USA > Illinois > Christian County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Christian County, Volume II > Part 54
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John A. Hayward attended the public schools of Hillsboro and in 1867 came to Pana where he embarked in a hardware business. continuing it for three years. In 1870 he formed a partner- ship with II. N. Schuyler of Pana. and they con- (noted a brokerage business for a period of five years, and then they opened a private bank that later became the II. N. Schuyler State Bank, and is now one of the strongest financial institutions of the state.
On October 3. 1871, Mr. Ilayward was united in marriage with Flora M. Rood of Milwaukee. Wis., a daughter of Erasmus Darwin and Saman- tha (Billings) Rood, natives of Ludlow, Mass .. and Long Meadow, Conn., respectively. The father was born September 10. 1822, and died January 26, 1896, and the mother, who was born June 14. 1823. survives, and lives with her daughter, Mrs. Hayward. Mr. and Mrs. Hay- ward became the parents of four children, namely : Harriet Adelaid, who died in infancy : Amy, who is Mrs. J. W. Paddock, of Pana ; Lanra HI., who is Mrs. Warren Penwell, of Pana ; and Ione H., who is Mrs. Harry E. Cook, of Shelby- ville, Ill.
Mr. Hayward was greatly interested in educa- tional matters, and did much to secure better school advantages for the children of Pana. HIe belonged to the Masons and Odd Fellows, and was popular in both orders. In 1875 he organ- ized a local company for the state militia and was elected its captain. and later was made colonel of the Fifth Illinois militia. In his death, which occurred January 28, 1883, Pana and Christian County lost an effective citizen
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and upright, honorable man, one whose memory is still cherished, although many years have passed since his demise.
HEAD, John S., formerly well known in As- sumption as a capable stationary engineer, was one of the substantial men of Christian County. Hle was born at Whiteland, Ind., February 13, 1858, a son of Benjamin and Phebe (McClain) Head, natives of Kentucky and Indiana, re- spectively.
John S. Head attended the schools of his native place, coming to Indiana in young man- hood, and from there to Macon County, Ill., where he operated an engine in a tile-yard for a time. Leaving there he moved to Assumption where he assisted in establishing a brick and tile-yard, later accepting a position as station- ary engineer. He hoisted the first dirt in con- nection with the drilling of the coal shaft of the Assumption Coal Mining Company. Until his death Mr. Head remained in the employ of this company, and was considered one of its most capable men when claimed by death in 1899, when he was forty-one years old. He was a Republican in politics. The Methodist Church had in him a consistent member. For some time prior to his death he belonged to the Modern Woodmen of America.
On October 23, 1889. Mr. Head was united in marriage with Miss Clara Kemmerer, born in Assumption, a daughter of Joseph and Nannie (Ebert) Kemmerer, natives of Fairfield County and Dayton, Ohio. The parents came to Illinois at an early day, locating at Prairie Bird, now Henton, Shelby County, where Joseph Kemmerer operated rented land for a short time, and later bought a farm of 160 acres near Assumption. At that time it was all wild prairie, and he developed it. using oxen for his farm work. After a number of years on this farm, he went to Assumption, where he lived in retirement, having bought a residence there. Both he and wife died at Assumption at an advanced age. The mother of Mrs. Head was brought to Shelby County, Ill., from Dayton, Ohio, by her parents, and she was married to Mr. Kemmerer at Shel- byville, Ill. The grandfather. Dr. A. D. Ebert, practiced medicine in Ohio and in Illinois, hav- ing received his degree at Baltimore, Md. He was an orator and took part upon many occa- sions in public meetings in Shelby County. One of his daughters was the second white person to die in Christian County. Mrs. Head was one of three children. the others both of whom were younger than she, being as follows: Ervin J. who died at the age of twenty years ; and Ewell Lee who is a hog ranchman of Hale Center, Tex. Mr. and Mrs. Head had one child, Laveta Har- pold. Mrs. Head survives her husband and makes her home at Assumption where she has a very modern residence and is enjoying the com- forts her husband's foresight and industry pro- vided for her.
HEDDEN, Amos Ross, one of the enterprising young farmers of Christian County, is success-
fully operating a fine farm of 120 acres on Sec- tion 21, Buckhart Township. He was born June 29, 1884, a son of Louis Henry and Mary E. (Hart) Hedden. Louis Henry Hedden was born in South Fork Township, this county, May 15, 1856, a son of Simon and Francis ( Stephens) Hedden, the former born near Lexington, Ky., and the latter at Spottswood, Va. Growing up in his native state, Simon Hedden engaged in farm- ing and teaming, and hauled goods to Louis- ville, Ky., in a large freight wagon drawn by six horses. After his marriage he continued to live in Kentucky for some years, and then brought his family overland to South Fork Township, Christian County, Ill., where he operated a farm until his death in 1868, when he was fitty-six years old. His first wife died in Kentucky and he was married a second time in Kentucky, this wife being the grandmother of Amos Ross Hed- den, and she died in Taylorville Township, in 1880. aged sixty-one years.
When he was six years old, Louis Henry Hed- den was taken to Taylorville Township, and was only twelve years old when his father died. He went to live with his brother Sam who had a farm in Taylorville Township, and there remained until he attained his majority, when he leased land in the same township and operated it for six years. Having saved his money in the meanwhile he was able in 18SS to buy eighty acres of land in Buckhart Township, and ten years later added forty acres to it and in 1909 his wife received forty acres out of her father's estate, whose name was H. G. Hart. Mr. Hedden still operates this farm in partner- ship with his son, Amos Ross. In 1883, Louis Henry Hedden and Mary E. Hart, a daughter of H. G. and Margaret (Dugar) Hart, and a native of Christian County, were married, and they have had four children, as follows: Amos Ross, Della G., Francis M., and Simon Ernest.
Amos Ross Hedden attended the Central Point school in his native township, and has remained all his life with his father, and for the past twelve years they have been partners, with the exception of one year that he spent in Stafford County, Kas., where his father-in-law owns a half section of land, having homesteaded part of it some years ago, and after one year there, returned to Buckhart Township. Amos Ross Hedden has 160 acres in Haskell County, Kan- sas, that he bought in 1907.
In 1910 Mr. Hedden was married to Miss Clara Field, a daughter of John and Carrie (Cooper) Field, born in Stafford County, Kas. Mr. Field was born in Kentucky and Mrs. Cooper was born in New Jersey. Soon after the close of the Civil War, Mr. Field went to Indiana, there learned the carpenter trade, and later moved to Mis- souri, and thence to Kansas, still living there on the farm he obtained from the government. He has divided his time between farming and stock raising. Mrs. Field was brought to Illinois by her parents who located in St. Clair County, and operated land, still later moving to Mitchell County, Kas., where they bought land. Subse- quently they went to Stafford County, Kas ..
WILLIAM E. SEATON
مونتفي
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HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN COUNTY
and there died. One child was born to Mr. and Mrs. Hedden, Ralph Wayne. Mrs. Hedden died January 4, 1917. Mr. Hedden is a Democrat, belongs to the Baptist Church, and stands well in his community. Mr. Hedden, with his son, Ralph W., makes his home at present with his father and mother.
HERDMAN, Samuel Beck, M. D .- Although he has not been in practice in Christian County so long as some of his fellow members of the medi- cal profession, Dr. Samuel Beck Herdinan is one of the best known of them all, for he is a native son of the county, having been born here Janu- ary 23, 1882. He is a son of John H. and Ella (Finley) Herdman, natives of Pittsburgh, Pa., and County Langford, Ireland, respectively. The father who now lives retired in Taylorville was engaged in farming in May Township for many years, having come to that locality in 1859. The mother died in 1907.
Samuel B. Herdman first attended the Taylor- ville Township High School, after which he spent two years at Lake Forest College. Subsequently he was graduated from the University of Chi- cago, in 1907, with the degree of B. S. He matriculated at Rush Medical College in 1905, from which he was graduated in 1909; then spent one year in the Presbyterian Hospital of Chicago as interne, following which he was for six months house surgeon for the Monroe Street Hospital, Chicago. Having thus thoroughly pre- pared himself, Dr. Herdman entered upon an active practice at Gilbert, Minn., trom whence he came to Taylorville two years later. He has since been engaged in general practice. Fra- ternally he is a Mason in good standing, and also belongs to the Elks. Enthusiastic, carefully trained, abreast of the times, Dr. Herdman has a very bright future before him, while his pres- ent success is gratifying, not only to himself, but those who are glad to see a son of Christian County rise so high in his chosen profession.
HERKERT, Karl (Charles), one of the substan- tial and respected farmers of May Township, passed from among us on March 21, 1916. His death occasioned sincere regret among all who knew him, for his work as an agriculturist has invariably typified progress and, in his social relationships, his geniality and the warmth of his nature among his friends very widely en- deared him.
Mr. Herkert was born in Germany, in Bavaria, on March 6. 1840, a son of Michael and Eva (Shaffer) Herkert, both natives of Bavaria. The families of both of the parents are old in Germany. For years the father's people lived in a large stone house near Kirich Zell. Germany, in well-to-do circumstances, and here Karl Her- kert was born. He was the youngest of twelve children. The father followed farming in the old country ; and, in this environment, Karl was reared. He attended the schools of the neigh- borhood and in the odd hours helped on the farm and thus acquired a love for sheep. When boy- hood days were passed he became a shepherd
and superintended large flocks. His care of sheep was a personal pleasure to him. He con- tinued in this occupation until he was twenty- seven years old, when he came to America. In 1868 Mr. Herkert came to Christian County to establish his home. He bought some eighty acres in May Township, located about six and one-half miles east of Taylorville. Here he farmed with good measure of success until his death.
Mr. Herkert was married at Taylorville on July 31, 1874, to Miss Mary Yeagle, a native of Baden, Germany, where she was born January 29. 1845. She was of a fine old German family which for years lived at Elsach Baden, at which place Mrs. Herkert's brother and sister are still living. Four children of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Herkert are living: Kathryn, a dressmaker; Caroline, the present court reporter of Christian County; Mary Louise, a teacher of music; and John Richard Herkert, a farmer living on the homestead. John R. and his wife, Bertha (Phil- lips) Herkert, have one daughter, Helen Vir- ginia, who was born November 20, 1914. Mrs. John R. Herkert died July 9, 1916.
In his political faith Mr. Herkert was always a Democrat. He was a lifelong member of the Catholic Church. He was a man of sterling char- acter, thoroughly honest, straightforward in manner, and very kind in disposition. His life was an example to those around him. Everyone loved him for his smiles and kind words. Since his death the family have removed their home to Taylorville.
HERSHEY, Harry B .- Fearlessness in dealing with crime and criminals, combined at the same time with humane justice and kindly sympathy, have marked the career of Harry B. Hershey, the talented young state's attorney of Christian County, who is making a record for his section. He was born in Rutland County, Ohio, March S, 1884, a son of F. B. and Anna (Gongwer) Hershey, natives of Ohio.
Harry B. Hershey received excellent educa- tional training, for after he was graduated from the Taylorville High School he entered the Lib- eral Arts department of the University of Illi- nois, from which he was graduated in 1909. Following this he took a law course at the Uni- versity of Chicago, from which he was gradu- ated in 1911. Returning to Taylorville, his tal- ents were immediately recognized and that same year he was elected city attorney, and his bril- liant record in that office was a forceful factor in securing his nomination, and subsequent elec- tion to the office of state's attorney, which he has since held with distinction. A strong Democrat, his party is proud of him and looks to him as one of its leaders.
On May 27, 1912, Mr. Hershey was married to Leah Stapleton of Assumption, Ill., a daughter of Joseph and Leona C. (Cazelet) Stapleton. early settlers of Christian County. Mr. and Mrs. Hershey have two sons, namely : August, who was born March 31, 1913, and Richard, who was born August 1. 1916. In religious faith Mr. Hershey is a Methodist. Fraternally he is affili-
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ated with the Masons and Odd Fellows, and stands very well in both orders. A young man of untiring energy, he is devoting his trained capabilities for the promotion of the public weal, and his work is bearing fruit, and his name will be associated with the best element in his pro- fession long after his career here is terminated, for he possesses the characteristics which go to the making of a real man, and a true citizen.
HERSHEY, Peter, one of the retired farmers of Stonington Township, is one of the men who belongs in the list of substantial men of Chris- tian County. He was born in Lancaster County, Pa., May 27, 1847, a son of Jacob R. and Margaret (Eby) Hershey, the former of whom was born in Lancaster County, Pa., in 1818, and the latter in the same county, in 1821. The father was a farmer and Mennonite minister. The Hershey family came from Bavaria, Ger- many, to Lancaster County, Pa., about 1700.
Peter Hershey worked for his father on his farm until he went to Kansas City, Mo., and from there to Montgomery County, Ill., where he bought eighty acres of land in Audubon Township that he still owns. He left the farm in 1908 and moved to the village of Stoning- ton, Christian County, where he bought a resi- dence and here he has since lived. On March 26, 1884 Mr. Hershey was married in Chester, Pa., to Mrs. Annette Thompson, a daughter of Jerry and Ann Eliza (Underwood) Thompson, the former born in 1828 and the latter in 1832, and both in Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. Hershey have two children, namely : Claude. who was born March 26, 1885; and Helen Marion, who was born October 16, 1890. Mr. Hershey was elected supervisor of Audubon Township for two terms. The Baptist Church of Stonington holds his membership.
HEWITT, L. D., president of the Taylorville National Bank, and one of the most thoroughly representative of the business men of Christian County, is an important factor in the financial life of this section. He is a native son of the county, having been born in Johnson Township, December 15, 1862, a son of W. T. Hewitt and Mary R. ( Wilcox) Hewitt, natives of Kentucky and Illinois, respectively. In 1846 the father came to Christian County and continued to live here engaged in farming and stockraising, nntil his death in November, 1890, at which time he was owner of 3,600 acres of Christian County land. The mother passed away in 1905.
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L. D. Hewitt attended the public schools of Taylorville. From boyhood he was interested in agricultural matters, and was engaged in farm- ing and stockraising until 1900, at one period during that time having under his charge some 1,500 acres of land. a portion of which was in pasturage. In 1900 he came to Taylorville, and bought a hardware stock, with which he started a store, conducting it for three years. For the following two years he superintended his farms, and served as assistant superintendent of the
mines at Stonington. In addition he was at one time interested in a lumber business at Palmer, so that his experiences have been many and varied, and this makes him all the more valuable as the executive head of a financial institution that has dealings with almost every line of indus- trial endeavor.
Mr. Hewitt was married to Ella S. Russell, of Johnson Township, and they have two children, namely : Clarence and Golda. The Christian Church holds his membership. In politics he is a Democrat. For some years he has been a mem- ber in high standing of Elwood Commandery, 1. F. & A. M. of Springfield. A man of sound ideas, he is accepted as one well fitted to carry on the affairs of a bank of the standing of the Taylorville National, and his community profits by his policies which are always conservative and protective.
HEWITT, William T., was one of Christian County's largest landowners and stockraisers, and a man very widely known and highly re- spected, whose last years were spent on his farm near Clarksdale, Ill. He was born in Stať- ford County, Va., January 15, 1816, and died November 24, 1890. When but sixteen years old he moved to Christian County, Ky., and there he was married to Anna Gibson, who was born in 1821, and died June 8, 1857. The children of this marriage were as follows: Frances M., who died in 1872; Olive, who is Mrs. Joseph S. Wal- lace, of Taylorville ; Aurelius M., who was mar- ried to Florence Anderson; James Byron, who died in 1869; Laura J., who is Mrs. J. L. Boyd ; and Hannah L .. who is Mrs. W. L. Long.
Mr. Hewitt came to Christian County, Ill., in 1846, and here he developed into one of the wealthy men of this section, investing heavily in farm lands on which he carried on stockraising on a large scale. IIe was a man who was well educated and of sterling worth and made his influence felt wherever he was known. Three years after the death of his first wife, Mr. Hewitt was married (second) to Mary R. Wilcockson, a daughter of Col. John H. H. Wilcockson, of Christian County, Ill. Three children were born to this marriage, namely : William T., who died in 1872; Lee D., and Omar B.
When he first came to Christian County, Mr. IIewitt purchased 600 acres of land, and when lie died he owned 3.600 acres. all in this county. His operations were of a nature to make him a very important factor in the agricultural life of this part of the state, and he carried them on in a scientific manner, introducing many improve- ments and his experiments were of great value to his neighborhood.
HILL, Albert L., one of the successful farmers of Bear Creek Township, comes of one of the old and honored families of Christian County. both his father and grandfather having been connected with the earlier history of this sec- tion. He was born on his father's farm in this township, February 22, 1878, a son of Robert
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and Mary (Hailey) Hill, natives of Kentucky and Illinois, and a grandson of R. M. and Susan (Pore) Hill, natives of Kentucky.
Albert L. Hill was educated in the schools of Bear Creek Township, and after he had attained to man's estate, with his brother James W., he went to West Point, Miss., where they engaged in a live stock business from 1898 to 1914. Re- turning to Illinois, Mr. Hill rented his present farm of 180 acres, and continued his stock opera- tions, being very successful in both lines.
On January 31, 1907, Mr. Hill was married to Miss Grace Berry, a daughter of Henry and Martha (McGowin) Berry, of Taylorville, all natives of Christian County. Mr. Hill is a Demo- crat in political faith, as were his father and grandfather before him. Like them he is also a inember of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
HILL, Jasper Newton, one of the successful farmers of Buckhart Township, was born in Schuyler County, Ill., December 17, 1861, a son of Israel and Louisiana (Pemberton) Hill. Israel Hill was born in Indiana, in 1827, a son of Ishmael Hill, born in North Carolina in Octo- ber, 1808, from whence he was taken when seven years old, in 1815, to Tennessee and lived for ten years, his father, Ephriam Hill, being a pros- perous farmer and distiller in that state. Ephriam Hill left Tennessee in 1825, moving to Indiana, taking his son Ishmael Hill with him, and later, the latter was married to Miss Eliza- beth Wright, a native of Kentucky, and a daugh- ter of William and Catherine (Rusher) Wright. After the birth of their son Israel, Ishmael Hill and his wife came to Illinois, in 1828. making the trip overland in the spring of that year, and took up government land near Rushville to the extent of 160 acres in Oakland Township, Schuy- ler County. Later, Ishmael Hill bought 120 acres, all of which was in heavy timber, and this land Israel Hill help to clear, aiding his father in cultivating it until 1850. In 1878 the father, Ishmael Hill, sold the homestead to his son, Israel, and bought for himself a farm south of Macomb, in McDonald County, Ill., where he spent the last years of his life. His wife died in 1875, leaving eight children.
Israel Hill was married April 2. 1850, to Louisiana Pemberton, a daughter of Thomas and Deborah (Moore) Pemberton. the latter a dangh- ter of Ephraim Moore, of Kentucky. In 1856 Israel Hill bought 120 acres, and in 1871 added eighty acres to it, and in 1878. as above men- tioned, bought his father's farm of 120 acres, adding later eighty-six acres to it. In Novem- ber, 1890, he bought a home in Vermont, Ill., where he afterward lived retired from active life. During the early days he was a Whig, in politics, later becoming a Democrat, and he was supervisor several terms, and held other town- ship offices. When he died, January 31, 1906, aged seventy-eight years, he owned 415 acres of land and was considered a wealthy man. His wife died December 24, 1908, at Vermont, Ill.
Jasper Newton Hill was reared and educated in Oakland Township, remaining with his father
until he was twenty-one years old, when he moved on his grandfather's farm, and remained there for seven years. He then returned to his father's homestead and spent nineteen years upon it, but in January, 1910, he moved to his present farm of 160 acres.
On September 27, 1883, in Oakland Township, Schuyler County, Ill., Mr. Hill was married to Mary Ann Smith, born September 18, 1865, in Fulton County, Ill., a daughter of John William and Rebecca Ellen (Bearcus) Smith. Mr. Smith was born in York County, Pa., and Mrs. Smith was born in Fayette County, Ill. Mr. Smith came to Illinois when seventeen years old, and located at Vermont, Fulton County, and there worked at the carpenter trade. There he was married and settled on 160 acres of land in 1876, he had bought and which he continued to operate until he retired in 1894. He died October 8, 1916. Mrs. Smith is living at Vermont, Ill. Mr. and Mrs. Smith celebrated in 1916 their sixtieth wedding anniversary. Mrs. Hill is one of five children, as follows: Henry A., Sarah A., Mary Ann, Harry, and George, all of whom are living.
Mr. and Mrs. Hill have six children as follows : Wilmer, who married Mamie Wilkes, has one child, Irene ; Myrtle; Roscoe C. ; Zelma, who mar- ried William Weiser, has one daughter Ger- aldine ; Israel V., and Vancil Floyd. Mr. Hill is a Democrat. His farm is one of the model ones of the county, the buildings and equipment being thoroughly modern.
HILL, John G., whose fine 160-acre farm on Sec- tion 22, Buckhart Township, proves his excel- lence as a farmer, while his high standing in his community attests his worth as a man, was born in Bear Creek Township, May 7, 1865. a son of James Hill and Nancy (Ralston) Hill, natives of Kentucky and Indiana, respectively.
James Hill spent his boyhood in Kentucky where he attended the local schools and learned to farm. After his marriage, in 1834, he made the trip overland to Illinois, locating near Crow's Mill, in Sangamon County. After following farm- ing in that vicinity for a time, he came to ('hris- tain County, and entered land in Bear Creek Township, on which he lived until he retired and moved to Taylorville where he died two years later. He was one of the first commis- sioners of Christian County. When he first came to Illinois, the land was wild and at times the flies were so numerous on the prairies that one had to travel after night to avoid them, and fires had to be kept going to keep them from the people and stock, in the daytime. James Hill died in 1871, aged fifty-five years, and his wife died in 1867. Probably his life was shortened by the hard work incident to pioneer life. He had to haul his wheat to a mill far away, on the south side of the Sangamon River, and labor unceasingly without proper appliances or machinery.
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