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 17
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OLIVER P. EMERSON, retired farmer, is a son of Edward and Sarah (Swaford) Emerson, and was born in Wayne county, Indiana, June 17, 1817. He was reared on the farm, where he helped to clear up and make a home among the tall Indiana timber. In 1839. he came to Mercer county, Illinois, but soon returned to his father's home in In- diana. In 1840 he again came to this county, where he worked till 1842, when he went back to Indiana, and on February 15th of the same year was married to Miss Sarah Kelly, a native of that place. In about 1847, with his family, he came to this county and permanently located and engaged in farming and stock raising, following the busi- ness for many years. Mr. Emerson begun for himself, with but very little except a pair of willing hands and an industrious disposition, but by dint of hard work and good management, has accumulated a large farm, comprising over 600 acres, the most of which he has recently divided among his children. Himself and wife have been life-long members of the Christian church. She died August 29, 1881, and is
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HISTORY OF MERCER AAND HENDERSON COUNTIES.
buried at the New Boston cemetery. His five living children are : Hester, wife of Mr. Charles Dryden ; Monroe ; Elizabeth, wife of Mr. Alexander Calhoun ; George L .; and Orind V., wife of Mr. William Pryne.
DAVID PARDEE. farmer, was born in New Haven county, Connec- ticut, June 26, 1809. Early in life he served an apprenticeship at carpentering. In 1831 he went to New Orleans, where he worked at his trade till 1840, when he came to Illinois and bought land near Viola, in Mercer county, where he lived three years. At the time he bought his land he paid down a large part of the purchase money. agreeing to pay the balance out of money then due him, but which he failed to get, and consequently lost his land. He then came to Keiths- burg and built a flat-boat in which to carry himself out of the country. After floating down the Father of Waters into Louisiana, he landed near Port Hudson, where he remained on his boat till by chance he met a friend of whom he borrowed a few dollars, went ashore and bought a suit of clothes, and then soon found work. In 1864 he again came to Mercer, purchased his present home in Sec. 14, T. 13, R. 5. Keithsburg township, where he is now pleasantly located engaged in farming. Mr. Pardee has been twice married ; first, in Louisiana, to Miss Ellen Crenan, by whom he has three sons living in Kansas : John, Thomas, and Josiah. His second marriage was with Miss Sophia Green, a native of Iowa, by whom he has three children living : Elbert F., Stephen, and Ora May.
MARTIN WIRT was born in Ohio in 1820. He was educated in the common schools of his native state. In 1840 he came to Illinois and settled on a farm near the village of Keithsburg, Mercer county, Illinois, and engaged in farming. June 11, 1850, he was married to Miss Esther Groves, a native of London, England, who was born January 24, 1831, and came to America in 1849. They became the parents of eight children, seven of whom are living : Jane, wife of Fred Freter ; Ada C., wife of J. Lester ; George G .; Emma V., wife of A. L. Emerson ; Willie M., Maggie M., Fred. N. and Samuel, deceased. In 186S Mrs. Wirt fulfilled a long cherished desire of her heart in returning to see her parents in the old home in England, where she remained on a visit six months. On August 5, 1879, Mr. Wirt died, leaving his affectionate family a comfortable home.
JOSEPHUS WADE (deceased), was born in Highland county, Ohio, November 19, 1826, and spent his early youth on the farm. His edu- cation was such as could be obtained in the common schools. In 1840 he emigrated with his parents to Illinois. landing at Keithsburg on December 4. October 16, 1851, he was united in marriage with
JAMES HEATON.
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Miss Emily D., daughter of John M. Nicholson, who was born in Washington county, Indiana. February 18. 1833. In 1853 he perma- nently located in Keithsburg and engaged in the livery business. following the same through life. He died at St. Anthony's Falls, Minnesota, August 1. 1868. where he had gone with a view of improv- ing his health. While there he was accompanied by his wife who brought back his remains to Keithsburg for interment. Besides an affectionate and sorrowing wife, he left two living children. Two are deceased. The two living are John M. and Mary J. The former, born October 20, 1855, was married November 24, 1880, to Miss Mol- lie E. Cummins, a daughter of T. S. Cummins, Esq. He died Janu- ary 18, 1880, of consumption. Mr. Wade's only surviving child. Mary J., was born in Keithsburg, January 13. 1861, and is living with her mother, and by the pleasant sunshine of her presence renders home very happy and agreeable. Mr. Wade's mother died in Keiths- burg. January 20, 1882, and was at the time of her death the oldest person living in the town.
Among the few early settlers of Keithsburg township still remain- ing we find Mr. BENJAMIN L. HARDIN. Ile was born in Wayne county, Indiana, April 29, 1818, and is a son of Thomas and Polly Wilson Hardin. He was raised on a farm with only the advantages of a pioncer log cabin school, but where he enjoyed the means of fully developing his museular powers in the. tall timber of Indiana. December 24. 1840. he married Miss Minerva. daughter of James Gibson. Esq .. of Indianapolis, Indiana, and the next year emigrated to Mercer county, Illinois, and settled near where he now (1882) lives in the township of Keithsburg. After his first settlement in the new country he realized the lack of religious worship and soon engaged the services of a Methodist preacher to hold meetings at his cabin. which was continued till a more suitable place could be provided. Suffice it say that to his energy and untiring zeal is largely due the prosperity of the church in this township. Mr. Hardin has reared a family of nine children, all living: William, now farming in Iowa : Joseph W., now farming in Iowa ; James A., also farming in lowa ; John P., at home ; Alvis, on .a farm in Keithsburg ; Thomas, Lava. Perry and Frank, at home. Mr. Hardin's farm of 360 aeres is located in Secs. 11 and 12. T. 13. R. 5.
Among the early settlers who came to Mercer county, Illinois, may be mentioned the name of WILLIAM S. EMERSON, who was born in Wayne county. Indiana, January 15. 1822. He is the fourth child of Edward and Sarah (Swaford) Emerson, living with his parents until twenty-two years of age, when he commenced farming for himself on 11
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HISTORY OF MERCER AND HENDERSON COUNTIES.
a small scale. in which business he has been engaged ever since, having accumulated considerable property, 160 acres in section 11, ninety acres in section 10, and forty-eight acres in section 10 of the new survey. He came to Mercer county, Illinois, during the year of 1844, leaving his parents and his native state for the purpose of securing him a home in the valley of the Mississippi, where so many have accumulated wealth from its fertile soil. November 13, 1845, he was married to Delila Hurst, who was born in Wayne county, Indiana, February 15. 1828. They have had seven children, five of whom are living and two dead : Edward L. was born August 18, 1846 ; William E .. February 10, 1850 ; Francis M., May 8, 1852 ; Lynden, August 19, 1857 ; Thomas H., April 16, 1861 ; Nettie F., October 22, 1865 ; Ida May, June 25, 1870. Edward L. is married to Miss Ella Gailey, and is at present practicing medicine in New Windsor, Mercer county. Lynden is married to Miss Emma Wirt, and is engaged in farming. Francis M. and Nettie are dead. Thomas and Ida remain at home with their parents. In politics Mr. Emerson has always been a republican. He has been a member of the Christian church since twenty-two years of age.
HENRY G. CALHOUN, fourth in a family of ten children, by Thomas and Jane (Gray) Calhoun, was born in Muskingum county, Ohio, October 31, 1820. He was reared on his father's farm, obtained a common school education, learned the cooper's trade, and after working at that three or four winters took up with carpentering. In 1844 he left the home of his childhood and embarking at Wheeling came by river to Keithsburg, landing here on the fifth of April. He worked three years at carpentry, and meantime, June 10, 1846, was married to Miss Sarah J. Brown, who died ten months afterward, leaving twin daughters, one of which lived a year, while the other, Sarah Jane, is yet living and is the wife of William S. McCormick, of Ohio Grove township. From 1847 to 1849 Mr. Calhoun was clerking for Messrs. Noble & Gayle. After that he was in the employ of Abram Rife for some time, and while engaged with him was married again to Mrs. Julia A. Hubbell, November 29, 1849. In October of the same year he opened the Calhoun house and conducted it over two years, and in the same time he improved a farm of eighty acres near the town. In 1853 he was elected to the office of justice of the peace and was appointed deputy recorder, and also held the appointment of notary public. He was thus engaged in public business for eight years. September 30, 1861, he enlisted in company G. 30th Ill. Vol., and was elected and commissioned first lieutenant of his company. He was taken prisoner September 1, 1862, at Brittain's Lane, Tennessee, and having been
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paroled on the 16th he resigned and came home broken down in health. Since that time he has been variously engaged in building, clerking, book-keeping and canvassing. Mr. Calhoun is prominent in the Masonic order. In December, 1850, he was made a Mason in Robert Burns Lodge. No. 113, A.F.A.M., and in October, 1851, he took the chapter degrees in Horeb Chapter, No. 4, R.A.M., at Knoxville, and in June, 1880, the degrees in Galesburg Commandery, No. 8. He has filled all the offices in the lodge and the chapter, and has been a repre- sentative to the grand lodge at two different periods, first in 1856 and at a subsequent time four consecutive years, in each of which last he held the appointment of district deputy grand master. He was also a member of one of the standing committees seven or eight years from the expiration of his service as representative. Mr. Calhoun was originally a whig. On the dissolution of that party he, with the Hon. John S. Thompson, was the first to take active measures looking toward the organization of the republican party in Keithsburg township, and he is still as ardent as ever for the success of the same party. By his second marriage he has two daughters: Josephine Louisa and Augusta Belle. The latter is the wife of C. A. Mertz.
JACOB WOLFE was born in the State of Maryland, near Harper's Ferry, October 10. 1792. His parents moved to the State of Ohio in 1798 and settled twelve miles south of Dayton, near Germantown. May Yount, his wife, was born in the State of North Carolina May 9, 1797. near the Shallow Ford on the Yadkin river. Her parents removed to Ohio and settled in the same neighborhood. They were married in the State of Ohio in 1814, moved to Indiana in 1822, and raised a family of nine children. The mother died October 19, 1838, and the father August 23, 1861. W. Wolfe, son of the above, was born in the State of Ohio, July 22, 1816, and his wife, Rebecca Marlatt, in the State of Virginia, November 14, 1816. They were married in Wayne county October 19, 1839. In 1844 they moved to Mercer county. Illinois, landing here on the 23d of October. At that time there was but one house on what was called the Prairie road from Henderson Grove to the bluff, and that was a small frame. There was then only a track where the horses walked, and prairie grass was as high as the horses' backs. There were then only a few families in the bottom, and not a house could be seen from the bluff to Keithsburg. At that time there was not what could be properly called a house where Keithsburg now is. He says the first time he was in town he saw Bill Brewer shooting dueks where now stands the Birch building, owned by T. B. Cabeen and occupied as a drug store. There was then only one small frame house partly finished and sided half way up.
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The town improved. and built up smartly in a short time. He recollects being present at the first trial of any importance that was had in the place. The newly-elected justice, by the name of Garner, was the court. The parties to the suit were G. Mossman, plaintiff, and I. Lakey and I. Raynokls, defendants. The attorneys were B. C. Taliaferro. for the plaintiff, and C. M. Harris, of Oquawka, for the defendants. In the course of the trial there was some trouble as to the admissibility of some evidence. The attorneys argued their points before the court. When one of them would get through, the court would admit the evidence. Then the other attorney would make a speech showing the case in a different light, when the court would exclude the evidence. It went on so for some time, when the attorneys as well as the court became much excited and one of the attorneys used some pretty short talk. The court then said "he'd be d-d, if he did not shut up, he'd fine him for contempt." The legal man told the court to "fine and be d-d, for the court wouldn't have sense enough to collect the fine." He says New Boston was a town when he came here. He went over to see the town and the Mississippi. There was quite a crowd there, and every man carried a gun and was followed by one or more dogs. Most of the men wore the coon-skin cap with the tail hanging down the back. After Mr. Wolfe had been here some time he thought he would look around some and see the country. He was anxious to see some timber. These bluff's were com- paratively bare of timber at that time. The first growth had been cut off, and he was told of Sugar Grove, north of Aledo, which was repre- sented as nice timber as heart could wish, so he struck out for the grove. On the road to this settlement were then the cabins of H. Riggs, Eb. Cresswell and N. Edwards. The last named is north of the road and is still standing. Another was unoccupied. At the grove he found the Millers, and they were anxious to sell out. They had the Oregon fever badly, but he did not like the location. Mr. Wolfe finally bought in the bottom where he now lives.
Prominent among the young business men of this town, who have by industry and good management succeeded in making a pleasant home and building up a prosperous business, may be mentioned MR. JOSEPH VENABLE. He was born in the county of Tyrone, Ireland. April 2, 1843. In 1856. in company with his mother and her family, he em- barked on the sailing vessel New Australia for America. Soon after their arrival they settled in Mercer county, Illinois. At the age of twenty he commenced work as an apprentice with Mr. Charles Clark, in the shop he now owns, and in which he keeps six steady workmen and is turning out a superior class of wagons, carriages and other farm
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machinery. November 16, 1865. he was married to Miss Sarah Kremer, a native of Pennsylvania. They have a family of three chil- dren. Frederick L .. Harry C. and Joseph C. He is a member of Mercer Lodge, No. 210, I.O.O.F., and also of the encampment.
THE NOBLE FAMILY .- Mrs. Harriet W. Noble, who is the widow of James A. Noble, was born in Danville, Columbia county, Pennsyl- vania, September 22. 1830. She is the daughter of Frederick and Nancy A. Frick. She was married to Mr. Noble June 26, 1849. They lad born to them seven children (Alice F. and Harry F. dead). The living are Kate A .. Ida J., Hattie N., James L. and M. Adella. Kate, the eldest child, is postmistress at Keithsburg, and has served in that capacity for about twelve years, and it may not be out of place to say, in this connection, that in every particular she has been a model officer. The ability with which Miss Noble has filled her important place of trust proves, beyond the possibility of a doubt, that woman is qualified as well as man to hold positions of responsibility. Hattie has been deputy postmistress for a good many years. and she, also, in connection with another lady, carries on a millinery establishment. The home of Mrs. Noble and family is a pleasant and desirable one. Mr. Noble died March 3, 1862. which placed the responsibility of rearing their family of small children upon the mother, and the result proves that she was equal to the emergency. Mrs. Noble is a member of the Pres- byterian church.
Among the business men of Mercer county none occupies a more truly honorable position than WILLIAM GAYLE. The thoughtless masses bestow hasty credit upon men who have only climbed the hill of fortune; but it may be necessary to pass down the sharp declivity on the other side, in the face of all who know them, to discover the pro- portion of pure gold in their characters. Mr. Gayle is a conspicuous example of that class who have trod the wine-press of business pros- perity and adversity, and whose rugged qualities of integrity and fortitude have been proven by severe trial. He is a native of Frank- fort, Kentucky, where he was born August 16, 1819, of parents descended from purely English ancestry, that settled in this country prior to the Revolution. In the autumn of 1845 he formed a partner- ship with James A. Noble, with whom he had been co-clerk in Louisville, and this firm of Noble & Gayle brought a stock goods at once to Oquawka and opened out in trade. The following spring they divided their business, and Mr. Gayle came to Keithsburg with half their stock and began selling goods on the first day of May. This shortly proved to be a superior location, and the next fall the senior partner came here from Oquawka and the business was consolidated
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in this place. Early in 1850 Mr. Noble withdrew. and his place was taken by Mr. Gayle's brother-in-law. R. H. Alvis. of Henderson, Kentucky, who was a partner two years. Before his retirement, B. F. Wilson, who had been clerking in the house a number of years. was given a small interest and continued with Mr. Gayle until the crash of 1857. when the latter failed with assets five-fold greater than his liabilities. The exceeding stringency of affairs caused his com- plete financial ruin. Declining all offers of assistance. he at once engaged in clerking, first in St. Louis and afterward in Keithsburg, and was so employed until 1871 when he again started in trade on his own account, and is now firmly established and doing a large business in grain. flour, coal, lime and cement. Mr. Gayle was liberally educated, chiefly under the private tuition of his father. George Gayle, who was a scholar of scientific and classical attainments. He is a man who enjoys an unconscious exaltation in being always kind and accommodating to all men. September 7, 1851. he was married to Miss Margaret A. Ungles, who has been the mother of ten children by this marriage, four of whom are living.
ALLEN F. GLOVER. tailor. oldest child of Silas and Mary (Rob- ertson) Glover, is a native of Abbeville, South Carolina. where he was born June 17. 1823. At the age of ten he emigrated with his father's family to Ohio. At Fairhaven he learned the tailor's trade. and in 1842 he left the state and the following year settled at Oquawka. In the spring of 1846 he removed to Keithsburg. and next year was married to Miss Sarah L., youngest daughter of Jesse and Christinia Brewer. Her birthplace was Wayne county. Indiana. where she was born in 1827. Her parents were originally from North Carolina. and came to this county in 1835 and settled on the farm now owned by Solomon Wolf. northeast of Keithsburg. This wife died without issue in 1850. and three years afterward he was married a second time to Miss Minerva Catlin, who bore him six children and died in 1873. In 1854 Mr. Glover removed to Wisconsin, staying there two years .. During some eighteen years after his return he was tending grocery store as clerk ; since that time he has worked at his trade. About eight years ago he united with the Methodist church and is now one of the stewards. Ile has been a member of Mercer Lodge. No. 210. I.O.O.F. : he has passed all the chairs and been representative to the grand lodge. In 1864 he was "raised " in Robert Burns Lodge. No. 113. A.F.A.M .. and has been Secretary of that lodge since. He. has been elected to the offices of assessor and justice of the peace ; the latter proving distasteful he resigned it. Hle affiliates politically with the republicans. His children have been Irene, who died at the
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age of nineeten ; Emma ; Ida. now Mrs. Seth Chandler ; Charlie, George, and Bell (dead).
Jonx HEATON was born at Xenia, Ohio, November 2, 1804. His father was John, son of Jonah Heaton of Bryant's Station, Kentucky, who was from Connecticut, and who, history says, made the first gun ever manufactured in the former state. Jonah's son John was edu- cated by his uncle Daniel, and was a prominent man in his county. holding the office of county commissioner and justice of the peace for twenty-two consecutive years. JJames Heaton worked at and thor- oughly learned the trade of his father, that of a blacksmith and gun- smith. In the spring of 1826 (May 25), he was married to Miss Nancy Henry, daughter of William Henry, who was a first cousin to Patrick Henry, of Virginia. It may be proper here to state that while Patrick was a democrat of the JJefferson school, William was a federalist and did not sympathize with him as his descendants have done. Mrs. Heaton is a woman of great practical ability and native good sense, who believes that the patent of real royalty belongs to those who do right and live by industry. They have lived a long and useful life. Fifty-six years have they passed together, and in this time reared a large family of children : John, of Red Bluff. California, the eldest, and William Henry, the second child, now of Keithsburg, being the only sons of six born to them now living. George died in Texas at the age of forty-three : James at the age of eleven ; Chauncey, when eight months old ; and his twin brother Oliver at the same age. Their six daughters are all living. These are : Sarah Salisbury, at Red Oak. Iowa ; Maria Adair, in Hutchinson county. Dakota : Marienne Phares, at Keithsburg (with whom Mr. and Mrs. Heaton make their home) : Margaret Hanna, at Fort Scott, Kansas; Mattie Hanna, at Oquawka ; and Sippie Wolff, at Clarinda, Iowa. Mr. Heaton was a great lover of stock, and when first married fenced a tract of 3,000 acres on the head of the Little Miami river in Clark county, Ohio, where he kept in pasture several thousand head of cattle. In 1836 he came to Edgar county, Illinois, and engaged in business. In 1842 he moved to the New Purchase in Iowa. In the fall of 1843 he came to Henderson county. Illinois, opposite the then small town of Bur- lington. In the spring of that year he settled on a farm on the Elli- son. in Warren county, and the same season bought the farm where the town of Ellison now stands. In the fall of 1848, wanting better facilities for schooling his children, he came to Keithsburg, where he lived till the spring of 1852, when he moved to Bald Bluff. There he and his boys made a large farm and gratified that old love of stock by raising cattle, hogs and horses. In 1868 William went to Abingdon,
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Knox county, and the next year George went to Texas. It was then that he gave up the farm and moved to Keithsburg, where he now has a pleasant home and varies his exercise every day with a walk down town. He is perhaps the best known man in the county. He has always lived a quiet, unassuming life, has worked hard and aimed to deal fairly with all who have had -intercourse with him. He is in religion a predestinarian Baptist, in politics a democrat, having cast his first vote for Andrew Jackson in 1828, and adhered to that school ever since. Like most of the early settlers, Mr. Heaton's home was the abode of hospitality, and friend or stranger who came his way was alike welcome to share its refreshments. In his old age he still retains his love of society, and enjoys recounting the incidents and adventures of the past. This worthy couple are never happier than when their house is full of their children and grandchildren, of whom they have a great number.
From youth to age this wedded pair Have journeyed on together - Not always gentle was the wind, Nor always bland the weather ; Yet few and light have been their cares, And light and few their crosses,
And God has shown his pitying face Amid their griefs and losses. Oh, sore the travel and the toil To reach the roseate present, Had no affection cheered the way And made the journey pleasant.
What if the cheek has lost its bloom, The eye its olden lustre - What if the locks are thinned and blanched Which on the temples cluster - Still hope is fresh and hearts are young, And love is unabated,
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