History of Crawford and Clark counties, Illinois, Part 104

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago : O.L. Baskin & Co.
Number of Pages: 826

USA > Illinois > Clark County > History of Crawford and Clark counties, Illinois > Part 104
USA > Illinois > Crawford County > History of Crawford and Clark counties, Illinois > Part 104

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).

J. H. WILKIN, farmer, P. O. Oblong, is an estimable and reliable farmer of Ob-

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long Township. He was born in Licking County, Ohio, July 22, 1825. In 1829, when about four years old, he was taken by his parents to Fairfield County. His chances for education were somewhat limited. He at- tended school about two months in the year. At the age of twenty-one he engaged in farm- ing for himself. On June 21, 1846, he was married to Lavina Ann Hilton. She was a native of Fairfield County, Ohio. Have one child living, William. In October, 1848, he came to Crawford County, and purchased a farm of 200 acres in Sections 17 and 1S, Oblong Township, of unimproved land. His wife died December 7, 1848. He remained here in Crawford County until March, 1849, at which time returned to Licking County, Ohio, and engaged in farming. In 1851, June 21, was married to Emily Wilson, a native of Licking County. Have one child living and one dead, namely: Mary Fran- ces, Harriet O., deceased. In April, 1852, he came back to Crawford County. His wife's death occurring September 3, 1854, in Crawford County, he was married again, March 1, 1855, to Mary E. Comly, a native of Perry County, Ohio, and has two chil- dren living and one dead, namely: Lafay- ette Clarence, and Lucy E., are living, Rosa A., deceased. Our subject's father, Jacob, was a native of Virginia He was born in Shenandoah County in the year 1797, and died in Crawford County about the year 1856. His mother, Catharine (Burner), was also a native of Shenandoah County, Va., born in the year 1802, and died in Crawford County about the year 1874. Subject has 160 acres of his land in cultivation, and is successfully engaged in the raising of grain and stock. He feeds his coarse grain to stock. He takes some part in political matters, and has served two terms as Supervisor of town- ship in succession. Now he is serving as

School Trustee, which office he has held for three successive terms. He is a member of the Patrons of Husbandry.

THOMAS WILLIAMS, farmer, P. O. Ea- ton. He was born in Kentucky, April 27, in the year 1841. In 1851, March 20, was taken by his parents to Vigo County, Ind .; remained there three years, at which time they removed to Sullivan County, and settled there on a farm. His chances for education were limited. When but a small boy, he had an attack of white swelling on his left leg, and which kept him from school, and when he grew up was ashamed to attend school. At the age of twenty-one he went to working for himself. He engaged in farming in Sul- livan County, Ind. After several successful years in farming there, he sold out, and in spring of 1873 came to Crawford County, Oblong Township, and purchased a farm in Sections 10 and 11, of 120 acres, of which 60 acres is in cultivation. Raises grain, prin- cipally wheat, corn and oats. He was mar- ried, in 1864, to Fannie Kester; she was born in Clark County, Ill; have one adopted boy, namely, Claudius Kester. Our sub- ject's father, James, was born in Hardin County, Ky., in 1803; was a farmer, and died in 1873, in Sullivan County, Ind. His mother, Anna McQuilran, was born in Har- din County, Ky., 1805; died 1876, in Sulli- van County, Ind.

DANIEL H. WINTERS, shoe-maker, Ob- long, was born in Wayne County, Ohio, April 26, 1842, and in that county spent his early days. In 1852, at the age of ten, was brought by his parents to Clark County. At the age of sixteen, commenced to learn the trade of shoe and boot making, by serving as appren- tice in winter and in the summer time would help his father on the farm. He continued in that way for four years. He then, in 1862, enlisted in Company G, One Hundred

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and Twenty-third Illinois Volunteer Infan- try. and was as brave and gallant a soldier as was ever mustered into force. He was in a great many hard fought battles, namely: Hoover's Gap, Gordon Mills, Crawfish Springs, Dalton, Ga., Dallas, Ga., Kenesaw Mountain, Chickamauga. Atlanta, besides quite a number of skirmishes. He was mustered out at Nashville, Tenn., June 28, 1865, at which time came back to Clark County, Ill., and at Martinsville completed his apprenticeship. and worked at his trade there until 1870, at which time removed to Indiana, and worked there at his trade two years, then came back to Clark County, and remained there for some time. In July, 1880, came to Oblong, and has been successfully engaged at his trade ever since. He was married, March 23. 1867, to Adaline Brusman, a native of Ohio. They have three children living, namely: Hartford Sylvester, Charles Henry, William Franklin, and Susie Estella Mauk, an orphan child, living with them. His father, George Winters, was born in Lancaster County, Penn., in the year 1812. His mother, Eve Hibschman, was born in Lebanon County, Penn., in the year 180S. They have two children living. Daniel H., subject, Mary, wife of Christian Wearing, living in Clark County, Ill.

JACOB WIRT, farmer, P. O. Oblong, is a substantial farmer of Oblong Township. He was born in Lancaster County, Penn., Febru- ary 28, 1825. At about the age of eight years, in 1833, he was taken by his parents to Decatur County, Ind., and settled in the woods. Mr. Wirt is what is called a self- made man. His chances for education were rather limited. He attended school very lit- tle when young. After twenty-one years of age, he obtained books and educated himself to some extent. He was reared on the farm, and at the age of seventeen commenced work-

ing for himself and gave his father half until twenty-one years of age. He worked on a farm four years by the month, afterward farmed on his father's farm for three years, at which time, February 22, 1850, was mar- ried in Decatur County, Ind., to Catharine Johnson, a native of Stiles County. Va., born October 23, 1830. They have five children, namely: Zachariah, merchant in Oblong; Isaiah, farming in Jasper County; Henry, farming at home; Ennis. Mary Belle. In the fall of 1853, he came to Crawford Coun- ty, and purchased 40 acres of raw land, and removed thereon in a little cabin that was on the land. He remained there but six weeks, when he removed to Davis County. Iowa, and spent the winter. He gave up the land which he had purchased. aud in the next spring, 1854, came back to same place and purchased 80 acres. Since then. he has ad- ded 220 acres, but now has given 160 acres to his two sons. He is successfully engaged in the raising of grain and stock. His father, Jacob, was a native of Germany, born in the year 1783, and died in Decatur County. Ind., in 1851. His mother, Elizabeth Seabolt, was also a native of Germany. Subject, when first came here, lived a pioneer life. He was obliged to go twelve miles to the post office, and the nearest mill was twenty miles, the distance he was obliged to go when he had wheat to grind.

CAPT. WILLIAM WOOD, farmer, P. O. Oblong, is one of Crawford County's pioneer subjects, and a reliable citizen. He was born three miles east of Robinson, this county, September 4, 1824, and was reared there on his father's farm, when, in the fall of 1840, subject removed West about eleven miles, and settled on a farm in Watts Precinct. After eight years of successful farming, he, in 1848, removed to the farm he now occu- pies. He entered 280 acres of land at above

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time stated, and commenced improving it, and now has as well an improved farm as you will find in Oblong Township. Mr. Wood has quite a war record. He enlisted, on the 9th of August, 1862, in Company D, Ninety- eighth Illinois Mounted Infantry, and was engaged in quite a number of battles. Some of the principal battles were, namely: Bat- tle of Hoover's Gap, June 24, 1863; battle of Chickamauga, which lasted three days. He was on the raid after Wheeler, which lasted nine days and nights, and on the raid he was in the battles of Murfreesboro, McMinnville, and Farmington, and at the latter place capt- ured Wheeler's Cavalry. The next battles he was engaged in were the battles of Cleve- land, Tenn., and Loudon; battle of Buzzard Roost, and the siege of Atlanta, and in the battle of Dallas. He engaged in the service as Captain, which position he held until hon- orably discharged in December, 1864, on ac- count of disability. His brother, Albert Wood, enlisted in Company I, Twenty-first. Illinois Regiment; he was captured at Chicka- mauga, and died at Andersonville. Our snb- ject was married to Caroline E. Ames, July 2, 1848. She was a native of Clark County, Ohio. Eight children was the result of their marriage, of whom two are living, viz .: W. F. Wood and James A. Six are dead-Sarah

A. and Helen C., and four died in infancy. Mr. Wood is an offspring from Joseph and Margaret Wood; both were natives of Vir- ginia. Their family were. viz. : Rachel, wife of Richard Lackey, farming in Oblong Town- ship; Mary. deceased; William, our subject; Albert, deceased; Angeline, deceased; Emily and Julia, twins; Emily, wife of R. F. Ames, deceased: she is living in Oblong Township; Julia, deceased; Eliza, deceased; Margaret, deceased, wife of James A. Gill (deceased); Virginia, deceased, wife of Hiram Larabee; J. H. Wood, merchant in Robinson; Robert, farming on the old farm, three miles east of Robinson. Their father was a farmer and stock dealer. He came into Illinois as early as 1810, when it was in its wild stage, and endured the life of a pioneer in hardship or in pleasure, as you may call it-in hunting, and also fighting with the red men of the country. As early as 1815, he came to Craw- ford County, and settled on land three miles east of Robinson. Our subject has always been a Republican, and has served in various township offices. He was elected Justice of the Peace in 1856, and served twenty-four years until 1880, and also served as School Trustee for ten years. He has for several years been a member of the Masonic order.

MARTIN AND SOUTHWEST TOWNSHIPS.

C. P. CARLTON, farming, P. O. Hardins- ville, was born in Champaign County, Ohio, on the 13th day of December, 1850. He was reared there in Mechanicsburg, and received the benefits of a common and graded school there until seventeen years of age, at which time, in 1867, he and his parents came to Crawford County, Ill., and settled on a farm in Martin Township. When twenty-one years

of age, he commenced working for himself on his father's farm. His father died January 31, 1877, and the next year, 1878, our sub- ject obtained possession of the farm, of which he has 120 acres of improved land and forty acres of timber land. He is engaged in the raising of grain and stock. He was married here in Crawford County, Ill., on the 3d of March, 1875, to Joanna Hughes. She is a

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native of Kentucky. They have two children, namely: Lizzie and Harry. Mr. Carlton has `ways been a Democrat, and has served as ollector of the township one term. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, Hardins- ville Lodge, No. 756. His father, James, was born in Johnstown, Penn., in 1811, and died in Crawford County, Ill., December 31, 1876. Our subject's mother, Eliza (Owen), was a na- tive of Champaign County, Ohio, born in the year 1813, and died in Crawford County, Ill., in 1878.

WILLIAM CORTELYON, farmer, P. O. Oblong, is a substantial farmer of Martin Township. He was born in Warren County, Ohio, December 13, 1826. His father, Peter, was a native of York State, and died in Shelby County, Ind., at about the age of seventy years. His mother, Catharine (Vanpelt), was a native of New Jersey, and died in Warren County, Ohio. Subject was reared on a farm in Ohio, and his chances for an educa- tion was limited to subscription schools of the country; he would attend school about three months in the year. At the age of seventeen, he went to serve as an apprentice as a wagon and buggy maker. He served four years. He afterward worked as jour- neyman in different places in Ohio until twenty-eight years of age, at which time, in 1854, removed to Middletown and bought a house and lot, built a shop and engaged in the making of wagons and buggies, and also done considerable of repairing. He also en- gaged in the undertaker's business. After about seven years successfully spent in Mid- dletown, he removed to Hendricks Township, Shelby County, and there purchased a farm of twenty-four acres, and engaged in farm- ing some and worked some at his trade, and also was engaged partly in the undertaker's business there. After spending about seven years there, in the fall of 1867 he came to

Crawford County, Ill., and rented land near Robinson, and after about seven years spent there in successful farming he came to Ob- long Township and rented the farm now owned by John Sheets. In the spring of 1876, he bought land in Martin Township and is suc- cessfully engaged in the raising of grain and stock, principally hogs and corn. In 1854. he was married in Shelby County, Ind., to Ann Rebecca Boggs, a native of Lancaster County, Penn. Have five children, namely : Harriet Eliza, Leslie E., Everet L., Eletta A., William Clark. Subject is a member of the Grange.

FOSTER DONNELL, farmer, P O. Har- dinsville, he was born in Wilson County. Tenn., June 18, 1818. He was taken by his parents from there to Jackson's Purchase in Tennessee in 1830, when he was twelve years old. They remained there two or three years, at which time they came to Crawford County, Ill., and rented land near Palestine. Our subject's father lived there until his death, which occurred in 1858; he was born in North Carolina 1797. Our subject's mother was born in Delaware about the close of the eighteenth century, and died near Pales- tine in 1841. Our subject received but very little education. He was engaged in helping to support the family. When nineteen years of age, he engaged in farm- ing for himself, and September 28, 1837, was married to Caroline Martin. She was born in Crawford County, three miles south of Palestine, December 19, 1821. In 1839, he borrowed money and entered land in Martin Township. He built a little cabin on the land without any daubing, and a punch- eon floor. He never wore a pair of boots un- til he was of age, or an overcoat until he had a wife and two children. He has added 200 acres to his first purchase and has had 240 acres, of which he has sold forty acres. He

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has 125 acres in cultivation and raises grain and stock. They have had four children born to them-Margaret, Sarah Jane, Lavina E. and John M.

C. L. DUCOMMON, farmer, P. O. Har- dinsville, was born in Wayne County, Ohio, on December 1, A. D. 1844. In 1854, when he was ten years of age, he was brought by his parents to Crawford County, Ill., and they settled in Martin Township where they purchased improved land. Our subject was reared here on a farm and had a tolerable fair chance for an education. When twenty- one years of age, he engaged in farming for himself on a piece of land of sixty acres, given him by his father. Since, he has bought 120 acres, and has 150 acres in culti- vation, and is successfully engaged in the raising of grain and stock. He was married in Wabash County, Ill., May 27, 1875, to Ju- lia A. Fite. They have two boys-William Harris and Charles Harvey. Our subject's father, Samnel, was a native of France, born about the year 1802, and died in Crawford County, Ill., on December 24, 1878. Our subject's mother, Mary C. (Fetters), is a na- tive of Stark County, Ohio, and is living in Crawford County, Ill.

R. M. DUE, farmer, P. O. Hardinsville, was born in Crawford County, Ill., on the 2d day of November, A. D. 1851. His father, Nelson R., was a native of North Carolina, and his mother, Elizabeth (Henry), a native of Tennessee. Our subject was reared here in Crawford County, and did not attend school very much. As early as fifteen years of age, he commenced working out by the month on the farm. In November, 1880, he purchased 200 acres of land, of which he sold 120 acres. He has fifty-five acres in cultivation, and twenty-five acres of timber land, and is engaged in the raising of grain. He was married in Crawford County, on the

10th day of November, A. D. 1874, to Lovisa Purcell, a native of Crawford County. They have three children, namely-James Nelso Carrie E. and John R.

S A. FRISTOE, farmer, P. O. Hardins- ville, was born in Page County, Va., No- vember 11, 1826. When five years of age (in 1831), he was taken by his parents to Lick- ing County, Ohio. And there they rented land and remained until the spring of 1852, at which time they came to Crawford County, and they settled in Robinson Township, north of Robinson, while our subject remained in Licking County. Our subject was reared on a farm in a new country, and his chauces for an education was very limited. He was en- gaged in helping clear up the farm, and did not attend school on an average more than month in the year. At twenty-two years of age, he commenced working for himself. He worked on a farm by the month, in all about fifteen months, and the remainder of the time, until twenty-five years of age, he was engaged in chopping. He would take jobs of clearing by the acre, but during that time he was an invalid for about thirteen months. He was married, November 11, 1851, in Licking County, to Melissa Hook, a native of Licking County, Ohio, at which time he engaged in farming. On October 24, 1855, they arrived in Crawford County, and bought forty acres of raw land in Martin Township, and since he has added forty acres, and has his farm about all in cultivation, and is engaged in the raising of grain and stock. They have four children, namely: James F., Henry N. N., Violet E. and Clara May. Mr. Fristoe has always been a Democrat, and has served in various township offices, although he has never asked for an office or any one to vote for him. He was elected first as Assessor of the township, and served two terms; as Su pervisor three terms, and at present is serving

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as School Trustee, and has served for several years. Our subject's father, James, was born in Page County, Va., 1799, and died in Ford County, Ill., November, 1881. Our subject's mother, Sidney (McCoy), was born in War- ren County, Va., in 1804, and died in Hewitt County, Ill., in February, 1877.

J. A. GOFF, farmer, P. O. Hardinsville, was born in Crawford County, Ill., August 2, 1847. His father, Iredell, is a native of Kentucky, and is living in this county. Our subject's mother, Mary J. (Price), deceased. Our subject was reared here on a farm, and received the benefits of a common school edu- cation. He would attend school about four months in a year. In October, 1864, when but seventeen years of age, he enlisted in Company D, Sixty-second Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and was after transferred to Com- pany E, of same regiment, and was mustered out at Camp Butler, Ill., March 20, 1866, at which time came back to Crawford County, and engaged in farming. He married, De- cember 30, 1866, Margaret Bennett, a native of this county, born in 1847. Four children living, one dead, is the result of their mar- riage, namely: Marbury S., born Angust 15, 1867; Mary Jane, deceased, born January 1, 1870; Barbara Ellen, born February 14, 1873; Samuel Tilden, born August 8, 1876; Leander F., born September 29, 1880.

R. E. HASKIN, farmer, P. O. Hardinsville. He was born in Crawford County, Ill., January 1, 1824, south of Palestine about two miles. At six years of age, in 1832, he was taken by his parents to Macomb County, Mich., and after engaging in farming successfully for two years, in the fall of 1832 started back here. They got down as far as La Fayette, in Indiana, and stopped there with Dr. Dirgy, on account of bad roads, at which place they spent the winter. In the spring of 1833, they came to Union Prairie, Clark

County, Ill., and rented land. After three years of successfully farming, they removed into the southeastern part of Crawford Coun- ty, and rented the farm owned by William Garret. In about 1838, our subject's father entered land in Martin Township, now in Honey Creek Township, and remained there until his death. He was the first man that traveled with wagon from Ft Wayne, Ind., to Ft. Defiance. He would have to cut his road through the woods at times. Our sub. ject was reared on a farm in the wild coun- try, and had a very poor chance for obtain- ing an education. The education he received was in Clark County. He attended school pretty regularly in the fall and winter while they remained there. He was married Jan- uary 9, 1845, to Margaret Higgins, a na- tive of Crawford County, at which time en. gaged in farming where Hardinsville now stands. In the summer of 1845, he pur- chased forty acres of land in Section 35, and in the fall of the same year he entered forty acres adjoining on the east. And the same fall he built a house and removed into it in the spring of 1846. It was all raw prairie land. Since he has added eighty acres in the prairie and forty acres of tim- ber land. He has all of his home place in cultivation-eighty acres. His main produc- tions are grain. He has had ten children born to him-Robert Franklin, Mary Ema- line, Thomas Henry, Amanda E., John F., William E., Eliza J., Sarah E., Laura A., Kittie P. Our subject's wife died in Craw- ford County April 3, 1877. He has always been a Democrat, but of late years he has taken some interest in the Greenback party. He was elected to serve as the first Super- visor of Martin Township, when they went into township organization, and served two terms, and has since served three terms. He is a member of the Masonic order. Hardins-

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ville Lodge, No. 756. Our subjects recollec- tions are dated back on the Vincennes road leading to Palestine : there his father owned a horse mill and an apple distillery. His father was a native of Vermont, and a grand- son of Col. Robert Cochran, of the Revolu- tionary war.

THOMAS H. HASKIN, P. O. Hardinsville. He was born in Crawford County, Ill., on the Ist day of May, 1852. He was reared here on a farm until about fifteen years old, and received the advantages of a common school education. He would get to attend school about six months in the year, and the remain- der of the time he would help his father on the farm. When sixteen years of age, he en- gaged at the carpenter's trade. He served as an apprentice for three years, at which time commenced clerking here for G. B. Hicks, and after spending two years with "Mr. Hicks," he engaged in buying and selling sewing machines, which business he contin- ued in about one and one-half years. Since then he has been employed at his trade, and also in the undertaker's business. He was married in Crawford County on the 29th of March, 1874, to Miss Nancy Prier, a native of Crawford County, Ill. They have two children living, namely : Orley and Hollis. Mr. Haskin has always been a Democrat, and bas served in various township offices. He was elected first for Town Clerk and re-elect- ed; served two terms. He served as Assess- or of Township two terms, and as Collector three terms. He is a member of the Masonic order, Lodge No. 756, Hardinsville, Ill.

G. B. HICKS, merchant, Hardinsville, is possessed with superior business faculties. He was born in Crawford County October 23, 1843. He was reared here in Crawford County, and· his education is somewhat lim- ited, he attended subscription schools. His father died before his (subject's) birth, and at

about ten years of age commenced working out by the month for himself, and continued working out by the month until 1861, at which time he enlisted in Company G, Seventh Missouri Mounted Infantry. It was lis misfortune to receive a very dangerous and painful wound. In the battle of Ray- mond he was shot through the body, the ball entering the right side at the second rib, and came out at the first rib on left side. He was wounded May 12, 1863, in the battle of Raymond, Miss. Besides that battle, he was in the battles of Corinth, Miss., Shiloh and Grand Gulf, and was as faithful and as ready for duty as any soldier that ever shoul - dered a gun. He was discharged on account of his wound, October 23, 1863, and came home to his mother's in Crawford County. It was several months after receiving the shot before he could walk, and about two years be- fore it healed np. When he regained his strength, he purchased a farm in Martin Township, and engaged in farming. After about seven years successfully spent in farm- ing, removed to Hardinsville, but did not sell his farm, and bought a stock of goods. He keeps a general stock of well-assorted goods, and in calling at his place of business you will find Mr. Hicks busy behind the counters and ready to show you anything in his line of goods; always smiling and jovial, ready to talk with you on any subject, and at the same time give you a first-class bargain. His sales range from $S,000 to $10,000 per year. He was married in Lawrence County, III., in 1872, to Nancy Ellen Sanders, a native of Crawford County, Ill. They have two chil- dren living, and one dead, namely: Bettie L., Mary Florence (deceased), and Lewis Calvin. Mr. Hicks has always been a Dem- ocrat, and has taken some part in political matters. He has served in various township offices. He served as Justice of the Peace

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History of Crawford and Clark counties, Illinois, Part 104

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892? Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Chicago : O.L. Baskin & Co. Number of Pages: 826

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago : O.L. Baskin & Co.
Number of Pages: 826