USA > Illinois > Macon County > Decatur > Past and present of the City of Decatur and Macon County, Illinois > Part 80
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98
in healing. He now draws a pension of eight dollars per month as a compensation for the injuries he received in the service. After his return to Macon county he re- sumed farming and is to-day the owner of one hundred and thirty-four acres of land on sections 18 and 19. Blue Mound town ship, which he has placed under a high state of cultivation.
On the 18th of March, 1866, Mr. Clark was united in marriage to Miss Sarah E. Hall, a daughter of Alfred and Jane (Smith) Ilall, of Macon county. Her father came from Tennessee to Illinois at an early day and entered land in this county. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Clark have been born eleven children, namely: Charles, born February 13. 1867, married Clara Pearson and is en- gaged in farming in Macon county. Cora Alice, born January 26, 1869, was married in March, 1898, to Charles Johnson. also a farmer of this county. Jennie Frances, born June 18, 1871. married Homer Ping, who died January 14, 1897, and she is now living at home with her parents. Frank Leslie, born February 28, 1874. married Lillie Portwood, and is engaged in farming in Sullivan county, Illinois. Nora Agnes, born June 18, 1876, is the wife of John Crouch, who lives on a farm in this county. Eugene, born January 18, 1879. married Charlotte Kissle and is in the employ of the Wabash Railroad, making his home in Boody. Liddia Stella, born June 27, 1881. is the wife of Thomas Harbarger, a sales- man living near Blue Mound. Chester Luther, born December 12, 1883. is at home. Anna May, born August 3. 1886, is the wife of Archie Vermillion, a farmer of Macon county. Oscar Bruce, born November 13, 1888, and Alfred Merlin, born June 27, 1891, are both at home with their parents.
In his social relations Mr. Clark is a member of Blue Mound Post. G. A. R., and both he and his wife hold membership in the Baptist church. Their lives have
74>
PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY.
ever been in harmony with their professions and they are held in the highest regard by all who know them. Mr. Clark has always been found a patriotic and loyal citizen, as true to his country's interests in days of peace as in time of war, and he well merits the high regard in which he is held.
FRANK D. TORRENCE.
Frank D. Torrence, who has charge of Fair- view Park in Decatur as its custodian, was born in Sharpsville, Mercer county, Pennsyl- vania, on the Ist of July, 1853. The family is of Scotch-Irish descent and the physical characteristic of the family is large stature. Patriotism is also one of the salient features in the Torrence history and at the time of the Civil war a number of representatives of the name were loyal defenders of the Union cause. Oscar Torrence, a brother of our subject. was killed at the battle of the Wilderness. John Torrence, the grandfather on the pa- ternal side, was a colonel of the war of 1812. James Torrence, the father of Frank D. Tor- rence, was born in Pennsylvania and was a blacksmith by trade. In the year 1858 he re- moved to Ohio, where he spent his remaining days, his death occurring in 1872, when he was sixty-six years of age. In his boyhood days he had been a playmate of Governor Tod, of Ohio, and they had early espoused the cause of the Whig party. James Torrence was united in marriage to Miss Rebecca Thatcher, a daughter of John Thatcher, who was a na- tive of Philadelphia and belonged to the So- ciety of Friends. His wife bore the maiden name of Betsey Inman and was a relative of the Inmans who own the steamship line. John Thatcher became a man of great wealth and distinction. His daughter. Mrs. Torrence, passed away at Bement, Illinois, in 1884. when seventy-six years of age. Unto the parents of our subject were born eight children, includ- ing General Joseph Thatcher Torrence, who
died on the 4th of November, 1896. He was. a close personal friend of the late President McKinley.
Frank D. Torrence, whose name introduces this review, had but limited school privileges, for at the early age of nine years he began to work in a blast furnace in his native town in connection with the operation of an engine. Ilis father and other members of the family were at that time at the front, engaged in pro- tecting the Union during the Civil war. Thus it was necessary that the boy should earn his own living. He followed engineering in dif- ferent capacities until 1901. At the age of seventeen he became a fireman on the Atlantic & Great Western Railroad, but was soon pro- moted to the rank of engineer and in 1888 he became engineer on the Jacksonville & South- western Railroad. He at one time was engi- neer of a dredging boat engaged in the ditch- ing of Nigger Wool Swamp in Ogle county, Illinois, also did similar work in Latham, Logan county, Illinois, and Daviess county, Indiana. For three years prior to accepting his present position he had charge of the water works at Bement, Piatt county, Illinois, and also served as city marshal for two years of that time.
On the 12th of June, 1901, he took charge of Fairview Park in Decatur as custodian. It was then a mere field. Nature had done much for the place, but man had done little and much of the beauty of this park to-day is due to the ingenuity, efforts and artistic sense of Mr. Torrence. He has been very industrious and unremitting in his work and has accom- plished much during the two years spent here. He established the greenhouse in which are started all of the plants that are used in the decoration of the park. Through his instru- mentality the road was built over the hill and through the grove. Bridges have been built, cobble and brick gutters have been construct- ed, rope and pole swings have been put up and much rustic work has been done, adding largely to the natural beauty of the place. The
J. H. BLACK
1
MRS. J. H. BLACK
753
PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY.
pavilion has been painted, cannon has been planted and the park has been cleared of weeds, over one hundred trees have been set out and the old historic log courthouse once used by Abraham Lincoln has been repaired. It stands near the south border of the park and is a landmark of the old times which should be greatly cherished by the people of Decatur and the country.
In 1873 Mr. Torrence was united in mar- riage to Miss Emma Phillips, of Cleveland, Ohio, and they have one daughter. Rebecca Thatcher Torrence. Socially he is connected with the Improved Order of Red Men and he exercises his right of franchise in support of the men and measures of the Republican party. llis understanding of mechanical prin- ciples together with his eye for beauty and his recognition of possibilities in this direction have made him splendidly qualified for the position which he is now filling. As cus- todian of the park he has certainly added greatly to the beauty of the park system of Decatur and deserves high commendation for what he has accomplished. .
JOHN H. BLACK.
AAmong the highly esteemed citizens of Decatur who are now living a retired life after many years of active identification with the business interests of the city should be numbered John H. Black, who resides at No. 171 West Wood street, that being his home continuously for the past forty years. He was born in Mishawaka, St. Joseph county. Indiana, on the 7th of February, 1842, a son of Samuel and Cath- erine (AleGrath) Black, who were born near Belfast in County Down, Ireland. It was in 1820 that the father left his native land and came to the new world in com- pany with his father, John Black, and sev- eral brothers, among them being Hugh, who was a sailor on Lake Michigan, with
headquarters in Chicago, and was drowned during a storm on that lake; John, who died in Canada; and Frank, who was the youngest in the family and was about fif- teen years of age when he came to this country. The family took passage on a sail- ing vessel which weighed anchor at Belfast and after a voyage of seven weeks they landed in Quebec, whence they made their way by boat up the St. Lawrence river to Lake Ontario and located at Port Del- housie, Canada. In 1833 they made their way westward to Chicago and from there removed to St. Joseph, Michigan, and later to Mishawaka, Indiana. Our subject's grandfather died there in 1801. The only one of his children now living is Frank Black. During the war with Mexico he en- tered the United States army from Wiscon- sin and for valiant service was promoted to lieutenant of his company. Ile served under General Shields and General Win- field Scott. At the close of the war he re- turned to Mishawaka, Indiana, where he learned the carpenter's trade, but during the gold excitement in California, he crossed the plains with ox teams in the spring of 1849. it requiring six months to make the trip, and he remained five years on the Pa- cific slope. At the end of that time he again returned to Mishawaka, where he married Hannah Buck and after her death he was married again. When the gold fever broke out at Pike's Peak he again went west but this time remained only one year in the gold fields of Colorado, returning to his home in Indiana at the end of that time. When the Civil war was inaugurated he once more entered the army and for four years fought for the preservation of the U'nion, taking part in many important bat- tles. He was promoted from private to captain and when hostilities ceased was honorably discharged. Returning to Mish- awaka, he worked at the carpenter's trade for some years and later followed farming,
35
754
PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY.
but is now living a retired life in Mish- awaka.
On coming to America Samuel Black, the father of our subject, first located at Port Delhousie, Canada, where he was employed as a mechanic on the Welland canal, which was then in course of construction. About 1834 he went to Chicago, but as he found business very dull in the embryo city and being unable to secure work, he shortly afterward went to Mishawaka, Indiana, where he obtained the position of foreman of the blast furnaces of a large iron foundry. He remained there until his death, which occurred on the Ioth of August, 1849. He had been converted from the church of England to the Catholic faith, and he gave his political support to the Whig party. His wife, who survived him for some years. made her home with her children in Mishawaka after his death until 1862, when she came to Decatur to live with our sub- ject and died here in April, 1865. In the family of this worthy couple were six chil- dren, namely: Eliza, who died in infancy; Ellen, now the widow of Andrew Mullegan and a resident of South Bend, Indiana; John H., of this review : James Joseph, who died in infancy : Belle, wife of John Feiten, of Mishawaka, Indiana; and Mary, widow of Peter Haubert, of the same city.
John H. Black received his early educa- tion in the subscription schools of Mish- awaka and later attended what was then termed the high grade school. His first work was on a farm, driving an ox team to a plow, for which he received fifty cents per day and his board. Later he was em- ployed in a lumberyard and at the age of seventeen years commenced learning the shoemaker's trade, at which he worked in Mishawaka until the fall of 1860, when he went to Chicago and was similarly em- ployed there until the 9th of July, 1862. which date witnessed his arrival in Deca- tur. Here he worked for W. F. Busher
until 1870, when he became a member of the firm, a partnership that continued until 1885. They enjoyed a wide reputation throughout the county and as a result built up a good trade. On his retirement from that business Mr. Black opened a shoe store in partnership with his son, Frank P., and they carried on the same until 1887, since which time our subject has practically lived retired.
On the Ioth of August, 1863, at St. Pat- rick's Catholic church, Mr. Black was mar- ried by Rev. Father Vogt to Miss Eliza- beth McDonald. She was born December 28. 1842, in County Kildare, Ireland, about nine miles from the city of Dublin, and is a daughter of Patrick and Bridget McDonald, also natives of the Emerald Isle. It was about 1850 that her father brought his fam- ily to America and shortly after his arrival in this country located at Decatur, Illinois, where he and his wife made their home un- til their deaths, both living to a remarkably old age. They were consistent members of the Catholic church and most estimable people. In their family were four sons and two daughters but only Mrs. Black and her brother, Peter McDonald, are now living. The later is also. a resident of Decatur. Mrs. Black was the youngest of the chil- dren that came to America with the parents and she distinctly remembers the ocean voyage, made on a sailing vessel.
Unto our subject and his wife were born seven children, six sons and one daughter, as follows: Frank P., born August 30. 1864. is now with the S. J. Clarke Publish- ing Company. of Chicago, the compilers of this volume. He first married Louisa M. Dilley, of Shelbyville. Illinois, who died November 28, 1898, and on the 20th of November, 1901, he wedded Minnie J. Schaefer, of Geneseo, Illinois. Of the five children born of the first union two died in infancy, those living being Ethal M., Grace E. and Ruth F. There is one child
755
PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY.
by the second marriage. Lenora Catherine. William H., our subject's second son, was born July 29. 1866, and died in infancy. Edward J., born December 29. 1808, is also connected with the S. J. Clarke Publishing company and resides with his parents in Decatur. John S., born February 22. 1872. is an engineer on the Terminal Railroad at St. Louis. He married Mollie Koepples, of that city, and they have two children. Thompson and Jerome. Louis W., born November 2. 1874, resides in Decatur and is bookkeeper for the Model Laundry Com- pany. Haubert B., born January 24, 1882. is also a resident of Decatur and is drafts- man for the H. Mueller Manufacturing Com- pany. Mary E., born January 26, 1876, is at home with her parents.
Religiously both Mr. and Mrs. Black are devout members of St. Patrick's Catholic church of Decatur. The former was bap- tized in the little log school church, which was erected by the Missionary Fathers, it being the first buikdling to occupy the site of the now famous Notre Dame University. and when a boy he served Rev. Father Gen- eral Sorin, the founder of the university. at the altar as acolyte during the celebra- tion of mass. His father was buried in the Notre Dame cemetery. In politics Mr. Black is independent, voting for the men and measures which he believes are for the best interests of the people. Fraternally he is a member of the Decatur Council, Knights of Columbus. IIc deserves classification among the self-made men of this locality, for he came to Macon county in 1862 with- out a dollar and when a young man sup- ported his mother and sisters until the lat- ter were married. AAfter that his mother lived with him until her death. He deserves great credit for what he has accomplished in life and justly merits the confidence and trust so freely accorded him by his fellow citizens. He has ever been a kind, indul- gent, loving husband and father and a
friendship that he once gained has always been retained. Ile is widely and favorably known throughout his adopted county and is accounted one of Decatur's most re- spected citizens.
L. E. ROGERS.
This well known and energetic farmer re- siding on section 24, Maroa township. has spent his entire life in Macon county, his birth occurring here on the 8th of May, 1867. His father, R. H. Rogers, was also born in this county in 1837 and was a representative of one of its honored pioneer families. AAmid fron- tier scenes he grew to manhood and he took an active part in the early development and upbuilding of this section of the state. He made farming his life work and after a useful and well spent life died in 1901, his remains being interred in Ridge cemetery. The mother of our subject, who bore the maiden name of Rachel A. Demsey, is still living in Macon county, which is also the home of three broth- ers and one sister of our subject.
L. E. Rogers passed his boyhood and youth upon the home farm and early became fa- miliar with the work of fickdl and meadow, while in the district schools of the neighbor- hood he gained a good knowledge of the branches of learning therein taught. At the age of twenty-one he began farming on his own account, and after operating rented land for five years he was able to purchase one hundred and twenty acres, which he afterward sold and then purchased his present farm of one hundred and sixty acres on section 24. Maroa township. Industrious, enterprising and progressive, he has carried on his work in a creditable manner and the prosperity that has come to him is certainly well merited. He raises grain mostly but gives some attention to the raising of cattle and hogs for market. His farm is well improved and its neat and thrifty appearance indicates to the passerby
756
PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY.
that the owner thoroughly understands the vocation he has chosen as a life work.
In 1892 Mr. Rogers was united in marriage to Miss Anna Rau, also a native of Macon county, and to them have been born two chil- dren : Clayton R. and one who died in in- fancy. Mr. and Mrs. Rogers are both mem- bers of the United Brethren church and he is also connected with the Modern Woodmen of America. His political support is given the Republican party.
G. FRED GILMAN.
Among the sturdy, energetic and reliable citizens of Macon county whose lives have been devoted to agricultural pursuits is G. Fred Gilman. who now owns and operates a good farm of one hundred and sixty acres on section 29, Illini township. A native of Illinois, he was born at Long Ridge, Marshall county, August 14, 1857, his parents being George and Sarah H. (Goding) Gilman. His father was born on the 4th of January, 1831, in Parsonsfield, Maine, of English ancestry, and his mother was also a native of the Pine Tree state, her birth having occurred in York county. Maine, April 15, 1830. She was of Welsh descent. Our subject's paternal grand- father spent his last days in Macon county and died at the home of his son George on section 29. Illini township, May 17. 1887, his remains being interred in the Illini cemetery. He was born May 9, 1802. In 1846 the father left his old home in the east and came to Illinois, locating first in Marshall county, where he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land. In 1865 he removed to Bureau county and bought an eighty-acre farm, mak- ing his home thereon until coming to Macon county in 1868. Here he purchased the north half of section 29, Illini township, where our sttbject now resides, and afterward added to his farm an eighty-acre tract on section 20. Throughout his active business life he engaged
in farming and met with fair success in his work. He died October 3, 1899, and his wife August 24, 1892, honored and respected by all who knew them, and they were laid to rest in the Illini cemetery.
This worthy couple were the parents of four children, of whom G. Fred is the oldest. Bessie A., the second in order of birth, suc- cessfully engaged in teaching school in Macon county for a time and is now living on the old home farm in Illini township. Richard E. married Addie D. Mills, and is now en- gaged in farming in Modesto, California. Sadie G. is the wife of B. F. Tucker. a grain merchant of Morton, Tazewell county, Illinois.
G. Fred Gilman is indebted to the district schools of Illini township for the early edu- cational privileges he enjoyed and for one year he was a student at the University of Illinois. Leaving school at the age of twenty years, he gave his father the benefit of his labors on the home farm until he attained his majority and then started out in life for himself. operat- ing the farm where he still lives. Here he has made his home since 1879, and he is now the owner of a rich and arable tract of one hun- dred and sixty acres on section 29. Illini town- ship, on which he has made many useful and valuable improvements.
On the 23d of December, 1885, at Osceola, Clarke county, Iowa, was celebrated the mar- riage of Mr. Gilman and Miss Caroline A. Young, who was born in Trivoli, Peoria coun- ty. Illinois, December 5, 1861, and was edu- cated in the grammar and high schools of Osceola, Iowa. Her father was born in Scittt- ate, Massachusetts. August II, 1827. and is still living. He traces his ancestry on both sides back to the Pilgrims who came to this country in the Mayflower and the entire fam- ily history appears in the book of Hanover, Massachusetts. Mrs. Gilman's paternal great- grandfather, Levi Young, was captain of a colonial privateer preying on English com- merce in American waters during the Revolu- tionary war, and her great-uncle, George
T. C. STONER
MRS. T. C. STONER
759
PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY.
Pratt, served as a private soldier in the Con- tinental army during the entire war, never coming home until peace was restored. Mrs. Gilman's maternal grandmother, who was a Bailey, belonged to an old and prominent fam- ily, whose coat of arms were Az., nine estoiles. three. three, two and one, ar., and crest, a morning star ppr.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Gilman have been born five children : George A., born November 29, 1886: llarold B., born December 6, 1888; Gladys E., born July 28, 1801 ; Adelaide B., born June 15, 1893: and Carol D., who was born March 28, 1898, and died July 31, 1898. her remains being interred in the Illini com- etery.
Politically Mr. Gilman affiliates with the Re- publican party, and socially he is identified with the Modern Woodmen of America. Both he and his wife are members of the Illini Con- gregational church and are widely and favora- bly known in the community where they re- side, having a host of warm friends through- out the county. Mrs. Gilman belongs to the Royal Neighbors of America at Warrensburg. Illinois.
THOMAS C. STONER.
Thomas C. Stoner, one of the old and honored residents of Mount Zion township, was born on the 24th of March, 1829, in Bath county, Kentucky, and is a represen- tative of one of the earliest families of that state. His paternal grandfather. Michael Stoner, was a native of Germany and on coming to America first located in Virginia but went to Kentucky with Daniel Boone, the noted Indian fighter and pioneer. There Michael Stoner died at the age of fifty years. . lle was once wounded in battle with the Indians. He married a Miss Sarah Tribble, who lived to the advanced age of ninety years, and to them were born the following
children : Leonard. Washington, Michael. Peter. Andrew, Nancy and Sallie. Sarah Tribble was the sister of Peter Tribble, who married a Miss Boone, the daughter of George Boone, who was a brother of Daniel Boone.
G. Washington Stoner, of this family. was the father of our subject. He spent his entire life in Kentucky and made farm- ing his principal occupation, though he filled the office of sheriff of Madison county for a time when a young man. Ile married Nancy Tribble, a daughter of Peter Tribble. who was a Baptist minister of Kentucky and died near Richmond, Madison county, that state. Mr. and Mrs. Stoner spent their last days in Mount Sterling. Montgomery county, Kentucky, where he died at the age of eighty-four years and she at the age of seventy-seven. They were the parents of twelve children, namely: Clinton, Sarah, Michael, Mary Ann, Peter and Fannie, all deceased ; Minerva, who first married John Grubbs and second Richard L. Williams, and died in New Orleans; Washington, who is now living at Lake Charles, Louisiana ; Thomas C., of this review; and Nannie, Maria and Robert G., all three deceased.
Thomas C. Stoner was educated in the public schools of his native state and Mount Sterling Academy. At the age of twenty- three years he began farming on his own account in Bath county, Kentucky, remain- ing there three years, and at the end of that time came to Macon county, Illinois, where he has since made his home. In 1857 he purchased three hundred and twenty- four acres of land on section 20. Mount Zion township, and to the improvement and cultivation of that place he continued to devote his time and energies until his re- tirement from active labor. He has added fifty acres to the original tract and now has a place one mile long and a half mile wide. The fields are well tilled, the fences are in good repair and the buildings are substan-
760
PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY.
tial, the residence having been erected in 1873.
Born and reared in the south, Mr. Stoner's sympathies were with the Confederacy dur- ing the dark days of the Civil war, and on the 12th of October, 1861, he joined a cav- alry company at Cumberland Ford, about twelve miles from Cumberland Gap. This company was under the command of his brother and the regiment to which it was assigned was under General Zollie Coffer. Our subject participated in the engagements at Rock Castle river and Princeton, Vir- ginia, and Middle Creek, Kentucky, besides numerous skirmishes, and after the battle of Middle Creek was discharged at Abingdon, Virgina, December 12, 1862, but he subse- quently went on the Morgan raid with Col- onel Roy Clarke. At that time his brother, Lieutenant Colonel Robert Stoner, and Colo- nel Breckenridge were at McMinnville, Ten- nessee. He left Morgan at Licking, near Zanesville, Ohio, with two comrades, Pen- dleton Ewing and John Fessler, who went from Cincinnati to Maysville, Kentucky, and then on foot over the Maysville and Mount Sterling pike to his father's farm, reaching home on the Ist of March, 1864.
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.