USA > Illinois > Portrait and biographies of the governors of Illinois and of the residents of the United States > Part 29
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On the 6th of October, 1887. Mr. Curran led to the marriage altar Miss Sarah Shanks, who was a resident of Stonington. They have one son, Rus- sell Emmet. Our subject is independent at local elections, but deposits his ballot for Democratic candidates at National elections. When the town of Stonington was incorporated, Mr. Curran was made one of the Trustees. He is a member of the Odd Fellows' society, belonging to Lodge No. 695, of this place, with which he has been connected for a number of years, and which he represented in the Grand Lodge at Springfield, Ill. He also holds membership with the Modern Woodmen of America. Mr. and Mrs. Curran have a large cir- cle of friends and acquaintances, who hold them in the highest respect.
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7 LBERT SATTLEY, one of the early set- tlers and well-known business men of Taylorville, who is now living a retired life, has the honor of being a native of Illinois, his birth having occurred in Sangamon County, at South Rochester, on the 10th of April, 1821. His parents, Archibald and Harriet (Haw- ley) Sattley, were both natives of Vermont. In 1819, they came to Illinois, and were married in the Eastern part of the State, their union being celebrated on the 13th of February, 1819, near Carmi, in White County. The father was born near Vergennes, Vt., October 2, 1791, and his wife was born March 7, 1801. She was a twin sister of Mrs. Robert Sattley, and the two brothers and their wives removed to Sangamon County in June, 1819. Our subject was one of eight children. Two died in childhood, but the others are still liv- ing. llis mother died October 13, 1833, and in March, 1834, the father married Julia E. Sherman, of Vermont. llis death occurred in Sangamon County, March 16, 1842.
Upon the home farm the subject of this sketch was reared to manhood, and about a year and a-half after his father's death he went to Spring- field, where he engaged in clerking until April, 1849. Attracted by the discovery of gold in Cal- ifornia, he then joined a party of twenty which left the capital city for the mines. Fitting out a mule-team with supplies, he crossed the plains, reaching his destination after six months of travel. Hle entered the mines at Redding, Cal., and also sought for the precious metal on the Yuba River, being associated with his brother-in-law, Thomas Cheney. In 1850, he returned by way of the Isthmus route to New Orleans, and then came up the Mississippi. The boat on which he made the trip had a cholera passenger on board.
At length Mr. Sattley arrived safely at home, and soon afterward resumed clerking in the store where he had previously been employed, there re- maining until 1854, when his brother-in-law, Thomas Cheney, having died, he came to Taylor- ville to settle up the estate, and soon purchased Mr. Cheney's interest in the store of Shumway & Che- ney, the firm name then being changed to Shum- way & Sattley. For two years business was car-
ried on under that style, when Mr. Sattley sold out. He then purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land at $20 per acre, situated a-quarter of a mile from the square in Taylorville. With the exception of forty acres all this has since been platted and added to the city. For two years Mr. Sattley carried on farming. In 1866, he returned to Taylorville, where he and his brothers, Marshall and Archibald, established the Sattley Brothers' plow shop. Large works were built near the Ohio & Mississippi depot about 1873, and the firm did a good business for some years. They also had an agricultural implement warehouse, and in their fac- tory they manufactured plows, cultivators, har- rows, etc. They invested about $10,000 in busi- ness and enjoyed a liberal trade. Our subject continued a member of the firm until 1886. His brothers carried on the business in Taylorville until 1889, when they removed their works to Springfield, where they still carry on operations, under the name of the Sattley Manufacturing Company. While a member of the firm, Albert ® attended to the sales department, and until within two years he continued to deal in agricultural implements.
On the 21st of September, 1853, Mr. Sattley married Susan C. Torrey, who was born in Massa- chusetts, March 18, 1831, and is a daughter of Jo- seph and Abigail (Sibley) Torrey. Iler father was born March 25, 1788, in Connecticut. In an early day he emigrated to Madison County, III., where he married Olive Slater. After his removal to Sangamon County, her death occurred, in 1820, and in Millbury, Mass., he was united in marriage with Miss Sibley, who was born in the Bay State, in 1804. With his wife he returned to Illinois in 1836, and spent his remaining days in this State. He died on his farm near Illiopolis, Sep- tember 2, 1845, and his wife passed away in Tay- lorville in 1857.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Sattley have been born six children. Charles Albert, born July 11, 1854, died in Springfield at the age of three years; Ralph, born July 7, 1857, died Angust 18, 1858; Olive, born July 26, 1859, graduated from the Illinois State Normal School, at Normal, and for the five years just passed has engaged in teaching in Lena,
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Ill .; Walter, born September 10, 1861, superin- tends his father's business affairs; Nellie, born November 8, 1864, is cashier at the Hedrick gro- cery store; and Grace, born January 27, 1869, died in April, 1870.
The parents and their family are members of the Presbyterian Church, are people of sterling worth, and have the warm regard of a large circle of friends and acquaintances. In politics, Mr. Satt- ley has always been a supporter of Republican principles, and served as United States Govern- ment Assessor for Christian County during the war. In connection with his other business inter- ests he has also handled real estate, and still owns several lots and business buildings in the city, from which he receives a good income. He has made the most of his opportunities through life, and by careful attention to the details of his busi- ness, as well as by industry and perseverance, he has succeeded in accumulating a competence, which now enables him to live retired, resting in the en- joyment of the fruits of his former toil.
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OHN TILLSON ANDERSON, a contractor and builder of Taylorville, has spent his entire life in Illinois, his native State. 1Ie was born in Montgomery County, on the 22d of October, 1830, and is the eighth in order of birth in a family of fifteen children, all of whom were reared to maturity, but only four are now living. The parents were George Il. and Nancy (Mann) Anderson, the former a native of Virginia, and the latter of Tennessee. Their mar- riage was celebrated in North Carolina, and for some years they lived in Kentucky. About 1827 they came to Illinois, locating in Montgomery County.
Our subject was reared to manhood upon the home farm, and educated in the district schools of the neighborhood. He remained under the pa- rental roof until after his father's death, when he started out in life for himself. He had learned
the carpenter's trade with his father, who was a carpenter as well as a farmer, and followed the dual occupation. At the age of twenty-four. Mr. Anderson whose name heads this record went to Hillsboro, Ill., and at once began contracting and building. There he carried on business until 1862. which year witnessed his arrival in Christian County. He located in May Township. seven miles southeast of Taylorville, and for five years engaged in operating a rented farm. In 1867 he came to this city and at once resumed contracting and building, which he has carried on continu- ously since, with the exception of three years. In 1875 he purchased a furniture store, which he conducted until 1880. when he resumed opera- tions in his present line. He contracts for all classes of buildings, both brick and frame, and has erected a large part of the brick blocks around the square. He employs an average of six men, a fact which indicates that he is enjoying a liberal trade.
We now turn from the business life to the pri- vate life of Mr. Anderson. and note that on the 5th of September, 1854, in Montgomery County, Ill., when twenty-four years of age, he was united in marriage with Rachel Easley. She died Feb- ruary 1, 1867, leaving two children: Jennie, now the wife of Jacob Ballet, a hardware merchant of Edinburgh; and Laura, wife of Anson Simpson, a teacher now employed in Foreman, N. Dak. Mr. Anderson was again married, January 25, 1870, his second union being with Sarah E., daughter of Alfred E. Boyd, a pioneer of Christian County, who had settled near Palmer at an early day. By the second marriage there have been born two sons and a daughter: Walter H., who is now book- keeper for the Taylorville Coal Company; George Burton, who is with T. B. Kraft, a plumber; and Addie, a maiden of fifteen, who is still with her parents.
Mr. Anderson has always been a stalwart sup- porter of Democratic principles, but is not strictly partisan. Socially, he is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen and of the Indepen- dent Order of Odd Fellows. He was reared in the faith of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. uniting with that organization at the age of six-
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teen, and is now serving as Elder of his congrega- tion, and has done so over twenty years. Straight- forward and honorable in all his business deal- ings, and true to every private trust, his upright life has gained him universal confidence, and the record of such a man we gladly present to our readers.
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R OBERT W. ORR. who for many years has been the efficient County Superintendent of Schools of Christian County, and who will have served in that office for seven- teen years on the expiration of his present term, is a resident of Taylorville and ranks among the leading men of the county seat. As he is widely and favorably known, we feel assured that this record of his life will prove of interest to many of our readers.
Prof. Orr was born in St. Clairville, Ohio, Sep- tember 30, 1833, and is the eldest child of Andrew and Ann (MeNary) Orr, who were natives of east- ern Ohio. In 1854 the family left the Buck- eye State and became early settlers of Christian County, locating on Buckeye Prairie, in Loeust Township, where the father carried on agricultural pursuits until his death, which occurred two years later, at the age of fifty-seven. He lived a quiet, unassuming life and had the esteem of all who knew him. Ilis wife survived for some years and passed away in 1882, at the age of seventy-four. The last ten years of her life were spent in Pana. On her husband's death she was left with a family of nine children to support, and had often a hard struggle to provide for them, but she nobly la- bored in their behalf. The members of the family who still reside in this county are Robert; Marga- ret I., wife of Henry Kirk, of Taylorville; Mary J., of Pana, widow of G. W. Turnham; and John, who is engaged in the grocery business in Pana. Thomas A. resides in Leadville, Colo .; Andrew J., in Covington, Ohio; and Kate M., in Denver, Colo. Samuel M., who followed farming near the old
homestead, died at the age of fifty years; Hugh, who was a soldier of the Fifth Illinois Cavalry, died at the age of twenty-six, when home on a fur- lough.
The Professor was a young man of twenty-one when the family came to Illinois, and he aided his father in the labors of the farm until the latter's death. He was educated in the public schools and in the seminary of Bloomingdale, Ohio, which he attended one year. He then began teaching in the Buckeye State, and after coming to this county followed the same profession until his enlistment for the late war. On the 14th of August, 1862, he joined Company D, One Hundred and Thirtieth Illinois Infantry, and was elected Orderly-Sergeant on the organization of the company at Edinburgh. Ile was ordered into camp at Taylorville, then sent to Camp Butler, and in October the regiment joined the army at Memphis, Tenn., where the troops went into winter quarters. They jomed Grant's army, participating in the siege of Vicks- burg, and taking part in the battles of Champion Hills and Black River Bridge. They took part in the entire siege against Vicksburg, and after the surrender of that city went to Jackson, Miss., and subsequently to New Orleans. While at New Iberia, Mr. Orr was ordered to Springfield on recruiting service, where he remained until May, 1864. On the 1st of March he was commissioned First Lieu- tenant and subsequently commanded his company as Captain. During his absence as recruiting offi- cer many of his company were killed or captured at Sabine Cross Roads, Tex., and the regiment lost so heavily that it was divided into three divisions, Capt. Orr being given charge of Companies A, F and D. In February, 1865, the regiment was consolidated with the Seventy-seventh Illinois Infantry, under which consolidatiou he was mus- tered out of the service.
Mr. Orr then resumed his work in the school- room and was employed as a teacher in Sharpsburg, Owaneco and Taylorville, having charge of the West Side schools of this city for three years. He then returned to his farm in Locust Township, and while there residing was elected County Su- perintendent of Schools, in the fall of 1872, filling the office for nine years. Then after an interval
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of four years spent upon the farm, he was again elected, in 1886, and re-elected in 1890, the term comprising four years, so that he will continue to fill the office through 1894. There are two hundred and ten teachers in the county, to whom from 835 to $65 a month are paid in the country schools, and from 865 to $125 in the graded schools. There are thirteen graded schools in the county, and two township High Schools, with sixty-four teachers. For twenty years annual institutes and normal schools have been held for the benefit of the teachers, and for ten years the session has lasted from two to four weeks, with from one hun- dred and fifty to two hundred in attendance.
Prof. Orr was married July 12, 1870, to Mrs. Harriet E. Shumway, widow of Z. P. Shumway, of Taylorville. She was born in Connecticut and bore the maiden name of Harriet E. Pray. Iler father. Rev. Paris Pray, is still living in Taylor- ville, in his eightieth year. He came here as a minister of the Gospel, and about 1858 organized the Taylorville Baptist Church, of which he was pastor for many years. By her first marriage Mrs. Orr had one daughter, Lou A. Shumway, who for six years successfully engaged in teaching. but is now an invalid and lives with her mother. Unto the Professor and his wife have been born four children: Lillie, now Mrs. Zimmerman; Daisy, Frank and Charlie. Frank and Daisy are students in the High School of Taylorville, and Charlie is still in the ward school.
Prof. Orr was reared in the faith of the United Presbyterian Church, but he and his wife now be- long to the Baptist Church, in which he serves as Deacon. He is a Royal Arch Mason, having been initiated into the Blue Lodge in Taylorville in 1867, and is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic. He votes with the Democratic party. but is not strongly partisan, and is as popular among the Republicans as among the people with whom he holds similar views. During the late war he was a faithful and valiant defender of the country, always found at his post of duty. Ile is true to every public and private trust reposed in him and has led an honorable, upright life. No higher testimonial to his efficient service in the office of County Superintendent of Schools can be
given than the fact that he has so long held the position. It is an office that is won by merit. Under the able management of Prof. Orr the schools of Christian County are in a flourishing condition and would be an honor to any commu- nity.
OIIN A. BOYD, a business man of Palmer is a member of the firm of Simpson & Boyd, dealers in hardware and agricultural imple- ments. Ile is a native of this county, hav- ing been born in Jobnson Township on the 7th of October, 1859. He comes from one of the pioneer families of the county, being a son of Joseph and Minerva A. Boyd, whose sketch may be found on another page of this volume.
John A. Boyd passed his early years on his fa- ther's farm in the usual manner of farmer lads, and received a good common-school education in the district schools. He remained under the paren- tal roof until his marriage, which occurred on the 3d of March, 1885. Ile chose for his life compan- ion Miss Ida A. Cassel, who is a daughter of Al- exander and Mary L. (Alexander) Cassel, of Low- ell, Ohio. Three children have come to brighten the home of Mr. and Mrs. Boyd. They are as fol- lows: Alfred C., Bunita and Mary.
For a period of fifteen years Mr. Boyd was em- ployed in the grain business owned by his father, and for six years of that time was placed in charge of the business. In 1892 he severed his connec- tion with the firm. and in February, 1893. formed a partnership with James M. Simpson, and bought out J. W. Lee's hardware and implement business. This firm. though almost new, is succeeding ad- mirably in conducting their new enterprise, and in time will undoubtedly have a large share of the local patronage. In addition to the money he has invested in his business, Mr. Boyd owns a good residence property in Palmer.
Our subject and his estimable wife are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, of which the former is one of the Elders. Politically, he
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supports the Republican party, and socially is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Modern Woodmen of America. lle is a progressive and enterprising young man, who is bound to make a snecess in the world of business. Mr. and Mrs. Boyd move in the best social circles, and have won innumerable friends in Palmer and the neighboring country. Mr. Boyd is known to be a man of upright character and striet integrity, and here in the county of his birth, where he is so well known, he is most highly esteemed.
EERT BAUER. Among the native sons of Germany who have been an important factor in the progress and development of Christian County, is our subject, who owns and operates a farm on seetions 29 and 30, Greenwood Township. Ile is also one of the veterans of the late war, and had only been in the land of his adoption about two years when he enlisted in her defense. Ile took part in a number of important battles, being in the service for three years.
The birth of Mr. Bauer occurred in the King- dom of Ilanover, Germany, August 9, 1842. Ilis parents, Hiram and Hannah (Schlotter) Bauer, were likewise natives of Germany, and were the parents of ten children, five sons and five daugh- ters, namely. Ileile; John, deceased; Weert; Her- mann; Engel; Albert; Annie, wife of John Dickin, of Germany; Grace, wife of John Parrboom, of Greenwood Township; Henry; and Mary, wife of Peter Bollen, of Moweaqua. The father of these children was a farmer in Germany, and died in the faith of the New Lutheran Church when seventy-two years of age. His wife, who was also a member of that denomination. passed away about 1884, aged sixty-two years. She was the daugh- ter of John Schlotter, who came to America in 1853 and after residing for two years in Madison County, Ill., was called from this life.
Weert Bauer was named in honor of his paternal
grandfather, who was a farmer and lived to be sixty-five years old. Our subject came to Amer- ica in 1860, having been for several years filled with a desire to try his fortunes in Madison County, Ill., where his grandfather had settled a few years previously. On his arrival there he worked for neighboring farmers. receiving $1.25 per week, and was thus employed for two years, or until his enlistment in the army. He became a member of Company A, Ninety-seventh Illinois Infantry, and participated in the sieges of Vieks- burg, Ft. Henry, Ft. Blakely and many less impor- tant engagements. On his return from the war he engaged in farming for one summer in Macou- pin County, III.
On the 14th of September, 1866, Mr. Bauer mar- ried Mrs. Annie Miller, widow of Frederick Miller, and daughter of John and Mete (Gelkin) Johnson, who were natives of the Kingdom of Hanover, Ger- many. Seven children were born to our subject and wife, as follows: Henry; Rhinehart, deceased; Rhinehart, Herman, Annie, William and Lydia. Henry married Miss Emma Bair and is a resident of Johnson Township; and Rhinehart, who mar- ried Miss Lena Elmers, lives in Rosemond Town- ship.
After his marriage Mr. Bauer bought a farm of eighty acres in Macoupin County, Ill., near Gilles- pie, and there engaged in farming for seven years. In 1874 he came to Christian County and pur- chased a farm of two hundred and seventy aeres of land in Greenwood Township, on which he has sinee continued to live. He has made a number of substantial improvements upon his place sinee it came into his possession and here carries on gen- eral farming, but gives his main interest and at- tention to raising stock. He has now about fifty head of cattle, and deals extensively in that kind of stock.
Mr. and Mrs. Bauer are members of the German Methodist Episcopal Church. The former is a member of Nokomis Post No. 336, G. A. R. In politics he supports the Republican party, and though not desirous of political preferment has been elect i by his fellow-citizens to fill various local offices of more or less responsibility. For six years he served as Commissioner of Highways and
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was one of the School Trustees for over twelve years. He is a business man of ability, and his dealings with all have ever been marked by a strong sense of justice. and his conduct is in keep- ing with the Golden Rule.
E LDER ALFRED LEWIS, who is now liv- ing a retired life in Taylorville, is widely known throughout central Illinois, for the greater part of his life has here been passed, and he has been prominent in public affairs. He was born in St. Francis County, Mo., March 26, 1823, and is a son of Samuel and Sarah (Fleury) Lewis. The father was born sixteen miles from Philadel- phia, Pa., and the mother was a native of Virginia. Five times the father crossed the Alleghanies. For sixteen years he lived in Missouri, and in 1830 removed to Sangamon County, Ill., locating in Cotton Ilill Township. In 1846, accompanied by his wife, he removed to Delaware County, Iowa, where he spent his remaining days, dying in his one hundred and first year. His family was noted for longevity, his mother having passed the ad- vanced age of one hundred and fourteen years. Ilis wife died at the age of sixty. but her mother survived until past the age of one hundred and six. In the family were eight sons and seven daughters, of whom five are now living. One son, Samuel, was burned in an hotel fire in Centerville, Fowa, in 1893. Alfred is now the only resident of Illinois. A. G. makes his home in Montana; and A. B. is a merchant in Murray, Jowa. Alvin resides at Nova Junction, Iowa; and Narcissa Ilar- mon is located in Lyons, Kan.
Alfred Lewis was a lad of only seven summers when, with his parents, he went to Sangamon County. Ilis boyhood was not an easy one, as he was reared amid the wild scenes of frontier life, and was early inured to the arduous labor of de- veloping wild land. At the age of eighteen years his father gave him his time, and he began working as a farm hand for $7 per month.
With his first wages he purchased a watch. For two years he followed farm work for others, and then, forming a partnership, engaged in agri- cultural pursuits for himself for about three years. His next business venture from 1847 to 1849 was in selling "Thomas' History of the United States." For three years he canvassed for that work all over Illinois. Previously he had been engaged in teaching classes in geography. Ile had also stud- ied book-keeping for a day and a-half, and then took charge of the books of a store. Being very apt and quiek, it did not take Mr. Lewis long to master any branch of study in which he became interested, and one of his teachers said that Mr. Lewis, while a student, had taught him how to teach arithmetic.
On the 14th of March, 1850, in Loami, Sanga- mon County, Ill., Mr. Lewis married Miss Eliza Jane Abel, daughter of Dr. J. R. and Julia Ann Abel, and a granddaughter of Adam Barger. She was born in Rick Creek Township, Sangamon County, October 28, 1832. In 1828, at the age of twenty-three, her father became a pioneer of that county. He engaged in the practice of medicine in Sangamon, Montgomery and Christian Coun- ties, and died in Taylorville May 11, 1881. from the effects of an injury caused by a railroad train at Edinburgh. He was then in his seventy-fifth year. Ilis widow is now living with her son John, at the age of eighty-one. The grandfather. Rev. Jeremiah Abel. was a pioneer Methodist minister, and died in Macomb, Ill. The Doctor was widely known throughout the central part of the State, and was an influential and highly respected citi- zen.
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