USA > Illinois > Cass County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Cass County, Volume II > Part 61
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Mr. Lowden was married October 6, 1SSO, in Cass County, by Rev. Granberry Garner, of the Methodist church, to Bertha Grace Darland, a native of Kentucky. She is a daughter of Strother and Mary (Burton) Darland, both born in Kentucky, and died in Cass County. Mr. and Mrs. Lowden have the following chil- dren : Maude, Mrs. William T. Melvin, of Phil- adelphia, Ill. ; Walter, of Cass County, Ill., married Luella McGoldrich; Mary, Mrs. Na- thaniel- Wright, of the same address; Ola, Mrs. Benjamin Bell, also of Cass County ; and Georgie, at home. In church relationship, Mr. Lowden is a Presbyterian. Politically, he acts with the Democratic party. In 1910 he was elected a county commissioner, and in the fall oť 1913, was re-elected. His fraternal affilia- tions are with the M. W. A. and the I. O. O. F., of the city of Virginia. He is a model farmer, and is considered one of the foremost members of the community in which he lives.
LUCAS, Allen Thurman .- The legal profession has many able exponents in Cass County, but no one lives up more fully to the ethics of his calling than does Allen Thurman Lucas, of Chandlerville, whose name has become a syn- onyin for honorable methods and a high order of ability. He was born six miles east of Chandlerville on the farm of his father, January 16, 1879, a son of William D. and Sarah C. ( Underbrink ) Lucas, the former born near Chandlerville, Ill., March 6, 1851, and the latter born near Alton, Ill., September 19, 1852. The parents are living near Bath, Ill., where the father carries on a real estate and insurance business. The paternal grandfather, William Lucas, was a soldier in the Black Hawk war, while the maternal grandfather, William Un- derbrink, was a soldier for three years in the Civil war, serving in the Union army.
Allen Thurman Lucas attended the Illinois College at Jacksonville, Ill .. and the University of Illinois, and was graduated from the Bloom- ington Law School. June 15, 1906, with the degree of LL. B. He earned the money for his collegiate courses by working on the farm until nineteen years old. and afterward taught school. After his graduation from the law school, Mr. Lucas began the practice of his profession at Virginia. Ill., in November. 1906, but moved to Chandlerville, October 24, 1910. In 190S he was elected state's attorney of Cass County, on the Democratic ticket, and re-elected to the same office in 1912. While in college he represented, with two other students, the State' of Illinois in joint debate against the State of Indiana, at Bloomington, and won the debate. Since he was
nineteen years old, Mr. Lucas has campaigned for his party, and has won an enviable reputa- tion as a speaker. In 1900 he became a member of the Chandlerville lodge of Knights of Pythias ; in 190S he became a member of the Virginia lodge of Modern Woodmen of America; in 1900 he joined the Chandlerville lodge of Court of Honor; in 1912 he became a member of the Virginia Red Men of America, and in 1913, he joined the Chandlerville lodge of Odd Fellows. Mr. Lucas belongs to the Chandlerville Christian church.
On June 15, 1905, Mr. Lucas was married at Springfield, Ill., to Josephine Sarff, a daughter of Abner and Cynthia (Lindsay) Sarff. Mrs. Lucas was born near Chandlerville, Ill., in Mason County, November 10, 1SSS. Mr. and Mrs. Lucas have one daughter, Fae Robertine Lucas, born June 9, 1906. Well versed in the law, brilliant in his capabilities, and a man of unblemished character, Mr. Lucas has a very promising future before him. Already he is recognized as one of the leading men of his party and com- munity, and his fearless course as state's attor- ney has made his name known throughout his section as one who does his duty no matter what the cost may be, or what influences may be brought to bear against him.
LUCAS, Thomas Alva .- Agriculture is one of the oldest occupations. in the world, and will continue to be one of the most important as long as men require foodstuffs. Many of the leading Cass County men are devoting their energies towards supplying the need of the nation for the products of the farm, and among them is Thomas Alva Lucas, of township 17, range 11. He was born near Chandlerville, this connty, September 7, 1885, a son of Thomas and Elsie Lucas, natives of Cass County, the latter of whom died in 1897. The father was a farmer for many years and still owns a rural property seven miles east of Chandlerville, but he now lives retired at Chandlerville.
Thomas Alva Incas was the eighth child in the family of cleven children born to his parents, and was brought up on the farm, and educated at the Oak Grove district school. He remained on his father's farm until his marriage. This occurred May 18. 1903, when he was united with Emma Hofrock, born in Cass County, in Beardstown Precinet, a daughter of Henry and Mary ( Trone) Ilofrock, natives of Germany. Mr. and Mrs. Lucas have had the following children : Harry. Ella, Stella and Floyd.
After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Lucas moved to the farm of 120 acres on which she was born, which is uow owned by then. Mr. Lucas pro- duces large crops of watermelons, has about sixty acros in grain, and. as he raises both cat- tle and hogs, keeps fifty acres for pasturage. In polities he is a Democrat, but has held no official positions. For years he has been a consistent member of the Baptist church of Oak Grove. An intelligent farmer, excellent citizen, and public-spirited man, Mr. Encas is steadily forg- ing ahead and deserves the success which has come to him.
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY
LYLES, Albert R., M. D .- Few members of the medical profession in Cass County have stood higher than Dr. Albert R. Lyles, of Virginia, now one of the leaders among the physicians and surgeons of his locality. He was born in Allen County, Ky., July 10, 1861, a son of Moses M. and Sarah J. (Walker) Lyles, natives of Allen County, Ky., where they died, The paternal great-grandfather was a native of the state of Virginia. Like many of southern birth, Dr. Lyles is very proud of his family history, and takes an interest in historical matters to the extent of belonging to the Illinois State His- torical Society.
The Lyles family is probably of Norman ex- traction, and of the Landed Gentry of England. The lineage of the family branch of which Doctor Lyles is a member, traces back to Edmund Lyles, Esq., of Wilbraham, Cambridgeshire, England, who was Sewer to Edward VI, Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth and King James I of England.
Albert R. Lyles attended the public schools and academy of his native place, following which he was a school teacher for three terms. He then engaged in a mercantile business in Coles County, Ill., for three years, but not desiring to confine himself to a business life, he sold his in- terests and began studying medicine, being grad- uated in 1890 from the College of Physicians and Surgeons at St. Louis, Mo. Following the secur- ing of his degree, Dr. Lyles began practicing, first in Coles County, but later at Beardstown, and after six years there, came to Virginia, where he has become one of the leading citizens. Keeping fully abreast of the times, Dr. Lyles belongs to the Cass County Medical Society, the Illinois State Medical Society and the American Medical Association, and was first president of the first named body, which he is now serving as treasurer, Dr. T. G. Charles of Beardstown, being the present secretary.
Dr. Lyles is a member of the A. F. & A. M., the K. of P., and the Modern Woodmen of America, and is the medical examiner of the last named order. The Presbyterian church holds his membership, and benefits by his sage advice and generous donations. Not only has Dr. Lyles been prominent in his profession and in fraternal matters, but he served Virginia for two years as mayor, being elected in 1901.
The marriage of Dr. Lyles occurred in Cass County when he was united with Stella L. Pendleton, a daughter of Arthur M. and Hester (Hewitt) Pendleton. Mrs. Lyles is a member of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Springfield (Illinois) Chapter. Her great-great-grandfather, Colonel James Pendleton, Jr., of Culpeper County, Va., was for many years a representative of Culpeper County in the House of Burgesses and the State Legislature under the Commonwealth ; a colonel in the Continental army, and also for many years a vestryman and warden of St. Mark's Parish, Virginia. He was of the eighth genera- tion in line of direct descent from George Pendle- ton, Esq., of the town of Pendleton, Lancashire, England, where the family was well known in
public life during the reign of Henry VIII. Dr. and Mrs. Lyles have two children : Miriam Eunice, and Pauline Lavinia, both of whom are attending the Virginia public schools.
LYNN, Charles C .- Among the well known agri- culturists whose labors have contributed to the prosperity and general welfare of Cass County, Ill., no list would be complete without mention of the subject of the following biographical nar- rative, whose residence address is Chandlerville, Ill., R. F. D. No. 1. Charles C. Lynn, whose name furnishes the caption hereot, is the owner of 140 acres of very desirable land in this county, situated in section 25, township 19, range 9. On this he successfully conducts gen- eral farming operations, and devotes a portion of his time to the raising of stock, in which also he has met with success. Mr. Lynn is a native of Cass County, where his birth occurred Octo- ber 25, 1855. His father, who also carried on farming, was John A. Lynn, born in Sangamon County, Ill., and his mother was Elizabeth (Hickey) Lynn, a native of Cass County, Ill.
In early youth Charles C. Lynn went to the public school, where he received a fair, practical education, after which he continued for a time to be of service to his father on the parental farm. The marriage of Mr. Lynn took place in Cass County, Ill., on March 13, 1875, on which date he was united to Miss Mary E. Wilcox, whose birth occurred in Mason County, Ill., March 3, 1853. Her father was Samuel Wilcox, a Kentuckian by nativity, while her mother's name was Rachael (Rodger) Wilcox, born in Illinois. Their children, eight in number, are as follows: George O., born March 18, 1876; Samuel F .. born March 14, 1877; Bertha Bell, born May 15, 1SS0; Martha Jane, born March 22, 1882; Robert P., born March 24, 1SS7 ; Ells- worth P., born July 25, 1SS9; Hattie Beulah, born March 7, 1892; and John C., born March 13, 1894.
Mr. Lynn has never taken any active interest in politics and never had a craving for office. He is, however, a steadfast Republican on national questions. He has not connected him- self with any religious denomination, but his wife is an adherent of the Baptist church, which those of the family who are at home attend. He is a quiet and deliberate man, and might be properly described as easy going in manner, though firm in character.
LYNN, Joseph C., a prosperous grain farmer and stockraiser of township 19, range S, resides on 240 acres of fine land on section 20. He was born in Cass County, Ill., March 28, 1873, a son of T. T. Lynn, born in Sangamon County, Ill., December 15, 1830, and his wife Letitia (Hickey) Lynn, born in Menard County, April 7, 1832.
'T. T. Lynn, a well known farmer and stock- raiser, is a son of the man who introduced shorthorn cattle into Cass County. A pioneer of the region, the grandfather of Joseph C. Lynn, came here in the spring of 1831, from the vicin-
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William B. Dlithings
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY
ity of Pleasant Plains, Sangamon County, Ill. The grandmother came to Illinois, from Ten- nessee, in 1831 accompanying her husband to Cass County, the trip being made in a covered wagon, she riding a portion of the way on horseback. T. T. Lynn accumulated all but 125 acres of his immense estate after coming to Cass County. He saw some very high water in 1844, and had many interesting and unusual experiences in those early days. He broke prairie land with six-head of oxen drawing his plow which was first made with a wood mold- board, but later he used a rod moldboard. At the time of the family settlement in the county, there were plenty of deer, turkeys and wolves. After the arrival of the family in Cass County they lived in a log house built on 167 acres of land, but the holdings now amount to 965 acres in Cass County and 160 acres in Mason County. Mrs. T. T. Lynn died January 14, 1893, and was buried in the Hickey cemetery. The children of T. T. and Letitia Lynn were: Francis, de- ceased, buried in Hickey cemetery ; and John C., Letitia, Sally A., James W., Timothy T., Jr., Mary B. and Joseph C.
Joseph C. Lynn was educated in the schools of his neighborhood, and learned farming in his boyhood and has followed that vocation all of his mature years. He is now living on 240 acres of the estate, the original homestead. He belongs to Chandlerville Lodge No. 724, A. F. & A. M., and DeWitt .Chapter No. 119, R. A. M. For some years the Oakford Methodist church has held his membership. In politics he is a Republican.
On March 29, 1894, Mr. Lynn was married in Cass County, to Jennie E. Smith, born in Mor- gan County, Ill., September 5, 1870, a daughter of Isaac Smith. Mr. and Mrs. Lynn have had the following children : Joseph V., born Feb- ruary S, 1895; Letitia, born August 14, 1896; Stanley C., born March 29, 189S; Harold W., born September S, 1899; Marion D., born Feb- ruary 26, 1904; Richard N., born February 19, 1907; Ruth E., born November 29, 1909; and Marjorie E., born June 6, 1902, died August 29, 1903, buried in Hickey cemetery.
LYNN, J. W. (Billy), a progressive farmer, stock raiser and breeder, is setting an excellent ex- ample to other agriculturalists of Cass County on his 200 acres of land, in section 29, township 19, range S. He was born in Cass County, Octo- ber 30, 1865, a son of T. T. and Letitia (Hickey ) Lynn, the former born in Sangamon County, Ill., December 15, 1830, and the latter in Cass County, Ill., April 7, 1832. The father was a farmer and stockraiser. His life is treated of at length elsewhere in this work.
J. W. (Billy) Linn was educated in the schools of his district, and was brought up on a farm. His 200 acres are named the Shick- Shack farm after a tribe of Indians that used to camp on the site of his residence. They obtained their water from the spring that now supplies the Lynns with water for family use as well as for the stock. Mr. Lynn is interested
in breeding blooded stock, and this line of en- deavor has been followed by members of this family for several generations, his grandfather having been the first to introduce shorthorn cattle into Cass County. In politics Mr. Lynn is a Republican and has served as a school trustee and county central committeeman, and for twenty years has been a judge of election. He belongs to Chandlerville Lodge No. 724, A. F. & A. M., which he has served as master ; DeWitt Chapter, R. A. M. No. 119; and for the last eight years has been a member of St. Aldemar Commandery No. 47, K. T., of Petersburg. Both Mr. and Mrs. Lynn are members of the Eastern Star. In religious faith the family are Meth- odists.
On October 1, 1891, Mr. Lynn was married by Rev. R. D. Miller, near Athens, Ill., in Menard County, to Luella May Worth, born March 20, 1869, in Menard County, a daughter of Edmond and Lucinda (Turner) Worth. Mr. and Mrs. Lynn have had the following children: Anna Irene, born July . 11, 1892, married Miles F. Lounsberry, and they have a daughter, Dorothy May; Russell Moore, born October 28, 1896; Abbie Adell, born June 2, 1901; Letitia May, born December 30, 1903; William Worth, born September 28, 1906; and Zeta Josephine, born July 15, 190S.
LYNN, Robert T .- With some of the farms of western Illinois are connected family names which have been familiarly associated with their ownership and operation since an early period in the settlement of the state. Among these is the one situated in the vicinity of Oakford, Cass County, which lies in section 29, township 19, range S, and is the property of Robert T. Lynn. On this three successive generations of the same kindred have lived and prospered. Here was the home of William P. Lynn, father of the present owner, born in Cass County, Ill., Feb- ruary 17, 1835, the maiden name of whose wife, a native of Ohio, was Nancy Clark. In the early days of Robert Lynn's father, wild animals were abundant throughout this entire region, and on the prairies were numbers of wolves, deer, wild turkeys, etc. Game was plentiful, and hunting was a common sport. William P. Lynn followed farming here during his active life.
Robert T. Lynn was born in Cass County, Ill., September 6, 1867. In boyhood he attended the country schools and afterwards devoted his time to the assistance of his father in the work of the farm, which is composed of 306 acres, 240 acres being tillable and 66 acres yet in pasture and timber. On December 20, 1SSS, Robert T. Lynn was united in marriage with Rosa M. Mcauley, whose birth took place in Cass County, Ill., August 31, 1870. Her father was William H. Mcauley, a native of Scotland, where he was born November 15, 1803, and her mother was Mary E. Pickard, born in Nashville, Tennessee. January 31, 1845. The children of R. T. Lynn and wife are four in number, born in the fol- lowing order : Elbridge L., August S, 1892; Or-
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY
lando E., June 15, 1894; Kenneth W., April 10, 1899; and Nevins R., May 31, 1908.
Politically Robert T. Lynn is connected with the Republican party. He has served as school director for nine years, and as commissioner of Levee District of Middle Creek, No. 2 since 1903. Fraternally he is affiliated with the Court of Honor, and in religious belief he adheres to the faith of the Methodist church. Mr. Lynn is a man of fine traits of character, and affable in his intercourse with all his neighbors. His amiable temper and pleasant disposition make him an agreeable associate wherever his ac- quaintance extends.
MANN, Robert Henry, proprietor of the Mann Hotel and the leading photographer of Cass County, is a man well known throughout this section of the country. He was born at Wil- mington, Ill., January 29, 1859, a son of Henry Thomas and Matilda (Stevens) Mann. After receiving a liberal public school education at Delavan, Ill., Mr. Mann began studying photog- raphy, and has made it his life work. On Jnly 29, 1879, he purchased the photograph business of Judge C. H. Cummins, located in the Gridley building, but desiring more extensive quarters, he bought the old Presbyterian church at Vir- ginia, and remodeled it, fitting it np as a mod- ern studio and photo-art gallery, now having one of the best establishments of the kind in the state. His instruments and appliances are of the latest design, and he does photography of all kinds, specializing on enlarging, sepia, water color, pastel, india ink and crayon work. His brush instrument equipment is especially com- plete.
In the meanwhile, during the fall of 1SS6, Mr. Mann bought an old building and the corner on which it stood, opposite the courthouse, and in 1896 built upon it his modern brick hotel of twenty-five rooms, fitting it with steam heat, electric light and private baths. In four of the rooms there are additional baths, and in all of the others there is running hot and cold water. The cuisine is excellent and this hostelry is recognized as the best at Virginia.
In 1892 Mr. Mann became a Mason, joining the Virginia lodge, serving it as master for several years, and he also represented the lodge in the Grand Lodge from 1894 to 1900. A man of public affairs. he has represented his ward in the city council, and during 1901 and 1902 he was mayor of Virginia.
On February 28, 1882, Mr. Mann was married at Virginia. Ill., to Margaret (Dobson) Hickox. She was born in Missouri and died June 1, 1913. Mr. and Mrs. Mann had no children of their own, but Mr. Maim adopted the daughter of his wife by her first marriage, Myrtle Hickox, and also his niece. Dolly Mann. They reside with Mr. Mann, having charge of his house- hold.
MARCUSSEN, Jens, a prosperous farmer and stockraiser of Cass County. stands as high in public esteem as any of his fellow agricultural-
ists, and owns 344 acres of valuable farm land. Mr. Marcussen was born at Skodburg, Den- mark, August 16, 1863, a son of Peter and Ellen Catherine (Dahl) Marcussen, natives of the same place as their son. The father was a farmer, who spent his life in Denmark, and was a soldier in the memorable war of 1849, which preserved the national life of Denmark.
Jens Marcussen received his educational training in his native land, and worked on the farm and learned the carpenter and bricklaying trades. After his arrival in the United States in 1882, he went to work as a farm hand, later farming on his own account in Menard County, Ill., for five years, when he moved to Cass County, and bonght his present farm of 344 acres, which he is operating very successfully. He has 160 acres in section 29, township 18, range 8, and 184 acres in sections 14-15, range 10.
Mr. Marcussen was married in Morgan County, Ill., to Miss Josephine Hickey, born in Cass County, March 15, 1871, a danghter of Seth and Kizzia (Gooden) Hickey, natives of Cass County, Ill., and Indiana, respectively. Mr. and Mrs. Marcussen became the parents of the following children: Clarence G., Edna M., Nellie I., Gracie D., Alice N., Russell J., Walter V., Hazel M., all living at home, and one who is deceased. Mr. Marcussen is a man of mnch enterprise and condnets his work according to modern methods. He is kind by nature, has generous inclinations and has friends every- where he is known, and all speak a good word for him.
MARSHALL, James, an early settler of Cass County, was born near Edinburg, Scotland, on the Firth of Fourth, in 1777. Desirous of see- ing for himself the wonders of the New World, he left home at eighteen years of age, contrary to the wishes of his father, who promptly dis- inherited him. The vessel on which he sailed for the promised land was shipwrecked, the crew and passengers being picked up by a French privateer. They were relieved of all money and valnables, Mr. Marshall, however, retaining six guineas which he managed to secrete in his boot. He was left a prisoner on the Island of Teneriffe, in charge of a French wine merchant and his wife, who took a very kindly interest in the welfare of the young stranger. Knowing his ambition to reach America, they finally secured passage for him, at much risk to themselves, on a ship laden with wines for that port. A sufficient supply of their fine vintage-second only to that of the Madeira Islands-was given him to pay for his transpor- tation, with a generous sum over for emer- gencies.
On arriving at Philadelphia, Pa., the young man accepted the first employment presenting itself, that of a wheelwright, and went to work with a will. He soon after met and married Miss Martha Clutch, the daughter of a well- established family. His people were apprised of this event, and the father, relenting, sent his
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY
enterprising son a bag of gold. With this sub- stantial assistance, Mr. Marshall removed to Lexington, Ky., and invested his money in ship- ping the products of the country by means of flat boats to the market at New Orleans, La.
The family of eight children born to him in Lexington are all deceased, the dates of their birth and death following: Elizabeth, born in 1807, died in 1829; Margaret, born in 180S, died in 1845; James, Jr., born in 1810, died in 1848 ; Jolın, born in 1811, died in 1855; William, born in 1813, died in 1846; Martha, born in 1815, died in 1874; Maria, born in 1817, died in 1854; Charles, born in 1819, died in 1859.
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When the youngest child was two years old the mother died, and other misfortunes fol- lowed. Our prosperous merchant "went se- curity" for a friend-as was the custom of that day-and lost a large part of his newly acquired wealth. Another trusted friend, a canny Scot from his own land, was sent to the southern market in charge of a valuable cargo, and from this expedition nothing was ever heard. His treasury thus depleted, liabilities accumulated, but his loyal business associates saved him the humiliation of imprisonment for debt, accord- ing to the law then in force in Kentucky. Soon after this trying period, Mr. Marshall sold his property, reimbursed his noble friends, and, in 1825, with his remaining household goods in two wagons, drawn by four-horse teams, turned his tace toward Illinois, firm in the resolve to begin lite anew as an independent tiller of the soil. Wisely choosing the fertile fields of Cass County for a future home, he entered a tract of land along the present Cass and Morgan county line, to which were gradually added other lands and improvements, until each of his children were provided with a farm of their own.
The marriage, in 1827, of Elizabeth, the eldest daughter, to Peter Conover, who came from Kentucky two years before, was the first wed- ding ceremony said in the township containing the Marshall home. James, the eldest son, mar- ried Miss Martha Lindsay Moore, of Ohio, whom he met while she was visiting with friends in this vicinity. Similar romantic conditions characterized the courtship of the other three brothers, who also won Ohio girls for wives.
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