USA > Illinois > Effingham County > History of Effingham county, Illinois > Part 65
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85
HARVY WILMETH, farmer, P. O. Watson, is a son of Joseph Wilmeth; was born in 1826, in Pickaway County, Ohio. He learned the carpenter's trade under his father during his boyhood. and at the age of twenty-one went to the town of Marion, Ohio, to work at his chosen
-
trade. Subject was married to Miss Iulia 1. Monday in 1853, in Marion, Marion Co., Ohio. Ile continued his trade there till 1858, when he sold out and moved to Effingham County, Ill., purchased 160 acres of land partly in Section 15, Jackson Township. Subject has a farm of over two hundred acres, about one hundred acres in cultivation, bottom and upland, mak- ing a desirable as well as a very profitable farm, on which there are good buildings and an excel- lent orchard. Farms principally corn and wheat; usually feeds most of his corn to stock. and makes quite a specialty of stock-raising. Politically, a Republican. Subject has a family of six children, viz., Carless (married Miss Eliza Ballard), Franklin, Mary (wife of George D. Loveless), Chester, Presley and Bertha.
WILLIAM WILSON, farmer, P. O. Watson, was born in Larne, Antrim Co., Ireland, April 27, 1826, son of William and Margaret (Eng- lish) Wilson, who were married in 1820, in Ire- land. Our subject is their only child, the mother died in 1826. The father, in after years, married Margaret MeKay, by whom was born five children, all surviving and residing in Scotland. William came to America in 1851, landing in New York City; he soon after settled at Westfield, Chautauqua Co., State of New York, remaining nearly two years, working on a farm owned by Asa HIall. Ile then came to Effingham County, followed railroading for a short time, and finally settling on the farm he now owns. IIe served four months under the eall for 75,000 men during the rebellion. Our subject married Elizabeth Le Crone July 26, 1853. Mrs. Wilson was born April 7, 1826, and unto them were born eight children, two of whom are living - Alfred Denny Wilson and Mattie Boyce Wilson, both married. The family were educated in the Presbyterian faith, to which the descendants still adhere. Mr. Wilson has always acted with the Democratic party, and has been elected Supervisor of his township several terms. He settled on the
196
BIOGRAPHICAL:
raw prairie, on the edge of the timber line, grubbed, cleared, and turned the high wild grass under, until he has 240 acres of farm under good cultivation. He cleared from the stump 200 acres of this land; most of his neigh- bors who began life with him, have passed away. Mr. Wilson notes that this country for farming purposes, is superior to Ireland, or any part of the old country, for the reason that more of any kind of grain can be raised per acre here, with the same amount of labor used there. An additional reason that crops of Indian corn and various fruits can be raised here that cannot be produced in Irish soil, he thinks that if the dis- contented people of his native land would come ont here, and worked the soil, as he did, instead of quarreling with their Government, it would be better for them and for Ireland. He pro- dnees one more argument in favor of this eoun- try for farming purposes over Ireland, that the sea storms threshes the grain in the fields be- fore garnered, which causes great loss, this being caused by Ireland being surrounded by water.
SAMUEL WINTER, farmer, P. O. Mason, is a son of Benjamin Winter, and was born November 12, 1817, in Fairfield County, Ohio. Began life for himself at the age of fourteen,
worked on a farm a short time, and then served an apprenticeship to the tanner's trade till 1840, and came to Effingham County, Ill. He was married D Miss Mary J. Turner, daughter of James Turner, September 5, 1842, and settled on a piece of land in Sec- tion 32. Subject followed the tanner's trade till 1852, and then abandoned that and took up farming as a livelihood. His farm consisted at first of 200 acres of timber and prairie, part of which he has donated to his children. Sub- ject voted the Whig ticket, after the Whigs went down, voted with the Republicans a short time, then left them and joined the Democraey. Subject was Deputy Sheriff of Effingham Coun- ty, under O. L. Kelley, 1857-58, and was elected to the office of Sheriff in 1859, and served one term. Mr. Winter has five children-Caroline, wife of Elzie Hardsock, was born August 13, 1843; James B. was born June 14, 1845; Abra- ham F. was born December 1, 1848; William H. was born February 5, 1851; Charles Walker was born May 16, 1853. Subject's father was born in 1790, was a farmer, owned a farm of eighty acres near Mount Vernon, Ohio, which he traded for a farm near Baltimore, Ohio, where he died August 5, 1832.
LIBERTY TOWNSHIP.
WILLIAM ALLSOP, farmer, P. O. Beecher City, is the second son living that was born to John Allsop and Mary Slater, his wife. Her uncles, Samuel and William Slater, came to the United States in 1790, and were the originators and builders of the first cotton factory in Ameriea. William, the subject of these lines, was born March 18, 1836, and came to Amer- ica with his parents in 1845, and removed with them to the State in December, 1847, and has since been a resident of this county and town- ship. He remained with his parents on the homestead until his marriage, which occurred
Deeember 21, 1862, to Sarah H. Zeigler, a na- tive of Michigan, daughter of Jacob Zeigler and Alvira Tubbs. Jacob Zeigler was born in Butler County, Ohio, and died August 13, 1882. His wife, Alvira, came from New York State. Mr. Allsop's wife died September 29, 1869, leaving two children-Charles and Lillie May. Charles was born December 17, 1863; Lillie M., February 23, 1866. After this he located on the farm he now owns. He was mar- ried on Jannary 1, 1872, to Mary J. Mar- shall. She was born November 21, 1838, in Monroe County, N. Y., daughter of Samuel
197
LIBERTY TOWNSHIP.
Marshall and Lucinda Gutheric. He was born in Barron County, Ky. She on Clinch River, Tenn. By last marriage he had one child, Ida S. B., born January 30, 1873. Mr. Allsop is Demo- cratie, and a member of Southern Methodist Episcopal Church.
THOMAS ALLSOP, farmer, P. O. Beecher City. Among the substantial and lead- ing farmers of this township is Thomas Allsop, who was born May 23, 1838, in Derbyshire, England, the - fourth son of John Allsop and Mary Slater. The family em- igrated to this country prior to the Mexican war, locating in the District of Columbia, where they lived two years, and in December, 1847, the father of Thomas came to this State with his family and located on land in this township, which he had traded for while in the district. He owned here 650 aeres, 330 acres in this township, the remainder in Shelby County. Here he settled and remained in the county until his death, which occurred May 10, 1878, at his son's in Effingham. Ile was born in March, 1804. flis wife died March 27. 1848, born December 27, 1802. To them were born six children-Sarah, Samuel, John, William, Thomas, Mary. Mary and Jolin are deceased. Mary married George Eecles; John died in Effingham ; Sarah is the wife of Thomas D. Tennery, this township. Thomas remained with his father until he was twenty-one, then began in business for himself in 1859, locating where he now resides. Was married first time to Elizabeth Hunt, born in Manchester, Eng- land, daughter of John Hunt and Elizabeth Mapplebeck. She died April 2, 1873, leaving six children-Lizzie, John, Emma, Sarah, Mar- tha. Lizzie resides in Moccasin Township, this county, wife of Joseph Syfert. Second wife was Sarah Getz, of Ohio, daughter of William Getz; she died leaving one child Bertha. Last wife was Sarah Mahin, born in this county, daughter of Edward and Elizabeth (Powell) Mahin, he. of Ohio, she of
Tennessee. By last marriage two children- Clarence and Nellie. He has 200 acres in this township, 160 acres in Shelby County, and farm in Moccasin Township. He has done much toward encouraging the breeding of fine stock. Democrat, and of the Southern Method- ist Church. He has put all the substantial improvements on this farm.
WILLIAM H. ANDERSON, furniture, Beecher City. The subject of this sketch was born in Fayette County, now London Township, December 16, 1843, the fourth son of a family of eight children, born to Samuel Anderson, a native of South Caro- lina, and left here when a young man and afterward served five years in the regular army, and about the year 1829 or 1830 came to Fayette County, where he settled and re- maiued until his death in the year 1848. His wife was Naney Amerman, a native of Ten- nessee, daughter of Stephen Amerman. To Samuel Anderson and wife were borne seven children, who lived to man and womanhood, viz. : James, Jonathan, Caroline, Stephen J., Elizabeth, William 11., Emma and Matthiew. William H. was but four years of age when his father died ; he then went to live with his un- cle, with whom he lived until his death. He was at this time thirteen years of age, when he turned out for himself, and up to the fall of 1861 he worked out by the month. October 3, 1861, he responded to the Nation's call, and enlisted in Company B, Tenth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, and served three years and two months, receiving his discharge in December, 1864. During this time he participated in the battles of Belmont, Corinthi, New Madrid, siege of Nashville, Mission Ridge, siege of Knoxville, Buzzard's Roost, Resaca, Rome, Ga., and Dallas, where he was severely wounded in left arm, ball passing through same and through the left hip and lodged in the left hip joint where the ball still lies. Upon his return from service came to Fayette, he attended school for
198
BIOGRAPHICAL:
one year after which he taught school one year, then engaged in farming, continuing until 1873, after which he sold goods at Greenland one year and then farmed until 1882, at which time he came to Beecher City where he bought property in fall of 1881, and in IS82 built a business house and is now engaged in the fur- niture business. He was married October 3, 1867, to Hester E. Miller, born in Fayette County, daughter of William and Callista (Beck) Miller. By this marriage of Mr. Ander- son six children have been born, four living, viz. : Lillie M., Callista A., Isadora and Sa- mantha F. Deceased were Emma J. and Liz- zie M., members of the Missionary Baptist ; also A., F. & A. M., Greenland Lodge, No. 665. Republican and strong temperance man. Mr. Anderson had four brothers who served in the army. James, Jonathan, Stephen J. and Matthew. Matthew served in the Seventh Cav- alry. The other four served in Company B, Tenth Iowa Volunteer Infantry. Jonathan had left arm shot off. James had three fin- gers shot off from left hand.
H. L. BEECHER, merchant, Beecher City. The subject of the following sketch descended from a long line of distinguished ancestors, of various avocations, whose decisory character- istics are prominently perceivable in the por- trait in this book, of him whose name heads this biography. He is a native of Lieking County, Ohio, and was born March 14, 1844. His parents, Lyman and Jane (Willoughby) Beecher, were natives of Herkimer County, N. Y. The former was born March 26, 1817, and in 1836, he moved with his father's family to Lieking County, Ohio. The latter was born March 4, 1820, and blessed her consort with three children, viz .: Sarah A., born April 4, 1841, married Il. B. Howe, and is living in Cleveland, Ohio; H. L .; and Julius S. born October 2, 1846, married Ella Norton, of Shaw- neetown, Ill., and resides in Columbus, Ohio ; H. L. received such an education as the
country schools and one year at college afford- ed. He spent the greater part of his early life as a tiller of the soil. November 4, 1869, he was married to Emma L., a daughter of Wes- ley and Charlotte (Charles) Hancock. Her father left his native State, Virginia, at the age of sixteen years, and came to Licking County, Ohio, where he subsequently married her men- tioned above, whose ancestors were from Penn- sylvania. Her parents were blessed with twelve children, ten of whom grew to maturity. Four of Mrs. B.'s brothers held that all men should be unfettered in running the race of life, hence the system of human slavery found in them an honorable but unrelenting foe ; and when the accursed system organized a rebellion against our Government, they took up arms to uphold and sustain the just cause of their country. The younger, Charles, enlisted at the age of sixteen, in the Que hundred and twenty- second Ohio Volunteer Infantry; was in forty- two battles during three years' service. James C. was First Lieutenant in the One Hundred and Thirty-fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Eph- raim and Jesse each served three years, and the latter was captured by the rebels, and by some shrewdness he escaped. Our subject, with his wife, removed to Fairfield, Wayne Co., Ill., in February. 1871, and about one year later, to Beecher City, this county. They lived for awhile in the railroad depot. In June, 1872, they transferred their small amount of this world's goods to a house which the subject had prepared. Mr. B. served as depot and ex- press agent for many years at this village. In 1874, he obtained permission from the railroad company to put iu the depot a stock of dry goods, notions, etc .; aside from this he dealt in grain, railroad ties and hoop-poles. He was commissioned Postmaster in 1874, and is the present incumbent. In the fall of 1876, he purchased property of the Jennings Brothers, and afterward improved the same. He now enjoys a large trade in the general mercantile
199
LIBERTY TOWNSHIP.
business, the result of his own economy and frugal dealings. His union gave him two children, viz .: Florence M., born June 18, 1872, and a son, born August 27, 1880, and deceased in a few days. In politics, he is a consistent, intelligent and active Republican. In a word, he is an honest, truthful and capable man, both in public and in private life, ardently attached to those things which are true, good and just, hating oppression in all its forms, ever ready to rebuke meanness wherever it shows its head. lle is a member of the Congregational Church, while his wife, a lady of rare beauty of person, of the most amiable temper and engaging man- ners, of high intellectual and social attain- ments, is an exemplary member of the Chris- tian organization. Mr. B. served four months in the late war. C. A. Beecher, after whom Beecher City was named, was born August 27, 1829 ; he is an uncle of our subject ; was Vice President of the company, the constructors of the Springfield & Southeastern Railroad, now the Springfield Division of the Ohio & Mississippi. Hezekiah Beecher, the great-grandfather of H. L., was born July 29, 1755, in Woodbridge, Conn. He married Philena Johnson, born in the same place October 5, 1761. The union resulted in eleven children ; Zina, the second child, was the grandfather of our subject ; was born in Woodbridge, and in 1806 went to Her- kimer County, N. Y .; in 1809, married Lucretia Sanford, born in Hamden, Conn., October 27, 1789, the result being ten children. Zina died October 24, 1865, and Lucretia died February 26, 1880. The mother of Il. L. Beecher died June 8, 1868, and the father was again married to Almeda Bloomer, October 27, 1873, Rev. Lyons officiating ; they are living in Licking County, Ohio, on the farm bought by Zina Beecher in 1836.
GEORGE W. BROWN, grain dealer, Beech- er City, was born in Shelby County, Ill., 1840, March 19, of a family of twelve children, the fifth in number born to Joseph M. Brown,
born 1811, August 2, in North Carolina, and removed to Tennessee with his parents when young, where he was raised to manhood. He was married in nineteenth year to Theresa N. Parks, daughter of Samuel and Phebe (Caldwell) l'arks; she died aged one hundred aud seven years; said to be one hundred and eighteen. Phebe was a daughter of Joseph Caldwell, one of the Revolutionary soldiers. Joseph M. afterward removed to Shelby County, this State, arriving November, 1839, and lived here for several years, and served as Justice of the Peace many years, and removed to this county, where he has since remained. George W. was raised at home, and at the age of seventeen began teach- ing in county, and continued for several years. Came to Beecher City in 1873, spring, and since remained. He learned the tinner's trade, and started the first tin shop in Altamont, and the first in this place; since 1880 has been en- gaged in the grain business, agent for Brown- back Bros. He was married, 1860, November I, to Jane Fortner, born in Shelby County, the daughter of Elisha and Elizabeth Carr Fortner. He has four sons-Jobn M., Elisha, Samuel H. and William H. Was elected Justice in spring of 1881; served as Township Clerk five years previous; member of I. O. O. F., No. 690. Member of Universalist Church; Clerk of same.
A. J. BURKE (deceased), was born 1829, November 2, in Harrison County, Ohio, eldest son of John J. and Nancy (Snyder) Burke, both natives of the Carolinas. Andrew Jackson remained in Ohio with his parents until ten years of age, when he moved with his parents to Fayette County, Ind., where he mar- ried November 3, 1850, to Mary H., born No- ember 11, 1828, in Union County, Ind., the second daughter and fifth child of James and Annie (Johnsou) Geary. James was a son of John Geary, of Maryland. Annie, born in Kentucky, daughter of Ezekiel Johnson. After the marriage of Mr. A. J. Burke, he settled on a part of his father's farm, and engaged in
200
BIOGRAPHICAL:
farming, and remained here until the fall of 1865, when he removed to Illinois, and settled on the edge of Shelby County, just across the linc; here he lived three years, when he moved across the line into Liberty Township, where he had built, and remained here until his death, November 10, 1877. He was a member of the Olive Branch Church, and Trustee of same, and in politics was Democratic, and a man esteemed for his good qualities of mind and heart. Surviving him are his widow and five children-Frank M., George W., John Thomas, Rachel A. and Charles; deceased are Erastus, died 1881, aged twenty-three; Rhoda E., died March 7, 1881, aged eighteen years, and Angie E., infant.
JOHN COOK, M. D., Beecher City. Of the practitioners of Materia Medica in Effingham County, none are more deserving of success than Dr. John Cook, who though young, has had a marked and a successful career, which has been fairly earned, as he is purely self- made. He was born January 4, 1849, in Kent, England, son of John and Lucy (Sharp) Cook. His father was born April 22, 1821, son of John Cook, whose ancestors for three hundred years were born in the same house, which was once part of an ancient castle, in which, tradi- tion says, that the son of Richard III was also born; under this same roof our subject first saw the light of day. ITis boyhood days were spent at home on the farm and attending school. He received the advantages afforded at the academy, where he not only acquired a good English education, but a knowledge of classics, and leaving school at the age of thir- teen, he engaged as clerk in a store for about six years. His father having been at one time possessed of considerable wealth, but was un- fortunate, and in the changing vicissitudes of business life, was left devoid of property, which threw our subject mainly upon his own re- sources. In the fall of 1868, he came to America, and for a time lived with his uncle
in Chicago. In 1869, he came to this town- ship, and engaged as teacher in the public schools in this township, where he continued until 1878, at which time he began reading medicine with Dr. John Wills, of this township, after which he attended two terms of lectures in the St. Louis Medical College, graduating March 4, 1880, where he took the gold medal, in nervous diseases; first prize in surgery; second in gynecology and in fact, his record was such that he took the highest honors that had ever been awarded to any student since the establishment of the college. Immediately after his graduation, he returned to this county, and formed a copartnership with Dr. J. M. Phifer at Shumway, which lasted about one year, when, at the earnest solicitation of friends, he was induced to locate at Beecher City, where he located in April, ISSI, and has been eminently successful, being favored with a liberal patronage. August 24, 1873, he mar- ried Julia E., danghter of Thomas D. Tennery; this union has been erowned by the birth of two daughters-Bertha A. and Sarah L. He is a member of the Universalist Church, and of Beecher City Lodge, No. 690, I. O. O. F.
CHARLES ECCLES, farmer, P. O. Beecher City, was born in Manchester, Eng., February 5, 1834, to George Clark and Mary (Witting- ham) Eccles. He was born May 13, 1803, in Stretford, Eng. She was born in Cheshire, Eng., in 1802, and died about 1857, in this township. By trade, he is a weaver, and was overlooker or overseer in the mill of Richard Birley for about sixteen years. Before he came to America, he quit the mill and went into a provision store, and was in that for several years, and then went into the coal business, and followed that for six years, and then came to America in the spring of 1849. He started with the intention of settling in Ohio, but on board the ship he formed the acquaintance of John Allsop, who told him this country was much better than Ohio, so he came on to Effing-
201
LIBERTY TOWNSHIP.
ham County and bought forty acres of land, borrowing money of the school funds to pay for it. He put up a small log house, and in the fall of 1849, his family came from England to him. In his trip across, he landed at Philadel- phia, but his family came to New Orleans, and came up the river to St. Louis, where he was to meet the family, but did not meet them on ac- connt of mails being so irregular, so they went out to Naples, and from Naples they went to Springfield by train, and then hired a four-horse team to bring them to Shelbyville. Mr. Eccles followed farming after coming here till a few years ago he retired from active life. By his energy, he accumulated property till he had 260 acres of land, besides personal property. Of this, he deeded eighty acres to each of his eldest sons, Thomas and Charles, and has since deeded the home-place to his youngest son, but reserved a life interest. Mr. Eccles has been married three times; by the first wife he had five children, three sons and two daughters, only two living now-Charles and George. By his second wife, Mrs. Nancy (AAskins) Eccles, he had one son, which died young; his third wife, Mrs. Mary (Flowers), is still living. Hle is a member of the Baptist Church. Ife has always been Democratie in politics. Our sub- ject, Mr. Charles Eccles, spent his early life in England, attending the common schools, etc., but commenced work at an early age, helping his father with the coal business, hauling coal from pit, etc. After coming to America, he at- tended the common schools of this township, and worked on the farm. He remained at home with his father till he was about twenty- two years old, and was married, April 18, 1858, in Shelby County, to Amanda Miller; she was born in Shelby County, on what was called the Baker place, to John and Sarah (Sanders) Miller. Mr. and Mrs. Eccles have five children, four girls and one boy-Emma V., Sarah Ellen, Rebecca J., Ida Florence and Charles. Mr. Ec- eles is Democratic in politics. Ile came to his
present farm as soon as he was married, and has been on it since. His farm consists of ninety-two acres, eighty in prairie.
GEORGE ECCLES, farmer, P. O. Beecher City, was born in Manchester, Eng., January 18, 1840, to George Clark Eccles, Mr. George Eccles is brother of Charles Eecles, whose sketch appears. Mr. Eccles' early life was the same as his brother's. In 1849, he came to America with the family. In 1854, he left home and went to live with his brother-in-law, Jarvis Clesson, in Shelby County. He made that his home for some years, but would work out by the month with farmers around. In 1865, he was married, in Effingham County, to Mary Allsop; she was born in England April, 1841, daughter of John and Mary Allsop. They were from Belper, Eng. They both died in this county. Our subject's wife died December 2, 1872. By this wife he has one child-Mary Lillian. En October, 1877, he was again married, in Shelby County, to Louisa Banning; she was born in Shelby County, Ill., April, 1853, to William Banning and Elizabeth (Barr) Banning. By this wife he has three children-Hilda Ada, Henry Wittingham and Viola D. When first married, he went onto a farm owned by Mr. John Allsop, in Moccasin Township, and lived there till his wife's death; he then moved to his present place. His farm consists of 100 acres. He is Democratic in politics. Is a member of the E. O. O. F., of Beecher City. He received his education in Manchester, Eng., and the schools of this county, going to the early schools of this county. The spelling-book was the main book in use.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.