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 95

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 95

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).

Elias Greene, another representative of that family who were among the earliest settlers in Greene county, was born in this county, on the 25th of March, 1831. He is a son of John and Nancy (Mains) Greene, his father a na- tive of Kentucky, his mother of Georgia. A sketch of them will be seen in another part of the history, so that more will not be said of them here. Elias Greene remained on the farm with his parents during their lifetime. In the year 1860, he started out in life for himself, and moved on to 65 acres of land which he had been left heir to. On this he erected a comfortable two-story frame residence in which he has since lived. He has been a successful farmer, and has added 200 acres to his original farm, thus giv- ing him a niee farm of 265 acres. On the 1st of April, 1860, he was united in marriage with Olive Enslow, daughter of Abraham and Julia F. Enslow. By this union five children were born, four of whom are now living-Jennie B.,

Dudley E., Foster P. and Julia B. The one deceased was Edward A. Mr. and Mrs. Greene are members of the M. E. church. The improvements on his place, and the pleasant surroundings show him to be a man of thrift and in- telligence. Politically he is a democrat.

James E. Brooks, a native of Lanca- shire, Eng., was born March 14, 1828. His parents were William and Mary A. (Wagstaff) Brooks, natives of England. They emigrated from their native coun- try to America, stopping at Patterson, N. J., for a short time, and then went to Mannsville, R. I., where five of the family worked in the cotton mills, William, the father, Sarah, Robert, James E. and Charles. In the year 1844, his parents moved to Illinois, lo- cating in Greene county, on Sec. 33, T. 9, R. 11, where his father bought 80 acres of land, to which he afterward added 240 acres, and resided there until his death, in 1869. James E. fol- lowed the ocenpation of farming after coming to Greene county, which was in 1845, having bought 40 acres of land to start with, on section 33, in this town- ship. This he cultivated one year, and then bought 60 more on the same sec- tion, where he moved, and has since continued to reside, having added to his farm 80 acres more, thus having 180 acres all in one tract. On the 8th of Dec., 1853, he was married to Anna Davis, daughter of James and Elizabeth Davis, They have had eight children born to them, six of whom are living- Mary A., wife of Frank L. Felter, mer- chant and resident of Kane; Harriet E., wife of Charles V. Perrine, of Jersey county; George H., married to Ida J. Morris, residing in Kane; Sarah B.,

803

HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.

wife of Wm. Cockrell, residing in Greenwood county, Kan .; Charles W .. and Laura A. The ones deceased were C'lara J. and Katie. Mr and Mrs. Brooks are members of the Baptist church. He is also a member of the A. F. & A. M. lodge, of Kane. Mr. Brooks has, by his thrift and energy, secured for himself a comfortable home.

John McKabney, a native of Ty- rone. Ireland, was born March 17, 1823, his parents being James and Rebecca (Sprole ) McKabney, natives of Ireland. His father was a linen weaver by trade. and made the finest that was used in making up articles of clothing, etc. In 1851. John bade farewell to the Emerald Isle. and took passage on a vessel, at Londonderry. sailing for America. He arrived at Philadelphia, and remained about five years. following farming. In the summer of 1857, he came to Greene county, Ill., and worked for Samuel Armstrong about two years, for Richard Lowe, about three years, for Robert Brooks, eight months, and the rest of that season, for himself. In 1861, he went to work for Curtis Brace. where he remained until Aug., 1862, when he en- listed in Co. C, 122d Ill. Inf., and served until the close of the war. He was in the battles of Parker's Cross Roads, Tupelo, Miss., Nashville, Tenn., and Fort Blakeley, Ala. He was mustered out at Mobile. and taken to Springfield, where he was paid off and discharged. Mr. MeKabney then came back to Greene county, and purchased 65 acres of land on section 17, on which he moved. In 1875, he built a large story and a half frame house, besides all the necessary and convenient outbuildings. Everything around shows that he takes

pride in his own and his family's wel- fare, and that, by his thrift and enter- prise, he has made a successful farmer. He came to this country without a dol- lar, and now he has 118 acres of land on sections 17, 9 and 11. He has been twice married; the first time to Mary (Hamilton) Madden, in May, 1873. She died in 1877, and in 1880, he was again united in marriage. to Delia (Johnsten) Greene. Two children have blessed this union-Samnel and Lucy. Mr. MeKabmey is a republican politically, and an enterprising citizen of this town- ship.

FIRST ITEMS.

The first marriage in the township was that of William Stockton and Mar- garet MeFadden, which took place on the 4th of Angust, 1821.

The first death was that of a man by the name of Frazier. They had to hew out puncheons to make him a coffin.

The first mill in the township was erected by Massey Van Meter, in 1834, on the Macoupin creek. near the state road bridge. This mill cost $250.

The first wheat sown in Kane town- ship was committed to the ground in 1828. When it was ripe it was cut with sickles and tramped out on a dirt floor by horses, and fanned out with a sheet.

In 1830 William Massey built the first tread-mill in the township. The first bolt that he used was a piece of fine domestic muslin and was turned by hand.

The first Sunday-school in the town- ship was held in the Woodbury school- house in 1832. It was conducted by C. J. Gardiner.

The first religious services were held at Walker Daniel's house on section 25,

804

HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.

where Rowland Huitt now lives, and was conducted by the celebrated Lorenzo Dow, about the year 1828.

The first frame house was built in 1828, by James Whitlock, on section 20.

EDUCATIONAL.

School district No. 1, has a school building located near the center of sec- tion 4, which was built in 1866 at a cost of about $600. It is 24x30 feet in size. The first teacher was Sidney Smith. Average attendance now is about 16.

School district No. 2 has a school house which was erected in 1871. It was built by George Burke, at a cost of $750. The first teacher was Thomas McIntyre, and J. G. Weller the first director. There is an average attend- ance of about 25 children.

School district No. 3, in T. 9, R. 11, has a school building on the southwest quarter of section 16. It is a frame structure, 28x30 feet on the ground, and was erected in 1872, at a cost of about $700. Annie Parker tanght the first term of school in this house. Lulu Pope is the present teacher.

In school district No. 3, in T. 9, R. 12, there is a school house which was built in 1838, for a Methodist church, and was used for that purpose for many years. It was quite a number of years after this before there was any school in the district. In 1862, this house was re- modeled and leased by the school direc- tors for 30 years, and it is now used for both school and church purposes. The average attendence is about 65 scholars. It is situated on the southeast quarter of section 22. The present teacher is a Mr. Shirley.

District No. 4, has a school house

which was erected in 1861, at a cost of $1,200. John McMahan was the first teacher in this building. It is, in size, 26x34 feet, and is located on the east half of the southwest quarter of Sec. 2, in T. 9, R. 12. Average attendance about 35.

CEMETERIES.

Kane cemetery was established in 1851. The first burial there was that of Mrs. Cyrus Lake.

Jalappa cemetery was laid out at a later date; the first burial was that of Mathew Mains.

Pisgah cemetery was laid out in 1873, on the southwest quarter of Sec. 3, T. 9, R. 11. It is, also, known as Stevens cemetery. The first burial was that of an infant daughter of Elijah Brown.

CONWAYSVILLE.

This place took its name from Daniel Conway, who started a grocery and liquor store, about 1865, at this point. It was from this, called Conwaysville. He ran this store until 1877, when he sold out to Cornelius MeNerny, who opera- ted in until four years later, when he was killed by a cow. Michael McNerny then was the proprietor for three years, when it was closed up, and no business has been done since. There was also a blacksmith shop run here for about eight years, which was owned by Dan- iel Conway. The Empire mill is loca- ted here.

The Empire mill, one of the oldest in the county, was built in 1845,by Massey Van Meter, who ran it for about 10 years, when he disposed of it to Thomas Rat- tan. This gentleman operated it for some time, and then sold it to Hugh Jackson and John King. It then be-

HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 805

came the property of Jacob Ersman, who ran it about 10 years. He was suc- ceeded by W. H. Stanton, who kept it about three years, when John T. Briggs and Frank Frech bought it, and are the present owners. They took hold of the institution in March, 1885. At first it was known as the VanMeter mill, later as the United States, but on coming in- to the possession of the present owners they changed the name to that of Em- pire mill. It is a water-mill, and here- tofore made flour by the old process, but the new firm are putting in the roller system. They use one double set of Allis & Craig's noiseless roll, one double set of Todd & Stanley rolls, one single set Dunton rolls, two new scalpers, two smutters. This, besides the old machin- ery.makes this one of the best equipped mills in the county. It has a capacity of 30 barrels per day. It is located on Macoupin creek, at what is called Con- waysville. This bids fair to be one of the leading institutions of the county.

Frank Frech was born on the 27th of Sept., 1857, in Belleville, St. Clair county, Ill. His parents were Jacob and Catherine (Reddish) Frech, natives of Europe. In 1850, his father bade farewell to his native land, and sailed from Europe, landing at St. Louis, where he remained about 14 years. He was a shoemaker, and followed that trade while in St. Louis. From there he moved to St. Clair county, where he re- mained about one year, and then, in 1865, came to Greene county, and lo- cated at what is known as Jalappa, on the Maeoupin creek. There he bought 150 acres of land, and has since resided on it, following the occupation of farm- ing. The first four years of our subject's

life were spent in the city of St. Louis, when he moved from there with his par- ents, and remained with them until he was 22 years of age. He then went to Belleville, where he learned the miller's trade, with the firm of F. A. Riee & Co., serving three years. From there he went to Kane, Greene county, and worked for the Yaeger firm one year, and while there had two fingers and a thumb taken off, which disabled him for several months. In March, 1885, he, with John T. Briggs, purchased the flouring mill of W. II. Stanton, on the Macoupin creek, about five miles south of Carroll- ton, and is now running the same. The firm of Briggs & Frech owns 20 acres of land connected with their mill. On the 15th of March, 1883, he was united in marriage with Maggie Stevens, daughter of Clark and Elizabeth Stevens. Mr. and Mrs. Frech are members of the Baptist church. Politically, Mr. Frech is a re- publican. He is industrious and enter- prising, and is esteemed by all his ac- quaintanees.

KANE.

There have been two places of this name in the county, of which Old Kane, or Homer, as it was once called, was much the older. This town was laid out on Sec. 36, T. 9, R. 12, in 1837, by Nathaniel M. Perry, Abraham B, Har- ris, and W. W. Myrick, the plat of the same being filed for record Dec. 14, 1837. Also prominent in the laying out of the new town were Z. H. Adams and a Mr. Brainard. It is not definitely known who the first settlers upon the site of the place were, but it is generally conceded to have been the Brainard brothers, for, when Z. H. Adams came, in 1830, he took up his residence with

-19

806

HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.

them. Soon after settling in the incipi- ent village, a postoffice was established, with Mr. Adams as postmaster. He was succeeded by N. M. Perry.

The first store was opened by Zenas HI. Adams in the front room of the Brainard Brothers' dwelling. He re- tailed drugs, groceries, dry goods, hard- ware, and all other articles that go to make up the country store, and con- tinued the same until the store of N. M. Perry was started, when Mr. Adams discontinued the business.

N. M. Perry came to Kane in the early part of 1836, and in the fall of that year erected a store building. In the early part of 1837, he opened the second store in the place, carrying a general stock, which he prosecuted vig- orously and successfully until 1872, when he discontinued business at this place.

Soon after Mr. Perry had established his business, Samuel Pope opened a blacksmith shop, and the old town rang with the merry sound of the hammer on the anvil. He also kept weary travel- ers, and the stage made a stopping place of his house.

In 1837, William Myrick opened a shop and commenced making and re- pairing shoes. The same year two men by the name of Strong and Wyckoff, both deaf and dumb, commenced tailor- ing.

Dr. Augustus Knapp was the first physician to locate at Homer, asit was then called, and remained until 1845. Dr. Luther Cory was the next perma- nent physician to locate here, in 1844, where he remained until his death, July 29, 1850.

The town now commenced to grow,

dwellings springing up all over the town site, and considerable trade was done.

In 1838, the Baptists, as noted else- where, erected a church edifice, which was dedicated and occupied by this de- nomination, until about 1870.

In 1856, a steam flouring mill was erected by a stock company, consisting of N. M. Perry, W. O. Tolman, S. W. Tolman, G. C. Richards and Willis Bar- row. The building was built during the summer of that year, and when fall had come, Myron Cory, the contractor and builder, turned it over to the own- ers. In 1859, N. M. Perry bought out his associates, and operated it alone until 1866, when it was purchased by S. M. and Z. M. Titus, who enlarged the building, and placed in it an amount of new, improved machinery. They operated it at its best capacity for sev- eral years. In 1874, it was sold to Jef- ferson Bolt and John W. Finney. In 1877, Mr. Bolt purchased Mr. Finney's interest and operated the mill success- fully. In 1881, he sold it to Alonzo Hebron, who again sold the same in 1882, to H. C. Stevens. In the sainc year James Bothwell bought and owned it until 1883. In 1884, C. J. Gardiner became a purchaser, and in the fall of 1885, it was purchased by some St. Louis parties. The building is in a good state of preservation for one erect- ed nearly 30 years; is large, airy and commodious, in the midst of as good a farming and wheat region as Illinois can boast of. No other mill is in the place.

During the years 1854 and '55, while the preliminary survey for the railroad -now the Chicago & Alton-was being

HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.

made by J. T. Hunt and Charles Allen- dorf, endeavors were made to find a practicable route into and out of the town, but nothing like a proper grade could be found, and much, to the regret of the citizens, the line adopted ran about a mile to the east of the place. This sealed its doom. The road was opened for business from White Hall to Godfrey, Jan. 1, 1866.

In Nov., 1865, Tobias Holliday, who owned a tract of land on Sec. 29, T. 9, R. 11, which was intersected by the railroad, laid out a town on the west side of the track, which was known for a time as Hollidaysburg. Some time in the summer of 1866, Thomas H. Boyd, a wealthy resident of Carrollton, pur- chased 20 acres on the east side of the railroad, which he laid out and gave the name of Kane, but is now known as Boyd's addition to Kane. The place soon took the name of its older neigh- bor.

John Greenfield erected the first building in the embryo town, commenc- ing it in the fall of 1865. In Feb., 1866, S. G. Gardiner commenced building a wood shed and commenced hauling the material for a dwelling, but Greenfield had his completed first. This historic structure of Mr. Greenfield's is still standing, a monument of former days. It has been altered and added to until it is now quite a large building, but originally it was only 14x16 feet in size. It is now owned by Elizabeth, widow of C. J. Gardiner, and is rented. Green- field was an Englishman by birth. During the late civil war he volunteered in the service of the United States and nearly lost his sight. When he came back he worked by the day. He had a

wife and one child. Later, he removed to Iowa, where he died.

J. B. Enslow started the erection of the sceond permanent structure in the town. This was a store building, two stories high, the upper story being used for dwelling purposes, and in it he put a stock of groceries, etc. He is still running the same store in the same building which he has had two additions made to.

S. G. Gardiner was the next mer- chant of the town. He opened a stock of general merchandise, June 1, 1866. He carried dry goods, groceries. boots, shoes, hats, caps, drugs, medicines, oils, hardware, etc. This stock he closed out in the spring of 1882. The build- ing was removed a short distance north, and two brick structures were erected upon the site. One is now occupied by L. L. Roberts, as a grocery store, and the other by Frank McClure, as a hard- ware store.

PRESENT BUSINESS.

The dry goods establishment of Smith, Irwin & Culver, is one of the largest in this part of the county. Its history is this: On the 1st of Jan., 1880, C. A. Smith, Robert Hobson and Mrs. M. 1. Archer bought out the firm of Greene & Smith, who had been running the place for a time, and continued the partner- ship until the death of Robert Hobson, in July, 1882, when his widow took his interest, and Jeff Bolt purchased the interest of Mrs. Archer, but the firm continued under the old name of Smith, Hobson & Co., until Feb., 1883, when Mr. Bolt retired from the firm. In 1884 Mrs. Hobson retired and a new partner- ship was formed, with Chas. S. Smith, James M. Irwin and Edward A. Culver

808

HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.

as its components, under the name above given. They carry a stock rang- ing from $12,000 to $20,000, including dry goods, boots, shoes, notions, etc. The building is owned by John Greene, the former member of the firm, but who is now engaged in the banking business, at Raymond, Ill. It is 24x76 feet in size, and well fitted up.

James M. Irwin was born in Mont- gomery county, Ill., on the 6th of April, 1856, and is a son of Enoch and Cath- erine (Irwin) Irwin, natives of North Carolina. They moved from Montgom- ery county to Madison county, and there his father enlisted in Co. D, 59th Ill. Inf., and was killed in the last battle at Nashville, Tenn. In 1864 Mrs. Irwin removed with her family to Greene county, locating near Kane, where they have since resided. Our subject, James M., was the first of a family of three children. He remained at home on the farm until he was 21 years of age. He then attended school at Kane two years, and in the winter of 1879, he was em- ployed as clerk by the firm of Greene & Smith, in the mercantile business. He was thus employed until 1884, when he bonght in, as a member of the firm, now known as Smith, Irwin & Culver. Tak- ing into consideration the chances which Mr. Irwin has had, he has made his mark very young in life, and has so condueted himself that he is held in the highest estimation by the commun- ity and society in which he moves. He is a member of Kane lodge A. F. and A. M., and.the I. O. O. F. He attends the M. E. church, of which he is a member.

Edward A. Culver was born in White Hall, Greene county, on the 12th of Oc-

tober, 1858, being a son of Buel G. and Anne E. (Perry) Culver. His father was born in Greene county, Illinois, in 1831, and his mother was a native of Kentucky. Buel, our subject's father, was a physician. He was raised in White Hall and there received his early schooling. He then attended Rush Medical College, at Chicago, where he finished his education. He first prac- ticed at Kane, then at White Hall, and finally quit the profession and went into the mercantile business, which he con- tinued some few years. In 1878 he re- moved to Humboldt, Kansas, where he now resides, and is again practicing medicine. Edward attended the high school at Greenfield four years, and re- ceived his diploma there. In 1877 he was engaged in the White Hall Co-op- erative Association, or Grange store, in dry goods and groceries, where he remained something over two years. On the 1st of January, 1880, he com- menced clerking for the firm of Smith, Hobson & Co., at Kane, which situation he held until he bought into the firm in February, 1884, and is still a partner. Mr. Culver is a member of the M. E. church, and of King Solomon's lodge, No. 197, A. F. and A. M. He is one of Kane's most enterprising young men and hold a high place in the estimation of those who know him, or have had any dealings with him.

Cyrus Morris, commenced the busi- ness of dealing in hardware, harness, etc., in 1870, erecting the building in the winter of 1869-70, removing part of it from the old town. He has conducted the business alone ever since. The hardware department is 24x30 feet in dimensions. An L, 20x40 feet in size,

809

HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.

contains the harness department. He handles stoves, tinware, furniture, un- dertaker's goods, etc., in addition to his other lines. His stock is valued at about $4,000.

Frank McClure, a prominent dealer in the hardware line, occupied a building that was ereeted in 1881, by W. W. Fel- ter. This building is 24x50 feet in ground area, one story in height. It was first occupied by Felter & MeClure who put in a stock of hardware, and also had a printing office in the same build- ing. These gentlemen ran the paper for about six months, when they quit the journal, but continued the job depart- ment for two years longer. In July, 1883, Frank McClure and A. W. Felter, dissolved partnership, Mr. McClure purchasing the full stock of hardware, which he is operating at the present time, in a building erected by C. W. Brace, into which he removed his stock during the summer of 1885.

The pioneer drug store of Kane was opened by Dr. A. B. Allen in 1869 or 1870. He ran this two or three years, when he removed his stock to Jersey- ville. In 1871, F. S. Torrey opened a store of this character and continued it for two or three years, when he sold out. The next party to open a drug store was Hermann Roesch, who, after about two years, sold out to Dr. J. B. Hamilton, in 1873. This gentleman ran it a short time, when he sold to John Robinson. He was succeeded by Dr. I. S. Hughes, who took in as a partner, Win. Enslow, and afterward sold to the latter gentle- man, in 1878. In 1879 it was sold out and purchased by John B. Enslow, and is now operated by Enslow & Enslow. They carry about $1,000 worth of stock.

William C. Reinecke started in the dry goods business in Kane, in 1878, moving the building now occupied by him from old Kane the same year. The latter is 21x40 feet in floor area, and was erected in 1838 for a Baptist church. Ile carries a general stock of drugs, medicines, jewelry and sewing ma- chines.

William C. Reinecke was born in Germany, June 19, 1853, his parents being William and Christiana Reinecke, natives of Germany. His father was born in Germany, Nov. 8, 1818, and died Jan. 12, 1880. He was a lumber dealer in the old country. His mother was born in 1818, and died April 3, 1883. His sister, Sophia, married Heinrich Meine, a carriage manufacturer in Koechingen, Germany. Our subject received his education in the University of Goettingen, Germany. Here he re- ceived his diploma, in a medical course, in 1868. In the year 1870, he bade fare- well to his native land and friends, and took passage at Liverpool for New York. From there he came to Quincy, Ill., where he was employed as a drug elerk for the firm of Brink, Thieneman & Co., and subsequently salesman in a notion house. In the summer of 1878, he came to Greene county, and located at Kane, where he bought a stock of drugs from Hermann Roesch & Co., to which he added a stock of about $2,000, and started in business for himself. On Sept. 15, 1877, he was married to Emily Siegle, daughter of Gottlieb and Char- lotte Siegle. They are the parents of two children-William S. and Charlotte C. In 1881, Mr. Reinecke erected a briek building opposite the one he now occupies. Ile formerly occupied the

S10

HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.

brick building, but thinking the old place a better location, he moved into it in the spring of 1885. Mr. Reinecke is an enterprising citizen, and one who takes an interest in the growth and de- velopment of his village. By being genial, intelligent and industrious, he has won the esteem of all who know him, and has a large circle of friends.

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.

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 95

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