USA > Illinois > Christian County > History of Christian County, Illinois > Part 39
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"We are indebted to J. E. Southwick, Esq., and Judge J. H. Dawdy, for data furnished us for the writing of this history.
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HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
and about the same time J. W. Dawdy bought out Kineaid and French.
John H. Patton, Cornelius H. Tunison, and John Forehope were the first settlers.
John Forehope was the first blacksmith, and most probably built the first dwelling-house. It was small, and constructed in shanty style, boarded up, and was burned in the spring of 1858. This was the first fire in Pana.
Widow Patton erected the second dwelling-house, and the third was a hotel built by W. H. Glassgow, on the north side of the rail- road, known afterwards as the " Ritter House."
In 1856, A. G. Neel bought lumber in Decatur, and erected a store-house, between the Beckwith house and Major Little's store, and opened a stock of goods in it April 3, of the same year.
In 1856-57, the town began to increase rapidly in population and wealth, quite a number of dwellings and stores having been erected ; and the place began to assume a business-like appearance. On the 13th of June, 1857, a terrible and destructive tornado swept over the southern part of the county, and in its course destroyed nearly one half of Pana, and did serious damage to the crops throughout the township.
There was a paper established in 1857, edited and published by M. S. Beekwith.
The first steam mill was built by Slack & McCoy, and com- menced operation Wednesday, Feb. 3, 1858.
J. C. Helmick opened the first banking-house in Pana, in July, 1866. This was also the first bank in the county.
There was a fruit canning establishment ereeted here in 1872, known as " The Pana Branch of the Alden Fruit Preserving Com- pany." It was a stock company with $25.000 capital. The build- ing was consumed by fire in July, 1876, and the machinery after- wards sold to parties at Springfield for $350.
For many years seliool was kept in the "Short House," whichlı was purchased by the school district for $2000.
Dr. Failing and W. S. Fleming, directors, contracted for the east, and first school-house, August 11, 1858.
There are at present two magnificent and commodious three story brick seliool buildings, surmounted with eupolas, which are monu- ments of beauty, and have accommodations for one thousand scholars. The east side house cost $30,000, and the west side $22,000.
The early settlers manifested a decided interest in religious in- struction ; consequently churches were organized and houses for religious worship were erected as the number of inhabitants required them.
The date of the organization of the churches, and the time when their houses for worship were dedicated, is as follows :
The Presbyterian church was organized in 1856, and their house for religious worship was dedicated in 1860.
The Methodist church was organized in 1855, and their house for religious worship was dedicated in 1867.
The Catholic church was organized in 1854, and their house for religious worship was dedicated in 1863.
The German Evangelical church was organized in 1866, and their house for religious worship was dedicated in 1867.
The Baptist church was organized in 1858, and their house for religious worship was dedicated in 1867.
The United Presbyterian church was organized in 1866, and their house for religious worship was dedicated in 1871.
The Southern Methodist church was organized in 1870, and their house for religious worship was dedicated in 1872.
The Christian church was organized in 1857 and re-organized in 1875. They have no house for religious worship.
The city of Pana has been under three different corporations, viz : first under the general law as a village, chartered iu the winter of 1856-57; under a special charter in 1867, and again under the general city and village law in May, 1877.
The first election was held on the 10th day of March, 1857, for town officers, and resulted in the election of A. Monroe, President ; James Martin, W. H. Glassgow, L. F. Shepherd and W. B. Little, as Trustees.
The first officers under special eharter, elected March 8, 1867, were : Wm. J. Jordan, Mayor ; Wm. T. Dobbs, City Judge; Amos A. Rhodes, City Clerk ; J. W. Kitehell, City Attorney ; F. M. Malone, City Marshal. Aldermen in first ward-E. A. Humphrey, W. W. Watkin ; second ward-W. A. Newcomb, John De Lane.
The present city officers are :- F. W. Stockbridge, Mayor; S. C. Wagener, David Overholt, E. Bassett, Wm. Elgin, James Corcoran and John Robb, Aldermen ; Wm. Kelleger, City Attorney ; J. H. Dawdy, Police Magistrate; E. Davis, Clerk ; O. Gossman, Treasurer; S. V. Roseberry, City Marshal ; Howard Randsall, Street Commissioner.
The city hall was erceted in 1870. It is a neat and substantial briek building, three stories high. There is a court-room, and offices for the city officers, and the business of the city is transaeted here.
Little more than twenty-six years have passed since the deer and prairie wolf held sway, and now there is a busy population of about four thousand, possessing the aspect of a thriving and prosperous community. Its long blocks of stores ; neat and substantial churches ; mills and manufacturing establishments ; its mammoth St. James', and other hotels, together with many beautiful private residences, and public schools-all are truly wonderful and appear more the work of magic than reality, and furnish striking proof of the marvellous growth of this portion of the county.
The representatives to the state legislature from Pana were : Dr. James Finley, J. C. Hagler and Levi Scott.
The po t-masters since the establishment of the post-office at Pana have been, M. S. Beckwith, A. G. Neel, O. M. Baldwin, J. W. White, M. Bird, A. C. Vandewater and E C Reese.
LODGES.
The following are the secret societies in Pana :
Pana Lodge, No. 226, A. F. & A. M., was organized in 1856, and chartered October 7, 1856. The charter members numbered seven. The first officers were-J. Guilford, W. M .; T. Short, S. W .; H. Hobson, J. W. The present officers are-S. V. Coulter, W. M. ; Chas. Wall, S. W .; Chas. Simmons, J W. The Lodge is in a flourishing condition This is all the information the secretary could give us.
Puna Chapter, No. 115, R. A. M., was granted under dispensa- tion in the fall of 1867, and chartered October 9, 1868. Number of charter members were nineteen. The first officers were-O. II. Paddock, H. P .; L. Johnson, King; W. W. Watkins, Seribe. Present officers are-O HI. Paddock, H. P. ; S. C. Wagener, King ; Samuel Crabtree, Scribe.
The Adar Lodge, No. 334, I. O. O. F., was chartered October 9, 1866. The number of charter members were six. The first officers were-N. B. Jacoby, P. G. Deputy; J. W. Stark, N. G .; W. T. Dobbs, V. G. ; J. F. Harner, Secretary ; J C. Helmnick, Treasurer. The present officers are-Wm. Wansbrough, P. G. Deputy; C. Wall, N. G .; S. T. Bradley, V. G .; Wm. Wansbrough, Rec'd Secretary ; J. L. Robb, Per. Secretary ; L. Adams, Treasurer. The lodge is in a flourishing condition.
Halle of Arminia Lodge, No. 610, I. O. O. F., was chartered March 10, 1876. There were ten charter members. The following
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HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
were the first officers :- W. Stuhlmann, P. G. Deputy ; O. Gossmann, N. G .; C. C. Schwartz, V. G ; R. A. Pranke, Secretary; L. Selilierbach, Treasurer. The present officers are as follows :- F. A. Gossmann, P. G. Deputy ; John Schllet, V. G .; R. Walti, Secre- tary ; F. Henge, Treasurer. The lodge contracts all business in the German language, and is in good standing.
Pana Lodge, No. 43, Ancient Order United Workmen, was chartered February 28, 1877. There were thirty-eight charter members. The first officers were :- P. M. Nichols, P. M. W .; O. H. Paddock, M. W .; R. M. Henderson, G. F .; W. E. Seott, O .; F. O. Paddock, Rec'd ; E. C. Reese, F .; R. C. Coyner, Ree'v .; Ed. F. Yamelle, G; L. S. Ham, I. W .; Frank Forbes, O. W. Present officers are :- D. W. Barris, P. M. W .; P. M. Nichols, M. W .; E. Wagener, G. F .; E. Weddle, O; Frank Forbes, Rec'd ; R. C. Coy- ner, Rec'v. ; E. S. Davis, F .; Thomas Upchurch, G. ; Chas. Cutter, I. W .; Phillip Jagenian, O. W.
Below is a list of the present business houses and manufacturing institutions.
BANKS.
The banking-house of H N. Schuyler was established in Janu- ary, 1876. It is considered a very safe and reliable institution.
A bank was established by W. E Hayward, July 1, 1867. He discontinued banking in November, 1878, and has since been en- gaged in the Real Estate and Broker business.
MILLS AND ELEVATORS.
The Central Mills and Elevator, owned and operated by Over- holt Bros., has a run of three burrs, with a capacity of 60 bbs. per day (12 hours). The elevator in connection is constructed for handling all kinds of grain, with a capacity of 25,000 bushels of corn, and 40,000 bushels of wheat. The mill is a three and one-half story frame building, and was erected by Eli Jacobs in 1863. The elevator was erected by Overholt Bros. in 1868.
PANA CITY MILLS.
Was erected by Messrs. Miller, George & Minnis, in 1876. It is a brick building, three and one half stories high. There is a run of four burrs, with a capacity of 60 bbs. per day (12 hours), and is operated by A. Miller & Co.
ELEVATORS.
The elevator erected by Joel Beckwith, in 1870, is now owned and operated by S. M. Haywood. It is constructed for handling all kinds of grain, and has a capacity of 10,000 bushels.
In 1874, Jacob Kremer, built an elevator for handling all kinds of grain, with a capacity of 20,000 bushels. It is now owned and operated by Tilton Hemsley & Co.
THE DOOR, SASH FACTORY AND PLANING MILL.
Was erected in 1866, by Wood & Laton. It is at present run by Dutton Wood.
There are also two Planing Mills ; one is run by A. Parker, the other by D. T. Davis.
THE OHIO AND MISSISSIPPI RAILROAD COMPANY'S SHOPS, (SPRINGFIELD DIVISION).
These shops were erected by the Springfield, Illinois and South- Eastern Railroad Company, in 1873. The O. & M. Company took possession in 1876. They do all kinds of general repairing and re- building. There are about one hundred and fifty men employed, under the supervision of E. K. Sechler, division master mechanic, and S. V. Coulter, division master car builder.
HOTELS.
The St. James' Hotel, was erected by John S. Hayward, in 1867, and was first opened by D. Turnbolt, as the " Turnbolt House."
The name was subsequently changed to St. James' Hotel, and is now kept by Col. J. A. Hayward, the present owner of the property. The house is built of brick, three stories high, with marble floors, and has eighty rooms, with accommodations for more than 160 guests. It has ladies and gentlemen's separate bath-rooms, par- lors, reading and smoking-rooms, saloon and billiard-hall, and all the modern improvements, and a most complete kitchen. The house is nicely furnished, and lighted throughout with gas. An elegant view of this hotel may be seen on another page.
The Harrison House, Mrs. Matilda Harrison, proprietor.
Central Hotel, James Dalton, proprietor.
Kentucky House, J. C. Stout, proprietor. Hall House, G. Evans proprietor.
HAYWARD'S OPERA HOUSE.
Few places the size of Pana ean boast of so fine a little theatre as the one above-mentioned. It has a seating capacity of 813. The stage is 24x30 fect, furnished with a full set of scenery by Noxon, of the Olympic Theatre, St. Louis. The house is lighted with gas, and heated by two wood furnaces. See interior view on another page.
PHYSICIANS.
The leading Physicians in Pana are :- Geo. W. Patton, Jacob IIuber, J. H. Dodge, H. H. Deming, Salem Dickey, A. E. Eversole, L D. Higgins, H. H. Hall. T. H. McCoy, dentist.
There are three weekly newspapers published in Pana, viz :- Gazette, Palladium and Argus.
BUSINESS IIOUSES.
Dry Goods, Clothing, Boots and Shoes .- S. C. Wagener, George V. Panwell, Beekenhimer, Goldstine & Co., J. R. Race & Co.
Grocery .- James Babcock, Jacob Born, Jewell & Moseley, Jageman & McElroy, W. L Dowling, J. B. Shaffer, M. J. Jones, Newcomb Bros, J. C. Ellis, Casey & Cox, Wm. Howard, and Griffith Evans.
Hardware, Stoves and Tinware .- Lewis Jehle, Wm. Stuhlman, A. B. Corman, H. Buell.
Furniture .- IIess & Bros., A. B. Corman.
Clothing and Gents' Furnishing Goods .- Isaac Kempner.
Drugs. - R C. Coyner, P. M. Nichols, O. Gossman & Bro., L. D. Higgins.
Jewelry .- August Reher, A. J. Keeney.
Books and Stationery .- J. M. Aker.
Confectionery, Bakery and Restaurants .- Jacob Alhime, Lewis Paul, James Methven.
Boots and Shoes .- Merrill & Neely, Wm. Conklin & Co.
Harness,-Lewis Schlierbaeli, J. C. Woodside.
Leather .- N. Kelliger.
Cigars .- P. 1 .. Veiling, A. Smith, R. N. Forbes, John Lem- berger.
Photograph Gallery .- J. V. Hover.
Agricultural Implements -O. H. Paddock, Cox & Swim, F. W. Stockbridge.
Land Agents .- R. C. Couch, J. II. Dawdy, G. I. Ladd.
Loan and Insurance Agents .- O. M. Baldwin, R. M. Henderson, James H. Yarnell.
Sewing Machine Agents .- Frank Schnitzer, N. D. Lamareaux. Undertakers .- J. E. Neely, II. Kirkpatrick.
Merchant Tailors. - JJ. T. Albright, H. Pratt, J. Freich.
Millinery and Dress-making .- Mrs. S. P. Mooney, Misses B &
E. Millard, Mrs. George Belmp.
Hay Dealers .- D. E. MeGarrah, D. M. Keys.
Wholesale Gunpowder Dealers .- E. C. Reese & Bro.
The Library of the University of Illmoks
ST JAME'S LIE
RESIDENCE IN PANA .
ST JAME'S /
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BELLS GROVE FARM, ( 52/ ACRES.) SEC.19, TP. II, R. JE, CHRISTIAN CO. IL. VIEWS OF PROPERTY, OWNED AND MANAGEL
RY STABLE,
BEARDSTOWN DISTILLERY,
ARGUS MOFFICE
STEAM PRINTING
TEL PANA, ILL.
HAYWARDS OPERA HOUSE,
€
OCONEE FARM, (1220 ACRES ) SEC. 36, TP.10 R.I. AUDUBON TP. MONTGOMERY CO. IL.
Y COL. J. A. HAYWARD, OF PANA, CHRISTIAN CO. IL.
The Library of the University of Illinois.
145
HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
Ice Dealer .- John Shaffer.
Coal Dealers .- Reese Bros., O. H. Paddoek, Cox & Swim.
Marble Yards .- T. H. Seott, Smith & Walker.
Lumber Yards .- R. Johns, Dutton Wood.
Wagon and Carriage Factory .- J & W. Coreoran, P. Molz, M. Siler.
Machine Shop and Wagon Factory .- Hawker & Combest.
Machine Shop .- John Reed & Son.
Foundry and Machine Shop .- John Emery.
Tile Factories .- Jasper Randolph, T. J. Bernard, Vidler & Houston.
Saw Mill. - Robert Johns.
Pop Manufactory .- F. Webber & Bro.
Livery Stables .- T. P. Clark, Henry Barkshire.
Shoe Shops .- Richard Miller, J. I. Mellon, Frank Sehnitzer, Wm. Viekerage.
Carpenter Shops .- Chas. Lyman, John Neely, T. Raymond. Cooper Shops .- Mrs. John Sanbach, John Gartland, J. Horn.
Blacksmith Shops .- Schwartz & Maise, John Sehafer, V. Steller, Peter Troutman.
Barber Shops .- Patriek Smith, E. Wagner.
Butcher Shops .- B. Hegle, Sanders & Runkle, W. F. Fisher.
Saloons .- Cody & Galvin, Fleming & Morefield, L. Pane, W. R. Abrell, R Prankey, Kuhn & Emery.
We subjoin a list of Township Offieers.
Supervisors -Wm. B. Little, eleeted 1866; J. H. Hawker,
1867 ; Joel Beekwith,1868, re-elected 1869-70 ; A. C. Vandewater, 1871; W. B. Little, 1872; Mr. Lawrence, 1873; G. J. Ladd, 1875, and by re-election held the office till 1879; Wm. J. Jordan, 1879; E. S. Davis, 1880.
Assessors .- J. P. Walker, 1876; S. S. Vrooman, 1877, re-elected 1878; J. D. White, 1879, re-elected 1880.
Collectors .- Wm. J. Jordan, eleeted 1866; Andrew Brishew, 1867; G. J. Ladd, 1868 ; A. G. Neel, 1869; W. H. Topping, 1870 ; J. V. Roseberry, 1871, re-elected 1872; I. Thomas Mull, 1873; S. V. Rosenberry, 1874, re-elected 1875; W. Tribbett, 1876; C. A. Overholt, 1877, re-elected 1878 ; Wm. Tribbett, 1879, re-elected 1880.
Town Clerks .- F. O. Paddoek, 1876 ; A. W. Parker, 1877; E. S. Davis, 1878, re-elected 1879; Charles Nadenbush, 1880.
Justices of the Peace .- Albert G. Neel and John H. Dawdy, eleeted in 1866; H. J. Atkins and G. I. Ladd, 1869; A. G. Neel and John H. Dawdy, re-elected in 1870; Joseph N. Patton, J. E. Southwiek, Isaae F. Colby and A. G. Neel, 1876; J. E. Southwiek, J. N. Patton and A. G Neel, re-elected 1877 ; J. D. White,
Commissioners of Highways .- W. A. Webber, 1876 ; T. J. Lester, 1877 ; Daniel Keys, 1878; Fletcher Anderson, 1879 ; J. H. Smith, 1880.
Constables .- W. J. Jordan, G. W. MeKee and John P. William- son, eleeted in 1873; G. F. Buckles, 1874; J. H. Pratt, 1876; B. C. Coehran, J. P. Chapman, W. J. Jordan and Henry Jehle, 1877; J. H. Pratt, 1879 ; H. Harvey, 1880.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
JOHN E. NEELY.
AMONG the many men who have contributed to the building up of the eity of Pana, stands the name of the subject of this sketeh. He is a native of Chester county, Pennsylvania, and was born March 19th, 1828. The Neely family, on the paternal side, are of Seoteh and German aneestry, and on the maternal side Welsh. William Neely, the father, was a farmer, and lived and died in Chester county, Penna. His death oeeurred in February, 1878. The mother died in 1852. There were eight children in the family, seven of whom have survived the parents. John E. is the eldest of the family. He received a good education in the common schools of his state. At the age of eighteen he commenced his apprentiee- ship to the carpenter trade, and worked at the business during his sojourn in his native county.
On the 1st of September, 1856, he was united in marriage to Miss Mary A. Millard, a native of the same county and state. In the spring of 1858, he eame west and settled in Pana. At that time the town had been laid out but a few years, and it was yet in its infaney. Sinee Mr. Neely has been there he has seen it grow from a small railroad station to a eity of four thousand inhabi- tants. From the low, irregular wooden buildings that then gave the town the appearance of a frontier village, it has passed to a
city with regular streets, flanked on each side with large and eom- modious briek business houses, and dotted over with elegant and costly private residences. He has perhaps construeted a greater number of houses, and contributed more to this new appearance of things, than any other man in Pana.
In 1860, he added the undertaking business to that of earpenter and builder, and while he contributed mueh by his work to the eomfort of the living, he has also prepared and laid away many of Pana's citizens in the silent eity of the dead.
In polities he was formerly an old line whig, and as such he cast his first presidential vote for Gen. Winfield Seott in 1852. After the abandonment of the whig party, and the formation of the re- publiean, he joined that organization, and is still an admirer of its prineiples.
His marriage has been blessed with five children, three of whom are living. Their names are Ida M., William B., and Anna E. Neely ; Ella died at the age of fourteen years, and William How- ard died in infaney.
His estimable wife is a member of the M. E. Church. Mr. Neely is much respected, and the eirele of his friends are as wide as his acquaintance.
19
146
HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
J.b. Manigg
THE subject of the following biographical sketch was born in Wayne county, Ohio, August 1st, 1840. His parents, Jolin and Sarah McQuigg, arc natives of county Antrim, Ireland. They came to America in 1838, and settled in Wayne county, Ohio, where they still reside. There are nine children in the family, all of whom are living and have reached maturity. James C. is the third son and sixth in the family. He was raised upon his father's farm. His educational advantages in youth were superior to many others reared under similar circumstances. IIe attended a school in his neighborhood known as the " People's College," which, while organized and supported under the Free School system of the State, in its scholarship was advanced to as high a standard as that of academics. This was owing to the liberality and advanced ideas of some of the leading citizens of that particular locality, who con- tributed from their private funds to support the school. At that school Mr. McQuigg made rapid advancement, and became profi- cient in the higher branches of mathematics, and also made con- siderable progress in Latin and other languages. In his nineteenth year he entered the Fredericksburg Academy, in Wayne county, where he remained until the breaking out of the war. The first call for troops to put down the rebellion was made and young Mc- Quigg was among the first to respond to the call. He entered as a private under the three months call, in the 4th Ohio Regt. Co. A, Col. Gibbon commanding. The regiment was ordered to West Vir- ginia. They returned home, however, a short time before their time expired. On the 16th of August, 1861, he enlisted as a pri- vate for three years in Co. G, 16th Regt. Ohio Vols. He remained with his regiment and participated in every battle in which it was engaged, till May, 1863, when he was wounded in one of the as- saults on the works before Vicksburg. The wound disabled him for further military duty, and he was honorably discharged from the service. He returned to his home in Ohio, and during the same
year entered the Vermillion College, at Hayesville, Ohio, where he remained until the fall of 1865. He entered for the elassieal course, except Greek, substituting therefore the study of German. His failure to study Greek prevented his graduation. He then went to Ann Arbor, Michigan, and entered the law department of the Michigan University, and graduated therefrom in the spring of 1867, with the degree of Bachelor of Laws. He returned home, and on the 8th of May, 1867, in the District Court of Columbus, he was admitted to the bar. He then came west to Illinois and located in Pana, where he formed a law partnership with A. C. Me- Millan, which continued for six months, after which he resumed the practice alone up to the present. As a lawyer Mr. McQuigg has been very successful in the practice, and ranks high among the best in Christian county. On the 8th of June, 1869, he was united in marriage to Miss Marian Patton, daughter of Wm. R. Patton. Her parentage is Scotch-Irish. She was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, but has been a resident of Illinois since 1851. This union has been blessed by two children, a boy and girl, named Myron W., and Florence McQuigg, aged respectively ten and four years.
Mr. MeQuigg is an active member of the republican party, although not a partisan, only so far as to exercise the right of suf- frage, and in keeping prominent the principles of that political or- ganization. In all local or county elections he takes an active part. In 1876 he was the candidate on the republican ticket for the office of State's Attorney, and although his party was in a hopeless inino- rity in the county, yet so vigorous was his campaign, and such was his popularity, that he was defeated by only eighty-thirce votes, while the balance of the republican ticket was beaten seven hun- dred and eighty-six votes. This fact testifies in the strongest man- ner possible his standing as a man and lawyer in the county. In his manners he is a pleasant and agreeable gentleman. His cha- racter as a citizen is above reproach.
The Library of the University of Illinois.
& I Hayward
HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
147
J.a. Hayward
THE Hayward family on the paternal side is a very old one in the history of Massachusetts. They are the deseendants of the Pilgrim fathers who fled from religious persecution in the old world to make their home in the new, where they could hold eom- munion and worship their God according to the dictates of their own conscienee. They landed in Massachusetts in the year 1838. John S. Hayward, the father, was born in Plymouth. In his younger years he was an accountant in one of the large business houses of Boston, where he gained the entire confidence of his em- ployers, which, in after years, was of an incalculable advantage to him in a financial point of view, as it enabled him to purchase, upon long time, large stocks of goods of more than treble the value of all his, then, limited wealth. This confidence thus reposed in him was never violated, and it assisted him in laying the founda- tion of his future wealth. In 1832 he came west, on a tour of ob- servation. He returned east, and in 1834 removed his family west, and settled in Hillsboro, Montgomery county, where he remained until his death, in May, 1869. He engaged in a merchandizing business until 1852, when he sold out and gave his exclusive atten- tion to real estate transactions, in which he had, prior to that time, been heavily engaged. In order to give the reader a proper idea of the extent of his real estate transactions, it is only necessary to mention that he was the owner at one time of 85,000 acres, and was perhaps at the time the largest landed proprictor in America.
In 1840 he married Harriet F. Comstoek. She was a native of Hartford, Conneetieut. She died in 1874. There were seven
children by this marriage, two of whom have survived the parents, William E., and John A., the subject of this sketeh. The former a prominent business man and capitalist of Pana.
Col. J. A. Hayward was born in Hillsboro, Montgomery county, Illinois, October 12th, 1848. In his youth he was an invalid, and therefore lost the opportunity of receiving such an education as his circumstanees in life would permit. His entire schooling was re- eeived in Hillsboro Academy, and ended with his seventeenth year. This defect in his early training, and lost opportunities in youth has been, to a certain extent, remedied in his maturer years by his habits of elose observation, love of reading, and retentive memory. His mental endowments are naturally of a bright and high order, and his quick mind receives impressions with an apti- tude and retentiveness that belongs to the higher grade of intelleet. Although not enjoying the usual facilities for acquiring an education, his knowledge of men and things, and information of events, past and present, is superior to many who make far greater pretensions.
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