Quincy and Adams County history and representative men, Vol. II, Part 59

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 59

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In 1906, Mr. Stormer, in partnership with his brother Herman H. Stormer, purchased an undertaking business at 918 State Street, Quiney, and continued with him three years, being quite successful. In the meantime he became skilled in the embalming process, attending embalming schools in Chicago and Peoria, and receiving his diploma June 15, 1907. On January 18, 1908, the partnership with his brother having been dissolved, Mr. Stormer started in business alone. and has sinee devoted his time exclusively to undertaking, in which he is very efficient. Ile is located at 803 State Street.

On August 30, 1894, Mr. Stormer was united in marriage with Hannah Seibe, a native of Quincy, and they have one child, Grace, born June 14, 1899. Politically Mr. Stormer is prominent in party affairs, being a member of the Republican Central Committee. Fraternally he belongs to the Woodmen of the World: the Modern Woodmen: the Loyal Order of Moose: Queen of the West; Royal Neighbors of America ; and is a member of the South Side Boat Club. Religiously he and his family are members of the St. James Lutheran Church.

CHARLES W. STURTEVANT. If for no other reason Charles W. Sturtevant, of Plainville, is one of the interesting and honored citizens of Adams County because of his service as a Union soldier during the Civil war. However, he

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has played a worthy part in the county in civil life for fifty or sixty years, and he is still interested in business, though nominally retired.

Mr. Sturtevant was born at Bennington, Vermont, December 1, 1845. Soon after his birth he was adopted by Marshall B. and Fidelia Sturtevant, and with them as a child of 21/2 years was brought West to Illinois. Marshall B. Sturtevant was born in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, October 21, 1818. His father, Daniel Sturtevant, had eighteen ehildren by two wives. The mother of Marshall B. was Hepzibah (Barney) Sturtevant. Marshall B. Sturtevant grew up on a farm and worked in a cotton factory, and on October 6, 1838, married Fidelia Ketchum, daughter of Solomon and Polly ( Hemenway ) Ket- chum. She was born in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, September 18, 1818, but grew up in Massachusetts. Marshall B. Sturtevant and his wife had no chil- dren of their own, except their adopted child, Charles W. They finally arrived in Chicago on their journey westward July 3, 1848, and for eight years lived in Winnebago County, Illinois, at Cherry Valley. They then spent a year at Kinderhook in Pike County, Ilinois, where Marshall Sturtevant built and ran a saw mill. In 1857 he moved to Adams County and located on his farm in seetion 26 of Payson Township, three-quarters of a mile south of Plainville. Marshall B. Sturtevant and wife are well remembered old people of Adams County. The former died July 21, 1908, aged eighty-nine years and nine months. His widow lived for three years after his death with her foster son Charles W., and died JJanuary 17, 1912, aged ninety-three years four months. Marshall B. Sturtevant improved his farm with good buildings and finally willed it to his nephew, Melvin W. Bowker, who had lived in the Sturtevant home from the age of eleven and farmed the place for many years. Mr. Bowker still owns the Sturtevant homestead. M. B. Sturtevant was a charter mem- ber of the Plainsville Masonic Lodge and was buried with Masonie honors. In polities he was a republican.

Charles W. Sturtevant lived with his parents until past twenty-one years of age and received his education in the distriet schools. In the meantime he had made his record as a Union soldier. He enlisted in 1862 in Company F of the One Hundred and Eighteenth Illinois Infantry, and served until dis- charged for disability at Vicksburg in 1863. In the spring of 1865 he joined the army again as a reeruit for Company D of the Fiftieth Illinois Infantry. and reached the command at Goldsboro, North Carolina, participating in some of the last movements of the war, including the Grand Review at Washington. He is a charter member of William Larimore Post No. 591 Grand Army of the Republie, and past commander, and has attended some of the national encamp- ments.

For several years Mr. Sturtevant conducted the home farm for his parents, and then worked as a house painter fifteen years. For six years he was a hardware merchant at Plainville. He then resumed his trade of house painter and also of house carpenter. On July 1. 1906, he accepted the post of carrier for rural route No. 2 out of Plainville. Some of his friends said that he would not continue the work a year, but instead he kept at it for nine years and five months, until he was past the age of seventy. Even after leaving his daily routine of mail delivery he kept np an interest in business affairs as a builder and contractor, occasionally taking a job to build a house or barn from founda- tion to ridgepole. Though a republican, he has never sought publie offiee, but served as president of the village board and in other minor positions. Ile has been a loyal Odd Fellow for thirty years, joining the Plainville Lodge at its organization, passing the various chairs and several times representing it at Grand Lodge. Ile is also a charter member of Camp No. 1116, Modern Woodmen of America. In former years Mr. Sturtevant keenly enjoyed hunt- ing, fishing and other outdoor sports, and as a fine rifle shot his prowess was mueh to be feared in the old time turkey shooting contests.

December 28, 1876, he married Miss Lucretia Haws, a native of Hampshire County, West Virginia. At the age of sixteen she came west with her parents,

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George and Eve Ilaws, who located at Plainville in Adams County. Her father died here three years later and her mother twelve years later. Her mother spent her last years with Mrs. Sturtevant. Mrs. Sturtevant has had the care and responsibility of looking after three old ladies. including her husband's real mother, who has kept in touch with him for many years. She had a son by each of three husbands, and one of these, Charles, half-brother of Charles W. Sturtevant, spent a few years on the Sturtevant homestead. Mr. Sturte- vant's mother died when past eighty years of age. As already noted, his foster mother spent her last years at this home. Thus Mrs. Sturtevant performed a noble part by these old people altogether for a period of seventeen years. Her own mother suffered from paralysis for seven years.

Mr. and Mrs. Sturtevant have two children, the only one growing up be- ing a daughter, Mertie F. Mertie taught for sixteen years, mainly in Adams County, including ten years at the Plainville School. She is still at home with her parents. She is a most independent and effective worker, and is widely known over Adams County. She is active as a Sunday School teacher, and has been particularly active in Red Cross and Liberty Bond campaigns. She runs her own ear, and is always ready to enlist her services in any campaigu for local good or patriotie cause.

JAMES RUSSELL FERGUSON. Some of the first white settlements in Adams County were planted in Burton Township, and the roll of pioneer names in- eludes several members of the Ferguson family. Part of the big stock farm of James Russell Ferguson in that township ineludes a portion of the land ac- quired by his ancestors here ninety years ago.

James Russell Ferguson was born in Burton Township September 18, 1847, son of John and Emily Jane (Pollock) Ferguson. John Ferguson was one of eight brothers, of a family that originated and lived for many years in West- moreland County, Pennsylvania. The father of these brothers was also named James. He was a resident of southwestern Pennsylvania during the years im- mediately following the Revolution, and was a participant in the whiskey rebel- lion, one of the events always referred to in American histories. Some of the sons participated in the War of 1812. Among them was Samuel, a brother of John, who brought a land warrant west and located in Burton Township, and built his log cabin home there as early as 1828. Four years later he volun- teered to serve in the Black Hawk Indian War of 1832.

John Ferguson, father of James R., was born in Jefferson County, Ohio, and his wife at Mansfield in Richland County, that state. John Ferguson came to Adams County in 1833 and his wife the next year. Emily Jane Pollock's father was an Ohio River steamboat captain, and spent many of his winters at Quincy and in Adams County. His brother, Robert Pollock, settled in Burton Township. John and Emily Ferguson were married in Burton Township, and they located in section 2, where his uncle Samnel was the second white settler. John bought the farm of his uncle and he and his brother Robert lived on it for a time as bachelors. Robert Ferguson died at the age of fifty-eight. John Fergu- son died on the old Samuel Ferguson farm at the age of eighty years and his wife at the age of eighty-four. Of this farm eighty acres is now owned by James R. Ferguson. John Ferguson was a very prosperous and energetie business man and farmer, and acquired fully 800 aeres in Missouri and Illinois. His son James R. was associated with him for a number of years and looked after the operation of 460 acres in Illinois, including his present fine farm.

James R. Ferguson had three sisters: Ann Maria, living in Gilmer Town- ship, widow of Thomas Lawless; Clara Viola, Mrs. James Lawless, of Gilmer Township ; and Helen A., now living in Gilmer Township, widow of Doctor Landon, of Burton.

James R. Ferguson has given all his mature years to farming and stock raising. He first acquired 160 aeres, two miles south of the old homestead, and inherited eighty acres of the homestead. He has since added another eighty

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acres, making 240 aeres in his home place, and he now has just exactly a half section of Adams County land and some of the very best soil in the entire county. Mr. Ferguson has been very progressive and has expended nearly $10,000 in building improvements. He raises hogs and cattle, selling the eattle from the grass, and turning off from 100 to 150 fat hogs every season.

At the age of twenty-four he married Miss Emma X. Kimmons, who was born in Adams County, daughter of Luke Kimmons. Her father eame to this county in 1835 from Washington County, Pennsylvania, and thus the Ferguson and the Kimmons families were from about the same section of the Keystone State. Mr. and Mrs. Ferguson have three living children, and Edna and Clarence died in childhood. Ada, their oldest living child, is the wife of Henry Lohse, who is associated with her father in farming. Lulu, now at home, was educated in the Illinois Normal University and was a teacher for ten years in this county. Jessie finished her education in music at Chicago, was formerly a teacher in Adams County, and is now in the same vocation in South Dakota. Mrs. Fergu- son also taught school in early life at Camp Point. Mr. Ferguson is a re- publiean, but without aspirations for office, though for twenty-five years he has been a member of the school board and takes much interest in improving the local schools. He and his wife are members of the Pleasant Grove Methodist Episcopal Church.

HENRY HAMPSHIRE has the proper pride due a citizen of exemplary character and conduct who has spent many years in Adams County, has worked hard, has seen the fruition of his plans and hopes in many respects and all the prosperity he enjoys is only a due reward for the service rendered. The Hamp- smire home is in Payson Township, twenty-one miles southeast of Quiney and 434 miles north of Hull, located on the county line between Adams and Pike counties. The farm is a fine body of land in most excellent condition of tillage and fertility. Its owner has found seope to work out various economic plans in building and in breeding livestoek, and these constructive details served par- tially to offset the strain resulting from the sudden death of his son just coming to maturity. Mr. and Mrs. IFampsmire are closely identified with Akers Chapel of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and exemplifying in their own lives the teachings of the Master they accept with due humility the burdens of service and with a fine realization of ultimate causes they pursue their life's course steadily and bravely.

Henry Hampsmire was born in Lippe-Detmold, Germany, October 15, 1851. He was five and a half years old when his parents. Frank and Louise ( Diekman ) Hampshire, set out for America. His mother's brother, Fred Diekman, and wife also came along. Four sisters were already in Illinois. Mrs. Fred Diekman, Mrs. Gilhouse, mother of Ernest Gilhouse of this county, Mrs. Meyer and Mrs. Miller. The family arrived in Adams County in the spring of 1857. Frank Hampsmire was a brickmaker by trade, but had no capital on reaching Quincy. The first summer he worked for his brother-in-law, Mr. Miller, in a brickyard. He then went to the Abel farm in Burton Township and undertook the heavy work of grubbing new land and making a farm, working out for several of his neighbors. He put in one crop on the Humphrey farm south of Adams. His farming was done with an ox team. Later, on a place 116 miles south of Burton, he contrived during the summer seasons to put in a few acres of crops, and during the winter hauled wood to Quiney for $2 and $2.50 a load. In time, as his sons be- eame able, they assisted him. He continued to rent until about 1869, when he bought a farm of 120 acres in Pike County, on the north line of the county from his son's present place. More of this place was uncleared than cleared and he rented the bottom lands for his immediate crops. lle built a house, the original one being destroyed by fire. Ile had a log barn, but later construeted a better one. He went in debt for a large part of his purchase and had many difficulties to overcome. One wheat erop was destroyed when it was set on fire by the engine while threshing. With some assistance from his sons he finally pulled

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out, and made a good living for himself. His prime purpose in coming to America was to see his sons established in this free land, and he lived to see them in a fair way to prosperity. He lived to the age of eighty, and for a number of years his youngest son had operated his own farm. Ilis first wife was the mother of his children and died about 1879. He remained a widower some eight years, and then married Mrs. Sarah Donelson, widow of Andrew Donelson, of Pike County. The Donelson family had moved to Pike County from Monroe City, Missouri, about the time of the Civil war. Mr. Donelson later went east and died there. Sarah (Wilt) Donelson was born in Pennsyl- vania. She survived her second husband, Frank Hampsmire, about thirteen years, being eighty-three when she passed away. Her last years were spent in the home of her children, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Hampsmire. Frank Hamp- smire by his first marriage had the following children: Fred, who was a farmer and thresherman in Adams and Pike counties, his home being near Seehorn, but he died at the home of a daughter in Payson at the age of sixty- five. The second in age is Henry Hampsmire. William Hampsmire is a farmer at Seehorn in Adams County. August is a Pike County farmer. Ernest died when about twelve or thirteen years of age.

Henry Hampsmire lived at home and bore his share of responsibilities in making a farm for his father. On March 3, 1875, he married Jane Donelson, daughter of Mrs. Sarah Donelson, above mentioned, who afterwards became the wife of Mr. Frank Hampsmire. Mrs. Hampsmire was born in Marion County, Missouri, October 28, 1852, and grew to womanhood in Pike County, Illinois.

After his marriage Mr. Hampsmire secured a farm in Payson Township near his father's place, later selling that to Henry Smith and buying his father's old property. He built additional buildings, and was living there when the tragedy occurred which robbed him of his promising son, Charles Elmer. He and this son were working together gathering cane seed. The son was driving to shelter before an oneoming storm and was struck by a bolt of lightning from a small eloud and killed in his father's presence. The latter was so over- come by this tragedy that he was unable to live on the place longer and about 1906 he sold and came to his present place. This is the old Osear Wagy farm of eighty aeres about two miles east from his old farm. It had a good house, but Mr. Hampsmire has ereeted a large bank barn and many other improve- ments during the last twelve years. The land was sold at a public sale, having been bought in by Henry Hampsmire's son Walter. The land was greatly depreciated by successive eropping and Mr. Hampsmire has done much to build it up by keeping it in pasture for cattle and sheep. He has all the land well fenced, and it is now in a high class condition of fertility and productiveness. His building improvements include sheep and cattle barn, tool house, hog and chicken houses, and he has exercised much ingenuity and followed most ap- proved modern plans in getting this building equipment suitable for the most efficient handling of stock. He breeds Duroc-Jersey hogs and his stock has served the good purpose to raise the standard of stock in the neighborhood. Mr. Hampsmire is a democrat but has never sought office.

A brief record of his children is as follows: Rosa died in childhood. Walter lives on a farm adjoining his father and married Miss Ethel Wagy, daughter of John Wagy, mentioned on other pages of this publication. Frank operates the home farm. The next was the son who was killed by lightning at the age of nineteen. A daughter of Mrs. Hampsmire's brother, Goldie Donelson, was taken into the Hampsmire home at the age of three and a half and lived there until her marriage to James Richmond of Quincy.

HENRY S. COOK was a farmer for many years, still owns a good farm in the county, but for a number of years has made his home in Payson Village, and six days in the week, irrespective of weather or other conditions, carries the mail over route No. 1 throughout the country.

Mr. Cook was born four miles east of Payson in Payson Township August

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5, 1868. His parents were Alonzo T. and Susan ( Wells) Cook, the former a native of New York State and the latter of Pennsylvania, but they were married in Adams County. Alonzo Cook came to this county as a youth with his parents. Grandfather Cook was one of the early settlers in Payson Township. and lived there until his death, when past ninety-two years of age. Henry S. Cook as a boy well remembers his grandfather. Alonzo Cook had two sisters: Mrs. Emma Hedges, who lived in Michigan; and Rhoda, who married Leonard Hoffman and spent her life in Burton Township. Alonzo Cook worked with his father, cleared up a large tract of timbered land, and eventually acquired the old homestead, a farm that has since been sold. He always enjoyed the confi- denee and good will of his fellow citizens and filled various offices, including that of supervisor. He was a democrat. He died in September, 1893, at the age of seventy-two. His widow survived him seventeen years, passing away in 1910. at the age of eighty. Eight of their children reached maturity: Jesse, who spent most of his life in the West and died when past sixty years of age; Chauncey, who lived in Adams County and died at the age of fifty-five; William, a resident of Denver, Colorado: Olive, who taught school in Adams County: was postmaster at Payson four years, and is still unmarried and living at Pomona, California ; Taleott, a resident of Payson; Abner, a Payson Township farmer: Joy, widow of Frank Stratton, of St. Joseph, Missouri; and Henry S.

Henry S. Cook remained at home until after his father's death. On Decem- ber 24, 1893, he married Miss Josephine Getzs, of Burton Township, daughter of Levi and Irene (Hancock) Getzs. Levi Getzs, a well known miller of the county, was born in Franklin County, Ohio, in 1836. His father moved to Newtown in Adams County, Illinois, in 1851 and was a miller by trade. Levi Getzs' parents were John and Harriet Getzs. Levi married in 1861 Miss Irene Hancock, who was born in 1846. In 1863 Levi Getzs embarked in the milling business on Mill Creek in Burton Township, and in 1873 moved the mill to Newtown, where he conducted a custom mill and made flour and ground feed for many years. He and his wife had five children: Isaac, William E., Annie E., Clara P. and Josephine.

Mr. and Mrs. Cook have a farm in Burton Township, and they lived on that and made their living from it for thirteen years. Since then Mr. Cook has rented his farm and has lived in the Village of Payson. For some time he did a considerable business in hauling, but for the past eight years has carried the mail over route No. 1. Mr. Cook is a democrat in politics. He and his wife have a neat home in the village. Mrs. Cook is authority for the statement that Mr. Cook's hobby is a Ford automobile.

CHRISTOPHER RUMP, whose home is in Payson Township, ten miles south- east of Quincy, is one of the enviable men of Adams County, enviable because of what he has done and achieved from a beginning of limited means and cir- eumstances. He has reared a fine family, has provided home and education for them, and has a liberal competence with which to enjoy his own declining years.

Mr. Rump was born on a farm in Burton Township, 21% miles northeast of Burton Village, February 6, 1855, son of Christopher and Sophia Rump. His parents came from Germany soon after their marriage. His father was a earpenter, and in Adams County settled on a tract of brush covered land, but did not have long in which to work out his destiny since he died before his son Christopher could remember him. The mother married again and died when Christopher was six or seven years of age. He was the only one of the two children who survived. Peter Rump, a brother of Christopher, Sr., also came to Adams County, and settled on land adjoining his brother, and died there in middle life. His son, John Rump, is the well known auctioneer of Quiney.

Christopher Rump's mother married for her second husband Christ Tennis. They lived on a farm in Burton Township and there Christopher Rump re- mained to the age of sixteen, when he moved to Payson Township, a mile east

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and quarter of a mile north of his present home. His half-brother, Fred Tennis, now lives a mile sontheast of Plainville. At the age of twenty-one Christopher began working at monthly wages. He kept that up for seven years, and all that time was in the employ of only two parties, John Rump and Fred Rump. He received from $18 to $20 a month for ten months of the year, but carefully saved his earnings, and finally had two horses as part of his equipment with which to begin farming on his own account. For nine years he rented land from his cousin, John Rump, in Burton Township. The first two years he ran $200 behind. The seasons were poor, he had no wheat sown, and he lost all his hogs with cholera. The arrangement was that he should pay $4 an aere cash rent for 160 acres, but after the disastrous experiences of the first year or so he ar- ranged to rent on the share. After that the erops became more favorable and he made such progress that at the end of nine years he was able to buy his present property in 1893. This is the old home of Robert Kay, comprising 120 acres. Mr. Rump bought it for $62.50 an aere, going in debt $3,000. Later he added the 157-acre Perry farm, cornering his first place. The purchase price of this was $92.50 an acre. There was a house on the farm when he bought it in 1893, but it has since been remodeled and rebuilt. A few weeks after he took possession the old barn was burned, and that was only the first of many losses and vicissitudes he had to sustain as an independent farmer. Again and again he lost his hogs by cholera, but has never given up that feature of his farming, and in recent years has sold from forty to sixty head every season. He also sells cattle direct from the grass. He has a fine body of land, all well improved and the soil carefully conserved by good management and proper rotation of crops and application of fertilizer. For many years he has made wheat a large crop. He rents land for wheat growing, fifty to sixty acres, and has had from sixty to seventy acres of corn and twenty to thirty acres of oats every year. He has never worked less than 240 aeres for many years. For the past two years Mr. Rump has been content to shift the heaviest responsibilities to the shoulders of his sons, but still stays on the farm and has an active part in its management.

On March 5, 1884, Mr. Rump married Miss Mary Hunsacker, daughter of Alexander and Mary Elizabeth (Freeman) Hunsacker. Her mother was born in New York State. The Hunsackers were a prominent family here. Mr. Hunsaker was a blacksmith and miller, owned a distillery and carding mill and store and lived in Adams County until about thirty-four years ago. Mrs. Rump has the following sisters: Mrs. Lizzie Strathman; Mrs. Belle Meckes; Mrs. Dorinda Cleveland, of Chillicothe, Missouri; Frances McVeigh, of Cali- fornia : Gertrude Biggy, of Texas; Harriet, of Walla Walla, Washington : Anna, of Peoria, Illinois; and Deborah married Mr. Nash and died in Missouri. Mrs. Rump also has a brother, John Hunsacker, now living at Quiney, who for twenty-seven years was a locomotive fireman.

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Quincy and Adams County history and representative men, Vol. II, Part 59

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