USA > Illinois > Macon County > Decatur > Past and present of the City of Decatur and Macon County, Illinois > Part 61
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in Mount Auburn, Illinois. Hettie E. is at home. James R. died July 20, 1891. at the age of thirteen years and was buried in Hall cemetery. Virgil Il. is farming for his father.
In the district schools of Mosquito town ship .A., H. Davidson was educated, leaving school when twenty years of age, after which he worked on his father's farm for a time, as he had also done during the period of vacations. He left home at the age of twenty-four and began farming for himself on rented land. being thus engaged until he had saved enough from his earnings to en- able him to purchase a farm of his own. In 1880 he started out with a cash capital of eight hundred dollars. Now he owns one hundred and sixty acres of valable land one mile south of Blue Mound and a half mile vast. This is splendidly improved and is worth at least one hundred and fifty dol- lars per acre.
On the 25th of October, 1883, Mr. David- Son was married to Martha L. Short. a daughter of James A. and Charity ( Chaney) Short. Her father was the second in a family of sixteen children and was born in Tennessee in 1827. In 1830 he was brought to Illinois by his father, Thomas J. Short. who settled on a farm of twelve hundred acres near the present site of Wrightville. This farm he owned at the time of his death, which occurred in 1874. when he was eighty years of age. In 1847 J. A. Short was mar- ried to Charity Chaney. He bought a farm in Greene county, Ilinois, and lived there until 1807, when he removed to a farm of two hundred acres in Christian county. Three years later he removed to Greenfield. Illinois, where his death occurred in 1882. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Davidson have been born two sons and two daughters: Rolland C., born May 15, 1885, attended the district schools, spent the year 1902 as a student in the high school of Blue Mound and is now upon the home farm. Demry B., born De-
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cember 29. 1888; Louie May, born May 19. 1892, and Hallie Estella, born September 20, 1895, are all at home.
The parents are devout members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Blue Mound and Mr. Davidson has served as superin- tendent of the Sunday-school for a year and a half. IFis political support is given the Democracy and he has held various town- ship offices. While in Mosquito township. Christian county, he was township Sunday- school superintendent for three years and was also interested in the intellectual de- velopment of the community as a school director. Fraternally he is connected with the Modern Woodmen of America and Fra- ternal Army. In his business affairs he has prospered and now in addition to his fine farm he has an interest in the Blue Mound Coal Company. He was one of its three incorporators and is now one of its direc- tors. Whatever success he has achieved is the direct result of his own indefatigable en- ergy. perseverance and sound business judg- ment. As a public-spirited and progressive citizen he is decply interested in every movement for the general good and his co- operation has been a helpful factor along many lines.
JACOB R. PRICE.
For many years Jacob R. Price was iden- tified with agricultural interests in Illinois and is now living retired at No. 1083 West Decatur street in the city of Decatur. His residence in Macon county dates from 1856, at which time he took up his abode on a farm on section 32, South Wheatland town- ship. Ile is a native of Butler county, Ohio, born on the 28th of March, 1834. His pa- rents. John and Elizabeth (Rhinehart) Price, were natives of Rockingham county, Virginia, whence they removed to Butler county, Ohio, where the father engaged in farming until his life's labors were ended
in death. The mother afterward came to Macon county, Illinois, and spent her last days in the home of her son Jacob in South Wheatland township. This worthy couple were the parents of eleven children, name- ly : Henry W., who is now residing in Car- roll county, Indiana ; Nancy Jane, deceased ; Mrs. B. A. Neyhard, who lives in South Wheatland township, this county; Benja- min F., who resides in Decatur; Mrs. Mar- garet Foster. also of Decatur : William, who lives in South Wheatland township; Jacob R .: Sarah, who is the wife of Rev. N. M. Baker, of Decatur: Mary, the wife of A. F. Hopkins, of this city ; F. ()., deceased; and John, who has also passed away.
To the common-school system of his na- tive county Jacob R. Price is indebted for the educational privileges he received. Af- ter he had attained his majority he sought a companion and helpmate for the journey of life and on the 8th of February, 1859. was united in marriage in Butler county, Ohio, to Miss Amy D. Hyatt. a native of Hamil- ton county, that state, born on the 26th of October, 1837. Her parents were John and Martha Hyatt, the former a native of New York and the latter of Ohio. Mr. Hyatt spent the greater part of his life, however, upon a farm in Butler county, Ohio, where both he and his wife died.
Mr. Price first came to Macon county in the year 1856 and he returned from this place to Ohio for his bride. He then brought her to South Wheatland township, where he rented what was known as the old Young farm. Ile afterward purchased that land and made all of the substantial improve- ments upon it. There he resided for many years, devoting his time and attention to the cultivation of his fields and to the raising of hogs, both branches of his business prov- ing good sources of income. He remained an active factor in agricultural circles until September 2, 1002, when he removed to Decatur where he has since lived a retired
JAMES P. BOYD
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life. However, he still owns the farm of one hundred and sixty-five acres which he rents to his son.
The home of Mr. and Mrs. Price was blessed with four children: Florence, who died in 1865, at the age of five years ; Mary, the wife of William Montgomery of Deca- tur : Minnie .A., the wife of Frank G. Hill, a farmer living in Blue Mound township, this county ; and John, who married Etta Henry and resides on our subject's farm in South Wheatland township.
Mr. Price has held several minor offices in his township, such as school director and road overseer. Ile votes with the Repub- lican party and never fails to cast his ballot at cach election, for he believes it the duty as well as the privilege of every American citizen to support the measures in which he believes. llis wife is a member of the United Brethren church of Decatur and they are now living in a very comfortable home at No. 1083 West Decatur street, being sur- rounded by the necessities and many of the luxuries of life. That Mr. Price is now the possessor of a good competence is due to his own energy, diligence and persistency of purpose in former years.
JAMES P. BOYD.
James P. Boyd was for a number of years a prominent attorney of Decatur and was well known among the early settlers of the city. He took up his residence here about 1855. when Decatur was still a struggling town, giving little promise of its present prosperity, progress and improved condi- tion. Born in Pennsylvania on the 17th of November, 1820, he was a son of Samuel Boyd and his wife, who were likewise na- tives of the Keystone state. For many years the father engaged in farming there and then removed to a farm near Cambridge, Ohio, where he continued to carry on the
tilling of the soil until his death. He de- veloped a good property and annually har- vested large crops which returned to him a gratifying income for his labors. Both he and his wife died upon the old Ohio home- stead.
James P. Boyd began his education in the public schools of Pennsylvania and contin- ned his studies in Ohio. He was reared in the usual manner of most farm lads, but did not find the work of the fields entirely congenial and decided to enter upon a pro- fessional career. Ile therefore began the study of law in his native state and after the removal of his parents to their farm near Cambridge, Ohio, he became a school teacher in that vicinity, devoting his leisure hours outside of the school-room to the further reading of law. There he resided until 1855, when he came to the west and Decatur was his chosen field of labor. En- tering upon the practice of law in this city in partnership with James Lake, he soon gained a distinctively representative client- age here and was connected with much of the important litigation tried in the courts of Macon county at an early day. His knowledge of the science of jurisprudence was comprehensive and exact and he ap- plied his knowledge with great accuracy to the points at issue.
Soon after his arrival in Decatur Mr. Boyd was united in marriage to Mrs. Susan S. (McGovern) Packard, a native of Kentucky, born October 21, 1827, and a daughter of Edmund and Malinda ( Huddleston) Mc- Govern, both of whom were natives of ken- lucky and at an carly day came to Illinois, settling in Morgan county during the pioneer epoch in its development. There both parents resided until death. Mrs. Boy 1 was first married to Dr. Edmund Packard, a representative of the old and prominent Packard family of Decatur. The Doctor was one of the first residents here and a physician of prominence in this city. He
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practiced both in Quincy, Illinois, and in Decatur until 1849, when, attracted by the discovery of gold in California, he made his way to the Pacific slope in the hope of rap- idly acquiring a fortune there. Death, how- ever, interfered with his plans for he passed away in the Golden state in 1850. Three children had been born of this union ; Charles, who married Ella Gosshorn and resides in Decatur; Katie, now deceased ; and Lilly, who is the widow of Monroe Rob- ertson and resides with her mother. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Boyd was blessed with six children, namely: Frank S., who wedded Ida Hampsher and resides in St. Louis; Lizzie, the wife of Roy Loughbom, of Decatur: Laura, who died in infancy ; Iola, the wife of John E. Baker of Mishawa- ka, Indiana, by whom she has three chil- dren, Forest, Donald and Dorothy ; James P., who married Sarah Taylor and is living in Spokane, Washington; Ada, the wife of Augustus Meckelnburg, of Mishawaka, In- diana.
After his marriage Mr. Boyd continued in the practice of law in Decatur until the Civil war broke out. He watched with interest the progress of events and when he saw that the war was to be no mere holiday affair and that the Union needed the aid of its loyal sons he offered his services to the govern- ment and became a lieutenant colonel of the One Hundred and Sixteenth Regiment. His regiment was in many important bat- tles and engagements including the siege of Vicksburg in which he was shot through the lung. He was then in the hospital for a short time, after which he was brought home to Decatur. His wound was very serious and, hoping that he might benefit his health by a change of climate, he began traveling in the south, spending four years in this way. He visited New Orleans and other southern cities and then at the end of four years he returned to his home in Decatur. He died on the IIth of October,
1868, his demise being the direct result of the injury which he had sustained upon the field of battle and thus he gave his life for his country just as truly as those whose graves were dug on southern battlefields.
While in New Orleans Mr. Boyd had been appointed circuit judge, but on account of illness he refused to serve in that position. In politics he was a Republican and he kept well informed on the questions and issues of the day, believing it the duty as well as the privilege of every American citizen to exercise his right of franchise in an intelli- gent way in the support of the measures in which he believed. He was a member of the Grand Army Post of Decatur and en- joyed the high regard of his brethren of that order. His scholarly attainments and broad learning made him the companion of the best people of Macon county and at the bar the members of the legal fraternity recognized his ability and accorded him a prominent position in their ranks. Before going into the service he became the owner of a large farm in Niantic township, Macon county, which he rented and which remained in possession of his heirs until recent years, when it was sold. He was very success- ful in his business affairs and in his prac- tice here and was indeed a prominent, in- fluential and honored man. Mrs. Boyd still lives in Decatur, owning a nice home at No. 506 West Williams street, where she and her daughter are living, and it has been her place of residence for over half a cen- tury. She is a member of the First Meth- odist Episcopal church of Decatur and is a lady whose many excellent traits of heart and mind have endeared her to all with whom she has been brought in contact.
CYRUS J. TUCKER.
The prosperity of any community de- pends upon its business activity and the en- terprise manifest in commercial circles is
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the foundation upon which is builded the material welfare of town, state and nation. The most important factors in public life to-day are therefore the men who are in con- trol of successful business interests and such a one is Cyrus J. Tucker, who is engaged in general merchandising at Warrensburg and is serving as supervisor of his town- ship.
He was born on the 26th of October, 1868, in Illini township, and is a son of Jo- seph Clough Tucker, who was a resident of Macon county from 1861 until his death, September 14, 1903, his remains being in- terred in Illini cemetery. The father was born in Merrimac county, New Hampshire, December 19, 1838, in the same house where the birth of his father, Major Cyrus Tucker, occurred. Our subject's great-grandfather was Rev. Jedediah Tucker, a native of Mas- sachusetts and a pioneer of the Old Granite state, where he located in 1784. He was a Congregational minister and served as pas- tor of one church for thirty years. His son, Major Cyrus Tucker, grew to manhood in his native county and there married Miss Fannie J. Hoyt, a daughter of Jacob Hoyt, who was a representative of one of the early Puritan families of New Hampshire and reached the advanced age of ninety- five years. The Major was a very promi- nent man and won his title while serving in the State Militia. He died on the 12th of November, 1850, and his wife passed away October 1. 1843.
Joseph C. Tucker, the father of our sub- ject. received a good education, being a student in the Quaker college at Providence, Rhode Island, for two years, during which time he completed the mathematical course. He then taught school for two seasons in New Hampshire. As before stated he came to Macon county, Illinois, in 1861, and for many years was identified with its agri- cultural interests. Ile resided at his home just outside of Warrensburg from the ist
of April, 1872, until his death, and his place was one of the best in Illini township. He owned considerable property and was num- bered among the well-to-do citizens of his community. Politically he was a stanch Democrat and frequently served as a dele- gate to state and county conventions. llc was very prominently identified with public affairs, serving as assessor of his township three years, supervisor for several years and also as township trustee. Fraternally he was a Knight Templar Mason. On the 5th of February, 1868. in Macon county, Mr. Tucker was united in marriage to Miss Emma Ferree, a native of Pike county, Illi- nois, who died November 5, 1883, leaving five children, namely: Cyrus J., Benjamin F., Joseph T., John Guy and Charles. For his second wife he wedded Mrs. Mary J. Ferry, and his third wife was Martha K. Clough, who died ten days after their mar- riage.
Cyrus J. Tucker attended the public schools of this county and completed his education in the high school of Decatur but left school on the death of his mother when in his senior year. He remained with his father on the farm near Warrensburg until 1887, and then engaged in farming by the year until the 19th of December, 1892, when he embarked in general merchandising as a member of the firm of Ritchie, Tucker & Company. In January, 1896, he purchased Mr. Ritchie's interest in the business, and became sole proprietor of the store two years later, since which time he has been alone in business. In 1900 he enlarge:1 his establishment, making the main room twen- ty-four by sixty feet, with a back room twenty-four by forty feet stocked with gro- ceries and meats; while the front room is devoted to dry goods. He carries a large and well selected stock and by fair and honorable dealings has built up an excellent trade.
In June, 1896. Mr. Tucker married Miss
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Lillian Thompson, a daughter of Captain George W. and Mary ( Langston) Thomp- son. On the paternal side her ancestors came from the Empire state and the Lang- stons were from Kentucky. She is the third in order of birth in a family of eight chil- dren, all of whom reached years of maturity with the exception of one. Mrs. Tucker was educated at the Illinois State Normal at Normal and by her marriage has become the mother of one son, Gerald, now five years of age. She is a member and active worker in the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Tucker is a member of the Illini Con- gregational church and served as superin- tendent of the Congregational Sunday school while living in the country and is now assistant superintendent of the Methodist Episcopal Sunday school in Warrensburg. He belongs to the Mod- ern Woodmen of America and the In- dependent Order of Odd Fellows and is a member of the encampment and canton at Decatur. In politics he is a Democrat, and his fellow citizens recognizing his worth and ability have called upon him to serve in several official positions of honor and trust. He has several times been a delegate to county and congressional conventions and was once a delegate to the state con- vention of his party, and he has served as township clerk, school trustee and super- visor, having held the last named office for six years. He was elected by a large ma- jority on the Democratic ticket in a Re- publican township and has just entered up- on his fourth term. Mr. Tucker gives his attention principally to his business inter- ests, which have been most carefully man- aged, and his success in life is due to his own energy, economy and perseverance. In most of his undertakings he has prospered, and to-day ranks among the leading and substantial business men of his native county.
GEORGE MCCUNE.
Although never a resident of Decatur George McCune, now deceased, was well known in Macon county and was an early settler of Madison county. He figured prominently in the public regard in pioneer times for he carried freight and passengers between Alton, Illinois, and Decatur, and his brother drove a stage coach from Alton to St. Louis. His birth occurred in Ireland on the 16th of November, 1816, his parents being Mr. and Mrs. Hugh McCune, both of whom were natives of the Emerald Isle. The father of our subject died during the early boyhood of our subject. George was fourteen years of age when with his mother, three brothers and three sisters he bade adien to the land of his nativity and sailed for the new world. They first settled in Canada, where they lived for a short time and then removed to Westmoreland coun- ty, Pennsylvania. Our subject was engaged in farming there until 1846, when attracted by the possibilities of the growing west, he came to lllinois, establishing his home in Alton, Madison county. He was there engaged in teaming for three years, after which he purchased a tract of land in that county and carried on general farming for a number of years.
While residing in Madison county Mr. McCune was united in marriage to Miss Margaret Cobine, who was also born on the Green Isle of Erin, a daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth (Townly) Cobine, who came to America in 1838, settling in Pennsylvania. They afterward removed to Madison conn- ty, Illinois, where the father was a well known farmer for one-third of a century, conducting his business in a capable man- ner that brought him success. At the end of that time he removed to the city of Ed- wardsville, Illinois, where both he and his wife spent their remaining days. In Alton, Illinois, in 1850, Mr. McCune was called upon to mourn the loss of his first wife.
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There had been three children born of that marriage: Samuel T., who is now living in Barton county, Missouri; James W., a resident of Wallace, Idaho; and George, of Jasper county, Missouri. After the death of his first wife Mr. MeCune married her sister, Miss Sarah Cobine, who is also a native of Ireland, her birth having occurred on Christmas day of 1830. Nine children were born of this marriage, as follows: Thomas, who is agent for the Standard Oil Company at Edwardsville, Illinois: Eliza- beth, deceased: Jennie, the wife of Robert L. Dixon, who for the past fifteen years has been a well known contractor of Decatur and who with his family resides at No. 862 North Union street, Mrs. MeCune liv- ing with them; Hugh John, a resident of Alton, Illinois; Joseph D., a teamster of Edwardsville : Charles Grant, who is a sta- tionary engineer in East St. Louis, Illinois ; Martha Ann, the wife of J. L. Shields, who is employed with the Starr Buggy works of Decatur: Margaret May, who died at the age of two years; and Ervin Pogue, an electrical engineer residing in Decatur.
After his first marriage Mr. McCune en- gaged in general farming in Madison county until 1885, when on account of advanced age and having a capital sufficient to supply him with all the comforts and necessities of life, he put aside further business cares and removed to the city of Edwardsville, where he purchased a residence which he occupied until called to his final home. He died on the 15th of January, 1888, and thus passed away one of the old time citizens of Illinois. In politics he was a Republican and both he and his wife were members of the Pres- byterian church of Edwardsville. Mrs. Mc- Cune now belongs to the Presbyterian church of Decatur. After her husband's cleath she continued to reside in Edwards- ville until 1892, when she came to this city and now makes her home with her daugh- ter, Mrs. R. L. Dixon, at No. 862 North
U'nion street. She owns property at No. 835 North Edwards street in Decatur, where her other daughter is living and she also has other property interests in Madison county, Illinois.
DANIEL DINNEEN.
Daniel Dinneen is proprietor of one of the extensive grocery stores of Decatur and although he entered upon a business al- ready established he has succeeded in ex- panding it and in enlarging its scope until the volume of trade is now very large and profitable. Mr. Dinneen is one of Decatur's native sons, his birth having occurred here on the 6th of October, 1870. His parents were John and Rose (McDonald) Dinneen. The father was born in County Cork, Ire- land, in November, 1836, and was a son of Daniel and Catherine (Maloney) Dinneen, who were also natives of the Emerald Isle. In their family were three children, of whom John was the second in order of birth. llis mother died when he was about six years of age and in 1847 the grandfather emi- grated to America with two of his children, the oldest son having died in Ireland. The voyage was made in a sailing vessel from County Cork to Montreal, Canada, and soon afterward the family continued their jour- ney to Worcester county, Massachusetts. John Dinneen had attended school to some extent in his native country, but obtained the greater part of his education in the Bay state, where he attended school regularly until he reached the age of fourteen years. Hle then went to work in a cotton factory and at intervals he worked on a farm. In March, 1856, when twenty years of age, he came to Illinois, settling first in Spring- field. Ile was employed there for several years on the Great Western Railroad, now a part of the Wabash system, being thus en- gaged until 1861. He first worked on the track and was afterward promoted to take
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charge of the yard in Decatur, continuing to act in that capacity until August, 1875. In the early days his work was performed in a primitive manner, while in the Wabash Railroad yards he did switching in 1866-7 with a yoke of oxen. At length retiring from railroad service he opened a grocery store on North Broadway in Decatur and in later years was succeeded by his son Daniel, who is now proprietor of the estab- lishment.
In January, 1864, Jolin Dinneen was united in marriage to Rose McDonald, a native of Ulster, Ireland, and they became the parents of two children: Catherine, now the wife of MI. Leach, of Chicago; and Daniel, of this review. Until February, 1878, the father resided upon a farm which he owned not far from Decatur. He was reared among the Whigs of Massachusetts, but subsequently became a Democrat and in 1860 voted for Stephen A. Douglas. In 1878 he was nominated by his party for the office of coroner and his personal popularity was indicated by the fact that he ran far ahead of his ticket, being the only Demo- crat elected in that year. Again he received the nomination in 1880. He had the warm regard and confidence of his fellow men to an unusual degree and was highly respected by all who knew him. As a merchant he was very successful and continued in the grocery business up to the time of his death, which occurred August 14, 1896. His widow still survives him and is now living in De- catur in her sixtieth year. The family are communicants of St. Patrick's Catholic church.
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