Past and present of the City of Decatur and Macon County, Illinois, Part 58

Author:
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: Chicago : S.J. Clarke Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 988

USA > Illinois > Macon County > Decatur > Past and present of the City of Decatur and Macon County, Illinois > Part 58

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

In the county of his nativity John P. Lehn was reared and educated and although his school privileges were limited he became a well informed man by reading and obser- vation in later years. Leaving Pennsylvania in 1856 he came to Macon county, Illinois, and worked by the month as a farm hand for seven years. Having lived economically and saved his money, he was then able to purchase one hundred and sixty acres of raw prairie land, to which he afterward added four hundred acres, making five hundred and sixty acres, which he con- verted into a highly cultivated and well improved farm. Since his death this has been divided among his sons, so that they now have eighty acres each.

Mr. Lehn was married February 20, 1873, to Miss Tabitha Jones, a daughter of Rob- ert Jones, of Pennsylvania, and five children blessed this union, namely: George WVag- goner, who married Lois L. Baum and re- sides in Illini township; Calvin, who wed- ded Lilly Sibthorpe and lives in Hickory Point township; Frank, who married Ada Moore and lives in Illini township; and Ellis and Howard, still at home with their mother.

527

PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY.

In his political affiliations Mr. Lehn was a Democrat and he filled the offices of road commissioner and school director. lle was very public spirited and progressive and always took a deep interest in any enter- prise calculated to promote the general wel- fare. He was emphatically a self-made man his success in life being due entirely to his own industry and good management, and he is certainly deserving of honorable men- tion among the leading and representative citizens of his adopted county. After a use- ful and well spent life he passed away on the old home farm, where his widow still resides, January 14, 1899.

Il. MARTYN OWEN.

One of the most notable features in the educational world is the growth and de- velopment of schools for the education of those wishing to enter the business life. The employer of to-day does not care to retain in his service an unskilled employe. His time is too valuable to instruct others in business methods and he secures the aid of only those who have already been fitted for responsibilities of the business world. Decatur has an institution of marked merit for the training of young people for business life and at the head of this school is H. Martyn Owen, who for a number of years has labored here along the line of educa- tion.

Mr. Owen was born in Christian county, Illinois, December 30, 1866, and is a son of Oscar J. and Mary (Wickens) Owen, both of whom were natives of Ohio. They were born in the vicinity of Marietta, Wash- ington county, and removed from. the Buck- eye state in 1865, established their home upon a farm in Christian county, Illinois, where the father engaged in general agri- cultural pursuits, including the cultivation of the soil and the raising of stock. Upon

that farm the mother died in August, 1902, and the father, who still survives her, is now living retired in Stonington, having through his capable efforts in former years won a competence that now enables him to rest from further toil. Ile owns and con- trols a large amount of valuable land in Christian county and is also a stockholder in the First National Bank of Stonington.

H. Martyn Owen, whose name intro- duces this record, spent his early life upon the home farm and in his leisure hours as- sisted in its cultivation, the sun shining down on many a field which he had plowed and planted. Ilis educational privileges were such as were afforded by the district schools and he remained upon the home farm until about seventeen or eighteen years of age, when, wishing to have the benefit of more advanced educational privileges, he entered Shurtleff College at Upper Alton, Illinois, where he continued his studies for three years. In 1889 he attended school in Quincy, Illinois, and in 1890 he went to Davenport, lowa, where he taught in a commercial school for a time. Later he be- came one of the instructors in the lowa Commercial College, where he remained for a year and since 1891 he has been associated with educational work in Decatur in con- nection with Brown's Decatur Business College. In 1894 he became a stockholder in the institution and was elected to the position of principal. He has since acted in this capacity with credit to himself and satisfaction to the many students who have been in attendance here. His methods of instruction are practical and thorough- the demand of the times. In 1896 he was elected secretary of the Brown College corporation at Peoria, Illinois, the company having colleges in Peoria, Decatur, Bloom- ington, Ottawa, Centralia, Galesburg, Dan- ville, Champaign, Jacksonville, Rock Island, Streator, Moline and Rockford, Illinois; in Terre llaute, Indiana; and in Davenport,

52.

PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY.

Iowa. The greater part of his attention, however, is devoted to the Decatur Col- lege, which is well equipped with every ap- pliance bearing upon the branches of learn- ing therein studied.

In 1890 Mr. Owen was united in marriage to Miss Susanna Francis, of Moweaqua, Illi- nois, a daughter of Nathan and Mary Francis, and unto them have been born two childen, Helen Frances and Honora MI. Owen. Mr. Owen has gained a very wide acquaintance in Decatur and throughout the surrounding country and is known as a gentleman of scholarly attainments and broad general learning. He has a large circle of friends and it is with pleasure that we present to our readers the record of his career.

JOHN L. MATTHEW.

Among the honored citizens of Macon county who were among the defenders of the Union cause during the dark days of the Rebellion must be numbered the gentle- man whose name introduces this sketch. Throughout the years of his manhood he has engaged in agricultural pursuits and to-day owns and operates a good farm on section 29, South Macon township.

Mr. Matthew was born near Cleveland, Ohio, on the 16th of December, 1845, a son of John B. and Barbara (Stuck) Matthew. The father was a native of Germany and about 1795 came to the United States, tak- ing up his abode in Ohio, among its earli- est settlers. There he purchased land and engaged in farming about twelve years, and then removed to Jackson county, Indiana, becoming the possessor of one hundred and twenty acres of timber land near Browns- town, but he was not long permitted to en- joy his new home as he died about two years after locating thereon. His wife sur- vived him many years, making her home with her sons until she, too, was called

away, about twelve years ago. They were the parents of six children, of whom our subject is the third in order of birth, those still living being Helen, widow of William Hockey and a resident of Cleveland, Ohio; Kate, wife of George Hemer, a farmer of Shelby county, Illinois ; John L., of this re- view; George, who is engaged in farming near Moweaqua in Shelby county; and Elizabeth, wife of Peter Lee, a wagon man- ufacturer of Seymour, Indiana.

John L. Matthew was born in an old log house and was educated in a log school building near Valona, Indiana, conning his lessons upon a slab bench. He remained at home until seventeen years of age and then entered the Union army, enlisting in the spring of 1863 as a member of Company G, One Hundred and Fifty-fourth Indiana Volunteer Infantry. He was in the service at that time for four months and was then honorably discharged at Indianapolis, but the following year he again entered the army, this time enlisting in Company G, One Hundred and Seventeenth Indiana In- fantry, with which he served nine months. He was promoted corporal and received his final discharge at Indianapolis. He was in the engagement on Clinch mountains, where he came very nearly starving, his rations being only one ear of corn per day.

After his return from the army Mr. Mat- thew commenced work by the month on a farm in Jackson county, Indiana, and was thus employed for three years. He was next engaged in the sawmill business for one year and later engaged in farming on rented land in Jackson county for four or five years. He then turned his attention to the tanning business in partnership with his brother-in- law. John V. Miller, and on disposing of his interest in that enterprise two years later, he bought a small farm near Sey- mour, Indiana, which he operated for two years, and then sold. During the following

JOSEPH WARBURTON

531

PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY.

three years he cultivated a rented farm. In 1881 Mr. Matthew came to Macon county, Illinois, and rented a farm south of the vil- lage of Macon for three years, after which he had charge of the John J. Bradley farm northeast of Macon for six years. He next rented the Orlando Powers farm for eight years, and at the end of that period pur- chased his present farm of one hundred and three acres on section 29, South Macon township. He has since tiled the land, built fences, erected a residence and barn, set out an orchard and made many other use- ful and valuable improvements which add greatly to the attractive appearance of the place. He feeds a few hogs for market but devotes his attention principally to gen- eral farming. During his life time he has witnessed great changes in the methods of agriculture, for during his youth grain was harvested with a cradle and threshed with a ground-hog thresher.

On the ist of January, 1870, Mr. Mat- thew married Miss Ella Miller, a daughter of Casper and Margaretta (Noah) Miller, and they have become the parents of six children. those now living being Ida, wife of Charles Young, a farmer living near Boody ; Mary, at home; Anna, wife of Fred Wagoner, a farmer of Milam township; Katie and John, both at home. Mr. and Mrs. Matthew are members of the Catholic church of Macon and are highly respected and esteemed by all who know them. In politics he is a Democrat, but has never cared for the honors or emoluments of pub- lic office.

JOSEPH WARBURTON.

Joseph Warburton, deceased, was for many years an honored resident and suc- cessful farmer of Macon county. His early home was on the other side of the Atlantic. for he was born in Manchester, England, on the 25th of December, 1847, and was a son

of Thomas and Mary ( Marlow) Warbur- ton, also natives of the merrie isle. There our subject was reared and educated, and when about twenty years of age came to America, landing in New York in 1862. For about two years he remained in the eastern states engaged in farming, and then came west to Jacksonville, Illinois, where he worked for a short time. After that he be- came a resident of Macon county and spent a short time in Maroa. He then purchased a tract of land in Ilarristown township and at once turned his attention to its cultiva- tion and improvement. As time passed he steadily prospered in his new home and suc- ceeded in acquiring three hundred acres of rich and valuable land, which he left to his family.

In 1870 Mr. Warburton was united in marriage to Miss Sarah E. Ellis, who was born in Concord, Illinois, August 27, 1852. Her parents were John and Sarah ( Horton) Ellis, the former a native of Ohio, the lat- ter of Illinois. The mother died when Mlrs. Warburton was only six months old, but the father is still living and is now engaged in agricultural pursuits near Farmer City, Illinois. By his ballot he supports the men and measures of the Republican party, and he is an active and prominent member of the Methodist church and the Masonic fra- ternity.

Mr. and Mrs. Warburton became the pa- rents of ten children, whose names and dates of birth are as follows: Harry. Sep- tember 13, 1874: Dora. May 2, 1876; Nellie, February 10. 1878; John E., October 6, 1879: Mary R., January 21, 1882: William. December 2, 1884: Edward C .. September 17, 1886; Ida M., March 20, 1888; Ralph G., January 25. 1890; and Sarah E., June 20, 1802. All are living with exception of Will iam, who died July 23, 1800. Dora is now the wife of Bert Glasgow, a farmer of Har- ristown township, and they have one child, Carl.

532

PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY.

After a useful and well spent life Mr. Warburton passed away November 9, 1895, and was laid to rest in Harristown cemetery. He affiliated with the Republican party and always took an active interest in public af- fairs. In his social relations he was a Ma- son, and religiously was a member of the Christian church. He received and merited the confidence of the entire community in which he lived and in his death the county realized that it had lost a valued citizen. In 1898 Mrs. Warburton and her children re- moved to the village of Harristown, where she has a beautiful home. She is a most estimable lady and is held in high regard by all who know her.

JOHN R. HIGHT.

John R. Hight was one of the early set- tlers of Macon county, taking up his abode in Macon township in January. 1855. when there was but one house and a railroad sta- tion in the village of Macon. Here wolves and other wild animals were plentiful and venison furnished many a meal for the early settlers. Wild fowls, too, were often killed and served upon the tables of the pioneer residents of this locality. Much of the land was still uncultivated and it remained to such sturdy pioneer settlers as Mr. Hight and his associates to reclaim the region for the uses of the white man and make this one of the rich productive centers of Illinois.

Mr. Hight was born in Rockbridge coun- ty. Virginia, April 11, 1832. His parents. Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Hight, were both na- tives of the Old Dominion and there the father spent his entire life. After his de- mise his widow lived with her children in Illinois until she, too, was called to her final rest.

In the public schools of the Old Dominion John R. Ilight was educated and after put- ting aside his text-books he assisted his

father in the operation of the home farm in Virginia. Later he went to Tennessee where he lived for a few years, coming thence to Illinois. He first settled in Greene county, this state, and began working as a farm hand by the month, thus gaining a start in life and laying the foundation for his honorable carcer as an agriculturist.

While thus employed John R. Hight was married on October 25, 1854, the lady of his choice being Miss Mary E. Smith, a native of Marion county, Missouri, born January 4. 1837, and a daughter of Christopher Co- lumbus Smith. Her father left Marion county in 1849 and went to California in the hope of gaining a fortune in the gold fields of that state, but his death occurred six weeks after his arrival on the Pacific slope. There were three children born unto Mr. and Mrs. Hight: Lucy Virginia and two who died in infancy unnamed. Lucy also passed away at the age of one year, eight months and ten days.

After his marriage Mr. Hight made his home in Greene county, Illinois, until Jan- nary, 1855. when he came to Macon county and purchased a farm three miles south of the village of Macon in South Macon town- ship. There he began general farming. which he carried on for several years and he also lived in Milam township for one year. Eventually he abandoned agricultural pursuits and took up his abode in the village of Macon. where he accepted a clerkship in a store, being thus employed for some time. Fle then began business on his own account in the same village, conducting a general mercantile establishment for several years or until November. 1894. when he sold out and came to Decatur. Here he established a meat market, which he conducted for a year. He then again sold his store and this time became engaged in the dairy business, which he carried on until his death on the 17th of February. 1903.

While in Macon township Mr. Hight held

533

PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY.

several positions, including that of consta- ble and of school director. He was town- ship collector in Milam township for one year and was assistant assessor in Decatur for a year. Ilis political allegiance was given to the Democratic party and he al- ways voted for its men and measures. Both he and his wife were members of the First Methodist Episcopal church, loyal to its teachings and interests. Mr. Hight was indeed a self-made man. He started out upon his business career empty handed and it was by working as a farm hand that he gained his start in life. As the years passed he gradually advanced and the success which he achieved was due entirely to his well directed labor. The Hight family has long been a prominent one in Macon county and two of Mr. Hight's brothers are en- gaged in the banking business and are con- nected with other important business af- fairs of the village of Macon. Mrs. Hight, the widow of our subject, now owns and oc- cupies a good home at No. 1254 North Ed- ward street in Decatur and is well and fa- vorably known here.

JAMES IL. MONTGOMERY.

James Il. Montgomery is the junior member of the firm of Brown & Montgom- ery, dealers in real estate in Decatur. He is a representative of an old southern fam- ily. Ilis paternal grandfather. Thomas Montgomery, was born in Virginia, and in 1823 removed to Ohio, casting his lot among the pioncer settlers of that state. He wedded Catherine Hahn and in order to provide for his family he devoted his energics to operating on the Ohio river as steamboat captain. Ile died in 1832, of cholera. He had marked influence for good and dis- played characteristics of a Scotch-Irish ancestry.

Among his children was John Montgom-

ery, who was born in the Old Dominion in 1810, the family home being at that time in the Shenandoah valley. He became a general business man and at one time was largely interested in the milling and coal business. He married Miss Margaret Tidd, a native of Ohio, and a daughter of John and Mary (Hulter) Tidd, who were carly settlers of the Buckeye state. Her father was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and a very devoted Christian gen- tleman. He reached the advanced age of ninety-two years, and passed away hon -. ored by all who knew him. In the year 1858 the family of James Montgomery came to Illinois, settling two and a half miles northeast of Decatur, where they remained until 1864. They then removed to Wheat- land township, Macon county, where the father died on the 5th of January, 1885, in the seventy-fourth year of his age. The mother and children afterward established their home in Decatur, where she died on the 19th of August, 1892. She was the mother of eight children, seven of whom lived to years of maturity, namely : William 11 .. Mary J., Benjamin F. and John T., all of whom are now deceased; Charles M., who is a resident farmer of Gilmore, Illi- nois ; Martha A., who died in infancy ; James HI., of this review : and Amanda C., who is now the wife of Martin J. Rubican.

James 11. Montgomery was born in the city of Wheeling. West Virginia, May 8, 1850, and in 1858 came with his parents to Decatur, Illinois. Here he pursued his edu- cation in the public schools, in which he continued until his sixteenth year. He then entered Mount Zion Academy, where he pursued his studies for one year, after which he returned to the farm. Soon, how- ever, he began teaching and followed that profession for four years. He was next em- ployed by the Haworth Manufacturing Company and afterward by B. F. Avery & Son, while subsequently he was with the

534

PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY.

F. B. Tait Manufacturing Company. In 1808 he began dealing in real estate, hand- ling both city and farm property. He han- dles lands in linois, Missouri, Arkansas, Minnesota, Indiana and Wisconsin, and in this work is associated with Hon. John A. Brown, under the firm name of Brown & Montgomery. Both partners are old resi- dents of Macon county and here bear an ex- cellent reputation for fair dealing. They have built up a large business not only in Decatur, but in the states mentioned. They handle large amounts of realty annually and their yearly sales have reached a very grati- fying figure.

In his political views Mr. Montgomery is a Republican, but never sought or de- sired office. Ile keeps well informed on the issues of the day, however, and is thus able to support his position by intelligent argument. He labored earnestly for the success of the party principles during the Mc Kinley campaign in 1896. The greater part of his attention, however. has been de- voted to his business affairs and in con- nection with the real estate operations of this section of Illinois he is widely known.

C. H. BEAN.

In a pleasant home on one of the good farms of Macon county, located in Pleasant View township, resides C. H. Bean, who is one of Illinois' native sons, his birth hav- ing occurred in LaSalle county. August 15, 1857. His parents were Jacob H. and Han- nah (Kolb) Bean, both of whom were natives of Chester county, Pennsylvania, the father having been born of English pa- rentage, while the mother came of German descent. The father was a wagonmaker in the Keystone state and also sold farin ma- chinery there. About 1850 he came to Illi- nois and here turned his attention to farm- ing, purchasing a tract of land in LaSalle

county. He bought this of the government and he also purchased a farm in Carroll county, near Mount Carroll, whercon he lived until 1865, when he sold that prop- erty and came to Macon county. Here he purchased six hundred and forty acres of land from the Illinois Central Railroad Company for ten dollars per acre, and de- veloped a splendid farm, which is still in possession of his heirs. It is upon this farm that C. H. Bean resides. In the family were seven children, of whom four are yet living. The two eldest, however, died in infancy. Amanda is the wife of D. N. Sy- ford, of Lincoln, Nebraska, who is a farmer and stock-raiser, making a specialty of polled Angus cattle. C. H. is the next of the family. Martha F. is the widow of Edward L. Garwood and resides on the northeast quarter of section 10, Pleasant View town- ship. W. H. married Miss Lizzie Ballard, of Bloomington, and after her death wedded Hattie Bethards, of Christian county. He is a clothing merchant of Blue Mound and lives in Pleasant View township. Emma, the youngest. died at the age of three years. The mother's death occurred April 28, 1888, when she was nearly sixty-six years of age, and the father's death occurred in 1898, when he was about seventy-five years of age.

To the district schools C. H. Bean is in- debted for his preliminary educational train- ing. He afterward attended the State Nor- mal University, at Normal, Illinois, and the Jacksonville Business College. Following his return home he worked upon his father's farm and was twenty-seven years of age when he began farming and rais- in stock for himself. He has since continued to engage in agricultural

pursuits and has made a specialty of the raising of polled Angus cattle and Poland China hogs, having considerable registered stock and placing upon the mar- ket only high grades. His farm comprises two hundred and forty acres of land, which

GARRETT S. STOUTENBOROUGH

MRS. MARGARET J. STOUTENBOROUGH

539

PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY.

is very valuable and productive and his is one of the fine farms of the county.

On the ist of September, 1885, Mr. Bean was married to Miss Mary A. Gregory, a daughter of Jacob Gregory, of this county. By this marriage there are seven children : llarley, born June 17, 1887; May, January 13, 1800; incz, March 19, 1892; Carl, No- vember 7, 1894; Hazel, March 27, 1897; Fred, May 30, 1899; and Roy, November 20, 1902. Mr. Bean has been successful in his chosen field of labor and is now very comfortably fixed in life. Hle erected on his land an attractive home, which, with the other modern improvements and surround- ings, constitutes this one of the best and most desirable farms in Pleasant View township.

GARRETT S. STOUTENBOROUGH.

Garrett S. Stoutenborough, of Maroa, is the possessor of a handsome property which now enables him to spend his years in the pleasurable enjoyment of his accumulations. The record of his life, previous to 1891, is that of an active, energetic, enterprising and methodical business man, who bent his en- ergies to the honorable acquirement of a comfortable competence for himself and family.

Mr. Stoutenborough was born in Butler county, Ohio, in 1824, and is a son of John and Jane (Schenck) Stoutenborough, both natives of New Jersey, the former born in 1791, the latter in 1796. The father was a farmer and followed that occupation in Ohio throughout the years of his manhood. In the schools of his native state our subject acquired his education and during his minor- ity aided in the work of the home farm. thereby gaining a good practical knowledge of agricultural pursuits. . At the age of twenty-one he commenced farming on his own account, operating rented land for nine years. Coming to Illinois in 1854 he first

located near Kenney, De Witt county, where he purchased a small tract of land, to which he subsequently added from time to time as his financial resources permitted until he and his wife became the owners of seven hundred acres of land near that place and six hundred acres in Macon county. The wife also owns the residence they now oc- cupy in Maroa, where they have made their home for the past twelve years. The price paid for his land has ranged all the way from twenty-five to seventy-seven dollars per acre. In his farming operations Mr. Stoutenborough was remarkably successful, being a man of good business and executive ability, as well as a thorough and pains- taking farmer, and he generally carries for- ward to successful completion whatever he undertakes. He has made all of the im- provements upon his farms, which are now operated by his children.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Past and present of the City of Decatur and Macon County, Illinois, Part 58

Author: Publication date: 1903 Publisher: Chicago : S.J. Clarke Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 988

Author:
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: Chicago : S.J. Clarke Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 988