USA > Illinois > Morgan County > Portrait and biographical album of Morgan and Scott Counties, Illinois > Part 58
USA > Illinois > Scott County > Portrait and biographical album of Morgan and Scott Counties, Illinois > Part 58
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In 1862, and on the 10th day of August, Mr. Wise enlisted in the 101st Illinois Infantry, and was mustered in at Jacksonville. On the 20th of the same month his regiment went South. He en- listed as a Sergeant, but Gov. Yates tendered him a captain's commission, which he promptly declined, saying that he enlisted as a sergeant, and wanted no higher office. His regiment was engaged in doing guard duty at varions places until the battle of Holly Springs, Miss., which occurred Dee. 20, 1862, where he and most of the regiment were taken prisoners by Van Dorn. They were after- ward paroled and sent to Memphis, from which place they went to St. Louis, remaining there seven months before they were exchanged. The regi- ment then joined the main army at New Madrid, Mo., and assisted in building a fort, which oceu- pied two weeks. While here Mr. Wise predicted that Vicksburg would surrender on July 4, which prediction was verified. This was in the year of 1863. From New Madrid the regiment went to Clayton, Ky., and from that place was ordered to skirmish in the surrounding country, and finally the regiment came to Union City. At Clayton . Mr. Wise was taken ill with rheumatism and other diseases, which caused him to seek the hospital, where he remained until January, 1864, and not being able to walk he was given a furlough to visit home. During his furlough he reported at .Inek- sonville, and from there was sent to the general hospital at Quiney, Ill., where in the fall of 1864 he was honorably discharged after serving his country well for two years and three months.
After the war was over he started a confection- ery store in Concord, not being able to do manual labor. In this business he was moderately sue- eessful. A few years later he rented a little farm,
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and in 1877 he purchased the place on which he now lives. The farm at the time of the purchase had most of the present improvements. Mr. Wise has succeeded in cultivating a greater portion of the place, and among other good things on the farm, he lias a fine orchard and a good vineyard. The place comprises 160 acres. Ile raises grain and stock, and does a general farming business, and is considered one of the solid farmers of his precinet. The St. Louis branch of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad runs through his farm.
Mr. Wise married in 1856 Miss Mary A. Hailey, a native of Tennessee. She was the daughter of James and Sarah Hailey, old settlers of Morgan County. She died March 10, 1867, leaving five children: William H., Mary A., Sadie, Katie A. and Martha (now deceased). William H. is mar- ried as is also Mary A. Sadie and Katie are at home, the latter is a teacher in the public schools. The family belongs to the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Mr. Wise takes great pride in gardening and fruit raising. His garden is kept in a niee man- ner, and exeels all others in appearance. His small fruits and grapes are particularly fine. Mr. Wise is a man of good sound judgment, and is truly a self-made man, and he exhibits pardonable pride in the fact that he served his country in two wars. The hardships which he endured while in the army are now apparent in his halting step and snow-white hair. The country owes to such as he a great debt. Mr. Wise politically is a stanch Re- publiean.
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M RS. MILLIA FUNK, one of the very old- est settlers of Scott County, and one of that class of people, the pioneer mother, that deserves the highest praise, was born in Roane County, Tenn., on the 11th of March 1811.
Her father, Michael Hassler was a native of Penn- sylvania as was also her grandfather, whose name was likewise Michael. The Hasslers were of Ger- man deseent and a prominent family. Mrs. Funk's father was a weaver by trade, when at the age of
twenty-five years he emigrated to Tennessee where hc was one of the early settlers. He learned the business of a millwright, and in consequence erected inills and operated them. He was also largely inter- ested in cotton-gins and presses, and owned 300 acres of land. He died in Tennessee at the age of seventy-three years, leaving a widow whose maiden name was Agnes Searborough, who was a native of Tennessee and of Scotch descent. She was eighty years old at the time of her death, and was the mother of twelve children: Polly, William, Jane, Millia, Mahala, Dieey, Naney, Simeon, Lyd- in, Michael, Amanda and Caroline.
Mrs. Funk was reared on a farm and received a common school education. Early in life she learned to weave and spin, which in those days were eon- sidered accomplishments. She was married in Ten- nessec on Nov. 30, 1830, to Jacob Funk, a native of Virginia, having been born in the beau- tiful Shenandoalı Valley. in Sept. 1808. His fa- ther, Samuel Funk was born in Germany, but when a young man came to America and located in Vir- ginia, where he engaged in farming, afterwards lo- cating in Tennessee, where he remained until 1831 when he removed to Scott County and engaged in rope-making. Ile died in 1836, aged seventy years. His wife's maiden name was Elizabeth Cordelle, a native of Virginia. She died in Scott County.
Mr. Funk, the hushand of the one whose name appears at the head of this sketeh, came to Seott County in the fall of 1830, and rented land for three years on Plum Creek, after which he removed to Lynnville remaining there four years. In about 1839 he purchased 200 acres of improved land, which he sold in 1864, and bought the place upon which his widow now lives, where he engaged in general farming and stock-raising. His farm was a model of perfect cultivation and well improved. Mr. and Mrs. Funk were the parents of twelve children: Butler, William, Marion, Amanda, Puris, Sarah A., Letitia, Nimrod, Luke, Simeon, John, and Ellen. William was in the 21st Illinois Infantry under Grant, and participated in the battle of Stone River. He was captured and sent to Anderson- ville Prison where he died. Nimrod was in Com- pany F. 145th Illinois Infantry, and served three months. Marion is farming in Sangamon County,
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Ill .; Amanda married William Smith; Lnke mar- ried Amanda Todd, and is farming on the old home- stead. Simeon is a farmer of Scott County ; John is attending eollege at Upper Alton; Ellen married D. Mills, a farmer in Exeter.
Mrs. Funk has been a member of the Baptist Church for fifty years, and was a charter member of the same church organization of which her hus- band was a deacon for thirty years. Mr. and Mrs. Funk had together grown up with this country and witnessed its wonderful development. Mr. Funk was considered a model man and farmer, and when he died his neighborhood lost a good man. His death took place Mareh 27, 1886.
G EORGE R. FOX, who is a native of Morgan County, Ill., is a representative farmer and stock-raiser of Bethel Preeinet, and is also a practical engineer. _ Ile owns and operates a first-class traction engine and threshing machine. He operated one among the first steam threshers in this section. In the winter season he makes the engine stationary, and grinds feed for his stock and that of his neighbors. He was born July 12, : 1845, and was a son of John H. and Maria (Ream) Fox, the father being a native of England, and the mother of Germany.
John H. Fox came to America while yet a young man, and for a time lived in Cincinnati, Ohio. He believed that the cities were over crowded and that the Government had an abundance of land so that it could give everybody a farm for a nominal price, and so thinking, he came to Morgan County, accompanied by his father and mother, where plenty of land was found and very cheap. These people were what may truly be called pioneers of Morgan Connty. The grandfather of George R. Fox was the original settler on the farm now occu- cupied by his grandson. John H. Fox and wife were the parents of eleven children, ten of whom are living : George R .; John II., who is now resid- ing in Kansas; The Rev. Richard E., of the Metho- dist Protestant Church; Martha was the wife. of Thomas Whorten, and is now deceased; Adda is now the widow of Edgar Culver, and resides in
Kingman, Kan .; Mary is the wife of Frank Steven- son, and lives in Bozeman, Mont .; Stella is the wife of the Rev. John Green, a minister of the Methodist Protestant Church; Amanda is now Mrs. Herbert Green, of Gibson, Ford Co., Ill .; Thomas, James Z. and Jabez M. are residents of Morgan County. The Fox family is an old and respectable one, and highly thought of.
John H. Fox, the father of the subject of this sketch, was a Republican in polities, and very prominent in his party. He died in February, 1863, and his wife followed in July of the same year. During the war, in 1863, he visited Holly Springs, Miss., prior to its capture, and was there visiting his son, John H., aged sixteen, who was Drum-Major of the 101st Illinois Regiment. He was lying sick in the hospital. Mr. Fox eamped with the regiment and was captured with them, but was soon after paroled, and then started on his road home, dying at his sister's, Mrs. Martha French, within a mile of his own home. He was an earnest member of the Methodist Protestant Church, and had served in many important offices in the or- ganization, and in Sunday-school work he was es- pecially zealous. He was one of those solid, sub- stantial men, whose imprint is plainly seen in his posterity. The grandfather of the subject of this sketch was one of the founders of the church in Bethel, and was a man widely known through this part of the country. There is probably not a pio- ncer in Western Illinois who has not heard of him, and favorably too.
At the time of the death of the parents the eldest child was George R., and he was abont eighteen years of age. There were eleven children, and what is quite remarkable, they lived together in perfect harmony at the old homestead until they all married off except two brothers-Thomas E. and Jabez M .- who are still single. The brothers and sisters lived in love and harmony together all these years, and assisted in educating one another, and it is no flattery to say that they are a family of much more than ordinary attainments.
The brothers and sisters cheerfully aecord the highest praise to the wife of George R., who came at the early age of seventeen, to take charge of the old home, which by her charms and graces she has
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assisted in making pleasant and in a measure filled the part of a mother to the younger children. The family are all natural musicians, even to the grand- father and father, who were the first teachers of musie in this eounty. Their extraordinary love for musie is probably one of the eanses which eon- tributed in a large measure toward holding the children together after the death of their parents. George R's. second son is regarded as somewhat of a mnsieal prodigy.
George R. Fox was reared to manhood sur- rounded by the seenes of pioneer life, and received his edneation in the early distriet schools that years ago existed in Illinois. He had the advantage of being trained by eonseientions parents, who did nothing exeept for the good of their children. They were of that self-denying class of people of whom but few are seen in these latter days. But the seliool advantages of the pioneer days are not to be compared with those of modern times. Then books were scaree and costly, now they are plenty and cheap; then the houses in which children were taught were of the most primitive kind and devoid of comfort, now the school build- ings are models of eleganee and eomfort; then ignoranee and the rod ruled, now intelligence and love. So it ean be easily seen that the child of to-day is fortunate in the manner of his securing an education. Mr. Fox is an omniverous reader, and eonseqently keeps well posted upon eurrent events. His parents having died while he was yet young, and being the oldest of the family left, the most of the eare of the younger children devolved upon him.
Mr. Fox married Miss Maggie Biggers, a native of Washington County, Ky. She is the daughter of Richard and Nannie (Adams) Biggers. They re- moved to Scott County when Mrs. Fox was only twelve years old. and settled in Winchester, Ill., subsequently moving to Chapin. The mother died in May, 1873. Her father is now living in Chapin. She is the mother of four children, three of whom are living: Freddie B., Richard E., and Walter R. Edgar is deceased. Mr. Fox owns 104 aeres of well-improved land, and the buildings thereon are all new, having been built in 1886, and are said to be the finest in Bethel Preeinct. Politically, Mr.
Fox is a Republican. and has served as School Director for a number of years. Himself and wife are members of the Congregational Church at Joy Prairie. Ile is Superintendent of the Sunday- school at Chapin, eonneeted with the' Methodist Protestant Church, and takes a great interest in its sueeess. He has been Superintendent of that Sun- day-school for a period of fourteen years. and his efficient work has done much to hold it together and make it one of the best Sabbath-sehools in the county.
ENRY EILERS, one of the younger far- mers of Morgan County, is a self-reliant and energetie man who was obliged to assume the responsibilities of life at an early period in his existenee. This experience, however, far from detraeting from his eharaeter and aequire- ments, proved undoubtedly the best sehool in which he could have been taught. He is now in a pros- perous condition and operating a well regulated farm of 120 aeres on seetion 23, township 16, range 12.
Mr. Eilers was born in this eounty May 30, 1855, and his only edneation was acquired in the distriet school of his native township. ITis father being in poor health Henry, when a boy of fourteen, as- sumed the responsibilities of carrying on the farm. Prior to this, however, he had labored as far as his strength would permit, following the plow when a lad of eight years. He lived at the homestead until approaching the thirty-first year of his age, and was then married, Jan 14, 1886, to Miss Nan- nie Bryant. She is the daughter of David M. and Mary E. (Wright) Bryant. The father is an old resident of Concord. The mother died May 15, 1889. Of this union there have been born two children, Edna May, and one who died in infaney. Mr. Eilers, politieally, gives his support to the Republican party, but with the exception of serv- ing as Road Supervisor, has taken very little part in public affairs. In religious matters, he is a Pres- byterian, while his estimable wife belongs to the Methodist Episcopal Church.
The parents of our subject, Henry B. and Jo- hanna (Tholan) Eilers, were natives of Germany.
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The father departed this life April 11, 1881, and the mother was subsequently married to Thomas Bowen, and now lives in Jacksonville. Mr. and Mrs. Eilers came to the United States in their youth and prior to their marriage, which took place in this county. They settled near the present farm of their son and became the parents of nine chil- dren, of whom the following survive, viz: Henry, our subject, Mary, the wife of Charles Dahman, of Kansas: Rickey, a resident of this township; Haley, the wife of Joseph Bowen, of Concord Precinct; Emma; Edward lives with Henry, and Frederick is, in Kansas.
Henry B. Eilers was one of the earliest pioneers of this county and became one of its most prosper- ous men. Ile had no capital when he settled here but in due time had accumulated property to the amonnt of 400 acres of land, which with its build- ings and appartenances comprise a very valuable estate. He was a man entirely respceted in his community and a member in good standing of the Presbyterian Church.
AMES Z. FOX is a native of Morgan County Ill., and was born March 3, 1855. The younger generation of farmers that have succeeded the pioneeers, are of the energetic temperament, that makes a prosperous community. They have seen and known of the hardships through which their fathers went and have profited thereby.
James Z. Fox is the son of John II. and Maria Fox, pioneers of this county, of whom further mention is made in the sketch of George R. Fox. The subject of this sketchi received his education at the district school, and that he improved his opportunities, can be verified by conversing with him. At the age of fifteen years he went to live with his uncle, Samnel French, at Chapin, and while with him attended school for several winters, and when about twenty years of age he attended the preparatory course for one year at the Univer- sity of Illinois. Thus it will be seen that he was anxiously in pursuit of knowledge, and as a further means of gaining an education, he tanght five terms of school, three terms of which were in the Cha-
pin schools. Mr. Fox has decided musical talents which it is a pleasure for him to develop. Ile has for a number of years, been actively engaged in musical matters, in fact he has devoted pretty muchi all of lis later years to that art. He is an accom- plished musician, and is one of the most successful teachers of music in his section of the country. Mr. Fox is what may be called an all-around musi- cian, and is especially a skilled violinist. He lias trained and formed three orchestras out of country boys in his neighborhood-one of which is com- prised in the Fox family.
Our subject was married, Sept. 28, 1887, to Bessie Burnham, of Chapin. He owns sixty-five acres of good land and is meeting with fair success in the cultivation thereof. Politically, Mr. Fox is a Re- publican leaning toward the Prohibitionists. Ile is not an office seeker, and is in favor of the best men for places of trust. Ile is public spirited, and approved of any measures that will forward the interests of his town. As a man, he is affable and entertaining, and possesses generous impulses that have won for him the respect of the whole com- munity, and being a worthy scion of one of the prominent pioneers of this county, it is casy to pre- dict for him a promising future. His amiable wife is also an accomplished innsician, and both take an active part in the society of their locality. Ile and his wife are both members of the Protestant Meth- odist Church. He has recently been very success- fully and extensively engaged in de-horning cattle. During this ycar he has been engaged in reading medicine, and has made his arrangements to enter as a student in September, 1889, Rush Medical Col- lege at Chicago, with the view of preparing himself for the practice of medicine.
C ALVIN ORE. A very pretty picture is formed by the homestead of the subject of this sketch, which is finely located on sec- tion 10, township 16, range 11, and comprises 160 acres of well developed land. It is adapted to both grain and stock-raising, especially the latter, and from its fertile soil its proprietor has for a number of years realized a handsome income. He struck
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the first blow toward its cultivation and improve- ment, and the structure which lie then occupied is now a part of the pleasant domicile which forms the home of the family, and is one of the most at- tractive resorts in this part of the county.
Mr. Ore first came to Illinois in 1852, although he did not settle on his present farm until two years later, and he did not become sole owner until 1856. He was born in JJefferson County, Tenn., Nov. 8, 1834, and is the only son of Nelson and Anna (Smith) Ore, who were natives of East Tennessee, and eamne of excellent families. The paternal grand- father of our subject served as a soldier in the War of 1812, and died in East Tennessee at the advanced age of ninety years. His grandmother's name was Naney Nanee. The mother of our subjeet was the daughter of William Smith, who also car- ried a musket during the war above mentioned, and who, like his eompeer, Grandfather Ore, also attained to the age of ninety years, and died in. Tennessee. He was a farmer by occupation. Grand- mother Smith also lived to be nearly ninety years old, as also did Grandmother Ore. Both families seem to have been noted for longevity.
Nelson Ore, after his marriage settled down on a farm in Jefferson County, Tenn., where he re- mained until after the birth of four children, three daughters and our subject. The father met his death by drowning in the Holsen River when inid- dle aged, and when Calvin, of our sketch, was about five years of age. The mother was subsequently married to Thomas Dyer, aud both she and Mr. Dyer spent the remainder of their lives in Jeffer- son County. The mother was fifty-eight years old at the time of her death, and Mr. Dyer was her senior by many years.
Our subjeet remained at home with his mother and step-father until eighteen years old, and then starting out for himself, made his way to this county on foot the whole distance. His first busi- ness after his arrival here was to seeure employ- ment, and he worked as a farm laborer until in a condition to establish a home of his own. He was married, in the township where he now lives, in October, 1855, to Miss Rhoda A. Dyer, who was born in Granger County, Tenn., Jan. 20, 1839. Her parents were William A. and Margaret (Bridge-
man) Dyer, also natives of East Tennessee, and the father a general mcehanic, working in both wood and iron. . Both hier maternal and paternal grandfathers were in the War of 1812 and aided in freeing their country-from the despotie tyranny of England. Her grandmothers both lived to the advanced age of eighty-three years.
The parents of Mrs. Ore, after their marriage, lived in Tennessee until after the birth of three children, of which Mrs. Ore was the youngest. When she was about ten months old they all eane to Illinois and finally settled on a farm in township 16, range 11, where the wife and mother died on the 12 of January, 1878, after having reached nearly her threcseore and ten years. Mr. Dyer is still living in this county, and is now eighty-three years old. Both he and his estimable wife united with the Old School Baptist Church many years ago.
Mrs. Ore was the third in a family of twelve children, and was reared to womanhood under the parental roof. Of her union with our subjeet, there have been born seven children, three of whom are deceased. One child died unnamed, and Ann E. and Vilena died in carly childhood. Margaret A .. the eldest daughter living, is the wife of William Gilmore, a resident of Cowley County, Kan .; Johu C. also lives there with his sister; William Robert remains at home and assists in operating the farm; T. Nelson is the youngest of the family. Mr. Ore, politically, is a staneh Democrat, and both he and his wife are members of the Baptist Church. They are widely and favorably known in this county, and are numbered among its most substantial and praiseworthy people.
ON. J. E. WRIGHIT may usually be found at his homestead on seetion 8, township 13, range 10, where he has lived many years. and has become well-known to the people of this region. Hle is a native of Morgan County, and born July 11, 1842. Ilis parents were John W. and Eliza Wright, the father a native of Tennessee, and the mother of Kentneky. The paternal grandfather, John Wright, settled on section 9, township 13,
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range 10, at an early day, but finally removed to Murrayville, where he died in the eighty-sixth year of his age. It is believed that he came to this section as early as 1828. His son, Jolin W., was then a young man, and Wright Precinet was named in honor of the father.
Capt. Wright, as he is familiarly called, since the close of the Civil War has been largely interested in live stock. Ile received a praetieal education in the common sehools, necessarily somewhat limited, but has kept himself thoroughly informed in regard to passing events, and is naturally adapted to business pursuits. He was first married to Miss Maria Wilson, and there were born four children, three of whom are living-Minnie O., Mattie and Charles J.
After the outbreak of the rebellion onr subject, Aug. 1. 1861, enlisted as a private in Company G, 1st Missouri Cavalry, which was assigned to the Western Army, and was mostly under command of Gen. Curtis. A year later Mr. Wright was pro- moted to Corporal, later to Sergeant, and served as a scout more or less, while he also fought the guer- rillas in Missouri. He met the rebels in the battle of Pea Ridge and at the charge of Sugar Creek, his company heing at the front in the latter plaec. Later he participated in other engagements, and after the close of the war received his honorable discharge. In the meantime he had returned to this eounty and organized a company of infantry, Company E, in the spring of 1865, consisting of about 100 men, and which became a portion of the 58th consoli- dated infantry. The regiment was assigned to the 16th Army Corps, under command of Gen. A. J. Smith, and served mostly in Alabama, being pres- ent at the surrender of Mobile.
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