USA > Illinois > Washington County > History of Washington County, Illinois > Part 20
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but the aim has been to do thorough teaching, and elevate the standard of scholarship. During the past year a normal class has been successfully con- ducted. At the present time, besides classes in the usual studies, there are students in geometry, navigation, surveying, astronomy, chemistry, Latin and Greek .- Washington seminary was incorporated Feb. 16th, 1865, with a board of thirty trustees, with power to grant degrees, having a full college charter.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
GEORGE T. HOKE.
AMONG the representative men of Richview township none stand forth more conspicuously than does the subject of this sketch. We herewith present a brief sketch of Mr Hoke's life, feeling as though the history of Richview township would be incomplete without a notice of that gentleman.
His ancestors on the paternal side were German, and on the maternal- English. His father, John Hoke, was a native of Kentucky, and his grand- father, George Hoke, a native of Pennsylvania. His ancestry date back to an early period in the settlement of this country. His mother's parents were from Maryland. Thomas L. Moore, her father, was a revolutionary soldier. The subject of our sketch was born in Harrison county, Indiana, October 1st, 1819. His father died at Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in 1821, on a trip to New Orleans. After the death of his father, his mother returned to Jefferson county, Ky., to her people, and emigrated with them in 1822, to this county and settled about two miles cast of old Covington, where she became acquainted with Livesay Carter. They were united in marriage July, 1823, and soon there- after settled two miles east of Nashville, and there lived with Mr. Carter for over fifty years, when she died. Mr. Carter followed in about two years. Mr. Hoke assisted on the farm and attended school in the winter until grown. His first venture in business for himself was peddling merchandise. In 1844, he opened a store in Nashville, invested five hundred dollars, and at that time had the entire trade of the place. Was united in marriage to Miss Rebecca Fulton. October 4th, 1844. He continued merchandising in Nashville until 1851, when he sold out to Dr. Lucas. He then in company with Judge Watts and Sheriff Jack, purchased the press and office fixtures of the " Nashville Era," the first paper in the county. They together published the Nashville Era for about four months, when Mr. Hoke sold his interest to David Logan. In 1852, he leased the only saw and grist mill in Nashville at that time. He carried on the mill for a short season, and in 1853, moved to Richview and clerked in the store of Dr. Lucas for about two years. In 1856, commenced merchandising near the depot Richview, and so continued until the year 1874, when he sold out his stock of goods. About this time he built his present residence, a view of which can be seen elsewhere in this work. Mr. Hoke was elected Justice of the Peace in 1856, to fill a vacancy, and has been re- elected five times, and at the expiration of his present term will have served twenty-one years as Justice of the Peace in Richview township. He was also appointed a Notary Public by Gov. Yates and has been re-appointed three times, making sixteen years as Notary. In 1876, after a very spirited contest, was elected County Commissioner, and is at present in the county board. In politics he is a staunch Republican. Religiously, he is a member of the M. E. Church. He is also a Master Mason, where we leave him, believing that in all proper places he will prove himself worthy and well qualified.
D. A. WHITE
Is among the oldest native born citizens of Washington county. He was born in what is now the north-west part of Richview precinct July 30th, 1826. He was the son of Samuel and Elizabeth White, and was the eldest of a family of eight children.
Samuel White was a native of South Carolina. His father, Andrew White was a native of England, and emigrated to this country when a young man, and settled in South Carolina, where he remained a few years; he then moved farther west and settled in St. Clair county about 1810. It was here that Samuel White was raised; during his minority he assisted on his father's farm. In 1823 he was married to Miss Francis Thornhill. She only lived about six months,'and he was again married in 1825 to Miss Elizabeth White, the same name but no relative. Upon his second marriage he imme- diately moved to Washington county and settled near what is now called Newman's Point, where he remained two years. He then removed to Grand Point, where he made a permanent settlement. He died on the place he im- proved November 8th, 1871. He lived a Christian life, and by his death the community lost a good citizen. His amiable disposition endeared him to his friends and family.
The subject of our sketch lives near the old homestead, and has a fine, well improved farm. He was brought up on a farm and thoroughly educated to farm life; during his boyhood he attended the common schools in the neighborhood during the winter months, and thereby received a fair educa- tion. March 19th, 1844, he was married to Miss Mary A. Downs. The following August she died, and Mr. White was married the second time July 9th, 1845, to Miss Matilda George. By this union they had one child born to them, Charles L. now living at home. Mr. White had the misfortune to loose his second wife April 10th, 1848. He was again married to Mrs. Elizabeth Livesay, October 29th, 1848. They have had five children born to them, three sous living. John M. lives near the old homestead, Joseph H. now in Texas, and James I. M. at home. lu politics Mr. White is a Demo- crat ; he has never aspired for political favors, desiring rather to make his mark by improving a model farm. He is a member of the Masonic frater- nity and also an Odd-fellow; he takes great interest in both societies. As above stated, in his youth he had the advantage of such education as the country schools of that day afforded, which at best was meagre, but yet with his great love for reading he keeps himself thoroughly posted on the events of the day, and is better informed and speaks more intelligently upon questions of a public nature than those of far greater pretensions. Quiet and unassuming in his manners, genial in dispositions, he dispenses a liberal hospitality with the ease and grace of the olden time.
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RESIDENCE & BRICK YARDS OF WILLIAM WIESE. NASHVILLE, ILLINOIS
RESIDENCE OF GEO. T. HOKE RICHVIEW, WASHINGTON CO. ILL.
GERMAN HOP
F.
MAIN STREET.
E. LIESE'S NASHVILLE,
BLOCK
WASHINGTON CO ILL
THE TOWN PROPERTY OF THE LATE JOHN BIESER. COR. OF MAIN AND MILL STS., NASHVILLE, ILLINOIS.
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
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HISTORY OF DUBOIS PRECINCT.
JUBOIS PRECINCT is situated in the south-eastern corner of the county; bounded on the north by Ashley precinct, east by Jef- ferson county, south by Perry county, west by Nashville precinct, and (comprises fractional portions of the congressional township of 3, ranges 1 and 2 west. ) It contains about 39 square miles.
EARLY SETTLERS
Were principally from the states of Kentucky and Tennessee. The first settler was George Palmer. He located on section 29 in the year 1827, on the farm now occupied by Joseph Filley ; later in the same year John Vaughn settled on section 30, where Mr. Spencer now resides. The following year, 1828, S. W. Anderson, Robert McCord, L. Stewart and L. Waters settled in this township; in 1829 came David Stilley, H. Stilley and Peter Sronce. From 1830 to 1832 the following families located here. Henry Bridges, Abraham Phillips, William Tilley and (Alexander White the pioneer blacksmith.)
FIRST MARRIAGE. Robert McCord and Miss Nancy Palmer were the first persons married.
FIRST SCHOOL-HOUSE.
The first school-house built was on section 32, and the first school taught was in 1839 by a Mr. Johnson. Previous to that time the children attended school in Perry county.
FIRST PREACHING
Was at the residence of George Palmer by A. E. Phelps, a circuit-rider of the M. E. Church.
FIRST STORE
Was carried on and owned by a man named Tibbles who emigrated from one of the Eastern states. The building was a log shanty situated on section 29; his stock of goods was very small but of a general character.
FIRST MILL
Was a horse mill owned by David Stilley and operated first about the year 1831, which was in use until about 1840, when a steam mill was put up on the Beaucoup near the Nashville road in township 3, range 2 west ; the I. C. R. R. was built through the township in 1874.
DUBOIS Was laid out in 1853 by L. J. Bridges, J. W. Tilley and D. & E. H.
Topping. Tilley and Topping opened the first store in the place. The town has now a population of about 250. There are four stores, four blacksmith shops, one wagon shop, one cabinet maker, one mill, four churches, two physicians, one hotel.
There are seven school-houses in the precinct. About two-thirds of the population are Germans and Polanders; the first colony of Polanders came during the years 1873 and '74, principally on lands purchased from the Illinois Central R. R. They are a thrifty, industrious people.
INDIAN BURIAL GROUND.
On section 27 on the east side of the Little Muddy on the second bottom, about ten feet above high water mark, there are the remains of an Indian burying ground, supposed to have been used as a place of sepulture by the Kaskaskia tribe. Their mode of burial was to make an excavation in the ground, about four feet long by two and a half wide, with rock bottom and sides, with a flat rock laid over the top, and when the grave was finished the top of the stone-like coffin was even with the surface. Several of these graves have been examined, and the remains were found in a tolerably good state of preservation.
EARLY IMPROVEMENTS.
The first houses were built of logs. In 1837, William Tilley erected the first frame house and barn; about half of the houses at the present writing in the township are log buildings. There are however several good farms and improvements, notably those of Henry Holbrook and D. R. Spencer.
COAL MINES.
A coal shaft was sunk at Dubois by Vose & Beard in 1865, to the depth of 200 feet, when they stopped work, and after a year, it fell into the hands of J. W. Tilley and R. S. Peyton. They sunk the shaft 50 feet deeper, and then drilled about 46 feet when they struck the coal. Peyton became the sole owner, and completed the shaft to the coal at a total depth of 296 feet. The vein is about six feet thick. The mine has passed through several townships and is now owned and operated by the Forman and Slutterd estate.
TREAD MILL.
In 1840 J. W. Anderson put up a tread mill for sawing lumber. Nine to eleven ox-power, depth of cut 26 inches-this was the first lumber sawed in this part of the county. In 1844 he added a burr for grinding corn. The mill was discontinued about the year 1849.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
DANIEL R. SPENCER.
AMONG the old residents and worthy citizens of Dubois township is Daniel R. Spencer. A work of this kind would be incomplete without mentioning his name. He is one of the foremost agriculturists and stock raisers in South- ern Illinois. He was born in Addison county, Vermont, November 14th, 1804, and was the son of Calvin and Ruth Spencer. Calvin Spencer was & soldier in the war of 1812, and was at the battle of Plattsburg. His father, Gideon Spencer, being the grandfather of the subject of our sketch, was a commissioned officer in the Revolutionary War. His mother's father, George Hopkins, was a colonel also of that war, and a cousin of Stephen Hopkins, one of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence. Mr. Spencer was brought up on a farm, and educated to farm pursuits. He received a com-
mon school education, and at the age of twenty-one he shipped on a whaler and remained on the cruise one year. He then went on a man-of-war for one year. During his life on the ocean he was principally cruising on the Pa- cific. For six months he was on a merchant vessel plying mostly between Vera Cruz and New York. The fall of 1828 he went to East Tennessee, and settled near Knoxville, where he remained about six years. He was joined in wedlock in that state to Miss Lavinia Wheeler, September, 1831, a native of Tennessee. In 1834 he emigrated with his family to Washington county, and settled near Nashville, in what is called Beaucoup settlement, where he remained until the spring of 1836, when he moved where he now resides. Though advanced in years father Time has dealt gently with him ; his elas- tic step and dignified bearing present unmistakable evidence of the temper-
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
ate habits that have characterized his life from his boyhood, and predict many years of usefulness yet in store for him. His mind and memory have lost none of the potency of his younger manhood days; his conversational powers none of their charms, and he relates the incidents of his travels and services which have been extensive, with a vividness and force seldom met with in one of his age in life.
Mr. Spencer belongs to that class of men who early in life, from choice, adopted the honorable avocation of tilling the soil, and who have found plea- sure and profit in the duties and cares of a husbandman ; yet amid all the busy scenes of a pioneer farmers' life in Southern Illinois, he has found am- ple time for the cultivation of his intellectual faculties and literary tastes, and in all that is required to make up the cultured and refined gentleman.
He exercises method, and a thorough system in all that pertains to culti- vating his fine farm and stock raising, as well as all that relates to his domes- tic and paternal duties. In moulding the character, directing the aspirations, and cultivating the tastes of the members of his family, the same thorough and systematic handiwork is observed that is characteristic of him in the prosy business of life. Notwithstanding he has in years exceeded the allotted time to man, Mr. Spencer is yet in possession of a vigorous and healthful con- stitution, surrounded with an interesting family and all the comforts and ne- cessities of life, with no vain regrets over lost opportunities nor for time wasted in the dissipations and follies of youth that often wreck the barks of the strongest men upon life's voyage, the promises are that his last days will be days of pleasantness, and that the evening of his life will be spent in hap- piness and serenity.
MARK DURANT,
SON of David and Nancy Durant, was born in Walden, Vermont, March 28th, 1819. His father served his country in the war of 1812, and his grand- father was a soldier in the war of the Revolution. Our subject spent his minority upon his father's farm, where his time was occupied in farm labor and attending the public schools and academies of his native state. His pa- rents were in moderate circumstances, and could not afford the means to give him the benefit of a collegiate education. Nothing could dissuade him from his unalterable determination to acquire a good education, and in 1841, at the age of 22, he entered Dartmouth College, where in four years he com- pleted his course, and received his degree; teaching music in the mean time to procure means in part to defray his expenses at college. After his gradu- ation he removed to North Fork, Mason county, Kentucky, where he was principal of the first academy in the place. During his stay at this place he held the position of postmaster for five years. He removed from this place and was appointed to the principalship of Minerva College, of the same county. While thus employed he received from Dartmouth, his Alma Mater, the degree of A. M. He held the office of Justice of the Peace at this place for about six years. While engaged in teaching at North Fork, he was united in marriage, on the 16th day of April, 1846, to Miss Elizabeth Calvert, a na- tive of Mason county, Kentucky, and a direct descendant of Lord Baltimore. By this union they have a family of nine children. In March, 1863, Mr. Durant removed to Pekin, Illinois, where the first year he taught in the high school. The following year he removed to a farm near by and engaged in agricultural pursuits. At this time he was appointed deputy county surveyor of Tazewell county, under Mr. Cleveland. Mr. Cleveland was not a practi- cal surveyor, and consequently the responsibilities and duties of the office de- volved upon Mr. Durant, and it is needless to say they were discharged with credit to himself, and satisfaction to the people.
In March, 1869, Mr. Durant removed to Dubois, Washington county, where he has since resided. He has held the office of Justice of the Peace for eight years, and is now serving his third term as Notary Public. He owns
farms to the amount of 400 acres near Dubois, also a fine farm of 200 acres in Tazewell county. While attending college and engaged in teaching Mr. Durant has always exhibited a marked partiality for the science of mathema- tics. While he has acquainted himself with other sciences and acquired a thorough knowledge of many of them, mathematics has been his favorite, his mind being peculiarly fitted for the investigation of this subject, and he has by diligent study arrived at an eminence in that science that is worthy of emulation. He is at present compiling a course in mathematics, simplifying the processes and presenting principles to the eye by means of formulas, which are more readily understood than rules addressed to the memory.
JOHN W. TILLEY,
ONE of the oldest native-born citizens of Washington county, was born east of Nashville about six miles, Jan. 19th, 1826. His father, William Til- ley, settled in Washington county about the year 1823. He was a native of Barren county, Kentucky, was born in 1794; in 1815 was united in marriage to Miss Nancy Pate, a native of Blount county, Tennessee. He lived in Washington county until his death, August, 1854.
The subject of our sketch was brought up on a farm, and educated to farm-life. He received a common school education. In 1851 he was united in marriage to Miss Maria Topping, of Pennsylvania. They had one child. His wife and child died in 1854. He again married in 1855, his second part- ner being Miss E. M. Watkins, a native of Ohio. By this union they had a family of two children : Hattie and Joseph E., now living at home. He had the misfortune to become a widower the second time. He linked his for- tunes with Miss Phebe Williams, a Connecticut lady, in 1865. Mr. Tilley was one of the first to sell goods in Dubois. His life occupation has been that of a merchant and farmer. In politics he was formerly a Whig, cast- ing his first vote for Taylor. At the breaking out of the late war, he identified himself with the Republican party, but now claims to be an independent, desiring to vote for the best man regardless of party. Religiously, he is a member of the Baptist Church. Such is a brief sketch of one of the native- born sons of Washington county ; he has lived to see Washington county transformed from a wilderness inhabited principally by the Indians to be a thickly populated and prosperous county.
J. WILLIAM SCHWIND.
AMONG the worthy German citizens of Washington county is Mr. Schwind. He was the first German to settle in the south-east part of the county. He made his settlement in Dubois precinct, in 1849, where he now resides. He was born in Baden, Germany, September 29th, 1821. During his minority he assisted on his father's farm and attended the common schools of. that country. At the age of twenty-one he joined the German army, where he re- mained for six years. At the expiration of that time, like unto a wise man, he took unto himself a partner for life, in the person of Miss Catharine Ben- der; by this union they have a family of six children. After his marriage he immediately emigrated to America and landed at New Orleans, Novem- ber, 1848. He came up the river to St. Louis, where he remained until the following spring. He then came into Washington county and settled as above stated.
He has in connection with his brother, John Schwind, a fine farm, well improved, a view of which can be seen elsewhere in this work. He will drive a close bargain, is honest in his declarations, has a large, generous soul, and is deserving of the good-will bestowed upon him by those who are most fa- miliar with his daily life.
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STOCK FARM & RESIDENCE OF JAMES A. STONECIPHER, SEC.3-/-/ WASHINGTON CO.ILL.
THE FARM RESIDENCE OF HENRY HOLBROOK, SEC. 27-3-/ WASHINGTON CO. ILL.
STOCK AND GRAIN FARM & RESIDENCE OF JOHN MC CARRY, SEC.31,T.I,R.I,WASH.CO.ILL. FARM RESIDENCE OF D.R.SPENCER & SON, SEC.30, T.3, R.I, WASHINGTON CO.ILL.
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
HISTORY OF OKAWVILLE TOWNSHIP.
HE township of Okawville is situated in the north-west part of Washington county. It is bounded on the north by Clinton coun- ty, and on the west by St. Clair, on the south by the township of Elkton, and on the east by Covington and Nashville townships. It is one of the most fertile and productive townships in the county. It is well watered by the Kaskaskia, Okaw and Plum creek streams. The surface is somewhat rolling, and the soil is rich and well adapted to the cultivation of all kinds of grain. The principal products are wheat, rye, oats, barley, and corn. Not much attention has been given in this section of the county to raising fine stock. The township is settled principally by Germans. They are, as a class, thrifty and economical, and the result is that they have fine, well improved farms, and the people in the township are generally out of debt.
The first settlement was made about the year 1825. Among the early settlers were the Harriman's, Patman's, Wheeler's, Galbraith's, Charter's, Middleton's, Morgan's, Clark's, Johnson's, Kizer's, White's, and later some others, among whom were the Stoude's, Hughs', Garvin's, William Adams, and others, all of whom had families.
In 1844, the first church was built. Previous to this time religious services were held at farm-houses, or in school-houses, around in the neighborhood. The church building was erected in what is known as Morgan's cemetery, named so because Morgan donated the land for burial ground. The church building was afterwards moved down about one mile west, and was converted into a school-house, but at the same time continued the property of the M. E. Church, and religious services were held in it for some time afterward. Later it was abandoned for. both school and religious purposes, and is now occupied as a private dwelling, and stands yet to where it was moved from the cemetery. Among the first deaths that took place in this section of the county was that of John Morgan, the same man who donated the ground for the cemetery. It was supposed that he was the first man to be buried in his own grave-yard, but when they were digging his grave they came upon a rude coffin, and in it the decomposed remains of a human body, supposed to be a man by the name of White, who owned the land previous to its purchase by Morgan.
The first school-house built in the county was about the year 1828. It was built of hewn logs, and stood where the Worm place is now. The first teach- er was William Boyd.
The first steam-mill was built by James Turnbolt. He commenced its erection in 1842, but steam was not added until 1845. It was located east of the village of Okawville, on the hill. The mill soon after passed into the hands of Jack McNail. He removed it to Muscoutah. Before the erection of mills the citizens of this vicinity journeyed to Muscoutah, Carthage, Bell- ville, and later to Nashville, to get their wheat and corn ground, or to pur- chase flour.
Robert Hughs was about the first person to sell staples for household use, such as coffee, tea, salt, sugar, and whiskey, for the latter was then regarded as a necessity, and not a luxury. He opened a store in his dwelling in the latter part of 1838.
In 1839 the first threshing machine was brought to this section of the county by a man by the name of Alexander. James Lyons brought the first reaper in 1849, and James Garvin the first buggy. James Lyons also erected the first brick-house in the township in 1847. He manufactured and burnt the brick on his own premises. He also made the brick for the first school- house, built of the same material a year or so later.
The first saw-mill was erected in 1839.
The first blacksmith-shop was erected by Robert Hughs, in 1842. A black- smith by the name of Michael Teabo was employed by Hughs to do the
work. There was no wagon manufactory until after the town of Okawville was laid out. Soon after that William Jones, a wagon-maker by trade, put up a shop and carried on the business.
The town of Okawville was laid out by James Gurvin and James Davis in 1856. Previous to this, H. P. H. Morgan had laid out the town of Bridge- port, which was immediately across the creek.
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