Past and present of the city of Quincy and Adams County, Illinois, Part 117

Author: Collins, William H. (William Hertzog), 1831-1910; Perry, Cicero F., 1855- [from old catalog] joint author; Tillson, John, 1825-1892. History of the city of Quincy, Illinois. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1905
Publisher: Chicago, S. J. Clarke Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1228

USA > Illinois > Adams County > Quincy > Past and present of the city of Quincy and Adams County, Illinois > Part 117

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 politics Mr. Blakesley was a democrat of the old Jacksonian style, believing in a govern- ment by the people, for the people and a sonnd money basis as the foundation for all financial prosperity and a strong advocate in favor of taxing the money of the rich and corporations in the same proportions as the poor man with his small house and lot. He was a prominent Knight Templar Mason, belonging to Bodley lodge, No. 1, A. F. & A. M. ; Quiney chapter, No. 5. R. A. M .: Quiney vouneil, No. 15. R. & S. M .: and Beauseant commandery, No. 11, K. T. HIe not only filled all the offices in these bodies but also served in important positions in the grand lodge, chapter and commandery. and ranks among the early members of the Masonic Veteran Association of Illinois. His funeral services were conducted by the Ma- sons. During his long residence in Quiney he always lived so as to command the esteem and confidence of those who knew him, and in his

death the city lost one of its worthy pioneer residents.

JAMES KNOX

James Knox, deceased, who was one of the native sons of Adams county, and for many years was a practical and progressive farmer, was born on the old family homestead on sec- tion 15. Ellington township, his natal day being January 16, 1851. llis parents were Samnel and Mary ( MeLean) Knox, both of whom were natives of Ireland, where their marriage was celebrated in 1837. The following year they bade goodby to the Emerald Isle and sailed for America. Making their way to Pennsylvania, the father worked in the mines at Summit Hill for about six years, and in the autumn of 1844 he brought his family to Adams county, Illi- nois, where his remaining days were passed. He purchased a traet of land on which not a furrow had been turned or an improvement made, this being located on section 15, Ellington township. Desirous of making a good home for his family he at once began to place this under the plow, to add substantial buildings for the shelter of grain and stock, and as time passed he seenred the improved farm machin- ery to facilitate his work. The first home of the family was a log cabin and Mr. Knox broke his prairie with ox-teams. The arduous work of developing a new farm was carried on year after year with good results and Mr. Knox was known as one of the enterprising agricul- turists of the county. Upon the old homestead he continued to reside until his death, which occurred March 30, 1884, when he was seventy- seven years of age. llis wife passed away

three days previons. Both were members of the Presbyterian church at Ellington and on its organization Mr. Knox was chosen as elder, serving in that position until his death and doing all in his power to promote the growth of the church and extend its influence. He was one of the substantial citizens of the com- munity, respected and honored by all.

James Knox was reared upon the old home- stead farm now owned by his brother, Sammel Knox. and there he early became familiar with the labors of field and meadow, assisting in the farm work when not engaged with the duties of the schoolroom. He always followed the occupation to which he was reared and be- came the owner of a good tract of land of eighty acres, nine miles northeast of Quincy. The improvements which he placed on his farm

JAMES KNOX

765

PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY.

wrought a marked transformation in its ap- pearance. About 1898 he erected a fine two- story frame residence, containing nine rooms. and other buildings were in keeping with the residence. His fields, too, were well tilled. and an air of neatness and thrift pervaded the place.

In 1888 Mr. Knox was married to Miss Em- ma Meyer, a native of Ellington township and a danghter of Gotlieb and Ilenrietta (Hliener) Meyer, the former now deceased and the latter now a resident of Hamilton, Illinois. They were natives of Berlin, Germany. Her father eame to Quincy and purchased a farm about a half mile east of that on which Mrs. Knox now resides, comprising one hundred acres of land. They became the parents of eight children, who are Mrs. Augusta Schlipman, of this county; Mrs. Lonisa Koch, of Mendon: Gotlieb, who was a member of the Jefferson Guards, at St. Louis, during the Louisiana Purchase Exposi- tion and a soldier in the Cuban and Philippine war; William, a farmer, Mrs. Caroline Ros- knap: Anna, who is living in Quincy ; Emma, now Mrs. Knox. and Mrs. Fredericka Dissel- horst, deceased. Mr. Meyer continued to en- gage in farming until his death and left a good farm property to his widow. He was a repub- lican in his political views. He died at the age of seventy-one years and his widow is now liv- ing at the age of seventy-four. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Knox were born the following named : Mary E., Grace J., Sammel Il., Pearl N., James Me. and W. Everds. all at home with their mother. Mrs. Knox rents her land, but occu- pies the residence which was erected by her husband a few years prior to his death.

Mr. Knox exercised his right of franchise in support of the men and measures of the repub- lican party and his fellow townsmen called him to the office of assessor and continued him in the position of school trustee for three years and school director for fifteen years. Ile was a member of the Presbyterian church and his life was in harmony with his professions. He died February 21. 1902. respected by all who knew him, and his death was deeply regretted by many friends as well as his immediate family.

JAMES E. HALLIGAN.

James E. Halligan, manager of the Central Union Telephone Company at Quincy, and dis- triet manager for White, Hancock, Brown and Adams counties, was born in Peoria, Illinois, in

1866, his parents being Stephen and Catherine ( Parker) Halligan. The paternal grandfather. Thomas Ilalligan, came from Ireland to the United States and spent his remaining days in Peoria. His son Stephen Halligan was but a boy at the time of the emigration from the Emerald Isle to the new world and was reared. educated and married in Peoria. There he died in 1872, while his wife passed away in 1868. They were the parents of six children, of whom five are living.

In the public and parish schools of Peoria James E. Halligan acquired his early educa- tion and afterward continued his studies in Parish Business College, putting aside his text- books at the age of seventeen years, in order to enter business life. He became an employe of the firm of Allair & Reyburn, owners of the first Bell telephone in Peoria, and later was with the Central Illinois Telephone Company. He afterward entered the services of the Cen- tral Union Telephone Company, beginning as night operator. Later he was made collector and subsequently repairman and was inspector at Peoria for five years. He was next chief of inspectors and was then sent out as switch- board installer. and laid the first cable in Quiney in 1888, over the poles through Wash- ington Park. He traveled over the state of Illi- nois and a part of Iowa in that capacity for two years and was then stationed as manager at Ottumwa, lowa, about 1889, being afterward transferred to Alton, Illinois, where he re- mained for nine years. On the 1st of May, 1900, he came to Quincy as manager of the com- pany for this city and district manager for Pike, Hancock. Brown and Adams counties. Sinee he came to Quincy the business has great- ly increased, the number of the phones in use being now twenty-five hundred and fifty, while in 1900 there were only nine hundred and sev- enty-five in the exchange. He has also done away with the old magnetic system and in- stalled the common battery system, and has given the citizens of Quiney and the district a much improved telephone service. His long connection with the business and his aetive work in many positions have given him inti- mate knowledge of the work in its various de- partments, and his promotion has come because of his fidelity and capability.

In 1891 occurred the marriage of Mr. Halli- gan and Miss Elizabeth Frey, of Hannibal, Missouri, a daughter of Germanins Frey, who was one of the early settlers of Hannibal and was one of the pioneer business men. He died before his daughter's marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Halligan had four children, but Catherine died in infancy. The others are: Loyola, who was born in 1893 and attends St. Mary's Academy ;

766

PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY.

John Edison, who was born in 1896 and attends the publie schools; and Althea, who was born in 1899, and is a kindergarten student of St. Mary's Institute. The parents are commini- rants of St. Peter's Catholic church, and Mr. Halligan is one of the charter members of the Knights of Columbus. In the telephone world he has worked his way upward to a responsible and lucrative position after over twenty years' of close attention to that business. while in social circles wherever he has gone he has won many friends.

JOSEPHI FLETCHER, M. D.

Dr. Joseph Fletcher, a prominent practicing physician living in Mendon, was born in Cler- mont county, Ohio, February 6, 1834, and comes of an old Virginia family of English lineage. His great-grandfather emigrated from Virginia to Ohio and was accidentally shot while on a surveying expedition. He left a wife and three children. one of whom, Jesse Fletcher, became the grandfather of Dr Fletcher. He, too, was a native of the Old Dominion, and thinking he might benefit his financial condition in the new, but rapidly de- veloping west, came to Adams connty in 1850 and here spent his remaining days, passing away in 1864. at the age of seventy-four years. Ile prospered in his undertakings and acenmu- lated a comfortable competence. Long a de- voted member of the Methodist Episcopal church, he ranked with the leading and valued citizens of his community. In his family were nine children, of whom six are yet living, the Doctor's father, Charles Fletcher, being the oldest. Phoebe, born in 1814, married A. C. Glancy and died at her home in Lee county, lowa, about 1885, leaving four children. Thomas, born about 1816, married Caroline Moore and died in Texas abont 1890, leaving three children. Elias, born about 1818, mar- ried a Miss Marshall and died at Yates City, Illinois, about 1899, leaving three children. Ephraim. born abont 1824, married Sarah Meeks, and died in Kansas abont 1900, leaving seven children. Amanda, born about 1826, married L. D. Dewey, who died in Kansas about 1888, leaving four children. Caroline, horn about 1828, married William Runyon and both died in Mendon about 1885, leaving three children. William, born in 1833, married Mar- garet Trimble, who died in Wichita. Kansas, about 1897. leaving three children.

Charles Fletcher, father of Dr. Fletcher, was a native of Clermont county, Ohio, born on the 1st of November, 1812, and having arrived at

man's estate he married Emeline Moore, who was born in Cincinnati, in 1813, and was a daughter of JJoseph and Elizabeth Moore. Four children were born to them in Ohio, after which the family removed to Illinois, reaching Honey Creek township, Adams county, No- vember 2, 1842. Here the father purchased one hundred and twenty acres on section 4. The only improvement on the place was a log cabin, but he possessed determination and en- ergy and in course of time developed a well im- proved farm. The land was wild and unenl- tivated and the distriet was a pioneer region in which game of many kinds was plentiful- a fact which indicated that settlers were few. In connection with the tilling of the soil Mr. Fletcher purchased and operated a sawmill on Bear creek, conducting the business for several years. In 1848 he built a steam flour- ing mill in the same locality, probably the first in the county outside of Quincy. He continued in the manufacture of lumber for twenty years and in 1869 he removed his flonring mill to Coatsburg, where two years later it was de- stroyed by fire. About 1873 Mr. Fletcher re- moved from Adams county to Minnesota, where he spent five years, and in 1878 he es- tablished his home in Warsaw, Hancock conn- ty, Illinois, where his death occurred April 10, 1902, when he had reached the venerable age of ninety years. Ile had an extensive acquain- tance in this part of the state and was one of its most highly respected citizens. His wife. who for many years was a devoted member of the Baptist church, died June 25, 1892.

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Fletcher were the pa- rents of eight children, five of whom are yet living. The Doctor is the oldest of the family. Hannah, born January 1, 1836, married John Shriver and lives in Clark county, Missouri. Jesse, born March 8, 1838, died Jannary 24. 1860. Warren, born Inne 25, 1842, married Mary J. Hatton, by whom he has six children. and they live in Mendon. Mary, born June 13, 1845, died in infancy. William, born December 7, 1846, died abont 1856. Melvina, born March 26, 1850, is living in Warsaw, Illinois. Laura A., born December 7. 1852, married George Van Valer, by whom she has four children, and they live near Warsaw.

Dr. Fletcher was a lad of eight years when he came with his parents to Illinois. Ile had entered the public schools of Clermont connty. Ohio, and in this state he continued his studies in the subscription schools. The school build- ing was constructed of logs, with slab seats and an immense fireplace in the end of the room. The teachers "boarded round" among the scholars. In such a primitive school Dr. Fletcher acquired his early education, but

767

PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY.

throughont his entire life he has been a stu- dent and reading and investigation have con- stantly broadened his knowledge. He remained with his father until about thirty years of age, devoting his time and energies to farming and to the work of the mill. In 1855, however, he went to Qniney, where for two years he carried on merchandising and during that period he devoted his leisure hours to reading medicine. Ile then returned home and again resumed milling, but at the same time he continued his study of the text-books of medicine, prepara- tory to entering the profession. In 1864 he matriculated at the St. Louis Medical School, from which he was graduated in 1867. Once more he returned to the old homestead and in his home neighborhood he entered upon the practice of his profession, which he has now carried on for thirty-eight years with excellent snecess. Ilis skill and ability have gained him a large and Inerative patronage and he has the full respect and confidence of his profes- sional brethren as well as of the general public. He is a member of the Adams County and the Illinois State Medical Societies and also the American Medical Association.

On the 5th of Jannary. 1864. occurred the marriage of Dr. Fletcher and Miss Elizabeth Hardy, who was born within four miles of her present home, her parents being Baptist and Tamer (Patterson ) Hardy, the former a native of Mississippi and the latter of North Caro- lina. At an early period in the development of this state they removed from Tennessee to Sangamon county. but after a few months came to Adams county, where in later years both passed away. They were the parents of nine children. six of whom are yet living Sarah, born in May. 1830, married Jackson Stitt, who died in Adams county, leaving five children. Elizabeth, born December 11, 1831, is the wife of our subject. Thomas, born in June. 1833, married Margaret Rogers, and they died at their home in Hancock county. leaving two children. Jane, born abont 1835, married llenry Stickler, of Adams county, and they had five children. Joseph, born about 1837, mar- ried a Miss MeChing, by whom he had five children, and they lived in Adams county where he died in 1899. Louisa, born in April, 1839. married Jackson Harris, by whom she had nine children, and she died at her home in Hancock county. March 2, 1905. Frank. born about 1841, lives in Hancock county. He first married Jane Byler, who died leaving five chil- dren, and he subsequently married Mary Cline. by whom he also had five children. She died about 1901. Mary, born in November, 1845, married William Felgar, of Hancock county. and they had twelve children. Baptist. born

in September. 1850, married Mary J. Stowe, by whom he has six children, and they make their home in Adams county.

Dr. and Mrs. Fletcher have become the parents of five children : Mary Ellen, born May 20, 1855, is the wife of Thomas Hoye, a farmer, and to them were born four children but only two are now living. George W., born October 23, 1857, is a farmer. Ile married Martha Gil- more and has two children. Joseph W., born August 29, 1859, married Mary E. Wible and had two children. He was a graduate of the Keokuk Medical College of lowa and prac- ticed in Ursa, Illinois, up to the time of his death, which occurred December 24. 1898 when he was thirty-nine years of age. Francis, born Mareh 24, 1861, died in infancy. Sarah Elizabeth, born March 27. 1863, became the wife of William Kells, of Mendon, and died May 13. 1892, at the age of twenty-nine years. leaving two children, Sarah E. and Joseph R.

Dr. Fletcher has always been an advocate of democratie principles and upon the party ticket he has been elected tax collector, serving for one term, while for two terms he was super- visor and for twenty-four consecutive years he was a member of the school board, putting forth effective and far-reaching effort in be- half of edneational advancement. As a citizen he was publie spirited and progressive, giving his co-operation to every movement that he be- lieves will contribute to the general good. As the years have passed he has made judicious investments in property and was the owner of five hundred and sixty acres of land on Bear creek, but has given some of this to his chil- dren. He started out in life without pecuniary or family alvantages to aid him, and he has based his success upon earnest purpose and unremitting diligence. In his profession he has aimed at the highest, and continual reading has promoted his efficiency and made him one of the well-informed physicians of Adams county. Since 1893 he has made his home in Mendon, where he owns a beautiful residence. Although he has passed the Psalmist's span of three score Years and ten, he is yet in active practice and is proving a beneficial factor in community life.

PERRY C. ELLIS.

Perry C. Ellis, editor of the Quincy Whig. was born August 21, 1867, near I'nion. Boone connty. Kentucky, a son of Dr. John W. and Sallie (Breckenridge) Ellis. The father is an attorney and edneator, ranking high as a He-

768

PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY.

brew, Arabie and Sanskrit scholar. In the paternal line Perry Ellis is a representative of the Ellis family of colonial Virginia, prominent in Revolutionary times. He takes his middle name from and is related to the Canbys, one of whose distinguished representatives was General Canby, of the Union Army, while a former member of the family, securing land grants of the war of 1812, thereby located thousands of acres of land in Illinois, including a great part of the site of Quincy. This was lost, however, through the inattention of heirs and the lapsing of titles. On his mother's side Mr. Ellis is related to the distinguished Breck- enridge family of Kentucky.

Perry (. Ellis began his education in the publie schools of St. Louis, afterward attended Woodland College at Independence, Missouri, and was graduated from Plattsburg College with the class of 1885. In 1886 he went on the Kansas City Times, under Dr. Morrison Mun- ford, and was afterward with the Kansas City Journal, under Colonel R. T. Van Horn, and was with the Kansas City World in various capacities. He left Kansas City in 1896 to accept a position on the St. Louis Post-Dis- patch, with which he remained until the retire- ment of Colonel Jones, when he accepted a position in the office of the Star, under former Congressman Nathan Frank. In 1899 he came to Quiney as managing editor of the Quincy Daily Whig. under the late John B. Ellis, after- ward becoming editor of the Whig, his constant policy being to maintain the high standard set by John B. Ellis during his proprietorship.

The champion of republican interests through the columns of the Whig, Mr. Ellis is also a worker in the ranks of the party, and without political aspirations for himself-he having never held public office-he labors untiringly for the welfare and upbuilding of the party. One of his characteristics, shown particularly in the columns of the Whig, is a readiness to present fairly all sides of a controversy. He holds that strict adherence to the facts, with fairness to all political or other beliefs, is the best and only honest policy in giving the news and can injure no just cause. He was ap- pointed a delegate, by Governor Tanner, to the national trust conference of 1899, was repub- lican presidential elector from the fifteenth congressional distriet in 1904, and is now chairman of the republican senatorial commit- tee of the thirty-sixth Illinois district.

Mr. Ellis is a member of Quincy lodge, 1. F. & A. M .: is past sachem of Minnewawa Tribe of Red Men, of Quincy, and a member of Quincy lodge of Elks, No. 100. He has respect For sineere convictions and those who honestly and courageously support them, whatever may

be their religious or political beliefs. Keeping abreast with thinking men, giving earnest con- sideration to the great national industrial and sociological problems, including that, whose ultimate solution, he believes, will equitably adjust differences that arise between eapital and labor, and standing unflinchingly in his expression of his honest convictions, he has won for himself an honored position in journ- alistie cireles.

JACOB DICK.

Jacob Diek, deceased, was one of the early brewers of Quiney and a worthy representative of the German-American element in our citizen- ship. He was born in the Rheinpfalz, Germany. in 1834. ITis parents never left Germany, and throughtout his business career the father en- gaged in the raising of grapes and the manufac- ture of wine. The son, having acquired his edu- cation in his native country and also gained prac- tieal knowledge of the brewing business came to America in the early '50s with his brothers, Mat- thew and John. They located first in Belleville, Illinois, where Jacob Dick engaged in clerking in a hardware store. About 1856 the brothers came to Quiney and established the Dick Brothers' Brewery, beginning operations on a small scale on the south side of Ninth street and opposite the present place of business. Jacob Dick acted as bookkeeper and. being able to speak English better than his brothers, also had charge of the business management, while the others looked after the mechanical operation of the plant and the handling of the product. The relation was maintained between them until the death of Jacob, after which Matthew and John continued to run the business, their deaths occurring in the order named. They built up a large enterprise and derived therefrom a very gratifying income.

Jacob Diek served as a guard during the Civil war. He voted the republican ticket during the greater part of his life and took an active interest in politics and in all matters pertaining to the city's development and upbuilding. He was very charitable and was easily touched by a tale of sorrow or distress, being always very generous in his assistance.

In 1861 Jacob Dick was united in marriage to Miss Margaret Redmond. who was born in Quincy in 1840, a daughter of Thomas and Mary (Don- levy ) Redmond, who were natives of Ireland. Her father came to the United States when a youth of sixteen years, locating in Vermont, and he followed various pursuits that would yield him an honest living. After passing several years in

Jacob Death

771

PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY.

New England, he started westward. and, after visiting in St. Louis, proceeded up the Mississippi river to Burlington, Iowa. He also spent a brief period at Galena, Illinois, and then returned down the river to Quiney, where he settled in 1837. He was among strangers and without capi- tal, but he was strong and vigorous and deter- mined to win success. lle at once obtained em- ployment, and. by industry and economy, he soon accumulated capital enough to enable him to pur- chase a few horses, carts and wagons and. in com- pany with Samuel Holmes and William Shana- han, he obtained a contract for grading on the old Northern Cross Railroad, between Quincy and ('layton. He continued at that business for many years with excellent snecess, and he in- vested largely in real estate in Quincy, which in- creased in value with the growth of the town and made him one of the leading property holders of the city. Ile also took an active and helpful in- terest in community affairs, and his fitness for leadership and devotion to the public good caused him to be selected for office. In 1848 he was elected to the city council and served in that body for twenty-one years, taking an active part in molding the public policy and promoting the de- velopment of Quiney. He was three times elected mayor of Quiney and gave a business-like and progressive administration, but at length re- signed in 1864 to accept a seat in the state legis- lature. He was one of Quiney's foremost citizens in promoting its advancement, growth and wel- fare. Through his own labor and capable man- agement becoming possessed of large wealth, he employed it to beautify the city and added a number of handsome structures to its business district. Unto him and his wife were born ten children, of whom five are now living: JJames Redmond, a contractor of Kansas City. Missouri : Mrs. Dick : Katherine, wife of Frank Ricker, vice president of the Rieker bank: Mollie. wife of Charles Fargoof Springfield ; and Thomas, super- intendent of streets in Quincy. Those deceased are: Patrick HI., a journalist, author of Red- mond's Men of Mark and at one time city editor of the Quincy Herald ; Eliza, wife of John Will- iams, and three who died in childhood.

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 Quincy and Adams County, Illinois, Part 117

Author: Collins, William H. (William Hertzog), 1831-1910; Perry, Cicero F., 1855- [from old catalog] joint author; Tillson, John, 1825-1892. History of the city of Quincy, Illinois. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1905 Publisher: Chicago, S. J. Clarke Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1228

Author: Collins, William H. (William Hertzog), 1831-1910; Perry, Cicero F., 1855- [from old catalog] joint author; Tillson, John, 1825-1892. History of the city of Quincy, Illinois. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1905
Publisher: Chicago, S. J. Clarke Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1228