USA > Illinois > McDonough County > History of McDonough county, Illinois, its cities, towns and villages with early reminiscences, personal incidents and anecdotes and a complete business directory of the county > Part 46
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Mr. Mustain is living on a good farm adjoining the village of Blandinsville, on section 32, and is well known to all residents of the county, especially the older settlers, and enjoys the respect and confidence of all alike. Like the rest of the family, in poli- tics he is a Democrat of the old school, the principles of that party being dear to his heart.
A. II. M'GAHAN.
Alexander Hunter MeGahan is the eldest of a family of five children, and was born in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, on the seventh day of December, 1840. His parents were JJohn and Eliza Ann (Jeffery) McGahan, natives of Pennsylvania, but of Scotch-Irish ancestry. His mother had been previously married to Ebenezer Ewing, leaving one son, who is still living. When the subject of this sketch was but ten years of age his father died, leaving three other children besides himself dependent on the ex- ertions of the mother; two of whom have since died, the other be- ing the wife of Rev. L. Y. Hays, a Presbyterian minister, now residing in Stockton, California. Until fourteen years of age Alex- ander II. attended the public schools of his native State, and also a few sessions of Hookstown Academy. He then entered the of- fice of the Waynesburg (Pa.) Messenger, his inclinations being in favor of a literary or newspaper life, and also to place himself where he might receive the counsel and oversight of a much loved unele. After five years labor at Waynesburg, New Brighton and Pittsburg, Pa., he was compelled to abandon the business on ac- count of failing health.
In the spring of 1861 he removed to Illinois, and for a few months was switchman at the railroad station at Prairie City, when he was appointed agent at Oak Hill, a station on the Peoria branch of the C. B. & Q. R. R. He remained here only four months, when he was transferred to Bushnell, taking charge of the station on the twenty-eighth of December, 1861, and where he
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yet remains, being one of the oldest agents on the C. B. & Q. road in point of service. In addition to the railroad agency, Mr. McGa- han has been agent of the American Express Company during his residence in Bushnell, up to November 1, 1877. As a business man he is pains-taking and conscientious in all that he does, and endeavors to deal honorably with all. Few men in like position, bringing him daily in contact with all classes of people, have so many warm friends.
Since his seventeenth year Mr. McGahan has been a professed Christian, uniting at that age with the Presbyterian church, at Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, then under charge of his uncle, Rev. Samuel II. Jeffery. With this body he retained membership at his different places of residence until his removal to Bushnell, where, there being at the time no organization of that denomina- tion, he united with the Reformed Church, remaining in its con- nection until the organization of the Presbyterian Church, of Bushnell, in 1868, of which he was an organizing member, and was chosen one of its ruling elders, which office he yet fills in an acceptable manner. As a member of the body of Christ he believes in work, and no one in that charge does more to advance the Redeemer's cause. He is a zealous Sabbath school worker, and has been superintendent of the Presbyterian Sabbath school, in Bushnell, since its organization. In 1875 he was chosen by the Schuyler Presbytery as one of the Commissioners to the Gen- eral Assembly, which met at Cleveland during that year.
In politics Mr. McGahan is a radical Republican, having cast his first and last vote for that party. While indorsing the gen- eral principles of that party, he does not indorse any appearance of evil by its member, and believes in rebuking and punishing corruption in high places, insisting on economy in private life, and correct ideas of the relation of man to man, and does not believe in promoting "policies" in national or local politics by compromising principles.
In youth Mr. McGahan was sober and thoughtful, but full of life, having the confidence of older persons probably in an un- usual degree. These traits of character have been retained through life, and as a man no one stands higher in the esteem of his fellow citizens of whatever religious or political view.
On the twenty-seventh day of October, 1864, he was united in marriage with Miss Alice West, daughter of Stockton West, one
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of the first settlers of Bushnell, and one of its leading citizens. Two sons, Willie Lincoln and Walter Lowrie, have been the fruits of this union.
REV. JOSIAH MOORE.
The parents of the subject of our present sketch were Charles and Hannah Moore, the former of English and the latter of Scotch descent. They had eight children-five sons and three daughters. The two eldest children died in infancy, and one son, John, died in his thirty-second year, on the ninth of March, 1858. The records of the old families show a strict adherence to the Protestant faith.
Josiah, the third child, and subject of this sketch, was born near Ballybay, Ireland, September 18, 1833. On the sixteenth of June, 1834, his parents sailed for the United States, and after a tedious voyage in one of the slow sailing vessels of that day, reached Baltimore on the eighteenth of August, following. From here the family took passage in one of the great road wagons which at that time served in the place of rail cars, and came by way of the "National Pike" to Washington county, Pennsylvania, where they remained with friends until the twelfth of March, 1836, when they proceeded west, the father having preceded them the previous fall. They took a boat at Wheeling, West Virginia, and after a toilsome journey by water reached Galena on the third of April. Here the feverish excitement over lead mining, mud, and a wild western life, were each clamorous for supremacy, and each, at times, claimed the advantage of being uppermost. On the sixteenth of May, following, the family moved to their new home, which was a log cabin, erected upon a tract of land secured by the elder Moore about twelve miles south of Galera.
At an early age Josiah took an active part in the work of his father's farm, and well remembers, when a mere boy, witnessing from his father's door the Indians in pursuit of wild game, such as deer, turkeys, geese, prairie chickens, etc., that were then so abundant. Sometimes a squad of these ill-fated followers of the famous, but vanquished, Black Hawk, would march into the house without knocking, and, holding up a ham of venison, would say: "Swap, swap, swap-bread, bread." When they would become troublesome by repeating their visits too often, his mother would say "Puk-a-gee," and they would at once leave.
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The first school days of Josiah were spent in a little log school house built by his father on his own land. For several years the children from a large scope of country around resorted to this humble retreat, seeking for a nobler destiny. The house was roofed with sod, had one sash, with six small lights for a window, an earth floor, a very large fire place, while the cracks between the logs were filled with mud in the winter, but all taken out in the summer to admit of light and air. His first teacher studied law at the same time, and afterwards became Judge of the Supreme Court of Wisconsin, but like many others of bright promise, Judge Crawford finally fell a victim to the intoxicating bowl.
In the fall of 1855, while running a large threshing machine, Mr. Moore had a very narrow escape from losing his life by be- ing caught in the machinery. Soon after this he determined upon carrying out the long cherished purpose of his life-the ob- taining of a liberal education-and accordingly entered West- minster College, Pennsylvania, where he remained until the sum- mer of 1860, except for a period of three months when he taught a school near his old home. In September, 1860, he entered Mon- mouth College, Monmouth, Illinois, where he remained until the following spring, when in response to the call of President Lincoln for troops, after the fall of Fort Sumpter, April 13, 1861, together with E. A. Paine, afterwards General, he raised a company and tendered its service to Gov. Yates, but the rush to Springfield more than supplied the de- mand. The Governor gave Mr. Paine command of the 9th Infantry, and Mr. Moore was left to wait on another call, which soon came from the State for ten regiments to go into camp in their respective Congressional districts for thirty days, and hold themselves in readiness for United States service, if needed. He accordingly reported with his company at l'eoria, and was sworn into service May 13. Another call soon came from the General Government and the company entered its ser- vice May 25, for three years, and became Company F, 17th Illinois Infantry. The greater portion of the company were students from the college and were the first to enlist from Warren county. Mr. Moore was commissioned as Captain April 20, 1861, and held this position to the close of his enlistment and then returned home in command of his company, which could not perhaps be said of another captain of the ten regiments. After the seige
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and surrender of Vicksburg he was elected major, but the regi- ment.being reduced below the minimum by disease and loss in battle, he never received his commission. The 17th regiment did gallant service at Fredericktown, Mo., Fort Donelson, Shiloh, and in the seiges of Corinth and Vicksburg, besides skirmishes and marches innumerable. In every movement it generally occupied the front line. From all these services Captain Moore was never absent, unless a very few times on account of sickness. He was held in the highest esteem by all his men whom he loved as brothers. With his company he was mustered out at Springfield, Ill., June 4, 1864.
A few days after his return from the army, Captain Moore was captured by a fairer enemy than he ever met upon the battle-field, and was bound by the holy bonds of matrimony with Miss Jennie F. Lindsay, daughter of Hon. J. T. Lindsay, of Peoria. The Lord has given them five children-Maggie, Linnie, Jessie, Charles and Herbert. Jessie died when five months old.
Captain Moore made a profession of religion when about fifteen years of age, and united with the Associate Church of North America. In September, 1863, he returned to his place in college, and in addition began his course in Monmouth Theological Semi- mary, in October following. He graduated from the college in 1865 with the degree of A. M., and from the Seminary in 1867 with the degree of B. D.
On the fourth of April, 1866, he was licensed at South Ilender- son, Illinois, by the United Presbyterian Presbytery, of Monmouth, to preach the gospel, and during May and June supplied the church at his old home, Hanover, Illinois. from which he after- ward received a call.
Not being satisfied with the restrictions imposed upon the pas- toral work by some of the "Distinctive Principles" of the old church, and having an earnest desire to labor in a southern field, he united with the O. S. Presbyterian church, because it was not only the most nearly in accord with his own views, but at that time promised the best opportunity for obtaining his cherished hopes, hence he united with the Presbytery of Peoria, O. S., at Lewistown, Illinois, April 17, 1867; but the strife that about this time became so bitter between the church North and South, ad- monished him that the services of a northern man to be accepta- ble to the south must be deferred to some future day ; still he re- gards the gospel as the only balm for all these sad wounds.
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The first church of the O. S. for which he labored was that of El Paso, supplying the church during the months of June, July and August, 1867. In September he was called to the church at Macon, but owing to the destruction of their building by a torna- do, March 16, 1868, he gave up that work. In August of that year he took charge of the church at Canton; received a call March 25, 1869, and May 11 was ordained and installed. He labored here about five years, during which time the church secured a very neat and comfortable house of worship and good parsonage grounds. On the twenty-fifth of May, 1873, he re- signed, and on Sabbath, June 1, 1873, he preached for the first time in Macomb. In the church at this place he remained as stated supply until October, 1874, when he was called to the regu- lar pastoral work, which position he yet acceptably fills. In Ma- comb he has enshrined himself in the affections of the people, and among all classes, whether members of his own church or of another denomination, or even among those of the world, he is highly esteemed for his work's sake. Whether it be in his own congregation or in union with the evangelical churches of the city, he labors earnestly and zealously to do bis Master's will in converting souls to Christ. As a public speaker he is plain, prae- tical and earnest, by his manner as well as by his words, carrying convietion to the hearts of his hearers.
Rev. Moore is a large, portly man of good figure, and pleasant and agreeable in his manner-one calculated to make friends wherever he goes.
RICHARD MUSSON.
Richard Musson, son of Joseph and Mary (Hobes) Musson, was born in Long Clossen, Leicester county, England, April 30, 1810. His parents were in very moderate circumstances, his father fol- lowing the profession of boatman. Young Richard attended the public schools until he was ten years of age, when he was placed on the boat with his father, and for some years continued in that work, afterward changing it for the trade of stone-mason, which he continued to follow until a few short years ago. When but twenty years of age he came to the United States, with the hope of better success in a worldly point of view. The same year (1830) in which he arrived in the country he united in marriage with Miss Rebecca Thornton, by whom he had nine children, two of whom died in childhood, and one since her marriage-Mary J., wife of Rev. Abraham Newland.
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For four years he made his home in the State of New York, when he came West, stopping in Morgan county, where he re- mained six years, and in 1840 coming to MeDonough county, where he has since resided, living the whole period of time within three miles of the present town of Colchester; he, therefore, may well be classed as an old settler, having been a citizen of the county for thirty-seven years, and having experienced the hard- ships incidental to those who made their homes here at an early day.
Although he may not have obtained the prominence of many others, Richard Musson is well known throughout the county, especially by the older settlers, while none know him but to re- spect the sterling worth of his character. He has always been a hard working man, and by the "sweat of his face" has placed himself in comfortable circumstances, so that in his declining years, he can pass quietly along, and when the summons shall come, he can answer, "Here, Lord, am I."
In 1829, he united with the Methodist Episcopal Church, and up to the present time, a period of forty-eight years, has ever been a consistent member of that branch of the Christian church. For years he has occupied the position of class leader, and, in that capacity, has done efficient work in his Master's cause. We be- lieve it will be written of him in that great day, like one of old, "He hath done what he could." No better epitaph could be placed upon the monument of any one than this.
Richard Musson has always been an earnest advocate of free schools, urging their importance upon those with whom he has been brought in contact, realizing ignorance and sin go hand in hand, while knowledge and righteousness dwell together. The efficient schools of his own town are in a measure due to him.
THOMAS A. MUSTAIN.
Thomas A. Mustain was the third son of John and Elizabeth (Glenn) Mustain, and was born in Pittsylvania county, Virginia, on the thirteenth day of January, 1817. He is a full-blooded Vir- ginian, both his parents being natives of that State. When fifteen years of age Thomas came with them to this State and county, where he has since continued to reside, and where he is well known by all our people. He has never followed any other occupation than that of farming, living with and assisting his parents until he reached his majority, when, together with his
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brother, he purchased the farm of John W. Woodside, on section sixteen of Blandinsville township, which farm adjoined that of his father. Here he lived and toiled until the year 1865, when he purchased a portion of section nine of the same township, to which he removed, and where he has one of the best improved farms in the county, and on which he had built, in 1874, one of the largest and best brick dwellings in the county, one in which he can entertain a host of friends in true Virginia style. He is now the possessor of some of the best land in the county. Up to this time (1865) Mr. Mustain had successfully resisted all the arts and wiles of the fair sex, and had been given over as one of the unregenerate who would never submit to the better part ; but strange things will occur, and we find the bachelor armor broken, and on the fifteenth day of March, 1865, he was united in mar- riage with Martha E. Charter, daughter of the well known Jona- than Charter, another of the old pioneers of the county-one of those who endured the trials and privations of a frontier life that we might reap the benefit thereof. The result of this union has been six children, two of whom, before they had experienced any of the hardships of this world, were translated into that upper and better kingdom which is above.
In 1844, when the Mormon difficulties had assumed such pro- portions as to become necessary for the Governor of the State to call out its militia, Mr. Mustain enrolled his name and was chosen lieutenant of a company under command of George W. Blandin. For this service he received from the State the munifi- cent sum of thirteen dollars and forty-four cents.
Mr. Mustain has never held public office of any kind, and has never aspired thereto, being content to be of that vast number who remain in obscurity to till the soil and lend strong hands and willing hearts to the advancement of local interests. The family of which he is a membr have done much for the improvement and welfare of Blandinsville township, and some of the best farms in it are held by them.
Thomas A. Mustain is full six feet in height and weighs about 215 pounds. He is a man who takes life in an easy manner, at- tending to his own affairs in his own way and interfering with no others. He is mild in government in the family circle, and as a neighbor he is all that is implied in the word. In poli- ties he is a Democrat of the old school, serving his party
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in a faithful manner. If he ever scratches his ticket we do not know it. He is now a member of the Democratic county central committee and lends his counsel and influence to the general suc- cess of the party.
HON. WILLIAM H. NEECE.
No man in McDonough county is better known or more univer- sally esteemed than William H. Neece, who was born in Sanga- mon county, Illinois, on the twenty-sixth day of February, 1831, and brought by his parents to this county when only two months old. Here he has continued to reside to the present time. His parents were Jesse and Mary D. (Maupin) Neece; his father a Kentuckian by birth, while his mother was a native of Virginia. The elder Neece was a man of sterling worth, and in the early day was a man of some note. IIe died in 1869. The early life of Wm. H. Neece was passed on a farm and in attendance upon the common schools in this county-he never having had the advan- tage of a collegiate education. Until twenty-four he remained upon a farm, engaging in its laborious work. In 1857 he entered the law office of Judge John S. Bailey, for the purpose of read- ing law, which he had decided to adopt as a profession. For about one year he pursued his studies, and in 1858, having passed a creditable examination, was admitted to the bar, and to-day no man ranks higher in the profession in this county. Although not possessed of the thorough literary education of many others, his great energy and sterling common sense, his aptness in collecting and arranging evidence, have placed him in the front rank of his chosen profession. In criminal practice Mr. Neece has especially secured an enviable reputation, and there has probably not been an important trial for murder either in this or adjoining counties for a number of years but in which he has been engaged. In the celebrated Bond trials, both of Miles Bond, at Rushville, and John and James Bond, at Macomb, for the murder of William H. Randolph, Mr. Neece was the chief at- torney for the defense, and to him more than to any other do the Bonds owe their release. He it was who collected, arranged and sifted all the evidence presented. No stone was left unturned that was beneficial to his clients; every flaw in the indictment or in the evidence of the prosecution was detected and used to the advan- tage of himself and clients. In this lies the great success of Mr. Neece as an attorney ; his patient investigation of a case and the
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zeal with which he works it up, enables him to triumph over all opposition. All the minor points, so often overlooked by the aver- age attorney, and on which the merits of a case so frequently de- pend, are looked after as closely as those points open and apparent to all. Another case of great importance, and which required a large amount of patient investigation, was the trial of Thomas Johnson for murder. This was a change of venue from Henderson county, the home of the man charged with the com- mission of the crime, to MeDonough. The same untiring efforts were made in this case as in the other, and with like result. As- sociated in the case were R. G. Ingersoll, J. W. Davidson, and Charles Harris, for the defense, and C. F. Wheat, William Mc- Kenzie, and J. J. Glenn, for the prosecution, an array of talent the equal of the same number of men to be secured anywhere in the State. Again, in the case of Tuttle, for the murder of Miles Matteson, a case from Colchester, in this county, Mr. Neece was chief attorney in the defense. The jury hung, and the case was taken to Schuyler on a change of venue. In this case Mr. Neece did not secure the acquittal of his client, but obtained the shortest sentence possible under the circumstances.
In general practice Mr. Neece has been equally successful and pursues the same course for the benefit of his clients as in crim- inal practice, and in the prosecution of cases in the United States Bankrupt Court has had more business than any other attorney in the county, if not all combined. Also as a counsellor, he is sate and practical, and, in connection with the law upon the subject, makes use of that useful commodity called common sense in bas- ing his opinions.
As a politician Mr. Neece is a Democrat of the old school, the principles of that time-honored party being inborn in him, and he is ever ready to defend them with the same zeal characterizing him in other walks of life. On several occasions has he been hon- ored by the party with nominations for office, and a nomina- tion has usually been equivalent to an election. In 1864 he re- ceived the nomination for Representative in the Illinois Legislature and was triumphantly elected ; again in 1870 with like result. In 1868 he was elected member of the Constitutional Convention that formed our present Constitution. In each of these capaci- ties, he served his constituents in a faithful manner, attending closely to the business for which he was elected, rendering, in
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general, satisfaction to men of all parties. In 1872 he received the nomination for Congress from the tenth Congressional Dis- triet, of which MeDonough county forms a part, and although running one thousand votes ahead of his ticket he was defeated. It is due to Mr. Neece to say he has never ran for office without running ahead of his ticket, being personally popular all over the county, and wherever known. The reason for this will be shown further on. He has always been nominated against the best men of the opposition.
As previously remarked, Mr. Neece lived with his parents (who came to this county on the second day of April, 1831, and settled upon a farm two miles south of Colchester), until his twentieth year. In the fall of 1850 he engaged in chopping wood on the Illinois river, and in the winter worked in a pork house for Charley Farwell (well known to old settlers), in Frederick. In the spring and summer of 1851 he broke prairie on Tennessee prairie, and in the winter following attended school in Macomb, taught by D. S. Hampton, Esq. In the spring of 1852 he essayed to teach school in Walnut Grove township, which, as a faithful biographer, we must confess was not a success. But this did not deter him from again attempting the work, and we find him the winter following again engaged in teaching near the present loca- tion of Colchester. In this school he achieved better success, but probably not enough to cause him to adopt that business as a pro- fession, as this is the last account we have of him engaged in like occupation.
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