History of Effingham county, Illinois, Part 53

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 53

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WILLIAM L. SNOOK, grain-dealer, Al- tamont, son of William H. and Sarah B. (Robbins) Snook, was raised in Greensburg, Ind., where he was born, November 2, 1843. At the age of eighteen, he enlisted in the Seventh Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and served one year, in the regimental band, when all such bands were discharged. Served two years as engineer in a flouring-mill and manufacturing house, and was afterward in the stock business at Greensburg, Ind. He came to Altamont in 1871, and first engaged in the furniture and hardware business. He opened the first store of that kind in Mr. Howers' storeroom, in October, 1871. He con- tinued in that line some two years, when he

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engaged in the general merchandise line for a year. In about 1874, he engaged in the grain and stock business, and became a part- ner of H. A. Carter, and handled grain in the house occupied by Mr. Ensign. After, some two years in the firm of Carter & Snook, and after a time subject bought out Mr. Car. ter's interest, and sold it to John Ensign in 1879. For a time Mr. Snook gave his entiro attention to the bnying and shipping of stock, and in company with Mr. Charles Schumacher built for Clifton Wells their present ware- house, on the Ohio & Mississippi and the Wabash Railroads. They have a lease of the building for five years from the date of its building, in the spring of 18S1. It has the best dump and elevator ever built here, hav- ing complete machinery for dumping and shelling grain, with a capacity of 3,000 bush- els per day, and is the only elevator in town. The dump caused a great interest among farm- ers, and will revolutionize the old manner of shoveling grain by hand. The firm of Snook & Schumacher also buy and ship all kinds of live stock for Indianapolis, St. Louis and Chicago markets. Mr. Snook was married, in 1868, to Miss Emma Elliott, of Jennings County, Ind., and has one daughter-Enola, living. Our subject's father was born in Warren County, Ohio, and came to Greons- burg, Ind., about 1830, where he married. His wife was born in Decatur County, Ind. He was a tailor by trade and afterward was in the grocery business; both parents are still living at Greensburg, where subject has one brother, John R., and sister, Mary A., wife of William Rybolt.

JACOB L. STAIR, manufacturer, Alta- inont, was born in Elkhart County, Ind., August 29, 1858. At the age of five years, his parents removed to Illinois, sottling in Effingham County about 1863 on a farm, where subject lived until the building of the

Vandalia Railroad. At the age of seventeen, he entered the telegraph office at St. Elmo, and in four months took charge of the office of the Ohio & Mississippi Railroad, being night operator for nine months. He thon resigned his position there and became oxtra operator, and as such he worked at various offices along the line. from Indianapolis to St. Louis, until 1878. He then took charge of the day offico at Altamont, and held that position until 1880, when he resigned to engage in the re- tail furniture business for about one year. March, ISS1, with his father, Jacob Stair, he established a furniture factory. They leased a building of William B. Metham, and continued in that until the erection of the present building, in September, 1882. They first started with ten men, but have increased the number and facilities for the manufacture of bedsteads.

MRS. JULIA TAPSON, milliner, Alta- mont. Of the various enterprises in the town of Altamont that have started here within the last decade and have met with more than unusual success is the millinery and notion department of Mrs. Julia Tapson, who started in business here in the spring of 1875 in a small room in her own house, which she subsequently changed for a larger one, where she continued until this proved inade- quate to the demands of her fast-growing trade, when she built the building sho now occupies, and has added to her stock of mil- linery a selection of queensware. She keeps a well-selected stock of everything in her line, keeping pace with the style and fashions of the day, and placing her goods at fair and reasonable prices, treating all with equal fairness. She has extended her trade over a large extent of country, and has built up a thriving and prosperous trade. She was born in Perryville, Mo. Her parents were natives of Switzerland, and were among the

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prominent families of that country. Her father died in 1858; her mother is yet living, and resides with her.

WILLIAM D. TROLLINGER, farmer, , the Atlantic and other mills in the West. In P. O. Altamont, was born in Knox County, August, 1881, he took charge of the Farmers Mills, at Altamont, Ill., where he has since done a good merchant and exchange business. He enlarged the capacity of the mills since he came to fifty barrels per day, and contem- plates other still more important improve- ments. It has three run of buhrs and makes the " New Process " Hour. The mill is three story, with basement, and is operated by a thirty horse-power engine; employs three men for the day and three for the night. Our subject was married. in St. Louis, in April, 1881, to Miss Pauline Herbel, of St. Louis, Mo .. daughter of Judge A. Herbel. The parents were both natives of France, where they were married, and came to St. Louis about 1849, where they died. Ohio, September 21, 1828, to George and Nora (Durbin) Trollinger. He was born in Pennsylvania, of German descent, in 1S00; he was a farmer; he died in Ohio in 1875; his father was a soldier in the Revolutionary war. The mother of our subject was born in Maryland, in 1808, and died in Ohio in 1854. He was killed by his horse that he was riding falling on him, causing such injuries that he died in a few days. They were the parents of eight children, one of whom - Williamn - was the fourth child. His early life was spent in securing such an education as the common schools of his native county afforded, and assisting in tilling the soil of his father's farm. When he was sixteen years of age, he apprenticed himself at the carpenter's trade, and served three years, and worked at the same until 1862, and then did his last work building the house he is now residing in. He came to Effingham County in 1851, and bought his land in 1857. and removed to it in 1859, where he has since remained, active- ly engaged in farming. His farm now con- tains 180 acres of prairie and forty of timber. In Effingham County, in 1857, he married Miss Elizabeth Sapp, a native of Ohio and - came to Effingham County when she was a little girl. They had four children, three living-Hiram D., Mary C. and Mine J. He is a Democrat.

LOUIS VAUCLAIR, miller, Altamont. son of Joseph and Mary (Vallet) Vauclair, was born in St. Louis, Mo., June 1. 1854. . He was raised in St. Louis, where, at the age of twelve years, he entered the Carondelet City Mills. and served there a three-years' apprenticeship and worked as second miller

for some time, when he became first miller, working in that mill in all about ten years. He afterward worked in the Iron Mountain,

NELSON WALLACE, farmer, P. O. Al- tamont, was born in Jackson County, Ohio, August 21, 1521, to Jolin and Jane (Nelson) Wallace. His father was born in Pennsyl- vania in 1796, was brought to Ohio by his parents, who located near Zanesville; that was before the town was laid out; here he was raised and educated. Arriving at his majority, he removed fo Jackson County, where he remained until 1835, when he re- moved to Putnam County, Ind., and in 1840, to Morgan County, where he died in 1843, November 19. His occupation was that of a farmer. The mother of our subject was born in Olio in 1801, and died in Putnam County in September, 1S52. She was a daughter of Jonathan R. Nelson, a soldier of the Black Hawk war. Parents of our subject had eleven children, of whom Nelson was the oldest child. He was raised on a farm in Putnam and Morgan Counties, where he received such an education as the subscription schools of

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his day afforded. He remained with his par- ents until he was twenty-two years of age, when he embarked on his own career in life as a farmer, continuing the same until 1846, when he learned the trade of a saddler and harness-maker, at Green Castle, Ind., where he worked twelve years. In October, 1858, he came to Effingham County; he drove across the country in a lumber wagon and buggy tied on behind. and shipped his goods to Effingham. He bought the farm then con- taining forty acres, the same year. and added to it until he now has 120 acres. He has, however, sold his present farm, and expects to remove to near Altamont. Mr. Wallace commenced life very poor, and has worked hard to earn his competency. In Morgan County. Ind., in 1843, in February, he was married to Zillah Mills, a native of Dearborn County, Ind., born in 1823, April 6. Mr. and Mrs. Wallace are the parents of eight children, of whom six are now living, viz., James K., John L., Benjamin F .. Hiram E., Ellen M., Susan H. He is an active mem- ber of the order of the A., F. & A. M., at Al- tamont. No. 533; been a member since 1852. Has held the office of School Director ten or twelve years; Town Clerk three years; Com- missioner of Highways for seven years. Was elected to the Township Treasurer, but de- clined to accept it. He was a Democrat and cast his first vote for James K. Polk, in 1844, and since 1856 he has been a solid Republi- can. In 1873, he had his house and house- hold goods destroyed by fire. Upon the home farm is an orchard that Mr. Wallace set out twenty-two years ago, and is said to be the best orchard in the township. Two of his sons were in the late war. James was wounded; served nearly four years. John served nearly three years, and both enlisted,

JAMES K. WALLACE, farmer, P. O. Altamont, was born in Green Castle, Ind., 1

January 10, 1845, to Nelson and Zillah (Mills) Wallace, whose history appears in another part of this work. James was raised in town to the age of thirteen, when he was brought to Effingham County by his parents. He received his education from the common schools of Green Castle. His early life was spent in assisting in tilling the soil of his father's farm. At eighteeen years of age he enlisted in the late rebellion, serving from August 12, 1862, until July 6, 1865, when he was mustered out. He served in the Ninety-eighth Illinois Volunteers, under Col. Funkhouser: was in the following battles: Hoover's Gap, Chickamauga. Sherman to At- lanta, and back with Thomas to Nashville: was in twenty-eight battles and skirmishes. and was wounded at Selma, Ala .; was in every battle the regiment was in, and was never wounded until the last battle, by tive shots, one in the thigh, one in the right arm. one in the neck. one in the groin and one in the mouth. After the close of the war, he returned to the home of his parents, where he remained until 1872. In March, 1872, he went to Missouri, where he remained six months; thence to Kansas, for two months, and then to Oregon, where he remained three and one-half years, engaged in different oc- cupations, on canal, on a farm and a saw-mill. In November, 1875, he returned home, and, in January, married and removed to his pres- ent farm, where he has since remained, en- gaged in farming. He is now the owner of 120 acres, and started with forty aeres. January 13, 1876, he married, in Effingham County, Miss Maggie Baker, a native of Effingham County, and a daughter of Jacob and Martha Ann (Powell) Baker. He is a native of Virginia and she of Tennessee. Mr. and Mrs. Wallace have three children, viz., Jacob, born March S, 1877; Zillah Maud, born December 1, 1878; Mattie, born Novem-

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ber 9, 1881. Politically, he is a Republican, and cast his first Presidential vote for U. S. Grant.

F. W. WENDT, grain dealer, Altamont, was born September 19, 1853, in Martinsville, Niagara Co., N. Y. He is a son of Frederich Wendt, a farmer, who was born near Berlin, the capital of the German Empire, on April 25, 1828; he is now living in St. Francis Township, Effingham County. The maiden name of F. W. Wendt's mother was Louisa Grimm, born in 1829, near Berlin, Germany; she is now living in Effingham County. There are ten children in the family, eight boys and two girls. Mr. F. W. Wendt was educated mainly in Effingham, Ill., although bis German education was acquired in Mar- tinsville, N. Y .; he was a farmer in early life, but at the age of twenty, he commenced to teach school in the winter and go to school in the summer; he taught one summer in Montrose. Mr. Wendt was instrumental in having St. Francis Township re-surveyed. This was in 1878; in the fall of the same year he came to Altamont, where he became a clerk for George Hilleman; he stayed with him till August 1, 1882, when he became jun- ior partner in the grain business, now known under the title of Ensign & Wendt. The firm buy all kinds of grain. Mr. Wendt is identified with the Republican party, and in religious matters he adheres to the Lutheran faith.

FERDINAND WOLFF, farmer, P. O. Altamont, is a native of Niagara County, N. Y., born December 12, 1844. His father, Frederick Wolff, was a native of Prussia, Germany, born October 31, 1806. His early life was spent at home assisting to till the soil of his father's farm, and receiving such an education as could be obtained from the Lutheran schools. Arriving at his majority, he engaged in farming, and remained actively

engaged during his life. In 1843, he bade his native country farewell and took passage in a sailing vessel from Hamburg to New York. Arriving in America, he immediately started West, and located in New York, in Niagara County, Hearing of the fertility of the soil in the Western States, and the fort- unes that were to be made by those who were willing and strong enough to brave the struggles of a pioneer life, he was induced to remove his family to Illinois, in 1865, locat- ing in Mound Township, Effingham County, where he succeeded in accumulating a good property, and during the latter years of his life he was surrounded by those comforts and enjoyed those pleasures that ever result from honesty, industry and economy. His taking away by death, February 26, 1872, was mourned by a large number of friends. His wife, Louisa Boening, who still survives him, was born in Prussia, Germany, May 20, 1814; she is now residing with her son, our sub- ject, who was the oldest child born to her. He was raised on a farm and received a thor- ough English and German education from the schools of his native county. He was married, on the 5th of May, 1870, to Miss Henrietta Wolff, who died January 29, 1878, leaving two children as the results of their union, viz., Hulda and Martin G. F. He married a second time, October 28, 1880, Miss Maria Beccue, a native of New York, born March 18, 1862. She has borne him one child, William. He and family are con- sistent members of the German Lutheran Church. He is a man of high standing in the community in which he lives and bears a name and reputation which is beyond re- proach. In politics, he is a Democrat; has never sought office, believing it to be more in accord with his views to stay at home and give his attention and time to his family and farm. He is one of the most practical farm-

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ers in the township, and is the owner of 180 acres of well-improved land.

CHARLES M. WRIGHT, banker, Alta- mont, whose portrait appears in this work, was born in New Boston, Mass., December 8, 1834, son of Philander and Almeda (Bal- lard) Wright, he born in Hadley, Mass., in 1806, and died in 1872; she, a native of Trumbull County, Ohio, born in 1810, and is also deceased. They were farmers and the parents of two children. The ancestors of our subject were of English descent, and Charles Montague settled in Hadley, Mass., in 1662, and our subjeet bears his name. The family is numerous. Our subject re- ceived a thorough common-school education, and afterward commenced his medical educa- tion, the expenses attending which he de- frayed himself by teaching school. He grad- uated in medicine at the Eclectic Medical College, Philadelphia, Penn., in 1856, and in the same year came to this county and en- gaged in the practice of his profession, liter- ally without any money. He has practiced in this county from 1856 to 1878, during which time he enjoyed an exceedingly exten- sivo practice, out of which he made his for- tune. He has five children living-Florence, Ada, Lotta, Mabel and Charles M., Jr. Our subject is liberal in his religions views, and in politics is a Democrat. Upon his retire- ment from the medical profession, he organ- ized the present bank, under the firm name of C. M. Wright & Co., Mr Levi Butler be- ing the junior partner and cashier. It is a private bank, with guaranteed assets of $100,- 000, and the enterprise has met with deserved success.

JOSEPH G. WRIGHT, teacher and min- ister, Altamont, was born in the southern part of England March 26, 1846. He was educated in London, where his father kept a boarding-school, called Sherboro House

School. At the age of sixteen, he began teaching, and occupied the position of Class- ieal Master at Stoke Hall School, Ipswick, Guild Hall, Bury, St. Edmunds and Grammar School Penrith. He came to the United States in IS70, and began teaching in the public schools of Champaign County. III., and continued teaching in that county for about ten years. He was Principal of the Ogden Public Schools for three years and of the Sadorus Schools four years. In the fall of ISSO, he came to Altamont, and is filling his third year as Principal of the Altamont Schools. He was ordained to the ministry of the Protestant Episcopal Church in 1879, and has assisted in the Champaign Associate Mission of St. Mary's. Effingham, and is now connected with the Grace Church Mission, at Greenville, Ill. He was examined, in 1875, by the State Board of Examiners, and re- ceived a State certificate. He was married, in 1873, to Miss N. J. Padgett, of Sadorus, Ill. The Altamont schools have three depart- ments, and an average attendance of 140 pupils, and its course of study includes the branches necessary for a certificate of the first-class.

JOSEPH YATES, farmer, P. O. Altamont, was born in Nicholas County, Ky., May 13, 1838, to Joab and Mary (Kennedy) Yates, whose history appears in another part of this work. He was removed to Putnam County, Ind., by his parents when two years of age, where he spent his early life assisting in till- ing the soil of his father's farm and receiving such an education as the common schools afforded. He came to Effingham County, Ill., with his parents, in November, 1854; he attended school here two winters. At twenty- one years of age, he left home and embarked on his carrer in lifo as a farmer, upon the same farm he is now residing on. He is now the owner of 338 acres of land, thirty of

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which is timber. He is managing the whole; he alse deals considerably in stock. In 1858, in Effingham County, he married Miss Mary Higgs, daughter of George Higgs. Mr. and Mrs. Yates have six children, viz., Eugene, Horace G., John A., Margaret, Florence and Joseph. He has always voted the Republi- can ticket, and cast his first Presidential vote for Lincoln for his first term.

JOHN D. YATES, farmer, P. O. Altamont, was born in Putnam County, Ind., in 1841, November 24, to Joab and Mary (Kennedy) Yates. His father was born in Nicholas County, Ky., November 19, 1807, where he was raised on a farm, educated from the sub- scription schools, and married in 1827, when he engaged in farming for themselves, with- out any start, as he said. "without $50." In 1839, he removed to Putnam County, Ind., where he bought a small farm of eighty acres, and, on April 17, 1854, he and our subject came to Illinois and located in Effingham County, on the farm of our subject, where they broke prairie, erected a log house and needed improvements; the remainder of the family came in November, John and his fa- ther returning and drove across the country. Here he continued to work, experiencing many hardships common to a pioneer's life, and accumulated over 1,000 acres, which he put under a high state of cultivation. He died October 25, 1878. He was a member of the United Brethren Church. Was a liberal contributor to schools, churches and especial- ly to the poor. He never took interest in politics, more than to vote a Republican tick- et. His father was a native of Pennsylvania, Allegheny County, and settled in Kentucky about the time of the Indian war. He was a soldier of the Revolutionary war. This fam ily was of Scotch and Irish descent. The mother of our subject was born in Nicholas County, Ky., June 8, 1806, and died iu

Effingham County December 14, 1879. She was a daughter of Thomas Kennedy, a native of Pennsylvania. Once, while crossing the Alleghany Mountains for salt, he happened in a house where a man was sick, and, as it afterward proved, with the small-pox; he took the disease and lost his eyesight. He re- moved to Kentucky in an early day, and there reared a large family of children, but never saw only one. He was of English and Irish descent. The parents of our subject had eight children, of whom three are now living, viz., Joseph, a farmer, of Mound Township; John, our subject; Elmira, wife of William Eyestone, of Altamont. John was raised on a farm, and received such an education as the common schools of Putnam County, Ind., and. Effingham afforded. He was brought to this county when he was thirteen years of age. He remained with his father, assisting in tilling the soil of his father's farm until 1875, when he removed to Altamont and en- gaged in buying grain, the first year in the firm of Carter & Yates, and the second year by himself. After two years, he returned to the home farm, where he has since remained. In August, 1861, he enlisted in the Union army, serving in the Thirty-eighth Illinois Volunteers, under the command of Col. Car- lin. He was mustered out March, 1866, be- ing kept on the Rio Grande long after the war. He was in the following battles: Per- ryville, Ky., Stone River, Chickamauga. Chattanooga, and in all the battles up to the time of the capture of Atlanta. He was with Thomas at the battle of Franklin and Nash- ville. He received several slight flesh wounds. He is the owner of 330 acres of land, all in Mound Township, except 150 in West. May 23, 1869, he married, in Effing- ham County, Miss Catharine Sherart, a native of Erie County, Ohio, is a daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth (Bomhart) Sherart. He is a

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native of Pennsylvania. She is of Germany. Mr. and Mrs. Yates have four children, viz., Emery S., born December 12, 1870; James A., born August 23, 1874: Herbert, Septem- ber 27, 1877; Charles E., April 22, 1882. Politically, he is a Republican. Was Super- visor of township two terms. When Mr. Yates came to the county, west of his present farm the nearest house was eight miles, at Howard's Point. in Fayette County. North was in Moccasin Township, ten or twelve miles. East was several houses in the edge of the timber. about two miles, and south about ten or twelve miles.

SAMUEL N. YOUNG, undertaker, Alta- mont, youngest son of Thomas R. and Mary (McCann) Young, was born in Montgomery County, Ky., March 19, 1829, and received his education in the county schools in Ken- tucky. He was brought by his parents to Putnam County, Ind., in 1845, and was raised on a farm. He lived on a farm near Green Castle, Ind., until 1855, when he moved to this county; settled on prairie land, on what was known as the old Hammond farm, Section 12. West Township, which had but insignifi- cant improvements. He lived there until July, 1878, during which period he improved over 200 acres of land and put up comfortable and substantial buildings. His first pur- chase was 160 acres, to which he subsequently added several other tracts. He was a suc- cessful stock and grain raiser, and also bought and sold stock to a considerable ex- tent. About 1870, he began the improve- ment of his stock of hogs, beginning with representatives of the Chester White, and af- terward the Poland-China. He also brought pure-bred Cotswold sheep to his farm, where they still remain. He has givon some atten- tion to the improvement of cattle, breeding the Short-Horn species with good success. He came to Altamont in July, 1878, and en-

gaged in the stock and grain trade for eight- een months. In June, 1881, he opened an undertaking establishment, on Railroad street. and has on hand a full line of nndertaker's goods. He was married, the first time, Feb- ruary 1, 1849, to Miss Mary Jane La Follett, and has two children living of this marriage -Lucretia, wife of Charles Kershaw, of Montgomery County, Ind .; Francis Marion, farmer in Nodaway County, Mo. Our sub- ject's wife died in Indiana July 29, 1852, and he was re-married, to Harriet Yates, January 1, 1854. She died June 14, 1868, leaving five children, one having died in in- fancy. Those living are Warren, Mary Jane. S. A., Emma and Hattie. Warren is married to a daughter of William Hollis, and is living in Mound Township. Mary Jane is the wife of F. D. Ensign, Altamont. S. A. is prac- ticing medicine in Montgomery County, Ind., and the remaining two children are at home. Mr. Young was married, for a third time, April 8, 1869, to Sarah E. Paugh, of this county.

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History of Effingham county, Illinois, Part 53

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