USA > Illinois > Livingston County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois, Volume I Pt 1 > Part 44
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62
HAMILTON, William Stephen, pioneer -son of Alexander Hamilton, first United States Serre- tary of the Treasury-was born in New York City, August 4, 1797; spent three years (18144-17). at West Point ; came west and located at an early day at Springfield, Ill. ; was a deputy surveyor of publie lands, elected Representative from Sanga- mon County, in the Fourth General Assembly (1824-26); in 1827 removed to the Load Mine region and engaged in mining at "Hamilton's Diggings" (now Wiota) in southwest Wisconsin, and occasionally practiced law at Galena; was a member of the Wisconsin Territorial Legislature of 1842-43, emigrated to California in 1849, and died in Sacramento, Oct. 9, 1850, where. some twenty years later, a monument was erected to his memory. Colonel Hamilton was an aid-le- camp of Governor Coles, who sent him forward to meet General La Fayette on his way from New Orleans, on occasion of La Fayette's visit to Illi- nois in 1825.
HAMILTON COUNTY, situated in the south- eastern part of the Stato; has an area of 410 square miles, and population (1900) of 20,197 - named for Alexander Hamilton. It was organ- ized in 1821, with MeLeansboro as the county- seat. The surface of the county is rolling and the fertile soil well watered and drained by numerous creeks, flowing east and south into the Wabash, which constitutes its southeastern
218
HISTORICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ILLINOIS.
boundary. Coal crops out at various prints in tho southwestern portion. Originally Huilton County was a dense forest, and timber i. still abundant and saw-mills numerous. Among the hard woods found are black and white oak, black walnut, ash and hickory. The softer woods are in unusual variety. Corn and tobacco are the principal crops, although considerable fruit is cultivated, besides oats, winter wheat and pota- toes. Sorghum is also extensively produce.l Among the pioneer settlers was a Mr. Auxier (for whom a water course was named), in 1813; Adam Crouch, the Biggerstaffs and T Stelle, in 1818, and W. T. Golson and Louis Baxter, in 1821. The most important town is McLeansboro, whose population in 1890 was 1,355.
HAMMOND, Charles Goodrich, Railway Mana- ger, was born at Bolton, Conn .. Inne 4, 1804, spent his youth in Chenango County, N. Y., where he became Principal of the White shoro Seminary (in which he was partially educated). and entered mercantile life at Canandaigua; in 1834 removed to Michigan, where he held various offices, including member of the Legisla- ture and Anditor; in 1859 completed the con struction of the Michigan Central Railroad (the first line from the East) to Chicago, and took up his residence in that city. In 1855 he became Superintendent of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad, but soon resigned to take a trip to Europe for the benefit of his health. Returning from Europe in 1869, he accepted the Superintendency of the Union Pacific Railroad, but was compelled to resign by failing health, later becoming Vice-President of the Pullman Palace Car Company. He was Treasurer of the Chicago Relief & Aid Society after the fire of 1971, and one of the founders of the Chicago Theological Seminary (Congregational); also President, for several years, of the Chicago Home for the Friend- less. Died. April 15, 1884.
HAMPSHIRE, a village of Kane County, on the Omaha Division of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway, 51 miles west-northwest from Chicago. There are brick and tile works, a large canning factory, pickle factory, and machine shop; dairy and stock interests are large. The place has a bank, electric lights and water-works, and a weekly paper. Pop. (1890), 696; (1900), 760.
HANCOCK COUNTY, on the western border of the State, bounded on the west by the Mississippi River; was organized in 1825 and named for John Hancock; has an area of 760 square miles; popu- lation (1900), 32,215. Its early settlers were chietly from the Middle and Southern State-,
atrong them being I. J. Wangen, for nerh fxty vous a resident of Montebello Township. Black. Hawk, the famon- Indian Chief, is reputed to have been born within the limits of Camp Ciek Town hip, in this county. Fort Edwards was created on the present site of Warsaw, so Hafter the War of 1812, but was shortly afterward . evar nated. Abraham Lincoln, a cousin of the Prest dent of that name, was one of the early settlers. Among the earliest were John Day, Abalam Brewer, Jacob Compton, D. F. Parker, the Dixons, Men louhalls, Logans, and Luther Whitney. James White, George Y. Cutler and Ilenry Nich- ols were the first Commissioners. In 15:0 the Mormons crossed the Mississippi, after being expelled from Missouri, and founded the city of Nauvoo in this county. (See Mormons, Nauroo.) Carthage and Appanoose were surveyed and laid out in 1835 and 1836. A ferry across tho Missis- sippi was established at Montebello (near the present site of Hamilton) in 1829, and another, two years later, near the site of old Fort Edwards. The county is crossed by six lines of railway, has a tine public school system, numerous thriving towne, and is among the wealthy connties of the State.
HANDY, Moses Purnell, journalist, was born at Warsaw, Mo., April 14, 1817; before he way one year old was taken back to Maryland, his parents' native State. Ile was educated at Ports- mouth, Va., and was a student at the Virginia Collegiate Institute at the breaking out of the Civil War, when he joined the Confederate army at the age of seventeen. When the war ended Handy found himself penniless. Ho was school- teacher and book-canvasser by turns, meantinie writing some for a New York paper. Later he became a clerk in the office of "The Christian Observer" in Richmond. In 1867, by some clever reporting for "The Richmond Dispatch," he was able to secure a regular position on the local staff of that paper, quickly gaining a reputation as a successful reporter, and in 1869, becoming city editor. From this time until 1887 his promotion was rapid, being employed at different times upon many of the most prominent and influential papers in the East, including "The New York Tribune," "Richmond Enquirer," and, in Phila- delphia, upon "The Times," "The Press" and "Daily News." In 1893, at the request of Director- General Davis of the World's Columbian Exposi- tion, Mr. Handy accepted the position of Chief of the Department of Publicity and Promotion pre ferring this to the Consul-Generalship to Egypt, tendered him about the same time by Pre ident
219
HISTORICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF U.LINOIS.
Harrison. Later, as a member of the National Commission to Europe, he did much to arouse the interest of foreign countries in the Exposition. For some time after the Workl's Fair, he was associate editor of "The Chicago Times-Herald." In 1897, having been appointed by President Mckinley United States Commissioner to the Paris Exposition of 1900, he visited Paris. Upon his return to this country he found himself in very poor health, and went South in a vain attempt to regain his lost strength and vigor, but died, at Angusta, Ga., Jan. 8, 1898.
HANKS, Dennis, pioneer, born in Hardin County, Ky., May 15, 1799; was a cousin of the mother of Abraham Lincoln and, although ten years the senior of the latter, was his intimate friend in boyhood. Being of a sportive disposi- tion, he often led the future President in boyish pranks. Abont 1818, he joined the Lincoln house- hold in Spencer County, Ind., and finally married Sarah Johnston, the step-sister of Mr. Lincoln, the families removing to Macon County, Ill., together, in 1830. A year or so later, Mr. Ilanks removed to Coles County, where he remained until some three years before his death, when he went to reside with a daughter at Paris, Edgar County. It has been claimed that he first taught the youthful Abraham to read and write, and this has secured for him the title of Mr. Lincoln's teacher. He has also been eredited with having once saved Lincoln from death by drowning while crossing a swollen stream. Austin Gollaher, a school- and play-mate of Lincoln's, has also made the same claim for himself-the two stories pre- sumably referring to the same event After the riot at Charleston, Ill., in March, 1863, in which several persons were killed, IJanks made a visit to President Lincoln in Washington in the inter- est of some of the arrested rioters, and, although they were not immediately released, the fact that they were ordered returned to Charleston for trial and finally escaped punishment, has been attributed to Hanks' influence with the President. He died at Paris, Edgar County, Oct. 31. 1992, in the 94th year of his age, as the result of injuries received from being run over by a buggy while returning from an Emancipation-Day celebra- tion, near that city, on the 22d day of September previous.
HANKS, John, pioneer, a cousin of the mother of Abraham Lincoln, was born near Bardstown, Ky., Feb. 9, 1802; joined the Lincolns in Spencer County, Ind., in 1822, and made his home with them two years; engaged in flat-boating, making numerous trips to New Orleans, in one of them
being accompanied by Abraham Lincoln thea about 19 years of age who then had hr, Selings aroused against slavery by his first sight of a slave-mart. In 1928 Mr. Hanks removed to Macon County, Il, locating about four miles west of Decatur, and it was partly through his influence that the Lincolns were in luced to emi- grate to the same locality in 1830. Hanks had cut enough logs to build the Lincolnis a house when they arrivel, and these were hauled by Abraham Lincoln to the site of the hou e, which was erected on the north bank of the Sangamon River, near the present site of Harristown. Dur- ing the following summer he and Abraham Lin- coln worked together splitting mails to fence a portion of the land taken up by the eller Lincoln -some of these rails being the ones di playe l during the campaign of 1800. In 1831 Hanks and Lincoln worked together in the construction of a flat-boat on the Sangamon River, near Spring- field, for a man named Offutt, which Lincoln took to New Orleans-lanks only going as far as St. Louis, when he returned home. In 1832, Hanks served as a soldier of the Mexican War in the company commanded by Capt. I. C. Pugh. afterwards Colonel of the Forty-first Illinois Volunteer Infantry during the Civil War. Hle followed the occupation of a farmer until 1830, when he went to California, where he spent three years, returning in 1853. In 1861 he enlisted as a soldier in the Twenty-first Illinois Volunteer Infantry (afterwards commanded by General Grant), but being already 59 years of age, was placed by Grant in charge of the baggage-train, in which capacity he remained two years, serving in Missouri, Tennessee, Arkansas, Kentucky, Alabama and Mississippi. While Grant was with the regiment, Hanks had charge of the staff team. Being disabled by rheumatism, he was finally discharged at Winchester, Tenn. He made three trips to California after the war. Died, July 1, 1891.
HANNIBAL & NAPLES RAILROAD. (See Wabash Railroad.)
HANON, Martin, pioneer, was born near Nash- ville, Toun., April, 1799; came with his father to Gallatin County, Illinois Territory, in 1512, and, in 1818, to what is now a portion of Christian County, being the first white settler in that region. Died, near Sharp burg, Christian County, April 5, 1979.
HANOVER, a village in Jo Daviess County, on Apple River, 14 miles south-southeast of Galena. It hasa woolen factory, besides five churches and a graded school. The Township (also called Han-
220
HISTORICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ILLINOIS.
over) extends to the Mississippi, and has a popu- lation of about 1,700. Population of the village (1890). 743: (1900), 785.
HARDIN, the county-seat of Calhoun County, situated in Hardin Township, on the west bank of the Illinois River, some 30 miles northwest of Alton. It has two churches, a graded school and two newspaper offices. Population (1880), 500; (1890), 311; (1900). 494.
HARDIN, John J., lawyer, Congressman and soldier, was born at Frankfort, Ky., Jan. 6, 1810. After graduating from Transylvania University and being admitted to the bar, he began practice at Jacksonville, Ill., in 1830; for several years he was Prosecuting Attorney of Morgan County, later being elected to the lower house of the Legislature, where he served from 1836 te '42. The latter year he was elected to Congress, his term expiring in 1815. During the later period of his professional career at Jacksonville he was the partner of David A. Smith, a prominent law- yer of that city, and had Richard Yates for a pupil. At the outbreak of the Mexican War he was commissioned Colonel of the First Illinois Volunteers (June 30, 1846) and was killed on the second day of the battle of Buena Vista (Fch. 27, 1847) while leading the final charge. His remains were brought to Jacksonville and buried with distinguished honors in the cemetery there, his former pupil,' Richard Yates, delivering the fu- neral oration. -- Gen. Martin D. (Hardin), soldier, son of the preceding, was born in Jacksonville, Ill., June 26, 1837; graduated at West Point Military Academy, in 1859, and entered the service as brevet Second Lieutenant of the Third Artillery, a few months later becoming full Second Lieu- tenant, and, in May, 1861, First Lieutenant. Being assigned to the command of volunteer troops, he passed through various grades until May, 1864, when he was brevetted Colonel of Volunteers for meritorious conduct at North River, Va., became Brigadier-General of Volun- teers, July 2, 1864, was brevetted Brigadier- General of the regular army in March, 1865, for service during the war, and was finally mus tered out of the volunteer service in January, 1866. He continued in the regular service, how- ever, until December 15, 1870, when he was retired with the rank of Brigadier-General. General Hardin lost an arm and suffered other wounds during the war. His home is in Chicago. -- Ellen HardIn (Walworth), author, daughter of Col. John J. Hardin, was born in Jacksonville, Ill., Oct. 20, 1322, and educated at the Female Seminary in that place; was married about 1534
to Mansfield Tracy Walworth con of Chancefor R. II. Walworth of New York. Her hush and became an author of considerable repute, chiefly mn the line of fiction, but was assassinated in 1873 by a son who was acquitted of the charge of murder on the ground of insanity. Mrs. Walworth is a leader of the Daughters of the Revolution, and has given much attention, of late years, to literary pursuits. Among her works are accounts of the Burgoyne Campaign and of the battle of Buena Vista-the latter contributed to "The Magazine of American History"; a "Life of Col. John J. Hardin and History of the lardin Family," besides a number of patriotic and miscellaneous poems and essays. She served for several years as a member of the Board of Education, and was for six years principal of a young ladies' school at Saratoga Springs, N. Y.
HARDIN COUNTY, situated on the southeast border of the State, and bounded on the east and south by the Ohio River. It has an area of 194 square miles, and was named for a county in Kentucky. The surface is broken by ridges and deep gorges, or ravines, and well timbered with oak, hickory, elin, maple, locust and cotton- wood. Corn, wheat and cats are the staple agricultural products. The minerals found ara iron, coal and lead, besides carboniferous lime- stone of the Keokuk group. Elizabethtown is the county-seat. Population (1850), 6,021; (1890), 7,234; (1900), 7,418.
HARBING, Abner Clark, soldier and Member of Congress, born in East Hampton, Middlesex County, Conu., Feb. 10, 1807; was educated chiefly at Ilamilton Academy, N. Y., and, after practic- ing law for a time. in Oneida County, removed to Ilinois. resuming practice and managing several farms for twenty-five years. He was also a mem her of the State Constitutional Convention of 1847 from Warren County, and of the lower branch of the Sixteenth General Assembly (1818 50). Between 1850 and 1-60 he was engaged in railroad enterprises. In 1862 he enlisted as a privato in the Eighty-third linois Volunteer Infantry, was commissioned Colonel and, in less than a year, was promoted to Brigadier-General. In 1864 he was elected to Congress and re-elected in 1866. IIe did much for the development of the western part of the State in the construction of railroads, the Peoria & Oquawka (now a part of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy) being one of the lines constructed by him. He left a fortune of about $2,000,000, and, before bis death, en- dowed a professorship in Monmouth College Died, July 19, 1871.
221
HISTORICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ILLINOIS.
HARGRAVE, Willis, pioneer, came from Ken- tucky to Illinois in 1816, settling near Carmi in White County; served in the Third Territorial Legislature (1817-18) and in the First General Assembly of the State (1818-20). Ilis business- life in Illinois was devoted to farming and salt- manufacture.
IIARLAN, James, statesman, was born in Clark County. Ill., Angust 25, 1820: graduated at Asbury University, Ind .; was State Superintendent of Publie Instruction in Iowa (1847), President of Iowa Wesleyan University (1853), United States Senator (1855-65), Secretary of the Interior (1865 66), but re-elected to the Senate the latter year, and. in 1869, chosen President of Iowa Uni- versity. He was also a member of the Peace . Conference of 1861, and a delegate to the Phila- delphia Loyalists' Convention of 1866; in 1873, after leaving the Senate, was editor of "The Washington Chronicle," and, from 1893 to 1885, presiding Judge of the Court of Commissioners of the Alabama Claims. A daughter of ex Senator Harlan married Hon. Robert. T. Lincoln, son of President Lincoln, and (1889-93) United States Minister to England. Mr. Harlan's home is at Mount Pleasant, Iowa. Died, Oct. 5, 1899.
HARLAN, Justin, jurist, was born in Ohio about 1801 and, at the age of 25, settled in Clark County, Ill. ; served in the Black Hawk War of 1832 and, in 1835, was appointed a Justice of the Circuit Court; was a Delegate to the Constitu- tional Convention of 1847 and the following year was elected to the Circuit bench under the new Constitution, being re-elected in 1855. In 1862 he was appointed by President Lincoln Indian Agent, continuing in office until 1865; in 1873 was elected County Judge of Clark County. Died, while on a visit in Kentucky, in March, 1×79.
HARLOW, George H., ex-Secretary of State, born at Sackett's Harbor, N. Y., in 1830, removed to Tazewell County, Ill., in 1854, and engaged in business as a commission merchant; also served a term as Mayor of Pekin. For many years he took a prominent part in the history of the State. Early in the '60's he was one of seven to organize, at Pekin, the "Union League of America," a patriotic secret organization sworn to preserve the Union, working in harmony with the war party and against the "Sons of Liberty." In 1862 he enlisted, an'l was about to go to the front, when Governor Yates requested him to remain at home and continue his effective work in the Union League, saying that he could accomplish inore for the cause in this way than in the field.
Accordingly Mr. Harlow continued to laber as an organizer, anl the Logue became a powerful factor in State polities, In 1865 he was made First Assistant Secretary of the State Senate, but soon after be "une Governor Oglesby's private secretary. For a time he also served as Inspector- General on the Governor's staff, and had charge of the troops as they were mustered out. During a portion of Mr. Rummel's term ( 1-89-23) as Seere- tary of State, he served as Assistant Secretary, and, in 1822, was elected as successor to Secretary Rummel and re elected in 1976. While in Spring. field he acted as correspondent for several news- papers, and, for a year, was city editor of "The Illinois State Journal " In 1881 he took up his residence in Chicago, where he was engaged at different periods in the commission and real estate business, but has been retired of late years on account of ill hertlth. Died May 16. 1900.
HARPER, William II., legislator and commis- sion merchant, born in Tippecanoe County, Ind., May 4, 1815; was brought by his parents in boy- hool to Woodford County, Il., and served in the One Hundred and Forty-fifth Ilinois Volunteers; took a course in a commercial college and engaged in the stock and grain-shipping business in Wood- ford County until 1868, when he entero I upon the commission business in Chicago. From 1972 to '75 he served, by appointment of the Governor. as Chief of the Grain Inspection Department of the city of Chicago; in 1882 was elected to the Thirty-third General Assembly and re-elected in 1844. During his first term in the Legislature, Mr. Harper introduced and secured the passage of the "High License Law," which has received his name. Of late years he has been engaged in the grain commission business in Chicago.
HARPER, William Rainey, clergyman and educator, was born at New Concord, Ohio, July 26, 1836; graduated at Muskingum College at the age of 14, delivering the Hebrew oration, this being one of the principal commencement honors in that institution. After three years' private study he took a post-graduate course in philology at Yale, receiving the degree of Ph. D., at the age of 19. For several years he was engaged in teaching. at Macon, Teun., and Denison Uni- versity, Ohio, meanwhile continuing his philo- logical studies and devoting special attention to Hebrew. In 1879 ho accepted the chair of Hebrew in the Baptist Union Theological Semi- nary at Morgan Park, a suburb of Chicago. Here he laid the foundation of the "inductivo method" of Hebrair study, which rapidly grew in favor. The school by correspondence was known as the
222
HISTORICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ILLINOIS.
"American Institute of Hebrew," and increased so rapidly that, by 1585, it had enrolled 800 stu- dents, from all parts of the world, many leading professors co-operating. In 1886 he accepted the professorship of Semitic Language and Literature at Yale University, having in the previous year become Principal of the Chautauqua College of Liberal Arts, and, in 1891, Principal of the entire Chautauqua system. During the winters of 1889-91, Dr. Harper delivered courses of lu- tures on the Bible in various cities and before several universities and colleges, having been, in 1889, made Woolsey Professor of Biblical Literature at Yale, although still filling his former chair. In 1891 he accepted an invitation to the Presidency of the then incipient new Chi- cago University, which has rapidly increased in wealth, extent and influence. (See University of Chicago.) He is also at present (1899) a mem- ber of the Chicago Board of Education. Dr. Harper is the author of numerous philological text-books, relating chiefly to Hebrew, but ap- plying the "inductive method" to the study of Latin and Greek, and has also sought to improve the study of English along these same line . In addition, he has edited two scientific periodicals, and published numerous monographs.
HARRIS, Thomas L., lawyer, soldier and Mem- ber of Congress, was born at Norwich, Con., Oct. 29, 1816; graduated at Trinity College, Hart- ford, in 1841, studied law with Gov. Isaac Toncey, and was admitted to the bar in Virginia in 18-19, the same year removing to Petersburg, Menard County, Ill. ITere. in 1845, he was elected School Commissioner, in 1846 raised a company for the Mexican War, joined the Fourth Regiment (Co). E. D. Baker's) and was elected Major. He was present at the capture of Vera Cruz and the battle of Cerro Gordo, after the wounding of General Shields at the latter, taking command of the regiment in place of Colonel Baker, who had assumed command of the brigade. During his absence in the army (1846) he was chosen to the State Senate; in 1848 was elected to the Thirty-first Congress, but was defeated by Richard Yates in 1850; was re-elected in 1851, '56, and '58, but died Nov. 24, 1858, a few days after his fourth election and before completing his preceding term.
HARRIS, William Logan, Methodist Episcopal Bishop, born near Mansfield, Ohio, Nov. 14, 1817; was educated at Norwalk Seminary, licensed to preach in 1836 and soon after admitted to the Michigan Conference, being transferred to the Ohio Conference in 1810. In 1845-40 he was a
tutor in the Onion Wesleyan University. Com. after two years' pastoral mioy and sour theex years as Principal of Baldwin Mminary, in 1577 returned to the Wesleyan, filling the pritom first of Principal of the Academic Depart ... 00 and then a professorship; was Secretary of Mor General Conferences (1856-72)and, during 1 37) Secretary of the Church Mis i mary Soviely. 01 1872 was elected Bishop, and visited the Moth. h. Mission stations in China, Japan and lompe joined the Illinois Conference in 1874, remaini until his death, which occured in New York. Sept. 2, 1887. Bishop Harris way a recognized an thority on Methodist Church law, and published a small work entitled "Powers of the General Conference" (1:59), and, in connection with Judge William J. Henry, of this State, a freati .. on "Ecclesiastir. ) Law," having special refer- ence to the Methodist Church.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.