USA > Illinois > St Clair County > History of St. Clair County, Illinois. With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 66
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Ira Manville was born in Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, Nov 23, 1795, and came with his father, Ira Manville, to this state in 1810. His father lived for six years in Kaskaskia, when he moved and settled six miles south of Athens, on the Kaskaskia river. At this point he kept a ferry until his death in 1821. The grandfather of the subject of this sketch was murdered at the Wyoming valley massacre, where a monument has been erected to their memory. In 1822 Mr. Manville settled in this pre- cinct, on the place where he now resides. He served in the war of 1812, under Capt. Absalom Cox. He is now eighty-six years of age, and is still hearty and intelligent, and delights in telling stories of the pioneer days. When be settled here in 1822, he states that the following families lived in this neighborhood : Robert Hughes, David, Hugh and William Alexander, James McCann, Robert and James Thomas, Josiah Hawkins, the Calbreaths, Louis Laramie, David Paine, Joseph Land, Ebenezer Harkness, Isaac Swan, Rev. William Moore, Stephen Cooper, the Scotts, Simons and Pickets, Samuel Allen, David Everett, Jesse Walker, David Walker, the father of George Walker, well known in the county ; Joseph Dixon, Ebenezer Allen, an old Revolutionary soldier who was buried here in 1828 ; William Parker, Samuel Tozer, Daniel Pierce, Anthony Thomas, Daniel Wilbanks, Jerry Black, Benjamin Woods, Joshua Winters, James Park, Peter Wright, and perhaps a few other families, lived in what is now Shiloh at that date.
We show below the land entries in 1814, as copied from the record : James McCann, N. half Sec. 2, 31116 acres, Sept. 23; R. and J. D. Thomas, S. W. quarter Sec. 2, 160 acres, Sept. 30; Silas Crane, N. E. quarter Sec. 3, 158 1%, acres, Sept. 23; D. Everett and J. Walker, W. half Sec. 3, 320 acres, Sept. 3; Hugh Alexander, S. half Sec. 13, 320 acres, Aug. 24; Joseph Dixon, N. E. quarter Section 5, September 6 ; Matthew J. Cox, N. W. quarter Section 6,
147 100 acres, Dec. 24; William Biggs, S. W. quarter Sec. 6, 143g), acres, Dec. 24; William Adams, N. E. quarter Sec. 7, 145 15 acres, Aug. 24; James Scott, E. half and S. W. quarter, 480 acres in Sec. 8, Sept. 30 ; Silas Bankson, W. half Sec. 9, 320 acres, Sept. 23; David Alexander, S. W. quarter Sec. 10, 160 acres, Aug. 13; William Kinney, S. W. quarter Sec. 7, 150 10 acres, Aug. 24.
The Michel family, who settled at an early date, were the first Germans to locate in this precinct. Henry Knoebel, a native of Bavaria, Germany, settled in this county in 1833, and resides on Sec. 3 of this precinct. Peter Weil, also a native of Germany, lives on Sec. 11, and came to this county in 1837. S. G. Clark, a Tennesseean, came to St. Clair county in 1831, and resides on Sec. 15 of Shiloh.
The first school-house was erected of logs on the place now owned by H. A. Pierce, just opposite the present Cherry Grove school- house, at a very early date. There was also an early school-house on the present site of the village of Shiloh. Rev. Clark, a Baptist minister, was an early teacher. A post-office was established at Cherry Grove as early as 1818, and Daniel Wilbanks was the first postmaster. This office was kept at several places in the settle- ment, and at Rock Spring, and in 1845 it was permanently located at Shiloh.
The first mill was erected by James McCann, on Sec. 2. It was a horse mill, and at one time was quite popular. Hugh Alex- ander had a saw and grist ox mill and a distillery, on Sec. 4. Daniel Pierce also had an ox mill and distillery. These, with Scott's, above mentioned, were the pioneer mills.
The precinct, including the village of Shiloh, has a population of 792, according to the census of 1880.
VILLAGE OF SHILOH.
In Reynolds' Pioneer History of Illinois, we find that in the summer of 1807, Bishop McKendree, whose name has been per- petuated in the Methodist College at Lebanon, was one of the earliest Methodist ministers to preach in this vicinity. He had erected at Shiloh a log meeting-house, which was one of the earliest churches of this denomination in Illinois. He also organized and held a camp-meeting at this point the same year. There have been four churches erected by this denomination on the same spot. The present one is constructed of brick, and is a neat and costly edifice.
The first house erected in the village proper was by Edwin Pierce, in 1845. It is still standing, just in the rear of the church, and is known as the Gaag house. The next dwelling was built by Robert Dorey. Jacob Canmann erected the first store-house and opened the first stock of goods for sale, in 1845. Andrew Haege crected two or three houses, and his brother Jacob erected a dwell- ing and blacksmith shop about the same date. Jacob Haege was the first blacksmith. A steam saw-mill was erected by Edwin Pierce, Philip Scott and Charles Alexander, about 1847. The vil- lage is located in the north-western part of the precinct, near the O'Fallon line, and was laid out by Martin Stites and James Atkins.
It has the following business :-
General Stores-Yaeger & Haase, Henry Friedewald. Hotels- "Shiloh House," Charles Renner, proprietor ; "Union Hall," John Reppel, proprietor. Blacksmith and Wagon Shop-F. W. Herbst. Shoe Shops-Joseph Ley, H. Kemp. Physician-John Bailey. Postmaster-Henry Friedewald.
One mile east of the village is situated the saw-mill of Albert C. Reuss & Co. It is a frame building, constructed in 1880; they have steam power ; considerable hard lumber is sawed, and a large stock is constantly kept on hand.
TENANT HOUSE SEC 14. T.IN.R.T.W.
ACEST8 88885
RESIDENCE AND FARM PROPERTY OF CHARLES GRIFFE
.
TENANT HOUSE SES 23 , T.I.N.R. 7W
IN ESQ. - SEC 14 [T.I.N.R. 7 W] SHILOH PRECINCT, ST CLAIR CO, IL.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
JOSEPH GRIFFEN, (DECEASED.)
THE family from which Joseph Griffen is descended was of Welsh origin, and at an early date came to America, and settled in the State of New York. His father, Jacob Griffen, resided in Duchess County, New York, and in that part of the state was born Joseph Griffen, on the 23d of September, 1796. His birth-place was the town of Clinton in Duchess County. His father afterward moved with the family to Albany County, New York. He secured an ordinary common school education. He left home at the age of nineteen and began life on his own account, without any means on which to rely except his own industry and energy. He went to the western part of New York State, and for about a year was employed on a farm in the vicinity of Rochester. When he reached the age of about twenty-one he determined to strike out for the West and find what opportunities existed in a new country. His first trip to Illinois was made by way of the Ohio river, which he descended in a flat boat. His first stopping place in this State was in the vicinity of Kaskaskia.
JAMES PARK.
After a couple of years he returned to New York, making the trip in a one-horse wagon. But after remaining in the East a short time he came back to Illinois, making the entire journey on horse- back. When he first came to Illinois he was employed part of the time in a saw mill at Walnut Hill. He managed to accumulate a little money, and after returning from New York invested his means in a stock of goods which he sold throughout the country, carrying the goods around in a one-horse wagon. In those days stores were scarce to what they are at the present time, and the settlers often found their only opportunity to purchase goods from the itinerant merchants who traveled over the country. In ex- change for his goods he was obliged to take considerable produce, money at that time being a scarce article. He sold .this produce, especially large quantities of honey, at advantageous prices, and gradually obtained sufficient money with which to buy land in Horse Prairie in Randolph County. He lived there till his re- moval to St. Clair county.
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
On coming here he first resided on Turkey Hill and there two of his children are now buried. In the year .1828 he pur- chased for four hundred dollars the south half of the south-east quarter of section fourteen of township one north, range seven west. He had not then sufficient means to make the whole payment on the land. This place was subsequently his residence till his death. At the time he moved on this land only a small part was under cultivation. Mr. Griffen worked industriously at improving the farm. He was a man of great energy and activity. He had good business qualifications, and at the time of his death was one of the largest land owners of the Shiloh valley. . His first marriage took place in February, 1826, to Mrs. Mary Shepherd, whose maiden name was Foulks. Her death occurred on the 5th of February, 1841, at the age of thirty-nine. She was born in Pennsylvania on the 5th of February, 1802. His second marriage was on the 13th of October, 1841, to Sally Ann Collins, who was born near Greenville, New York, on the Ist of December, 1805. This mar- riage occurred at Amsterdam, New York, while Mr. Griffen was in that state on a visit to his brother.
He had in all twelve children, whose names are as follows :- Jacob Fardon Griffen, born on the 6th of February, 1827, died on the 15th of November of the same year ; Smith Griffen, who was born in 1828 and died in 1831 ; Harriet Jane Griffen, born August 10, 1831, and died the succeeding 15th of November; Joseph Griffen, who was born in 1832, and is now living in the Shiloh valley; Caroline Griffen, born in 1834 and died in 1835; Sarah Ann Griffen, born Marchi, 1836, now residing in Macon county, the wife of James H. Alexander ; Mariah Griffen, now Mrs. Wm. D. Howard of Lebanon; Rachel Griffen, who was born in 1840 and died the same year ; Boon Griffen, who was born July 27th, 1842 and died May 4, 1862 ; Alletta Griffen, who was born in 1843 and died in 1844 ; Charles Griffen, born February 20, 1845, and Jane, who was born in January, 1849, and died in September of the Boon Griffen was a student at Mckendree college at the time of the breaking out of the war of the rebellion. He enlisted at St. Louis in a Missouri regiment, not then nineteen years old, and was in the three months service under General Fremont. After the expiration of his term of service he returned to his studies, but died of consumption in 1862, while a member of the college graduating class. He would have graduated had he lived till June.
For a number of years, subsequent to 1841, Joseph Griffen served as Justice of the Peace, and in that capacity gave satisfaction as an upright man, and a just and impartial magistrate. He was a man who believed in upholding the rights of others, and never, if he could prevent it, would he allow the weak to be imposed on by the strong. He was respected as a good neighbor and a worthy citizen. His religious views coincided with those of the Baptist church, though he was an active member of no religious denomi- nation. He was seldom away from home and paid close attention to his business affairs. He was originally a Whig in politics, and was attached to that party till the dissolution of the Whig organi- zation, and the foundation of the Republican party, when his views on the subject of slavery led him to become a Republican, and he acted as such during the remainder of his life. He was never am- bitious to hold public office, preferring to devote his time to his
business and farming operations. He was interested in agricultural matters, and was a good practical farmer. He assisted in organizing the fair association of St. Clair county, and was the first president of the society. By industry and good business management he secured considerable wealth, and at the time of his death owned over twelve hundred acres of land in St. Clair, Washington, and Macon counties. His homestead farm in the Shiloh valley par- took of the general excellence of the land in that part of the county. He died on the 24th of October, 1874, at the age of seventy-eight years, one month and one day. His widow survived him till the 7th of April, 1876, when she died at the age of seventy years, four months, and six days. Asan honest man, a kind neighbor, and a useful citizen, his name deserves perpetuation in this work.
CHARLES GRIFFEN,
who now resides on the old homestead farm, was born Feb- ruary20, 1845. His education was mostly obtained at a school on his father's farm, and he also for a time attended a com- mercial college in St. Louis. While his father lived he assist- ed in the management of the farm, and has since continued to live on the homestead. He was married on the 10th of June, 1873, to Martha M. Park, who was born in the Shiloh valley, December 23d, 1843. Her father, James Park, was born near Frankfort, Ken- tucky, on the fourteenth of December, 1799, and was one of a large family of children, sixteen in number. His father was of Scotch descent. At the age of sixteen he left Kentucky and came to Illinois. He first resided in Sangamon county, and afterward became a resident of St. Clair county. His first wife was Mary Scott, daughter of Joseph Scott, one of the earliest settlers of St. Clair county. After her death he married a Miss Talbot, of Co- lumbia, Monroe county. His third wife, Mrs. Griffen's mother, was Julia A. Clark, who was born and raised near Richmoud, Virginia. The Clark family emigrated from Virginia and settled in St. Clair county, not far from Collinsville. Mrs. Griffen's grand- father, on her mother's side, was a soldier in the Black Hawk war. James Park, when the school land was sold, bought land in section sixteen, (township one north, range seven west) on which he lived till his death. This is the farm now owned by James Alexander. Mrs. Griffen's mother died on the 25th of January, 1868, at the age of fifty-eight years. Her father died on the 4th of April, 1879, at the age of eighty. He was a man of great activity for his age, and retained much of his youthful vigor till within a short time of his death.
In politics Mr. Griffen is a republican. He is one of the enterprising farmers of St. Clair county. He is the owner of six hundred and ninety-seven acres of land, two hundred and forty- seven of which he has purchased since his father's death. His farm is made up of the best farming land in St. Clair county, and is well-improved and under excellent cultivation. Since his father's death he has built a substantial and handsome addition to the old house, and his residence is one of the finest in that portion of the county. A view of his residence and farm is shown elsewhere. He has two children, whose names are Cyril Albert and Myrtle. At the head of this sketch appear the portraits of his father, Joseph Griffen, and of his wife's father, James Park.
HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
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DR. ADOLPHUS REUSS, whose portrait appears above, was one of the old residents and leading citizens in the vicinity of Shiloh. He was descended from a wealthy family who formerly lived at Amster- dam, Holland, and belonged to the old Dutch population of that country. Benedict Reuss, the father of Dr. Reuss, was born at Amsterdam. He subsequently became a resident of Frankfurt on the Main, one of the free cities of Germany, where he engaged in the mercantile business. He had considerable wealth, and was a successful business man. At Frankfurt, on the 28th of November, 1804, was born Adolphus Reuss. His mother, Johanna Basse, was a native of Westphalia. Dr. Reuss spent his early life at Frank- furt. He was the youngest of a family of eight children, composed of seven sons and one daughter. He early showed a disposition for literary pursuits, and after having passed through his preliminary studies, entered the University of Göttingen. His natural tastes and inclinations led him to adopt the profession of medicine. He was' graduated from the university of Göttingen in 1825, receiving the degree of doctor of medicine.' After leaving Göttingen, he pursued his medical studies at Paris and Berlin, and there secured as com- prehensive a knowledge of the science of medicine as could be ob- tained in the European universities.
After completing his studies, he entered on the practice of his profession in his native city of Frankfurt, where he was employed as a physician as long as he lived in Germany. At Frankfurt oc- curred his marriage to Margaretha C. E. Jucho, who was a native of that city, and was born on the 17th of January, 1818. Like a great many of the educated young men of Germany at that day, he
took an active interest in political affairs, and his sympathies were strongly in favor of a republican form of government as opposed to the strong monarchical system existing in Germany. His senti- ments on this subject were the cause of his emigration to America. He desired to live in a free country under free institutions. He came to this country in 1832. After traveling over the states of Ohio, Iowa, Missouri and Illinois, he concluded that St. Clair county offered better advantages as a place of residence than any other lo- cation, and he accordingly bought two hundred acres of land in sections three and four of township one north, range seven west, on which he settled and resided during the remainder of his life. When he purchased this tract of land it was nearly all covered with timber, only ten acres having been brought under cultivation. The German residents of the county were then few in number, compared with the great body of emigrants from the fatherland who poured in at a later day. It may be presumed that his previous modes of life in the cities of Germany gave him no particular fitness for a resi- dence in a new country, but he adapted himself as best he could to circumstances, engaged in the work of improving his land, and at the same time carried on the active practice of his profession. His first wife died on the 8th of March, 1841. He had by her no children. He was married again to Carolina Raith, who was born at Göttingen, Germany, on the 7th of March, 1824. She was the daughter of Frederick Raith, who came to this country in 1833, and settled at Turkey Hill, in St. Clair county.
Dr. Reuss devoted himself industriously to his profession, suc- ceeded in securing a large practice, and came to be regarded as oue
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
of the ablest physicians in the county. The nature of his practice in a rural neighborhood entailed much hard labor and constant riding over the country, but a naturally strong and robust consti- tution enabled him to withstand without injury a large amount of exposure and hardship. He took an intelligent interest in the in- stitutions of the country, and the political movements of the times. He adopted the views of the democratic party with which he acted till the question of slavery became the absorbing topic of the day, and a new party was formed on the issue of the extension, or re- pression, of the slave system. His warm free-soil sympathies made him a republican. He became connected with the republican party on its first organization, and was devoted to its principles through- out the remainder of his life. He never held any political office, and always refused to become a candidate for any public position, preferring to give his whole attention to his professional practice. He possessed liberal and independent views on all subjects, and in religious matters was a free-thinker, though he respected the opin- ions of others, and, never sought to bring his own private beliefs in- to public prominence. He was a man of literary attainments and culture. In his youth he had been a thorough student of languages. He was fond of reading, and accumulated a large library of books in Greek, Latin, Italian, French, German and English, with all of which he was conversant. His health was good until the time of his death, which occurred on the 7th of May, 1878. His wife had died previously, on the 5th of August, 1870. He was a man of good physical proportions, measuring five feet, ten inches in height, and weighing about two hundred pounds. His hair in youth was - dark, but in the latter part of his life it turned gray, and at the time of his death was of snowy whiteness. He accumulated considerable property, and when he died owned four hundred and fifty acres of land.
Dr. Reuss was the father of nine children, of whom eight are now living. The oldest son, Henry Reuss, now resides on the old homestead. Julius Reuss is engaged in farming in section three, of township one north, range seven west. The oldest daughter is named Lena. Rosa died at the age of twenty-three. Albert C. Reuss lives in section four of the same township. Augusta L. is the wife of Charles Fischer of St. Louis. The other children are Johanna, Mary, and Ferdinand L. Reuss.
Albert C. Reuss, a representation of whose farm and residence is shown on another page, was boro on the twenty-fourth of September 1852. He lived in St. Clair county till the age of fifteen, when he was sent to Germany to secure an education. He attended school at Stuttgart, Germany, for three years, and then returned to Ame- rica. On the 19th of September, 1878, occurred his marriage to Kate Pierce, daughter of Hiram A. Pierce, one of the leading far- mers of the Shiloh valley. Her grandfather, Daniel Pierce, was one of the early settlers and influential citizens of the county, removing from Pennsylvania, and settling near Shiloh, in the year 1812. He established an ox-mill on his farm, which was one of the popular institutions of that part of the county, receiving a patronage from the distance of many miles. He was a man of far more than com-
mon enterprise and business ability, and a sketch of his history is given elsewhere. Mr. Reuss has two children, whose names are Ida L. and Albert L. Reuss. Beside carrying on the business of farming, he is also the proprietor of a saw-mill. In his politics he is a republican. He is known as one of the enterprising young men of that part of the county.
DANIEL PIERCE (DECEASED),
ONE of the early settlers in the vicinity of Shiloh, was born in Brad- ford county, Penna., May 15, 1788. He received a common-school education, and afterwards learned the blacksmith trade. He was married at Tioga Point, (now Athens) Bradford county, Penna., November 10, 1811, to Alice Tozer, a native of Connecticut. Her father, Col. Judas Tozer, served in the Revolutionary war, and moved from Connecticut to Bradford county, Penna. Daniel Pierce moved to St. Clair county, Ill., in 1812, and settled in Sec. 10, Tp. 1 N., R. 7 W., purchasing a small improvement which had been previously made. Some time after settling here, he built an ox mill, which was a great convenience to the early settlers, and to which people often came to get their grinding done from a distance of twenty or twenty-five miles. He subsequently erected a dis- tillery adjoining the mill, which was carried on for several years. He was a man of great industry, and of a persevering disposi- tion, and possessed much more than ordinary enterprise. He was one of the men who in 1837 undertook the building of a rail- road from the bluff to the Mississippi. This was the first railroad constructed in the state. Gov. Reynolds was one of the men inter- ested in it. The road was successfully built and put in operation, but proved a disastrous speculation to the projectors of the enter- prise, the cost largely exceeding the original estimates. This venture, together with the payment of security debts to a large amount, swept away a great portion of his property. He died on the 17th of May, 1845. His widow died February 21st, 1852. He had seven children : Juliet C .; Emily J., who married Daniel S. Osborn, of Lebanon, and is now deceased ; Hannah, now Mrs. Sciota Evans, who resides in Iowa ; John O., who resides near Bunker Hill, Macoupin county ; Daniel E., who now lives in Iowa ; James A., who died on the old homestead where his family still reside, and Hiram A.
HIRAM A. PIERCE, now one of the leading farmers of the Shiloh valley, was born August 22, 1822, on the farm on which his father settled on coming to St. Clair county. For one year he was a student in Mckendree college. February 18, 1847, he married Mary Ann Middlecoff, daughter of George and Sarah Middlecoff. Mrs. Pierce was born in the Shiloh valley. In March, 1861, Mr. Pierce purchased his present farm in Sec. 3, Tp. 1 N., R. 7 W., which consists of three hundred and thirty-six acres. The im- provements are of an excellent character. He owns altogether five hundred and ninety-five acres of land ; he has devoted much attention to the raising of fine stock. He has eight children, and in his politics is a democrat.
RESIDENCE OF DR A. REUSS. DECEASED)
RESIDENCE WIND MILL PROPERTY OF A. C. REUSS ESQ. SEC 3 (T. I.N.R' . WEST) SHILOH PRECINCT- STCLAIR CO, ILL.
CASEYVILLE PRECINCT.
HIS is one of the northern tier of precints, bound- ed on the north by Madison county, east by O'Fallon, south by O'Fallon and French Vil- lage, and west by East St. Louis. It contains twenty-three sections or about 14,720 acres. It is drained by Canteen creek and its afflu- ents in the northern and eastern part, and the Grand Marias in the south-western. Casey- ville, situated a little north of the geogra- pliical centre of the precinct is the only village within its borders. The Ohio & Mississippi, and the St. Louis, Vandalia & Terre Haute Railroads enter the western part of the precinct and run side-by-side until they reach Caseyville, when the latter takes a north-easterly course and passes out on section three. From Caseyville the O. & M. runs in a south-easterly course and passes out on section 27. The surface of the precinct is divided between bottom lands and bluffs. The line separating the two passes through Caseyville in nearly a north-eastern and south- western direction from that point. In early times the bottom lands included in this precinct were covered with water the greater part of the year, and only for a few years back have they been drained so as to insure crops when sown. The bluffs in the region of Casey- ville are very rugged, and mostly covered with a heavy growth of timber. They are composed principally of sand, clay and gravel. Hence, from these facts, the territory embracing Caseyville was not so early settled as some of the precincts adjoining it.
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