USA > Illinois > Morgan County > Portrait and biographical album of Morgan and Scott Counties, Illinois > Part 47
USA > Illinois > Scott County > Portrait and biographical album of Morgan and Scott Counties, Illinois > Part 47
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81
RESIDENCE OF J. H. DEVORE, SEC.22. T.14. R.10. MORGAN Co.
"EDGEWOOD STOCK FARM" RES. OF GEO . E. DEWEESE, SEC.19. T.IG-R.8. MORGAN . Co.
"FLORAL HOME,RESIDENCE OF JAMES P. DEWEES , SEC.31. T.IG.R.8 MORGAN CO.
-
-
407
MORGAN COUNTY.
engaged in his own interests. Five years previous to his eoming to the town he purelased the now extensive tile and briek works of Messrs. Craig & Bohne. These are perhaps the most extensive of any in the distriet, and have a reputation for good work that is worth a great deal to the business every year. This department of his affairs he has placed in charge of his brother Lloyd A. He has quite a large home trade for the goods manufae- tured, and also ships quite extensively. Ile las supplied his yard with all needed and helpful mod- ern machinery, and a steam heat drying house eon- strueted out of briek, standing 40x90 feet, two stories in height and covered with a metal roof. The quality of his productions is unquestionably high. He has constantly in use four down draft kilns, with a capacity of 30,000 briek and 10,000 tile per diem. The lowest estimate of the valua- tion of the works would be at least $10,000.
Mr. Craig and wife are both members of the Presbyterian Church, in good standing; our sub- jeet is not what might be called an enthusiastie politician, but at the same time is inueli interested in everything that is connected with the best inter- ests of the community and State. Ile always votes with the. Republican party, of which he has been a member ever since he has had the privilege of casting a ballot, and that was at the birth of the party. In all the relations of life our subject enjoys the highest regard of his fellows and is mueh es- teemed by those who know him best.
W. WOBBE. There is no elass of foreign- ers who come to this country to better their condition that make better citizens and better farmers than the Germans. In their native country their condition was unfavorable to money- getting, and their faculties were constantly at work devising ways and means of getting on in the world, a state of affairs which helps them in this country. As a elass they are industrious, frugal and honest, and the work they have in band to do is invariably well done.
Mr. Wobbe is favorably known among the Ger- man settlers of this part of the county as a thor-
ough representative of the elass of Germans referred to. Ile has a good farm of 120 aeres. the greater part of which he has eleared from a heavily wooded section. It is located on seetions 26 and 27, town- ship 16 and range 11, and on this place he lias made his home since 1863. He came to Illinois to make a permanent home for himself and his chil- dren, and he has succeeded well. He came to Morgan County directly from Beardstown, Ill., at which place he located in 1854, having eome there from New York City. He lived in the latter place thirteen months. He landed in New York City Sept. 30, 1852, having crossed the Atlantie on the sail- ing-vessel "Elizabeth." After landing he began life as a laborer, being wholly without means in a strange land and without an acquaintance, and from this condition he has risen to the proud position of being an owner of his own home, and of being in- dependent so far as this world's goods are eon- eerned.
Mr. Wobbe was born in Hanover, Germany, Oet. 27, 1824. Ilis aneestors were all Germans. His father was a native of Ilanover and a miller by trade, and died in his native country when the sub- jeet of this notice was not quite seven years old, while his wife, Elizabeth (Ilerman,) survived him for a few years, dying in 1848, at the age of sixty years. She and her husband were members of the Lutheran Church, and were respected in their country.
Mr. Wobbe, of whom this sketeh is written, is tlie eldest of three ehildren, the other two being named George and Herman. George is a resident of Kan- sas, where he is a thriving farmer, and single; Ilerman is yet in Hanover, engaged in agricultural pursuits and married. Our subjeet has supported himself sinee he was a child, and earned every eent of whieli he was ever possessed. He has been obliged to fight an unequal battle with the world, and he has the satisfaction of knowing that he has gained the vietory. Ile married Margaret Mass in his native country, and their first ehild was born after they landed in Beardstown, IN. Mrs. Wobbe died at her home May 9, 1887, at the age of sixty-one years. She was a devoted member of the Lutheran Church, and fully sustained her reputation of being an industrious woman and a loving mother. Iler
408
MORGAN COUNTY.
husband also worships at the Lutheran Church. This couple had born to them six children, two of whom are deceased: Mary, formerly wife of David MeFadden, died March 8, 1889. She left five children-Mary, Fred, Arthur, William and Min- nie. The father and children are living near Ar- eadia, this county. Minnie is also dead, dying in 1871 at the age of eleven years. The living are as follows: Henry married Miss Mollie Manley, of Missouri; she died in that State Nov. 24, 1882, leaving one child, Nellie. Henry is now working for his father on the old homestead; Charles is ell- gaged in farming; Ella is the wife of Orrin Berk- enhiser. They live on a farm in township 15, range 11; Emma is at home.
Politieally, Mr. Wobbe is an ardent Demoerat, and takes interest in the progress of his party, and though he has never sought politieal preferment he has held about all the local offices in his town- ship. He is considered a good, safe man in any place.
W ILLIAM T. LUTTRELL. A smooth sea never made a skillful mariner, neither do uninterrupted prosperity and sueeess qual- ify for usefulness and happiness. The storms of adversity, like those of the ocean, rouse the faeul- ties and exeite the invention, prudence, skill and fortitude of the voyager.
The subject of this sketeh has passed throughi many of the vicissitudes of life, and has been thor- oughly sehooled by experience. He never studied books three months in his life. Ile is one of the pioneer boys of Morgan County, born Dec. 20, 1831. His parents came to Morgan County, where his father located on land south of Franklin. John R. Luttrell, his father, was born in Adair County, Ky., April 1, 1810, where he lived until 1822, when he came here and commenced farming. Here he still lives.
Our subjeet had four brothers-Hiran J., James Monroe, Isaac Newton, and John W., in Franklin, Morgan County. Hiram married Mary E. Ham- mond; both are deceased. They had three sons- Albert, Henry A. and Richard. James married Mary A. Ward, of Franklin; they both died leav-
ing four children-Lewis, Thomas, Ernest and Cora. Isaac Newton married Catherine Brewer. of Morgan County; he is a farmer of New Virden, Sangamon County, this State. Our subjeet mar- ried twice, his first wife, Mary F. Burnett, died without issue. The second wife, Eliza A. Wright, is a native of Illinois. Her grandfather was in the Revolutionary War.
William T. Luttrell has a good war record. lle enlisted Aug. 9, 1862, in the 101st regiment, Illi- nois Infantry, Col. Fox commanding. Capt .J. M. Fanning was the commander of his company. Hle saw service in 1863 at Vicksburg, and was under Gen. Grant at Missionary Ridge Sept. 23, 24 and 25. He was also with Gen. Sherman on his famous march to the sea, and was finally discharged at Washington, D. C., June 7, 1864. He enlisted as a private soldier and by strict attention to duty was promoted to the rank of First Lieutenant.
After the war elosed he returned to the peaceful pursuit of agriculture in Morgan County, where he owns a splendid farm of 250 aeres, all accumulated since his return from the war. Mr. Luttrell has a good military and civil record and bears a first- elass reputation among his neighbors for all the qualities that constitute a good citizen. He is a Republiean in politics, but the allurements of office have no charms for him.
OBERT RILEY is a splendid example of the thrifty and sueeessful farmer, and one who exhibits his good sense by engaging in diversified farming. Ile owns a good farm of eighty aeres, located on seetion 28, township 15, range 11, and is also the owner of two other small and well-improved farms.
Mr. Riley has lived on the farm upon which he now resides for twenty-four years. He has made a large number of improvements, whiel compare favorably with those of his neighbors. He came to Morgan County in the fall of 1860, and has been a resident of the United States sinee 1859. He lived about one year in Seott County. Ile is a native of Lancastershire, England, and was born on Dee. 2, 1834. His father, Joseph Riley, lived and died in
409
MORGAN COUNTY.
England, where he was born of good English stoek. He was a laborer all his life, and died in his native shire when his son, Robert, was a small boy. He was the father of ten children. The maiden name of his wife was Helen Fisher. The names of the children are: Thomas, Nieholas, John, Joseph, Rob- ert, Mary, Elizabeth. Helen, Ruth, and Ann, the two latter being the only daughters living. Mrs. Riley died when she was about eighty years of age, her death occurring in England, in 1869. She and her linsband were both members of the English Church, and were active in religious matters.
Robert Riley, of whom we write, is the only sur- viving son of the family. His sisters are both liv- ing in England, and married. Ile was reared at home with his mother until he was fourteen years of age. and she being a widow with a large family, he was thrown upon his own resources, and later became a coachman for an English gentleman by the name of W. E. Windows, a position he occupied for six years. Seeing no ehance in England to bet- ter his condition, he concluded to seek his fortune in the New World, and so, on May 11, 1859, he boarded the "City of Baltimore," of the Inman line, at Liverpool, and on May 24th, he stepped ashore at New York City, in a free land, where aristoeraey and easte are unknown, and no man is entitled to be ealled a gentleman unless his actions deserve it. Ile went from New York to Canada, and stayed four months in Oxford County, but not being satisfied with Canada, he eame to Illinois, lo- cating for one year in Scott County, whenee lic eame to Morgan County. He was married in this township on Jan. 31, 1865, to Miss Mary A. Rich- ardson, a native of Morgan County, and who was born in June, 1837. She is the oldest daughter of Vincent Richardson, whose biography appears in this ALBUM. Mrs. Riley was reared at home, and was blessed with the manifold advantages that at- tach to having eareful and prudent parents. She is the mother of six children: Sarah E., wife of Albert Seott, lives in this township on a farm; John W., married Lizzie Wilson, and is also farming here; George A .; Vincent R., Mary R., and Lizzie A. are at home.
Mr. and Mrs. Riley are consistent members of the Methodist Church, and politically, Mr. R. is a
sound Republican, and has held township offiees. He has always been found faithful to any trust confided in him, and when the roll of good men of Morgan County is made np, Mr. Riley will appear as one of the best.
C ÆSAR MAYFIELD. Upon North Main street stands the livery stable so snecess- fully run for the past five years by the gen- tleman, the salient points of whose history are here briefly reeited. He is the oldest of six children, who comprise the famity of Milton and Elizabeth (Candle) Mayfield, and was born on the 28thi of September, 1849, at Franklin, in this county. The other members of the family are: Brock L .; Sarah; Murray; E. W .; and G. R .; all of whom are un- married, and with the exception of E. W. and our snbjeet, reside at home.
Milton Mayfield, the head of this household, is a native of Alabama, and was born in the year 1822. When he was seven years of age, his parents came to Morgan County, he, of course, accompanying them. Since that time he has always continued to reside in it, and has been identified with all its in- terests. He has been a tiller of the soil from his yonth, and by no means nnsuccessful in that em- ployment. He was elected Sheriff of this county in 1868, and served in that office for two years. He engaged subsequently in the cattle trade, and for six years was practically a resident of Nebraska, although his family, whom he visited as often as possible, remained in the old home. At the end of that period he sold his interest in the business. and retired from active business life. He was the old- est of six brothers and one sister born to Ennis and Mary ( Myers) Mayfield, who were born in Alabama and Tennessee, respectively.
The subject of our sketeh is an educated man, having been through the elasses of the regular in- stitutions, and was gradnated from the Jacksonville Business College. Until he was twenty-one years of age, he lived with his father. He then engaged in the live-stock and eattle trade, which he con- tinued until the year 1884, when he opened the livery and sale stable, and has established it upon a
410
MORGAN COUNTY.
firm business basis. Ilis stable is largely patron- ized, and is considered the largest and best in Mor- gan County. ITis prosperity in business is beyond question, and is all the more noteworthy, seeing that it has been all his own work.
The family of which Mr. Mayfield is a member, is one of the oldest and most prominent pioneer families of the county, and has always been held in the highest regard by the citizens of the same. The subject of this sketeh has not only fully sustained the honor and reputation of the family, but added thereto. He is genial and affable. business-like and thorough in everything he undertakes, and has a reputation for sterling qualities and disposition, most desirable. He is a member of the K. of P. and I. O. O. F. Societies, and in each is mueh es- teemed. Usually he votes the Demoeratie ticket, having been for many years a member of that party. He is counted as one of its firmest friends and stanehest adherents, and not without just rea- son. He also has a fine stoek farm of 360 acres, three miles east of Murray ville.
AMES II. DEVORE. This gentleman is widely and favorably known throughout Woodson Precinct and vieinity as the owner of a good farm property, pleasantly located on seetion 22. He emigrated to this region during the period of its earliest settlement, being among the first of those adventurous spirits who firmly be- lieved in the future of this State. He recognized eoming possibilities in its rieh soil, which, under a proper eourse of eultivation. would in time yield to the agriculturist the wealth he sought. Time has proved the correctness of his theory, and he may with pardonable pride, consider himself one of those who assisted in developing the rich re- sourees of the county.
Mr. Devore is the owner of about 300 acres of choice land, which he has improved with substan- tial buildings. and here lives comfortably without making any pretentions to style or eleganee. A view of his residenee appears on another page, and is a good representation of the comfortable home of a practical farmer. He has made it the rule of
his life to live within his ineome, and has not only kept his estate unembarrassed, but has inereased its value each year. Nature endowed him with sound common sense, and he was at an early age trained to habits of industry and economy, which have served him well during his struggle to obtain a competence.
A native of Fayette County, Ky., our subjeet was born June 24, 1829, and was the eldest ehild of Uriah J. and Sarah J. (Mallory ) Devore, who were natives of the same eounty as their son. Soon after marriage they settled about nine miles from the eity of Lexington, where they lived until Oeto- ber, 1831. The father, resolving to see some- thing of the great West, came with his family to this county, and settled in what is now Jackson- ville Preeinet, where he took up quite a large traet of land, some four or five hundred acres. From that time he confined his attention strietly to agri- cultural pursuits, building up a good homestead. where he spent the remainder of his days, passing away on the 5th of April, 1881; the mother is still living, making her home with our subjeet, and is now quite well advaneed in years. They were the parents of two sons and two daughters, two of whom reside in this eounty, a daughter lives in Mis- souri, and one is dead.
Our subject was a child two years of age when his parents came to this county, and consequently grew up with the country. He spent his boyhood and youth under the parental roof, and when of suitable years and strength began to assist his father in the various employments of the farm. He acquired his education in the common sehool, and shortly before reaching the twenty-second year of his age was married, May 27, 1851, to Miss Cather- ine J. Van Winkle.
Mrs. Devore was born in Wayne County, Ky., Dee. 4, 1832, and is the daughter of Jason and Elizabeth (Simpson) Van Winkle, who were natives of Kentucky, but early settlers of this eounty. They located in township 15, range 9, where both spent the remainder of their days. Mrs. Devore was the third in a family of seven children, and by her union with our subject has beeome the mother of three sons and four daughters, namely: William T., Saralı E., Mary J., Annie R., James HI., Robert
411
MORGAN COUNTY.
L. and Luey M. Both our subjeet and his estima- ble wife are members in good standing of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which Mr. Devore is a 'Trustee, and he contributes liberally toward its support and maintenance.
Politieally our subjeet affiliates with the Demo- cratie party. IIe has hield the office of County Commissioner five years, and has officiated as Township Trustee and Treasurer, besides discharg- ing the duties of many other local offlees. Soeially, he belongs to Murrayville Lodge No. 432, A. F. & A. M.
W ILLIAM R. ROUTT, a retired capitalist, having a fine residenee in the southern part of Jacksonville, No. 1427 South Main street, is the son of an early settler of Morgan County, a man of considerable promineuee and in- fluenee among its pioneers, forty or fifty years ago. The fatlier's name was Harvey Routt, and he was born in Woodford County, Ky., in the latter part of the 18th eentury. He was a man of fine men- tal and physical endowments, was well educated, and early assumed a place of importance in his uative eounty, serving it at different times as Sur- veyor and as Commissioner, he having received a practical training as Surveyor. He was ambitious to improve his finaneial condition, and in 1834, with his wife and three children, he left the pleasant seenes of his old Kentucky home, and bravely pene- trated the wilds of Illinois to Morgan County, and soon after located on the old farm where our sub- ject passed the most of his boyhood, and where many years of his manhood were spent, it still be- ing in his possession. The father, besides paying attention to improving his farm, engaged in sur- veying, and thus acquired a good knowledge of tlie topography of the surrounding country. His fel- low-pioneers looked up to him as a man of superior wisdom and ability, and often consulted him on important publie questions. He gained a hand- some competenee, retired to private life in Jaek- sonville, and in February, 1873, he died, and thius passed away from the seenes where he had been a familiar figure so long, a citizen whose memory is held in respect-not only as a pioneer, but as a man
who was true to himself, and to those about him in all the relations of life. He was twice married. The wife of his early manhood died soon after they eanie here, leaving three children-our subjeet, C. L., and Mrs. Newman, the latter a widow living in Chicago. After a time he married Mrs. Ann Fry, and to them eame one eliild, Catherine. She is now Mrs. James T. McMillan, and has one son, Frederic T. Mrs. Routt survived her husband four or five years, and then she too passed away.
William Routt of this biography, was born in Franklin County, Ky., April 1, 1832, and was but two years of age when his parents settled on the farm eiglit miles southeast of Jacksonville, in this county. Having the sad misfortune to lose his mother a few years afterward, he lived with an aunt until after his father married a second time, then he took him home. He gleaned a good practical eommon-sehool edueation in the local sehools, and was with his father on the farm until he attained his majority, and then his father left the old home- stead in his and his brother's care, and our subjeet continued to live thereon, engaging extensively in buying, feeding and selling fat stoek, until Septem- ber, 1886. He then bought a fine residence in town, and retired to it to enjoy the fortune that he had aeeumulated by judieious management and careful investments. He now owns 313 acres of the okl homestead that onee belonged to his father, having sold off a part of it, and also in addition owns about 700 acres. After it came into his possession, he made many valuable improvements such as any en- terprising farmer would make, erecting a fine set of farm buildings, including a barn that eost $1,000, with cattle seales adjoining, and everything to facilitate agricultural pursuits, and under his man- agement it became one of the finest f.rms in the township. It is located on seetion 25, township 14, range 10.
On Jan. 28, 1869, Mr. Routt was united in mar- riage to Miss Martha Ransdall, and one son has blessed their union, Harvey, born on the 15th of March, 1871. Ile is now in the preparatory school fitting for eollege, his father intending to give him every advantage that ean be gained by a fine edu- eation. Mrs. Routt was born in the neighborhood where her husband was reared, her birthplace being
412
MORGAN COUNTY.
about three-fourths of a mile from his father's homestead. Her father, John Ransdall, a native of Kentucky, born in February, 1812, eame to Mor- gan County when a young man. He was a carpen- ter by trade, and afterward turning his attention to agriculture, is still living on the same farm that he first bought. He married for his second and pres- ent wife, Miss Tabitha Grimsley, and four children have been born to them, one dying in infaney.
Mr. Routt's eourse through life as a man and as a ertizen has always been highly commendable, and he has exerted his influence for the publie good, using his wealth freely to benefit his community, ever having its highest interests at heart. He was a School Director for many years, and was aetive in promoting the eause of education. In polities he is a sound Demoerat, as was his father before him. Ile is a member of the Christian Church, a faithful and exemplary follower of its teachings.
OHIN B. CORRINGTON is a fine type of the native-born citizens of Morgan County, sons of its pioneers, who are actively en- gaged in tilling its soil and extending its immense agricultural interests. He is successfully and profitably managing a large and well-improved farm, comprising 340 aeres of land on seetion 32, township 16, range 8 west, besides eighty acres of valuable timber land. He makes a specialty of raising and feeding cattle, and sells a large num- ber caeh year.
Our subjeet is a son of John W. and Ann E. (Cassell) Corrington. (For parental history see sketeh of his brother William on another page of this work). He was born on the farm where his father now lives, east of Jacksonville, and was there bred to the life of a farmer, receiving a sound, praetieal training in all that goes to make a good farmer ._ He gleaned a good education in the loeal district school, making the most of his advan- tages, and is to-day a well-informed man. In Oe- tober, 1882, he took unto himself a wife, marrying at that time Miss Mary II., daughter of H. L. Reaves, of this eounty. Their wedded life was not of long duration, for the shadow of death fell
across their peaceful home, and the young wife and mother was taken from her loved ones May 27, 1885. Two children, Elsa A. and Mary E .. were the fruit of that marriage. Mr. Corrington was married to his present wife Jan. 19, 1888. Her maiden name was Eugenia S. Thompson, and she is a daughter of Thomas Thompson, of this eounty, of whom see sketeh in this volume. She is to him a devoted wife, and to his children a kind, loving mother. She presides over their pleasant home with grace, attending carefully to the comforts of its inmates.
Mr. Corrington early entered upon the career of a farmer, and has already achieved more than ordinary sueeess. His home farmn is all under ad- mirable cultivation, excepting that part of it de- voted to pasturing his herds of cattle. His neat, substantial buildings are in good order, and he has every applianee for eondueting agriculture in the most profitable way. Our subject possesses suf- fieient acuinen, foresight, and deeision of character to make him an important factor in fostering the highest interests of his community, and he is rightly considered a valuable citizen. Ile is straightfor- ward in his manner and independent in his views, and is well liked by all with whom he comes in contaet cither in business or in society. He is a. Demoerat, but not an active politician, and reso- lutely refuses to accept any offiee, as his private affairs oeeupy all his time. Ile and his wife are consistent and active members of the Christian Church, and in that faith his first wife died.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.