Portrait and biographical album of Warren County, Illinois : containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, Part 63

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 63

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ugh Marshall, M. D., a prominent phy- sician and surgeon of Monmouth, Ill., was born in Fairfield District, South Carolina, Dec. 15, 1830. His grandparents were born in Ireland, and his parents, Alexander and Mary (McMillan) Marshall were natives of South Carolina. They reared six sons and one

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daughter, Hugh being the sixth child in order of birth. Alexander Marshall was a farmer by occu- pation, came into Henderson Co., Ill., in 1838, or 1839, and there spent the rest of his life, dying in 1869 or 1870 at the age of about 70 years.

Hugh Marshall received his primary and literary training at the common schools of Illinois and taught there from the age of 20 to 22 or 23. In 1 848-9 he began reading medicine with Dr. McMil- lan of Henderson ; entered Rush Medical College, Chicago, in 1849, and graduated in 1851. He be- gan practice at once after leaving college at Cold- brook, and there remained until 1872 at which time he removed into Monmouth. Here he has devoted his time to his profession, and with such success as he may well be proud. He is prominently identified with the State Medical Society, American Medical Association, Military Tract Society and Monmouth Medical Club. He is no politician, and the only of- fices he has ever held in the county has been a term or two as Collector of Coldbrook Township, and one term as Coroner.

He was married at Monmouth some time in 1873 to Miss Matilda C. Brewer, native of Pennsylvania and daughter of the late John T. Brewer, of Mon- mouth. The Doctor is a member of no Church. He ranks high as a Mason, and votes the Demo- cratic ticket with Christian regularity.

r. William Randall, a member of the reg- ular school of medicine, practicing at Greenbush, graduated at the Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, at the head of his class, March 9, 1858. He soon after- ward located in Greenbush, this county, where he has built up a good practice and has been very successful. The Doctor is also a graduate of surgery, and his library is complete.

Dr. Randall was born in Dearbon Co., Ind., 25 miles from Cincinnati, in the town of Aurora, May 27, 1834, and is a son of George Randall, born in Kent Co., England, in 1796. His father emigrated to the United States in 1821, and located near New Haven, Ind. He was a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and followed his sacred calling in this county some ten years, and died in .1866. He had located in Indiana, where his marriage to Miss

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Rhoda Eubank, which took place in 1826, was blessed by the birth of eight children, namely : John E., George F., William, Mary, Thomas E. and Rich- ard R., twins, Rebecca J. and Elizabeth V. Two are deceased,-Mary and Richard. The wife and mother was born in Yorkshire, Eng., in 1806, and died in Indiana in 1859.

Dr. Randall, of this sketch, was first married to Miss Caroline, daughter of F. and Adeline Snapp, who bore him two children-George S. born Dec. 27, 1863, and Clyde W. Oct. 6, 1872. The Doctor mar- ried Miss Edwina C. Bond, Feb. 28, 1879, and by this union there is one child, William B., born April 3, 1882.

In politics, the Doctor is a believer in the princi- ples advocated by the Democratic party. His suc- cess as a practitioner is due to his careful diagnos- ing of the diseases of his patients, and his constant attention to his cases.

Dr. Randall is a gentleman who not only reflects honor upon his profession, but is a credit to the com- munity in which he lives. His large and extended experience, his deep and abiding interest in his pro- fession and the general welfare of the community, make him both a valuable physician and citizen. He is as widely known and as highly esteemed as any practitioner in the county, and numbers among his patrons and friends inany of the best people in War- ren county. As both a representative of his chosen profession and a citizen of the county, the publishers take pleasure in placing Dr. Randall's portrait in this ALBUM in connection with this sketch.

ames L. Glasgow, whose accumulations during the years of the past have enabled him to retire from the active labors of life, is residing upon Section 28, Monmouth Town- ship. He was born in Londonderry, Guernsey Co., Ohio, Jan. 24, 1843.

The father of Mr. Glasgow, Arthur Glasgow, was a native of County Antrim, the son of a farmer, of Irish birth. When 18 years old, Arthur's parents emigrated to the United States, and soon after land. ing at an Eastern seaport, located in Guernsey Co.,

Ohio. There the father and mother both died, and there Arthur, father of the gentleman whose name stands at the head of this notice, is at present resid- ing, with his wife, he having purchased the old homestead on which his father first located after coming to the State. Arthur, before the death of his father, was married to Jane Neal, a native of County Antrim, Ireland, and they became the par- ents of ten children. « Jane (Neal) Glasgow, the mother, came to the United States, with her parents, when she was young, locating with them at Wheel- ing, W. Va., and remaining there until her marriage.

J. L. Glasgow, whose name stands at the head of this notice, remained with his parents on the par- ental homestead in Guernsey County until October 16, 1861, when the call for brave hearts and strong arms to battle for the perpetuity of the Union aroused in him a sense of duty, and he enlisted in Co. H. 65th Ohio Vol., Inf., his regiment being as- signed to the Army of the Cumberland and under the command of Gens. Buell and Rosekranz. It participated in the second days' battle of Shiloh and the seven days' battle at Stone river, also the battle of Murfreesboro, and Chicamauga. On the second days' fight at the latter place, James L. was taken prisoner, and after passing 13 days as captive of the Confederates, was exchanged and on account of dis- ability never more joined his regiment, but was hon- orably discharged at Camp Denison, Ohio, Oct. 26, 1864.

After his term of enlistment had expired, he re- turned home, doffed his uniform, cast aside the ac- coutrements of war and intended to enter again upon the peaceful pursuits of life, but his indisposi- tion was such that it required medical attention, and he went to Madison, Ind., where for six months he was under medical treatment. From Madison, he went home, and from there to Nebraska where, after remaining for a time, he went to Eastern Iowa, and 16 months later took a trip over Kansas and Mis- souri looking for land. In the spring of 1868 he started across the plains for the Rocky Mountains, working his way on the Union Pacific railroad to Humboldt. From there he accompanied another party to the White Pines of Nevada Territory. He passed seven years in that Territory, during which time he was engaged in mining, meeting with fair success. He afterward spent one year in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, Cal., and in 1877 returned. to

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this county, where he formed a matrimonial alliance with Miss Maggie McAdam, at the residence of the bride's parents near Monmouth, Jan. 1, 1877. Mrs. Glasgow was born in Harrison Co., Ohio, and was educated in her native State. Her mother died there when Maggie was an infant, and her father afterward moved to Iowa, where he died at West Point. Mrs. Glasgow came to this county in 1867 with her relatives, and graduated from Monmouth College in June, 1870. She has borne her husband two children-Robert A., born Sept. 1, 1879, and Margaret J., born Jan. 23, 1884.

After the marriage Mr. G. returned to Nevada Territory for about ten months, where he was en- gaged in settling up his affairs. In 1878 he purchased 80 acres of land. on Section I, Hale Town- ship. On that place, he with his young bride, lo- cated, and there resided for four years, when they moved to Monmouth Township and purchased 13 acres approximate to the city of Monmouth, on which they moved and are at present residing. They have a good residence on their Monmouth Township property, and their farm of 80 acres in Hale Town- ship is under an advanced state of cultivation, and has good improvements upon it. They are both members of the United Presbyterian Church at Monmouth, of which denomination Mr. G. is one of the Trustees. In politics he is a supporter of the Prohibition party, and a strong advocate of the cause of temperance. Mr. Glasgow is next to the eldest in order of birth of a family of ten children, and what is remarkable is, that not a death has occurred, and to them 20 grand-children have been born.

avid Turnbull, of the firm of Blackburn & Turnbull, livery, sale and feed stables, undertakers and dealers in undertaking and embalming goods, at Monmouth, was born in Greene County, Ohio, Feb. 4, 1857. His parents, John and Margaret J. (Allen) Turnbull, spent their lives in Greene County, the old gentleman dying in 1880, aged 80 years, and the old lady in 1881, aged 63 years. They reared three

sons and four daughters, and David was second in order of birth.

He was brought up to farming and taught in the public schools. Abandoning farming in 1883, he went into the undertaking business at Cedarville, Ohio, and came to Monmouth a year later, and soon afterwards formed his present business relations.

Nov. 26, 1884, he was married, near Xenia, Ohio, to Miss Ada Stevenson, the accomplished daughter of Col. Robert Stevenson, Esq., of Greene County, and both he and his wife are consistent members of the United Presbyterian Church. Mr. Turnbull also belongs to the Modern Woodmen of America, and is an active member of Capt. Rankin's Military Com- pany.

ev. W. T. McConnell, residing at Kirk- wood, was born in Washington Co., Pa., April 13, 1847. The parents of Rev. Mc- Connel were Lemuel and Jane (Lawrence) McConnell, natives of Washington Co., Pa. His father was a farmer in that State and there continued to follow his occupation until his death, in July, 1879. His mother still survives and resides with her son, D. S. McConnell, who is en- gaged in the mercantile business.

Rev. W. T. McConnell, the gentleman whose name heads this biographical notice, remained in the parental household for five years after attaining his majority. He obtained a rudimentary education in the common schools of his native county, and at the age of 16 years supplemented the same by a thor- ough course of study at the Normal School at Mills- borough, Pa., and followed the curriculum of that institution for one year. He then taught school for two years, and in 1865 still further supplemented his education by matriculating at the Washington and Jefferson College and followed the curriculum of that institution for four years, after which he at- tended the New Wilmington College one year and graduated from the same with honors in 1871. After graduating from the latter institution, the Rev. Mc- Connell attended the Theological Seminary at Alle- gheny, and graduated from the same in 1874. He was licensed to preach, April 15, 1873, by the United

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Presbyterian Church at Chartiers, Pa., and was or- dained by the United Presbyterian Church, at Beaver Valley, Nov. 18, 1873. He then became Pastor of the Churches at Mahoning and Poland, the former being located in Pennsylvania and the latter in Ohio, and served them in that capacity for nine years, after which he was Pastor of the Mahoning Church for one year.

Since March 1, 1884, Rev. McConnell has resided in this county, living at' Kirkwood. He was united in marriage April 24, 1873, to Miss Allie Miller, a resident of Cannonsburg, Pa., and daughter of Thomas and Annie (Reed) Miller, natives of Wash- ington Co., Pa. Of their union four children have been born-Lilliana A., Agnes G., Thomas W. A. and Ralph B. In politics he is a believer in and a strong advocate of the principles of the Prohibition party.

Vores acob W. Brewer, M. D., distinguished 33d degree Mason, Past Commander-in-Chief of the Oriental Consistory of Chicago, and a prominent physician and surgeon at Mon- mouth, was born March 2, 1823, in Franklin Co., Pa. His parents, Adam and Maria (John- son) Brewer, natives of Pennsylvania and Maryland respectively and of German and Irish extraction, were married in Franklin County, and there resided until 1836, when they came to Fulton County, this State. In 1851 they removed to Knox County and spent the rest of their lives at Knoxville, the elder Brewer dying in 1880, aged 78 years; and his widow two years later aged 82 years.

The subject of this biographical notice was reared to manhood on his father's farm and educated primar- ily at the common schools, and at Marshall College, Mercersburg, Pa. When 24 years of age, he began reading medicine at Canton, Ill., under J. R. Walter, M. D., and after devoting himself assiduously to the text book for three years, entered Ohio Medical Col- lege, Cincinnati, and in 1850 graduated from the same. Knoxville was the scene of his earliest strug- gles as an M. D., and here he made reputation and money long before the ten years that he staid there

had passed. While at Knoxville he was Coroner of Knox County, and eight years Postmaster.

Dr. Brewer canie to Monmouth in 1862, and has since practiced medicine and sold drugs. He has been in the City Council as a member; has served often on the Board of Health, and, altogether, has been a useful member of society and a citizen that would reflect credit even upon a better town than Monmouth. His Masonic career began when he was about 25 years of age. At Canton, Ill., March 20, 1847, he received his first degree, in Morning Star Lodge, No. 30, and May 20 following, the third degree. In December of the same year he was elected Senior Warden of that lodge, and in 1853-54 held the office of Deputy Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Illinois. On Dec. 28, 1856, he re- ceived the 32d degree A. A. S. Rite, and June 22, 187 1, was created Sovereign Grand Inspector General in 33d degree. He was elected Illustrious Commander- in-Chief of Monmouth Consistory, No. 3, in 1869, appointed Second Lieutenant Commander, Council of Deliberation for Illinois, June 22, 1871; elected High Priest, Warren Chapter, No. 30, Dec. 12, 1879; and his present rank is the highest known in Ma- sonry.

. Dr. Brewer was married at Knoxville, Ill., Nov. 10, 1852, to Miss Roxalana Hansford, daughter of the late Dr. Charles Hansford, and she bore him one child, Florence, who died in 1882, at the age of 32 years, being at the time of her demise the wife of Cooper Shoemaker, of Monmouth. Mrs. Dr. Brewer died in 1884, aged about 52 years. She was born in Knox County.

R ev. J. B. McMichael, A. M. D. D., Presi- dent of Monmouth College, was born in Trumbull Co., Ohio, July 22, 1833. His parents John and Margaret (Burgess) Mc- Michael, were natives of Ireland, and the first named came to America when but 15 years of age, and lived in Ohio up to 1848. He then re- moved to Pennsylvania, where he spent the rest of his life, dying in Greenville, Mercer County, in 1881. He was a farmer and his five sons were brought up

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in that vocation. His mother was brought to this country in infancy. The family came from County Antrin, Ireland, the father being of Scotch-Irish de- scent. The mother died in Trumbull Co., Ohio, in 1844. John McMichael, the father of our subject, was thrice married. Eight children (five sons and three daughters) were born of the first union. These were Andrew, Charles, Jackson B., William, John D., Mary, Eliza, Jane and Maria. Charles and William are deceased. Andrew is a carriage manufacturer at Meadville, Pa. He is married and has two daughters living. John is living at Topeka, Kan., where he is engaged in the lumber business. He is also married and has one son. Mary became the wife of Capt. Samuel Isett, of Altoona. He is now deceased. She is the mother of two sons and one daughter and resides at that place. Eliza J. married William Buchanan, who is a farmer in Kansas. One child is the result of this marriage. Maria is the wife of Mr. DuMars, of Greenville, Pa. John Mc- Michael's wife, the mother of the above named chil- dren, died in 1844, and he was again married in 1846, Miss Jannette Calvin, from Mercer Co., Pa., becoming his wife. She became the mother of two children-Robert C. and Elizabeth. The former married a Miss Nelson, of Greenville, Pa., who has borne him four children. He is now engaged in farm- ing. Elizabeth married Dennis Cole, of Kansas, and they have four children. After the death of his sec- ond wife, which occurred in 1850, Mr. McMichael married Miss Sarah Straight, of Georgetown, Pa. This union occurred about 1850, and the widow lives at the old homestead.

The subject of this sketch attended the common schools while a lad, and at the age of 17 years went to Crawford Co., Pa., and spent the two succeeding years at learning a trade with his brother. From the age of 20 to 22 he was at Greenville (Pa.) Academy, and from there went to Westminister College, in Lawrence County, that State, and after following the entire curriculum of that institution, graduated there- from as A. B. in 1859. In 1862 he graduated from Xenia (Ohio) Theological Seminary, and was soon afterward ordained and settled in Sugar Creek, near Xenia, where he was in charge of a congregation for about 16 years. During the last five years he also held a professorship in the Xenia Theological Semin- ary. In June, 1878, he was elected to the Presi- dency of Monmouth College, and on the 5th of the

following September he entered upon the duties of his office, which position he holds at the present time.

Rev. McMichael was married at Washington, Pa., Oct. 16, 1862, to Miss Mary N. Hanna, daughter of Rev. Thomas Hanna, D. D., of that city. Of their union, six children were born, named as follows : Thomas Hanna, John Charles, William Jackson, Gracie, James Starr Eckels, and George Harold, who died in 1872, age 14 months. Thomas and Charles are members of the class of 1886, and will graduate on the 17th of June. William belongs to the class of 1878; Gracie attends the public schools and James is the baby.

The Doctor is not only a thorough scholar, but a man of rare executive ability. The growth of Mon- mouth College, under his administration, attests his fitness for the position he occupies. (See history of Monmouth College, this volume.)

illiam S. Weir, President of the Weir Plow Company, Monmouth, and son of William S. and Frances (Brown) Weir, natives re- spectively of the States of Pennsylvania and Kentucky, and of Scotch descent, was born at Yellow Springs, Greene Co., Ohio, July 2,

1835. His father, William S. Weir, Sr., was born in the city of Philadelphia in 1804, and his father, Wil- liam Weir, was a native of Scotland, who left home for America when a young man. He landed at Phil- adelphia, where he married and died about the time his son, William S., was ten years of age. There were four children, two sons and two daughters, in the family. William S., Sr., became an apprentice when a boy to learn the trade of wool-carding and cloth dressing. After 20 years of age he turned his attention to farming. He married Frances Brown, and they had a family of five children, four of whom were sons. Of this number, William S., the subject of this sketch, is the eldest. The next are James B., Francis M., John B. and Pauline, all of whom are residents of Monmouth.

The family come to Monmouth in 1838. and the year following the senior Mr. Weir started a small

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factory near Little York for making woolen goods, and carried it on for about 20 years.

The subject of this biographical notice received a limited education at the country schools of Sumner Township, but being compelled to shift for himself, from the time he was 11 years of age, he naturally had but small time to devote to books. He followed farming up to 1863. In 1862 he patented the " Weir Two-Horse Cultivator," an implement covering all the important principles employed in every walking cultivator manufactured in this country at the pres- ent time, and yet not all protected by his patent. It will be remembered that Mr. Weir was an unedu- cated farmer, necessarily knowing little of the patent laws, and less of their scope in application ; he there- fore had to rely upon his attorneys in obtaining let- ters patent that would secure him his rights. Then, as now, the business of the patent attorney was in securing patents, and if one valuable invention em- bodied a dozen indispensable principles and the at- torney could satisfy the applicant or hoodwink him into accepting letters protecting but one, of course eleven remaining features would be left open for so many different applications, thereby increasing largely the business or chances of business for the attorney. This may not state just the experience of Mr. Weir, but it fully illustrates the practice that let in other manufacturers, who employed important features of his invention that should have been protected by his patent of 1862. But, "men live and learn," and the proverb is eminently verified in William S. Weir. It has been many years since the duplicity of any pat- ent attorney has operated to close his eyes against the salient points of his inventions. With $200 cap- ital, he came to Monmouth in 1863 and had made for him, under contract, 120 cultivators ; in the fol- lowing year 500 were made, and in 1865 he erected a small shop, from which he turned out 800. The following year, with increased capacity, he put upon the market 1,200 cultivators, and in the winter of 1866-67 had his entire establishment destroyed by fire.

Rebuilding his shops at once, Mr. Weir put out 2,000 implements and in the fall of 1867 organized the Wier Plow Company, with himself as President. (A history of which company see in another part of of this volume.) It is useless for the biographer to attempt any enlargement upon the history of Mr. Weir. That he began life a very poor boy and un-

der the greatest disadvantages, is readily observed from the facts already disclosed; that he has made his life a success, and in doing so accomplished more for the established welfare of Monmouth than any other man in Warren County, is attested by his personal history and by the hundreds of families who are daily benefitted, not to say supported, from the gigantic establishment over which he presides and which should be made perpetual as a monument to his memory. Indeed, the history of Monmouth it- self must ever be pregnant with the works of William S. Weir. Compare the man who does great work; erects immense shops ; employs hundreds of his fel- low men as laborers in the manufacture of useful ar- ticles, which he sends broadcast throughout the world, returning their products to him to go again and again into the wages of the poor; compare such an one we say, with the miserable miser, who hoards up his hundreds of thousands, dispensing only upon the guarantee of usury, and note the difference.

Mr. Weir was married in Hale Township, October, 1859, to Fidelia J. Boyd, daughter of Thoinas and Ann Boyd, the former a native of Ireland and the latter of New York. Mrs. Weir died Feb. 1, 1884, leaving four children, having buried five in infancy. The living are Ella, Jessie, William B. and Amy.

K eorge Sickmon, one of Warren County's successful farmers and stock raisers, re- siding on section 33, Monmouth Township, is a native of New York, having been born in Erie County, that State, Jan. 18, 1819. He is at present living in retirement, passing the sunset of his life in the enjoyment of a competency, which has been procured through his own indomi- table energy, perseverance and good judgment.

The father of Mr. Sickmon, Henry Sickmon, was a native of Germany. He and a brother Thomas were the progenitors of the Sickmon family in this country, coming here and locating in Erie County, N. Y. The father was married there to Susan Fran- cis, a native of Cayauga County. After a residence there of some years, Henry Sickmon died and his wife afterward came to this State, and resided with

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her son George, for 14 years, when in Nov. 1864, she passed to the land of the hereafter, aged 73 years.

George Sickmon, whose biography we write, was the fourth in order of birth of a family of twelve children, eight sons and four daughters; seven of the former, and one of the latter still survives, and all are married. George lived at home attending the common schools until he. attained the age of 11 years, when he set out to do for himself in life. He first lived with a farmer in Erie County for eighteen months, then with another farmer for six months and then went to live with Daniel A. Albert, with whom he continued to reside until he attained his majority. On becoming his own man, Mr. Sickmon engaged to work by the month on a farm, which occupation he followed for one year, and was then employed by a gentleman who was dealing in oil, and remained with him one year, in the city of Buffalo. He after- ward went back to Erie County, the place of his na- tivity, where Sept. 1, 1842, he was united in mar- riage to Miss Sarah, the accomplished daughter of Abel and Sallie (Green) Green, natives of York State, where they both died when Mrs. Sickmon was quite young, and she is the only member of the fam- ily, who lived to attain the age of majority. She was born in Herkimer Co., N. Y., July 20, 1824. After the death of her parents, she lived with her aunt until her marriage. Of her union with Mr. S. six children have been born, all of whom are living -- Sallie M., married Felix Regnier, a farmer residing in Monmouth Township; Susan became the wife of William P. Norcross, a large land owner, banker, stock raiser and shipper, residing in Nebraska ; Win- field S., is engaged in practicing law at Des Moines, Iowa, his wife's maiden name being Alvareta Main ; Ann E. is the wife of Isaac J. Frantz, a farmer in Nebraska; and Eliza became the wife of John Ket- tering, who is engaged in farming in Nebraska ; Charles is also a farmer, residing in this township, and his wife's maiden name was Katie Frantz.

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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 63

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

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