Illinois, Crawford County historical and biographical, Part 153

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 153

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the execution of Mrs. Surratt aud the other con- spirators connected with the assassination of President Liucolu, he was on guard at the capital.

The parents of Mr. Kramer spent their lives in Cincinnati, where the father died iu 1880, and the mother in 1896. There Mr. Kramer married Miss Hughes, daughter of John Hughes, and they had several children, but Russell is the only one now surviving. He was boru December 8, 1870. has three daughters, and is foreman of the cut- ting department of a large wholesale clothing house of Cincinnati, Ohio. Miss Adelaide S. Kramer, a granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Mar- tin Kramer, has been reared by them. She is about nineteen years old and is an artist of un- usual ability. When only twelve years old she painted landscapes that evoked unstinted praise from critics who appreciate artistic work. She is also a taleuted elocutionist of exceptional power. She was educated at the academy of Notre Dame, at Covington, Ky., where she re- mained five years, aud then attended the Lewis Institute in Chicago, where she pursued her art studies and from which she was graduated with honors in the summer of 1907.

Mr. Kramer rents out his farm, but lives in his attractive country home surrounded by acres of fine lawn studded with forest trees.

LACKEY, William T .- Among the venerable residents of Oblong Township, Crawford County, Ill., one who has borne his part in the wonderful development of his section of the State and in promotion of its agricultural supremacy, is Wil- liam T. Lackey, the subject of this sketch. Mr. Lackey was born near Robiuson, Ill., September 13, 1838, a son of Richard Lackey, and graudson of John Lackey. Richard Lackey came from Kentucky to Illinois with his father John Lackey, in 1826, and they settled four miles northwest of Palestine, Crawford County. The trip was made overland iu wagons. Wild game of all kinds abounded, including deer, wild turkey and wolves. John Lackey entered land from the Government. Iu addition to beiug a farmer. he was a wheelwright, and taught his trade to his son Richard. The latter followed the trade and farmed. Richard Lackey married Rachael Wood, daughter of Joseph Wood, a pioneer farmer and father of Captain Wood. During his lifetime Joseph Wood owned about 3,000 acres of land which he divided among his children. Richard Lackey's children were as follows: William T .. Mary, Joseph, Nancy, Caroline and Margaret, all of whom are liviug except the last named.

William T. Lackey was educated iu the sub- scription schools of his neighborhood, in part, and had to walk three miles to the little log school, where he sat on a slab seat. While the schoolhouse was rude, the teaching was thorough and he was well grouuded in the common branches. In the summers and after he had fin- ished school, he worked for his father until his marriage, which occurred November 21, 1861, to Mary Moyer, daughter of Dauiel Moyer. She was born in Perry County, Ohio, aud was there edu- cated aud became a school teacher. After mar-

yours truly HASwaren

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riage Mr. Lackey bought 80 acres of his present farm. which was practically cleared. There was no house on the land, however, so he erected one of hewed logs and occupied it for about thirty years. In 1885 a frame addition of four rooms was added, and in 1901 the log house was moved away and its place was taken by a frame struc- ture. Mr. Lackey has erected every building on his premises. He cleared all of his second pur- chase of 120 acres with the exception of seven acres, so now he has one of the finest properties in the county. In 1906 and 1907 oil was discov- ered on his land, and he now has ten wells in active operation. In politics he is a Republican and has served as School Director several terms. He and his wife are members of the Christian Church, and Mr. Lackey is very liberal in his contributions to this denomination. Always a hard worker, he was accustomed to farm life from earliest childhood, and was from the start famil- iar with every detail of farm management, so that he is and has been well fitted to successfully conduct his large property and gain from it an excellent income.

Mr. and Mrs. Lackey became the parents of nine children : Rose E., wife of M. W. Purcell of Stoy; Hannah J., wife of W. C. Sutton of Montgomery Township; Joseph H., of Oblong Township; Rachel C., wife of Harlan Connell of Stoy ; Thomas J., of Oblong Township ; Elmer R .. who is on his father's farm; Richard D., on his father's farm; W. Elbert, on his father's farm; and Barbara (deceased), who was the wife of Ulysses Inboden of Oblong Township.

LAMB, James (deceased), who was one of the leading grain and implement merchants of Rob- inson, Ill., for many years, was born October 5, 1817, in Shenandoah County, Va., and his par- ents dying when he was a child, he was taken to Licking County, Ohio, by an uncle in 1824. On August 18, 1842, Mr. Lamb married in Licking County, Mary Randall, who bore him the follow- ing children : William J., Mrs. Caroline M. New- lin, Mary, Emma, Lillie and Stephen A. D. After his marriage Mr. Lamb began farming in Ohio. and in 1847 he moved to Crawford County, where he purchased 120 acres in Licking Township. Later he sold this and bought 300 acres in the township, and improved this farm with an or- chard and good buildings. In 1871, he moved to Robinson, and embarked in the implement business, to which he added the handling of grain and building up a large trade. He also owned an excellent residence in Robinson.

LAMB, Salathiel .- Lavish indeed has been na- ture to Illinois, endowing it with soil, climate and other varied natural resources that need but proper exertion to turn them into material wealth, The farmers of this commonwealth have not been slow in taking advantage of these re- sources, especially in Crawford County, and among them is Salathiel Lamb, now retired, of Martin Township (Range 13 on Section 3), who was born in Randolph County, N. C. His father, Dun Lamb, came to Crawford County in

1836, and located north of Robinson. Dun Lamb was born in North Carolina, but became one of the early pioneers of Crawford County. An ex- tended sketch of him will be found elsewhere in this volume.

Salathiel Lamb was ten years old when brought to this part of Illinois, and his educa- tion was secured in the subscription schools, while at the same time learning to hew down the forests and till the soil. At the age of twenty-one years he left home, and began to work for himself, in which he continued one season. He then went to Robinson, where he began learning the blacksmith trade which he followed for ten years. At the expiration of that period he returned to farming, buying SO acres of land which he at once began to clear and cultivate. From time to time he added to his holdings until he now has 200 acres. Oil was located on his property in May, 1907, and he has now ten producing wells, which greatly increase its value. In politics he is now a Prohibitionist. although originally a Democrat. He has for many years been a devout member of the Chris- tian Church, and so imbued did he become with its teachings, that he studied at home until he was qualified to preach, and has been a local preacher for forty years.

On August 10, 1851, Mr. Lamb married Eliza- beth Jones, born and reared in Indiana, and by this marriage there was one child-William D. Lamb. Mrs. Lamb died August 15, 1853, and Mr. Lamb was married again in 1854 to Martha Shipman, and they had the following children : Mary Ellen, Elizabeth Jane and Mary Ellen (II), all three deceased ; Steven Sylvester, Charlotte E. and Martha A. (the last three still living), and Salathiel J., deceased-all born on the homestead except the two eldest, who were born in Hardinville. The second Mrs. Lamb died in July, 1879. On December 18, 1879, Mr. Lamb married Mrs. Anna D. (Baliff) McConn, the widow of Thomas McConn, formerly a farmer of Indiana and Illinois, who died in 1865. Mrs. Lamb was born in Clark County, Ill., Jan- uary 28, 1836, and was there reared and edu- cated. She had six children by her first mar- riage, two sons and four daughters: Caroline, Josephine (deceased), Andrew ( deceased), Mas. James and Lilly D. (deceased), all born and reared in Clark and Crawford Counties except Lilly D., who was born in Indiana.

The good accomplished by this venerable leader cannot be overestimated, for not only has he taught the principles of his faith, but he has lived them in his life, and his kindly deeds and his uprightness of character testify to his nobleness of purpose and devotion to principle.

LARRABEE, George H .- The agricultural in- terests of Illinois are in the hands of competent inen who are constantly engaged in raising values and developing the locality in which they are making their homes. Much credit is due to the enterprising farmers who have done so much to raise the standard of value, and among those who have well borne their part

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along these lines is George H. Larrabee, a farmer, stock-raiser and dealer in real estate, on Section 22, Oblong Township, Crawford County. He was born in the Township in whichi he now resides February 26, 1865, a son or Hiram Larrabee, a retired farmer of Oblong, and a native of Licking County, Ohio, where he was born April 1, 1830. He was there reared, and was a railroad engineer and stage driver until about 1856, when he came to Crawford County, settling in Oblong Township, making the trip with his father, John Larrabee, the pioneer of the family, who entered land from the Govern- ment which he improved. John Larrabee died in Oblong Township in December, 1872.

Hiram Larrabee was one of seven children born to John Larrabee, and was about twenty- four years old when he was married in Oblong Township to Virginia Wood, the daughter of Joseph Wood. After marriage he bought land in the same township which he cleared and for years was one of the heaviest land-owners in the county, for a time being the proprietor of 700 acres. Here he resided until 1893, when he retired to Oblong. He has always been an active Democrat and in 1884 drove 40 horses to Rob- inson from Oblong to a Democratic rally. In re- ligious matters, he is a devout Methodist. He had three children : George H., Alma M. and Everett. Their mother died in 1872. He subse- quently married Sarah Jane Ackamire, a daugh- ter of Jesse Ackamire, a farmer of Oblong Town- ship, and by this marriage there have been four children : Bertha Lefever, Louie Kentner, Josie May Odell and one who died in infancy-all borul in Oblong Township.

George H. Larrabee was reared in Oblong Township where he attended the district schools, and later went to the Union Christian College at Merom, Ind. When he returned from college he bought a farm of 40 acres, which he improved. and added to his holdings until he now owns 260 acres, the greater part of which is improved. He moved onto his present farm in December, 1907. In addition to one farm in Oblong Town- ship, he owns two in Jasper County, and all his lands are valuable. Mr. Larrabee was married July 24, 1887, to Ollie M. Hargis, born in Craw- ford County, a daughter of J. W. Hargis, a farmer of Licking Township and one of the early settlers of the County. Mr. and Mrs. Larrabee have two children : Edna E. and Adin H., both born in Crawford County. Mr. Larrabee has handled considerable realty in Illinois, Oklahoma and Missouri, and since 1902 has devoted the greater part of his time to dealing in farm lands. He has been very successful in this line of busi- ness and is in possession of some very choice property for disposal. On his farms Mr. Larra- bee makes a specialty of raising high-grade stock and Poland-China hogs. His farm is one of the best in Crawford County, while the two in Jasper County are very productive also. In politics Mr. Larrabee is a Democrat, and fra- ternally is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Modern Woodmen of

America. He is a man widely known and re- spected for his enterprising and progressive spirit, and his qualities as a kind neighbor.

LAUE, John C .- The business world has come to acknowledge the importance of huge corpora- tions whose united interests make possible pro- duction of superior quality at the lowest prices. Being able to control large volumes of trade, and owning extensive sources of supply, such corporations can regulate outputs and prices in a way not possible to individual concerns, and the public benefits accordingly. Among these concerns that have attained national importance is the Laue Hardware Company of Robinson, with the following proprietors: W. F. Laue, John C. Laue and George H. Laue. the company succeeding the old established house of George N. Newhold Hardware Company. The Laues came from Beecher City, Ill., February 15, 1908, where they had conducted a similar concern for many years, and had become thoroughly iden- tified with the hardware trade. They took over the immense stock and immediately began to enlarge the plant and added other departments to the plant at No. 115-117-119 and 121 inclu- sive South Cross Street. The stock carried em- braces every line of hardware, including ve- hicles, wagons, farm implements, fencing, har- ness, shelf hardware, and seeds of every kind, their stock being the most complete of its kind in the country.

The plant has a frontage of 70 feet, while on the south is the office and drafting room. While the firm is a new one in this locality, the concern has long been before the public, and the new proprietors have a reputation that en- sures fair dealing and the highest quality of goods, and their prices are at all times as low as is consistent with the merits of their goods and the superiority of their service. Not only does the house enjoy a very large trade through- out the county, but it has men in an extensive territory, and the volume of business already shows a healthy and very encouraging increase.

LEACH, Reuben (deceased), who for many years was one of the successful farmers of Ob- long Township, was born in Lincoln County Ky., September 17, 1807. In 1830 he came to Mont- gomery County, Ill., but two months later lo- cated in Crawford County, in 1831 purchasing a farm of 200 acres, three-quarters of a mile north of Oblong. In 1870 Mr. Leach was elected Sheriff of the County, and served two years, when he retired to Oblong. He also held other offices, and was Justice of the Peace for fifteen years. Mr. Leach was married July 15, 1834, to Amelia Steward, who died July 30, 1854. On March 30, 1856, he married Lydia Bowman of Perry County, Ohio. The children of Mr. Leach were as follows : Polly, David S., Jane, Alfred C., John A. and Alice Ella. Mr. Leach was a son of Matthew and Polly (Gullet) Leach, na- tives of Virginia who had children as follows : William, Reuben, Matthew, Davidson, Jane, Susan, Phœbe, and Christina.

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LEAVERTON, Hon. John Wesley. - Merit writes itself upon the pages of time, and the in- scription can never be obliterated. Time and again it has been proven that it is nobler to be a private in the ranks of progress, than an officer among those who are but dead weights in the way of onward and upward movement. Among those who have done much to make Crawford County what it is to-day, and especially that part of it comprised in Palestine, will always be- remembered the name of Hon. John Wesley Leaverton, of Palestine, who was born in Greens- boro, Queen Anne County, Md., April 14, 1840. His father, John Hall Leaverton, was born in Caroline County, Md., March 20, 1813, and died in Marion County, Ohio, March 22, 1852, when thirty-nine years of age. Mr. Leaver- ton's mother, whose maiden name was Tamsey J. Ireland, was born in Caroline County, Md., April 5, 1815, and died January 19, 1869, in Marion County, Ohio. The grandparents of Mr. Leaverton, Moses and Nancy (Hall) Leaverton, the latter of Dutch ancestry, came from Eng- land and, taking up Government land, founded the family in Caroline County, Md., and in 1846 John Wesley Leaverton was taken to Marion County, Ohio, where his childhood was passed on a farm.

There he married on December 5, 1867, De- lilah Andrew, born November 7, 1834, in Caro- line County, Md., a daughter of John B. and Elizabeth (Ireland) Andrew, and a member of an old English family, one of her ancestors, George Andrew, Jr., having received patents to land in 1755, the grant for which, executed on parchment by Frederick, Lord Baron of Balti- more, Md., with the English seal stamped in wax hanging to it, is now in Mr. Leaverton's possession.

On November 7, 1861, John W. Leaverton en- listed in Company H, Eighty-second Ohio Volun- teer Infantry, Colonel James Cantwell command- ing, and served in some of the most noted bat- tles of the great struggle, including Bull Pasture Mountain, near McDowell, W. Va .; Cedar Moun- tain, second battle of Bull Run, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg and the fight from Chattanooga to Atlanta, Resaca, Pumpkin Vine Creek, Kenesaw Mountain, Marietta, Peach Tree Creek, Siege of Atlanta, the March to the Sea with Sherman, Averysboro, Bentonsville and numerous other small engagements and skirmishes. The regiment was mustered out at Columbus, Ohio, July 25, 1865. He had marched from Stevenson, Ala., to Savannah, Ga., thence through the Carolinas to Goldsboro, to Raleigh and Richmond and thence on to Washington, D. C., participating in Grand Review. Mr. Leaverton did not escape without hospital experience, in the fall of 1862 being sent to Finley Hospital at Washington, D. C., where he remained two weeks, then re- joined his regiment. In the fall of 1863, after the battle of Gettysburg, he was again taken sick, and sent to Fairfax Hospital, near Alexandria, Va., where he remained about three weeks, and once more rejoined his regiment. He was wounded by a minnie ball near Atlanta, Ga.,

July 20, 1864. For nearly three years Mr. Leaverton served as Corporal of his company, and during most of that time acted as Sergeant.

At the close of the war Mr. Leaverton re- turned to Marion County, Ohio, where he was married, and then came to Palestine, Crawford County, Ill., arriving October 1, 1871. In the spring of 1871 he and his father-in-law, had come to this locality and Mr. Andrew bought quite a large tract of land and town property, of which he sold Mr. and Mrs. Leaverton 160 acres, one-half mile east of Palestine. Mr.

Leaverton also bought 79 acres of land adjoin- ing the Andrew tract. It was on this place Mr. and Mrs. Leaverton commenced their life in Crawford County, and for some time he owned and operated a saw-mill. He has improved and put under cultivation about 200 acres. On the death of her father, Mrs. Leaverton inherited his property. In 1883 Mr. and Mrs. Leaverton took up their residence in the village of Pales- tine, and in 1890 moved to their present home, where they have since resided. Mrs. Leaverton is also the owner of 306 acres adjoining on the south of this property, as well as tracts of 32. 140 and 85 acres in the north. They have donated a beautiful park of 15 acres to the Township, which is known as Leaverton Park.

Mr. Leaverton has given his assistance to nu- merous public enterprises and has been Presi- dent of the Building and Loan Association of Palestine for twenty-two years. His war service entitles him to membership in the G. A. R., and he belongs to Alfred Harrison Post, No. 152, of Palestine, and his fraternal connections are with the Red Men. In political matters he is a stanch Republican, and has held all the township offi- ces, except those of Commissioner and Constable. In 1902 he was elected a Representative in the Forty-third General Assembly, and during his term served on the following committees: Agri- culture, Building and Loan Associations, Drain- age and Waterways, Elections, Farm Drainage, Judicial Apportionment, Military Affairs, State and County Fairs. Soldiers' and Sailors' Home, and Soldiers' Orphans' Home, on all rendering faithful and efficient and valuable service. Mrs. Leaverton belongs to the Women's Relief Corps Auxiliary to the G. A. R., of which she has been State President for two terms, and is a member of the W. C. T. U., and has held the position of Financial Secretary for her district in the lat- ter organization for five years.

LEFEVER, Andrew F .- Among the men who have borne their part in the development and advancement of Oblong Township, this county, is Andrew F. Lefever, who was born in Marion County, Ohio, March 26, 1843, a son of Abram Lefever, who was born in Virginia. Abram Le- fever's father came from France to America with Lafayette during the war of the Revolution, and fought for seven years as captain of a company of colonial troops. When the war was ended, he married a German girl and settled down in Rich- land County, Ohio.

Abram Lefever, who was a farmer by occupa-

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tion, moved from Virginia to Ohio, where he con- tinued farming, aud died in August, 1847. He was married in Ohio to Mary Close, a native of Pennsylvania, and they had children as fol- lows : Elviua, of Indiana ; William A., of Mich- igan ; John, deceased, formerly of Indiana ; James of Oblong, Ill .; Charity Ann. of Indiana; Rob- ert, deceased, formerly of Ohio; Parmelia, of Ohio ; Andrew F., and Minard who died in Ohio.

Andrew F. Lefever was educated in the log school houses of Ohio, aud also was taught farm- ing by his father. He thus had learned how to fell the trees, clear land and till the soil. His marriage occurred in Ohio to Sarah Curfman, a daughter of John Curfman, an Ohio farmer, and born in Crawford County, that State. He came to Oblong Township, Crawford County. Ill., in 1873, and located on the property his son now operates, there buying 155 acres in conjunction with his brother James M. Later they bought 50 acres more. after which the property was equally divided. He is now living retired in Oblong village, to which place he moved in 1905, and there owns the home which he oc- cupies. He also owns about 230 acres in Oblong Township, and has two oil wells in active opera- tion, which were opened in 1908, In politics he is a Republican, having cast his first vote for Abraham Lincoln in 1864. For two years he served as Highway Commissioner. He is a mem- ber of the G. A. R., having served as a soldier of the Civil War. The United Brethren Church is his religious home. Mr. and Mrs. Lefever have had nine children, namely : Isaac Francis ; James Robert, who died when fifteeu months old; Maudy, William L., Ellen May, Ida, Pearly Parmelia, Margaret Edith, Charles Arthur.

In 1862 Mr. Lefever enlisted in Company B, Sixty-fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, under Major Williams, but later Colonel Forsythe took charge, and still later Colonel Ferguson. The Captain of the company was James Brown. Mr. Lefever participated in the following battles : Chickamauga. Missionary Ridge, Buzzard's Roost, Big Shanty, Ga., and later was sent to join General Thomas aud took part in the battle of Nashville, Tenn,, where he finally received his discharge in 1864 and returned home.

LEFEVER, James M., now retired from the active duties of life, beloved by his children and friends, and one of the honored residents of Oblong, Crawford County, Ill., was boru in Ohio. January 31, 1837, a son of Abram Lefever. Until 1873 Mr. Lafever was a farmer and stock- raiser in Marion County, Ohio, where he and his brother, Andrew F., owned 60 acres of land, but having decided to move further west, they sold their farmn and coming to Crawford County, Ill., settled in Oblong Township, where they bought 155 acres of land in Sections 24 and 13, later adding 50 acres in Section 13. At this time Mr. Lefever and his brother divided their mutual holdings. After the division, James M. Lefever bought 40 acres more in Section 13. His

uext purchase was 80 acres in Section 23; the next was 57 acres in Sectiou 13; the next, 52 acres in Section 23; the next, 40 acres iu Section 24, and then he and his son Johu A. purchased 30 acres in Section 13. His holdings now aggre- gate 41012 acres, and he has fourteeu oil wells in active production on his property, oil having been discovered here in 1907. In 1899 Mr. Le- fever bought four lots and a house in Oblong village and moved there iu the fall of that year. In 1902 he added another lot. Iu 1900 he built a barn on his village property. Mr. Lefever delights in telling of the early hardships, and of the days when he worked on the land and his brother ran a threshing machine, wearing out two machines in the business.

Mr. Lefever was married in Marion County, Ohio, where he had been reared and educated, his bride being Susanna Curfman, daughter of John Curfman, a farmer of Crawford County, Ohio. Mr. aud Mrs. Lefever had children as follows : John A., Eva J., W. A., James T., and Mary Etta, who died at the age of ten months. Mr. Lefever has been a Republicau since the formatiou of the party. His religious home is with the United Brethreu Church, and he is respected there as he is throughout the com- munity for his many excellent qualities, and for his business enterprise which has resulted in his advancement from very humble circum- stances to the rank of a wealthy citizen.

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Illinois, Crawford County historical and biographical, Part 153

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