USA > Illinois > Montgomery County > Past and present of Montgomery County, Illinois > Part 66
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PAST AND PRESENT OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
in favor of the latter. He was an excellent business man and left to his family quite an estate. "Tim" Lane, his eldest son, is among the popular business men of Fillmore and con- ducts a general store at his father's old stand. "Torny" Lane lives in Litchfield and is on- gaged in general merchandise. Ora Lane, the youngest son, died recently. lle had several daughters who are married and are living in the neighborhood of Fillmore ; his eldest dangh- ter, however, is the wife of A. A. Cross, of Hillsboro. Moses Cress, father of Dan Cross. came from North Carolina and settled on a farm near the western boundary of the town- ship where "Little Dan" now resides, and it is on this farm that I remarked in another chap- ter than many of the old the agricultural implements may be seen. Dan Cress has been much interested in the growing of Norman horses and fine breeds of cattle. He has one of the best stock farms in Montgomery county and on it may be seen some of the best horses and cattle. His son Frank is associated with him in the care and management of his estate. Frank is a young man whose inclinations lead him to adopt the vocation of farmer and stock man in preference to that of a profession. The writer well remembers Frank Cross as a student at school much interested in all that pertained to agriculture. Peter ('ress who set- tled in the north part of Fillmore township came from North Carolina during the 20s and made settlement near Bost llill. The records show that Peter Cress was a private in Roun- tree's company during the Black Hawk war. It is a matter somewhat difficult to discover the relationship that existed between Peter Cross, Moses Cress and Jacob Cross, who were all early settlers of Montgomery county. There came to the county at a much later date Dan- iel Cress and his brother Eli. Daniel, fre- quently called "Big Dan," settled on a farm near Shoal creek that had previously belonged to Henry Hill, Sr. It was one of the first settlements in the western part of Fillmore township. "Big Dan" married for a second wife a daughter of JJames Kirk, who has been nofieed in this article. At the present time Mr. Cress lives on the old Jim Kirk homestead. Eli (.ogs settled on the Hillsboro and Fill-
more road on the west side of Shoal crook. Ile raised a large family of children, who are among the honored citizens of this county. John and Richard Alexander are among those who formed the settlement on Dry fork im- mediately south of the present village of Fill- more. John Alexander was the father of Mrs. Thomas Sears who, by the way, was the mother in turn of Mrs. Isaac Hill. mother of our present states attorney, L. V. Hill. Richard Alexander was among the prominent citizens of his section of the county in his day. Ilis sons Joseph and Samuel wore well known and at one time were prominent in Montgomery county politics. James Alexander, son of Rich- ard Alexander by a second wife, is the present circuit clerk of Fayette county. Peter AAlex- ander is a son of John Alexander and is well and favorably known in Fillmore township. Mark Mason, father of Henry Mason, settled in this neighborhood at about the same time with the Alexanders. Henry Mason lives on the old Mason home and is among the few old settlers, the first native born of the county. Mark Mason, Jr., is engaged in general mer- chandising in the village of Fillmore. He maintains the excellent reputation borne by his ancestors and those who patronize his place of business know well that they will be treated fairly. Mr. Mason married Miss Flora Black- burn, daughter of Harrison Blackburn. of Cof- feen. William Snyder and Samuel, his brother, wore sons of Frederick Snyder of pioneer times. Neither of these lived to be old men, but the influence of their lives has been felt in the community in which they lived. William Snyder left several sons, among whom are John W. of Morrisonville, Fred and Ora. who live on the old home, and several daughters who are married and live in this community. Sam- uel Snyder also left quite a family of children, among whom are John II. and Lafayette. These boys, now in the meridian of life. are among the solid and substantial citizens of Fillmore township. The several daughters of Samuel Snyder are married and reside near the old home. John Landers is another of the Fillmore farmers that deserves a place in this narrative. While he came to the township at a later date than many others, yet he has been
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very prominently connected with the political and social life of its people. He married a Miss llill, sister of Sam Hill and a daughter of Henry Hill. the pioneer. By this marriage Mr. Landers has several children, among whom are his son Samuel, now city superintendent of the Dallas ( Oregon) public school. He is a young man of much promise and will be heard from in his country's history. Edward Lan- ders and John are farmers, living in Fillmore township. The daughters are all married to some of the best citizens in the community. I'nele John lives on the old home and is happy and contented as he passes down the evening of life. Harris Wright and Elijah belong to the pioneer Wright family. They are both men now in the decline of life, having fought a good fight. and they are waiting the call to join the great host of relatives and friends that have gone on. Jefferson Wright. son of Elijah Wright, is a prominent business man of Ramsey, Illinois, Stephen White, who died in 1821, left surviving him two sons, Ambrose and James. Ambrose White settled near the west line of Fillmore township not far from where New Boston is situated. He left two sons, Wil- liam and Stephen. William White, the elder son died a good many years ago and left sur- viving him Iva J. White. Ambrose White and Stephen 11. White. Iva J. the oldest son of William White, is among the oldest school teachers of Montgomery county and is actively engaged in the work of his profession to-day. Ambrose and Stephen It. are both engaged in farming and live in the vicinity of Coffeen. Stephen White, second son of Ambrose White and grandson of Stephen White, the pioneer. lives on a farm south of Coffeen at the ad- vanced age of eighty-three years and may be reckoned one among the oldest native born in the county. Stephen White has several sons who live on the old ancestral homestead. Docia White, daughter of Ambrose White, was the wife of John Boyd. She left surviving her several children. among whom are William, Stephen. Robert, Curtis and James. These sons live in the neighborhood where they were raised. Among those who came to Montgom- ery county about the year 1840 was Henry Sellers. George Ohmert and Jo Sherman.
These settled north of the Vandalia road on what was afterward known as the Hoffman estate. The farm at present is owned by Byron Bost. Henry Sellers left surviving him several sons, among whom are Samuel. Daniel and John. Samuel Sellers lives in the west part of Fillmore township on the top of the hill on the east side of Shoal creek as you go from Coffeen to Fillmore by way of the Sellers bridge. Uncle Sam is a unique character and enjoys telling a story as well as any man in the township. He is growing old, however, vet for one of his age he is blessed with good health. Sam has raised a large family of chil- dren. all of whom are grown and have gone out into the world to build for themselves a for- tune and a name. George M. Ohmert after- ward removed to East Fork township. Among the children left by George M. Ohmert was Jacob Ohmert of Logan county, now dead, and Sarah, afterward the wife of Joel C. Traylor. She is living at the advanced age of seventy- six years and has recently removed from the old Traylor homestead to the village of Coffeen. llarriet Allen was also a daughter of George Ohmert. She was the mother of Dr. Allen and George Allen, who have been noticed in the chapter of East Fork township. McCager Wright, son of Joseph Wright. the pioneer, im- proved a homestead in the neighborhood of his father. He died some few years ago and left surviving him four sons : James. John, Charles and Cook. Janws and John live in the vicinity of the old home, while Cook and Charles live in other sections of the country. George W. Miller for many years lived on the farm now owned by Tim Livingstone. He was a very enterprising and energetic citizen and much interested in the organization of the farm- ing class into societies that would enable them to act in harmony and for their best in- terests. Ile was organizer for the Grange move- ment that swept over the west about thirty years ago. George Miller left surviving him George W. Miller, who lives on a farm in the western part of Fillmore township: David Miller, a carpenter, who resides in the village of Fillinore : William Miller, also of Fillmore and engaged in the same line of work as his brother David: Jack Miller, whose whereabouts are un-
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known to the writer, and several daughters. among whom are Mrs. P. J. Hill, of Hillsboro. Henry Hill, the pioneer, lett among other chil- dren Henry and Levi, who settled in the neigh- borhood near where the present village of Chap- man is located. Levi Ilill died some years ago and left several sons who live on and near the old homestead. Henry Hill, Jr., is at present living with his son-in-law. "Ted" Hicks, on the farm which he improved many years ago. Unele Henry is nearly eighty years old and get- ting quite feeble : however, we see him occasion- ally on the streets of Coffeen. He has one son living at Hillsboro and another on a farm near the village of Coffeen. Peter Hill, the oldest son of Henry Hill, is engaged in coal-mining and Jefferson, the second son, in farming and stock-raising. Another character that we shall notice in our narrative of Fillmore is Jude Smith. who settled several years ago amidst the virgin woods that covered the hills cast of Shoal creek and immediately south of Bosi Hill. Mr. Smith by years of toil succeeded in clearing away the forest and making for him- self a comfortable home. Ile has. however, re- cently removed to the village of Fillmore that he may have a few years of rest, to which he is entitled by reason of labor faithfully performed. Mr. Smith has succeeded in rearing a family of interesting children. among whom are Della and Bertha. teachers in the public schools of Montgomery county : and Walter and Milton, both of whom have left the profession of teach- ing for other lines of service. An older daugh- ter is the wife of Archie Sellers, who is re- lated to the Sellers family already noticed in this narrative. About the year 1827 Wooten Harris, accompanied by his sons Benjamin and William. emigrated from ITiekman county, Tennessee, to Montgomery county, Illinois. The ancestors of Wooten Harris originally came from Wales and settled in Virginia. An older son of Wooten Harris, named Starling. re- mained in North Carolina on the removal of his father from that state to Tennessee. It will be noticed that Wooten Harris originally came from Virginia to North Carolina, thence to Tennessee and thence to Illinois. Wooten Harris, pioneer. had a brother Zachariah, who rame from Humphreys county, Tennessee. to
Illinois in 1829. He had seven sons : Ancil.
Benjamin, Zachariah, Pendleton. Jacob, Wooten and Henry. Wooten Harris, the elder, was a soldier in the Revolutionary war and for several years drew a pension from the govern- ment for services rendered during that great struggle. Benjamin. son of Wooten, settled on a farm since known as the Scribbner home- stead. It lies southwest of the village of Fillmore about one mile and a half. The sons of Benjamin were Wooten. . Joel,
Benjamin, Jr., William and John. He had four daughters: Elizabeth, Sarah, Frances and Mary. Elizabeth was married to Henry Bost : Sarah to J. Bowers Lane: and Mary to Isaiah Toberman. Wooten Harris, son of Ben- jamin. married Evelyn C. Woolard in 1853. She was a daughter of the Rev. James Woolard, a pioneer Methodist preacher. well and favor- ably known to all the carlier settlers through- out this section of the state. Wooten Harris. the son of Benjamin, was for many years an in- tuential and esteemed citizen of Hillsboro. He was one of the founders of the Haskill- Harris Bank and when that institution failed it brought ruin to Unele Wooten, vet no one who lost in that institution ever blamed Wooten TTarris for the failure. Wooten Harris left surviving him two sons. Henry and Bort, the latter, however, died some years ago. The former is not living in this state nor is his whereabouts known to the writer. John Harris, a son of Benjamin. married Sarah (. Toher- man in 185; and by her he had two sons, Jas- per and Homer, and also several daughters. Jasper and Homer are living on farms in this community. William B., son of Wooten Ilar- ris, the pioneer and who came with his father to Illinois in 1827, died in 1875. He had four sons. Thomas D., William M., Benjamin and Wooten ; the latter died without issne. He had also seven daughters: Frances, who mar- ried Levi Sears: Sarah, wife of Whitfield Hal- ford: Polly, wife of George Turnbow ; Betsey, wife of Frank Seribbner: Kate, wife of Robin Rhodes: and Mahala, the wife of Willis Casey. William ML .. son of William B. and grandson of Wooten. the pioneer. lives at Bingham, Illi- nois, and is at present in a fair state of health for one of his age. He was seventy-six years
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PAST AND PRESENT OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
old in March last. He is the father of E. Har- ris of Coffeen, Illinois, and also of Nilla, wife of Willis Donaldson, station agent at Fill- more, Illinois. He has other children who live in Oklahoma and Texas. Isaiah Toberman, who married Mary Harris, daughter of Ben- jamin. is the present owner of the old Harris estate, sometimes called the Scribbner home- stead. Isaiah Toberman has for many years been an active business man in the village of Fillmore and associated with his sons he has carried on a grain and hay business in Fillmore, Chapman and Coffeen. Although a gentleman of considerable years, he remains active in the business cares of the large trade which he and his sons have built up. Mr. Toberman for many years was engaged in farming and stock- raising and during the threshing season he operated a threshing machine for quite a num- ber of years. I have heard it stated that Isaiah Toberman is the only man in this section who ever made any money out of running a thresh- ing machine. He tells me, however, that by this means he largely built up his present estate. He is regarded as one of the very sub- stantial citizens of the township. His son Marion assists him in looking after the Fill- more part of the business and Benjamin until recently had charge of the work at Chapman, while Walter was in control of the elevator and hay business at Coffeen. Ben has recently moved to Coffeen and Walter has removed to St. Louis to look after their large interests in the city trade. Elijah Donaldson, who is at present living in the village of Fillmore, was formerly a resident if Witt township and served as supervisor for that township several terms. He also represented this senatorial district in the state legislature as a Democrat. He was one of the famous 101 who supported John M. Palmer for the United States senate. I think, however, that when Palmer deserted the Demo- cratie party in 1896 that Elijah refused to wear his 101 badge and relegated it to a place among the antiquities which he expects to bequeath to his children. Mr. Donaldson is an active business man and has been unusually success- ful in all his ventures. He is engaged in the real estate business and in looking after his landed property north of the village of Fill-
more. Elijah Donaldson's father, William, came from Tennessee to Illinois a few years be- fore the Civil war and settled a few miles north of the present village of Bingham. Among his sons were Elijah, above mentioned, Presley and James. His daughter Sarah married Dan- iel Griggs, who is at present in business in Fillmore. Aaron Butler, ex-sheriff of Mont- gomery county, is another of the prominent characters of Fillmore township. He was married to Miss Jane Casey and settled north of the present village of Fillmore about the close of the Civil war. Here by industry and frugality he added much to the estate which his wife held from her father, John Casey. Mr. Butler has retired from the farm to a beautiful home in the village of Fillmore. Here he and his wife, after the struggle of raising a family is over, feel that they are entitled to the pleas- ures that a substantial income may furnish. Mr. Butler is a pillar in the Methodist church at Filhnore and has done much to build up the society at that place. Dr. Short and Dr. Hoyt. his son-in-law, are the only physicians resident in the village. Dr. Short has practiced his profession in that community for many years and has not only built up and maintained a wide practice, but at the same time has gath- ered a fair competency for his declining years, and be it said to his credit that no man in Montgomery county has given better opportu- nities to his children to secure collegiate edu- cation than he. His sons William and Sheri- dan are both practicing physicians, while Wal- ter, after completing a course at the University of Illinois, received an appointment in the United States Army. Bird, his younger son, we understand. is also preparing himself for a physician at Marion-Sims Medical College. He has two daughters. Lutie and Stella. Lutie is the wife of Dr. Jesse Hoyt, of Fillmore, and Stella is the wife of Walter Toherman, of St. Louis, Missouri. Dr. Hoyt, of Fillmore, is among the leading physicians of this section of the county, and his wife acts as his assistant in the postoffice. Horatio Prater, son of Asa Prater, lives on his father's old homestead near the center of the township. He has held varions township offices and is regarded in every way as an exemplary man. His mother was
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PAST AND PRESENT OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
the daughter of Harrison Brown, who at one time was sheriff of Montgomery county, and a sister of J. C. Brown, who lives near Coffeen. The long roll of reputable and deserving char- acters who have contributed to the history and many who are to-day adding to the material progress of Fillmore township we are com- pelled by lack of space to omit from this nar- rative.
EAST FORK TOWNSHIP AND THE VIL- LAAGE OF COFFEEN.
A long time ago, in the year 1820, William McDavid came from Tennessee and settled in East Fork township near the famous Fox In- dian spring and here for forty-six years he made his home. Children grew up about him and in turn made homes of their own. Mr. McDavid was an eccentric character, a man possessed of far more native ability than the average. It is related that after he had made settlement that occasional visits were made by individual members of the Fox tribe to the vicinity of their former home near the Big spring down as late as the year 1835. T. W. McDavid, the youngest son of Uncle Billy, lives on the old homestead, where he was born more than seventy years ago. When Mr. McDavid came from Tennessee he was accompanied by Jesse Johnson, his father-in-law, who settled in Grisham township, near where the village of Donnellson now stands. After Mr. MeDavid, James Card made settlement in East Fork township in 1821 and located on the farm now owned by Daniel Cress. Mr. Card lived for one year at this place when his wife having died. he returned to his former home in Kentucky. He came back. however, in 1823 and settled in the north part of East Fork township near the Irving line. He remained here for two years and then removed to Fillmore township. It is remarked of Mr. Card that he was a remarkable man in many respects, daring, intrepid and in- tensely religious. Mr. Card made the first overland trip from this section of the county to St. Louis. lle had no means to direct his course but a small pocket compass and of neces- sity he was compelled to cut his roads through
the woodland and to make a fording place across the stream. tt required many days' traveling with his slow ox team, but his return trip was fully as difficult because of being heavily loaded with supplies, which he had pur- chased in St. Louis. Many of Mr. Card's de- scendants yet reside in this county. A settle- ment was formed in the south part of the town- ship in the years between 1821 and 1826 and among those whose names appear we find as fol- lows: Joseph Williams, John Kirkpatrick. F. Quinn, Henry Rowe and David Bradford. Wil- Fams settled on the farm which was after- ward known as the Riley Hampton Mound. It is now the home of Rey. Alexander Hamp- ton, a grandson of Joseph Williams. Kirk- patrick located over near where the village of Donnellson stands. The exact location of those other early settlers is not known. in 1826 Benjamin Rhodes came from Indiana and set- tled on section 8, in the north part of East Fork township. His was the only cabin in this part of the township for some years. William R. Linxwiler, a step-son, afterward owned the Rhodes property and later sold it to Joel K. MeDavid. In 1824 Jordan Williford came from Tennessee and located on a piece of land near Unele Billy MeDavid's. He lived on this place about three years and then sold out to Mr. MeDavid and moved over on Shoal creek, where he remained until 1856, when he re- moved to Arkansas. Jordan Williford had a large family of children, among whom was Andrew J. Williford, a minister of the primi- tive Baptist church and well known through- out this section for a period of many years. Unele Jackie Williford, as he was called, preached at Bothel, just north of where Cof- forn now stands, for a period of nearly half a century. Mr. Williford has left several sons. who reside in Montgomery county. Grandsons of the elder Jordan Williford, the pioneer, and the sons of A. J. Williford, the preacher, are James Williford, of Litchfield; Thomas Willi- ford, who lives in Fayette county : Hiram Wil- liford, the school teacher, also living in Fayette county ; and A. J. Williford, Jr., the efficient cashier of the Nokomis National Bank. These men are well known and respected in the neighborhood in which they were reared, as well
PAST AND PRESENT OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
as in the localities in which they have estab- lished their homes. Andrew J. Williford, Jr .. presents an article in this work under the head of the banks and banking. Its perusal will be of interest to all who have not studied the workings of the national banking system. Mr. Williford, the cashier, has an elegant home and most interesting family in the city of Nokomis. Here he has lived for several years and during this period he has established a reputation in connection with the bank that makes his services of great value to that insti- tution. His suceess proves that a young man of energy and industry, coupled with economy. may within a few years provide for himself the things necessary for the comfort and hap- piness of those dependent upon him. Mr. A. J. Williford, Jr .. was married to Mary John- son. a daughter of the late Ben E. Johnson, of Hillsboro. Their union has been blessed with a family of several boys and girls. Hiram Williford. the teacher. has but one son. who has received an appointment as a cadet in the military academy at West Point. This young man. Forest Williford. has the making of character that some day will command the re- spect and esteem of his follows. We base this assertion or assumption on the fact that the elements of the pioneer and the preacher have come down through the generations to find ex- pression in the efforts and achievements of
this scion of one of the pioneer families. Two brothers by the name of Mann came to settle in the northern part of East Fork township about the year 1830. One of these was the father of Robert Mann, who for many years was
a prominent citizen of Hillsboro. Samuel Haller made a settlement some two miles north of where Coffeen is now located. Mr. Haller raised a large family of children, many of whom have been prominent in county and local affairs. Henry Haller for many years lived at Hillsboro and was engaged in different lines of business at that place. He died some two or three years ago. Jacob Haller. of Nokomis. one of the most successful farmers and stock men of the county, is a son of Henry Haller.
Dr. T. B. Haller, recently deceased, was also a son of this pioneer settler. Dr. Haller for many years was engaged in the practice of his
profession at Vandalia and it was here that he built up a large and Inerative business. Caleb Traylor built the first mill in the township at the place now known as New Boston. This was in the year 1836. He and his father, James Traylor, had come from Kentucky the year previous. The elder James Traylor was one of the first school teachers within the county and some few of the older citizens remember having attended his school. Caleb Traylor was most unfortunate in the operation of his mill. On one occasion his hand and arm were crushed in some of the machinery and later he fell from some part of the upper story upon some timbers below and broke his neck. This was unfortunate for the family of Mr. Traylor in more ways than simply the loss of his services as bread winner for his family for hav- ing a large family of boys. the advice and council which a father alone can give was lost to them at a period when they needed it so much. The second mill built in East Fork township was operated by D. M. Williams. It was in the neighborhood of Traylor's store It built before Joel C. Traylor established his store in that part of the township. This mill was operated for a period of twenty years or more and was finally sold to Alfred Bliss, of Fillmore, by Joel C. Traylor, who had come into possession of it. The writer has faint remembrance of this old mill. for as a child he played with others about the yard at hide and seek among the logs. Forty years have gone by since the removal of the old mill. yet a few of the old logs are to be seen lying about in their decay, marking the place of one of the earlier enterprises of the township. The water still flows from the old spring, yet little traee of the pond that collected its waters for the use of the mill is to be found. The burstones that ground the corn into meal were reserved when the mill was sold and these stones are to be seen in the yard at the old Traylor homestead. The . first store doing a general merchandise busi- ness was opened by Joel C. Traylor in the south part of the township in 1844. For many years Mr. Traylor gathered the produce from the surrounding country and hauled it over- land to St. Louis, bringing back in return such merchandise as the people at that time re-
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