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 117

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 117

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).

Frank Myers, proprietor of the "Wonder Store," No. 513, north side of the square, has carried on business at that number over two years. His fine store, which is amply fitted up with shelving, counters, etc., is one hundred and fifty-seven feet in length, well lighted, and con-

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

tains an aggregation of novelties in such end- less quantity and variety, as renders the title of the place eminently appropriate; for it is a mar- velous collection of articles of utility and orna- ment, which makes it a genuine "curiosity- shop," where may be found numerous lines of goods kept in other stores, and many more not to be found elsewhere in the city, or indeed in Central Illinois, as it is the only establishment of its class in this part of the State. Mr. Myers started in business in Springfield, in 1864, oppo- site the northeast corner of the square, where he continued until the magnitude of his rapidly growing trade compelled a change to larger quarters, which he did in 1879. He now carries a stock of goods worth about $25,000, and his annual sales run to nearly $60,000, requiring an average clerical force of fifteen to eighteen hands, and much larger during the busiest sea- son. Mr. Myers is a product of Sangamon county, Illinois, born in August, 1847, and reared and educated in Springfield. In 1878, he mar- ried Miss Nellie E. Holmes, a native of Spring- field, and graduate of the City High School. They have one daughter, Ella, a year and a half old.

Henry C. Myers was a native of Chambers- burg, Pennsylvania; came to Illinois and settled in Springfield in 1838, where he was engaged in mercantile business about thirty years. He died in this city in 1871. He married Eleanor D. Ro- bards, a native of Lexington, Kentucky, in Brown county, Missouri, in 1843. Three chil- dren were born to them, only two of whom, a daughter, and the subject of this sketch are alive. His mother is a resident of Springfield. .John A. Nafew, Chief Clerk St. Nicholas Hotel, was born in Troy, New York, September 17, 1837; son of John S. and Mary H. (Weaver) Nafew. His father was also born in Troy, his grandfather being among the first settlers of that place. He was a printer and politician, and died in New York City in 1872. His mother in Albany in 1853.

The subject of this sketch started in the drug business in Albany, New York, where he re- mained for four years. In 1855, he came West, and located in Chicago. From there he went to Wisconsin, where he clerked in a hotel for one year. He then came to Bloomington, Illinois, and later held a position in the old Pike House, located on the site of the present Phoenix Hotel. He stayed there three years. In September, 1860, he came to Springfield and entered the office of the St. Nicholas Hotel as clerk, in which he continued for several years. In 1865, he went

to Jeffersonville, Indiana, where he held the position of general ticket agent for two years. Returned to Springfield, and again entered the St. Nicholas Hotel, remaining there two years. He then took charge of the American House and conducted it for three years, after which he again returned to the St. Nicholas, where he is now engaged.

He was married in 1863 to Ella F. McInitire, who was born in Lyons, Massachusetts, in 1845. She was the daughter of Benjamin and Roxanna Stearns. Her father died in 1866. Her mother still resides in Springfield. Mr. Nafew is a member of the Central Lodge of Free and Ac- cepted Masons, No. 71, and Royal Chapter, Arch No. 1, and the Hotel Men's Association and Springfield Lodge, 37, A. O U. W.

Dennis Nees, grocer, 231 North Fifth street, corner Madison, established business on his own account in Springfield about seven years ago, and has been five years in his present location. He keeps a general stock of confectioneries, gro- ceries, and liquors, for the retail trade. He is thirty-four years of age, was born in Baden, Germany, and came to the United States in 1867, settling immediately in Springfield, Illinois. Before leaving his native country, he learned the trade of brick-moulding. Upon arriving in Springfield, he was employed for a time as a laborer, and later for some three years as clerk, at the termination of which, in 1873, he started in business on the corner of Washington and Tenth streets, remaining there till he moved to his present stand. In October, 1871, he married Lizzie Stark, a native of Springfield, of German parentage. They have had four daughters and one son, the latter deceased. The living are: Clara, eight years old, past; Emma and Lizzie, twins, born July 3, 1874, and Minnie, aged five years. Mr. Nees is a member of the Western Catholic Union, of which he was Treasurer for some time. His father died when he was six months old, and his mother when he was four- teen years of age, in the old country.

Major Alfred A. North, druggist, Springfield, Illinois, was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Jnły 7, 1823; son of Stephen and Mary (Wil- liams) North, a daughter of Major E. Williams, a soldier in the Revolutionary war; mother, a native of Pennsylvania; father of English de- scent, and born in London; died in Philadelphia, in September, 1826. In 1831, his mother moved to Washington county, Pennsylvania, to educate her children; in 1845, removed to Cincinnati, Ohio, where she died, March 11, 1871. Major North, in 1840, went to Mobile, Alabama, for the

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

purpose of learning the drug business; remained five years; then went to Cincinnati, Ohio, where he embarked in the same business. February 9, 1847, he married Miss America Ann Minor, daughter of Colonel Gideon Minor, who was born in Rockingham county, Virginia, in 1775, and died in 1841. In 1830, he came to Edgar county, Illinois, where he represented his dis- trict in the legislature for three terms; his health failed, and he had to give up politics; was what was known as one of the "Long Nine," being six feet and four inches in height. Mrs. North was born in Clairmont county, Ohio, September 18, 1824. There were five children, four of whom are living: Caroline M., died May 23, 1867; Catharine C., Emma A., Milford, and Alfred A., Jr. September 21, 1861, Mr. N. en- listed in the Tenth Regiment Cavalry, Illinois Volunteers, Company A, an I was commissioned First Lieutenant; took the first Company of the Tenth Cavalry into Camp Butler; was ap- pointed Quartermaster of the Second Battalion, and was for a short time Acting Captain of Company D. The Major resigned in 1863 on account of poor health, and was appointed Dep- uty Provost Marshal of the Eighth District of Illi- nois; was afterwards re-commissioned Captain of Co. M, and went to the field, where he was again prostrated by disease; again resigned, and was honorably discharged. He was brevetted Major by President Andrew Johnson, for faithful and meritorious service during the war. In 1865, he was elected to the office of Assessor and Collector of Springfield, Illinois, and re-elected the ensu- ing year. He is now operating in the grain trade.

James H. Paddock was born at Lockport, Will county, Illinois, May 29, 1850. When three years of age, he moved with his parents to Kan- kakee, Kankakee county, Illinois. He attended school there until 1865, and that winter was ap- pointed a Page in the State Senate, at Spring- field, Illinois, and in 1867 was Assistant Postmas- ter of the Senate. In 1869-71-73-75. was As- sistant Secretary of the State Senate. He was also Secretary of the State Senate in 1877-79, and 1881. From 1873 to 1876, when not per- forming his duties in the State Senate, he was employed in the Grain Inspection Department, at Chicago, Illinois. Ile was appointed Chief Clerk in the office of the Secretary of State, June 1, 1881, a position he still retains. He at- tended the High School in Kankakee, Illinois, and was married in that place to Miss May L. Crawford, October 9, 1873. She was born at l'ortland, Maine, and was a daughter of Frank-

lin Porter, born in Paris, Maine. She and hus- band reside at Kankakee, Illinois. John W. Paddock, father of James II. Paddock, was born in Camillus, Onondago county, New York, Feb- ruary 4, 1815. He is a lawyer, and settled at Lockport, Illinois, about 1845. In 1853, he re- moved with his family to Kankakee, Illinois. He practiced law at this place, and was a men- ber of the Constitutional Convention in 1862. He ran for Circuit Judge on the Democratic ticket, at Kankakee, Twentieth District, in 1857. but was defeated. In politics, he was an old- line Whig, until the disbanding of that party, when he became a Democrat. He was a great admirer of Stephen A. Douglas. When the war broke out, he became a strong Union man and a supporter of Lincoln's administration, and helped to raise the Seventy-sixth Illinois Infantry Vol- unteers, commanded by A. W. Mack. He after- ward raised six companies in Kankakee and Iro- quois counties, which, with four companies from Cook county, Illinois, became the One Hundred and Thirteenth Illinois Infantry Volunteers. The regiment was known as the Third Board of Trade Regiment, and of which regiment he was elected Lieutenant Colonel, and retained com- mand of that regiment until his death, which occurred August, 1863, in the hospital at Mem- phis, Tennessee, from disease contracted on the Yazoo river, during the siege of Vicksburg. His wife, Helen Tiffany, was born in New York State. She is a member of the Episcopal Church, and the mother of ten children, eight living. She is living at Kankakee.

Mr. and Mrs. James H. Paddock have two children, viz , Harry W. Paddock and Fannie C. Paddock. Mr. and Mrs. Paddock are both mem- bers of the Episcopal Church, and he is a Re- publican, and a strong supporter of that party; cast his first vote for U. S. Grant for President.

Mr. Paddock was Secretary of the Railroad and Warehouse Commission from July 1, 1876, to May 1, 1877, and in the United States Mar- shal's office at Chicago, July 1, 1877, to January 1, 1879.

James J. Purkerson, grocer, 413 East Monroe street, is the son of Hugh and Ellen (Jackson) Parkerson, natives respectively of Virginia and Maryland, and was born in Fairfield county, Ohio, in 1848. Ten years later, the family moved to Sangamon county, Illinois. He has been identified with the grocery trade in Springfield, in various capacities, fourteen years. In 1871, he first established himself in business on Fourth street. After conducting it three years, he sold out on account of failing health, and traveled a

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

year. Was then some years with the grocery firm of Brassfield & Steele, representing the former partner's interest. In the fall of 1878, he entered into partnership with F. W. Paradice, and opened business with a new stock of goods in their present store. They have a large retail trade in groceries, and quite an extensive job- bing business in fruits and produce, of which they make a specialty, the whole amounting to $35,000 a year in volume. They ship goods to the towns within a radius of fifty miles of Springfield. In 1873, Mr. Parkerson married Miss Maria E. Paradice, of Jacksonville, Illinois, who is now twenty-eight years of age, and the mother of one daughter, Laura D. Parkerson, born in June, 1875.

George Pasfield, III., capitalist and general trader, is the only son of George Pasfield II., who settled in Sangamon county in 1831. He was born in England, brought by parents to America, in early childhood, and reared in the city of Philadelphia, where his parents both died of the yellow fever. Before coming to Illinois he engaged in buying and shipping produce, in large quantities, by flat-boat, down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, and in trading in a general way. He resided some years in Cincinnati, in Louisville, and in Paris, Bourbon county, Kentucky. In the latter place he mar- ried Mary Forden, in 1830, and moved to Spring- field, Illinois, the next year. Here he embarked in a grocery and general merchandising busi- ness, and also continued in general trafficking. He died November 9, 1869, leaving the widow and son with a very comfortable estate. His wife followed him in 1878.

The subject of this article was born in Spring- field, and is forty-nine years of age. Ile was educated in the Springfield Academy, and the medical department of St. Louis University, from which he graduated, receiving the degree of M. D. in 1852. But being inclined to follow in the footsteps of his sire, he never entered actively into the practice of medicine, save as contract surgeon at Camp Butler during the war. He has devoted his attention to buying and improving city real estate, and to general trading. He has manifested a zealous interest in the growth and prosperity of Springfield, and has been financially identified with most of the corporate enterprises looking to this end, besides erecting many business and other buildings, of which he now owns a large number. The Pas- field block, which he built in 1881 in honor of his father's name, on ground purchased by the senior Pasfield fifty years ago, is of pressed brick

and iron fronts, ornamented with trimmings of stone and tile, is the handsomest business block in the Capital City. Mr. Pasfield has been very successful in his business operations, and now owns more real estate than any other man in Springfield. His residence is the old homestead, embracing four blocks on the corner of Capitol Avenue and Pasfield street, and is a cosy rural retreat. In 1866, Mr. Pasfield united in marriage with the daughter of Hathaway M. Pickrell. She was also born in Sangamon county, Illinois. Emma, aged fourteen years; George IIII., aged 11, and Arthur Hathaway Pasfield, aged four years, constitute their family. Mrs. Pasfield is a member of the Christian Church.

Debold Paulen, Treasurer of Sangamon county, Illinois, was born near Strasburg, Germany, Sep- tember 13, 1828; came with his parents, Debold and Margaret' (Walter) Paulen, to America, when eight years of age, then the only child of their family of two sons and one daughter. After remaining a year in New Orleans, they set- tled in Curran township, Sangamon county, Illi- nois, where the mother died in 1863, and the father in March, 1881, and where Mr. Paulen has always resided, until elected to his present office, in 1877. His school advantages were confined to a few terms in the district school. Beginning labor in youth for twenty-five cents a day, pros- perity marked his course of industry and econ- omy; and in 1877 he had no difficulty in obtain- ing securities on his bond for $1,700,000. Neither he or his father ever had a law-suit. Mr. Paulen married Elizabeth, a native of Sangamon county, and daughter of Samuel McMurray, one of the pioneers in the county, in 1857. They are the parents of three sons and one daughter. He was elected Treasurer on the Republican ticket in 1877, and re-elected in 1879, against a Democratic majority of from eight to ten hun- dred. His father came to the county in indigent circumstances, but accumulated a competence before his death.

Moreau J. Phillips, deceased, was born in Green county, Kentucky, May 26, 1811, and came with his parents to Sangamon county, Illinois, in 1829. In 1831, he enlisted in the Black Hawk war as a member of the company from Sangamon county. In 1836, returned to Kentucky and married Malissa Lee, whom he brought back to Sangamon, where he spent the remainder of his life. He died in Springfield, February 8, 1881. He was a carpenter by trade, and spent the last years of his active life in superintending the wood de- partment of the trunk factory of his sons. His marriage with Miss Lee resulted in a family of

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ten children, four of whom are deceased, and six sons alive. Mr. Phillips combined in his charac- ter firmness and decision, with strong sympathy and kindness of heart. He was greatly attached to his home and family, whose associations formed the chief enjoyment of his life.

Four of the six sons, Charles J., Edwin H., William O. and Moreau F. Phillips are associated in the Phillips Brothers' trunk manufactory, and are doing a thriving business. Their mother re- sides in Springfield, aged sixty-four years.

Henry Pietz, photographic artist, 221} South Sixth street, has been conducting the business in Springfield since the fall of 1873, and moved into his present beautiful rooms, fitted up especially for his purpose, in March, 1880. He has an experience of fifteen years in this branch of art, and makes a specialty of fine portrait work in sun prints, ink, crayon and oil. His gallery is furnished with all the facilities for a high grade of work ; and a survey of the beau- tiful specimens which adorn the walls of his płace convince the visitor that Mr. Pietz is master of his art. He is a German by birth, and obtained a general knowledge of the photo- graphic art in the polytechnic schools of his native country ; came to America in 1864, and after traveling about a year and a half, stopped a short time in Cincinnati, Ohio; went thence to Piqua, Ohio, and carried on the manufacture of soda water. In 1869, he went to Chicago and engaged in photography. Leaving there, he spent two years in Milwaukee, then came to Springfield. Mr. Pietz is a member of the Photographic Association of America.

J. A. W. Pittman, photographie artist, No. 323 South Fifth street, learned the business in Tennessee, his native State, beginning in 1857; and with the exception of a few months, has continuously carried it on for himself ever since. In January, 1865, he located in St. Louis; burned out in February, 1868, and moved to Carthage, Hancock county, Illinois, remaining till he came to Springfield in April, 1876. The building Mr. Pittman has occupied since January, 1881, was designed and built especially for his use, and is admirably adapted to the purpose. The recep- tion, toilet and operating rooms are all on the ground floor, and are tastefully furnished and supplied with the finest modern implements and facilities for superior portrait work, of which abundant proofs adorn his beautiful rooms, in the way of specimen pieces. Prominent among these are two composition groups of the Thirty- first and Thirty-second General Assemblies of Illinois; the first was made in 1879, and the

latter in 1881. They are four and a half by six feet in size, representing the members in their seats in their respective halls, are elegantly exe- cuted, and are probably the largest composition portrait pictures in the world. To make them was a stupendous undertaking which few artists would assume, and fewer still could produce with such marked success.

Mr. Pittman was born in 1833, and lived on a farm till he began photography. He has been three times married; first, to Terecy Gililand in 1853, who died three years after, leaving two children, both deceased. In 1869, he married Mary Bryant, who died in 1876; and in January, 1878, be married his present wife, Mary Pat- terson, of Springfield. They have one daughter. He is a Mason and a member of the Royal Templars of Temperance.

Charles R. Post, Springfield, Illinois, was born in Cornwall, Vermont, January 15, 1826; son of Truman and Betsy (Atwater) Post, who emi- grated to Marietta, Ohio, in 1833, where the sub- ject of this sketch was reared on a farm. In 1842, he came to Waverly, Morgan county, where he purchased a farm and remained until his death, which occurred in 1847. The same year, Charles went to California, crossing the plains; remained in the mines a couple of years, then returned to Waverly, where he stopped a short time; went to Jacksonville and embarked in merchandising one year; thence to Spring- field, where he engaged in the grain trade, and continued in the same until 1857; then engaged in selling farm implements. He married Miss Caroline Lathrop, daughter of Erastus Lathrop, of Ashforth, Connecticut. By this marriage there were three sons: Charles William, Aurilian A , and Carroll L. Mr. Post has held several local offices of trust in the gift of the people, is a deacon of the Congregational Church. In politics a Republican.

James L. Powell, contractor and builder, resi- dence south Sixth street, near Vine, commenced the building business on his own account in 1874, and has devoted his attention chiefly to erecting residences in the city. He makes most of his own plans, works from five to twenty mechanics, and has never built less than fifteen houses in any one year. Ilis contracts for 1880 amounted to $30,000, and in 1881 to $35,000. He began learning the carpenter trade with his father in 1868, and worked for him seven years.

His father, Ebenezer Powell, was an English- man by birth; came to America and to Sanga- mon county, Illinois, in 1845, and after his mar- riage with Nancy E. Mckinney, a Pennsylvania

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lady, settled in Mechanicsburg township, where James was born a little over twenty-eight years ago. He is one of a family of four sons and two daughters. His father carried on the car- penter business in Springfield a number of years before his death, in 1875. The subject of this article married in September, 1874, to Miss Jennie Neper, a native of New York State, but a resident of Springfield from early childhood. They have three daughters, Bella, Minnie and Kittie. In politics Mr. Powell is Republi- can. His mother resides in Kansas.

J. F. Price, M. D., is a son of Jacob F. and Mariah R. ( Miles) Price, natives of Kentucky; his father was a Presbyterian preacher, and was connected with the church at Pisgah for a num- ber of years; died in June, 1847; his mother is still living, at the age of seventy. The subject of this sketch was born in Woodford county, Kentucky, April 7, 1846; his father died when he was one year old; he was sent to live with his grandmother, and when thirteen years old was sent to Nicholasville, Kentucky, to attend a pri- vate school; remained there two years, then came to Illinois, and attended the Normal Uni- versity, at Normal, nearly three years; then re- turned to Kentucky; where he read medicine with Dr. Sidney Allen, of Winchester, now of Lewiston, Kentucky, one ycar, when he attended lectures at Lonisville University; in 1865, came to Springfield; read medicine with Dr. Charles Ryan, the same year; returned to Louisville, where he graduated. The Doctor commenced the practice of his profession in Clarke county, Kentucky, and remained there two and a half years. In 1868 he was connected with the Soldiers' Home, at Dayton, Ohio, as Assistant Surgeon, one year; in 1869, went to Coles county, Illinois, where he followed his profession; the following year, went to New York City and Bellevue Hospital Medical College; then went to Philadelphia, where he spent a short time in Jefferson College. He returned to Charleston, Coles county, remained one year; in February, 1872, he married Miss Jesse Loose; she was born in this city November 7, 1851; there are three children, Jacob L., Charles R., and Jessie. The following April Mr. P. located in Springfield, where he formed a partnership with Dr. H. B. Buck, and with the exception of a visit to Kan- sas for his health, has remained here since.

John W. Priest, furniture merchant, north side of the square, is one of a family of twelve children of Frank and Mary (Wood) Priest, of whom five of each sex lived to adult age. He was born in Vermont, October 18, 1809; moved

with parents to St. Lawrence county, New York, in 1816, where he grew to manhood; and in August, 1835, married Olive Wakefield; starting soon after, in a wagon, for Montgomery, Ala- bama, consuming forty days in the trip. Mr. Priest engaged in the manufacture and sale of tinware in that place about fourteen months, then sold out and carried on the same business in Columbus, Mississippi, over three years; leav- ing there, he spent a summer in St. Louis, Mis- souri. In the spring of 1840, he and wife re- turned to New York for the latter's health, where she died soon after, leaving a son, who also died at three years of age. Mr. Priest came to Spring- field in June, 1840, and for thirteen years car- ried on brick manufacturing, and also conducted the stove and tinware business about four years during the time. He has been extensively en- gaged in farming many years; owns a six hun- dred acre farm in Christian county, which he cultivates, and one of five hundred acres in San- gamon county, that he rents out. About six years ago he re-embarked in the furniture and house-furnishing business in his present store, and carries a large stock of furniture, stoves, tin, and wooden-ware, crockery, cutlery, etc., and has an annual trade of $35,000 to $40,000. Mr. Priest cast his first Presidential vote for Andrew Jack- son, and has always been a Democrat. Ile has served his Ward-the Fourth-as Alderman, eight years; has been Mayor of the city four terms,.three consecutively; and is now a member of the County Board of Supervisors. He mar- ried Lucinda M. Stafford, of Rochester, Sanga- mon county, March 30, 1845; she died September 10, 1851, having been the mother of four child- ren; two of whom, Olive Lucinda, born Febru- ary 24, 1846, and Mary Eliza, born November 2, 1848, are living. Mr. Priest married his third wife, Catharine Wright, in St. Lawrence county, New York, in September, 1853; she died child- less in July, 1875. September 5, 1878, he united in marriage with Phebe T. Eggleston, of Roches- ter, Sangamon county; she is the twelfth daugh- ter and seventeenth child of Seth and Emma Samson, of Ohio. Mr. Priest has four grand- children: Olive, Mary M., and John Priest Latham, and Mary Lucinda Currier, all born in Springfield, Illinois.

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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 117

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