History of Bond and Montgomery Counties, Illinois, Part 91

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 91
USA > Illinois > Bond County > History of Bond and Montgomery Counties, Illinois > Part 91

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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IRVING TOWNSHIP.

born in Pennsylvania about the year 1825, and died in 1880. John Rhinehart, the fa- ther of subject, was born in Pennsylvania in 1817, and is now residing in Montgomery County; Rebecca (Taylor) Rhinehart, sub- ject's mother, was born in Pennsylvania in 1820, also residing in Montgomery County, and is the mother of thirteen children, sub. ject being the eldest of family. He has no children; he has raised a boy from eight years to twenty, and now has two little nieces whom he is raising. He and wife are members of the M. E. Church; he is a Republican, and is a member of the Masonic fraternity.

J. M. TAULBEE, dealer in provisions, and minister, Irving, born in Wilkes County, N. C., December 23, 1815; son of William H. and Nancy Taulbee, he, a farmer by occupation. born in Stokes County, N. C., October 21, 1791, died October 22, 1842; she, born in Rowan County, N. C., May 9, 1789, died August 14, 1837. Subject, the second child of a family of ten, spent his early days in assisting his father on the farm; he received his education in the schools of Kentucky, whither his parents had moved in 1817; in the fall of 1836, he removed to Fay- ette County, Ill., where he bought a farm, which he sold in 1853; he then came to Irv- ing Township, Montgomery Co., Ill., where he followed farming during 1855 and 1856; he then moved to what is now the town of Irving, he being the first resident of the place. In Perry County, Ky, June 30, 1836, he married Ann Damrul, born in Morgan County, Ky., April 9, 1817, died June 28, 1853, in Fayette County, Ill., leaving six children; her father, Joseph Damrul, a native of Shen- andoah County, Va., died October 15, 1840; her mother. Elizabeth (Dykes) Damrul, born in Floyd County, Ky., March 14, 1798, died October 24, 1839. Mr. Taulbee's second wife, Mrs. Prudence Carriker, whose parents were

natives of North Carolina, was born in Ten- nessee in 1817; she is the mother of four children, two of whom are by her first hus- band. Mr. Taulbee was ordained a minister of the Gospel in 1851, since which time he has preached; he has now charge of three churches; he is a Republican; has filled the office of Justice of the Peace for twenty-two years, giving general satisfaction to all; he now owns a produce and feed store in the town of Irving, and does a good business; his children are Joseph E., Mary J., Levi L., William, Sarah A. and James P .; two of his sons were in the army during the war; the elder, who served four years, was wounded at the battle of Shiloh, came home and recruited in health, and returned to do battle for his country; the younger served three years.

WILLIAM W. WEBER, farmer and mil- ler, Irving, was born in New York August 23, 1835; educated in common school of coun- try; came to Montgomery County with his parents at eight years of age; settled in But- ler Township, and worked on the farm until he arrived at his majority; commenced busi- ness saw-milling, and still keeps up that, with farming in connection; in 1862, he purchased 120 acres, to which he has added forty; he has built all the improvements, as it was all wild prairie when he settled; he first located his mill south of Irving two and a half miles, and ran six months, and then moved it to its present location, half a mile west of his pres- ent home; was married, in Montgomery County, to Miss Elizabeth Osborn, January 7, 1857; she was born in this county Dec. 30, 1835. The father of subject, Joseph Weber, was born in New York about 1803; occupa- tion, farmer; died May 3, 1853; Eunice (Johnson) Weber, his mother, was born in New York in 1802, and was the mother of ten children, the subject being the sixth child, and he has a family of three children, one

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dead-William P., George E., Olive J .; one died in infancy. He was Road Commissioner six years, and was School Director for eight years, and now Trustee; member of M. E. Church; is a Republican; member of Odd Fellows.

SAMUEL R. WILEY, farmer, P. O. Irv- ing, was born in Montgomery County, Ill., February 13, 1837, son of Zachariah and Elizabeth (Mann) Wiley; Zachariah Wiley, a farmer by occupation, was born in Virginia March 2, 1804; came to Montgomery County, Ill., in 1820, with his father, and took up a farm, where he died in 1842; his wife, who was the mother of six children, subject being the third child, was born January 14, 1806, and died in 1868. The subject of this sketch was educated in the common schools of Mont- gomery County; after his father's death, he took charge of the homestead farm, and man- aged it for his mother till he was twenty- eight years of age, when he began business ' for himself by purchasing a farm of 120

acres of land, to which he has since added 160 acres more, on which, at the time of pur- chase, was a small house, the farm, with the exception of thirty acres, being unbroken prairie: by industry and perseverance, he now has his farm in a fine state of cultivation, with comfortable dwelling, fine barn, and all necessary outbuildings; he raises quite a number of Short-Horn cattle, as well as horses and mules; has all the latest improved farm machinery. In Montgomery County, Ill., in 1862, he married Sophia A. Carriker, born in North Carolina in 1844, daughter of John and Mary L. Carriker, he, a farmer, born in North Carolina, is now living in the town of Irving: she, also a native of North Carolina, is the mother of seven children, all of whom are living. Mr. and Mrs. Wiley are mem- bers of the M. E. Church; they have six chil- dren. Mr. Wiley has been School Director for twenty years, and still holds that position; he is a Democrat.

EAST FORK TOWNSHIP.

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EAST FORK TOWNSHIP.

JOHN P. BECK, farmer, P. O. Hillsboro, | Beck was a daughter of Harrison Brown. Mr. and Mrs. Beck are connected with the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Polit- ically, he was formerly a Democrat, but now is considered independent in politics.

was born in Montgomery County, Ill., March 6, 1837, to John and Nancy (Blair) Beck, he a native of North Caorlina, and was one of the first to enter upon pioneer life in Mont- gomery County, where he engaged in milling, blacksmithing, coopering, distilling and farm- ing at different times. He entered land in Town 7, Fillmore. Range 2, but at the time of his death had land also in Range 3. His death occurred in 1845. His wife, Nancy, was also a native of North Carolina, and died in 1851. She was the mother of ten children, of whom John, our subject, was the youngest child. His early childhood was spent upon the farm and in attending school at the neighboring log schoolhouse, to which his educational privileges were limited. At the death of his mother, which occurred when he was fourteen years of age, he left the homestead and engaged as a farm hand. At the age of twenty-three, he had succeeded in accumulating enough funds to enable him to purchase twenty acres of timber land, and soon after purchased forty acres of prairie, upon which he made all the improvements himself, and to which he has continued to add, and now has in his possession 160 acres of choice farm land, all under a high state of cultivation. He grows all the usual crops, but makes a specialty of grain. He was married in Montgomery County. February 26, 1861, to Miss Nancy J. Brown, who was born in the same county November 15, 1839. She is the mother of five children, viz., Emma J., Mary C., George M., Nina and Laura L., the two oldest of whom died in infancy. Mrs.

WILLIAM S. BARRY, farmer, P. O. Hillsboro, was born in Montgomery County September 18, 1841, to John and Elizabeth (Robinson) Barry. He was born in Barren County, Ky., in 1806. In 1834 or 1835 he emigrated to Montgomery County, in Hills- boro Township, where he bought a small tract of improved land. He remained in Montgomery County to the time of his death, which occurred March 15, 1876. He was of Irish descent. His wife, and mother of our subject, was born in Warren County, Ky., in 1809, and died in Montgomery County, Ill., in 1868. She was the mother of nine chil- dren, of whom William S. Barry was the seventh child. His early life was spent in receiving such an education as the common schools of his day afforded, and assisting in tilling the soil of his father's farm. At the age of twenty-two, he left home and embarked on his career in life by farming on his own account, on a farm of 140 acres of partially improved land, situated in Section 23, of East Fork Township. Here he has since remained, and by honesty, industry and economy, he has succeeded in accumulating 200 acres of land, all of which is under a high state of cultivation. Besides raising all the principal farm crops, he makes wheat a specialty. Mr. Barry was married in Montgomery County April 2, 1863, to Charity C., daughter of Jabez and Polly Ann (Lewey) Wheeler. Mrs.

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Barry was born in Montgomery County, Ill., August 17, 1843. She is the mother of five children, four of whom are now living, viz., Minnie V., wife of Frederick Coffeen, of East Fork Township; Robert F., at home; Hattie, died Angust 28, 1867; Ina M., home; Fred, at home. Wife, of Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Mr. Barry has served as Highway Commissioner. Politically, he is indepen- dent.

GUSTAVUS F COFFEEN, farmer, P. O. Hillsboro, was born in Watertown, Jeffer- son Co., N. Y., June 19, 1820, to Frederick and Elcena (Hubbard) Coffeen, he born in Schuyler, Oneida Co., N. Y., about 1795, a farmer by occupation, and at one time was a hotel keeper, and dying about 1860. His wife, Elcena, was born in Jefferson County, N. Y., in 1798, and died about 1876. She was the mother of six children, four of whom are now living, and of whom Gustavus is the oldest child living. His paternal grandfather, Henry Coffeen, was the first settler in Water- town, N. Y., having penetrated from Lowville through the woods with his goods and family, drawn by an ox-team. He erected his hut on the ground just west of Iron Block. He was a very prominent merchant and specu- lator in land. Gustavus, the subject of this sketch, received a common school education in his native town, and spent his early child- hood in assisting his father in his agricult- ural pursuits. At the age or eighteen years, he entered a hotel in Jefferson County with his father, where he remained about fifteen years, at the end of which time he turned his attention to railroading, which occupation he followed about two years in New York, and then came to Illinois, and continued in the same business about two years more, when he turned his attention to farming, and in the spring of 1855, purchased 1,140 acres of wild prairie land. He remained upon the

same about eighteen months, and improved about one hundred acres. He then disposed of his property and purchased 160 acres of improved and forty acres of timber land in East Fork Township. where he has since carried on farming more or less extensively. Grows all the usual farm crops, and raising and dealing in stock. His farm now consists of 640 acres of choice farm and timber land. In 1862-63, he served a term in the House of Representatives from Montgomery and Chris- tian Counties; has also served as Supervisor. He was married, November 9, 1846. to Miss Mary Adelia Bell, born in Herkimer County, N. Y., February 2, 1827. She is the mother of three children, viz .. Frederick H .; Mary, wife of John McLean, living in East Fork Township; Clotilda Bell, wife of Dr. J. T. Hendrix, deceased. (See history.) Mrs. Coffeen is connected with the Presbyterian Church.

GEORGE C. CAMPBELL, farmer, P. O. Hillsboro, was born in Perry County, Mo., August 13, 1824, to Samuel and Margaret (Cowan) Campbell, he born in North Caro- lina, in Lincoln County, June 17, 1793, was a tanner by trade, but in 1819 emigrated to Missouri, and engaged in farming up to the time of his death, which occurred October 1, 1864. His wife, Margaret, was also a native of North Carolina, born in Rowan County May 25, 1795, and is still living in Kansas, and is the mother of nine children, of whom George, our subject, was the third child; re- ceived his education in the common schools of Missouri. He remained upon the home- stead until he was twenty-four years of age, and entered upon his career in life as a farmi- er, in Perry County, Mo. In March. 1864, he removed to Montgomery County, and pur- chased 100 acres of land, which he disposed of five years later, and removed to his present place of residence, where he has about one

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hundred and twenty acres of choice farm land under cultivation. He was married in Missouri, October 31, 1849, to Miss Mary E. Smith, who was born in Cape Girardeau County, Mo., February 9, 1825. They have four living children, viz., Margaret J., Cath- arine E., Lamirah, Amanda M. and two in- fants deceased. Mrs. Campbell is a daugh- ter of Matthew and Margaret ( Wallace ) Smith, natives of North Carolina, both de- ceased. Religiously, Mr. and Mrs. Campbell are connected with the Cumberland Presby- terian Church. Politically, Mr. C. was for- merly a Republican, but now considers him- self independent. Entered the service dur- ing the rebellion with Capt. A. C. Bishop, in Company H, of the Eighth Illinois Volunteer Infantry; remained in service about one year, and was in the engagement at Mobile.

HARDY F. JONES, farmer, P. O. Hills- boro, was born in South Carolina April 24, 1813, to James and Elizabeth (Toles) Jones, he, James, was born in America, but was of English descent. He died in 1816. aged sixty four years. During his life he followed the occupation of a farmer. He served through the war of 1812. His wife, the mother of our subject, was born in Georgia in 1804, and died in 1854; she was of Scotch descent. She was the mother of eight chil- dren, of whom Hardy Jones was the sixth child. His early life was spent in receiving such an education as the log schoolhouse of his day afforded, and assisting in tilling the soil of the homestead farm. At the age of three years he was brought to Adair County, Ky., his father having died on the way be- fore reaching their new home. At the age of twenty-one he left home and removed to Greene County. Ind., where he embarked on his career in life as a farm hand, by the month. In April, 1842, he removed to Mont- gomery County, Ill., and settled in East

Fork Township, two miles east of his present residence; there entered eighty acres of land, forty in timber and forty in prairie. He re- mained upon this tract of land, making all necessary improvements and raising all usual farm crops, until March, 1877, when he bought his present residence and farm, and removed to the same, where he is still engaged in farming. By his honesty, industry and economy he has succeeded in accumulating 360 acres of land, most of which is under a high state of cultivation. In 1832, he mar- ried Matilda Nicholson, who was born in Kentucky, and died in 1863, aged fifty-two years. She was the mother of eight children, six of whom are now living-William, James, Joseph, Tabitha, Mary Ann and Rebecca. In 1869, he married Mary C. Ragland; she was born in Virginia in October, 1832. She is the mother of two children, viz., Wilson S. and Eugenia. Politically, Mr. Jones is identified with the Democratic party. Mr. Jones remembers of hearing the first preacher deliver a sermon; his name was old Jimmie Street.

HENRY M. LUDEWICK, farmer, P. O. Hillsboro, was born in Montgomery County July 14, 1837, to Daniel F. and Nancy (Cress) Ludewick. He was born in Cobarrus County, N. C., December 2, 1800. He emigrated to the State of Illinois, and settled in East Fork in 1831. During his life, he was en- gaged in farming, and at the time of his death had succeeded in accumulating eight hun- dred acres of land, most of which he entered, and made all improvements on the same. His death occurred May 4, 1849. He was of German descent. The mother of our subject was born in Cabarrus County, N. C .. October 25, 1806, and died October 12, 1852; was of German descent. She was the mother of thirteen children, ten of whom lived to man and womanhood. Of the thirteen children

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our subject was the seventh child. His early life was spent in receiving such an education as the common schools of his day afforded, and in assisting in tilling the soil of his father's farm. He left home at the age of twenty-one, and embarked on his career in life as a farmer, upon eighty acres of prairie and forty acres of timber. His farm is lo- cated in Section 11, and by his energy and business habits he has succeeded in accumu- lating 340 acres of land. In 1862, on the 21st of February, in Montgomery County, he married Cynthia Williamson. She was born in Montgomery County in 1845. She is the daughter of John D. and Nancy G. (Card) Williamson. Mr. and Mrs. Lude- wick have had five children, three of whom are now living, viz., Ina O., the wife of Henry H. Whitten, of Fillmore Township; Lowell W., at home; Olive Maud, at home; Robert Grant and Walter, dead. Member of the order of A., F. & A. M., at Irving, No. 455. Wife is a member of the Lutheran Church. Politically, he is identified with the Republican party.

WILLIAM C. McDAVID, farmer, P. O. Hillsboro, was born in Montgomery County, Ill., March 1, 1820, to William and Elizabeth (Johnson) McDavid. He was born in Scott County, Va., in September, 1790; when a boy, was taken to Missouri by his brother, and afterward went to Tennessee, where he joined the Seminole war, and also served through the war of 1812, under Jackson. During his life, followed the occupation of a farmer. In 1832, served six months in the Black Hawk war. In January, 1820, he emi- grated from Tennessee to Montgomery County, and settled in East Fork Township, on the same farm that Thomas W., his son, is now residing on. His death occurred Feb- ruary 14, 1866. His marriage took place in Tennessee in 1819. His wife, and mother

of our subject, was born in Tennessee Sep- tember 15, 1800, and is now residing on the same farm where, with her husband, she set- tled in 1820; she is now enjoying good health. She is the mother of nine children, of whom William C. is the oldest child. His early life was spent in receiving such an ed- ucation as the log schoolhouses of his day afforded, at that time having to walk four miles to school. He remained with his par- ents, assisting in tilling the soil of the old homestead farm until he was twenty-one years of age, when he embarked on his career in life as a hired hand upon a farm, and, in fact, doing all kinds of work. He continued in this way until he was about twenty-six years of age, when, with the savings of his meagre earnings, he was able to enter forty acres of prairie land; a portion of this same farm he is now residing on, and, by his econ- omy and business habits, he succeeded in ac- cumulating about four hundred acres of land, all of which he placed under a high state of cultivation. His farm now consists of 190 acres, he having divided his land among his children. On September 2, 1847, in Mont- gomery County, he married Lydia C. Wilson, a native of Harrison County, Ind., born April 11, 1826. She is the daughter of John and Ruth (Wilburn) Wilson, natives of North Carolina. Mr. and Mrs. McDavid are the parents of six children, four of whom are liv- ing-James S., Thomas J., Emily E. and John L. Mr. McDavid has held the office of Justice of the Peace in his township for twenty-eight years, and has never had a judgment reversed, and but few cases of appeal to higher courts. He is an active member of the A., F. & A. M. of Hillsboro. In polities, he is identified with the Demo- cratic party. Self and wife are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

JAMES B. McDAVID, farmer, P. O. Hills-

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boro, was born in Montgomery County, Ill., March 31, 1821, to William and Elizabeth (Johnson) McDavid (see history J. T. Me- David), and his early childhood was employed in assisting his parents upon the homestead farm, and in attending the neighboring log schoolhouse common at that early day, and to which his educational privileges were lim- ited; but he has, however, by observation, and in contact with the world, succeeded in obtaining a practical education, that is, per- haps, above the average. He remained upon the homestead farm until he was about twenty-seven years of age, when he married and entered upon his own career in life as a farmer, and moved upon the place upon which he has since resided, engaged more or less extensively in farming. His first real estate consisted of eighty acres of land. to which he has continually added. until he now has in his possession about one thousand and twenty-five acres, the greater portion of which is under good cultivation. Although he grows all the usual farm crops, he has, during the last few years, made a specialty of grain, and has also been engaged quite extensively in handling stock. At pres- ent. however, he is, to a certain extent, re- tired from activo labor and given place to younger men, who may do well to follow the example Mr. McDavid's life will afford. Mr. McDavid has held several of the county offi- ces, having served as County Assessor for a term of ten years, before the township organi- zation. He is the present Township Asses- sor, the duties of which office he has filled for two terms before the present. He has also served the people as Justice of the Peace about one year, which position he resigned at the end of that time. He was married in Montgomery County February 29, 1848, to Miss Mary A. Burk, who was born in Smith County, Tenn., December 26, 1827, and was

brought to Illinois by her parents when she was about two years of age. She is the mother of one child, William A., who was born April 23, 1854, and is now a prominent young farmer living near the homestead. Mrs. McDavid is a daughter of Andrew and Rachel (Burnette) Burk, natives of Tennes- see, both deceased. Mr. McDavid served in the Mexican war about nine months, and was discharged on account of sickness. He has always taken a lively interest in the political issues of the day, and has always been iden- tified with the Democratic party. Himself and wife are connected with the Presbyterian Church. He has also been a member of the A., F. & A. M., at Hillsboro, for a number of years.

T. W. McDAVID. preacher and farmer, P. O. Hillsboro, was born in Montgomery County, III., September 6, 1833, to William and Elizabeth (Johnson) McDavid. His early life was spent upon the homestead farm as- sisting in tilling the soil of his father's farm, and receiving such an education as the com- mon schools of his native county afforded, and a few months at the Hillsboro Academy. At the age of twenty-three, he commenced teaching school, following the same in the winter, and during the summer he followed the occupation of a farmer. He followed teaching in the winter season for about six years. He became a candidate for the min- istry in 1865, and was ordained in Septem- ber. 1867, by the Vandalia Presbytery. His first charge was at home and Maple Grove, and held the former for seven and a half years, and the latter for six years. Since, he has served as pastor in the following churches. viz .: Mt. Tabor; Witt Church, four years; Cross Roads; at present, he is pastor Irv ing Church, C. P., Maple Grove. In connec- tion with his pastoral duties, Mr. McDavid is extensively engaged in farming upon his

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farm of about four hundred acres; with the exception of eighty-four of timber, it is all under a high state of cultivation. In June, 1860, in Montgomery County, he married Louisa J., daughter of Richard and Tabitha ( Vicars ) Blackburn. Mrs. McDavid was born September 19, 1841, in Montgomery County, Ill. She is the mother of thirteen children, eleven of whom are now living- Emma D., Lizzie J., Frank M., Ella, Mar- garet, Annie, Albert C., James E., Minnie, Lester T. and Hattie. Family are all con- nected with his church, the Cumberland Presbyterian. He is a member of the A., F. & A. M., Hillsboro Lodge. Politically, is identified with the Democratic party.

WILLIAM A. McDAVID, farmer, P. O. Hillsboro, was born in Montgomery County, Ill., April 23, 1854, to James B. and Mary A. McDavid. (See history.) His early childhood was employed in assisting his father in his agricultural pursuits upon the homestead farm, and in attending the com- mon schools of the neighborhood, where he received the foundation of his education. At the age of fifteen he entered the McGee College, at College Mound, Macon Co., Mo., where he remained two years, and then spent two years in Lincoln University, Lincoln, Logan Co., Ill. While at McGee he gradu- ated in book-keeping. At the age of twenty- one years he left the homestead farm, and entered upon his career in life as a farmer, at which occupation he has since continued. In connection with his fatber he has farm lands numbering about one thousand seven hundred acres, the principal part of which is under cultivation. His residence is located about five miles east of Hillsboro, in East Fork Township, and is surrounded by all im- provements necessary for comfort and con- venience, and which shows Mr. McDavid to be a practical farmer. His farmhouse was

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History of Bond and Montgomery Counties, Illinois, Part 91

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