USA > Illinois > Marshall County > Past and present of Marshall and Putnam Counties, Illinois > Part 49
USA > Illinois > Putnam County > Past and present of Marshall and Putnam Counties, Illinois > Part 49
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It was while living upon his father's farm that Mr. Turnbull was married to Miss Mary Smith, whom he wedded February 26, 1858. They became the parents of six children : Minnie is now the wife of R. W. Hall, of Chicago. John, who is represented on another page of this volume, is living on his farm adjoining his father's. Wil- liam, who was born September 4, 1862, and died July 12, 1866; Robert, who was born July 18, 1864, and has carried on farming on the old home place, where he lives with his wife, who bore the maiden name of Mary E. Scott and to whom he was married in 1896. She is a daughter of William Scott, a well known resident of the county. Robert Turnbull, Jr., is a breeder of full blooded Hereford cattle. Beatrice died Feb- ruary 10, 1905. William is in the live stock com- mission business in Chicago. Mrs. Turnbull passed away September 1, 1877, and was laid to rest in the United Presbyterian cemetery in La Prairie township. She was devoted to the welfare
and happiness of her family and counted no per- sonal sacrifice on her part too great if it would promote the interests of her husband and chil- dren.
Mr. Turnbull has always been an industrious, energetic man and in his farming and stock-rais- ing operations he has become well known. He has made very judicious purchases, buying land which has increased in value, owing to the rapid settlement of the county as well as to the improvements which have been placed upon it. His home farm is splendidly improved with all modern accessories and conveniences and every- thing about the farm is indicative of the careful supervision and enterprising spirit of the owner. For many years he has engaged in raising and breeding thoroughbred Hereford cattle and has owned some very fine animals. He has also fed large numbers of cattle. Whatever he has under- taken he has carried forward to successful com- pletion, manifesting a keen business discernment that has enabled him to readily determine the outcome of any business proposition. He is now to a large extent leaving the active work of the farm to others, for he has passed the seventy- eighth milestone on life's journey and well merits rest from further toil.
In politics Mr. Turnbull is a republican, having supported the party since becoming a naturalized citizen. He has frequently attended its conven- tions and has held a number of local offices, to which he has been called by the vote of his fellow townsmen, who recognize his worth and ability. He was reared in the faith of the Presbyterian church but is now a member of the Congregational church and has been an active worker in its behalf. He is also an advocate of the cause of temperance and in fact is a champion of all those interests which tend to uplift humanity and bene- fit the race. His name is honored by all because of his upright life and his good qualities far over- balance the mistakes which all men make, gain- ing for him the respect and good will of all with whom he has come in contact during the years of his residence in this county.
RANSOM E. GREGORY.
Ransom E. Gregory is a retired farmer residing in Henry, but for many years he was closely, actively and honorably associated with agricul- tural interests, thus making for himself a cred-
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itable place in business circles in Marshall county. Moreover, he is entitled to representation in this volume as one of the honored veterans of the Civil war, who loyally defended the Union cause through the darkest hour in our country's his- tory. He was born in Auglaize county, Ohio, August 16, 1839. His father, Harrison Gregory, was a native of Ashtabula county, Ohio, born May 25, 1813. He was both a farmer and merchant. About 1837 he removed with his family to Au- glaize county, Ohio, where he remained for six years and thence drove across the country to Illi- nois, settling upon a farm in Kickapoo township, Peoria county, in 1843. This place was about twelve miles west of the city of Peoria. As he had little capital at the time of his arrival he had to incur indebtedness in order to make the pur- chase, but he soon discharged his financial obli- gation and devoted ten years to the improvement and cultivation of the farm, after which he re- moved to Henry, where he spent the succeeding three years. He next took up his abode in White- field township, seven miles west of Henry, where he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land, this farm being his home throughout his remain- ing days. In his earlier manhood he had also engaged in teaching school through the winter months for many years, and thus added to his in- come. Becoming ill in 1882 he went to California for the benefit of his health, but died in Los Angeles, four weeks after his arrival, on the 2d of October, 1882, at the age of sixty-nine years. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Mary Sivers, was a native of Maryland, born October 29, 1812, and her death occurred July 28, 1876. In the family were ten children, of whom four are now living: Ransom E., of this review ; Fan- nie, who was born August 3, 1841, and is now the wife of Cyrus Hutchins, of Los Angeles, Cali- fornia; Laura, who was born February 25, 1854, and is the wife of Charles Jenkins, of Prospect Park, California ; and Harry, who was born Febru- ary 9, 1857, and is proprietor of a department store at Vincennes, Indiana. One brother, Mark G., who for many years was identified with agri- cultural interests in this county, has now passed away.
Ransom E. Gregory acquired his early education in the schools of Kickapoo and in the district schools near Henry. He enlisted in the Union army on the 16th of August, 1861-his twenty-
second birthday-as a member of Company D, Forty-seventh Illinois Volunteer Infantry, under Captain John C. Townsend and Colonel John Bryner. He joined the army for three years and was mustered out on the 16th of August, 1864, while on duty as chief clerk to Colonel A. J. Meyer, chief signal officer of the United States Army and chief of staff to General E. R. S. Canby, then stationed at New Orleans, Louisiana. Mr. Gregory participated in the siege of Vicksburg and was afterward transferred to the signal corps, act- ing as orderly sergeant of the company and rank- ing as first sergeant in the signal corps. There were multitudinous delicate and hazardous duties to be performed in that connection, and Mr. Greg- ory was always found faithfully at his post. He was detailed at General Sherman's headquarters and was on duty all night previous to the battle of Mission Ridge, receiving and sending messages for "Uncle Billy." He was in the battle of Cor- inth on the 3d and 4th of October, 1862; in the battle of Iuka, Mississippi, in September, 1862; and also in the engagement of Jackson prior to the siege of Vicksburg, besides many other minor engagements. He thus saw considerable arduous field service.
Following his return home Mr. Gregory was married on the 1st of January, 1866, to Miss Ellen Maria White; of Whitefield township, Mar- shall county, a daughter of John B. White, in whose honor the township was named, being elect- ed its first supervisor. He was one of the prom- inent pioneer residents of the county and aided largely in its upbuilding and development at an early day. His birth occurred in Vermont and his last years were spent in Henry, where he was engaged in the lumber business at the time of his demise. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Gregory have been born three children, of whom two are living: Carrie B., now the wife of F. G. Smith, of Chi- cago, by whom she has one child, Fay Gregory Smith; and Elmer B., who is living in Los An- geles, California. The deceased child was Marion Bradshaw, who passed away at the age of nine years.
Mr. Gregory was at one time identified with farming interests in Marshall county, and in the fall of 1866, at the age of twenty-six years, he was elected sheriff of the county and removed to the county seat, filling the office for one term. His election occurred the same year of his mar-
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riage, and the young couple did their first house- keeping in the old jail. In 1884 Mr. Gregory re- moved from Illinois to Pierre, South Dakota, where he was engaged in the real-estate business, handling considerable property there. He was also very prominent and influential in public af- fairs, spending fourteen years in the state, during which time he did effective service in behalf of general progress and improvement. He served as a member of the board of education, and the cause of the schools found in him a stalwart champion and supporter. He was also deputy county treas- urer, city assessor and chief of the fire department of Pierre. He likewise acted as postmaster under President Harrison there, and over the record of his public career there falls no shadow of wrong or suspicion of evil, his duties being discharged with the utmost fidelity and promptness. In 1887 Mr. Gregory removed to Chicago, where he lived three years, being employed as collector for the firm of Rittenhouse & Embree Company, one of the largest lumber firms in the city.
In 1900 Mr. Gregory returned to Marshall coun- ty and is now living retired in Henry, enjoying in well earned ease the fruits of his former toil. He holds membersip with the Grand Army post at Pierre and in politics he is a republican where national issues are involved but casts an inde- pendent local ballot. All who know him respect him for his genuine worth and many good traits of character, for in all life's relations, whether in business, in public office or upon the field of battle, he has made a creditable and commendable record.
FRANK LEO KLINE.
Frank Leo Kline is now practically living re- tired upon a farm in Saratoga township, where he has made his home since 1889. He was in former years actively associated with the work of tilling the soil and raising crops, and the measure of his success is proof of his life of activity and diligence. One of Marshall county's native sons, he was born in Whitefield township, October 10, 1864, his parents being Peter Paul and Mary Ann (Bryer) Kline, both of whom were natives of Germany. The father's birth occurred in Prussia, and on coming to the United States he settled first in Chicago, where he worked at his trade of blacksmithing. He also owned many houses and lots in that city in earlier years and he is now living retired in Henry, for his labor at a
previous date brought to him a handsome com- petence that now enables him to rest from further labor and yet enjoy the comforts and some of the luxuries of life. He has reached the age of eighty- two years, while his wife is now seventy-five years of age. In their family were ten children, of whom seven are living: John B., a resident farmer of Whitefield township, who is cultivating one hundred and sixty acres of land; Mrs. Fran- ces Kneip, of Henry, Illinois; Maggie, who is with her parents in Henry; Mrs. Katherine Hofer, whose husband is a farmer of Whitefield town- ship; Frank L., of this review; Joseph, who is living in Pekin, Illinois; Mary Matilda, a trained nurse in a Chicago hospital.
Frank Leo Kline, educated in the district schools near his father's farm and in the public schools of Henry, devoted the periods of vacation to the work of the fields and early became fa- miliar with agricultural life in every detail. He continued with his father until twenty-three years of age. Desiring that his labors should more di- rectly benefit himself, he began farming on his own account on the Betz farm in Whitefield town- ship, Marshall county, where he remained for a year. He then removed to his present farm, which he purchased in 1889. It is a valuable and pro- ductive tract of land of one hundred and sixty acres on section 27, Saratoga township, and Mr. Kline gave his personal attention to its super- vision and cultivation for a number of years, but on account of ill health during the past three years has rented his land. In the fall of 1906 he expects to remove to Henry, and will there live retired, for his property and other interests are sufficient to provide him with a good annual in- come.
Mr. Kline was married in 1889 to Miss Emily R. Darby, of Saratoga township, who died in 1892, while their only child died in infancy. In 1894 Mr. Kline was again married, his second. union being with Bertha Irene Baker, of La Prai- rie township, a daughter of William and Louisa (Scruggs) Baker, the former a farmer of Henry. They now have two interesting children : Lou F., born March 16, 1898; and Ora May, born Au- gust 4, 1900.
Mr. Kline is a republican and is a communicant of the Catholic church. He has ever been a broad reader and is thoroughly posted on matters of general interest. He represents a prominent and
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honored pioneer family and is one of the worthy native sons, whose life record reflects credit upon the county of his birth, for he is classed with those who uphold the legal and political status of the community and stand for intellectual and moral progress.
NEWTON J. MATHIS.
The farming interests of Putnam county have a worthy representative in Newton J. Mathis, who is successfully carrying on operations in his chosen field of labor on section 30, Magnolia township. His early home was in Ohio, for he was born in Champaign county, that state, on the 22d of November, 1837, and is a son of Caleb and Mar- garet (Horne) Mathis, both of whom were natives of New Jersey, the former born March 3, 1793, and the latter July 15, 1795. The parents were reared and married in their native state and fromi there removed to Champaign county, Ohio, soon afterward. In 1843 they came to Champaign county, Illinois, and one year later took up their residence in Putnam county, settling on a farm of one hundred and sixty acres, which at that time was but slightly improved. It was partially cov- ered with timber, while the rest was prairie land. Upon his place the father erected a good brick residence, which is still standing, and made many other useful and valued improvements which added to the attractive appearance of the place. On the old homestead he died in 1875 and his wife passed away at the age of seventy-nine years. She was an earnest and consistent member of the Methodist church, while he was connected with the Society of Friends. His political support was given to the republican party, but he took no active part in public affairs. In his family were twelve children, but only our subject and his sister, Mrs. Elizabeth Jane Hoyt, of Lacon, Illinois, are now living.
Being the youngest son in his father's family, Newton J. Mathis remained under the parental roof during his boyhood and youth and acquired a good practical education in the common schools of the neighborhood. After reaching man's estate he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of the old homestead, upon which he still resides. All of the buildings and improvements found thereon are first class and have been put there by our subject. As time has passed he has added to his property and is now the owner of an excellent
farm of two hundred acres where he resides, and also has eighty acres one mile north, one hundred and sixty acres near Magnolia, and one hundred and sixty acres in South Dakota. For twenty years he has devoted considerable attention to the feeding of cattle, but not on a very extensive scale. In all his undertakings he has met with marked success and is accounted one of the most enterprising and progressive farmers of his com- munity.
It was on the 23d of September, 1858, that Mr. Mathis was united in marriage to Miss Mary Jane Seybold, a native of Knox county, Illinois, and five children bless their union, namely: Wil- liam Leslie, who married Ora Norris and died November 23, 1906; George E., who died at the age of two years; Edward A., who wedded Mary Hiltebrand and resides in Magnolia; James N., who died at the age of twelve years; and Vernon, who is still at home with his parents. He is a graduate of the Magnolia schools and now aids his father in the operation of the home farm.
Mr. Mathis and his wife hold membership in the Methodist Episcopal church and stand high in public regard. He votes with the republican party, and for the long period of thirty years has effi- ciently served as school director, but has never sought or desired to hold other office. His wife is well known as a splendid cook and excellent housekeeper, and the many friends of the family are always sure to find a hearty welcome at their hospitable door.
WILLIAM LEMUEL BALL.
Throughout life this gentleman was identified with the agricultural interests of Marshall county and won a place among the prosperous and well- to-do farmers of the community in which he made his home. He was born in Lacon on the 19th of November, 1848, and was a son of Jonas L. and Elizabeth C. (Fetter) Ball. For many years the father was engaged in general merchandising in Lacon, but when our subject was twelve years of age removed to a farm in Belle Plain township, on which he engaged in agricultural pursuits throughout the greater part of his life. He died on the 7th of April, 1888, honored and respected by all who knew him.
During his boyhood and youth William L. Ball pursued his studies in the public schools of Mar- shall county, being a student in the schools of
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Wenona for a time, but he completed his education at Eureka College, which he attended for several years. On starting out upon his business career he engaged in clerking in a drug store in Lacon and afterward read medicine, but at the end of a year decided to abandon that profession and turned his attention to agricultural pursuits. After his marriage he located on a farm of two hundred acres given him by his father, which at that time was improved, but to its cultivation and further development he turned his attention, finally transforming it into one of the finest farms of Bennington township.
Mr. Ball was married February 22, 1871, to Miss Ruth A. Stratton, a native of Vanderburg county, Indiana, born August 10, 1848, and a daughter of James and Marcia (Chalcraft) Strat- ton. Four children blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Ball, who in order of birth were as follows: Gertrude, born on the home farm January 3, 1872, was married on the 21st of November, 1894, to Roscoe Bayne, D. D., at Henry. Cora E., born September 13, 1873, is now the wife of H. H. Beckwith, who is operating the old home farm, and they have one child, Harold, born September 26, 1903. Frank D., born November 5, 1875, now conducting a livery stable in Toluca, married Miss Nellie Mathis, daughter of the postmaster at that place, and they have three children, Ruth Irene, James William and Floyd Raymond. Wil liam J., born August 24, 1881, died on the 20th of April, 1902. The children were given good educational privileges, Cora having attended the normal college and also Eureka College, while Frank was for two years a student in Eureka Coi- lege and afterward pursued his studies for one year at Galesburg.
Mr. Ball was recognized as one of the most en- terprising and progressive men of his community, and was called upon to take an active part in public affairs. At the time of his death, which occurred on his farm in Bennington township, August 12, 1884, he was filling the position of vice president of the Wenona Union Fair Asso- ciation and had for several years been actively identified with its prosperity. At an early age he united with the Christian church, to which his wife and family also belong, and throughout life gave a liberal support to all·measures which he believed would prove of public benefit or would advance the moral and material welfare of his
native county. By his ballot he always supported the men and measures of the democratic party, and was honored with several local offices, serving many years as supervisor of Bennington township, and was chairman of the board for four years, ' being one of the leading members of the board at the time of his death. He was several times spoken of as a candidate for the legislature, and had he lived would undoubtedly have been nom- inated and elected. After a useful and well spent life of forty years he passed away, honored and respected by all who knew him, and in his death the community realized that it had lost a valued citizen.
CLEMENT W. RANSOM.
Clement W. Ransom is a young man of good business ability, who is now successfully conduct- ing general agricultural pursuits upon a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Henry township. His birth occurred on Christmas day of 1876 in Magnolia township, Putnam county, Illinois, and he is a son of Benjamin F. and Augusta (Shields) Ransom. Both are representatives of old families of the state, having been born in Putnam county, the father on the 29th of January, 1857, and the mother on the 27th of February, 1857, and there they still reside. The father devotes his time and energies to general farming and the live-stock business. Fraternally he is a member of Marshall lodge, No. 63, I. O. O. F. In his family were ten children, and with one exception all are yet living. The record is as follows: Clement W. is the oldest. James C., born December 30, 1878, follows farming on the Peter Schmitt farm in Henry township, Marshall county, and is also a member of Marshall lodge, No. 63, I. O. O. F. He wedded Miss Myrtle Smith, by whom he has one son, Eugene. Roy F., born December 13, 1880, is carrying on agricultural pursuits upon the farm generally known as the Dry Hollow farm, in Putnam county. He married Miss Min- nie Smith and they have one child, Lawrence. Edna B., born February 12, 1883, is the wife of Chauncey Peters, of Whitefield township, by whom she has two children, Benjamin and Nellie. Mabel S., born March 3, 1885, Bertha M., born February 22, 1889, and Irl B., born May 1, 1892, are all at home. Myrtle is deceased. Henry W., born May 15, 1896, and Guy C., born September 7, 1901, are also at home with their parents.
Clement W. Ransom acquired his education in
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the district schools of La Salle county and was reared to the work of the farm, assisting his father through the period of his boyhood and youth. He has desired no other occupation and is now giving his time and energies to the operation of a farm of one hundred and sixty acres belonging to Mrs. James Giltner. The entire place is under cultiva- tion and responds readily to the care and labor he bestows upon the fields, so that he is now conducting a prosperous business, meeting with a measure of success that many an older man might well envy.
In 1899 Mr. Ransom was united in marriage to Miss Grace McBride, a daughter of Michael McBride, of Henry. This union was blessed with three children: Marjorie, who died in infancy ; Mildred, three and a half years of age; and Clara, deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Ransom hold membership , in the Methodist Episcopal church, and in the community where they reside they have a large circle of warm friends. Mr. Ransom belongs to Marshall lodge, No. 63, I. O. O. F., and he gives his political support to the democracy, having ad- vocated its cause since age conferred upon him the right of franchise.
JASPER CECIL.
Jasper Cecil, the present efficient sheriff of Put- nam county, and a representative of the industrial interests of Hennepin, where for many years he has engaged in blacksmithing, was born here on the 22d of October, 1843. His father, Isaac Cecil. was a native of Pennsylvania, born April 16, 1807, and in 1835 he came to Hennepin, where he estab- lished a shop and engaged in blacksmithing. He was an expert workman at any kind of iron work and for years was the leading blacksmith of this . part of the county. He was also a crack shot with the rifle and could hit a turkey in the head at each shot, though he often missed one intention- ally in order to prevent him from. being barred from the shooting contests. He was a very tem- perate man in all his habits, never using liquor nor tobacco in any form nor using profane lan- guage. Well developed both physically and men- tally, there was not an ounce of superfluous flesh on him, though he weighed two hundred and ten pounds. His great strength made him always captain of a gang at log rollings in the early days and it is said that he could shoulder a log twelve feet long and a foot thick. In his later years, how-
ever, the effects of the hard work which he did in earlier life were evident. He resided almost con- tinuously in Hennepin from the time of his ar. rival in Illinois until his death, save for the period between the years 1849 and 1862, which he spent in Peru, Illinois, where he was engaged in black- smithing. In the latter year he returned to Henne- pin, where he continued to reside until called to his final rest on the 15th of July, 1871. His political allegiance was given to the democracy. but he never aspired to nor held office.
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