USA > Illinois > Christian County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Christian County, Volume II > Part 38
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ABRAMS, Stephen, now living in honorable and well earned retirement at No. 701 Rich street, Taylorville, is one of the substantial men of Christian County, and he is held in highest respect by all who know him. He was born in New Jersey, July 27, 1832, a son of Stephen and Lottie (Conover) Abrams, natives of New Jersey who were reared, educated and married in that state. In 1833 they came to Scott County, Ill., and for number of years the father operated a grist-mill at Naples that county. There he died in November, 1862, aged sixty-six years. The mother died in 1833.
Stephen Abrams, Jr., was reared and educated in Scott County, III., and was engaged in farm- ing in that neighborhood for some years, but in 1868 came to Christian County, and for four- teen years rented land in Stonington Township. He then bought eighty acres of land in Mosquito Township and made many improvements upon
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it, and lived there until 1900 when he purchased a residence at Taylorville, and retiring has since made it his home.
In September, 1860, Mr. Abrams was married to Miss Mary Sullons, a daughter of Josiah and Elizabeth (Pruett) Sullons, of Scott County, Ill. The father was a wagon maker and blacksmith. The Pruett family were farming people of Morgan County, Ill. Mrs. Abrams died in April, 1913. Mr. and Mrs. Abrams had five children as follows: Maud, who died young ; James, who is deceased ; William, Frank and Curtis. There are four grandchildren. In politics Mr. Abrams is a Republican. Some idea of the long time the Abrams family has lived in Illinois may be gained from the fact that when the father of Stephen Abrams came through Chicago on his trip from New Jersey by wagon, it was merely a straggling village in the mud of the Chicago River and Lake Michigan, and he thought so poorly of its future, that he pressed on to find a more desirable neighborhood for settlement.
ACHENBACH, Arthur R., a prosperous farmer of South Fork Township, who is operating the fine farm given him by his father, is demon- strating ability as an agriculturist. He was born in South Fork Township, February 10, 1884, a son of Peter and Emma (Mitchell) Achenbach. A sketch of the Achenbach family is given else- where in this work. It is an old, honored and representative one of Christian County, and those of the younger generation are proving worthy of the name.
Arthur Achenbach was reared on a farm and sent to the public schools of the neighborhood. Prior to the opening of the great St. Louis Ex- position, he was employed in the construction work of the buildings on the grounds, but re- turned home on June 1, 1904, and now operates 260 acres of as valuable land as can be found in the township. He also carries on stock feed- ing with general farming and altogether is doing a very successful business.
On November 24, 1903, Mr. Achenbach was married, in St. Louis, to Miss Ethel Aymer, who was born September 30, 1883, a daughter of Thomas and Mary (Beckingham) Aymer of Assumption Township. They were born and were married in Yorkshire, England, and on coming to the United States located at Morrison- ville, Ill. Subsequently they moved to Taylor- ville, where the father of Mrs. Achenbach en- gaged in a livery business, later was a farmer in Assumption Township, and from there moved with his family to Taylorville Township. There, twenty-one years later, in 1907, the father died, aged fifty-two years. The mother died many years previously. The father was a Republican in politics and a member of the Christian Church. Mr. and Mrs. Achenbach became the parents of three children, namely : Mildred G., who was born March 20, 1905; Darlene C., who was born December 1, 1907, and Marcella A., who was born January 13, 1911. Mr. Achen- bach belongs to the Modern Woodmen of Amer-
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HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN COUNTY
ica and both he and wife belong to the Royal Neighbors. His political convictions incline him toward the Republican party, while in religious faith he and his wife are members of the Christian Church.
ACHENBACH, Henry W., one of the leading farmers of South Fork Township, and a respon- sible resident of Christian County, was born on his present farm February 24, 1879, a son of Philip and Adaline (Gesell) Achenbach. Henry W. Achenbach was reared and educated in his native township and remained with his father until 1904, when the latter retired and moved to Taylorville. At that time Henry W. and his brother, George, took charge of the farm and conducted it together for four years. At the expiration of that time George went into a liv- ery business at Taylorville, and Henry W. as- sumed full charge, and has since continued to operate the farm with gratifying success.
In 1908 Henry W. Achenbach was married to Miss Flossie Davis, a daughter of Jerome and Mary Davis of Taylorville. Mrs. Achenbach's parents were farming people of Taylorville Township, where the father died. The mother survives. making her home at Edinburg, Ill. Both the Achenbach and Davis families are well known in Christian County, and a sketch of the former family and also one of the maternal grandfather of Mr. Achenbach. George Gesell, will be found elsewhere in this work. Mr. Achenbach belongs to the Modern Woodmen of America. The farmers of this locality have formed what is known as the Anti-Horse Thief Association to protect themselves against such losses as a number of them had sustained, and Mr. Achenbach is one of the most enthusiastic and helpful members. His experience in farm- ing and his reliability as a citizen make him a valuable addition to any community and he is held in high esteem by his neighbors.
ACHENBACH, John H., a successful farmer of South Fork Township, belongs to an old estab- lished and representative family that owes its origin to Germany, although long settled in Christian County. He was born in South Fork Township. October 28, 1886. a son of Peter and Emma (Mitchell) Achenbach, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work.
After an uneventful boyhood passed upon his father's farm, during which period he attended the schools in the district, John H. Achenbach rented land from his father, from whom, in 1908, he received his present farm of 200 acres, on which he is carrying on general farming and stockraising, being very successful in both lines.
In 1900 Mr. Achenbach was married to Miss Bertha Curvey, a daughter of Owen and Anna Curvey of South Fork Township. natives of the same township. During his lifetime Mr. Curvey was an extensive farmer. He died in 1899. Mrs. Curvey survives and lives at Taylorville. Mr. and Mrs. Achenbach have two children, namely : Oma L. and Doris. In politics Mr. Achenbach is a Republican. The Christian Church holds his
membership. An energetic farmer and good business man, Mr. Achenbach has forged ahead and deserves the prosperity that has rewarded him.
ACHENBACH, Philip, whose declining years are comfortable because of his industry and thrift during his former days when he was ac- tive in an agricultural way, is one of the hon- ored retired farmers of Taylorville. He was born in Prussia, Germany, December 24, 1851, a son oť John and Philipnea ( Stinaker) Achenbach, natives of Prussia, Germany. They came to the United States in 1853, locating in Greene County, Ill., but in 1866 they came to Christian County, buying a farm in South Fork Township. In time they became the owners of 640 acres, all in this township, and there the father died November 26, 1901. The mother survived him for six years, passing away in 1907 at the age oť eighty-five years. The father was a Repub- lican. He belonged to the Evangelical Church. When he first came to the county everything was wild in the surroundings and game was still plentiful. He lived to see and rejoice in many desirable changes.
Philip Achenbach spent his boyhood on the homestead and was educated in the country schools, remaining with his parents until he at- tained his majority, when he built a two-room house on one of his father's farms, and rented 160 acres from his father. Later he bought eighty acres from his father, and 240 acres from another person, all of it in South Fork Township, and conducted this property for a number of years. He then bouglit forty acres of land near Taylorville and lived on this tarm for eight years. Feeling then that he had earned a rest, he bought a residence at Taylor- ville, and retired. His residence is at No. 714 W. Market Street, and has been his home since March, 1909. In politics he is a Republican, and like his parents before him, he belongs to the Evangelical Church.
In 1873 Mr. Achenbach was married to Miss Adeline Gesell, a daughter of George and Ade- line (Winter) Gesell. Mr. and Mrs. Gesell came from the same neighborhood as did the Achen- bach family. They first spent a short period in Indiana, then moved to Greene County, Ill., and thence to South Fork Township, where they became heavy landowners. Later they retired to Taylorville, where the mother died in 1897 at the age of sixty-seven years. Mr. Gesell was a Republican. Mr. and Mrs. Achenbach became the parents of five children, as follows: George J., Fred E., Henry W., Charles P. and Bertha C.
ADRIAN, Mordecai, now deceased, was for vears a successful farmer and an auctioneer of Edinburg, and he is remembered as a man of up- right principle and sterling honesty. He was born in Crawford County, Ohio, April 2, 1834, but lived in Knox County, Ohio, a son of Mor- decai and Polly (Pritchard) Adrian. The parents were born and died in Crawford County, Ohio, where the father followed farming.
A Manners
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HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN COUNTY
Mordecai Adrian spent his boyhood in Ohio, attended the public schools and followed farming until 1857, when he was married, and afterward with his bride drove overland to Illinois. With them came Mrs. Adrian's parents, and they all located in Buckhart Township, Christian County. Here Mr. Adrian bought 160 acres of land, to which he added until he had 200 acres, all of which he improved and lived upon until 1886, when he came to Edinburg, retiring from farm work. For the succeeding twenty years he was an auctioneer during the summers, but spent his winters in the South. He died at Eureka Springs, Ark., January 26, 1910. Mr. Adrian was a· Republican in politics, and a Methodist in religious faith.
On February 26, 1857, Mr. Adrian was married to Miss Malinda Littick, a daughter of George and Matilda (Heskett) Littick, of Muskingum County, Ohio. Mr. Littick became the owner of 600 acres of land in Buckhart Township, where he and his wife both died. Mr. and Mrs. Adrian became the parents of six children as follows : Mrs. J. S. Brubeck, of Buckhart Township; Ada May who died in 1903; Mrs. B. F. Cornell, who lives at Decatur, Ill. ; Esther Ann, who died in 1872; Florence, who lives at Edinburg with her mother, and Mrs. R. E. Best, who lives at De- catur, Ill. Mrs. Adrian owns the farm in Buck- hart Township as well as her comfortable modern residence at Edinburg. Both the Adrians and Litticks are well and favorably known in this and adjoining counties, and members of these families bore their part in the development of this part of the state.
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AKEMAN, William Peter, a prosperous farmer of Stonington Township, is a responsible man of Christian County. He was born in Vandalia Township, Fayette County, Ill., February 16, 1864, a son of Solomon and Emaline (Murry) Akeman, the former born in Marion County, Ill., December 5, 1832, and the latter in Bond County, Ill. Peter Akeman, the grandfather, came to Illinois from Maryland about 1828, and settled in Marion County. He was one of the pioneers of this part of the state and died in Vandalia Township. During the Civil War he enlisted, in August, 1861, served under Colonel Oglesby, and was honorably discharged. For twelve years he was road commissioner of Vandalia Township. and was elected by the largest ma- jority ever given any man in his township. The father, Solomon Akeman was a farmer of Van- dalia Township. The Murry family came to Bond County, Ill., at an early day. Mrs. Ake- man's great-great-grandfather was a noted Pres- byterian minister. This family is traced back to the Murry clan in Scotland of the sixteenth century. The paternal grandmother was a cousin of John Quincy Adams and came of Ohio stock.
William Peter Akeman attended the public schools of his native township and remained on the homestead until he was twenty-one years old. In 1902 he came to Christian County, and
for three years was engaged in working for others and then he located on his present place.
In 1895 Mr. Akeman was married in Fayette County to Sarah Ella Mowrey. Her father was born in Ohio in 1856, and came to Fayette County at an early day, being the youngest of a large family. Two of his brothers enlisted for service during the Civil War from Illinois, and both died in the service. Her mother bore the maiden name of Lucinda Coverley. Mr. and Mrs. Akeman have three children, namely : Emory Morgan who was born February 17, 1896; Grace Magnolia who was born November 6, 1897 ; and Waverly who was born May S, 1899. In politics Mr. Akeman is a Republican. The Cumberland Presbyterian Church holds his mem- bership.
AKIN, John F., a general merchant at Roby, and a director in the Roby Grain Company, is one of the representative men of Christian County, and one who commands the confidence of his fellow citizens. He was born in Mt. Auburn Township, October 12, 1842, a son of James and Emily (McCartny) Akin, natives of Indiana. They are numbered among the early settlers of Mt. Auburn Township, where Mr. Akin has been engaged in farming ever since their arrival.
John F. Akin attended the public schools of his native township, and as soon as old enough be- gan working by the month among the farmers. In 1899 he began renting land and in 1915 bought forty-eight acres of land in Mt. Auburn Town- ship, which he now rents to a tenant. In 1906 he opened a general store at Roby, and has built up a large and valuable trade, drawing his cus- tomers not only from Roby but a wide contiguous territory. During 1915-16 his annual sales amounted to more than $10,000, and 1917 prom- ises to show a material increase.
On September 26, 1899, Mr. Akin was married at Taylorville, Ill., to Gertie M. Wilson, of Mt. Auburn Township, and they have the following living children: Elvin, Ernest, Leonora, Marie, Woodrow and Mildred. Two children died in infancy. Mr. Akin belongs to Roby Camp No. 7250, M. W. A., and is very staunch in his ad- vocacy of this order. In addition to his other interests he owns several valuable properties in Roby. Some idea of his business capacity may be gained from the fact that all of this pros- perity has been attained in the past eighteen years, for in 1899 his assets amounted to $40, his sole capital.
ALEXANDER, James K., whose fine farm of 272 acres, situated on Section 17, Buckhart Town- ship, is indicative of his skill as a farmer, was born in Morgan County, Ind., January 28, 1845, a son of William and Jennie (Wallace) Alexan- der. Both parents were born near Knoxville, Tenn., where the father was educated. Remov- ing to Kentucky, he operated farm lands there for a short time, but subsequently went to Morgan County, Ind., and there remained until his death,
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HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN COUNTY
which occurred when he was seventy-nine years old. The mother died at the same place in 1869, aged sixty-eight years. Her parents were far- mers in Tennessee where they died. William Alexander was a Democrat, and a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Until he was twenty years of age, James K. Alexander remained on his father's Morgan County farm, but on December 25, 1864, he came to Illinois, locating on Sand Ridge, north of Grove City, in Christian County, and operated the farm of his father-in-law for three years. He then came to Buckhart Township, locating on a farm his father-in-law had entered from the government, at $1.25 per acre. This farm com- prised eighty acres of land, and Mr. Alexander took possession of it January 20, 1868. This property was a portion of the estate of Mrs. Alexander's father, and Mr. Alexander later bought out the interests of other heirs so that he now has 272 acres. When he moved on the land he set out an orchard of fruit trees, and one of shade trees, and both are now very valuable. His fine buildings have been erected by himself, and his farm is one of the best in the township.
Mr. Alexander was among those who enlisted for service during the Civil War, and a history of his record is interesting and honorable. In 1862 he enlisted in Company D, One Hundred and Seventeenth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and for the first sixty days was on duty guarding the railroad between Louisville, Ky., and Nash- ville, Tenn. He was discharged and in August, 1863, reenlisted and was then transferred to Ken- tucky, marched to Cumberland Gap and Green- ville, Tenn. He was taken down with the measles at Bull's Gap, hence he had to be sent back to Cumberland Gap, where were 125 other soldiers suffering from various maladies, and all were started overland, in wagons, to the hospital at Camp Nelson, Ky. Twenty-five died on the way. After being in the hospital for nine weeks, Mr. Alexander was given a furlough of thirty days, and passed it at Indianapolis, Ind. His second period of enlistment then expired, and he was honorably discharged in February, 1864. Mr. Alexander is a Democrat and a Methodist. He belongs to the Modern Woodmen of America and the Knights of Pythias.
On December 22, 1867, Mr. Alexander was mar- ried to Miss Elmyra J. Long, who died October 13. 1915. a daughter of Theodore and Catherine (Uderic) Long. Mr. Long was born near Strass- burg, Germany, and came to the United States in young manhood, locating in New York, and all the money he had upon landing was fifteen cents and he had had no breakfast. He was a baker, a brewer and a silk weaver, having learned the last named trade in France, but his first job in the new world was wheeling mud in a brick yard. Subsequently he went to Ohio and at first oper- ated a distillery, later a grocery. He then be- came a farmer on 160 acres of land in Putnam County. Ind. In 1864 he came overland to Sand Ridge, Christian County, Ill., and bought 240 acres in Mt. Auburn Township. After five years he moved to the vicinity of Macon Station,
Ill., and there bought a farm, but soon returned to Grove City, where he died at the age of sev- enty-nine years. His wife died in Indiana at the age of forty-five years. Mr. and Mrs. Alex- ander have had eight children as follows : Arthur T., Catherine M., Nellie, who died April 17, 1917, Curtis, Bertie, who died in infancy, and Ernest, Oliver and Jessie.
ALLEN, William David, for many years was one of the enterprising agriculturists of Stoning- ton Township. He was born in North Carolina, December 27, 1860, a son of John Allen of North Carolina. His mother died when William D. Allen was an infant, and in 1872 his father came to Christian County, and lived on a farm in Stonington Township until his death.
William D. Allen grew up in North Carolina and in Christian County, and attended the pub- lic schools of both sections, and assisted his father in farm work until he attained his majority. Until 1902 he rented land, but in that year he bought 160 acres on Section 20, Stonington Township. This property he oper- ated until his death on March 16, 1912. The Presbyterian Church of Stonington held Mr. Allen's membership. He was a Democrat in his political sentiments.
On September 5, 1896, Mr. Allen was married at Springfield, Ill., to Cora Yockey, born Septem- ber 17, 1868. She is a daughter of John Yockey, who was born February 25, 1834, and died at Taylorville, Ill., August 23, 1912. Her mother, Lydia (Baughman) Yockey, was born at Wads- worth, Ohio, May 31, 1839, and still survives, making her home at Taylorville. Mr. and Mrs. Allen had two children. Fred, who was born June 11, 1897; and Cleda, who was born May 28, 1899. Few men stood any higher in this section than Mr. Allen and he fully earned the confidence and respect he inspired.
ANDERSON, Fred W., now deceased, but for- merly president of the First National Bank of Taylorville, and a man whose forceful influence upon the finances of his community was felt not only in this county, but elsewhere, his solidity and sagacity giving strength to the institution with which he was connected and others asso- ciated with him in other ways. He was born at Taylorville, September 9, 1865, a son of W. W. Anderson, and practically spent his life in the banking business, for he entered the financial concern owned by his father upon his return from Peekskill Military Academy, where he was educated after completing courses in the public and high schools of Taylorville, and the Wyman Institute at Alton, Ill. The Anderson family is one of the old and honored ones in the history of the county, ancestors of Fred W. Anderson having fought in the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812.
Beginning his career in banking circles as a bookkeeper, Mr. Anderson was later made as- sistant cashier, and when his brother Hiram died, he succeeded him as cashier. For some years Mr. Anderson continued to hold that re-
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HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN COUNTY
sponsible position, becoming thoroughly ac- quainted with the business, its customers and obligations, so that when his father, W. W. Anderson, died December 11, 1893, he was his logical successor as chief executive of the bank. Therefore in the following January, the stock- holders elected Fred W. Anderson president, and he held that office until his death, March 21, 1916. During the years he held the reins of power, the bank increased in every way, and is now ranked among the leading institutions of its kind in the state.
On June 26, 1901, Mr. Anderson was married to Adelia B. Sanders of San Antonio, Tex., and they had one daughter, Louise, who with her mother survives him. Mr. Anderson belonged to the group of worthwhile men of Christian County who have so advanced its commercial and material prosperity. In addition to his con- nection with the First National Bank of Tay- lorville, he was a director of the Pana National Bank, and for some time was president of the Chamber of Commerce of Taylorville. Fra- ternally he belonged to Mound Lodge No. 122, A. F. & A. M .; Mystic Lodge No. 64, K. of P .; Taylorville Lodge No. 925, B. P. O. E., while socially he not only belonged to the leading clubs of this county, but the most important ones in Chicago and New York. A man of broad vision, it was given to Mr. Anderson to look into the future with regard to business trans- actions, and to see the value of opportunities so that he was able to grasp them and give his bank the benefit of his judgment and experience. He did not build for the moment, but rather that those who came after might profit, and there- fore laid upon a solid foundation the super- structure of his edifice, so that today, although his guiding hand is gone, his financial institution is sound and solvent, and the methods he inaug- urated, and the standards he raised, continue under the new administration. Taylorville lost in his death one of its best and most desirable citizens, and it will be long indeed before he is forgotten, or the weight of his influence passes.
ANDERSON, William W .- The banking his- tory of Christian County sets forth no more prominent man in connection with its develop- ment than that of the late William W. Ander- son of' Taylorville. He was born in Henderson County, Ky., October 27, 1825, and died at Tay- lorville, December 11, 1893. He was a son of George H. and Nancy (Mann) Anderson, natives of Tennessee, who not long after their marriage moved to Henderson County, Ky., and from there in 1830, to Illinois, where they located two miles east of Hillsboro, in Montgomery County. Of the twelve children born to his parents, Wil- liam W. Anderson was the sixth.
William W. Anderson passed through many pioneer experiences incident to his locality and times, and received his educational training in the then primitive schools. When he was seven- teen years old he began working for Judge Hi- ram Rountree of Hillsboro, remaining on his farm for eight years, and then later assisted him
when Judge Rountree was circuit clerk. In 1851 Mr. Anderson came to Christian County and took charge of a farm four miles east of Taylorville, but three years later came to Taylorville to be- come a salesman in the store of Shumway & Cheney. In 1854 Mr. Cheney died, and his brother-in-law, Albert Sattley, took charge, but Mr. Anderson succeeded him, the firm becoming Shumway & Anderson, Mr. Anderson becoming the sole owner two years later. In 1871 he founded the banking house of W. W. Anderson & Company, in partnership with D. D. Shumway, but in 1883. Mr. Shumway retired, and the late Hiram Anderson, a son of W. W. Anderson, be- came his father's partner. On October 1, 1886, the bank was incorporated as the First National Bank of Taylorville, with a capital stock of $75,000, and Mr. Anderson was made its president, and so continued until his death, when he was succeeded by his son, Frederick Anderson, who had been cashier.
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