USA > Illinois > Effingham County > History of Effingham county, Illinois > Part 62
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is a Republican. Has a family of seven chil- dren-Ada, Minnie, Jennie, Nellie, Gertrude, William H. and Charles.
GEORGE WADE, druggist, grain-buyer and stock-dealer, Mason, was born in 1841, in Switzerland County, Ind. Here he spent his boyhood days, with a fair chance for education. In 1860, he attended the National Normal School, at Lebanon, Ohio, for the year. Mr. Wade enlisted in the Union army in 1862, in Company C, Ninety-third Indiana Infantry. At first was assigned to the Fifteenth Army Corps, under Sherman ; afterward transferred to the Sixteenth Army Corps. He was in the following engagements : Vicksburg, Brice's Cross Roads. In an engagement at Gun Town, he was taken prisoner and taken to Mobile, Ala., afterward to Andersonville Prison. He remained in imprisonment about ten months, and was exchanged and discharged in August, 1865. He returned to his home in Indiana, and engaged in stock-dealing ; also followed flat-boating for some time. In 1871, he located in Mason, Ill., in the hardware business, which he continued about two years. In partnership with Thistlewood Brothers ; he bought Sisson's flour mill, and at the same time dealt largely in dry goods and groceries ; sold the mill and traded for a stave factory, which he ran for several years. He now owns a drug store and is a grain buyer and stock-dealer. The firm of Wade & Leith is running a dry goods and grocery store in Clifton, Ill. Mr. Wade owns a farm of 160 acres in Section 22, West Town- ship ; also 167 aeres in Section 15, Mason Township. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity. Mr. Wade was married October 25, 1876, to Miss Alina Mills, daughter of Judge Milts ; they have one child -- Alfred S., born June 9, 1878.
B. R. WESCOTT, JR., farmer, P. O. Mason, son of D. R. Wescott, was born December 25, 1842, in Pike County, Ill. His parents moved to Mansfield, Ohio, when he was quite young,
where he remained till twelve years of age ; they then removed to Iowa City, Iowa. Here he remained till 1860. In 1862, he enlisted in the war, Company B. Thirty-third Iowa In- fantry, from Sigourney, Keokuk County, for a term of three years, or during the war ; and he got the full benefit of the term. Was for- warded to Columbus, Ky. Was in the follow- ing engagements : Helena, capture of Little Rock, Saline River, Ark., siege of Mobile, Spanish Fort, Blakely, capture of a rebel fleet on the Tombigbee. Was discharged at New Orleans July 17, 1865. After the war, he went to Chicago and engaged in the grocery busi- ness, afterward hardware business ; continued two years. In 1867, he began traveling for a wholesale factory-S. I. Russ & Co., which he followed about two years ; and came South to Greenup, and engaged in hook-keeping for I. H. Pauley and the Vandalia Railroad. This he continued during the construction of the Vandalia to the State line. He engaged in the nursery business at Hoopston, Vermillion Co., Ill. In 1876, he sold there, and farmed in Mississippi one year ; did not like the country. He then engaged in nursery business in Indi- ana, which he continued till 1880. He pur- chased a farm in Effingham County, Ill., and removed on it. Has a farm of 200 acres, all in Mason Township. Subject was married July, 1870, in Clark County, Ill., to Miss Ella Lan- gel, daughter of Philip Langel ; to them were given two children, viz., Cora and B. R.
JOHN WILLIAMSON, farmer, P. O. Edge- wood, son of Thomas Williamson, was born February 24, 1839, in Lawrence County, Ind. Removed to Clay County, Ill., at the age of seven years, with his parents, and settled in north part of Clay County, Ill. Was raised on a farm, and started for himself at the age of fourteen. He was married in 1858 to Miss Nancy Baker, daughter of Robert Baker ; she died in 1873, and he was married in 1875 to Mrs. Mary Catharine Fender. Subject carries
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on a farm of 160 acres. Subject enlisted in the war in 1862, in Company C, Ninety-eighth Illinois. Was assigned to the Army of the Cumberland. He was in the following en- gagements: Hoover's Gap, Elk River, Chicka- mauga, Chattanooga, and series of battles around Atlanta, Ga., and Selma, Ala. Was mustered out June 27, 1865. Politically, he is a stanch Republican.
WILLIAM WILSON, farmer, P. O. Edge- wood, son of William Wilson, was born in the county of Norfolk, England, in 1818. Was raised in England. Subject was married in England in February, 1840, to Miss Mary A. Blake. Engaged in railroading and also as a stone mason on the publie works. In 1851, he emigrated to America with his family, consist- ing of a wife and four children. Located a short time in Connecticut. In 1853, he came to Clay County, and followed railroading on the Central Illinois until 1857, when he bought a farm of eighty acres, to which he added 120 acres. He also owns a farm of 160 acres in Mason Township, near Edgewood. Has a fam- ily of eleven children living-William, Eliza Barton, Ellen Charlot, Mary Tookey, Henri- etta, Henry Wilson, Robert Wilson, by his first wife. His first wife died in 1864. In 1867, he was married to Ellen Selena. The following are his children : Emma, Franklin B., Joseph and Charles.
J. W. WILSON. farmer, P. O. Mason, son of John S. Wilson, was born in 1832 in Hamilton County, Ohio. He removed with his parents, at the age of seventeen, to Effingham County, and located on a farm three miles northeast of Mason. Mr. Wilson was married, in 1862, to Miss Julia F. Shull, daughter of M. M. Shull, Cumberland County, Ill. He soon settled on a farm of eighty acres in West Township, Section 13, which he afterward paid for by farming and good management, to which he has added fifty- one acres adjoining, on which he now lives, in Mason Township. Mr. Wilson is a member of
the Masonic fraternity, Mason Lodge, No. 217. Politically, he is a Democrat. He has a family of six children-Lillie B., Albert R., Edwin O., Cora May, Burlic Wilbur, Amanda E., and one dead-Charles C.
CHARLES D. WILSON, farmer, P. O. Mason, son of William M. Wilson, was born on March 18, 1839, in Fairfield County, Ohio. Removed with his parents in 1847, to Effing- ham County, Ill., where he has since made his home. In August, 1862, he enlisted in the war, Company C, Ninety-eighth Illinois Volun- teers; was in the following battles : Elizabeth- town, Ky., Hoover's Gap, Tenn., Chickamauga, Wheeler's raid, which was a very hard raid, and a series of battles ; Peach Tree Creek, Atlanta, Ga., Selma, Ala .; was discharged June 27, 1865, and mustered out of service at Nashville, Tenn. He returned home, and was married, October 29, 1865, in Effingham County, to Miss Margaret E. Ruffner, daughter of Andrew Ruffner; farmed a rented farm for some time. In 1874, he purchased a farm of forty acres in Section 25, Mason Township, all in cultivation. Subject is a Democrat. Has a family of three children, namely, Emma, Lee and Gracie.
JAMES F. WILSON, farmer, P. O. Mason, a son of John S. Wilson, was born in Fairfield County, Ohio, March 24, 1844; removed with his parents to this county when about seven years old. His father settled on a farm of eighty acres, half in Union and half in Mason Townships. Subject lives on and owns the one forty of the home farm lying in Mason Town- ship, all of which is under cultivation. Mr. Wilson was married in this county, June 21, 1863, to Miss Margaret Wilson. They have a family of six children-George M., John S., James A., Eunice Ellen, Sarah A. and Flora J. Mr. Wilson is a zealous supporter of Democ- racy.
BROOKS WILSON, farmer, P. O. Mason, a native of Fairfield County, Ohio, was born Au- gust 29, 18-10. He removed with his father, L
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John S. Wilson, to this county. He followed the occupation of farming, and owns the east half of the home farm. His father, John S., died several years ago. Mr. Wilson was mar- ried in this county, January 12, 1871, to Miss Lydia E. Hinkle, daughter of Casper Hinkle. They have a family of six children, namely- Thomas O., Frederic W., Harry Alden, George W. and two (twins), Phebe Florence and Cas- per L.
MORGAN WRIGHT, deceased, was the son of an old Revolutionary soldier, who fought seven years, including the year 1776, and was personally acquainted with Gen. Wash- ington. This gallant old hero, William Wright, emigrated to Indiana at an early day. Morgan was born in the year 1800, and was married to Miss Jane Allen, in 1822. He settled in Put- nam County, Ind., and purchased a large body of timber land, and, in a few years, the income from his farm was a fortune. He soon became one of the master spirits of the old Whig party, and, as a stump orator, he was the rival of Gov. Joseph Wright. He emigrated to Effing- ham County, Ill., in 1852, and settled on a farm, on which the town of Mason is built. He was never well after he came to this county, but he conducted his own affairs till within a few months of his death. He and his wife lived together fifty years, and raised a large family. Dr. Owen Wright is the only child of this family that remains in this county. Morgan Wright died July 4, 1872, and his wife died January 16, 1882. They rest from their labors, and their works do follow them.
DR. OWEN WRIGHT, the son of Morgan Wright, Esq., first caught the glimpse of light on the 16th of February, 1835, near the city of Greencastle, Ind., and was raised on a farm by his parents, who sent him to school when he was four years and six months old. At the age of nineteen, he had completed a course of study, which entitled him to the baccalaureate degree. Subsequently, he received the degree of A. M. )
In the year 1852, he emigrated to Effingham County, Ill., and two years later he entered upon the study of medicine. In 1856, he ma- triculated in Rush Medical College, Chicago, where he remained an industrious student, till he graduated, February 17, 1858. During the winter of 1859-60, he closed his office and went to St. Louis to attend lectures. The two lead- ing medical colleges were so near to each other that he managed to hear the two great rival surgeons each day, Prof. McDowell in one school and Prof. Pope in the other. His pride and ambition were then, and are to-day, to know everything that may be known on all sciences and branches of his profession. Sub- sequently, he attended lectures in Ohio Medi- cal College. During the late war, popularly known as the Southern rebellion against the United States, he was commissioned as First Assistant Surgeon of the One Hundred and Twenty-fifth Regiment Illinois Volunteers. He was one of the active Surgeons on the great campaign, known in history as "Sherman's march to the sea." He was detailed as Surgeon of the Fourteenth Army Corps Hospital, in Savanah, Ga., in January, 1865, where his su- perior learning and skill were recognized and acknowledged by all with whom he was as- sociated. When he returned home from the army, he resumed the business of his profession, and those who know him best will testify that he is never idle. When he is not professionally engaged, he goes to his library of several hun- dred volumes of standard works, and opens such books for study as his mind seems best able to digest. He writes extensively for medi- cal journals and State papers. He is an elo- quent speaker, and has published a volume of his orations. This work has been indorsed and highly eulogized by the ablest scholars in our country. As a surgical operator, he has shown himself to be as skillful as any physician. He prepares his subjects with great care, and when he has everything at hand and in order, his
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knowledge of anatomy, and his extensive prac- tice with the knife, on the dead subject, enable him to work without any probability of error. No accident has ever happened in his hands. When he knows the patient is not able to en- dure an operation, he withholds the knife or other instrument, and resorts to different means, and waits for further developments. He will not experiment on the living subject. He has written a work on surgery, which he hopes to be able to publish soon. He has no respect for illiterate men who attempt to practice medicine. Lately, he published a letter in the Effingham Republican, and subsequently re-published it in eircular form, and distributed the same all over the country. He states in this letter, that the ability to practice medicine and surgery is ac- quired nowhere except by the side of the sick person, and in the dissecting-room, under the instruction of an expert, and that a large pro- portion of the practitioners of our country have not studied anatomy and physiology, and consequently, cannot know the nature of dis- cases, and also, that the number who have died of mal-treatment, is greater than have been
slain by the sword. On the 13th day of Sep- tember, 1860, Dr. Owen Wright and Margaret Wallis were united in marriage, in Salem, Ill., by the Rev. T. F. Houts, A. M. Miss Wallace was a lady of superior intellect, and was highly educated in the liberal arts and sciences. To this couple were born two daughters and two sons. The oldest son is not, for God took him. Ann Jane and Margaret Delilah are second- year students in the Southern Illinois Normal University. The youngest child, Owen, Jr., is known where he lives as the little scholar and orator. Dr. Wright is a worthy Christian gen- tleman, and his order for money, where he is known, is good. By industry and economy, he has gathered around him a kind of property that will not perish. He has made ample pro- vision for the support of his family in after years. He treats all men gentlemanly, and is highly esteemed by his neighbors. He loves his friends as he loves himself, and will do any- thing that is reasonable for them. He lives free from all viees, and is a perfect type of a gen- tleman. He is a light to world. Long may he live to perform the work of a surgeon in our midst.
JACKSON TOWNSHIP.
BENJAMIN BALLARD, farmer, P. O. Al- tamont, is a son of William and Eliza Ballard, and was born in England in 1830. At the age of twenty-one, subject bid farewell to his par- ents, four brothers and three sisters, and sailed for New York City, where he arrived Novem- ber 22d, 1851, after a rough voyage of forty- two days, being nearly shipwrecked two times. Subjeet landed on our shores " penniless and friendless;" worked for some time at the low wages of $8 per month. By mistake he pur- chased a ticket for Columbus, Ohio, instead of another point, and went to the former place. Here he learned of the building of the Illinois Central Railroad, and at once started to Effing-
ham County, Ill .; traveled by stage part, and walked the rest of the way. After one year's work on the railroad, in 1852, he took a con- tract of grading two miles of railroad with a wheel- barrow near the present site of Laclede. He only worked a short time with a wheel-bar- row; he secured the use of several yoke of oxen and serapers with which he completed this wonderful undertaking in about three months' time; and net $.100. He then engaged in farming for a time. Completed another contract of grading. Mr. Ballard was, in 1855, married in Broughton (old Effingham), to Miss Martha Cartwright, daughter of James and Catharine Cartwright. In 1857, he again re-
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sumed farming on a rented farm, and in 1860 purchased eighty acres near Ewington; forty acres were in the river bottom, which he soon after lost on account of defective title. He was then left with quite a family to maintain and to start anew in finance. These are times that try men's souls, but Mr. Ballard, being a man of iron nerve, faltered not at this cmbar- rassment. In 1860, he purchased eighty acres of railroad land, in Section 28, Jackson Township; a portion of this was prairie and the rest water-oak timber. On this wild land he built a dwelling and began the work of making a farm. His success has proven that but few men were better calculated for this work than Mr. Ballard. Manual labor and hard work have been his pleasure and pride. He has taken laurels of brilliant hne in this, America's honored and prided work. To his eighty-acre tract of land, he has added 360 acres, also a bottom farm of forty acres, mak- ing 480 acres. Mr. Ballard makes farming a decided success. He raises an immense amount of grain-corn, wheat, oats, etc., and a fair amount of stock. Mr. Ballard is a Democrat. He and his wife are members of the Baptist Church. They have a family of children as follows, Eliza, wife of Carless Wilmeth, was born September 8, 1857; Charles A., was born March 14, 1863; Emily F., was born October 2, 1865; Arminda J., was born November 15, 1869; Martha R., was born December 20, 1874. Their second child endures earthly troubles no more. He was born October 12, 1860, and lived with parents till June 10, 1882, when the Angel of God welcomed him to his eternal home. James was a young man with as spotless a character as the county conld afford, and was ever amid friends wher- ever he was known. Nearing the portals of death, he gave unmistakable evidence of his preparation and his hopes of immortality. Some time before his death he united with the Missionary Baptist Church, and lived a Chris- tian the remainder of his life.
JOHN W. BISHOP, P. O. Dexter, son of Dr. Jacob Bishop, was born December 14, 1832. Was engaged during his boyhood in his father's saw and grist mill. Mr. Bishop ran the first steam engine brought to Effing- ham County. Subject was married, December 8, 1853, to Miss Elizabeth M. Hipsher, daugh- ter of David Hipsher, and settled on a farm four miles north of where Altamont now stands. He sold out in 1864, and moved onto a farm of 123 acres, in Section 5, Jackson Township, and has farmed it since, except three years that he lived in Effingham and followed railroading. Subject is a Democrat, has held the office of Justice of the Peace several terms, and has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church since 1876. Mr. Bishop has five chil- dren-Joseph T., born December 15, 1855 ; Sarah Ann, born June 15, 1857, wife of D. W. Baker ; Emily L., born June 26, 1864; Nora J., born July 15, 1869 ; Ida I., born July 30, 1871.
PERRY CARPENTER, farmer, P. O. Effing- ham, is a son of John B. Carpenter, and was born in Delaware County, Ohio, October 29, 1842. He came with his parents to Effingham County, Ill., in June, 1852. Parents located on a farm in Section 25, Jackson Township, re- mained about six years, sold, and purchased 120 acres in Section 15, Jackson Township, and moved onto it in 1853. Subject began bus- iness for himself at the age of eighteen, at school teaching in District 5, Jackson Town- ship. Pursued this profession almost exclu- sively until 1870, when he was married May 29, 1870, to Miss Rhoda Price, daughter of Will- iam Price. Subject settled on the home farm which he had purchased, and has made farm- ing his principal occupation, teaching a few terms during the winter. Subject has two good bottom farms of 120 acres each, one in Jack- sou Township and the other in Liberty Town- ship. He raises a great deal of corn and a fair amount of wheat. He usually feeds his corn
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to hogs, and keeps a fair supply of stock-hogs, cattle, etc. Subject is a Democrat, and has been elected to various township offices, and takes an active part in politics. In 1880, he made a number of speeches for Hancock and the Democratic cause. Subject united with the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1861; left that church in 1862, and became a member of the Missionary Baptist Church, to which he still belongs. Mr. Carpenter has a family of three children-Harry, Charles Stewart and Warren Filler. Perry Carpenter was made a member of Freemanton, now Altamont Lodge, No. 533, in 1867. In 1869, was made a Royal Arch Mason, in Effingham, Chapter No. 87. In 1870, *was elected W. M. of his lodge, which position he held for six years. He has ever been a strong temperance man, and is. and has ever been, a Prohibitionist. Subject's father, John B. Carpenter, was born in Licking County, Ohio, on the 19th of May, 1815 ; was married in November, 1839, and located in Alexandria, Ohio, and remained there until 1841, and then moved to Delaware County, Ohio. In 1847, he emigrated to Effingham County, Ill. Subject was elected County School Commissioner in 1855. and was re-elected in 1857, and served two terms in this capacity. He now lives in Washington County, Ark.
MAJ. H. DAVIS, farmer. P. O. Altamont, is a son of Henry Davis, and was born in 1844. He enlisted in the war September 2, 1861. Company A, Twenty-sixth Ilinois Volunteers. Went first to Camp Butler, Ill .. and was for- warded to Palmyra, Mo., and was in several engagements in that State. Was ordered from there to Fort Pillow. On the way to Fort Pil- low. received orders to re-enforce Grant at Shi- loh, and was in that engagement. Was then transferred to Sherman's army, and marched with that army to the sea coast, and was in many of the innumerable battles of that memo- rable campaign. Ile was discharged from the service September 1, 1865, after a service of
four years. Subject was married July 25, 1866, to Miss Margaret E. Melender, of Johnson County. Ind., whose acquaintance he formed while on a visit to that county. He returned to Illinois and settled on an eighty-acre farm in Section 20, Jackson Township, made some improvements, and traded to his father for a piece of bottom land in Section 17. Sold that and purchased another eighty acres in Section 20, on which he now lives. Subject has a fam- ily of seven children-George H., John R., Mar- tha J., Charles, Victoria, Minnie May, Will- iam E.
NANCY ANN GARDNER, farmer, P. O. Ma- son, was born in Green County, Tenn., in 1820, her maiden name being Call. She moved with her parents to Indiana, where she was married, in 1837, to Samuel Willis, and moved to Mis- souri, and remained there eight years; returned to Indiana, and resided twelve years; moved to Illinois, and settled on a farm in Section 33, Jackson Township. Mr. Willis enlisted in the war in 1861, Company A, Twenty-sixth Illinois Volunteers, and was forwarded to Hannibal, Mo .; was in several light battles and died, and was buried at Hannibal, Mo., in 1862. The life of our subject's husband was not her only sacri- fice, as she had two sons who shouldered the musket in fiery fray; the older, Jacob Willis, enlisted in the same company with his father, at about the age of twenty-one; after many long and weary marches, died at Cairo, III., and was buried there. James Willis enlisted in the war at Mattoon, Ill., at the early age of seven- teen; was forwarded to Arkansas and the South- west, where he remained in the service about three years, after which he returned to his home, not, however, until seriously injured by dropsy, of which he died in 1881, at his home in Shelby County, Ill. His death was very sudden. Hle arose to build a fire, rather early in the morning. and concluded to retire again, but fell to the floor-he was dying. The remainder of subject's family are Melinda Workman; Mary,
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wife of Rev. G. W. Wharton ; Betsey, wife of Samuel Smith ; Sarah Margaret Willis, lives at home with her mother. Mrs. Willis was mar- ried to John Gardner in the year of 1863. John Gardner, her present husband, was born in 1813, in Pennsylvania, was married at the age of twenty-six, resided in Pennsylvania about fifteen years, when he moved to Missouri. In 1858, his first wife died, leaving a family of seven children-Sarah Jane, Belle, Washington, Amanda, Mary, George and William J.
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MRS. JEMIMA GREEN, farmer, P. O. Watson, is a daughter of Pharez and Hannah Holcomb, and was born August 10, 1814, in Ludlow, Mass. When seven years old, her parents moved to Ohio, where she was mar- ried. January 25, 1830, to Willlam C. Creasey. Her husband died April 6, 1842, leaving a fam- ily of four children, viz., Hannah, Mary J., Jemima, William. Subject was married to Frederic Green, March 6, 1845. Her second husband died October 28, 1850, leaving two children-Frederic and Melissa. She removed to Cumberland County, Tenn., in 1851, where she remained till 1855, when she removed to Xenia, Clay Co., Ill., afterward to Effingham County, and located on a farm on the Little Wabash River, three miles west of Watson. In 1881, she purchased a farm of 100 acres. in Section 9, Jackson Township, in a high state of culti- vation, and moved onto it. Subject is a lady of very estimable qualities, and is highly re- spected by all who know her. She is always ready to help the poor and needy. She is an industrious old lady, and has borne the burden of raising her children. Subject's fourth child, William Creasey, sacrificed his life in the United States service in the great rebellion.
AARON HARRELL, farmer, P. O. Alta- mont, was born in 1826 in Rush County, Ind. At the death of his father, which occurred in 1844, he took up the business of farming his mother's farm in Rush County, Ind., maintain- ing himself and the family. Subjeet was mar-
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