Portrait and biographical album of Morgan and Scott Counties, Illinois, Part 46

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 46
USA > Illinois > Scott County > Portrait and biographical album of Morgan and Scott Counties, Illinois > Part 46

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Mr. Dinwiddie's paternal grandfather, William Dinwiddie, was a native of Ireland, and, after coming to this country, he located in Kentucky, was twice married, and spent his last days in that State, of which he was a pioneer, having been an early settler of Bourbon -County. His first wife was Martha McConnell, and they had seven chil- dren: William, Thomas, James, Samuel, Joseph, Julia, and Martha A. His second marriage was to Miss Reynolds, by whom he had two sons, John and David. His son, Thomas C., came to Illinois from the old Kentucky home about the year 1826, and was engaged in blacksmithing in Galena the ensuing nine months. At the expiration of that time he came to this county, and located on the farm where our subject is living. He established himself in the tannery business, and conducted it several years. In the spring of 1830 he took unto himself a wife in the person of Miss Vizilla Sims, and she was of great help to him in the founding of a pleasant home, and aided him in making his life a success during the years that they walked its paths together. Her parents, the Rev. James

and Dolly (Spillars) Sims, brought her from Ken- tucky, where she was born in 1811, to Illinois, then a territory, in 1815. They located first in Madi- son County; two years later removed to Sanga- mon County, and six years after that, in 1823, came to this county, and were among its earliest settlers. Jacksonville, now the county seat, was then only a small hamlet, with a few small log houses and one little store. Mr. Sims, who was an earnest Methodist and a fervent expounder of the Gospel, became the first preacher in this part of the county. He also engaged in farming, and had a farm north of the centre of township 16, range 10 west, on section 18, and there his wife died. He later sold that place and lived some years with his children, and died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Elizabeth Black, in Sangamon County.

The farm belonging to the father of our subject joined his father-in-law's on the west, and he and his young wife began housekeeping in a log cabin, 16x16 feet, with a clapboard roof, a clapboard door on the south side, and a window of six panes of glass, 8x10, on the north side. They lived there several years, and in that humble abode our sub- ject was born. Later his father bought an interest in a tan-yard owned by his brother-in-law, Wesley Sims, and then removed to a farm house which he had built near the yard. He and his family lived in that many years, but in 1857 he erected and took possession of the house where our subject now lives. Ile was not spared to enjoy his new home many months, for in 1858 he was gathered to his fathers, having rounded out a good life that was useful to himself and beneficial to others. Ile was a man of influence in this community, and was greatly beloved by his neighbors. Ile had been Justice of the Peace of this township many years, and in that capacity always sought to promote amity among those about him. To him and his wife came nine children, as follows: William, de- ceased ; James; Andrew, deceased; Samuel ; Helen married W. K. Richardson, and died in this county ; Martha A. married Mr. Thomas Richards; Thomas; Isabelle and David, deceased. The mother is a cherished member of the household of our sub- ject, and, although she has reached the advanced age of seventy-eight years, she is still hale and

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active. She is a firm Christian, and an esteemed member of the Protestant Methodist Church. Her daughter, Mrs. Richards, accompanied her husband to California soon after their marriage, and on their return they staid at Salt Lake City more than a year, and their first child was born in that Mormon stronghold.

The subject of this biography was reared on the farm, and gleaned his education in the primitive log schoolhouse, with slabs for seats, and other rude furnishings. He early adopted the calling to which he had been bred, and for which he has a natural aptitude, and now owns his father's home- stead and the seventy acres besides before referred to, his farm being pleasantly located in township 16, on sections 18 and 7, range 10, and on section 16 of range 11. Ile has his farm well tilled and well stocked with cattle of good grades, and has a fine, large frame house, a commodious barn and other suitable farm buildings, all in good order.

To the lady who presides over his pleasant home, and graciously aids him in dispensing its boun- teous hospitalities, Mr. Dinwiddie was united in marriage, in January, 1865. Mrs. Dinwiddie's maiden name was Anna H. Richardson, and she was born in Hamilton County, Ohio, her parents, Josiah and Beulah (Kelsey) Richardson, natives of Pennsylvania, having located there soon after their marriage. They came to this county in Feb- ruary, 1866, and spent their last days here. The first of the Richardson family to come West was William K., who married our subject's sister Helen. Next came Anna Richardson on a visit to her brother William, and she never returned to her old home, as she was wooed and won by our subject. Then came Hattie Richardson, and she met with the same fate that befell her sister, our subject's brother Thomas winning her for his wife. Father Richardson was of an intensely patriotic nature, and, notwithstanding he was past fifty years old when the war broke out, he offered his services to the Government as a soldier, and, on being re- jected in that capacity, he joined the 1st Artillery of Ohio as a mechanic, and did good service in that calling three years and one month, and was then discharged on account of ill-health.

Mr. Dinwiddie possesses in an eminent degrec

the best traits of his ancestry, and to these, per- haps, he owes his good fortune. His fellow-citi- zens, recognizing his ability, and respecting him for his unblemished character, saw fit to elect him to the responsible office of Township Treasurer seventeen years ago, and so satisfactory has his ad- ministration of the affairs of that position been that they have kept him there ever since. He is prominently connected with the A. O. U. W. as a member of Freeman Lodge No. 60 of Arcadia. Mrs. Dinwiddie belongs to the Methodist Epis- copal Church, and leads an exemplary Christian life. They are the parents of three children, viz: Owen Guy, Horace Wayne, and James Garfield.

M ANTON COX, an English-born citizen of Bethel Precinct, is numbered among its most enterprising and prosperous men, be- ing the owner of a fine farm 240 acres in extent, and located on section 33, township 16, range 12. Mr. Cox is a little over fifty-two years of age, having been born April 28, 1837, in Rut- land County, England, and is the son of William and Ann ( Manton) Cox, who spent their entire lives upon their native soil.

Our subject remained a resident of his native country until reaching his majority, receiving a somewhat limited education, but being trained by his wise parents to those habits of industry and frugality, which laid the foundation of his success in life. As a youth he was more than ordinarily ambitious, and not being satisfied with his condi- tion or his surroundings in the home of his youth, determined to see what lay beyond the Atlantic. Accordingly in the fall of 1858 he secured passage on a sailing-vessel bound from Liverpool to New Orleans, and reached the latter city after a voyage of nine weeks.

Mr. Cox from the Crescent City made his way directly to this county, where he secured employ- ment on a farm at $13 per month. In due time he met his fate in the person of Miss Charlotte Thorp. to whom he was married on the 8th of May, 1859. This lady was born April 25, 1834, in Rutland County, England, and is the daughter of Danit?

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MORGAN COUNTY.

and Susan (Knight) Thorp, who were natives of England. The young people began their wedded life together in Morgan County, and they are now the parents of nine children, eight of whom are liv- ing. Mary A. is the wife of Henry Urven, of Kan- sas; Ellen E. married Samnel Brockhouse, of this county; Charles R. is farming in Bethel Precinct; William 11., Frank S., Sarah E., Susan I., George T. are at home with their parents; Jolin died when three years old.

Mr. Cox first farmed on rented land east of Con- cord village for a short time, then removed to the Meredosia bottoms where lie sojourned two years. He settled on his present place in 1874, and has brought his land to a good state of cultivation. He has effected all the improvements which have made it a valuable piece of property, and in his labors has been ably assisted by his excellent and sensible wife, who has borne with him the heat and burden of the day. Mrs. Cox is a lady respected by all, and a member in good standing of the Methodist Protestant Churchi.

Our subject, politically, affiliates with the Demo- eratic party, and keeps himself well posted upon events of interest to the intelligent citizen. In the fall of 1883 he crossed the ocean to old England, and spent six weeks very pleasantly among the friends and associations of his boyhood. Mrs. Cox visited the old home in the summer of 1886, so- journing in England two months. The Cox home- stead comprises 220 acres of land, while Mr. Cox owns twenty acres in the vicinity of Jacksonville. Ile commenced in life at the foot of the ladder, and by his own perseverance and energy has attained to a good position among liis fellow men, and better than all enjoys their entire confidence and esteem.

H. POTTS, of the firm of Potts & Son, breeders of fine Short-horn cattle, is located on a splendid stock farm just west of Jack- sonville, and which consists of 230 aeres of land. This farm has been admirably arranged for the purposes of stock-raising. Messrs. Potts & Son have been very successful in their efforts to sustain a good strain of the celebrated cattle which

they breed. The present head of their herd of about seventy-five eattle, is the well-known Imp King, of Aberdeen, a splendid animal four years of age, and one of the very best of the Cruikshank breed.

Mr. Potts began the breeding of Short-horn cat- tle in 1869, his first start being with the fine cow, Bell Morland. By intelligent purchases and a strict adherence to business, he lias constantly added to his herd until he now has as fine a lot of cattle as one wishes to see. He has exhibited his stock through this State, Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Nebraska, and at all points his cattle have been received with applause. He has had many com- petitors, but as a rule he has brought home the blue ribbon. His herd has taken more than $33,000 in premiums, and all this is the result of persistently working to get the best in his line. .

In connection with their cattle breeding, Potts & Son have made a specialty of South Down sheep. They have a flock of more than fifty head, which has been a source of revenne both at fairs and fat stock shows at Chicago and Kansas City. The firm of Potts & Son was established in 1876, and has been a sueeess from the beginning. They never omit anything in the way of aiding their ambition to own the best herd of eattle in the country.

J. II. Potts has been a resident of Morgan County since 1868. Ile is a native of Illinois, and was born near Whitehall, Dec. 7, 1823. His father, William Potts was born'in New Castle, England, and was the son of English parents. William Potts' father was Dr. Anthony Potts, of New Castle, En- gland. Dr. Potts married an English lady, and after the birth of William Potts, in 1796, the fam- ily came to America, and while on the sca, one child, Ann, was born. On landing, Dr. Potts lived for a few years in New York, when he later eame to Fayette County, Ohio, where he located near Washington, and as a matter of course was one of the early settlers of that county. There the doc- tor and family lived until 1820, when they came to Greene County, Ill. This afterward became the home of Dr. Potts, exeept a few years when he lived in Burlington, Iowa. He died near White- hall, this state, in the year 1852, and at the time of

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his death, was ninety-three years old. He was a Presbyterian, and politically, aeted with the Whig party. His first wife, who came to America with him, died in Fayette County, Ohio, being then a little past middle life. She was also a Presbyterian, and was the mother of six ehildren, each of whom grew to manhood and womanhood. After the death of his first wife, the Doetor again married, and his second wife was killed in Ohio by a run- away team. She was a Mrs. Smith when she mnar- ried Dr. Potts.

William Potts, the father of the one whose name appears at the head of this sketeh, was reared in Fayette County, Ohio, until he became of age. Ile was married in Ohio, to Miss Margaret Parker, who was born in Virginia. Iler parents were Absalom and Massy (Cooper) Parker. They removed from Virginia to Fayette County, Ohio, when their daugh- ter, Margaret was ten years old. Absalom Parker lived in Fayette County until after the death of his wife, when he eame West to Illinois, where he joined his children, and lived with them until his death.

William Potts and wife had one ehild born to them while living in Fayette County. In 1820 he started for Illinois with a keel boat, his route being via the Sciota River, thenee to the Ohio River down to Cairo, Ill., when they aseended the Missis- sippi River, cordeling the boat; they would take a rope and go in a drift and tie the rope to a tree and go back to the boat and get hold of the rope and pull up to the tree and go again. Ile after- ward located in Greene County, as it is now ealled, it then being Madison County, Ill. They lived then on what is now called the old .Judge Woodson farm. Later he located in Apple Creek Prairie, and lived there until he died, at the age of sixty-eight. Po- litieally, he was a Whig, afterward a Republican, and belonged to the Methodist Church. Ilis wife survived him, and died in 1873, aged seventy-five years. She also died in the Methodist faith.

J. H. Potts is the third child of a family of seven, four sons of whom yet survive. lle was reared at home as a farmer's boy, and when twenty- four years old, was married near Whitehall, Greene County, Ill., Mareh 30, 1848, to Miss Nancy Smith. She was a native of Virginia, and was born in Au-

gust, 1829, and died at her home in Greene County, June 4, 1855. She was one of the best of women and was deeply mourned. She left two sons, one of whom died on the 11th of July, 1855. The one liv- ing. William T., is now Mr. Potts' partner in business. He is married and lives on a farm. Mr. J. H. Potts married for his second wife, Mrs. Louisa Ransdell, nee Green, daughter of Stephen and Cynthia ( Riggs) Green, now both deceased. Mrs. Green died in Jacksonville, in April 1879, at an advanced age. She was a member of the Christian Church. Mr. Green died at Jacksonville, Jan. 4, 1889, aged nearly eighty-one years. He was also a member of the Christian Church, and politically, was a Repub- . liean. Mrs. Louisa M. Potts was born in this eounty, Nov. 2, 1829, and here she was reared and edueated. Messrs. Potts & Son are Republicans.

ACOB STOUT. This gentlemen has spent nearly sixty-four years in this county-in fact his entire life with the exception of about six months, when he was bronght here by his parents from the vicinity of Cineinnati, Ohio, where he was born March 7, 1825. Under these circumstances his chief interests have natur- ally centered here, and while growing up with the country he has been elosely identified with the matters pertaining to its development and progress .** lle eomes of excellent New England stoek, being the son of Nathaniel Stout, who was born in New Jersey, and was the son of Abraham Stout, a cooper by trade, who lived to be eighty years old and spent his entire life in New England. lle was a Baptist in religion and was twiee married.

Nathaniel Stout was reared to man's estate in his native county, and married a distant kinswoman Miss Catherine Stout, of Ohio, and the daughter of Jesse Stout, a patriot of the war of 1812. The lat- ter eame to this county when nearly one hundred years old, and died nearly fifty years ago. His wife survived him and passed away at the home of her daughter Catherine after she had beeome a eentenarian. Both Jesse Stout and his wife were Baptists in religion. Nathaniel and his wife after

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their marriage settled a few miles from Cincinnati, Ohio, where the father conducted a distillery, but after the birth of their first child, our subjeet, they determined to change their location and occupation, and came overland to Illinois. The father took up a Government tract near the site of the present city of Jacksonville, which cost him $1.25 per acre and which he sold for $30 per aere. He then removed to Scott County.

Upon first coming to Illinois Nathaniel Stout landed with a capital of $50 and a team of horses which would at this day be considered of very lit- tle value. At the expiration of twelve years and preparatory to his removal to Scott County, he sold out for $10,000 and purchased land from which he improved two farms. These also in time he sold and removed to a point near the Ohio River in Pike County, where he began boating and was thus occupied until his death, which took place when he was about fifty-three years old. Ilis career had been more than ordinarily active and industrious and presented a fine illustration of the results of persevering labor and good management. Ilis wife survived him about three years, dying in the spring of 1853, when about fifty-four years old. Their family consisted of five daughters and one son our subjeet, and they are all living, making their homes mostly in Illinois.

Jacob Stout was first married in this county, in 1843, to Miss Harriet Sprang, who was born here, where she was reared and educated, and who died in Wapello County, Iowa, Feb. 20, 1848. They had removed to Iowa after their marriage. There · was one child born of this union, a daughter, Sarah, who died at the age of twenty-four years. Mr. Stout was married the second time, Dee. 24, 1849, to Miss Elizabeth Deaten. This lady was born near Jacksonville, July 21, 1836, and is the daugh- ter of Joseph and Sarah (Cook) Deaten, who both died here, the father in 1880, at the age of seventy- four years and the mother in 1883, aged seventy- five. The latter was a native of Virginia whence she came to this county with her father, James Deaten, in 1821, when but a few people had set- tled here. He was thus one of the earliest pioneers and became one of the most prominent men of this county. Ile put up the first mill within its limits

northwest of the present site of Jacksonville, and became widely and favorably known. llis death was the result of a fall from an apple tree. His wife, Mrs. Elizabeth (Pollard) Deaten, had passed away prior to the decease of her husband; both were active members of the Methodist Church, and the first class-meeting in the county was or- ganized and held at their house. Their home also became the stopping place of the itinerant.

Mrs. Elizabeth Stout was the eldest of five children born to her mother-two sons and three daughters -and she remained a member of the parental household until her marriage. The seven children born of her union with our subjeet, are recorded as follows: Marshall married Miss Mary E. Rawlings and lives on a farm in the same township as his fa- ther; Albert married Miss Ellen Parks and is also in township 15; William makes his home with his brother Marshall, and they farm together; Joseph married Miss Anna Lake, is a carpenter by trade and lives in Beardstown, this State; Lizzie A., Alta M., and Charles are at home with their parents.

After the outbreak of the Civil War, Mr. Stout on the 2d of September, 1862, enlisted as a Union soldier in Company D, 101st Illinois Infantry, the Company under command of Capt. Kaufman and the regiment commanded by Col. Fox. They were assigned to the 11th Army Corps and for a time were under Gen. Howard. Later they were con- solidated with the 20th Army Corps under Grant and Sherman, and our subjeet participated in the siege of Vieksburg, and was one of four compan- ions who eseaped being captured by the Rebels. He next fought at Chattanooga and was with his regiment near Resaca, May 14, 1864. The follow- ing day he was struck by a shell from the battery which was playing upon the Infantry, having his right leg torn from his body. He was conveyed to a hospital where he was confined several months, when he was sent North and received his honorable discharge, Jan. 1, 1865. He also suffered a great deal from sickness and now draws a pension from the Government,

Mr. Stout votes the straight Republican ticket, first, last and altogether, and has served as Justice of the Peace. He is naturally identified with the G. A. R. Both he and his estimable wife are mem-

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bers in good standing of the Methodist Episcopal Church in which Mr. Stout officiates as Trustee, and in which he is a chief pillar. The father of Mr. Stout was a soldier in the Black Hawk War.

W ILLIAM P. CRAIG who is variously cn- gaged in business at Woodson as a grain buyer, general merchant and manufacturer of bricks and tiling, and in that connection sustains a reputation most favorable, was born on the 31st of July, 1836. He is the son of Edward and Mary Ann Craig, of Kentucky, and the place of his nativity was Morgan County, Ills. The grand- father James Craig, was born in Virginia, emigra- ted to Kentucky and later in life, to Illinois, and was one of the founders of the old school Presby- terian Church near Jacksonville, known as Union Church, organized Oct. 2, 1831, of which he was one of the first Elders, which office he held to his death.

The father of our subject, was born near Shel- byville, Ky., 1807. He followed agricultural pur- suits both in his native state and this. He was one of Morgan County's pioneers, and came to Illinois in 1830, entering land almost immediately upon his first arrival, nine miles southeast of Jackson- ville, upon which farm he lived until his death, March 30, 1883. He was a member of the Presby- terian Church, and for thirty-five years was one of its ruling elders. In early life his political rela- tions were with the Whig party, but in later years he was numbered with the Republicans. Both hus- band and wife were members of the same religious communion and sustained a faultless reputation in connection therewith. The wife was born in Win- chester, Ky., in 1811, and died Aug. 20, 1879.

The maternal grandfather of our subject, Wil- liam C. Posey, was a Virginian by birth, and in youth moved to Kentucky, and came to this State in 1827, when Morgan County was in its infancy. He made his home in the vicinity of what is now Jacksonville, but at that time could hardly aspire to the dignity of a village. IIe entered a tract of land just east of the present city limits, and there continued farming until his death. Ile is on re-

cord as being one of the founders of the Presby- terian Church of Jacksonville, which was organ- ized June 30, 1827, at which time the nearest Pres- byterian Church was seventy-five miles. This church is known now as then, as the Jacksonville Presbyterian Church. He was also one of the foun- ders of the Illinois College in the same city. The first Board of Trustees of this institution were elected on the 5th of December, 1829, and the name of William C. Posey is found as one of the board. To his self-sacrifice and patient continu- ance in spite of difficulties and discouragements, and his unquestioned ability, the College owes much of its reputation and success. He was a zeal- ous worker, an excellent citizen, and a thorough and well educated man. In politics he was a Whig.

The family of which our subject is a member in- cluded seven children, five of whom are sons, of whom our subject was the first-born. The others were Ann E., James G., George E., Belle M., Lloyd A., and Alexander P. Of these all survive excepting Ann E. and James, the former of whom departed this life in infancy, the latter in the year 1858, being seventeen years old.

On the 20th of February, 1862, Mr. Craig and Mary M. Flatford, were united in wedlock. She is the daughter of Nathaniel and Louisa (Harney) Flatford, the former of whom was born in Virginia and the latter in Kentucky. Mr. Flatford in early life learned the trade of a cabinet maker and follow- ed the same for many years in Jacksonville. Af- ter this he turned his attention to farming, and continued thus employed until his death, August, 1883. They were both members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and were regarded as true mem- bers of the same. They were the parents of four children, of whom Mrs. Craig was the third born to them.

The subject of our sketch has been engaged in farming for many years and still retains the farm on which he resided before moving to Woodson. All the recollections of his childhood and early years cluster around the farm of his father, where he obtained his first knowledge of agricultural pur- suits. Ile continued upon the home farm with his father until he was twenty-five years of age, and from that time until 1883 continued similarly

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Portrait and biographical album of Morgan and Scott Counties, Illinois, Part 46

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