USA > Illinois > Jackson County > History of Jackson County, Illinois : with illustrations descriptive of its scenery and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 37
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
The education of Robert A., when a boy, is more due to his assiduous application at night by the light of the wood-fire in the cheerful old-fashioned fire-place, than to any opportunities at school, as that was very limited; and in those boyish days, so diligent was he in his efforts to learn, that he garnered in the store-house of his mind such an amount of knowledge as has been of service to him in all the practical details of life. On the 28th September, 1855, "he took unto himself a help-mate," Miss Catherine O., the daughter of Mr. R. R. Reese, a well-known farmer of Jackson County. Eight children were born to them (thrce of whom are now deceased). In 1859, Mr. Beasley engaged in merchandising at De Soto, for five years. He then located on the farm, where Andrew Remian lives in Levan township, sold that place in 1870, and then moved to his home farm where he now resides, on Sec. 25, Somerset township; a fine view of which appears elsewhere in this work. Besides carrying on his farm, he owns and operates a flouring mill at De Soto; he has always been active and energetie in business, and what he turns his attention to, he generally makes succeed. For the last two years he has been President of the Jackson County Agricultural Society, and re- elected as one of the directors for the next two years. In 1860 Mr. Beasley was elected justice of the peacc, and held the office four years. Previous to being justice of the peace, he served two years as deputy-sheriff under the administration of Joseph H. Reeves, and when Jackson County went under township organization, he was elected collector for Somerset township. In the fall of 1875 he was elected as one of the board of county commissioners, and the last ycar made chairman of the board. Under his
administration, they have built and repaired the court-house, a thing long needed, and one that will redound greatly to the energy and foresight of the commissioners, as well as to the citizens of the County. They have now a temple of justice, which does honor to the wealth and prominence of "Old Jackson," as one of the leading counties of Southern Illinois. He is a staunch Democrat in politics and an active worker for the success of the Democratic party, and owing to his popularity as a man of sound judg- ment, we be speak for him, in the not distant future, still higher positions in the gifts of his party ; besides his other duties, he has found time to devote to the advancement and culture of his family. He is also a member of the Baptist Church, and of the order of Odd-Fellows, and has also been trained under the ennobling tenets of the mystic order of Masons ; being at this time a Sir Knight.
109
HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
active life, is endowed with great physical power, and is capable of enduring severe, and prolonged exertion of body and mind. His whole system is cha- racterized by strength and toughness; is capable of great endurance and ca- pacity for work. It may be seen how a poor boy possessed with firmness of purpose, and good resolves, may rise from. obscurity to be a man of wealth, influence and distinction.
N. T. EAKIN
WAS born in what is now Somerset Township of this County, March 2d, 1825. When about thirteen years of age his father died, and the running of the farm devolved on him and his twin brother ; consequently his ednca- tion was very limited, although in after life he applied himself, and by his energy and determination he acquired sufficient education to transact most any ordinary business. William Eakin, the father of the subject of this sketch, was one of the early pioneers of Jackson County. Hc emigrated from Virginia in the year 1817, and settled near old Brownsville. He had a family of a wife and one child ; he also brought a slave from Virginia to this County. He inherited slaves, and when he started west he soid them all but this one, and he begged the privilege of remaining with his old master. He was taken sick, and died about six months after his arrival in this County. William Eakin, lived near old Brownsville about one year, when he bought out a settler in what is now Somerset Township, where he moved-the place was partly improved-he raised a family of five children, and died in the year 1838, where Mr. Eakin now resides. His partner in life followed him in the year 1856. The subject of our sketch was united in marriage May 4th, 1852, to Miss Elizabeth Latta, a daughter of Dr. Latta, of Murphysboro'. They have a family of three girls, viz. : Ida Anette, Min- nie Bell and Maud Evalin ; they are living at home with their parents Mr. Eakin has a fine farm of 400 acres, where he resides, and enongh of this world's goods to ease his declining years. Politically, he has been a Republi- can since the death of the old Whig party. He acts from principle, and is guided in his choice of men and party by reason as well as association. He will drive a close bargain, is honest in his declarations, has a large, generous soul, and is deserving of the good-will bestowed upon him by those who are most familiar with his daily life.
CHRISTIAN SNYDER (DECEASED).
DEWALT SNYDER, the father of the subject of this biography, came when quite young, with his parents, from Germany. The family settled in Penn- sylvania, where Mr. Snyder grew up and was married, and where his son Christian was born on the 31st of January, 1821. Few boys in those days had the opportunity of attending good schools, and Christian Snyder was not an exception. But realizing the importance of acquiring useful knowledge, he availed himself of every chance that he had, and succeeded in gaining a good elementary education. On the 11th of May, 1843, when twenty-two years of age, he married Miss Elizabeth Jane Saylor, daughter of Jacob W and Lucy Ann Saylor, who were residents of Somerset County, Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. Snyder had a family of ten children, seven of whom are living, and were born in the following order : Louisa, wife of James Ernhoff; Elias J. ; Agnes, wife of Samuel A. Gray; Minerva, wife of Augustus Ernhoff; Aaron, Mary, and William, the three latter still residing with their mother. In the spring of 1850 Mr. and Mrs. Snyder with their family left Somerset County, going by wagon to Pittsburgh, and thence down the Ohio and up the Mississippi Rivers to Chester, and from there by wagon to Jackson County, and located about three miles from where they now reside. Louisa, Elias, and Agnes were born in Pennsylvania ; the remainder of the family in this county.
Mr. Snyder immediately commenced farming operations, which he con- tinued during his life. Early in life he became a member of the Lutheran Church. In politics he was a staunch Republican. He enlisted in February, 1864, in Company K, Marine Regiment, U. S. Volunteers, and was honor- ably discharged at Vicksburg on the 21st of January, 1865. During his term of service he was for a considerable time sick. He died, after a very brief illness, at his residence, April 3d, 1877, of pneumonia.
He started in life with little, but an honest and settled determination to succeed, which he did. In his death the community lost an honored and valuable member. To his wife and family his loss is simply irreparable. Mrs. Snyder has now to fill both a father and mother's place in rearing and educating her children. May they all live to gladden her heart and smooth the road in her now lonely journey through life.
HENRY IMHOFF
WAS born in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, July 5, 1836. He was the son of Andrew and Eliza Imhoff. Andrew Imhoff was a native of Penn- sylvannia. In the spring of 1853 he emigrated to this County, and settled in Levan township. He now lives in Somerset township. The subject of our sketch was brought up on a farm. At the age of seventeen his father placed him in a blacksmith's shop to learn a trade. He served at his trade three years, then worked journeyman for the same m'an one year. Then he turned his face westward, and settled in Jackson County. He arrived in this County a poor man, not having money enough to buy himself a set of tools ; but by his own industry he now owns and conducts a fine farm, in connection with which he runs a blacksmith and wagon shop, where the best of wagons arc manufactured. He also owns a steam threshing-machine. During the winter months he runs a saw mill with his threshing power. His facilities for receiving an educational training when young were very limited, three months being all the schooling he received. As he advanced in years he began to realize the great and many disadvantages under which he was laboring from the want of an education, and realizing the urgent necessity of having such, he applied himself diligently to study, and by so doing, aided greatly by experience, he succeeded in gaining in after years what was de- nicd him in youth-a fair education.
He was united in marriage, November 9, 1858, to Miss Mary M. Young, a native also of Somerset County, Pennsylvania. They have a family of four children, viz. : William Henry, Elenoria, Martin Luther, and Charles Andrew.
Politically, Mr. Imhoff is a Democrat, very liberal in his views in voting for county officers. He lays party aside, and casts his vote for the man or men he thinks best fitted for the position. Religiously, he and his wife are members of the Lutheran Church. In conclusion, Mr. Imhoff may be relied upon as a sterling business man, quiet in his demeanor, and charitable where there exists any just claim. Truthful, honorable, and reliable, he is a fair type of the successful business men of the West.
R. R. REES
WAS the son of Hampton and Catharine Rees. In the year 1815, Hamp- ton Rees with his family emigrated from Christian County, Kentucky, and settled in the Territory of Illinois, in what is now Jackson County, abont one mile from the present location of Carbondale. He resided at this place about three years, when he moved into what is now Perry County, and settled on a small creek which bears his name, near De Quoin, where he raised his cabin on Rees Creek. The settlers were so sparse that they came a distance of twenty miles to assist in the work. The country was then a " wilderness." During these early days there was much suffering by the few adventurers on account of the difficulty experienced in getting supplies. Their nearest inarket of any importance was St. Lonis, and the only means of communication was by a steamboat, a very crude vessel in those days, small, and stern-whecl, not comparable with the princely palaces of a later date. The State is now intersected by railroads and telegraph-lines in every direction, and civilization has taken a wonderful stride toward the more perfect development of our resources in the near future. The subject of our sketch was born in Christian County, Kentucky, April 17th, 1814. His father died in 1823, leaving him an orphan. He was then taken back to Kentucky by his grandfather. He lived with his grandfather and uncle until the age of fifteen, when he started in the world for himself, and he im- mediately started for his old neighborhood in Illinois. On arriving here the second time, he hired to a farmer to do farm-labor, for four dollars per month ; and as he began the world by honest and laborious toil, lie has fought it out on that line until now in his declining years he stands master of the situation, Beginning a poor boy, he is now numbered among the wealthy farmers of Jackson County. At the age of twenty-three he was married to Miss Cyrena Thompson. She was a native of this State. They had born to them a family of twelve children. She died in 1858. His second wife, once Sarah Tinsley, is yet living, and has born her husband six children. Politically, he is a Democrat ; religiously, he and his wife are members of the Baptist church. And thus we close the record of one of the industrious pioneers of Jackson County. What he has is the result of hard labor, the cumulative proceeds on the earnings of a poor boy.
SAND RIDGE TOWNSHIP.
HE name indicates its own origin. It was first applied to a ridge, and afterwards to the Township. Sand Ridge contains no village or town. It is bounded on the North by Levan Township, on the East by Murphysboro', on the South by Big Hill, and on the West by Big Lake. Big Muddy River enters it near the north-east corner, and pursues a westward course till nearly half way across, when it bends sharply to the south, and pursues its winding way in that direction till it crosses the boundary of the Township. Near the centre is the confluence of Kinkaid Creek with Muddy.
The first wheat raised in Jackson County was grown at Sand Ridge. This Township contains some very rich bottom lands, admirably adapted to the culture of maizc, but subject to overflow occasionally. It has in abundance the best kind of timber. Sand Ridge, in the Township, was anciently a burial- place of the Aboriginal tribes, and skeletons and Indian relics are frequently exhumned.
OLD SETTLERS.
The first settler was Captain Boon; or Boone, as the name is variously spelled. He came as early as 1809. George Saddler, his employee, cleared land on Sand Ridge and built a house for him as early as the date above given. Mr. Boon had a wife and three children, and a negro man, Peter. Mr. Saddler, wife and son, lived near them ; also Mr. Saddler's son, Stephen, a married man. Near the crossing on Kinkaid, where were then encamped about sixty lodges of Kaskaskia Indians, lived Eben Glenn, wife and four children. Tony Wadleigh lived with them. About the time of the breaking out of the war of 1812, Steplien Jones settled in this Township.
The first school ever taught in Jackson County was at this place, viz., on Sand Ridge, by John Aaron. He taught at the house of William Boon, by
whom he was employed. It was at this school that Benningsen Boon, well known to the older citizens of the County, learned his letters.
A fact relating to the Glenn family needs here to be stated. In addition to the four children mentioned, Mr. Glenn had two grown sons, by a former marriage, named Erving and Isaac. Erving was married before his arrival, and Isaac married a daughter of Jolin Byars. Erving moved away in 1817. Isaac settled at the Bluff. Two of his children arc yet living. Thomas and William Taylor also deserve mention among the old settlers. They came in 1813-'14 The first marriage was that of Isaac Glenn to Miss Byars. James Worthen and family settled in this Township in 1809.
In 1815 Conrad Will came to work the salt mines, where Brownsville was afterwards located by the Commissioners appointed for that purpose by the Act of Territorial Legislature. He donated twenty acres of land to the County for its County-seat, which was called Brownsville. Mr. Will brought his family with him from Kaska kia. Before the manufacture of salt was begun in this County, it was brought from the Ohio River ou paek-horses.
Jesse Griggs, one of the members of the first County Commissioners' Court, moved to Brownsville in 1816. Among other early settlers, we mention Timothy Nash, the Second Clerk of the County ; William Wilson, the First Clerk ; Joel Maning and A. M. Jenkins, two Teachers in Brownsville ; Chamberlain, and Hon. Sidney Breeze, who made his first pleading in Brownsville, in '23 or '24, and failed ; and Michael Harmon, a carpenter. For many years the voting was done viva voce at Brownsville, and two or three days were usually allotted for an elcetion, to enable all to get to the polls. Courad Will is buried at Brownsville, and Susanna, his wife, sleeps at Sand Ridge. The name Sand Ridge was given to it in 1872.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
EDWARD WORTHEN.
The Worthen family is among the earliest settlers of Jackson County. Edward Worthen was born in Sand Ridge Township, September 15, 1848. He is the sixth of seven children of William and Mary Worthen. His de- ceased brother, Captain David Worthen's biography may be seen elsewhere in this work.
William Worthen was a native of South Carolina. He was born on the banks of the Santee River, in December, 1799, and emigrated with his parents in 1809 to the territory of Illinois, a decade before our great State was born. They settled on a tract of land now comprised in Murphysboro' Town- ship. When he grew to manhood he married Miss Mary Will, daughter of the late Hon. Conrad Will, M.D., and here it is proper that we should make some mention of Mr. Will. He was a native of Pennsylvania, born June 4,. 1778, near Philadelphia. He was married to Miss Susana Kimmel in 1804 ; subsequently moved to Somerset County, Pa., and from there emigrated to Iliinois, coming via Ohio and Mississippi rivers by flat boat, landing at Kas- kaskia. After remaining at this point about one year, he came to Jackson County, Ill., locating at Brownsville, where he practiced medicine, and en- gaged in manufacturing salt.
Mr. Will was a man of considerable ability, and. gained for himself an honorable record. He came to Brownsville in 1815. After Jackson County was organized, he was for some time one of the County Commissioners, and
has also held several other important County offices. He was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention, which met at Kaskaskia, and framed the first Constitution of the State of Illinois, and further honored by being eleeted by the Whig party to the first Legislature in 1818, and by re-elections he continued to represent the County until 1832, when, owing to his eminent legislative qualifications, he was elected to the Senate, and continued a mem- ber of that honorable body until his death at Brownsville, June 11, 1834.
His widow survived him until 1857.
William Worthen, father of Edward Wortlien, was a man of more than average ability. In political principles he was a Democrat, having served as Sheriff of the County for several terms, giving eminent satisfaction. When out of office he employed his time in farming. He died at his residenee, November 5, 1854. His widow is yet living in the enjoyment. of good health.
Edward Worthen, of whom we write, received his early culture in the schools of Carbondale, obtaining a good English education. Mr. Worthen represented his Township in the Board of County Supervisors for two terms, and has for a time been Township Treasurer. In early life he became iden- tified with the principles of the Republican party, and acted with that party until the spring of '77, when he changed his views to the Greenback party, and was the same year chosen as their candidate for County Clerk.
He was married October 2, 1877, to Miss Maggie Ozburn. They are both
110
THE PRESENT RESIDENCE AND OLD HOMESTEAD OF N. T. EAKIN . SEC. 17 TP.8 R.2 (SOMERSET TP.) 2 JACKSON CO. ILL.
THE RESIDENCE OF J. B. KIMBALL (EX-SHERRIFF) MURPHYSBORO, JACKSON CO. ILL.
RESIDENCE ON THE 450 ACRE FARM OF THOS. WORTHEN SEC.2 T.9 R.3 (SAND RIDGE.TP. JACKSON CO. ILL.
FARM RESIDENCE OF FREEMAN KING SEC. 10T8 R.3 (LEVAN TP.) JACKSON CO.ILL.
111
HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Worthen also belongs to the Masonic Lodge and the order of Odd Fellows.
Taking a retrospective view of the life of our subject, we find for a man who has led so short a life, one of honor for himself and a benefit to the community.
CAPT. DANIEL W. WORTHEN, (DEC'D.)
AMONG the early and prominent settlers of Sand Ridge Township, was the subject of this memoir, who was born in Jackson County, March 4th, 1824 ; was the second son of William and Mary Worthen, early pioneers of the County. Daniel W. spent his earlier years assisting his father in carrying on the farm, and remained there until the breaking out of the late civil war. In 1862 he enlisted, and was elected 2d Lieutenant, and for meritorious services on the field he was promoted and commissioned Captain of Company H, of 27th Regiment, Illinois Volunteers, and served bravely on many an ensanguined field until his term of service expired. He participated in all the memora- ble engagements in which the 27th Regiment took part, and luckily received only a slight wound from a grape-shot. His term of service ended, he re- turned homne, and engaged in farming and carrying on a saw-mill, and subse- quently becanic one of the largest land owners in the County. On the 27th day of April, 1865, Captain Worthen was married to Miss Lorena Whitson, the daughter of Bery B. Whitson ; by that union they had born to them four children, two of whom are deceased, and two daughters yet living, May and Caroline. When quite a young man he joined the Lutheran Church, and in early life was a Democrat, but after the breaking out of the war he became a Republican, and remained one of its strong supports until his death, which occurred on the 23d day of March, 1872, and his body now rests in the family cemetery.
" Rest, soldier, from the cannon's roar And the battle', bloody strife ! The bugle's blast shall wake thee no more, Nor death cut short thy early life. Rest, soldier, thy country honors her noble dead ! Fresh and green in our memories be The heroes who for our country fought and bled, The land of the brave and the home of the free."
Soon after the death of her husband, Mrs. Worthen moved to her present residence near Sand Ridge Station, where she is doing all that a mother's
love can to rear her children. In the life and career of Captain. Worthen, his children have a noble example to patteru after, as his excellent qualities of head and heart were well known ..
THOMAS WORTHEN
Is the fifth of a family of six children of Richard and Nancy Worthen, and was born in Jackson County, June 22d, 1836. Richard Worthen was born in Tennessee. In 1810, when a child two years old, he was brought to the territory of Illinois. His wife was born in South Carolina, her family, soon after, moving to Tennessee, and removing from there, when she was about ten years old, to what is now Jackson County. Here she met Mr. Worthen ; here they were married, lived and died, and here they are buried in the Worthen burial-ground, on the old homestead. They were both meni- bers of the Lutheran church. Mr. Worthen was for a number of years Jus- tice of the Peace. Thomas had few opportunities when young, and to use his own language, " went to school about three months in three years." But by steady application and perseverance, he acquired sufficient knowledge for all practical purposes. When twenty-three years old he commenced life on his own account, with little money, but with what is much better, strong and willing hands, and a settled determination to succeed. On the 27th of Feb- ruary, 1850, he married Miss Catharine Reiman, daughter of Andrew Rei- man, one of the leading farmers of the County. They have had ten children, six of whom are living. Mr. Worthen is a member of the Swedenborgian denomination, and his wife of the Lutheran.
In 1861 he became a member of the Republican party and a strong advo- cate of its principles and policy, voting the second time for Mr. Lincoln, and afterwards for Gen. Grant. During the rebellion he was fearless and out- spoken in his Union sentiments, advocating vigorous and effective measures for its suppression, and wiping out forever the only stain on our cscutcheon as a great and free nation. Mr. Worthen has never been a candidate for political distinction, preferring the more peaceful and profitable occupation of a farmer, and in which employment he has met with well-merited suc- cess. His farm consists of four hundred and fifty acres, about two hundred of which is in a good state of cultivation, and is considered one of the best in the township. He is now enjoying the fruits of former years of toil and self- denial, in being able in his declining years to lead a life of leisure and com- fort, and ranks as one of our self-made men.
RIDGE TOWNSHIP.
NE of the first settlements of Jackson County was that known to this day as Dutch Ridge. Upon the adoption of township organization it was given a portion of the name of the settle- ment, and called "Ridge" township.
The first settlers of Dutch Ridge are said to have immigrated as early as 1805; aud between the period named and 1812 there arrived the following persons, many of whose descendants now live where their forefathers located sixty and seventy years ago : Samuel Pyatt, Daniel Wood, Robert Fryatt, Leonard Lipe, Zachariah Lyrely, Albert House, all soldiers of the revolu- tionary war ; also, Beujamin Couners, Isaac Wilson, John Zimmerman, aud Jacob Milligan.
Some of these came in but a short time prior to the beginning of the war of 1812. S. Etherton located in Ridge preciuct in 1827.
Some few years later than 1812 came the Haglers-John, Paul, Phillip, and Peter ; the Lipes, relatives of the Mr. Lipe before referred to, with fami- lies ; also, David Arnold and Robert Casey.
The physical features of Dutch Ridge and the surrounding country are well calculated to attract attention, and hence no doubt the settlement at that place. The country is well drained and watered by Cedar Creek and its tributaries, and much of the soil is of good quality. This stream flows first
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.