USA > Illinois > Montgomery County > Past and present of Montgomery County, Illinois > Part 42
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the raising of fruit, principally apples of the winter varieties. He also has from thirty to fifty acres planted to sugar cane, from which he makes sorghum molasses, using a steam process in converting this into syrup. This was the first mill of the kind in the county and has a capacity of three hundred gallons per day or thirty gallons per hour. The produet of Mr. Rainey's sugar cane fields and orchards add materially to his income, and as a general farmer and stock-raiser he is also meeting with success.
On the 12th of April. 1888, Mr. Rainey was united in marriage to Miss Sarah M. Attebery. who was born in this county, April 10, 1866.
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and they have become the parents of seven children, namely: William Walter, born in Butler Grove township, February 2, 1889; Elmer Edwin, born in Honey Point township, Macoupin county, June 22, 1891; George Leo, born in the same township. September 4, 1893; Marshall Truman, also born in Macoupin county, October 29, 1895; Cleda May, who was born in Montgomery county. December 11, 1897, and died December 24. 1892 : Charles F., born in Montgomery county, September 11, 1900; and Mabel Marie, born in this county, January 12, 1903. The family is well known in the county and Mr. and Mrs. Rainey have many friends who esteem them highly. The wife and mother is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church at Woodboro, illinois. which she joined March 1, 1877, at eleven years of age.
Mr. Rainey is connected with the Mutual Protective League and also with Enterprise Lodge, No. 2,031. F. M. B. A., since the year 1890, and is a Democrat in his political affilia- tions. He was one of the organizers of the Peoples Mutual Telephone Company, was its first secretary and is now one of its directors and treasurer. There are now over one thous- and members and the line has been of the ut- most benefit to the county, connecting its rural population with the cilies. Mr. Rainey is always quick to adopt progressive ideas of a practical nature, and he endorses all measures for the public good, giving his active support to many movements which have for their ob- ject the general welfare.
REV. PATRICK F. CARROLL.
Rov. Patrick F. Carroll, of St. Mary's Catholic church at Litchfield, was born in Janesville, Wisconsin, September 10, 1856. Ilis father, William Carroll, was born in Ireland and came to the United States in 1845, locating at Janesville, Wisconsin, where he followed the ocenpation of farming. He married Alice Cas- siday, also a native of Ireland. She came to the I'nited States in 1853. Both were members of the Catholic church. The father died Do- reuther 26, 1876, at the age of sixty-five years,
while the mother passed away April 9, 1890, at the age of sixty-seven years. They were the parents of six children, of whom five are now living.
Father Carroll acquired his early education in the public schools of Janesville, and in Sep- tember, 1862, entered St. Francis Seminary at Milwaukee, where he was graduated in June, 1881. On the 29th of June of the same year he was ordained by Bishop Baltes and for a short time was stationed at the cathedral at Alton, Illinois. Hle afterward spent a brief pe- riod at Paris, Illinois, and on the 1st of August, 1882. he was appointed in charge of St. Mary's parish at Litchfield, where he has since re- mained.
This charge was established about 1859. Previous to the organization of the church the spiritual wants of the people had been cared for by visiting priests. The regular priests have been successively Fathers Colton, Gonant, Vogt, Moczygemba, Meckel, Cluse and Weis, the last named remaining in charge until the appointment of the present pastor, Father Car- roll. The first services were held in the houses of the members and afterward in the city hall. In 1860 a briek church was built on the south- east corner of the block in which stands the present house of worship. It was sixty-five by thirty feet and served until 1884, when the foundation of the new church was laid. Two years later building operations were begun. and on Christmas day of the same year the first services were held in the new church. The structure is one hundred and thirty-two by fifty-six feet and is built of brick and stone. in Gothic style of architecture, with the con- ter nave fifty feet in height. It was erected at a cost of twenty-six thousand dollars, and in 1903 the congregation spent about ten thou- sand dollars in completing and decorating the church. The decorating was done by Leber Brothers, of Louisville, Kentucky, and the work is on a par with that of any church in the county. having cost sixteen hundred dollars. The high altar was the gift of C. B. Mundy, of Litchfield, and is of pure Gothic design, richly decorated in white and burnished gold and onyx. It is illuminated by four hundred and twenty-six electric lights and cost eigh-
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teen hundred dollars. The altar of the virgin was the gift of the Sodality and the St. Jo- seph's altar was a memorial erected in memo- ry of Simon and Margaret Kniery. The Holy Family group was donated by the family of John and Margaret Doran; St. Anthony's altar is the gift of Mrs. D. Wiegrette; the Sacred Heart statue was given by Mrs. M. Nolan : St. Ann's statue by Mrs. C. B. Mundy. The in- terior of the church is most beautiful, and in fact is one of the finest in Illinois. The par- sonage is a commodious brick structure, which was erected in 1890 at a cost of five thousand dollars. In 1820 St. Mary's parochial school was established and a schoolhouse built. The teachers at that time were the Ursuline Sisters of Alton, and they remained in charge until June. 1890. In September of that year the Dominican Sisters of Springfield took charge and have since conducted the school, which is an efficient one, doing the various work of the grade and high schools. There are now one hundred and twenty-five pupils. St. Fran- cis Hospital was established in 1815 and is conducted by the Sisters of St. Francis of Springfield. The church has a membership of one hundred and fifty families, and its va- rious societies and departments of church work are in a thriving condition. The choir of this church enjoys the distinction of heing among the best in the diocese, rendering masses of the best authors, as well as the Gregorian plain chant.
WILLIAM A. GRAY.
William A. Gray, identified with farming in- terests in Montgomery county, is filling the po- sition of county coroner and makes his home in Butler Grove township. He was born on the 3d of April. 1855, on the old family home- stead in that township, his parents being Alex- ander and Amanda (Choate) Gray, the former born in Virginia and the latter in Kentucky. The father was a farmer by occupation. thus providing for his family through the years of an active business career. There were, however, some chapters in his life history which were more eventful than the period covered by ag-
ricultural pursuits. He served in the Black Hawk war, and after the discovery of gold in California he made an overland trip to the Pacific coast in the early '50%. Eventually, however, he located in Montgomery county. Illinois. In Kentucky he had married Miss Amanda Choate, and they became the parents of seven children, of whom three are now liv- ing: William A., of this review; Dr. Il. Il. Gray, a physician of Keokuk, Jowa : and Susan L., wife of Dr. M. L. Moyer, of Hillsboro.
Mr. Gray of this review was reared to farm life, pursuing his education in the district schools and has always followed the occupation of farming. Ile now resides about one mile west of Butler, on a farm comprising seventy- seven acres, and devotes his energies to general agricultural pursuits. He has placed his land under a high state of cultivation, and the well- tilled fields return to him good harvests, while upon the market his crops find a ready sale.
Mr. Gray has been married twice. In 1875 he wedded Miss Maggie Aten, a daughter of Jacob C. Aten, a resident farmer of Montgom- ery county. They became the parents of five children: Clara, who is the wife of Harry Brookman and resides in Butler; George A., who married Emma Cockelnace and lives in Litchfield; Myrtle, at home: Albert C., who is attending medical college in Keokuk. Iowa, and resides with his unele ; and Essie, at home. It was in 1893 that Mr. Gray was called upon to mourn the loss of his first wife. Ho after- ward married Olive J. Chaney, of Litchfield, a daughter of Mrs. Jane Chaney, of that city. Her father had died during her early girlhood. The second marriage of Mr. Gray was cele- brated in 1891, and he and his wife now have a pleasant home near Butler and enjoy the warm regard of many friends.
In his political affiliations Mr. Gray is a stanch Democrat and has been prominent in local political circles. In 1900 be was elected coroner of Montgomery county for a term of four years, and on the expiration of that pe- riod he was renominated in 1904. Ile has also been assessor of Butler Grove township for two terms, and his publie duties have been dis- charged with a fidelity and ability that are above question. Fraternally he is connected
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with the Modern Woodmen of America, and his religious faith is indicated by his member- ship in the Methodist church.
JOHN GOSHEN WILSON.
More than half a century has passed since John Goshen Wilson came to Montgomery county, for he dates his residence here from the spring of 1853. For many years he car- ried on agricultural pursuits, while the county advanced in progress and upbuilding, and while carefully managing his individual in- terests. he has always manifested a public-spir- ited interest in what has been accomplished in the county, as conditions of frontier life have been replaced by those of the most modern civilization.
Mr. Wilson has now passed the seventy-ser- enth milestone on life's journey. He was born in North Carolina, March 2, 1821, a son of William and Elizabeth ( Keller) Wilson. the former a native of Pennsylvania and the lat- ter of North Carolina. His youth was passed in Jersey county, Illinois, and in April. 1851, he was married in that county to Miss Mary Jane Melntyre. Turning his attention to farming, he entered land from the government, securing two hundred acres in Walshville township. Montgomery county, Illinois. This was still in its primitive condition. but he soon transformed the raw traet into productive fields which be placed under a high state of cultiva- tion. This he eventually sold and then bought one hundred and fifty-three acres in the same township, also placing this under cultivation. When he had disposed of that property he bought one hundred and eighty acres in North Litchfield township and his next purchase cov- ered one hundred and ten acres adjoining Litchfield. The sale of that farm was followed by the purchase of one hundred and twenty acres in Hillsboro township and in 1898 he took up his abode in the city of Hillsboro, where he has since made his home.
Mr. Wilson. by his first marriage, had thir- teen children: Silas Riley: George Luther; Ellen E .: Jennie A. ; Alice; William Douglas; James Commodore: Martha I .: John G., de-
ceased ; Charles, who has also passed away; Emma and Edward, twins, both deceased; and Cora. deceased. The mother died in 1876 and Mr. Wilson was again married, his second union being with Miss Alice Kelso, who died six weeks later. His present wife was formerly Mrs. Chloe Fellers, widow of Dr. Fellers. of Nokomis. ller maiden name was llill. By their marriage there is a daughter, Vesta Mabel.
Mr. Wilson is a Democrat in politics and has voted with that party since age gave to him the right of franchise. lle served as assistant supervisor, but has never been a politician in the sense of office seeking. He has long been a resident of Montgomery county, has been an active factor in its agricultural development, and is one of the valued citizens. well deserving of mention among the representative men of this part of the state.
STEPHEN DAVID CANADAY.
Stephen David Canaday, whose business activity and success classes him with the repre- sentative citizens of Montgomery county. is an abstractor and real estate and loan agent. Hillsboro claims him as one of its progressive and influential citizens and he is numbered among the native sons of the county, his birth having occurred four miles east of Litchfield, on the 3d of March, 1865. His father. Caleb Warren Canaday, was born in Casey county, Kentucky, January 5, 1833, and in 1835 was brought to Montgomery county by his parents, John and Pina M. (Sapp) Canaday. also of Casey county. Kentucky. The mother was a sister of Warren Sapp. who with Ahart Pierce entered from the government the land upon which the city of Litchfield is built. The grandfather secured a tract of two hundred and eighty acres, lying in North Litchfield and Butler Grove townships, and this tract he de- veloped into a well improved and highly culti- vated farm.
Caleb W. Canaday was reared on the old family homestead and was carly inured to the arduous labor of developing a farm in the midst of a sparsely seltled district offering few
LIRPARY SIONI. OM BJAINO
JOHN G. WILSON
C. W. CANADAY
MRS. C. W. CANADAY
S. D. CANADAY AND FAMILY
UNIVERSITAS LLINOIS URBANA
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advantages to its people. The occupation which claimed his attention in early youth he also made his life work and became the owner of one hundred acres of land in North Litchfield and Butler Grove townships. Ile married Martha L. H. Starr, a daughter of David B. Starr. She was born three miles west of Hillsboro on the 24th of March, 1842, and is of German and French lineage, while her husband was of Scotch-Irish descent. Her grandfather, James Street, was a Baptist minister, who preachel the first sermon ever delivered in Montgomery county, this event taking place soon after the organization of the county. He also married the couple that obtained the first marriage license issued in this county and he was actively identified with the moral development and with the growth of religious sentiment in this part of the county. Caleb W. Canaday gave his political allegiance to the Democracy, but he sought no official positions, preferring to de- vote his undivided attention to his business affairs. Ile remained a resident of Mont- gomery county until his death, which occurred October 25, 1901, when he was sixty-eight years of age. His widow still survives him and yet resides on the old homestead. They were the parents of eleven children: James M., who died October 25, 1880, at the age of eighteen years: Stephen D .: John Sidney. who is en- gaged in the butchering business in Litchfield ; E. Franklin, a dealer in live stock and hay at Coffeen : Julia Alice, the wife of Dayton D. Garver. a farmer residing at Republican, Ne- braska : William L., who makes his home on a farm at Butler, Illinois: Lewis W., who is liv- ing on the old homstead; Robert N., a prac- ticing physician at Butler: Otie, who died in infancy : Harriet C .. who is living on the old homestead farm: and Martha J., the wife of John Nail. a farmer living six miles northwest of Litchfield. All are married with the excep- tion of Hattie.
Stephen D. Canaday acquired his education in the country school and the public schools of Butler and Litchfield and was graduated from the Litchfield high school with the class of 1886. He afterward obtained a position in the Litchfield Planet Mill as shipping clerk, con- tinuing there until December 24, 1887. Two
days later he came to Hillsboro and accepted the position of deputy county clerk under Brewer A. Hendricks. continuing in that of- fice until May. 1892. when, accompanied by his wife. he went to Portland, Oregon. Not liking that country, however, he returned in a short time and again entered the office of the county clerk, where he remained for several months, when he opened a real estate, abstract and loan office in the otlice with Judge Jesse J. Phillips. This was in 1893 and he has since conducted the business with very gratifying success, hav- ing gained a large clientage. Ile was also one of the organizers of the People's Mutual Tele- phone Company, of which he was at one time the treasurer and a director.
On the 22th of July. 1890, Mr. Canaday was married to Miss Mattie 1. Wilson, a daughter of John G. and Jane ( Meintyre) Wilson. Her father was a farmer who removed from North Carolina to this state in 1830 and settled in Greene county, while in 1853 he came to Mont- gomery county. Ile makes his home with Mr. and Mrs. Canaday, at the age of seventy-seven years, and is still a hale and hearty man. He followed farming in this county for a number of years and at one time owned two hundred and forty acres north of Litchfield. His wife was of Irish lineage. Mrs. Canaday was born near Litchfield, December 6, 1868, and by her marriage has become the mother of four chil- dren, but Amos and Wayne are now deceased. Those still living are Warren and Raymond.
Mr. Canaday was one of the charter members and organizers of the Mutual Protection League of Litchfield. acted as supreme director of the league for four and a half years and was supreme treasurer for a year and a half. Ho also belongs to the Court of Honor. His political allegiance is given the Democracy and he served twice as clerk of his township. In 1894 he was candidate for county treasurer on the Democratie ticket, but that was the year of the Republican landslide and not a Democrat was elected in Montgomery county on the en- tire ticket. Ile was elected, however, to repre- sent the thirty-eighth district of Illinois in the state legislature, November 8, 1904. His ad- vancement in the business world is due entirely to the careful husbanding of his resources,
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keen discrimination and executive force. He has won success in this way and is to-day num- bered among the leading, influential and hon- ored citizens of Hillsboro. The greater part of his life has been passed within the borders of this county and many of his stanchest friends are those who have known him from boyhood.
JOSEPH MCLEAN BAKER.
The true measure of succes is determined by what one has accomplished, and, as taken in contradistinction to the old adage that a prophet is not without honor save in his own country, there is particular interest attach- ing to the career of the subject of this review. since he is a native son of the place where he has passed his active life and so directed his ability and efforts as to gain recognition as one of the representative citizens of Montgomery county. He is actively connected with a pro- fession which has important bearing upon the progress and stable prosperity of any section or community, and one which has long been considered as conserving the public welfare by furthering the ends of justice and maintain- ing individual rights.
Mr. Baker, a native son of Montgomery county, was born in Grisham township on the 5th of October, 1866. His paternal grandfather was William D. Baker, a native of North Carolina and later a resident of Macon county, Illinois. His father, Rev. William P. Baker. was born in Macon county. Illinois, near Decatur, and is now living at the age of sixty- wight years. After his marriage he lived at various places and engaged in preaching the gospel as a minister of the Cumberland Pres- byterian church. At one time he had charge in Alton and is now pastor at Witt. He came to Montgomery county to make his home about 1848 and is now living in Hillsboro. His in- terest in the church and its upbuilding. how- ever, has never abated, and he is the stated clerk of the Vandalia Presbytery. He owns a farm of one hundred and seventy acres in Grisham township, and to the improvement and cultivation of the land he gave his supervision.
but now rent> the property. In matters of citi- zenship he is public-spirited and progressive, and believing that the Republican party con- tains the best elements of good government he gives to it an earnest and unfaltering alle- giance. lle tirst married Miss Jane McLean, who was born in Grisham township. Montgom- ery county, and for his second wife married Margaret Mebean, who is now sixty-seven years of age. Her father was Joseph MeLean, who removed from North Carolina to Montgomery county at a very early period in the settlement and development of this portion of the state. Rev. William P. Baker was twice married and by his first wife. Mrs. Mary Baker, had two children : William C., now deceased ; and Ora D .. the wife of George Donnell, who is living in Snohomish. Washington. The two chil- dren of the second marriage are Joseph Mc- Lean and Mary J., the latter at home. William E. Baker, a nephew of our subject. was a mem- ber of General Funston's celebrated Twentieth Kansas Regiment and was with that command in the Philippines, where he was detailed most of the time to act as a clerk at the regimental headquarters.
Mr. Baker is a graduate of the Hillsboro high school and for three years after his gradn- ation he was successfully engaged in teach- ing, but, determining to enter other profes- sjonal lines of labor, he became a student in the law office of James M. Truitt. of Hillsboro, in 1886. He read law through the summer months and in the winter seasons engaged in teaching school until his study had prepared him for admission to the bar, and he success- fully passed an examination in the fall of 1889. lle then entered upon the practice of his profession in the same othce that he now ocenpies, and success has continuously attended his efforts. An earnest manner, marked strength of character, a thorough grasp of the law and the ability to accurately apply its principles have made him an effective and suc- cessful advocate, and he has been connected with much of the most important litigation tried in the courts of his county for eighteen vears. He served as city attorney of Hillsboro for three terms, being first elected in 1893 and re-elected in 1895. In 1899 he was appointed
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to fill a vacancy, for his previous public service had well evidenced his ability to faithfully and promptly discharge the duties of the office. Hle was a delegate to the state Republican conven- tion in 1900 and is a stalwart advocate of the party, doing everything in his power to pro- mote its growth and insure its success. At present he is chairman of the county Repub- lican committee.
Aside from his legal interests Mr. Baker has business affairs of importance. He is the vice- president of the Hillsboro Building & Im- provement Association and is a stockholder in the llillsboro Hotel Company. He likewise has other interests in property in a mining location nearby, known as Kortkamp. Spend- ing his entire life in Montgomery county, he has a wide acquaintance, which is also a fa- vorable one because of his public-spirited in- terest in community affairs and because of his capability and reliability in the profession which he has chosen as a lifework. lle is a prominent and active member of the Presbyte- rian church and is now serving as elder and chorister.
A. L. ELLINGTON.
Almost every state in the Union has fur- nished its representatives to Montgomery coun- ty, and among those who have come from North Carolina is A. L. Ellington, who was born in Rockingham county, in that state, near Wentworth, December 2, 1852. His par- ents were Charles W. and Ellen ( Allen) Ellington, and the father, also a native of Rockingham county, died in prison at Point Lookout, Maryland. in 1865, when a Confederate prisoner of war. He was a farmer by occupation, following that pursuit throughont his entire business career. lis widow passed away in 1824. They were the parents of nine children. of whom eight are vet living.
A. L. Ellington remained a resident of Rock- ingham connty until 1867, when, at the age of fifteen years, he came with his mother and other members of the family to Illinois, set- tling in Montgomery county, and when twenty- one years of age he started out in life on his
own account, being employed by his mother, with whom he remained until 1823. The fam- ily was very poor and he had no advantages to assist him at the outset of his career. He began farming for himself in Fillmore town- ship, where he remained for four years, and since that time he has lived in East Fork town- ship. For fifteen years he has resided upon the farm which is now his home. lle con- tinned to rent land for sixteen years and then purchased one hundred and forty acres where he now resides. This is a valuable property and he is extensively engaged in the raising of stock, making a specialty of high grade hogs. Hle has won a good reputation throughout the county for his success in this direction, and his stock always commands the highest market prices. In his business affairs he is discrimi- mating and his sound judgment has been one of the salient features in his success. All of the improvements upon his farm have been made by him with the exception of the house, and the attractive appearance of the place is an indication of his careful supervision and progressive modern methods.
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