USA > Illinois > Marshall County > Past and present of Marshall and Putnam Counties, Illinois > Part 60
USA > Illinois > Putnam County > Past and present of Marshall and Putnam Counties, Illinois > Part 60
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CHRISTIAN J. HARTMAN.
Christian J. Hartman, a substantial farmer of Putnam county, owning and operating a valua- ble and well improved farm of one hundred and sixty acres, which is located on section 21, Gran- ville township, which stands as a monument to his own thrift and energy, is one of the worthy citizens that Germany has furnished to this state, his birth having occurred in Hesse Nassau, April 12, 1850. He has a brother, William Hartman, who also resides in this county, mention of whom is made on another page of this work.
Mr. Hartman was reared and educated in his native land to the age of eighteen years, when, in 1868, hoping to better his financial condition in the new world, he crossed the Atlantic on a sailing vessel, and after landing in this country at once made his way to Granville, this county, where his brother William had previously located on his emigration to the United States, the date of the arrival of our subject being May 18, of that
Following his marriage Mr. Hartman removed to Iroquois county, this state, where he engaged in farming but not meeting with success there, again returned to Putnam county, where, in 1884, he purchased eighty acres of land known as the Gunn farm. The land was partially im- proved and a small house and barn stood on the place. He further developed and cultivated his land, carrying on general farming and stock- raising along the most progressive and practical lines and as his financial resources increased he was enabled to make further purchase of property by adding a tract of eighty acres to his original purchase, thus making altogether one hundred and sixty acres, which is today one of the best improved and most valuable farms of Putnam county. In 1905 Mr. Hartman replaced his first home by a large modern residence supplied with all conveniences and accessories, and he likewise erected a good barn, thus furnishing ample shel- ter for grain and stock. He keeps everything in an excellent state of repair and his place presents a neat and thrifty appearance.
Unto our subject and his wife have been born six children, all of whom are living, namely: Minnie, the wife of Henry Wendt, residing in Granville; William H., who is unmarried and re- sides on the farm of his uncle, William Hart- man, in Granville township; Annie, now the wife
MR. AND MRS. C. J. HARTMAN.
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of Phillip Hoffman, residing on the Harper farm in Granville township; Carrie, the wife of John Hoffman, also residing on the Harper farm; Charles, at home; and Maggie, who is acting as housekeeper for her brother William.
Mr. Hartman was reared in the faith of the Reformed Lutheran church. He gives stanch sup- port to the republican party, and cast his first presidential vote for James A. Garfield. He is a broad reader, thus keeping well informed on the questions and issues of the day, so that he is able to give an intelligent argument in support of the principles in which he so firmly believes. Al- though Mr. Hartman came to America a poor boy, ignorant of the language and customs of the new world, he has adapted himself to the changed conditions and has worked his way steadily up- ward from a humble financial position until at the present time his fine farm gives evidence of the success which he has gained through his well directed efforts and careful management. He takes just pride in what he has accomplished through the assistance of his estimable wife, and he is one of those kind-hearted German-American citizens, highly esteemed by all with whom he comes in contact.
JOHN FORCHT.
John Forcht, living on section 34, Granville township, has been a resident of Putnam county and this part of the state for almost six decades and therefore events which are to others matters of history are largely matters of experience to him, for he has witnessed many of the changes which have occurred and has participated in the onward march of progress as Putnam county has advanced from its primitive condition into a well developed region.
Born in Butler county, Ohio, on the 15th of February, 1842, he is a son of Frederick and Marie (Holly) Forcht. The father was born in Germany in 1810. The mother, also a native of that country, was a daughter of Daniel Holly, who emigrated from the fatherland and settled in Butler county, Ohio, in 1832, both he and his wife dying in that state. Frederick Forcht re- mained a resident of Germany until twenty years of age, when as a young man he came to the new world and settled in Ohio. There he was married and in 1847 came with his family to Putnam
county, Illinois, settling upon a farm of eighty acres of land in Granville township. It was nearly all covered with timber, but he cleared away the trees and brush and continued the ardu- ous task of developing the fields until his life's labors were ended in death. In the year in which they located upon the Granville township farm Mrs. Foreht died and in 1849 the father married Miss Lena Ackerman. Both parents of our sub- ject were members of the Mennonite church in Granville. There were four children of their marriage, of whom three brothers are yet living: Frederick, now a resident of Kansas; John, of this review; and William, who is living in Ar- kansas.
John Forcht was five years of age when brought to Putnam county by his parents. When he was eleven years of age his father died and the fam- ily was then broken up. The father was in lim- ited circumstances and was vigorously carrying on the work of clearing up the land and develop- ing a farm, but his tract was still in such a con- dition that the land as yet had little value and the children were thus left penniless. John Forcht went to live with an uncle, Michael Hirschy, in Granville township, where he re- mained until sixteen years of age, during which time he had liberal training at farm labor. On the expiration of that period he began farming by the month as a farm hand for others and was thus employed until 1862. In that year his patri- otic spirit was aroused in behalf of the Union cause and he offered his services to the govern- ment, enlisting in Company D, One Hundred and Fourth Illinois Volunteer Infantry. He was with the command at Hartsville, in the Tullahoma campaign, the Chickamauga campaign, and in various battles and skirmishes, including the en- gagements at Davis Crossroads, Lookout Moun- tain and Missionary Ridge. He was likewise in the Atlanta campaign, participating in the battle of Buzzard's Roost, Rocky Face, Resaca, Kenesaw Mountain and Peach Tree Creek. He was with Sherman on the march to the sea, to Savannah, and through the Carolinas to Washington D. C. While at the front he became stricken with what is known as night blindness and was not able to see after sundown. He was then detailed to act as nurse in the hospital, and there served until mustered out, after the close of the war, on the 6th of June, 1865. He had proven his valor
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on the field of battle and throughout the period of his service his loyalty was ever above question. Both of his brothers were also in the army, Fred being a member of the Sixty-fourth Illinois In- fantry and William, a member of the Forty-sec- ond Missouri Regiment.
When the war was over Mr. Forcht returned to La Salle county and for a number of years oper- ated a threshing machine and corn-shelling out- fit. Going to Livingston county, he bought a tract of land, upon which he resided for two years, and in 1874 he returned to Putnam county, where he purchased a farm of forty-seven and a half acres, upon which he now resides. Here he owns one hundred and six acres of land. The soil is rich in those qualities that produce good crops of grain and is kept in excellent condition through crop rotation. Mr. Forcht now no longer does any of the work of the fields but is. taking life easy, having a man and his wife employed upon the farm in order to raise the crops and care for the house.
In his political views he is an earnest repub- lican and has served as highway commissioner. He is now school director and practically does all of the work pertaining to the district. His fra- ternal relations are with the Grand Army post at Hennepin. He is as true and loyal to his coun- try in days of peace as when he followed the old flag on southern battle-fields and in all the walks of life in which he has been found he has made a creditable record, while his business interests have been crowned with a gratifying measure of success.
WILLIAM HENRY SIMONTON.
With the industrial interests of Magnolia Wil- liam Henry Simonton has long been prominently identified, having for several years successfully engaged in blacksmithing at that place. A native of Illinois, he was born in Livingston county on the 24th of September, 1854, and is a son of Wil- liam K. and Jane (Bazore) Simonton, the for- mer a native of Ohio and the latter of Indiana. On leaving the Buckeye state the father removed with his parents to Indiana, where he grew to manhood and was married. There he followed the cooper's trade until his removal to Reading, Livingston county, Illinois, where he purchased land of the Illinois Central Railroad Company
and turned his attention to farming. In 1859 he removed to Marshall county and settled on the Kester place not far from Magnolia, but the fol- lowing year removed to the village, where he con- tinued to make his home until called to his final rest in 1892. In 1864, during the dark days of the Civil war, he was drafted and served for lit- tle over a year as a private of Company D, Eighth Illinois Volunteer Infantry under Captain J. B. Jones and Colonel J. A. Sheets. He was mus- tered into the United States service October 4, 1864, and honorably discharged October 3, 1865. The regiment was assigned to the Third Brigade, Logan's Division, Seventeenth Corps, Army of the Tennessee, and participated in the following engagements : Charleston, Missouri, Fort Don- elson, Shiloh, the siege of Corinth, Port Gibson, Raymond, Champion Hills, Milliken's Bend, siege of Vicksburg, Jackson, Brownsville, Meridian, and siege of Mobile, including Spanish Fort and Fort Blakeley, this regiment being the first to plant its colors on the earthworks. Later it was in Texas on guard duty. May future generations never forget the debt of gratitude they owe to the brave boys in blue who on land and on sea volun- teered their services during the dark days of the Rebellion from 1861 to 1865, and may our motto always be "Liberty and Union, Now and For- ever, One and Inseparable."
The mother of our subject died in 1902. Wil- liam H. is the oldest of their three children, the others being Sylvia, now the wife of William Gar- ver, living at Dubuque, Iowa, and Abraham, whose home is in Michigan City, Indiana.
William H. Simonton spent his early life in Magnolia and at the age of twelve years started out to make his own way in the world, being em- ployed by the month on a farm until August 13, 1876, when he entered the service of Frank Olm- sted, a blacksmith of La Salle, Illinois, with whom he learned the trade of blacksmithing and carriage-repairing. Returning to Magnolia in 1880, he worked at his trade with his father and in connection with blacksmithing also engaged in fence building. On the 12th of October of that year, however, he purchased the shop which he now carries on and has since engaged in black- smithing, horseshoeing and carriage-repairing on his own account. He has a gasoline engine which furnishes power for grinding plows and disc har- rows. He also has what is called a Schau cold
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tire setter, which enables him to set tires without removing them or taking off the wheel, being able to set the tires on the four wheels of a buggy in forty minutes, and his record for single tire is seven minutes. He is an expert workman and has built up an excellent trade.
On the 12th of October, 1881, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Simonton and Miss Laura Johnson, a native of Putnam county, and they have become the parents of four children, namely : Willetta, the wife of Dawson Judd, who is living on a farm in Marshall county; and Burl, Carl and Goldie, all at home.
The republican party finds in Mr. Simonton a stanch supporter of its principles and he takes a very active and prominent part in local politics, having served on the village board continuously with the exception of one year since 1886. He is also serving his second term as a member of the school board and does all in his power to pro- mote the moral, intellectual or material welfare of his town and county. Socially he is a charter member of the Modern Woodmen of America at Magnolia and also belongs to the Mystic Workers, while his wife is a member of the Royal Neigh- bors. They stand high in public regard and have a host of friends throughout the community. From 1892 until 1894 Mr. Simonton served as administrator of his father's estate. He is a skilled workman and as a blacksmith has met with most excellent success, having accumulated some property, including a nice home in the south part of the village and also two other residences there.
ROBERT McSMITH.
At the time of the Civil war Robert McLanahan Smith, upon his enlistment for service in the Union army, was given the name and recorded as Robert McSmith, to distinguish him from the numerous Smiths who were in the army, and thus the subject of this review came into possession of the name by which he has since been known. His life record began in Brown county, Ohio, June 2, 1824, and he is a representative of an old South- ern family. His father, Affney Smith, was born in Virginia and, removing to Ohio, there engaged in the operation of a mill given him by his father. While in that state he was married to Miss Susan McLanahan, who was born in Ohio and there
lived until 1834, when she accompanied her hus- band and her family upon the removal from the Buckeye state to Putnam county, Illinois. This was prior to the era of railroad travel, and the party proceeded down the Ohio river upon a keelboat drawn by mules and up the Mississippi and Illinois rivers to Hennepin. Having arrived in Putnam county, Affney Smith purchased eighty acres of government land near the village of Gran- ville. Not a furrow had been turned or an im- provement made upon the place, but with reso- lute spirit he undertook the task of evolving a farm from the tract of wild prairie. There he carried on general agricultural pursuits until his death, which occurred when he was sixty-seven years of age. He was one of the early pioneers of the county and was closely associated with the task of improvement and development in pioneer times. He helped to build the first acad- emy in Granville and also assisted in the erection of the old Union church. In the early days he would make trips to Chicago with wheat and bring back a small amount of salt and leather. The only cook stove which he and his wife ever owned was purchased by him in Chicago. The metropolis, whose growth has been one of the miracles of the age, was then but a small town, but it was the nearest market, and to be reached necessitated a journey over roads which were often almost impassable, for the soil of Illinois, although most rich and fertile for farming pur- poses, does not make good highways in the spring time when left in its natural condition. Mr. Smith became deeply interested in the agitation consequent upon the slavery conditions of the south and was a strong abolitionist. In his fam- ily were ten children, eight sons and two daugh- ters : Isabelle, who is now a widow, was formerly a resident of La Salle county and at this writing lives in Kansas. Levi, who served for four and a half years in the Civil war with the Fourth Iowa Cavalry, died about four years ago at Atlanta, Georgia. Jane is the deceased wife of Joseph Mc- Clellan, a resident of Kansas. Robert, is the next of the family. Hugh M. is living in Buchanan, Michigan. Samuel D., who served with the Kansas state militia in the Civil war, is living in Atchison, Kansas. Rufus D., who was a member of the Twentieth Illinois Infantry dur- ing the hostilities between the north and the south, is now a resident of Colorado. Henry T.,
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who served in the Twentieth Illinois Regiment, is in San Francisco, California. William left home at the age of sixteen years and was not heard from for a long period, but is now in Mex- ico. George C., who completes the family, is liv- ing in Wisconsin.
Until eighteen years of age Robert McSmith.re- mained upon the home farm with his parents, working in field and meadow as his age and strength increased. He then learned the black- smith's trade, after which he engaged in business on his own account at La Moille, but when the Civil war broke out he offered his services to the government, enlisting as a member of Company K, Eleventh Illinois Infantry, under Colonel William Wallace, with whom he served for three months. He then returned home, disposed of his business and afterwards re-enlisted at Men- dota in 1862 as a member of Company C, One Hundred and Fourth Illinois Infantry. With that command he remained until July, 1865. He was detailed for provost duty and had a varied expe- rience. Although he was never in any battle, he suffered a wound and numerous hardships inci- dent to a life on the tented field.
After his return from the war Mr. McSmith started on a trip to Ohio to visit his mother's people. At New Albany, Indiana, he met an officer of the state penitentiary, whom he had known in the army, and who gave him a position as guard at that state institution. He remained there from September, 1865, until March, 1867, receiving a salary of eighty dollars per month. He afterward engaged in blacksmithing at Mount Palatine for five years, on the expiration of which period he purchased a small farm in Iroquois county, Illinois, whereon he resided for three years. On the expiration of that period he came to Granville township, Putnam county, and for seventeen years engaged in blacksmithing, after which he retired to the little farm upon which he now resides.
At Mount Palatine, Illinois, Mr. McSmith was married to Miss Isalva H. Ring, who was born in Mississippi, September 3, 1848, and is a daugh- ter of Alfred G. Ring, who, removing to La Salle county, Illinois, settled near Mount Palatine, when his daughter was but sixteen years of age. Unto Mr. and Mrs. McSmith have been born two children : Charles G., born at Mount Palatine, March 6, 1869, wedded Myra Pletch, a native of
Putnam county, and they have three children, Kenneth Paul, Marvin Robert and Veda Elmina. The father of these children owns one hundred and ten acres of rich and productive land in Gran- ville township which adjoins his father's place. Mame Belle, the only daughter, died at the age of nineteen years.
Mr. McSmith has always been a stalwart repub- lican since casting his first presidential ballot for John C. Fremont. He has, however, never as- pired to office, preferring to devote his time and energies to his business interests, though for five years he served as school director. He now owns and occupies a good tract of land of thirty acres about three-quarters of a mile north of Gran- ville, where he has erected a neat cottage near that of his son's. He belongs to the Grand Army post at Hennepin anti takes great delight in meet- ing with his old army comrades. He has always been a great reader, has been a deep thinker and has kept well informed on the questions of the day, both current and political. He came to this country in pioneer times, and the story of his experiences here in early days would present a very complete picture of conditions that at that time cxisted. He has noted with interest the progress that has been wrought and has withheld his co-operation from no movement calculated to benefit the community. He has now passed the seventy-second milestone on life's journey and his has been an honorable career, characterized by many good qualities that have won for him the friendly regard of those with whom he has been associated.
NORTON THOMPSON.
Norton Thompson, a retired farmer residing in Lacon, was for some years connected with the agricultural interests of Marshall county and his business discernment, enterprise and capable man- agement were the factors in a success which now enables him to rest without further recourse to the active labor of the fields. He was born on the 3d of February, 1836, and his parents were Asa and Nancy Thompson. The father, who was born in Ohio, devoted his entire life to farming and died in the year 1885.
Norton Thompson, the only son, was reared un- der the parental roof and acquired in his youth a good English education in the public schools. Throughout his entire business career he followed
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the occupation to which he was reared, having one ruary, 1831, he came to America in 1856, when hundred and sixty acres of land, which he brought under a high state of cultivation. He carried on his farming interests in accordance with the most modern and progressive methods, utilized the lat- est improved machinery in the care of the fields and in course of time was enabled through his diligence and enterprise to win a place among the substantial residents of the county, having a capital sufficient to now supply him with all of the comforts and some of the luxuries of life as he spends the evening of his days in a pleasant home in Lacon.
Mr. Thompson married Miss Elizabeth Hos- kins and unto them were born two sons: Graham La Rose and Otis, both of whom are following farming. Mr. and Mrs. Thompson traveled life's journey happily together for many years, sharing with each other in the joys and sorrows, the ad- versity and prosperity which checker the lives of all, but about four years ago they were sep- arated through the death of Mrs. Thompson, a most estimable lady who enjoyed in large meas- ure the esteem and kindly regard of all with whom she was brought in contact. She was a devoted member of the Methodist Episcopal church and shaped her life by its teachings.
Mr. Thompson was for five years a member of an Illinois regiment of infantry during the Civil war. His political views are in accord with the principles of the republican party and he has always kept well informed on questions and issues of the day, so that he has been enabled to sup- port his political position by intelligent argu- ment. He belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church, and his life has been honorable and up- right, characterized by the utmost fidelity to the teachings of the denomination. His probity in business, his fidelity in friendship and his loyalty in citizenship combine to make him one of the prominent and representative men of Lacon.
JOSEPH ETSCHEID.
Joseph Etscheid has departed this life, leaving behind a record of an honorable, industrious and upright career. All who knew him respected him for his fidelity to honorable, manly princi- ples, and he left to his family the priceless heri- tage of an untarnished name as well as a goodly estate. Born in Germany on the 27th of Feb-
about twenty-five years of age, and made his way at once to Peru, Illinois, and later to Henne- pin, where he began earning his own living as a laborer. He carried brick and mortar for masons and thus earned his first wages in the new world. After a few months he came to Hennepin, where he was employed at different times in distilleries, on boats and at the mason's trade. He assisted in the building of the corner brick store and the brick schoolhouse, both of which are still stand- ing. After a few years residence in Hennepin, however, he and his wife hired out to work on what was then called the Fillinger farm, Mr. Etscheid being employed in the fields, while his wife did the housework. They there remained for two or three years, at the end of which time his employer assisted Mr. Etscheid in obtaining a team and tools, after which he rented a farm near Hennepin, where he lived for seven years. Dur- ing that time he suffered greatly through fire, los- ing all of his household goods, but, undiscour- aged by this disaster, he resolutely set to work to retrieve his lost possessions. In 1866 he pur- chased a farm of one hundred and eighty acres, upen which he afterward made his home. At that time there was upon the place a log stable and a small frame dwelling. A little clearing had been made, but the work of cultivation and improvement had scarcely been begun. He cleared up much of the land, built thereon a large frame house and good barns and outbuildings and continued the work of improvement and development as the years went by until his was one of the valu- able and desirable farm properties of the local- itv. All this represented a life of untiring in- dustry and perseverance-qualities which were salient features in the record of Mr. Etscheid.
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