USA > Illinois > Pike County > History of Pike County, Illinois : together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships, educational, religious, civil, military, and political history, portraits of prominent persons and biographies of representative citizens > Part 37
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HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
farm on sec. 16 and carried on farming until 1877; sold the farm in 1879 and bonght a flouring will in Chambersburg which he now operates. Mr. L. has served as Supervisor for several years : also as Road Commissioner, Collector and School Director. The pres- ent fine school building was built under the administration of Mr. Loer while he was Director. Mr. and Mrs. L. are members of the Christian Church, and Mr. L. belongs to the Masonic fraternity.
Frank Marden is one of the leading and enterprising citizens of Pike county. Residence, Chambersburg.
Mark Mc Ginnis was born in East Tennessee in 1823. His father, David, was a native of Tennessee, and his mother, Sarah, a native of Virginia. When he was 9 or 10 years of age he moved with his parents to Indiana, living there six years; then came to Morgan county, Ill., and then to Pike in 1844 and located at Chambersburg. He followed coopering 16 years, and in 1842 married Mary Bushfield, who was born in 1828 in Kentucky. They had 7 children, only one of whom is living, Thomas B. Mr. McG. is now farming and has considerable property. Mr. and Mrs. McG. are members of the Christian Church.
Henry Metz was born in this county in 1842; his father, Benj. B., was born in Maryland in 1806, and his mother, Jane Metz, was born in Ohio in 1812. In 1871 Henry married Alvira Morrison, who was born in this county in 1855; of their 4 children 3 are living. Mr. M. is a farmer, his land lying adjoining the town of Chambersburg. Mr. M. served 4 years in the late war, first in Co. L., then transferred to Co. I, 10th Ill. Cav .; was mustered out in 1865 at San Antonio, Texas. In 1864 he was taken prisoner by Joseph Shelby; was held for 14 days and then paroled, and was ex- changed in 6 months. Mrs. M. is a Methodist.
James L. Metz, son of Benj. B. Metz, was born in this county Jan. 27, 1834. His father moved from Maryland to Virginia, where he married Miss Jane Lawson. They came to Pike county in 1833, and became one of the first and most influential settlers of Chambersburg township. He died April 9, 1870. James L. married Emily Morris, daughter of John and Emily Morris, of Pike county.
Dr. John W. Murphy, son of John, a native of Vermont, and of Nancy, a native of Ohio, was born in Highland county, O., in 1844. His father died Jan. 10, 1845, in Ohio; in 1850 his mother removed to Indiana and then back to Ohio. During the late war he enlisted in Co. II, 39th O. V. I .; was in the battle of Corinth, was in the siege of Vicksburg, then at Chattanooga and in the Atlanta cam- paign and through to the sea and around by Washington, and was mustered out at Louisville, Ky .; then came home and learned the cooper's trade and milling business. The Doctor came to Pike county in 1869; commenced the study of medicine in 1871, and attended the American College at St. Louis, Mo .; in 1874 he located in Chambersburg and commenced the practice of medicine; in 1877-'8 attended medical college and returned home. continuing his profession. In 1876 he married Annie Lockerbie Thompson,
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HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
who was born in 1851 in Cincinnati, O., and who was a teacher. She is a member of the M. E. Church.
Augustus Myers was born in 1819 in Baden, Germany. His parents were Andone and Catherine Myers, both natives of Ger- many. Ile emigrated to America in 1846, worked in Cincinnati 8 years by the month, then in this county to 1858, when he married Louise Carterman, who was born in 1829, in Lippe Detmold, Ger- many, who came to this country in 1857. Of their S children 7 are living. Mr. M. has been very successful in farming, now hav- ing 300 aeres of nice land, see. 19. He and his wife are members of the Lutheran Church at Perry. P. O., Chambersburg.
Thomas J. Smith, of the firm of Smith & Hobbs, wagon and carriage manufacturers, was born in 1835 in Clarke county, Ind., a son of Nicholas W. and Susan E. Smith, the former born in Kentucky, the latter in Vermont. In 1852 he married Margaret T. Montgomery, who was born in 1837, also in Clarke county, Ind. Of their 10 children only 5 are living. Mr. S. studied and practiced medieine 4 years in Indiana, and since 1871 he has practiced med- icine and been connected with the carriage manufactory at Cham- bersburg. From 1863 to 1865 he served in Co. I, 40th Ind. Vet. Vol. Inf .; fought in the battles of Pulaski, Columbia, Spring Hill, Franklin, Tenn. (where he was wounded), Nashville, and in the whole campaign after Gen. Hood. Mr. and Mrs. S. are Methodists, and he is an Odd Fellow.
Valentine Smith was born in 1819 in Baden, Germany, near the river Rhine; his parents, Vincent and Mary, were also natives of Baden. He crossed the sea in a sail vessel, landing at New Orleans; then went to Cineinnati, and in 1855 he came to this county, where he has lived ever since, a prosperous farmer, owning 373 acres of good binff land. In 1848 Mr. S. married Martha Thrasher, who was born in 1830 in Hamilton county, Ohio, and of their twelve children nine are living. Mr. and Mrs. S. are mem- bers of the Christian Church, reside on see. 30, and their postoffice is Chambersburg.
George L. Thompson, blacksmith, Chambersburg, was born in Woodford county, Ky., son of William and Elizabeth Thompson, the former a native of Pennsylvania, and the latter of Scotland; in 1833 he emigrated to Indianapolis with his grand-parents, and the next year with his parents, to Perry township, in this county; in the spring of 1835 he left his parents, returning to Indianapolis, where he learned his trade; in the fall of 1855 he settled at Chambersburg, where he has since followed his trade. In 1845 he married Hannah S. O'Harrow, who was born June 20, 1829, in Hamilton county, Ohio, and they have had six children. Being an early comer to this wild West, Mr. T. has often seen large packs of wolves and killed many a deer. One day when well on his way home with a deer on horseback, the wolves attacked him, and he was compelled to abandon his booty and seek safety. The wolves devoured the deer with characteristic greed. Mr.
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HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
Thompson used to go to the town of Perry to buy such things as were kept for sale in an old log hut 12 feet square, kept by Joseph King, who was an old bachelor, and cooked, ate and sold goods in the same room. His wife is a Methodist.
Franklin Todd was born in 1825 in Bourbon county, Ky .: his father, John P., was born in Vermont, and his mother, Mary, in Pennsylvania; his father died in 1827, and in 1832 he accompanied his mother to their new home in Chambersburg, when there were but two cabins there, occupied by James and John Fike. In 1843 Mr. Todd married Lucretia Draper, who was born in Scott county, Ill., in 1825, the daughter of Samuel and Huldah Draper, her father a native of Massachusetts, and her mother, of Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. T. have had 11 children, 7 of whom are living. From 1840 to 1855 Mr. T. followed coopering in Chambersburg, part of the time when there were 40 coopers at work. Since that time he has been a successful farmer, and now owns 160 acres of land. Twelve years ago he was $4,000 in debt, but has now paid it all. He has been School Director and Road Commissioner. Ile and his wife are members of the Christian Church, and are public-spirited, worthy citizens.
Robert Todd was born in Bourbon county, Ky., in 1819, son of John and Mary Todd, natives of Maryland and Sonth Carolina, respectively. His father died in 1828, and in 1832 he came with his mother to this county. In 1843 he married Margaret Edwards, who was born in 1824 in Greenup county, Ky .; they have had '3 children. Mr. T. now owns 120 acres of good land on sec. 5, besides other valuable property; he has been Constable, Tax Col- lector, School Trustee and Director, and was in the Mormon war. In his early day here Indian trails were sometimes his only guide in traveling over the country, and for two years St. Louis was his trading post. P. O., Chambersburg.
Eli D. Tucker was born in 1857 at Sutton, Worcester Co., Mass., son of Ebenezer and Elizabeth T., the former a native of Rhode Island, and the latter of Massachusetts; both his parents dying while he was very young, he was bound out at the age of 7, but at the age of fourteen, being maltreated, he ran off to West Warren, Mass., where he worked at $10 a month on a farm; commencing in 1871, he worked two years in a rubber manufactory; in 1874 he came to Illinois, worked on a farm and repairing telegraph wires on the O. & M. R. R .; in 1877 he became an employee at the Perry Mineral Springs; Nov. 8. 1878, he began to learn the black- smith's trade under Frank Marden, of this place, and is doing well.
James T. Varner was born in 1830 in Morgan county, Ill., son of John and Sarah ( Wood) Varner, natives of Kentucky, and of German ancestry. He came to this county in 1849 and now owns 90 acres on sec. 6, and is a farmer and cooper. In 1850 he mar- ried Nancy Hanks, and they have one son and three daughters living. Mr. V. has been Road Commissioner and is a Democrat P. O., Chambersburg.
417
HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
Wm. W. Winegar was born in this place (Chambersburg) in 1844, son of John and Freelove Winegar, his father a native of Massachusetts and his mother of Ohio; he served three years in the army, in Co. F, 99th Ill. Inf., being in the siege of Vicksburg, etc .; transferred to the Army of the Gulf; was wounded at Fort Gibson. In 1866 he married Mary E. Breden, and they had one child, which died in infancy; Mrs. W. died in 1867, and in 1874 Mr. W. married Clarinda Jones, who was born in Brown county, Ill., in 1851, and they have had one son. Since 1865 Mr. Winegar has followed blacksmithing, with fair success. He and his wife are members of the Christian Church.
Dr. Henry R. Walling was born March 28, 1836, in Orange county, Ind., son of James and Catherine Walling, the former a native of Tennessee, and the latter of Orange county, Ind. In 1852 the subject of this sketch came with his parents to Coles county, Ill., and in February, 1854, they moved to this county. Sept. 12, 1863, Henry R. was married by T. M. Hess, at Homer Ill., to Miss S. S. Gaston, who was born Aug. 18, 1840, in Lawrence county, Ill. Her migrations were: at the age of three months she was taken to Cinncinnati, in 1850 to Paducah, in 1861 to Douglas county, Ill., and in 1863 to Homer, Campaign Co., Ill. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. W. first settled at Arcola, Douglas Co., where he followed preaching for a while; ¡ but he took to the study of medicine, which he pursued with zeal while working his way at manual labor; in 1866 he attended medical college in Ohio, and then went to Mt. Vernon, Ill., where he clerked in a drug store; he then went to Bridgeport, where he had a driving practice; but health failing, he went to Ætna, Ill., where also he had a large practice, and in 1870 he settled at Perry in this county, where he again preached the gospel as well as practiced medicine. He now has a nice piece of property in Perry.
In 1877 he moved to Louisiana, Mo., where he again followed preaching (for the Christian denomination), and the next year back to this place(Chambersburg), where, Sept. 2, he opened an office and commenced business; he also has a drug store. His wife is an intellectual woman and a good painter of pictures. In this family there have been born 5 children, only 2 of whom are living. The Doctor is a Republican.
FLINT TOWNSHIP.
This is the smallest township in the county and was the first one settled. In 1817 a Canadian Frenchman by the name of Teboe, located on section 33 in this township. He was the first resident of Pike county, as mentioned in the first chapter in this book. Mr. Teboe's residence, which was on the banks of the Illinois river, was the favorite resort of hunters and trappers. He was killed at Milton in the year 1844. Garrett Van Deusen was the next settler. He opened a ferry across the Illinois, which is still carried on at Valley City, near Griggsville Landing, and is known as Phillips'
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HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
Ferry. Mr. Van Deusen sold his claim to Mr. Nimrod Phillips, many of whose descendants are still residents of Pike county.
The early settlers were alive to the importance of educating their children and anxiously desired to have the proper facilities, or as good as they could afford, to carry on this great work. Accordingly the citizens met on section 19, near Flint creek, in 1846, for the purpose of inaugurating or organizing for school purposes. There being no houses in the vicinity their deliberations were carried on npon a log in the wild forest. Among those present at this meeting were Josiah Wade, Wm. Thackwray, James Crawford, Richard Sweeting, James L. Thompson, James G. and David Pyle, E. A. F. Allen, Francis Wade, J. Husband and Win. Turnbull. Peter Kargis, presided over the deliberations of this body. The first school in the township was taught in the winter of 1845-'6 by Wm. Turnbull, James G. and David Pyle, and James L. Thompson, who gave their services without any compensation. The school was held in an old log house bought and paid for by a few of the citizens.
The first and only church ever built in the township was erected at Griggsville Landing in 1871 ; it is known as Union Church, but the M. E. society is the only one having an organization at this place. We were unable to obtain its history definitely, as we failed to find the records.
Flint township was named from a stream which runs through it called Flint creek. The name is very appropriate, as the bluffs of Flint township contain a variety of flint rock. In the crevices of the rocks, in the bluffs on Flint, are found a variety of fossils whose formation would puzzle the most skillful geologist. They are mostly of the crinoid family. Mr. Wallace, who has a very fine collection and many relies of the Indian days, gave us much infor- mation on the point. Mr. N. A. Woodson, of Griggsville, also showed us a very fine and rare collection of fossils, which he had obtained by many days of hard labor on the bluffs and in the rocks of Flint township.
The township is divided into three school districts, and contains three school-houses, known as North, Middle and South Flint.
To a stranger Flint township presents at first sight, as he approaches from the east, a rugged and desolate appearance ; and one would suppose that an ignorant and rather indolent class of people dwell here ; but such is far from being the case. We were not a little astonished at the intelligence and enterprise of its noble- hearted citizens. Although the surface of Flint township is rough and broken, it is a fine locality for growing and feeding stock.
Flint Magnesia Springs .- In the south eastern portion of Flint township, on the land, or rather rock, of Wm. Reynolds, there is a living spring of magnesia water flowing from a crevice in the rock, and empties into the Big Blue river. It would require a volume as large as this to describe fully all the wonders of nature found in Flint township.
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HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
VALLEY CITY.
This little village, and the only one in Flint township, was founded at Phillips' ferry by Wallace Parker in the year 1877. The postoffice at Griggsville Landing, one-half mile below, and known as Flint, was then discontinued and another established at the new town, taking the name of Valley City. The town contains one store and postoffice.
Valley City Christian Temperance Union .- This society was established in the spring of 1879 on the Murphy plan, and has thus far been very successful. In the fall of the same year the society, by the aid of the citizens of the township, erected a hall 28 by 40 feet in size, with 16-foot story, and finished in first-class style, at a cost of $1,000. The ground upon which the hall was erected, which is valued at $100, was donated by Wallace Parker.
PERSONAL SKETCHES.
Wm. Bright, lumber dealer, Valley City, was born in this county Oct. 13, 1847. His father, Geo. W., was a farmer, a native of West Tennessee, and was a soldier in the Mexican war. He was one of the first pioneers of Pike county, and died in 1855. In 1867 Wil- liam married Hannah Davis, who died in 1869, and Mr. B. again married in 1872. this time Belle Griffin, and they had 2 children, William, deceased, and Mabel L. Mr. B. is proprietor of the saw- mill at Griggsville Landing, formerly owned by I. S. Freeman, and is doing a good business.
Levi Butler, farmer, sec. 17; P. O., Valley City; was born in Genesee Co., N. Y., Oct. 4, 1831; he came with his parents in 1833 to this county, where he still resides. Oct. 14, 1853, he married Louisa Wilson, and of their 10 children 9 are living: Parvin, Joseph, John, David, Ellen, Emma, Loraine, Ann and Maggie. Parvin married Elizabeth Walker, and resides in this township.
George Carrell, farmer and stock-raiser, sec. 29; P. O., Valley City; was born June 25, 1823, in Morgan Co., O .; his grandfather was a soldier in the war of 1812; his father, Joseph, a farmer, was a native of Pennsylvania, and died Jan. 13, 1867. George has been Constable or Deputy Sheriff 12 years. March 27, 1845, he mar- ried Providence Wells in Morgan Co., O., who was born in Guern- sey Co., O., March 19, 1829; they have three children-John J., Nancy J. and Sarah E .; the two former are married.
John Carrell, farmer, sec. 29; P. O., Valley City; was born in Morgan, now Noble, Co., O., April 26, 1846, the son of George Car- rell, of this township; he was brought by his parents to this county when but 3 years old; has pursned various vocations, but for the past 9 years has been farming. Feb. 7, 1870, he married Sarah Bartlett, daughter of N. Bartlett, near Maysville; their 3 children are Wilbur, Robert and an infant girl.
James L. Cawthon, farmer, sec. 19; P. O., Griggsville; was born March 4, 1836, in Virginia, the son of Christopher Cawthon, de- ceased, who was a soldier in the war of 1812, and hence a pensioner
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HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
until his death in 1853. James L. came to this county in 1857, where he has since been farming. At first he worked by the month until he laid by enough to begin for himself. Nov. 14. 1858, he married Lonisa Hensel!, daughter of the late Daniel Hensell, of Griggsville, and they have had 8 children, of whom 5 are living- Mary, Laura, Eddie, Albert and Frankie.
John Clark, farmer, see. 7; son of the late John Clark, of Griggsville; was born in Hamilton Co., O., Sept. 14, 1830; was brought by his parents to Ogle Co., Ill., in 1835; was reared on a farm, and came to this county in 1857. June 8, 1852, he married S. Janett Berger, daughter of Samuel Berger, of Polo, Ill., and of their 6 children 5 are living-Henry, Julia E., Libbie, Jennie and Fred A.
Rachel Conover was born in Northampton Co., Penn., Nov. 7, 1807; married, in New Jersey, Abraham Conover, and had 2 children -Catherine, now Mrs. Wallace Parker, of Valley City, and Rachel, deceased. Mr. Conover died Aug. 1, 1827. Mrs. C. kept house for a Mr. and Mrs. Moore in Pennsylvania; the former came to Pike coanty and erected a house on the present site of Griggsville, which is still standing; he then returned to Pennsylvania, where he died in 1835, Mrs. Moore having previously died. In 1836 Mrs. C. came with the Moore family and her own children, and occupied the house that Mr. Moore had previously built. She now resides with her danghter, Mrs. Parker.
William Glenn, sr., sec. 29; P. O., Valley City; born in March, 1800, in Ireland; in 1830 he landed in Philadelphia; he remained in Pennsylvania 5 years; is a mason by trade; came to Pike county and entered the land whereon he now resides in 1835; then went to St. Louis, Mo., where he followed his trade for five years, and then moved back to this county; has been a prominent farmer and stock- raiser, but being old, has turned the business over to his son Wil- liam. In 1835 he married Maria Topping, and of their 6 children 5 are living,-James, Thomas, William, Catharine and Maria. Their son Robert was killed in the late war during Gen. Forest's raid through Tennessee.
Elizabeth Husband, sec. 30 ; P. O., Valley City; was born in Coshocton Co., O., May 1, 1834, the daughter of George McCune, deceased, also a native of Coshocton Co., O., who was the first white child born in that connty. He removed with his family to St. Louis Co .. Mo., in 1835, where he resided until the fall of 1864, when he came to Pike county, and died Dec. 18 of the same year. He was Sheriff in St. Louis county, Missouri, County Treasurer, Tax Collector and held other offices of trust. Mrs. Husband's grandfather, Joseph Fuller, was a soldier under Gen. Washington. She was married Aug. 20, 1850, to Edward Monnier, in Rock Hill, Mo., and had 3 children,-Henry E., born Oct, 6, 1853; Ida L., Oct. 25, 1860; and James, Feb, 19, 1862. Mr. M. died Feb. 19, 1863; in 1865 she married Jonathan Husband, who was born in Yorkshire, Eng., Sept. 21, 1803, and emigrated to America in 1825 . he died Nov. 28 1970
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HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
Robert Husband, farmer, sec. 20; was born April 11, 1842, in this tp., the son of Jonathan Husband, deceased, an early pioneer of this county, who in company with Mr. Wade and Win. Turnbull owned the same coffee-mill. March 15, 1871, Robert married Esely Grable, and of their 3 children 2 are living,-Nellie and Eddie. Mr. H. was a prosperous farmer, but worked 2 years in a saw-mill in Wisconsin.
Sylvester Mc Kee, farmer and stock-raiser, sec. 19; P. O., Griggs- ville. This man was born in Noble county, O., Feb. 22, 1850, and is the only son of Ezra, who now resides with him. The family emigrated in 1864 to this county, where he still resides. Oct. 20, 1869, he married Sarah A., daughter of Win. Orr, of Derry tp. Of their 4 children 3 are living, -Addie C., Rosie E. and Alma. Little Wilbert W. died Oct. 26, 1879. Sylvester's mother's maiden name was Elizabeth Mummy, and she died Jan. 17, 1870.
Wallace Parker was born in Clinton county, N. Y., Feb. 17, 1825, and is the son of James Parker, of Griggsville; came with his parents to Pike county in 1844, where he followed farming until 21 years of age, when he became a merchant in Valley City; has been very successful except in some grain speculation in Chicago and St. Louis. At present he carries a stock of about $3,000 worth. In Feb., 1849, he married Catharine Conover, and of their 7 children only 4 are living, Rachel C., Hardin W., James H. and Ilelen F. Mr. P. is also Express Agent, Postmaster and Justice of the Peace, at Valley City. He has given his son James H. an interest in the store. He also has a fine collection of Indian relics, as battle-axes, arrowheads, pipes, frying-pans, a copper needle, the burnt jaw-bone of an Indian and numerous other curiosities. Some of these he has picked up and others he has obtained by opening Indian graves.
David Pyle, farmer, sec. 18; P. O. Griggsville. This gentle- man was born in Harrodsburg, Ky., Feb. 4, 1817; his parents, Ralph and Rachel Pyle, deceased, emigrated with him to New Orleans in 1818. where he was reared and educated. In 1834 he came with his mother to Phillips' Ferry on a visit; went to Phila- delphia, Pa., then to Cincinnati, O., and then back to this county in the fall of 1835; the next spring he bought a farm on sec. 19, where he lived for 21 years, and which he then sold. removing to Morgan county, Ill .; in 1862 he returned to this township, pur- chasing a farm on sec. 18, where he still resides. He was married Aug. 2, 1838, to Martha A. Willsey, and they have had 11 chil- dren, all living; namely, Ralph W., Joseph H., Christopher W., Rachel E., Isaac N., Martha A., Carrie, David W., Morgan L., James C. and Emma L. All but three of these are married, and living in this county.
E. M. Roberts, farmer, sec. 28, was born in London, Eng., June 23, 1828; in 1836 the family emigrated to America, settling in Pike county. Feb. 19, 1867, he married Susan W. Kempton, while visiting friends in Fairhaven, Mass. They have had 5 children, of whom 4 are living: Sarah M., Even M. Louis Fand George B,
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HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
Mr. Roberts is a cousin to the popular Roberts Brothers, publish- ers, Washington street, Boston, Mass.
Joseph A. Rulon is of French ancestry. During the Catholic persecution of the Protestants in France two of the Rulon Broth- ers, being Protestants, were arrested and placed under a guard in a private house up stairs. They knew it would be certain death if they were brought to trial; hence they attempted to bribe the guardsmen to let them escape, but in vain. They then asked the guards simply to remain just outside the room and they would take care of the rest; the guards then received the offered fees, stepped out of the room and guarded the door. The Rulons then made a rope of the bed-clothes, by which they made their escape through the window; and in the night found their way to the wharf where they boarded a brig bound for America. Some time after landing in America one of these men married, and his descendants are scat- tered throughout the country. One of these, Jesse, was a soldier in the Revolution, participating in the battle of Mommouth, and he was the father of Joseph C., a sailor, who in 1832 settled on a farm in Indiana; but after a short time he began trafficking and came to Meredosia, Ill., in 1849. He was capsized and drowned in the Mississippi river Jan. 12, 1852, while attempting to board a steamer from a small row-boat. He was the father of Joseph C. Rulon, the subject of this sketch, who was born Sept. 5, 1831, on the Mon- mouth battle grounds, on the very spot where his grandfather fought in the bloody battle of Monmouth in the Revolutionary war. He was married June 6, 1856, to Mary E. Bonds, and their two child- ren are Albert E. and Flora E. The latter is teaching instrumental music. Mr. R. came to Pike county in 1871, where he still re- sides, and is foreman of the railroad bridge at Phillips' Ferry.
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