Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Hancock County, Volume II, Part 88

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

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BALDON, J. L., president of the Exchange hay, grain and coal, is one of the leading busi- ness men of this city. He was born on section 36, in Montebello Township, Hancock County, Ill., September 25, 1869. a son of John C. and Mary E. (Caldwell) Baldon, he born in Indiana and she in Illinois. After their marriage they settled on the farm where J. L. Baldon was born, but later went to Bear Creek Township. where they bought a farm. In 1879 they sold this farm, and moved to Elvaston, Ill., and there the father bought a grain elevator and conducted it for seven years. He then con- ducted a general store for two years. selling it to accept appointment as postmaster, and died while holding the office, in 1889. The mother survives and makes her home at Elvaston. Their children were as follows: J. L., Jennie, who is Mrs. Tilman Monroe, of Elvaston ; Martha F., who is Mrs. C. D. Hanson, of Mackinaw, Ill. ; Ella, who is the widow of Warren Williamson, of North Yakima, Wash .; and Ethel who is Mrs. Arthur Long of Omaha, Nebr.

J. L. Baldon attended the common schools of Elvaston, and when he was seventeen years old took charge of the post office at Elvaston, and discharged its duties for two years. Then, in partnership with a Mr. Shirkey, he conducted a butcher shop for a year, and after selling it he helped found the firm of McGee, McGinnis & Baldon, which conducted a butcher shop for fifteen years, although the membership of the firm was changed somewhat during that period. At the end of the fifteen years, Mr. Baldon sold his interest and bought a farm in Bear Creek Township, and conducted it and one in Prairie Township for a year, when he began buying and selling hay and grain and now also handles soft and hard coal. He, with others, organized the Exchange Bank of Elvaston, of which he has since been president ..

In November, 1894, Mr. Baldon was married to Ida M. Ewing, born in Prairie Township, a daughter of John and Mary (Tweed) Ewing, and they have one son, Waldo L., who is at home. Mr. Baldon is a Presbyterian and serves his church as trustee. A Democrat, he served Prairie Township as collector for a term, when he was twenty-one years old, and he has been a school director and trustee of Prairie Township for years, and president of the town several terms, and is still a member of the board. He also served as village treasurer. A Mason, he belongs to Elvaston Lodge No. 715, A. F. & A. M. and Quincy Consistory.

BALEY, George S., a successful farmer of Au- gusta Township, is engaged in cultivating 290 acres of well developed land on section 36 of this township. He was born in Schuyler County, Ill., April 6, 1863, a son of John H. and Mary J. (Milton) Baley, farming people, both of whom are now deceased.

George S. Baley was reared

in Schuyler County, and there attended the district schools. He has always been a farmer. After his mar- riage he began operating for himself, now being a general farmer and stockraiser, specializing on raising thoroughbred Poland-China hogs.

Mr. Baley was first married to Ellen Swise- gard, who died leaving one son, Clyde A., who is at home. His second marriage was with Cora A. Straham, and they became the parents of the following children: Edith, who is de- ceased ; Mabel G .; George F .; Mary E .; Helen S .; and one who died in infancy. Fraternally Mr. Baley is a member of the Odd Fellows and Mystic Workers. Politically he is a Democrat. A hard worker, Mr. Baley has earned all he pos- sesses, and his fair dealing and upright living have won him the confidence and respect of his neighbors.

BANKS, John, one of the prosperous general farmers and stockraisers of Hancock County, owns and operates a valuable farm in St. Albans Township. He was born in Gilmer Township. Adams County, Ill., August 13, 1865, a son of John J. and Rachel (Jones) Banks, natives of Kentucky and Adams County, Ill., and a grand-

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son of Willis and Nancy Banks, of Kentucky, and James Jones, of Ohio, all of whom were early settlers of Adams County, Ill. Until 1893 John J. Banks and his wife lived in Adams County, Ill., but in that year moved to Lewis County, Mo., where he died in 1912, and his widow, in May, 1919, when over eighty years old. Children as follows were born to them : Lila, who is Mrs. Fred Holtsmyer, of Okla- homa; Ida, who was Mrs. Balser Meekes, of Quincy, III., is deceased; Willis, who lived at Quincy, Ill., is deceased; Lenie, who is Mrs. Joseph Meekes, of Quincy, Ill .; John; Clarence and Arthur, both of whom live at Monticello, Mo. ; and Orville, who lives at Kansas City, Mo.

John Banks attended the district schools of his native township. In November, 1888, he was married to Laura Whitaker, born in Lewis County, Mo., a daughter of Bushrod W. and Nancy (Crecy) Whitaker, natives of Missouri. Mrs. Banks died October 22, 1911, having borne her husband the following children : Maude Jennie, who is keeping house for her father ; Earl, who served for seven and one-half months in the medical department of the United States army during the Great War, is now living with his father; and Glenn G., who married Stella Braucht, and they have one daughter, Alberta Maxine, lives in St. Albans Township.

After his marriage, Mr. Banks continued to reside in Missouri until August, 1899, when he came to St. Albans Township, and for fifteen years rented land, and then bought 160 acres of land, two years later adding forty acres which joined his homestead. In 1918 he bought eighty acres more for his son, which also joined the homestead. Mr. Banks raises O. I. C. swine and Hereford cattle and does general farming. He has fenced in the entire farm, dug a well, erected two windmills and remodeled all the buildings, and thoroughly modernized the place which is one of the best in the township.

Mr. Banks is a Democrat and served for six years as road commissioner. He belongs to the Methodist Episcopal Church. Fraternally he is a member of West Point Camp, M. W. A. One of the most progressive men of his township, Mr. Banks is recognized as a model farmer and public-spirited citizen.

BARBER, Capt. Austin D., state fish and game warden of Illinois, and one of the most distin- guished men of Hancock County, has long been a resident of Hamilton. He was born at Pitts- field, Pike County, Ill., February 3, 1847, a son of Austin and Caroline (Johnson) Barber. Austin Barber was born in Ohio in 1812, while his wife was born in Missouri, although her parents were natives of Kentucky. Captain Barber's paternal grandfather was a member of Congress during the period when Henry Clay was one of the dominating figures in public life, and being by profession a civil engineer, he wa's sent by the government to make extensive sur- veys in Illinois. The maternal grandfather of Captain Barber, was Col. Harrison Johnson, a steamboat commander, and all of the male mem-

bers of the Johnson family were connected witli steamboat life. In 1832 Austin Barber came to Illinois and was married at Atlas, this state. He secured a stock of goods, and taking it to the present site of Pittsfield, helped lay out the town, and continued in the mercantile business there the remainder of liis active life. He at one time served as county clerk, and was one of the prominent men of his county. He had three children, namely : Capt. Austin D., Levi, who is in the clothing business at Bush- nell, Ill .; and George, a retired farmer, who owns a large amount of land near Pittsfield, Ill.

In 1871 Austin D. Barber left the family home, and came to Hancock County, and buy- ing 320 acres of land near Hamilton, conducted it for thirty years, and then sold on account of his wife's poor health, and located at Hamilton. During Governor Yates' administration, he was game warden for twelve counties, and has been state fish and game warden since November 1917.

On November 20, 1869, Captain Barber was married to Anna Steers, a daughter of William and Lucinda Steers, the former of whom for twelve years was county clerk of Pike County, Ill. Captain and Mrs. Barber became the par- ents of three sons, all of whom survive, namely Willie, who is a rural free delivery carrier at Ewing, Mo .; J. Edward, who is an expert ac- countant, was for twelve years with the Amer- ican Steel and Wire Company of Joliet, Ill., and for six years with the Automatic Tool Company of Aurora, Ill., is now with the Inter-State Iron and Steel Company of Chicago; and George B., who is foreman at the Armour plant at Hamil- ton. Willie married Minnie Price of Elvaston, Ill., and they have two children, Ruby and Anna May. J. Edward married Myrtle Hardesty, of Dixon, Ill., George married Sallie Jackson, a daughter of Dr. F. M. Jackson of Hamilton, and they have two sons, Francis and Bradford.

During the Civil War, Captain Barber enlisted in Company G, Eighth Illinois Volunteer In- fantry, on November 19, 1862, and served until the close of the war, participating in the Siege of Vicksburg, and the campaigns in and around Mobile, Charleston, Raymond, and Meridian, and numerous minor engagements and skir- mishes, going through all without being wounded. His two brothers also served during the Civil War as soldiers. Captain Barber belongs to Black Hawk Lodge No. 238, A. F. & A. M., of which he has been master four times ; to Hamil- ton Chapter No. 152, R. A. M., of which he was high priest five terms, and he is past patron of the Eastern Star. He was commander of Russell Post, G. A. R. for fifteen years. Captain Bar- ber is a Republican, and has always taken a prominent part in politics. He lias been a dele- gate to every Republican state convention since 1872, with the exception of one. For sixteen years he was a member of the state board of Agriculture, and was chairman of the com- mittee appropriation on the board and retired as its president.

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BARBER, Dudley C., owner of 200 acres of valuable land in section 34, Harmony Town- ship, is one of the most successful general farm- ers and stockraisers of Hancock County. He was born in Monroe County, Iowa, January 12, 1852, a son of Dudley and Abigail (Flint) Barber, natives of Connecticut and New York, both of whom are now deceased.

Dudley C. Barber attended the common schools of his native state and the Abington (Ill.) College, and remained with his parents until his marriage, which occurred December 29, 1875, when he was united with Mary A. Butler, born in Harmony Township, a daughter of Benjamin B. and Amanda Butler, both of whom are now deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Barber became the parents of two children, namely: Ray E. and Dudley C., the latter of whom married Margue- rite Martin, and they have one daughter, namely Marguerite L. The family all belong to the Christian Church. In politics Mr. Barber is a Democrat, and he was supervisor of Harmony Township for several terms. In addition to his fine farm, he owns stock in the Hancock County National Bank at Carthage. He is a man well and favorably known throughout the county, and the confidence he inspires has been honorably earned.

BARDENS, Rev. William, now deceased, was one of the eminent divines of the Protestant Episcopal Church, whose labors at Warsaw some years ago are remembered by the older members of the church in that city. He was born at Birkenhead, England, November 14, 1849, and died October 17, 1901. His parents, John and Jane (Jones) Bardens, were natives of England and Wales, respectively. In 1855 the family came to the United States, locating in Germantown, a suburb of Philadelphia, Pa., where William Bardens attended the public schools, later going to St. Stephen's College, and the General Theological Seminary of the Episco- pal Church, New York City, from which he was graduated in 1879, and immediately thereafter ordained. He was first assigned to the cathe- dral at Quincy, Ill., from whence he came to Warsaw, and was in charge of the parish here for eight years. From Warsaw Mr. Bardens went to Trinity Episcopal Church at St. Louis, Mo., and remained there until his death, after which his widow returned to Warsaw. Mr. Bar- dens was a strong Republican. A Mason, he had risen in that order to be a Knight Templar.

On January 20, 1891, Mr. Bardens was mar- ried to Miss Helen Marsh, born at Warsaw, February 19, 1855, a daughter of John W. and Eudocia (Baldwin) Marsh, and they became the parents of the following children: Eudocia, who is principal of the high school at Warsaw, Ill .; Helen J., who is a teacher in the high school at Savannah; and William, who was a second lieutenant in the aviation department in the National army during the World War, but now discharged.

Mr. Bardens' labors in the church won for him distinction as a clergyman and Christian

worker that reflects credit upon his mind and heart. His efforts exceeded his strength and he was taken from his people at a time when his usefulness seemed to be at its height, but the memory of his upright life and beautiful char- acter remains and have their influence, not only on his children, but those who came under his ministrations while he was living.

BARKER, Jesse S., D. O., senior member of the firm of Dr. J. S. & Kathryn Barker, is one of the leading osteopaths of Hancock County, and one who has been very successful in his profession. He was born in Missouri, February 24, 1881, one of the two children of his parents, James A. and Mary (Jones) Barker. James A. Barker is a harnessmaker by trade.

After attending grammar and the high school of Memphis, Mo., Jesse S. Barker was graduated . from the American School of Osteopathy, in June, 1901, and in June, 1902, he was married to Dr. Kathryn Elsea, a daughter of Benjamin Elsea. She was graduated from the American School of Osteopathy in 1902, and they formed a partnership in their profession as well, and are in active practice at La Harpe. She was also graduated from the Missouri State Normal School in 1894, following which time until she took her medical course, she was engaged in teaching school in Missouri. Both members of the firm belong to the district, state and Amer- ican Osteopathic associations. They have two children, namely : Helen K., who was born August 2, 1908; and George E., who was born January 24, 1911. The family belongs to the Christian Church. Dr. J. S. Barker is a Shriner Mason ; in politics he is a Democrat, and he has served La Harpe as a member of the school board for about seven years. They are both very skilled operators and have a large and constantly increasing clientele from a wide territory.

BARNES, Charles H., Sr., junior member of the La Harpe Hardware Company, and one of the leading business men of this part of the county, is held in high esteem by all who know him. He was born in New York state, Septem- ber 24, 1852, a son of David B. and Clarinda (Warfield) Barnes, and is one in a family of four children. David B. Barnes was one of the pioneers of Hancock County, where he carried on his trade of a carpenter, and built a number of the buildings in La Harpe.

Charles H. Barnes attended the schools of Hancock County, and in 1872 began learning the tinner's trade which he has followed with marked success, and is now in charge of all of the tinning work for his firm. His associates are E. H. Sellers and John L. Kerr, and they conduct a general hardware business.

Mr. Barnes was married (first) to Miss Anna Ashtenaw, who died, the mother of two children. In 1896 Mr. Barnes was married (second) to Miss Ellen Fordyce, who died May 31, 1915. She was a daughter of E. E. Fordyce. Mr. Barnes belongs to the Methodist Protestant

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Church, which was merged with other denomi- nations into the Union Church of La Harpe, with which he maintains his connection, as did Mrs. Barnes during life. He is highly regarded by his business associates and neighbors, and has many warm personal friends.

BARR, Andrew, now deceased, was at one tinie a very prosperous general farmer and large property owner of Prairie Township, and his widow still owns forty acres of land in this township, although she now resides at Ferris, where she is the owner of city realty. Mr. Barr was born in Bavaria, Germany, in 1835, a son of Christian Barr, who died in Germany. About 1859, Andrew Barr came with his widowed mother to the United States, and located for a time at Chicago, Ill., where he obtained work in a lumber yard. He was married in that city in August, 1860, to Margaret Riel, born in Bavaria, Germany, on November 8, 1837, a daughter of George and Elizabeth (Kerner) Riel, who died in Germany.

After his marriage Andrew Barr moved to Hancock County and rented land in Prairie Township. At that time farming was carried on in a very primitive manner and he did his work with oxen. After about five years he bought forty acres of land, to which he kept on adding until he had 200 acres. From the time he secured his first land he kept hard at work placing it under cultivation and making improvements, and he was engaged in farming until he was sixty years old, at which time he rented his farm. His death occurred on March 5, 1915, after which his land was divided among his heirs, consisting of his widow and five children, and as before stated, his widow still retains her forty acres. She continued to re- side on the old homestead until in September, 1917, when she moved to Ferris, buying there a cottage and four lots, and here she has since resided.

Mr. and Mrs. Barr became the parents of the following children : Mary, who is Mrs. Charles Massy of Prairie Township; Mike, who is also of Prairie Township; Elizabeth, who is Mrs. John Barr of Pilot Grove Township ; and George, who is a farmer of Pilot Grove Township; and Neva, who is Mrs. George Burling of Rock Creek Township.

Mr. Barr belonged to the Lutheran Church, and was active in religious affairs in his neigh- borhood and Carthage. After he was made a citizen, he espoused and continued to support the principles of the Republican party, but never cared for office as his time and attention were fully occupied with his farming. While his educational advantages were those offered by the schools of his native land, Mr. Barr soon acquired a working knowledge of English after coming to this country, and being a man of intelligence, kept himself posted on current affairs, so that he was regarded as a man of in- fluence in his neighborhood, and his advice was often sought. His widow and children are also held in high respect in the several localities

where they are living, and the family is well thought of in Hancock County.

BARR, George, now deceased, was at one time very prominent as an agriculturalist in Pilot Grove Township. He was born in Prairie Town- ship, September 6, 1869, a son of Andrew and Margaret (Riel) Barr, natives of Germany, who came to the United States when young. They were married in Hancock County, where they settled, and here they spent the remainder of their lives.

On January 2, 1894, Mr. Barr was married to Ellen Sinele, born in Prairie Township, Septem- ber 2, 1867, a daughter of John P. and Justine N. (Jolidon) Sinele, natives of France. She came to the United States with her father when she was ten years old. When Mr. Sinele was twenty-two years old, accompanied by his mother, he came to the United States, after the death of his father, and then located in Hancock County. After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Barr resided on the Barr homestead in Prairie Township for ten years, and then bought eighty acres of land that was partly improved, and located in Pilot Grove Township. They kept on adding to the farm until they had 228 acres in all, there being two eighty-acre farms, and a third farm of sixty-eight acres, all but eighty acres being in Pilot Grove Town- ship, it being in Rock Creek Township. Mr. Barr was a general farmer and stockraiser until his death which occurred July 8, 1918. Mrs. Barr resides near Burnside and is highly es- teemed in that neighborhood. Mr. and Mrs. Barr had the following children: Otto George, who was born September 21, 1894, lives in Rock Creek Township; Clarence Andrew, who was born February 1, 1898, is at home; and Bessie Justine, who was born November 17, 1901. Both Mr. and Mrs. Barr attended the district schools. He was a Lutheran, and she is a Methodist. In politics he was a Republican, but he never held any public office. A man of industrious and thrifty habits, he did his full duty to his family and community, and his death robbed both of one whose loss is deeply felt.

BARR, George Walker, one of the substantial farmers of Hancock County, who resides at Dallas City, is a man well and favorably known throughout a wide territory. He was born in Breckenridge County, Ky., February 25, 1844, a son of Elias and Sallie A. (Bauchamp) Barr, natives of Breckenridge and Washington coun- ties, Ky. After their marriage, they settled on a farm near Union Star, where they lived until 1859, when they moved to Hancock County, and bought 320 acres on section 1, Rock Creek Township, which was then raw prairie land. This the father broke and improved, and lived upon the farm until his death, July 18, 1875. The mother survived him until May 1, 1892. Their children were as follows : Daniel Thomas, who was born in 1831, died in 1846; Newell Robison, who was born in 1833, died in 1892; Elmira A., who was born in 1836, is Mrs. John

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Hurdle of La Harpe Township; Mary E., who was born in 1838, died in July, 1914; Blewford B., who was born in 1840, died in 1898; Kittie Ann, who was born March 5, 1852, became Mrs. S. T. Turney, and died in 1886; George W .; Sarah E., who was born in 1846, is the widow of David Wright; John Adam, who was born in 1848, died in 1916; Martha Jane, who was born . in 1850, is Mrs. Merl T. Bross, of Prescott, Iowa; Franklin Pierce, who was born in 1852, lives in Page County, Iowa; Amanda Mildred, who was born in 1856, is Mrs. Daniel Showers, of Fresno, Cal.

George W. Barr attended the Mt. Vernon district school, and remained with his father until he was twenty-five years old, when he bought 160 acres of raw land in Dallas Town- ship, which he immediately began improving, erecting new buildings, and putting everything in fine condition. He has added to his farm until he now owns 225 acres, 160 acres of which are on section 36, twenty-three acres on section 1, Dallas Township, and the balance on section 36, Lomax Township, Henderson County, Ill. Since his removal to Dallas City, where he has a fine modern residence which he remodeled, Mr. Barr has devoted himself to feeding live stock, his son attending to the other details of the farming.

On April 20, 1869, George W. Barr was mar- ried to Mary E. Dean, born in Clinton County, Ohio, October 3, 1848, and died January 21, 1916. She was the daughter of William B. and Margaret A. (Rankin) Dean, the former of whom was born in Ireland in 1806, and the latter in Brown County, Ohio, in 1807. When he was fifteen years old, William B. Dean crossed the ocean in a sailing vessel, being three months on the way. Mrs. Barr attended the common and the high school of Burlington, Iowa.

Mr. and Mrs. Barr had the following children : Ettie E., who was born January 25, 1870; was married May 12, 1897, to Elmer V. Royce of Casper, Wyo., and they have three children, George Frederick, Cleo Ray and Mary E .; Rob- ert A., who was born February 13, 1871, is on the home farm at Colusa, Ill .; married Ethel E. Masdey, and they have five children, Homer D., Emmet C., Anna C., Robert D., and Helen R .; and Mary Ottelia. who was born August 4, 1885, was graduated from the Dallas City High school, and St. Mary's Academy of Nauvoo, is a talented musician, both vocally and instru- mentally, and is now her father's housekeeper. She belongs to the Church of the Sacred Heart of Dallas City. Mr. Barr is a Democrat and has served as road commissioner. His grandmother was of French birth, on the maternal side, while the maiden name of his paternal grandmother was Claycomb. His paternal grandfather was a Revolutionary soldier, and he takes pride in his ancestry, as he has every reason to do, coming as he does of such fine old American stock.

BARR, John, now deceased, was a highly es- teemed resident of Hancock County. John Barr was born in Germany, in August, 1848, and there his parents died. In 1873, he left his native land and came to the United States, locating at once in Hancock County, and at first found employment working for farmers by the month. In 1874 he was married to Margaret Catherine Bartz, born in Germany, January 2, 1851, and her parents also died in Germany. After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Barr rented land for some years, and then bought eighty . acres of land, that were improved, located in Pilot Grove Township. This continued to be Mr. Barr's home for the remainder of his life, and he made many additional improvements upon it, and there he died May S, 1912.

Mrs. Barr remained on the farm for a year after the death of Mr. Barr, and then bought a lot at Burnside, on which she had a very com- fortable residence erected for her, and here she has since lived. She is well known here and belongs to the Methodist Episcopal Church at Burnside. Mr. and Mrs. Barr had two chil- dren born to them: Martin J., and John Jacob, both of whom are farmers in Pilot Grove Town- ship. Mr. Barr was independent in his political opinions. While he never sought to force his views upon others, he took an intelligent in- terest in local events, and was regarded as a good citizen and fine man.

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Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Hancock County, Volume II, Part 88

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