USA > Illinois > Christian County > Past and present of Christian County, Illinois > Part 58
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Mr. Corzine is a native of Guernsey coun- ty. Ohio, born January 24. 1857. His par- ents. Allen and Mary Ann ( Warren) Cor- zine, had a family of six sons and three daughters, of whom he is the sixth in order of birth. His great-grandfather. John Cor- zine. was a native of Holland and was a young man on his emigration to the United States. He was an officer in the war of 1812 and was killed in that struggle. At one time he owned sixty acres of land along Wall street. New York city. Our subject's grandfather. John Corzine. Jr .. died in 1870 while visiting his son in this county. The father of our subject was born in Pennsyl- vania in 1816 and in early life went to Guernsey county, Ohio, where he purchased a tract of wild land. There he was married to Miss Mary Ann Warren, who was born in that county in 1819, of German ances- try, and they continued to make their home there until 1868, which year witnessed their arrival in Christian county, Illinois. Allen Corzine purchased one hundred and sixty- five acres of land in AAssumption township and engaged in agricultural pursuits for a number of years, after which he took up his
WARREN CORZINE
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abode in Assumption, where he lived retired until his death in August, Igo1. In politics he was a Republican, but never cared for office, and in religious belief was a Pres- byterian, his wife being a member of the same. She passed away in April, 1901. They were held in high regard by all who knew them and had a host of warm friends throughout the county.
Through the period of his boyhood and youth Warren Corzine worked on his fath- er's farm in the summer season and during the winter months attended school. He was thus trained to habits of industry and throughout his entire career his life has heen characterized by energy and persistency of purpose. For a short time after leaving home he rented a farm and later he became the owner of a tract of land near Douglas, in Otoe county, Nebraska, upon which he lived for one year. He then returned to Christian county and was engaged in agri- cultural pursuits until 1888, when he sold his property in Nebraska, in order to con- centrate his interests here, and removed to Stonington, where for many years he was actively connected with commercial inter- ests. For a long period he was connected with the lumber and coal trade, and in fact became the leading representative of that line of trade in the town, his sales reaching a large annual figure. He was prominent in securing the option on the coal right for the Christian County Coal Company on twelve hundred acres of land. Mr. Corzine also became half owner of a general mer- cantile store, but has disposed of both of these interests, selling the lumber and coal yard in 1903. In 1900 he became president of the First National Bank of Stonington and is still one of its directors. After dis- posing of his lumber yard he took a trip through Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, New York,
Canada, Missouri, Kansas, Indian Territory and Texas. He is now the treasurer of the Illinois Grain & Oil Company, owning fifty- five hundred acres of land in southeastern Kansas. He laid out the Corzine & Boll addition to the town of Stonington, built thereon a number of houses, and has since sold them and the town lots, securing a good financial return from his investment. He owns one brick business block there and also an interest in three others. At the pres- ent time he is not actively connected with the management of any business enterprise, giving his attention merely to the super- vision of his invested interests.
In October, 1881, Mr. Corzine was united in marriage to Miss Emma Burdick, who was born in this county in July, 1863. Her father, Miner Burdick, was a native of Ston- ington, Connecticut, and was a member of the colony that founded Stonington, Illi- nois. Being a well educated man, he engaged in teaching school for some years. In politics he was a Republican. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Rebecca Boyd, was a native of Christian county, Kentucky, and was also an early settler of this county. She died in 1870, and he de- parted this life in 1887. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Corzine were born the following children : Maud E., who is a graduate of the Stoning- ton high school of the class of 1902 : Charles W., who is now a student in Barnes Medical College of St. Louis, Missouri; Jesse M., who is now in his second year in the Illinois University at Champaign ; and Lutie Pearl and Edith, who are students in the high school of Stonington.
Mr. Corzine is a member of the Presby- terian church, while his wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. In poli- tics he is a stanch Republican and for ten years has either been a trustee or the presi-
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(lent of the board of Stonington. As a school director he has done much to further the interests of education and was serving at the time the present schoolhouse was built. The welfare of Stonington is dear to his heart and his efforts in its behalf have been helpful. beneficial and far-reaching.
DENNIS KEATING.
Dennis Keating is one of the worthy citi- zens of Christian county that Ireland has furnished to the new world and he is to-day successfully engaged in farming and stock- raising on section 17. Assumption township. Ile was born in County Cork, Ireland, March 10. 1850, a son of Michael and Johanna (Barry) Keating, who spent their entire lives in County Cork. Of their eight chil- dren seven reached man and womanhood and four of the number are now living in Amer- ica, our subject having two sisters in Chi- cago and one in Jacksonville. Morgan coun- ty. Illinois.
Mr. Keating was reared and educated in his native land. his boyhood and youth being passed upon a farm. Emigrating to the United States, he landed in New York on the 4th of April. 1868, and after working on a farm in the Empire state for a short time he proceeded to Jacksonville. Morgan county, Illinois, in 1869. He was then en- gaged in farming between that city and Vir- ginia. Cass county, until February. 1877. when he removed to Assumption township. Christian county, spending one year near the city of Assumption. At the end of that time he removed to a farm near Radford. where he spent nine years, and then located on his present place in Assumption town- ship. After renting for fourteen years he purchased the farm, which was only par- tially broken when he took up his residence
thereon and the only improvement was a small house. He has since ditched and tiled the land and converted it into a good farm. It comprises two hundred acres and in con- nection with its cultivation he operates a rented tract of one hundred and sixty acres. Eighty acres of his land is devoted to pas- tarage and the remainder is under cultiva- tion. His corn crop usually averages forty bushels to the acre but in 1903 it amounted to sixty bushels to the acre. Most of that which he raises he feeds to his stock as he is quite extensively engaged in the raising of Hereford cattle. Shire horses and Poland China hogs, having about eighty head of cattle upon his place and over one hundred and thirty hogs. His wife takes great de- light in her fine poultry, having a nice col- lection of Plymouth Rocks. Bralumnas and Indian game chickens. They have labored untiringly to secure a home and competence and well deserve the success that has crowned their combined efforts.
On the 20th of December, 1873, in Vir- ginia. Cass county, Illinois. Mr. Keating married Miss Ellen Dougherty, who was born in County Londonderry, Ireland. No- vember 3. 1852. and is a daughter of Mich- ael and Ellen (McVey) Dougherty, life-long residents of that country. Mr. and Mrs. Keating have a family of nine children. all well and hearty, their names and dates of birth being as follows: John, January I, 1875: Mary. December 19, 1876: Edward. January 8. 1879 : Thomas, October 15. 1880: Anna, January 22. 1883; Nellie, November 4, 1884; Dennis, Jr., January 4 1887 ; Ther- esa. January 29. 1889: and Emma, June 29, 1892. All are at home with the exception of John, who is single and lives in Sioux county, lowa: and Edward, who married Anna Brule and resides in South Dakota.
The parents and children are members
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of St. Mary's Catholic church of Assump- tion, which Mr. Keating helped to organize and of which he was one of the trustees for some time, and the family is one of promi- nence in the community where they reside. Mr. Keating has seen this region trans- formed from a wild, unsettled tract into fine farms occupied by a contented and happy people. When he first located here ducks and other wild game were quite plentiful and furnished many a meal for the early settlers. At that time much of the land was covered with ponds and sloughs and the farmers often were unable to raise enough grain to feed their stock. Mr. Keating aided ma- terially in the making of the roads in his locality, serving as highway commissioner in his township for six years. He now holds the office of school director and is a stanchi supporter of the Democratic party and its principles.
WILLIAM WIDICK.
Among the honored citizens of Christian county whose lives have been devoted to agricultural pursuits must be numbered Will- iam Widick, who owns and operates a fine farm of two hundred and sixty-four acres in Prairieton township, his home being on section 2. He has made his special field of industry an eminent success and his course in life has ever been such as to gain for him the confidence and high regard of those with whom he has been brought in contact.
Mr. Widick is proud to claim Illinois as his native state, his birth having occurred in Macon county on the 28th of January. 1848. His parents, Abner and Eliza Wi- dick, were also born in Illinois and came to Christian county in 1853. this continuing to be their home throughout the remainder of their lives. The father, who was a farmer
by occupation and one of the leading men of his community, died in 1891, and the mother departed this life in 1902.
The boyhood and youth of our subject were passed in much the usual manner of farmer boys and he early became familiar with the labors of the farm, his literary education being obtained in the public schools of Christian county. After reaching man's estate he began farming on his own account. operating his father's land until 1872, when he was able to purchase forty acres. Suc- cess attended his well directed efforts and as time passed he kept adding to his property until he now has two hundred and sixty- four acres of valuable land. Sixty-four acres of this is covered with a fine growth of timber, but the remainder of the tract was prairie land which he has placed under a high state of cultivation. The improve- ments, which are neat and substantial in character, have been placed there by him- self and the farm is now one of the most desirable of its size in the county.
Mr. Widick was married in 1870 to Miss Minerva Workman, a daughter of Barney Workman, a well known farmer of this county, and to them have been born three children : Abner, now a bookkeeper hold- ing a position in Decatur: Maggie, wife of August Bridgeman, a farmer of Shelby county, Illinois ; and J. W., who resides at home and assists his father in the operation of the farm. The family are members of the Christian church and Mr. Widick is also connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He has taken quite an active part in public affairs, serving as township collector for twenty years and as school director for many years. His public and private life are alike above reproach and he well merits the esteem in which lie is uniformly held.
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JESSE E. REESE.
Jesse E. Reese, the well known paying and receiving teller of Schuyler's Bank of Pana, was born on the fith of November. 1853. in Franklin county, Ohio, and is the youngest son of Thomas and Elmira ( Dickey) Reese. His father, who was a miller by trade, was a native of the same state, born in Fairfield county of Welsh an- cestry, while his mother was a native of Montgomery county. New York, and of Irish descent. In the family were six chil- dren. namely : Leroy D., a stockman of Creston. Illinois: Egbert C., the manufac- turer of Coco-Cola at Chicago: Joseph ... a resident of Comanche, lowa : Francis, who died at the age of ten years: Seneca C., an umbrella manufacturer of Knoxville. Ten- nessee : and Jesse E.
The last named acquired his early edu- cation in the Central College Academy of his native county and after coming to Illi- nois in 1872 completed the high school course at Pana. He then secured a teacher's cer- tificate and taught one term of school in Montgomery county, Illinois, after which he entered the post office at Pana, his brother Egbert C. being at that time postmaster, and he served as assistant for four years. Dur- ing the following three years he traveled in the interest of the Austin Powder Com- pany. of Cleveland, Ohio. In 1881 he be- came bookkeeper in Schuyler's Bank at Pana and held that position until 1888, when he was appointed paying and receiving teller. in which capacity he is still serving. He is also acting as local agent for the New York Mutual Life Insurance Company.
At Pana, September 13. 1876, Mr. Reese was united in marriage to Miss Eugenia Dodge. a daughter of Dr. J. H. Dodge. who was a practicing physician for many years and is now deceased. Mrs. Reese was
born in Fayette county, Illinois, and by her marriage has become the mother of three children: Nellie M., the oldest, is a grad- uate of the Pana high school and also of the Illinois Woman's. . College at Jacksonville. Cecilia E. is now attending the latter in- stitution and is making a special study of music. Walter O. is a member of the junior class in the Pana high school, and shows a special talent in art.
As an enterprising. and progressive citi- zen. Mr. Reese has taken an active interest in public affairs and has served as city treas- urer and is now township treasurer. He is also treasurer and a director of the Pana Building & Loan Association and is a mem- ber of the Public Library board. Fraternal- ly he is connected with the Masonic order and the Modern Woodmen of America and is serving as worshipful master in the for- mer organization. He is quite prominent in church circles, being a Methodist in re- ligious belief, and is at present serving as secretary of the official board and president of the Brotherhood of the church. While representing the Pana church at the confer- ence in Quincy, he was elected, ont of twen- ty-five candidates, a delegate to the general conference held at Los Angeles, California. in May. 1904. He takes a very active and influential part in all church work and his career has ever been such as to warrant the trust and confidence so freely accorded both in business and social life. His devo- tion to the public good is unquestioned and arises from a sincere interest in the wel- fare of his fellow men.
EDWARD OWEN SMITH, SR.
For several years during his early life this gentleman was a resident of Illinois, his home being in Decatur, and he took an active
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E. O. SMITH, SR.
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CHRISTIAN COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
part in the development of Macon county. He was born in Montgomery county, Mary- land, three miles west of Baltimore, April 15, 1817, and was a son of Rev. James Smith, a distinguished and popular Meth- odist minister of Baltimore, who died in that city, leaving six children, of whom our subject was the fourth in order of birth. After his father's death he made his home with his grandmother, Mrs. Rachel Owen, until fifteen years of age, when he went to Washington, D. C., and engaged in clerking in a store during a part of General Jack- son's administration.
Mr. Smith then returned to his home near Baltimore but soon afterward carried out his cherished desire to try his fortune in the west. In the fall of 1834 he went to Ohio, which was then considered one of the frontier states. His capital consisted of but nineteen dollars and al! his worldly posses- sions he carried in a knapsack on his shoul- der. Following the old National road across the Allegheny mountains he finally reached Springfield, Ohio, a distance of five hundred miles from Baltimore, and there he learned the carpenter's trade with Samuel Price, but becoming afflicted with a throat disease he concluded to go farther west, and after spending a short time in Montezuma, In- diana, worked at his trade in Terre Haute for about a year.
In May, 1837, Mr. Smith located in De- catur, where he soon found employment, his first work being the erection of a house for Captain D. L. Allen on Water street above North street and another residence imme- diately south, which are now with one ex- ception the oldest houses remaining in De- catur. In the fall of the same year he built the old Macon Hotel on the east side of the park. At that time the site of this building was in the midst of heavy timber. The fol-
lowing year he built the Spangler mill on the Sangamon river, four miles east of De- catur and although then only twenty years of age he had already gained an enviable reputation as a good business man and an enterprising builder.
Mr. Smith continued in active business in Decatur until 1853. when he made his first trip to California. He raised a company of thirty-nine young men and crossed the plains, being about one hundred days upon the road. He took with him a drove of cattle. After a stay of two years and three months on the Pacific coast he returned to Decatur, having made considerable profit from his business ventures. He then began to improve property on Water street. The entire business of that place was formerly conducted around the old square and he was the first to turn the current toward what is now the principal business thoroughfare. He erected the first business structures on Water street, two three-story buildings, and the next year in connection with Dr. J. T. B. Stapp built several stores on the south side of the park.
In 1858 Mr. Smith started on his second trip to California. This journey proved a dangerous and difficult undertaking. He proposed to take a large drove of horses and cattle, which he purchased in southwestern Missouri, through to California by way of New Mexico and Arizona, at that time a route but little traveled. With a company of forty-one young men he explored his way through a complete wilderness from Fort Gibson to Albuquerque, New Mexico. Twice in this distance his company was attacked by the Indians, who each time were repulsed without loss. The blanket which Mr. Smith carried was pierced by an arrow lance. Five hundred miles west of the Rio Grande, among the San Francisco mountains, they
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encountered a party of returning emigrants who had been driven back by the Indians. Eight of their number had been killed and all of their cattle stolen. After driving off the Indians, who were still in pursuit, it was resolved to return to the Rio Grande river, winter there, and then proceed. On their march back their provisions soon gave out and for six weeks their only food was boiled beef without salt. After going into winter quarters Mr. Smith grew restless and de- termined to go through to California that winter. He managed to secure four men to assist him in driving the cattle. A Mrs. Brown, of Iowa, whose husband had been killed by the Indians and who was anxious to reach some relatives in California, and her four small daughters, were also members of the party. They set out in January. 1859. and after a journey of thirteen hundred miles through New Mexico and Arizona, reached San Francisco in safety without a more perilous adventure than meeting two hundred Indian warriors at Apache Pass. who, however, acted in a friendly manner, the chief bestowing on Mr. Smith a quiver of lion's skin filled with arrows, as a token of friendship. Mrs. Brown, the heroine of the adventurous journey, found her relatives and subsequently married Judge Johnson, of San Francisco, who thanked Mr. Smith with great cordiality .for bringing him so good a wife. The cattle had been left be- hind in Arizona, and after grazing them for a while in Lower California, near the mouth of the Colorado, he brought them to San Francisco in March, 1860. two years after starting with them from Missouri. The calves had become nearly grown.
In the fall of 1860 he started from Los Angeles, California, for Texas, intending to make arrangements to raise horses in the latter state. In passing through the Apache
country his company was attacked by thirty Indians, who killed seven of their horses. Mr. Smith had six companions, one of whom was too ill to render any assistance in the fight. While crossing the Staked Plains they traveled eighty-six miles without water. On reaching a frontier town in Texas the first sight that met his eye was the Lone Star flag of the republic of Texas, and then he, for the first time. learned that Abraham Lin- coln had been elected president and that Texas had withdrawn from the Union and resumed her original position as an inde- pendent republic. He expressed surprise and regret but the Texans assured him that "they meant business." Through Texas to Galveston, from that place by steamer to New Orleans and thence up the Mississippi to Cairo, nothing was heard but exciting talk regarding the preparation for rebellion. He made arrangements with two men. whom he left in Texas, to raise horses on shares, but after the war broke out he enter- tained little hope of reaping anything from his investment. Seven years afterward. however, his share of the horses was de- livered to him at Decatur.
On his return, after an absence of three years, Mr. Smith was elected mayor of De- catur in March. 1861, and occupied that position during the first year of the Rebel- lion, when its duties were particularly im- portant. Regiment after regiment of sol- diers were fed at the city's expense. Per- sonally he did everything in his power to as- sist the Union cause, assisted in recruiting soldiers, and for various objects in connec- tion with the war contributed liberally of his own means. In 1864 he supported Lin- coln for president, believing that his re- election would prove an effectual blow to the rebellion. After the war he could not give his approval to the congressional plan of
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reconstruction and afterward affiliated with the Democratic party. In 1847 he was elected a member of the Illinois constitu- tional convention, representing Piatt and Macon counties, and the following year he was the Whig candidate for state senator from the district embracing McLean, Taze- well, Logan, De Witt and Macon counties, being elected by a flattering majority after a spirited canvass. One of his first efforts in the senate was to secure the passage of a joint resolution requesting the Illinois sen- ators and representatives in congress to se- cure from the national government a dona- tion of land for the construction of the Illi- nois Central and the Wabash Railroads. Aid was subsequently granted the Illinois Cen- tral. To Mr. Smith belongs the credit of taking the first steps which led to the suc- cessful completion of this important project. While in the constitutional convention he was identified with another measure which proved of great benefit to the state. He was one of the authors of the special pro- vision adopted by a separate vote levying a tax of two mills to liquidate the state debt. From thirty the state bonds advanced to par. confidence in the state increased, and immigration soon afterward poured in to occupy the vacant lands. He was active in securing for Macon county several of its railroads, especially the Decatur & St. Louis (now the St. Louis branch of the Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific), of which he was one of the incorporators and original directors.
His first wife, whom he married on the 18th of May. 1843, was Miss Harriet Krone, a native of Carlisle, Pennsylvania. She was a woman of modest and retiring demeanor. a faithful wife, a devoted mother and pos- sessed of many excellent traits of character. She died on the 13th of January, 1867, and April 15, 1867, he wedded Mrs. Catharine
Hillman, of Peoria county, Illinois. He had eleven children, of whom ten are still living. namely : Rachel R . widow of Dr. Brown, of Chicago; James D., of Napa. California ; Edward O., whose sketch follows this ; Lydia A., wife of G. B. McKee, of San Jose, California: M. Ella, wife of Rev. S. S. Hebbard, of La Crosse, Wisconsin: Mrs. Harriet B. Moore, of Colorado Springs, Colorado; Laura, wife of Mr. Brown, of Elmwood, Illinois ; Lowell A., a resident of Milan township, Macon county ; Thomas C .. who died at his home in San Jose, Cali- fornia, in 1890; and Gertrude, wife of Elmer Hurff, of San Jose. The last named was a child by the second marriage.
In 1870 Mr. Smith returned to California, making his home on a ranch just outside the corporate limits of San Jose, the garden city of that state and the most beautiful of all rural towns. He was a member of the constitutional convention which framed the constitution of California. During his early residence in Macon county he had sufficient foresight to see that investment in real es- tate would prove profitable and so purchased town lots and unimproved land. It is safe to say that in his time he improved more land in Macon and adjoining counties than any other one man and also erected a large number of buildings in Decatur. Besides the structures already mentioned he built the old Smith Opera House and block on Water street and numerous residences. He was one of the most public-spirited citizens of Decatur and as a business man his char- acteristics were great energy, keen judgment and readiness to take advantage of every op- portunity. He was benevolent and charita- ble in disposition and no man was more will- ing to relieve the wants of the unfortunate or lend a helping hand to others. He died
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