USA > Illinois > Christian County > Past and present of Christian County, Illinois > Part 47
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60
423
CHRISTIAN COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
years later bought a tract of forty acres. They continued to carry on their farming operations together until 1898, when our subject purchased his partner's interest and is now the owner of a well improved and valuable place of one hundred and eighty acres, although it was all raw prairie and timber land when it came into their .posses- sion. At present he rents the farm and is now living retired.
On the 24th of December, 1870, Mr. Ed- munds married Miss Eliza C. Cannon, a daughter of Benard Cannon, who was from Ohio. She died in August, 1882, leaving six children, namely: James, a conductor on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, who is married and lives at Flora, Illinois ; Joseph, who is married and is now operating his father's farm ; Samuel, who is married and is also engaged in farming in Taylorville township, this county; Mary, wife of Irvin Eikelberry, a farmer of Clay county, Illi- nois ; Thomas R., at home; and Della, wife of Robert Mason, a resident of Carbondale, Illinois.
Having been reared in the Episcopal faith, Mr. Edmunds still favors that church, and his political support is given the Republican party. For nine years he has been school director in his township and his sympathies are with his adopted country and her insti- tutions. He deserves great credit for the success that he has achieved in life, for he has made his way unaided from an early age.
WILLIAM D. COFFMAN.
William D. Coffman is one of the repre- sentative and prominent citizens of May township, where he carries on farming and stock-raising with good success, his home being on section 20. He was born in Ohio
county, West Virginia, on the 9th of July, 1845, and is a son of James D. and Margaret (Settle) Coffman, both natives of the same state. By trade the father was a blacksmith but during the latter years of his life he followed farming. In 1851 he came to Illi- nois and became a resident of Christian county, where he died on the Ist of Novem- ber, 1885. His wife had preceded him to the better world, passing away July 9, 1872. Of their five children only our subject and his sister, Mrs. Isaac Corzine, are now liv- ing.
William D. Coffman, the oldest of the family, was educated in the common schools of this state, being a small boy on the re- moval of the family from West Virginia. For one year he was a student in the schools of Peoria. Until twenty-three years of age he worked for his father and then com- menced farming on his own account upon a tract of land which was covered with brush and stumps. These he cleared away and after breaking the land placed it under a high state of cultivation. As time passed he prospered in his farming operations and is to-day the owner of a fine farm of two hundred and sixty-five acres in May town- ship, on which he set out two thousand peach trees and three hundred apple trees in 1891. Four years later he realized eleven hundred and fifty-five bushels of peaches from his crop of fruit and has found the business quite remunerative.
After keeping house for himself for nine years Mr. Coffman was married on the 19th of January, 1881, to Miss Lillian Fraley, who was born December 17, 1857, and died November 15, 1896. She was a daughter of John S. Fraley, who came to this county in 1847. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Coffman were born six children, namely : Mabel E., Min- nie and Mary, who are all at home with
424
PAST AND PRESENT
their father: Roy, who is now in St. Louis; Ruth Irene: and one who died in infancy.
In religious connection Mr. Coffman is a member of the United Brethren church and in his political affiliations he is a Prohibition- ist. For nine years he filled the office of township clerk and was school treasurer for twenty-one years. He is a man highly re- spected and esteemed by all who know him and his word is considered as good as his bond.
JOSEPH W. PADDOCK.
Joseph W. Paddock, who is engaged in the lumber business in Pana, is a typical citizen of the central west, alert, progressive and resolute. It is to such men that the west owes its rapid advancement and the wonderful development of its business en- terprises-men who watch for opportunity, utilize it when it comes and while promoting individual success also promote the general prosperity. Mr. Paddock is now the man- ager and one of the leading stockholders of the Paddock Lumber Company and in this connection controls one of the largest lumber yards in central Illinois.
A native son of Pana, he was born on the 4th of December, 1867. his parents being O. H. and Ann Paddock. His father was horn in Woodstock. Vermont, in the year 1830, and came to Pana in 1863 as agent for the Illinois Central Railroad Company. He has since been a resident of the city, well and favorably known in business circles and is now the president of the Pana Building Association, an enterprise which has proven of marked value in the improvement and de- velopment of the city. He is also serving as police magistrate.
Joseph W. Paddock spent his boyhood days in a manner not unsimilar to that of
most boys of the period, his time being large- ly divided between the duties of the school- room and the pleasures of the playground. As the years progressed he completed the high school course in Pana, after which he entered the University of Illinois. He pur- sued the architectural course and was a mem- ber of the class of 1892. He then returned to Pana and has continuously since engaged in the lumber business, so that he is now thoroughly familiar with the trade, the grades of lumber and the demands of the public. He was for several years the man- ager of the O. H. Paddock Lumber Com- pany, and in November, 1902, he organized the Paddock Lumber Company, of which Warren Penwell is the president. Mr. Pad- dock, however, owns the controlling interest and manages the entire business. He has the largest and best equipped lumber yard in central Illinois and his trade has constantly grown in volume and importance, until upon his books it is represented by a large figure.
On the 19th of June, 1895, Mr. Paddock was united in marriage to Miss Annie Hay- ward, a daughter of A. J. Hayward of Pana, now deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Pad- dock have two sons, Howland Hayward and Oscar Hayward. They hold membership in the First Presbyterian church, are deeply interested in its work and have aided in its development. Mr. Paddock also has mem- bership relations with the Modern Wood- men of America and the Royal Arcanum. His political allegiance is given the Repub- lican party but while he believes firmly in its principles and never fails to cast his vote for its men and measures, he has never been a politician in the sense of office. seeking, preferring to devote his time and attention to his business affairs, in which he is meet- ing with very gratifying success. His per- sonal characteristics and his business record
425
CHRISTIAN COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
have combined to win for him an enviable position in the regard of his many friends and of the general public.
HENRY J. BURKE.
Christian county figures as one of the most attractive, progressive and prosperous divi- sions of the state of Illinois, justly claiming a high order of citizenship and a spirit of enterprise which is certain to conserve con- secutive development and marked advance- ment in the material upbuilding of the sec- tion. The county has been and is signally favored in the class of men who have con- trolled its affairs in official capacity, and in this connection the subject of this review de- mands representation as one who has served the county faithfully and well in positions of distinct trust and responsibility. Mr. Burke is now filling the position of county clerk, having taken the office after one of the most peculiar contest election cases ever known in Illinois, a case which not only sliowed that Mr. Burke had all the support that he claimed, but also that he had the allegiance of many men who were claimed by the opposition.
A native of Sangamon county, Illinois, he was born near Pleasant Plains on the 8th of November, 1873, and is a son of Michael and Bridget (Davin) Burke, who in 1876 removed to Christian county, settling in As- sumption township, where they are now liv- ing. The father is a native of the Emerald Isle and, bidding adieu to that country in 1861, he sailed for the new world, first es- tablishing his home in Sangamon county, Illinois. In the family were six children, of whom five are living.
Henry J. Burke pursued his education in the common schools and in early life served as turnkey in the Macon county jail under
Sheriff J. H. Manzy for eighteen months. He afterward became a student in the Nor- mal School at Bushnell, Illinois, and in the Lincoln Business College of Lincoln, this state. For a short time he engaged in teaching school and later devoted his atten- tion to farming, which he carried on ex- tensively, operating a large tract of land two miles west of Assumption for a period of four years. On the expiration of that time he was called to public office, serving as tax collector of his township in the year 1897-8. He was afterward deputy circuit clerk under Edward J. Rhodes of Christian county from 1899 until 1902 and in the latter year he became a candidate for the nomination for county clerk on the Demo- cratic ticket. In the convention he received the nomination over Charles Clark, county clerk, and Thomas J. Downey, county sher- iff, and at the November election he was chosen for the office by a majority of five hundred, although Mr. Downey ran upon an independent ticket. Mr. Burke received two-thirds of the Republican vote of his own township, a fact which indicates his personal popularity among the people by whom he is best known. His defeated rival for the of- fice, T. J. Downey, then instituted a law suit, claiming that the nomination should have gone to him in the convention. The counsel for the defense made a statement that he could produce a decision by the Illi- nois supreme court that all contest cases in the primaries should be settled by the county committees, but the case was called and as one of the local papers said, "Downey's own testimony kills his case." Fourteen men were all who he could get to say that they voted for him and some of them were ignor- ant and depraved. The case proved a farce from beginning to end and strengthened Mr. Burke's popularity with the public. This
426
PAST AND PRESENT
was one of the most unique cases that ever came up for settlement in the courts of Illi- nois and the following was the decision ren- dered: "Under motion to dismiss by the defendant for purpose of motion admits facts as proven to be true and so considering the matter we find by the evidence that more votes were cast for Downey than is shown by the poll books and tally sheets; we also find that a number of Republicans voted, but when all deductions and additions are made in accordance with the testimony, it does not change the result between Downey and Burke. We therefore find that the material allegations in the bill are not sustained and the case is therefore dismissed." Mr. Burke is proving a popular officer and one who en- joys in a high degree the respect and confi- dence of his fellow men.
Mr. Burke was married November 9. 1903, to Miss Margaret Cronin, daughter of James and Mary ( Madden) Cronin, of .As- sumption. Mrs. Burke has served as deputy county clerk since Mr. Burke assumed the duties of his office.
DIAL DAVIS.
For almost seventy years Dial Davis made his home in Christian county and his entire life was passed in this section of the state for he was born near Mechanicsburg in Sangamon county, January 10, 1826. Amid pioneer scenes he grew to manhood and received such educational advantages as the times afforded. At the age of twenty years he enlisted for service in the Mexican war, becoming a member of Company C. Fourth Ilinois Volunteer Infantry, under Captain 1. C. Pugh and Colonel E. D. Baker. He was with the army for twelve months and took part in the battles of Cerro Gordo and Vera Cruz. He was within twenty yards of General Shields when that
officer was shot and was with the Illinois troops that captured Santa Ana's cork leg and treasure, but did not share in the dis- tribution of the spoils as did those who were lucky enough to make the capture. Mr. Davis was discharged and mustered out at New Orleans and then returned to his home in Christian county.
The land warrant he received for his serv- ices he traded for forty acres of land on sec- tions 13 and 24, town 15 north, range 2 west. but a few years later he disposed of that tract and purchased eighty acres on section 11. Mount Auburn township, only three-quarters of a mile from the village of Mount Auburn. He began his farming op- erations with only one horse and a yoke of oxen, but as time passed he steadily pros- pered, becoming one of the wealthiest farm- ers and stock-raisers of this county. At the time of his death he owned one thousand three hundred and eighty acres of very val- uable farming land. For several years he shipped stock quite extensively and was also engaged in merchandising for a number of years.
After living alone from 1848 until 1852. Mr. Davis decided to marry and on the 4th of February of that latter year was joined in wedlock with Miss Edmonia E. Hesser. by whom he had six children, namely : Franklin P., now deceased; Sallie M., the wife of E. R. Mooney. of Mount Auburn township: Charles E., a druggist of Mount AAuburn ; Henry N., deceased ; Dial W., also deceased : and Carrie E., wife of William L. Rasar, of Mount Auburn township. The mother of these children died on the 4th of July, 1864, and on the 5th of May, 1867. Mr. Davis married Huldah J. Stobaugh, who passed away about two weeks prior to her husband's death. By the second mar- riage there was one daughter, Nellie M.
DIAL DAVIS
MRS. DIAL DAVIS
431
CHRISTIAN COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
After a useful and well spent life Mr. Davis died at his home in Mount Auburn, February 15, 1902, honored and respected by all who knew him, and his funeral was conducted by Rev. Sutherland, of Latham, Logan county, Illinois. Mr. Davis always took an active interest in public affairs and never withheld his support from any enter- prise which he believed would promote the general welfare. He was very progressive and favored every improvement which was calculated to advance the interests. of his town and county. He gave the right of way to railroads and electric roads and induced others to do the same and in order to get a telephone established in his section he pur- chased all the stock. The Democratic party always found in him a stanch supporter of its principles and he was quite active in po- litical affairs. He was the first tax collector of Mount Auburn township; also filled the office of constable in his younger years ; and was a member of the board of supervisors when the county was divided into town- ships. It is doubtful if any one was more conversant with the local history of this sec- tion of the country than Mr. Davis. He was a man of simple tastes, approachable and a fluent talker, and had a way of mak- ing one feel at home. He was charitable almost to a fault, but was still a shrewd business man and the success that he achieved in life was due entirely to his own industry, perseverance and good manage- ment. He took pleasure in promoting any- thing that would advance the moral, social or material welfare of the community in which he lived and took a special interest in education. It is not strange therefore that in his death Christian county realized that it had lost a valued citizen as well as an hon- ored pioneer.
CHARLES E. DAVIS.
For the past twenty years Charles E. Davis has been engaged in the drug busi- ness in Mount Auburn and he is a repre- sentative of that class of citizens who, while advancing individual success, also promote the public welfare. A native of Christian county, he was born in Mount Auburn towr- ship. July 9, 1857, and is a son of Dial Davis, whose sketch precedes this. Our sub- ject was educated in the district schools of his county and here grew to manhood. In 1888 he embarked in the drug business at Mount Auburn and carried on a store there until 1893, when he received the appoint- ment of United States Indian agent at the Colorado river agency in Arizona and filled that position until 1897. Returning to Mount Auburn he again engaged in the drug business and is now enjoying a good trade. He owns the store in which he car- ries on business and also a good residence here, besides a fine farm of three hundred and thirty acres in Mount Auburn township. In his business undertakings he has pros- pered and he stands high in commercial cir- cles in Christian county.
Mr. Davis was married on the 17th of April, 1883, to Miss Alice A. Lusk, who was born in Meredosia, Illinois, March 31, 1861. Her father, Edward Lusk, was a native of Ohio, born at Hudson, January 1, 1812, and was a brother-in-law of John Brown. His wife bore the maiden name of Jane A. Augur, and was born in Connecti- cut. June 30. 1830. Mr. and Mrs. Davis have two children : Dial Winifred, born Au- gust 14, 1891; and Effie Haldeen, born March 8, 1894. The wife and mother is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and is a most estimable lady.
Socially Mr. Davis is connected with Kedron Lodge, No. 340, A. F. & A. M., of
432
PAST AND PRESENT
Mount Auburn : Mystic Lodge, No. 64, K. P., of Taylorville; Grove City Lodge, No. 275. I. O. O. F. ; Mount Auburn Camp, No. 2849, M. W. A .; the District Court of Honor, No. 923 ; and the Anti-Horse Thief Association. His political support is given the Democratic party and he filled the office of township collector for five years. He stands high in both business and social cir- cles and is regarded as one of the leading and representative citizens of Mount Au- burn.
WILLIAM L. RASAR.
William L. Rasar, who is successfully en- gaged in general farming and stock-raising on section II, Mount Auburn township, is a native of Logan county, Illinois, born at Mount Pulaski, January 5. 1858, and is a son of Peter and Martha ( Dawson) Rasar, who were natives of Tennessee and Indiana, respectively. The father came to Illinois about 1855 and in the fall of 1867 became a resident of Illiopolis, but now makes his home in Newton, Kansas, where he is living retired. The mother of our subject died on the 29th of March, 1900.
William L. Rasar completed his education in the high school of Illiopolis, and after leaving school he worked at the blacksmith's trade from the age of sixteen until twenty- three years old. He then engaged in farm- ing upon rented land for eighteen years and now operates the farm belonging to his wife. which is a valuable place of three hundred and twenty acres in Mount Auburn town- ship. Mr. Rasar has placed the farm under a high state of cultivation and has made many improvements thereon, including the erection in 1902 of a fine barn, fifty-six feet square, and now, in 1903. he is building an elegant twelve-room modern residence, con- taining a bath-room and to be heated with
hot water. He follows both general farm- ing and stock-raising with good success, as he thoroughly understands the occupation which he has chosen as a life work.
On the 27th of January, 1880, was cele- brated the marriage of Mr. Rasar and Miss Carrie E. Davis, a daughter of Dial Davis, whose biography appears elsewhere in this volume. Mr. and Mrs. Rasar have become the parents of eight children: Fred Dial, now twenty-two years of age; Charles Claud, twenty-one; Carolee, twenty; Grover Cleveland. eighteen ; Brice Davis, eleven ; Corwin Wilford, eight; Donald Gradon, three; and Eloise Edmonia, six months. The family are connected with the Christian church and are people of prominence in the community where they reside.
Socially Mr. Rasar is a member of the Knights of Pythias, the Modern Woodmen of America and the Court of Honor, all of Mount Auburn, and politically he is iden- tified with the Democracy. He served as collector of Mount Auburn township two terms, from 1895 to 1898: was school direc- tor of the Davis school for fifteen years; and clerk of the board for twelve years. He has always been found true to every trust re- posed in him, whether public or private, and he merits and receives the respect and con- fidence of all who know him.
E. R. MOONEY.
E. R. Mooney, residing on section II. Mount Auburn township, is a well known contractor and builder, as well as farmer. of whose skill many notable examples are seen at various points throughout the county. Thoroughly reliable in all things, the quality of his work is a convincing test of his own personal worth and the same ad- mirable trait is shown in his conscientious discharge of the duties of different positions
W. L. RASAR
MRS. W. L. RASAR
437
CHRISTIAN COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
of trust and responsibility to which he has been chosen in business and political life.
Mr. Mooney was born August 16, 1853, in Bucks county, Pennsylvania, of which state his parents, Whitson W. and Esther K. (Smith) Mooney, were also natives. From Pennsylvania the family removed to Newcastle, Indiana, where the father died in 1863 and the mother in 1886. There our subject was reared and educated and at the age of sixteen years he began learning the carpenter's trade, which he has since fol- lowed with good success. In 1874 he came to Christian county, Illinois, and has since engaged in contracting and building, being considered one of the leading contractors of this section of the state. He also follows farming, owning and operating a fine farm of three hundred and twenty acres one mile west of Mount Auburn, where he resides.
On the 21st of April, 1880, Mr. Mooney , est trading point and there he had to go married Miss Sallie Davis, a daughter of Dial Davis, whose biography appears else- where in this volume. Mr. and Mrs. Mooney have three children: Mabel C., at home ; Gladys W., who is now attending the Milli- kin University at Decatur; and Ruth M., at home. The mother and daughters are mem- bers of the Christian church, and Mr. Mooney is connected with the Court of Honor. He served as supervisor of Mount Auburn township in 1889 and has also filled the office of township collector for two terms. He stands high in both business and social circles and his success in life has been worthily achieved, it having been gained entirely through his own well directed ef- forts.
JOSEPH COWAN.
For over a quarter of a century the Cowan family have been numbered among the hon- ored residents of Rosamond township and
three of its representatives are still living on the old homestead on section 12, these being Joseph. Mary and Benjamin F. The parents were G. W. and M. E. (Cochran) Cowan, who were natives of North Carolina and were of Irish descent, though their ancestors came to America prior to the Revolutionary war. The paternal grandfather, Joseph Cowan, married Miss Elizabeth Swan, of Maryland, and to them were born two chil- dren: G. W., the father of our subject : and his sister. At a very early day the father left his native state and removed to Perry county, Missouri, where lie began working by the day, chopping wood at forty cents per cord and boarding himself. In this way he gained ai start in life and was at length able to enter a tract of land in Perry county. At that time Appleton, Missouri, which was twelve miles distant, was his near-
for his mail also. He and his family lived in true pioneer style and underwent many of the hardships and privations incident to life on the frontier. In those day he raised his own sheep and after the shearing was done his wife, with the aid of her daughters, would prepare the wool and do the carding, spinning and knitting for her household. Besides the cloth used for clothing she made fancy coverlets, etc. Miss Mary Cowan has in her possession a coverlet which formerly belonged to her grandmother Cowan and has other souvenirs of pioneer days which she prizes highly, including an old iron kettle, which the family took from North Carolina on their removal to Missouri. During the boyhood days of our subject all of the cook- ing was done over a fireplace, an old fashi- ioned crane being used to hang the kettles on. He remembers well when matches first came into use and when candles were the only means of lighting the houses.
43S
PAST AND PRESENT
After living in Missouri for several years. G. W. Cowan brought his family to Illinois in March, 1877, and located on section 12. Rosemond township, Christian county, where he continued to make his home throughout the remainder of his life. Here he died on the 5th of May, 1889, at the age of sixty- eight years, honored and respected by all who knew him. During his younger years he was a member of the State Militia in Perry county, Missouri, and he always took a commendable interest in public affairs. His estimable wife survived him a number of years, dying October 26, 1900, when she lacked but one week of being seventy years of age.
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.