Illinois, Crawford County historical and biographical, Part 151

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 151

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In 1866 the family came to Crawford County.

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and located in Honey Creek Township, where the father bought 80 acres of land. the greater part of which was covered with timber. This land he cleared, and later added to his acreage until he was owuer of 120 acres at the time of his death, which occurred on the homestead in his sixtieth year. He was a Democrat in poli- tics, and a member of the Missionary Church in religious faith.

Alpheus Jewell was educated iu the primitive schools of his neighborhood, where he was thoroughly grounded in the common branches, working on the farm during vacations and after he finished school until his marriage, which took place January 1, 1880, to Polly Ann Dunlap, born in Honey Creek Township, the daughter of Thomas Dunlap, now deceased, who was one of the pioneer farmers of the Township, and died while in service during the Civil War. Mr. and Mrs. Jewell have had three children : Ida, deceased ; Ausie and Roy, all born in the present home. When Mr. Jewell married he moved onto 40 acres of his present farm, which he cleared. From time to time he has bought more land and now has a very fertile farm of 200 acres, which he devotes to general farming and stock-raising. He has made all of the improvements, and has a comfortable residence and commodious barns. A gas well has been opened on the property which adds to its value. As a Democrat he has been active in township affairs, and has served very acceptably as Highway Commissioner for three years. Fraternally he is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America and. he and his wife are consistent members of the United Brethren Church. Industrious, thrifty, a good manager, and a hard worker, Mr. Jewell has ac- cumulated his present property through his own efforts, and has every reason to feel proud of his success.

JOHNSON, Robert Daniel .- The oil interests of Crawford County are becoming, year by year, more important until the county has now be- come even better kuown for its oil-fields than for its farming enterprises. Among those fortu- nate enough to own land in the oil belt is Rob- ert Daniel Johnson, who has a farm of 133 acres in Robinson Township. He was born in Rush County, Ind., August 6.1847, a son of Hamilton Jolinson who was born in Owen County, Ky., June 9, 1810. The father moved to Rush County, Ind., about 1844, and began farming there. He remained in that locality about ten years, and then, in 1854, located in Robinson Township, and there bought 80 acres of land. His death oc- curred in Robinson, in February. 1879. On Au- gust 20. 1861, he enlisted in Company D. Thir- tieth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, Capt. Thomas Markley commanding. After participating in the engagements of Belmont and Forts Henry and Donelson, he was discharged on account of gen- eral disability, and returned home. He was mus- tered out in April, 1864.

The following children were born to Hamil- ton Johnson : Margaret, born June 19, 1832,

married Milton Rader, a farmer, and they live in Rush Couuty, Ind .; Elizabeth (now deceased), who was born June 8, 1833, married William Curtley, and they had three sons and one daugh- ter; Gilly. born May 11, 1835, married Joseph Heck, and they have two sons and two daugh- ters, and live in Rush County, Ind. ; Salome, born January 1, 1837, married Calvin Newlin, and they had two sons and four daughters-both parents now being deceased, while the children reside at Arkansas City, Kan .; Martitia, born February 9, 1839, married Joshua Newlin (now deceased), they had one sou and four daughters, and she now resides at Arkansas City, Kan .; Mary T., born March 17, 1841, married Clark Newlin, and they had oue son and three daugh- ters, she being now deceased, while her husband resides in the northern part of Hutsonville Township; William H., born April 7, 1843, mar- ried Elizabeth Wilson, daughter of Lewis and Margaret A. Wilson, and they have four sons liv- ing and one daughter deceased; Nancy J., born May 7, 1845, married James S. Brown. they have seven children and live in Kildare, Okla .; Rob- ert D. ; Thomas E., born July 7, 1849, died when one year old; Gabriel A., born February 1, 1851, married Martha Brown, daughter of Smith and Mary Brown, farmers. they have two sons and four daughters and live at Alva, Okla .; Henry Clay, born February 16, 1854, died unmarried in Texas when twenty-four years of age.

Robert Daniel Johnson attended school in Science Hall in Robinson Township, and also the district school at Rock Bluff in Crawford County. On March 15, 1877, he married Sarah J. Wilson, daughter of Lewis and Margaret Wilson, farm- ers of Crawford County, living in Robinson Town- ship. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson have had children as follows: Emma A., born October 30, 1877, married Cornelius Stevenson a farmer in Rob- inson Township, they have three sons and one daughter; Warren A., born July 3, 1880, mar- ried Hattie Cleveland, daughter of Henry and May (Kenney) Cleveland, they have one son ; Oca W., born June 21, 1884, married Joy Hyre of Crawford County, but they have no issue ; Gentry D., born February 10, 1887.

In politics Mr. Johnson is a Republican. For twenty-eight years he has been a member of the United Brethreu Church, and his wife is also a member of the same denomination. His farm consists of 133 acres which he has leased to the Ohio Oil Company, and in 1909 they are to com- mence drilling for oil.

Mrs. Johnsou is one in a family of five chil- dren born to her parents, namely: John, born June 14, 1841, married Clara Bowen of West- field, Ill., and they have three daughters and one son, of whom Mary and Sabina are deceased ; Edith married Everet Price and is now living near Portersville, while the son, Lawrence Wil- son, married Alice Stanfield and they have a daughter, Clara; Mrs. Johnson; Elizabeth A .. married William H. Johnson, they live at Robin- son and have four sons living, and one daughter deceased ; Margaret E. married Daniel Bond

James Shipman & family

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(now deceased), they had four sons and two daughters and she lives in Oblong, Crawford County ; David C., married Catherine Collins, they live in Robinson and have two daughters and one son living, and two sons deceased.

Mrs. Wilson is living with her daughter, Mrs. Johnson, and although ninety-two, she is in re- markably good health and possesses an excellent memory of things which occurred many years ago. She was born May 21, 1816. Her husband, Mr. Wilson, born in 1813. died September 13, 1877, sixty-four years of age. He came to Craw- ford County in 1850, from Morgan County, Ohio, and entered government land, paying $1.25 per acre. At that time the county was in a wild condition. Mr. Wilson helped to build one of the first schoolhouses in Crawford County, which was of logs and located in Robinson Township.

Both the Johnson and the Wilson families played very important parts in the development and improvement of the county, and the children of Mr. and Mrs. Johnson have every reason to be proud of the stock from which they have sprung, for its representatives have always possessed those sterling traits of character that are better than riches-viz. : honesty, industry and economy.

JOHNSON, William (deceased), who for many years served as Deputy Sheriff of Crawford County, Ill., was born in that county, September 19, 1822, and was reared on a farm, receiving but a limited education. A stock-dealer for many years, Mr. Johnson handled a large amount of stock, and operated his farm which was a por- tion of the 234 acres entered by his father from the Government in what is now Montgomery Township, in 1818. His father was born in Ken- tucky, in 1775, and in 1803 married Nancy Mc- Carty, who was born in 1784, and they came to Crawford County, Ill., April 9, 1818. Mr. John- son was elected Sheriff of Crawford County in 1862, on the Democratic ticket, Circuit Clerk in 1864, in 1876 was again elected Sheriff, and in 1882 was appointed Deputy Sheriff, which posi- tion he retained for many years. In 1848 he married Martha J. Ford, of Crawford County, and they became the parents of nine children : Price, Lauretta, Frank P., Amelia, Carroll, Lu- duskey, Martha, William D. and Maud.

JONES, Hon. Alfred Hanby .- There are some men to whom come honors as their just due, either through business, social or political sources. To be singled out for political prefer- ment signifies much. It is a recognition of the personal and political prominence of the recip- ient and an indication that he has already ren- dered public service worthy of reward. Mr. Jones' political career is one of which his county may well feel proud. Born on his father's farm in Honey Creek Township, Crawford County, July 4, 1850, a son of John M. and Elizabeth Jones, his first literary instruction was received in the common school of his district, after whichi he attended college at Westfield, Ill., and later went to the National Normal School at Lebanon,

Ohio. After finishing his course in the latter institution, he was engaged in teaching for a time in the public schools, but in 1873 began the study of law in the office of Callahan & Jones, and was admitted to the Bar in 1875. The fol- lowing year he was appointed to fill an unexpired term as State's Attorney for Crawford County, creditably discharging the duties of that office. In 1877 he entered into partnership with Hon. E. Callahan, the firm being now known as Cal- lahan, Jones & Lowe. He has served one term as Representative in the State Legislature (1886- 88) ; for several years was a member of the Republican State Central Committee and 'for thirty years has served as Chairman of the Re- publican Central Committee for Crawford County. On October 15, 1899, he was appointed by Gov- ernor Tanner State Food Commissioner, was re-appointed by Governor Yates in July, 1902, and again by Governor Deneen in 1906. The credit of organizing the State Food Commis- sion under the act adopted in 1899 thus devolved upon him, and the satisfactory manner in which he has discharged the duties of his office is at- tested by his repeated appontment to the same position. The main office is located in No. 1619 Manhattan Building, Chicago. Here it requires thirty people to carry on the work of the De- partment ; sixteen inspectors, one chief clerk, and three assistant clerks, one attorney, six chemists and three stenographers. The department also has a branch office at Robinson, where the legal work of the department receives attention, be- ing conducted by Mr. Jones.

For three years Mr. Jones was President of the National Association of the State Dairy and Food Departments of the United States. Al- though his duties are many, he has always found time to be of assistance in home enterprises and the cause of education, and he has served for fifteen years on the City School Board, was Pres- ident of the Board of Trustees of the Eastern Illinois Normal School at Charleston during the erection and completion of its buildings, and has also served in the Robinson City Council for six- teen years. He helped organize Robinson's First National Bank, of which institution he is now a Director. Mr. Jones was a delegate to the Republican National Conventions of 1896 at St. Louis and of 1908 at Chicago. He is regarded as a capable financier and a good citizen.

Mr. Jones has been married twice, his first wife having been Miss Ella M. Thompson of Kentland, Ind., to whom he was married in 1872. Two years later she died leaving him with one child, Gustavus. On November 26, 187S, he mar- ried Miss Catherine A. Beals, of Pickerington, Ohio, and they had one child, Roscoe, who lived but three years. Mr. Jones is one of the large property owners of Robinson, in addition to his beautiful home on King Street, being the owner of eleven of the brick business blocks around the square and many acres of rich farming land. In his religious affiliations he is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and during the erection of the new church edifice in Robinson

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he served as Chairman of the Building Com- mittee. Several of the fraternal organizations count him as a leading member, and he is re- markably popular with all classes, and his pub- lic service is widely appreciated throughout the State.

JONES Everett Leonidas .- The rich black acres of the Illinois farms testify to the pros- perity of the owners, and to their industry, thrift and enterprise. Many of the farmers of this State are men of education, some of them pre- fessional men, who have returned to the farm, preferring its freedom and out door life to the more confining exactions of city duties. Resid- ing on his fine farm of 197 acres in Honey Creek Township, Crawford County, Ill., Everett Leon- idas Jones, a member of the Crawford County Bar, finds nothing to regret in the decision which resulted in his engaging in farming and stock- raising.

Mr. Jones was born in Honey Creek Township, Crawford County, May 3, 1868, a son of James William and Rachel Jones, both born in Honey Creek Township, where the father engaged in farming. After completing a common school course, he entered Otterbein University, at Wes- terville, Ohio, and attended it for three years, when he began teaching school. For three years he continued teaching. when he began the study of law in the office of Callahan, Jones & Lowe, and after two years was admitted to the Bar in 1895. For four years Mr. Jones carried on a lucrative practice in Danville, but then went back to the farm on which his early life had been spent, and located on his present property in Honey Creek Township. His house is com- modious, and his barn and outbuildings are in excellent order. He carries on general farming and makes a specialty of raising a good grade of cattle and hogs.

On December 11, 1895, Mr. Jones was married in Montgomery Township to Stella Richey, a daughter of John S. Richey, who was born in Pennsylvania, while his wife was born in Meigs County, Ohio. Mr. Richey was a farmer and local Methodist preacher. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Jones are : William Hanby, born October 13, 1896; Paul Leonidas, born De- cember 27, 1898; John Lorin, born August 15, 1901, died July 26, 1903 ; Theodore Russell, born July 17, 1904. Mr. Jones has been a member of the Methodist Church for two years, in which he is very active. now being Superintendent of the Sunday School. In politics he is a Republican.

JONES, Henry Franklin, M. D .- Of all the learned professions, that of the physician and surgeon stands highest and is the most exacting. Never is the physician through with his studies and discoveries. After the most rigorous train- ing, hospital experience and constant reading, he spends the remainder of his life adding to his knowledge and increasing the scope of his use- fulness. Dr. Henry Franklin Jones, of Flat Rock. Crawford County, Ill., who is one of the expe-

rienced and reliable physicians and surgeons of his county, was born in Flat Rock, September 10, 1853, a son of John Miller and Elizabeth (Ford) Jones, the former born December 25, 1815, and the latter on December 25, 1818. The farmer father gave his son a good early education and training, and then permitted him to attend the Normal School at Robinson, III.

When but seventeen years of age he com- menced teaching school, and having obtained a first-grade certificate. thus continued for four years. In 1873 he went to California remaining there during the summer when he went to Texas for the winter, and there remained until July of the following year. Then returning to Cali- fornia, for four years he was engaged in the stock and real estate business, in which he was successful. Being attracted towards the medical profession he went to the University of Louis- ville, Ky., from which he was graduated in 1885, with the degree of M. D., at thirty-two years of age, and in the following year began practice, 1886.

Dr. Jones belongs to the County, State and National Medical Associations as well as the Aesculapian and Medical Societies, and for the past twelve years has held the office of United States Pension Examiner. He is a member of the Masonic Order, an Odd Fellow, Knight of Pyth- ias, Modern Woodmen, Royal Neighbor and Mod- ern American. In politics he is a Republican, and a Methodist in religious belief. holding the position of Trustee in his church, of which he has been a member for thirty years.

On April 10, 1878, Dr. Jones married Miss Ella Kuhn, a daughter of John and Sarah (Shew- man) Kuhn of Eldorado, Ohio, and to them a daughter, Ethel, was born, March 23, 1879, who married Lemuel Faucett. Mrs. Jones died Jan- uary 22, 1883, and on January 1, 1890, Dr. Jones married as his second wife, Miss Martha E. Cul- lom, daughter of John E. and Martha Cullom. who are relatives of Senator Cullom and re- side in Robinson, Ill. Dr. Jones and his present wife have had the following children: Boyce, born November 10, 1891; Agnes, born Febru- ary 2, 1897, and Martha Elizabeth, born Novem -. ber 20, 1908.

JONES, J. William .- Stories of pioneer life read like fiction in these days of advanced civili- zation, and yet they are true in every detail. Too much credit cannot be given to those who were brave enough to face the perils and hardships of pioneer life and make possible the develop- ment that followed. One of the families that did more than its part in the improvement of Crawford County is that one to which William Jones belongs. Mr. Jones was born in the County, one and a quarter miles west of Flat Rock, Ill., June 30, 1839. a son of John Miller and Elizabeth (Ford) Jones. John M. Jones was born in But- ler County, Ohio, December 25, 1815, and came to Crawford County about 1832, entering 140 acres west of Flat Rock, in the timber. The wild game caused these early pioneers much trou-

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ble, and the only way to protect the crops was to surround them with a fence of pointed sticks. John M. Jones died in 1887, and his wife, who was born in Kentucky, December 25, 1818, died in 1881.

William Jones attended the subscription school, held in a log house, with a ten foot chimney that would take an eight foot back log. The upper floor was laid with split poles and the cracks between were filled with clay. This was all right as long as the weather was good, but when it rained or snowed, the moisture coming through the cabined roof would turn the clay into mud and the faces and clothing of both children and teacher suffered, The only light came through oiled paper in the windows. Split slabs were used for both seats and desks, but in this primitive school Mr. Jones was thoroughly grounded in the common branches, and himself taught for ten years in the country schools. Later he went to Westfield College at Westfield, Ill. Mr. Jones enlisted August 14, 1862, in Company E, Ninety-eighth Illinois Mounted Infantry and was discharged July 7, 1865. He participated in all the engagements of his command, was pro- moted from private to Sergeant and later to Orderly Sergeant.

In politics Mr. Jones is a Republican, but has never aspired to any public office, although he is interested in anything calculated to prove of benefit to the community. He belongs to Har- rison Post, G. A. R., of Palestine. For forty- two years he has been a consistent member of the United Brethren Church of which his wife is also a member.

On April 11, 1866, Mr. Jones was married at the residence of his father-in-law. one and three- quarter miles west of Flat Rock, to Rachael Jane Thompson, daughter of William and Margaret Thompson, natives of Tennessee, who became pioneers of Crawford County. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Jones were : Orville Ellsworth, born April 12, 1867, married Anna Higgins, daughter of George Higgins, and they have two children-Roscoe and Lyman, one having died in infancy ; Everett Lincoln, born July 3, 1868, married Estella Richey, daughter of John Richey. and their children are. William, Paul and Theo- dore; Ella, unmarried.

JONES, William C., was born July 15, 1848, at Hutsonville, Crawford County, Ill. His father was Caswell Jones, a merchant of that place, who died March 24, 1853. His mother was Mary Jones, whose maiden name was Mary Barlow. His mother remarried to Hon. E. Callahan, and the family removed to Robinson, Ill., in the sum- mer of 1861. He was educated in the common schools of Crawford County and at the Ohio Wesleyan University. Delaware, Ohio, and at- tended the law department of the University of Michigan in 1867-68. He was admitted to the practice of law on May 8, 1868, and immediately formed a partnership with Hon. E. Callahan, which continued until the year 1877. In 1871 and 1872 he was a member of the Twenty-seventh

General Assembly of Illinois. In 1877 he was elected County Judge and in 1879 he was elected to the judgeship of the Second Judicial Circuit of Illinois. To this latter position he was re- elected in 1885, his term expiring in 1891. Dur- ing his term as County Judge, in connection with Judge Cunningham, he published "Jones and Cun- ningham's Practice in County Courts," Flood & Company, publishers, Chicago. This work has passed through three editions, and is still stan- dard. In 1897 he was appointed, by Gov. John R. Tanner, Judge of the Court of Claims, and served a period of four years.

In 1891 he formed a partnership for the prac- tice of law with Hon. E. E. Newlin, Judge J. C. Eagleton being admitted to the firm two years later. This firm continued in business until 1897, when Mr. Newlin was elected to the judgeship of the Second Judicial Circuit, and the firm was reorganized under the name of Jones, Eagleton & Newlin. Mr. T. J. Newlin retiring from the firm in 1900, Mr. Edward S. Baker was admitted as a partner. This firm continued for a year when it was reorganized as Jones, McCarty & Arnold, Mr. George D. MIcCarty and William W. Arnold being the partners, which firm continued until June 15, 1903, when failing eye-sight caused the senior member of the firm to retire from prac- tice. Since that time he has devoted himself ex- clusively to his private business. In 1893 he pub- lished the "Elements and Science of English Ver- sification." a work which was well received by the public, and is still recognized as a standard. This same year he also published "Birch Rod Days," and other poems.

Mr. Jones has been active in building Robinson, and has always taken a great interest in his town and county. On the 25th of November, 1860, he was married to Mary H. Steel, daughter of James H. and Emily J. Steel. They have three children : Caswell S. Jones, who is vice-president and one of the directors of the First National Bank of Rob- inson, Ill., Dorothea J. Crebs, whose husband, Stewart L. Crebs, is cashier and director of the National bank of Carmi, Ill., and William C. Jones, Jr., who organized the Jones Clothing & Shoe Company in 1903, and is manager of the same.

Mr. Jones is a member of the Gorin Command- ery No. 14, Knights Templar, Olney, Ill .: is a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Rob- inson, Ill .. and has affiliated with the Democratic party since he became a voter.

KENT, Henry B .- Honey Creek Township, Crawford County, Ill., is considered by many the very garden spot of the world, so well fav- ored is it. Not only do crops produce in gratify- ing abundance, but of late new sources of wealth have been discovered and many farmers are be- coming wealthy through the development of oil- wells on their property. Farming, however, con- tinues to be the predominating industry, and Henry B. Kent is one who has made a success of farming and stock-raising. Mr. Kent was born on his present farm, January 22, 1850, a son of

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Milton Kent (now deceased), a farmer of Honey Creek Township, who was born in Ohio and there became a farmer and carpenter. Milton Kent married iu Ohio Mary E. Falkner, a native of Pennsylvania but reared iu Ohio, where her pareuts located when she was a child. After marriage Milton and wife came to Crawford Couuty, Ill., and settled in Obloug Township, but two years later removed to Honey Creek, and there Mr. Keut bought 80 acres of land the greater part of which was in timber. He cleared this property, placed it under cultivation, made other improvements upou it. From time to time he added to his acreage uutil at the time of his demise he was the owner of 155 acres. He and his wife became the parents of seveu children- five sons and two daughters-all born in Honey Creek Township except the oldest, who was born in Oblong Township.

Heury B. Kent is the third sou and fourth child of his pareuts. His educatiou was re- ceived iu the district schools, aud he was reared to muanhood upon his present property. On Oc- tober 12, 1889, he married Marie Caspingar, who was born in Lawrence County, Ill., and there reared. Mr. aud Mrs. Kent are the pareuts of four children: Joseph, William, Henry aud Grace, all boru on the present homestead. Mr. Keut inherited 80 acres of his father's estate, and to this has added until he now owns 120 acres, a portion of which he has cleared, and has made improvements upon all of it. Like his father before him, he is a Democrat aud a mem- ber of the Methodist Church.

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Illinois, Crawford County historical and biographical, Part 151

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