USA > Illinois > Piatt County > History of Piatt County; together with a brief history of Illinois from the discovery of the upper Mississippi to the present time > Part 30
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MR. F. M. PATTON, farmer, Monticello, was born in Fountain county, Indiana, from which state he moved to Kansas, returning to Piatt county about 1875. He now owns 120 acres of land, which he has principally improved. He was married in 1868, to Alice Paugh, and has three children, Jennie, Ida and Joseplı.
MR. T. S. FAUGH, farmer, Monticello, moved from Indiana, his native state, to Kentucky. He next moved to Illinois, and in 1882 came to Piatt county. He was married in 1876, to J. M. Rusint, and has two children, Hardie and Fay.
MR. WILLIAM H. PLUNK, a native of Ohio, moved from there to Illinois and located, in 1856, in Piatt county, where he now owns a fine
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farm of 400 acres of land. He was united in marriage in 1860 to Maria M. Anderson. Mr. Plunk went to the army in Co. C of the 107tli Ill. Vol. Inf., and, in addition to many skirmishes, was in the engagements at Knoxville, Nashville, Franklin and Resaca. Mr. Plunk held the office of sheriff from 1870 to 1872, when he was elected circuit clerk, which position he still holds.
MR. GEORGE PURSEL, farmer, is a native of New Jersey. He moved to Ohio, from there to Iowa, returned to Ohio, and came to Illinois in 1864, locating in Monticello township. He owns 160 acres, having put all the improvements on the place. Mr. Pursel was married about 1847, to Sarah Sample, who is his second wife. They have had six children : Alonzo, who married Georgiana Johnson, is living in Piatt county, and has four children, Gertrude, Wilbur, Frank and Eugene. Rebecca, who married Virgil White, lives in Monti- cello township : they have three children, Marion, George and Harold. Jane was married to C. E. Harris, and lives in Kansas. Erie B. lives at home, and also Seymour and Jerry. John lives in Kansas. Alonzo is the son of Mr. Pursel's first wife, whose name was Elizabeth Sample. Mr. Pursel has held a few offices in the township.
MR. FRANK PITTMAN, attorney, Monticello, is a native of Butler county,; Ohio, and moved to Piatt county about 1854. He was married December 24, 1874, to Laura A. Clouser, and has two children living, Pauline and Logan. Mr. Pittman attended the Wesleyan University for three years, after which he studied law under Mr. Samuel Reed, and was admitted to the bar in January, 1878.
MR. GEORGE R. PINCKARD, railroad agent, Monticello, is a native of Macoupin county, Illinois. He moved from Macoupin county to Springfield, and on April 25, 1861, went to the army in Co. F of the 14th Ill. Inf., participating in the battles of Ft. Donelson, Ft. Henry, Shilolı, Corinth, Hatchie, Atlanta, Allatoona, and others. He was captured by the rebels in Georgia, October 3, 1864, and in several prisons, spending most of the time in Andersonville. He was released on parole April 4, 1865. In 1870 Mr. Pinckard moved to Bement, and lias been in the employ of the Wabash and Chicago & Paducah railroads ever since. He was married in 1865, to Miss E. J. Gilman, and has three children, Frank, Pearl and Lynn.
MR. DANIEL RHOADES (deceased) moved with a family of five children to Piatt county about 1844, and settled on a farm southwest of Monticello, which was lately owned by Mr. Beckhart. Mr. Rhoades died on that place about 1853. His widow lived on the farm
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for a time, and then moved to Monticello, where she lived at the time of her death, in March, 1873. Emanuel Rhoades, the eldest of their children, lives in Monticello. Jeremiah married Ann Bryden, and lives in Kansas. Elizabeth married Mr. Joseph Kee, and both are now dead. Mary, who was the wife of Samuel Hopping, after living in Monticello a time, moved to Decatur, where she died, leaving several children. Nathan E. married Mary Ross.
MR. NATHAN E. RHOADES, merchant, Monticello, is a native of Franklin county, Ohio, and is of German and English descent. He came to Piatt county about 1853. After marrying Miss Mary E. Ross, a native of Madison county, Indiana, he has made his home in Monticello. Their eldest son, Charles, who is with his father in the clothing store, was married in 1881, to Miss Lou Voorhies. Corwin is a student of a business college of Jacksonville. Mr. Rhoades has done much to improve Monticello in various ways. An addition known as Rhoades' Addition was made by him. He owns a park just north of the town. Rhoades' opera-block was built in 1874, and with the exception of the bank room and basement beneath, and two offices, is owned by Mr. Rhoades. He built in 1868 'a brick house of fourteen rooms, which is one of the finest residences of Monticello. He also owns other property in and about Monticello. Mr. Rhoades was treasurer of Piatt county during the war. He has also been deputy county clerk and deputy circuit clerk.
MR. E. RHOADES, teamster, Monticello, sold his farm on Camp creek, and bought a mill of Mr. William Collins, then, after about two years, sold it to William McIntosh, then moved to Monticello, where he has been living since.
MR. A. L. RODGERS, county clerk, Monticello, was born in Wash- ington county, Ohio, from which state he moved to Piatt county, Illinois, in 1849. His stepfather, Mr. John McKinney, entered land in the vicinity of Mr. Croninger's present home. Mr. Rodgers located in Cerro Gordo in 1856, and put up and opened, with Mr. Mckinney, a general merchandise store, the first business house in the town. He remained there until 1875, and in 1877 moved to Monticello. In 1861 he was united in marriage to Jennie E. Campbell, and has had six children, five of whom are living, Wm. E., Earnest L., Fred C., Mabel and Harry. Mr. Rodgers has been supervisor of Cerro Gordo township, and was in the legislature after the adoption of the constitu- tion of 1870. He entered the army in 1862, in Co. K of the 107th Ill.
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Inf., and took part in the following battles : Resaca, those of the Atlanta campaign, Franklin and Nashville.
MR. S. R. REED, lawyer, Monticello, is a native of Monroe county, Olio, from which place he moved direct to Piatt county in 1860, and has been here ever since. He taught school and farmed a number of years, and then, in April, 1866, was admitted to the bar, having studied law under Judge Smith. He has been attorney and master in chancery and is one of the successful lawyers of the place. He owns some town property and two farms, one in Sangamon and the other in Goose Creek township. Mr. Reed and Miss Jennie C. Clouser were married in 1863 and have five children, George M., E. E., Maggie L., Carl S. and Agnes Daisy.
MR. GEORGE F. RHOADES, a farmer in Monticello township, was born in Ohio. He moved from his native state to Piatt county April 1, 1865. In September, 1867, he married Savannah Coberly, a native of Madison county, Ohio. She taught school previous to and after settling in this county. They have five children living, Allen J., George E., William D., Charles B. and Daisy M. Mr. Rhoades has held some of the minor offices in the county, such as school director, road com- missioner, and path-master. By the way, we find some who seemingly shun the mention of having held these thankless offices. We take it that those who fill such offices well deserve more credit than a vast number who hold higher offices. Mr. Rhoades went to the late war from Ohio, in Co. I of the 58th Ohio Vols. The principal battles in which he took part were thuse of Fort Donelson, Chickasaw Bayou, Vicksburg and Arkansaw Post. He was never taken prisoner or wounded. When camping Mr. Rhoades happened to have a very neatly arranged tent. One niglit some one put up over the door, "Rhoades' Row and Happy Home" and thus 'twas ever known. Mr. Rhoades is now living prosperously on his farm of 260 acres. He has made many improvements on the place, including the planting of about five hundred trees.
MR. THOMAS RHODES, farmer, Bement, is a native of Lincolnshire, England. He came to America in 1854, locating in Pike county, Illinois, and moving to Piatt county in 1873. He owns 320 acres of land in the county. The present residence was built in 1872 and 1874, and he has put all the other improvements on the farmn. Mr. Rhodes was united in marriage, in England, to Ann Trigg, a native of Lincoln- shire. Their five children are all living. Thomas married Ann Payne in 1881 and lives in Benient township. Charles William married
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Hattie Wright in 1880, has one child, George, and lives in Bement township. Jane married Simon Priestly, of Bement. Samuel married Retta Wright in 1881. George is at home.
MR. W. H. RANKIN, farmer, Monticello, claims Kentucky as his native state. From that state he moved to Coles county, Illinois, in 1833, thence to Sangamon county, and in 1881 located in Piatt county. He was married in 1855, to Matilda A. England, of Logan county, and has had eight children, seven of whom are living. John W. married Ella Landerman, has two children, and resides in Livingston county. Anna married F. A. Mulvain, has three children, and lives in Cham- paign county. Charles married Rilla Mangold and lives in Champaign county. The names of the other children are Mary, Stephen, Lizzie and Emma.
MR. JOHN RUSSEL, farmer, Monticello, moved from Ohio, his native state, to Illinois, and to Piatt county about 1872. He was married in 1876, to Mary Pierce, and has three children, Willie, Charlie and Grace.
MR. HENRY ROYSE, farmer, Monticello, is a native of Indiana, came to Illinois in 1867, and immediately to Piatt county. He owns eighty acres of land, which he has partly improved himself. Mr. Royse was married in 1870, to Hannah Milens, and has three children, Charles A., Oscar and Stella.
MR. SAMUEL SUVER was born in 1805, in Burkes county, Pennsyl- vania. He was reared in Virginia, but moved to Ohio, from which state he moved to Piatt county about 1834. He was married in 1837, and Mrs. Suver died August 30, 1877. Mr. Suver's adopted daughter, now Mrs. Eliza Timmons, is living on Mr. Suver's old home-place. Mr. Henry L. Timmons is one of the old teachers of the county. Mr. Snver is one of the worthy old settlers of the county, and, like some of the others, has become "uncle" to all the citizens.
MR. DANIEL STICKLE, Monticello, is a native of York county, Pennsylvania, was born in 1816, and is of German extraction. His parents moved from Pennsylvania to Macon county, where both died. Six sons and three daughters lived in Macon county. The subject of our sketch came from Decatur to Monticello in April, 1841, and opened the first general-merchandise store in Monticello. He was at first in partnership with other men in Decatur, but in a few years bought them out. He first occupied a room owned by Mr. Titus Hubbard, which stood just east of what is now William E. Reese's drug store. From that place his stock of goods was moved to the east, north and west
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side of the square, respectively, and when he was located on what is now known as Bender's corner, he quit merchandising, in 1854. In 1856 he moved onto a farm of 830 acres, upon which he remained until the spring of 1865, when he returned to Monticello, and soon after built a brick house, one of the best in Monticello, which he lived in until 1880. He now resides in the southi part of Monticello. Mr. Stickle came to the county first in 1837, and at that time stopped at Mr. James Piatt's cabin. While here he first saw his future wife in a "potato hole." That is, she was getting potatoes from an excavation in the ground under the cabin floor near the hearth, where the vegetables were kept. Annabel Piatt and Daniel Stickle were united in marriage May 31, 1842, in the first house in the county. They have six children living. Charlie, who went into the army about 1862, married Addie Bogle, and has one son, Richard. Susie Stickle, one of Monticello's best and most-loved daughters, was united in marriage to Harvey Huston, but, after but a year of wedded bliss, was taken away ere her prime. Richard Stickle married Miss Helen Smitlı December 15, 1870, and has five children, May, Charlie, Fred J., Roy and baby, and lives in Monticello. Mina is the wife of Charles Kroell, of Blue Ridge, and has four children, Suella, Fred, Lou, and an infant. Anna, a suc- cessful music teacher of Monticello ; Nellie, a graduate of the Monti- cello higli school, and Kate, are still at home. Mr. Stickle has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal church for fifty-two years, and has taken active part in all the church meetings. While young he taught several terms of school. He was postmaster at Monticello under Buchanan, was the first mayor of the city, and at present is police magistrate. He has been supervisor of Monticello township, and in 1858 was elected as representative to the state legislature.
MR. JACOB SMITH, Monticello, was born in Dauphine county, Penn- sylvania, 1817. His parents were natives of America, but were of German, English and Irish descent. He moved directly to this county in the spring of 1857, having acquaintances liere. Mr. Smith was married in Pennsylvania to Nancy Shenk, of German descent. They had five children : Henry Augustus, who married Margaret Brightbill, from near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, has five children. He served three years in the late war and was of the 2d Ill. Cav. Catherine, the wife of John Diller, lives in Nebraska and has three children. J. G. W. Smith is a teacher. James Monroe, Mary Elizabeth and William Penn Smith are at home. Mr. Smith came by railroad to Bement and settled on the land which he had bought the fall before, when looking
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for a home. He has lately moved to Monticello. While in Pennsyl- vania he held the office of county commissioner. His grandfather served nine years in the revolutionary war.
MR. SAMUEL SMOCK, farmer, Monticello, is a native of Ohio, and moved to Illinois about 1840. He own 200 acres of land where he now lives, and has partly improved the place himself. He was married in 1861, to Marietta Hart, and has had four children, John, Augusta, Charles and Edwin. Mr. Smock has been school director about twenty years, and lias held some of the small township offices.
MR. WILLIAM STODDARD, a farmer near Monticello, was born in Maryland. He moved from his native state to Ohio, and thence to Piatt county, Illinois, in 1867. He was married in Ohio, to Margaret Vinson. They have had six children, four of whom are living. Martin is married and lives in Ohio. Louis married Miss T. A. Sulli- van, a native of Virginia. They have had six children, Lemuel, Kate, Mattie, Hurby, Oliver M. and John. Mr. Stollard was in the army in Co. K of the 155th Ohio reg. Melinda married Mr. Philip Baum, and died, leaving two children. Mr. Baum married again, and is now in Michigan. Amos Stoddard, married Sarah C. Jones, and lives in Monticello township. They have two children, Elmer and Wilbert. Mary died after she was grown. Minerva was married in 1881, to Mr. Hood.
MR. ISRAEL STEEL, farmer, Monticello, is a native of Pennsylvania, from which state he moved to Indiana, and thence to Piatt county in 1856. After three years' residence in this county he moved to Cham- paign county, where he remained a number of years, returning to Piatt county about 1870. He owns eighty acres of land, upon which he has put all the improvements, including the planting out of near a thousand trees. Mr. Steel was married in 1838, to Susan Harshbarger, and has had nine children, five of whom are living. Martha A., the wife of James Ballard, lives in Indiana ; Samuel was killed in the army ; Jno. Webster married Lizzie Plaster, has six children, and live in Champaign county ; Hiram married Elizabeth Smith, has two children, Lulu and Florence, and lives in Galesville ; Charles and Vida are still at home.
MR. MOSER P. SAVAGE, Rossville, Illinois, is a native of Old Vir- ginia, moved from there to Ohio, then to Illinois, in 1847, and rented land of Squire Hughes for three years, then lived on Madden's Run, and when the land office was opened, entered 160 acres, and after living for thirteen years in this county, moved to Champaign county. Mr.
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Savage was married in 1827, to Sarah Lee, and are both living. They have had thirteen children, eleven of whom are living : two in Bloomington, one in Danville, four in Kansas, one in Arkansas, one in Piatt county, one in Rossville, and one in McLean county.
MR. W. E. SMITH, merchant and grocer, Monticello, is a native of Mt. Sterling, Madison county, Ohio, but, as he says, was "raised all over that state." He entered the army July 24, 1862, in Co. F of the 94th O. Vol. Inf. The first battle he was in was near Lexington, Kentucky, where he and about two hundred other inen were taken pris- oner by Gen. Kirby E. Smith. They were paroled, however, in about six hours. At the battle of Chickamauga he was wounded in his right lıand with buckshot. He was in the battles of Resaca, Ringgold and Peach-tree creek. "When we left Peach-tree we were going right into Atlanta, but it took us a month or two to get there. While at Atlanta we suffered many hardships, were under fire nearly all the time and in a continuation of battles, the siege winding up with the battle of Jonesboro." He was with Sherman to the sea, and the last battle he engaged in was that of Bentonville, and besides had several skirmishes in South Carolina. From Bentonville he went to Golds- borough, thence to Raleigh and Martha's Vineyard, and there heard of Lincoln's assassination. He marched 190 miles to Richmond in six days, thence to Washington, was in the grand review there, and when mustered out his company of over one hundred men contained but thirteen. In Georgia he was detailed to forage for horses and used to have great times. Once when riding he came to an open ground on the other side of which was a house. They let the fence down and twelve men galloped across toward the house, and found that two or three hundred men had just left, thinking Kilpatrick's advance cavalry guard was approaching ; the horses were generally hidden in swamps and the colored people were instrumental in finding them. After the war, he went to Logansport, Indiana, where he was in the Logansport " Journal " office, and attended a commercial college at Dayton, Ohio. He came to Piatt county June 24, 1866, and began clerking in the store of which he is now proprietor. He belongs to the I.O.O.F. lodge and has been a member of the city council for four years. Mr. Smith was married June 3, 1873, to Mima Piatt, a native of this county, and student of the seminary at Charlotteville, New York. They have two children, William Piatt and Clarence Kirby. Mr. and Mrs. Smith own a farm and their residence property.
MR. WM. D. SHULTZ, tailor, Monticello, was born in Maryland,
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from which state he moved to Virginia, thence to Illinois in 1865 and located in Urbana. In the same year he moved to Monticello, and has lived in the place ever since. Most of the time he has been the only tailor in the town. He was married in 1844, to Mary Walker, a native of Maryland. They have had twelve children, six of whom are living. William was in Utah territory when last heard from. John is married and lives in Philadelphia. Katie, who was the wife of Jesse Warner, is dead. Albert married Mattie Fisher, has two children, Kate and Charlie, and lives in Monticello. Robert is in Utah. Edward is in Freeport, Illinois, and Anna is at home.
MR. ANDREW STEVENS is a native of Canada. He came to Illinois in 1876, and began buying grain at Mansfield. He moved to Monti- cello in 1877, and is still in the grain business. He was united in marriage in September, 1879, to Fannie Conklin, daughter of the superintendent of the Chicago & Paducah railroad. One son, Henry C., has blessed their union.
MR. S. W. SEITS, farmer, took charge of the Piatt county poor- farm in March, 1877, and has done a great deal in getting the farm into its present prosperous condition. His people are Americans, but of German descent. He was married in 1868, to Mary Allen, whose people were from Pennsylvania. They have three children, Lovie W., Ida J. and Gertie S.
MR. F. G. STEVENS, dentist, Monticello, is a native of Corydon, Indiana. He moved from there to Tuscola, Illinois, and in 1871 located in Monticello, where he worked at photography for a time, but for several years now has been the only resident dentist in the place. His practice extends to Atwood and Hammond, where he makes regular visits. He owns a residence and lot in Monticello. At present he is a member of the I.O.O.F. lodge of Monticello. May 1, 1873, Mr. Stevens and Amanda Hodge were united in marriage. Three children have blessed their union, Henry M., Frank A. and Della A.
MR. HENRY SACKRITER, grocer and restaurant keeper, Monticello, is a native of Germany. He came from his native country to America in 1854 and moved from Ohio to Piatt county, locating in Goose Creek township in 1864, and in 1876 moved to Monticello, where he owns a residence and two and one-half lots. His residence was constructed in 1881. Mr. Sackriter and Sophia Stuckey were married in 1857, and have had nine children, seven of whom are now living. William H. married Minerva Beard. Sarah, Katie, Julia, Annie, Carrie and Etta are living at home.
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HISTORY OF PIATT COUNTY.
MR. LEVI P. SQUIER, farmer, Monticello, is a native of Ohio, from which state he moved to Indiana, thence to Illinois, and in 1864 located in Macon county, from which place he moved to Piatt county in 1880. He was married about 1838, to Elizabeth Bryte, of Ohio, and has had eight children, all of whom are living, Frank B., John H., Eva M., Sarah E., Morrison L., Clarence A., Charles E. and Belle.
MR. H. H. SAINT, Monticello, moved from Indiana, his native state, to Urbana, Illinois, and thence in 1881 to Monticello, where he is dealing in farming implements. He was married in November, 1865, to Emily Cook, and lias six children, Cora, Albert, Walter, Elsie, Myrtle and Lena. Mr. Saint went to the army in the 71st Ill. Inf., and in the 19th Ind. Bat., being out over two years the last time. He took part in the battles of Resaca, Chattahoochee and others of the Atlanta campaign.
MR. ASHER W. TINDER, deceased, farmer, was born in Virginia, moved to Ohio, and was married there to Delilalı C. Lewis, a native of Ohio, of Scotch descent. They moved back to Virginia, where their three eldest children were born, then returned to Ohio, and in 1853 came to Piatt county. For the first two years they lived on the Jolin Madden farm, and then bought what is now the McReynolds farm. They moved to Monticello in 1860, lived a year or two in the Patterson house, then went into the brick hotel owned by J. C. Jolinson. Mr. Tinder died there. They had eight children : seven came here, the eldest brother being in California; six are living in Piatt county. Francis A. married R. B. Winchester in March, 1852, in Madison county, Ohio (see his sketch). Lewis B. Tinder went to California in 1853, and in 1860 was heard from for the last time. It is supposed that he was killed by Indians at Virginia City, Nevada. Marthia J. married Capt. Jamison. Lundsfield J. married Anna Heatlı and moved to Kansas. Mrs. Tinder died there in 1874, leaving two children, one of whom, Mattie, is here. Mr. Tinder was again mar- ried in 1880, to Mrs. Ellen Walters. They are living at Galesville, and he is in the grain business. Mr. Tinder was in the army, received several promotions, and once was promoted over other officers for gallantry in battle. Americus B. was married April 12, 1881, to Elizabeth Green, and they have one child. He was in the army in thie 2d Ill. Cav., and was wounded in 1862 at Holly Springs and laid aside by surgeons as dead. The ball is still in his body. Mr. Tinder lives in Monticello, is mail agent on the Wabash road, and has been for the past eight years. Linneas B. Tinder married Elizabeth Babcock, who
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died, leaving two children, Gladys and Sadie. He was again married in 1870, to Helen Babcock, who died, leaving one child, Linneas F. Lucy is the wife of J. Allen Heatlı, and lives in Humboldt, Allen county, Kansas, and has one child living, Irene. Dolly L. married Samuel Stewart, of Kansas, in 1866. Mrs. A. W. Tinder bore her seven years' affliction of palsy with most christian fortitude, and during the last eight months could not feed or dress herself, yet was never heard to complain nor be low-spirited. A harmful word was never known to be said of her. Her last words were : "To live is Christ, to die is gain."
MR. HENRY THOMAS, a farmer in Monticello township, was born in Ohio. He is of Welch and English descent. In 1855 he moved from Ohio to Piatt county, having previously married Harriet Painter, who died, leaving three children. The eldest, Emma, married Isaac Kyle, a farmer in Macon county. They had two children. Anna married Albert Fithian and lives in Monticello. They have one child, Harry. Jane married Jeff Hiatt and lives in Kansas. Mr. Thomas next inar- ried Mrs. Martha Dresbach, who had two children : Marietta, who married William Duvall, and Elina, who married Joseph Keller. In 1877 Mr. Thomas married Mrs. Zorger, née Nancy Garver. Mrs. Zorger had seven children, four of whom are now living. Philander Zorger married Lizzie Rock, and now lives in Macon county. Talitia married Alfred Payne, and lives in Monticello township. They have two children, Nora and Nettie. Phebe married David Deter, and they, with their one child, William, live in Willow Branch township. Jesse lives at Warrensburg, Macon county.
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