USA > Illinois > Cass County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Cass County, Volume II > Part 73
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James Treadway learned the milling and car- Denter frades when Beardstown was the great pork packing center, then called "Pork-o-polis." He engaged with his father in the making of pork barrels and lard tierces, conducting three shops with a force of men. His father with- drew and lived to the age of ninety-two years, having served in the war of 1812. James con- tinued to conduct the business until the pork packing industry ceased, afterward in a small way supplying the farmers with barrels, until poor health compelled him to retire. He was married Dec. 27, 1855, to Miss Rebecca Mary Rawlings, daughter of Greenberry and Eliza- beth Rawlings, who lived on a farm on North Prairie, near Arenzville, Ill., he purchasing for their home the spot where he worked when a boy for a "picayune" a day. Here they lived until the father passed away. To them were born four children : Eliza Bell, Oliver Green- berry, Norris Luama and Clara Olive, the last the only surviving one and now the wife of A. E. Schmoldt, of Beardstown, Ill. The mother sur- vived her husband nine years, making her home with her daughter, passing away April 14, 1913, at the age of eighty-one years, eight months and sixteen days. She was born August 30, 1831, at Port Deposit, Md.
There was a strange coincidence in the death of husband and wife, he passing away March 28, 1904, during the next highest water known to the year he came to Beardstown, rendering access to the cemetery impossible with vehicles, necessitating a railroad train to convey the re- mains to their last resting place. and the wife's demise occurred during the highest stage of water ever known, in the year 1913.
TREADWAY, Jefferson V., has spent his entire career within the limits of Cass County, and lie is thoroughly familiar with agricultural condi- tions here and the possibilities for success. He belongs to that substantial, solid class which forms the backbone of every prosperous com- munity. and as a citizen has shown himself re- liable, energetic and public-spirited. Jefferson V. Treadway was born in Cass County, Ill., July 30, 1863, and is a son of William T. and Mary (McHenry) Treadway, the former a native of Ohio and the latter of Pennsylvania.
Educated in the public schools and reared to agricultural pursuits, Mr. Treadway remained on the home farm until the time of his mar- riage. October 16, 1890. to Miss Mary R. Gaines, who was born in Shelby County, Ill., February 14. 1870. a daughter of Preston F. and Emma (Bateman) Gaines, the former a native of Ten- nessee and the latter of Delaware. After his marriage Mr. Treadway purchased a farm three and one-half miles northwest of Virginia, a tract
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oť 120 acres, which he put under a high state ot cultivation, and on which he resided for two years. He then sold out and purchased property at Virginia, where he was engaged in various occupations during the following eleven years, including the conducting of a meat market and a transter business. He then located on his present tarm in township 17, range 10, which had formerly belonged to his father, and which was lett to him at the time of the elder man's death, in 1912. Here Mr. Treadway has 14634 acres, which he devotes to general farming and the raising of hogs and cattle. Mr. Treadway bears the reputation of being a skilled and prac- tical farmer, an excellent judge of stock and a business man of the strictest integrity. His career has been one of constant endeavor and consecutive advancement, and well-earned suc- cess has crowned his efforts. A Democrat in his political views, he has ever been willing to do his full share in promoting the interests of his community, and has served two terms in the capacity of school director. Fraternally, Mr. Treadway is connected with the Court of Honor and the Modern Woodmen of America, at Vir- ginia. Mrs. Treadway is a member of the East- ern Star. Mr. and Mrs. Treadway are consistent members of the Presbyterian church. They have one daughter, Mary E., who was born November 26, 1896.
TREADWAY, Stephen A., is a prosperous farmer and stockman whose 360-acre farm known as the Willow Beach Farin, is one of the finest properties in the county, located as it is in close proximity to the city limits of Beardstown, on the Illinois River. He was born in Cass County, Ill., March 7, 1858, a son of George A. and Elizabeth ( Miller ) Treadway, the former born May 11, 1812, and the latter in West Vir- ginia, January 20, 1814. George A. Treadway moved trom Maryland, his native state, to Ohio, with his parents, but in 1828 the family came to Cass County, Ill. The Miller family originated in West Virginia, from whence members of it moved to Kentucky, and then to Cass County, Ill., arriving here in the fall of 1829. The father was a farmer and stockraiser and a prominent man in his day.
Stephen A. Treadway attended the schools of his district, and was reared on the farm where lie made himself useful very early. In 1879 he left Cass County for Nebraska, and spent three years in that state, then returned to his native county, but after his marriage went back to Nebraska and spent five years more there on the farm he had acquired. He then sold it and once more returned to Cass County, buying a farm near Bluff Springs where he lived fourteen years, then bought his present valuable farm where he has since resided. A Democrat, he served as a school director in Nebraska. Mr. Treadway is also one of the commissioners of the South Beardstown Drainage and Levee Dis- trict, which is 12 miles long and drains 7,300 acres of land.
On February 16, 1887, Mr. Treadway was
married in Cass County to Maria Leonhard, born in Cass County October 27, 1860, a daugh- ter of Michael and Maria (Nickle) Leonhard, natives of Germany, who came to the United States, the father working for a few years in the packing house at Beardstown before they settled down to farming. Mr. and Mrs. Tread- way became the parents of the following chil- dren : Carl M., Lula M., Leonard A., Edwin B., Nela A., Myrtle E., Stella, and Anna E., of whom the five youngest were born in Cass County. Mr. Treadway is a man of genial per- sonality, one who makes and retains friends and he stands well in the community. He has been a member of the M. W. A. for many years.
TURLEY, Howard, a resident of Arenzville, Ill., whose fine farm of 160 acres lies in township 17, range 11, Cass County, Ill., was born in Morgan County, Ill., on April 17, 1852, a son ot John and Elizabeth (Ogle) Turley, natives of Kentucky. John Turley was born in 1817 and died in 1869. His widow, who was born in 1822, still survives, and makes her home with her son Howard.
When young both John Turley and Elizabeth Ogle moved to Morgan County, where they were married, and then settled on a farm in the vi- cinity of Concord. In 186S they changed their residence to Arcadia, Ill., where John Turley died, and the family subsequently moved back to Concord. There Howard Turley lived with his mother on rented land for nineteen years, and then moved to Portland, Oregon, where he also farmed. After working on a farm there he herded cattle in Washington for eighteen months, remaining in the northwest for five years. He served in the Modoc Indian war, being a volunteer in the Oregon militia for fifty- two days, in 1873. Returning then to Morgan County, Ill., he started farming on his mother's farm. In his youth Howard Turley had at- tended thie Mt. Vernon district school, near Concord, and obtained a fair common school education.
On January 24, 1878, Mr. Turley was united in marriage with Margaret J. Goodpasture, born near Concord, Ill., December 28, 1897, daughter of Abrain and Zannah (Richardson) Goodpas- ture, natives of Tennessee and Kentucky. Mr. and Mrs. Turley have the following children : John A., born March 17, 1879, lives on his father's place and married Kathrina Schurther ; and Mora, born September 7, 1887, now Mrs. Eugene L. Peck, lives with her father. Mrs. Turley is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.
After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Turley located in Cass County, Ill., where he rented farms for fourteen years. Then Mr. Turley bought a forty-acre improved farm, later adding 120 acres, and on these 160 acres he carries on gen- eral farming. He has built several houses and has put up all the present improvements. Be- sides grain farming he raises cattle and hogs. In politics Mr. Turley is a Democrat, and has served as clerk of elections many years and as
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY
school director, and since 1895 he has served as road district clerk, and since 1911 he has been deputy assessor of township 17, range 11, Cass County.
TURNER, Joseph J., proprietor of 200 acres of as fine farm land as can be found in Cass County, is an excellent example of the scientific agriculturalist of today. He understands his work, takes a pride in it, and endeavors in every way to keep his property up to standard. He was born August 3, 1SSO, a son of Joseph and Mary Jane (Chittick) Turner, natives of the north of Ireland. These parents came to America in their youth. They were married at Virginia, Ill., and for a number of years, the father was employed by Dr. Robert Hall, but left him finally to settle on his own eighty-acre farm then all brush and timber. At first the pioneer lived in a cave, but before he married had a house to which to invite his bride. He worked hard in clearing off the brush and grub- bing out the stumps, and when this farm had been placed under cultivation, he bought 120 acres more, adjoining his first purchase. This. he also cleared of brush, and used it as pasture land. Still later he bought 200 acres more, one mile east of his original home, and on this last property he erected new buildings, fenced the fields and made other improvements. On this farın he died in January, 1903, his widow still making it her home. Their children were as follows: Anna, who is Mrs. Henry Flowers, of Kansas City, Mo .; Robert, who is of Cass County ; Maud, who is Mrs. Charles Wunderly, of Lone Jack, Mo .; Joseph J .; Samuel, who is of Ann Arbor, Mich. ; and George, who is teach- ing school.
Joseph J. Turner attended the schools of his district and lived at home until his marriage, at which time he moved to one of his father's farms which he rented until March, 1914, when he purchased the claims of the other heirs, in this property, and now owns 200 acres of mag- nificent land. On it he carries on general farm- ing and stockraising, handling horses, cattle and Poland-China hogs. His premises exhibit his excellent management, and he is recognized as one of the leading farmers of Cass County.
In October, 1903, Mr. Turner married Eliza- betli Gebhardt of Cass County, a daughter of Andrew and Amelia ( Stump) Gebhardt, natives of Germany and of Cass County. Mr. and Mrs. Turner became the parents of three children : Marie, Louise and Joseph. Mr. Turner is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church of which he is a trustee. For some time he has been a school director of District No. 6, known as the Morgan school. In political faith he is a Democrat.
VIRGIN, John W .- One of the most interest- ing characters connected with the development of Cass County, Ill., during its later growth, is John W. Virgin, whose history is unique in the number and variety of enterprises in which he has been concerned, in the extent of his ac-
quaintance with men prominent in the earlier course of the history of this section, and in the zest of his experiences of travel in different localities of the western country, and in his identification with modern farm life and man- agement of a superior order in the vicinity of his home.
John W. Virgin is a native of Menard County, Ill., where he was born on a farm one mile south of the old country town of Sweetwater, January 31, 1854, his parents being George and Eliza (Enslow) Virgin, the father a native of Fayette County, Pa., and the mother of Wheelers- burg, Scioto County, Ohio. They were married at Pekin, Ill., in 1852. They located on an SO- acre Menard County farm (bought at $20 and now worth $200 per acre) where they lived until 1859, when they moved to Morgan County and bought a larger farm of Jacob Strawn, the then "land and cattle king" of Illinois. Five years later they sold this to Z. W. Flinn, and purchased three other farms six miles southeast of Vir- ginia from James Hill, Newton Runyan and Os- wald Runyan, where they lived until 1904. From about 1848 until 1904, George Virgin was actively engaged in the cattle business. Before the advent of railroads, he, with his brother, Eli, bought and drove beef cattle from Illinois to New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore markets; later, they, with John T. Alexander, Sr., fol- lowed buying, feeding and shipping cattle to New York. In 1904 ill health compelled the retirement of George Virgin from active busi- ness and he and his wife removed to Virginia, leaving "the boys" to run the 800-acre farm. His death occurred in September, 1908, at the age of eighty years, his widow passing away at the same age in January, 1914, thus ending one of the best known and most hospitable homes of central Illinois. The children of George and Eliza (Enslow) Virgin were as follows: John W .; Ida (Mrs. George Aldridge), of Virginia, Ill. ; Eli T., of Junction City, Ore. ; George M., of Fresno, Cal .; Orland deceased, and Frank and Fred well known Cass County farmers and stock- men.
At the age of seventeen years, John W. Virgin began work as a bookkeeper in Petefish, Skiles & Co.'s bank (of which firm his father was then a member) in Virginia, and three years later, became assistant cashier of the Farmers Na- tional bank of Virginia (of which his father was president for twenty-seven years) and con- tinued in this position four years, when im- paired health and "the call of the wild" lured him to the Rocky Mountains. In 1879, he, with some of his friends. Lou L. Savage. C. W. Crews, J. L. Cosner, J. M. Downing, Will Shuff and Alex Walker organized a prospecting expedition, and with six mules, two wagons, six months' supply of groceries, and with their camping outfit loaded into a box car, they departed for Leadville, Colo., then at its wildest, and 120 miles beyond the nearest railroad. All sooner or later returned to Illinois, except C. W. Crews, who is managing director of the Crews-Beggs Dry Goods Company at Pueblo, and J. M. Down-
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY
ing, who is a well knowu lawyer and politician of Aspen, Colo.
Mr. Virgin spent five years prospectiug and mining iu Colorado, where he made some money, but spent about $5,000 more than he made trying to "get rich." In 1883 he went to New Mexico and engaged with others in cattle ranching, beiug a stockholder and manager of the Illinois Cattle Company, of which his brother George was also a stockholder and secretary. San Mar- cial, Socorro County, a division point on the Santa Fe Railroad, 120 miles north of the Old Mexico liue, was their headquarters. Socorro County is about the size, in square miles, of the state of Delaware. The cattle industry fast as- sumed a leading position among property inter- ests, and the cattle men soon felt the need of a representative on the county taxing board. J. W. Virgin was selected as their candidate for county commissioner, to which office he was elected by the largest majority on the county ticket, The other two commissioners were Mexicans, who regarded the innovation of an American with sus- picion, but Mr. Virgin soon gained their entire confidence and secured needed reforms in county affairs, a more equitable distribution of taxes, reduced a floating county debt of $56,000 to less than $3,000, raised the tax valuation of over 400,000 acres of old Spanish land grants from 10c to 75c per acre, thus equalizing the burdens of the taxpayers, and straightened out a some- what entangled county contract for the building ot a courthouse, jail and a bridge across the Rio Grande. Socorro County has a handsome court- house, built without even the suspicion of graft, and so gratified were the hold-over commission- ers with their relief from a troublesome con- tract that they insisted on adding the name of J. W. Virgin to the stone tablet in the front of the building, and it so stands today as a credit- able monument to his memory. Having secured the needed reforms and placed county affairs on a modern business basis, Mr. Virgin was not a candidate for re-election, but during his resi- dence in New Mexico, the commissioners each year iusisted upon his auditing the county books, and he had no more loyal friends in the county than those old Mexican Dons. In 1898 the cattle company sold out all their holdings, range con- ditions having become such that the business was unprofitable.
A growing family demanding better educa- tional and social advantages than the range country afforded, Mr. Virgin returned to Illinois with his family, locating on a 160-acre farm eight miles southwest of Virginia, a family in- heritauce from the I. M. Stribling estate. In 1910 he bought eighty-two acres on the west line of the city of Virginia (part of the old Angier homestead) at $185 per acre, the pres- ent family residence from which Mr. Virgin oper- ates both farms. In February, 1912, the house was totally destroyed by fire, and was replaced by the present colonial residence, an elegant mod- ern home, beautifully located, half a mile west of town, and equipped with electric lights, fur-
nace, hot and cold water and all modern con- - veniences.
In March, 1881, Mr. Virgin was married to Lou M. Stribling, who was born at the old Strib- ling home, near Virginia, February 18, 1856, the youngest daughter of the late I. M. and Mar- garet (Beggs) Stribling, natives respectively of Kentucky and Illinois. The Stribling family came from Kentucky to Illinois in 1832 (for- merly from the state of Virginia) the grand- father of Mrs. Virgin, Benjamin Stribling, being among the first settlers of Cass County, on the Well known Stribling farm a mile northwest of Virginia. The Beggs family are of Scotch-Irish extractiou. Capt. Charles Beggs, grandfather of Mrs. Virgiu, was a member of the first constitu- tional convention of Indiana and served as cap- tain under General Harrison at the famous battle of Tippecanoe in western Indiana. He was oue of the early settlers of Morgan County, Ill.
The Virgin family, for several generations, have been of Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, some of the New England states aud Kentucky, and came originally from England about A. D. 1700. English records of heraldry give the fam- ily coat of arms and family motto in Latin, which, translated, reads "Now or Never." They had their part, however, with the Colonial patriots in Revolutionary days, and while they have been mostly of the great agricultural classes, some of them have taken to literary and professional lines, notably, among more recent generations, Hon. William Wirt Virgin, one of the supreme judges of Maine. the Rev. Edward War- ren Virgin of Boston, and Rev. Samuel H. Virgin of New York City, Politically, all the western Virgins have been Democrats, while some of their eastern cousins have been Whigs and Re- publicans.
The children of Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Virgin, four in number, were all born in New Mexico, and are: Dorothy E. and Norma Lucile, the former a literary and the latter au art graduate of Illinois Woman's College, Jacksonville (where their mother's education was finished) ; Eli Hor- ace, a student of Illinois State University, Cham- paign ; and Emma Louise, at present a student at the Illinois Woman's College, Jacksonville.
Mr. Virgin took the regular district school course, studied two terms at a country seminary iu Menard County and at the Virginia High school in its earliest days, and while he never had a college education, he has been a lifelong reader and student, having, by his own efforts, acquired a wider rauge of knowledge than is comprised in most college courses. He is a life- long Democrat, and while taking an active and intelligent interest in political affairs, has never sought any political preferment, never has been a candidate for political place or office. Never having been of an aggressive or self-seeking disposition, it has been his lot rather to be ready for and equal to emergencies as they arose. As a young man he took an active part in the re- habilitation of the Farmers National Bank directorate and business. In Colorado he took
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY
an active part in the election of the first Demo- cratic governor the state ever had. He organ- ized and conducted a relief expeditiou, strug- gling for thirty or more hours through a moun- tain blizzard and three to five feet of snow, rescuing alive Jack Wilson, a snowslide covered comrade, entombed alive for forty-eight hours, and who is alive and well today. In New Mexico, in addition to attending to the somewhat strenu- ous duties of a ranchman, he took time to give considerable study to archaeological aud pre-his- toric research, contributing articles to the Amer- ican Archaeologist, besides taking an active part in reconstructing county affairs aud ridding the territory of its last organized band of "rustlers" or cattle thieves. His activity has been almost always toward the general welfare rather thau his personal aggrandizement, and while not always able to do just as he would have chosen financially, he has never found it necessary to resort to questionable practices or subterfuge. Of a somewhat literary, studious and artistic turn of mind, he is yet a plain, practical, pro- gressive farmer and stockraiser of the better class. He has a bright and interesting family, all still at home, a home that is such iu the best sense, where, while the necessary, practical, every day affairs of life are not ueglected, the lighter, brighter, social, literary and artistic in- terests are all indulged. Mrs. Virgin is the con- stant, sympathetic companion of her children in all their affairs, and the sterner head of the family indulges all their desires, aud thoroughly hating all forms of sham or subterfuge, goes peacefully on believing fully in the religion of his father expressed in the proverb, "An honest man is the noblest work of God."
VON FOSSEN, Smith L .- There is no doubt but that the children of Cass County, Ill., regard Smith L. Von Fossen, of Beardstown, as the best friend they ever possessed, for he is one whose kind heart and generous impulses are continually contributing toward their enjoyment. However, the children are not the only ones of Cass County who esteem Mr. Von Fossen, for during the past twenty years there have beeu few beneficial public measures in this vicinity with which he has not been identified, and he has worked hard against those which he believed would operate to the detriment of the com- munity. He is a thorough business man and public-spirited citizen, as well as a true friend of children, and of the poor and oppressed. Needless it is to say that his friends are almost as numerous as the residents of his county, aud that his advice is sought and his confidence in- vited by young and old alike. Smith L. Von Fossen was born near Ipava, Fulton County, Ill., September 1, 1863. He is a son of William Wes- ley Von Fossen, born February 22, 1817, died January 12, 1891, and Julia Ann (Nevend) Von Fossen, born February 4, 1820, died May 25, 1SS5, both natives of Belmont County, Ohio. They were married in that county, and soon thereafter moved to Fulton County, locating on a farm, but afterwards moving to Ipava, where
the mother died in 1SS6. Later the father came to live with his son, Smith L. Von Fossen, and his death occurred in 1SSS.
Smith L. Vou Fossen attended the public schools of Ipava in boyhood and at the age of sixteen years began learning bricklaying and plastering with his brother, Dallas, who had been in the contracting business for years. Smith L. spent five vacation seasons and one entire year besides, in learning the trade, and then he and his brother undertotok contract work in the building line at Ipava, where they continued to- gether for eighteen months. The former then went to Lewiston, Ill., where for three years he was profitably engaged in the same line, after which they went to Champaign, Ill. Leaving the latter place, Mr. Von Fossen located at Beardstown, going into partnership with M. D. Halpin, in the mouument business, and this con- nection lasted a year, when he sold his interest to his partner, and, with Andia Terrill, founded another monument firm, Von Fossen and Terrill, which later branched out into the handling of real estate. Their several interests became so heavy that two and one-half years later, the firm was dissolved. Mr. Terrill retaining the realty and Mr. Von Fossen the monument department. This business Mr. Von Fossen continues, and is part owner of two granite quarries, one in Min- nesota and one in Wisconsin, and owns also eighty acres of quarry land in Oklahoma. In 1903 Mr. Von Fossen opened a department store, on such a large scale as to require the employing of eighteen clerks, and developed it to such proportions that in 1910, finding his responsi- bilities too heavy, he turned over the dry goods department to his sons, retaining under his own control his five and ten cent store, and the jewelry, music and fancy goods departments. He employs seven traveling salesmen to introduce his monument and piano goods on the road.
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