USA > Illinois > Christian County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Christian County, Volume II > Part 52
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Mr. Gray has always taken an intelligent in- terest in public questions, especially in those relating to affairs in Christian County. In poli- tics he is a Republican and at times has con- sented to serve in public office and as road com- missioner was conceded to be one of the best and most practical of officials. With his family he belongs to the Episcopal Church.
GREER, John A., whose efforts as a business man have won for him well merited success, is conducting a transfer line at Mt. Auburn. He has been in this business ever since the railroad was built through the village, and prior to that hauled overland from Decatur, Ill., to Mt. Au- burn for eighteen years. He was born near Knoxville. Marion County, Iowa, July 19, 1853, a son of Acquilla Greer. The mother died when John A. Greer was two weeks old, and the fa- ther then moved to Greene County, Ill. There he was married (second) and came to Christian County about the time that this section was vis- ited by the cholera. Buying land, he lived upon it until his death.
John A. Greer remained with his father until he was twenty-one years old, and then began farming for himself. Subsequently he began draying from Decatur, Ill., but continued his farming operations, and still owns town prop- erty in Mt. Auburn. During the time he was engaged in making his regular trips to and from Decatur, he had many experiences which he relates very entertainingly. His parents had four sons, three of whom are living. and eleven daughters, four of whom survive. The parents were both of Kentucky birth, and he is proud of the fact.
In March, 1874, Mr. Greer was united in mar- riage with Mary Fletcher, who died in 1882, leaving the following children: William, who lives in Iowa ; Annie M., who lives in Oklahoma ; and Ella, who lives in Christian County. Mr. Greer was married (second) to Mary G. Dunn of Christian County, and they have had the fol- lowing children: Clarence W .; Clyde R .; and Hattie J., all of whom live at Mt. Auburn. Mr. Greer belongs to the Modern Woodmen of Amer- ica, and is a Democrat, although he holds no offices.
GREER, Robert M., one of the up-to-date farmers of Mt. Auburn Township, owns and operates eighty acres of land on section 14. He was born in Christian County, being a native son of Mosquito Township. The date of his birth was January 28, 1863, and his father was Aquilla Greer and liis mother was Malissa (Davidson) Greer. Growing up in Mosquito Township, he attended its schools, and remained at home until he attained to his majority. At that time he began farming for himself, renting land until he was able to buy forty acres of land in 1900. Later he added until he now owns eighty acres. For twenty years prior to buying it, he lived on this farm and operated it, so he is very well acquainted with the soil and its needs and possibilities. In addition to his farm, he owns stock in the Mt. Auburn Ele- vator Company and in the Independent Har- vester Company of Plano, Ill.
On February 19, 1885. Mr. Greer was married and he has the following children: Gladys, Erna and Edna. A fourth child died in in- fancy. Mr. Greer belongs to the Odd Fellows and Loyal Americans, and also is a member of the Encampment No. 37 of Decatur, Ill., and the Modern Woodmen of America, Mt. Auburn Camp. The Methodist Episcopal Church holds his membership. A Democrat in politics, he has never aspired to office, business affairs de- manding all his attention.
GRIEVE, Fred, a prominent retired farmer of Edinburg, was born in Hanover, Germany, De- cember 14, 1841, a son of George and Elizabeth (Beckesmeyer) Grieve. The father never left Germany, he and the mother dying there. After a boyhood spent in Germany, where he attended school, Fred Grieve gave his native country the usual military service, entering the army June 27, 1866, and served for three years. Following the expiration of his terni of service, lie left Germany for the United States and came to Illi- nois, where he spent some time in the vicinity of Beardstown, Cass County. In 1872 he came to Christian County and rented a farm from Mr. Waggoner, and two years later rented from John Long. In 1879 he bought eighty acres of land from Newton Long, and later bought forty acres more from Doctor Riggs and operated his farmi until 1911, but in that year retired and moved to Edinburg, living in his comfortable home ever since.
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On March 10, 1871, Mr. Grieve was married to Miss Marie Wilker, a daughter of Frederick and Ellen Wilker, natives of Germany who came to the United States in youth. They were married at Beardstown, Ill. Mr. and Mrs. Grieve have had eight children, as follows: Emma, Elnora, Henry, Lena, Marie, Louise D., Frank and George. In politics Mr. Grieve is a Democrat, while his religious affliations are with the Ger- man Lutheran Church. Having worked hard all his active life, Mr. Grieve is entitled to the comfort and ease he is now enjoying, and his sterling traits of character entitle him to the consideration he receives.
GRUNDY, Fred, one of the most progressive farmers of Christian County, and a writer of note upon agricultural subjects, was born at Newark, England, a son of Henry and Ruth (Gladstone) Grundy. The parents had eight sons and nine daughters. The father was a cat- tle dealer and came to the United States when Fred Grundy was a lad, locating in Bureau County, Ill. The mother followed after the fa- ther had made a permanent settlement, and they became farmers and stockgrowers. The parents died in 1875. Three generations on the maternal side of the family produced sea cap- tains.
Fred Grundy has been interested in farming, fruit and poultry growing and horticulture in general, for twenty-three years, and the results of his experiments and experience are embodied in his editorial work in magazines devoted to horticultural and agricultural matters. He has been a great traveler, and has always taken one or more of his children with him, going to Cali- fornia, Australia, New Zealand, the Sandwich Islands and Canada. For twenty-two years he has been the government crop reporter for this part of the state.
On November 14, 1894 Mr. Grundy was mar- ried to Lora Moms of Morrisonville, a daughter of John A. Moms, and one of four children. For ten years prior to her marriage she was a teacher in various schools of Christian County. Mr. and Mrs. Grundy became the parents of six children, namely: Fredora Fern, who was born April 17, 1896; Morris Gibson, who was born October 19, 1898: Harold Avalon. who was born March 1. 1900; Gladstone Ward, who was born in June. 1903; Irene Mildred, who was born October 5. 1904; and Lora E. Frances, who was born January 6, 1908. On January 13, 1908 Mrs. Grundy died, leaving six young chil- dren. Fredora Fern now keeps house for her father and the children, and is a very capable young lady, whose devotion to her family is worthy of special mention. Mr. Grundy is a Republican and has served as assessor, town clerk and clerk of the central committee of his party. The family attend the Methodist Church. The children have been educated in the local schools and are remarkably intelligent and promising.
GRUNDY, Harry, at one time a prosperous farmer and stockraiser of Christian County, was
admittedly one of its leading citizens. He was born in Birmingham, England, April 24, 1837, a son of Henry and Ruth (Gladstone) Grundy, the latter being a distant connection of one of England's great statesmen of the past, Hon. Wil- liam Gladstone. The parents had seven sons and ten daughters. When only fourteen years old Harry Grundy came to the United States, and after spending a short time in Wisconsin came to Illinois and lived at LaSalle until he took up a farm in Christian County, two and one-fourth miles from Morrisonville. Here he carried on stockraising and farming, and developed into one of the leaders in his line in this locality.
On September 23, 1860, Mr. Grundy was mar- ried to Ellen M. Smith of Jersey County, Ill., who died December 17, 1916. She was a daugh- ter of John G. Smith, a carpenter, builder and wagonmaker. Like the majority of pioneers John G. Smith was able to turn his hand to many things. He and his wife had eight daugh- ters and two sons. John G. Smith was born at Raleigh, N. C., a son of Charles Smith, a planter of North Carolina. His wife, who bore the maiden name of White, was born in Soutlı Caro- lina, and came from the same family stock as did Oliver Cromwell, once Lord Protector of Eng- land. Mr. and Mrs. Grundy became the parents of four children, as follows: Lyman Gaston, who was born July 2, 1861, a lawyer of Taylorville, is married and has a son ; Charles Norman, who was born December 18, 1862, is general agent for the Emerson Piano Company, of Boston, Mass., and married Gertrude Rockwell. of Taylorville ; George Gladstone, who was born July 14, 1866, died January 21, 1915, aged forty-nine years. married Anna Lee Wilkins, of Missouri, who died a week after her husband; and Maud, who was born December 11. 1873. married to Louis Rittger, a stockman. Mr. Grundy attended the Presbyterian Church. In politics he was a Re- publican. During his long experience as a farmer he conducted his operations according to modern methods, and was interested in all meas- ures looking toward a furtherance of agriculture, serving as president of the Farmers Institute for several years. His farm comprised 320 acres of land, and in addition to it. Mrs. Grundy owned a fine residence at Morrisonville. When Mr. Grundy died, on January 6, 1908, aged seventy- one years, his community lost one of its best citizens.
GRUNDY, Lyman G .- The judicial tempera- ment must be natural, although many are placed on the bench who do not possess it, but when a man so honored is able to weigh impartially the facts brought before him, and to render his deci- sions through his inherited sense of justice, he discharges his duties as a judge in a far more capable manner than one who has learned through experience and against his real inclina- tions. Judge Lyman G. Grundy proved during his period as a member of the county judiciary that he was eminently fitted in every respect for the high honor accorded him and left behind him a record second to none in this section. He
James. E. Sallenger Cotta m. Sallenger.
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was born at Virden, Macoupin County, Ill., July 2, 1861, a -son of Harry and Ellen M. (Smith) Grundy, natives of England and Jersey County, Ill., respectively. The maternal grandfather was a North Carolinian who came to Illinois in the thirties, locating in Jersey County. The father moved to Christian County in 1863, and engaged in farming in Ricks Township, his farm being two miles south of Morrisonville, and the old homestead still stands. He continued farming until within a few years of his death, when he retired and moved to Morrisonville, where he passed away January 7, 1907. The mother followed him in death in December, 1916.
Judge Grundy took a business course at the Jacksonville Commercial College, and one at Monmouth College, and then for seven years was engaged in teaching school in Christian County, for three years of this time being principal of the East High school at Pana, and for one year was principal of the Morrisonville High school. He then took a course in the law department of the University of Michigan, from which he was graduated in 1893, following which he was ad- mitted to the bar during that same year, and coming to Taylorville, entered upon a general practice. Later he associated himself witli Rufus M. Potts, which partnership continued until Mr. Grundy was nominated for county judge in 1894, on the Republican ticket. Atter capably serving for one term, he returned to his practice of law, and for years has specialized in probate matters. The first case tried in Illinois under the Australian ballot law, was brought before Judge Grundy as county judge, it being that of Orr versus White. Appeal was taken to the Supreme Court, where Judge Grundy's deci- sion was sustained, and forms the leading case in this state under the Australian Ballot Law, being followed by our courts today as such.
Judge Grundy was married June 2, 1897, to Roxanna Bates, a daughter of the late Z. F. Bates of Locust Township, and they have one son, Harry Bates, who was born November 21, 1898. He is a graduate of the Taylorville High school of the class of 1917. Judge Grundy is a Presbyterian. The Masonie order holds his membership, and he also belonds to the Order of the Eastern Star. A learned man in the law. experienced and capable, Judge Grundy is rec- ognized as one of the leaders in his profession throughout this part of the state, and his assist- ance is sought in all matters of importance. especially those relating to his special line of endeavor.
HACKENBERG, John D., who is profitably en- gaged in farming on section 13, May Township, is one of the representative agriculturists of Christian County. He was born in May Town- ship, February 20, 1860, a son of Joe and Rachel (Darst) Hackenberg. The father was born in Pennsylvania and the mother in Ohio. When still a small boy the father was taken by his parents to the vicinity of Springfield, Ohio, where the paternal grandfather bought land, and after farming it for some years died on it,
as did the grandmother. Later on the father came to May Township, Christian County, locat- ing on section 36, buying land from the Illinois Central Railroad Company, and there he lived for a number of years. Leaving the farm at. last he spent eight years at White Pigeon, Mich., where he conducted a general store. Selling that he went to Watsontown, Pa., and was en- gaged in the same line of business, and he was also in a mercantile business at Lincoln, Ill. Once more he resumed farming, and died on his farm in 1886, aged fifty-six years. The mother survives at an advanced age. The father was a Republican, and the Cumberland Presbyterian Church held his membership.
John D. Hackenberg grew up in May Town- ship, and Lincoln, Ill., and attended the schools of both places. When he was twenty-four years old he left home, and later he bought land until he has accumulated 689 acres of land, a part of which he operates as a general farmer and stockman, specializing in the growing of general farm products.
In 1885 Mr. Hackenberg was married to Miss Victorine Solliday, a daughter of Jacob H. and Angeline (Holben) Solliday, of Stonington Township. The father was born in Bucks County, Pa., in 1837, and the mother was born in Ohio. Brought to Ohio by his parents at an early age. the father later bought land, and then sold it and moved to Buckhart Township, and later to Stonington Township where he died in 1891, aged fifty-four years. The mother died in 1909. Mrs. Hackenberg was born in Buckhart Township, Christian County, Ill., March 2, 1864. Mr. and Mrs. Hackenberg have three children, namely : Claude, Merl and Lelah.
HAINES, Fletcher .- Although he has attained to an age way beyond that of the average man. Fletcher Haines is as active and interested in current matters as any man in the county, of which he is one of the earliest settlers. Ile was born in Barren County, Ky., near Scottsville. November 5, 1824, a son of Christopher and Myra (Gatewood) Haines. The father was born in Virginia in 1795, and the mother was born in Georgia. After attaining to manhood's es- tate in his native state, the father, who had become a farmer, moved to Barren County, Ky., bought land, married and lived until 1829. He then moved to Sangamon County, Ill., and bought land now included in the present city of Springfield. and this continued his home until 1851. The mother survived until 1863. when she died at the age of seventy-three years. The mother's parents, natives of Georgia, moved to Allen County, Ky., where they both died.
Fletcher IIaines was reared in Sangamon County, amid pioneer conditions, and attended the subscription schools of that period. When twenty-one years old. he volunteered for service in 1846, during the Mexican War, in Company A, Fourth Regular Illinois Volunteers, under Colonel Baker, and during the year he belonged to this company he was under General Scott.
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After his honorable discharge he returned to Sangamon County, bought land and operated it until 1854, when he sold it and bought his pres- ent farm of 900 acres in South Fork Township, Christian County. At the time he settled on this land it was wild prairie land, and he has brought it into cultivation and made all the many improvements.
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In February, 1852, Mr. Haines was married to Miss Lydia Ann Anderson, a daughter of Thomas and Nancy ( Laughlin) Anderson, of Colwell County, Ky., the marriage taking place in Bear Creek Township. Her father and mother were both natives of Kentucky, who after their marriage came to Illinois, settling in Bond County. After a time they came to Bear Creek Township, Christian County, bought land, and spent the remainder of their lives here, he dying at the age of nearly eighty years, although the mother died when forty-eight years of age. They had 360 acres in their homestead. Mr. and Mrs. Haines became the parents of five children, namely : Millard C., who was born in 1858, lives in Portland, Ore. ; Nancy E., who was born in 1861, died at the age of forty-eight years; Mary J., who was born in 1863, died at the age of forty-two years; Sherman, who was born in 1865, lives at Portland, Ore. ; and Edith May, who was born in 1868, lives in Spring- field. Mr. Haines had one child. William James, by his first marriage to Lucinda Jane Hotler. There are twenty-one grandchildren and seven- teen great-grandchildren. A Republican in politics, Mr. Haines has been elected on his party ticket as a school director, in which office he served thirteen years; and in 1865, a justice of the peace, which office he held for four years. He is a Methodist. His large farm is operated along general stockraising and farming lines, he raising grain, cattle and hogs, and he also carries on a dairy business. While he is ninety- three years old, he is as vigorous as most men of sixty years. He has a strong. clear mind, and recalls vividly many of the incidents for- gotten by many, of the early days of Christian County. Progressive in his ideas, Mr. Haines now drives a newly purchased automobile, and takes pride in his road record.
HALE, Joseph .- It is but natural that the han- dling of stock at such a fine point as Taylorville should attract to it some of the most substan- tial men of the county, and Joseph Hale is no exception to this rule. He was born in Meigs County, Ohio, October 9, 1853, a son of Flavel F. and Samantha (Percy) Hale, natives of New Haven, Conn., and Meigs County, respec- tively. The father was a farmer in New York state and Ohio, and he died in the latter state in 1893. The mother died at the age of sixty-five years. They had seven children : John ; Molly, who is deceased: Martha, who is de- ceased ; Joseph; Carrie; Tom, who is deceased ; and Harvey.
Joseph Hale attended the public schools of his native county, and after going to Indiana which he did in 1868 he alternated attending school
with farming. In 1880 he came to Christian County, Ill., and until 1907 he was profitably engaged in farming seventy-seven acres of land in Taylorville Township. In the latter year he moved to Taylorville, and commenced buying stock, developing a large business in buying and shipping stock of all kinds. In addition to his duties as a farmer and business man, Mr. Hale has found time to devote some attention to public matters, and served Taylorville Town- ship as a member of the board of supervisors at the time the courthouse was erected.
On September 15, 1881, Mr. Hale was mar- ried (first) to Emma Neece of Taylorville, and they had one son, Roy who was born July 25, 1890. He has charge of the agricultural de- partment in the high school of Fort Morgan, Col., and for three years was at the University of Illinois, and was graduated from the Colo- rado Agricultural College in 1915. His pre- liminary educational training was secured in the public and high schools of Taylorville. The first Mrs. Hale died August 20, 1910. On March, 1915, Mr. Hale was married (second) to Mrs. Josephine (Darner) Walker, widow of J. A. Walker, and a daughter of William H. and Martha J. (Runyan) Darner, natives of Mary- land and Kentucky. In religious faith Mr. Hale is a Baptist. His political views are those of the Republican party. He is a Mason, as is his son, and he also belongs to the Court of Honor and Modern Woodmen of America, while he and his wife both belong to the Eastern Star.
HALL, Charles, a retired farmer of Willey's Station, May Township, is one of the native sons of Christian County, having been born on his father's homestead in May Township, January 15, 1846, a son of William B. and Louise (Moore) Hall, natives of Virginia. Until 1835 the father remained in his native state, but then moved to Illinois and located first in Sangamon County, but left it in 1836 for May Township, Christian County. Here he bought land, adding to it until he had 1,500 acres, and here he spent the re- mainder of his life, dying October 31, 1891, aged ninety-two and one-half years. The mother died in March, 1854. The father was a Republican, and a man of importance, becoming one of the largest stockraisers and shippers in this county. When he became a man of large means he was very liberal to the poor. In his own early days he taught school for $8 per month and his board, going from one family to the other in the district as was the custom in those days. It is an inter- esting bit of history that when he came to the West he made the trip by boat to St. Louis, Mo., and then had to drive to his destination, there being no railroads. In 1838 he married Mrs. Louise Moore, near St. Louis, and they became the parents of five children, namely : George, who died at Los Angeles, Cal., March 27, 1916; Josiah ; Henry, who died in 1856, having been born in 1844; Charles ; and Albert. The paternal grandfather and grandmother were born near Dublin. Ireland, where they were married, and came to the United States at an early day and
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HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN COUNTY
located in Virginia. Their subsequent lives were spent in that state, where they died. Their eight children were as follows : John, George, William, Dixon, David C., Elizabeth, Nancy and Sarah.
Charles Hall was reared in May Township, and attended its schools and those of Mt. Zion, Ill. Until 1871 he was on the farm with his father, but in that year moved to Willey's Sta- tion, becoming the agent for the Wabash Rail- road Company. Later he built a general store which was the first one in the settlement, and conducted it for many years, and he also oper- ated a large grain elevator and in addition he became the owner of a 160-acre farm and con- ducted it for many years. Fraternally Mr. Hall belongs to the order of Elks, while the Presbyte- rian Church is his religious home.
On May 28, 1884, Mr. Hall was married to Miss Mary McAdoo, a daughter of Samuel and Mary (Tidwell) McAdoo, natives of Bond County, Ill., and Tennessee. Mr. and Mrs. Hall became the parents of two children, namely : William B., and David C. In 1914 William B. Hall was married to Miss Lottie E. Steward, a daughter of John W. C. and Suzella Steward, of Springfield, Ill., and they have one child. Audrey Adele. Since his father's retirement, Wilian B. Hall is conducting the old homestead.
HALLOCK, H. M .- Probably there is no more dominating figure in all of Christian County than that of H. M. Hallock of Taylorville, whose energies have been directed in numerous chan- nels, and always with gratifying results. IIe has not been content to labor for his own ad- vancement, but has kept the needs of the county in plain view, and has rendered inestimable service to it and the people of Illinois, by ex- erting himself to secure improvements he knew would prove advantageous. He was born at Dubuque, Iowa, in 1873, a son of H. S. and Eliza A. Hallock, natives of Dubuque. H. M. Hallock is a grand-nephew of General Hallock of Civil War fame. H. S. Hallock was in military service at the time the Civil War was declared, and served throughout that struggle in an Iowa regi- ment. After the close of the war, he became a prominent building contractor of Dubuque. At present he and his wife are living at Topeka. Kas.
H. M. Hallock was graduated from Campbell University, Kas., and then went into the em- ploy of the Santa Fe Railroad as agent and telegraph operator, so continuing until 1890. when he went with the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad as train dispatcher, remaining with the company until 1912, in the positions of trainmaster, superintendent, and general super- ' intendent of the road. In July, 1912, he came to Christian County to become general manager of the C. & I. M. Railroad. In addition to dis- charging these duties, he has been associated with the group of people who have constructed a big power plant at Kincaid: established two mines near Kincaid which are the two most modern equipments in the state, having concrete and steel construction throughout, and operated
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