USA > Illinois > Jersey County > History of Jersey County, Illinois > Part 45
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ALLEMANG, Leon Douglas, city alderman of Grafton, and one of the substantial men of this section, belongs to an old and honored family of Jersey County. He was born at Grafton, May 24, 1876. The paternal grandparents came from Alsace-Lorraine, France, to the United States at an early day; while the maternal grandparents were prominent farmers in the vicinity of Portsmouth, Ohio, where the mother of Leon Douglas Allemang was born. She and her husband had the following children : Blanche; Rupert, who is deceased; Allie Chappelle, who is deceased; Leon Douglas; and Claude, who is de- ceased. The parents of Leon Douglas Allemang came to Illinois in 1869, locating at Grafton. The father was a steamboat agent and as such came into contact with many celebrated men, among them being Mark Twain, whom he knew very well. He held this position for eighteen years, and then was city marshal of Grafton for a couple of years, dying in 1903. During the Civil War, he gave this country a loyal service as a soldier, and later belonged to the local G. A. R. In politics he was a Republican. His wife survives and lives at Grafton.
Until he was sixteen years old, Leon Allemang attended the Graf- ton schools, and then engaged in fishing for two years. Subsequently
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he was employed in the limestone quarries, and then for twenty-one years was engaged in steamboating. Ile then became interested in a warehouse business, and is now operating a large warehouse at Graf- ton. Politically he is a Republican, and in 1916 was elected a member of the city council of Grafton. Fraternally he belongs to the Knights of Pythias. A man of progressive ideas, he has been able to advance. and is accepted as a desirable citizen in every respect.
ALLEN, Hugh, a successful general farmer of English Township, Jersey County, owns and operates a fine farm of 180 acres, upon which he has always lived. He was born on this farm, March 5, 1874. a son of Hugh and Margaret (Durney) Allen, natives of Ireland, who located in English Township after their marriage, buying there a. farm of eighty acres. To this farm the father kept on adding until lie owned 360 acres all in one body, and on it he died in 1892. The mother died many years ago. Their children were as follows: Rich- ard, who lives in Jersey Township; Margaret, who is deccased ; Rose. who lives with her brother Richard: Thomas, who lives in English Township ; and Hugh.
llugh Allen attended the Fremont district school and has always lived at home. Ile carries on general farming and raises horses, cat- tle and hogs, and has made a success of his life work. On November 24, 1897, he was married to Nellic Krans, born at Fieldon, Ill., a daugh- ter of John and Fannie (Bertman) Kraus, natives of Germany. Mr. and Mrs. Allen have the following children: Francis, Joseph, Mark, Thomas, Willifred, Eugene, Mary Louise and Robert. In politics Mr. Allen is a Democrat, and he served as a school director, and for one term he was supervisor of his township. He is a member of the Cath- olie Church. Fraternally he belongs to Knights of Columbus and Kane Camp M. W. A. A man of sound principles and energy, he has gained respect from his associates, and stands high in his community.
ALLEN, Richard, owner of a fine farm of 230 acres of very valuable land on section 6, Jersey Township, is one of the prosperous general grain farmers and stockraisers of Jersey County. He was born in English Township, February 24, 1865, a son of Hugh and Margaret (Durney) Allen, natives of Ireland, who were married in Jersey County, Ill., and located in English Township, where both passed away, he dying in 1891, and she in 1884. They had five children.
On February 15, 1898, Richard Allen, who had been living with the family on the homestead, was married to Julia E. Duggan, born in Mississippi Township, a daughter of Michael Duggan, born in Ireland. Mr. and Mrs. Allen became the parents of the following children : Edward, Leo and James. On March 26, 1916, Mrs. Allen
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died, and since then Mr. Allen's sister Rosa has kept house for him. Until 1905 Mr. Allen continued to operate a portion of the homestead, but in that year he bought 230 acres of land on scetion 6, and since then has made many improvements and has now a very desirable property. On it he raises cattle, horses and hogs and carries on general grain farming.
Since 1908 he has been a school director, and believes in the public schools system as he received his own educational training in the local district schools. Ile was reared in the Catholic faith and is an earnest member of the local church. In politics he is a Democrat. Earnest, steadfast and reliable, he has forged ahead and deserves the prosperity which he has attained.
ALLEN, Thomas, owner of 220 acres of fine farm land in English Township, is justly regarded as one of the substantial farmers of Jersey County. Ile was born in English Township, December 21, 1870, a son of Ilugh and Margaret (Durney) Allen, natives of Ireland who came to the United States, and for a time after landing in this country, Hugh Allen worked in New York state, but later he came to Jersey County. He located on a farm he bought that contained a log cabin, and here the following children were born: Richard, who lives in Jersey' Township; Margaret, who died in 1915; Rosa, who lives with Richard; Thomas; and Hugh. The father died in 1891, the mother having passed away in 1884.
Thomas Allen was reared in his native township and attended the grade and high schools. After the death of the father the children remained together for a time, but later divided the homestead and other property, and Thomas Allen received 120 acres as his portion. IIe has since added 100 acres to his farm and on it he has erected buildings and made other valuable improvements so that now he has a fine property, and here he is doing general farming and stock- raising.
On November 16, 1898, Mr. Allen was married to Nellie Quinn, born in Jersey County, February 12, 1872, a daughter of Thomas and Ellen (Kinsella) Quinn, natives of Ireland. Mr. and Mrs. Allen have the following children: Richard, Mary, Margaret, Hugh, Aquinas, Helen, and Pauline. St. Francis Catholic Church of Jerseyville holds the membership of the Allen family. In politics Mr. Allen is a Democrat, while fraternally he belongs to the Knights of Columbus.
ALWARD, Richard, owner of 364 acres of valuable Ruyle Town- ship farm land, is numbered among the successful farmers of Jersey County. He was born at Brunswick, N. J., May 21, 1853, a son of William and Hannah (Wooden) Alward, natives of New Jersey, who in 1855 came to Jersey County. Richard Wooden came here at an
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early day, entering government land in Fidelity Township and Ruyle Township. The parents settled on a 140-acre farm the mother's father had entered from the government, and on it the father died about 1868. The mother continued to live there until her death about 1897.
Richard Alward attended school but very little and is principally self taught, but has always had keen business sense. When he was twenty-one years old he began farming on rented land in Ruyle Town- ship, and began to make payments on forty acres, but was only able to continue them for two years. He then made a sale and disposed of horses, four hogs and other stock, and thereby secured enough money to buy twenty acres of timber land, on which he later erected buildings. He cleared off his land and kept on adding to his original purchase, and later inherited forty-four acres from his mother's estate in the American bottoms. By this time he had eighty-four acres, and to it added twenty more acres. Keeping on clearing his land and farming, he was able to buy fifty acres of land in the bottoms of Ruyle Township, and later bought forty acres near Foster's Lake in the same township. His next purchase was eighty acres in Ruyle Township, and he then added cighty acres one-half a mile south of his first twenty-acre purchase. On this he built his present home. He now owns 364 acres of land, all of which is in Ruyle Township, and on it he carries on general farming, and raises white faced cattle, horses and hogs.
Mr. Alward was married to Rachel Kelly, born in Fidelity Town- ship, a daughter of William Kelly. Mr. and Mrs. Alward have the following children: William, who lives in Greene County, Ill .; John, who lives in Ruyle Township; James, who lives in Greene County, Ill. ; Joseph, who lives in Fidelity Township; Mary, who is Mrs. Edward Powers, of St. Louis, Mo .; Anna, who is Mrs. Andrew Murphy, of Jersey Township; Biddy, who is Mrs. Edward Fitzsimmons, of Ruyle Township; and Sadie, who is Mrs. Joseph Madden, of Gillespie, Ill. In politics Mr. Alward is a Democrat, but his time has been too much occupied for him to accept office, although well fitted to discharge public duties.
AMES, Nathaniel, who is recalled with respect as a man of military prowess and as a preacher of great power, was born April 25, 1761 at Killingly, Conn. When he was six years old, his father David Ames, gave him into the care of his grandfather who had recently lost a son during the French and Indian War. When Nathaniel Ames was eighteen years old, he enlisted in the Continental service for the campaign of 1779, after which he agreed to take the place of a soldier who had enlisted for a period of three years, that had a family who needed his support. Nathaniel Ames completed his period of service, and was honorably discharged by Major Walbridge in the winter of 1780. That winter the regiment was sent from the barracks at Mor- ristown, to Woodbridge, N. J., and Nathaniel Ames enlisted for the campaign of 1870 under Colonel Starns, as quartermaster sergeant.
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To the day of his death Mr. Ames could distinetly recall General Washington and General Steuben and the latter's historic black horse. Benediet Arnold was a well known figure to him. While in the serv- ice Mr. Ames assisted Colonel Ledgard in building Ft. Griswold opposite New London, Conn. After his second discharge, in 1780, he was made a guard at Stonington, Conn., and in the spring of 1781 he went on the 16-gun brig, Lafayette, commanded by Captain Trotter, as a privatcer, one half the prizes to go to the owner of the ship, and the balance to be divided among the offieers and men. The ship went to New London, and Newport, at which time Mr. Ames was siek. The French fleet commanded by Admiral Havergrass, entered the harbor, and General Washington met and interviewed the Frenchman. The eity was illuminated in honor of the occasion. Mr. Ames went to a tavern and partieipated in the festivities. His ship later joined the French fleet and put to sea and there eneountered an English brig bound for New York, which they captured and sent to New London, but this brig was later retaken by the English and sent to Halifax, the erew being made prisoners. The next capture was a sloop of little value, but the erew were made prisoners, and Mr. Ames, with others, was sent aboard of it, and took it to New London. The following year Mr. Ames continued as a privatecr, and his eommand captured and sent baek two prizes, one a very fine ship, but an attaek by the enemy destroyed the ship in the harbor. In the fall of 1783 Mr. Ames went on a merehant ship bound for the West Indies and went to the Bermudas, and after being engaged in trading, started home, but was taken by a refugee ship and sent back to the Bermudas, and kept a prisoner for three months, and then was placed on an English ship and sailed around in the West Indian waters, where he was stricken down with yellow fever and nearly died. He then returned to New London where he was discharged.
Going up the Hudson River, Mr. Ames then attended sehool for three months, and then took charge of a sloop to run between New York and Albany, and on the first trip he ran the boat to Half Moon Point, which had never been aeeomplished before. He then abandoned a sea life, and began farming. About this time he was married to Sarah Hall, a daughter of Thomas Hall, and they joined the Wes- leyan Methodish Church. Soon thereafter they went to Steuben, Oneida County, N. Y., where Mr. Ames preached until he was seventy- five years old, but never aeeepted any money for his ministrations. In the summer of 1844 he went to Wiseonsin and bought from the gov- ernment 320 aeres of land, in the town of Oregon, Dane County. His maternal grandfather was Cornelius Waldo, who was an unele of Jonathan Waldo.
ATCHISON, Clarence P., who is one of the prominent and repre- sentative men of Jerseyville and well known all over Jersey County, was born at Jerseyville, Ill., March 12, 1883. He is a son of Eldridge and Elizabeth (West) Atchison, the former of whom was born in
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Atchison County, Mo., in 1849, and the latter some years later at Jerseyville. The paternal grandfather, Peter Atchison, was born in England and eame to Jerseyville in 1860. The maternal grandparents were John and Mary (Ilibiant) West, the former of whom was born in Seotland and was a pioneer settler in Jersey County, Ill., where he followed the trades of stonemason and plasterer. Ilis wife was a native of Alsace Lorraine, Franee.
Eldridge Atehison, father of Clarence P., was a well known resident of Jersey County, where he engaged in farming and butchering. Ile lived for a time at Delhi and later at Jerseyville, and in earlier years drove a meat wagon through the country neighborhood. Ilis death occurred at Jerseyville on July 3, 1916. His widow survives and resides in this city.
Clarence P. Atchison attended the public schools of Jerseyville until he was fourteen years of age and then entered another kind of school-a printing offiee. Ile started at the bottom of the ladder in the Jerseyville County Demoerat office and by 1901 had completed his apprenticeship. Ile continues with the same journal, having charge of the advertising department and the snappy editorials in the sporting department come from his pen.
Mr. Atchison was married April 28, 1909, to Miss Josephine C. Lenz, who was born in English Township, Jersey County, and is a daughter of Joseph and Mary (Albart) Lenz. The father of Mrs. Atchison was born in Bremen, Germany, and the mother in the state of New York.
From early manhood Mr. Atehison has been an interested student of politics and is rather prominently identified with the Democratic party in Jersey County, serving as secretary of the county eentral committee for the past six years, and he also proved exeeedingly efficient as a city offieial serving for five years as alderman from the First Ward, as mayor pro tem at times and in the spring of 1917 was elected to the office of city commissioner. Ilis infiuenee is also exereised in behalf of the city as a member of the executive eom- mittee of the eivie branch of the Community Club. While business and polities largely engage his attention, Mr. Atehison finds time to assist in promoting the interests of organizations of a general beneficial character. For two years he has served as seeretary of the JJersey County Poultry Association and is a member of the poultry show eom- mittee. Ile is a member of St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church at Jerseyville. Fraternally he belongs to the Knights of Columbus and also to the Modern Woodmen of America, of which latter order he is present loeal banker and assistant distriet deputy, and from 1911 to 1916 inclusive, served as one of the order's counsel. He also served as state and national delegate at the M. W. A. convention in 1917.
AYLWARD, John R., now deceased but for many years a highly respected resident of Jerseyville, belonged to one of the old families of this part of the state. He was born in Maeoupin County, Ill., May
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28, 1856, a son of Thomas and Mary (Welsh) Aylward, born in Ire- land, who came to the United States in a sailing vessel, and landed at New Orleans. From New Orleans they came up the Mississippi River to Alton, Ill., by steamboat, and from Alton to Jerseyville by team. The father was engaged in farming at various places, finally purchasing a home at Jerseyville.
After attending the public schools, John R. Aylward was employed in the Jerseyville car shops and continued to work in them until his death May 10, 1897. He was a member of the Catholic Church, was a Democrat and belonged to the Modern Woodmen of America. On August 23, 1879, he was married in Jersey County to Delia Allen, born in Jersey County, Ill., a daughter of Frank and Rachel (Reece) Allen, natives of Dublin, Ireland, and Kentucky, respectively. He invested in a large amount of farm land. Mr. and Mrs. Aylward be- came the parents. of the following children: Thomas Franklin, who lives at Chicago : Mary E., who is Mrs. Clarence Hughes, a widow, of Jerseyville ; John Richard, who lives at St. Louis, Mo .; Catherine, who is Mrs. Rick Achison, of Jerseyville; James Edward, who is with his mother; Margaret Lydia, who is Mrs. Harry Taylor of Jersey County ; and Celia Elizabeth, who is with her mother.
When Mr. Aylward died, Mrs. Aylward was left with a family of children. In order to comfortably support them she entered upon an unusual line of work for one of her sex, paper hanging, and was so successful in it that by 1915 she was one of the leading inside decorat- ors of Jerseyville and vicinity. She is a lady of remarkable force of character and ability, and is held in the very highest esteem by all who have the honor of her acquaintance, for they appreciate the de- termination and pluck that it required to enable her to enter what was then regarded as exclusively a man's field, and to "make good" at her work, and to at all times command respect and confidence.
BAIRD, Allen D., whose activity in commercial life is in the line of handling high grade general groceries, is a prosperous and well known business man at Jerseyville, where he was born November 11, 1875, a son of Abram S. and Mary L. (Pope) Baird, natives of New Jersey, who came to Jersey County about 1855. Abram S. Baird located in Jersey Township and there engaged in farming. IIe died March 22, 1886, and his wife died April 12, 1912.
Allen D. Baird, youngest of the five children born to his parents, attended the public schools at Jerseyville. When twenty years old he began working for his brother as a clerk in a bakery, remaining with him for eighteen months. Hle then worked for himself in different lines for four years and finally embarked in a baking business which he conducted for two years. Disposing of his bakery, he was engaged in painting, decorating and paper hanging for several years, but in 1914 he embarked in the grocery business, in the western part of Jerseyville,
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his store being located at No. 601, W. Spence Street, where he has since continued, and has built up a fine trade.
In November, 1904, Mr. Baird was married to Clara Simmons Row- den, who was born in Jersey County, September 9, 1872, a daughter of George and Lizzie (Mckinney) Rowden, le born in Iowa, and she in Jersey County. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Baird are as follows : Russell, who was born August 2, 1908; Mary Elizabeth, who was born February 26, 1910; and Charles Abram, who was born October 24, 1911. In political faith, Mr. Baird is a Republican. He holds member- ship in the Odd Fellows and Modern Woodmen of America. On his father's side, Mr. Baird is descended from prominent old New Jersey stock, the Bairds, the Drakes and the Popes all being families of importance.
BANFIELD, William Henry, a veteran of the Civil War and a capable farmer whose operations are conducted in the vicinity of Graf- ton, was born in Chester County, Pa., January 10, 1842, a son of George and Harriett Banfield, natives of Pennsylvania, who came of Scotch and Irish ancestry. The family came to Illinois, and when he was nine years old William Henry Banfield began attending school in Dav- ton. When only twelve years old, he was employed as an assistant to the cook of a rafting crew, and remained with this organization for four years. Going into the pine woods of Wisconsin, he worked there and while rafting logs down the Mississippi River he was taken sick, and stopped at Grafton until he recovered. Liking the locality, he decided to remain, and for a time worked at whatever he could find to do. In the meanwhile the Civil War had broken out, and when he was twenty years old, on February 10, 1862, Mr. Banfield enlisted in de- fense of his country, in Company D, Sixty-first Illinois Volunteer In- fantry, and was discharged with the rank of sergeant. After his discharge he returned to Grafton and engaged in farming as a hired hand and he has been successful in this line of endeavor.
When he was twenty-five years old, Mr. Banfield was married to Sarah N. Guess, and they have had the following children: William II. and Angie, both of whom are deceased; Laura Crandall, who lives at Grafton; Leander H., who lives at Alton, Ill .; Charles R., who lives in Missouri; August A., who is deceased; Maud Hayes, who lives at Grafton; and Walter D., who is also living at Grafton. Mr. Banfield is a member of the local G. A. R. In national matters, Mr. Banfield votes the straight Republican ticket, but locally generally prefers to support the man he believes will best discharge the duties of the office in question.
BARNES, Edward F., now deceased, for a number of years was included among the representative men of Jersey County, and was a successful farmer of Ruyle Township. He was born in Ruyle Town- ship, March 6, 1875, a son of James W. and Caroline (Elliott) Barnes. After attending the district and a high school in his native county,
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Edward F. Barnes began farming. He was married on June 26, 1901 to Nellie M. Ketchum, born in Macoupin County, Ill., September 8, 1874, a daughter of Leonard and Jane S. (Hayward) Ketchum, he born in Macoupin County, April 21, 1842, and she at Clifton, Madison County, Ill., March 27, 1845. The grandparents, Ira and Phebe (Fitz- gerald) Ketchum, were born in Vermont and New Jersey, respectively, while the maternal grandparents were Ansel and Lueinda Jane (Tol- man) Hayward, of Massachusetts. The family of Hayward , was founded at Plymouth, Mass., in 1635. After his marriage Edward F. Barnes moved to a farm he owned in Ruyle Township, which was situated within a quarter of a mile of his birthplace. This farm contains 120 acres of land and he improved it considerably, erecting substantial buildings and adding to its value in other ways. He also owned eighty aeres of timber, and carried on general farming and stoekraising. His death oeeurred April 27, 1917, in a hospital in St. Louis, Mo. Mr. and Mrs. Barnes had no children of their own, but they reared an adopted daughter, Christina L. Carr, who was born December 17, 1899.
Mrs. Barnes attended the sehools of her distriet. She is a member of the Kemper Baptist Church, to which Mr. Barnes also belonged and which he served as elerk and also was superintendent of the Sunday school. He was converted and baptized into the church May 24, 1889. In polities he was a Republican. He belonged to the Odd Fellows, Modern Woodmen of America and Royal Neighbors, all of Kemper, Ill. All of his interests were centered on this loeality to which he gave a good eitizen's support in every way. Mrs. Barnes is now capabły condueting the homestead.
BARNES, Stephen F., owner of 160 acres of fine Ruyle Township land, is now engaged in farming, although he has had a mereantile experience as well. He was born in Ruyle Township, Jersey County, Ill., September 10, 1870, a son of James William and Caroline (Elliott) Barnes, natives of Virginia and Madison County, Ill. The paternal grandparents, Elijah William and Margaret Barnes, eame to Jersey County about 1833 and entered a large amount of government land. Lewis and Elizabeth (Reddish) Elliott, the maternal grandparents, were among the very earliest settlers of Jersey County. After mar- riage, James William Barnes and his wife located on land his father had entered from the government, the entry fee having been earned by the grandmother of Stephen F. Barnes. James William Barnes beeame the owner of 240 aeres of land, all of which was entered from the government with his mother's money, and he farmed it until 1898, and lived until 1908. After his death, his widow moved to Medora, Ill., where she died December 11, 1914. There are five living children namely : Mary Jane, who is Mrs. Luther Livingston, of Neal, Greenwood County, Kas .; Lewis and John, who live at Medora, Ill. ; Stephen F .; and Oscar, who live in Jerseyville. Those deceased are : Edward, and Leona, who was Mrs. James Walker, died in 1908.
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On February 7, 1902, Mr. Barnes was married to Effie Fry, born at Rock Bridge, Greene County, Ill., a daughter of Lindsey and Alice (Hickman Fry, natives of Greene County, Ill., and Indiana, respec- tively. Mr. and Mrs. Barnes have four children, namely : Ruth. Paul, Ilal and Mary. After his marriage, Mr. Barnes moved to his present 160-acre farm in Ruyle Township, forty acres of which has never been out of the Barnes family since it was entered from the government. Hle operated this farm until 1913, when he rented it and leaving it in charge of his brother-in-law, Fred Fry, moved to Medora. Ill., where he bought a mercantile business and conducted it for two years. Selling it, he returned to the farm where he has since been engaged in stock raising and dairying, having a herd of ten cows, and handles cream, and has been very successful. The Baptist Church of Kemper, Ill., holds his membership. Ile is a Democrat, and Kemper Camp M. W. A., holds his allegiance, and he enjoys this connection.
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