USA > Illinois > Menard County > Past and present of Menard County, Illinois > Part 32
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Both Mr. and Mrs. Behrens are consistent and Joval members of the German Lutheran church, contributing generously to its support. In his political views he is a stanch Republi- can, keeping well informed on the questions and issues of the day and thus being able to support hi- position by intelligent argument. For the past twelve years he has been a school director and he is now road commissioner. a position which he has held at different times until his incumbency covers nine and a half years. In the discharge of his duties he has ever been prompt and faithful and all who know him recognize in him a man who is re- liable and trustworthy in business. loval in citizenship and devoted to his family and friends.
J. W. WERNSING.
1. W. Wernsing. one of the prominent pu- neer merchants of Menard county, whose enter- pricing spirit and business foresight largely advanced commercial conditions in Petersburg. was a native of Hanover, Germany. He He- quired his education there and remained in the fatherland until Ises, when he determined to come to America. Reports from the new world presented a story of business conditions and possibilities that attracted him, and thinking that he might win more rapid advancement in a country with livehier competition where results were more quickly secured, he came 10 to the United States and located in Springfield. Illinois, where he entered the employ of John Taylor, who then had charge of the land office.
JOHN W KERNSING
...
MRS VLFISHER
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PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY
Later he formed a partnership with James Tay- lor. a son of his employer. for the establishment of a dry-goods store at Petersburg, and they opened their stock of goods in a wooden build- ing in what was known as the old town, this being one of the pioneer mercantile enterprises of the place. Prosperity attended the efforts of the new firm. the business keeping pare with the growth of the town and the settlement of the surrounding district, and later they erected a brick store builling now occupied by the First National Bank and the store adjoining it on the north side. For a number of years Mr. Wernsing was actively connected with the con- duct of this business.
In public affairs Mr. Wernsing was also prom- inent and his efforts contributed to the general upbuilding and improvement of his city and county. He had been a resident of Illinois for only a few years when he enlisted for service in the Black Hawk war, going to the scene of hostilities under command of Colonel Merri- man and serving until the Indian uprising was quelled. He was at one time circuit clerk for a term, and his influence was always given on the side of improvement and progress, and proved a potent element in the substantial up- building of Petersburg.
On the Sth of May, Ist5. Mr. Wernsing was united in marriage to Miss Minerva L. Smith, and his death occurred May 10, 1858, but he is vet remembered by many of the pioneer set- tleers of Menard county as a man and citizen of sterling worth. His wife, now Mrs. Fisher. is one of the oldest living settlers of Menard county, having located here with her parents in 1830, when a young girl of eight years. They came from, Indiana, but her father and mother were originally from Kentucky. After losing her first husband Mrs. Werning was again married, becoming the wife of Dedrich Fisher. in 1861. Their married life covered about a third of a century. Mr. Fisher passing away on the 12th of April. 1891. Mrs. Fisher is now in her eighty-fourth year. She has prop- erty in Menard county and also in San Diego county. California. and for the past thirteen years has made her home in the latter place. but during that time has made twenty-two trips to Menard county, and at this writing is now
visiting relatives here. The memory of few. if any. of the residents of this locality dates back to a more remote period in the history of Menard county, and she has intimate knowl- edge of the events which have molded its pol- icy, promoted its growth and shaped its annals. She occupies a foremost place in the regard and warm esteem of a very large circle of friends in Menard county.
H. M. LEVERING.
H. M. Levering, master in chancery of Me- nard county. was born in Petersburg. December 13. 1866. and through much of his active busi- ness career has been connected with the pub- lie service-a fact which indicates his reliability and efficiency. His father, Cave Levering. was a native of Baltimore, Maryland, and was unit- el in marriage to Miss Catherine von Felden. a native of Germany. On his removal io Illi- mois he located in Springfield, where he re- mained for a few years, and thener came to Petersburg, where he turned his attention to merchandising. in which field of business activ- ity he continued until within a few years of his death, when he retired to enjoy the fruits of his former toil.
The eighth in order of birth in a family of nine children. H. M. Levering was educated in the public schools of Petersburg and then entered his brother's store as a salesman. being thus employed for eight years. On the expira- tion of that period. in 1889. he was elected county clerk and was twice re-elected. thus sery- ing for three con ventive terms. . On his retire- ment from that office he was appointed master in chancery. in which capacity he is now dis- charging his duties in a most capable and com- mendable manner. He regards a public office as a public trust and brings to the discharge of his duties the same enterprising spirit and keen discernment which he manifested who controlling private business interests.
In August. 1889. Mr. Levering was married to Mis- Celia Combs, a native of Menard coun- ty and a daughter of Amos Combs. She died January 25, 1895, and her death was deeply regretted by many friends to whom she had
PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY
I con unCared through her many good traits the cultivation and improvement of that place of heart and mind. She left two children. Laugh and Warren. In 196 Mr. Levering was ilgam married, his second union being with Miss Nelhe C. Hutcherson, a native of Menard county and a daughter of William T. Hatcher- son, who died in the 80s. There is one son of this marriage. William.
Mr. Levering is prominent in Masonic circles, belonging to both the lodge and chapter. He also holds membership relations with the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Follows, the Knights of Bothias, the Modern Woodmen of America and the Knights of the Maccabees. Ile has a wide acquaintance in the county where his entire he has been passed and where he has so direct- ed his energies a- to gain recognition as a leading and representative citizen, owing to his devotion to the public good and his co-opera- tive support of all measures which he dooms will promote the welfare and substantial up- building of city and county.
GEORGE NEWELL VAN EMAN.
George Newell Van Eman is the owner of a good tract of land in Athens precinct and to the development and improvement of his farm he is devoting his energies with the re- sult that he now has a productive tract. con- stituting one of the best farming properties of hi- locality. He was born in Hollidays Grove. West Virginia, on the 9th of July. 185. his parent- being W. W. and Ellazanna Van Eman. The father was a native of Burgettstown. Washington county, Pennsylvania. and the mother's forth occurred in the same county near the village of Cross Creek, Virginia. W. W. Van Eman devoted his early life to farm- ing and teaching school. following the edu- cational profession for twelve years. He then turned he- attention to agricultural pursuit -. renting a tract of land and subsequently he and his brother purchased a farm. At a later date be Brought his brother's interest and sub- sequenti he sold the entire place and removed to a farm new Farmer City. Illinois, where he also Taught land, taking up his abode there in this For about some years he continued
and in 18SS he sold out and became the owner of at tract of land near Champaign. There he spent two years, after which he bought a farm near Webster City. lowa. He bought and sold twice while in that district and he now owns a fine farm near Esterville. Emmet county. lowa, upon which he is residing. He carries on general agricultural pursuits and is also a stock-raiser. breeding shorthorn cattle. His farm work has been carefully conducted and basing his success upon earnest labor he has worked persistently to acquire a good and prof- itable property. He has found in his wife a faithful companion and helpinate on life's jour- nev. she having carefully managed the house- hold affairs, while he has conducted his farm- ing interests. I'mto them were born seven children, of whom five. three sons and two daughters, are now living.
George Newell Van Eman, the oldest of the family, is indebted to the public school system of western Pennsylvania for the educational privileges which he enjoyed in his youth. When he had mastered the branches of learning usi- ally taught in the public schools he began farm- ing with his father at Farmer City, Ilinois. He afterward spent seven years in DeWitt and Piatt counties as a renter and then returned to Menard county. locating upon his present farm. a part of which was left to his wife. while the remainder he purchased. They now have one hundred and fifty-two acres and the greater part of the land is under a high state of cultivation, for Mr. Van Eman has contin- ved the further work of development and im- provement until it is now an excellent farm. supplied with all modern accessories and equip- ments.
On the 15th of October. 1885. Mr. Van Eman was united in marriage to Miss Mary E. White. the ceremony being performed by Rov R. D. Miller. The lady was born and reared in Menard county and attended school at Indian Point until eighteen years of age. after which she was a student at Lincoln I'ni- versity in Lincoln, Illinois, for a time. After completing her education she engaged in teach- ing until within a short time of her marriage. She is a daughter of R. F. White, who was
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born in St. Clair county. Illinois, but was only a few months old when brought to Me- nard county, thus becoming one of the pio- neer settlers of this region. He was married near Jacksonville in Morgan county, Illinois, to Miss Rachel Roach, a native of Tennessee. and to them were born seven children, of whom three reached years of maturity, one of these being John E. White, who is repre- sented elsewhere in this volume. The father was a Democrat in politics and was an influ- ential and honored citizen of his community. Mr. and Mrs. Van Eman have one son, Frank White, who was born December 18, 1886, and is now assisting his father in the operation of the home farm.
In his political views Mr. Van Eman is a Republican, unfaltering in his advocacy of the party and its principles. le and his family are members of the Lebanon Cumberland Pres- byterian church, the house of worship standing near their home upon land given for that pur- pose by Mrs. Van Eman's grandfather. Their influence is ever on the side of right. order and progress and in all of his business deal- ings as well as in private life Mr. Van Eman is just and fair, so that his name has become a synonym for integrity in all trade transae- tion -.
CHARLES NUSBAUM.
The true measure of success is determined by what one has accomplished. and, as taken in contradistinction to the old adage that a prophet is never without honor save in his own country, there is particular interest at- taching to the career of Charles Nusbaum, since he is a native son of the place where he has passed his active life and so directed his abilities and efforts as to gain recognition as one of the representative citizens of Menard county. He is engaged in the practice of law and ha- won for himself an enviable position in the ranks of the legal fraternity.
Born in Petersburg, on the 13th of January. 1860. Mr. Nusbaum is of German lineage. His grandfather. Bernhard Nusbaum, was a native of Bavaria, Germany, in which country Abra-
ham Nusbaum, his son and the father of our subject, was also born. The latter came to America in early manhood and located in Cin- cinnati. Ohio, where he was afterward joined by his father and the other members of the family, and there the grandfather continued to make his home until called from this life. Abraham Nusbaum, however, removed from Ohio to Petersburg about 1850 and established a mercantile enterprise which he continued to conduct until 1821. being very successful in the work. He was married to Miss Sarah Sal- zonstein and they became the parents of two sons.
Charles Nusbaum, the younger son, was a public school student and after his graduation from the high school he continued his studies in the Illinois College al Jacksonville. 1829 he completed a course there by gradua- tion and with good literary knowledge to serve as the basis of his professional learning he matriculated in the law department of the University of Michigan, where he was grad- nated with the class of 1881. Two years later he entered upon active practice in Petersburg. where he has since remained, long maintaining a foremost position in the ranks of the legal Fraternity in Menard county. From 1888 until 1896 he served as states attorney. The zeal with which he has devoted his energies to his profession, the careful regard evinced for the interests of his clients, and an assidu- ons and umrelaxing attention to all the details of his cases, have brought him a large busi- ness and made hin very successful in its con- duet. Hi- arguments have elicited warm com- mendation not only from his associates at the bar but also from the bench. In addition to his law practice he is interested in financial circles of the city, having succeeded his father as a director of the First National Bank of Petersburg. He is also one of the director- of the Lanning Harris Coal & Grain Company. of Kansas City.
On the 25th of October. 1893, Mr. Nusbaum was united in marriage to Miss Clara Stearn. a native of Lincoln, Illinois, and a daughter of Sammel and Jeanette ( Rosenberger) Stearn. They have one son. Carl. Fraternally Mr. Nusbaum is a Mason and a Knight of Pythias
PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY
sympathy with the beneficent He was made a M.on June, 1903, in the Petersburg lodge. I own- a nice residence on the Hillside, and and his wife are popular and have many rienes in Menard county. while their own at- tractive home is noted for its warm-hearted ospitalits.
JOHN Q. SPEARS.
John Q. Spears, who has prospered as an agriculturist and is now practically living ro- tired, was born on the sth of November. Is?s. and - today one of the revered patriarch- of hi- community. having passed the seventy-sixth milestone on life's journey. His parents were George and Maria W. (Blankenship) Spears. honored pioneer settlers of Menard county. Hi- paternal grandparents were George and Mary ( Neely) Spears, residents of Kentucky. who were identified with the pioneer develop- ment of that state. A sketch of the grand- mother will be found on another page of this
tivorge Spear -. Jr., was born in Green conn- rt. Kentucky. March 9. 1s05. and was reared and the wild scenes of frontier life upon his father's farm. He acquired a good common- " For education, was early trained to habits of mustry and economy, and in 1821. when nine- ten years of age, he accompanied his parents " their removal to Illinois, the family home I'ne established at Clary's Grove in Menard cohet. The grandfather died April 10, 1838. if the age of seventy-four years, while his wife passed away January 26, 1852, at the very ad- cancel age of ninety years. five months and twentyseven days. He had taken a helpful best in the carls improvement and upbuilding " the point and is classed among the worthy longer- whose efforts are still very beneficial in the present condition of progress and pros- portot- part of the state. George Spears. Jr .. attain. If- majorit m Menard county. want destyle | wil It- agricultural interests pro send In - odertaking -. making ju- miastomal op robert until he was Prostor . tatoden ner- of land. Ile
did much for the county along the lines of agricultural development and improvement. In 1529 he burned the brick and erected a residence which is still standing, it being the second brick house within the territory now embraced in the counties of Sangamon, Menard. Cass. Mason and Logan. His wife died June 23. 1sts. and he passed away August 22. 1891. They were the parents of five children : Mary C .. the wife of William T. Beekman: William N .. deceased : John Q .; Henry C., who has also passed away: and Elizabeth F. who married George C. Spears.
John Q. Spears was born on the old family homestead in Menard county and is indebted to the common schools of that period for the early educational privileges he enjoyed. The first school building at which he attended was an oll log structure with slab seats. greased paper windows and a large fireplace. He be- gan his studies when only four years of age. The first day he received a whipping. three or four on the second day and six on the third day because he could not say his alphabet. The path of learning. therefore, was not a flow- ery one to him in his early day. Experience and observation have added largely to his knowl- edge and in this manner as well as through his training in the schoolroom he managed to ac- quire a good business education.
Mr. Spears has always followed farming and La- kept abreast with the progress of the times. at- primitive machinery has been replaced by that of modern mannfacture and as the erude methods of early days have given way before the present manner of cultivating the soil and caring for the crops. At one time he was the owner of eleven hundred and seventy-six acres of land in Menard county, constituting a very valuable property, and he also owned land ese- where nutil his property interests aggregated twenty-six hundred acres. He afterward gave to his sons one hundred and sixty acres of good land and he still retains possession of three hundred and twenty acres. Other business in- tereste have likewise claimed the time and at- tention of Mr. Sprar -. For six years he was engaged in the dry-goods and lumber business in Tallula. being forced into the Imsiness on account of loaning money to a party who could
MR. AND MRS. JOHN Q. SPEARS.
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PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY
not pay. He also carried on a dry-goods and grocery trade at Roodhouse for the same length of time, and on disposing of that he was en- gaged in the grocery business at Tallula for two years and a half. Thus his efforts have been directed into various fields of activity and his sound judgment and untiring industry have leen resultant factors in bringing him very gratifying success.
Mr. Spears has been married twice. On the 2d of May. 1851. he wedded Susan A. Merrill, a daughter of Jacob Merrill. She died De- comber 14. 1823. Weaving three children : Wil- liam H. the oldest. born June 20, 1859. now resides in Petersburg : James J .. born February 21. 1861. is living in Tallula : and Charles G. born July 6. 1869. makes his home upon the farm which was once occupied by his father. For his second wife Mr. Spears chose Martha R. Turner, a daughter of John L. and Mary (Hawkes) Turner, of Mason county. She was born October 16. 1832. and their marriage was celebrated December 2. 1815.
Mr. Spears cast his first presidential vote for Winfield Scott. giving his political allegiance to the Whig party until its dissolution, when he joined the ranks of the Republican party. with which he continues to affiliate. The election of 1901 fell upon his birthday and he has ยท voted at fifty-six elections, having never been ill upon a single election day His wife is a member of the Baptist church. In March. 1851. he became a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and was made a Mason on the 11th of the following April at Peters- burg, on the site of the new school building. He now belongs to Clinton lodge, No. 19. A. F. A .A. M .: De Witt chapter, No. 119. R. ... M. : and to St. Aldemar commanders. K. T .. of Petersburg.
Among other interesting relies Mr. Spears has a wooden boy engraved in imitation of a German Bilde, made about 1282. near Detroit. Michigan, by a man who was then a prisoner among the Indians. He also has a piece of the floor of the house at Rocky Hill. three miles north of Princeton. New Jersey, where Washington wrote his farewell address: and a piece of the root of a tree from Washington's home at Mt. Vernon. One of the oldest native
sons of Menard county, his memory forms a connecting link between the primitive past and progressive present. He is familiar with the history of the county during its pioneer epoch and has watched it emerge from frontier con- ditions to take its place with the leading coun- ties of this great commonwealth. He has ever manifested a pride in what has been accom- plished and has borne his full share in the work of public improvement in his locality. Uthough seventy-six years of age he is still hale and hearty and possesses a most wonder- ful memory and genial nature-one whom it is a great pleasure to meet and converse with as he has a fund of most interesting stories of pioneer days when Abraham Lincoln was one of the boys in this county. His wife is also a most pleasant and estimable lady and their home is noted for its hospitality.
MARY NEELY.
Mary Neely was born the fourth of a family of ten children, born to William and Margaret ( Patterson) Neely, near the French Broad River. in the state of South Carolina. on the 20th day of August. 1261. Her parents were of Irish and Welsh extraction. At what date they came to America is not known, or whether they were born in South Carolina. Neither is it material to the subject of this sketch. Mary seemed to be a great favorite of her father's. but in that carly day schools were scarce, and books were few, and nothing like system was attempted in what few schools there were in the rural districts : and owing to circumstances that followed, six week- was all the schooling she ever had. Her early days were spent, a- those of most of those hardy pioneers, in card- ing and spinning wool and flax, and assisting the men in their endeavor to make a living for the family. She was just past her eight- conth birthday when her father became rest- less, on account of the Indian- being driven back. and concluded to emigrate to the terri- tory (then belonging to North Carolina). now State of Tennessee. Moving a family at that time and in that direction was a hazardous un- dertaking. So her father, with six other pio-
PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY
Hope. SI dul making preparations to move their household effects, he choosing a large wplar tree in which the country abounded. and dug out for himself a canoe, the dimensions of which were fifty-six feet long. three feet wide and three feet deep, the largest of the fleet made from a single tree; but there were some of larger dimensions, but made from two trees. When it was completed he added four inches to the depth by nailing on strips. into which, after launching, he placed seven grind- -tomes for ballast. After selling his landed possession- for thirty thousand dollars in t'on- tinental money. he loaded his household goods nto this canoe, leaving the balance of the fam- Is to come by land, bringing with them ninety- six head of cattle and some forty head of horses, to what is now Nedly's Bend. in the Cumberland river, some ten or twelve miles east of the present site of Nashville, Tennessee. the Bend taking it- name from him. Taking Mary with him, with the other part of the fort he embarked on their perilous enterprise down that crooked stream to its junction with the Tennessee: then down the Tennessee to near- ly opposite Nashville, near the Mussel Shoals. then across the country, stopping where the city of Nashville now stands, where they found an unfinished pole cabin, but they were afraid to remain on account of the many signs of Indians, but journeyed on in a short time. to the present site of the village of Goodlettsville. "one two miles north of the junction of the Loni-vill and Nashville railroad, and it- Hon- der-on branch, and there built a fort, the re- mani- of which were still visible in 1828. and I pro-mine are in this day. Here some twenty familie- gathered for mutual protection. num- Vorm etween thirty and forty men able to Te Mos, William Neely seems to have been the later as his counsel- were sought in every Neels put his stock, both horses and cattle, down in the bend of the river for do some of atting food, Being protected to She ctent from maranding land- of Indians. ", " Il end- to all civilized nations salt, and to their great delight they discos- Habe of the bank of the river
1 -topl that demand.
impregnated with
sulphur that its use now for the manufacture of salt would not be thought of for a moment : but to those sturdy pioneers it was a God-send. The stock required no feed except what they could get from the cane brakes and pea vine : but not so with the people, although bear, deer and turkeys were abundant. The great danger wa- in hunting them. but a brave man, such as composed that little band of Spartans, will brave any danger to appease the hunger of his wife and little ones. In this manner did they live. some guarding while others filled the great giants of the forests. The following summer they had to live on meat and vege- tables, as their little stock of flour and meal was long ago exhausted. But from the maple- that were abundant in the bend from which they could supply themselves with sugar and molasses, with plenty of meat and vegetables. which grew luxuriantly, they managed to keep ; nd and body together until roasting ears grew : but when the corn became hard a new difficulty presented itself-they had some corn, but no mill to grind it: but as necessity is the mother of invention. they soon made a mortar in which they pounded it. taking the finest for bread. while they made hominy of the coarser. It was at this period the incident occurred which changed the whole course of young Mary's life. About thirty of the men were at the spring. about two and one-half miles from the fort. making -alt and clearing off ground for cuhi- vation the next year. thinking all were com- paratively safe, as no sign of Indians had been noticed for quite awhile. On Friday evening Mary concluded to go with some of the men to the spring: having the chills at the time. she thought the water would be beneficial to her. taking some of the softest corn with her to grate for a how cake for her father's supper. About two hours before sunset her father told the men all to go to the fort. and he and Mary would stay there alone. Some of the men pro- tested. saving it was dangerous to leave him and Mary thus exposed : but he being a man without fear thought there was no danger, and persisted in remaining. Seeing expostulations and persuasion was of no avail. the men went to the fort. No sooner were the men out of sight than three Indians that had been lurking in
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