USA > Illinois > Fulton County > History of Fulton county, Illinois > Part 91
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John Chaddock, farmer, sec. 24; P. O., Vermont ; was born here in 1833, son of James and Lydia (Mercer), natives of Ohio; his father came on foot to Illinois, and being overtaken by the deep
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HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY.
snow (1830-31), he became discouraged and returned to Ohio in the spring, but in 1833 he settled permanently in this county ; he died in 1868, and his wife died when John was but 10 years of age; the latter received a liberal education ; in the last war he enlisted in Yates' Battalion of sharpshooters, and was in many a sharp encounter. He married Mahala B. Petty, daughter of John Petty, of Indiana, and their children are Minnie, Irving and Jesse.
W. G. Clark, farmer, see. 36; P. O., Astoria; born in Ohio in 1812; his father, John Clark, was born in Maryland, and died in Ohio when the subject of this sketch was very young; Nov. 26, 1834, the latter married Rachel Knock, of Delaware, and they are parents of 6 children, 3 of whom are living,-John, Wesley and Eliza. In 1842 the family emigrated in a covered wagon to Berna- dotte tp., this county, took 80 acres of wild land, except a few aeres around a log cabin and a saw-mill, formerly owned by Moore Marshall, the builder. Mr. C. ran this mill until the late war, when his two sons, John and Wesley, left for Uncle Sam's service. Mr. Clark's first wife died Oet 1, 1843, and he married Elizabeth Tray- nor, March 22, 1844, and they have 4 children,-Mary, Rachel, Henry and Jane.
S. Cochran, barber, was born in Pennsylvania in 1851 ; his father, Jesse C., emigrated with him to Iowa, where Snowden (our subjeet) grew to manhood and received a liberal education. He moved to Clinton, Mo., and married Lizzie Montgomery, and came to Ver- mont in 1876, where he has since followed his vocation with great success.
Caleb Cor, deceased, was a merchant and banker of Vermont. He was born in Pennsylvania in 1833, the 3d son of Jesse and Therdisa Cox, who settled in this Co. in 1837, in Vermont tp .; he received a liberal education, and Oct. 18, 1860, married Anna Wil- kinson, of Pennsylvania, whose parents emigrated to this county about 23 years ago. At the beginning of the war he enlisted in Co. F, 84th Ill. Inf., was first elected Captain and afterward Major, and served faithfully until the war elosed. Was in many battles, nota- bly that of Murfreesboro. He then returned to Vermont, bought property, and in 1868 he became an equal partner with Joab Mer- shon and organized the Vermont Bank. In 1871 he erected one of the finest residences in the county. In 1866 he was elected to the Legislature, the first Republican representative from Fulton Co., He was an energetic business man, very popular, but while vet in the prime of life he took sick and died, leaving a widow and 7 chil- dren,-Wilmer, Theodore, Mary, Olive, Edward, Howard and Sherman.
Geo. Cor, farmer, ete., sec. 18; P. O., Vermont; was born in Guernsey Co., O., in 1847 ; his father, Thomas Cox, settled in Me- Donough Co. in pioneer times; George was brought up on a farm ; in 1868 he purchased his present farm. In 1867 he married Nancy Craigo, by whom he has three children,-Granville, Maud and Edna.
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HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY.
Jesse Cox, retired, was born in Chester Co., Pa., in 1807, of Quaker parents, who were of English deseent. Thomas Cox, father of Jesse, grew to manhood in Penn., where he followed the two callings of carpenter and farmer ; he married Elizabeth Messer, and they had 5 children, of whom Jesse was the third. The parents died in Penn. Jesse learned the carpenter's trade ; married Theo- dosia Mershon, daughter of Henry Mershon, of N. Y., July 27, 1829, in Penn. ; came to Vermont in 1837, followed carpentering, built the first store (of any note) in Vermont, and both grist-mills ; he was the first Justice of the Peace, serving 8 years in this capacity ; has been Supervisor ; in 1841 he purchased # see., and afterwards ¿ sec. more, and one year he raised the largest crop of wheat ever raised in the county, shipping 350 barrels to St. Louis one day. Mrs. C. died July 8, 1871, leaving 4 children,-Samuel, Henry, Rebecca and Mary.
Samuel Cox, agriculturist, sec. 12; P. O., Vermont. Forty-two years ago Jesse Cox, the father of Samuel, moved from Chester Co., Pa., to this county. He married Theodosia, sister of Joab Mershon, of Vermont, and came to this township, where he now resid'es. Samuel was 4 years of age when his parents came here. He grew to manhood upon the farm, received a good common-school educa- tion. In Sept., 1854, he married Abigail Freeman, daughter of Minshall G. F., who bore a prominent part in the carly history of the county. Like nearly all of the leading farmers, Mr. C. began life poor. His children are Ann J., Jesse, Eben and Melvina.
Wm. Craig, deceased, was a native of Harrison county, Ill., fol- lowed farming, married first Miss Wallace, secondly her sister and lastly Miss Elizabeth Jamison, Isabel township, by whom he had two children,-William and John. He emigrated to Isabel town- ship in 1842, with some means, and has prospered, at one time own- ing over 1,400 acres of land. He died Feb., 1871, his widow still living.
James J. Crail, auctioneer, and founder of the town of Vermont, was born in Kentucky, Sept. 12, 1812. His father, Wm. Crail, was also a native Kentuckian, a wheelwright by occupation, and mar- ried Margaret Mayall, daughter of Joseph Mayall, a Revolutionary soldier, who lost his property by British confiscatior. In 1834 Mr. C. moved to Fulton county, where he died at an advanced age. Mrs. Crail is still living, and is in her 85th year. Of their 9 chil- dren James J. is the eldest. He came into this township with the family, when there were but 6 or 7 cabins here, the residents being Wm. B. Higgins, Abraham Williams, Mr. Wright (father of Gran- ville Wright), Issac Cadwallader and Caleb Dilworth. Mr. Crail, of course, at that early day went through all the experiences char- acteristic of the times, fully described in chapters I, II and X of this volume. He saw that the citizens began to consider Havana and Beardstown rather too far for convenience, and that there was a demand for a business place nearer by. He selected a site and
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HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY.
erected a cabin on the ground now occupied by Sidwell's. Wm. McCurdy built the second cabin, and here subsequently these two gentlemen carried on saddle and harness-making, and this was the germ of the village. The next building was a frame, used as a store- house by Greene Reeves. Other buildings went up, and directly Mr. C., in partnership with Dr. A. M. Johnson, started a dry-goods and grocery store, shipping and packing. Dr. Johnson was one of the most active and enterprising men in the early history of the county, and did much to further the interests of Vermont. After two or three other changes in business he, in 1850, went to California with an ox team. Mr. C. still resides in Vermont.
George W. Derry, wagon manufacturer and general blacksmith, west side of the Square, Vermont, Ill. Mr. Derry was born near Harper's Ferry, Va., in 1824. His father, Wm. Derry, was also a native Virginian, a farmer, who married Barbara Ross; they had 9 children. George W., the youngest, went to Freeport, Harrison Co., O., when a lad, and in 1841 emigrated to Astoria, Ill., where he went to school and worked at the usual rough and heavy drudg- ery of pioneers; worked with Franklin Fackler and Zachariah Gilbert, learning his trade with the latter; carried on business two years at Pulaski, Hancock Co., then resumed business at Astoria. In 1847 he married Melinda Anderson, a daughter of James An- derson. For a time Mr. Derry lived in Mason county ; in 1853 he settled at Vermont and put up his present establishment, and does a good business. Of his 7 children 5 are living, namely, John and Armadale, manufacturers of wagons and buggies in Vermont ; Wm. L., a farmer in Kansas; George L. and Elmer E., at home; and Sarah S., who married E. Knock, of Astoria.
W. H. Derry, school-teacher and newspaper correspondent, was born in Freeport, Harrison Co., O., in 1842; his folks emigrated to Vermont tp., where he grew to manhood, received a liberal educa- tion, has taught school several terms, and been Assessor, Collector, Justice of the Peace, and township Clerk. In 1863 he married Miss Martha Dennison, of Ohio, by whom he has six children,- Vietta, Alonzo, Amos, Dora, Irene and Grace. Democrat. Mr. Derry's father, John D., emigrated from Virginia to Ohio, followed cabinet-making and married Miss Bathia Wharton, of Ohio. They had 8 children, 4 of whom are living and are residents of Fulton Co., with one exception. John Derry, with his family, emigrated to Vermont tp. in 1850, where he now resides.
Ezra Dilworth. During the spring of 1868 Ezra Dilworth and Emer added to the attractiveness of Vermont in the erection of the two-story brick business house on Main st., now owned and occu- pied by Ezra Dilworth as a hardware store and agricultural ware- room. Later they erected another, which adds beauty to Main st. As far back as 1854 Messrs. E. & E. Dilworth began business in a small way,-purchasing a small one-story frame building 16x30. This store was stocked with goods from St. Louis. The new firm,
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HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY.
through well directed energy, business tact and honesty, soon gained for them a trade, and step by step they have climbed far beyond the lowest rundle of the ladder, carrying as large a line of first-class goods as any similar firm in the county.
James Dilworth, agriculturist, bought a tract of land near Ver- mont in early day, while doing a successful business as a merchant in town ; married Elizabeth Harris, of Farmer's tp., in 1851, by whom he had two children, Clara and Wm., who resides in Fulton Co. Mrs. D. died in Jan., 1867. In Sept., 1869, Mr. D. married Miss Mary Chicken, and they have one child, Elza. Mr. D. owns 340 aeres of good land, and recently has erected a fine residence. For the past 15 years he has been School Treasurer, and has been Township Assessor.
Rhodes Dilworth, retired farmer, etc., was born in Chester Co., Pa., in 1800, the second child of Caleb and Ann Dilworth ; at 13 he moved to Ohio and learned the miller's trade ; became proprietor of a mill and a steamboat ; came to Vermont in 1837; followed farm- ing three years ; in company with Wm. Felton, built a grist-mill in Vermont ; in 1848 sold ont and went into the shipping business at Browning ; burned out in 1855, since which time he has been com- paratively out of business. He married Rebecca Falk and they had 8 children, but 2 of whom are living: Sarah, who married Joab Mershon, and Lydia, now the wife of Dr. Clevinger.
W.n. Dilworth, deceased, was born in Chester county, Pa., in 1794; came to Ohio in 1814, where he was a merchant and was married ; in 1837 he came and settled first in Vermont tp., following the mer- cantile business until 1842, and then until 1847 he followed flat- boating to New Orleans. He died in 1863 and was buried in Ver- mont cemetery.
David T. Dobbins, agriculturist, was born in this tp. in 1849, a son of the next mentioned. He owns and occupies the old home- stead on sec. 1, which is one of the best in the county.
John C. Dobbins, a well-known pioneer and farmer, was born in Clermont county, O., in 1811; was a Captain in the Black Hawk war; in 1835 married Harriet A. Miller, and next year he emigrated to this tp. and occupied an 80-acre lot of "raw" prairie, which his father had purchased and given him; went diligently to work and in course of time obtained possession of 500 acres, but he has since given each of his children 120 acres. He reserves 50 acres as a donation to churches. His children were and are : Alexander, who died at Nashville in the late war; Franklin, killed at the battle of Wahatchie Bridge; Robert and Calvin, who enlisted in Co. H, 28th Ill., and Co. D, 151st Ill. ; and David T., above mentioned.
R. N. Dobbins, farmer, sec. 2; P. O., Ipava ; born in Clermont Co., O., in 1814; his father, Robert B., was a native of Va., moved to South Carolina, and after several years back to Va., where he re- ceived a collegiate education and became a Presbyterian minister ; was an Abolitionist ; in 1814 he and his young wife came to Ohio
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on horseback, bringing all their possessions with them ; in 1835 they came to Vermont, where he purchased over a section of land ; he died in 1854; Mrs. D. died in Nov., 1847. Robert N., in his 26th year, in this tp., married Martha Jane Erving, daughter of James Erving, of Lancaster, Pa.
Oscar Easley, farmer and mill owner, sec. 26; P. O., Vermont ; was born in Freeport, Harrison Co., O., in 1835; his father, Isaac Easley, a native of Ohio, married Mary Norris, and they became the parents of 11 children ; in 1836 they emigrated to this tp., settling upon 120 acres of wild land, and in a round-log cabin, when wolves and panthers abounded here ; Mr. Easley died in 1861 ; Mrs. E. died in 1859. Osear received a good education ; when the war broke out he enlisted in Co. F, 84th Ill. Inf .; was in the battles of Chieka- mauga, Stone River, Resaca, etc .; honorably discharged in 1865; for 12 years has owned a good saw-mill. In 1859 he married Amy Freeman, daughter of Marshall Freeman, deceased. Children : Marshall, Perry, Fred, Lillie and Norris.
Henry Ellison, farmer, sec. 22; P. O., Vermont ; born Dec. 25, 1841, in Laneashire, Eng. ; his parents were Wm. and Ann (Blan- don) Ellison, who emigrated to America when Henry was a boy, with 6 children altogether, 4 of whom are living, all in Vermont tp. ; they first located in Ohio, where he remained for 6 years, then to Jefferson Co., where he stayed 3 years, and in the spring of 1852 he settled in this tp. ; they moved into MeDonough Co., where Mr. E. died ; Mrs. E. died at the age of 78. Henry has remained in this tp. ; in 1866 he married Miss Rebecca, daughter of Allen Stew- art, of Ohio, and they have had two children, Charles and George. Mrs. E. died Aug. 26, 1878.
John Ellison, farmer and stock-raiser, sec. 22; P. O., Vermont; was born in Lancashire, Eng., in 1835; his parents are referred to in the above sketch ; he passed his boyhood and youth in Ohio, where he received a liberal education ; Feb. 15, 1860, he married Miss Cinah Sidwell, daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth Sidwell, the former of Maryland and the latter of Penn. ; their children are William, Edward, Thomas, Frank and Elizabeth.
Samuel Etnier, farmer, was born in Huntingdon Co., Pa., June 24, 1804. Martin Etnier, his father, was born near Boonesborough, Md., was a soldier under George Washington, afterward married Elizabeth Proctonia and had 10 children, Samuel being the young- est. In the 21st year of his age, the latter married Elizabeth Harker, a daughter of Joseph Harker, of Penn .; spent 4 years in Ohio running a saw-mill, then 8 or 9 years in Penn., then near Ma- comb, Ill., and finally settled on a } sec. of raw prairie near Ipava. Mrs. E. died July 19, 1878. Mr. E.'s present wife was Miss Mary Good, a native of Ohio.
Bell Fleming, farmer, see. 3; P. O., Ipava. Parents, John and Elizabeth F., the former a native of Ireland, who came to New Brunswick in his 10th year, and ultimately to this county, where
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HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY.
in 1848 he married Elizabeth Kitt, purchased 80 acres of land and settled down to farming, commencing poor but now having 360 aeres of valuable land and ranking among the leading farmers of the tp. Mrs. F. died in 1870. Bell was born in 1853, attended a business college, and in 1878 married a daughter of Eben Freeman, of this tp.
Lewis Fleury, farmer and merchant, sec. 17; P. O., Vermont ; was born in Penn., near Philadelphia, in 1809; his father, Pierre Fleury, emigrated from France to that place in 1798, was a bril- liant, well educated man, and private secretary to the French min- ister, Petrie; married Elizabeth Sanford in Virginia, by whom he had 6 children ; Lewis, the eldest son, grew to manhood in Wash- ington, learned the carpenter's trade, emigrated to Ross Co., Ohio, in 1828, married Mary daughter of Coonrod Zimmerman, and their children are 7, viz: Eugene, born in Kingston, Ross Co., O., Feb. 4, 1839; Mary E., born in Kingston Sept. 8, 1838, died Feb. 16, 1841 ; Adelaide, born Sept. 16, 1840, at the same place, died July 27, 1846; Eliza J., born Feb. 16, 1842, same place, and married David Bell ; Julia, born Oct. 16, 1843, and married Robert Bailey ; Estelle, born July 18, 1844, in Ross Co .; Adeline, born Aug. 7, 1847, in Fulton Co .; Edgar, born Dec. 7, 1848, in Fulton Co .; Belle, born April 1, 1853, in same county ; and Ella, born in 1857. Eugene enlisted in Co. H, 65th Ill. Inf., May 19, 1862.
Cyrus F. Fordyce, farmer, see. 6; P. O., Table Grove ; was born in Green Co., Pa., in 1807; lived in Ohio a few years, and in 1828 came to Fulton Co .; in Ohio again during the deep snow ; returned to this county in 1831; saw hard times; in 1835 he married Par- melia Hughes, daughter of George Hughes, of Farmers' tp., and he has 3 children living,-John, George and Mary.
John F. Fordyce, farmer and stock-raiser, sec. 7; P. O., Table Grove; was born in Fulton county in 1836; reared amid pioneer associations ; enlisted in Co. F, 183d Ill. Inf. ; honorably discharged after 8 months' service ; Sept. 25, 1860, married Minerva I. Hagans, daughter of Campbell Hagans, of Eldorado tp., MeDonough Co .; their children are, Clara, Henry (dec.), Effie, Frank, Sherman, Bruce, Charles and Freeman. Mr. Fordyce has taught school some and was once a business man in Table Grove.
Daniel Frazier, farmer, sec. 26; P. O., Vermont; was born in Belmont, Co., Ohio, in 1825; his father, Wm. Frazier, was born in North Carolina, but moved while young to Ohio, where he married Miss Anna Ross; of this marriage 12 children were born, of whom 8 are living. Daniel, the fifth of these, was married in Noble Co., O., in 1850 to Miss Nancy Stoneking, by whom he has 5 children, two have died. Sarah A. married S. Brown, of Astoria tp .; Wm., John and Lucy (twins), and Mary B. reside at home.
Reuben Frazier, farmer, sec. 34; P. O., Vermont; born in Bel- mont Co., O., in 1827. His father, Wm. F., was a North Caro- linian, who emigrated to Ohio in early day. Reuben married, in
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HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY.
Ohio, Mary E. Swan, daughter of John and Elizabeth S., by whom he had 10 children, 5 now living,-Rebecca C., Daniel S., Emma J., Nancy E. and Anna. In 1856 he came to this county. Mrs. F. died July 19, 1871 ; Oct. 26, 1872, Mr. F. married Melinda Derry, daughter of Solomon Derry, and had one child. In 1864 Mr. Frazier enlisted in Co. H, 12th Ill. Inf., and was in the battle of Kingston, N. C.
Ebenezer Freeman, agriculturist, sec. 35; P. O., Vermont. Mar- shall G. Freeman (father of Ebenezer) was a native of the Bay State, learned shoe-making while young; moved to Providence, R. I., where he married Europa Stafford, by whom he had 11 children. In early days he emigrated to Isabel township, this county, and in company with Samuel Hackelton erected a grist-mill on Spoon river, but it was swept away by a freshet. The next year he sent for his family. In 1835 he entered Government land on section 35, Ver- mont township, and proceeded according to the necessities and char- acteristies of the times to make a home. He succeeded, as nearly all the sturdy pioneers have done, in this domestic enterprise, and he died Sept. 28, 1859, leaving a good farm. Mrs. F. is still in this world, 71 years old. Ebenezer married Anna Nelson in his 23d year, and they have had 9 children : Marvil, Nelson, Corrilla, Mar- shall, Mary, Charles, Laura, Lucy and Arthur.
W. L. Green, house-painter, Vermont.
W. P. Green, contractor, builder and chair-maker, Vermont, was born in Fayette county, Pa., in 1822 ; learned his trade in that State ; in 1842 married Miss Eliza, daughter of Bowell Brownfield, of that county ; enlisted in Co. G, 85th Regt. Pa. Vol., and participated in many noted battles, as Williamsburg, Fair Oaks, etc. ; was honor- ably discharged in 1864; remained at his old home until 1868, when he emigrated to Wayne county, Ill., and two years later to this county. He guarantees all his work ; headquarters at the factory on Main street.
Willis Hager, farmer, stock-raiser and shipper, sec. 13; P. O., Ipava. This gentleman is well known as a business man, liberal and industrious. He is engaged extensively in shipping.
Wilson Hager, farmer and stock-raiser, sec. 12; P. O., Ipava ; was born in Belmont. county, O., in 1827, son of Jacob Hager, an Ohio farmer who died many years ago, and whose widow died in Vermont township more recently. The subject of this paragraph grew up in his western home, and in 1871 married Martha Middle- ton, daughter of John and Martha Middleton. Katy is their only child. In this township and MeDonough county Mr. H. owns 500 acres of land ; is an extensive dealer in stock.
John Hall, farmer, see. 34; P. O., Vermont ; born in Belmont Co., O., in 1816; married Mary Ann, daughter of Daniel Knock, by whom he has 5 children. In 1839 he came to Vermont tp., where he has since lived; was a cooper by trade but is now a farmer. One day, when out in the woods cutting hoop-poles, Mr.
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HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY.
Hall heard his dog barking a little way off, and going to the spot he found that the dog had treed a large catamount. On his arrival the cat jumped down, aiming to attack the dog, but failed at the first effort. However he turned upon the dog and would have killed him had not Mr. Hall at that juncture run up to them, and given the wild animal a few well directed blows with his hatchet, and killed him.
Edward Hamer, merchant and farmer, was born in Delaware Co., Pa., Sept. 30, 1816; in 1829 his parents moved to Chester Co., where he learned the tailor's trade and remained until 1854, when he emigrated to Vermont, Ill., where he has since continued in busi- ness. In all he has kept store nearly 40 years. In Chester Co., Pa., Aug., 1860, he married Miss A. A. Morris, and they have two daughters,-S. M. and M. H. Mr. Hamer is a Republican and has held several local offices: is not a member of any Church or society. He is a prominent business man who has won a high repu- tation.
Patterson Hamer, merchant, was born and reared in Eastern Pennsylvania, where he taught school, worked on a farm and learned the tailor's trade. His cousin Edward (noticed above) assisted him in his educational career, and they subsequently entered the dry- goods and grocery business in partnership, excluding the retail of liquors. Although many predicted their defeat, they succeeded, and continued to prosper for 14 years, while many other business firms in their community failed. In 1854 they came to Vermont and purchased the building they now occupy, besides several town lots, and other business property. They are also joint owners of a valuable farm, and have done much toward the material advance- ment of the village of their choice. Patterson has declined all pub- lie office except that of Supervisor or other local positions. He has always been opposed to slavery, and in the days of its existence he aided many a fugitive. In the late war he contributed largely to its prosecution, hoping thereby the sooner to end it.
Col. Thomas Hamer was born in Union Co., Pa., in 1818. His father, James Hamer, was born in 1785, also in Pa., and he was the son of James Humer, of Scotland, who settled in Northumberland Co. prior to the Revolutionary war, and was elected the first Sher- iff of that county. He married Elizabeth Lyon and had 8 children, the eldest of whom was James. James H. was a farmer, settled in Vermont, Ill., in 1845, and died there. He was a very generous man. Col. Thomas Hamer received a thorough education in his youth, besides being brought up at farm work ; clerked in a dry- goods and grocery store for several years; in 1847 was employed as clerk by Joab Mershon for two years, then entered partnership with Jas. A. Russell and Richard Johnson in the dry-goods line, and prospered until the spring of 1851, when Jack Matheny plundered the store and set fire to the building, entailing a total loss of $8,000. He was then in partnership with E. & P. Hamer until 1861, when
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HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY.
the war broke out, and he organized Cos. B and F, 84th Ill. Inf., and was commissioned Major. He beat Bragg in a race to Louis- ville, Ky., and afterward was engaged in pursuit of the same rebel general in a race for Nashville ; was wounded at the battle of Stone River, but next day after receiving the wound he commanded so valiantly that his men gave him a gold watch as a testimonial of his enthusiasm ; his wound, however, compelled him to resign. He came home and finally recovered. In 1864 he entered mercantile business, which he followed until 1876, when he sold out to Avres & Whitney. He has been Supervisor, and has been nominated three different times for the Legislature by the Republican party, drawing the full vote; has been delegate to every Republican county convention held since he came into the State; and was elected President of the annual Army Reunion at Springfield. In 1850 he married Harriet E. Johnson, daughter of Franklin John- son, a native of New York. Has had 6 children : two are living now, namely, Wylie and Lee Rav.
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