History of Alexander, Union and Pulaski Counties, Illinois, Part 103

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. ; O.L. Baskin & Co.
Number of Pages: 948

USA > Illinois > Union County > History of Alexander, Union and Pulaski Counties, Illinois > Part 103
USA > Illinois > Pulaski County > History of Alexander, Union and Pulaski Counties, Illinois > Part 103
USA > Illinois > Alexander County > History of Alexander, Union and Pulaski Counties, Illinois > Part 103

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

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BIOGRAPHICAL:

about three years. He was wounded in the left forearm at Yazoo City. Was married, De- cember 26, 1861, to Clark Miles, the result be- ing seven children, five of whom are living, viz. : James M., John F., Mary E., William E. and Lulu M. His wife died April 10, 1883. He is a member of the Evergreen Lodge, I. O. O. F., of Lick Creek, and is also a member of K. of H., Jonesboro ; votes the Democratic ticket. His brother, William W., married Amanda Tharp, the result being six children ; four sur- vive, viz. : Laura E., Leva A., Frances E. and Oliver E. Those deceased were Sarah E. and Mary L. His wife died March 31, 1883. These two brothers have 282 acres of fine land, which they are cultivating, making some specialty of stock-raising. They are Democrats.

WILLIAM P. PENNINGER, farmer, P. O. Anna, was born December 16, 1829, in Rowan County, N. C. He is a son of William and Elizabeth (Lock) Penninger, natives of North Carolina, and the parents of Alexander L., Eliza, George W., John William, Sarah A. and Mary J. The father was married a second time to Mary Lynch, the result being Mary J., Daniel F., Margaret S., Levi C., Laura M., Mahala C., Martha, Minerva, Melinda A., Miles G. and Morgan J. Our subject had the advan- tages of the pioneer log-cabin schools. At the age of nineteen years, he began for himself, by buying a farm of ninety-six acres in the thick forests. Here he devoted his entire time to clearing. He possesses, at this writing, 180 acres of fine land, the result of his own labors. He has used ox teams, and the wooden mold- board plows ; gone to mill on horseback, and experienced all the scenes that go to make up the life of the early pioneer. He was married, in 1850, to Susan Kisler, a native of Illinois, which union gave him one child. She died in less than a year, and Mr. P'. was subsequently married to Ellen Hunsuckle, the result being Samantha and Isophéne. The strong hand of death again visited his family, and he again

sought a third marriage, and united with Eliza- beth Worley, and has been blessed by her with Idelle, Dora, Almina, Lafayette, Maggie, Carrie, Benton and William. Mrs. P. was born April 3, 1844, in Tennessee ; is a daughter of Elisha and Elizabeth (Farris) Worley, natives of South Carolina, and the parents of twelve children, five of whom survive, viz., Henry, J. M., Cas- sandra, Mary and Elizabeth. Her parents came to Illinois in 1855, and are now residents of Clay County, Tex.

W. J. STANDARD, farmer, P. O. Mt. Pleas- ant, was born in this county March 3, 1833, and received his education at the old subscrip- tion schools, with the old slab seats and writing desks, puncheon floors and stick and clay chimneys, only attending from forty to sixty days in the course of a year. He worked on the farm until he was about nineteen years old, and then for four years he clerked in the dry goods store of C. D. Finch, of Jonesboro. When twenty-three, he commenced the profes- sion of teaching, and followed it until the year 1880. He taught about seventeen terms, earn- ing first $35, and having increased gradually to $50. He settled on his present farm in 1863, and now owns 200 acres, mostly improved ; has some nice stock and a fine orchard. He was married November 5, 1863, to Elizabeth J. Sitter, daughter of Solomon H. and Hannah (Oller) Sitter. The result of this union is one son, Warren, who is at home. Our subject is no office seeker, and is a member of the Demo- cratic party, casting his first vote for Bu- chanan.

MORGAN STOKES, farmer and merchant, P. O. Mount Pleasant. When we trace the history of our leading men, and search for the secret of their success, we find, as a rule, they were men who were early thrown upon their own resources, and whose first experiences were in the face of adversity and oppression. Such was the case with Morgan Stokes, an out- line of whose life may he found in what follows.

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STOKES PRECINCT.

He is a native of Union County, Ill., born June 21, 1831, and is the oldest living native citizen of Stokes Precinct. The original Stokes family came to this borough from Kentucky, and set- tled near where is now the present site of Mount Pleasant, in 1811. Jones Stokes, one of these pioneers, married Minerva Davidson, a native of Kentucky. The result of which was five children, four of whom survive, viz. : Elizabeth, wife of John Sivia ; Morgan (subject) ; Sarah, the wife of H. N. Halterman ; Nancy, the wife of Giles Toler, and Evans. She died, and Mr. Stokes subsequently married Elizabeth, a sis- ter of his first consort, which union gave him Jones, Piety and Matthew. Morgan, whose portrait appears in this volume, from his early boyhood, assisted in the labors of the farm. His educational advantages were such as the subscription schools of the country afforded. In those days, schoolhouses of any kind were few, and Mr. S. was compelled to walk five miles to obtain such meager educational facilities as it was his fortune to treasure. No time was lost in truancy, but his business was the improve- ment of his mind, and the duties of the ruralist. He never, as he grew older, learned that a sea- son of " sowing wild oats " was necessary or essential to make a man ; so, by perseverance, he has arisen, step by step, and now ranks among the wealthiest men of the county, hav- ing at this writing about 900 acres of finely-im- proved land. A portion of his possessions is the old homestead, which he obtained by pur- chasing the heirs' part, and inheriting his equal share. His first farming for himself was on railroad land. During the late civil war, he enlisted in the One Hundred and Ninth Regi- ment Illinois Volunteer Infantry ; was elected, commissioned, served and was mustered out as First Lieutenant. About three months before his regiment was consolidated, he was elected. and served as Captain, but did not receive his commission. In 1865, he bought out Leaven- worth & Little, who kept a general store at

Mount Pleasant. This business he continued with marked success for eight years, when he sold to a Mr. Brown. In a short time, the building and entire contents were destroyed by fire, and Mr. Stokes was the loser of the former. He subsequently erected a handsome two-story brick building, and, in partnership with J. W. Ramsey, he carries on a general line of mer- chandising, Mr. R. taking charge of the same. He has on his farm a blacksmith shop, which does the work of the neighborhood. He believes in improvement, and has lately erected a fine barn at an expense of several hundred dollars. He was married in 1855 to Margaret Halter- man, the result being nine children, eight of whom are living, viz. : Martha, the wife of George Otrich, Henry, John, Daniel, Laura. Flora B., Piety E. and George E. In politics, Mr. Stokes is a Democrat of the old Jefferson school, and wields a large influence in his town- ship upon all questions coming to a vote. In- deed, the saying, " as votes Morgan Stokes, so votes Stokes Precinct," has become proverbial. Although Mr. Stokes' tastes and inclinations would incline him strictly and exclusively to the cares of his farin, his neighbors' apprecia- tion of his business ability and judgment have called him to serve them for several years in succession as a Justice of the Peace, which position he now holds. He is a member of Moscow Lodge, A., F. & A. M. He is a man of mild disposition, careful and cautious in all his movements, and conscientious in all that he says or does. He is at the same time firm and decided, and adheres with rigid tenacity to every principle of justice and right. Polite in manners, genial and social in his habits, he has made for himself a large circle of devoted friends, and by his upright life, has not failed to leave upon all with whom he has mingled the impress of his genuine manhood.

J. B. STOKES, farmer, P. O. Mt. Pleasant, was born February 19, 1838, in Union County, and is a son of John and Mary (Gwin) Stokes,

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who came to this county before marriage. The parents had ten children, viz .: Jones, Martha, Alfred, William, Calvin, James, J. B., Mary, Elizabeth, Preecly. Our subject had the ad- vantage of the country log cabin schools. He was married March 30, 1859, to Mary A. Mc- Intire, native of Kentucky, and daughter of John and Nancy McIntire, also natives of Kentucky, and the parents of seven children- John, Nancy J., Mary. A., Dallas, Elizabeth, Rufus, Julia A. By his union, Mr. Stokes has eight children, three of whom survive, namely : Richard, James and Dennis. He settled at his marriage where William Holmes now lives, and in 1876 he bought his present farm of ninety acres of James Miles. He now possesses 130 acres of good land. Enlisted in Company E, One Hundred and Ninth Regiment Illinois Infantry, and was in the service nearly three years. He is a member of the Evergreen Lodge, No. 581, I. O. O. F., of Lick Creek. He votes the Democratic ticket.

MRS. ZILPHA H. STOKES, farmer, P. O. Mt. Pleasant, is a native of this county, and was born March 10, 1841. She is the daugh- ter of Thomas and 'Percy (Cox) Boswell. They were natives of North Carolina, and came to this county when quite young, and after mar- riage they raised a family of eight children- Eleanor J., John H., Zilpha, Mary C., Sarah E., William T., Thomas J. and Percy C. The parents were both members of the Methodist Church. The father is still living, but the mother has passed away to her reward. The educational advantages of our subject were but limited, her schooling being obtained almost entirely at the subscription schools of that day. As a maiden, most of her time was spent at home helping her mother spin, weave, and in doing the general work of the household, until April 16, 1857, when she was united in mat- rimony to George E. Stokes, who was born November 24, 1834, and is a brother of Mor- gan Stokes. By this union, there were six

children, two of whom are living-Thomas J. and Percy M. The names of the dead ones are W. D., Daniel J., an infant unnamed, and Sarah F. Mr. Stokes was a member of the A., F. & A. M., and I. O. O. F., which meet at Dongola. He died January 15, 1870. Mr. and Mrs. Stokes, when they commenced life, settled on a farm of 160 acres, which was then mostly in woods, but is now nearly all improved. On this old homestead, located in Section 33, southeast quarter, she now resides, and, assist- ed by her son, Thomas J., is running the farm. Mrs. Stokes is a member of the Methodist Church.

PETER VERBLE, farmer, P. O. Dongola, among the leading farmers of this county, is Mr. Peter Verble, born here in 1816. His parents removed from North Carolina to this borough in about the year 1815 or 1816, set- tling in Dongola Precinct, on the land now owned by the Washington Brown heirs. The father erected a water-power grist mill at an early date on Big Creek, where many of the early settlers got their corn and wheat ground. The father was blessed with twenty-nine chil- dren by his four unions. The parents were members of the Lutheran Church. Peter at- tended school, as did the other members of the family, in the log cabin. He was married, in 1840, to Margaret Correll, the result being fourteen children, viz .: Eli, Susan, Betsey, Nancy, William, Peter, Ollie, Jane, Hiram, Daniel, George, John, Jackson and Phæbe. His wife died and he was subsequently mar- ried to Mary (Penninger), the widow of George Otrich. By economy and hard labor, he has secured 210 acres of fine land. He has owned at one time 700 acres, which he has divided among his children. He votes the Democratic ticket.

RICHARD WIGGS, farmer, P. O. Mt. Pleas. ant, was born December 16, 1825, in North Carolina, is a son of Needham and A. (Dixon) Wiggs. The family came to Mt. Pleasant,

SARATOGA PRECINCT.

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this county, in 1839, by means of a three- horse wagon and cart, their journey was long and tedious, they being six weeks and three days on the way. Soon after arriving in this, then wild and almost unbroken country, the father bought 120 acres of Government land, where he at once settled. The mother died in 1841. They had five children, three of whom are living, viz .: Richard, Caroline E., the wife of Miles L. Pender, Hannah, the wife of John Pickrell, of Anna. The father married subse- quently three times, the latter two proving fruitless, and those of the second union are de- ceased. Richard was educated in the log

cabin, and was brought up on the farm. Was married, 1849, to Mary F. Greer, and has been blessed with three children, two of whom are living-Sarah, the wife of Thomas H. McLane born October 6, 1849, is the son of John and J. P. (Standard) McLane, the parents of Thomas H., F. E., the (wife of Mr. Fitzgerald), Alexander, A. H., Viola C., and one deceased. The last child of our subject is Martha C. Mr. Wiggs has 120 acres of well improved land. He enlisted in Company E, One Hun- dred and Ninth Infantry, and was soon after transferred, where he remained for nearly three years ; was a sharpshooter ; is a Democrat.

SARATOGA PRECINCT.

JOHN W. BOSTIAN, P. O. Anna, is a na- tive of North Carolina. Andrew Bostian, the grandfather of our subject, was a Captain in the Revolutionary war, and moved from Penn- sylvania to North Carolina when quite young. Here the father of our subject, John Bostian, was born in 1797 ; he was the youngest of six children, and was married, upon reaching man- hood, to Mary Duke. By this marriage, there were six children, of whom our subject was the oldest, and he was born April 26, 1821. IIis education was received in the old subscription school, and after finishing his schooling he commenced farming in that State. Mr. Bostian remained here until 1850, when he removed to this county, where he settled first on a farm, about seven miles south of Jonesboro. Here he remained until the fall of 1853, when he removed to his present location, about five miles from Anna ; where he devotes most of his attention to farming. He also makes a specialty of fine cattle, dealing mostly in Dur- ham short-horn, and has about twenty head. Mr. Bostian has been married twice, and both

of his wives are now dead. He was married first in North Carolina to Miss Margaret Good- man, daughter of John Goodman. She was the mother of seven children, of whom five are living, namely, Julius M., Susan S., William Walter, Charlotte E. and Laura A .; of these all but one are married, and have started out in life for themselves. Miss Susan now remains at home, and keeps house for her father, the first Mrs. Bostian having died November 30, 1869, he was married the second time in this county, to Mrs. Lucinda J. Crane, November 9, 1869. This lady, who was the daughter of Judge William Eaves, of Anna Precinct, was the mother of four children, three of whom are living, namely, Jennie, George and Charles; she died April 6, 1879. Our subject is a mem- ber of the Lutheran Church in Anna, and is now acting as Elder in this demonination. In politics, Mr. Bostian is a Democrat.

MATHIAS CARAKER, farmer and fruit- grower, P. O. Western Saratoga. Jacob Car- aker, the grandfather of our subject, was born in North Carolina, and was married upon reach-

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BIOGRAPHICAL.

ing manhood's estate to Phobie Verble, and here Daniel Caraker, the father, was born in North Carolina, and came with his father, when quite young, to this county. He married Miss Nancy Hair, and the young couple first settled in Township 2. There were ten children, and of these subject was the oldest, and was born April 5, 1850. He attended school mainly in Saratoga Precinct, and took one term in Jones- boro. Following this, subject taught three winter schools in the Bromet Schoolhouse, in the Jonesboro Precinct, and one school in the Cob- den Precinct. He commenced the occupation of farming on a farm in Cobden Precinct in 1876. and bought his present location in March, 1881, a farm of about 120 acres, and of this about 100 acres are under cultivation. There is also about ten acres in apple trees. Subject was married, September 19, 1878, to Miss V. G. Stout. daughter of William and Minerva (Clutts) Stout. She is the mother of three children, two of whom are living-Oscar and Melvin. In politics, Mr. Caraker is a Demo- crat.

JAMES CORBIT, farmer and fruit-grower, P. O. Lick Creek. Samuel Corbit, the grand- father of our subject, lived in North Carolina and here Phillip Corbit, the father, was born, attained manhood's estate and married Mar- garet Kean. They came to this State about 1823, and first settled in Johnson County. From that place, the father came to this county about the time of the birth of our subject, which occurred October 8, 1835. The father dying soon after this, the education of our subject was but limited, and what there was of it was ob- tained at the subscription schools of his day. He assisted the surrounding farmers in their work until he was about nineteen. During the fol- lowing two years or more, he worked on the Illinois Central Railroad. which was then in progress of construction. About 1845, Mr. Corbit apprenticed himself' to a cooper by the name of John C. Lee, whose shop was near

Anna. After learning his trade, subject opened a shop for himself at Anna, and here he worked until the breaking-out of the war. In 1863. subject purchased a farm of forty acres near the place where his mother had lived before him. It was a tract of forty acres, and but little improved. This the subject has, by patient industry, now increased to a farm of 164 acres, and of this about 100 acres are im- proved, he also has about six acres in fruit trees. Subject enlisted in One Hundred and Ninth Illinois Infantry, Col. Nimmo, Company HI, Capt J. A. McElhany, on August 15, 1861, and remained in service about fifteen months, being honorably discharged on account of dis- ability, he having lost an eye in the service, during the siege of Vicksburg. Mr. Corbit was married in August, 1858, to Lucinda M. Brown, daughter of John T. and Hannah (Krethers) Brown. The result of this was six children, three of whom are living-Emma E., Mary J. and Anna I. Subject is a member of the Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church, and in politics Mr. Corbit is a Democrat.

ABRAHAM COVER, farmer, merchant, etc., Western Saratoga. One of the most influential and worthy people of this precinct is the gen- tleman whose name heads this brief biography. Abraham Cover, the subject of our sketch, was born in Carroll County, Md., about two miles from Westminster, on the 20th day of September, 1825. His grandfather on his fa- ther's side was among the earliest English set- tlers in that section of the country. His father, Daniel Cover, married Susannah Hahn, whose parents were native Germans. She was the mother of nine children, of whom Abraham was the fifth. . He started to school when he was about seven years of age, in Carroll County. He continued attending school here until he was about sixteen years old, when his mother (his father having died some years before that) moved to Jonesboro, this county. Here he again entered school. and continued there un-

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til he was about twenty-one. During the sum- mer of his eighteenth year, however, he appren- ticed himself to a tanner, and during the springs, summers and falls of the succeeding three or four years he worked at the trade most of the time, and at the conclusion of his schooling, he devoted his whole time to it, until he was mas- ter of his vocation. In 1848, he opened a tan- nery of his own nearly opposite what is called the Grand Chain, on the Ohio River, in Pulaski County. He staid there about two years, then moved to a farm about a mile from West Sar- atoga, this county, where he has kept his resi- idence most of the time since. Farming was the first vocation that he followed after his ar- rival in this county, and he has now a very large farm to show as the result of his labors here. In 1856, he built a steam flour and lum- ber mill combined, just on the southern edge of the village of Saratoga, and here Mr. Cover continued in business until 1875. In 1862, in connection with his other affairs, Mr. Cover opened a grocery and notion store, in the limits of Saratoga Village, and here he also continued in business until 1875, in which year he moved both his mill and store to Tunnell Hill, John- son County, but still kept his residence in this county. The mill still remains in Johnson County, under the title of A. Cover & Sons, but the store was transferred to this county in 1881, and he now does business in the house built for that purpose on his place. The sub- ject of this sketch has been married twice. He was wedded to his first wife, Miss Sophia Mil- ler, whose parents came from North Carolina, in 1849. By this union he had nine children, seven of whom are living : William, Mary Isa- bella (deceased), Albert (deceased), David M., Caleb W., Olie, Katie, Jeanette and Effie May. The lady who had been the companion of his joys and sorrows for so many years, de- parted this life, and after this great bereavement, Mr. Cover remained single until December 14, 1879, when he married Miss Emeline Grimes, a

native of Tennessee. The result of this union is one bright-eyed little girl, who is the joy of the home. Of these children, all but the three youngest have left the parental roof, and have started out on life's voyage for themselves. But few men were more faithful soldiers in the Mexican and the civil wars than the man whose life we are now attempting to sketch. In the first war, he was among the very first to vol- unteer, and started out with the rank of Corpo- ral in Company F, of the Second Illinois Infan- try, Col. Bissel commanding, Capt. J. S. Hacker, commander of company. From this service he was honorably discharged in July, 1847. In the civil war he started out in October, 1861, as First Lieutenant in the Sixth Illinois Cav- alry, and served until January, 1863, when he was discharged, by order of the medical board, on account of disability from rheumatism. Dur- ing his service in this war, Mr. Cover acted as scout in Kentucky, Missouri and Tennessee, but was in no general battle. The subject of this sketch is a member in good standing of Union Lodge, No. 627, A., F. & A. M., which meets at Union Hall, about six miles northeast of Saratoga ; is also a member of the Saratoga M. E. Church. During the history of this church, Mr. Cover has been one of its most earnest sup- porters and helpers, and is at present one of the trustees, and exhorter. (A full history of this church will be found in another part of this work.) In politics, Mr. Cover was an ante- bellum Democrat, but his experience in the war changed him into a Republican, and he has served his country faithfully and true most of the time during the last twenty-five years at Saratoga as Postmaster.

SAMUEL JOHNSON, farmer and fruit- grower, P. O. Cobden. Frederick Johnson, the father of our subject, was born in Tennessee. lived there until manhood, and was married to Darthula Ledgerwood. From Tennessee, the father went first to Missouri, from there to In- diana, and finally came to this county in 1844.

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He located on the farm now occupied by the son, in Saratoga Precinct, about five miles from Cobden, and here subject was born, January 24, 1847. In childhood and youth, subject at- tended the common schools of his county, going most of the time to the Hair Schoolhouse. He assisted on the home place until the death of his father, and then finally took charge of the farm in 1871, which now numbers about 150 acres, and of this about ninety acres are under cultivation. Mr. Johnson was married July 24, 1872, to Leslie Highland, daughter of John and Mary (Liebarger) Highland. By this union there were four children, three of whom are living-Idella, Oliver M. and Jeanette. In politics. Mr. Johnson is a Democrat.

J. A. MUSGRAVE, plasterer and farmer, P. O. Cobden. Joshua Musgrave, the grand- father, came from North Carolina and settled in Bedford County, Tenn. James Musgrave, the father of our subject, was born in North Carolina August 12, 1806, and came to Ten- nessee, when he was about eighteen years of age, and here he married Minerva Anderson, daughter of Livingston Anderson, of Bedford County, Tenn. By this union there were eleven children, and of these the subject was the sixth, and was born September 5, 1843. His parents moved to this county when subject was about six years of age. They first settled in Stokes Precinct, about twelve miles from Anna, and from there the father moved to Anna in 1857. Our subject received most of his education in the schools of Anna, and started out in life as a clerk in Busbin's grocery. He then learned the trade of a plasterer, which vocation he followed for a number of years extensively, and one that he still works at in the fall. He entered the ranks of the farmers by renting a farm from Mr. Gillette, located about four miles east of Anna, and November 14, 1880, he came to his present location, where he now has a farm of sixty-three acres, and of this about forty acres are under cultivation. Subject en-

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History of Alexander, Union and Pulaski Counties, Illinois, Part 103

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892? Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Chicago, Ill. ; O.L. Baskin & Co. Number of Pages: 948

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. ; O.L. Baskin & Co.
Number of Pages: 948