Historical encyclopedia of Illinois, Volume II, part 2, Part 138

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Chicago, Munsell Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 774

USA > Illinois > Sangamon County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois, Volume II, part 2 > Part 138

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Mr. Schuessler has made a success of his life work, and not only has accumulated consider- able property that insures him comfort and hap- piness in his declining years, but has the satisfaction of knowing he has done his full duty to his community and has reared a nice family of children, who reflect credit on him and their community.

SCHULLER, John N., a snecessfnl carpenter and contractor of Springfield, Ili., now practi- cally retired from active life and living in his home at 1920 North Eighth Street, was born in Paris, France, February 2, 1842, received his education in his native city and there learned his trade. He is a son of John and Margaret (Ciemons) Schuller, the former born in Lnxem- burg, Germany, and the latter in France. The father was a carpenter and spent most of his life in Luxemburg. He was born in 1805 and died in 1899. The mother lived out her life in Luxemburg. The maternal grandfather of John N. Schulier served under Napoleon in the Franco-Prussian War.

Mr. Schnller, the subject of this sketch, emi- grated to America in 1861, landing in New York City. He proceeded to Chicago, where he spent a few months, then went to Dubuque, Ia., and thence, a few months later, to St. Paul, where he remained a short time and then returned to Dubuque, soon after locating in Springfield, Ill., his place of residence since that time. He has followed his trade very industriously until a few years since, and now spends but little time in actual labor, although he has many in- terests demanding his attention. He has been rather active in public affairs and served four years as Trustee of the village of Ridgely, of which he was one of the fonnders. He has con-

tribnted largely to the progress and growth of the village and has been active in its interests. He is a Democrat in politics and is a Roman Catholic in religious views, being a member of St. Joseph's Parish. Mr. Schnller is an enthus- iastic and useful 'citizen of his adopted country and shows his patriotism in many ways. He has the respect and esteem of his associates, who have most of them learned to appreciate his good qualities of mind and heart. He owns other city property besides his present home.

Mr. Schnller was married in Springfield, Ill., October 1, 1867, to Margaret Weaver, born in Hanover, Germany, February 10, 1846, dangh- ter of John and Margarette Weaver. Mr. Weaver died in Germany and his widow after- ward came to America, passing away at the home of Mrs. Schnller at the age of ninety-six years and twenty-three days. Of the eleven children born to Mr. and Mrs. Schuller, seven are living, namely : Bertha, wife of Michael Bowen, of Springfield; Josephine, married James Hntton, of Springfield; Pauline, wife of James Woods; Margaret, wife of Nicholas Longen; and John, Joseph and Nicholas, all of Springfield. Mr. Schuller and his wife have seven grandchildren.

SCOTT, Charles, a retired farmer of Spring- field, Ill., has recently located in the city and purchased the pleasant home he and his family occupy, at 2054 East Edwards Street. He was born in Miami County, Ohio, May 4, 1832, and is a son of William and Ruth (Mooney) Scott, both natives of Ohio. William Scott was a farmer and moved from Ohio to Jasper Connty, Ind., and lived a number of years on a farm there, then moved to Clarke County, Iowa, and a short time afterwards returned to Indiana and lived there until his death. He was a sol- dier in the Black Hawk War.

Charles Scott spent his boyhood on his fa- ther's farm and was educated in Ohio. He has spent most of his life in farming, but has now retired from active life. He came to Illinois as a young man and settled on a farm in Morgan Connty, where he remained forty years. He was an enterprising and successful farmer and developed a fine estate, which he sold and bought his present home. He moved to Spring- field February 1, 1910, and has since lived re- tired. Mr. Scott enlisted, in 1862, in Company C, Sixty-second Illinois Volunteer Infantry, at Mt. Sterling, Ill., and served seven months, after which he was mustered out and returned home to Morgan County.

Mr. Scott was married, at Franklin, Morgan County, Ill., in November, 1853, to Mrs. Eliza- beth (Johnson) Nichols, widow. of Wiley Nich- ols, by whom she had four children, of whom three survive, namely : Alfred, of Des Moines, Iowa; Margaret, wife of Charles B. Howard, and Miss Amelia, of Springfield. There are two grandchildren in the family. By her second marriage Mrs. Scott had no children. She is a great-granddanghter of John Sevier, the first Governor of Tennessee. Her father came from

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Kentucky to Morgan County in an early day and settled near Waverly, where he lived on a farm until his death, and her mother was born in Tennessee. Mr. Scott and his wife are de- vout members of the Methodist Church and are much interested in benevolent and charitable work. He has always been a Republican since the organization of that party and has aiways taken an active interest in public affairs. He has spent most of his life in hard work and is now enjoying the fruits of his toii in ease and comfort.

SCOTT, John Hamilton (deceased), was in his time recognized as one of the enterprising and progressive farmers of Sangamou county. His parents, Timothy and Amanda (Montgomery) Scott, were Kentuckians and farmers. They settied west of Springfieid, many years before the Civil War. Mr. Scott iabored as a farmer and as a gardener till after the beginning of the war, then eniisted under the Federal flag. After a few months' service he was taken sick and discharged for disability. Later he settled in Logan County, where he farmed as long as he iived and where his good wife aiso passed away. They had four sons and two daughters. The daughters have died and only two of the sons are living, Richard, one of the iatter, be- ing an insurance man in Iowa.

John Hamilton Scott was born April 14, 1845, was educated in public schools in Sangamon County and learned farming as his father's as- sistant. February .12, 1864, he eniisted in Com- pany I, Fifty-sixth Regiment, Iiiinois Volunteer Infantry, and saw service as a soldier until the close of the struggle. After having taken part in numerous engagement, he was honorably dis- charged at Little Rock, Ark., August 12, 1865. Returning to Springfield, he resumed farming, which he has followed most of the time since. It should be noted, however, that during his residence in Springfield he was employed upon the construction of the State House. He lived there for some years, then resumed farming and died at Buffalo Hart Grove, November 13, 18SS. He was a member of the Christian Church; of Buffaio Post of the Grand Army of the Republic, and of the Republican party, with which he voted consistentiy for many years.

Mr. Scott married, at Springfield, Ill., March 29, 18GS, Miss Mary L. Williams, born at Chiili- cothe, Ohio, whose father, a farmer, brought his family to Springfield in 1853. Later the family moved to a farm near the oid hemp fac- tory south of Springfieid, where they lived many years. Mr. Williams eniisted for soidier's serv: ice in our Civil War, but was rejected because of physical disability. He died at the resi- dence of Mrs. Scott, in Buffalo. February 12, 1901, aged eighty-nine years. His wife died in Springfield in 1878. They had fifteen children, ten of whom grew to manhood and womanhood. Four of the sons and two of the daughters are living: Jacob Williams, a carpenter, lives in

Springfield ; Moses B., also a carpenter, is a citizen of Quincy, Iii .; Charles B., physician and surgeon, practices his profession in Springfield, and James F. is a merchant there; Ann, Mrs. Parr, lives in Menard County, Ill .; Mrs. Scott.

Mr. and Mrs. Scott had ten children, six sons and four daughters, ali of whom are living: Emma, the eidest, is the wife of Rodney Hutch- inson, farmer, of Baid Knob, Sangamon County ; Beiie married Samuei Rising, a biacksmith ; Wil- liam T. is a Sangamon County farmer; John lives in Buffaio, as does also James E., a farmer ; Samuel D. is farming in Sangamon County, as is Matthew; Logan B. is a farmer; Mary C. is the wife of Frank Dill, a farmer near Roby, Iil .; Laura, Mrs. Cantrall, lives in Springfield. Mrs. Scott has twelve interesting grandchildren. She is a woman of ability, who has associated with some of the best people in the Middie West, and one of the most cherished recollections of the days that are gone is that of her personal acquaintance with Abraham Lincoln, "the Great Emancipator."

SEARS, John V. Jr. (deceased) .- The late John V. Sears Jr., who passed away at his home in Springfield, Iii., Aprii S, 1898, was born in the Azores Islands, in June, 1852, and was a son of John V. and Mary Margarette Sears, both natives of the Azores, and who spent their entire iives there. The father was a school teacher and held the position of professor in a large school. The educatiou of John V. Sears, Jr., was received in his native place, a possession of Portugal, and when seventeen years of age he emigrated to America, ianding in Boston, where he spent some time. Later he came to Spring- fieid, and had been a resident of that city twenty- four years at the time of his death, fifteen of which he spent as watchmaker in the employ of the Iliinois Watch Company. He was a good workman and was much esteemed by his associ- ates. He died at the family home at 1117 North Ninth Street, which his widow stili owns, and was buried in Oak Ridge Cemetery.

Mr. Sears was married, in Springfield, Janu- ary 11, 1878, to Miss Mary Augusta Fernandes, who was born in Springfield, October 11, 1850, daughter of John A. and Mary A. (Desiiva) Fernandes, both natives of Madeira Island, who were early settlers in Springfield. Mr. Sears and his wife became parents of children as follows: John V., born March 4, 1880; Elsie A., May 17, 1882; Ernest V., May 25, 1886; Al- fred V., August 5, 1887; Rica A., December S, 1889; Sana A., January 27, 1891; Hermenia A., August 9, 1893; Francis V., July 20, 1896. Mr. Sears was a member of the Presbyterian Church and in politics was a stanch Republican. He was a member of the Modern Woodmen of America of Springfield. He had won many friends during his residence in Springfield and was looked upon as an honest, representative . citizen. He was industrious and hard-working,

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and made the most of his opportunities to bet- ter himself.

SEARS, William E .- Springfield has attracted some of the capitalists aud wealthy men of the country, who find there the conditions they hest like. They have all the advantages of a larger city, without the many annoying drawbacks, and are glad to give their support in bettering exist- ing conditions. One of the best known men of this class, and oue who has exerted a vast amount of influence upon the financial life of this part of the State, is William E. Sears. He was horn in Daviess County, Ind., Jnly 15, 1SS1, a son of B. R. and Lucy (Payne) Sears. B. R. Sears is a carpenter and contractor, and he and his wife are among the prominent people of their part of Indiaua. Their lives have been spent In Daviess and Lawrence Conntles, of that State. Willlam E. Sears is a lineal descendant of Gov- ernor George A. Sears, who arrived at James- town in 1680. He became oue of the extensive planters and prominent meu of Virginia, and his descendants are scattered all over the country today.

After receiving an excellent education at Bed- ford, Ind., where be graduated from the high school, and having attended college in Cincinnati, Ohio, Mr. Sears hecame a contractor in wood- work, and made a success of his calling. His attention was early attracted towards mining, and after several profitable Investments, he now owns 10,000 shares of the famous Cactus gold mines, thirty miles east of Goldfield, Nev. He has great faith in the future of this valuable property which is daily being justified, for the mines are proving a bonanza. His residence ls pleasantly located. He is a Republican and a member of the Christian Church. He is nnmar- ried. He is an excellent example of the enter- prising yonng busluess men of Springfield, who are rapidly forging to the front in every walk of life.

SEELEY, Roy M .- None of the learned profes- sions are as exacting as that of the law, and its followers are ever reaching npward and onward to attain higher honors. The keen, ana- lytical mind regnired of the lawyer must be trained hy years of reading and hard study. The man who hopes to follow in the footsteps of the great legal lights of the day must keep himself thoroughly posted on all jurisprudence and be prepared to handle whatever cases come into his hands. The safety of the nation lies In the hands of the lawyers of the age. They enforce the laws and hring the guilty to pun- ishment, as well as clear the innocent. It nsed to he thought necessary that a successful mnan of law must have passed many milestones of life, hut this has changed and some of the most hril- liant legal exponents are in the very prime of life. One of the distinguished lawyers of Springfield is Roy M. Seeley, horn in West Bloomington, Oakland County, Mich., a son of Major H. and Helen (Moore) Seeley. Major

Seeley was born at Novi, Oakland County, Mich., ,May 10, 1843, while his wife was born in West Bloomfield, Oakland Connty, Mich., September 15, 1842, and died at Springfield, Ill., April 12, 1909. Major Seeley was in early Ilfe a farmer, but later was a wool grader and buyer of wool for woolen mllls, living in Michi- gan nntil 1892. At that time the family moved to Illinois, so that the father could become bnyer for the Des Plaines Mills, at Des Plaines, Ill. This latter place remained the family home nntil 1895, wheu removal was made to Spring- field, and there tbe fatber graded wool nntil tbe mills closed. Both the Seeleys and Moores were early settlers of Michigan, coming there from New York State.

Roy M. Seeley grew up in Michigan, attend- ing the schools of his locality and later enter- ing the Northern Illinois College of Law, at Dixon, Ill. He earned the money for his law . course by working as a clerk and in the woolen mills of Columbiaville, Mich .; Sonth Bend, Ind. ; Sbehoygan Falls, Wis .; Lacon, Ill .; and Spring- field, becoming an expert in the mannfacture of woolen cloth, Mr. Seeley was admitted to the Bar October 12, 1900, and has been actively engaged in practice ever since. After gradn- ating from college he eutered the law offices of Palmer, Shntt, Hamill & Lester, and clerked for W. E. Shutt, Referee in Bankruptcy for the Sonthern District of Illinois. This experience has been of inestimable value to him, his asso- ciations with these great men of his professiou. having left their mark on him.

Mr. Seeley is an ardent Republican, and since the time he attained his majority has taken an active part in public affairs. In April, 1905, he was elected on the Republican ticket to fill the office of City Attorney of Springfield, and was reelected to that office in 1907 and again in 1909. He was Secretary of the Sangamon County Bar Association for three years. Fra- ternally he belongs to the Elks, Knights of Pythias, and Capital City Cycling Club, and has held high offices in both lodges. At present he is Past Chancellor of Percival Lodge No. 262, K. P.

Without doubt the highest type of character is displayed by the judicial mind. He who can carefully weigh evidence, separate the nnim- portant from the vital, bring to bear upon it the experience gained throngh the conduct of many similar cases, and present it to the jury according to proper jurisprudence, yet in such a manner as to carry conviction of the truth, Is the trne lawyer. A review of Mr. Seeley's work in the past clearly demonstrates that he belongs to that class of self-made men who, tbrongh their own efforts and perseverance, bave reached the topmost rung of usefulness, and have contributed materially to the welfare of the county, State and Nation.

SELBY, Paul, (Vol. I, p. 474.)

SELF, James M., a well-known citizen of Paw- nee, Ill., who for the past ten years has Identified

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY

himself with the mining Interests of his section, was for a long perlod engaged in agricultural pursults In Saugamon County. He was born October 3, 1852, in Port Conway, Va., a son of John and Mary (Carver) Self, the former of whom was born in King George County, Va., In 1812 and spent his entire Ilfe there, dying in 1863. His wife, who was born In 1824, remalned there for several years after his death, but in 1876 came to Sangamon County, where the re- malnder of her days were spent, her death occurring In 1887 in Cotton Hill Townshlp. Three children were born to this couple : Robert S., born January 1, 1847, marrled Sarah Smith (first) and (second) Maggie Kelsacker, and Ilves in Pawnee, having one child, John; Cor- nelia B., born February 11, 1861, married Louis Curry and lives in Cotton Hill Townshlp, having seven children-Annie, · Mabel, Walter, Lulu, . Ruth, Harry and Louis; and James M., the subject of this sketch.

Mr. Self resided on the home farm until he was twenty-one years of age, at which tinue he went to Washington, D. C., and secured a position as official in an insane asylum. In 1873 he came to Sangamon County, where he started to work on a farm, and continued to' be interested in farming until 1900, in which year he engaged in mining, which has been his occupation from that time to the present. He is connected with the Mine Workers Union, and his . politics are those of the Demo- cratic party, although he usually glves his vote to the Temperance caudidate. He is a devoted member of the Baptist Church, In which he serves as Deacon.

Mr. Self was married (first) in Bear Creek Township, Christian County, Ill., November 20, 1879, to Mariah A. Clark, who was born In Teunessee and died September 29, 1881. In Cot- ton Hill Township. There was one child, Lillian, born to this union, August 5, 1880, who is now residing In Sangamon County and Is unmarried. Mr. Self's second marriage occurred November 26, 1885, when he was united with Rebecca J. Pletz, born October 31, 1848, in Dawson County, Pa., daughter of William E. Pletz, who was born In Pennsylvania May 10, 1807, came to Illinois in 1852 and died in Lincoln, Logan County, 'at the age of one hundred years, having spent his active life at the carpenter's bench. Her mother was Margaret Myers, also a native of Pennsyl- vania, who came to Illinois In 1852 and died in Springfield at the age of fifty-two years. There were children as follows in the Pletz fam- ily : Savilla E. married Lee Jones, of Spring- field. Ill., and has one son, Willie; William, a resident of Taylorville, married Lizzie Blanken- ship, who is now deceased ; Mary A. married Abe Peters, of Brown County, III .; Charles now re- sides in Chicago, Ill .; Barbara E. married Fred Sedoff and now resides in Emden. Ill., and has one child, Clara M .; Emma, married Pete Fogel and now lives in Missourl; Clara. married George Aren and now lives in Chicago; Clara,

Matilda married Charles Kent; George W. and Oswald S., both of whom died in infancy ; and Rebecca J. Mrs. Self was previously married to Willlam Clark, by whom she had one son, Frauk Clark, born in Springfield, Ill., April 18, 1879, married Carrie Beam and has three children: Bessle, Violet and Harry.

While not by any means one of the oldest citi- zens of Pawnee, Mr. Self has a large acquaint- ance and a host of friends in the city who ad- mire hls sterling qualitles of character. He and his wife have a very comfortable home where their friends are welcome, and where they keep two highly treasured articles, a coffee mill and a waffle Iron, which have been in constant use in the famlly for seventy years.

SEMPLE, James A .- The records of Sangamon County show that some of Its representative men are engaged in tilling the soil, and to judge from their present condition they have found such work profitable. One of the prosperous farmers of the county is James A. Semple, of Mechanicsburg Township, who is devoting hls eighty acres of fine farm land to general farm- ing and stock raising. He was born In Calhoun County, Ill., August 10, 1863, a son of Thomas and Decemia (Harper) Semple. natives of the North of Ireland. In either 1847 or 1848, the parents came to the United States, vla the Gulf of Mexico, and up the Mississippi River to St. Louis, where the father did some teaming and worked In a general merchandise store for several years. He then proceeded to Calhoun County, buying land which he developed into a fine farm. This he sold in 1867 to come to Mechanicsburg Township and purchase 170 acres, eighty acres of which was prairie, and the rest timber. He worked on this until hls death, in April, 1893. Hls widow survived him until August 25, 189S. Thelr children were as follows: Ann, Mrs. Stephen Correll, deceased ; Jane, Mrs. Samuel Constant, deceased; Eliza, Mrs. Davld Correll, a widow, of Buffalo; Clark, of Mechanicsburg Township, and James A., who was the youngest.

Mr. Semple llved with his parents until their deaths, when he marrled, on December 2, 1893, Hannah Jackson, born in Posey County, Ind., daughter of Joseph Jackson, of that State. Their children were as follows: Arthur, born March 28, 1895; Ruth, born February 9, 1898; and Joseph, born March 8, 1899. Mrs. Semple died at the birth of her youngest child. On December 1, 1901. Mr. Semple was united in marrlage with Ida Halght. born at Lawrence- vllle, Ind .. December 22, 1872, daughter of William L. and Margaret (Stanton) Halght, the former born at Cranford. Canada, in 1838, and the latter at Marshville, Wls., in 1848. The spring following his second marriage, Mr. Semple moved to Dawson, where he rented land for a year. at the same time renting the elghty acres of the homestead which was his share of his parents' estate. In 1903. however, he moved back to this farm, which he now oper-

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ates, also breeding short horn cattle, hogs and road and draft horses.

While his educational advantages were con- fined to the common schools, Mr. Semple has made good use of his opportunities and is well informed. In political faith he is a Republican and he has given the people of his district efficient service as School Director for a period of two years. Since young manhood he has been a conscientious member of the Methodist Church, giving it a liberal support in both time and money. He and his wife are very hospit- abie, making their friends feel welcome when- ever they enter the Semple home, and they have friends both in their neighborhood and at Daw- son, who appreciate their many excellent traits of character.

The work a farmer accomplishes is not always understood. Each forward movement means. an advancement in his calling and the standard of the neighborhood, so that all good citizens of Sangamon County ought to be inter- ested in the progress made by their practical farmers, among whom Mr. Semple occupies a prominent place. Both his parents and those of Mrs .. Semple bore their part in the develop- ment of the communities in which they lived, and left to their children habits of industry and thrift, as well as spotless names to be handed down to posterity.

. SEVIER, John W., for the past seven years re- tired from active life and residing in his com- fortable home at 2012 South Fourteenth Street, Springfield, Iil., is a man of sterling character and good habits, and is well and favorably known in the neighborhood of his home. He was born in New Salem, Pike County. Iii., July 10, 1850, son of Valentine and Martha (Wool- ams) Sevier, the father born in South Carolina in 1829, and the mother in Illinois, in 1833. The father of Valentine, John Sevier, was born in Scotland and was an early settler in North Carolina, went thence to Tennessee and was the first Governor of that State. He died in Birm- ingham, Ala. Valentine Sevier went from North Carolina to Tennessee with his father, and later located in Illinois. He learned the trade of wheelwright and after settling in Iilinois for several years ran a stage line from Griggsvilie and Perry to Naples, Ill. He now lives in Champaign, Ili .. but his wife died about five years ago.

John W. Sevier passed his childhood on a farm in Brown County. Ill., and upon leaving home became employed as a fireman on the old I. B. & W. Railroad. now a part of the Big Four system. He left Illinois and worked in Colora- do, where he found employment on the construc- tion work of the Rio Grande Railroad, whichi was being completed from Denver to Mexico. and was thus occupied three years; then (in 1873), moved to Louisville, Ky., where for five years, he was engaged in railroad work. In 1878, Mr. Sevier located in Nashville. Tenn., and in 1882, came to Illinois and entered the

empioy of the Wabash, Railroad Company, worked a short time for them and the Illinois Central Railroad Company, as engineer. About 1883, Mr. Sevier purchased a farm in Tennes- see, and carried it on successfully several years, then came back to Illinois and settled in Spring- field, where he has since resided, retired from active life. He has occupied his present home, which he owns, for the past seven years. He is weli known in railroad circles and has many personal friends. He is an attendant of the First Methodist Episcopal Church, and frater- nally beiougs to the Yeomen of America, being affiliated with the Order of Railway Conductors and the Order of Railway Brakemen. He has always beeu a strong Republican. Mr. Sevier was ,connected with the building of many rail- roads aud remembers when the Wabash road hauled cars and switched on wooden raiis.

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Historical encyclopedia of Illinois, Volume II, part 2, Part 138

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913 Publication date: 1912 Publisher: Chicago, Munsell Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 774

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Chicago, Munsell Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 774