USA > Illinois > Montgomery County > History of Bond and Montgomery Counties, Illinois > Part 73
USA > Illinois > Bond County > History of Bond and Montgomery Counties, Illinois > Part 73
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the first two marriages; he was the youngest of seven sons, all of whom were in the war of 1812, after which they became scattered.
ALEXANDER McWILLIAMS, deceased, was born in Virginia, and removed with his parents to Madison County, Ky., when seven years of age, where he afterward married Nancy Kirkpatrick, who bore him thirteen children-six sons and seven daughters; of this family, three were born in Kentucky; three are now living, viz .: Lewis, Mrs. Van- daver and Mrs. Gardner. About the year 1816, he came to Montgomery County and settled on a quarter-section (160 acres) of land where William Atterbury now lives, near the Truitt Bridge; at that time, there were but five families in Montgomery County, the nearest mill being that of Edwardsville. He built a log cabin on his place and began farming. in which occupation he met with snecess, having at his death about five hun- dred acres of land. He was a Democrat, and, though not a member of any church, favored the belief of the Old-School Baptists. Lewis Mc Williams, the son of our subject, was born on the farm now occupied by William Atter- bury, in Montgomery County, April 12, 1820, and attended school at Clear Springs Church, two miles from his home, during the winter season, till he was a large boy. In 1842, his father entered for him eighty acres of land, on which he made, hauled and put up 7,000 rails during the winter of 1842-43. In
March, 1843, he married Martha Jones, daughter of David Jones, of Montgomery County, and from this union five children were born-four sons and one daughter-of whom two are deceased. After his marriage, he settled on the eighty acres which had been entered for him, on which he now resides, and which he has since increased to 400 acres, which is chiefly under cultivation; he has handled and fed stock quite extensively.
His grandfather, Hugh Kirkpatrick, in the early days of the county, built a horse-mill near where Woodbury now stands.
JACOB T. MILES, deceased, was born near Brighton, Macoupin Co., 111., May 21, 1833. His paternal ancestors were from the Carolinas, emigrating thence to Logan County, Ky., early in the present century. Mr. Miles' father entertained strong anti- slavery convictions, which, in 1833, induced him to seek a home in a free State, settling near Brighton. He was a farmer and mer- chant until the last fifteen years of his life, during which he was in the ministry of the Protestant Methodist Church. He died in 1865, the father of twelve children, of whom Jacob was the first born in Illinois, and the tenth son. One brother and one sister sur- vive. The latter is the wife of the Rev. John Friend, a Christian preacher, lately of this city, but now of Iowa. Col. Jonathan R. Miles, of Miles' Station, Macoupin County, and George W. and F. M. Miles, formerly of this city, and Samuel Stratton, were cousins of the deceased, and Mr. John R. Simmons, formerly a farmer of South Litchfield, now near Brighton, was his nephew. The family removed to Missouri in 1839, and returned in 1844, living in Madison and Macoupin Coun- ties. At the age of eighteen years, Jacob be- gan to learn the trade of carpenter in Alton, and worked thereat in that and various neigh- boring towns till the spring of 1856, when he removed to Litchfield. Here he carried on the business of a carpenter and builder until 1873. During part of this time, he was in partnership, first, with Lewis Whitaker; some years afterward, with John D. Carson; and still later, with R. A. George. In 1873, he was elected Justice of the Peace, and since then has united the duties of that office with the business of insurance and real estate. In 1859, he was elected Alderman of the Third
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Ward of this city, and filled that position two years. In April, 1861, he enlisted, as a pri- vate, in Company D, Seventh Illinois In- fantry, and served three months. Mr. Miles was three times married, having become twice a widower. The ladies were the Misses Eliz- abeth. Susan and Lou Linder, sisters of the late Mr. Emmett Linder, well known in this city. His first marriage took place in 1858. He died at his home, in Litchfield, Ill., about 5 o'clock P. M., on Saturday, April 29, 1882, in the forty ninth year of his age. His de- mise was sudden and unexpected, and the news of it tilled the townspeople with grief. for he had been esteemed by all. He leaves a family well provided for, consisting of his wife and seven children-two grown daugh- ters and five sons-Stella F., Alice M., Will- iam T., James L., Benjamin L., Arthur M., and Perley, the youngest, being four years old. He is greatly missed in the community, and his departure leaves a place vacant none other can fill.
MARK M. MARTIN, Vice President of the Litchfield Car and Machine Company, Litch- field, was born in Onondaga County, N. Y., on May 31, 1831. He learned the trade of car-building at Syracuse, N. Y., beginning at the age of eighteen; he plied his trade there and at Adrian, Mich., being foreman of the Michigan Southern shops from 1853 to 1858, in September of which year he came to Litch- field, Ill., and entered into the employ of the Indianapolis & St. Louis Railroad Company (then the Terre Haute, Alton & St. Louis Railroad). He superintended the erection of its shops here, and at their completion became master car-builder, continuing to hold that position until 1864, when he removed and be- came master car-builder for the Ohio & Mis- sissippi Railroad Company. having charge of their shops from 1864 to 1872. He then was Superintendent of the Cincinnati Division of
the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Railroad. and in 1873 returned to this place, where, the railroad shops being removed, he became a member of the Litchfield Car and Machine Company, who leased the present building. He was at that time elected Superintendent. and has held an office in the new company ever since, except for a period of three years, dur- ing which he was master car-builder of the Cincinnati, St. Louis & New Orleans Rail- road, being located at McComb City, Miss. On his return, he was Superintendent of the works two years, when he was elected to the office of Vice President, which he creditably fills.
JULIUS C. MACHLER, of German par- entage, was born in April, 1844, in New York City, and educated in its public schools. In the fall of 1862, filled with the adventur- ons enthusiasm of youth, he enlisted as drum- mer boy in the One Hundred and Third Reg- iment New York Volunteer Infantry. The regiment joined the army at Fortress Monroe, and served in Burnside's expedition to open the coast of North Carolina, and was sta- tioned at Newbern. Here young Machler was detailed as Orderly or Interpreter to the Gen- eral Director or Medical Officer of the Vol- unteer Hospital, and remained nearly two years. Under this officer he saw service at the battles of Goldsboro and Kingston, and was present at the surrender of Joe Johnston. Mustered ont in April, 1865, he returned home, and for six years was in a shop for the manufacture of ladies' hats. In 1871, he came to Litchfield, where he has since been interested in business. Politically, a Demo- crat; he is now serving his third term in the City Council. and is deemed a careful, painstaking and industrious officer. He mar- ried, in 1875, Miss Mary McGinnnis, and has four children.
MICHAEL MORRISON, dealer in wines,
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liquors and tobacco, Litchfield, was born in County Mayo, Ireland, on November 2. 1850, and came to the United States in 1851, with his parents, who settled in New York State, at Dundee. moving thence in a short time to Illinois, where they settled on Rock River, near Elgin, where our subject lived until he was five or six years old. The family then moved to Beaver Dam, Wis., where they lived two years on a farm. Next they lived in La Crescent. Minn., for about one year, and then moved to Freeborn County, same State: that county was then but sparsely settled, and they remained about two years, when the mother died, and, in consequence of that sad event, the family broke up, and our subject first found employment as water-carrier on the railroad, going to school at Rochester, Minn., during the winters, until 1864-65, when he took a commercial course with Hurd & Belknap, following them from Rochester to Winona, Minn., and completing his course in the spring of 1866; he found em- ployment as clerk in a furniture store at Roch- ester. Minn., for one summer, and the fol- lowing winter he pursued his studies in a private school there. In June, 1867, he was employed by O'Rourke & Woods in their grocery and liquor store, continuing until December, when he removed to Anstin. Minn., where he clerked in a dry goods house until the fall of 1868, when he returned to the old firm, which had changed from the grocery to the dry goods business. and stayed with them until February, 1869, when he went to Dodge Center and worked in W. A. Higgins' general store until July, same year, and then returned to Rochester and worked in the sa- loon business for John Chute, having charge of a branch house at Eyota, Minn., one year. On September 8, 1870, he began work for Charles Ballweg, at Rochester, Minn., from which place they removed to New Ulm, Minn.,
'in 1872, and remained until May, 1873, when they came to Litchfield, Ill., subject remain- ing with him here until September, 1881, ex- cept six months (from March to September. 1878), when he acted as Deputy County Treasurer in Hillsboro, and another period of three months (in the winter of 1877-78), dur. ing which time he was on a Western tour. In September, 1881, he leased a building on the corner of State and Ryder streets, where he opened a retail liquor and tobacco store, which employs three persons.
RICHARD McMAHON, Roadmaster, In- dianapolis & St. Louis Railroad, Litchfield, was born in County Kerry, Ireland, in No- vember, 1845. He received a good academic education in his native country, and, in 1864, at the age of nineteen years, came to the United States, locating in Elmira, N. Y., where he worked two years on repairs of the New York & Erie Railroad. He moved to Mattoon, Ill., in 1866, and there worked two years as laborer on the track of the Indian- apolis & St. Louis Railroad. From 1868 to 1871, he was Road Clerk in the General Roadmaster's office at Mattoon; the following year, he acted as section foreman on the track of the same road, at Sunnyside, Ind. From 1872 to 1876, he was again Clerk in the Gen- eral Roadmaster's office at Mattoon, and, din- ing that time, was Roadmaster of a branch road called the Sullivan & Decatur Railroad. In August, 1876. he was promoted to the po- sition of Roadmaster of the Middle Division of the Indianapolis & St. Louis Railroad, his division consisting of seventy-five miles. He presided over this until 1880, when the Road- master of the East Division resigned, and our subject was transferred to it. He had this division, which consisted of 110 miles, until July 14, 1881, when the road was redistricted in two divisions, and he was transferred to the West Division, extending from Mattoon
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to East St. Louis, a distance of 137 miles. He has since filled that position, having head- quarters at Litchfield. November 28, 1872. he married Honora, daughter of D. O'Sulli- van, of Mattoon, Ill. The names of their children are as follows: Mary Ann, Denis Joseph, Brian Augustin, Terrence Patrick. Margaret Teresa.
BENJAMIN MCHUGH, merchant, Litch- field, was born in the town of Cornwallis, Nova Scotia, on March 1, 1833, and came to the United States in 1845, settling forty miles west of Milwaukee, Wis His father, James McHugh, died just before the son's emigra- tion, in which he was accompanied by his mother and grandfather. After living four years on the farm on which they first settled, our subject returned to Nova Scotia on a visit; he then sailed on a schooner from Corn- wallis to St. John. New Brunswick, with his brother-in-law. continuing one season. The following season, he worked his brother in-law's farm on shares, and went to New York as supercargo to sell his farm products, returning to Wisconsin. In the spring of 1853, he started across the plains to Oregon, with Dr. Knight, of Dogtown, Mo., traveling seven months by ox team. His destination was Chahalam Valley, Ore., where lived a cousin, with whom he stopped about two months, and then, via steamer, went to Cali- fornia. landing at San Francisco, from which point he went north to Port Orford and en- tered the Rogue River Mines at Gold Beach, where he entered the diggings and worked about two months, when his employer was killed. He had located about fifty claims, and sold over $700 worth in the next two months. He next became the proprietor of the Elk River Ferry, north of Port Orford a distance of five miles, by agreement with the Indians, and conducted it with an eating house and provision trade, for three months, with good
success. During this time, the Coquel In- dians had an outbreak, and Mr. McHugh was cook for the garrison two weeks, when they subsided. Mr. McHugh then left the ferry and returned to Portland, Ore , where he took np a land claim and improved it to some ex- tent, then removed to Jacksonville, Ore., and worked in the mines for a short time. He went thence to Yreka, Cal., and mined during the winter of 1854-55. Then he joined his brother at Kelsey's Diggings, in El Dorado County, Cal., remaining about a year, after which he worked six months in a tunnel at Goodyear's Bar, which place he left, next locating at Cold Springs, in El Dorado County, until the fall of 1857, working in the diggings. He returned via steamer Central America, Panama route, reaching New York City and going thence, via Niagara Falls, to Walworth County, Wis., where he worked at farming one year, and then came to Pike County, Ill., where he took a contract to chop 500 cords of wood, for the accomplishing of which he employed men during the winter of 1858-59. In the spring, he took a trip through Kansas, and, on his return, came, via St. Louis, Mo., to Bond County, Ill. Here he taught a four-months' summer school at Millersburg, and, during the winter of 1859-60, taught near Ripley. In the spring of 1860, he married Miss Emily C. Bilyew, of Pocahontas, Ill. For ten years after his marriage, he farmed in the summers and taught school in the winters, in Bond County. After the war, he bought a farm of 173 acres near Pocahontas, and conducted it about ten years, when he traded it for town property in a stock of goods in Millersburg, where he merchandized about one year, and then traded it for land near Irving, Montgomery County. This farm he conducted for about two years, and then traded it for a stock of goods at East Fork, where he conducted a store and post
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office for two years. He then returned to Irving with his stock of goods, and contin- ned merchandising one and a half years. He moved to Litchfield in September, 1881, and has been engaged since in merchandising on Jackson street, carrying on a good trade. In April, 1882, Mr. McHugh was elected Town Clerk of South Litchfield Township. The names of his children are as follows: Frank M., Mary F., Annie E., Cresada A., Charles W., Thomas N., Nellie B., Lewis A., Daisy M. and Cora E.
RICHARD W. O'BANNON, the first set- tler in the city of Litchfield, is the great- grandson of a Mr. O'Bannon who came to this country from Ireland before the Revolu- tionary war, and eventually settled in Vir- ginia. The father of our subject, Isham O'Bannon, a native of Fauquier County, Va., whose wife, Mary Winn, was also a native of Virginia, and connected with the family of Stonewall Jackson, being an aunt of that fa- mous Confederate General. Isham O'Bannon was Captain of a company of Virginia mili- tia, and in that capacity served his country in the war of 1812. Their youngest child but two was Richard W. O'Bannon, who was born on November 1, 1808, in Fauquier County, Va., near the town of Salem. There he passed the early years of his life, and there he lost his mother, who died when he was but four years old. In the year 1816, he re- moved with his father to Shelby County, Ky. Here his father became a successful farmer, working twenty-five hands and owning thirty- five servants, and here our subject grew to manhood. At the age of nineteen, he began his life-long employment of merchant, in the store of Graham & Standford, of Shelbyville, Ky., where he remained three years. July 29, 1830, he was married to Miss Matilda Dorsey, of Jefferson County, Ky. Subse- quent to his marriage, he engaged in mer-
cantile pursuits on his own account, in Old- ham County, Ky. Those were the days of the stage coach, when Louisville and Cincin nati were not as great marts of trade, and when the merchants of Kentucky went to Philadelphia and cities farther east for their supplies-journeys involving more of time and money than journeys to Europe at this day. Mr. O'Bannon made many such jour- neys, adding to his stock of knowledge and experience in the ways of men. About the 1st of September, 1842, he came to Illinois, having left Kentucky some time previously, and living in the meantime in the State of Missouri. There fortune had not favored him, and he came to Illinois to begin anew the battle of life. Settling upon a quarter- section of uncultivated prairie, near to the present hamlet of Ridgely, in Madison County, they proceeded to transform it into the most highly cultivated farm in all that region. Mr. O'Bannon proved himself as good a farmer as merchant, which avocation he also found time to pursue. Here he lived and prospered for twelve years, gathering about him hosts of friends, and here Mrs. O'Ban- non organized a Christian Church and built for it a house of worship. In January, 1854, he came to Montgomery County on a tour of inspection. It cannot be said that he came to Litchfield, for then Litchfield was not. But he visited the site of the future town, then bristling with the remains of the last year's corn crop, and, with good judg- ment, selected and bought of Maj. P. C. Huggins, for $120, the east half of Block No. 21, which now includes the principal business houses of the city. The ground to-day. ex- clusive of all buildings on it, is worth $30,- 000. During the winter, on this purchase he built a one-story frame store, 22x36 feet, the site of which, still owned by him, is covered by the banking house of Beach, Davis & Co.
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This was the first house built in the place. and, at the time of its erection, the Terre Hante & Alton Railroad had not reached the site of the town, and all building material. as well as goods, had to be delivered in wagons. In March of the same year, he placed in this store $6.000 worth of a general assortment of merchandise, and commenced business, with William T. Elliott as his partner. In the year 1854, the firm sold $42,000 worth of goods. During this year, the Ridgely Col- ony moved to Litchfield. It consisted of R. W. O'Bannon, his wife, two sons, Samuel and Joshua; Miss Sue Elsberry; John P. Bayless and wife and two daughters, Matilda and Martha; W. S. Palmer; W. T. Elliott and wife and son, William, and daughter, Maria; Henry E. Appleton and wife: James W. Jef- feris and wife. and Charles M. Davis. Soon after coming to Litchfield, Mr. O'Bannon bought the property where he now lives, building the house the first summer. In the history of our country, 1854 was a fateful year -- the year of the Kansas-Nebraska strug- gle. Mr. O'Bannon had been a Whig of the Henry Clay school, but, in the issue of 1854. he arrayed himself with the Democracy, with which party he has ever since affiliated. He was a Douglas Democrat, and, in 1861, pre- sided over the first Union meeting held in this city after the commencement of the war. He also subscribed liberally in aid of the fam- ilies of the volunteer soldiers. Mr. O'Bannon continued in active business with W. T. El- liott for twelve years, doing a very large and profitable business. In 1859, they erected the store now occupied by Frank R. Milnor, and which continues the property of Mr. O'Bannon, to which they removed their bus- iness, and where they continued until 1866, when Mr. Elliott retired from the firm, the business being conducted by Mr. O'Bannon and sons till the completion of the Decatur
& East St. Louis Railroad, to the construc- tion of which Mr. O'Bannon largely contrib- uted, when it was transferred to the new town of Raymond. This town is on the Wabash & Pacific Railroad, then known as the Deca- tur & East St. Louis Railroad. In Raymond Mr. O'Bannon had large interests, being one of the company by whom the town was laid out; consequently, he moved to it, and resided there one year, with his son Joshua, who car- ried on the business. After that. he moved to his large farm in Zanesville Township, about nine miles from this city, where he lived with his son Samuel. This was in the years 1872 and 1873. About this time, a friend for whom he was bound, failed in busi- ness, and by unanimous consent he was put forward as the assignee of the unfortunate merchant. Mr. O'Bannon was himself a large creditor, and, to recover in a measure what he had lost, he took the stock and once more engaged in business. In this he associated with himself his oldest son, and for seven years O'Bannon & Son have held a front place among the business men of Litchfield, with eminent success. The churches, the railroads, the coal mines, the car-shops and the great mill have all been helped forward by him. His familiar form is identified with every stage in the history of the town.
JOHN MILTON PADEN, contractor and builder, Litchfield, son of James and Mar- garet (McElvain) Paden, was born in Todd County, Ky., August 31, 1821. He was in his fifteenth year when he came to this county. in 1835, with his parents. He received a part of his education in the private schools of Kentucky, and finished his schooling in the old Hillsboro Academy, which he left in 1840. He learned carpentering with Hamilton High, of Hillsboro, serving two years, when he be- gan taking contracts, which were principally in the neighborhood of his old home. He
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continued at this until 1852, when he bought a saw-mill, which he conducted two years, one mile east of Litchfield. In 1854, he pur- chased, in South Litchfield Township, a farm of 175 acres, on which he lived until the spring of 1882, when he moved to Litchfield. He engaged in contracting and building in the vicinity of Litchfield, in addition to his agricultural pursuits, for twenty-five years. He has been a member of the Presbyterian Church of Litchfield since its organization, and helped to erect that church building. He has been Trustee and Deacon for many years. In politics, Mr. Paden is a Democrat. He served as Deputy Sheriff of this part of the county four years, and also one term as Deputy Assessor for the western part of the county. In April, 1843, he married Miss Martha Street, daughter of James Street, and raised a family of four sons and three daugh- ters, one son dying at the age of twenty-six years.
ROBERT N. PADEN was born in Todd County, Ky., in 1830. James Paden, the father of subject, was born near Charleston, S. C., in October, 1777, and lived on his native place till he attained his majority. His fa- ther died when a young man. His mother was a lady of Celtic descent. James, when he reached the years of manhood, moved to Virginia, where, in Adair County, he mar- ried Margaret McElvain, and, about the be- ginning of this century, moved to Todd County. Ky., where he farmed till 1835. He then came to Montgomery County, Ill., bought 120, and entered eighty, acres of prairie and timber land, four miles southwest of Hillsboro, where a few families had previously settled; here he resided until his death, in 1845; he was a Deacon in the Presbyterian Church, and assisted in the erection of the first church at Hillsboro. The subject of this sketch, who is the seventh son of a family of ten children,
came to Montgomery County with his parents in 1835. He received his rudimentary edn- cation in the Clear Springs Baptist Church, a log structure covered with clapboards, and having puncheon floors and seats; he com- pleted his studies at the Lutheran College, then at Hillsboro, now of Springfield. In 1851, he engaged as clerk in Hillsboro, and continued in that occupation until 1855, when he opened a furniture store there, in which business he remained one year. In Febru- ary, 1856, he came to Litchfield and opened a general store in partnership with J. M. Mc- Williams, but after a year sold out his inter- est in the business and returned to Hillsboro, where he engaged in the lumber business till 1860. In that year, he became Deputy Cir- cuit Clerk under Benjamin Sammons. which office he held for two years, then returned to Litchfield, and was appointed Deputy United States Collector and Assessor of Internal Revenue in District 10, which position he held till 1868. He then removed to Southern Minnesota and engaged in general merchan- dising and drug business in Rochester and Austin, that State, until 1878, then returned to Litchfield, where he has since resided, en- gaged in real estate business. He married, October 17, 1855, Illinois E. Blackwell. who died May 16, 18SI; she was a daughter of Col. Robert Blackwell, of Vandalia, Ill. Mr. Paden is Director, Secretary and Superintend- ent of the Me Williams Oil and Mining Com- pany, which began operations in January, 1882; was elected Mayor of Litchfield with- out opposition in 1865, and, during his ad- ministration, built the City Hall. and con- tracted for the first public schoolhouse. He was appointed one of the Trustees of the Illi- nois Industrial University of Champaign for six years, by Gov. Cullom, in 1881. He was formerly a Whig, and is now a Republican.
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