History of Mercer and Henderson Counties : together with biographical matter, statistics, etc, Part 103

Author: Mercer County Historical Society (Ill.); Henderson County Historical Society (Ill.)
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago : H.H. Hill and Co.
Number of Pages: 1424

USA > Illinois > Mercer County > History of Mercer and Henderson Counties : together with biographical matter, statistics, etc > Part 103
USA > Illinois > Henderson County > History of Mercer and Henderson Counties : together with biographical matter, statistics, etc > Part 103

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The second school was near where the Science Hill school-house now stands. The present building was built in 1854 and remodeled in 1880. This is district No. 5. The next school-house in point of time is Hazel Dell, built in 1842. The building now in use was built in 1856. The next is the Liberty school-house, first erected in 1845. The brick structure now in use was built in 1858. This is near where the old subscription house was built in 1836. The Aurora school-house was first built in 1849, about a half mile from where it now stands. Three or four years afterward it was removed to the present site. Reed's school-house was first built in 1858. The present structure was erected in 1874. The Maple Grove school-house was built in 1863.

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The schools of this precinct, which had their inception in the old log building erected of logs in 1836, by the people in common, have grown to a systematic system. The old log houses have passed away. The subscription school, kept up perhaps for three months during the year, have been succeeded by the present fine structures, with all the modern appliances and conveniences, and the doors are open to all for nine months in the year. For schools in the year ending June 30, 1881. there was a total outlay of $2,901.43.

SMITH CREEK CHRISTIAN CHURCH

Is the only church of the denomination in Greenville precinct. A few pioneers of this faith met June 6, 1853, at Liberty school-house and organized by electing M. M. Roberts and N. II. Davis, elders ; Amos Haimes and E. D. Jackson, deacons, with the following members : E. D. Jackson, M. M. Roberts, J. K. Rust, Charles R. Brown, R. T. Davis, N. H. Davis, Phoebe Darnell, Sarah W. Davis, Jane D. Rust, Fanny C. Davis, Isabella C. Jackson, Abigail Beaty, Anne Brown, Susan Lane, Sarah A. Haines, Elizabeth A. Roberts, Sarah J. Morris, Sarah J. Brown and Mary Peterson.

The organization was due greatly to the untiring efforts of Elder Alexander Davidson, of Monmouth, Illinois. Mr. Davidson was the first elder in charge. Having a society well organized, the next object was the erection of a suitable church edifice. Mr. Amos Haines and N. H. Davis set to work with a will and the necessary funds were soon subscribed, and a neat frame structure was built on Sec. 21, T. 11, R. +, near what is now Rosetta postoffice, during the autumn of 1853, at a cost of something near $1,000.

The following are the elders who have been in charge of the work there : Alexander Davidson, Bedford Murphy, Smith Wallace, James E. Gaston, Eli Fisher, Joseph B. Royal, L. O. McPherson, James Butler, and others whose names do not appear. For the space of eight or ten years the church increased in numbers and was highly prosperous, but during the war it began to decline and to disintegrate, and finally was given up. The last record appears during the year 1873. The church building still stands, a sad monument to the un- stability of human determination and human mind.

The family of Coghill trace their ancestry back to 1377. Benjamin C. Coghill traced the maternal line back to the Slingsbys of Scriven- hall, in 1135. Benjamin C. Coghill was born near Richmond, Vir- ginia, March 9, 1804. Here he grew to manhood and was given a classical education in a college in his native state. At his majority he came into an estate sufficient for his maintenance among the Virginia

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gentry of that day. February, 1833, he was married to Miss Millicent Ellett, a native of Richmond, who died September 24, of the subse- quent year. In 1835 he was married to Miss Mary A. Ellett, a consin of his first wife. In 1834 he purchased and owned for some time the farm on which Patrick Henry was born. For years he had entertained a growing aversion to the institution of slavery. In 1835 he deter- mined to leave slave territory forever and find a home on free soil. In September of that year he traveled on horseback through the states of Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. Returning in November he began arrange- ments for his removal to Henderson county. As to the sincerity of his views in opposition to the institution of slavery, let the following extract from a letter to a relative attest : "Being deeply impressed with the conviction that war, terrible in its consequences, would come sooner or later, and feeling earnestly desirons that neither I nor any of my children should engage in such a strife, and further, not wishing to raise my children among the negroes, my thoughts were turned to the west as the place wherein these evils might be avoided." As soon as I had fully determined to remove to a free state, the question arose in my mind, what shall I do with my negroes ? I gave the matter much careful consideration and made it the subject of much earnest prayer. The temptation to sell and get the money for them was strong. The conflict between the devil and the man was fierce and bitter, but thanks be to God who giveth strength, my sense of duty was the stronger. I procured good homes for the aged and sent all the younger ones to Liberia. June 1836, Mr. Coghill, in company with several of his neigh- bors, removed to Henderson county and settled in Greenville precinct, and has been identified with almost every prominent measure pertinent to the county's interest while he was a citizen of it. He was a mem- ber of the first board of county commissioners. He was married a third time to Loucie LeFevre, of Hannibal, Missouri. Mr. Coghill died at Ennis, Texas, whither he had removed some time previous for the benefit of his health. The great work of his life was the upbuilding of the Rozetta Baptist church, and as its history is so inseparably con- nected with his, the one would not be complete without the other.

On May 10, 1837, the following named persons met at the residence of Benjamin C. Coghill, and after choosing - Clark moderator, pro- ceeded to organize themselves into an independent religious society : William E. Ellett, Benjamin C. Coghill, William P. Toler, - Clark, Mary A. Coghill, Kezia Cogliill, Susan Ellett, Mary Ellett. For many years the progress of the church was slow. But in time their earnest- ness of purpose and firm determination had its effect, and in 1849, their numbers having been greatly increased, they were enabled to build a

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comfortable house of worship. The building was finished and accepted by the trustees on the fourth Saturday in December, 1849, and on Sun- day, January 25, 1850, was solemnly dedicated by elder Monroe. The church has now a membership of about seventy-five in good stand- ing. Its financial condition is good. In Greenville precinct there are at present three other churches of different denominations, but of which no records can be found.

HISTORICAL SKETCH OF SMITH CREEK CONGREGATION (UNITED PRESBYTERIAN).

BY REV. R. E. WILKIN.

This congregation dates the beginning of its history from the year 1847. In March of this year an organization was effected through the agency of Rev. R. W. French as commissioner. The following-named persons were received as members at that time: Ritchey Campbell, Mary Campbell. John W. Woods, Nancy Woods, David Irwin, Jane Irwin, Susanna Davis, James Gibson, Sarah Gibson, Mary Hogue, Isaac Woods, and Elisabeth Woods, twelve in all. The session was formed by the election and ordination of Messrs. Ritchey Campbell and John W. Woods as ruling elders. In 1849 their first pastor, Rev. Nathaniel McDowell, was settled, preaching in connection with Olena in Henderson county and North Henderson in Mercer county. This relation existed five years, or until April, 1854. For the two years following the congregation was supplied occasionally with preach- ing by traveling missionaries. Afterward, from 1856 until the summer of 1858, Rev. Elijah McCoy labored acceptably as stated supply for the congregation. In 1858 occurred the union of the two denominations (Associate and Associate Reformed) which now constitute the United Presbyterian church. In that year the Associate congregation of Smith Creek united with the Associate Reformed congregation of Smyrna, which had been organized in the same vicinity April 6, 1855, thus constituting the United Presbyterian congregation of Smith Creek. The united congregation received as its pastor the Rev. Samuel Millen, who had previously been settled as pastor over the Smyrna congrega- tion in 1856. The pastorate of Mr. Millen lasted for nearly fifteen years, closing April, 1870. For a number of years following the con- gregation was without a pastor. However, in the spring of 1875 a call was addressed to Rev. R. E. Wilkin to become their pastor. This call was accepted, and he began his labors in this field May 1, 1875. He continued his work here regularly for seven years, when, on the first of May last (1882) he felt constrained, on account of failing health of his family, to resign the charge of his congregation. During its

T. G. RICHEY.

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history this church has built and occupied three different houses of worship : the first in 1849, the second in 1857, and the present build- ing, a small but neat and substantial frame structure, capable of seating 200 persons, erected in 1881, at a cost of about $2,000., The present officers of the congregation are: ruling elders, A. B. Hamill, A. H. Drennen, and Robert Hays; board of directors, Perry Beal, Henry Galloway, and James H. Woods. Present membership of the congre- gation, seventy.

Greenville precinct was a part of Oquawka precinct until its sepa- rate organization, June 8, 1855. It comprises all of T. 11 N., R. 4 W. (except sections 31 and 32, and so much of sections 28, 29, 31 and 33 as lies south of the south fork of Smith creek) ; election to be held at Liberty school-house. All of that part of T. 12 N., R. + W., lying south of Henderson river to be attached to Greenville precinct ; election to be held at the postoffice in Rozetta. The west half of section 33, and all of sections 31 and 32 lying south and east of Henderson river, all in T. 12 N., R. 4, to remain in Greenville precinct ; the remainder of T. 12 N., R. + W., formerly in Greenville precinct, to be added to Bald Bluff precinct. Change made September 10, 1874, by order of the county board.

Fifty years ago the total population of Greenville precinct did not exceed five. In 1880 its population was 1,108.

Following is a list of the names of the justices of the precinct, with the date of qualification annexed, since its separate organization : George C. Watson, June 26, 1855; William H. Mills, November 10. 1857; Thomas V. C. Rice, November 16, 1857; William H. Mills, November 11, 1861; Geo. W. Loftus, November 11, 1861; Geo. W. Loftus, November 21, 1864 ; William H. Turnbull, November 27, 1864 ; William H. Mills, November 16, 1869 ; Geo. W. Lofftus, November 19, 1869; Geo. W. Lofftus, November 18, 1873; Henry Rice, November 19, 1877 ; David Bryan, November 16, 1876; John M. Lukens, June 11, 1881; John M. Lukens, November 25, 1881 ; Andrew H. Drennen, November 28, 1881.

Following is a list of the names of constables, with the dates of their qualification, from the separate organization of the precinct : John Creswell, June 18, 1855; B. D. Curtiss, November 12, 1856; Matthew S. Green, November 23, 1857; A. L. Morris, November 21, 1857; A. L. Morris, November 21, 1861; S. M. Reed, November 21, 1861 ; Samuel B. Fair, November 16, 1863; William Woods, January 5, 1867; John T. Morse, November 16, 1869; Charles H. Morris, November 19, 1869; William R. R. Hurlburt, November 16, 1878;

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William McDill, November 23, 1878; Amazialı B. Pershin, November 26, 1881.

Greenville now has seven schools and five churches. She has a population of near 1,500 persons, and wealth counted by the hundred thousand. She is dotted over with good, comfortable dwellings, which are the homes, of a happy and prosperous people. The morals of the populace are as good as that of any other place in the world. 'Tis won- derful to look at the advance of half a century. Fifty years ago this was virgin soil whose bosom had never been tickled by the hand of man. Fifty years ago the woodlands were in their primitive state ; the axe of the pioneer had never sent its ringing noise through these primeval glades. But at last he came, and the change he has wrought is mighty. Instead of the quiet lethargy of the anti-pioneer days, the noise and bustle of industry is heard from early morn till dewy eve.

The greatest individual industry in the precinct is undoubtedly that done by the firm of Musgove & Mills, nurserymen and fruit growers. Sitting by their fires during the one cold evening of the winter of 1869- 70, these men conceived the idea of planting an apple orchard, and in the early part of the year commenced to make arrangements for it. The original intention was to put out 110 acres. They only could secure enough stock to put out five acres. This was done, and 200 cherry trees planted. Commencing in time they succeeded in securing enough trees to finish planting the 110 acres the next year, making in all of both years setting 11,000 trees. The winters being very severe and killing quite a number of the trees, they made arrangements to raise their own trees for resetting.

In the winter of 1872 they put out 100,000 apple grafts, 300,000 evergreens, and near Lenox, Iowa, sowed twenty acres in Osage orange seed, which would produce about 2,000,000 plants. The winter of 1872-3 killed nearly all the apple grafts, but not daunted or dis- couraged they reset them. The winter of 1873-4 killed near 5,000 apple trees for them which were reset in the spring. Since the nursery stock became old enough they have been doing a general nursery busi- ness, buying at wholesale the stock they did not grow. They have shipped trees and plants to all points in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas and Nebraska.

They are now closing out their nursery stock, and will engage exclusively in fruit growing. In this business they give employment to from five to forty men, which varies with the seasons. On a farm opened by one Conger in 1837, in 1850 R. T. Pence set an orchard of thirty acres. This Mr. Musgove bought some years ago, and put the entire eighty acres in apple trees. In this and the partnership orchard

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they have about 18,000 trees, three-fourths of which are in bearing. Since 1877 they have been shipping fruit to different points in the West.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

WILLIAM H. and LUCRETIA (MORRIS) MILLS, lived in Dearborn county, Indiana, at the time of Myron Harding Mills' birth, which took place on the anniversary of the battle of New Orleans, January 8, 1839. The Millses are of English descent. His paternal great- grandfather, Lemas Mills, served under Washington during the war of the revolution, and endured all the hardships of the pestilence and starvation at Valley Forge. His wife, Mary Heddin Mills, visited him in camp there, and ministered to the wants of the sick and perishing. Mr. Mills has in his possession some relies of those days, among them a pair of silver knee-buckles, which his great-grandfather wore through the war, and & mortar and pestle, made from beech-wood, which were used for pulverizing grain. His maternal grandfather, Amos Morris, was in the war of 1812. The father of Mr. Mills came to Henderson county in 1840, and settled on the bluff west of Rozetta, living in a hastily constructed cabin the first year. Young Myron attended school in a house near where Liberty school-house now is, and grew up to manhood with about such an uneventful life as other boys who are raised on a farm ; was married September 14, 1859, to Miss Sophia, daughter of Thomas Ellet, Esq., who settled in Greenville precinct in 1836. They have one child, a son, Charles, born January 13, 1836. Mr. Mills was in Co. K, 84th Ill. Vols., and won the rank of a lieu- tenant ; was wounded in the head at Shiloh by a ball from the rifle of a sharp-shooter. He is the junior member of the firm of Musgove & Mills, nurserymen and fruit growers, who do an extensive business ; is a member of Kirkwood Post, G.A.R., No. 81, of I.O.O.F., and Masons.

WILLIAM M. MALEY, the subject of this sketch, has, by his bearing throughout his life, set an example worthy to be followed by persons in any station, and as a result he has the confidence of all who know him, and a competency of this world's goods. This is the outgrowth of his unflinching integrity. Mr. Maley was born in Greene county, Ohio, December 29, 1820. His parents were Thomas and Elizabeth Star Maley; his grandfather, Lawrence Maley, was of Irish birth. Being pressed into the British service and transmitted to America to assist in subjugating the rebellious colonists of 1776, he deserted what he believed to be an unholy cause, and settled in Pennsylvania. When Mr. Maley was a lad of thirteen years, his parents left their Ohio home for a new one on the virgin prairies of Illinois. They selected

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as a place on which to settle a part of Sec. 30, T. 12 N., R. + W., in Warren county. At the age of eighteen he went to Keokuk county, Iowa, where, on August 30, 1841, at the age of twenty, he was mar- ried to Miss Elizabeth Stevens, daughter of Harvey and Olive Stevens. They are the parents of three children, all sons. The eldest, Henry, served three years during the civil war in Co. K, 84th Ill. Inf., and is now a successful farmer. The second, Charles, is engaged in black- smithing and wagon-making at Little Fork, Illinois. Thomas, the youngest, remains at home, assisting his parents down the declining side of life. In 1846 Mr. Maley removed to Henderson county and settled on Sec. 5, T. 11 N., R. + W. Although Mr. Maley's oppor- tunity for an education in early life was very meager, he is now, on general topics, a well informed man, having quite a library of well selected books.

The grandfather of JACOB SPANGLER emigrated to America from Germany in 1759 and settled in Maryland. He served through the war of the revolution and was with Washington at Trenton, German- town and Brandywine. The parents of Jacob were Samuel and Barbara Spangler, who resided at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, at which place he was born July 25, 1828. Mr. Spangler served an apprentice- ship as a stone-mason. At the age of twenty-two he bade goodbye to the place of his birth and found a home at Oquawka, Illinois. In 1851 he led Lucy R., daughter of William and Rebecca Gray, to the hymeneal altar, and they became man and wife. The fruits of this marriage are seven children, as follows : Joseph A., Lucy, Hulbertine (who died at an early age), Alice Carey, Jacob S., Hulbertine (named for the dead one), and Florence De Fontenay. Mr. Spangler was deputy sheriff of the county from 1859 to 1861, and was constable of his precinct for many years. Mr. Spangler, in connection with one of his sons, still works at the business to which he was brought up. He has always been a Jacksonian democrat and still clings tenaciously to that creed. He is very well informed, and has succeeded in giving his children good educations. Some of them are in professional life.

RICHARD FOULKES was born of respectable parents in Montgomery- shire, Wales, April 7, 1825, and commenced for himself at the age of eleven as a farm hand, his wages being $10 per year with board. At the age of fifteen he went to the north of England to learn the miller's trade. In 1843 he came to America and commenced work at his trade in Utica, New York. From there he went to Akron, Ohio, and from there to Cleveland, where, on March 11, 1850, he was mar- ried to Miss Mary Evans, a native of Cardiganshire, South Wales. They are the parents of eight children : George R., Cyrus (now dead),

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Mamie J., Charles J., Minnie, David G., Chester (deceased). Perry L., and one that died in infancy. In 1855 he moved to Burlington, Iowa, where he built a mill of his own and was soon in affluent circum- stances. A few years later the building with its storage, uninsured, burned to the ground, and left him only with a few hundred dollars which he had in bank. He again went to work with a will, and is now the owner of Henderson River Mills, Henderson county, and is doing a successful and remunerative business. Mr. Foulkes had no opportunity for an education, but by perseverance he has accumulated considerable knowledge of books.

CHRISTOPHER W. TALIAFERRO's parentage was of Italian stock who came to this country prior to, took part in the revolution, and settled in Virginia. Mr. Taliaferro was born near Richmond, Virginia, March 2, 1830; came with his father to Henderson county in the spring of 1836, and settled on Sec. 5, T. 11 N., R. 4 W. In 1850 Mr. Taliaferro went to California by the overland route and mined for fifteen months. He was successful, and returned by way of the Isthmus of Panama and New Orleans in 1852. September 12, 1852, he married Margaret, daughter of William and Eunice (Barnum) Greene. Mrs. Greene is a cousin of P. T. Barnum. They have one child, Z. Mazzam, who is now in the employ of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company. Mr. Taliaferro is the inventor of the Champion corn cultivator and several other plows. Between 1864 and 1873 he was proprietor of the Keithsburg agricultural works. He is now owner and operator of Tall Creek flouring mills. Mr. Taliaferro came here when there were but few settlers and saw all the incidents connected witli a pioneer life.

DAVID BRYANS is a son of the Emerald Isle, having been born in Armagh county, Ireland, June 13, 1830. His father, Robert Bryans, was of Scotch descent; his mother, Margaret Stewart, was a cousin of the merchant prince A. T. Stewart. Mr. Bryans, when quite young, was apprenticed to learn the trade of a linen weaver. At the age of twenty-one, from earnings saved from his scanty wages, he paid his way to New York city, and wandered from there to Pennsylvania, where he worked for a few years. From here he went to Indiana, and finally settled in Henderson county, Illinois. In 1861 he went to Penn- sylvania and married Miss Catherine, daughter of Lewis and Letetia (Watson) Cassey, February 11. They are the parents of eleven chil- dren, all of whom are living: Horace E., Robert L., John C., Mary M .. William A., Fannie B., Lucy and Jane (twins), James H., Lizzie, Ida E. and Birdie Irene. Although Mr. Bryans commenced with nothing in capital but his iron will and strong nerve, he is now the owner of a

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fine farm on Sec. 36, T. 12 N., R. + W., and also another in Iowa. He has filled several public positions perfectly satisfactory to his constituency.

JAMES DUKE was born in Devonshire county, England, October 23, 1828. His parents were Lewis and Elizabeth (Holloway) Duke. Tiring of English tyranny and English farm life, in 1848 they took passage and were wafted by the winds of heaven to the land and home of liberty, America, and settled on the then virgin prairies of Illinois. James, young and robust, was put to work and helped to make a farm, in consequence of which his advantages for schooling were limited. He grew up thoroughly inured to the laborious life of a pioneer farmer. January 6, 1853, he was united in marriage with Millicent E., daugh- ter of B. C. Coghill, one of the pioneers of the county. They are the parents of two children : Mary E. (born January 15, 1857, ) and Alpheus Wellington (born April 28, 1861).

LEWIS DUKE, son of Lewis and Elizabeth (Holloway) Duke, was born in Devonshire county, England, December 31, 1831. His parents, who had always followed the vocation of farm labors, thought they might better themselves by going to America. In 1843, by dint of strict economy, they had saved enough, and in March of that year they started for the land of the free. They settled for a few months in Pennsylvania, but being unfavorably impressed with the Keystone State they resolved to go to Illinois. They arrived in Henderson county late in the autumn of the same year they left England. Lewis, being a rugged boy of twelve summers, set to work with his father to help make a farm. He was married March 1, 1860, to Fannie K., daughter of B. C. and Mary (Ellett) Coghill. They are the parents of nine children : the eldest, Clyde, born May 18, 1862; Mollie K., June +, 1864; George L., March 15, 1867; Grace C., January 17, 1869 ; Benjamin K., October 23, 1870; Annie, July 8, 1872 ; Vietor L., Feb- ruary 11, 1864 ; Blanche M., September 24, 1876 ; Cleo C., September 6, 1881. Mr. Duke received his education principally in the common schools of the county. He has quite a selection of good books, and is withal intelligent and a pleasant conversationalist.

JAMES MUSGOVE, the subject of this sketch, has long been one of the leading men of the vicinity in which he lives. His parents, Hiram and Saralı Musgove, were residents of Louisa county, Virginia, where James was born May 11, 1825. The family is of Scotch origin. His father dying while he was quite young, in company with his mother he moved to Ross county, Ohio, at the age of seven years, where he went to learn the trade of a hatter. Not liking this business he soon quit it and went back to working on a farm. In 1840 they removed to Peoria

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History of Mercer and Henderson Counties : together with biographical matter, statistics, etc, Part 103

Author: Mercer County Historical Society (Ill.); Henderson County Historical Society (Ill.) Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Chicago : H.H. Hill and Co. Number of Pages: 1424

Author: Mercer County Historical Society (Ill.); Henderson County Historical Society (Ill.)
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago : H.H. Hill and Co.
Number of Pages: 1424