USA > Illinois > Montgomery County > Past and present of Montgomery County, Illinois > Part 8
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JAMES VERRICKER.
James Verricker, interested in farming as the owner of a rich and arable tract of land well improved with modern equipments and located on section 22, Witt township, was born in County Kilkenny. Ireland, on the 15th of September, 1846. His parents were Edward and Margaret ( Powers) Verrieker, also natives of Ireland, whence they came to the United States in 1850. settling in Ohio. The father there engaged in farming for some time and afterward removed to Jersey county, Illinois, arriving in this state in 1855. Hle died in 1860 at the age of sixty-five years, and his wife passed away in Montgomery county in March, 1892, at the advanced age of eighty-two years.
James Verricker is indebted to the public schools of Jersey county for the educational privileges which he enjoyed in his youth. He was but four years of age at the time of the emigration to America and was a lad of nine summers when he arrived in this state. On the 11th of April. 1864, when but seventeen years of age, he offered his services to the country in defense of the Union, enlisting in Company (, One Hundred and Twenty-fourth Illinois Infantry. lle participated in the battles of
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Jackson, Mississippi, and Mobile, together with several other engagements, and was honorably discharged on the ith of August, 1865, at Vicksburg, Mississippi. He then returned to Jersey county, but the hardships and rigors of war had so undermined his health that he was ill for two years and unable to do any- thing. He afterward conducted a saloon at Fidelia, Jersey county, but when six months had passed he engaged in teaming in Macoupin county, following that pursuit for a year and a half. He afterward worked by the month for two years and in 1821 he came to Montgomery county, where he purchased forty acres of land. which became the nucleus of his present farm. He has since added to the place at different times as his financial resources have permitted until he now owns two hundred acres of val- uable land. constituting a productive farm. He put all of the improvements on the place and transformed the tract, which was at first swamp land, into very arable fields, annually returning to him good crops.
On the 24th of July. 1874, Mr. Verricker was married to Miss Mary Ann Gaughen, a daughter of Austin and Julia ( Fleming) Gau- ghen, the former born in County Mayo and the latter in County Carlow, Ireland. They came to the United States in 1844, settling in Will county, Illinois, whence they removed to Jer- sey county in 1857. There Mrs. Verricker was born on the 25th of December, of that year. After three years the parents removed to Montgomery county, where the father en- gaged in farming for six years. He afterward lived in Fayette, Illinois, and in 1875 returned to Montgomery county, locating near Nokomis. llis wife died July 10, 1893, at the age of sixty-five years, but Mr. Gaughen is still liv- ing at the age of seventy-eight years and makes his home with Mr. and Mrs. Verricker.
Unto our subject and his wife have been born thirteen children: Julia, who was born December 7, 1873, and died when nine months old: Margaret Mary, who was born August 14, 1876, and is the wife of John Lanahan, a far- mer of this county: Edward James, born No- vember 17, 1878, who is at home: Augustine Loo, who was born April 1. 1881, and is mar- ried and lives in Nokomis township: Thomas
Henry, who was born March 13, 1884: Brid- get Catherine, who was born May 1, 1882. and is at home: Mary and Alice, twins, born Jan- uary 10, 1886, who died in infancy; John Cle- mont, who was born October 1, 1889, and is also at home; William, born February 5, 1892. Michael, born March 20, 1894, Elizabeth Ellen, born in July, 1896, and James, born May 15, 1900, are all at home. The parents are mem- bers of the Catholic church of Nokomis and in his political views Mr. Verricker is independ- ent, supporting the men whom he thinks best qualified for office.
MICHAEL J. McMURRAY.
Michael J. MeMurray, who for six years has been a member of the bar of Montgomery county, is now known as one of the strong representatives of this calling in his adopted county and is serving as county judge. He was born in Sangamon county, Illinois, on the Sth of March, 1864, a son of Michael and Mary E. (Dugan) MeMurray. His father, a native of Ireland, came to the United States in 1848 and located in Morgan county. Illi- nois. where he engaged in general farming and stock-raising. In 1861 he removed to Sanga- mon county, but his last days were spent at Farmersville, this county. In his political faith he was a Democrat and in religious belief was a Catholic. He wedded Mary E. Dngan, also a native of Ireland, and in 1850 came to the United States with her parents, the family home being established in Jersey county, Illi- nois. Iler father, Michael Dugan. was a farmer by occupation and became a very ex- tensive landowuer. He, too, was identified with the Catholic church and in that faith . Mrs. McMurray was reared. By her marriage she became the mother of fourteen children, eleven of whom are now living, seven sons and four daughters.
Michael J. MeMurray acquired his carly edu- cation in the public schools and afterward at- tended Illinois College at Jacksonville, sub- sequent to which time he engaged in teaching school for six years. He read law in the office of Conkling & Grout, of Springfield, and in 1892 was admitted to the bar after careful and
JUDGE M. J. MCMURRAY
LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
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thorough preparation. Ile entered upon the alty to the obligations and duties imposed upon practice of his chosen profession at Litchfield, him by his professional and official career. flis acquaintances and friends-and they are many-entertain for him that warm personal regard which arises from true nobility of char- acter, kindness, genialty and deference for the opinion of others. Illinois, where he remained for six years, and then removed to Hillsboro in 1898. He is a Democrat in his political allegiance and in 1896 upon that ticket he was chosen by popu- lar ballot the first city attorney of Litchfield, his predecessors having been appointed by the council. In 1898 he was elected to the office of county judge and was re-elected in 1902 by HENRY W. BARTLING. an increased majority, so that he is now serving upon the bench. In the practice of his pro- fession he has been very successful and his is one of the fine legal minds of this part of the state. He is a safe counselor, well versed in law, and during his two terms on the lunch has been distinguished for high legal ability. To wear the ermine worthily it is not enough that one possess legal acumen, is learned in the principles of jurisprudenc , familiar with precedents and thoroughly honest. Many men, even when acting uprightly, are wholly un- able to divest themselves of prejudice and are unconsciously warped in their judgments hy their own mental characteristics or educa- tional peculiarities. This unconscious and variable disturbing force enters more or less into the judgments of all men, but in the ideal jurist this factor becomes so small as not to be discernible in results and loses its potency as a disturbing force. Judge MeMurray is exceptionally free from all judicial bias. His varied legal learning and wide experience in the courts, the patient care with which he ascertains all the facts bearing upon every case which comes before him, give his decisions a solidity and an exhaustiveness from which no member of the bar can take exception.
Judge MeMurray was married in 1903 to Miss Juliet K. Fink, a daughter of Dr. Isaac W. and Sarah C. (Sawyer) Fink. She was born in Hillsboro and is a lady of superior education and ability. She attended Monti- cello Seminary and afterward went abroad to finish her education. taking up painting and other arts under some of the best instructors of Europe. She has displayed much more than ordinary ability as an artist.
Henry W. Bartling, who was a member of the firm of Bartling Brothers, is doing a whole- sale business as a shipper of poultry and pro- Auce at Litchfield, was born in Alton, illi- nois, in 1862, and is a son of Henry W. Bart- ling. Coming to this city in carly boyhood he attended its public schools and afterward worked upon a farm until 1881, when he se- cured a situation in the hardware store of Caudry & Rhoades, of Litchfield, and here he remained for four years. lle then went west, spending two years in that section of the country, after which he returned and entered the hardware store of Updike & Cratty, being employed therein from 1886 until 1891. In 1891 he formed a stock company with the members of that firm and the name was changed to the Updike, Cratty Hardware Com- pany, with the following officers: Samuel C'ratty, president ; Henry W. Bartling, vice president ; P. P. Updike, secretary and treas- urer; and the business was capitalized for ton thousand dollars. In July, 1894. however, Mr. Bartling sold his interest and entered the employ of It. II. Henson, a dealer in proluce and poultry, with whom he remained until January, 1891, when he and his brother Carl purchased their employer's business, forming the present well-known firm of Bartling Broth- ers, wholesale shippers of poultry and produce. They do a business amonnting to sixty thou- sand dollars a year and their business is not only proving profitable to thonselves but also furnishes an excellent market for the surround- ing district as they make large purchases from the farmers and poultry raisers. Henry W. Bartling is also identified with other business interests of this city, being a member of the
Judge MeMurray is a man of high charaelcr, displaying public spirit and unfaltering loy- firm of II. W. Bartling & Company, dealers
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in ice and coal and a director in the Oil City Building & Loan Association.
In 1892 occurred the marriage of Henry W. Bartling and Miss Lena Craft, who was born in Mount Olive, Illinois, in 1868. They have four children : Wilmont, Arthur, Paul and Henry. They also lost a daughter, Eliza- beth.
Mr. Bartling gives his political support to the Democracy and keeps well informed on the questions and issues of the day so that by in- telligent argument he can uphold his political positon. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias fraternity and of the Odd Fellows lodge of Litchfield and his wife is a member of the Lutheran church. His progress and ad- vancement in the business world are due not to any fortunate combination of circumstances, but result from persistent, earnest labor. the utilization of opportunity and unfaltering de- termination combined with ereditable ambi- tion.
T. L. LANE.
T. L. Lane, possessing the business enter- prise which is characteristic of the middle west and has been the strong element in the rapid growth and development of this portion of the county, is now successfully engaged in mer- chandising in Fillmore. He was born in Fill- more township, Montgomery county, March 24, 1850, and has passed his entire life here. His parents were Jonathan B. and Sarah ( Harris) Lane, but the latter died at the birth of our subject. About one years later the father mar- ried Rachel Bost. a daughter of Jacob Bost, one of the pioneer settlers of Montgomery county. She is now living at the old home place. The father was born in New HIamp- shire, September 10. 1826, was reared in the old Granite state to the age of twelve years and in 1838 came to Illinois, the family home being established near Galesburg. He entered upon his business career as a farmer and followed that pursuit continuously until 1860, when he turned his attention to merchandising, conduct- ing a business upon his farm west of Fillmore. Ile was also a very extensive farmer and at the
time of his death was the owner of five hun- dred and seventy-four acres of valuable land. His son, T. L. Lane, was made executor of his estate. Ilis residence in Montgomery county dated from 1840, and thus he was one of its earliest settlers. He took an active and helpful part in community affairs, never withheld his co-operation from any enterprise which tended to prove of publie benefit. In the month of April following the twenty-first anniversary of his birth he was elected justice of the peace and held that office continuously for about twenty years, his decisions being characterized by the utmost fairness and impartiality, a fact which is plainly indicated by his long continuance in office. IIe was postmaster at Fillmore for more than forty years, or until President Cleve- land's administration. He died March 16, 190%, and the county thus lost one of its most hon- ored and valued pioneer settlers. In the family were right children, and with one exception all are yet living.
T. L. Lane, whose name introduces this rec- ord, was reared under the parental roof and was educated in the distriet schools of this county. He started upon his business eareer in 1822. settling upon a farm, and there re- sided until thirteen years ago, when he removed to Fillmore and began elerking for the old firm of J. B. Lane & Son, remaining in that employ for twelve years. After his father's death he purchased the store, which he is now conduct- ing, it becoming his property on the 7th of June, 1902. He is the sole proprietor, and handles a good and well selected line of gro- eeries, dry goods, notions, elothing, hats and caps, boots and shoes, glassware and tinware. in fact, his stock is such as is the demand of the village and country trade, and his honorable dealing and earnest desire to please his patrons has secured to him a large and growing busi- ness, which brings to him a good profit.
In October, 1872, Mr. Lane was united in marriage to Miss Minerva Barringer, a daugh- ter of Alfred Barringer, of East Fork township, and unto them have been born four children, of whom three are living: Estella C., Lottie M. and Orville B. The family are all members of the Evangelical church and Mr. Lane is identified with the Knights of Pythias frater-
LIBRARY OF THE JEESITY OF ILLINOIS
MR. AND MRS. T. L. LANE
MR. AND MRS. JONATHAN B. LANE
LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
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nity of Fillmore. In politics he is a Republi- can, and the father was one of the first to vote that tieket in this district. Mr. Lane belongs to that class of representative American men who, while devoted to individual interests, also advance the general welfare, and in Fillmore and throughout the surrounding district he is known as one who is thoroughly reliable, pro- gressive and publie-spirited.
JAMES D. KENDALL.
James D. Kendall, who is usually known as Judge Kendall, is actively engaged in farm- ing in Zanesville township on section 11, and is a recognized leader in Democratie circles in Montgomery county. He was born in Jer- sey county. Illinois, December 20, 1839. Ilis father. Samuel T. Kendall, was a native of the adjoining state of Indiana, born in 1808, and came to Illinois with his mother in 1821. the family home being established in Maconpin county, where the present town of Carlinville now stands. Mrs. Kendall and her sons, Thom- as, Samuel S. and John H., built the first house in that locality. It was a rude pioneer cabin. but it served to shelter the family until a better home could be erected. Sammuel Ken- dall was twice married, but his first wife died soon after the wedding and later he was mar- ried in St. Charles, Missouri, to Catherine J. Summer, a native of Tennessee. Locating in Jersey county, Illinois, he there engaged in farming until his death, which occurred in 1849. He served as adjutant of an Illinois regiment during the Black Hawk war and was a member of the state legislature for two terms when the capital was at Vandalia. In his family were five sons and two daughters and four of the sons and the daughters reached ma- ture years, while three sons and the daughters are yet living.
Judge Kendall spent his early youth in Jer- sey county, Illinois, upon the home farm, where he lived with an aunt until nineteen years of age. lIe then began working as a farm hand by the month and was employed in that way for several years. When the country needed the aid of its loyal sons he enlisted in Jersey
county in March, 1862. joining the boys in blue of the Second linois Cavalry. When the regiment arrived at Cairo he was detailed for service in the quartermaster's department and acted as wagonmaster under General John M. Pahner, filling that position continuously until discharged for physical disability, by or- der of the secretary of war late in 1863. lle was home on a furlough ill with typhoid fever when discharged.
On recovering his health Mr. Kendall en- gaged in farming in Jersey county until 1866 and then came to Montgomery county, where he rented a tract of land which he cultivated for a number of years. The capital he acquired through his earnings and which he saved by his commendable economy was then invested in land and he began the improvement of his own farm, which he has transformed into a fine property. It is a good place of seventy acres, on which he has planted an excellent orchard. He has also fenced the place and made other substantial improvements and in connection with general farming he has en- gaged in the breeding of horses. keeping a good stallion and also a jack for breeding purposes. Upon his place is found only high grade stock.
On Christmas day of 1864. Judge Kendall was married to Miss Elizabeth Margaret Hack- ney, who was born and reared in Jersey coun- ty and is a daughter of William Hackney, for- merly of New York. Fonr sons and two daughters have been born unto Mr. and Mrs. Kendall: Albert A., a farmer of Montgom- ery county : Harry S., of Springfield, Illinois; John E., of East St. Louis: Carrie J., the wife of Harry H. Birch, of Waggoner, Illi- nois ; George M., of East St. Louis ; and Laura Il. White, at home.
Politically Judge Kendall is a stalwart Dem- ocrat and is recognized as one of the foremost representatives of his party in this portion of the county. Ile east his first presidential bal- lot for the Little Giant of Illinois-Stephen A. Douglas-in 1860, and has voted for each presidential nominee since that time and also the Democratic nominees for governor and for congress. Ile has served as justice of the peace, was deputy sheriff of the county for six years and has assessed his township five
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times. He is now serving for the eighth year as a member of the honorable county board of supervisors and was at one time chosen presi- dent of the board. He is now serving on the committees on fees and salaries and roads and bridges. He was appointed postmaster of Waggoner under President Cleveland's admin- istration and occupied that position for three years. Judge Kendall has frequently been a delegate to the county and state conventions of his party and has served on the Democratic central committee of Montgomery county for twenty-six years. He and his wife are mem- bers of the Baptist church, in which he la serving as a deacon, and he belongs to the Masonic fraternity and the Modern Woodmen camp. Hle is well known in Hillsboro and throughout the county where he has so long resided, and is justly accounted one of its pro- gressive, prominent and influential residents of Zanesville township. lle is proud of his rec- ord as a stanch life-long Democrat and one of his sterling characteristics is his unbending fidelity to whatever he believes to be right.
JOHN ROBERT CHAALLACOMBE.
John Robert Challacombe, well known in Montgomery county, is one whose extensive and varied business interests have resulted in the acquirement of a comfortable competence. To- day he is engaged in contracting for the con- struction of steel bridges and water towers at Hillsboro, is also a director and stockholder in the Decatur Bridge Company of Decatur, Illi- nois, and a partner in the firm of Challacombe Brothers, dealers in farm implements at No- komis.
A native son of Illinois, he was born in Ma- coupin county in 1845. His father, John (hallacombe, was born in Devonshire, England, near Ifracombe. The grandfather, John Challacombe, Sr., was likewise a native of the county of Devonshire, born in 1;85. He married Elizabeth Parminter in 1814. Her father, James Parminter, was appointed super- intendent to oversee the removal of the sick and infirm women and children at the time of the threatened invasion of England by Na-
poleon. John Challacombe, Sr., died at the age of sixty years and was buried at Carlin- ville, Illinois. Ilis wife had departed this life three years before. In their family were eight children, of whom John Challacombe, Jr., was the third in order of birth. Ile came to the United States in 1833, the voyage being sue- cessfully accomplished, although while in mid- sea a severe storm was encountered. It was the intention of the family to locate in Illinois, but they stopped first at Brockport, in western New York. on the Erie canal. Not long after- ward Mr. Challacombe purchased a farm in Genesee county, New York, forty miles cast of Buffalo. In 1840 he sold that property and removed to Macoupin county, Illinois, settling on the farm now known as the John M. Palmer place, three miles southwest of Carlinville. On the removal westward the trip was made from Buffalo to Cleveland by water, thence by way of the Ohio canal to Portsmouth, thence down the Ohio river and up the Mississippi and Illi- nois rivers to Columbiana, Illinois, and on to Carrollton.
John Challacombe, father of our subject, spent the carly part of his life as a farmer and was engaged in the raising of stock for a num- ber of years at Alton. Finally he turned his attention to the grain trade and to contracting, doing paving and building. Through his well directed efforts he won prosperity and at one time had a large property in Alton. He died in Litchfield, May 29, 1904, at the age of eighty-six years. His political allegiance was given to the Republican party and his re- ligious belief was indicated by his member- ship in the Presbyterian church. He married Rachel Padgett, who was born in Virginia. March 22, 1822, and died February 18, 1850, at the age of twenty-eight years. Her father was Robert Padgett, a native of England, who. on crossing the Atlantic to America, settled in Virginia, whence he afterward removed to Pal- myra, Macoupin county, Illinois, where he car- ried on agricultural pursuits. tento Mr. and Mrs. Challacombe were born three children. William Brotherton is now living in Sedalia, Missouri. He was a member of the Twelfth Illinois Cavalry and served throughout the war. Ile was detailed at headquarters most of
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the time, at Sheridan's headquarters, and was engaged in writing the history of the engage- ments and movements of the army. John Roh- ert is the next of the family. James Parminter is engaged in the implement business at Nokomis. After the death of his first wife the father of our subject married Elizabeth Boulter, whose parents settled near Brighton, Illinois, at a very early day. The children of this mar- riage were AAnna. George and Lizzie. The last named died in 1884.
In the public schools at Alton, Illinois, John Robert Challacombe acquired his early educa- tion, which was supplemented by study in Me- Kendree College at Lebanon, Illinois, and in Bacon's Commercial College at Cincinnati, Ohio. After leaving school he engaged in bookkeeping in a wholesale grocery house at Alton, Illinois, and was afterward employed in the Alton postoffice. Subsequently he became cashier and bookkeeper for L. H. Church & Company, wholesale dealers in dry-goods at Leavenworth, Kansas, being located there dur- ing the last years of the war. In 1864 he went to Irving. Illinois, where he conducted a grain elevator that had been built by his father, this being the first one constructed along the line of the Big Four Railroad to handle grain in bulk. Mr. Challacombe continued in the busi- ness there for twelve years, on the expiration of which period he removed to Hillsboro and the firm of Challacombe & Ramsey was formed. This relation was maintained for eighteen years and in 1892 Mr. Challacombe purchased the interest of his partner. Not long afterward he sold the hardware department to the Hills- boro Hardware Company, but continued in the implement business until 1900, when he sold out to George W. Brown, Jr. Since then he has been contracting for steel bridges and water towers, with offices in connection with A. A. Cress & Son. in the News building.
In 1872 Mr. Challacombe was united in mar- riage to Miss Marcella E. Walter, who was born in Hillsboro in 1854. To this union one child was born, Esther Challacombe. Mrs. Challacombe's parents were Colonel Paul and Nancy E. Walter. Her father, a farmer by occupation, is now deceased, and her mother is still living in Hillsboro. Mr. Challacombe be-
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