USA > Illinois > Morgan County > Portrait and biographical album of Morgan and Scott Counties, Illinois > Part 48
USA > Illinois > Scott County > Portrait and biographical album of Morgan and Scott Counties, Illinois > Part 48
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G EORGE VASEY, a stock-raiser and farmer, resides on section 29, township 15 and range 11, where he owns and operates a splendid farın of 169 aeres, twenty aeres of which is good timber. This farm is well improved, and is the old homestead entered by the maternal grandfather of Mr. Vasey as early as 1832. Mr. Vasey has lived on this farm sinee 1859, and since he commeneed re- siding upon it has made some improvements.
Mr. Vasey was born in North Riding, near Searboro, Yorkshire, England, March 11, 1837, and is an excellent representative of the progres-
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sive English farmer. He inherited in a large de- gree the painstaking and eareful plan of husbandry that is of necessity practiced in his native land. It is an established faet that the people who eome from the old countries, where land is scaree and poverty plentiful, and where the habits of econ- omy in living, and the thoroughi plan of culti- vating land obtains, make better farmers than a great many who were reared in this country. It is well known that in a good many eases where plenty exists waste follows, and so in this eountry, where there is an abundance of land, the people are not so careful of the way they eultivate it as are the old country farmers.
John Vasey, the father of George, was the son of John Vasey, Sr., both being natives of York- shire, England. The senior Mr. Vasey was a farmer in Yorkshire, and lived and died there. He was about three seore and ten years of age at the time of his death. John Vasey, Jr., the father of the subject of this sketeh, was reared in his native eounty, and for a few years, when a young man, spent his time as a sailor. He was married in England to Miss Hannah Richardson, who was a sister of Vineent Riehardson, of whom a sketch appears in this ALBUM. John Vasey and wife, after marriage, began life as farmers, and to them were born seven children, their births all occurring
in Yorkshire. The entire family eame to the United States in the spring of 1849, landing at Quebee, Canada, after an uneventful voyage of eiglit weeks and three days. From Quebee they proceeded by land and water to Illinois, and in the summer of the same year they reached Mor- gan County. The senior Vasey proeured land and immediately set about making a home, and when he died, in July, 1871, he had been the owner of about 600 aeres of good and well-im- proved land. He started his children liberally in life. Mr. Vasey died when he was sixty-eight years old, having well rounded out a most useful and virtuous life. When he passed away the county lost a good eitizen. His wife survived hin, she dying in 1884, being then about seventy-one years of age. She was a kind mother, a good neighbor, and was thoroughly well liked by every- one with whom she came in contact, and her mem-
ory will long be cherished by her children. George Vasey was edueated chiefly in Morgan County, and here received his first ideas of "getting on in the world." He went baek to England and was married in Lineolnshire, April 15, 1867, to Emma Grant, who was born there in 1843. She is the daughter of James Grant, who was a sneeessful business man in Lincolnshire, and died ripe in years. The mother of Mrs. Vasey died young, and but little is known of her history. Mrs. Vasey is the mother of three children: John J., Lanra B. and Charles HI., all of whom are at home. Politieally, Mr. Vasey followed in the footsteps of his father and brothers, and is a sound Demoerat, but he cares little for polities, exeept when loeal affalrs are in- volved. He is one of the solid men of this town, and one who is greatly respected for his sterling qualities.
AVID MANCHESTER, deceased, was a noble type of the dauntless, hardy pioneer of Illinois, and Morgan County, of which he was an early settler, is greatly indebted to him, for what he did to promote its progress and the higli position it has attained among its prosper- ous and wealthy sister counties. Coming here in the days when the country was thinly inhabited hy white people, and the Indians were still lingering around their old haunts, and there were scarcely any traces of the eoming eivilization, he had in the vigor of early manhood thrown himself heart and soul into the pioneer work before him, and in the long years of toil, saerifice and hardship that fol- lowed he bravely and energetically performed his part in the . upbuilding of a great commonwealthi. His labors in behalf of himself and family were amply rewarded by the wealth that he suceeeded in aeenmulating, and at the time of his death he owned a beautiful home, a large and valuable farm of more than 400 acres, had a surplus at the bank and owed no man a eent.
Our subject was born in Warren County, N. Y., in 1798, coming of good Revolutionary stoek, his father, Thomas Manchester, having aided his fellow-colonists to get their freedom from the mother country, and in the course of the conflict
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receiving a wound, for which he drew a pension the rest of his life. He was of English ancestry.
Our subject passed his boyhood in his native county, and while still a lad served thirty days in the war of 1812 as a fifer, under Gen. Strong and Capt. Spencer. At the age of seventeen lie left the parental home to work in the humber business at Quebec. N. Y. He afterward determined to make liis way to the then almost unknown West, and see what life held for him in these wilds, and going to Ft. Duquesne, in Pennsylvania, he bought a skiff in which he floated down the Ohio River to Shawnee- town, Ill., and thence he proceeded on foot to Miner Burton, below St. Louis. He worked in a lead mine at that place two years, and then walked to St. Louis, where he worked in a livery stable four months for $5 a month. At the expiration of that time he again set forth on a pedestrian tour, and coming to this county he settled in this town- ship.
At that time Mr. Manchester had less than a dol- lar in his pocket, but he went to work with charac- teristic energy to obtain the wherewithal to supply him with the necessities of life, and the first thing lie did was to split 500 rails for a pair of shoes, the leather being tanned here in a trough by Kasbier, with the hair not half removed. In order to pro- cure material for clothes he raised cotton, which he took to Beardstown and traded for the required articles of apparel. During the time of the Indian troubles he took an active part against the savages, and served through the whole campaign in the Black Hawk War with Gen. Taylor, Jeff Davis and Abraham Lincoln, he having been a member of Col. Ewing's Spy Battalion. He went into the Mexican War as ellief musician under Col. Hardin, but was taken sick, and sent hack to Jacksonville, where he was discharged from the service. He was for some time engaged in making and burning brick in 1835. He devoted much of his time to agricultural pur- suits, raising cattle, etc., and had his large farm well stocked, and became one of the leading and most prosperous farmers in this part of the county, his farm on section 5, township 16 north, range 8 west, comparing with the very best in this region. June 12, 1825, was the date of his marriage with Miss Ethia Linda Cox. They were well suited to
raeh other in mind and temperament, and in the years that they passed together, numbering over half a century, they mutually aided each other in making life a success, and from first to last their journey together was as happy as usually falls to the lot of mortals. In this homestead, which once belonged to her father, and to which she came when a girl in her teens, and where the most of her married life was passed, with the exception of a few years in the western part of this county, Mrs. Man- chester is spending her declining years, and though more than fourscore years have whitened her ven- erable head she still retains much of her old time mental and physical vigor, and 'is active in spite of her years. Of her wedded life nine children were born, as follows: Thomas, Helen and Elizabeth (deceased), Louisa; Van Rensselaer; James and David (deceased), Jerome, Josephine (deceased).
Mrs. Manchester is a native of Henry County, Va., born Oct. 9, 1803, to Jolin and Jane (Prunty) Cox, who were also natives of that county. Early in the present century they removed to Anton County, Tex., and thence to Southern Illinois in the fall of 1819. They passed the following winter near St. Louis, and then her father came to this locality in the spring of 1820, and bought the farm where Mrs. Manchester and her family now live. After his daughter's marriage lie removed with the other members of his family to Iowa, where liis earthly pilgrimage was at last stayed by the hand of death. After liis demise his widow came to this county and died at the home of our subject.
In this brief life-record of one so worthy of all honor and praisc, the biographier can do but scant justice to the character of the subject. Here where so many years of his active and useful life were passed, and where liis honorable career was brouglit to a close Sept. 6, 1878, at the venerable age of eighty years, his memory is cherishicd by the many who knew and venerated him as a pioneer, and as one of our best citizens, a kind neighbor and a well- loved friend. He always took a lively interest in politics, and he and liis father-in-law and one other man were the only three to vote for James Monroe in this county. He was always an ardent follower of the Republican party after its organization.
Miss Louisa Manchester, the daughter of our
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subjeet, is managing her father's large property with sueeess, displaying ability and business taet of a high order, and keeping up the farm to the same standard that it had attained under her father's care.
G EORGE H. HALL. Among the native- born citizens of this county, who are con- fortably established in homes of their own and are well-to-do, may be properly mentioned Mr. Hall, who was born April 21, 1853, and is consequently in the prime of life. He represents property to the amount of 160 aeres of thoroughly enltivated land, with good improvements, and is a man looked up to in his community as possessing all the qualities of a good eitizen. He acquired a good education, and although not a college gradu- ate, is master of probably more practical knowledge than many who have been for years under the tutelage of learned men.
Mr. Hall is of English deseent, being the son of William Hall, a native of Yorkshire, and who was born July 11, 1803. The latter remained npon his native soil until after his marriage, emigrating to America in 1830. He made his way directly to this eonnty, and was one of its earliest pioneers, locating on a tract of land west of the present site of Jacksonville, which was then marked by a few rude buildings. He made his mark upon a portion of the primitive soil, building up a good homestead, where he spent the remainder of his life, and de- parted henee May 14, 1873. He was first married to Miss Elizabeth Killam, of Yorkshire, and they became the parents of six children, three of whom are living: Ann married George Exley, of Jack- sonville, a saddler and harnessmaker, and they now live in California; John W. married Fanny Wilkin- son, of this county, and lives in Jacksonville, where he operates as a blacksmith and deals in agricultural implements; Martha married Thomas Lee, a farmer of this county; they live near Markham, and are the parents of seven children, five living. Mary married Robert Newby, is living in Morgan County, and is farming.
The mother of our subjeet, Mrs. Elizabeth L. (Riggs) Hall, was a native of New Jersey. Her
parents removed from New Jersey to Brown County, this State, in 1831 ; she had only two children-our subjeet and Isaae T., who was born in 1857 and died in 1861. George H., of our sketch, married Elizabeth A. Moody, a native of Morgan County. They settled in this county, and her father died about 1871. The mother is still living, and makes her home in Jacksonville. The family ineluded twelve children, only four of whom are living, namely : Jolin, Sarah, Ulysses Grant, and Mrs. Hall. John married Lueinda Murphy, and is a farmer of this eounty ; Sarah is the widow of Charles L. New- by, and resides in Jacksonville. Ulysses G. mar- ried Hannah Hogan, of Jacksonville, and they occupy the old homestead.
To Mr. and Mrs. Hall there have been born six children, viz: Flora J., Rachel L., John W., Ritta A., Henry R., and Augustus C. Mr. Hall has oe- enpied his present farm nine years, and has made all the improvements upon it. It was formerly a part of the Alexander estate, and he purchased it of A. E. Ayers, Ile has few outside interests, giv- ing his attention elosely to the improvement and cultivation of his farm. He keeps himself well posted upon current events, however, and uni- formly votes the Republican ticket. Aside from serving on the jury, he has had little or nothing to do with publie affairs. Mr. Hall is Grand Worthy Secretary of the A. H. F. A., of Illinois.
G EORGE E. DEWEESE. Among the rising young farmers of the present generation who, within the last decade, have become import- ant factors in sustaining and extending the material interests of Morgan County, the gentleman whose name is at the head of this sketch occupies no mean position. He is bright, alert and talented, and possesses finc business qualifications that have already won him a reputation for sound judgment, keen discrimination and far reaching forethought. He owns a valuable farm of 200 aeres, on sec- tion 19, township 16 north, range 8 west, which is partly under cultivation and the remainder devoted to pasturage; is neatly feneed, and supplied with a fine set of buildings, including a roomy, well-
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appointed house, a commodious barn, ete. It is admirably adapted to the requirements of a stock farm, and Mr. Deweese pays mueh attention to breeding superior road-horses of a fine Hamble- tonian strain, intending in the future to devote himself almost wholly to that rather than to eulti- vating the soil.
Our subjeet is the son of James and Naney J. ('Trimble) Deweese, for whose personal history see sketch of James Deweese on another page of this work. He was born near Waverly, this eounty, June 5, 1862, but was reared in this township, re- ceiving the foundation of his education in tlie distriet sehool, and afterwards completing it by a course in Illinois College at Jacksonville, and sub- sequently pursuing his studies at the Jacksonville Business College. He was thus fitted for any ealling that he might adopt, and brings a well-trained mind to his work. Ever sinee leaving college, in 1879, he has been engaged as noted in the eom- mencement of this article, and in 1882 he began farming on his present farin, and since his marriage has lived here. He makes a specialty of breeding standard road-horses, keeps several mares of good blood, and his stallion, Dietator, a bay horse, three
years old, which he keeps chiefly for breeding pur- poses, is of the famous Hambletonian stock, noted as produeing some of the fastest trotters in America. Ilis farm is in a fine condition, and is amply supplied with everything necessary for ear- rying it on to the best advantage, and the build- ings and all are in good repair. Mr. Deweese is quite a mechanical genius, and though never learn- ing the earpenter's trade. he has built an addition to his barn, and put up another building all by himself.
Nov. 10, 1887, Mr. Deweese was united in mar- riage to Miss Hattie, daughter of John Virgin, of whom see sketch on another page of this volume. She presides with charming graee over their home, and renders it comfortable for him and attractive to their numerous friends who enjoy its generous hos- pitality.
In Mr. Deweese, his native county finds one of its progressive, wide-awake sons, who is honest- hearted, whole-souled and public-spirited, and is in every way a very desirable eitizen. He has good
mental endowments and strong opinions of his own on all subjeets that interest hin, whieli he expresses frankly on proper occasions, though not so as to give offenee. Ile is a member of the K. of P. Lodge at Jacksonville, and also of the Anti-llorse Thief Association of this neighborhood.
ONATHAN RICHARDSON is a general fariner and stock-raiser, whose farm is situ- ated on section 27, township 15, range 11. llere he owns 110 aeres of very fine land, and good buildings. He has lived on this farmn sinee 1870, renting the place until 1877, when he purchased it with money made as a renter. Ile came to Jacksonville in May, 1857, directly from England, and sinee coming to this country has made his home in Morgan County. He was born in Yorkshire, England, April 15, 1835.
Mr. Richardson's eareer sinee coming to America is a practical illustration of the possibilities that lie within the reach of all who have the courage, ability and industry to grasp them. His English training taught him that nothing is gained without labor, and following this idea, he has reached a high eminenee in his ealling. Many Englishmen have eome to this country with money, and plenty of it, and have miserably failed. They did not have a proper conception of their opportunities, but brought with them the high notions that are inseparable from the English aristoeraey. On the other hand, the poor man who, perhaps, eame in the same ship, riding in the steerage of the vessel while his wealthier brother was having the best in the eabin, attained wealth, and when they visited their native land, it is safe to say that the one who came here with money exchanged plaees on the ship with the Englishman who eame here totally destitute of resources.
The father of the subject of this sketch, Jona- than Richardson, Sr., was a typical English farmer. lle was a native of Yorkshire, and was married in his native county to Jane Pasby, who was a native of the same shire. After marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Richardson, Sr., began farming on a small seale, and in common with most small farmers of Eng-
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MORGAN COUNTY.
land, it was with difficulty that they made both ends meet, but they succeeded in giving their ehildren a fair education, and teaching them that their sueeess in life would depend wholly upon their own efforts; and with that lesson fully learned, Jonathan Richardson, Jr., sailed for America in 1857, joining his brother William, who had pre- ceded him to America in 1850, and had located in Morgan County.
In 1858, the father and mother, accompanied by three of their other children, eame to the United States and located near Jacksonville. They both lived and died in Morgan County, living to a good old age. The elder Richardsons had the rep- utation of being prudent, industrious and intelli- gent people, and when they died were deeply mourned. When Jonathan, Jr. eame to America, he had just become of age. Ile was married in the house he now owns and oeenpies, on April 12, 1867, to Miss Martha J. Mawson, a native of Scott County, and who was born March 10, 1841. She is the daughter of Robert and Ann (Killam) Maw- son, now both deccased, having died at their home at an advanced age. The parents of Mrs. Richard- son were natives of Yorkshire, England, and came to America in 1829 and located in Morgan County. They came here when this part of the country was nearly uninhabited, and by good management built up a comfortable fortune. Their reputation was that of worthy citizens.
Mrs. Richardson, as before indieated, was reared to womanhood in this county. Not being blessed with any ehildren of their own, Mr. and Mrs. Rich- ardson reared and educated two -- Thomas B. Swa- well and Lena Ball. . Mr. Richardson is a Republi- ean in polities, and attends the Methodist Episcopal Church.
RANKLIN RAYBON. In the subject of this biography we have a man who eom- meneed life in this county with a capital of thirty-seven and a half eents, and who is now the owner of a well-regulated farm, embracing 125 aeres of valuable land, upon which he has ereeted good buildings and otherwise added to the taxable property of his township. Ile was one of
the earliest pioneers of this seetion, to which he eame when there were but few evidenees of civili- zation and people mostly dwelt in log cabins on the prairie, tilling their wild land under many dif- fieulties and enduring all the hardships of life on the frontier. He and his wife also settled in a log cabin and farmed on fifty acres of land, which they rented on shares. Our subjeet did the work mostly himself, with the assistance of liis wife, who dropped corn and did other light work.
The first purchase of Mr. Raybon was eighty acres on section 14, township 16, range 12, which he cleared, and from which he constructed a good farın. This they occupied until the year of 1876, when they removed to their present place. This has only been brought to a state of eultivation by downright hard work and good management, there being but few improvements when he took posses- sion. The first year of his residence in this eounty Mr. Raybon worked for $100 and 'his board, and did not lose a single day by sickness or otherwise. He has, like other men, had his difficulties to con- tend with, but believing that "all things come to those who wait," labored with patience and hope, and finally met with his reward.
Mr. Raybon was born in Roane County, Tenn., Nov. 16, 1833, and eame to this county with his brother John when a youth of fifteen years. Ile had only received a limited edueation, and for three years thereafter worked by the month. In January, 1850, before reaching the seventeenth year of his age, he was married to Miss Emaline Long, who was a few months older than her husband, and who was born Mareh 26, 1832, and was, like him, a native of Tennessee. Her parents were Ilenry and Nancy (Gadberry) Long, likewise natives of Tennessee, and who came to this county when their daughter was an infant of five months. They set- tled on the raw prairie, in township 16, range 12, where the father put up a log cabin, cleared his land, and built up a comfortable homestead.
The four children born to Mr. and Mrs. Raybon are: Susan E., the wife of Alexander B. Condiff, of this eounty; Lewis A., a resident of Pleasant Hill, Mo .; Lueinda E., the wife of E. H. Williams, of this eounty; and Henry S., also living here.
Mr. and Mrs. Raybon, after their marriage, set-
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MORGAN COUNTY.
tled in a log cabin on seetion 25, township 16, range 12, the place which we have already men- tioned, and lived in a manner corresponding to their means and surroundings. They have labored together with one purpose in view-that of pro- viding for themselves and their children, and rear- ing the latter in a manner which should make of them good and worthy members of society.
To the parents of Mrs. Raybon there were born ten children, eight of whom are living. The eldest daughter, Mary, is the widow of Humphrey May; Annie married Alexander Johnson, and lives in Virginia; Jane is the wife of Washington Filey, of Kansas: Mrs. Raybon is next in order of birth; Christina, Mrs. L. W. Wallaek, lives in Altamont, this State; Nancy is a resident of Concord; Me- linda, the wife of W. B. Rigler, resides in Chandler- ville; Tabitha Q., Mrs. E. P. Taylor, makes her home in this precinct. The parents were members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.
Our subject, politically, votes the straight Den- ocratie ticket, and has served as Sebool Director in his district. His father, Jesse Raybon, was a native of North Carolina, and married Miss Susan Funk, who is supposed to have been born in Tennessee and traeed her aneestry to Germany.
S AMUEL G. WEAGLEY, M. D. Perhaps the highest tribute that can be passed upon a man, is to acknowledge that in all re- speets he has fulfilled his obligations as a member of the community, eonseientiously, and to the best of his ability. Such individuals are eom- paratively few and far between, and while perhaps making little stir in the world, really exereise a deep and lasting influenee upon those with whom they come in contact. From the known character of Dr. Weagley it is to be inferred that these re- marks are peculiarly applicable to his ease. He has .labored as a physician and surgcon among the peo- ple of this eounty for the last forty years, and cn- joys in a marked degree their confidence and es- teem, both professionally and as a business man and a citizen.
Fayette County, Ky., was the native place of our
subject, and his birth occurred Jan. 6, 1823. Ile was among the comparatively few who at that early clay received a good education. He completed his studies in Jacksonville, (Ill.) College, where he took a course of medieal lectures, and later attended lectures at Louisville, Ky. He entered upon the duties of his chosen profession, first in 1849. Upon his arrival in this eounty, the settlers, few and far between, were located mostly in the timber along the streams. The Doctor was familiar with agri- cultural pursuits which were perfectly in harmony with his tastes, and he accordingly purchased a farm of I. N. Tindall. Upon this he labored a num- ber of seasons, and purchased additional land ad- joining, then sold and seeured his late homestead from W. M. Cassell. This he has recently sold to Whitaker M. Grant, but during the absence of the latter in Alaska, remains upon it, and is looking after its affairs until the return of the owner. This farm comprises 240 acres of choice land upon which Dr. Weagley effected good improvements.
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