History of Wayne and Clay counties, Illinois, Part 85

Author:
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Chicago : Globe Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 704

USA > Illinois > Clay County > History of Wayne and Clay counties, Illinois > Part 85
USA > Illinois > Wayne County > History of Wayne and Clay counties, Illinois > Part 85

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of Chickamauga, where he was made a pris- oner. He was held in the various prison pens of the South, principally at Richmond and Danville, from which latter prison he, in company with eight comrades, made a very daring escape on the night of the Sth of May, 1864, having been in the prison six months. But one, however, of the nine suc- ceeded in reaching the Union lines, the others being recaptured. Mr. Blanchard was canght after an absence of fifteen days, and was taken to Andersonville Prison, where he spent three months of hard treat- ment. He was afterward transferred to Charleston, later to Florence, S. C., and finally to Wilmington, from where he made a successful escape on the 20th of February, 1865. He was discharged from the service at Springfield, Ill., in June, 1865, and opened a book store in Flora, Clay County, in the fall of the following year. In 1869, he was appointed Postmaster at Flora, by U. S. Grant, and has held the position contin- uously since. He married Ella E. Ingraham November 8, 1868, who was born in Ohio. Their children are Hugh (deceased) and Walter Blanchard, who was born October, 1871.

PEARLY P. BROWN. In common with many others of the settlers of Clay County, who deserve especial mention in this history, and who occupy an enviable place in the hearts of the most honored cit- izens, is P. P. Brown, the subject of these lines. He came to Clay County, Ill., in 1855, from Vinton County, Ohio, where he was born June 13, 1835. His father, Pearly Brown, and his mother, Eliza Hul-

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bert, were both natives of Connecticut, who settled in Ohio in the early history of Vin- ton County. Pearly P. Brown is the tenth child of a family of thirteen children born to these parents. His father was a trader and stock-dealer of some note, and young Pearly has followed in his footsteps in this particular, receiving his first lessons while a lad of less than ten years, at which time he crossed the Alleghany Mountains on foot, leading the foremost ox of his father's drove. " This experience was often repeated in his boyhood days, crossing the mountains no less than eighteen times. In 1855, he settled on a farm in Stanford Township, five miles east from Flora, where he resided abont eight years, moving then to Flora. In 1873, he purchased a farm in Harter Township, living upon it two years. In 1875, he was the choice of the county for the office of Treasurer, and filled that position with ac- ceptance for one term, since the expiration of which he has been a resident of Flora. In politics, he is Republican, and has represented Harter Township three terms as Supervisor, and four years as Assessor. He is regarded as an energetic and honorable stock-dealer, in which he is still actively engaged. He was married in Vinton County, Ohio, in + 1854, to Miss Clarissa Dunkle, a daughter of Eli Dunkle and Linnissia Pilcher. She was born November 21, 1837, in Vinton County, Ohio. They are blessed with seven children -Mary E., wife of John T. Ransdell, of Clay County; Linnissia, wife of C. C. Ripley, of Clay County; Harriet L., Clarissa N., Charles F., Sarah and William L. Brown. Mr. Brown is a member of the Masonic order, and both he and wife are honored members of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Flora.

JOSEPH O. BURTON, lawyer, Flora, Ill., is a native of Lawrence County, Ind., born Sep.

tember 15, 1844. The father, Alexander J. Burton, was a native of Virginia, and in early manhood went to Lawrence County, Ind., where he was married to Sarah Odell, a native of North Carolina. To them were born eight children, Joseph O. being the second, and of whom three are deceased. The mother died in 1857, in Clay County, Ill., the family having removed here in 1852. The father then settled in Hoosier Township, where he engaged in farming. He now is a resident of Pixley Township in Clay County. Of the five children living, one, Melcurt H., is a resident of Dakota Territory; J. O. and Fannie O .. of Flora Ill. ; Caswell R., of Pix- ley Township, Clay County; and Rebecca, wife of J. W. Edwards, of Indiana. Joseph O. attended the common schools in boyhood, and when seventeen years old enlisted in Company D, Forty-eighth Illinois Regiment, under Col. Hayne. He was in the ranks just three months when he sustained the loss of the right leg, being struck with a shell in the battle of Fort Donelson. He was dis- charged, returned home, and as soon as he was able, he entered the academy at Mitch- ell, Ind., entering that institution in the winter of 1862, and completed the course in the spring of 1866. During the school course, he devoted considerable time to the study of law, and for two years following prosecated this study principally under the Hon. B. J. Rotan, of Louisville, Ill., and Hon. G. W. Henry, then of Louisville, Ill. Mr. Burton was admitted to practice in the courts of Illinois iu 1868, since which time he has been a member of the Clay County bar, with the exception of a few months. In 1876. he received the nomination, on the Republican tickot, for State's Attorney, but, in common with the entire county ticket, sustained a defeat. He is a member of the A. O. U. W., G. A. R., and of the Baptist

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Church. He was married to Miss Elizabeth J. Blair, on the 28th of March, 1867, at Louisville, Clay County. She was born in Indiana on the 11th of April, 1847, and is a daughter of Jonathan and Lettie (Brown) Blair. The father died in 1862, while in military service, and the mother is still a resident of Louisville, Ill. Their union has been blest with the birth of four children ---- Alva A., born April 1, 1868; Stephen H., born October 17, 1872; Joseph, born May 10, 1876; and Sarah C. Burton, born Sep- tember 25, 1878.

GABRIEL CLARK, harness dealer, Flora, Ill., was born in Preble County, Ohio, in 1831, and when eight years of age came with his parents, George W. and Mary Clark, to Lawrence County, Ill. There he grew to manhood, and was married in 1861 to Lavi- na Ann Underwood. She was a native of Lawrence County, and died in Flora in 1871, leaving three children-Georgo M., Henri- etta and John G. Clark. Mr. Clark remained in Lawrence County until coming to Flora in 1866, where he has resided principally since, and until recently has been engaged at the trade of gunsmith. He was married to his second wife, Mary F. Leonard, in 1873. She was born in Martin County. Ind., in 1849. She, too, died in Fiora, in April, 1881. This marriage resulted in the birth of two children-Charles L. Clark, deceased, and William H. Clark. Mr. Clark is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Flora, and is doing a very successful business as a harness-maker, which he has conducted since 1881. His father died in Lawrence County, Ill., in 1881, and the mother at the residence of her son Gabriel, in Fiora, 1878, while on a visit to that place.

ISAAC K. CLARK, dealer in groceries and provisions, and member of the City Council for the First Ward, Flora, Il !. , was

born October 30, 1840, in Vinton County, Ohio, where he grew to manhood. He is a son of Robert and Nancy (Fee) Clark, both of whom were natives of Ohio. His father was born about 1818, and is still a resident of the Buckeye State. The mother was born in 1811, and died in July, 1879. She was the mother of six children, two of whom are dead-Henry, Esther, Isaac K., Abram, Rob- ert and Hannah Clark. Both of the daugh- ters are deceased. On the 31st of May, 1862, Isaac K, enlisted in Company G, Eighty- eighth Ohio Regiment, from which he was discharged in September of the same year, in consequence of the expiration of the term of enlistment. He subsequently assisted to organize the Second Regiment of Ohio Mili- tia, and was commissioned Second Lieuten- ant of Company A. which he held until the expiration of five years, when the organiza- tion was disbanded. They were frequently called into active service, and assisted in the capture of the rebel raider, John Morgan. Mr. Clark came to Flora, Clay Co., III., in 1868, and in November of the following year engaged in mercantile business with Allen Hanks, under the firm name of Hanks & Clark. In April, 1870, Mr. Hanks sold his interest in the business to Mr. G. W. Ar- buthnot, with whom Mr. Clark did business until October, 1871, when Mr. C. retired from the firm. Since January, 1872, he has been associated for a time with Mr. Black, and later with M. L. Deal. In January, 1881, he opened his present business, which he has successfully conducted since. He is a man of good business qualifications and unquestioned integrity, and served the city as Treasurer in 1879. He was married iu Clay County, Ill., June 4, 1872, to Alwilda M. Free, daughter of William and Mary (Elson) Free. Alwilda M. was born Janu- ary 8, 1844. Their family consists of Dora

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May, born September 25, 1873, died August 4, 1875; Cora Bell, born February 21, 1876; Isaac Newton, born January 4, 1879, and Maggie Clark; born April 21, 1882. Will- iam Free was born in Pennsylvania, and Mary, his wife, was born in Virginia.

JAMES ELY, merchant, Flora, Ill., was born in West Springfield, Mass., March 16, 1833, and is a son of George and Maria (Cummings) Ely. His father was born in the town of Leverett, Mass., and descended from French parentage. His father, whose name was Nathaniel, came from France in the colonial days of Massachusetts, and was subsequently killed by Indians. George Ely married Maria Cummings in Massachusetts, where they resided until about 1845, when they removed to the State of New York, where they remained until the time of their death They had a family of seven children, of whom James is the oldest-Ann M. is the wife of Wallace Grace, of Troy, Penn. ; William, George, Harriet and Benjamin are residents of New York, and Abbie, the youngest, is deceased. James Ely was edu- cated in the State of New York, and has de- voted hie life to mercantile pursuits. After a brief business career in Chicago and at Michigan City, he settled in 1859 at New Albany, Ind., where he engaged for several years in merchandising, coming from there to Flora, Ill., in 1881. He is a man of un- questioned integrity, and possessing as he does an experience embracing thirty years of mercantile life, he was the man needed to bring about a desirable reform in the business of Flora. He carries a complete stock of goods of a general character, and is deserv- ing of the substantial patronage which he is receiving. He was married, in Indiana in 1861, to Victoria J. Sackett, who was born in 1841. Their only child is a son, Henry Ely, born in Indiana October 19, 1864.

Their family residence is on the north side of North avenue, and the business house on corner of Main street and North avenue.

GEORGE A. GILLASPY, real estate and insurance agent at Flora, Ill., was born in Shelby County, Mo., April 13, 1840. His parents were James H. and Hester M. (Gray) Gillaspy, the former a native of Henry County, Ky., and the latter of Maryland. His father died in 1841, and his mother in 1845. He was thus early left an orphan, but was reared by a relative who gave him the advantages of a liberal private education. In June, 1861, he enlisted as a private in the Eleventh Missouri Regiment, under Gen. Har- ris. He was promoted to the office of Captain in August, 1862, which position he held dur- ing the remainder of his term of service. From 1864 until 1867, he was on the Western frontier, at the latter date locating at St. Louis, where he studied as a specialist in the treatment of the diseases of the eye. He came to Flora in 1871, and for two years practiced as an oculist. He afterward abandoned this profession and adopted that of teaching which he followed in Clay County for several years. In 1882, he opened an office in Flora for the prosecution of his present business. In politics, he is a Dein- ocrat and present Chairman of the Central Committee of Clay County. The Gillaspy family are of Scotch-Irish origin, and were early represented in the colony of Virginia, his great-grandfather being a soldier in the Revolution. The mother, Hester Gray, was of English ancestry, who came with Lord Baltimore to the settlement of Maryland as early as 1620.

ROBERT GRAY, special insurance agent for the American Central Company of St. Louis, is a resident of Flora, and a native of Switzerland County, Ind., where he was born May 25, 1843. He is the youngest of a fam-

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ily of thirteen children born to Peter and Nancy (Wright) Gray. His father, who was born in Virginia in 1791, served as a soldier in the war of 1812, completing a term of five years in the regular army. He was reared in Kentucky, to where he returned at the close of his service, and was there married to Nancy Wright. They remained in Kentucky several years, during which time four chil- dren were born to them. They emigrated to Indiana and settled near Vevay. in Switzer- laud County, and there made a residence of several years, and where the rest of their large family were born. In 1852, they re- moved to Tipton County, Ind., where the parents died, the mother April 11, 1866, and the father in 1877. Robert received a very limited education in his youth, his total at- tendance in public schools not aggregating more than one year. In 1862. August 11, he enlisted in Company C, of the One Hun- dred and First Indiana Regiment, and was wounded and made a prisoner on the 19th of September. 1863, at the battle of Chickamau- ga, having participated in the fights at Stone River, Milton and Tullahoma. He was retained a prisoner but a short time, after which he was attached to the United States Reserve Corps at Washington City. He was discharged April 14, 1864. He then returned to Tipton County. Ind .. where for two years he engaged in the lumber and milling busi- ness. He was there married. March 11, 1866, and in March of the following year came to Illinois, and located at Iola, in Clay County. In 1872. he was elected to the office of Sheriff of Clay County, as a Republican, and served acceptably for the term of two years. In 1875, he removed to Flora, and formed a partnership with Mr. M. H. Presley in local insurance business. and in 1876, became the traveling agent for the American Central Company, having the supervision of the

States of Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee. His wife, whose maiden name was Clara Lee, is a daughter of John and Parmelia Lee. She was born February 25, 1848, in Switzerland County. Ind. They are both members of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Flora, and he of the Masonic fra- ternity. They have two children.

ALBERT GRIFFITH, contractor and builder. Flora, Ill., was born October 8, 1822, in Columbiana County, Ohio. His father, William Griffith, was born in 1793 in Pennsylvania. The mother, whose maiden name was Mary Votaw, was born in 1803. in Virginia, and is of French ancestry. She came to Ohio when but three years old, and is still living on the homestead in Columbi- ana County, Ohio, where the father, William Griffith, died about 1871. Albert, who is the oldest of a family of teu children, grew to manhood in Ohio, learning the trade of house carpenter while working with his father, who was also a builder. He was first married, to Eliza Kronne, who was born in Pennsylvania, but reared in Ohio. She died in Wayne County, Ill., in February, 1855. leaving five children - Laura MI., wife of Arthur MI. Baker, of Michigan; Frances A., wife of Jacob Portmess, of Indiana; William Henry Griffith, Oliver M., and Jonas S. Griffith. Pauline Gibbs, his second wife, was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, and died in Flora, Ill., De- comber 5, 1876. She was the mother of seven children, four of whom are now living -Luella E., wife of Lafayette Nickell, of Flora; Lena R., wife of T. Davis; Minnie A. and Ada P. Griffith. Mr. Griffith was next married to Elizabeth Morgan, who died in Flora, August 22, 1881. He came to Illi- nois in 1854, and made a settlement in Bedford Township, of Wayne County, but the year following came to Flora, Clay Coun- ty, where he continued his residence until the

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breaking-out of the late war, when he re- moved with his family to Wayne County, that they might have the near association of rel- atives during his absence in military service. He was enlisted in July, 1861, and was an officer, with the rank of Captain. He has been a resident of Flora, Ill., since 1872, and constantly employed at his chosen trade, and though past sixty-one years old, enjoys good health, and pursues his work with apparently youthful vigor.

LEONARD R. HAYWARD, miller and lumber dealer, Flora, is a son of Thomas E. and Catherine Hayward, and was born, July 13. 1852, in Clinton County, Ohio. In 1860, the family came to Illinois, and located in Clay County, where they engaged in the pur- suits of the farm. Leonard R. came to the village of Flora in 1866, where he engaged to work as an engineer, receiving 25 cents per day. He continued in this work until at the end of a very few years he was able to com- mand a salary of $900 per year. He has thus risen by honest industry from a poor boy to a place among the most enterprising business men of Flora. While he has thus been achieving success for himself, he has given very liberally to the support of the ministry, annually giving $100 for this pur- pose. He and his wife are honored members of the Christian Church. He was married in Flora, Ill., May, 1876, to Miss Carrie How- ard, daughter of H. P. Howard, formerly of Flora, now of Evansville, Ind. She was born in Evansville in 1855, and was there reared, graduating from the high school of that city. They have a family of four chil- dren, viz., Blanche, born October 14, 1877; Mabel, July 4, 1879; Edith, February 28, 1881; and Howard Hayward, May 8. 1883. Mr. Hayward is a member of the Flora Lodge, No. 204, A. F. & A. M., and Flora Chapter No. 154, R. A. M.

JUDGE GERSHOM A. HOFF, lawyer, Flora, Ill., was born in Livingston County, N. Y., May 16, 1839. His father, Jonathan Hoff, was born in Freehold, N. J., in 1796. He was reared to manhood in New York, and served as a soldier in the war of 1812, and in 1816 was married to Euphemia Pullis. She was born in the year 1800 in the city of New York. They emigrated to Illinois in 1843, settling that year in Washington County near Nashville, on what is known as the Dry Arm of the Looking Glass Prairie. There, in 1846. Mrs. Hoff died, leaving five children who grew to maturity, viz .: Peter, Jane (wife of J. Van Emburg. of New Jersey), Ann P. (wife of Capt. J. G. Owens, of St. Louis, Mo.), Gershom A. and Frank Hoff. From Washington County, the father removed to Clinton County in 1846, settling at Avis- ton, where he subsequently was married to a Widow Clark, and where, in 1853, he died, having devoted his life to the pursuit of farm- ing. After the death of his mother, G. A. Hoff became a member of the family of his uncle, C. Pullis, of St. Louis, where he re- mained until he was fourteen years old, when he went to the city of New York. He re- mained there five years, in the meantime adopting the trade of brick.mason. In 1861, he went to Nevada, and until the close of 1863 was successfully engaged in the mining interest. He then went East, and in March, 1864, came to Clay County, Ill., and pur- chased a tract of land of 380 acres in Oska- loosa Township, returning the same year to New Jersey, where, in July, he married Miss Cornelia Van Ness. She was born June 14, 1847, in New Jersey. They then moved upon the farm in this county, where they remained until 1869, when Mr. Hoff exchanged his farm for a stock of merchant goods in Xenia, where he was in business until 1873. He began the study of law in 1868, doing the

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preparatory reading under the Hon. G. W. Henry, of Louisville, Ill. He was admitted to practice in January, 1872, since which time he has been a member of the Clay County bar. He was originally a Pro-Slavery Democrat, but supported the administration during the war and until 1872, when he used his influence in support of Horace Greeley, and that year re- ceived the unanimous nomination of the Fusion ticket for the office of Connty Clerk. In 1875, he was elected to the office of State's Attorney, serving two years, and then in 1875 received a unanimous nomination for the office of County Judge at the hands of the Democratic party. The ability with which he performed the functions of this im- portant office is evidenced by the fact that after an incumbency of five years, he was again nominated by a nnanimous vote of the convention to the same office, which he is now filling to acceptance, in connection with which he still engages in the active practice of his profession. He is a member of the In- dependent Order of Odd Fellows. His fam- ily consists of Cora L., born April 5, 1865; Alonzo G., April 23, 1869; and Cornelia G. Hoff, July 3, 1880.

EDMUND L. HOWITT, lawyer, Flora, Ill., is a native of Ithaca, Tompkins Co., N. Y., and was born May 23, 1820. He was reared to manhood in Steuben County of the same State, and educated in the college of Lima, N. Y. He studied law at West Men- den, afterward at Rochester, N. Y., and was admitted to practice in 1846, and the same year came West and settled in Illinois. He practiced one year in Champaign County, one year in Newton, Jasper County, and came in 1850 to Louisville, Clay Co., Ill. Mr. Howitt was originally a Jackson Democrat, but in 1854 he championed the cause of the Know- Nothing or American party, and was its pro- nounced leader in this county. Believing

that his party could not become of national importance, he in 1856 voted for Fremont, and has acted with the Republican party ever since. In 1869, he received the appointment of Prosecuting Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi, and remained in that State until 1872, when he returned to Flora, Ill., having removed to the latter place in 1863. He was first married in 1849, to Miss Clarissa Price, daughter of Dr. Price, of Columbus, Ohio. She was born April 25, 1823, and died in Louisville, Ill., April 20. 1859, leaving five children-Marion C., widow of Samuel Whittlesey, of Vincennes, Ind .; Ruth Adella, now deceased; and Ed- ward L., a teacher at Flora. The other two died in infancy. The second marriage oc- curred in Lawrence County, Ill., in 1860, to Sarah Carrie, daughter of Andrew Carrie, of that county. She was born April 5, 1835, and died in Flora, February 8, 1881, the mother of seven children, of whom four are now living-William A., a lawyer at Hills- boro, Ill .; Agnes, Nellie and Alice Howitt, of Flora. His present wife, Mary A. Howitt, was born in Wayne County, Ill., June 4, 1855, and is a daughter of James McLin and M. I. (Fitzgerel) McLin. Clarissa A. Howitt was a member of the Baptist Church, and an influential Good Templar; Sarah E. Howitt was a faithful member of the Presby- terian Church, as is also his present wife.

CRIDLETON T. JOHNSON, proprietor of the Clay County Mills, Flora, Ill., was born October 9, 1837, in Lawrence County, Ill., where he grew to manhood. When eighteen years old, he was apprenticed to J. L. Spencer, of Sumner, Ill., with whom he learned the trade of blacksmith. At this trade he worked during his residence in Law- rence County, which terminated in 1873, at which time he came to Flora, Clay County. On the 20th of July, 1861, he enlisted in

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Company A, Eleventh Missouri Regiment, in which organization he served two and a half years, when he was transferred to the Fifth United States Heavy Artillery, from which he was discharged May 20, 1866. He held the positions of Corporal and Orderly in the first organization, and was mustered out with the commission of Second Lientenant, having served for several months as regimental drill- master. Mr. Johnson participated in many engagements, among which were Fredericks. town, Mo., Iuka and Corinth, Miss., and the siege of Vicksburg, including the battle of Jackson, Miss. He was married, October 29, 1865, in Orleans, Ind., to Miss Clara Ingra- ham, who was born in Pennsylvania May 22, 1840. They have two children-Cora, born in Flora, October 10, 1876, and Lolu John- son, born June 5, 1879. C. T. Johnson is a son of George W. Johnson, and grandson of James Johnson, who came from Knox County, Ind., where George W. was born April 17, 1809; to Lawrence County, Ill., in 1818. In the latter county George W. was mar- ried to Nancy A. Turner; she was born October 6, 1811, and is a daughter of Robert Turner, who came from North Carolina to Lawrence County, Ill., in an early day. Mr. C. T. Johnson came to Flora as above stated in 1873, since which time he has been en- gaged in the milling business, and now owns a substantial mill furnished with the most modern machinery.

JAY KENNER, merchant, Flora, Ill., is a son of Alvin R. Kenner and Mary (Willis) Kenner, and was born in Albion, Edwards Co., Ill., April 1, 1844. He came to Flora, Clay County, with his father's family in 1858. In the latter part of 1863, he en- listed as a private soldier in Company K, Forty-eighth Illinois Regiment, from which he was discharged at Springfield, September, 1865. He was mustered out with the com.

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History of Wayne and Clay counties, Illinois, Part 85

Author: Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Chicago : Globe Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 704

Author:
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Chicago : Globe Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 704