USA > Illinois > Piatt County > Past and present of Piatt County, Illinois : together with biographical sketches of many prominent and influential citizens > Part 29
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In religious faith both Mr. and Mrs. French are Methodists and they also hold membership in the Court of Honor. He is connected with the Fraternal Army and
the Odd Fellows Lodge, No. 740, at De- Land, and in his political affiliations is a stalwart Republican. For one year he has served as village treasurer, being elected on the Citizen's ticket, and for three years he has been a school director, now serv- ing his second term. He takes a commen- dable interest in public affairs and does all in his power to advance the welfare of the community along social, educational and moral lines.
HAAGEN SCHWARTZ.
Haagen Schwartz is a well-known mer- chant of Monticello, where for a number of years he has been engaged in the jewelry business. He is a native of Norway, which country has furnished to the United States many bright, enterprising young men who have left the land of the mid- night sun to enter the business circles of this country with its more progressive methods, livelier competition and advance- ment more quickly secured. His birth oc- curred in 1859 and in his sixth year he became a student in the public schools 'of his native land, where he continued to master the branches of learning therein taught until he reached his fourteenth year. At that time he entered upon his business career as an apprentice to the trade of a jeweler in the city of Drammen, Norway. His term of service covered six years, during which time he acquired a . thorough and comprehensive knowledge of the trade in all of its departments and was thus well equipped to enter upon busi- ness life.
Having heard favorable reports of the
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new world and its opportunities he re- solved to cross the Atlantic in order that he might enjoy the advanages offered by America. In 1878 he crossed the water and for a time was detained at Castle Garden. From New York city he went to Elgin, Illinois, where he secured a situation in the Elgin watch factory, and his capable service and fidelity to duty led to his re- tention in the factory as one of its most trusted employes for four years, and in the Illinois watch factory at Springfield for nine years. He then severed his connec- tion with the company, wishing to engage in business on his own account. Remov- ing to Monticello, he has here resided for eleven years. Opening a store he secured a good stock of watches, clocks, silverware and jewelry, and now he has a well ap- pointed establishment and is classed among the - honorable and reliable mer- chants of Piatt county, having the patron- age of the best citizens of Monticello and the surrounding districts. He is a practi- cal and skilled workman in the line of watchmaking and he carries a large and carefully selected stock of diamonds and jewelry, silverware and chinaware, pur- chasing his goods from the most reliable manufacturers.
In 1882 was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Schwartz and Miss Mary Lauret- son, of Elgin, Illinois. She was born in Christiana, Norway, and by her marriage she has become the mother of six children : Minnie, Inga, Henry, Lillie, Andrew and Lina, who is the baby of the household.
comfortable residence and good outbuild- ings. He is an enterprising citizen here deeply interested in the progress and im- provement of Monticello and his active co- operation has been given to many lines for the general good. The hope that led him to leave his native land and seek a home in America has been more than realized. He found the opportunities he sought, which, by the way, are always open to the ambitious, energetic man, and making the best of these he has steadily worked his way upward. He possesses the reso- lution, perseverance and reliability so characteristic of people of his nation, and his name is now enrolled among the best citizens of Piatt county.
ALVIN T. SMOTHERS.
Alvin T. Smothers, a retired farmer now living in Mansfield, was born on the 20th of May, 1867, in Franklin county, Ohio, and is a son of Emery and Lida (Sherbourne) Smothers. The father was a farmer by occupation and at the time of the Civil war he responded to the coun- try's call for troops, serving for two years. He started with Sherman on the memor- able march to the sea, but was wounded while on the way and was unable to reach the sea coast. For six months he lay in the hospital and afterward received an hon- orable discharge. In April, 1880, his life's labors were ended in death. His widow, however, still survives him and is now liv- ing in Licking county, Ohio.
Mr. Schwartz is a member of the In- dependent Order of Odd Fellows, also of the Tribe of Ben Hur. He owns six acres Alvin T. Smothers obtained his prelim- of valuable land in the southern part of inary education in Harlem, Ohio, and aft- Monticello, upon which he has erected a · erward entered the university at Wester-
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ville, Ohio, where he pursued advanced studies and became well equipped for the practical and responsible duties of life. On leaving school he enlisted in the regular - army of the United States, serving for four years. At the expiration of his mili- tary service he came to Piatt county, Illi- nois, where he began working by the month as a farm hand for Isaac Hilligoss, receiving as a compensation for his serv- ices twenty dollars per month. Later he was married and returned to Ohio where he remained for twenty-one months, but he thought that he preferred Illinois as a place of residence and again came to Piatt county, this time settling upon a farm which he rented from W. D. Fairbanks. For four years he resided there and har- vested good crops as the result of his per- sistent labors. He also spent four years upon a farm which he rented of E. P. Barn- hart and then purchased a part of the farm which he was cultivating, becoming the , owner of a tract of eighty acres. For a number of years he successfully carried on agricultural pursuits in this county and in December, 1901, he removed to Mansfield, where he has since made his home. Here he purchased a house and lot and has lived retired from farm life, but to some extent carries on carpentering.
Mr. Smothers was united in marriage on the 7th of November, 1889, the lady of his choice being Miss Jennie Bateman. a daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth (Brown) Bateman. who were natives of Ireland and Canada, respectively. The fa- ther left the Emerald Isle in 1848 and crossed the Atlantic with his parents. There he was reared to manhood and aft- er his marriage he came with his wife and children to Piatt county, Illinois. in
1871. Here he has since resided and is now one of the wealthy, prominent and influential farmers of this portion of the state. He has taken an active part in im- proving and developing this locality and his business career proves the value of en- ergy and activity in agricultural circles. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Bateman have been born eleven children: Thomas, Mrs. Jen- nie Smothers, Mrs. Mary Ann Chase, Sam- uel, Charles F., John R., Mrs. Elizabeth Smith, Etta, Nellie, Mrs. Edna Warren and Harry. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Smothers has been blessed with one child, Edith Lisle, who was born on the 27th of August, 1890, and is now attending school in Mansfield.
The parents hold membership in the Methodist church and Mr. Smothers is a Republican, doing all in his power to pro- mote the growth and insure the success of the party, yet never seeking office as the reward for party fealty. The cause of education finds in him a warm friend and he is now serving as a school director. He is also a co-operant factor in the moral development of the community and in many measures for the general welfare. His business career has been honorable and active and through his capable man- agement he has gained the competence that now enables him to live retired in Mansfield, enjoying all of the comforts and many of the luxuries of life. .
WILLIAM D. COFFIN.
The deserved reward of a well-spent life is an honored retirement from business in which to enjoy the fruits of former toil.
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To-day, after a useful and beneficial ca- 'S. Matthews, a resident of Fort Jones, reer, Mr. Coffin is quietly living at his California, and is the mother of nine chil- dren, seven sons and two daughters, though one daughter died April 15, 1903.
pleasant, home in Bement, surrounded by the comfort that earnest labor has brought him. He is a native of Indiana, born in Vermilion county, January 22, 1842, and is a son of Berkley and Narcissus (David- son) Coffin. The Coffin family is of English origin and was founded in America , by Christian Coffin, who was one of the first settlers of Massachusetts and from whom all bearing the name in this country are de- scended. The early family was known as the Nantucket clan. Our subject's pater- nal grandfather, William Coffin, was cap- tain of the first company from Wabash, Indiana, that crossed the plains to Califor- nia during the gold excitement, and he died in Sacramento, his being the first death recorded by the secretary of the cemetery. His death-bed was in a wagon. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Eunice Worth, was also a representative of an old eastern family of English ex- traction.
Berkley Coffin, the father of our sub- ject, was born in North Carolina and about 1832, when still a boy, removed to Indiana with his brother, Dr. Coffin, who is now a retired physician of Monticello, Illinois. In early life Berkley Coffin learned the blacksmith's trade, but in later years turned his attention to farming, which he followed in Parke and Vermilion counties, Indiana, for some years, and in the spring of 1858 came to Piatt county, Illinois, where he pursued the same occu- pation until called to his final rest in 1861. His wife died in 1852 at Fort Laramie while on her way to California. They had but two children, the older of whom is our subject. His sister Ann is the wife of I.
William D. Coffin was principally reared and educated in Vermilion county, Indiana, though he attended school to a limited extent after the removal of the family to Piatt county, Illinois, in the . spring of 1858. As soon as old enough to be of any assistance he began to aid in the labors of the farm and throughout his active business life continued to en- gage in agricultural pursuits with marked success. He accumulated much valuable property and is to-day .the owner of land to the amount of four hundred and eighty acres in Bement township, which he rents. In 1895 he retired from active labor and removed to the village of Bement, where he now makes his home. He has traded quite extensively in farm property and has met with uniform success in his opera- tions. His first purchase of land consisted of eighty acres of raw prairie, which he broke and improved, and he later bought forty acres in the edge of the timber, a part of which he cleared. There he made his home in a log cabin for one year and then removed to his prairie farm. Every- thing was new and wild and there was plenty of game of all kinds, including deer, while the prairie wolves were also numer- ous.
At the age of twenty years Mr. Coffin laid aside all personal interests to enter the service of his country during the dark days of the Rebellion, enlisting at Bement, August 7, 1862, as a private in Company D, Seventy-third Illinois Volunteer In- fantry, under Colonel James F. Jaquess and Captain Thomas Motherspaw, who
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was afterward appointed major and led the charge in the battle of Franklin, Ten- nessee. This was known as the "Preach- ers Regiment" as many of its officers were ministers, and it was the first regiment to be called from the state of Illinois in 1862. For two years Mr. Coffin was under the command of General Phil Sheridan and he remained in the service for three years, being mustered out at Nashville, Tennes- see, June 12, 1865, at the close of the war. The principal engagements in which he participated were the battles of Perryville; Stone River, where he was slighty wound- ed; Chickamauga, September 20, 1863, where he was wounded in the hip by a spent ball; and Missionary Ridge, where he was wounded in the left arm near the shoulder, nearly losing the member. He was all through the Georgia campaign un- til after the fall of Atlanta, when his regi- ment returned to Tennessee to meet Hood and took part in the severe engagement at Franklin, where Major Motherspaw and Adjutant Davis were both killed in leading charges. This was followed by the battle of Nashville where they routed General Hood's army. Dr. Coffin was at Blue Springs when the news came of Gen- eral Lee's surrender and the assassination of President Lincoln, having been sent there with his regiment to fill up a gap.
At the close of the war our subject re- turned to Vermilion county, Indiana, and was married September 13, 1866, to Miss Mary Holtz, a daughter of John and Lovinia (Whipple) Holtz, both deceased. The fol- lowing October they came to Piatt county, Illinois, where they have since made their home. Of the eight children born to them the following are still living: Eva, the wife of A. H. Harshbarger, who is en-
gaged in the implement business in Be- ment; Harry M., who married Della Na- tion and lives. in Bement; Bessie and Fred- erick, both at home. Those deceased are Homer, a twin brother of Harry, who was accidentally killed by a gunshot; Emma, who married John Crawford and died of appendicitis; Eddy, a bright little boy, who died of scarlet fever at the age of three years; and William, who died in in- fancy. The children have all received lib- eral educations and the family is one of prominence in the community where they reside. They attend the Methodist Epis- copal church.
Mr. Coffin affiliates with the Republi- can party and at one time took quite an active and influential part in local politics. For two terms he acceptably served as township supervisor in Bement township and was school director of the Coffin school, located on his land, for about twen- ty-nine years. He was also a member of the board of education in the village of Be- ment one term and never withholds his support from any enterprise which he be- lieves will prove of public benefit. He is well known in the county of his adoption and by those qualities which in every land and clime command respect he has won many friends. The early career of Mr. Coffin was one of unfaltering industry and through strong purpose and diligence he worked his way upward to the plane of affluence.
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POPE HISER.
Pope Hiser, who carries on farming and stock-raising on section 32, Cerro Gordo township, was born on the 8th of August,
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1862, just west of the village of Cerro Gor- do, in Macon county, and is a representative of an old and honored family of this sec- tion of the state. His father, Solomon Hiser, was born in Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, November 19, 1826, and in 1855 wedded Miss Mary E. Page a native of New York, born in 1833. In 1850 he came to Illinois and, settling in Macon coun- ty, aided in its pioneer development. He broke many an acre of wild prairie land, and for nearly forty years engaged in farming there. Most hospitable in manner, he was a model pioneer and although not a member of any church he was always found on the side of right and order and gave liberally, though unostentatiously, to all worthy objects. He believed firmly in the principles of Christianity and died as he had lived, with a hope of a just reward, not fearing death, but ready to meet his God. He passed away at Cerro Gordo, September 28, 1889, at the age of sixty-two years, ten months and nine days, and his wife died at the same place, at the age of sixty-two years and two months, from the effects of a cancer, after long and patient suffering. Her fu- neral was from the Methodist Episcopal church, Rev. Poe officiating, and her re- mains were interred in the Frantz cemetery.
In the family of this worthy couple were eight children: Mrs. J. J. Garver. a resi- dent of Decatur, Illinois ; Pope, whose name introduces this sketch: Samuel : Mattie, the wife of Henry Berry, of Salem, Illinois ; Al- ma, wife of John Eiler. a mail-carrier of Cerro Gordo; and three deceased.
Pope Hiser was educated in the district schools near his boyhood home, and early ac- quired an excellent knowledge of every de- partment of farm work. At the age of twen- ty-two he began farming on his own account
in Macon county, and remained there until, coming to Piatt county, in 1893, when he set- tled on his present farm, having purchased the place two years previously. It was then in bad repair, but he has remodeled the house, tiled and drained the land and made many other useful improvements, spending about eighteen hundred dollars in this way. He is a progressive farmer and is meeting with well-deserved success in his chosen occu- pation.
In 1887 Mr. Hiser was united in mar- riage to Miss Della Wheeler, by whom he had two children, but both are deceased. Mrs. Hiser is also a native of Macon coun- ty, and is a daughter of John O. K. and Nancy (Hudgeon) Wheeler, both deceased. She is one of a family of eight children, five of whom are still living, two of the number being residents of Macon county : Grant, of Seattle. Wash ; and John K., of Macon coun- ty. Isaiah resides in Cerro Gordo, Piatt county. Melissa is the wife of John Huff, a farmer of Oakley township.
LEWIS M. UHL.
One of the best-known and most hon- ored citizens of Cerro Gordo township is the gentleman whose name introduces this sketch, his home being on section 32, where he successfully carries on operations as a farmer and stock-raiser. He is a native of Ohio, born in Ross county, January 12, 1854, and is a son of Peter and Anna Elizabeth (Luthwick) Uhl. natives of Germany. On the 3d, of July, 1847, they left the fatherland on a sailing vessel which weighed anchor at . Hessedamstat, and after a voyage of forty
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L. M. UHL
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days landed in New York city, whence they proceeded to Ross county, Ohio. They made their home there until the fall of 1856, and then came to Piatt county, Illinois, first set- tling in Monticello township, where. two years were passed. They next removed to Bement township, and on the 3d of March, 1865, located on the farm in Cerro Gordo township, where our subject now resides. The father broke and improved this place, erecting the present residence in 1872. He was one of a family of five chil- dren, all now deceased, and his death oc- curred on the 3d of June, 1889, when in his eighty-third year. His wife, who was one of a family of three children, all now de- ceased, passed away January 16, 1887, at the age of seventy-two. She was a devout mem- ber of the German Lutheran church and a most estimable lady, while her husband was an active and earnest worker in the Christian church, to which he belonged.
This worthy couple were the parents of nine children, who in order of birth were as follows : Peter, now a resident of Oklahoma Territory ; John, a traveling salesman living in Pana, Illinois; Jeanette, who married George Erler and died leaving two children, Lizzie and Louis ; L. C., an attorney of Smith county, Kansas; Henry, an attorney of Colorado; Jane, who died in infancy ; Lewis M., of this review ; Charles, who is en- gaged in the abstract business in Smith coun- ty, Kansas: and William, who died in in- fancy.
Lewis M. Uhl attended the district schools near his boyhood home and early be- came familiar with all the duties which fall to the lot of the agriculturist. His entire life has been devoted to farming with exception of the time spent as postmaster at Kensing- ton, Smith county, Kansas. For several years he worked by the month for others, and in
this way gained a start in life. He now lives on the old homestead of eighty acres, where the family located in 1865, and he materially assisted in breaking and improving the place. It is now well drained and tiled, is under a high state of cultivation and is well improved with good building, a new barn having been erected by our subject in 1896. It is one of the choice farms of the locality and is pleas- antly located on the main road to Cerro Gor- do, being three and a quarter miles east of that village. Mr. Uhl handles a good grade of stock, including horses, cattle and hogs, and finds this branch of his business quite profitable. He has borne his share in the de- velopment and improvement of this section, transforming the wild lands into well-culti- vated farms. When the family first located in this region much of the land was unbroken and wild game was quite plentiful.
Mr. Uhl was reared in the Lutheran church and still holds to that belief. Polit- ically, he is a Democrat, and on his party ticket was once the candidate for township assessor, but was defeated by twenty-three votes, the township being strongly Republic- an. He has served as postmaster and takes an active interest in promoting the welfare of his township and county. Fraternally, he is a member of the Odd Fellows Lodge, No. 346, of Cerro Gordo; Cerro Gordo Lodge, No. 600, F. & A. M .; and Bement Chapter, R. A. M. He is also connected with the Modern Woodmen of America, and is a man highly respected and esteemed by all who know him.
EPHRAIM DRESBACH.
Illinois ranks among the first states of the Union in agriculture, as well as along many other lines, and its rich lands have
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been reclaimed for farm purposes by such enterprising and progressive citizens as Ephraim Dresbach. Upon a farm on sec- tion 16, Monticello township, Mr. Dresbach makes his home, and he has a splendidly im- proved property, its neat and thrifty appear- ance and excellent equipment indicating his careful supervision and progressive meth- ods. Mr. Dresbach was born in Ross coun- ty, Ohio, on the 5th of August, 1848. His father was John Dresbach, whose birth oc- curred in Ohio, October 13, 1810. In the common schools he was educated, attending the subscription schools such as were com- mon at the time. He not only spent the sum- mer months in aiding in the work of clear- ing and developing the land, but also much of the winter was thus passed, and thus his educational privileges were quite meager. He lived in Ohio until 1855, when he came to Illinois, establishing his home in Piatt county. He also carried on farming here, purchasing what is known as the Brady farm two and a half miles east of Monticello. There he carried on agricultural pursuits for twenty years, breaking most of that land and developing it into rich fields, which re- turned to him excellent harvests. When two decades had passed he removed to the farm now occupied by our subject, and made it his place of residence until his death, which occurred in 1884. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Mary Vinston, was a daugh- ter of Thomas and Margaret Vinston, of Maryland. Eight children were born unto Mr. and Mrs. Dresbach, of whom the fol- · lowing are living: Mary, now the wife of George Brady, of Monticello; Ephraim; and Edward, who is now engaged in dealing in coal and wood in Chicago.
In the common schools of Piatt county Ephraim Dresbach was educated, pursuing his studies in the first frame schoolhouse
ever built in Ridge school district. For the building of this the lumber was hauled from Urbana with teams. During his youth Mr. Dresbach also became thoroughly familiar with farm work in all of its departments, as- sisting in the clearing and cultivation of the land and the harvesting of crops. He con- tinued to attend school mostly during the winter seasons, until twenty years of age.
On the 14th of May, 1868, was celebrat- ed the marriage of Mr. Dresbach and Miss Samantha Brady, a daughter of John and Sarah (Buesy) Brady, of Piatt county. They lived with his father for about six months, and then rented a house, moving by themselves. Mr. Dresbach, however, con- tinued to engage in farming operations in connection with his father for about five years, at the end of which time he began farming on his own account, buying forty acres of land and renting about forty acres more of the farm which he yet owns or one adjoining this place. In his work he has been very successful, and he has carried on farming operations along progressive lines that have proven of value in bringing to him a comfortable competence. He has tiled the place, thus draining the fields and making them very productive. He has also divided his farm into fields of convenient size by well-kept fences, and has planted an orch- ard, erected a new residence and built a sub- stantial barn and other outbuildings. At the present time he is engaged in further im- proving his home. There is upon his place an old brick house which was probably built here in 1853, and was the first home occu- pied by his father on removing to this local- ity. The brick with which it was construct- ed was made by Gabriel Dresbach, an uncle of our subject, on Camp creek.
· Unto Mr. and Mrs. Dresbach have been born eleven children: William, who mar-
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