USA > Illinois > Cass County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Cass County, Volume II > Part 45
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Charles Beggs was born in Rockingham County, Va., October 30. 1775, and on August 1, 1797, he married Dorothy Trumbo, who died in 1811. She was the mother of the following chil- dren : Elizabeth, born in Jefferson County. Ky .. June 15, 1798; Sarah, born in Clark County. Ind., April 28. 1800: Mary Ann, born in Clark County. Ind .. January 19, 1802 : George W .. born in Clark County. Indiana. November 29. 1SOS ; and Susan and Rebecca, born in Clark County, Indiana, both died in infancy. The second wife of Charles Beggs was Mary Ruddell, born in Rockingham County, Va .. April 28, 1790. and died August 4, 1871. Charles Beggs died Octo- ber 21. 1869, and they were buried in Zion cem- etery in Cass County. They had the following children : Cornelius, born August 16, 1813, died
alfred & Hollich & Clife
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aged thirty-two years and was buried at Smith- land, Ky .; William H., born in Clark County, Indiana, April 20, 1817; James Lemon, born November 11, 1819; Margaret, born in Indiana, December 23, 1821, married Milton Stribling ; Dorothy, born in Clark County, Ind., January 21, 1826, is the widow of Samuel Sinclair, of Springfield, Ill .; Isaac W., born August 31, 1828, died unmarried when aged thirty-one years and was buried in Zion cemetery; John, born as above stated, in Morgan County, Ill .; and .Thomas and Charles, both of whom died in infancy.
Immediately following his first marriage Charles Beggs and wife started on horseback for . Kentucky to find a new home. Their route led up the valley of Virginia and down the valley of the Tennessee and on through Cumberland Gap and over the Boone trail to Jefferson County, Ky., where they determined to establish a per- manent home. He was a farmer and felt that the new country with its opportunities and its congenial climate would entirely come up to his expectations, but he found the practice of slavery a great drawback to his peace of mind and a test of his religious principles. He was a zealous Methodist and could not forget the attitude of the founder of that faith toward slavery. Ste- phen R. Beggs, son of James, formed the first Methodist class.at Fort Dearborn, being one of the pioneer Methodist preachers of Illinois. He died at Plainfield, Ill., aged ninety-three years. James Beggs, brother of Charles Beggs, was a graduate of William and Mary College, Virginia. In 1SOS he was president of the Governor's council in Indiana, and was in the territorial legislature held at Vincennes when a system of black laws, similar to those then in effect in Illinois, was proposed, and when a test vote was taken it was found the body was evenly divided and James Beggs cast his vote against the pro- posed system.
Feeling that he could not rear his children in an atmosphere of slavery, Charles Beggs in 1800 was again a homeseeker. He crossed the river into the territory that later became Indiana and settled in what is now Clark County, on the bank of the Ohio River, where, shortly after- ward, he was joined by his brothers, John and James. Here Charles Beggs followed a quiet, agricultural lite for many years and in 1813, assisted by Abraham Epler, he built a mill and also became a merchant. The time came, how- ever, when his upright character and business ability were so recognized by his friends that lie was obliged to answer their insistent call into public life. Gen. William Henry Harrison was governor of the new territory and Mr. Beggs became a personal friend of that able statesman and was chosen a member of the convention that drafted a new constitution. Some years later they were soldiers together at the battle of Tip- pecanoe, in which Charles Beggs was commander of a division of cavalry. When Mr. Beggs was authorized to find a suitable place for the loca- tion of the county seat of Clark County he decided upon two farms, those of James
McCampbell and Barzilla Baker, upon which, in 180G, Charlestown, named in his honor, was built and continues the county seat: There he estab- lished his store and carried on his other enter- prises including river produce traffic, which proved profitable. For twenty-eight years he lived at Charlestown, educated his large family and gained honor and esteem for his usefulness in public life. In 1829 he once more decided to become a pioneer and the family traveled by wagon to Morgan County, Ill., where he acquired land near Princeton.
Jolin Beggs was born in his father's log cabin in Morgan County, and he remembers that in his boyhood the neighborhood was wild and game was plentiful. He attended the subscription schools and assisted on the home farm. On December 18, 1855, he was married to Sarah Sinclair, born at Jacksonville, Morgan County, Ill., March 16, 1834, daughter of Samuel and Melinda (Bird) Sinclair. Mr. Sinclair was born in Tennessee, July 17, 1808, and died May S, 186S. Mrs. Sinclair was born in Kentucky, July 17, 1810, and died July 30, 1837. The following children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Beggs : Emma, who married Charles Edwin Bregge, was born December 29, 1856, and died August 13, 1901; Anna, who was born July 27, 1858, was married October 18, 18944, to Rev. J. O. Kirkpat- rick, resides at Mt. Sterling, Ill., and they have two children, Myra Annie and John Edwin; Charles Sinclair, who was born May 23. 1860, married Helen C. Putnam, and they have two children, Thomas Putnam and Edwin Upton ; John Thomas, born April 4, 1863, died March 25, 1897; Nellie, born April 6, 1865, died August 12, 1865; Myra, born July 7, 1867, resides with her father ; and Samuel Watson, born December S, 1869, married Minnie Taylor, December 18, 1894, and they live at Crandon, Wis., and have four daughters : Emma Taylor, Dorothy Alta, Jessie Margaret and Minnie Myrtle. The mother of the above family of children, Mrs. John Beggs, died November 19, 1912, and her burial was in the Centenary cemetery.
After marriage John Beggs resided with his parents for one year. In 1857 he moved on a farm he owned in township 17, range 9. The place, looking like a forest, was a wilderness of wild crabapple and plum trees. He secured 240 . acres to which he later added and now has 320 acres of as fine land as can be found in the county, his son Charles S., being his partner in general farming and raising cattle, horses and Poland China hogs, the son having practically everything under his charge in late years. The clearing and improving was done by Mr. Beggs and in 18GO he remodeled the house, making it modern and comfortable. In politics he is a Republican and during many years he served as school director and as school clerk. He is a trustee of the Methodist church of which he has been a member since youth.
BELL, George Harry, one of the most capable and trusted of the locomotive engineers of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad, located
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at Beardstown, was born in California Novem- ber 12, 1S7S, a son of William F. and Maria J. (Simpson) Bell, the former born in Illinois January 31, 1851, and the latter in California. The father was an engineer and butcher, who went to California when nine years old and was married in that state. He lived there for a few years afterward, and then returned to Illi- . nois, locating in Brown Connty.
George Harry Bell was reared in Brown County, Ill., and educated in its public schools. He came to Beardstown as a fireman for the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad, and earned his promotion to engineer by hard work and steady habits. He owns his residence at Beardstown, and stands well in the public es- teem. In politics he is independent. For some years he has been a member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers. Reared in the Meth- odist church, of which his wife is a member, he gives it his support.
On November 23, 1905, Mr. Bell was married at Clayton, Mo., to Elnora M. Briggs, born in Kansas, May 27, 1882. A history of the Briggs family is given in this work. Mr. and Mrs. Bell are the parents of one son, Harvey V., who was born at Beardstown, May 23, 1907. Mr. Bell is a very sociable, kind-hearted man and is not only highly regarded by his employers, but also by his fellow workmen.
BENSON, Cyrus J .- A young man who undoubt- edly enjoys the respect and good will of his neighbors, and of all with whom he has any dealings in business or personal relations, re- sides at Chandlerville, Cass County, Ill., where he carries on farming and stockraising. In addi- tion to grain farming and raising Poland-China hogs, he is engaged in the dairy business. and has considerable patronage in this line. His farm consists of eighty acres of excellent Iand, is sitn- ated in section 35, township 19, range S, and he is known as one of the most industrious and thrifty among the young farmers of his vicinity.
Cyrus J. Benson was born in Menard County, Ill., January 2, 1890, and is a son of John and Etta (Thomas) Benson, the father a native of Wilmington, Del., born in September, 1855, and the mother, born in Menard County, Ill., in Sep- tember, 1864. The occupation of Jolin Benson was that of a farmer and stockraiser. When young he came with his parents to Menard County, Ill., from Delaware, and there was reared, and his wife on a neighboring farm, by her father and mother. Cyrus J. Benson at- tended the district schools in boyhood, and his first occupation after leaving school was work- ing at Petersburg. Ill., as a granite cutter. Later he applied himself to farming, raising stock, and dairying, and through industry and constant application, has become successful.
On July 10, 190S. in Menard County, Ill., Mr. Benson was united in marriage with Miss Rolla Watkins, born June 26, 1SSS, a daughter of Curtis and Delilah ( Olinger) Watkins, the for- mer born in Menard County, Ill., December 21, 1848, and the latter, in Iowa, January 11, 1860.
Mr. and Mrs. Benson have one child, Sherrell Scott Benson, born January 16, 1910.
Mr. Benson is a Republican and is a member of the Episcopal church. He is affiliated with the M. W. A. Camp No. 7666, of Petersburg, and the I. O. O. F., of Chandlerville. He is a man of very pleasant manner, one who seems to live for the betterment of all conditions within the range of his influence.
BERGEN, John J .- The debt Cass County owes the men who so wisely shaped its financial poli- cies during its earlier years, cannot be overes- timated, for upon their judgment, knowledge, experience and integrity was built np much of the present day prosperity of this section. One of the men who bore well his part in this direc- tion is John J. Bergen, now retired, but who, for many years, was associated with the banking life of Virginia. Mr. Bergen was born at Prince- ton, this county, September 5, 1842, a son of Jacob F. and Eliza J. (Montgomery) Bergen, the former of whom was born May 27, 1802, in New Jersey, while his wife was a native of Ken- tncky. They were married in Cass County, Ill. At the time of his death, the father owned 500 acres of land in Cass and Morgan connties. His death occurred at Virginia, where he had con- dncted a general dry goods store for some years after leaving Princeton, where he also had been a merchant. The mother died in Princeton, Ill.
John J. Bergen was educated in the schools of his district, and the Illinois College at Jackson- ville. where he attended for three years. After leaving college, he started into business for him- self at Virginia, then married and after a year or so moved to his farm, two miles south of Virginia. This property of 180 acres had been given him by his father and on it he carried on farming for seven years. He then returned to Virginia and entered as a partner the firm of Stevenson & Bergen, his father and father-in-law, for the purpose of handling a general mercantile business. After several years. he moved to a farm east of Little Indian, this county, during this period being associated with his father in a general merchandise business at Little Indian. Once more he made a change. returning to Vir- ginia, where he and his father carried on a gen- eral merchandise business at the county seat, but in 1894, he sold his interests and in April, 1896, became cashier in the Centennial National Bank. a position he held for eighteen years. In April, 1914, he resigned, although he continues a stockholder in the institution, and is also a stockholder, and secretary and treasurer, of the Little Indian Farmers Grain Elevator Company.
On December 2, 1862. Mr. Bergen was married in Cass County to Sarah C. Stevenson, born in Cass County, a daughter of William and Frances Stevenson. natives of the state of Virginia and of Kentucky, respectively. Mr. and Mrs. Bergen have two daughters, namely: Louisa M .. and Frances E. Mr. Bergen owns forty acres of land near Little Indian, and the family residence at Virginia, while Mrs. Bergen owns a store and eighty acres of land at Little Indian. In religions
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faith, Mr. Bergen is a Presbyterian. Politically he is a Republican, but has not cared for public office. His fraternal connections are with the Masons and Odd Fellows.
BIDDLECOME, Daniel, vice president of the Centennial National Bank of Virginia, is a man of wide and varied experience. He was born in Logan County, Ky., December 17, 1824, a son of John and Elizabeth (Cawby) Biddlecome, natives of Vermont and Tennessee, respectively. John Biddlecome had many pioneer experiences. He went to Kentucky mainly by water, down the Monongahela River to Pittsburgh, Pa., in a skiff, and then on down the Ohio River. Upon his arrival in Kentucky he married Elizabeth Cawby, whom he survived five years. By occu- pation he was a farmer. In 1826 he drove in his one-horse wagon to Cass County, Ill., then Morgan County, iu order to euter eighty acres of land which was in timber and prairie. In the fall of 1830 he located on this property, where he lived until his wife's death. His birth occurred February 29, 1795, and he died in 1870. Their children were: Nancy Ann, who is de- ceased ; Daniel ; Amauda, John, Sarah and Ben- jamin, all of whom are deceased; and Eliza, who is the widow of William Hayes, resides at Imogene, Iowa.
Daniel Biddlecome atteuded a subscription school during three months in the winter sea- sons, and thus gained educational training. His marriage, in 1852, took him away from home to a farm south of Virginia, but in 1856 he bought 240 acres in township 18, range 10, Cass County, which was partly improved. As soon as he took possession of it he began building, and erected his present residence and also a building on the state road. After following farming exclusively for some years, he branched out into stockrais- ing, and bred horses, cattle, hogs and sheep. At one time he owned 480 acres, and still re- tains 240 acres. In addition to his farming activities which he abandoned in 18S4, living since retired, he is a charter member and the vice president of the Centennial National Bank of Virginia, of which he owns fifty shares of stock. For many years he served as a town- ship trustee and a school director, and for forty years has been a ruling elder in the Cumber- land Presbyterian church.
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On October 7, 1852, Mr. Biddlecome married Amanda Frances Moore, born in Sangamon County, Ill., May 17, 1833, a daughter of Joseph and Lydia ( Cooper) Moore. They were mar- ried in Henry County, Iowa, near Mt. Pleasant, by Rev. McDowie of the Methodist church. Mr. and Mrs. Biddlecome have had the following children : Charles L., who died in 1905 ;. John Franklin, who lives in the state of Washington; Henry Horace, who resides at Virginia, Ill .; and Edward A., who is manager of the home farm. They have ten grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
BIERHAUS, Edward W .- In the farming region adjacent to Virginia, Cass County, Ill., and in
the country districts lying beyond, up to the line which marks the boundary of the county, are many well known men engaged in agricultural pursuits, who have been long and prominently known in connection with the progress and wel- fare of the community and who are interrelated with each other by family ties. Among such instances are the Crums, the Taylors, Schalls, Bierhauses and others, whose lives are por- trayed in the chapters of this volume. The work is thus made especially interesting to many whose family records appear herein, by reason of the fact that it contains also lite histories of relatives who have shared with them the credit- able task of promoting the public prosperity. The Bierhaus and Schall families exemplify this rela- tionship.
Edward W. Bierhaus was born in a log house in township 18, range 10, Cass County, Ill., August 17, 18GS, a son of Henry Bierhaus, a sketch of whom may be found elsewhere. Edward was the seventh of nine children and made his home with his parents until his marriage, at- tending the district schools in his early youth, and afterwards working on the paternal farm. On November 10, 1893, Mr. Bierhaus was wedded to Caroline Schall, born in Cass County, Ill., a daughter of Charles and Mary Schall, mentioned in another portion of this volume. Mr. and Mrs. Bierhaus have one son, Earl Edward, born April 28, 1903.
After his marriage Mr. Bierhaus moved to a farm of eighty acres which he bought in town- ship 18, range 11, Cass County. Although the place was improved, he built a new barn and new sheds, corn cribs, etc., besides making other improvements. He is engaged in general farm- ing, and devotes considerable attention to the raising of stock. The family is well liked among their neighbors, and Mr. Bierhaus is looked upon as one of the most industrious and careful of farmers, and one of the most reliable citizens in the community of which he forms a useful part. He belongs to the Cumberland Presbyterian church. In politics, he supports the principles of the Republican party.
BIERHAUS, Henry H .- Among the farmers who have many acquaintances and are generally liked in the vicinity where they live, is the gentleman whose name stands at the head of this personal narrative. Reared in the vicinity of the town of Virginia. 111., where his parents carried on farming for many years, Henry H. Bierhans is known to most of the residents of that section, all of whom commend him as an industrious and thrifty farmer, and a useful and upright member of the community. His parents were of German nativity, possessing those sturdy traits that win success in a farming country, and their record in cultivating the soil after omigrating to their Illinois home, was a creditable heritage to the son, with which to begin his agricultural career.
Ilenry Harry Bierhaus was born February 6, 1864. in township 18, Cass County, Ill., and is a son of Henry and Annie (Foley) Bierhaus, who came from Germany. In his youth Henry at-
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tended the Union district school, and continued to live with his father and mother np to his twenty-second year. Then, for two years, he worked ont, after which he went to McCook. Nebr., and bought a claim, where he remained six months. After returning to Cass County he was taken sick with typhoid fever, which dis- abled him for a year, and after recovery he stayed at home two years longer. Then he bought a farm of 100 acres. three miles north of Virginia, in township 1S, range 10. The place was bnt partly improved, and the present sub- stantial improvements were all made by him. He remodeled the dwelling and put up new buildings, and in 1909 bought forty acres more, near his first purchase, but across the road. Here he carries on general farming, having 105 acres nnder cultivation, and the remainder in pasture and timber. A good deal of his atten- tion is devoted to raising mnles and hogs.
In March, 1895, Mr. Bierhaus was married to Clara Schafer, born in Cass County, Ill., a daughter of Valentine and Mary (Treadway) Schafer, natives of the same county. Mr. and Mrs. Bierhaus have had three children : Neta, who died at the age of three years; Ralph and Helen. The religious connection of Mr. Bierhaus is with the Cumberland Presbyterian church. In politics, he is a Republican and has been a school director for sixteen years, during most of that time serving as clerk. He belongs to the M. W. A. of Virginia, Ill.
BIERHAUS, John M. (deceased), at one time 'one of the leading farmers of Cass County. is remembered by many who were his associates during life. He was born in Nanden. Germany, November 16. 1830. When a young man he came to the United States. and locating at Beards- town, worked among the neighboring farmers by the month for some years. He then pur- chased a farm in Cass County comprising eighty acres, all timber except ten acres, on which there was a log honse, in which all of his family were born. Later, he bought the D. Biddlecomb farm on which Mr. Biddlecomb was born, and still later, bought other property, which made 202 acres in the farm. ' After many years of hard labor he succeeded in clearing up 150 acres. which is now in cultivation. The balance is in pasture and timber. In 1894 he built a large ten-room house near the main road, where he died. August 18, 1901.
Mr. Bierhaus was married to Miss Lisetta Speidel, March S. 1865. by Rev. Rice of the Lutheran church in Arenzville. Ill. Mrs. Bier- haus was born in Hanover, Germany. December 25. 1844, being a daughter of David and Jane Speidel. both of whom died in Germany. Mrs. Bierhans left her native land on a sailing vessel, September 7. 1843. and arrived at New Orleans on December 26 of that same year. She went to St. Louis, Mo., by railroad, and from there on to Jacksonville by stage, and later to Arenz- ville.
Mr. and Mrs. Bierhaus Were members of the German Lutheran church, and for the past
twenty years they were members of the Shiloh Cumberland church, of which they were stannch supporters. They were among the early settlers and passed throngh inany hardships, and were always well thought of in the community. In politics Mr. Bierhaus was a Democrat. The following children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Bierhaus: Carrie. the eldest. was born Febrn- ary 19, 186S. and was married to Lewis Koch, October 11, 1SS6. and four children have blest this nnion, namely. John H., born January 7. 1SSS : Tillie L., born November 22. 1890 : Howard W., born July 21, 1892. and Lewis E., born May 30. 1S9S; John M., the second child, who now rents the home place, was born September 18. 1870; on October 10. 1900. he married Louise Walker, born in Cass Connty, Ill., August 17, 1875, a daughter of Colnmbns and Emma (Angier) Walker, natives of West Virginia and Cass County, respectively, and they have two children. Donald J. C., who was born July 2, 1901, and Lisette J., who was born Jannary 31, 1904; Minnie J., the third child, was born March S. 1874, and died May 11, 1899. She was a devoted Christian, beloved by all who knew her. and was sadly missed by her loved ones. Six other children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Bier- haus, all of whom died in infancy.
BIERHAUS, Milton G .- Although the subject of this sketch is still on the sunny side of middle life, not having reached the meridian of his days, he has long since made his mark among his acquaintances in that portion of Cass County, Ill., where he lives, as an intelligent, enterpris- ing. judicious and successful farmer. Mr. Bier- haus is a native of the county, as is also his wife, whose origin is from one of its early fam- ilies dating back towards the period of pioneer settlement.
On September 17, 1871, occurred the birth of Mr. Bierhaus, and he received his educational training in the district schools of the neigh- borhood. His father and mother. Henry and Elizabeth Bierhaus, were natives of Germany. The former was but seventeen years old when he came to the United States, and after his mar- riage he settled on rented land in the vicinity where his son. Milton G., has since made his home. At a later period, Henry Bierhaus bought an unimproved tract of land, and in the course of time became the owner of a farm of 260 acres. His wife passed away in 1876, and the busy life of her husband came to an end on Jan- uary 5, 1911. Milton G. Bierhaus was the sixth child of the family of nine children. He has always lived on the Bierhaus homestead, and after his school days were over. applied him- self to farming on the place. ultimately buying 180 acres of the estate. Of this he has 110 acres under cultivation, and the remainder is in timber and pasturage. Mr. Bierhaus has been engaged in grain farming. and has devoted a good deal of his attention to stockraising.
On June 11. 1907. Mr. Bierhaus was united in marriage with Addie Fox, who was born in Cass County, and is a danghter of Licurtis L.
I homes & Nollsch and Wife
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and Lucy (Cosner) Fox, also natives of this county, as before mentioned descendants from early settlers.
The Bierhauses are well known and have many friends in the section where they live. In religious connection, Mr. Bierhaus adheres to the Cumberland Presbyterian church, in which . he has officiated as trustee since the year 190S. Since 1898 he has served the public as a school director, and has also acted as clerk of the school board. He belongs to the M. W. A., of Virginia, Ill.
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