Illinois, Crawford County historical and biographical, Part 161

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 161

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).

As his father was a farmer, George N. Parker early was accustomed to work upon the farm, and attended the district school in his vicinity, following this later by a course in Palestine Academy, then attending the Union Christian College, finally finishing at the University of Michigan. On October 4, 1866, the family moved to Robinson, where Mr. Parker has since resided. Returning to Robinson from the University of Michigan. he taught school and was honored by election to the office of County Superintendent of Schools of Crawford County, which he efficiently filled until 1869. Having in the meanwhile taken up the study of law, Mr. Parker was admitted to practice in the State Courts in June, 1870, and in 1879 was admitted to practice in the Su- preme Court of the United States, and was en- gaged as attorney for the construction of the Indianapolis Southern Railroad. Mr. Parker is a member of the Chamber of Commerce of Rob- inson. is a Director iu the Terre Haute, Robin- son. Olney and Mt. Vernon Railroad, and is largely interested in many other enterprises which he has assisted in organizing. As an at- torney he has been associated with some of the most eminent members of his profession in the country, and his ability and enviable reputation for upholding all that is highest and best in his profession are unexcelled.

On May 5, 1870, Mr. Parker married Miss Julia Alice Crowley of Coshocton County, Ohio, at Newton, Jasper County, Ill., of this marriage

there being no issue. Mrs. Parker is an honor- ary member of the Society of Ben Hur, and is a member of the Dickens Literary Club; is also a consistent member of the Presbyterian Church and a cultured, charming lady who presides over her home with gracious hospitality. Mr. Parker is connected with the Modern Woodmen, Society of Ben Hur and the order of Modern America. All his life he has been a Democrat from prin- ciple and has been very active in politics, serving four years on the Democratic State Central Com- mittee, and for twelve years was Chairman of the Democratic County Central Committee. In 190S he was sent as delegate to the Democratic National Convention at Denver which nominated . Bryan and Kern. Mr. Parker's influence on public men and public events has been exerted in many ways, aud always for ultimate good. Powerful from dignity of character and wisdom, he is much more than a great lawyer; is one of the great citizens of Crawford County, and he is engaged in the great work of making his- tory.

PARKER, George Washington .- The ranks of the veterans of the Civil War are thinning, and each year the number of the survivors grows fewer. Among those who fought for the preser- vation of the Union, and also contended with the disadvantages of private life when Crawford County was still in a partially undeveloped state, was the late George W. Parker, who was a farmer and stockman on Sectiou 28, Houey Creek Township, Crawford County, where he was born December 25, 1842. He was a son of Newman Parker, a pioneer of Crawford Couuty. New- man Parker came to the county when a boy and here grew to manhood. Entering a large amount of land, he cleared it off and placed it in a state of high cultivation. He married Maria Attaway, a member of a pioneer family. Later Newman Parker participated in the Black Hawk War, and was a very promineut man of his time.

After receiving as good an education as the schools of his times afforded, George W. Parker worked with his father, and as he was the fourth child in a family of fifteen, there was plenty for him to do. When he attained his majority his father gave him 80 acres of land in the woods, and he cleared a portion and then sold it. Later he bought 101 acres which forms the family home. This he also cleared to a large extent, and he worked hard to get it in good shape. In 1861 he inlisted in Company H, Eleventh Regi- ment, Missouri Volunteer Infantry, in which he served for three years. returning home at the close of the war, when he moved his family to Lawrence County, where he owned and cleared SO acres of land. but eventually sold this and came back to his former home in Honey Creek Township.

On February 18, 1863, Mr. Parker married Sarah Jane Lewis, born in La Motte Township, October 25, 1846, a daughter of the late Samuel Lewis, a farmer and stock-raiser of La Motte Township, who came to Crawford County with his father, Samuel Lewis, from their native State,

789 ·

CRAWFORD COUNTY

North Carolina. Samnel, Sr., was a soldier of the Black Hawk War, and also a farmer and early settler of La Motte Township, where he owned and cleared a large tract of land. Samnel Lewis, Jr., who was the eldest child of the family, was reared in La Motte Township, and there mar- ried Ellen Garrard, who was born in Crawford County, Ill., a daughter of Jacob and Susan Gar- rard, who settled in Martin Township and be- came extensive landowners there, clearing off a large tract and placing it under cultivation. Mrs. Parker is the eldest in her father's family, which was as follows: Sarah Jane, Lucy (de- ceased), Palmer (deceased), Rosie, Ella, Samuel, Emma-all born in La Motte Township, where Mr. Lewis bought a farm and bronght it into a high state of cultivation. Mr. and Mrs. Lewis died at Robinson. He was a Republican and he and his wife were members of the Methodist Church.

Mr. and Mrs. Parker had the following family : Maria J.,. born April 11, 1864; John H., born April 18, 1866; Lney E., born April 26, 1868; Cora E., born October 7, 1871; Dessie A., born July 13, 1874; Myrtle N., born February 2, 1877 ; Hallie M., born December 25, 1879; Millard A., born September 23, 1882; G. F., born September 5, 1886, and one who died in infancy. Three were born in Lawrence Connty, and the re- mainder in Crawford County. Mr. Parker was a Republican and a member of the G. A. R. His death ocenrred May 20, 1887, when he was in his forty-third year. Mr. Parker was a man who did much for his township, althongh more as a private individual than as a public official. He erected a comfortable home, a good barn and all other buildings appertaining to a first-class modern homestead. His fields were well laid off for the growing of grain and for pastnrage, and the fences were substantially built and kept in good repair. In his business transactions he was up- right and far-seeing. and in his home he was the wise and tender husband and father. In his de- mise the neighborhood lost one of its best and most reliable citizens.

PARKER, Henry .- Those who have been born on Illinois soil have a love for the State not pos- sessed by those who come to it, and this is es- pecially trne of the farmer who gains his living from the soil, and who learns to know all its possibilities and true value. Henry Parker of Section 15, Honey Creek Township, Crawford Connty, was born on his present farm March 23, 1840, a son of William Parker. The Parker family is a numerons one, and its representatives are to be found thronghont the State, especially in this county, and they are associated with vari- ous lines of industry.

Henry Parker remembers well the primitive log schoolhouse in which he received his ednca- tion, as well as the many hardships the family endured in those early days in the history of the county. Remaining at home until his father's death, he later rented 60 acres of the original homestead, and began to develop and cultivate the land which he had helped his father clear.

On October 16, 1860, he married Mary Allison, a native of Lawrence Connty, Ill., who was bronght to Crawford County by her parents when eleven years old. She is a daughter of Harvey Allison, now deceased, who was for a number of years a farmer of Honey Creek Township. Ile spent five years in California prospecting for gold, going there overland and returning by water. After his return he remained for a time in Crawford Connty, bnt later went to Texas, where his death occurred. Mrs. Parker is the eldest of fonr children, of whom one was born in Honey Creek Township, and all educated in the district school. The mother, Elizabeth ( Parker) Allison, was born and reared in Crawford County, bnt died prior to her husband, who married again in Texas and had fonr children by his second marriage. The children by his first marriage were: Mary, Alvira, Redman and Eliza Dew. By his seeond marriage the children born were: Harry, Ambrose, William and Ambresia.

After his marriage Mr. Parker settled on 80 acres of the old homestead to which he has added nntil he now owns 260 acres of as good. land as is to be found in Crawford County, nearly all of which he has cleared, and made all improve- ments. This land is devoted to general farming and stock-raising, and he has operated a thresh- ing machine for a number of years. Mr. Parker also has a saw-mill on his property which he op- erates, and in all of his enterprises he is suc- cessful, being a good manager and excellent business inan.

Mr. and Mrs. Parker have had children as fol- lows: Valmore, Eliza, Ellen, Sarah E. (de- ceased), George, Harvey, Albert, Anna ( de- ceased), and Millie and Estella (twins), all born in Honey Creek Township. Mr. Parker is a Democrat and for six years was Township Su- pervisor. In 1905 oil was diseovered on liis pren- ises and he now has twenty-five wells in aetive operation. In fraternal relations he is a Mason. and for forty years has been a member of the Missionary Baptist Church.

PARKER, Lafayette .- The young men of to- day are revolutionizing farming by applying scientific methods to thelr work, just as their brothers are in other lines of eommereial and ill- dustrial activity. No longer do they till the soil and raise their cattle in a liit or miss way. Each task is done with referenee to a earefully laid plan, and as a result the land is made to yield manifold crops that were the result of the labors of their ancestors. Lafayette Parker is one of these representative young farmers of Crawford County, conveniently located on Sec- tion 11, Honey Creek, where lie was born Mareh 6, 1854. the youngest son of George Parker, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this work.

Mr. Parker attended school in the little log schoolhouse of the neighborhood, and helped to clear the land his father owned, thus passing hls boyhood usefully. When his father died he was the owner of 120 acres, the greater portlon of which he eleared and upon whileh he had made all Improvements. He built his home, barns and

¥90

CRAWFORD COUNTY

other outbuildings, and put up the fences. Here he has carried on general farming and stock- raising, carrying a good grade of horses. To his 120 acres he has added 20 acres, and his wife owns 251/2 acres, nearly all improved. Three oil wells are in active operation on his place, and this has rendered his property all the more valuable.

Mr. Parker married Mary Jane Richards, who was born, reared, educated and married in Lawrence County, on a farm. Five children were born of this marriage: Jesse W .; Ota, deceased, and three who died in infancy, all born on his present farm. Mrs. Parker died and later he married Martha A. Ford, who was born in Honey Creek Township, the daughter of Warner Ford, now deceased, who was a farmer of Honey Creek Township, also reared in Crawford County, his father being one of its pioneers. Mr. and Mrs. Parker have had no children. Mr. Parker has always been a Democrat and also taken an active part in the affairs of the Masonic fra- ternity. He and his wife are members of the Missionary Baptist Church.

PARKER, Washington .- The Parker family is closely associated with the pioneer history of Crawford County, and its members have largely assisted in its development and improvement. When the family was located in this County the land was either timber, brush or swamp land, and practically worthless until hard work and skillful management had changed it into the many fertile farms and prosperous cities it con- tains. The children of these pioneers endured as much as their elders, and are now reaping the benefits. Washington Parker, a farmer and stock-raiser of Honey Creek Township, located on Section 3, was born in that Township, Janu- ary 15, 1852. He is a son of the pioneer George Parker, now deceased, who was a farmer of Honey Creek Township, born in Butler County, Ohio, March 20, 1812. When about six years of age he came to Honey Creek Township with his father, Jonathan Parker, now deceased, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work.

George Parker attended the early log school- house of the Township, and worked hard assist- ing his father in clearing the land he had entered from the government. Remaining at home until his marriage, he then entered land from the government for himself, starting with 25 cents. This he cleared and improved, and then added to it. He gave each of his sons 80 acres and his daughters 40 acres. He and his sons did an im- mense amount of work developing these different pieces of property. George Parker married Mary Henry. born in middle Tennessee, where she was reared. A family of five sons and five daughters were born to them, namely : William (deceased), Eliza Jane (deceased), John, Henry (deceased), Julia Ann (deceased), Sarah Ann, Anna (de- ceased), Washington, Lafayette, Barbara (de- ceased)-all born in Honey Creek Township, and all having been married. George Parker was a Democrat, a member of the Grange, and

a member of the Missionary Baptist Church. His death occurred in Honey Creek Township.

Washington Parker was given all the educa- tional advantages Honey Creek Township af- forded, although the only school was held in a log house, with all the primitive conditions. He was twenty-six before he left home, and so did more than his share of work in helping his father clear the home place. In February, 1878, he married Sarah Ann Weger, who was born in Honey Creek Township. She is the daughter of William Weger, deceased, one of the pioneers of Honey Creek Township. Mrs. Parker also ac- quired her education in the log schoolhouse. The following children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Parker: Everett E., Maggie Olivia, Charles Grover, Daisy Ellen, Tura Gladys, Ches- ter Leroy and Agnes Lurena-all born in the township.

About five years after marriage. Mr. Parker located on his present farm, which then con- sisted of 90 acres. This he developed and im- proved, adding to it 100 acres, and on it devotes his attention to general farming and stock-rais- ing. A Democrat in politics, he has been active in local affairs, and has held the office of Con- stable. He has been a member of the Grange and he and his wife belong to the Missionary Baptist Church.

PARKER, William (deceased) .- The late Will- iam Parker was one of the successful farmers and stock-raisers of Honey Creek Township, Crawford County, of which he is a native. Dur- ing his useful life he built up for himself a last- ing reputation as a man of unblemished charac- ter, honorable in all business transactions. He was imbued with that generous public spirit, al- ways ready to assist in whatever is calculated to promote the welfare of the community. Mr. Parker was born on Section 13, Honey Creek Township, February 15, 1841, a son of John Parker, a pioneer of Crawford County and a na- tive of Ohio. John Parker was brought to Craw- ford County when a boy by his parents, Samuel and Polly (Newman) Parker, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this book. At an early date John Parker entered and settled on land in Honey Creek Township which he cleared and placed under cultivation.

William Parker was educated in the primitive schools of the township, and worked on the farm until he was twenty-two years old. On April 2, 1865, he married Elizabeth Allison, the daughter of Alfred Harrison Allison and Susan Ann (Highsmith) Allison. Ezra Allison, father of Alfred Harrison, came to Crawford County with his son, and they were very early pioneers of the county. One of the brothers of Alfred Harrison Allison was killed by the Indians after the family settled in Crawford County. Mrs. Parker was reared and educated in Lawrence County. Mr. Allison was one of those who helped to clear the county of Indians, and the old Fort Allison was named after him. Later he moved to Lawrence County, but returned to Crawford County, and still later went to Coles County. Again he re-

Is woodworth

791

CRAWFORD COUNTY

turned to Crawford County, but liking Lawrence County better, he went back there, and there died, Jannary 25, 1858, his wife dying Angst 4, 1881. He spent his life as a farmer and cleared a great deal of land. Mrs. Parker is the sixth child in the family of ten children born to her parents, one of whom died in infancy. The four sons and six daughters were born in Craw- ford, Lawrence and Coles Counties. Mr. Alli- son was a stanch Republican from the formation of the party.

After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Parker moved to Honey Creek Township, where they located on 120 acres of land, about ninety acres of which Mr. Parker cleared. In September, 1885, they moved to their present farm, which they had purchased, and at the time of his death Mr. Parker owned 320 acres. All of this was in Honey Creek Township, and of this he cleared about 120 acres. He carried on farming and stock-raising until his demise, and was recog- nized as one of the successful farmers in this part of the country. All of the improvements on his land were made by him. In politics he was a Democrat. Mr. and Mrs. Parker had a family as follows : Harrison, Viola F., Martha J., John (deceased), George Washington (deceased ), Henry (deceased), Albert (deceased), Mary Ann (deceased), Carl Carlton, Grover C., and an un- named infant. On November 28, 1903, Mr. Parker passed away, and his remains were inter- red in Good Hope Cemetery. The funeral serv- ices were conducted by the Rev. Daniel Clements, and the community attended in large numbers to pay honor to his memory.

PATTON, Mrs. E. A. (deceased), was born in Palestine, Ill., December 6, 1817, a daughter of William Wilson, one of the pioneers and the first Postmaster of Palestine, born April 4, 1790, and died February 12, 1850. He was a member of the Legislature and a very prominent man. He married Miss E. Kitchell, and they had fifteen children, Mrs. Patton being the eldest. Mrs. Patton married December 31, 1835, Dr. E. L. Pat- ton, born November 31, 1809, in Tennessee. Dr. Patton was educated in Washington College, Tenn., and followed the practice of medicine in Palestine until his demise, which occurred De- cember 30, 1862. Dr. and Mrs. Patton had twelve children, many of whom became prominent in various lines of business and professions. Mrs. Patton was a very active worker in the Presby- terian Church, and she lived in the comfortable residence in Palestine built by Dr. Patton. Mrs. Patton will long be remembered as a worthy, de- vout, Christian lady, a good neighbor and kind friend.

PAULL, Findley (deceased), who was connected with the mercantile life of Palestine in its earlier days, was born in Fayette County, Pa., February 26, 1809, a son of James, born in 1781, in Fayette County, Pa., where he died in June, 1856, having been a farmer and iron manufacturer, and one of the most successful men of his locality. He was married three times and became the father

of fourteen children, Findley being the eldest. The mother of Findley bore the maiden name of Hannah Jackson. The grandfathers and great- grandfathers of Findley Paull were in the Revo- Intion. Findley Panll attended school in Fayette Connty, Pa., and when fifteen years old com- menced clerking in Wheeling, W. Va., for his uncle, and in 1835, with his uncle opened a general store in Palestine, Ill. Five years later he purchased his uncle's interest, and continned the business alone, becoming very successful. In time he retired from active life and lived in Palestine. In 1835 he married in Wheeling, W. Va., Ann M. Bayless, who was born in 1811 and died in Palestine in 1877, having borne her hns- band seven children. Mr. Panll married again, June 15, 1880, Mrs. E. Gorman, widow of Dr. C. Gorman. For many years Mr. Panll was an elder in the Presbyterian Church, was an ardent Republican, and interested in prohibition and an active worker in tbe temperance canse.

PEARCE, L. B. (deceased), was born September 18, 1810, in Champaign County, Ohio, a son of John and Elizabeth (Stewart) Pearce, natives of New York and Maryland. John Pearce was a soldier in the War of 1812, and he and his wife were members of the Methodist Church. Of a family of pioneers of Indiana, L. B. Pearce, who was one of eight children, secured a very meager education in the subscription schools of that period. Before becoming a farmer, be en- gaged in constructing some saw and grist mills on the present site of Logansport, Ind., for the Pottawatomie Indians, under the supervision of Gen. Tipton. After this Mr. Pearce began farm- ing in Fountain County, Ind., and two years later bonght land in Warren County, Ind. In three years he moved to Kankakee Marsh, near Lake Michigan, in Indiana, but soon sold and went to Benton County, Ind. For some time he was in a dry-goods business at Independence, Ind., but in 1851 came to La Motte Prairie, Crawford County, Ill., and subsequently was a dry-goods merchant at Hutsonville under the firm name of Pearce & Neely. In three years he sold out, and once more became a farmer. Later he again en- tered mercantile life in Hutsonville, and in 1861 secured a contract to transport soldiers from Sumner, a point on the Ohio & Mississippi Rail- road, at the close of the war buying a farm. He settled in Hntsonville in 1863, and for many years lived there retired. In 1830 he married Anna Hurley, daughter of Zadock and Lillns (Campbell) Hurley, natives of Maryland and South Carolina, who died in Warren Connty, Ind., the parents of eleven children. Zadock Hurley was also a soldier in the War of 1812, and he and his wife were Methodists, as was Mrs. Pearce, although Mr. Pearce was a Uni- versalist. Mr. and Mrs. Pearce had eight chil- dren. He was a Republican, and held some of the offices of his township, and always took an active interest in temperance matters.

PERRINE, James .- In that struggle in which man pitted himself against primeval forest and

792

CRAWFORD COUNTY

aboriginal inhabitant, the strongest types of manhood and womanhood were evolved and traits of character were handed down to the present generation. The Perrine family has been prominent in the pioneer history of this country for many years, especially in Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, in fact, representatives of the name may be found in many other States. James Perrine, a farmer and stock-raiser on Section 35, Oblong Township, Crawford County, was born in Frank- lin County. Ind., June 8, 1844, a son of James Perrine, also a farmer and stock-raiser, now deceased, who was born in Ohio, where he was reared and educated. In Ohio, he married Matilda Miller, who was born in Virginia, but reared in the Buckeye State. After their mar- riage, Mr. and Mrs. James Perrine, Sr., moved to Indiana, locating in Franklin County, but in 1858 they made another change, and settled near Robinson. Crawford County, where the father rented property until he bought twenty acres in Oblong Township, and having cleared off this property, lived upon it until his death, which occurred when he was eighty-eight years old. Of his five children, James Perrine was the fourth. One son, David, died during the Civil War while in service in the Fifth Illinois Cavalry. In poli- tics the elder James was a Democrat, was very prominent in local affairs and widely and favor- ably known.

James Perrine, the younger, was reared and educated in Indiana and Illinois. In 1869 he mar- ried Katherine Perrine, who bore him one son, Lesley, and died February 15, 1888, aged forty- six years and two days. On July 14. 1889, Mr. Perrine married Alice Melissa Perkins, daugh- ter of Ute Perkins, born in Clinton County, Ind., and came to Crawford County to keep house for her uncle, with whom she lived until her mar- riage. Her father was a soldier in the Civil War. Mr. and Mrs. Perrine have two sons- James Ute, a druggist, and Andrew Franklin, both of whom were born on the home place. This homestead, when originally purchased by Mr. Perrine, consisted of only fifteen acres, but he kept adding to it until he now owns 103 acres of well improved land that is yielding him a handsome income. In politics he is a Democrat, and in religious affiliations he and wife are mem- bers of the United Bretliren Church. He is in- dustrious, thrifty and enterprising, and the suc- cess which has attended his efforts is certainly well merited.

PICKERING, William .- If the recollections of the veterans of the Civil War could be compiled in one volume, the country would have a history of that conflict which would prove not only very Interesting but highly instructive. While these veterans are honored and respected, too little attention has been paid to their standpoint rela- tive to the stirring occurrences of the early '60s. Unfortunately, space forbids any lengthy de- scription in this article, although the account given by William Pickering of some of the en- gagements in which he participated ought to be placed on record. William Pickering was born

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Illinois, Crawford County historical and biographical, Part 161

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