USA > Illinois > Christian County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Christian County, Volume II > Part 60
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John Pitts William Ladd grew up in Buck- hart Township, attending its schools, and learn- ing to make himself useful on the farm until he was twenty-six years old when he was married and moved to South Fork Township, where in the spring of 1881, he bought 160 acres of land, improved it, and operated it for eighteen years, and then sold it and in 1898 bought his present farm of 160 acres. Since then lie has improved all the buildings, and has everything modern and convenient.
On March 10, 1881, he was married to Miss Harriet L. Lilly of Fayette County, Ill., born Sent. 17, 1855. a daughter of Richard and
Caroline (Metham) Lilly, the former born in Virginia, April 2, 1821, and the latter in Ohio, October 29, 1831. Mr. Lilly was educated in Virginia, and developed into a dry goods mer- chant. In the forties he came to Illinois, lo- cating in Lowden Township, Fayette County, where he bought a farm, but later went to Ohio where he was married. Returning to Illinois. he spent the rest of his life in Fayette County. Both he and his wife were teachers in the early schools here, as they were people of education. Mrs. Ladd went to school to her father and mother in a log schoolhouse that was furnished with log seats. The father died in Fayette Connty November 17, 1878. and the mother died March 24, 1891. During the Mexican. War, the father gave his country service as a soldier under Gen. Scott and Gen. Taylor. Mr. and Mrs. Ladd have had seven children born to them, as follows: Roxie Anna, born May 10, 1882; Lulu Phoebe, born December 7, 1883. died February 14, 1884; Noyes, born October 25, 1885: John P. W., Jr., born November 15, 1887 : Harry, born March 15, 1889; Goldy, born Janu- ary 20, 1895, died Angust 9, 1896; and Ruth, born December 13, 1896. In politics Mr. Ladd is a Republican and served three terms as a school director in South Fork Township. He is a member of the Presbyterian Church. In addi- tion to his other holdings, Mr. Ladd owned 240 acres in Ozark Township. Barton County, Mo .. which he traded, in 1916, for 204 acres in Christian County, and forty acres in Florida. The power plant owned by the Central Illinois Public Service Company stands on a portion of Mr. Ladd's farm in South Fork Township.
LANGEN. W. F., president of the First National Bank of Morrisonville: Christian County, is a man who enjoys to the utmost the confidence and respect of all who know him. He was born near Carlton, Greene County, Ill., September 17, 1861. a son of Theodore and Mary Elizabeth (Broc- kamp) Langen, who had eight children. The parents were natives of Germany, and the father came to the United States after giving his conn- try the stipulated military service, about 1852. Coming immediately to Illinois he spent some time in Jersey Connty, and then located in Greene County. Still later, about 1858, he took up 160 acres of land in Ricks Township, Chris- tian County, where he removed in the Spring of 1863, and where his son, W. F. Langen, lived since. The mother came to this country with her family in childhood. After the death of the father in 1876. W. F. Langen managed the farm for his widowed mother until he was twenty- four years old, when she moved to Morrison- ville, and there she still resides, There was a large estato of 640 acres of Christian County land left when the father died, which was di- vided between his widow and the following chil- dren : Henry F., who has five children: Kath- erine Lentiz, who has four children : Mary B. Todt, who has six children : Elenora Todt, who died March 17. 1905, leaving five children ; John.
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who is married and has eight children; Eliza- beth, who died May 17, 1901, unmarried; and Helen Donnelly and W. F.
W. F. Langen was married September 30, 1885, to Elizabeth Todt of Montgomery County, Ill., a daughter of John Todt, a farmer; she was born March 21, 1866, near Shipman, Ma- coupin County, Ill. They had ten children, as follows: John T., who was born September 24, 1886. is a farmer on the homestead, married Katherine Lyons, and they have two sons; Theodore Henry, who was born August 3, 1888, is a farmer of Ricks Township, married Alice Sellbach, and they have one son; Mary Agnes, who was born January 21, 1890, married Fred J. Bertmann of Morrisonville, Ill., later locating on a farm near Premont, Texas, and they have one son and one daughter: Joseph F., who was born February 19, 1891, a farmer of Premont, Texas, was married to Amanda Rittger of Chris- tian County and they have one son ; Florence Elizabeth, who was born February 23, 1893, is at home; Albert Anthony, born July 3, 1894. died September 3, 1894: William Leo, who was born September 17, 1895, is with his brother at Premont, Texas : Herman Lewis, who was born June 11, 1897, is at home : Cletus Sylvester, who was born November 21, 1898, is working in the office of the C., B. & Q. Railroad at Hannibal, Mo .; and Margaret Estella, who was born May 25, 1900, is at home. The boys all attended the local schools and St. Francis Academy at Quincy, Ill., while the girls attended the Ursula Acad- emy at Alton, Ill. Mr. Langen gave his children educational advantages denied himself, as his schooling was confined to attendance at the dis- trict schools held during the winter months in his youth. Mrs. Langen died August 6, 1908, and was at that time forty-two years, four months and fifteen days old. She is buried in the St. Maurice Cemetery at Morrisonville, Ill. On Angust 16, 1910, Mr. Langen was married (a second time) to Mary C. Tonsor of Montgomery County. Ill. There are no children of this mar- riage.
Mr. Langen owns 420 acres of land in Ricks Township, and some valuable tracts of farming land in Texas. He is a stockholder in the Farm- ers' Elevator Company of Morrisonville, and is one of the directors. When the First National Bank of Morrisonville was organized in May, 1903, with a capital stock of $25,000, he was one of the organizers, and has been a member of the board of directors since its organization and its president for the past six years.
Mr. Langen is a member of the Catholic Church. In politics he is a Democrat, and served for twenty years as a school director, was high- way commissioner for six years and supervisor for four years. In 1913 Mr. Langen retired from the farm in favor of his eldest son, and buying a fine residence at Morrisonville, has since lived here.
LARKIN, John E., manager for Twist Brothers, of Rochester, Ill., owners of the grain and coal elevator at Clarksdale, is one of the substantial
business men of Christian County. He was born at Winsted, Conn., April 10, 1857, a son of Thomas and Mary (Marra) Larkin. The father was born in Tipperary, Ireland, in 1818, and the mother was a native of the same place. In 1849 the father left his native land for Quebec, Canada, his brother and sister accompanying him. They later moved to Montreal, Canada. New York City was their first place of location in the United States, and while residing there, Thomas Larkin was married and soon thereafter he and his wife left for Winsted, Conn., where he engaged in farming, and also was employed on railroad construction work. Subsequently, the father and mother and his two brothers moved to Montreal, Canada, and there continued working along the same lines that had engaged them in this coun- try until 1869, when the family came to Illinois, and for a time the father was employed in rail- road construction work on the Big Four Rail- road at Butler, in Montgomery County. Later he went to Rosemond, and secured land which he operated for a year. He then came to Edinburg, and resumed railroad work, being later trans- ferred to Pleasant Plains, in Sangamon County. Returning to Edinburg, he spent a short period there, and then went to Stonington, where he was engaged on the construction work on the Wabash Railroad. For the following five years he was engaged in conducting a small farm he had bought, but subsequently sold and retired to Raymond, Montgomery County, Ill., where he bought a residence. There he died November 29, 1887, aged sixty-nine years. The mother joined her son at Clarksdale, and died at his home in 1889, aged sixty-eight years.
John E. Larkin attended the parochial schools of Montreal, and when seventeen years old, in 1869, came with his parents to Illinois. Here he became associated with Price and Wilkinson, at Edinburg, in a grain business, continuing in the same until 1877, when he went to Stonington, and was with S. S. Sprague & Company, grain dealers for four years. On October 3, 1881, he moved to Clarksdale, representing this same company in a grain and coal business. Here he has re- mained, and although the company has under- gone some changes, his relations remain the same. At one time Mr. Larkin was a stock- holder of the Pratt, Baxter Grain Company, of Taylorville, and is one of the best known men in the grain trade of this section.
In 1893 Mr. Larkin was married to Miss May F. Hurst, a daughter of James M. and Lydia Hurst, of Jacksonville, Ill. Mr. Larkin belongs to the Court of Honor, the Modern Woodmen of . America, the Knights of Columbus, and the Elks, and is as popular in these orders as he is in business circles.
LAW, James William, a retired farmer of Owa- neco, and a man widely known and universally respected in Christian Connty. was born in No- ble County, Ohio, October 24, 1836, a son of Adam and Rebecca (Lowery) Law, natives of Noble County, Ohio, where the mother died when about forty-nine years old. The father came to
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Illinois in 1857, with his family of ten children, and located four miles east of Taylorville. Later he returned to Noble County, Ohio, and married as his second wife, Hannah Stephens. Early in the sixties he died on his farm near Taylorville, having been born in 1810. His sec- ond wite died at Taylorville when about fifty years old. By his first marriage he had seven daughters and three sons, namely : Mary Emily, who died in Locust Township in the spring of 1916, when eighty-four years old; Susanna, who was the wife of John Wood, died in Colorado; James William; Cyrus L .; Jane, who is the widow of Henry Funderburk; Ezra; Ellen ; Catherine, who is the widow of Joseph Hague; Rebecca; and Lydia, who is the widow of Dr. Abbott of Columbus, Ohio.
James William Law resided with his father until 1860 when he rented land and continued to do so for four years, then purchasing a farm of sixty acres four miles east of Taylorville, where lie resided for nine years. Selling this property, he bought another farm two miles east of Owa- neco, where he was actively engaged in farming and stock raising until 1911, at which time he retired, built a handsome residence at Owaneco, and here he has since made his home. He has owned a large amount of real estate and at pres- ent owns 160 acres of land in this county. For about a quarter of a century he gave his district the benefit of his services as a school director. The Methodist Church holds his membership.
On February 5, 1860, Mr. Law was married in Christian County to Nancy Stephens, born in Ohio, a daughter of Edmund Stephens, an early settler of this county. Mr. and Mrs. Law have had eight children, as follows: Sarah C., who is the wife of William Varner; Reuben, who is a resident of Locust Township; Nora: who is the wife of Albert Statner of Locust Township : Anna, who is the wife of H. T. Stahl: Calvin; an unnamed infant; Charles, who lives in Lo- cust Township ; and Laura.
Mr. Law is one of the substantial men of his community, and his opinion is valued and his advice sought by many who desire to profit by his experience and knowledge of agricultural matters.
LAWLER, Thomas A., M. D .- Some of the most learned and capable physicians and surgeons of the country have become specialists, finding that they can render more efficient service by concen- trating upon certain subjects, than by carrying on a general practice. One of the notable exam- ples in Christian County is Dr. Thomas A. Law- ler of Taylorville, who is now largely confining himself to diagnosis and surgical cases. He was born at Rushville, Schuyler County, Ill., Febru- ary 24, 1875, a son of J. T. and Sarah E. (Pin- kerton ) Lawler, natives of Virginia and Indiana.
At an early date the father of Dr. Lawler came to Illinois, settling here after the Mexican War, in which he had served. By trade he was a cooper, but he jater entered and cleared off land which he developed and farmed until his death in Schuyler County, in 1900. He was interested
with his son Dr. Lawler, in breeding a line of fine road horses, some of which attained celeb- rity. The mother of Dr. Lawler survives, liv- ing at the old home. She is a woman of remark- able strength of character, and her influence has been a helpful factor in the life of Dr. Lawler, who is the youngest of the eleven children born to his parents.
After he had attended the district schools, Thomas A. Lawler entered Rushville Normal Col- lege, and took a business and teachers' course. For six years he taught school in Schuyler and McDonough counties, and in 1901 and 1902 he was principal of the Industrial school in McDon- ough County. During all this time, however, it was his ambition to become a physician, and in the fall of 1902 he matriculated in the medical department of Washington University, at St. Louis, Mo., from which he was graduated in 1906 with the degree of M. D. He was an interne in the St. Louis City Hospital for a few months, and then came to Taylorville where he estab- lished himself in a general practice. He soon found, however, that the demands made upon him necessitated concentration, and he now, as far as possible, devotes himself to consultation, diagnosis and surgical work, and has charge of the local X-ray apparatus. An enthusiast with regard to the value of medical associations, Dr. Lawler is a member of the county and state, as well as the American Medical Association. and has only missed one meeting of the latter since he has been in practice. He also belongs to the Clinical Congress of Surgeons.
In 1900 Dr. Lawler was married (first) to Lillian Garrison of Schuyler County, who died in 1913. He was married (second) on January 5. 1915, to Bessie D. Turley, of Springfield, Ill. In religious faith Dr. Lawler and family are members of the Christian Church. A Mason in high standing, Dr. Lawler has taken both the York and Scottish rites to the highest degrees. He also belongs to the Knights of Pythias, and B. P. O. E. A sympathetic, skilled and experienced surgeon, Dr. Lawler is a valued ad- dition to the profession, and Christian County is fortunate in being able to retain a man of his ability within its confines.
LEES, Edward L., who is engaged in a real estate and insurance business, is one of the sound business men of Pana. He was born near Oconee. Shelby County, Ill., December 31, 1868, a son of James and Jane (Lucky) Lees. James Lees was born in Pennsylvania, but came to Illinois in the late fifties, and located in Shelby County. buying there eighty acres of land, to which he has added until he now owns about 800 acres. He is a Methodist and a Republican. All his life he has devoted his energies to farm- ing. The mother was born in Illinois, and died in Shelby County in 1870. James Lees later married (second) Mary Lane, who was born in Indiana. Edward L. Lees was the only child of his father's first marriage, but he has the following half-brothers and sisters: William, who is a farmer of Shelby County ; Roy, who is
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also a farmer of Shelby County; Grace, who married Clarence Donaldson, a farmer of Shel- by County ; Ocie, who married James Smith, a farmer of Shelby County ; and Harry, who is studying law at college.
Edward L. Lees attended the schools of Shelby County, and at Danville, Ind., spending a year at the latter place. He then engaged in farming in Shelby County, so continuing for seven years, when he removed to Pana and en- gaged in a meat business for two years. His attention was then called to the real estate and insurance business, and fifteen years ago he embarked in these kindred lines, and since then has built up a profitable connection, at present operating under the firm name of E. L. Lees & Son, with offices at 133-1-2 S. Locust street. His residence is just south of Pana, on fifteen acres of land, one of the most beautiful homes in this section. Mr. Lees is a Mason and Modern Wood- man, and is prominent in these orders. The Methodist Church holds his membership. His political views make him a Republican.
On December 1, 1892, Mr. Lees was married in Shelby County to Lucy Green, a daughter of Henry and Alice (Reed) Green. Mrs. Lees was born in Shelby County, December 11, 1872. Her father was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, May 9, 1843, and died in Oklahoma in 1904. He was a carpenter and builder and was postmaster at Oconee, Ill., for many years. During the Civil War he served his country as a soldier. He was a Republican and a Methodist. Mrs. Lees' mother was born at Allentown, N. J., February 14, 1850, and died in Shelby County, in 1884. She was a Methodist. Mr. and Mrs. Lees be- came the parents of the following children : Clarence, who was born in Shelby County, April 26, 1894, was in business with his father at Pana, but he enlisted July 12, 1917, in the United States service and is now a sergeant in the medical department, located at Camp Tay- lor, Ky. ; Alice, who was born in Shelby County, December 27, 1896, is at home: Ralph, who was horn at Pana, December 12, 1900, died at Pana, in 1901, aged five months.
LEIGH, James W., is a man whose influence is still felt throughout Christian County, al- though he is now living retired at Taylorville, for his personality is too strong for him to be entirely separated from current events or luis interest in civic matters. He was born in Bear Creek Township, this county, March 29, 1852. a son of Emanuel T. and Mary Ann ( Hill) Leigh, the former born in Prince Edward County, Va., July 27. 1816, and the latter in the vicinity of Lexington, Ky. The father came to Christian County, Ill., at an early day, becom- ing a farmer of Bear Creek Township.
James W. Leigh attended the district schools of his township, and a school at Palmer, Ill., and worked on the homestead until he was thirty years old. At that time he began mer- chandising, handling hardware at Palmer, and conducted this business for twelve years, devel- oping it to large proportions, adding the han-
dling of farm implements, buggies, harness and similar commodities to his original line. In 1893 he sold his business and came to Taylor- ville, and built the buildings now occupied by the Farmers National Bank. Associated withi him in this undertaking were Messrs. Edward Silnbort and Williams. The bank corporation later bought out the Williams interest. In the latter part of 1894 Mr. Leigh embarked in a furniture and undertaking business under the name of Leigh & Chesnut, being located in the business block he had erected. For ten years he was engaged in this line, and then sold to the Bly & Chesnut Company, and since then has been retired, although he is a stockholder in the Palmer Bank, and has other interests.
On November 21, 1878, Mr. Leigh was married to Angie Curvey of Palmer, Ill., a daughter of Madison and Arilla (Soule) Curvey, natives of Massachusetts and Syracuse, N. Y. Mr. and Mrs. Leigh have one daughter, Cora, who is Mrs. Sterling Stearns and she is living on her father's farm in Taylorville Township. Mr. Leigh is a standpat Republican, and served as tax collector of Bear Creek Township. For a number of years he was on the village board, and school treasurer, and was honored in 1905 by election to the office of mayor of Taylorville. holding that office with dignified capability for two years, and he was in the city council for
three terms. He has been a leader in the anti- saloon fight at Taylorville, and the township, and has not hesitated to fight strenuously to up- hold his principles. For years he has been a member of Mound Lodge No. 122, A. F. & A. M. of Taylorville; Taylorville Chapter No. 102, R. A. M .; and Ellwood Commandery No. 6. K. T. of Springfield, Ill. A man of unswerving char- acter, he has always lived up to what he be- lieved was right and good, and his influence is very powerful in the direction of moral uplift.
LEINHART, George, now deceased, but at one time actively engaged as a wagon and carriage manufacturer in Taylorville, was regarded as one of the leading men of Christian County. He was born on the Rhine, near Strassburg, Ger- many, on May 6, 1834, and was a son of Jacob and Margaret Leinhart, natives of Germany who were married in the Fatherland.
George Leinhart spent his boyhood in Ger- many, and upon coming to the United States, in 1852, lived in the East for about two years, and came west to Sangamon County, Illinois, in 1854. His parents followed him to Sangamon County shortly afterwards and subsequently bought a farm in the Spring Creek neighbor- hood. After the mother's death the father went to live with his son Jacob, then living west of Taylorville, and here he died. George Leinhart moved to Taylorville in 1855 and worked two years with Ammon Cheney. In 1858 he went to the state of Texas to locate, and there estab- lished himself extensively in the wagon and car- riage manufacturing business. He had learned the trade of carriage making in earlier years. In Texas he prospered until the outbreak of the
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Civil War when his properties were confiscated by the Confederate Government, and the slight recompense given him was in Confederate cur- rency. In making his return from Texas, in those warlike times, it is interesting to know that Mr. Leinhart, preparatory to leaving, built a spring wagon and it was in this wagon that the entire trip to Illinois was made, the family camping by night at the roadside. For many years, or until the time of his retirement, Mr. Leinhart was one of the most substantial men and one of the largest manufacturers in Chris- tian County. His wagons and carriages were very widely in demand.
Mr. Leinhart built several residence properties in Taylorville prior to the erection, in 1890, of his splendid home at 503 W. Vine Street where his daughter, Margaret, and his nephew, Chase Harrison, now reside. Mr. Leinhart died in this home on January 24, 1914, aged seventy-nine years. His wife died on the eleventh of May, 1907, aged sixty-six years. George Leinhart was a member of the German Lutheran Church and his wife of the Christian Church.
On September 4, 1860, Mr. Leinhart was mar- ried to Mary A. Ridgeway of Tennessee, a daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth Ridgeway, natives of Virginia. The Ridgeways have al- ways been a very substantial family and are originally of English origin. To Mr. Leinhart and his wife three children were born, namely : Margaret Elizabeth ; John Edward, who passed away September 28, 1915; and Mrs. Mary Ida Harrison, who passed away in 1892, leaving a son, George Chase Harrison of this city. Mr. Leinhart was a quiet, unostentatious man who did things according to his conscience; and he was highly respected for his many excellent qual- ities. The influence of this man will continue to be felt, although he has passed from this phase of existence, for his thoughts and his interests were honorably directed to community develop- ment.
LEINHART, J. E., now deceased, but for many years one of the leading business men of Tay- lorville, and a man widely known throughout Montgomery County as one of its most reliable druggists, is recalled with deep regret by the many who had business or social connections with him. Mr. Leinhart was born at Dallas, Tex .. March 16, 1865, a son of George and Mary (Ridgeway) Leinhart. When he was still a lad, his parents came to Taylorville, and the father opened and conducted a wagon shop for many years, spending his last days in retire- inent.
After attending the grammar and high schools of Taylorville, Edward Leinhart, as he was familiarly known, took a course in his chosen profession at the Chicago College of Pharmacy. from which he was graduated in 1899. Return- ing to Taylorville, Mr. Leinhart took a position with Melle Williams, whose store then occupied a frame building standing on the present site of the Durr dry goods store. After three years, Mr. Leinhart formed a partnership with Mr.
Williams, and they erected the building now occupied by the Farmers National Bank, and opened up one of the best equipped drug stores in the county. This association was maintained for ten years, and then Mr. Williams bought his partner's interest, and a year later Mr. Leinhart formed a partnership with Dr. G. T. Meacham, and they founded the present Meacham drug store on the northeast corner of the square. After six years, Mr. Leinhart again sold to his partner, the connection being dissolved in May, 1908. In September, 1908, Mr. Leinhart opened a drug store that was admittedly the finest in the state outside of Chicago, buying the buikdl- ing on the east side of the square in which his store was located. In order to have his resi- dence convenient to his business, Mr. Leinhart converted the two floors above the store into beautifully appointed apartments.
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