Portrait and biographical album of McLean county, Ill., containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, Part 24

Author: Chapman brothers, Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1887
Publisher: Chicago : Chapman brothers
Number of Pages: 1222

USA > Illinois > McLean County > Portrait and biographical album of McLean county, Ill., containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county > Part 24

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AMES A. LASH, occupying a valuable farm estate in Bloomington Township, is suceess- fully engaged in the breeding of thorough- bred Poland-China swine, his land lying near the limits of the eity of Bloomington. He established his present business in 1880, and is the possessor of several valuable and registered animals, the head of the herd being Cassander, No. 4297. The only time he was ever exhibited was at the fair of St. Louis, Mo., where he took the first premium in an ex- hibition of 800 hogs. Mr. Lash has been very sue- cessful in his breeding operations. and keeps from sixty to 100 head of swine. 'He began in a small way, but has steadily increased his business until he has made a reputation as a fair dealer, and having a good understanding of his business. One of his pigs exhibited at the Chieago fair took the first premium, and was sold for $200, being then only` six months old. Its dam, Belle of MeLain, is numbered 10,898 in the books, and is supposed to be the most successful breeder in the county.

Mr. Lash was reared upon a farm, and received his early education in the common schools. He is a native of Bloomington Township, and was born on the 7th of October, 1846. He remained under the parental roof until his marriage, being reared to habits of industry and economy, and became well fitted for the later struggle of life. He was married, Oet. 19, 1865 in the city of Bloomington, to Miss Sarah F. Livingston. Mrs. Lash was born in Lineoln, Ohio, on the 14th of March, 1845, and eame to Illinois with her parents when a child ten years of age. They settled in MeLean

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County, and her father, Isaae Livingston, died in Normal Township in 1874. He was an industrious and energetie man, a snecessful farmer, and highly respected by his neighbors. The mother of Mrs. L., who before her marriage was Miss Sarah Wise, is still living, at an advanced age, and makes her home in Pontiae, Ill. She is a relative of Con- gressman Wise, of Virginia, and possesses the ex- eellent traits'of a family noted for its ability and prominence.

Mr. and Mrs. Lash have beeone the parents of . three children, two boys and one girl-Willard E., Josie A. and Frank-all at home. They are all eonneeted with the Christian Church, and politi- eally Mr. L. is a staneh adherent of the Democratic party.

We incorporate in this biography a sketeli of Isaae Lash, father of the above, who has been a resident of MeLean County sinee 1834, and in that long period has witnessed with unabated interest the remarkable changes which have taken place in this portion of the State.

Isaae Lash is now a retired farmer, and one of the representative citizens of the township of Bloom- ington. He owns and oeeupies a fine farm estate lying on seetions. 27 and 34, the residenee being on the former. He has here 240 acres of valuable land, well stocked and supplied with first-elass farm buildings. His earlier life was industriously employed in the establisment of his present eom- fortable home, and his years of persevering toil : have yielded him a handsome competeney.

Isaac Lash was born near Vernon, Knox Co., Ohio, on the 20th of January, 1820. His father, Nathaniel Lash, was of German descent and a na- tive of North Carolina. IIe eame to Ohio when a young boy and was reared in Knox County, and for several years was there employed in a sawmill. He had been married in the meantime to Miss Charity Short, a lady who was born near Baltimore, Md., but having lost her parents when quite young eame to Ohio with a neighbor, and was reared by strangers from the time she was ten years of age. The family of Isaac Laslı, Sr., and his wife eon- sisted of nine children, four sons and five daugh- ters, one of whom 'died in infaney, and their son Isaac, heretofore written of, was the eldest but one

in the family. The parents and their eight chil- dren eame to Illinois in the fall of 1833, and set- tled in Putnam County. There the father died a few months later, and in the spring of 1834 the mother with her children eame to MeLean County. A few years later she also departed this life, having passed away in Tazewell County, where they had located a short time previously, and very near the line of MeLean County. After the death of their mother the children all lived together for a time, and separated later, each one being compelled to depend upon his own resources.

Our subjeet then employed himself at whatever he could find to do, receiving but small pay and working hard, but saving his money. He was ein- ployed by Zachariah Simmons for a period of five years, for which he received $200. He was stout and rugged and could do a man's work, and this pay seemed far out of proportion to what he really earned. But money was searee in those days, and the laborer felt that he should be content with easlı even though it was a small sum. Young Laslı, however. was healthy and energetie, and possessed a proportionate amount of eonrage and resolution. At the age of twenty-four years he was united in marriage with Miss Anna Simmons, at the residence of the bride's parents in Bloomington Township, on the 27th of December, 1845. Mrs. L. is the daughter of David and Elizabeth (Jones) Simmons, natives respectively of Virginia and Georgia. In early youth they came with their parents to Indi- ana, where they were reared to mature years, and received the advantages of an education in the public sehools. Of their union there were born three children, of whom Mrs. Lash was the young- est, her birth having taken place on the 18th of April, 1830. In the fall of that year the parents with their three children eame west to Illinois and located in MeLean County, soon afterward beeom- ing residents of Bloomington Township, where they lived until their removal within the city, where they are now retired from aetive labor, and are en- joying the fruits of their early toil and struggles.

Mrs. Lash remained with her parents until her marriage, and has beeomne the mother of nine ehil- dren, one of whom is deceased. Of those who sur- vive thie reeord is as follows: James A. married

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Miss Sarah F. Livingston, and they reside ncar the city of Bloomington, this son, being like his father. a dealer in finc swine; Eliza J. is the wife of William R. Yonng, a farmer of Bloomington Town- ship; Martha A. married Daniel B. Snavely, and they reside on the homestead; Levi A. married Miss Lenora B. Jones, who is now deceased; he is in California engaged in mining; David N. is with his brother in Eureka, Cal .; Andrew J. died at the age of two and one-half years; Mary E. is the widow of Ed. Orendorff, and lives at home with her parents; Frank O. married Miss Agnes Honser, and resides in Vermilion County, Ill .; William E. is at home, and assists in operating the farm.

After the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. L. they com- menced farming operations upon rented land, then made a small purchase, which they subsequently added to, and now have a finely improved farm upon which they are passing their later days in the peace and comfort which is their just due after the labors and toil of their earlier years. Mrs. L., with three sons and three daughters, is a member in good standing of the Christian Church. Mr. L. has been prominent in the affairs of his community since be- coming of suitable age, having held most of the minor offices. He was Overseer of the_County Poor-farm for six years, and conducted the affairs of the institution creditably and with good judg -. ment. Politically he is Democratic, and occupies an important position in the affairs of his party in this vicinity.

R. CURTIS KNIGHT, one of the best known and most reliable citizens of Mc- Lean County, came to the Prairie State in 1863, from Kentucky. He was born in Westmoreland, N. H., on the 18th of January, 1816. Ilis father, also Curtis by name, was a gentleman farmer of New England ancestry, who came to Ameriea prior to the Revolutionary War, and set- tled in Massachusetts. The first representative of the family in this eountry was Jonathan Knight, an Englishman, who made settlement in Massachusetts. lle was the father of only one child, the great- grandfather of our subject, who, after he grew to

manhood, in his native State, married Miss Dudley, who was closely related to the first Governor of Massachusetts. This lady lived to the advanced age of 103 years, and died in Piermont, in Grafton Co. N. II., as also did her husband, at the age of seventy-five years.

Jonathan Knight became a prominent, physician in that locality, and was looked up to as a leader among the men of his county. His son Curtis, the father of our subject, was born in Westmoreland, N. H., and there grew to manhood, being reared to farming pursuits. Ile afterward removed to Corn- ish, N. H., and was married to Miss Betsey Atwood. a New Hampshire lady, and lived there in the lat- ter named State until 1846. They then removed to Illinois, and settled on a farm near Blackberry, Kane County, where the father passed the remain- der of his days, his death taking place about 1850, when he was sixty-two years of age. IIc was a man of great energy and industry, and improved a farm from a tract of uncultivated land, so that his widow was left in comfortable circumstances; she is now residing with her daughter, Mrs. Maria Fonvard, at Elkhart, Ind., whose husband is con- nccted with a foundry in that place. The mother of our subject has now arrived at the advanced age of eighty-nine years, and is a bright and intelligent old lady, who retains her natural faculties to a re- markable degrec.

Curtis Knight was the eldest of twelve children born to his parents, seven sons and five daughters, all of whom are living with the exception of two, a son and daughter. They are all married and comfortably settled in homes of their own. Our subject was reared to farming pursnits, and edu- cated at Piermont Academy. In 1834 he set out in life on his own account, first coming to New York City, and after a tour of some of the West- ern States landed in Bourbon County, Ky. Before leaving his native State he had had some experi- ence as a teacher, and after arriving in Kentucky again took up the profession which he followed there for three years.

From Bourbon Mr. Knight removed to Clark County, and in due time was married to Miss Polly A. Emerson, a native of the latter county, and who bore him three children, one son and two

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daughters, all now married : Mary became the wife of Schuyler Thompson, of McLean County, Ill ., and is now living in Bloomington Township : James P. married Miss Mildred Stagner, and is farming in the latter named township; Sarah married Rufus Oldham, a farmer of Clark County, Ky. The mother of these children died in the latter named State and county, at the age of thirty years.

In the meantime Mr. Knight had been in Jaek- son County, Mo., where he engaged in farming for three years before returning to Clark County, Ky., and before the death of his wife, and he had also, as opportunity afforded, gained considerable infor- mation in dentistry. After the death of liis first wife he began practicing, and was thus occupied for two years in Clark and Marion Counties. IIe had been sueeessful in his business transactions and at this time purchased a farm in Madison County, Ky., upon which he located, and on the 4th of Sep- tember, 1850, was married to Mrs. Emily (Corneli- son) Ballard, a native of Madison County, Ky., who was born in 1821. She was reared and edu- cated in her native county, where her father had settled at an early day, and was one of the promi- nent citizens of the county, in which he was proprie- tor of a valuable plantation. Mrs. Knight was edu- cated and accomplished, and has always occupied a high position in society.

After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Knight lo- eated upon the farm, and onr subject followed his self-appointed trade as a local dentist until 1863. The Civil War being then in progress, he came North to evade the hostile attitude of the Seeess- ionists, himself being a radical Republican. He voted for Fremont for President while in Ken- tueky, and when the National Convention assem- bled at Chicago on the 10th of May, 1860, and nominated Abraham Lincoln for President, he was present as a delegate and voted and worked for the great Illinoisan. After he returned home from the convention he began to arrange with other loyal citizens for the raising of a home guard and the organization of Union clubs, and was President of the one in Madison County. Under his super -. vision these clubs or companies finally became the means of holding in cheek Morgan and Zollieoffer, who were then threatening the peace and security

of that section of country. The life of our subjeet was frequently threatened, and after a time he deemed it expedient to remove North. As one of the Home Gnards he was at the battles of Wildeat and Richmond, and was subjected to great loss and annoyance of all kinds; his horses were stolen, and his property greatly damaged by Morgan's raiders. After coming North one of his sons joined the regular army, and did good service in battle for the Union.

After coming to Illinois Dr. Knight purchased eighty aeres of land in Bloomington Township, where he established a permanent home and which he has sinee occupied. Both the Doctor and his excellent lady are' prominently connected with the Christian Church at Shirley, and our subjeet in poli- ties is as thoroughly reliable as he was during the days of the "late unpleasantness."

OHIN II. BRYANT, contractor and bnilder, having his office at the intersection of North- east and Douglas streets, Bloomington, may be properly numbered among the pioneer settlers of Illinois, as he came here in 1837 with his parents, being then a young child. He was born in East Cambridge, Mass., Dec. 3, 1833, his parents being Eben and Martha (Brown) Bryant, natives of Wakefield and Charlestown, Mass. Eben Bryant was a farmer by occupation, and emigrated from the Bay State to Illinois in 1837, settling in Pike County, upon 160 acres of wild land, which he im- proved and cultivated and occupied until his death, which oeeurred in 1866. The mother survived him twelve years, dying at the old homestead in 1878. They were the parents of five children, four now living, as follows: Eben F., of Pike County; John H., our subject; Harriet and Joseph B., of Kansas City. The father of our subjeet was a strong Abo- litionist, and both parents were members of the Baptist Church.

John H. Bryant was reared on his father's farm, and received a practical education. He remained at home until nineteen years old, and then served three years at the earpenter's trade, in Griggsville. Ile soon afterward commeneed as a contractor,

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RESIDENCE OF W. H. BALL , SEC. 10., CHEENEY'S GROVE TOWNSHIP.

RESIDENCE OF W. H. HOSELTON, SEC. 23., ANCHOR TOWNSHIP.

RESIDENCE OF HENRY BUTLER , SEC. 3., CHEENEY'S GROVE TOWNSHIP.

McLEAN COUNTY.

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which he followed in that locality until 1859, and then came to Bloomington. Here he first estab- lished himself on West Mulberry strect, removing to his present quarters in 1884. He now gives em- ployment to from five to twenty men, and among the important structures which he has had in charge are the City Hall, Turner IIall, the German Metli- odist Episcopal Church and the Eagle Block, be- sides some of the finest residences in the city.

Our subject was married in 1855, to Miss Nancy English, a native of New Salem, Ill., and the daugh- ter of Robert and Martha (Ilooper) English, of Ohio. Mr. English was a farmer who, after eoming to Illinois, settled first at New Salem, whence he removed to McLean County in 1863. His declin- ing years were spent in Normal Township, where his death occurred in about 1865.

Mr. and Mrs. Bryant became the parents of five children, as follows: George A. is in California; Alice, now Mrs. Gilbert Eldridge, is the mother of two children-Clare and Pansy; Frank married Miss Mary Ellen Ingersol, and they have one daughter, a babe, Ethel Frances; Arthur is doing business with his father; Charles, the youngest, is at home. The family residence is located at No. 806 West Oliver strect, and is the resort of the best people of Bloomington. Mrs. Bryant is a member in good standing of the Baptist Church. Mr. Bry- ant is one of the largest contractors in the city of Bloomington, and both as a business man and a citizen, is one of the important factors in its busi- ness and industrial interests.

R. A. L. CHAPMAN, of Bloomington, has been a practicing physician of McLean County for a period of ten years and came to this city in 1883. He is one of the re- liable physicians of this locality, and enjoys a large and lucrative practice in both city and country. Dr. Chapman was born in Smyrna, Harrison Co., Ohio, on the 25th of January, 1847, and is the son of Dr. R. C. and Mary (McDonald) Chapman, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of Ohio. They emigrated to Ohio after their marriage, in 1843, locating in Ilendrysburg, Belmont County,

where the father of our subject engaged in the practice of medicine, but subsequently removed to Newcomerstown, where he remained until his death, after a practice of twenty- nine years in that place; the mother died in 1848. Of their family of four children, three arc now living: Catharine M., Mrs. Berg, of El Paso, Woodford Co., Ill .; Dr. A. L. of our sketch, and Mary E., Mrs. Brown, of Newcomerstown, Ohio.

The subject of this history remained with his parents until sixteen years of age, and received a fair education in the common schools. The war then being in progress lie enlisted in Co. G, 76th Ohio Vol. Inf., and remained in service until the close of the war. He went in as a drummer boy, but after two months threw his drum away, substi- tuting for it a musket, and participated with his comrades in the battles of Resaca, Ga., Altona Pass, Big Shanty, Kennesaw Mountain and the siege of Atlanta, winding up his military services at the battle of Bentonville, in North Carolina. After his honorable discharge from the army young Chapman resumed his studies at the High School in his native town, and after a three years' course en- tered the Eastman National Business College at Poughkeepsie, N. Y., from which he graduated in 1866. In 1869 he went to Nashville, Tenn., and became teacher in a graded school whence, after eighteen. months, he removed . to Glasgow, Ky., where he taught a few months, and then returning home attended another term at the High School. He then resumed teaching until 1874, in the mcan- time reading medicine, and the following year en- tered the Medical College at Cincinnati, Ohio, from which he graduated in 1876. He commenced prac- tice at Bellaire, Ohio, and in 1877 came to Illinois, locating in Oak Grove, this county, where he re- mained until 1883, wlien he came to Bloomington. He is a member of the Board of United States Pen- sion Examining Surgeons, and is Secretary of Mc- Lcan County Medical Society.

Dr. Chapman was married in 1879, to Miss Lydia Bramwell, of Dry Grove Township, this county, and the daughter of Ezra F. and Rebecca (Grif- fith) Bramwell, of Indiana. Her parents came to Illinois in 1856, and purchased a farin which they still occupy. The Doctor and Mrs. C. have become

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the parents of two children-Jessic R. and Mary C. Their comfortable and attractive home is loca- ted at No. 703, East Washington strect, and they enjoy the society and friendship of a large circle of acquaintances.

Politically our subject uniformly casts his vote with the Democratic party. Socially he belongs to the G. A. R., the Red Men, Commercial Council, the Blue Lodge and Chapter of the A. F. & A. M., and the Knights Templar, and also a new organiza- tion called the Union Veterans Union.

C HARLES A. BARLEY, Insurance Agent and Notary Public of Leroy, is also engaged in the real estate, loan and collecting business, of which he has a thorough understanding, and is meeting with success. Mr. Barley is a native of the Buckeye State and was born in Wayne Town- ship, Champaign County, March 19, 1845. His father was George Barley. of Frederick County, Va., and his grandfather, John Barley, was a native of Maryland but of German ancestry and parentage. He was engaged in agricultural pursuits the greater part of his life, and spent his last days in the Old Dominion.

George Barley, the father of our subject, was reared on a farm in his native county and was there married in the fall of 1834. A few days afterward, accompanied by his bride and equipped with one horse and a spring wagon, he set out overland for Ohio. They located in Greene County and thence, after two years, removed to Champaign County. Here the father bought a tract of heavy timber land near Urbana. There was a log cabin on the place and half an acre was cleared. He immediately set about its improvement and cultivation, and es- tablished a permanent home, where he spent the re- mainder of his days, his decease occurring in Janu- ary, 1883. He had cleared the greater part of his land and erected a good set of frame buildings. In addition to the affairs of his own family and his homestead he was always interested in the welfare and prosperity of the community around him, and materially assisted in its development and progress. Hc filled various offices of trust in his township,

and with the exception of two years was Trustce from 1854 until his death, a period of twenty-ninc years.

The maiden name of the inother of our subject was Julia A. Spicknel. She also was born in Fred- erick County, Va., and was the daughter of Clement Spicknel who, with his wife, formerly a Miss Fra- zier, was a native of New Jersey, and the latter of French descent. Mrs. B. died in July, 1886, in Champaign County, Ohio. Of this union there were born seven children, as follows: John W. served in the late war as Captain of Co. F, 134th Ohio Vol. Inf .; he is now Register of Deeds in Wash- ington County, Kan. Noah F., formerly a teacher of penmanship in the city schools of Lexington, Mo., died there Aug. 10, 1860; Isaiah N. is a farmer and stock-raiser near Lawrence, Kan .; Mary, Mrs. Morecraft, lives in Champaign County, Ohio; our subject was the next in order of birth; Martha A., Mrs. Hallowel, lives in Leroy, Ill., and Sarah, in Champaign County, Ohio.

Charles A. Barley was the fifth child of his par- ents. His childhood and youth were spent upon the farm and he received his early education in the district sehools. He also attended the IIigh School at Urbana for two years and remained a resident of his native State until 1868. In the meantime he had graduated from Oberlin Commercial College, and during the war served in the army as a member of the 134th Ohio Infantry. He taught school for a time in Ohio, and after coming to this State con- tinued this occupation near Leroy until 1870. He was then appointed Principal of the Leroy schools, which position he held for four years and then was compelled to resign on account of ill-health. Hc soon afterward established his present business, and in 1879 associated himself in partnership with D. L. Moorehouse, loan and real-estate agent. They operated together until September, 1886, when their business was closed up without any outstand- ing indebtedness.

The manner in which the affairs of the firin were conducted by Mr. Barley is a fair indication of his taet and ability as a financier. IIe is a thoroughi business man, and his straightforward methods of conducting his affairs and his promptness in meet- ing his obligations have gained hiin the confidence

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and respcet of the business community. In his handling of half a million dollars there has never been a shadow of a loss or fraud, and he retired from the firm with a clear conscience and the good will of those with whom he dealt. He has been prominently identified with various publie enter- prises in the city of Leroy and has held various offices of trust. He was one of the Executive Committee of the company organized to build the Narrow Gauge Railroad from Leroy to Fisher, in Champaign County, and also Secretary of the same, and one of five who organized the Leroy Library Association in 1875. He has been City Clerk, with the exception of two years, since the city was in- corporated, and was a member of the School Board from 1877 until 1886, and then declined to serve longer. He was Clerk of Empire Township six years and has been Notary Publie sinee 1874. He was elected Secretary of the Empire Loan and Build- ing Association in 1874, and continued in that of- fice while the company existed, a period of eight years. In 1882, when the Leroy Loan and Building Association was organized, he was elected Secrc- tary, and has been re-elected each year. He is a member of Leroy Lodge No. 221, A. F. & A. M., being Master two years. He is also a member of Thomas Riddle Post No. 230, G. A. R.

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Portrait and biographical album of McLean county, Ill., containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, Part 24

Author: Chapman brothers, Chicago, pub Publication date: 1887 Publisher: Chicago : Chapman brothers Number of Pages: 1222

Author: Chapman brothers, Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1887
Publisher: Chicago : Chapman brothers
Number of Pages: 1222