Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Hancock County, Volume II, Part 104

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897. cn; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913. cn; Currey, J. Seymour (Josiah Seymour), 1844-1928. 4n; Scofield, Charles J. (Charles Josiah), 1853- 4n
Publication date: 1921
Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1174

USA > Illinois > Hancock County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Hancock County, Volume II > Part 104

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EWING, James E., proprietor of the "Grand View Farm," is one of the constructive men of Prairie Township. He was born in Prairie Township, April 12, 1864, a son of John W. and Mary (Tweed) Ewing, he born in Brown County, Ohio, August 9, 1828, and she born in Bear Creek Township, Hancock County, in 1836. The grandparents, John and Isabel (Huston) Ewing, natives of Kentucky, and James and Elizabeth (Yeatman) Tweed, na- tives of Pennsylvania, came to Hancock County in 1836, making the trip by way of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, settling in Bear Creek and Prairie townships. All bought land. The parents settled in Prairie Township, after their marriage in 1860, and improved their farm of 173 acres 'on which he died on February 5, 1892, and she died on January 15, 1910. Their children were as follows: Emma, who is Mrs. William Boswell, lives near Cleveland, Ohio; James E., whose name heads this review ; Wes- ley, who lives in Prairie Township; Ella, who is Mrs. Walter Thompson, a widow residing at Elvaston ; Effie, who is Mrs. John Urton of Fulton, S. D .; Ida, who is Mrs. Lee Baldon of Elvaston ; and Alice, who is Mrs. Chester Garard of Elvaston.

James Ewing attended the public schools of Elvaston. On November 25, 1896, he was mar- ried to Lena Snyder, born in Montebello Town- ship, a daughter of James and Ella (Greer) Snyder, natives of Virginia and Schuyler County, Ill. Mr. and Mrs. Ewing have two chil- dren, namely : Lucile and Lois, both of whom are now attending Carthage College.

Prior to his marriage Mr. Ewing bought 140 acres of land in Prairie Township, on which he has erected all the buildings, and he has added to his farm until he now has 440 in his homestead, and sixty acres in another farm. He has always carried on general farming and stockraising. Mr. Ewing is a member of the Presbyterian Church which he serves as pre- siding elder. He is a Democrat in politics. Fraternally he belongs to the Elvaston Camp, M. W. A.

EWING, Wesley Clarence, one of the leading men of Prairie Township, owns and operates the "Meadow Brook Farm," and is also the owner of other property in the county. He was born in Prairie Township, April 2, 1866, a son, of John W. and Mary (Tweed) Ewing. After attending the district school and the one at Elvaston, he was married on April 11, 1889, to Romana Miller, born at Elvaston, a daughter of Dr. J. R. and Eliza (Kennedy) Miller, na- tives of Pennsylvania. After his marriage, Wesley C. Ewing moved to section 20, Prairie Township and lived on his farm of thirty-two acres for fifteen years, adding to it until he had 160 acres on section 29, which was partly im- proved. In 1912 he bought eighty acres on sec- tion 30, all of which is improved, and in 1918, in conjunction with his brother, James E., he bought 120 acres of section 36 in Montebello Township, which he rents to a tenant. Mr. Ewing owns in all 460 acres and operates all but 160 acres, occupied by his son, and known as the "Long View Farm." Mr. Ewing does grain farming and stockraising, specializing on raising Percheron horses and Chester-White hogs.

Mr. and Mrs. Ewing have had the following children : Clarence Lee, who was born August 27, 1890; Helen Marguerite, who was born November 8, 1893, died November 20, 1897; and John Leonard, who was born June 28, 1900. Mr. Ewing is a Presbyterian, and serves his church as a trustee. Since 1907 he has been superintendent of the Sunday school. Politi- cally a Democrat, he was supervisor for five years, and since 1897 has been a school director. Fraternally he belongs to Elvaston Camp, M. W. A., and also to the Hancock County Mutual Association. He was president of the Farmers Institute for five years, and he is now a director of the Farmers Exchange Bank of Elvaston.

FAHRENHOLZ, John, for years a highly esteemed resident of Warsaw, was born at Sage- horn, County Achim, Hanover, Germany, Decem- ber 24, 1832, a son of John Fahrenholz, a miller in Germany. Growing up in his native land, John Fahrenholz the younger attended its schools, and later those of London, England. Developing early a desire for travel, he left home, and after seeing something of the con- tinent of Europe, came to the United States in 1853. Landing at New York he remained in that metropolis for several years, being engaged in business, and then he went to New Orleans, La., from whence he came north to Warsaw, Ill. During the war between the states, he served as sergeant in Company E., Seventh Missouri Cav- alry, from October, 1861, until November, 1864.

On September 30, 1855, while still living in New York City, Mr. Fahrenholz was married to Margaretha Baierle, born in Rohrbach, County Sinsheim, Grand Duchy of baden, Germany, December 24, 1835. Their children were as fol- lows : Cordelia, who was born July 27, 1858, died in August, 1861; George H., who was born June 13, 1860, died in October of the same year; and

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Eugenie Henriette, who was married to George Theodore Bott, of Warsaw, Ill. Mr. Fahrenholz belonged to the German Methodist Church. In politics he was a Republican, and fraternally he belonged to the Independent Order of Mutual Aid. He died August 22, 189S, at Warsaw, where he and his wife were living in honorable retirement. Both the Fahrenholz and Bott famil- ies are well and favorably known throughout Hancock County, and their representatives are numbered among the most desirable people of this section.

FECHT, George Johnson. The rate of prog- ress of any section is dependent upon the readiness of the people to take advantage of the natural resources of the land, or their ability to overcome nature's obstacles. and never before in the history of the world has this been brought more forcibly to the atten- tion of the public. Therefore those communities which produce the greatest number of agricul- turalists, or creators of the raw materials, are the ones which are the most important to the general welfare of the country. Hancock, now, as always since its permanent settlement, is one of the great farming sections of the state, and one of the men who is assisting in adding to its prestige in this respect is George Johnson Fecht of Prairie Township.

George Johnson Fecht was born on the farm he now occupies, in Prairie Township, on May 13, 1SS5, a son of Jolin Albert Fecht, who was born in Germany in 1836, and died in Prairie Township, Hancock County, Ill., in 1898. His widow, also born in Germany on September 2, 1846, survives him, and lives at Carthage, Ill. They came to the United States in 1866, and coming to Hancock County, bought eighty acres in Prairie Township, which property is still owned by Mrs. Fecht and rented and operated by her son, George Johnson Fecht. Mr. and Mrs. John A. Fecht had four sons and one daughter, those in addition to George J., being as follows : Lubbie, Roll and Minka, all of whom are farm- ers of Prairie Township; and Maggie, who is Mrs. William Thompson of Carthage. Ill. By a former marriage Mrs. Fecht had three chil- dren, namely : John Hulse, who is a farmer of Prairie Township; Anna, who is the wife of George H. Fecht, a farmer of Prairie Township : and Mrs. Tina Knowles, who is a resident of Hamilton, Ill.

Until he attained to his majority George J. Fecht remained with his mother, and assisted with the farm work. He was married on Octo- ber 14. 1914, to Della Maher, a daughter of Michael and Anna (Sapburg) Maher, born on November 16, 1888. Her brothers and sisters are as follows: Clarence, who is a farmer of Bowling Green, Mo .; Clellie, who is a veteran of the Great war; Freddie, who is at home ; Mollie, who lives in California; Rose, who is Mrs. Curtis Houchin, of Bowling Green, Mo .; Nettie, who is Mrs. Ralph Smith, of Carry- ville, Mo. Mr. and Mrs. Maher survive and reside at Bowling Green, Mo. Both Mr. and

Mrs. Fechit were educated in the public schools. They are members of the Lutheran Church, and held in high esteem in that body. As a general farmer and stockraiser Mr. Fecht is making a success of his life work, and is recognized as a leader in agricultural opera- tions in his locality.

FELGAR, Oliver Henry, one of the substantial men of Hancock County, owns and operates a fine farm in St. Albans Township. He was born in St. Albans Township, on October 26, 1877, a son of William and Mary Ann ( Hardy) Felgar, natives of Pennsylvania and Adams County, Ill., respectively. John Felgar, the paternal grandfather, a native of Pennsylvania, came to Adams County, Ill., when his son, Will- iam, was seven years old, and located near Men- don. There William Felgar was reared and married, coming thence to St. Albans Town- slip, where he bought a large tract of unde- veloped land, improved it and lived on it until his death, November 11, 1910, his widow sur- viving him until March, 1917. Their children were as follows: Belle, who is Mrs. Robert Wilson of Fort Madison, Iowa ; John, who lives in Missouri ; Minnie, who is Mrs. Edward Geis- endorfer of Missouri; Harry, who lives at Chi- cago; Oliver Henry; Stanley, who is a farmer of St. Albans Township; Nellie, who is a public school teacher of Iowa; Charles, who is a farm- er of Chili Township; Lessie, who lives at Burnside, Ill .; and Frank, who is a farmer of Augusta Township; and Alverta and Ollie, who are deceased.

Oliver Henry Felgar attended the public schools of his native township and remained with his parents until his marriage, August 14, 1901, to Lucy M. Cunningham, born in Chili Township, on January 12, 1878, a daughter of Charles and Elizabeth (Nevin) Cunningham, natives of Adams County, Ill., and Chili Town- ship, respectively, and granddaughter of John and Amanda (King) Cunningham, and William and Mary (Cochran) Nevin, natives of Penn- sylvania. Following his marriage Mr. Felgar moved to his farm of 120 acres which was then all prairie land, and on it he erected all the buildings and made many other improvements, and he has here carried on farming ever since. In December, 1912, he had the misfortune to cut his thumb, blood poisoning resulted and he had to have his right arm taken off at the shoulder in 1917. Mr. and Mrs. Felgar have one daughter, Hazel P., born August 13, 1902, who is attend- ing Carthage College. Mrs. Felgar was a public school teacher for three years prior to her mar- riage and is a well educated lady. Politically Mr. Felgar is a Democrat, and served as road commissioner for one year. He is a Methodist and has served as steward of his church and superintendent and assistant superintendent of the Sunday school. He is held in the highest respect in his church and community as a man of excellent principles and good judgment.

JOHN W. SCHENCK

DILLIE R. SCHENCK

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HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY

FERGUSON, Frank C., justice of the peace, and owner of the Maple Grove Stock Farm, situated in Appanoose Township, Hancock County, is one of the representative citizens of the county. He was born at Muscatine, Iowa, December 14, 1857. His parents were Henry J. and Mary A. (Craig)' Ferguson,

Henry J. Ferguson was born in Scotland and was brouht to the United States by a family named Fiske, and was reared in Herkimer County, New York. He remained there until he reached manhood and then came to Illinois and prior to his marriage worked on lumber rafts. In Hancock County, Ill., he was married to Mary A. Craig, who was born in Kentucky. Her parents were William K. and Mary A. (Conover) Craig, natives of Kentucky, came to Hancock County in 1840 and bought two tracts of land, one of eighty acres and the other of seventy acres, situated on sections 18 and 11 in Appanoose Township. The ma- ternal grandfather of Judge Ferguson died in 1853 but the grandmother lived into extreme old age, passing away in April, 1907, aged ninety-six years. After their marriage Henry J. Ferguson and his wife settled first in Appa- noose Township and then moved to Muscatine, Iowa, and Mr. Ferguson conducted a farm there for a time and then removed to Fort Madison. Just about that time the Civil War came on and Mr. Ferguson enlisted in 1861 in Company E, Nineteenth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, and remained in the service until the war ended, being honorably discharged in May, 1865. He escaped injuries on the battle field but on one occasion was quite seriously hurt in the back while conveying a bunch of fractious mules. After his discharge he returned to his family then living in Keokuk, where his wife died May 15, 1865. Mr. Ferguson then worked for S. P. Pond, produce merchant, as an egg candler, in 1870 moving to Bentonport, Iowa, where he was engaged for two years in an insurance business and then established himself in the same busi- ness near Prescott, in Adams County, Iowa.

Frank C. Ferguson obtained his education in the public schools. In September, 1874, he came to Appanoose Township, Hancock County, and spent the following five years working on farms by the month. On December 3, 1879, he was married to Miss Lizzie M. Riter, who was born in this township and is a daughter of Charles C. and Anna Margaret (Cosgrove) Riter. Charles C. Riter was born in Chester County, Penn., November 10, 1828 and died in Appanoose Town- ship, Hancock County, March 16, 1898. He was married December 25. 1855, to Anna Margaret Cosgrove, who was born in Ohio, April 19, 1836, and resides with Mr. and Mrs. Ferguson. Charles C. Riter was a man of much prominence in Hancock County. He was a farmer and also a veterinary surgeon, and he settled at Nauvoo in the spring of 1846 and during the Mormon War served as town marshal and was a deputy sheriff from 1854 to 1856, and for seventeen successive years was elected assessor of Ap- panoose Township.

After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Ferguson resided on rented farms until 1883 and then moved to the Riter homestead. Mr. Ferguson bought this place, adding adjoining tracts of forty, sixty-five, forty and fifty-three acres and some time later another forty acres. He has done a large amount of improving, rebuilding the house and adding such farm structures as his extensive industries make necessary, sparing no expense and having a thoroughly modern stock farm and an exceedingly comfortable and attractive home. He specializes on Durham cattle, Duroc-Jersey hogs, Shropshire sheep and Rock Island Red chickens.

Mr. and Mrs. Ferguson have had children as follows : Benjamin F., who died in infancy ; Leda M., who died January 10, 1910, was the wife of Wiliam F. Schneider and the mother of three children, Mildred, Harold and Zelda ; Lula C., who is the wife of William Liskey, of Pontoosic Township, Hancock County, has had two children, Helen deceased, and Ursal ; Charles H., who is a farmer in Sonora Town- ship, married Marguerite Lake and they have one daughter, Maxine; Frank R., who is serving in the United States Navy; and Lizzie Edith, who is the wife of William Miller of Freeport, Ill. Mr. Ferguson and family belong to the Appanoose Presbyterian Church. In politics he is a Democrat. Since 1902 he has served con- tinuously in the office of justice of the peace, served two terms as town clerk and two as secretary of the board and two terms as school director, in all these offices proving so trust- worthy that in April, 1917, his fellow citizens increased his responsibilities by electing him supervisor of Appanoose Township. He carries insurance in the Hancock County Mutual Life Association and his fraternal connections are with Temple Lodge No. 222, Odd Fellows, and Niota Camp, Modern Woodmen of America at Niota. Ill.

FERRIS, Charles L., M. D., one of the medical practitioners of Carthage, has long been recog- nized as a leading physician and surgeon of Hancock County. He was born at Fountain Green, this county, a son of L. T. and Helen M. (Gilchrist) Ferris, the former of whom was born in New York state. Both were brought in childhood, by their parents, to Hancock County. Here they were reared and later mar- ried. L. T. Ferris studied medicine, and after his graduation located at Fountain Green where he was engaged in an active practice the re- mainder of his life. During the early days he attended to his patients at a distance on horse- back, the roads being too bad to allow of his driving to them, and many interesting incidents are preserved of his experiences which, did space permit, might well be given here. He was a Mason, a Republican and very active in local politics. The children born to him and his wife were ten in number, and of them seven still survive.

Dr. Charles L. Ferris was reared at Fountain Green, and after he had attended the local

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schools, he took a course at Carthage College, being graduated therefrom in 1876 with the degree of A. B. He then entered Rush Medical College at Chicago, from which he received his degree of M. D. in 187S. Later he received the degree of M. A. from Carthage College. As- sociating himself with his father, he continued in active practice at Fountain Green for sixteen years, but in 1894 he came to Carthage where he has since continued to reside. Dr. Ferris belongs to the county, state and national medical associations, and was president and secretary of the Hancock Medical Society.

In December, 1878 Dr. Ferris was married to Ella Connor, born at Rome, Ind., but lived in Missouri and at Warsaw, Ill., and was grad- uated from the high school of the latter place. For several years prior to their marriage, Mrs. Ferris was a public school teacher in Hancock County. Dr. and Mrs. Ferris have two daugh- ters, namely : Helen who was graduated from Carthage High school and college, the latter conferring upon her the degrees of A. B. and H. M., is head of the English department of the high school of Oklahoma City, Okla., and she is noted for her scholarly attainments; Ruth, who was graduated from the Carthage High school and college with the degree of B. S. and M. S., is head of the English depart- ment of the Quincy High school. Dr. Ferris is a Presbyterian. He belongs to Hancock Lodge No. 20, A. F. & A. M .; Carthage Chapter No. 33, R. A. M., of which he is past high priest ; and Inglevue Commandery No. 75, K. T., of which he was the second commander. Both he and Mrs. Ferris belong to Grace Chapter, O. E. S., of which he is past worthy patron. In politics he is a Republican, and has taken quite an active part in county affairs.

FERRIS, Hiram Gano, now deceased, was for many years one of the most able lawyers of Hancock County, and a distinguished resident of Carthage. He was born in Steuben County, N. Y., May 13, 1823, and he died at Carthage, August 20, 1893. He was a son of Stephen G. and Eunice (Beebe) Ferris, the former of whom was born at Hillsdale, Columbia County, N. Y., August 11, 17SS, and when he was four years old was taken by his parents to North Norwich, Chemango County, N. Y., where he was reared and learned the tanner's trade, following it until about 1812. He married in the latter county, August 11, 1814, and in 1820, moved to Howard, Steuben County, N. Y., where he re- mained until the spring of 1832. In that year, together with a brother-in-law, Jabez A. Beebe, he came to Hancock County to land Mr. Beebe had previously bought. They made the trip by the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, and while their boat was stopping at Jefferson Barracks, they saw the Indian chief, Black Hawk, who was then held as a prisoner, and Hiram G. Ferris, then ten years old, never forgot his sight of the defeated brave. When the little party reached Hancock County, location was made in Fountain Green Township, the Ferris family being among the first settlers there. Stephen

G. Ferris was a Baptist, and helped to found the church of that denomination in his locality.

In 1850 Hiram G. Ferris completed his course at Knox College, and crossed the plains to California, where he became a man of con- siderable importance, and represented the state in the legislature. He was one of the com- missioners appointed to organize Siskiyou Coun- ty, and served it for two terms as county clerk. In 1856 he returned to Hancock County, and formed a partnership with Messrs. Hooker and Edmunds at Carthage, which continued for sev- eral years.

On August 20, 1857, Mr. Ferris was married to Julia E. Holton, born in McDonough County, Ill., March 28, 1836, a daughter of Isaac and Phebe (Arnold) Holton, born at Westminster, Vt., who in 1835 drove overland during the winter and settled in McDonough County, Ill. Mr. and Mrs. Ferris became the parents of the following children : Junius Colton, who is pres- ident of the Hancock County National Bank; Esther Maude, who is Mrs. Frank H. Graves of Spokane, Wash .; Stephen Holton, who is cashier of the Hancock National Bank; Julia, who is Mrs. Luther P. Hubbs of Eugene, Ore .; Ellen, who is Mrs. Ralph E. Schofield, lives with her mother; Phebe, who was Mrs. G. W. Wooster, died in 190S, leaving a son and daugh- ter; Hiram Burns, who is a captain in the United States army; Joel E., who is a bond broker of Spokane, Wash .; and Harold G., who lives at Spokane, Wash. A prominent Mason, Mr. Ferris had taken all the degrees. He could always be counted upon to give his support to all movements looking toward good citizenship, and when he died his community lost one of its most representative men.

FERRIS, Junius C., president of the Hancock County National Bank, and a man whose finan- cial ability and public-spirited citizenship have been proven time and time again, is the eldest son of Hiram G. Ferris, one of the pioneer law- yers and bankers of Hancock County, and one of the dominating factors of this part of the state. Junius C. Ferris was born at Carthage, June 24, 1858, and he attended the schools of the county seat, and later Carthage College, that excellent institution graduating him in 1878 with the degree of B. A. Still later he took a course in the School of Mines of Colum- bus College, and was graduated as a mining engineer in 1SS3. Following this he was as- sociated with his father in the banking business at Carthage and in 1887 was elected assistant cashier of the bank, and in 1894 was elected vice president, which office he held until he became president February 13, 1906, at which time the capital stock was raised to $75.000, and his associates were : Charles S. Dehut, vice president ; S. H. Ferris, cashier, and David E. Mack and A. W. O'Harra directors, together with the other officials. In 1917 Mr. Ferris was re-elected to the presidency ; D. E. Mack was made vice president and S. H. Ferris cashier. The Hancock National Bank is one of the sound- est institutions of the county, the same sound

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financial policy given to it by its founders, H. G. Ferris and Mr. Corby being still carried out. The men connected with this bank are all noted for their sound judgment and business qualifi- cations. Mr. Ferris was one of the incorporators of the Electirc Light Company in 1888; was one of its first directors.

On June 27, 1899 Mr. Ferris was married to Adelaide Glenn of Monmouth, Ill., and they have one daughter, Mary Ferris. Mrs. Ferris is a member of the Presbyterian Church, of which Mr. Ferris is a liberal supporter. He belongs to Hancock Lodge No. 20, A. F. & A. M., of which he is past master, and he is a member of Car- thage Chapter No. 13, R. A. M. He also held a membership in Carthage Council No. 47, R. & S. M., and Inglevue Commandery K. T., of Carthage. Politically he is a Democrat, and at one time he belonged to the city council. The name of Ferris has always stood for highest integrity, uprightness and civic honor, and Car- thage has greatly benefited by the presence in it of those bearing this name and displaying these excellent qualities.

FERRIS, Ralph W., owner of the Garland Spring Farm of Fountain Green Township, is one of the progressive farmers of Hancock County. He was born at Fountain Green, this county, March 14, 1871, a son of Dr. Leenard and Helen Minerva (Gilchrist) Ferris, natives of New York state, and a grandson of Charles and Minerva Gilchrist, who came to Fountain Green Township about 1832, and for years were farming people. Dr. Leenard Ferris was a phy- sician and was engaged in an active practice in and about Fountain Green for many years subsequent to 1832, the date of his location in Fountain Green Township. He died in 1900, aged eighty-four years, and his widow passed away in 1908, at Carthage, when she was eigh- ty-four years old. Their children were as fol- lows: Dr. C. L., who lives at Carthage; Lelia Minerva, who is Mrs. Edward A. Lionberger, of Pilot Grove Township; Alice, who is Mrs. C. R. Martin, of Carthage; U. S., who lives at Carthage; Ralph W., whose name heads this review ; Mary Helen, who is an educator in Vir- ginia ; and H. G., who lives at Warsaw.

After attending the home schools, Ralph W. Ferris was a student at Carthage College, which he left in 1890 and returned to the home farm, remaining upon it until 1909, during that period being engaged in grain farming. He then bought forty acres of partly improved land southeast of Fountain Green, on section 34, im- proved it, and kept on adding to the original purchase until he now has 240 acres under cul- tivation. He also owns eighty acres in section 16, and sixty-two acres of section 17 which he uses as pasture. He carries on grain farming and raises registered Percheron horses, Dur- ham cattle and hogs, his produce commanding the highest market prices on account of the su- perior quality.

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Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Hancock County, Volume II, Part 104

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897. cn; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913. cn; Currey, J. Seymour (Josiah Seymour), 1844-1928. 4n; Scofield, Charles J. (Charles Josiah), 1853- 4n Publication date: 1921 Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1174

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897. cn; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913. cn; Currey, J. Seymour (Josiah Seymour), 1844-1928. 4n; Scofield, Charles J. (Charles Josiah), 1853- 4n
Publication date: 1921
Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1174