History of Wayne and Clay counties, Illinois, Part 87

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 87
USA > Illinois > Wayne County > History of Wayne and Clay counties, Illinois > Part 87

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tine Presley and Susan Morton were married about 1808. The result of this union was a large family of children, seven of whom were reared to man and womanhood. The oldest, Sanders M. Presley, became an influential minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church, and died in Tennessee at the age of thirty- three; Thursey J., is the wife of Andrew Winchester, of Tennessee; Huldah, deceased, wife of Joel Winchester; P. W. and Andrew M., now of De Kalb County, Tenn .; Susan D., deceased, wife of William Coggin, and M. H. Presley, the subject of this sketch. ; The parents of this family, with M. H .. came to Clay County, Ill., in 1852, and settled on a farm in the northwest part of the county, where the father died the same year, and where the mother also died in 1858. De- cember 15, 1853, M. H. Presley was married to Miss Sarah E., daughter of Alfred J. and Sarah J. Moore. She was born in Clay County, Ill., July 21, 1835. Their family comprises five children-William, who was drowned in July, 1866, was born July 5, 1855; Selecta J., was born July 25, 1859; Frankie M., was born January 25, 1862, and is the wife of T. A. Wilson, of Flora; Alfred M. Presley. the youngest, was born January 18, 1867. In politics, Mr. Presley is a Re- publican, and while he is not a politician, he wields an influence of no mean order in lo- cal politics, and positively refuses to accept office. He is an honored member of the Masonic fraternity and A. O. U. W. As a business man, he displays unusual wisdom, and by a life of energetic, honorable deal- ing, has become one of the ablest men of Clay County. He is a director and stock- holder in the First National Bank of Flora.

SYLVESTER RIDER. The subject of this sketch, for many years a resident of Wayne County, Ill., was born in Adams County, Penn., in May, 1814. He is a son

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Paul Rider, who was born in the same county, and whose parents came from Switzerland and settled in Pennsylvania. When Sylves- ter was a small boy, his parents removed to Frederick County, Md., where they remained a few years, coming thence in 1825 to Stark County, Ohio. There the parents died-the father in 1828, and the mother, whose maiden name was Sarah Shorb, died about 1846. Sylvester grew to maturity in Ohio, and in 1836 was married to Ann F. C. Shorb, who was born in 1812 in Maryland. To these parents have been born twelve children, of whom but five are now living -- L. J., A. B. and C. B. Rider, whose sketches appear else- where in this work, and Misses Dora and Margaret Rider, of Flora. Mr. Rider came from Ohio to Wayne County, Ill., in 1843, having decided to engage in sheep-raising and wool-growing, which he pursued with profit for several years. He settled a farm near Fairfield, which he developed and so thor- oughly improved that he obtained a premium for the best improved farm in the State. Having sold this farm, he removed to Flora, Clay County, in 1865, purchasing a small farm of forty acres within the corporate lim- its of the town, where he has an elegant house and a truly happy home. He is re- tired from active business, but is a director of the First National Bank of Flora. He was educated to the Catholic faith, to which he has ever remained ardently attached, and in his house was said the first mass in Wayne County, by the Rev. Father Fisher. Both Mr. and Mrs. Rider are well advanced in life,

and are looking beyond the brief interval that separates them from their eternal re- ward, and we think when that supreme hour comes they will leave behind as many friends and as few faults as commonly bless the lot of man.

GEORGE W. SMITH, insurance and real

estate agent, Flora, Ill., is a son of Willis and Cynthia (Jones) Smith, and was born October 7, 1847, in Marion County, Ill. The father was born in North Carolina, and when a mere boy removed with his parents to Ten- nessee, where he attained to manhood. He came with other members of the family to Illinois, and settled in Marion County in 1828, and was there married to Sallie Lynch, who died, leaving a family of six children, of whom three are still living. Mr. Smith next married Cynthia Jones, daughter of Byron Jones, and widow of John Rotan. She was born in White County, Tenn., in 1812, and is still living, and a resident of Flora, Ill. She is the mother of eight chil- dren, three of whom are the issue of the mar- riage to Willis Smith, which occurred in 1845. The Rotan children were William Rotan, now a farmer in Missouri; Nancy (deceased), wife of Mr. L. L. Johnson, of Missouri; the late Hon. Byron J. Rotan, of Louisville, Ill., who was an able lawyer, and a member of the State Legislature from the Forty-fourth District from 1873 to 1875; he died in Louisville, Ill., March 9, 1880. leav- ing a wife and three children, now residents of Missouri; the fourth was Jane Rotan, who died in 1854, in early womanhood; the youngest being John M. Rotan, now of Kin- mundy, Ill. Of the three children born to Willis and Cynthia Smith, the first died in infancy, George W. being the. second and Randolph Smith the youngest. George W. was educated in the common schools and at the Plattsburg College, of Missouri. He adopted the profession of teacher, and dur- ing an experience of fifteen years in Clay County established a reputation as an able educator. He retired from the profession in 1883, having the three years preceding been the Principal of the public school of Flora. In 1873, he was appointed to the office of

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County Superintendent of Schools of Clay County, to fill the nnexpired term occasioned by the resignation of J. H. Songer. In 1874, he was elected to the same office, and was in 1877 again the choice of the people, in which office he served with acceptance until the fall of 1882, an aggregate term of nine years. He is now Police Magistrate of the village of Flora, and is doing a thriving business in insurance and real estate. He was married, in Louisville, Ill., April 9, 1875, to Miss Nora David, daughter of James and Eliza- beth (Adams) David, the former deceased and the latter the wife of Judge L. S. Hopkins, of Louisville. Mrs. Nora Smith was born October 20, 1852, in Indiana. They have had but two children, viz., Randolph, born September 18, 1876, died November 9, 1878: and Nell Smith, born March 3, 1880. Mr. and Mrs. Smith are members of the M. E. Church, and he of the Masonic order. Willis Smith, father of George W. and Randolph Smith, died in 1850, of cholera, while en route for California.

RANDOLPH SMITH, Cashier of the First National Bank of Flora, is a son of Willis and Cynthia Smith, and was born May 31, 1849, in Marion County, III. He was edu- cated in the public schools of Marion and Clay Counties, and qualified himself for the profession of teaching, which he began. After a brief period, however, he was induced to accept the position of Deputy Circuit Clerk of Clay County, which he did in the spring of 1870, retaining this position two .years. In the fall of 1872, he was the can- didate on the Democratic ticket for the office of Cirenit Clerk, but, in common with the entire ticket, sustained a defeat. In March, 1873, he became the book-keeper for the First National Bank at Flora, the duties of which he ably performed until 1878, when he was elected to the position of cashier,

which he still fills with universal acceptance. He was married, in Louisville, III., October 1, 1873, to Miss Minnie L. Hanna, daughter of William H. and Anna M. Hanna. She was born June 1, 1852, in Ohio. The fol- lowing children were born to them: Medora A., George C. and Claude Earl Smith. Both Mr. and Mrs. Smith are members of the M. E. Church, and he of the Masonic order and A. O. U. W.

ANDREW SNYDER, a resident of Flora, and one of the first farmers of Clay County, was born, February 5, 1818. in Bavaria, Germany. When eighteen years old, he came to the United States with his parents, Nicholas and Barbara Snyder, who settled at Wheeling, Ohio Co., W. Va., where they died. Andrew is the third of their family of four children. In January, 1846, he was married to Miss Rebecca Whitney, daughter of John Whitney and Sarah Hansel, the lat. ter of German ancestry. She was born June 12, 1827, in Virginia. They resided in Virginia after marriage about seven years, when they removed to Monroe County, Ohio, from where they came to Clay County, Ill., in 1861. They then settled on a farm in Harter Township, sonth of Flora, where they lived several years, and where Mr. Snyder still owns a large tract of valuable land. They have been blessed with eleven children, four of whom have died-Margaret Jane (deceased), wife of Benjamin Chaney; Anna M., Sarah E., both of whom are deceased; John N., of the firm of Cook & Snyder, at Flora; Josephus (deceased); Andrew C., Annie E., Martin T., Rhoda, Daisy and Vio- let Snyder. The family are members of the Baptist Church.

JOHN N. SNYDER, of the milling firm of Cook & Snyder, of Flora, Ill., is a son of Andrew Snyder, and was born March 28, 1851, in Wheeling, Ohio Co., W. Va. He

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came to Clay County with his parents in 1861, and remained with his father on the farm until 1873, when he went to Tennessee and engaged in railroad work until return- ing to Flora, Ill., in 1875. In the latter year, he married Rebecca Todd, a daughter of Henry M. and Nancy J. Todd, of Mont- gomery County, Ill. She was born May 6, 1857, in Champaign County, Ohio. They have three children, viz .: Ethel, born Decem- ber 7, 1876; Josephus Lee, born October 27, 1878; and Rosamond Snyder, born April 24, 1882. In April, 1881, J. N. Snyder pur- chased an interest in the Farmers' Mill, of Flora, associated with his father and Will- iam W. Cook.

DR. W. L. SUGGETT, of Flora, Ill., and only child of Dr. James M. and Caro- line M. Suggett, was born in Henry County, Ky., March 5, 1852. At the age of sixteen he entered the State Normal University, at Normal, Ill., where he remained as a student for four years. He then began the study of medicine with his father, and in 1876 and 1877 attended lectures at the University of Louisville. In 1878, he began the practice of medicine in Flora and vicinity, where lie en- joys the reputation of an able physician. Having, however, a natural ambition to excel in his chosen profession, he is at the pres- ent writing availing himself of the benefits of a thorough course in the Medical College of St. Louis, in which he will soon gradu- ate. He was married in Louisville, Ky., June 4, 1872, to Miss Alice J. Rucker, of Spencer County, Ky., where she was born July 4, 1855. She is a daughter of Dr. George W. and Julia (Bennett) Rucker. They have two interesting children, viz .: Orril L. Suggett, born May 13, 1873, and Virgil O. Suggett, born December 17, 1878. The older son, though but ten years old, is a complete master of the science of telegraphy,

and has charge of the Baltimore & Ohio Company's office at Flora. He is probably the youngest operator in the State, if indeed there is another in any State so young, who assumes the entire duties of an office.

DR. JAMES M. SUGGETT, Flora, Ill., was born in Kentucky May 11, 1824. His father, William Suggett, was a native of Vir- ginia, though of Welsh origin, and his mother, whose name was Elizabeth Castle- ton, was of German ancestry, and born in Kentucky. James M. is the youngest of a family of twelve children born to these par- ents, who died in Kentucky, the mother in 1838, and father in 1861. Dr. James M. Suggett was educated in Georgetown College, Kentucky, and having decided on the prac- tice of medicine he did the preparatory reading under Dr. H. C. Craig, of George- town, Ky., and in 1847 graduated in the Medical Department of the Transylvania University of that State. After a practice of twelve years in Kentucky, he removed to Missouri in 1856, and there engaged in prac- tice until 1862, when he removed to McLean County, Ill. From there he came to Flora in 1877, and has practiced in Clay County since, principally in Louisville. He was married in Henry County, Ky., in 1846, to Ellen D. Hays, who died in Kentucky in 1850, leaving a daughter Catherine, who died in 1870. He was married to Caroline M. Rucker, of Kentucky, on the 25th day of February, 1851. She was born March 9, 1829, in Shelby County, Ky., and is still living. Dr. James M. Suggett is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and in 1882 was elected to the office of County Coroner, of Clay County, which he now holds.

JOHN S. SYMONDS, a resident of Flora, Ill., and present member of the Legislature, was born January 18, 1833, in Cayuga County, N. Y. His father, Shubel Symonds,

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was born in 1786, and served as a soldier in the war of 1812, and in 1815 was married in York State to Mary Baker. She was born in Rhode Island, in 1796 and is now a member of the family of her son, John S., of Flora. He is the youngest of seven children born to these parents, and was educated in the pub- lic schools of New York; he was there mar- ried, in November, 1855, to Helen M. Thom- as,' and two years later came to Illinois and settled in Clay County, which has been his permanent home since. From 1859 to 1863, he was engaged in mining interests in Colo- rado. Froni 1863 to 1881, he engaged in merchandising at Xenia, Ill., and in the meantime superintended an extensive agri- cultural interest. During the late war, and until 1872, he supported the administration, bnt prior to and since that period has been acting with the Democratic party. He has filled the various offices of the town and coun- ty. and in 1882 was elected to his present position as a member of the Lower House. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and of the Baptist Church. Mrs. Symonds was born December 6, 1839, in New York, and is a daughter of Sidney O. and Ophelia (Eaton) Thomas. The family consists of Lilly, Lula, Helen O., Edwin, Minnie and Sidney O. Symonds, the eldest of whom is deceased.

THOMAS A. WILSON, druggist and phar- macist, at Flora, Ill., and son of John and Eliza J. Wilson, of Fairfield, Wayne County, was born in Wayne County February 11, 1819. He was reared to manhood in Wayne County, and in the meantime attended the public schools of Fairfield. He came to Flora in 1873, and engaged as a druggist's clerk in the store of Dr. W. B. Wilson, in which capacity he worked until 1876, when, in connection with C. B. Rider, he pur- chased the stock, which partnership termi-

nated in 1878, by the retiring of Mr. Rider, since which time Mr. Wilson has conducted the business alone. He carries a complete stock of goods, and is located on the north side of North avenue. He was married, in Flora, on the 22d of November, 1881, to Miss Frankie M. Presley, daughter of M. H. and S. E. Presley, of Flora. She was born in Clay County, Ill., January 25, 1862. They have one child-Electa Wilson, born November 5. 1882. Mr. Wilson is a mem- ber of the Masonic order, and of the A. O. U. W. Both Mr. and Mrs. Wilson are hon- ored members of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Flora.

MATHINSEY O WITHERSPOON, of the firm of Witherspoon & Kiely, Flora, Ill .. was born November 30, 1823, in Allen Coun- ty, Ky. He is the youngest of a family of ton children born to Hardy and Nancy (Mot- ley) Witherspoon, who were both natives of North Carolina, where they were reared and married, moving afterward to Kentucky, where M. O. Witherspoon grew to manhood. He was married. March 23, 1843, to Miss Frances A. Tibbs, daughter of James Tibbs and Martha (Webb), both of whom were na- tives of Virginia. Frances A. was born Jan uary 4, 1823. Mr. Witherspoon, in 1853, removed to Missouri, where he resided until 1863, when on account of the turbulent agi- tation of the issues of the war, he decided to leave the State, not, however, until he had been robbed by guerrillas of his property. amounting to $2,000. He then settled in Wayne County, Ill., where for three years he was engaged in milling and lumber business, but in 1866 he went to Xenia, Clay County. where he resided until coming to Flora in 1868. Since the latter date, he has served eight years as Constable, and the remaining years has given his attention to merchandis- ing. He is now the active partner in a gro.

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cery business on the south side of North avenue. Both he and wife have been hon- ored members of the Baptist Church for thirty-seven years, he sustaining the rela- tion of Deacon. He is also an ardent advo- cate of the cause of temperance, and is con- trolled in his political views largely by that issue. They have had a family of nine chil- dren, but eight times has the angel of death invaded their family circle, each time bear-

ing one of their "jewels " to the " farther side." But one of these eight deceased chil- dren grew to maturity, viz., William T., who died in 1864, while in military service. Martha A., who was born January 23, 1855, is the wife of John Kiely, of Flora, to whom she was married February 20, 1878. John Kiely was born November 20, 1854, in Ohio, and came to Flora in 1880. They have one son-Ollie Kiely, born December 11, 1879.

HARTER TOWNSHIP.

JOHN EGGINTON, farmer, P. O. Flora, is a native of Worcestershire, England, where he was born in the month of May, 1817. He is the oldest of three children born to Joseph and Eleanor Egginton, each of whom were natives of England. John Egginton grew to maturity in his native country, and was reared to the trade of iron refiner, which pursuit he followed for many years in Eng- land. In 1848, he was married to Jane Robson, daughter of James Robson and Mary A. Miller. She was born March 10, 1827, in England. In August, 1849, they emi- grated to the United States, and for one year resided in Pittsburgh, Penn., coming thence to Wayne County, Ill. There they settled in the Arrington Prairie, but after a residence of a few years, traded their farm for the one they now occupy in Clay County. He owns over 200 acres of land, devoting his attention to agriculture and fruit-growing, and has one of the finest apple orchards in Southern Illi- nois. The family consists of eight children, as follows: Ellen, the wife of James Hen- derson, born August 3, 1849; Christopher, the only son, was born July 29, 1852; Mary A., born July 28, 1854; Sarah J., born April

30, 1857; Margret I., born December 17, 1859; Clara, born July 17, 1862; Amanda, born August 17. 1864; and Alice Egginton, born October 17, 1871. The family are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and Mr. Egginton and son Christopher are members of the Xenia Lodge, A., F. & A. M.

URIAH FISHER, JR., is a son of Uriah and Elizabeth (Core) Fisher. They were both natives of Virginia, where they were married, and where four children were born, including Uriah Fisher, Jr., who was born March 31, 1828. In 1836, the family re- moved to Tennessee, where they resided two years, and where one child was born. In 1838, they removed to Illinois, and settled in Wabash County. In 1843 or 1844, they came to Clay County, and purchased a tract of . land in Section 17, of Town 3. Range 6, where they lived until the time of their death. The father died January 4, 1859, and the mother lived to be eighty-four years old, and died May 17, 1883. The family consisted of Peter F., Catherine, William, Uriah, Eliza- beth, Sarah F., Calvin, the last of whom was born in Clay County, Ill., all of whom are deceased except Uriah. Uriah was married,

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January 15, 1852, in Clay County, to Mary Golden, daughter of Edward and Mary Gol- den, who were among the first settlers of Clay County. Mary (Golden) Fisher was born in Clay County, Ill., September 16, 1832. In August. 1862, Mr. Fishsr enlisted in Company F, Ninety-eighth Illinois Infan - try, from which he was discharged at Spring- field July 7, 1865. having participated in the battles of Hoover's Gap, Chickamauga, siege of Atlanta, and all the fighting inci- dent to the Atlanta campaign and battle of Selma, Ala., taking part in the memorable charge on that place. Since the war, he has devoted his time to the pursuits of the farm, and owns a farm of eighty acres in Section 17, of Harter Township. They have had six children, four of whom are living at this time-Rebecca C., wife of James Jacobs, was born January 22. 1853; Jane F., wife of Jefferson McGrew, born March 30, 1855; Mary E., wife of James Lyon, was born February 24. 1860; William D., born June 11, 1857, deceased; Eliza A., born Septem- ber 28, 1862, deceased; John N. G., born April 29, 1867; and Dora G. Fisher, born June 5, 1869.

GEORGE FOSTER was born December 5, 1830, in Muskingum Connty, Ohio. An- drew Foster, his father, was born in Penn- sylvania December 11, 1788, and there grew to manhood, and married Nancy St. Clair, who was born in the same State, October 7. 1790. They emigrated to Muskingum County, Ohio, residing there from 1815 to 1841, when they removed to Jackson County. of the same State. There the father died in August, 1865. The mother, in 1867, came to Clay County, Ill., and died at the resi- dence of her son, George Foster, in Decem- ber of 1872. They had eleven children (George being the tenth), seven of whom are now living. The parents were both members

of the Baptist Church. the mother having belonged for fifty-eight years. George Fos- ter came to Clay County, Ill., in 1865, and has been a resident of Harter Township since. On the Sth of December, 1852, in Jackson Connty, Ohio, Mr. Foster was married to Lora A. Hayward, who was born in Scioto Connty, Ohio, in 1832. She died in 1876, in Clay County, Ill., and was the mother of five children, three of whom died previous to their mother. Martha M., the eldest, was born in Jackson County, Ohio, November 7. 1855, and died January 22, 1874; Leonard A. was born Jannary 28, 1858, in Ohio, and married Miss Annie Abbott, November 15. 1883; Effie F., wife of Z. Reeder, born in Ohio, May 8, 1861; Ernest H., was born June 24, 1865, and died June 30, of same month. The youngest was born in Clay County, III .. and died unnamed. Mr. Foster was mar- ried, May 22, 1879, to his present wife, Mrs. Martha Owens, widow of G. Owens, and daughter of Henry and Sarah Hawkins. She was born April 12. 1834, in Canada. and came to Clay County about 1858. with her parents. Mrs. Foster was married first to Greenbury Owens, December 16, 1860, by whom she had five children, all of whom were born in Clay City, of Clay County. The record of this family is another evidence of the frailty of human life, and shows how in a few brief years our fondest hopes may be dwarfed. Four times in the brief space of five years the death angel invades this honse- hold, and takes in his embrace one of its members; first, Sarah A., the eldest child, died on the 28th of February, 1868; she was born November 19, 1861. The next was the father, who died in Clay City, August 18, 1871; he was buried at Flora, with the honors of the Masonic fraternity, of which he was an accepted member. Mattie Owens was born June 11, 1868, and died October 6

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1872; Flora I. was born November 2, 1863, aud died April 5, 1873. The two surviving children are Edward G., born April 7, 1865, and Albert H. Owens, born August 28, 1870. While Mrs. F. has been thus bereaved of very much that would make life happy, she is still a submissive Christian lady, and lavishes her heart's affections on her present family, which includes an orphan child, named Lola Manicol. Mr. and Mrs. Foster own a farm- ing interest in Harter Township, consisting of 420 acres of beautiful land.

JOHN A. GERHART, a prominent farmer in Harter Township, was born in Lebanon County. Penn., November 15, 1833. He is a descendant of one of the early and most prominent families of that State. The fam- ily was first represented in the United States in the colonial days, the great-grandfather of John A. serving as a soldier through the en- tire war of the Revolution. The father of John A. Gerhart was Jacob, and was born and reared in Pennsylvania, where he mar- ried Mary Albert, who was a native of the same State, and like her husband descended from German ancestors. They had four chil- dren, John A. being the oldest. The three daughters are still living in the East. John A. Gerhart was reared to the pursuits of the farm, though he afterward followed other callings, in all of which success attended his efforts. He was married in Pennsylvania. December 26, 1858, to Miss Lydia Roebuck, daughter of Jacob Roebuck and Sarah Yungst, who were both of German origin and descendants of pioneer families in Pennsyl- vania. She was born in Pennsylvania Sep- tember 18, 1836. Their union has resulted in the birth of seven children, viz., Allen J., born on the 10th of September, 1860, and died February 25, 1861; Lizzie, wife of T. B. Crisp, of Irving, Ill., was born December 3, 1861, and married December 2, 1880;

John Gerhart, February 18, 1864; Emma, January 22, 1866; Ellen, April 12, 1868; Robert L., September 17, 1869; and Albert Gerhart, July 18, 1871. Both Mr. and Mrs. Gerhart are members of the Presbyterian Church of Flora. Mr. Gerhart came to Clay County, Ill., in 1876, and purchased a farm of 222 acres in Harter Township near the village of Flora, where he still resides.

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History of Wayne and Clay counties, Illinois, Part 87

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