USA > Illinois > Jefferson County > History of Jefferson County, Illinois > Part 52
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WILLIS DUFF GREEN, M. D., Mt. Vernon, was born in Danville, Ky., January 18, 1821. His father, Dr. Duff Green, an eminent physician of that place, was the eldest son of Willis Green, who emigrated to Kentucky from the Shenan- doah Valley of Virginia about the year 1780. Hle is a brother of Judge W. H. Green, of Cairo, Ill. Ile was educated primarily at Center College, in his native town, and was a classmate of Gen. John C. Breckenridge. Upon relin- quishing college life, he began the study of medieine with his father, remaining under his preceptorship for a period of two years. He then, at the expiration of this time, attended the Medical Department of the Transylvania Uni-
versity, and graduated from the Medical Col- lege of Ohio. He then began the practice of his profession at Hartford, Ky., where he resid- ed for a year and a half. He afterward prae- ticed for two years in Pulaski, Tenn., removing subsequently, in 1846, to Mount Vernon, Ill., which has since been his home, and where he has been constantly and successfully occupied in the practice of his profession, which extends over the entire southern portion of the State. In politics, he has invariably and consistently supported the principles and platforms of the Democratic party, and as the Breckenridge can- didate for Congress, was defeated with the head of the ticket. Ile is a prominent member of the Odd Fellows of Illinois, and has officiated as Grand Master, also as a Representative to the Grand Lodge of the United States. He is noted for his generosity in charitable enter- prises, and has always been an active and a zealous member of benevolent societies and or- ganizations. Ile was President of the Mt. Ver- non Railroad Company, until it was merged in the St. Louis & Southern Railroad, and in the performance of the important functions attend- ant on that office evinced the possession of ad- mirable administrative powers. He is a man of scholarly attainments, a skillful and reliable physician, and a useful member of the common- ity amid which he is an esteemed and loved townsman. He was married, in 1844, to Cor- inne L. Morton, of Hartford, Ky.
BLUFORD HARLOW, farmer, P. O. Mt. Vernon, was born in Wilson County, Tenn., De- cember 27, 1814, and is a son of Overton Har- low (deceased), a native of Virginia, who brought his family to this county in 1818, and settled in Mt. Vernon Township, where our subject has since resided. Mr. Harlow was married, Janu. ary 7, 1841, to Emma Branson, a daughter of Brisco D. Branson. an early settler of this county. They have had eleven children, nine living-Noah H., John H., William T., Mary E., Martha C., Stephen A. D., James O., Joel
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J. and Sarah E. Mr. Harlow owns 160 acres of land, and has always been a farmer.
ROBERT HARLOW, farmer, P. O. Mt. Ver- non. was born December 15, 1816, in Wilson County, Tenn., a son of Overton Harlow, of Vir- ginia, who married Elizabeth Hunt, of Ten- nessee, by whom he had seven children-Joel, Bluford, Robert, Mary, Henderson, Charles and Elisha. Our subject came to Jefferson County, Ill., in the fall of 1818, where he still resides. He was educated in Jefferson County, Ill., and is a member of the Baptist Church. He was married May 1, 1844, to Serena, daugh- ter of William Lisenby, of Tennessee. Our sub- jeet has had ten children, seven living-Charles, Thomas, Mollie, William, Ellen, Henry II. and Ida. He owns 165 acres of land, and is en- gaged in farming and stock-raising. Politics, Democrat.
WILLIAM J. HARLOW, farmer, P. O. Mt Vernon. The subject of this sketch is a native of Jefferson County, and was born in Mt. Ver- non Township May 8, 1844, son of Joel Har- low, of Texas, who removed to Arkansas when our subject was quite small, and later to Mis- souri. William J., returned in 1863, and has since resided in Jefferson County. He was in the late war in Company A, Eighth Missouri Cavalry, in the State militia. He was mar- ried October 9, 1868, to Rosella Warren. They had one child-Earl (deceased). Mr. Harlow owns forty acres of land, and is en- gaged in general farming. He is a member of the Baptist Church.
JOHN Q. HARMON, a son of John M. and Christina (Brown) Harmon, was a native of Campbellstown, Lebanon County, Penn., born on the 10th of August, 1830. During his early life, he had a severe and protracted struggle with poverty, and when a boy received but a limited common school education. On begin- ning his business career, he was almost wholly uninformed in literature, language, books and principles, and had a passionate temper, but
was blessed with a resolute will, and he then determined to overcome these obstacles, and by industry, energy and patience he accom- plished the work and learned to govern him- self. Leaving home when but a boy, he em- barked on his career in life as a clerk in a country store, and the few months of his stay in that position received the first lessons of an active life. After leaving the store, he ap- prentieed himself to the saddler's trade, but for some reason unknown to the writer he soon gave it up and began teaching the country schools, and continued thus until he was offered a position under the late John B. Irvin, con- tractor on the Pennsylvania Railroad. He was connected with different railroads, holding dif- ferent positions, for a number of years. He afterward located permanently in Newark, Ohio, and was there employed in the County Clerk's office until 1850, when he came to Cairo, Ill., accepting a clerkship with Ellis, Jenkins & Co., contractors in building the levees that surround that city. In 1851, he . went out in the Lopez expedition for the lib- eration of Cuba, with Joseph I. Abell, of Cairo, and Frank Livingston, of Paducah, and was sentenced to be executed, and onee taken out to be shot, but through the efforts of Daniel Webster those of the expedition, who were not already executed were finally pardoned. Harmon among the number. In 1852, he went to Jonesboro, Ill., and began clerking in a gen- eral merchandising store for C. D. Finch, and remained thus engaged for about two years. In 1854, he returned to Cairo and engaged as book-keeper for Fowler & Norton, wharf- boatmen, and later with Williams, Stephens & Co., wholesale grocers. At the organization of the Court of Common Pleas in 1856, he was appointed Clerk of that court, and the follow- ing spring was elected City Clerk ; he held these positions until 1861, when he resigned and declined a re-election. On the 30th of April, 1860, he was appointed Clerk of the
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MOUNT VERNON CITY AND TOWNSHIP.
Circuit Court to fill a vacancy in that office, and was elected to the same office the follow- ing fall and re-elected in 1864 and 1868. In 1861, he was elected County Clerk and served one term. He was Secretary of the State Con- stitutional Convention of 1870, and Clerk of the House of Representatives of the session of 1863 and 1864 of the General Assembly. He was appointed Consul to Chihuahua in Mexico, by President Buchanan, but declined the appointment. lIe also held the office of Master in Chancery of the Circuit Court, and Court of Common Pleas. In 1878, he was elected Clerk of the Appellate Court for the Eighteenth District of Illinois, and during his term of office, in the year 1882, died of Bright's disease, at Eureka Springs, where he had gone in the vain hope of regaining his health. He was married on the 24th of June, 1858, to Mary H., daughter of Joseph and Henrietta Mckenzie, who still survives, and is the mother of the following children : Mary C., Rob Roy, Frank B., Kate I. and Gertrude P. Mr. Harmon was a Democrat in polities, and was one of the best known and most popular men that ever lived in the county. Of an im- pulsive, warm and generous heart, his whole nature was as genial as sunshine; of blood pure and gentle, his companionship was an un- mixed pleasure to all his large acquaintance, which extended throughout the entire State. Ilis warm heart went out in sympathy to the afflicted, and his purse-string was never tied when the appeal of charity came. His integ- rity stood every test of life, and was never questioned ; brave, chivalric and impulsive, he would resent instantaneously any real or fan- cied reflection upon his own or his friend's in. tegrity, but his pure soul never harbored malice, hate or revenge a moment, and he was as ready to forgive and forget as he had been to feel and resent the wrong. His ideal of moral integrity was placed in the highest niehe, and yet his whole life was marked by no deviation from
the high standard he had placed before him when a boy. His life was pure and cleanly- both morally and socially. He was a loving and affectionate husband and father, and when the cruel and irreparable loss came to his loved household, with its great and incurable afflic- tion, the sympathy and condolence-sincere and heartfelt-of all his wide circle of friends went out to them in their honr of severe trial. At the head of his grave the sons and daugh- ters of posterity may stand and truly say the world is brighter and better that he lived. His memory will be cherished, and his good deeds not forgotten.
GEORGE M. HAYNES, attorney at law, Mt. Vernon, was born in Mt. Vernon. Ill., August 27, 1847, and when some two years old removed with his family to Washington County, where he remained until 1865. He then returned to Mt. Vernon, for the purpose of attending school, and has since made it his home. By the aid of friends, he was enabled to attend McKendree College, at Lebanon, Ill. for six months, which, with previous schooling, gave him a fair English edneation. While en- gaged as a clerk, he found time to read law under the direction of the late Judge T. B. Tanner, and in March, 1870, was admitted to the bar. Ile did not. however, enter upon the active duties of the profession, but pursued his studies until March, 1872, when he, with Mr. R. A. D. Wilbanks, purchased the Mt. Vernon Free Press, the Democratic organ of the county. Mr. Haynes took charge of the paper, and un- der his management it became a strong and vigorous element in the campaign of 1872. In October, Mr. Haynes sold his interest in the paper to W. H. Mantz, and in June, 1873, formed a law partnership with Seth F. Crews, which continued for nearly eight years. They at once took a front rank in the profession, and held it until 1880, when the partnership was dissolved. Since that time, Mr. Haynes has enjoyed as good a practice as any member
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BIOGRAPHICAL:
of the bar of Jefferson County. From 1873 to 1879, he was Master in Chancery, an office he filled with acceptance. At the December term of court, 1877. the State's Attorney was sick and Judge Allen appointed Mr. Haynes in his place. In politics, he has always been an un- flinching and uncompromising Democrat, per- mitting nothing to move him out of line. Mr. Haynes is still young in years, and has a use- ful future before him. A man of more than ordinary intelligence, a lawyer of ability and experience, he will yet make his mark in the profession. He has written much for publica- tion, and is a good, though not a brilliant writ- er. One of his best efforts is his chapter on the bench and bar of Jefferson County, wnritte especially for this work. Mr. Haynes was mar- ried, August 22, 1876, to Miss Ada Bucking- ham, of Hamilton County. They have two children living-Maggie and Florence-the lat- ter born on the day President Garfield was shot-and Ada Louise dead.
W. H. HERDMAN, blacksmith, Mount Vernon. Among our quiet, steady and reliable citizens who deserve mention in this work we class him whose name heads this sketch. He was born January 25, 1828, in Allegheny County, near Pittsburgh, Penn. His father, Robert Herdman, was a native of Penusylva- nia, and a farmer and miller by occupation ; he was a prominent man in his county, and drowned at the age of thirty-eight in the Muskingum River. The father of Robert was William Herdman, a native of Ireland, though the family originally is of Scotch descent. The mother of our subject, Jane llanson, is a na- tive of Pennsylvania ; her father was Thomas llanson ; she is yet living, aged eighty years, the mother of seven children, of whom six are now living, viz .: William H., our subject ; Prof. Thomas H., now Presiding Eller at Lebanon. Ill .; John R., a carpenter and farmer in Clay County, Ill .; James H .. County Treasurer of Warren County, Ill .; Mary A , wife of Dr. Elli-
ott, of Hagerstown, Ind., and Jane E., wife of Dr. Givens, of Paxton, Ford Co., Ill. Our sub- ject went to school in Ohio; in early life, he farmed and then learned the blacksmith trade, which he has followed all his life ; he has also manufactured plows, wagons, buggies, etc .; he came to Mt. Vernon in 1850, and there has fol- lowed his occupation ; he was joined in matri- mony, on the 24th day of November, 1850, to Miss Mary A. Kirby, born May 3, 1836, in Louisville, Ky. Her parents, Moses and Lydia (Williamson) Kirby, were natives of Cincinnati, Ohio. This happy union was blessed with eight daughters-Ada I., Ina B., Lydia J. (de- ceased), Florence V., Ella A., Etta, Grace and Octavia. Mr. Herdman is an I. O. O. F., hav- ing filled all offices, and also been a Represent- ative to the Grand Lodge and Encampment ; he has been a member of the Town Council and Supervisor and School Director. In poli- ties, he is a liberal Republican.
F. W. HIERMANN, merchant tailor, Mount Vernon. Among the energetic young bus- iness men of Mt. Vernon we must count Mr. Hermann, who was born March 24, 1841, in Locban, Prussia, Germany. His father, F. W. Hermann, Sr., was a native of Germany, where he died ; he also served as a soldier in the Ger- man Army. The mother of our subject, Lou- isa Heske, an estimable lady, was also a native of Prussia, where she died, leaving six chil dren to mourn her departure, and of those, five brothers are now living. Our subject was edu- cated in Germany, where he learned his trade ; becoming imbued with a desire to see America, the land of wealth and wonder, he, like many of his sturdy countrymen, who make such ex- cellent citizens, emigrated to the United States Angust 12, 1872. landing in New York. He worked at his trade four and a half years in Little Falls, Herkimer Co., N. Y. From there he went to St. Louis, and finally, August 16, 1877, he came to Mt. Vernon, where he has fol- lowed his trade ever since. He was joined in
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MOUNT VERNON CITY AND TOWNSHIP.
marriage twice ; his first wife, Matilda A. Wachter, was born in Germany; she died in Mt. Vernon, leaving three children, viz .: E. R. August, born January 27, 1871; F. William, born August 3, 1876, and Emma, deceased. His present wife. May Stoker, was born May 8, 1855, in Nashville, Ill. She is the mother of Laura L., born October 18, 1882. Mr. Hermann is identified with the Democratic party.
COL. STEPHEN G. HICKS, deceased. A sketch of Col. Hicks will be found in the chap- ter on the war and military history of the county.
ROBERT N. HINMAN, Postmaster, Mt. Vernon, is a native of Jefferson County, IL., born on the 18th of December, 1854. His father, Harmon D. Hinman, was a native of Vermont, born in 1804. Here he spent his early life and received a limited education in the common schools. In 1825, he moved to Zanesville, Ohio, and there served an appren- ticeship at the brick mason's trade, and was, in November. 1830, married to Cynthia Eddy, who died in 1851, leaving three children as the result of their union-Safford E., deceased ; William H., and Mary J., wife of D. C. Groves, of Richland County, III. In 1833, he removed to Madison County, Ind .. and subsequently, in 1841, to Jefferson County. III., and settled on a farm one and one-half miles northwest of the city of Mt. Vernon, where he remained en- gaged farming and working at his trade until 1859, when he removed to Mt. Vernon, and erected by his own design a large and commo- dions brick residence, intending to spend his remaining years in the enjoyment of his past labor. His death occurred in the fall of 1860 from an injury received by being thrown from a horse. Ile was an industrious man, of good standing in the community, a member of the Presbyterian Church, and an active worker for the Republican party. His second marriage occurred in this county, in 1851, to Elizabeth
Moss, a native of Jefferson County, Ill., born January 30, 1832, and died December 29, 1871 . She was the mother of five children-Robert N., our subject ; Alma, wife of J. C. Moss; and Rosa. John and Alice (deceased). Robert N. Hinman was reared in Mt. Vernon and educated in the city schools. When he was fifteen years of age, he engaged as clerk for S. K. Latham, | Postmaster, and remained thus engaged for nine years, and at the expiration of that time was appointed Postmaster, which position he has since filled. In Ashley, III., in 1875, he married Miss Elizabeth E. Burghardt, a native of New York, who has borne him the following children : Eugene, Earl, and an infant un- named. Mr. Hinman is an enterprising young man, well worthy of the confidence the people place in him. He is a Republican politically, but takes no active interest.
EDWARD HITCHCOCK, editor and pub- lisher of Exponent, Mt. Vernon, was born in Evansville, Ind., February 3, 1841. He is a newspaper man, and has been in that business nearly all of his life. At the age of twenty, he published the Tem- perumer Guide in Terre Haute, Ind., in con- junetion with J. M. Pool, the editor. The war of the rebellion breaking out, the patriotic ardor of Mr. Hitchcock was so wrought upon that, leaving an edition of the paper incom- plete still upon the press, he volunteered " for a soldier" under the first call of the Presi- dent for 75.000 volunteers to suppress the re- bellion, and April 19, 1861, at Indianapolis, was mustered into the service. In the follow- ing August (his term of enlistment having expired) he received his discharge. Aug- ust 18. 1862, he " donned the blue " again, for - three years or during the war," as Orderly in Company E. Seventy first Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and two days later was commissioned Second Lieutenant, and subse- quently promoted to First Lieutenant, Com- pany E, Sixth Indiana Cavalry. (The regi-
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ment, in 1863, was transferred from the In- fantry to the cavalry arm of the service.) After passing through the usual privations and trials incident to those stirring times (having once been taken prisoner and paroled) and the rebellion having been crushed-in 1865, he was mustered out at Indianapolis. He located in the fall of 1865 in Olney, Richland County, Ill., and there engaged in the combined busi- ness of provision dealer and job printer. Sub- sequently moving his job offiee to Flora, Ill., he bought, in 1866, a half interest in the Clay County Union, with S. P. Connor as associate, and moved to Louisville, the county seat. Some months later, Connor having " Andy Johnsonized," Mr. Hitchcock, under political compulsion, bought the former's interest in the office. For seven years thereafter he had sole editorial control of the paper, which he had christened The Voice of the People. In 1871, he bought an interest in the Greenup Mail, and for a year or so edited both journals. Leasing The Voice to one of his pupils, Mr. C. R. Davis, in 1872, he moved to Greenup, and there in person conducted The Mail during the memorable Grant-Greeley campaign. In 1873, he again assumed charge, personally, of The Voice of the People. A few months later, by purchase, H. R. Miller, another pupil, took control, changing the name to the Tribune. The parties who had taken The Greenup Mail in twelve months suspended publication, and in 1874 Mr. Hitehcock was indueed to lease and resurrect it. He moved the office to the eounty seat, Prairie City (now Toledo), and began at " No. 1, Vol. I," the publication of the Cumberland Republican. Placing the paper upon a sound footing, at the end of his lease, he repaired to Effingham, subsequently at Terre Haute, Ind. (his old home); he found a better opening in the Express office, where, later, a company was formed, with our subject as its President, for the purpose of publishing a daily and weekly newspaper. It was named
the Republican and he was its political editor. This was in the winter of 1875-76, and dur. ing the carly months of the Hayes-Tilden cam- paign. Disposing of his interest in the Re- publican, Mr. Hitchcock took charge of a job office on Main street. His friends offering sufficient inducement. he, in December, 1876, removed to Casey, Clark County, Ill., and under a lease, established the Exponent. Hav- ing been appointed Postmaster of the thriving town, he managed both offices with Mrs. Hitchcock's assistance. In November, 1878, the Republicans of Jefferson County invited Mr. Hitcheock to locate at Mt. Vernon, and to bring hither his printing material. He did so; and on the 5th day of December, of that year, the first number of Vol. III, of the Exponent was issued in Mt. Vernon. Since that date, now nearly five years, the paper has regularly appeared, notwithstanding difficulties and trials that possibly are not appreciated by those who never tried to stem the tide of an adverse po- litical sentiment that uniformly at elections sweeps over Jefferson County. Mr. Hitch- cock was married May 27, 1863, to Miss Hen- rictta Barber. Five children is the result of this marriage-Edward. Kate, Clyde, Andrew H. and Grafton.
JAMES HITCHCOCK, photographer, Mt. Vernon. The subject of this sketeh was born in Terre Haute, Ind , Dec. 15, 1842, and is the son of Dr. J. W. Hitchcock, of Mt. Vernon, Ill. Our subject received his education in the sehools of Terre Haute, Ind. In early life, he learned the drug business, and followed the same till August 12, 1862, when he enlisted in Company E, Sixth Indiana Cavalry, under Capt. Welsh and Col. James Biddle. The regiment served in the Army of the Cumberland. During the first engagement of the regiment at Richmond, Ky., Mr. Hitcheoek received a flesh wound. Angust 6, 1864, he was captured and lay in Andersonville Prison till April 28, 1865. June 10, 1865, he was mustered out at Camp
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MOUNT VERNON CITY AND TOWNSHIP.
Chase, Ohio, and at that time was Sergeant of his company. After returning from the army, he went to Olney, III., where he was again em- ployed in his old business as druggist, but after a short time he begun in his present pro- fession of photographer. Till 1870, he trav- eled and did photographing; he then located at Mt. Vernon, Ill., and through his superior workmanship has built up an extensive trade, receiving work from Cairo and other cities at a distance. May 3, 1868, he was married, in Olney, Ill., to Miss Annie E. Gardner, a native of Maryland, and daughter of George Gardner. In early life, she was left an orphan, and dur- ing the war was Assistant Postmaster at Petersville, Md., where she was subjected to the experiences found in being in the midst of contending armies. Three of her brothers were soldiers in the Union army. Mr. and Mrs. Hitchcock have three children, viz .: Ruby E., Ray and Ethel. He is a charter member of Ivanhoe Lodge, No. 683, K. of H .; also Rowena Lodge, No. 283, K. & L. of H. He is also member of the Royal Templars of Tem- perance, Mt. Vernon Council, No. 7. In pol- ities, he is a Republican.
THOMAS H. HOBBS, miller, Mount Ver- non, was born in Sumner County, Tenn., on the 18th of May, 1820, to David and Chloe (Hunt) Hobbs. The elder Hobbs was born in North Carolina February 6, 1783, and when a small boy was left an orphan, and was bound to Jesse Hunt to learn the saddler's trade, and was removed by him to Sumner County, Tenn., and there principally reared and educated. He subsequently married a daughter of Mr. Hunt, and in the spring of 1826, with his wife and seven children, removed to Illinois and set- tled in Williamson County, and the fall of the same year came to this county, bought a small improvement of land, and engaged in farming to the time of his death, which occurred Feb- ruary 15, 1852. He was a volunteer of the war of 1812, and a member of the Methodist Epis-
copal Church for over fifty years His wife and subject's mother was born in North Caro- lina May 19, 1783, and died in Jefferson County, Ill., January 8, 1854. She was the mother of eight children, of whom six are living. Thomas H. Hobbs was principally reared in this county, and here received such an education as the schools of the county afforded. In 1849, he left his home and went to California by overland route, and remained there engaged in mining in the mountains for over two years, and returned home in 1851, after an absence of two years two months and twelve days. Dur- ing the years of 1851 and 1852, he was engaged in contracting and superintending the track- laying on the Illinois Central Railroad. Ile then bought a farm in Washington County, near Ashley, and engaged in farming, and con. tinued the same only one year, and removed to Ashley and engaged in merchandising. In 1855, he sold his business, returned with his family to Mount Vernon, and engaged in the hotel business in connection with farming. In 1860, he engaged in merchandising, and con- tinued in this business until 1867. The year previous to his selling out, he bought the flour- ing mill, which has since chiefly occupied his time in connection with stock-feeding, trading and shipping. In February, 1843, he married Miss Malinda Holtselaw, who died in 1852, leaving two children as the result of their union. Of these, one is now living -James 11 .. a machinist of Mount Vernon. In 1854, Mr. Hobbs married Eliza E. Guthrie, who has borne him five children, of whom the following are living : Charles A., Alva L., Thomas Ed- ward and Homer. Mr. and Mrs. Hobbs are Methodists ; he is a Republican in politics, and a member of the A., F. & A. M. and I. O. O. F.
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