settled in the vicinity of Vincennes, Indiana.
W. L. was the oldest son and second child of the family. His father came to Douglas county, then Coles, in 1839. and located first on Brushy Fork, a short distance west of Newman. After a residence here of a year or two he moved to Camargo, and afterward to section 35. in township 16, range y, where he resided till his death, which occurred in October, 1858. Ilis wife survived him till April. 1866. They had nine children. W. L. Watson was between four and five years old when his father located southeast of Camargo. At this latter place he mainly received his education, partly under the instruction of his father, who taught school at Camargo and was one of his first teachers.
The old log school house stood about one hun- dred yards north of Alonzo Lion's store, on the road leading north from Camargo. In the winter of 1849-50, and also 1853-54, he attended the Georgetown Academy, in Vermil- ion county, then having the best reputation of any school of learning in this part of the state. At the death of his father in 1858, Mr. Wat- son, as the oklest son, took charge of the farm and managed it in the interests of the family till 1862.
The war of the Rebellion at this time had broken out, and in February. 1862, Mr. Wat- son volunteered. He preferred the cavalry service and being unable to enlist in an Illinois cavalry regiment, he went to St. Louis and en- listed in the Fifth Missouri Cavalry for three years. Ilewaswith the Fifth Missouri two years and a half, during which time he was mostly in the southern part of Missouri. In August, 1864, he re-enlisted in the Thirteenth Missouri Cavalry, and served to January, 1866. He was a non-commissioned officer. At the close of the war his regiment was sent out on the plains to fight the Indians. While in Missouri he was in the campaign against Price, and in the battles of Independence and Fort Scott. After receiving his discharge in January, 1866, he came home and commenced farming on the old homestead.
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