USA > Illinois > Piatt County > Past and present of Piatt County, Illinois : together with biographical sketches of many prominent and influential citizens > Part 26
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ried, his last union being with a Mrs. Russell, whose maiden name was Andrews. She was a native of Tuscarawas county, Ohio. There are five living children by their marriage: Joshua,. Sibey, Elizabeth, Ann and Maggie, all of whom are residing in Adams county, Indiana. Unto the parents of our subject were born five children, of whom three are now living, while two are deceased, namely : John C .; Elizabeth, who is the wife of Isaac Leslie, a farmer residing in Carlisle, Arkan- sas; Comfort Ann, the wife of William Nicholson, a resident farmer living in Co- lumbus, Ohio; and Hannah and Peter, who have passed away. Hannah was the wife of William Johnson, who for thirty years was an extensive farmer of Piatt county. They removed tò Columbus and subsequently to Colorado, where both died. Peter died in Fairfield county, Ohio, in February, 1866, at the age of twenty-one years. The father , of our subject was a carpenter and mill- wright by trade and followed these pursuits through his entire business career. He died in Adams county, Indiana, and his wife passed away in 1841.
John C. Barnhart was a little lad when his parents left the Buckeye state and took up their abode in Adams county, Indiana, where he was reared and acquired a common school education. He remained under the parental roof until after the outbreak of the Civil war, when on the 16th of December, 1861, a few days before he was twenty-five years of age, he enlisted at Buck Creek, In- diana, as a member of Company H, Fortieth Indiana Infantry. He was first under com- mand of Colonel Wilson and later Colonel J. W. Blake. His first captain was William H. Bryan, who was succeeded by Captain Alfred Cole. With his company Mr. Barn- hart participated in the battles of Shiloh, Perryville, Corinth, Murfreesboro and Chat-
tanooga. At the last named place Mr. Barn- hart was the first commissioned officer that crossed the Tennessee river and took charge of the men. He was also in the battle of Mission Ridge and in all of the engagements of the Atlanta campaign. On account of ill health he returned from Atlanta to Look- out Mountain, where he lay in the hospital for two months and then because of his continued illness he resigned and returned to his home.
Mr. Barnhart had friends residing in Cerro Gordo and it was this that led him to come to Piatt county. He was married on the IIth of February, 1866, to Miss Susan Drum, a native of Pickaway county, Ohio, and a daughter of Benjamin and Lydia Drum. 'Her father was a farmer, who died in the Buckeye state in 1848, but the mother long survived him and passed away in 1893. The home of Mr. and Mrs. Barnhart has been blessed with six children, but the eldest, Charles, died in infancy and Lydia, the fifth child, died at the age of two years. The others are Lura, at home; Estella, who is a . teacher in the public schools of Cerro Gordo; Arthur, who married Cora Houston and is a barber of Gibson city, Illinois; and Reed, who is employed as a clerk in a shoe store in Cerro Gordo and makes his home with his parents.
After coming to Cerro Gordo Mr. Barn- hart built the Clifton House, which is the only hotel in this place. He was engaged in the hotel business for six months, and aft- erward worked at the carpenter's trade for three years. He then began wagonmaking, carriage building and woodworking. He re- tired from business for two years, but his friend, E. O. Troxel, induced him to take charge of his (Troxel's) shop, and he has had charge of it for twelve years.
Mr. Barnhart voted with the Republican
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party in early days, but is now a stanch Dem- ocrat. He has never been an aspirant for public office nor has he held such positions. His wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and both are highly es- teemed people, having many warm friends in the village and throughout this portion of Piatt county. In matters of citizenship Mr. Barnhart is as true and loyal to his coun- try as he was when he wore the blue uni- form of the nation and followed the starry banner upon southern battlefields.
CHARLES ADKINS.
There has been no greater advancement made along any line of business than in agriculture, and in this regard America has gained the leadership of the world. No other country has so greatly improved farm implements or given to civilization as many useful inventions along this line as has the . zenship he was public spirited, giving a United States. Keeping in touch with the helpful interest to all measures which he believed would prove of general benefit. He died in 1882 and is still survived by his wife who is now living in Monticello, where she has made her home for about a year. universal progress Charles Adkins of Be- ment township, has become one of the most. progressive farmers of Piatt county and the excellent methods which he has followed have been of value to the community, giving to his fellow citizens an example well worthy of emulation.
Mr. Adkins was born in Pickaway coun- ty, Ohio, on the 7th of February, 1863, and comes of a family of English lineage. His paternal grandfather was Reuben Adkins. whose early life was spent at Snowhill, Maryland, whence he removed to Ross coun- ty, Ohio, in 1802. After a short time, how- ever, he established his home in Pickaway county, Ohio, where he lived until his death, which occurred when he was seventy-two
years of age. Sampson Adkins, the father of our subject, was born in Pickaway coun- ty, Ohio, in 1839 and spent his entire life there, devoting his energies throughout the period of his manhood to agricultural pur- sttits. At the time of the Civil war, how- ever, he put aside all business and personal. considerations, offering his services to the government as a member of Company A, . Ninetieth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He then went to the front, but after ten months' service was honorably discharged on account of disability. In his business affairs he was energetic, wide-awake and prosperous and gained for his family a comfortable compe- tence. He married Miss Eliza A. Mintun, who was born in Ohio and is a daughter of William and Phoebe Mintun. Her father was one of the early settlers of the Buckeye state, removing there from Hardy county, Vir- ginia. He, too, was an agriculturist. In his political views Sampson Adkins was a stalwart Republican and in matters of citi-
In the family of this worthy couple were thirteen children, twelve of whom are still living and all now reside in Piatt county with the exception of two. The members of the family are as follows: Charles, who is the eldest; Mary E., who is the wife of Thomas Mintun, of Willow Branch town- ship; Benjamin F., who follows farming in Willow Branch township; Elizabeth, wife of Charles Reeves, of Boone, Iowa; Reuben of Willow Branch township; Ida, the de- ceased wife of Ellsworth Anderson, of Mon- ticello: Harry H., who is a bookkeeper for
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PIATT COUNTY, ILLINOIS. .
the Chicago Woodenware Company, of Chi- cago; Amanda, the wife of Charles Jones, a farmer of Monticello township; Nancy A., the wife of Ellsworth Anderson; William N., who is living in Monticello township; Clara A., who resides with her mother ; Joice, who is a school teacher and resides in Monti- cello; and Sampson, who also follows school teaching and is living in Monticello. All of these children were born in Ohio.
Charles Adkins spent the first twenty- two years of his life in the county of his nativity and pursued his education in its public schools. He afterward engaged in teaching for one term in Pickaway county and then assisted in the operation of the home farm. In December, 1885, he left Ohio and :with his mother and the other members of the family came to Piatt county, locating in Monticello township on what was then known as the E. B. Hale property. There he engaged in farming for three years and on the expiration of that period he re- moved to the W. F. Stevenson farm in Wil- low Branch township, where he also lived for three years. He next settled upon his pres- ent farm, where he has charge of five hun -. dred and sixty acres of valuable land, be- longing to W. F. Stevenson. This he has managed continuously since, having entire supervision of the property, on which there are about eight men employed. All of this extensive farm is under cultivation, and his time is given in an undivided manner to the oversight of the property. He has upon the place a herd of shorthorn cattle, and raises high grade hogs. He feeds cattle for the market, and in his stock-dealing, as well as in other lines of business, he is most pro- gressive and prosperous. He has made many improvements upon the farm, which is considered one of the finest in this part of the state. Mr. Adkins is continually seek-
ing new, improved and practical methods of agriculture, and he has put into use the sys- tem of rotation of crops, which has proven very successful.
In January, 1888, Mr. Adkins was unit- ed in marriage to Miss Dora E. Farrow, a native of Piatt county, and a daughter of Frank and Elizabeth (Lorish) Farrow. Her father was born in Kentucky, and at an early day came to Illinois, settling in Ma- con county, where he resided for a number of years, carrying on agricultural pursuits. About 1868 he removed to Piatt county, where he again engaged in farming, and he is still living at the age of seventy years. His wife, who was born in Pennsylvania, died at about the age of thirty-eight years in the faith of the Christian church, of which she was a consistent member. She was the mother of eight children, of whom two are still living. Mrs. Adkins obtained her education in the common schools of Piatt county, and is a most estimable lady, possessing many excellent traits of character. She has one brother, John Farrow, who is a resident farmer of Bement township; and a half-brother, Frank Farrow, who also fol- lows agricultural pursuits in Bement town- ship. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Adkins have been born nine children: Ella; twins who died in infancy unnamed; Charles Otis; Benja- min F .; Reuben ; Roy; Ruth and Grace. All of the children were born in this county and are being educated in the schools of Bement.
At one time Mr. Adkins entered into a contest for a prize to be given for the best one hundred acres of corn raised in Piatt county, and he was at that time farming in Willow Branch township. The prize was five hundred dollars, offered by S. W. Aller- ton, the father of Robert Allerton, who is living in this county. Mr. Adkins had a splendid field, as did one of his neighbors.
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and the committee was unable to decide be- tween them, so the prize was divided be- tween the two. The corn was estimated to have a ·yield of one hundred bushels to the acre, and these two' gentlemen carried off the prize over thirty competitors. Mr. Ad- kins received the following letter from Mr. Allerton about that time :
Chicago, November 14, 1889.
Mr. Charles Adkins,
Monticello, Illinois :
Dear Sir-Inclosed you will find my check for $250, the prize awarded you by Messrs. C. F. Tenney and T. E. Bondurant, which I send you with pleasure, for I feel you have paid me the highest compliment of any man in the county, for you had the best cultivated one hundred acres of corn, and you have demonstrated to the people of Pi- att county, as a matter of fact, one hundred bushels of corn can be raised on an acre of land." ·
I took great pleasure in walking through your field of corn. It was. a more beauti- ful picture to me than any that the old mas- ters could paint.
With my best wishes, I remain, Yours truly, SAMUEL WV. ALLERTON.
Mr. Adkins is deeply interested in every- thing pertaining to agriculture and the ad- vancement of farming interests. He has been actively connected with the Farmers' Institute of this state, has delivered many addresses before its meetings and during the past year of 1902 has delivered many ad- dresses in different counties of Illinois upon questions of vital interest to the farmer. So- cially, he has been connected with the Ma- sonic order for the past sixteen years, and he is also a member of the Modern Wood- men Camp and the Tribe of Ben Hur. In
1901 he was elected supervisor of Bement township, and has since acted in this capac- ity. He has also been a member of the school board for two years, and in politics he is a stalwart Republican, having firm faith in the principles of the party. He stands to-day as one of the most prominent, enterprising and successful farmers of Piatt county, and is certainly worthy of repre- sentation in this volume.
IVILLIAM P. SMITH.
A representative of one of the pioneer families of Piatt county, William P. Smith has spent his entire life in this county and has attained to a position of prominence in business, political and social circles. There is nothing in his life history to attract the reader in search of a sensational chapter, but the student who reads between the lines and recognizes the value of character and the force of enterprise and energy in the world, will find much of interest in his career. Not only has he gained a creditable position in the business world, but he has also won the respect and confidence of his fellow men among whom his lot has been cast. He is now engaged in dealing in real estate, abstracts, loans and insurance in Monticello, where he has spent the greater part of the years of his manhood. He was born in Willow . Branch township, Piatt county, on the 12th of September, 1859, about two years after the removal of his parents to central Illinois.
The ancestral line of the Smith family in America can be traced back to a period antedating the Revolutionary war. Jacob Smith, the great-grandfather of our subject,
W. P. SMITH
J. G. W. SMITH
-
MARY E. SMITH
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joined the colonists in their struggle for in- dependence and valiantly fought for liberty through seven long years of the Revolution. His son, Samuel Smith, the grandfather of our subject, was born in Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, and was of English and Ger- man descent. Jacob Smith, the father, was also a native of Dauphin county, born in 1817, and was twice married, his second wife being the mother of our subject. She bore the maiden name of Nancy Shenk, and her birth occurred in Dauphin county, Penn- sylvania, in 1820. Her father was Michael Shenk, also a native of Pennsylvania and of German descent. The children of the first marriage of Jacob Smith were Henry Augustus, who married Margaret Brightbill; and Catherine, wife of John Diller, a res- ident of Nebraska. Those of the second were J. G. W., who was a teacher for a number of years and died in 1884; James M .; Mary E. and William P. In the spring of 1857 the father came with his family di- rectly from Dauphin county, Pennsyl- vania, to Piatt county, 1Ilinois, having acquaintances here. He settled upon a tract of land which he developed into a highly cultivated and improved farm and made his home there until 1882, when he removed to Monticello, where he spent his remaining days in retirement from active labor. He was known as Colonel Smith, having commanded a regi- ment of state militia and served as a colonel on the staff of Governor Pollock, of Penn- sylvania. He was a most pronounced Re- publican, and kept well informed on the is- sues of the day, and was thus enabled to support his position by intelligent argument. His life was busy, useful and honorable, and he commanded respect wherever known. He died in 1897, and his second wife is still 12
living in her eighty-second year and is now in fair health.
The boyhood days of William P. Smith were spent in the usual manner of farmer lads. He remained upon the home farm until twenty years of age, and during that time acquired his education in the district school and received ample training at farm labor through the periods of vacation. He early became familiar with the labors of the fields and continued to assist his father through the summer months, until after he had attained his majority, while in the win- ter seasons he engaged in teaching school for five years, beginning when he was twen- ty years of age. At the age of twenty-five he entered the office of William E. Lodge, a prominent attorney of Monticello, acting as his bookkeeper and also studying law. He continued with Mr. Lodge for three years, and then embarked in merchandising, handling cigars and tobacco. Having con- ducted his store for three years he then sold out, and in 1891 opened a real estate office in Monticello, since which time he has en- gaged in the purchase and sale of lands, ne- gotiating many important real estate trans- fers. In 1897 he compiled a complete set of abstract books, and thus established a new department to his business. He is also a loan and insurance agent. He has worked earnestly, systematically and along legiti- mate lines in securing a large clientage in the different departments of his business, and his labors have been crowned with a richly merited degree of success. He is also a member of the Piatt County Loan Associa- tion, one of the strong financial institutions of the county, also one of its organizers, di- rectors and principal stockholders.
In 1894 Mr. Smith was united in mar- riage to Miss Catherine Webster, who was
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PIATT COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
born and reared in Monticello, while her fa- ther, Samuel B. Webster, was a native of Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Smith are the parents of three children: Marion, William Web- ster and Richard A.
Socially, Mr. Smith is connected with Selah Lodge, I. O. O. F., and he is also a member of the Modern Woodmen Camp of Monticello. In his political views he is a stalwart Republican, taking a prominent and helpful part in county and state politics. He served for four years as city clerk of Monticello, and on the Ist of April, 1901, was appointed by Governor Richard Yates a member of the live stock commission of Illinois, and was elected chairman by the board. He was for four years secretary of the Republican county central committee, and his active connection with the political · work here has been a desirable factor in Re- publican successes. His genial manner, un- failing courtesy and deference for the opin- ions of others, which, however, never in- terferes with his stalivart support of his own honest convictions, are elements in his life which have won him the friendship and re- spect of his fellow men.
JAMES L. ALLMAN.
One of the most extensive landowners of western Illinois is James L. Allman, whose landed possessions aggregate one thousand acres. His home is on section 23, Monticel- lo township. An analyzation of his life work shows that he owes his success not to any fortunate combination of circumstances or to inheritance or the assistance of influ- ential friends, but to the capable control of his own business affairs, to the utilization of
opportunity and to strong purpose guided by sound judgment.
Mr. Allman was born in Ireland, in Au- gust, 1838, and his father was John All- man, who remained a resident of the Em- erald Isle until his death. At the usual age the subject of this review entered the com- mon schools of that country, and he contin- ued to make his home in his native land un- til 1854, when he crossed the Atlantic to the New World, establishing his home in Piatt county, Illinois. It was necessary that he secure employment in order to provide for his support, and he soon obtained a posi- tion as a farm hand, working in that way until 1862, when, believing his business ex- perience and judgment justified his engag- ing in business on his own account, he rent- ed a tract of land belonging to John Piatt, and situated near Monticello. On this he lived for three or four years, and success- fully operated the property. In 1865 he pur- chased two hundred and forty acres of land on section 35. Monticello township, and continued its cultivation. Later he pur- chased four hundred and forty acres more. From time to time he added to his property, until he is to-day one of the most extensive landowners in the county. When he took up his abode on his present farm it was all wild prairie, and the water covered nearly the entire surface. It required much drain- ing in order to make it cultivable, but Mr. Allman possessed resolute spirit and strong perseverance necessary to the successful prosecution of a work so arduous as the de- velopment of a farm. He endured all the hardships of pioneer life, broke the soil, placed it under the plow and tiled the entire farm. Year by year other improvements have been made, until he is to-day the owner of some of the most valuable farm property
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PIATT COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
to be found in this state. He has planted orchards, has erected a good residence and substantial barns and outbuildings, and has set out beautiful shade trees. In connection with the cultivation of cereals best adapted to the soil and climate he annually feeds many cattle for market, making a specialty of shorthorn, black polled cattle and Here- fords. He also raises hogs for the market, selling about four hundred Poland China hogs each year. His has been an extremely prosperous career, and the most envious can- not grudge him his success, so honorable has it been won. He is likewise a member of the board of directors of the First National Bank of Monticello, which is one of the strong financial institutions in central Illi- nois.
In April, 1877, Mr. Allman was united in marriage to Miss Anna McCheffey, at Champaign, Illinois. She was born in Phila- delphia, Pennsylvania. They now have seven children: Mary, Agnes, Margaret, Edmond, Anna, James and Joseph, all of whom are still under the parental roof. The parents hold membership in the Catholic church, and Mr. Allman votes with the De- mocracy. In seeking for the causes which have contributed to his success he finds them not so much in their rarity as in their har- monious union. It is no very rare thing for a poor boy in our country to become a pros- perous man, occupying a commanding posi- tion in the business world, but many who have fought their way from poverty to wealth, from obscurity to prominence, re- tains some marks and scars of the conflict. They are apt to be narrow and grasping, even if not sordid and unscrupulous. Mr. Allman, however, is an instance of a man iyho has achieved success without paying the price at which it is often bought for his pros-
perity has not removed him farther from his fellow men, but has brought him into nearer and more intimate relations with them. His life history stands in exemplifi- cation of what can be accomplished in this free land, where opportunity is open to all, and to-day lie is numbered among the most prominent as well as the most successful citizens of Piatt county.
BALTIS ORR.
In the history of the residents of Piatt county who have been prominent in public affairs or have been worthy representa- tives of business enterprises mention should be made of Baltis Orr, who for many years followed farming in Piatt coun- ty. He was one of the early settlers here, and was well known in Monticello and throughout this section of the state. He resided in the country from 1866 up to the time of his death, and through the faithful discharge of his duties of citizen- ship he aided in the promotion of public progress and improvement.
Mr. Orr was born in Licking county, Ohio, November 4, 1835, a son of John and Lavina Orr, both of whom were na- tives of Virginia. On leaving the Old Do- minion they settled in Licking county, Ohio, where they engaged in farming throughout their remaining days, both the father and mother passing away in that lo- cialty. Mr. Orr of this review was the only one of the family that came to Piatt coun- ty. He obtained his early education in the common schools of Licking county, Ohio, and was trained to farm work upon the old homestead. He lived in the Buckeye
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PAST AND PRESENT
state until March, 1865, carrying on farm- ing there, and on severing his business con- nections in Ohio he removed to the Mis- sissippi valley, settling first in LaSalle county, Illinois. There he engaged in farming for a year, and on the expiration of that period he removed to Piatt coun- ty and purchased a tract of land in Unity township. Here he at once began its de- velopment ånd improvement and success- fully carried on general farming until 1897. Each year saw good crops raised upon his place, and as modern machinery was introduced he secured such accessories as would facilitate his farm work and add to the value of his crops. Everything about his place indicated his progressive supervision, and he continued actively in farming until 1897, when he removed to the village of Hammond, where he lived retired until his death.
While still a resident of Ohio Mr. Orr was united in marriage to Miss Hannah L. Boring, also a native of Licking coun- „ty, born on the 21st of September, 1837. She is a daughter of George Boring, who was born in Virginia, but removed to Ohio at an early day, and there spent the re- mainder of his life upon a farm. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Orr was born one daughter, Ad- die, whose birth occurred on the 31st of October, 1865, and who died in 1888. She was the wife of H. W. Leavitt, and had one child, Elmer, who now resides with his grandmother, Mrs. Orr.
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