History of Mercer and Henderson Counties : together with biographical matter, statistics, etc, Part 125

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 125
USA > Illinois > Henderson County > History of Mercer and Henderson Counties : together with biographical matter, statistics, etc > Part 125

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

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in 1860 in 91st Ill. Vols., Co. B, and served three years, taking part in the following engagements : Bacon creek, Kentucky, where he was taken prisoner; at Atchafayla, Spanish Port, Alabama, Whistler, and Mobile. He was married in 1871 to Miss Addie Wallace, a native of Pennsylvania, born in 1846, daughter of George and Catherine Wallace. The latter died in Pennsylvania, aged forty-one years ; the former came to Henderson county, Illinois, remaining one year, then spending two years in Hancock county, again returning to Henderson county. He made his home among his children, and died in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1879, aged eighty-two years. He was a carpenter by trade. By this marriage Jacob Retzer has four children : Ray W., Maud E., Catherine T., Blanche E. (deceased), and Frederick. He is heir to an interest in 540 acres of land; is a successful farmer and respected man. He keeps common grade stock.

E. H. TRASK is a native of Oneida county, New York. He was born in 1832. His parents were James H. and Frances H. Trask. His father was of New York, his mother of Connecticut. They emigrated to Iowa in 1842, and located in Louisa county. In 1862 moved to Keokuk. In 1864 to Henderson county, Illinois. His father died at Terre Haute in 1881, at the age of seventy-one years. His mother is now living at New Boston, Mercer county, this state, and is seventy- one years old. His father was a tailor by trade. In 1849 he went to California, where he spent two years, then returned and engaged in the mercantile business, which he followed till his death. He was a member of the Masonic order, his wife a member of the Presbyterian church. Dr. Trask was reared in town, went to Iowa with his parents. He was educated principally in Louisa county, Iowa; read medicine with Dr. T. H. Bras. He attended the Eclectic Medical College at Cincinnati, Ohio, taking two courses of lectures. In 1856 he began the practice of medicine in Louisa county, Iowa. In 1863 he located in Terre Haute. In 1873 he returned to Louisa county, Iowa. In 1880 he returned to Terre Haute, where he is now located. He has a paying practice. In 1867 he was married to Mary L. Parsons, a native of Canada, and daughter of W. D. Parsons. Her father was also of Canada, and died when his daughter Mary L. was five years old. Dr. Trask has by this marriage eight children : Frank L., Albert W., Laurence, Nettie M., George P., Carrie G., Jessie and Cyril.

LEWIS P. MAYNARD is a native of Hancock county, Illinois, born in 1839. His parents Lewis C. and Adaline (Ward) Maynard, both of Massachusetts. They emigrated in 1836 to Hancock county, Illinois, from Massachusetts, where they were married previous to their emigra- tion. They are both living near La Harpe. They are farmers by

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vocation and members of the Congregational church. His father is now seventy-six years old, his mother seventy-two. L. P. was reared on the farm in Hancock county. His early education was such as he could get during the winter months in the district school. In 1861 he enlisted in the 7th Ia. Vols., Co. B, and served four years in the army of the Tennessee, in Logan's corps. He was in the following battles : Belmont, Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Corinth, and with Sherman in his march to the sea. In 1866 he was married to M. J. Kirkpatrick, of Virginia, born in 1838, and daughter of George and Maria Kirkpat- rick ; the father of Virginia, the mother of England. In 1865 they came to Hancock county, Illinois, and settled on a farm, and now live in La Harpe. They are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Maynard has by this marriage three children : Ruth, George R. and Susan. He has a well improved farm of 160 acres, well stocked.

THOMAS MORGAN is a native of England. He was born in 1811, in Monmouthshire. His parents were William and Anna Morgan, both of England, where they died. His mother died in 1837, aged sixty-eight years ; his father died in 1847, aged seventy-five years. They were farmers and members of the Baptist church, in which he held the office of deacon for forty years. In 1848 Thomas Morgan came to America, and located in New York, where he remained three years. In 1851 he came and located in Henderson county, where he now resides. He was married, in 1835, to Mary Howell, of England, born in 1806, daughter of Walter and Jane Howell. They were Eng- glish people and members of the Church of England. Her father died in 1846, at the age of seventy-two years. In 1854 her mother died, aged eighty years. By this marriage Mr. Morgan has a family of six children, three of whom are dead: Anna, Jane, George, Annah (deceased), Thomas (deceased), John (deceased). He has a well improved farm of 160 acres. Hle and wife are members of the Free- Will Baptist church.

GEORGE MORGAN, subject of this sketch, was born in England in 1840, and is son of Thomas and Mary Morgan, whose history will appear in the biographical department of this township. George Morgan came to America with his parents and located in New York, where he remained two years; then he came to Henderson county, where he has since lived. His early education was that of the common school. He was married in 1863 to Sarah Richards, a native of Pennsylvania, and daughter of Wm. and Harriet Richards. The father, . of Pennsylvania, and came to Henderson county, Illinois, then moved to Missouri, where the mother died in 1881, aged seventy-five years. The father was a farmer and a member of the Methodist Episcopal

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church. His widow now lives in Iowa, Wayne county. Mr. Morgan by this marriage has six children : Anna, George, Mary, Ella, Thomas and Maggie. He enlisted in the war in 1862, January 1, in the 10th Ill. Vols., Co. G ; served one year, when he was discharged because of a sunstroke. He was in the battles of Corinth, Island No. 10 and Tiptonville, besides numerous skirmishes. He is now justice of the peace and is serving his second term as notary public. He and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. He is a member and chaplain of the Soldiers' lodge at Carman, this county. He owns a farm of 160 acres in the north part of T. S, R. 5, and town property in Terre Haute.

MARION McKIM, the subject of this sketch, was born in 1840, on his father's farm, where he now resides. His parents were Noble and and Abagail McKim. His father was born in Ohio, his mother in Vermont. She died in 1856, aged forty-nine years. They came to Henderson county in 1839 and located in T. 8, R. 6, on the farm where their son Marion now lives. Here his father resided till 1873, when he moved to Dallas to spend the remainder of his days in retired life. He is by trade a brick-mason, but made farming the business of his life. He is now seventy-four years old. The McKim family formerly came from Ireland. Marion McKim superintends his father's farm. In 1864 he was married to Rebecca Grey, born in 1833, native of Ohio, daughter of John O. and Jane E. (Bryant) Grey, both of Vermont. They came to Illinois in 1844, and located in Hancock county, then moved to Rock Island county, where they both died, the father in 1873, aged sixty-four years ; the mother in 1876, at the age of seventy years. Hir mother was a member of the Mormon church. Mr. McKim, by this marriage, has four children : Robert A., Abagail, Frank and Fred B. He and wife are members of the Free-Will Bap- tist church, at Terre Haute. The McKim family is justly entitled to the name of pioneer settlers of Henderson.

The subject of this sketch, JOHN T. CHANDLER, is a native of Greene county, Pennsylvania. He was born in 1838, and is son of Jesse and Rachel Chandler. His father is a native of Virginia, his mother of Pennsylvania, where they were married. They emigrated, in 1844, to MeDonough county, Illinois, and located six miles west of McComb, where they remained till 1846. They then moved to Hancock county. He helped to drive out the Mormons, by assisting in the uprising of the people at that period against that sect. In 1852 he moved to Hen- derson county, and located in T. S. R. 6. He now lives in Abington, Knox county. His wife died in 1858. He is now sixty-eight years old and is living a retired life. He at various times held such of the

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township offices as were forced upon him. The Chandler family in America are descendants of three brothers who came to America in early times. John T. was reared on the farm. His early education was that of the common school. He enlisted in the army in 1861 in the 10th Ill. Vols., Co. D, and served three months. In 1862 he mar- ried Sarah A. Lovitt, of Ohio, born in 1844, daughter of Price and Mary J. Lovitt, whose history will appear in the biographical department of this township. She died in 1875. By this marriage Mr. Chandler had two children : Albert E. and Oliver. Mr. Chandler has a well improved farm of 320 acres. He keeps short-horn cattle and good grades of other farm stock.

WILLIAM ROBINSON was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, September 21, 1821, and made that state his home until 1869. IIe then moved to Illinois and located in Terre Haute, Henderson county, where his eldest brother, Joseph, was then living. He is the youngest of a family of eight children, four of whom are living. His parents were James and Catherine (Retzer) Robinson, both natives of Pennsyl- vania, who died in their native state, the former in 1865, aged eighty- four years ; the latter in 1849, aged seventy years. The subject of this sketch spent his early years on the farm, receiving a limited education, such as the subscription schools of that age afforded, that being before the days of public schools. He afterward learned the shoemaker's trade, which has been his chief occupation. He was twice married : first in 1841, to Miss Trancina Lewis, a native of Pennsylvania, who died in 1849; subsequently married in 1855, to Miss Ann E. Pennell, also a native of Pennsylvania. By the first marriage he has four chil- dren : Joseph P., John S., Thomas M. and Mary T. (now wife of John T. Le Fevre). By the second marriage he has three children : W. Howard, A. Ella and Leta L. His eldest son, Joseph, enlisted in Co. A, 97th reg. Pa. Vols., in 1861, and served three years, after- ward locating in Clearfield county, Pennsylvania. The other children all reside in Henderson county, except Howard, who lives in Disco, Hancock county. Mr. Robinson and wife are members of the Meth- odist Episcopal church, and he a member of the I.O.O.F. lodge, Terre Haute.

MELZAR A. PAUL, the subject of this sketch, was born in New York State in 1848, and is a son of Melzar C. and Mary A. (Wescott) Paul, whose history will appear in the biographical department of this town- ship. Melzar A. was reared on the farm, and received only a common school education. He came to Henderson county with his parents when seven years old, where he has since lived. He was married in 1880 to Miss Josie Rodgers, of Illinois, born in 1830, daughter of

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William and Mary Rodgers; the father of Missouri, the latter of New York. They came here with the first settlers, and now live one mile south of Terre Haute, and are farmers. Mr. Paul has a fine farm of 120 acres and keeps a good grade of farm stock.

JOHN FORBES, the subject of this history, is a native of Scotland; born in 1818, and the only surviving member of his father's family. His parents were Alexander and Jane (McFarland) Forbes. They were reared and spent their lives in their native country. The father lived to the age of sixty years; the mother died in 1845, at the age of forty-eight years. They were members of the Presbyterian church of Scotland, and by occupation farmers. In 1850 John Forbes emigrated to America and located at Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, where he remained one year; then he moved to Jackson county, Wisconsin, where he resided twenty years and carried on the business of a lumberman. In 1872 he came to Henderson county, where he now resides. He was married in 1855 to Sarah K. Heisler, of Ohio, born in 1832, and daughter of William and Sarah (Edmunds) Heisler. The father died in 1879, aged seventy-six years; the mother in 1834, at the age of twenty-one years. Mr. Forbes by this marriage has seven children, two of whom died in infancy : Ella (deceased at the age of twenty-four years) ; Myron, John, Emma and Stella. IIe formerly was a member of the Presbyterian church in Scotland ; his wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. He has a fine farm of eighty acres, which is fairly stocked.

W. A. ROGERS, the subject of this sketch, was born in Missouri in 1834, son of W. A. Sr. and Elizabeth Rogers, both of Tennessee. They emigrated to Missouri, where they were married, with their parents. The father died in 1842, at about fifty years of age. The mother came to Illinois shortly after his death, and located in Schuyler county, near Rushville ; then in 1849 came to Hancock county, where she died in 1878, at about seventy years of age. She was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. They were farmers. Her father, Daniel Biggs, served in the army in the war of 1812. W. A. Jr. was reared on the farm. He has always followed farming. In 1859 he was married to Mrs. Mary E. Allen, formerly Miss Mary E. Allen, born in 1818, in New York State, and daughter of Amasa and Susana (Farrington) Allen ; the father of Connecticut, the mother of New York, both of whom now live with their son, Joseph Allen, north of Terre Hante. By her first husband, Silas Allen, who died in 1854, at the age of thirty-nine years, she had five children : Martha J., Free- man, James M., Emma C. and Susie. Mr. Rogers has by this marriage two children : Josaphine and William A. He has a fine farm

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of 120 acres, fairly stocked. He is a member of the Methodist Epis- copal church and of the I.O.O.F. lodge at Terre Haute.

The subject of this sketch, MARION EDMUNDS, deceased, was born in Butler county, Pennsylvania. His parents were Obediah and Lydia Edmunds, whose history will appear in the sketch of Oliver Edmunds. He was reared on the farm and came to Illinois with his parents ; spent the winter of six years, then three years in Wisconsin in the lumber trade, running a saw mill. He was married in 1848 to Martha J. Git- tings, of Kentucky, born in 1828, and came to Illinois with her parents, Albion and Elizabeth Gittings, when she was fourteen years old. Her parents were both of Union county, Kentucky, and located in Hancock county in 1843, where the father died in 1844, at the age of fifty-six years, and the mother in 1858, aged sixty-five years. They were both members of the Catholic church. By occupation they were farmers. Marion Edmunds by this marriage had four children : Mary E. (deceased), Simeon G., Francis A. and Lula E. His widow is a member of the Catholic church, and lives on the old homestead. Mr. Edmunds left his family a fine farm of 300 acres well improved. He is justly entitled to be placed with the pioneer settlers of Henderson county. He was a man of energetic and industrious habits and won the respect of all who knew him.

SAMUEL HUNTER, the subject of this narrative, is a native of Penn- sylvania, born in 1820. His parents were William and Jane (Carr) Hunter; the father of New York, the mother of Pennsylvania, where they were married. They emigrated to Muskingum county, Ohio, where they lived for seven years, when they moved about considerably. During these removals the father died, and his wife came with her son Samuel to Illinois, Henderson county, where she died in 1856. He was a cooper by trade. Samuel Hunter's early education was such as he could obtain in the district school. He went to work on a farm as soon as he was large enough to plow, which business he has since fol- lowed. He was married in 1851 to Lydia Heisler, of Ohio, born in 1833, and came to Henderson county with her parents, William and Hannah Edmunds Heisler, when she was five years old. By this union Samuel Hunter had twelve children : Charles F. (deceased), Perry, Eliza A., John W., Joseph A., Mary M., Della M., William, Harriet, Oliver E. and Lydia A. (deceased in infancy). He has a nicely improved farm of forty-eight acres, fairly stocked with common grades.

Among the present business men of Terre Haute, and those to whom Henderson county is their birth-place and home, is JAMES M. ALLEN. He was born in 1848, and reared on the farm. His early

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education was such training as he could get in the district school. He followed the vocation taught him by his father till 1881, . when lie engaged in the general mercantile business in Terre Haute, which business he still continues with a good trade. His father was Silas and his mother Mary Allen, both of New York. They came to Illi- nois in 1845, and settled in Henderson county. The father died in 1851; the mother afterward married W. A. Rodgers, and now lives one mile south of Terre Haute. Silas Allen was a farmer, well re- spected by all in the community. He raised a family of five children, all of which are now living. J. M. was married in 1869, to Sarah Louisa Perry, a native of Wisconsin, born in 1851, and daughter of James and Lydia (Edmunds) Perry, both of Ohio ; came here with the early settlers. The mother died in 1856, aged thirty-two; the father now lives in Wisconsin. They came to Henderson county from Wis- consin and returned. Mr. Allen has by this marriage three children : Ida V. (deceased), James A. and Clide M. He and wife are mem- bers of the Methodist church. He is a member of the I.O.O.F. lodge at Terre Haute.

The subject of this history, WILLIAM P. BRYAN, was born in 1825, in the State of Pennsylvania. His parents were John and Mary (Painter) Bryan. The father, a native of Maryland, the latter of Pennsylvania, where they were married. They emigrated from Penn- sylvania in 1839 to Illinois, and located in Hancock county, where they lived one year, then moved to Henderson county, T. S. R. 5, near the south line of the township, where the father died in 1879, at the age of eighty-nine years ; the mother is now living, and is eighty-five years old. Both were members of the Methodist Episcopal church. He held the office of justice of the peace for several years. He was a successful farmer all his life, a judicious and well respected citizen. He reared a family of ten children, six of whom are now living. Wm. P. Bryan was reared on the farm in his native state, and received such educational training as the common schools of his neighborhood could furnish. In 1839 he came with his father to Hancock county, and in 1840 to Henderson county, where he has since resided. In 1854 he married Maria Justice, of Laurence county, Pennsylvania, daughter of Joseph and Maria (Renols) Justice, both of Pennsylvania, and were reared, lived and died in their native state; the father died in 1878, at the age of eighty-five years ; the mother at the age of thirty-eight. He was a hatter by trade, and engaged in the mercantile business in the latter part of his life. They were both members of the Methodist Episcopal church. By this union William P. Bryan has four children :

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Joseph J., Louella, Laura and Mary (deceased). He has a farm of 160 acres, well improved and well stocked.

PETER C. BAINTER, subject of this sketch, is a native of Muskingum county, Ohio; born in 1830, son of Peter and Mary Bainter, both of Pennsylvania. They emigrated to Illinois in 1851, and located in Hancock county. They now live in La Harpe. The father is eighty- six years old ; his wife is eighty-three. They have been married sixty years. He is a farmer by vocation. His father worked his own passage from Germany to America, and that of a sister. He was virtually a slave till the debt was paid. P. C. Bainter came to Illinois in 1853, and located in Hancock county, where he lived six years, when he came to Henderson county, where he now lives. He was married in 1852 to Emily Snoots, of Ohio, born in 1832, daughter of Henry and Nancy Snoots ; both died in Ohio, the father in 1870, the mother lived some time after. They were farmers. By this marriage he has fourteen children. Four died in infancy. The living are: Nancy, Olive, Jane, William, Adda, Mary A., Allen, Allie, Arthur. He has a well improved farm of 360 acres, and twenty acres of timber. He keeps a good grade of farm stock. His wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.

THOMAS McMURRY, subject of this life history, was born in Ken- tucky in 1829. His parents were George and Eliza McMurry, both of Kentucky, where they were reared and married. In 1833 they emigrated to Adams county, Illinois, where they both died, the former in 1879, aged seventy-three, the latter in 1874, aged sixty years. They were members of the Methodist Episcopal church. The McMurry family is of Scotch-Irish descent. Two brothers emigrated to America, one of which was killed by an alligator, the surviving one came to Kentucky and located at a very early time in its settlement. Thomas McMurry was reared on the farm, which vocation he has made the business of his life. He came to Adams county with his parents, where he remained till 1854, when he located in Henderson county, where he now lives. He was married in 1850 to Nancy Griffing, of Kentucky, born in 1831, and daughter of Lyle and Eliza Griffing, both of Ken- tucky. They came to Illinois in 1834 and located in Adams county, near Quincy, where they both died in 1848, within three days of each other. They were members of the Methodist Episcopal church and farmers. Mr. McMurry, by this marriage, has one daughter, Mary. He owns a splendid farm of 480 acres, well improved and well stocked with good grades.

WILLIAM BOLTON, subject of this history, is a native of Kentucky; born in 1832, son of John and Ann Bolton, the father of Virginia, the

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mother of Kentucky. They were married in Kentucky, where they both died when their son William was a small boy. They were farm- ers and members of the Catholic church. William Bolton was reared among his relatives to the vocation of farming, which business he has always followed. He came to Illinois in 1857 and located near Git- ting's Mound, where he lived for four years, when he came to T. S, R. 5, where he has since resided. He bought the farm of 160 acres, where he now lives, in 1861. IIe was married in 1853 to Sarah E. Neigh- bours, a native of Kentucky, born in 1832, daughter of William and Malinda Neighbours, both of North Carolina. They emigrated to Illi- nois in 1860, and located west of Terre Haute, in T. S, R. 5, where they yet own the farm. They now live at Burlington Junction, Mis- souri. By this marriage he has eleven children, eight of whom are living : James W., Ann Eliza, Francis L., Malinda E., Mary, Clay, Artemesia, Raymond and John H., his third child (deceased). Two died in infancy. The mother of these died in 1868. She was a mem- ber of the Catholic church at Gitting's Mound, where repose her remains. Mr. Bolton is a member of the same church.

O. P. Lovrrr is a native of Ohio; born in 1831, son of James and Catharine (Holstein, Farr) Lovitt, both of Ohio. The father died in 1862 ; the mother now lives in Indiana. The father was a cooper by trade. O. P. was reared on the farm, and brought up by a cousin after he was six years of age. In 1854 he came to Illinois, and located three miles west of where he now lives ; there he remained till 1857. In 1854 he was married to Lucinda J. DeBolt, of Ohio, born in 1833, daughter of William and Barbara E. DeBolt, of Ohio. The mother- of whom died in 1876, at the age of sixty-four years ; the father is now living and is seventy-four years old. Mr. Lovitt by this marriage has six children : Mary E. (deceased), Christiana A., Sarah A. (deceased), William (deceased), Lucinda J. and Perry M. He has a well im- proved farm of 430 acres, fairly stocked with good grades of cattle, hogs and horses.

J. N. HERBERT, the subject of this sketch, is a native of New York, and was born in 1837. His parents were James G. and Catharine (Button) Herbert, both of whom were born and reared in New York, where they resided till after their son, J. N., was born. In 1839 they emi- grated to Wisconsin, and lived there till 1850, when the latter came to Henderson county, the former having died in 1848, in the forty-seventh year of his age. His wife now lives in Terre Haute, being cared for in her old age by her son, J. N. They were farmers, and members of the Methodist Episcopal church ; commanded the respect of all who knew them. J. N. was reared on the farm, and brought up to respect

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the vocation of his father. His early educational training was such as the pioneer schools of Wisconsin furnished. In 1850 he came to HIen- derson county, where he has since resided. In 1861 he enlisted in the army, in the 7th Mo. Vols., and served seventeen months in Co. F. The regiment during this time was not in any regular engagements, having been detailed to fight guerillas and bushwhackers in the State of Missouri. Mr. Herbert owns a good farm of eighty acres near Terre Haute, and keeps a good grade of farm stock. He is a member of the masonic lodge No. 195, at La Harpe, Hancock county, Illinois.

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History of Mercer and Henderson Counties : together with biographical matter, statistics, etc, Part 125

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