USA > Illinois > Williamson County > Historical souvenir of Williamson County, Illinois : being a brief review of the county from date of founding to the present > Part 22
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He is Republican in politics, a K. P. and a member of the Christian church. His wife was Althea Hund- ley, who is the leader of the choir of the Christian church, and as active in her sphere as her husband is in his. They were married Aug- ust 16, 1882, and have had three children, William Robert, who died in '89, and Grace and Lille, both of whom are at the Monticello school.
T. S. ERWAN.
Born September 11, 1831, in Clairsville, Belmont County, Ohio. When six months old his parents moved to Morristown, Ohio, where he was reared and educated. His father was John Erwan, who fol- lowed the trade of a fuller and carder, and died in the Autumn of 1876 at the advanced age of 80. His mother was Sarah Garner, who died the previous Spring at about the same age. When about 18 years old Mr. Erwan learned the tailor's trade, at which he worked for about 17 years.
When the Civil War broke out he enlisted in the 50th Ohio Vol. Inf., Co. F., Colonel Silas A. Strickland commanding. He was first under fire at the battle of Perryville, Ky., and was in most of the battles lead- ing up to and including the seige of Atlanta. When Sherman began his famous march "from Atlanta to the Sea" his regiment was turned back,
and marching to Nashville under Pap Thomas, drove Hood out of Ten- nessee. When the war closed he was mustered out, in July 1865. He went through the whole struggle without a scratch or a day in the hospital, and at its close joined his wife at Muncie, Ind. The young couple lived there two years, then returned to Ohio and remained till March, 1871, when he moved to Marion, where he has remained till the present time.
He was married three times. His first wife was Mary Ann Gray, to whom he was united March 4, 1854. She died August 19, ISSI. after giving birth to four children, two of whom are now living. His son,
Francis E. Erwan, lives in St. Louis and his daughter married E. B. Watson, the present mayor of Carterville. His second marriage took place November 15, 1885, to Mrs. Nancy Dunaway, who died the following March, 1886. For the third time he was married June 19, 1896, to Mrs. Anna L. Lillian. He is a Republican in politics and has been a member of the M. E. church for about nine years.
F. M. WESTBROOK, Merchant.
The subject of this sketch is a native of Gallatin County, Illinois, where he was born April 23, 1831. His parents were natives of Virginia, from where they moved to Ken- tucky and later to Johnson County, Illinois. Still later they settled in Gallatin County. The mother, whose maiden name was Anna McGowen, died at the age of 45, seventy-one years ago. The father married the second time, and lived to the age of 65. The subect of this sketch was the youngest of twelve children, all of whom are dead but two brothers. Lewis is now 75 years old and lives ten miles south of Marion, and an- other brother, Samuel, lives, at the age of 96, in Eldorado, Saline Coun- ty, Illinois. He was in the Black- hawk War and still draws a pension.
After the death of his mother, Mr. Westbrook was thrown on his own resources at the tender age of 11 years and 6 months, and went to work for his elder brother on a farm in Saline County, following the plow until 26 years old. He then came to Marion, in January, 1857, and the following July, renting a building of Samuel Dunaway, on the corner where Mr. Eb. Hearn is now selling groceries, opened a general store. At that time there were but three dealers in the place, although the town had been located about 18 venrs. They were Goodall & Pul- ley, J. T. Goddard and Joseph Huff- stutter. The latter had a little store in the corner of the old West- ern Exchange Hotel, which then oc-
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SOUVENIR OF WILLIAMSON COUNTY. ILLINOIS.
cupied the place where the Denison block now stands. He rented of Dunaway for two years and then
bought the corner he now occupies. A small frame building stood there at the time, which Mr. Westbrook bought and where he sold goods un- til it burned in 1876. He at once rebuilt of frame and did business there till 1899, when he had it
moved to where it still stands as shown in the halftone. He then
built two stories in a substantial manner of brick, which he finished in 1900, and still occupies as a dry goods house. It is called the New York store, and stands on the south side of the square, corner of South Market St., as shown in the half- tone of the bird's eye view of the town. The name and style of the company is F. M. Westbrook and Company, with his son, Willis F. Westbrook, as the company.
Mr. Westbrook was married Jan- uary 26, 1855, to Paulina J. Laf- ferty, by whom he has had three children: James W. Westbrook, in business in Oklahoma City, Okla- homa; Willis F. Westbrook, his partner in Marion, and a daughter, Mrs. Daisy B. Mitchell, the wife of C. E. Mitchell, a merchant of Okla- homa City.
In 1890 Mr. Westbrook built the handsome residence where he lives, embowered in handsome sugar ma- ple trees, almost too dense to get a snap shot for the Souvenir book. It stands on the southeast corner of Marion and Buchanan streets, and is one of the best in town.
He is a Republican in politics, and a member of many years' standing of the M. E. church.
WM. H. BUNDY, Druggist.
W'm. Bundy was born in Tennes- see April 2, 1846. His father, Dr. Samuel H. Bundy, was a prominent physician and surgeon for more than 50 years. He moved from Ten- nessee with his family to William- son County in 1852, and for more than half a century was one of its most successful practitioners. He served in the Union army for four vears as surgeon of the 9th Ill. Vol., was mustered out at Louis- ville, Ky., in 1865, and resumed the practice of his profession here. He died November 21, 1899, at the age of 77.
William attendel the public schools until 1865, when he had the benefit of President Clark Braden's instruction in the Southern Illinois College until it was merged into the Southern Illinois Normal School in 1871. Being much attached to Prof. Braden he refused to enter the Normal and took a school of his own. From this time on, for ten years, four of which were spent in Marion schools, he followed teach- ing as a profession. After this he
bought land and farmed for a while,
but having been educated by his father for a physician, farming did not suit him, and he soon dropped it and went into the drug business with C. H. Dennison, president of Marion State Savings Bank and Mayor of the city. After two years Denison sold out his interest to W. S. Washburn, who in turn sold to Mr. Bundy.
In 1869 he took a hand in poli- tics for a short time, and served one term as County Surveyor. Later he was appointed deputy sheriff by James H. Duncan, and served from '82 to '86. In the fall of '86 he was elected to the legislature and served two years. He always took an
active interest in school matters, and served on the board of directors from to After the change he was elected president of the Board of Education for the City of Marion and was re-elected for a second term. He was Mayor of the city one term, in 1891, and did good work, getting the Electric Belt Line Railway in operation. As secretary of the Williamson County Agricultural Board, he has been for more than 20 years the moving spirit of that organization. He
served for five years as Director be- fore accepting the secretaryship, which he kas held continuonsly ever since, except one year.
There is no doubt that the effi- cient character of that society and its excellent condition financially, and in every way is largely due to his able and intelligent assistance of the public-spirited gentlemen who have had it in hand.
Mr. Bundy has been twice mar- ried. The first time, in 1870, to Miss Belle Warder, who died June 29th, 1883, leaving two children, Mamie and Ben. His second mar- riage took place April 9, 1885, to Miss Alice Bevard. of Carterville, Ill. They reside in the fine resi- dence on South Market St., shown in the halftone. He is a member of the Gethsemane Commandery. No. 41. Knights Templar, Marion Chap- ter No. 100, R. A. M., Fellowship Lodge No. 89 A. F. & A. M., Wil- liamson Lodge No. 392, 1. O. O. F., and Marion Lodge No. 800, Benevo- lent Order of Elks.
HOGAN WILLEFORD.
The subject of this sketch is a native of Marion, where he was born June 11th, 1872. His father was engaged in the drug business here for some time, but is at pres- ent postmaster at Oluskee, Okla- homa. His mother was Amanda M. Spiller. After a common school education, Mr. Willeford entered the employ of John Cline in 1891, and took up the profession of druggist. He was two years with Cline and then spent two years in Washing-
ton, Ind. After spending six years in Malden, Mo., he went to Musco- gee, Indian Territory, for one year. In July, 1901, we find him once more in Marion, and in partnership with his brother-in-law, F. L. Mor- rison, in the bottling business. Mr. Morrison had been in the same busi- ness in Memphis and elsewhere, and Mr. Willeford was an expert druggist, so that the combination was a success from the start. They engaged in the manufacture of all kinds of soft drinks and mineral wa- ters, but make a specialty of "Iron Brew, the Ideal American Tonic," a soft drink of exceptional value for its medicinal properties. The first year's output was one hundred cases daily, and its present capacity is three hundred cases. They are now building new works on the same street, which will greatly increase the output.
Mr. Willeford was married November 15, 1900, to Miss Minnie Lee Price, daughter of Capt. Ben Price, the present Chief of Police of Cairo, Ill. He joined the K. of P. at Malden, Mo., and is still a mem- ber of No. 234 there, also of the K. 1 .. O. M. at Malden, and No. 800 of the Elks at Marion.
T. S. MORRISON.
Is a native of Greencastle, Ind., where he was born July 25, 1869, and where his youth was spent in acquiring a common school educa- tion. At the age of fourteen he struck out for himself and had a short experience as cow-boy at El- dorado, Kas. This not being to his fancy he went into the grocery store of Conkey & Orr, at Pine Bluff, Ark. A little later the spirit of adventure set him to traveling, which he fol- lowed for thirteen years, from Cairo to Texas. About five years ago he quit the road and went into the bottling business at Memphis, Tenn., with a partner who was an expert in manufacturing soda water.
In 1901 he entered into partner- ship with his brother-in-law, Dr. Hogan Willeford, in the same line and are now running a very success- ful business in their splendid new building on the C. & E. I. Ry., at Marion.
He was married June 12th, 1895, to Miss Pearl Price, of Cairo, Ill., by whom he had one child, Lora V. She died December 3. 1901, and he remarried July 4. 1903, to Miss Etta White, of Marion.
FRANK M. GOODALL.
Was born in Williamson County November 5th, 1839, the year Wil- liamson became a County separate from Franklin. He was reared on a farm and has spent his life in this County. His parents were Joab Goodall and Nancy Palmer, both of
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SOUVENIR OF WILLIAMSON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
whom have long since fallen asleep. He was educated in Eureka College, and when 18 years old spent two years in California. On his return he raised one crop of tobacco which netted him $1500, and thereafter during the Civil War he devotel his time to the raising, manufacturing and dealing in the weed. Toward its close, however, the price declined and the government tax and re- strictions discouraged the further prosecution of the business, and in company with his brother John he opened a general store, in which he was engaged about six years. After that he began buying and selling live stock, which he followed suc- cessfully for 15 or 20 years. Since then he has done some business in real estate and devoted his time and attention to the management of his own properties. He purchased the ground on the northwest corner of North Market street and the public square in 1872 at a cost of $1,600,
and erected a substantial brick, which was destroyed by fire with its contents in 1899. The present fine building was erected in 1900 on the ruins of the old. It fronts the south and is a valuable property. The family occupies the second floor of one-half of the building, where they have a beautiful home.
Mr. Goodall has been a staunch temperance man all his life, and one of the busiest and most persist- ent workers for Prohibition in the state. His faith in the efficiency and final success of the policy is un- swerving, and touches the sublime. His recognition by his fellow-work- ers in that field is universal and ex- tends into adjoining states. He is frequently seen at conventions and has done much to shape the public policy of the party, and was a dele- gate to the National Convention held at Indianapolis in June, 1904.
His wife was Miss Mary Jane Dunaway, the daughter of Samuel Dunaway and Julia Ann Tarpley. She was born January 3. 1847, and married Frank Goodall November 26. 1863. They have had three chil- dren, but one of whom is living. This is Anna G. Reed, the wife of Edward Reed of Worcester, Mass. Both Mr. and Mrs. Reed are practic- ing Osteopathic Physicians in Wor- cester, and very successful in their chosen profession. Both Mr. and Mrs. Goodall are prominent mem- bers of the Christian Church, and both belong to the Knights and La- dies of Honor. Mr. Goodall is a member of the A. F. & A. M., but has carried a demit for a long time, as age and health forbid his attend- ance.
JOHN LEANDER ROBERTS.
John Leander Roberts, of Cor- inth, Illinois, was the son of Wil- liam R. Roberts and Elizabeth A.
Shepperd (now Mrs. Chadwell.) He
was born in Williamson County, Illinois, December 26, 1842. He at- tended the common schools of his County, but upon the breaking out of the Civil War, when he was but 18 years old, he enlisted as private in Co. E, 29th Regt. 111. Vol. inf. August 14, 1861. He served with distinction in the battles of Ft. Don- elson, where he was wounded; Pitts- burg Landing, Holly Springs, Span- ish Fort and Fort Blakeley. On
the Ist of January, 1864, he re-en- listed and in December following was appointed 2nd Lieutenant of Co. E, and in September after 1st Lieu- tenant, and Reg. Quartermaster. lie was discharged with his regiment in November, 1865.
Upon his return home, in the winter of 1865, he was appointed Deputy County Clerk; was a part- ner in the Lewis & Erwen Co. in 1866, helped nurse the sick in and through the disastrous cholera siege in 1866, and began business near Corinth in January, 1868. In 1872 he was appointed Postmaster at Corinth and commissioned as Notary Public in 1883. He has remained in business at Corinth and served the government as Postmaster and Not- ary Public ever since.
Ve is a member of Corinth Post No. 434, G. A. R., also the 29th Regt. U V. U. In April, 1873, he joined the I. O. O. F., No. 502. He has been representative several times of Corinth Lodge I. O. O. F., and deputy continuously for the past twelve years.
He has been married twice. His first wife was Hannah Mitchell, to whom he was united in February, 1868, and by whom he had two children, Edith and William Page. He was united to Miss Mollie Hearne in May, 1877, by whom he has three children, Hallie, Daisy and Bertha. He is a Methodist and a Republican.
J. M. DODD.
J. M. Dodd was born Angust 6, 1859, near Galatia. Like most of the men of affairs in the nation, he was reared on a farm and attended the common school. His parents, however, gave him the advantage of a good training under Prof. Hall in a select school at Galatia, and two terms at Long Branch. He grad- uated at Galatia in 1879, and took up telegraphy under the station agent. at that place soon after. Af- ter one year's practice, he took charge of the station at Thompson- ville on the Cairo Short Line, which he kept for four years. From there he was transferred to New Athens, where he remained for another four years and then came to Marion. He took charge of the office here on the 10th of September, 1887, and run it for fifteen years, only leaving it when he was elected to his present
position in November, 1902. Pre- vious to his election as county clerk, he served as alderman of the first ward one terni, from 1900 to 1902.
In September, 1884. he was mar- ried to Miss Susan Isaacs, by whom he has had eight children, six of whom are still living, three boys and three girls. He is an active mem- ber of the M. E. Church Sonth, and one of its trustees. In politics he is a Republican. He is a member of Marion Camp No. 5337 Modern Woodmen, and Monitor Lodge 236 Knights of Pythias, and is Keeper of Records and Seals. In April, 1904, he was elected member of the Board of Education in place of W. G. Cockran, whose term of office had expired.
THOMAS H. GAHAGAN. Miner.
The subject of this sketch was a Texan by birth, an Irishman by ex- traction and a miner by occupation. His father, Joseph Gahagan, was a native of the North of Ireland, came to Virginia when about 14, and thence to Bedford, Texas, in 1867. He is now living in Jack County, Texas. His mother's maiden name was Mary Millican, who died in November, 1879, leaving Thomas, the eldest and only living member of a family of three children, a boy of ten years. He was born on a farm near Bedford, not far from Ft. North, August 25, 1869. Losing his mother at so tender an age, his early education was neglected, and being in a stock country, he tended cattle when he should have been at- tending school. He earned enough money, however, working a couple of years for the "Diamond Y" cattle company to pay his way for a time in the Fort North Schools, and when it gave out, he went into the coal mines of Alabama, where he dug coal for about two years and two months.
Having saved a little money, he then took a course in Telegraphy at the Old Seminole Telegraphic Col- lege, under the tutelage of Prof. Jordan. After the usual main-line practice which he took at Jackson, Miss., on the Illinois Central road, he was assigned to Lilly, a new sta- tion on the Frisco just out of Ft. Smith. But he didn't take kindly to "tickets," and after three months' experience at Lilly, we find him back again in the mines of Alabama. Since then he has followed coal dig- ging, visiting and working in the mines of Cambria and Deitz, Wy., and Boonville, Ind. He also roamed about in various towns and cities of Colorado, Montana and Washington until June 16th, 1904, when he struck Marion and went to work for the Carterville District Mine, where he is still employed.
He has always been prominent
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SOUVENIR OF WILLIAMSON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
and active in labor circles, putting into it all the energy and enthusi- asm characteristic of his race. He is a member of the United Mine- workers of America, and was a par- ticipant and familiar with the labor troubles at Deitz, Wy., and in Colo- rado. Of course, he insists upon the correctness of the miners' posi- tion, and their construction of the untoward events happening in that region. Soon after reaching Ma- rion he was admitted by transfer card to local council No. 2216, of which he has proved himself a worthy and well-posted member. In September he was chosen its Vice President, and in December became its President by a unanimous vote, which office he still holds, and is held in high esteem by its mem- bers. In January of this year he was chosen delegate to the Marion Trades Council, which office he now holds, and has won the respect of every representative of that body. He is a member of Mayview Lodge No. 309, of the K. P., Mayview. Mo.
As evidence of his business ability, he holds three certificates of profi- ciency as foreman of mines from the State of Missouri, and stands first in his class where now em- ployed.
DeWITT CLINTON SMITH. Real Estate and Insurance.
The subject of this sketch was born near Round Knob, Massac Co .. Ill .. September 26, 1853. His pa- rents came from Warren County, Tennessee, in 1850. They first set- tled in Massac County, Ill., but re- moved to Saline Co. in 1861, where they lived until 1876. His father, Thomas Smith, went to Florida in 1876 for his health, but died down there in April, 1877, and his moth- er. Narcissa Jane May died in Decem- ber, 1866, in Saline County, 111. Of their family there survives two sons and one daughter. The family moved from Massac to Saline Coun- ty in 1861, and settled at Stone Fort, where they run a General Mer- chandise store until the death of the father in Florida in 1877. DeWitt attended the public school until
about 15 years old, assisting his father in the store when not in school. After the death of his father, he ran the store for a few years on his own account, and then went into the hotel business at Stone Fort for six years. After he sold out that property in 1866 he moved to Cairo, Illinois, where he remained one year, and then moved to Creal Springs, where he remained four years, engaged in railroading and other pursuits until 1891. when he got employment as nurse in the Insane Hospital at Anna, Illinois, and for about six years was engaged in that occupation in Illinois, Little
Rock, Arkansas, and at Austin,
Texas. In 1899 he opened a Real Estate and Insurance business in the law office of his brother, J C. B. Smith, and has been active and suc- cessful in that line and in directing, promoting and managing the imigra- tion business to the Southwest till the present time for the Southern Pacific, Frisco System and Cotton Belt Railroad companies.
He became assistant secretary of the Marion Building and Loan As- sociation in 1899 in connection with his Real Estate business, which po- sition he still holds.
He was married December 13.
1876, to Miss Mattie Campbell, of this County, of whom he has had three children, Minnie Lee, now the wife of John R. Sullinger, who lives at Willow Springs, Mo .: Cecil Clyde Smith, who married Ella Hall, of St. Louis, and resides in that city, and Ada Blanche, the wife of Ford Piatt, who resides at Lansing, Mich. Mr. Smith has been a member of the Missionary Baptist church since 1886, a member of A. F. and A. M. since 1878 and is now serving his second term as treasurer of Fellow- ship Lodge No. 89.
ZOLLA A. DODD. American Express Agent.
Was born in Galatia, Saline Co., Ill .. about one mile north of town, October 29, 1871. His father, Al- fred Dodd, is still living at the age of '72, on the old homestead farm, but his mother, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Bales, died February 23, 1873. His early years were spent on the farm and at the common district school, with a brief time at the High School in Marion, about 1884. At the age of 20 he left school and entered the employ of the Illinois Central Railroad Co .. under the tutelage of his brother. John M. Dodd, who for many years was station agent in Marion.
Having previously mastered tel- egraphy. he was made assistant agent and operator to his brother. which position he continued to fill for two years and a half. Then for about six months he was what is known technically as Relief Agent and Operator, that is, he worked anywhere he might be sent on emergency, relieving other agents who were for any canse called away from their homes. After a short service at Mulkevtown, about thir- teen and a half months, he was ap- pointed Railway and American Ex- press Agent at Thompsonville. in the edge of Franklin County, where he staid for five years. meanwhile taking to himself a business part- ner and wife. Her name was Anna Peebles, the daughter of John W. Peebles, Attorney at Law in Marion, an'' their marriage took place Sep- tember 8, 1895. Of this union four children were born, of whom three
are living, Olive, John and Veda. Mr. Dodd belongs to the A. O. U. W., M. W. of A. and the K. P. He and his wife are both members of the Free Baptist church of Marion.
HON. JOHN H. DUNCAN, States Prison Commissioner.
J. H. Duncan is a Kentuckian by birth, and the son of a Kentuckian. His father was Captain Samnel Duncan, of Co. A, 15th Kentucky Cavalry, who died September 25, 1867, at New Burnside, Ill., at the early age of forty-eight. His moth- er was Ruhama Frizzell. She died July 7, 1892. The subject of this sketch was born June 27, 1858, in Benton, Ky., and moved with his parents to Franklin county, Illinois, in 1865 and settled where Herrin now stands, then known as Herrin's Prairie. After teaching in his own neighborhod a couple of years, he spent two years in Shortleff College, Upper Alton, Ill., sawing wood and doing chores for his board. After leaving college he was elected Prin- cipal of Carterville High School in the fall of 1881, where he served for three years. In the meantime, he was elected Connty Superintend- ent of Schools and re-elected in 1886, by the largest majority ever cast for a Republican candidate up to that time. After two full terms -eight years-as superintendent of Schools, he was elected to the Legis- latre in 1890 and re-elected in 1$92. During his administration of the public schools as superintend- ent, he established an educational journal known as "Our Public Schools," also "The Marion Lead- er," which is the official organ of the Republican party in Marion and the County of Williamson. At the close of his last term in the Legisla- ture, he accepted a position as trav- eling salesman for the Simmons Hardware Company of St. Louis, and remained on the road for them until 1900, when he returned to ac- cept his present position.
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