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 69
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S. F. EVERETT.
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a republican, but when the question of supporting the administration of his adopted country came up against the other issues of rebellion, Mr. W. was on the side of the union with his money and influence to assist in filling up the quota of the township. His personal integrity and worth were always recognized by his neighbors, so that for four terms he was returned as supervisor of his township when the party with which he was identified was always in a two-thirds minority. With Mrs. Whitsitt, who has always been a devoted wife and mother, and partner in all the plans and purposes of his life, he visited the home and the scenes of her early years. Mr. Whitsitt's affections and duty are fully given to the country of his adoption. They are connected with the Presbyterian church, that stands on land donated by Mr. Whitsitt upon a corner of his farm.
SAMUEL F. EVERETT was born in Marion county, Ohio, February 12, 1834. He is the son of Samuel F. and Sarah (Karr) Everett. His father was a native of Vermont, of Scotch and Irish ancestry, while his mother was born in Meigs county, Ohio. He was reared on a farm where he enjoyed the advantages of good schools, finishing his education with a course at the Marion academy. In the spring of 1852 he came on a prospecting tour to Illinois. Liking the land, and other advantages being equal, he entered a half section in sections 18 and 20, Preemption township, Mercer county, and returned to Ohio. In the fall of the same year, in company with his mother, sister and sister's husband, G. D. Miller, he came by team to the new · home. After his arrival here he at once began to make and improve his home, which is now one of the most pleasant in this part of Mercer county, having, in 1880, built a very fine and beautiful residence, at a cost of avout $6,000. His real estate comprises 550 acres. June 4, 1872, he was united in marriage with Miss Sarah E. McHard, a daughter of William and Mary MeHard. She was born in Mercer county, Illinois, January 5, 1840, and is one among the first born here now living. They are the parents of two children, William R., and Sarah R. Mr. Everett's father died in Ohio about 1842, and his mother died at his home in this township in the winter of 1868. Mr. Everett is now actively engaged in farming and stock raising. He is now filling his second term of supervisor.
As a man who not only merits but enjoys the respect and confidence of his fellow citizens, DAVID ANDREW CLARKE occupies no second place. He was born October 24, 1835, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where his parents were married October 31, 1834. In 1838 they came to Mercer county, Illinois, and permanently located on Sec. 1, T. 15, R. 2, Preemption, and there Mr. Clarke, David's father, died in 1844,
41
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leaving, besides his wife who still survives. five children, three of whom are living : David A., Maggie, and Mary (wife of Henry Ketzel, of Perryton township). Those deceased were: Jane (who died in 1866), Henry B. (died in New Orleans aged twenty years, during the late war, a victim of the malarial fevers of a southern clime). David A. now owns and occupies the old home farm of 360 acres, and is actively engaged in stock raising and farming. He served the township eight years as clerk, and in 1876 was elected justice of the peace, which trust and honor he still holds. He is also a prominent member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and contributes largely of his means for its support and prosperity. Himself and mother have been longer residents in the township than any others now living within its borders. His father, Benjamin Clarke, was born in the county Fermanagh, Ireland, in 1802, and was reared a farmer, follow- ing that vocation through life. His mother was also a native of Ire- land. Mr. Clarke was married in 1864 to Sarah Ellen Little, daughter of David Little. She died in 1865, and he has not since married.
JESSE CARVER. In the colony founded by William Penn in 1682 were three brothers by the name of Carver. One of these (John Carver) settled in that part afterward set off as Bucks county, Penn- sylvania. He became prominent in the colonial history of Pennsyl- vania. Jesse Carver, the subject of these lines, is the son of John Carver and the grandson of John Carver, and a descendant of the John Carver above noted. The Carvers were, of course, Quakers or Friends in early days. Jesse Carver was born in Bucks county, Penn- sylvania, January 29, 1816. His education was limited to the common school of his day. Farming has been his avocation all his years, hav- ing been sufficiently successful to save a competency for old age. HIe was married August 23, 1838, to Miss Sarah W. Lewis. She was born March 10, 1810, in Bucks county, Pennsylvania. She is connected with the Elicott family, thoroughly written up in a book set apart to that family alone. After marriage Mr. Carver rented a farm near Buckingham, Pennsylvania. In 1851 he emigrated westward, settling in Preemption township, Mercer county, Illinois, where he entered land in section 14. In the following year he built and soon moved into his own house, a consummation sought for many years. No longer a tenant but a lord. He has added to his first purchase till he owns over 360 acres of good land. He has eight children : Watson T., Letitia L. (now Mrs. Jackson Thornton of Millersburg), Readding L., Thomas E., Edward W., Winfield S., John M., and Marietta (wife of Harvey T. Trovillo).
READDING L. CARVER was born in Bucks county, Pennsylvania,
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March 6. 1843. He has spent the larger part of his life in Mercer county. He enlisted in Co. C. 102d reg. Ill. Vol. Inf., August, 1862. He carried the colors through the war to the restoration of peace. He was wounded at Resacca, Georgia, having three teeth shot out and his mouth badly shattered. His career is the career of the 102d regiment. At his return he resumed farming, but soon engaged in the manufac- ture of sorghum. In 1877, at the solicitation of many of his friends, he was induced to embark in the milling business, and he began build- ing in that year in Preemption. His mill has grown from incipiency to flour and feed mill, general machine and repair shops, and grain elevator. Mr. Carver was married June 19, 1872. to Mrs. Jane Geiger, a native of Ohio and daughter of William David. They have five children : William D., Laura, Emma O., James R., and Jesse.
Prominent among the early settlers, and members of the Cath- olic church, may be mentioned Mr. JOSEPH CONWAY, who was born in county Clare, Ireland. in 1826. He was reared to the prin- ciples of economy and industry. He emigrated to America in the summer of 1846. He sailed from Limerick June 25 in the sailing ship Emma, and after a voyage of many weeks landed in Oswego August 20. For the following six years he applied himself to any honorable employment which would turn an honest penny. In the fall of 1852 he came to Rock Island, Illinois, and the following Feb- ruary put his axe on his shoulder and walked to Preemption township, and began to improve the land he had entered. The following June he received the patent for his land, signed by President Pierce. July 10, 1854, he was united in marriage with Miss Bridget Ayers, a native of Ireland. She died January 6. 1870, at the early age of thirty-nine years, leaving, besides her loving husband, six children to mourn her early death. The children's names, in the order of their birth, are : Thomas. Margaretta, Joseph Patrick, Mary A., Lizzie (deceased), and Martin W. Mr. Conway, since the death of his companion, has re- mained single. His estimable daughter is his housekeeper, and cheers his home by her pleasant and affable manner. When Mr. Conway first settled on section 30 in this township he had but $200; money earned in this country, and when he landed at Oswego. New York, he had but one-quarter of a dollar. But honest industry has its reward, and he has long since been the independent owner of 680 acres of land.
JOHN Y. JOHNSTON (deceased), came from the county Fermanagh, Ireland, to Mercer county, Illinois, in the spring of 1864, bringing with him his wife, Mary, and two children, one of whom was born to them while on the way. They permanently located in Preemption
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township, on Sec. 9, T. 15, R. 2, where they reared a family of six children. Mr. Johnston died in January, 1870, and Mrs. Johnston Angust 6, 1866. James Y. Johnston, their second child, was born on the Mississippi river in April, 1846, while on their way from New Orleans to Rock Island. He was reared on the farm and educated in the common schools. July 3, 1871, he was married to Miss Matilda, daughter of John H. and Jane (Welch) Johnston. She was born in Preemption township, October 22, 1852. They are the parents of three children, whose names, in the order of their birth, are Nina A., Henry A., and Mary J. Mr. Johnston now owns and occupies the old home farm and other land adjoining, to the number of 236 acres, and is engaged in farming and stock raising.
JOHN Y. JOHNSTON is a son of William W. and Margaret (Lipton) Johnston, and was born in this township, April 1, 1857. He was reared on the farm and educated in the common schools, with the additional advantage of a college course at Abingdon, Illinois, and Davenport, Iowa. March 10, 1881, he was married to Miss Rebecca Johnston, the daughter of William H. and Jane (Allen) Johnston ; she was born in this township, February 7, 1859. In 1881 Mr. Johnston built his present fine residence on his farm on the N. E. } of Sec. 18. His father is now living near Reynolds, in the northwest part of Pre- emption township, and is one of the wealthy land owners of this county, after having given to each of his sons a good farm.
THOMAS L. JOHNSTON, farmer and stock raiser, is a son of William W. and Margaret (Lipton) Johnston, and was born in Rock Island county, Illinois, November 16, 1848. With the exception of from 1852 to 1855, with his parents in California, his years have been spent in Preemption township, actively engaged in farming. ITis educational advantages were good and well improved. He remained at home with . his father until about the age of twenty-six years, and was well re- warded by the gift from his father of a good 160 acre farm; the N. E. Į of Sec. 7, on which, in 1880, he built a fine, two-story residence at a cost of over $3,000. July 1, 1874, he was married to Miss Mary J. Goodner, a daughter of William D. and Edith J. (Griswold) Goodner. She was born in Indiana, August 7, 1850, and came with her parents to Mercer county, in 1853. They are the parents of four children : Edward W., Edith E., Maggie B., and an infant. Mr. Johnston is engaged in farming, but devotes much of his time to buying, feeding and shipping stock.
WILLIAM CONNOLLY is a son of James and Elizabeth (Little) Connolly, and was born in the county Fermanagh, Ireland, May 29, 1832. In November, 1846, with his parents, he left the land of his
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birth, and sailing for America, landed in New Orleans early in the winter of 1847. Soon after their arrival in New Orleans they started up the Mississippi river, landing at Rock Island on April 4th of the same year. They soon after purchased land in Sec. 3, T. 15. R. 2 W .. in Preemption township, where our subject still lives, and where his parents lived till the time of their death. The father died in Septem- ber, 1881, aged eighty-two years. He was an enthusiastic Orangeman. and through his instrumentality a lodge of that order was organized at Preemption, in this county, and one at Brooklyn, Iowa. In the work- ings of these organizations he used largely of his means, having twice visited Canada in the interest of the order. The mother died in 1869 at the age of seventy-eight years. They were the parents of seven children : Mary (now the wife of Dr. Martin), James, Margaret (now Mrs. William Vye), William (the subject of this notice). Jane (wife ot Thomas Burchby), Eliza (wife of Frank Johnston), and Sarah A. (wife of William J. Ransom). William was married February 14, 1861, to Miss Elizabeth A. Moffett, a native of Fermanagh county, Ireland. She died in 1873. Mr. Connolly's second marriage was on November 12, 1874, with Miss Fanny Moffett, who was born in Rock Island county, Illinois, April 24, 1849. He is the father of eight children, whose names in the order of their birth are : James W., William F., Elizabeth, Robert, and Lucinda, by his first wife, and Edward W .. Mary A., and Gilbert H., by his present wife, who is an excellent mother to the whole family. Mr. Connolly is taking great interest in the education of his children.
DAVID W. LITTLE, the thrifty and enterprising proprietor of the Preemption creamery, is a son of David and Elizabeth (Wiltshire) Little, and was born in this township March 28, 1851. He received a good common school education while growing up on the farm, to which he added several terms at Abingdon, Illinois, and Mount Vernon, Iowa. He was married December 18, 1874. to Miss Clara E. Goudy, daughter of William HI. and Margaret (Smith) Goudy, of Mount Ver- non, Iowa. She was born in Linn county, Iowa, April 5, 1853. They are the parents of four children : William H., Elizabeth E., Benjamin F., and Margaret A. After his marriage Mr. Little engaged in farm- ing, but since 1880 he has turned his attention exclusively to the man- ufacture of butter. The prospect of success in 1882 induced him to establish a branch creamery in Rivoli township, and he has extended the buying of cream into the adjoining counties.
WILLIAM BRIGGS, the subject of this sketch, was born about 1807 in Ireland, where he spent his early life. When at the age of twenty- five he came to America, in company with his brother Thomas. They
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first landed on the British Islands, in Canada. They stayed there two months, and then went to New York, where he followed teaming and weaving. He next moved to Illinois in 1846, first stopping at Rock Island ; from there he moved to Swedonia, where he found employ- ment at fifty cents per day for ten years. In the meanwhile he bought a small piece of land ; but not having a team of his own, he was forced to hire one, for which he gave his own labor in exchange for the use of a horse. He bought his first eighty acres of Levi Wasson and paid for it in trade. Ile next bought some government land from a man who had entered it. He was married in New York in 1834 to Miss Isabella Clay. By this marriage they had five children born to them, one only of whom was born in Illinois. John, the oldest, married Miss Ann Armstrong, who is deceased. He was married a second time to Lena Colter. They have one child living and one dead. Henry married Miss Vina Smith, and they have one child. In Mr. Briggs' father's family there were five boys and three girls, all of whom were born in Ireland : Margaret, John, Richard, Jane, Mary, Mur- phy, Thomas and Robert. Margaret is deceased ; John lives in New York; Richard died at Pleasant Hill ; Jane, wife of David Bates, resides in Ireland : Mary married John Murphy; Robert married in New York. When the war of the rebellion broke out Mr. Briggs furnished two soldiers from his family. Robert entered the service as a private and was promoted second lieutenant, and, at the time of his discharge, a captain's commission was forwarded by the governor. He was a brave officer, and was with his regiment through all the various battles with the western army, and was wounded at the battle of Lex- ington. He was a member of Co. B. 65th reg .. Ill. Vol. Inf. Thomas, a merchant of Preemption, was a member of the 140th reg. Ill. Vol. Inf., commanded by Col. Sherman. He entered the service in 1864 at Dixon. After his return home he met with an accident, a misfortune which necessitated the amputation of his arm. Mr. and Mrs. Briggs are members of the Episcopal church, of Preemption.
POTTER KELLY, son of Samuel and Sarah Kelly, was born in Jeffer- sou county, Pennsylvania, in 1843. He attended a common school until sixteen years of age, when he began a course of study in Glade Run Academy, in Armstrong county. After attending here two ses- sions he began teaching. In the summer of 1866 he came west to Jackson county. Iowa, where he taught one year. In the spring of 1867 he came to Mercer county, Illinois, and began teaching one mile south of Bridger's Corners, in Suez township. Since that time Mr. Kelly has pursued the profession of teaching in that and adjoining townships in Mercer county, and his labors have always been attended by success.
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PETER CAMERON was born in Juniata county, Pennsylvania, De- cember 28, 1829. In his father's family there were nine children, of whom our subject is the sixth child. His father was married about 1819 to Miss Sarah Jones, a native of Pennsylvania, whose father came from Wales in an early day and settled in that state. His father, John Cameron, was born of Scotch parents, on the highlands of Scot- land. He came to Pennsylvania and settled near the Juniata river, where he died. Mr. Cameron came to Illinois in 1850, in company with a brother and sister. They first settled in Ohio Grove township. near the line between Ohio Grove and Abington, where he entered a piece of government land containing a quarter section. Before his
removal to this state he followed milling and worked with his father. Our subject was married in Pennsylvania, February 26, 1861, to Miss Margaret E. Crabtree, whose parents had moved to Illinois a short time prior to Mr. Cameron's arrival here. By this union they have had four children born to them as follows : Malinda (wife of Frank HIumpstead, of DeKalb county), Lewis E., born January 25, 1866, George M., born September 29, 1868, Clarence F., born November 2, 1872. When the war broke out Mr. Cameron entered the service and was engaged in all the battles with his regiment, from Chattanooga to Hardeeville, (South Carolina), and was wounded at Resacca, May 15. 1864. Mrs. Cameron's parents on her father's side, were of English descent, and on her mother's side, Irish. Mr. and Mrs. Cameron are both members of the Methodist church.
ROBERT HICKS was born in Ireland, May 24, 1817, and came to America in 1844. He landed in New York and from there went to Buffalo, Chicago, and Canada, and finally to Galena, where he found employment in the mines in the winter, and in the summer worked upon a farm. Being industrious and saving, be laid up a part of his earnings and in 1856 invested in 160 acres of raw prairie land. He at once began to improve the same, to accomplish which he was forced to borrow money, for which he paid fifteen per cent interest. Mr. Ilicks is a prominent member of the Protestant Episcopal church.
JULIUS E. Orro was born in Berlin, Prussia, June 16, 1847. His early youth was partly spent on a farm, but before his majority he had learned the trade of shoemaker with his father. In 1866 he left the home of his birth and sailed for America, with a view of securing a home in a land of plenty. After his arrival he engaged as a hand in a brick-yard, at Whitewater, Wisconsin, where he remained until 1868. when he removed to Davenport. Iowa, and there and in Rock Island worked in a lumber-yard till November, 1878. Then he came to Pre- emption to take charge of the station on the Rock Island & Mercer
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County railroad. Here he is also engaged in selling lumber on com- mission. October 4, 1870, he married Miss Philepene Ehrhard, a daughter of John Ehrhard. She is a native of Rhein Baiern, Ger- many. She came to America in the fall of 1868, landing here January 1, 1867. They have four children, August H., Ludwig L., Amelia T., and Edward J. They are members of the Lutheran church, of Rock Island.
Among the leading physicians of Mercer county may be mentioned Dr. JAMES H. SEYLER. He was born in central Pennsylvania, Jan- uary 6, 1842. His early years were spent on the farm and in the common schools, beginning at the age of sixteen to attend the higher grade of schools. In his seventeenth year he entered the academy at Glade Run, remaining nearly four years. He then became a student at Jefferson literary college, in the State of Pennsylvania, where he graduated with the class of 1865, receiving his diploma from the united Washington and Jefferson college. He then began reading medicine with Dr. Scott, of Cleveland, Ohio. He also attended medical lectures at Cleveland. He finally entered the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania, from which he received his degree of M.D., in 1868. After practicing his profession one year at Sharps- burg, Pennsylvania, he removed to Mercer county, Illinois, and per- manently located at Preemption, where he has established an enviable reputation as a successful physician. In 1881 he erected a fine brick building which he occupies as a drug store. In November, 1874, he was married to Miss Lauretta Criswell, daughter of Matthew Criswell, Esq., a native of Pennsylvania, but at that time a resident of Rock Island county. One child, Sarah F., was born to them in 1876. Dr. Seyler is a prominent member of the masonic fraternity, and he and wife are active members of the Presbyterian church.
WILLIAM HAMMOND is a son of Robert and Margery (Bird) Ham- mond, and was born in Mercer county, Pennsylvania, June 3, 1839. His early youth was spent on a farm where he received a good com- mon school education, which he finished with two years at Westminster college. In August, 1861, he enlisted in the Co. B, 100th Pa. Vol. Inf., as first lieutenant, from which he was promoted to captain. He partici- pated in the following battles : Port Royal and Port Royal ferry, S. C .; James Island, Bull Run and Chantilla, Va .; South Mountain and An- tietam, Md .; Fredericksburg, Va .; Vicksburg and Jackson, Miss .; Blue Springs, Campbell's Stations and siege of Knoxville, Tenn; the battles of the wilderness, Spotsylvania, Spotsylvania court-house, North Ann river, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, Va .; and Mine explosion. At the latter place he was wounded for the third time during the service, and
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was sent to Georgetown hospital, D. C., from which he was finally discharged. After the restoration of peace and his return home, he spent some time in prospecting in several states, for a suitable place to settle, and in 1866 came to Preemption. He was at once impressed with the beauty of the country, and settled in Preemption, and for a short time engaged in the drag business but soon run into a general store, selling out the drug department. In 1877 he built his present fine brick store, where he is now engaged in a prosperous trade. March 12, 1867, he was united in marriage with Miss Olive M. Morey, a daughter of Ezekiel and Esther (Underhill) Morey, who were among the early pioneers of this county. She was born in Preemption town- ship, March 11, 1844. They have one child living. Will D .; Bird U. died November 24, 1878, aged over four years. Mr. and Mrs. Ham- mond are prominent members of the Presbyterian church.
GEORGE SMITH is a son of Thomas and Mary (Potts) Smith. He was born in Ireland, July 2, 1827. In 1846, his parents, with their nine children, came to America, sailing from Belfast in the ship Annie. They first settled in Bytown, now Ottawa, Canada, where they re- mained six years. They then removed farther west in Canada, and settled in the county of Bruce, west of Toronto, where the parents re- mained until the time of their death. George, the subject of this sketch, was the third son. He was reared like his father, a farmer, at the same time receiving a good, common school education, as well as early training in the way of thrift and industry. November 3, 1858, he was united in marriage with Miss Jane Wadsworth, daughter of John and Jane (Johnston) Wadsworth. She was born February 11, 1836, in the county Fermanagh, Ireland, and came with her parents to the United States in 1847. They are the parents of an interesting family of eleven children, whose names, in the order of their birth, are: Emma J. (wife of Thomas Johnston, of Rock Island county), William J., Caroline V., Mary E., George A., Sarah E., Jemima K., Angeline M., Harriett E., Charles E., and Losada L. After his mar- riage Mr. Smith engaged in farming till 1865, when he sold his Cana- dian home and removed to Mercer county. settling in Preemption township, on section 16. For his first eighty acres he paid $2,000, for his second he paid $4,500, and for his last forty acres, bought in 1882, he paid $3,000. Mr. Smith is now (1882) actively engaged in stock- raising and farming. The raising of pork for market has been with him a decided success. Himself and his estimable wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.
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