History of Effingham county, Illinois, Part 46

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 46

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BIOGRAPHICAL.

Township, in the spring of 1833. In roam- ing over the country, he had called to see his old Smith County, Tenn., friends, Jonathan Parkhurst's family, and here he met his des- tiny in a pair of bright eyes that belonged to Martha, the daughter of Jonathan, and they were duly married, March 28, 1833. It is possible the little flame that culminated in this vast conflagration that consumed the young lives of " single wretchedness " was started away back in Tennessee, where, as innocent children, they played "come to see," " keep house" and " hide and seek" about the Tennessee cabins. They will not tell now. They may even affect to believe this ques- tioning twaddle and nonsense, but the kindly smile upon their faces as they watch the in- nocent gambols of their grandchildren tells plainly enough that the old, old story is not forgotten by them; and that in the twilight of their old and cheery lives, memory often turns backward, and brightens and sweetens life with that sacred joy that comes only to the pure in heart, the upright, just and good. Mrs. Martha Scott was born August 25, 1806, in Smith County, Tenn., and the Parkhurst family came from White County, in this State, to what is now Mason Township, in the year 1829. John O. Scott was elected Constable at the first county election ever held in the county. For more than seven years he was County School Commissioner, to which office he was elected first in 1842. During his term of office, he had to manage and dispose of all the school lands in the county. The mental activity and energy of the man is aptly told in the fact that, imme- diately after he had built himself a house and opened his small farm, and the winter had come, when out-door work was principally stopped, instead of idling away his time, he borrowed medical books of Dr. Le Crone and studied medicine. In a short time, he had so

mastered his books that his services were called for to attend the sick, and for the next twenty years his practice was extensive and his success unusually good. In 1875-his sons being all grown men and out in the world doing for themselves-Mr. and Mrs. Scott left their farm in Jackson Township, and commenced their residence in the city of Effingham. Their family is four sons, name- ly: Samuel Thomas, a farmer in St. Clair County, Mo .; Elisha W., William F. and Owen, the last three residing in this county, and one daughter, Cynthia Ann Gillespie, who was the eldest child, and who is now de- ceased. Dr. John O. Scott is now seventy- seven years old. His residence in this coun- ty has passed the half-century mark, and, hale and cheery, he and his beloved helpmeet are spared to family and friends, and let us hope they may yet long be with us, and when that other, and more important in their lives, half-century-the golden wedding day --- comes, and that is now so near at hand, may no shadow yet and for aye flit across the smiling heaven above them.

SAMUEL N. SCOTT, Postmaster, Effing- ham City, was born in Guernsey County, Ohio, October 22. 1843. He learned the printer's trade at the age of twelve, in the office of the Cadiz Republican. In 1860, his parents moved to this county and settled on a farm in Lucas Township, where our subject lived until the breaking out of the war. He enlisted, in August, 1861, in the Thirty-eighth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, for three years. He was in the Department of Missouri until June, 1862, when they were ordered to re-enforce Halleck at Corinth, and left the Army of Mississippi in August, 1862, and joined Buell at Nashville, and served with the Army of the Cumberland until after the Atlanta campaign, and came home late in the fall of 1864, having served over his term.

EFFINGHAM CITY AND DOUGLAS TOWNSHIP.

He was engaged in the battles of Frederick- town, Mo., Perryville, Ky., Stone River, Tenn., where he was captured and held until March, at Libby Prison, and was paroled and sent North. He joined his old command at Murfreesboro, and was at Chickamauga. He was with the command in all engagements from Tunnell Hill, Ga., to Atlanta. In No- vember, 1864, he went to Columbus, Ohio, where he was employed in a hardware store as book-keeper until 1868, when he went to Helena, Ark. He came to Effingham, and, his health breaking down, he went to Colusa, Cal., and was afterward in Plumas County, where he ran a mine as Superintendent until 1877, when he returned to Effingham, re- newed in health. He engaged in farming with his brother, and had a storo at Winter- rowd, and afterward a boot and shoe store until appointed Postmaster, being appointed by President Arthur in November, 1881, for four years. He was married, in December, 1876, to Miss Lizzie C. Williams, of Califor- nia. Her father was from Huntingdon County, Penn., born in 1792; camo to Guern- sey County, Ohio, in 1818, and lived there until 1860, when he came to this county, where he died February 1, 1866. He had eight sons and four daughters, all of whom grew up. Four sons were in the army-Rob- ert G., in Ninety-eighth Illinois Infantry, served till 1866; Peter N., Thirty-eighth Ill- inois, was Second Lieutenant of Company K, and was killed at the battle of Stone River; Curtis M., Eighth Illinois Infantry, served three years.

OWEN SCOTT, lawyer, and editor of the Effingham Democrat. This gentleman is the son of Dr. John O. and Martha B. (Park- hurst) Scott, natives of Tennessee, he born in 1805, is still living; she in 1806. They were the parents of five children. Subject was born in Jackson Township, this county,

July 6, 1848. Our subject went to school first to James B. Gillespie. He attended the country schools in Jackson and Watson Townships until sixteen years of age, when he began teaching, and his first school was near his birthplace, in Jackson Township, called the Carpenter School. He taught twelve months in succession in this vicinity, the last six months of which he taught in a grove out of doors, and he and pupils crawled into an old hut when it rained. His journey to and from school lay through the woods, about two and a half miles distant, and he carried his gun each way, and supplied par- ties at both ends of the route with game. When about eleven years old, his parents be- ing poor, he was in need of boots, to go to school, and, during the term, he stopped one week and went to the woods with dog and caught enough rabbits, at 5 cents apiece, to buy new boots, and was in his place next Monday morning. He spent the year of IS68 in school at Kinmundy, under Prof. E. O. Noble, and, after teaching for some time in the county, he entered, in September, 1569, the State Normal University at Normal. Ill., and remained for ono year, resuming teaching here in 1870, in Watson Township, at Loy School, and received $65 per month and board, and next took charge of the Watson Township Schools, and, in 1871, he was em- ployed as Superintendent of Effingham City Schools, in which capacity he remained one year, when he resigned, and entered the law office of S. F. Gilmore to read law, where ho studied his profession and was admitted to the bar January 10, 1874, being a member of the second class that was examined by the Supreme Court at Springfield. He was elect- ed County Superintendent of Schools No- vember 4, 1873, and two days later was mar- ried to Miss Nora Miser, of St. Louis, Mo. They have ono daughter-Henrietta L. He

BIOGRAPHICAL:

continued to hold the office of County Super- intendent for eight years, being re-elected in November, 1877. He visited every school in the county every year during the first term, and each year held a Normal School for the teachers of the county, and all were well at- tended. During the interval between official duties he devoted to the practice of law. He bought a half-interest in the Effingham Dem- ocrat, and, October 13, 1881, he purchased the remaining half-interest of Mr. G. M. LeCrone, and has since conducted the paper with good success. It is a nine-column folio, and since 1855 has been the official paper of the county. Mr. Scott served as Deputy Treasurer for one year, under Noah Jen- nings, and two years under Mr. Wernsing. He was City Attorney during the years 1877 and 1878. He is a member of the Baptist Church, and in politics is a Democrat.

WILLIAM W. SIMPSON, Circuit Clerk, Effingham. He was born in Buffalo, N. Y., June 17, 1847; he came to Chicago, Ill., with his parents in 1851, and resided there ten years, coming to Effingham County in 1861. His step-father, George Screeton, bought a farm in Summit Township, and subject resided on the farm with him eight years, and by his own personal efforts picked up a good general education. Thirteen years ago, he became agent for W. W. Kim- ball, of Chicago, and has sold musical in- struments ever since with good success. He was candidate before the Democratic prim- ary, in 1876, for nomination for Circuit Clerk. and was defeated, and, in 1880, ran the second time against same opponent and was nominated and elected for a term of four years to the same office.

LEWIS W. SMITH, physician, Effing- ham, was born in Zanesville, Ohio, November 13, 1825; at ten or twelve years of age, he came to Terre Haute, Ind., where he grew to

mauhood and married in 1848. A few years after his marriage, he removed to Charleston, Ill., and there studied medicine with Dr. A. M. Henry, then of Charleston, now at Mat- toon, Ill. He graduated from the Cincinnati Eclectic Medical Institute during the session of 1859-60, and began his practice at Effing- ham, Ill., in the spring of 1861. Dr. LeCrone being the only other practicing physician here at that time, and our subject has been here in active practice since, except four years when he was Postmaster at Effingham, serving from 1869 to 1873. He has been a Republican since the foundation of the party, and has several times been nominated for important offices.

ROBERT SPECK, merchant, Effingham, was born in Baden, Germany, June 6, 1850. When five years old, he came with his par- ents to the United States, and first lived in Terre Haute, Ind., until 1858, when his fa- ther came to Effingham. In 1864, our sub- ject entered J. F. Waschefort's store here as clerk, and continued with him in that ca- pacity until 1879. In September of that year, he formed a partnership with Dr. Hen- ry Eversmann, and this firm has continued business in Mr. Waschefort's old stand, un- der the firm name of Eversman & Speck. The house carries a large general stock, and requires five persons to transact the business. Our subject was married, in 1873, to Miss M. E. Pearman, of Paris, Ill. They have one son. Our subject's father, John Speck, was also born in Baden. He learned the trade of shoe-maker in the city of Strasburg, and married Mary Riedmiller, by whom he had six sons and one daughter, all born in Ger- many, and all are deceased except Robert. His father was the first shoe maker to locate in Effingham permanently, and he conducted a shop of his own here 'from 1858 to the time of his death, in May, 1872. He was an ar-

EFFINGHAM CITY AND DOUGLAS TOWNSIIIP.

dent Republican. Subject was twice elected City Clerk of Effingham, ou the Republican ticket, overcoming the usual largo majority, and served four years-from 1877 to 1881.

THOMAS SPEIRS, foreman blacksmith, Vandalia Railroad shops, Effingham, is a son of James and Jane (Mason) Speirs, and was born in Ayrshire, Scotland, December 18, 1835. In his seventeenth year, he came to the United States with his parents, who settled at Detroit, Mich., where he attended school some two years; then entered the ma- chine shop of De Graff & Kendrick, to learn the trade of blacksmith, serving a three years' apprenticeship, when he removed to Marshall, Mich., where he entered the Michigan Cen- tral Railroad shops as blacksmith for a year; then came to Galesburg, Ill., entering the shops of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad for a short time, when he removed to Bloomington, Ill., where he worked at his trade in the Chicago & Alton Railroad shops for a short period. He has worked in the employ of different railroad companies at various points in Illinois since 1857, except two years spent in Michigan and the South. He has been in the employ of the Vandalia Company since 1868. He came to Effingham about 1871, where he became foreman of the blacksmith department, which employs from eight to eleven men, while there was only one man in his department when he first came. He married, in 1863, Miss Lucy J. Hunt, of Detroit, Mich. They have six chil- dren living-James, Walter, Jennie, Guy, Nettie, Thomas, all living in this county.

JAMES STEELEY, proprietor of the Western House, Effingham, was born in Ed- gar County, IlI., January 3, 1835. and was raised on a farm in Coles County, III. At the age of twenty-one, he became a brakeman on the I. & St. L. R. R., and in a short time became a fireman and engineer on that road.

and was connected with it for twenty years, running mostly on the Western Division, and has been living at Mattoon for the last thir- teen years. September 1, 1SS2, he leased and newly furnished the Western House, of Effingham, and has since run it with a good trade. It has twenty large rooms for guests -a two-story brick, 60x45, with a sample- room on the first floor. Employment is fur- nished to seven persons.

W. P. SURRELLS, merchant, Effingham, was born in Louisville, Clay Co., Ill., in January, 1837. He lived in his native town until thirteen years old, going to California overland, with his father, in 1850. They were in the mines of the Upper Sacramento and Trinity Rivers three years. Returned home in 1853, and, in the spring of 1854, came to this county and settled at Free- manton, and his father came to take a con- tract on the Brough Railroad, but it fell through. Our subject moved to Effingham in the spring of 1857, and clerked for C. F. Falley, who had two stores, and he went to Ewington and took charge of the store there, having been clerk at Freemanton for some time before. Our subject bought Mr. Falley out in 1857, and ran the store at Ewington for nine months, when he sold out and moved to Freemanton and went to teaching there. He had previously taught in the Effingham public schools, in the winter of 1855-56. He married. August 27, 1857, Miss Susan, daugh- ter of John M. Brown, of Mound Township, now living in Springfield, III. He taught the two winters following in that vicinity, and also farmed, when he moved to Free- manton and worked in a saw-mill, where he met with an accident. He sold the mill, and in the spring of 1859, moved back to Effing- ham and taught school here until 1861. He enlisted, in August, 1861, in the Twenty- sixth Illinois. He was first in the Depart-

BIOGRAPHICAL:

ment of Missouri; was in the battles of New Madrid, Point Pleasant, Mo., and then went to Memphis, Tenn. He was next at Farm- ington and Corinth, where he was wounded by a minie ball striking him in the ankle, which broke both bones, and the surgeons de- cided to amputate the limb, but he removed the signal flag three times that marked him as a subject for operation, and he was sent to the hospital, where he lay seven days be- fore his limb was set, and a month passed and his wife came and pulled him through. He was wounded May 28, 1862, and was dis- charged September 19, 1862, at St. Louis. He came and taught school at Watson on crutches. He settled in Watson and engaged in hauling cordwood, and, while putting up his horses, was kicked by one of them and broke his wounded leg just above where it was broken before. While lying sick, he bought a stock of goods, and a few weeks afterward, the man that was conducting busi- ness for him absconded with all the money collected, but in spite of this our subject kept on with moderate success until 1866, when he sold out for $800. In 1868, he became clerk for T. A. Brown, in a hardware store, where he remained for eight years. He then assisted his father three years in the County Treasurer's office, until the latter's death, January 21, 1879. Our subject was after- ward engaged in the real estate business un- til June, 1881, when he engaged in the hard- ware business on Jefferson street. His fa- ther, Jesse R. Surrells, was born in Virginia January 10, 1803, and, at the time of his death, was aged seventy-six years and eleven days. He was of French extraction, his grandfather having come to America with Lafayette in the days of the Revolution and served in the war. His ancestors settled in Virginia, after the close of the war of the Revolution, and at the age of eleven Jesse

R., together with his father and family, emi- grated to Kentucky, where they remained for a time and then moved to Indiana. In 1831, at the age of twenty-eight, Mr. Surrells came to Clay County, Ill., where he re- sided, with the exception of short intervals, until 1854, when he came to this county and resided here continuously until the time of his death. He was married three times, bav- ing five children by the first wife, tive by the second and one by the third, his present wid- ow. Of these, one by the first-W. P. Sur- ells, three by the second and one by his pres- ent widow, survive him. As may be inferred from his connection with the early history of our county, his life was checkered and eventful, but through it all there rises irre- sistibly to the surface the motto honesty. During his residence in Clay County, he carried on the business of raftsman, and while engaged in this business he made sev- eral trips to New Orleans with produce and merchandise. On one of these trips during an epidemic, he was attacked with cholera, from which he, however, recovered. It was no uncommon thing in those days for mer- chants to be their own carriers, and Uncle Jesse was one of this class. A flat-boat would be built on the banks of some suitable stream, and launched, loaded with the prod- uce of the country. The boat was always well manned with experienced river men, and at the first rise of the stream would be cut loose and floated all the way to New Orleans. Uncle Jesse carried on this business, and as already stated, made several of these hazard- ous voyages, embarking on the Little Wa- bash, near Louisville, Clay Co., Ill. In this way he accumulated quite a competency, but on one trip two of his boats sunk, which left him with an indebtedness of some $4,000 over and above his ability to pay. He did not, however, take advantage of any bank-

EFFINGHAM CITY AND DOUGLAS TOWNSHIP.

rupt or debtor's laws, but turned over every dollar's worth of property he owned toward payment of this indebtedness. Nor did he rost here where men of even much reputed honesty would have halted. The gold fever of California had begun its ravages by this time, and Uncle Jesse, with his son Perry, started in penury in 1870, for the West. Here he was again successful, and in 1853 returned to Louisville with several thousand dollars in gold, with which he paid off every cent of the indebtedness left upon his shoul- ders by the disaster upon the river. This was the crowning act of his life, and in it is found the true reflex of his character. It takes rank with any act of Aristides, the just, and only gives place to Walter Scott's typical discharge from indebtedness in point of amount. Again a poor man, he came to Effingham, in 1854, going; behind the coun- ters of C. F. Falley, then a merchant of this place. After a few years' service for Mr. Falley, he became an employe of J. Metto, the principal merchant of this place at that time, with whom he continued for some six years. With his subsequent life our readers are familiar. He has held the office of County Treasurer for six terms, his death oc- curring while yet an incumbent of that office. While a resident of Clay County, he was similarly honored, being for many years a Justice of the Peace, and for twelve years its Sheriff. From his settlement in Clay Coun- ty, in 1831, he may be really called a resi- dent of this county, for his name is iudissol- ubly connected with the important events of our county's history from his first advent in Clay. He was a laborer on the National road in 1832, and many a shovelful of dirt, now unrecognizable in its decaying grade, were thrown up by the hands of the deceased. His patriotism, too, was never lacking when his country was imperiled. He raised a com-

pany for the Mexican war, but the quota of our State being full, he was compelled to re- turn, and age only prevented him from bear- ing arms against the Southern confederacy. Such was the life to which that large con- course of citizens and impressive funeral pageant paid such marked tribute upon the Wednesday when his remains were consigned to their last resting-place. The men who knew of and had been the recipients of his lavish liberality and favors crowded around and followed him to the grave. Perhaps no man's name has appeared oftener, and upon more paper as security than that of Jesse R. Surrells, and no name has given that paper more evidences of value. In life, he bore an irreproachable character, was a man of un- compromising honor and sterling integrity, and in death he commanded that respect which these noble qualities inspire. With a life untarnished by a single breach of trust, either private or public, he will take his place in the Valhalla of America's honest pioneers among the noblest and the best.

DR. WESLEY THOMPSON, horticultur- ist, Effingham, was born in Fort Wayne, Ind., June 30, 1845. He was educated at Asbury University, at Green Castle, Ind., which he left in two years to enter the army. He began the study of medicine proper after leaving, when twenty years old, and read with Dr. J. H. Loughridge, of Rensselaer, Ind., continuing three years, and afterward graduated in 1869, from the Miami Medical College. He came to Illinois in 1869, and located in Effingham, and bought out his brother, Henry Thompson, who was in the drug business, in which our subject continued, in connection with his practice, for about four years. He removed to Lincoln, Neb., in 1870, and remained until 1877, in the floral and commercial gardening business at Lin- coln. In 1877, he returned to Effingham,

BIOGRAPHICAL:

and engaged in the practice of medicine, in connection with his present business, having since 1880 given his attention to the orchard and garden. The orchard contains about fifty-two acres, and has between 3,500 and 4,000 apple trees, which supplies the local market and are also shipped to St. Louis, Kansas City, Chicago and Indianapolis. He was married, in 1869, to Miss Mellie M. Lit- tle, daughter of S. W. Little, of Lincoln, Neb. They have three children. Dr. Thomp- son's father, Dr. John Thompson, was born in Hull, England, where he served an appren- ticeship as druggist. He came to the United States and settled first at Catskill, N. Y. He was married in England, and was druggist and physician at Rensselaer, Ind., until his death, which occurred in 1870. Our subject enlisted in the Eighty-seventh Indiana Vol- unteer Infantry, Company A, in November, 1863, and served until the close of the war. He was detailed as Regimental Clerk in the headquarters of Col. Hammond, from July, 1864, to the close of the war. He was in all of the principal engagements of the Atlanta campaign, and never sick or excused from duty for a day, and mustered out at Louis- ville, Ky., in August, 1865.

BERNARD TRAYNOR, machinist, Effing- ham, was born in County Down, Ireland, June 11, 1837, and was raised in Belfast. At the age of sixteen, he went to Manchester, England, and entered Fairburn's great en- gine and machine shops, serving five years' apprenticeship as machinist. He returned to Killyleagh, Ireland, and worked at repairing machinery of the flax factory there until 1865, when he came to the United States, landing in New York City in December. He went to Central Falls, R. I., where he worked for Gov. Sprague as Superintendent of ma- chinery in the flax factories there for one year. He afterward worked at Philadelphia,

Penn., and came to Chicago, Ill., in 1867, and remained nine months. He was next employed at Ladoga, Ind., and next at Vin- cennes, Ind., where he was employed in the foundry of Clark & Buck for three years as foreman. He was next in the Eagle foundry, at Terre Haute, Ind., about one year. He then entered the employ of the T., H. & I. R. R. Company, in 1872, remaining four years. In November, 1876, he came to Effingham, in the employ of the Vandalia road, and is now foreman of the machinery department.

ANTHONY UNDERRINER, business manager of Miller's old stand, Effingham, was born in Perry County, Mo., March 3, 1856. He came to Illinois when nine years of age and resided until 1869 at Sigel, Shel- by Co., Ill. He came to Effingham in 1869, and spent about four years in the public schools. In 1874, he entered a store at Si- gel, Ill., as clerk, and spent one year there. In 1875, he returned to Effingham and en- tered the employ of John J. Miller & Co. as clerk and salesman in their dry goods store, and has been at the same stand for seven years. The business changed hands in 1879, and under the new firm he has been head clerk and business manager, having the entire charge of the purchase and sale of goods. The house employs from four to five salesmen, and does a large business in dry goods and notions.

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History of Effingham county, Illinois, Part 46

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