Portrait and biographical album of Warren County, Illinois : containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, Part 64

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 64

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Two years after marriage Mr. S. with his bride came West, and pitched his tent on a new and un- cultivated 80 acre tract of land, which is now the well improved farm and pleasant homestead on which he resides. He has subsequently, by his in- dustry and perseverance, increased his landed inter- ests, until he at present has 400 acres of good farm land in this county, and in addition to the cultiva- tion of the same, he is devoting a goodly portion of

his time to dealing in stock, having sold as high as $12,000 worth annually. His residence and farm buildings are large and commodious and the appear- ance of his farm is indicative of that spirit of push and perseverance which Mr. S. possesses He and his wife are members of the Christian Church. Po- litically he is a staunch supporter of the principles of the Republican party. He has held the position of Supervisor for three years and also other minor offices. For three and a half years, Mr. S. resided in the city of Monmouth, where his ability was recognized, and he was elected Street Commissioner and Alderman.

S amuel Gibson, retired farmer and one of the pioneers of Warren County, now (1885) living in the suburbs west of Monmouth, was born in Blount Co., Tenn., Sept. 3, 1804, and was the fifth in a family of eight sons and five daughters, born and reared to men and wonien, by Thomas and Martha (Hogue) Gibson, natives re- spectively of the states of Pennsylvania and Vir- ginia. The family, except the subject of this sketch, who had preceded them about one year, came to Il- linois from Xenia, Ohio, where they had resided about 25 years, ill 1831, and here the two old people spent the rest of their lives.

Samuel Gibson was fairly educated at the common schools of Ohio, and there learned something of the mechanic's trade under his father. He lived in Mon- mouth until 1835, when he moved to his farm adja- cent to the south line of the town. Here he has lived a full half century, and at this writing is in the en- joyment of good health, walks as lithe and erect as an Indian, and bids fair to join his numerous friends at the celebration of many another anniversary. He joined the United Presbyterian Church when he was 27 years of age, and his life therein has remained unbroken and consistent.

August 3, 1826 Mr. Gibson was married in Greene Co., Ohio, to Miss Elizabeth Pierce, a native of Bour- bon Co., Ky. She died in February, 1858, and their seven children are mentioned here, as follows : Wil- liam, who left home in 1853, and was last heard from

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in California, in 1878; Martha H., the wife of Mr. Samuel Little; Sarah E., who with antiring filial de- votion, ministers daily to the wants and comforts of her aged father; Isabel, wife of J. B. L. Smith, of Indiana; Albert G., died in October, 1882; Mary Jane (Mrs. Martin) died in 1881, and Thomas A. died in 1862, a few days after arriving home from the Union army.

Thus briefly we scan the events of a life coexist- ent almost with the history of our Nation, and as we read we realize at once what constitutes the memo- rable matter in a man's life. The date of his birth is treasured; the ruddy cheeks and rollicking laugh- ter of his brothers and sisters, as in their cheerful childhood they gathered about the great log fire in the old chimney place of the long, long ago, are cher- ished and not forgotten ; the father and mother are remembered, and the kind old faces of his grandfa- ther and grandmother pass vividly in view; the old log school house of three-quarters of a century ago; the dapper little teacher, and his spelling schools, later on; the ruby-lipped and bright-eyed girl who developed first into a sweetheart and next into a wife ; the little ones that came and entwined themselves about his heart to be torn ruthlessly away, crushing for a time his every ambition in life, and the names of the living and the dead are repeated. These events, representing the happiest and the saddest in life are ever remembered by the aged, and to the exclusion of the thousands of hardships incident to pioneer times, are told to the biographer in response to his inquiry for the most important data from which to write a sketch.

ames T. Hartman, Supervisor of Cold Brook Township, a gentleman of more than ordinary business ability and a good and successful farmer and stock-raiser, residing on Section 12, Cold Brook Township, is a native of Marion Co., Indiana, where he was born April 21, 1835.

John Hartman, the father of James T., was born in North Carolina, and was of German ancestry. He was married in his native state to Nancy Marklin,

a native of that state. Of their union nine children were born in North Carolina, and the family then journeyed to Indiana and located on a tract of land which was in its natural condition.

James T. Hartman was the first child born to his parents after their emigration to the wilds of the Hoosier State. There was also another child born to the parents, in Indiana, making their children II in number, six sons and five daughters, of which four of the former and two of the latter sur- vive. Mr. Hartman was only eight years old when his father died, and he lived with his mother until he had nearly attained his majority. He received the advantages of the district schools of that early pe- riod, and at the age of 17 years served an ap- prenticeship at Mt. Jackson, near Indianapolis, Ind., under a Mr. Forshee, to learn the trade of a blacksmith. After serving a term of four years, he came to Illinois in December, 1855, settling in Buf- falo ·Prairie Township, Rock Island County. . At the latter place he remained, working at his trade until 1859, when he emigrated further West to the State of California, and from there to Idaho Territory. In the latter territory he began mining in the Bitter Root Mountains, and continued there for some time, from whence he passed on to the Rocky Mountains where he resumed mining, and continued for three years longer. He then retraced his steps to Warren County, purchased 80 acres of land on his present site, and began its improvement and cultivation.

The marriage of James T. Hartman and Miss Hen- rietta Freeman was celebrated in Knox County, Nov. 27, 1862. The lady of his choice was a daughter of F. Leroy and Margaret (Brown) Freeman, natives of Virginia and Kentucky respectively, both from old families of those states. They were married in Illi- nois, where they both came in early life, settling with their parents in Knox County early in its history, and were there during the Black Hawk War. The pa- rents were farmers and died in Henderson Township, where they had lived since marriage. Mrs. Hart- man, of this notice, was born in Henderson Town- ship, Knox County, Oct. 27, 1841. Her education was commenced in the public schools but finished at college. She remained at home until her marriage, and of her union with Mr. Hartman has been born three children, one of whom is deceased. Minnie is the wife of Clark Robinson, and they reside in Co- manche Co., Kan., her husband being engaged in

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RESIDENCE OF WM. HANNA, N. W. COR. SOUTH & WEST STS ., MONMOUTH.

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farming; Ettie I. died in infancy, and Lillie G. is at- tending college at Galesburg.

Since their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Hartman have resided on their present homestead, and have made remarkable changes and improvements, until now their farm is considered an excellent one in every respect.

Mr. Hartman has served his township as Collector for four years ; Supervisor for the past 12 years, and in politics is a first-class Democrat.

illiam Hanna, one of the most widely known and enterprising business men of Illinois, and whose portrait we present on the opposite page, is a resident of Monmouth. A view of his elegant home, which is one of the finest in the county, is also presented in this volume. He was born in Fayette Co., Ind., June 19, 1827, and comes of Scotch-Irish stock on the paternal side. His father, John Hanna, was a native of North Carolina and married Miss Sarah Crawford, a Virginia lady. In 1835 Mr. John Hanna came to Illinois and settled 12 miles northwest of Monmouth, in Warren County.

Here on the farm young Hanna was reared and re- ceived such education as the subscription schools of the neighborhood afforded. In 1849, upon the break- ing out of the California gold fever, in company with others, he drove an ox team across the plains to the land of gold. He was successful there to the extent of gathering a few thousand dollars. He returned home in 1851, bought a farm in Henderson County and engaged in agriculture until 1867. That year he came to Monmouth, and, in company with Messrs. W. S. Weir and Dr. W. B. Boyd, formed a joint stock company for the purpose of manufacturing farm implements. The capital stock of the company was $25,000. Under the skillful and efficient man- agement of Mr. Hanna the business of the company increased very rapidly. In fact, at the end of 14 years the capital stock had increased to the enor- mous amount of $1,000,000, after paying $163,000 of dividends.

Immediately after the company was organized and

its factory in operation, Mr. Hanna " took the road " and the following seven years traveled in the inter- ests of the company, introducing its implements and establishing agencies. It was through his persistent and indefatigable efforts that the foundation and subsequent success of the Weir Plow Company was securely laid. In short, his energy and business ability built up and made a great institution of this now world-wide known company.

Mr. Hanna, in addition to his vast interests as above stated, has found time to engage in various enterprises, which in the main have for their object the increase of the material wealth and prosperity of Monmouth and vicinity. He is President of the Monmouth Mining and Manufacturing Company, which makes sewer pipe, drain tile, fire brick, etc. The company employs a large number of men and manufactures over 100 car-loads of its products a month, and arrangements are being perfected to in- crease its capacity to 150 car-loads per month.

Mr. Hanna was one of the originators of the Monmouth National Bank, which was established in 1871, and for ten years (1874 to 1884) served it in the capacity of President. He was one of the original incorporators of the Keithsburgh Bridge Company, and still continues as one of its directors. He was President and Treasurer of the Burlington, Monmouth & Illinois River and the Peoria & Farm- ington Railway Companies during the construction of these roads and until their consolidation with the Central Iowa. Without his wealth, energy, judgment and perseverance that railway would never have been constructed. He is a Director of the Iowa Central Railway Company at present. He is a Trustee of the Warren County Library and also of the Lom- bard University, located at Galesburg, and is deeply interested in any and every public enterprise calcu- lated to benefit the people.

In 1851 Mr. Hanna was united in marriage with Miss Sarah, daughter of James Findley, who settled in Warren County as early as 1832. Three children have been born to them, two of whom are living, J. Ross, a sketch of whom may be found on another page of this volume, and Mary J. E.

Politically, Mr. Hanna has steadily voted the Democratic ticket and is a firm believer in the sav- ing grace of that political organization. He has twice been honored with an election as the Mayor of

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the city of Monmouth, and during his terms of office brought to bear in the municipal affairs of the city his characteristic energy and excellent judgment.

Thus we have a brief outline of the life of one of the most valuable and highly esteemed citizens of Warren County. He started in life poor and un- aided, but by the sheer force of his own indomitable energy and the exercise of good, common, business sense, he has succeeded in carving out for himself a comfortable competency, and at the same time has maintained his reputation as an honorable, consci- entious gentleman

ev. Anson Tucker, was born in New York State, June 8, r8rr. He graduated from Haddington College, and was ordained, in r835, a minister in the Baptist Church. He was pastor at Sardinia and Lockport, N. Y., Norwalk, O., Adrian, Mich., Lafayette, Ind., Dixon and Monmouth, Ill. He died at the latter place, Apr. 23, 1858, aged 47. Though compartively a young man, he had attained considerable prominence in his denomination. He had an unusually refined and sensitive nature, and was strict in his ideas of right and wrong. Beloved by his people wherever he preached, his life was one of great` usefulness. He was of a family of ministers, his father and four brothers all being Baptist clergymen, and what is very unusual, all preaching at the same time. He had one other brother,a gifted lawyer,who was study- ing for the ministry, when he suddenly died.

Mr. Tucker was a man of cultivated literary tastes, and an earnest and eloquent speaker. His friendships were deep and strong, and as a husband and father his affections were tender and devoted. His ancestors came from England and settled in Virginia in the Colonial times, where many still re- main, Judge Tucker, of Richmond, and John Ran- dolph Tucker being of the family. Part of the fam - ily had gone North, and of that branch was Rev. Anson Tucker.

He was married to Caroline Rogers in 1836. They had seven children, six girls and one boy, who died

in infancy : Eliza, the eldest daughter, married A. S. Humphries, of Columbus, Miss .; Erenah married T. W. Raymond, of London, England; Caroline married Guy Stapp, of Monmouth; Jeannette married D. P. Phelps, of Monmouth ; Emma resides in Mon- mouth, and Frances is a resident of Columbus, Miss.

Caroline Rogers was born in New York State. She was daughter of Rev. James and Marcy(Champlain) Rogers. Rev. James Rogers was the son of Hon. Thomas Rogers, one of the three contemporary Judges of the State of New York. Marcy Cham- plain was the daughter of Stephen and Elizabeth (Perry) Champlain. The Perrys came from England. Elizabeth Perry was the daughter of Freeman Perry, who was Supreme Judge of Rhode Island 44 years. His wife was Mary Hazard. Their children were Joshua, Oliver Hazard, Raymond, Elizabeth, Mary and Susan. Joshua was a physician; Raymond was a sea Captain and Commodore in the Navy, and one of the founders of the United States Navy, and for several months he was a prisoner on board the dreadf ful Jersey prison ships. After his discharge he was one of the Lieutenants of the Trumbull during her action with the Watt, one of the hardest fought battles in our War of Independence. He had five sons; the eldest, Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, gained the battle on Lake Erie, and along with him in that en- gagement was his little brother, Alexander, a boy of 10 years, serving as midshipman and aide. The lit- tle fellow received a ball through the cap, and was subsequently voted the thanks of Congress and a sword of honor, being probably the youngest recip- ient ever known of such national acknowledgment. Another of the five brothers was Commodore M. C. Perry, who crowned a long life of glory by opening the ports of Japan to American commerce, while two more brothers were commanders under Commo- dore McDonough in the battle on Lake Champlain. Another ancestor, Commodore Stephen Champlain, was born Nov. 17, 1789, at South Kingston, R. I. At the age of 23 he was in command of the brig "Dore." He became one of the most active and useful officers in the United States Navy. It is a well authenticated fact that he fired the first and last gun in the battle of Lake Erie. He was then in command of the "Scorpion," and with that vessel overhauled the british ship "Little Belt," and cap- tured her as she was endeavoring to run away from

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the fight. He died in Buffalo, N. Y., Feb. 20, 1870. Rev. Anson Tucker was married a second time in 1854, to Miss Luana Macomber, of New York State. They had two sons, Howard, who was three years old, and George 15 months, when they both died, within two weeks of each other, and only a few weeks before their father, in the spring of 1858, at Mon- mouth, Ill.

eyton Roberts, General Insurance and Land Agent, at Monmouth, Ill., was born at Fountain Green, Hancock Co., Ill., Jan. 2Ist, 1839. His great grandfather, James Roberts, was from Switzerland, and settled in Wythe Co., Va., in 1775, where his grandfather, John Roberts, was born, in 1781. His father, James E. Roberts, was born in Campbell Co., Tenn., Aug. 28th, 1807. His mother, Sally M., (Cox) Roberts, was also descended from the Swiss. Her great grandfather, Friend Cox, settled in Pennsylvania in 1712. Her grandfather, John Cox, and her father, Benjamin Cox, lived at Mckeesport, Pa., where she was born Dec. 22d, 1807.

The parents of Peyton were married at Hudson- ville, Breckenridge Co., Ky., Aug. 30th, 1830. They moved to Fountain Green, Hancock Co., Ill. in June, 1837, where the father now (1885) lives, at the age of 78. The mother died at this place June 24th, 1846.

Peyton Roberts was educated at Hedding College, Abingdon, Ill. He entered the Insurance business at the same place in 1863, and on January 4th, 1864, transferred his headquarters to Monmouth, where he has since stood at the very head of the Fire In- surance Underwriters of the County, representing at all times the best companies in the world, and ju- diciously writing his policies in such a manner as to preclude the possibility of misconception ; avoiding all ambiguities, and thereby placing the policy pur- chaser solidly upon the ground of the assured. If this information, thrown into this sketch without the knowledge or consent of Mr. Roberts, but none the less based upon facts, should prove incomprehens- ible to some, the writer knows to all such as may

be unfortunate enough as to sustain loss by fire and find an improperly written policy in their· possession, there will be no longer any mystery.

Mr. Roberts is a Director in the Monmouth Min- ing and Manufacturing Co .; a Director in the First National Bank of Biggsville, Ill .; is connected with the Second National Bank of Monmouth, Ill .; is Sec- retary of Trinity Lodge, No. 561, A. F. & A. M., and Member of the Republican State Central Committee.

Mr. Roberts was united in marriage at Bushnell, Ill., May 8th, 1866, with Miss Lizzie K. Cox, of Hud- sonville, Ky. They have two children living, Emma and Corinne; one, Lizzie Lena, having died when three months old. Mrs. Roberts is a descendant of the Lendrum family, of Virginia, and the daughter of Ralph and Emily A. Cox, of Vine Grove, Ky.

ohn W. Lusk, of the firm of Lusk Bros., leading grocers of Monmouth, is justly re- garded as one of the enterprising business men of that city. His father, Wilson Lusk, was an early resident of Monmouth, locating here as early as 1848. On the 21st of January of the following year, John W. was born. He was one of a family of seven children, five sons and two daughters, born to his parents, Wilson and Mary Jane (McCoy) Lusk. He was reared and educated at Monmouth, and early in life began to learn the printer's trade, at which he became very profi- cient.

In the spring of 1864, when yet a mere lad, he enrolled in the service of his country as a drummer, in Co. A, 138th Ill. Inf. He served until the follow- ing fall, when the term of his enlistment expired. Im- mediately upon being mustered out of the 138th, he entered Co. H, 47th Ill. Inf., as a private, and serv- ed up to the winter of 1865-6, when he was mus- tered out at Salem, Ala. He did valiant and faithful service, and from the commencement to the close of his enlistment he never missed a day from his regi- ment, and the 47th, being a part of the 16th Army Corps, it is reasonable to suppose that it was in ac- tive duty continually.

Upon the expiration of his term of enlistment in

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the army, Mr. Lusk returned to his home in Mon- mouth, and for a while worked in the Review office. Subsequently he went to Macomb, this State, where he was engaged on the newspapers of that city for a time. In 1869, we find him at Beardstown, in the capacity of foreman of the Illinoisan, a position he acceptably filled for about two years. He then form- ed a partnership with H. A. Wilkinson, and started the Beardstown Herald, a Democratic weekly paper. At the expiration of about a year, Mr. Lusk sold out his interest in the Herald, and returned to Macomb and after spending a few years as a book-keeper in a grocery house, in 1879 he bought his employer out. In 1881 he sold out his business at Macomb and came to Monmouth, and at once embarked in his pres- ent enterprise, since which time, in connection with his partners, the firm of Lusk Bros. have taken front rank among the leading business houses of Mon- mouth.

Upon the 30th of January, 187 1, at Macomb, Ill., Mr. Lusk was united in marriage with Miss Kate Shumate, daughter of a well known citizen of that city. She is a native of Garrard Co., Ky., and has become the mother of two children, Birdie and Claude.

Politically, Mr. Lusk is a Democrat, and socially a member of the G. A. R., the I. O. O. F. and A. O. U. W.

esse Walton Bond, an energetic and suc- cessful farmer of Lenox Township, residing upon section 19, is a son of John C. and Polly (Grimsley) Bond. A biography of the former is given elsewhere in this volume. The Bonds came from Ireland with Lord Baltimore and settled in Maryland, in 1632, and from there were scattered throughout the South. Jesse W. Bond, the grandfather of the subject of this notice, was born in South Carolina, in 1777. When a small boy, his father's family removed to Kentucky, in which State his father was killed by Indians, leaving three children-Jesse W., Lucy and Nathan.

In 1798, Jesse W. Bond, the eldest of the children, was married in Overton Co., Tenn., to Miss Susan- nah Crane. She was born in Georgia, in 1777, and

of their union seven children were born-John Crane Bond, the father of the subject of this notice; Ben- jamin, Joel, Ruby, William B., Jesse W. and Nathan, only two of whom are living, Nathan Bond, of Al- bany, Oregon, and Mrs. Ruby Looney, of Salem, Oregon.

Jesse W. Bond, the grandfather, removed to Jack- son Co., Ala., in 1819. From there he went to Mor- gan Co., Ill., and in 1830, came to this county, and here resided until his death, in 1842, the demise of his wife occurring in 1858. The grandparents are both buried on the old homestead, in the family burial ground, Greenbush Township, where six gen- erations of Bonds are resting. The homestead at his death passed into the hands of Maj. John Crane Bond, father of the subject of this notice, whose biography we give, and when he died he left it to his grandson, John Crane Bond, Jr., eldest son of the subject of this sketch.

Jesse Walton Bond was born in Jackson Co., Ala., Sept. 7, 1825. When he was a year old, his parents moved to Morgan Co., Ill., and he was nine years of age when he came with his parents to this county. His education was received in the common schools, and he continued to reside with his parents until his marriage. 'He lived in Greenbush Township until 1850, when he crossed the plains to California in search of gold, where he remained two . years, meeting with partial success, when he returned for his family and soon afterward went back to California. The following year, 1853, his wife died, and Jesse W. once more returned to this county, but: only remained a short time, when he went back to California, the third time crossing the plains. He re- mained in the latter State until 1862, when he re- turned to this county and two years later removed to Iowa, and was there engaged in agricultural pur- suits until 1869. During that year, he again came back to this county, and took charge of the Warren County Poor Farm, on which he lived until March, 1885. Not desiring a reappointment, he removed to his farm in Lenox Township, where he at present re- sides. He is the owner of 320 acres of land in Lenox Township, all of which is under an ad- vanced state of cultivation.

Mr. Bond, of this sketch, was first married in Swan Creek Township, this county, Feb. 12, 1848, to Sarah E. Terry, who was born in Madison Co., Ill. She

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was a daughter of George and Nancy G. (Stice) Terry, and bore him three children-Edwina, Ellen S. and John C. Edwina is the wife of Dr. Randall, of Greenbush Township. Ellen S. married Benja- min F. Reed, who resides in Swan Township. John C. is engaged in farming in Greenbush Township. Mrs. Bond died in Sacramento Co., Cal., Jan. 28, 1854, and Mr. Bond was again married in Green- bush Township, Oct. 25, 1863, to Anna C. Harrah, daughter of John N. and Helen (Wharton) Harrah. Her parents came to Warren County about 1860, and settled in Greenbush Township, where they lived until about 1878, when they moved to Sedalia, Mo. Mrs. Bond was born in Belmont Co., Ohio, Feb. 25, 1835, and has borne her husband three chil- dren-Sara Helen, Jesse Walton, Jr., and Anna J., who resides at home. Mr. Bond is a member of the Masonic Order, and in politics, is a supporter of the principles advocated by the Democratic party. His father and grandfather were likewise members of the Democratic party.

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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 64

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

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