Illinois, Crawford County historical and biographical, Part 164

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 164

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).

ROUSCH, William Tilden .- One of the most progressive and up-to-date farmers and stock- raisers of Crawford County is William Tilden Rousch, of La Motte Township, Ill., who has probably one of the best stocked and furnished farms in Illinois. Not only does he understand thoroughly every detail of the work and how to do it most expeditiously and economically, but he has all the necessary machinery that modern invention affords. Mr. Rousch was born near Dayton, Ohio, January 8, 1862, a son of John Peter Rousch, who was born in Germany, but came to Johnstown, Pa., about 1845, and from there to Dayton, Ohio. about 1858. He married Rosena Wildt, and they had children as follows : Maggie, William T., Barbara, Mary, Peter, Emma, and Flora, all except the subject of this sketch being deceased. The mother died in La Motte

801

CRAWFORD COUNTY

Township, June 11, 1882, while the father sur- vives, and is a resident of Terre Haute, Ind. He is about seventy-three and is living retired from active life. He married a second time and by that marriage has one son, John Peter, Jr.

William T. Rousch attended the district school in La Motte Township, and after attaining his majority operated a threshing machine for about three years, and then purchased abont 100 acres of land. To this he added another 100 acres, then 20, then 40, nntil he now owns 260 acres of excellent land, the greater portion of which is nnder cultivation except four acres of timber. His modern residence is one of the most fully equipped farmhouses in the Connty. In addition to his other property he owns 480 acres of heavily timbered land in Hazen Township, Prairie Connty, Ark. His farm is fully equipped for every requirement of farm life. He has three large barns, a gasoline engine of three-horse power for pumping water and a twenty-horse power steam engine for baling hay, a sawmill, a shredder for fodder, a hay baler and a corn crusher. Recently wells have been drilled on the farm to supply the city of Robinson with water. The wells are partially completed and the line is piped to the city. In 1908 he shipped eighteen head of Polangus and Shorthorn cattle and sold the shipment for $1,645. He has a Polangus bull that weighs about 1.800 pounds. Mr. Rousch keeps about fifteen head of horses all the time. His shipments are made in car-load lots. For fonrteen years he has been in the business of shipping to Eastern markets, and his profits are large, for the quality of his product is generally recognized and his stock commands highest prices everywhere.

On February 10, 1888, Mr. Ronsch married Salena Newlin, a daughter of Elias and Eliza- beth (Holmes) Newlin. Mr. and Mrs. Rousch have had children as follows: Elsie Elizabeth, born September 7, 1889; Usher Eugene, born October 13, 1891; Minnie Aubery, born April 16, 1894; Charles William, born March 4, 1896; Berl Emilo, born October 2, 1900. Mr. Rousch is a Democrat in political faith.

RUDDELL, Henry Thomas .- Every branch of commercial and industrial activity offers certain indncements to enterprising men who realize the opportunity for attaining success. Of late years the business of furnishing hotels and res- tanrants with dairy supplies has grown to large proportions, and engaged the attention and efforts of some of the best farmers in Crawford County. The profits from such a line of business are larger than those derived from ordinary farming, and Henry Thomas Ruddell, of Robinson Town- ship, is one of the men thus occupied. He was born in this township January 17, 1864, and there attended district school nntil he commenced farming.

In September, 1886, Mr. Ruddell married Katie Shaw, a daughter of Benjamin and Ann (Ox- ford) Shaw, natives of England and West Vir- ginia, respectively, and they have become the

parents of the following children: Karl, born July 19, 1887; Keith, born October 5, 1890; Ralph, born August 5, 1893; and David, born September 10, 1895.

Mr. Rnddell owns 192 acres of excellent farın- ing land, and has a commodious residence, in which a pleasant hospitality is dispensed; is a Democrat in political faith and for some years has served on the School Board and is interested in educational matters. Fraternally he is a meni- ber of the Modern Woodmen of America.

SCHMIDT, Gustave Francis, M. D .- Like many others. the medical profession has made greater progress in the last twenty years than in several centuries prior to the beginning of the nineteenth, and a practitioner at the present time must be better eqnipped by far than those of a decade or so ago, if he would succeed in his chosen profession. Among the well-known physi- cians of Crawford County, Ill., is Gustave Fran- cis Schmidt, who, although the best of his life is still before him, is thoroughly abreast of the times and his calling. He was born in New York City, March 11, 187S. a son of Gustave Frederick and Mary (Krupp) Schmidt. Gustave Frederick Schmidt was born in Germany. Jan- nary 22, 1857, and as a young man came to America and located in New York City. where he is now engaged in the construction of large buildings, having a wide reputation in his line. Mrs. Schmidt, also of German ancestry, was born at Akron, Ohio, January 25, 1856.

Gustave Francis Schmidt received a liberal education, beginning his training in the public schools, later attending the high school, and snb- seqnently entering Bellevue University, where he studied for three years. Deciding upon the medical profession as his life work, he went to Chicago, where he took the full course of study at the Illinois College of Medicine, from which he received his diploma. He then attended Columbia Hospital, New York City, for three years. and for eight months was Ilouse Surgeon of Flushing Hospital. Choosing the town of Robinson, Ill., as his field of practice, he there opened a well-appointed office on the south side of the Public Square. He met with almost in- stantaneous success, and has since won the con- fidence and esteem of the community generally.

On January 26. 1906. Dr. Schmidt was marrled at Newark, Ohio, to Miss Elizabeth Butler, who was born at Newark, November 20, 1SS1. One child has been born to this union, Gustave Wil- liam, born February 25, 1907. The doctor's religious belief is that of the Lutheran Church. In political matters he is a Republican, and fra- ternally is a member of the Knights of Pythias. Aerie Physician of the Order of Eagles, is Vice- Royal Fellow in the Beechonan Medical Soclety of New York, and is Medical Examiner for a number of insurance companies and secret so- cieties. Dr. Schmidt can claim milltary connec- tion by his famlly, as an uncle on his mother's side was a General of Volunteers and served with distinction throughout the Civil War.

802

CRAWFORD COUNTY

SEANEY, Samuel .- Pioneer life in Illinois has developed in many men what was best in charac- ter and made them sturdy, strong to work and endure, and upright in their dealings. One of the names intimately associated with the pioneer history of Montgomery Township, Crawford County, is that of Seaney, and one of its oldest living representatives is Samuel Seaney of Sec- tion 33, who was born in the locality where he now resides, October 22, 1824.

The father, also Samuel, was a native of North Carolina, who started west with his family dur- ing the War of 1812. For a time they remained in a fort in Wayne County, Ind., and there Sam- uel, the elder, worked at farming, but eventually the little family resumed their westward trip in a wagon, and in 1814 settled in Montgomery Township. There the father entered 40 acres of Government land, on which he remained until his death. He married in North Carolina, Cath- erine Wishon, who was born, reared and edu- cated in her native State and at the age of twenty-two years was married. The children born to Samuel Seaney and wife were: Polly, Susan, Minta, Lucy, John (born in 1812), Mar- garetta, Honor, Catherine, Matilda, Samuel and Nimrod.

Subscription schools were the only ones in Crawford County when the younger Samuel Seaney was educated, and which he attended while helping his father until he was twenty- three years old, when he was married to Cin- derilla Kamplam, daughter of Willliam Kam- plam, who was a farmer. Her mother was Mrs. Clemana Kamplam, her parents being natives of Indiana and Massachusetts, respectively. Mr. and Mrs. Seaney have had children as fol- lows: Alvin, Leander, Patrick Henry, John Franklin, Herman, Charles, Thomas Marling, David Bruce, Andrew Jackson, Arena Flora, and Nancy Ellen.

After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Seaney settled on rented land, which Mr. Seaney farmed for a year. Having entered 40 acres of land he then built a log house on the farm which he now owns; later bought 80 acres, and kept adding to his holdings until at one time he owned 340 acres. The property was all covered with tim- ber, but he cleared off the land, placed it under cultivation and made improvements upon it, transforming it into one of the most valuable farming properties in the county. All of the chil- dren except Alvin were born on the homestead. Mr. Seaney is a Democrat and has nine sons who vote as he does. He takes an active interest in educational matters, and for a number of years was School Director and Trustee for the district in which he resides. He has been a member of the Christian Church for sixty years. Advanced in years, he is well preserved, and re- tains an excellent memory regarding the various changes he has witnessed, many of which he has been instrumental in making.

SEARS, Elinor M .- One of the representa- tive women of Crawford County, and one who has seen many of the changes which have taken

place in its development, especially those con- nected with the discovery of oil, was born March 28, 1858, in Bluffton, Wells County, Ind., a daughter of Hethcoate and Annie Jane (Clark) Connett, the former of whom was born in Stark County, Ohio, May 17, 1817, and the latter was born in May 17, 1820. They were married June 24, 1838, and had children as follows: Jo, born June 11, 1839; Amos, born July 4, 1841, and died when two years old; Isaac, born Au- gust 3, 1843, died some fifteen years ago, leav- ing five boys and five girls, his wife dying many years before him; Temperance, born September 26, 1845, died about forty-two years ago, after attaining to womanhood; Rachel, born October 1, 1848, reared a family, and died in 1907 in Palestine, Ill .; Ruth, born November 6, 1850, died April 7, 1909, leaving a husband and several children ; Julia Ann, born November 20, 1852, lives near Springfield, Mo .; Woodrough, born March S, 1855, was accidentally shot and killed by a boy friend when he was about eighteen; Mrs. Sears; J. F., born June 14, 1862, and lives in Oblong Township.

While living in Ohio, Mr. Connett worked in a stone quarry, but after coming to Illinois, en- gaged in farming. Arriving in Crawford County, he located on a farm four miles south of Rob- inson, near Hebron, and there he and his wife spent the remainder of their days.

Mrs. Sears was reared by good, Christian par- ents, and when only sixteen years of age was converted and joined the Methodist Church, since which time she has been one of its most earnest members. On December 5, 1874, she married Emanuel Miller, and made him a de- voted wife for thirty-one years. While Mr. and Mrs. Miller had no children themselves, they reared an orphan nephew and niece, and their home was always open to the unfortunate and needy. On December 30, 1906, Mrs. Miller mar- ried Henry O. Sears, and they live in Robinson, having moved to the city on November 15, 190S. Mr. Sears is a Republican in politics.

Mrs. Sears owns a very valuable farm of 60 acres in Oblong Township, on which have been opened up sixteen wells. The discovery of oil on the property has greatly enhanced its value and made Mr. and Mrs. Sears very wealthy. Mrs. Sears is one of the most highly respected women of her community, always ready to do a neighbor a kindness and to give liberally of her means to help others. She is devoted to her family and her church connections, and is a powerful influence for good with those who know her.

SEARS, Henry 0 .- The farming activity shown in Crawford County has been stimulated by the discovery of oil in this region and the conse- quent doubling of values. Among the prosperous farmers and stockmen of Oblong Township, Crawford County, Henry O. Sears takes a promi- nent place. He was born in Henry County, Ind., December 27. 1854, a son of Harrison S., who was born in Pennsylvania, and was a blacksmith .by trade. He married Sarah Byrket, a daughter of David Byrket, a farmer of Pennsylvania.

803

CRAWFORD COUNTY

Harrison Sears had come to Indiana when a boy, with his father, locating near Ogden, that State, where both parents died. They had chil- dren as follows: Elizabeth Ellen, Solomon (de- ceased), Henry O., Sarah Olive, Harrison Elmer and Alice.

During the Civil War, Harrison Sears enlisted in the Fifth Cavalry, Company F, Captain J. H. Wood commanding. Mr. Sears was honorably discharged in the vicinity of Vicksburg, and or- dered back to Springfield to be mustered ont. Returning from the war, he settled in Martin Township, where he bought 160 acres of land, which he improved, and established a reputation as a farmer as good as that he had won as a soldier.

Henry O. Sears has been married twice, his first wife having been Sophronia King, a dangh- ter of William King, a farmer of Crawford County, where the marriage occurred. Three children were born of this marriage, two of whom died in infancy, the other being William J. Mr. Sears married in 1897 Elinor Connett. danghter of H. C. Connett. a farmer of Craw- ford County. The early education of Mr. Sears was somewhat meager, but he has added to it by observation and reading, until he now ranks as a well informed citizen. When twenty-one years old he bought 24 acres of land from his brother, and later bonght the adjoining 120 acres, where he resided until the death of his first wife. Mr. Sears now owns a fine 100-acre farm, which he and his sons manage together. The first oil discovery was made on the property of Mrs. Elinor M. Sears in 1896, and she now has sixteen wells in active operation. In politics Mr. Sears is a Republican and in religions faith a Methodist. Mr. Sears is a man who took ad- vantage of the best available schooling, has shown good judgment and high purpose in life, and while his years have been those of hard work. his diligence and perseverance have resulted in ultimate and well deserved success.

SEED, Elias William .- Material possessions are very well in their place, but they should not be permitted to usurp the place of the more im- portant things of life. Character, truth, honor, justice, love, faith, righteousness, good deeds- there are the things of real worth, besides which the value of the world's wealth fades into in- significance. The trouble with this age is that it places too much emphasis on externals. These should not be despised, nor should they be un- duly exalted. They are but the incidents of life. not the essentials. The need of the honr is to get things in right proportion again. to cease permitting the material to crowd out the spiritual.

Elias William Seed, minister of the Methodist Church, and a farmer and stock-raiser of Section 17, Honey Creek Township, Crawford County, was born in Lawrence County, Ill., October 5. 1843, a son of John Seed, deceased, who was a farmer of Lawrence Connty, Ill., but born in Ireland, where he was reared. coming to the United States after attaining to maturity. He joined an uncle in Kentucky, but after a short

stay there proceeded up the Wabash by steamer to Lawrenceville, where he bought a farm of 160 acres and cleared it off. He was married in Crawford Connty to Emily ( Cullom) Taylor, a widow who, by her earlier marriage, had two children : John Edward, a minister of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church of the Northern Illinois Conference, and one who died in infancy. Mr. John Seed and wife had the following children : one who died in infancy ; Elias William; Essie Anna, deceased; Mary E .; Henry Shepherd ; George A., a minister of the Methodist Church ; Emily Jane, deceased ; and Francis, deceased, all born in Lawrence County. For several years after his marriage, John Seed conducted a store in Lawrenceville, having brought his father and mother from Ireland, and placed them on his farm. He was a minister of the Methodist Church, and organized the first Methodist Church in Lawrenceville. He also farmed ex- tensively, and owned at one time 1,000 acres of land. His parents passed the remainder of their lives on his first tarm, and died happy and con- tented, surrounded by comforts their earlier years had never known. During the war Mr. Seed was a member of the Union League, and when he died in 1872, was mourned by hundreds to whom he had ministered, and to whom he had set a beantitul example.

Elias William Seed received a common school education in Lawrence County, and was taught to work hard on the farm. On June 2, 1869, he married Elizabeth Doney, who was born in Ohio. July 4, 1845. a daughter of Harvey and Eliza (Howell) Doney. Mr. and Mrs. Doney moved to Indiana, in 1851, settling in Greene County. that State, where Mrs. Seed was educated. Mr. Doney was a carpenter and farmer. Mrs. Seed had a twin brother. In all there were twelve children in the Doney family, of whom five are now living. Mrs. and Mr. Seed have these chil- dren : Eliza Bertha, George Lycurgus. Anna Phoebe, Ralph Roy, Mary Ethel. and three who were the eldest born, but are deceased : John Harvey, Emmett Doney and Frank Dow. Eliza Bertha married John Mifford and they have three living children and one deceased ; George Ly- curgus married Alta Kent and they have one child; Anna Phoebe married E. W. Porter and they have one child, and Mary Ethel married Edgar Ford and they had one child who is de- ceased.

After marriage Mr. Seed located on the farm and in the same house where he was born, re- malning there for sometime when he moved to another farm in Lawrence County in 1STS, locat- ing on his present property which he had owned for some time. It consists of SO acres, a greater part of which he has cleared. Here he had the misfortune of being burned out. All of the im- provements on his property have been made by him. While a good farmer. Mr. Seed's interest centers in the ministry, and he Is much beloved by those to whom he ministers. He has always been active in temperance work and is a mneill- ber of the Society of Good Templars. In poll- tics he is a Republican.

804

CRAWFORD COUNTY

SEEDERS, Cazzie Neal, and Ossie Cammie .--- The remarkable sympathy that exists between twins has always been a subject of much in- terest both to the medical profession and the laity. The mysterious operations of nature which produce two children at one birth have never been thoroughly understood, but it is a recognized fact. that twins are more closely bound together than those connected by ordinary blood or fraternal ties. There have been striking in- stances of devotion between twins that lasted after the death of one of them, the surviving one dying of a broken heart.

A remarkable case of this kind occurred in the Seeders family. On October 29, 1879, James Bennett and Mary Lavina (Walker) Seeders had born to them twins, Cazzie Neal and Ossie Cammie Seeders. This worthy couple lived in La Motte Township, Crawford County, two and one-half miles north of Palestine. The boys were sent to the same school, shared the same pursuits during boyhood, but as they grew into young manhood, Cazzie Neal became a farmer and Ossie Cammie, at twenty years old, went to work as a clerk for the Illinois Central Rail- road in their office in Palestine, Ill. After serv- ing for a time in that capacity, he took a busi- ness course in Bryant & Stratton's Commercial College in St. Louis, from which he was grad- uated in June, 1901, in bookkeeping and tele- graphy. He then went to Newton, Ill., and was telegraph operator for the Illinois Central Rail- road for about a year, when the charms of agri- cultural life proved too strong for him and he came back to La Motte Township to engage in farming.

Cazzie Neal Seeders was married August 18, 1901, by the Rev. John Boatright, to Alta Gertrude Jeffries, born April 26, 1882, a daughter of John and Rose A. (Walters) Jeffries, both natives of Crawford County. Mr. and Mrs. Cazzie Neal Seeders have one child: Irene L., born July 12. 1902. John Jeffries, father of Mrs. Cazzie Neal Seeders, had the following family: Percy Lee, born August 17, 1875; Rushton G., born July 26, 1878; Cora C., born February 3, 1881, married G. A. MeLaughlin, had one child, Ethel Ione, and died September 3, 1908 ; and Alta Gertrude. Percy Lee married Flora J. Richey, daughter of James Richey, and they have four children-Paul, Ray, Pansy May and Rena.

James Bennett Seeders was born in Kentucky, but came to Crawford County at an early day, and died in La Motte Township, August 9, 1899. He was a member of the Modern Woodmen, and that order paid to his estate $2,000 after his death. James B. Seeders married Mary Lavina Walker, a daughter of Charles and Sarony Walker, and she died October 9: 1891, aged thirty-six years, eight months and twenty- four days. There were three children in the family of Mr. and Mrs. Seeders: Percy Lee, born August 10, 1875, and died February 9, 1877, and the twins, Cazzie and Ossie, wbo were born October 29, 1879.

These twin brothers are both Democrats, but neither has entered the political arena. Ossie

Cammie Seeders is very prominent fraternally, belonging to the Palestine Lodges of both the Masons and the Odd Fellows. He is connected with Palestine Lodge, No. 849, A. F. & A. M., and La Motte Lodge, No. 826, I. O. O. F., both of Palestine. Neither brother belongs to any church, but Mrs. Cazzie Neal Seeders is a mem- ber of the United Brethren denomination.

Both brothers have good farms, which they are operating according to scientific principles, and the satisfactory results they have attained demonstrate their wisdom in making every foot of their land yield a good income. They are pub- lic spirited young men, who take an interest in the affairs of their community, although their private affairs occupy most of their attention. Mr. Ossie Cammie Seeders is yet unmarried.

SHANKS, James .- Farming and stock-raising have always engaged the attention of the ma- jority of people in rural communities, and to- day this is true just as it was when the Children of Israel herded their flocks on their journey to the Promised Land. Among those who are ap- propriately mentioned in a history of this de- scription is James Shanks, a farmer and stock- raiser on Section 7 and Section 8, Licking Town- ship, Crawford County, Ill., who was born in Clark County, Ill., April 3, 1863, a son of Joseph Shanks, who was a native of Sullivan County, Ind.

Joseph Shanks was left an orphan in infancy and was taken by a Mr. Engles, by whom he was reared to manhood. Mr. Engles moved. from Indiana to Clark County, Ill., and settled on 40 acres of land which he entered from the Gov- ernment. From the time Joseph Shanks was old enough to work, he had little time or opportunity to secure an education, being kept busy on the farm. He remained with Mr. Engles until he was married to Catherine Simms, a daughter of Lang and Catherine (Elembough) Simms, when he entered 20 acres of land. His father-in-law gave him five acres more, so he had 25 acres in all. Moving on to the land, he commenced clear- ing off the brush and timber and planted crops when the soil was ready. In addition to work- ing on his property he made rails for others, so as to add to his scanty income, and never was afraid of what lay before him. Twenty years later he went to Missouri, and located in Ma- con County, that State, renting a farm, but after remaining two years moved to Douglas County where he remained one year engaged in farming, and then returning to Crawford County. Ill., located on his old farm. After bis wife's death he once more moved, settling in Casey, Ill., where he lived with his daughter, Mrs. Myrah Manda Cassell, until his death, at the age of seventy-two years and eight months. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Shanks were the parents of ten children, namely: William, John, James, Elex. Thomas, Noah, Henry, Amanda, Rosa and Lillie.

James Shanks attended the Clark County dis- trict schools two or three months in winter.

805

CRAWFORD COUNTY

until he was ten years old, when his father moved to Macon County, Mo., making the trip in wagons. After arriving there, the son con- tinued his education when not busy helping his father. When he was twenty-four years old he married Cora Athey, daughter of J. Thomas Athey, who was born in Frederick County, Md. Her mother was born in Licking County, Ohio, May 31, 1837, married September 13, 1857, by Judge Stears of Crawford County. Mr. and Mrs. Athey became the parents of the follow- ing children : George W., born December 1, 1858, died September 29, 1865; Henry O., born June 29, 1860; Clarissa E., born April 10, 1862, died July 20, 1904; Mary A., born August 9, 1864, died October 9, 1865; Cora A., an infant son, born August 9, 1871, died on the same day; and an infant daughter, born November 14, 1873, died on the same day. Mr. and Mrs. Shanks have had six children born to them, namely : Otto, born October 29, 1887, died September 14, 1889; Alice, born November 26, 1889; Lucy, born No- vember 16, 1891; Evert, born March 25, 1894; Lawrence, born October 16, 1896 ; Raymond, born December 30, 1907.

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 164

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