History of Sangamon 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 115

Author: Interstate publishing co., Chicago. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, Inter-state publishing company
Number of Pages: 1084

USA > Illinois > Sangamon County > History of Sangamon 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 115

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).

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

Asylum. While that was in progress, he and his partner. Renben Kain, also erected the Uni- versalist Church edifice, in Springfield ; subse- quently constructed many buildings in Spring- field and surrounding towns. In 1867, Mr. Lawrence turned his attention to railroad contracting, which he has pursued to the present time, and has built many miles of road in this State and Missouri. In 1872, he, in company with others parties, sank a coal shaft and laid out the town of Barclay, Colonel John Williams was President, George N. Black, Secretary, and Mr. Lawrence, Manager of the company's business. The company owned one thousand four hundred acres of coal right there; erected about seventy tenement houses, a store and other improvements. Mr. L. sold his one- fourth interest two years ago. In 1876, he was appointed by the Governor as one of the Com- missioners to locate and construct the Southern Illinois Penitentiary ; was re-appointed for six years, in 1878, but owing to the pressure of private business, resigned in August of that ' year. He served the city as Superintendent of Public Works for some time. In the summer of 1881, he in company with a partner, erected the handsome Central Block, on the corner of Sixth and Adams streets, and one of the most elegant business blocks in the city. Mr. Law- rence married Mary A., daughter of John C. Maxcy, in Springfield, in 1859. They have one child, Susie Lawrence. Mr L. is a Mason, and has filled the chairs of the local subordinate lodge and Commandery; is a believer in the Christian religion, and favors the M. E. Church.

William W. H. Lawton, was born in Hartland, Vermont, September 12, 1832. He lived there and attended school until sixteen years of age, when he graduated at the Thetford Academy. He was then engaged in the mercantile trade until 1856, when he went to Griggsville, Pike county, Illinois, where he was engaged in the mercantile business until July 18, 1861, when he raised Company I, Thirty-third Illinois Infantry, Volunteers; he was chosen Captain of the com- pany. At the siege of Vicksburg, the Captain had his spine seriously injured, causing paralysis of the right side of his body. He was then transferred to the Veteran Reserve Corps, and ordered to Washington, where he had charge of the recruiting camp until May 24, 1864, when he was ordered to New Orleans, where he took command of the Veteran Reserve Corps of the Department of the Gulf; and he remained in command of this Corps until June 30, 1866, when he was mustered out at New Orleans. The

Captain returned to Griggsville, Illinois, and taught school two years, when he was appointed by Governor Palmer to the office of Custodian of the United States Surveys, of the State of Illinois, a position he still retains. His father, John Lawton, was born in Hartland, Vermont; he was a farmer, and died in 1865. IIis wife, Debora Petrie, was also born in Hartland, Ver- mont; she died in 1872; she was the mother of six children; three are living, namely: John P. Lawton, living in Johnstown, Indian Territory; he is a Baptist minister, in charge of a mission- ary school of the Chickasaw Indians, for the government; Miss Abbie M. Lawton, Post- mistress at Griggsville, Illinois, and the subject of this sketch, Captain W. W. H. Lawton. When the Captain enlisted in the army, he was a tall, graceful, fine-looking young man. For eighteen years his right side has been paralyzed, the re- sult of injuries sustained during the charge on the rebel forces in the rear, at Vicksburg, May 2, 1863, since which time he has constantly suf- fered therefrom, but like a brave soldier, he has patiently endured the constant painful reminder of the services he rendered the government. The Captain has a fine gold watch and chain that was presented to him by "His Boys " of Company I, Thirty-third Illinois Infantry Volunteers. It was sent to him after he was transferred to the Veteran Reserve Corps. The purse to buy the watch was made up by the boys while they were under fire, in the trenches at the siege of Vicks- burg.

Joseph Ledlie, civil engineer, Springfield, Illi- nois, was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, January 18, 1812; son of Arthur and Catharine (Collins) Ledlie, of Irish descent, who emigrated to the States in 1801, and were married the same year; he embarked in merchandising, but that did not prove a financial success; in 1815, emi- grated to Gallia, at present Meigs county, Ohio; the following year, moved upon land in a dense wilderness, where he cleared up a farm which proved successful; he also followed his trade of boot and shoe making, in connection with his farm. Mr. L. was a natural mechanic, and could manufacture any thing he turned his attention to; he made a loom in which they wove from flax raised on the place, into cloth of which their clothing was made; eut the children's clothing, and his mother made them, and the garments always looked neat and tasty, on account of a good fit. He remained there until his death, which cecurred in 1838; his wife died in 1832. William, the oldest son, is living near the old homestead; he was born January 13, 1803; John

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

C. was born August 22, 1804, and died August 3, 1805; Arthur was born April 21, 1806, and died in September, 1866; Mary was born Feb- ruary 25, 1811, and died August 15 of the same year; John C., born March 7, 1810, and is living in California; Joseph, the subject of this sketch; Mary was born September 8, 1816, and died April 23, 1881; Catharine I. was born Jan- uary 6, 1820, and died September 13, 1839. Mr. Ledie and his brother Arthur arrived in Illi- nois in May, 1837. In the fall following they returned to Galliopolis, Ohio, where they had a sister; Arthur was made principal of the academy, himself and sister Mary assisting. The follow- ing spring, in company with Arthur, Mary and Catharine, they moved to Macoupin county, where they farmed during the summers and taught school during the winters. In the spring of 1839, Catharine died, which broke up the family. The brothers still continued on the farm, sending Mary to Hillsboro and Jackson- ville academies. In 1846, Joseph came to Spring- field, and soon after was appointed Deputy County Surveyor, by John B. Watson, who shortly left for California, leaving the office in charge of Mr. L. The following year he was elected to the office. In 1855, he was appointed United States Surveyor of Kansas, which office he filled with ability. In 1855, he was appointed United States Deputy Surveyor of Kansas and Nebraska, where he remained until 1857. Mr. Ledlie has always taken an active part in politics, being a Democrat in his views.

William F. Leeder was born in Brunswick, Germany, May 25, 1839, where he lived until six years of age, when he came with his parents to the United States. They landed at New Orleans and then took a steamer to St. Louis, Missouri, where he remained some four years. His father died here in 1849. From St. Louis he moved with his mother to Waterloo, Illinois, and some eighteen months after the family moved to Belle- ville, St. Clair county, Illinois; lived here some three years, then moved to Central City, Illinois. Mr. Leeder worked here in a brick-yard and on a farm some five years, and during this time learned the barber's trade and in the spring of 1860 went to Memphis, Tennessee, and followed his trade three months; then went to Jackson, Tennessee, where he ran on the old Mississippi Central Rail- road one month, then worked at the trade until June, 1861. He then returned to Central City, Illinois, and followed his trade until May, 1862, when he came to Springfield, Illinois, and has followed the barber's trade in this city until 1879. During this time was at Lincoln, Illinois, one

month. In 1879, he bought H. Speckman's saloon, at 222 South Sixth street, where W. F. Leeder & Co., have the finest beer hall and pool room in Central Illinois. He was married to Miss Flora Rippstein January 20, 1863. She was born in Switzerland, and a daughter of Jacob and Catharine Rippstein. They reside in Springfield, and are both members of the Catho- lic Church. Mr. and Mrs. Leeder had nine children, seven living, viz: William E., Flora M., Henry E, Louisa M., Adeline, Frank E., and Alice A. The father of William Leeder, Henry Leeder, born in Brunswick, Germany, was a stone mason by trade, and died in 1849. His wife, Caroline Leeder, was born in Brunswick, Ger- many. She and husband were both members of the Lutheran Church. In politics, Mr. Leeder is a Democrat, and cast his first vote for Douglas for President of the United States. He is also a member of the I. O. O. F. Lodge No. 6, in Springfield, Illinois; is also a member of Druid's Lodge No. 37; was a member of Butler's band ten years, and the German band seven years.

Obed Lewis, Springfield, Illinois, was born in Galigerville, Chester county, Pennsylvania, April 25, 1812, and is the son of William Lewis, a far- mer, and Margaret Lewis, natives of Chester county, Pennsylvania. Obed Lewis received his education in the common schools of his na- tive county. When Mr. Lewis was fourteen years old, his father died. At the age of sixteen, Mr. Lewis began to learn carriage making in New Holland, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, and continued there four years; and then com- pleted his trade in Philadelphia; then worked at his trade in Chester, Pennsylvania, Wilmington, Delaware; then in Danville, Virginia, for one year, and in Milton one year; and then returned to Philadelphia, in 1835, and carried on his busi- ness in that city and Lancaster, Pennsylvania, until May, 1838, when he came to Springfield and pursued his business, manufacturing car- riages and wagons until 1868, and then retired from his active business. Mr. Lewis was elected City Alderman of Springfield, Illinois, in 1862, in which office he served for eight years. Was elected Mayor of the city of Springfield, Illinois, in April, 1874, which office he held for one year. Has been a member of the Board of Oak Ridge Cemetery from 1863 to 1881, and is a member of the Board of Commissioners of Springfield Water Works. Mr. Lewis was married Sep- tember 23, 1851, to Cordelia M. Iles, and by this union were born to them William T., Kate, and Mary. Mrs. Lewis is a daughter of Elijah Iles, an early settler of this county, and at pres-

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

ent in his eighty-sixth year, and living with Mr. and Mrs. Lewis. Mrs. Lewis received her educa- tion in the common schools in Springfield. Mrs. Lewis is a member of the First Presbyterian Church. Mr. Lewis has been very active in his business, manufacturing carriages and wagons, in which he was successful.

Samuel N. Little, senior partner in Little & Sons' livery, corner Fourth and Adams streets, residence, corner Adams and Second streets, was born in Flemming county, Kentucky, in Febru- ary, 1811; was brought by his parents to St. Clair county, Illinois, in the spring of 1818. In the spring of the year 1819, his father came to Sangamon county, and locating at Little's Point, two and a half miles southwest of the present site of Springfield, raised a crop, and in 1820 brought his family and settled there. This was the home of Samuel Little, until the autumn of 1881, when the last ninety-six acres was sold for $16,000, and the family moved into the city. In January, 1843, Mr. Little married Eliza M. Morgan, who was also a native of Flemming county, Kentucky, but brought up from infancy in Sangamon county, Illinois. Two children of each sex comprise their family. Both the sons are engaged in the livery business, Gershom, J., in company with his father, on the corner of Adams and Fourth streets, where the senior Little established the business in the fall of 1851; and Sanford, H., on south Sixth street, opposite the Leland hotel. The Fourth street stable is a large two-story brick, eighty by one hundred and fifty-seven feet in size, and admira- bly constructed and arranged for the purpose, furnished with blacksmith shop, wash-room and other conveniences, making it one of the most complete stables in Illinois. Their stock con- sists of eight coaches, three barouches, sixteen buggies, three omnibuses, two baggage wagons, two mail wagons and fifty horses. S. II. Little is sole proprietor of the other stable, which com- prises four coaches, twelve buggies and twenty- one horses.

Gershom J. Little, was born in Sangamon county, Illinois, February 19, 1847. He read medicine and graduated from Rush Medical Col- lege, Chicago, in 1868; but, becoming interested in the livery business, did not engage in the medical practice. He married Maggie Connor, of Springfield, in 1875. Her father, Ed. L. Connor, was, for many years, connected with the Springfield Illinois State Register.

V. T. Lindsay, M. D., Springfield, Illinois, was born in Gallatin county, Kentucky, August 31, 1843; son of Michael and Martha A. Lindsay,

natives of Kentucky, where they were married and eight children were born, six sons and two daughters.

In 1864, Mr. L. commenced reading medicine under Dr. William Richards, of Napoleon Ken- tucky, where he remained until the winter of 1865-66; when he attended a course of lectures at the Miami Medical College, of Cincinnati, Ohio. He graduated March 2, 1869, In 1866 he came to Cotton Hill Township, where he commenced the practice of medicine. After graduating he returned to Cotton Hill, where he followed his profession until 1875. He then went abroad, visiting the hospitals of Paris, London, Vienna, Austria, Dresden, Saxony, and materially benefitted by his study and experi- ence. Dr. Lindsay has been twice married; for his first wife, he married Miss Olive W. Crouch, who died soon after; for his second wife he mar- ried Miss E. K. Frazer, of Fayetteville, Indiana, a daughter of Elder E. S. Frazer; she was born in January, 1847. By this union there was one son and two daughters, Olive C., Nicholas V., and Isabelle.

Charles II. Long, baker, grocer, and dealer in garden and field seeds, 225 South Fifth street, has been active in business in Springfield since 1857, first starting in the bakery business where the old Jefferson House now is. In 1863, he erected the brick building he now occupies, three stories high, twenty by seventy-four feet, of which he uses two floors and the basement for his trade, the bakery being in another build- ing. Soon after locating in his present quar- ters, he put in a stock of general groceries, and ten years ago added the seed department, of which he makes a specialty, and it is now a lead- ing feature of his business, and runs over $10,000 a year. His entire sales in the various branches amounted in 1880 to $40,000.

Mr. Long is a native of Germany, born in 1838; came to the United States in the spring of 1854, settling immediately in Springfield, Illi- nois, and has been a citizen of Sangamon county since. In 1863, he married Miss Louise Nagel, in Springfield, who was also born in Germany. Their family consists of two sons and three daughters. Mr. and Mrs. Long are members of the German Lutheran Church. He was one of the first Board of Trustees of Concordia Col- lege, of this city.

Joseph I. Loose, lumber merchant, of the firm of Spear & Loose, is the eldest of a family of four sons and three daughters of Jacob G. Loose and Elizabeth M., daughter of Washing- ton Iles, a very early settler in this county.

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

Joseph was born in Sangamon county, Illinois, and is twenty-eight years of age. He received a good English education in the public schools, and upon his father's death in 1874, he succeeded him in the business of mining and dealing in coal, until the present partnership was formed with Joseph H. Spear, to engage in the lumber trade in February, 1880. On the 15th day of May, 1878, Mr. Loose married Miss Annie M. Marcy, in New Haven, Connecticut, who has born him two sons, Joseph Frederick and Harry Jacob Loose.

John Mc Creery, proprietor St. Nicholas Hotel, was born in Rochester, New York, April 15, 1832, son of Joseph and Ann (Van Riper) McCreery. His father was born in the town of Rochester, New York, and his mother in the town of Patterson, New Jersey. His father was a farmer by occupation, and came West in 1844, and located in Will county, Illinois, where he now resides. His mother died in 1879. The subject of this sketch received only a common school education previous to coming to Illinois. He was reared on a farm, and remained with his father until nineteen years of age. He then went to Lockport, Illinois, where he was engaged as clerk for Norton & Company, in the lumber and grain business, where he remained for two years. He then returned to Plainfield, and clerked for McAllister & Company, where he continued np to the spring of 1857, when he came to Springfield and engaged in the stove business, which he carried on in connection with other business some twelve years, and in 1862 he was connected with the hotel which he now runs. He was married in February, 1855, to Lonisa Rose, who was born in New York, and was the daughter of Philip and Caroline Power, who now reside in Grundy county, Illinois. In 1881 he was elected Mayor of the City of Spring- field, receiving the largest majority of any Mayor elected since the organization of the city.

Mr. MeCreery is a member of the Tyrian Lodge, No. 333, and Elwood Commandery, No. 6.

Mrs. Ann S. Mc Cormick, widow of the late Andrew McCormick, Springfield, Illinois, was born in Green county, Kentucky, three miles south of Greensburg, on Green river, January 3, 1810. She is the daughter of James and Lucre- tia Short, natives of South Carolina, and came to Sangamon, afterwards known as Menard county, May +, 1822.

Mrs. McCormick was married to Andrew Mc- Cormick, three miles southeast of Springfield, July 30, 1835, and by the union had ten children,

of whom six are living, viz, Margaret Jane, Lu- eretia B., Mary Elizabeth, John A., Alexander R., and Ann C., all born in Springfield.

A sketch of the life of Andrew' McCormick will be found under the head of " Illustrious and Prominent Dead," in another portion of the work.

John Mc Cormick, son of Andrew and Ann S. McCormick, was born ,in Springfield, July 28, 1845, and attended the common schools in his native place. Worked at painting a short time, then at the carpenter's trade, from 1861 to 1863. After being engaged in various occupations, he resumed his trade, which he followed till 1869, when he engaged as car-builder for the Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific Railroad Company, in Spring- field, and has continued in this occupation since. Mr. McCormick was married in Springfield, October 10, 1868, to Tillie Morroth, of Bloom- ington, and by this union have one child, Tillie May. Mrs. McCormick is a member of the Methodist Church. Mr. McCormick is a mem- bet of Independent Order of Odd Fellows, San- gamon Lodge, No. 6.

Lester McMurphy, Assistant Postmaster at Springfield, Illinois, was born in St. Lawrence county New York, January 28, 1833, and the son of David, a millwright, and Elizabeth McMur- phy, the former being born in Windsor county, Vermont, the latter in Bedford county Pennsyl- vania, and moved to Sangamon county, Illinois, in 1839, locating at Salisbury, in which place the subject of this biography began his educa- tion and completed the same in the public schools of Sangamon county and at home. Mr. McMurphy assisted his father in his mechanical labor of building, till the year of 1850 when he began to learn carriage-making with his brother in Salisbury, Illinois, and continued in this work for six years, at the expiration of which time, 1856, his services were engaged as a clerk in a store and to take charge of the Postoffice at Salisbury, in connection with the store; this po- sition he held for four years. In the fall of 1860, Mr. McMurphy was then engaged to work in the Postoffice in Springfield, Illinois, in the mailing department, and took charge of the paper case, afterwards was given charge of the letter case. During his. position in the latter, a vacancy oc- curred in the money order department, in 1870, which he was selected to fill, and remained in charge of the same till 1872, when he was pro- moted to his present position, Assistant Post- master.

Mr. McMurphy's marriage took place March 26, 1867, when he was married to Mary E.

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IHISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

Gass, of Jacksonville, daughter of Benjamin F. Gass, architect and builder, under whose super- vision the Court House and the Methodist Col- lege in Jacksonville was constructed, and is now superintending the addition being built to the Blind Asylum in the same city. Mr. Gass is a native of Bourbon county, Kentucky, near Paris, and Mrs. McMurphy was educated in her native place, being a graduate of the Methodist College, in Jacksonville. Mr. and Mrs. McMurphy have two children living, Frank P., and Herbert L., both born in Sangamon county. Mr. Mc- Murphy is a member of the Knights of Pythias, Capital Lodge, No. 4, and a member of the brotherhood of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Lodge No. 465.

Samuel HI. Marshall, proprietor of the Mar- shall House corner Seventh and Adams streets, was born on a farm near Little York, Pennsyl- vania, September 13, 1846; when twenty-one years of age he went into the livery and sale stable trade in Little York, and two years after he went to Philadelphia, where he was engaged in buying horses for the Market Street Car Line one year. He then in the fall of 1876, came to Springfield, Illinois, where he ran a grocery, provision and commission house two years; he then ran the Central House one year, when he leased the Marshall House, formerly known as the Everett House. Mr. Marshall has given this building a thorough renovating and repairing, and has now seventy-two rooms, nicely finished and furnished. In addition to the hotel he has built a restaurant and has also a nice sample room. Mr. Marshall is a genial landlord who studies the comfort and pleasure of his guests. Ile was married to Miss Elizabeth Shelenberger, October 18, 1872. She was born in Pennsyl- vania and was a daughter of Joseph Shelenber- ger born in Germany, and Mary Maul also born in Germany. Mr. and Mrs. Marshall are mem- bers of the Lutheran Church, and have one child, Jessie M. Marshall. S. II. Marshall was a son of Henry Marshall born in Germany, and living in Pennsylvania, and Mary (McFarland) Marshall, born in Pennsylvania. Mr. Marshall was a member of the I. O. O. F., and of the American Mechanics and Independent Order of Mechanics; in politics is a Republican and a strong supporter of that party for U. S. Grant's first term for President.

Noah Mason, Springfield, Illinois, was born February 25, 1807, fifteen miles from Belfast, Maine; was married in Sangamon county, Feb- ruary 19, 1835, to Martha Nuekolls. They had six children, and Mrs. Mason died, March 24,

1852. Noah Mason, Jr., was married August 9, 1853, to Elizabeth Talbot. They had one child. Mr. Mason has met with some narrow escapes from death. He still exhibits a spot on his head, whiter than the rest, as the mark of a severe fall in childhood. Once, in New York, he accom- panied his father to the woods, where he was clearing timber from the land, when the weather was extremely cold. Noah became sleepy and sat down under a tree. When his father's atten- tion was called to him he could not be wakened. He was carried to the house, and with the ut- most exertion of all the members of the family, he was aroused and his life saved. His first business transaction was in Pope county, Illi- nois. He was paddling about in the Ohio river in a boat of his own building, when a stranger hailed him with "What will you take for your boat?" He replied, one dollar. The man handed him a two dollar bill, and Noah, with much run- ning to and fro, returned the change, only to find, after his boat was gone, that the two dollar bill was a counterfeit. From childhood, Mr. Mason has been remarkable for presence of mind. While the Mason family were at Olean Point, New York, on the Allegheny river, Noah was one day engaged in his favorite amusement of paddling about on a slab in the river, and had gone with the current some distance down the stream, when suddenly he heard a noise, and looking up, he saw a tree falling towards him. He was a good swimmer, and quick as thought he jumped off his slab, diving to the bottom. He heard the tree splash in the water above him, and he came to the surface among its branches, unburt. Again, his father, with another man, were felling trees, and the limb of one tree had lodged against a knot on another, balancing in mid-air. Noah was trimming the branches from those that had fallen, and unconsciously came under this loose limb, and it fell. He heard it coming, and threw himself down beside a large log, which the limb fell across, immediately over his head, and he escaped with only a fright. Again, he was hauling stakes for a fence, when he came to the deep ford on Sugar creek, San- gamon county. On driving in, the load slipped forward on the horses, and Noah landed on the wagon tongue. The horses began kicking and running, and he thought his time had come; but he made one desperate jump, clearing the horses' heels and front wagon wheel, and landed head first in the water. Fortunately, he took the lines with him, which enabled him to stop the horses. When the Masons arrived in this county, horse mills were the only kind in use; but soon

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History of Sangamon 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 115

Author: Interstate publishing co., Chicago. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Chicago, Inter-state publishing company Number of Pages: 1084

Author: Interstate publishing co., Chicago. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, Inter-state publishing company
Number of Pages: 1084