USA > Illinois > Pike County > Past and present of Pike County, Illinois > Part 85
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HENRY L. ANDERSON.
Various and important business interests have felt the stimulus, keen discernment and unflag- ging diligence ever manifested by Henry L. An- derson in his connection with the agricultural and commercial interests. He is to-day one of the large stockholders, and the manager of the Shaw- Garner Company, owning and operating an ele- vator at Rockport. Moreover, he made a very creditable record as a soldier of the Civil war, valiantly defending the Union cause in the dark hours of our country's history. His life record began at South Windsor, Connecticut, on the 4th of September, 1841, and he attended school in his native town, where he received his primary edu-
cation, after which he removed from that locality with his parents, Henry and Delcena E. (El- more) Anderson, both of whom were natives of Connecticut. The father was a prominent farmer of South Windsor, and died at the comparatively early age of thirty-one years, his remains being interred in the Congregational cemetery in his home town. His widow, however, long survived him, her death occurring in East Hartford, Con- hecticut, in 1900, when her remains were placed beside her husband's grave in the Congregational cemetery.
Henry L. Anderson, leaving home in his fif- teenth year, went to Hartford, Connecticut, where he was engaged in clerking in the mercantile establishment of James Ranney & Company, act- ing in that capacity for a year and a half. He was a youth of sixteen when he arrived in Pike county, Illinois, making his way to Summer Hill, where he resided with his uncle, Elijah Burn- ham, whom he assisted in farm duties from the time of early spring planting until crops were harvested in the autumn, after which he spent the winter months in attending school. He was thus engaged until August, 1862, when, putting aside all business and personal considerations, he responded to his country's call for aid, his pa- triotic spirit being aroused by the continued at- tempt of the south to overthrow the Union.
Joining the boys in blue of Company A, Nine- ty-ninth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, at Florence, Pike county, on the 23d of August, 1862, Mr. Anderson entered the army under the command of Captain George Edwards and Colonel George W: K. Bailey. The regiment proceeded to Ben- ton Barricks, at St. Louis, Missouri, arriving there on the 24th of August, 1862, being the first regiment from Illinois under the call of that year. Mr. Anderson participated in the battle of Mag- nolia Hills, Mississippi, where thirty-seven were killed and wounded, and was also in the engage- ments at Black River, Mississippi, where the Confederate forces were routed from their works, the Union forces pursuing them across the river and capturing many prisoners with slight loss to the Ninety-ninth. On the 19th of May, 1863, he was engaged with the defenses of Vicksburg, and on the 22d of May the famous and ill-fated
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charge was made upon the works, in which three hundred men were killed and wounded. This left Captain A. C. Matthews in command of the Ninety-ninth Illinois Regiment, which held its position under a galling fire until nearly dark, when the men retired, being relieved by an Ohio regiment, which was driven back in great con- fusion. The Ninety-ninth then advanced and opened a heavy fire, causing the enemy to re- treat and probably saving the entire division from a stampede. During the siege of Vicksburg the Ninety-ninth lost two hundred and fifty-three men in killed, wourided and missing. On the 3d of October, 1863, the regiment took part in sev- eral skirmishes in the campaign of the Tesche and detachments of the regiment were engaged in the battle of Grand Coteau. Afterward the regiment went from New Orleans to Texas and at Matagorda Island began the attack on Fort Esperanza, which soon surrendered. On the 16th of June, 1864, the Ninety-ninth Illinois evacu- ated the island, going to Algiers, Louisiana, and performed garrison duty on the Mississippi dur- ing the entire summer. In November, 1864, this regiment was consolidated into a battalion under Lieutenant-Colonel A. C. Matthews and on the 26th of March, 1865, took part in the siege of Spanish Fort and assisted in the investment and capture of Fort Blakely, Alabama. Eventually the regiment was ordered to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where Mr. Anderson and his com- rades were mustered out on the 3Ist of July, 1865, being honorably discharged at Springfield, Illinois, on the 9th of August, following.
When his military service was ended Mr. An- derson returned to Hartford, Connecticut, and pursued a course in Bryant & Stratton Business College. In the spring of 1866 he returned to his home in Summer Hill, Pike county, where he resumed farming. He taught school during the winter months until the spring of 1868, at which time he opened a general mercantile store in part- nership with Carlisle Burbridge at Summer Hill under the firm name of Burbridge & Anderson, which was continued for five years, or until 1873. when Mr. Burbridge disposed of his interests to T. J. Corrill, the firm then continuing to carry on trade under the style of Anderson & Corrill,
which name was maintained until about 1879. Mr. Anderson then purchased his partner's in- terest and conducted the business alone until 1885, when he disposed of his stock and rented the building. In 1886, however, he once more entered the field of general merchandising, form- ing a partnership with C. O. Marsh under the firm name of Anderson & Marsh. They re- mained together for about six years, after which Mr. Anderson purchased Mr. Marsh's interest and carried on the business in connection with his eldest son, Warren Anderson, under the firm name of H. L. Anderson & Son. During this time he was also associated in merchandising and in grain trade in Rockport with different people. In 1897 he disposed of his business interests in both Summer Hill and Rockport and since that time has given his attention to farming and to the grain trade. He is identified with Shaw- Garner Company in the ownership and conduct of the elevator and in the grain business, and in addition to this he has good farm property, which he has placed under a high state of culti- vation and which returns him a satisfactory financial reward.
Mr. Anderson was married May 5, 1870, to Miss Eliza D. Stebbins, a daughter of George and Orissa Stebbins. By this union nine chil- dren have been born: Warren, Ray N., Nora M., Guy S., Leslie L., Clair and Clyde, twins, and Alma E. There was also one child who died at birth unnamed, while Clyde died when four years of age and Alma at the age of thirteen years, all being laid to rest in Summer Hill ceme- tery.
Politically Mr. Anderson is a republican and has always affiliated with the party for its plat- form embodies his ideas of good government. He is actively interested in political questions of the county and state and has done all in his power to promote republican successes. He has represented Atlas township as supervisor for five years but has not sought office as a reward for party fealty. He belongs to Major Samuel Hays post, No. 477, and also to the Modern Woodmen camp of Summer Hill. In manner he is some- what retiring but possesses that true worth which can not be hid and which is always recog-
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nized by people of superiority. He indeed de- serves mention among the prominent merchants and representative citizens of Rockport and should find a place in the history of the western part of Pike county among the men whose force of character, sterling integrity, control of cir- cumstances and success in establishing business enterprises have contributed in a large degree to the solidity and progress of the county.
CHARLES GARD.
Charles Gard is a representative of valuable and important farming and stock-raising interests in Pleasant Vale township and is also extensively engaged in real-estate operations. Widely known as an enterprising business man, he is well worthy of mention in this volume among the leading, progressive and influential citizens of Pike county. He is a native of Barry township, born April 15, 1840, and a son of Cyrenius and Nancy (Kidwell) Gard. The father was born near Marietta, Ohio, and the mother's birth also occurred in that state. They were married there and in 1839 came to Pike county. Mr. Gard had previously visited this part of Illinois, having made a prospecting trip in 1833, ofter which he returned to Ohio and then with his family came again in 1839, settling in Barry township. He began farming here on forty acres of land but in the course of years increased his holdings ten- fold, making judicious investment in real estate as his financial resources increased until his farm was an extensive and valuable one. His strong and salient traits of character made him a promi- nent citizen of the county and he enjoyed in large measure the confidence and good will of all with whom he was associated. He died June 24, 1875, at the age of sixty-three years and his wife passed away January 28, 1861, at the age of forty years. They were a worthy pioneer couple who took an active and helpful part in the work of early progress and improvement and the pres- ent generation enjoys the benefit of their labors in the present progress and prosperity of the county. In their family were twelve children:
Daniel, who was born March 30, 1837, and died September 8, 1859; Charles ; Lucinda, who was born February 28, 1842, and is living in Pleasant Vale township; Jasper, who was born February 5, 1844, and died November 11, 1863, at St. Louis while serving as a member of the Union Army; Martha, who was born September 18, 1846, and died in 1902; Mary, twin sister of Martha, and the wife of Charles Dodge, a resident of New London, Missouri ; Joel, who was born December 5, 1848, and is living near Mexico, Missouri; Paulina, who was born October 24, 1850, and died October 9, 1852; Paulina, who was born September 5, 1852, and is now living in Ne- braska; Jane, who was born September 5, 1854. and died March 18, 1899, while her husband, William P. Cochran, of New Canton, is also de- ceased ; Henry, who was born December 10, 1856, and is living in Pleasant Vale township; and Nancy, who was born January 22, 1861, and died August 25, 1862.
Charles Gard was educated in one of the primi- tive log schoolhouses which have been so often pictured in descriptions of pioneer life. His ear- lier years were spent in a region so wild that it was no uncommon thing to see a hunter pass with a deer on his shoulders, while wild turkeys, prai- rie chickens and other wild game was to be had in abundance. Many of the comforts and luxu- ries of the present day were then lacking. but the conditions of pioneer life were not inimical to happiness and the spirit of generous hospitality which everywhere existed can not be surpassed or improved upon at the present day. Mr. Gard assisted his father to develop a farm and re- mained at home until twenty-one years of age, when he began farming on his own account, oper- ating rented land for about three years. At the end of that time he made a trip across the plains to Idaho, being about eight months on the way. In 1866 he returned to Pike county, where he rented one hundred acres of land in Pleasant Vale township, remaining thereon for a year. In 1867 he made his first purchase of land, be- coming owner of a part of the farm upon which he now resides. As he has had opportunity, how- ever, he has added to his original tract and now has four hundred and twenty acres of land on
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the hill and on the bottom on sections IO, II and 3, Pleasant Vale township. In fact. his bottom land is as rich and productive as any that can be found in the state. His farm is well improved and in the midst of richly cultivated fields, which yield bounteous harvests, stands a good residence. There are also substantial barns and outbuildings for the shelter of grain and stock. General farm- ing and stock-raising are carried on, his son practically managing and operating the farm, while Mr. Gard gives the greater part of his at- tention to the real-estate business, in which he is associated with Charles Robb. Together they own nearly eighteen hundred acres of land and they have conducted an extensive and profitable business as real-estate operators. With the ex- ception of the year spent in Idaho, from which he made the return trip on horseback to Pike county, he has remained continuously in this part of the state and he owes his business success to his im- provement of advantages that have surrounded all.
On the 17th of January, 1861, Mr. Gard was united in marriage to Miss Mary Johnson, who was born in Derry township, Pike county, in 1842, and is a daughter of Michael and Mary (Gates) Johnson, of Eldara, who came to this county from Ohio at an early day. In their family were nine children, John M., Augustus B., Eliza, Rebecca, Thomas, Oliver, Emily, Mary, now Mrs. Gard, and William H. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Gard have been born four children, all of whom are yet living: Cyrenius, who married Anna Shipman and resides in Eldara township; William, who married Belle Kendrick and lives upon the home farm; Lula, the wife of James Collins, a resident of Time; and Olive, the wife of Abraham Likes, of New Canton. The wife and mother was called to her final rest in 1892 and Mr. Gard has since married Catherine Hall, of this county.
Mr. Gard votes with the republican party, has served as school trustee, road commissioner and township collector, the duties of which he has discharged with promptness and fidelity. He is a charter member of the Masonic lodge, No. 821, at New Canton, and he also belongs to the Mod- ern Woodmen camp, No. 1148. The successful
man is he who plans his own advancement and who recognizes that the present and not the fu- ture holds his opportunity. With a laudable ambition to win success Mr. Gard without capital started upon a business career, placing his de- pendence upon the safe and sure qualities of in- dustry and untiring effort. These have opened for him the portals of success and he is classed today among the substantial residents of his na- tive county, who have won simultaneously a very gratifying competence and an honorable name.
JAMES GAY, SR.
James Gay, Sr., is the second oldest living resi- dent of Pike county and no history of this part of the state would be complete without mention of his life record. He resides in Atlas township and is now in his ninety-third year. Descended from Irish ancestry, his grandfather, James Gay, emigrated from the Emerald isle to the United States in 1766 and first took up his abode in Lan- caster county, Pennsylvania, but afterward re- moved to North Carolina. In 1768 he married Miss Margaret Mitchell, of Pennsylvania. He was a Revolutionary soldier and was engaged in the Sotono campaign in South Carolina in 1779, in the battle of Post 96 and of Utah Springs in 1781. He died in Rowan county, North Carolina, in 1819 and was buried in the Third Creek set- tlement in North Carolina, where his wife was also laid to rest. Unto James and Margaret (Mitchell) Gay were born three children, namely : John, William and Rachel.
Of this family William Gay was born in North Carolina, October 28, 1772, and died in Monroe county, Indiana, July 21, 1836, the burial taking place near the town of Stanford. He was the father of our subject. He was twice married, his first union being with Mary Wilson on the 15th of March, 1800. Following her death he wedded Ann Rutledge, who was born July 5, 1783, and was married to William Gay on the 26th of August, 1808. Unto William and Mary (Wilson) Gay was born one son, Abner. By the second marriage there were ten children,
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namely : John L., Mary, Margaret, James, Martha, Adeline, Abel, William T., Hile K. and one child who died unnamed. Of these all are now deceased with the exception of James Gay and his brother Hile who resides in California. The mother died in Clayton, Adams county, Illinois, April 1, 1855.
James Gay, Sr., whose name introduces this re- view, acquired his education in North Carolina, one of his early teachers being Peter S. Ney, who is supposed to have been the famous Marshal Ney of France, one of the leading marshals under Napoleon. It was given out that he was executed after the battle of Waterloo but in real- ity he escaped through the aid of the Duke of Wellington and came to America, teaching school in the Carolinas and in Georgia.
· Upon his father's plantation James Gay was reared and assisted him in the farm duties until 1830, at which time, being then sixteen years of age, he accompanied his father and the family to Bloomington, Indiana, where he remained for four years, working by the day at anything he could find to do. In 1834 he arrived in Atlas, Pike county, Illinois, which at that time was the county seat. During the summer of that year when he was penniless he found a friend in Lyman Scott, a farmer, near Atlas, who gave him employment. He assisted Mr. Scott in farm work for about two years, being paid fifty cents per day for splitting rails and chopping down trees. After one week he poled a keelboat down the stream to the Missisippi river, for which he re- ceived seventy-five cents per day. He made only one trip, however, this being the hardest work which he ever did in his life. He afterward con- tinued with Mr. Scott as a farm hand for a short time, after which he raised crops on the shares for him during one summer.
On account of failing health Mr. Gay returned to Indiana, where he remained for a brief period and then again came to Pike county in order to harvest the crop of corn that he was raising on the shares. This was in 1835. In the spring of 1836 he rented a farm near Atlas and worked with George Schwartz. He not only carried on the work of the fields but also engaged in raising cattle and hogs on the shares and was associated with Mr. Schwartz in general farming and stock-
raising until 1842, at which time they together purchased an eighty-acre farm two miles below Atlas. This they cultivated and improved to- gether for two years, when they divided it. In the meantime they also purchased a quarter section of land about two miles below Atlas, for which they were to pay one thousand dollars, incurring an indebtedness in order to secure the property. Feeling, however, that they were taking too great a risk in this way they gave up sixty acres of the land, retaining possession of and divided the balance of the one hundred acres. Then the part- nership between Mr. Gay and Mr. Schwartz ceased and they carried on farming separately.
During this time, on the 30th of May, 1839, Mr. Gay was united in marriage to Miss Amelia Yokem, a daughter of Solomon and Elizabeth (Butler) Yokem. Unto them were born nine children, seven sons and two daughters, as fol- lows : William H .; Elizabeth, now the wife of N. J. Brown; Caroline, who married James Ellis; Marion, who was a soldier of the Civil war; Charles E .; James C; Julian O .; George A .; and Elmer E. All are now living with the ex- ception of Elmer, who died at the age of six years and was buried in the Summer Hill cemetery.
Mr. Gay removed from Atlas to Summer Hill in 1856 and has lived upon his present farm since that time. He is now retired from active business, having put aside all cares in March, 1905. In the years of an active career he had accumulated a large estate, becoming owner of four hundred and seventy-six acres, much of which was rich, pro- ductive soil, one hundred acres, however, being timber land, many of the trees being hard wood. On the 9th of May, 1904, Mr. Gay was called upon to mourn the loss of his wife, who died on the old farm homestead at Summer Hill. He is now living in the ninety-third year of his age, and is one of the venerable and honored residents of the county. He has long been recognized as a valued citizen because he has exemplified in his . life those sterling traits of character which are manifest in the honorable business man and also in him who has the perseverance to promote gen- eral welfare and progress. In all his dealings he has been honorable, and his earnest effort was
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the basis upon which he builded his prosperity. Empty-handed when he started out in life on his own account, he worked persistently and ener- getically year after year, and thus added to his capital. At all times he has borne an untarnished name; and it is with pleasure that we present his history to his fellow townsmen.
William H. Gay, the oldest son of the family, living near the. father, was born in Pike county, March 2, 1840, and was reared upon the old farm homestead. Having acquired a good English education, he engaged in teaching school for three years. He has been a Civil war veteran, having been a member of Company K, Sixteenth Illinois Infantry, with which he served with distinction in defense of the Union cause during the greater part of the war. He then returned to Pike county, Illinois, where he resumed teaching; but later left that profession and gave his entire time to farm- ing and stock-raising. On the 27th of October, 1867, he married Elizabeth Shinn, and unto them have been born five children, namely: Mary, Elmer D., Charles L., William W. and Fred S. Gay. On the Ist of May, 1892, William H. Gay was again married, his second union being with Hattie Hubbard, by whom he had four children, Grace, Ernest H., John W. and Lettie. Mr. Gay is accounted one of the worthy men of Pike county and one of its largest landowners. He is now retired from active business cares, making his home in Summer Hill.
GEORGE R. HAINES.
George R. Haines, who is one of the oldest business men in Baylis, having located there in 1878, was born in Avon, Franklin county, Maine, February 20, 1850, and is a son of Benjamin R. and Sallie (Bailey) Haines, both of whom were born in the Pine Tree state, and spent their last days in Baylis, where they had established their home some years before. On his mother's side he represents one of the old New England families of English ancestry that was founded in America in August, 1635. His father was also of English ancestry, and his mother was a Scotch woman.
George R. Haines is one of a family of six children, namely : Charles M. Haines, a contrac- tor and builder of Saline, Kansas; Mrs. Abbie B. Merrick, the wife of H. Merrick, agent of the Southern Railroad Company at Princeton, Indi- "ana ; Ben Haines, deceased, who was for many years a prominent business man of Baylis; and two sisters who died in childhood.
The youth of George R. Haines was passed in Avon, Maine, where he spent the winter months in the common schools, while in the spring and summer months he worked in his father's lumber mills, and on the home farm. In August, 1867, he went to Camp Point, Illinois, where he at- tended the Maplewood high school, returning to his native state in March, 1868. During the fall of 1868 and winter of 1869 he traveled in New Hampshire and Vermont as salesman for a patent medicine house of Auburn, Maine, visiting all of the principal towns and villages in those states along the lines of railroads and many of the larger inland towns. In March, 1869, he returned with his father's family to Camp Point, Illinois, where he worked for nearly two years for his uncle, E. E. B. Sawyer, in a general store.
Mr. Haines was married at Camp Point, No- vember 17, 1870, to Miss ·Mattie J. Lasley, who was born near Cincinnati, Ohio, but was reared mostly in Illinois. Her father was William Las- 'ley, who came from Ohio to Illinois in 1852 and was pilot on a steamer which ran from New Or- leans to St. Louis. He changed from the lower river to a run from Keokuk to St. Paul, where he lost his life by injuries received in a collision of the boat with another steamer in 1854. His wife had proceeded him to the great beyond. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Haines was born a son, S. F. Haines, who is now associate editor of the Baylis Guide.
Mr. Haines was in the employ of the Wheeler & Wilson, Manufacturing Company for several years, and in 1875-6 was manager of its branch. office at Kansas City, Missouri. In 1878 he removed to Baylis, and in company with his brother, Ben Haines, and his brother-in-law, H. Merrick, he established the first hardware, furniture and agri- cultural implement house in that village. In the spring of 1879 he was called upon to mourn the
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, loss of his wife. He was married again, Sep- tember 9, 1880, to Mrs. Nancy E. McClintock, of Camp Point, a sister of his first wife and the widow of Samuel Mcclintock. By her first marriage she had one daughter, Anna E. McClin- tock, who has always made her home with her mother. To the last union was born one daughter, Mattie S. Haines; and one son, Harry P. Haines, both of whom are now in the employ of their father.
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