Quincy and Adams County history and representative men, Vol. II, Part 79

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 79

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

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emplifies some of the finest qualities of that strain. He is also a breeder of the Chester White swine.

Mr. Nicolai is a republican and for about fifteen years has served as school director and for several terms as commissioner of highways. He and his family are members of the Lutheran Church.

In October, 1885, he married Miss Matilda Uht. She was born in Missouri, but is a member of an old Adams County family, daughter of John Christopher and Martha Ann Uht, who came in an early day from Germany and settled in Adams County. Mr. and Mrs. Nicolai had three children, one of whom died in infancy. Their son George is now renting a portion of his father's land and has much of the drive and enterprise which characterizes his father as a farmer and business man. The second son, Amos, is the family representative in the great war. He is a member of Battery C, Fifteenth Battalion, Field Artillery, and was at Camp Taylor in Kentucky but is now at home.

THEODORE W. CRUM is one of the good and successful farmers of Camp Point Township. a young man of mueh practical achievement in the most vital and essential industry of agriculture and stock husbandry.

He was born in Houston Township May 13, 1875, son of Theodore P. and Rebecca Ann (Willard) Crum. His mother is a daughter of John and Re- becca (MeFarland) Willard, whose lives as pioneer settlers and important per- sonalities in the early days of Adams County have some further reference on other pages of this publication. Theodore P. Crum came to Adams County in early days, married here, and was a farmer. He served as a soldier in the Civil war, and died in Indiana. Mrs. Crum died on the old Adams County farm January 22, 1911. She was the mother of six children, Anna; John; Eliza Jane: Mary, who died October 13, 1907; Theodore W .; and Irwin W., who died in infaney.

Theodore W. Crum grew up on the old farm and was educated in the com- mon schools. He and his sister Eliza J. now own and occupy the homestead of sixty-five aeres, and both of them have remained single and the sister keeps house for her brother. Mr. Crum conduets his place as a general farm, raising considerable stoek, and has always enjoyed a high standing and reputation in his community. For fifteen years he has been a member of the school board. is a democrat, and is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Golden. His sister is a member of the United Presbyterian Church at Golden.

GEORGE H. REUTZEL is one of the successful farmers, and good citizens and highly capable men of Columbus Township. Mr. Reutzel has never participated in public affairs to the extent of seeking office, but his friends have long reeog- nized in him the material that would make a splendid official, since he is a man of good judgment, thoroughly honest and capable in everything he undertakes.

The Reutzel home is in section 9 of Columbus Township, where Mr. Reutzel has lived for sixteen years. He has a farm of 160 aeres, well improved with good buildings, the land being rolling and of fine natural drainage, and well fitted for diversified cropping. There are two flowing springs on the land besides wells. Mr. Reutzel has done much to improve and increase the value of his farm. Besides crops of corn, wheat, oats and elover he keeps much live- stock. Ile came to this farm from another place in the same township, and has lived all his life in Adams County.

Mr. Reutzel was born at Quincy September 8, 1859, son of Henry and Cath- erine (Hurter) Rentzel. His father was born in Hesse-Darmstadt and his mother in Baden, Germany. They came to America on sailing vessels at dif- ferent times. The mother landed in New York after a voyage of seven weeks, while the father reached this country at New Orleans. They were married in Quiney and not long afterward settled on a farm in Gilmer Township and still later on a farm in Columbus Township. They finally retired from farming and lived on the Gilmer Township side of the Village of Columbus. The father

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died there in July, 1915, aged eighty-five, and the mother in November, 1917, aged eighty-three. They were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and in polities the father voted as a republican.

George H. Rentzel was one of a family of seven sons and five daughters. Two sons died in infancy. Nine of the children are still living, a danghter, Mrs. Browning, dying and leaving two daughters.

George HI. Reutzel was married on the farm where he now lives to Miss Maria Goerker. She was born here February 12, 1867, and has always lived in this one community, attending the schools of her native township. Her par- ents were Henry and Catherine (Ilorneker) Goerker. Her father was born in Hesse Cassell, and her mother in Baden. They came to this country with their respective parents, her mother as a small child and her father as a young man. The voyage was made by sailing vessel, and from New York they came West and Mrs. Reutzer's parents were married in Adams County. They spent their married lives as farmers in Columbus Township, and improved much of that land from a wilderness condition. Her mother died at the old home in 1873, aged thirty-two, while her father passed away in July, 1902, aged seventy-five. Mrs. Reutzel's parents were both Lutherans. Mr. and Mrs. Reutzel are mem- bers of the Camp Point Methodist Episcopal Church.

They are deservedly proud of their family of children, one of whom is already serving with the National Army in France. Harry I., born December 28, 1890, enlisted in December, 1917, for the coast artillery, served in France with the heavy guns along the coast of the North Sea, and is now on way home. The daughter, Bernice I. married Fred Bowling, a farmer in Concord Township. Clifford HI., who was registered in the draft, is a Columbus Township farmer. He married Gertrude Balsar and has a daughter, Dorothy. Ralph William, born in 1899, also registered for the recent draft, is a partner in the manage- ment of the home farm. Henry H., the youngest child, is sixteen years old and is still at home.

SAMUEL GRISWOLD, a well known retired resident and property owner of Camp Point, spent his most productive years in the northwestern states, espe- cially in Washington, where, beginning as a homesteader he aeenmulated a large body of land, and for many years farmed it successfully to wheat, fruit and the other staple erops of the Northwest. But in the end Mr. Griswold chose to spend his later years in the State of Illinois, and is now enjoying the eom- forts of one of the best homes of Camp Point. He has three sons who are serv- ing their country in the war.

Mr. Griswold was born in West Virginia August 1, 1857, son of Lyman and Mary Jane (Wiekline) Griswold. His paternal grandfather, Giles Griswold. died in Ohio at the age of seventy-two, while his widow, Sallie Griswold, eame West and spent her last years in MeDonough County, Illinois, where at the time of her death in 1875 she was 104 years of age. Lyman Griswold was born in Connecticut in 1818. He was taken when a child to Ohio, grew up there, and married Mary Jane Wickline, who was born in that state in 1828. After their marriage they moved to West Virginia, and in 1858 settled in Fremont County, Iowa, and in 1863 came to MeDonough County, Illinois. Both were very capa- ble school teachers in early life, though Lyman Griswold was unable to read or write until he was eighteen years of age. His thirst for knowledge enabled him to acquire an education beyond the average of most men, and he was also very successful in imparting instruction to others. He was also a capable farmer and business man and owned 320 acres in MeDonough County at the time of his death. He died there in 1890 and his wife in 1908. He was a democrat and served as justice of the peace and collector, and was very active in polities in MeDonough County. The children of Lyman Griswold and wife were: John, Sallie, Samuel. Giles, Jeremiah. Thomas, Louis and Anna. All are still living except Jeremiah, who was accidentally killed in Montana September 11, 1914. At the present time there are thirty-six surviving grandehildren of Lyman Gris-

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wold and wife. During the last thirty years in the Griswold family circle there have been only three deaths, and only one of these was from natural causes.

Samuel Griswold though a native of West Virginia first became conscious of the world in Iowa, and grew up in McDonough County, Illinois. He was educated in public schools, and was twenty-four years of age when in 1881 he went West to the Territory of Washington. He had many interesting experi- ences in the far West, and for several years was employed at monthly wages. He took a homestead of 120 acres, and around that developed from time to time a splendid body of land until he had 1,200 acres near Davenport, Wash- ington. Through his personal efforts and through hired labor he broke most of the land and farmed it either under his personal supervision or by renting. He succeeded well as a wheat grower, and was also early in the business of fruit raising. He had fifteen acres in fruit, apricots, cherries, peaches, apples and plums, and was one of the pioneer producers of the famous fruit of the Northwest. Mr. Griswold sold some of his land but still has 1,000 acres in that state.

On November 1, 1905, he resumed his residence in Illinois, at Camp Point, and now owns a fine home at the end of Ohio Street, a place which he has greatly beautified both in the buildings and the surrounding grounds. He also owns forty acres adjoining the village. Mr. Griswold is a democratic voter, and is liberal in religious matters.

October 30, 1892, he married Miss Minnie Douglass. Mrs. Griswold was born at Tennessee in McDonough County, Illinois, December 11, 1866, daughter of John S. and Caroline (Bevan) Douglass. Her father was born in Maryland June 3, 1814, and from his native state moved to Wheeling, West Virginia, then crossed the Ohio River into Belmont County, where he met and married Caro- line Bevan, who was born in Belmont County October 31, 1822. After their marriage they came West to Tennessee in McDonongh County, Illinois, during the '50s, and John S. Douglass was for many years a merchant at Tennessee. He died there May 7, 1887, and his wife September 18, 1907. Mr. Donglass was a republican, and he and his wife were active in the Methodist Episcopal Church. Their children were: Louis, deceased; Stacy B., deceased ; Martha A .; Ellen R .; William R., deceased ; Elmer E .; Minnie L .; and Edward H., deceased. Mrs. Griswold was educated in the schools of Tennessee and of La Prairie in Adams County, and attended the old normal at Macomb. For eight years she was a successful teacher, and in that occupation she followed the example of her father, who had been an educator for some years.

The three sturdy and patriotic sons of Mr. and Mrs. Griswold are Jay S., born May 23, 1895, John D., born June 25, 1898, and Emerson, born January 16, 1899. The youngest graduated from the Maplewood High School at Camp Point in 1918. Jay S. is also a graduate of the Maplewood High School and attended Illinois University 11% years. With this training he went to the Northwest to look after his father's ranch in Washington, but when this coun- try entered the war against Germany he enlisted and is now a member of Bat- tery C Thirteenth Regiment, Field Artillery. During the summer of 1918 he was at Camp Taylor, Kentucky. John D., the second son, graduated from the Maplewood High School and also had one year of nniversity training. June 28. 1917, after he had just passed his nineteenth birthday he left school to enlist in the navy. Preparatory to that he had taken wireless telegraphy courses at Harvard University and also at New London, Connecticut, and is now a wire- less operator on the United States torpedo destroyer Murray.

FRANCIS DELANO SMITH. The records of early settlement in Columbus Town- ship do not go back much farther than the date of the first settlement of the Smith family here. Four generations of the family have lived in the county, including Francis Delano Smith, who for many years has been one of the leading farmers in section 4, where for over eighty years the family have owned land in that section of Columbus Township.

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The Smiths are of Seoteh ancestry. Philip Smith was an carly Kentucky pioneer. He was a farmer and died in Kentucky. Among his children was George Smith, who was born in Kentucky, in Jefferson County, near the falls of the Ohio at Louisville. He married Isabel Carmichael, who was born in Pennsyl- vania and was taken as a child to Jefferson County, Kentucky. Her parents were James and Jane Carmichael, who spent the rest of their days in Kentucky. George Smith and wife were married in 1815. Their children were born in Ken- tueky. In 1837 George Smith came West, bringing his wife and children, and they brought their household possessions on wagons drawn by teams of horses, traveling all the way by country roads until they reached section 4 of Columbus Township. This was a wild and almost desolate part of the county at that time, but George Smith located there because of its fine timber, and also because of its splendid water supply. On his farm was a spring which even today had a flow of a hundred fifty gallons per hour. George Smith acquired four hundred acres of this wild land, and his first home was a log cabin, later replaced by a hued log cabin of two apartments, and gradually, assisted by his sons and daughters, George Smith eleared and put much of his land into cultivation. George Smith died on the old farm, June 7, 1846. His widow survived him and passed away at the age of ninety. George Smith was a very large man, weighing 250 pounds. He served a number of years as a county commissioner.

Alexander M. Smith, father of Franeis Delano, was born in Jefferson County, Kentucky, May 31, 1821, and was sixteen years old when brought to Adams County. He grew up on the old farm, and had an active part in its elearing and development. When the estate was divided he inherited his share and later bought the interests of his brothers James and John and his sister Celesta. These other children all married and left families. Alexander M. Smith made many improvements on the old homestead. He erected a fine barn in 1857, considered at that time and for some years later as the best barn in the township. In 1871 he built a commodious house, and in that, with an ample competence, he spent his last years. He died October 14, 1894.

December 4, 1845, Alexander M. Smith married Eliza A. Turner. She was born in Clark County, Indiana, and died in August, 1861, the mother of two children : Ellen A. and Winfield S. Ellen died unmarried in 1894. Winfield now lives at Pomona, California, and is married but has no children. On Febru- ary 25, 1862, Alexander M. Smith married Rebecca J. Turner, sister of his first wife. She was born in Indiana about 1825, and when a young girl was brought to Adams County by her parents, Francis and Elizabeth (Beadels) Turner. The Turners located on almost new land, and her father died in advanced years. Her mother died in Clayton Township. Mrs. Alexander Smith died December 19, 1893, when past sixty-eight years of age. She and her husband were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Alexander Smith was elected a member of the first Board of Supervisors of the county and served altogether for eleven years. For two terms he was a member of the State Legislature, and for about fifteen years was one of the Board of Managers of the County Poor Farm. In polities he was a republican.

Franeis Delano Smith, only child of his father's second marriage, was born August 17, 1865. He grew up in Columbus Township, attended the country schools and also the graded school at Coatsburg, and since reaching his majority has been owner and operator of the old homestead. He lost a good barn in the cyclone of October 12, 1902, and some years ago built a large barn 30 by 40 feet, with 12-foot sheds. His farm produces all the cereal crops, and is the more valu- able because of its excellent drainage.

Mr. Smith married in Columbus Township of this eounty Miss Anna Davis. She was born near the Village of Columbus, February 27, 1871, and was edu- cated in the township schools and in the Camp Point public schools. Mrs. Smith has been a most capable home maker and deserves much eredit for the upbringing of her children. She is a daughter of George H. and Amanda (Hendrieks) Davis. Her father was born July 3, 1841, and her parents were married October

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10, 1867. Her grandparents, Henry and Ann (Silk) Davis, were natives of England and after their marriage came to Adams County and settled in Colum- bus Township. Her grandfather died in California and her grandmother, Ann Davis, died in Columbus Township, January 27, 1871. Her grandfather was a California forty-niner, going across the plains with ox-teams to that state. Her father, George H. Davis, at the age of nineteen also went across the plains with an ox team in 1861, and was four months and twenty days in reaching Cali- fornia. He was there four years, and then returned to the States by way of the Isthmus. He married and spent the rest of his days in Adams County. George I. Davis died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Smith, August 1, 1914, aged seventy-three. His widow, who was born in 1851, is still living, a resident of Clayton. She is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Mr. and Mrs. Smith have had two sons: Alexander H., born October 9, 1893, married Florence McFarland, and died when about twenty-three years of age. Francis W. Smith, born July 14, 1900, is a member of the elass of 1919 in the Maplewood High School at Camp Point. The Smith family attend the Methodist Episcopal Church at Camp Point. Mr. Smith has always been a strenuous advo- cate of temperance, and Mrs. Smith's father was one of the pioneer prohibi- tionists of the county.

GEORGE WASHINGTON CYRUS. Business and other public duties have kept George Washington Cyrus in elose touch with the life and affairs of Adams County for half a century or more, and it was on account of these many quali- fications that he was selected as one of the advisory editors of this publica- tion.

Mr. Cyrus is one of the older native sons of Adams County. He was born in Houston Township Mareh 15, 1842, son of Henry Arnols and Athaliah G. (Ruddell) Cyrus. His parents were Adams County pioneers, locating on a raw prairie farm in Houston Township in the year 1836. His father died here in 1847 and his mother in 1888.

George W. Cyrus had a country school education, and has successively fol- lowed as his chief line of business farming, proprietor of a drug store and news- paper publisher. His name stands high among the county journalists. He established the Camp Point Journal and was its editor from 1873 to 1910. When a young man and about fifty years ago, in 1869, he was made post- master of Camp Point, and filled that office until 1885, when the first demo- cratie administration after the war took charge of national affairs. He served as justice of the peace of his precinet from 1879 to 1886, as supervisor from 1886 to 1893, and in 1912 eame into touch with larger state affairs as a mem- ber of the State Board of Equalization.

Mr. Cyrus has been an undeviatingly consistent republiean in all his po- litical affiliations. He is affiliated with the Masonie order, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and Knights of Pythias, has presided over the lodges of each of these bodies and has held some positions in the Grand Lodge of Masons sinee 1870, and also in the Grand Chapter and Grand Commandery. He is affiliated with Quincy Consistory of the Scottish Rite.

September 22, 1863, in Houston Township Mr. Cyrus married Emily Chris- tina Striekler. She is a daughter of David and Anna Striekler, both natives of Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. Cyrus have two daughters, Annie and Jessie. The older daughter is unmarried and at home, while Jessie is the wife of John WV. Creekmur, a prominent Chicago attorney.

HENRY SOMMER is one of the older residents of Columbus Township, where he located over thirty years ago, and has put his efforts to such good use that his advanced years are being spent in the comforts and plenty of one of the good farms and homes of that rural section. He owns 117 aeres, all improved and with valuable buildings. When he located there in 1885 he also set out

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a good orchard and many shade trees, and these have been bearing fruit for many years.

Mr. Sommer was born in Oldenburg, Germany, October 28, 1837, son of John and Elizabeth Sommer and of old Catholic ancestry. His father was a farmer in Germany and died there at the age of fifty-five, while his mother passed away at seventy-two.

Henry Sommer grew up in his native province, and in 1852 was called to the colors for three years in the regular army. In 1865 he started for America, taking passage at Bremen and landing at New York. From New York he came on to Quincy and not long afterwards married Miss Minnie Suburg, who was born in the same section as her husband in October, 1843. They had been be- trothed before coming to America. She started from Bremen to New York in 1866. The steamer which carried her was wrecked in mid ocean and for two weeks it drifted in a badly damaged condition and finally, when the passengers were nearly starved, they were landed on the coast of Iceland, and from there were picked up and carried to Halifax by an English transport and thence transferred to a boat going to Boston. Minnie Suburg, during this long and eventful journey had been greatly befriended by a lady who was on the same voyage, and through her kindness she got to Philadelphia. From there she came on to Quincy through funds supplied her by her uncle Herman Einhans, then a resident of Adams County. In April after arriving at Quiney they were married.

Mr. Sommer after his marriage worked in Quincy two years in a machine shop, and was then on the farm of his wife's uncle in Riverside Township for seven years. Later they farmed at another place in that township, and in 1885 came to the present Sommer home in Columbus Township. Mr. Sommer has been a very successful farmer and stoek raiser, and during his active years de- rived much of his revenue from Poland China hogs.

Mrs. Sommer died at the old home January 15, 1918, at the age of eighty years and five days. She was laid to rest in Calvary Cemetery. Mr. Sommer is still active and vigorous, and celebrated his eighty-eighth birthday October 29, 1918. He and all his family have for many years been members of St. Bridget's Catholic Church at Camp Point.

A brief record of the children is as follows: Henry lives on the farm be- longing to his brothers John and George. He married Emma Hildebrand, of Ellington Township, and their children are Albert, Carl, Henrietta Minna, Mil- dred and Edith. John Sommer was born in Ellington Township in 1871, was well edneated in the parochial and public schools, and is now one of the active managers of the home farm. He and his brother George own eighty aeres in Columbus Township and he also owns another place of twenty-three aeres. John Sommer, who is unmarried, has been a man of importance in his town- ship and for twelve years was in commercial lines as a salesman of fence and implements, and is equally successful as a farmer and stock raiser. Kate is still at home with her father. Minnie is also at home. George, the youngest of the family, lives at Pea Ridge in Brown County, owns eighty acres there, and is married.

JACOB OBERLING is owner and proprietor of the Overlook Farm in Column- bus Township. The ownership of this farm constitutes him without further ques- tion as one of the most substantial men of Adams County. It consists of land which his father, George Oberling, helped to convert to agricultural purposes. It lies in section 6, and the farm comprises 260 acres. The buildings are first class in every particular. The large, square eight room house was built by Mr. Oberling and completely remodeled and furnished and equipped in 1913. There is a new barn 48 by 48 feet, and other buildings include a cattle barn and tool shed. All the land has good natural drainage, and is highly produc- tive of all the staple erops. Mr. Oberling keeps good grades of livestoek, includ- ing horses, cattle, sheep and hogs. Farming with him is a business but is also

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a pursuit in which his whole heart and mind are engaged and affords the satis- faction that comes from every task well done.

Mr. Oberling has handled this farm for twenty-five years and he learned how to plow and all about farm work on the land which he now cultivates. He was born in Quincy October 9, 1866, and as a boy attended school in the Hazelwood district and in Camp Point.

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Quincy and Adams County history and representative men, Vol. II, Part 79

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