History of Bond and Montgomery Counties, Illinois, Part 86

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 86
USA > Illinois > Bond County > History of Bond and Montgomery Counties, Illinois > Part 86

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).

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highest esteem of the community at large. He was married in Montgomery County No- vember 5, 1878, to Miss Laura T. Austin, a native of Mississippi, born July 22, 1856. They have one child living, Charles Earle Ramsey, who was born January 19, 1881, and one dead Politically, Mr. Ramsey is identified with the Republican party. He has served as Township Clerk for a term of three years, and was appointed Postmaster in 1877, which position he still holds. He is identified with the growth and prosperity of the town by way of public improvements and educational privileges.

CLISBY SIMS, farmer and agricultural implement dealer, Harvel, was born in Madi- son County, Ill., February 10, 1824. His early life was spent in attending the com- mon schools of his native county, and in as- sisting his father npon the homestead farm. At the age of nineteen he left home and be- gan his career in life in a saw-mill, in Mis- souri, where he remained eighteen months, at the end of which time he purchased a farm in Missouri, consisting of eighty acres of un- broken prairie and ten acres of timber land, upon which he made all improvements. He remained in Missouri eight years, and then removed to Macoupin County, Ill., and rented a farm and continued in that occupation there about three years. He then moved to Shaw's Point, same county. where he remained six years, and then removed to Montgomery County, where he has improved three farms. and in addition to attending to the duties of his farming interests, he has been engaged about four years in mercantile business, three years of the time at Harvel. At pres- ent he owns a farm of 100 acres of well-im- proved land in Missouri, and town property at Harvel. In January, 1882, he entered in- to partnership with George J. Ramsey, in dealing in agricultural implements, at Har-

vel, and where they have succeeded in build- ing up a fair trade for the time they have been engaged in the business. Mr. Sims is a thorough business man and a practical farm- er, and socially enjoys the highest esteem of the entire community. His marriage oc- curred in 1843, in Morgan County, to Eliza- beth J. Masters, who was born in Morgan March 9, 1824. She has borne him eight children, viz., Thomas Q., Nancy Ellen. Ma- lissa Ann, James B., William, Benjamin, Jane and Emma Isabell, the two latter of whom are deceased. Mrs. Sims is a daughter uf Irving Masters, born in Kentucky. and died at the age of forty-nine, and Mary Jones, born in Morgan County, and died in 1836. The father of our subject, James Sims, was a native of Kentucky, born in 1810, a farmer by occupation, and one of the early settlers of Madison County, Ill., and still living in Macoupin County. His wife, Margaret Rob- inson, was a native of North Carolina, and died in 1865 at the age of sixty years. The result of their union was six children, of whom Clisby, our subject, was the oldest child. He served the people of the county as Justice of the Peace four years. Polit- ically, his sympathies are with the Democratic party. Religiously, himself and wife have been members of the Baptist Church for sev- eral years.

GEORGE W. SLATER, lawyer and farm- er, Harvel, Ill., was born in Lawrence County. Ill .. July 14, 1832, to William and Jane (Wilson) Slater, he being a native of England, and she of Kentucky. The early education of George W. Slater was very lim- ited, owing to the fact that no schools were near his native place. His time was fully employed upon his father's farm. In 1843, he removed with his parents to Montgomery County; here his parents settled upon an un- broken timber farm near Audubon. At the

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age of fourteen, his father died, and he lived with his older brother for about one year, and then engaged as a farm hand, and en- tered upon his career in life, which has been more or less varied. He continued in the occupation of a farmer until 1863, when he went to Litchfield and ran two wood saws by horse power, in the employ of a railroad company, with whom he remained over four years, at the end of which time he again took upon himself the duties of a farm life, at which he remained one year, and then went. to milling, and continued the same for over four years While in Litchfield Mr. Slater was elected to fill the office of Street Com- missioner, and was appointed Deputy Sheriff. He has, since his residence at Harvel, served the people in the different offices of Consta- ble and Justice of the Peace, and is now a member of the Town Board. He has ob- tained more than ordinary education by his observation and study. He has been practic ing law in the Justice's Court about seven years in connection with his other duties. He was married, August 19, 1851, to Sarah Matthews, who was born in Christian County March 16, 1832. She is the mother of eleven children, five of whom are now living, viz., Elie, Lewis L., Serene A., James E. and Sarah E. Mr. Slater is an active member of the A., F. & A. M.

ANDREW JACKSON THOMASON, mer- chant. Harvel, was born in Carrollton, Greene Co., Ill., February 16, 1843. His education- al privileges were limited to the common schools of his native county. His early life was spent on the homestead farm, but at the age of eighteen he entered the service during the rebellion in Company G, of the Sixty- first Illinois Infantry, with Capt. J. B. Nel- ton, his regiment being commanded by Gen. Jacob Fry. He remained in the service a period of three years, and, after his discharge,

he took upon himself the duties of a farm life, locating in Greene County, where he re- mained three years, and then removed to Montgomery County, where he continued the same occupation five years, at the end of which time the town of Harvel had just been incor- porated, and he erected the third store in the town, and opened a grocery store, having at that time disposed of his farming interests. By his energy, courteous manners, and strict attention to business, he soon built up a large and steadily increasing trade, which de manded an increase of stock, until now he is engaged in a general merchandising business, and has also enlarged his storeroom in order to make room for his increasing stock, and to better facilitate his business. He has always been identified with the growth and prosperity of the town, and held a prominent position in the advancement of public improvements and educational privileges of the town and county, having held the different offices of School Director, Village Trustee, President of the Board of Trustees, Trustee of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church, and President of the Coal Company. He was married in Carroll- ton, Greene County, September 7, 1879, to Miss Mary Jane Swires, who was born in New Jersey February 7, 1849. By this union they have had seven children, viz., Alice, Freddie, Frankie, Bertie, Roy, Flora and Nellie. Mrs. Thomason is a daughter of James and Elizabeth (Lisles) Swires, who were natives of England; they are both liv- ing. The parents of Mr. Thomason, Spencer and Mary (Stone) Thomason, were natives of North Carolina, and early settlers of Greene County, having emigrated to that county in 1830. He was a farmer, and died in 1847, she died in 1861. They were the parents of seven children, of whom Andrew J., our sub- ject, was the fifth child. He is a member of the A., F. & A. M. at Raymond, and

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also a member of the Royal Arch Chapter at Litchfield. In politics, he is. a Democrat. Mr. Thomason has, by his own unaided en- deavors, made life-work thus far more than ordinarily successful, and is entitled to a place among the substantial men of Mont- gomery County.

JOHN H. TODT, farmer, P. O. Harvel, was born in Germany October 21, 1834. His early life was spent in receiving such an ed- ucation as the common schools of his native country afforded, and in working as a hired band upon a farm. At the age of seventeen, he left his native country and sailed for America, when he settled in Greene County, Ill. Here he embarked on his career in life as a hired hand upon a farm for three months, and then removed to Jersey County, where he remained two years engaged in the same occupation, when he spent two years in Montgomery and Macoupin Counties, work- ing summers in the former, and winters with his own people in the latter place. In 1857, he had, by his energy and business habits, ac- cumulated enough funds to enable him to make a small purchase of land, which he did in Macoupin County, a tract of 120 acres of unimproved timber land. Here he remained for a period of eight years; during the time he improved this tract. In 1865, he sold his farm and removed to Montgomery County, where he first bought 160 acres of mostly wild prairie. Here he has since remained, and by his own endeavors has succeeded in accumulating a large tract of land, all of which is under a high state of cultivation. He is now the owner of 480 acres, upon which he built a fine residence, by his own design, in 1879. He has also built large barns, etc., and everything about his place denotes the home of a first-class farmer. Much credit is due to Mr. Todt for the interest he has taken in improving surroundings, all of which show

toward the welfare of the county. In 1857, in Madison County, he married Miss Maria Poggenpol, a native of Germany, born April 15, 1835. She is the mother of nine children, five of whom are living, viz., William, Her- man, Frank, Elizabeth and Margaret; all are at home. Father of subject was Joseph Todt, who was born in Germany; during his life followed farming; joined the army when but seventeen years of age, and fonght bravely under Napoleon Bonaparte I. He died in 1835, aged about forty-seven years. His wife, and mother of our subject, was Elizabeth Miller. She was born in Germany in 1801; came to America with her son in 1851; she died in April, 1873. She was the mother of seven children, John H. being the fourth child. He was appointed Postmaster in 1866, and held the office about three years. He has also held the office of Road Commissioner, and has been holding the office of School Trustee for eighteen years. He is also serv- ing the people as County Supervisor to the satisfaction of all. He was elected in 1SS1. Religiously, self and family are connected with the Catholic Church. Politically, his sympathies are with the Democratic party. When he first came to the county to live, it was but thinly settled, between his place and L. H. Thomas', of Bois D'Arc, there was no settlement a distance of thirteen miles.

B. TULPIN, merchant, Harvel, was born in France April 5, 1836, where he received his education. On August 14, 1855, when nineteen years of age, he was married, and on the day following, emigrated to America with his bride, and landed in Virden, Ill., where he did his first day's manual labor for Mr. John Morrell. He remained near Virden and Girard about three years, working by the month. From there he went to Assumption, Christian County, and commenced farming. He followed that occupation two years in that

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county, and three years in Montgomery County, at the end of which time he entered upon a mercantile business at which he has since continued. In 1865 or 1866, he erected a store building about half a mile south of where Harvel is now located, and between the surveys of two proposed railroads. His was the first store, and he the first to engage in an enterprise of this nature. His facili- ties for doing business were somewhat limited, and his stoek necessarily small, but being energetie and enterprising in business, and possessing the faculty of making himself agreeable to the public, he was soon enabled to increase his stock. His principal draw- baek was in speaking the English language, which, during his business career, he has mastered. In 1870, his stock and business had increased until it demanded more room, and he erected the building he now occupies, and where he has the satisfaction of conduct- ing a large and increasing trade, the result of a successful business career; and, perhaps, no man has done more for public improve- ments and for the growth and prosperity of Harvel than Mr. Tulpin. He is always first in all enterprises, and socially enjoys the highest esteem of the entire community. He has at different times held town offices, but usually declines the honors which would otherwise be bestowed upon him. Aside from his business relations, he has added materi- ally to the growth of the town by way of erecting several dwellings. He received his naturalization papers October 8, 1868, and has since been identified with the Republican party. His family consists of his wife and five boys, four of whom are living at home, Arthur, the oldest being married, but assist- ing his father in the store. Mr. Tulpin has had the misfortune to lose five children, four girls and one boy, all of whom died quite young. He has been a prominent member

of the Masonic fraternity for several years. Although usually able to oversee his business, his health has been impaired to such an ex- tent that he is at times obliged to remain at home. His children are Arthur Victor, Hee- tor Maxamillian, Frank Octave, Charles AI- bert and Maurice Emmanuel, five boys, all living.

GEORGE W. VAN SANDT, earpenter and joiner, Harvel, was born in Fleming County. Ky., December 14, 1817, where he received a common school education, and where his childhood days were spent upon the old homestead farm with his father. During the winter season, his time was employed in work- ing at and learning the millwright and car- penter's trade, and at which ha still followed when, at the age of twenty-one years, he left his home and entered upon his career in life. He remained in his native State until he was forty-five years of age, when his polities as a Whig did not make it pleasant for him at the breaking-out of the war, and. not being willing to take the oath to not oppose the Confederacy, he removed to Aberdeen, Ohio, where he remained two years, and then came to Montgomery County, Ill., and located in Butler Township, and there worked at liis trade for about five years. In January, 1870, he removed to Harvel, his present residence, which was then just laid out and was sur- rounded by wild prairie. He built the first house which was erected at Harvel, and has also built many others, several of which be- longed to him, which he rented to others. To him is due much of the credit for making Harvel the prosperous town it now is. For one year he was engaged in the mercantile business, but eventually returned to his trade. He was married in Lewis County, Ky., July 2, 1840, to Miss Isabella A. Cooper, who was born March 15, 1819, to Murdock and Eliz- abeth (Parker) Cooper, natives of Kentucky.

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She died January 2, 1875, leaving five chil dren, viz., Allen Jerome, George B., Eliza Bell, James C. and Nelson M. Mr. Van Sandt was married again in Montgomery County Ill., January 1, 1878, to Miss Mary A. B., who was born in Buffalo, N. Y., in March, 1842; she has borne him one child, Hattie. Mr. Van Sandt has been an active member of the Masonic order for about thirty years. Politically, he is identified with the Republican party. Religiously, he and wife are connected with the Methodist Church at Harvel. His father, William Van Sandt, was born in Kentucky in 1794; during his life, followed the occupation of a millwright and farmer. He lived to the advanced age of eighty-four years. His wife, and mother of our subject, was Margaret Williams; she was also a native of Kentucky, and lived to be about sixty years of age, and raised a family of nine children, all of whom grew to man and womanhood.

CONRAD WILLAR, farmer, P. O. Ray- mond, was born in Germany December 17, 1840. He received such an education as the common schools of his native country afforded, and in tilling the soil of his father's farm. At the age of fifteen, he left his home and began working as a farm hand, continuing the same until he was twenty-five years of age, and then, in the year 1865, came to America, making his first stop at St. Louis, where, at the end of a month, he was com- pelled to leave, not being able to obtain em- ployment. He then went to Butler. Mont- gomery County, and hired out as a farm hand, continuing thus for four years. In 1869, he married, and bought 240 acres of the farm upon which he now resides, and began farm- ing on his own account. By his energy and business habits, he succeeded in paying for this tract, and in 1871 bought eighty acres more, which makes his farm consist of 320

acres, and it is as fine land as any in the State. January 13, 1869, in Montgomery County, he was married to Miss Elizabeth Munsterman, born in Germany, daughter of Henry and Margaret (Wucherbfennig), both natives of Germany, from which union has been born five children, four of whom are living-Minnie, Henry, Joseph C. and Eliza- beth K., all of whom are at home. The father and mother of our subject were both natives of Germany, and the parents of six children, two girls and four boys, Conrad being the third child. Mr. Willar and wife are members of the Catholic Church, and he is a Democrat.

W. W. WHITLOW, farmer, P. O. Harvel, was born in Greene County, Ill., April 1, 1834; son of Daniel and Fanny (Ray) Whit- low. The early life of our subject was spent on his father's farm, and, at the age of nine- teen, hired ont as a farm hand. In 1854, with his brother, he took charge of his father's farm and in 1856, went to Macoupin County, where he contracted in breaking prairie. In the fall of 1857, he rented a farm at Macou- pin Point, and remained there one year, when he returned to Macoupin County; then six years more in Macoupin County. In 1865, he removed to Montgomery County and settled upon a portion of the farm upon which he now resides, which at that time consisted of 240 acres of land, most of which has been improved by Mr. Whitlow, and to which he has added until he bas 560 acres. In 1881, he erected from his own designs a fine resi- dence upon his farm, which, with barns, wind- mill, stock scales, etc., make the surround- ings complete. In 1858, in Greene County, h- married Miss Fannie Thomason, a native of Greene, born September 16, 1835, who has borne him ten children, six of whom are living-Mary A., born September 25, 1860; Flora A., May 31, 1862; George E., Septem-

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ber 1, 1863; William A., March 21, 1865; John W., January 26, 1867; Sarah T., Sep- tember 10, 1868, dead; Eva E., March 26. 1871; Olive, March 20, 1874, dead; Oscar, March 20. 1874, dead; Herbert, December 1. 1875, dead. Mr. Whitlow is a Patron of Husbandry, and a Democrat; has held the position of Commissioner of High ways for ten years. The father of our subject was a native of Kentucky, a farmer, and died in 1878; the mother a native of North Carolina, and died in 1867. They had three children, subject being the oldest.

JOHN P. YOUNG, farmer, P. O. Harvel. was born in Germany May 19, 1839. His father was Vincent Young, who was born in Germany in 1799; during his life, followed rafting on the River Rhine, acting as steers- man. He died October 25, 1851. Mother was Katharina (Glaser) Young; was born in Germany in 1803, and died in 1865. She was the mother of ten children, of whom John P., our subject, was the ninth child. His education was limited to such as the common schools of his native country afforded. His early life was spent at home. At the age of eighteen, he left his home to see the New World. His first settlement in America was in Jersey County, Ill., where he began life as a hired hand upon a farm; he remained here one year. In 1858, he removed to New Orleans, where he worked unloading cars for

one winter, when he returned to Jersey County for one year, following farming again. In 1859, he removed to Wisconsin, where he followed farming and other different kinds of work. In the spring of 1860 he returned to Illinois and settled in Montgomery County, where he rented a farm for three years. In the fall of 1863, he removed to Macon County, Ill., where he also rented a farm. In 1865, he removed to Decatur and engaged in meat market business for one year. In 1866,

he returned to Montgomery County, where he again took upon himself the duties of a farm life, where he has since remained. By his energy and business habits he succeeded in saving enough funds to buy him a place of eighty acres, all of which has been im- proved by Mr. Young. He commenced life a poor man, and by his own unaided efforts he has succeeded in gaining a good prop- erty and a name and reputation which is beyond reproach, being well worthy of the esteem in which he is held by his neigh- bors. He was married in 1867, in De- catnr, to Miss Stefania Fehr, a native of Germany, born in December, 1843. She is the mother of seven children, six of whom are now living, viz., Frank, Mary E., Annie K., Mena, Sophia K., John P .; Frederick G. is dead. Mr. Young is now holding the office of School Director. Religiously, him- self and family are connected with the Cath- olic Church. Politically. his sympathies are with the Democratic party.

ORSON YOUNG, mechanic, Harvel, was born in August, 1810, in Otsego County, N. Y., to Elam and Irene (Eaton) Young. His father was born near Ballston Springs, N. Y., and during his life followed his profession in the practice of medicine. He served through the war of 1812. He died in Oregon, several years ago. His wife, and mother of our subject, was born in Otsego County, N. Y., and died in Oregon; she has also been dead many years. They were the parents of eight children, six boys and two girls, Orson Young being the oldest child. He was brought to Clermont County, Ohio, by his parents when but six years of age. Here he received such an education as the common schools afforded. At the age of fifteen, he apprenticed himself at the trade of cloth dressing in the factory of Timothy Sprague, and remained three years, but, be-

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ing more adapted to mechanical tools, gave up his trade and followed that of a carpenter. In the summer of 1853, he removed to Mont- gomery County, Ill., and entered 320 acres of wild prairie, he being among the early settlers of that county. In 1877, he removed from his farm to the town of Harvel, his present residence, where he is engaged in wagon-making. From 1853 until 1877, in Montgomery County, he worked at the car- penter's trade, and was the builder of many pioneer churches and dwellings. He is a man of good moral habits, and has the esteem of all well-disposed citizens of the commun- ity. In 1878, he was elected to the Board of Trustees, which office he filled to the en- tire satisfaction of the community. He has been twice married. The first time in Cler-

mont County, Ohio, to Miss Hannah Burnett, April 28, 1833. She was born in Clermont County, Ohio, April 13, 1810, and died in 1846. The second time, he married Miss Sarah Hall, May 31, 1846, a native of Ire- land; she was born in 1824. By his first marriage he had five children, Elizabeth A., residing now in Ohio; Sarah E., now a resi- dent of Indiana; Mary J., Irene and William B., who are dead. By his second marriage he has had six children, Samuel H., a resi- dent of Montgomery County; Edmond B. and George D., of Iowa, and Matilda, of Montana, John and James O., who are dead. Mr. and Mrs. Young are members of the Methodist Church, he having been a member for forty-five years.

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ALBERT BURNET, retired farmer, Ray- mond, was born in New York City May 17, 1812, to William and Catharine (Hutching- son) Burnet. He was born in New Jersey in 1787; during his former life, worked at the trade of a carpenter, and for several years previons to his death followed the occupa- tion of a farmer; he died in 1849, in his na- tive State; he was of English descent. She was born in Scotland in 1791, and died in 1856; she was the mother of seven children, of whom Albert was the fifth child. He re- mained with his parents till the age of sixteen years, receiving such an education as the common schools of his native State afforded; when he left home, he apprenticed himself at the blacksmith's trade in a small town where now is the city of Newark; here he remained until 1851, when he removed to Jersey County, Ill., where he worked at his trade for one year and six months; he then removed to Alton, Madison Co., Ill .; again worked at his trade for one year and a half; he then, in the spring of 1854, removed to Montgomery County and entered 160 acres of wild prairie; here he has since remained, engaged in agri- cultural pursuits; by his energy and business, he succeeded in accumulating a good prop- erty and a name and reputation which are beyond reproach; he is now the owner of 240 acres. In 1835, in New York City, he was married to Miss Sarah A. Cook, a native of New Jersey; she was born in 1815, May 1, to Samuel and Mary (King) Cook. Mrs. Burnet is the mother of eight children, five of whom are living, viz .: Sarah C., now the wife of W. S. Palmer and residing in Litchfield;

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History of Bond and Montgomery Counties, Illinois, Part 86

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