History of Mercer and Henderson Counties : together with biographical matter, statistics, etc, Part 25

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 25
USA > Illinois > Henderson County > History of Mercer and Henderson Counties : together with biographical matter, statistics, etc > Part 25

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.

and fairly stocked with a good grade of farm stock. In politics he votes for the man, not for the party.

A. A. SHERER, the subject of this history, is a native of Pennsyl- vania, Lawrence county, born in 1839. His parents were Robert and Eliza Sherer, both of Pennsylvania. The latter died in 1841; the former was married a second time in 1843, and came to Mercer county in 1853, where he died in 1861, aged fifty-six years. His business was that of stock dealing. At the time of his death he owned 600 acres of land. He was a devoted Christian and member of the Presbyterian church, as was also both his wives. His second wife now lives in Joy. Robert Sherer did much to improve the stock of horses in the county. No one carried off more first premiums from the county fairs than he. A. A. Sherer came to Mercer county with his father. His early educa- tion was limited to the district school. He was reared to the business of the farm, which he has always followed. He was married in 1861 to Hannah Church, native of Illinois, born in 1841, daughter of Thomas and Rachel Church, both of Indiana, and early settlers of New Boston township. They were prominent farmers and respected citizens of the community where they resided. The former died, 1859, aged forty-eight years; the latter in 1871, aged seventy-three years. Mr. Sherer has by this marriage seven children : Ella M., Willie T. (deceased), Robert C., Jane E., Adda P. (deceased), Rachel C., and Frank E. He and wife are members of the Presbyterian faith and hold their membership with the congregation at the Peniel church ; and also his two eldest children have embraced christianity in the same church. Mr. Sherer has a fine stock farm three miles south of Millers- burg, which consists of 420 acres. He deals in both stock and fat cattle. His herd of sheep is of the Leicester stock: hogs, Poland China. He follows in the footsteps of his father as to class of stock he keeps.

The Wilitts family came from Pennsylvania to Mercer county among its early settlers ; but at the present writing but few of the once large family resident remain. THOMAS WILITTS was born in Columbia county, Tennessee, in 1804. His parents, Nathaniel and Sarah Wilitts, were natives of Pennsylvania, where they lived out their lives. His mother lived to the ripe old age of 60; his father died ten years younger. His vocation was that of a shoemaker. Thomas came to Mercer county in 1854 and settled in Duncan township, where he now owns a farm, and lived there till the winter of 1881-2, when he retired from active farm life and took up his abode in Millersburg. In 1828 he was married to Margaret Taylor, of his native state. She was born in 1810, and is a daughter of Christopher Kahler, a native of Germany.

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They had twelve children, eight of whom are now living: William, Townsend, practicing physician in Philadelphia; Horace, Charles, Norman, Thomas, Maggie, and Chester. His four sons, Norman, Chester, Charles, and Horace, were soldiers in the late war. The first served as quartermaster; the second, in the 102d reg. Ill. Vol. Inf., was ont three years, and was with Sherman on his march to the sea ; the third served eight months in the 9th Ill. cavalry ; the fourth served six months in the 27th reg. Ill. Vol. Inf. He and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church in Millersburg. In politics he is a straight out republican.

S. H. RIDDELL is a native of Clinton county, Ohio, born in 1840, and came to Mercer county with his parents, Humphrey and Mary (Morl) Riddell, in 1855. His father was a native of Maryland, his mother of Pennsylvania. The former emigrated from his native state to Pennsylvania, where he was married, and emigrated to Ohio in 1836, where he remained till he came to Mercer county. He died in 1871. at the ripe age of seventy years. His wife now resides in Aledo and is sixty-four years old. He was by trade a shoemaker, by vocation a farmer, and superintended the county farm for ten years. He and wife were members of the Methodist Episcopal church. The early literary training of S. H. Riddell was that of the common school. He began a collegiate course at Delaware, Ohio, but owing to his ill health it had to be abandoned. From the age of twelve he was reared on the farm, which business he followed for himself only three years. In 1861 he was married to Sarah F. Vernon, born in 1843, daughter of James and Eliza Vernon, whose history will appear elsewhere. Mr. Riddell by this union has five children : Jennett, James (deceased), Frank A., Milo A., and Thomas V. In 1865 he engaged in the mercantile business in Millersburg, which he carried on till 1871. Since that time he has been employed as clerk, and is now engaged by W. W. Egbert. He now holds the offices of notary public and super- visor, and has filled most of the township offices. He and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. He is a member of the I.O.O.F. lodge.

JOHN FARAN came to Millersburg in 1855, where he has since resided. He is by trade a plasterer, which trade he followed till 1879, when he engaged in the grocery business. In 1882 he bought the store of J. D. Strattan, and now is engaged in general merchandise. In connection with his store he keeps the postoffice. Mr. Faran is a native of Dearborn county, Indiana, born in 1832, son of John and Stinche Faran. The former was a native of Ireland. He first located in Cincinnati, where he was married, and then came to Indiana and

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settled in Dearborn county, where his son John was born. The wife of the latter was a native of Ohio. Both were members of the Methodist Episcopal church. The former died in 1835. at the age of thirty-eight years. The latter then moved to Topeka, Kansas, where she died in 1867. Mr. Faran was married in 1857 to Harriet Riddell, daughter of Humphrey and Mary Riddell, whose history will appear in the sketch of S. H. Riddell. By this marriage he has three children : Jeneva J., Ida, and Howard. Mr. Faran is one of the men now living in Millers- burg who was instrumental in driving the saloons from the village and stopping the whisky traffic. He now has a good business, with an increasing trade.

HENRY HUFFMAN, farmer and stock-raiser, Aledo, was born in Pennsylvania in 1824, and is the son of Henry and Charity (Feazel) Huffman, both of whom were natives of Pennsylvania, and resided in Washington county. The former died in 1827, aged forty-five years, and the latter in 1845, aged fifty-two years. They were farmers and members of the Methodist Episcopal church, and were quiet. well-to-do and highly-respected people in their community. Henry Huffman came to Mercer County in the fall of 1854, and located in Keithsburg, where he resided till the following spring, when he located on section 25, Millersburg township, where he has since lived. He was married in 1854 to Mary Witherspoon, a native of Pennsylvania, born in 1831. danghter of John and Margaret (Kennedy) Witherspoon. They were members of the Presbyterian church, known as Seceders. They were peaceable farmers and highly respected citizens. Mr. Huffman has six children : John (deceased), Maison B., Samuel I., Willie E. and Dora A. (twins), and George W. Hle and wife are members of the United Pres- byterian church. He has a farm of 208 acres of fine farming land, located one-half mile from the east line of Millersburg township and four miles from the county seat. He keeps a good grade of all kinds of farm stock.

Among the business men of Millersburg is J. D. STRATTAN, native of Clinton county. Ohio, born in 1839. His parents were David and Harriet (Hinman) Strattan ; the former of Lynchburg county, Virginia, the latter of Connecticut, near New Salem. They came to Mercer county and located at Millersburg in 1855, then emigrated to West Liberty, Iowa, where the former died in 1867, aged seventy-four years. The latter then moved to Mt. Vernon, Illinois, where she died in 1880, at the age of seventy-three years. David Strattan was by profession a. merchant and did business in Cincinnati as early as 1812-13. He sold goods both at Millersburg and West Liberty. Iowa, where he resided at the time of his death. David Strattan and wife were members of the

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Hicksite Friends. J. D.'s literary education was that of the common school. He learned the business of merchandise with his father. He began business for himself as a merchant in 1863, in Millersburg, at which he continued till 1882, with the exception of one and a half years, during which time he engaged in farming. In 1881 he and Lunn established in Millersburg a creamery, to which he now gives all his time and attention. IIe was married in 1862 to Fanny E. Merrimar, native of Maine, born in 1843, daughter of Thomas and Mary E. Merri- man, who came to Illinois about 1844. By this marriage he had six children, three of whom are living: Ora A., Frank P., and George C. The mother of these died in 1880. He was married a second time to Adella V. Turner, native of Illinois, daughter of John H. and Mary J. Turner. He and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. He is a member of the I.O.O.F. lodge at Millersburg.

WILLIAM VALENTINE is the son of Absalom and Susan Valentine, the former a native of Pennsylvania, and came to Ohio when a child, with his parents. The latter is a native of Ohio. They emigrated to Mercer county in 1855, having spent the winter of 1854-5 in Lawrence county, Illinois. They located in Mercer county, where Absalom Valentine died, in 1864, aged sixty-two years. His wife is now living with her son William, and is seventy-four years old. She is an old sol- dier of the cross in the Methodist Episcopal church, and holds her membership at Joy. William Valentine received but a meager literary education such as he was able to obtain during the winter months, in the district school of his neighborhood. He was reared to the vocation of farming, which he has followed. He was born in Ohio in 1837, and came with his parents to Mercer county in 1855, where he has since resided. He enlisted in the service of his country in 1862, in company K, 102d Ill. Vol., and served till the close of the war, and was mustered out June 6, 1865. He was in the battles of Resaca, Georgia, at the siege of Atlanta, and with Sherman, on his march to the sea, at Goldsborough, and Savannah, and from there to Richmond, and Washington. He was married in 1869 to Easter Bell, daughter of John and Margaret Bell. By this marriage he has one child, Ben- jamin H. He has a farm of 120 acres of fine land, and keeps a good grade of farm stock.

WILSON P. ZENTMIRE's parents, David and Dianna (Minick) Zent- mire, emigrated from their native state, Ohio, where their son, Wilson P., was born, to Illinois, in 1855, and located in Abington township, Mer- cer county, where they resided nine years. They then moved to Millersburg township, where the former died in 1870, aged sixty years, the latter in 1869, aged forty-nine years. IIe was a carpenter and

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HISTORY OF MERCER AND HENDERSON COUNTIES.

farmer. The Zentmires family emigrated to America from Germany at an early time. Wilson P. came to Mercer county with his parents, when eight years old. His early education was such as the common schools of that time could furnish. He has given his entire time to farming. He was married in 1868, to Miss Nancy Kiddoo, daughter of Richard and Eliza (Vannatta) Kiddoo, whose sketch will appear in the work. They have five children ; Harry, Hattie, Ray (deceased), Velly (deceased), and Tuse. He owns a fine stock farm of 160 acres, and keeps a good grade of farm stock. In 1881 he had his house on section 33, burned, loss $2,200, 81,300 of which was covered by insur- ance. Politically he is a republican.

WILLIAM M. MILLER, farmer and teacher, is one of the early teachers in Millersburg. He is a native of Pennsylvania, born in 1829. His early educational training was that of the common school of his home, and ten months at an academy. Five years previous to his coming to Illinois, which was in 1855, he began teaching in his native state, when he was in his nineteenth year, and has taught school eighteen years in Millersburg township, lodging at the same house all this time, making twenty-three years he has spent in the profession. His parents, James and Mary (McCreary) Miller, were natives of the Quaker state. The former died in 1881, aged seventy-seven years, the latter is yet living and is in her seventy-third year. ITis parents were well-to-do farmers, and members of the Westfield Presbyterian church. His father came from Ireland; his mother's family, the McCrearys, em- igrated to Pennsylvania in its early settlement. Mr. Miller was mar- ried in 1856 to Miss Elizabeth Galaway, native of Ohio. She came with her parents to Mercer county in 1854 and located in Millersburg township. Her parents were natives of Ohio. They had previously emigrated to Kansas. There the father died in 1874, aged sixty-three years. The mother is still living. Mr. Miller by this marriage has a family of eight children : Mary J., Laura B., Eva S., Granville S., Jessie S., John G., Mattie R., and Lizzie L. He and family, except the three youngest, are members of the Presbyterian faith. His present occupation is that of farming. He has a fine farm of eighty acres, on which he keeps a good grade of farm stock. In politics he is a republican.

AARON P. SHAFER is a native of New York state, born in 1811, son of Adam and Hellena Shafer, both of New York. He was by occupa- tion a farmer. For a number of years he held the office of colonel of the state militia. Both were members of the Baptist church. They were reared, educated and spent their lives without emigrating from their native state. Their son. Aaron P., was reared on the farm with

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such educational advantages as the pioneer schools of his boyhood could furnish, which were limited. He lived on the farm till he arrived at the age of twenty-three. He was then engaged for a time as clerk in a store, then began in the mercantile business in New York for himself, which he followed for a time when he sold out his business and bought a farm which he sold and came to Illinois in 1856, and located in Millersburg, where he has since resided. Here he learned the wagonmaker's trade and has carried on a shop since 1856. He was married in 1841 to Eliza Davis, of New York, born in 1818, daughter of John S. and Elizabeth Davis, both of New York. They were well- to-do farmers. Mr. Shafer has by this marriage two children : Elizabeth, now Mrs. Felton, and Annie A. Their mother died in 1846. He has since remained unmarried. He is a member of the Baptist church, and a republican in politics.

WILLIAM C. BOYD, farmer and stock raiser, was born in Indiana in 1847, and is the son of Dr. Joseph P. and Ellen (Commons) Boyd, whose history will appear in the sketches of Millersburg township. William C. came to Mercer county with his father when a mere boy. His educational training was that of the village school at Millersburg. During his boyhood his father was engaged more or less in stock raising, for which William C. formed a liking and has chosen for a livelihood. He lives one mile west of Millersburg, near the line between Millersburg and Duncan townships, on a part of the farm owned by his father, which consists of 640 acres, and is yet undivided between his three children. William C. Boyd was married in 1873 to Emma Longshore, native of Indiana, born in 1853, and came to Mercer county with her parents, J. H. and Sally (Hadley) Longshore. Mr. Boyd has by this marriage two children : Archie L. and Edna. His wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church at Millersburg. In politics he is a republican.

JOSEPH A. DOWNEY is the son of Andrew and Elizabeth (Wilson) Downey, both of whom are natives of Ireland. He first located in Pennsylvania where he worked upon the railroad for several years, then came to Mercer county where he rented land for a while, and now owns a fine farm of 419 acres in Millersburg township, where he resides. He was married in Philadelphia and has a family of eleven children : Joseph A .. John, Mary (deceased), William, Wilson, Andrew, Martha, Annie (deceased), Moses, George (deceased), and Harry. Joseph, the eldest of his father's family, is a native of Mercer county, born in 1858. He was married in 1881 to Mary McGinnis, of Mercer county, daughter of John J. McGinnis now a resident of Duncan township, Mercer county. Joseph A. lives on the farm of his father

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and keeps a good grade of farm stock. His early educational training was that of the common school. He was reared on the farm and this . business he has always followed.

JAMES H. LONGSHORE was formerly from Bucks county, Pennsyl- vania. He first emigrated from his native state to Ohio; Clinton county, where he remained till 1852, then he moved to Indiana, where he remained seven years, when he came to Mercer county and located in Millersburg, where he has since remained, pursuing the trade of his choosing for a livelihood. He was born in 1823. His parents, James and Sarah Longshore, remained in their native state all their lives. His father was a wagon builder by trade. The religion of his parents was that of the Hicksite Quakers. Mr. J. H. Longshore's early educational training was such as the common schools of his time could furnish. When a boy he learned his trade with his father. In 1849 he was married to Sally Hadley, of Clinton county, Ohio, whose birth dates to 1842. She is the daughter of William and Susanna Hadley, both of whom are natives of Virginia. They came to Ohio quite early, where they both departed this life, the former at the age of fifty years, the latter at eighty-seven years. Both were members of the orthodox Friend's church. By this marriage Mr. Longshore has four children : Alvin E., now in California, Emma B., Carrie, and Howard. In politics his principles are those advocated by the republi- can party. He was one of those men who came to Millersburg in the zenith of its prospects of prosperity and yet remains, having secured a good run of trade in his line.

D. A. DAVISON was born in 1833, in the State of Pennsylvania. His parents were Moses and Elizabeth Davison, both of Pennsylvania. They emigrated to Wells county, in 1843. There they died, the former. in 1880, aged seventy-seven years ; the latter in 1864, aged fifty-seven years. The former was a farmer, miller and millwright. D. A. came from Pennsylvania to Mercer county in 1859, and located in New Bos- ton township, where he remained two years, then moved to Keithsburg two years. In 1866 he located in Millersburg township, where he now resides, near the south line. He was married in 1860 to Evaline Wolfe, a native of Indiana, born in 1842, and daughter of Solomon and Evaline (Marlatt) Wolfe. They came to Illinois in 1846. They are both natives of Indiana, and are now citizens of Abington township, Mercer county, and members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Davison has by this marriage twelve children : Ida (deceased), May, Cora, Ralph, Walter, Edward (deceased), Albert, Clarence, Morgan, Grace, Rose, and Maud. Mr. Davison enlisted in 1862 in the late war, in company G, 124th Ill. Vol. Inf., served three years, and was

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in the following engagements: Fort Gibson, Brownsville, Jackson, Champion Hills, Black river, siege of Vicksburg, numerous skirmishes, and at Spanish Fort. He lives on a fine farm of 320 acres.

W. W. EGBERT is a native of Stark county, Illinois. His parents. James C. and Catharine (Swank) Egbert, the former a native of New Jersey, the latter of Pennsylvania, came with the early settlers to Stark county, where our subject was born in 1854. There his father departed this life in 1863, aged thirty-six years. W. W. Egbert received a fair common school education and five terms at Hedding college. He first began business for himself as druggist in partnership with Dr. D. J. Perry at West Jersey, Illinois. In 1876 he brought a stock of drugs to Millersburg and opened a store. In 1878 he engaged in general merchandise in which business he is at present. He has a good trade. In 1878 his store was burned; loss $2,000, $1,000 of which was paid by the insurance company. Ile was married in 1877 to Miss Margaret M. Green, native of Illinois, daughter of W. L. and Rebecca E. Green, both of Pennsylvania, and came to Mercer county in 1854. The former was by trade a carver and gilder. He held the- office of justice of the peace for several years, was in the mercantile business with H. W. Thornton, and was for a time postmaster at Millersburg. He enlisted in the army in 1861 in the 45th Ill. Vol. Inf., in company I, as second lieutenant. He was in the battle of Shiloh, and died of wounds in 1862, while in the service. He was a member of the I.O.O.F. His widow now receives a pension and resides in Millersburg. She was at one time postmistress at Millers- burg for about fifteen years. W. W. Egbert has by this marriage two children : William C. and Frederick W. He is a member of the I.O.O.F. lodge at Millersburg. He and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.

Among the well-to-do citizens and farmers of Millersburg township is JOHN RUBERT, born in New York in 1838, and son of John and Magdalena (Chat) Rubert, the former a native of France, the latter of New York, and of German descent. John Jr.'s father died when he was an infant ; his mother died when he was fourteen years old, aged thirty-seven years. She came to Chicago in 1843, where she resided for a time, when she removed to Peoria county. John's parents were members of the Christian church. Mr. Rubert's early education was. limited. He came to Mercer county in 1858 and located near New Windsor, where he remained till 1861, when he enlisted in the army in August of that year, in company A, 30th Ill. Vol. Inf., and served till December, 1862. He was in the battle of Belmont and bombard- ment of Fort Henry. At Fort Donelson he was taken prisoner, and

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taken first to Memphis where he remained six weeks, then to Mobile, then to Tuscaloosa, from whence he was sent to parole camp at St. Louis, and discharged December, 1862. He returned home and located in Millersburg township in 1863, where he now resides. In 1863 he was married to Miss R. J. Hughes, of Pennsylvania, born in 1842, and daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth Hughes, the former of Pennsylvania, the latter of Ohio. They came to Mercer county in 1857 and located in Millersburg township, where both now reside. He is a wagon maker by trade and carries on a shop in the village of Joy. Both are members of the Seventh Day Advent church at Marsh school-house. John Rubert has by this marriage three children : Bertha E. (deceased), Joseph B., John C., and Jennie E. He and wife are members of the Seventh Day Advent church. He owns a well-improved farm of eighty acres, fairly stocked with a good grade of stock. .

One of the early families yet resident in Millersburg towhship is the Dool family. Of that family now resident of this township is JOHN DOOL. His father, Robert Dool, was a native of Ireland (Antrim county), and came to America in 1819, landing in Pennsylvania, where he remained two years when he moved to Ohio, and died in 1829, aged forty-two years, leaving a wife and eight children to mourn his loss. His wife, Margaret (Spears) Dool, was a native of Ireland ; her parents were John and Mary (Hannah) Spears, who came to America in 1824 and settled in Ohio, where they both died. Robert Dool's children were named as follows: William S .. Henry and Hannah (twins), Rosanna, Margaret, Mary, John, Thomas. Robert Dool and wife were farmers both in Ireland and America, and were members of the Presbyterian church. His wife, who still survives, lives with her daughter on the farm of her son John, and is now eighty-eight years old. John Dool was born in 1826 in Harrison county, Ohio, where he remained till 1858, when he came to Mercer county with his mother and her eight children. Here he has since resided. He was married in 1863 to Sarah Haverfield, daughter of James and Mary Haverfield, the former .of Ohio, the latter of Ireland. The former died in 1862, aged sixty-two years, while in the service of the 9th Ill. Vol. Inf. The latter died in 1857. They were both members of the United Presby- terian church. By his marriage John Dool has four children : Anna L., James I., William H., and Robert B. He and wife are members of the Presbyterian church. He has a farm of 120 acres of fine farm- ing land, well improved and fairly stocked, and fifteen acres of timber. In politics he is a democrat.

TIMOTHY NOONAN, farmer and stock raiser, is a native of Tipperary

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History of Mercer and Henderson Counties : together with biographical matter, statistics, etc, Part 25

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