USA > Illinois > White County > History of White County Illinois > Part 49
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S. L. Logan was born in White County, Ill., March 28, 1847. IIe has always been a farmer, living principally on the old home- stead. For the last thirteen years he has worked for himself. His father, William R. Logan, was also born in White County and died in 1861, and the homestead on section 18, Emma Township, being divided, S. L. has the deed of eighty acres. He is the third of six children. He was married Feb. 24, 1869, to Eliza J. McClain, a native of Posey County, Ind., born May 10, 1849. They have six children-George W., Emma Olive, Mary H., Melton S., Nora, and Elmer. Politically he is a Democrat.
John Marshall, postoffice Marshall's Ferry, is the son of John and Amira (Leech) Marshall, natives of County Armagh, Ireland,
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and Jefferson County, Ky., respectively. His mother was reared in Knox County, Ind. Her husband came to the United States in 1801, and located in Knox County, Ind., where he followed farming some years, marrying Oct. 21, 1806. He began mer- cantile life at Shawneetown, making frequent horseback trips to Philadelphia for goods coming by water or flat-boats. He was Judge of Court of Common Pleas in 1814, appointed by Territo- rial Governor Edwards ; also represented the county of Gallatin in the first State Legislature ; was Postmaster at Shawneetown-a distributing office for many years-appointed by Monroe, and re- sined during Van Buren's administration. He was President of the Bank of Illinois for many years, and died at Shawneetown, May 23, 185S. His wife died Aug. 17, 1874, at the residence of her son, in White County, Ill. There were seven children in this fam- ily, two of whom are now living-John, and Sarah L., wife of Judge John J. Hayden, of Washington, D. C. John was born at Shaw- neetown, Ill., May 15, 1820. He was educated here, and before twenty years of age he went into full partnership with his father in the mercantile business, and remained in this trade till the spring of 1852, when he moved to White County and located on his present farm on the bank of the Wabash, on section 18, where he owns over 200 acres of land; he also owns about 1,300 acres of adjoining lands. April 20, 1843, in Shawneetown, Ill., he married Joanna G., daughter of William and Sarah (Ruddick) Ste- venson, of Ireland, where they died. Joanna G. was born in Ire- land, Parish Kilmore, County Armagh, Aug. 10, 1823. She was reared by her uncle, Thomas Ruddick, Esq., where she was mar- ried, in Shawneetown, April 20, 1843. By this union there were ten children, four living-Elizabeth, Genevieve, May and Daniel. John, Jr., Georgianna, Francis L., Samuel D., Jr., William S., and Amy, or Amira, are dead. Mrs. Marshall died Jan. 4, 1871. Mr. Marshall votes the Democratic ticket, having voted ten times for the Democratic candidate for President, but was himself never a candidate for any office. His Grandfather Marshal died in Ire. land; his grandmother came to the United States with her son Daniel. and died at the house of her son John, at Shawneetown. His grandfather, George Leech, came to the United States in 1776, and settled at Bordentown, N. J., where he married Achsah Applegate. George Leech died at Shawneetown, Ill., and Achsah died at Fairfield, Ill.
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Jarret Mc Calliter, bo n in Emma Township, White Co., Ill., April 26, 1840, is a son of Edward and Martha (Bradbury) Mc- Callister, and a grandson of Edward McCallister, a native of Ireland, who came to this country over a century ago. He served in the Revolutionary war. He came to White County in 1801. His father was a native of this county and his mother of Ken- tucky. His father died in 1856 and his mother in 1848. When fourteen years of age Mr. McCallister went to Knox County, Ill., and remained one year. When he was twenty years old he com- menced for himself; engaged in farming two years. He enlisted in the war of the Rebellion, in Company G, Seventh Illinois Inde- pendent Cavalry, and served three years and one month. Partici-
pated in the battle of Corinth, and followed the regiment in all its campaigns to within three months of the time he was mustered out of service. He came home and bought land on section 34, and other parts of Emma Township, amounting to 600 acres. He now owns 120 acres on section 7, and the block in Concord where he is doing business. He was married May 14, 1864, to Henrietta Burrell, daughter of William and Rebecca Burrell, old settlers of this county. They are the parents of seven children, four of whom are living-Emma S., Lenora, Gilbert and Wesley. Anna Rebecca died in 1868; Enola and Warren (an infant) died in 1872. Politically he is a Democrat. He has been Constable of this township two years; was elected for four years but resigned at the expiration of two; was Town Clerk one year. He is Postmaster of Concord, for a second time. He has a good trade in his busi- ness; is also engaged quite extensively in buying wheat, as an agent for Staley & Ivey, of Carmi. Mr. McCallister draws a pen- sion on account of a disease contracted in the army.
Wesley Mc Cullister, born Sept. 25, 1845, in Emma Township. White County, a son of Edward and Martha (Bradbury) McCal- hister, was raised on the homestead, which has been in the family since 1815. When he was seventeen years old he enlisted, in September, 1863, in Company G, Seventh Illinois Cavalry, and served two years and three months, and was mustered out in Nu- vember, 1865. Was in the battles of Franklin, Columbia. Nash- ville and also several smaller skirmishes; entered as a private and was promoted to Corporal, and from that to a Sergeant. Fo .- lowed the regiment all through its campaigns. He was married Ang. 12, 1868, to Exaline Tuggle, daughter of Lawson O. Tuggle. resident of Georgia. They have four children-Everett. Ira.
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Ionia and Adam, all living at home. His wife died Aug. 17, 1878. Mr. McCallister has 240 acres in his place, which he has under a good state of cultivation. Politically he has been a Democrat. Has served nine years as Justice of the Peace for this township, and one year as Supervisor.
Henry H. Mc Mullen, born June 21, 1847, in Emma Township, White Co., Ill., is a son of Wilkson and Martinia McMullen, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of Indiana. His father came to this county at an early day, when he was twenty- one years of age. He died in 1858, aged fifty-seven. His mother died in 1863, aged forty-three. He lived at home with his mother till he was thirteen years of age, and then commenced to take care of himself. Oct. 16, 1863, he enlisted in Company G, Seventh Illinois Cavalry. The regiment was at Collierville, Tenn., when he joined it ; he served with it during the different campaigns till the close of the war; was in seventy-three different engagements, b never got a scratch; was in several hard-fought battles where men were shot down all around him. He was mustered out Nov. 17, 1865. The next summer he commenced farming. He was married in July, 1866, to Sarah F. Stewart, a native of Posey County, Ind. His wife died Feb. 17, 1869, leaving five children; two of them have since died. Those living are-Alice, Lulu and Ima. Oct. 13, 1875, he married Ann Smith, who was born on the farm where they now live. They have three children-Cora, May and Bella. Mr. McMullen has 120 acres on the Carmi and New Haven Road, section 5, town 7, range 10 east. Mrs. McMul- len has eighty acres where they live, and twenty acres on the bottoms. Politically he has always adhered strictly to the princi- ples of the Democratic party.
Nathaniel McMullen, born in Emma Township, Jan. 19, 1836, is a son of Wilkison and Sarah (Vorns) McMullen, his father a na- tive of Virginia, and his mother of this county. His father came to this county with his father, Samuel McMullen, when he was seven years of age. Nathaniel was brought up on the homestead, near the James Dawsey place, till he was seventeen years old, when his father bought a farm on the New Haven and Carmi road about two miles from New Haven, where they resided till the death of his father. His mother died when he was seven years of age ; his father in 1857, aged fifty-four years. He was married in April, 1859, to Parmelia Aldridge, a native of this township. She died in the spring of 1876. In December, 1876, he married Mrs.
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Lina Nelson. She died eleven months later. In the spring of 1878 he married Mary Hargrave. They were the parents of two children, both deceased. Mrs. McMullen died in the fall of 1880. In March, 1881, he married Mrs. Julia (Epley) Jurdan. They have one child-Ella, born in April, 18:2. Politically he has always been a Democrat. He has held the offices of School Direc- tor and Trustee of his township. He owns 131 acres on section 2, township 7. Mrs. McMullen has 140 acres on section +. IIe en- listed in 1861, in Company G, Seventh Illinois Cavalry; was or- dered to Springfield, where the troops were drilled for nearly three months; then went to Bird's Point, Mo .; was in several small skirmishes, but was discharged in the summer of 1862 on account of ill health.
William P. McMurtry, M. D., born June 5, 1837, in White County, Ill., son of Henry and Polly Harrell. His father was a native of Tennessee, and mother of North Carolina. They came to Illinois about 1821, and settled in White County; took up land both in this and Gallatin County, on the line. His father put up the first grist-mill in this part of the county. He followed this and farming till his death, in 1848. IIis mother died in 1855. The Doctor and Roby E. are the only children living out of eleven. Dr. McMurtry lived on the homestead till he was fifteen years old. At the death of his mother he went to Equality; remained there two years; moved from there to Shawneetown and lived four years. Aug. 15, 1862, he enlisted in Company H, One Hundred and Twentieth Infantry, and remained until Sept. 15, 1865. Entered as a private; was promoted to Sergeant-Major Dec. 6, 1862. In 1863 he was promoted to Adjutant, and acted as such during the Vicksburg campaign; was in battle of Gun Town, Miss., and at Ripley, Miss. Before the surrender of Vick-burg he was at the battle of Mulligan's Bend; though not a large battle was a very bloody affray for a short time. After he came home from the war he took up the study of medicine, which he had commenced before he entered the service, and soon after began the practice of medi- cine in Emma Township. He then, a short time after, removed to New Haven, and from there to Carmi, where he remained some time, when he again took up his practice in Emma. He bought his farm of 160 acres in 1880, buying out the several heirs of his wife's father. He was married Feb. 24, 1870, to Virginia A. Campbell, daughter of Robert D. Campbell, a foriner old settler of this county. They have two children-Lucy D., and John L.
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Herry McMurtry, father of the Doctor, was born Dec. 6, 1781, in Sumner County, Teun .; died April 28, 1849. Polly Harrell, mother of the Doctor, was born March 4, 1793. in North Carolina; died March 9, 1855. Mrs. McMurtry, wife of the Doctor, is a daughter of Robert D. Campbell, born July 25, 1816, at Ashley, Washington Co., Ill., and died April 5, 1864. Her mother, Mary J. Camp- bell, born Feb. 22, 1821, died Nov. 22, 1875. Dr. McMurtry has a good general practice, which extends over a good share of the county. He is also a successful farmer.
Josiah L. Nelson was born in Rutherford County, Tenn., in November, 1827. He came with his father to Illinois when only two years old, going to Gallatin County, where he has since re- sided. IIis father, James Nelson, was born in North Carolina, February, 1799, and died in December, 1852, in White County, Ill. His mother is living with him. He was married Nov. 10, 1857, to Lucretia M. Hodge. She died in 1865, leaving three children-Samuel H., Mary B. and Eliza L., all living at home. Mr. Nelson married Mrs. Mary J. (Jones) Bradshaw, March 10, 1869. They have no children. He owns eighty acres of land in Emma Township, White County, and 24S acres in Gallatin County. Politically he is a Republican.
William Newton, son of Robert and Sarah (Milan) Newton, was born near Longsutton. Lincolnshire, England, April 7, 1824. His father died when he was about six years old. He was reared on a farin, and when twenty-four years old came to America, landing at Mobile, Ala. He went to Mt. Vernon, Ind., and then located near Owensville, Gibson Co., Ind. He worked at differ- ent kinds of manual labor for two years, and then went to farm- ing for himself. He remained in Indiana till. 1859, when he came to White County, and bought 120 acres. where he still resides; seven years later he bought 120 acres more. When he first came here the place was in rather a wild state, but by hard work he has brought it to its present fine condition. He was married July 10. 1845, to Elizabeth Rigall. He left his family in England, and sent for them as soon as he could earn the money. His wife died in 1878, leaving two children-Frank, and Sarah E., wife of Geo. Carroll, both residents of this county. Sept. 4, 1881, he married Mrs. Martha A. Duggan. Politically he has always been a Dein- ocrat. March 15, 1859, he met with a severe loss by fire, losing his house and household goods, to the amount of $1,500.
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James O' Neill, son of Henry and Mary (Farron) O'Neill, was born in County Armagh, Ireland, July 11, 1820. IIis parents came to America in 1829, with nine children; landed in Quebec, Canada, but settled in Paterson, N. J. His mother died in Pat- erson, and eighteen months later his father also died of cholera. James went to work in a cotton factory when he was a boy, and remained there seven years. His early advantages for an educa- tion were limited, as he was obliged to work all day. He attended a night school, paying two cents a night and taking his own candle. In 1840 he went to Dover, N. J., to learn the blacksmith's trade; he remained there eleven months, and then went to Sussex County, N. J., and finished. At that time his brother Edward had a store in Paterson, and he went back there and took charge of the store three years. His brother William left Paterson with $ 6.25 in his pocket, but by stopping often to earn money to com- plete his journey, he finally reached Perry County, Ind., where he had a married sister. In ten months he sent back after his family. In 1849 James O'Neill went to Perry County, Ind., and remained seven years. In September, 1855, he removed to Gal- latin County, Ill., and located at New Haven; carried on mer- cantile pursuits till 1858; was also engaged in buying produce and running down the river to Louisiana; this he continued till 1861. During one trip he was fired into by the rebels as he was passing Memphis, and compelled to run in port; the cargo of provisions, etc., were taken from him, and he was allowed to proceed on his journey. He then went by rail to Humboldt, Tenn., and from there home. In June, 1861, he came to Emma Township, White County, and settled on section 7, town 7, where he still resides and owns 325 acres of fine land. He was married in 1846, in Paterson, N. J., to Elizabeth Born, a native of Paterson. She was born May 16, 1827, and was a daughter of James and Catha- rine (Van Houten) Born. Her father was a native of England, and came to this country when a young man, settling in New Jersey. Her mother was a native of Paterson. Mrs. O'Neill is the youngest of their five children. Her father died when she was fourteen years old. IIe was a poor man, and his family were obliged to take care of themselves. Elizabeth went into the cotton factory when only nine years old, and remained till she was eighteen, when she married Mr. O'Neill. She contributed largely toward her own support the first years she was in the fac- tory, and later assisted the other children in caring for her
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mother. Her mother died in 1864, past eighty years of age. Mr. and Mrs. O'Neill have had a family of six children, but only two are living-Joseph E. and William, James B., John B., Annie and Cilla. James was born in Paterson, N. J., Joseph in Perry County, Ind .; William in Gallatin County, Ill., and the rest in this county. Politically he has always been a Democrat, casting his first Presidential vote for James K. Polk. IIe is now serving his third year as Township Treasurer, and is also Justice of the Peace.
James Madison Pumroy was born May 19, 1810, in what is now Equality, Gallatin County, Ill. Ilis father, Joseph Pumroy, was the seventh son of a large family. His grandfather was John Pumroy. ITis mother, Ellen Falkner, was a native of Hagerstown, Md. His father came from Jefferson County, Penn., to Gallatin County, Ill., in 1807. In 1814 came to this county and settled on the farm where James now lives. IIe died in October, 1837, agod sixty-three. His wife died in 1842, aged sixty-three. James M. was married Feb. 14, 1833, to Harriet Logan, a native of Equality. She died in November, 1838, leaving two children-Mary Ellen, married Samuel Jones, and Frances, married Mathew Land. Both these daughters died in November, 1854, and one child died in infancy. In 1840 he married Bathsheba Logan, daughter of Geo. R. Logan, born in White County, Dec. 9, 1822. They have five children-George R., Alice (wite of George Phar, residing in Carmi), Oliver C., Edwin W., and Frank E., 'all residents of this county. He also has two grandchildren, the children of his two daughters that are deceased. Mr. Purroy and his sons have 320 acres on his homestead, and he has 240 acres in this and Carmi Township. Politically he was a Whig and subsequently a Re- publican. He cast his first Presidential vote for John Q. Adams. He has been a member of the Methodist church fifty years and his wife has been a member forty-two years, and they have brought their family up in this faith. They are devoted to the religious principles of that church.
Frederick Roser, born Oct. 18, 1839, in Baden, Germany, is a son of Frederick and Mary (Smith) Roser, who came to America, with a family of six children, in 1852, and settled in Carmi, White Co., Ill., where his father still resides. Frederick commenced for himself by driving the stage from Carmi to Fairfield, and two years later drove the stage from Carmi to Mt. Vernon. In May, 1861, he left the stage one night and entered the army the next
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morning, enlisting in Company B, Twenty-ninth Illinois Infantry. He was mustered in at Camp Butler and from there went to Cairo and spent the summer, and in the fall started South. He was in the battle of Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Corinth, Spanish Fort and Blakely. He was taken prisoner at Holly Springs, Miss .; was in the rebels' hands six months. He was all through the Southern States, and was mustered out of service Dec. 20, 1865. He was wounded at Shiloh, and was in the hospital at Jackson, Tenn., nine months. He was stricken with temporary blindness which lasted seven months, caused probably by constant exposure. After he came home he kept a grocery store at Mt. Vernon, Ind., five years, and in Henderson County, Ky., three years. He then went to farming in the latter county, which he continued till 1878. He then came to White County and went to farming in Emma Town- ship. In 1880 he bought 100 acres where he now lives, on section 12, which he has under a good state of cultivation. He was mar- ried in 1868 to Catharina Rapp, a native of Mt. Vernon, Ind. She died in Henderson County, Ky., leaving two children-Charles and Emma. In 1875 he married Mary Rapp, a sister of his former wife. They have had three children-Edward, Frederick and Catharina. Edward died in 1880, aged four years. Politically Mr. Roser has always been a Republican.
Clifford Rudd, born near Shawneetown, Gallatin Co., Ill., is a son of George and Louisa Rudd, natives of Tennessee. His father came to Gallatin County at an early day and died in 1863, sixty years of age. IIis mother came with her parents to Gallatin County when she was small and died in 1861. They had a family of nine children, eight now living. Mr. Rudd lived in Gallatin County with his parents till nineteen years of age. He was mar- ried July 3, 1864, to Margaret Biggs, a native of Shawneetown. Her mother was an Indian woman of the Choctaw tribe, and when her daughter was five or six years old left her and went back to her tribe, and has never since been heard from. Margaret was thus left to the charity of the world, and was cared for by friendly people of Shawneetown. When she was fourteen she married Jackson McCoy and moved to Hamilton County. Her husband died in 1857, and she returned to Shawneetown, where she remained till her marriage with Mr. Rudd. They then moved on a farm and remained one season, then returned to Shawneetown. Nov. 21, 1868, they moved to Posey County, Ind., and engaged in farming there fourteen years. In Angust, 1881, they came to White County, settling in Emma Township, on the Hinch farm, where
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they still reside. During their early married life they were unfor- tunate, being burned out at one time, and losing their crops by a flood at another, but late years they have been very successful, and by hard work have gained for themselves a good living.
R. Coleman Seals was born Feb. 28, 1844, on the place where he now lives, in Emma Township. His parents, John and Catherine (Campbell) Seals, were both natives of Tennessee, and came to White County with a family of three children. His father died in 1864, in his sixty-third year, and his mother in 1872, in her sixty- third year. There were twelve children in this family, and Mr. Seals is the only one now living. He owns 260 acres of fine land. He was married in 1867 to Rebecca Morgan, a native of Tennessee. She died Aug. 11, 1872. They had five children, only one, the oldest, now living-John, fifteen years old. The children deceased are-Robert C., died September, 1872, aged six months; Wm. P., died Aug. 1, 1872, in his third year; two others, a pair of tw ns, died in infancy. Mr. Seals was married again Nov. 12, 1873, to Sophronia Campbell, a native of White County. They have two children living-Mary E., born Sept. 12, 1874, and Edwin C., born Nov. 24, 1880. They have lost two children-Claude Irvin, born April 21, 1878, died in August, 1882; another died in infancy. Mr. Seals has always voted the Democratic ticket.
Thomas Stephens, one of the early pioneers of White County, was born in Ohio in 1801, and emigrated to Illinois with his parents in 1820. He was married to Rebecca Long in 1832, who was born in Bledso County, Tenn., Aug. 21, 1813. After their marriage the young married couple, like all the first settlers of White County, had but little, but soon thereafter they managed to buy a homestead from the United States Government, in what is known as the little prairie, near the Grand Chain in the Great Wabash River, and by industry and economy accumulated consid- erable property. They had several children born to them, three still living. The oldest, Harriet A., now the wife of Jas. A. Miller, of Carmi. Hannah J., the second child, married Joel Abshier, who now resides near the old homestead. Thomas Wesley Ste- phens lives also near the little prairie in the same neighborhood. Alex. L. Garrison, of Carmi, married the youngest child, who died in 1881. The memory of Thomas Stephens is still held by the few old settlers of White County of his day in high esteem, for he was a grand, jolly good fellow in the early days on the Wabash.
George W. Taylor was born Sept. 3, 1825, in Williamson County, Tenn., near Nashville, son of Pierson and Margaret (Carl) Taylor-
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His father was a native of England, and came to this country when he was a young man and settled in Tennessee. His mother was a native of North Carolina, of German descent. They came to Illi- nois and settled in White County about 1830. His father died here when he was sixty-one years old. His mother died at the age of sixty-five years. Mr. Taylor was brought up on a farm. When he was twenty years old he started for himself. He ran an engine in a grist and saw mill for three years. He was married Aug. 29 1849, to Millbry Seals, daughter of James B. Seals, a resident of White County. She died in 1854, leaving two children-Margaret and Candis P. Candis, the oldest, died in 1878, at the age of twenty-eight years. He was married again n 1854, to Mary Seals, a sister to his first wife. They have had nine children, seven are living-Ellen, wife of John W. Barr, residing in the county; Emma, wife of A. R. Logan, resides in the county; James, Anna, George, Charles and May. Thomas A. died in 1879, in his twentieth year. Jennie died in 1880, in her fourteenth year. Mr. Taylor settled on his present homestead in 1852. He has 121 acres west of it under agood state of cultivation. Politically he has been a Re- publican; in an early day was a Whig. Cast his first Presidential vote for Zach. Taylor.
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