USA > Illinois > Christian County > History of Christian County, Illinois > Part 63
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J. B. MATTIIEW, M D.,
A PROMINENT physician of Christian county, was born near where Palmer now stands, March 2, 1850. He was the son of Oscar F. and Margaret Matthew. His father was a native of Virginia, and his mother of Indiana. Simon Matthew, the grandfather of J. B. Matthew, emigrated with his family to Sangamon county, Ills, as early as 1833, where he improved a farm in what is now Cotton Hill township, and lived there until his death. He was known as a careful and industrious farmer, a plain and unassuming man and a good citizen. Oscar Matthew was about twelve years of age when his father moved into Sangamon county. He grew to man- hood in this eounty, and there met Margaret Britton, who after- ward became his wife, in 1845. They lived in Sangamon eounty until December 5, 1849, when they moved to Christian county, and settled near where Palmer is, where he improved a farm and lived several years, subsequently moving back to Cotton Hill township, Sangamon county, Ills., where he now lives. His life occupation has been that of a farmer and stock-raiser. Ile raised a family of six children, of whom the doctor is the second. His elder brother, the Rev. W. S. Matthew, is a prominent minister in the city of
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HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
Springfield, Ill., now having charge of the M. E. Church of that place.
The doctor was raised on a farm, and attended the common schools of the neighborhood, whereby he received a fair education. At the age of eighteen, he was united in marriage to Miss Amanda E. Lawley, daughter of William B. Lawley, an old resident of Sangamon county. They have one child, Charles E. The doctor, after his marriage, returned to Christian county, near Maple Grove, where he followed farming for two years. Although raised on a farm, he never liked the business, and thinking he was better in- tended for some professional business, he moved to Taylorville and began the study of medicine under Drs. J. H. and L H. Clark, two prominent practitioners of that placc. He remained with them about three years, after which he attended the Ameriean Medical College of St. Louis, where he graduated May 12, 1875. He immediately began the practice of his chosen profession in the village of Mt. Auburn, and has so continued up to the present time with agreeable success. For a time he was engaged in the mercantile business in Mt. Auburn, but his adventure proved un- successful. His intention in the future is to give his entire atten- tion to his profession. In politics he is a republican. He is a gen- tleman, popular for his genial qualities, and has an excellent stand- ing as a physician, and is, as yet a young man full of vigor. He will undoubtedly add greater laurels to his reputation.
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P. COOPER
WAS the son of John and Susannah Cooper; he was born in Sangam- on county, Illinois, June 29, 1826. John Cooper was a native of South Carolina ; his fathers name was also John, and he was a native of the Carolinas. Mr. Cooper's ancestry have lived in America for several generations. John Cooper, the grandfather of the subject of our sketch, was born in South Carolina, in 1772. He was married there, and seven of his children were born in that state. He moved with his family to Jefferson county, Tennessee, in 1820. Some of his children continued their western march in the same year, and settled in Sangamon county, Illinois. He lived in Tennessee two years, and then with the remaining members of his family came to Sangamon county, and settled in what is now Cooper township. John Cooper, the father of the subject of our sketch, was born June 3, 1794, and was taken by his parents to Tennessee, where he was married to Susannah Peyton. By this union they had one child when Mrs. Cooper died. Mr. Cooper was again married to Miss Susannah Giger. They had two children born to them in Tennessee and moved to Sangamon county, as stated above in 1820, and settled near where Rochester now stands, and one year later moved to what is now Cooper township. They had nine children born to them in Sangamon county, of whom the subject of our sketch was the fifth. John Cooper for several years was a member of the Sangamon coun- ty Board, and filled the office of JJustice of the Peace for a number of years. He was a member of the Methodist church, and local minister ; he devoted a great part of his declining years in preaching the Gospel. He solemnized the marriages of many couples among the carly settlers, and when the township organization was effected, his name was given to the township in which he lived, as a mark of respect to his memory. He lived the life of a good and worthy cit- izen, and died January, 1860, in the full hope of a better land. Mr. P. Cooper has descended from a long line of farmers, and was edneated to that avocation. He received a common school educa- tion such as the schools of his day afforded. He married Miss Eliz- abeth Firey November 16, 1848. She was a native of Washington
county. Maryland, and was a daughter of Jacob Firey, who was a resident farmer of Christian county. They have been blessed with a family of four children, John H., Jacob P., Mary E. now the wife of A. Smith, a resident of Mt. Auburn township and Laura B. His sons and his younger daughter are still beneath the parental roof. After Mr. Cooper's marriage he left his native county and settled in Mt. Auburn township, Christian county, where he now resides. Mr. Cooper has a fine farm of three hundred and fifty- three acres, and one of the finest farm residences in the county, a view of which can be seen in another part of this work. In politics he is a democrat; religiously he and his wife are members of the Lutheran church. He is quiet and unassuming in his nianners, char- itable where there exists any just cause, and dispenses a liberal hos- pitality with the case and grace of the olden time.
WILLIAM Y. CROSTHWAIT
WAS born in Trigg county, Ky., March 22d, 1826. His father, Samuel T. Crosthwait, was a native of Maury county, Tennessee, and of Irish descent. He here grew to manhood upon a farm. He attended the schools of Columbia, whereby he received a good edu- eation ; at the age of seventeen he began teaching school, a profes- sion he principally followed during his entire life. At the age of twenty-one or twenty-two, he went into Kentucky, where he mar- ried Miss Mary Young, July 7th, 1824 ; they raised a family of six children. In 1832 he emigrated to Illinois with his family, and settled within about one mile of the South Fork of Sangamon river, and about the same distance from where the town of Taylorville now stands. He here opened up an improvement, and during the winter months taught school until February 24th, 1835, when he was frozen to death under the following circumstances. During the inclement season, he took an ox team out to gather sueh necessaries as were awarded him for teaching, it being eustomary in those days for the citizens to pay the school-master in sueli articles as meal, pork, flour, or any other commodity which could be utilized in the teacher's family ; night came on before he eould reach home ; be- eoming bewildered in the darkness, he lost his way, and in the morn- ing, was found frozen to death upon the prairie.
The subject of our sketch was then but nine years old, and being the eldest son, he remained with his mother until he bceame of age; much of the cares and responsibilities of raising crops and provid- ing for the family devolved upon him. At the age of twenty-two he was united in marriage to Miss Sarah Murphy, January 5th, 1848, who died about one year afterwards, January 28, 1849. Mr. Crosthwait again married, his second choice being Ellen M. Benson, to whom he was united October 1st, 1850. By this marriage he lias a family of five children, four boys and one girl. Mr. C. was educated to farm life, and has made that his principal avocation ; for four years he was in the mercantile business, and carried on a general store in Grove City, this county. In 1862 he enlisted in the late war into Company D. 130th Illinois Volunteers, under Captain Daniel De Camp, Col. Niles having command of the regiment until the close of the war. In politics, Mr. Crosthwait is a republican, and in 1878 was nominated by his party to represent the thirty- fourth district in the legislature, and was elected. He made a good and faithful member in the house. He worked hard and talked but little, which, perhaps, is the best culogy which can be pronounced upon a judicious and commendable law-maker. Mr. and Mrs. Crosthwait are members of the M. E. Church, and have cducated their family in that faith. His children are Henry C., Mary L., Lyman I., George A. and William E.
SOUTH VIEW
NORTH VIEW
-
THE FARM RESIDENCE OF
P. COOPER, SEc. 26. T. 15, R. 3, (MT. AUBURN TP) CHRISTIAN CO., ILL.
The Library of the University of Illinois
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HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
NA SWWWDEN
HN North
THE gentleman whose portrait is at the head of this page, in stature stands six feet, and in avoirdupois turns the beam at three hundred and twenty-five pounds. In disposition he is mirthful, genial and sociable, and possesses those qualities that render his company pleasant and agreeable. He was born in Sangamon county, Illinois, within a short distance of the Christian county line, January 26, 1835. He was the son of John and Anna North. John North was a native of Virginia, born November 22, 1806, near the village of Bent Creek, on James river, in Buckingham county. His grandfather, Richard North, was born in England, and followed the business of a cutler. He came to America and worked at his trade at Bent Creek. His wife's maiden name was Thornton, but whether they were married in England or America is unknown to their descendants. Their third son Peter, born in Virginia, was married there to Elizabeth Franklin, daughter of Robert Franklin, of Campbell county, Virginia. Peter North was a soldier from Virginia in the war with England in 1812. In 1819 or '20, he emigrated to Jefferson county, near Dandridge, Tennessee, taking with him six children. The second son, John, who was the father of the subject of this sketch, was then married, September 22, 1828, to Miss Anna Giger, who was a native of that county. Immediately after Mr. North's marriage, he emigrated with his young wife to Sangamon county, Illinois, arriving April 12,1829. They settled in what is now Cooper township, in the part lying north of the North Fork of the Sangamon river, where they raised a family of four boys, viz: Benjamin Houston, Harvey N., John W. and Andrew J. now deceased. Mr. North lost his wife, Annie North, Feb. 24, 1844. He was again married to Susannah 31
Eckel, by whom he had six children, all deceased. Mrs. North died in 1855, and Mr. North married Mrs. Amelia Woodruff, in 1856. There have been three children born by this union, all of whom are now living. Mr. North resides on the farm he first im- proved in 1829, three miles north of Mechanicsburg.
Harvey N. North was there brought up and educated to farm life ; a business he has since followed. It was there he first met Miss Sarah E. Prather, who afterwards became his wife. They were married November 13, 1856. She was a daughter of Perry and Sarah E. Prather, and born in Maryland. Her ancestry were early scttlers of that state, and of German descent. Mrs. North's father emigrated to Sangamon county about thirty years ago, and settled in Cooper township, where he died. His wife still survives him. Mr. and Mrs. North have raised a family of four boys, viz: Tony, Emery, Clyde and Peter. They are all living at home. After Mr. North's marriage, he settled in Christian county, where he has since resided.
In politics, he is a democrat. He is not a member of any reli- gious denomination, but has always endeavored to live an upright and honorable life. He is a member of the Masonic order. He has shared the hardships and privations incident to the settlement of a new country. His hair and whiskers are tinged with gray, but he bears remarkably well the burden of forty-five years. Now, in the prime of life, he may enjoy the tecming bounties of a pros- perous county, young in years but old in improvements in agricul- ture and in commercial importance. He is much esteemed in the community where he lives, and is destined to enjoy many years of honorable usefulness and reasonable prosperity.
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HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
DIAL DAVIS
HAS lived within fifteen miles of Mt. Auburn, where he now lives, for fifty-four years, making him one of the oldest citizens of Mt. Auburn township. He was born near Mechaniesburg, Sangamon county, January 10th, 1826. His father, John Davis, was a native of Tennessee, and lived near Nashville, in that state. He there married Miss Sarah D. Milligan ; they had two children born to them in Tennessee, one now living. Henry Davis, who by industry and economy, has acquired quite a fortune, is well known to the citizens of Christian county. John Davis cmigrated to Illinois in the year 1818 ; he first came to Springfield, where he stopped about a year, and then settled east of Springfield, near Clear Lake, where he remained about two years, and subsequently moved south of Mechanicsburg, where he lived five years. They were living at this place during the deep snow. In 1832 they moved south of the Sangamon river, and settled three and-a-half miles west of the mound where Mt. Auburn now stands. As the lands were not in the mar ket, he could not enter land ; for a small consideration he purchased the improvements of a "squatter," which consisted of a log house and a garden-patch ; this was the first place he could call his own in Illinois ; his intention was to enter the land as soon as the country began to settle up, but like many other early settlers in Illinois, he was " Entered out" by a heartless speculator, and was compelled to locate in another track near by. Mr. and Mrs. Davis had four children born to them in Sangamon county, viz. : John deceased, William, Dial and Sarah, now the wife of M. V. Swick' and a resident of Mt. Auburn ; William is now a farmer in Mt. Auburn township. John Davis lived in Mt. Auburn township in the vicinity where he first settled and resided until his death in 1841; his wife preceded him about three years. The subject of our sketch grew to manhood in this thien thinly-settled country on a farm, and re- ceived such an education as the early times afforded. At the age of twenty he enlisted in the war with Mexico ; he was in Company C., under Captain I. C. Pugh, Col. E. D. Baker, having command of the regiment 4th Ills. vols. Dick Oglesby was the first Lieu- tenant of Company C., and commanded the company at the battle of Cerro Gordo. Mr. Davis was within twenty yards of General James Shields, when he was shot through and through, in the charge at this battle. Mr. Davis heard Oglesby remark, after this battle, that he would rather lead that company in such a battle than be governor of Illinois. Mr. Davis was in this war just one year ; he was discharged and mustered out of service in New Orleans, and then returned to his old associates in Christian county. The land warrant he received for his services in the Mexican war he traded for cighty acres of land, lying in the west part of Mt. Auburn township, and immediately began the improvement of this eighty, and from 1848 to 1852, he lived alone and "batched" it. And then, like all sensible young men, he concluded that single blessed- ness was no longer desirable, and consequently, Feb. 4, 1852, took unto himself a better-half, in the person of Miss Edmonia E. Hesser, a daughter of Samuel Hesser, one of the pioneer settlers of Sangamon county. They raised a family of six children, viz. : Franklin P., Sallie M., Charles E., Henry N., Dial W., and Carrie E., now the wife of William 1. Rasar. Franklin, Henry and Dial, are now de- ceased. The other two children live in Mt. Auburn. Mrs. Davis dicd July 4th, 1864. Mr. Davis was again married to Huldah J. Stobaugh, May 5th, 1867. They have one child, Nellie M. Mr. Davis' life occupation has been that of a farmer and stock raiser, and for several years he shipped stock extensively. In 1874 he started his son Franklin in the drug and grocery business in Mt. Auburn; he sold out in 1877 and went to the Black Hills, where he took the mountain fever and died, August 21st, 1877. Mr. Davis
bought the store and stock of goods the second time under a bank- rupt sale, and his son Henry ran the business until his death, Mareh 7th, 1880, and Mr. Davis and his son Charles are now carrying on the business. In Mr. Davis' younger days he rode constable for several years, and was the first collector in the township; was a member of the County Board when the county was divided into townships. In politics, he is a stanch democrat. And thus we close the record of one of the industrious and successful eitizens of Christian county, who is now the largest land-holder in Mt. Auburn township. His financial prosperity is more the result of integrity and industry than a worldly love of gain. What he has is the re- sult of hard labor. As a self-made man, his name is presented to the youth of Christian county, as an example of what industry will do for an energetic boy if he starts out in the pathway of life with a determination to succeed.
MONTGOMERY P. GOODRICH-(DECEASED)
WHO died at Mt. Auburn, October 5th, 1876, was born in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, April, 1810. He was united in marriage to Miss Mary Milligan, January 14th, 1845. They had born to them a family of five children, viz. : Oren W., now deceased ; Marietta, now the wife of John V. Koogle ; Martha A., James A., and Hattie Maria ; the three latter are living at home with their mother. Mrs. Goodrich lives on the old Goodrich homestead, and carries on the farm. She is a native of Christian county. Her parents, Forgus and Sarah Milligan, emigrated from Tennessee, and settled in what is now Christian county in an early day, long before the county was organized. The following we elip from M. P. Goodrich's obituary: " M. P. Goodrich came to Springfield, Illinois, in 1838, and to Mt. Auburn in 1840, where he has ever since resided. He lived at Mt. Auburn more than a third of a century. He came to that place the next year after the organization of the county, and was identified with every publie measure by which the county was changed from a wilderness to a densely populated county. He was a pioneer in the full sense of the term. Time and again he went. from Mt. Auburn to Taylorville, when there was but one solitary house between those two towns, and that was at or near the place where Grove city now stands. He was a representative man of his time. He was elected County Surveyor in 1847, and afterward a member of the County court. To his energy, diligence, judg- ment and firmness the people are chiefly indebted for their eseape from a bonded debt for the court-house, which was built under his administration. He held the commission of Justice of the peace for a long period of time, and also that of Post-master, at Mt. Au- burn. No man ever found fault with the discharge of his public duties. His integrity was never suspceted. No man ever had the confidence of the people of the county more than M. P. Goodrich. In the more active years of his life his friends frequently desired to bring him forward as a candidate for important county offiecs, to which he could have been elceted. But as his brother, William A. Goodrich, was continued from one important county office to ano- ther, for more than thirty-three years the generous nature of Montgomery P. cver declined the solicitation of his friends lest it should appear that the family were grasping. He was active and energetic. He disregarded any personal consideration, and drove through heat, cold and storm when occasion required. It is but too true this disregard of cold and storm, and of hunger and sleep, wore upon his constitution, and but for this he might have lived many years. He did not always control his temper, but sometimes would strike a blow before his judgment could be brought to bear upon the subject. This was his greatest fault, and the only thing that
RESIDENCE OF DIAL DAVIS MT. AUBURN.
TENANT HOUSE.
OLD HOMESTEAD, SEC.II, T. 15, R.2.
VIEWS OF THE PROPERTY OF DIAL DAVIS, MT. AUBURN TP., CHRISTIAN CO., ILL.
TENANT HOUSE
TIB 34 YR'S. OLD. TENANT HOUSE
JANE A. MONTGOMERY'S HOMESTEAD, SEC. 25 T.15, R.2 ( MT. AUBURN TP) CHRISTIAN CO., ILL.
The Library of the University of Illinois.
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HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
ever brought him an enemy. He was for a long time a leading merchant at Mt. Auburn, and at the same time carried on exten- sive farming. He was a kind, hospitable man, a warm-hearted and generous friend, a kind husband, and indulgent father, and by his death Christian county lost a worthy citizen.
I. Q. VIRDEN
WAS born in Ross county, Ohio, October 25, 1824. He is of Ger- man ancestry on the paternal side and English on the maternal. His father, Isaac Virden, was a native of Virginia, and emigrated to Ohio in an early day, where he was married to Miss Amelia Sadler. They had eleven children born to them in Ohio, ten boys and one daughter, of whom the subject of our sketch was the eighth ; his father was a farmer, and in 1832, being desirous to go to a country where land was cheaper, as he had a large family of boys, emigrated to Illinois and settled on Buckhart Creek, four miles west of the now village of Grove city ; he here improved a farm, and died on this place March, 1846. At the time Mr. Virden settled on the Buckhart, that part of the country was a howling wilderness. They were compelled to pen the sheep and pigs near the house to save them from the wolves ; they had to go sixteen miles to mill, and do their own grinding by putting a yoke of oxen on the wheel, and often in the time of bad roads they obtained their meal by the " hominy block." Mr. Virden remained at home until he was twenty-one ; he then married Miss Rachel Nester, from Bath county, Kentucky, and began life for himself; for four years he rented and then bought the place he is now living on near Mt. Auburn; he settled on this place in 1851, and took it from nature's domain. His was a beautiful location, overlooking thousands of acres of fine farming lands now dotted with houses, and which within Mr. Virden's recollection was one vast plain covered with the tall prairie grass. His first purchase was one hundred acres, and by adding piece after piece, his farm consists of six hundred acres ; he shipped at one time a great deal of stock, but reverses came upon him, bad crops, the loss of stock and worse than all the payment of security debts. All coming in upon him at the same time was more than he could withstand, and the consequences were that he lost his farm and the most of his personal property ; but he is yet in the prime of life, full of energy and vigor, and he hopes at no distant day to recover a part at least of his original farm. Mr. Virden met with these re- verses, and it was not within his power to resist them. He has always endeavored to deal with his fellow-men honestly in all his business transactions. Mr. and Mrs. Virden have a family of six
children ; five daughters and one son ; his daughters are all married and live within a few hours drive of the old homestead ; his son, William E., is still living at home. In politics Mr. Virden is a re- publican. He and his wife are members of the M. E. Church, and he has endeavored to bring up his children in the tenets of that church. For a number of years he has been a member of the Masonic order ; he is also an Odd Fellow.
ISAAC H. FIREY
WAS born in Washington county, Maryland, February 2, 1820. He was the son of Jacob and Mary Firey. Jacob Firey was also a native of Washington county, Maryland, as was his wife, Mary Houser. His ancestry on both sides are of German origin. Jacob Firey raised a family of four children. He emigrated with his family to Sangamon county, Illinois, in 1836. Arriving in the fall he settled in what is now Cooper township, where he remained about five years. He then moved into Christian county, and settled in Mt. Auburn township, where he purchased land and improved a farm. The subject of our sketch now lives on the old homestead. Jacob Firey lived on this place until his death, May 18, 1853, aged sixty-two years. He lived a member of the Lutheran church, and possessed rare qualities, and by his upright and manly life, won an honorable name and endeared himself to a large circle of friends. His wife preceded him about sixteen years. Her death dates June 9, 1837. Isaac H. Firey assisted on his father's farm until he was twenty-seven years of age. He then married Miss Eliza Sattley, a resident of Rochester, Sangamon county, Illinois, and daughter of Archibald and Harriet Sattley. Archibald Sattley was a soldier in the war of 1812. He afterwards married his officer's daughter, Harriet Hawley, and subsequently emigrated to Illinois, and settled in Sangamon county, in 1819.
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