History of Madison County, Illinois With biographical sketches, Part 107

Author: Brink, W.R. & Co
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Edwardsville, Ill. : W. R. Brink & co.
Number of Pages: 698

USA > Illinois > Madison County > History of Madison County, Illinois With biographical sketches > Part 107

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Jacob Gonterman, son of Henry Gonterman, a native of Germany, was born in Maryland, March 27, 1764. He moved with his parents to Shelby county, Kentucky, where he afterward married Hannah Stark, daughter of Jonathan Stark. They moved into Christian county, where ten children were born to them. They emigrated from Kentucky to Madison county, and landed here in the fall of 1816, and immediately located on section 20, where he began an im- provement. Shortly after his coming, be built on his place a horse-mill that was operated for many years. His oldest son, Caleb B., was born August 20, 1797, and was married to Elizabeth Miller, March 14, 1819. He resided in this township, and raised a family of nine children. For many years, in early times, he was captain of a militia company, and ever after he was known as Captain Gonterman. His death occurred September 11, 1861. C. B. Gonterman, Jr., his youngest child, lives in section 17. Rev. Thomas Ray, a Kentuckian, came in 1818, and settled in the northeast part of section 11 ; now the place of his daughter. He was a member of the Baptist church and one of the early preachers in this settlement. He was a successful farmer, and gathered about him a good deal of property; he was twice married and raised two daughters by his second marriage : Adeline, now Mrs. John Keown, and Mary, now Mrs. Mary Fruit, of Edwardsville. The old gentleman terminated his pilgrimage on his place, October 21, 1854, in the eighty-first year of his age. James Pearce, a nephew of Joseph Bartlett, settled the H. Kuhn place, in section 21, in 1815, where he lived three years, and then located in the southern part of Leef town- ship. Alvis Hauskins came to the county in 1819, from Rutherford county, Tennessee, with his step father, Willerby Adams. He was then twelve years of age. In 1825, he began farming near Bethalto. In 1832, he entered a farm in section 10, where his son, Elias, now lives. Here he built n cabin in the spring of 1832, and resided until 1863.

He has been twice married and has raised a family of twelve children. The old gentleman, for some years, has been a transient resident; not claiming any special place as home. Elias Hauskins was born on the place where he now resides, in 1832. John Minter, from Kentucky, was one of the early settlers of the county. He first located in Montgomery county when he came to the state. He settled the place where John Minter, Jr. now lives, more than fifty years ago. The latter was born on this farm. The elder Minter lived here until his death. He raised a family of six children, four boys and two girls, five of whom are now living. Thomas and John are unmarried, and reside on the old homestead.

James Tunnell was the fourth son of William and Mary Tunnell, of East Tennesse. In 1814 he was married to Dicy Hauskins, and in 1816 he came to Illinois with his family and became one of the pioneers of Fort Russell. He purchased land of Rev. William Jones, near Bethalto, which he afterward sold to W. Adams. His death occurred in 1825. His widow married Rev. Thomas Ray, of this county, in 1827. The family then became residents of Pin Oak township, where they continued to reside. Mr. Tunnell had two children: Nancy Elvira and William West. The for- mer married Levi Harnsberger. They have a family of three children living, viz .: Mary Jane, wife of Harrison Wood, now residing in St. Jacobs; William Augustus, of Kansas City, and Charles E, residing with his parents at Green- castle. William West Tunnell was born February 23, 1824, in Madison county. He was married to Letitia McKee, February 7, 1850. He reared a family of eight children, five of whom are now living, viz .: Robert F., Ella F., wife of A. M. Ghost, of Denver, Colorado ; James E., Charles W. and Frank W., all of whom reside in Edwardsville. He died October 7, 1865. Mrs. Tunnell was born July 1, 1833, and died January 4, 1874.

Mathias Handlon, from Kentucky, came here with George Kindler, about 1810, at the age of nineteen years. He sub- sequently married Miss Harriet Walker, and improved a place near Lamb's Point, where he remained several years. Upon leaving this locality, he settled in the southern part of Pin Oak, in the edge of the timber on the east side of section thirty-two, where he bought an improvement of a man named Burroughs. This was before 1825. He built the house and barn where his son George now lives in 1831, and resided there until his death in 1856. He left a widow and seven children, four girls and three boys. George and Walker, his sons, are farmers in the township. The elder Handlon was a Ranger in the war of 1812. He also went through the Black Hawk war. He was a successful farmer, and when he died left his family in good circumstances. Samuel McKitrick, a native of Ireland, was one of the early settlers in the southern part of the township. He bought an improvement on section twenty-eight before 1825. He after- wards improved the place where his son William now lives, and made it his home until his death. He raised a family, all now deceased except William and Elizabeth. The latter is now Mrs. James Montgomery. Edmond Fruit was born in Randolph county, North Carolina, November 1st, 1786. When about sixteen years of age, his father, James Fruit,

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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

went to Christian county, Kentucky, where he afterward died. Edmond was married in that county to Miss Polly Gray, a native of South Carolina, who came to Kentucky with her parents when quite young. They had one child born to them in Kentucky, Cicero, who died a young man. In 1811, Mr. Fruit came to the Territory of Illinois, but on account of the Indian troubles returned to Kentucky. In 1817, he, in company with his two brothers, Enoch, and Alexander, and John Walker started west again. Coming to Illinois, the two brothers proceeded to what is now Missouri, because of the chances of its becoming a slave State. Walker lived here for some time, and then moved to Oregon. Mr. Fruit in the spring of 1818 located in the northeast corner of section nineteen, where he continued to reside until his death, which occurred in March, 1861. Before the State was admitted into the Union, he was appointed by the Ter- ritorial Governor a justice of the peace, but he returned the commission, not accepting the office. In after years he was IL member of the Board of County Commissioners. He improved a large farm. He was twice married, and reared a family of ten sons and five daughters that lived to become men and women. His second wife was Jane B. Robinson, a daughter of Alexander Robinson, of Bond county, Illinois. His sons were Cicero, Franklin, Washington, John, Perry, Jefferson, Enoch, William, James, and Henry. The daughters were Eliza, Amanda, Mary, Sarah, and Maggie. John and Jefferson are farmers in Hamel township. Mary, now the widow Wilson, resides in Edwardsville, and Maggie lives with her. Amanda married Jackson Hedges, and is now a widow liviug in Nebraska.

James Keown was one of the early settlers of Olive town- ship. As early as 1830, he began an improvement on the southern township line of Pin Oak, in section thirty-five. He was a soldier in the war of 1812, and was in the engage- ment at New Orleans. He raised a large family, but only a few of his descendants now live in the county. Michael Dunn, who lives on section three, came to the county with his father, Patrick Dunn, in 1836, from Ireland. Patrick settled in Fort Russell township. In 1846, he went to Han- cock county, Illinois, where he remained only a short time, and then returned to Madison. He died at his son's a num- ber of years ago. When Michael Dunn settled the place where he now lives his cabin was among the first built out in the prairie. Hle bought one hundred and twenty-five acres of Andrew F. Young, at two dollars per acre. J. B. McKee, who lives on section three, is a descendant of one of the old families of Madison county. John McKee, Sr., a native of Kentucky, came to the county in 1816, with a family of eight children, viz. : James, John, Joseph, Paten, Samuel, Mary, Lutitia, and Miram. James was killed when a young man by the falling of a limb, while chopping in the woods. John married Melinda Watt, daughter of James Watt, one of the early settlers of Madison county, and lived on his father's homestead place for a long time. Ilis last years were spent in the neighborhood of Troy, where he died. Joseph married Emma Wright, daughter of James Wright, and improved a place south of his father's, on the same tract of land where Joseph McKee, Jr., now lives. Paten married

Miss West, daughter of Tilghman West. For a number of years he was employed in the land office. Ile afterwards improved a farm southwest of EIwardsville, known as the Ballard place. Subsequently he went to Belleville, Illinois, where he dicl. Samuel married Miss Mary Thompson, daughter of Rev. Samuel Thompson, who was, for many years, a practicing physician in Edwardsville, and who now lives in Kansas. Mary married William Watson, and Lu- titia became the wife of Robert McKee.

John McKee, sen , lived many years in Edwardsville, and was the first register of the land office, which he held from 1816 to 1818. He then improved a good farm (now the George Kinder place), on the Troy road, south of Edwards- ville. He accumulated a large estate here, where he died more than half a century ago. His wife survived him many years, and afterward married Rev. John Barber, sen., a pio- neer Cumberland Presbyterian preacher.

Robert McKee, a nephew of John McKee, sen , came to the county with his uncle John in 1816. He was at that time a young man, twenty-one or twenty-two years of age. Ile married Lutitia McKee soon after his coming here. He entered the southwest quarter of section 24, Edwardsville township, and immediately commenced the improvement of a farm, where he resided until his death. He was twice mar- ried, his second wife being Nancy Cornelison. He raised a family of five children by his first wife, three girls and two boys, viz : Mary Ann, who married Carroll Parkenson, and now lives in Wisconsin ; John, who married Julia Posey, now deceased; Margaret, who became the wife of Peter Par- kenson, now deceased ; Sarah A., who married John P. Me- Farland, and now lives in Iowa ; and James B., the young- est of the family, who was born in 1828. He married Miss Helen F. Ottwell, daughter of one of the prominent old residents of Madison. He located where he now re- sides in 1852, and has a fincly improved farm. Robert McKee had a family of six children by his second wife, viz : Lutitia, Miram, Jane, Joseph N., Robert, and Naney M. Lutitia married William W. Tunnell, now deceased ; Miram became the wife of Charles Fangenroth, now deceased; Jane married Robert Kinder, and lives on the old home place ; Joseph N. is a farmer of Edwardsville township; Robert

died at the age of twenty-two; Nancy M. married Thomas Judy, of this township. Thos, J. Barnsback, who improved one of the finest farms in the township, began his improve- ment, in 1854. January 13, 1842, he was married to Miss Nancy J. Montgomery. His death occurred March 9th, 1880. Hle left a widow and a family of four children.

William W. Barnsback, also a prominent farmer of the township, was born in the county, January 24th, 1813. He learned the blacksmith trade in Potosi, Missouri. He mar- ried Miss Nancy Watt, April 23, 1834. After his marriage, he started the improvement where his widow now lives ; he also opened a blacksmith shop here, and made a specialty of plows and farm implements. It is said that he made the first iron mould-board plow that was used in this settlement. He worked at his trade here twenty-two years. where he continued to reside until his death, which event occurred April 4th, 1872. He left a widow and four children.

448

HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

Jacob Barnsback died March 10th, 1861; was twice married, leaving a widow and eight children.

Elias Hayes settled on section 25, northeast quarter, in an carly day.

Joseph Gaskill settled the J. H. Smith place, section 24, before 1830. Alfred Riggin settled on the same tract. Oliver Bolster settled the H. Bremermann place, section 24. He owned a large tract of land here, and died in Ma- rine township in 1865, without rearing a family.

Major Geary settled the place where G. Loos now lives, section 13. He owned a large tract of land here, and when he died, left a large family, all of whom have since left the state. Many of his descendants are now living in Missouri. The last five settlers above mentioned located in the town- ship about the same time.

Among the first Germans to locate in the township were : F. Schrumm, old man Gusevelle, and John Eichmann. The first school was taught by a Mr. Atwater, in a small log building that stood on section 32. In the early times, school was kept in an abandoned cabin that stood near the cabin of James Keown, and on his land, in section 35. Among the early teachers were Thomas S. Waddle, who improved a farm on the same section, southeast quarter, where he died nearly forty years ago. His wife died about the same time, and they were buried in the same grave. A great many deaths occurred in the settlement, about this time, of a disease called by the early settlers "a plague." Mr. Waddle was one of the early justices of the peace, and served the county as commissioner. He was a Whig in po-

litics, and a very influential citizen. None of the family or descendants now live in this settlement.

There is quite a large colorcd settlement in the township. The first colored man, Robert Crawford, was located here by Governor Cole, who gave him a small farm situated in sec ion 9. Crawford was a preacher, and he induced others of his race to settle here. Michael Lee came and bought a small farm, now part of the Blair estate, where he resided until his death. Crawford afterward went to Montgomery county, where he died. Other early colored settlers were : Samuel Vanderburg, Henry Daugherty, and Thomas Sex- ton. They were generally honest and upright in their deal- ings. Henry Blair, the most successful, died in 1880, leav- ing quite a large estate. His widow and family live in the old place. This settlement increased steadily until it num- bered fully three hundred. It is now considerably dimin- ished. They built two churches on section 15, of the Meth- odist and Baptist denominations respectively. They have a separate school district, and conduct their own school, gen- erally employing colored teachers.

The gentlemen whose names appear below, have served the township as supervisors : James B. McKee was elected 1876, and was in office one term. George Handlon, elected in 1877, served one term. D. A. Hagler was supervisor for 1878-79. James B. McKee was re-elected in 1879, and served one term. Alsey S. Smart, elected in 1880, held the office two terms. Elias Hauskins was elected in 1882, and is the present incumbent.

. 4.

BARN OPPOSITE

RESIDENCE.

RESIDENCE STOCK AND GRAIN FARM OF JOHN H. SMITH SEC.24, T.4, R.7, (PIN OAKTP) MADISON CD., ILL.

BIOGRAPHIES.

Thomas I Barns back.

Kaxig & Barnsbuck

THIE Barnsback family is of German ancestry. George Frederick Julius Berenback was born in Osterode, Ger- many, July 23d, 1781, and emigrated to the United States in the year 1797, touching first at Philadelphia, from whence he soon removed to Kentucky. He was united in marriage with Mary, daughter of Thomas Minter, about the year 1807, and from thence removed with his family to St. Clair county, Illinois in 1809-there being but two counties, St. Clair and Randolph, organized within the limits of the State at that time. In the year 1840 Mr. B. changed the ortho- graphy of his name to Barnsback, sinee which the family retained it in that manner. His family consisted of ten children, as follows: Jacob J., born April 21st, 1808; George J., born March 2d, 1810, and who died November 21st, 1839 ; William J., born January 24th, 1813, died April 4th, 1872; John J., born April 10th, 1815; Thomas J., born March 29th, 1817 ; Hannah J., born July 13th, 1819,

and married to Shadrach Gillham June 20th, 1837. Hen- rietta J., born December 10th, 1821, and died August 7th, 1823; Marianna J., born April 7th, 1824, and died Janu- ary 13th, 1839. Julius .J., born May 14th, 1826, and Isa- bella J., born January 4th, 1829, and married to Jeremiah Job in the year 1846. The children and grandchildren of the family above given, now make a large proportion of the population of Madison county.

Thomas J. Barnsback chose for life-partner Nancy J., daughter of William Montgomery, and sister of Nelson Montgomery ; they were married January 13th, 1842. Their family consisted of six children : John, who was born Janu- ary 27th, 1844, and died June 6th, 1845 ; Sarah Elizabeth, born October 22d, 1846, was married to William W. Jarvis, now a prominent eitizen of Troy, in this county, December 1867; Julia Ann was born April 6th, 1850, and married Frederick W. Wolf, November 25th, 1868, and reside near

419

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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

Edwardsville, in this county ; Jeremiah, born August 18th, 1851, and died January 20th, 1853; Lucy Jane was born December 21st, 1854, and Fannie was born March 7th, 1860. Thomas J. Barnsback died March 9, 1880. In his life he was more than ordinarily successful, and by his superior judgment and good management succeeded in acquiring a large property. Ile took a great interest in stock raising, and in breeding fine stock, and in that particular did the county much good. He belonged to the enterprising class of citizens ; was public-spirited ; and enterprises that had for their object the advancement of the material in- terests of the county, always found in him an active friend. He was adverse to speculation of any character, but was devoted to his occupation as a farmer and stock raiser. As a citizen he was much respected. All unite in saying that in every transaction he was honest, upright and hon- orable to a fault.

JOHN H. SMITH

WAS born in Frederick county, Virginia, January 26th, 1827. His father, James Christopher Smith, who was a na- tive of same county, went with his father, Christopher, to Ohio about 1828, and there died. James C., his son, moved to Holmes county, same state, in 1829, and in 1839 went to Lawrence county, Indiana. In the fall of the same year he came to Effingham county, Illinois. One year later he went to Clay county, which was his home until January 13, 1843, when he died. He married Elizabeth Tewalt, a native of Frederick county, Va. She died in November, 1843. There were eight children by that marriage, five sons and three daughters. Five children are yet living. John H., the subject of this sketch, is the third in the family. He was raised on the farm, and received his education in the common schools, which ceased when he was twelve years of age. Mr. Smith remained at home until 1847, then went to St. Louis, and in January following, 1848, came to Madi- son county, and stopped in the town of Alhambra, where he and W. W. Pierce hunted game for the St. Louis market. The next spring he came down to the part of the country where he now lives, and worked on a farm, first for seven, and afterwards for ten dollars per month. He soon after bought one hundred and sixteen acres on Smart's Prairie, forty acres of which were improved, and continued there un- til January, 1853, then sold the farm and bought one hun- dred and ten acres in section twenty-four of Pin Oak town- ship. The latter was slightly improved, and had on it a small log cabin, and there he has lived ever since. He has built a large, fine dwelling-house, barns and out-houses, and has now a beautiful place, as will be seen on another page of this work.

On the 23d of August, 1849, he married Miss Maria Smart, daughter of Henry and Sally Smart, old settlers of Madison county. Henry Smart was a native of North Caro. lina, and Mrs. Smart of Kentucky. Mrs. Smith was born near where she yet lives. Twelve children have been born

to Mr. and Mrs. Smith, eight of whom are living. Their names in the order of their birth are : James H., who mar- ried Miss Elizabeth Boliger ; Martha Jane, wife of F. M. Bartlett ; William A., married Miss Elvina Shadrick ; Sid- ney L., married Miss Julia Dietz ; Mary Alice, Itha Ra- chael, John A., and Narcissa E. Smith. Those that are married live in the township, and the others are yet at home. Mrs. Smith is a member of the Baptist church. Politically Mr. Smith has been a Democrat since 1852, when he cast his vote for Franklin Pierce for President. He is an hon- ored member of the order of A. F. and A. M., and belongs to Troy Lodge No. 588. He has been reasonably successful in life, all of which is owing to his industry and energy. He is a good man and much respected in his neighborhood.

CALEB B. GONTERMAN.

THE Gonterman family, on the paternal side, is of German ancestry. Henry Gonterman, the great-grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was born in Germany. Caleb B., the father, who was better known as Capt. Gonterman, was born in Kentucky. He came with his father, whose name was Jacob, to Illinois, in 1818, and settled in what is now known as Pin Oak township, and there entered and bought land, and followed the occupation of farming until his death. The latter event occurred in September, 1861. He married Miss Elizabeth Miller, daughter of Michael Miller, of Mon-

roe county, Illinois. She died in 1848. He afterward married Mrs. Gillenwaters nee Hall. She is also dead. By the first marriage there were five sons and four daughters, six of whom have survived the parents. Caleb B. is the youngest of the family ; he was born in section 27, in Pin Oak town- ship, Madison county, Illinois, October 1st, 1834. He grew to manhood on the farm, and remained in the county to the present time, except two years, when he was absent in Ohio. In 1858 he bought eighty acres of land in Marine Prairie, and farmed it for eight years, then sold out and purchased | the land where he now resides. It was slightly improved, but all the buildings, (of which there is a large and com- modious farm-house on the place), have been erected by him. There he has resided since 1866. On the 22d of December, 1858, he was united in marriage to Miss Lydia, daughter of Jesse and Nancy Bartlett, old and prominent settlers of Madison county. She was born in Madison county, May 16, 1837. The Bartletts were among the first settlers in the county. There have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Gonterman three children, whose names are Thomas E., Jessie O. and Laura A. Gonterman. Mr. Gonterman has been a staunch Democrat since 1856, when he cast his first vote, which was given for James Buchanan for Presi- dent. The Gontermans, as will be seen by the foregoing, belong to the pioneer families of Illinois. Several genera- tions have been born and passed away since they came to Illinois. They were all, in their occupations, wedded to the soil, and were then, as they are now, among the substantial farmers of the county.

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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

Jesse Barttell

WAS a native of Madison county, born February 5, 1810. He was the son of Jesse Bartlett, who was one of the pioneers of the state. Here he grew to manhood, and May 12, 1831, married Nancy Ann, daughter of Daniel E. and Sarah (In- gram) Adams, who died May 21, 1855. In May, 1857, he married his second wife, whose name was Sophia Stallings. By the first marriage ten children were born, whose names are given in the order of their birth : Joseph, who married Nancy Ann Whiteside, by which union there are five sons and one daughter ; Daniel, who is dead. He married Sarah Elizabeth Sappington, and left three children. Lydia is the wife of Caleb B. Gonterman, and they have three chil- dren. William R. is dead. He married Mexana Green, and left six children. Sarah, wife of Elias Hauskins, who has four children. Nancy Catherine has been thrice married, lately to William Senacer. She has two children living

by her former husbands. Martha Elizabeth, wife of Frede- rick W. Berger, who have four children. Rhoda Adeline, who is the wife of William S. Judy. They have three chil- dren. Jesse Allen, died in his fifth year, and John in his infancy.

By the second marrriage of Mr. Bartlett there were seven children, whose names are : Anna Eliza, James M., Austin (dead), George Sherman, Lincoln S., Charles F., and Mar- tin E. The latter three are also dead. Mr. Bartlett remained in Madison county until August, 1870, when he removed to Chariton county, Missouri, and there remained until his death, January 11, 1873. Ilis body was brought back, and now lies interred in the old burial ground on the old home- stead. He was a soldier in the Black Hawk War, and was first lieutenant of a company.

452

HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

WILLIAM MAY

WAS born in Bavaria, Germany, March 3, 1833. 1Ie came to America in 1847, with his father, Valentine Max; landed at New Orleans; came up the river to St. Louis, and in April of the same year came to Madison county, and settled one mile north of Marine, where he bought land, and lived until his death, which occurred August 2, 1878. He mar- ried Catharine Steg, a native of Bavaria; she died in 1860. There were thirteen children, seven of whom are living; William is the eldest He remained at home until his twenty-third year. He then followed teaming for a few years. In 1856 he bought eighty acres of land in section 24 of Pin Oak township, and the next year moved on it and commenced its improvement. To that eighty he has added until he now has about seven hundred acres of as fine land as there is in the township. All of it is improved, with fine buildings. A view of the place can be seen on another page. On the 13th of February, 1856, he married Elizabeth Wid- mar, a native of Bavaria, born October 22, 1833. She came to America in 1855. Thirteen children were born to them-twelve living. Their names and births are given : William, born April 26, 1857; Lena, July 28, 1858; Henry, March 25, 1860; Otto, November 17, 1861 ; Emma, born September 23, 1864, died September 14, 1865; Anna, born December 27, 1867 ; Mina, November 7, 1869 ; Louise, July 17, 1871 ; Karl, April 29, 1873; Albert, March 15, 1875; Daniel, March 24, 1877 ; Leo, January 9, 1880. Both Mr. and Mrs. May are members of the Presbyterian church. He has been a Republican since 1856, at which time he cast his vote for John C. Fremont. He is one of the represen. tative farmers of Madison county, and one of its most successful ones.

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History of Madison County, Illinois With biographical sketches, Part 107

Author: Brink, W.R. & Co Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Edwardsville, Ill. : W. R. Brink & co. Number of Pages: 698

Author: Brink, W.R. & Co
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Edwardsville, Ill. : W. R. Brink & co.
Number of Pages: 698