USA > Illinois > Macoupin County > History of Macoupin County, Illinois : biographical and pictorial, Volume II > Part 65
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feeding cattle, hogs and sheep for the market. Fraternally he is identified with the Masonic order and the Odd Fellows and politically his sympathies are with the prohibition cause. He served as commissioner of highways in Shipman township for ten years and also as a member of the school board. On the 27th of January, 1864, he was married to Margaret A. Cain, who was born March 3, 1845, a daughter of Abraham and Nancy (Downs) Cain. Abraham Cain was born and reared in Grayson county, Kentucky, and came to Illinois with his fam- ily in 1852, locating near Kemper, in Jersey county. Seven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Cain, namely: Margaret A., who is now Mrs. Benjamin E. Parker ; John, who resided in Macoupin county and is now deceased ; Catharine, of Medora; Taylor, who makes his home in southern Illinois; James W., of Jerseyville, now deceased; Mary, the wife of R. A. Love, of Marion, Indiana ; and Hardin, who lives near Medora. Four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Parker, two of whom died in infancy. The others are: Leonora, who married Rev. J. Y. Montague, a Baptist minister, of Toledo, Ohio, and is the mother of three children: Althea, Leonora and Parker, all of whom are living at home; and Kitty Lena, now Mrs. Lilian O. Hayward.
Both as a merchant and farmer Mr. Hayward has been highly successful and during the course of an unusually active and useful life has presented an example of industry and application that is indeed worthy of emulation. He is an earnest believer in progress and has ever been mindful of his obligations to his fellow men. It may truly be said that no trust reposed in him has ever been betrayed. He supports the republican party but not through any desire for personal advancement, as he has never aspired to public office, his attention being devoted mainly to his business. He is a valued member of the Modern Wood- men of America and the Knights of Pythias, but his friends are by no means limited to those organizations, as they may be found wherever the name Lilian O. Hayward is known.
JOHN GOSCH.
For fifty-two years Bunker Hill has been the home of John Gosch, who was born in the province of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, on the 15th of March, 1834. He is a son of Claus and Christina (Kolb) Gosch, who were also natives of Schleswig-Holstein, where they spent their entire lives. To Mr. and Mrs. Gosch there were born ten children.
John Gosch was educated in the common schools of his native land, after which he was apprenticed to a shoemaker. He followed his trade in the father- land until 1857, when he decided to emigrate to the United States. Upon his arrival in this country he first settled in Davenport, Iowa, where he continued to work at his trade for two years. At the expiration of that period he came to Bunker Hill where he established a shop and in 1883 he extended the scope of his activities by the addition of a fine line of shoes.
In 1860 Mr. Gosch was united in marriage to Miss Julia Rottger, who was also a native of Germany, and they became the parents of three children: Her-
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man P., who is associated in business with his father; Otto, who is a resident of Webb City, Missouri; and John C., who is a grocery clerk in St. Louis. Mrs. Gosch passed away in 1904.
Although he was reared in the Lutheran faith, for thirty-two years Mr. Gosch has been identified with the Methodist Episcopal church, of which his wife was a member. He is also affiliated with Bunker Hill Lodge, No. 258, I. O. O. F., of which he was treasurer for thirty-one years. His political sup- port he always accords to the candidates of the republican party, and takes an active interest in all municipal affairs. He has served as an alderman and mayor of Bunker Hill, also as treasurer and school director. He was one of the thrifty and enterprising sons of Germany who came to America with a very limited capital, and through sheer force of his own industry and determination has won a position for himself in the community where he resides, whose citizens accord him the highest respect.
CHARLES COOPER.
Charles Cooper, now living retired but formerly connected with the com- mercial interests of Nilwood, was born in this village on the 10th of October, 1853, his parents being Henry and Mary (Murphy) Cooper, the father a native of England and the mother of Ireland. Their biographical sketch appears on another page of this volume.
Reared in Macoupin county, Charles Cooper acquired his preliminary edu- cation in the public schools of Nilwood following which he attended Blackburn University at Carlinville for a time. In 1873 he abandoned his studies and began his commercial career with his father who was engaged in the grain and coal business, which thereafter was conducted under the firm name of Henry Cooper & Son. Charles Cooper continued to be identified with this enterprise until 1898 when he withdrew and removed to Jacksonville, Illinois, where he engaged in the coal and ice business. This venture was operated under the name of C. Cooper until 1902, when he took C. H. Gillman into the business, which was thereafter conducted under the firm name of Cooper & Gillman. At the end of three years Mr. Cooper sold his interest to his partner and in 1906 returned to Nilwood and took charge of the business and property of his father, who passed away in November of the same year. He was subsequently appointed executor of the estate to the management of which he has ever since directed his entire attention.
Mr. Cooper was married in Nilwood, March 10, 1875, to Miss Lucy Moore, a native of Greene county, Illinois, and a daughter of Langston and Sarah (Melton) Moore, both of whom were natives of Tennessee. Four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Cooper, in order of birth as follows: James Henry, who married Mary Duffner and died in 1907, being survived by his wife, two sons and two daughters; Frank C., who was married August 27, 1911, to Dessy Schaefer, of Frederick, Oklahoma, and resides in St. Louis, Missouri; Mabel,
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at home with her parents; and Wade M., who has the management of the store of Cooper Brothers at Nilwood.
Fraternally Mr. Cooper is a member of Jacksonville Lodge, No. 4, I. O. O. F., and also belongs to the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks of Jacksonville. He votes with the democrats, and has been collector of Nilwood, township clerk, trustee of the village, clerk of the village board, which office he held when the new charter was adopted, and president of the village. The Cooper family has been prominently identified with the commercial and political as well as social life of Nilwood for over a half a century, the third generation being connected with the business interests of the town in the person of Mr. Cooper's youngest son, Wade M.
OWEN CLINE.
Owen Cline is the owner of a fine farm of two hundred acres in Scottville township that he cultivated for many years, but he is now living retired. He was born in Independent township, Washington county, Ohio, on the 23d of July, 1851, and is a son of Reuben and Diana (Cady) Cline. Reuben Cline was a son of David and Sarah (Mills) Cline and was born on the 28th of February, 1819, in Washington county, Ohio, where his death occurred on the 27th of March, 1904. The Clines originally came from Pennsylvania and are of Dutch extraction, the great-grandparents of our subject having been George and Susan (Buck) Cline. The Cady family first located in Vermont but later removed to New York, whence they came to Ohio. The mother, Diana Cady Cline, was born on the 7th of July, 1821, a daughter of James and Elizabeth (Chandler) Cady. The maternal great-grandparents were Zebulum and Miriam (Simons) Chandler and the great-great-grandparents Jonathan and Mabel (Burress) Chandler. Reuben and Diana (Cady) Cline were united in marriage in Wash- ington county, Ohio, on the 18th of November, 1841. Immediately thereafter they located on a farm in the same county, the father devoting his attention to agricultural pursuits during the entire period of his active career. The mother is still living and now makes her home in Williamtown, West Virginia. Nine children were born to them, our subject being the fifth in order of birth.
The early years in the life of Owen Cline were, in the main, very similar to those of hundreds of other farmer lads of that period. There was little occurring to vary the monotonous routine of rural life in those days before the advent of the telephone and the daily rural free delivery of the mail. In the acquirement of his education he attended the district schools in the vicinity, during their brief winter sessions, until he had mastered the common branches, his time when not there employed being very largely devoted to assisting with the work of the fields and care of the stock. When he was twenty-one years old he left home to begin his independent agricultural career. On the 23d of October, 1872, he arrived in Morgan county, Illinois, where he spent about three years, when he came to Macoupin county. When he first located here he rented a farm from
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his father-in-law, but later acquired a fine property of two hundred acres. He devoted his attention to general farming and stock-raising, making a specialty of feeding cattle and hogs for the market. Mr. Cline has withdrawn from the active work of the fields and is now living retired on the old homestead of his wife's parents.
On the 18th of September, 1879, occurred the marriage of Mr. Cline and Miss Sarah E. Hicks, a daughter of Vine and Nancy (Rhodes) Hicks. Vine Hicks was born at Whitehall township, Greene county, Illinois, on the 26th of Sep- tember, 1835, while the mother was born at Athensville, the same county, on the 13th of August, 1839. Athensville township was also the birthplace of Mrs. Cline. In 1861 Vine Hicks removed with his wife and family to Macoupin county, locating upon a farm which he cultivated until his retirement. The paternal grandparents were Vines and Elizabeth (Tunnell) Hicks. Vines Hicks was born on the James river in the vicinity of Richmond, Virginia, on the 4th of February, 1788, and was a son of David and Nancy Hicks. He was one of nineteen children born to his parents, seventeen of whom attained maturity. When the second war with England broke out in 1812 Vines Hicks with four of his brothers went to the front, serving under Colonel William and Captain James Tunnell. He participated in the battle of New Orleans under General Andrew Jackson on the 8th of January, 1812, and was present at the killing of Tecumseh at the battle of the Thames at the close of the war. After hostilities ceased he went to Anderson county, Tennessee, and there he met Miss Elizabeth Tunnell, who became his wife on the 3d of July, 1817. Mrs. Hicks was a daugh- ter of Coloned William Tunnell and was born in the vicinity of the village of Clinton. In the autumn following his marriage, Mr. Hicks moved to Madison county, Illinois, with his bride, and there he engaged in splitting rails for Will- iam Montgomery. In 1818 he removed to Greene county, locating on some government land on Macoupin creek, upon which he erected a log cabin that served him as residence for some time. Their nearest neighbors were Indians, a camp of five hundred being located within a distance of two hundred yards of their cabin. At that time Mr. Hicks knew every man, woman and child by name in Greene, Jersey, Madison, Morgan and Scott counties. The settlers of this section at that period were ever in imminent danger from their treacherous neighbors, and it was at this time that Mr. Hicks learned to sleep with . his clothes on. which habit he retained during the remainder of his life. He was present at the massacre of two white families and assisted in wiping out his red neighbors, four hundred and ninety-nine of the five hundred being killed by the whites. Edwardsville, at that time only a fort, was the headquarters for the rangers. When the Black Hawk war broke out he went to the front, serving under General Duncan, Colonel Henry and Captain Smith.
Mr. Hicks always engaged in agricultural pursuits and when he retired owned a fine farm of seven hundred acres. The latter years of his life were spent at the home of his son, Samuel Hicks, who was a resident of Greene county. He belonged to a family noted for their longevity and celebrated the one hundredth anniversary of his birth two months and fifteen days before his death, which oc- curred on the 19th of April, 1888. He had long survived his wife, her death occurring on the 9th of November, 1876, at the age of seventy-eight years, four
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months and fifteen days. Mr. Hicks was a most unusual character and was widely known throughout the county and vicinity. He always was his own barber, not only shaving himself but cutting his own hair without the aid of a mirror. Although he was able to walk about the house he preferred to travel in a chair on account of rheumatism, the chair being hitched along with rapidity. During the interval he had practiced this mode of locomotion he wore off the legs of seven or eight hardwood chairs to the first round.
He was always a stanch democrat and cast his ballot for every presidential candidate on that ticket from James Monroe to Grover Cleveland. He left no estate, having divided his property among his children some time prior to his death. His residence in the state covered the great formative period of the mid- dle west and he saw Indian wigwams superseded by modern houses; railroads displace stage coaches; and hamlets develop into thriving towns and cities.
To Mr. and Mrs. Owen Cline were born two children: Lucretia, who married James M. Emmons, a farmer of Scott county ; and a son Vines R. Mrs. Em- mons became the mother of two daughters: Blanche, who is deceased; and Gladys.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Cline are affiliated with the Baptist church of Mount Zion, and he belongs to the Masonic fraternity, holding membership in Palmyra Lodge, No. 463, A. F & A. M., Palmyra, Illinois; and the Modern Woodmen of America, being a charter member of Scottville Camp, No. 506. His wife be- longs to the Royal Neighbors, Lodge No. 3803, and also to the Court of Honor, Lodge No. 99, of Scottville. In politics Mr. Cline has always been a very ardent democrat, and has served as township commissioner, senator committeeman and school director. He is one of the widely and favorably known residents of his community, whose early efforts were so intelligently directed that he is now able to live in full enjoyment of every comfort as the result of capably applied energy.
JOHN OTA CLEMMONS.
A beautiful farm of more than four hundred acres, comprising some of the best land in Macoupin county, is evidence of the industry and business ability of John Ota Clemmons, who lives near Virden. As a breeder of live stock he has been thoroughly successful and as a general farmer ranks among the leaders in this section. Born in Macoupin county, September 26, 1865, he is a son of John R. and Elizabeth A. (Thomas) Clemmons, the former of whom was a native of North Carolina and the latter of Illinois. In their family were six children : Eunice B., who is deceased; Samuel T .; Lewis H. and Jane E., both of whom are deceased; Laura C., who is the wife of Frank P. Babbitt, of Ma- coupin ; and John Ota, of this review.
After receiving the foundation of an education in the common schools John Ota Clemmons pursued his studies further in the high school and business col- lege and a goodly measure of his success may be ascribed to the thorough mental training received under competent instructors. From his boyhood he showed a marked adaptability to farming pursuits. He applied himself with an unalter-
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able determination to succeed and is now the owner of four hundred and two acres, the place being provided with a comfortable residence and all the accessor- ies of a modern farming establishment. He has specialized in raising short- horn cattle and thoroughbred road horses and some of the finest specimens in those lines seen in Macoupin county have been bred and raised under his super- vision.
On the 30th of September, 1885, Mr. Clemmons was married to Miss Mary L. Chedister, a daughter of Guy M. and Martha (Vail) Chedister. The mother was a native of New Jersey and a daughter of Dr. Israel Vail. She died in 1868, leaving two children : Mary L., now Mrs. John O. Clemmons ; and Sarah, who is the wife of Alvah Ross, of Virden. In 1872 Dr. Vail married Mary Huntoon, by whom he had two children, one who died in infancy; and Grace, the wife of Fred W. Burett, of Hancock, Michigan. To Mr. and Mrs. Clem- mons five children were born, one of whom died in infancy, the others being : John Gregory, who is now living at Jacksonville, Illinois; and Lynne C., Edith E. and Elwyn Ota, all of whom are at home.
Although greatly devoted to his business, Mr. Clemmons has not neglected his duties as an intelligent citizen of a progressive community and has served most acceptably as member of the school board. His study of politics led him to adopt the principles of the democratic party as his guide in deciding public questions and he is an earnest supporter of its candidates. He is a firm believer in the Bible and is a valued member of the Christian church. He is also a mem- ber of Virden Lodge, No. 161, A. F. & A. M., and he and his wife are both members of the Order of Eastern Star. He also belongs to the Modern Wood- men of America. In all the relations of life he has shown an interest and ef- ficiency which have placed him among the honored citizens of Macoupin county.
CALVIN T. BRUCE.
Calvin T. Bruce, who engages in general farming on section 21, Staunton township, was born on the farm where he now resides on the 25th of September, 1878. His father, Wallace Bruce, when a boy emigrated from Scotland with his parents, who were among the pioneers of southern Illinois. They located on a farm in Staunton township and there they spent the remainder of their lives. When old enough to begin work for himself Wallace Bruce bought an uncultivated and unimproved farm on section 21, Staunton township. Upon completing the necessary improvements he intmediately began breaking the prairie, placing it under cultivation as he was able. Hard-working, thrifty Scot that he was he met with success in the intelligent direction of his affairs, and at the time of his death owned a homestead of three hundred and twenty acres, well improved and in a high state of cultivation. In addition to this land he had acquired four hundred acres in Madison county. He passed away on his homestead in 1905. For his wife Mr. Bruce chose Miss Elizabeth Jane Clarke, also a native of Scotland, whom he married in Macoupin county. She is still living and continues to make her home in Staunton township, but is now a
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resident of the village of that name. To Mr. and Mrs. Bruce were born eleven children : Charles, who is residing in the vicinity of Hornsby, Illinois; Lizzie, who is unmarried and lives with her mother; Thomas, a resident of New Doug- las, Illinois; Wallace, who lives in the vicinity of Gillespie, Illinois; Belle, the wife of James Earley, of New Douglas, Illinois; Edward, who is living in Staunton; Agnes, the wife of August Kroger, of Staunton; William, who is also a resident of Staunton ; Robert, living in New Douglas, Illinois; Calvin T., who is our subject ; and May, the wife of Richard Cox, of Mount Olive, Illinois.
Calvin T. Bruce always lived upon the farm where he was born, having pursued his education in the district schools of the vicinity where he mastered the common branches. He remained under the parental roof until the death of his father following which he purchased one-half of the homestead and here he has ever since resided. He has wrought many improvements in the place during the period of his occupancy, having erected new barns and outbuildings, all of which he keeps in a good state of repair. His fields are devoted to gen- eral farming and in addition to the cultivation of these he is operating an eighty acre tract adjoining. One of the special features of interest on his farm are the full blooded Shorthorn cattle he is so successfully breeding and which promise to be a most gratifying source of revenue.
In 1907 Mr. Bruce established a home of his own by his marriage to Miss Mollie Russell, and to them has been born one child, Elmer.
Mr. and Mrs. Bruce are devoted members of the Presbyterian church and he is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America, being identified with the Staunton camp. His political support he has always given to the democratic party. Mr. Bruce takes much pride in his farm, which, having been the play- ground of his boyhood and the training school of his youth, is endeared to him by its association with all of the deepest and greatest experiences of his life.
CHARLES A. WALKER.
Charles A. Walker, supervising editor of this history of Macoupin county, is one of the patriarchs of the county and has long been recognized as one of its ablest and most progressive citizens. He is a native of Nashville, Tennessee, born August 21, 1826, a son of Abraham S. and Rosina (Phelps) Walker, the former of whom was born in Kentucky and the latter in North Carolina. There were four children in their family, all of whom grew to maturity except James L .: Caroline, who married William Phelps and is now deceased; Charles A .; Tennessee V., who became the wife of Ferdinand Taggard and is also deceased ; and James L., who died after reaching his twentieth year. All of the children of Mr. and Mrs. Walker were pioneers at Carlinville, which became their per- manent home. .
Abraham S. Walker, the father of our subject, was reared in Kentucky and married in Tennessee. He was one of the early pioneers of Macoupin county and built the third house in Carlinville. In 1836 he entered mercantile business in this place, continuing until 1868, when he removed to Hamburg, Iowa, and
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died there in 1875, being then past his seventy-third year. His wife died the same year at the age of seventy-six. They were both consistent members of the Methodist church. Mr. Walker took a prominent part in public affairs and held various offices during his residence in Macoupin county. Charles Walker, the paternal grandfather of our subject, was of English descent. He was born in Rowan county, North Carolina, in 1765. He removed to Logan county, Kentucky, and was there married to Caroline Matilda Stephens. They were the parents of three children. The maternal grandfather was Joseph Phelps and his wife was Sallie Ainslee. They were of German parentage and were born in Pennsylvania. Mr. Phelps was a farmer and died in Madison county, Illinois, leaving a large family.
Charles A. Walker removed with his parents to Madison county, Illinois, in 1828 and two years later came with them to Carlinville, which has since been his home-a period of eighty-one years. He clearly remembers the deep snow of the winter of 1830-31 and the so-called "falling of the stars" in 1833. He attended the old seminary conducted by Mr. and Mrs. Orin Cooley and later became a student of Shurtleff College at Upper Alton. In 1849, yielding to the gold excitement, he crossed the plains to California by ox team with the Alton Company and engaged in mining and packing goods into the mountains. He returned to Carlinville in 1851 and became connected with the mercantile business with his father-in-law, Daniel Dick, under the title of Walker & Dick. Later he engaged with Walker, Phelps & Co., the firm consisting of his father and his brothers-in-law, William Phelps and F. Taggard, in the wholesale dry goods, clothing and grocery business at Alton. He returned to Carlinville in 1854 and again entered the mercantile business with Walker, Phelps & Com- pany. Being attracted to professional life, he began the study of law in 1856 in the offices of Judge S. S. Gilbert and General John I. Rinaker. He was admitted to the bar in August, 1858, and has ever since practiced at Carlinville, occupying the same office since 1862. He has devoted himself with marked success to general practice and has also served very acceptably as a public official. He was elected police magistrate in 1856; to the lower house of the state legislature in 1862; was master in chancery for sixteen years, from 1862; and was mayor of Carlinville in 1872. In 1880 he was elected state senator and served his constituents to their entire satisfaction for four years. He has served as president of the Old Settlers' Association of Macoupin county for twenty years and has built that organization up so that at each annual reunion there is an attendance of over ten thousand persons. During the courthouse troubles he was actively engaged with General John I. Rinaker as one of the county's lawyers in the case of the people against the courthouse commissioners, which was one of the most important causes in which he has taken an active part.
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