USA > Illinois > Macon County > Decatur > Past and present of the City of Decatur and Macon County, Illinois > Part 50
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A native of this county, he was born
May 23, 1859, on the old homestead on sec- tion 35, Hickory Point township, where he now resides. His father, David Brett, was born in Prince William county, Virginia, on the 21st of December, 1817, and was a son of Richard A. and Margaret (Lce) Brett. The grandfather was also a native of the Old Dominion and of English descent. In his family were fifteen children, all of whom grew to man and womanhood.
The father of our subject attended a sub- scription school conducted in an' old log cabin, and the knowledge there acquired was greatly supplemented in later years by reading and observation, which made him a well informed man. He remained under the parental roof until coming west and after the death of his father took charge of the old homestead in Virginia. It was in 1835 that he arrived in Macon county, Illinois, and after spending two years on a rented farm in Decatur township, he removed to Hickory Point township, where he entered one hundred and sixty acres of land from the government, paying one dollar and a quarter per acre. In 1848 he purchased the farm on section 35 where our subject now resides and took up his residence thereon in 1852, making it his home throughout the remainder of his life. In 1847 he was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth P. Wheeler, and to whom were born five children : Annie M .; Richard, who is engaged in farming on section 4, Hickory Point township; Frances, wife of John Christie, of the same township; Edward, who died when about one year old; and David E., of this re- view. The mother died on the 7th of Oc- tober. 1864. in the faith of the Christian church, of which she was a faithful and con- sistent member. The father was a Baptist and in politics was a stanch Republican. He filled the offices of school director and school trustee but never cared for political preferment. After a useful and well spent life died on the old homestead December
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PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY.
29. 1893, honored and respected by all who knew him.
Mr. Brett, whose name introduces this sketch, gave his father the benefit of his labors upon the home farm during his minority, and for a year and a half after his marriage he remained there. In the spring of 1885 he removed to Maroa township, but in 1896 returned to the old homestead on section 35. Hickory Point township, where he is now living. He has set out a young orchard and made a number of other im- provements to the place.
On the 8th of November. 1883. Mr. Brett was united in marriage to Miss Addie S. Rife, a daughter of Joseph and Rosanna (Campbell) Rife, both natives of Pennsyl- vania. The mother was born in Adams county, that state, and followed teaching in early life. Mrs. Brett's ancestors were among the earliest settlers of Macon county, her paternal grandfather having located here in 1832. His father was of German and his mother of English descent. In the family were three children, namely : Jacob : Joseph, the father of Mrs. Brett ; and Elizabeth, wife of Andrew Trimmer, whose sketch appears on another page of this volume. The father of these children was a charter member of Boiling Springs church, which he helped to organize. and to which he was a most liberal contributor. In business affairs he met with success and he not only left a comfortable competence but also the priceless heritage of an untar- nished name. His word was considered as good as his bond and he was honored and respected by all who knew him. In early life Joseph Rife accompanied his father on his removal to this state and he was mar- ried in Decatur to Miss Rosanna Campbell. They spent their married life on his father's old homestead where their son. Frank, now resides. Mr. Rife died May 23. 1892, and his wife passed away on the 21st of Decem- ber, 1886. They were the parents of eight
children, namely: Mrs. Mary Carruthers, now a resident of Wichita, Kansas; Mrs. Minnie Moore, of Niantic, Illinois; Addie S., wife of our subject ; Mrs. Cora Willard, of Johnson City, Illinois; Frank, who is single and lives at Bearsdale; James B. : Elizabeth A .: and Harry L., deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Brett have three children: Edna E., David Franklin and Harry Richard.
Since attaining his majority Mr. Brett has affiliated with the Republican party and has taken quite an active and influential part in political affairs. Since 1896 he has served continuously as a director of the Mound school and is now president of the board. He was elected townsship collector, and so acceptably did he fill the office that he was re-elected the following year, and in the spring of 1903, he was chosen to the office of supervisor. His official duties have always been most capably and satisfactorily discharged, and he has done all within his power to promote the interests of his town- ship and county.
JACOB W. BARTH.
Among the representatives of real estate and insurance business in Decatur is Jacob W. Barth, who has here resided since 1892. He was born in Newark, Ohio, on the 7th of April, 1860, and is a son of Michael and Anna Maria (Dittus) Barth. The father was a native of Stuttgart, Ger- many, and in 1832 came to America, locat- ing first in Ohio. At the time of the Civil war he responded to the call of his adopted country for aid and served for eleven months as a private in the Union army. He joined the Seventy-sixth Ohio Volun- teer regiment, was assigned to Company E and remained with that command until re- ceiving an honorable discharge on account of physical disability. He afterward re- moved to Illinois, settling in Macon county in 1868. He purchased a farm in Friends
AD Trapper
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PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY.
Creek township east of Maroa and with characteristic energy began its develop- ment, placing it under a high state of cul- tivation. There he carried on general agri- cultural pursuits until his life's labors were ended in death in 1892, when he was seventy-six years of age. His wife, to whom he was married in Ohio in 1857, died in the year 1888, at the age of sixty years. She was a daughter of Jacob Dittus, who lived and died in Germany, in which country Mrs. Barth was born. By her marriage she became the mother of four children: John A., who is now living in York, Nebraska: Jacob W., whose name introduces this record; Mary, the wife of Joe Schall, also of York, Nebraska; and Annie P .. the wife of Oscar Allert, of Louisville, Colorado.
Jacob W. Barth acquired his preliminary education in the public schools and later he pursued a business course in the Indianap- olis Business University, in which he was graduated with the class of 1888. The duties of the home farm next demanded his attention and he there remained until after the death of his father, when he dis- posed of his agricultural interests and in 1802 removed to Decatur. Here he estab- lished a real estate and insurance business. in which he has since successfully contin- ued. He has won for himself a good client- age and has written a large amount of in- surance, annually receiving therefrom a profit that has made his income a desirable one. lle has also informed himself thor- oughly concerning realty values and loca- tions and has thus been enabled to place at the disposal of his clients property inter- ests such as they desire, while in the con- duct of his negotiations he has won fair success.
On the 27th of December. 1899. Mr. Barth was united in marriage to Miss Barbara K. Klenk. a daughter of David and Anna (Mezger) Klenk. They are well known in
Decatur and have the warm friendship of a large circle of acquaintances. Mr. Barth of this review votes with the Republican party, but is not active in politics, preferring to give his time and attention to his busi- ness interests and to the enjoyment of pleasures of home and social life.
COLONEL NATHAN W. TUPPER.
Colonel Nathan W. Tupper was one of the early members of the Macon county bar, becoming an attorney of Decatur at an carly date. He settled here in April, 1855. when the greater part of the ground on which the city now stands was a cow pas- ture. He gained distinction as one of the leading attorneys of this part of the state and left the impress of his individuality and his talents upon the early judicial history of Macon county.
Colonel Tupper was born in St. Lawrence county, New York, July 8. 1830, a son of Harvey and Joanna ( Willis) Tupper, both of whom were natives of the Empire state, where they resided until 1833. They then removed to Akron, Ohio, and afterward to Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin. Ilis death occurred at Sheboygan Falls and his widow afterward removed to Missouri, where her last days were spent.
As Colonel Tupper had little interest in farm work, desiring to become an attorney, he did not occupy and operate the farm which his father had secured for him in Wisconsin, but left that state and went to Potsdam, New York. There he boarded with an aunt while attending the St. Law- rence Academy, wherein he pursued his studies for a few years. He then began teaching school in Potsdam and afterward became principal of the schools at that place, but this he regarded merely as an ini- tial step to other professional labor for throughout all this time it was his ambition
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PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY.
to become a member of the bar and also was the goal toward which he was striving. He devoted all of his leisure time outside of the school room to the study of law and thus continued his teaching and study until 1852, when he returned to Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin, where he was admitted to the bar and then opened an office, practicing in that place for one year. Early in the year 1854 he removed to West Bend, Wash- ington county, Wisconsin, where he re- mained for a year and in 1855 he came to Decatur.
In the previous year-1853-Colonel Tup- per had been married in St. Lawrence county, New York, to Miss Lamira M. Peck, a native of Malone, New York, born Febru- ary II, 1829, and a daughter of Samuel and Myra (Hickok) Peck, who were natives of Vermont. After their marriage, how- ever, they settled in Malone, New York, where the father owned and operated a tannery and was also engaged in the manu- facture of shoes. He died in that place but his wife, long surviving him, died at the age of ninety-two years at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Tupper, in Decatur. Unto Colonel Tupper and his wife were born three children : Herbert Eugene died at the age of six months. Sheridan, who is now a very prominent actor on the American stage, residing in New York city, was asso- ciated with Roland Reed and other noted actors and at the present time is connected with the William H. Crane Company. He married Ada Shattuck, an actress, and they make their home in New York city, al- though Mr. Tupper owns property in De- catur near his mother's residence. He and his wife usually spend their summer months in this city, visiting his mother. Emorett, the youngest of the family, died at the age of ten months.
When Colonel Tupper came to Decatur he found that the little village was situated in the midst of a district which was largely
wild prairie land and what is now the pub- lic square of the city was then covered with weeds. In the village, however, Colonel Tupper opened a law office, forming a part- nership with Mr. Thorpe, with whom he practiced for a number of years. He then entered into partnership with Judge Will- iam E. Nelson, who is still residing in De- catur and who is represented· elsewhere in this work. They opened an office in the old Power's Building, practicing there together for several years, during which time they secured a very large and distinctively repre- sentative clientage. Colonel Tupper had a broad and comprehensive knowledge of the principles of jurisprudence. His arguments were forceful, his logic convincing and his appeals were strong so that his presentation of a case always carried weight with judge and jury and seldom failed to gain the ver- dict desired.
The Colonel continued in the active prac- tice of the law until after the outbreak of the Civil war when his patriotic spirit was aroused and he offered his aid to his country in defense of the Union. He became col- onel of the One Hundred and Sixteenth Illi- nois Regiment and in command of his troops went to the front and participated in many important battles. In 1862 he was taken ill and never recovered his health throughout the remainder of his term of ser- vice. Returning to his home in Decatur on the 7th of January, 1864, he lay ill until the 10th of March, following, when he was called to his final rest, thus practi- cally giving his life in defense of his country. His political support was given to the De- mocracy in carly life, but when the Civil war was inaugurated he joined the ranks of the new Republican party, which stood as the defender of the Union. He was a man of marked personality and strong individuality and the salient features of his career were such as to win for him the unqualified confi- dence and respect of his fellow men. He was
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PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY.
ever fearless in defense of his honest convic- tions and no trust reposed in him was ever betrayed. He gained distinction at the bar and upon the field of battle and as long as memory remains to the American people he will be honored as one whose life was given as a noble sacrifice to his country. Mrs. Tupper now owns a nice home at No. 247 West Eldorado street, where she has resided for the past forty-eight years. She, too, is well known in Decatur and is a mem- ber of the Presbyterian Church here.
AMMISTEAD S. KNOUFF.
In taking up the personal history of A. S. Knouff we present to our readers the life record of one whose success has been worthily achieved through his own efforts. Decatur's enterprise and commercial activ- ity, which characterize both the city and the people, naturally cause one to ask what are a man's business connection. The business history of Amstead S. Knouff in recent years is one well known to the people of this city for the Decatur Lumber & Manufacturing Company, with which he is financially con- nected, is well known to the public. The enterprise has become an important factor in industrial circles here and the methods employed in its conduct indicate the excell- ent business capacity, keen foresight and energy of the owners.
Mr. Knouff was born on the 17th of March, 1837, upon a farm in Guernsey county, Ohio. His father, Henry Knouff, was a native of Frederick City, Maryland, his birth having occurred there about forty miles northwest of Washington, D. C. The family is of German lineage and there is a German Bible possessed by representatives of the name which is one hundred and sixty years old. In his boyhood days Henry Knouff accompanied his parents on their removal to Ohio, a home being established
just across the line from Wheeling, West Virginia, where for a number of years after attaining to man's estate Henry Knouff engaged in the shipping of produce, flour, bacon and other articles of food by flatboat to New Orleans. This was before the ad- vent of railroads when all transportation was by means of water. Later Mr. Knouff removed to a farm in Guernsey county, Ohio, and carried on agricultural pursuits until his death. In his political views he was a Democrat in early life, but at the time of the Civil war he espoused the cause of the Republican party, which was the de- fender of the Union and remained one of its stanch advocates until his demise. In early manhood he was united in marriage to Mary Kinsey, who was born in the city of Dover, Delaware, and was of Scotch lineage. Her grandparents on the maternal side were slaveholders in Delaware, but gave to their bondsmen freedom. When Mrs. Knouff was quite a young girl her parents removed to the city of Philadelphia and later to Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. A number of years afterward they went to Ohio, settling in the vicinity of West Vir- ginia and it was in that locality that Mary Kinsey became the wife of Henry Knouff. She was a lady of superior mental culture, being well informed on many subjects. She read extensively, keeping in touch with standard works and current literature. In her religious faith she was a Methodist. Mr. Knouff, who was reared in the Pres- byterian church, became a member of the Methodist church later in life and both were earnest Christian people. Ile died at the advanced age of eighty-four years and his wife passed away at the age of eighty years.
In the public schools of Ohio A, S. Knouff of this review pursued his education, mas- tering the branches of reading, writing, arithmetic and higher mathematics, includ- ing algebra and geometry, chemistry, nat-
PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY.
ural philosophy, astronomy, history. mental and moral philosophy, elocution and the theory and practice of teaching. His early ambition was to secure superior educational advantages and he devoted his meager earn- ings during his school years to the purchase of books. lle has always been a great reader and is to-day a well informed man. keeping in touch with the world's progress along literary as well as other lines. He was graduated from the Ohio public schools at the age of sixteen years and when seven- teen years was employed as a teacher there. his identification with educational work in that capacity covering a decade. He was quite successful in the schoolroom, impart- ing readily and clearly to others the knowl- edge that he had acquired. In the meantime he had purchased a four year's scholarship in a college with a view to preparing him- self for the profession of law, but conditions over which he had no control led him into commercial lines and his ambition to be- come a member of the bar was never re- alized.
After retiring from the profession of teach- ing Mr. Knouff entered into partnership relations with his father-in-law in the live stock trade, shipping cattle and other stock to the eastern markets, principally to Bal- timore, but occasionally to Philadelphia, Pittsburg and New York. For several years he followed that pursuit and later he devoted some time to the raising of cattle and sheep upon his farm in Ohio. Afterward he was engaged in the dry goods business and in the conduct of a general store in the Buckeye state. At the time of the Civil war he was engaged in the cattle trade and traveled over the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad when it was hazardous to make such a trip, being menaced by the rebel forces. On one return trip he and his partner lost three thousand dollars in cur- rency, the train being captured and burned and the passengers robbed by Colonel John
S. Mosby. At the time General Lee men- aced Baltimore Mr. Knouff corralled his cattle under the range of the guns of Fort Henry for protection.
On disposing of his business interests in Ohio he removed to Illinois and engaged in the grain trade, also dealing in hay. He afterward conducted a grocery store at Pana, Illinois, for two years. In 1890 he purchased an interest in the business of the Decatur Lumber & Manufacturing Com- pany, of Decatur, with which he is now actively identified as a stockholder and as one of its officers, being the secretary at the time of this writing. This company maufactures doors, sash and blinds, store and office fixtures and fine interior finish- ings and also deals in himber, lath and shingles. The factory and lumber yards cover à space of ground one hundred and thirty by three hundred and twenty feet adjacent to the Wabash Railroad tracks, thus securing to them good shipping facili- ties. This company commenced business in 1888 with a capital stock of fifty thou- sand dollars and in 1892 increased the cap- ital stock to one hundred thousand dollars and enlarged the plant. They have from time to time made many improvements until now they have one of the best equipped plants in this part of the state. The company has furnished the interior finish for a large number of the best build- ings erected throughout this section of Illi- nois, shipping within a radius of one hun- dred miles. The present officers of the company are Thomas V. Jones, president ; J. B. Good, vice president ; H. M. Prescott, treasurer : and .A. S. Knouff, secretary. All are practical men in their line of busi- ness and they have made a decided success in the control and enlargement of this enter- prisc.
In 1801 Mr. Knouff was united in mar- riage to Miss Margaret Depew, the wedding taking place at her father's home in Ohio.
WILLIAM ARMSTRONG
MRS. ELIZABETH ARMSTRONG
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PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY.
She is a daughter of Abraham Depew, now deceased, who was born in New York and was a cousin of the Hon. Chauncey M. Depew, the present United States senator from New York. There was a marked resemblance in their facial contour and ex- pression and Mrs. Knouff's father was a man of fine physique and marked personal- ity. She has one brother living in Barnes- ville, Ohio, and two sisters in this state. one in Ellworth. Kansas, a fourth in Ore- gon, while her youngest sister is in St. Louis and is the wife of T. R. Ballard, the president of the St. Louis Chamber of Commerce. Mr. and Mrs. Knonff lost two children in infancy and their only living child is Virginia M. She was educated in the public schools of Ohio, continued her studies in Zanesville and pursued a course in music in DePauw University of Indiana. She is now the wife of Dr. J. F. Fribley, of Decatur, who is a graduate of the Chicago College of Dental Surgery and is practicing his profession here. Both the doctor and his wife are members of the First Methodist Episcopal church, in this city.
Mr. Knouff cast his first presidential vote for Abraham Lincoln and his views on political questions are fully in accord with the principles and policy of the Republican party. lle took an active interest in politi- cal work when in Ohio, but he has never sought any position of public trust as a reward for his party fealty. About forty years ago he united with the Methodist Episcopal church under the pastorate of Rev. C. W. P. Hamilton, the father of Bishop J. W. Hamilton, of that denomina- tion, and his wife became a member of the same church during her girlhood. Mr. Knouff has a firm faith in the validity of the scriptures and believes in the doctrines and polity of the denominations. Both he and his wife hold membership in the First Methodist Episcopal church of Decatur. In matters of citizenship he is publie spirited
and progressive, co-operating in many movements for general progress and mater- ial upbuilding here. Wherever he is found he is a social, affable and genial gentleman, whose affairs are conducted in an upright way and all honor and esteem him for his many virtues and genuine worth. Success is not measured by the heights which one may chance to occupy, but by the distance between the starting point and the altitude he has reached and therefore Mr. Knouff has gained splendid success-a just reward of meritorions, honorable effort which com- mands the respect and admiration of all.
WILLIAM ARMSTRONG.
The deserved reward of a well spent life is an honored retirement from business in which to enjoy the fruits of former toil. To-day after a useful and beneficial career Mr. Armstrong is quietly living at his pleas- ant home in Argenta, surrounded by the comfort that earnest labor has brought him. A native of Virginia, he was born in Highland county, that state, on the 23d of July, 1839, a son of James and Sallie (Smith) Armstrong, the former a native of Scotland and the latter of Germany. The father was a soldier of the war of 1812 and was a farmer by occupation. Our subject was reared and educated in Virginia and before leaving that state he was engaged in farming upon rented land for a time.
In 1868 Mr. Armstrong came to Illinois and locating in Macon county was em- ployed by the month on the farm of Robert Gray west of Maroa for three years. The following year he operated a rented farm and then removed to the Parker farm, which he cultivated on the shares, giving one-half of the proceeds for the rent of the place. During the five years he spent there he met with excellent success and has since steadily prospered in all that he has undertaken.
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PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY.
His first purchase of land consisted of a tract of one hundred and sixty acres in Friends Creek township, to which he after- ward added one hundred and sixty acres more, and still later one hundred and fifteen acres, paying over fifty dollars per acre for all of it. He raised both grain and stock and always the best of each, and he made many improvements upon his land which was divided into two farms, supplied with all the conveniences and accessories found upon the model farm of the present century.
In 1861 Mr. Armstrong was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Gladwell, who was killed by lightning June 18, 1866. By that union were born four children, namely : Edward, who married Mary Hensley and is now living in Champaign county, Illinois; Elizabeth, who died about 1885; Sallie, wife of B. Walker, of Decatur; and William who wedded Emma Taylor and makes his home in Friends Creek township. Mr. Arm- strong was again married in 1871, his second union being with Mrs. Elizabeth James, by whom he has one son, James H., who married Lula Yates and lives on the old homestead.
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