USA > Illinois > Morgan County > Portrait and biographical album of Morgan and Scott Counties, Illinois > Part 76
USA > Illinois > Scott County > Portrait and biographical album of Morgan and Scott Counties, Illinois > Part 76
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Our subjeet. in 1872, contraeted a second mar- riage with Miss Anna Savage, of Jacksonville. Of this union there has been born one child, a daughter, Helen H. Mr. Hall, politieally, is a member of the Demoeratie party, and belongs to the Congregational Church.
AMES BLUE. This very well-known resi- dent of Jacksonville was born in Monroe County, Mo., Dec. 11, 1842, and is the son of Robert and Eliza Blue, who were natives of Kentucky. The mother died in August, 1870, and the father is still living in Missouri. Ile was born in 1813, and has followed farming the greater part of his life.
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The subject of this sketch, when a youth of fourteen years, made his way to Kansas and lived there until 1867. Next he eame to Jacksonville, and purchased the two lots where he now lives, and upon which he has put up a neat and tasteful resi- dence, and the other necessary buildings. Like his father before him, he likewise has made agriculture his life oceupation. When ready to establish a home of his own he was married to Miss Margaret Richardson, who was born in Kentucky. Their eldest ehild, Eliza, is the wife of Burl Hitt, and Mary married Charlie Ilitt. The next ehild was John F .: Willie died when a promising youth of eighteen years; Ella, Birdie and James died in in- fancy. The remaining children are Stella, Robert and Maggie.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Blue are members in good standing of the Baptist Church. Mr. Blue has held the office of Deaeon in this church for several years, and has been one of its ehief pillars. He has also offieiated as Treasurer and Church Trustec. He is an earnest advocate of temperance, and lends his politieal influence to the Prohibitionists.
OHN W. GREEN. This honored pioneer of Seott County has been suceessful in aeeumulating a fine property, being the owner of 560 aeres of good farmning land, with a residence finely located on the banks of Mauvaisterre Creek. The dwelling, with its sur- roundings, its well-kept grounds and its air of eomfort and plenty, presents a very inviting spot to the weary traveler, under whose hospitable roof he frequently finds rest and refreshment. Mr. Green is one of the oldest living residents of this seetion, and while engaged in the building up of his homestead, also established himself in the es- teem and eonfidenee of his fellow-eitizens.
Of excellent English aneestry, our subjeet, who was born in Bluffs Preeinet, this county, Jan. 7, 1834, is the son of Benjamin Green, who was born in Yorkshire, England, Jan. 7, 1800. The pater- nal grandfather, John Green, a substantial English yeoman, owned a large farm in Yorkshire, and served for several years in the English army as a
lieutenant. Benjamin Green, in 1829, emigrated to America, and coming directly to this eounty, entered a traet of land from the government, and also purehased school land in Bluffs Preeinet. He was greatly prospered, and in due time beeame the owner of 450 aeres, which at the time of his death, in June, 1882, was all under a fine state of eultiva- tion and supplied with good buildings. The father of our subject was an active member of the Metho- dist Episcopal ehureh, and in polities a staneh Re- publiean. He embraced religion at the early age of fifteen years, and was one of the pillars of the church at Naples, which he assisted in organizing. He offieiated as Class-Leader a number of years, and at the time of his deeease was a Steward and Trustee. Ile donated largely to the maintenance of the society aud the building of the church edifice.
Mrs. Hannah (White) Green, the mother of our subjeet, was born in Lineolnshire, England, which was also the birthplace of her father. She eame to America with her husband and died in 1851, at the age of fifty-one years. The parental house- hold ineluded eight ehildren, five of whom lived to years of maturity. Mary, Mrs. Woodman, is a resident of Jacksonville, this State; Annie, Mrs. Chance, lives at Bluffs; John W., our subject, was the next in order of birth; Elizabeth, Mrs. Merras, lives at Bluffs; William died when twenty-three years old. He, during the eivil war, enlisted in Company I, 129th Illinois Infantry, was mustered in at Deeatur, took part in many important battles, and died at Mitchellville, Tenn., in 1863.
John W. Green pursued his early studies in the distriet school, and remained under the parental roof until twenty years old. In 1854 he purchased the land comprising his present homestead, and which was then in its primitive condition, without any improvements whatever. IIe entered at onee upon the task before him, and, in the course of a few years, found himself on solid ground. He purehased land adjoining, until at one time he was the owner of 1000 aeres in one body. He put up a $6000 residence, and besides general farming, engaged in stoek-raising, threshing and saw-mill- ing, and from all these resources realized a hand -- some income.
In 1886 Mr. Green sold off 320 and 120 aeres of
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his land and retired from active labor. Many and great have been the changes he has witnessed since coming to this county, where he set foot when wild game of all kinds was plentiful, and he often saw as many as twelve deer in one herd. Wolves also howled around the cabin door at night, and there was plenty of wild turkeys and other game, which afforded the settlers many a rare ineal. Mr. Green set out fruit and forest trees, orchards of peach, apples and the smaller fruits, and constructed a fish pond, which he stocked with a choice variety of the finny tribe. lle made a specialty of full- blooded Poland-China swine, and bought and fed cattle in large numbers, shipping usually two ears each year. He kept draft horses to the number of twenty head usually, and employed five teams in operating the farm, He is still the owner of the full-blooded Clyde Stallion, Prince, a magnificent animal who pulls down the scales at 1700 pounds.
The 29th of October, 1854, witnessed the mar- riage of our subjeet at Bluffs with Miss Margaret Jane Ohler. Mrs. Green was born in Adams County, Pa., and came to Illinois with her parents when quite young. they settling on land in Bluffs Precinct. She remained a member of her father's household until her marriage with our subject, and of this union there have been born six children. The ellest, a daughter, Margaret, is the wife of W. G. Pine, a farmer of Oxville Precinet, and they have five children: Ilarry, William, John, Grant and Ross. Ann is the wife of Eli MeLaughlin, a farmer of Winchester Precinet, and they have six children-Harvey, Mabel, Flo, Janey, Claude and Carrie; Benjamin, a grain-buyer of Riggston, this county, is married and has one boy-John; Will- iam, Carrie and Harvey are at home with their pa- rents. William took kindly to his books, studied in different colleges, and now follows the profes- sion of a teacher; he is also the assessor of town- 15, range 13-a fine, jolly lad who is a favorite with all.
Mr. Green politieally, is a staneh Republican, and has been quite prominent in the couneils of his party, frequently representing it in the county conventions. He has served as County Commis- sioner and School Director; was Township Trustee a period of fifteen years, and is now President of
the Board. He has also served on the Grand and Petit juries. He was at one time eonceted with both the I. O. O. F. and the Masonic fraternity. He is a very active member of the Methodist Epis- copal Church at Naples, to which he contributes a liberal and cheerful support, has served as Steward and Trustee, and has been Sunday School Superin- tendent.
C HARLES F. VIRGIN is numbered among the intelligent and wide-awake young Ameri- cans, who are actively promoting the various interests of Morgan County. He devotes himself to farming in a general way, raising both grain and stock, and is rightly considered one of the most skillful and energetie of the younger members of his ealling. He is a native of Illinois, born in Menard County, Aug. 26, 1857, and is a son of dohm Vir- gin, well known as one of the leading agriculturists of this part of Illinois. For his life record see his biography on another page of this volume.
Our subjeet was quite young when his parents removed to Morgan County, and he was reared to man's estate on his father's farm in this township. He gained the basis of a liberal education in the local distriet school, and was sent to the Business College at Jacksonville to complete it, and there pursued a fine course of study. He was a bright and apt pupil, and stood high in the estimation of his teachers and and fellow students, both on ae- count of his excellent scholarship, and his pleasant, genial manners. lle had been bred to the life of a farmer, and as a keen observer and an intelligent lad he had gained a good practical knowledge of the calling in all its branches, and when it came time for him to decide upon a vocation he naturally turned his attention to agriculture, and has sinee pursued it with characteristie energy, bringing to his work a elear judgment and a good capacity for labor, and the success that has followed his efforts is well merited.
Feb. 2, 1888, Mr. Virgin was united in marriage to Miss Ilattie Lathom, daughter of one of the leading families of this seetion. For parental his- tory see sketch of her father, W. J. Lathom, on an- other page of this work. Mr. and Mrs. Virgin have
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a pretty, attractive home, whose pleasant hospitali- ties are graciously extended to hosts of warm friends. Mr. Virgin is a member of the Anti- Horse Thief Association, of Prentice, and he is active in every enterprise that is likely in any way to benefit the community, and elevate its moral and social status.
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W ILLIAM McCURLEY was born in Morgan County, April 17, 1838. Ile attended a subscription school in his youth, which resulted in a fair education. His father, Ezekiel MeCurley, came to Morgan County in 1827, and in the same fall returned to Alabama, his native State, and the following spring, in company with his father and mother, returned to Morgan County, settling on a tract of Goverment land amount- ing to eiglity acres, which at one time he increased to 900 aeres. Ile died April 13, 1885, while his wife preceded him to the better land Oct. 15, 1883. They were the parents of eleven children. seven of whom are living: Samuel, Julia, Eme- line, Margaret, Susan, Mary E. and William. Sam- uel was married twice, his first wife being Elizabeth Seymour, who died soon after their marriage. Mary A. Mooreland was the maiden name of his second wife, and by whom he had nine children: Nancy J., Lavina, Julia A., Caroline, William E., and Agnes. Mary, George W. and Emma are deceased.
William McCurley married Telitha Davidson, daughter of Joshua and Elizabeth Davidson. She was born May 27, 1836. Her parents came to Mor- gan County in 1830, from Alabama. IIer father died in 1844, while the mother survived him until July 6, 1873. They were of German descent, and had the following children: David, William F., James, Thomas J., Albert, Mary, Martha and Telithia. David married Rebecca Gibson, now de- ceased. They had one child, Mary Ellen. Da- vid is now farming in Macoupin County, and is the father of four children by his last marriage-Fran- eis B., Emma, Harvey and Clara. William F. mar- ried Mary Seymour, a school teacher of this county, and to whom was born for children -Hattie L .. Alice, Marion W., Marston M. James married
Louisa Norville; they are now living in Jasper Coun- ty, Mo. Thomas J. married Mary Phillip, of this county, and is now residing in Florida; they have three children-Amy, Annie and James. Albert married Frances D. O'Ryan (deceased.) IIis sec- ond wife was Frances Brown. Albert is now liv- ing in Morgan County, and is a dealer in real cs- tate. Mary married the Rev. J. M. Gibson, of this county ; they are the parents of nine children- John M., Elizabetli, George C., Hannah, JJames W., Albert D., Mary E., Richard Y. and Julia. Martha married Gideon Jennings, a native of Tennessee, who is now a rancher in the Indian Territory ; they have six children-Henry, Granville, Susan, Annie Martha and Marinda.
The subject of this sketch has seven children- Amanda J., Alice, Louella, John II., Ezekiel HI., Mary E. and Zeruah. Amanda married Albert Boyer, a farmer of Van Buren County, Iowa, and they have four children-Lulu, Reuben W., Dora B. and Ivan HI. Alice married Newton Henry; her husband is dead, and she is residing with her father. Louella married George Moore, and is re- siding in Macoupin County ; they have one child, Mand M. The rest of the children are with their parents.
William McCurley at the time of his marriage was the owner of his present farm, and has sinee improved it with comfortable buildings, and has brought lris land into a high state of cultivation. Ile is considered by his neighbors as a model far- mer. The family are all members of the Method- ist Episcopal Church. Mr. McCurley is a Repub- lican in politics, and has been Postmaster for several years.
USTIN MOODY, well known as among the oldest settlers and prosperous citizens of Morgan County, is a native of Somerset- shire, England, the date of his birth being the 29th of October, 1834. He is the son of Austin and Jane Moody, to whom were born thirteen children, of whom the following are known to survive: Austin, the subject of this writing; Charles, who lives in England; Christopher, in Australia; Richard; Ann, the wife of James Bryant;
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Elizabeth, the widow of Mr. Smith, and Martha, wife of William Parnell, all of Somersetshire, En- gland.
The education of Mr. Moody was received in the , schools of the parish where he was born, and was fairly thorough in the usual English branches. At seventeen years of age he began to learn the trade of a butcher, and served a three-year's apprentice- ship-paying $100 as a premium for the same. In 1845 lie emigrated to America, taking passage at the port of Liverpool upon a sailing vessel, and after an ocean voyage of five weeks, landed in New York city, whenee he came almost at once to Naples, Ill., making the entire trip by water. He followed the following route: via Hudson River from New York to the Erie Canal, which he fol- lowed to the lake, thence to Cleveland, where he took the Ohio Canal to Portsmouth, which is adjacent to Cineinnati, and there he followed the course of the Ohio River and that of the Missis- sippi to St. Louis, and thence to Naples.
Arriving in Naples, our subject began work ou a farm, and continued for about three years; in 1850 he purchased a farm for himself in section 14,township 15, range 12, now known as Merritt Pre- cinct, Scott County. For this property he paid $8 per acre. Ilis first purchase included but 100 acres, but to this he has added from time to time until it comprised 490 acres. He came to this country a poor man, and had practically nothing to begin with, but by long continued effort, intelligently directed, perseveringly continued in and sustained by thrift, he has been thus successful, assisted al- ways by the most estimable companion of his life, who has been in every regard a true helpmate, faithful in every responsibility that has come to her in the domestie relation.
Mr. Austin was married on the 12th of Decem- her, 1850, being most favorably impressed with the admirable disposition and many happy qualities possesses by Mary Lazenby, the lady of his choiec. who was born upou the 13th of October, 1828, in Yorkshire, England. She is the daughter of John (deceased) and Sarah Lazenby, by whom she was brought to America when about six months old. Her parents settled in Morgan County in 1829, near Jacksonville. Mr. and Mrs. Moody were the
parents of six children, five of whom are living, viz: John, who is a resident of Seott County ; Sarah, the wife of B. DeLapp of California; Mary, now Mrs. Charles Rawson of this county; Emma, the wife of Walter Birch, a railroad agent; James B., of Scott County. The deceased child is Henry.
Mr. Moody lived on his farm in Seott County until 1875, in which year he removed to Chapin, where he has lived a retired life for many years. Ile is a very earnest member of the Episcopal Church. Both our subject and his estimable wife are respected members of society and in every circle, both social and religious. The relation of our subject to questions of government and politi- eal economy is with the Democratic party, of which he is an old and tried member. Both Mr. and Mrs. Moody have been hard workers throughout their lives, and now in their declining years are reaping the harvest thereof, but their days are not spent in idleness or inactivity, but being relieved from the embarrassing responsibilities and cares of business, they are careful to spend them in acts of kindness and deeds of usefulness.
The parents of Mrs. Moody were very early settlers in Morgan County, and settled about five miles west of Jacksonville. To them were born seven children, of whom it was their privilege to bring five to the estate of man and womanhood. These are: Mary, the wife of our subject; John and Charles, both of this county; William, who resides in Missouri, and Isaac, also of this county. The names of those deceased are as follows: Elizabeth and James. In the death of John Lazenby the county sustained the loss of one of its best and representative citizens. His widow, who is in her eighty-sixth year, resides with our subject.
G EORGE EBEY. This gentleman is an honor to the citizenship of Scott County, and no one of its citizens is more worthy of the consideration and veneration in which he is held by all who know him than he, for he is a thor- oughly upright, high-minded man, whose life-rec- ord is without blemish. He represents the indus- trial interests of Winchester Precinct where he
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resides, both as a prosperous farmer and as a suc- eessful potter.
Mr. Ebey comes of sturdy Revolutionary stock. His paternal grandfather, a German hy birth and descent, emigrating to America in the seventeenth century, east in his lot with the Colonists, and bravely fought with them for freedom from British rule, and yielded up his life in the cause at the storming of Stony Point. The parents of our sub- jeet. George and Mary (Ellebarger) Ebey, were born in Pennsylvania, and married and settled in their native State. The father was a man of good ability, full of ambition and enterprise. He was a millwright, and owned a flour-mill in Pennsylvania, and used to ship his flour on his own boats from his manufactory on the Juniata River to Baltimore. Desirous of making money still faster, lie built two vesssels, and loading one with flour and the others with eastings bought from a foundry on credit, he dispatched them to the Baltimore market. But while going down the Susquehanna River the vessels were run upon a rock near its mouth and wrecked, the pilot having been bribed to do the act, and both vessels with their entire eargo and three of the erew were lost. Mr. Ebey was on board of one of the vessels, and not being able to swim, he lay upon the bow of the sinking boat dur- ing that entire March night, and when rescued in the morning was entirely helpless from wet, cold, and exposure. This accident was a serions in- terruption in his hitherto prosperous career, and caused him to sell his property in Pennsylvania, and in 1804 to remove with his family to Ohio. He bought a tract of heavily timbered land in the primeval forests of that State, twelve miles north of Columhus, on the Seiota River, and there en- tered npon the pioneer task of hewing out a farm. He also engaged in his business as a miller, erect- ing a saw and grist mill in partnership with Mr. Jolın Sells. IIe there reared his family until after the sad death of his wife (in 1815) broke up his lome-misfortune having once more set its seal upon his financial affairs, as the title to his land was found to be defective and he had to give it up. The mill, however, had been built on his partner's land, so that he did not lose his share of that. Ile rented a mill near Columbus, and lived there five
years, and then, some of his children having mar- ried, he broke up housekeeping and lived among them, his death occurring in 1848, at the venera- hile age of eighty-four years. IIe and his wife were the parents of eleven children, of whom our subjeet was the tenth in order of birth. He was born in Ohio Jan. 18, 1811. He received his edu- cation in various places, as his brother-in-law, with whom he lived, moved frequently. Ilis father came to Illinois in 1828, and he came with him, and they settled first in Sangamon County, whence our subjeet made several trips baek to Ohio. He had learned the potter's trade from his brother-in- law, and when nineteen years old established him- self at that calling, and not having money enough to carry on the business alone, was obliged to work on shares for about three years.
May 3, 1832, onr subjeet was married, in Ohio, to Miss Matilda, daughter of Robert and Jane Kilpatrick, natives, respectively, of County An- trim, Ireland, and of Washington County, Pa. The father was a weaver by trade, and migrated to this country and settled in Pennsylvania. He married there, and in 1815 removed with his family to Ohio, becoming a pioneer of that State. Ile died in 1824, and the mother in 1855. They had eleven children, of whom Mrs. Ebey, the fifth in order of birth, is now the only living representative. She was born in Crawford County, Pa., March 31, 1812. To her and her husband ten children have been born, seven sons and three daughters, all of whom have lived to maturity, but four have sinee died. In the hour of their country's greatest need, they loyally sent forth three of their beloved sons to do battle in her honor, and two of them were sacrificed to preserve the Union in its entirety. Their son, Fletcher, enlisted in Company K, 14th Illinois Infantry, and was killed at the battle of Shiloh. Another son, George W. P., enlisted in Company C, 28th Illinois Infantry, was badly wounded at Shiloh, eame home. after lingering in ill-health some years, and died from the effects of his wound, Oet. 18, 1876. Their eldest son now living, Thomas, served three years as a member of Company K, 14th Illinois Infantry, and was spared to return to his parents and friends. He was born Nov. 24, 1835, and is now happily established in a home of
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his own near his father's. Ile married Emma Alder, and they have three children. The record of the other three children of our subject and his wife is as follows: Mary Jane, born May 12, 1840, married William Garland, of Wyoming, and they have three children; Eliza, born Jan. 29, 1843, married Henry Stahl, of Elkhart, Ill., and they have five children living; Minnie, born Nov. 29, 1845, lives at home with her parents; Olive, born Dec. 17, 1848, lives in Custer, Dak .; Orville, born Dec. 27, 1851, lives on his father's place, married Mary Bulmer, and they have five children; David, born April 27, 1854, married Lucy Summers, and had two children, Katie and a younger one, who, having been born just after her father's death, was named Davie in memory of him. This son died June 22, 1882, in the very prime of early man- hood, and thus, shortly after the golden aniversary of their wedding day a half-century before, these worthy people lost their "baby" in his twenty- eighth year.
After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Ebey lived in Ohio until the following year, 1833, and then re- moved to Manchester, Ill., and the next year came to Winchester, and thus became numbered among the pioneers of this place. Two years later Mr. Ebey bought this place and here they have lived for over half a century. He crected a pottery, and has been actively engaged in that business to this day. He has also gradually worked into farming, and now has a fine farm of 200 acres of land, of exceeding fertility, one mile northeast of Winchester.
Mr. Ebey is a thoroughly patriotic citizen, and during the late war contributed his quota toward carrying it to a successful issue. Thirteen volun- teers went out from the shelter of his home to join the Union Army. Three of them were his sons, one a son-in-law, and the others were inen in his employ. lle constituted himself a committee of one, to look after the boys, and made eight trips to the seat of war; visiting the battlefield of Shiloh, and bringing home his three sons who had fought nobly there; one was dead and another severely wounded, as heretofore mentioned. Mr. Ebey was a personal friend of President Lincoln, Richard Yates (the War Governor of Illinois), Peter Cart- wright, and other notable men of this State. The
famous preacher (Peter Cartwright) used to make his home his abiding-place for the night when he was holding quarterly meetings in this neighbor hood. Mr. Ebey raised a company for the Mexican War, was elected its captain, but was not called upon to serve, as the quota was filled. In early times he was a Whig in politics, and was one of the first of the Abolitionists, and until 1884 was a supporter of the Republican party, but in that year he jointed the ranks of the Prohititionists, and has stood by that party ever since. He and his wife are both active members of the Methodist Episco- pal Church, and they let their light so shine as to be seen of others who recognize inthem, happy, sin- cere Christians.
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