USA > Illinois > Henderson County > History of Mercer County : together with biographical matter, statistics, etc., gathered from mattter furnished by the Mercer County Historical Society, interviews with old settlers, county, township and other records, and extracts from files of papers, pamphlets, and such other sources as have been available : containing also a short history of Henderson County > Part 10
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Bl Taliaferro
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NEW BOSTON TOWNSHIP'.
" While I shall always feel an anxiety for your safety, and all the more keenly that I realize in part the dangers to which you will be exposed, I have no word of regret for your course. God bless you and preserve you, and grant a speedy victory to our noble army." And again, when that son wrote that he had re-enlisted as a veteran, he writes : " I had hoped that you would return after your three years' service. It would seem that you had certainly performed your whole duty in that time, and that some one might take your place. But perhaps I am getting selfish, as it seems so long since I have seen you. Your first duty is to your country, and I will only say what I said when you first enlisted : . Do your duty, and may God protect and keep you.'" Who will say that the prayers of such a true christian were not answered in the return of that son unharmed after over four years of active service. ITis educational advantages were limited, but the Bible was his constant companion and study. Without the rhetorical flour- ish and oratorical display of the modern preacher, his sermons were delivered with a force and earnestness peculiar to the early itineracy, and with a power for good that would to-day seem phenominal. Of this power Rev. Richard Haney, still living, tells the following ; "I remember one scene at an early camp-meeting at Sugar Grove. I had charge of the services for the day. Two sermons had been deliv- ered, and in the afternoon Father Doughty occupied the stand. I never listened to such earnest appeals to the sinner, nor did I ever witness such an immediate answer to the prayers. The large audience were completely carried away by the sermon, and the shouting, and praying, and crying soon drowned the voice of the preacher, who, with his gray locks flying in the wind, and the tears rolling down his checks, was vainly trying to make himself heard. Turning to me he asked, 'what shall I do?' and I could only say, 'let them alone, Father Doughty ; the Lord has taken this meeting out of your hands. Let them alone ; He will take care of it now ;' and he sank exhausted to his seat. I repeat it : I never heard a sermon of more power, nor ever witnessed such an outpouring of the spirit." With an early-day mar- riage at which he officiated, we will close this sketch. Driving along the "Bluff" road one summer day, he was hailed by a man plowing corn, who, leaving his plow, invited Father D. into the house of his employer " on urgent business." Here was the daughter of the house, a comely maiden, engaged in mixing bread. After a whispered word from the plowman she wiped the flour from her hands, rolled down her sleeves, and the pair presented themselves for marriage, he in his shirt- sleeves, she with a big apron on. The ceremony was promptly per-
7
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HISTORY OF MERCER AND HENDERSON COUNTIES.
formed, the bride returned to her bread, the groom to his plow, and the minister proceeded on his journey, all as if nothing unusual had happened.
The ancestors of JOHN L. HARTSON, of New Boston, came from England and settled at Haverhill, Massachusetts. and took an active part in the struggle for American independence. Andrew Hartson, grandfather of J. L., who was born April 6, 1756, was under twenty years of age when serving under Gen. Washington at Dorchester Heights, etc. He was married to Miss Elizabeth Baldwin. November 28, 1780, in Connecticut, where he subsequently made his home, fol- lowing the occupation of a mechanic, excelling in the manufacture of augurs. He invented the screw augur, although the credit has since been claimed by another. His family consisted of three sons : Jesse, the eldest, who died in early childhood ; Ebenezer, still living (Feb- ruary 11, 1882), at the advanced age of ninety-six years ; and John, the father of John L. John was born September 3, 1790; was married in March, 1810, to Miss Alice Utley, by whom he had three sons, named in the order of their ages : Andrew, Lester and John Lyman, born December 29, 1814. His father died March 5, 1816, when John L. was but little past fourteen months old. He remained with his mother until about ten years old, when he started out to make his own way in the world. The first two or three years he worked on a farm in summer, and went to school in winter, doing chores for his board. He thus received the rudiments of an English education, and acquired a love of reading, by which means he has stored up a large fund of useful knowledge and general intelligence. He next worked in a woolen factory a year or two, but not liking that business apprenticed himself to learn the trade of scythe-making ; but his employer being an intemperate man failed in business, and John L. was thus thrown out of employment before he had served his time. It was at this time, seeing the evil effects of strong drink, he became a firm advocate of total abstinence, and has always been strictly temperate, using neither spirituous liquors, wine nor tobacco. He soon after found employ- ment in an augur factory in Ashford, Windham county, where he re- mained until he was twenty-one years old, becoming a very skillful workman. He went to Humphreysville (now Seymour), New Haven county, in January, 1836, where he worked as journeyman at augur- making. He was married April 24, 1836, to Miss Mary J. Hartshorn, by whom he had three children : one daughter, Alice A., and two sons, Lyman L. and John S., all of whom died under three years of age. In January, 1843, he united with the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he was an active and exemplary member. In March, 1843, he
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was initiated into the Housatonic Lodge, No. 6, I.O.O.F., at Bir- mingham, and in September, 1846, he withdrew from that lodge in order to organize one in Humphreysville, his place of residence, and accordingly was a charter member of Mechanics Lodge, No. 73, and was the second N.G. of that lodge. In 1848 he purchased an inter- est in the manufactory where he had been employed since 1836. In 1850 he bought the whole establishment, which he carried on very suc- cessfully for a number of years. In 1852 he was elected representa- tive to the state legislature, which office he filled with credit to himself and satisfaction to his constituents. In 1854, having met with a con- siderable loss by indorsing for others, he sold out and came west, landing in New Boston November Sth of that year, where he purchased the N. W. # of Sec. 29, T. 14, R. 5, which he commenced improving the following spring. Soon after his settlement in New Boston, J. L. Hartson, Mark J. O'Brien, J. C. Bell, C. H. Bell. D. Hines and others, became charter members of the New Boston Lodge, I.O.O.F., which was the first organized in the county. Mr. Hartson was the first N.G. and the first representative to the state Grand Lodge from this town and county. He remained on his farm about four years, when he bought a drug store in New Boston, which he carried on a little over two years ; during that time his wife Mary died. On Jan- uary 8, 1860, he was married to his present wife, who was Mrs. Fanny M. Campbell, nee Mead. In April of 1863, having sold his town property, he returned to his farm, where he is still enjoying the quiet of rural life in his home, surrounded by a few congenial friends who know him best and love him most.
WILLIAM LEWIS was born in Wayne county, Indiana. April 25, 1832. His parents were formerly from Greene county, Virginia. He received a common school education, and in 1854 came to Mercer county and settled in New Boston township, where he has since resided. IIe was married October 30, 1856, to Sarah Jane, daughter of Pettis and Maria J. Finch. They have one child : Levi. Mr. Lewis is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and has been since 1862. He is an extensive farmer, owning 620 acres of land. He has very fine buildings on his farm, and is engaged largely in stock raising and shipping. Politie- ally he is a republican.
WILLIAM T. MURRAY was born in Frederick county, Maryland, April 16, 1820. He is the oldest son of William and Susan (Jackson) Murray. William T. left his native state in 1840, and after traveling over the states of Indiana and Ohio, he settled in Wayne county, In- diana, where he lived several years. In 1856 he came to Mercer county, Illinois, where he has resided ever since. During his early life he was
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formed, the bride returned to her bread, the groom to his plow, and the minister proceeded on his journey, all as if nothing unusual had happened.
The ancestors of JOHN L. HARTSON. of New Boston, came from England and settled at Haverhill, Massachusetts, and took an active part in the struggle for American independence. Andrew Hartson, grandfather of J. L., who was born April 6, 1756, was under twenty years of age when serving under Gen. Washington at Dorchester Heights, etc. He was married to Miss Elizabeth Baldwin. November 28, 1780, in Connecticut, where he subsequently made his home, fol- lowing the occupation of a mechanic, excelling in the manufacture of augurs. He invented the screw augur, although the credit has since been claimed by another. His family consisted of three sons : Jesse, the eldest, who died in early childhood; Ebenezer, still living (Feb- ruary 11, 1882), at the advanced age of ninety-six years ; and Jolm, the father of John L. John was born September 3, 1790 ; was married in March, 1810, to Miss Alice Utley, by whom he had three sons, named in the order of their ages : Andrew, Lester and John Lyman, born December 29, 1814. His father died March 5, 1816, when John L. was but little past fourteen months old. He remained with his mother until about ten years old, when he started out to make his own way in the world. The first two or three years he worked on a farm in summer, and went to school in winter, doing chores for his board. He thus received the rudiments of an English education, and acquired a love of reading, by which means he has stored up a large fund of useful knowledge and general intelligence. He next worked in a woolen factory a year or two, but not liking that business apprenticed himself to learn the trade of scythe-making ; but his employer being an intemperate man failed in business, and John L. was thus thrown out of employment before he had served his time. It was at this time, seeing the evil effects of strong drink, he became a firm advocate of total abstinence, and has always been strictly temperate, using neither spirituous liquors, wine nor tobacco. He soon after found employ- ment in an augur factory in Ashford, Windham county, where he re- mained until he was twenty-one years old, becoming a very skillful workman. He went to Humphreysville (now Seymour), New Haven county, in January, 1836, where he worked as journeyman at augur- making. He was married April 24, 1836, to Miss Mary J. Hartshorn, by whom he had three children : one daughter, Alice A., and two sons, Lyman L. and John S., all of whom died under three years of age. In January, 1843, he united with the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he was an active and exemplary member. In March, 1843, he
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was initiated into the Housatonic Lodge, No. 6. I.O.O.F., at Bir- mingham, and in September, 1846. he withdrew from that lodge in order to organize one in Humphreysville, his place of residence, and accordingly was a charter member of Mechanics Lodge, No. 73, and was the second N.G. of that lodge. In 1848 he purchased an inter- est in the mannfactory where he had been employed since 1836. In 1850 he bought the whole establishment, which he carried on very suc- cessfully for a number of years. In 1852 he was elected representa- tive to the state legislature, which office he filled with credit to himself and satisfaction to his constituents. In 1854, having met with a con- siderable loss by indorsing for others, he sold out and came west, landing in New Boston November Sth of that year, where he purchased the N. W. ¿ of Sec. 29. T. 14, R. 5. which he commenced improving the following spring. Soon after his settlement in New Boston. J. L. Hartson, Mark J. O'Brien, J. C. Bell, C. H. Bell. D. Hines and others, became charter members of the New Boston Lodge, I.O.O.F .. which was the first organized in the county. Mr. Hartson was the first N.G. and the first representative to the state Grand Lodge from this town and county. He remained on his farm about four years, when he bought a drug store in New Boston, which he carried on a little over two years ; during that time his wife Mary died. On Jan- uary 8, 1860, he was married to his present wife, who was Mrs. Fanny M. Campbell, nee Mead. In April of 1863, having sold his town property, he returned to his farm, where he is still enjoying the quiet of rural life in his home, surrounded by a few congenial friends who know him best and love him most.
WILLIAM LEWIS was born in Wayne county, Indiana, April 25, 1832. His parents were formerly from Greene county, Virginia. He received a common school education, and in 1854 came to Mercer county and settled in New Boston township, where he has since resided. He was married October 30, 1856, to Sarah Jane, daughter of Pettis and Maria J. Finch. They have one child : Levi. Mr. Lewis is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and has been since 1862. He is an extensive farmer, owning 620 acres of land. He has very fine buildings on his farm, and is engaged largely in stock raising and shipping. Politic- ally he is a republican.
WILLIAM T. MURRAY was born in Frederick county, Maryland. April 16, 1820. He is the oldest son of William and Susan (Jackson) Murray. William T. left his native state in 1840, and after traveling over the states of Indiana and Ohio, he settled in Wayne county, In- diana, where he lived several years. In 1856 he came to Mercer county, Illinois, where he has resided ever since. During his early life he was
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engaged in the butchering business. Since coming to Mercer county he has been chiefly engaged in farming and stock raising. In 1877.he again engaged in the butchering business in New Boston. Politically he has been a republican since 1860, but previous to that time he was a democrat. He has been a member of the Methodist church since 1854, and has always advocated the temperance cause. In August, 1843, he was married to Miss Mary Jackson, daughter of Amor and Debby Jackson, of Wayne county, Indiana. Although her maiden name is the same as his mother's, they are not related. They have reared three children : William II., who is married to Miss Amna Essley ; Alice, married to Thomas Murphey ; and Gertrude, who remains at home with her parents.
JACOB LOOZER, farmer, was born March 10, 1834, in Switzerland, and emigrated to this country in 1854, and after working one year in Michigan came to Mercer county, where he has since resided. Mr. Loozer came, hearty and industrious, and with nothing to aid himself in this distant land but a willing pair of hands. Although he did not come until much later than some, he ranks among the wealthiest men in the county. After he came to the county he labored for four years on the farm for William Drury. Living very economically, at the end of four years he found he had money enough to purchase eighty acres of land, which he did. He has added to it at different times, until he has at present 640 acres. Ile was married March 10, 1859, to Miss Barbary Sloan. They have four children, all of whom are living. Mr. Loozer was the first man in the county to put up a wind pump. He is also agent for the Halladay's wind-mill, which is one of the best mills manu- factured. He has always been an active republican. Mr. Loozer farms on a very large scale. He generally puts in 250 acres of corn.
JOHN SEASTONE, wagonmaker and blacksmith, was born in Sweden, August 3, 1834. He came to this country in 1858, landing at Quebec August 21. From Quebec he went to Minnesota, where he stayed until 1859, when he came on to New Boston township, where he has lived ever since. He worked at the blacksmith trade about four years at the "brick yard," which is five miles northeast of New Boston. From this point he removed to New Boston, where he has been largely engaged in wagonmaking, blacksmithing, and selling machinery of all kinds. He does a very large business, especially in the way of selling machinery. May 23, 1860, he was married to Miss Eva S. Ililmore. They have had seven children : Mary, Dora, Kate, John E., Charles V., Emma, Charlotte. They are all single, and live at home with their parents. Mr. Seastone is a member of the Swedish Lutheran church, at Swedona, Mercer county, Illinois. He is also a
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member of the order of Masons, at New Boston. Politically he is a republican.
T. H. DOUGHTY, police magistrate and book-keeper, was born in Centerville, Wayne county, Indiana, in 1831, and was the fourth child in a family of eleven children by Thomas L. and Mary J. (Kibbey) Doughty. In 1842 he emigrated to New Boston with his parents. Hle was a pupil of Simeon P. Smith, and under his tuition obtained a useful education. When a boy he worked in his father's shop and learned the saddler's trade ; but most of the time since he became of age he has been a book-keeper. He was married in 1856 to Miss Hattie M. Doughty, by whom he has had seven children : Willie (dead), Kate (now Mrs. P. E. Tovey), Harry (dead), Josie (dead). Jim E., Sue, and an unnamed infant. Mr. Doughty has been active among his townsmen in promoting temperance work, and the interests of the republican organization. He is a member of the Independent Order of Mutual Aid, and has held several local offices. He was the first mayor of New Boston, and is at present town clerk and police magistrate.
GIDEON IVES, merchant, was born in Wallingford, Connecticut. in 1825. and was the youngest son of Gideon and Charlotte (Hall) Ives. He received an academic education in his native town. and in 1843 came west and settled in New Boston, where he at once began clerking for the firm of Denison & Ives. As early as 1846 he embarked in general merchandising in partnership with Elmer J. Denison, and kept up this connection until about 1865. At that date Mr. Ives withdrew from the firm and was out of trade till 1881. when he formed a partnership with Frank Ives (his son) and C. Il. Ballard (his son-in-law), under the style of Ives. Ballard & Co. Mr. Ives was originally a whig, and voted first for president for Gen. Taylor in 1848. He has been a steadfast republican since his party came into existence. He has always been squarely identified with the temperance work. In 1853 he was united in marriage with Miss Rachel, daughter of John Drury, by whom he has had seven children, as follows: Frank, who married Miss Lizzie Moll ; Jennie, wife of C. II. Ballard : Flora, Fred, Nellie (died in infancy), Hattie and Paul.
CHARLES W. BRAS, lawyer and collector, was born in Lake county. Ohio, May 16, 1828, and is the fourth child of Thomas and Ann (Norton) Bras. He came west with his parents in 1837. settling in Louisa county, Iowa, where he worked with his father until of age. He then learned the mason's trade and was engaged in this until 1550, when he went overland to California, enduring all the hardships con- nected with an overland trip across hundreds of miles of a wilderness,
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where rain never falls, and vegetation does not exist. After arriving in California he clerked in a store one year, after which he was engaged in mining and running a pack-train. He returned to Louisa county, Iowa, in 1853, and was in business there until 1868, when he came to. New Boston, where he opened up a law office, and has been in business. ever since. During the late rebellion he enlisted in the 45th reg. Iowa Vol., and served six months, and was discharged. He received a common school education, and being a close student he has acquired a. good education. In September, 1853, he was married to Miss Hannah M. Dennott. They have four children : Clarence C., Harry L., Ralph C., Charlotte E., all of whom are living. He has served eleven years as justice of the peace, and has been a Mason over sixteen years. In politics he is a republican.
R. S. CRAMER, farmer, was born in Clermont county, Ohio, Sep- tember 5, 1825, being the first child of William and Sarah (Shute) Cramer. William was the first son of Adam Cramer, an early settler of Kentucky, being a near neighbor of the noted Daniel Boone of early Kentucky fame. R. S. was married to Mrs. Charlotte B. Harris in the- fall of 1847 ; she was born in Miami county, Ohio, in the year of 1831. They emigrated to Knox county in the fall of 1855. His wife was feeble at the time, and died in July, 1856. Two children were born of this union, but they both died while quite young. Mr. Cramer came to this county in the fall of 1856 to make this his permanent home. He remembers of passing along the Air Line railroad (surveyed) over the site where now stands Aledo. It was then (1855) nothing but. a bleak prairie, relieved only by the stakes for the railroad. He made his home with James M. Manon, of Eliza township (afterward elected sheriff and circuit clerk of this county, and who was, during the late war, colonel of the 102d Ill. Vol.), until he married the Widow Cole in February, 1857. She was a sister of the colonel and daugher of Aaron Manon of the same township. The Widow Cole (his present wife) was born in Wayne county, Indiana, in 1820, and emigrated to this county with her father's family in 1836, and settled in Eliza township. There has been no children by this marriage. Immediately after his marriage he settled two and a half miles north of New Boston, where he has lived for more than twenty-five years. Mr. Cramer was brought up in . a neighborhood where almost everybody belonged to the Methodist Episcopal church. He joined at fifteen years of age and remained a. member of the same some fifteen years. He always indulged in much reading and reflection. The result was he became heterodox in his. theological opinions, and to-day is well known as a spiritualist. In politics he early became convinced of the great wrongs inflicted upon
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the slaves. 'Ife gave his first vote for Salmon P. Chase for governor of Ohio, because of his anti-slavery proclivities. From that time till the formation of the republican party he gave his votes where he thought they would promote the anti-slavery interest. ITe voted for Fremont. in 1856 and continued to act with the republican party until Grant was candidate for president the second time; and although he was a great admirer of Greeley he refrained from voting at all until Peter Cooper run on the greenback ticket for president. From that time to the present he has been an ardent greenbacker and anti-monopolist. He is serving at this time (1882) as chairman of the central committee for the greenback labor party of this county. Mr. Cramer was a very enthusiastic supporter of the late war, having full confidence that it would result in the freedom of the slaves. IIe wrote the first articles (published in the "New Boston Herald" and the "Aledo Record") that were ever published in this county advocating the policy as well as the justice of giving the negro the right to vote.
We think it proper to mention here the name of STEPHEN RANDALL as one of the well to do farmers of New Boston township. He came to the northeastern part of the township, where he has resided ever since, having accumulated considerable property. He was born in Rensselaer county, New York, November 8, 1813. He is the oldest child of Stephen and Nancy (Cutler) Randall. He came with his parents to Mercer county in the year 1843. He was married February 13, 1844, to Miss Rachel Trumbull of Rensselaer county, New York. She was born September 29th, 1827, and is the sixth child of William and Pauley Trumbull. They have had eleven children (three of whom are dead): Nancy A., married to Joseph Tomelson ; William M., to Lucinda Uterback ; Lucy M., to Calvin C. Wyatt; Pauley E., to John Fulerton ; Celia M., to James W. Scott; Stephen, Cilvia and Aaron are dead ; Minnie, Alonzo and Theron are at home with their parents. Rachel, his wife, died November 15, 1864. He was married again June 14, 1875, to Mrs. M. J. Jones. She was born June 29, 1833, in Rensselaer county, New York, and is a daughter of Jacob and Catherine (Brooks) Bradt. Mr. Randall received only a common school education. In politics he is a republican. He has at present 434 acres of land in section 10 of New Boston township, and also 160 acres in Iowa.
The subject of this sketch, O. C. Lurz, was born in Mercer county, Illinois, March 14, 1845, and is next to the youngest child of Isaac and Lydia (Light) Lutz. His father came to Mercer county in 1836 and settled in New Boston township, where he resided until his death, which took place in October, 1879. His mother died September, 1879,
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