USA > Illinois > Macoupin County > History of Macoupin County, Illinois : biographical and pictorial, Volume II > Part 58
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Joseph Crum, the grandfather of the doctor, was nicknamed "Hoozier" Joe, on account of his having come from Indiana and also to distinguish him from "Redhead" Joe Crum, a distant cousin of our subject. The grandfather was born in Clark county, Indiana, August 13, 18II, and died in Palmyra Illi- nois, June 24, 1886, his remains being interred there. For his first wife he mar- ried a Miss Kirkpatrick, and after her death wedded Miss Maria L. Burnett, who was born in Spencer county, Kentucky, on the IIth of November, 1822, a daughter of William Burnett, who fought under General Andrew Jackson in the war of 1812, participating in the battle of New Orleans. It was on the 14th of April, 1844, that she gave her hand in marriage to Joseph Crum. Her death
DR. AND MRS. E. W. CRUM
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occurred on the 23d of September, 1872. She was a granddaughter of Joshua Richardson, (the doctor's great-great-grandfather) who was born December 19, 1762, and who on the 18th of April, 1798, was married to Mary Burnett. He died March 14, 1844. Of the eight children of Joshua Richardson, one daugh- ter was Elizabeth, who was born February 12, 1801, and was married, Feb- ruary 23, 1819, to William Burnett. She died in March, 1876, and was buried in the old cemetery at Palmyra, Illinois, where a monument still marks her last resting-place. She was the mother of eight children, including Maria L. Bur- nett, the grandmother of our subject. Joshua Richardson, like the father of our country, was a surveyor and surveyed a large tract of land in Virginia. In return for this service he received from the government a grant of land upon which is now located a part of the city of Richmond, Virginia. He enlisted about April, 1781, in the colonial army, and was in the service for three months and fifteen days. He was a private in the company commanded by Captain David Baird and assisted in guarding prisoners captured at the battle of Cow- pens. For a time he was also under the command of Captain Clemmens, Cap- tain Pate, Colonel Charles Finch and Major Ward, in the Virginia State troops, and took part in the engagement at Guilford Court House and the battle called '96. At the time of his enlistment he was living in Bedford county, Virginia, and the day of application for a pension was August 9, 1832, when living in Shelby county, Kentucky. He was first married in Pittsylvania county, Vir- ginia, January 15, 1789, to Mary Snow. After her death he was married again, April 18, 1798, his second wife being Mary Burnett, who was born May 7, 1774. His death occurred March 14, 1844, and she was allowed a pension on application at her residence in Macoupin county, Illinois, at the age of eighty years, December 31, 1853.
Andrew Jackson Crum, the father of Dr. Crum, was the second in order ot birth in a family of ten children, his birth occurring on the 13th of February, 1846. He is a farmer by occupation, having followed that line of activity throughout his business career, now making his home upon a tract in North Palmyra township, consisting of one hundred and seventy acres of land, in the operation of which he is assisted by his two youngest sons. He is a democrat in politics, is a member of the Christian church while his wife affiliates with the Methodist Episcopal church, and his fraternal relations are with the Mod- ern Woodmen of America at Modesto, Illinois. He was married on the 9th of September, 1873, to Miss Phoebe E. Almond, who was born at Wilmington, Delaware, on the 5th of May, 1851, a daughter of Dr. R. J. Almond, now de- ceased, who during his active career engaged in his profession in Palmyra, where he was accorded a large patronage. He was a stanch democrat in poli- tics and an active and influential worker in the Methodist church. His second wife still survives and makes her home at Palmyra. In the family of Mr. anc Mrs. Andrew J. Crum were ten children, as follows: Nellie May, who married Henry White, a farmer residing near Franklin, Illinois; E. W., of this review ; Rubie and Lee, both now deceased; Le Roy, who is married and now engages in farming near Waverly, Illinois; Golda Tie, the wife of Mark Snyder, a farmer residing near Winnipeg, Canada, who is also interested in the street car line of that city ; Ola, who wedded Walter Reed, a farmer living near Waverly,
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Illinois ; Carl C., a telegraph operator in Okarche, Oklahoma; and Glen and Ferris, both residing with their parents, assisting their father in the operation of the home farm.
Dr. Edward W. Crum, whose name introduces this sketch, spent the first seven- teen years of his life on the farm upon which he was born, and in the mean- time attended the common and high schools of Palmyra in the acquirement of his preliminary education. Later lie took a course of study at the Central Nor- mal College of Danville, Indiana, which institution conferred upon him his B. S. degree, after which he began his professional training at the Barnes Medical College of St. Louis, Missouri. Upon his graduation therefrom, on April 12, 1900, he received his M. D. degree, and at once opened an office in Morgan county, Illinois, where he remained one year. He was then located in Scott county about six years, after which he came to Palmyra, where he has since practiced his profession. His training, which was comprehensive and thorough, well qualified him for a professional life, while his subsequent study, investigation and research, have greatly supplemented his knowledge, making him well equipped for the duties and responsibilities that devolve upon him in the prac- tice of his profession.
Dr. Crum was married, on the 22d of May, 1901, to Miss Ethel R. Jones, a daughter of Charles W. and Lillian (Gordon) Jones, the father of Scotch-Irish descent and the latter of Irish origin. Both were born in America, however, and here the father engaged in farming for many years. The former was a son of Rev. John T. and Emily (Woodward) Jones. In the Woodward line the ancestry is traced back to a period antedating the Norman conquest of Eng- land more than one hundred years. The name Woodward is of Anglo-Norman origin and dates back to 912 A. D. About this time one Nathan Woodward served in the Warwick Yeoman Horse, with troops, being captain and also stand- ard bearer, and he was the founder of the "Standish Hall" branch of the family, which was founded in the old province of Massachusetts in 1642. The name of the Woodward family up to 1066, the time of the Norman conquest, was Du-Bois-Garde. A valiant knight of the name of Richard Du-Bois-Garde fought in the battle of Hastings and was one of six hundred and forty-eight knights whose names (for bravery) were preserved on tapestry by William the Conqueror in Battle Abbey to commemorate the battle of Hastings. In the year 1520 Ambrose Woodward settled near the ancient borough of Birmingham and two of his descendants, Samuel Ezekiel and Nathaniel Woodward, came to America in 1640, settling at Roxbury, Massachusetts. Ezekiel Woodward, of Boston, a son of Samuel Ezekiel, had nine children, of whom Ezekiel, the second, born August 9, 1666, a resident of Ipswich, Massachusetts, was the direct ancestor of Mrs. Crum. Ezekiel, the third, had a family of nine chil- dren, of whom Ezekiel, the fourth, was born October 4, 1731. He was the father of Moses Woodward, who had a family of five children, including Will- iam Wallace Woodward, who was married in Philadelphia, in 1791, to Susan Janvier, who was descended from Huguenot ancestry.
To William Wallace Woodward and his wife were born fourteen children, including Emily Woodward, who was born March 15, 1805, and became the grandmother of Mrs. Crum. She married the Rev. John T. Jones and died
DR. R. J. ALMOND
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May 9, 1852. They were the parents of eight children, of whom Charles Wood- ward Jones, born June 27, 1829, became the father of Mrs. Crum. He mar- ried Lillian Gordon, who was born October 17, 1833, and they became the par- ents of eight children, of whom Ethel R., born November 24, 1879, is the youngest. Her father passed away on the 15th of February, 1911, at the age of eighty-two years, while his wife still survives, making her home in Lynn- ville, Morgan county, Illinois. Unto Dr. and Mrs. Crum have been born four children, Edwin, Helen, Margaret and Martha Virginia. The youngest daugh- ter was named in honor of Martha Washington, being born on George Wash- ington's birthday.
Dr. Crum is an earnest and faithful member of the Christian church, and is well known in fraternal circles in this community, belonging to the Modern Woodmen of America, the Knights of Pythias and the Royal Neighbors, all at Palmyra. Although one of the comparatively recent arrivals in this locality, Dr. Crum has nevertheless firmly established himself in the confidence and af- fection of his fellow citizens by reason of his trustworthy character, his earnest- ness, zeal and scrupulous regard for the ethics of his profession. He is skillful in diagnosis, sure in prescription, thoughtful and tactful in attendance and prompt and efficacious in emergency, and is winning for himself a high place in medical circles in Macoupin county.
JOHN S. WALTON.
John S. Walton, who is numbered among the successful agriculturists and stockmen of Shaws Point township has been entirely dependent upon his own efforts since a lad of fourteen years. He was born in Honey Point township, Macoupin county, on the 3d of May, 1874, and is a son of William R. S. and Rose Ann (Thompson) Walton, also natives of Macoupin county. Reared and edu- cated in this county when qualified to begin his independent agricultural career, William R. S. Walton, in common with the other members of his family, was presented with forty acres of land by his father. This the young man indus- triously applied himself to cultivating and improving, and by means of thrift and capable management was able to extend his holdings until he owned two hundred acres in Honey Point township and one hundred and forty in Shaws Point town- ship, where our subject is now living. The larger tract he continued to cultivate until his death in December, 1887.
Left an orphan upon the death of his father at the age of fourteen years, John S. Walton was compelled to depend upon his own exertions from that time on for his living and education. He went to an uncle, George C. Walton, in whose home he remained for four years, there working for his board and cloth- ing. Owing to the demands made upon his time he found it most difficult to attend school and did not succeed in acquiring a very satisfactory education. When he was eighteen years old he began to work out as a farm hand by the month, following this occupation until he reached the age of twenty-three. When the other members of the family attained their majority his father's property was
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divided and he received as his portion thirty-four acres. This portion was too small to engage his entire energies, so renting it, he leased a farm in Honey Point township. When he had operated the land for a year his step-mother died and the remainder of the property was sold. Mr. Walton and his brother then pur- chased and immediately located upon the land where she had been residing. Cultivating it for one season, Mr. Walton disposed of his portion to his brother and bought some land adjoining his thirty-four acres in Shaws Point township. He immediately set about clearing and improving the property, continuing to extend his possessions until he now owns one hundred and forty acres. All is under cultivation and well improved, and here, in connection with the tilling of his fields, Mr. Walton annually raises from sixty to one hundred head of hogs, and he keeps eighty sheep, ten horses and fifteen head of cattle. His unremitting energy, capable supervision and judicious expenditures have enabled him to ac- quire an excellent start and he is becoming recognized as one of the prosperous agriculturists of the community.
In June, 1906, Mr. Walton married Mrs. George Hutton, a widow and a daughter of Lemuel and Barbara Blevins, who were natives of Macoupin county. Here her father engaged in farming for many years, but spent his last days in Missouri, where his death occurred. By her first husband Mrs. Walton has one child, George Robert, now eight years of age.
In religious faith both Mr. and Mrs. Walton are Methodists, and his political allegiance he accords to the republican party, but does not actively participate in township affairs. Although he takes a general interest in the welfare and pro- gress of the community in which he resides, the development of his personal affairs has always engaged the undivided attention of Mr. Walton to practically the exclusion of everything else, and the results have been well worthy his effort.
ROBERT S. HEMPHILL.
Robert S. Hemphill, senior partner of the firm of Hemphill & Ibbetson, lum- ber dealers, was born in the vicinity of Hornsby, Macoupin county, Illinois, on the Ist of June, 1853. His parents were Hamilton and Martha (Dickerson) Hemphill, the father of Ireland and the mother of Kentucky. Hamilton Hemp- hill was born and reared in County Tyrone, Ireland, a son of the Rev. Charles Hemphill, a Presbyterian minister, who spent his entire life in the Emerald isle, having preached in one church for forty years. Rev. Charles Hemphill had three sons, Andrew, Charles and Hamilton. The youngest of the three, Hamilton, was educated for the ministry in his native country. In his early manhood he emi- grated to the United States, first locating in Kentucky, whence he came to Ma- coupin county. When he first arrived here he taught a country school and as- sisted in felling the trees and erecting the first schoolhouse located on the present site of Oakland, Honey Point township. Afterwards he engaged in farming in the same township, but the latter years of his life were passed in Carlinville, where he died in 1860, at the age of sixty-five years. He had survived his wife by two years, her demise occurring when she was about sixty years of age. In
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matters of religion Mr. Hemphill was a Presbyterian, while his wife professed to the Methodist denomination. He always took an active and helpful interest in all educational matters and served his community for some time as school director. Of the children born to Mr. and Mrs. Hemphill all but three are now deceased. Those surviving are: Robert S., our subject ; John, who is a resident of Pendel- ton, Oregon ; and Margaret, the wife of T. W. Lofton, of Kansas City, Mo. The deceased members of the family are: William C., Charles J., Daniel, Thomas P., Joshua and Mary, the late wife of Samuel Potts. Three of the sons, William C., Thomas P. and Daniel, were soldiers in the Civil war. Mrs. Hemphill was 'a daughter of William Dickerson, a farmer and a native of Kentucky, as was also his wife. They were among the pioneer settlers of Macoupin county, where for many years the father devoted his energies to the cultivation of a farm he owned in Carlinville township. He was a soldier in the Black Hawk war, and passed away at the venerable age of seventy-seven, but the mother was a few years younger at the time of her demise, being of the age of sixty-six years.
The greater portion of the first twenty years of the life of Robert S. Hemphill was spent on the farm of his uncle, Thomas Dickerson, by whom he was reared. His early education was obtained in the district schools of the vicinity, after which he attended Blackburn University, at Carlinville, Illinois. After the com- pletion of his education he taught school for one term and clerked in a store for four years. After that time he removed to his father-in-law's farm, and for four- teen years thereafter devoted ·his attention to its operation. He was subsequently appointed deputy clerk of the circuit court, in which capacity he served for four years ; then he engaged in the lumber business.
On the 2d of October, 1877, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Hemphill and Miss Mary Ross; she was a native of South Palmyra township where she grew to womanhood, after which she removed to Carlinville with her parents. Mrs. Hemphill is a daughter of E. H. and Elizabeth (Pocklington) Ross, the father a native of Morgan and the mother of Macoupin county, Illinois. The paternal grandfather, Thomas Ross, came with his wife and family to Macoupin county in the very early days. Here he engaged in agricultural pursuits until he was elected sheriff of Macoupin county, when he moved to Carlinville. Mr. and Mrs. Ross were the parents of a very large family, among whose members were Erastus, Joseph, William, Woodford, John, Sarah, Mary, Charlotte and Jane. Mrs. Hemphill's maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. James Pocklington, emi- grated from England to the United States, locating about the year 1832 in Ma- coupin county, where they passed away at an advanced age. They were the parents of but two children, John Wesley and Elizabeth, who became Mrs. Ross. To Mr. and Mrs. Ross were born five children: Mary, now Mrs. Hemphill; Martha ; Amelia; Thomas, and Leonard. The father passed away in 1901 at the age of sixty-nine, but the mother still survives.
Mr. and Mrs. Hemphill are the parents of two children, a son and a daughter, Ruth Ross, who became the wife of Ernest Ibbetson, of Carlinville ; and Victor Herman, who is engaged in the practice of law in this city.
Mr. and Mrs. Hemphill both hold membership in the Methodist Episcopal church, and he belongs also to the Knights of Pythias. Politically he is a stanch democrat, and for the past twelve years has served as supervisor of Carlinville
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township, while at one time he was town clerk. Mr. Hemphill is one of the suc- cessful and prosperous business men of Carlinville and in addition to his mer- cantile interests owns and manages some good farming land near this city.
M. McMAHON, M. D.
Dr. M. McMahon, discharging his professional duties with a sense of con- scientious obligation because of his thorough understanding of the responsibility that devolves upon the physician and surgeon, has won for himself a foremost place in the ranks of the medical fraternity in this part of the county. He has practiced successfully in Palmyra for several years and the public has attested its faith in his skill and ability by giving to him a liberal patronage.
A native of Illinois, he was born near Whitehall, Greene county, on the 17th of October, 1858, a son of John and Margaret (Coffey) McMahon, both natives of Newport, County Tipperary, Ireland. The father came to America in 1849, landing at New Orleans, and he walked from that city to St. Louis, Missouri, where he engaged at railroading for a time. He remained in that city from 1849 until 1857, and in the latter year came to Illinois, locating near Whitehall, Greene county. Here he became identified with the contracting business, in which he continued until his failure, owing to the failure of the Rock Island Railroad in 1858, after which he engaged in farming. In 1873 he came to Macoupin county and operated a farm near Scottville for a time, also engaging in the stock-raising business. He moved to South Palmyra in March, 1875, locating three and one- half miles south of town, and he passed away in South Palmyra on the 18th of February, 1888, at the age of sixty-six years. He was married in August, 1857, in St. Louis, Missouri, and after his death his widow continued to make her home within the borders of this county until her demise on the 6th of October, 1909. He was a communicant of the Catholic church and in politics was a stanch demo- crat.
Dr. M. McMahon acquired his preliminary education in the common schools of Illinois and upon attaining his majority purchased a farm in South Palmyra township, upon which he carried on agricultural pursuits until 1883. Thinking to find a professional life more remunerative and congenial, in that year he took up the study of medicine, entering the old Missouri Medical College, now known as the Washington University at St. Louis, Missouri. He was graduated from that institution with honors on the 5th of March, 1885, winning his M. D. degree, and at once opened an office for practice at Palmyra with Dr. S. D. Carslile and later with Dr. R. J. Allmond. Palmyra has since remained the field of his activi- ties with the exception of a year and a half spent in Kansas, four years in Irving, Illinois, and three years in Niantic, Illinois. From the first he has been success- ful, his patronage increasing in volume and importance as he has demonstrated his ability as a physician and surgeon, and he is now an extremely busy and pros- perous practitioner, demands being made constantly for his services. He also retains the ownership of his farm, consisting of one hundred and seventy-six
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acres of land, employing an overseer to take charge of the actual work of the place while he resides in Palmyra.
On the 17th of July, 1881, Dr. McMahon was united in marriage to Miss Rosa J. Solomon, a daughter of George O. and Sarah (King) Solomon, the former a native of Morgan county and the latter of Macoupin county, Illinois. Both are now deceased, the mother passing away when her daughter was but two years of age, while the father, who was a farmer by occupation, died on May 21, 1882, age fifty-one years. Unto Mr. and Mrs. McMahon were born two children : Curtman, a physician of Lovington, Moultrie county, Illinois, who is married and has one child, Rosa Hope McMahon ; and Olivette, who is married to A. C. Comp- ton, of East St. Louis, Illinois.
The religious views of Dr. McMahon are indicated by his membership in the Methodist Episcopal church of Palmyra, while fraternally he belongs to Palmyra Lodge, No. 463, A. F. & A. M., of Palmyra ; Palmyra Lodge, No. 348, I. O.O. F .; and the Modern Woodmen Camp, No. 149, of which he is a charter member and also clerk, while of the Masonic lodge he is serving as secretary. In politics he is a republican, serving as collector of taxes of South Palmyra township in 1881. Not only is he numbered among the public-spirited and valued citizens of Macou- pin county, but he also occupies a prominent place in medical circles, for he has ever kept abreast of the progress which is continually being carried on in the line of his profession, and by broad study and research is constantly adding to his knowledge and efficiency. He is a member of the Macoupin County Medical Society, the Illinois Medical Society and the American Medical Association.
JOHN A. TURNER.
John A. Turner, who owns one of the attractive and model farms of Scott- ville township, Macoupin county, was born in Athensville township, Greene county, Illinois, on the 16th of May, 1859. His parents were Tillman C. and Jane (Rhodes) Turner, the father a native of Cumberland county, Kentucky, and the mother of Greene county, Illinois, her birth having occurred in the vicinity of Carrollton. Agricultural pursuits always engaged the attention of Mr. Turner, who in 1849 came from his native state to Illinois. He first located on a farm near Whitehall, Greene county, and after residing there for several years he re- moved to Athensville township. There he met the lady, who subsequently be- came his wife and the mother of four children, of whom the son John A. was the third. Mr. Turner continued to cultivate his farm to within three years of his death, which occurred on the 12th of May, 1907, in Scottville, Macoupin county. The mother of our subject died in 1864 and the following year the father married Martha M. Van Bebber, by whom he had five children, four of whom are still living.
His boyhood and youth John A. Turner spent upon the farm where he was born, pursuing his education in the common schools until he was graduated from the high school at Greenfield in 1878. For two years thereafter he engaged in teaching, but feeling that he did not care to make of this profession a life voca-
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tion, he returned to the old homestead, and for three years devoted his attention to farming. At the expiration of that period he came to Scottville and engaged in the furniture business and undertaking, continuing to be identified with this for sixteen years. In 1902 he withdrew from commercial activities and located upon the farm where he is now residing. He has eighty acres of fertile and highly cultivated land, upon which he has wrought extensive improvements, hav- ing erected a fine, modern residence, arranged the grounds attractively and made many minor changes, so that it is now one of the valuable properties of the vicinity.
Mr. Turner was married December 29, 1880, to Miss Virginia A. Wood, a daughter of Martin and Emily J. (Spencer) Wood. Her father was a native of Greene county, Illinois, and there he was reared and married to Miss Spencer, a native of Kentucky. He made farming his life occupation and continued to re- side in Greene county until his death in 1864. His widow now makes her home with Mrs. Turner. Of the four children born to our subject and his wife two are now deceased. Of those living Martin W. is married and resides upon his father- in-law's farm. The daughter, Ora Lee, the youngest member of the family, is unmarried and living at home. They are both graduates of the Scottville high school.
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