USA > Illinois > Clay County > History of Wayne and Clay counties, Illinois > Part 89
USA > Illinois > Wayne County > History of Wayne and Clay counties, Illinois > Part 89
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91
JOHN SCHMIDT, merchant, Bible Grove, was born December 24, 1850, in Holstein, Germany. His father was N. P. Schmidt, a
220
BIOGRAPHICAL:
teacher by occupation, and yet living in Germany. The mother of our subject, Chris- tina Schmidt, is the mother of five children, of whom three are now living, viz., John, Herman and Emma. John, our subject, is a true type of our northern German, who is noted the world over for his quietness, firm- ness, industry and honesty. He was edu- cated in Germany, and came to the United States in the fall of 1869, locating in Ches- ter, Randolph Co., Ill., where he teamed and peddled for A. Smith, with whom he after- ward came to Bible Grove, Clay County, Ill., where he clerked for him till he was admit- ted as a junior partner in 1877. In the fall of the same year, he was married to Mrs. Barbara Bald, who was born December 26, 1849, in Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany. She is a daughter of Henry and Katharina (Sau- erwein) Sehnert. Two children, now living, blessed this happy union, viz., John P. A., born in November, 1878, and Henry J. H., in January, 1881. Mr. and Mrs. Schmidt are religiously connected with the German Methodist Episcopal Church, and are exem- plary members of society. The Republican party claims Mr. Schmidt as a supporter.
JACOB SEHNERT, merchant, Bible Grove, was born September 28, 1844, in Hesse-Darm- stadt, Germany. He is a son of Henry Sehnert, also a native of Germany, where he followed farming. He came to the United States in 1853, landing in New York. From there he went to St. Louis, Mo., but finally settled in Monroe County, Ill., where he bought a farm and where he died the same year. The mother of our subject is Katharina (Saner- wein) Sehnert, a native of Germany, and yet living, the mother of nine children, of whom seven are now living, viz .: Nicholas, Adam, Margaret Smith, Jacob, Mary Reitz, Barbara Schmidt and Peter. Our subject went to school in Monroe County, Ill., where he
afterward farmed till 1872, when he came to Bible Grove, where he entered in partnership with A. Smith, his brother-in-law, and en- gaged in mercantile pursuits, keeping a large general store, and also selling the McCor- mick farm machinery. 'Our subject also has an interest in the Bible Grove Star Flouring Mills; and the company have also a branch store in Dieterich, Effingham County. Our subject was married, in Washington County, Ill., October 14, 1875, to Lydia Bernreuter, born November 23, 1852, in Watertown, Wis. She is a daughter of Conrad and Katherine (Stullken) Bernreuter, the former a native of Bavaria, and the latter of Oldenburg, Ger- many. Three children blessed this happy union, viz .: Matilda M., born January 5, 1877; Lydia C., October 5, 1879; and Ed- ward, June 17, 1882. Mr. and Mrs. Sehnert are members of the German Methodist Epis- copal Church. In politics, he is a Repub- lican, and in business circles is counted as a wide-awake, energetic man.
ANDREW SMITH, merchant, Bible Grove, was born February 4, 1838, in Schleswig, Ger- many. He is a son of Peter Smithi (whose name is spelled Schmidt in German), also a na- tive of Schleswig, Germany, where he fol- lowed farming for an occupation. The mother of our subject was Stinka (Jacobson) Schmidt. She also died in Germany. Our subject was educated in Germany, where he clerked several years, and there laid the foun- dation of the strict business habits which characterize him now, and make him a valu- able acquisition to the business circles of Clay County. At the age of twenty, he left the home of his childhood and emigrated to the United States, here to seek his fortune with that determination which is character- istic to the race from which he sprung. After a short sojourn in New York, he went to Randolph County, Ill., where he farmed
221
BIBLE GROVE TOWNSHIP.
mostly for over thirteen years. In the spring of 1872, he came to Effingham County, and in the fall of the same year he removed to Bible Grove Township, where he went into business with J. Sehnert. These gentlemen kept a general store, adding to their stock yearly, till at present they keep a full line of dry goods, groceries, clothing, hardware, farm implements, harness, glass and queensware, etc. In 1876, John Schmidt was taken into the firm as a junior partner. John Schmidt is a nephew of Andrew Smith, for whom he had been clerking several years. Our sub- ject was married, March 22, 1870, in Ran- dolph County, Ill., to Miss Margaret Sehnert, born in April, 1842, in Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany. She is the mother of seven chil- dren, viz .: Peter H., born January 28, 1871; Anna B., September 16, 1872; John William, August 14, 1874; Jacob A., March, 1876; Charles E., December 18, 1877; Lydia M., November 5, 1879; and Philip N., May 29, 1881. Mr. and Mrs. Smith are religiously con- nected with the German Methodist Episcopal Church.
GEORGE W. STURDIVANT, farmer P. O. Bible Grove, born June 14, 1820, in Washington County, Va., near Abingdon. He is a son of Joseph A. and Mary (Hollo- way) Sturdivant, natives of North Carolina, where he was a distiller by occupation. Our subject, George W. Sturdivant, went to school in Indiana. He came here in 1842, ac. companied by his faithful wife, and with only about $20 of earthly possessions, but through industry, perseverance and economy he has acquired considerable means, and is counted among our most substantial men in Bible | Grove Township. He has 500 acres of land in this county, besides owning town prop erty. Mr. Sturdivant is now practically re- tired from active life, and is reaping the re- sult of his well-spent life. He has served
the public in different offices, among others that of Constable twelve years, Township Supervisor seven years, and in an early day was Deputy Sheriff under Col. Henry Neff. Our subject was joined in matrimony in In- diana, to Miss Margaret Vandyke, born April 10, 1822, in North Carolina. She is a daughter of Charles and Jane (Phelps) Van dyke. Eight children, of whom three are now living, blessed this union-James K., born Jannary 6, 1846; Sarah Greenwood, born May 26, 1868, and Joseph A., born April 20, 1851, who are all happily married, and are exemplary members of their respec- tive communities.
WILLIAM SUNDERMANN, farmer and stock-raiser, P. O. Bible Grove, is a native of Lippe-Detmold, Germany. His father. William Sundermann. Sr., was a farmer by occupation Our subject was one of those restless young men who early in life are infatuated with a desire to travel and see the wonderland America, to which he emigrated when quite young. He had barely enough funds to bring him to the United States, and after a few months' stay in New York, he, with the assistance of a friend with whom he was afterward associated in business in Illinois, made his way to Philadelphia, and then to St. Louis, Mo. For some years he roamed and led a wander- ing life full of adventure and interesting in- cidents, for which we have no space here. In 1837, he came to Clay County, III., where he worked on the old State road under Rod- gers. He liked the country, and conceived the idea to return to it some future time. About 1838, he went up the Arkansas River in a United States Government snag boat, under Capt. Cooper, falling overboard twice, "just for the fun of it," as the Captain told him. In the year 1839, he returned to Illi- nois in a two-wheeled vehicle, loaded with
222
BIOGRAPHICAL:
goods, mostly jewelry and calico, which he peddled over the country, buying and trading for skins and pelts of all kinds, with which he returned to St. Louis. He traveled in this way all over Clay County, and was a welcome guest wherever he made his appear- ance. By the solicitation of settlers on Hoosier Prairie, he was induced to put up a store in partnership with Henry Mickey, in the south part of the prairie. Mr. Mickey's interest was bought out by A. Hauseman, who in partnership with our subject bought eighty acres of land in Section 33, where Mr. Sundermann now resides. To this land he removed his log store house, added to his stock of goods, opened a market and kept a two-horse wagon between here and St. Louis. At that time, saddle-hams of deer sold often for only for 25 cents, eggs for 3 cents per dozen, dressed pork from $1.50 to $2.50 per cwt .; cattle from one to two years old, from $1 to $10 per head; cows, $8 and $9. At one time Mr. Sundermann had his two good and only horses stolen; he traveled several weeks in search of them, but never found them. His partnership with Mr. Hauseman expired after one year. In course of time our subject bought more land, and after hav- ing peddled and sold goods for about eight years, he settled down to farming, and his industry and perseverance has been awarded to such an extent that he is now one of our wealthiest farmers in this county. He owns over 1,400 acres of land which lies nearly in one body around him. Our subject was mar- ried, August 8, 1841, in this county, to Mary Johnson, a daughter of Thomas H. and Susan (Stallins) Johnson. She was born January 16, 1823, and died August 15, 1858. She was the mother of a large family, of whom only Jefferson T. and Elizabeth, wife of James Brooks, are now living: Susan, George W., Henry, Frederick W., Columbus
and Mary are deceased. Our subject was married, a second time, November 21, 1860, to Catharine Fopa, born April 6, 1839, in Germany. She was a daughter of Henry and Elsebein (Strant) Fopa. She died in this county leaving five children-Dora, born October 17, 1861; William H., born April 3, 1863; John, born June 24, 1864; Conrad, deceased; and Edwin, born February 7, 1868. Mr. Sundermann is an example of what en- ergy, industry and close application to farm- ing will accomplish. Religiously, he is con- nected with the Reformed Church
ANDERSON WEBSTER (deceased). Among the worthy men who have lived in Clay County, and whose influence was felt in all things that concerned the good of the community in which they resided and who have given wealth and stamina to the county, we count him among one of the first and foremost whose name heads this sketch. Mr. Anderson Webster was a man who meant yes when he said it, and his friendship was sought far and wide. He was one of those progressive kind of men who did not con- sider his own interest first when the interest of his friends and his county came into con- sideration. He is and always will be re- membered as a man of sterling worth, His demise, which occurred July 6, 1877, left a void in the social and business circles in Clay County that will always be felt. As an evidence of his financial success, it is said that he had only forty acres of land when he was married, but at the time of his death owned about 1,300 acres of ¿land. on a part of which, 260 acres, the old home farm, Mrs. Sarah Webster, the widow of Anderson Web- ter, now resides; the other land has been di- vided among the children. Mr. Webster was born June 27, 1827, in Indiana, and is a son of Isaac and Margaret (Bell) Webster, natives of Kentucky. Isaac Webster died in
293
BIBLE GROVE TOWNSHIP.
Indiana, but his wife and seven children came to this county; they are mentioned in another part of the history. Our subject was married, September 10, 1845, in Louis- ville, Ill., to Sarah Fulk, daughter of An- drew and Susan (Fiska) Fulk, natives of North Carolina. He came here in 1839, and died here; she died in Madison County, Ill. They were the parents of ten children, of whom four are now living. Mrs. Sarah Webster went to school in Indiana, and was brought to this country by her parents. She is the mother of nine children, viz. : Nancy A. Gould, Jonathan, David, Noah M., Lavina E., William A., Ferdinand E., Mary Ida and Lola E. The subject of this sketch was no politician and gave his support to the Democratic party.
NOAH WEBSTER, farmer, P. O. Bible Grove. The subject of this sketch was born January 31, 1833, in Martin County, Ind. His parents, Isaac and Margaret (Bell) Web- ster, came from Kentucky. They were mar- ried in Tennessee, and after living many years in Kentucky went to Martin County, Ind., where Isaac Webster died from a wound received accidently by an adze with which he was blazing trees in the winter. He bled to death before he reached home. Mrs. Margaret was the mother of fourteen | children, of whom four are now living, viz. : Wilson, Thomas, James, and Noah, our sub- ject, who was brought to this county by his mother in 1835. She settled four miles southeast of Louisville, where they lived three years, and then moved to what is now called Blair Township, on Panther Creek. near Jordan Post Office, where she died in 1845. Six boys besides Noah came with her to this county; of them only Thomas and James, of Indiana, are now living. After the death of our subject's mother, Noah Webster lived with his brother, Sanford Webster, and
accompanied him to Texas; returned the same year, 1846. In 1849, he left his brother and went to DeWitt County, and from there to Adams County, returning to this county in 1852, and since then he has lived in this county. Our subject was mar- ried, August 7, 1856, to Rebecca Turner, born November 10, 1836, in Lawrence County, daughter of Ezekiel aud Hannah (Taylor) Turner, natives of Illinois. This union was blessed with six children, viz .: Merrit D. (deceased), Celesta E , Effie J., Harrison R., Richard A. and Stella M. Mrs. Webster is a member of the Christian Church. Mr. Webster is a member of the A., F. & A. M., Mayo Lodge, and G. A. R. To the member- ship of the latter lodge he is entitled by his service in the army. He enlisted Jan- uary 1, 1864, and served till the close of the war. He participated in the battles of Resaca, Dallas, New Hope Church, Kene- saw Mountain, Sand Town, siege of At- lanta, Jonesboro, Lovejoy, siege of Savannah, Fort McAllister, in Georgia; Duck Branch, Edisto River, Columbia, in South Carolina, and Bentonville, North Carolina. Mr. Web- ster merchandized about one year in Louis- ville. Financially he has been successful, owning now 760 acres of land in Bible Grove Township, where he now resides sur- rounded by his family. Mr. Webster has served the public in the capacity of Town- ship Supervisor, and other township and school offices. He is a warm supporter of the Re- publican party. While in the army he worked his way by his punctuality from Second Lieutenant to First Lieutenant and Captain. Our subject's life thus far has been a success, and is an example worthy of imitation.
LEONARD WOLF, farmer, P. O. Bible Grove, is a son of Anderson and Polly (Ford) Wolf, who came to this county from Orange
224
BIOGRAPHICAL:
County, Ind. Our subject received such advan- tages in schooling as our county afforded at that time. He spent the early part of his life tilling the virgin soil of Bible Grove Township, and when the war clouds began to show themselves on the southern horizon, he became zealous to protect the stars and stripes, and enlisted September 2, 1861, in the Forty-eighth Regiment Illinois Volun- teer Infantry, Company B, commanded by Capt. W. J. Stevenson, serving till the close of the war, participating in the battles of Forts Henry and Donelson, Jackson, Vicks- burg, Chattanooga, Mission Ridge, Lookout Mountain, siege of Knoxville, Franklin, Tenn., and others. He veteranized in 1864, and while home was married, February 17, 1864, to Miss Susan J. Wheat, born in Law- rence County, Ind. She was a daughter of Andrew and Rose Ann (Moore) Wheat, farmers by occupation and natives of Kentucky. Four children have blessed this union, viz., Louis A., born July 19, 1866; Sarah L., March 13, 1868; Cora M., May 31, 1873; and Edith F., April 6, 1879. Mrs. Susan J. Wolf was a member of the Christian Church, and died April 4, 1882. Our subject was married a second time to Miss Mary E. Ut- terback, born June 24, 1855, in Clay County, Ill. She is a daughter of Upton and Bar- bara (Bracket) Utterbank, natives of Ken- tucky. Mrs. Mary E. Wolf is a member
of the Christian Church. He is a Democrat in politics; owns forty acres of land, and farms part of his time; is a Constable and is also an agent for the Cobbs & Son Marble Works, Olney, Ill.
WILLIAM F. WYATT, farmer and thresher, Section 26, Bible Grove Township, P. O. Ingraham, was born in Greenbrier County, Ya., November 2, 1833. His father, Andrew Wyatt (deceased), was a native of Massachusetts, who removed with his family to Braxton County, Va., in 1834. There our subject worked on the farm and attended a subscription school. He came to Edwards County in 1853, and settled near Bone Gap. He served in the late war, in Company H, Ninety-eighth Illinois Regiment, and par- ticipated in the battles of Chickamauga, and all the engagements of the campaign from Murfreesboro to Atlanta, and on to the close of the war. He came to Clay County in the spring of 1874, where he owns eighty acres of land, and also follows threshing and car- pentering. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic and of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Wyatt was married, November 7, 1855, to Eliza A. Hawkins, daughter of James Hawkins (deceased). They had nine children, seven of whom are living-James H., Mary E., Rhuhama A., William A., Anga L., Ettie A. and Catharine M.
SONGER TOWNSHIP
JOSEPH ANDERSON. farmer, P. O. Xenia, was born in Grant County, Ky., Sep- tember 1, 1819, to Joseph and Patsie D. (Hen- derson) Anderson. The father was a native of Virginia, born May 8, 1792. The mother
was born July 8, 1791. in Kentucky. When he was a child he emigrated to Boone County, Ky., with his parents, and it was there he was married, and afterward moved to Grant County. In March, 1824. they removed to
225
SONGER TOWNSHIP.
Decatur County, Ind., where they resided till 1859, and then came to Clay County, Ill., where they lived until death. He died May 29, 1879; she, January 17, 1880. They were the parents of six sons and two daugh- ters. The following yet survive: Thomas, Joseph, John J., William, Mrs. Rebecca J. Irwin, of Arkansas, and George. All reside in this county except Mrs. Irwin. Our sub- ject was reared and educated in Indiana, where he resided until 1847. February 2, 1847, he was married in Indiana to Miss Eliza Anderson. She was born in Boone County, Ky., July 15, 1827, and is the daughter of Thomas and Sarah (Myers) An- derson. They died in Kentucky, he Octo- ber 27, 1880, she March, 1881. Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Anderson have four children liv- ing and three dead. The living are David S .: Sarah J., wife of Welcome Anderson; George W. and Jasper R. Soon after mar- riage, Mr. Anderson moved to this county, and December 7, 1847, settled on his present farm, buying at first but 240 acres. He now owns 628 acres, 520 lying in one body. He has been successful in his business, for all has been obtained through hard work and good business tact. In 1848, his farm was burned over 'by a prairie fire, and he lost 10,000 rails, besides part of his crop. As he was away from home, his neighbors turned out and gathered the corn still remaining, and cribbed it for him. In 1862, he, in part- nership with his brother George, ran the first steam thresher ever used in Clay County. Mr. Anderson has never taken much of a part in political matters, but he is identified with the Democratic party.
WELCOME ANDERSON, farmer, P. O. Xenia, was born in Guernsey County, Ohio, April 11, 1837, to S. C. and Sarah (Moore), Anderson. The father was a native of Penn- sylvania, and the mother of Ohio. They
were the parents of six children now living, three sons and three daughters. His occu- pation was that of a farmer. When our sub- ject was about nine years of age, he removed to Muskingum County, Ohio, with his par- ents, and it was there he was reared and edu- cated. He remained at home till about twenty-two years of age, and then began for himself. In 1861, he went to Texas, and for four years was engaged in the sheep business. In 1865, he sold out and returned to Ohio, and engaged in the saw mill business. In 1866, he brought his mill to Clay County, Ill., and for three years was engaged in that business, and then began farming. He now owns 240 acres of prairie land and 40 of tim- ber, on which he does general farming. In 1867, he was married in this county, to Miss Sallie J. Anderson, a daughter of Joseph Anderson, whose sketch appears. This union has been blest with the following- named children: Ezra W., Flora C., Asher L. and Leslie J. Mr. Anderson is identified with the Democratic party, but has avoided political life.
J. M. BRYAN, farmer, P. O. Xenia. was born in Pendleton County, Ky., Sep- tember 1, 1822, to Luke and Mary (San- ders) Bryan, natives of North Carolina. When our subject was eight years of age, he moved to Indianapolis, Ind., with his parents, and remained there until 1860, when he came to Clay County, Ill. For five years, lie was there engaged in farming, but about 1865, he engaged in the milling business at Xenia, in which he continued for fourteen years, when he again removed to the farm. He now owns 295 acres of well-improved land. April 2, 1844, he was married, in Indianapolis. Ind., to Miss Martha Russell. She is a native of Indiana, and a daughter of John and Malena Russell. Mr. and Mrs. Bryan have four chil- dren, viz .: Alphonso, an attorney in Cham-
15
226
BIOGRAPHICAL:
paign, Ill. ; John R., a farmer in this coun- ty; Mrs. Parmelia Garland, of Howell, Michigan; and Orvil Grant, at home. Mr. Byan is a member of the A. F. & A. M. of Xenia. He and wife are members of the Baptist Church. The grandfather of our subject, Samuel Bryan, was a native of Virginia, but moved to Kentucky in company with Daniel Boone, and his wife, our sub- ject's grandmother, is said to have been the first white woman in Kentucky.
JOHN R. BRYAN, farmer, P. O. Xenia, was born in Indiana April 6, 1848, and is the son of J. M. Bryan. Our subject was reared on the farm, and was educated in the schools of Xenia, but afterward attended the State University at Champaign, Ill., for one year. His occupation has been that of a stock dealer and raiser and farmer. He now owns 200 acres of land, 160 acres of which are prairie and forty timber land. In 1880, he built on the farm one of the best farm residences in the county. The main building is 32x17 feet, L 9x17 feet, all two stories high, and a single story kitchen 14x18 feet. December 23, 1875, he was married, in this county, to Miss Catherine A. Cannon. She was born in Kentucky November 1, 1858, daughter of John and Mary Cannon, now residents of Xenia. Mr. and Mrs. Bryan have four children, viz .: Inez C., Minnie, Joseph Lyman"and Malena. He and wife are members of the Baptist Church. In pol- itics, he is Democratic. In early life, Mr. Bryan spent two years in Colorado, mining, dairying, etc., and made a success of his enterprise. He had gone to the West when only nineteen years of age.
P. B. DOW, farmer, P. O. Xenia, was born in Bellefontaine, Logan Co., Ohio, May 5, 1840, to Robert and Harriet (Brewster) Dow. The father was born in Scotland, near Crief, but came to the United States when only five
years of age. He is yet living, and at the advanced age of seventy years. The mother was born in Pennsylvana, and died when our subject was small. She was the mother of five sons, four of whom yet survive-one son died in 1878. Mr. Robert Dow has been married three times. By the second wife, however, he had no child, but has a daughter by the third wife. His occupation has al- ways been that of farmer, but is now retired from active life. Our subject was reared on the farm and educated in the schools of his native county. He has made farming his occupation during life, and has met with success, as he now owns a farm of 240 acres of well-improved land. On his farm there are never-failing springs of pure water, and also an outcropping of coal in a four-inch vein. In the spring of 1864, he enlisted in the One Hundred and Thirty-second Ohio Infantry. Soon afterward, however, he raised a company for the One Hundred and Ninety- first Ohio Infantry, and was elected Captain of the company. He then served as Captain of Company F till receiving his discharge in September, 1865. During his service, he was in the Army of the Potomac. participating in all the engagements on the Peninsula and around Richmond during his time of service. After returning from the army, he again en- gaged in farming in Ohio, but in 1871 came to Clay County, Ill., to his present farm. In April, 1869, he was married, in his native county in Ohio, to Miss Sallie E. Patterson, a native of Washington County, Penn. This union has been blessed with the following- named children: Stewart P., Robert B., William S., D. Jay, Mary Nina and Brew- ster. He and wife are members of the United Presbyterian Church. He is a mem- ber of the G. A. R. of Xenia. In politics, he is Republican.
THOMAS HARRISON, farmer, P. O.
227
SONGER TOWNSIIIP.
Xenia, was born in Dearborn County, Ind., July 18, 1825, to John and Phœbe (Milburn) Harrison, both natives of Virginia, where they were married. In 1814, they emigrated to Indiana, and lived in a block-house for some time. They resided in :Indiana till death. They were the parents of four sons and four daughters; three sons and one of the daughters yet survive, viz .. Simeon, Thomas, John, and Elizabeth Caldwell. When our subject was a young man, he learned to be a pilot on the river, and for nine years was on a boat as pilot, running between Cincinnati and New Orleans. The life was too rough to suit him, so he quit the river, and for five and one-half years was in the distilling bus- iness.$ In 1853, he commenced farming in Indiana. He continued farming and dealing in stock in Indiana till 1865, when he sold out and canie to Clay County, Ill., and bought his present farm, which now contains 345 acres, 280 of which are in prairie. When Mr. Harrison started in life, it was under adverse circumstances, having no capital, and but very little education. However, through his energy and perseverance, he has accumulated a good property, and has fitted himself for a good business man. Ever since his marriage, he has taken an active interest in schools, and for eight years has held the office of Township Treasurer of schools. June 7, 1849, he was married to Mary L. Hudson. She died April, 1850. May 4, 1851, Mr. Harrison was married to Miss Martha Wheeler. She was born in Indiana, daughter of William and Nancy Wheeler. This union has been blest with nine children living and one dead, viz .: Mary E., Atha J., Nancy, Margaret (deceased), William H., Per- ry, John, Theodore, Abigail and Cornelia. He and wife are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. He is identified with the Democratic party.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.