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 51
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John A. Miller passed the entire period of his youth in the township where he was born. He was reared on the family homestead and received his education in the common schools. He was among the first to enroll himself in the military service in the first year of the Rebellion, and enlisted Aug. 6, 1861, in Co. A, 102d Ill. Vol. Inf. The command joined the army in Kentucky and also went into Tennessee. Feb. 18, 1862, Mr. Miller was dis- charged on account of inability to perform military duty. He returned to his home and resumed his former vocation of farmer on the homestead, of which he has since been the continuous occupant, with the exception of a single year passed at Galesburg, where he was for that time variously occupied. He
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is now owner of the homestead and also the owner of 80 acres formerly included in the farm known as the Allen Brown estate in the township of North Henderson, Mercer County.
The marriage of Mr. Miller to Mary, daughter of Harvey and Mary (Lofton) Gregg, of Knox County, took place Sept. 29, 1869. Mabel, their only child, was born May 11, 1881. Mr. and Mrs. Miller have had four children ; the three first-born died within one year. Maud was eight years old at the time of her decease; Ethel died at 18 months; an infant died unnamed.
Mr. Miller is an adherent of the Democratic party.
on Calvin M. Rodgers. In presenting this biographical notice of the career of one of the leading men of Warren County, and a gentleman who is thoroughly representa- tive of its progressive elements, we deem it our duty to first briefly advert to the life-story of those from whom he draws his origin.
Rev. John Rodgers, the grandfather of our sub- ject, was born in Scotland, about the year 1735.
When about 35 years old he emigrated to this country with his wife and settled in Pennsylvania. Soon after his arrival in the country of his adoption his wife died, and he was re-married to Isabel Ire- land, a lady of Irish origin. One child was the offspring of the first union, a boy, Thomas. His sec- ond wife'bore to him a large family, seven in number, namely : John, Aleri, Aniel, William, Alexander, Samuel, Margaret and Irene.
Aleri, the third son of John Rodgers, was the father of the subject of this notice, and was born in Rockbridge Co., Va., in 1785, whence his father had removed from Pennsylvania a few years previously. He grew to manhood at home, and after his marriage still remained under the parental roof-tree, and was thenceforth never separated from his parents, who passed the declining years of their lives under his protection. In his will, the grandfather of our sub- ject, who was a man of some pretensions to scholar- ly attainments, bequeathed his library, which was considered in those days one of the best in Virginia,
and consisted largely of classical works, to Washing- ton and Lee Colleges, of Virginia. Some of his books of which he made special bequests are still treas- ured by his descendants.
The father of our subject married Mary Davidson, a native of Rockbridge County, and the daughter of John and Mary Davidson, people of Scotch-Irish descent. Four children were born to them in Vir- ginia, John, William, Andrew and Alexander.
During the year 1814, Aleri, with the rank of First Lieutenant, together with Aniel and one other broth- er, entered the service of their country, and remained until the close of the war.
In the year 1822, the father of our subject, with his family, emigrated to the West, settling in Monroe Co., Mo. The journey was performed overland in their own conveyance, and, passing through the States of Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky and Illinois, they reached St. Louis, at that remote period but a small village, finally arriving at their destination af- ter a long and tedious journey of three months. The father of the family settled with his little flock on a half section of land near Florida, Monroe Co., which had previously been entered by Col. Benton, of St. Louis. He soon increased his domain to 600 acres, but with the many disadvantages attendant upon wresting a living from the soil in that very early day, he became dissatisfied with his location and deter- mined to seek a new one. His family had in the meantime been increased by six children, who were, Mary, Joseph, Phœbe, Isabel, Samuel and Calvin M. In the year 1836, we accordingly find him set- tled in Hale Township, Warren County. Here he had purchased a tract of 400 acres, upon which he erected a home, where the remaining years of his life were passed, his death occurring in December, 1863. The mother of our subject survived until the year 1880.
In this connection it is proper to say that to Aleri Rogers, along with his brother Andrew, especial honor and credit is due for having introduced the first reaping machine brought West of the Alleghe- nies. It was of the McCormick pattern, and was shipped from Lynchburg, Va., via Richmond, New Orleans and up the Mississippi to Oquawka, Ill., and thence by wagon to the old Rogers honiestead in Hale Township. The day of its trial was a memor- able one in the annals of the community, as well as
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of agriculture in the entire West, and its first work- ings were voted a grand success.
Hon. Calvin M. Rodgers, the subject of this sketch, was born on the 15th of February, 1835, in Monroe Co., Mo. He remained under the parental roof-tree until he had attained his majority, when he was mar- ried. After this event he took charge of the homestead, and also entered into the active man- agement of his father's affairs. The early days of Mr. Rodgers were passed much as those of the or- dinary farm boy of the period, working hard during the busy season of the summer, and acquiring such limited educational facilities as the district school af- forded, during the dull winter months. During the winter months of 1853 and 1854 he attended Knox College.
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He was married to Miss Eliza A. Paine, Nov. 27, 1858. She is the daughter of Charles and Parthe- nia (Mason) Paine, her mother being a near relative of ex-President Garfield's wife. To the parents of Mrs. Rodgers were born six children : Amanda mar- ried Robert Gibson, and is living at Monmouth ; their second daughter, Emily, who is the widow of Nathaniel Brownlee, also resides there ; Lucretia is the wife of H. F. Murrell, and lives in Avon, Ful- ton Co., Ill .; Charles H. married Sophia Hopper, and removed to the far Northwest, where he is now settled in Kings Co., Washington Territory; the second son, John E., married Miss Ann Turnbull, and is settled in Sumner Township, this county ; Eli- za, the youngest child, and the wife of the subject of this notice, was born in Sumner Township, Nov. II, 1837.
Eight children have blessed the union of Mr. Rodgers and wife, namely: Romaine M., born May 21, 1861 ; Charles H., Dec. 7, 1863; Aleri, Oct. 19, 1865 ; William D., Oct. 11, 1867 ; Alexander, Jan. 26, 1870; Emily I., Dec. 16, 187 1; Frederick M., June 2, 1874, who died Aug. 11 following, and one son who died in infancy.
The subject of this notice has for thirty years been a leading citizen of Warren County. He was elected to his first office in 1856, when but 21 years of age. He has been School Trustee of his Township almost continuously up to the present time. For two terms he has served as Commissioner of Highways, repre- senting Hale Township and for five years has been Supervisor. In 1882 he was chosen by the Repub-
lican party as their candidate for the Legislature, from the 27th District, comprising Warren and Mc- Donough counties. Mr. Rodgers' position in this contest was unique. Unlike the majority of political aspirants, he was not a seeker for office, but submit- ting to the unanimous desire of his constituents he became a candidate. He was elected by a hand- some majority. He was again elected to the 34th General Assembly in 1884.
Mr. Rodgers was one of the memorable 103 who stood by John A. Logan during the Senatorial con- test of that session, and was a stanch supporter of his candidate from the beginning until he finally re- ceived the necessary majority.
The subject of this sketch claims that his success in life may be credited to a kind Providence, good parents, a discriminating public and clever friends, along with some persistent effort of his own.
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on Isaac L. Christie, retired farmer and a resident of Monmouth, is a native of Jef- ferson Co., Ind., where he was born Dec. II, 1825. His father, James Christie, was a Virginian, and served his country valiantly dur- ing the war of 1812. His great ancestor was James Christie, who came to America from Ireland, and settled in Lancaster, Lancaster Co., Pa., in the early part of the 18th century. Like 90 per cent. of his countrymen, his dislike for the British admit- ted of no discussion when it came to the question of loyalty to the crown or to the colonies. But when the great struggle came, that struggle which was to mark the beginning of a new era, the elder Christie had grown too old to participate,and to his only child, named for himself, he said "Go," and the son, James Christie, went forth, and from the beginning to the ending of the Revolutionary War, he fought against the "red coats."
Isaac L. Christie was educated at the common schools of Indiana, where he was brought up to farming. He came to Warren County, in 1864, and lived upon his farm in Lenox Township up to 1877, when he retired from agricultural labor and took up his abode in the city of Monmouth. Since coming
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here he has sold his farm and was for a year or two engaged in the flour and feed business.
Before leaving Indiana he held some minor offices, but he was never termed a politician. In 1874, he was elected as an Independent to represent Warren and McDonough counties in the Illinois Legislature, being nominated at Bushnell without even his knowl- edge or consent. During the Legislature of 1875- 76, the Independents held the balance of power in that body, and as Mr. Christie was one of the lead- ers of that delegation it may be presumed that the two old parties found occasion to wish he had re- mained on the farm. Formerly he was a Republican, but in 1878 he identified himself with the Inde- pendents, and has since voted and worked as best suited his fancy.
The engraving upon a heavy silver-headed cane in Mr. Christie's possession tells the following history, and is well worthy mentioning. in this connection. The John Hanks mentioned was a relative of Mr. Lincoln :
"JOHN HANKS" to
I. L. Christie. Cane made by John Hanks and Gov. Oglesby. 1860. from Rail Split by A. Lincoln, in 1830."
Mr. Christie was married at Madison, Indiana, May 20, 1852, to Miss Louisa Wilson, and has had born to him six children : George P., connected with the United States army as a printer; Sarah Anto- nette; Ann Elizabeth ; Fannie, born Dec. 12, 1869, died Dec., 1878; Clara Louisa, born June 25, 1875, died Dec., 1878; and Mary Emma, who was the sec- ond child in order of birth, was buried in July, 1857, less than one year old.
C harles T. Page is senior member of the firm of Page & Pinkerton, dealers in hard- ware, stoves and furniture, and manufac- turers and jobbers of tinware, at Monmouth himself and partner being the successors to a business established by Chancy Hardin in the early history of Monmouth. Mr. Hardin sold out to M. C. Churchill, who sold the business to Mr.
Page in 1874. Mr. Pinkerton came into the firm in 1876, at which time the trade was simply in hard- ware and stoves. In 1879 they added furniture and at this writing their business in that line is the larg- est in the city.
Mr. Page was born at Hillsdale, Mich., April 18, 1849. His parents. Rev. William and Frances (Du- rand) Page, natives of Connecticut, were married in York State, removed to Michigan and subsequently to Rockford, Ill., where the senior Mr. Page died, in 1856. His widow resides at this writing (October, 1885), with her eldest son at Ft. Wayne, Ind.
Charles T. Page was educated at Rockford, and, when about 19 years of age, was employed by the Winnebago National Bank, at that place, as bookkeeper. He remained there four years and went to Chicago as assistant cashier of the Home National Bank, a position he filled two years, coming thence to Monmouth.
He married at Alexis, this State, Sept. 18, 1876, Miss Bertha Alexander, daughter of John E. Alex- ander, and the two children born of this union are named respectively Mary Florence and Edna. Mr. and Mrs. Page are members of the Presbyterian Church.
illiam St. Clair Matson is a farmer on section 2, of Sumner Township, and came to Warren County in 1865. He is a na- tive of the State of Maryland and was born in Fredericktown, Aug. 31, 1823. His par- ents, George and Jane (Barr) Matson, came West when he was but two years old and located in Ohio. They were early settlers of Muskingum County and were both of English descent. The mother died when William was 12 years old and he afterwards resided with a neighbor named Robert Linn, who entered into an agreement to clothe, board and send him to school. The opportunities he had for the latter were of practically no account and af- ter five years he terminated the relations he held with Mr. Linn. During the chief portion of the suc- ceeding year he attended school. After that, until he was 20, he was variously employed, and he then engaged with a merchant tailor, of Bridgeville, Ohio,
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and Mr. Matson remained with him 18 months. When he had acquired a sufficient knowledge of the business to warrant making a venture he went to Chandlersville, where he opened a shop in partner- ship with another man. Their joint operations con- tinued 18 months, and Mr. Matson afterward con- tinued alone. After a time he became interested in the business of buying and shipping horses to East- ern markets, and on one occasion, when he accom- panied his property in horse flesh to the East, he purchased a stock of goods common to the estab- lishment of a gentlemen's furnishing store, and on his return increased the facilities for his business. In 1850 he removed to Cumberland, in Guernsey Co., where he opened traffic in the same line .. From that time forward, as long as he stayed in that place, he continued to go East with horses twice a year and at the same time attended to his semi-yearly purchase - of goods for his store. Four years later he brought his affairs in Cumberland to a close and turned to Muskingum County. He bought a farm in Salt Creek Township, in that county, and combined the business of trading in horses with that of the pursuit of agriculture. He operated in those vocations until .
the year in which he removed to Warren County.
On arrival in the township where he cast his lot for a permanency he bought 150 acres of land, of which he has since been the owner. The place is at pres- ent in as good condition for profit as any in the county of similar dimensions, and is fitted with all necessary and suitable farm buildings. He has since become by purchase the owner of the property known as the Andrews farm, which he purchased in 1881, and which is situated on section 3.
In 1847 Mr. Matson, in company with his wife, Miss Nina L. Chandler before her marriage to him, set up their domestic establishment, which still re- mains intact. Mrs. Matson was the daughter of Zacharias and Fannie (Bingham) Chandler, who were natives of Vermont and New Hampshire respective- ly. Mrs. Matson's grandfather's brothers, two in number, were soldiers in the war of the Revolution ; one, Jesse Chandler, was killed at the battle of Ben- nington. The grandfather was a native of Vermont. On the Bingham side of the house Mrs. Matson is a lineal descendant of Miles Standish, who came over on the Mayflower, in 1629. Mrs. M. has a silk dress that her mother, her grandmother and her great- grandmother were married in. It has been in the
family over 200 years. The family had in its pos- session a pewter basin that belonged to Sarah Stand- ish, the wife of Miles Standish. Owing to the scarc- ity of lead, it was brought to Ohio and melted into bullets.
Mr. and Mrs. Matson have four children -- Lena is the wife of William Robb, of Mercer County ; Arthur, Gertrude and Harry are the three younger who sur- vive. The mother was born in Salt Creek Town- shlp, in Muskingum Co., Ohio.
eorge M. Sallee, farmer and stock raiser, residing on section 5, Cold Brook Town- ship, is a life-long resident of that town- ship, having been born there March 1, 1858. Henry Sallee, father of George M., was, a native of Virginia, and a farmer by occupa- tion, and came to the undeveloped West when a young man, with his parents, settling in Cold Brook Township', where his father died some years ago. Af- ter that event Henry was married to Miss Minerva Wright, a daughter, of Jacob Wright, a farmer and old settler in Cold Brook Township, where he died in January, 1876. (See sketch of Mrs. Lewis B. Davis.)
The mother of George M. Sallee was born in Monmouth, Sept. 3, 1836, and is at present residing with her son, the subject of this notice. Mr. and Mrs. Sallee, parents of George M., were married, and they located in Monmouth Township, where his father was engaged in farming and also as Collecting Agent for the George W. Brown Manufacturing Com- pany for some time. He died at his home in Cold Brook Township when the subject of this sketch was but one year old.
George M. Sallee was the only child of his par- ents, Henry and Minerva Sallee, and after the death of his father, which occurred when he was an in- fant, as already stated, continued to reside with his mother on the old homestead. He alternated his labors on the farm with attendance at the common schools, and after he had attained a sufficient age he cultivated the homestead, and has continued thereon until the present time. His mother owns 160 acres
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of good land, under an advanced state of cultiva- tion, together with ten acres of timber, and George M. is the proprietor of 34 acres of timber land in Kelly Township.
The homestead on which Mr. Sallee resides, and which is under his control, is one of the best farms in Cold Brook Township, and he is meeting with suc- cess in the vocation which he has followed during his entire life.
Socially, he is a member of the I. O. O. F., and in politics he casts his vote with the Democratic party.
The marriage of Mr. Sallee to Miss Josie Frymire, the accomplished daughter of William and Mary (Barnum) Frymire, took place March 28, 1879, at the residence of the bride's parents, in Monmouth Town- ship. Her father, whose calling was a farmer, died in that township. The union of Mr. and Mrs. Sal- lee has been blessed by the birth of three children, one of whom is deceased ; Myrtle I. and Lucy A. are the living, and Ruth died in infancy.
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aniel W. Burt, a grain dealer at Alexis, is practically a native of the State of Illinois, having been brought hither by his parents when less than two years old. He was born in Granger, Medina Co., Ohio, May 3, 1839. John Burt, his father, was born in Cayuga Co., N. Y. The latter went in his young manhood to Ohio, and was a pioneer of the county where his son was born. He became a landholder in the heavy timber district of the Buckeye State, and built a log house for his individual use, as he was still outside the bonds of matrimony. Soon after he had pre- pared a residence he was joined by his widowed mother and his brothers and sisters. After establish- ing them in comfort he returned to the State of New York, whence he came back to his home in the forest, accompaned by his bride. This is a story quickly related, but when one reflects that the journeyings were made with horses, it will be perceived that they were of much greater moment and consumed more time than would at first be suggested. The wife lived but eight months. In due time the husband
took a second wife, Miss Lucinda Hammond. She was the daughter of pioneers of the township of Batlı, in Medina Co., Ohio, and was born in Tolland Co., Conn., whither her parents removed to Ohio. The senior Burt cleared a farm of 160 acres in the primeval forest, where he located, and also became extensively interested in the lumber trade. He built a saw mill and engaged in all the relations of the business in a new country ..
In 1839 he came to Illinois for the purpose of prospecting. He visited Knox and DeKalb coun- ties, and liking the appearance of the foriner best, he resolved to pitch his tent within its borders. Re- turning to Ohio, he lost no time in carrying his res- olution into effect. He sold his property there, and all preparations were complete, when the wife and mother was seized by fatal illness. She died in the summer of 1840, and, after all was over,the bereaved husband and five motherless children set out for their new home. At the time of the death of Mrs. Burt, all of the household goods were packed and ready for removal.
The journey was made with two two-horse teams, . and the household camped and cooked by the way. Y. Mr. Burt bought land on the west line of the town- ship of Ontario, in Knox County, and his family lived there seven years. At the end of that time the father sold the place and bought another tract of un- improved land in the same township. The entire acreage was prairie, and the owner improved a fine farm.
In the spring of 1855 he went to Oneida, where he established himself as a grocer, and was the third to interest himself in a business enterprise there. He continued his operations there until his death, which transpired March 16, 1857.
He was a pioneer by nature. His enterprise and abilities fitted him for a business leader, and his judgment of the propriety of a location was unerr- ing. He was prominent in offices of trust in the gift of his fellow-men, and acted as Supervisor, Assessor, Collector and Justice of the Peace. He was also School Director. While in Ohio he was Colonel of the State Militia, and officiated as Postmaster.
Mr. Burt, of this narrative, was reared on his father's farm, until he attained the age of 16 years. He then assisted in the mercantile business of his sire at Oneida, until the death of the latter in 1857.
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After that event threw the responsibility of the fam- ily and estate on him and an elder brother, they together managed the farm for a period of five years. After that they went to Oneida. There Mr. Burt bought an elevator preparatory to engaging in the business in which he is interested at present. He operated as a buyer and seller of grain at that place three years, and then turned his attention to farm- ing.
After an experience of a year as farmer, he went to Windsor, in Mercer County, and again operated as a grain broker. He continued this seven years, and at the expiration of that time removed to Alexis. . He passed a year there, occupied in the milling bus- iness, and went thence to Yates City, in Knox Co. In the spring of 1880 he returned to Alexis and es- tablished the business in which he has since been engaged. He is the sole representative of that line of traffic at Alexis.
Sarah A. Fraser became the wife of Mr. Burt Nov. 15, 1860. She was born Dec. 25, 1839, in New Haven, Conn. To them four children were born, of whom three are now living: Katie is married to Perry Anderson, of Alexis ; Jessie is the third child ; Frankie, the second child, died at the age of two years; Bertha is the youngest. The mother passed from this world, July 2, 1879.
Mr. Burt was again married, March 17, 1882, to · Bertha E. Leonard. She is a native of Pennsylva- nia. Ellen L. is the name of the sole daughter and child of the second marriage.
Mr. Burt is a Republican of decided principles. He and Mrs. Burt are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
ames Harvey Wallace, M. D., a promi- nent physician and surgeon, residing at Monmouth, and whose portrait is given on the opposite page, traces his ancestry back to Scotland. Robert Wallace was driven from Scotland and fled into Ireland during the per- secution of the Presbyterians. His son, William, was born in Ireland, and lived many years in the County Tyrone, in which place he was married, and
while there had a son, James, born in 1771. James married Mary Barfit, in Tyrone, and the eight chil- dren born to them were named respectively : Will- iam, Eliza, Benjamin, Mary Ann, James, Robert, John and Margaret Jane. Robert was the father of our subject and caine with his parents from his na- tive country, Ireland, in the year 1810, then being three years of age. The Wallaces spent their first year in Anierica in the city of Baltimore, removing thence to Juniata Co., Pa, where Robert grew to manhood and married Eleanor Shaver, a native of the Keystone State, of German extraction, tracing her ancestry back to an early product of the two very distinct races, the Scotch and the German.
Robert Wallace, born Feb. 21, 1807, was by oc- cupation a farmer before retiring from active life, and at this writing (October, 1885) resides on a fine farm in Wayne Co., Ohio, where he removed in the year 1854. He is 78 years of age and his wife is 74 years. They reared six sons and two daughters, James Harvey Wallace being the second in order of birth. One of the brothers, W. W. Wallace, is Professor of Mathematics at Westminister College, Pa .; and John C. is an M. D. at Port Austin, Mich. The other three are farmers in Wayne Co., Ohio.
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