Quincy and Adams County history and representative men, Vol. II, Part 114

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 114

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William T. Ray acquired, largely by his own efforts, a good education, his carly schooling being of the rural type. In 1894 he bought his father's home- stead and his steady progress in farming has enabled him to accumulate 590 acres, including some of the finest land in Concord Township. As a stock- man he has at this writing about 130 head of cattle, some fifty head of hogs, thirty head of horses and mules and about 140 sheep.

In MeKec Township Mr. Ray married Miss Ellen Varner. She was born in that township November 3, 1865, and was reared and educated there. Her parents, Robert and Rose (Corrigan) Varner, were well known pioneer farmers in that township and spent their lives there. Mr. and Mrs. Ray have four children, who do them honor. Rose Agnes, the oldest, was born in 1893, and is now the wife of Ray Vering, a Concord Township farmer. Mr. and Mrs. Vering have two children, Robert Roy and Genevieve R. John Robert Ray, born March 4, 1895, is a graduate of high school and the Gem City Business College, and is now a private in a Machine Gun Battalion at Camp Sheridan. Margaret E., born JJuly 7, 1897, was well educated in the local schools. Mary Esther, born February 25, 1900, has finished the grade schools and is still at home.

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JEREMIAH STRICKLER, who has been a resident of Adams County for eighty years, was born in Pennsylvania December 26, 1835, and was brought to this county by his parents in 1837.

He is a son of David and Emily Striekler, both natives of Pennsylvania. His father was a cabinet maker by trade, but in Adams County spent his time chiefly as a farmer. He died in Augusta, over the line in Hancock County, at the age of seventy-five, and his wife also passed away at the same age at Camp Point. Their children were Stewart, Wesley, Abram, Elizabeth, Lewis, Clark, Jeremiah, David, Maria, John and Emily. Those still living are Lewis, Jeremiah, Maria and Emily. The father voted as a republican and was a member of the Methodist Church.

Jeremiah Strickler grew up on a farm, had a limited education in the schools of his day, and for a number of years operated a farm in Camp Point Township, selling that to buy his present eighty acre farm in Houston Town- ship. He still owns that farm, but since 1913 has lived retired in Golden. Mr. Strickler is an independent voter.

In 1857 he married Miss Serelda Downing. They had four children, Olive, Anna, Wilbur and Lora. The mother died in 1892, and Mr. Strickler married a second wife and has one daughter, Amy Alice.

HOWARD J. VICKERS. The Viekers family has been one of the most prom- inent in Adams County sinee pioneer times, and their activities as farmers and land owners made them especially well known in Burton Township. Some of the largest benevolenees in behalf of educational and other institutions in the county were the act of the late Howard J. Viekers.

Many of the statistical records regarding the family are found in the old Burton Cemetery. The father of Howard J. Vickers was Aquilla A. Vickers, who, according to the date there recorded, died September 24, 1862, aged sixty-nine years, one month, twenty-eight days. His wife, Ann. died August 1, 1863, aged sixty-five years, four months, four days. Among their children were the following: John A. Viekers, who died August 15. 1868, aged twenty- three; Archibald Vickers. born October 14, 1837, and died October 15, 1895; Thomas Vickers, who served in Company D of the One Hundred and Sixtieth Ohio Infantry; Aquilla Vickers, born September 4, 1831, and died August 19, 1904, was a member of Company A of the Tenth Illinois Cavalry; John W. Vickers, who died October 29, 1876, aged forty-six years, ten months, fourteen days, and Priscilla Vickers, born in Grant County, Kentucky, May 2, 1830, and died May 21, 1882, aged fifty-two years and eighteen days.

Howard J. Vickers was born in 1832 and died in 1911. His first wife, An R., died December 24, 1863, aged thirty-two years, nine months, one day. His second wife, Ann M., was born September 7, 1835, and died February 23, 1890. His third wife, Sarah J., was born October 16, 1843, and died July 24, 1902.

A large part of the old Vickers homestead in Burton Township, ten miles east of Quincy, is now owned and operated by Mr. and Mrs. George C. Mollen- hauer. Mrs. Mollenhauer is a granddaughter of Howard J. Viekers. George C. Mollenhauer was born two miles north of Burton Village May 30, 1877, and is a member of a family whose records are given more in detail on other pages. lle remained at home until reaching his majority, attending the grammar schools, and is a graduate of the Gem City Business College. He and his brother-in-law, Charles C. Kleinschmidt, then bought an established business at Twelfth and Ohio streets in Quincy, conducted it four years, and in 1901, after his marriage, Mr. Mollenhauer came to his present farm. This comprises 200 acres.

On May 30, 1900, Mr. Mollenhauer married Miss Ada Lewis, daughter of George and Lucy (Vickers) Lewis. Ada Lewis was born on the farm where she now lives. This land was originally obtained by members of the Vickers family directly from the Government. Howard Viekers married for his first wife Ann Harris. Her only child to reach maturity was Lucy Vickers, who

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was born a mile distant from the old homestead. She was eleven years of age at the death of her mother. She was educated in local schools and in a young ladies' school at Quincy, and also at Camp Point, finishing in the college at LaGrange, Missouri. She taught school in West Virginia, where she met and married George T. Lewis, who was reared in that state. After their marriage they came to Adams County and spent most of their lives on a farm of 120 acres given Lucy by her father, Howard J. Vickers. The old Vickers homestead originally comprised 400 acres. Mrs. Iney Lewis on account of ill health went south with her husband and died in San Antonio, Texas, at the age of forty-three, and her husband remained in the South and died at the age of sixty-four.

Ada Lewis after the death of her parents returned to the home of her grandfather, Howard J. Vickers, and also lived back in West Virginia with some of her mother's people.

Many years ago Howard J. Vickers became interested in Chaddock' College at Quincy, and gradually donated much of his property to that institution. HIe gave the old farm where his daughter Lucy was born, and made other dona- tions. IIe served as a trustee of the college for many years. Howard J. Vickers married for his fourth wife Rebecca Cormeny, who is still living in Quincy. Howard Vickers was one of the leading members of the Pleasant Grove Meth- odist Episcopal Church, and was an ardent prohibitionist. He married his second wife, Ann Maria Richards, February 15, 1866. It was in 1881 that he and this wife donated their $8,000 farm to Chaddock College and thus made possible the building of Vickers Hall, consisting of a dormitory and college chapel.

Mrs. Mollenhauer inherited 140 acres from her father, and she and her husband have occupied this farm since 1901. Howard Vickers also gave them sixty acres additional, so that they now have 200 acres. Howard Vickers during his last years lived with his granddaughter Ada and her husband and depended upon them for advice and counsel in all his business matters.

Mr. Mollenhaner is a general farmer, having high grade stock of all kinds. He has served as clerk of Burton Township at three different periods, is a republican, and has served as a member of the township committee. He and his wife are active members of the Pleasant Grove Methodist Episcopal Church, and he is a trustee and assistant superintendent of the Sunday school. They are the parents of four children, great-grandchildren of Howard J. Vickers, named George Lewis, Howard Vickers and Harold Henry, twins, and Virgil Allen.

REV. CECIL CLYDE WISHER is pastor of the Christian Church at Camp Point, and as such a brief sketch of his career is appropriate for publication in this history.

Rev. Mr. Wisher was born at Centralia, Illinois, October 23, 1879, son of Samuel M. and Ruhama H. (Wright) Wisher. His mother was born in Illinois in 1854. His father was a native of Ross County, Ohio, and when a child was brought to LaSalle, Illinois, by his parents, Thomas and Harriet (Horner) Wisher. The grandparents spent many years on their farm near LaSalle and later moved to Marion County and died at Centralia. Their children were David A., Mary, John, Samuel M., Clara, Benjamin F. and William. Samuel M. Wisher has spent his active career as a farmer. He enlisted in Company B of the Eighteenth Illinois Infantry, and saw much hard service during the war. David A. and John were also soldiers, and both were wounded. Samnel Wisher is a member of the Grand Army Post, is a thirty-second degree Scottish Rite Mason, is a republican, and he and his wife are active members of the Christian Church. They had five children: Olive, Cecil Clyde, Etna, Jennie and Harry.

Cecil C. Wisher spent his early life on a farm, attended the district schools, and graduated from the Edinburg High School in his home county. In 1904

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he finished the literary course at Eureka College, and in 1907 was graduated from the Theological Department of the same institution. He was ordained a regular minister in 1907, but his practical work in the church began in 1902, as pastor of Bellflower in MeLean County. He was there six years, and was stationed at Saybrook in the same county seven years. In 1915 he came to Camp Point, and has become greatly beloved by the people of his own church and by all the citizens of Camp Point Township. Reverend Wisher is affiliated with the Masonic Order, having taken the thirty-second degree of the Scottish Rite. He married Catherine Melntyre, of Bellflower, Illinois. They have two children : Paul Ilugh, born June 28, 1909; and Catherine Ruhama, born April 18, 1911.

ROY SHARRON is a prominent young farmer and stock raiser of the Camp Point community, has served as township elerk, and in many ways has made himself a factor in that locality.

He was born on the old homestead in Houston Township February 26, 1888, a son of John and Lillie (Jacobs) Sharron. His mother was born in Houston Township December 17, 1861, daughter of John W. and Emily (Bennett) Jacobs. Emily Bennett was a daughter of Thomas Bennett, one of the pioneers of Adams County. John W. Jacobs came to this eounty from Indiana in an early day and was one of the largest land holders in the county, owning fully a section here and also much other land in Nebraska. He died at his home in llouston Township in 1896, and his widow is now living in Golden.

John Sharron, father of Roy, was born in Ohio in December, 1856, and came to this eounty when about ten years of age, traveling overland by wagon. His father, William Sharron, settled in Pike County and died there. John Sharron's mother died when he was a child. John Sharron was a farmer. was a demo- crat, and served many years as road commissioner. They had three sons: Lee W., on the home farm ; Roy L .; and C. Earl, who spent one year in train- ing at Camp Grant, is now a sergeant in the One Hundred and Sixty-First Regiment with the Eighty-Sixth Division, and when last reported was at Camp Mills on Long Island about to depart overseas.

Roy 1. Sharron grew up on the old homestead, attended the public schools and also an academy at Iberia, Missouri. Farming has been his regular voca- tion since early manhood. He owns eighty-five aeres in section 20 of Houston Township, and is associated with his brother Lee in the thoroughbred stock business. They have pure bred Shorthorn and Polled Durham cattle and Chester White hogs.

Mr. Roy Sharron served as township elerk four years. He is an independent demoerat, is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Golden, and with the Tri-State Insurance Order. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Church and very active in its work, and Mr. Sharron has been librarian, superintendent and teacher of the Bible Class in the Sunday school.

March 15, 1912, he married Miss Enla Curless. She was born in Keene Township of this eounty June 5, 1893. Her mother was a member of the Adair family. Her father, Addison Curless, is a merchant at Loraine. Mr. and Mrs. Sharron have two children: Velma E., born February 10, 1914, and Florenee E., born in June, 1917.

JOHN JACOB WAGNER has the good fortune to eall Adams County his home from birth to the present time. His life's activities have been chiefly expressed through the business of fruit growing, gardening and general farming, in which he has made a notable snecess. Mr. Wagner's home is in Melrose Township, and he is one of the citizens of whom there should be a definite record pre- served for the sake of future generations.

Mr. Wagner was born September 3, 1863, son of Peter H. and Margaret (Muller) Wagner. He was the youngest of three children, two sons and one daughter, two of whom are still living. Peter H. Wagner was born on the

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River Rhine, grew to manhood in his native land and was well edueated. He came to America on board a sailing vessel. leaving Bremen and being six weeks on the ocean before landing at New York. From there he came west to St. Louis. He was a florist by oceupation. About the time gold was discovered on the Pacific coast he went across the plains with a caravan made up of ox teams and wagons, and was a gold seeker and argonaut for three years. He returned to the States by the Paeifie Oeean, the Isthmus of Panama, and aeross the Gulf to New Orleans, thenee up the Mississippi River to St. Louis. In 1857 Peter Wagner eame to Quiney, and this county remained his home until his death. He bought a traet of eighty aeres of land in Melrose Township, and his sons still carefully preserve the government deed to that land, which is one of the few pieces of original parchment still kept by the older families. Peter Wagner was a republican in polities, but was never an aspirant for office. He and his wife were members of the German Lutheran Church. He died May 20, 1898. His wife was also born in Germany and came to the United States when a young woman. She died in November, 1884, and both are now at rest in the Green Mount Cemetery.

Johu Jaeob Wagner was educated in the public schools of Adams County, and was well trained for the eareer which he has followed as a practical agri- culturist. On April 7, 1885, at the age of twenty-two, he married Miss Caroline F. Pflueger. To their marriage were born six children, four sons and two daughters, all of whom are still living. Bessie received her diploma from the eighth grade of the public schools and is now the wife of Jacob Kroeneke, a farmer at Eubank Station. They have a daughter, Ruth. Charles H., the oldest son, lives in Riverside Township and is a carrier on the rural mail route. He is married and has two daughters, Margaret and Marian. Jacob, the second son, is connected with the Cudahy Company at Quiney and is married. Albert G. is at home and assisting his father in the management of the farm. Maymie completed the course of the eighth grade and is at home. Oscar is the youngest. child and has also been given a good education. Mr. and Mrs. Wagner among other accomplishments deserve eredit for the family they have reared and the edneation they have provided them as a training for their responsible eareers.

Mrs. Wagner was born in Adams County November 29, 1864. She had a good practical education, and has made a splendid home maker and mother, and has a host of friends in the community.

After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Wagner began life on their present farm, and its substantial improvements largely represent the expenditure of their energies, planning and persistent work. The Wagner farm comprises forty-five aeres, splendidly situated on the State Aid road, and is cultivated almost as a complete garden and orchard, fruit and vegetables being the erops that have brought abundance and prosperity to the family.

In polities Mr. Wagner is an independent, giving his vote where he thinks it will do the most good. He has been a staneh friend of the public schools, and for twenty-four years was a school director in his distriet. He is affiliated with Lodge No. 39 of the Masons at Quiney and is also a past noble grand of Adams Lodge No. 365 of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. . He and his wife and family are active in the German Lutheran Church. There is unusual coincidenee in the dates of the children's hirth. Bessie and Jacob were both born on February 28th, four years apart, while Charles and Maymie celebrate their birthday anniversaries on the 12th of May.

JOHN EHMEN, one of the widely known men in Northeastern Adams County. a practical and successful farmer, was born in Houston Township of this county October 1, 1869, son of E. and Rinnie Ehmen. IIis father came to Adams County when about twenty-one years of age, and the mother when a child with her parents, the Miller family locating in Clayton Township. Mr. Ehmen's father was a blacksmith by trade, and located at Chatten in Ilouston Township, where he conducted a shop for many years and where he died in 1904, at the

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age of sixty-five. His widow survived until September 20, 1917, and died at the age of sixty-eight. They were members of the Lutheran Church at Golden and the father was a democrat. Their family consisted of Jolin, Mary, Geesche, Trenke, Minnie, Emma, George, Albert, Richard and Anna. The son Albert is now railway station agent at Chatten, an office formerly held by his father.

John Ehmen was educated at Chatten, and since reaching his majority has applied his efforts most successfully to farming. He bought a farm of 120 acres in Northeast Township, sold that and bought twenty-four aeres in the Village of Golden, building a house and otherwise improving it, but sold that in 1914 and came to his present place in Clayton Township, where he has 120 aeres. Mr. Ehmen is independent in politics and a member of the Lutheran Church.

In February, 1893, he married Miss Hiemke Post, daughter of Fred Post, of Champaign County, Illinois. They have two children: Emma, born April 16, 1895, and Graee Lucile, born July 28, 1906. Emma is the wife of Henry R. Gronewald, of Houston Township, and they have three children : Luellen, Leo and Violet.

CHRISTOPHER S. BOOTH is a member of one of the oldest families of Adams County, and has become widely known both here and elsewhere for his strongly original qualities of mind and his inventive genius.

Mr. Booth was born in Gilmer Township, March 19, 1856, a son of William A. and Marie Jane (Bradley) Booth. This branch of the Booth family, which has been so numerously represented in Adams County, originated with William Booth, who was born in England in February, 1745. He emigrated to America and settled in the Virginia colonies and later went across the mountains to Kentucky. At one time he was a pioneer school teacher. He died in Kentucky. The record of his children is: Polly, born May 22, 1774; George, born February 14, 1777 ; John, born June 7, 1779; William, born February 14, 1781; Stephen, born February 14, 1786; Anderson, born May 4, 1789; Elijah, born January 20, 1791 ; and Prudence, born December 8, 1795.

Stephen Booth, who was born in Virginia February 14, 1786, went to Ken- tucky in 1807. He married in that state Mary Congleton in 1811. In 1833 Stephen Booth brought his family to Adams County, Illinois, and settled in Ursa Township, where he did his part in clearing up the wilderness and also in establishing homes and civilized institutions. He was a large land owner there and he died in that loeality in 1867. His children were: Armelda, born July 30, 1812; Clarinda, born January 16, 1814; Naney, born May 17, 1815; William Anderson, born October 9, 1818; Elizabeth, born October 26, 1820: Judith, born December 3, 1822; Emily, born September 26, 1825; Mary Martha, born January 3, 1828; Sarah Ann, born February 5, 1830; Christopher Columbus, born December 8, 1831; and Catherine Frances, born October 11, 1835.

William A. Booth, father of Christopher S., was born in Kentucky October 9, 1818, was reared in that state, and was fifteen years of age when brought to Adams County. For a time he was a schoolmaster, but his chief interests were farming and breeding Merino sheep. He established a large farm of 400 acres two miles west of Columbus in Gilmer Township, and in 1880 moved to Camp Point Township and bought a farm of 285 aeres two miles southwest of the village of that name. On that farm he spent his last days and died August 3, 1890. His wife, Marie A. Bradley, was born in Kentucky in 1833. and died March 23, 1913. William A. Booth was a republican and held the office of assessor in Gilmer Township, and during 1861-62 made up the militia roll of the township. His wife was a member of the Christian Church. Their family consisted of the following children: Mary Franees, born Mareh 7, 1854; Chris- topher Stephen, born Mareh 19. 1856; John Anderson, born December 31. 1857. Nellie, born July 5, 1862: Lulu E., born July 12, 1864; W., born June 14. 1868; Newton, born November 18, 1869; and Ida, born February 25, 1872, and died in February, 1873.

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Christopher S. Booth grew up on the old homestead in Gilmer Township, and after 1880 lived on the farm in Camp Point Township. In 1891 he and his mother removed to the Village of Camp Point, where his mother died and where Mr. Booth still maintains his home. Since about 1887 he has given much of his tinie to the perfection of various mechanical devices, many of them covered by patents. Ilis most important work probably was in perfecting the typewriting machine. He originated what is known as the long bearing type bar. There was a contest over this invention and in 1890 he went to the courts with the matter with W. K. Jenney, superintendent of the Remington Typewriter Company, and Alexander T. Brown, inventor for the Smith-Premier Typewriter Company. Before the litigation had been ended and a decision made as to which party was entitled to the priority of invention, the Smith-Premier Com- pany bought Mr. Booth's application of the principle, and thus eliminated further contest. His type bar was extensively used and exploited by the Smith- Premier Company.

Mr. Booth has usually been a republican in politics. He has contributed many artieles to newspapers on political and social subjects. Ife was the first secretary of the Adams County Farm Institute. He was also the first to pro- pose the improvement of Bailey Park, and was one of the first three park com- missioners. Religiously Mr. Booth described himself as a member of the human family and entitled to all the rights and privileges of the most favored classes. From 1893 to 1903 he was a stockholder in the People's Bank of Camp Point.

WILLIAM B. LIERLE. Probably no family has had longer associations with Columbus Township than the Lierles. One of this family is William B. Lierle, who owns a farm of 105 acres in section 32 of Columbus. This farm is well drained and has l'air building improvements.

Mr. Lierle was born in Liberty Township Mareh 7, 1847, son of Zachariah and Nancy (Wilks) Lierle. Zachariah Lierle was a native of North Carolina. His grandfather, Zachariah Lierle, served as a soldier in the Revolutionary war, and late in life came to Adams County and was laid to rest in Liberty Township, his grave being carefully marked and preserved as that of the only Revolutionary soldier buried in the county. In the same plot was laid to rest a Frenchman who saw active service in Napoleon's army from 1812 to 1815. Zachariah Lierle, father of William B., was born in 1790 and died in North- western Missouri in 1874, at the age of eighty-four. He married for his second wife Polly Tourney, a daughter of the French soldier above referred to.

The mother of William B. Lierle died in 1849, at the age of twenty-five, and was buried in the Lierle cemetery in Liberty Township. Besides William B. she left a son George and a daughter Jane, who married Daniel L. Wilhoit.

The Lierles came into Adams County fully eighty years ago. One of the family was William Lierle, grandfather of William B. He was one of the original seventy-two voters of Adams County at the first election, all of them voting at Quincy. The maternal grandfather of William B. Lierle was Cole- man Wilks, who came to Adams County from Kentucky prior to 1830 and entered government land in Columbus Township. He died during the Civil war. when about sixty years of age. Two of his sons, William and Coleman, Jr., crossed the plains with ox teams in 1849, spent two years in California, and returned by way of the Isthmus.

William B. Lierle married March 2, 1876, in Liberty Township, Eliza E. Schwarz. She was born in that township in 1857, daughter of Jaech Schwarz, a native of Germany who came to the United States when a young man and married at Quincy Miss Elizabeth Cox. The Sehwarz family for many years lived as farmers in Liberty Township. Mrs. Lierle died at her home in Feb- rnary, 1889. She was the mother of three children. Fred T. is a well educated musician, has his home in Chieago, but spends most of his time traveling, fol- lowing his profession. Mattie J. is the wife of Gus Parn, and lives on a farm in Columbus Township. William Roscoe now operates the home farm of his

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Quincy and Adams County history and representative men, Vol. II, Part 114

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