Illinois, Crawford County historical and biographical, Part 141

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 141

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COX, John Thomas .- The mercantile house of Cox, general merchant of Trimble, is a monu- ment to the business enterprise of John Thomas Cox, who has been connected with various busi- ness enterprises in Crawford County. He was born at Hutsonville in that county, April 4, 1868, a son of William and Emily ( Voorheis) Cox. William Cox was born on the home place in Hutsonville Township, March 14, 1838, and died November 29, 1881. The paternal grandfather, Thomas Cox, was one of the very early settlers of Crawford County, coming from North Caro- lina. The maternal grandfather, Mahlon Voor- heis was also a pioneer of Crawford County. Mrs. William Cox resides in Trimble and keeps house for her son A. M. Cox. A brother of Mrs. Cox, Joseph Voorheis was killed in 1863. His command was ambuscaded, and commanded to surrender, and he alone refused to do so, opening up fire. and he fell, riddled with bullets. The birth of Mrs. Cox occurred in Hutsonville Town- ship. March 1. 1840.

After attending common school in Hutsonville, Mr. Cox entered the academy at Bloomingdale, Ind., and after finishing his course there, took a course at the Commercial College at Valparaiso, Ind., which he failed to complete on account of illness, compelling him to return home. Follow- ing this he and his brother engaged in a butcher- ing business under the style of Cox Bros., at Hutsonville. and thus continued for four years, when he was made Overseer of the County Farm, continuing in that office for five years, when he opened his present general merchandise store at Trimble.

On September 21, 1890, at Trimble, Mr. Cox was married to Miss Minnie Myrtle Meek, born January 18, 1871, daughter of George and Miranda Meek, the former born October 9, 1836. in Ohio, and the latter born February 13. 1843. near Brazil, Ind. The father of Mrs. Cox en- listed in Company B, Ninety-seventh Indiana Volunteer Infantry, under Captain Smith. He was severely wounded and suffered from his wound until gangrene set in which occasioned his death, February 1, 1877. Mr. and Mrs. Cox have three children: Glendela, born July 4, 1891: Bertha May. born May 18, 1894; and Ansel Voorheis. horn October 21, 1901. These

Delilah A, Leaverton

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children are all very bright, and the eldest shows evidence of becoming quite brilliant. She joined the Christian church in 1906, and her sister Bertha May joined in 1907. Mrs. Cox joined the church when sixteen years old, and is an active worker in it. Her class of girls and boys in the Sunday School is very large, and she is extremely popular.

In politics Mr. Cox is a Republican, and has served as Tax Collector two years and seven years as School Director. Fraternally, he is a Modern Woodman and a Royal Neighbor. He has been a member of the Baptist church of Hutsonville for fourteen years, and was at one time Superintendent of the Sunday School. The family are comfortably located in their delightful home in Trimble, where a hearty hospitality is extended to the large circle of friends the Cox family have gathered about them.

Mr. Cox came himself of a large family, being tbe seventh in nine children, as follows: H. T .. K. M., Katherine, Alice, two who died in in- fancy, John Thomas, Lura (deceased), and A. M. All the surviving children reside in Craw- ford County. Mrs. Cox was the sixth in a family of nine children, namely: Laura (de- ceased), Ida. Sarah, Jane, Dovanna (Mrs. Cox), Sabrina, E. A., and G. D.

CREWS, J. C. (deceased), for many years an agriculturist of Crawford County, was born April 23, 1841, in that county, son of W. J. Crews and Amelia (Spraggins) Crews, the former born in Virginia August 7, 1802. In 1817 W. J. Crews came to Crawford County with his father, and entered Government land, which later came into the possession of J. H. Crews. The latter was educated in Montgomery Township. and had a valuable early training in farm work. February 13, 1866, he married Ella Pifer, born September 16, 1845, in La Motte Township, daughter of Joseph and Mar- garet (Walker) Fifer. Mrs. Crews bore her husband two children: Charles W. and Edwin C. Mr. Crews was a Republican, a Knight of Honor, and he and his wife joined the Metho- dist Episcopal Church.

CROWLEY, Judge Joseph Burns .- For Jndge Crowley public office has always been indeed a public trust, and he has conscientiously labored to discharge it. He has handled many grave problems with marked skill. and it is character- istic of him that he does not consider that his obligation to the public is limited simply to the faithful discharge of his official duties. There has not been an important question of legislation. nor an important movement on the part of the county or State for some years, in which he has not taken at least a deep interest. if he did not personally participate, and the debt Craw- ford County, as well as Robinson, owes him is too great ever to be adequately discharged.

Judge Crowley was born in Coshocton. Ohio. July 19, 1858, a son of Samuel Burns and Eliza-

beth (Williams) Crowley. Samuel B. Crowley was born in the same place as his son, March 17, 1820, while the mother was a native of the same locality, where she was born January 7, 1827. Samuel B. Crowley was a man of impor- tance in his day, and his worth was recognized when Governor Chase of Ohio appointed him Major-General of the Ohio State Militia. At the outbreak of the Civil War, Major Crowley served as Captain, commanding Company K, Thirty-second Illinois Volunteer Infantry, serv- ing with distinction. having previously served as Lieutenant in an Ohio regiment during the Mex- ican War. Later he was Sheriff of Coshoction County, Ohio, and still later filled two terms in the same capacity in Jasper County, Ill., where he settled in 1858, removing thence to Robinson, Crawford County, in 1871. By trade he was a carpenter and followed that calling, making a success in life financially, as he certainly did as a supporter of his country.

Judge Crowley was educated in the common schools of Illinois, in the law office of George N. Parker and by experience, and is a man of wide reading, broad views and deep sympathies whose judicial mind can grasp and decide upon any subject without any appreciable effort. For some time in the beginning of his career Judge Crowley carried the United States mails from Robinson to Lancaster. Ill., a distance of forty miles. He next clerked in a grocery store, but then decided upon entering the legal profession and began the study of law in the office of George N. Parker, being admitted to the Bar in May, 1883, when he formed a partnership with Mr. Parker under the name of Parker & Crowley, which still continues. In 1886 so well known had he become, he was elected County Judge on the Deomcratic ticket and re-elected in 1890. In 1893 he was appointed by President Cleveland as Special United States Treasury Agent in charge of the Fur Seal Fisheries of Alaska, when he resigned the judgeship to accept the honor tendered him. After filling the office with dis- tinction for five years, he resigned in 1898 and became a candidate for Congress on the Demo- cratic ticket, was elected by a large majority and re-elected in 1900 and 1902. serving in all three terms. Fraternally Judge Crowley is a member of the Masonic order. is a Knights Templar, and belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Knights of Pythias. Elks, Wood- men, and Modern Americans. In church affilia- tion, he is a Presybterian.

Judge Crowley was married in Robinson, Ill., in 1889. to Miss Alice Newlin, who was born in that city September 29, 1894. Two children have been born to then: Emily, aged eighteen, and Joseph Burns. Jr., aged four years. Judge and Mrs. Crowley have a beautiful home in Robinson. surrounded by carefully improved grounds in which shrubs and giant trees alter- nate. This home is the center of complete domestic happiness and hospitality. and their many friends enjoy nothing better than a visit to it.

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CUNNINGHAM, James Edward .- The growth and development of any section is caused just as much by the enterprise, energy and progres- sive spirit of its citizens as by its own natural resources. No community has ever reached a state of high development without the aid of capable, reliable men in whom the faith of the public, at large can be placed, and Oblong Town- ship is no exception to this rule. One of the representative citizens of this township is James Edward Cunningham, who was born in Oblong Township. Crawford County, Ill., July 21, 1858. His father, William Cunningham, was born October 28, 1828, in Licking County, Ohio, and his death occurred near Hardinville, April 28, 1869. He was a son of Jonathan Cunningham, who came to Crawford County and took up 400 acres of government land.

In 1851, when twenty-three years old, William Cunningham came to Crawford County, and for a number of years worked at his trade as a carpenter in Oblong and Martin Townships. put- ting up many houses. He also cleared off a farm, and, at the time of his death, owned 220 acres in Oblong Township. William Cunningham mar- ried Ruth A. Smith, a daughter of Stephen and Lydia (Hudson) Smith, who was born in Genesee County, N. Y., March 24, 1835. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. William Cunning- ham were: James E., born July 21, 1858; John O., born March 25, 1860 ; George A .. born Novem- ber 21, 1861; Samuel E., born February 27, 1864; Frank M., born November 23. 1865, died unmarried June 2, 1895, near Danville, Ind., and is buried at Hardinville; Thomas H .. born June 10, 1867, died September 16th of the same year ; and Fred W., born August 19, 1868. After the death of her husband, Mrs. Cunningham married Adam S. Siler, and they have had two children, both of whom are married. Mrs. Siler lives in Robinson.

James Edward Cunningham received his early education in the log schoolhouse in Martin Town- ship, and then went to school in the Center School District in Oblong Township. He was married April 21, 1888, to Irene Mitchell, in Oblong Township, the Rev. William Tilroe of the Methodist church officiating. Miss Mitchell was a daughter of William E. and Martha (Dis- pennett) Mitchell, the former a native of Ind- iana, and the latter (now deceased), of Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Cunningham are the parents of seven children, namely : Raymond C., born May 17, 1889; Elsie Fern, born March 30. 1891: Bertha Inez, born September 19, 1893; Mabel M., born February 25, 1896, died July 26, 1897; Florence L., born May 10, 1898; Lela, born March 6, 1901, and Mary Edith, born November 16, 1903.

In politics Mr. Cunningham is a Democrat, and fraternally he is connected with the Modern Woodmen. Mrs. Cunningham is a member of the Methodist church, in which she has been a Sunday School teacher for twenty-five years. For eight terms she was a teacher in the public schools of Crawford County, and became well and favorably known as an educator.

CURTIS, Charles F .- Persistent effort along any line brings success and the gratifying realization of work well done. From poverty, through hard work and sturdy thrift, Charles F. Curtis, a farmer and oil-producer of Section 12, Oblong Township, Crawford County, has become a man of means and is regarded as one of the representative citizens of his locallty. He was born on his father's farm, July 31, 1880, a son of I. B. Curtis, a farmer and pioneer of Oblong Township. Left an orphan at sixteen, Mr. Curtis worked for neighboring farmers until 1904, and secured a common school education. In 1904 he located on his present farm of 79 acres, and cleared up four acres, and made ex- tensive improvement. In 1907 Mr. Curtis was fortunate enough to discover oil on his property, and now has five good wells in operation.

In April, 1904, Mr. Curtis was married to Melissa Hargus, a daughter of John Hargus, and they have one child. Caswell. Mr. Curtis has always been a Republican, but is not an office-seeker. The pleasant home of Mr. and Mrs. Curtis is the center of perfect domestic happiness, and they welcome their many friends with delightful hospitality.

CURTIS, John H .- Existence in what was once frontier regions, then so full of the tragedy of Indian warfare, has been gradually softened by peace and religion through the efforts of the brave pioneers, history makers. The Curtis family is very prominently identified with the early history of Illinois, and especially of Craw- ford County, where its members are to be found in large numbers, all prosperous, and many occupying positions of public trust. John H. Curtis, residing on Section 14, Oblong Township, was born in the township in which he now re- sides, January 15, 1844, a son of A. C. Curtis, one of the pioneers of the township, who was a native of Ohio and came to Oblong in 1840 when a young man. He came with his father, William W. Curtis, who organized the first Christian conference in the State. He entered land from the government, cleared it, and owned property that is now the site of the best oil wells in this locality. William W. Curtis had twelve children. whom he reared to useful maturity, and he was a man widely known and universally re- spected.

A. C. Curtis married Sarah Boyd, born in Kentucky and married in Oblong Township. He entered 160 acres of land in Oblong Township, paying therefor $1.25 an acre, and which has since been developed into a valuable property. He kept adding to his holdings, and at one time owned 500 acres in that Township. Mr. and Mrs. A. C. Curtis had ten children, four sons and six daughters, all born in Oblong Township, of whom John H. Curtis is the eldest, six being now de- ceased. The father was a stanch Republican, and in religious relations was a member of the Christian church. His death occurred when he was forty-eight years old.

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Working on his father's homestead, and attend- ing the local schools, John H. Curtis grew to sturdy yonng manhood. On August 9, 1862, he enlisted in Company D, Ninety-eighth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and was mnstered out July 6, 1865. He was attached to the Army of the Cumberland and participated in the engagements at Wild Cat Gap and Mill Springs, Ky., Mur- freesboro, Stone River, Hoover's Gap, Liberty Gap, Chickamanga, Missionary Ridge, Ringgold (Ga.), Buzzard's Roost, Kenesaw Mountain, Noonday Creek, Atlanta (Ga:), Franklin (Tenn), and was at Nashville. He also took part in the pursuit of Morgan during his famous raid. His term of service was a long one and he was in some very heavy engagements, always proving himself a brave and loyal soldier.

Returning home in 1865 Mr. Curtis bought forty-fonr acres of land, and immediately began clearing it off. Abont 1877 he sold this farm and moved to Kansas, bnt returned to Crawford Connty the following fall and bought fifty acres of land paying therefor $12.50 an acre, and for which he has recently refused $100 per acre. This land is his present home. Mr. Curtis mar- ried on December 28, 1865, Sarah Jane Salsbnry, daughter of L. Salsbury, one of the pioneers of Crawford County. Mrs. Curtis was born and reared in Oblong Township. Her birth occurred December 12, 1846, and she died in 1894. Ten children were born of this marriage, seven of whom are deceased : Charles, Anna and Belle survive. Mr. Curtis was married Jnly 19, 1895, to Lucy (Gaines) Clark, widow of David Clark, a farmer of Crawford County, born in this county, and a daughter of Richard Gaines, now deceased, formerly a farmer of Licking Township. Mrs. Curtis had two children by her first marriage : Ethel and Margaret. Mr. Curtis has always been a Republican, is a member of the G. A. R., and takes a great interest in G. A. R. Post work. His religions home is in the New Light Christian church, of which he is a trustee. He is a man of high moral character, one who has always set an example to those abont him, and has faith- fully discharged every dnty of life in such a way as to win him universal commendation from his neighbors and friends.

CURTIS, L. B .- The prosperity of the yonng . farmers of Crawford County is something which occasions remark, for it is seldom that the vonnger generation fail in agriculture, prob- ably becanse the latter-day farmers are follow- ing their work scientifically and know how to raise profitably their crops, and economically feed their stock. producing better results at less cost. L. B. Curtis of Section 12. Oblong Town-

ship, is one of these, was born in the township in which he now resides, February 15, 1882, a son of L. B. Curtis, now deceased. Until he reached the age of fourteen years, Mr. Curtis attended school, but his parents dying then, he was forced to work to support himself and, as soon as he conld save np enough money, he

bonght forty acres of land, the greater part of which was cleared. He lived npon it until the spring of 1904, when he moved to his present farm of forty acres on which oil has been dis- covered, and where he now has four wells in operation.

On April, 15, 1903,; Mr. Curtis married Mattie Weck, born in Jasper Connty, Ill., and reared there on a farm. They had two children who died in infancy, Mrs. Curtis dying in 1905. The same year Mr. Curtis married Celia Weck, his former wife's sister, and they have two children : Nettie Bnrnest and Cora Erelina, both born on the home farm. In politics Mr. Curtis is a Pro- hibitionist, in religious faith is a Latter Day Saint, and is highly respected in the community. Prosperons, enterprising, a good citizen and man of religions habits, Mr. Curtis is justly re- garded as one of the representative yonng farmers of Oblong Township.

CURTIS, William A .- The agricultural and oil interests of Crawford Connty are in the hands of intelligent, industrious men who thoroughly understand their business and are developing the connty in a manner that is almost mar- velous. William A. Curtis, farmer and oil pro- dncer of Section 11, Oblong Township, is of this class, and has resided on his present farm since his birth, March 13, 1863. He is a son of Little- berry B. Curtis, now deceased, who was a pio- neer of Oblong Township and a native of Illinois, his father, William Wiley Curtis being a pioneer of Oblong Township, who came here in 1838 with his four sons and three danghters, of whom L. B. Curtis was the second son. William W. Curtis settled on forty acres in the woods, which he cleared and cultivated, and in addition to being a farmer he was a preacher. L. B. Curtis attended school in the primitive log schoolhouse, and early began working for farmers at twenty- five cents a day, weaving baskets to earn a little extra. He saved his money and entered land in Oblong Township, where he settled with his bride who had been Mary J. Madox, also a native of Illinois, who was reared on a farm. Of the ten children born to them William A. was the second son and sixth child. There were three sons and seven daughters in this pio- neer family, two of whom died in infancy. The sons married and settled in Oblong Township, where the mother died.

The second wife of Littleberry B. Curtis was Hannah Weck, born in Jasper County. Ill .. where they were married. After her death he married Phoebe Meese, who was born in Craw- ford County, a daughter of Henry Meese, a farmer and cooper of the county. They had seven sons and one daughter. At one time L. B. Curtis had between 700 and 800 acres of land in Crawford County besides a section of land in Arkansas. He was a life-long Republican, and stoutly supported the candidates and principles of his party. In religious faith he was a Chris- tian in early life, but later joined the Latter Day Saints Church.

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In August, 1882, Mr. William A. Curtis mar- ried Dora E. Randolph, born in Licking Town- ship, where she was reared, a daughter of William Randolph, one of the early settlers of that locality. Mr. and Mrs. Curtis have had children as follows: James Logan, Zona, Carrie, Mattie, May, Roy, Elsie, Olie and Esther, all born on the present farm. Mr. Curtis first rented his present farm in 1884, but later bought 57 acres, and brought it into a good state of cultivation, and in 1908 its value was materially increased by the discovery of oil, and he now has eight wells in operation. In political faith he is a Republican, and one of the enterprising, energetic farmers and business men of this lo- cality.

DARNOLD, Napoleon B. (deceased) .- After passing through all the changes of a long and useful life, and realizing that his efforts had been rewarded with gratifying success, Napo- leon B. Darnold spent the latter years of his life in retirement on his farm, Section 4, Honey Creek Township, Crawford County, and where his death occurred November 10, 1908, at the age of more than seventy-three years. Mr. Darnold was born in Carroll County, Ky., April 9, 1835, a son of Blackwell Darnold, a Kentucky farmer, who was a native of Virginia. Mr. Darnold was reared, educated and married in Kentucky, the maiden name of his wife being Sarah Jane Bartlett, who was also born and reared in Kentucky. In 1864 Mr. Darnold came to Crawford County, and settled in Honey Creek Township, where he rented land for a period, but later bought 40 acres, of which he cleared off about 30 acres and made other improvements. To this he added until he owned 73 acres, also bought land in other parts of the township, the greater part of which he cleared and placed under cultivation. All of his land has been de- voted to general farming and stock-raising, managing the farm himself until 1900 when he retired. He was always a Democrat in politics and for many years has been a member of the Christian Church.

By his first wife, Mr. Darnold had children as follows : Lemuel B., Narada, Ida and Le Grand, all born in Honey Creek Township, except Lemuel, who was born in Kentucky. The second wife of Mr. Darnold was Lizzy Parker, a cousin of George N. Parker, and daughter of George Parker. a pioneer settler of Crawford County. She was born and reared in Crawford County. Two sons and five daughters were born of this marriage: Carrie, Bertha, Napoleon. Ella, Linna and Ora, all born in Honey Creek Township. The third wife of Mr. Darnold, who still survives him, is a native of Crawford County, a daughter of John Haverbill and pre- vious to her last marriage was the widow of A. C. Darnold. By her first marriage Mrs. Darnold had children as follows: Palmer, John, Otis, Cleveland, Luta, Ada, Ida, Alice, Anna and

Elma (deceased), all born in Honey Creek Township.

DAUGHERTY, William Ellsworth .- The art of photography has been so much developed within the past few years that it is now possible to work miracles with the camera. . Many prefer the photograph to the drawing, for it presents actual objects as they are, not as they are imagined. As the art has advanced, however, so has the skill of the photographer ; and to-day the modern photographer is an artist of no mean ability, who understands thoroughly the values of light and shadow and effective grouping, besides being con- siderable of a chemist. No longer is the photo- grapher willing to print carelessly posed pictures from an untouched plate. Even when the finished photograph is delivered, it has been treated in so many ways, that to the uninitiated, it would seem almost marvelous. Among those who are suc- cessfully engaged in this line. is William Ells- worth Daugherty, of Robinson, Ill., who was born April 28, 1872, a son of Jefferson and Selina Jane (Schoonover) Daugherty, both natives of Sulli- van County, Ind., where he was born March 26, 1841, and she on January 16, 1851. Later they came to Palestine, Ill., where William Ellsworth was born.

In July, 1861, Jefferson Daugherty enlisted at Jefferson Barracks, St. Louis, Mo., in Company H, Eleventh Missouri Infantry, and was honor- ably discharged on January 26, 1864, on account of total blindness. He participated in the battle of Fredericksburg, the capture of Island No. 10, the Battle of Corinth, the capture of Jackson, Miss .. and the Siege of Vicksburg. He was a gal- lant soldier, and suffered much for his country.

After receiving a high school education at Rob- inson. William E. Daugherty, subject of this sketch, commenced the study of photography. and for several years conducted a studio at Rob- onson. On May 20, 1901, he moved to Chicago to take charge of a photograph studio at 5323 Cot- tage Grove Avenue. On July 13, 1902, he moved to Denver and accepted a position as staff photog- rapher on the Rocky Mountain News. However, July 24, 1903, he returned to Robinson, where he is Low located in a studio, and there enjoys an excellent patronage.

Fraternally Mr. Daugherty is a member of the A. F. & A. M. and the K. of P. A Republican in politics, he has never cared for public office. He is a member of the Christian Church. On May 11, 1893, Mr. Daugherty was married in Robin- son, Ill., to Lucy Collins Thomas, born in Robin- son, August 11, 1870, and they had two children : Lyman Harry. born May 29, 1894, and Ruth Es- tella, born June 21, 1899. Mrs. Daugherty died July 26, 1903. The second wife of Mr. Daugh- erty was Nellie Lansing, born at Troy, Ill., July 19, 1886.

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Illinois, Crawford County historical and biographical, Part 141

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