History of Greene and Jersey Counties, Illinois : together with sketches of the towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military, and political history; portraits of prominent individuals, and biographies of representative men, History of Illinois, Part 26

Author:
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Springfield, Ill. : Continental Historical
Number of Pages: 1150

USA > Illinois > Greene County > History of Greene and Jersey Counties, Illinois : together with sketches of the towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military, and political history; portraits of prominent individuals, and biographies of representative men, History of Illinois > Part 26

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Jasper M. Terry, deceased, was born in Hardin county, Ky., Jan. 5, 1811. He is the fifth child of Jasper and Sarah Terry, the former a native of Botetourt county, Va., and the latter of Peekskill, N. Y. Jasper Terry, Sr., was married in 1797, and in the fall of 1800, emigrated to Kentucky, where he resided until the fall of 1828. At that date he came to Illinois and settled in the present limits of Jersey county, on the northeast quarter of Sec. 24, T. 7, R. 12. In 1849, he, sold his farm here and after a visit to Texas, returned to Greene county, where he died, in Nov., | 1850, at the residence of his eldest daughter, Elizabeth, wife of Rev. John Stephens. His wife died at the same place about one year later. They had a family of nine sons and three daugh- ters. Jasper M. Terry obtained his early education in the common schools of Hardin county. He came to Illinois with his father's family, and was mar- ried Sept. 20, 1833, to Mary Ann Wag- ner, daughter of John and Mary Wag- ner, of Greene county, Ill. By this union there were born nine sons and

two daughters, three of whom died in infancy. Those who reached maturity are Rev. John W., of Carlinville, Ill .; William H. and Anslam, in Montgom- ery county, Ill .; Albert O., living near Janesville, Ill .; Henry Clay, near Pana, Ill .; Mary E., wife of E. D. Howard, of Montgomery county, Ill .; Thomas J., Theodore F. and Annie Frances, residing with their parents. Mr. Terry settled, soon after his marriage, on the northwest quarter of Sec. 24, T. 7, R. 12, where he resided until his death, Oct. 21, 1876. He made farming the business of his life, and was successful. IIe began life without financial capital, but he was possessed of those elements of mind which are more valuable, and the proper use of which insure success to their possessor. These qualities are good common sense, unerring judgment to plan, and energy to execute, with order and method. He gave to his children the advantage of a liberal edu- cation, as well as financial aid to facili- tate their life labors. He settled four of his sons on 1,000 acres of land in Montgomery county, Ill. Politically, Mr. Terry was an 'old line whig." He was a great admirer of Henry Clay, after whom one of his sons was chris- tened. Although he never sought offi- cial position, he served several years as acting justice of the peace. He was elected associate judge of the county court of Jersey county, which position he filled seven years with credit to him- self and satisfaction to his constituency.

Judge Warren was succeeded as county judge by Hon. O. P. Powel, in Dec., 1857, and opened court with R. R. Eley and William Williams as associate justices These gentlemen held these

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positions for four years, with honor and credit to themselves, and to the benefit of the county.

Richard I. Lowe, was the next occu- pant of the office of county judge, having been elected to that exalted po- sition in Nov., 1861, and opened the the county court in the following De- cember, with Jacob Lurton and Larkin Richardson as associate justices. These gentlemen served a term of four years, until 1865. Jacob Lurton has been noted at length elsewhere. Larkin Richardson came to this county in 1834, from the American Bottom. He re- mained here some time, holding several unimportant offices and went to Texas, but in a few years returned to this county where he lived several years, but finally removed to Texas where he set- tled. A sketch of Judge Lowe is given in connection with the history of the township of Jersey, of which he is still a resident.

O. P. Powel again filled this position commencing in the fall of 1865, and filled it for four years. W. H. Allen and Phineas Eldredge were associate justices at the same time, and assisted in the government of the county.

Phineas Eldredge was the son of An- thony and Susanna (Vance) Eldredge, and was born in Philadelphia, Penn., March 14, 1822. He served an appren- ticeship of three years at ship build- ing, and three more at sail making in his native city. His father was a sea captain, at this time, in the mer- chant service, and Phineas sometimes accompanied him on his voyages. The man with whom Phineas was learning his trade, having a contract to get out live oak timber, he sent Phineas, who

had studied naval architecture, to su- perintend the operations in Florida, and he did so well that when he returned, although his apprenticeship was not out, he was "given his time," as the saying is-or, made a full journeyman. He now entered upon a sea-faring life, having accepted the position of second mate on a trading vessel. He made a trip to South America, and then, for three years was first officer. He then went to New Orleans, and in 1843 was made senior warden of the city prison, and, with the prisoners, built the house of refuge in that city. He remained there until 1846, when the Mexican war broke out, when, having a steamship, largely owned by his father, he en- tered the transport service, but being caught in the Gulf by a norther, after battling with the storm for five days, the vessel was lost, and they lost their all. He then returned to New Orleans, and was deputy superintendent of the city gas works, where he remained two years, when his father made him an offer of a tract of land (his present farm) if he would come and live on it, which he accepted. The Eldredges were sea-faring men for five generations, and Phineas Eldredge's ancestors had settled on Cape Cod, coming from Wales at an early day. On his mother's side his ancestors were German, and her grandfather served on the staff of Gen- eral Washington. In 1848 Phineas came to Illinois and settled on the farm where he now lives, on section 11, Piasa township. At one time he and his father owned some 1,600 acres of land, 800 acres of it in a body. He was elected associate justice of the county court in 1865, and a study of the official

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HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY.

actions of the court in this volume will show that he did efficient work. He was the projector of the poorhouse, also. This was his last official act. He was married in Sept., 1843, in Philadelphia, to Elizabeth Wharf. Their children have been-Susanna, wife of James Burke; Anthony, clerk in the Anchor line; Elizabeth, wife of Colonel John Breenholt; Harry, pilot on the City of Natchez ; and five deceased. Mr. Eld- redge is a member of Hibbard Lodge, No. 249, A. F. and A. M., at Brighton. On his farm he has two and one-half acres of fish pond, and, sailor-like, he has a sail-boat thereon.

J. M. Hurd was duly elected to the office of county judge in the fall of 1869, and entering upon the duties of the office with Caleb Noble and G. W. Gorin as associate justices carried on the busi- ness of the county for the ensuing three years, when he resigned.

J. M. Hurd was the second son of Ezra and Polly (Hamilton) Hurd, and was born in Georgetown, Madison county, N. Y., March 1, 1809. He was educated in the common schools of Georgetown, becoming proficient in sev- eral branches, especially surveying. At the age of 14 he commenced helping his father in the saw-mill, of which he was placed in charge. At the age of 17 he spent the fall and winter learning the cloth-dressing trade. He continued in the old home until 1830, when, being 21 years of age, he turned his steps west- ward and came to Illinois, and met his uncle, Dr. Silas Hamilton, in Monroe county, and with whom he came to Jer- sey county on the 3d of July, of the same year, and located in what is now Otter Creek township. In September he re-

turned to his New York home, where he spent the winter. In the spring of 1831 he, together with his father's family, came to Illinois by the water route, landing at Eminence, from whence they proceeded by a hired team and wagon. His father died that fall. J. M. built a log cabin on the site of the present vil- lage of Otterville, but spent the most of his time in surveying until 1837. In 1833 he was elected constable, and two years later justice of the peace. He was married January 26, 1836, to Lydia Noble, by whom he had eight children. From 1839 to 1847 he was the postmaster of Otterville. In the fall of the latter year was made probate judge of the county. After serving his term he per- sonally managed his farm until 1852, when he was elected sheriff, when he removed to Jerseyville, where he resided until 1873, when he removed to Nebraska, where he died. He was from 1844 to 1859 in the mercantile business with C. M. Hamilton and Marcus E. Bagley, sell- ing out in the latter year. In Novem- ber, 1869, he was elected county judge, as above.

Caleb Noble was born in Adams county, Miss., July 28, 1817, and is the son of Henry and Mary (Swayze) Noble. The father, wishing to move to a more north- ern climate, started for Illinois, and landed at Grafton on the 3d of April, 1833. He settled on a farm which he purchased on section 10, in Otter Creek township, where he engaged in agricul- tural pursuits, and where he died in July, 1852. His son Caleb, when a boy, attended the schools of his native state.

Robert A. King was the last county judge at the head of the administrative department of the county government.

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HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY.

In the fall of 1872, he was appointed by the governor to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Judge Hurd, and assumed his official functions at the December term of court, with Caleb Noble and William A. Scott as associate justices. Under the new constitution of 1870 the powers of the county judge were much curtailed, most of his busi- ness being restricted by that instrument "to all matters of probate; settlement of estates of deceased persons; appoint- ment of guardians and conservators, and settlement of their accounts; in all mat- ters relating to apprentices; and in pro- ceedings for the collection of taxes and assessments, etc." Under this docu- ment, in November, 1873, Judge King was duly elected to fill the office of county judge, and filled it most ably until 1882, when his term expired, he having been re-elected in 1877.

Hon. W. II. Pogue, the present in- eumbent of the office of county judge, was elected at the November election of 1882, and has made one of the best officials of this character that the county has had for many years.

Hon. William H. Pogue, is a native of Philadelphia, Penn., born on the 23d of Dec., 1835, and a son of Joseph and Jane Knox (nee Cooper) Pogue, the former, a native of Ireland, who immi- grated to America about 1812; and the latter a native of Philadelphia, and daughter of Hugh Cooper, an old mer- chant of that city. His father was for 33 years, an active business man of Philadelphia, while his mother was a noted Sunday school worker; she and her sister, over 50 years ago, having established a Sunday school. where there is now an old and flourishing

church. It was owing largely to her in- fluence that the subject of this sketch became interested in Sunday school work, he having held the positions of secretary of the Illinois State Sabbath school convention, president of the Jersey county Sabbath school conven- tion, and superintendent of a mission school in his own town. William re- ceived his early education in a private school in Philadelphia, under the in- struction of Samuel Crawford, a noted teacher of his day, but, later, removed with his father's family to Camden, N. J., and there attended school until the death of his father, which occurred in 1848. He completed his studies at the Pennington Male Seminary, receiving an ordinary English education with a limited knowledge of Latin and German. After closing his studies, being still young, he was placed in the store of James R. Webb, of Philadelphia, but after a short time took a position in the store of Horatio Litzenberg, of Lower Merion. He afterwards went to live with Perry Litzenberg, of West Phila- delphia. In Feb., 1854, he removed to Illinois, where his father had invested large sums of money, in landed pro- perty. He first settled at Alton, and in January of the following year, began the study of law in the office of Hon. Edward Keating, of that place. He soon became private secretary of Mr. Keating, who was attorney-general of what is now the Chicago and Alton rail- road, and acquired a knowledge of bus- iness that has proved invaluable to him in his life-work. After the death of his employer, which occurred in 1857, Mr. Pogue began practicing his profession, being then about 20 years of age. In

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HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY.

Sept., 1858, he was elected city attorney of Alton, and on the organization of Alton city court he became ex-officio the states attorney, thereof, and in the fol- lowing spring, by appointment of Judge Henry W. Billings, he became master in chancery of the Alton city court, a position to which he was re-appointed in April, 1861. In Jan., 1862, he re- moved to Jerseyville and formed a partnership with Hon. George E. War- ren, his father-in-law, and began prac- tice under the firm name of Warren & Pogue. The business of this firm rapidly increased and soon became one of the largest in the county. In 1872, he was appointed by Governor Palmer, state's attorney, for the first judicial dis- trict of Illinois, in place of Hon. Wm. Brown, who had resigned, and was also appointed state's attorney of Jersey county, by Judge J. M. Hurd, county judge, under the new law conferring criminal jurisdiction upon county courts in Illinois. In the fall of 1882 he was elected county judge, which office he has since held. In Dec., 1860, he was married to Mary A. Warren, of Jersey county. They are the parents of four children-Harry W., Edmund D. W., Hattie and George Dudley. Judge Pogue is a member of the board of edu- cation, and was its president for two years. In politics he is a democrat.

COUNTY CLERK.

This office is one of the most import- ant in the government of the county. In early days it was officially known as the clerk of the county commissioners' court. The first regular incumbent of this office was Richard Graham, who was duly elected at the first election

after the separation of the county from that of Greene, Mr. Graham not quali- fying at the first meeting of the county commissioners' court, R. L. Hill was appointed to fill the office, pro tem., but two weeks thereafter, on the 28th of Oct. 1839, Mr. Graham filed his bond, and assumed the duties of the office. He held this place for four years.

Geoge W. Lowder was the successor of Mr. Graham in the office, serving the people from 1843 to 1857, or 14 years, being re-elected at every successive election by an appreciative constituency .

In the fall of 1857, Andrew Jackson became the successor of Mr. Lowder in the office of county clerk, and retained the same for 12 years.

At the regular election in Nov., 1869, Thomas J. Selby was duly elected to the office of county clerk, and entering upon the functions devolving on that officer, soon won for himself a place in the regards of the people, and was re-elected his own successor in 1873, and served the people, in this capacity, for eight years.

Thomas J. Selby was born in Dela- ware county, O., Dec. 4, 1840, and is the son of G. H. Selby, a native of Vir- ginia, of English descent. His mother was of Dutch origin, but a native of New Jersey. Both his parents have been called to their last account. The father was a stone cutter by trade and removed to Illinois in June, 1849, and settled in Crawford county, and in 1860 the family came to Jersey county. There were four children in the family -I. N. a member of the 97th Ill. Inft., died while in the service, in Jan., 1862; Mrs. Frances Dixon, who died in 1883; Mrs. Allan, a teacher in Jerseyville;

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HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY.

and Thomas J. The latter gentleman was united in marriage with Amanda Richardson, March 30, 1862, and they have been blessed with five children, one daughter and four sons, all living. Mr. Selby followed teaching from the age of 16 until 1864, when he was elected to the office of sheriff of Jersey county, and served as such one term of two years. In 1866, he purchased the Jersey county Democrat and run it until 1870, when he sold out to Wheelock & Burr. He was elected county clerk as above stated. He also served three terms as mayor of Jerseyville. Mr. Selby was admitted to the bar in 1869, but did not commence the practice of law in Jerseyville until 1876, in connec- tion with E. A. Pinero. In 1879, he removed to Nebraska, where he en- gaged in the practice of law. He made some unfortunate investments in sheep- raising, which financially embarrassed him for the time. He is now a practic- ing attorney at Hardin, Calhoun county. He has always been prominently iden- tified with the democratic party.

James Eads, the present county clerk of Jersey county, was first elected to this office, in Nov., 1877, and has served continuously ever since.

James Eads, who is now serving his second term as county clerk, was born in St. Louis, Mo., April 25, 1846, he being the older of the two sons of James A. and Caltha (Burke) Eads. When he was three years of age, the family re- moved to Jersey county, Ill, and since that time, the subject of our sketch has been a resident of the same. He was educated in the common schools, and at an early age assisted his father, who was a merchant at Fieldon. When he was

only 16 years of age, he quit the school- room on account of his father's poor health, and took charge of the store and continued in business with his father until 1873. From 1868 to 1873, he dealt in grain. In 1873 he removed to Jersey- ville, and served as chief deputy in the office of county clerk, T. J. Selby, and in Dec., 1877, succeeded Mr. Selby, and was re-elected in 1882. Mr. Eads is a democrat in politics, as was his father before him. He is a Mason, belonging to blue lodge, chapter and commandery; a member of the subordinate lodge and encampment of the I. O. O. F .; a mem- ber of the K. P. society, and the K. of H. He was married on the 2d day of April, 1874, to Virginia E. Crosby, daughter of George W. Crosby, and two children have been born to them-James B. and Emma F. Mr. Eads, besides attending to the duties of his offices, also, in connection with his brother, deals in real estate, and loans money. He is a gentleman who is easily ap- proached, always attending to the duties of his office, and ever ready to be of ser- vice to his fellowman.

William Eads, younger son of James A., and Caltha A. (Burke) Eads, was born in Richwood township, Jersey county, Ill., Dec. 14, 1850. In early life, he attended school during the win- ter seasons, and the remainder of the year, assisted his father in the store. The winter of 1869 he spent in attend- ing school in Jacksonville. In the fall of 1871,he went to Calhoun county, and, in partnership with E. P. Lowe, en- gaged in general mercantile business at Batchtown, the firm being, Eads, Lowe & Co. In the fall of the following year he returned to Fieldon, and assisted his

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HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY.

father in business, until the death of the latter, which occurred in Jan., 1874. He then continued the business with his brother, for two years, under the firm styled "Eads & Bro." William then, in Jan., 1876, having sold out his former business, came to Jerseyville, and clerked in the office of county clerk T. J. Selby, until Feb., 1877. At that date he went to Kane, Greene county, where, with his brother, he established a dry goods business. Five months later, they sold out, and William re- turned to Jerseyville, again entering the employ of T. J. Selby, whom he served till Dec., 1877. Since that time he has served as deputy county clerk, under his brother. Mr. Eads was mar- ried in Montgomery county, Ill., to Elizabeth J. Thomas, second daughter of Samuel and Mary E. Thomas. Mr. and Mrs. Eads have three children- Caltha T., Mary D. and Lenna B. Mr. Eads is a democrat in politics, and a member of Fieldon lodge, No. 592, of A. F. & A. M., also of the Jerseyville chapter, No. 140, of R. A. M.

CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT.

The first to occupy this onerous office was Robert L. Hill, who was duly ap- pointed by Judge Thomas, at the organ- ization of the county, in 1839, and being successively elected his own successor, served until 1849, a service of 10 years. Robert L. Ilill was a native of Todd county, Ky., and was born during the vear 1797. He was reared and educated in the place of his nativity, where he was also married to Maria Tonstall. They were the parents of six children- Martin L., Mary A. C., M. Ellen, Juliet A., Robert T., and Oscar. But three of

these are now living-Mary, in Nebraska; Ellen, in Kentucky; and Oscar, in Jer- seyville. Mr. Hill removed to what was then Jersey county from Kentucky, and on the organization of the county was made circuit clerk, as above stated. His death occurred in 1863, while a resident of Jerseyville.

In the latter part of 1849 Mr. Hill was succeeded by Thomas L. McGill, who also remained in this official capacity for a number of years, serving for 11 years, or until the fall of 1860. Mr. Mc- Gill came to Jersey county about the year 1840, from St. Louis, Mo., and set- tled in what is now Piasa township. He has, since the expiration of his term of office, died.

Marcus E. Bagley was the next incum- bent of the office of clerk of the circuit court, being elected thereto in 1860, and served for twenty years. Marcus Bag- ley was born August 18, 1828, in Greene county, N. Y., and is the son of Thomas and Mary Bagley. In the fall of 1850 he came to Jerseyville, and soon engaged in mercantile pursuits in company with A. W. Howe, in which he remained sev- eral years. February 16, 1860, he was married to Mrs. Hattie M. Harriman, nee Page. In the fall of 1860 he was elected, as above. He was the first mayor of Jerseyville and master in chancery many years. Ile is now en- gaged in the banking business.

At the regular election of November, 1880, Jesse 1. McGready, the present clerk of the circuit court of Jersey county, was duly elected to that office, by a majority of 390, and the following 1st of January he entered upon the duties of the office, and still serves the county in that capacity.

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HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY.

Jesse I. McGready was born in Wash- ington, Mo., Jan. 10, 1847. He is a son of John and Isabella (McIlvaine) McGready, the former a native of Ten- nessee, and the latter, of Kentucky. John McGready settled in Missouri when a young man, and engaged in farming and lead mining. He resided in that state until his death. Jesse I. McGready is the youngest of eight chil- dren, only three of whom are now liv- ing. His early life was spent on the farm. At the age of sixteen years he entered McKendree College, at Lebanon, Ill., where he attended one year. He then learned the art of printing, first working in the office of the St. Louis Republican, and afterwards at Carlin- ville, from whence, in 1870, he came to Jerseyville. Here he became associated with J. A. J. Birdsall, formerly of the Macoupin Times, and purchased the Jer- sey County Democrat. In 1871 Mr. MeGready became sole proprietor, and continued editor and proprietor until 1880. At that date he was elected cir- cuit elerk, and in 1884 re-elected to the same office, in which he is now serving his second term. He was elected mayor of Jerseyville in 1879, and served four terms. He is a member of the I. O. O. F., both subordinate lodge and encamp- ment; also of the K. P. society. Mr. McGready is a faithful and efficient officer, and his continued re-election to places of public trust is abundant testi- mony of the respect and esteem with which he is regarded by his fellow citizens.

COUNTY TREASURERS.

At the first election held after the or- ganization of the county, among the first officers elected was John R. Black,

who entered, at once, upon the duties of his office, and served for four years.

Col. John R. Black was a native of Lancaster county, Penn., was born April 19, 1797, and was the son of James and Mary A. Black, who were of Irish descent. John R. attended school in Tennessee, his parents having removed to that state when he was but six years of age. In 1815 John R. came to Illi- nois, locating upon the American Bot- tom, but five years later came to Jersey county, settling in what is now Missis- sippi township. He was married here, April 23, 1833, to Malinda Darneille, and they had four children. IIe was a volunteer during the war of 1812-15, and also of the Black Hawk war. He died in 1880.

In 1843, C. Easell was inducted into this very responsible office, having been elected at the regular election of that year. He served four years.

Solomon Calhoun was the next in- cumbent of this office, being elected to the same in the fall of 1847, and served until December, 1857.

Solomon Calhoun was born in Lyman, Grafton county, N. H., Nov. the 25th, 1795, and was married to Rhoda Walker. In 1823 he moved to Bridgeport, Addison county, Vt., and from thence to Illinois in 1833, and settled on a farm near Jer- seyville, where he continued to reside till his death, Dec. the 25th, 1869. His wife survived him 13 years. There were five children .- James W. resides at Jerseyville. Hannah W. married William Post; she died in May, 1884. Caleb C. died at the age of 37 years. Adrastus resides in Jersey county. Benjamin F. resides on the homestead. Mr. Calhoun was a devoted member of

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History of Greene and Jersey Counties, Illinois : together with sketches of the towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military, and political history; portraits of prominent individuals, and biographies of representative men, History of Illinois, Part 26

Author: Publication date: 1885 Publisher: Springfield, Ill. : Continental Historical Number of Pages: 1150

Author:
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Springfield, Ill. : Continental Historical
Number of Pages: 1150