USA > Illinois > Christian County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Christian County, Volume II > Part 47
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CUMMINGS, Columbus C., one of the leading farmers of Christian County, is located on Sec- tion 19, May Township, where he owns 190 acres of very valuable land. He was born in West Virginia, August 14, 1867, a son of William and Evelyn (Davis) Cummings, both natives of West Virginia. They were married in Lewis County, Va., and there the father engaged in farming. His death occurred in his native state at the age of seventy-eight years. The mother died at the age of forty-five years. In politics
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the father was a Democrat politically and he was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
The boyhood of Columbus C. Cummings was spent in his native state, where he was educated. When he was twenty-three years old he came to Illinois, and passed a short time in Montgomery County before coming to Christian County. Upon his arrival here he bought the 190-acre farm on which he is now located, and is now engaged in stockraising and shipping. He has also taken much interest in poultry, keeping superior stock, and has won five cups in poultry exhibits. Ever since taking possession of his farm, he has been improving it, and has recently built a summer home on this farm on the south branch of the Sangamon River.
In November, 1898, Mr. Cummings was mar- ried to Miss Amelia Lohr, born May 4, 1867, in Christian County, a daughter of Christopher and Louise Lohr of Locust Town- ship. Her parents were natives of Holland and Germany, respectively. Mr. and Mrs. Cum- mings have five children, namely: William, born August 10, 1899; Clarence, born' March 5, 1900; Pearl, born November 10, 1901; Goldy, born July 2, 1903, and Flossie, born September 28, 1908. In politics Mr. Cummings, like his father before him, supports the principles of the Democratic party. Having been reared in the faith of the Methodist Church, he has continued a consistent member of that organization. A sound, reliable man at all times, he has developed into a very desirable citizen, and holds the esteem and confidence of his neighbors.
CUNNINGHAM, Thomas J., postmaster at Tay- lorville and one of the prominent and representa- tive men of Christian County, was born at Palmer, Ill., June 19, 1875. a son of Patrick J. and Mary (Whelan) Cunningham, natives of County Kerry and Queens County, Ireland, re- spectively. The parents came to the United States about 1860, locating at Girard. III. Pat- rick J. Cunningham died when his son. Thomas J., was ten years old, and the mother died September 13, 1916.
Thomas J. Cunningham attended the public schools of Morrisonville, III., and spent three years at St. Francis Xavier's College, New York City, supplementing this by a business course at St. Joseph's College at Teutopolis, Ill. He then went into newspaper work at Litchfield, and at Morrisonville, Ill., thus continuing until June 5. 1899, when he came to Taylorville and entered the county clerk's office as a deputy under Charles A. Clark, serving thus until 1902. From 1902 to 1911 he served as chief deputy in the county clerk's office under H. J. Burke, leaving in 1911 to engage with the Peabody Coal Com- pany of Chicago, at Kincaid. as office manager, but returned to Taylorville and was in the county treasurer's office under Joseph Brockamp until July 1, 1913, when he was appointed postmaster at Taylorville and he is still holding that import- ant office. In politics lie is a staunch Democrat.
On February 19, 1901, Mr. Cunningham was married to Miss Catherine L. Poggenpohl at Raymond, Ill., a daughter of Herman and Regina Poggenpohl. Mr. and Mrs. Cunningham have one son, Raymond Elbert, who was born June 2, 1903. Mr. Cunningham is a member of St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church. He is a Fourth Degree Knight of Columbus, and at present is serving his order as district deputy for the third term, his territory including Decatur, Assumption, Pana and Morrisonville Councils.
CURVEY, Orren .- No history of Christian County would be complete without a record of the farmers who developed the agricultural pos- sibilities of this region and made possible present day prosperity. One of these men deserving of special mention was the late Orren Curvey, whose last years were spent in comfortable retirement at Taylorville. He was born near Auburn, San- gamon County, Ill., January 10, 1843, a son of Madison and Carolyn (Mason) Curvey. The father was born in Baltimore, Md., and the mother near Auburn, Ill. When a small boy the father came to Illinois and settled near Auburn, where he spent a number of years, but later came to Christian County, where he bought a farm, and conducted it for a time, and then sold and moved to Palmer, III. There he bought town property and also a small farm. He passed away in Sangamon County, and the mother also, near Auburn. In politics the father was a Republi- can. He was an Adventist in religious faith.
Orren Curvey spent his boyhood in the vicinity of Auburn, and there attended the public schools. When the Civil War broke out, he gave the Union his services, enlisting for three months in Com- pany A, One Hundred and Thirty-third Illinois Volunteer Infantry. After his honorable dis- charge he returned to Auburn and lived with his uncle, Mr. Mason, until his marriage, when he moved to his father's farm, and worked on it for a time. He then moved to a small farm of his own in Sangamon County, and conducted it until he sold it, and afterward operated his uncle's farm for three years. He then bought eighty acres of land in Christian County, but sold it and later bought 120 acres which he also sold when its value had increased very considerably. At the time of his death in 1899, when fifty-six years old, he owned 180 acres of land in Chris- tian County. In politics he was a Republican.
In 1864 Mr. Curvey was married to Anna Rob- erts, a daughter of William and Melinda (Camp- bell) Roberts, natives of Kentucky where they were farming people. The father died in that state and the mother brought her family to San- gamon County, Ill., where she reared her chil- dren, and died at the home of her son in South Fork Township. Mr. and Mrs. Curvey became the parents of the following children: Martha Jane, Laura Bell, Ettie May, Hattie M., William, Ida and Ada (twins), Bertha. Alva, Roy and Ethel. After the death of Mr. Curvey, Mrs. Curvey bought her present modern home at Tay- lorville.
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gasson Studios Decatur ILL.
John A Peabody & Family
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CUSACK, Rev. Thomas E., priest-in-charge of the Catholic Church at Morrisonville, is one of the scholarly men of Christian County, and an
pleted the present handsome parochial resi- dence. The parish is in a flourishing condition, numbering 115 families. The parish supports earnest and forceful worker of his faith. He · several organizations which aid in maintaining the healthy condition of the congregation, among them being the Catholic Knights of Illinois, the Knights of Columbus, Holy Name Society and the Women's Catholic Order of Foresters.
was born in Monroe County, Mo., August 20, 1872, a son of Patrick and Mary (Masterson) Cusack, farming people. Thomas E. Cusack at- tended the district schools of his native place. and St. Joseph College at Tentopolis, Ill., where after seven years he was graduated in the class of 1889. He then studied philosophy at St. Francis Seminary at Milwaukee, Wis., for a year, from 1889 to 1890. Following this he took a theological course of three years at St. Mary's Seminary at Cincinnati, Ohio, and was for one year at the Catholic University of America at Washington, D. C., being ordained priest in 1895, for the Alton diocese. His for- mer charges were at Alton and Winchester, Ill., and in May, 1906, he came to Morrisonville.
Intimately associated with the history and development of Christian County is the growth of the Catholic Church. After passing through the pioneer state with periodical visits from the larger cities by those sturdy men of faith, the Catholic clergy, each town vied with the other in seeking the establishment of a local church and procuring a permanent pastor. In Ricks Township of Christian County, the growth of the Catholic community has kept pace with the increasing valuation of the territory. Branch- ing out from the mother church at Taylorville, established about 1846, then under the jurisdic- tion of Chicago diocese, a Catholic congregation was established at Morrisonville in 1870 by the Rev. Father Lohmann of Hillsboro, who built the first church. The first resident pastor at Morrisonville was Father Claus, who moved here in 1873, and he built the first parochial residence in 1877. A zealous young priest in the person of Father A. Teppe, was assigned to duty at Morrisonville, and after years of earnest work and hardships with a small but none the less active congregation, succeeded in building the present beautiful Gothic edifice at a cost of $17,000. This church, dedicated in 1895, rounded out eighteen years of arduous labor on the part of priest and people. The efficiency of the former was readily recognized by his superiors in his transfer to the city of Decatur, Ill. His work at Morrisonville was continued by Rev. J. J. Driscoll in 1896, who transformed the old church building into a parish school, thus planting the seed of future harvest for the congregation, which is known as the St. Maurice school, now in charge of the Dominican Sisters of Springfield, Ill. For the past twelve years this school has been doing very effective work with the children of the parish, and its pupils rank with those of any similar educational institution in the country.
Rev. Driscoll was succeeded in 1897 by the very Rev. Ferdinand Stick, and he in turn by Rev. H. J. Hoven, both of whom have passed into the care of the Great Shepherd of Souls. The latter was succeeded by Father Cusack. In 1909, Father Cusack succeeded in having com-
CUSHING, Edward J., postmaster at Assump- tion, and a man who well represents the better element of this locality, is also agent for the Chalmers and Ford automobiles. He was born in Locust Township, this county, February 18, 1872, a son of Thomas and Philipena (Perry) Cushing. Thomas Cushing and his wife were born near Montreal, Canada, but the former came to Locust Township in an early day, witlı his parents, buying a farm from Colonel Mal- hoit. This farm the grandfather operated until his retirement when he sold it to his son, Ed- ward Cushing, and lived on it until his death which occurred when he was ninety-one years old. The grandmother was eighty-nine years old at the time of her demise. After coming to Locust Township, Thomas Cushing who had been a sailor in early manhood, helped in the conduct of the eighty-acre farm, and also oper- ated adjoining land. He built the first log house in the township, on the southeast corner of the farm, which was southeast of the Cashen schoolhouse. Some years later he moved to the old Cy. Claussen farm, and two years afterwards he went to the James Maher farm north of As- sumption, and operated this rented land for four years. He died on this farm in July, 1886, aged fifty-four years. The mother died in June, 1886, aged forty-eight years. He was a Demo- crat and a member of the Catholic Church.
Until he was ten years old, Edward J. Cushing lived in Locust Township, but then losing his parents, he was with his brothers and sisters, and they moved to the James Moran farm in Flat Branch Township, on which they remained for three years. Later Mr. Cushing rented a farm west of Assumption from a Mr. Pigeon, and operated it for thirteen years. At the expira- tion of that time, having made many improve- ments upon it, he bought the farm, the property comprising eighty acres. Subsequently he moved to Assumption and for a summer was engaged in doing contract work on the ditch then being constructed. He then became manager of the Assumption Mutual Telephone Company, and was elected city marshal, and under Sheriff Johnson he was appointed deputy sheriff. His successor, Sheriff Brents, reappointed Mr. Cush- ing. In 1912 Mr. Cushing bought an interest in the Lacher Grain Elevator Company, but in 1914 this elevator was destroyed by fire, and a new company was formed, Mr. Cushing becoming one of its directors. This elevator, now stand- ing. is one of the best in the county, with all the latest improvements. In 1913 Mr. Cushing was appointed postmaster of Assumption, and is still in office. He is a Democrat, and served as alderman from his ward for two years, and
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was supervisor of Assumption Township for one year. His garage is a modern one and he does a good business handling Chalmers and Ford cars.
In 1892 Mr. Cushing was married to Miss Minnie Willette, of Assumption, a daughter of Louis and Louise (Vilmuir) Willette, born near Montreal, Canada. They came by water to Chicago, and then overland to Assumption where they later engaged in farming, passing away in Christian County. Mr. Cushing began his life struggle without any outside assistance, and having made a thorough success of his career, much praise is due him for what he has accom- plished.
CUTLER, H. A., an enterprising merchant of Rosemond, is associated with other business in- terests of the locality, and is bearing his part in its development. He was born near Pana, Ill., so he is a native son of the county in which he takes such pride, May 3, 1870. His parents, C. D. and Agnes (McConnell) Cutler, had three sons, namely: Frank, who is con- nected with the Schuyler Bank of Pana, Ill .; Alvin, who is a farmer in the vicinity of Pana, Ill .; and H. A. C. D. Cutler spent his life en- gaged in farming. The Cutler family came originally from Ohio, its members being early settlers of Christian County.
H. A. Cutler was reared in the county of his nativity, and sent to the local schools. Until the fall of 1912, he was engaged in farming, but in that year he came to Rosemond, and with John W. Christian, formed a partnership for the purpose of conducting a mercantile estab- lishment. After three years, this association was dissolved, and in 1916 Mr. Cutler erected a fine brick store building, in which he placed one of the finest and most complete stocks of merchandise this section has ever had placed before it. and since then has carried on a large and constantly growing business. The building is very modern, being lighted with electricity from the first electric light plant of Rosemond.
Mr. Cutler was married to Miss Bertie Elwell of Montgomery County, who was one in a family of four daughters and one son. Mr. Elwell came to Illinois in 1854, locating in Audubon Township, where he died March 23, 1912. Mr. and Mrs. Cutler have had three children, namely : Lloyd E. who is a graduate of the Illinois University at Champaign, has an en- viable reputation as a bright and talented young man of scholarly habits ; S. Agnes who is a grad- uate of the Pana High school, is musically in- clined ; and Esther Charlotte who is also a student of the Pana High school. The Congrega- tional Church holds Mr. and Mrs. Cutler's mem- bership. He is a Republican in politics, but has' never cared to mix in public affairs, his time and attention being occupied with his business. Alert, accommodating. and progressive, Mr. Cutler occupies a leading position among the merchants of his county, and is accepted as an excellent citizen as well.
DAHLER, John Frederick, one of the best examples of the self made man that Pana Town- ship can furnish, is profitably engaged in farm- ing and dairying. He was born in the Canton of Berne, Switzerland, July 21, 1849, a son of John F. and Marianna (Balmer) Dahler. The parents were farming people and had six sons and two daughters. The family all came to the United States in 1872, and located in Christian County.
John Frederick Dahler has lived in Pana Township since 1882, and has done as much or more than any other one man to raise a high standard of excellence in the dairy business in this locality. His aptitude for this class of work is inherited his people having been thus engaged for many years, and he served an ap- prenticeship in it before leaving Switzerland. Mr. Dahler started his dairy in 1886, in a small way, and has developed it gradually but surely, until he now has one of the largest and best equipped in the county. His herd is comprised of some of the best registered cattle obtainable, headed by two bulls, one "Viking," and another. whose sire was "Aldina Sifora" both being from the famous Barton herd of Hinsdale, Ill.
On October 10, 1878, Mr. Dahler was married to Emilie Weber of LaSalle County, Ill., a daughter of W. A. Weber, being one of eight children. Mr. and Mrs. Dahler have had the following children: Clara who was born in 1879, died in 1913; Wilhelm who was born in November, 1880, was killed in 1893 by a run away team; Louise who was born in 1882, was married to Lon Miles, has eight children, and lives in South Dakota ; Amalie who was born in 1884, married H. C. Singer, a veterinary surgeon of Pana and they have two children; Frederick Karl who was born in 1885, lives on the farm where he was born, and he married Nettie Wat- son ; Nettie J. who was born in 1887, was mar- ried to August Singer, they live in Shelby County, Ill., and have three children; Martha S. who was born in 1891, died in February, 1910; Minnie who was born in 1893, was mar- ried to William Burkhardt of Pana, and they have three children : Emil, who was born in 1894, lives at home; Albert who was born in 1896, lives on the home farm; and Emilie who was born October 25, 1898. Mr. Dahler belongs to the German Evangelical Church. In politics he is a Republican. His success has been steady, although in the fall of 1897 he lost by fire thirty- five head of cows and five head of horses. In addition to his agricultural interests, he is a director and vice president of the Lily of the Valley Creamery Company, and has held these offices since its incorporation in 1900. Beginning his life work with nothing but a pair of willing hands and plenty of intelligence Mr. Dahler has made good, but he acknowledges that in every effort he has been ably seconded by his wife.
DANFORD, R. C., M. D., one of the leading physicians of Christian County, established in a
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Samuel Feat. family
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HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN COUNTY
general practice at Pana, who through his skill and natural ability has won a well deserved place for himself in this community, was born at Owaneco, this county, January 31, 1872, a son of John J. and Margaret (Stilts) Danford. The father was born in Guernsey County, Ohio, and came to Christian County, Ill., about 1866, engaging in farming for the subsequent fifteen years. Following that he was engaged in a hay and grain business at Owaneco until his death which occurred in March, 1890. He was a justice of the peace for many years, and was prominent in the Republican party. The Masonic fraternity and the Methodist Church held his membership. The mother was born in Guernsey County, Ohio, and is now livng at Owaneco, Ill. They had the following children : R. C .; M. L., who is a farmer of Christian County ; L. F., who is a merchant at Owaneco ; L. G., who is a merchant at Owaneco ; Rose, who married James DeBarr, a farmer of Christian County ; Joanna, who married John Brandon, a teacher at Owaneco; and C. M., who is living at Decatur.
R. C. Danford attended the schools of Owaneco and the Wesleyan University at Bloomington, Ill., from which he was graduated in 1891. He then attended the Northwestern University Med- ical school at Chicago, and was graduated there- from in 1896 with the degree of M. D. Following the securing of his degree, Dr. Danford came to Pana, and since then has been engaged in an active practice. During the winter of 1913-14, he took a postgraduate course in surgery at the New York Polyclinic in New York City and received a diploma from that institution. He has also attended clinics at Boston and Philadel- phia, and spent a little time with the eminent Crile. at Cleveland, Ohio, and the Mayo Broth- ers, of Rochester, Minn. Prominent in the Re- publican party, he was an alderman from his ward during 1909 and 1910, and was a very efficient man in that office. High in Masonry, he is past high priest of the Royal Arch Masons and past master of the Blue Lodge. He instituted the "IIome-coming and Past Masters night" in Pana, and this has been kept up and taken up all over the state. Dr. Danford is also past chancellor of the Knights of Pythias, and be- longs to the Elks and Modern Woodmen of America. The Methodist Church holds his mem- bership.
On November 14, 1900, Dr. Danford was mar- ried at Pana, Ill., to Miss Monta Mclaughlin, a daughter of D. M. and Toney (Rhodes) Mclaughlin. She was born at Lakewood, Ill. Her father survives and lives at Louisville, Ky., but her mother is deceased. Dr. and Mrs. Dan- ford have no children. Ile owns a handsome residence at No. 503 E. Second Street, where he has lived for fourteen years, while his office is at No. 1061% E. Second Street, and he has occupied the latter for seventeen years.
DAPPERT, James W., civil engineer and drain- age expert, is a man to whom Christian County owes a heavy debt of gratitude for the work he
has inaugurated and carried to successful com- pletion. His connection with the city of Taylor- ville as a resident and public spirited citizen is equally valuable, and he stands for the best type of American. Mr. Dappert was born in Holmes County, Ohio, April 6, 1859, a son of John and Catherine (Silveus) Dappert, natives of Frank- fort, Germany, and eastern Pennsylvania, re- spectively. The father, who survives, makes his home at Taylorville, but the mother died in 1903. Coming to Taylorville upon his retirement, Mr. Dappert, senior, left his Christian County farm to which he had come in 1864.
After attending the country schools of Chris- tian County, James W. Dappert spent two years at Westfield College, in Clark County, Ill., and three years in the Valparaiso University, where he was a classmate of E. A. Perry, former can- didate for lieutenant governor. He then took a course in civil engineering, obtaining the degree of Civil Engineer. In March, 1884, he went to Topeka, Kan., where he laid out and helped to supervise the erection of the foundation of the State Capitol Building, and was deputy United States surveyor in re-subdividing and resurvey- ing Harper, Barber, and a portion of Kingman counties, in Kansas. In 1885 he went to southern Kansas, where he was deputy county surveyor of Comanche County, and during that year proved up a preemption claim near Coldwater. The fol- lowing year he went to Grant County, became county surveyor, holding that office during 1886 and 1887, and at the same time invested quite heavily in land, and stocked his property with cattle. In 1SSS he moved to Pueblo, Col., and for two years or more was assistant city engineer, being associated with the construc- tion of some of the big public works at that point, and also laid out a system of sewerage for Santa Fe, N. M. He was on irrigation and mining surveys until 1892, doing some very important work in the former line. The year 1892 saw his return to Christian County, and he has continued his activities ever since. He is consulting engineer for the Sny Levee and Drainage District on the Mississippi River; of the McGee Creek Levee and Drainage District ; the Nutwood Levee and Drainage District; the Julet Swamp Drainage District, and for more than 100 farm drainage districts in Christian. Shelby, Macon, Sangamon, Macoupin, Montgom- ery, Fayette, Piatt, Edgar, Iroquois, St. Clair and Madison counties. He has handled more of the farm drainage districts than any other man of his profession in Illinois. In addition Mr. Dap- pert was with Nos. 1 and 2 Drainage Districts in Hancock County, Iowa, and Nos. 1 and 2 in Chari- ton County, Iowa, as consulting engineer and de- signer, and as court advocate was back of the law now enabling the people of those drainage districts in Iowa to assess the railroads for their share of the expense of operation. The precedent of that law has since been followed throughout surrounding states and brought into play in mat- ters pertaining to drainage questions. Between 1899 and 1910 Mr. Dappert had been connected with Judicial Ditch No. 1, in South Minnesota,
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which at the time of its completion was the largest drainage ditch in that state, costing $175,000. covering thirty-six miles all told. From 1893 to the present writing Mr. Dappert has ren- dered invaluable service to Taylorville as city engineer, with the exception of five years when other duties made it impossible for him to hold that office. During his period of service he super- vised all of the later paving, and during 1914 put in about $120,000 worth of paving. In addition to his other interests, Mr. Dappert owns a farm in Johnson Township, and gives its operation some attention. He also owns a farm in Grant County, Kan.
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