USA > Illinois > Menard County > Past and present of Menard County, Illinois > Part 45
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Mr. Roep gives an earnest support to the Republican party and his personal popularity and the confidence reposed in him is indicated by the fact that he was elected in a Democratic county to the office of county treasurer. in which position he rendered capable and efficient. service during his two years' term. He has also been a school director and road supervisor and the public interest may well be intrusted to his care. for he is a> loyal in citizenship in days of peace as when he followed the old flag on southern batth-fields. For thirty-two years he has been a member of the Masonic fraternity and is true to its teachings and ten- ets. being in full sympathy with the principles of the craft. Ilis wife is a member of the Christian church and he was formerly identi- fied with the Baptist church. Their home is
upon a good farm of one hundred and sixty aeres, well kept. neatness and thrift character- izing it in every department. In business he is energetic. alert and enterprising, and he de- serves much credit for what he has aecom- plished.
JAMES T. FOSTER.
James T. Foster is one of the best known citizens of Menard county, acquainted with early events which form its pioneer history, as well as with the business, intellectual and moral development, which comprise its annals in later days. He was born in Marion county. Indiana, near the city of Indianapolis, July 25. 1836. His parents. Augustin E. and Per- melia ( Wright) Foster. were natives of Ken- tucky. in which state they remained for a few years after their marriage and then re- moved to Indiana. It is believed that the Fos- ter family is of Scotch lineage, and it is deli- nitely known that they were carly colonists of Virginia and Maryland. Augustin E. Foster was a farmer by occupation and in the fall of 1843 he removed with his family from Indiana to Sangamon county. Illinois. settling near Curran. and about ten miles from the city of Springfield, where his son James was reared. The country was new and unimproved and wild game of all kinds was abundant. in- eluding deer. turkeys, prairie chickens, quails. brants and ducks. There were also many coons and opossums, wolves and foxes. Mr. Fox- ter of this review often saw the mule trains upon the track of what is now the Wabash Railroad and he heard the first steam cars come in on that road. He was in Springfield the day the first train of cars came in over the road of the Chicago & Alton in 1853. and there was great excitement in the city. In April. 1862. he came to Greenview, to which place on Saturday. about the middle of Inne. that year. the railroad was completed. The citizens of Greenview had promised the workmen if they would complete the line to the village on that day they should have all the beer they could drink. The last rails were laid about six o'clock in the afternoon and that evening a
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"jollitication" was held and there was great excitement in Greenview.
1861 be removed to Greenview, where he con- tinued to work at the mason's trade for two vrais. after which he engaged in plerking in a hardware store for ten years. He next be- gan buying grain, in which business he con- tinned for six years, and then resumed work at the mason's trade. When he arrived in Greenview, in the spring of 1861, there were only lifteen dwellings here, one hotel. one dry- goods store, one grocery store, a drug store. a harness shop and one church-the C'umber- land Presbyterian, of which the Rev. R. D. Miller was pastor. All who were heads of families have died or moved away and only three of those who were children at that time remain, namely: Mrs. Rose Estill. Mrs. P. .. Palmquist and Charles Wilkinson.
The old Foster homestead was the place for religious meetings in those early days for there was no church near and the family on- tertained the pioneer ministers, including such men as Peter Cartwright. Peter Akers. John S. Barger, A. Bradshaw. Wingate Newman. Benjamin Newman. I. S. Kimber-all of sa- ered memory, now gone to their reward. In those early days James T. Foster and his broth- ers would often sit up late and shell corn. and each would load a sack full upon a horse the next morning and thus proceed to mill. The mills were then operated by hore or water power, and they would wait all day for their grist to be ground. Occasionally they would hitch the yoke of oxen to the wagon and make At the time of the Civil war Mr. Foster was drafted in 1861 and paid a substitute to go in his place. He was elected justice of the peace for Greenview precinct in the fall of 1880. to fill out the unexpired term of D. T. Hughes, and after a year was re-elected in the fall of 1881. for a form of four years. In that time many noted lawsuits were tried before him and prominent lawyers of this and other coun- tire appeared before him to pload their suits. In politics he has always been a Republican where state and national issues are involved but at municipal and county elections he has always voted independently of party ties. lle cast his first presidential vote for Abraham Lin- coln and voted for the great war governor. Richard Yates. He has voted at every election since the town was incorporated. save one in the spring of 190%, when on account of his crippled condition he could not go to the polls, having fallen on the sidewalk on the 10th of February. 1902. and sustained injuries which have caused him to go upon crutches contin- nally since. He has voted for every president since Lincoln with the exception of Cleveland. the trip in that way. and after their return their mother would bake a fine pone of corn in a skillet on the hearth in front of the fire and a fine joint of meat or a chicken was cooked on the crane over the big fire in the old fashioned fireplace, and all were happy and contented. James T. Foster attended the com- mon schools, wherein were taught spelling. reading, writing, arithmetic. geography. gram- mar and I'nited States history. De finished his course when about seventeen years of age and then gave his entire attention to his farm work. Hle made a hand plowing corn when but eight years of age. It was about that time that he rode three miles to join a temperance society and took a pledge that he has kept inviolate to this day. never using tobacco or liquor in any form nor let profanity pass his lips. He followed the occupation of farming for a number of years after attaining his ma- jority. After his marriage he engaged in agri- cultural pur-uits in Sangamon county until April. 1863, when he removed to Menard coun- ty and lived upon the farm now owned by Baney Brothers. After two years he removed In the spring of 1865 Mr. Foster became a member of the Independent Order of Old Fel- lows, filled all the chairs of the local lodge and remained a member for many years. He was reared in the faith of the Methodist church. which he joined in the fall of 1850. remaining one of its members until 1886, when the church to Middletown. Logan county, there remaining from the spring of 1865 until the spring of 1861. The first year he rode the Middletown circuit as an assistant Methodist preacher. then taught school for nine months and worked at the mason's trade for three months. also plas- tering and laying brick. In the spring of of Greenview was disbanded and he took his
PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY
church letter to the First Presbyterian church of Greenview, of which he and his wife are now members. He is serving as superintendent of the Sunday-school and is an ardent church worker, but not a strict sectarian, believing in the union of churches and reciprocal rela- tions between all churches and that if the heart and the purposes of life are not right there is nothing in the name.
On the 10th of April. 1856, Mr. Foster was married. in Mason county, to Miss Martha E. Smith. a daughter of James Il. and Martha (. ( Davis) Smith, natives of Indiana. The family had previously lived in Kentucky, and the grandfather of Mrs. Foster came from Ire- land to the United States. His father was an English lord. Mr. and Mrs. Foster Jost two children in infancy and reared six, of whom three have since died. namely: Mrs. Martha Bell Leppert. Mrs. Etta P. Olds and Adda May Foster. Those living are Thomas Leroy, Maggie E .. and Mrs. Sarah E. Gunston, of Middletown, Ilinois. The son was married September 2. 1903, 10 Miss Minnie Reeves, of Petersburg, and took his bride to his parents' home, where they still live.
Mr. Foster can recall many interesting events concerning local and state history. He went to Chatham. Illinois, to see the Mexican sol- diers when they were camped there in 1845. on their way to St. Louis, where they were to take boats for Mexico. He was present at the great political rally in Springfieldl. Illinois. Angust 8. 1860. when Lincoln attempted to -peak Jout his auditors crowded around him so closely that they broke down the wooden plat- form on which he was standing. He was also present at the funeral of the lamented Lincoln. spring him twice while he was lying in state. He was in the long procession and was but a few feet away from Bishop Simpson when ho preached the funeral. He often saw Lincoln in his early life and had a long talk with bim after his election and before he started for Washington. Mr. Foster was also well ac- quainted with Lincoln's law partner. W. H. Herndon. He first saw Springfield in the fall of 1& 13. when the city was but a small village. Ile could start fronchome and drive to Spring- field. passing the corner of only two farms and
driving in almost a straight line across the prairies. where in places the grass was as high as a man's head. He can remember when prairie fires would break out and all the people would fight them, even the women. ar- raving themselves in woolen garments, assist- ing. They would first plow around the ignited tract and then back fire, and at times the liames were so widespread that it seemed as if the whole world was on fire.
Mr. Foster is now in his sixty-ninth year. his wife in her sixty-eighth year. He has long been a resident of central Illinois and no his- tory of this county would be complete without the record of his life, so widely and favorably is he known and so active has ho been in ad- vancing local progress in his community.
JOHN F. WILLSON.
John F. Willson, who is now practically liv- ing a retired life in Tallula save for the super- vision which he gives his property interests. was formerly an active factor in banking cir- cles and his business career is such as any man might be proud to possess. for he has mounted step by step from a humble financial position to one of affluence, never making an engagement that he has not filled nor incurring an obligation that he has not met. He has the respect and confidence of the business com- munity and the good will of all with whom he has been associated in commercial transactions.
Mr. Willson was born January 1. 1830, in that part of Sangamon county, which after- ward became Menard county. He is a son of George W. and Milley ( Row ) Willson. The father was of Scotch-Irish and German lineage and was born in Deckertown. New Jersey. September 26. 1991. His father was one of a family of twelve sons. cleven of whom settled in the territory of Ohio at a very early epoch in its development. George W. Willson, the father of our subject. was reared in North Carolina and after arriving at years of ma- turity migrated to Kentucky, where he wedded Miss Milley Row, whose birth occurred near Petersburg. Virginia. August 5, 1802, and who
J. F. WILLSON.
MRS. J. F. WILLSON.
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accompanied her parents on their removal to Garrard county, Kentucky, where she was mar- ried. Mr. Willson was a journeyman shoc- maker and arrived in Kentucky about 1816. Following his marriage he removed to Wash- ington. Indiana, and in 1826 settled in what is now Menard county, Illinois. He purchased a claim of Solomon Pruitt, who was one of the soldiers of the Black Hawk war, and made his home upon that place throughout the remainder of his life. There were three children in the family at the time of the removal to this state. the mother carrying the youngest child on horseback. After arriving in Illinois the father devoted his energies to farming and improved a good tract of land. Here he reared his family of ten children, five sons and five daugh- ters. Two of the sisters are vet living, Mrs. Mary Wilhite, a resident of Jacksonville, Illi- nois. and Mrs. Elizabeth Curt, who resides in Neodosha. Kansas. The members of the family in order of birth are: Rachel, Mrs. Margaret Combs: William K. : James R., who married and removed to Kansas, where his death oc- curred: John F .: Mrs. Wilhite: Mrs. Sarah Smedley: Henry ('., who married and died in Springfield. Ilinois, after serving his country in the One Hundred and Fourteenth Ilinois Volunteer Infantry, being captured at Gun- town. Mississippi. after which he was sent to Andersonville prison, where he lost his health : George Milton, who was likewise a member of the same regiment and died in camp at Mem- phis. Tennessee: and Mrs. Elizabeth Curt. The father was a Whig in politics and one of the first commissioners of Menard county.
John F. Willson acquired his early educa- tion at Winchester as a student in an academy in Scott county. Illinois. Bis collegiate course was pursued in Jacksonville. this state, and then wishing to enter upon the practice of medicine he began reading under a physician of Spring- field. Illinois, while later he attended lectures in Cincinnati, Ohio, and was thus qualified for the calling. He entered upon the practice of medicine in 1858 in the vicinity of Tallula and there devoted his energies to ministering to the sick until after the outbreak of the Civil war when his patriotic spirit was aroused and he responded to the call of the government.
enlisting in the One Hundred and Fourteenth Illinois Infantry as assistant regimental sur- goon. He was stationed at La Grange, Ten- nessee, and there received orders from General Grant to join the regiment at Vicksburg. In August. 1863, he left the army and returned to Menard county. He then abandoned the practice of medicine and established a grocery and hardware store. He likewise acted as post- master of Tallula for a number of years. In his commercial career he was ever watchful of the indications pointing to success, made the most of his opportunities and as the years ad- vanced gained very creditable and gratifying prosperity. Eventually he developed his busi- ness into a banking establishment in 1817. fol- lowing the death of his partner. William Green, and later he disposed of the bank to the firm of Scott. Green & Sons. In the meantime he had made extensive and judicious investment- in property and he still superintends his farm- ing interests, having seven hundred acres of valuable land in Menard and Cass counties. He was the second man to use tiling in the community and he has been most progressive in his farming methods, putting forth every effort to improve his land and make it highly produc- tive. He is a man of resourceful business ability, enterprising and with keen discrimina- tion. and in the control of his varied interests he has manifested strong purpose and marked sagacity, as well as unfaltering diligence.
On the 12th of January. 1860. occurred the marriage of Mr. Willson and Miss Sarah M. Crum. a daughter of James and Christina ( Ream) Urum. She was born in Case county. Illinois, near Virginia. September 9. 1835. Her father was one of the early settlers of C'ass county and prior to that time resided in Indiana, while her mother was from Ohio, in which state had lived the paternal and mater- nal grandparents of Mrs. Willson. The Crum family was established in Cass county prior to the deep snow. which is one of the memorable events in the early history of Illinois. Her father was a farmer and continued to follow that occupation throughout his active business career, which continued up to the time of his death. although he passed away in 1899 at the very advanced age of ninety-three years.
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His wife died in 1828 at the age of sixty-three
I'nto Mr. and Mrs. Willson have been born seven children: James O., who is vice-presi- dent of the People's Bank at Bloomington, Illi- nois, and married Ollie Whitmer: Frank G .. who died in Wintield. Kansas: Mrs. Clara B. Shasted, whose husband is a practicing physi- cian of Pittsfield, Illinois, and a graduate of the Philadelphia Medical College; Howard T., who married Myra Henderson, of Virden. Illi- nois, and is a linguist and has also studied vocal music, his wife acting as his accompanist, and is now singing in grand opera in Germany : Charles C .. who is assistant cashier in the Bank- "'s National Bank of Chicago, and who has been admitted to the bar: a daughter who died in infancy : and Royal A., who is now pursuing a classical course in the Northwestern Univer- sity at Evanston. All of the members of the family have been provided with excellent edu- rational privileges and are well qualified to wrempy responsible positions in business life. It has taken an aggregate of thirty years for Mr. Willson to give his six children collegiate educations.
The parents hold membership in the Chris- tian church and in his political views Mr. Will- son was originally a Whig. but upon the organ- ization of the Republican party he joined its ranks and has since been one of its stalwart vocales. His has been an active. useful and honorable career and throughout his entire life he has resided in Menard county, while as the years have advanced he has improved his business opportunities until the goal of snecess has been reached and he is now enabled to rest in the enjoyment of the fruits of his former toil.
LEWIS WATKINS.
Lewis Watkins, now deceased, was among the early settlers of Menard county and though many years have come and gone since he passed away, he is yet remembered by pioneer resi- dents of the county as one who was active in business, reliable and trustworthy at all times. His widow is now the oldest resident of Me-
nand county and this history would be moon- plete were there failure to make mention of this worthy couple. Mr. Watkins was born on the 4th of February, 1810, in New Albany. Indiana. The great middle west was then largely an unclaimed and unimproved district and he opened his eyes to the light of day in a pioneer home. His parents were James and Stenia (Swearens) Watkins, Kentucky people, who had gone to Indiana at a very early epoch in its development. James Watkins came to Ilinois in 1822. prior to the time of the deep snow, which has become an historic event in the annals of this state. This or- eurred in the winter of 1830-31 and for months the snow lay to a great depth over all the country side so that it made it impossible for the settlers to leave their homes. James Wat- kins settled in Menard county, where he took up land from the government and he made his home at Bobtown, where he owned a mill. Ile had descended in the maternal line from the MeClure family of Kentucky. Through- out his business carcer he carried on farming, being among the carly tillers of the soil in this portion of the state. He died at a very early age.
Mr. Watkins was the oldest in a family of five sons and three daughters. He came to Illinois in early life and here remained until his death, following the occupation of farm- ing. Ile aided in turning the first furrow upon many a field and after plowing his land he planted his seed and in due course of time reaped good harvests. In his work he was quite successful and at the time of his death he owned three hundred and forty acres of rich land.
In 1822 he was united in marriage to Miss Lucinda Kirby, a daughter of Cyrus and Kittie R. (Greene) Kirby, the latter a daughter of George Greene. The Kirby> came from Bowi- ing Green. Kentucky, to Ilinois when Mis. Walkins was only six months old. arriving in 1809. They made their way to Edwardsville. Madison county, Illinois, and later located on Shoal ereck, leaving their first location becanso of a fear of the Indians, who were very nu- merous in that locality and did not always manifest a friendly spirit. AAfterward they
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came to Menard county, arriving here in 1821. at a time when there were only two families in this locality. One of these was the family of William Clary. Mr. Kirby entered a tract of land from the government and at once be- gan the difficult work of transforming the wild prairie into productive fields. The fam- ily lived in true pioneer style. experiencing many hardships and privations, but at the same tinte enjoying some pleasures which are not known at the present day. The Greene family was originally from Tennessee, but the representatives of the name, who first came to Illinois, made their way to this state from Kentucky settling in Madison county near Ed- wardsville. Greene county was named in hon- or of John Greene, who died in Springfield, while serving his district as a member of the state legislature. Mrs. Watkins' grandfather Greene was a Revolutionary soldier, who served throughout the war for independence and also took part in some of the Indian wars. Mrs. Watkins was the oldest of a family of nine children and she and the youngest are the only ones now living. Betsey lived to an advanced age. but has now passed away. George, who was married and had a family. died in March. 1901. Sophia was the wife of Sammel Wat- kins. Polly was the wife of John Close. Nancy was the wife of Chris Atterberry and they had five children. Rhoda married John Brown. Jesse died ummarried at the age of thirty-six years. Tillie. the youngest. is the wife of Samuel Watkins, and has tive children.
Mrs. Lucinda Watkins has forty-live grand- children, over one hundred great-grandchildren and several great-great-grandchildren. The youngest grandchild is at least twenty-two years of age, and the oldlest is fifty-five years of age. having been born in 1849. A photograph has just been taken of tive generations of the fam- ily and the youngest in the group is nineteen years of age. Mrs. Watkins has lived upon her present farm for seventy-seven years, occu- pying the present house for sixty-two years. She had few privileges and advantages in youth. attending school perhaps only six weeks. but she has been a witness of remarkable changes in Menard county and Illinois and, in fact. throughout the country. and the years have
brought her knowledge of the world's advance- ment. She can relate many interesting inci- dents concerning the methods of living in the early days and events which occurred in pio- never times. She made all of the clothing and by the family from wool raised on the farm. They also raised cotton to mix with the wool. At that period in her life there was no town in Menard county and the settlers had to go long distances to market. It was necessary that one should go to Vandalia to secure a marriage license. There was at that time a Mrs. Rachel Clary, the widow of Spencer Clary. who had two suitors, one Banister Bond and the other Albert Hunter. On a certain ocea- sion Bond went to Vandalia on horseback to get a license to wed Mrs. Clary. On the re- turn trip he met Mr. Hunter going on foot for the same purpose. Bond told Hunter that he had the license, whereupon Hunter remarked, "That beats the eternal," but he quietly gave way before the more successful suitor. Mrs. Watkins is now the oldest person living in this county. She has been a widow since 1858 and she has continuously resided upon the old home where she and her husband lived in their early married life. She has one hundred acres of land here, and her son. Jesse K. Wat- kins, together with his family, live with her. He has five children, all living. namely: John B .. who married Miss Ella Stith and lives near Oakford : Thompson M., at home: George, who is living in Petersburg; Lulu Ortman. who resides in Atterberry: and Woodson G .. who is located at Chandlerville.
RUSSELL WATKINS.
The subject of this sketch is the son of Me- Clane and Hannah E. Watkins. His father was born December 28. 1826. three miles southwest of Petersburg. Illinois, his parents being Thomas and Mary (Groene) Watkins, who came to this state from Green county. Kentucky. When McClane Watkins was seven years of age he was attacked with fever and the attending physician gave him mercury in the form of calomel. which produced salivation that so effected him that his entire system was
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wrecked and he was a helpless cripple for hte. He was never able to walk but his vital or- gans and brain were not affected. In many respects he was a man of wonderful gifts. He seemed, by intuition, to know all abont horses and cattle. His business ability was of the very best and in spite of his crippled condi- tion he amassed quite a fortune. He was never out of the state of Illinois; was never on a steamboat or the cars. In fact he never rode in any conveyance but a farm wagon or the little wagon that was made especially for him. and was never more than one hundred miles from the place where he was born. In 1859 he was united in marriage to Hannah Ellen Jones, who was born March 23. 1838. and died October 13, 1866. Ile died June 6. 1902, at the age of seventy-five years, five months and right days.
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