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 36
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60
382
HISTORY OF PIATT COUNTY.
went in as a private, was in the battles of Resaca and Buzzard Roost, and returned as assistant sergeant, though he was not mustered in as such.
MR. JOSEPH MOORE, farmer, Bement, is a native of Ohio, and came from Indiana to Piatt county in 1854. He now owns some 300 acres of land in Bement township, upon which he has put all of the improvements. A good orchard is on the place, and a nice frame residence was erected in 1871. Mr. Moore was married in 1852, to Harriet Hixson, who died leaving two children, one of whom, Eliza J., is still living and is the wife of James Ellers, of Douglas county. In 1862 Mr. Moore and Lydia Moore were united in marriage and have had five children, Anna, Elmer D. and Emory C., twins, Lucy and Francis E. Mr. Moore has held some of the smaller offices since living in the county. He was the first township trustee of schools, and was one of the judges of the first election in the township.
MR. JOHN MURPHY, farmer, Bement, is a native of Madison county, Illinois, and in 1856 moved to Piatt county, where he is the owner of a farm of 160 acres of land. He moved on to this place in 1868, and has the place in good condition. Over six hundred trees have been planted, and, in addition to some open ditching, some two hundred rods of tiling has been done. Mr. Murphy was married April 8, 1868, to Sarahı Hays, and has one son, John D. On August 11, 1862, Mr. Murphy enlisted in the army, in Co. D of the 72d Ill. Inf., and remained until 1865, partaking in the engagements at Vicks- burg, Champion Hill, Franklin and Mobile. He has held a few of the local offices of the township in which he resides.
MR. JOHN HI. MOMA, farmer, Bement, was born in Augusta county, Virginia, in 1797. He moved to Ohio, and about 1859 located on Madden's Run in Sangamon township. He was married in Ohio to Mary Benner and has had nine children, three of whom are living. Maria, the wife of Noble Crawford, died leaving several children ; Austin died at the age of twenty-seven years ; Sarah died in Ohio, and Milton's death occurred in the army. Caroline is now the wife of Mr. A. T. Pipler ; Frank is the wife of Mr. William Woods, of Chilli- cothe, Ohio; Dorothea married Mr. Abraham Hays; William D. mar- ried Kate Peoples in 1865 and has five children, John E., Fannie, Bert, Stella L. and Wm. Milton. He owns one hundred acres of land in Bement township. This farm is all under cultivation. Mr. John Moma took for his second wife Mrs. JJames Hays, who is still living.
MR. GEORGE W. MAXFIELD, farmer, Bement, is a native of Ken-
383
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHIES.
tucky, and moved from there to Jacksonville, Illinois, in 1827; thence to line between Macoupin and Greene counties in 1835; then to Win- chester county in 1840, and from there to Bement township in 1860. He moved into Bement in 1864, and owns his residence and one lot. His grandfather was in the revolutionary war. Mr. Maxfield was married February 17, 1830, to Mary Berry, a native of Kentucky. They have had no children of their own, but adopted four. Mrs. Wilbur Alvord née Emma Clark is the only one living in the county. Her husband is now operator on the Wabash railroad and at present in Bement. Mr. and Mrs. Maxfield celebrated their golden wedding in 1880. A great many of the townspeople came in (about two hun- dred and fifty) and gave the old people a surprise. Their friends from a distance got an inkling of the surprise, and letters of congratulation were sent, and, as they expressed it, "We never had anything to do us so much good." The following is a poem by the Rev. Mr. Thompson, written for the occasion :
GOLDEN WEDDING.
George, well do you remember, It's as fresh as if to-night, How fifty years ago this eve You stood and sealed your plight With her by your side, and vowed
"To love her and protect," And so confessed to God and man Mary your elect.
Mary, what a wife you've made For George here, your lord ; A faithful helpmeet you have been In every work and word. When heaviest laid affliction's hand, And darkest seemed the cloud, His sorrow you have nobly shared, And 'neath his burdens bowed.
Yes, sainted pair, we reverence you, And with one common voice Ascribe to you all honor, And inwardly rejoice "That you are spared by Him who rules With glory and with might," To celebrate as rare a feast - Your Golden Wedding Night.
384
HISTORY OF PIATT COUNTY.
Your lives are in their sunset now,
And lovely is the scene; For over all your noble past Is cast a golden sheen. Its glory shall increase until Your sun shall shine no more;
And then a little twilight, And then the golden shore.
And, oh, the rapturous glories Of that city paved with gold! Where, hand in hand, the glorified Shall walk, and ne'er grow old. There'll be no rocky steps to climb, No snare or stumbling stone; But robed in white, with golden liarps, We'll worship at God's throne.
· When George and Mary, Once more a groom and bride, We know altho' your vigor's gone You are still each other's pride. And please hear the sentiment To-night of every heart :-
" What God has joined together, Let no man put apart."
MR. J. C. MILLER, merchant, Bement, is a native of Indiana, and moved from there to Piatt county in 1857. He went west soon after, returning in 1875 to Monticello, where he remained until 1879, when he went to Bement and the firm of Miller Bros. was organized. He went to the army from Adams county in Co. A, 10th Inf., for three months, the first company from Illinois ; was mustered out and then enlisted in the 3d Mo. Cav. Mr. Miller enlisted as private, was pro- moted sergeant, 2d lieutenant, 1st lieutenant and then captain. He was in the army nearly four years, but never east of Mississippi. He was in the battle of Mt. Zion and several skirmishes, Little Rock, Saline river and Camden, and was taken prisoner but released in four days. Mr. Miller was married in 1866, to Carrie L. Hallam, and has three children, Guy H., Inez and Carl G. He was enumerator of census in Bement township.
MR. GEORGE MILLER, merchant, Bement, is a native of Delphi, In- diana, his father having built the first house in that city. He moved from Indiana to Piatt county in 1856, farming until 1861. He went into the army July 10, 1861, in Co. F, 2d Ill. Cav., enlisting as private,
385
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
but was promoted to sergeant, and also served as musician a portion of the time. He was in eighteen or twenty battles, the principal ones being Vicksburg, Ft. Gibson, Champion Hill, Raymond and Black River. He returned from the army in January, 1866, was elected sheriff and served for three years, then went into merchandising in 1870 or 1871, which he has since followed. He came to Bement in 1879. Mr. Miller was married in January, 1858, to Nellie J. Russell, and has two children, Ida and Anna, both young ladies.
MR. CHARLES MCGAFFEY, farmer, Bement, is a native of Illinois. . He came with his father to Piatt county about 1856. His father, Cor- rin McGaffey, came to this county and died here, leaving a wife and two children. Of these, Charles married Rebecca Postlethwaite and has one son, George. Mrs. McGaffey married Mr. Smith, who died, and one of their children, Effie, is living. Mrs. Smith and son own ninety-five acres of land, which they have improved.
Mr. HARVEY MULLIKIN, farmer, Bement, is a native of Kentucky, who moved to Indiana and thence to Piatt county, Illinois, in 1864. He owns 160 acres of land, upon which he has put all improvement, planting several hundred trees and getting the place all under cultiva- tion. He was married about 1830, to Emily Tucker, and has had ten children, eight of whom are living. Of these, Arthur died at the age of thirty-five years ; Rachel, who has six children, and is the wife of Mr. Deitch, lives in Indianapolis ; James M. married Nancy Kindle, has six children and lives in Wayne county, Illinois ; Maria J., mar- ried Mr. M. T. Shepherd, has two children and lives in Lovington ; John married Mollie Cannon, has two children and lives in Kansas ; Maggie is at home, and Lydia is her father's housekeeper ; Alice mar- ried Mr. George Wingate and, with two children, lives in Lovington ; Thomas is at home.
MR. JACOB MUTHERSBAUGHI, butcher, Bement, is a native of Penn- sylvania. He came directly to Bement in 1863, and for the last eight years has been butchering. He owns a house and two lots. Mr. Muthersbaugh was married in 1853, to Mary J. Bell, who died in 1876. They had five children : Sarah, at home ; James A. married Miss Hadley and lives in Bement, has one child, Mabel ; William T., David Harvey and Mary M.
Mr. EMOR H. MITCHELL, farmer, Bement, was born in Knox county, Ohio. His grandparents were among the first settlers of Ohio, and his parents, who are still living, are natives of that state. His grandfather Mitchell was a captain in the war of 1812. He was taken prisoner at
386
HISTORY OF PIATT COUNTY.
the time of Hull's surrender. Mrs. Mitchell's grandfather is still living, and quite lately, at the age of ninety-eight years, he went to Kansas all alone. Mr. Mitchell is the eldest of a family of twelve children. A family reunion was recently held in Ohio, at which nine of the chil- dren and twenty-one grandchildren were present. Mr. Mitchell was married December 13, 1860, to Emily S. Reynolds. They have had six children, Walter R., Ollie M., Lizzie M., Pauline M., Anna and little Charlie, who died recently. They moved from Ohio to Piatt county in 1864, and settled in Bement township. They have been on the present home-place for thirteen years. Not long since Mr. Mitchell went to Ohio for the purpose of buying land there, but he returned to live contentedly on Piatt county land. The farm was bought of the Illinois Central Railroad Company, and a few acres had been broken by a Mr. Bailey, who was an early settler of the township. The farm of 120 acres is now in excellent condition. One hundred and twenty-five fruit trees and 1,200 maples have been planted. The place is divided by hedges into forty-acre fields. The entire place presents a fine appear- ance, and we think Mr. Mitchell should feel paid for the work expended on the farm.
MR. H. MARTIN, wagonmaker, Bement, is a native of Kentucky, moved from there to Illinois, in 1854, locating in Moultrie county and thence came to Bement in 1862. He owns his residence and twenty acres of land in Bement. He is a member of the town board, and also of an organization known as the " Chosen Friends," organized about a year ago, which has for its object mutual insurance. Dr. Mitchell was the main mover in establishing it, and it now has a membership of forty. Mr. Martin was married in 1859, to Camilla Purvis, a native of Illinois, and they have six children : Allen, a student of Wesleyan University, has taught three terms in this county ; Joseph, Harry, Leonard, Ralph and Nellie. Mrs. Martin is also a member of the "Chosen Friends."
MR. J. C. McCORD, lumber merchant, Bement, is a native of Penn- sylvania, from which state lie moved to Illinois in 1866, and located on a farm in Bement township. In 1877 he moved into Bement, and has been in the grain and lumber business ever since. He owns an eleva- tor on the Wabash railroad, besides four lots in Bement. Mr. McCord went to the army from Pennsylvania in Co. K of the 49th Penn. reg., and was out four years. He was in fourteen battles, the principal of which were Williamsburg, Richmond, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg and the Wilderness, at which place he was wounded.
0
387
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
In 1872 Mr. McCord and Ada W. Nichols were united in mar- riage.
MR. D. C. W. NILES, grocer, Bement, moved from Philadelphia to Bourbon, Douglas county, Illinois, in 1856. His father was from Balti- more, Maryland, and was editor of the "Nile's Register " a number of years. Mr. D. C. Niles was one of a family of eight children. His brother Robert was in this county from 1860 to 1865, when he returned to Philadelphia. He moved from Douglas county to Bement, and the brothers opened a general merchandise store in 1860. Mr. D. C. Niles ' has been in the grocery business now for the past twelve years. He was married in the fall of 1861 in Ohio, to Miss Virginia Norris, a native of West Virginia. They have four children : Cora L., who graduated in the Bement high school in 1882, Chas. R., Willie and Freddie. Mr. Niles belongs to the Masonic Order, and has held offices as high as king of the chapter and warden of the blue lodge.
MR. G. C. NICHOLS, carpenter and farmer, Bement, was born in Massachusetts. He moved from there to New York, and then to Springfield, Illinois, in 1849, and "walked the length of the only rail- road in the state." He lived in Springfield two years, then came to Decatur, where in 1855 he was married, to Caroline Rowe. They had three children, none of them living. Mr. Nichols moved fromn Decatur to Bement 1856, and had charge of the carpenter work of the present Wabash road from Decatur to Danville, bringing the first depot from Decatur and putting it up in Bement. He saw the first train that came into Bement, and it ran off the track. Mr. Nichols has put up many houses in town, among them Mr. Bryant's bank and Mr. Godwin's house. He owns a house and several lots in town, and a farm of 240 acres in Bement township. He has put all the improve- ments on his farm, has it well hedged in fields, built residence and barn, and planted several thousand forest trees and two hundred fruit trees. He has two miles of tiling in, and in 1880 had an extra crop of clover seed, five busliels to the acre. Mr. Nichols has always been a strict temperance man, and voted so strongly.
MR. A. D. NEWTON, farmer, Bement, is a native of Massachusetts, and moved from there to Piatt county, Illinois, in 1866. He has been a farmer and stock-dealer most of the time since being in the broom- corn business witlı Mr. Bodman. . He owned a farm, until quite recently, of 350 acres north of Bement, putting many of the improve- ments on it. Mr. Newton has held several of the smaller offices, " belonged to the Home Guards," and is a member and director of
388
HISTORY OF PIATT COUNTY.
the agricultural society of this county. He was married in 1857, to Lavina J. Ingram, and has three children living : Ada, who married George Stadler (see his sketch), and Nellie and Walter.
MR. WILLIAM PARKER, blacksmith, Bement, was born in Jefferson, Harrison county, Ohio. He moved thence to Crawford county, Ohio, in 1831, living there in the wilderness among wolves and bears, under- going many privations, and even getting meal ground on a horse-mill. After several years a new county was formed. He was then in Wyan- dotte county, and moved to Illinois in 1854, finally settling in Piatt county. He first located in Sangamon township, near White Heath, · and partially improved 40 acres of land, bought at that time of Joseph Kee, and sold it for $600 in three years to Mr. Banghard. He left that place on account of sickness, moved to Bement in 1859, and resumed his old occupation of wagon-making and carriage business, which business he has followed for forty years. He thinks he made and finished the first wagon in the county in 1859. After following this business some fifteen years, he began dealing in implements, at which he still continues. He has lately moved his shop to the lot where the first blacksmith shop was built in the place, by J. A. Force. Mr. Parker now owns this one-half lot. He also owns six acres of land adjoining town, for which he paid $100 an acre, six lots where his residence stands and two other lots. Mr. Parker was married in Seneca county in 1843.
MR. T. T. PETTIT, hardware merchant, Bement, is a native of Pennsylvania, from which place lie moved to Ohio, and from there to Bement, Illinois, about 1855. He came west to farm for Mr. Joseph Bodman. He and Joseph Bodman made the first track from Bement to Monticello, and boarded at that place for a time until buildings were erected on the farm. He superintended the building of the first house in Bement. Mr. Pettit has lield some of the sinall offices since living in Bement ; has been a member of the town board for fifteen years. He owns a residence and lot in the town. In 1859 he was united in marriage to Lydia Hawkins, who died, leaving one daughter, Anna, who recently graduated in the Bement High School. At his second nuptials, in 1875, he married Miss Alice Webster, who had been a teacher in the Bement schools. They have two children, Ralph Everett and Lessie L.
MR. MARION PETTIT, brick mason, Bement, came to the county about the same time Mr. T. T. Pettit came, and lias seen the town of Bement reach its present size.
389
BIOGRAPHIICAL SKETCHES.
MR. THOMAS POSTLETHWAIT (deceased), carpenter, Bement, familiarly known as "Uncle Tommy," was born in Pennsylvania, moved from there to Illinois, and in 1858 to Bement. He owned a house and five lots, and nine and three-quarter acres adjoining town. He was married in 1848, to Mary Cross, and they had four children, two of whom are living. James C. died in 1870, at twenty-three years of age ; Anna was the wife of John Davis, and died in 1869. Rebecca married Charles McGaffey, lives in Bement township, and has one child, George. Sue lives with her mother. Mr. Postlethwait died in August, 1869. Even his own children called him "uncle." He was school director for years, assisted in building the Methodist church, and was one of the leading men of the place.
MR. J. S. PEAIRS, merchant, Bement, was born in Pennsylvania, 1813 ; moved from there to Ohio, thence to Wisconsin in 1838, and to Greene county, Illinois, in 1839. He came from Jersey county to Piatt county in 1870, located in Bement, and was a book-keeper until 1878, when he opened a notion store. He is also in the real estate and insurance business. The main business of his life, however, has been teaching. He owns his residence and two lots in Bement ; has been one of the board of trustees on two occasions, and has held the office of township collector for the past four years. He is also trustee and steward in the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Peairs was married in December, 1839, to Miss E. Godwin, a native of Tennessee, and they had five children, two of whom are living. Lavinia A. is the wife of Mr. H. S. Nichols, formerly a merchant in Bement, now in Ogden, and has had six children, two living. Mary died at the age of sixteen. Emily J. died aged 22; she was the wife of John Camp- bell, in Jersey county. M. Angusta married George E. Trotter, who is now a merchent in Shenandoah, Iowa.
MR. S. B. PRIESTLY, blacksmith, Bement, is a native of England. He came to America and settled in Piatt county in 1871. His father, John Priestly, lives with him in Bement. He has one sister, Mary A. Allison, also living in Bement. Mr. Priestly was married in 1879, to Miss E. J. Rhoades, and they have one child, John T. Mr. Priestly owns his résidence and two lots, and an interest in business house and lot.
MR. SMITH QUICK, Bement, was born November 20, 1816, in New York, and is the youngest of a family of eight. His parents were natives of New York, from which place they moved west. His mother died in Ohio, and his father near Crawfordsville, Indiana. Mr. Smitlı
390
HISTORY OF PIATT COUNTY.
Quick was married in Ohio December 20, 1838, to Mahala Tryon, who was born November 13, 1822. Of their children, Isaiah B., who was born in 1840, married Francis Pickens, and has five children ; Elsbary married Mrs. Elizabeth Coffin, has four children, and lives in Bement township ; Charlotte Quick, who was born in 1845, died in April 1881. Isabelle J. married Geo. Pool, of Bement; Mary Eliza married Jolin Ellars, has two children and lives in Champaign county. Frances A. became the wife of Noble Huffines, and lives near Atwood ; Jasper N., Viola F. and Cora O. are unmarried. Mr. Quick's eldest sons were both in the late war. He was one of the very first settlers in Bement township. He built a house on his farm in a year after he came to the county and lived there until he moved to Bement. He moved back to - his farm again, but in 1874 located again in Bement, where he now resides.
MR. JAMES QUICK, farmer, Bement, is a native of Unity township, and owns 120 acres of land in Bement township. He has put most of the improvements on the place. Mr. Quick, formerly a student of Merom, Indiana, was married March 28, 1878, to Anna Bryson, a student of the State Normal, and who had taught nearly eight years in the county. One daughter, Maud Lillis, blesses their union. Mr. Quick went to the army for a year when quite young, but was soon more anxious to get out of than he had been to enter the war.
MRS. JAMES ROUTH, née Margaret Fergeson, physician, Bement, was born in Bedford county, Virginia. She is of English and Scotch descent. Her parents moved from Virginia to near Whitewater river in Indiana. Their next move was to Cincinnati, in which city Margaret married Dr. James Routh in 1840. Dr. Routh made several moves after his marriage, and finally settled in Springfield, Illinois. He next moved to Decatur, where he lived until his death. During the war he went out to service as a surgeon and was sent to Milligan's Bend, where he died of malarial and typhoid fever. Dr. Routh was a graduate of the Eclectic College in Cincinnati. Mrs. Routh also attended this college in Cincinnati. She moved to Bement about 1865. Her three sons are practicing physicians and her daughter married a physician. Dr. James W. Routh, who graduated in St. Louis, married Fannie Devore, has one daughter, and is a resident of ·St. Paul. George E., a graduate of Miami College, Cincinnati, married Mary Webb, has one daughter, and lives in Austin, Texas. Fannie P. is the wife of Dr. N. N. Vance, a successful physician of Bement. He is also a graduate of Miami College, Cincinnati. Three
391
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
children have blessed their union. Walter Routh married Lottie Ray, and is a practicing physician in Fort Worth, Texas. Mrs. Routh is all estimable lady, has good success in her practice, and is probably the only resident lady physician who has ever been in this county.
DR. W. S. RUBY, druggist and physician, Bement, was born in Springfield, Illinois. He moved from Decatur to Bement in 1870, and began practicing in the homeopathic school, and is still the only physician of that school in Bement. He graduated in 1870 from the Homeopathic Medical College of St. Louis, and also studied three years under Dr. Sibley, of Decatur. His practice extends throughout the county. He went to the army in Co. I, 7th Ill. Cav., remaining four and a half years. He was in the battles of Belmont, Corinth, (first and second); Fort Henry and various skirmishes, being taken prisoner twice. 'He enlisted as a private, but was discharged, and the rest of the time served as scout and spy. Dr. Ruby was married in August, 1866, to Eliza Rickets, and has three children, J. M., William and Emma.
MR. VIRGIL S. RUBY, grain merchant and farmer, Bement, is a native of Knox county, Indiana. His grandfather was in the war of 1812. His parents were natives of Kentucky. Mr. Ruby came to Sangamon county, Illinois, in 1843. He was married in that county, to Mary A. Crane, in 1858. Her parents came to Illinois when young, and were married in this state. Mr. and Mrs. Ruby have two children, William, a student of the Wesleyan University of Blooming- ton, and Ada. Mr. Ruby owns a nice residence in Bement, and is rapidly improving the place. He also owns a farm in Cerro Gordo township. He is one of the influential men of Bement, and at present is supervisor of Bement township.
MR. A. W. RINGLAND, pastor of the Presbyterian church, Bement, is a native of Pennsylvania, and moved with his father's family to Iowa. His grandfather, Col. Thomas Ringland, was in the war of 1812, and about 1830 was speaker of the house in the Pennsylvania senate. He was a "Scotch-Irishman, an ardent democrat and a plodding reader." The subject of our sketch graduated at Center College, Danville, Kentucky, in 1872, and in September of the same year entered the Seminary of the Northwest, at which school he graduated in 1875, and in 1880-81 took a post-graduate course. His first pastorate was at Dubuque, Iowa, and he canie from Tuscola to Bement, his third pastorate. He was united in marriage April 29, 1875, to Miss E. H. Potter, a native of Cleveland, Ohio, and a
392
HISTORY OF PIATT COUNTY.
graduate of a seminary at Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. One daughter, Mamie C., has blessed their union.
MR. PETER RUSH, farmer, Bement, is a native of Ireland, who came to America about 1837, and about 1852 located in Piatt county. He owns 120 acres of land, upon which he has put all the improve- ments. He married Mary Gallard, in 1852, and has had five children, Celia, the wife of Edward Monohan, Bridget, John, Mary and Peter.
MR. JOHN RAY, farmer, Ivesdale, came from Ireland, his native country, to America, in 1853, and in 1856 located in Piatt county. He now owns 120 acres of land, which he has improved himself. Mr. Ray was married November 28, 1843, to Margaret Anderson, and has nine children living. Of these, James is unmarried, Eliza married Pat Butler, Mary married Louis Sharer, and lives in Livingston county; John, William, Anna, Samuel, Robert and David L. are still at home.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.