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 90
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
The young man had $36, which he had earned in the war and borrowing 816 more, (for which he paid by making rails at forty cents a hundred) he entered forty acres of land a quarter of a mile west of the town of Palmyra. He also grubbed land for his brother-in-law, who paid him by giving him one quarter of what he raised on his farm. He also chopped wood at Jacksonville for forty cents a cord and boarded himself, and in the winter of 1831, took a contract to cut five hundred cords of wood at fifty cents a cord. Thus were the foundations laid for the future success of one of the most prom- inent families in Macoupin County. In 1856, Nancy Ann Fink, daughter of lohn Fink of Ken- tucky, and one of the early settlers of this township became the wife of the sturdy and independent pio- neer. She became the mother of our subject, who, in honor of the General under whom his grandfather . had fought, received the name of Francis Marion.
The subject of our sketch attended the pioneer schools which were carried on in the log school house with home-made furnishings and furniture. and used quill pens, as' was necessary in that day.
762
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
These were made by the teacher from goose quills, and were in no doubt better in many respects than some of the steel pens of the present day. Matches were then unknown and a flint and steel must be brought into requisition to strike a fire. At night the fire was buried in the ashes. but in case it went out. it was sometimes necessary to go a long distance to a neighbors in order to "borrow fire" in shape of coals 10 start one. From 1860 to 1863 inclu- sive, he attended the MeKendree College at Leba- non after which he taught for three years in Mor- gan County. He remained with his parents upon the farm until his marriage and then settled on a farm given him by his father on section 5, of North Palmyra Township. Here he continued farming until 1888, when he came to Palmyra, and has since retired from business. Mr. Solomon read law some years ago, has practiced in Justice Courts and is now finishing his law studies with JJ. B. Searcy.
The marriage of Frank Solomon with Miss Mar- garet Lowrey took place October 31, 1861. Two children, Judson and Rosa, came to bless this home. Their mother is a native of the Emerald Isle be- ing born in County Down, twelve miles from Bel- fast, upon New Year's Day. 1843. Her father, James Lowrey was born in Ireland, of Scotch par- ents. They were Presbyterians and reared their children in this faith, and the grandfather died in County Down. The grandmother came to Amer- ica and spent her last years here with her children, dying in Pittsburgh, Pa. The father of Mrs. Sol- omon was reared and married in County Down and died there in 1848. His wife's maiden name was was Rosanna Potter. She and her parents were na- tives of the same county and were of Scotch ances- try. She spent her entire life in her native couaty. The mother of Mrs. Solomon came to America in 1853, with her seven children and settling in Ind- ianapolis, resided there for two years and then came to Macoupin County, and made her home east of Virden and later at Lick Creek, Sangamon County, where her sons bought farms and where she has since resided. The names of her children are Sam . uel John, David, Margaret, Flora, Sarah and Jennie. Flora married Thomas Jarrett and is a member of the Presbyteriar Church, but the rest of the fam- ily except Mrs. Solomon, have connected them-
selves with the Methodist Episcopal Church. Sarah is now the wife of Charles Turpin. Jennie became the wife of William Hall. Mrs. Solomon herself is a member of the Presbyterian Church, Mr. Solomon is a Democrat in his political views and cast his first Presidential vote for Stephen A. Douglas. Ile is prominently identified with Palmyra Lodge. No. 463, A. F. & A. M.
R. EV. SAMUEL L. STIVER, A. B .. A. M., principal and proprietor of the Bunker Hill Academy and Ilome School for Boys and Young Men, was born near Potter's Mill, Center County, Pa., November 1, 1848, and was brought up on his father's farm, upon which he labored some portion of each year until 1880. Ilis parents, Thomas Jefferson and Mary ( Foster ) Stiver. were descended from hardy Pennsylvania Dutch families who came to this country and settled in Pensylvania in Colonial days. Both were highly respected in the community in which they lived for sterling qualities. Ilis father died in 1871 at the age of seventy, and his mother is still living (1891) at the same age, in Center Ilall near the old homestead, which is still in her possession and which affords her a support in her declining days. From her early youth she has been a member of the Lutheran Church, to which her husband united himself also before his death, although he formerly preferred and usually worshipped in the Presby- terian Church,
The subject of this sketch is the oldest of seven sons, one of whom died in infancy, and two daughters. Of the daughters, one resides with her mother and one is the wife of Dr. Ward, of Belle- fonte, l'a. Of the six living sons, one is a jeweler at Woodland, Cal., two are physicians, one at Chi- cago and the other at Lena; one is County Super- intendent at Freeport and one is in business at Decatur.
As a teacher, Prof. Stiver was prepared in the public schools of his native place, beginning at the age of sixteen, teaching in the winter time, farm- ing in the summer time, and preparing for college
.
763
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
in the spring and autumn, chiefly at the Spring Mills and Jacksonville Academies. Having ob. tained a professional certificate at an early age, he determined to go to college and in 1870 entered the Freshman class of Lafayette College, Easton, l'a., the largest Presbyterian institution in the State. In 1874 he was graduated with the highest honors in a class numbering about fifty, being awarded the Latin Salutatory at Commencement, and having carried off during, the latter years of the course, the highest prizes in physics, mathe matics and astronomy.
For one year thereafter Prof. Stivers was vice- principal of the Chambersburg Boys' Boarding School, where he also studied law in the office of Stenger and MeKnight. In the autumn of 1875 he entered upon a theological course of three years at Union Theological Seminary, New York, from which he graduated with distinction and class honors in 1878, having. during a portion of this time, been vice-principal of Sach's Collegiate Insti- tute (a high grade Jewish school), and instructing, as private pupils, the sons of some of the most distinguished people of New York. After being licensed by the Presbytery of New York and de- clining several calls to Presbyterian Churches ia that vicinity, for whom he had acted as temporary supply, he came to St. Louis in the autumn of 1878 and was acting pastor of the High Street Presbyterian Church for one year. Being elected permanent pastor he presented himself before the Presbytery of St. Louis for ordination and install- ation, but was rejected on account of his liberal construction of the Westminister Symbols, which he prophesied would be revised and changed within ten years from that time-a prophecy which has been fulfilled. In 1879 he was elected and or- dained pastor of the Congregational Church of Bunker Hill. which position he held for over two years until the autumn of 1881. when he resigned and took charge of the Bunker Hill Academy.
This institution, which had been founded by the . citizens of Bunker Hill irrespective of religious preferences. in 1859, as a day school of high grade had, in 1881, almost ceased to exist as a school, and Prof. Stiver took charge of it to save it from destruction. Taking a lease and a mortgage, he
expended a considerable sum of money in repair- ing and improving the property to adapt it to the uses of a Home School for Boys. A gymnasium and other buildings were erected and military and manual training departments were added. For ten years Prof. Stivers has labored hard and inces- santly and has succeeded in building up a school which compares most favorably with the very best of its class in the East or the West. It grows in favor each year, and during its present adminis- tration has enrolled hundreds of students from Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas, Nebraska, Indiana and Ohio. It offers superior advantages in physical, intellectual, moral and social training, for those preparing for any college, for business or for teaching.
As a writer for the press Prof. Stiver's career began while a boy as an occasional contributor to home papers. While at college he was editor of a superb college miscellany for his class; was editor- in-chief of the Lafayette Monthly to which he contributed poetry and prose for four years, and was on the staff of the Eastern Daily Express for almost four years, to which he made daily contri- butions on educational, ecclesiastical and general subjects, largely paying his way then, as afterwards, by his earnings while attending school. In St. Louis he contributed to religions and secular papers and controversial subjects, and while in Bunker Hill he became one of the founders of the Macoupin County Advance, acting as the first editor, and contributing many articles upon politi- cal themes to its columns. Since, on account of his literary instincts and activities, he was honored at college with many literary offices and appoint- ments, being elected a member of the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity, poet of his literary society at the annual entertainment on Washington's birth- day, class prophet on class day at Commencement and orator upon several public occasions. lle is the author, more recently, of a series of systematic outlines on arithmetic, grammar, geography, civil government, botany and zoology, and of a tract entitled, "Why Germans should be Prohibitionists" which has been translated into German hy the Foreign Department of the W. C. T. U. and is dis- tributed widely at home and in foreign lands.
764
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
In politics, his father was a Democrat, and Prof. Stiver's first vote was cast for Greeley for Presi- dent. Since that time until 1881 he voted with the Republicans, but at the latter date became a supporter of the Prohibition party and principles. lie has never been a partisan either in theology or polities, being by nature and education liberal in spirit towards all aspects of truth and duty, as well as uncompromisingly opposed to all evil, corrup. tion and dishonesty wherever found. Against his wishes he has been nominated at various times for important city and State offices, and during the senatorial contest in the Ilinois legislature in 1891, he was favorably mentioned by three home papers as a suitable compromise candidate for the office to which John M. Palmer was elected.
On December 26, 1881, he was married to Cat - melite Winchester, daughter of Dr. Robert J. and Cordelia (Dorsey) Hornsby, of Bunker Hill, Ill., and to them have been born four children-Mary Cordelia, Robert Thomas, Kenneth Hornsby, (de- ceased) and Gladys Margarite. Mrs. Stiver is descended from well-known Kentucky families. Her parents came, during their carly married life, to Illinois, where her father practiced medicine and engaged in agricultural pursuits. Afterward they removed to Missouri, near St. Louis, where Mrs. Stiver was born in 1855. Later her parents returned to Gillespie, HI., and finally to Bunker Ilill, where they have resided for many years. Mrs. Stiver was educated in part at various local private schools and completed her education at St. Mary's School, Knoxville, HI. Having a fine insical education and being of a practical as well as liter . ary turn of mind, she has greatly aided Prof. Stiver in founding and building up a superior Jiome School for Boys and Young Men. In all his plans and efforts she has been a true and faithful help- mate, winning testimonials of appreciation and esteem from those who have placed their sons or wards, sometimes at a comparatively early age, under the care and tuition of Prof. Stiver and his amiable and accomplished wife.
While Prof. Stiver is by nature astudent and by profession a teacher, alive to every phase of his work, both theoretical and practical, yet he is much more than this. Cheerful and humorous in dis-
position, a good financier and accountant, a man of business capacity and experience, a sagacious leader and counselor, an effective speaker from pulpit or platform upon almost any theme affecting the public good, he takes a lively interest in all that relates to human welfare and has a capacity for rapid and prolonged physical and intellectual effort which enables him to master any thing he under- takes. To these qualities and to his undoubted integrity, he owes his success jas a self-educated and self-made man.
OHIN KNAPP was born near Tarrytown. Westchester County, N. Y., July 26, 1810, and died at his home in Bunker Hill, July 16, 1890, honored and respected by all who knew him. Although he never actively engaged in business after coming to Macoupin County be yet hecame widely known and was one of her prominent citizens.
The family to which Mr. Knapp belonged was early founded in America. On the maternal side he is descended from the French Huguenots who were driven by the Catholics from Rochelle, France, into Holland, whence a colony emigrated to Amer- ica. Mr. Knapp, whose name heads this sketelı, spent the days of his boyhood and youth in his native town and when a young man went to New York City, where he learned the trade of a car- penter with his cousin, William Cox, a master builder of that city. Afterward he removed to Tarrytown, where he engaged in contracting and building and in the meantime was married. On Christmas Day of 1833, he was joined in wedlock with Miss Rachel Smalley, who was born in Som- erset County, N. J., October 13, 1817, and is a daughter of David D. Smalley. Her father was a native of New Jersey, and belonged to one of the early families of English deseent.
The grandfather of Mrs. Knapp, David Smalley, who was born in New Jersey and there spent his entire life, was one of the heroes of the Revolu- tionary War and served throughout that struggle. Farmning was his life occupation. He served as County Judge and was numbered among the lead-
LIBRARY UNIVERA
yours Sincerely Buenida H. Corr.M.D.
767
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
ing citizens of the community in which he made home. David D. Smalley spent his boyhood days in the usual manner of farmer lads and when the War of 1812 broke out offered his services to his country. He was made Captain and commanded his company during a number of important en- gagements. He served as Justice of the Peace for many years. He wedded Miss Mary Blackford, daughter of John Blackford, a prominent viti- zen of New Jersey, who in the latter part of his life became one of the pioneer settlers of Ohio. where he owned large landed estates. David D. Smalley died at the age of forty-six years, and his wife spent her last days on the old Smalley home- s tead, which her husband had fallen heir to at his father's death.
On leaving the East, Mr. Knapp emigrated to Illinois, settling in Logan County, in 1856. He there followed farming and was very successful in his operations, but at length his health failed and in May, 1869, he came to Bunker Hill, where he lived a retired life. However, he still retained possession of a well-improved and valuable farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Logan County. The competence which he had acquired enabled him to spend his last years in peace and quiet and to leave to his wife a good property which amply supplies her wants and surrounds her with many comforts. His intelligence and ability fitted Mr. Knapp to be a leader and he soon won a promin- ent place among his fellow-townsmen of Bun- ker Ilill. Hle was one of the stanchest ad- vocates of the temperance cause and upon the tem- perance ticket was elected Alderman of this city. His public and private life were alike above re- proac and he won and retained the confidence, good will and high esteem of a large circle of friends and acquaintances. Ilis character is best expressed in the words of his loving wife who lion- ored his memory with the following tribute.
"'Ilis life was pure and gentle At peace with all mankind, In God alone he trusted And was to his will resigned. So patient and so peaceful, Just at the close of day.
Without a pain or struggle, Ilis spirit passed away."
Mrs. Knapp still survives her husband and is now seventy-three years old but she bears her age lightly. She still takes an active part in religious work and is a member of the Congregational Church. Out of the kindness of her heart she has cared for and given a home to two motherless children-Nancy Van Tassel, now the widow of John W. Boyd and a resident of Brooklyn, N. Y .; and Adella, who is yet attending school. Mrs. Knapp is well known throughout this community and is beloved by all. Her life has been well and worthily spent, is full of good deeds and in look- ing back over the past she need feel no regret for opportunities wasted.
RS. LI'CINDA II. CORR. M. D., wife of A. C. Corr, M. D., with whom she is in partnership, occupies a distinguished posi- tion among the members of her profession in this State, and as a specialist in the treatment of diseases of women and girls she has won a wide reputation for her skill and success. She is also known as the author of works and papers that are a valuable contribution to the medical literature of the county. As a prominent physician. influential author and estimable lady. we are pleased to present her portrait and biography to our read- ers.
Dr. Corr is a native of Carlinville, born March 9. 1844, and is a daughter of Oliver W. and De- boral Ilall, who are represented on another page of this volume. She early showed herself to be a bright and apt scholar, and at the age of seventeen had gained an education in the public schools that fitted her to teach. She began hier career as a teacher at Honey Point, afterward teaching in the city schools of Carlinville and other places. She was assistant teacher in this city when there were but three schools here, with a principal for each school. She became a teacher in what was called Central Seminary. The building has since been burned, and the present commodious brick struct- ure occupies its place.
April 20, 1865, Dr. Corr was married to A. C. Corr, who was then a medical student, and is now
768
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
a prominent physician of this county. She taught one year after marriage. In 1869 she commenced the study of medicine with her husband, who was then practicing at Chesterfield, As a further preparation for the profession, she entered the Women's Medical College, at Chicago, from which she was graduated in 1874, as valedictorian of her class, and to her belongs the distinction of being the only woman of Macoupin County to this date who has graduated from a regular medieal col- lege. In September of the same year she opened an office in her native city, and was joined by her husband in March, 1875, following.
The Doctor continued in general practice until 1878. when the demand for her services in special lines required her to relinquish an extensive practice to give her entire attention to the dis- cases of women and girls, and at that time she opened her home to receive invalids. She fur- ther prepared herself for her work at Bellevue Hospital and at the DeMilt Dispensary at New York City, and has met with success in the many difficult cases that have come under her care. She is the only physician in the county that has operated successfully for vesicle calculus, vesico- vaginal fistula, trachelorrhaphy and perinae-orrha- phy.
Our subject is a valued member of the Society of Macoupin County for Medical Improvement, the Illinois State Medical Society, and the National Medical Association; she was a delegate from the State Medical Society to the National Med- ical Association at Washingten, in 1884. She is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and is identified with the Illinois Woman's Christ- ian Temperance Union as one of its most intelli- gent and active workers. She was Superintendent of the Health Department three years. Dr. Corr is a member of the Queen Isabella Association, and of its Medical Department. The Doctor's writings on medical subjects have brought her into prominence. She is the author of a work entitled "Ilygiene and lleredity, with Anatomy and Physiology in Outline Lessons for Blackboard In- struction," and of a volume on obstetrics that is used as a text-book in the college from which she was graduated, and is highly recommended for
that purpose by her Alma Mater. She has pre- sented several papers at the meetings of the Illi- nois State Medical Society, that have attracted favorable notice for their scientific and literary merit.
In attaining her present high professional stand- ing, Dr. Corr had many obstacles to contend against, that would have discouraged and embit- tered a woman of less firm character and heroic mold. The chief of these was the prejudice against a woman entering the professions, particu- larly that of medicine, as it was thought especially unfit for a lady, and none in this section of the State had ever before thought of defying public opinion on that point by preparing themselves for its arduous duties, ller success has vindi- cated her right to choose her own walk in life, and has done much to modify the sentiment that a woman is unsexed or less womanly because she enters a field of labor that in times past was con- sidered man's exclusive dominion. if she attempted to practice the healing art in any other capacity than that of nurse, or of wife, mother or sister in the privacy of home. The value of girls is en- hanced in proportion as other women will have succeeded, beyond question, in making a living, establishing a reputation and achieving eminence in avocations professional or business, hitherto de- nied them by the prejudices of society or custom. To do this for women and girls has been the actua- ting spirit of the the subject of this sketch.
We are pleased to be able to append to the above the following admirably written character sketch from the pens of two warm friends of Dr. Lucinda Corr:
In personal appearance Dr. Corr is not at all the ideal strong-minded woman. Five feet tall, straight as an arrow, with plump girlish figure, noiwith- standing her forty-seven years, with round fair face, large deep set blue eyes, overshadowed by heavy brows, a full forehead, and a magnificent head of nut-brown hair four and a half feet long.
Dr. Corr's mother was a woman of unusual strength of character. A Virginian by birth, con- servative in her views, ineflexible in principle, ex- clusive in habit, but sympathizing deeply with her girls in all their efforts towards intellectual ad-
769
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
vancement. From her the Doctor inherited her sunny disposition and the courage that has enabled her to always stand bravely for her convictions.
A typical Western woman, Dr. Corr had ad- vanced ideas on all subjects, even when a girl in years, and like many other girls in Southern fami- lies, rebelled against the advice of that clog to womanly progress, the Apostle Paul, and determ- ined to know things for herself. Accordingly she fitted herself for teaching, and when only seven- teen years old, taught her first country school. It was while teaching this school that she first met Mr. Albert C. Corr, and began a friendship that ripened into a life long love, and resulted in an al- most ideal married life: Dr. Albert C. Corr was then a student of medicine and together they read and discussed subjects beyond the range of most young people.
The close of the school hrought separation to the lovers. Ile went to Chicago to win his diploma. She home to teach and study and prepare herself for the keeping of the home they two should build. The young M. D. came home, the little house was furnished and the bright young bride, settled down to sew on the Doctor's buttons, listen to long stories from half-sick, often hysterical women, and to make $1 do the work of $5. But in listening to these sad stories of sickness and discouragement the listener's tender heart was wrung, and in thinking them over, "the times seemed sadly out of joint," was there nothing to be done to remedy the evils so constantly before her? Could not woman's insight and intuition better reach and help her sisters? So her thoughts turned to the study of medicine.
After her graduation she formed a partnership with her husband and opened an office in her na- tive town. With characteristic unselfishness, and a noble lack of jealousy, Dr. A. C. Corr, her hus- band, entered into all her plans, and it was his sympathy that upheld her in her work, as step by step she climbed the ladder of success, bravely and heroically, winning her way, untii to-day she stands triumphant. among the best physicians and sur- geons in the State, A radical in medicine, as in everything else. Dr. Corr keeps well abreast of the times, and in her house, poor sick humanity can find all the modern inventions and discoveries for
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.