USA > Illinois > Douglas County > Historical and biographical record of Douglas County, Illinois > Part 30
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her at a hospital in St. Louis, and Eli Thomas her present residence, where a round- log cabin, in the latter part of August, 1862, near luka, Mississippi. 10x18 feet, was built. and the new family be. gan the difficulties of pioneer life, with little more capital than willing hands and stout hearts. There were no cabins nearer than ten miles north and seven miles south, the site be- DANIEL RODERICK. ing chosen by Mrs. Lester because the Indians had once made it their camping ground. Daniel Roderick is one of the oldest settlers now living in Douglas county. He came to near Danville, Illinois, with his father, Samuel R., sixty years ago. The latter died in Vermilion county, and soon afterward Daniel came to what is now Garrett township and kept generally about twelve yokes of oxen. He was born July 16. 1816, and his education was almost entirely neglected, but he is known as "honest, old Dan Roderick." Here five children were born, and here was laid the foundation of a handsome competence : here also the homestead still shelters the welcome guest. There was no open road to fortune for the pioneers; the nearest market for surplus produce was at Chicago, where corn was sold for six and one-half cents per bushel ; pork from one dollar and a half to two dollars per hundred and wheat at thirty-seven and one-half cents per bushel. Supplies were only to be purchased at the expense of a tedious trip to Charleston, Terre Haute, Georgetown, Eugene or to Monti- cello, a round trip taking a week to accomplish. SEGLER H. LESTER. Each family could not afford this expense and some went for the whole neighborhood. This Segler H. Lester (deceased) was born in Virginia October 29, 1804, and died in Garrett township May 22, 1864, and married Parthenia Cassaday May 14. 1833. Mrs. Lester, who is known among her neighbors as Grandma Les- ter, still survives. She was a daughter of Daniel Cassaday, of Virginia, where she was born July 9, 1811, and spent her early years in Kentucky. In 1829 she came with her par- ents to Edgar county, Illinois, where she met Mr. Lester, whom she subsequently married. Immediately after her wedding she moved with her husband to a place on the Springfield or State road, where there were about four fam- ilies, of whom Mrs. Lester is the only survivor. In the autumn of 1834 she moved to the site of involved the use of a wagon and three yoke of oxen; the loan for a whole neighborhood of those times would not now be considered large, but owing to the condition of the roads three yoke of oxen barely sufficed. The accumula- tion of property under such circumstances was a difficult matter. Mr. Lester worked two years to earn money enough to enter his first eighty acres, where the homestead stands, and in 1837 he went to Rock River and broke prairie for two months, earning enough to enter one hun- dred acres. When the coming of winter closed the season's work on the farm Mr. Lester turned his skill as a hunter to good account. in one winter carning enough from the sale of deer's hind-quarters to discharge a debt for
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his rifle, for which he had contracted to pay twenty-five dollars. It was by such slow and arduous efforts that he accumulated some one thousand acres of land, of which he died pos- sessed. In 1874 a fine frame dwelling, which had been erected by him at the cost of twenty- seven hundred dollars, was destroyed by fire, but was at once rebuilt at a cost of fifteen hun- dred dollars.
Nine children have been born to Mr. Lester : Eliza J., wife of James Howe; Harriet A., wife of William Howe; Almeta J., wife of El- bert S. Crowley ; John D., now in the agricult- ural implement business in Tuscola ; Louisa E. A., wife of Daniel C. Johnson ; Orlando B., oc- cupying an important position in the patent office at Washington, D. C .; Lemuel P., now a resident at the homestead; Mary E. died November 6, 1845, aged one year; Margaret C. died April 25, 1855, aged three years. Lem- uel P. Lester was married February 27, 1872, to Luvina Rice, a native of Kentucky, who, when a child, came to Douglas county with her parents. They have had seven children, six of whom are living, Perl D., Bert, Paul, Otto W., Gertrude and Martin. Orwell died in his sixth year.
W. E. PRICE.
IV. E. Price, a resident of Camargo, and the present county surveyor, who has efficiently served in this capacity for twelve years, was born in New York city July 8, 1849. He was a son of William Edward and Mathilda M. ( Wilson) Price, natives of Ireland. His father was a cabinetmaker by trade, an Episcopalian
in religious belief and died in New York city. Mr. Price came to Douglas county in 1860 and was bound out to a Mr. McNair, going through all the hardships that generally befall a poor orphan.
In 1873 he was married to Miss Ella Drummonds, of this county. He is the present nominee on the Republican ticket for re-election to the office of county surveyor.
GEO. O. MOORE.
Geo. O. Moore was born December 1, 1858, on a farm near Muncie, Indiana. He is the third child of the family of Mr. and Mrs. Louis Moore, and migrated with them to Doug- las county when only five years old, locating near the county seat, Tuscola. His early edu- cation was attained in the schools of Tuscola and adjoining districts. He also took a classi- cal and scientific course in the Normal College at Danville, Indiana, from which he graduated in 1881, paying his tuition and way through the school by the sweat of his brow as janitor. He was principal of the schools at Russellville, Indiana, in 1882, giving entire satisfaction. He then held the chairs of music and higher mathematics in the Campbell Normal Univer- sity at Holton, Kansas, in 1883. In August of the same year he went to Troy, Ohio, where he was united in the holy bonds of matrimony to Miss Lillie Conway, a resident of that city, whose acquaintance he had formed at college. He and his amiable wife took up their abode at Middleton, Virginia, where Mr. Moore had accepted the associate principalship of the Shen-
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andoah Normal College, which position he held for three years. Owing to the declining of his wife's health Mr. Moore returned to Illinois, stopping at Tuscola, where Mrs. Moore passed away in August of the same year. To this union was born one son, Louis C. In the fall of 1886 he accepted the principalship of the Newman schools, which he held for three years. In the spring of 1890, being solicited by his many friends, he made the race for the Repub- lican nomination for superintendent of schools of Douglas county.
A. A. ARMSTRONG.
Archie .A. Armstrong, one of the progres- sive, intelligent and well-known young farmers of the county and Camargo township, was born in Lawrence county, Ohio, September 10, 1861. Ile is the son of John AArmstrong, who is also a native of Ohio and now a resident of Cham- paign. He came to Douglas county in 1879. and bought several farms in Tuscola township and in other localities. He resided for some years on one of his farms, when he removed to the city of Champaign. He is now living a retired life in the sixty-fifth year of his age.
Archie Armstrong owns one of the most beautiful and attractive farms in the county. which he has well stocked with AAberdeen An- gus cattle. In 1886 he wedded Miss Nora Rice, of Champaign county. They have one chikl. Floyd, ten years of age. Mr. Armstrong is a director of the Douglas County Fair Asso- ciation, and a member of the Masonic lodge at Camargo.
WILSON S. BURGETT.
Wilson S. Burgett, a native of Sargent township, and a son of 1. W. Burgett, whose sketch is found on another page, was born December 23. 1863. He was reared in Sar- sent township, where he continued to live until eight years ago, when he removed to his present farm two miles south of Camargo.
In 1886 he was married to Miss Kate May. a daughter of Judge Brown ( see sketch). They have three children : Ray Brown, Burley Sum- ner and Wayne Brenton.
W. S. Burgett owns two hundred and ten acres of land, on which he lives, and is one of the intelligent and representative young busi- ness men of the county. In politics he is an enthusiastic Republican and has served two years as township committeeman.
JOSEPHI B. PETTY.
Joseph Bradley Petty, one of the successful business men of Tuscola, engaged in merchan- dising and identified with several other enter- prises of the city, was born in Hendricks coun- ty. Indiana, August 24, 1855. and is a son of Nathan and Ann Mariah ( Wood ) Petty, the former born in Chatham county, North Caro- lina, and the latter in Mercer county, Kentucky. Mr. Petty was engaged in farming for several years in Champaign county, and from 1884 10 1891 he resided at lantha, Missouri, where he was engaged in blacksmithing and hard- ware merchandising. In the latter year he returned to Illinois and settled in Tuscola,
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where he has since worked at his trade, and in 1898 opened up a general store in connection with his other business.
In 1881 he was united in marriage to Miss Priscilla Mars, of Champaign county. They have five boys: Earle Shirley, Byron Tal- mage, Clara Marrs, Virgil Ira and William Nathan. He owns his own home and store buildings, is a hard working man, and is one of the honorable and representative citizens of Tuscola. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and of the Court of Honor. Mrs. Petty, a lady of good intelligence and fine business tact, is a daughter of William and Mary Jane ( Sutherland) Marrs, the former a native of Bourbon county, Kentucky, and the latter of Ohio. At the age of four years Will- iam Marrs, with his father, John Marrs, moved to Shelby county, Ohio, where William was raised. He moved to Macon county, Illinois, in 1859, and there engaged in agricultural pursuits. Priscilla Marrs taught school seven years in Champaign county, Illinois, then be- came Mrs. Petty. She has the agency and is field manager for the Viavi Company for Douglas county, and has also the agency and field management for the Magnetic Shield Company, of Chicago, in her county. Viavi is a purely vegetable compound, the outgrowth of a physician's prescription. To his years of experimenting was added an incredible amount of patience and money, and Viavi in its pres- ent form is the result. It is virtually predi- gested food and is used with most perfect safety by the most delicate, young and old. This remedy is world famed, and is success- fully used by every nation. The motto of the Viava worker is "The higher physical life of woman," and thus preserve the health of the
race. Mrs. Petty has, in her six years' agency, done a business of over $4.600. She is thor- oughly capable, and with the time that she has given to her special work she has been re- markably successful.
SAMUEL B. LOGAN.
Samuel B. Logan, one of the very oldest of the pioneers now living in Douglas county, and the first sheriff, was born near the village of Washington, Mason county, Kentucky, April 30, 1816. He is a son of Joseph and Mary (Morris) Logan. The former was a native of Mason county and the latter of the state of New Jersey. John Logan ( grand- father) was one of the early settlers from Pennsylvania, and after his arrival in Ken- tucky he lived in a fort. Joseph Logan ( father) was a soldier in the war of 1812 and was in the battle of the Thames. John Morris (grand- father ) was a native of New Jersey and in the opinion of Mr. Logan was a soldier in the war of the Revolution. His father and mother, in 1837, removed to Coles county and located within two miles of where Mr. Logan now resides. The first year his father raised a crop, renting his land of old Jacob Moore. Samuel B. Logan enjoys the honor of hav- ing been the first sheriff of Douglas county, and has lived a long, honorable and beautiful life in his adopted county. In 1848 he was married to Miss Leah Fuller, a native of Vir- ginia, whose death occurred in 1896. To this marriage were born twelve children. Of this
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number six are living, viz: Samuel F., Albert W .. Harriet J., Hannah C .. Mary E. and Stephen.
GEORGE C. JEFFERS.
George C. Jeffers, member of the firm of Bragg & Jeffers, engaged in general merchan- chsing and banking at Camargo, was born in Adams county, Illinois, in 1858, and is a son of Samuel P. and Rachel ( Orr) Jeffers. Samuel P. Jeffers was born in Clermont county, Ohio, June 9. 1834. and is a son of Elijah and Han- nah ( Pine) Jeffers, natives of Clermont conn- ty, Ohio, and New Jersey respectively. Han- nah Pine was a daughter of William Pine, who, an orphan, emigrated from England to this country and first settled in New Jersey. thence removing to Ohio and later to Pike county, Illinois, where he died. He served in the war of 1812. Elijah was a son of William Jeffers, a native of the north of Ireland. Sam- uel D. Jeffers came to Camargo township in 1869, from Adams county, this state, where he farmed up to within the past ten years, since which time he has kept the meat market at Camargo. On February 22, 1855, he was wedded to Rachel J. Orr, a daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth Orr. In the beginning of 1865 he volunteered in the Forty-seventh Illinois Infantry, and was in service till the close of the Civil war.
George C .Jeffers, after leaving school, tanght for one year, and in 1879 became a clerk for A. W. Bragg, in the latter's store at Camargo, in which capacity he continued till 1893. when he became a partner, with one-
half interest, and the firm name became Bragg & Jeffers. The general store and banking house of Bragg & Jeffers, containing two de- partments, carries a stock of general merchan- dise valued at about $20,000, requiring a corps of four clerks. and does an annual busi- ness of from $35,000 to $40,000. George C. Jeffers is a clear headed and able business man whose industry and comprehensive grasp of details has to a great extent made this one of the leading mercantile firms of central Illinois.
In 1884 Mr. Jeffers married Miss Carrie, a daughter of W. H. Hall, an old and highly respected citizen and merchant of Camargo.
WILLIAM W. REEVES.
William W. Reeves, of Tuscola, one of the youngest members in active practice at the Douglas county bar, was born on a farm near Villa Grove. Camargo township. December 25, 1870, and is a son of George R. Reeves. The latter, who was a native of Delaware county. Indiana, was born in 1836, and his death oc- curred in 1881. He removed to Douglas county in 1865. and was engaged in farming up to the time of his decease. W. W. Reeves' mother was before her marriage Miss Nancy E. Wilson. She was born near Urbana, Ohio, and was a daughter of John O. Wilson, a na- tive of Pennsylvania, who emigrated in 1861 to Illinois, first locating near Paris, and later came to this county, where he died at the age of seventy-nine years. Elijah Reeves ( grand- father ) was born near Culpeper Court House, Virginia, and subsequently emigrated to Ken-
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tucky. At one time he was the owner of quite a number of slaves, but later became convinced that slavery was wrong and freed them all in the year 1836 and moved to Indiana, a free state.
William W. Reeves remained on the farm until he had arrived at the age of seventeen years, when he entered Wesleyan College. He continued his studies in this institution until he had finished the sophomore year. In 1896 he commenced reading law in the office of John H. Chadwick, and was graduated from the Bloomington ( Illinois) Law School in the class of '98. He was immediately admitted to the bar and opened an office in Tuscola. He is a member of the Masonic order and is a Knight of Pythias. In politics he is a Demo- crat and takes an active interest in the success of his party.
J. L. AVERY.
J. L. Avery, editor and proprietor of the Arcola Weekly Herald since April 1, 1893. was born four and one-half miles southeast of Arcola, in Coles county, Illinois, November 25, 1866. The Herald was founded in the year 1883 by H. H. Moore, who conducted it until about the year 1891, when Willis S. Scales bought it and published it until he sold it to Mr. Avery. The paper is in a flourishing condition, strictly Democratic in politics and full of local news, with a circulation of about fifteen hundred.
J. L. Avery was educated in the common schools, the Arcola high school, and took a teacher's course of two years. Afterward he 18
taught school for seven years in Douglas and Coles counties. In 1892 he was married to Miss Nellie I. Fancher, of Charleston, Illinois. They have one child, Paul Kenneth.
Mr. Avery is a member of the Knights of Pythias and the Woodmen. He is a splendid news gatherer, a pungent writer and a young man of splendid reputation.
J. W. BOYER.
J. W. Boyer, a well known farmer of Sar- gent township, and the present census ent- merator for the same, was born in the vicinity of Ashmore, Coles county, Illinois, on the 11th day of April, 1850. For twenty-five years he has been identified with the industrial growth of his township, and is well and favorably
known as an intelligent and upright citizen. He is the son of James and Susan ( Mack)
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Boyer, the former a native of Virginia, and the latter was born in Kentucky. As early as 1835 James Boyer came and settled with his father, Joseph, who was also born in Virginia, and who settled in the neighborhood of Ashmore. Ilere Joseph Boyer became one of the first settlers and afterward went to Missouri, where he died. William Mack ( maternal grandfather ) was also one of the early settlers in the same veinity. Janies Boyer ( father) is at present residing in the state of Kansas, at the age of seventy-nine years, and his wife is still living in the same year, of her age.
Jospeh Boyer was reared on a farm in Douglas county, where he received a very good common school education, and went to West- field College four terms. His farm of two hun- dred and nineteen acres, which lies in the north- cast part of the township, is well improved and valuable. Nearly ever since Mr. Bower's resi- dence here he has served efficiently as school director, and in 1900 was appointed census enumerator of Sargent township. In 1875 he married Josie, daughter of William Hopkins (sce further notice of the Hopkins family on another page), who was one of the pioneer settlers in this section of the county. Mr. and Mrs. Boyer have seven children living : Mamie, Robert. Belva, Clinton, Maggie, James and Floyd.
REV. J. V. MARTIN.
Rev. J. V. Martin. pastor of St. John the Baptist church at Arcola, Illinois, was born in Champlin, Minnesota, November 22. 1857.
lle was educated in the St. Francis College, Milwaukee; St. John's University, Minnesota. and subsequently completed the six-years' di- vinity course at the Grand Seminary, Mon- treal, Canada, where he was ordained Decem- ber 18, 1886. 1his first charge was at Spring- field. Illinois, where he did hospital service for two months : from there he was transferred to Shipman, laboring for two and a half years as the regular pastor : thence to Neoga. where he remained two years, when, in 1891. he came to Arcola. The church here was built about thirty-three years ago, with Father Manganas as first pastor. The present mem- bership of the church is about three hundred, situated in the town and in the southwestern part of Douglas county. The church is out of debt and is in a prosperous condition.
Father Martin is a conscientious worker in his church ; he is a thorough Christian gentle- man and a devout worshiper of Christ.
WILLIAM II. FISHER.
William II. Fisher, a retired farmer and an ex-soldier of the Civil war, came to Doug- las county in 1877 and located on a farm two and a half miles southeast of Arcola, which he purchased and resided on for four years, when he removed to Albany, Oregon. In 1882 he returned to Douglas county and lo- cated on a farm in Tuscola township, remain- ing here for two years. He then purchased a farm east of Galton, which he owned and re- sided npon for ten years, when, in 1893. he moved to Tuscola, where he at present resides.
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He owns one hundred and sixty acres of land, Her grandfathers were Hugh Beatty and northwest of town. George Smith, who came from Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. Fisher are members of the Pres- byterian church; he is also a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, and Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
Our subject was born in Ohio county, In- diana, January 7, 1839, and was a son of An- drew and Eliza ( Hunter) Fisher, the former a native of Butler county, Ohio, and the lat- ter of Switzerland county, Indiana. His pa- ternal grandfather, Jacob Fisher, was a Penn- sylvanian by birth. His maternal grand- father, John Hunter, was born in Ireland, and subsequently emigrated to Switzerland coun- ty, Indiana, and then to Ohio county, Indiana. Mr. Fisher's paternal great-grandfather was a Revolutionary soldier, and several other members of the Fisher family were in the In- dian and other carly wars.
William H. Fisher was reared in Jefferson county, Indiana, on a farmi, and in August, 1862, he volunteered in the Eighty-third In- diana Infantry and served until the close of the war. He belonged to the Second Divis- ion, Fifteenth Army Corps, which was organ- ized and commanded by Gen. Sherman, and later by Gen. Logan. He was in the battles of Chickasaw, Miss., Arkansas Post or Hind- man, Jackson, Mississippi, was through the siege of Vicksburg, at Missionary Ridge and Atlanta ; also at Jonesboro, Bentonville, North Carolina, was with Sherman on his sweep to the sea, and was present at the grand re- view, Washington, at the close of the war.
In 1869 he was wedded to Miss Nancy J. Beatty, of Ohio county, Indiana. They had four children : James Edward, Rosanna B., Eliza B., and William Franklin, the latter de- ceased. Mrs. Fisher is the daughter of George and Rosanna (Smithi) Beatty. Her father was a native of Pennsylvania, and her mother was born in Ohio county, Indiana.
T. M. RICHARDS.
T. M. Richards, a leading merchant and grain buyer of Hayes, Illinois, was born in Douglas county, Illinois, August 7, 1864, and is a son of Thomas Y. Richards, who was a na- tive of Hardin county, Kentucky, where he was born in 1818. The latter moved to this county in the 'forties and was engaged in farming. He was three times married and was the fa-
ther of nine children, of whom all are dead ex- cepting T. M. and G. R. Richards. His last wife was Hester A. Reat, and she was the moth-
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er of the above named boys (see sketch of Dr. J. 1 .. Reat). Thomas Y. Richards died in 1872.
T. M. Richards has been twice married. first, in January, 1889. to Miss Dove E. Don- nals, daughter of R. T. Donnals, of Tuscola. Illinois. She was born December 16. 1866. and died November 20, 1894. Their marriage was blessed with two children : Beryl E .. born September 28. 1889. and Theodore T., born February 16. 1892. Our subject was again married. in October, 1897, to Mrs. Effie MI. Doty, of Effingham county, her maiden name being Baker. She was married to W. Doty in 1891. He died December 3, 1893. They had one boy, Daniel I. Doty. Mr. and Mrs. Richards also have two children: Ralph H., born August 4, 1898, and Lee M., born De- cember 27, 1899. Mr. Richards is the grain agent at Hayes for O. L. Parker, of Tuscola. and handles about three hundred thousand bushels of oats and corn yearly. He is a mem- ber of the Modern Woodmen of America, and is a hustler.
WILLIAM S. HAMMETT.
William S. Hammett, retired farmer re- siding in Tuscola, was born in Montgomery county, Virginia. December 9. 1823, and is a son of John Hammett (see sketch of James R. Hammett ). He came with his father from Bourbon county. Kentucky, in 1829. He was for many years a leading farmer of Camargo township and prominent in the early affairs of the county.
JAMES S. REEDER.
James S. Reeder, postmaster at Garrett, to which position he was appointed in July, 1898, located in Bourbon in 1856. He is a son of John A. and Mary B. ( Harter) Reeder. John A. Reeder was born in Ohio in 1815 and died in 1891. David Harter ( maternal grandfather ) was a native of Virginia. James S. was in the Civil war as a private, enlisting in Company G, Seventy-ninth Illinois Regi- ment Volunteer Infantry. Going in in Au- gust, 1862. he remained out for two years and ten months.
G. R. RICHARDS.
G. R. Richards, who is associated in busi- ness with his brother. T. M. Richards, was
gaged in the livery business in Tuscola, and in born in 1865. He was for several years en-
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1899 removed to Hayes and became associated with his brother. In 1896 he was married to Miss Myrtle Johnson, a daughter of William T. Johnson, of Tuscola. They have no chil- dren. George is known as a ball player all over central illinois.
STEPHEN S. HENSON.
Stephen S. Henson, a highly respected cit- izen, belonging to the old school of gentlemen. and who is probably as well and favorably known as any man in the county, was born near Cynthiana, Harrison county, Kentucky, in October, 1827, and is a son of Gideon and Nancy Shumate. His father was a native of Virginia and his mother of Kentucky. The former emigrated from Kentucky to Vermil- lion county, near Indianola, in 1834, and, with his wife and children, located in the vicinity of Villa Grove, where he entered a large tract of land. His children were: George W. (see sketch), Stephen S., and two daughters, who were the wives of James Richards and Cole- man Bright, respectively. All the children are now dead except Stephen S.
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