USA > Illinois > Menard County > Past and present of Menard County, Illinois > Part 50
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Henry C. Diehl, the father of our subject. spent the first eight years of his life in Phila- delphia and afterward resided upon his father's farm until he had affained his majority. He became a farmer in Berks county. Pennsyl- vania, but on the Ist of April, 18Th, he left the Keystone state for Ohio. This was about the time of the historie fire in Pittsburg. Pennsyl- vania. He stopped for a time at Johnstown and finally arrived in Pickaway county. Ohio. with fifty cents in his pocket. It was difficult for him to obtain employment and he gladly accepted any work that would yield him an honest living. Subsequently ho engaged in farming there until April. 1851. when he again
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sought a home in a frontier district, this time working his way to Illinois, On the 18th of April of that year he located in Cartwright township. Sangamon county, where he carried on farming for several years. In 1858 he bought a farm of forty acres and later he pur- chased eighty-nine acres of land on the Sanga- mon river in Menard county. Upon the latter farm he resided until 1864. when he sold his property in this county and purchased twenty acres of land in Gardner township. Sangamon county. There he continued to reside until eighty-three years of age, when he returned 10 Menard county and died at the home of his son- in-law Tilmon Hornbuckle in July, 1893. In his political alliliation in early life he was a Whig and afterward became a Republican. giv- ing loyal support to Lincoln. Hle held member- ship in the United Brethern church and his life was over honorable and upright, his wife, who bore the maiden name of Hannah Lease, was born in Berks county, Pennsylvania. and her father was likewise a native of that state, but her grandfather was of German birth and became the founder of the family in the new world. He. 100, was one of the heroes of the Revolution. Mrs. Hannah Dichl died in Do- vember, 1583, at the age of seventy-eight years. at the home of her daughter Mrs. Tilmon Horubuckle in Menard county.
They were the parents of seven children : John, who is living at Reading, Pennsylvania ; ('atherine, the wife of David Bartgis, of Cow- ley county, Kansas : Daniel : Harrison, who died May 5. 1851: Charles, who is living in Lewis- burg. Kansas: C'inley, a resident of Spring- feld, and Mary E .. who is the wife of Tihnon Hornbuckle. of Menard county.
Daniel Dichl spent his early life in Berks county. Pennsylvania, remaining there until ten years of age, and between the years 1815 and 1851 he resided upon his father's farm in Pickaway county, Ohio. In the latter year he journeyed with the family by boat to Beards- town, Illinois, and he resided between Ashland and Pleasant Plains in this state until 1851. when he went to Springfield. Prior to this time he had engaged in agricultural pursuits, but on removing to Springfield he followed the black- smith's trade. At the time of the Civil war
Mr. Dicht manifested his loyalty to the Union cause by active service in the army. Hle en- listed in October, 1861, as a member of the First Batallion of Yates Sharpshooters, after- ward Company C. of the Sixty-fourth Ilinois Infantry. He was mustered into service at Camp Butler as a corporal and proceeded with his company to Quincy, Illinois, and afterward to New Madrid, where he took part in a battle. He next engaged in the battle of Island No. 10, and later his and another company brought three thousand prisoners to Camp Butler. Mr. Diehl's regiment was subsequently sent 10 Pittburg Landing, Tennessee, and he took part in the siege of Corinth and in a number of skirmishes. He was also at Inka with Rose- crans and fought under that general in the battle of Corinth. October 3 and 4, 1862. His regiment remained there in camp until 1863, doing guard duty and was stationed to pro- tect the rear of Sherman's army from the rebels at Pulaski, Tennessee. In January. 1864. Mr. Diehl veteranized and after a furlough of thirty days he rejoined his regiment. which was re- organized at Ottawa, Illinois, lle and his comrades were dispatched to Decatur. Alabama, to join Sherman and they did some gallant service in the battles of Resaca. Ringgold. Dallas. Buzzard's Roost, Peachtree Crock. Kenesaw Mountain and Atlanta. In Septem- ber. 1863. Mr. Diehl was detached as regi- mental blacksmith and served in that capacity until after the fall of Atlanta, when he was transferred to the supply train of the First Division of the Seventeenth Army Corps and went with Sherman on his famous march to the sea. He was next transferred to the First Brigade of the First Division of the Seven- trenth Army Corps and with this command proceeded to Beaufort, South Carolina. He fought in the first engagement at Orangeburg. South Carolina, and for four days and four nights was in water from three to four fest. deep. He fought at Goldsboro and after the surrender of Lee and Johnston he went to Washington, where he took part in the grand review, the most celebrated military pageant over seen on the western hemisphere. Ile was mustered out at Louisville, July 11. 1865, and with a most creditable military record returned
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to his home, having been honorably discharged in Chicago.
Following his return home Daniel Dicht re- sumed blacksmithing and for many years was well known as the village blacksmith of Salis- bury. There be carried on business with sue- cess for a long period, but now he is living a retired life in the enjoyment of a comfortable competence, which was gained through earnest labor. He was a skilled workman and because of the able service which he gave his patrons he secured a large trade that made his business profitable.
Mr. Diehl was married on the 22d of June,' 1869. to Miss Eliza 1. Stone, a native of Gard- ner township and a daughter of B. D. Stone, a native of Kentucky. They are the parents of live children: Oraette is the wife of F. Cutler, by whom she has three living children. Robert, Floy and Lorne, and they live in Brad- fordton, Sangamon county. John H. married Nellie Mae Wood and lives in Athens. Allio D. is the wife of Charles Brown, also a resident of Athens. Katie L. married William C. Buer- kett and has one daughter. Valera. They make their home in Salisbury. Viola M. completes the family.
Mrs. Diehl is a consistent member of the Christian church at Salisbury and Mr. Dicht is independent in both his religious and po- litical views. While living in Sangamon county he served for twelve years as constable as an accommodation to the people of his lo- cality. for the office paid small compensation. His has been an active and useful career and as a soldier and citizen he has made an honor- able record.
JOIN S. HUREE.
The subject of this sketch was born May 11. 1851. and is a son of Josiah and Nancy Barker ( Hawthorn) Huric. The father was born in Pittsburg. Pennsylvania, on the 15th day of December. 1812. and came to Ilinois in April, 1&13. settling in the eastern part of Cass county, near the Menard county line. He was joined in marriage to Miss Nancy Barker Hawthorn on the 6th of August. 1816, near Newmanville, Illinois. She was born in Green
county. Kentucky, nine miles from Greens- burg. June 1. 1821. and came with her parents to Illinois in September. 1835. Unto Josiah lurie and wife were born the following chil- dren : George Curtis, born June 3. 1842. died September 3. 1848: France> Catherine, born March 1, 1819, was married February 14, 1869. and married a second time July 22, 1887 ; Alive Emily. born August 22. 1851. was married September 1. 1868, and died March 14, 1813: lohn Solomon, born May 11, 1854. was mar- ried October 22, 1878: Mary Melissa, born October 4. 1856, was married September 12. 1816, and a second time November 21. 1897 : Emmet Josiah. born December 9. 1860. died March 8, 1888: Ida Bolle, born November 11. 1863. was married October 2. 1882. and died November 3. 1896. The father of this fant- ily died February 2. 1901. but the mother is still living, in December. 1901.
John Solomon Hurie was married October 22. 1818. to Miss Ann Maria Houghton. on Rock creek. She is the only daughter and the only living child of Andrew M. Houghton, who was born on Rock creek on the 12th of October. 1826, and was married to Miss Barbara Ann Renshaw on the 9th of April, 1856. She was born in Richland. Sangamon county, Ilinois. September 15, 1829, and became the mother of two children, namely : Ann Maria. now Mrs. Hurie : and Wiley P., who was born June Gith. 1861. and died October 1. 1861. Andrew M. Houghton died January 2. 1891. in a house located within one hundred feet of the cabin in which he was born. No better man ever lived in Menard county. He was a man of most ex- cellent judgment on almost every subject and no man in this section of the country was con- sled more than he. When any of his neighbors were in trouble or were perplexed over any mat- ter of any kind they were almost sure to go to "Uncle Hickory." as he was almost uni- versally called. No man could be more missed from a neighborhood than was "Hickory" Houghton. and although he has been dead four- ten years his name is still a household word in this section of the country. His is truly a blessed memory.
Mr. and Mrs. Inrio have four children : Andrew Emmett, born November 16. 1819;
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Earl J .. born April 10. 1882 : Wiley Linn, born March 12. 1885 : and John Frank, born Sep- tember 3. 1891. Andrew E. Huric was mar- ried to Miss Elizabeth Ellen Stout on the toch of October. 1900.
John S. Hurie is extensively engaged in farming and stock-raising and makes a decided success of it. Heowns a farm of fourteen hundred and thirty-six acres of as good land as there is in central Illinois. Upon the property is a rock quarry in operation and he has recently sunk a voal shaft, which will, when fully developed. be a source of ceaseless income. Taken upon the whole. Mr. Hurie is one of the best and most enterprising citizens of the country. In polities he is a Democrat of the old mossback type, always found with his party and in the forefront of the fight, but in this direction he could not influence his chlest son, who has followed in the steps of his grandfather, who was a stanch Ropublican, and young "Hickory" is as strong in the faith as his grandfather over was.
AARON THOMPSON.
Aaron Thompson, deceased. was born in Cape May county, New Jersey, on the 38th day of January. 1810. He was among the most active, upright and highly respected citi- zens of Menard county, who achieved success by their indomitable energies rather than by any outside aid. His record is that of many others of the self-made, self-reliant men, pron- inent in the history of this county, and his ca- reer has been marked with the experiences com- mon to that class referred to. His parents. Anson Thompson and Elizabeth ( Eldredge) Thompson, died when he was a small child He was denied the privilege of attending school as much as he desired. but his was ap energy that was not easily thwarted by ob- stack- and by dint of his own perseverance he succeeded in gaining a good education, an od- neation that was equal to, or even surpassed that of many a college student of to-day, he- sides his store of general information and book learning. He was a good penman and ex- pert mathematician and was versed with a most
wonderful geographical knowledge. At an early age he learned to earn his own livelihood and in 183% he bade his native state adicu and camo to Illinois. He first located in Sangamon county, where he taught school and clerked in a store. In 1848 he removed to Menard county and settled on a farm about two and one-half miles northwest of Petersburg, where he was actively engaged in farming for over forty years. Then he removed to Petersburg to spend his declining days, but not in idleness. HIe busied himself looking after his farm in- terests, and other business affairs with which he was connected.
Mr. Thompson was married September 21. 1818. to Miss Sarah J. Carson, who died in 1854. Two children of this union are living. On April 18. 1865. Mr. Thompson was united in marriage with Mrs. Amanda ( Flinn) O'Bannon. She was the daughter of Zadce W. and Elizabeth (Hill) Flinn. who removed from Kentucky to Ilinois in 1820. settling in Morgan county, where Mrs. Thompson was born September 3. 1822. Mr. and Mrs. Flinn were the parents of fourteen children. ten daughters and four sons. This was one of the most prominent and highly respected families of Morgan county and at Mr. Flinn's death he left a vast estate.
Aaron Thompson and his wife. Mrs. Amanda Thompson, were the parents of six children. of whom there are now living: Aaron Edwin : Zadoe Anson : Elizabeth A. wife of G. A. War- ing. of Petersburg: Mary Helen, the wife of Dr. E. A. Bleuler. of Carlinville, Illinois : Lulu J .. the wife of G. H. Codington, of Chi- cago. One daughter, S. Kathryn, wife of lar- rison Robinson, of Prentice. Illinois, died on the 16th of June. 1889. Fannie II .. now Mrs. J. D. Goodpasture. is the daughter of Mrs. Thompson, by her first husband. George W. O'Bannon, who died in 1851.
Mr. Thompson was a life-long Democrat. His first vote was cast for Andrew Jackson. He was a man of pronounced character. He had clear and definite ideas on all matter- and expressed his opinion freely, but not offensively. and everyone know where he stood on every subject. By his active and industrious life he aceundated a competency and died November
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AARON THOMPSON.
MRS. AARON THOMPSON.
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10, 1899, surrounded by those comforts that the new farm which made the life of every are ever the result of honesty, industry and economy. His second wife died February 16. 1897.
ELMER P. HORNBACK.
One of the native sons of Menard county, Elmer P. Hornback. was born May 19. 18:1. on the farm where he now lives and represents a prominent family of this part of the state, whose high reputation he has fully sustained by his straightforward business career. lis parents were Captain Robert and Margaret Hornback. His paternal great-grandfather. Abraham Hornback, was a native of Virginia, as was his maternal great-grandfather, Robert Bracken, and both were soldiers under General George Washington, in the Revolutionary war. John Hornback. the grandfather of Ehner P'. Hornback. was born in Bourbon county, Ken- tucky. February 3, 1798, and in 1818. he mar- ried Abigail Bracken. a native of Bath county. Kentucky, and a daughter of Robert and Eliza- beth ( Mappen ) Bracken, In 1825 they re- moved to Ilinois, reaching Menard county on the 220 of October. Here Mr. Hornback pur- chased three hundred and twenty acres of land. at the usual government price and with char- acteristic energy he began transforming the raw tract into cultivable property, making sub- stantial improvements, and through his farm- ing interests aiding materially in the carly pioneer development of this part of the state. He continued to engage in general farming here until his death, which occurred December 2. 1852. He had shared in many of the fron- tier experiences incident to reclaiming this district for the uses of civilization, and in 1832 he had served in the Black Hawk war. in com- pany with Abraham Lincoln with whom he was intimately acquainted. Mr. Lincoln was the captain of this company and Mr. Horn- back the lieutenant.
Robert Hornback was born in Menard county, on the old family homestead. Novem- ber. 11, 1828, heing the eldest of a large fam- ily: He was reared amid pioneer environment and assisted in the arduous task of developing
frontier agriculturist a strenuous one. When only tive and a half years old he plowed with one of the old time plows. then in general use. Throughout his entire life he carried on the work of tilling the soil and remained upon the homestead until his death, which occurred sap- tember 6, 1899. He was married. February 29. 1850. to Miss Catherine Rogers, a daughter of Samuel and Rebecca Rogers, of Menard county. On the loth of February, 1866. her death or- curred. and November 2. 1867. Captain Horn- back was married to Margaret J. MeGilora. a very worthy lady, by whom he has four children. The mother died December 14. 1886.
Captain Hornback proved his loyalty to his country during the Civil war by active service on the field. enlisting on the 4th of August, 1862. as a private of Company K. One Hun- dred and Fourteenth Hinois Infantry, under Colonel Judy. The rendezvous of the company was at Camp Butler, Springfield, and the regi- ment soon afterward proceeded to Memphis, Tennessee, remaining in the vicinity of that city until April 1, 1863, skirmishing. guarding railroads and scouting. At the expiration of that time order was received to join the forces under General Grant at Grand Gulf. Missis- sippi. proceeding from that point under Gen- eral Johnston. The One Hundred and Fourth with several other regiments, came upon the rebels at Raymond. on the 10th of AApril and in the engagement that followed the Confederates wore driven from their position. The Union soldiers followed their retreat and again a con- fiet occurred at Jackson, Mississippi, a pitched battle resulting in the foreing of the enemy from their fortifications and the capture of the city. On the 16th the battle of Champion Hills occurred. Mr. Hornback, with his regiment. participating, and later he aided in besieging the city of Vicksburg. until it- capitulation, after a defense of two months, in which the cannon were seldom silent. The next move of the One Hundred and Fourteenth was in the advance to Jackson, where the two weeks' siege was followed by the surrender of the city. Captain Hornback being among the first to enter it, on the 16th of July, 1863. It was the month of October. following. that he was pro-
PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY
moted from orderly sergeant to captain and of the worthy pioncer residents of the county. while in Memphis he was appointed provost Ili- wife died March 18, 1903. Mr. and Mrs. Hornback have two children : Robert H .. born November 25. 1901. and Margaret. born No- vember 23. 1903. marchal of the city, but not wishing to leave his regiment he remained with his command. Following various encounters with the troops under General Forrest, in the spring of 1861. The parents are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian church of fireenview and Mr. Hornback holds membership relations with the Masonic lodge at Greenview and the chapter and commandery at Petersburg. He is also identified with the Modern Woodmen of America and he gives his political allegiance to the Republican party. He seems to have in- herited his father's patriotic spirit. for he mani- fests a most commendable interest in measures for the welfare of the county, state and nation. and gives hearty co-operation to all move- ment- instituted for the material. intellectual and moral welfare of his community. the One Hundred and Fourteenth Illinois took part in the battle of Chuntown. Mississippi. Time 10. 1861. and Captain Hornback lost one half of his men and was himself wounded, but a month later. when the regiment again met the same troops, the latter were badly defeated. In August this regiment was transferred to the department of the Mississippi and pursued Price into Mississippi and Arkansas. taking part in the battle near Kansas City. in October. After Price was forced to leave Missouri Cap- tain Hornback joined General Thompson at Nashville, and participated in the battle ro- sulting in the defeat of Hood. With his regi- ment he also took part in the siege and capture of Mobile, and then gladly returned home, the war having ended. with victory perched upon HOE D. WILLIAMS. the I'nion banners. A loyal and intrepid sol- dier. an honorable gentleman. reliable in busi- ness and trustworthy in all life's relations. the memory of Captain Hornback is revered and cherished by all who knew him.
In the common schools Elmer P. Hornback acquired his early education, which was sup- plemented by study in the high school of Greenview and a course in the Springfield Business College of Springfield, Illinois. Ile then returned home and at the age of seven- teen year- hegan farming on his own account, since which time he has continually carried on general agricultural pursuits and stock-raising. He now own- the home place of two hundred acres and a ten acre tract of line timber three miles south. He is classed with the intelligent. enterprising and prosperous farmers of his native county and his business career is char- actorized by straightforward dealing.
On the 20th of December, 1899, Elmer P. Hornback was united in marriage to Mi- Mande Helstern, a daughter of fivorge and Clarissa Helstern, the former a native of tier- many and the latter of Illinois. They became carly settlers of Menard county, and the father i- now living a retired life in Peter burg-one
Joe D. Williams, who is carrying on farit- ing and stock-raising in township 18. range -1, was born in Middletown. Logan county. Illinois. July 16. 1866, his parents being Ed- win .f. and Rose (King) Williams. Ili> father. who was born in Decatur, Ilinois. July 8. 1838. died on the Sth of March, 1882. while his wife. who was born in Ohio, March 20, 1812. is still living. Edwin J. Williams lived with his par- ents in Menard county. Ilinois, until twelve years of age, when his mother died and he afterward lived with an aunt. Mrs. Cynthia John-on. for about a year. His father then took him to California. making the overland trip with ox teams. There were three wagons in the train and they were also accompanied by Mr. Williams five younger brothers. They started on the 1st of April. 1851, and it took nine months to make the trip. One man out of the train was killed by the Indians while they were traveling through Kansas. Mr. Williams father was captain of the train and he took with him sixteen yoke of oxen and seven head of horses. After reaching California he fat- toned the oven and sold them as beef cattle for one dollar per pound. He then began to search for gold and was in the mines for two
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PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY
years, at the end of which time he was mur- a student in the Murry school and afterward dered by the Rogue River Indians on Rogue river in California. Edwin J. William, with his five brothers then started homeward, going la way of Panama on a sailing vesel, across the isthmus on mules and thence on a sailing vessel to New Orleans, up the Mississippi river to St. Louis and on the Illinois river to Beards- town. whence they made their way across the country to Menard county. Edwin Williams then lived with his aunt, Mrs. Johnson, until about twenty-five years of age. During that time he attended school as opportunity offered and he also did general farm work. breaking the wild prairie and cultivating the fields. At the age of twenty-five years he started out in life for himself, purchasing a tract of land near Middletown and residing in the village while operating his farm. He was married on the Sth of August. 1865, to Miss Rose King and they became the parents of three children : Joe D. Edwin F., who was born August 26. Ists, and is now married and living in the Panhandle of Texas: and Matilda J., who was born August 21, 1823, and is the wife of Louis Held. also residing in the Panhandle.
After his marriage Edwin Williams con- tinued to reside in Middletown until the spring of 1823, when he sold his farm there and pur- chased one hundred and seven acres of land South of Irish Grove. Removing to the new property he continued its cultivation until the spring of ISE6, when he sold that farm and went to Maryville, Missouri, where he carried on general agricultural pursuits and stock- raising. He also engaged in the lumber busi- ness, cominuing in that line of trade until the spring of ISSO, when on account of ill health he disposed of his lumberyard and returned to Menard county. locating at Athens, where he spent his remaining days. When two years had passed. however, he was called to his final rest. He was a member of the old school Presbyter- ian church and lived an upright, consistent Christian life, ling straightforward in all his business transactions and faithful to every duty. His wife still survives him and now makes her home with her children.
Joe D. Williams spent his boyhood day- under the parental roof. He was for two years
attended a graded school in Maryville, Mis- "ouri, for four years. He also spent two years a- a student in Athens and later continued his studies at Maple Grove, where he attended school during the winter months. He was thus equipped by good educational privileges for the practical duties of life and reading and obser- vation in later years have also added to his knowledge. while experience has taught him many lessons. After his father's death, which occurred when the son was fifteen years of age. he assisted his mother in improving and culti- vating one hundred and ninety-one acres of land near Fancy Prairie and when he had at- tained his majority he went to Kansas, where he spent eight months herding cattle in that state and in the Indian Territory. Later with his two horses and cooking outfit he went over- land to Nebraska, and traveling through the northern part of Missouri he at length reached Illinois. During this time he slept upon the ground and did his own cooking. After hi- return he worked with his mother at farming and stock-raising and in July. 1891, purchased one hundred and ninety-one acres of land ad- joining his mother's farm on the north. Since then they have operated the two farms as one property, Mr. Williams having the active man- agement of the place. They have about fifty head of shorthorn cattle and about one hundred and forty-five hogy. They also have twenty- three head of a good grade of horses on the place and an imported Percheron stallion, Clovis. As a farmer and stock-raiser Mr. Wil- liams is meeting with a very gratifying measure of success and he is one of the stockholders of the Fancy Prairie Grain & Coal Company.
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