Quincy and Adams County history and representative men, Vol. II, Part 93

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

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His children are briefly noted as follows: William, a teamster living at Payson; Emma, who died at the age of forty-seven, wife of Henry Keasel ; Linnie, who is unmarried; and Henry, born January 13, 1877, and Elmer, born April 8, 1883, who are the progressive sons now in full charge of the home farm, where they have spent all their lives. Neither of the brothers is married.

JAMES SCOTT spent nearly all his life in Liberty Township, for many years was a sucessful farmer, and was a man of keen intelligence and the finest quali- ties of citizenship. His home was 41% miles south of the Village of Liberty. For the last six years of his life he was practically an invalid, and the opera- tion of his farm devolved upon his son. His death ocenrred on the 29th of December, 1918.

Mr. Seott was born in McKee Township of this county March 27, 1849, son of Arthur and Sarah (Fuqna) Scott. The Fuqua family has been rather a numerous one in Adams County. Arthur Scott was born in Kentucky and went from there to Ralls County, Missouri, and later to McKee Township, Adams County. When James Scott was 21% years old his parents moved to the farm where he now lives in Liberty Township. Arthur died there at the age of fifty- three and his widow survived until past eighty. All the old farm improvements and buildings are now gone. Harry Scott, brother of Arthur, also lived in Adams County a short time. Arthur Scott was an excellent farmer, and being a man of great industry cleared his land of its brush, broke the prairie, and had it all in cultivation. In the early days and when James Scott was a small boy it was a frequent sight to see deer in the woods and on the prairies. In fact they would oftentimes come into the lot with the cows. Mr. Scott saw as many as

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JAMES SCOTT

LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

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seven deer together when he was a boy. Wild turkeys also abounded. Arthur Scott and wife had the following children: Eunice, widow of Isaac Alten, of Camp Point; Thomas and James, twins, the former of whom lived in Missouri and died there at the age of sixty-two; Mary Eliza, wife of Marion Allen, of Clar- ence, Missouri; Robert, of Oklahoma; Dudley and Henry, both farmers at Clarence, Missouri.

James Scott was reared and educated in Liberty Township and after com- ing to manhood acquired the old homestead, and later added another 200 acres, giving him a large farm of 280 acres in one body. He put on all the present improvements. For the past six years his son Maurice has operated the farm, raising crops and livestock. James Scott spent a busy life and acquired a valu- able property. He paid as high as $75 an acre for some of his land. He never held office and was a republican voter.

February 25, 1880. he married Miss Martha Jimison, who was twenty-five years of age at the time of her marriage and was born in Liberty Township, daughter of James and Rachel (Cunning) Jimison. The parents were both born in Ireland but were married in Pennsylvania and they lived for many years in Adams County, where her father died at the age of sixty-six and her mother when past eighty. Mrs. Scott is the only survivor and the youngest of six children. The others were: Sarah, who married James Naylor, of Quincy, and died there; Margaret, who also married and is deceased ; James J., who died a bachelor at the age of fifty; Savannah, who married John Featheringill; Wil- liam, who died when about fifty-nine years of age.

Mr. and Mrs. Scott had three children : Nora is the wife of Marion Enlow, of Avon, Illinois; Maurice and Meredith were twins, and the latter died at the age of thirteen. Maurice has spent all his life on the home farm and on Sep- tember 11, 1918, married Lora Van Zandt, of Richfield Township, daughter of Albert and Relia Van Zandt.

GEORGE F. P. AND FRED SCHNELLBECHER. Various members of the Schnell- becher family in Melrose Township have borne a part in community affairs and the practical business of farming and farm operation that should be a matter of pride to them and to all their friends. In former years they helped subdue the wilderness to the needs of peaceful agriculture, and as land owners, farmers and good business men their record may be viewed with interest. Two brothers of the name above mentioned are now the practical managers of the large Schnellbecher farm ten miles southeast of Quincy in Melrose Township, and besides handling their own land they have for a number of years carried on an extensive business as threshermen. The Schnellbecher brothers, both George and Fred, as well as one or two others, have had pronounced mechanical ability, and they have constituted a group of men who are past masters of all the complicated machinery used in farming operations.

Their father was the late John Wilhelm Schnellbecher, who was born in Hesse Darmstadt, Germany, December 16, 1819. In 1845 he married Eliza- {beth Margaret Schmidt, who was born in the same country April 14, 1827. Two children were born to them in the old country. Some six or seven years after their marriage they started for America. Elizabeth Schmidt had a sister who was already in Adams County, the wife of Fred Miller. The Miller brothers, transfer men of Quincy, are of this family. John W. Schnellbecher had no money on landing at Quincy, and he first rented a tract of land on the Mississippi River bottoms west of Bluff Hall. His wife soon found that low land a source of ill health, and they removed to higher ground. There the father secured forty acres of rough land, cleared it out, and added to it at different times until in 1882 he moved to the farm now owned by his sons in Melrose Township. He first bought 120 acres and eventually had over 200 acres. This farm was originally owned by a Mr. Ewald, who built the present home during the Civil war times. John W. Schnellbecher continued to own the farm during the rest of his life, but turned most of its work over to his sons. He died

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September 12, 1898. His wife died November 4, 1891. He was a capable, straightforward citizen. lived a life above reproach, was a democratie voter, but his only publie service was as a juryman. He and his wife were both members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church and for a number of years at- tended worship in the Bluff Hall Church in Fall Creek.

Brief reference must now be made to their children. Elizabeth, the oldest, died shortly after coming to America, at the age of three years. John Wil- liam, born in 1850, was killed by lightning June 1, 1886. He married Catherine Speckhart, now deceased, a sister of Adam and John Speckhart. Maria never married and died April 15, 1918, at the age of sixty-four. Anna Katerina is the wife of William Haxel, living at Ralston, Oklahoma. John Jacob lives on a farm in Melrose Township, is associated with his brothers as threshermen, and more particular mention of him is made on other pages. Henry Schnell- becher was one of the Schnellbecher brothers in farming and threshing and died April 28, 1907. He was a bachelor. The next two are George Frederick Philip and Fred. Emma is housekeeper for her brothers.

The large farm now owned and operated by the Schnellbecher brothers comprises 463 aeres, really representing several farms though under unified management. It is a general stock farm, raising cattle and hogs and all the staple grain erops of the county. It was William Schnellbecher who first took up the business of threshing, and he continued until his death. Henry suc- ceeded him, and the business is now carried on by George and Fred. The Schnellbecher brothers have operated practically every type of threshing out- fit during their experience. For a few years they had three outfits during the season, and they still operate two outfits. In 1918 they threshed about 600,000 bushels of grain. Some of their customers have had them regularly every season for twenty years. Besides the usual grain separators they own an equipment of clover hullers, shredders and other machinery. The brothers are not office seekers, are democratie voters and members of the Payson Con- gregational Church.

EDWARD HENRY MEYER. There stands to the credit of Edward Henry Meyer, one of the best known citizens of Melrose Township, nearly forty years of successful farming, every year devoted with increasing success to the produe- tion of crops, the improvement of the land, and the bettering of the condi- tions of his locality in general.

Mr. Meyer's farm home is nine miles southeast of Quiney in Melrose Town- ship. He was born in the same township, just a mile northeast of St. An- tonius Church, Angust 24, 1860. His parents were Frederick and Hannah (Diekman) Meyer. Both were born and were married in Lippe Detmold, Ger- many, and started for America with three sons and one daughter. One daughter was born on the ocean, and after reaching America they settled in Adams County. They started from Germany about the time of the political troubles in that country in 1848. Frederick Meyer acquired land in Melrose Township, a tract of timber, with only a log house. It contained ninety aeres and he eleared up most of the land suitable for agriculture. During the late '50s he built the brick house in which his son Edward was born. That house has since been torn down. Frederick Meyer was very helpful and liberal of his re- sources, especially' among his fellow countrymen, and loaned money to a number of other settlers to aid them in establishing homes in this county, and

so far as known none of that money was ever returned. Mrs. Meyer was born in Lippe Detmold May 10, 1814. Other members of her family also came to Adams County, including her brother. Fred Dickman, her sister, Mrs. Gil- house, another sister, Mrs. Hampsmire, a cousin, Mrs. Fred Diekman, and Mrs. Herman Miller. Frederick Meyer died February 12. 1892. at the age of eighty-five. His last days were spent at the home of his son William in Burton Township. His wife died December 13, 1887. They were long members of the Zion Chapel of the Methodist Church on Mill Creek, a church society that has

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since been abandoned. Frederick Meyer and wife had the following children : William, who died on his farm in Burton Township at the age of fifty-eight; August, a farmer of Payson Township, who died September 2, 1911; Fred, who has a thriving real estate business at 841 South Eighth Street in Quiney; Minnie, who died at the age of five years; Louis, a farmer in Burton Town- ship; John, a veteran thresherman who lives at the Village of Ursa ; Philopena, wife of Henry Klingensmith, of Grundy County, Missouri; and Edward.

Edward Henry Meyer spent his youth with his parents, attended the local schools, and on January 29, 1885, established a home of his own by his mar- riage with Lizzie Vollrath. She was then twenty years of age, being the daughter of John and Mary (Kerkmann) Vollrath. For twenty years Mr. and Mrs. Meyer lived on the old Peters farm in Mill Creek Valley, consisting of 140 aeres. Later Mr. Meyer added to that 138 aeres, giving him a well proportioned farm of 294 acres, all in one body and operated under one man- agement. For the original part of his farm he paid $22 an aere and the 138 aeres eost him $6,300. He has done much to improve the land. He found a barn there when he took possession, and in 1909 he erected his present good home. He followed general farming, selling from fifty to sixty hogs every year, and keeps good grades of livestock of all kinds. He has found time to clear up about forty additional aeres of the old Peters place.

Mr. Meyer has never had time for official responsibility, and while a repub- liean is not tied to party politics in local matters.

Last but not least in the family reeord should be noted the children of Mr. and Mrs. Meyer. Clarenee is a farmer in Marion County, Missouri. Ella has lived for several years with her aunt and unele, Mr. and Mrs. August Meyer. Harry now operates the farm of his uncle August and also owns a place of his own nearby. May is still at home. Willis was a member of the field artil- lery at Camp Kearney in California and is now at home. Hobart is still a member of the home eirele. Albert died in childhood. The three younger chil- dren, all at home, are Edna, Nona and Margaret.

FRANCIS M. AMEN. No better illustration of the happy and prosperous results of thrift and industry when intelligently applied ean be found than is afforded by the eareer of Francis M. Amen, now living in a fine home and in the comforts of retirement at Quiney. Mr. Amen grew up as a poor boy in one of the poorer sections of this county, and had the hardest kind of work as his chief training and education for life. What he has accomplished has been the result of his independent efforts and resources. He owns much valuable farming land, and his farming was all of the efficient type, the best of crops, the best of stock, and the best market price for all he produced. The combined results of his long years of successful work would constitute a handsome com- petenee for all his future years if he were to sell out and combine the results in money at the bank.

Mr. Amen was born in MeKce Township, Adams County, March 10, 1843. His parents, Philip and Lena (Ilorn) Amen, were both born in Germany and of old German ancestry. Philip Amen followed the same trade as his father, that of wagon maker, married in the old country, and four children were born there, George, Philip, Isaae and Mary. These children are all now deceased. Philip dying in Germany. Mary and George both married and Isaae died when nineteen. During the early '30s the family left Bremen on a sailing vessel and had a most eventful voyage of six weeks. The ship took fire and the passengers barely escaped destruction by that element in addition to many shocks and fears from the tempests of the sea. The ship finally landed its passengers at New Orleans and from there the Amen family eame up the river to Quincy and soon afterward went into the wilds of Eastern Adams County in MeKee Township. That district was rough, heavily timbered, and at that time probably contained as much real wild game as any other part of the county. There were any number of deer. wild hogs and turkeys. Philip

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Amen in selecting that part of the county had in mind plenty of timber which might be utilized by him in his trade as a wagon maker. At first there was little requirement for his services as a mechanic, but as the country settled up there came a growing demand for the wagons made by Philip Amen. These wagons were hand made throughout from tongue to endgate, and some of them literally lasted a lifetime. The manufacturer took a great deal of pride in all that he did, and the prosperity of his later years was thoroughly justified by the service he had rendered. His sons assisted him in their carly lives, and the family as a whole acquired a great amount of valuable land, chiefly in the lower part of Concord Township, north of Kellerville. When in advanced years Philip Amen and wife left their farm and retired to the Village of Kellerville, where the father died in 1886 and the mother August 8, 1885. The latter was born in 1809 and the former in 1808. The mother was reared a Catholic while Philip Amen was a Lutheran. They were both thrifty and hard working and also kindly and helpful factors in their com- munity, lending their service in periods of distress, and Philip Amen re- sponded to every call to assist his neighbors and early settlers in putting up their log cabin homes and other improvements requiring community co-opera- tion. The parents of Philip Amen followed him to this country in 1849. They landed at New Orleans, and Philip, Sr., was almost at once stricken with the cholera, then epidemic in that city, and died there. His widow escaped, and joined her sons in Adams County, where she died only two years short of the century mark. Philip Amen and wife after coming to Adams County had four other children born here, Francis M., John, Catherine and Joseph. All married and all had children.

Francis M. Amen grew up under the conditions and in the environment briefly noted and suggested above. He attended school as far as possible, but the main requirement was for work and assistance in the practical affairs of life. If it were all summed together it would be found that Mr. Amen ent away and cleared the timber from at least 100 acres of land, and that is no slight achievement in itself. He has always been a good judge of land valnes, and has traded in and handled many tracts in this county. Buying and selling has brought him the ownership of many different farms, and the 400 acres he now owns constitutes some of the best land in Columbus Township, located in sections 18 and 19. This land is divided into two complete and well equipped farms, producing the finest crops and the finest of stock, including cattle, hogs, horses and sheep. Two of his sons are the active managers of these farms, and these sons have much of the enterprise and progressiveness which characterize their father. In the fall of 1913 Mr. Amen bought his fine brick eight-room home at 2845 Maine Street in Quincy. It is a good, substantial residence, and is surrounded by ample grounds, being built on a lot 150 fcet front and 190 feet deep.

Mr. Amen married in Brown County, Illinois, Mary Gruber, who was born in Germany and was three years of age when her parents came to the United States, locating first in Pennsylvania and then in Brown County, Illinois. Her father and mother were John and Anna M. (Blickhann) Gruber, who spent the rest of their lives on their farm in Brown County. The Gruber family were Catholics, and Mrs. Amen and her children are of that faith. Mr. Amen is a democrat in politics. To their marriage were born eleven children, two of whom are now deceased. Philip lives in Quincy, Illinois, is married and has two sons and three daughters; Edward, a resident of Quincy and father of one daughter; Lawrence, who is a bachelor and is now filling the office of coroner of Adams County and lives with his father ; Emily, wife of Thomas Daugherty, of Qunicy and mother of two sons and two daughters: Martin, who is un- married and is the manager of one of his father's fine farms; Ralph, who directs the activities of the other farm, is married and has a son and two daughters; Rita is the wife of Eugene Kircher, of Quincy, and has a sou and

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daughter; Eva lives at home; and Leo is a bookkeeper for the Stone Carriage Company and lives at home.

WILLIAM P. McNEALL represents the old and prominent MeNeall family of Columbus Township, and his own home is in the Village of Columbus, though his chief business interests are now centered at Coatsburg, where he is man- ager of the Coatsburg Grain and Livestock Company.

Mr. MeNeall was born at Denver in Hancock County, Illinois, June 18, 1871. son of Arthur A. and Celina (Nichols) MeNeall. His grandfather was Abraham B. MeNeall, who was born in Pennsylvania in 1810, son of Arthur and Elizabeth (Boyer) McNeall. Abraham MeNeall spent his youth near Cincinnati, Ohio, studied medicine at Columbus, Ohio, and in 1855 came to the Village of Columbus in Adams County, where he gained high rank as a physician and surgeon by many years of active service. A number of other facts regarding his career and family will be found on other pages of this publication. Dr. Abraham MeNeall married Esther Heywood for his first wife, and his second wife was Ruth A. Carroll. The three sons of his first marriage were Nathan, Arthur and David.

Arthur A. MeNeall was for a number of years engaged in the drug busi- ness at Denver in Hancock County. In 1872 he returned to Columbus and engaged in the general merchandise business. On closing out that store he went to live on the farm of his wife's father in Columbus Township, but after this property was sold he returned to Hancock County in 1892. For a number of years he was practically an invalid, and he died at the home of his son William P. in 1900, at the age of fifty-eight. His widow is still living at Hamilton in Hancock County at the age of seventy-four. Celina Nichols is a daughter of John P. Nichols, who was born in Kentucky in 1797, son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Perkins) Nichols. John P. Nichols learned the trade of book binder in Kentucky, but found it disagreeable and injuri- ous to his health, and therefore took up farming. He married Kitty Carter, who was born in Kentucky in 1808. John P. Nichols was a pioneer in Adams County, arriving in November, 1831. In February, 1834, he moved from the vicinity of Quincy to lay out the Village of Columbus. In later years he owned a valuable farm in section 19 of that township, and held various offices and was a man of much local prominence. He and his wife had twelve children, including Celina, Mrs. Arthur MeNeall. Arthur McNeall and wife had two sons and two daughters: Walter S., a farmer at Mendon, Missouri; William P .; Iva L., wife of Ed Rosberry, of Hamilton, Illinois; and Esther.

William P. MeNeall spent his boyhood years in the home of his parents, attended district schools, and at the age of twenty-one married Miss Lizzie Senner, of Columbus, daughter of Peter and Elizabeth (Kircher) Senner. Mrs. McNeall was born in Columbus Township, where her father was a well known and successful farmer. He died about 1910, at the age of sixty-six, while her mother is still living, aged seventy-six.

William P. MeNeall had a very modest equipment when he married, and he and his wife started out as farm renters. The first year they spent on Job Robinson's farm, three years on the farm of Ed Yeargain in Gilmer Town- ship, and for six years on one farm near Hamilton, Ohio. These ten years of renting gave them their real start in life, and they then invested their savings in the J. T. Trout farm near Columbus. They also bought the Samuel Clothier farm in the same locality. For the first place they paid $21 an acre and for the second $40 an acre. Mr. McNeall has made his land more than pay its way, and for a number of years has been a successful stock raiser and stock man. He is a breeder of Pecheron horses, and all his stock is of the bet- ter grade. He has shipped many carloads from his own farm.

He was one of the interested principals in the organization of the Coats- burg Grain and Livestock Company on December 12, 1917. The other part- ners in the enterprise are Edward Lohr, Charles Lawless and Willis Cook.

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These three gentlemen reside at Paloma. Though this is a new organization the company has handled a large amount of grain and livestock produced in the Coatsburg territory. They shipped forty carloads of wheat from the new erop of 1918, and on the average send about a carload of stock to the St. Louis markets every week.

Mr. MeNeall has also figured as a merchant at Columbus, for four years being a hardware and agricultural implement dealer and for two years con- ducting a general store. The family enterprise is the Central Telephone Of- fice at Columbus, located in the family residence, with his daughter Nina as chief operator. Mr. MeNeall has served on the school board and as village trustee of Columbus, is a democratie voter, he and his family are Methodists, and he has filled the chairs of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows Lodge at Columbus and is also a member of the Modern Woodmen of America. Mr. and Mrs. MeNeall have three daughters, all of them still at home, named Nina, Iva and Celina.

WILLIAM J. LEPPER. Everyone in the Melrose community of Adams County knows the home of Mr. and Mrs. William J. Lepper. It is one of the con- spicuous farms of the county and shows the result of many years of faithful labor, economical management and thrift on the part of its proprietors, who beginning on a very humble scale, in debt for their land, have not only pro- vided amply for the comforts and conveniences of life but have reared a noble family of sons to do them honor.

Mr. Lepper was born in Quiney April 25, 1863. He was the oldest of thir- teen children, nine sons and four daughters. Eleven of these children are still living, all in Adams County, and seven have their homes in Melrose Township. Their parents were Frederick and Fredericka (Elleman) Lepper. Frederick Lepper was born in West Phalen, Germany, as was also his wife. His birth occurred May 15, 1838, and he died March 2, 1905. When a small boy he came to the United States with his brother Charles. After a voyage lasting eleven weeks they landed in this country and soon identified them- selves with Adams County. Frederick Lepper as a boy worked on a farm, also learned and followed for ten years the cooper's trade, and spent eleven years with the Bonnet & Duffey Stove Company at Fifth and Ohio streets in Quiney. As a youth he was willing to take up arms in defense of his adopted country as a true American, and volunteered in the Union army, but his service was brief on account of illness, resulting in his honorable dis- charge. Frederick Lepper finally bought the T. V. Bishop farm in Melrose Township. He went in debt for the land, and before completing his pay- ments made another purchase of the Winchell farm. Notwithstanding the fact that he paid as high as 9 per cent interest on his borrowed capital he got rid of all his obligations and indebtedness with the aid of his sons, and at one time owned 280 acres in Melrose Township. He was a man of the highest standing as a farmer and citizen and taught all his children the lessons of industry and honesty. In polities he was a republican. He and his wife were members of the St. Jacobi Church at Quiney. Both are now at rest in the Woodland Cemetery, where a monument stands saered to their mem- ory. His wife was born in the same locality as her Imsband and was fourteen years old when she came to the United States, landing at New Orleans. She died July 6, 1918. She endeared herself to a large circle of friends and ac- quaintances and proved a friend in need to many of the unfortunate.

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Quincy and Adams County history and representative men, Vol. II, Part 93

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