History of Mercer and Henderson Counties : together with biographical matter, statistics, etc, Part 134

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 134
USA > Illinois > Henderson County > History of Mercer and Henderson Counties : together with biographical matter, statistics, etc > Part 134

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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till 1874, when he sold, and bought his present farm in Sec. 19, T. 10. R. 4, onto which he moved and where he is now (1882) engaged in farming and stock raising. As the result of thrift and industry Mr. McDougall has advanced from a day laborer to be the independent owner of a farm of 140 acres, well improved and well stocked. He has been twice married : first, in 1861, to Miss Ellen Hutchinson, the daughter of Col. Samuel Hutchinson, late of Henderson county. She died in 1863. leaving one child, a daughter, Louettie, now the wife of David P. Salter. His second marriage was on May 10, 1866, to Miss Maggie Thompson, a native of Brown county, Ohio, born in 1843. They are members of the United Presbyterian church. Mr. MeDou- gall is of Scotch and Welsh ancestry, his grandfather, John McDon- gall, being a native of Scotland.

FRANK McKIM, one of Biggsville's most active and thorough busi- ness men, was born in Henderson county, Illinois, December 15, 1842. His parents, Noble and Abigal (Edmonds) McKin, were among the earliest settlers of Henderson county. The former, still a citizen of this county, resides at Dallas City ; the latter died in 1856. Frank was reared on the farm and thereby acquired a thorough kuowledge of agricultural pursuits. While on the farm he also attended the com- mon district schools, and being an apt student gained a good start for an education, which he completed with a year's training at Monmouth College and one term at Bryant & Stratton's Business College of Chi- cago. In the spring of 1864 he secured a position as salesman in a large store in Burlington, Iowa, and remained in that business eight years. The following four years he engaged as traveling salesman in the dry- goods line for wholesale houses in New York and Boston. In 1877 he came to Biggsville and embarked in a general mercantile trade. His extensive experience and strict business principles are building up for him a large and permanent trade. June 24, 1875, at Burlington, he was married to Miss Jessie Affleck, a daughter of John Affleck ; she died in Biggsville June 5, 1880. Mr. McKim has one child, Charles. born October 28, 1877. He is a member of the Presbyterian church, and holds his membership at Burlington.

JOHN CAMPBELL, with his wife, Jane (Ritchey) Campbell, and their family of nine children, emigrated from Scott county, Indiana, to Henderson county, Illinois, in the spring of 1829. Their first summer in this county was spent in South Henderson, near where the church now stands. Here they raised a small crop, and then removed to Shockakon, remained one summer and then again removed to Jack's Mill near Oquawka, and soon after to Little York, in Warren county. They were members of the old Associate Reform church. He died in

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IHISTORY OF MERCER AND HENDERSON COUNTIES.

1867 and was buried in the Smith Creek cemetery, and she in 1851, buried in Henderson, Warren county. Thus ends the mere mention of two of this county's noble pioneers. Ritchey Campbell was born in Scott county, Indiana, October 4, 1817. Coming to this county as he did, when but about twelve years.old, his educational advantages were extremely meager. He helped to cut and haul the logs and build the first school-house which he attended in the county, and there, by the light received through greased paper window, studied his lessons in the old Webster's spelling book. In 1837 he was united in marriage with Miss Mary S. Reynolds, by whom he reared a family of four sons : John R., William L., James B. and Francis M. She died in 1879 and was buried at South Henderson. Mr. Campbell's second wife, Miss Sarah A. McNeal, was born of Scotch ancestry in Argyle, New York. He is now residing on his farm in Sec. 19, T. 10, R. 4, where he located in 1867. They are members of the United Presbyterian church.

CHARLES W. BROUSE, farmer, Biggsville, is the youngest son of Lewis and Mary (Riner) Brouse, who were natives of Virginia and Maryland respectively. They were married in Virginia, and in 1815 removed to Ohio, Highland county, where they resided till the time of their death. Charles W. was born in Highland county, Ohio, August 31, 1826, and was the youngest of eleven children. He was reared , on a farm, where he enjoyed the advantages of about three months' school during the winter seasons. He was twice married : first in 1847, to Elvira Smith, a native of Ohio, who died eleven months after their marriage, leaving an infant child. His second marriage was with Miss Mary E. Holmes in 1853 ; she is the daughter of Stephen and Mary (Worden) Holmes, and was born in Highland county, Ohio. In Octo- ber, 1855, Mr. Brouse removed to Henderson county, Illinois, and in the winter of 1856 bought a 160-acre farm, the N. E. } of Sec. 22, T. 10, R. 4, where he has since resided, engaged in farming. Politi- cally he is a republican and was formerly a whig. He and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. He has two children : Elvira, wife of George S. Wallace, by his first wife, and Albert L., who is now married to Miss Frances E. MeLain, by his second wife.

ROBERT M. HUTCHINSON, farmer and stock raiser, Biggsville, was born on the old home where he now (1882) lives, August 25, 1856. He is the son of Capt. William J. and Nancy (Tyler) Hutchinson, whose history is briefly mentioned elsewhere in this work. Robert M., like his father, was reared a farmer, but more especially devoted his time to the care of stock. His education principally obtained in the country schools and Galesburg Academy. December 20, 1877, he

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married Miss Agnes Sloan, a daughter of William and Margaret (Rea) Sloan, a native of County Antrim, Ireland ; she was born June 14, 1857. Mr. Hutchinson is extensively engaged in stock rais- ing and farming on his fine farm just north of the village of Biggs- · ville.

JAMES SLOAN, Sr., boot and shoe maker, Biggsville, is the third son of James and Mary (Beck) Sloan, and was born September 12, 1821, in Country Antrim, Ireland. In 1846 he emigrated to the Province of Ontario, Canada, and settled on Amherst Island, where he carried on the business of his trade till 1862, when he came to Biggsville, Henderson county, Illinois. February 24, 1849, he married Margaret Finley, also a native of County Antrim, Ireland. They are the parents of three children : Mary, now Mrs. John McKee, Martha, wife of John Tharp, and Julia. Mr. Sloan is a man whose strict integ- rity has made for him many true friends.

SILAS W. BELL, Biggsville, was born in South Carolina in 1823. His parents were of Scotch and Irish ancestry, and by occupation farm- ers. He followed that vocation, together with attending school, till twenty-three years of age, and then turned his attention to learning the trade of wagon and carriage maker. In 1845 he was married to Miss Flora Gordon in the State of Georgia. In 1855 he, with his family, removed to Henderson county, Illinois, and permanently located in Sec. 10, R. 4, where he resided for many years and then removed to the pleasant little town of Biggsville, where he now resides. His children are Winston L., Amand D., wife of Mr. George MeDill, Naney C., Cornelius S., Georgia S. and Ella L. His family, he and wife are all consistent members of the United Presbyterian church of Biggsville.

HUGH REGAN (deceased), late of Henderson county, was born in County Down, Ireland, in 1829. He was principally reared on a farm, receiving a fair common school education. On March 16, 1851, he left his native home and sailed for America in the ship Corinthian, commanded by Capt. Dyer, and landed at Oquawka April 8 of the same year. He at once set to work with a view to making for him- self a home, and soon after bought a farm of 160 acres, the N. W. } of Sec. 28, T. 10, R. 4, where he lived till the time of his death, May 1877. He left, besides his wife, Rosa (Gibb) Regan, six children : Agnes, wife of John Gibb, Eliza J., wife of David Gilliland, Mary, . wife of Frank Mathews, Annie, John G. and David G. They are an interesting family.

Among the honored and respected citizens of this township is STEPHEN HOLMES. He was born in New Jersey November 8, 1801. His rearing and occupation in early life was rather mixed, as he alter-

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HISTORY OF MERCER AND HENDERSON COUNTIES.

nately followed milling, boating, oyster fishing and farming. May 16, 1824, he married Miss Mary Worden, also a native of New Jersey, who was born in 1808. Some few years after his marriage he removed to Highland county, Ohio, where he followed farming till 1855, when he came to Henderson county, Illinois, bought and permanently located . on Sec. 27, T. 10, R. 4. His honored wife died August 1, 1882, leav- ing him to close up life's journey alone.

Prominent among the young farmers of Biggsville precinct may be named DAVID A. WHITEMAN. He was born in Henderson county, Illinois, March 14, 1855, and is the second son of Hon. H. M. and Elizabeth (McDill) Whiteman. He was reared on the farm, where he not only received a thorough training in agricultural pursuits, but obtained a good common school education, to which he added liberally by attending at the Burlington Business College. In the spring of 1882 he purchased a 160-acre farm in Sec. 19, T. 10, R. 4, and for himself embarked in the business of farming.

JOSEPH M. MICHENER, proprietor of the American Hotel of Biggs- ville, was born in York county, Pennsylvania, December 20, 1836. He was principally reared on a farm, receiving in early life a good common school education. April 16, 1863, he was united in marriage with Miss Lydia C. Rhodes, a native of Lancaster county, Pennsyl- vania, by whom he has three children: Rebecca M., Ellen E. and Jessie M. In 1866 he removed to Henderson county, Illinois, and started, in a small way, a confectionery business. By industry and close attention to business he is now in comfortable circumstances, owning, besides his hotel, a farm of 163 acres two miles north of Biggsville. Mr. Michener and family are examples of industry and thrift.

REV. RUSSELL GRAHAM, present pastor of the United Presbyterian church of Biggsville, became pastor of the church in 1873, and will next spring complete his tenth year of active service. Under the ministration of Mr. Graham the church has become the largest organ- ization in Henderson county. Mr. Graham was born in Franklin county, Ohio, February 24, 1847, his father being a farmer. When he was three years of age his parents moved to Illinois, and settled in De Kalb county, near Sandwich. After completing the studies of the · common school he went to Monmouth College, where he graduated in the class of 1870. In accordance with his plan to enter the ministry, he then went to the theological seminary, attending one year at Mon- mouth, and after its removal to Xenia, Ohio, two years there, where he graduated in 1873, and at once began his labors here. October 8, 1873, witnessed his marriage to Miss Elizabeth Thomson. a daughter

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of Hugh L. Thomson, a prominent citizen of the county and for some time clerk of circuit court. As the result of this marriage they have three children : Ralph, Sarah Frances and Roy.

WILLIAM F. MARTIN (twin), son of Judge Preston and Ann (Tay- lor) Martin, was born in Morgan county, Illinois, February 13, 1833. He was reared on a farm, where he early in life acquired habits of industry and economy. He was one among the first to respond to the President's call for men in the hour of the country's need. In April, 1861, he enlisted in Co. F, 16th Ill. Vol. Inf. ; served his full time without being absent from the command a day or missing a march or battle; never was wounded or in hospital. January 11, 1866, he was united in marriage with Miss Mary A. Brown, a daughter of Robert and Ann M. (Lee) Brown, of Preble county, Ohio. . She was born April 11, 1839. Their children are Carrie, Luna A. and Nellie F. He now resides on his farm on Sec. 19, T. 10, R. 4. They are mem- bers of the Cumberland Presbyterian church.

CARMAN TOWNSHIP.

Carman precinct is a fractional township bordering on the Missis- sippi. The greater portion of it is sloughs and almost barren sand, yet a portion of it is arable land. . Considerable of its population is of the drifting, semi-nomadic, thriftless character, which is so much found along the great natural highways of all countries, who gain a meager subsistence by fishing, hunting and pilfering from those who gain a living by honest and manly means. Though this section has teemed with these rough, rude, wild characters, there are some as fine people here as may be found anywhere. The Babcooks, the Carmans, the Cisnas, the Curts, the Andersons, the Marsdens, the Vaughns and many others are highly respectable and well to do people. Henry Babcook, who died some years since, came in 1836 and settled near where Lomax now is, and soon after moved into T. 9, R. 6.

William Marsden, an Englishman by birth, came here in 1842 and helped to make the county what it is. A year later his son Henry came. The village of Carman was surveyed and platted at the instance of Joseph Carman, a man of much worth socially, morally and in a busi- ness way, in 1870. During the same year the Cisna brothers, Zelile and Enoch, moved their business. from Shokokon, where they had located in 1866, here and opened in block 4, lot 1. This was the first business house in the place. Zelile sold to Enoch in 1872. Enoch 79

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since closed out the business. Zelile Cisna and Abraham Babcook opened a store of general merchandise in 1873. Mr. Cisna retired in 1875, succeeded by Elisha Babcook. The firm is now Babcook Bros. In connection with his brother Zelile Cisna opened a stock of general merchandise in a room on block 7, lot 6, April 21, 1878, and closed out the following year. Mr. Cisna now occupies the building as a billiard hall. Lahling and Cisna, who had been in business at Shokokon, moved their business to Carman in 1870. Soon after this Cisna retired and was succeeded by M. L. Crane. Crane retired in 1873. The Cisnas, Zelile, William, Lewis and Enoch, with their father, John, came here in 1843, and have done much to develop the neighborhood.

Conducted by Mr. Lahling, April 16, 1877, Richard Hassel opened a harness shop here. He is now doing a thriving business.

On July 2, 1875, W. C. Walker opened a general stock of merchan- (lise on lot 1, block 7. He is yet in business.

There is a substantial church building here owned by the Meth- odists, which was built in 1876.

The first school-house was built in 1878. It is commodious and well furnished. There are two departments and two teachers are employed.

THE CISTERN TRAGEDY.

The early history of this neighborhood is blackened with crime and stained red with blood. For years it has been believed by the public at large that but little of the dark deeds perpetrated in this place had come to light. One murder only can be substantiated in its details. This is known as the cistern tragedy, receiving this name from the fact that the body was thrown into a cistern after the murder had been committed. In the month of August, 1863, a well-dressed man entered the State Bank at Burlington, and there had a large moneyed transaction. In the afternoon he crossed the river on the ferry-boat, on which was a man who had witnessed the transaction at the bank. After landing on the Illinois side the stranger pursued his way on foot. The day was hot and sultry. Overcome by the heat, he stopped at the home of Mr. White and there asked for a drink of water. Mrs. White, who was favorably impressed with the genteel appearance of the man, asked him to sit down and rest himself. Dur- ing the conversation which followed, the stranger made known the fact that he was from a war state, and, on account of the interference of the war with his business, he had determined to purchase a home in Henderson county, where he would be free from all molestation. Rising to go, he asked where he could stop all night, and Mrs. White

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referred him to a wayside inn near by. What occurred after this up to the time when the murder was discovered can only be known from the partial confessions of some of the parties implicated. For the greater portion of the following the reader is indebted to Mr. A. L. Porter, to whom one of the murderers made a confession. After leaving Mr. White's, the stranger passed on to the public house and there engaged lodging for the night. The man who had passed on ahead of the southerner had reported the man's wealth. The after facts show that this plot was formed. The proprietor of the hotel was to put the man out of his house, so that he would have to go on to another lodging place. A horse was then to be brought from some lot near by and the pretense set up that the stranger was a horse thief. The plan was then to hang him and obtain his money, giving out to the public the story that he was a horse thief. In accordance with this plot, the landlord, in great pretended indignation that the stranger was a southerner, drove him from his house, first charging him five dollars for his supper, and then sent him on to the other house, by whom he was received as if to spend the night. One of the parties implicated, who died about a year afterward, and who made a full confession to a young lady on his death-bed, stated that about ten o'clock one of them went to a pasture and took therefrom a horse, and placing upon its back some sort of a pack, tied it in the brush. About eleven o'clock a party of men surrounded the house, and having dragged the man from his bed, carried him to a point between the two stopping places. It seems that he was then whipped brutally to elicit a confession as to the theft of the horse and then hung until it was thought he was dead. His hands were then cut off and the body thrown into the little creek near by. One of the murderers afterward stated that the next morning the man was found on the side of the bank, where he had crawled, and here he was shot to death by one of the party. Some time elapsed, when one day a young fellow went to an old cistern about three-quarters of a mile west from Warren, to get brick with which to fill out a chimney. Having gone down into the cistern he found there the body of a man, and greatly frightened hur- ried back to the little town. At the news of a dead man found in the cistern, a load of nearly twenty men at once repaired to that point. Mr. William Kemp went down into the cistern and from the rubbish and dry sand unearthed the body of a man. His clothes were nearly rotten; his boots were examined and found to be No. 7; his hair and whiskers were of a reddish brown mixed with gray; his weight about 140 pounds. One of his hands was gone. An examination showed that both hands were gone, and that they were cut and not

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HISTORY OF MERCER AND HENDERSON COUNTIES. .

rotted off. The cistern was carefully examined but no trace of the hands could be found. Before taking the body from the cistern the justice of the peace, Warren Park, was sent for. An inquest was held. Dr. Daniel M. Marshall was made foreman of the jurors, among whom were William Kemp, Mr. Cook, Wesley Hopper, R. R. Ward and Joseph Gibson. The jury brought in a verdict that the man came to his death at the hand of some unknown person or persons. Some of the parties suspected were afterward tried for this murder. One of them turned state's evidence, but when brought on the stand told nothing. On account of the lack of proof to establish the fact that this was the body of the man murdered by them, they escaped the stern justice that the public desired them to receive.

Many of the details of this ghastly crime will never be known until that great day when every secret thing shall be unraveled, unless the iron fingers of conscience shall wring a full confession from some one of the participants.

BIOGRAPHIICAL.

ISAAC F. HARTER, M.D., was born in Hancock county, Illinois, Au- gust 6, 1851. He is the son of Joseph and Susana (Dodd) Harter. They are natives of Virginia, and are of German descent. His parents came to Illinois, and settled in St. Mary's township, Hancock county. He grew up on his father's farm, and got such an education as the common schools afforded, and from there went to the graded school at Danvers. He taught for awhile, and took a three years' course at Abingdon College. From here he went into the office of J. J. Rea- bun, M.D., at Danvers. He took a full course of lectures at the Col- lege of Physicians, Keokuk, Iowa, graduating February 18, 1877. He located at Carman the October following, where he has an extensive and paying practice. December 30, 1879, he married Mary Hugen- schutz, daughter of J. H. Hugenschutz, Esq. They have one child, Henry Virgil, born October 14, 1881. He is a member of Carman lodge of Masons, No. 732, and of the Hancock County Medical Society.

WM. T. HOPKINS was born in Ainsbury, Gloucestershire, England, May 20, 1829. His parents, Joseph and Mary Hopkins, when he was four years old, moved to Monmouthshire, Wales, the mother's native place. His father was a native of Gloucestershire. In 1830 our subject and his brother Joseph emigrated from the land of tyranny, England, to the home of liberty, America, and lived for awhile at Sharonville, Ohio, where, November 16, 1859, he married Miss Rachel Morris, a native of Sharonville. They are the parents of four children : Ellis, born November 8, 1860, died November 22, 1877;

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Foster, born August 10, 1863; an infant, and Ellen, born November 27, 1869. In politics Mr. Hopkins is liberal, voting for the men. He is a member of the Methodist church. He came to this county in 1865, and moved on the farm on which he now lives.

WILLIAM W. ANDERSON was born in Ashtabula county, December 10, 1822. His father came from New York, his mother was a native of Connecticut. He was raised on a farm and received a common school education. In the fall of 1837 his parents came to this county, and in the year following they settled in T. 10, R. 6. In 1840 he went to Natchez and rafted to New Orleans for awhile. For some time he was mate on a Mississippi steamer. In 1846 he married Miss Louisa Hont. They have twelve children, ten girls and two boys : Anise S., Emma J., Luna O., Nevada, Mary, Lillie, Hattie, Belle, Jessie, William H. and Mark M. In 1850, in company with two of his brothers, he started across the plains to California; one of them died and was buried at Fort Laramie. He went through to California and remained one year, returning via Panama. In 1854 he went with his family to California, remaining three years, returning $15,000 in pocket. In 1874 he made a trip to New Mexico, where lie owns some mining stock.

WILLIAM C. WALKER was born in Caldwell county, Missouri, Decem- ber 14, 1843. He is the son of W. C. and Rachel Walker. He grew to manhood mostly on a farm and received a common school education. In September, 1861, he enlisted in the service of the State of Illinois, as a private of Co. F, 50th Ill. Vols. In the month following he was mustered into the service of the United States. He was with his regiment at the siege of Forts Henry and Donelson; with Grant on his raid through Tennessee and Kentucky ; was at the siege of Corinth ; was in the battles at Buzzard's Roost, at Pittsburg Landing, at Peach Creek ford, at Altoona pass, and at Resaca. He never missed a roll-call during his term of service except when absent on duty. He was in the drug business at Dallas City, and since July, 1875, has been in a general merchandising business at Carman. February 17, 1876, he wedded Miss R. Jane Sparks, daughter of Thomas and Mary Sparks, of Dallas City. . They have four children : Mary, born February 8, 1877; Evalina, March 22, 1879; Clara, October 11, 1880 ; Charles, March 16, 1882. Mr. Walker is a member of Dallas City lodge of masons No. 335 and of Hurlbut post G. A. R.

JOHN EVANS, born in Crawford county, Ohio, June 13, 1830. His parents were John and Nancy (Parmer) Evans. His father was born in 1796, in Pennsylvania, and was of Welsh descent. From Ohio the elder Evans moved to Henry county, Indiana. 1830, and from there

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to this county in 1837, settling in Sec. 33, T. 9, R. 5. Mr. Evans' boyhood was spent on a farm. He received a common school educa- tion. He was married April 3, 1857, to Sarah Y. Davis, daughter of Abner and Lucy Davis, who were early settlers in T. 9, R. 5. They have one child, Marion L., born June 30, 1859. He is now living in Iowa. Mr. Evans is a member of the Baptist church.

WILLIAM W. MARSDEN, who is now one of the leading men of the vicinity in which he lives, was born in Kirtland, Ohio, March 26, 1838. His father, Henry Marsden, was a native of Yorkshire, Eng- land, and his mother, Sarah, was born in Bedfordshire. The father emigrated to America in 1834, and settled at Toronto, Canada. Here he met the woman he married. Having an antipathy to the manner in which the English conducted hymencal affairs, they came to New York, and were there married. They went back to Canada, but soon moved to Dayton, Ohio, and from there, in 1843, to Henderson county Illinois. They first settled near Terre Haute. The principal subject of this sketch was raised on a farm and educated in the common schools. After his birth he went with his father in his removals. October 3, 1861, he married Rhoda, daughter of James and Catherine Vaughn. They have ten children, all living: Mary, born August 26, 1862, Sarah, James, William, Reuben, Lnella, George, Matthew, Frederic and Joel. Mr. Marsden is a member of Carman lodge of Masons, No. 732.

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History of Mercer and Henderson Counties : together with biographical matter, statistics, etc, Part 134

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