Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Montgomery County, Volume II, Part 93

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

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McDANIEL, George E., one of the enterprising manufacturers of Montgomery Connty. is eon- veniently located at Litchfield. where he is recognized as one of its substantial citizens. He was born at Windsor, Ill .. January 13. 1873. a son of J. H. and Sarah (Moore) McDaniel, he born near Windsor, Ill .. and she in Coles County. Ill. Reared on a farm, the father after his marriage became a blacksmith. and later traded a large farm for a flour mill which he operated at Windsor for eight years. Selling the mill. he then acquired an implement busi- nes at Windsor. and conducted it until 1892. and he was also interested in the manufacture of windmills for a stock company known as the McCaslin Manufacturing company. Two years later the business was elosed. and then in 1895, with his son. George E. MeDaniel, he resumed manufacture. and added the production of sup- plies for country water systems. His death occurred in December. 1914. sinee whieh time his son. George E. McDaniel. has condueted the business. in 1914 enlarging the articles manu-

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factured to include all kinds of windmills and tanks and he handles various stationary appli- ances. The business is operated under the old style of McDaniel & Sons, he having his son, John Clinton in partnership with him. In addi- tion to his other interests, Mr. McDaniel in partnership with Earl Stocker. conducts a plumbing shop at Wood River, Ill., in Madison County.

On April 29, 1902. George E. McDaniel was married to Myrtle Gaskell, born in Macoupin County, Ill .. April 7, 1SS7, a daughter of Ira Franklin and Aderine Isabel (Fardell) Gaskell, natives of Rahway, N. J., and Macoupin County, Ill., respectively. Mr. and Mrs. McDaniel have two children, namely: Ruth, who was born March 13, 1903; and John Clinton, who was born June 6, 1906. Mr. McDaniel belongs to the Christian Church. He is a Democrat, and has served on the Litchfield school board, being a friend of the public schools as he received his educational training in them. Fraternally he belongs to Litchfield Lodge No. 517, A. F. & A. M., and Litchfield Lodge, B. P. O. E.

McDAVID, Frank Lee, assistant cashier of the Montgomery County Loan and Trust Company of Hillsboro, and one of the enterprising men of this county, comes of an old and honored family of this section. He was born in East Fork Township. this county, August 20. 1877, a son of John T. and Melinda (Snell) McDavid, natives of Illinois. Frank Lee McDavid is the only child of his father's second marriage. John T. McDavid's first marriage was with Edna Jane Knight, and their children were: Alvin B., who died in 1916; William, who died in 1914; John T., Jr., who lives at Irving, Ill .; Joel K., who lives at Hillsboro; Augustus B., who lives in Arkansas; and James L., who lives at Hillsboro. For many years John T. McDavid was a farmer of East Fork Township, where he owned and operated 640 acres of land. but he later became a resident of Irving, and there he passed away in 1905, when over eighty-three years old, having been an earnest member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. He held several county offices, among them being sheriff, deputy sheriff and assessor. His parents were William McDavid and Elizabeth (Johnson) McDavid, both being natives of Tennessee, the father dying when a little over middle life, but the mother living to be over eighty years of age. They were farmers, and had the follow- ing children : William C., James B., John T., Jesse, Thomas W., Nancy, Emily, and Melinda. The second marriage of John T. McDavid was to Melinda Snell. who died at her residence at Hillsboro, June 24, 1909, aged sixty-seven years seven months and twenty-eight days. She was a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

Frank Lee McDavid was two years old when his parents moved to Irving, and there he lived until he attained his majority, and he was graduated from the public schools of that place. He then attended Lincoln University, at Lin-

coln, Ill., and Brown's Business College, at Decatur. Ill., and for a time thereafter was employed at Decatur as a stenographer and bookkeeper. In October, 1899, he came to Hills- boro, and took a position with the Montgomery County Loan and Trust Company, as bookkeeper, and since 1901 he has been assistant cashier of the bank. On October 15, 1902, Mr. McDavid was married to Miss Erma Raffety, who was born near Rightsville and Greenfield, Ill., Jan- uary 16, 1SS2. Her father, Thomas Raffety, was a native of Illinois and both he and the mother of Mrs. McDavid are deceased as is her one sister, Pearl, who died when a young lady. After the death of his first wife, Mr. Raffety was married (second) to Miss Carrie Kleckner, and they had a son, Clive. Mr. and Mrs. McDavid have one son, Clarence.

Mr. and Mrs. McDavid are members of the Presbyterian Church. He is a Democrat in politics. Mr. McDavid owns a farm in Hills- boro Township, and other farm land, in addition to his fine residence at Hillsboro and has stock in the Montgomery County Loan and Trust Company.

McDAVID, Joel Knight, president of the Mont- gomery Loan and Trust Company at Hills- boro, is one of the wealthy and representative men of Montgomery County, and one whose opinion and advice are sought by many who appreciate their value. He was born two and one-half miles east of Hillsboro. Ill., October 31, 1853, a son of John T. and Edna Jane (Knight) McDavid, natives of Illinois, and pioneers of this county. They had six sons, namely : Alvin B., who died in 1916: Wiliam, who died in 1914; John T., Jr., who lives at Irving. Ill .; Joel K., who lives at Hillsboro; Augustus B., who lives in Arkansas; and James L., who lives at Hillsboro.

John T. McDavid. the father, was a farmer in East Fork Township, this county, where he at one time owned a farm of 640 acres, which he improved from raw prairie land, and on which he reared his family. Later on in life he moved to Irving, Ill., and lived there some twenty years. looking after his farms, and there he died in 1905. when nearly eighty-three years old. The mother died in 1870, aged about forty-two years. They were members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. For one term he served as sheriff of the county, and was deputy sheriff for a number of years, and also was assessor of the county. The paternal grandfather of Joel K. McDavid was William McDavid, and he was married to Elizabeth Johnson, both of them being natives of Tennessee, and farming people. He died when past middle life, and she when over eighty years old. Their children were as follows : William C., James B., John T., Jesse, Thomas W., Nancy, Emily and Melinda. The maternal grandfather was William Knight, and his wife bore the maiden name of Bostick. They were pioneers of Montgomery County, and farm- ing people, who died in this county when over middle life. Their children were as follows:

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John E., William L .. Elijah, McGee, Frank, Erving, Edna J., Ann and Jerusha.

Joel K. McDavid was reared on his father's farm, and attended the district schools and the old Hillsboro Academy. Later he went to Lincoln University at Lincoln, Ill. IIe then studied law with Rice and Miller, and was admitted to the bar in 1880, and began praetie- ing law at Hillsboro, continuing his practice for about ten years. Since then he has devoted himself to looking after his farms, prineipally located in East Fork Township. He ralses stock upon a large scale. For many years lie has been connected with the Montgomery County Loan and Trust Company, which was organized in 1870. On March 21, 1901 he was elected its president, and has held that office ever since.

On September 16, 1879, Mr. McDavid was married to Miss Emma Tiffin, a daughter of William and Eleinda (Blackwell) Tiffin, and they became the parents of one son, Edward T. The latter is a farmer but lives at Hillsboro. He was married to Josephine Thompson, and they have two children, namely: Emma Kathryn, and Edward. Mr. McDavid is a Democrat. He and his wife belong to the Presbyterian Church in which he is an elder. Mrs. MeDavid was born in Madison County, Ill., October 7, 1860. Her father was born in Ohio, and her mother in Virginia, and both are now deceased. They had several ehildren, all of whom with the exception of Mrs. McDavid, died young.

John T. McDavid, father of Joel K. McDavid was twice married, his second wife being Melin- da Snell. and they had one son, Frank L. McDavid, who is assistant cashier of the Mont- gomery County Loan and Trust Company at Hillsboro. Ile was married to Erna Rafferty, and they have a son, Clarence. A sketch of Frank L. MeDavid appears elsewhere in this work.

McDAVID, John Russell, junior member of the reliable law firm of Miller & McDavid at Hills- boro, is a member of one of the old and rep- resentative families of Montgomery County. He was born in Irving Township, this county, April 19, 1887. a son of Rer. William J. and Bareie S. (Foster) McDavid, natives of Montgomery County. Ill., and McDonough County, Ill., respectively. They had eight children, as fol- lows: Anna, who is the wife of Robert Kelly of Irving, Ill .: Dr. Jesse T .. who is in practice at Decatur. Ill .; Eva N., who is the wife of Dr. L. T. Rhoads, of Lincoln. Ill .; Linda E., who is the wife of Owen Meriwether, lives at Raymond, Ill. ; John R .; William F., who lives at Decatur, Ill .; Joel F., who lives at Chieago; and Inez, who died in infancy.

William J. MeDavid was reared in Montgom- ery County, and was a Presbyterian minister. He was graduated from Lincoln University, Lincoln, Ill., with the degre of A. M., and for over thirty years he was in charge of the Pres- byterian Church at Irving, and was elected eounty superintendent of schools in 189S and

served for eight years. His death occurred August 26, 1914, when he was about sixty-five years old. His wife survives him and still lives in the home place at Irving. They had been class-mates at Lincoln University.

The McDavid family record has been well preserved. The paternal great grandfather of John Russell McDavid, was William McDavid, and he was married to Elizabeth Johnson, both being natives of Tennessee. and they were among the first settlers of Montgomery County. Ile was a farmer and trader, and a man of considerable strength of character and of local importance. The grandfather was John T. McDavid, and he was married to Mary J. Knight, and both of them were born in Illinois. For many years he was a farmer, but he was also a man of public usefulness and served Montgomery County as sheriff, deputy sheriff and assessor. His death occurred when he was about eighty-three years old, but the grand- mother died when forty-two years old. There were six sons of this marriage, namely : Alvm B., William J., John T., Joel K., Augustus B., and James L. After the death of his first wife, the grandfather was married (second) to Melinda Snell, and they had one son, Frank L. The maternal grandfather of John R. McDavid. was Henry W. Foster and his wife bore the maiden name of Eliza Ann Kilpatrick. Both of them were born in Illinois, where he spent his life engaged in farming. Their children were as follows: John T., Barcie S., Dora Johnson. Sell Foster, William Foster, and Emma Moody. The Fosters lived in McDonough County. 111. for years, but later moved to Logan County. Mr. Foster died at Ilillsboro. but his wife died at Lincoln, Ill.

John Russell MeDavid lived in Irving Town- ship, Montgomery County, until he was eleven years old, and then came to Ilillsboro, where he was gradnated from the high school in 1906. Ho then entered James Millikin University. Decatur, Ill., and remained for a year. when he entered the law department of the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, Mich., from which he was graduated in 1910, with the degree of LL. B. He was assistant advertising manager of the Decatur Review until his admission to the bar in February. 1911, when he formed a partner- ship with Judge Amos Miller and his son, Rice Miller, which association still continues.

On September 27. 1911, Mr. MeDavid was married to Miss Alta Witherspoon of Catlin. Ill .. a daughter of Lawrence M. and Milda (Finley) Witherspoon. Mrs. McDavid died March 24. 1913. at the age of twenty-one years, leaving one son. Frederick C. She was a member of the Presbyterian Church of Hillsboro, to which Mr. McDavid also belongs. She was born at Jamaica, Ill., June 11, 1894. Her parents were natives of Illinois, and her father died in April. 1914. aged fifty-four years, but her mother sur- vives, and is living at Danville. Ill. Mr. and Mrs. Witherspoon had four children, namely : Elsie Rowand. Gertrude Taylor, Alta McDavid. and Clyde. Mr. McDavid was married to Miss

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Ruth Irene Tiley, April 26, 1917, daughter of G. W. Tiley, of Champaign, Ill .; and niece of Judge J. F. Dryer, Hillsboro, Ill. Mr. McDavid belongs to Mount Moriah Lodge No. 51, A. F. & A. M .; Hillsboro Chapter, R. A. M. Sullivan Council and he is also a member of the Odd Fellows, the Encampment of that order, the Moose, and the Litchfield Lodge of Elks. In politics he is a Democrat.

McDAVID, Mrs. Ollie R., widow of Lester T. Mc- David and one of the highly respected residents of East Fork Township, was born on her present farm, in 1880, a daughter of William H. and Martha E. (Newberry) Wilson. William H. Wilson was born on Section 1, East Fork town- ship, July 1, 1846, a son of Joshua and Emma (McDavid) Wilson. Joshua Wilson was born in Louisville, Ky., and when eighteen years old he came to Montgomery County, locating on Sec- tion 1, East Fork Township, where he died September 17, 1873. He was married in Mont- gomery County, his wife being a daughter of William McDavid, who then owned the farm now owned by T. W. McDavid, on which he set- tled when coming to this locality. Joshua Wilson and his first wife had two children. After her death he was married (second) to Sarah Hutch- inson, of Greenville. Ill., and they had four children. She died some years before he passed away.

William H. Wilson was reared in East Fork Township and attended the Hillsboro Academy, and then the Lincoln. Illinois schools. In young manhood he settled on the east half of the old homestead but only remained there a short time, then moved on another farm which continued his home the remainder of his life, and there he died January 13. 1908. On Decem- ber 9, 1869, William H. Wilson was married to Martha E. Newberry, who was born in Macoupin County, Ill., February 23, 1849. a daughter of Cornelius and Miranda Newberry. Mrs. Wilson was brought to Irving. Ill .. by her parents when she was a small child, and here she lived until her marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson had two children, namely : Cornelius, who died when three months old ; and Ollie R.

Mrs. Ollie R. McDavid attended the Coffeen High school and the old Coffeen Normal school, and later was graduated from the Beethoven Conservatory of Music, at St. Louis, Mo. On April 19, 1905, she was married to Lester T. McDavid, who was born on the McDavid farm, October 31, 1878, a son of T. W. and Louisa McDavid, and a grandson of William McDavid who came to Montgomery from Tennessee and settled on the land where Lester T. McDavid was born. This property has never been out of the McDavid family. Mr. McDavid was gradu- ated from the Coffeen High school and the Coffeen Academy, and taught in the country schools for a few terms in his locality. Mr. and Mrs. McDavid became the parents of one son, Thurman Wilson, who was born August 10, 1909, and is now attending school. Mr. Mc- David belonged to the Coffeen Presbyterian Church, in which he was an active worker, an

elder and superintendent of the Sunday school. In politics he was a Democrat, but never de- sired public preferment. Mr. McDavid was engaged in overlooking the large farm of over 1200 acres of land, and was interested in rais- ing high grade stock, continuing in the same lines as William H. Wilson. On September 4, 1911, he died, and in his passing his neighbor- hood lost a good and efficient citizen, and his family and friends a beloved member. His life was a short one, but it was filled with kindly deeds and thoughtful actions, and his com- munity was made better by his all too brief span of existence.

McDAVID, Hon. T. J., County judge of Mont- gomery County, and one of the most highly esteemed residents of Hillsboro, is a man who well sustains the dignity of the bench and up- holds the standing of the legal profession. He was born in East Fork Township, near Coffeen, Montgomery County, August 27, 1849, a son of William C. and Lydia C. (Wilson) McDavid. natives of Montgomery County and Indiana, respectively. They had three children : Thomas J., who is of Hillsboro; Emily E., who is the wife of D. C. Neisler, lives at Boulder, Col .; and John L., who is a farmer living near Coffeen.

William C. McDavid spent practically all his life in Montgomery County, conducting his farming operations in East Fork Township, where he owned about 250 acres of land, and there he died in 1899, aged seventy-nine years. His wife died in 1904, aged seventy-nine years. They were consistent members of the Cumber- land Presbyterian Church, in which he was an elder. For a number of years he was a justice of the peace and always a representative man in every respect. His parents were William and Elizabeth (Johnson) McDavid, the former being a native of Virginia, and the latter of Tennessee, and they became pioneers of Montgomery County, acquiring their land from the govern- ment in 1819. Farming people, they died in East Fork Township, at an advanced age, having had a good sized family, namely: William C. James B., John T., Jesse J., Thomas W., Emily J., Melinda and Nancy M. William McDavid served his country as a soldier in the War of 1812, and also in the Black Hawk War. The maternal grandfather of Judge McDavid was John Wilson, who married Rachel Wilburn, and they came from Kentucky to Illinois and located in Montgomery County, where the grandmotlier died, the grandfather passing away in Missouri. They were pioneer farming people, and had fifteen children. among whom were the follow- ing : James, Joshua, John B., Jacob, Lydia C. and Ruth.

Judge Thomas J. McDavid has spent his entire life in Montgomery County, with the ex- ception of two years when he was in Missouri, and was reared upon a farm. and sent to the district schools, Hillsboro Academy, and McGee College in Missouri. Following this he took a course in the law department of the University of Michigan, at Ann Arbor, and in the Illinois

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Wesleyan University. In order to secure the funds to prosecute his studies. he taught tlie district schools for five or six years, but after his admission to the bar in 1879, devoted him- self to the practice of his profession up to his election to the county judgeship in 1914, since which time he has filled that high office with dignified capability. Judge McDavid is a Demo- erat, and for about fifteen years served as deputy county clerk.

On August 12, 1SSO, Judge McDavid was married to Hattic J. Blackburn, a daughter of James T. and Susan M. (Nicodemus) Black- burn. They became the parents of four chiil- dren, namely : Ella B., who died in infancy ; Ruth M., who died at the age of eight years ; Carrol M. and James B. The elder son is a high school teacher at Greenville, Ill .; and the younger is attending the University of Michi- gan.

Mrs. McDavid is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. She was born in Fillmore Township, this county, August 7, 1861, and is the only living child of her parents. Her father was an early settler and his people came herc from Ohio. Her mother was born at Cir- cleville, Ohio. Mr. Blackburn was a resident of Hillsboro at the time of his death in 1878, and Mrs. Blackburn survives. The paternal grandfather of Mrs. McDavid was Richard Blackburn and he was married to Tabitha Vickers. natives of Loudoun County, Va. They had the following children : James T., Elias, George W., Alfred, Martha E., Lonisa J., Kate, Elizabeth, Saralı and Alice. The maternal grandfather was John Nicodemus, and he was married to Harriet McConnell. He was born in Maryland. They came to Montgomery County ahont 1858. and he died here. in East Fork Township, but she died at Van Buren, Ark. They had the following children : James, John M., Meredith H., Winfield S .. Nancy and Susan M.

McGEE, George H., now deceased, was not only a man largely interested for years In agricultural matters, but also left his mark npon his com- munity as a skillful and faithful carpenter. He did not aspire toward the seats of the mighty. but rather sought to do his duty in the walk of life to which he was called. and dying left behind him a record for honest living and upright pur- pose that is a very valuable heritage to his pos- terity. He was born at Stony Point, N. C., Jan- ary 15, 184S, a son of George and Philena McGee. natives of North Carolina, where the father was engaged in farming.

Growing up iu his native state. George H. McGee attended the schools of his district, and assisted on the home farm until he was fourteen years old. At that time, when civil war broke out, hoy though he was, he enlisted in the service of the Confederacy, in Company E, Forty-ninth North Carolina Volunteer Infantry. and served all through the war between the states. When the confliet was over. the brave defender of the "Lost Cause" returned to his ancestral acres, but conditions in the South during the reconstruction

period were not such as to appeal to yonng men of spirit, and like so many others of his period lie sought other fields of endeavor, being specially prompted thereto by the death of his beloved mother in 1866, which severed another tic, and le came to Illinois, selecting Montgomery County for a home. For two years after his arrival he tound employment on farins in the county, work- ing by the month. and then, having been married, he rented land and engaged in farming on his own accont. After four years he was able to purchase eighty acres of land, located three and one-half miles south of Hillsboro, to which he subsequently added eighty acres. For many years he was very successfully engaged in farm- ing, but in the late eighties he rented his farm and moved to Hillsboro, where he became one of the well known carpenters, and was engaged on some of the best work in his line doue at the county seat, continuing in this until his death which ocenrred January 6, 1913.

On May 3, 1868, Mr. McGee married Mary Clotfelter, a daughter of Lee and Jemima (Hope) Clotfelter. Mr. and Mrs. McGee became the parents of two children : Anna, who is Mrs. Frank Denton; and Rose, who is Mrs. Edward Hoag. A strong Presbyterian, Mr. McGee served his church as a deacon for many years. In national matters he was a Democrat, but locally lie supported the cause of Prohibition, and never failed to uphold his temperance principles. His fraternal connections were with the Modern Woodmen. From boyhood Mr. McGee was ardent in his support of what he believed to be right, and did not shriuk from being with a losing cause if he thought that the principle was one worthy of his adoption.

McLEAN, Donald, general merchant at Farmersville, handling dry goods, clothing and shoes, is one of the sound business men of Montgomery County. He was born in East Fork Township. this county, January 31, 1879, a son of John and Mary (Coffeen) McLean. John MeLean was born in Marion County, Ill., and came to Montgomery County with his parents when a child. His father, the paternal grand- father of Donald McLean, was named Donald McLean, and he was born in Scotland. Coming to the United States a poor young man, he sought to get a start by peddling goods from a paek. and in his travels finally reached Mont- gomery County, where he entered some land from the government in East Fork Township, and on it he spent the balance of his life, he and his wife being among the early settlers of this section. John McLean grew to manliood in East Fork Township, and there he met and married Mary Coffeen, who was born at Water- town, N. Y., a daughter of Gustave F. Coffeen, one of the very early settlers of Montgomery County. He was the man who laid out and secured the right of way for the Clover Leaf Railroad. After their marriage, John McLean and his wife settled in East Fork Township, and in time became fairly well-to-do, living on the farm until 1909. They were the parents of five

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children as follows: G. C., who lives at Ray- mond, Ill .; Donald; Frank, who is with the Peoples Bank of Hillsboro; Mary Adelia, who married Newell Henry of Hillsboro, Ill .; and Roy Hector, who died at the age of fifteen months. John McLean was a very earnest and devout member of the Presbyterian Church. In politics he was a Republican. and lived up to his principles, but did not seek public honors.

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Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Montgomery County, Volume II, Part 93

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