History of Macoupin County, Illinois, Part 46

Author: Brink, McDonough & Co.
Publication date: 1879
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 440

USA > Illinois > Macoupin County > History of Macoupin County, Illinois > Part 46

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149

HISTORY OF MACOUPIN COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

A. J. SMALLEY.

THE history of the Smalley family in this country runs back to the year 1716, at which date Mr. Smalley's ancestors settled in New Jersey. Tradi- tion relates that the ship Caledonia, which brought them over from England, afterward rotted to pieces in the Raritan Bay at Perth Amboy. Three bro- thers by the name of Smalley came to America; one settled in Massachu- setts, one in East Jersey, and one in West Jersey, and a number of their descendants took part in the Revolutionary war. His grandfather, David Smalley, was secretary on the staff of one of the generals in the Ame- rican army during the revolution, and afterwards was county judge in Som- erset county, and for a number of years served as justice of the peace. An older brother, Jacob Smalley, was captain of a New Jersey company, and still another brother, Isaac Smalley, was one of the trusty men who carried dispatches from New York to the American army stationed in the Highlands of the Hudson.

Mr. Smalley's father, Samuel Smalley, was born in Somerset county, New Jersey, in the same vicinity where his ancestors had lived since they first came to the state. He married for his second wife Mary Pennington. The Pennington family is also an old one in New Jersey, and has been honorably identified with the history of that state. Mr. Smalley's grandfather on his mother's side was in the war of the Revolution, enlisting in the army when very young.

A. J. Smalley was born in the Passaic valley in Morris county, New Jer- sey, February 14th, 1815. His father was a farmer. He attended the ordi- nary common schools as he had opportunity, acquiring the elements of a good business education. He was married on the 27th of October, 1836, to Julia Ann Cox, who was born in Washington valley in Somerset county, New Jersey, September 17th, 1818. Her father was Restores Cox, and he had been a soldier in the war of 1812. The Cox family was of English descent, and in early times had belonged to the Quaker denomination. On the 7th of June, 1838, Mr. Smalley left New Jersey for the west. In those days a journey to Illinois was a formidable undertaking, and required weeks for its accomplishment. Beside himself and wife, his father and mother, two brothers and one sister, made up the company, and they brought along seven horses and four wagons. They traveled through Pennsylvania and West Virginia to Wheeling on the Ohio river, and from that point took a boat down the Ohio and up the Mississippi to St. Louis. From St. Louis he came directly to this county, arriving July 4th, 1838. His father had given him one hundred dollars, and this at that time comprised his whole fortune. He entered eighty acres of land in section 3 of township 7, range 8, and began its improvement.

Although he had little capital with which to begin operations, he still possessed that which was quite as important, industrious habits, good busi- ness qualifications, energy and perseverance. The eighty acres which he first entered he still owns, and he has been living at the same place he first settled. The number of acres of his land has increased from eighty to one thousand in this county, and he owns some in addition in Kansas. This result has been accomplished not by any accident or chance, but is the fruit of many years of hard labor and the exercise of a sound business judgment. He has been engaged in no occupation except farming, and his success de- monstrates that reasonable industry and careful judgment applied to the pursuit of agriculture can be made productive of the most satisfactory re- sults. He has been content to lead the life of a quiet and retired citizen, and has never desired the honors or emoluments of any public office. Poli- tically he is a democrat, as were all his ancestors before him. His first vote for president was cast for Van Buren in 1836, while still living in New Jer- sey, and from that time to the present, he has never ceased to believe that the principles of free government receive their best application in the doc- trines of the democratic party. He has had six children : Restores C. Smalley, who died November 8th, 1875; James H. Smalley, who is farming in Hilyard township; Mary E., now the wife of S. S. Olmstead, residing in Hilyard township; Samuel Walter, who died November 30th, 1862, when nearly seventeen years of age; Freelove B. Smalley, and Oscar D. Smalley. The death of Mr. Smalley's wife occurred on the 11th of January, 1871. He has been one of the best citizens of Bunker Hill township, and is known as an enterprising farmer, a peaceful citizen, and a good neighbor.

RESTORES C. SMALLEY, (DECEASED,)

son of A. J. Smalley, was a young man of brilliant promise, and at the time of his death had already acquired an excellent reputation at the Macoupin county bar. He was a bright student, and was educated at Shurtleff college, which he attended for five years. After leaving col- lege, he entered the law department of the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. He left this institution on account of the poor state of his health, and continued his legal studies in the office of Edwards, Stewart and Brown, a prominent law-firm of Springfield. On his admission to the bar, he opened an office at Carlinville, and during the few years of his profes- sional career built up a remunerative practice, and was looked upon as an able lawyer and one who gave great promise of future prominence. He was in partnership with Judge L. P. Peebles till the latter's election as county judge. He took an active interest in politics, and was a leading member of the democratic party in this county, and was well known and popular in every township. He was a candidate for legislative honors, and in 1869 was the democratic nominee for county judge. He was regarded by the older members of the profession as the most promising young man connected with the bar in this part of the state, and his death in November, 1875, of typhoid fever, cut short a career which gave every indication of great use- fulness and honorable distinction. He left a wife (formerly Miss Fannie Carson of Woodburn) and two children.

JAMES F. CUMMINGS

WAS born at Antrim, New Hampshire, January 16th, 1835. His ancestors were old residents of New England. His father, Sam uel Cummings, re- moved to Lowell, Massachusetts, in 1845, and the next year to Lawrence, where he died in 1873. The subject of this sketch secured his education principally at Lowell and Lawrence. He graduated from the Lawrence High School at the age of seventeen, and after leaving school was overseer in the finishing department of the Bay State Mills. In November, 1855, he married Harriet M. Silver, who was born in Vermont, and soon afterward came to Bunker Hill, where he engaged in the carpentering and cabinet- making business. Before the war he was captain of the Bunker Hill Guards, and on the breaking out of the rebellion this company volunteered and was mustered into service as Company F, of the 7th Illinois regiment. It was the fifth company accepted by the adjutant-general. He took with him 127 men to Springfield, all of whom, with one exception, were afterward in the Union army. The three months' term of enlistment expired at Mound City, Illinois, and the company re-enlisted for three years. In the summer of 1861 he was in Missouri and Kentucky, and at the capture of Fort Henry and Fort Donelson in February, 1862. He was home sick for a few weeks, but returned to the army in time to take part in the battle of Pittsburg Landing. He soon afterward resigned on account of ill health. From 1867 to 1878 he was in the grain business at Bunker Hill. He has since been real estate and loan agent and notary public. He has always been a repub- lican in politics. He was president of the town council of Bunker Hill in 1872, and was mayor of the city from 1873 to 1877. He is the present clerk of Bunker Hill township.

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HISTORY OF MACOUPIN COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

F. Y. HEDLEY.

THIS gentleman, the present post-master at Bunker Hill, was born at Ber- wick on Tweed, Scotland, March 2d, 1844. His father, Fenwick Y. Hed- ley, was a minister of the Baptist church, and for some years the companion of the celebrated Father Matthew in his wonderful temperance campaigns, and with him traveled through England and Ireland, holding mass meetings, and inaugurating the great temperance crusade, which has become a part of history. From exposure incident to these arduous campaigns, he was taken seriously ill, and his death occurred in the year 1847. Susan Hunt, the mother of the subject of this biography, was born at Bristol, England. After the death of her first husband, by whom she had two children, of whom F. Y. Hedley was the oldest, she married Wilson W. Pattison, and in the year 1852 removed to America.

In 1854 the family settled at Carlinville. Mr. Hedley obtained his edu- cation partially in the public schools of St. Louis, and afterward at Black- burn University. In 1856 he began learning the trade of a printer, in the office of the Carlinville Democrat. He was thus employed at the commence- ment of the war of the rebellion. On the 24th of August, 1861, he enlisted as a private in company C. thirty-second Regiment, Illinois volunteers, com- manded by Col. John Logan of Carlinville. His regiment was attached to the old Fourth Division of the army of the Tennessee, under General Grant, and subsequently to the Seventeenth Corps, on a different division of the army being adopted. He took part in the battle of Pittsburg Landing, and in the various engagements which marked the Tennessee river campaigns. He was also engaged with his regiment in the movement around Vicks- burg.

His original term of enlistment was for three years, but in 1863 he re-en- listed as a veteran volunteer. In the famous Atlantic campaigns his regi- ment bore a conspicuous part everywhere, acquitting itself with credit. He served as private till 1864, when he was promoted to be first lieutenant and adjutant. The famous march of Sherman to the sea, was the next im- portant movement in which he took part.

Early in the year 1865, on the recommendation of his division com- mander, Gen. W. W. Belknap, afterwards Secretary of War, and Gen. Frank P. Blair, he was commissioned captain by the president, and assigned to staff duty as assistant adjutant general of the third brigade, fourth divi- sion, seventeenth corps. He acted as such during the campaigns in North Carolina, preceding the collapse of the Southern Confederacy, after which he participated in the grand review at Washington, immediately before the final disbandment of the army.

After the close of the war his brigade was detached for duty on the Plains, the outbreak of Indian troubles causing serious apprehensions of danger in that quarter. The brigade was en route for Utah, but on reaching Fort Kearney was recalled, and directed to proceed to Springfield, Illinois, there to be mustered-out of service, and on the 24th of October, 1865, he became again a private citizen, after more than four years continuous ser- vice.

He came to Bunker Hill January 1st, 1866, and was engaged on the Union Gazette, which was first published at that date, and for the first num- ber of which he composed the matter. In February, 1867, in connection with Dr. A. R. Sawyer, he became proprietor of the paper, and after Dr. Sawyer's death in May, 1868, the sole owner. The name was changed to the Bunker Hill Gazette. He has since been occupied in the active manage- ment of the journal, except during a brief period, when a lease was made to other parties. Under the direction of Mr. Hedley, the paper has been successful, and sustains an excellent reputation as a bright and lively local journal. On political questions, it has held to a fair and moderate course, though it does not disguise its preference for the principles of the republi- can party. During the agitation of the various matters connected with the building of the court-house the Gazette waged a relentless war against the frauds which were being practiced on the people of Macoupin county, and to its utmost ability, exposed the schemes of those interested in unjustly burdening the county with debt. The Gazette was fearless in speaking on this subject when others were silent, and the editor has since had the satis- faction of seeing his course vindicated by the sober, second thought of the people.

He has always been a republican in politics. He received his first ap- pointment as post-master in 1872, and was reappointed by President Hayes in January, 1878. He was married September 16th, 1868, to Mary E. Harlan, daughter of Elijah Harlan, one of the oldest citizens of Bunker Hill. Of the five children, by this marriage, two daughters are living. Mrs. Hedley's death occurred May 16th, 1879.

ARCHELAUS N. YANCEY.

MR. Yancey is descended from an old Virginia family, which has been represented by several distinguished men in various parts of the south. His birth-place was Montpelier, in Orange county, Virginia. Montpelier was the residence of James Madison, and Mr. Yancey was born about a mile from the home of the ex-president, on part of the estate which formerly belonged to the Madison family. The Yanceys settled in Virginia while it was yet a British colony. Augustus Yancey, great-grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, and among Mr. Yancey's earliest recollections are incidents connected with visits to Richmond with his grandfather, Charles Yancey, on business concerning the pension of the latter's father. Charles Yancey was a planter in Orange county, Virginia, and he, himself, had served in the war of 1812, receiving in one of the en- gagements in which he took part, a wound which made necessary the am- putation of his arm. He was a prominent mason, and in 1822 was grand master of the state of Virginia, the highest office in the Masonic jurisdiction of the state. Mr. Yancey's father, James E. Yancey, married Mary E. Waller, whose ancestors had also for a long period been residents of the old do- minion. Her father, James Waller, was at one time, before railroads were built, largely engaged in the transportation business between Fredericks, burg and Richmond, Virginia.

Mr. Yancey was the oldest of nine children, and was born March 24th, 1844. When he was twelve years of age his father moved from Virginia to Oldham county, Kentucky. Mr. Yancey had commenced his education at the Hilton Academy in Orange county, Virginia, and after moving to Ken- tucky, attended an academy at Middletown, in that state, where he prepared for college. He entered Dartmouth college, New Hampshire, January, 1864. From an early period of his life he had entertained the idea of be- coming a lawyer, and for eighteen months before entering college had pur- sued his preparatory legal studies in the office of Nathaniel Wolf, a promi- nent lawyer of Louisville, Kentucky. Becoming anxious to commence ac- tive work in his chosen profession at as early a date as possible, he left Dart- mouth college in the summer of 1865, and the succeeding fall entered the law school connected with the university of Michigan, at Ann Arbor, determined on securing a thorough legal education. He was a student at Ann Arbor for two years, and graduated March 27th, 1867, with the de- gree of Bachelor of Laws. After his graduation he practiced for a brief period in Oldham county, Kentucky, and in the fall of 1867, came to Bun -. ker Hill with the purpose of establishing himself in his profession. About the same time, October 1st, 1871, he married Miss Belle Bryan, of Oldham county, Kentucky. Mrs. Yancey is a native of Oldham county, and her ancestors were residents of Kentucky from an early period in the history of the state.

The remainder of Mr. Yancey's history is well known to the people of Macoupin county. He has resided at Bunker Hill, and in the practice of his profession in the courts of this county has acquired an excellent repu- tation as a lawyer. His practice has embraced all branches of the law, both cases before justices of the peace and intricate litigation before the supreme court of the state and the Federal courts, and in every instance he has proved himself a man of sound legal learning, successful in the management of his cases, ready in resources, and especially able in the presentation of a case to a jury. For several years he has been local attorney for the Indianapolis and St. Louis railroad in the counties of Macoupin and Madison. Like his ancestors, before him, he has been a democrat, and has given his unvary- ing support to the principles and candidates of that party. He has taken an active interest in politics, and has usually participated in the various po- litical campaigns advocating the cause of democracy with an ability which has won him considerable reputation as a sound and logical speaker.

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THE FARM AND RESIDENCE O. S.R SANNER, SEC 6. BUNKER HILL IP. MACOUPIN CO .JULI

IS.

in politics. He received his firs ap- d was reappointed by President Hare ed September 16th, 1868, to Mary E. , one of the oldest citizens of Bunker is marriage, two daughters are living. tith, 1879.

$ N. YANCEY.

u old Virginia family, which has been men in various parts of the south. His inge county, Virginia. Montpelier me 1 Mr. Yancey was born about a mile fra rt of the estate which formerly belogen! yy settled in Virginia while it was rer : urvat-grandfather of the subject of this utionary war, and among Mr. Yancer', rhinected with visits to Richmond with ti business concerning the pension of the is a planter in Orange county, Virginia, war of 1812, receiving in one of the en- a wound which made necessary the am- rominent mason, and in 1822 was graal highest office in the Masonic jurisdiction unes E. Yancey, married Mary E. Waller, ag period been residents of the old do- r, was at one time, before railroads ware -portation business between Fredericks,

ine children, and was born March 24th, of age his father moved from Virginia ta Yancey had commenced his education at inty, Virginia, and after moving to Keo- Illetown, in that state, where he prepared wuth college, New Hampshire, January, s life he had entertained the idea of be months before entering college had pur- in the office of Nathaniel Wolf, & proti- y. Becoming anxious to commence ar- it as early a date as possible, he left Dart- 1865, and the succeeding fall entered e university of Michigan, at Ann Arbor, legal education. He was a student at luated March 27th, 1867, with the de his graduation he practiced for a brief v, and in the fall of 1867, came to Bun- -hing himself in his profession. Abren married Miss Belle Bryan, of Oldham is a native of Oldham county, and her ky from an early period in the history

history is well known to the people of at Bunker Hill, and in the practice of ounty has acquired an excellent repu- · etubraced all branches of the law, both I intricate litigation before the supreme arts, and in every instance he has proved z, successful in the management of his lly able in the presentation of a case to een local attorney for the Indianapolis « of Macoupin and Madison. Like a democrat, and has given his unrary- «dlidates of that party. He has taken usually participated in the various po- e of democracy with an ability which as a sound and logical speaker.

THE FARM AND RESIDENCE OF S.P. SANNER, SEC . 6, BUNKER HILL TP., MACOUPIN CO., ILL.

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HISTORY OF MACOUPIN COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

S. J. Harmer

N M Sanner

S. P. SANNER.

AMONG the enterprising and successful farmers of Bunker Hill township is S. P. Sanner. He is a native of the state, and was born in Madison county, February 25th, 1836. He is descended from a family of German origin. His great-grandfather on his father's side emigrated from Germany, and settled in Pennsylvania while that state was still subject to British rule. When the war of the Revolution broke out, and the colonies entered into their long and arduous struggle for independence, his ancestors were not unmindful of the duty they owed to their adopted country, and his grand- father enlisted and served in the army under Washington. His grandfather married a young lady named Hanna, to the various branches of which family in the West Mr. Sanner is in consequence related.

His father, Samuel Sanner, was born near the town of Northumberland, in Northumberland county, Pennsylvania, in the year 1803. He learned the trade of a saddler. He married Barbara Paul, who was born in Preston county, Virginia, in the year 1810. Her father moved from Virginia to Pennsylvania. This marriage took place April 27th, 1827. Mr. Sanner's father worked at his trade at Northumberland, Pennsylvania, till his health became poor, when he removed to the West and purchased a farm in Madi- son county, eight miles south of Bunker Hill, where he lived till 1867, and then removed to Shelby county, Illinois, where both he and his wife are now living, spending the closing years of a long and well-spent life. They cele- brated the fiftieth anniversary of their marriage in April, 1877.

The birthplace of Samuel Paul Sanner, the subject of this sketch, was on his father's farm in Madison county, eight miles from Bunker Hill. He grew up in that vicinity with such opportunities for education as were com- mon among the settlers of the West forty years ago. On the 8th of April, 1860, he married Margaret Calvin. Mrs. Sanner is also a native of Madison county, and was born ten miles south-east of Bunker Hill, November 13th, 1837. She is descended also from a Pennsylvania family. Her father, Philip S. Calvin, was born in Mercer county of that state, and when a young man emigrated to Indiana, and in Lawrenceburg married Jane Clarke. She was born in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, and had two brothers who had been in the service during the war of 1812. One of them was surgeon of the United States frigate Guerriere, and was lost by the sinking of the vessel and was never heard from afterward. Another brother was one of

the pioneer emigrants to Illinois, died in this state, and was buried on the banks of the Kaskaskia river. Philip S. Calvin settled in Bureau county, Illinois, in 1835; lived there till 1837, and then came to Madison county, where he died in 1867. Mrs. Sanner's mother is still living in Madison county, at the age of eighty-two years.

They resided in Madison county two years after their marriage. Mr. Sanner and his wife moved to Macoupin county, and on the 11th of March, 1862, settled on a tract of land consisting of one hundred and ten acres, which composes part of their present farm, in section 6 of township 7, range 8. At that time an old shanty, the only apology for shelter which the place offered, occupied a position just east of his present residence; the mud was knee-deep, and altogether their new home presented an uninviting and un- sightly appearance, and gave little promise of comfort or future development into the fine and valuable farm which the visitor to the spot may now see. Mr. Sanner's success is an illustration of what may be accomplished by in- telligent farming, hard work, and untiring energy. His industry soon en- abled him to get his farm into a better condition, and his example proves that the farmer on the prairies of Illinois can not only make a living out of the soil, but can reach a position where he will be in comfortable and inde- pendent circumstances. His farm has increased in size from one hundred and ten to four hundred and twenty acres, and is situated in the corner of Bunker Hill, Hilyard and Brighton townships, part lying in each township. He has been engaged in general farming, and is a man of good business ability. From his father he inherited a taste for mechanical employments, and his natural genius in this direction has been of great service to him in carrying on the farm and keeping in repair the necessary agricultural im- plements. He has on the farm a workshop, blacksmith shop, and all the tools and materials for repairing the ordinary machinery used in farming, so that in case of an emergency occasioned by the breaking of any agricul- tural implement he is not compelled to resort to the services of a mechanic at a neighboring town, but can save considerable time and trouble by exe- cuting the repairs with his own hands. His faculty for invention is also of great benefit in devising simple and inexpensive means for performing various farming operations.

Mr. and Mrs. Sanner have been the parents of eight children, whose names in the order of their ages are as follows : Jesse Frank, Anna Belle,

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HISTORY OF MACOUPIN COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

Lucy, Sophia, Samuel Clarke, Nellie, Harry, and Jacob Otto. All are living, with the exception of Samuel Clarke, whose death occurred Septem- ber 8th, 1870.

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History of Macoupin County, Illinois, Part 46

Author: Brink, McDonough & Co. Publication date: 1879 Publisher: Number of Pages: 440

Author: Brink, McDonough & Co.
Publication date: 1879
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 440