USA > Illinois > Morgan County > Portrait and biographical album of Morgan and Scott Counties, Illinois > Part 75
USA > Illinois > Scott County > Portrait and biographical album of Morgan and Scott Counties, Illinois > Part 75
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To Mr. and Mrs. Young there were born nine children, six of whom are living. Mary is the wife of Patrick O'Donnell, and they have eleven children, nine of whom are living, viz: Johnie, Lizzie, Olive, Mary Ann, Nellie, Charles, Thomas,
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Lilly, and Susie. Miss Susie Young, together with Robert and Annie, remain at home with their mother. The fourth child was an infant, who died unnamed. George married Miss Mary Mouldridge, and they have two children-Joe, and an infant unnamed. This son lives on a part of the farm. Emma married William McLaughlin, became the mother of one child, who died, and she died in 1876. Miss Olive Young died when an interesting young lady of twenty-two years; Charles married Miss Alice Fletcher, and is the father of two chil- dren-Hardin and Percy.
The Young homestead is considered one of the most valuable in this part of Scott County. It is embellished with good buildings, and supplied with all the machinery for carrying on agriculture in the most profitable manner. The family repre- sents in a high degree the worth and respectability of Scott County.
G EORGE W. MOORE, a life-long resident of Morgan County, was born within its limits in 1833, completed his education in Illinois College, from which he was graduated in 1856, and chose the occupation of a farmer, which he has since followed. Upon reaching man's estate, he was mar- ried to Miss Nannie, daughter of Col. G. M. Cham- bers, of .Jacksonville, and a native of Bourbon County, Ky. The only child born of this union is a daughter-Eleanor I., who has been given an excellent education, graduating from Jacksonville Female Academy with honors in the class of '89, and still lives with her parents. They reside upon a beautiful farm, seven miles east of the city, where Mr. Moore is largely engaged in stock-rais- ing and feeding, which he has prosecuted with marked success.
Our subject is the son of Dr. Edmund Moore, who was born in Roscommon County, Ireland, and came to America with his parents in 1798. During the first few years of his residence in the United States he had the unusual experience of living under three forms of Government -- first, the French in Louisiana, nnder the first Consul, Napo- leon Bonaparte; second the Spanish in Florida,
under King Charles the Fourth, and, lastly, under the great Republic. He completed his education in the Seminary at Bardstown, Ky., now known as Nazareth, and later took up the study of medicine. In due time he was married to Miss Mary O'Neal, a native of Bardstown, and later removed to Rock- port, Ind., where he followed his chosen profession for five years. Then, in 1827, he came to this county, where he operated as a successful practi- tioner for a period of nearly forty years, and died an honored and respected citizen.
Mrs. Mary (O'Neal) Moore, the mother of our subject, departed this life eleven years prior to the decease of her husband. They were the parents of four children, one of whom, a son Lewis. a re- tired farmer, is an intelligent and highly respected citizen of Glendora, Cal .; Ellen became the wife of Samuel Tindall, a prosperous farmer of Morgan County; Sylvester L. is a resident of St. Louis, Mo. George W., our subject, completes the list. 'Two of the sons served in the Union army during the late Civil War, Sylvester. being a member of the IO1st Illinois Infantry, in which for gallant services he was promoted to the rank of Major. George W.,.our subjeet, held a Lieutenant's com- mission in the 1st Missouri Cavalry, and distin- guished himself for his bravery and fidelity to duty.
Mr. Moore is everywhere recognized as a man of superior intelligence, and as the encourager of all measures tending to elevate the people. Ile is liberal in his religious views, but friendly to all church denominations whose influence will make men wiser and better. Mrs. Moore is a lady of cultivation and refinement, and greatly attached to her beautiful country home. She is an earnest Presbyterian-the church of her ancestors-de- voted to her family, kind and obliging to her neighbors, and universally esteemed.
S AMUEL WARREN NICHOLS, editor of the daily and weekly Jacksonville Journal, is a native of Hancock County, this State, and was born Feb. 5, 1844. Ilis father, the Rev. Warren Nichols, of the Presbyterian
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Church, was born in Massachusetts, and died in 1862, in Ohio, where he had resided for some years.
At Lima, Ohio, in May, 1864, the subject of this sketeli enlisted as a Union soldier in Company E, 151st Ohio Infantry, and served four months in and around Washington, D. C. Upon leaving the army, he came to this county, settling in JJacksonville, and for some time attended the Illinois College. Later he became a student of the Jacksonville Business College, from which he was graduated, and taught therein one year. From 1867 to 1870 he was Treasurer of the Jacksonville Gas Light and Coke Company, and during the latter year was Teller of the First National Bank.
Later, as a member of the firm of Nichols & Brennan, our subject was engaged in the stove business in this city six years, and from 1876 to 1885, he was in the photograph business. About 1884 he began writing for the Journal, and in 1885 he was employed regularly on the staff of that paper. The Journal Company was organized in November, 1886, and since that time Messrs. Nichols & Fay have directed its editorial columns.
Mr. Nichols is a live, wide-awake newspaper man. and the columns of the Journal attest his de- votion to the very best interests of the eity and its people. He is a member of the Congregational Church, and is prominently identified with the Masonic fraternity and the G. A. R.
OIIN A. CRAIN, a dry-goods merchant and banker of Waverly, is senior member of the firm of J. A. Crane & Co., and has been a resident of Morgan County sinee March, 1846. He was born in Fleming County, Ky., Nov. 5, 1822, and is of English ancestry. His paternal grandfather, James Crane, was born, reared and married in England and emigrated to America about 1728. Ile made settlement in Fauquier County, Va., where he resi.led until 1798, then with his son Samuel, removed to Fleming County, Ky., the wife and mother having died in the Old Do- minion. Grandfather Crain was a farmer by occu-
pation, reared a large family and lived to be over ninety years old. His children settled mostly in in South Carolina.
Samuel Crain, the father of our subject, was born in 1760, and served four years as a private in the Revolutionary War under the direet command of Washington, and was present at the surrender of Yorktown. In 1785 he was married to a Virginia lady of English deseent. In 1798 they removed to Fleming County, Ky., where the wife and mother died about 1810. The children born of this mar- riage were named respectively, Simeon, John, Will- iam, James, Lewis, Elizabeth, Lueinda, Phebe and Sarah. After the death of his first wife Mr. Crain was married, in 1819, to Jane B. Moffett, a native of Kentucky and of Irish and German parents. He beeame owner of a plantation where he spent his remaining years, being successful financially. Ile owned a number of slaves, several of whom were freed at his death, which occurred in June, 1825, the result of a fall. Of his second marriage there were born six children, viz .: Thomas, John A., Charles, Samuel, Elijah and Louise, all of whom, with the exception of the subject of this sketch are deceased.
John A. Crain continned a resident of his native State until a young man of twenty-four years. Then coming to Illinois he located in Waverly, es- tablishing the pioneer store in the place, which he condueted with signal sneeess. It was probably also the oldest store in the county. In 1870 he established a private bank, which is still in opera- tion. He has at different times owned large traets of real estate, sometimes as high as 2,000 acres. Ile disposed of a large portion of this, having now 600 aeres besides his town property.
Mr. Crain has been twice married, first in 1848 to Miss Elizabeth Manson, whose parents were early set- tlers of Morgan county. She was born in Emmetts- burg, Md., and died in 1852, leaving two children, both danghters: the elder, Mary, became the wife of Byron L. Carter, and died in Waverly, leaving three children; Lucy married James Dennis, and died in Waverly, leaving one child. Emma also died in Waverly. In 1856 Mr. Crain married his sceond wife, Eleanor M., daughter of Dempsey and Mary (Roberts) Kennedy; this lady was born in Pennsyl-
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vania, and came to Illinois with her parents when quite young. Of this union there have been born six children, the eldest of whom, Kate, is the wife Rev. George R. Beatty, and resides in Ocala, Fla .; Ella is the wife of Newton H. Roher, of Waverly ; Mande was the third child; Oliver remains with his father, and has charge of the bank; Chase is a resi- dent of Florida, and Thomas resides at home. Mr. Crain, politically, is a Republican, and in religious matters has been a member of the Methodist Epis- copal Church since 1840.
W ILLIAM J. CLAYWELL, familiarly known as "Jasper" Claywell, stands sceond to no man in Scott County, in point of popular- ity and genuine worth of character. Personally he is of robust, portly frame, six feet two in height, and weighing 300 lbs. Within this ample frame nature has placed a heart in keeping with its other proportions-one which feels for its fellow-men, has always an impulse of kindness toward the un- fortunate and downfallen, and which prompts the bestował of substantial aid. . A man more than ordinarily devoted to his family, Mr. Claywell is also, outside of this, uniformly benevolent and active in all good works, a devoted Christian, and prominent in church circles, one who is looked up to as the moving spirit in every good enterprise and who not only gives his time and influence, but con- tributes of his means as he has opportunity.
One of the peculiarities of Mr. Claywell is his force of character, mingled with great native abil- ity and sound common sense. These have been his attendants in all his walks in life, . whether exercised as beneficiary to his fellow-men or in the immediate surrondings of his home. The lat- ter perhaps is more plainly stamped with his true character, and on all sides there is the evidence of industry, enterprise and ample means. The dwell- ing is a neat and substantial frame structure, while the fenees, yards, barns and other outbuildings de- note on every hand thrift and prosperity. The homestead forms a picture delightful to contem- plate and the proprietor is one of those men whom to meet is a matter of solid satisfaction, not
alone to the biographer, but to all who are thrown within the sphere of his influence. Mr. Clay well owns and operates 174 acres of choice land, pleas- antly located on section 1, township 13, range 13. He purchased this in the fall of 1852, and cleared all but ten acres of it, which was fenced at the time of purchase. In addition to general farming he has been largely interested as a stock-raiser, mak- ing a specialty of thoroughbred, Short-horn cattle and Poland-China swine. One of his maxims is "the fewer promises a man makes, the better he is off." Following out this idea he has been espce- ially prompt to meet his obligations and this habit coneisely adhered to has perhaps more than any- thing else the effect to establish a man in the esteem of his fellow citizens.
Mr. Claywell was born at the old Claywell home- stead Aug. 8, 1831, and acquired his education in the primitive log school-house, with its puncheon floor and slabs for seats and desks, and its huge fire- place, with the chimney built outside of earth and sticks. Ile was a bright and ambitious boy and when but fifteen years old, assisted in the organi- zation of subscription schools. Ile has always taken a lively interest in educational matters and especially in the Sand Ridge school to which he donated land for the grounds and otherwise assisted in its establishment and maintenance. At the age of twenty years he was married, Ang. 7, 1851, to Miss Permelia, danghter of Bird and Harriet ( Wil- liams) Peak, who were among the earliest pioneers of Scott County, and are now residents of Winches- ter. A sketch of them will be found on another page of this volume.
After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Clay well lived upon a rented farm two seasons, and then re- moved to that which they now occupy. Here there were born their nine children, the eldest of whom, Ilattie, died when fifteen months old. Bird is married and a resident of Scott County ; he has three children-Annie, Permelia and Charles. John married a Miss New, and is a traveling sales- man for the firm of Walter A. Woods, mannfact- arer of harvesting machinery; he bas one child, William J., Jr. William J., died at the age of six years; Lucinda died in infancy ; Cornelia is the wife of Joseph McClure, and has charge of our subject's
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farm; they have one child, Elmer. Thomas mar- ried Miss Emma Taylor, is a resident of Kansas, and has two children-Percy Mabel and Lilly; Ol- ive and Dolly, (twins) died in infancy. Mr. and Mrs. Claywell are members in good standing of the Christian Church, at Winchester, in which Mr. Claywell has been a Trustee and one of its most liberal supporters. Politically, he supports the principles of the Republican party, and has been Township Treasurer seven or eight years.
The parents of our subject were Joel and Lu- cinda (Cain) Claywell, natives of Cumberland County, Ky., to which the paternal grandfather removed from North Carolina, and where he spent the remainder of his days. Joel Claywell remained in Kentucky until after his marriage and the birth of two children, then in 1826, came to Illinois with his little family and settled on section 6, township 12, range 13. The conntry was then mostly in its primitive condition and the Clay well family experienced all the vicissitudes of pioneer life. In Scott County, there were added to the family circle seven more children, in all there were four sons and five daughters. William JJ. was the eldest son. The father for a time after eoming West operated as pilot on the flatboats of the Mississippi, Illinois and Ohio rivers. These crafts were utilized in conveying produce from this county to New Orleans. Willlam J. thus was left at an early age in charge of the homestead. The land in this region was then heavily timbered and the neighborhood log-rollings, while furnishing plenty of laborious work, were also the occasion of hilarity and pleasure among the young people who assembled in the evenings for enjoyment. The grain for many years was cut with cradles and a large proportion of it was harvested by our sub- ject and six other young men who worked together and were experts at the business, doing a large pro- portion of the cradling in their neighborhood. These employments served to develop strong and sturdy frames, and made the men, who, later, were instrumental in developing the resources of the country and building up their community, morally as well as financially.
Mis. Claywell was born on the old Peak home- stead, April 16, 1835, and lived there with her par
ents until leaving the home roof to preside over a household of her own. She has been in all res- pects the suitable partner of her husband and both enjoy the unqualified respect of all who know them.
ILLIAM B. JOHNSON, senior member of the firm of W. B. Johnson & Sons, occu- pies a fine business block, which he put up in the summer of 1877. and which embraces Nos. 65 to 70 on the east side of the Square, in Jack- sonville. Ile gives employment to twenty men, and has supervision over one of the most important industries of the city. He came to this place in 1850 when it was an nnimportant village, and started business in a small way in tinware and stoves. In 1862 he added furniture to his stock, and, under the impetus of a steadily increasing patronage, the house rapidly attained its present position in the front ranks of the furnishing busi- ness.
The Blue Grass State was the early home of our subject, his birth taking place in 1829. Ilis par- ents, Lively and Agnes (Thurman) Johnson, were natives of Virginia. They lived in Kentucky until i830, the father in the meantime engaged in farming in Cass County, his land being located three miles from the town of Chandlerville. This was Government land when he settled upon it, and the first dwelling of the parents was a cabin in the timber. It contained but one room, and was built in the most primitive manner, no shingles, iron, sawed timber or glass being accessible. The fireplace ad- mitted sticks of wood ten feet in length. Upon leaving Kentucky, they came to this county, where the father engaged in farming until his death, which took place in 1834, while he was still a young man. He had, however, signalized himself as a worthy citizen, and had been especially act- ive as a temperance advocate. Religiously, he be- longed to the Old School Presbyterian Church. The mother survived her husband a period of thirty-six years, and spent her last days on the old homestead, her death taking place in 1870. The nine children of the parental family all lived to mature years. Those surviving at the present
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time are Sarah, Mary, William B., our subject, and John B. The deceased are Martha, Nancy, Susan, Elizabeth and Catherine.
The subject of this sketch spent his younger years under the home roof, and later learned the tinner's trade in the city of Springfield. He estab- lished in business for himself, first in Mt. Pulaski, Logan County, but fourteen months later removed to Fulton, Whiteside County, and thence eame to Jacksonville in 1850. In 1851 he was married to Miss Saralı E. Lawson, a native of Kentucky. Of this union there were born six children, two of whom died at an early age. The four living arc all sons. William II. married Miss Florence Mc- Gill, a native of New York State, and is the father of one child, a son, Frederick M. William is a partner of his father. Jolin L. and Edward are members of the same firm. Charles A. is pursuing his studies in the city schools.
The family residence is pleasantly located at No. 423 West State street, and in its furnishings and sur- roundings is fully in keeping with the means and sta- tion of its inmates. Death entered this peaceful abode in November, 1887, calling away the devoted wife and mother. Mrs. Johnson was a very estimable lady, and a member of the Presbyterian Church for many years. About the time of her connection with this church, Mr. Johnson also beeame a mem- ber, and has served some twenty years as Trustee. In political matters his sympathies are with the Republican party. Ile has ever maintained a lively interest in the welfare of his adopted city, and has aided in the development of coal mines, the secur- ing of railroad advantages through this region and the building of factories. Ile has thus signified the public spirit, without which no city can attain to prominence or prosperity.
b ENRY B. SWETTART. This prosperous and well-known manufacturer of spring wagons, carriages and buggies at Chapin, needs but little in the way of an introduc- tion to the people of Morgan County, who have long known him as one of the much valued citi . zens of this community. Ile is a native of Han-
over, Germany, where he was born on the 13th of December, 1837. lle is a son of Benjamin and Mary Swettart, natives of the same place. His par- ents gave him a as good an education as they were able in the schools of Hanover, and, being quite fond of reading, and having become well acquainted with English, he is able to take his place among the well-informed English-speaking people of the county.
Mr. Swettart emigrated to this county, in 1855, from Bremen, crossing the Atlantie in a sailing- vessel, the voyage lasting forty-nine days. He landed at New Orleans, where he remained about six months; at the end of that time he went to Memphis, and subsequently to Louisville, where he made his home for three years, working at wagon- making-having begun the same in New Orleans. His settlement in Morgan County dates from the year 1859. He first worked for Mr. John Webb in the village of Bethel, continuing to follow his trade until August, 1862, when he enlisted in Company 101st Illinois Infantry, as a private. Subsequently he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant, which position he held at the time of his honorable dis- charge at the elose of the war, on the 7th of June, 1865. He was present as an active combatant in the battles of Lookont Mountain, Missionary Ridge, Peachtree Creek, and Newhope Church; was one of the men to accompany Sherman in his famous march; he also fonght throughout the entire At- lanta campaign, and finished his experiences in the ranks at the grand review at Washington. He was captured at Holly Springs, Miss., and, after being held about four hours, was paroled. This was his only experience as a prisoner-of-war.
At the close of the war Mr. Swettart returned to Morgan County, and began business for himself in Bethel, where he continued until 1882, when he removed to Chapin, where he still resides. Ilis business has grown most satisfactorily, and consists of two departments-the one, that of his manufae- tory of varions vehicles, and the other, that of the sales of all kinds of farming implements and ma- chinery, of which, although not a manufacturer, he handles quite a large quantity.
The first marriage of Mr. Swettart was cele- brated in July, 1865, with Lueinda Sullins, by
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whom he became the father of one son, who re- ceived the name of William R. On the 3d of June, 1877, he contracted a second matrimonial alliance with Mary Plamer. To them was born a danghter, who received the name of Lena. In the community this family is held in high regard, our subjeet commanding the respeet of his fellow-eiti- zens, both in a business and social way. He is a member of the G. A. R. Post at Chapin, and is at present the Quartermaster of the Post. He is also identified with the I. O. O. F. and the A. O. U. W. Religiously, he is connected with the Christian Church, and in matters political is a Republican. He is one of the Board of Trustees of Chapin, of which he has served as President.
ENRY II. HALL, a retired farmer in good eireumstanees and a resident of Jacksonville, was one of the pioneer settlers of Morgan county, and prominent during the years of its early growth and development. Ile was born in Aeeomaek County, Va., Aug. 17, 1827, and is the son of IIenry II. and Anna (Beard) Hall, whose family consisted of the following children, namely : John, Ann, Eliza, Henry (first and second), Henry II. (our subjeet), John Pitt, Eliza (2d), Robert, and Jane, five of whom are deceased.
The father of our subject was born near Belfast, Ireland, in 1795, and received a classical education, being graduated from one of the best schools in Edinburg, Scotland. Later he studied surgery in Dublin, and in due time was appointed a Surgeon in the British army, in which capacity he served a number of years. He came to America in 1817, settling in Virginia, and the following year was married. Upon coming to Illinois he settled in that part of Morgan County, which is now Cass County, and laid out the town of Virginia. He entered a large tract of land from the Government, and became well-to-do, living there until his death in 1847. He was recognized as a liberal-minded and publie-spirited citizen, and took an active in- terest in all that pertained to the welfare of his adopted county. He identified himself with theDem- ocratie party, and became a warm personal friend of
Stephen A. Douglas. Though not a member of any church organization, he led a truly Christian life, filled with deeds of charity and kindness, and enjoyed the highest respect of all who knew him.
The mother of our subjeet was a native of Vir- ginia, and traeed her aneestry back to the family of which William Pitt was a scion, in England. She was a devout member of the Presbyterian Church, a faithful wife and a devoted mother. IIer death took place in 1882, after she had reached a ripe old age, in which she enjoyed the full possession of all her faculties, being remarkably strong both mentally and physically.
Our subjeet remained under the parental roof during the lifetime of his father, and was educated mostly in a private school. He embarked in mer- chandising about 1850, but a few years later, on account of failing health, turned his attention to farming and stock- raising. Later he organized the Farmers' National Bank of Virginia, Cass County, of which lie officiated as President four years. In 1870 he retired from active business, and took up his residence in Jacksonville, where he has sinee lived. He was first married to a daughter of Judge Epler, of Jacksonville, and they became the parents of five children: Charles II., Ida M., Mary E., Grace M., and JJohn R., all living. Charles and Jolin were both educated in the Illinois College, and the former is now living in Minneapolis, Minn.
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