USA > Illinois > Adams County > Quincy > Quincy and Adams County history and representative men, Vol. I > Part 29
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While John Hunsaker, the second son of the before mentioned John and Magdalena (Birg) Hunsaker, with his wife and child were traveling overland from Pennsylvania to Illinois, they were killed by Indians. This occurred April 18, 1792, while they were on their way to Union County, Ill. The wife was Elizabeth, a daughter of Andrew Huber.
Samuel Hunsaker, the youngest son of John and Magdalena (Birg) Hunsaker, was born in Pennsylvania November 22, 1777, and was married to HIannah Rhoades ( Rohde?), who was born January 4, 1786. Their children were: John, Rachel, Andrew, Iliram, Margaret, Daniel, Susannah, Elizabeth, Katherine, Samuel Y. and Joseph, Samuel Y. Hunsaker being the father of the above mentioned Robert Ilunsaker.
John Hunsaker, born in Pennsylvania, December 17. 1794, moved to Kentneky, where a son was born to him October 16, 1824, who was named Alexander. In the fall of 1829 the family came to Adams County, where they settled in Liberty Township. Here Alexander grew up and in 1845 married Mary L. Freeman, a native of New York. At the age of sixteen Alexander Hunsaker began learning the black- smith's trade at Liberty, and worked at it until 1864. when owing to impaired health he abandoned this trade and engaged in general mer- cantile and milling business, conducting what was known as Havanna Mills in Melrose Township. While the subjeets of this sketch have departed this life, a number of descendants are still among the living.
Daniel Wilson Hunsaker, born September 25, 1820, in Union County, Illinois, at an early age with his parents moved to Jefferson County, Missouri, in 1830. In 1834 the family eame to Adams County,
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Illinois, where they located in Fall Creek Township. July 3, 1850, he married Frances Shuart, a native of South Bend, Indiana. March 27, 1904, Mr. Ilnusaker died, and April 18, 1906, his wife followed him in death. George UInnsaker, the only son of Daniel Wilson and Frances (Shuart) Hunsaker, was born in Fall Creek Township Janu- ary 15, 1854, and for sixteen years was a telegraph operator on the railroad between Quiney and Louisiana, Mo., serving at every station of the railroad known as the Louisiana branch of the C., B. & Q. road. He also worked in the same capacity on the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad in Colorado. In later years he was town collector of Melrose.
Elijah Hunsaker celebrated the one hundredth anniversary of his birth August 19, 1909, at the old settlers' reunion, Clayton, Adams County ; he died several years ago.
It was in the fall of 1902, when the writer of this history met James T. Ruddell of Ursa Township. In the course of conversation Mr. Ruddell stated that his grandparents both were German. The grandfather, Stephen A. Ruddell, was born of German parents in Pennsylvania in 1768, and the grandmother, Susan C. David, was born on the ocean about 1780, when her parents were on their voyage from Germany to America, where they settled down in Pennsylvania. The father of Stephen A. Ruddell (Rodel ?) was a farmer by occupa- tion, and also served as preacher, doing mission work among the Indians. In the year 1780, during an uprising of the Indians, the Ruddell family were captured by the red men at Ruddell and Mar- tin's fort and were held in captivity for fifteen years, being released when Gen. Anthony Wayne, who bore the niekname "Mad Anthony," made his treaty with the Indians, having broken their power in two vigorous campaigns, thus giving peace to the frontier settlements. Subsequently Stephen A. Ruddell and Miss Susan C. David were married and later moved to Bourbon County, Kentucky, where Mr. Ruddell engaged in the milling business until 1817, when he disposed of all his business affairs and moved to Clarksville, Missouri, where he followed farming umtil 1829, in which year he with his family came to Adams County, Illinois, loeating in Ursa Township. where he passed the remaining years of his life until about 1840, when he died.
John Mulhein Ruddell, the son of Stephen A. and Susan C. (David) Ruddell, was born in Bourbon County, Kentucky, September 28, 1812, and came with his parents when the family settled down in this county. In March, 1832, he was married to Miss Martha Ann Dunlap, who was born in Kentucky, her parents locating in Mendon Township in the fall of 1830. John M. Ruddell became prominent in public affairs, serving on the board of supervisors for about fifteen years, he also was school treasurer for about thirty-five years, and served as a member of the state legislature about the year 1846. In the year 1896 Mr. and Mrs. Ruddell both died within a period of three months. The children living were: George H. Ruddell in Andrew County. Missouri : James T. Ruddell and Mrs. Margaret R. Wiester.
Vol. 1-18
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both in Adams County, the husband of the latter, Jacob W. Wiester, born in Pennsylvania, also being of German descent, as the name indieates.
James T. Ruddell, a son of John M. and Martha A. (Dunlap) Ruddell, was born in Ursa Township, this county, November 4, 1855. He grew up on the farm and was married December 20, 1876, to Miss Sarah E. Jenkins, a daughter of William A. and Rachel (Price) Jen- kins. James T. Ruddell continued farming until his father's death and then moved to Ursa, where he conducted a store for two years, after which he became manager of the Ursa Creamery Company. He has held the office of assessor for nine years, collector for four years, and has served as school director for many years. He now has retired from aetive business.
About fifteen years ago the writer of this narrative met Charles Bean, one of the earliest inhabitants of Fall Creek Township, who stated that he was of German deseent, his grandparents having eome from Germany during Colonial days, his grandfather's name was Moses Bean, his grandmother Betsy Johnson. (Probably the name was originally written Buehn.) They settled down in Pennsylvania. Later the family left Pennsylvania and located in Athens, Ohio, where Charles Bean was born August 14, 1828. In 1830 his parents, John and Betsy (Tibbetts) Bean, came to Adams County, Illinois, and located in Fall Creek Township, where they followed farming. Charles Bean, who now lives in Quiney, has a rocking chair, which his unele Joshua Tibbetts made by hand in 1838. Mrs. Olive S. Haselwood, the widow of Willis Haselwood, for many years county elerk of Adams County, is the sister of Charles Bean, and the brother, Henry Bean, born in 1840, lives in Carroll County, Missouri.
In the course of conversation between the writer and Charles Bean, the latter related a very interesting incident, which shows how names often are changed. Mr. Bean said : "Did you know Gen. M. M. Bane ?" The writer of this story answered in the affirmative. "Well," eon- tinued Charles Bean, "General Bane was my cousin." "From your mother's side ?" was the writer's query. "No, from my father's side," was the prompt answer of Charles Bean, who then continued : "My father and General Bane's father were brothers, their family name being Bean. Both lived in Athens, Ohio, where Moses Milton Bean, my cousin, also was born. He later studied medieine under Professor Howard in Columbus, Ohio. After graduation Moses Milton Bean was married to Miss Marina Howard, the daughter of Professor Howard. Not liking the name Bean, it was changed to Bane. This was in 1849, and in the fall of that year the young couple eame to Fall Creek, where they stayed at our house for several months." Later the young couple located in Payson, where they went to housekeeping, and Dr. Moses M. Bane practiced medieine for a number of years. He soon beeame prominent in publie life, and in 1858 was elected to the
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State Legislature, serving one term. When the War of the Rebellion broke out, Dr. Moses MI. Bane was elected colonel of the Fiftieth Illi- nois Infantry Regiment, which was raised in this county. At the Battle of Shiloh he lost his right arm, but returned to the service as soon as he was able to again go into the field, later gaining the rank of brigadier general. After the war General Bane was sent to Salt Lake City, Utah, as agent of the Government to enforce the laws against polygamy. While his appointment was for a term of four years, he spent five years in Utah. Then he returned to Quiney, where he, together with Thomas JJ. Sechorn, practiced law for two years. and finally went to Washington, D. C. His death occurred more than ten years ago, his wife having died many years before. Two sons have been in Washington for many years.
In June, 1901, Alfred A. Seehorn, at that time superintendent of the public schools of Quiney, related the following to the writer of this history: "My great-grandfather. Nicholas Sechorn, was born in Germany and came to America in the early Colonial days, settling down in South Carolina, where my grandfather, Gabriel Seehorn, was born July 20, 1775. The latter in the course of time located in Tennessee, in which state my father, Alfred Seehorn, was born in the year 1822. Later the family emigrated from Tennessee and in 1832 came to Illinois, settling in Fall Creek Township, where I was born October 1. 1860." Alfred Seehorn, the father, who came here with his parents when only ten years of age, grew up in this county, and was married to Miss Martha E. Harris, a daughter of John Harris, She was born in Kentucky, and came with her parents when they located in Fall Creek Township. In the course of time Alfred Seehorn became identified with the development of the community, in which he lived. Taking a deep interest in the welfare of his township, he was elected as a member of the board of supervisors and was chosen as chairman of the board. He held other positions of honor and trust and became widely known in the county.
Alfred A. Seehorn, the son, was brought up on the farm and attended the district school. Desiring a broader edueation, he attended the Payson High School and Chaddock College. He then took up the vocation of teaching, serving one year in Hancock County, nine years in Fall Creek and two years in Plainville in this county. Being elected as county superintendent of schools in 1894, the experience gained during the many years of teaching proved of great advantage in his new position, enabling him to inaugurate changes and reforms of first importance, In the fall of 1897 he resigned his office to accept the position of superintendent of schools of Quiney, in which capac- ity he served four years. Then he went into the agricultural imple- ment business in which he has continued up to the present time. October 18, 1892, Alfred A. Sechorn was married to Miss Laura C. C'arr. a daughter of L. G. Carr of Fall Creek, born in that township.
Thomas J. Sechorn, brother of the aforesaid, born in Fall Creek
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Township, April 19, 1864, attended Chaddock College, studied law and practiced as attorney in Quincy, together with Gen. M. M. Bane in 1886 and 1887. In the fall of 1887 he went to Kansas City, where he has resided ever since, and has held the office of eireuit judge for the last twelve years.
The other brothers are: Sherman E. Sechorn, born in 1866, engaged in the real estate business in Quincy ; Harry E. Seehorn, born July 6, 1869, is in the cigar business in this eity ; and James H. Seehorn, born in 1871, who still resides on the old homestead in Fall Creek Town- ship, is a railway mail elerk between Quiney and Chieago.
During a meeting of the Historical Society of Quiney in 1905, Mrs. Cecelia R. Hill, the daughter of Henry Root, one of the early pioneers of Quincy, assured the writer of this history that her aneestors all were of German lineage. To prove her assertion, Mrs. Hill wrote to Bueks County, Pennsylvania, where the family originally lived, and also to Canada, where her father was born. In due time the fol- lowing information eame: Henry Root's grandfather, whose name was Henry Ruth, was born in Germany and came to what now is Bueks County, Pennsylvania, in the early Colonial days. There he was married to Miss Naney Wismer; later the grandfather died, and his widow was married to Frank Albrecht. A son born to Henry and Naney (Wismer) Ruth also received the name Henry, and he was married to Miss Marie Overholt. This was after the War of the Revolution, which lasted eight years and led to American independ- enee. But there being considerable of unrest in this country for a long time after that war, Henry and Marie ( Overholt) Ruth, like many others, fearing that the Government in the shortly before established United States would not endure, in 1799 left Pennsylvania for Canada. where they located in Clinton. There a son was born to them, reeeiv- ing the name Henry. In the course of time, probably to conform with the English promineiation, this son adopted the name Root (as the name Ruth in German is pronouneed the same as Root in English). Henry Root, born in Clinton, Canada, June 14, 1813, left Canada and eame to Chicago in 1837; from there he went to St. Louis, then to Palmyra. Missouri, and finally to Quiney, where he located in 1840, with less than a dollar in his purse. Here he for some time was engaged as auctioneer. In the year 1844 Henry Root was married to Miss Sarah Ann Miller. a daughter of Judge Andrew Miller, who was judge of the probate court in the early days of Adams County. Andrew Miller was born in Switzerland in 1744, and was German, his name originally being written Mueller. He was married to Miss Catherine Harrison, a cousin of Gen. William Henry Harrison, who acquired fame in the history of this country, serving against the Indians and in the War of 1812. Being eleeted to the presidency in 1840 by an overwhelming majority, he died only one month after his inauguration. Thus we see that Catherine Harrison was the only link in the ehain of aneestors of Mrs. Cecelia Hill that was not of
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German origin. Judge Andrew Miller, the maternal grandfather of Mrs. Hill, died in 1848, at the high old age of 104 years, Mrs. Hill remembered him from her early childhood, stating that her grand- father was only able to speak German in his declining years, having forgotten the English, which he certainly handled to perfection during his term as probate judge.
Ilenry Root, the father of Mrs. Hill, acquired a prominent position in the business circles of Quiney. He was a sutler in the American army of 1847 during the war with Mexico. After that war he was a member of the firm Root & Lane; later he conducted a business of his own, which he finally sold to Shinn, Bert & Ilill. During the War of the Rebellion he had a contract, furnishing horses to the Government. In 1869 Henry Root, in connection with other capitalists established the Union Bank, and was elected president of that institu- tion. After having been closely identified with the business interests of Quiney for fifty-five years, Henry Root died April 9, 1895, his wife having preceded him in death in 1875.
Mrs. Ceeclia Hill is the only daughter of Henry Root now living. Her husband. Fred T. Hill, died several years ago, after having been prominent in business, conducting a carpet store for many years. Gen. Henry R. Hill, the son of Fred T. and Cecelia ( Root) Hill, is at present in the U'nited States army, commanding a brigade in Texas. He is highly regarded as a tactician, evidently having inherited some of the spirit of his ancestor, Gen. William II. Harrison.
Endless is the number of people of German extraction in this country, whose names in the course of time have become " American- ized." It was in the spring of 1903, when the writer of this narra- tive became acquainted with George William Lemley, at that time in the grocery business. The question as to his ancestry being pro- pounded to Mr. Lemley, the latter made the following statement : "My grandfather, George Lemley (German: Laemmle), was born in Wuerttemberg, South Germany, and with his wife came to America in 1773. where they located at Germantown, Pennsylvania. Grand- father was a smith by ocenpation and served under George Washing- ton during the War of the Revolution. My father. Jacob Lemley (Laemle) was born in Germantown, Pa., September 25, 1790, and served in the War of 1812 against the British. He also was a smith, having learned the trade from his father, George Lemley ( Laemmle), and was with the garrison in Fort Mellenry, September, 1814, at the time when the British Heet, after bombarding Washington, partly destroying the capitol, besides burning many other buildings in our national capital, came up the Patapsco river to bombard Balti- more. It was then, in the defense of the city, that two Americans of German origin took the most prominent part. The commander of the militia was Gen. John Stricker, born 1759 at Frederick, Maryland (originally Friederichstadt, where Johann Thomas Schly. a German schoolmaster, ancestor of Admiral Winfield Scott Schley, in 1745
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erected the first house). The British having landed at North Point, General Stricker led his men against them in a running skirmish, in which General Ross, the British commander, was killed. Major George Armistead, the son of Johann Armstadt, a Hessian, living in New Market, Virginia, gallantly defended Fort McHenry, when the British fleet, consisting of sixteen frigates, opened a terrific bombardment on the fort, on the morning of September 12, 1814. The garrison con- sisted of one thousand men. The cannonade lasted for thirty-six hours. The fort, commanding the entrance to the port, answered the fire with chain-shot, prepared by Jacob Lemley, the smith. The chain- shot consisted of two cannon balls, connected by a short chain. It was on this occasion that Francis Scott Key, who was a prisoner on one of the British ships, composed the celebrated national song, 'The Star Spangled Banner,' September 14, 1814. After the British fleet left, the detachment of troops, in which Jacob Lemley served, were quar- tered in that part of the capitol at Washington which had not been destroyed. After the War of 1812 Jacob Lemley was married to Miss Elizabeth Ilotsenpiller (Hatzenbuehler ?), born 1791 in Frederick County, Va., no doubt also of German parentage. Jacob Lemley, who was a smith, in the course of time became very proficient in his calling; he made the iron and steel work, bars and erossbars, for the first jail in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and also was the inventor of a plow, for the first time using steel for the ploughshare. Friends advised him to secure a patent-right on his invention, but he said : 'No, it is for the benefit of the people; I wish no royalty on my inven- tion.' But Cyrus II. McCormick, born February 15, 1809, at Walnut Grove, Virginia, took advantage of Jacob Lemley's invention and in the course of time made a fortune out of it. Jacob Lemley also was a wagonmaker, his wagons being known all over the country for their durability. In 1858 he came west, settling down in Paris, Missouri, where he died May 3, 1874, aged 83 years and 9 months, his wife pre- ceding him in death in 1873, aged 82 years."
The children of Jacob Lemley were: George W., Jacob, Harvey, Joseph T. and Robert D. Lemley, Mrs. Margaret Jane Henning and Mrs. Anna Catherine Drake, Only Robert D. Lemley is among the living, at present residing in Kansas City, Missouri, all the others having died since the writer met George William Lemley for the first time fourteen years ago.
George William Lemley. the oldest son of Jacob Lemley, was born in Stephen City, Frederick County, Virginia, December 29, 1819, and was married to Miss Susan Margaret Rittenouer (Rittenauer), born in Frederick County, Virginia, September 13, 1826, of German par- ents, as the name plainly indicates. In the history of the Lemley and Rittenaner families we have another instance of names being changed to eonform with the pronunciation in English. From the parents of Mrs. Lemley the couple inherited several slaves, but considering slavery wrong, they granted freedom to their slaves, long before the War of the Rebellion, which led to the emancipation of all slaves
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in this country. As George W. Lemley assured the writer of this narrative, the same course was followed by other slaveholders in Frederick County, Virginia. In 1864 the family came to Quiney, where George W .. Joseph T. and Robert D. Lemley opened a dry goods store, the name of the firm being Lemley Brothers. Later the firm was dissolved. Robert D. Lemley going to Huntsville, Missouri, and Joseph T. Lemley to Middle Grove, Missouri, both continuing in the dry goods business in the towns mentioned. Still later the Lemley Brothers were engaged in the iron and steel business in Quincy. Finally George William Lemley went into the grocery business, in which he continued during the remaining years of his life, his death oceurring April 9, 1910, while his wife lived until December 17, 1912. Children living are, Charles T. Lemley and Miss Anna Lemley in Los Angeles, California, and John W. Lemley in Quincy, all of them born in Frederick County. Virginia. John W. Lemley in 1873 was married to Miss Mary E. Thomas, born in Ohio. They have one son, Edward. living in Nevada, and one daughter. Miss Cora Lemley, teacher in Irving School in Qniney.
Early in the year 1904 the writer of this history met Henry Clay Cupp, for many years proprietor of large fruit orchards in Fall Creek Township. The name Cupp sounding German, the question of his ancestry was propounded to Mr. Cupp, who said he did not know, but had an old document in his possession, found among the papers of his father after the latter's death, which he could not read. Being requested to bring the document to town, Mr. Cupp complied with the request, and there the writer found the proof. The doenment was the certificate of baptism of the father of Henry Clay Cupp. The grandfather was Konrad Kop. and his wife was Elisabetha Kroninger, daughter of Daniel Kroninger. Evidently the family originally lived in Pennsylvania, and the grandparents of Henry Clay Cupp emi- grated to Ohio, where they located in Bloom Township, Fairfield County, and there it was where Jacob Kop was born October 27, 1817, at 9 o'clock in the evening, as it was especially mentioned in the certificate. Reverend Steek was the minister who performed the bap- tism. and JJacob Biehrg and wife were the sponsors. Every single one of the names contained in the document were distinctly German, and the certificate was executed in an artistie manner.
Jacob Kop, after arriving at years of maturity, was married to Miss Dorcas Smith, born in Maryland and later removed to Ohio. In the meantime the original name Kop had been changed to Cupp. and the family located in Steuben County, Indiana, as we learn from a publication issned in 1905. To them were born : Catherine, the eldest, born November 18, 1839, became the wife of William Cook in 1860, they living at Newark, Missouri, where Mr. Cook conducted a gro- cery store until the breaking out of the Civil war, when he located on a farm. He also became a mail contractor at Palmyra, Missouri, where he remained for eight years and then removed to Macon City,
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Missouri, where he resided until his death in 1876. A number of ehil- dren and grandchildren reside in Missouri and Illinois. After the death of her husband, Mrs. Cook resided with her children and at present lives at Bozeman, Montana. Lewis C., who was a member of the Third Missouri Cavalry during the Civil war, married and had three children ; he died in Ralls County, Missouri, in 1901. John S., also a member of the Third Missouri Cavalry, for three years and six months, farmer and stoekraiser at Elm City, Kansas, had two sons and three daughters. Theodore, of Ralls County, Missouri, who served in the Thirty-ninth Missouri Infantry, married and had a son and two daughters, the son being a Christian minister at Platte City, Missouri. George W., who died in 1882, aged thirty years, was a farmer, and left a son Wihner. Henry C. was the next in the family, the youngest, Francis M., being a farmer of Marion County, Missouri.
The family left Indiana in 1858 and moved to Shelby County, Missouri. The father, Jaeob Cupp, being an outspoken abolitionist, was many times threatened with violenee by the pro-slavery element during the trying period at the beginning and during the War of the Rebellion, suffering the loss of horses and other property. Jacob Cupp died in Shelby County, Missouri, in 1874, his wife preceding him in death in 1859.
Henry Clay Cupp, born October 30, 1848, in Steuben County, Indiana, came to Shelby County, Missouri, with his parents when ten years of age. Receiving his elementary education in the country schools of Shelby County, he later attended the college at Palmyra, Missouri, and became a resident of Adams County in 1870. In 1871 he was married to Miss Franees L. Rankin, a daughter of Robert Rankin, one of the prominent farmers of Fall Creek Township. To them was born one daughter, Lillie J., January 28, 1872, who was educated in the country schools and spent four years at Chaddoek College in Quincy, where she graduated. July 26, 1893, she was mar- ried to Perry W. Sapp of Maeomb. Illinois, who in 1905 held the position of recording elerk and assistant bookkeeper at the insane asylum at Bartonville, Illinois.
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