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 66
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and in its power to reclaim and bless man. His in- terest and labors in this work are beyond what he feels in and gives to any other cause.
Being so long identified with the interests of Mon- mouth and so well known throughout the county, we are pleased to be able to present a portrait of Mr. Holloway in connection with this sketch.
ohn B. Meginnis, a retired farmer residing near the city of Monmouth, was born in Lancaster Co., Pa., Aug. 25, 1813. His father, James Meginnis, was a carpenter in early life and later a farmer, and his demise occurred Jan. 3, 1831, in the county where his son was born. He was a native of Dauphin County, same State, of Irish descent but American parentage, and the son of a Pennsylvania farmer. He remained in his native county until he reached maturity, when he came to Lancaster County and was there united in marriage with Frances Brandt, who was also a native of Lancaster County. Of this union were born nine children, of whom our subject was the eldest. Only three now survive-Fanny, the wife of David Detweiler, who resides on a farm in Dauphin Co., Pa .; Elizabeth, wife of David Gingrich, also residing on a farm in the same county ; and our subject, John B .!
After the death of her husband, Mrs. Frances Meginnis was united again in marriage, with Samuel Bossler, but they had no family. She died in her native county.
John B. Meginnis remained on the farm with his mother, alternating his labors there with attendance at the district schools, until he attained the age of majority, when he went to Cumberland Co., Pa., and superintended a farın there for his uncle two years. He then rented land there for some time and while in that county was married, at Harrisburg, to Miss Margaret Sprout, on the Ist of November, 1838. She was a daughter of John and Elizabeth (McHose) Sprout, the eldest of her parents' family, and was born in Cumberland Co., Pa., March 18, 1820. Her parents were both natives of that county, where they were engaged chiefly in farming. They
were of Scotch ancestry, and the death of the father occurred in 1855, and that of the mother in 1831, both in their native county. Their family comprised five children, all living, as follows: Mrs. Meginnis, wife of our subject; Mrs. Firoved, wife of Simon Firoved, a'retired farmer residing .in Monmouth ; William married Catherine Hempt, and is engaged in farming at Phelps, this county ; John is the hus- band of Miss Mary Wellman, and they reside in Hale Township, where he is engaged in farming ; Hettie E., wife of James C. Nesbit, resides on a farm in Hale Township.
Mr. and Mrs. Meginnis, are the parents of four children : James married Priscilla Brooks, and re sides on the old homestead in this township; Eliza- beth is the wife of B. W. Hardin and resides on a farm in Union Co., Iowa; Fannie B. is at home ; and John S., residing on a farm in Monmouth Township, has never been married.
After Mr. Meginnis was married, he farmed in Cumberland County until the year 1852, and came thence to Illinois and here purchased land to the extent of 200 acres, partly improved, in Monmouth Township. On this he lived and farmed, being very successful, until the year 1869, when he left the farm and purchased five acres where he now re- sides. This he has improved as a home.
Mrs. Meginnis is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. M. is an old line Democrat.
B. Nash, residing on section i6, Hale Township, is one of the successful, sturdy tillers of the soil, and owns 160 acres of good farm land. He was born in Greene Co., Ohio, Aug. 18, 1833. When about two years old, his parents came t Warren County, where he received his education, which, owing to the necessity which compelled him to as- sist in the labors of the farm, was somewhat limited. His father died when he was about seven years of age, and he chose for 'his vocation in life that of · agriculture, which he has followed until the present time. He has erected on his farm a good residence, double corn crib, 32 x 24 feet, barn and outbuild-
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ings, and his premises are indicative of that push and energy of which he is possessed.
Mr. Nash was married in Hale Township, Feb. I, 1860, to Adeline C. Mckinney, who was born in Warren County, on the 12th day of January, 1836. She bore him four children-James T. R., born Jan. 21, 1861 ; John H., Feb. 16, 1862; Mary J., May 22, 1864; and Harry C., Aug. 22, 1867 ; John departed this life April 1, 1882, aged 20 years. The wife and mother died June 26, 1870, and Mr. Nash was again married in the same township, Oct 7, 1875, to Susan E. Hamilton, who was born in Clin- ton Co., Ind., Oct. 20, 1844. Her parents were John and Sarah (Baldridge) Hamilton, natives of South Carolina and Ohio respectively. They came to this county in 187 1, where the father died, in April, 1876; the mother still survives. The parents of Mr. Nash's first wife were Abraham and Anna (Brownlee) Mckinney.
Mr. Nash has been School Director, and his wife is a member of the United Presbyterian Church. Po- litically, he is a supporter of the principles of the Republican party.
The parents of Mr. Nash were James and Marga- ret (Brown) Nash, natives of Pennsylvania and Ken- tucky. They came to this county in 1835, and set- tled in Hale Township, where they were among the early pioneers, and experienced all the trials and pri- vations incident to the settlement of a new country. They continued to reside in Hale Township until the death of the head of the family, which took place in that township, Jan. 21, 1841. 'The wife and mother survived her husband, and resides in Hale Town- ship, at the advanced age of 81 years.
A
K. Morris. The subject of the following sketch is one of the substantial and well- to-do farmers of Ellison Township. He was born May 4, 1835, in Madison Co., Ohio, and is the son of Amos and Rhoda J. (Campbell) Morris, and the youngest of the family now living. He came with his parents to Warren County in 1854. They settled on section 15, of Ellison Township, where the elder Morris purchased 80 acres of land, to which subsequently other tracts were added.
Young Morris received a good common-school ed-
ucation in the district schools of his native State and remained an inmate of the parental home until shortly after the breaking out of the Civil War. In February, of 1862, he enlisted in Co. D, 12th Ill. Cav. The regiment rendezvous was at Chicago and from there went to Springfield, Ill., where for three months it was on duty guarding prisoners. The reg- iment was then ordered to Martinsburg, Va., and soon after the entire command, under Gen. Miles, was captured at Harper's Ferry, except the 13th Cavalry, which succeeded in cutting its way through the Rebel lines and escaped. Private Morris was sick in the hospital at the time and was captured. He was paroled at Harper's Ferry and from there went to Chicago, via Baltimore and Annapolis. In February, 1863, he re-joined his regiment at Falmouth, Va., and was unfortunate enough to again fall into the hands of the enemy. He was captured in the fight at Farrel Station and sent to Libby Prison, at Rich- mond, from which he was paroled and soon after ex- changed. We soon after, however, find him again at the front at the famous battle of Gettysburg. He did honorable and faithful service for his country, and should be remembered for the valiant part he took in its defense.
on. John Porter, a prominent member of the Warren County Bar, resident at Mon- mouth, is a son of James and Sarah (Wray) Porter, natives respectively of County Donegal, Ireland, and Juniata Co., Pa., and was born in Huntington Co., Pa., April 27, 1824. His par- ents were married in Huntington County, where their eight sons and two daughters were born, and where they died, the old lady in 1856, aged about 60 years, and the old gentleman two years later, aged 66 years.
Of the ten children born to them, below will be found the record : Nancy, William, Robert W., John, James D., Joseph, David 'T'., Martha M., Franklin T. and Andrew J. Nancy married James Boggs and resides in Mercer County, and is the mother of seven children. William married Miss Isabel Lane, of Huntington Co., Pa .; they have a family of ten chil- dren. Robert W. married Miss Doyle, of Hunting- ton Co., Pa., and they had five children ; . his wife died in 1854, and he was again married, to Nancy
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Robb, of the same county, and by the latter union has two children. James D. Porter married Miss Mary Irvine, of Philadelphia, and they have two children and at present are residing in Spring Grove Township. Joseph Porter married Mary J. Lytle, of Pennsylvania, who is now deceased ; they had a fam- ily of five children, and he is at present living near Lynchburg, Amherst Co., Va., and has been, and is at the present time, passing through the experience of Judge Tourgee's great character in the Fool's Er- rand. David T. Porter married Miss Emeline Wil- son, of Stone Creek, Pa., and they have a family of ten children and are residing in Chariton Co., Mo. He is one of the most prominent farmers and stock- raisers in that section of the country. Martha M. married John Henry, of Shavers Creek, Pa., and is now deceased. She left a family of six children to . mourn her loss. Franklin T. is unmarried. Andrew J. married Miss Tillie Stuckey, of Bedford, Pa. ; they have two children living and reside in Filmore Co., Neb. The last three brothers named served in the Union army. David T. and Franklin T. enlisted in the 102d Ill. Vol. Inf., under command of Col. Mc- Murtry, of Knox County, who was afterwards super- seded by Col. Smith. Andrew J. Porter enlisted in the 55th Pa. Vol. Inf., went out as Orderly Sergeant, was promoted to Second Lieutenant, and participated in all the battles in which his regiment engaged, without receiving a single scratch. All three broth- ers received honorable discharges.
The first 18 years of John Porter's life were spent , upon his father's farm, and afterwards he learned the trade of making and laying brick, working at the same every summer till he married, and teaching school in the winter. The summer of 1845 he worked at his trade in Pittsburgh, Pa., laying brick at $1.50 per day. In 1846 he followed his trade in his native county. His primary education was obtained through the common schools, and from the age of 18 to 23 years he taught in the schools of his county. His last school was taught in Ogle Co., Ill., whither he had removed in 1850, and where he spent the summer working at his trade. In the spring of 185 1 he took a farm in Warren County, in Spring Grove Township, removing thence the following year to a farm which he had purchased in Sumner Township. Here he farmed with success up to the spring of 1858, when he removed to Mon- mouth, began at once the study of law, and in Janu-
ary, of 1863, was admitted to the Bar at Ottawa. His official life began away back in 1855, when he was elected Supervisor of Sumner Township. Two years later, to fill a vacancy, he was elected to the County Judgeship, for the next full term in Nov. 1857. This term the law giving the Court of this county concurrent jurisdiction with the Circuit Court in civil suits to the amount of $500, making the prac- tice and pleading the same as in the Circuit Court, was passed by the Legislature, and Judge Porter was forced to study law to protect himself, and this fact probably more than any other accounts for his adopting the law for his profession. In 1861 he was again elected County Judge for four years, and soon afterward may be dated his real beginning as a law- yer. Up to 1862, he had worked with the Demo- cratic party, but since that date the Republican party has had no stronger supporter.
In 1868 the party of his adoption sent him to the Legislature, probably the most important session since the war. The 14th amendment to the United States Constitution was adopted ; and so was the famous (or infamous) tax steal, the latter being passed over the Governor's veto, but to the credit of Judge Por- ter, it is said, that while he stood with the majority in the amendinent bill, he opposed them in the tax theft. The Judge was the author of and drew the bill providing for the appointment of a conservator for habitual drunkards, the bill becoming a law with- out the delay of engrossing.
On Jan. 25, 1847, Mr. Porter was married, in his native county, to Miss Mary E. Robb, at which time he rented a farm in Hartslog Valley, where he resided for the next three years, coming west in the spring of 1850. Their eight children are mentioned as follows: Mary, born in November, 1847, died in April, 1883, and was the wife of W. J. Brooks; Sarah, born in 1849, is at present Mrs. Thomas Donahue, of Belle Plain, Kansas ; James R., banker, of Belle Plain, Kansas; Nannie is the wife of G. F. Butler, Wellington, Kans .; Silas W., attorney at Monmouth ; Charles H., a resident of Colorado; Ella F., at home ; and George died in infancy.
Mrs. Porter was the daughter of William and Mary (Livingston) Robb. The former was a native of the north of Ireland, and the latter of Lancaster Co., Pa., the Livingstons being one of the oldest families of that State. They were the parents of eight children,
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Mrs. Porter of this sketch being the seventh in or- der of birth. John married Miss Mary Cunningham ; William married Margaret Cunningham, sister of the former, and they are both deceased, their widows living in Huntingdon Co., Pa. Alexander is de- ceased ; he was a physician and emigrated to Indiana and there died, about the year 1838. James lives in Mercer County Ill .; Sarah J. mar- ried Peter C. Swoope, and they are both deceased. They left a family of four children, one of whom is deceased. Nancy Robb is the second wife of R. W. Porter, brother of the subject of this notice, and they at present reside in Sumner Township. Livingston Robb married Mary Wilson, a native of Huntington Co., Pa .; they have a large family and reside on the old Robb homestead, in Hartslog Valley, Pa. Thomas S. Robb married Miss Martha Campbell, of McCon- nellstown, Pa., and they at present reside in Mercer Co., this State; they have six children living and have lost several. The Robbs are of Scotch descent, William Robb having come to this country about the year 1800, settling in Huntingdon Co., Pa., where he became a large land owner and a prominent and influential man in that section of the country.
Judge Porter is a member of the Presbyterian Church. Socially, he belongs to the orders of Ma- sonry and Odd Fellows. Although now a member of one of the learned professions, so-called, he is as proud of his record while a mechanic and a farmer as of any other part of his life, and fully believes with Burns, that "the rank is but the guinea's stamp, the man's the gold for a' that."
ames C. Irwin, dealer in boots and shoes and millinery, at Monmouth, was born in Clarion, Pa., Aug. 19, 1843, and was the son of William and Margaret (Patrick) Irwin, natives also of Pennsylvania. The family removed from the Keystone State to Michigan, probably in 1844 or 1845, and there in the city of Detroit the parents spent the remainder of their lives.
James C. was educated at the common schools of
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Michigan ; came to Morris, this State, in 1858, and to Monmouth in 1869. While at Morris he enlisted, August, 1862, in Co. C, 76th Ill. Vol. Inf., and served to the close of the war.
He returned from the army to Morris, and clerked in a dry goods store up to the date of his coming to Monmouth. Here he engaged with an older brother in mercantile business, and gave it his attention up to 1878, his brother, however, retiring from the firm at the end of the first year. In 1878, he closed out his dry goods, retained the millinery department, and put in an extensive stock of boots and shoes. Associated with him in business is Mr. James Man- non as salesman. Mr. Mannon is a native of Ohio, came to Monmouth in 1877, and has been with Mr. Irwin since 1880. Like Mr. Irwin, he is instinctively a gentleman, and the source of their success in their line, the secret to which they without effort place themselves at the very head of their trade, is readily traceable to the fact that they recognize the rights of their patrons, and are satisfied with reasonable profits.
These are the kind of men who deserve to suc- ceed, and the writer of the industrial history of Mon- mouth places their names in the list of "honorable mention."
ames Gardner, owning 200 acres of good farm land, under an advanced state of cul- tivation, located on section 6, Cold Brook Township, was born in Edmonson Co., Ky., Sept. 13, 1829. The father of James, Thomas Gardner, was born in West Virginia, and was the son of a farmer, who came to Edmonson Co., Ky .; was there reared to manhood and married Catherine Lair, a native of Barren Co., Ky., the daughter of a Kentucky farmer. Seven children were born to the parents while residents of Ken- tucky, James, our subject, being the eldest.
James Gardner was 17 years of age when his father died in Edmonson Co., Ky., and two years later his mother, accompanied by her six 'children, came to this State and located in Cold Brook Town- ship, this county, where the mother remained until
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her death, which occurred Feb. 28, 1880, at the age of 79 years, the date of her birth being April 26, 1801.
James Gardner, after accompanying his mother to this State and county, lived with and labored for her support and the maintenance of the children until his marriage with Miss Margaret A. Robison, which occurred in Cold Brook Township, May 10, 1853. She was born Nov. 1, 1829,and was the seventh child of her parents' family, having been born in this coun- ty, and is at present the oldest citizen of the county, whose birth is recorded as within its boundaries. She is a daughter of Andrew and Nancy (Stitt) Rob- ison. (See sketch of M. C. L. Robison). Her par- ents came to this State at an early day, and settled in what is now Kelly Township, and known as Rob- ison Point, Sept. 12, 1829. That portion of the county at the time was undeveloped, and her par- ents endured all the privations incident to the im- provement of a new settlement. Their marketing was done at what is now Oquawka, Henderson County. The county at that time included what is now Warren and Henderson counties, the latter hav- ing received its name from Henderson Richie, who was the first white child born within its present bound- ary. Mrs. Gardner was the oldest white child born in Warren County.
After Mr. and Mrs. Gardner were united in mar- riage, they located on a. new and unbroken tract of prairie land, which to-day comprises the fine farm on which they reside. It consists of 200 acres, and the labors of the past have placed it under an advanced state of cultivation.
When Mr. Gardner first started in this county he was as poor as a church mouse, but by energy and perseverance, coupled with the active co-operation of his good helpmeet, he is to-day the possessor of a fine faim as stated, and from his present standpoint looks back over the history of the past and smiles at the trials and difficulties which he and his good wife encountered and overcame.
Their union has been blessed with the birth of seven children, two of whom are deceased : Ella D. became the wife of Clarence Young, a farmer resid- ing in Kelly Township, and of which union three children have been born-Roy, Phebe and Nellie ; Effie D. was united in marriage to Henry Gates, who resides on a farm in Butler Co., Neb., and they have
one child, Bertha; Nancy C., Milton E. and Ira M. are living at home.
In politics, Mr. Gardner votes with the Democrat- ic party.
Mrs. Gardner having been the first white child born in Warren County, strange to say, has resided within one and a half miles of the place of her na- tivity until the present, and in the sunset of her years realizes the wonderful developments through which the county has passed since her birth. She was never out of the State, even on a visit, until about the age of 52.
obert A. Gibson, retired farmer, residing at Monmouth, was born near Xenia, Ohio, Nov. 6, 1815, and of the eight sons born to Thomas and Martha (Hogue) Gibson, he was the youngest. His parents were natives of Maryland and Virginia, respectively, and in addition to eight sons, they reared five daughters- a real old-fashioned house full of children.
Thomas Gibson came to Warren County in the fall of 1831, and bought a farm containing several quarter sections, about two miles northwest from Monmouth. Here he spent many years of his life, and here his wife ended her days in the year 1842. The old gentleman lived to become 87 years of age, and died in 1860, at the house of his son, George, near Little York. The Gibsons came originally from England, and the Hogues from Scotland. The sons of Thomas G. were brought up to farming, and the old man gave each of them a quarter section.
Robert A., whose name heads this article, received a pretty thorough common school education, and at the age of 18 years, entered Hanover College, In- diana, and graduated as an A. B. in 1838. After leaving College he read law some and took a course of lectures, and after returning to Illinois, was ad - mitted to the Bar, in 1844. The farm, however, was his choice, and he abandoned a professional life be- fore he had scarcely begun it. He lived on his farm, two miles northeast from Monmouth, from 1844 to 1875, when in the latter year he rented it out and moved into town, and like the sensible man that
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he is, proposes to spend the rest of his life free from care.
October 15, 1842, he was married in Trimble Co., Ky., to Miss Maria Davidge, who lived but about four years and left one child, Sarah, now (Sept., 1885,) employed at the Delevan (Wisconsin), Deaf and Dumb Institute.
On the 17th of January, 1861, at Monmouth, Ill., Mr. Gibson was again married to Miss Amanda Paine, a grandaughter of Gen. Edward Paine, the founder of the city of Painesville, Ohio, and the . daughter of Chas. H. Paine, who came into Warren County, in 1836, and settled near Little York, and spent his life upon his farm, dying in 1859. Mrs. Gibson was educated at Painesville, Ohio; Michigan City, Ind ; Canton, Ill .; and Jacksonville (Ill.) Fe- male Academy, and taught school from the time she was 16 years of age until she was 36.
Mr. Gibson had also some experience at school teaching before he went to farming, but not enough to fall in love with it. He also soldiered a little in the Black Hawk war, and it may be presumed that he did not fall in love with war any more than he did with school teaching. He has been a hard- working man, and to the talents given him has abundantly added, like the wise and good servant spoken of in the parable.
He belongs to the United Presbyterian Church, votes the Democratic ticket, and enjoys heartily the fruits of his many years' labor.
illiam Porter is one of the prominent and substantial agriculturists of the township of Sumner, and is located on section 2. He is the proprietor of a large tract of land which contains 376 acres, and which is all in fine condition for profitable cultivation, with the exception of 20 acres, which is in timber, and increases the value of the estate.
Mr. Porter made his first acquaintance with War- ren County in 1852, when he bought unimproved tracts of prairie, a part of which is included in the property he now owns. After making his purchases
he returned to his home and remained there until the following spring, when he removed to Warren Coun- ty with his family. They were the occupants during the first year of a house on section 1. Meanwhile Mr. Porter had erected a small frame house on his own land, to which he removed his family in the spring of 1854. A great transformation has been brought about by the application of persevering in- dustry, good management and the best and most ap- proved methods of modern farming. The pioneer home has been replaced by a house of convenient pro- portions, and the other buildings which havebeen erect- ed are of the sort demanded by the purposes to which the farm is devoted. Shade and fruit trees add to the appearance and value of the place, and there are ample sheds and other arrangements for the protec- tion of the stock on the farm.
Mr. Porter was born in Brady Township, Hunting- don Co., Pa., Nov. 5, 1819, and is the son of James and Sarah (Wray) Porter. (See sketch of Judge John Porter.) He received his early education in the common, or as it was then called, subscription school, the system now in vogue not having been establish- ed. . Later, he attended the district school in the winter seasons, and passed the remainder of the year in farm labor. He also assisted in the lumber woods, where it was the custom at that day to pass a portion of every year.
At the age of 17 he obtained a position as clerk in a store in the village of Huntingdon. He ope- rated in that capacity one year, and then returned home and resumed farming. He alternated that employ with teaching. In 1845 he withdrew from the roof tree of his parents, taking possession of a home of his own, in company with his wife.
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