History of McDonough County, Illinois, together with sketches of the towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent individuals, and biographies of the representative citizens, Part 94

Author:
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Springfield, Ill. : Continental Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 1150

USA > Illinois > McDonough County > History of McDonough County, Illinois, together with sketches of the towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent individuals, and biographies of the representative citizens > Part 94

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Jacob H. Wisherd, of Bushnell town- ship, is a son of Jacob and Catherine (Stahl) Wisherd, and was born in Ful- ton county in 1858. He was reared in his native county, obtaining his educa- tion in the district school. In the year 1880, he was married to Eveline Blan- chard, and by this union has two chil- dren-Jacob Lewis and Sheldon. He came to this county from Fulton county, and is engaged in farming. He is a

stirring, energetic young man. and an enterprising farmer. His father, Jacob Wisherd, was born in Penn- sylvania in 1823, and was a son of John and Elizabeth (Cole) Wisherd. He was married in 1842, to Catherine Stahl, of Franklin county, Pennsylvania. They had five children-John M., now in Missouri; David N., living in Quincy; Jeremiah, living in Vermont, Illinois; and Jacob H. Mr. Wisherd died April 22, 1863, and was buried in Virgil ceme- tery. He owned at the time of his death 480 acres of land, and was in prosperous circumstances. His widow, Catherine Wisherd, is still living upon the home- stead farm. She is a consistent member of the Christian church. ,

Matthew Williamson is a native of Coshocton county, Ohio, born November 20, 1838. He lived with his parents in that county until he reached the age of 19 years, then went to Pennsylvania, where he was employed upon a farm. He then came to Illinois, and worked for a time at farming in McLean county, thence to Peoria county, where he car- ried on farming in partnership with William Fahnstock. He was married in the fall of 1873, to Sybilla Potter, who was born February 14, 1847. He con- tinued living in Peoria county for one year after marriage, then removed to Knox county, and two years later to Ful- ton county, where he remained six years, still engaged in farming. From Fulton county he came to McDonough, and lo- cated on the northeast quarter of section 22, Bushnell township, where he still re- sides. He has fine improvements, inclu- ding his residence, barn, sheds, corn- cribs, etc. He has upon his place about

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HISTORY OF MCDONOUGH COUNTY.

four miles of Osage hedge, and 300 rods of drain tile. He pays considerable at- tention to stock raising, particularly fine horses. He is the owner of a fine stal- lion, one half Clyde, one-quarter Nor- man, and one-quarter Copperbottom; four fine brood mares, and a pair of trotting horses that won the blue ribbon at the Bushnell fair. in the fall of 1884, Mr. Williamson devotes his time entire- ly to the cultivation of his farm, and the care of his stock. He is politically, a republican. Mr. and Mrs. Williamson are the parents of four children-Wil- liam H., now married to Mary Hood; Delbert H., Wardie E. and Jennie M.

EDUCATIONAL.

According to the report of the county superintendent for the fiscal year, end- ing June 30, 1884, the township of Bush- nell had 852 children, between the school ages of six and 21 years, 650 of whom were enrolled in the eight schools of the township district, two of which are classified as graded institutions of learning, seven months and a half being the average number taught annually. There are eight school buildings in the township, seven of which are frame, the other a brick structure. One school house was also built in the township during the year. The highest salary paid to any male teacher is $125 per month, and the lowest is $25, while $50 is the highest paid to females, and $20 the lowest. The estimated value of school property amounts to over $22,000, and the tax levy for the support of edu- cational institutions, amounts to $4,800. Bushnell is free from debt, as far as edu- cational purposes are concerned.

ORGANIC.

On the 12th day of June, 1866, the board of supervisors ordered Prairie City township divided, the north half to retain the name of Prairie City, and the south half to be known as Bushnell.

At the first township election, April 2, 1867, the following officers were elec- ted: J. H. Smith, supervisor; Hiram Conover, collector; Pardon Wooley, assessor; E. Combs, clerk; E. Lincoln and P. Wooley, constables; D. M. Wyc- koff, J. T. Spear, and J. D. Devor, com- missioners of highway; J. H. Epper- son, justice of the peace; A. S. Clark. overseer of the poor.

The present officers of the township are as follows: supervisor, Levi S. Mills; clerk, O. C. Hicks,; assessor, N. Hey; collector, A. B. Sperling; highway com- missioner, Albertson Moore; justices of the peace, R. W. Mckinney and J. B. Spicer; constables, Samuel Long and C. C. Morse.

CITY OF BUSHNELL.

The flourishing city of Bushnell is located in this township, and is sur- rounded by some of the finest country in the state, which partially accounts for its rapid growth and thriving condition. It was laid out in 1854, before the com- pletion of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy railroad. John D. Hail, of Ma- comb, sold a two-third interest in the northeast quarter of section 33, to D. P. Wells and Iverson L. Twyman, also of the city of Macomb, and the three to- gether determined on the establishment of a town on that site. William H. Rile, then county surveyor, under the direc- tion of Hail, Twyman, and Wells, laid

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HISTORY OF MCDONOUGH COUNTY.

off the town, running the streets parallel with that railroad, which had been gra- ded through the proposed site, and which extended across the quarter, en- tering 35 chains south of the southwest corner, and passing out the same num- ber of chains north of the northeast corner. The quarter was divided into 48 blocks of 12 lots each, the blocks be- ing 360 feet square. Two streets, run- ning parallel with the railroad, one on either side, were made 70 feet wide, and all others 60. The first public sale of lots was made in May, 1854. About 70 lots were sold, realizing about $6,000, the prices varying from $30 to $120 each.

The town was named in honor of N. Bushnell, at that time president of the Northern Cross railroad, the name by which the present Chicago, Burlington & Quincy railroad was then known.

When the town was laid out, there was nothing on its proposed site but a large "wolf pole," a pole erected on the highest eminence in the neighborhood where it could be seen by the parties engaging in the wolf hunt and to which all would attend, meeting in one common center. The nearest houses were those of M. B. Robinson, Joseph Crawford and J. H. Spicer, some three miles west. For miles around not a rod of land was enclosed by a fence, and not a road was located in the neighborhood. The coun- try was just as wild as when created by the Author of the Universe, and upon the trackless prairies there was as much danger of being lost as in a dense forest.

Scarcely was the town laid out before the proprietors of the town erected a small store, built of slabs, which on com- pletion they sold to Hiram Markham,

when he and his brother, Daniel, moved into it a small stock of goods as related further on. Shortly after this Hiram Conover, John Beach, William Ervin, and William Vickers made a settlement here, erecting houses in which to place their families. These were the first set- tlers in the town. John Crawford com- menced the erection of the first hotel, but before completion sold it to John D. Hail, who, in the summer of 1855, com- pleted the same and opened it for the accommodation of the traveling public.

The growth of the town was not very rapid the first year, the railroad not being completed and the people not accustomed to push things through with lightning speed. But in the second year, as the sound of the locomotive's whistle could be heard in the distance, they began to pour in, and by the time the merry call of the conductor "all aboard," was heard the town was fairly alive, and the spirit of young America seemed to pervade every citizen of the little village, and dreams of future growth and greatness pervaded the minds of all. A class of citizens came to the village possessed of indom- itable perseverance and grit, and with a determination to make the town one of the best in the state of Illinois. Among the early settlers who worked for the best interest of the place were Hiram Markham, James Cole, James Kelly, Dr. Clarke, Daniel Negley, James Smith, S. West, A. Everett and A. Hess.

The original proprietors of the place, 1

imbued with a spirit of liberality, gave to the town two blocks of land-one on the east side of the railroad, and one on the west. They also gave lots to such religious denominations as would build

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HISTORY OF MCDONOUGH COUNTY.

houses of worship. There is, therefore, to-day, two beautiful parks and several beautiful and pleasant church edifices, and the community a moral and intelli- gent one.

The first three or four years were dis- astrous to the welfare of the town, in consequence, principally, of the failure of the crops. Many farms had been opened, but the farmers had used up all their means in improvements, trusting they would be rewarded with good crops, which, failing them, left them in debt to the merchants of the place. The conse- quence of this state of affairs was that the merchants were unable to meet their bills, which caused the suspension of several. Notwithstanding all. this, im- provements were constantly made, build- ings for stores and dwellings were being erected, and the population was rapidly increasing.

In 1867, the Toledo, Peoria & Warsaw railroad company surveyed a line through this place, and the city and the citizens subscribed to its capital stock to aid in its completion. This road, which is now a part of the Wabash system, crosses the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy road, at this point, making this considerable of a railroad center, which added to the several manufacturing establishments that have been instituted here, promise a future for the town that certainly is bright enough for its citizens. Two branches of the C. B. & Q railroad fur- nish facilities for freighting as well as the Wabash, placing Bushnell in a favored position toward offering inducements to manufacturers to locate here.

Hiram and Daniel Markham were the pioneer merchants of Bushnell, com-

mencing business in the summer of 1854, in a small building constructed of slabs, on the site of the present.normal college. They had a small stock of general mer- chandise, which comprised a small amount of most everything. At that time, the town consisted of a couple of shanties, only. They afterwards erected the store building now occupied by Ball & Son's carriage shop, where they did business for a couple of years. They then discontinued it, and after a few years Hiram moved to Kansas.

The second merchant here was James Cole. He commenced business in De- cember, 1855, in a building on the site now occupied by the store of T. F. Sei- bert. The building was framed in Quincy, and brought here by Mr. Cole, who also brought a carpenter with him to complete it. It was 16x48 feet in size upon the ground, one story high. It was afterward removed to New Philadelphia. In this structure, when it was finished, Mr. Cole placed about $2,000 worth of general merchandise, which he had pur- chased in Quincy, on credit. He has been identified with the business inter- ests of the town ever since, and is now engaged in the grain and banking busi- ness, having closed out his general mer- chandise business, and merged the capi- tal invested into his banking operations.

James Cole, of the firm of J. Cole & Co., merchants and bankers of Bushnell, is a native of Berkeley county, West Virginia, and was born on the 20th of of August, 1824. His parents were William and Mary (McNally) Cole, the former of whom was a native of Mary- land, and the latter of Virginia. Mrs. Cole died when James was an infant,

HISTORY OF MCDONOUGH COUNTY. 827

and her husband died in 1835. In 1832 James Cole was apprenticed by the overseer of the poor to a man by the name of Philip Stone, who took him to Highland county, Ohio, where he re- mained until 15 years of age, when he ran away and engaged in steamboating. He hired out as second cook on the Ar- kansas river, and gradually worked him- self up,on different boats, until he became captain of a small boat. In 1846, he engaged in the confectionery business at St. Louis, Missouri, which he con- ducted for one year. He then went to Chicago, where he resided until 1849, then going to Quincy, and engaging in the confectionery business there. He remained in business at that point until 1855, when he came to McDonough county and located at Bushnell, estab- lishing the second store in that city. In 1878, he engaged in the banking busi- ness, in connection with his store and grain. He has now closed out his stock of goods, with the intention of making banking his permanent business. He has also been engaged in the grain trade, ever since opening up in that city. James Cole and Eliza J. Peckham, a native of Indiana, were united in mar- riage, at Quincy, Illinois, on the 25th of March, 1854. They now have three children living-Lucy L., Harry E. and George W. Mr. Cole also has one child living by a former marriage- Frances A., now Mrs. D. C. Neff. He is a member of the I. O. O. F., as is he also of the Methodist Episcopal churchi. He held the office of mayor of Bush- nell, in 1878, and has also been a mem- ber of the board of education, and of the city council, having been elected

alderman to the first council. Mr. Cole, owing to the hardships of his early life, and the loss of his parents, had no chance to obtain an education by the usual method, having only attended school for about three months, in Virginia, but by sheer hard work, and personal appli- cation he has attained more than a com- mon education, and that a good practi- cal one.

About April, 1856, Negley & Angle, from Canton, Fulton county, came to this place and opened a store for the sale of general merchandise, in the building where Ball & Son are now sit- uated, erected by Hiram Markham, and first occupied by him. Negley after- wards sold out to William Aller, and the business was continued for a time under the firm name of Aller & Angle. Mr. Aller dying, the stock was disposed of by his surviving partner, to James Cole.

About the same time, 1856, Wykoff & Shreeves opened a store on the site now occupied by Elliot & Brewster. They came to the city of Bushnell from Fair- view. Some time afterward Wykoff disposed of his interest in the business, and later moved to Iowa. Mr. Shreeves took in a partner by the name of Joseph Parks, and the firm failing after a time, he moved to Kansas, his present home.

From this time forward the immigra- tion to this part was quite large, and followed one another rapidly, until, at the close of the year 1856, when there were 125 buildings upon the town site, including, residences, stables, barns, etc.

PRESENT BUSINESS.

The mercantile establishment of S. A. & J. W. Hendee was commenced in

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HISTORY OF MCDONOUGH COUNTY.

April, 1860, on the east side of the rail- road, by Wilson & Co., S. A. Hendee being the latter. In 1861, the firm be- came S. A. & C. A. Hendee, but the fol- lowing year it became Hendee & Wilson, and so remained until 1865, when the name was changed to Hendee & Clarke. In the fall of 1867, this firm was dis- solved, and S. A. Hendee operated it singly until 1872, when by the admis- sion of J. L. Griffiths and D. F. Chid- ester, the firm name and style was changed to Hendee, Griffiths & Co. In 1874, Griffiths and Chidester retired, S. A. Hendee & Co., continuing. In 1880, D. F. Chidester became a member of the firm, which was continued as S. A. Hendee & Co. In 1882, Mr. Chidester retired from the firm, Mr. Hendee con- tinuing the same under the firm name of S. A. Hendee, until in January, 1885, when J. W. Hendee entered the firm, which was then changed to S. A. & J. W. Hendee. They carry a stock of about $10,000, and are doing a fine business.

S. A. Hendee was born in Windham county, Connecticut, March 9, 1830, and was a son of Amasa Hendee, who was a native of Vermont. When Stephen was nine years of age, his parents removed to Fulton county, Illinois, where he was reared. In 1852, he went to California, and, after a stay of some two years, went to Central America, and remained four months, then returning to Fulton county, Illinois. In 1854, he engaged in mer- chandising at Marietta, Illinois, which he continued for two years. He then engaged in trade at Bardolph, in Mc- Donough county, remaining until 1860, in which year he removed to Bushnell,

and became a member of the firm of Wilson & Company, as above stated. In addition to merchandising, Mr. Hendee is interested in the grain business with D. F. Chidister, they having elevators in Bushnell, Colchester, Bardolph, Swan Creek, Youngstown, Roseville, Table Grove, Adair and Epperson. On the second of November, 1858, Stephen A. Hendee and Sarah N. Groenendyke, a native of New Jersey, were united in marriage, and their union has been blessed with six children-Luan B., Ad- rienne G., Nathan B., Leo N., Edgar and Fannie. Mr. Hendee has given his entire attention to his business interests. He is a member of the Masonic order, and also of the Knights of Honor.

Joseph M. Parks embarked in the gen- eral merchandise trade in Bushnell, in partnership with William Shreeves, in 1864, under the firm name of Shreeves & Parks. This continued until 1867, when they sold out to James Ayres. Mr. Parks entered their employ as a clerk, and with G. S. Nevins, who, later, bought the stock, but three months after this transfer, Mr. Parks bought the stock and has, since then, carried on the busi- ness. He carries a stock of about $4,000.

Theodore F. Seibert has a store room 20x86 feet in size, where he carries about $8,000 worth of general merchandise. This store was established in March, 1870, by Aller, Seibert & Co., but after about two years, became the property of Mr. Seibert, and has been carried on by him ever since.

John W. Haynes, dealer in general merchandise, clerked for S. C. Haines for a time, and afterwards had an inter- est in that house. In 1874, he bought

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HISTORY OF MCDONOUGH COUNTY.

out E. Chidester, and lias continued to carry on business alone éver since. He carries a stock of about $9,000 worth of goods.

Samuel C. Haines, dealer in dry goods, etc., in the Opera House block, began business in August, 1864, as the succes- sor of Wilson & Simonson. He contin- ued in this business until 1876, when he sold out and entered into the real estate business, but in 1881, bought out M. F. Hunt, and has continued in this business since.

Kaiser & Brother, dealers in dry goods, carpets, cloaks, shoes, etc., are among the heaviest dealers in the city. This stand originated in March, 1866, as a general store, on the east side of the street. In the fall of 1869, they moved to their present location, having previ- ous to this, in January, admitted a part- ner in the person of Stockton West, and the firm name changed to West & Kaiser. In 1875, by the admission of S. H. Greenbaum and Joseph Katsen- stein, the firm changed to West, Kaiser & Co. While this firm did business, they occupied three stores, seperating the various stocks of dry goods, grocer- ies and clothing. In 1877, Messrs. West and Greenbaum retired, and the firm made Kaiser Brothers & Co., and so re- mained until February 16, 1885, when the firm dissolved, Kaiser Brotliers tak- ing the dry goods department, and Joseph Katsenstein the clothing. Kaiser Bros., carry a stock that is valued at $15,000, and occupy both floors of their store building, which is 24x65 feet, and which they own.

Louis Kaiser, the senior member of the above mentioned firm, is a native of

Saxony, Germany, having been born on the 29th day of July, 1842. He re- mained there until he had attained his 17th year, then emigrated to this country, and located in Burlington, Iowa, where he was engaged as a clerk for two years. In April, 1861, he engaged in merchan- dising in Kirkwood, Illinois, which he continued until 1866, at which time he removed to Bushnell and established himself in business, as heretofore men- tioned. He has taken a very active part in the building up of Bushnell, and to him is largely due the success of the city high school. As one instance of the high esteem in which he is held by his fellow citizens, we will mention the fact that he was elected to the office of mayor from 1879 to 1883, his election being al- most unanimous, each time having a larger majority than any other man who has ever been elected to that office. This certainly speaks volumes for Mr. Kaiser. He takes a leading interest in the mechanical and agricultural affairs of the county, and has served as president of the Bushnell Mechanical and Agricul- tural Fair association. Louis Kaiser and Nannie Simmons were united in marriage, at Monmouth, Illinois, in September, 1863. They are the parents of three children-Glady B., Gustavus E. and Cordia. Mr. Kaiser is a mem- ber of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, and the Ancient Order of United Workmen lodges of Bush- nell. He was again elected as mayor this spring, for the term of two years.

Gustavus A. Kaiser, the junior mem- ber of the firm, is also a native of Sax- ony, Germany, and was born July 7, 1845. He received his education in his

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HISTORY OF MCDONOUGH COUNTY.

native country, where he remained until his 17th year, when he emigrated to America. He landed in New York city and made his home there for two years, then going to Burlington, Iowa, where he was engaged as a clerk until 1862. He then went to Cincinnati, Ohio, and ac- cepted a position as bookkeeper with a wholesale clothing firm, remaining with them two years, and then going to Kirk- wood, Illinois. Here he remained, in the capacity of a clerk, until the month of April, 1864, at which time he enlisted in company E, 138th Illinois infantry, and served till the November following, when he received an honorable dis- charge. He then returned to Kirkwood, Illinois, and engaged in business with his brother, which he continued until 1866, then coming to Bushnell and estab- lishing himself in business, as noted above. Mr. Kaiser is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows lodge of Bushnell, and is at present the grand senior warden of the grand encampment of the state of Illinois. He is also an honored member of the A. O. U. W. and the K. of H. lodges of this city. He is one of Bushnell's prominent and enter- prising merchants, and, as a citizen, is highly prized for his many good quali- ties.

Lemuel Aller, dealer in dry goods, etc., began business here in 1867, in con- nection with his brother, under the firm name of J. H. Aller & Co. In the fall of 1869, he purchased the interest of his partner, and has since carried it on alone. He has a stock of about $4,000, and has a fair share of trade.

Melville M. Aller, a native of Bush- nell, engaged in business in this place in

April, 1880, and carries a stock of about $5,000 worth of dry goods and notions.

The firm of West Brothers, dealers in groceries, crockery and queensware, was composed of A. Appleton and L. and C. West. They commenced this business in March, 1879. They occupied both stores of a building 24x100 feet in size, in which they carried about $6,000 worth of goods. Their store was the finest in internal fitting, and they were the heav- iest dealers in this line in the city. On the first of March, 1885, the firm dis- solved, Lewis West continuing the busi- nes, however.

G. W. Alexander, dealer in groceries, began business in 1880, as a member of the firm of Logsdon & Co. In 1882, he purchased the interest of his partner. He carries a fine stock, valued at $3,500.

Miller & Krouser established the first store for the sale of furniture about the year 1859, a little east of the Bushnell house.

The hardware, stove and tinware business, now conducted by the Hoover Brothers, was established in the month of August, 1875, by Dyer & Amos, who continued the business until 1877, the firm then becoming Griffith, Amos & Co. In 1879, M. L. Hoover bought an interest, the firm name then being changed to Griffith, Amos & Hoover. P. C. Hoover bought the interest of Mr. Griffith in 1881, the title of the firm then becoming Hoover, Amos & Hoover, which was again changed in September, 1882, to Hoover Brothers. They carry a $7,000 stock, and are the principal mer- chants in their lines in the city of Bush- nell.

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HISTORY OF MCDONOUGH COUNTY.

Martin L. Hoover, of the above men- tioned firm, is a native of Northumber- land county, Pennsylvania, being born there on the 13th of August, 1854. In 1866, his parents removed to Bushnell, where they still reside. In 1873, Luther returned to Pottsville, Pennsylvania, and served an apprenticeship to the tin- ner's trade, returning to Bushnell in the fall of 1875, where he- worked at his trade until 1879. He then became a member of the firm, as heretofore stated, and, being particularly adapted to the business, has been very successful. He is an honored member of the Knights of- Pythias lodge, of Bushnell.

His father, Joseph Hoover, now liv- ing a retired life, was also a native of Northumberland county, Pennsylvania, being born November 3, 1813. He was reared and educated in his native county, where he followed agricultural pursuits until 1866, at which time he removed to McDonough county, and located in Bushnell, still being an honored citizen of that city. He has served as a repre- sentative of his ward in the city council, and at present is a member of the An- cient Free and Accepted Masons lodge of that city. He was united in marriage, in 1839, with Martha Cotterman, a na- tive of Pennsylvania. They were the parents of seven children, named, re- . spectively-Amelia, Benjamin, Perry C., Ella, Joseph, Angelina, and Martin Luther. Mrs. Joseph Martin died March 30, 1885. Mr. Hoover is a mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal church.

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History of McDonough County, Illinois, together with sketches of the towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent individuals, and biographies of the representative citizens, Part 94

Author: Publication date: 1885 Publisher: Springfield, Ill. : Continental Historical Co. Number of Pages: 1150

Author:
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Springfield, Ill. : Continental Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 1150