Illinois, Crawford County historical and biographical, Part 138

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897. cn; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913. cn
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1058

USA > Illinois > Crawford County > Illinois, Crawford County historical and biographical > Part 138

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).

The children born to Dr. and Mrs. Barlow were: Lulu, born May 13, 1879; Harry, born in February, 1881, and died in August, 1882; Brodie, born August 30, 1883; and Mary, born January 9, 1886.

BARNETT, Jesse L., stock-raiser and farmer on Section 34 of Martin Township, Crawford County, Ill., is one of the progressive, enterpris- ing and public-spirited men of his locality, born in Union County, Ohio, October 13, 1860, a son of S. J. Barnett, also a native of the same county, where he was reared and became a successful farmer. The family came originally from New York State. S. J. Barnett married Jane Hardin, a native of Pennsylvania, and daughter of Esau Hardin, one of the early settlers of Martin Town- ship, where he settled in 1864, and where he re- mained until his death. He bought 109 acres of land, 69 of which are comprised in the present homestead of Mr. Barnett. S. J. Barnett and his wife died in Ohio. They had four sons and one daughter, of whom Jesse L. Barnett was the eldest.

Having been reared a farmer, Jesse L. Barnett was attracted toward a broader field, and in February, 1888, came to Crawford County and bought his present home, bringing his family with him. The farm of 58 acres on Section 34 and 40 acres on Section 11 has been devoted to general farming and stock-raising, but since 1907 it has been still more valuable, as oil was thien discovered and there are now eight wells, all producing, on the farm.

Mr. Barnett was married in Ohio in 1881 to Mary Turner, a native of Ohio, where she was reared, educated and married. Mr. and Mrs. Barnett have had the following children: Bessie, Harry, Nellie, Belle. Effie, Mabel, Ruth and Ar- thur-four born in Ohio, and four in the present home. Mr. Barnett has always voted the Re- publican ticket. and is justly regarded as a good farmer and a substantial, reliable citizen, repre- sentative of the best agricultural interests of Crawford County.

BEESON, Abner .- The agricultural interests of Crawford County have been steadily ad- vancing until it occupies a very high place among the counties of our great Commonwealth. Ab- ner Beeson, upon Section 23. Martin Township. is one of the old settlers of the county and a

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progressive and successful farmer. He was born in Jasper County, Ill., June 21, 1854, a son of Igal Beeson, born in Kentucky, but after he had received a somewhat meager education there, he went to Ohio, and about a year later went on to Illinois, settling in Oblong Township, Craw- ford County, where his death occurred.

Abner Beeson was reared in Ohio and Mis- souri, but in 1866 settled in Crawford County and helped his father upon the farm, remaining in Oblong Township until the latter's death when he was seventeen. He then returned to Southern Missouri, where he worked at lead mining and prospecting, but two years later re- turned to Crawford County and rented a farm. On September 23, 1874, he married Hattie Wright, a daughter of Thomas Wright, who was a farmer of the county and a veteran of the Civil War. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Beeson settled on a farm which she had inherited from her father, but a year later located on his present farm. The first house on it was built of logs, and the land was covered with brush and timber, with the exception of some seven acres which had been cleared about the house. With a will and purpose, Mr. Beeson went to work and now has the land in a high state of cultiva- tion. besides adding to it 40 acres more. The original house has been remodelled and is now very comfortable and homelike. Mr. and Mrs. Beeson have the following children: Jackson, Ida May, Clyde Walter, Luella, Everett W., Maggie S., Jessie Alva and Lucy Edith. Mr. Beeson is a member of the Republican party. and is interested in local affairs. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Church, and they make welcome their many friends at their home with a free-handed hospitality that is de- lightful.

BEESON, Edward .- Scientific agriculture has ceased to be a joke. It already has been worth many millions of dollars to the farmers of the United States, and it will be worth many hun- dreds of millions more. A few years ago most men laughed at the idea of applying science to agriculture. The farmer's laugh was the loudest of all, but science, like revolutions, never goes backward. There are still many farming com- munities where the farmers plant, reap, feed their cattle. and let their implements stand out in the rain and sun in the same careless, thrift- less old way, but the agricultural department. agricultural colleges and the agricultural press are rapidly diminishing their number. Science is revolutionizing the farming business. as it has revolutionized almost every other modern in- dustry.

Farming is the most desirable of occupations. In other lines the same routine is preserved the whole year through, but each season brings a change of work to the farmer. Then, too, he can always breathe the fresh air of heaven, enjoy the glorious sunlight and the wide landscape. He works when and how he pleases and calls no man master. The table of the farmer is the best

supplied in the world. He gets the choicest vege- tables and fruits at first hand, and with cream and butter from his cows and fresh eggs and poultry from his chicken yard, with smoke-houses filled with fragrant hams and bacon, and with a beef from his own drove now and then, he is entirely independent in the way of food.

Crawford County has some of the most pro- gressive and scientific farmers in the country, and among them is Edward Beeson, of La Motte Township. who was born in Highland County, Ohio, September 29, 1870, a son of William and Nancy (Gregory) Beeson. The parents were na- tives, respectively, of Highland and Clinton Coun- ties, Ohio. They had the following children : Edward; Willis, born in 1873, deceased; Laura, born in 1876, deceased; Mattie, born in 1881. mar- ried Odell Hatch, lives in Roscoe, 100 miles south of Kansas City, Mo., and they have one child, Samuel, about four years old; Raymond, born in October, 1884. In 1888 the father went west and nothing further was heard of him, the family mourning him as dead, believing that he met with a fatal accident. The mother died February 14, 1885.

Edward Beeson attended school in Clinton, Ohio, but in 1891 he left Clinton County, Ohio, and came to La Motte Township, Crawford Coun- ty, Ill., where he was married, March 15. 1899, to Abbie J. Richey, born July 13, 1871, the cere- mony being performed by the Rev. McClung, of the United Presbyterian Church. Mrs. Beeson is a daughter of John and Sarah (Fox). Richey, natives of Ireland and Crawford County, re- spectively. One child was born to Mr. and Mrs. Beeson-Harry Richey Beeson, born June 16. 1906.

The farm which Mr. and Mrs. Beeson own, com- prising 300 acres of excellent land in the town- ship, nearly all of it being cultivated, was given them by Mrs. Beeson's father, John Richey. The home is a pleasant one, well set back from the road. In politics Mr. Beeson is a Republican, but has never sought office, preferring to do his duty as a private citizen in casting his vote as his conscience dictates, and giving his attention to his personal affairs. For fifteen years he has been a member of the I. O. O. F .. La Motte Lodge, No. 826, and is very active in lodge work. He is a member of the Presbyterian Church, hav- ing joined it about twelve years ago. Since she was eighteen years old Mrs. Beeson has been a member of the United Presbyterian Church.

Mr. Beeson is an excellent farmer, a sound business man and a good citizen, who holds the confidence of his community.

BENNETT, Samuel L. (deceased) .- On April 26. 1907, death claimed Samuel L. Bennett at six thirty P. M., at his home in Robinson, Ill., after a useful life of sixty years, filled with many charities and good deeds, and he left be- hind him a name of which his family may well be proud. He was a brave optimist. a lover of his fellow men, a worker who loves his work. His friends lost the comradeship of a noble soul.

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Mr. Bennett was born in Sullivan County, Ind., November 13, 1847, and was reared on a farm, attending the common schools of that locality. At the age of seventeen years he enlisted in the One Hundred and Forty-ninth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and served with bravery and honor until the close of the war. On his return home he took a two-years course in the U. C. College at Merom, Ind., and then taught school in his county and at Hutsonville, Ill. A fine teacher he had the ability to impart his knowledge to his pupils and was very popular with them. In 1872 he embarked in business at Robinson, first as a druggist and then as a clothing dealer. In 1875, Mr. and Mrs. Bennett moved to Hutson- ville when, in partnership with his father-in- law, Mr. Bennett engaged in the hardware and walnut-lumber business until 1884, when in June of that year, they moved to Robinson, where Mrs. Bennett now resides in her beautiful home. For some years prior to his death Mr. Bennett lived in retirement from active business on account of injuries received in his youth while serving as a soldier. He was always regarded as a model citizen and faithfully discharged many duties. While able to attend to his personal affairs, he made money and thriftily invested it. His vote and his influence were directed against the liquor traffic. He served as Alderman in the ward in which he resided, and was appointed Postmaster under the Mckinley administration, which office he held for four years.

For a year prior to his demise, he had been in very poor health, and was confined to his bed for five months. Finally, as a Iast resource he was taken by his wife to Mineral Wells, Texas, and for a short period he seemed to be improving, when a change came for the worse, and his brother-in-law, Henry Draper of Paris, Ill., having joined Mrs. Bennett, he was tenderly brought home to die a week later. His funeral was one of the largest in Robinson for many years. Many of his old comrades in arms were present, and the services were conducted by Rev. Van Tresse, pastor of the Methodist Church, of which he had been an attendant for many years. The officiating minister was assisted by Rev. Dr. Craven of the Presbyterian Church, and the remains were taken to Hutsonville for interment, the ceremonies at the grave being under the auspices of the Masonic Lodge of Robinson, of which Mr. Bennett had been a member.

On May 6, 1873, Mr. Bennett married Miss Mattie Draper, daughter of W. L. and Eliza- beth (Foster) Draper, of Hutsonville. Mrs. Draper, who afterwards became the wife of R. B. Higgins, is still living in Hutsonville, aged eighty-nine. Mrs. Bennett was born in Hutson- ville, May 23, 1856. When nine years old her parents moved to Terre Haute, Ind., where she attended school for three years, when the family returned to Hutsonville. Mrs. Bennett has been a inember of the Methodist Church for many years. She is now a member of the Twentieth Century Club of Robinson. Mrs. Bennett has a

sister, Mrs. Beatrice Lane, of Hutsonville, and a brother, H. L. Draper, of Paris. Mr. and Mrs. Bennett had no children of their own, but they adopted Mrs. Bennett's niece, Gypsie L. Draper, upon her mother's death, and carefully educated her. She first attended Robinson High School. and later the De Pauw University, at Green- castle, Ind. Besides his wife and their adopted child, Mr. Bennett was survived by four brothers and one sister of the eleven children born to his parents, namely : Richard M., of Kansas ; Thomas A., of New Lebanon, Ind .; James D .. of Arizona ; G. W., of Coffeyville, Kan., and Mrs. A. B. Mason, of Carlisle, Ind.

Mr. Bennett was a man who learned from direct contact with the sources the essential things that help to make real life. He gave endorsement and aid to many ; his charities were many and oftentimes hidden from the world. His character was one to remember with affec- tion, and his loved ones may well honor and revere the memory of one who, in the midst of severe bodily suffering, never forgot his debt to humanity, or ceased in his endeavor to make life better for all with whom he came in contact.

BLACK, John .- The farmers of Crawford Coun- ty have long been noted for their industry, thrift and progressive spirit, and the wonderful devel- opment of this part of the State is largely due to their efforts. Among those who have attalned success in agricultural matters is John Black, one of the prosperous farmers of Hutsonville Township, where he owns a fine farm of 80 acres, upon which he settled in 1885, and which he has since developed to its present well-cultivated con- dition. Mr. Black was born in Lane County, Ky., five miles from London, October 12, 1843, a son of William and Jane E. (Metcalf) Black. The father was born in Kentucky, March 16, 1794. and died June 1, 1860, in Rock Castle County, Ky., while his wife, born in Jackson County, Ky .. May 2, 1802, died February 14, 1889. Her father, James Metcalf, was born in Virginia, but was brought to Kentucky when he was a boy. his father being one of the pioneers of that State.

John Black attended school in Kentucky dur- ing the winter and worked on the farm In the summer, and has always been a farmer. For thirty-five years he has been a faithful member of the Christian Church. and in political faith Is a Prohibitionist, and is much interested in wiping out the liquor traffic. February 22, 1879, Mr. Black married, in Rock Castle County, Ky., Dicy Davis, who was born In that county January 9. 1859, a daughter of Hiram and Naomi (Gadd) Davis. They were both natives of Tennessee. and Mrs. Davis is still living, Mrs. Black died March 20, 1907. having borne the following chil- · dren : Celestia, born September 15, 1880. in Rock Castle County, Ky., married October 10, 1905. William Lee Pleasant, whose father is proprietor of the hotel at Hutsonville. known as the Pleas- ant Hotel, of which Abe Pleasant is proprietor ; Addie. born March 5, 1884, in Rock Castle Coun- ty, Ky., married Edwin Goodwin, of Crawford

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County, January 22, 1905, and died on her hus- band's farm, April 16, 1907. The Black family is one well known in this locality, and Mr. Black enjoys to the fullest extent the confidence and re- spect of his neighbors.

BOTTENFIELD, Currey J .- Successfully carry- ing on farming and stock-raising, proving his business ability and taking an interest in local affairs, Currey J. Bottenfield is a typical farmer of Crawford County, Ill., conveniently and pleas- antly located on his fine farm on Section 23, Ob- long Township. He was born in Marion County, Ohio, February 20, 1849, a son of Meeker B. Bottenfield, a farmer who was born in Penn- sylvania, but, when sixteen years old had settled in Ohio, going there with his parents. There he was married to Bethiah Hubble, born in New York State, where she was reared. They became the parents of eight children, four sons and four daughters, of whom the subject of this sketch was the sixth child and third son.

After being reared and educated in Ohio, Cur- rey J. Bottenfield left home at twenty-seven years of age, and came to Crawford County, Ill., locating in Oblong Township, buying land there in 1871. He started to farm 90 acres. His marriage occurred on November 23, 1876, to Mary Dennis, daughter of Michael Dennis. She was born in Perry County, Ohio, and at two years of age was brought by her parents to Crawford County, Ill., and was reared and educated in Oblong Township. Two children were born of this marriage: Minnie May and Margaret E. In the fall of 1879, Mrs. Bottenfield died. In 1887 Mr. Bottenfield married Hannah Hodges, born in Delaware County, Ohio, a daughter of Israel Hodges, and reared and educated in her native State. Mr. and Mrs. Bottenfield have had five children : Glenn Wiley, Bertha Lucile, Cecil. Paul Murrel and Blanche Clyminia-all born in Oblong Township, and all educated in the neigh- borhood schools.

In 1SSO Mr. Bottenfield left Illinois and learned the carpenter's trade, which he followed for ten years in Ohio. In 1890 he returned to Crawford County, and has farmed in Oblong Township ever since, located on his present farm of 150 acres, all of which he cleared and im- proved, including the erection of buildings. He did all the carpenter work himself, and is justly proud of his excellent results. Mr. Bottenfield chopped down the trees, hauled the logs to the mill, and then hauled the finished lumber to his farm, thus furnishing his own lumber. On this fine farm he carries on general farming and stock-raising. During all his mature life Mr. Bottenfield has been a Democrat, and is a mem- ber of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. of Oblong. For many years he has been a con- sistent member of the Union Baptist Church, has served as Sunday School Superintendent for ten years and has always taken a deep in- terest in church affairs.

BOYLL, James Archibald .- Probably the land- mark most frequently referred to in the vicinity of Hutsonville, for miles about, is the large brick mill operated by James Archibald Boyll, whose "Purity" brand of flour is very popular, not only in Crawford County but throughout the State, both on account of its excellence and the busl- ness methods adopted by its manufacturers. Mr. Boyll was born at Pimento, Vigo County, Ind., January 7, 1869, a son of Felix Stanford and Margaret (Barbee) Boyll. The father was also a native of Vigo County, as was the mother, who was born April 14, 1844. In 1880 the family moved from Pimento, Ind., to Annapolis, Craw- ford County, Ill. The father of Mrs. Boyll, John Barbee, with his wife Margaret (Thurman) Bar- bee, moved to Kentucky from their birthplace, Virginia.

James Archibald Boyll was educated in the common schools of Vigo County and at Annapo- lis, and learned to work on a farm at his father's inill, continuing thus until he was twelve years old. Upon his father's death, April 28, 1904, Mr. Boyll took charge of the Hutsonville Roller Mill, which had been erected in 1903, and has since improved and enlarged it. The plant occu- pies one and one-fourth acres, and its capacity is 50 barrels of flour daily. In addition, both corn and other varieties of feed are ground, and the volume of business shows a steady and healthy increase. Mr. Boyll also owns the old mill at Annapolis. which he is operating, the plant covering two acres.

On September 28, 1894, Mr. Boyll married at Sullivan, Crawford County, Miss Lucy Shire, a daughter of David and Iva Ann (Bowman) Shire. Mrs. Boyll was born at Annapolis, Ill., October 21, 1874, and her father came from Pennsylvania at an early age to Darke County. Ohio. He is now seventy-eight years old. and has belonged to the United Brethren Church sixty-eight years. He now makes his home in Hutsonville. In poli- tics Mr. Boyll is a Democrat, but his many busi- ness affairs make him too busy to accept of pub- llc office. He is recognized as one of the repre- sentative factors in the commercial life of Craw- ford County and a man whose prosperity is well merited.

BRADBURY, P. G., attorney-at-law. In his knowledge of law, Mr. Bradbury covers a wide range of topics, and he is looked upon as an au- thority upon whatever subject he is willing to express an opinion. He has been counsel in some of the most important litigation which has come before the courts of Crawford County and the State of Illinois, and his ideals of the legal profession are high and he lives up to them. He was born October 6, 1847. a son of John S. and Jemima (Buckner) Bradbury. The father was born in North Carolina, August 17. 1822, while the mother was born in 1828 in Crawford County, Ill.

John S. Bradbury was brought from North Car- olina where the family had resided near Raleigh, in 1828, when he was six years old, by his pa-

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rents, John and Mary (Hines) Bradbury. The little family walked the entire distance, their scanty house-hold possessions being in a small cart, and the journey consumed a long time. They settled in Hutsonville Township, a short distance from West York, but within a year the health of the father, which had been failing, gave out and he died, leaving his widow and six chil- dren on a small rented farm. The mother kept her little brood together and always exerted a wonderful influence for good over them up to her death, which occurred in 1847.

When but a lad, John S. Bradbury commenced working for various farmers, and when sixteen he obtained a position as stage-driver on the line running from Vincennes, Ind., to Danville, Ill., and continued in this employment for five or six years, when he married and commenced farming in Hutsonville Township on a small tract of land his wife had inherited from her parents, and this is now a portion of the home place on which he has resided for about sixty years. Although his holdings were at one time much larger than now, he still owns 200 acres of fine farm land. His first wife died at twenty-six years of age, leav- ing the following children : Catherine, now Mrs. Harper Reynolds, of Hutsonville; P. G .; and James L., a merchant of Fairbank, Ind. The first Mrs. Bradbury was a daughter of Henry and Martha (Evans) Buckner, who came from North Carolina to Crawford County, Ill., about 1818 and settled in Hutsonville Township, where they continued to reside until the time of their death. After the death of his first wife, John S. Bradbury married Nancy Huckaba, a daughter of Lewis and Peggie (Evans) Huckaba, also early settlers of Illinois who located in the neigh- borhood of York. By his second marriage John S. Bradbury had eight children: Andrew L., of Jasper County, Ill .; John S., of Robinson Town- ship; Aurora lives with his father; George S., who is a merchant of West York; Willis H., clerk in a store at Hutsonville; Alice, who lives in Oklahoma ; Albert, who has been an invalid since boyhood, and Nancy, of Chicago, manager of a wholesale business. John S. Bradbury was the youngest child in his father's family, which consisted of the following named children : Anna, married Cornelius Martin ; Peter ; Martha. mar- ried Bryant Cox; James, married Charlotte Mc- Crory; Moreland, married Jessie Draper, and John S., all now deceased except the last named.

After receiving a good common school educa- tion, P. G. Bradbury taught in Crawford County for seven years, ten months each year, and his ability was so generally recognized that at the youthful age of twenty-six he, was honored by election to the office of County Superintendent, and during his term of office was further hon- ored by election to the position of State's Attor- ney, which he filled with credit for eight years. Mr. Bradbury first read law with Judge Frank- lin Robb, and was admitted to the bar July 4, 1876, and then formed a partnership with his preceptor under the name of Robb & Bradbury, which association continued until the demise of

Judge Robb in 1890, after which he practiced alone for a year. About 1891 the firm of Brad- bury & Lewis was formed, with F. W. Lewis, but when Mr. Lewis was elected State's Attor- ney, in 1892, the partnership was dissolved. His next association was with Joseph A. McHatton, and this continued until 1908, when it, too, was dissolved by mutual consent. In addition to other political honors which the Democrats of his lo- cality have given him, Mr. Bradbury has been President of the School Board for three years, and served for four years as Master in Chancery, although he has never sought office.

On December 31, 1879, Mr. Bradbury was mar- ried to Miss Jennie Kelly, of Sullivan County, Ind., a daughter of James and Malinda (John- son) Kelly, the father being an extensive farmer and stock-raiser of Sullivan County, Ind. He was born in Inchaleen, County Derry, Ireland, and was a linen weaver by trade. He came to the United States in 1828, locating in Baltimore, but after two or three years he moved to Sulli- van County, Ind., and embarked in farming and stock-raising, at one time owning 1,500 acres. Mr. and Mrs. Bradbury have had children as fol- lows : John, born August 20, 1885, was for one year a naval cadet at Annapolis, but at the ear- nest solicitation of his father he resigned and at- tended the University of Virginia for two years, when his health broke down and his death oc- curred January 23, 1908, at the age of twenty- two years-his death proving a great blow to his family and associates; Francis C., born Decem- ber 6, 1887, graduated with honors from St. Mary of the Woods College, Terre Haute, Ind., in June, 1907; Palmer G., born January 15, 1892, is now in his second year at high school in Robinson ; William E., born September 8, 1893, is in the same year at school; James Stanley, born No- vember 11, 1899, is in the fourth grade of the common school. The children are all very bright and give promise of developing into brilliant men.

The family reside on a very valuable fruit farm just outside of Robinson. where they have a beautiful home. Mr. Bradbury is a large realty holder, and has some exceedingly valuable farm property in Crawford, Clark and Lawrence Coun- ties, and also some in Missouri. He is a member of the Presbyterian Church, in whleh he has been an elder for sixteen years. His paternal grand- parents were Quakers, and his maternal grand- parents Methodists. in religious faith. Frater- nally, he is a Mason, having been a member of that order for thirty-four years, is also a member of the Knights of Pythias and is popular in both orders. For many years he has been a leader in all movements looking toward the improvement and advancement of legal procedure in the State and county, and is generally recognized as one of the most capable attorneys of the Crawford County bar and of Eastern Illinois.

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Illinois, Crawford County historical and biographical, Part 138

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897. cn; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913. cn Publication date: 1909 Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1058

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897. cn; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913. cn
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1058