History of Mercer and Henderson Counties : together with biographical matter, statistics, etc, Part 24

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 24
USA > Illinois > Henderson County > History of Mercer and Henderson Counties : together with biographical matter, statistics, etc > Part 24

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).

JOHN BRADY, Jr., is the son of John and Eliza Brady, whose history

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will be found in connection with the sketch written of Edward Brady. John Brady, Jr., was born in Green county, Ohio, in 1838. He came with his parents to Mercer county in 1842. He received no educational training beyond the district school. He was reared to the business of farming, which pursuit he has followed for a livelihood. In 1862, he enlisted in company D, 83d Ill. Vol., and served till July. 1865, making his term of service two years and eleven months. He was with the army of the Cumberland, in the second battle fought at Fort Donel- son, and at Franklin, and Lawrenceburg. The remainder of the time he was kept chasing guerrillas. At Fort Donelson he was wounded. He was married in 1861 to Martha C. Gibson, daughter of George and Isreal Gibson, the former a native of Tennessee, the latter of Ohio. They were among the first to locate in Warren county, Illinois, in 1832. The indians had not quit the country. Among the slain by the Indians of Warren county was a brother to George Gibson. They were mem- bers of the Associate Presbyterian church. John Brady has four children : William, George P., Harry (deceased), and Mary. They hold letters of membership in the Presbyterian church. He has a well improved farm of 160 acres, and keeps a good grade of farm stock. He held the office of township clerk for several years, and is now com- missioner of publie highways. In politics he is a republican.

The subject of this sketch, WILLIAM KIDDOO, is a native of Lawrence county (now Beaver county), Pennsylvania, where he was born in 1830; came to Mercer county in 1847, and located with his parents, James and Margaret Kiddoo, where his widow, now Mrs. Bryant, resides. He and wife and parents were members of the Presbyterian church. He married in 1833 Catharine Vanee, native of Pennsylvania, born in 1834, and who came with her parents, William and Rachel (Vannatta) Vance, to Mercer county, and located in Keithsburg in 1836. They were members of the Presbyterian church. The former died in 1867, the latter now resides with her daughter Caroline, and is seventy-eight years old. William Kiddoo had by this marriage seven children : E. Vila, Naney, Olive, Forbes M., Mary, William M., and Rachel E. He left his family in good circumstances. Like the rest of the Kiddoo family he was a man of exemplary habits, a good citizen. kind husband and father. His widow married in 1871 Frank B. Bryant of Ohio, by whom she has three children: Laura B., Frank (deceased), and Archie H.

JOHN S. KIDDOO, deceased, emigrated from his native state, Penn- sylvania, to Illinois, in 1847, and located in Millersburg township, where he resided till his death in 1866, in the thirty-seventh year of his age. His parents were James and Mary Kiddoo, who emigrated

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HISTORY OF MERCER AND HENDERSON COUNTIES.

to Mercer county at the same time as their son John S. Their remains repose in the cemetery of the old brick church. John S. Kiddoo, was married in 1850 to Eliza Day, of Pennsylvania, born in 1821, and emi- grated with her parents, John and Mary Day, to Iowa, in 1836, and then to Mercer county in 1846, where they still reside. Her father, John Day, in early life was a boatman on the Mississippi river. He is a member of the United Brethren church, his wife of the Methodist Episcopal church. John S. Kiddoo had by this marriage six children: John. Robert (deceased), Mary (deceased), Alonzo, William (deceased), and Lizzie. John S. Kiddoo .and wife were members of the Free Presbyterian church, but both united with the Methodist Episcopal church a few years before his death. His wife still remains a member . of the church. He began in this county with small means ; when he died left his family a property worth $8.000. Alonzo, son of John S. and Eliza Kiddoo, was born in 1860, near where he now resides, in Millersburg township. Ilis early educational training was that of the common school of the neighborhood. He is by occupation a farmer. He was married in 1881, to Florence Shingledecker, born in 1858, and daughter of James and Caroline Shingledecker, both of Pennsylvania. They came to Mercer county in 1858, and located near Joy, where they have since resided. Both are members of the Methodist Episco- pal church at Joy. Alonzo Kiddoo and wife are members of the same church. They have a farm of 140 acres well stocked. In politics he votes the republican ticket.

MR. J. H. CRANE located in Millersburg township in 1849. His early education was that of the common school. He began business for himself as a farmer, which he followed ten years, when he opened a store in Joy and engaged in shipping grain, both of which he still carries on. He is the son of Dr. John W. and Ruth Crane, of Ohio, early settlers of Fountain county, Indiana. J. H. Crane was born in 1837. His parents came to Mercer county in 1847, and located on the old Bassett farm, where they died, his father in 1850, aged forty years. his mother in 1841. His parents were members of the Methodist Episcopal church. His father by profession was a doctor. and practiced in Illinois till his death. Mr. Crane was married in 1861 to Sarah A. Griffith, a native of Indiana, and daughter of Charles and Martha Griffith. In 1861 he enlisted in the army of the late war, in company K, 102d Ill. Vol. He was out twelve months, when he was discharged, because of ill health. He owns a fine farm of 240 acres, and is present postmaster at Joy.

Among the oldest citizens now living in Millersburg township is Mr. J. M. GILMORE. In 1840 he located in the village of Millersburg

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and kept hotel for two and a half years, then moved upon his farm east of the village, where he remained till seven years ago when he returned to take up his residence in Millersburg, where he now resides. He came to Mercer county with small means which, com- bined with unabating energy, has made him a successful farmer. He owns a fine farm of 354 acres of plow land and 100 acres of timber. He is a native of Pennsylvania, born in 1814; his father of Pennsyl- vania and his mother of New Jersey. In 1847 they came and settled in Perryton township, Mercer county, where the former died in 1857, aged seventy-two. His wife, who is still living, is a devoted member of the Presbyterian church. They raised a family of nine children, all of whom grew up to adult age. Three yet remain in Mercer county. J. M.'s early educational training was such as the common schools of his neighborhood could furnish. He served an apprenticeship to a tanner, and began immediately to raise the material for making leather instead of dressing it. He held the office of county assessor for six years, and also the office of county treasurer for the same time. He was married in 1838 to Margaret Taylor, of Pennsylvania, born in 1815, daughter of Jacob and E. (Hoover) Taylor, both of Pennsylva- nia. By this union Mr. Gilmore had eight children, five of whom are now living: George M. (deceased), Eva C., Catharine (deceased), . Taylor, Mary, Richard (deceased), Jannett, and Fanny A. George M. served three years in company E, 9th Ill. Inf .; was veteranized and promoted to steward. He was wounded at Fort Donelson, having his index finger on the left hand carried away by a ball. He was with Sherman on his march to the sea, and died of disease in the service two months before the war closed. Taylor served three years in the 14th Ill. cavalry, and was commissioned hospital steward. He and wife are ardent supporters of christianity and good morals, and belong to the Presbyterian church at Millersburg. In polities he has always been a democrat.

J. D. THORNTON is a native of Columbia county, Pennsylvania, and born in 1828, and is a son of Eli and Abagail (Hittle) Thornton, both natives of Pennsylvania. J. D.'s early education was limited to the subseription school of his home. He learned the trade of blacksmith- ing in his father's shop. This he followed ten years, when he left the forge to enlist in the service of his country. He served in the army through the Mexican war. His soldierly qualities were soon recog- nized, and he was appointed to fill the first vacancy in Capt. Pember- ton's company, to which he belonged, which was the office of sergeant. He was with Scott when he made his campaign to the city of Mexico. Then he joined the U. S. marines and went to West Africa to suppress

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HISTORY OF MERCER AND HENDERSON COUNTIES.

the slave trade. In 1862 he again enlisted in the 124th Ill. Vol. Inf., company G, and served three years as sergeant. He was with Grant and in all the rear battles at Vicksburg, the siege of the Spanish Fort, and the taking of Mobile, making in all seven years he has served his country as a soldier. In 1849 he came to Illinois and settled at Millersburg where he has since resided. J. D. Thornton was married in 1855 to Lucy Wharton, a native of Ohio, and daughter of Jacob and Martha Wharton. She died in 1871. He was married a second time to Letticia L. Carver, a native of Pennsylvania, and daughter of Jesse Carver, a descendant of Gov. Carver, first governor of Massachusetts. Mr. Thornton has been a republican since the organization of the party.

J. W. Woop is a native of Tennessee, born in 1810, and is the son of Isaac and Elenor Wood, both of whom were natives of Virginia. They located in Indiana in 1822, where they died, the former in 1839, aged sixty years ; the latter in 1852, aged eighty-two years. They were members of the Methodist Episcopal church and respected mem- bers of society. Isaac Wood by trade was a wheelwright, by profes- sion a local preacher. J. W. Wood emigrated to Indiana with his parents where he remained till 1842, when he came to Mercer county where he has since lived. He is a carpenter by trade, which he fol- lowed till within the few years past. He was first married in 1832 to Frances Reed, native of Indiana, daughter of Jacob and Mary Reed, of South Carolina. She died in 1869, aged fifty-eight years, leaving nine children. of whom the living are James R., Enos A., and Samuel S. He was married a second time to Mrs. M. C. Robinson, native of England, born in 1830, and daughter of George and Cath- arine Stafford, natives of England. J. W. Wood has held the office of justice of the peace most of the time during his residence in Illinois, is now notary public, and served one term as constable. He and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Joy. In politics he votes the republican ticket. He keeps the only hotel in Joy.

The subject of this sketch, DAVID A. STEELE, came to Mercer county with his parents, James and Mary Steele, in 1860. They located on section 29 in Millersburg township, where they both died, the former in 1856, at the age of sixty-five years; the latter in 1868, aged seventy-six years. They were natives of Pennsylvania, and successful farmers, and members of the Presbyterian church. David was born in 1832, and reared and educated on the farm of his father in the Quaker state. In 1859 he was married to Matilda Denison, native of Illinois, and daughter of Joseph and Sarah Denison. both of whom were from Ohio. By this union he has ten children, seven of whom

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are living : Elizabeth, William, Walter, Cora, Maud, Fred., and Ashel. He has a farm of 130 acres, well improved and fairly stocked with a good grade of farm stock. In politics he votes with the republican party. He is a man who takes great interest in supplying his children with literature to feed their minds. He has always lived a quiet life without seeking the notoriety of office.

The subject of this sketch, JAMES E. BAY, is the son of James and Hannah E. Bay, both of whom are natives of Pennsylvania, and emigrated to Ohio at an early period of its settlement. They were farmers. The former was a soldier in the war of 1812, and emigrated to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where he died in 1843, aged fifty-two years; the latter died in 1856, aged fifty-six years. J, E. Bay was born in 1829, in Guernsey county, and in 1851 came to Millersburg where he has since lived. He was married in 1860 to Mary Marsh, a native of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and daughter of John B. and Lydia (Porter) Marsh, the former of New Jersey, the latter of Pennsylvania. The former was a soldier in the war of 1812. He and family moved in 1848 to Illinois, where he died in 1864, aged seventy-three years ; his wife in 1834, aged thirty-six years. He was by trade a carriage trim- mer. He first emigrated to Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, from New Jersey. The Marsh family were formerly from Scotland. J. E. Bay has by this nnion four children : H. M., John M., Fanny S .. and Catharine M. Mr. Bay is a farmer and stock trader. He has several times been chosen by the voters of his township to fill various offices. His wife is a member of the Presbyterian church at Millers- burg. Mr. Bay and family are quiet and respectable citizens.

Among the early settlers of this township is RICHARD S. EDGAR. He was born in Pennsylvania in 1818, and- came to Mercer county in 1851 and located in Millersburg township where he has since been a citizen. His parents were natives of Pennsylvania, members of the Associate Presbyterian church, and died there, his father, Richard, in 1861 at the age of sixty-five years : his mother, Margaret, in 1862, aged sixty years. R. S. Edgar was married in 1841 to Elizabeth A. Steele, daughter of James and Mary Steele, of Pennsylvania. They have three children : Margaret, James S., and Mary A. He served three years in the late war as a soldier, in Company A, 30th Ill. Vol. Inf., during which service he lost his health and now receives a pension. He owns a well improved farm of thirty acres, and keeps a good grade of farm stock. He and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Joy. In politics he is a republican.

JACOB BRAUCHT, son of David and Mary Braucht, was born in 1828 and is a native of Pennsylvania, as were his parents. They emigrated

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HISTORY OF MERCER AND HENDERSON COUNTIES.

to Ohio when their son Jacob was a mere child, where they resided the remainder of their lives. They were pioneer settlers of Ohio. Jacob remained in Ohio until he arrived at the age of twenty-three and then came to Mercer county and located on section 19, Millersburg township, where he has since resided. He has pursued the occupation of farming, the vocation of his father. He married, in 1851, Christina Riter, a native of Germany and daughter of John F. and Machdalana Riter, who came to America in 1831 and located in Ohio, and after- ward to Mercer county, locating in Millersburg township. The latter died in 1871, aged seventy years. The former, John F. Riter, resides · with his daughter, Christina. He served as a soldier in his native country, Germany. Jacob Braucht has by this marriage six children : Jemima, David W., Lucinda, Sarah (deceased), George, and Catharine. He has a fine farm of 227 acres, well improved and well stocked with the best of farm stock. No better stock, farm is to be found in this section. In politics he is a democrat. His parents and also his wife's parents were of the Lutheran faith. His wife's father, John F. Riter, still holds his membership in that church.

Among the citizens and soldiers now resident of Millersburg town- ship is GEORGE BOONE, native of Ohio, born in Medina county in 1837. His parents were Hezekiah and Sarah A. (Greene) Boone, the former of Pennsylvania, a great-nephew of Daniel Boone, the Kentucky hunter, the latter also of Pennsylvania. They emigrated to Medina county with its early settlers with their parents, and were married there. They came to Mercer county in 1851. The latter, George's mother, died in 1857, aged thirty-eight years. Her remains repose in the Millersburg cemetery. The former is a tailor by trade and now lives at Fort Dodge, Nebraska, and is a member of the Lutheran church. His wife was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. George Boone came to Mercer county with his parents and located in this township, then went to Perryton township, where he resided for a time, and also for a while in Aledo. His early education was that of the common school. He first enlisted in Company I, 17th Ill. Vol., served two years and was discharged because of ill health. In 1864 he, in com- pany with R. S. Osborne, raised a company for the 140th Ill. Vol. Osborne was captain of the company, and George held the office of first lieutenant. The company was out seven months. He was in the battle of Fort Donelson and a part of the two days' fight at Shiloh. During his second term of service the company was detailed to fight the guerrillas. He was married in 1865 to Mrs. Nancy J. Fullerton, daughter of Robert and Eliza Shearer. By this marriage George Boone has one child, Ella F. His wife by her former husband has one

Jannis Muito

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daughter, Mary A. Fullerton. He has a nicely improved farm of eighty acres, and a good grade of farm stock.

JAMES K. MORROW was born in 1852, on the farm where he now resides. His parents, David and Elizabeth (Kiddoo) Morrow, were both natives of Pennsylvania. The latter was the daughter of James Kiddoo. David Morrow came to Mercer county with his family in 1847 and located in Millersburg township, where he resided till his death, which occurred in 1854, in his thirty-seventh year. His wife, mother of James K., died in 1872. They were married in 1846 and raised a family of four children, two sons and two daughters. They were quiet farmers and good citizens and members of the Presbyterian church. They left their children in good circumstances. Their son, James K., occupies the old homestead of 120 acres. He pursues the vocation of his father. He keeps a good grade of farm stock. He has imbibed the republican spirit of his neighborhood. His early educational training was that of the common school.

DR. JOSEPHI P. BOYD, deceased, was born in Wayne county, Indiana, in 1826. His parents were James and Hester Boyd, both members of the Christian church. Dr. Boyd early exhibited a fondness for books, and at the age of sixteen entered the profession of school teaching, which he followed till he began reading medicine with Dr. James Ruby at Abington, Indiana. He began the practice of his chosen profession at Bentonville, Indiana, then went to Randolph county, where he remained two years, and then came to Millersburg in 1852, where he had a large practice. He began life for himself with limited means, but died in 1878, leaving his family in easy circumstances. He was married to Ellen Commons, daughter of William and Sarah Commons, who emigrated from England to America. The Commons family in England were members of the aristocracy. The offspring of this marriage were three children : William C., Sarah H., and Omer. He was a member of the masonic order at Aledo, and the Mercer County Medical Society. The community mourned his death as a great loss. He was a man respected for his ability and thorough going business ability.

THOMAS LANDRETHI is a native of Owen county, Indiana, where he was born in 1842. His parents, Zacharia and Elonder (Fender), both natives of Virginia, settled in Owen county, Indiana, about 1825, where the subject of our sketch was reared and educated on the farm. In 1852 they came to Mercer county and located in Perryton township, where the former died in 1872, aged sixty years ; the latter in 1875, aged sixty years. They were quiet, good farmers and earnest sup- porters of good society, and were members of the Missionary Baptist

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church. Our subject came to Mercer county when a small boy with his parents. He had two brothers, Crisby and Andrew, in the army in the late war. The former belonged to the 126th Ill. Vol., and died at La Grange. Tennessee, but a few months after his enlistment ; the latter died two days later at the same place. Mr. Landreth is a member of the I.O.O.F. at Millersburg. He was married in 1865, to Rachael Reed, a native of Mercer county, born in 1843, and a dauglı- ter of Harper and Louisa (Drury) Reed, early settlers in Mercer county. They have three children : Lillie M., William R., and Nola L. He has a farm of ninety acres well suited to stock raising. He keeps a good article of farm stock. He and wife are members of the Mission- ary Baptist church. In politics he is a Greenbacker.

CARY DRYDEN is a native of Ohio, born in 1840, and is a son of J. M. and Elizabeth (Ellis) Dryden, the former of Ohio, the latter of Virginia. She came to Ohio with her parents when eleven years old. J. M. and Elizabeth Dryden came to Illinois in 1851, and located in Peoria county, where they remained till 1853, when they came to Mer- cer county. In 1855 they went to Iowa, but returned to Mercer county in 1864, where the former died in 1872, aged sixty-eight years; the latter is living in Keithsburg, this county, and is seventy-four years old. Cary Dryden accompanied his parents, first to Peoria county, then to Mercer county and to Iowa, and returned in 1858 to Mercer county, where he has since lived. He has pursued the occupation of farming all his life, except three years and one month he served in the army. He enlisted in 1861 in company G. 27th Ill. Vol. He was a non-com- missioned officer all the time of his service, and was in the battle of Belmont, siege of Island No. 10, the numerous skirmishes around Cor- intlı, battle of Stone River, Chickamauga, siege of Knoxville, Res- aca, Georgia, and Kenesaw Mountain, where he was wounded and taken to the hospital, where he remained till after his term of enlist- ment expired. In 1867 he was married to Catharine Wolfe, native of Illinois and daughter of Solomon and Evaline (Marlatt) Wolfe, both of Indiana. and came to Mercer county with its early settlers. Mr. Dry- den by this marriage has four children: Eva (deceased), Mary, Fred- erick. Nellie L. He and his wife are members of the Seventh Day Advent church, at the Marsh school-house. He has a farm of 160 acres of fine land, well improved. located near the south line of the township, upon which he keeps a good grade of all kinds of farm stock.

JOHN BELL is a son of John and Mary (Clifford) Bell, both of Ire- land. Hle was born in Ohio in 1848, and came with his parents to Illinois in 1862. He was reared on the farm. His early education

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was such as he could get in the district school. He was married in 1881 to Florence S. Adams, native of Illinois. born in 1858, and daugh- ter of Samuel and Mary Adams, of Kentucky. They came to Rock Island county, Illinois, with its early settlers, and now reside in Eliza township. Mercer county. The former is a member of the Latter Day Saints church. Mr. Bell has by this marriage one child, Harry Earl. He is a member of the Masonic lodge at Aledo ; his wife is a member of the Latter Day Saints church. He has a farm of 160 acres of fine land fairly stocked. Politically he is a democrat. .

The subject of this sketch, WILLIAM A. MARSH, is by birth a native of New York, born in 1833, son of M. L. and Eliza Marsh, both of New York. They came to Mercer county in 1853, and are now resi- dents of Aledo, where the former is justice of the peace. M. L. Marsh is by vocation a farmer. He first settled in Illinois, in Millersburg township, where he now owns a farm of 150 acres. He and wife first moved to New York city, where their son, William A., was born ; then to Buffalo, New York; from there to Licking county, Ohio; then to Illinois, where they have since resided. William A.'s early education was that of the common school and two years as a student in a graded school. He accompanied his parents in all their removals till they located in Mercer county, and then he located on the farm where he has since resided. While he has pursued the vocation of farming for a livelihood, he has by no means given all his time and thought to making the farm pay, but is one of the most active members of the Mercer County Historical and Scientific Society, the truth of which his large collection of well-arranged specimens of shells, woods, grasses and Indian implements demonstrate without further question. No one, we have good reason to believe, has added more to the conchology and botany of Mercer county than Mr. Marsh. So large is his collection in these two sciences, and that of Indian implements, that one who has any taste in either of these directions could spend months in his cabinet with both pleasure and profit. The proficiency Mr. Marsh has acquired in these branches of science clearly shows that success depends upon the amount of labor we give to one thing, and not to the muun- ber of branches we take up. Mr. Marsh was married in 1855 to Mary J. Patterson, of Licking county, Ohio, born in 1837, daughter of Wilson and Isa Patterson, both of Pennsylvania. They emigrated in 1835 to Mercer county, where they are both living. They are members of the predestinarian Baptist church, and farmers by occu- pation. Mr. Marsh has nine children: Philip, Eliza, Francis L. (deceased), Mary J., Isa R., William A .. Frederick A., Wilson, and Estella E. Mr. Marsh has a good farm of 240 acres, well improved

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History of Mercer and Henderson Counties : together with biographical matter, statistics, etc, Part 24

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