Quincy and Adams County history and representative men, Vol. II, Part 101

Author: Wilcox, David F., 1851- ed
Publication date: 1919
Publisher: Chicago, New York, The Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 952

USA > Illinois > Adams County > Quincy > Quincy and Adams County history and representative men, Vol. II > Part 101

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April 17, 1895, at Quincy, he married Miss Amelia E. Bringer. They have one son, Harvey H., who was educated in the common and parochial schools and is a youth of much promise and ability and in him center the hopes and fondest desires of his parents. He is also a member of the German Lutheran Church of Quincy. Mrs. Husemann was born in Melrose Township Septem- ber 27, 1868, daughter of Harmon and Anna (Brandt) Bringer. She was one of six children, two daughters and four sons, all living and all residents of Adams County. Her father was born in Germany, coming to the United States in young manhood. He arrived in Adams County practically empty handed, but in time had advanced himself to the ownership of a good farm in Melrose Township. His first purchase was sixty-five acres and later he bought an- other forty acres. He developed the land from practically a raw state to one of the good farms of the county, especially well known for its fine live- stock. IIe and his wife were members of the Salem Memorial Church, and he was one of its charter members. Politically he voted as a republican. The death of Mrs. Husemann's father occurred January 1, 1909. Her mother was horn in Holstein, Germany, and was a small girl when her parents came to the United States and settled in Adams County. She died July 17, 1916. Both parents now rest in the Green Mount Cemetery.

Mrs. Husemann was educated in both the German and English languages. After her marriage she and Mr. Husemann started out with no capital but with resolution to give a good account of themselves and make the most of their opportunities. These ideals have been attained and in 1918 they are enjoying the fruits of their well spent years and good farm without a dollar of indebtedness against it. Mr. Husemann is a republican, having cast his first presidential vote for Benjamin Harrison. At different times he served as a member of the County Convention. He has been director of the public schools for twenty-one years, and is clerk of the board and earnestly supports the cause of public education at every opportunity. He and his wife are members of the German Lutheran Church at Quincy. Many of the most progressive farmer citizens of Adams County now own their own cars, and the Husemanns have one of the fine Cadillacs, which extends the scope of their enjoyment and social privileges so that the attractions of the city and the homes of their remote friends are practically as accessible as were the homes of their closest neighbors only a few years ago.

WILLIAM KIMBLE is one of the generation of younger farmers of Adams County, and in a few brief years during the present great era of prosperity has marched rapidly towards independence and toward an important share in the success and prosperity of the American agriculturist.

He was born in Schuyler County, Illinois, March 6, 1881, a son of Samuel and Ilester (Hill) Kimble. His father was born in Ohio in 1845 and his mother in 1851. They came with their respective families when young to Schuyler County, Illinois, married there, and in 1887 sold their farm and moved to Adams County, locating in Northeast Township, on a place of eighty acres. They finally sold that homestead and retired to Golden, where the father died in 1912. His widow is still living in Golden. They had seven children: Rosa, Mrs. Edward Ford, of Golden; Flossie, wife of Lyman Glenn, of Bowen, Illi- nois; Marion, of Bowen; Elzy, of Bowen; William; Clarence, of Bowen; and Annie, wife of Max Crossland, of Bowen.

William Kimble spent his boyhood chiefly on the farm near Golden and attended the public schools of that village. Since manhood his best efforts have ben employed in agricultural enterprise. In 1915 he bought his present farm of eighty acres in section 6 of Houston Township. He handles prac- tically all the land himself, using it for producing the staple crops and the raising of good live stock. Mr. Kimble has a number of pure bred Chester White hogs and also some of the Duroc Jersey swine. He has so far not par-

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ticipated to any extent in politics or ever been a candidate for office. He votes independently in local affairs and in national politics is a republican.

Mr. Kimble married Miss Maud Cunningham, daughter of Andrew and Anna Cunningham, early settlers of Hancock County. The mother is still living on the old farm near Bowen. Mrs. Kimble died in 1908, and her only child died in infancy. On December 23, 1915, Mr. Kimble married Mrs. Nellie Willard Robinson. She was the mother of one son by her first husband, named Hamill. Mrs. Kimble is a daughter of William Madison Willard, and mem- ber of that well known family in Houston Township concerning whom much is said on other pages of this publication.

ORVAL BOLING. Of the families that have been longest identified with the agricultural community of Columbus Township, that of Boling is conspicuous. A number of the name have lived in Adams County, and of the present gen- eration one of the leading farmers of the township is Orval Boling, whose home is in section 20.

He was born at the old Boling homestead in Concord Township March 6. 1882. His grandfather, Deloss Boling, was a native of Kentucky and came to Adams County when a young unmarried man, locating in Liberty Township, where he married Miss Hughes. She was born in Adams County. They began life on a farm near the village of Liberty, and as pioneers they had to take the land in a raw condition, clear and break it out, and used oxen for that labor. All their children were born in Liberty Township. Later the family moved to Concord Township. The children of Deloss Boling were William, Thomas, Jackson, Jefferson, George, Fannie, Elizabeth and Harriet. Of these Harriet, Jefferson and George are still living. Deloss Boling undertook to improve a new farm in Concord Township, and he died there when about sev- enty years of age. His widow later removed to Galveston in Hancock County, and died at the home of her daughter Fannie when past ninety years of age. Both the grandparents were members of the Primitive Baptist Church. Grand- father Boling was a democrat, and that line of politics has been adhered to by his children and grandchildren.

Jefferson Boling, father of Orval, was born in Liberty Township February 17, 1851. He attended as a boy the Rock School at Liberty. He married in Concord Township Mrs. Mary (Hanke) Schieferdecke. She was born in Adams County August 12, 1852, and was three times married. Her first husband, William Vering, died in the prime of life, leaving two sons, Fred and William, both of whom are married and are farmers in this county. Her second hus- band was Louis Schieferdecke, who died when still in the prime of life. His two children were Louis and Amelia, both of whom live in Adams County, are married and have children.

After his marriage Jefferson Boling lived on the old homestead in Concord Township until 1905, when he bought the old Robinson farm in Columbus Township. There his wife died in July, 1911, at the age of sixty-one. Since then Jefferson Boling has lived retired in the village of Columbus and is now sixty-eight years of age. He is a member of the Christian Church. His chil- dren are: Orval, Elpha, wife of Loren Marshall, of Columbus Township: Arthur, who was born December 25. 1886, and died unmarried at the age of thirty-one; Lawrence, who lived on his father's homestead in Adams County for a number of years, and is married and has a son, Gaylord; Iva, wife of Robert McFarland, of Columbus Township, and the mother of two daughters. Maxine and Frances; Elmer, now a soldier in camp at Newport News, Virginia.

Orval Boling grew up in Concord Township, and five years ago bought the old Naylor farm in section 22 of Columbus Township. Recently he sold that place, and in the fall of 1918 began occupation of the old homestead southeast of Columbus, where he operates 168 acres. This is one of the best farms of the township, has a well improved home and two large barns, well fitted for grain and stock.

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Mr. Boling married in Columbus Township Miss Ethel May Wheeler. She was born near her present home Angust 4, 1885, a daughter of William and Elda (Marshall) Wheeler. Her parents now live in the village of Columbus. Mr. and Mrs. Boling have four children: Halford, born August 8, 1906, a promising youth and a good student in the seventh grade of the common schools; Mabel F., born April 29, 1908, is now in the fifth grade of the public sehools; Gladys May, born December 4, 1909; and Gerald Wheeler, who was born August 18, 1911, both of whom are also in school. Mr. and Mrs. Boling are members of the Christian Church at Columbus, and he is serving as dea- eon. His politieal affiliations are with the democratie party.

AUGUST HENRY HEITHOLT. One of the good homes in southern Adams County which refleet the enterprise and ability of the owner is that of August Henry Heitholt in Fall Creek Township, a mile east of Fall Creek Station and twelve miles east of Quincy. Mr. Heitholt has spent practically all his life in Fall Creek Township, and his people have been in Adams County for seventy years.

Mr. Heitholt was born not far from his present home Angust 16, 1873, son of John Henry and Mary (Grotegnth) Heitholt. John H. Heitholt was born in Germany March 8, 1833, and was educated in his native country. In 1846 he came to Ameriea by sailing vessel to New Orleans, and thenee up the river to Quincy. For five or six years, being without eapital, he worked on farms on monthly wages. In 1860 he married Miss Mary Groteguth, daughter of Philip Groteguth of Fall Creek Township. They were the parents of five chil- dren, and they were all young when their mother died in February, 1875, at the age of thirty-five.

After his marriage John H. Heitholt acquired the eighty-acre farm where his son August was born and which is now owned by the latter's brother Wil- liam. John Il. Heitholt made all the improvements there, cleared off the tim- her and brush, and inereased it eventually to 160 acres. His first home was a log house. This was the old William Inghes farm, and ineluded about fifty acres of fine bottom land. John Heitholt also bought 100 acres of bottom land three miles away. For his 160 aeres he paid $7,500. He eventually succeeded in elearing and making a fine grain farm of his bottom land. John H. Heitholt was a very progressive man in local improvements. He was one of the pro- moters of and served until his death as a commissioner of the Fall Creek Drainage District, a project which resulted in the reclamation of 6,000 aeres of highly productive land. He was sueeeeded as commissioner by his son Angust Henry. John H. Heitholt was a demoerat in politics, and served as road commissioner for twenty-three years and also as a school director. IIe was a very active member in the Bluff Hall Congregational Church, being one of its organizers and serving as trustee or deacon. John H. Heitholt married for his second wife Elizabeth B. Speckhart, a member of the well known and prominent Speckhart family of the county. John H. Heitholt died in 1907, and his second wife passed away in February, 1918.

The children of his first marriage were: Hannah, whose first husband was Mr. Walbrink, and she died in middle life, the wife of George Keil: Carrie married William Cornwell, of Ursa Township, and their twin sons, Elmer and Wilmer, are now wearing the khaki with the United States army; Mollie is the wife of Fred Schnellbacher, of Fall Creek Township: Lizzie married Freneh Gibbs, of Quiney; and August Henry is the youngest and was abont a year and a half old when his mother died. His father also had three children by his second wife: Emma, who died at the age of thirty-five, the wife of Charles Luce; William. on the old homestead farm: and Anna, wife of William Kal- tenbach, of Fall Creek Township.

After the death of his mother August Henry Heitholt was taken to the home of his mother's sister, Mrs. Samuel Reneeker, for two years. He then returned to his father and step-mother, and he and his sisters have always had

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the most kindly memories of their step-mother, who was in very truth a mother to them. His years up to the age of twenty-five were spent at home, and dur- ing that time he attended the local sehools.

At that age Mr. Heitholt married Matilda Uebner, daughter of Casper and Elizabeth Uebner, and sister of Adam, Anna and Andrew U'ebner of Fall Creek, Mrs. William Kaltenbach, and Mrs. William Watson of Fall Creek and Mrs. Charles Schmidt of Freeport, Kansas. Mrs. Heitholt was born in Fall Creek Township. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Heitholt rented land for four years, and then bought their present farm from Joseph Hughes. This is also a part of the old William Hughes estate. It had an old house, and sinee then Mr. and Mrs. Heitholt built themselves a good home, also a barn, and have effected many other improvements. Their land is excellently situated, just a quarter of a mile back from the main Bluff Road. At the present time he has 238 aeres, ineluding 160 acres formerly owned by his father. His farming is chiefly in grain and hogs, and he raises about 100 hogs annually.

Mr. Ileitholt served as tax collector one year, has been a member of the school board for several years, and was elected and served continuously for eleven years as supervisor, until he finally retired from the office in the spring of 1918. He has also for three years been chairman of the Road and Bridge committee. Ile is a democrat. an active party worker and a member of the County Central Committee. le and his family are members of the Bluff Hall Congregational Church, of which he is a trustee.

Mr. and Mrs. Heitholt have one son. Carson Henry, born January 16, 1902, now in high school. Another member of their household since their marriage has been Mrs. Heitholt's sister, Miss Anna Uebner.

JOHN T. SMITH. While he represents one of the old and prosperous fam- ilies of Northwestern Adams County, John T. Smith has not depended upon a family name and its influence to promote his individual prosperity in life. With the aid of a capable wife he began with very small capital and has actu- ally cleared and developed a tract of land that was formerly of no special value or usefulness, and is now owner of a farm whose productiveness speaks for itself. His home is in Ursa Township, four miles north of Ursa.

lle was born in this township April 18. 1854, and is a son of the late Ben- jamin A. and Delilah (Spears) Smith. His father, long a prominent citizen of Ursa Township, died on his farm home in section 14 of Ursa Township March 25, 1911. He was born in Kentucky December 12. 1830. His parents were Caleb and Mary Ann (Renck) Smith, also natives of Kentucky. About 1840 Caleb Smith moved to Illinois and located on a farm seven miles east of Carthage in Haneock County. He lived there until his death in 1894, and his wife passed away in 1884.

Benjamin A. Smith was reared in Illinois from the age of ten, had a pub- Jie school education in Hancock County, and in 1850, at the age of twenty, moved to Adams County. At that age he located in seetion 14 of Ursa Town- ship, and that loeality continued to be his home for over sixty years. July 23, 1851, he married Miss Delilah Spears, who was born in Kentucky August 7. 1828, daughter of John and Catherine (Grimes) Spears. Her father died in 1870. Delilah's only brother, Abraham Spears, died a few years ago in Ursa Township. Benjamin A. Smith during his aetive lifetime kept a large and well appointed farm, comprising 136 aeres, and expended most of his en- ergies upon its improvement and cultivation. He continued aetive until well past the age of seventy. His wife died December 12, 1917, and of their four children, three grew to maturity: John T .: Sarah E., who died in December. 1913, the wife of Lorenzo Worley, who is still living in Ursa Township; and Levi A., who was born January 23, 1865, married Aliee Young, and now oecu- pies the old Smith homestead.

John T. Smith was reared and educated in this county, and spent most of his years at home until his marriage. June 7, 1876, he married Ella A. Camp-

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bell, who died February 26, 1911. On September 10, 1913, he mar- ried Elizabeth May Byrd, who was born in Quincy, a daughter of Doctor Byrd, a prominent old time physician of that city. Mr. Smith's children are all by his first wife. Ollie May is the wife of Willard J. Smith, a carpenter and farmer at Ursa; Grace Bessie is the wife of Irving Agard, an Ursa Township farmer; Charles E. is a farmer and a member of the school board; Levi A. mar- ried Viola Kime. The sons are now partners with their father in the operation of the farm.

It was in September, 1878, that Mr. Smith bought sixty acres of bottom land included in his present farm. He paid $40 per acre. At that time it was covered with willows, there was no drainage, and practically none of it had ever been devoted to successful production. He fenced, cleared, and worked steadily year after year in making a farm. Within the last two years this land has been placed within a drainage district and is now one of the most fertile tracts in the county. Beginning with sixty acres Mr. Smith has added from time to time until he now has a well balanced farm of 227 acres. For the last sixty-seven acres that he bought he paid $200 an acre. This indicates the general advance in land values, largely representing improvements made. In 1902 Mr. Smith erected a good substantial home, and his barn was built in 1906. The bottom lands produce abundantly of corn and wheat, and every year he has a large number of Poland China hogs for the market. At the time of their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Smith had about $1,000 as their capital, and that became the first payment they made on the sixty acres of land. The rest of his prosperity represents the value of his own labors and good management. He also owns eighty acres of timber land in section 31, six miles away from his home farm. Mr. Smith is a democrat but has never sought public office of any kind and has no church affiliations. He has been affiliated with the Ursa Lodge of Odd Fellows since 1892, and aside from farming and home life he takes his recreation chiefly through an occasional hunting trip.

WILLIAM W. WITT. Some of the oldest and best known American names in Adams County are represented by William W. Witt, a resident of Quincy, but whose activities for many years have identified him with farming in the north part of the county and with extensive operations as a buyer and shipper of grain and live stock. In that business he is associated with his brother Sam- uel O. of Keene Township. William W. Witt has his farming and land inter- ests in Houston Township, owning 160 acres of well improved land with a good set of farm buildings. The brothers have other lands in the county. For the past three years Mr. W. W. Witt has occupied a nice home at 2001 Hampshire Street in Quincy.

He was born in Houston Township of this county in 1869, and was reared and educated in the local schools. His experience since boyhood has largely consisted of farming and stock raising, and he early developed a special ca- paeity and skill as a dealer in live stock.

His parents were George and Sarah A. (Thompson) Witt. His father was born in Adams County and the grandparents came here in early days from Virginia, locating in Houston Township and doing their part as pioneers. The grandparents were members of the Methodist Church, and both of them died in Houston Township. George Witt grew up in Houston Township and married his wife at LaBelle, Missouri. She was born there, where her people had located in the early days.

After their marriage George Witt and wife established a home of their own in Houston Township, and later took possession of his father's old estate. George Witt spent many industrious and profitable years in that locality and died when about sixty years of age. He owned one of the fine farms and had a leading position as a stock raiser and dealer for many years. The record of the children of George Witt and wife begins with George Emmett, who is now living in California. He is an inventor and manufacturer of a special type

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of furnace for burning crude oil, and extensively used in ships and manufac- turing plants. He is married, and his daughters are Blanche and Ina, both married, and Blanche has children of her own. Adelia, the sceond child in the family, is a graduate of Knox College and taught in Adams County and at Fresno, California, before her marriage to C. W. Vaughn. Mr. and Mrs. Vaughn reside at Berkeley, California, and in connection with his brother-in- law Mr. Vaughn is in the real estate business. The next in age of the family is William W. Witt. Samuel O., above referred to as a business associate of William W., has one of the high class farms of Keene Township. He married for his first wife Nellie Tomas, of Adams County. She died at the age of twenty-seven, leaving one son, Roy B., who is now in special training for the war at the University of Illinois and has a non-commissioned rank. Samuel O. Witt married for his second wife Ruth Johnson, and has a son, Samuel O., Jr.

William W. Witt married in Keene Township Celia Andrews. She was born in Keene Township and was reared and educated there. IIer grand- father was James Andrews and her father, William A. Andrews, both natives of Pennsylvania. William A. Andrews was born in Adams County, Pennsyl- vania, October 17, 1849, and was brought to Adams County, Illinois, by his parents in 1855. James Andrews located in Mendon Township, and he and his wife spent the rest of their lives there, dying at a good old age. They were members of the Lutheran Church. William Andrews grew up in Mendon Township, and married in Keene Township Sarah J. Wilcox. She was born in Mendon Township, daughter of Thomas and Jane Wilcox. Sarah Wileox was born in 1851. Her father was a native of England and her mother of Ireland. They were married in Adams County, and were substantial farm- ers of Keene Township for many years, where they died in old age. They were members of the English Episcopal Church, and had eight children, five of whom are still living. William Andrews after his marriage located in Keene Township and acquired a valuable farm of ninety-six acres. He died there when only forty-seven years of age. He was a republican in polities. After his death his widow married Samuel H. MeClung, and they are now living re- tired in Mendon Township. Mrs. Witt's mother is very active in church. Wil- liam A. Andrews and wife had the following children: James T., born March 10, 1875, owns and oeeupies the old homestead in Keene Township and married Bertha Fleteher, of Mendon. Their children are: William, who is serving in the United States Navy on the battleship North Dakota, Fleteher, Celia, Grace and Paul. The only other child of William A. Andrews is Mrs. Witt.

Mr. and Mrs. Witt had four children: William Everett, who is attend- ing the Gem City Business College; Sarah Vaughn, born in 1901, and a student in high school; Forest O., born in 1904, a freshman in the Quiney High School; and Clifford Seldon, born in 1909, a grade school pupil. Mr. Witt is a thirty-second degree Mason, and a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Modern Woodmen of America at Loraine, and his brother Samuel is identified with the same fraternities. As a family they all are members of the Christian Church. Mrs. Witt is a member of the Eastern Star.

FREDERIC M. PENDLETON, M. D., has found the reward which goes with a long and active service in the profession of medieine. For over twenty years he has praetieed at Quiney, and his fame has steadily grown and spread as a specialist in diseases of the eye, ear, nose and throat. Doctor Pendleton has a splendid suite of offices in the Sterns Building, and has every facility needed to supplement his skill and special experience in his line.

Doetor Pendleton represents an old American family that has been in this country for ten generations, going baek to Major Brian Pendleton, who eame from England and was a soldier in some of the early colonial wars. The heads of the subsequent generations were: Captain James; Joseph; William ; Cap- tain Joshua of the Revolutionary war; Joshua, Jr .; and Charles Pendleton,

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grandfather of Doctor Pendleton. Charles Pendleton spent his life as a farmer and stock raiser in New York State. His son. Rev. Henry Pendleton, was born at Lansingburg, near Troy, New York, in 1832. He grew up there, ac- quired a good education, and in early life was a mechanic. He married Har- riet Smith, who was born in the same place and in the same year, 1832. About 1860 the family moved to Minooka, Illinois, where his parents had spent a brief period in earlier years, and here the father engaged in the hardware business. He also studied for the Methodist ministry, and was licensed to preach and carried on the work in connection with the hardware business at Minooka, Illinois, until he was accidentally killed in a railroad wreck near there January 25, 1864. He was only thirty-two years when he died. His old- est daughter, Mary, died six months later. His widow passed away January 7, 1917, at the advanced age of eighty-five. Doctor Pendleton has two sisters : Mrs. Carrie J. Coop, of Oklahoma, mother of two married danghters; and Mrs. Lula C. Morgan, who lives at White Bluff, Tennessee, and has two daughters.

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Quincy and Adams County history and representative men, Vol. II, Part 101

Author: Wilcox, David F., 1851- ed Publication date: 1919 Publisher: Chicago, New York, The Lewis Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 952

Author: Wilcox, David F., 1851- ed
Publication date: 1919
Publisher: Chicago, New York, The Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 952