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 64
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During the dark days of our late civil war, though incapacitated for the field by an almost total loss of sight, he used his influence and his purse to raise men to defend the flag. He assisted largely in getting up the 99th Illinois regiment, and other organizations of troops raised in Pike county. We give Col. Ross' portrait in the pages of this volume.
R. C. Scanland, Pittsfield, was born in Gallatin, now Carroll, county, near the month of the Kentucky river; came to this county in 1847 and settled in this city. During the Rebellion he was ap- pointed to the important position of master of transportation at Cairo, which office he so well filled that upon his resignation he was presented with a beautiful and valuable solid silver service in- scribed "Capt. R. C. Scanland, by his many friends." Leaving Cairo he returned to Pittsfield and engaged in merchandising until 1870, when he accepted the agency of the Continental and other insurance companies, and has since made that line a specialty, and the large business done attests his devotion to it. He has paid in losses over $25,000 in Pike county. Mr. S. was married to Miss S. A., sister of Hon. H. T. Mudd, of St. Louis, who lived but a short time after marriage. He was then married to Miss S. J., daughter of William Watson, who died, leaving a son and a daughter. His present wife was Miss C. S. Wicks, a native of Syracuse, New York.
R. S. Sellee, farmer, sec. 34; P. O., Pittsfield; owns 47 acres of land worth $50 per acre; was born in Missouri April 11, 1858; married in this county in 1877, to Emily C. Willsey, and they have 1 child, Mary E., born Jan. 13, 1878. Mr. S. is a Democrat.
Benjamin Sellon, farmer, sec. 27, owns 80 acres worth $50 per acre; was born in England July 28, 1818; came to America with his father in 1821, and to this county in 1836; in 1861 he enlisted in Co. D, 3d Reg. Mo. Inf. and served 2 years; was in the battle of
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Arkansas Post, siege of Vicksburg, and several others. He was first promoted to Orderly Sergeant and then to 1st Lieutenant; served 2 years and was honorably discharged. He then organized a Reg. of colored troops, and was appointed 1st Lieut. He was married in this county in 1848 to Miss Harriet-who was born in Ireland in 1816, and they have 4 living children,-John, Harriet, William G. and Charlotte Maria. Mr. S. has held the offices of Assessor and Collector, ete. Ile is an Episcopalian. P. O., Pitts- field.
Dr. T. W. Shastid, physician and surgeon, was born in Sangamon county, Ill., near Petersburg (near where Abraham Lincoln onee kept a grocery), Ang. 26, 1831, son of John G. and Elizabeth B. (Ed- wards), the former a native of Kentucky and a farmer, and the latter of North Carolina. When T. W. was 43 years of age the family moved to Pittsfield, where Mrs. S. died Dee. 8, 1863, and Mr. S. Feb. 5, 1874. The subject of this brief biography was edu- cated in his boyhood in Pittsfield, and subsequently received his medical education with Prof. John T. Hodgen of Pittsfield, and at McDowell's College, which was the medical department of the University of the State of Missouri at St. Louis. After graduating he first settled at Pleasant Hill, practicing there for 53 years, in partnership with Dr. John A. Thomas for about 3 years; since then he has practiced at Pittsfield, where he is now Examining Surgeon for U. S. pensioners. Ang. 2, 1860, he married Mary F. Edwards, by whom he had one son, Wm. Edwards, March 12, 1863. Oet. 1 1865, he married a second time, taking Lonise M. Hall, and their children are, Thomas Hall, born July 19, 1866, Jon Shepherd, Jan. 20, 1870; and Joseph Calvin, April 13, 1877.
William Shinn. The founders of the Shinn family in America were 3 brothers, who emigrated from England, their native country, about 150 years ago. 2 of them loeating in New Jersey near Phila- delphia and 1 in Virginia, where they reared families; they were prominent, respectable people, many of them being in the ministry, principally Methodists. The subject of this sketch descended from the New Jersey branch of the family. His father, Daniel Shinn, is the first of the family that located in Pike county, and is counted as one of the earliest and most respected of Pike county's pioneers. On his arrival here in 1820, he located near the present town of Atlas. He brought into the county at that time the first wagon that ever eame within its boundaries ; about 2 years afterwards he bought a farm of 160 acres on the N. W. } of sec. 12, Atlas tp., on which he immediately erected a small log house, into which he moved with his wife and 6 children. He was married in the State of New Jersey to Mary Haskett, who was of Seotch descent, and the 6 children born to them before they came to this conntv, were all born near Cincinnati, Ohio; their names were Benjamin, John, Eliza, Mary, Hannah and Phoebe. The first, third and last, are the only ones now living.
The farm above mentioned was wholly in a wild state, in the
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midst of heavy timber, no improvements of any kind, and conse- quently he had more to contend with than many in a new country, but he was endowed with that indomitable energy and perseverance so necessary to the pioneer, and went bravely to work; his means were limited, and with a large family to support, it was no small merit to obtain snecess. He was a man of strong religious convic- tions, generous and affable to all. He was the first to open the honse for religious worship, Methodist meetings being held there for 10 years. He was prosperous, and gave his sons between 700 and 800 acres of land; he died in March, 1852, and his wife in Sept., 1849; they had a family of 13 children, 7 of whom were born in this county,-Nancy, Lydia, Henry, William, Daniel, Asa, and an infant, deceased. Of these 7, only Nancy, Lydia and William are living.
Wm. Shinn, the subject of this sketch, was born in this county Jan 7, 1827; his early education was obtained in the old-fashioned log school-house, with split logs or puncheons for seats and desks. He was principally employed on his father's farm during his boy- hood, where he acquired habits of industry and application necessary to success.
June 27, 1846, he married Mary Jane Lytle, at the residence of her father, Andrew Lytle. Mr. and Mrs. S. had 5 children, 4 of whom are living,-Elizabeth, now married to Wm. Gay, of Atlas tp., Albion, married to Lucy Woolfolk, also living in Atlas tp., Wm. D. and Mary, who live with their parents, and Daniel, who died at the age of 6 years. Mr. Shinn followed farming until 1850, when he went to California, it being the height of the gold excitement. After an absence of nearly a year he returned, having met with fair suc- cess. He went the overland route, and remembers well talking with companions of the impossibility of the railroad ever going through that vast country. He again resumed farming, and has followed it ever since. He has been prominently identified with the business interests of Pike county, as an extensive buyer and shipper of cattle, hogs and sheep, for the Chicago and St. Louis markets. He has been engaged in this business for 30 consecutive years, is now one of the largest farmers in Pike county, having some 1,200 acres of farm land, raising, on'an average, 200 acres of corn, 150 acres of wheat, and handles 150 head of cattle, and from 400 to 500 head of sheep, turning off each year from 125 to 140 fat sheep. About the year 1860 he bought his present residence and farm on sec. 32, Pittsfield tp., then consisting of 110 acres. To it has since been added so that there are now 530 acres.
Mrs. Shinn's father, Andrew Lytle, and his wife, Elizabeth ( Wag- oner) Lytle, were early settlers in this county, dating back to 1837. He was a native of Ross county, O., and his wife of Maryland.
Augustus Simpkins was born in Marion county, Ind., in 1833. came to this county in 1856, and settled on a farm in Martinsburg tp. Three years afterward he went to Rockport and engaged in merchandising, where he remained until 1870, when he was ap-
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pointed Deputy Sheriff, and two years afterward was elected Sheriff. Before the elose of his teri he leased the Mansion House, which he kept for 14 months, then sold ont, opening his present place of business. He was twice elected constable in this city, and Super- visor in Martinsburg tp. and Atlas, also a member of the Town Board for 3 years, and has always taken an active interest in county affairs. In 1854 he married Naney J. Francis, and they have 5 living children.
J. A. Smith, stock-dealer, is a native of Ohio, where he was born in 1833; was reared upon a farm and adopted that as his profession, which he followed until 1861; he then embarked in the mercantile business. He erected a large mill at Time, this county, in 1867, which he conducted for 4 years. He now owns 3 honses in that town and 160 acres of land in Hardin tp., an interest in a warehouse at Montezuma, etc. He buys and ships cattle, horses, hogs and sheep, and is a large and liberal purchaser. He came to this county in 1853, and 2 years later was married to Mary Dinsmore, a na- tive of this State. She was born in 1838, and died in 1871. To them were born 4 children. He was married in 1873 to L. H. Allen, who was born in Kentucky in 1838. Leslie is their only child.
Jeremiah Pence, farmer, see. 6; P. O., Pittsfield; was born in Rockingham county, Va., in 1807; is a son of William and Chris- tina (Sellers) Pence, of that State. He was married in Ohio in 1832, to Margaret A. Brawly, a native of North Carolina; he came to this county in 1837, and the following year he selected the site of his present home, which, from an unbroken wilderness, has been transformed to a well cultivated farm, comprising 185 aeres, valued at $40 per acre. Mr. P. is one of the oldest settlers of the county, and a stannch Democrat. Of his several children 3 are living.
Dr. Abner F. Spencer, farmer, sec. 7 ; P. O., Pittsfield; son of Isaac and Rhoda (Beadsley) Spencer, the former a native of New York, and the latter of Conneetient. Abner F. is a native of Con . neetient, and was born July 11, 1823; emigrated to this county in 1852, and settled in this tp. Dee. 12, 1850, he married Mary E. Sanders, a native of Kentucky, and who was born in 1833, and they have had 9 children, 7 living, namely: James S., Mary E., now wife of Miles Cox, of Kentucky, Elizabeth P., Lewis L., Martha B., Abner F. and Abgora. Those deceased are Frank and Isaac. The Doctor commenced his medical studies in 1846, gradnating at the Sterling Medical College at Columbus, Ohio, in 1849, and com- meneed practice the same year and continned it until 1862. He now owns 160 acres of land worth $50 per acre. In religions faith he is a Swedenborgian, and in polities is a Republican.
F. Strubinger, Pittsfield, was born in Abbotstown, Pa., in 1832; came to this county in 1863 and settled 9 miles west of this city, where he engaged in farming, and working at his trade, plastering. Subsequently he visited his native State and returned to this city in 1866, and the following year opened the market now occupied
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by Mr. Simpkins. The next year he established himself in his present business.
Jacob Strauss, of the firm of Strauss Brothers, merchants, west side of the Square, Pittsfield, where they carry a large stock of dry- goods, clothing, etc. Jacob was born in February, 1843, and came to America in 1853 and settled in New York, where he remained 4 years, during which time he clerked in a dry-goods store; in 1863 he came to this connty and embarked in business, where he has an extensive and increasing trade, carrying a large stock, and employ- ing four salesmen. In 1873 he was united in marriage at Cincin- nati with Minnie Herman, who was born in 1853, in his native country in Europe. They have two children, Emanuel and Samuel.
William M. Thompson, teacher, was born Oct. 19, 1846, in Car- roll county, V'a., and is a son of Raleigh Thompson, of Livingston county, Mo. He was a soldier in the Confederate army, and since that time worked by the month to obtain money to defrav his ex- penses while attending school in Pittsfield. He taught 3 years at Fairview school-house near Pittsfield, and is now teacher of Inde- pendence School, Hardin tp., and is very successful as a teacher, and one of the most prominent teachers of the county.
Augustus Trombold, blacksmith, Pittsfield, is a native of Ger- many, born Nov. 22, 1847; came to America in 1849, remaining 7 years in New York, thence to Iowa, and in 1869 to Pittsfield, where he has since resided. He was married in Brown county in 1873 to Miss L. C. Ritter, a native of Ohio, born in 1854, and they have 3 children: Anna, George J. and Charles A. Mr. T. is a member of the Lutheran Church, and is a Democrat. In 1863 he enlisted in an Iowa Cavalry Reg't, serving one year.
William Watson, born in Chester Co., Pa., Feb. 26, 1798, son of Archibald Watson of that State, who emigrated to Missouri in 1818, and settled in Louisiana. Ten years after, he moved to St. Charles, where he passed the remainder of his days. The subject of this sketch was married at Galena in 1828, to Miss Diadema McQuigg, a native of Oswego, N. Y., where she was born in 1802. After marriage he returned to St. Charles, and in 1833 came to this city, and settled temporarily in a small hut or shanty, then located on the present site of the city Square, being the first settler of Pittsfield. Same year he erected a dwelling south of the Mansion House, where' he opened a small stock of goods. Two pilgrims named Greene and Barber were boarders in the family at that time. This edifice still stands the test of time and as a living monument to his decay- ing memory and declining years. Five years later he built the Man- sion House, which he conducted successfully for 14 years. His mercantile pursuit of 21 years was crowned with prosperity, and he retired from the active field of life with considerable wealth, so that his old age can be spent in reaping the reward of a well di- rected industry. He was at one time Judge of the Probate Court, and served as County Treasurer 4 years. He is residing with his only living child, Ellen, wife of Rev. Dr. Barrett, deceased, as on
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of the pioneers of Pike county, a worthy and venerable citizen. We give the portrait of Mr. Watson in the pages of this book.
James Wassell, farmer, sec. 31; is a son of William and Su- sannah (Gray) Wassell, natives of England; who came to America in 1830, where the subject of our sketch was born in 1835. His parents brought him to this county in 1837. In 1857 he married Sarah E. Mather, who was born in Morgan county, this State, and after becoming the mother of 6 children, died. The names of the children are Mary, William, Elmer, Grant, Georgia and Arthur. In 1879 Mr. W. married Emma Bentley, a native of this county, who was born in 1850. He is a member of the Christian Church, and a Republican in politics.
IIon. Scott Wike, attorney at law, was born April 6, 1834, near Meadville, Pa., son of George and Ann (Grubb) Wike, natives of Pennsylvania, who came to Quincy in 1838, and to Pike Co. in the spring of 1844. Mr. George Wike still resides near Barry, where he formerly was a woolen manufacturer at the " Barry Woolen Mills." The subject of this sketch studied law one year at Har- vard University, was admitted to the bar in 1858, and Oct. 8, 1859, he located in Pittsfield and commenced the practice of law; in 1862 and 1864 he was elected Representative in the State Legislature from Pike and Scott counties; and in 1874 he was elected to Con- gress. He commenced the practice of law alone, but afterward formed a partnership with Milton Hay and A. C. Matthews, then with C. L. Higbee until 1861 and then was alone again until February, 1879, when he entered into partnership with Mr. Matthews and Harry Higbee.
George Wilder, farmer, sec. 18; P. O., Pittsfield; born in York Co., Pa., in 1827; married Caroline Keener, a native of the same State, by whom he has 4 children; came to this Co. in 1857, and settled on his present estate, consisting of 160 acres well cultivated land, valued at $100 per acre. This farm and improvements may be considered the finest in this tp. The house is a two-story frame building, with all modern improvements, and occupies a sightly eminence above the road, commanding a fine view of the surround- ing country. This farm is now open for purchase, and a bargain for a first-class farmer.
John H. Wildin, artist, Pittsfield, was born Feb. 14, 1844, and is a native of Pennsylvania, and a son of John and Magdalene (Stubinger) Wildin. Until 19 years of age he followed farming; came to Illinois in 1853, and settled in this county, and for the last 8 years has been practicing his profession. In 1876 he mar- ried Hester McFadden, who was born in Missouri in 1850. Polit- ically he is a Democrat.
William Elza Williams was born in Detroit township near the town of Detroit, this county, May 5, 1857. He is the second child of David Anderson and Emily Adeline Williams, both of whom were reared in Pike county, and the offspring of hardy pio- neer settlers. His great-grandfather paterna, -Williams, came
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to this country from England previous to the Revolution, and fought for his adopted country throughout that war, and was at the surrender of Yorktown, and also was a soldier in the war of 1812 from North Carolina. The grandfather, John Anderson Wil- liams, was born in Maryland in 1799, and removed with his father to North Carolina when but a small boy, whence he came to Illi- nois with a large family in 1834. He settled on sec. 32, Detroit township, where the subject of this sketch was afterward born. With the assistance of a large family he opened up an extensive farm and became a wealthy and influential citizen. He was a de- voted member of the Baptist Church, a firm supporter of Jackson and Douglas, and died in 1876 at a ripe old age, in Sedalia, Mis- souri. David Anderson Williams, the father, was born in North Carolina in July, 1832. He was first married to Miss Martesia Scanland; of Pittsfield, who died the following year without off- spring. On the 10th of May, 1854, he was married to Miss Emily Adeline Hayden, of Newburg, his present wife, and the mother of the subject of this sketch. He is now living on the old home place, a good and respectable citizen and neighbor. He proudly fol- lows in the footsteps of his ancestors, a firm and unswerving Demo- crat. The mother is a daughter of Louis Elza Hayden, a resident of Newburg township, and was born in November, 1837, in Pike county. Her father, who came to Illinois from Missouri in 1834, was born in Kentucky in 1809. and is still living, a spry, active old man 71 years of age. Ilis grandfather, Elisha Hayden, was the son of English pa- rents and was born in Virginia in 1755. He was a Revolutionary hero from his native State, where his body now lies. His son, Elisha Hayden, the great grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was born in Virginia, removed to North Carolina and afterward to Kentucky, where he entered the military service and fought gal- lantly through the war of 1812.
W. E. Williams is now a practicing attorney in Pittsfield. He was reared on a farm with the privileges of a district school four months in the year, from which he entered Illinois College at Jack- sonville, at the age of 19. He immediately became a member of a college society, and from the first exhibited great powers as a de- bater, and was among the first scholars in school. During his last collegiate year he commenced the study of law, and Aug. 12, 1878, entered the law office of J. W. Johnson at Pittsfield, and became a close student. After the formation of the firm of Irwin & John- son with James S. Irwin the following year, he remained under the instructions of both until March 5, 1880, when he passed a success- ful examination before the Appellate Court, 1st District. at Chicago. On the 24th of August, 1879, he was married to Miss Maggie Gallaher, of Pittsfield, daughter of James Gallaher, editor of the Old Flag, and was born in N. Y. City June 11, 1857.
Abner V. Wills, whose portrait may be found in this volume, was born Feb. 14, 1849, at Summer Hill, this county, and is a son of the well known Wm. R. Wills, sr. Mr. Wills is at present one
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of the largest farmers in Pike county, having about 1,100 acres of land. He raises annually on an average 200 acres of wheat, 300 acres of corn, and turns off about 300 sheep, of which he keeps high grades, and thorough-bred stock of all kinds, and in which he is quite extensively engaged. He is also an extensive dealer and trader in land, etc. His own residence is on the southwest quarter of sec. 21.
March 22, 1868, he was married to Miss Elizabeth Helme, daughter of John Helme, and they have a family of 6 children, namely, John, William, Emily, Mille, Melinda and Emmet.
Charles Wills, barber, Pittsfield; born in Germany in 1840; came to America in 1854, stopping in St. Louis, Mo., where he remained until he came to this city in 1868, when he established himself in business. In 1863 he married Elizabeth Stueck, a native of Germany, and they have 5 children. Mr. W. is an enter- prising man, and has a fair trade.
William R. Wills, sr., whose portrait we give in this volume, was born in New York in 1810; at the age of 8 his parents moved to the Buckeye State, where they remained 11 years; when 19 years of age he started Sonth in company with a younger brother, A. V. Wills, and arrived in New Orleans, where they remained for sev- eral months; W. R. then returned North, locating in Pike county, where he worked as a laborer for six years. He was united in marriage with Miss Sarah M. Coles in 1836. She was born in New Hampshire in 1810; after his marriage he commenced farm- ing on a rented farm in Atlas tp. His wife died in July of the same year. Being thus left alone in the world, he sold out what effects he had, and went East. Here he remained about 9 months; he then returned to Pike county and engaged in trading in various ways until 1838; in that year he married Miss L. D. Scott, who ยท was born in the Empire State in 1812, and was brought to Illinois in 1818. Three years thereafter he purchased a farm near Summer Hill, sec. 12, Atlas tp. He remained there for six years, and then sold his farm and bought a valuable tract of land on secs. 20 and 21, Pittsfield tp. He owned at one time at least 4,000 acres of land in this county, and had at his decease about 2,000 acres; and he died Aug. 6, 1872, leaving a widow and three children, the former of whom resides in Pittsfield. The children are, -William R., jr., Abner Vine and Lucy, who married Jerome D. Chamberlain, and now resides in Franklin county, Kan.
Mr. W. held a commission as Lientenant in the Black Hawk war. This commission, as well as the sword he used, is in the possession of his son, Win. R. Wills, jr. He filled the office of Jus- tice of the Peace in this county, and always took a prominent part in its politics. Perhaps few men had more influence in moulding the political sentiment of the public than he. He was formerly a Whig, but after the organization of the Republican party he voted with it. During the war he took an active part in furnishing means, encouraging enlistments, etc., for its prosecution. Owing
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to the prominent and firm position he took in these matters he gained many enemies among the opposition-so bitter indeed at times as to draw out threats against his lite; but he at all times fearlessly followed the path of duty and patriotism. He was for many years a member of the Odd Fellows' order, and that society inade the arrangements for, and attended his funeral.
Mr. W. was one of the most prominent traders in stock and lands, and one of the largest farmers that ever lived in Pike county. It is stated upon good authority that $25 was about the extent of his capital when he was 30 years of age. At his death, aged 62, he was estimated to be worth $140,000.
Mrs. Wills is a devoted member of the Methodist Church, super- intending the Sunday-school for 15 years previous to her husband's death. She gave $3,000 toward the erection of their church.
William R. Wills, jr., was born Oct. 27, 1844, at Summer Hill, Pike Co., Ill., and is a son of Wm. R. Wills, sr., whose sketch is given above. He obtained his education principally in the com- mon schools, but graduated at the Bryant & Stratton Commercial College at St. Louis. July 23, 1868, he married Elizabeth J. Wells, danghter of Robert and Mary Wells, of Pittsfield. She was born in this county Aug. 27, 1850. Five children have been born to them, one of whom is deceased. The names of those liv- ing are, Lucy E., Charles H., Orion R. and Isidora I. Ida was the name of the deceased.
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