Portrait and biographical album of Henry County, Illinois : containing full-page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, Part 71

Author:
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 850

USA > Illinois > Henry County > Portrait and biographical album of Henry County, Illinois : containing full-page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county > Part 71

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He remained there for ten years, when he removed into Henry County, and located in Cornwall Town- ship. His wife, who had journeyed and labored with him for nearly half a century, died in 1879. They were the parents of eight children, among the eldest of whom was Alexander F. The elder Murphy is living in this county, and, for a man of his age, is enjoying good health, is active, and retains his men- tal faculties to a good degree.

Alexander F. Murphy was born Dec. 20, 1834, in Allegheny Co., Pa., was brought West by his parents, and Aug. 13, 1859, was united in marriage with Miss Mary H. Goshorn, a native of Ohio, and of German ancestry. Four children, two sons and two daugh- ters, have come to bless their home, namely : George W., born June 16, 1860; Dora J., April 16, 1863 ; Nellie E., Aug. 22, 1869; and John H., March 9, 1877. Dora has been a student of Prof. Gardner's, of Hillsdale, Mich., and is highly accomplished as an artist. She possesses rare ability as a portrait and landscape artist, and the family have some very fine specimens of her work. At present she is en- gaged in painting some portraits and some fine land- scapes.

Mr. Murphy has a splendid farm of 240 acres, upon which he has a good frame dwelling and reason- ably good outbuildings. It is carried on by his son,

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George W. The family are members of the Free Baptist Church, and Mr. Murphy claims to be an " Independent Temperance Republican."

H. Long, a farmer residing on section 29, Cornwall Township, was born Nov. 17, 1837, in Virginia. Mr. Long came West with his parents when he was 19 years old and located with them in Henry County in 1857. His years, prior to attaining his majority, were passed on the farm, and his education was limited on account of the necessity which required his act- ive labors to assist in the maintenance of the family.

The marriage of Mr. Long to Miss Almira Casteel took place Oct. 9, 1864. She died in 1875, and he remained a widower for three years, when he formed a second matrimonial alliance, with Sarah Zumerman, the date of their wedding being Oct. 4, 1878. Of the latter the deceased are: Mary B., Bertha, John W. and Jewit R. Those living are Edwin, Frank and Anna.

Mr. Long is liberal in his political views, voting for the best man regardless of party issues.

ames Orr, a well-known farmer of Corn- wall Township, and who is comfortably lo- cated on section 9, is a son of James Orr, a native of Ireland. About the year 1845 he came to America, where he reared a highly respectable family. He is now deceased.

James, Jr., was born May 11, 1856, in this county, whither his parents had moved. He remained an inmate of his father's home until he was 21 years of age, when he began to work at different places in the neighborhood. He was reared on the home farm in Henry County, and received his education in the district schools of the vicinity. He is one of the very few of the active business men of the county of to-day who are natives of the county. He has a good farm of 160 acres, well improved, and provided with a good two-story frame dwelling. He has an excel- lent grade of stock, and supplies the creamery at Geneseo with a large quantity of milk. He is a gen-

erous, good-hearted man, liberal to the poor, and always willing to help when his services are needed. Politically, he is a Greenbacker.

Mr. Orr was married to Miss Mary Terpening, who, like her husband, is a native of this county, and a daughter of one of the early settlers. The cere- mony was solemnized Dec. 20, 1882, the Rev. Bush- nell, of Geneseo, officiating.

arlos G. Jewell, a retired farmer, residing at Galva, was born Feb. 26, 1816, in Winchester, Cheshire Co., N. H., his an- cestry being of English origin. His first American progenitor, Thomas Jewell, was born in England, came to Boston, and bought land in that vicinity in 1639, and his descendants, the ancestry of our subject, in line, were Joseph for three generations, then Asahel and Rufus, the latter being the father of Carlos G. Mr. Rufus Jewell, who was by occupation a farmer, was born June 28, 1782, in Winchester, N. H., and died there May 19, 1842. He married Olive Pratt, Dec. 25, 1805, who became the mother of ten children, and is now deceased. Mr. Jewell, after her death, married Elizabeth French, and by her had one child.

The subject of our sketch was educated in his native district, brought up on a farmn, came West in 1846, landing at Chicago June 1, and settled in Wil- mington, Ill., where he lived for nearly 20 years, and where he was moderately successful in farming pur- suits. He then resided in Joliet one summer, in- tending to go to Georgia; but instead of emigrating southward he settled near Aurora, Ill., where he remained until 1870; then, after spending a short time in Iowa, he returned to this State, and since then has resided at Galva. Here he followed farm- ing the first three years, when his son took charge of the place, and in August, 1881, he sold the farm, and is now enjoying the fruits of a well-spent life and a hard-earned competency, in the retirement of a comfortable home.

Mr. Jewell has been married twice. His first wife, Melancy Cass, died in New Hampshire, leaving one son, Le Roy, who was afterward killed in our late war, on the skirmish line in front of Dalton, Ga. His second and present wife was Amy Cook, who

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was born in Milford, Mass. By the present. matri- monial union there are four children living, namely : Mrs. Maryette Crocker, of Ohio; Albert, of Mis- souri ; William, also of Missouri ; and Mrs. Charlotte Best.

Mr. Jewell, in his religious sentiments, sympa- thizes with the doctrines of the New Jerusalem Church, and politically, he chooses from the candi- dates of the various parties, principally Democratic.

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kenry W. Ole has but recently embarked in farming. In 1879 he left Geneseo, where he had been working for Esquire Harper for 13 years, and bought 80 acres of land on sec- tion 5, of Cornwall Township. His native place is England, where, in Somersetshire, Sept. 3, 1844, he was born. His father, William O., was born June 7, 1818, and still lives on the old place in England. Henry came to America and landed at New York city, May 5, 1866, and from there came direct to Geneseo, and was engaged as above stated.

Just prior to his leaving England, he was married to Miss Frances Ward, March 29, 1866. She died March 3, 1875, and on June II, of the following year, Mr. O.,was married to Eunice M. Kewer. By his former wife he had two children, and the present Mrs. O. has borne him a like number. The names of the four are: Edwin Morris, Jennie Helena, Francis William and Susan Alice.

Mr. Ole is an Episcopalian, while his wife is con- nected with the Methodist Church.

eorge B. Phillips is a farmer on section 18, Cambridge Township, where he has a fine location overlooking the village of Cambridge and the surrounding country. He was born Jan. 12, 1823, in Berkshire, Tioga Co., N. Y. The family is of English extrac- tion and is the same to which Wendell Phillips traces his origin. Asa Phillips, the grandfather of Mr. Phillips, was born in Massachusetts in 1754. He was one of the most daring soldiers of the War

of the Revolution, and was specially commended for bravery at the battle of White Plains. After the action at that place his clothes bore the proofs of having been pierced by upwards of 20 bullets. He was a personal friend of Gen. Washington, and was detailed for dangerous and important services, which he successfully accomplished. He was at one time sick, and wishing to go outside the lines, he applied to Gen. Washington for a pass. He received one permitting him to go when and where and stay as long as he desired. When it was shown to a superior officer, he remarked, "There is not another man in the army that could get such a pass as that." He was married in the Bay State, in 1779, to Lurinda Warren, who was a near relative. of Gen. Joseph Warren, of Revolutionary fame. They had nine children, as follows: Eunice, Asa, Daniel, Thomas, Elisha, Isaac, Clark, Lurinda and Samuel. After their children were grown and settled in life, they re- moved to Cortland Co., N. Y., to live with their son Daniel, where the one died in 1828, aged 74, and the other in 1838, aged 80 years.

Daniel Phillips, the father of Mr. Phillips of this personal narration, was born in Windsor, Mass., in 1788, and died at Dryden, Tompkins Co., N. Y., at the age of 82. He was a commissioned officer in the War of 1812, and afterward removed to Berk- shire, N. Y., where he married Lydia C. Belcher, who was born Feb. 13, 1801, in Cherry Valley, N. Y. She died in Dryden, N. Y., Sept. 19, 1878, when 77 years of age. She was the daughter of Elijah and Lydia (Clark) Belcher. Her father was born in Massachusetts, resided a short time in Cherry Valley and finally settled in Berkshire, N. Y., where he died. His eldest brother, Jonathan Belcher, was a soldier in the War of 1812, and died on board of a British prison ship.

Mr. Phillips was the eldest of the children of his parents, of whom six attained to the age of maturity. They were named Henry M., who was a soldier and lost his life in the Civil War; Aaron P., Mrs. Maria L. Keeny, Mrs. Mary E. Sears and Susan Olive. The latter is deceased.

Mr. Phillips was reared on a farm in his native State, where he obtained a good education and for some time was engaged in the business of teaching school. He came to Henry County in October, 1855, and during that winter taught school in the

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village of Andover and music in both Cambridge and Andover, and the following spring opened a new farm on the prairie in the township of Osco. In 1857 he removed to Cambridge and passed eight years there in business. He then bought a farm of 140 acres, situated southeast of the village, and on which he has since resided.

Mr. Phillips is a Republican in political relations, and a friend of all religious and moral movements. He and his family are all active members of the Congregational Church. His marriage to Sarah C. Benedict took place at Scipio, Cayuga Co., N. Y., May 13, 1851. She was the youngest daughter of Uriah and Sally (North) Benedict. Her parents were natives respectively of Norwalk, Conn., and New York city. Mr. and Mrs. Phillips have eight children,-Emma M., Charles H., Florence A., Louis B., Fannie M., La Villa, Eloise and Lydia C. Charles H., the eldest son, is a graduate of Hamilton College and of Auburn (N. Y.) Theological Semi- nary, and is now preaching in Dakota. Louis B., the second son, was married Jan. 4, 1883, to Cora V. Howe, and has one daughter, Ethel M., and has settled on the home farm.

W. Gamble, the subject of this personal sketch, is one of the early settlers of Oxford Township, and one of its prominent farm- ers. He located on section 24 of that town- ship in 1857, where he has since remained. His parents, Samuel and Isabelle (Wilson) Gamble, came from Pennsylvania, their native State, and located upon part of the same section during that year. Both of them died upon this place, the former in 1870, and the latter in 1863.

T. W. was born in Perry Co., Pa., April 19, 1830, and remained with the " old folks," assisting on the farm for a time and going to school, until 23 years of age. At 19, however, he was apprenticed to learn the harnessmaker and saddler's trade. At this he worked four years, when, in 1855, feeling that he could better his condition in life, he came West and located in Abingdon, Knox Co., Ill., where for two years he worked at his trade. In 1857, as above stated, he purchased 80 acres of his present farm. Subsequently he secured as much more, and since

that time, with the exception of 14 months spent in Cambridge in a hotel enterprise, he has resided there. Politically, Mr. G. is a Democrat, and, with his wife and six children, is a member of the Presbyterian Church, and of that body he is Elder. He is also serving as School Director, and is looked upon as one of the solid and influential men of Oxford Township.

Sept. 21, 1854, in Franklin Co., Pa., Mr. Gamble and Miss Margaret C. Elder were united in mar- riage. She is the daughter of Matthew and Nancy (McConnell) Elder. Eight children have been born to bless their home. These have been named in the order of their birth, as follows: Isabelle, Annettie, Aramantha, Kate M., Carrie L., Lloyd E., Nellie T. and Myrtle L. The deceased are Nora and an in- fant.

erome Black. A prominent and extensive land-owner, a large stock-dealer, and one of the highly respected citizens of Corn- wall Township, is Mr. Jerome Black. His residence is located upon section 14, where he has a fine farm. Altogether, he owns 680 acres of good farm land, all well improved and equipped for farming, and is an extensive dealer in cattle and horses. He was a Christmas gift to his parents in the year 1844, while they were residing in Knox Co., Ohio. He remained with them until he was 17 years of age, when he entered the service of his country, enlisting in the 43d Ohio Vol. Inf., under Captain Eckheat, and was mustered in at Mt. Vernon, Ohio. He served his country faithfully for three years and seven months, and has a very inter- esting and eventful military career. He participated in some of the most eventful conflicts of that terrible struggle. Among the first service he did was at the siege of New Madrid, Mo .; next at the famous con- flict of Island No. 10, and in the spring of 1862 he participated in the siege of Corinth, and in the au- tumn actively engaged in the battle at that place, which was among the most severe of the war.

About the time that Grant made siege to Vicks- burg, his regiment was on duty at Memphis, Tenn., where they remained for six months, when they were ordered to the vicinity of Decatur, where most of the regiment enlisted as veterans. They then returned

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to Memphis, and subsequently marched on to Deca- tur, Ala., then to Chattanooga; then joined the main army, and engaged in the battle of Resaca, Ga .; the following July found them in front of Atlanta, and he participated in the battles of the 22d and 28th, and was also in the battle of Dasal; he was also at Jonesboro, and accompanied Sherman on his famous march to the sea. On July 22, 1865, he was mus- tered out at Columbus, Ohio. During all these years of hard service he was fortunate in not receiv- ing any of the enemy's missiles. He returned home and soon found his way West.

Mr. Black came to Henry County in 1865, and made his location in Cornwall Township. April 22, 1874, he was married to Miss Catherine J. Orr, by the Rev. F. J. Moffitt. Mrs. Black was born March 8, 1846, in County Antrim, Ireland, and was brought to America by her parents in 1849. The four chil- dren of Mr. and Mrs. Black are Sarah E., John M., Paul J. and Frank. The family are members of the Christian Church, and in politics Mr. B. is a Repub- lican.

F. Hathaway, an industrious and enter- prising citizen of Galva Township, Henry County, Ill., residing at Galva, was born Oct. 21, 1821, in Adams Towhship, Berkshire, Co., Mass. His parents are of English extrac- tion, Jeptha Hathaway, the father, having been born in 1777, in Bristol, Rhode Island, and died in 1852, at the age of 75 years, in Adrian, Mich. He was a painter in early life. He formed a matrimo- nial alliance in early life with Nancy Albro, a New Englander, who died in Berkshire Co., Mass., in 1842, leaving a family of ten children to mourn their loss. The following are their names : Adeline, Eliza- beth, William, Abbie, Sarah, Lydia, Celinda, Arthur F., Ephraim F. and Jane. Of these Mrs. Adeline Beals, Mrs. Sarah Drew, and Mrs. Lydia Smith, re- side in Adrian, Mich. Mr. H.'s ancestors were Quakers in religious belief.

Our subject was reared in Massachusetts, and at the age of 15 years came West, with the intention of living with a brother in Michigan, but at which place he did not remain long. Came as far as Chicago, Ill., and in 1839 returned, continuing backward and forward several times, and engaging in various occu-

pations, namely, teaming, stage-driving, rafting, etc. In 1850, at the time of the " gold " fever, he joined the "West-bound throng," and in company with three men, all from Pennsylvania-Thomas Free- man, Amos Biddle and Ira Marsey-they started across the country in a wagon, for the land of gold. May 8th they left St. Joseph, Mo., in safety, and then continued their journey, arriving at Weaver- town, Cal., August 8th of the same year. While in California he engaged in mining nearly all the time, and had various success. In November, 1852, he returned to New York, via Isthmus of Panama, by steamer. From New York he went to the pineries of Michigan, where he became a partner in the firm of Jacob, Henry & Aaron Beidler-one in the oldest lumber houses in existence in Chicago at the present day. Mr. Hathaway remained with the firm for three years, being fairly successful in that line of business, he being in the pineries with headquarters at Muskegon, Mich. From there he came, Jan. 12, 1856, to Galva, and at this latter place he was engaged in the lumber business until 1874, when he went to farming, continuing the same until 1883. He then moved to town, where he is at present residing. Mr. Hathaway is the owner of some land, having over 600 acres near Galva, be- sides considerable in Iowa and Nebraska.

Mr. H. was united in marriage in Muskegon, Mich., to Jane Mowatt, a native of Scotland, and who has become the mother of six children, four of whom survived : Celinda is the wife of A. A. Barlow, who affiliates with the Republican party ; Abbie, Jeptha B. and Jane, are the remainder of those who survived, the deceased being Ida and Adeline.

acob Long, a farmer residing on section 31, Cornwall Township, is a native of Vir- ginia, where he was born March 5, 1808. The father of Mr. Long whose name stands at the head of this biographical notice, by name John Long, was a native of Pennsylvania, in which State he was born in 1788. In 1812 he moved to Virginia, where he engaged in the occupation of farming, and where he continued to reside until the date of his death, in Rockingham Co., that State, in 1823.

Jacob Long, of whom we write, has supported

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himself ever since he was 14 years of age, following the vocation of a farmer. He came to this State in 1857 from Virginia, and rented land from William O. Clark and others, and was engaged in farming on rented land until 1863. During that year he pur- chased 80 acres, located on section 31, and after- wards purchased 80 acres additional, and is at pres- ent the proprietor of 160 acres of as good farming land as can be found in Henry County. He has a fine brick residence on his farm, two-stories in height, and also another residence, frame, one and a half stories, together with good and substantial outbuild- ings, and his farm is indicative of that energy and perseverance of which Mr. Long is possessed.

The marriage of Mr. Long to Nancy Ryan took place Sept. 5, 1832, Rev. Kilpatrick officiating. Mrs. Long was born in Virginia, Jan. 26, 1811, and has borne her husband ten children, three daughters and seven sons, namely: Charles M., John, Wil- liam T., Jewet H., Mary S., Catherine A., Rebecca, Robert, James S. and Jacob O. Mr. and Mrs. Long are members of the United Brethren Church. In politics Mr. Long affiliates with the Democratic party.

ohn Sears, residing on section 22, Cornwall Township, and the owner of 400 acres of good farm land located thereon, is a native of Connecticut, having been born in Litchfield County, that State, May 20, 1818. The father of Mr. Sears of this sketch, John Sears, Sr., was born in Connecticut in 1785, and died in On- tario Co., N. Y., in October, 1860. He married Miss Almira Gould, a native of Connecticut, who departed this life in her Soth year.

John Sears, Jr., the gentlen,an whose name stands at the head of this notice, formed a matrimonial alli- ance with Miss Mary W. Jewett, Sept. 17, 1856, Rev. William Jewett, of the Methodist Episcopal Church, officiating. She was born and reared in Connecticut. After marriage, in 1856, they came to this county, where Mr. Sears purchased 400 acres of good tillable land on section 22, Cornwall township. On this land they located and entered vigorously and en- ergetically upon its cultivation and improvement, determined not only to make it a home for them-

selves in time to come, but for their children. Mr. Sears erected on this land good farm buildings, and otherwise improved it, and to-day they are the joint owners of a farm which is not only indicative of a life of labor, but is also a pleasant and profitable home for themselves and children.

The union of Mr. and Mrs. Sears has been blessed by the birth of seven children, six of whom are liv- ing. The record is as follows: Mary J., married to Doctor J. Porter; Frank S., John S., Jr., Sarah, Nellie, whose demise occurred in 1884, William H. and Jessie L.

illiam L. Gochenouer, of the township of Annawan, is a respected citizen of Henry County, whither he removed in the year 1856. He is located on section 15, where he is the owner of 40 acres of excel- lent land under good cultivation.

He is a native of the State of Ohio, and was first introduced to the light of day in Warren County, Feb. 21, 1834. When he was one year past his ma- jority he came to Henry County to make a perma- nent home for himself, and at first he purchased 80 acres on section 16, which he sold in 1861 and en- listed in the military service of his country. The Civil War made a change in his prospects, as there was no use in trying to establish a home in a land which was torn by a struggle between the different sections ; and he felt it his duty to aid in securing the peace that was so necessary to all concerned. He enrolled in Co. I, 27th Regt. Ill. Vol. Inf., in August, 1861, and was mustered into the army of the United States at Camp Butler, Sept. 5, 1861. The company was commanded by Captain Merrill, and the regi- ment by Col. N. B. Buford. After the process of as- signment to the service the regiment was ordered to Cairo, Ill., and remained there until March 10, 1862. On that day the command was sent to Island No. Io, but Mr. Gochenour was at home on sick leave. He rejoined his company at Big Springs, Miss., on the 14th day of July. He was a participant in the battle of Belmont, Mo., and in September, 1862, he was in the siege of Nashville. Dec. 30 of the same year he fought at Stone River, and in the three days succeeding,-Jan. 30 and 31 and Feb. 1,-through

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which the action there continued. On the first day of the fight he was conscious that he was hit by a bullet, and ascertained that the missile had pene- trated several folds of his blanket and also his over- coat, after which it fell to the ground, without having the smallest scratch inflicted on his person. Follow- ing is the list of battles in which he took an active part : Winchester, Jan. 3, 1862 ; Franklin, Feb. 23, 1863 ; Columbia, Hoovers' Gap, Salem, Gay's Gap, Fairfield, Tullahoma, Chickamauga (Sept 19 and 20, 1863), Rossville, Chattanooga, Mission Ridge (Nov. 28), Dandridge, Rocky Face Ridge, Resaca, Calhoun, New Hope, Ackworth, Pine-Top Hill, Nickajack, Kenesaw, Honey Creek and Peach-Tree Creek. At At the last named place he was shot through the calf of one of his legs, July 20, 1863. He afterwards fought at Spring Hill, Franklin and at the siege of Nashville. He was mustered out at Louisville, Ky., July 9, 1865, and received his discharge at Camp Butler, Ill. He is the recipient of $6 a month as a pension. On his return to Henry County, he bought the farm on which he is now living, and on which he is engaged in mixed farming.

He was married March 8, 1860, to Elmira L. Ca- rey. Their children number four : Lillie L. was born Oct. 17, 1867 ; Ada F., Nov. 28, 1872; Olive M., March 29, 1875 ; Anna C., July 8, 1880. The mother is a native of Warren Co., Ohio, where she was born May 1, 1841.

In his political connection Mr. Gochenouer is a Republican. He has held the positions of School Director and Road Commissioner. In the first he officiated three years. He is a member of the Grand Army Post at Annawan, and with his wife belongs to the United Brethren Church.

avid T. Dickey, a prosperous and well-to- do farmer as well as representative citizen of Henry County, is a resident of section 27, Cornwall Township. He was born Dec. 19, 1835, in Grayson County, Ky., near Mam- moth Cave, and is a son of Samuel and Elizabeth (Cooper) Dickey, natives respectively of Chester Co., Pa., and Ohio. Samuel (the father) was born in 1802 and married in Louisville, Ky., in 1831.

David T., our subject, received such educational advantages as was possible in that early day, and farmed with his father on the old homestead when opportunity afforded ; so our subject was thoroughly initiated in a farmer's life and the duties of such. In 1855 Mr. Dickey removed into Cornwall Township, where he is now the possessor of a tract of land of 560 acres, all improved, which by his indomitable energy and perseverance he has brought to a high state of cultivation. He has succeeded in life, and engages quite extensively in raising fine grades of cattle and fattens large numbers of hogs for the mar- ket each year. His farm is considered to be second to none in the township, having upon the same a good dwelling, barn, and the land all fenced.

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Portrait and biographical album of Henry County, Illinois : containing full-page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, Part 71

Author: Publication date: 1885 Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 850

Author:
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 850