History of Mercer and Henderson Counties : together with biographical matter, statistics, etc, Part 23

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 23
USA > Illinois > Henderson County > History of Mercer and Henderson Counties : together with biographical matter, statistics, etc > Part 23

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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HISTORY OF MERCER AND HENDERSON COUNTIES.

dist Episcopal church at Joy. He has a farm of 330 acres of fine land, located in the south part of the township.

JEFFERSON FULLER. farmer, now resident of Millersburg township, near Joy, is a native of Maine, born in 1839, and came with his parents in 1842 to Mercer county, where he has since resided ; here he was reared on the farm. He enlisted in company I, 17th Ill. Vol., in 1861, in which regiment he served three years, and then veteranized and was transferred to the Sth Ill. Vol., and continued in the service till June. 1866. He was in the battles of Frederickton. Shiloh, Fort Donel- son ; in the siege of Vicksburg, Mobile, and numerous skirmishes in Texas. At Fort Donelson he received a slight wound, the only one received during his term of service. He was married in 1866 to Josephine Awbery, native of Kentucky, and daughter of Gabriel W. Awbery, of Kentucky, who served during the war in the federal army as a volunteer from his native state. In 1865 the southern sentiment becoming too warm for a federal soldier in his own state he came north. Mr. Fuller has by this marriage two children : Mary O., and Dora E. His parents Jefferson and Tabitha (Libby) Fuller, located in New Bos- ton township, where the former still lives, his wife having died when their son Jefferson was a child. Jefferson Fuller, Jr., raised four sons, three of whom were in the army. He and wife were members of the Baptist church. Jefferson Fuller, the subject of this sketch, began life for himself with such capital as nature supplied him, energy and muscle. He now owns a good farm of 100 acres, which he has well stocked.

David and Lucinda (Baldwin) Felton, the parents of our subject, HERCHEL FELTON, came to Scott county. Illinois, in the latter part of 1840, where they remained till the following spring, when they came to Millersburg, Mercer county, where the former died in 1849, at the age of thirty-six years. They were both natives of Vermont: he of Tunbridge, Orange county; she of Sharon, Windsor county. The parents of David Felton were Amos and Sarah Felton, both of Massa- chusetts. The parents of Lucinda Baldwin Felton were John and Lucinda (Clark) Baldwin. The former was born in 1783, the latter 1785. David Felton was by profession a school teacher, which busi- ' ness he followed till his death, clerking during the intervals between his schools. He was a member of the Congregational church. Mrs. Felton after the death of her husband returned to Vermont with her family, where she remained ten years. She now lives with her son Herchel, one mile east of Millersburg. Herchel was married in 1864 to Elizabeth Shafer, born in 1842, daughter of Aaron P. Shafer, whose history will appear on another page. By this marriage he has five

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·children : Milo P., deceased, Anna E., Benjamin R., Lucinda B., and Hiram E. He and wife hold to the Missionary Baptist faith. He was born in 1841, in Millersburg township, where he now resides. His early education was that of the common school. He enlisted August. 1861. in company H, 37th Ill. Vol. He was wounded at Prairie Grove, Arkansas, December 8, 1862, and was discharged the following Feb- ruary. Previous to his being wounded, he was in the battle of Pea Ridge. He held the office of sergeant in his company. His brother, Aaron D .. enlisted in company C, 45th Ill. Vol., and died shortly after he was mustered into the service. His brother Hiram died in 1875. at the age of thirty-five, at home with his mother.

One of the old settlers of Millersburg township that remains is AsA Kvox, who came to Mercer county in 1842, and located where he now lives. In 1841 he took a claim in what is now New Boston township. Mr. Knox is a native of Maine, born in 1814, and reared in the town of Jay, New Hampshire. His parents were Moses and Susana Knox, natives of Dover, New Hampshire. They emigrated to Maine shortly after their marriage. He was by trade a shoemaker. About 1841 he and wife joined the Methodist Episcopal church. In 1841 he located in Millersburg township, where he died in 1858, at the age of seventy- five years ; his wife died in 1848, aged sixty-four years. Asa received no literary training beyond the common school. Disliking the trade of his father he chose farming for a livelihood, which he has always fol- lowed. He was married in 1836 to Elmira Perkins, native of Fairfield, Maine, born in 1815, daughter of Daniel and Polly Perkins, both of whom resided in Maine till their death. By this marriage Mr. Knox has eight children : David P., Sumner B., James T., Asa D., Margarette, Elzina, Ellen M. (deceased), Elmira (deceased). Sumner B. and James T. served in the army during the late war. The former en- listed March 14, 1865, in the 83d Ill. Vol., and was transferred to company E, 61st Ill. Vol., and served eight months. The latter enlisted in company I, 17th Ill. Vol., and was in the battles of Fort Blakely, Spanish Fort, and Jackson, Mississippi, and served three years. They both now live in Millersburg township. Asa Knox and wife are members of the United Brethren church. at the Palestine con- gregation in Abington township. He has a farm of sixty acres, on which he keeps a good grade of farm stock.

The subject of this sketch is a native of Bloomsburg, Pennsylva- nia; was born October 16, 1812, and is the son of Eli and Rachel Thornton, both of whom were of English descent and natives of Penn- sylvania. H. W. THORNTON's early education was limited to the com- mon schools of the country at that time. In his eighteenth year,

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William. G. Hurley, Esq., a prominent lawyer in the county, gave him the privilege of his office for study (and with whom he read law), and in 1837 was admitted to practice in the courts of Columbia county. He came to Illinois and located in Millersburg in 1838, where for- several years he followed his profession. In 1839 he was elected clerk of the county court, which office he resigned the following spring, being nominated and, in 1840, elected, with Hon. Thomas Drummond, now judge of the United States court in Chicago, to represent the ten northwest counties in the state legislature. In 1842 he was elected recorder of the county to fill a vacancy, and in 1844 re-elected for four years. At the end of the term the county seat was located at Keiths- burg. For six or eight years he engaged in selling goods and in improving his farm adjoining the town of Millersburg. In 1858 he was elected president of the Warsaw, Rock Island & Galena Railroad Company, which position he held for ten years, and during his term of presidency secured the building of the line from Port Byron junction. (six miles above Rock Island) to Savanna, a distance of forty-eight miles. After the completion of the road from Port Byron to Savanna, thirty-eight miles, Richard Irvin, senior member of the firm of Irvin & Brother, bankers, of New York, and financial agents of the Bank of Glasgow, Scotland, who furnished funds for the work, gave him the following letter as a testimonial :

"NEW YORK, April 25, 1866.

" Dear Sir,-I have pleasure in stating it as my opinion that to your exertions in presenting plans and surveys for extending the Northern Illinois railroad from Savanna to Port Byron, and in setting forth the feasibility and probable advan- tages of such extension, has it been owing that the work was undertaken and completed at a period of very high prices both of material and labor. Whatever benefit to your district of country has accrued, or may in future accrue, from the work referred to, you are fairly entitled, I should say, to great credit for the active and intelligent part you took in forwarding it.

"I remain, dear sir, yours truly, "RICHARD IRVIN.

"H. W. THORNTON, Millersburg, Ill."

Mr. Thornton was married February 25, 1839, to Elizabeth F. Norbury, of Philadelphia, born December 19, 1816, daughter of Joseph B. and Rebecca M. Norbury, both natives of Pennsylvania. By this marriage they had seven children ; two died in infancy, one (Susan) at the age of twenty-one ; four are now living: Martha N., Sarah E., Nor- bury W., and George E. Since 1868 he has lived quietly on his farm, and in the same house he built forty-three years ago.

RICHARD KIDDOO, deceased, was a native of Beaver (now Lawrence) county, Pennsylvania ; born April 25, 1816. His parents, James and Mary Kiddoo, were natives of Pennsylvania, and emigrated to Millers-

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burg township, Illinois, some two or three years after their son Richard. They located where Mrs. Bryant, formerly Mrs. John Kiddoo, now resides. Here they lived out their days in the faith of the Presbyterian church. Richard Kiddoo was married October 12, 1837. to Eliza Vannatta, native of Pennsylvania, born in 1821, and daughter of James and Betsy Vannatta, both of Pennsylvania. The former died in 1837, aged sixty-one years; the latter came in 1844 to Mercer county, where she remained four years; went to Jasper county, this state, and there died at the ripe old age of seventy- two years. They were of good family, well-to-do farmers, and honored members of the Presbyterian church. By this marriage Richard Kiddoo raised a family of thirteen children : Mary (deceased), William, James, John (deceased), Nancy, Eliza, Martha (deceased), Thomas, Hannah, Amos F., Cyrus C., Adda, Caroline S. In 1845 with his family he came to Mercer county and located in Millersburg township, where he resided till his death, which occurred February 3, 1882. He came here with small means, which, combined judiciously with his good business judgment and industry, crowned his life with success. He never engaged in speculation but made his money by raising grain and feeding stock. He left his family a property valued at $50,000. To use the words of his neighbors, he accumulated wealth rapidly and practiced strict economy. But his economy was not of a close and penurious kind ; his family lived comfortably and he gave generously to every public benefit. He was a man of warm impulses and strong convictions, and never inconsiderate of the convictions of others, a helper of the needy and a friend to all. His great simplicity of character and moral integrity won the esteem of many and commanded the respect of all. If many who are disposed to complain of their surroundings would adopt his rules of life they would move more smoothly over life's impediments. No man manifested greater interest in the upbuilding of Christianity and morality in the community than did Richard Kiddoo. "It will not be regarded a disparagement to others who were helpful in the same direction, to say the high morality and marked religious character of this community are largely due to the influence and efforts of Richard Kiddoo." The expression of all who knew him is that a good man' has gone out from among us. He and his ancesters so far back as we are able to ascertain have been strict members of the Presbyterian church. His widow, who was a coworker in all his undertaking's to build up society, the church, and to make home happy and pleasant for all, still resides on the farm where they have lived since they came to Illinois.

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IIISTORY OF MERCER AND HENDERSON COUNTIES.

Among the first settlers of Millersburg township was M. H. RIGGS: and family. They located on section 30 as early as 1834. The sur- rounding country was then only a wilderness. He planted his first crop and fenced it afterward. Mr. Riggs is a native of Kentucky. He married in 1837 Julette Froman, daugliter of Thomas and Dice- (Ilichison) Froman, both of Virginia, but emigrated to Kentucky as pioneers, where their daughter Julette was born and reared. They both died in Kentucky, members of the Baptist church. The offspring of this marriage is: Thomas, Isaac, William, James, Filman, Wash- ington, Marion, Jasper, Clay. Mrs. Riggs lives on the old farm of 400 acres where they first located, and is the oldest settler living in the township at this time. Her son Marion resides with her. He was born and reared where he now lives. In 1862 he enlisted in the 124th reg. Ill. Vol. Inf., company G, and served three years and a few days. He was in the siege of Vicksburg, with Smith at Mobile, the taking of the Spanish fort. He returned home and was married in 1865 to Sarah A. Hubbard, native of Illinois and daughter of Willard and Nancy Hubbard, the former of Massachusetts, the latter, Kentucky. By this union Marion Riggs has three children : Julette, Naney and Adda. He is a farmer, and keeps a good grade of farm stock, grade cattle and hogs and Cotswold sheep. In politics he is a republican straight.

W. A. BRIDGFORD, farmer, is by birth a Kentuckian, born in 1810, and the son of W. J. and Elizabeth Bridgford, both of whom were natives of Virginia and emigrated to Scott county, Kentucky, where our subject was born. In 1813 they moved to Ohio, where they both died, the former aged eighty-four, the latter thirty-six years. Mr. Bridgford was reared and educated in Ohio, where he resided till 1832, when he emigrated to Indiana, near Indianapolis, where he remained eight years, and then came to Illinois and located in Richland Grove township, where he remained till 1856, when he moved to Millers- burg, where he has since lived. He was married in 1839 to Nancy Workland, native of Kentucky and daughter of Charles and Permelia Workland. They have ten children, five of whom are living : Oliver A., Malinda, Mary E., Martha and Laura, two of whom live in this county and three in Kansas. He has held the office of justice of the peace for about forty years and is now acting in that capacity. He also holds the office of notary public. When his present term expires he will have served in that office sixteen years. He held the office of collector eleven years. HIe belongs to both the secret orders, I.O.O.F and Masons. He sold goods in Millersburg from 1850 to 1860. The last few years he has been engaged in farming. Previous to leaving Ohio.

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he studied law and was admitted to the bar at Oxford in 1832, but never engaged in active practice. When he arrived in Mercer county his wealth in this world's goods for most part consisted of a team, and cow and' six sheep. He now owns a farm of eighty acres in Mercer county, eighty acres in Kansas, and considerable town property.

Among the early settlers of Millersburg is Mr. JAMES VERNON. He made his advent into this county when it was yet almost a wilder- ness. His parents, Joseph and Sarah Vernon, settled in Warren county, Ohio, in 1812, where their son James was born ; then moved to Preble county, Ohio, then to Shelby county, Indiana, where they lived out their natural lives. Mr. Joseph Vernon was a native of New Jersey, his wife of South Carolina. James Vernon, disliking the vocation of his father, which was that of mechanic, in early life engaged in farm- ing, which he has pursued successfully till within the past few years, when he sold his land, reserving seventy-three acres for a home, and has virtually retired. In 1836 he married Eliza Duncan, native of Virginia, and daughter of Buford and Fanny Duncan, both of Virginia and among the first settlers of Duncan township. This marriage was blessed with three children : Thomas A., Sarah F., and Viola I. He and family are members of the Latter Day Saints church, but very different to the church at Utah. They disapprove of the doctrine of plurality of wives.

EDWARD BRADY, native of the "Buckeye" State, born in 1825, is the son of John, Sr., and Eliza Brady. The former is a native of Ireland, born about 1792, and came to America in 1813. He located in Green county. Ohio, where he remained about twenty-five years, when he came, about 1842, to Mercer county and settled on the farm where his son John now resides, where he lived during the rest of his life. His wife, a native of New Jersey, is yet living, and is seventy- seven years old, hale and hearty for a person of her age. They raised a family of twelve children, five of whom now live in Mercer county. Edward's early literary training was that of the common school. In 1848 he was married to Jane Gingles, native of Pennsylvania, born in 1827, and a daughter of James and Elizabeth Gingles, both of Penn- sylvania. They came to Mercer county in 1839 and settled in Perry- ton township, where he died in 1872. His wife, Elizabeth, is yet living. Edward Brady has by this union five children : James N., Clara E., Ella M., Nellie J. (deceased), and Eddie G. He and wife are Presbyterians and belong to the society at Peniel church. He has held the office of school treasurer in Millersburg township for the past twenty years, and has been severel times elected commissioner of highways. In politics he is a straight out republican. He has a

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well-improved farm of sixty acres, where he has resided since he came to the county. He keeps a good grade of farm stock.

LUCIEN B. HOWE is one of the early settlers of the township and county. He came here when the deer were yet plenty on the prairies of Mercer county. He was born in Vermont, shortly after which his parents, Ezekiel and Lonisa, moved to Troy, New York, where he was reared and educated. His parents were natives of Massachusetts, and descendants of the pioneer families. The Howe family at first, in America, consisted of three brothers who came from England to Massachusetts. Among their descendants is the great inventor of the Howe sewing machine. Lucien's father was a carpenter and joiner. He died in 1837, aged sixty-two years. His grandfather Howe fought at the battle of Bunker Hill. The subject of this sketch graduated at Union college, Schenectady, New York, in 1840. at the age of twenty- six, in the classical. course. Then read law with J. P. Abertson, at his home in New York ; was admitted to the bar in 1841, and practiced in Troy two years, then he came to Mercer county and located at Millersburg, where he has since resided. He has held the office of justice of the peace two terms. He is a charter member of the masonic lodge, at Aledo, and formerly a member at New Boston. He was married in 1846, to Martha King, a native of Massachusetts, and daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth King. They have six children, four of whom are now living: Charlotte A., Otis M., Calvin K., and David T. He has a farm of seventy acres and pursues his profession. In politics he is an old line democrat.

CHARLES YORK emigrated with his father to Illinois, in the fall of 1843, and located in Keithsburg township, where they remained a short time when they bought a farm in Abington township, which they sold and then went to Henderson county, where his mother died. His father died in October, 1874, aged eighty-two years. Charles York was born in Kentucky, in 1825, and is the eldest of a family of six children. His early educational training was limited. For eighteen years after he came to Illinois he broke prairie. He was married in 1855 to Mary J. Landreth, native of Mercer county, and daughter of Zacharia and Elenor Landreth, both natives of Virginia and among the early settlers of Mercer county. By this union he has seven children living: Nancy E., Nettie, Alice, Olive, Eva, William L., and Linie. Mr. York and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, at Millersburg. He has given his entire attention to farming and stock raising, both of which he has made successful. He now owns three farms in Mercer county, containing 432 acres. He brought with him and still retains the appreciation of a good horse, for which

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Kentucky is so noted. He was assessor of Perryton township two years. Few men have been more successful than Mr. York.

Capt. OLIVER A. BRIDGFORD is a native of Ohio, born in 1830, and is the son of W. A. and Nancy (Wakland) Bridgford, whose sketch will appear in the biographical department of this township. Capt. Bridgford was educated in the common school, and came to Mercer county in -1843, one year after his father. His early life, till he was nineteen years old, was spent on the farm. At that age he went to California on a gold hunt; he went across the plains with a team, remained in California two years, when he returned by way of Cuba and New York, satisfied that gold was cheaper in Illinois than in the gold regions. In 1851 he settled in Millersburg, bought a half interest in his father's store, in which business he remained till 1861, when he raised Company I, 45th Ill. Vol., and entered the army, having been commissioned captain by Gov. Yates. He was in the battles of Fort Donelson, Fort Henry and Shiloh ; was wounded in the last named engagement. Having remained some time in the hospital at Savannah, he was furloughed home, and returned after forty days. At the end of twelve months after he entered the service, he resigned his commission because of disability to discharge the duties of his office, caused by the wound received at Shiloh, and was discharged from the service and returned to his home in Millersburg. In the fall of 1862 he was elected sheriff of Mercer county, and served the full term, and then he returned to his store in Millersburg, where he con- tinned till March, 1878. The following year he moved upon his farm near Joy, where he now resides, since which time he has given his farm his entire attention. Capt. Bridgford was married in February, 1852, to Miss Eliza A. McLain, native of Kentucky, born in 1833, and daughter of Joseph and Susan Mclain, now residents of Millersburg. They have ten children, five living : Medora E., Clayton W., Minnie L., Archie G., Miles E. He owns a farm of 1, 720 acres of land, all of which except eighty acres is in Mercer county. He raises thorough- bred cattle, Poland china hogs and Leicester sheep. IIe keeps on his farm 100 head of stock cattle. 200 hogs, 150 sheep. and horses to carry on his farm work. He is among, if not the largest. tax payers in Millersburg township. He is a charter member of the I.O.O.F. lodge at Millersburg, only two of whom are now living. Notwithstanding his disability from the wound received at Shiloh, he receives no pen- sion, neither has he made application for one. Politically he is a republican.

The parents of EDWIN GILMORE, Judge Ephraim and Julia A. Gilmore, both of Ohio, came with the first settlers to Millersburg

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township and located near the Peniel church. He was the county surveyor at the time the country was being settled, and held the office of judge. He raised his family in Millersburg township, and is now a resident of Aledo. Edwin Gilmore was reared and educated on the farm. The advantages for obtaining an education at that early period in the settlement of this part of the county were few. He was born in 1844. on the farm where he now lives, on section 21. In 1862 he enlisted in the service in Company C, 102d Ill. Vol., and served till the war closed. He was on the skirmish line till he left Chattanooga. with Sherman's division on his march to the sea. He was married in 1870 to Miss Mary A. Morrow, native of Pennsylvania, daughter of David and Elizabeth (Kiddoo) Morrow. They have three children : Nellie, Burton, and Newton R. Mr. Gilmore and wife are members of the Presbyterian church at Peniel. He has a fine stock farm of 320 acres, and raises a good grade of cattle, sheep and hogs.

JOHN T. MCGINNIS, came to Mercer county in 1846, and located in Millersburg township. At that time the country was sparsely settled. Like most of the pioneers, he came with small pecuniary means, to seek a home. He is a native of Pennsylvania, born 1821. His parents are William and Elizabeth McGinnis, both natives of Pennsyl- vania, his father of Irish, and his mother of Scotch descent. They followed agriculture for a livelihood, and belonged to the United Presbyterian church. John T. received little literary training in his early life, but was well bred in the characteristics of the people of the Quaker state, namely, energetic industry and honesty. Two years before his coming to Mercer county he was married to Margaret Kid- doo, of Pennsylvania, born in 1824, and daughter of James and Mary Kiddoo, both natives of Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. McGinnis's chil- dren are Mary E., Sarah, Emily, William, Alice, Maggie, Charlie E., and Cora S. He was justice of the peace before the township organiza- tion, and has held the office of supervisor fourteen years. He represented Mercer and Knox counties in the legislature during the sessions of 1874 and 1875. Apart from the offices mentioned he has been chosen to fill most of the offices of the township. Mr. McGinnis has a beautiful home of 100 acres, located on section 21. Here he lives a quiet farmer's life, while his accumulated capital is employed in other directions. He has never engaged in speculation, but kept his means employed where reasonable returns were certain. He was at one time stock holder in a bank at Keithsburg, and at this time owns an interest in the Farmer's Bank in Aledo, and also in one in Kansas. He and wife are members of the Peniel Presbyterian church. Politically he is a republican.

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History of Mercer and Henderson Counties : together with biographical matter, statistics, etc, Part 23

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