USA > Illinois > Macoupin County > Portrait and biographical record of Macoupin County, Illinois : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, together with biographies of all the governors of the state, and of the presidents of the United States > Part 56
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111
S AMUEL L. LOVELESS. Any traveler who visits Bird Township is impressed with the beautiful condition of the rich and flourish- ing farms which are to be found there. Among the farmers of that township probably no one is more prosperous in his special line of busi- ness or more worthy of consideration that the gentle- man whose name stands at the head of this brief life review. He is certainly worthy both in his life and in his external surroundings to attract the attention of the biographer, and is a man of sturdy principle who would stand by what he believes to be right without fear or favor.
Our subject was born in East Tennessee, April 24, 1833, being the second son and fourth child of
505
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPINCAL RECORD.
William and Jane (Bell) Loveless. For further minutia in regard to the family history, the reader will refer to the biography of John Il. Loveless. Samuel was about eight years old when his parents came to this county, and here he grew to manhood upon his father's farm in Bird Township, remaining with his parents until 1854, when having reached his majority he concluded that it was time to set up a home of his own. He therefore entered the state of matrimony and settled near his father's homestead where he lived for two years, and then purchased a tract of one hundred and sixty acres on sections 21 and 22. He made his home on the latter section and has ever since been a resident there.
Mr. Loveless now has six hundred acres in his farm, and he has erected a very fine set of buildings which add greatly, not only to the beauty but to the practical utility of his estate. He has always given his attention to his business, and has studied thoroughly the practical workings of farming and stock raising. His marriage in Bird Township, December 14, 1854, united him with Miss Elmira Comer, a daughter of Aaron and Levina (Bell) Comer. Mr. Comer was a native of Virginia, and Mrs. Comer of Knox County, Tenn., being both of Southern blood. They came to Macoupin County, Ill., in 1844, making their home in Bird Township. Mrs. Loveless was bereaved of her mother November 14, 1873, but her father is still living at a very advanced age. Of their nine children, Mrs. Loveless was the third in order of age, and she was born in Knox County, Tenn., July 24, 1837.
Seven children blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Loveless. They have all (except one who died in infancy) grown to years of maturity, and have proved themselves not only the joy and com- fort of their parents but of valne in the community. Aaron B. married Miss A. Duckels and resides in Chesterfield Township; Angeline is the wife of H. W. Combs, of Carlinville; Arthur W. married Miss May Clark of Brushy Mound Township; Milo J. is a teacher in Bird Township; and Jennie L. and Hattie E., are at home with their parents.
Bird Township has had the benefit of the public services of Mr. Loveless, as he has been Supervisor
for three terms and ever takes an active part in public matters. He is interested deeply in political movements and is a stauch Republican. He is a Deacon in the Baptist Church, with which he and his lovely Christian wife have long been connected. Two of his brothers J. H. and Hugh F., have also made their mark upon the history of this township. He is a public-spirited man and one of strong convictions of right and wrong, a true and loyal friend and a man of sterling ehar- acter in every direction. The family of our sub- jeet abundantly rewards him for the efforts he has made to educate and bring them forward in the world.
AVID M. KITZMILLER. manager of the lum- ber business of J. W. Kitzmiller, at Medora, is one of the younger business men of the county who are doing much to increase its facilities and add to its financial standing. Ile was born at Girard, February 10, 1862, and is a son of Martin V. and Mary (Crouch) Kitzmiller. The reader is referred to the biographieal sketch of his father for the ancestral history. Our subject grew to manhood in the place of his nativity and acquired a good education in the home school. receiving a diploma after completing the course of study.
After he had attained his majority Mr. Kitz- miller went to Whitehall and worked in a lumber yard of F. F. Worcester four years. He then came to Medora and took charge of the lumber business that had previously been established by his brother. He is looking carefully after the interests of the yard and manages the business efficiently and honorably, so that his dealings with all are of a nature to gain their good will and ensure an in- crease of trade. Mr. Kitzmiller belongs to the Modern Woodmen of America, and casts his vote with the Republican party.
He has served as Village Clerk and was efficient in office, being orderly in his keeping of records and careful in his inscriptions.
Mr. Kitzmiller has a pleasant home, presided over by an intelligent and estimable woman who became his wife June 23, 1887. She was known
506
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
in her maidenhood as Miss Lnella J. Vaughan. The union has been blest by the birth of a son, who was named Frederick Fulton in honor of the father's employer at Whitehall.
ILLIAM EMMERSON. We are gratified to find in Macoupin County, a number of British- American citizens, who have brought with them from their native island the stanch and sturdy character of the industrious Englishman and have grafted upon their original capabilities the breadth and liberality characteristic of the Prairie State. Among such is the gentle- man whose name appears at the head of this sketch, and who was born in Yorkshire, England, May 21, 1822.
John Emmerson, who is the father of William, died when forty-six years old in his native home in Yorkshire, in the year 1835, and was followed to the other world two years later by his faithful wife who bore the maiden name of Elizabeth Oliver and who was a native of the same shire. Farm duties engaged the attention of the subject of this sketch during his first fourteen years and he was then ap- prenticed to the trade of a wagon and cabinet- maker. Being then an orphan by the death of his father he was bound out for seven years to liis mas- ter, and after the expiration of that time he worked at his trade for about six years at Ilull.
While living in IIull the young man, who was now doing well at his trade, decided to establish a home of his own and took to himself a wife in the person of Miss Elizabeth Hill. Their wedding day was March 17, 1844 and the father of the bride was Robert Hill, a Yorkshire man, who spent his days in his native home. Mrs. Emmerson, who was born in Norton, Yorkshire, England, March 9, 1822, lost her mother at an early age.
In May, 1850 Mr. Emmerson, then having a wife and two children, came with them to America, landing in Quebec. He did not remain long in Canada, but came on at once to the Prairie State, settling in Greene County, where for seven years he was useful in the community, by following the
trade of wagon-maker and carpenter. In those early days a man with such acquisitions as his found abundant opportunity for work and was greatly in demand. After a residence of seven years in Greene County he came in 1857 to Macoupin County, making his home in Virden, where for seventeen years he carried on the business of wagon-making and blacksmithing.
The year after his settlement in Virden he pur- chased forty acres in Virden Township, which he has carried on in connection with his work in the village and finally gave up his trade and devoted himself entirely to his land. He owns one hundred and sixty acres of rich and arable land, upon which he has placed first-class improvements, among which are a pleasant home, commodions barns and convenient outbuildings, such as are necessary to the successful prosecution of farming. A view of the homestead is shown elsewhere in this volume.
Mr. and Mrs. Emmerson are the parents of two children, namely : John who married Miss Martha Utt, and resides in Virden Township, and Mary Ann, who is the wife of John J. Cox, and makes her home in Virden. The parents are both earnest and consistent members of the Wesleyan Metho- dist Church with which the father has been con- nected since he was a young man of seventeen years. lle takes an intelligent view of American politics, in which he is deeply interested, and to bis mind the declarations of the Republican party an- nounee the doctrines which must be for the benefit and progress of the nation and for the best good of the citizens as a whole. He is a well-read man and one who keeps himself in touch with the popu- lar movements of the day.
ILLIAM GRAY. Pioneer life in Central Illinois lacked many of the harsb features of the same life in other regions that were not so favored in climate nor the lay of the land. Still, early settlers, no matter where they were, had a common experience as to necessary depri- vations and makeshifts that filled the ordinary needs of daily life. Not all of these are unpleasant and
RESIDENCE OF WILLIAM EMMERSON , SEC. 5. , VIRDEN TP., MACOUPIN CO. , ILL.
..
SCALES
RESIDENCE OF WILLIAM GRAY, SEC. 34., NORTH OTTER TP., MACOUPIN CO., ILL.
LIBRARY OF THE UNIVER. ..
509
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
in some are found a strong vein of the humorous, while the flight of time tinges the whole experience with a pleasant rosy light.
William Gray, the owner of a farm on section 24, North Otter Township, has a fund of experi- ences at his tongue's end that would delight the children of to day who love stories of adventure in which situations that to them are novel and in- teresting. Mr. Gray was born in Edwards County, this State, December 25, 1834. He has, however, a tinge of Southern life and instinet. His father, the late Charles Gray, was a native of Virginia, and his mother, whose maiden name was Lonisanna (Everly) Gray, was born in Kentucky.
The first home of our subject's parents was Ken- tucky whence they removed to Sangamon County, Ill. They staid here but a short time, however, and then removed to Edwards County, where they remained until the father' death, which occurred in Sangamon County while there transacting busi- ness. The mother died at her home in Edwards County. Only two children came to the parents and of these, our subject is the eldest. He was about three years of age when his father died and he continued living in Edwards County until he was eighteen years old, when he went to Pike County and there made his living by working on a farm by the month. He there continued for two years and thence went to Greene County, where he was engaged in farm labor by the month for nearly two years longer.
The marriage of Mr. Gray took place while in Greene County. The lady's maiden name was Elizabeth A. Butler and she was a native of the county wherein she was married. Mrs. Gray bore her husband three children, two of whom died in infancy. The surviving child, William O., is a farmer in Missouri. Mrs. Elizabeth Gray died in Greene County, in the fall of 1860.
The orignal of our sketch was again united in marriage to the lady whose maiden name was Elsie Heater. She also bore bim one child who died in infancy and the mother too yielded up her life in Greene County in about 1867. For a third time he was united in matrimony to a lady whose maid- en name was Mary Ballard, who is a native of Greene County. By this lady Mr. Gray became
the father of five children, who are, Minnie B., Charles H., Arthur E., Lola V. and Estella V. The eldest daughter is now the wife of Ezra D. Frantz; Charles II. died in childhood.
Mr. Gray has always devoted himself to agri- culture. He has two hundred acres of good land upon which are excellently built houses. His res- idence, a view of which is shown on another page. is an attractive and conveniently-arranged house in which his wife makes a comfortable home. Po- litically, our subject inclines to the principles and theories of the Republican party, by which party he has been elected to several responsible positions, among which is that of School Director. Mr. Gray is a member of the Masonic fraternity. His re- ligious views coincide with the Universalist Church.
ONATHAN BRUBAKER, a well-to-do and highly respected citizen of this county, has made fris tigney by farming, and has built up a substantiphagie on section 20, Girard Township, wherein he and his amiable wife enjoy life free from the cares and toils of their earlier years. Franklin County, Va., is the birthplace of our subject, and there he was born September 14, 1829, in the home of his parents, Jonathan and Bar- bara (Crist) Brubaker, who were also natives of Virginia.
The great-grandfather of our subject, Jolin Bru- baker, was born either in Germany or in Pennsyl- vania of German parentage. He removed from that State to Virginia, and located in that part of Botetourt County now included in Roanoke County. He secured a tract of land four miles northwest of Salem, which he developed in time into a choice farm, and all that is mortal of him now lies in the cemetery on his old homestead. His wife who bore the maiden name of Annie Myers, lies by his side. Their son Henry, grandfather of our subject, was born in Pennsylvania, and was young when his family moved to Virginia, where he grew to manhood. For some years after lie resided in Franklin County, but he finally re- turned to Botetourt County, and settled on a
510
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
part of the old homestead which he had inherited from his parents, and there he spent the rest of his days. He was twice married. The maiden name of his first wife, grandmother of our subject, was Christiana Flora. She is supposed to have been a native of Virginia, and died in Franklin County. The maiden name of Grandfather Bruba- ker's second wife was Salome Eler. Ile was the father of seven children by his first marriage and ten children by his second marriage.
The father of our subject was born, reared and married in Virginia. He resided in Franklin County until 1832, when he removed to the wilds of Ohio with his wife and five children, journeying thither with teams, taking all their household goods along. lle located on a tract of timber land eight miles west of Springfield, in Clarke County. Ile erected a cabin of round logs as a shelter for his family, and at once proceeded to clear his land with char- acieristic energy and perseverance. At that time timber was of but little value as there were no mar- kets for it, and the pioneers had to resort to burn- ing it to get it out of the way, large logs being rol- led together into great piles and set on fire. There were no railways in that section for some years, and the people had to go to Dayton to sell their produce and to obtain supplies.
Mr. Brubaker cleared the greater portion of his quarter section, erected a set of frame buildings. and continued to live on his Ohio farm until 1869. In that year he came to Illinois. purchased a home in the village of Girard, and here his life was brought to a close at a ripe old age in April, 1874. His wife had died in Clarke County, Ohio, in 1853. They reared a family of ten children, six sons and four daughters.
Our subject was the fifth child born to his par- ents, and he was but three years old when they removed to Ohio. His earliest recollections are con - nected with the rough, pioneer life of his youth in Clarke County, Ohio, where his education was con- ducted in a rude log house furnished with seats made of slabs, with no backs. The desk upon which the older scholars wrote was a plank rest- ing upon wooden pins that were driven into the logs in the side of the room. When very young the little lad commenced to assist his father
in clearing his land and tilling the soil. He re- mained an inmate of the parental household until grown to manhood. When he started in life for himself his father gave him a horse, saddle, bridle, plow and a plow harness, and for three years he farmed on his own account as a renter. He then purchased forty acres of the land that he had been cultivating, but after living on it a few years he sold it and bought two hundred acres of land at Enon Station, Clarke County. In 1860 he disposed of that place at a good price, and purchased another near New Carlisle, in the same county. He occupied that place until 1865, and in that year came to Macoupin County, to take up his permanent residence here. He invested in one hundred and sixty acres of beautiful prairie land on section 29, Girard Township, and subsequently bought other land until he had at one time two hundred and fifty acres. Hle erected a neat and commodious set of frame buildings, placed the land under a high state of cultivation, and in time made it one of the most desirable farms in the township. In 1890 he sold it for a round sum of money, and built his present residence on section 20, the same township.
Mr. Brubaker was married March 20, 1850, to Susanna Frantz, and their welded life has brought them six children: Isaac S .; Saralı, the wife of Isaac El. Crist; Diana, wife of Jacob P. Vaniman; Mary A .; Elizabeth, wife of D. C. Vaniman ; Emma, wife of Abraham B. Gibbel and Henry D., who died at the age of four months. Our subject and his wife have reared their children to useful and upright lives, and have brought them up in the faith of the German Baptist Brethren Church, of which father, mother, son and daughters are all valued members.
Mrs. Brubaker is a native of Clarke County. Ohio, born April 27, 1832. Her father, Benjamin Frantz, was a native of Virginia, and a son of Dan- iel Frantz, also of Virginia birth, who removed from there to Ohio in the early years of its settle- ment, and was a pioneer of Clarke County. He settled four miles west of Springfield, and there spent his remaining days. His son Benjamin was reared in Virginia, and was a young man when he went to Ohio. He located in Preble County, that State, and in due time was united in marriage with
511
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
Elizabeth Flory, who was, like himself, a Virginian by birth, From there he went to Clarke County, and buying a tract of land a mile and a quarter from New Carlisle, he developed it into a farm. Ile first built a log cabin for a dwelling, and later re- placed it by a more commodious residence and a neat set of frame buildings. In that home he and his wife passed their days in peace and comfort until death called them henec. She was a daughter of Abraham Flory, who is supposed to have been a native of Virginia, whence he removed to Preble County, Ohio, of which he was an early pioneer.
ILLIAM ROVIE, an industrious and enterprising farmer and stock-raiser who owns and operates one hundred and sixty acres of land on sections 33 and 34, Staunton Township, is of German birth, and has resided in the United States since 1864. He was born in Westphalen, Prussia, in the year 1828, and is one of four children, two sons and two daughters, but all are now deceased with the exception of himself. His parents have also passed away, They spent their entire lives in Prussia, where they followed farming and died at an advanced age. Both were members of the German Reformed Church.
The subject of this sketch was reared under the parental roof and his edneation was acquired in the public schools. Later he enlisted in the reg- nlar army of his country and for three years re- mained in the service, after which he returned to his old home and made preparations for his emigra- tion to America. Bidding good-by to friends and native land, in the spring of 1864, he sailed from Bremen on a New York bound steamer and on land- ing at that metropolis made his way to Pittsburg, Pa. Subsequently he came West, in 1868, and spent two years in St. Louis, Mo. The year 1870, witnessed his arrival in Illinois, and he located up- on a farm in Olive Township, Madison County, where he carried on agricultural pursuits for some time. lIe has resided upon his present farm only two years but it already gives evidence of his care and management. The well-tilled fields and neat
appearance of the place indicate his thrift and enterprise and the good grades of stock there scen proves him to be a progressive man who is never behind the times.
In the Keystone State, Mr. Rovie was united in marriage with Miss Katie Stegemeyer, also a native of Prussia, born in 1843. Iler parents, after the birth of all of their children, crossed the Atlantic to America with their family and landed safely in New York, in the fall of 1866, going from thence to Pittsburg, Pa., where they made their first loca- tion. Some years later we find them in Illinois, Mr. and Mrs. Stegemeyer taking up their residenec in Staunton, where they now make their home, both being about eighty years of age. They are worthy old people, whose lives have been well spent and to them the respect of the whole com- munity is accorded. In religious belief they ad- vocate the doctrines of the German Reformed Church.
Mr. and Mrs. Rovie are also members of the same church and contribute liberally to its support. In polities he is a Republican who keeps himself well informed concerning the political issues of the day. Unto them have been born seven children - Emma A., William H., Fritz W., Annie .], and Ernest, at home; Henry who died at the age of eight months; and Mary who died at the age of five years. The home of this family is a comfortable residence and is well supplied with many of the Inxuries of life which have been acquired through the industry, perseverance and enterprise of the owner.
HIOMAS GOSCII. The German element engrafted on our intense American life has produced the best results in the pursuit of agriculture. Thomas Gosch has been a successful farmer and dairyman in Bunker Ilill Township, living on section 13, where he owns a fine property of one hundred and ninety-two and one-half acres, most of which is under cultivation and well stock- ed with milch cows. lle has owned and lived on this farm since 1883. He came to Dorchester Township in 1866 and from there to this town-
512
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
ship, following farming with the exception of the first two years when he was a laborer in Bunker Ilill City.
Mr. Gosch was born in Schleswig Holstein, Ger- many, on October 11, 1841. Hle is the son of Claus Gosch whose history may be found in that of John Gosch in this volume. Our subject was reared and educated in his native province in Germany and was there married to Miss Franka Thoda, a native of the same province as her husband and of Ger- man ancestry. She also was reared, and educated in her own country.
Mr. Gosch and wife soon after their marriage decided to emigrate to the l'nited States, taking passage in 1866 at Ilamburg, Germany, in a Ger- man vessel "Tentonia" sailed to England and thence to New York City and at once came to Macoupin County, Ill., where they have since lived. They are good citizens and successful farmers. Mr. and Mrs. Gosch are the parents of four chil- die»-John, who at present lives on a farm in this township; Thomas, who aids his father at home: Henry and Otto F. who live at home, and one died young. Mr. and Mrs. Gosch were hold'eu under the Lutheran religion and still ineline to that faith. Mr. Gosch and sons are stanch Re- publicans in politics.
OIIN F. JOHNSSEN. Among the success- ful farmers of Staunton Township. there is probably none who is regarded more warmly by his fellow residents as a genial, whole- hearted and kindly neighbor then the gentleman whose name appears at the head of this paragraph. He resides on seetion 23, his land, one hundred and five acres, on sections 22 and 23, which lies ail in one hody, is all under the plow. Besides this, he owns fourteen acres of good timber land in this township.
This farm was formerly owned by the father of our subject, who came into possession of it when the boy was about nine years old, and it has now been his own property since 1883. Ilere he was reared and educated, but his nativity was in Alton,
Ill., February 27, 1858. He is the third child of Fred Johnssen, who was born and reared in Prussia, Germany. He became a farmer in his native country, which he left wlien a single man of about thirty years, to emigrate to the New World. Ile sailed from Bremen and landing in New York, came to Alton, this State, and resided there for six years. He then returned to the Old Country to secure as his bride the lady whose maiden was Eke Ross. Her parentage and training had been in Prussia.
After they returned to America Mr. and Mrs. Fred Johnssen lived in Madison County for some time and then came to Macoupin County and pur- chased their first farm, which is now owned by our subject. Ilere they lived, making it their home and putting upon it some good farm buildings, and here the husband and father died in August, 1886, having reached the age of sixty-eight years. He was a man of excellent reputation for integrity and industry and a thorough-going farmer. Both he and his excellent wife were faithful and earnest members of the Lutheran Church, and his political convictions led him to affiliate with the Democratic party. Ilis widow who is yet living, makes her home with her son John, and is now sixty-one years of age. She has had six children, but the three youngest have been called to a better world. Lizzie and Frances, both married, with our subject, represent the family.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.