Portrait and biographical album of Warren County, Illinois : containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, Part 50

Author:
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Chicago : Chapman Bros.
Number of Pages: 794

USA > Illinois > Warren County > Portrait and biographical album of Warren County, Illinois : containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county > Part 50

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The second wife of Mr. Van Tuyl was Mrs. Eliz- abeth A. Shauman, formerly the wife of Isaac Shau- man, by whom she had two children, both sons --- Asher D. and John I. By her union with Mr. Van Tuyl eight children were born, namely: Addeliza, Henry, Lucy B., Ella K., William E., Alexander H., May and A. Eliner. Michael Van Tuyl, son by the first marriage, married Fannie Phillips, and they had three children, two of whom survive-Luella and Frank R. Lewis Edward died July 3r, 1880; Anna, daughter of the first marriage, became the wife of James Morgan, and to them two children have been born-Flora and Lewis H., both of whom are deceased, the former dying June 13, 1885, and the latter Oct. 7, 1869. Sophia, second daughter of the first marriage, became the wife of George M. Jamison, and to them five children have been born. Their oldest child, Lewis, died April 27, 1863, and those remaining are Frederick, Blanche, Herbert and Howard. Asher D. Shauman, first son of Mrs. Van Tuyl's first marriage, was united in marriage with Laura Swihart, and to them four children were born -Hallie, Harry, Harvey and Willie. The first wife of Asher died in April, 1882, and he was again mar- ried, to Miss Mary Brown. John I. Shauman, sec- ond son of the first marriage of Mrs. Van Tuyl, formed a matrimonial alliance with Emily Claybaugh, and to them four children have been born. Their eldest child, Birdie, is deceased, and the names of the others are William W., Lewis V. T. and Emma A. Addeliza Van Tuyl was united in marriage with Henry Francis, and their family comprised seven children. The demise of their eldest, Nellie M., oc- curred Jan. 28, 1869. Lewis V. T., Ralph, Lucy B., Laura, May E. and Henrietta still survive. Henry Van Tuyl married Sophronia A. Reed, by whom he had four children-George, Olive M., William and Lewis H. William is deceased. Ella K. Van Tuyl married Henry Boston, and they became the parents of seven children-John I., Eugene, Ann E., Ira L.,

May, Ono and Otis are their names. William Van Tuyl married Hannah M. Wilkins, and they have one child, Chester.

Mrs. Van Tuyl was born Jan. r5. 1824, in Ger- mantown, Montgomery Co. Ohio. Since the death of her husband she has remained on the old home- stead and, with the assistance of her four youngest children, two sons and two daughters, manages and cultivates the same. The parents of Mrs. Van Tuyl were Asher and Catherine (Cox) Davis. Mr. Davis was born in 1797 and Mrs. D. in 1800. They were natives of New Jersey and Maryland respectively, and were married in 1819. They came to this State in 1865 and settled in Henderson County, where they continued to reside until their deaths, which oc- curred in February, 1881, and June 9, 1875, respect- ively.

illiam R. Thorn, a settler in Warren Coun- ty of 1855, is a resident on section 9 of Spring Grove Township. He is a native of Indiana and was born in Jennings County July 24, 1819. He is of Scotch-Irish origin. William D. Thorn, his father, was a native of the State of Kentucky. He removed from Scott County to Indiana in 1818. He was a pioneer in Jennings County in the Hoosier State and bought a large tract of land which was covered with timber. He built a log house and improved a farm. In that pioneeer home the subject of this sketch was born. In 1832 the family removed to Jefferson County and later to Rush County, where the father died, in 1860. The maiden name of the mother of Mr. Thorn was Elizabeth Rankin. She was born in Woodford Co., Ky., and after she was widowed by the death of her husband, she came to Warren County and passed the remaining years of her life in the care of her son. Her death took place in 1869. Three of the seven children of whom she became the mother are still living. Ann Eliza is the widow of M. A. Thompson, who lost his life in a skirmish in the Civil War, in the vicinity of Fort Donelson. John D. lives in Spring Grove Township.

Mr. Thorn was reared and educated as a farmer in Indiana. In 1846 he became the husband of Susan H. Matthews. She was born in Fleming Co.,

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WARREN COUNTY.

Ky. The newly married people located on land owned by the senior Thorn in Rush County, and that was his field of operation until 1851, when he engaged in mercantile business in Mill Roy in the same county. After a commercial experience of three years, he resumed the profession of a farmer. In the autumn of 1855 he removed to Illinois. He passed the first winter in the west part of the town- ship in which he now resides, where he obtained the use of a vacant house. Meanwhile he bought a por- tion of prairie land on section 9, and in the course of the winter erected a frame house on his place. In the spring of 1856, he and his family removed to their own home, and it has since been the family homestead. The farm is favorably situated for farming purposes and is watered by flowing streams. It has also natural groves. Mr. Thorn raises stock and grain.

Seven children were born to him and his wife, and of the number four are now living. Mary A. is mar- ried to Robert F. Mulinx and they settled in Taylor Co., Iowa. George W. resides in Page Co., Iowa. Lizzie H. is the wife of William L. Douglass, also of Page Co., Iowa. Alma A. is the wife of Frank N. White, also of Taylor County. The parents are con- nected in membership with the United Presbyterian Church.

The father and mother of Mrs. Thorn, George and Esther (Palmer) Matthews, were born respectively in Washington Co., Pa., and the State of New Jersey. They were among the earliest settlers of Fleming Co., Ky., and removed about 1850.to Boone Co., Ind., where they passed the remaining years of their lives. She is of Irish extraction.

ohn Miles, deceased, was a pioneer of Kelly Township of 1830, being one of the first to locate in that township. He made his claim on section 25. He was more fortunate than many of the pioneers in that he possessed both oxen and horses, and after building his cabin of logs he proceeded to the work of improving his claim. During the first year he broke quite a quantity of land, and succeeded in raising a good crop

of corn and a fair quantity of vegetables. When the Black Hawk War broke out, he joined the " Regu- lators." For the services he rendered in that de- cisive conflict, the Government of the United States gave him a patent of 160 acres of land.

Mr. Miles was born in Hardin Co., Ky., Oct. 2, 1794. His parents removed to Harrison Co., Ind., when he was 12 years of age, and there he passed the remaining years of his youth. On attaining to the age of manhood, he studied law, and was admit- to the Bar of Indiana, at Corydon in Harrison County. He went to New Albany, in Floyd County, and opened his career as an attorney there, where he remained and engaged in his profession until 1829. He came then to Illinois and passed the.first winter in that part of Sangamon County which now belongs to the county of Menard. He remained there until the spring of 1830, when he came to Warren County as has been stated.

After the termination of the hostilities of the Black Hawk War, he was at once admitted to the Bar of his adopted State and practiced law to a limited extent, at the same time giving his attention to the improve- ment of his land. He was prominent in local affairs from the first, and was elected the first Justice of the Peace in the part of the county where he resided. He was the first Supervisor of the township. He was active and energetic, and always accomplished a great amount of other business while improving a large farm and erecting a good set of frame buildings thereon. He died May 23, 1872.

In 1822, Mr. Miles was married to Sarah Froman. She was born Jan. 21, 1800, in Indiana. Their children numbered 12 and nine of them are now liv- ing. Harriet married Samuel Brown, and they lo- cated in Vancouver, Washington Territory. Mary is the wife of J. I. Myers, a citizen of Marshall, Ill. Evaline is the widow of George Weir, a resident of Bourbon Co., Kan. Henry C. is a farmer and busi- ness man of the township of Cold Brook : a full ac- count of his connection with the development of this part of the State of Illinois is given on other pages of this volume. Joseph W. and Fielding are resi- dents of Willes, Kan. James F. lives in Brunson in that State. John J. is an attorney-at-law in Ash- land, Wis. Sarah J. is the wife of Theodore F. Bull- man, who is the manager of the Miles homestead. (See sketch.) Their mother died June 14, 1855.

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WARREN COUNTY.

alvin W. Postlewait, is a prominent mer- chant of Alexis, and has lived in or near that place since he was a small child. He was born Oct. 8, 1845, in Huntington Co., Pa., and in nationality is of mixed extrac- tion. His father, Matthew F. Postlewait, was of German and English parentage, and the paternal grandmother was a Campbell and of Scotch-Irish descent. His mother, Mary J. Yocum, was of Irish descent on the maternal side,and German on the pa- ternal. Both parents were born in Pennsylvania. On coming to Mercer County in 1847, the family located in the township of Suez. They settled on a farm, and were among the first of the permanent settlers in that locality.

At the time the father purchased the farm but 10 acres had been placed in tillage, and there was a small log house on the place. The small acreage that had been broken was also fenced. The new owner broke a few acres additional, and was the oc- cupant of the place until 1856. He then sold it and bought another in the township of Rivola, in the same county, and is yet the occupant of the place. It includes 145 acres, all under excellent tillage. The senior Postlewait is also owner of 80 acres in the township of North Henderson.

The son, who is the subject of this sketch, is the oldest of the male children in the father's family, and he was reared on the farm after the manner com- mon to the training of the sons of farmers in a new country. He obtained a fair education in the public schools, and was afterward sent for a time to a select school in the same township where he lived. At the age of 20 he commenced teaching. He followed that business principally for five years, and then ob- tained employment in a store as a clerk.

He held his position at New Windsor until 1874, when he was appointed Deputy County Clerk, and removed to Aledo. He continued to reside in that place two years, and in 1876 formed a partnership in business with S. T. Gibson and H. R. Gilliland. They established themselves as general merchants at Alexis, under the firm name of Gibson, Postle- wait & Co. The senior member of the firm was the

gentleman with whom Mr. P. clerked. They con- ducted their affairs jointly until 1879. In that year Mr. Gibson sold his interest, and the style of the reconstructed house was C. W. Postlewait & Co., until 1882, when another change was effected by the sale of his interest by Mr. Gilliland to William Durs- ton. In March, 1885, Mr. Postlewait became sole proprietor by the purchase of the claim of his part- ner, and has since managed the business alone, in which he is now engaged extensively and prosper- ously.

Matilda E. Durston became the wife of Mr. Pos- tlewait May 22, 1876,and they haveone child, named Orion. The mother was born in Mercer County, and is the daughter of James and Philadelphia (Bridger) Durston. Her parents were pioneers of Mercer County in 1837. They were both natives of England, and removed to Mercer Co., Ill., in 1837, and they both died there.

Mr. Postlewait is independent in his political prin- ciples.

He is a member of the A. F. & A. M., and holds membership of Alexander Lodge, No. 702, and has been W. M. for the past three years.

arker S. Jones, owning 80 acres of land on section 35, Tompkins Township, where roy he is following the vocation of an agricul- turist, was born in Washington County, Vir- ginia, July 28, 1848, his parents being Calvin and Rebecca (McQuown) Jones, natives of the same county and State in which their son was born. They moved from their native State to Illi- nois, and located in Henderson County, on a farm, in 1854, and at present reside on section 34, Tomp- kins Township, this county.

Parker S. Jones, whose name heads this notice, received a fair education in the common schools, and remained with his parents until six years after attaining his majority. After leaving home he con- tinued the occupation which he had followed from boyhood, and soon thereafter bought 80 acres of land on section 32, Tompkins Township, and on which he was located some seven years. He then sold the

٤/٩٠٫٠٦ UNIVERSITY OFILLINOIS

I. S. Clarke

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WARREN COUNTY.

married Emma Wealing. Stephen H. was born July 2, 1844; he died two days after birth. Mary E., was born Aug. 28, 1846; she married Joseph Gates and lives in Wisconsin. Jeremiah was born Aug. 28, 1848, and lives in Henderson County ; he married Clara Thompson. Royal F. was born in December, 1850, and died on the 30th day of the same month. Joseph was born Nov. 29, 1851, and died Dec. 30, 1855. Royal G. was born Sept. 1, 1854.

Mr. Ranney is a Republican in his political views and relations. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Church.

The Ranney family are of English origin, coming to this country about the year 1750. They were quite prominent during the Revolutionary War, three of the family taking part. One was killed at the storm- ing of Stony Point, under the command of General Wayne. (See history of the revolution). Stephen Ranney was made Colonel of the militia after the Revolutionary War. At the breaking out of the war of 1812 he was commissioned General. He also had a son, Johnson Ranney, who took part in the same war.

Mr. Ranney's son, R. G. Ranney, is an extensive dealer in fine stock. He has the finest herd of Here- ford Cattle in the several surrounding counties. It consists of over 80 head of thoroughbreds and grades. His bull, Favoritè, at the head of his herd, No. 6,952 English Herd Book; 12,507, vol. 4, American Herd Book, was imported by George Morgan, in the year 1882, from Herefordshire, England, and to-day is considered one of the finest animals in this coun- try.

eorge G. McCosh, the editor of the Even- ing Gazette came to Monmouth in 1872, after serving an enlistment of about four years in the volunteer service and in the United States army. From the date of his honorable discharge from the army until the time of his arrival in Monmouth, he worked at the printer's case in the offices of several prominent journals, including the Galveston (Texas) Daily News. His first employment in Monmouth was in the capacity of a journeyman printer, the greater

part of the next three years being passed in one of the printing offices of Monmouth.

The Roseville Gazette, a weekly paper, was founded by Mr. McCosh May 24, 1876, and pub- lished without interruption until about a year from that date, when it was changed to the Monmouth Gazette, also a weekly. For four or five months in the fall of 1880 there was published in connection there- with a daily, which at the time of its suspension con- tained the statement that it would be resumed at an early date. The fulfillment of this announcement was accomplished Jan. 23, 1883, the date of the first issue of the Evening Gazette, the Monmouth Gazette being continued as a weekly.

The success of the new daily was immediate and decided, and its prosperity has been uninterrupted. Considering its age and location, its career has been phenomenal. Its excellent reputation, large circula- tion and prosperous condition in every respect, are results that have been attained through the vigor, perseverance, sound judgment and fixed purpose of . its founder. The Evening Gazette has been from the start an independent journal. The best verdict regarding the propriety of its course is the general confidence of the people which it has continually enjoyed and which is to be won only by frankness and honesty. In the short period of three years, its circulation rose to between 10,000 and 12,000 a week, its influence increasing with its circulation. Mr. McCosh has directed its course without once losing sight of the object to be attained, in which enter- prise he has been seconded at every move by the people of Warren and neighboring counties, and he is able to furnish the readers of the Evening Gazette as good a daily as is published in any city of less than 25,000 population in the United States. In the work of building up the Evening Gazette, Mr. McCosh has been ably assisted by his associate editor, Mr. Cyrus J. Wood, formerly of the Rochester (N. Y.) Herald, who removed to Monmouth in the autumn of 1883.

Mr. McCosh was born in Pittsburg, Pa., April .I, 1846, and was seventh in order of birth of a family of six sons and three daughters, the children of Robert and Margaret (Armstrong) McCosh. The McCosh family is of Scotch descent. George Mc- Cosh entered the printing office of W. S. Haven, at Pittsburg, as an apprentice, in 1859, and served while there under the direction of Mr. George Nor-

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WARREN COUNTY.

ris, Sr., to whos fatherly oversight and kind advice he frequently refers in terms of gratitude.

Religiously, Mr. McCosh was reared a United Presbyterian, of which Church his mother, at the advanced age of 76 years, is a devout member, in the city of Burlington, Iowa. Mr. McCosh's father was a carpenter of limited means, strictly honorable and upright in all his dealings, and he taught his children like principles of conduct. He died at Pitts- burgh in 1863, bequeathing to his children the rich legacy of an unsullied name. His son George, received only a meagre school education, the ad- vantages of which have of necessity been supple- mented by close study at the printer's case and in the office.

George McCosh was married April 14, 1875, to the daughter of Deputy-Sheriff C. Coates, Miss Cora Coates, by whom he has two children-Nettie Hard- ing and Harry Thomson McCosh.

Mr. McCosh is not only one of the leading journ- alists of the State, but is one of Warren County's most enterprising and valuable citizens. He is an earnest and fearless advocate of what he feels is right, and his able efforts, both through the columns of his paper and personally, are faithfully devoted to upbuilding his city and the prosperity of Warren County. As a prominent representative, both of his profession and of the business element of this county, the publishers take pleasure in presenting the por- trait of Mr. McCosh in this ALBUM. It is engraved from a photograph recently taken.

illiam A. Allen has been from childbood a resident of the township of Sumner, in Warren County. He came here with his parents in 1839, and was then nine years of age. He was born in Preble Co , Ohio, Feb. 22, 1830. Andrew Allen, his father, was a native of South Carolina and was born in 1801. He was of Scotch-Irish descent, both his parents being the children of parents of that race of people. Their respective families located in South Carolina, where they were married. They were dissatisfied in a com- munity where slave-holding was prevalent, and they removed to Ohio early in the 19th century. Their

son Andrew was then very young. The family were among the earliest of the permanent settlers in Preble County. The grandsire of Mr. Allen, of this sketch, was a soldier in the war of 1812, and died in Monroe County, Ind. Andrew Allen, his son, was reared to manhood in Ohio, and married Sarah Giles. She was also a native of the State of South Carolina. After their marriage they located in Preble County, and were there resident until 1832. In that year they emigrated to Indiana. They located in Clinton County, where they were pioneers. Mr. Allen bought Government land, which was covered with heavy timber, built a hewed-log house and began the work of clearing a farm. He was convinced that there were better opportunities farther West, and, accord- ingly, in 1839, started with his wife and five children for Illinois, The party had one wagon and three horses and they traveled after the gypsy fashion, which was then the prevalent method. They halted on the Sabbath and held religious services. A jour- ney of four weeks brought them to Warren County. Mr. Allen bought the northeast quarter of section 10, township 12, range 3, which is now named Sumner Township. The place was in a state of nature, and the new proprietor erected a log house and com- menced the work of improving the land. A good frame house replaced the primitive cabin of the pio- neer, and the whole farm was transformed into a de- sirable and valuable homestead, and such was its office until the death of the wife and mother, when Mr. Allen sold the place and went to live with his daughter, Mrs. Mary S. Rogers. His wife died in August, 1857, and his demise occurred Feb. 7, 1881. Following is the record of their children : John. H. lives in Monmouth ; William A. is the second child ; Margaret C. is the wife of Marion Jamison, of Fur- ness Co., Neb .; Nancy A. and Robert B. are de- ceased ; Mary S. married Nicholas Rogers, of Sum- ner Township.

Mr. Allen, of this sketch, was nine years of age when his parents removed to Illinois. He passed the years of his minority in the manner common to the sons of pioneer farmers and made his home with his parents until his marriage, when he located on section 4, of Sumner Township.

Eliza J. Stewart became the wife of William A. Allen April 6, 1852. She was born in Washington Co., Pa., and is the daughter of Robert C. and Mary A. (Kirk) Stewart. Five of their children are still

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WARREN COUNTY. .

living. Florence E. is married to James C. Robb, of Mercer County ; Mary is the wife of Kenneth Whitman, a resident of Keithsburg; Robert lives in Sumner Township; he married Mary R. Choat, and they have one child ; Elizabeth Y. and William Linas are the youngest two. Jennie, the fourth child in order of birth, was removed by death at the age of -two years. Emma was the last born and died at the age of two years. The father and mother and all the children, with the exception of the youngest, are members of the United Presbyterian Church.

Mr. Allen entered the military service of his coun- try during the war of the Rebellion. He enlisted in September, 1862, in Co. I, 50th Ill. Vol. Inf., and ac- companied the regiment to Missouri. He was in the battle of Fort Donelson. He was in the service a year and was discharged on account of disability to do military duty, in September, 1863. He has never recovered the former vigor and strength which was once his best possession.

The parents of Mrs. Allen were of Scotch-Irish or- igin, the grandparents coming to this country when quite young and settling in Washington Co., Pa.

ohn A. Miller is a farmer and breeder of stock in Kelly Township, and is located on section 1. He is a native citizen of the township of which he is an important business factor and in which he was born Aug. 1, 1842. Christian Miller, his father, was born in East Tennessee, Aug. 31, 1807, and removed with his parents to Indiana when he was in his youth. His father, George Miller, bought a quantity of land sit- uated about three miles from Crawfordsville, where he cleared a farm and lived until 1832. In that year he removed to Illinois and was the pioneer set- tler at.Sugar Grove in Mercer County. Millersburg, which bears the family name, was named for the first settler in that part of Mercer County. In 1850, George Miller again yielded to the inspiration of the pioneer spirit which controlled him throughout his life, and turned his face toward the setting sun. He crossed the plains to the Pacific Coast and was a pioneer in the valley of the Willamette in that ter-

ritory. He lived there a few years and went into the interior of Oregon, where he remained until his death, at the age of 96. He was a nimrod of more than ordinary pretensions, and killed deer with his rifle after he was a nonogenarian. Abraham Miller, one of his sons, now 90 years of age, was the first Clerk of Mercer County.

Christian Miller passed the major portion of his boyhood and youth in Indiana. He was married there Sept. 6, 1833, to Mary Brown. He came to Illinois in 1832, and located for a short time at Hen- derson's Grove, in Knox County ; afterwards he re- moved to Edwards' River in Mercer County, where he continued to reside until 1839. The removal of his family to Warren County was then effected, and he made a settlement on section 1, Kelly Township, where he erected a log house and occupied the pioneer cabin while he put his land in shape for profitable cultivation. He afterwards built a good frame house, which was his home as long as he lived. He died July 28, 1869. Five of the children born to him and his wife are still living: Jane is the wife of Leonard W. Edelman, who resides in the town- ship of North Hendersou, Mercer County, and of whom a sketch is given on another page; Samuel Miller lives at Alexis ; George is a resident of Atchi- son, Kan .; John A. is the manager of the home- stead; B. Frank lives in Alexis. Mrs. Miller died in 1856. She was born in Ohio, Sept. 6, 1812. Af- ter the death of his first wife, the father married Mrs. Sarah Dean, who was a native of Indiana and is now living in Page Co., Iowa. Samuel and Jane Brown, the maternal grandparents of Mr. Miller of this sketch, were pioneers of Knox County.

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Portrait and biographical album of Warren County, Illinois : containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, Part 50

Author: Publication date: 1886 Publisher: Chicago : Chapman Bros. Number of Pages: 794

Author:
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Chicago : Chapman Bros.
Number of Pages: 794