USA > Illinois > Macon County > History of Macon County, Illinois : with illustrations descriptive of its scenery, and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 40
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 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68
HON. SAMUEL F. GREER.
SAMUEL F. GREER, judge of the county court of Macon county since 1851, was born in Fairfield county, Ohio, on the 8th of September, 1825. His ancestors were Scotch-Irish, and settled in Maryland previous to the Revolutionary war, in which some of them bore an honorable part. The family is of the same origin as the Greer family of Virginia and Pennsylvania, one of the members of which, in the latter State, was Justice Greer, of the United States Supreme Court. William J. Greer, the father of the subject of this biography, was born and raised in Prince George county, Maryland, and married Sarah Downing, who was descended from an English family which had settled at an early period, in the same state. About the year 1829, William J. Greer removed to Ohio, and settled in Fairfield county, where he lived eight or ten years, and then moved to the neighborhood of Findlay, in Hancock county, in north-western Ohio, where he died in 1833.
Judge Greer was the next to the youngest of a family of twelve children, of whom nine grew to maturity. He was two years of age when the family moved to Hancock county, in 1827. There Judge Greer was raised. The country was new when the family first took up its residence in that part of the State, but by the time the subject of this sketch got old enough to attend school, compar- atively good schools for the day, had been established. They were held in log school-houses for about three months in the winter, and their advantages were meagre in contrast with those of the present time. On the 7th of April, 1844, he married Elizabeth Taylor, who was born at Somerset, Perry county, Ohio, daughter of Hugh Taylor, a native of the State of Delaware. In 1847, Judge Greer moved to Logan county, Ohio, and was living there at the time the excitement arose consequent on the discovery of gold in Cali- fornia. He was one of the pioneers who made their way across the plains to the Pacific slope in 1849. At Independence, Missouri, from which point the early expeditions across the plains usually started, he joined a wagon train, which was one of the first to reach California by the Overland route. It passed near Salt Lake City, and arrived in California, in September, 1849. He was occupied part of the time in merchandizing at Nevada City, rnd part of the time in mining. This was the first year of the heavy emigration to California; society was in a disorganized con- dition ; no local government had been established, and the Judge was a witness to many of the incidents and adventures which made life in California at that time memorable. He returned to Ohio in the fall of 1850, after an absence of about nineteen months.
He became a resident of Decatur in 1854, first engaging in the mercantile business. In 1859, he was elected a justice of the peace. In the fall of 1861, he was chosen county judge of Macon county. He was admitted to the bar in January, 1862. He has been re-elected county judge in 1865, 1869, 1873, and 1877. He was originally a Whig in politics. His first vote for president was cast for Gen. Taylor, in 1848. On the dissolution of the Whig organization his sentiments on the subject of slavery led him to become a Republican, and he has voted for every Republican can- didate for the Presidency, from Fremont, 1856, to the present time. He has four children. His theological views coincide with those of the Methodist Church, of which, for several years, he and his wife were members. He is a man of moderate and conserva- tive views, of sound judgment, and with habits of thought fitted to take a fair and comprehensive view of any subject. The ability and faithfulness with which he has filled the office of county judge is best shown by the number of times in succession he has been elected to that position.
HISTORY OF MACON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
151
N.M.SNYDER
GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS SMITH, a former resident of Decatur, now living in New Mexico, was born in the city of Philadelphia on the twenty-sixth of December, 1820. He was the sixth child of the Rev. James Smith, who was born in Virginia, and his wife, Nancy, who was the only daughter of Edward and Rachel Owen, of Mont- gomery county, Maryland. His father was a minister of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church. His mother dying when he was but two years old, and his father when he was but five, he with his five brothers and sisters were taken in charge by their grandmother, Mrs. Rachel Owen, of Montgomery county, Maryland, then a widow, and one of the noblest and best of women. Mrs. Owen lived to see her great-grandchildren, and died at a good old age in the year 1848. At the age of sixteen he accompanied his sister, Octavia O. Wooton, and her husband, Dr. Richard Wooton, who were on their way to Mississippi, as far as Cincinnati, Ohio, where he left them to seek his own fortune. He made his way to Springfield, Ohio, where two of his older brothers at that time resided. He was urged to accept a position as clerk in a store, but persistently refused, insist- ing on learning the carriage and wagon-making trade instead. Two years afterward he came to Decatur, arriving here in December, 1837, but stopped only a short time, going to Springfield, Illinois, where he resided for several years. After visiting his old home in Maryland and spending the summer and fall there, he returned to Springfield, and on his twenty-third birthday, December the twen- ty-sixth, 1843, was united in marriage to Margaret Ann Bahan, and immediately afterward took up his residence in Decatur. He devoted his attention to the manufacture of carriages, and built up a large business, employing from twenty to thirty hands. From
1858 to the breaking out of the war of the rebellion, he manufac- tured carriages largely for the southern market. He spent his winters usually in the south, both with the object of improving his health and looking after his business interests. The southern trade being prospectively good, and not believing that the south would ever be so foolish as to carry out its threats of secession, he made every exertion to make as heavy shipments to that section as possi- ble. - Consequently, when the war of the rebellion cut off the busi- ness intercourse between the north and the south, he was a very heavy loser. Out of his large shipments, amounting to over fifty thousand dollars, he never received a single cent. His pecuniary interests in the south were heavy ; but at the meeting held at the court-house, on the arrival of the news of the firing on Fort Sum- ter, he was the second speaker, and, in a short but pointed speech, held that the integrity of the Union should be maintained at all hazards. The next day he was busy drilling men and preparing them for the field. He was asked to go to Mattoon to drill the regiment, which afterwards was mustered in as the Twenty-first Illinois, and of which General U. S. Grant became the Colonel. He also assisted in drilling some of the early regiments formed at Springfield. He declined several positions offered him till the sixth of May, 1861, when he was tendered the command of a regiment by the unanimous vote of its members. For six months afterward the regiment was known as " Gus. Smith's Independent Regiment." Richard Yates, then Governor, with part of his staff, made applica- tion to the Secretary of War that the regiment might continue to be known as G. A. Smith's Independent Regiment Illinois Volun- teers; but this was found to be contrary to the regulations of the
152
HISTORY OF MACON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
War Department, though when the regiment was accepted at Washingtou as the Thirty-fifth Illinois, a special provision was made in the case of Colonel Smith, that his regiment should not be interfered with by the Commanding General of the Department under three months, during which time he could take his regiment anywhere, and be allowed subsistence and camp and garrison equipage. This unusual privilege was giveu him on account of his known ability for drill and organization. Within a day or two after receiving this order from the Secretary of War, he re- ceived letters both from Gen. Fremont, commanding at St. Louis, and Governor Yates-the former urging him to bring his regiment to St. Louis, and the latter to Springfield. Proceeding to Spring- field, he drove with Gov. Yates and part of his staff to the point where Camp Butler was afterward established, and selected that camping ground. Gov. Yates was very desirous that Colonel Smith should take command with his regiment and organize a state mili- tary camp of instruction, promising that his men should be at once supplied with clothing and camp and garrison equipage by the state. Gen. Fremont promised the same, and urged him to bring his regiment at once to St. Louis, where he greatly needed troops and was apprehensive of an attack from the enemy.
Col. Smith ordered his regiment to Decatur, and, being desirous to consult the wishes of his men, left the matter for them to decide. They voted almost unanimously to go to St. Louis, to which place the regiment went at once, and was stationed at Jefferson Barracks. While there, a committee of the citizens of Decatur presented the colonel with a fine horse and sword, and the regiment with a beau- tiful flag-the latter the gift of the ladies of Decatur. From Jefferson Barracks the regiment, in August, 1861, proceeded to Jefferson City, and after a few days' stay at the capital of Missouri, went to Sedalia. In September, Colonel Smith, iu commaud of a brigade of several regiments and a battery, set out to join General Fremont at Carthage, in south-west Missouri. From Carthage he preceded General Fremont's army and advanced by forced marches to Springfield, arriving six hours too late to take part in the fight which Major Zagonyi, of Fremont's staff, had with the enemy. The day after, Gen. Fremont came up with the remainder of the army. A few days after, a council of war, at which Col. Smith was present, determined to continue the pursuit of the Confederate General Price, but the command having been transferred from Fremont to Hunter, the order was countermanded and the army returned, part to the Army of the Mississippi and part to winter quarters at Rolla, Missouri. In January, 1862, the army was reorganized under Gen. Curtis, and advanced in pursuit of the enemy towards Spring- field and Lebanon. Daily fights and skirmishes occurred, but the force pushed southward iuto Arkausas, and, on the sixth, seventh, and eighth of March, 1862, fought the battle of Pea Ridge. The enemy, under Gen. Van Dorn, numbered forty thousand. On the second day of the battle Col. Smith was ordered with his command, which included the Thirty-fifth Illinois Regiment, the Twenty-fifth Missouri, and the First Iowa Battery, to take position on the turn- pike near the Elk Horn Tavern. He soon afterward discovered the enemy in front deploying in mass column, apparently with a view of surrounding our army. He at once disposed his battery so as to command the three valleys, giving the enemy easy access to his position, and opened fire on the solid mass columns of the ene. 7, doing great execution. The enemy at once replied, without doing much damage for an hour or more, but finally, getting the proper range, poured great quantities of grape and canister into his com- mand. About two hours after the fight opened, Col. Smith's horse was shot under him. While waiting for another horse, still in per- sonal command of his battery, his sword was struck in his hand, his
belt cut from his body, he received a shot through his left shoulder and was struck on the right side of his head with a piece of shell, which fractured the skull. The blood flowed profusely from these wounds, but he continued in the fight until exhausted by the loss of blood ; he was then taken from the field, supposed to be mortally wounded. To ninety-nine out of one hundred men death would have resulted ; but his fine physical condition and determined will brought him safely through, though his wounds did not completely heal till 1868.
His wounds rendering him unfit for field duty, in July, 1862, he was authorized to raise an independent brigade in Illinois, which he shortly accomplished, but was unable to accompany them to the field. In September, 1862, President Lincoln commissioned him Brigadier General for gallant and meritorious conduct on the field of battle. In March, 1863, he voluntarily reported to Gen. Rosecranz at Murfreesboro, Tenn., and asked to be assigned to active duty in the field, which request was refused, the surgeon reporting that in the condition of his wounds at that time, active service would jeopardize his life. At Murfreesboro he met his old regiment, the Thirty-fifth Illinois, two miles out,-and they escorted him to their camp. The rank and file of the regiment presented him with a magnificent sword (one of the sergeants mak- ing the presentation speech), on which was engraven these words : " Presented to Col. G. A. Smith by the rank and file of the Thirty- fifth Illinois Regiment, for brave and gallant conduct at the battle of Pea Ridge ; to be used in the cause of human progress."
Gen. Rosecranz having been authorized to appoint a provost marshal general for Illinois, Geu. Smith received the appointment, in the appropriate orders, and proceeded at once to organize a full staff; but in a few days these orders were countermanded by the Secretary of War, who ordered that Gen. Smith should organize and take command of a convalescent camp from the Army of the Cumberland, to be located near Murfreesboro. Gen. Smith at once proceeded to carry out these instructions under the direct command of Gen. George H. Thomas. This position gave him a fine field for the display of executive ability. The camp increased to thirty thousand men, and when it was disbanded the December following, - he received complimentary thanks in the orders of both General Thomas and Gen. Rosecranz. Here he was mustered out of the service. In 1864 he took an active part in the re-election of Presi- dent Lincoln, and in the fall of that year tendered to General Han- cock, then commanding the Veteran Reserve, twenty thousand western veterans to be placed in a separate and distinct command. Hancock gladly accepted the offer, but could not prevail on Secre- tary Stanton to accept the command in that manner. Returning to Illinois Gov. Oglesby appointed him colonel of the One Hundred and Fifty-fifth Illinois Infantry Regiment, and in February, 1865, he was ordered to Nashville, Tenn., where he again came under the command of the gallant Thomas, who, on account of his wounds, refused him the privilege of going to the front, but, instead, detailed him on court- martial duty at Nashville, where he remained till Jan., 1866, when he was honorably discharged as a Brevet Brigadier General.
He came back to Decatur, only to remove his family to Tennes- see, where, in compauy with his late adjutant general, he raised a crop of cotton. In the spring of 1867 he removed to Alabama and raised a large cotton crop, but lost heavily by being obliged to sell at a low price. In 1868 he canvassed the State of Alabama for Grant. He was tendered the republican nomination to congress, which he declined, but was pressed to accept the nomination for a member of the board of education and board of regents of the state for a term of four years, this body being made by the constitution a part of the legislature of the state. He was elected to this position
SPRING
RESIDENCE.
VINEYARD.
A
GENERAL VIEW OF FARM.
RESIDENCE AND FRUIT FARM OF M. ECKERT, 2 MILES NORTH WEST OF DECATUR, ILL.
153
HISTORY OF MACON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
by a large majority. He resigned in 1870, to accept the position tendered him by President Grant, which hc now holds, of United States Collection and Disbursing Agent for the Collection District of New Mexico. He has been frequently complimented by the department for the able and prompt discharge of his duties, He is an occasional visitor at Decatur, and says that there is no place beside so interesting and attractive to him. He attributes its prosperity largely to the unanimity of action inaugurated by the early residents of Decatur, those of whom still remaining he always meets with great gladness.
He was originally an old line whig in politics. He became a Douglas democrat on the death of the whig party, and in 1858 and 1860 supported Douglas as a personal friend. He declined the nomination for the legislature, tendered by the Fillinore and Douglas party in 1856, and in 1860 refused to become a can- didate for the same office when urged to make the race by the Douglas democrats. His record since the war as an ear- nest republican is well known. He has had ten children, seven sons and three daughters. Five sons and one daughter now living : William A. Smith, the oldest son, is in business at Las Vegas, New Mexico ; C. B. Smith is Deputy United States Collector at Las Vegas ; Thomas Owen Smith, and his daughter, Nellie B., reside at Santa Fé : and Gustavus A. Smith, Jr., and James Edward Smith live at Las Vegas. He has been an active member of the order of Odd Fellows since January, 1849, and in 1856 was Deputy Grand Master of the State of Illinois.
LINN & SCRUGGS.
AMONG the leading business establishments of Decatur is the Dry Goods house of Linn & Scruggs. This firm began business in September, 1869, at first occupying No. 24 Merchant street, and four or five months afterward removing to the Stamper & Condell corner. They embarked in business with the purpose of building up an extensive trade by offering to customers the best possible ad- vantages, and selling large quantities of goods at low prices. As a result they at once advanced to the position of the leading Dry Goods house of Central Illinois. The magnitude of their business may be judged from the fact that their sales reach the large sum of a quarter million of dollars a year-the largest retail business ever transacted in the United States in a town of no larger population than Decatur. The extent of their business demanding new and enlarged facilities, the construction of a building for their especial use was begun by Orlando Powers, on the corner of the Court. house block. This building was constructed under the direct supervision of Messrs. Linn and Scruggs, and great pains have been taken to adapt it in respect to the carrying on of their large busi- ness. The store, which has a front of seventy-four feet on Water street and eighty-eight feet on East Main street, is filled with a new and complete stock of goods. One side of the spacious room is devoted respectively to Carpets and Oil Cloths, Cloaks and Shawls Gents' Furnishing Goods, and Corsets and Hosiery. All the other articles usually found in a well regulated Dry Goods store, such as Gloves, Ribbons and Notions, Dress Goods, White Goods, Hand. kerchiefs, Embroideries and Laces, Prints, Linens, Woolen and gen- eral housekeeping goods, are arranged on the different counters so as to be readily displayed for the inspection of buyers. A con- venient and handsome dressing-room for the ladies, adjoins the salesroom on the south. The firm has an elegant office in the south-west corner. In short every arrangement has been made for the comfort and convenience of customers, and the carrying on of their immense business. Into this new store, which is the largest retail store in the state, outside of the city of Chicago, the firm 20
moved in September, 1880, but for some time yet will also occupy the old stand.
The gentlemen who compose this firm have been in the dry goods trade all their lives, and have made excellent records as suc- cessful business men. Both are natives of Virginia. W. H. Linn was born at Woodstock, Virginia. Hc came West in the year 1847. He was at first employed in one of the leading dry goods houses of St. Louis, and in 1860 engaged in business on his own ac- count at Belleville. William R. Scruggs was born near Liberty, Virginia. In early life he was engaged in the mercantile business. He came to St. Louis in the year 1851. Here he made the acquaint- ance of his present partner. He was subsequently in business in New York. On forming their present partnership Messrs. Linn & Scruggs wisely selected Decatur as the best place for the location of a great dry goods store. Their success is the best evidence as to their enterprise and liberality in conducting business. Their aim has been to sell reliable goods at reasonable prices, and the large trade they have built up goes to show that their efforts have been appreciated by the people of this part of the state.
EDWARD A. JONES
Is a native of Madison county, Ohio, and was born February 20th, 1818. His ancestors settled at an early period on the eastern shore of Maryland, where they lived for several generations. His father, Thomas Jones, and his mother, whose name before marriage was Mary Dale Truitt, were both natives of Worcester county, Mary- land. His maternal grandfather was a sea-captain. In the year 1816 his parents moved from Maryland to Ohio, and at first located in Ross county, and in 1818 settled in Madison county. The sub- ject of this biography was the third of a family of seven children. The schools which he attended in his boyhood were held in log school-houses of rough external appearance; but it was his fortune to be under the instruction of thorough and capable teachers, among whom was a man named Miskey and one Peter Smith, who died recently in northern Illinois, both men of superior qualifica- tions. In 1838 Mr. Jones came to Illinois with an elder brother for the purpose of buying cattle. He subsequently usually spent a part of each year in this state, and in 1854 made it his permanent home.
On coming to Macon county he purchased land in Maroa and Austin townships and other parts of the county, and settled at his present location on the Bloomington road, north of Decatur. At that time the settlements in the county were along the timber. It was then thought that considerable portions of the prairie would always remain uncultivated, and Mr. Jones' purchases of land in the northern part of the county were made with the idea of securing a cattle ranch. He has altogether improved about three thousand acres of land in Macon county, and has been engaged in farming and dealing in land and stock. Mr. Jones has been interested in agricultural matters, and with the Macon County Agricultural Association he has been connected since its first organization. He was its second president, assisted in the purchase of the present grounds, and has subsequently been associated with it as a director or one of its general officers.
Mr. Jones began his political course as a member of the Whig organization, but became a Republican on the first formation of that party, and has acted with it ever since. He was married July 1st, 1852, to Margery F. Elkin, of Springfield, Illinois. Her father, William F. Elkin, was born in Clark county, Kentucky, came to Illinois in 1825, and settled in Sangamon county, on Fancy creek, eight miles north of Springfield, where Mrs. Jones was born.
154
HISTORY OF MACON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
yours Truly Hahn Trainer
THE subject of this sketch was born, August 26th, 1844, near the little village of Wilkesville, Vinton county, Ohio. At the age of four years his father removed to Columbia township, Meigs county, where young Trainer was brought up. Settling as his father did in his wild forest home, his sons grew up in the " clear- ing," and were thoroughly inured to the hardships of the very severest farm labor. Mr. Trainer well remembers what it is "to pick brush, to grub, to chop, to maul rails, to roll logs and to plow " day after day. Thus situated, he did not have much opportunity for acquiring knowledge in the school-room. After he was old enough to do any kind of work on the farm he was allowed to at- tend school a short time, in mid-winter or " of rainy days." By the time that he had reached his majority he had made up his mind to try and get an education ; accordingly, he "went to the furnace," and hauled wood and worked in the " coaling " in order to secure means to buy books and for the purpose of attending school. As soon as this was accomplished lie entered Ewington
Academy, and remained in his classes one year ; his funds failing he procured a teacher's certificate and taught school one year in Vinton county. He then attended Atwood Institute, Albany, Athens county, another year ; then taught and attended this insti- tution of learning till he obtained, what might be termed, a good academic education. In 1869 he came to Illinois and stopped with Mr. Jesse Lockheart, of Niantic, as a farm hand. Mr. L., learning that he was a teacher, persuaded him to take a school in the fall of that year, instead of going to Missouri, as he intended. He procured a school in the Dingman district, and has taught in this county continuously to the present. In 1877 he was clected to the office of County Superintendent of schools for Macon county, by a large majority, and has successfully filled this office, three of the four years for which he was elected, his term expiring in 1881.
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.