USA > Illinois > Cass County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Cass County, Volume II > Part 49
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The Clifford family are members of the Meth- odist Episcopal church. Miss Nellie is active in Sunday school work and Mrs. Clifford has long been a worker in the societies of the church : also she is one of the stanchest members of the Women's Christian Temperance Union. Mr. Clifford has always taken an active and energetic part in the history of his times. He and Mrs. Clifford are still living on the same street in Virginia where they started housekeeping. but in their second home, where they continue - to enjoy the confidence and esteem of their fellow townsmen,
COIL, Albert Stout, one of the dominant factors in politics in Cass County, and a dealer in realty on an extensive scale, is one of the representa- tive men who have established and imaintained
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the prestige of Beardstown. He was born in Lincoln County, Mo., October 24, 1860, a son of Jacob Y. and Victoria O. (Young) Coil, natives of Kentucky and Ohio. The grandfather went to Ohio in young manhood and died when his son, Jacob Y., was a child. The grandmother married (second) a man named Hall, in Mis- sonri. Jacob Y. Coil and his wife were mar- ried in Ohio, and then went down the Ohio River, and up the Mississippi to Lincoln County, Mo., settling on a farm, where he died in 1872. In the following year the mother and her six children moved to Adrian County, Mo., and located on a farm.
In 1877 Albert S. Coil came to Pike County, Ill., and worked first in a livery stable and drove a stage for a year, after which he was employed in a flour mill. In 1880 he reached Virginia, Ill., and started as an apprentice to the printing trade. On February 16, 1SSS, he moved to Beardstown and bought the Enter- prise printing establishment, but in December, 1894, sold a half interest to Charles A. Schoffer, they remaining together until January, 1914. They issued a weekly paper until 1893, when it was made a tri-weekly, and in March, 1901, a, morning daily, which they published until Jan- uary 3, 1914. On that date the Enterprise and Illinoisan-Star offices were consolidated. The morning Enterprise and weekly Star were dis- continued but the Evening Star and weekly Enterprise were continued. Mr. Coil in the meantime had been dealing in real estate, and his business along this line assumed such pro- portions that in 1914 he found it expedient to withdraw from the newspaper, and devote all of his attention to real estate. He has been very active in politics. In 1893 he was ap- pointed postmaster of Beardstown, by Presi- - dent Cleveland, and acted as such until 1897. In 1899 he was elected county assessor and treasurer, and held these offices for four years. Since 1903 he has served as a member of the . board of education, and has always been an active worker in Democratic circles. He has been a delegate to nearly all of the Cass County Democratic conventions, as well as others for many years. Fraternally he belongs to the Knights of Pythias, Modern Woodmen of Amer- ica, Court of Honor, and Independent Order of Foresters.
In August, 1880, Mr. Coil was married to Dora Brandom, a native of Indianapolis, Ind., who died in 1894. Their children were : Mable, who is Mrs. C. F. Noeker of Virginia, Ill .; Grace, who is Mrs. Richard R. Jokisch, of Bluff Springs, Ill. ; Arthur L., who is of Beardstown; Harry ; Bessie, who is Mrs. George Colvin, Mr. Colvin being a grocer of Beardstown; Ruth. who died at the age of seventeen years; and Verna, who is Mrs. Martin B. Sands of Spring- field, Ill. Mr. Coil married (second) Mable C. Eggleston of Lake Charles, La., born in New York state, a daughter of Col. J. W. Eggleston, who now resides at Shreveport, La. Their two children are: Alberta, aged six years, and Dor- othy, aged five years.
CONDIT, Thomas Knowles, cashier of the First National Bank of Beardstown, Ill., is widely known over the state, not only for his financial knowledge and conservatism, but because of the efficiency with which he has fulfilled the duties of responsible public positions to which he has been appointed at different times. He was born at Winchester, Scott County, Ill., February 11, 1856, a son of William and Margaret ( Knowles) Condit. William Condit was born at Orange, N. J., and married Margaret Knowles, who was born af Seaford, Del. She died March 30, 1872, having come to Scott County with her mother and sisters after her father. Dr. Knowles, died in Delaware. The children of William Condit and wife were: Henry F., of Kansas City, Mo. ; Thomas K. : Charles H., a banker of Winchester, Ill .; William F., in the clothing business at Astoria, Ill .; Joseph V., who died in 1907; Car- rie, who is Mrs. II. C. Worcester, of Roodhouse, Ill. : and Margaret, who is Mrs. W. C. Kechler, of Winchester.
The Condit family is an old one in the United States, the first of the name being found at Newark, N. J., in 1678, and Moses Condit, five generations removed from Thomas Knowles Condit, was an officer in the Revolutionary war. Grandfather William Condit was born at Orange, N. J., in 1800, where he became a hat manufacturer. In 1844 his plant was burned, throwing his employes out of work. In 1845 his son William and a relative, Henry Stryker, came to Jacksonville, Ill., and shortly after- ward to Winchester, where he was engaged in hat manufacturing from 1848 until 1872, when he added gents' furnishing goods and continued in the business until 1893, when he retired and died in 1896. He was appointed postmaster of Winchester early in 1862 and served twelve years; was collector of internal revenue from 1860 until 1872, when the office was consolidated with the Quincy district, and in 1894 was elected treasurer of Scott County.
Thomas Knowles Condit attended school until fourteen years of age, when he began clerking in a dry goods store af Winchester and received $50 for his first six months' work. He continued clerical work until 1873, when he went to Chi- cago and took a course of three months in hook- keeping at the Bryant and Stratton Business college and was credited with completing the course in a shorter time than had any other pupil of that old institution. Mr. Condit then accepted a position in the distributing room of the Chicago Times, taking charge of the mailing list of the country subscribers. Some weeks later he was employed as bookkeeper by the First National Bank of Winchester, working as such from April 1. 1874, until November 4. 1874. when he came to Beardstown. Ilore he was made cashier of the private bank of Skillings, Carter & Arenz, which position he held until April. 1877. when the bank was reorganized as the Peoples State Bank, Mr. Condit being one of the organizers, and became cashier and con- tinued as such until February 17. 1SS7, when this bank was merged into the First National
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Bank with a capital of $50,000. The officers were : J. H. Harris, president ; J. H. Hagener, vice president ; Thomas K. Condit, cashier. In 1893 the capital stock was increased to $80,000; in 1903 to $100,000 and it is working with this capital, with a surplus of $125.000 and undi- vided profits of $10,000. There have been some changes in the offices of president and vice president. in 1890 Mr. Shultz becoming vice president and president in 1900, with A. E. Schmoedt vice president. Mr. Condit has con- tinued cashier, while his eldest son, Floyd M. Condit. who has been associated with the bank since 1899, is assistant cashier. The latter mar- ried Edith Smith, in 1902, and they have three children : Harriet, Mary Lonise and Edith Elizabeth.
On February 22, 1877, Thomas K. Condit was married to Harriet S. Dutch, who was born at Beardstown and died April 13. 1902. Her par- ents were John R. and Alice (Thompson) Dutch, the former born at Cape Girardeau, Mo., and the latter in England. To this marriage the following children were born: Floyd M., born February 24, 187S; J. Sidney, born December 31, 1881; and Richard L., born February 17, 1886, died May 19, 1SSS. The second son, J. Sidney, has been connected with the Chicago law firm of Winston, Payne, Strawn & Shaw, since 1905, and is a gradnate of the Beardstown High school, the Illinois University at Urbana and the Harvard Law school. On October 15, 1903. Thomas K. Condit was married to Ethel Ayers, at Pasadena, Cal., who was born at Rush- ville. Ill., a daughter of Dr. Mortimer and Dora (Hill) Ayers. The father of Mrs. Condit was a practicing physician at Pasadena for seven years previous to his death. in 1902. Mr. and Mrs. Condit have one son, Thomas Ayers, born August 6, 1905.
In politics Mr. Condit is a Republican. He served as a member of the city council for three years and during that time was instrumental in securing the building of the first wagon bridge, and has been alert, helpful and public- spirited concerning many enterprises which have brought credit to the city. He organized the Mutual Loan and Savings Association, and has been its secretary since 1893. He was con- nected with the Beardstown Electric Light and Power Company and it was largely through his efforts that the company received its franchise from the city in 1903, and lie was a stockholder until 1913. when the plant was sold to the Pub- lic Service Company. He served as deputy in- ternal revenue collector of Beardstown at the request of Ilon. John A. Logan. Mr. Condit's prominence secured his appointment as a inemi- her of the World's Fair Commission. and he also served during the exposition at St. Louis. and by Governor Deneen was appointed a mem- ber of the Internal Improvement Commission of the State of Illinois and made the trip on the steamer, Illinois. with the other members of that body. At St. Louis they were joined by President Taft and party and they all went on to New Orleans where the Deep Waterway con-
vention was held, the deliberations of this rep- resentative body being matters of history. Mr. Condit was interested in the erection of the present home of the First National Bank, which was completed January 1. 1913. It is a build- ing of modern construction and exemplifies every new design in bank building, having a complete vanlt system and safety deposit boxes, absolutely fire and burglar proof, not excelled in the state. Mr. Condit is affiliated fraternally with the Elks and the Knights of Pythias. He early united with the Methodist Episcopal church and from 1867 until 1875 held his mem- bership at Winchester, when he transferred to Beardstown. For two years he served as super- intendent of the Sunday school and has been president of the board of trustees since 1904 and gave assistance to Reverend Waldron in the raising of $15,000 to build the church in 18$9.
CONOVER, George .- The personal history of George Conover. of Virginia, is a very inter- esting and instructive one for it proves that few things are impossible to the man who ntil- izes his natural ability and is not afraid to stand firm in his convictions. Mr. Conover comes of a very old family, one with historic records, and was born one-half mile west of old Princeton, Cass County, September 11, 1846, a son of Levi and Phoebe Ann (Rosenberger) Conover.
The first of the family to come to America was Wolfort Gerretse Van Convenhoven, as the name was then spelled. he being a native of Holland. Arriving at New York City, or New Amsterdam as it was then called, in 1630. the pioneer ancestor lived there and managed the affairs of a fellow countryman of large means. The estate upon which he worked is now in the very heart of the metropolis of the United States. Gerrett Wolfertse Van Convenhoven, son of Wolfort Gerretse. born in Holland in 1610. came to America with his father in 1630. He was one of the eight men representing the people who. November 3. 1643. memorialized the States General for relief in consequence of their forlorn and defenseless condition, as per page 139 of Vol. 1 of documents of Colonial History of New York. William Gerretse Van Conven- hoven, a grandson of Wolfort Gerretse, sold his property in New York in 1709 and moved to Monmouth County. New Jersey. John Wil- liamse. a great-grandson. was born April 6,
1681. and Dominicus. a great-great-grandson, was born in New Jersey about 1724. He was killed by lightning. His five sons were with Gen. Washington in the Revolutionary war, and four of them were granted leave to attend their father's funeral. and thus missed being in the battle of Monmouth. which occurred June 2S. 1778. The name of Van Couvenhoven was trimmed down to Counover previons to 1800 and to Conover by 1830.
Levi. son of Dominicus, a great-great-great- grandson of Wolfert Gerretse. being one of the five brothers mentioned above, was born Octo-
Eng by 5 G Withams & Bro NY
William J. Sice
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ber 10, 1757, in or near Monmouth, New Jer- sey. He moved to Kentucky about 1790, settled near Lexington, but afterward moved to Colum- bia, Adair County, Ky. He entered land there, 400 acres three miles east of Columbia, Feb- ruary 3, 1896, land entry No. 401. His near relatives entered the same day 3,200 acres more. Levi Conover, the father of George Conover, was a son of the Levi named above, and was
born near Columbia, Ky., January 14, 180S. Levi Conover, father of George Conover, came to Cass County from Columbia, Adair County, Ky., and his brother Peter came prior to him, taking up government land two miles south of Princeton, Cass Co., Ill. It was through the representations of this brother, that Levi Con- over left his Kentucky home for one in Illinois, the trip being made according to pioneer meth- ods in a covered wagon.
This Levi Conover was twice married, his first wife being Elizabeth Petefish, a sister of the founder of the Petefish, Skiles & Co., bank at Virginia, Ill. When he started from Ken- tucky he owned a horse and colt, but these were stolen from him while on the way, so upon his arrival here he went to work splitting rails for fifty cents per hundred. By his first marriage he had one child, but both it and the mother died at its birth. He then went to Iowa and bought 500 acres of land and with a part- ner built a log house and there he suffered all the privations incident to pioneering at that time and in that locality. His second wife, Phoebe Ann Rosenberger, the mother of George Conover, bore him five children, namely : Mary Jane, who died at the age of eighteen years ; Martha Ann, who became Mrs. Oswald Skiles and the mother of Lee Skiles; Matilda Ellen, who became Mrs. William Epler, lives at Lake Charles, La .; George and Charles Wesley. The latter owns the old home place, but lives at Ash- land, Ill. Peter Conover, brother of Levi Con- over, entered the land on which George Con- over was born. Levi Conover bought it in 1841.
Brought up upon a farm, George Conover's first educational advantages were obtained in the district schools, later the Wesleyan University at Bloomington, Ill., and the Bryant & Stratton Business College of Chicago. On coming back to the farm he began raising stock and so con- tinued to work until he was thirty years old. At that time, deciding upon a wider career, he moved to Virginia, Ill., and became a partner of the Petefish, Skiles & Co., private bankers, in March, 1876, and was at once installed as bookkeeper. For eight years he served the bank faithfully in that capacity, and then bought the interest of Mr. Oliver, who managed the bank. Mr. Conover then became manager and so continued until the private bank was incorporated in 1903, he being one of the incor- porators, and was elected its president. After serving two years, Mr. Conover was succeeded by his brother-in-law, Mr. Skiles, who, with his associates, was owner of three banks in the county. In 1SS1 they started the Skiles. Rea- rick & Company private bank at Ashland, and
in 1SS2 bought the Chandler bank in Chandler- ville, and organized a private bank under the title of Petefish, Skiles & Mertz. Later, or in 1904, they took out a charter under the title of the State Bank of Chandlerville and Mr. Con- over has been president of this bank since its organization. Mr. Conover is also interested in the State Bank at Buffalo, Ill .; the Calcasieu Trust & Savings Bank at Lake Charles, La., and the private bank of Conover & Co., at Kil- bourne, Ill. Mr. Conover and family are mem- bers of the Presbyterian church.
On February 23, 1871, Mr. Conover was mar- ried to Virginia Bone, a daughter of William and Farinda P. (Osborn) Bone. Mrs. Conover was born in the Rock Creek neighborhood in Menard County, Ill. Four children have been born of this marriage, namely : William Bone, who is of New Orleans, La. ; Ernest Bone, who is of Springfield; George Bone, who is cashier of the bank at Buffalo, Ill. ; and Virginia Louise, who is at home.
George Conover's father gave him a half sec- tion of land two miles southeast of Virginia, that at that time was nothing more than a frog pond, but after doing a great deal of hard work, he has brought it into a fine state of cultivation, and it is now very valuable. Mr. Conover still owns this property, and is naturally proud of what he has developed from what was once considered worthless land.
COOKE, Hon. John Joseph .- Cass County has her full share of able lawyers, and among these are some who have made such effective use of their talents and opportunities as to elevate themselves to positions of prominence, and through the honorable distinction achieved by long and earnest effort, they reflect a high de- gree of credit npon the community in which they live. Conspicuous among these and worthy of signal mention is Judge John Joseph Cooke, whose voice and presence are familiar to the bar and general public.
John Joseph Cooke was born at Aurora, Ill., . June 4, 1874. When three years old he was brought by his parents to Beardstown where he later attended the public schools, and still later was graduated from the high school, in the class of 1801. In 1892 he began attending the University of Notre Dame, from the law depart- ment of which he was graduated in 1894. In 1895 he was admitted to the bar, having been employed since June. 1894, in a law office in Chicago, where he continued until December, 1807. At this time he established himself in the practice of law in Beardstown, and has be- come one of the foremost men in his profession. Judge Cooke is a son of Michael and Catherine Cooke, his father being a native of Queens Connty, Ireland. who came to America in 1853, and was married in Amora. He and his wife had nine children, four of whom are still living, John Joseph being the second in order of birth. The father was a foreman in the railroad shops in Beardstown from 1877 until January, 1911, when he passed away, and was laid to rest in
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the Beardstown cemetery. He was a man of intelligence, skill and energy and had many friends. The mother of Judge Cooke, a native of Queenstown, Ireland, and a much respected lady, died in Beardstown November 1, 1914.
Politically Judge Cooke is a Democrat. In 1899 he was elected city attorney of Beards- town, being chosen a member of the Illinois legislature in 1904, and serving one term in the Forty-fourth General Assembly. When the Beardstown City Court was established in June, 1911, John Joseph Cooke was elected the first judge of the newly created tribunal, an office which he still fills. In April, 1913, a Connty Bar Association was organized in Cass County, of which Judge Cooke was chosen the first presi- dent, which office he is holding at the present time.
CRAMER, Engelbert, who is a landowirer with extensive holdings, not only in Cass County but elsewhere, is ranked among the substantial men of this locality. He was born at Beardstown, Ill .. November 7. 1856. a son of Jacob H. and Charlotta (Trompe) Cramer, natives of Han- over, and of Prussia. Germany. They met in the United States at St. Louis, Mo., where they married. The father was a cabinet-maker and contractor, and in 1854, he came to Beardstown where he bought property and followed his trade in that city until his death about 1871.
Engelbert Cramer attended the public schools of Beardstown, and remained with his parents until fourteen years old, when he began work- ing on tarms and so continued nntil twenty-one years old. At that time he rented land, but within eight years bought his first sixty acres, to which he has added until he has 260 acres in Cass County. He also owns 160 acres in Kingfisher County, Okla., which he rents, but he operates his Cass County property himself, doing general farming and stock raising.
In 1877 he married Paulina MI. Hackman, who was born in Cass County, Ill., and died November 26, 1910. She was a danghter of John H. and Louisa (Jockisch) Hackman, he born in Hanover, Germany, and she in Cass County, Ill. Mr. and Mrs. Cramer had the fol- lowing children : Louisa, who married William MI. Carls, of Cass County; Jacob H., who is of Virginia, Ill .; J. W., who is in the United States navy, being on the U. S. S. New York ; Engelbert, who is at home; Henry, who died in infancy ; and Ada, who married Raymond Rhineberger, is deceased. Mr. Cramer served as school trustee and director, and as road com- missioner, and was the first constable of Bluff Springs Precinct. He belongs to and is a char- ter member of Bluff Springs Lodge No. 1459, the Modern Woodmen of America, and was one of its organizers. He has always taken much interest in the order and not only has held the offices of adviser, banker and manager, but he was a member of the building committee when the new hall was erected.
CRAMER, Jacob H .- Every line of business gives openings for intelligent men if they are willing to devote to it care and attention. Cass County is an agricultural community, and Virginia is the natural shipping point for a wide territory, so that through the business men of this city pass many of the commodities raised in the out- lying regions. Jacob H. Cramer has for years conducted a large business handling horses and mules, generally keeping about twenty head. In connection with this line he buys and sells, and is one of the heavy dealers of this section. Mr. Cramer also handles farm machinery, wagons and buggies, and condnets a first class livery, owning twelve head of horses, and is prepared to do either light or heavy hanling.
The birth of Mr. Cramer occurred at Bluff Springs, 111 .. Angust 31, 1880, he being a son of Englebert and Pauline (Hackman) Cramer. While growing up on his father's farm he at- tended the local schools and those of Girard, Ill. For the three years following the comple- tion of his studies Mr. Cramer was engaged in farming, and then coming to Virginia he bought the livery business owned by Bergen & Crum, and has continued to conduct it ever since, branching out as above stated.
On November S, 1906. Mr. Cramer was married at Virginia to Margaret Winklehake, a daughter of Henry and Minnie (Jokisch) Winklehake. Mr. and Mrs. Cramer have had four children, namely : Henry, Hazel, Pauline and Nina Louise. Mr. Cramer is a member of the Red Men, having joined that order after locating at Virginia.
CRAWFORD, James (deceased) .- Among the best known and most prosperous of the early settlers of western Illinois, whose labors con- tributed largely to the productiveness and at- tractiveness of Cass County, were a number, now passed away, whose lives were begin on foreign shores. Conspicuous in this number was James Crawford. a native of County An- trim, Ireland, where his birth took place Sep- tember 28, 1833. Whatever educational train- ing he had was obtained in his home neighbor- hood in boyhood, and in 1853 he set out in an old fashioned sailing vessel for America. Ar- riving in Illinois, he located in the vicinity of Beardstown, Cass County, where he took up 300 acres of government land. On this, in the course of time. by industry and thrift, Mr. Crawford became an extensive stockraiser and feeder, and a heavy livestock shipper. He con- verted this tract, which lay along the Illinois River, into a very valuable farm. During his residence there his parents joined him, and after they came he disposed of his farm and bought another one near Virginia, to which he continually added until he had acquired 540 acres, on which he spent the remainder of his busy and successful life, passing away Sep- tember 14. 1903.
The marriage of James Crawford occurred August 20. 1868, to Jane Elliott, a native of Virginia, Ill., where her birth took place Jnne
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15, 1841. Jane Elliott was a daughter of Thomas and Frances (Chittick) Elliott, her father being a native of County Antrim, Ireland, but her grandparents, David and Mary (Robin- son) Elliott, were natives of Scotland, the ma- ternal grandmother, Nancy Burgiss, being a native of England. Frances Chittick was first married in County Tyrone, Ireland, to John Lindsay, by whom she had one child, Ann. Mr. Lindsay died in Virginia, Ill., where he is buried. Thomas Elliott first married Jennie Kirkpatrick, by whom he had three children, John, Nancy and David, all deceased.
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