USA > Illinois > Montgomery County > History of Bond and Montgomery Counties, Illinois > Part 82
USA > Illinois > Bond County > History of Bond and Montgomery Counties, Illinois > Part 82
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JOHN P. HITCHINGS, farmer, P. O. Raymond, was born in Onondaga County, N. Y., May 20, 1810, to John and Lydia (Rams- dell) Hitchings. John Hitchings was born at Malden, Mass., July 8, 1773: he was a farmer; he removed to Otsego County, N. Y., in about
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1800, where he remained six years, and then in December, 155S: she had borne him the following children: Lydia M. (dead), Frances C., Henry H., Horace E., Lydia M. (No. 2- dead), John P. (dead), Ann Eliza, Laura J. (dead), James C .. Charles E .. Joseph M .. Leon L. Mr. Hitchings was elected to the House of Representatives in Michigan in 1951. and served for one term, and in his town in Michigan held the following offices: School Inspector and Supervisor, held for fif- teen years; Justice of the Peace, eight years: and in Montgomery County, was first Su- pervisor elected to the Raymond Township. and held only term: in politics, is identified with the (freenback party; was a member of Indepen lent Order of Odd Fellow and Grange Lodges. In 1868, he married his second wife, Mrs. Elizabeth E. Kinser, a native of Ohio, who was born in IS38. He is a mem- ber of the Universalist Church. She is a member of the Methodist Church. removed to Onondaga County. N. Y., where he remained to the time of his death, which occurred in 1852; he was married, in Onon- daga, N. Y., by Jonathan A. Nicholas, April 18, 1809. to Miss Lydia Ramsdell, the mother of our subject: she was born in Greenwich, Mass., September 30, 1783, and she died in Onondaga, N. Y., in IS54: they were the parents of the following children: John P., out subject, May 20, 1810; Horace V., born July 8, 1812, dead; Daniel E., February 3, 1815, dead; Jane. October 27, IS17, now of Syracuse, N. Y .; Francis. August S. 1519, dead; Eliza, June 6, 1521, now in Syracuse. N. Y .: James, May 14, 1524, Iowa: Joseph O., August 2, 1826, died in California; Mary, December 17. 1828, Memphis, N. Y. John P. Hitchings received his education at a select school, Skaneateles. N. Y .; he remained with his parents, receiving an education and assist- ing in tilling the soil of his father's farm: HENRY H. HITCHINGS. farmer. P. O. Raymond, was born in Onondaga County, N. Y., December 27, 1537, to John P. and Eliza Hitchings (see history); at the age of eight years, removed to Jackson County, Mich., with his parents, where he received his education in the common schools When nineteen years of age, he removed with his parents to Mont- gomery County, III., and, two years later. en- tered into business for himself as a farmer. which occupation he still follows; his first purchase of real estate was a small tract of land near Harvel, where he eventually accu- mulated 120 acres, which he sold in 1573; he then rented a farm near Raymond, where he remained two years, and at the end of which time he purchased his present farm, consist- ing of 200 acres, which was then unimproved prairie: he has erected fine buildings and made all other improvements necessary for comfort, and which are found npon all well- on June 13, 1831, left home and removed to the State of Vermont: there he engaged in farming, raisin_ stock and general dairy farm. In 1834. he returned to the ol l homestead in New York. and remained two years; in /536, bought a farm of fifty acres in the town of Cicero, N. Y. : remained but one year: in 1837, again returned to the old homestead for only one year; in IS37, went to Michigan, bought farm of 160 acres, and removed there in spring of IS39; here he remained until 1854, and removed to his present residence; he there bought 200 acres of wild prairie, thirty-one acres of timber; here he has since remained, engaged in agricultural pur- suits; he has also taught school winters since 1880, and every winter, with the exception of three. In 1533, August 22, in Vermont, he married Miss Eliza Ann Hough- ton; she was born at Rowe, Mass., July 3, 1815, and died in Montgomery County, Ill., regulated farms, and everything about the
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premises denotes his energy and ability as a first class farmer. In 1879, he purchased eighty acres of land near Harvel, which he is now renting. In November, 1859, he was married, in Montgomery County, to Miss Martha E. Welker; she died in 1871, aged twenty-six years; she was the mother of four children, of whom George H. and Clara are still living; John, the oldest son, and an in- faut, deceased. In September. 1873, Mr. Hitchings was again married, in Montgomery County, to Miss Jane King, daughter of John King see history): she is the mother of four chillren, viz .: Jobn M., Eliza Ann, William and Catherine. Mr. Hitchings is a member of the Masonic order at Raymond. Polit- ically. he is identified with the Greenback party. Mrs. Hitchings is a member of the Methodist Church.
WILLIAM F. HICKS. physician, Ray- mond, was born in Henderson County, Tenn .. July 31. 1842, son of Butler C. and Martha E. (M.Peak) Hieks. he, born in North Caro- lina. a farmer, coming to Illinois in 1543, settling in Montgomery County and dying in 1863. aged sixty years; she, born in Ken- tucky, and still living, at the age of seventy years. They were the parents of nine chil- dren- four boys and five girls -- Isaan J .. died in 1870: Susar C., died in 1569, was the wife of John T. Donaldson; Emarentha C., wife of W. F. Davidson, of Eureka Springs, Ark. ; Hiram B., of Missouri; Elizabeth, wife of Jackson Donaldson; Elvina L., wife of Sike Barbee, of Oak Grove, Kan. ; one who died in infancy; James F., living on the old homestead; and William F., our subject. The education of our subject was limited un- til he was sixteen years old. when he began studying by himself and teaching, which he continued eight years; in connection with his other duties, he studied medicine with Dr. mes, of Litchfield, and attended lectures at
the medical college of St. Louis, graduating from that institution in March, 1871. and immediately entered upon the practice of his profession at Raymond, where he has built up a very successful business; he is connected with the Library Association and Reading Club of Raymond; was also honored with the ud cundem degree at Chicago Medical College being one of two who passed examination for the degree; he is crop reporter for the department of agriculture at Springfield; also serves in same capacity for the crop bureau at Dwight, Ill. ; the Doctor has served also as Township Collector. November 9, 1871, he was married to Miss Mary S. Seward. born at Seward's Point February 6, 1856, daughter of Oscar and Mary (Cass) Seward, all of Montgomery County: himself and wife are members of the Methodist Church, and he is a Democrat.
U. H. HARTWICK, farmer and stock- raiser, P. O. Raymond, was born in Jer -. sey County, Ill. November 2, 1845, to James and Eliza (Skillman) Hartwick. He remained with his parents until twenty-one years of age, receiving such an education as the common schools afforded, and assisting in tilling the soil of his father's farm. At the age of eighteen, he enlisted in the Fe leral army, in Company D. Ninth Illinois Cavalry, with Capt. Pat Kelley, under the command of Col. Harper, and remained in the service twelve months. At the age of twenty one, he left home, and embarked on his career in life as a farmer, in Greene County, where he remained for a period of four years. In 1872, he removed to his present residence, where he has since remained, engaged in ag- ricultural pursuits. He was married. in Jer- suy County, in February, 1568, to Miss Mary E. Grimes, who was born in Jersey County in May, 1848 (see history of E. Grimes); she has borne him six children, four of whom are
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living, viz. : James F., William Henry, Belle and Frederick. Politically, Mr. Hartwick is identified with the Democratic party: is an active member of the order of A., F. & A. M. at Raymond. His father was born in New Jersey in 1811; is a farmer by occupation, and resides in Macoupin County; his mother was also born in New Jersey, in 1810, and is still living. They are the parents of seven children, of whom our subject is the fourth child. He is the owner of one of the finest horses in Montgomery County, called " In- dependence, Jr .. " and is of St. Lawrence and Eagle stock; Mr. Hartwick is also a breeder of Short-Horn stock.
JACOB HAUSER, farmer, P. O. Raymond, was born in Germany August 11, 1842. At the age of twenty-two years, he emigrated to America and settled in l'ennsylvania, but soon after joined a German army corps and en- tered the service, where he remained six months, and then went to Greene County, Ill., where he remained ten years, and came to Montgomery County, and soon after pur- chased the farm he now lives upon; he has made nearly all the improvements himself, and his surroundings show Mr. Hauser to be an energetic and enterprising man; his farm consists of eighty acres of choice farm land, situated near Raymond, and which, as a practical farmer, he keeps in a high state of cultivation, and which denotes his interest in public improvements and advancement of ag- ricultural interests in the county. He re- ceived a very good education in Germany, and has always performed the duties of a farm life. He was married, in Montgomery County, July 4, 1875, to Dora Reeser, who was born in Germany, and came to America when twenty-one years of age; she is the mother of two children, viz .: Mena and Anna. Politically, Mr. Hauser is independ- ent: devotes his time to growing the usual
farm crops and raising stock. Socially. he enjoys the highest esteem of the entire com- munity.
GEORGE HENRY HOOSER, miller, Ray- mond; first business for himself was that of carpenter and joiner, which he followed six- teen years, when he turned his attention to farming, and which he followed ten years; he then built a grist-mill at Raymond and engaged in a general milling business, in which he has been successful and built up a large trade; had nothing but his hands with which to enter upon the battle of life. but, being possessed with an energetic spirit, de- termined to make his way in the world. His education was limited to the common schools. He was born in Todd County, Ky .. August 27, 1827; his father, William Hooser, was a native of North Carolina, and was taken by his parents to Kentucky at a very early day. and when there were but a few settlers in that State; he was a farmer, miller and distiller by occupation; his death occurred in March, 1880. His wife was Purety Faulk. also a native of North Carolina. and grew to matur- ity in.Tennessee: her death occurred in 1879; she was the mother of seven children, of whom George was the third. He was mar- ried, in St. Louis, in 1858, to Lucy Cheney. who was born in New York, daughter of Louis Cheney; by her he had two children; she died in 1862, and he was again married, in 1864. to Martha Pettyjohn, of North Carolina. by whom he has six children; his children are William, Dora, Ralph, Mary, Margaret, James, Frank and Lewis. Mr. Hooser is a Repub- lican, and is a prominent member of the Ma- sonic order.
CORDER JONES, Police Magistrate, real estate and collecting agent, Raymond. was born in Macoupin County, Ill., July 12, 1848; his education was limited to such as could be obtained in the common schools. When sey-
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RAYMOND TOWNSHIP.
enteen years of age, he came to Montgomery County and engaged in farming in Litchfield Township. In 1878, he located at Raymond, and worked at the carpenter and joiner's trade, but eventually took up the trade of a painter, which he still follows. In ISSO. he was elected on the people's ticket to fill the office of Police Magistrate, the duties of which he has filled with marked zeal and integrity. and to the full satisfaction of the citizens of the village. In addition to his other duties, he is engaged in dealing in real estate and as collecting agent. He was married, in Montgomery County, December 20, 1872, to Leonora A. Gore, who was born in St. Louis, Mo., August 4, 1856; she is the mother of two children, viz .: Olive W., born August 20. 1874; and Orion N., born August S, 1878. Mrs. Jones was a daughter of John P. and Martha (Hardy) Gore, he born in Illi- nois, she in Kentucky. The father of the subject, Isaac N. Jones, was born in Illinois, a farmer by occupation, and is also a Justiee of the Peace in North Litchfield Township; his wife, Keturah Stone, is a native of Ten- nessee; she is the mother of six children, of whom Corder, our subject, is the third. Po- litically, he is identified with the Democratie party; he is also a prominent member of the I. O. O. F. order at Raymond. Religiously, himself and wife are connected with the Bap- tist denomination at Honey Bend; is an ad- vocate for the advancement of the cause of temperance.
JOEL JONES, farmer. P. O. Raymond, born near Bunker Hill, Macoupin Co., III., April 11, 1836, son of Simeon and Dorothy (Starkey) Jones. Simeon, a farmer, and Treasurer of Bunker Hill Township, Macou- pin County, for fifteen years, was born in Madison County, Ill., February 2, 1811, and was identified with the growth of the county up to the time of his death, which occurred
December 30, 1850; his wife, also a native of Madison County, born June 27, 1812, is now living with her son Joel, the subject of this sketch; of her ten children, of whom Joel was the third, six are living. Subject received such education as the country schools of that day afforded, and entered upon the business of life as a farmer, and has, by his energy and industry, accumulated 180 acres of fine land near Raymond, which he, as a practical farmer, keeps highly cultivated; he has lately erected a large and commodious frame resi- dence He married, in Montgomery County, April 13, 1871, Mary C. Blackwelder, born in Cabarrus County, N C., September 5, 1843, daughter of Martin aud Malinda (Ovenshine) Blackwelder, both natives of Cabarrus County, N. C., and both deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Jones are the parents of five children-Alva W .. Jesse V., Charles E., Eugene D. and Emily A. He formerly was a Democrat, but is now a Greenbacker; is a member of the Baptist Church.
JOHN KING, farmer, P. O. Raymond, was born in Bourbon County, Ky., September 10, 1826; his education was limited to such as could be obtained in the old log schoolhouses of that early day; however, by observation and encounters with the world, he has attained a very good practical education. At the age of fifteen, he went with his parents to In- diana, and located in Shelby County, where he remained fourteen years, employed on a farm as farm hand. He entered upon the battle of life a poor boy, but, being possessed with a stout heart and an energetic spirit, he determined to make his way in the world. He came to Illinois in 1854, and permanently located in Montgomery County in October, 1859, and rented the property he now owns; by his industry and economy, he soon was able to purchase eighty acres of land, which he has continued to increase until it now
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amounts to 210 acres of choice farm and tim- ber land, which he has improved, and which, as a practical farmer, he keeps in a high state of cultivation. Mr. King is one of the most prominent farmers in the township, and has always taken an interest in all publie im- provements, and in the general growth and prosperity of Montgomery County: he makes no specialty of crops, although he has always been a large grower of corn and wheat, and handles no stock in particular but what he mises on his farm. He was married, in Shelby County, Ind .. September 26, 1550. to Mory Hacker, who was born in Virginia March 10, 1527: she has borne him three chil dren -Margaret J., Thomas R. and Marshall E., the latter dying at the age of seventeen: Margaret is the wife of H. H. Hitchings, a Prominent young farmer of Raymond Town- ship. Mr. King is independent in politics. and. as he says, votes for men and principles: has been a member of the Masonic fraternity for a number of years. He has been twice married: his first wife diod September 29. 1556, and his second marriage occurred June 7, 1957, to Catharine Hacker. who was born May 15, 1921, and is a sister to his first wife. Mr. King has always been identified with the temperance workers, and has been a member of the Christian Church since he was sixteen years of age.
ISAAC F. LAWLER. retired farmer, Ray- mond, born in White County. Ill., May 9, 1536. His grandfather, John Lawler, was a native of Tennessee, a farmer by occupation, and, during the war of 1812, Captain of a pack-horse company. John T., the father of our subject, was the third son of a family of eight children ; was born in Talladega County, Ala., March 22. 1805: a farmer, and, in his younger days, a pilot on the Wa- bash and Lower Mississippi Rivers; came to Fayette County, Ill., in 1831; remained one
year; removed to White County, where he lived several years: thence to Greene County ; stayed ono year, and subsequently moved to Montgomery County, where he died Angust 15, 1863. During his life, he represented the Democratic party of White County in the Legislature for two terms; had previously been a magistrate, and, for eighteen years. Colonel of the State militia; during the Mexi- can war. he raised and equipped a company of soldiers. of which he was Captain, but which was not called out, though held in readiness till the close of the wor. His wife. Susan Bradbury, born in Kentucky May 15, 1501. died December 1, 1860. Isaac. the subject of this sketch, and the eldest of a family of four children received a fair education, and began life as a merchant at Butler, where he built the third building used for business purposes in that town: there he remained one year. and then, giving up mercantile busi- ness, turned his attention to farming, which occupation he followed till 1865; in that year, he removed to Kansas City, Mo., where he followed the business of supplying con- tractors with sand for building purposes for twelve years: then, returning to Raymond, Ill., he purchased a farm, which he worked for a time, but eventually retired from farm 1 life, rented his property and moved to Ray- moud with his family. He has been twice married: his first wife, Nancy C. Cayee. whom he married in Montgomery County June 31, 1855, was born in Sangamon County, III .. February 22, 1835. and died April 27, 1871; she was the mother of five children- Juliet, Jehu Henry, Jolın A., Abigail A. and James Franklin; her father, Elijah Cayce, was born in Kentucky; her mother, Dorcas A. Williams, was a native of Virginia, born May 18, 1806. He was married the second time, February 25, 1874. to Mrs. Naomi MeGown, born in Macoupin County, Ill., June 15, 1849, daugh-
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ter of Rev. William and Elizabeth (Courtney) Fitzjarrell; from this second union one child has been born-Cyrus Floyd. Mr. Lawler has been Constable and Commissioner for several years. In politics, he is independent; is a member of the Methodist Church, and of the I. O. O. F.
ELIAS W. MILLER, farmer, P. O. Ray- mond, is descended from the Knickerbockers of New York and the Huguenots of South Car- olina, and the eldest of a family of ten chil- dren, and was born December 16, 1827, a mile and a half west of Eaton, Preble Co., Ohio. near the monument on an Indian mound, which marks the site of one of the bloody fights preceding St. Clair's defeat. In IS40. his father removed to Somerville, Butler County. and, in the summer of 1846, Elias W. enlisted. at Newport, Ky., as a private in Company D, Eighth Regiment United States Infantry. for five years, or during the Mexican war. Landing. under Gen. Scott, at Vera Cruz. his regiment bore its part in the siege of that fortress: it rendered con- -picnous service in the affairs of the march to the capital, and distinguished itseif in the sanguinary battles in the Valley of Mexico. In July, 1848, he was honorably discharged at New Orleans, and returned to his home in Preble County. Marrying Miss Eminoh C. Swallow in the summer (May ) of 1550, he de- parted in the fall for the West: reaching Alton by the river, he walked to Hillsboro. and, in May, located his land warrant for a (marter of a section in Butler Grove Town- ship, about two miles north of Butler, on the great road from Hillsboro to Springfield. Yonth, health, courage, hopefulness, in- dustry, land and a prudent wife, are the thresholds to wealth; while not neglecting his farm, Mr. Miller cut cord-wood and worked on the railroad, and for two years was Road- master of the Western Division of the Alton
& Terre Haute Railway; he tilled his land well, and was fully rewarded; several times he sold his farm, only to buy another in the neighborhood, and in 1866 became the owner of the extensive domain near Raymond widely known as Seward's Point. In the modernized aspect of his home, the traveler will see little to remind him of the brick house which, in IS27, was the best residence in the county, j and had its neareat neighher to the north a day's journey distant. During his minority, he attended school only six months, going only on the days when it rained too hard to work on the farm; yet he is well educated in whatever helps a man to succeed in his sphere of life: his home abounds with books and newspapers, and he was a keen politician: mathematically, he is a plus man, and is best described by positive qualities; when a poli- tical party in this State formally denounced. in 1863, the further "offensive prosecution of the war." Mr. Miller penetrated the order of the Golden Circle- which, in its sympathy with the South, aimed to precipitato the county into armed resistance to the Govern- ment-compelled its leaders to avow their schemes and purposes, and refused their fa- vors; once discovered, their plans came to naught. and at last were publicly abandoned. He was conspicuous in the Grange movement: no man in the county was more industrious or valuable in the local canvass which. in 1873, defeated the dominant party and restored the normal relation between the office-holder and the tax-payer. Thrice elected Supervisor of Raymond, he was seeking a seat in the Leg- islature, when the death of his wife, in 1876, led him to give over these labors and quit the political arena. In April. 1877, ho mar- ried Miss Lucy J. Lamson, of Ipswich, Mass., and home and tarm life now bound his ambi- tion; he has thriven in fortune, and is hos- pitable and prudent.
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was born in North Carolina, but raised in West Virginia; she died in the spring of 1852; they were the parents of eight chil- dren, four of whom are still living, and of whom Ishmael is the third child. Politically, he is identified with the Democratic party. Religiously, himself and wife have been con- nected with the Christian Church for a num- ber of years. Although Mr. McGown grows all of the usual farm crops, he makes grain his principal crop. He is a public-spirited man, and has always taken an interest in the growth and prosperity of the county, and. when Raymond was first laid out. furnished a large portion of the land now covered by the village, and perhaps no man has taken more interest and done more for the prosperity of the town than Mr. McGown.
ISHMAEL McGOWN, farmer, P. O. Ray- mond, was born in Johnson County, III., June 14, 1821. He was removed by his parents to Greene County in 1830, where he received his education, and where he remained with his parents, assisting in tilling the soil of his father's farm. At the age of twenty years, he left the homestead and entered upon his career in life as a farmer; in 1850, he entered eighty acres of wild prairie land in Montgom- ery County, and, in the year following, re- moved with his family to their new home, and where he still resides; he made all the im- provements himself, such as building fences, orchards and all other improvements neces- sary for comfort, and which are found upon all well-regulated farms; by his energy and economy, he continued to add to his original purchase, and at one time had in his posses- WILLIAM A. MAXEY, merchant, senior member of the firm of Maxey & Starr, gro- cers, Raymond, was born in Montgomery County. Ill., August 27. 1856, and received a common-school education; he remained upon the homestead until he attained the age of twenty years, when he entered into the mercantile business as clerk at Hillsboro; he followed in that occupation at different places until November, 1880, when he entered into business for himself at Raymond: he was very successful in his new enterprise, but, at the time Raymond was destroyed by fire, he was one of the sufferers, his stock being nearly all destroyed; he did not despair, however, but immediately secured a new room and continued the business, which gradually as- snmed larger proportions, and now, in con- nection with his partner, Mr. Starr, has the satisfaction of conducting a large and steadily increasing trade. the result of a thorough business knowledge, energy and enterprise; their store is centrally located on the princi- pal street of Raymond, and any one may feel sion 200 acres, and at the present owns 160 acres of fine farm land, which, as a practical farmer, he keeps in a high state of cultiva- tion, which denotes him to be one of the suc- cessful farmers of the county. He was mar- ried, in Greene County, August 4, 1840, to Clarinda Jackson, who was born in Greene County March 10, 1823; she is the mother of eight children. three of whom are living, viz .: Shadrach, William A. and Anderson Monroe. Mrs. MeGowa was a daughter of Shadrach. Jackson a native of North Caro- lina, and one of the early settlers of Greene County; his death occurred in Texas, in May, 1879; his wife, Prudence Finley, was born in Madison County; she died December 31, 1855; the result of their union was eight children, of whom only three are now living. Samuel McGown, the father of our subject, was born in Tennessee, and was one of the early settlers of Greene County, where he fol- lowed the occupation of a farmer for a num- ber of years; his death occurred in 1861. The mother of our subject, Nancy Westbrooks, : sure of a welcome and receiving kind atten-
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