USA > Illinois > Washington County > History of Washington County, Illinois > Part 22
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Mr. Hahne has during his life followed the occupation of farming. He after his marriage commenced farming in Elkton precinct and continued there two years. He then removed to Ashley precinct, where he remained one summer. From there he went to Lively Grove, where he lived about
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FARM RESIDENCE OF JOHN WILLIAM SCHWIND, Sec. 20, T.3, R. I, WASHINGTON CO.ILL.
FARM RESIDENCE OF MRS. ANN EADE , Sec. 33, T.2, R.3, WASHINGTON CO . IL.
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RESIDENCE OF WY KENNEDY, ELKTON, WASHINGTON CO.ILL.
FARM RESIDENCE OF F . HILDERBRAND, Soc.6, T.3, R.3, WASHINGTON CO. ILL.
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
six years. He then sold his farm at the place last mentioned and removed, to Elkton precinct where he purchased the farm on which he at present re- sides. His farm is finely improved, and he ranks to-day as one of the most substantial and intelligent farmers in Washington county.
In politics he is a staunch democrat, and takes great interest in the suc- cess of the party. Such is a brief history of one of the prominent farmers and citizens of Elkton precinct. He is an active member of the Odd Fellows' society, and has held the office of Past Master of his lodge, and has also been representative to the Grand Lodge of the State. In addition it may be mentioned that he is a member of the honorable order of Ancient and Ac- cepted Masons. In the community where he resides and is best known, he is recognized as an honest and intelligent man, and as such, enjoys the con- fidence and respect of his fellow-citizens.
JAMES B. MCCLURKIN
WAS born in South Carolina, December 23d, 1823. His father, John Mcclurkin, was also a native of that state, and of Irish extraction. He emi- grated west, and settled in what is now Elkton Precinct in the year 1833. He raised a family of nine children, and lived to the advanced age of eighty-two. His wife died three days previous at the age of eighty-four ; his father, Thomas Mcclurkin, being the grandfather of the subject of our sketch, was a revolutionary soldier and under Col. Washington. He was a slave-holder, and in 1808 he set his slaves free; he lies buried in the old R. P. grave-yard in Elkton Precinct, and is probably the only revolutionary soldier buried in the county.
The subject of our sketch assisted on his father's farm and attended the common schools in the neighborhood, where he received a fair education. In 1854 he was united in marriage to Miss Anna Morrison, a native of Phil- adelphia ; they have a family of two children living, viz. : William M. and
Elizabeth Eunis. In polities Mr. Mcclurkin is a Republican. Religiously he is a member of the Reformed Presbyterian Church.
WILLIAM ARDREY
WAS born in Harrison County, April 10th, 1809. His father, William Ardrey, was a native of Ireland, and emigrated to America in 1807. His young wife accompanied him at the time. He spent his early life in this county teaching school. In 1812 he moved to Muskingum County, Ohio, when he purchased a farm, where he lived until his death. He died at the advanced age of eighty-six. His aged partner of his life, died at eighty-nine years.
The subject of our sketch was brought up on a farm, and educated to farm pursuits. He attended the common schools, and received a fair education for that day. When he became of age he was determined to learn a trade, and engaged himself with James Gray in the wagon and plow manufacturing business. In 1833 he was united in marriage to Miss Eliza Stevenson. From this union has resulted three children living. He followed the trade of blacksmithing and plow-making for seven years in Norwich, Ohio. After this date he came west, and in 1840 settled in what is now known as Lively Grove Precinct, where he followed the occupation of a farmer, and also car- ried on his trade. In 1872 he moved to the town of Oakdale, where he has since resided .. He lives retired, on the earnings of a well-spent life. In politics he is a Republican, and cast his first vote for the Free Soil party ; in religion he is a member of the United Presbyterian Church. His child- ren, of whom mention has been made above, are all living near to the old place first settled by their father in 1840. Their names are Robert Y., who is now in the general merchandizing in Oakdale, Mary Jane, now the widow of the late Robert McClurken, who resides near, and Thomas S. Ardrey, who is in business with his brother in the place above mentioned.
HISTORY OF HOYLETON PRECINCT.
S bounded on the north by Clinton county, on the east by Irving- ton precinct, on the south by Richview precinct, and on the west by Covington precinct. It contains about forty sections of land, and is one of the best farming precincts in the county, mostly high rolling prairie land. Crooked creek flows from east to west on the extreme north. Grand Point creek flows along its eastern boundary in a northerly direction, and divides Hoyleton and Irvington precincts. Very little timber in the precinct, a narrow strip of timber along the two creeks, and it was near the two streams before mentioned that the early settlers in this precinct opened up their first farms. They did so in order to have wood and water near at hand. It is not definitely known who were the first settlers in this precinct. As early as 1831 F. Nobles and a man by the name of Mayberry made settlements in the south-east part of the precinct, about 1840, J. Painter and G. B. Baldwin settled in the east part. Taylor settled in the north-east prior to 1840, near where Henry S. Harr now lives. John Harr, Sr., settled here in 1840. His son, Henry S. Harr, now living in the north-east part of the precinct, is one of the oldest settlers now living in Hoyleton precinct. Press Holly settled in the north-east part with his two sons John and Randolph in 1833. The first schools were taught in private houses, Edward Russell being one of the first teachers. A log school-house was erected about 1851, on section 32, town 1, range 1, and the first teacher was Miss S. A. White. The first grave-yard located in the precinct was near the residence of John Harr, Sr., and & Mrs. Sloate was the first person buried therein. In 1858 J. A. Bent and Ovid Miner, congregational minis- ters established a colony near the centre of the precinct. They were prin- cipally from New York and the New England states. They laid out the village of Hoyleton in the same year. They built the first church there
soon after the town was laid out. H. Wells built the first residence, and Webb & Leslie sold the first goods in the place.
In 1859, through the influence of the Central Railroad Company, the Hoyleton Seminary, situated in the town of Hoyleton, was erected by Bent. & Miner. The building is now being used for public school purposes.
The first occupants of the town were exclusively Eastern people, and it was called throughout the country " Yankee Town; " but now the popula- tion, with the exception of two families, are all Germans.
In 1866 C. Kreuger and William Grote bought a lot and erected a store- building. In that year the Germans began settling in the place, and by 1870 the original settlers had most all sold out and the Germans taken their place. The Germans have done much for the improvement of the place. Originally the buildings were small frame structures ; they have mostly all given place to substantial brick buildings.
The town now contains four general stores, kept by Chris. Kreuger, A Grote, Jacob Keller and William Stahlberg ; drug store, by Dr. E. E. Wel- born, hotel, by ; flouring mill, by Weigel & Co .; one black- smith, one harness, one cabinet and two wagon shops; also two shoemakers, and a brick yard, by D. Rixman.
CHURCHES of the following denominations : Lutheran, Methodist; Methodist German, and Evangelical.
BCHOOLS.
Public school, in the college building. Private seminary, by Mrs. Grabau. This institute was opened January 1st, 1877, by Mrs. Grabau. The purpose of the institute was to give the young ladies of the Evangelical Protestant
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
Church a chance to be brought up and educated in a college of their own creed. The branches taught are those taught in all higher schools, besides German, drawing, painting, music, and all kinds of ladies' handiwork. There are a number of ladies attending the institute at the present time from different parts of the United States. This institute is the only one of its kind in the West. There are private schools in the Lutheran and Evangeli- cal churches.
The town contains a population of about three hundred people. It is the
most substantial-built village in the county ; is situated in the midst of a beautiful, rich, rolling prairie. The farmers in the precinct are also princi- pally Germans.
Stiude Bros., Fred. Maschoff, F. W. and Henry Hake, and Henry Kreu- ger were the first German farmers to settle in the precinct. The most of them came in as early as 1852. Few prairies in southern Illinois can surpass Hoyleton in the production of both corn and wheat. The land is rich and well farmed.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
HON. F. E. W. BRINK.
AMONG the many foreign-born citizens of Washington county, none de- serves more favorable mention than the gentleman whose name heads this sketch. He was born in Westphalia, a province of Prussia, the 17th of March, 1827. He left his native place at an early age and came to America, landing here on the 22d of September, 1844. His parents followed him a year or so later. He remained in Washington county but a short time un- til he went to New Orleans, where he received a situation as foreman and ship- ping clerk in a large wholesale pork-packing, lard and oil house. He re- mained in that capacity for seven years, at the end of which time he re- turned to Washington county, and on the 6th of May, 1854, married Miss M. C. C. Hoffman. She was also a native of the same place in Prussia. Her parents came to America in 1852. Ten children were born to them to hal- low and bless the union, eight of whom are now living. After Mr. Brink's marriage he settled in Washington county and engaged in farming and stock-raising, in which occupation he has continued with marked success down to the present In 1872, in connection with Miss Kruegerd Weigle he added the milling business to farming, and at the present time is so engaged at Hoyleton in this county. In politics Mr. Brink is a pronounced Democrat. He cast his first vote for Lewis Cass, in 1848, and continued voting for the party of his first choice until the breaking out of the war ; when he arrayed himself on the side of the Union and voted for measures and not men. Af- ter the war he soon found himself in accord with the Democratic party, and he remained steadfast until 1872, when the candidate for the presidency on the Democratic ticket not being such that he could give his unqualified sup- port he concluded to take no part in the canvass, nor did he vote at all. Af- ter that time and up to the present, he has been a representative man of his party, and gives his time and work to the promulgation of Democratic ideas. He has from the date of his first settlement in the county been prominent in the local politics of his immediate locality, and has been frequently honored with offices of trust and responsibility. He was for a number of years Jus- tice of the Peace, School trustee, trustee of the Hoyleton Seminary, and trustee of the Evangelical Church, occupying the latter office for a period of over fourteen years. But his popularity has not been confined to his own neighborhood, but it is co-extensive with the county and Senatorial district. In 1874 he was nominated by the Republican party in convention assembled at Carlisle, Ills., for the office of Representative in the General Assembly of the state. He, however, declined the nomination. In 1876 he was nom- inated by the Democratic party for the honorable office of State Senator of the 42d Senatorial district. The nomination being the almost unanimous wish of his party friends he felt loth to refuse to accept the honor. He there- fore entered the campaign, and such was his popularity and strength that although the district was largely Republican he was elected by a handsome majority. While a member of the 30th Legislature he was honored with the chairmanship of an important committee, and was a member of several others equally important. In the 31st General Assembly he was a member of the committee of State Charitable Institutions, also of Agricultural, Drainage, Miscellaneous and Manufacturing and Labor Committees. He also
introduced into the last General Assembly several bills, among which were * * * * * * * * the following : *
Both Mr. Brink and his estimable lady are members of the Evangelical Church. In thus briefly sketching the life of F. E. W. Brink we find a man who started in life with but few advantages, and yet by incessant industry and the aid of good sound common sense has achieved for himself a name, and has secured to himself and family a comfortable competency in life. Throughout the county and distriot, in fact wherever Mr. Brink is known, he is universally respected not only for his honorable political career, but for his strict honesty and probity of character.
HON. T. DUANE HINCKLEY.
AMONG the prominent young farmers of Washington county, none deserve better mention than the subject of our sketch. The tillage of the earth and the care of flocks and herds,-two departments of agricultural indus- try, are. closely allied,-have been honored from the earliest history to the present. They have been the theme of poets and orators. The pen and the press have been extensively employed in aiding and honoring them, and never were these instruments of civilization more nobly employed. The historian gives us an occasional glimpse of some of the noblest specimens of persons engaged in the work of farming and stock-raising. Mr. Hinckley was born in St. Clair county, this state, Aug. 24th, 1848. His grandfather, Timothy Hinckley, settled in St. Clair county at an early day. His father, Samuel Hinckley, was born in 1818, and was a mere youth when his father settled in that county. Timothy Hinckley settled upon the land where Georgetown has since been built. He erected the second mill in St. Clair county at Bellville at an early date. The subject of our sketch was the third child of a family of eleven children. He received his education in the com- mon schools of that county and Mckendree college. At the age of fifteen he left college and joined the army. Yet so young, he put aside his scho- lastic duties and responded to the call "to arms," and enlisted in the 142d Illinois Volunteers, company H, under captain David Porter. He was mus- tered into service at camp Butler, and received his discharge at camp Fry, Chicago. At the age of nineteen he was united in marriage to Miss Sarah Starr, daughter of Alden Starr, St. Clair county. They have a family of four boys, Francis H., Samuel T., Henry B. and Cyrus L. Aug. 24th, 1869; he with his young wife moved to and settled in Washington county, near Richview, on a farm of his father's, where he remained two years. He then removed near Hoyleton on a farm of 280 acres, given by his father, where he now resides. He has done much to the improvement of the place, a view of which can be seen elsewhere in this work. In politics he has always been a staunch Democrat, and taken a deep interest in the success of the party. In 1878 he was elected by his party to the state legislature, and is now sitting in the thirty-first general assembly with honor to himself and credit to his party. Such is a brief review of the life of Mr. Hinckley. An industrious and studious youth, a soldier in the defence of his country, a member of the legislature, a kind husband, and a useful citizen of his county and state.
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RESIDENCE OF JAMES GARVIN, BELLVILLE ST. NASHVILLE, ILL.
RESIDENCE OF MRS. Z. H.VERNOR, HALF MILE SOUTH OF NASHVILLE, ILL.
FARM RESIDENCE OF THE HON . T. DUANE HINCKLEY, SEC.8 T./S.R./W. WASHINGTON CO. ILL.
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
HENRY S. HARR
WAS born at Wrightsville, York county, Pennsylvania, on the 15th Janu- ary, 1815. His father, John Harr, was of German descent, but also claims York county for his nativity. His mother, Elizabeth (Stealth) Harr, was a native of Baltimore, Maryland, and of English extraction.
The subject of this sketch when a boy attended the public schools of his native state and acquired therein a very fair English education, at the com- pletion of which he assisted his father upon the farm. At the age of twenty- five, in 1840, he married Leah Rethard, and the following year emigrated to the west, settling down upon a farm which he purchased, consisting of 240 acres of desirable land, and situated in what is now known as Irvington township. His father and other members of the family having preceded him about two years, locating near the timber where H. S. Harr is now residing, he parted with his original purchase, and jointly with his brother secured his father's homestead, finally purchasing the exclusive right to the same, and went to reside thereon in 1848. Mr. Harr devoted all his attention to and made considerable improvements upon this farm until a short time after his wife's death, which occurred in 1864. Six children were born to them, one dying during the journey from Pennsylvania, and two soon after the death of their mother; three are yet living.
In 1865 Mr. Harr rented his farm and removed to the adjoining county, to the town of ,Centralia, entering into the business of dairy-farming, which he prosperously carried on until two years ago, when he again returned to his farm in this county.
In 1865 H. S. Harr was again married, his second partner being the widow of Rev. McClelland, of Sandoval, this state. She was a native of Ohio, in which state she followed the occupation of teacher, afterwards in Illinois upon her removal here. By his second wife Mr. Harr has three children, all living, two girls and one boy.
Mr. Harr has filled the position of Judge of Election for a number of years, also that of Town Trustee, which office he holds at the present time. In politics, formerly an old line whig, now a staunch republican, always casting his vote for that party, Harrison being the first President for whom he voted. Mr. Harr is a liberal, public-spirited man. a generous friend and devout Christian. Himself and wife have been members of the Methodist Episcopal Church for twenty years past, and are directing their children in the same faith. Mr. Harr is a consistently temperate man, and stands well in the community where he resides.
The farm of H. S. Harr consists of 680 acres, 400 of which is under culti- vation. A view of his residence will be found in another part of this work.
HISTORY OF PLUM HILL PRECINCT.
LUM HILL precinct was organized in 1871. It was taken from the townships of Nashville, Okawville and Elkton. It takes its name from the thicket of wild plum trees that grew on the hill. The stream called Plum Creek has its origin on the hill. The first settler in this part of the county was a man by the name of Ratliffe. Just what time he came to the territory of Illinois, and settled at the place afterwards known as Ratliffe's Point, is unknown ; but he was regarded as an old settler as early as 1819, at which time he sold out his land to Cyrus Sawyer, father of the present Sawyer family of Nashville, Illinois. After the settlement of the Sawyer's was made, the name of Ratliffe's Point was changed to Sawyer's Point, and is known by that name at the present time The first permanent settler on Plum Hill was William Wheelis. He came in 1814. He settled on the line or trace, as it was then called, between Vin- cennes and Kaskaskia. He was followed by Sawyer in 1819, as above stated. In 1827 Thomas Atchison came, and John Weaver a year later. Hawkins Raylan came in 1827, and from this time on there were others whose fami- lies are yet found in the precinct.
The first school-house was built on the hill. It was of hewn logs with puncheon floor. This class of school-houses did duty until 1852, when a frame building was erected. Isaac Hale and C. N. Francisco were the first teachers. Joseph Chance was the first missionary Baptist. Benjamin Ches- ney and his wife were the first to attach themselves to this religious organi- zation. In the pioneer days of this portion of the county there were no stores or mills; consequently the residents were compelled to go to Sparta, Muscou- tah or Nashville for their family supplies of groceries and flour. In the year 1851 Thomas Atchison opened a store at a place about two miles west of the German church. He kept the necessary staples, and also had a huckster wagon, in which he hauled supplies to the farmers, which he gave in exchange for their butter and eggs. About the same time a German by the name of Horsemann also opened a store about three miles south-west of Okawville. In 1851 James A. Lyons brought the first reaper into the precinct. The
next year the McCormick was introduced. Nathaniel Barnes purchased and brought into Plum Hill precinct the first carriage in the year 1850. After using it for several years, he sold it to Alexander Chesney.
Doctors Enoch and Isaac Hale were the first physicians. Chills and fever were the prevailing diseases, and quinine, calomel and jalap the standard remedies used by these knights of the pill-box. They varied these remedies occasionally by prescribing whiskey, which in many cases was a sovereign cure, and as a remedy met with but little opposition in its introduction among the patients. The Brooksmiths were the first German family that came to this part of the county, if they were not the first Germans in the county. They came in 1837. Henry Weissman and John Rankin were the next.
There are several streams in the precinct. Plum Creek, as before men- tioned, has its origin on Plum HiHl. There are also Williams' and Weaver's creeks. The latter empties into the Elkhorn.
The first church building was erected in 1857 by the German Lutheran organization. A man by the name of Mangieland donated four acres of ground upon which to erect the building, and also for burial purposes. It was a frame building, and stood until 1876, when the congregation built a fine brick structure, which compares favorably with any similar building in the county.
The town of Addieville is in the precinct and on the line of the St. Louis and South-eastern railroad. It was laid out by Col. Don. Morrison, and named after his wife Adelia. The village contains about two hundred in- habitants. It is well supplied with stores, churches and physicians.
There is shipped from this point about 40,000 bushels of wheat annually. The most of the grain, however, finds its way to the local markets in the county.
The face of the country is rolling, and the soil is admirably adapted to the production of wheat; in fact it is the best wheat-producing district in the county. The farms are well-improved and under a high state of cultiva- tion. The inhabitants are principally Germans, and are thrifty and an intelligent class of people.
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
DR. WILLIAM M. PEIRCE
WAS born in Clarksville, Montgomery county, Tennessee, on the 15th of August, 1826. His father, Rev. John. J. Peirce, was a native of Vermont. He was a Presbyterian minister, and a graduate of Princeton College, New Jersey. In 1822, after his graduation, he left his home in New York, and removed to Norfolk, Virginia, where he took charge as resident minister of a congregation. In 1825, he accepted the position of Principal of an Acade- my in Clarksville, Tenn. One year later he removed to Todd county, Ken- tucky, where he remained until 1836, with the exception of one year, in which he filled the chair of Professorship of Languages in Central College, located at Danville, Kentucky. He, after the above-mentioned date, re- moved to Henderson county, Kentucky, where he remained until his death, which occurred in 1860. He married Eliza Reynolds. She was a native of Norfolk, Virginia. There were four children born to them, two of whom have survived the parents, viz. : the subject of our sketch and Rev. B. R. Peirce, a Methodist Episcopal minister, now a resident of Flora, Illinois. Dr. William M. spent his boyhood days in working upon a farm and receiv- ing his tuition from his father. He attended the schools of his native state but little. He remained at home until he reached the age of twenty-five years, when he commenced teaching, and taught for three years in the com- mon schools of Henderson and Davisse counties. In 1856 he abandoned teaching, and entered the office of . John Kimley, of Davisse county, Ken- tucky, and read medicine. After a sufficent time had been spent in a pre- paratory course, he entered the Kentucky School of Medicine at Louisville, Kentucky. Leaving that institution in 1858, he removed to Illinois, and settled in Okawville, Washington county, and commenced the practice of his profession. He remained in Okawville for nine years, and in 1867 re- moved to Nashville. One year later he went to Irvington, and in May, 1872, settled in Addieville, Washington county, where he has since resided. In all these places he continued uninterruptedly the practice of medicine. During his stay in Nashville, he, in connection with Harlan P. Walker, con- piled a set of " Abstract Records," the first one compiled in the county. On the 1st of December, 1858, he married Annie H. Martin. She is a native of Ireland, but was a resident of Louisville, Kentucky, at the time of her marriage. Eight children have blessed and consecrated this union, four of whom-all boys are still living. In politics the dootor is a staunch Repub- lican. He however was formerly Democratic, and cast his first vote for Lewis Caes, in 1848, and continued voting the Democratic ticket until 1860, when the war broke out and he then arrayed himself on the side of freedom and human rights. He joined the Republican party, and has voted and acted with that organization ever since. Dr. Peirce was trained in the School of the Regular Practice, and has always remained true to his first teachings. As a practitioner, he has been eminently successful. All accord him a front rank in the profession. The doctor, in addition to his professional duties, has also been for many years a contributor to the county press and other newspaper in the state. As a writer of political articles he is considera- bly above the average. He is a ready writer and is master of a clear, polished diction, and his articles show a thorough knowledge of the political questions of the day. He is at present, and has been since 1876, editor of the Journal of Nashville, Illinois. As a man he is universally respected. In 1870 he was the unanimous choice of the Republicans of Washington county for the office of Legislater, but was defeated by an Indepenent Republican by a small majority in the ensuing election. Himself and wife are members of the Pres- byterian Church.
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