History of Bond and Montgomery Counties, Illinois, Part 67

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago : O. L. Baskin
Number of Pages: 758

USA > Illinois > Montgomery County > History of Bond and Montgomery Counties, Illinois > Part 67
USA > Illinois > Bond County > History of Bond and Montgomery Counties, Illinois > Part 67

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).

JUDGE EDWARD YOUNG RICE. at- torney, Springfield, was born in Logan County, Ky., February 8, 1820. In his native State, he remained until about fifteen years of age, when he came with his parents to Macoupin County, III. His father. Francis Rice, was a native of Caswell County, N C. He was en- gaged in a ministerial life, and identified with agricultural and mercantile pursuits. His death occurred in August, 1837, aged about sixty-three years. His wife was Mary Gooch, also a native of Caswell County. N. C., and a daughter of William and Mrs. (Carr) Gooch. Both were among the prominent fam- ilies of North Carolina. The parents of our subject had seven sons and four daughters, of whom two sons and one daughter are now liv- ing, of whom the Judge is the youngest. The eldest, Hiram J., a farmer of Macoupin

County, and Susan, widow of Robert Andrews, of the above county. The Judge received a limited education in the common schools, with the addition of about two years at Shurtleff College. He then taught school and studied law with Gov. Palmer, at Carlinville, from which place he was admitted to the bar in February. 1844. In September of the fol- lowing year he came to Ifillsboro, where he practiced his profession until in October, 1881, when he entered into partnership with Judge A. N. J. Crook, at Springfield, Ill. While engaged in the practice of his profes sion, he has always been honored with a large and lucrative practice. In 1847, he was elected to the office of Recorder of Deeds of Montgomery County. In November, 1848. he was honored with an election to the Lower House of the Illinois Legislature, a special session carrying him to the year 1851, and in that year he was elected to the office of County Judge to fill the unexpired term caused by the resignation of Joseph Ral- ston, and during the years 1853 to 1857, he was Master in Chancery. In April, 1857, he was elected to the office of Circuit Judge for a term of four years, but by the formation of a new circuit, com- posed of Sangamon, Macoupin, Montgomery and Christian Counties, he was re-elected for a term of six years, and in 1867 for a term of six years longer, but before the term ex- pired he resigned his office to accept the nom- ination for Congress from the "old Tenth District." In that position he served until in March. 1873. and it was during his term that the State was re districted. He was a member of the Constitutional Convention which assembled in December, 1869, and completed its work in May, 1870. In this convention he served upon many important committees. In the early part of 1874, he, in connection with his son-in-law, Amos

115

HILLSBORO CITY AND TOWNSHIP.

Miller, opened their present law office in ; Emmons and Margaret (Carr) Burdett, he a Hillsboro, now under the firm name of Rice, Miller & McDavid. He was married Novem- ber 29, 1849, to Mrs. Susan R. (Allen) Condy, a native of Clark County, Ky. She had one child-Isabella. wife of F. C. Bolton, a rail- road operator in Indianapolis. By this mar- riage, the Judge has two children living --- Mary, wife of Amos Miller, and James E. Y .. who is attending Blackburn University. He is a Democrat in political tenets, and, with his wife, belongs to the Presbyterian Church.

GEORGE M. RAYMOND, County Clerk. Hillsboro, is a native of Woodstock, Windsor Co .. Vt .. where he was born September S, 1832, to George G. and Judith Hix (Phillips) Raymond, both natives of the above county, where they both died. She was a daughter of Shadrach Phillips. George G. is a son of George and Phœbe (Cobb) Raymond. The parents of our subject had four children, of whom he was the oldest. The others were Edna I., widow of James E. L. Southgate, who, at the time of his death, was Assistant Cashier of the Winnebago National Bank; at that place his family now resides. Sarah S., a maiden, residing with her widowed sis- ter: Elwyn P. died November 11, ISS1, aged thirty-eight years, at Shellmound, Le Flore Co., Miss., where he had been for a consid- erable time in the capacity of book-keeper. Our subject received his education at the dis- trict school and at the Green Mountain Lib- eral Institute in his native town, after which he begun life as a farmer. In 1853, Sep- tember 12, he came to Rockford, Ill., where he engaged in mercantile business, remain- ing two years. In 1856, he went to Alton and engaged in the marble business, which he carried on until in 1860. when on the 17th of July of that year he was married to Jen- nette Burdett, a native of Lowell, Mass., of English-Scotch descent, and daughter of

wheelright and machinist, now residing with his family in Litchfield. By this marriage there were two children, both of whom died in childhood. In February. 1861, he moved to Litchfield, and there formed a partnership in mercantile business, under the firm name of Stoddard & Raymond, which they carried on for twelve years, when by the dissolution of the firm, he entered upon the duties of book-keeper for the banking firm of Beach, Davis & Co. During his residence at Litch- field, he held the following city offices: Alder man, two terms: City Treasurer, two terms, and City Clerk, one term. In December, 1873, he took upon himself the duties of the office of County Clerk, having been previ- ously elected upon the Granger ticket, the county being nearly six hundred Democratic majority. He was re-elected on the Repub- lican ticket in a square political contest, and by virtue of an amendment to the Constitu- tion, another year was added to his time, so that, in December, 1882, he will have served the people in this office nine years. He is a member of the Masons at Litchfield, in which order he has for several years been command- ing officer. He and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and highly es- tecmed citizens of Hillsboro.

FRANCIS ROOT, local preacher and farmer, born in Massachusetts, raised princi- pally in New Jersey. He was married to Mrs. Marandis D. Holmes (widow of Joel D. Holmes, deceased) April 2, 1873. Her first husband, Mr. Holmes, son of Daniel and Mercy (Day) Holmes, was born in Alfred. Me .. April 3, 1813, and married Marandis D. Bennett, of Wilbraham, Mass., October 3, 1843. Mrs. Holmes was born December 29, 1826. Their children, all born in Hillsboro, Ill., have been Mary M., Morrill D .. Joel F., Lucy N., Edward and Alice A. Mr.

116

BIOGRAPHICAL:

Holmes, deceased, was a piano-maker in New York City for a number of years, and after coming to Illinois, he worked at the carpen- ter's trade. He died on his farm, five miles south of Hillsboro, on April 5, 1870. His son. Frank, ran the farm after his father's death, for several years, and on account of his health failing, he was obliged to quit the farm, and his brother Morrill then took charge of the farm and still continues to run the same. He, the father, was not connected with any church, but was a Methodist in be- lief, and shortly before his death. he pro- fessed religion, and died happy. He was a highly-esteemed citizen of high moral char- acter, very benevolent all through life, and perhaps had as few enemies as any man in his country, at the time of his death. He was a Republican in politics. Left consid- erable estate consisting principally of lands. He left several hundred acres to his family, besides other means. His widow (now Mrs. Root) and three children Frank, Morrill and Mary M., wife of Joseph F. Hughes, still living. Mr. Root, second husband, was born in Massachusetts, February 14, 1809. Left there when six years old and went to New Jersey with his parents, where he was educated; left there when about twenty-five years old and went to Ohio: remained there about two years: from there to Richmond, Ind .; remained there abont twenty-five years in the woolen factory business, hotel. gro- cery, etc ; from there to Greenville, Ill., re- mained there six or seven years, farming principally, and from there to this county. five miles south of Hillsboro; moved to Hills- boro in May, 1SS1, where he now lives. Began preaching, as a local preacher, in the Methodist Episcopal Church, about twenty years ago, and still preaches occasionally. Was married first in New Jersey. in 1831, to Mary B. Brown. She died in 1869. His

second marriage was on April 2, 1873, to Mrs. Marandis D. Holmes. Mr. Root has five living children, all by his first wife-James. William and Francis C., and two daughters - Sarah and Julia A. Republican, politically. Was one of the first Abolitionists in Indiana; was driven out of the church on this account.

CHARLES A. RAMSEY, hardware, Hills- boro, born in Pennsylvania January S, 1845, son of William H. and Mary (Rarer) Ram- sey. William H. was born in Pennsylvania, in 1820, and is a contractor and builder by occupation. His wife, also a native of Penn- sylvania, was born in 1825. They are both still living. Charles A., the eldest son of a a family of five sons and three daughters, received a good education at Pine Grove Sem- inary and Academy, and also at the Pennsyl- vania State Agricultural College. He began life as a clerk: afterward taught school; studied medicine for about two years, but gave it up and engaged in the drug business in Irving, Ill. In 1877, he gave up the drug business in Irving, and came to Hillsboro, where he engaged in huis present business. hardware and agricultural implements. He has filled the office of Township Supervisor. In 1862, he enlisted in the Army of the Poto- mac, as private, and served under Gen. Miles and others, and was promoted to the rank of Sergeant Major, and afterward to Adjutant. He served till the close of the war, and par- ticipated in many hot engagements. In Shelby County, Ill., in 1870, he married Elizabeth Corley, born in Shelby County, July 2. 1849, daughter of B. W. and Lois (Wakefield) Corley, natives of that connty. From this marriage, they have one daughter .- Mary. Mr. Ramsey is a Republican, and a member of the Masonic fraternity. His wife is a member of the Presbyterian Church.

FRED A. RANDLE, attorney. Hillsboro, was born at Bunker Hill, Ill., January 21,

117

HILLSBORO CITY AND TOWNSHIP.

18:4, to E. B. and Mary E. (Powers) Randle, she a graduate of Oberlin College, Ohio, and sister to A. G. Powers, deceased, the artist, and : cousin to Hiram Powers, the sculptor; she was born in Otto, Cattaraugus Co., N. Y., in 1826, and was the youngest daughter of a family of seven sons and four daughters; her death occurred October 10, 1857, when the subject of this sketch was about four years of age ; she was a very intelligent lady and a kind and loving mother. E. B. Randle was born at Bellville, Ill., September 8, 1826, and is now engaged in the hardware and drug business at Bethalto, Ill .; he was one of a company who went to California in 1849, locating near Sacramento City, where he en- gaged in mining. and was quite successful; on his return home in 1851, by way of the Pacific and Gulf of Mexico, where upon the latter sea he was shipwrecked, and, when in a perishing condition, he was picked up by a friendly vessel, and returned home and en- gaged in mercantile pursuits. He married his second wife, Marietta Nelson, of Gilles- pie. Ill., January 6. 1859, by whom he has two living children-Mattie and Mary E., who was married, June 13, 1880, to W. F. Neisler, of Bethalto, Ill., by whom she has | had one child, Lottie E .; he is engaged in business with his father-in-law, who is a son of Rev. Richard Randle, one of the pioneer preachers of the State, a native of Georgia, and still living, at eighty-three years of age. Our subject was the only child by his fath- er's first marriage; he lived upon the farm and attended district school in winter. In 1874, he entered the Preparatory Depart- ment of MeRendree College, at Lebanon, Ill. : there he worked for his board, and sur- mounted the many obstacles in the way of a smooth educational advancement, until completing his Junior year, having passed by examination the course of Freshman;

during the Junior year, he also took the first year in the Law Department, and, in the year 1879, graduated from that institu- tion, and came to Hillsboro. where he, in July of that year, began the practice of his profession, in which he has to the present time met with flattering success. In May, 1881, he was elected for a term of tour years to the office of Justice of the Peace, which position he is filling to the satisfaction of his constituency. He is a member of the M. E. Church, and is a young man of good moral and religious habits.

JOHN A. RALSTON, boarding house keeper, Hillsboro, born in Mifflin County, Penn., August 30, 1818; came to this State in 1843 and stopped in Hillsboro; the son of William and Anna (Black) Ralston; he, a tanner, born in the North of Ireland in 1783. came to the United States when quite young; settled in Philadelphia, Penn .; was a soldier of the war of 1812, but the war was brought to a close before he was called into active service and died December 25, 1862; she, born in Carlisle, Penn., in 1782, and died in June, 1873. Our subject is the second son of a family of four sons and two daughters; educated in the common schools of Perryville, Penn., and was married, in 1852, near Tay- lorville, Ill., to Ann Elizabeth Ladd, born in Stonington, Conn., in 1826, who came to Illi- nois in the spring of 1849 with her mother and family, and settled six miles north of Taylorville ; she is the daughter of Noyes, born in Franklin County, Conn., in 1798, died 1838. and Harriet L. (Williams) Ladd, born in Stonington, Conn., died June, 1870. Our subject has four children-William Cur- tis, Hattie E., Eleanora and Florence A. He went to Missouri in 1844; remained there about ten months, then went to Vandalia, Ill., for two years; then back to Pennsylvania for six months; returned to Taylorville, III.,

118

BIOGRAPHICAL:

for three years, then to Hillsboro in 1853, where he now resides. Our subject is a tailor, and has followed that business for thirty years; was in the Federal army from 1862 to 1865; enlisted as a private; promoted to Sec- ond Sergeant, and was at the fall of Vicks- burg, but was not called into action. He is a Republican, and his son, William Curtis, is a graduate of the public school at Hillsboro; read law with Hon. George W. Paisley, of this place: went to Iowa, located in Poca- hontas Center; admitted to the bar there in the fall of 1881, and now has a fair practice in connection with the real estate business.

CHARLES W. SPRINGER, abstracts and real estate, Hillsboro, born in Springfield. Ill .. October 5, 1846, son of Francis and Mary (Kreigh) Springer; he, born in Mary- land in 1810, came to this place in 1838: es- tablished Hillsboro College; was President of same till 1852; moved to Springfield, where the college was opened: served again as Pres- ident for several years ; afterward elected Superintendent of City Schools; came back here in 1874; was Superintendent of County Schools for several years, and again returned to Springfield in 18SO, where he now is: he is a pastor in the Lutheran Church; has been a preacher all his life, and graduated at Get- tysburg College, Gettysburg, Penn .; she, born at Hagerstown, Md .. in 1815, is still liv- ing. Our subject was educated principally at the university, Springfield, Ill .; began life in the dry goods business, in which he con- tinned about three years; taught in the acad- emy, Hillsboro, under his father, as Principal, for a term of one year, and then began his present business; enlisted in the Federal army (100-days' service) in the summer of 1864, when he was only in his teens, and was the whole time at Rock Island in charge of the prisoners. His parents have seven living children, subject being the third son,

and now Public Administrator of Montgomery County. He made a trip to Utah in 1871; spent six months there: been a law student for several years: expects to be admitted to the bar next winter, and will make law his profession. His brother, Phil M. Springer, is an agricultural writer, and publishes an- nually the American Berkshire Record at Springfield. Another brother, John G., was Quartermaster of the Tenth Cavalry during the war, and is now United States Internal Revenue Gauger of the Springfield District. and served in the same office in Arkansas for ten years.

GEORGE W. SCOTT, lawyer, Hillsboro. born in Putnam County, Ill .. July 3, 1553: came to this county September, 1874. son of George and Harriet B. (Phillips) Scott, he, born in Virginia March 10, 1813, moved to St. Charles, Mo .. with his parents in 1820; his father, Phelix Scott, was Lieutenant Gov- ernor of Missouri in 1827-28, and his father, Col. Charles Scott, was Colonel in the Revo- Intionary army; she. a daughter of Capt. Thomas Phillips. of Hillsboro, was born in Livingston County, Ky., in 1823. Our subject is the youngest son of a family of three sons and one daughter: attended the high school at Henry. Ill. ; graduated at the Northwestern University at Chicago in 1872; commenced reading law, in the summer of 1874, with his uncle, Judge Phillips; began practicing in 1876; went West February 25, 1879, and returned August 20, 1SS1. having visited Colorado, New Mexico, Old Mexico. Arizona, California, again to Arizona, thence home. He was admitted to the bar in Colo- rado. and practiced there ten months. Our subject was married, in Hillsboro. December 9. 1875, to Jennie Russell, born at Greenville June 6. 1857, daughter of Thomas J. and Mary (Buchanan) Russell, he born at Har- per's Ferry. Va., in 1833, still lives here, while

119

HILLSBORO CITY AND TOWNSHIP.

she was born in Greenville, Ill. The result of this union is one daughter, Pearl, born January 30, 1877. Our subjeet is a Demo- erat, a member of the Masonic fraternity, and was married by Rev. James Woolard, who had officiated at his wife's father's and mother's marriage, and also at his wife's grandfather's and grandmother's marriage.

J. P. SPANGLER, saddler. Hillsboro, was born in Pennsylvania April 8, 1846; father was George Spangler; he was also a native of Pennsylvania; was a blacksmith by trade, but, in after life, followed the vocation of farming; he died in Pennsylvania about 1852: mother's name was Nancy Myers: she was also a native of Pennsylvania, where she now lives: parents raised three sons and two daughters: subject is the second son. and was educated at the common sehools of his native State: began life by working on the farm. and. at about the age of seventeen years. he began to learn the saddler's trade, which bus- iness he has followed the principal part of his time since. except he traveled about two years in commercial business. He worked at his trade about three years in Memphis, and the next place he located was at Hillsboro. Ill .. in the spring of 1874, where he still continues. Our subject is engaged here by a company known as the Montgomery County Co-operative Association, and is manager of their business. Subject was married. in this town, October 18. 1877. to Miss Tillie Hol- deread. daughter of Anthony Holderead. who died at this place about 1880. Subject has one child. Mamie Adell, born Sep- tember 25, 1878. Subjeet owns a comfort- able two-story brick residence in town. Re- publiean in politics. Member of the Masonic order at this place; self and wife are mem- bers of the Methodist Church.

ALFRED A. K. SAWYER, dry goods and farming, Hillsboro, was born in Boston Au-

gast 8, 1832, and came to Illinois in 1840. His father. Amos Sawyer, a native of Ire- land, had four children, two boys and two girls, our subject being the eldest, who was edneated partly in Hillsboro and partly in St. Louis, and began life farming, after which he traveled awhile, elerking on steam- boats and on levee; was also in business in Chieago about two years; has been in the dry goods trade and farming in Montgomery for about sixteen years; he owns a fine farm of 250 acres: has one residence with thirteen acres attached, and another on Main street; has a fine trade, usually employing from three to five elerks. In 1860, in Hillsboro, he mar- ried Ella Bremer, a native of Kentucky. whose father was a North Carolinian, and her mother a Virginia woman; he is living in Hillsboro, but his wife is dead. Mr. Sawyer has had five ehidren born to him-Amos, Edgar, Hubert, Augustus and Ella; oue son, William, is dead. Ts a Methodist, and a member of the Masonie and Granger frater- mities; has also filled the position of Justice : of the Peace.

THOMAS D. WASHBURN, physician. Hillsboro, was born in Greenfield. Mass .. upon the 25th of April. 1819; he is the eld- est and only son of Dr. Seth and Asenath (Diekman) Washburn, both of whom were natives of the above State, she, born about 1800, died in 1840, a daughter of Thomas Diekman, a printer and book-seller at Spring- field. Mass., and a man of considerable prom- inence in his business; he, born at Leicester about 1790. died February. 1825. The only sister of our subjeet is Ruth W .. widow of William G. Baneroft, of the firm of Barnes, Bancroft & Co., one of the oldest, wealthiest and most prominent wholesale and retail dry goods houses in Buffalo. N Y. Dr. Wash- burn. in his boyhood, pursued. in the differ- ent academies and colleges of New England,

120

BIOGRAPHICAL.

the languages, sciences, mathematics and classics, obtaining a valnable and practical knowledge in the special course which he : selected. At the age of twenty-one years, he began the study of medicine under Dr. Ralph Severance, at Saxon's River, Vt., then with Dr. James Dean, and from his tutelage he entered the intermediate school of Bow- ditch, Cole & Shattuck, at Boston; after re- maining for a time at this school, his health failing, he went to the State of Georgia. where he taught a private school for three years, and then entered the University of New York, from which he graduated in the spring of 1846, and then began the practice of his profession at Syracuse, N. Y., where he remained three years. He was married, at Oswego, N. Y., May 25, 1846, to Roxanna M. Joslin, born at Easton, N. Y., April 25, 1819, daughter of Peter and Hannah (Rounds) Joslin, he born in 1784, died in 1858, she born at Easton in 1787, died in 1862. From Syracuse he removed to Grayville, Ill., thence to Lawrenceville, and, in 1856, settled in Hillsboro, where he has since resided and en- joyed a large practice in his profession. In 1854, he held the office of President of the Æsculapian, which is the oldest society in the State, and the same year delivered the vale- dictory address before that society; he has also held the office of President of the State Medical Society, and at the present time fills that position in the Montgomery County Medical Society, and Vice President of the Inter-State Medical Society. His contribu- tions to medical literature have been numer- ous and of great value to the medical profes- sion throughout the country. He served three years as Assistant Surgeon of the One Hun- dred and Twenty-Sixth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, the last eighteen months of the time being spent as Post Surgeon at Little Rock, Ark. By his marriage, there were !

born the following: Seth Emory and Dan- iel W., living: John and Edward, dead. The family are members of the Congregational Church, in which the Doctor has held for a number of years the offices of Deacon and Trustee. He is a Republican in his political tenets; a man of prominence, and highly es- teemned by the citizens of the county; he is a nephew of Emory Washburn, ex-Governor of Massachusetts, and late Professor in the Har- vard Law School.

M. M. WALSH, furniture, etc .. Hillsboro, born in County Wexford, Ireland, in Decem- ber, 1841; his parents, James and Mary (Redmond) Walsh, were natives of County Wexford, Ireland, and died there. He is the second son of a family of two sons and two daughters: he received an ordinary education in Ireland, and emigrated to America in 1854, and settled in Montreal, Canada, where he remained till 1856, when he came to the United States. He learned the trade of a wagon-maker in Potsdam, St. Lawrence Co .. N. Y., and at the end of his apprenticeship. in 1859, moved to Stamford, Conn., where he worked at his trade until 1861. In 1864, he went to Philadelphia, where he worked about a year stocking rifles for the Govern- ment; thence he went to Pittsburgh, Penn. ; worked at his trade there one year; thence to Cincinnati, Ohio, worked six months, and then returned to Pittsburgh: from Pittsburgh he went to St. Louis, and thence to Hillsboro, where he arrived April 9, 1867; here he worked at his trade till 1869, then engaged in the hardware business till 1873, when he sold out his hardware stock and engaged in his present line-furniture, coffins, sewing machines, etc. In Hillsboro, December 15, 1870, he married Minerva M. Hanson, born at Tribe's Hill, Montgomery Co., N. Y., June 25, 1846, daughter of John A. and Susan (Lingenfelter) Hanson, both natives of Tribe's

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Bond and Montgomery Counties, Illinois, Part 67

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892? Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Chicago : O. L. Baskin Number of Pages: 758

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago : O. L. Baskin
Number of Pages: 758