Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Montgomery County, Volume II, Part 108

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897, ed. cn; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913, ed. cn; Strange, Alexander T., ed
Publication date: 1918
Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 810

USA > Illinois > Montgomery County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Montgomery County, Volume II > Part 108

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Mr. and Mrs. Studebaker have five children, namely : Oscar W. who is a farmer of Sanga- mon County, Ill., married Nellie Brasfield and they have two living children, Genevie and Mary and one deceased; Nona M., who is the wife of Frank L. Brumbrough, of Roanoke, Va. has two children. Virginia and Frances; Bertha E. wlio is the wife of Charles Barnett has two chil- dren, Neville and Theda ; J. M., who lives in West Virginia married Mamie Shumate and they have four children, Margaret A., Bernice, J. M. Jr .. and Gene H .; and Nellie, who is the wite of Frank L. Gibson, has one son Frank L. Mr. Studebaker is a Republican, and he and his wife belong to the Brethren Church.

STUTTLE, Harry C., formerly state's attorney, one of the leading members of the bar of Montgomery County, and a man of forceful personality and fearless determination, is an ornament to his profession and the city of Litchfield where he is now engaged in a general practice. He was born at Litchfield, February 25, 1879, a son of Joseph and Hannah (Beeler) Stuttle. The mother died in 1884, and the father is now a retired farmer of Litchfield.

Harry C. Stuttle attended the grammar and high schools of Litchfield, and then took a year's course at the University of Illinois, Re- turning to Litchfield he studied law with vari- ous attorneys and was admitted to the bar in 1904, following which he embarked in a general practice at Litchfield, and has since made this city his home. A man of more than ordinary ability he soon attracted public notice and was assistant state's attorney under L. B. Hill, mak- ing a record that elected him state's attorney in November, 1908. for the usual term of four years, upon the Democratic ticket. During his incumbency of this office he secured some very important convictions and played an important part in clearing this section of some of the criminals which had selected it as a field of operation.

On August 20, 1909. Mr. Stuttle was married to Mary F. Bringhurst, born at Medora, Ill., a daughter of Harry R. and Anna (Bacon) Bring- hurst. Mr. Bringhurst was a civil engineer and a half-brother of the Litchfields. and was em- ployed by them to lay out the city of Litchfield. Mr. and Mrs. Stuttle have one daughter, Han- nah Esther, who was born August 17. 1915. Fraternally Mr. Stuttle belongs to the Elks. Knights of Pythias and Red Men, and is as popular in these organizations as he is profes- sionally and socially.

SUTHERLAND, Oscar, one of the intelligent farmers of Zanesville Township. is operating his fine farm of 1181% acres on Section 7, and

is numbered among the successful agriculturists of Montgomery County. He was born in Bois D'Arc Township, Montgomery County, Ill., November 6, 1880, a son of James and Nancy J. (Claidy) Sutherland. James Sutherland was born in Kentucky, and there lived until he attained his majority, when he came to Mont- gomery County, Ill., and began working in Bois D'Are Township. There he was married to Nancy C. Claidy, who was a native of that town- ship and after their marriage located there on rented land, and remained until 1885, when they moved to Wilwood Township, Macoupin County, Ill., where Mr. Sutherland has since lived. Mrs. Sutherland died January 27, 1890. They had five children, two of whom survive, namely : Oscar; and Derisia, who is the wife of Edward Harrison, of Macoupin County. Ill.

Oscar Sutherland remainel at home with his parents until his marriage which occurred October 29. 1902, when he was united with Bertha P. Mann, a daughter of Isaac and Ellen Mann, of Macoupin County. Mr. and Mrs. Sutherland have three children, namely : James O., who was born August 13, 1905; Lester Isaac, who was born September 23, 1907; and Mary Elizabeth, who was born August 16, 1913.

In March. 1905, Mr. Sutherland came to his present farm which he had bought, and since then has made a number of important improve- ments. He specializes in stock with a good grade of Shorthorn cattle and Spotted Poland- China hogs, the latter being of registered stock, and his products find a ready market because of quality. He belongs to Raymond Lodge No. 476. I. O. O. F. In politics he is a Democrat, and in 1916 was elected highway commissioner of Zanesville Township. The Christian Church holds his membership. He is well thought of and is a man of high principles, and lives up to what he deems is his duty, and his prosperity has been honestly earned.

SWINGLE, Dillon J., whose drug store is one of the finest at Hillsboro, is a leading pharma- cist of Montgomery County. He was born in Menard County, Ill., October 9, 1871, a son of Martin L. and Lucinda (McCoy) Swingle, natives of Illinois and Newark, Ohio. They had four children: a babe that died un- named ; Dillon J.,; Harriet who lives at Athens, Ill. ; and Earl H., who lives at Hillsboro. The father, who has always been a farmer, was reared near Rockford, and still lives at Athens. He developed a farm in Menard County and there reared his children on his seventy acres of land. The mother is a member of the Methodist. Episcopal Church. The paternal grandfather was Jacob Swingle and he was married to Ade- line Stevenson. Jacob Swingle was born and reared in Switzerland, and his name was there spelled Zwingle. The grandfather spoke Ger- man fluently and traced his genealogy back many generations to the great reformer of the name of Zwingle. The grandmother was born in Brown County, Ky. They were pioneers in Menard County, Ill., and both grandparents died in that county, the grandfather when between

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

fifty and sixty years old, and the grandmother when eighty-four years old. They had three children : Martin Luther, William Melanchthon,- and a daughter. The maternal grandfather, was a native of Scotland and a miller by trade, who became a very early settler of Menard County. The grandmother died in Ohio when compara- tively a young woman, but the grandfather lived to be quite an aged man. They had the follow- ing children : George, Robert, Lida, Kate, Lucinda, Rovie, Martin and Martha.

Dillon J. Swingle was reared on his father's tarm in Menard County, and there attended the public schools and later the Northwestern Uni- versity at Evanston, Ill., from which he was graduated in 1894. He then studied pharmacy, and as pharmacist to the institution went to the hospital for the insane at Kankakee, Ill. Following that he was at Mason City, Ill. for six years, when he located at Jacksonville, Ill., . and was there for another six years, going from there to Springfield, Ill. After two years at the capital. he came to Hillsboro. in 1907. and bought the drug store owned by Ezra Chacey, which he has since conducted.

On May 12. 1897. Mr. Swingle was married to Miss Anna J. Whitney. a daughter of Edward and Emma (Evans) Whitney, and they have one son. Dillon. Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Swingle belong to the Presbyterian Church in which he is a deacon. In politics he is a Republican and was presi- dent of the school board for two years. Mr. Swingle belongs to Mount Moriah Lodge No. 51, F. & A. M., and Hillsboro Chapter, R. A. M. Mrs. Swingle was born near Champaign, Ill., in February. 1874. His parents were natives of Illinois. The father died in 1SS3, but the mother survives and resides at Hillsboro. Mr. and Mrs. Whitney had three children. namely : Harry, Virginia, and Anna J., Mrs. Swingle.

TARRO, James A., a general merchant of Witt, Ill .. is one of the reliable men of Montgomery County, who have come here from foreign shores. His birth occurred in Italy, December 21. 1857, he being a son of John and Perrelli (Domenica) Tarro. The parents were natives of Italy, where they spent their entire lives. and both are now (leceased.

At the age of eight years James A. Tarro be- gan to be self-supporting, working in Germany, in Italy. and in a mine in Switzerland, where lie first received as wages the sum of twenty- eight cents per day. As he became more skillful lis wages were raised and at last he was made a boss, at which time lie received $1.60 per day. When he was nineteen years old. he began his military service, remaining in the Italian army for two years. On April 6, 1SSO. he was mar- ried to Ginvanna Perucea, and realizing that Italy then offered too few opportunities to an ambitious man like himself he came to the United States in 1SS1, landing in New York City, from whence he went to Iron Mountain. Mich. There for two years he was engaged in mining. and then went to Minnesota and worked in the ore mines for two years. and for two years more he was in the mines of Wisconsin,

rising in the meanwhile to be mine boss. From Wisconsin he went to Texas, and spent two years in the coal mines of that state. He then spent seven years in Oklahoma, working in various mines. In 1900 he came to Illinois, and was mine boss of the mines at Pontiac. Ill., and after leaving Pontiac, he went to Troy, Madison County, Ill., and continued mining for a short time and then lett the mines and engaged in other business for four years. In the spring of 190S he came to Witt and established himself here as a general merchant. As his trade grew in volume. he expanded to accommodate it, and now occupies a fine. modern brick store which he built, and is one of the most prosperous men in his line in the village.

Mr. and Mrs. Tarro became the parents of the following children : James, who is a lieutenant in the United States Army, serving in France : John ; Domec ; Minnie, who was married to John Ronehetta, has these children, Jane, Madeline, James, Katherine and Margaret ; Catherine, who was married to Albian Christopher; and Mar- garet. who was married to Neil Baxter. The family belongs to the Catholic Church at Witt. Mr. Tarro belongs to the Catholic Order of For- esters. In politics he is a Democrat. and is now one of the commissioners of Witt. He has been very fortunate both as to making money and investing it, and owns in addition to his store and building, a fine residence and several lots adjacent to his store building. His prosperity has not all come at once. but is the logical out- come of hard work and thrift. He began earn- ing his own living at a time when the ordinary boy is considered too young, and early learned lessons of self-reliance which have stood him in good stead all his life.

TAYLOR, Daniel Webster, now deceased, was withont doubt one of the most useful men of Litchfield, and was instrumental in bringing to this city outside capital for investment. He was horn at Granville. Washington County, N. Y., July 2. 1842. a son of Daniel and Evelin (Perry) Taylor, natives of New York and Vermont. both of whom are long ago deceased.

Prior to the outbreak of the Civil War, Daniel Webster Taylor went to St. Louis, Mo., where he was a clerk in a dry goods store, but later came to Litchfield and established himself as a dry goods merchant, in partnership with a Mr. Ludden, this association continuing for some years. In time, however, Mr. Taylor bought out his partner's interest, and conducted the busi- ness alone until his son. D. P. Taylor, was taken into the firm. and the latter sold the establish- ment, with the annex which was conducted as a clothing store. in 1914. Daniel Webster Taylor having died July 2. 1912.

On May 15, 1866, Mr. Taylor was married to Mary Bell Post, of Alton, Ill., a daughter of Capt. William and Sarah (Childs) Post, born at New Haven. Conn. Captain Post was one of · the early captains on the Mississippi River. and owned his own boat. The Childs family is an old one of New England. Mr. and Mrs. Taylor became the parents of two children : Perry Post,

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

who is an attorney of St. Louis, Mo .; Dexter Perley, of Junction City, Kas. They adopted a daughter, Helen, who is now fifteen years old, to whom they gave parental devotion and care.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Taylor were carefully edu- cated, the former at Fort Edward, N. Y., and the latter in a convent at Alton and another at St. Louis. Mr. Taylor was a Presbyterian and was an elder in the church for many years. Both sons were given superior advantages, and Perry I'. was graduated from Cornell University, Utica, N. Y., and studied law in Chicago and St. Louis. Dexter P. attended the common and high schools of Litchfield, and Eastman Busi- ness College, Poughkeepsie, N. Y. In politics Mr. Taylor was a Republican and he served Litchfield as mayor for one term. In fraternal matters he was a Mason. He was one of the men through whose instrumentality the plant of the American Radiator Company was located at Litchfield, and he drove the first stake in the construction work of this plant. Through his efforts and those of his associates, the Chautau- qua organization was formed in Montgomery County. For some years Mr. Taylor served as president of the Merchants' Association of Litch- field. Mrs. Taylor was one of the first to start a movement to secure a circulating library at Litchfield, and both she and her husband gave hearty and intelligent support to those measures they believed would prove beneficial to humanity.

TAYLOR, David, supervisor of Witt Township, and a merchant of Witt, is one of the leading men of Montgomery County, and he is held in the highest esteem. He was born in Virginia, near Petersburg, March 30, 1851, a son of William and Delilah (Crites) Taylor, natives of Virginia, who came of English and German stock, respectively. They were reared amid rural surroundings, and in 1859 when they came to Montgomery County, they located on a farm in Irving Township, four miles north of Irving, where they lived for four or five years, and they bought a tract of land in that township, where they later died. They were the parents of eleven children, of whom only two now survive, namely : David; and Susan, who is the wife of Alfred Van Houser, lives northwest of Irving in Irving Township. The father and his chil- dren bought land in partnership and he had heavy holdings when he died. The family be- longed to the Presbyterian Church, and William Taylor and his wife were very active in church work. In politics he was a Republican, but he did not take a prominent part in local affairs.

David Taylor was reared in Irving Township, and attended its schools, living at home until he was twenty-three years old, working for his father. On December 24, 1874, he was united in marriage with Harriett Rhodes, who was born in Indiana, where she lived until she was twelve years old, when she was brought to Illinois by her parents. David Taylor and his wife had the following children born to them: Arfelle, who is the wife of L. A. McHugh of Hillsboro, Ill .; Esther, who is the wife of Harry Ludwick, of Witt, Ill .; Bertie, who is the wife of Odie L.

Loucks of Hillsboro; Jessie L., who died in infancy; and C. O., who married Minnie May Rowe, is in business with his father.

After. marriage Mr. Taylor rented land for two years and then bought a farm three miles west of Irving, and lived on it for twenty-two years, during that period making a valuable property out of raw land. In 1905 he came to Witt and engaged in business as a merchant, and has been so engaged ever since, building up a large and valuable trade. He is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America at Witt. which he joined many years ago. In politics a Republican, he takes a very active part in the councils of his party, and was highway com- missioner of Irving Township for eleven years, resigning that office when he came to Witt. He served on the village board for four years and in 1909 was elected supervisor of Witt Town- ship, which office he has held ever since, being returned by large majorities. He has made a study of the good roads question for many years, and was appointed overseer of roads of Irving Township the first year of the organiza- tion of the Irving Township association, and since then has developed into a leader of the movement looking toward a betterment of ex- isting conditions in the roads of the state. He is a member of the Christian Church of Irving. In every respect he is a representative man and the people of his community have every reason to be grateful to him for his wise and judicious administration of the affairs placed in his capable hands.

TAYLOR, George D., president of the Hillsboro Montgomery County Mutual Fire and Lightning Insurance Company, president of the Pana Dis- trict Cyclone Mutual Insurance Company, and one of the leading men of Litchfield, is held in high esteem by all who know him. Ile was born at Brooklyn, N. Y., June 7, 1837, a son of George and Sarah (Peoples) Taylor, natives of Scotland and Ireland, respectively. They were married in New York. The father was a dis- tiller and in 1840 moved to Philadelphia, Pa., and conducted the Phoenix Distillery there until his death in 1849, the mother having died in 1846. George D. Taylor was their only child.

After his father's death, George D. Taylor lived with an uncle, John Peoples, of Philadel- phia, who in the fall of 1849 moved to Pitts- field, Ill., going on a farm, and George D. Taylor worked on it until he was eighteen years old. While there he learned the wagon-making trade. In February, 1859, with a company of others he started for Pike's Peak, Col., but only reached Palmyra, Mo., when he left the outfit and went to Hannibal, Mo., where he went to work at his trade, with the Hannibal & St. Joe Railroad, building freight cars, for a few weeks and then came to Hillsboro, Ill., but not finding an open- ing in his trade, went to Walshville, where from May to September, 1859, he worked again at his trade. From there he went to Pocahontas, in Bond County, and bought a wagon-making shop. In 1861 he went on a farm which he rented in Montgomery County, but a year later returned

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

to Walshville and opened a wagon-making shop and conducted it for two years, when he returned to a farm which he bought, and lived on it for a quarter of a century, it now being included in the corporation of Walshville. He was drafted in the tall of 1864 for Civil War service and was in Camp Butler three months. He secured a furlough and went home and found his family sick and one child died. Under these circum- stances he hired a substitute and in that way did not have to serve.

In 1900 he moved to Litchfield and started in a general insurance business with W. H. Groner and has since continued in that line. He owns 320 acres of land in Walshville Township, and city property at Litchfield. While living in Walshville Township, he served as supervisor, and has been a justice of the peace at Litchfield since 190S, being elected on the Democratic ticket. For four years he was president of the Mutual Telephone Company. and is president of several local insurance companies, the Pana district covering twenty-one counties. In his business he sells insurance in all of the old line companies, and does a fine business. The Chris- tian Church holds his membership. Mr. Taylor belongs to Litchfield Lodge No. 236, A. F. & A. M., and Charter Oak Lodge. I. O. O. F.

On January 2. 1861, Mr. Taylor was married to Mary Jane Kirkwood, born in Jersey County, Ill., a daughter of David and Elizabeth (Cowan) Kirkwood, natives of Ohio and Jersey County. Ill., respectively. Mr. and Mrs. Taylor have had the following children born to them: John H., who lives at Litchfield; Hattie, who is Mrs. Albert Tiffin of Walshville, Ill .; Margaret, who married Dr. Barcroft of Litchfield : William D., of St. Louis, who is superintendent of one of the Brown Shoe Company plants ; and four who died in infancy.

TAYLOR, Thomas R., who is engaged in a flour- ishing business as a lumberman, at Litchfield. is one of the substantial men of Montgomery County. He was born in Sangamon County, Ill .. August 16, 1892, a son of Francis I. and Minnie (Yates) Taylor, the latter born at Old Berlin. Ill., being a niece of Hon. Richard Yates, who won distinction in the sixties as war governor of Illinois. Mrs. Taylor was reared and edu- cated in Sangamon County, Ill., and at Bloom- ington. Ill. There were five children born to Francis I. Taylor and his wife, namely : Nellie. who is a graduate of the Illinois Woman's Col- lege at Jacksonville. Ill., is unmarried, and lives at home : Frank, who is a farmer of Sangamon County, is very progressive in his work and is specializing in breeding draft horses; Harry, who is a farmer of Christian County ; Thomas R .; and William, who is a graduate of Knox College, is an instructor in sciences at the Glen Ellyn High school.

Thomas R. Taylor was reared on the home- stcad. and attended the common and high schools, and Knox College, being graduated from the latter institution with the degree of B. S. He went to Waggoner in 1914, bought the George Fooks lumber yard which he sold in 1916 and

bought the Baldwin and Weir Lumber Company at Litchfield, Ill.

On September 21, 1916, Mr. Taylor was mar- ried to Jeanette Washburn. She is a graduate of the Springfield High school, and studied at the Woman's College, Jacksonville, Ill. In politics Mr. Taylor is a Republican. and he belongs to the Presbyterian Church. A man of progressive ideas he uses them in his business, and is demonstrating the value of a college training in every day life.

TELKEN, Rev. James A., priest in charge of St. Aloysius Catholic Church at Litchfield, and one of the earnest, scholarly men of his church, was born at St. Louis, Mo., August 2, 1884, a son of Bernard and Bertha (Menke) Telken, natives of Germany and St. Louis, Mo., respectively. When he was twenty-five years old Bernard Telken came to St. Louis, and first worked for a hospital, but since 1891 has been a private watchman and both he and wife still live at St. Louis.

James A. Telken was educated in the St. Louis University, St. Francis College, where he remained for five years, and in the Catholic Seminary at Montreal, Canada. He then took a one-Year course at St. Mary's Seminary, Cin- cinnati, Ohio, when he was ordained a priest, and went to St. Mary's Church at Quincy, Ill., as assistant priest for two years. He then had charge of the parish at Liberty, Ill .. for four months, and on November 1, 1911. took charge of his present parish. He is also chaplain of St. Francis' Hospital. Litchfield. In politics he is a Republican. He belongs to the Knights of Columbus, of which he has been chancellor since 1913, and to the Catholic Knights of Illinois. Father Telken is a man of fine attainments and he exerts a powerful influence for good not only among his own people but in Litchfield generally, and has personally attached many to him.

TENNYSON, Dan D., the leading photographer of Montgomery County, whose elegantly equip- ped gallery at Litchfield is known all over this part of the state, has proven what can be accomplished with a camera. He was born near Waterloo, Iowa, a son of William and Mary (Shields) Tennyson, natives of Ryehill and Leeds, England. During his younger days the father was a deep sea sailor who traveled all over the world, but after locating in this country was engaged in farming and railroad contract- ing on the Cincinnati & Ohio Railroad in Vir- ginia. After his marriage the father spent some time in Michigan, and then went to Iowa, con- tinuing his farming in that state, and then engaging in milling, being thus engaged at the time of his retirement some years prior to his death in January, 1913, at the age of eighty- seven years. The mother had died when hier son Dan D. was quite young.

When he was twelve years old. Dan D. Tennyson started to learn photography at Clarks- ville, Iowa, and eighteen months later left that place, and for a time worked in various places. returning from time to time to Clarksville, work-

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

ing in a number of the largest cities in the country. In time he was able to have his own business, and operated studios in several places until May, 1897, when he bought the photograph gallery of C. J. Van Deventer, at Litchfield, and at once jumped to the leading place in his pro- fession. Mr. Tennyson does all kinds of photo- graphic, crayon and pastel work, and is an artist in his line.

Mr. Tennyson was married at Hillsboro, Ill., to Anna Bartlett. born at Irving, Ill., a daughter of H. J. and Lucy ( Richardson) Bartlett, natives of Illinois and Horse Cave, Ky., respectively. Mr. and Mrs. Tennyson have no children. In his childhood Mr. Tennyson attended the rural schools of Iowa, and later went to night school and business college, acquiring an education while working. The Episcopal Church holds his membership. In politics he is a Democrat, while fraternally he is a commandry Mason. For many years he has belonged to the National Photographers Association, and served as presi- dent and treasurer of the state association, and upon several occasions was a representative to the National Congress of photography. Mr. Tennyson's family traces back to the same stock as Lord Tennyson. and Ethan Allen. The Tenny- son family is a total abstaining one, and the position of its members on the liquor question is positive and determined. Mr. Tennyson has developed a fine enterprise. When he took charge of his present business it was in a badly run down condition but he soon built it up, and by the quality of his work made his services in demand, and put Litchfield on the map in photo- graphy.

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Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Montgomery County, Volume II, Part 108

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897, ed. cn; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913, ed. cn; Strange, Alexander T., ed Publication date: 1918 Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 810

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897, ed. cn; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913, ed. cn; Strange, Alexander T., ed
Publication date: 1918
Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 810