USA > Illinois > Morgan County > Portrait and biographical album of Morgan and Scott Counties, Illinois > Part 32
USA > Illinois > Scott County > Portrait and biographical album of Morgan and Scott Counties, Illinois > Part 32
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W ILLIAM COVEY first saw the light of day in Knox County, Tenn., March 5, 1836. He and his twin brother, Samuel, came with their father, Robert Covey, to Morgan County in the fall of 1836, where the father made the ac- quaintance of Judge Samuel Wood, Dr. Moore and others. Robert Covey died in 1839. William Co- vey's mother, whosc maiden name was Ann Dodd, was also a native of Knox County, Tenn. In her
family (the Dodds) were six children. Her sister Adeline married E. C. Phetteplace, who resides near Petosky, Mich., where he is farming. He is the father of seven children. Nancy Todd mar- ried Andrew J. Man, who is a retired farmer, liv- ing at Franklin.
The subject of this sketch married Nancy Sey- mour, Feb. 7, 1860. The date of her birth is Nov. 29, 1842. Her father Richardson Seymour was a native of North Carolina, and came to Morgan County in 1828, and died June 1, 1888. Her mother is still living on the homestead. Mr. and Mrs. William Covey are the parents of three chil- dren, two of whom are dead. Mary E. was born Sept. 2, 1866, and died Oct. 13, 1871 ; Bartlett was born Sept. 2, 1866, and died Nov. 13, 1871; Hattie was born Feb. 13, 1874, and is at home with her parents.
Mr. Covey at the tender age of ten years, was thrown upon his own resources, He lived with Washington Hart, and at this time, came the period that was to try his mettle. Without friends, witli- out money, and nearly bereft of hope, he faced a cold and pitiless world, but with the resolution to come out a winner, which he did. He married, and after that event, purchased 200 acres of land with a small clearing, upon which he erected a cabin and stables, and commenced to improve his farm. He brought his land up to a high state of cultivation, put up better buildings, and at last he was in the possession of a model farmn. In 1883 he removed his family to Franklin, and there engaged in the business of conducting a livery, sale and feed stable. He has been eminently successful in his last venturc, and has built a fine residence, and barns suitable to carry on the business in which he-is engaged, and now carries a stock of horses, cutters and buggies that would do credit to a much larger place than Franklin.
Mr. Covey was one of the innumerable throng that caught up the refrain "We are Coming Father Abraham Three Hundred Thousand More," when the great war President in 1862 made a call for troops. Hc enlisted Aug. 11, of that year in the 101st regiment, and in the company commanded by Capt. Fanning. He was at the siege of Vicksburg, and was on the second boat that landed at the
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wharf of the beleaguered eity, after the surrender of the garrison. He was also at the battle of Resaea. Ga., Dallas, Ga., Atlanta, Evansboro, Ben- tonville, and participated in a large number of skirmishes. He was also with Sherman when he made his mareh to the sea. Ile then went to Rich- mond, and by that time hostilities had eeased, and he received an honorable discharge June 7, 1865.
Mr. Covey has always borne the reputation of being an honorable, conseientious, and upriglit eiti- zen. His judgment is mueh in request by his neigli- bors. Mrs. Covey is a communieant of the Baptist Church.
S ARAH (SAMPLE) CLARK, reliet of Will- iam C. Clark, is one of the early settlers of this county, and is now enjoying the fruits of her early hardships. Her husband was a native of Athens, Ohio, and was born Oct. 6, 1818. Ile eame to Menard County, Ill., in 1845, where he worked by the month, and in 1846 eame to Morgan County and worked by the month for a Mr. Warner, for four years. He then married Sarah Jane Sample, on Feb. 6, 1851. She died July 6 of the same year. Ile remained unmarried until Feb. 26, 1852, wlien he again was nnited in marriage, this time with the subject of this sketch. Ile first purchased eiglity aeres of land, and at dif- ferent times made additions to the original traet, until at the time of his death, which occurred July 13, 1882, he owned 290 acres of well-cultivated land, and upon which were ereeted buildings in keeping with this fine farm. His people were origin- ally from Holland. His grandfather was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. His mother traced her aneestry to Germany. Mr. Clark was one of nine children, a record of whom follows: Ruth married Joseph Meyers; he is de- eeased. They had ten children, six of whom are living. Elizabethi married Carl C. Shawen, who now resides on Mrs. Clark's farm as a tenant. They have five children. Winnie married Hubert Cox, of this county.
In the family of Mrs. Clark's parents there were ten children, seven of whom are living. The names of all the children are as follows: Nancy, Valentine,
Elizabeth, Andrew J., Martha, Mary, Washington, Lydia, Lucinda, and Sarah. Naney married John Taylor, of Madison County, Ill., and is now living in Nebraska; Valentine (dleeeased), married Jane Taylor, of Madison County; she is now living in IIardin County, Ill., with her husband, An- drew J. Sample. Martha married M. Morris. They are now living in this eounty, and have seven ehil- dren-Jacob, John, Allen, Margaret, Mary, Nora, and Solomon; Mary (deceased), married William Cullwell, of Morgan County, and liad three children -Lydia, Julia, and Amelia; Lydia married John W. Thomas and is now living in Dallas, Tex., on a stock raneh. They have four children-Allen, Ethel, Henry, and an infant. Washington married Ann Sample (deceased), by whom he had one child, William. He married again, this time to Mary A. Miller, of this eounty. Lucinda (deceased), mar- ried William Kidd, and is now living in Seott County. They have one ehild, John William.
William C. Clark, the husband of the subject of this sketeh, was on the list of the good citizens of this eounty, always ready and willing to help those who were less fortunate than he. He was a man highly esteemed by his neighbors, and a kind and affectionate husband. Socially he was a member of the Masonic fraternity, and also of the Odd Fellows. Politieally, he was a Whig, while that party was in existence, but gravitated into the Republican party, whose principles lie earnestly espoused.
Mrs. Clark has earned the unalloyed respeet of all her neighbors, and is fully entitled to it. She is a member of the Baptist Church. Elizabeth, a sister of Mrs. Clark, first married Leander Thomas, who was killed by a eyclone in Morgan County, and is now the wife of John M. Conlee, and resides in Macoupin County, Ill.
ILLIAM M. CORINGTON, a native of Morgan County, is a worthy descendant of one of its highly respected pioneer families. He owns a part of the farm that his paternal grand- fatlier developed from the wild, uneultivated prai- ries of the part of the county embraced in town- ship 16, range 9, his homestead being finely lo-
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cated on section 25. Here he is quite extensively engaged in raising and shipping cattle, having his farm well stocked with all it can carry, and selling from three to five car loads each year.
Joel Corington, the grandfather of our subject, was of Welsh descent, although a Kentnekian by' birth, having been born in Bourbon County, that State. lle was there reared and married, his union with Mary Ellen Nichols taking place in 1818. They lived in the blue grass region until 1835, when with their family and household effects they emigrated to Illinois, coming to this county and becoming its pioneers. They spent the first winter in Jacksonville, and in the spring of 1836 removed to this farm, where our subject now lives, which then comprised 270 acres. They made their home here until about 1855, when they returned to Jack- sonville, where, in the course of nature, they both died, aged, respectively, eighty-seven and seventy- three years. When they first came here the coun- try roundabout was very thinly settled, and the markets were far distant, and the grandfather had to drive his hogs either to St. Louis or to Alton to dispose of them.
John W. Corington, the father of our subject, was born in Kentucky in 1824, the fourth child in a family of cight belonging to his parents. He was a boy of eleven years when he accompanied his parents to their new home in Morgan County, and here, amid its pioneer : scenes, he was reared to man's estate. lle married Miss Ann E., daughter of Robert and Mary Cassell. Her father was of German ancestry, and was a native of Bourbon County, Ky., and her mother was of Irish descent, and was also a native of that county. They came to this State in 1835, and lived on their farm in this county east of Jacksonville many years, and - finally retired from active life to that city, and there he spent his last days, and she is still living there at an advanced age. After marriage the parents of our subject began housekeeping in this township, but four years later Mr. Corington pur- chased a farm nine miles east of Jacksonville, and removed to it with his family, and he is still living- tlicre, enjoying a competence that he has gathered together by frugality and well-directed toil. The faithful wife and devoted mother, who had shared
his labors, and had greatly aided him to become prosperous, closed her cyes in death, Aug. 5, 1884, aged fifty-seven years. Of their ten children eight survive, and all were born and reared on the farmn where the father now lives, except their eldest daughter, Mary E., now the wife of Thomas Corcoran, who was born in this township. The others are Frank, Robert; Emma, now Mrs. Jacob H. Strawn; Kate, now Mrs. Marven Thompson; John B., Charles Clifton; Jennie, now Mrs. Woods. Frank and Robert are deccased. The father has married again, Mrs. Grace Kurtz becoming his wife.
William M., our subject, was reared on his father's farm to an energetic, capable manhood. Ilis educational opportunities were exceedingly limited, but he made the most of them, and is to- day an unusually intelligent and well-informed man. Oct. 20, 1869, he took a step that has liad an important bearing on his after life, in his mar- riage on that date to Miss Alice, daughter of Martin and Elizabeth (Peacock) Tincher. Soon after mar- riage Mr. and Mrs. Corington established them- selves on a farm in this township, but after living here six years they removed to Jefferson County, Neb., and Mr. Coringtou engaged in the mercantile business in Fairberry. A year later he returned to his native State and rented this farm of his grand- father, and four years later bought 196 acres of it, which he still owns, and devotes his time to its cultivation and to raising and shipping stock, as before noted. His farm is one of the choicest in this part of the county, and is well fenced, and is provided with a comfortable dwelling and other commodions buildings.
Mr. and Mrs. Corington's family consists of five children-Claude M., Clinton F., John M., Bessie E., Lew E., all of whom are receiving fine cduca- tional advantages.
Mr. Corington is a man whosc stability of char- acter, sturdy self-respect, and genuine honesty of purpose are well calenlated to win the highest res- pcet of his fellow-citizens, by whom he is well liked. He is a hard-working man, and has accu- mulated a comfortable property, whose value is in- creasing under his careful, prudent management. He is so busy attending to his private affairs that he has never had time to entertain a desire for public
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office, but as a good eitizen he does his duty at the polls, voting the Democratie ticket on eaeh elec- tion day. He and his highly esteemed wife belong to the Christian Church, and their daily lives are guided by its teachings.
C HRISTIAN L. MEYER. The attention of the traveler passing the homestead of Mr. Meyer is at onee attracted to the fine resi- ‹lenee with its tasteful surroundings, the neat and substantial barn and other outbuildings, together with the machinery and live-stoek, which indicate in a forcible manner the character of the proprietor for industry and enterprise. The farm embraces 310 aeres, and has been the property of Mr. Meyer for the past eight years, he having settled here in the spring of 1881.
Prior to becoming a resident of this township, Mr. Meyer lived at Hegener Station, Cass County, where he had eondueted a large farm with most excellent results. He came to Cass County in 1868 from St. Louis, where he was engaged in the buteli- ering business. With the exception of four years spent in Iowa he had resided in St. Louis sinee 1867. Ile was born in Prussia, May 20, 1842, and eomes of pure German stoek, being the son of Frederick Meyer, who was accidentally killed in a stone quarry, while in the prime of life. Our sub- jeet was then seareely more than an infant, and had one brother, Henry, older than himself. The mother, Mrs. Charlotte (Klamen) Meyer, after the death of her first husband, was subsequently mar- ried to Charles Fink. They emigrated to the United States in 1854, landing in New Orleans and thenee making their way up the Mississippi to St. Louis, Mo.
In St. Louis, the mother of our subject and one of her children by Mr. Fink, died in less than a month after landing, of cholera, and were buried in the same grave. Mr. Fink was subsequently mar- ried a second time in St. Louis and settled in Des Moines County, Iowa, not far from the city of Burlington, where he is still living and is now quite aged; his second wife is also deceased.
. Our subjeet after the death of his mother started
out for himself, and has sinee made his own way in the world. Upon reaching man's estate he was married in Cass County, Ill., to Miss Elizabeth Weiss. This lady was born in that county and is the daughter of John and Catherine Weiss, who were among its earliest pioneers. By their indus- try and frugality they built up a good home and there spent their last days. They were natives of Germany and emigrated to the United States in their youth. It is supposed that they were mar- ried in Cass County, Ill., and there they reared a family of four daughters, all of whom are living except the wife of our subjeet. She died on the 16th of March, 1888, at the age of nearly forty years, having been born Mareh 28, 1848.
Mrs. Meyer was the eldest one of the four sis- ters. The others are all married and have families of their own. They were all carefully trained and Mrs. Meyer was piously inelined from her child- hood and before her marriage, belonging to the Lutheran Church. She assisted her husband great- ly in his efforts to build up a home and obtain something for the future, and her death was deep- ly mourned, not only by him, but by all who knew her. Of this congenial union there were born eleven children, three of whom are deceased; namely: Jolm, Laura, and Benjamin, all of whom died young. The survivors are Bertha A., Charles F., Arthur J., Harry W., Lewis C., Olie H., Elmer H., and Paul J. Mr. Meyer, politieally, is a stanch Republican, and as was his estimable wife, is now a member of the Lutheran Church.
S AMUEL N. BRIDGEMAN. This young inan just starting out in life for himself, is comfortably established on a 40-acre farm in township 15, range 11, seetion 2, and also operates other land. The first mentioned has been brought to a good state of cultivation and provided with very good buildings. Mr. Bridgeman has spent his entire life in this eounty, of which he is a native, having been born in Con- cord Precinet, May 7, 1856. He is perfectly fam- iliar with agricultural pursuits. having been bred to farm life from his boyhood, and there is -
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no reason to doubt that his future will be prosper- ous in a community where he is held in mueh re- speet.
James Bridgeman, the father of our subjeet, was a native of Virginia, whence he emigrated to this county late in the fifties. He was a farmer by trade, and after coming to Illinois followed this for a time, then purchased sixty aeres in Arcadia Preeinct, where he lived until the outbreak of the Civil War. Under one of the special calls for troops by President Lincoln, he enlisted as a Union soldier in the 101st Illinois Infantry under command of Col. Fox, and which was assigned to the Army of the Tennessee. He participated in all the battles of his regiment nntil near the close of the war when he was taken ill and died in 1864, at Holly Springs. He was strieken down in the prime of life, being less than forty years of age. The wife and mother is still living, making her home in Concord Prceinet, and is now fifty-six years old. Her maiden name was Virginia Hen- derson. She was born in Arcadia Preeinct, and was the daughter of Aaron Henderson, a native of Virginia, and who was one of the carliest settlers of this county, where he spent his last days. He came to Illinois with his family during the winter of the deep snow, which covered the fences and upon the surface of which there was formed so strong a crust that the people conld ride over it with safety. Mr. Henderson died about 1849. His wife, Mrs. Sally (Boles) Henderson, is still living in Areadia Precinct and is now eighty-five . years old. The Hendersons were of Seotel Pres- byterian stock.
Mr. and Mrs. Bridgeman, became the parents of three children, viz: Samnel N., our subject; Lucinda, the wife of William Ader, who lives on a farm in Arcadia Precinct; and James, who married Miss Anna Gilmore, and is also a resident of that pre- cinct. Samnel N. remained with his mother at the homestead until his marriage to Miss M. Rachel Erickson. This lady was born June, 1858, in Ind- iana, and came to Illinois with her parents in the fall of 1890. The latter were James B. and Naney E. (Patten) Erickson, and they settled in Arcadia Precinct. They are still there. Mrs. Bridgeman remained under the home roof until her marriage.
She is now the mother of two children-James E. and Minerva P. Mr. Bridgeman, politieally. supports the principles of the Democratic party, and both he and his wife are members in good standing of the Methodist Church.
OIIN BRACEWELL. In the life history here presented we have a forcible illustra- tion of what a man may accomplish by steady perseverance and untiring energy. Mr. Bracewell, now the owner of 700 acres of land in Morgan and Greene counties, this State, began life on the lowest round of the ladder, having only $1.50 at the time he and his young wife commenced housekeeping. He had come to a country wild and unsettled, with railroads and markets far away, and with limited facilities for prosecuting farming or any other business. He had no farm machinery, but he secured a tract of land, and as best he could, the implements necessary for tilling the soil and putting in the first season's crops.
Life passed with the young people amid many privations and hardships for the first few years, and then they began to realize that they were making some headway. The qualities which our subject had inherited from his substantial English ancestry were bound to win, and his career has been a mar- vel as much to himself, perhaps, as to those who have watched him. A native of Lancashire, Eng- land, Mr. Braeewell was born Feb. 14, 1816, and is the son of Henry and Amy (Wright) Braeewell. The father emigrated to America when the boy, Jolin, was but an infant of a few weeks, leaving his family in England.
Soon after landing in New York City, the father of our subject made his way to Pittsburg, and then over the mountains to Cincinnati, Ohio, where he joined his brother-in-law, Joseph Wright, and en- gaged in a tannery. Later he started southwestward for New Orleans, and was never again seen by his family, all trace of him even being lost. John was reared by his mother and grandfather, John Wright.
Our subject was a man of more than ordinary intelligence, and was self-educated, having never attended school. He lived on a farm until fifteen
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MORGAN COUNTY.
years old and then met with an accident which left him a eripple, and he then learned the shoemaker's trade at which he served until reaching his major- ity. Then opening a shop for himself in Derby- shire, he conducted this prosperonsly for three years, giving employment to many men besides himself. The voyage to America, in 1840, was made on a sailing vessel, the "John Taylor," which left Liver- pool on the 5th of August and was wrecked by a storm off the Island of Cuba, where the passengers who were saved remained about twenty days, until re-embarking on another vessel, by which they reached New Orleans. Mr. Bracewell was thus ten weeks en route to America, and in the Crescent City followed his trade thereafter for several months. Thence he removed to a point eighty miles from Cincinnati, Ohio, with his uncle, Joseph Wright, and in 1841 came to Illinois and purchased thirty acres of land in Greene County. Subse- quently he entered forty acres from the Govern- ment and transformed this from a wild prairie into a productive and valuable farm, while at the same time, as opportunity offered, he employed himself at his trade.
For the first few years Mr. Bracewell and wife occupied a small log-cabin on his Greene County farm, and in due time was enabled to build a het- ter home. He had been married on the 5th of March, 1842, to Miss Sarah Whitlock. This lady was born in Russell County, Ky., Feb. 15, 1815, to William and Rose A. Whitlock, who were natives of Virginia, but who settled in Kentucky at an early day. They lived in the Blue Grass State, prob- ably fifteen years, then coming to Illinois, settled four miles south of what was then the unimpor- tant village of Jacksonville, in time to experience the rigors of the deep snow which followed. A few months later they changed their location to the southern part of this county, where they spent the remainder of their lives.
While financially prosperous Mr. and Mrs. Brace- well have been visited by affliction in the loss of all their children-Henry, died at the age of thirty years; Amy, Rosanna, and Mary, all died early in life. They removed from the farm in Grcene County to Murrayville in the spring of 1866, and although in a condition to lay aside the cares and
labors of life, the active temperament of Mr. Brace- well will not permit him to be idle and now, at the age of over seventy-three years, he looks after his interests with his characteristic good judgment and much of his old time energy.
While not a member of any religions organiza- tion, Mr. Bracewell acknowledges the value of the Church in a community, and contributes his full share to its support. He is a Democrat in politics, and has served as School Director and in other local offices in Greene County. About 1862 he identified himself with the Masonic fraternity and now belongs to the Lodge at Murrayville. The story of his pioneership, told in all its details, would make a large and interesting volumc. His mother never came to America and died in England, No- vember, 1887, at the advanced age of ninety-three years.
EVI F. TICKNOR. As a nursery man and fruit-grower. Mr. Ticknor is acknowledged on all sides to be a success. He owns and operates forty acres of very choice land, sitnated on section 10, township 15, range 11, where he has made his residence since 1858, and, since 1868, las given his attention almost exclusively to his pres- ent business. He carries a full and complete stock of the best varieties of the choicest fruits, and his long experience has made him an expert in regard to the proper care and treatment to be exercised in connection therewith.
Mr. Ticknor came to Illinois from his native State, New York, in the spring of 1858. He was born in Upper Lisle Township, Broome County, that State, Aug. 13, 1825, and is the son of Elias and Mary (Covy) Ticknor. Elias Ticknor, also a native of Broome County, was born on the farm that had been taken up in the woods by his father, Elias Tieknor, Sr., and was one of a family of nine children, six sons and three daughters. Grandfather Ticknor was a native either of New Hampshire or Massachusetts, and sprang from a family which had settled in New England probably during the Colonial days. They were mostly engaged in agricultural pursnits, and were almost uniformly well-to-do, and people noted for their honesty and integrity. Grandfather Tick-
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nor was married in early manhood to Miss Lydia Bingham, and not long afterward emigrated to Broome County, N. Y., where he settled in the woods, and gradually eleared up a farm. After liv- ing to the advanced age of eighty-four years, he was accidentally killed by falling from a shed. His good wife had preceded him to the silent land some years.
Elias Tieknor, Jr., the father of our subjeet, was reared at the homestead in Broome County, N. Y., and in that county was married to Miss Mary Covy, a native of New York State, who traced her an- cestry to Holland. After emigrating to the United States, they settled in Broome County, N. Y., at a very early day. The parents of our subjeet, after their marriage, began their wedded life at the old Ticknor farm, where they lived for a few years, then removed to Grandfather Covy's farm in the same county, where they spent the remainder of their days; the father dying at the age of fifty-eight years, and the mother soon afterward at about the same age.
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