Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Morgan County, Part 159

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897. cn; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913. cn; Short, William F., 1829- 4n
Publication date: 1906
Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1286

USA > Illinois > Morgan County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Morgan County > Part 159

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Letitia A. (Allmond) Day, mother of Dr. J. A. Day, was a native of Wilmington, Del., her father, Dr. Allmond, being a graduate of Jef- ferson Medical College, Philadelphia, who set- tled in Palmyra, Macoupin County, Ill., in 1840, and, after practicing his profession in that town sixty years, died there in 1900, at the age of eighty-four.

Dr. J. Allmond Day obtained his literary education in Grinnell College, Iowa, in the Christian Brothers' College, St. Louis, Mo., and in the Missouri State University, at Columbia, Mo. In the last named institution he took a preliminary course in medicine, afterward studying two years in the College of Physicians and Surgeons at St. Louis, where he graduated March 10, 1890. It will thus be seen that he comes of a medical family on both sides, nearly all of his male relatives being physicians. Dr.

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HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.

Day began practice at Lynnville, Ill., in 1890, where he remained fourteen months, when he entered into partnership with his father at Winchester, Ill., which was continued until 1900. During 1894-5 he took a post-graduate course in New York, and again in New York and Philadelphia in 1897. In 1900 he went to Europe, where he spent two years in special study in the cities of Vienna, Berlin, Dresden, Paris and London, devoting most of the time to the practical study of surgery in the lead- ing hospitals, and afterward extending his tour to Italy, Hungary and Switzerland. Upon his return to America in 1902, he continued his researches in surgery at the Johns Hopkins Hospital at Baltimore, Md., and in 1903 located in Jacksonville, where he has established quite a reputation in his chosen department, at the Passavant Memorial and Our Saviour's Hos- pitals. He has recently resigned his office as Secretary of the Board of United States Pen- sion Examiners-a position that he filled with credit for nearly two years. The Doctor is a member of the Scott and Morgan County Medi- cal Societies, the Western District Medical Soci- ety, and the State and American Medical Soci- eties. Fraternally, he is connected with the Masonic Order, Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows, Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, Modern Woodmen of America, and stands very high socially as well as in his profession.

DEITRICK, Daniel, retired farmer, residing one mile south of Concord, was born in Union County, Pa., October 20, 1816, a son of Jacob and Mary (Hartley) Deitrick. He attended the common schools of his native State, and at the age of seventeen began learning the trade of a blacksmith. He was thus occupied for about five years in Pennsylvania and Ohio, to which State he emigrated while still a youth, having a shop of his own for two years of this period. Immediately following the presidential election of 1840, at which he cast his first vote for Wil- liam H. Harrison, he started overland for Illi- nois, packing his belongings in a trunk which is still a valued relic in the home near Con- cord. This trunk was made about 1830, and was lined inside with newspapers printed in that year, which are yet in a fairly good state of preservation. In addition to the chattels which he brought with him, Mr. Deitrick had stored away in the bottom of this old trunk

$175 in money-a considerable amount of ready cash for a young man in those days-and these savings formed the nucleus around which he has built his present substantial fortune.

Upon his arrival in Morgan County, Mr. Dei- trick first located near the cemetery a short distance north of the present homestead, where he erected a workshop and continued to busy himself at his trade. This structure was a rude affair, built entirely of logs, and was the first in that section of the county. It soon became generally known that he was an unusually fine workman, painstaking in the character of his output, and patrons flocked to his little shop from all sections of the county. After devoting three or four years to his trade at that point, he purchased forty acres of prairie land, upon which his home stands, and soon afterward 80 acres of timber land adjacent thereto. Upon this property the original owner had built a small log cabin, with one room. Mr. Deitrick was not content to occupy this hut, however, and soon set about to erect a four-room frame dwelling. In 1861 he built the brick house in which he and his family now reside, and which in its day was regarded as one of the rural mansions of the county. Since locating on this farm he has devoted his time to agriculture and stock-raising, sometimes feeding as high as 150 head at a time. In the earlier days he also bred and sold draft horses extensively. He has accumulated 660 acres of fertile and finely cultivated land. It is a noteworthy fact that he has never sold a bushel of corn, feeding to his stock all that he has grown.

Mr. Deitrick was reared in the Lutheran Church. In politics he has been a lifelong Re- publican of the stanchest type, and for many years was active and influential in the local undertakings of that party. For two terms he served as County Commissioner, and for a long period filled the office of School Director, aiming during this time to secure the best pos- sible educational advantages for the children of his neighborhood. He has also given all his own children exceptional advantages in this direction, allowing them to round out their studies by attendance at the colleges in Jackson- ville and the East. The best citizens of Mor- gan County have always exhibited the greatest confidence in his judgment and integrity. He was appointed one of the administrators of the estate of Jacob Strawn, one of the greatest es-

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tates ever accumulated in Morgan County, and is the sole survivor of the men in whom this trust was imposed, his co-laborers in this work having been Moore C. Goltra and Daniel Clark.

Mr. Deitrick was united in marriage January 20, 1842, with Mary Rentschler, daughter of George S. Rentschler, who died May 7, 1847. They had one daughter-Ellen, who married D. C. Robinson and died November 24, 1888. Mr. Deitrick's first wife died July 16, 1869, and he married her sister, Matilda Rentschler. They became the parents of the following chil- . dren; Thomas, who died in infancy; James; Mary, who died October 21, 1892; Samuel, George and Carrie.

Mr. Deitrick is six feet and one inch tall, and until his health became broken, a short time since, was possessed of remarkable strength. He has a finc physique, and is a man of most striking appearance. He has always been highly esteemed by all who know him, and his strong character, rugged honesty and integ- rity, and his devotion to high principles have made his name one which will be remembered with honor long after he shall have passed to his reward.

DEITRICK, George, farmer and County Com- missioner of Morgan County, was born on his father's farm one mile south of Concord, Ill., where he now resides, March 22, 1859, the son of Daniel and Matilda (Rentschler) Deitrick. (A detailed sketch of his father's lifc appears elsewhere.) After attending the common schools, he entered Illinois College, where he continued his studies until the middle of the sophomore year. Since the completion of his education he has resided on the home farm, and has been his father's direct representative and manager. Like his father, lie has always ex- hibited a deep interest in those matters which pertain to the welfare of the public. A strong and active Republican, he was clected County Commissioner in the fall of 1904 by a majority of 735 and now occupies that officc. He has also served as School Director, and is now a Trustee of Concord cemetery. Fraternally he is a member of Lodge No. 3236, Modern Woodmen of America, of Concord. On October 16, 1889, he was united in marriage with Frances E., daughter of Edwin and Sarah J. (Hills) Hay- den, and they have four children: Daniel, Hes- ter, Sarah and Edwin.

Mr. Deitrick is one of the representative inen of the younger generation in Morgan County, and enjoys the esteem of his fellow-citizens to an unusual degree. He is public-spirited and progressive, and does everything in his power to assist in the development of the community, promoting all its best interests by advice, coun- sel and contributions of his means. He is a firm believer in good roads, good bridges and improved public utilities generally, and his in- fluence upon public affairs is for the best.

DENBY, Thomas, for more than sixty years a worthy and highly esteemed citizen residing in the vicinity of Jacksonville, Ill., was born in Yorkshire, England, July 17, 1823, the son of Thomas and Ellen (Conder) Denby, natives of that country, the former being born in Lin- colnshire. They had five children, namely: Hannah, who married Edward Lambert; Eliza- beth, who was the wife of John Scott; Mary, who died in infancy; Ellen, deceased; and Thomas, who is the only living member of the family. Thomas Denby, Sr., came with his family to the United States in 1832. They left Liverpool, April 3d of that year, and reached New York the following August, the vessel hav- ing been disabled during the voyage by rough weather, and compelled to put into the Madeira Islands for repairs. On arriving at New York the family went to Buffalo, and thence-via the Erie Canal, river and team-to Jacksonville. Soon afterward Mr. Denby purchased a farm of 200 acres at $12 per acre. Upon it were a double log house and log stable, and about 50 acres of the tract were cleared. Here the elder Denby lived until 1849, when he departed on a visit to England, dying on the ocean at the age of fifty-five years. The deceased was a man of practical ability, having assisted in laying out the roads, organizing the schools, etc. His widow passed away a few months after his de- mise.

Thomas Denby was ten years old when he came to Morgan County. In early youth he attended the subscription school in the log house, near his home, supplied with slab benches and puncheon floor, but obtained most of his mental instruction outside of the school room. Mr. Denby has lived on his present farm since 1832, renting the place of his father, in 1845, and afterward purchasing the interests of the other heirs. The fine residence which he

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occupies was built, in 1857, from brick burnt on the premises, and all the excellent improve- ments on the farm were made by him. He is now the owner of 200 acres of land, situated four and one-half milcs west of Jacksonville, where he has carried on general farming and raised choice Poland-China hogs.

Mr. Denby was first married in 1845, to Mar- tha Sparks, who passed away in March, 1846, leaving one child, who died when three years of age. In December, 1846, Mr. Denby was united in marriage to Mary J. Wells, who was born in Scott County, Ill., in 1822, a daughter of Alex- ander and Mary (Chance) Wells-both natives of Pennsylvania. Mr. Wells came to Scott County, Ill., in 1818. He was a famous hunter, and killed the last bear and panther known to this section of the country. He died at Mr. Denby's residence at the venerable age of nine- ty-six years, having served as a Captain in the War of 1812 and a soldier of the Black Hawk War and being deservedly a pensioner of the Government. Mr. Wells was well educated, for his time, and was successful in all his under- takings. Finally, he had the honor of building the first log schoolhouse in Scott County. Mr. and Mrs. Denby are the parents of five chil- dren, namely: William Thomas, who died at the age of five years; Mary E., wife of George B. Ransom, who lives near Lynnville, Ill .; Sarah E., who married George Killam, and died in 1884; Hannah, wife of Thomas O. Graves, who lives in the vicinity of Jacksonville, and Anella, wife of J. W. Leach, who lives west of the city.

Politically, Mr. Denby is a Democrat, and has held a number of township offices. Reli- giously, he and his wife are members of the Methodist Church. His life has been distin- guished by all those qualities that characterize the successful pioneer-honesty, industry, pa- tience, perseverance and firm resolution.

DEWEES, Cornelius, retired farmer, Jackson- ville, Ill., is a pioneer of 1829, and a son of a pioneer of the same year. His father, Nimrod Dewees, was born in North Carolina in 1801, and was a son of Cornelius Dewees, for many years a minister in the Christian Church. A native of North Carolina, he removed to Ken- tucky when his son Nimrod was a youth, and there preached for many years. His services were in great demand for the performance of

the marriage service in the pioneer days of Kentucky, and couples frequently rode forty miles or more that he might unite them. About 1840 he removed to Morgan County, Ill., whither his son Nimrod had preceded him several years. A few years afterward he moved to Monmouth, Warren County, Ill., where his death occurred in 1848.

Nimrod Dewees was reared in Kentucky. In young manhood he was united in marriage with Elizabeth Murphy, and while still residents of that State four children were born to them. In 1829 Mr. Dewees, accompanied by his wife and these four children, came to Illinois, entering a quarter section of Government land located four miles northwest of Jacksonville, being compelled to go to Vandalia to secure the title to his land. He afterward entered additional land, his entire property aggregating 540 acres. Here he engaged in general farming, stock- raising and feeding. In the earlier days of his stock operations he was able to purchase cattle for $9 per head, feed them through the winter, and sell them for from $30 to $35 per head. These operations were followed by the feeding of hogs, which also proved very profitable. When it is stated that he sometimes fed as high as 500 head of cattle in a season, the ex- . tent of his operations may be better understood. About 1850 he sold his farm to Samuel William- son, as about 1842 he had removed to a tract a short distance north of Alexander, where he continued his operations. In 1850 or 1851 Mr. Dewees retired from active labor and removed to Jacksonville, where the remainder of his life was spent, his death occurring in 1865. The de- ceased was a member of the Christian Church of Jacksonville. In politics he was originally a Jackson Democrat, afterward a member of the Know-Nothing party, and finally a Douglas Democrat. His wife died in 1836. They were the parents of eight children, of whom two died in infancy. Those who attained maturity were: William, deceased; Cornelius; Mary, widow of John T. Alexander, of Jacksonville; Elizabeth J., widow of Robert T. Osborne, of Jackson- ville; Lafayette, deceased; and James P., who resides near Prentice, Morgan County. By his second marriage, which united him with Eliza Sanders, Mr. Dewees became the father of four children. Of these three died in infancy, and one son, Samucl, died about 1896. Mr. De- wees' third wife was Mary Talbert, whom he

J.B. Orean

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HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.

married in 1848 in Howard County, Mo. She bore him onc daughter, Mrs. Lou Kiser.

Cornelius Dewees was born in Barren County, Ky., November 22, 1824. He accompanied his parents to Morgan County, Ill., in 1829, and re- sided with his father on the home farm until the outbreak of the Mexican War. In 1847 he enlisted in Col. Easton's regiment, and served as a private until honorably discharged in Octo- ber, 1848. In 1849 he joined a party of Argo- nauts, under Captain Heslop, and started over- land for California, by way of the Santa Fe trail. After remaining awhile in Sacramento, in the spring of 1850 he accompanied a party to the placer mines on the Yuba River. In Au- gust following he went to Yuba City, on the Feather River, where he engaged in the wood business. In the spring of 1851 he visited the Santa Clara Valley, where for two years he was engaged in farming, though he was unable to purchase land, owing to the inability of early settlers to secure title to their property. Re- turning to Morgan County, in the spring of 1853, he engaged his services to John T. Alex- ander, the cattle king, and others, for whom he drove cattle for three years. In 1856 he re- moved to Missouri, where, in Pettis County, March 28th of that year, he was united in mar- riage with Mary Goodwin. Soon after his mar- riage he purchased a farm near Pleasant Hill, Jackson County, Mo., where he engaged in agri- culture until he was practically driven from the region by reason of the depredations of Quan- trill and other bushwhackers. At one time Quan- trill, who was one of the most notorious of all the Kansas-Missouri border guerrillas, visited his home with a band of three hundred of his men, and deprived him of a large portion of his stock. Mr. Dewees suffered greatly through the operations of wandering bands of marauders on both the Union and Confederate sides, though he himself was in no sense a partisan in the struggle. In the spring of 1863 he left his devastated farm in Jackson County, Mo., and, returning to Morgan County, Ill., purchased a tract northwest of Jacksonville, which he oper- ated successfully until the fall of 1896, when he removed to Jacksonville. After the war his life in Illinois was devoted chiefly to general farming. His father, who had been a heavy stockholder in the Jacksonville Gas Company, gave him $9,000 worth of stock in that corpora- tion, half of which he still holds.

Though always a stanch Demoerat, and active- ly interested in the welfare of his party, Mr. Dewees has never consented to occupy public of- fice. He is a member of the Christian Church of Jacksonville, in which he has served as Elder for over five years. While residing on his farm he served for some time as an Elder in Chris- tian Church at Concord. He and his wife have been the parents of eight children, three of whom died in infancy. Those who attained maturity were: Mildred, wife of James Pow- ell, formerly of Pettis County, Mo., now of Kan- sas City, Mo .; James P., who was drowned in Montana March 4, 1889; Ernest, who married a daughter of William Patterson and resides on the home farm; Cora and Mary, who live with their parents.

Mr. Dewees is one of the comparatively few remaining representatives of the pioneer ele- ment of Morgan County. He has always been highly regarded for his Christian virtues, his integrity in business, his whole-souled interest in those affairs pertaining to the welfare of the public, his respect for the rights and privileges of others, his devotion to his family, and his in- clination to do what he can to assist in the promotion of worthy enterprises.

DEWEY, Cortes M., (deceased ), pioneer farmer and stockman of Morgan County, Ill., was born at Milton, Vt., in 1818, the son of Rising and Electa Dewey. Rising Dewey and family moved to Illinois in the early '20s and engaged in farming near Jacksonville, continuing in this occupation until his death. He had served as a Colonel during the War of 1812, and was a man of courage and determination, typical of the pioneer of that day. Cortes M. Dewey was reared upon his father's farm and early initi- ated into the business of feeding and tending stock and general farming, in which he later became very successful, becoming the proprietor of one of the most thoroughly improved farms in the county, stocked with a good grade of cat- tle. The substantial residence, barns and other buildings attested the taste and good manage- ment of the owner. His education was obtained in the district schools, and in 1858 he was mar- ried in Madrid, N. Y., to Catherine R. Haskell, a teacher in the public schools at Joy Prairie, Morgan County, and of this union three chil- dren were born. Ada and Eva died. respectively four and twelve years of age, while Grace is the

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HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.

only surviving member of the family. Mr. Dewey was for many years a School Director in his district and a Director in the First Na- tional Bank of Jacksonville, to which city he and his family had removed in 1878. Frater- nally, he was a member of the Masonic order. He died in 1894, his wife surviving him until 1901, when she too passed away.

DEWEY, (Miss) Grace, M. D., daughter of the preceding, was educated in the Jacksonville Fe- male Academy, from which she graduated in 1881, and four years later (1885) completed a course at Wellesly College, Mass. She then re- turned to Jacksonville, and for four years was a teacher in the Woman's College of that city; then took a journey to Europe and studied in the universities of Oxford, England, and Ber- lin, Germany. On her return she began the study of medicine in the Johns Hopkins Medi- cal School at Baltimore, Md., from which she obtained her professional degree in 1903. She at once entered upon the practice of her pro- fession in Jacksonville, and has met with well- deserved success. Dr. Grace Dewey is a mem- ber, of the American Medical Association and the State and County Medical Societies. Her residence is at 1123 West State Street, Jack- sonville.

DICKENS, (Rev.) J. H., (deceased), clergyman, Jacksonville, Ill., was born in Clarksville, Tenn., in 1810, at the age of nineteen married, and the next year-1830-came to Illinois. He was trained under the code of General Jackson; had only a common school education, and with few opportunities made his way in the world. He served in the Black Hawk War, in 1831, and about that time, having professed religion, in 1833, was appointed to the pastorate of the Jacksonville Methodist Episcopal Church. The town was then small, and during Mr. Dicken's pastorate, passed through the scourge of the cholera. He was always a firm abstainer, a strong temperance advocate, and though of- fered intoxicating drinks, and familiar with them from his infancy, always firmly opposed their use and, by word and deed, upheld the cause of temperance and reform. Raised in a slave State, he imbibed pro-slavery views, but on com- ing to Illinois, not long after changed his opin- ions, and by 1838 was a strong Abolitionist, of the old style. In 1844, he was made Agent for

the McKendree College, at Lebanon, which in- stitution he cleared of a heavy debt, and placed on a good financial basis. Thinking much of the needs for the education of women, and feel- ing a lack of such advantages, he presented a plan to the Conference of his church, the result of which was the establishment of the present Female College, in Jacksonville, so well known, and of so great influence. He labored all his life for the good of Church and State, and lived to see the fruit of his toil. His death occurred in Jacksonville, August 8, 1882.

Mr. and Mrs. Dickens had five children, all of whom lived to years of maturity. Of these three were sons, who served in the Union Army during the Civil War.

DICKINSON, Piercy, a well known and thriv- ing farmer in Section 6, Township 14, Range 11, near Lynnville, Morgan County, Ill., was born in Thornton, Yorkshire, England, January 1, 1844. He is a son of Thomas and Mary (Piercy) Dickinson. His parents left England with their family May 3, 1849, and landed in New York on June 6th next following. Then they journeyed via the Erie Canal, the Lakes, and the Illinois River, to Naples, Ill., finally arriving at Lynnville, their destination. There Thomas Dickinson bought a farm, and his older sons purchased other land adjoining, compris- ing altogether over 300 acres. At first Mr. Dickinson located just east of Lynnville, but on March 10, 1855, moved to the place above de- scribed, where he carried on farming until his death, August 29, 1870.

Mr. Dickinson attended the public schools near Lynnville until he was sixteen years old. On August 1, 1861, he enlisted for service in the Civil War, as a musician in Company F, Thirty-third Regiment Illinois Volunteer In- fantry, and after the expiration of his term re- enlisted with the regiment, whose operations were in the Department of the Gulf. He partici- pated in the Vicksburg campaign, being seven- ty-three days under fire-forty-seven of which were in front of Vicksburg. During one day's fighting he fired sixty-four rounds. He was discharged at Vicksburg, November 26, 1865, and returned home, as a consequence of his service, remaining an invalid for two years. In 1868 he made a trip to England, remaining abroad six months. In 1869 he entered the gro- cery business, at Murrayville, Ill., in company

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HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.

with R. A. Batty, the firm being Batty & Dick- inson. Two years later his health failed, and he spent several years at home.

On March 26, 1873, Mr. Dickinson was united in marriage with Eliza Ann Reaugh, a native of Morgan County, and a daughter of John A. Reaugh. She died April 12, 1875, leaving one son, Oliver Reaugh Dickinson, who was born March 21, 1874, and lives on the home farm. About the time of his marriage Mr. Dickinson formed a farming partnership with his wid- owed mother. The latter died in 1885, and two years later he purchased the property.

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Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Morgan County, Part 159

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897. cn; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913. cn; Short, William F., 1829- 4n Publication date: 1906 Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1286

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897. cn; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913. cn; Short, William F., 1829- 4n
Publication date: 1906
Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1286