USA > Illinois > Menard County > Past and present of Menard County, Illinois > Part 44
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Both Mr. and Mrs. Miles hold membership in the Christian church and he votes with the Republican party. He carries on general farming. now owning over three hundred and thirty-two acres, and is also engaged in feed- ing and shipping cattle, He has been quite prosperous in his business affairs and most of his success has been attained through hard labor. His property is now valuable, giving evidence of his careful supervision in the many modern improvements he has placed upon it.
J. N. HALL.
1. N. Hall. deceased, was a worthy repre- somtative of one of the old and prominent fam- ilies of Menard county. He was born in Law- rence county, Ohio, June 10. 1816. and was the fourth in order of birth in a family of fourteen children, whose parents were Elisha and Nancy (Overstreet ) Hall. In 1822 they brought their family to Ilinois and located in Menard county when this part of the state was still comprised within the boundaries of
Sangamon county. Here the father died on the 220 of September, 1885, at the age of fifty- four years. while his wife, surviving him a mumber of years, passed away May 1. 1862. She was born in Bedford county. Virginia. in 1193. Both were members of the Metho- dist church and she exerted great influence as a preacher and was looked upon almost as a saint. Throughout their residence in this state they lived upon the farm now occupied by their granddaughters Delia and Ella Hall and which comprises five hundred acres of the rich land of this part of Illinois.
J. N. Hall spent the first eleven years of hi- life in Ohio and then accompanied his pa- rents on their removal to Illinois, so that he was reared in Menard county, spending his youth here amid the wild scenes of frontier life and sharing with the family in all the hardships and trials that fall to the lot of those who establish homes in a frontier dis- triet. His education was mainly acquired in a log schoolhouse of a very primitive charac- ter, but he was a rapid scholar and became a fine penman.
When he had reached adult ago Mr. Hall was married to Miss Sarah Parker, of Menard county, the wedding being celebrated April 1 :. 1812. She was born in Rush county. Indiana. November 1. 1821. and was a daughter of Solomon Parker, who was one of the pioneers of Menard county. locating on Rock creek at an early day. Mrs. Hall was related to the McCartys, a wealthy and influential family of Mason county. Illinois.
Politically Mr. Hall was a Democrat and was regarded as one of the ardent supporters of the party in his locality. having filled all of the local offices. He kept well informed on the questions and issues of the day and was thu- enabled to give intelligent reason for his political faith, His business carcer was com- mendable, for he placed his dependence upon the substantial qualities of energy and unfal- tering diligence, and upon that foundation he builded his success. As the years passed his capital steadily increased and he became one of the prosperous farmer- of his community. Hle was greatly attached to hi- home and fam- ily. In 1890 he was called upon to mourn the
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J. N. HALL.
MRS. J. N. HALL.
PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY
loss of his wife, who passed away on the 10th of March of that year. while he survived her until October 25, 1902. Hlis genuino worth. business reliability, loyalty in citizenship and fidelity in friendship so endeared him to friends and neighbors that his death was the occasion of deep and widespread regret in his com- munity.
In the family of A. N. Hall and wife were fourteen children, all of whom are living with the exception of one. Thomas ... born April 11. 1813, resides on a farm near Earlham. Towa. He was married February 19, 1863. to Olivia Brown. of Menard county, and they have two children living. Ella and Sarah, both of whom are married. Anna E., born August 10. 1811, was married on the same day as her brother to James Brown. now a retired farmer of Eartham, lowa, and they have six children. Milen, Charles. Jennie. Clara. Etta and Leona, all married. Abraham, born April 1. 1816, is a farmer and cattle dealer of Miles City. Montana, where he also served as government land agent under President Cleveland. He married Mamie Lisk. of that place, and they have four children. William E., born May 18. 1818. was first married November 9. 1876. to Addie Johnson, of Menard county, who died only two months after their marriage. Later he married Annio Schloumbach and they have two children. Ella May and Ruby. He for- merly lived in Ford county. Ilinois, where he was engaged in farming, but later. after grad- uating from a medical college of Chicago, he engaged in the practice of medicine in Waco. Texas. for seven years. Finally becoming tired of that profession he returned to agricultural pursuits and is today the owner of over four- teen hundred acres of land near Waco. Charles A .. horn November 4. 1819. is now a prosperous farmer of Worth county. Missouri. He was married July es, 1811. Io Lizzie Good- al. and they have two children. Effic and Nellie, hoth of whom married. The former is now the widow of William Sims and is successfully engaged in buying and shipping poultry near Grant City, Missouri. Emily E., born August 26. 1859. was married January 13. 1876. to Peter Wantz. by whom she had two children. Roy and Verna. For one year she lived in ness. He was married in Kansas, March 21.
Indiana and then located in Gilson City. illi- nois, but subsequently removed to Champaign. this state, where she owns property. Names Jane, born April 9. 1555, was married Feb- ruary 19. 1880, to Mile- Rankin, who is en- gaged in farming and stock-raising six miles south of Gibson City. Ilinois, and they have four children. Edna. Arthur, Claud and Fora. John La, born February 20, 18%. was married March 21. ISSt. to Lulu C. Henne and they have five children. Walter. Lea. Pembroke. William and Justin. For a few years after their marriage they resided on the Walnut Hill Tarm in Sangamon county and then removed to Grant county, Nebraska, where John I. served as county superintendent of schools for a time. At the end of thirteen years the drouth drove him back to Illinois and after spending five years in Menard county he re- moved to Brown county, this state. purchasing land near Mt. Sterling, where he now resides. Samuel B .. born January 9. 1859, wa- mar- ried to Ella Gray in November, 1881. in Som- ner county. Kansas, where he was engaged in teaching music for a number of years. Later he purchased a large tract of land in Ness county. that state, where he died November 25. 1886. leaving a daughter, Sadie, who is now Mrs. Southern. Ada A., born February 3. 1861. was married January 31. Isst, in Petersburg to Thomas Prinnn and located on a farm six miles east of Athens, where Mr. Prin died after a long illness November 1. 1882. She was again married September 21. 1881. to Arthur Taylor and settled on a farm near Mt. Sterling, Illinois. She is now liv- ing at Catlett. Virginia. Delia A., born May 9. 1863, was educated in the schools of Athens and is living on the old homestead, where she has spent her entire life with the exception of one year passed in Kansas and Nebraska. She acted as postmistress of Athens during Prosi- dem Cleveland's second administration. James N .. born February 20, 1565, spent two years in Kansas and then lived for five years upon a farm in this county given him by his father. At the end of that time he sold out and went to southern Texas, where he purchased ries land and i- to-day doing a prosperous Imsi-
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1886, to Lilly Kreider, and they have two living children. Lena and Willie, while another son. Herman. died November 11, 1904. at the age of twelve years. Robert L., born February 22, 1867, was married December 30, 1897. to Gertrude MeDougall. of Menard county, and for some years they lived on the old home place, but in the summer of 1904 removed to Missouri, where they purchased a farm. They have one child, Carroll, aged six years. Ella MI .. born May 16. 1869. lives on the old home- stead with her sister Delia. She. too, was a student in the schools of Athens and in 1893 she attended the normal school in Abingdon, Illinois. Subsequently she entered the Wesley- an Conservatory in 1895, in which institution she studied both vocal and instrumental music. After leaving the conservatory she returned home and remained with her father up to the time of his death, assisting him in busi- ness and in the supervision of the farming in- tetests. The sisters now control the property. Both are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and are popular with many friends. The Hall family has always figured prominent- ly in Imsiness and social circles since the grand- father came to the county many years ago and the homestead property is a very desirable one, comprising five hundred acres of rich and ara- ble land and in its control the sisters display marked business enterprise and capability.
ALBERT G. NANCE.
Albert G. Nance, who started upon his busi- ness career with his farm of one hundred acres and since that lime through capable man- agement and carefully directed investment has become the owner of nine hundred and sixty- six acres of valuable land, was born March 12. 1812. on a farm eight miles west of Peters- burg just within the county line. His parents were Thomas J. and Catherine D. ( Houghton ) Nance, the latter a daughter of Charles Hough- ton. Thomas J. Nance was in early life a resident of Kentucky and came of French an- cestry. The family resided in the north of France for many generations and representa- tives of the name went with William the Con-
queror when he made his invasion into England and claimed it as a Norman possession. It was several centuries later before the family was established in America, arriving in Vir- ginia about 1630. Thomas J. Nance, with his parents, removed from Virginia to Kentucky and later came to Illinois, where he died July 22. 1812. at the comparatively early age of thirty years. He had purchased land and he began the development of a farm in this local- ity and the farm upon which our subject now resides was once the property of his grand- father Nance. The father was the owner of five hundred acres of land at the time of his death and in order to settle the estate two hundred acres of this was sold. He was quite prominent in political circles and was the Den- ocratie nominee for state senator at the time of his death, which occurred in the summer. while the election was held in the succeeding fall. He had twice been a candidate for the office, but had been defeated by John Bennett on account of a temperance speech which he made about that time at Salem and which won him the opposition of all those who were opposed to temperance. However. popular opinion had set again in his favor and he was elected to the state legislature. Later he he- came a candidate for the sonate and he would undoubtedly have been elected had he lived. After his death his consin Louis Wynne was nominated in his place and was elected. lle served as state senator for one term and died in the District of Columbia.
In the family of Thomas .. and Catherine D. Nance were four children, of whom Albert 1. is the youngest. Elizabeth married Clin- ton Wynne and resided on the old home farm west of Petersburg, where she died March 1-t, 1866. She had two children, one of whom is now living-Mrs. O. B. Carter, of Los Angeles. California. Harriet B. hecame the wife of Philemon Struble and at her death, which oc- curred in January. 1893, she left two children. Benjamin Nance, who was the second member of the family. died in infancy July :, 1839.
Albert G. Nance, the youngest of his father's family, began his early education in the com- mon schools near his home and later continued his studies in the Indian Point school, which
PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY
was the best institution of learning in the he . now president of the First National Bank. county at that time. He was a student there in 1859-60, and when sixteen years of age he left home, starting out in life for himself. Since that time he has been dependent almost entirely upon his own resources and his career crowned with success has been most creditable because it has ever been in conformity with the strict ethics of business honor.
In October. 1866. occurred the marriage of Mr. Nance and Miss Laura Isabel Osburn. a daughter of Enos and Sarah (Cassohman) Os- burn. Her father was a native of Virginia and was of Scotch-Irish lineage, while the Cas- selmans are of German descent. He came to Illinois about 1831 and was therefore one of the pioneer residents of the state, taking an active and helpful part in its carly develop- ment. At the time of his marriage Mr. Nance took his bride to his farm and has since labored persistently and wisely in the development of his business interests. As his financial re- sources increased he has added to his property from time to time, making judicious invest- ments until he now owns nine hundred and sixty-six acres of rich land. He inherited one hundred acres, so that he has personally ae- quired over eight hundred acres. He bought one forty-acre tract at ten dollars per acre. for another he gave ten dollars per acre and the remainder of his land was hought at prices ranging from ten to sixty-five dollars per acre. It is all now worth one hundred dollars per here, so that it is a very valuable property. Mr. Nance has engaged extensively in stock- raising. making a specialty of the breeding of shorthorn cattle and of horses. He does not rem his land. but gives his personal supervision to its cultivation and improvement and keeps the entire farm in excellent condition. the fields being richly cultivated. while good grades of stock are seen in his pastures.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Nance have been born six children: Carrie B. is now the wife of Charles Goodwin, a resident of Clinton. Okla- homa. where he is engaged in the grain trade. They have one son and one daughter. Albert Nance and Georgie. Thomas JJ. Nance, the Freund member of the family. married Alie Curry and resides in Clinton, Oklahoma. where
He is prominent in financial circhs there and Is also the owner of town and country prop- erty. He has one son, to whom the name of Albert Nance has been given. Catherine is the wife of George Warnsing and they reside upon a farm near Greenview. They have two children, Laura Marie and Hermina. Har- richt B., decreased, was the wife of Harry Shird- ing, who is connected with the Bank of Peters- burg, and they had one daughter, Hattie Shird- ing, who is now eleven years of age. Horace Greeley married Sudia Purkpile and resides upon the old family homestead with his pa- lents. Louise. the youngest, of the family. is a student in Eureka College at Eureka, Illinois.
Athough Mr. Nance was reared in the faith of the Democratic party he is a stanch advo- rate of Republican principles and is a recog- nized leader in the ranks of his party. Ile served in the state legislature in 1821-25 and he has always been found as the champion of every political movement which has for its object the greatest good to the greatest man- bor. He and his wife are members of the Christian church and are people of the highest lesquetability. lle has been and is distine- tively a man of affairs who has wielded a wide influence and hi- championship of many measures has been the Influencing force that has scented the support that has led to the success of many public movements in his lo- vality.
MCKINLEY JONES.
Mckinley Jones, who for many years was identified with farming interests in Menard county, is now living retired. a period of rest being vouch-afed to him in reward for his carnest and honorable labors in former year -. He was born in Ohio county. West Virginia. on the 19th of August. 1822. his parents being Isaac and Sarah ( Brown) Jones. The father was born in Virginia and was carried in his mother's arms on horseback to Vincennes. Indi- ana, where the family was located during the war of 1512. While yet a lad and orphan. Isaac Jones went to Louisville, Kentucky, where he
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PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY
learned the hatter's trade and was there locat- in Illinois. Both parents are now deceased. ed when the first steamboat went down the Ohio river. He afterward removed to Vir- ginia. where he resided upon a farm and subse- quently he took up his abode in the state of New York, where he resided until called to his final rest. He died March 3, 1879, at the age of eighty-one years. his birth having oc- curred February 15, 1798, and his wife died in Virginia, April 11, 1866. her birth having occurred September 9. 1805.
Mckinley JJones, the second in order of birth in a family of ten children. pursued his early education in a log building in West Virginia. the school being conducted on the subscription plan. Ilo afterward attended an academy at West Alexander. Pennsylvania, and when twen- ty years of age he began teaching school, which profession he followed in both Pennsylvania and Virginia ere his removal to the west. In 1849 he came to Illinois, establishing his home in Peoria. and for a year he engaged in teach- ing near that city. He afterward accepted a clerical position in connection with a lumber business, serving in that capacity for two years. In 1852 he came to Menard county, where he taught -chool for four months and then re- turned to Peoria county, where he was engaged in farming until 1869. In the latter year he again came to Menard county and followed farming here upon a tract of land eight miles north of Athens. In 1826 he removed to a farm near Sweetwater, where he resided con- tinuously until 1894, when he took up his abode in Athens, where he has since lived re- tired. As a farmer he was diligent. enter- prising and progressive, carrying on his work along modern lines and as the years passed by he wa- enabled to add annually to his income.
On the 5th of December. 1851. Mr. Jones was united in marriage lo Miss Arminda Pris- cilla Riggin, a danghter of Harry and Marian B. ( Rogers) Riggin, both representatives of early families of the county. The father went from Tennessee to St. Louis in an early day and was there engaged in teaching school. Subsequently he removed to Troy, Madison county. Illinois, and came to Menard county about 1819. Mrs. Riggin was a resident of New York prior to the time when she loeated
Mr. Riggin, who was born September 2, 1293, passed away March 23. 1825 ; and his wife, who was born August 2. 1394. died April 25. 1883. They lived in Menard county during the period of its carly pioneer development and Mr. Rig- gin conducted a store in Athens. one of first commercial enterprises of this part of the state. In payment for goods sold he accepted a note which was to be paid in deer skins at the com- mercial price and this note is now in posses- sion of Mr. Jones. Mrs. Jones was born July 26. 1825. on the farm which her father had entered from the government, and by her mar- riage became the mother of five children : Harry Riggin, who was born November 8, 1855, and now resides two miles north of Athens; Isaac, who was born March 31. 1858. and re- sides in lowa: Augustus Kerr, who was born January 24. 1859. and is now residing upon the home farm: Sarah Miriam, who was born February 19, 1862. and is the wife of Dr. Edward M. Northcott. of Portland, Maine, med- ical director of the Mutual Life Insurance Company : and Josiah, who was born February 21. 1864. and is now a practicing physician in the state of Washington. All of the chil- dren were born in Peoria county.
The parents are members of the Presbyterian church and are among the most highly es- teemed citizens of Menard county, where they have so long resided. Mr. Jones has led a most honorable and useful life and his activity in business has been crowned with success that now enables him to live retired. His strong native intelligence has prompted him to keep well informed on all the questions and issues of the day and he yet manifests an active and public-spirited interest in the affairs of his com- munity. state and nation.
ELI REEP.
Eli Reep, who carries on general farming on section 8. township 18, was born in Harri- son county. Indiana, near Corydon. January 21, 1810. At one time that place was the capital of Indiana. His parents were Philip and De-
MR. AND MRS. ELI REEP.
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PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY
lilah ( Evilszor) Recep. The father was of Gior- man lineage and his ancestors were colonial settlers of the new world. establishing their home in North Carolina when this country was still one of the possessions of Great Britain. Representatives of the name, however, fought for the independence of the nation in the Rev- olutionary war and carried the sears of their wounds down to the grave.
Philip Reep was born in Lincoln county. North Carolina, in 1813. He was married to Miss Delilah Evilsizor, who was descended from an old Virginia family. Her father became one of the first settlers of Indiana. liv- ing in that state when it formed a part of the Northwest territory, when the whipping post was an institution of punishment and when slaves were still held by the settlers. Ho mar- ried a Miss Wise, who also belonged to one of the prominent Virginia families and the fam- ily furnished a governor to that state. Wil- liam Evilsizor, a brother of Mrs. Roop, became a resident of Bushnell. MeDonongh county. Ill- inois, where he lived for a number of years and afterward removed to lowa, being a rosi- dent of West Point. Warren county, that state. when last heard from. One of her sisters, Mrs. Jane Fite. is still a resident of Harrison county. Indiana. Another brother. David Evil- sizor. removed to Missouri. George W. Evil- sizor was a soldier in an Indiana regiment dur- ing the Civil war and served for three years, taking part in the engagements with the Army of the Cumberland.
Philip Reep removed from North Carolina to what is now Harrison county. Indiana. at at. carly epoch in its development. He journeye westward on foot in company with several can- panions, who traveled in the same way. Ile was then but twenty-one years of age, and he was led to leave North Carolina because he had to patrol the slave- at night. Establishing his home in what was then the far west. he turned his attention to farming and continued to carry on agricultural pursuits throughout his remain- ing days. He was twice married and had three children by the first wife and one son by the second wife, namely: Mary became the wife of John Summers, who came to Illinois in 1857. afterward removed in Nebraska during
the pain of the tail war and subsequently went to Atchison county. Missouri, where he carried on agricultural pursuits. Mrs. Sunt- mers died leaving four children. Eh is the second of the family. Martha died at the age of sixteen years. Philip, the son of the -re- and marriage, is married and follows farming in Jasper county, Illinois, near Newton.
Eli Reep was educated in the country schools of Indiana and also pur-ned his studies near New Salisbury in Little Grove, Menard county, Illinois. His training at farm labor was not meager for as soon as old enough to handle the plow he began work in the fields and when nineteen years of age he began farming for himself in Little Grove. Menard county. In 1800 he began raising and feeding cattle and followed that pursuit until the time of his en- listment for service in the Civil war. His pa- triotie spirit being aroused by the continued attempt of the south to overthrow the Union. he enlisted in August. 1862, as a member of Company K. of the One Hundred and Sixth Volunteer Infantry under Colonel Latham, of Logan county, and Lieutenant Colonel Camp- bell. The regiment was attached to the Six- teenth Army Corps commanded by General Hurlburt and the first battle in which the regi- ment participated was on the Tennessee river. Later the troops did duty at Vicksburg and along the Yazoo river, and aided in holding back Johnston's forces. Subsequently they went to Helena, Arkansas, and took part in a fight at Clarendon on the White river in that state. After defeating the rebel at that point the Union troops moved on to Little Rock and succeeded in driving Price from that rebel stronghold after engaging in a cavalry fight there. Mr. Keep was mustered out at line Bluff. Arkansas, in August. 1865, for hostil- ities had created and the war had been brought to a successful close. He now receives a pen- -ion in recognition of his services. He was al- ways a faithful and loyal soldier, unfaltering in the performance of his duty, whether it called him into the thickest of the fight or sta- tioned him on the lonely picket line
On the 1st of January, 1865, Mr. Reep was united in marriage to Miss Anna B. Powell. a daughter of Thomas F. Powell. Sr., who was
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PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY
one of the early settlers of Illinois, and his children. the brothers and sister of Mrs. Reep. are as follows: Samuel Il .. who is mar- ried and owns much town property. his home being near Miami in Indian Territory; Wil- liam I., who is a miner and fruit farmer re- siding at Grant's Pass, Oregon : and Mrs. Mar- tha A. Montgomery, who is living in Peters- burg. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Reep have been born eleven children: Frank died in infancy. Nannie B. married Walter Gum. a dealer in fine horses in Chicago, and they have one son. Perey Eli. Thomas P., who practices law in Petersburg. married Laura Shipp and has two children. Martha Ann is the wife of Charles E. Clarke and has two children. Her husband is a railroad man. now managing a road at Pine Bluffs. Arkansas, and has a large farm at Warrensburg. Missouri. Mary Luella is the widow of Lour Golden. by whom she had two children. A. Louis and Sophia Marie, and is now at home with her parents. Eli married Regina Capinos and is a lumberman residing in Cannte. Oklahoma. Edward L. married Mrs. Dr. Phillips and is a barber of Gerry. Ok- Jahoma. Alice Mand is the wife of Charles E. Batterton, a graduate pharmacist who is conducting a drug store in Chicago, and they have one child. Homer S. was accidentally shot December 13. 1902. and died when nine- teen years of age. Ethel Cauble is at home with her parents. One child died in infancy.
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