USA > Illinois > Effingham County > History of Effingham county, Illinois > Part 71
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
235
MOCCASIN TOWNSHIP.
Moccasin Township, and has been bere ever since. William and Charles are the Doctor's sons; May, Laura, Carrie and Bellfore are the daughters. Gov. Arthur St. Clair landed at Cincinnati when coming to the Northwest, and as there was a kind of village there he asked the name of it, and was told it was " La Can- terville," a French name meaning the " ville" on the opposite side, or the " ville" opposite Covington. He asked them why in h-Il they did not call it by some Christian name, and said, "let us call it Cincinnati," and so it went by that name from that on.
WILLIAM STOPPELMANN, farmer, P. O Moccasin, was born in Hanover, Germany, March 13, 1838, to Eibost Henry and (Niwenir) Stoppelmann. They were both na- tives of Hanover, Germany. She died abont 1842, in Germany. He is still living in the old country, and is over seventy years old. His occupation has always been that of a merchant and trader. Our subject was educated in the schools of his native country. At the age of nineteen, he left home and came to America. He settled in Washington County, Ill., when first coming. While there, he followed farming, first two years working for a farmer, and then rented land and farmed for himself. He re- mained in Washington County for seven years, and then came to Effingham County in 1863. When first coming, he bought eighty acres of improved land, paying $12 per acre. llis farm now consists of 160 acres prairie and twelve acres timber land. His farm is well improved. In 1880, he built a large and handsome resi- dence, 18x38, and two stories high, and the kitchen 16x18, one story. He was married in Washington County, in 1858, to Wilhelmina Mollinbroek, born in Prussia, June 15, 1834, to William Mollinbroek. He died in the old country in 1880. Our subjeet has two children dead and three living-Caroline, William and Charlotta. He and family are members of the German Lutheran Church, Blue Point. He is
a Republican in politics. He is Township Su- pervisor at present. Ile has made his own way since coming to America, and his snecess has been made by his own energy and perse- verance.
GRIFFIN TIPSWORD, farmer, P. O. Moc- casin, was born just across the line in Shelby County, Ill., 1831. He is the grandson of old Griffin Tipsword, and the son of John Tips- word. Mr. Tipsword's life has been spent mostly in Effingham County, and being raised in this country before there was scarcely any civilization, he knows what pioneer life is. His carly training was that of a pioneer, and took his first lessons in hunting and trapping under his grandfather's care. His first schooling was obtained in a five cornered schoolhouse, the house being built so that the fifth corner was open, and used as a fire-place, and poles and logs could be burned without chopping. He was married, 1853, to Elizabeth Banning, in Shelby County. She was born and raised in Shelby County ; she is the daughter of Machac Banning, a native of South Carolina, but her mother's people were from Tennessee. They have nine children, six boys and three girls-John, Merida, Hester, Sarah Ann, Isaac Christopher, Joseph, Walter, Minda. In 1855. Mr. Tipsword moved to the prairie, there being only one house in the prairie at the time; the others were all in and around the woods. In 1876, he sold out and went to Kansas, but re- mained only for the one season and then came back, and bought his present farm, which con- sists of 140 acres. Ile is Democratic in poli- tics, as all by the name are.
ISAAC TIPSWORD, farmer, P. O. Moc- casin, was born across the line in Fayette County, Ill., in 1835. fle is the grand- son of old Griffin Tipsword, and the son of Thomas, and the only one of the sons now living in this county. His father was killed accidentally in Kansas in 1857. Mr. Tipsword's opportunities for an education were
236
BIOGRAPHICAL.
very limited, going two and a half to three miles, and then had to sit on a bench in a log house, which did not have a floor in it part of the time, and the window was an opening made by cutting out part of a log, and then stretch- ing a greased paper over the hole. He was married in Shelby County, 1854, to Agnes Dowty, a daughter of J. P. Dowty; she was born in Wayne County, Ohio, 1833, and were early settlers in Effingham County, coming about 1840. They have nine children living and two dead-Thomas P., Breckenridge, Da- vid M., Mary Ann, Valandingham, Ida May, Margaret Viola, Isaac W., Columbia Agnes. Mr. Tipsword has been on his present farm since 1865. His farm consists of 223 acres, about 140 in cultivation. He has always been Democratic in politics. He and wife are mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church South ; he is a member of the Masonic fraternity ; farming has always been his occupation ; Mr. Tipsword's mother is still living, and is about seventy years old; her name before marriage was Annie Waller ; she was born in Tennessee but was married on the Okaw, to Thomas Tips- word about 1839. One incident that Mr. Tips- word remembers of his father's hunting, was, that he went out one day and killed seven deer, and that night came home with six of them all on one old horse, and Mr. Tipsword also riding.
G. W. TIPSWORD, farmer, P. O. Moccasin, born in Moccasin Township, in 1849, is a son of Ashby Tipsword, an old settler of this county. He was born in Coles County, Ill., in 1827, and then came to this county, with his parents, when three years old, and lived here till his death, in 1877. After he was married, he bought a squatter's claim, and afterward pre-empted the land, and this old homestead was his residence till his death. Mrs. Tips- word still lives on the old place. She was born in Tennessee. daughter of S. R. Powell. Mr. G. W. Tipsword is one of nine children,
seven of whom are living, and all but one in Effingham County. Mr. Tipsword was edu- cated in the common schools of the township. He was married, in January, 1873, to Mary Ellen Hotz. She was born in Ohio, and is a daughter of J. W. Hotz, Sr., also an old settler here. They have four children, all girls-Lil- lian A., Sedalia M., Sarah J., Bertha G. His farm consists of eighty acres, but he is farm-
ing part of the old homestead also. He has been Town Treasurer of Schools since April, 1877. He is Democratic in politics, and is a member of the Masonic fraternity. He and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Griffin Tipsword, his great grand- father, was the first white settler in Effingham County. (See sketch of Griffin Tipsword in the General History of the County.) Ashby Tipsword was the son of Isaac, and Isaac Tipsword was the son of Griffin. Ashby Tipsword, the father of G. W., was the first Supervisor after the township was organized, and was elected a number of times in succes- sion. He was one of the foremost men in the organization of the township and was one of the leading men in the township. Although his education was quite limited, he was often called on to write wills, administer on estates, and was the referee in many cases of litigation, but never got into lawsuits himself. For a num- ber of years he was School Treasurer of the township, and was succeeded at his death by his son, G. W. Mr. Tipsword started in life with nothing, but at his death had about 550 acres of land besides personal and town prop- erty. He was a veterinary surgeon, and was called in all directions and at all times, and with his love of hunting he became known to all the settlers for many miles around. Ile was a man with many peculiarities, but the friend of all. He was a great lover of fun, but not such as would injure any one. He was married, in March, 1849, to Sarah J. Powell. He was buried with Masonic honors in the
237
MOCCASIN TOWNSHIP.
cemetery near Moccasin, and a good stone, erected by his family, marks his resting place.
W. F. WOHLFORD, farmer, P. O. Altamont, was born in Knox County, Ohio, May 15, 1848, to John and Catharine (Kremer) Wohlford. He was born in Center County, Penn .; she, also, in the same county. They were married in Wayne County, Ohio, May 19, 1865. They landed in Freeport, Ill., and lived in Stephen- son County, within four miles of the State line, until the time of their death. Ile died in Stephenson County in the winter of 1872. Ilis occupation was that of a farmer. She died in 1876, in Richland County, Ohio. Our subject was raised on a farm and was educated in the common schools of Ohio. November 25, 1868, he came from Stephenson County to Effing- ham County, and since that time Effingham County has been his home. He was married here, October 30, 1870, to Elizabeth Perry. She was born in Effingham County, III., Janu- ary 21, 1853, to Thomas and Emeline (Balch) Perry. He was born in Kentucky and she in Indiana. Both died in this county. Mr.
Wohlford has two children living-John F. and Olive Alma. Mr. and Mrs. Wohlford's home now is the old home of her parents. The farm consists of seventy-five acres, all under fence. Mr. and Mrs. Wohlford are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Crum's Chapel. He is Republican in politics and is the only one by the name that holds to that party. Mrs. Wohlford's parents were among the earliest settlers here, but Mrs. Wohlford is the only one of the family now living in this county.
JOSEPH YARNALL, farmer, P. O. Moc- casin. Mr. Yarnall was born in Coshocton County, Ohio, October IS, 1830. He lived in his native county till October, 1851, when he
came from his old home and spent the first winter in Fayette County, Ill. ; but in March, 1852, he moved to this county and lived for two years on Wolf Creek, and then came to his present farm, which he entered from the Government. Almost the entire prairie was vacant land when he first came, and the land office was closed for about two years, waiting for a division of the railroad lands from the Government lands. Mr. Yarnall's parents moved here at the same time, and lived in this township till their death. Ilis father, Mordecai Yarnall, was born near Brownsville Penn., March 3, 1790, and died January 22, 1871. Ilis mother, Providence (Walraven) Yarnall, was also born at Brownsville, Penn., September 15, 1798, and died August 12, 1877. Mr. Yarnall received his education in the early schools of Ohio. His father had moved there in 1822. Mr. Yarnall has always followed farming. That was also the occupation of his father. Ile was married, August 11, 1851, in Ohio, to Mary McNeely. She was born in Greene County, Penn., but her parents had moved to Ohio when she was seven years old. She died December 9, 1881. In his family there were eight children, seven still living-Harriet Zelma, Mordecai, Emma Elizabeth, Provy Victoria, Joseph James and Mary Jane (twins), William Thomas, John Benton (deceased). Mr. Yarnall has always been a Democrat. Ilis farm consists of 100 acres, 80 in the prairie, and adjoining the village of Moccasin. Mr. Yarnall has always been an active worker for the good of schools, and also for the town- ship. On his father's side, Mr. Yarnall's an- cestors were English, they having come to America with William Penn, and his father was a Quaker till thirty years old, when he became a Methodist. Mr. Yarnall's ancestors on his mother's side were Welsh.
238
BIOGRAPHICAL:
BISHOP TOWNSHIP.
JAMES C. BEARD, farmer, P. O. Dieterich, Ill., was born in Vigo County, Ind., November 2, 1829, near the State line. His mother dying when he was two years old, he spent the greater part of his youth in the family of an nnele, going to school when he could, yet applying himself so industriously to his studies that, despite his meager opportunities, he ac- quired a better education than was common among his cotemporaries. He was early in- terested in public and national affairs, and became a close analyzer of political issues, identifying himself with the Whig-afterward the Republican-party. In 1858, he came West to Illinois, and bought 120 acres of wild prairie land in Bishop Township, this county, where he has since resided. This was several years before the township was organized, and there were only four or five families living in what is now School District 2. Wild deer roamed over the prairie in herds of fifty or a hundred, or lay hid under the tall grass, which was in places ten or twelve feet high. But Mr. Beard, then young and strong, was equal to the situation, and he soon had his farm fenced and a part under cultivation. He has since added to this farm forty acres, making in all 160 acres of prairie land, beside fifty acres in the Island Grove, which furnishes fuel, fences, etc. He served two terms as Super- visor of Township and is serving a third term as School Trustee, and has served, also, a great number of terms as School Director. Mr. Beard is a man who loves a good joke, and can tell one admirably. For acute penctration and wisdom on points of law, many of our lawyers have found it to their advantage to get his opinion and counsel, which is seldom wrong and always logical. Mr. Beard was
| married, in the spring of 1860, to Miss Rebecca Layton, of Bishop Township, Effingham Co., Ill. They have two sons and one daughter living-John, James and Clara. James Beard, father of James C. Beard, was born in Blount County, E. Tenn., in 1799. He was engaged in farming and teaching school until 1822, when he went to Indiana, to look at the country with a view to moving there. He returned to Tennessee, where he soon after married Miss Jane Ewing, of Blount County, October 14, 1823. In the same year, he took his young wife to live in Vigo County, Ind., where he purchased land and engaged in farming on the Wabash River until 1858, when he moved to Bishop Township, Ill., and bought land, which he farmed until his death. Before coming to Illinois, his wife died in Vigo County, 1831. Of his first marriage there were four children-Margaret I., William H., John and James C., the latter being the only one now living. Mr. James Beard was mar- ried a second time in 1835, to Mrs. Jane Caldwell, of Vigo County, Ind. For many years Mr. Beard filled the office of Justice of the Peace, also that of Township Supervisor. He (lied on his farm, in Bishop Township, March 3, 1864.
HIERMAN CREMER, farmer, P. O. Teutop- olis, was born in Bishop Township, this county, March 19, 1852, son of John D. and A. M. (Zurliene) Cremer, natives of Hanover, Ger- many, he, born in 1811, was a farmer, and died in Bishop Township, December 29, 1870 ; she, born in 1821, and is living with our subject. They were the parents of two children, both boys. Our subject received his early educa- tion in District No. 2, Bishop Township, and commenced life at the plow. He was mar- ried in Bishop Township April 27, 1880, to
.
239
BISHOP TOWNSHIP.
Elizabeth Hoelsher, born July 28, 1860, in St. Francis Township, this county, daughter of Frank and Elizabeth (Fechtrup) Iloelsher, natives of Germany. Mr. and Mrs. Cremer have one son, Joseph, born October 5, 1881. Our subjeet lives on the old homestead, and has a farm of 190 acres, about sixty acres of which are in timber. He carries on general farming. He has filled the office of Justice of the Peace, is a member of the Catholic Church, and in polities is a Democrat.
MICHAEL DIETERICH, farmer, P. O. Dieterich, the founder of Dieterich, now a pros- perous town on the S. E. & S. E. R. R., was born in Bavaria, Germany, July 23, 1826. When fifteen years old, he came to the United States with his parents, and settled on the Muscooten, in St. Clair County, III., where he helped to clear and subdue the wild lands which his father had settled upon ; but that father was not destined to long survive the labor and hardships incident to pioncer life, and young Michael was, at the early age of sixteen years, left fatherless and dependent in a new unsettled country. Yet undaunted and with strong hope, he hired out to work upon a farin, and continued to work by the month and year until 1849, when he went to Clinton County, Ill., and with the money he had saved while working as a farm hand, entered 280 acres of land, the greater part of which he put in cultivation. Upon this farm Mr. Dieterich built all the necessary buildings, and otherwise improved it. At one time while living upon this farm, he engaged in the eulture of grapes, having a vineyard of about seven acres, and making, some years, 4,000 gallons of native wines. In July of 1853, Mr. Dieterich was married to Miss Barbara Wingard, of Clinton County, Ill., but a native of Bavaria, Germany. In 1870, Mr. Dieterich sold his Clinton County farm at $65 per acre, and came to Ef- fingham County, when he at first bought one half section of prairie land in Section 13.
Bishop Township. He has since acquired the remainder of the section, and also owns forty acres of timber land. This section of land was wild and unshorn, and had never known a plowshare, yet Mr. Dieterich, by his great indus- try, has fenced, and has under cultivation every foot of this land at this time. Mr. Dieterich's buildings and farm accommodations are all first-class. He is extensively engaged in stock- raising, and the baling and shipping of hay, besides raising vast crops of wheat, corn, oats, ete. He gave the right of way for the S. E. & S. E. R. R., which crosses diagonally the north half of his section. At the completion of this road, in 1880, a station was located on his land, and named in his honor, Dieterich, which was surveyed by County Surveyor A. S. Moffitt, in the fall of 1880. The town is plat- ted in nine blocks, of twelve lots each. 50x100 feet. There is, at present, ten residences, one store, two groceries, two saloons, two black- smith shops and three warehouses. Mr. Die- terich was appointed first Postmaster of Dieter- ich, by Postmaster General James, April 9, 1881. He has served three years as Road Commissioner, and has filled other publie trusts at different times, all of which have proven him to be a man of great integrity and good ability. He has a large warehouse, and bnys and ships grain, in which business he has been very successful. Mr. Dieterich has seven chil- dren living, and one dead. Those living are Henry, Lizzie, Minnie, Barbara, Michael, Caro- line and John.
L. J. FIELD,'M. D., Elliottstown, whose por- trait appears in this work, was born in Ken- tucky, on the 12th day of August, 1821, son of Ambrose and Elizabeth (Reeder) Field, he a native of Virginia, and died in this county, in 1855, of the cholera; she a native of Maryland, and died in 1874; they were the parents of twelve children. Our sub- ject was taken by his father to Edgar Coun- ty, Ill., when ten years old. He worked for
240
BIOGRAPHICAL:
his father on the farm in the summer time, and in the winter attended school until seven- teen years old, when he engaged in school teaching, teaching one term in Edgar County, then went back to Kentucky, and taught one term of school there. In 1840, he returned to Edgar County and engaged in school teaching until 1849, when he came to Effingham County, and taught three terms of school here; during the time he was teaching in Edgar County, he was also engaged in the study of medicine, having commenced the study of medicine when seventeen years old, and he made it a special study ; he came to this county for the purpose of practicing medicine, and in 1852 he gave up teaching and went to practicing; when he first came here the people were very few and there was no other doctor in the vicinity for some time afterward. He has an extensive practice extending over the greater part of Effingham County. In the fall of 1861 (about the 1st of November), he enlisted in Company D, Fifty- fourth Illinois" Volunteers, and was Hospital Steward until about the 1st of July, 1862, when he resigned and came home on a fur- lough ; went back about the 1st of October, remained there until about the last of Novem- ber, 1862, when he was discharged for disabil- ity; he came back to Elliottstown and contin- ued his practice. He was married, February 3, 1843, to Frances T. Conrey, of Edgar County, Ill., born February 14, 1825 (same age as Gen. Hancock), in Kentucky, daughter of Abraham and Elizabeth (Riley) Conrey, he of New York, she of North Carolina. The parents had nine children. Mr. and Mrs. Field are the parents of eleven children, seven of whom are living-Melinda, wife of Cicero Quillin; Mary F., wife of T. J. Dunn, of Elli- ottstown; Susan, wife of B. B. Williams, liv- ing in Elliottstown, Ill .; Abraham A., living in Collinsville, Madison County; William D., lives in Effingham, Ill .; Henry, at home; John, at home. Our subject owns a nice residence
1
in Elliottstown, and is comfortably situated; he has been Township Clerk and School Trust- ce. In politics, he is a Democrat, and is a member of the Elliottstown Lodge, A., F. & A. M. Mrs. Field is a member of the Baptist Church.
SAMUEL FIELD, farmer, P. O. Veni, was born March 1, 1833, in Edgar County, Ill .; he lived on the farm until he was eleven years old, when his parents moved to Effingham County, and settled in Bishop Township, near Elliotts- town. In 1844, his father bought a small im- provement of a man by the name of Thomas Walls, but afterward entered 180 acres of Gov- ernment land. The first school taught in this seetion of the county was taught by his brother, Dr. Louis Field, on John L. Batty's place; Samuel attended this school two terms, after which he went several terms to a school south of Elliottstown. When he became of age, he bought land of the Illinois Central Railroad Company, and began farming on a part of his present farm. He nows owns 180 acres, 160 of which are prairie, all in cultiva- tion; he has lived upon this farm for twenty- five years, and raises both grain and stock; he also has a large saw mill. Mr. Field has held various township offices for nine years; he was Justice of the Peace, being elected before the township organization. Hle has served eight terms as Supervisor of Bishop Township, be- ing chosen by the Democratic party, with which he has always acted. He has been prominently named for the first office in the county. He was married in 1856 to Miss Ma- tilda Layton, of Bishop Township, this county. They have living seven sons and three daugh- ters ; the sons are William P., John R., Clark, Edward, Charles, Layton and Frank ; the daughters are Mary, Rebecca and Ella; three of their children died while young.
FREDERICK G. HABING, merchant, Die- terich, was born in Oldenburg, Germany, in the year 1848. He came to the United States with
:
241
BISHOP TOWNSHIP.
his parents when he was less than a year old. He settled with his parents on a farm near Teutopolis, where he grew up working on the farm and attending school until his twenty- fifth year, when he began buying produce and continued in business in Teutopolis until 1881, when he went to Dieterich, buying four lots and erecting the first business house built in that new town. He opened his store at that place, consisting of a well-selected stock of dry goods, groceries, etc., the 14th day of January, 1881, where he has since done a good business. He is also engaged in buying grain and burning brick. He is the first and only Station Agent of the S. E. & S. E. R. R. Co., and is also agent for the Pacific Express Company. He was married in 1872, to Miss Mary Taphorn, of St. Louis. Two children of this marriage are living, John and Frank. His wife died in 1878. Was married second time to Mary Flack, of Teutopolis, who died in September, 1879. Married third wife, in 1881, Sophia Meyer, of Jasper County, Ill. John G. Hab- ing, the father of our subject, was born in Old- enburg, Germany ; lived there as a farmer un- til 1849, when he came to the United States and settled in Illinois, in Effingham County, near Teutopolis. He was married to Engle Robe, of Oldenburg, by whom he had a family of four sons and three daughters. He died November 12, 1865; his wife is still living.
HENRY HELMBRECHT, farmer, P. O. Elliottstown. Henry Helmbrecht is a native of the State of Hanover, Germany, born in 1834, and resided in his native country, working on a farm and attending public schools until 1853, when he emigrated to the United States. Landing at New Orleans, he then went to Louisville, Ky., via the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers. At Louisville, he stopped but a few months, when he went to Jackson County, Ind., and bought a farm near Seymour, which be farmed three years, and then, in 1856, came to Jasper County, Ill. For the next three years
he worked as a common farm hand in Jasper, Coles and Cumberland Counties. In 1862, he came to Bishop Township, Effingham County, and bought eighty acres of prairie land, upon which he has since resided and farmed. Asa farmer, Mr. Helmbrecht has, by his industry and attention to business, been very successful. Ilis early education was thorough and practi- cal, and has been greatly enlarged by extensive reading and by an interchange of thought with leading men upon the various issues and ques- tions of the day. IIe was married, in 1862. to Miss Mary Diesler, of Effingham County. Seven children have blessed their wedded life, whose names are Caroline, Anna, Mary, William, August, Henry and George.
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.