USA > Illinois > Jefferson County > History of Jefferson County, Illinois > Part 54
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and Rising Sun. Was next appointed Presi- dent of the Brookville College, and served in that institution four years, and was then ap- pointed the Presiding Elder of that district. In 1860, he was elected to the Chair of Mathe- matics in the Indiana Asbury University, and filled that position creditably to himself and the institution for twelve years. In 1872, he re- signed from the faculty, and was appointed to the pastorate at Jeffersonville, Ind. After two years' service there, however, he was elected President of the McKendree College at Leba- non, Ill. He resigned that capacity after four years of service, and was appointed Presiding Elder of the Lebanon, Ill., district. In 1881, he was transferred to the pastorate of the M. E. Church at Mt. Vernon, where he is still sta- tioned. His life thus far has been a very busy one. In connection with his other ministerial duties, he has served from his conference as delegate to the general conference four times. In connection with the degree of B. A., which he received from his Alma Mater at the time of graduation, he also took a post graduate course, and in 1845 was given the degree of M. A., and while professor in Asbury was given the degree of D. D. Dr. Lock was joined in matrimony, in Jacksonville, Ohio, on June 11, 1846, to Miss Matilda Wood. This lady was born in Adams County, Ohio, on April 20, 1827, and is a daughter of Col. Samuel R. Wood (a soldier of the war of 1812 and a native of Kentucky) and Ruth (Shoemaker) Wood, a native of Ohio. Seven children have come to bless this union, of whom three are now living, viz .: George W. (a lawyer in East St. Louis), Bettie L., wife of Mr. Hamilton, of Jerseyville, Ill., and Rev. Edwin, now preaching at Sebetha, Kan. Sub- ject is a member of the A. F. & A. M. and I. O. O. F., and in politics is a Republican.
CHARLES HARDY MAXEY, farmer, P. O. Mt. Vernon, was born in Sumner County, Tenn., July 26, 1805, and is a son of William Maxey, deceased, a pioneer of Sumner County, Tenn.,
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MOUNT VERNON CITY AND TOWNSHIP.
and one of the first settlers of this county. Our subject's grandfather, Jesse Maxey, was a native of Virginia, and a pioneer of Ten- nessee, where he was at one time scalped, toma- hawked and left for dead by the Indians, but recovered and lived several years. Mr. Maxey came with his parents and settled among the Indians and wild animals in this county in 1818. He attended the first school ever taught in Jefferson County. Joel Pace was the teacher, and the house was a log cabin, with a dirt floor, split poles, with pins in them for seats, and a puncheon writing desk fastened on pins in the wall, just beneath a crack in the wall, used for window. Mr. Maxey was married, April 1, 1824, to Sallie Bruce, a daughter of Azariah B. Bruce (deceased). They have had eight children, five of whom they raised to maturity, viz .: Artamissa C. (deceased, leav- ing four children), Mary E., Martha E., Susan B. and Druseilla J. Our subject owns 136 acres of land, and has always been a farmer. He is a consistent member of the Methodist Episco- pal Church South.
SAMUEL T. MAXEY, farmer, P. O. Mt. Vernon. The subject of this sketch was born in Mt. Vernon Township August 29, 1834, on the old Maxey homestead, on Section 6, and is a son of Dr. William M. A. Maxey, of whom we make further mention elsewhere in this work. Our subject was reared on the farm and edu- cated in Mt. Vernon. He worked for six years at the carpenter and builder's trade. He served four years and two months for Uncle Sam during the late war. He was twice a Lieutenant, and twice a Captain, having been promoted for gallantry. He served one year as a private in Capt. R. D. Noleman's Company, First Illinois Cavalry. After that, he was promoted to the Lieutenancy, then to the Captaincy. He participated in the battles of Stone River, siege of Nashville, Franklin, siege and taking of Memphis, Perryville, Ky., and others, twenty-one in all. His brigade
was the only one that held its ground all through the battle of Stone River; and in honor of that fact the United States Government placed the cemetery on the spot of ground where this trans- pired. It would be in keeping here to remark that the Captain also participated in the taking of Island No. 10. After the war, he engaged in farming for two years, when he engaged in the ministry, spending eleven years in the itin- eracy in the Southern Illinois Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church. When hav- ing failed in health, he again settled on the old homestead. Mr. Maxey was married, January 12, 1855, to Miss Lucinda, daughter of the em- inent Dr. Joseph Frost (deceased). She was born in Monroe County, Ill., near Waterloo. Our subject still resides on the old homestead, where he owns 310 acres of valuable land, and is engaged in farming and raising of graded stock. Although the Captain has been often solicited, he has never held a civil office. He is a member of the Odd Fellows society, in good standing, and has been a member of that order since he was twenty-one years old. Mr. Maxey has always been identified on the side of temperance and total abstinence. In poli- tics, he is a stanch Republican.
DR. J. H. MITCHELL. physician. Mt. Vernon. The profession is always below the man. He is not the best lawyer who lives only among the books and dusty documents of his office, nor is he the most successful physician whose knowledge is confined to his drugs and the narrow range of his daily routine. The man makes the profession and the respectability depends upon the manner in which it is used. Dr. Mitchell, the subject of this sketch, is a man who, though most thoroughly qualified in every particular of his calling, does not allow his profession to tyrannize over him. He was born March 15, 1850, in Blairsville, Ind., and is a son of Dr. S. M. and Martha A. (Harri- son) Mitchell. The grandfather of our subject, Sion HI. Mitchell, was a native of North Caro-
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lina, and was a teacher by profession. He came West and died in Raleigh, Ill. The father was born in Tennessee ; received his medical education in the Rush Medical College, Chi- cago ; has practiced in Corinth and Blairsville, Ind., and at present leads in the latter place a retired life, his practice being carried on by his son Henry C. The mother was a native of Evansville, Ind. Subject is one of six children -John H., Audubon Q., Martha J. Jones, Henry C., George O). and Thomas M. His education was received in Corinth, Ind., and afterward at MeKendree College. His profes- sional learning was obtained at the Rush Med- ical College, from which institution he grad- uated in 1874. He first located at his home, where he shared his father's practice until 1879, and then came to his present location at Mt. Vernon, Ill., where he has followed his profession ever since. Mr. Mitchell was married April 30, 1874, in Elk Prairie Town- ship, Jefferson County, Ill., to Miss Sarah E. Fitzgerrell-a native of this county, being born here December 9, 1854, and a daughter of James J. and Patsey A. (Martin) Fitzgerrell (whose sketches appear elsewhere in this work). Three children have blessed this union-James M., born February 16, 1875 ; John S. and Thom- as J., twins, born Angust 10, 1877. Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell are both members of the Mt. Vernon Methodist Episcopal Church. Subject is a member of the A. F. & A. M and I. O. M. A. fraternities and of the Iron Hall, Mt. Vernon Lodge, No. 68. In politics, he is a Republican. At present is a member of the Board of Educa- tion of the Mt. Vernon Public Schools,
RUFUS A. MORRISON, farmer, P. O. Mt. Vernon, was born in Hardeman County, Tenn., December 20, 1844, and is a son of Adlai S. Morrison (deceased), a native of Wilson Coun- ty, Tenn. Our subject was reared on the farm and attended the common school. He served three years in the late war in Company A, Sixth Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry. After
the close of the war, in 1865, he came to Jef- ferson County, where he has since resided, and engaged in farming. He was married Sep- tember 4, 1873, to Mary, daughter of William T. Williams of this township. They have four children-Charles, Walter, Robert and John. Mr. Morrison owns forty acres of land, and re- sides on the northeast quarter of Section 19.
NORMAN H. MOSS, lawyer, Mt. Vernon, was born in Jefferson County, Il., March 25, 1856, and is a son of Capt. John R. and Parmelia C. (Allen) Moss, whose history appears in the de- partment devoted to Shiloh Township. His early life was spent on the home farm, and received the benefits of the common schools of the county; besides attended the Agricultural Col- lege at Irvington, Ill., and the Southern Illinois Normal University. In 1875, he be- gan teaching school in the county, and con- tinued the same until 1879, when he entered upon the study of law in the office of Crews & Haynes. He was admitted to the bar May 5, 1882, and immediately engaged in the prac- tice of his chosen profession in the office with Mr. Seth F. Crews, and continued with him un- til January 1, 1883, when he opened his present office. Mr. Moss is a member of the Royal Templars of Temperance and the Iron Hall Lodge ; is Independant in politics, and in 1880 was a delegate to the National Con- vention for the Greenback party.
CHARLES H. PATTON, lawyer, Mount Ver- non, is a native of Hartford County, Conn., born on the 9th of May, 1834. His father, Eliphalet W. Patton, was a native of the same county, born October 5, 1805, and was there reared, educated and married. During his younger life he followed boating on the river, and sub- sequently engaged in agricultural pursuits. In 1835, he emigrated with his family to Ashtabula County, Ohio, where he remained until 1862, when he came to Illinois and settled in Jeffer- son County, on a farm in Dodds Township, one and one-half miles south of Mount Vernon, and
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MOUNT VERNON CITY AND TOWNSHIP.
which he had purchased the year previous. He remained in this county, actively engaged in farming, to the time of his death, which oc- curred December 5, 1881. Ile was a member of the Christian Church, a Democrat in poli- tics, and a man who took but little interest in political affairs. His wife, and subject's moth- er, was Ladora A. Griswold. a native of Bur- lington, Vt., born February 6, 1814 ; she is now residing with her son, Frank E. Patton, Deputy County Treasurer, in the city of Mount Vernon. She is the mother of six children, of whom five are now living, viz., Albert W., Arthur W., Adelaide M. (deceased, who married Charles A. Kinney, of Mount Vernon), Byron E., Frank E., and Charles H., our subject, who is the old- est child. He was reared on the farm, and was educated in Ohio, under the preceptorship of Zuinglas C. Graves, now President of the Leb- anon, Penn., Female College. At eighteen years of age, he left his home and engaged as a sailor upon the lakes, and followed the same for three years. When he was twenty-one years old, he began teaching school, and by close economy he was enabled to save enough that would defray his expenses while studying law under the preceptorship of Judge L. A. Leon- ard, of Pierpont, Ohio. He was admitted to the bar March 12, 1862. He came to Jefferson County in 1861, and settled on his father's farm, and the same winter taught school. 1862, on the arrival of his parents to take charge of the farm, he removed to Mount Ver- non, entered into the practice of law in part- nership with Judge James M. Pollock, and continued with him until 1865, when he was elected to the office of Connty Clerk, and served in that position until 1869 ; he again returned to the practice of his profession. In 1870, he formed a partnership with Judge Thomas S. Casey, and continued with him until 1873. In 1880, he took in as a partner Mr. Albert Wat- son, a former student, and a young man who promises to become a prominent and worthy
member of the bar. Mr. Patton was married, November 17, 1854, to Miss Charlotte Shave, a native of Bere Regis, Dorsetshire, England, who came to America with her parents at the age of eleven years, in 1847. She is the daugh- ter John and Charlotte (Lane) Shave, both de- ceased. Mr. and Mrs. Patton have the following children : Fred W., Lulu L. (wife of Stephen G. H. Taylor), Lillie W. and Otto Charles. He and wife are members of the Methodist Epis- copal Church. He is a member of the bar of the United States, District, Circuit and Supreme Courts, and is a member of the orders K. of H. and A., F. & A. M.
COL. C. W. PAVEY, Collector Internal Rev- enne, farmer, etc., P. O. Mount Vernon, was born in Highland County, Ohio, November 8, 1835, and is a son of C. T. Pavey, a native of Kentucky. He was a prominent farmer aud stock-raiser, and removed to Highland County, Ohio, where he died in 1848. Politically, he was a Whig, and a great admirer of Gen. Har- rison, and took an active interest in everything pertaining to the good of the county in which he lived. His father, Isaae Pavey, was also a native of Kentucky, but died a citizen of Ohio ; his death was caused from the effects of a fall from his horse, and occurred when he was eighty years of age. The mother of Col. Pa- vey, our subject, was Lucinda (Taylor) Pavey, and sprang from a branch of the old Zachary Taylor family ; she is still living, at the age of eighty-four years, and is the mother of six children, of whom D. D. Pavey, of Sedalia, Mo., and our subject are the only two now liv- ing. Col. Pavey spent his early life, until twelve years of age, on his father's farm. He was educated in the common schools, and at Green- field and Athens, Ohio, and after leaving school engaged in merchandising, which he has fol- lowed the greater part of his life. He remained in Ohio until 1859, and then came to Mount Vernon. III., where he opened a grocery store. which he carried on successfully until the spring
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of 1862, when he assisted in raising Company E, of the Eightieth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, of which he was elected Second Lieutenant. He went to Louisville, Ky., with his regiment, and in September was detached to the Fourth United States Battery, and placed in charge of a section. He remained with it until the battle of Perryville. Ky., when it was so decimated and shattered it was ordered to be disbanded, and he ordered to report to Gen. McCook. He soon obtained permission to join his company, and remained with it until its arrival at Mur- freesboro, when he was ordered to brigade headquarters for staff duty. He served as Brigade Inspector until the spring of 1863, when the expedition was organized, under the command of Gen. Straight, to go to the rear of Bragg's army. He was placed in command of a battery upon his arrival at Nashville, and participated in the battle of Sand Mountain, or Day's Gap, in Alabama, where he was wounded and left on the field. He was captured by the enemy, and kept in the prisons of Knoxville and others, then sent to Libby, and finally ex- changed. He was kept at Libby for twenty-two and one-half months, and with five other offi- cers held as hostages. At one time they were sentenced to death, and were placed in close confinement in a cell under the prison for 105 days, and then sent to the North Carolina Mili- tary Penitentiary. He remained there until the outbreak of the prisoners in 1864, when they were removed to Danville, Va. He was charged with being one of the instigators of the out- break. At Danville he was engaged again in an outbreak, and was placed under a heavy guard and again sent to Richmond, and put in the old cell in close confinement. He stayed there until February. 1865. when they were ex- changed, as the parties for whom they were held were not executed. The exchange was brought about by Gens. Oglesby and Logan, of Illinois, and friends of the other pirties. Up- on his arrival in Washington, President Lincoln
did not think him fit for duty, and granted him a leave of absence, and a permit to visit the Northern prisons. After the battle of Nash- ville, he reported to Gen. Thomas for duty. But Gen. T. not thinking him able for field duty, ordered him to report to Gen. Rosseau for light duty. He remained there until the close of the war, and then came home to Mt. Vernon, and engaged in milling, grain and general merchan- dise, which he followed until the spring of 1880, when the firm sold out to Stratton, Fergerson & Co. Since then he has been devoting his at- tention to farming and stock-raising, and owns 380 acres of land in this county. He is an energetic and active business man, and takes great interest in every enterprise for the good of his county, and the Republican party, of which he is an ardent supporter. In August, 1882, he was appointed by President Arthur Collector of Internal Revenue of the Thirteenth District of Illinois, with head quarters at Cairo. He was one of the delegates from the Nineteenth District to the National Republican Convention at Chicago, which nominated Garfield and Ar- thur. He was a candidate for Congress against R. W. Townsend, but was defeated, owing to the minority of his party. He was appointed by Gov. Cullom Commander of the Third Brigade of the Illinois National Guards, located on and south of the Ohio & Mississippi Railroad, and held the position for four years. His wife, Isa- bella F., is a daughter of Joel Pace, one of the old settlers of the county. She is the mother of five children, all living, as follows: Eugene M., Lewis G., Neil P., Mabel and Alice. Gen. and Mrs. Pavey are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
JOHN C. PIGG, farmer, P. O. Mt. Vernon, was born in Warren County, Tenn., March 26, 1831, and is a son of John Pigg (deceased), a native of Tennessee. Our subject was brought to this county by his Grandfather Smith in 1834. where he has since resided, except six months in Arkansas. He served about three
MOUNT VERNON CITY AND TOWNSHIP.
years in the late war, in Company B, One Hun- dred and Tenth Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry. He was on detached duty as team- ster from the first, and he was promoted to Wagonmaster after the battle of Bentonville. Ile was married, March 15, 1849, to Polly MI. Newbey, by whom he has bad nine children, seven living, four boys and three girls, viz .: Henry, James T., William P., Frances E., Ellen C., Hardy and Mary Belle. Our subject owns eighty acres of land, and resides on Section 17.
A. W. PLUMMER, retired, Mount Ver- non, was born December 24, 1826, in Go- shen Township, Champaign Co., Ohio, son of Joseph and Eunice (Cummings) Plummer. She was a native of Massachusetts, and he of Vermont. She removed to Ohio with her parents when quite young, and died there. He came to Ohio in early manhood, and died in Mt. Vernon, Ill. They were the parents of six children, of whom five still sur- vive. Our subject early turned his attention to farming, and followed it for many years. In 1866, he came to Jefferson County, Ill., settling on a farm which he yet owns. It contains 120 acres, and is situated two miles south from Mt. Vernon. He was the second owner, the land having been entered during Tyler's administra- tion. About the year 1868, he formed the ac- quaintance of G. S. Winslow, and he in partner- ship with that gentleman assisted in the con- struction of the Southeastern Railroad. After its completion, they became contractors on the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern Railroad. After a five years' sojourn in the Northwest, he returned to his family in Mt. Vernon, Ill., where he yet resides, looking after the interests of his farms. Our subject was married, November 11, 1847, in Ohio, to Miss Maria Flemming, who was born and reared in Clark County, Ohio. Her parents were James and Elizabeth (Bunnell) Flemming. She is the mother of four daugh- ters, viz .: Malvina C., wife of L. E. Legge, of Sedalia, Mo .; Janette, deceased, wife of James
Bussell; Olive, wife of James Tyler, and Alice L. In 1864, he enlisted in Company C, One Hundred and Thirty-first Ohio Volunteer In- fantry, for the 100-day service; served as color- bearer of the regiment under Col. Armstrong, of Champaign County, Ohio. The regiment joined Gen. Butler at City Point, on James Riv- er. Mr. Plummer is a member of A. F. & A. M., Mt. Vernon Lodge, No. 31, and while in Ohio represented his lodge in the Grand Lodge of the State. Since the breaking-out of the war, he has been associated with the Republican party.
HIRAM S. PLUMMER, M. D., Mayor of Mt. Vernon. The spirit of self-help is the root of all genuine growth in the individual, and as exhibited in the lives of many it constitutes the true source of national vigor and strength. The record of Dr. Plummer is such as to entitle him to a prominent place among the self-made and successful men of Illinois. His life is an example of the power of patient purpose, reso- lute working and steadfast integrity, showing, in language not to be misunderstood, what it is possible to accomplish, and illustrating the efficacy of self-respect and self-reliance in en- abling a man to work out for himself an honor- able competency and a solid reputation. He is the third child of Joseph and Eunice (Cum- mings) Plummer, and was born in Marysville, Union Co., Ohio, on the 25th of February, 1831. Joseph Plummer was a native of Rutland County, Vt., born in 1794, and was there reared until he was eighteen years of age, and with his parents then removed to Lower Canada. Here he remained with his parents until he reached his majority, and then moved to Union County, Ohio, where he engaged in farming. In 1871, he came to Mt. Vernon, Ill., and resided with the Doctor until he died, which sad event oe- curred in 1873. His wife, and mother of our subject, was born in Marietta, Ohio, in 1802, and was married on the 3d of February, 1820; she died in Mechanicsburg, Ohio, in 1865. Hi- ram S. Plummer spent his early life at home,
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assisting to till the farm, and receiving the ben- efit of the common schools. At twenty years of age, he left his home and began the study of medicine under the preceptorship of Dr. Andrew Wilson, of Urbana, Ohio, and remained with him three years, subsequently graduating from the Cincinnati College of Medicine and Surgery with the degree of M. D. He immediately en- tered upon the practice of his chosen profes- sion, and continued the same until the breaking- out of the late rebellion in 1862. He yielded to the promptings of patriotism, and enlisted as Assistant Surgeon of the One Hundred and Tenth Illinois Regiment. After the battle of Per- ryville, he was detached to take charge of the wounded, and subsequently, in June, 1863, he was appointed Surgeon in charge of the hospital at Nashville, Tenn., and on the consolidation of his regiment in November of the same year, he was mustered out of the service, but remained in charge of the hospital under contract until the spring of 1864, when he resigned his posi- tion, returned to his home in Mt. Vernon, Ill., and resumed his practice, continuing the same until February, 1865, when he again entered the service, this time as Surgeon of the One Hun- dred and Fifty-second Regiment. In October of the same year, he returned home and has been engaged in his professional work, doing a large and lucrative practice. He was married, in September, 1860, to Miss Martha, a daugh- ter of Harvey T. Pace, one of the old pioneers of the county. Mrs. Plummer is a native of the county, and is the mother of the follow- ing seven children: Hollie, Grace, Minnie MI., Nanie, Ada R., Lulu and H. Gale. Dr. Plum- mer is an active worker for the Republican par- ty, and has held several official positions. He is now Mayor of the city, is a member of the or- der A. F. & A. M., and a member of the South- ern Illinois Medical Association.
JUDGE JAMES M. POLLOCK, lawyer, MIt. Vernon, was born in County Down, Ireland, and is a son of William and Mary Ann (Corrough)
Pollock. William Pollock was born, reared and educated in Scotland, and during the war of his native country, he with his parents re- moved to Ireland, and was there married and engaged in farming. He subsequently emi- grated to America, locating in Allegheny County, l'enn., bringing with him at the time his wife and seven of his children. He died in Pennsylvania. His wife was a native of Ireland and died in Pennsylvania. She was the mother of nine children, of whom six are now living, James M. Pollock, our subject, be- ing the fifth child. He emigrated to America alone at the age of sixteen years, and joined his brother, who resided in Pennsylvania. He spent his early life in farming, as a hired hand. and by his industry and economy he was able to save enough means to receive an education. He entered the Meadville (Penn.) College, and graduated with honor in the class of 1849. Previous to this, and while working on the farm, he had purchased some law books, and so diligently did he study that in 1850 he was admitted to the bar. He then began the prac- tice of his profession, at New Castle, Lawrence County, Penn. In 1852, he was elected State's Attorney for Lawrence County, and served four years. In 1857, on account of his failing health, caused by the close confinement to his profession, he turned his face westward, de- termined to find a more healthful climate. On the 20th of April, 1857, he came to Mt. Vernon, and finding the climate beneficial to his health, he decided to remain, and imme- diately began the practice of law. In 1863, he was elected Circuit Judge, and filled that office until 1872. He is now engaged in a large and Inerative law practice in . partnership with his sons. He was married in Meadville, Penn., in 1848, to Carolina M. Lyon, a native of Canada, but who was reared in Pennsylvania. She is the mother of three children-William C., James L., and Alice, who died at the age of nine years. Judge Pollock is a member of
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