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 68
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Mr. Brent enlisted in the War of the Rebellion Feb. 14, 1865, in Company H, 49th Illinois Volun- teer Infantry, which was assigned to the Army of the Cumberland, and fought in all the battles in which his regiment was engaged. He was promoted to Corporal December 21, 1865. He was discharged
at Selma, Ala., January 21, 1866, and returned home immediately. He has since continued to reside upon his farm, where he is engaged in agricultural pur- suits, and meeting with success in his chosen voca-" tion.
The property of Mr. Brent is mostly in a high state of cultivation, and his residence is located in a beautiful hickory grove.
ames H Burke, a pushing, energetic farmer, residing on section 19, Hale Township, where he rents an A, No. I farm, is a son of Thomas and Rebecca (Morgan) Burke, na- tives of. Virginia and Ohio respectively. His parents were married and settled in Indiana, and in 1837 did not take the advice of Horace Gree- ley, but came West without it, and settled in Mon- mouth Township. From the date of their settlement we see they were early pioneers, and they no doubt experienced all the trials and privations which the old sturdy pioneers were compelled to pass through in the early settlement of the county .. In 1850, af- ter a residence in the county of some 13 years, the parents removed to Henderson County, where the mother died. After her death the father removed to Iowa, in which state his demise occurred. The issue of their union was nine children, of whom James H. was second in order of birth.
James H. Burke was born in Hancock Co., Ind., May 6, 1833, and at the time his parents emigrated to this county was but four years of age, conse- quently may be classified as a pioneer himself. He lived at home until he was 19 years old, receiving such advantages as were at that time afforded by the common schools. In the spring of 1853 he crossed the plains to Northern Oregon, and becom- ing imbued with the spirit of gain, he engaged in mining. From Northern Oregon he went to South- ern Oregon and was there occupied in mining until the summer of 1856, when he returned to this county and engaged in agricultural pursuits. He has resided in Warren and Henderson Counties since that time. In 1876 he moved into Hale Township, and is at present following the vocation of farming on section 19, of that township.
The marriage of Mr. Burke was solemnized in
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Sumner Township, Feb. 12, 1857, at which time Miss Mary A. Swain became his wife. She was born in Ohio Feb. 23, 1830, and has borne her husband six children, whose names are Harvey H., Kate I., Ra- chel E., Mary A., Benjamin S. and Harry E. Kate I. is dead.
Mr. Burke has held the office of Collector for three years, and at present is Assessor of the town- ship. In politics he is a staunch and active Repub- lican.
rury B. Boyd, a pioneer settler of Point Pleasant Township, was born in the State of Virginia, May 10, 1780. He was the son of George and Jemima (Birge) Boyd, and
was early orphaned by their death. He was
made an apprentice to a trade, and when still young went to the State of Georgia. There he was married, Feb. 18, 1805, to Elizabeth, the daughter of George and Nancy (Dean) Hurd. She was born in Georgia, Sept. 11, 1867, and soon after their mar- riage they went to Kentucky, where they located in Bath County, and the husband utilized his good edu- cation in teaching, and in the alternate seasons he worked at his trade. They lived there until 1822, when they went to Pulaski County, in the same State, and remained there until 1825. They re- moved thence to Greene Co., Ind., where they were among the earliest of the pioneer element. They located on land which was covered with heavy tim- ber, and their sons were occupied with the work of clearing the farm, while the father worked at his trade. After a time he purchased a saw-mill. His wife died Aug. 13, 1835, and he was again married, about 12 years later, to Elizabeth Kelshaw.
The children of George and Nancy (Dean) Hurd were Mary, George, Elizabeth and Nancy. Mary was married to Joseph Dixson, and died in Greene Co., Ind. George was married and lived in Georgia. Elizabeth was the wife of Drury B. Boyd, subject of this sketch. Nancy became the wife of Sanford Raimy, and they lived in Preble Co., Ohio.
While living in Indiana he was twice elected to represent his District, and served two terms in the Legislature of that State. After his removal to War- ren County, he located at Ellison, and a few years
later he settled on section 2, of Point Pleasant Town- ship, where he died, Sept. 7, 1856. His wife was killed in the tornado at Ellison in 1858. Two of their children are still living. Mrs. Dixson is repre- sented elsewhere in this work, and it is through her interest in the preservation of the records of her fam- ily circle that these sketches of the members of the family have been obtained. Her only sister was the wife of Elisha Hughen, of Point Pleasant Township, of whom a sketch is given in this work.
Since this sketch was written, and since Mr. Hughen's sketch was printed in this volume, his wife died. Her demise occurred Dec. 14, 1885, at her home in Point Pleasant Township.
Mr. Boyd and his family made the trip fron Ken- tucky to Greene County with horse-teams. They settled in a small log house, of the most unpreten- tious style, until the father could clear a place, upon which he erected a double-hewed log house.
The children of Drury B. and Elizabeth (Hurd) Boyd, were: Eliza, Martha, 'Thomas H., Jolın, Je- mima, Nancy, Amanda, Mary and Elizabeth. Eliza was born May 25, 1807, was married to; Cary O'Neall, Aug. 12, 1830, died Feb. 14, 1844. Martha, born in 1809, died in infancy. Thomas H., born June 4, 1811, was married to Margaret Jones, April 3, 1838, died March 1, 1877. John, born June 14, 1814, was married to Elizabeth O'Neall, March 11, 1840, died July 5, 1865. Jemima, born Jan. 28, 1817, was married to Eli Dixson, March 12, 1840, and is the only survivor of the family. Nancy was born in 1819, and died in 1825. Amanda, born April 12, 1824, was married to Stephen Dixson, April 10,1845, and died May 3, 186t. Mary, born Sept. 9, 1827, was married to Elisha Hughen, April 8, 1847, died Dec. 14, 1885. Elizabeth, born Sept. 9, 1827, was married to Cary O. Jones, April 5, 1847, died Aug. 14, 1856.
octor William E. Pittman, practicing physician at Swan Creek Village, was born in this county, Feb. 22, 1859, and is a son of James B. Pittman, a native of Indiana, where he was born in 1830. His father is a farmer by occupation, and resides in Pt. Pleasant Township. He was married to Miss Eliza
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A. Simmons, in 1841. She was born in 1839, in this county, and bore her husband II children, Os- car, deceased at 18 years ; William E., S. M., J. B., George, Joseph, Charlie, Carrie May, Harry, Emma, and one who died in infancy.
Dr. Pittman formed a matrimonial alliance with Miss Zoa Huston, Oct. 15, 1885. She was born in April, 1868, and is a daughter of William H. and Eliza (Crabb) Huston. Dr. Pittman commenced reading medicine preparatory to attending college, with Doctor William Randall, of Greenbush, and was with him for some three months. He then went to Nodaway Co,, Mo., where he read medicine under the instruction of Doctor M. R. Hackedorn, of Ma- ryville, Mo., for about 18 months. He then matric -. ulated at Rush Medical College, March 13, 1882, and after following the entire curriculum of that in- stitution, graduated therefrom Feb. 17, 1885. He also graduated in Dental Pathology and Surgery at the Dental College, Chicago. He holds a certificate of honor from Rush Medical College, and a certifi- cate of Clinical Instruction from the Central Free Dispensary, in Chicago.
He at present has a large and lucrative practice in Swan Creek and the surrounding country. He is a thorough practitioner, and by careful diagnosis of disease and faithful attention to his patients, he has established himself in the confidence of his commu- nity.
In politics Dr. Pittman is a supporter of the prin- ciples of the Democratic party.
harles H. Pierce, of Berwick Township, is engaged in farming on section 31, where he is the proprietor of 160 acres of good land. He was born in Warren County, Feb. I, 1840. His father, William H. Pierce, is a native of Vermont and came to this State in 1835, locating at the village of Greenbush, where he taught school for about a year. He then purchased the tract which is now in possession of his son and at once engaged in its improvement and cultivation. He was united in marriage with Miss Angelina Wal- din, who was born in Ohio, about 1817. They both came to this State prior to their marriage. The mother of Mr. Pierce died July 14, 1842, and the fa-
ther Feb. 23, 1880. Of their union two children were born-Almiron G. and Charles H.
Charles H. Pierce, subject of this notice, was united in marriage with Elizabeth Long, Feb. 1, 1862. She was born June 16, 1838, in Jackson Co., Ohio, and they have four children living-Maud Z., Blanche M., William H. and Harriet G. Mr. Pierce is engaged in general farming, and is meeting with success in his chosen vocation. In politics he is a believer in and a supporter of the principles advoca- ted by the Republican party.
illiam Adcock, Clerk of Kelly Township, and a farmer on section 35, is one of the prominent and influential citizens of his township and county and a member of the local Board of Education since 1877. He is the oldest son of Joseph and Elizabeth (Mc- Murtry) Adcock, was born in the year 1850, in the township where he is and always has been a resi! dent, of a family that has been largely identified with the first settlement and subsequent development of the country. His grandfather, Edmund Adcock, was among the very first, if not the first, white man that settled in this section of country, having been located with his family in Henderson Grove, near the Knox and Warren County line, in the year 1829 or '30, two or three years before the Black Hawk War. William McMurtry, his grandfather on his mother's side, was for 30 years a member of the State Government, having held the offices of Lieu- tenant-Governor, State Senator, Representative and Penitentiary Commissioner during the building of the State Penitentiary at Joliet, Ill .; also Colonel of the 102d Reg't of Ill. Vols. in the late war. His fa- ther, Joseph, is a noted land surveyor and for several years was County Commissioner. His brothers are Edmund, a prominent lawyer in Chicago, Ill., and Robert, a practicing attorney at Monmouth. Mr. Adcock was brought up to a full understanding of the business of a farmer, and after receiving such education as the common schools afforded, became a student at Abingdon College, whence he was grad- uated with the degree of A. B., in 1871. For some years he operated as a teacher through the winter seasons and gave his attention to farming the re-
LIPRACY HE UNIVERSITI VI ILLINOIS
Isaac Le Pratt -
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mainder of the year. Of late he has devoted his time exclusively to agriculture. He is a Democrat in political belief and connections and has been a delegate to several County, State and Congressional Conventions that have been held since he reached his majority. He purchased the farm of which he is the owner in 1877. It comprises 250 acres of good land, in first class condition, and the proprietor is occupied in the business of mixed husbandry.
The union in marriage of Mr. Adcock with Mary J. Henderson, occurred July 13, 1876. Their chil- dren are Edmund, David and Mary S. Mrs. Adcock was born in the year 1858, in the town of Hender- son, Knox Co., Ill. Her parents, David Henderson, a prominent citizen and recently member of the Board of Supervisors of Knox Co., Ill., and Sophia (Davis) Henderson, were pioneers of Knox County, whither they came soon after the termination of the Black Hawk War. They were natives respectively of Pennsylvania and Indiana, and are still living in Knox County.
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on. Isaac L. Pratt, banker and farmer at Roseville, is one of the well known and highly respected citizens of Warren County. We are glad to be able to give the following very interesting record of the family, of which Isaac L. is a member : The Pratt fainily are of English ancestry, and date back to Mathew and Elizabeth Pratt, who emigrated to Amer- ica prior to the year of 1625. They settled in Wey- mouth, Norfolk County, Mass. Their offspring were Thomas, Matthew, John, Samuel, Joseph, Elizabeth and Mary Pratt. Matthews' son Thomas is the next in line of these descendants. He and his wife lived in Weymouth until he was killed by the Indians in 1676. Their children were William, Sarah, Abi- gail, Hepzibah and Thomas. Thomas and his wife moved to Easton, Mass., and their children were Thomas, Abigail, James, Mary, Hepzibah, Deborah and Jane. The father died in December, 1745. James Pratt, son of Thomas, lived in Easton, Mass., at which place he died Oct. 29, 1774, aged 76 years. His wife died Feb. 17, 1762. Seth Pratt, son of
Thomas, was the only one of the children who at- tained to manhood. He married Mindwell Stone, of Easton, Mass. By this union there were four chil- dren, viz. : Jonas, Mehitabel, Seth, Jr., and Seaver. Seth, Sr., died Aug. 22, 1802, his wife surviving him until May 23, 1828. Seaver, son of Seth, was born April 27, 1782, and died Dec. 11, 1843, in the sixty- second year of his age. He married Charity Lo- throp in 1806. She was born in Easton, Mass., Aug. 14, 1790, and died Jan. 3, 1850, aged sixty years.
The names and births of the offspring of Isaac and Sarah Lothrop were as follows : Sarah, born Aug. 6, 1776 ; Catharine, born March 7, 1778; Ruth, Feb. 10, 1780; Washington, born March 26, 1782 ; Mary, born Feb. 8, 1784 ; Isaac, born March 1, 1786 ; Betsy, born July 23, 1788; Charity, born Aug. 14, 1790; Abi- gail, born March 15, 1793; Anness, born Nov. 23, 1795; Jarvis, born June 5, 1798.
The offspring of Seaver and Charity Pratt were Laura, born Nov. 26, 1807 ; Amos, born Oct. 28, 1809; Isaac L., born Aug. 4, 1818; Abijah, born June 12, 1824, and David, born July 6, 1829.
Isaac L. Pratt, the subject of this sketch, was, as will be seen from the foregoing, the third in the fam- ily of Seaver and Charity Pratt. He married Miss Harriet W. Drake, a native of Easton, Mass., and a daughter of Joel and Lusannah Drake, whose ances- tors were the first settlers of Easton, Mass., on the mother's side. Their children were Betsey, born Nov. 1, 1813; Harriet W., born March 29, 1816; Sarah Ann, born Dec. - , 1817 ; Nahum, born Sept. 28, 1820; Joel S., born June 8, 1823, and Bethnal F., born July 13, 1825.
Mr. and Mrs. Pratt were married May 16, 1844. They have had born to them four children, as fol- lows : Isaac F. born June 24, 1846, died July 27 of same year ; Isaac Seaver, born Aug. 13, 1848, died, July 14, 1865; Joel Drake, born Oct. 2, 1851, died Jan. 13, 1852 ; Seth Franklin was born April 20, 1853; he is cashier of the Roseville Bank.
Mr. Pratt, whose biography we write, was born and reared in Easton, Mass. He remained beneath the parental roof until he was a young man. During this time he attended the district schools, and therein received the rudimentary part of an English educa- tion. His education was further advanced by attendance at the Holliston School, Holliston,
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WARREN COUNTY.
.
Massachusetts, and at the Teachers' Seminary at Andover for three years. After leaving the school the subject of this sketch was engaged in teaching, and continued in that profession for eleven sessions, eight of which were taught in his native State, and three in this State. His attention was early attracted to the importance and future greatness of the West, which was then rapidly filling up with the best young and energetic blood of the Eastern States. In 1841 he joined the great throng that had for its watch- word, " Westward, ho!" and came to Illinois, arriv- ing here in Warren County April 24 of that year. He remained here one year and a half. During that time he, in connection with E. Mitchell, purchased an unimproved tract of land in Ellison Township in this county. Soon after he returned East to his na- tive town and was there variously engaged for two years and a half. During his sojourn there he mar- ried as stated above. In June, 1845, he and his wife returned to Illinois and settled in Swan Town- ship, on section 6, where he purchased sixty acres of land. He at once erected a house, and went to work industriously to cultivate and improve his pur- chase. He continued to reside there until 1852, when he moved to Roseville Township, where he had purchased land on section 31. There he erected a substantial building, and there he still continues to reside.
Mr. Pratt has been more than ordinarily a success- ful man. His landed interests consist of 2,000 acres of good land in Illinois, 775 acres in Arkan- sas, and 300 acres in Easton, Mass. The latter acreage is a part of the land handed down through five generations of the past. This land and wealth . has been the accumulation of years of toil, energy, and the practice of economical habits. It also is the result of wise and judicious investments, backed by good hard common sense and the utmost confi- dence in the future of the great State of Illinois.
Religiously, Mr. Pratt subscribes to none of the formulated creeds, but believes in doing unto others as you would have others do unto you, and that in the careful observance of that rule therein is con- tained the genuine essence of true religion.
Politically, Mr. Pratt is a stanch Democrat. He cast his first vote for Martin VanBuren for the Pres- idency, in 1840, and from that time to the present, through good as well as evil report, he has remained firm and true to his first political love.
In [883, his worth and standing as a man, and character as a citizen, received suitable and honora- ble recognition by his election to represent his dis- trict in the General Assembly of the State. While a member of that body he proved himself a valuable .legislator, one who was careful and always present at the sessions of the Legislature. He was a mem- ber of the committees on Finance, Drainage and Re- trenchment. He has been frequently honored with offices of trust in the township in which he resides, and has been Justice of the Peace for fifteen years.
This in short is a brief biography of Isaac L. Pratt. He is truly a representative Western man. During his long residence here he has become thor- oughly identified with and understands the interests of the West. His success stamps him as a man of in- domitable energy that brooks no defeat. He started in life poor, and whatever he has attained is the re- sult of his industry, energy and great good common sense. With these virtues, aided by a strong consti- tution, he has carved out for himself and those de- pending upon him, a comfortable competency, at the same time making and retaining for himself a name for strict honor and integrity-which, after all, is the best inheritance to leave to his posteritv.
As one of the leading and truly representative men of the county, and a gentleman who is an , honor to the community in which he has so long resided, we take pleasure in presenting the portrait of Mr. Pratt in connection with this sketch.
dward D. Alexander, druggist at Alexis, is a native of Warren County. He is the only son of John E. and Mary C. (Reich- ard) Alexander, who are residents of Mon- Inouth. Mr. Alexander was born in that city,
May 10, 1860. He attended the city schools until he had finished the branches of primary study, and he subsequently was a student for a year at the college in his native place, where he made good pro- gress. When he decided on his profession he went to Chicago and passed a year at the School of Phar- macy in order to be thoroughly prepared for the re- sponsible duties of his chosen vocation.
In 1878 he assumed charge of the drug business which he has since conducted. He is winning the
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patronage and support of the community in which he resides and his trade is one of the most prominent in the place in its comparative relations. We present an interior view in this volume of Mr. Alexander's neat and tasteful drug house. He is a young man of ability and perseverance and in the event of his conducting his affairs in the same way in which he has made his initiatory, he has an assured future of usefulness and activity. His business principles are excellent and he is amply fitted for the discharge of the duties of his vocation. In manner and address he is courteous and affable and is always observant of his obligations as a gentleman. In his political principles and affiliations, he is a Democrat.
Oct. 16, 1883, he formed a matrimonial alliance with Miss Mina Kobler, and one child has been born to them. The latter is named Theo Marie. Mrs. Alexander was born in Monmouth and is the daugh- ter of G. J. and Anna M. Kobler.
ichael S. Rees, a farmer in the township of Kelly, located on section 32, is the son of a pioneer of Warren County, and was born in the township in which he is now a citizen of prominence. Martin Rees, his father, came to Warren County in 1836. He was born on Pine Creek, near the center of Pennsylvania, in 1781, of German parentage. At the age of 19 he moved with his parents to Warren Co., Pa., where he divided his time in rafting logs and lumber and in farming. He succeeded in accumulating consid- erable property. He married Miss Jane Davis, at that place and continued to reside there until 1836. He then sold his farm and personal property, and put his family, which consisted of himself, wife and eight children, on board a raft, with three other families, and moved out upon the waters of the Alle- gheny River, on the roth of May of that year. They floated to Pittsburg, where he sold his raft and pur- chased a keel boat, which he run to Rising Sun, Ind., a small town on the Ohio River. In the meantime they were visited with that terrible disease, the small pox, from which, however, all recovered. They landed, and the elder Rees purchased three yoke of oxen and two span of horses, five wagons, some young horses and other necessary articles, and
started for Monmouth, where he arrived Sept. 10, 1836. Here he remained five days, when he moved to a house located about one mile south of where Gerlaw now stands. He bought the northwest quar -. ter of section 36, Spring Grove Township, and also the north half of section 32, in Kelly Township. The latter had a log house, stables and crib upon it, and 30 acres had been broken and fenced. Here Mr. Rees lived for four years, and during the time improved the farm in Spring Grove Township, to which he removed, but after remaining two years he returned to the Kelly Township farm, where he re- mained until his death, which occurred in 1861. He owned considerable land in this and adjoining coun- ties, which he divided among his children.
Mr. Rees was a member of the Methodist Episco- pal Church for over 50 years, and was highly re- spected for his strict morality and the firmness of his faith. He was noted for strength, energy and industry. Politically, he was formerly a Whig, but became a Republican when that party 'was organ- ized. He served for many years as Justice of the Peace. He was a captain of Pennsylvania volun- teers in the War of 1812, and his wife was pensioned as widow of a soldier of that war. Her death oc- curred Dec. 17, 1882.
By the three marriages of Mr. Rees, he became the father of nine children, seven by the first and two by the second wife. Seven of them are still living. The maiden name of the second wife of Mr. Rees was Sarah Smith and she was born in Indiana. The third wife was Catherine Struthers.
Michael S. Rees, of this sketch, is the oldest child of the second marriage. His birth took place in Kelly Township, Nov. 18, 1838. He passed the years of his minority in labor on the farm and in ob- taining a limited education in the pioneer schools. He was under the home roof-tree until the death of his father, and he managed the farm for a year after that event. He became a soldier in 1862, and en- listed in August of that year in Co. B, 102d Ill. Vol. Inf., 20th corps, remaining in the service until the war ended. His regiment joined the army in the field at Chattanooga, and he was in the action at Resaca, also at Burnt Hickory, Kenesaw Mountain, Peach- tree Creek, and at the siege and capture of Atlanta, and served in other lesser engagements.
From the latter place the command proceeded to
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Savannah and thence through North Carolina to Washington to the Grand Review, which constituted the closing scene of the most 'remarkable war on record. In June, 1865, the regiment was discharged and Mr. Rees returned to his native county and township, and took possession of the homestead which is now his property. The estate of which he is the proprietor contains 325 acres and is all in an advanced agricultural condition. Mr. Rees has put up good buildings of a character suited to the pur- poses to which the farm is devoted, namely, mixed husbandry. We present a view of the homestead in this volume, on page 474.
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