USA > Illinois > Piatt County > Past and present of Piatt County, Illinois : together with biographical sketches of many prominent and influential citizens > Part 11
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The life history of Mr. Piatt, if written in detail, would give a comprehensive and accurate picture of pioneer conditions and ex- perience in the county which bears his name. From early manhood days he has seen the development of this section of the state and has witnessed its wonderful trans- formation. When he came here with his parents he found the broad prairies unculti- vated and covered with the native grasses. There was in the vicinity no city or town of any importance and the work of progress largely lay in the future. The district was cut off from the comforts and conveniences of the older east by long stretches of prairie and by forests, and the rivers were un- bridged and the roads were oftentimes al- most impassable, especially during the sea- son of the spring rains. A mighty work lay before the pioneer in his efforts to make this section of the country inhabitable and. to cause it to be productive enough to yield a good living to its settlers, but the frontiers- men were people of courageous spirit, strong purpose and firm determination and in the course of years have accomplished a work for which present and future genera- tions shall owe them a debt of gratitude that can never be repaid. However, we can cherish in our hearts their memory and re- ccunt their deeds to representatives of the younger generations, always honoring their name and giving them credit for the splen- did task they accomplished. The life record of Mr. Piatt is one deserving of the highest commendation. In his early youth he had very limited opportunities and he had no capital to assist him as he started out upon his business career, but he was energetic. self-reliant and honorable, and these qualities stood him instead of fortune. He worked earnestly year after year and in due course
of time his labors were rewarded. To-day he is one of the wealthy men of Piatt coun- ty, but he has never allowed the accumu- lation of wealth to in any way effect his feelings or actions toward those less fortu- nate.
NELSON G. COFFIN, M. D.
Few men are more prominent or more widely known in the enterprising city of Monticello than Dr. Nelson G. Coffin, who has been the leading representative of the inedical fraternity here for many years. Now, having reached the eighty-second year of his age, he is living retired from further professional labors, but still gives his per- sonal supervision to the management of his farm. Through many years, however, he was the loved family physician in numer- ous households in the city and county, car- rying with him hope and comfort by his cheery presence, and at the same time ren- dering effective aid in the elimination of dis- ease and the restoration of strength and health.
The Doctor is of English lineage and rep- resents an old southern family that was founded in America in colonial days. His grandfather was Samuel , Coffin, who in his earlier years resided in North Caro- lina, whence he ` removed to Indiana at a very early period in the development of the latter state. Our subject's father, Dr. William Coffin, was born in North Carolina in 1794. and was a graduate of the Medical College of Ohio at Cincinnati. He afterward located in Newport, Indiana, where he engaged in the practice of his pro- fession for a number of years. Late in life he removed to California, where he
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spent his last days, dying in January, 1850. His wife, who bore the maiden name Eunice Worth, was born in North Carolina and died in Indiana in 1869. She was a daughter of William and Abigail (Gardner) Worth. Of the children born unto Dr. William Coffin and his wife two sons and two daughters are yet living.
Dr. Nelson G. Coffin, whose name in- troduces this record, was born in North Car- olina on the 3d of October, 1820. When he was only two years old his parents removed to Vermilion county, Indiana, there residing until 1848, when they came to Piatt coun- ty, Illinois, so that the subject of this review is one of the earliest settlers of the county in which he yet makes his home. In the spring of the same year he was united in marriage to Miss Phoebe D. Johnson, of Monticello, who was born in Rhode Island and came to Piatt county about the year 1847. After their marriage they took up their abode in Monticello, where the Doctor has since resided. In 1857, however, he was called upon to mourn the loss of his wife, and of the three children born of this union only one is now living, Eugene, who is a physician in Monticello. He was graduated in Dunham Homeopathic Medical College of Chicago, after obtaining his literary educa- tion in Jacksonville College at Jacksonville, Illinois, and now he is successfully practic- ing in Monticello.
Dr. Nelson G. Coffin prepared for his profession as a student in the Medical Col- . lege of Ohio at Cincinnati, and entered up- . on the practice of his profession in Vermil- ion county, Indiana, in 1843. For five years he continued his work there and then came to Piatt county at the time of his parents' removal here. His- early practice extended throughout the county, and oftentimes be-
yond its borders. He is familiar with all the experiences which come to the early physician who located upon the frontier. Calls came to him from long distances and he found it necessary to travel over almost impassable roads, while oftentimes he had to cross swollen streams and face dangers in so doing. The weather was never so in- clement, however, or the hardships so great that Dr. Coffin would not. respond to the call of the sick and suffering. As the years passed he kept in touch with the progress that has ever characterized the profession and by continual reading and observation added to his knowledge, and thus rendered his labors more effective in coping with dis- ease.
For many years the Doctor continued in active and successful practice. He left his home in Monticello, however, in August, 1862, feeling that his duty was to his coun- try, and that he should render whatever aid he could to the sick and wounded soldiers in the south. He became assistant surgeon of the One Hundred and Seventh Illinois Regiment, and spent most of his time in the hospitals, rendering aid to the wounded and alleviating all who need professional skill. He was at the battle of Franklin, Tennessee, and at Nashville, and he knows all of the horrors of war that are the lot of the soldier who faces danger and death in defense of country and principles. . He continued at his post of duty until July, 1865, when the war having ended, he was honorably discharged and returned to his home.
Again coming to Monticello, Dr. Coffin resumed the practice of his profession, and in 1881 found it necessary and expedient to remove from his first location to a more commodious brick office which was pleas- antly located within a half of a block from
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the public square of Monticello. He con- tinued in the active practice of his profession until 1874, when he retired and since that time has been devoting his time and energies to his farming interests. He is the owner of a valuable tract of land of two hundred and forty acres, which is highly cultivated and improved with good buildings.
Man's worth in the world is determined by his usefulness-by what he has accom- · plished for his fellow men-and he is cer- tainly deserving of the greatest honor and re- gard whose efforts have been of the greatest benefit to his fellow men. Judged by this standard, 'Dr. Nelson G. Coffin may well be accounted one of the distinguished citizens of Monticello, for almost throughout his professional career, covering many decades, his labors have been of a most helpful na- ture. His deep research and investigation have rendered his work effective and cer- tainly his labors have been of the greatest practical benefit, and the world is better for his having lived. Although he is now in his eighty-third year, he yet takes a deep in- terest in the affairs of moment to the city of Monticello, and no man in Piatt county is held ir higher regard or deeper respect.
REV. WILLIAM E. MEANS
Rev. William E. Means, the well known editor and proprietor of the Atwood Herald, and a prominent citizen of Atwood, is a na- tive of Illinois, born in Paris, Edgar county, June 28, 1850, and is a son of Thomas N. and Jane (Quiett) Means, natives of Ohio and Tennessee, respectively. His paternal grandfather, William Means, was of Scotch- Irish descent.
Our subject passed his boyhood and youth upon a farm and pursued his studiesin the district schools of the neighborhood dur- ing the winter months until he entered the high school of Paris. In 1874 he became a student at the Northwestern University of Evanston, and was graduated from the theological department of that well known institution in the class of , 1879.
After his graduation Mr. Means joined the Minnesota Conference of the Methodist Episcopal church and was appointed pastor of the Rushmore charge, where he was in- strumental in erecting a handsome four thousand dollar church, all paid for. In the middle of the second year he was transferred to Luverne, where the church was greatly strengthened by a very successful revival, the house of worship completed and the way prepared for paying off a crushing debt Finding the Minnesota winters colder than he liked, Mr. Means availed himself of an op- portunity to be transferred to the South Kansas Conference in the spring of 1884, and was there instrumental in building two churches, one a temporary building at Fort Scott, which has since become Grace church, and the other a beautiful village church at Hiattville, Kansas, both erected in 1884. The two following years were spent in Mo- ran, Kansas, and were very fruitful, more than a hundred being gathered into the church and the church thoroughly organized. A pastorate of three and a half years on the Çaney charge was likewise fruitful in revi- vals, and in the paying of a crushing debt on the church building.
In October, 1891, Mr. Means accepted the pastorate of the Methodist Episcopal church at Sidney, Illinois, and the follow- ing year was in charge of the Atwood church. Failing health compelled him to
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retire from the pastorate in the fall of 1893, and he has since held a supernumerary rela- tion to the Illinois conference, often render- ing efficient service, without assuming the responsibilities of a pastoral charge. In 1895 Mr. Means leased the Atwood Herald and purchased it the following year. This paper was established in 1888, is independ- ent in politics, is an excellent advertising me- dium and has a large circulation.
In 1884 Mr. Means was united in mar- riage to Miss Ella M. Chesnut, of Delavan, Minnesota, and to them has been born one child, a son, Cyril, now eighteen years of age. Mr. Means exerts a healthful influ- ence in the community, both personally and through the columns of his paper, and is a man whose upright character wins him the respect and confidence of all with whom he is brought in contact.
HENLEY C. WELLS.
Upon a farm on section 13, Blue Ridge township, resides Henley C. Wells, who is one of the progressive agriculturists of the community. He was born August 16, 1857, in Knoxville, Tennessee, a son of John B. and Mary Elizabeth Wells. The father was born in the year 1837 in Knox county, Ten- nessee, and became a farmer by occupation, owning about one hundred and fifty acres of land in his native state. At the time of the Civil war he became a member of the Ninth Tennessee Cavalry. Being taken ill with typhoid fever, as soon as he was able to be moved he was sent to his home. Our sub- ject, who was then but a boy, got a horse and together the father and son rode the horses to a nearby camp of soldiers. When
the soldiers saw the boy they caught him in their arms and passed him from one to the other, so glad were they again to see a boy, having long becn separated from their own homes and family tics by the war. The country had been devastated by the rav- ages of war and John B. Wells, who was in very comfortable circumstances prior to the outbreak of hostilities, was left almost pen- niless at the close of the long conflict. His wife had received thirty thousand dollars in Confederate money from General Lee for damage done their property by the South- ern army, but the father was only able to realize about twenty-five dollars on the en- tire amount.
Henley C. Wells started out for himself at the age of twenty years by working at the carpenter's trade. For this he received eight dollars per nionth. Later he was paid a salary of twenty-five dollars per month for working a part of the time in a store and a part of the time on a farm. He resolved to seek his fortune north of the Ohio river in 1880, and removed to Greencastle, Indiana, whence he afterward went to Mahom- et, Champaign county, where he worked for two years for a man by the name of Smith.
In the year 1883 Mr. Wells was united in marriage to Miss Lida Pittman, and their marriage was blessed with four children: Lillie May, who died at the age of four years ; Nora Etta, who is the wife of R. A. Robinson, a resident of Mansfield; Ethel Marie, who is at home; Harrison, who is at home and is assisting in the operation of the farm.
Mr. and Mrs. Wells now own one hun- dred acres of land on section 13, Blue Ridge township, constituting one of the valuable farms of the community. He improved the
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house and barn in the spring of 1903, and has planted an orchard of eighty trees, in fact, he has added all modern equipments and accessories to his place, which is now a desirable property and one on which he is realizing a good return from his invest- ments. He gives the greater part of his attention to the raising of grain, but to some extent also raises cattle and hogs.
In his fraternal relations Mr. Wells is a Mason, holding membership with the lodge in Mansfield, and in politics he is a Re- publican, giving an earnest support to the principles of the party. His wife belongs to the Methodist church, and both are well- known and highly respected people of this community, enjoying the warm regard of many friends. They have lived here for twenty years, and throughout this period the circle of their friends has steadily increased as the circle of their acquaintance has widened.
BYRON B. JONES, M. D.
In the death of Dr. Byron B. Jones, on the 20th of December, 1896, Monticello and Piatt county lost one of their most promi- nent and highly respected citizens. As the day with its morning of hope and promise, its noontide of activity, its evening of com- pleted and successful effort, ending in the grateful rest and quiet of the night, so was the life of this honored man. His ca- reer was a long, busy and useful one, of great benefit to his fellow men, and he leaves behind him a memory which is enshrined in many hearts. He was ever a considerate and genial friend, and one whom it was a pleas- ure to know and meet under any circum- stances.
Doctor Jones was born in Pickaway coun- ty, Ohio, on the 26th of November, 1828, and was a son of Dr. George G. Jones, a native of Ross county, Ohio, born on the 26th of March, 1796. The father was a prominent figure in central Ohio, and for many years enjoyed a wide practice. He married Miss Ann Hanley, whose birth occurred in Phila- delphia, Pennsylvania, on the 3d of August, 1810, and on the Ioth of June, 1832, he passed away. His wife, long surviving him, died in 1863.
Dr. Byron B. Jones was reared and edu- cated in Bloomfield, Pickaway county, Ohio, and after acquiring his literary education he resolved to make the practice of medi- cine his life work and began studying with that end in view. He was a graduate of the Starling Medical College, of Columbus, Ohio, although his studies were not prose- cuted continuously. Coming to Piatt coun- ty, Illinois, he was for a time a student in the office of Dr. P. K. Hull, one of the early physicians of Circleville, Ohio, who acted as his preceptor. He was graduated in 1853, and in 1856 he came to Monticello and entered into partnership with Doctor Hull, his former preceptor, who came the year before, this relationship being con- tinued until Doctor Hull's death, about 1859. Later Doctor Jones was asso- ciated with Doctor Necker for two years. He continued in the active practice of his profession here up to the time of his death, covering a period of forty years, and not to know Doctor Jones was to argue one- self unknown in Piatt county. His patron- age was large and of an important charac- ter. In the early days he underwent the usual experience of the physician in a fron- tier district, took long drives across the coun- try, in all kinds of weather, and often over
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DR. B. B. JONES
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almost impassable roads, but he was always prompt in responding to the call of the sick and suffering, and his broad sympathy and - charitable spirit led him to give his services often when he knew there was little hope of financial remuneration. In later years his practice was confined more closely to the city, and his professional services were so effective in checking disease that his work made constant and heavy demands upon his time and attention. In April, 1862, during the Civil war, the Doctor entered the volun- teer service as assistant surgeon, being com- missioned by Governor Yates and assigned to the Twenty-first Illinois Volunteer In- fantry, which was made up of Piatt and DeWitt county men. He was present at the battle of Pittsburg Landing, and for seven months aided in caring for the sick and wounded.
On the 28th of April, 1857, Dr. Jones was united in marriage to Miss Sarah E. Short, of Mechanicsburg, Illinois, a daugh- ter of Rezin and Mary (Rawlins) Short. The father was a native of Virginia, and after some years' residence in Ohio, he re- inoved from Washington Court House, that state. to Sangamon county, Illinois. His wife was a native of Bloomingburg, Fayette county, Ohio, and a daughter of Judge Sam- uel Rawlins, of that county, who was born near Lexington, Kentucky, July 25, 1811, and became a distinguished citizen of Ohio. Unto the Doctor and Mrs. Jones were born two children who are yet living: Martha A. and Byron P., at home.
Mrs. Jones was educated at Washing- ton Court House, Ohio, and in the Cooper Seminary, of Dayton, Ohio, and is a most estimable and cultured lady. She now owns a valuable farm of one hundred and twenty acres, besides her home in Monticello, and 6
a farm of eighty acres near Taylorville, Il- linois. This property was left to her by her husband, who passed away in 1896. He was for many years a prominent and hon- ored citizen of Piatt county, a successful physician and a gentleman of kindly spirit. He attained success in his profession by close application, ready adaptability and broad reading, and he was an ideal follower of his calling, having the highest regard for the ethics of the medical fraternity. The Doctor was a writer of ability, especially poetry, and was a man of rare talent in that direction. He was very fond of children and they loved him dearly.
BENJAMIN R. WHITE.
A detailed account of the life work and environments of Benjamin R. White would present a true and clear picture of pioneer life in Piatt county and of the development of this section of the state. He has for many years been classed with the leading and substantial agriculturists of the com- munity, and his home is now on section 24, Sangamon township. He was born in Co- lumbus, Franklin county, Ohio, June 21, 1851, and is the son of John M. and Rebecca (Williams) White, of Monticello.
Having spent the first thirteen years of his life in the county of his nativity, he then accompanied his parents on their re- moval to Piatt county, Illinois. He had be- gun his education in Ohio, pursuing his stud- ies in a log schoolhouse, such as was common at an early day, and after his arrival in the west he further pursued his educational training in order that he might be fitted for the transaction of business in later life. Through his youth he remained upon what
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was known as the White homestead, con- tinuing with his father until twenty-three years of age, when he started out in life on his own account, renting a tract of land up- on which he now resides, and which he has owned for many years. Shortly after be- ginning his farm work he sought a compan- ion and helpmate for life's journey and was joined in wedlock to Sarah J. Seymour, a daughter of F. G. and Catherine (Parker) Seymour.
In 1880 he purchased eighty acres of his farm of Caleb Tatman, and as the years have passed he has from time to time added to his possessions, having, in 1890, pur- chased one hundred and twenty acres of his father's farm which adjoined the Tatman property, while in 1901 he bought one hun- dred and fifty acres of Patrick Mullen. These three tracts of land join and our sub- ject now has more than three hundred and fifty acres, all in one body, constituting one of the finest farms of Piatt county. When he began farming here most of the land was raw prairie, and he tilled the soil with the old style plow, driving oxen as he turned the furrows. He experienced with the family all of the inconveniences of pioneer life. There are many hardships to be encountered, many difficulties to be met, but by persist- ency of purpose and adaptation of the means at hand he has mastered every obstacle in his path, and has steadily advanced toward prosperity. Upon his farm he has erected a residence which is a matter of pride to the entire community, and is built in a modern style of architecture, is commodious and at- tractive and is supplied with all modern con- veniences. Throughout this broad land there are no finer farms to be found any- where than are seen in Illinois, and Mr. White is the owner of one of the best coun -.
try homes of Piatt county. He has three windmills of improved workmanship upon his place and four self-opening farm gates. There is a splendid orchard which yields its fruits in season and furnishes a large supply for the winter consumption. Around the home extends a well kept lawn adorned with beautiful shade trees and the fields are now under a very high state of cultivation. Mr. White has built every fence, planted every tree and shrub, made every improve- ment and brought his farm up to the high state of cultivation in which it is found to- day. He raises corn, oats and other grain and feeds cattle for the market. He has been exceptionally successful in raising hogs and his sales annually reach a large figure. He has also engaged in breeding full blooded horses, and in 1889 he went to Ohio, where he purchased what is considered the best lot of road horses ever brought into Illinois. He also became the owner of a high bred stallion, a sire of the brother of the noted race horse, J. I. C., which is known as Dic- tator. Mr. White certainly deserves great credit for what he has done in the county. in this respect, for by introducing the fine grades of horses he has been instrumental in improving the horses raised here, and thus in advancing market prices. Mr. White holds many ribbons won at the coun- ty fairs of the Piatt County Agricultural Society. At the fair held between the 17th and 21st of August, 1891, he won three first premiums and the sweep stakes ribbon, the first on the stallion Dictator and three colts ; also a premium on the mare Rone Bell and her colt Maymorning; a next on the suck- ing colt Maymorning; and the last the sweep stakes prize on Rone Bell. At the fair held from the 21st to the 25th of Au- gust, 1893, he took the first prize on a suck-
PIATT COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
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ing colt, also the first prize on a horse and three colts, a first prize on a roadster horse colt, and the second prize on the same in the same ring.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. White were born six children: Edwin, who is at home with his father; Benjamin R., who died May 25, 1900, in his twenty-second year; Bessie, Seymour J., Richard P. and Maggie, who are at home. The mother of these children passed away April 9, 1889, and on the 6th of November, 1895, Mr. White was married to Lola M. DeLand, a daughter of George and Ellen (Converse) DeLand, who are now residents of White Heath. Mr. White's children have fifty-eight acres of land on section 36, Sangamon township ; twenty acres 'on section 1, Sangamon township; and one hundred and twenty acres in Scott township, Champaign county, which came to them from their grandfather, F. G. Seymour's estate, and the tract is now under the supervision of the subject of this review.
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. Mr. White has long lived in Piatt coun- ty and has witnessed many changes here. He says that at one time he drove to Mon- ticello to get his mail before the village of White Heath was known. At the postoffice there he was asked to take on some mail for the town of Lickskillet, now known as Cen- terville, Illinois. He consented and the postmaster threw several grain sacks full of mail into the back end of the sleigh. He drove home, let the mail stand in the sleigh over night and the next morning, took it to Lickskillet, where it was thrown on the platform in front of William Smith's store, and the people then came and took the mail that belonged to them. This seems very odd when we think of the perfectly organized mail system of the country at the present time. The first year after Mr. White pur-
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