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 52
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
George Lodge lives on ; Aaron Phillips, born in May, 1826, died after moving to Iowa ; Martha Phillips, born Jannary 12, 1828, became the wife of Jno. Barnes, while hier twin sister, Hannah Retta, married Noah Piatt, and died in California. Mr. Abraham Marquiss, with his own family and the persons just mentioned, all moved into a cabin about 12x14 feet, which stood on the site of William Piatt's present residence, and remained there for near two months until another cabin was erected. Some sleeping was done in the wagons, in order to have room for the entire company of about twenty-one. In the spring another cabin, moved from where Ezra Marquiss now lives, was added to the two already in use; and too, the family was divided up some- what before the next summer. About 1836 Mr. Abraham Marquiss built a two-story liewed log house right where Mrs. Mary Jane Mar- quiss' present residence stands. He moved there and remained until about a year before his wife died, when they broke up housekeeping and went to live with their daughter Clarinda. After his wife's death
he remained at the residence' of William H. Piatt until his death in 1859. He was a successful farmer, and assisted all of his children to obtain a home. He was a practicing physician, a soldier in the war of 1812 in his young days, and after moving to Piatt county was justice of the peace for a time and became one of the most influential men of the county. He was married about 1809 in Olio, to Elizabeth Barnes, a native of Pennsylvania. They raised seven children, of whom Ezra Marquiss Sr. (see his sketch) is the oldest ; for John Marquiss see his sketch ; William Marquiss was never married, and died in Missouri ; Clarinda married William Piatt (see his sketch) ; Charles Marquiss married Elizabeth E. Hubbart, lived for a number of years in Goose Creek township, and then mnoved. to Missouri, where he now lives. Of their children, Nancy married Henry Moffett and lives in Missouri. The names of the other children are Ellen, Henry, Isaac, Clara, Ells- worth, Eddie and Edna; Elizabeth Marquiss married Mr. Samuel Bender, and died leaving one daughter, Effie ; Henry Marquiss, at the time of his deatlı, was on his father's old home-place.
MR. EZRA MARQUISS, sr., was born in Ohio June 11, 1813,, and when twenty years old emigrated with his father to what is now Goose Creek township, Piatt county, in which part of the county he has lived ever since. Previous to leaving Ohio, he had formed an attachment for the person Ann Maria Norris, who afterward became his wife. The young ladies in this then new country did not efface this early attachment, so that it was not long after he had moved here ere he
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HISTORY OF PIATT COUNTY.
the delusion that nearly all early settlers labored under ; he thought he would have grazing ground for stock for a lifetime. Mr. Langdon has been assessor, supervisor and county treasurer.
MR. LUBBERT LUBBERS, farmer, De Land, was born in Hanover, Germany. He came to America in 1868 and settled in Mason county. From there he moved to Logan county, and in 1878 settled on the place he now lives on in Piatt county. He owns 240 acres of land, upon which he is putting improvements all the time. A new house was built in 1881, and over a mile of tile ditching has been done. The entire farm is rapidly growing better. Mr. Lubbers was married in Logan county, to Anna Wiegers, a native of Hanover, Germany. When Mrs. Lubbers came to America her friends were all sick of typhoid fever, and her mother died on the way. They have five children : Ella M., Reemt, Dinah, Lubbert and Isaac. Mr. Lubbers is a hard working and energetic farmer. In 1881, 150 acres of corn averaged forty bushels to the acre. In 1880 he sold 4,200 bushels of corn, besides feeding some to a good many hogs.
MR. ABRAHAM MARQUISS, SR., was born in Virginia, January 5, 1789. His father, William Marquiss, was of English descent and was born in Virginia, August 9, 1766, and married Sarah Peters, of Irish descent, who was born December 25, 1765. The following names of their children were taken from their family bible : Hannah, born Sep- tember 5, 1787 ; Abraham ; Anna, born 1790, and died in 1791 ; Eliza- beth, who was born June 28, 1792, and died October 1, 1812 ; Sarah, born May 26, 1794 ; Martha, born April 21, 1793 ; Hester, born Feb- ruary 3, 1800 ; Ianna, born February 14, 1803 ; William, born Febru- ary 3, 1807, and Permelia, born July 3, 1809. Of these children, the subject of this sketch, and Permelia, the youngest of the family, came to what is now Piatt county in October of 1833. Mr. George Barnes, Mr. Marquiss' brother-in-law, came to the county at the same time, with the following children : William, John, Elizabeth, Mary and Sarah. He was again married in 1834 and moved to near where Wm. Foster now lives. By his last wife he had the following children after he moved to De Witt county : Henry, Rebecca, Hannah and George. The children of Mr. Austin Phillips, who married Mr. Marquiss' sis- ter, also came out west with the families mentioned. They were raised by Mr. Abraham Marquiss. Henry Phillips, born in Decem- ber, 1819, married Sarah Karr, and lived a number of years on the place Frank Lodge lives on ; he now lives in Missouri ; Joseph Phil- lips, born February 13, 1821, married and lived on the place Mr.
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
George Lodge lives on ; Aaron Phillips, born in May, 1826, died after moving to Iowa ; Martha Phillips, born January 12, 1828, became the wife of Jno. Barnes, while her twin sister, Hannah Retta, married Noah Piatt, and died in California. Mr. Abraham Marquiss, with his own family and the persons just mentioned, all moved into a cabin about 12x14 feet, which stood on the site of William Piatt's present residence, and remained there for near two months until another cabin was erected. Some sleeping was done in the wagons, in order to have room for the entire company of about twenty-one. In the spring
another cabin, moved from where Ezra Marquiss now lives, was added to the two already in use; and too, the family was divided up some- what before the next summer. About 1836 Mr. Abraham Marquiss built a two-story hewed log house right where Mrs. Mary Jane Mar- quiss' present residence stands. He moved there and remained until about a year before his wife died, when they broke up housekeeping and went to live with their daughter Clarinda. After his wife's death he remained at the residence of William H. Piatt until his death in 1859. He was a successful farmer, and assisted all of his children to obtain a home. He was a practicing physician, a soldier in the war of 1812 in his young days, and after moving to Piatt county was justice of the peace for a time and became one of the most influential men of the county. He was married about 1809 in Ohio, to Elizabeth Barnes, a native of Pennsylvania. They raised seven children, of whom Ezra Marquiss Sr. (see his sketch) is the oldest ; for John Marquiss see his sketch ; William Marquiss was never married, and died in Missouri ; Clarinda married William Piatt (see his sketch) ; Charles Marquiss married Elizabeth E. Hubbart, lived for a number of years in Goose Creek township, and then moved.to Missouri, where he now lives. Of their children, Nancy married Henry Moffett and lives in Missouri. The names of the other children are Ellen, Henry, Isaac, Clara, Ells- worth, Eddie and Edna; Elizabeth Marquiss married Mr. Samuel Bender, and died leaving one daughter, Effie ; Henry Marquiss, at the time of his death, was on his father's old home-place.
MR. EZRA MARQUISS, sr., was born in Ohio June 11, 1813,, and when twenty years old emigrated with his father to what is now Goose Creek township, Piatt county, in which part of the county he has lived ever since. Previous to leaving Ohio, he had formed an attachment for the person Ann Maria Norris, who afterward became his wife. The young ladies in this then new country did not efface this early attachment, so that it was not long after he had moved here ere he
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HISTORY OF PIATT COUNTY.
who married Curtis Borton in 1877, has three children, Bertie, Donn and Emma Florence. Mr. Borton owns eighty acres of land in Goose Creek township upon which a new house was built in 1881. Mr. McMillen's next two children, Mary Estelle and Lulu B., died when small. The names of the other children are Ezra Tho., Marquiss, Frank, Fred and Maud. Mr. McMillen went to the late war in Co. C of the 107th Ill. Inf. and was in several battles, the principal of which being those at Huft's Ferry, Campbell's Station, and Knoxville. He returned January 6, 1864, having received no wounds but suffered much from sickness. Mr. McMillen is recognized throughout the neighborhood as a genial, jovial man, and he makes friends wherever he goes.
MR. GEORGE E. McMILLEN, farmer, is a native of Indiana, from which state he moved to Piatt county, Illinois. He soon moved to Champaign county, but returned to Piatt county in 1880. He owns 100 acres of land in Goose Creek township, upon which he has begun making improvements. He was married in 1875, to Tina Letherman, a native of Indiana, and who came to Illinois in 1873. They have had four children, three of whom are living, Wilber G., Gertrude A. and Rolla C. Mr. McMillen is school director at the present time (1881).
MR. JAMES G. MINER, farmer, Monticello, was reared in Ross county, Ohio, his parents having moved to that place when he was two years old. His father was a "Yankee " and his mother was reared on the Mohawk river in New York. His parents finally moved to Wisconsin, where his mother died, but his father went on to Kansas, where he died. The subject of our sketch moved from Ross county to Ohio direct to Piatt county in 1856, and settled on Mr. Samuel Suver's place. He afterward moved on to what is now the poor-farm, and after living there a time, the county arranged for his keeping the poor, and rented half of the present poor-farm to him. He owned the other half, but the county bought him out. He was the first person to keep a poor-farm in the county. Previous to this time the poor had auctioned
off to the lowest bidder. At this time there were but four poor people on the county. The present poor-house was built after Mr. Miner left the farm. He moved onto his farm in Goose Creek township about 1865. He bought 242 acres of land, most of which belonged to Mr. Abraham Collins, an early settler in the township. He has made some improvements on the place, such as planting of trees, and clearing and cultivating the land. He was married in Ohio on April 26, 1836, to Emeline R. Fleming, a native of Delaware. They have six children.
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Ann became the wife of James Herrington, of Monticello, and has three children ; her eldest son, Clinton, was first married to Millina Cothrine ; he next married a Miss Woolington, has one child and lives . in Galesville ; Frank Herrington married Maud Meredith, and is living in Galesville ; Mary is the wife of Mr. William McIntosh; Ira Miner married Mary A. Bruffet, and has the following named children : Emma, Amanda, Fannie, Sarah A., Jim, Mary A. and Roy. He has lived for a number of years in Goose Creek township, but recently moved to Willow Branch township, where he owns eighty acres of land. Albert Miner married Amelia Wiley ; Richard Miner married Miss Stewart, and lives in Sangamon township; Charles Miner married Mary Shaffer, and has three children, Olga, Fent and Samuel; Miss Eliza Miner is still at home.
MR. R. B. MOODY, grain merchant, De Land, is a native of. Ohio, from which state his parents moved to De Witt county in 1855. In 1868 Mr. Moody moved to Piatt county, and lived for a time on Mr. Calef's place. In 1870 he moved on to what is now Mr. Samuel Reed's place, and in the fall of 1873 he moved into De Land, and built the first store building in the town. He was married in 1868, to Rumina M. Hassinger, of Ohio. They had no children of their own, but adopted four of his and his wife's brother's and sister's children. Mr. Moody has held his share of offices-if one who does his duty in them ever does have his share. He has been overseer of highways, school director, constable, assessor, notary public, township treasurer and justice of the peace. He went to the army in Co. E of the 20th Ill. Inf., and was out from 1861 to 1864. The principal battles in which he engaged were those at Fredericktown, Fort Henry, Fort Donelson and Shiloh, at which place he was wounded. When asked if he was an officer in the army he replied : "Oh, yes, yes ; I was high private in the rear rank."
MR. HENRY S. MCFADDEN, farmer, De Land, was born in 1817, in Scott county, Pennsylvania, and is of Scotch and Irish descent. He moved from Pennsylvania to Illinois, and after a year or two of moving about settled in 1857 in Monticello. When a boy lie learned the saddler trade, and after coming to Monticello pursued that in addition to that of house painting. In 1867 he moved onto the place of 240 acres, on which he now lives. He has done much to improve the place since moving onto it. At least 500 trees have been planted, and the whole place looks in fine condition. Mr. McFadden was married in 1841, in Pennsylvania, to Mary A. Mechling. Her mother was a
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HISTORY OF PIATT COUNTY.
descendant of Gen. Broadhead, who played his part in the revolution- ary war, and her grandfather was in the war of 1812. Eight of Mr. McFadden's children are still living. John M., who went to the late war in Capt. Musser's Company, from this county, is now in Kansas. Fannie married Wm. Boyer, who was in the army and came near starving to death in Andersonville, and others of the rebel prisons, and, with one little girl, lives in Atwood, Kansas. Saralı A. Mc McFadden, lives with an aunt in Pennsylvania. Louise married Mr. W. T. Bean, and lives in Farmer City. Arthur, a fine young man, and the pride of the family, died in 1879, while engaged as a telegraph operator in Danville. Emma, Harry, Juliette and Franklin are at home.
MR. GEORGE MCBRIDE, farmer, De Land, was born in Maryland, in 1802. He moved to Ohio, and from there to Illinois in 1853 ; and about 1868 he settled in Piatt county. He bought 160 acres of land near De Land, and has lived on it ever since. He was married in Maryland, to Sophia Wisinon, who died leaving four children, three of whom are living. He next married Eliza Long, who died leaving six children. Mr. McBride is now living with one of his children. Mr. Jacob McBride married Catharine Kelly, has six children, and lives in Goose Creek township. Susan, the wife of John Frazer, lives in Nebraska. Henry married Melinda Kelly, and lives in Goose Creek township. Sophia, the wife of Geo. Bevard, lives in Missouri. Mary Ann married Geo. Race, lives in Goose Creek township, and has two children. Philip McBride was married in 1864, to Mary H.
Mr. McBride's Johnson, a native of Pennsylvania. Two of their three children,
George, Franklin and Mary Catharine, are living. farm of 120 acres has a good house and barn on it, and withal presents a very neat and attractive appearance. Lavina McBride is the wife of Reuben Abbott, of Missouri, and has one child. Eliza is the wife of Louis C. Marvel, of Goose Creek township. David married Nellie Fullenrider, has two children, and lives in Goose Creek township.
MR. R. W. MERRY, blacksmith, De Land, was born in Canada, and is of English and Irish extraction. He came from Canada to Piatt county in 1862. He lived in Monticello four years, moved about in the state somewhat, and went back to Canada once, but for the last seven years has been in De Land. He has worked, too, at the United States armory at Springfield, Massachusetts, since leaving Canada. He was married in 1864, to Rebecca P. Farr, a native of Canada, and
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has had four children, Ralph Ward, Maurice M., Bertie O. and Mary E. Dora.
MR. LEWIS C. MARVEL, farmer, is a native of Fulton county, Illi- nois. He came to Piatt county in 1869. Has lived at his present home for twelve years. He was married in 1868, to Eliza McBride. and has three children, Lillie May, Geo. Wm. and Chas. W. Mr. Marvel went to the army from Iowa, in Co. G, 4th Iowa reg.
MR. WM. S. MARTIN, farmer, Weldon, is a native of Putnam county, Indiana, who moved to Illinois in 1861. About the year of 1867 he located in Piatt county, where, in the southwestern corner of Goose Creek township, he owns 160 acres of land, upon which he has put most of the improvements. He has a fine looking farm, his residence, a nice eight-room frame house, built in 1881, stands on a little knoll which gives a fine view of the country around. He was married in 1866, to Jane M. Chandler, and their union has been blessed by six chil- dren, five of whom are living : Hettie May, Oliver, Edgar, Winfred B. and Manford. Mr. Martin went to the army in 1862, from DeWitt county, in Co. R of the 107th Ill. Inf., and remained until 1865.
MR. GEORGE MEYER, farmer, De Land, is a native of Germany, from which country he emigrated to America in 1868. After coming to Illinois, he first settled in Peoria, but in 1880 he moved to Piatt county, where he owns eighty acres of land, upon which he has begun adding improvements to those already there. He was married to Ger- trude Hendricks, and has five children living : Herman married Anna Morris ; Henry is living at home ; Louise is the wife of Nanke Radna- ker, has two sons, and lives in Logan county ; Teis married Anna Rodenback, has four children, and lives in Logan county ; Albert married Louise Sank, and lives in Logan county. Mr. Meyer and son Henry have already shown that they are going to be successful farmers in the county. Forty-five acres of their corn averaged seventy-five bushels to the acre in 1881.
MR. M. D. MARVEL, farmer, De Land, moved from Ohio, lis native state, to Fulton county, Illinois. From there he moved to Piatt county in 1867, and settled on the farm where he now lives. He owns eighty acres of land, upon which he has put all the improvements. About 500 trees have been planted ; 350 rods of underground ditch have been made ; there is at least one mile of hedge planted, and the present residence was built in 1875. He has raised quite good corn crops. Two years ago he raised corn that brought ninety bushels to the acre. It was planted by hand, two grains at a time, in hills twenty
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HISTORY OF PIATT COUNTY.
inches apart. Mr. Marvel was married in 1856, to Mary Standard. Six of their seven children are living: Vina, Alice, Huldah, Hettie, Maud and Maurice. Mr. Marvel has been school director for twelve or fourteen years.
MR. H. G. PORTER, merchant, De Land, is a native of Fulton county, Illinois, and is of Scotch and Irish lineage. He was married in 1868, to Eldora Carter, of Fulton county, and has four children : Estella, Maggie, Joseph C. and Clyde. In 1874 he moved onto a farm in Piatt county, and in 1877 he began business as a merchant in De Land. Mr. Porter went to the late war from Fulton county, in Co. K of the 7th Ill. Cav. He was out two years, and was in the engagements at Frank- lin, Columbia and Nashville, at which place lie was wounded.
MR. JAMES REID, farmer, Lodge, is a native of Ohio, Pickaway county, from which place he moved to Piatt county, October, 12, 1856, and wintered in a cabin on Bender's place. He located on his present farm of seventy-six acres, in 1867. He was married in Ohio, January 1, 1850, to Margaret Adkins. Their union has been blessed by six chil- dren, three of whom are living: Melina died after being of age ; Nel- son, who married Kate Emig, has three children, and lives in Monti- cello ; Aregzene and George are still living at home.
MR. WILLIAM ROBISON, farmer, Monticello, is of Irish descent, and a native of Pickaway county, Ohio. He came to Piatt county in 1861, but in 1863 returned to Olio. In 1873 he again came to Piatt county, and located in Willow Branch township. He now owns 110 acres of land in Goose Creek township, upon which he has made enough in the last five years to pay for the farm and have $1,000 besides. He was married in 1855, to Amanda Crawford, a native of Ohio, and has seven children living, G. F., Charles, William, Seymour, Clement V., Josie B. and Allen. Mr. Robison was one of the pioneer cattle drivers, who used to drive cattle through this section of the country as early as 1851. His grandfather was one of the revolutionary soldiers.
MR. JOSEPH H. RANKIN, farmer, is a native of Ohio. He moved from that state in 1856 or 1857, to Illinois, coming to Piatt county from De Witt county in about 1864. He owns forty acres of land in Goose Creek township. He was married in 1867, to Emma Brown, and has one son, James Floy.
MR. JAMES RHINEHART, a native of Virginia, moved to Ohio, and from there to Macon county, where he has lived ever since, with the exception of two years' residence in Cerro Gordo. Two of his sons are now living in Goose Creek township. J. H. Rhinehart married Mary
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Miles, and has two children living, Alice and Roy. He came to De Land in 1875, and in 1879 moved onto a farm. He was in the late war, in the 116th Ill. Inf., for three years. Mr. I. L. Rhinehart came to De Land, Piatt county, in 1875. He was married in 1878, to Asenath J. McCauce, of Fulton county, and has one child. He was in the boot and shoe and grocery business until 1879, when he began keeping a hardware and grocery store. He is now deputy post- master, and was town clerk for two years.
MR. SAMUEL RIDDICK, farmer, De Land, is a native of Scotland, who came to America in 1853, locating in Piatt county in 1875. He owns 240 acres of land, which he bought already improved. He was mar- ried to Mary A. Mclaughlin in 1852, and they have seven children living: William is at home; Charles married Mary Parr, and has one child, Harry ; Mary J. married Alexander Allen, and lives in De Witt county ; John is in Iowa ; George, the third son, Samuel and James are at home.
MR. SAM'L H. SMITHI, farmer, Cisco, is a native of Wayne county, Illinois. From there he moved to Piatt county in 1877. At that time he settled on the place of 160 acres where he now lives. It was prin- cipally improved, but he has put in a good deal of tiling since settling on the place. In the year of 1879, 120 acres of corn averaged 45 bushels to the acre. Mr. Smith was married in 1865, to Barbara E. Altic, a native of Logan county, Illinois. They have had seven chil- dren, all of whom are living : Abraham, Hannaretta, Martha, Samuel, Edna May, Amy Olive and James Garfield. Mr. Smith went to the army in August, 1861, in Co. G of the 26th Ill., and was out until July, 1865. He took part in the battles at Iuka, Corinth, Chattanooga, Resaca, Lookout Mountain, and those of the Atlanta campaign. He was slightly wounded once, but was never taken prisoner.
MR. FLAVIOUS J. STOTTLEMYER, farmer, De Land, is a native of Maryland, from which state he moved to Piatt county, Illinois, in 1874. His father owns 160 acres of land in the county, which Mr. Flavious Stottlemyer improved, and upon which he lives with his sister Ruth. A good deal of open ditching has been done on the farm, and the place has yielded fair crops. The corn crop of 1881 averaged forty bushels to the acre.
MR. W. O. TRENCHARD, farmer, Monticello, was born in New York in 1830. From that state he moved to Michigan, where he remained three years, and in 1848 came to Illinois, but did not come to Piatt county until 1864 or 1865. He was married August 23, 1852,
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HISTORY OF PIATT COUNTY.
to Mary Lyons, and has had seven children : Mary, the wife of John Tatman, of Goose Creek township, has four children, Ella, Fannie, George and Oliver. Ella married Robert Bragg, of the same town- ship, and has two children, Willie and Lena; Joseph Trenchard graduated at the State Normal in 1880, and is now principal of the public school at Windsor; Wm. H., Francis, Sarah and George are at home. Mr. Trenchard has not escaped all the township offices. He was town clerk for several years.
MR. RICHARD TILSON, blacksmith, De Land, was born in Canada, and is of English descent. He came to Illinois in 1867, and in 1869 settled in Piatt county. In 1873 he moved the first dwelling in De Land, and began work in a shop, and, with the exception of two years on a farm, has lived in the place ever since. He was married in 1863, to Nancy J. Currier, of Canada, who died in 1878, leaving three chil- dren, two of whom, Walter N. and Winnie Elnor, are living. He took for his second wife the widow of Joseph Marsh, who had three children, George, Catharine and Alzina. Since her last marriage she has had two children, Rosella and an infant.
MR. JOHN VAIL, De Land, moved from Ohio, his native state, to Piatt county in 1859. He settled first in Goose Creek township, where he has lived most of the time since. He moved into and built the first dwelling house in De Land, and built about the first store building in the place. He owned property, five lots, before moving into town. He was married in 1861, to Mary E. Drais, and has had five children, four of whom are living : Arminda married Jno. R. Harrison in 1881, and Ida became the wife of Louis Mathews the same year. The names of the other children are Mary Susan, Lucinda and Laura.
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