History of Effingham county, Illinois, Part 43

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892? ed
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago, O. L. Baskin & co.
Number of Pages: 650

USA > Illinois > Effingham County > History of Effingham county, Illinois > Part 43

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EFFINGHAM CITY AND DOUGLAS TOWNSHIP.

means of replenishing his finances, ho again resorted to the schoolroom. Tho close of an other year found him with a sufficient sur- plus and a maturity of years to begin to cast about for a permanent trade or profession, the rush of years and press of business con- siderations having compelled him to give up the cherished ambition of his life-that of a thorough classical education. The practice of medicine was his adopted profession, and, at the age of twenty, he entered the office of Drs. Hyde & Evans, at Rushville, Ohio, where he prosecuted his study at intervals until 1842, relying on pedagoging in the winter to support him in his professional studies. In 1842, he was admitted to prac- tice, and began his professional career at Genova, Ohio, remaining there two years. During the fall of 1844, he came to Effing- ham County, locating with his father in a sinall cabin on the James Turner farm, near Watson. In the spring of 1845, he removed to and took up his residence at Ewington, then the most important point in this section of the State, and began a practice in hir profes- sion which made Dr. Le Crone's name a tow- er of strength and a fountain of hope to the afflicted of this and adjoining counties. At the time of his location at Ewington, there were but two other physicians in the county -Dr. J. M. Long, now of California, and Dr. C. F. Falley, now of Wisconsin; and as both these gentlemen have long since removed from the county, they leave to Dr. Le Crone the proud distinction of being the oldest res- ident physician of the county. In those days, geod physicians were few, and a man of Dr. Le Crone's reputation had a practice that covered a great many miles in circum- ference. It embraced Shelby, Fayette, Clay and Jasper Counties, and frequently included trips over swollen streams and impassable roads of a week's duration. It required a

strong and vigorous constitution to prosecute a practice of that kind without falling a vic- tim to its hardships. and the present excel. lent preservation of the Doctor's health evi- dences the fact that he had the constitution to combat the privations. When, in 1859, the county seat was moved to Effingham, the Doctor followed in the course of the empire, and, in the spring of 1861, came to Eting- ham to reside, where he has been sinee, ox- cept three months in the summer of 1864, when he served as Assistant Surgeon of the One Hundred and Thirty-fifth Illinois Regi- ment. During his twenty-two years' resi- dence in Effingham, he has steadfastly stood at the head of his profession, and nothing but advancing years is now compelling him to relinquish the professional standing he has so honorably occupied for so many years. Dr. Le Crone stands high in general public esteem, but it is with his professional asso. ciates that his highest esteem lies, especially with the young practitioners, who have need of the advice of riper experience. Possessing a nature that was a stranger to jealousy, he naturally labored for the elevation of his pro- fession. To the young reader and the be- ginner his counsel was always free and open, and many young physicians in this eonnty can testify to the assistance he has given them. In their professional infancy, they have often needed wise counsel. and they al- ways found Dr. Le Crone's strong arm stretched forth to sustain them. He is a member of the State Medical Society, and for many years of the Esculapian Society, the oldest organization in the State. In 1836, he was married to Miss Elizabeth Allen, of Virginia, by whom he had eleven children, nine of whom are now living. As might he supposed. Dr. Le Crone's long and honorable career has placed him high in public estima- tion. For three different terms he was called

BIOGRAPHICAL:

to the Mayor's chair of the prosperous little city of Effingham, when public emergencies demanded the services of clean hands and a conscientious mind, and the large majorities by which he was always elected are sufficient attestations of his upright and pure public character. Dr. Le Crone shows his supe- riority of character by the fact that he still occupies a first place in the society, the cult- ure and the civilization of to-day. Most pio- neers of his prominence only held that prom- inence for a short period-while brute force can keep them in the van. They are always submerged and swept out of sight by the riper civilization that always follows in the path- way made by their sturdy blows -- by their brawn and muscle. Not so with Dr. Le Crone. He possessed a constitution to be prominent in all pioneer hardships and pri- vations, and he also possessed the culture and learning necessary to assimilate himself with the civilization that followed, and occupy a prominent position in all the successive steps of development. He was prominent when prominence consisted of a good shot and a brave spirit; and he is prominent now, when, to be prominent, it is necessary to cast aside these attributes of the pioneer, and take on the habiliments of the polished and learned gentleman. To the steady, constant and healthful influence of such characters does society owe its condition; and to no one does Effingham County owe more for its present greatness than it owes to Dr. John Le Crone.

CAPT. A. W. LE CRONE, attorney, Effingham, is the son of Dr. John Le Crone. He was born October 5, 1839, in Fairfield County, Ohio, and came with his parents to this county in 1844, and spent his youth in Ewington, where he received his education, except one year spent in the normal school at Bloomington, Ill., at its opening, in the fall of 1857. He began the study of law in

the winter of 185S, with William B. Cooper, at Ewington, and was admitted to practice in May, 1860, and began practice at Ewington as partner of W. B. Cooper and William J. Stevenson, until he enlisted, April 21, 1861, in Company G, Eleventh Illinois Infantry. for three months, and served as Orderly Ser- geant. At the re-organization of the com- pany for three years, he was elected Captain of the company, but the Surgeon refused to pass him on account of a fractured bone. His partner, Stevenson, enlisting at this time, he went home to look after the inter- ests of his firm in August, 1861. In July, 1862, he, with Judge Wyatt Cook, raised a company, which became Company F, of the Ninety-eighth Illinois Mounted In- fantry. Our subject was elected Captain at the organization of the company, and led the company in several engagements with Ander- son's squadron and Morgan's command. They were at Hoover's Gap, and a number of other engagements, until December 24, 1863, when he was sent back from Hunts- ville, Ala., to Nashville, Tenn., on account of continued sickness, and received his resigna- tion papers February 7, 1864, while on duty at the Court Martial. He came to Bowling Green, Ky., where he married Elizabeth C. Collett in February, 1864, and came home. where he remained until August, 1864, then returned to Bowling Green, Ky., and imme- diately accepted a position as Quartermaster's Agent at Nashville, Tenn., remaining until August, 1865, when he returned to Effing- ham. In March. 1866, he returned again to Bowling Green, where he was Chief Clerk in the Revenue Assessor's office, Third District of Kentucky, for four years, when his health failed, necessitating a retirement from active business for over a year. In the fall of 1871, he opened a law office at Bowling Green, and practiced there until 1876, with good suc-

EFFINGHAM CITY AND DOUGLAS TOWNSHIP.

cess, when health again gave way. He has been practicing in Effingham since 1876. His wife died at Bowling Green, Ky., in Au- gnst. 1873. She bore him three children, one of whom died in 1878, of yellow fever. Our subject married, in 1877, to Miss Lizzie B. Wood, of this county. In addition to his law practice, Capt. Le Crone is a member of the firmn of Le Crone & Worman, real estate agents, abstracters and loan brokers.

GEORGE M. LE CRONE, insurance agent, Effingham, is the son of Dr. John Le Crone, and was born in Ewington, this coun- ty. December 23. 1853. At the age of seven years, his father moved to Effingham, and our subject went to the public schools of the city until 1870, spending his summer va- cations at different kinds of labor in the city and on the farm. In the fall of 1870, he en- tered the State Normal University at Nor- mal. Ill., from which he graduated in June, 1S73. He then taught a district school in this county for a year, and, in 1875, became the Principal of the Effingham East Side School, serving as such for a year. He then accepted the position of Deputy Circuit Clerk, and was for two years thus engaged. In January, 1578. he purchased a half-inter- est in the Effingham Democrat, and for three years was a joint editor with John Hoeny, Sr .. of that paper. and continued with his successor. Mr. Scott, until October 1. 1SS1. He sold out and escaped the horrors of jour- nalism for a brief but happy period. and for a time kept books for Osgood & Kingman. In December, 1SS1, he, with C. F. Coleman. started the Altamont News, and has since been one of its proprietors. October, 1882, he formed a copartnership with N. D. Clutter, and under the firm name of Clutter & LeCrone, has conducted real estate, insurance and loan ageneies. Our subject was married, in 1879, to Miss Frances K. Nitcher. of Effingham.

WILLIAM C. LECRONE, traveling sales- man, Effingham, was born in Fairfield Coun- ty, Ohio, August 1, 1837. He was seven years old when his father, Dr. John Lecrone, moved with his family to this county. In 1854, he went to Vandalia as a clerk in a store for one year, then returned to Effing- ham in 1856 and took charge of a dry goods store here, for Thomas Ewing, of Princeton. Ind. This was the first general dry goods store in Effingham. He closed the business in the winter of 1855-56. He returned for a year to Vandalia, Ill., afterward coming back to Effingham, and sold goods for Ham- ilton L. Smith until he moved his stock to Mattoon. He began reading medicine in March, 1857, but discontinued it in the fall of that same year. In the spring of 1858. he sold fruit trees in this and adjoining counties until October, 1858. In May, 1558, he married Miss E. E. Kagay. They have five children living-Emma K., Anna, Sarah E .. John W. and Nellie J. In 1859, he en- tered the employ of Presley Funkhouser, where he continued as clerk and collector un- til the war broke out. He enlisted in the first company that was formed in this coun- ty, under Capt, Filler. They were a part of the Eleventh Illinois, and served until ex- piration of his term. On his return, he en- tered the employ of Murray & Moffitt until 186?, when he entered the employ of the Government as Chief Clerk of a Brigade in the Quartermaster's Department from No- vember, 1862, to August, 1865. He was in Chieago from the fall of 1865 to 1866. He was appointed, in May, 1866, Assistant As- sessor of Internal Revenue, and acted in that capacity until August. 1868. He was em- ployed by a construction company on the Vandalia Railroad until January, 1969. In February of that year, he entered the Cir- cuit Clerk's office as Deputy, and in 1872 D

BIOGRAPHICAL:

was elected to the office of Circuit Clerk, and served until December, 1880, being re-elected in 1876. Since January, 1881, he has been employed as traveling salesman in this State for Culver, Page, Hoyne & Co., Chicago.

THOMAS D. LEITH, baggageman, Effing- ham, was born in Mason Township, Effing- ham County, October 11, 1855, son of David and Amanda (Wilson) Leith. He became a clerk in the freight office of the Vandalia Railroad at Effingham in 1876, remaining in that capacity. for two years.

In 1878, he was appointed baggageman of the Vandalia and the Illinois Central Railroads at this place, and has served in that capacity ever since. His father, David Leith, was born in Fairfield County, Ohio, and came with his family about 1840 and settled in Mason Township, where he engaged in farming and cattle-raising.

SAMUEL W. LITTLE, retired, Lincoln, Neb., was born in Butler County, Penn., September 6, 1818. He passed his youth in Pennsylvania. At the age of sixteen, he learned the trade of glass-blowing in Pitts- burgh, Penn. He left Pittsburgh at the age of nineteen, and followed the Ohio, Missis- sippi and Missouri Rivers as second cook on steamboats for a year. when he became cook on a Government snag-boat to go up the Mis- souri River. He remained on the river until 1839, when he left St. Louis for Pittsburgh, and there engaged to go to Keene, N. H., where he worked at his trade for about nine months; afterward worked in New Jersey at his trade, and, in June, 1840, went to Pitts- burgh, when the tariff was removed from glass, and all manufactories were stopped. and he shipped to New Orleans, on a coal boat, and from there he went to Natchez and formed a partnership with his brother in the lumber and sand business, which they con- tinued until 1841, when he returned to Pitts-

burgh, and, with D. B. Alexander, bought a flat-boat, and began the manufacture of tin- ware, on the boat, on the river, and sold to the river cities by wholesale and retail. This was the first boat of the kind ever on the river, and made two trips a year each way. He sold the boat in New Orleans in 1843, and went to Rome, Ga., where he opened a store and kept it six months, when he had a boat built and went trading by river from Rome, Ga., to Mobile, Ala., and again sold his boat and returned to Pittsburgh in 1844 , where they fitted out another trading boat, Mr. Little buying out Alexander at Shaw- neetown, Ill. At Cairo, Ill., he employed a nian to make and give exhibitions of lamp- work and fancy glass blowing. They gave daily and nightly exhibitions, on the boat, where they stopped. and at Memphis hired a hall and gave exhibitions with great success, and sold out at Yazoo City in 1845, and re- turned to Cincinnati, Ohio, and, with a man named Laird, put up glass works. He went to Pittsburgh. Penn .. and married, in Octo- ber, 1845. His glass works proved a fail- ure, and, with his family, spent the winter at Zanesville, Ohio, and the summer at Pitts- burgh. Penn,, working at his trade. In the fall of 1846, in company with others, he started a glass factory at Cincinnati, Ohio, with same result as at first. He sold a pet bear to get money enough to get out of the city. He then worked at his trade in Wheel- ing, W, Va., for three years, and, with his old partner, with $1,900, came to Green Cas- tle, Ind., where they engaged in the hard - ware, glassware, and stove and tinware busi- ness, and in four years made over $13,500. In 1853, when it was known that the Illinois Central and the Atlantic & Mississippi Rail- roads would cross in this vicinity, our subject and Mr. Alexander came here and bought 305 acres of land here, on which the town is

EFFINGHAM CITY AND DOUGLAS TOWNSHIP.

built. Our subjeet moved here in 1856, and lived here until 1867, when he went to West Virginia, but returned in 1868, and again re- sided hore till 1871. In October of that year, he moved to Lincoln, Neb., where he is still residing.

JOHN J. LOER, telegrapher and City Treasurer, was born in Alton, Madison Co., III .. December 16, 1851. He grew up in Al. ton, and was educated there. At the age of eighteen, he began to learn telegraphy in the office of the Western Union at Alton, and in 1867 he became operator at Delhi, ill., on the Chicago & Alton Railroad, for a short time, when he went to Alton for six months. In November, 1868, he engaged his services to the Vandalia Railroad, and was two years night operator in its office at East St. Louis, Mo. He came to Effingham December 22. 1870, and has been day operator in the "Van" office here ever since. He was elected City Treasurer of Effingham on the Republican tieket in April, 1SS1, and served two terms. He was married, September 14, 1876, to Miss Kate Wortman, of Effingham.

DAVID W. LOY. deceased, was the son of Thomas and Susan (Wright) Loy, and was born in Watson Township, this county, May 6, 1837. He remained at home until eight- een years of age, when he became a elerk for Col. J. J. Funkhouser, in Effingham. He re- mained with him for some years. He ran a saw mill at Ewington for several years, and invested his means in lots in Effingham, and erected honses on them. During this period, he built some of the first business houses of the place. He was a contractor on the Van- dalia Railroad, and graded a mile of it in this connty. During the last seven years of his life, he was gradually going down with consump- tion, and died in June, 1877. He was married, July 17, 1878, to Mrs. Emma J. Freece. and by her had two children-Estella and Jarvis V.

FERDINAND W. LOY. attorney at law. Effingham City, was born in Watson Town- ship, this county, . March 10, 1859, son of Thomas M. and Susan (Wright) Loy. Our subjeet was raised on a farm, where he lived until fifteen years of age, when he came to Effingham and attended the public schools. He began teaching in 1876, and continued four winter terms of six months. In 1878, he began the study of law under Hon. E. N. Rinehart, and continued about one year, when he entered the Law Department of the Northern Indiana Normal School, from which he graduated in June, 1881, and was admit- ted to the practice of law in Indiana in May. 1SSI, and, in February, 1882, to the Illinois bar He located in Effingham and formed a partnership with William B. Wright, under the firm of Loy & Wright, and they are lo- cated in Wright's Building.

JOHN LUNDRY, grocer, Effingham, born in Phillipsburg, Miami Co., Ohio, April 9. 1841. He learned the wagon-maker's trade with his father from boyhood. Came to Il- linois with his father in 1860, and worked at trade until late war. He enlisted in fall of 1861. aud served until fall of 1865. He en- listed in the Sixty-first Illinois Volunteer In- fantry, Company H, for three years. He served under Grant and Sherman. He was in the battle of Shiloh and other engage- ments. He was Orderly Sergeant. He was in active service in Army of Tennessee until three years expired, then came to Cineinnati, Ohio, and re-enlisted in the One Hundred and Ninety-sixth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served under Gen. Hancock until elose of war, when he joined his father at Mattoon, Ill., and bought his shop in 1567. when fa- ther moved to Iowa. He ran wagon shop at Mattoon until 1870, when he sold out and went to Loekport, Ind., where he engaged in carpentering until 1872, when he moved to

BIOGRAPHICAL:

Effingham, Ill., and engaged in carpentering for six years as contractor, when he again became a partner with his father in wagon shop until September, 1882, when he formed a part- nership with John M. Johnson, and, under the firm name of Lundry & Johnson, opened a grocery on Railroad street, and has since con- tinued fair business in groceries and provis- ions. Married, in 1866. to Miss Nancy J. Haskell. of Mattoon, Ill. Has five children living-Lulu, Leonard, Jessie, William, Eva.

NICHOLAS LUNDRY, wagon-manufact- urer. Effingham, was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. August 30. 1810, and lived in that State until 1860. At the age of sixteen, he learned the trade of wagon-maker in Dayton, Ohio, where he worked for seventeen years- served four years as apprentice, and then worked as journeyman for a year; then bought the shop and ran it until 1860. He came.to Cumberland County, Ill., in the fall of 1860, and bought a saw-mill there, which he ran about three years, then moved to Mat- toon. Ill., where he rented a shop and ran it for some three years, and went to Iowa in 1866 and opened a wagon shop in Marshall- town, Iowa, which he ran until November, 1877. when he came to Effingham, Ill. He bought the present shop on Railroad street of Mr. Lilly, and has usually employed three assistants-one blacksmith, and, with himself, three in wood shop-and turns out about sixty wagons per year; also a repair business. His work finds a ready market at home. The ma- terial is carefully selected, and the work has a good reputation. He was married, in Mi- ami County, Ohio, May 1, 1833, to Eliza Fry, who was raised in Stark County, Ohio. They have two sons and two daughters living. He is a Republican in politics.

REV. ROBERT H. MANIER, minister, Effingham, was born near Nashville, Tenn., November 23, 1828. He spent his early life

on a farm in Tennessee, and was educated first in Union Academy, Wilson County, same State. At the age of twenty, he came to Illinois and entered Marion Academy, where he remained two years, and then taught in the public schools of Saline Coun- ty. Ill., four years, and entered the ministry of the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1854. His first pastoral work was in the Du Quoin Circuit, being a member of the Southern 111- inois Conference. Hewas afterward at Cen- tralia, Cairo, Carbondale, Chester and Mt. Vernon. In the fall of 1861, he enlisted in the Forty-eighth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, as Chaplain, and remained one year, when he resigned on account of lost health. On his return, he joined the St. Louis Confer- ence, and was stationed in Jefferson City, Mo., and while there he served two years as Chaplain of the Missouri State Senate, and two years as Chaplain of Missouri Peniten- tiary. He re-entered the Southern Illinois Conference in 1874, and was pastor at Har- risburg, Hawthorne, Shawneetown, Enfield, and is on his third year as pastor of the Cen- tenary Methodist Episcopal Church at Effing- ham. He united with the church at the age of fourteen, and entered the ministry at twenty-six. He married, in 1852, Miss Sar- ah Lovina Jones, of Raleigh, Ill., and five children are living of this marriage. His wife died July 12. 1879. He married a sec- ond time, Mrs Lucy J. Hartgrove, of Shaw- neetown. Ill., and by her has one son.

DR. J. G. McCOY was the second child of Samuel and Mary T. (George) McCoy, and was born in the village of Smithfield, Jeffer- son Co .. Ohio, on the 13th day of March, 1836. When fourteen years of age, his par- ents changed their residence to New Phila- delphia, Ohio, near which place the subject ^ grew to his manhood. At the age of seven- teen, he commenced his own independent ca-

EFFINGHAM CITY AND DOUGLAS TOWNSHIP.

reer, and taught school for three months each year, and the other nine months attended college at Mt. Union, Stark County. He studied medicine with an uncle in New Phil- adelphia during 1855 and 1856. In the year IS57, with his parents, he removed to Wayne County, Ill., and here he resumed his profes- sion of teaching, but added to it the practice of medicine. The breaking-out of the late war found him thus peacefully occupied, but. recognizing his country's call as above all else. he dropped the ferule and " throwed physie to the dogs," and at once, in company with A. J. Judy, raised a company of sol- diers, eighty-seven in number, forty-eight of them his immediate neighbors. This was Company K, Sixty-first Illinois Volunteer Infantry. He was elected First Lieutenant, but. after six months' service, was made Cap- tain, and continued to command the company during the war, the regiment bearing a con- spienous part in the Shiloh. Gun Town, siege of Vicksburg and its capture, Little Rock campaign, as well as the Red River expedi- tion, ete. Fully one-half of the original company had been either killed in battle or died of wounds and disease. At the close of the war, Dr. McCoy fixed his residence at Effingham, Ill. In 1875, he purchased an interest in the woolen-mills at this place. which, by his energy and business capacity, he soon increased from a little concern of $5,- 000 a year to an establishment doing an an- nual business of $100,000, running a eon- stant force of over thirty employes. The to- tal destruction of this mill by fire in Octo- ber. 1SS1, was a severe affliction to the city and her valuable industries. Dr. McCoy was married, in 1559, to Letitia M. Lock. of Grayville, Ill. Twelve children have been born to them, ten of whom are now living- seven daughters and three sons. The Doetor has been a consistent Republican in politics,

but always more of a temperance man than politician. He, with a few friends, organ- ized and successfully carried through the temperance canse in Wayne County, and to- day he prides himself more in his temperance work and efforts than all else he has ever ac- complished of a publie nature. His whole life and purpose has been that of an entliusi- astic prohibitionist. In good or in evil re- port. his purpose or energy has never flagged in the cause.

HENRY MERZ, deceased, was born in Menzikon, Switzerland, in 1S36. He came to the United States in 1556, and lived four years in Indiana, working on a farm. then went back to Switzerland and brought the rest of his father's family over in 1560. He came to this county in 1S60, where he estab- lished a cigar factory and ran it until his death. He married Martha Schwarz. of Madison County, Ill., in 1861, and left six children living.

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History of Effingham county, Illinois, Part 43

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892? ed Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Chicago, O. L. Baskin & co. Number of Pages: 650

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892? ed
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago, O. L. Baskin & co.
Number of Pages: 650