History of Alexander, Union and Pulaski Counties, Illinois, Part 96

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 96
USA > Illinois > Pulaski County > History of Alexander, Union and Pulaski Counties, Illinois > Part 96
USA > Illinois > Alexander County > History of Alexander, Union and Pulaski Counties, Illinois > Part 96

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).

months. When at Memphis, he and seven other officers of the regiment were discharged. Accusations had been made against them, and a form of trial had been gone through with, but the accused were not allowed to appear for themselves nor had they counsel. Although stung by this reproach, they had clear con- sciences, knowing that the accusations were false and the trial unfair. In after years, they were reinstated, however, and received pay for the time served. Mr. Rich is a member of the Cobden Lodge, A .. F. & A. M., and in politics is Democratic. Mr. R. and his oldest son have met with quite heavy losses, as within six years they have paid about $8,000 security debt, but by perseverance they have come out of it all right.

M. F. ROLENS, physician and surgeon, Cob- den. Prominently classed among the physi- cians of this county is Dr. Rolens, born Octo- ber 15, 1855, in Guernsey County, Ohio ; is a son of W. F. and Elizabeth (MeGowen) Rolens, natives, the former of Maryland, and the latter of Pennsylvania, and the parents of eight chil- dren, all of whom are living, viz. : Sarah E. (the wife of Robert Wilson, a farmer and coal miner of Jackson County), Hugh H., James M., Louisa M. (the wife of W. B. McClure, station agent at Gillsburg, Ill.), William R., M. F., George S. and Mary E. Our subject attended the county and select schools, and for some time at the Normal at Carbondale. He taught four terms. He began reading medicine in 1876, with E. H. Wheeling, of Galesburg, con- tinuing there some time, and then with M. G. Parsons, of Murphysboro, Jackson County. He attended the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Keokuk, Iowa, and subsequently completed his course at the Hospital College of Medicine at Louisville, -Ky. He at once began practicing at Murphysboro, and in 1882 located at Brazeau, Perry Co., Mo. In December, 1882, he came to Cobden, where he has al- ready grown into the good graces the people,

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and is doing a large practice. Was married, February 14, 1881, to Ida E. Stephens, of Union County, the result being one child, Louis E. While in Missouri, the Doctor was chosen Trustee of a high school.

DR. B. F. ROSS, P. O. Cobden, whose por- trait appears in this work, was born August 10, 1832, in Franklin County, Penn. His father, Samuel M. Ross, was of Scotch descent and probably a native of Pennsylvania. His mother, Rebecca (Chilerstone) Ross, was of English parentage and was also born in Penn- sylvania. The father died in the county of his birth, and the mother died in Clinton County, Ill. The fruit of their union was several children. Our subject attended the county schools of Clinton County, Ill., as much as was convenient, owing to the amount of farm labor devolving upon him. Being thus reared on a farm, he was early imbued with habits of industry and self-reliance, which have been among the leading characteristics of his life. Having a decided literary taste, he, at the age of twenty-one years, concluded to abandon farm labor and chose the profession of medicine, and accordingly began the study of the same under the tutorship of Drs. Phillips and Henry, of Nashville, Ill., with whom he remained for three years actively engaged in his studies and attending to the drug store of his preceptors. He then attended Rush Med- ical College of Chicago, where he graduated with high honors in 1858. He at once began the practice of his profession, for which he had thus so elaborately prepared himself at Cobden, where he has since remained, building up a lucrative practice. He was married in 1861, to Elizabeth Hearns, a native of New York, the fruit of which union is two children, viz. : Min- nie and Frank. He has endeavored to devote his entire time to his profession, but has been forced to find time to attend to some minor offices, where it is really all labor and no pay,

such as Township and Village Trustee, and was for ten years Township Treasurer. By econ- omy and frugality, he has secured some good property in the village of his adoption, yet with a childlike confidence, he has trusted many, during his long practice, only to be the loser. In the upbuilding of the beautiful little village of Cobden, it is not too much to say that he has done his full share, and in its writ- ten history his name occupies an honorable and conspicuous place upon its pages. He is a member of the A., F. & A. M. and K. of H. fraternities of Cobden. He is an active Dem- ocrat, and really the leader of that organiza- tion where he resides. His estimable lady is a member of the Presbyterian Church. Dr. Ross has successfully borne all the hardships and privations incident to the life of the early settlers, and they have developed in him, as a natural result, both physical vigor and the sturdy moral and mental health which are se- cured by the constant practice of industry and thrift.

JACKSON SIFFORD, farmer and fruit-grow- er, P. O. Cobden, was born in this county August 17, 1834, to Peter and Leah (Mull) Sifford. They were both born in North Carolina, he 1795, she 1805. They came to this county in 1819 ; were married in 1820. Their ances- tors were of German origin. He died in this County in 1853. She is still living. They were the parents of twelve children, seven of whom are still living, three sons and four daughters. He made no permanent settlement till 1827, when he settled on the farm now owned by A. L. Sitter, and died there. Our subject's oppor- tunities for an education were very limited. He remained at home till he was twenty-three years old, and assisted in the support of the family. In 1856, he was married to Rosena Mull, daughter of Martin and Catherine Mull. They were also early settlers in this county, coming from North Carolina. She is still

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living, but he died a few years ago. Mr. and Mrs. Sifford have twelve children, all but one living-William, John, Sarah, Tampa, Frank, Louis, Ida, Delia, Edward (deceased), Cora, Nina and Amos. When first married, Mr. S. settled on his present farm of eighty-five acres, and is engaged in general grain, fruit and vegetable farming. He and wife are mem- bers of the Lutheran Church. In politics, he is Democratic.

DANIEL SIFFORD, farmer and fruit-grower, P. O. Cobden, is a native of Union County, Ill., born January 5, 1839, and is a son of Peter and Leah (Mull) Sifford. (See sketch Jackson Sifford.) His early life was spent at home assisting to till the home farm, and receiving such an education as could be obtained in the schools of the county. Arriving at his majority, he embarked on his career in life as a farmer, an occupation he has since followed ; his farm contains 125 acres of good land, of which 100 are under a high state of cultivation, and a por- tion devoted to fruit-growing. Mr. Sifford was married in 1861, on the 18th of April, to Miss Susan C. Casper, a native of the county ; born November 8, 1842 ; she is a daughter of Henry Casper, whose history appears in another part of this volume. Mr. and Mrs. S. have been blessed with eight children, viz .: Dora E., W. R., T. Peter, Minnie J., Lizzie, Henry, Dell and Susie. Mr. S. and wife are members of the Lutheran Church ; he is a member of the or- ders of A., F. & A. M. and K. of H. Poli- tically, he is a Democrat.

GEORGE SNYDER, fruit and vegetable grower, Cobden, was born in Susquehanna County, Penn., March 2, 1823, to Benjamin and Elizabeth (Griffin) Snyder, both of whom were born in New York, he in Columbia County, she in Orange County. Both died in Pennsylvania. They were the parents of four sons and ten daughters. Two sons and five daughters now survive. Our subject was

raised on a farm and educated in the common schools of his native State. In 1848, he began the putting on of composition roofs, and con- tinued in this employment in the leading cities of New York till 1852, when he removed to New Orleans, and resided there for five years, making lime from oyster shells. His health failed, so in the spring of 1857 he came to Cob- den and settled on his present farm. His farm of 123 acres he bought from the railroad com- pany. He has been engaged in fruit and vege- table raising since. He is one of the largest sweet potato raisers in the State. In 1882, he had out twenty-eight acres, and in 1883 in- creased it to thirty acres. He also has large peach orchards, etc. In New York, in 1852, he was married to Miss Jane Butler, daughter of James and Lydia (Reed) Butler. James But- ler was a native of New York and a cousin to Gen. B. F. Butler. Mrs. Butler was born in Maine. They moved to near Detroit, Mich., and died there. They were the parents of six girls and three boys-all living but one daughter. Previous to marriage, Mrs. S. had been engaged in teaching school. She now raises an abundance of beautiful flowers, and in 1883 shipped 400 boxes to Chicago for De- coration Day. Mr. and Mrs. S. have never been blessed with children. In politics, he is Democratic. His first vote for President was cast for Henry Clay. During the time spent in New Orleans, Mr. Snyder had the yellow fever, cholera, breakbone fever and swamp fever.

SAMUEL SPRING, merchant, Cobden, was born January 15, 1827, in Massachusetts, in the town of Newburyport. His maternal ances- tors for several generations were ministers of the Gospel, Non-Conformists and English Puri- tans. In the year 1834, John Spring, with his wife Eliza, embarked at Ipswich, England, for New England, with four children. They settled in Watertown, Mass., near Boston, where his name is on the earliest list of Proprietors in 1836.

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His decendants were John and Henry, from whom a large number have sprung. Samuel, the father of our subject, married Lydia M. Norton, the result being nine children, four of whom survive, viz .: Mary, Lucia, Gardner and Samuel. The father was an active minister for thirty-seven years, and died at the age of eighty-nine, and his consort at the age of ninety. Mr. Spring had some advantage of the country schools, until he was sixteen years old, when he went to St. Louis, Mo., and there engaged as a clerk in a grocery store at $75 per month ; one year later, he, in partnership with his brother, A. L., opened up a wood yard and grocery store at Union Point, this county, at which they continued until 1867, when they came to Cobden and entered a general dry goods and notion store. In 1877, our subject opened up where he now continues, having a full line of almost anything the general public may be in want of; in addition to his large stock of goods, and some excellent property in this village, he has 540 acres of land in this county, that ranks equal to any in Southern Illinois ; all of which is the result of his own labors. He was married, March 15, 1854, to Martha J., a daughter of C. D. and Margaret C. (Gray) Henderson, natives of North Carolina; the former, born November 14, 1800, and the latter, December 24, 1804; they emigrated to Missouri in 1831. Her parents were blessed with nine children, two of whom are living, viz., J. E. and Martha J. Her parents were members of the Presbyterian organization. Mr. Spring has served on the Board of Trustees of Cobden, and was for seven years Postmaster at Union Point. His wife, who was born August 5, 1838, in Missouri, blessed her husband with four children, viz .: Charles, Gardner, Lucia A. and Lillie. She and Mr. Spring are members of the Presbyterian Church. He is an active Democrat. Mr. S. is a thorough business man,

and knows exactly what class of goods to keep to please his many customers.

JOHN SWEITZER, fruit farmer, Cobden, was born in Baden, Germany, July 17, 1845, to John and Rosa (Dirr) Sweitzer. They were both born, lived and died in Baden. He died at the age of forty-five years, when our subject was but five years old. She was born in 1811, died in 1879. His occupation was that of farm- er. They were the parents of seven children, all now living. Our subject is next to the youngest child. Only John and his brother Frank are,in America ; both live near Cobden. Our subject came to America in 1866; re- mained at Cincinnati for about six months ; then came to Cobden and engaged to James Bell, and continued with him for sixteen years as foreman on the farm. January, 1883, he came to his present farm, and is engaged in fruit and vegetable raising. Besides his home farm of ninety acres, which is well improved, he has another farm of 120 acres. He was first married, January, 1872, to Anna Blsigg. She was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, but came to America with her parents when small. Her father died in this county in 1881. Mrs. Sweitzer died in April, 1879. By her he has three children-Edward, Harry and Freddie. In 1880, he was married to Anna Bleger. She was born in Pennsylvania ; came to this coun- ty when small. Her parents are both still liv- ing in the county, Joseph and Mary (Unto) Bleger. By this marriage there are two chil- dren, Josie and Rosa. He and family are members of the Catholic Church. In politics, he is Democratic.

JAMES THOMAS, fruit-farmer, P. O. Ma- kanda, was born in Manchester, England, Jan- uary 23, 1838, to William and Mary Ann (Parr) Thomas. These are two old English families, and on the father's side the ancestry traces back and includes. Gen. Wolf as a mem-

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ber of the family. In England, there is a large landed estate, which belonged to Peter Walt- hall, who died in 1743, and which in its proper descent would have come to the father of our subject, and consequently to our subject. The estate, however, is still in question, and all the proof now lacking to give it to its rightful owners is the certificate of the mar- riage of James Thomas, the great-great-grand- father of our subject, to Rebecca (Walthall) Wolf, the grand-daughter of Peter Walthall. The father of our subject was born March 8, 1808, in Ormskirk, England, and died Decem- ber 5, 1845, at Chester, England. The mother was born December 12, 1807, and died at St. Louis, Mo. His occupation was that of attor- ney's clerk, serving his apprenticeship. He was the father of nine children, our subject being the fifth and the only one now living. In 1842, our subject accompanied his father to Buenos Ayres, South America. In the latter part of August, 1842, when near land near the mouth of the La Platte River, the vessel-the Sea Gull-was wrecked and went to pieces, all but one of the passengers and crew were saved, but would have been lost except for aid from the men on land. They stayed in Buenos Ayres and Montevideo for two years, and then returned to England. James then attended the Chester grammar schools till he was fourteen years of age. He came to the United States in 1852, landing at New Orleans ; then coming up the river to St. Louis. From here he went to Kansas City and started to Salt Lake City, with a cousin, but the Mormon company with which they had started had the cholera so badly that he and his cousin went to the Mis- souri River and back to St. Louis. In St. Louis his mother died ; she was then the wife of John P. Bates, taxidermist and naturalist in St. Louis, who mounted the heads, etc., of the buffaloes killed by Prince Alexis on the Western plains. In 1853, our subject went to

Wisconsin to keep from going back to England with his uncle. There he remained till 1859 ; then he sold out and started to Texas. He and two friends built a boat at Helena, Wis., espe- cially for pleasure and comfort, and so went down the river into the Mississippi, and stopped at all the principal places, and at the end of eight weeks came to the mouth of the Red River. They took steamboat up to Shreveport, La., and remained there for a short time ; then, on account of the war troubles, he came North, and cast his first vote for Lin- coln at Mound City, Ill. He has been a Re- publican ever since. He afterward came to Jackson County, where he remained for a year or so. April 14, 1864, he was married in Cape Girardeau County, Mo., to Susan A. Lumpkin. She was born near Princeton, Ky. to George W. and Jane (Baker) Lumpkin ; both died in this county. He was a soldier in the Union army. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas have four children-Ada, Ettie, William Walter and James Ed. Mr. Thomas has been on his pres- ent farm since the year after marriage. He raises fruit and vegetables. He is a member of Makanda Lodge A., F. & A. M. He and wife are members of the Christian Unitarian Church.

R. B. THOMPSON, farmer and fruit-grower, P. O. Makanda, was born in Jackson County, Ill., one mile south of Makanda, May 22, 1852, to Joshua and Maria A. (Milner) Thomp- son. The father was born June 11, 1812, in Jefferson County, Ohio. The mother in Carroll County, Ohio, July 13, 1815, and died 1870. The father was born and raised a Quaker, but when marrying it was outside of the church, so he has never had connection with the church since, although that is still his be- lief. In early life, he learned the trade of stone- cutting and brick-laying, and for some years his trade called him to different localities. Most of the time in Jefferson and Belmont

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Counties, being in partnership in the marble business in Belmont County for nine years with R. H. Evans. In 1849, he went to Cali- fornia in quite a large company, and he was the commander, and so gained the title of Colonel, which still clings to him. They were four months on the trip. He then followed mining for sixteen months, and was about four months on the home trip. He took passage in a vessel and for seventy days was out of sight of land, twenty days was on one-half rations, and for twenty-five days on one-fourth rations. He landed at Acapulco, Mex., and for 750 miles across the country he rode on a wild mountain pony. After reaching home, he remained in the marble business for about one year, then came to Jackson County, Ill., in 1852 ; about a year later, he moved to Union County, to his present home. However he has retired from active life. The farm is one of the highest points in Southern Illinois ; from one side the waters run into the Ohio, from the other into the Mississippi River. When the news came that Fort Sumter had been fired upon some of the loyal people of the vicinity, made a flag and hoisted it on "The Lone Tree," a tall poplar tree on the highest point of the farm. The hill was then called Banner Hill, and from this the farm took its name of the Banner Farm. October 25, 1838, Mr. Thomp- son was married to Maria A. Milner. To them six children were born ; one died young. The living are T. W., A. S., M. M., Mary Alvira (now Mrs. James Fitch), and R. B. ; T. W. and M. M. live in Jackson County ; A. S. in San Francisco, Cal. ; Mrs. Fitch and R. B. in this county. Our subjeet, R. B., was educated mostly in Carbondale, Ill., under Clark Braden. He was married, January 27, 1874, to Miss Orintha, oldest daughter of H. F. Whitacre, now of Williamson County, and by profession an attorney. Mr. and Mrs. Thompson have two sons-George J. and Albert L. Our subject

has charge of the farm and owns most of it. The home farm consists of 120 acres, also one forty to the east of it. Grain and stock re- ceive most of his attention, and he has some splendid stock-high-grade Jersey cattle, full blood Cotswold sheep, etc., raised by William Barter, of Williamson County, the dam and sire both being imported from Canada. (The buck's yield of wool at thirteen months of age was sixteen and one-half pounds of wool, measuring eleven inches, others yielding about the same.) Mr. Thompson's energy and in- dustry toward the introduction and raising of good stock cannot but result in profit to him- self and to his neighbors. In politics, both our subject and his father are strong Repub- licans.

J. F. TWEEDY, farmer, P. O. Makanda, was born in Union County, Ill., February 25, 1854, and is a son of J. M. Tweedy, whose his- tory appears in the department devoted to Alto Pass Precinct. He was raised on the farm and educated in the common schools of the county. In 1877, he engaged in farming on his own ac- count, on a farm near his father's, in Alto Pass Precinct. His present farm contains seventy acres of good land. He makes fruit-growing a specialty. In March, 1877, in Union County, he married Miss Alice Freeman, a native of the county, and a daughter of J. H. and Sarah Freeman. This union has been blessed with the following children-Walter, Roy and Fred. Mr. Tweedy is a man of good reputation and much enterprise. He has never sought office, it being more in accord with his views to stay at home, and give his time and attention to his family and the duties of his farm. In connec- tion with the land he owns, he is managing a sixty-acre farm for Mr. Shelker, of Elgin, Ill.

Y. J. VANCIL, farmer, P. O. Cobden, was born in this county October 22, 1817, of Adam and Catherine (Penrod) Vancil. Adam Vancil

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was born in Virginia March 6, 1790, and was a son of John Vancil. They were of German origin. He died March, 1831, killed by a tree falling on him. Catharine Penrod was born April 19, 1794 ; died November 13, 1853. The two families had settled in Kentucky at an early date, and in 1805 Adam Vancil and his brother, Jonas, came to Union County, Ill. Adam af- terward returned to Kentucky and was married there, then again came to Union County in 1811, or before, as they were here at that date. He was principally engaged in hunting, and so moved where game was most plentiful. In 1821, he killed two bears at Stone Fort, Jackson County. Being of this wandering disposition, he did not remain in one place long enough to im- prove more than a few acres, and, in fact, that was about all that was necessary, for they had no markets for the products of the soil. They were the parents of six children, all but the youngest living to advanced ages. Our sub- ject and one sister now reside in this county. Our subject's opportunities for an education were necessarily very limited, but he has con- tinued the improvement of his faculties since, by reading and thinking. His occupation has ever been that of farming since working for himself. At the time of his father's death, they were living near Carbondale, but in the fall of 1831 moved to this county, and he has lived on his present homestead since. He has twice been married ; first, March 23, 1839, to Elizabeth Hazlitt. She was born in Ohio, July 24, 1811 ; died April 3, 1847. Two children blessed this union, viz .: Adam and Matilda. Matilda died when small ; Adam is now èn- gaged in farming. The second marriage oc- curred December 10, 1848, to Mrs. Prudence Elizabeth Whitacre, born February 21, 1818, in Switzerland County, Ind., daughter of John T. and Deborah Deming. John Deming was born in Massachusetts March 9, 1787 ; his wife in what is now Ohio, January 10, 1796,

and is said to be the second white person born in the State of Ohio. They moved to Illinois in 1818, and died in this county. Mrs. Vancil has been married three times. She had one son by her first husband-Charles Vandiver ; by her second husband, one daughter -- Debo- rah Whitacre. By the present marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Vancil have three children, viz .: Mary, Algernon R. and Albert D. Mr. Vancil's farm consists of 280 acres, 120 in cultivation. Grain raising receives most of his attention. In politics, he is a Democrat.

R. M. VANCIL, fruit-grower, P. O. Cobden, was born in this county September 13, 1849, to Benjamin and Catherine (Landrith) Vancil. The father was born in Ohio December 25, 1804, and died in this county March 19, 1883. When small, his father, John Vancil, moved to Virginia from Ohio, and in 1823 they moved to this county ; then trying to find a better land, moved to Missouri and Arkansas, but was not suited, so came back to this county. John Vancil was the first man to introduce the Buckingham apple in this county ; he brought it from Buckingham County, Va. After Ben- jamin Vancil settled on his farm near Cobden, he began in the nursery, fruit and floral cult- ure, and as he gave his whole thoughts to his business he was very successful. He shipped fruit trees and flowers to many States, and took many premiums at the fairs. He had eighty- five varieties of apples and thirty-two of pears, but many were not profitable. From 1861 till the time of his death, he was so crippled by rheumatism that he could not work, and so had to abandon his nursery and also his flowers, with the exception of a few choice varieties. His experience has been of great value to the present fruit-growers in this vicinity. He had seven sons and six daughters ; he survived all of his sons except our subject. Three daugh- ters are still living. He was a member of the Dunkard religious society and was a Jackson

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and Douglas Democrat, but took no part in politics. In 1872, January 18, our subject was married to Mary J. Rendleman, daughter of Samuel and Catherine (Kimmel) Rendleman. The mother died September 29, 1881. The father is living in Clay County, Ark. Mr. and Mrs. Vancil have three children-Notia Leo- nora, Charles S. and Myrtle Agnes. He and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Cobden.

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History of Alexander, Union and Pulaski Counties, Illinois, Part 96

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