History of Alexander, Union and Pulaski Counties, Illinois, Part 115

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 115
USA > Illinois > Pulaski County > History of Alexander, Union and Pulaski Counties, Illinois > Part 115
USA > Illinois > Alexander County > History of Alexander, Union and Pulaski Counties, Illinois > Part 115

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).

J. H. REEL, Miller, Mound City, is one of the enterprising business men who have come from Indiana and have thrown their fortunes in with that of Mound City, where their influ- ence in the development of business has been felt. He was born January 31, 1838, in Reels- ville, Putnam Co., Ind. His father, John Reel, born in 1793, was a native of Botetourt County, Va. He was also a miller by occupation. In early life he had lived in Ohio, and from there he went to Reelsville. Ind., which place

was named in his honor, as he was one of the first settlers and a very prominent man, repre- senting his county in the Legislature for two terms, and serving as Magistrate till his death, which occurred July 2, 1858. He was also a soldier in the war of 1812. The mother of our subject was Sarah Beason, born in 1794, in North Carolina. She died in September, 1859, in Reelsville, Ind. She was the mother of eight children, of whom six are now living-Daniel M., who runs the old water mill in Reelsville, which was built by his father ; John A., a farmer in Iowa ; Martha Wilson, Jane Hen- dricks, Elizabeth Athey and Joseph H., our subject, who received a common school educa- tion in the subscription schools in and around Reelsville. He learned his trade with his father. In 1868, he worked for the Sioux City & Pacific Railroad Company, in Harrison Coun- ty, Iowa, in the machine shop, till 1871, when he went to Brazil, Ind., where, for the first two years, he was engineer in charge of the La Fayette Iron Company, and then helped to con- struct the Brazil water-works, of which he was, after its completion, made chief engineer. In April, 1878, he came to Mound City, where lie put in mill machinery in one of the Govern- ment buildings. He operated the mill till 1880, when it was totally destroyed by fire. Shortly afterward, he put in new machinery in an- other Government building, which had former- ly been used as a machine shop, and continues to do business in that till the present time. The citizens of Mound City have honored the enterprise and integrity of our subject by twice electing him to the City Council. He is also a member of the United Workmen, Brazil Lodge, No. 65. In political affairs, he is independent. He was married, August 26, 1858, in Reelsville, Ind., to Mary McElroy, who was born Septem- ber 3, 1836, in Ohio. She is a daughter of William and Martha (Charlott) McElroy, na- tives of Pennsylvania. Mrs. Recl is the mother of two children-Dow L., born July 9

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1859, and Addie M., born April 12, 1862. The latter and her mother are religiously con- nected with the Presbyterian Church.

J. P. ROBARTS, editor and publisher, Mound City, is of Welsh descent, born in Mad- ison County, Ill, on the 2d of March, 1850, in the city of Godfrey. His father, Dr. James Robarts, was born in 1814 in Philadelphia, Penn., and graduated from the Jefferson Medi- cal College of that city, while in his minority ; at twenty-two years of age, he came to Illinois and located at Brownsville, Jackson County, where he engaged in the practice of his profession. He is now located at Carbondale. Ill. Our subject's mother was Sarah M. (Crandall) Robarts, a na- tive of Rochester, N. Y. She is the mother of six children, of whom subject is the oldest child. He was educated at Carbondale, and the Illinois Military Academy at Fulton, Ill. When a young man, he served an apprenticeship as " devil " in a printing office at Carbondale, and after completing his trade, worked as journey- man in several of the large cities. In 1873, he established a Republican paper at Murphys- boro, Jackson Co., Ill. It was the first Repub- lican paper of the town, and is now known as the Jackson County Era. In 1878, he be- gan the practice of law in Murphysboro, and the following year removed to Mound City, and followed the law practice. In 1880, in connec- tion with his law duties, he purchased the Pu- laski Patriot. In 1873, he was elected Assist- ant Door-Keeper of the Twenty-eighth Illinois General Assembly. In 1881, he was elected State's Attorney of Pulaski County, filling the vacancy caused by the death of Hon. James Anderson, and resigned the office in February, 1883, to accept the office of Commissioner of the Southern Illinois Penitentiary. He was married in October, 1875, to Miss Lillie Os- born, who was born in April, 1858, in Mur- physboro, Ill. He is a member of the order I. O. O. F., and a Republican in politics.

EDWARD SCHULER. merchant, Mound

City. Among the enterprising young business men of this place, we must count him whose name heads this sketch. He is a native of St. Louis, Mo., where he was born December 22, 1852. He is a son of George Schuler, born in 1821, in France. He came to the United States when quite young, and here, after a useful life, he died June 22, 1875, in Mound City. He had been an active member of the I. O. O. F. His wife was the mother of six children now living-George, John, Jacob, Edward, our sub- ject, Theodore, and Mary, who is now the wife of C. L. Boekenkamp. Our subject was edu- cated in the schools of this place, and here he learned the ship carpenter's trade, or more properly speaking. steamboat building, under Capt. William Hambleton, and followed it for about eleven years, till 1881, when he went into partnership with his brother-in-law, C. L. Boekenkamp, and has been engaged in the mer- cantile business ever since. Politically, Mr. Schuler is identified with the R publican party

SAMUEL SHEETS, farmer and miller, P. O. America, who is one of our self-made men in this county, was born October 25, 1834, in Philadelphia, Penn. His father, Jacob Sheets, was born in Philadelphia, and died in Mobile, Ala. He was a ship carpenter and contractor by occupation. His father, Jacob Sheets was a native of Germany. The mother of our subject, Mary (Lusely) Sheets, was also a native of Philadelphia, and died in Mobile, Ala. She was of Scotch descent, and the mother of a large family, of whom four are now living, viz. : Jacob, Franklin, Letitia and Samuel ; Samuel roamed for sev- eral years in early life, and finally, while his parents were on their way to Mobile, Ala., in 1848, he stopped in Pulaski County, Ill., working a great many days for 25 cents per day, working on the same place that he now owns. He first bought one acre in the old town of America, on which he built a small house ; since then he has, by his own exertion

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and perseverance, acquired a farm of 320 acres of land. He was married twice, the first time January 18, 1857, in Rockport, Ind., to Mary E. Stits. born October 1, 1837 ; died August 2, 1878. She was the mother of ten children, viz. : Sidney, born January 11, 1858 ; Letitia L., de- ceased, former wife of Rev. L. F. Lawrence ; Edward J., born October 20, 1861 ; Mary B., deceased ; William B., born October 6, 1865 ; George W. and Benjamin F., deceased ; Harry, born September 5, 1871 ; Charles G., born May 9, 1875. He married a second time, February 4. 1879, to Mrs. Lizzie Thurtell, born February 16, 1852, daughter of Edward B. and Mary (Riddle) Olmsted, and the mother of three chil- dren, viz. : Edward O. Thurtell, born February 6, 1873 ; Samuel Sheets, Jr., born October 29, 1879, and John M., born October 5, 1881. Mr. and Mrs. Sheets are members of the Presbyte- rian Church. Mr. Sheets has a saw-mill on his farm. He has been no office seeking man, but rather attends to his own business. He serves the people in the capacity of Township Trustee. In politics, he has been identified with the Democratic party.

CESAR SHELLER, meat market, Mound City. Among the more active, upright and highly respected citizens of Mound City, who have carved out their success in life by their own indomitable energy. is Mr. Cesar Sheller, the subject of this sketch, a native of Germany, born November 11, 1856. He is the only one of his father's family now residing in the United States. He came to this country in the fall of 1873, and the summer of the following year came West and settled in Cairo. In 1880, by his honesty, industry, close economy, and gen- iality, he was enabled to open his meat market in Mound City, which at the present time is doing a large and increasing business. He keeps constantly on hand a full supply of fresh and salt meats. After coming to this country, Mr. Sheller spent several years in looking over the country, having met many of the substan-

tial business men of this city, he was induced to cast his fortunes among them, and is well worthy of the high esteem in which he is held by the community at large.

LEWIS C. SMITH, deceased. Among the men who have been identified with the business and social circles of Mound City, is he whose name heads this sketch. Although not an old settler, his memory is yet cherished by all who came in contact with him. He was born September 1, 1851, in Caledonia, Pulaski Co., Ill. His father was Judge H. M. Smith of this county. Lewis C. Smith was educated principally at Louisville. He chose the law as his profession, and to it he devoted his whole attention, being admitted to the bar June 15, 1874. He was afterward elected State's Attorney, which position he occupied at the time of his demise, which occurred May 7, 1879. At the residence of the bride's father, he was joined in matrimony, December 31, 1874, to Miss Hettie McGee, born December 2, 1852, in Pulaski County. She is a daughter of Judge Hugh McGee, born July 27, 1817, in Hopkinsville, Ky. He was a farmer by occu- pation, coming to this county in 1838, and set- tling near Grand Chain, where he yet resides. The mother of Mrs. Smith was Harriet S. (Met- calf) McGee, born December 5, 1824, in Ken- tucky, and died July 4, 1864, in this county. She was the daughter of Enoch Metcalf, a farmer by occupation, and is the mother of seven children, of whom three are living, viz. : Eliza E., Hettie M. and Ella Spence. Mrs. Hettie M. Smith was educated mainly in Car- bondale, Ill. At the age of fifteen, she taught school at the " Ohio School," in this county, and continued to instruct the young till she was married. She is the mother of three children, viz .: Ethel H., born October 14, 1875 ; Hugh H., born April 22, 1877. and Louis C., deceased. After the death of her devoted husband, she once more took to the noble profession of teach- ing, being in the schools of Mound City from

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1880 to the present time. In 1882, the people of Pulaski County honored her by electing her to the office of Superintendent of Public Schools, which position she occupies with tact and abil- ity.

L. D. STOPHLET, merchant, Mound City, one of the prominent business men of Mound City, was born in Pulaski County, Ill., Sep- tember 8, 1849, and is a son of P. W. and Sophia (Howell) Stophlet, the former a native of Ohio, born in 1812 and died in January, 1864 ; a mechanic by occupation, who came to this county is 1832. The latter was born in New York in 1815, and died in Mound City in 1869. She was the mother of nine children, of whom the following are now living : Mrs. Hen- riette Capoot, Loren D., Mrs. Mary E. Hughes, Frank W. and Mrs. Cora B. Kittle. Loren D. Stophlet, our subject, was educated in the com- mon schools of his native county. At fifteen years of age, he engaged as clerk in a gen- eral merchandising store for J. J. Freeman, and remained with him for about three years. In 1871, he engaged in the grocery business on his own account, and continued the same for one year. In 1872, he engaged in the Mound City Stave Factory business, in partner- ship with other gentlemen, for one year. In 1873, he engaged in the present business, and has influenced a large and lucrative trade ; his stock is complete in groceries, provisions, queens and glassware ; also a full line of tin and hardware. In 1873, he married, in Mound City, Miss Anna Fair, who was born near Charleston, Mo., September 9, 1856. She is a daughter of Frank A. and Sophia (Copp) Fair. Mr. Stophlet is a self-made man in every re- spect ; an independent man in political affairs, and the Treasurer of Mound City.

B. C. TABER, M. D., Mound City. Among the able practitioners of " materia medica " of Pulaski County is Dr. Taber, whose name heads this sketch. He was born in New Bedford, Mass., on the 3d of September, 1813. His

father, Benjamin Taber, was also a native of Massachusetts, born February 2, 1766. He was of an old and noted family of his native State, a mechanic by occupation ; he died April 2, 1846. He married Rhoda Akins, who died, leaving one child, Henry Taber, who is now ninety years of age. He married a second time, Merab Coffin, who was born August 2, 1782, and died November 17, 1857. She was a daugh- ter of Bartimas Coffin, who was a cousin of Sir Isaac Coffin, Admiral of the British Navy, and a founder of the Coffin school of Nantucket, where his descendants are educated gratuit- ously. She was the mother of six children, of whom four are now living. Our subject was educated in the schools at Providence, R. I., and after graduating and arriving at his ma- jority, embarked in the drug business at New Bedford, Mass., and afterward engaged in the study of medicine, attended lectures at the Har- vard University near Boston, and after receiv- ing his diploma in 1838, came West and en- gaged in the practice of his profession near Peoria, Ill., and remained there until 1845, when he removed to Hennepin, Putnam Co., Ill., and after the close of the war moved to Cairo, Ill., and in 1875 removed to Bonson, Fla., and in 1880 came to Mound City, where he is at pres- ent engaged in his profession. In 1850 he made a dangerous trip across the country to Califor- nia, with an ox team, being seven months en route, and in 1852 returned via Mexico and Central America. He was married, January 8, 1833, in Massachusetts, to Miss Caroline A., daughter of Rev. John Briggs. She was born January 14, 1809, in New Bedford, Mass. This union has been blessed with seven children, of whom three are now living-John C. B. Taber, born November 27, 1837, who married Julia Meary, of St. Louis, who has borne him eight children ; Simpson H., a prominent jeweler, and Elizabeth B., born April 3, 1835, the wife of Joseph J. Thomas, a photographer of Gray- ville, Ill. She is the mother of the following

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children-Ellen P., Julian M., Caroline and Simpson. Dr. Taber is a member of the A., F. & A. M., and a stanch Republican.

B. L. ULEN, Circuit Clerk, Mound City, born February 5, 1837, in Greenup City, Ky., son of Samuel Ulen, of German descent, born December 20, 1798, in Virginia, where he was a well-to-do farmer. He moved to Scotland County, Mo., when our subject was quite young. There he lost everything by a great overflow and was compelled to encamp with about 300 other families in a small gulch back of the river. While there the cholera broke out, destroying whole families. They moved back into the hills near Steward's mill. where they worked for very small wages, gathering property around them, and finally coming to Pulaski County, Ill., where he died April 6, 1866. The mother of our subject was a native of Mason County, Ky., born No- vember 1, 1810. She died July 14, 1866. Her maiden name was Margaret Thompson, and she was the mother of eight boys and four girls, of whom only five boys are now living, viz., Hamilton C., a farmer and merchant in Dexter, Mo .; Frederick G., a farmer near Ullin, Ill .; Matthew T., of Fort Laramie, Wy. Ter .; Thomas J., in partnership with his brother at Dexter, Mo., and Benjamin L., our subject, who went to school in this county to Col. E. B. Watkins, who was afterward a Representative. He then taught school two winters, and finally, through the kindness of Lieut. Gov. Dougherty, obtained a scholar- ship to the Anna High School, where he studied till October, 1861, when he enlisted in the Ninth Illinois Infantry Volunteers, Com- pany K, as private ; from that, through his strict attention, ability and bravery, he was promoted to Corporal, Sergeant, Orderly Ser- geant and finally Second Lieutenant. He participated in many thrilling scenes ; was wounded twice, the last time in 1863, at Salem, Miss. He was finally mustered out in August,

1864, at Springfield, Ill. After the war, he taught school for several years, and then in 1872, he was elected Circuit Clerk, filling the office with tact and ability to such an extent that he was re-elected twice. His majority in 1876 was 1,144 votes. In 1876, he was also appointed Master in Chancery by Judge John Dougherty, and re-appointed by Judge D. J. Baker. He also holds the office of Public Administrator, being appointed by Gov. Cul- lom. He is also Township Treasurer. Mr. Ulen was joined in matrimony, October 26, 1867, in Jonesboro, Union County, Ill., to Miss Ella Herrick, born May 16, 1850, in Bangor, Me, where she was also educated. She is the mother of four children now living, viz., George A., born September 24, 1871; Eva Maude, November 29, 1874; Olive Grace, born October 25, 1880 ; Lottie B., born Sep- tember 2, 1882. In 1863, she came West to join her parents, George R. and Mary C. (Nichols) Herrick. He was born May 10, 1812, in Hampden, Me. She was born in Noble- boro, Me. Although we deserve no credit nor are made better by what our parents have done, yet it is pleasant to know that our an- cestors for centuries back have endeavored to hand down to posterity an untarnished name. The Herrick family is of English descent, although its progenitor was one Henry Kyryk, a lineal descendant of Eric the forester, a great commander, who opposed William the Con- queror. His grandson, Robert Eyryk, died in 1385. He was Chaplain to Edward, the Black Prince, LL. D., and finally Lord Bishop of Litchfield. The history of the Herrick family in the United States, commenced with Henerie Herrick, born in 1604. in England. He settled in Salem, June 24, 1629. The grandfather of Mrs. Ulen, Jedediah Herrick, settled in Hamp- den, Me., November 5, 1800, author of the Genealogical Register of the Herrick family, whose coat of arms is yet in existence. Mr. and Mrs. Ulen are members of the Methodist

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Episcopal Church. He is Chaplin of the I. O. O. F., is also a Good Templar and in politics a Republican. His office is in the same build- ing in which he lay after he was wounded at the battle of Fort Donelson.

J. A. WAUGH, County Clerk, Mound City, is a native of Mercer County, Penn., born March 30, 1835. His father, Robert Waugh, was a native of Ireland, a farmer by occupation, who married Elizabeth Stuart, a native of Philadelphia, Penn., both now de- ceased. They were the parents of six children, of whom the following are now living : Will- iam S., Walter J. and John A., our subject. He was reared in his native county. Being thrown upon his own resources, his early edu- cation was very limited ; he has, however, by observation and practical experience, gained much more than a common English education. At sixteen years of age, he embarked on his life's career as a " devil " in a printing office in Mercer, and, after completing his trade, in 1854 he went to Cleveland, Ohio, and after a short time to Marietta, Ohio, and afterward to Conneautville, Penn., working at his trade a short time in each place. In 1856, he came to Pulaski County and bought out the interest of the National Emporium, which had just been started, and continued as editor and proprietor of this journal until 1861, when he entered the United States Navy as constructor's clerk, and continued in the same until the fall of 1865. He then engaged as book-keeper for the Marine Ways, and remained thus engaged un- til the fall of 1882, when he was elected County Clerk of Pulaski County, which office he fills with credit to himself. He was mar- ried, in 1863,. to Miss Mary R., daughter of Hon. J. R. Emrie, formerly editor of the Hills- boro Gazette, who afterward was Judge, and subsequently represented his district in Con- gress. Mr. and Mrs. Waugh are members of

the Methodist Episcopal Church. He is a Knight Templar and member of the Masonic Lodge at Cairo, No. 237.

F. J. WEHRFRITZ, furniture manufacturer, Mound City, is a son of Carl and Elizabeth Wehrfritz, both natives of Germany ; he, a paper manufacturer, was born in 1808; she was the mother of twelve children, of whom six are now living and two resides in the United States, Emil C. Wehrfritz, a machinist of Little Rock, Ark., and F. J. Wehrfritz, whose name heads this sketch. He was born, September 6, 18-45, in Bingen on the Rhine. and was principally educated at the Commer- cial College, in Belgium ; he was three years at Bielfeld, Germany, learning the mercantile business. At nineteen years of age, he sailed for America, landing at Hoboken, N. Y., on the 10th of October, 1864. He located at St. Louis, where he began work as a clerk ; after four months he came to Mound City, and en- gaged as clerk for G. F. Meyer, and remained in his employ for one year, when he went to East St. Louis and clerked for two years. He then returned to Mound City via Chicago where he made a stop of about three months. April 9, 1868, he engaged with G. F. Meyer, as chief clerk and buyer, and is at present holding the same position. He is one of the incor- porators of the Mound City Furniture Com- pany, an enterprise which will give the city a boom. Mr. Wehrfritz was married in Mound City, Ill., February 12, 1874, to Carolina Seidel, a native of Rock Island, Ill., born April 2, 1856 ; she is of German descent, and the mother of three children, viz .: Olga, who was born August 13, 1875; Lena, who was born April 6, 1879, and Emma, who was born Janu- ary 20, 1881. Mr. and Mrs. Wehrfritz are members of the Episcopalian Church ; politi- cally, he is Democratic.

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.VILLA RIDGE PRECINCT.

E. J. AYRES, fruit-grower and merchant, Villa Ridge, was born in Utica, N. Y., October, 1832. He is the son of E. J. and Mary Ayres, he, born in New Jersey, she in New York. Both died in New York. Up till 1848, our subject resided on the farm in New York ; he then came West, first to Ohio, where he clerked in his uncle's store. Since that time, his life has been spent most all the time in the West. In 1854, he went to Springfield, Ill., where he remained till 1860, when he moved to Iowa. There he and his brother, O. C. Ayres, were in the mercantile business in partnership. At his country's call, O. C. entered the service, while our subject attended to the business. At the battle of Allatoona Pass he was killed. In fall of 1866, our subject came to Illinois, and for one year remained at Cairo, and in 1867 bought his present farm near Villa Ridge. At the time of his purchase, but little of the farm was improved, but Mr. Ayres gave his time and energy to the improving and develop- ing of the farm. He now has 170 acres of land, and of this about sixty acres are in fruits of various kinds. Previous to coming to his farm, Mr. Ayres had been engaged in the mercantile business most of his life, so he had to begin by experimenting in order to make fruit-growing a success ; but through his close attention to business he has succeeded. For some years past he has also been engaged in the mercantile business, in partnership with Mr. E. M. Titus, of Villa Ridge, but still gives most of his thought and care to the fruit culture. In Springfield, Ill., December 14, 1858, he was married to Miss S. Ardelia Wheelock. She was born in Grafton, Mass., March 31, 1841, to Solomon B., and Ruth (Hall) Wheelock. He was born in Grafton,

Mass., September 1, 1817, died May 3, 1858. She was born in Rhode Island [March 20, 1820, and still survives. They were married in Grafton, Mass., February 18, 1840. Mr. and Mrs. Ayres have three children-Phillip W., Minnie and Jennie. In religion, Mr. Ayres is Baptist, and in politics, Republican.

A. D. BUTLER, merchant, Villa Ridge, was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, June 26, 1842, to L. D. and Penina (Whidden) Butler. She was 4 born in Clermont County, Ohio ; he in Maine. By trade he was a carpenter. In the spring of 1861, they moved from Cincinnati to Villa Ridge, and he died here. She is still living. To them ten children were born, seven of whom are still living. Our subject received his edu- cation in Cincinnati. In 1861, he enlisted in the service, Company F, Eighteenth Illinois Infantry ; served for three years ; then re-en- listed in the Hancock Veteran Corps for one year. He was in some of the hardest fought battles during the war, being at Fort Henry, Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Vicksburg, and many others of less importance. When returning from the army, he came to Villa Ridge, and began clerking in a store, and continued as clerk for some years ; then engaged in mercan- tile business for himself, first at Elco, Alexan- der County, but soon moved his stock of goods to Villa Ridge, and has been here since. Mr. Butler has met with heavy losses since Novem- ber 14, 1881, lost his store building and goods from fire, and again July 8, 1882. Each time his actual losses were from $1,300 to $1,700. April 1, 1883, he again opened up business with a complete stock of general merchandise, which averages about $4,500,and, since starting, his daily sales have averaged about $80. May 28, 1871, he was married to Miss Nannie J.

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History of Alexander, Union and Pulaski Counties, Illinois, Part 115

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