History of Effingham county, Illinois, Part 54

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 54

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G. W. ZAHNOW. harness, saddles and furniture, Altamont. Among the young business men of Altamont is the above-men- tioned gentleman, who started business here in the fall of 1878, in company with F. C. Herman, in the manufacture of harness and saddlery, the firm name being Herman & Zahnow, which continued until September, 1SS0, when Herman withdrew. The business was continued by Mr. Zahnow, who has since conducted the same. August. 1882, he start- ed in the furniture business, which he runs, in connection with the harness department. both carried on in the same building-furni- ture below and harness department in the upper room. By attention to his business and studying the wants and demands of his customers. he has built up an excellent busi- ness. He was born December 7, 1852, in

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Germany, the third son of Charles and Attie (Lowe) Zahnow. with whom he emigrated to America about the year 1854, and remained in New York State. near Buffalo, until 1862. when they all came West to this county, lo- cating in Mound Township, where his parents now reside, and are engaged in farming.

He remained with them until he attained his majority, when he began for himself. He was married, November 23, 1879, to Anna Herman, a native of Dixon, this State, daugh- ter of C. Herman. He has two children- Benjamin and Franklin. Is a member of the Lutheran Church, and Democratic in politics.

LUCAS TOWNSHIP.

H. W. AGRUE, farmer, P. O. Eberle, is a ! man of intellectual ability and a prominent citizen and farmer of Lucas Township. He was born in Albany, N. Y., March 12, 1817, and was taken by his parents to Ohio, near the seat of Cincinnati, when four years old. His father was a native of New York State and his moth- er of Maine. Our subject's father was a tan- ner by trade, and the most of his time until the beginning of the Revolutionary war was occu- pied in New York City. He served as a soldier under Gen. Greene, and during the battle of Bunker Hill was glanced on the hip by a cannon ball, and was made a cripple for life. After receiving the shot, he was taken into Gen. Greene's own tent and kept there nntil able to travel, when he went into the service again. and served until the close of the war. After the close of the war, he and two comrades were journeying homeward, were taken prisoners

confidence of them and by strategem made by the Indians. They managed to gain the

their escape. They were pursued to the Ohio River, when the red men finding that they had arrived in a country inhabited by white folks, gave up the chase. He afterward took a trip into the Eastern States, and in Maine was married to Hannah Wheeler, by whom he had one child-John. He had five children by his

first marriage-Joseph, Ellen, Hannah, Sarah, and Henry, our subject. Henry's mother died when he was four years old, in Hamilton County, Ky., 1821, from that time he was raised in

Clermont County, Ohio. The education he received was in the subscription schools of Clermont County, Ohio. He was eco- nomical and industrious ; would work and earn a little money, then would attend the subscription school in day and at night would attend grammar school. At the age of seventeen, he went to serve as an ap- prentice ; set in with the intention of serving 1 three years, but the foreman, owing to the sickness of his wife, had to abandon his busi- ness after Mr. Agrue had served eighteen months. He then went to .Cincinnati to finish his trade as earpenter. After completing his course, went to different places in Ohio and worked as journeyman until 1841, at which time he left Ohio and went to Kentucky, worked there, and in January, 1842, was married to Naney Cummins, a native of Bracken Conn- ty, Ky. After that, he followed his trade suc- cessfully nntil October, 1872, at which time he came to Effingham County, Ill., and purchased a farm of 100 acres of land; eighty acres is prai- rie in Section 32, Lucas Township ; twenty acres timber in Section 13, Union Township. Now his attention is turned to farming, and raises prin- cipally grain-wheat, corn and oats. During the war, he had papers sent to him as a recruit- ing officer. and recruited a great many soldiers, about 200 in all. Mr. Agrue is a Democrat ; is not an office seeker, but at times becomes warmly interested in political matters. Mr. Agrue has five children living-James Allen,

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Melinda Jane, Sarah Francis, Emma Adaline, Charley Bruce, and two dead-Mary Ellen and Henry Bascom.

GEORGE W. ALVIS, farmer, P. O. Eberle, is a substantial farmer and a man of principle. Hle was born in Floyd County, Ind., April 29, 1850. His father is a native of Virginia, born in the year 1818 ; is a substantial farmer, liv- ing in Washington County, Ind. Subject's mother is a native of Indiana ; was born about the year 1821, in Orange County, that State, and is living with her husband. They had thirteen children, namely : David C., living in Orange County, Ind., James W., living in Washington County, Ind .; Mary, deceased ; Sarah A., wife of J. L. Chestnut, living in Mis- souri ; George W., subject ; Artimesia, de- ceased ; Harvey, deceased ; John, deceased ; Margaret M., wife of G. M. Morris, living in Washington County, Ind. ; llettie B., deceased; Joseph and Florence L., living in Washington County, Ind. ; Catharine, at home in Washing- ton County, Ind. George W. Alvis was taken by his parents to Washington County, Ind., in 1862. when twelve years old. Ile received his education in the common schools of Floyd and Washington Counties, by working for his fath- er in summer and in winter would attend school about three months in the year. He made his home at his father's until 1873, when at twenty-three years of age he was married to Seaphy V. Clark, a native of Washington County, Ind. She was born about 1846. Her mother, Susan Clark, was a native of Wash- ington County, Ind., born 1823. Her father, Alexander Clark, was a native of Vermont ; his death occurred in 1857. Our subject after marriage removed to Orange County, Ind., and engaged in farming, and remained there three years. until 1876, at which time he came to Lucas Township, and engaged in farming. He has one child living-Mary Edith ; two are dead-Ezza, and the other died in infancy.

IRA B. CARPENTER, farmer, P. O. Win- terrowd, was born in Jackson Township,

Effingham County, November 9, 1852. He lived with his father in Jackson Township until 1870; during that time he was working on the farm for his father in the summer and in winter attended school in the first school house that was built in Jackson Township. It was known as the Carpenter Schoolhouse. The neighbors volunteered and built it. They went into the woods and hewed ont the logs, and completed it about the year 1856. In 1870, at the age of eighteen, he went to the lake regions on the northern and eastern line of Minnesota, and engaged in lumbering and rail- roading; he remained there until the latter part of 1873. In the winter of 1874, he came back to his home in Jackson Township, and re- mained there until the spring of 1875, then went to the pine regions on Black River in Wisconsin, remained there until about the middle of July, 1875, when he went to Min- nesota; he remained there until Christmas, 1875, then came back to Effingham County, and went to work on his farm in Jackson Town- ship, which he had purchased in 1870. There were forty acres in the tract, twelve acres being cleared when he bought it; he afterward cleared up the remainder (with the exception of three acres) and put it in cultivation. He lived there on his farm for three years, the first year he stayed there and kept bachelor's hall; and on the 26th day of February. 1876, was married to Rosa Ann Price, of Etlingham County. In 1878, he sold out and moved to Lucas Town- ship, on a farm of 160 acres in Section 35, which he had purchased. On the first of March, 1882, he purchased another farm of 2-40 acres in Clay County, Ill, in Section 1, Bible Grove Township; about 200 acres are in cultivation and the remaining forty is timber land. His main productions are wheat, corn and oats. This season he has raised about 2,500 bushels of wheat and oats, and about 2,000 bushels corn. His father, John B. Carpenter, was born in Licking County, Ohio, in 1815, is a farmer and

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is living in Arkansas. His mother, Hannah Jane Imes, was born in Licking County, Ohio, in 1817, and died in Effingham County, Jack- son Township, in the year 1854. They had seven children-Anna, wife of James Nokes, deceased, she is living in Arkansas ; Isaac Perry, living in Effingham County, Jackson Township ; James, living in Missouri ; Oscar, deceased at eight years old ; John, living in Arkansas ; Victoria, wife of E. R. Rinehart, living in Watson Township, Effingham Co., III.

JOSEPH A. DRAKE, farmer, P. O. Winter- rowd, is a native of Indiana, born in Shelby County, that State, on the 18th of March, 1829. He worked on his father's farm in the summer time, and attended school in the winter about three months in the year. When fourteen years old, his father died and our subject lived on the farm until 1853, during which time he was married to Catharine Mow, of Shelby County, Ind. In the same year (1853), he removed to Hancock County, III., and lived there three years when his wife died, and he returned to Shelby County, Ind., and went to clerking in a dry goods store for George Dibert, clerked there for about eighteen months, then clerked for William P. Winterrowd about the same length of time. During this time, he was mar- ried again to Rachel Hodson, of Shelby Coun- ty, Ind. In the spring of 1859, he removed to Jasper County, Ill., and purchased a farm of forty acres in South Muddy Township, about ten acres of it being cultivated land. He planted a good orchard and commenced to improve it; and in the spring of 1863 came to Effingham County, and bought eighty acres of railroad land in Section 36, Lucas Township. Since that time, he has bought forty acres, ad- joining it on the south. He is an energetic and industrious farmer, and raises extensively wheat, corn and oats. He is also a natural mechanic, and has worked considerably at the carpenter's trade since he came to the State. He built the first dwelling that was in Winter-

rowd town, for Wash Winterrowd, after whom the town took its name, and he has built about eighteen grist mills, barns and other build- ings. He has eleven children living and two dead : Ithamar, Laura, Isaac, Shelby, Frank, Emma, Thomas, George, Henry, May and Ota. Charles deceased and Era deceased. Our sub- ject's father, Isaac Drake, was born in Ohio about the year 1799. He removed to Shelby County, Ind., and there erected the first grist and saw mill that was on Flat Rock River, and also built a linseed oil mill. He also owned a farm and he kept the mill and farm going nntil 1840, at which time he went to practicing medicine, of which he had made a special study before. He practiced until his death which occurred in 1843. His wife, Prudence, was born in Virginia in 1798, and died in Han- cock County, Ill. They had eight children- William Edwin, Ithamar, Isaac Newton, Amanda, Joseph A. subject, Henry, Prudence Rachel and Charles.

THOMAS J. DUNN, M. D., Elliottstown, was born in Bracken County, Ky., in 1845; was brought by his parents to Effingham County, Lucas Township. in 1853; he received his prim- ary education in an old log schoolhouse south of Elliottstown, it being the first schoolhouse that was in Lucas Township; he attended after- ward the community schools of the neighbor- hood. He attended school about two or three months in winter and the rest of the time helped his father on the farm up to 1864; he then enlisted in Company H, One Hundred and Fifty-fourth Illinois Volunteer; was Sergeant, and promoted to rank of Second Lieutenant, and served until the close of the war; he was mustered out at Nashville, Tenn., September 18, 1865; he then came home and taught school until 1875, when he commenced the study of medicine; received his degree at Rush Medical College, Chicago, III., February 22, 1881, and is still faithfully pursuing his profession, and has quite an extensive practice in the vicinity

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of Elliottstown. He was married, October 4, 1866, to Mary F. Field, of Elliottstown. They have six children-Louis Oscar, living, fourteen years old; Elijah Andrew, died when one year old; Sarah F., died when eighteen months old; Mary Elizabeth, living, seven years old; Ada Bell, deceased, one year old; John William, liv- ing, seven months. Mr. Dunn is a Republican, and has served in various township offices. He is, at present, Chairman of the Republican Cen- tral Committee in Lucas Township; he has also served as Town Clerk of Bishop Township as much as four years; he also belongs to Delia Lodge, No. 525, A., F. & A. M., and was Wor- shipful Master for six years, up to 1882; his father, Andrew Dunn, was born in Bracken County, Ky., in 1813; he was a farmer from his youth up, and also dealt some in stock; he moved here in Lucas Township in 1853, and settled on the farm which bears his name. He enlisted in the fall of 1861, in Company I, Fifty-fourth Illinois Infantry ; discharged on the 13th day of March, 1863, for disability; he arose to the rank of Sergeant; he came back to Lucas Township and went to farming, and died in Teutopolis January 6, 1871. He went there on business, and was stricken with apoplexy, and died in twelve hours. Deceased was a member of the Baptist Church, and also of the Masonie order. Deceased had six children -Jolin W., physician in Barton County, Mo .; Mary E., wife of Samuel L. Parks; Martha F. (deceased), wife of J. R. Merry; Thomas J., sub- ject; Elijah S., died in Barton County, Mo., in 1868; Sarah Belle, wife of Silvester Harlan, lives adjoining the old farm. Their mother is living on the old farm with Mr. Harlan; she was born in Bracken County, Ky., in the year 1812.

J. W. ELLIS, traveling salesman, Elliotts- town, was born in Wabash County, III., Septem- ber 22, 1846. His father, Charles C. Ellis. was born in Crawford County, Ind., December 2, 1814, was a farmer, and died February 22.

1879, in Greenwood County, Kan. Our sub- jeet's mother, Hannah Phar, was born in Ten- nessee in 1826, and died in 1854, in Wayne County, Ill. They had five children, all are living, namely : Henry C., railroading in Texas; Joseph W., subject ; Thomas J., is a brick mason by trade, and is living in Brownsville, Neb .; Charles C. is farming in Greenwood County, Kan .; Sarah E., wife of Edward T. Wines, living in St. Louis. Subject removed with his parents from Wabash County to Wayne County, Ill., in 1852; they remained there four years, and, in the spring of 1857, went back to Wabash County, Ill. They remained there until the spring of 1858, at which time they removed to Gentry County, Mo., where they remained until February, 1861, when they removed to Union County, Iowa. They re- mained in Union County until October of the same year, when they went to Fulton County, Ill. Our subject remained in Fulton County until January 20, 1865, at which' time he en- listed in Company B, One Hundred and Fifty- first Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and served one year. He was in several skirmishes, but in no regular battles. He was mustered in at Quincy, Ill., and was mustered out at Colum- bus, Ga., February 15, 1865, when he returned to Fulton County, Ill., and remained there three months, and then went to Summerfield, St. Clair Co., Ill., and was engaged in the nursery business until September, 1866, at which time he removed to MIt. Erie, Wayne Co., Ill., and attended a district school three months, afterward attending a graded school until September, 1867; he then engaged in teaching, and, about this time, he was married to HIariet A. McCoy, of Wayne County, Ill .; she was born in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, No- vember 2, 1840. At the close of the six months' school, he purchased a farm in Wayne County, and, in the fall of 1869, sold out and came to Lucas Township, Etlingham County, where he purchased a farm in Section 16 and

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commenced farming, and also raising and deal- ing in stock. He relinquished his stock dealing in June, 1882, on account of ill health. He sold a portion of his farm and all his surplus stock, and engaged with a wholesale hat and cap house of Indianapolis, as traveling sales- man, at which business he is still engaged. His family lives on the reserved portion of his farm. He has always been a Republican, and has served as Collector of his township three terms. He has four children living and one dead, namely : John L., Charles M., Olive May, Joseph Olin, are living; Oscar Walter died April 3, 1882. He was born September 25. 1868. Subject's wife's father was a native of Bedford County, Penn., born in the year 1806, and died in Wayne County, Ill., about the year 1863. Her mother, Mary George, was a native of Jefferson County, Ohio, born in the year 1812, and died in Wayne County, Ill., in the spring of 1878.

HIRAM R. EVANS, farmer, P. O. Eberle. He is a young man of industrious habits. He was born in Effingham County May 18, 1849, and was reared here. His father, Stephen Y., was a native of Indiana. He was born August 22, 1822. He came to Effingham County, Ill., in 1836. and died here May 11, 1861. Our subject's mother, Mary (Witchman), is a native of Indiana, born November 3, 1824, and is liv- ing with our subject. She was twee married, her second husband being Daniel Merry, who is also dead. Our subject was about twelve years old when his father died.

HENRY FRITCHLEY, farmer, P. O. Win- terrowd, is an industrious and substantial farmer of Lucas Township. Was born in Rich- land County, Ill., December 20, 1848. His father is a native of Pennsylvania, was born about the year 1814, has always been a farmer, and is living in Richland County, Ill. Our sub- ject's mother, Lydia Stafa, was a native of Ohio, and is dead. They had nine children- John lives in Clement Township, Richland Co .;

Sarah Ann, wife of Isaiah Louis, living in Richland County ; Jeremiah lives in Jasper County, Ill .; Isaac in Richland County, Clem- ent Township ; Sophia, wife of John Garver, deceased ; Henry, subject ; Louisa, wife of James Lynch, lives in Richland County, Clem- ent Township; David, Richland County; Mar- garet, wife of Absalom Milliman, lives in Rich- land County. Their father was married again to Elizabeth Smith, of Ohio, and has five chil- dren living and one dead -- Susanna, living; Mary M., wife of Oliver Madden, lives in Rich- land County; George, Martin, William Louis (deceased). Henry Fritchley was reared on his father's farm, and received his education by helping his father in summer, and would at- tend school about four months in winter. When twenty-one years of age, he was married to Margaret Snyder of Richland County. She was born May 26, 1849. Henry farmed in Riehland County one season, 1870; then sold out and went to the northwestern part of Mis- souri. Lynn County, remained there about two years, until 1872, at which time he came back to Richland County, and remained there until 1874, when he came to Lucas Township, Effing- ham County, and purchased a farm of 120 acres of wild land in Section 28. Now he has the most of it in cultivation, and raises grain-princi- pally wheat, corn and oats. He has two charm- ing little girls and a little boy-Lucinda Blanche, Lulu Grace and Edward Oliver. Margaret Fritchley's father was Morris Brady Snyder, born in Louisville, Ky., in 1800. He was a prominent man and a Methodist Episco- pal minister. He began preaching when a young man, and preached as circuit rider until too old for service, at which time he retired on a farm, and remained on the farm about two years, at which time he was elected Cireuit Clerk of Richland County. Ile was the first Clerk of the county, and was a member of the old Whig party. He was elected for his fourth term, and died January 31, 1861, before he had

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served it out. Her mother, Eliza Cottrell, was a native of Kentucky, born May 12, 1812, and died in South Muddy Township, Jasper County, May 10, 1877. They had eleven chil- dren; six are living: Mary Jane, wife of Jacob Cook, living in Jasper County, Ill .; Alfred, liv- ing in Jasper County ; Elizabeth, wife of Jesse Cook, living in Jasper County ; John, in Jasper County ; Lucinda, wife of Jeremiah Fritehley, living in Jasper County, II .; Margaret, our sub- ject ; five are dead -- Caroline, Samuel, Martha, Morris, George.

JOSEPH GOSSMIAN, wagon maker, Winter- rowd, was born in Germany, January 23, 1852. His father, Andrew, was also born in Germany, in the Province of Baden, and came to this coun- try in 1856, and to Cincinnati, Ohio, March 4, of that year. He was a natural mechanic. It was said of him that to let him see how any- thing was done, even the most difficult piece of mechanism, he could take hold and perform the work readily. About four weeks after land- ing here in this country, he was working on a mill, and was sunstruck, which resulted in his death. Our subject's mother was also a native of Germany, born in the Province of Baden. Our subject was one of a family of seven children, of whom three are living : Engel- berth, living in Effingham ; Andrew, deceased, died in Chicago ; Bennard, living on the old farm in Lucas Township, and Adolph, died at Winterrowd, January 17, 1882; Rosa, de- ceased, died at Cincinnati ; Joseph. our sub- ject ; Frederic, died in Cincinnati, Ohio. Both Rosa and Frederic died within six weeks after landing at Cincinnati, so that left five children, of whom three were large enough to earn $2 per week in a tobaceo factory, and after they had worked for one year their wages were in- creased. Our young friend Joseph, when old enough, commenced work in the same house. Their earnings supported the family. They worked there in that house for about five years, and in 1861 they removed to Perry County,

Ohio, and rented a farm for three years, and by economy and industry saved enongh at the end of three years to purchase a farm of forty acres in the same county. When they moved to the farm Joseph began again at his trade of cigar making ; he worked at it for two years, up to 1860. He then learned the blacksmith trade, at Oakfield, Perry Co., Ohio. He served as an apprentice for about two years. During this time his mother and family removed to Aurora, Ill. Ile then quit blacksmithing and went to his mother's place, and remained there one month, and then went to Chicago, where he worked for his brother in a tobacco factory for about six months. He also worked at Niles, Mich., until 1868, at which time he re- moved to Chicago and started a cigar and to- bacco factory of his own. He resided there until September, 1871, when he sold his retail goods, and the wholesale goods were put in a commission house for sale, and were all destroyed in the great fire of Chicago. Loss about $600. In the spring of 1871, he and his brother eame to Lucas Township. Ethingham County, and bought 120 acres of unimproved land in Section 28. They then went back to Chicago, and, in September of the same year, the family moved on the farm. He remained on the farm until the summer of 1873, at which time he went to Winterrowd and opened np a blacksmith shop, selling out in September of same year, and went to farming. In 1877, he came back to Winterrowd, and purchased the shop owned by Jack Scott, and went to smith- ing, and since that time he has made additional improvements by establishing a wagon shop, where "wagons and buggies are made to order." At the time of purchasing, the tools and mate- rial were invoiced at $280, and the shop and grounds were valued at $30. All he had when he came there was his household furniture and $30 in money. Now his tools, ground and material are valued at $1,500. He was married in August, 1873, to Sarah Allen, a native of 1

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Indiana. They have two children, Rosa and Franklin.

SYLVESTER HARLAN, farmer, P. O. Elliottstown, is a reliable and substantial farmer of Lucas Township. He was born in Parke County, Ind., February 12, 1850. His father, Alfred Harlan, was a native of Indiana, born in the year 1822; he followed farming for a livelihood and died in Boone County, Ind., May 8, 1874. Our subject's mother. Caroline Clark, is a native of Ohio and is living in Boone County, Ind. They have seven chil- dren living-Oliver, living in Boone County, End .; Sylvester, our subject ; Nancy Jane, wife of Marshal T. Billings, living in Boone County; Jacob, Noah, Alfred, are also living in Boone County, Ind .; Amanda Frances, wife of Morris Harlan, living in Boone County, Ind., and three are dead, Martin, Daniel, James. Sylvester was taken by his parents to Rush County, Ind., in 1853, when three years old, and remained there until 1861, at which time he and his parents removed to Boone County, Ind. He received his education by helping his father on the farm in summer and in winter would attend school about six months in the| year until eighteen years old. when in the fall of 1868 he came to Lucas Township to look at the country and also to inspect the land owned by his father in Lucas Township. He re- mained there and attended school until the summer of 1869, which time he returned to Boone County, and in the fall of 1870, came back to Lucas Township and purchased ninety acres of raw prairie land in Section 9, and commenced to improve it. On the 22d day of January, 1871, he shouklered his ax and went to the woods to chop, it being the first day's work he ever did for himself. After fencing fifty acres and plowing twenty, he re- turned to Boone County, and remained there throughout harvest, when he came back to Lucas Township and finished plowing his land. Now he has a well-improved farm. Mr. Har-

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History of Effingham county, Illinois, Part 54

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