USA > Illinois > Piatt County > Past and present of Piatt County, Illinois : together with biographical sketches of many prominent and influential citizens > Part 24
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To the public school system of this county J. M. Shively is indebted for the educational privileges he enjoyed. After putting aside his text books he began farming in Cerro Gordo township and was thus employed until 1887, when he took up his abode in the town and turned his attention to the grain business. The grain elevator which he owns is the largest here. It was built in 1886 by Mr. Shellabaer, who operated it until May, 1889, and then sold to E. R. Ulrich & Son and this firm continued to conduct the business until the spring of 1902, when they sold it to Mr. Shively and on the Ist of November, 1902, our subject admitted
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H. Phillips to a partnership and the enter- prise has since been carried on under the firm style of J. M. Shively & Company. They are engaged in buying and shipping grain, for which they pay the highest market price and their business has al- ready assumed extensive and profitable proportions.
Mr. Shively was happily married to Miss Katie Wagoner, of Oakley, Macon county, Illinois, and both he and his wife are members of the Brethren church of Cerro Gordo. In politics he is indepen- dent, supporting the men whom he thinks best qualified for office. He has never held nor desired office for himself, pre- ferring to devote his time and attention to his business affairs, in which he is meeting with creditable success. His life has been quietly passed and yet there are in his history lessons worthy of considera- tion and emulation, for he has always been loyal to the ties of home, of friendship and of citizenship and such a man well merits the esteem of those with whom he comes in contact.
FLORENCE SULLIVAN.
Among the worthy sons of the Emer- ald Isle who have become residents ~ of Illinois is numbered Florence Sullivan and there is in his life record much that is worthy of commendation and emulation. He has engaged in the harness business in Mansfeld since 1870 and under circum- stances that would have utterly discour- aged many a man of less resolute spirit he has worked his way steadily upward, ac- quiring a comfortable competence and
gaining the respect and good will of all with whom he has been associated.
Mr. Sullivan is a native of, County Cork, Ireland, born on the 4th of May, 1836. His parents were Florence and Ellen (Rouan) Sullivan, in whose family were nine children, the subject of this re- view being the sixth in order of birth. The children were named as follows: Corne- lius, Mary, Julia, James, Daniel, Florence, Johanna, Patrick and John, but Mr. Sulli- van of this review is the only one now liv- ing. In the schools of his native country he began his education and was there reared to manhood. He perhaps had more advantages than some boys and less than others. His youth, however, was largely a period of toil. He was thirteen years of age when he crossed the Atlantic to America in company with some of his rel- atives, the family embarking on the sail- ing vessel Bridalbin, which was five weeks and three days in completing the voyage. At length, however, anchor was dropped in the harbor of Boston, Massachusetts, in the year 1849 and the family went from that city to Rutland, Vermont.
In 1851 Mr. Sullivan had both of his legs taken off by the cars. He afterward learned the harness maker's trade and em- barked in business on his own account in the spring of 1854. opening a shop in Aurora, New York. During the Civil war he was employed in making harness for the army and earned good wages at that time. He has ever been a man of un- faltering industry and certainly deserves great credit for what he has accomplished in life. He continued to reside in the east until 1870, when he removed to Illinois, establishing his home in Mansfield, Piatt county, on the 3d of November. Here he
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opened a harness shop which he has since conducted. He is an excellent workman in this line and the business which he has carried on has brought to him a good financial return because of the splendid quality of harness which he manufactures. These find a ready sale upon the market and he now enjoys a good trade.
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On the 2d of January, 1870, Mr. Sulli- van was united in marriage to Miss Mar -. garet McCarty and unto them were born four children, but the mother and children have all passed away. In his political views Mr. Sullivan is independent, voting for the men rather than the party. He has served as a member of the village board for two years and is deeply interested in everything pertaining to the progress and welfare of his community. He holds mem- bership in the Roman Catholic church and is a wide-awake, energetic American . citizen imbued with the progressive spirit of the times and keeping in touch with the world's advancement. .
COLONEL W. H. JAMISON.
Deeds of valor have been the theme of song and story throughout all the ages, nor can such tales be told too often. When this country became involved in civil war over the attempt of the south to destroy the Union, patriotic men from all walks of life flocked to the standard of their country. They came from the shops, the fields, the counting room, the offices and even from the pulpits, all anxious to aid in the preserva- tion of the nation. Among the brave sons of Illinois was Colonel William H. Jamison. Although several years passed after the close
of the war before he was called to his final rest, he practically laid down his life upon the altar of his country for his long and ar- duous service in its defense, undermined his health that he was never again able to take his place among the active business men. All honor is due him and his name should be enrolled high among the brave sons of Illinois who bore such a glorious part in the struggle for the Union.
Colonel Jamison was a native of New York, born in the Empire state, on the 6th of October, 1831. His parents were Wil- liam and Ann Jamison, the former of Scotch and Irish extraction, while the latter was born in England. In her early girlhood, however, she was brought to America, be- coming a resident of New York. During the early boyhood of the Colonel his parents removed from New York to Ohio, settling in Franklin county, about ten miles east of Columbus, where he grew to manhood, ac- quiring his education in the public schools. and in a select school of London, Ohio. In 1855 he started westward and came as far as Monticello, Illinois. He had learned the blacksmith's trade in London, Ohio, and on arriving in this city he opened a shop, which he continued to conduct until after the outbreak of the Civil war, when in re- sponse to his country's call for troops he en- listed, becoming a member of the Twenty- first Illinois Volunteer Infantry under com- mand of Colonel U. S. Grant. He was mus- tered in at Mattoon, Illinois, and on the or- ganization of the company he was com- missioned first lieutenant. He participated in a number of important battles which bore a part in shaping the final victory of the Union army. He took part in the engage- ment at Lookout Mountain and in the battle of Franklin, Tennessee, and at that place he
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barely escaped with his life, a ball passing through his chin whiskers. He was always a loyal and valorous soldier, and his bravery and meritorious conduct on the field of battle several times won him promotion. He was first made captain of his company, then pro- moted to the rank of major, and finally be- came lieutenant colonel of his regiment, with which rank he served until after the close of the war, receiving an honorable discharge in December, 1865, having been with the army over four years. His military service was certainly most creditable. He was a faithful officer, and while he never need- lessly exposed his men to danger, he often led them into the thickest of the fight and by his own courage inspired them to deeds of valor.
Colonel Jamison, however, made a great sacrifice for his country. He returned to his home in Monticello much broken in health, and was thereafter unable to attend to busi- ness. He continued to suffer from the trou- bles brought about by the exposures and hardships of army life until thirteen years had passed and he was then called to his final rest in 1878.
Before going to the war Colonel Jami- son had married Miss Martha J. Tinder, who was born in Rockingham county, Vir- ginia, on the 19th of March, 1833, the sec- ond daughter of Asher W. and Delila C. (Lewis) Tinder. In 1853 her parents re- moved to Piatt county. She was at that time a young lady of about twenty years. and on the 10th of February, 1856, she gave her hand in marriage to Mr. Jamison. They became the parents of two daughters: Inez and Flo A., the wife of Scott Miller, a res- ident of Wilmington, Illinois. He is the su- perintendent of the Widows' Home and was instrumental in its establishment. Mrs.
Jamison has two granddaughters: Zola Urda, who is an artist; and Mattie, who is now the wife of J. C. Tippett, circuit court clerk and recorder of Piatt county.
Colonel Jamison was a most active and earnest Republican, joining the party on its organization. It become the defender of the Union in the dark days of the country's peril, and he never wavered in his allegiance thereto, giving to it his stalwart support up to . the time of his demise. He did every- thing he could for its success, and he was always deeply interested in the welfare of the city and the promotion of its best inter- ests. At his death many friends mourned his loss for his many excellent traits of char- acter had endeared him to those with whom he was associated. His widow is a member of the Woman's Relief Corps of Monticello, and also of the Chapter of the Eastern Star, the auxiliary of the Masonic fraternity. She is a lady of culture, having graduated in the high school of London, Ohio, and she has a good home in Monticello and is granted a pension by the government.
JAMES W. LOWTHER.
Prominent among the citizens of Piatt county who have witnessed the marvelous development of this section of the state in the past thirty-five years, and who have, by honest toil and industry, succeeded in ac- quiring a competence and are now able to spend the evening of life in quiet and retire- ment, is the gentleman whose name intro- duces this sketch. His home is on section 7, Unity township.
Being left an orphan at a very early age, Mr. Lowthers knows nothing of his par-
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ents, and he was reared by John Dawson, of Ohio. His boyhood and youth were passed .upon the farm, where he early became famil- iar with hard work and thoroughly mastered agricultural pursuits, but his literary educa- tion was limited. He was reared amid pio- neer conditions in Scioto county, Ohio, and when a boy often used a single shovel plow drawn by one horse. Many a day he has dropped corn by hand and cut grain with a scythe and cradle. The hum of the spin- ning wheel was heard throughout the day in the home of his foster parents, and the clothes of the girls were made from lin- sey-woolsey, while the boys wore jeans. Kerosene lamps had not come into use, and tallow candles furnished the light in the lit- tle pioneer homes.
Coming west in 1868, Mr. Lowther set- tled in Piatt county, Illinois, and has since watched with interest the growth and de- velopment of this portion of the country. The wild prairies stretched for miles around and were covered with ponds and sloughs, and small game was plentiful. The railroad had not then been built through Voorhies and he has seen the upbuilding of that and other villages in this county.
For one year after his arrival Mr. Low- thers worked by the month as a farm hand and then rented land until 1875. In the meantime he saved money to buy a home and invested in one hundred and twenty acres of raw prairie on section 7, Unity township, for which he paid twenty-five dol- lars and a half per acre, but it is now worth one hundred and twenty-five dollars per acre. After tiling and draining his land he placed it under cultivation and successfully engaged in general farming for several years. He planted every tree now found upon the place, built fences, sèt out an orchard and
made many other improvements, so that he now has a very desirable place. For the past nine years he has practically lived. re- tired from active labor, leaving the land to be operated by a tenant, and Mr. Hubbell has been in charge for three years. Mr. Lowther votes the Republican ticket and takes a commendable interest in public af- fairs. He is one of the old and honored residents of his section of the county and deserves representation in the Past and Pres- ent of Piatt county.
SAMUEL J. FOULK.
Samuel J. Foulk, who is connected with agricultural pursuits in Bement township, where he owns and operates two hundred acres of land on section 21, is a native of Pennsylvania, his birth liaving occurred in Somerset county, on the 31st of January, 1843. The family is of German descent and was founded in America by the great- grandfather of our subject who came from that country and located in the Keystone state. George Foulk, the grandfather of our subject, died in Pennsylvania when a comparatively young man. Jacob Foulk, the father of our subject, was born in Som- erset county, Pennsylvania, in 18.17, and throughout his entire life he followed the occupation of farming in the state of his na- tivity. He was a prosperous and progress- ive man, his business being capably con- ducted along the lines which brought to him a good financial return. His political sup- port was given to the Whig party until its dissolution when he joined the ranks of the new Republican party, but while he kept well informed on the questions and issues
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of the day, he never sought or desired public office, content to do his duty as a private citizen. He was a member of the Mennonite church, to which his wife also belonged. In her maidenhood Mrs. Foulk bore the name of Barbara Gincrick. She was born in 1816 in Germany, and when seventeen years of age came to the United States with her brother, her parents having died in the fath- erland. Her death occurred when she was seventy-three years of age. To her family she was a devoted wife and loving mother, and by her marriage she had seven children, of whom three are living, the subject of this review being the third in order of birth. His brothers are Jeremiah, who is a retired farmer residing in Pennsylvania; and Ana- nias, who carries on agricultural pursuits in Pennsylvania.
Samuel J. Foulk remained in the Key- stone state until after he had attained his majority, and in 1865, when twenty-two years of age he came to the west, believing . that he might have better opportunities in this growing section of the country. He located in McLean county, Illinois, near Hayworth, where he lived for one year, ele- voting his energies to general agricultural pursuits. He then removed to the vicinity of Bloomington, where he resided for five years. On the expiration of that period he came to Piatt county and purchased eighty acres of land in Bement township. This was situated on section 21 and was only par- tially improved, but with characteristic en- ergy he began its further cultivation and development, and as the years have passed he has also extended the boundaries of his farm until it now comprises two hundred acres, a part of which he rents to a tenant, but the remainder of the land he cultivates and it has been his home since his arrival
in Piatt county in the early seventies. He carries on general farming and stock-raising and in his business career he has met with prosperity, owing to the excellent farming methods which he follows and his progress- ive labors, placing him in the front ranks of the leading agriculturists of the com- munity.
In 1863 Mr. Foulk was united in mar- riage to Miss Lizzie Welfly, who was born in Somerset county, Pennsylvania, and came to Illinois after her marriage. She is a daughter of Israel and Susannah Welfly, who were likewise natives of the Keystone state. The father is still living at the age of ninety-three years, but the mother passed away many years ago, dying at the early age of twenty-eight years. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Foulk have been born five children, but only one is now living. The eldest, Emma, died at the age of six months; the second died in infancy ; Alsinus died at the age of four years; and Orville died at the age of seventeen years. The three eldest were born in McLean county and, the others in Be- ment township. The living son is Earl E., who was the fifth member of the family and is now twenty-three years of age. He was educated in Bement township and assists his father in the operation of the home farm. Both Mr. and Mrs. Foulk are members of the Methodist church, taking an active and helpful part in its work, and he is serving as steward, and is one of the church trustees. In politics he is a stalwart Republican and held the office of school director, while at the present time he is school trustee. The cause of education finds in him a warm friend who has done much to promote the interests of the schools and advance their permanent improvement. Coming to the west in early manhood, Mr. Foulk here
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found the business opportunities he sought for throughout the length and breadth of the land there is no better agricultural district than is afforded in Piatt county. Working earnestly and systematically he has year by year added to his possessions until he is now accounted one of the substantial farmers of this community.
LOUIS BENARD.
Louis Benard is a retired farmer and extensive landowner now residing in the village of Hammond, where he occupies a beautiful residence. He is well known throughout Piatt county and is numbered among its pioneer settlers for he located in Bement in 1864 and has since resided in this portion of the state. Great changes have occurred since that time and the transformation wrought in Piatt has kept this county abreast with the universal im- provement, making it one of the leading agricultural counties of this great state. For a number of years Mr. Benard was actively associated with farming interests and as the years passed he made judicious investments in real estate until he is now one of the extensive landowners.
A native of Canada, Louis Benard was born in Montreal in 1837, and is a son of Louis and Ovede (LaCrosse) Benard, who were also natives of Canada, in which country they spent their entire lives, the father devoting his energies to agricul- tural pursuits there. Unto him and his wife were born ten children, among whom were three sons who served in the Union army and are now residents of Albany, New York. The other members of the
family, with the exception of our subject, are residents of Montreal.
Mr. Benard of this review obtained his education in the country schools of Can- ada and at the age of seventeen years he left home, going to Upper Canada and afterward to Ogdensburg, New York. Starting out in life with but limited means, he soon realized that there is no royal road to wealth and also recognized the fact that persistency of purpose and strong determination are forceful ele- ments in obtaining success. Therefore he labored energetically at whatever claimed his attention. While living in Ogdens- burg, New York, he was united in mar- riage to Miss Mary Smithers, a native of St. Lawrence county, that state, born on the 9th of Ocober, 1837, and a daughter of Thomas and Marie (Stephens) Smith- ers, who were natives of England and came to the United States in 1836, settling in St. Lawrence county, New York, where both the father and mother passed away. Throughout the years of his active busi- ness career Mr. Smithers engaged in farming.
After his marriage Mr. Benard re- sided for five months in New . Hampshire and during that time learned and followed the shoemaker's trade. He afterward re- moved to Vermont, living successively in Northfield, Montpelier and other places, where he followed shoemaking for six years or until August, 1864, when he came to the west and has since made his home in the Mississippi valley. He set- tled in the village of Bement, Piatt coun- ty, Illinois, where he worked at the shoe- makers' trade for four years. He then traded his shoe shop for a team of horses and removed to Moultrie county, Illinois,
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having but three dollars and fifty cents in his pocket at that time. There he en- gaged in farming for four years and in 1872 he returned to Piatt county, settling on a farm in Unity township, where he engaged in tilling of the soil for more than twenty years. In 1895 he removed to the village of Hammond and built his present residence, since which time he has lived retired. Those who know aught of his history recognize that he has been a man of marked industry who has carried on his work so steadily and energetically that he has gained a comfortable competence. He is still the owner of one hundred and eighty acres of land in Unity township near Hammond, this constituting a well improved property. In addition to this he has six hundred and forty acres of pro- ductive land in central Minnesota and three hundred and twenty acres of land in the Ya- zoo valley in Mississippi. He has placed his capital in the safest of all investments, real estate, and is to-day the owner of val- uable property which returns to him a splen- did income, enabling him to live retired from further business cares, save the supervision of his property.
The home of Mr. and Mrs. Benard was blessed with four children: Louis, who is with his parents; Lilly, the wife of Charles Bunyan, who is engaged in the lumber business in Hammond; Marie, the wife of John Dick, a farmer residing in Moultrie county, Illinois; and Fred E., who married Ethel Kizer, by whom he has one child and who is now engaged in general merchandising in Hammond.
Mr. Benard gives his political support to the Democracy, having always voted that ticket, but he has never been an of- fice seeker nor has he desired political
preferment. Socially he is a member of the Masonic order, belonging to Bement Lodge, F. & A. M. He always spends his summer months on his land in Minnesota, while the winter season is passed in his pleasant home in Hammond. He is a man of sterling purpose, of strong force of character and of upright life and his suc- cessful career excites- the admiration and commands the respect of those who are at all familiar with his history. He started out upon his business career empty handed and to no fortunate com- bination of circumstances does he owe his success. Such a history should serve as a source of encouragemnt to others, show- ing that prosperity may be won through perseverance and diligence.
JOHN G. FULK.
The subject of this sketch in one of the leading and representative citizens of Cerro Gordo township, where after years of active labor mainly devoted to agri- cultural pursuits he is now living retired at his pleasant home on section 35. He was born in Rockingham, Virginia, No- vember 9, 1849, and is a son of John and Martha (Roadcap) Fulk, who spent their entire lives in that state. In their family were ten children, all of whom reached man and womanhood. Tivo of the sons were killed during the Civil war, one while serving in the Southern army, and the other while fighting with the Union forces in North Carolina. The father's sym- pathies were with the north during those trying days. One son and five of the daughters are still living in Virginia and
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all are married and have families. One daughter is deceased.
John G. Fulk passed his boyhood and youth in his native state and was given good educational advantages. On reach- ing manhood he was married December 19, 1875, to Miss Sarah Wine, a daughter of Michael S. and Elizabeth (Fry) Wine, also natives of the Old Dominion, where her father still resides, her mother being now deceased. They had five children, two sons and three daughters, four of whom are now living, two of the number making their home in Virginia. One son, J. C. Wine, is a resident of Cerro Gordo township, this county.
Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Fulk. Rilla, the eldest, is now the wife of O. R. Turney, of Pocahontas county, Iowa, and has two children, Fern and Elma J. George L. is a graduate of De Pauw University at Greencastle, Indiana, and is now studying law in Chicago, at the same time being in the employ of Bald- win Brothers, prominent attorneys of that city. He is thus making his way through school though he saved part of the money to meet his expenses while teaching in Kentucky for one year. He is also serv- ing as notary public in Chicago. William, the youngest of the family, is a graduate of the Cerro Gordo schools:
It was on the 28th of February, 1885, that Mr. Fulk arrived in Piatt county and for nine years he rented the John S. Kuns farm. He had brought with him nine hun- dred dollars, but this was spent in stocking the farm and he would have found it diffi- cult to make a start here if it had not been for the kindly assistance of Mr. Kuns, who is to-day an extensive fruit farmer of Cali- fornia. In 1894 he removed to his present
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