Portrait and biographical album of Morgan and Scott Counties, Illinois, Part 28

Author:
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Chicago, IL : Chapman Brothers
Number of Pages: 632

USA > Illinois > Morgan County > Portrait and biographical album of Morgan and Scott Counties, Illinois > Part 28
USA > Illinois > Scott County > Portrait and biographical album of Morgan and Scott Counties, Illinois > Part 28

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maintained that she received her inspiration for this work from Prof. J. B. Turner. She also was a lover of flowers, as the grounds surrounding her home indicate, and in summer, hundreds of visi- tors eame from the city and country surrounding to view the result of her taste, industry, and skill. Mrs. Taylor was a lady of many and varied aecom- plishments, and her genuine love of horticulture and everything pertaining thereto was greatly to her credit, while her perseveranee was proverbial. She died May 11, 1889. Her death removed one of the most prominent members of the society of Morgan County, and left a void among friends and her home cirele which time can not entirely restore.

On another page in this volume will be found a portrait of this lamented lady. Thus, although she has passed to her rest, her kindly face still turns its pleasant glance upon the gazer.

M ICHAEL L. WHORTEN. In the eareer of the subject of this biographieal outline we have that of a native-born citizen, who first opened his eyes to the light in this county, Oet. 22, 1836, and grew up with the eoun- try. His first impressions of life were obtained amid the surroundings of an unsettled region, at a time when the ground which is now oceupied by farms, eities and villages, was practically untrod, except by wild animals and Indians, with only here and there the adventurous foot of the white man.

Mr. Whorten received a limited education in the pioneer schools and that careful home-training which resulted in forming a self-reliant character, and those habits of industry and frugality which seldom fail to bring a measure of suceess in life, and gain for a man a good position among his fel- lows. Being naturally quiek to learn and observ- ing, he grew up intelligent and well-informed, and remained a member of the parental household until approaching the thirtieth year of his age. Then, being able to establish a home of his own, he was married March, 1866, to Miss Martha A. Green.

Mr. and Mrs. Whorten, after their marriage, established themselves in a modest home on land

which he had purchased, opposite where he now lives. They took possession of their present home- stead in June, 1866. This comprises 192 acres of choice farming land, which Mr. Whorten has brought to a good state of cultivation, redeeming it from the raw prairie, and upon which he has effected all the improvements with which it is now embellished. In due time the family-eirele was enlarged by the birth of five children, the eldest of whom, a daugh- ter, Louie I., is the wife of George H. Nergenah, of this county. Fielder L., Gray, Joseph W. and William are with their parents at home.

Our subject is the son of Jolm and Mary (Let- ton) Whorten, who were natives of Kentucky, and who emigrated to Illinois during the thirties, first loeating in Seott County, but two years afterward settling in what is now known as Coneord Preeinct, where they were among the earliest pioneers. The father took up a tract of land and labored on it faithfully until his death, which took place Sept. 5, 1874. The mother died in Angust, 1875. Five of their children are living, viz .: Joseph, Elizabeth, Thomas, Michael L. (our subjeet), and Eliza. Julia A., Sarah, Mary J. and George W. are dc- ceased.

Mrs. Whorten was born June 28, 1846, and, like her husband, is a native of this county. Her parents were William and Catherine (Long) Green, and her father was a native of Tennessee. They were among the earliest pioneers of this section. The family consisted of eight children, and the sur- vivors are recorded as follows: Melissa is the wife of J. E. Bayless, of this county ; James R. is a resi- dent of Springfield; Mary is the wife of C. G. Milnes, of California; Naney married D. R. Mason, of Fairfield, Iowa; William lives in Cass County, this State; Martha A., Mrs. Whorten, was the next in order of birth; George is a resident of Beardstown, and Catherine is the wife of Isaac Rat- cliff, of Ashland, Ill.

Mr. Whorten, in his labors and struggles, has been greatly assisted by his estimable wife, who has fulfilled the duties of wife and mother in a most admirable manner. Botlı are members in good standing of the Christian Church at Concord, in which our subject has officiated as Deacon and been one of its chief pillars. Politically, he votes

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the straight Republiean ticket. Probably no inan in the county has done more downright hard work, and there are certainly none who are held in higher esteem for the qualities of eharaeter which were most needed in the settlement of a new country. Dur- ing his younger years he broke prairie by the slow method of an ox team, and carried on farming antid many other disadvantages, and with machinery far inferior to that of the present time. He lias looked with wonder and admiration upon the progress of the age, and has in all respeets fulfilled his obliga- tions as an honest man and a good eitizen.

W ILLIAM C. CLARK BRUNK, a' general mereliant of Franklin Village, commeneed his business career as a elerk in his father's store, and after his marriage purchased the stoek, added to it and now enjoys an annual trade of about $4,000. Ile and his wife own the building and their residence, and have started out in life under favorable auspices. Not the least among the blessings which they enjoy is the esteem and confidenee of many friends, they both being spoken very highly of in their community.

Our subject is a native of this eounty and was born April 7, 1867. He was given a good praeti- eal education, and nature equipped him with those qualities which form the basis of all true man- hood. He is the son of James T. Brunk, who was born in Bourbon County, Ky., in February, 1829, and who was brought by his parents to this county in 1832. He has sinee resided here most of the time. He eommeneed his mercantile eareer in Or- leans where he sojourned a number of years, then removed to Alexander, and from there to Frank- lin where he opened up a general store which he conducted successfully until retiring.

The maiden name of the mother of our subjeet was Eveline Jolly. She was born in Illinois, and died at her home in Franklin Sept. 27, 1886. Only three are living of the four children born to the parents: Lyda B., Nettie A. and our snbjeet. . The eldest daughter is the wife of George P. Mulberry, formerly of Greene County, this State, but who, is now keeping a confectionery store in Franklin;

they have no children; Nettie married Ripley Mayfield, a farmer of this eounty and they have one ehild, Leila.

The subject of this notice eliose for his life part- ner Miss Ina Johnson of Monroe County, Mo., and they were married Feb. 28, 1887. The father of Mrs. Brunk died some years ago: the mother is living and a resident of Missouri. They were the parents of thirteen children, eight of whom are living. William J. married Jennie Poage of Paris, Mo., and he is a practicing physician of Barry, Pike County, this State; they have three children: Charles, Snsie and Campbell. Adolphus married Bessie Allen of Pike County, and is employed as a eommereial salesinan. They have two ehildren- Cora and Bessie. Eva married Thaddeus Gaitskill of Florida, Mo., and they have two children- Adolphus and Willie; Jennie is the wife of Edgar Atkinson, a farmer of Santa Fe, Mo .; they have one ehild, Clarenee. Albert married Ellen Griffith who is now deceased. He is a train dispateher, lives in Texas, and has one ehild, Robert. James is unmarried and is employed as a telegraph oper- ator at Ladonia, Mo. Harry, a boy of twelve, re- sides with his mother.

The father of our subjeet was married a second time and is living in Franklin. William C., po- litieally, is a stanch Demoerat and is a member of the Village Board.

M RS. MARY L. CALLAWAY is one of the oldest pioneers of this part of the eonnty. She is a native of Ohio, and was born in Hamilton County, Jan. 20, 1821. Should a history of this eountry ever be written that treats entirely of the heroes and heroines of America, there are none who will reach higher than the pio- neer mother. Her sufferings were far deeper than those of the husband, and the hardships that she underwent were of that peculiar kind that deserve special mention of the historian. She reared her children, made their elothing from the raw wool, and administered to their wants in sickness with the means that she had at her command. In the early days medical supplies were difficult to pro-

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cure, and often times the physician lived miles away. It was then that the skill, fortitude, and love of the mother came into requisition. While the hus- band has always received the most of the praise for settling up a vast empire of wild undeveloped country, it can be truly said that his wife is enti- tled to as much, and in some cases more praise than himself.

Mrs. Callaway was the daughter of Ira and Mar- garet (Wells) Thompson. Her paternal ancestry is said to be Welsh. When she was about one year of age, she came with her parents to Illinois, and for a time resided near Vincennes, and subse. quently removed with her father and mother to Greene County, Ill., and there she was reared to wo- manhood. Her mother died in Bethel while her father's life ended on a steamboat between St. Lonis and New Orleans. In those days it was the custom of the farmers to club together and take their produee down the streams to market, using for that purpose flatboats and steamboats. The early settlers of Morgan County utilized the Illi- nois and Mississippi rivers for water-ways. It will be remembered that Abraham Lincoln, one of the most distinguished pioneers of Illinois, was at one time engaged in the business of a flat-boat- man, and that he was a good one, no one doubts. The boats were built in a rought manner and when the market was reached, the lumber of which they were constructed was sold and the farmers made their way back home on steamboats with the supplies they had bought. The market in the early days was generally New Orleans and St. Louis, and it was on one of these trips that Mr. Thompson died. When about twenty-one years old, Mrs. Callaway came to Morgan County with her mother and two broth- ers, and on Feb. 1, 1841 she was married to Sam- nel Callaway. Ile was born in Bourbon County, Ky., on Aug. 24, 1814. He was the son of John and Nellie (Robins) Callaway, both natives of Del- aware. He spent his boyhood days in Kentucky, and came to Morgan County, early in the thirties, and here he resided until his death, which occurred May 17, 1883. He was the father of four children, one of whom is living, Lewis H. who is at present on the home farm. The three deceased are as fol- lows: Samuel H. died at Camp Butler, during the

war; John R. and Levi died while young. Mr. Callaway served as School Director, and although fitted for office, he was never a seeker after one. When he died he left his widow in comfortable circumstances, and well rounded out a busy life. Ile was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, where his wife also worships. Politically

he was a Republican.

Mrs. Callaway is spending her latter days in a retired manner and is surrounded by all the com- forts of life which her early privations entitle her to, and she enjoys the profound respect of all her neighbors and acquaintances.

LVA Y. BARR. Sheltered in the quiet homes of the country is a large proportion of the intelligence and cultivation which have always been acknowledged as a marked feature in the character of the people of Illinois. This fact is amply illustrated at the homestead of the subject of this notice, who is recognized as one of the leading men of Woodson Precinct, and who is at the head of a bright and interesting family, who are devoted to each other and whose chief interest lies under the old rooftrec. Whether en- tering their domicile as a friend or a passing trav- eler, the attention is at once attracted by the air of taste and refinement, which pervades the dwelling and its surroundings. Within there are books and music, aud last, but not least, numbers of fine paintings by the hand of Miss Effie M. Barr, who · has long been recognized among the people of this section as a natural born artist. With very little instruction she has arrived at a point very near perfection, and it is not to be wondered at that the parents look upon this gifted child with more than ordinary pride. All the children are bright and interesting and have been trained and educated in a manner suited to their station in life, and which has made of them good and useful members of the community.

It may be well before proceeding further to glance at the antecedents of our subject, whose father, Ebenezer Barr, was a native of Boston, Mass. From New England he emigrated early in

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life, prior to the War of 1812, to Erie County, Pa., and was there married to Miss Mehitable Palmer. Upon the coming on of the war mentioned, lie proffered his services as a soldier in the American Army, and later, after the struggle was ended was engaged as a carpenter in the ereetion of a block- house at Erie, l'a. He also assisted in fitting up the vessels connected with the fleet of Commodore Perry.

After the British were once more driven from American soil, the father of our subject settled down again in Erie County, Pa., where he lived until the summer of 1838. Ile then decided to seek his fortune in the young State of Illinois, and arrived in what is now known as Seott County, with his family that same year. They sojourned there one year. then changed their residence to a point four miles northwest of the present site of Jacksonville. where they also spent four years, and where the father died in 1844. The mother outlived her husband many years and died at quite an advaneed age at her home in Jacksonville, in about 1870.

Five sons and five daughters completed the house- hold eircle of the parents of our subjeet, and nine of the children lived to grow up. Alva Y., was the eldest born, and first opened his eyes to the light in the northeastern part of Erie County, Pa., Aug. 2, 1818. He there spent his boyhood days and was nearly twenty-one years of age when he came with the family to this county. Ile worked for his father as a carpenter most of the time until the death of the latter, and afterward gave his atten- tion principally to farming. He has been a res- ident of Woodson Preeinet for a period of forty- one years and is consequently known to the people of this seetion far and wide. Ilis farm comprises 100 aeres of valuable land, which he has brought to a high state of cultivation, but for the last few years he has given his attention largely to the breeding of Percheron horses. This industry ear- ried on intelligently and successfully has been the souree of a handsome ineome.

The 13th of June, 1848, witnessed the marriage of our subjeet with Miss Mary P. Crawley, the wedding taking place at the bride's home in Wood- son Preeinet. Mrs. Barr was born in Adair

County, Ky., June 25, 1827, and is the daughter of Asa and Hopestill (Crawley ) Crawley, who were also natives of the Blue Grass State. The father was a soldier in the War of 1812, and died of con- sumption while on duty at New Orleans. The motli- er subsequently eame to this county and was married to Ebenezer Hoag. They settled in Township 14, where her death took place Jan. 25, 1853. They were the parents of four children.

Of the children nine in number, born to Mr. and Mrs. Barr the record is as follows: Mattie A. is the wife of Henry Reeder, of Harvey County, Kan .; William W. remains at the homestead; Laura J. is the wife of Clark Simonds, of Washing- ton; Isador, (Mrs. Alexander P. Craig) lives in Colorado; Clara E. and Effie M. remain with their parents; Cora E., is the wife of Clifton Greene, of township 14; Eleanor is the wife of James M. Greene, of Greene County, this State; Lulu B., the youngest, remains under the home roof.

Mr. Barr, politically, votes the straight Demo- eratie tieket, and with his estimable wife and, all their children, belongs to the Christian Church. He has held several of the important offices of the township and is a man whose opinion is generally respected. He like most other men has met with his many drawbacks and discouragements. and in the summer of 1861 suffered the loss of his house and all its contents by fire. He is one of the com- paratively few men who have preserved as far as possible the outlines of the family history; and among other relies he has in his possession, is an ax which was used by his father in the construction of some of the war ships of Commodore Perry. This relic is naturally highly prized, and it is to be hoped will be carefully preserved by coming gen- erations.

ICHARD Y. DUNCAN. Among the younger men of this county, who have made their their own way unaided in the world, the subjeet of this sketeh deserves more than a. passing notice. He does a general blacksmithing business at Franklin, where he has built up a good patronage and enjoys a large measure of respect from its best. people. Ile was born in Jackson-

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ville, this county, Feb. 20. 1860, and received only the advantages of a common-school educa- tion, but nature endowed him with sound common- sense and the qualities of ambition and persever- ance which have enabled him to rise above adverse circumstances, and have gained him a good posi- tion among his fellow-men.

Our subject is the son of John B. Duncan, who was born in Tennessee Aug. 10, 1817. He came to this county during his early manhood, and oceu- pied himself as an attorney-at-law with admirable suecess, filling finally the position of County Judge. He was a man of very patriotie sentiments, and upon the ontbreak of the Rebellion enlisted as a Union soldier in Company H, 32d Illinois In- fantry. He was given a Captain's commission, and at the battle of Ilatchie, Oct. 5, 1862, suffered the loss of a limb. Upon his recovery, however, he returned to the army, but was taken ill from the effects of his wound, and died at his home, in Franklin, in the year 1864. Mrs. Adeline G. (Wright) Duncan, the mother of our suhjeet, was a native of Frankfort, Ky., born on the 17th of June, 1823, and came with her parents to this county in the year 1829. Grandfather Wright was a farmer by occupation, and spent his last years in Morgan County. To the parents of our subject there were born twelve children, eight of whom are living and four deceased, the latter being Henry, Jaines, Sarah, and Nellie. Margaret E. became the wife of John H. Reed, of Franklin, and they live in Bloomington, Ill., where Mr. Reed is em- ployed as a machinist and engineer; they have one child, a son, Walter. John II. married Miss Mary S. Rutledge, of Franklin; he is a blaeksinith by trade, and they have six children. Mary R. is the wife of Isam Seymour, a farmer of this county, and mother of nine children. William W. married Mary Gib- son, of this county, and is occupied as a teacher in Franklin; they have four children. Lilly B. is the wife of Lafayette Clayton, a farmer of this county, and they have five children; Charles B. is a black- smith by trade, in company with our subjeet, and remains a bachelor; Emma L. is the wife of John R. Jolly, a stock-dealer of Franklin, and they have five children.

The subject of this sketchi was mostly employed

during his younger years at blacksmithing, and when ready to establish domestic ties was united in marriage with Miss Carrie Reinlach, the wed- ding taking place at the bride's home, in Franklin, May 1, 1884. Mrs. Duncan was born April 2, 1862. in Franklin, of parents who were natives of Germany and came to America in 1849. They set- tled in Franklin, where the father engaged as a merehant and died Jan. 1, 1876. The widow sub- sequently married Gabriel Evans, of Jacksonville. Mr. and Mrs. Dunean have two children-Dessau W. and Meda M. Mr. Duncan belongs to the I. O. O. F., in which he has held the various offices of his lodge. llis wife is a member of the Chris- tian Church. Politically, our subject is a decided Prohibitionist, and is a member of the Town Board of Trustees. Both he and his brother Charles de- serve great credit for the perseverance with which they have labored, and on account of the position to which they have attained solely upon their own merits.

R M. SPRINGER of the city of Jacksonville, was born in Fayette County, Ky., near the city of Lexington. His parents were Fran- cis and Elsie (Runyon) Springer. The family circle included five children, viz .: Julia Ann, George, Catherine, our subject and Elizabeth; the latter died in Missouri in the year 1878.

The father of our subject who was born in the Blue Grass State, was by occupation a cabinet maker and carpenter. His father had migrated from Virginia in days when Kentucky was an al- most unknown region, and became one of the pio- neers of its settlement. In his day he was a prom- inent citizen and labored hard to bring his adopted State to the front so far as was in his power.

In the fall of 1833 our subject left Kentucky and came to this eounty. For a time he lived with his brother-in-law, Robert Castle, continuing until he was about twenty-five years of age, when he mar- ried. The interesting event was celebrated in the Autumn of 1844. The inaiden whom he had chosen as his companion in life was Eliza Alexan- der, one of Morgan County's fair daughters. As

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soon as he was married he began farming upon his own account and rented a farm for two years near Jacksonville. At the end of that time he pur- chased a farm twelve miles east of the eity and continued to live upon it for between ten and twelve years, when he sold it to advantage, and moved to Jacksonville, where he has continued to reside ever sinee.

The family circle of Mr. Springer ineludes five ehildren whose names are given as follows: Mary Aun, who still makes her home with her parents; Laura, who is happily married to David Hamilton of Greenwood County, Kan .; Catherine, who is single and is still at home: John T., who is now the husband of Eligel B. Banks; and Hettie who is also at home. The wife of our subject died in the year 1864, and in April, 1865, he became the hus- band of Mrs. Mary M. Long. He was again left a widower by her death, which occurred in Septem- ber, 1886. June 19, 1888, our subject was married to Mrs. Jennie Jones, a native of Jacksonville.

Our subjeet being one of the pioneers of the county has always been alive to its interests and has been by no means baekward in shouldering his share of effort and expense to bring it to the front and supply it with educational, benevolent, and re- ligious institutions and corporations of commercial value. He has been a resident of the county for fifty-four years, and is consequently strongly at- tached to it by all the ties of home and friendship that enter into a life in that period. His religious home is within the pale of the Christian Church, of which he is an earnest member and generous sup- porter. He is also connected with the Masonie fraternity, and has been raised to. the degree of a Master Mason. For many years he was a stanch adherent of the Republican party, but being im- pressed with the grave issues presented by the Pro- hibition party he has east in his lot with them, and now votes that tieket.

The Springer family is of Swedish origin. Abont the year 1700 Charles Christopher Springer was sent from his home in the eity of Stockholm to London, England, in order to be educated; but it so happened that he did not reach his destination. While on the way he was kidnapped and carried to the United States. where his services were sold for

his passage, and he continued to serve his master for five years. He settled in Wilmington, Del., and was granted a tract of land where Wilmington and New Castle now stand. The different mnem- bers of this family in the United States met at St. Louis for the double purpose of a family reunion and in order to ascertain if a title to the above grant of land could not be made out or discovered, as it is elaimed that the title is vested in the Springer family. The remains of Charles Christopher Springer rest in Wilmington, Del .. and the name is still intelligible on the marble slab that marks his last resting place. He was a finely educated man, and for many years oceupied the position of a lay- reader in the old Swedish Church. The subject of this sketch is the youngest of the fourth generation of the family in this country that claims an heir- ship to the above land grant. The issue at stake is not yet deeided, although hopes are still enter- tained that the matter may yet be righted.

ONAS LITER, known and honored as the founder of the village of Liter, is a member of a noted pioneer family of Morgan County, that came here in the early days of its set- tlement, and bore a prominent part in its develop- ment. He is living on the old homestead his father purchased fifty years ago. The farm owned by him, which he is managing with good profit, is one of the fairest and most valuable of the fine farms in this region. And he is considered one of the most enterprising and skillful of the practical agrieultur- ists of township 16. range 10.

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Portrait and biographical album of Morgan and Scott Counties, Illinois, Part 28

Author: Publication date: 1889 Publisher: Chicago, IL : Chapman Brothers Number of Pages: 632

Author:
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Chicago, IL : Chapman Brothers
Number of Pages: 632